The Big Girls New Room

We decided that it would be good for Mickayla and Haylee to share a room.  To help with the adjustment we decided to let them decorated their new room together. 

We went to Ikea to pick out fabric and accessories.

The pictures above Mickayla's bed are her own photography.

Haylee wants to put prints of her favorite artists above her bed. 

 We are still looking for just the right size.

When I ordered this we thought it would be three feet tall, it is only 12 x 12.  

This is why you should read the fine print before you order on ebay!  

Trunk or Treat!

Does wearing orange and black count for dressing up?

Mickayla is "Facebook"

Madilyn is my "Southern Bell"

Ben is the cutest frog ever!

Grandma is one HOT witch!

Haylee is a "Disco Queen"

Hannah is a East High Cheerleader

It was so fun to have Mom and Cheryl here for all of our Halloween activities!

 

Ben gets a haircut!

Ben you are so handsome!

Great job sitting still Ben!

Ben getting his big boy haircut!

I am getting use to having a little boy who has to have his haircut. Little girls can go a long time wih no haircut, but not little boys. Ben likes getting his haircut for the first three minutes so I have work fast!

Grandma Joan and Aunt Cheryl are visiting!

My girls were so excited to spend time with Aunt Cheryl and Grandma Joan

Hannah wearing Cheryl's glasses. 

 She cried when I told her I would not buy her a pair of her own!

Cleaning up after our family dinner with Grandma and Cheryl.

Grandma making Ben and Hannah laugh!

Grandma Joan and Aunt Cheryl are here visiting. They arrived today at 1:00. Ben warmed up to Grandma right away. He brought her a book and wanted her to read it to him. We are so excited to spend the next two weeks with them!

Great News from Rob!

Today we found out that Rob and Stephanie are having a Girl!  

Lyla Rebecca Sollis 

will be joining the family on or around March 26!  

We are so excited for them!   

Megans first report from Taiwan

(My sisters and my Mom when we went to the temple with Megan. My sister Natalie was home in Washington on bed rest.  We missed you tons, Nat!)

We got our first letter from Megan today and I wanted to share with you my favorite part...  

Last night we were sitting with six little kids, the Chen family, whose parents are really lame and don't really care about them.  We sat in a parking lot with them and sang their favorite song, "I am a child of God."  As I looked in their eyes and we sang that song in this deserted parking lot I felt that "I love my life" feeling.  They really are Heavenly Father's children and even though they have dirtbag earthly parents, they know their worth and they know God loves them. They know these things through this gospel.  It was a very sacred moment.  The church is true and this is God's work.  Nothing can stop it!  Taiwan is wonderful.  Love you all!  

luo jie mei

Pictures of the Week (I had a few favorites and could not decide so I posted all of them)

Megan and Ben ready to go to Raging Waters! 

My Dad he says he is an electrician but he really works for the CIA!

My new Sister in Law, Stephanie, Cousin Erica, Kim, Grandma Jan, Haylee, Tricia, Mickayla, Megan, Becky and Gracie.  

We are at Stephanie's shower with the Sollis aunts and cousins.

Look at how much I look like my Mom!  

Madilyn, Kloe, Kaitlynn, and Haylee looking gorgeous at Rob and Stephanie's wedding!

Picture of the Week

Check out Madi, she is going to save the world!

Playing at Aunt Kim's house with Karter, Kaitlynn, and Kamden.

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Ivy, Haylee, Hannah, Madi, Klover

"When I grow up I want to be my Grandpa Moon!" We went to the pumkin patch to celebrate Meadow's birthday!

Meadow, Klover, and Madi

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Ben watching the pigs! He loved all of the animals, he petted the horses over and over!

Mommy Pre-School

Giny, Taylor, Hannah, Audrey, Meadow, Emma, Eliana

So the other Co-op I co-run is a "Mommy Pre-school."  There are 7 little girls and their Moms that we do pre-school with.  Each Mom takes a week teaching and we all rotate.  It is a way that we offer pre-school free and know each of the Moms who are the teachers.  I have done Pre-school this way for all of my other kids when they were pre-school age, too.

Every year I think, "I am not going to do the pre-school group" and then when I starts shopping for pre-schools the thought of paying $150.00 a month for pre-school always makes my stomach hurt.  I  feel like it would be a waste of money when we have the Mommy pre-school that is FREE! 

Hannah loves pre-school!  She started in September and really enjoys all of the girls.  It is so weird that we only have girls this year, it just happens to be who is her age in our ward.  You know that you have only girls in your group when they can take 30 minutes eating lunch and another 30 minutes playing play dough!  Hannah already knows how to spell many words and wants to tell me what every word starts with, so it must be working! 

Sollie has been GREAT for my Kids!

