Dakota's 16 now

Last weekend Dakota finally hit that milestone on March 12th, 2011!

I started out the day by waking him up very early and taking him to breakfast just the two of us to the Blue Plate Diner. I saw it on Food Networks Diners, Drive In's and Dives so I thought it would be fun to try it out. 

We had a great time eating and visiting. 

Dakota is a great kids who stays out of trouble and doesn't really ask for much and is always so grateful for what he has. He's the boy at 16 years old that is not afraid to tell me he loves me on the phone each and every time we talk. He thanks us each time we give him a ride to the skate park or over to a friends house. He's just a good kid. And Michael and I are both so proud of the young man he is becoming. 

After breakfast we came home and I gave him his gift $100 in $1 bills. He was very excited because he knew what he wanted to buy...Yes a new skateboard! 

On Sunday we had a party for him, with his friends and family! 

Sunday night he told me "This was the best Birthday ever"!

I sure do love this kid!

Dakota and I

This is my handsome 16 year old son!

He's the favorite Uncle!

The cake, the Tech Decks were my husbands idea and his added touch!

 

He really felt RICH!

My Granddaughter turned 6 years old

Our Granddaughter turned 6 years old last week!

Quynnie is now 6 years old! She had a party at her house!

Photography Classes

Well, last Thursday I started my Photography classes that my sweet husband gave me for Christmas. I have been wanting to take these classes forever, but like some mom's could never justify spending money on myself for something that we didn't really "need".
First class, Digital Basics. A lot of the class was review because I have been using a digital camera for over 10 years now. It all started with my brothers digital camera which held a floppy disc, I thought that was the coolest thing EVER! Technology sure has advanced, now the floppy disc has turned into an SD card. Now I have a Nikon D3000, my first DSLR. I bought it with hopes of being able to take professional like photo's. I have a very large family and thought if we can save money by having one person in our family who can take photo's well that would be great.
I did learn that their is no self destruct button on my camera and it is alright to play around with the settings, which was my first homework assignment. I have been trying different settings, to see how they work and to see what kind of amazing photo's I can come up with!
I can't wait until this Thursday's class Photography 101.

Kaitlyn

Michael

Quynn

Quynn and Oliver

My handsome Grandson

Dakota and Tiffany

Ollie giving Mommy kisses

Dakota

Over my kitchen sink. I normally cannot get the lights to show, but now I have figured it out!

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year and Cold and Flu Season

I am starting to notice a pattern here. You'd think after almost 26 years of being a mommy I would of caught on much sooner. I guess I'm a little slow. 

Every single year right about January/February my family gets sick. 

Usually it starts with one of our school age children and works it's way to Michael and I. 

However the last two years it has turned into pneumonia for Michael and that is way too scary.  I sometimes have a tendency to not feel real sorry for him because I always say "Honey, maybe you should go to the doctor" and like most men he says "No I'll be ok". And I think to myself..... I've been a Mom for close to 26 years of 5 children, maybe, just maybe I do know what I'm talking about! 

Well, this year is no different. Dakota came home last Thursday feeling horrible and running a fever, I gave him some NyQuil and he slept. A couple days later he was feeling fine. Then Saturday Kaitlyn started running a fever and as much medicine as I gave her she still didn't feel better and the fever was still there. So Monday morning I called the doctor and got her an appointment, so I told Michael I'm leaving work early to take Kaity to the doctor, maybe you should come? He tells me the same thing he has every other year "No, I'll wait". Classic answer coming from him. So I say to him "And what is it you're going to wait for? I'm guessing you want it to turn into pneumonia?". Well that's all it took and he asked his boss if he could leave. Although he didn't have an appointment, the clinic where we go also has what we call here in Utah "Instacare", everywhere else it is Urgent Care. Kaitlyn and I went to her doctor and Michael waited at Instacare (which always takes too long). 

Well we found out that Kaitlyn is sick, but it wasn't what I suspected. Low and Behold she has not only a cough and cold, but damn she also has pink eye! 

EWWW! 

I know how contagious it is!

And Michael has a viral infection, yep it's the one that usually turns into the pneumonia. But this time we caught it in time to start antibiotics and cough medicine so he doesn't have to suffer through another bout of full blown pneumonia. In my mind I'm thinking "Michael your wife is so damn smart", but instead I said "Aren't you glad you came to the doctor?" 

Now Kaitlyn and Michael are medicated.

And Mommy is armed with disinfectants, sanitizers, vapor rub, Clorox wipes and much more. 

I am so tired of the illnesses, I have wiped down everything in my house and washed all the bedding. I'm trying everything to get rid of the sick bugs!

This is how I will fight the cold and flu season!

The Birthday Party

 This year I made a resolution that I am going to start making more and more birthday cakes. I spent a lot of money on classes and supplies and I really should use it. It's true, you really need to practice and keep with it to stay good at it. I was not happy with the way this cake turned out, but everyone else liked it and it did taste pretty good. I really need more practice. I got the square cake pans for Christmas and really want to get creative with them.

The top layer was white almond flavor cake with lemon filling and the bottom layer was white coconut flavor cake with cheese cake filling.
I have a friend that is getting married in May and wants me to make her cake, oh I need more practice.

Ollie thought the cake looked yummy, I caught him trying to taste it before we sang Happy Birthday.

Ollie sure wanted a piece of that cake!

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn Ann Keepers Long!

I took Kaitlyn and two of her friends from school to see the movie Gullivers Travel and then the two girls spent the night! Oh the giggling girls are so cute sometimes.

Kaitlyn's 10 years old now!

 Well our Baby Girl Kaitlyn turned 10 years old last week!

Hard to believe that she has graced our family for 10 years now!

I love watching her grow into an amazing young lady! 

Michael and I are so proud of her and the young lady she is becoming.

We decided to take some pictures to remember what she looked like when she turned 10 and to put on her invitations to give to her friends that she was inviting to her party!

Her laugh is contagious!

Don't let her fool you, she's not one bit shy!

Now all of our children are in the double digits!

Happy Birthday Kaity!

A Merry Keepers Christmas

Thank you to my youngest brother Trent and his wife Audrey for hosting the first annual Keepers Family Christmas party. I am sure this will be the first of many and oh what a blast it was! So much laughing.     

My brother Trent, the Host!

My daugher Tiffany and my nephew David (who resembles Elmer Fudd with that Hat on).

Miss Blair loved playing on the stairs at Uncle Trent and Aunt Audrey's house.

The beginnings of the food

My brother Troy

Cheesy Grinning Dakota

Tiff and Elmer again LOL!

Kaitlyn

Quynn

David and Dakota, only 7 months apart they have always been buds!

My big wonderful LOUD family! I wouldn't have it any other way.

Trent and Todd checking out Trent's new 3D TV.

Silly Blair and Oliver, why is it kids love stairs?

We had a great time! Audrey put together some video's of the family and a slide show of pictures of our family. It was wonderful. 

I have to say, Michael grew up an only child. Most of his life it was just he and his Mom. At first I think my family kinda scared him, and then he realized my family's love is so unconditional and we have so much love for one another and so much fun together it's amazing, and we really know how to have a great time and it is never ever about money with us. We can have a great time staying home completely broke. 

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my family.