Our tenth wedding anniversary

Erika at The Roof Restaurant

Erika and Michael at their table together

Michael and Erika on the grounds of Temple Square.

  In June we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.  It really is hard to believe that we've been married that long.  We've been through 2 moves, one college degree, 3 children and 4 cars together.  I'm sure we will add to that short list over the years to come. 
  We celebrated with dinner at The Roof in Salt Lake, a walk around Temple Square and then a trip to IKEA to pick up the last piece to our entertainment center that had been on back order.  It was a great night spent together. 
  Later in the year, in September, we went to New York as the big part of our celebration.  It was a wonderful trip!  I am very glad we took the time, effort and money to make that trip happen.  It was something we had wanted to do since we'd gotten married.  Making memories to keep forever is awesome. 
  We were so thankful to our family and neighbors who helped watch our kiddos so we could go.  Visiting with Annegret (my great-aunt) in Buffalo, traveling thru Michael's mission in upstate and then ending in the Big Apple was the backbone of the trip.  Maybe someday we can go again and take the kids with us.  There is so much to see there! 
  Michael and I are still happily married and glad to be together.  We've sure had ups and downs like everyone does, but knowing we have each other to lean on is so nice.  In a time when so many are single and the divorce rate is soaring, we are thankful for our knowledge that we can be together forever as an eternal family as long as we do our part.

Swimming Lessons 2014

Landon, Kayleigh and Wyatt on the first day of lessons

Kayleigh on the playground after lessons one day

Wyatt heading down the slide

Landon on the playground after lessons

Wyatt happily watching his siblings swim

Landon with his instructor

Kayleigh with a couple kids from her class

Landon waiting for a towel

Landon and Kayleigh after their lessons

  This past summer I thought it would be a good idea to get my kids into swimming lessons.  I signed them up for lessons at Surf N Swim in Layton.  They ran for two weeks in June each weekday morning.  The kids both really loved their lessons. 
  Kayleigh did very well and wasn't even scared at all.  She ended up passing her class with flying colors.  Landon also did great in his class but was not comfortable enough to ever be really confident about having his head/face under water.  Because of this, he didn't pass his class but that's ok, I thought there was a chance that he wouldn't. 
  A highlight for them each day was that after lessons were over they would go and play on the playground that was right by the pool.  Wyatt was a trooper to sit with me each morning and watch the kids swim.  He also spent a bunch of time over on the playground.  Maybe next summer we will get him in a class, too.

Stake Daddy Daughter Campout 2014

Michael and Kayleigh shortly after arriving at camp.

Kayleigh enjoying a smore at night with her glow stick necklace and bracelet.

Michael getting beds ready in our tent

Kayleigh down by the river

Kayleigh with her caterpillar she found and was very proud of.

  Upon moving to our new home in Syracuse, Kayleigh was thrilled to find out that our new stake also holds an annual Daddy Daughter Campout.  In Kaysville, this was something that she looked forward to every summer.  I'm not sure how thrilled Michael was about that, since he doesn't love camping, but he's been a trooper every year and takes her.  I'm glad he's willing to do it.  We've even invested in a few camping gear items to make it a little easier each year. 
  The camp was held up at Camp Woodland.  It is a camp that our stake is part owner in.  Girls Camp and other activities are held here each year.  Michael and Kayleigh seemed to enjoy it quite nicely.  They traveled up on a Friday evening once Michael got home from work.  They stopped on the way to grab some dinner and ate it once they got up there. 
  Since we were quite new to the ward/stake at the time of this campout, Michael and Kayleigh just wandered around and tried to find a couple people in our ward they recognized.  They did find our next door neighbors, but Michael says they went to bed pretty early.  Michael and Kayleigh enjoyed time around the fire and then played some games they'd brought in the tent before heading to bed. 
  The next morning they had breakfast with the stake, watched some people fish in the river and then headed home.  They both had a nice time together.  Maybe some day Michael will have another daughter to take with Kayleigh to this campout, we'll see.

Kayleigh's dance recital 2014

Phoebe, Landon, Kayleigh and Grace

Kayleigh and Nana

Kayleigh after both of her performances were done

Michael with Kayleigh

Erika with Kayleigh

Kayleigh on the back row far right with her class

Kayleigh with her teacher, Liz

  Kayleigh's favorite time of her dance year is when performance time comes.  In 2014, this happened in the middle of June.  The theme for the recital was "The Magic of Music" A tribute to Our Musicians.  Kayleigh's class was titled "Pink Panther" and they obviously danced to that music. Her dance was very cute, but also very short which made me a little sad. 
  Kayleigh (and also me) was nervous to see what her costume would look like because the year previous she ended up with pajamas.  She liked her costume at first but upon seeing all the other class's costumes, she became sad hers wasn't sparkly or anything. Well, we were not disappointed in the least with her pink panther costume.  As you can see from the pictures, she got the classic ballet tutu and lots of sparkles.  She loved her costume! 
  We were able to enjoy her two performances with lots of support from family.  A huge thanks to Marie, Grace, Phoebe and Nana who came to watch.  Kayleigh loves performing, knowing there are people in the audience watching her.
  As I'm sure I've said before, it has been so fun for me to take Kayleigh to dance each week to the same place that I used to take ballet from.  It's a little surreal as I drop her off, how is it possible I could have a daughter old enough to do that?  I'm not sure how long she will keep it up but I'll enjoy it while it lasts. 