So I just have to talk about my dog, Sollie. I know not really important but he is my new baby for now so lots to say about him. He has been so good for my kids. Today we left him home in his crate and I took all the kids to Petco to get him a Kong (a toy you stuff with Peanut Butter that they have a hard time getting to so it keeps them occupied for hours). We are leaving him for the first long stretch since we got the crate. The Kong will keep his mind occupied.

Ok to the actual story...

When we show up at Petco we see 12 or more dogs outside the Petco and they are all labs. Normally my "crazy can't stand dogs" kids would have been screaming that they did not want to get out of the car. But today because of Sollie they were screaming, but with excitement. "Look Mom, lots of Sollie dogs, can we pet them, PLEASE!" We spent more than 30 minutes with the dogs that were not in crates but on leashes. They petted and loved each one, wanting to know each ones name, and asking me if we could keep their favorites. Come to find out that Fort Worth's Lab Rescue was at Petco looking for homes for all of the Lab's. I did really like one named, Klover, but you know one dog in our home is plenty!

I decided after this experience today that Sollie is good for us and we are keeping him for sure!

A Letter From Sister Sollis

I got my first letter from Megan this week.  I thought it would be fun to post her letters so everyone can enjoy and then I will have it forever.  

How are all of you? I hope good!  Grandma & Grandpa's visit sounded like such a great time!  I'm sad I couldn't be there to enjoy all the festivities but I bet you liked having Grandma and Grandpa all to yourself! I hope school is treating you well, I know some times it's hard to get into the swing of things but after about a month or so - things usually work themselves out.  That is how it kind of is here at the MTC - The first few days felt so long and it was hard adjusting to the schedule but after that it has just flown by!  I can't believe I've almost been here 8 weeks.  It's so crazy. It makes me kind of scared to go to Taiwan because I don't feel comfortable with the language at all.  But the Lord knows I've tried my best & He will make up the difference.  I hope you feel that way too - that Heavenly Father loves you and so does Jesus Christ.  Sometimes they ask us to do things that seem too difficult or beyond our capabilities. But they do that to show us that we need their help, and when we turn to them, they can help us do anything and everything. Whether it be starting High School, getting baptized, learning multiplication, swimming at the pool, or serving a mission, or even saying a prayer when you would rather not. Whatever it is they are aware of it and want to help us.  One thing I have learned here though, is that you must do your part too.  We must pray, read our scriptures and make good choices so we can be worthy of the Spirit and Their blessings.  I talk to a lot of people who call about free videos who don't know about the gospel.  They seem so unhappy and lost.  We are so BLESSED!  I can't get over how blessed we are to have such wonderful, righteous parents.  Mickayla, Haylee, Madi Hannah and Ben -  YOU ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE WONDERFUL, RIGHTEOUS PARENTS!!! I know you are young, but you must recognize that you are so blessed.  i bet sometimes it's hard to be one of the only Mormons and have your friends not understand your beliefs.  But be strong, and be a good example!  Heavenly Father needs you to be valiant he needs you to stand up for your values, he needs you to obey our Mom and Dad.  It will be hard but you will be so grateful you did.  I think about all the things I "missed out" on and now that I look back I'm so grateful I did.  Rules and commandments are there for our happiness and safety.  Try to remember that when it's hard. I've thought a lot about your family motto, "Be where you're suppose to be when you're suppose to be there" and it's perfect.  Think about that and follow that everyday. Oh man I know growing up can be hard, but so much easier when we are obedient.  I don't really know why I wrote any of that, sorry if it seemed a little strange.  I must have felt it needed to be said.  I just think about where you live and have so much respect for all of you.  Thank you for your example, over the years, it has definitely helped me.  Trish - I just want to say I love all of your dear elder notes so much!  They make me laugh.  I loved the married bliss story, the 8 x 10 story, eating at Sam's club, sam moons, and all the other updates.  Keep em coming!  Thank you for remembering me, I know life is crazy and it means so much to me hear from you every once and a while.  Madi, I'm so proud you got baptized!  I hope you wrote down your feelings so you can always remember how you felt.  i wish I would have done that.  Well girlfriends and boyfriends I just love you so much!  Thank you for being my family!  I'm grateful I get to be with you forever!  Remember, the Lord plus one equals majority!  Never be afraid to stand up for what you know is right!  Even if you're the only one standing. Sorry if that was cheesy, but it's true.  I love you all!  Be Good! Sister Sollis 

PS Everyone give each other a kiss and hug for me K

Sollie has a Home

After school Dale stopped and purchased this large kennel. After putting it together, Ben got right in it like he was a dog. He didn't want to get out, we had to tell him it is Sollie's house not Ben's House. He never wanted to be a dog more in his life! We worried that Sollie would not like his new home but he went into it right away! Stayed there all night with no barking.