Landon's pre-school program 2014



Here's the class getting ready for the program to start.

Landon with his bean bag they used for one of their songs.

Kids tapping to the beat of the song with sticks.

Landon singing "Five Little Speckled Frogs" with frogs on his fingers.

Wyatt and Kayleigh enjoying the program

Love this funny smile

Landon in the middle doing the actions to one of his songs he'd learned.

Landon was thrilled to see us after he was all done performing.

Landon and Kay hugging after the program

Landon and Wyatt hugging after the program

Mrs. Cyr, Landon and Wyatt

Landon and Nana.



Our family after the show.

 



  Landon loved his first year of pre-school at Mrs. Cyr's home.  Kayleigh also went to pre-school there and loved it.  Landon couldn't wait for his big program day at the end of his school year in May 2014.  He knew all of the songs, the words and actions.  He did very well and it was fun to go and see him perform! 

  Throughout the year we had heard him sing the songs here and there at home so it was fun to see it all come together at the program.  Wyatt had also learned some of the words to the songs since he'd hear Landon sing them.  At the program, it was cute to see Wyatt so interested because you could tell he recognized the songs. 

A story written by Kayleigh

Friendship           by: Kayleigh Kennard                                                                      

Chapter 1 Waking up for school

Ding! Ding! Elizabeth’s alarm rang. It was time to go to school. She got out of  bed and got out of  her pajamas and got in to her clothes and went in the kitchen. She got her breakfast out and poured it. She ate it all up and went to school.

                                                                                                                                                        
Chapter 2 Going to school

She walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus. Then it came and she got on. She sat by her best friend Daisy. Daisy said: Did you get my birthday card? Yes. Said Elizabeth I can’t wait! Good. Said Daisy

 Chapter 3 the new girl

The bus stopped at school. Elizabeth and Daisy got off and went in side. The teacher  Mrs.- Mackle said: Class, we have a new student. Her name is Madison. Daisy said: She looks like a good friend.

Chapter 4 Bad friendship

At recess Daisy played with Madison and not with Elizabeth. The next day at school Daisy played with Madison and not with Elizabeth, again!

 Chapter 5 the party

They got out of school. It was time to go to Daisy’s birthday party. Elizabeth did’t want to go because Daisy was not her best friend any more. Daisy’s best friend is Madison and not Elizabeth.

Chapter 6 Making up!

Elizabeth’s mom said: Just make friends with Madison too. Elizabeth decided she would go. When they got there Daisy’s mom said: Hi! Elizabeth this is Madison. Madison this is Elizabeth. Nice to meet you Elizabeth, said Madison. Nice to meet you too, said Elizabeth. They played happily ever after!

 THE  END

Enjoying General Conference April 2014

  The kids sure enjoy our tradition of watching Conference with a bunch of treats/snacks labeled with topics to listen for from the pulpit.  The adults don't mind it either, for the treats and also that it keeps the kids listening thru pretty much the whole thing.  The colored marshmallows that I bought were labeled with the topic "Jesus Christ" and now Wyatt thinks that colored marshmallows are actually called Jesus Christ.  It's pretty awesome!  I'm thankful for leaders on the earth who lead and guide this church.  We are blessed.

A quick trip to Vegas

Michael and I at Hash House A Go Go



The portions are really huge at this restaurant.

 

Michael really liked his waffles that had bacon in them.

At a buffet with our friends, Jesse and Mackenzie Olsen, that came with us on the trip.

Enjoying some time at the pool with my babe.

At the top of the Stratosphere Hotel where we rode the Big Shot that shoots you way high up in the air on top of the building!

 

Enjoying the water show at the Bellagio.

  We went down to Las Vegas with some of our friends for a long weekend in April 2014.  It was fun to get away and play for a few days without the kids.  We spent our time eating, riding a few rides, shopping and just chillin.  The weather wasn't even too hot yet.  We walked everywhere and enjoyed seeing the sights.  As always, we missed the kids and it was fun to get back home to them. 

Kayleigh's field trip

Kayleigh with the group of kids I was in charge of for the day at the zoo.

Kayleigh by the tiger

Kayleigh by the elephants

Kayleigh and a girl named Darby from her class sitting on an elephant trunk.

Kayleigh looking out of a hole in a ship in the play area of the zoo.

Kayleigh hugging a baby metal tiger.

Kayleigh and I on the bus ride home from the zoo.

  In April of 2014 I was able to go on a field trip with Kayleigh's second grade class to Utah's Hogle Zoo.  This was something that Kayleigh was SO excited for!  Any time her class does something where a parent can volunteer to help with it she is dying for me to come.  I usually try to make it to all the things that I can.  With Michael's job being flexible and my mom nearby to help as well, I have the privilege of doing these things. 
  The day at the zoo was a little cold with the windy weather, but we stayed warm in our jackets.  The one problem with the whole day was that a big part of the zoo was shut down due to them reconstructing the African Savannah as they call it.  This meant that the giraffes were not on display anywhere.  Many kids in my group, as well as Kayleigh, were so hugely sad/mad about this.  I felt so bad for all of them but it was frustrating because there was nothing I could do.  We saw pretty much all the other animals at the zoo and enjoyed a nice lunch with her class there. 
  I promised Kayleigh that I would take her and her brothers to the zoo once the African Savannah was complete.  This cheered her up a little since neither of her brothers have been to the zoo.  She is now excited to be there for their first experience.