Our Tucker Family!

So Much To Be Thankful For

2010-11-25T17:45:00.000-08:00

I have so much gratitude this Thanksgiving. This has been quite the year for our Tucker Family and as I reflect on the past year I have been truly blessed.

I am so grateful for my four wonderful kids and I can’t imagine life without them. They bless me in so many ways. I am thankful that I am a mother and although it is the hardest thing I have ever done I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I am so thankful for my family. Their love and support for me and my kids means the world. I have felt their love and prayers here and it has given us comfort and strength.

I have been blessed with wonderful neighbors and friends. It is the little things that matter the most. I cannot express how grateful I am for those who have shown love and given service to our family.

But most importantly I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. He lives. And He loves me!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thelma & Louise

2010-10-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

Two sister’s adventure driving across the country!

Click on the link to my sister's blog.

http://skillpeople.blogspot.com/

Brace Face

2010-09-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

I've by working in the Orthodontic field for almost 18 years now. But I have to say the day I put my daughter's braces on was the highlight of my career!

This was a legal way for me to torture her and take some pictures that may be used to keep the boys away! What more could a mother ask for?

I say nothing! This is priceless!

Warning…

2010-09-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

This post needs no explanation, except to say that Camden really enjoyed himself.

Goodbye Summer

2010-09-06T20:43:00.000-07:00

There is a saying that says "the one constant in life is change" and this summer our Tucker Family has seen it's share of changes. Now that the dust has settled and school is back in session we thought we would take a minute to look back on this summer's events and pick the moments that meant the most to us.

Camden

Camden's highlights are summed up by all things motorized.

First off, in honor of his Uncle Mark's Triathlon he voluntarily buzzed off his hair (so Uncle Mark wouldn't have to) and sported a mohawk for the event. Tanner took advantage of the free do, as did Bryce (thank goodness). The deal was he could sport the mohawk for the weekend, but come Sunday it had to be history. Luckily enough he did as I asked and the hair was gone a few days later. (I have to admit that he did look cute though.)

His second favorite pick for the summer was learning how to operate a weight sensored lawn mower by his Aunt Stacy. I mention the weight sensor because any normal person would realize that the weight sensor is an added safety feature, however to a Skillman safety features are more like guidelines thus optional and should come with on/off switches. Needless to say, the mower would work when Camden had a passenger, however, when he was on his own the machine would stop. To remedy the safety issue Stacy just grabbed a couple 20 pound bench press weights and off Camden went. He loved every minute!!

And last, but not least, Camden LOVED hanging out with his cousin Connor. Unfortunately, he had one week without the Con Man when he was away at scout camp, but when they were together they had Lego wars, Nerf gun wars, played the wii, and jumped on the tramp. His most favorite day was when we went to Emigrant Lake and went tubing. They were smiling from ear to ear!

Cailey (in her own words)

Instead of "Favorite Day," I thought I would do "Favorite Summer." My "Favorite Summer" was hangin with Sheralyn. We had many great moments. Eating Dinner and talking with Sheralyn in the front yard was fun. We talked about Oregon and Utah and how different they are. We also talked about life just in general. Another funny moment was trying to teach Sheralyn how to burp.

I also had a great time watching Uncle Mark do the Tri. It takes a lot of time and energy to do a tri. I would like to "put my shoes back on" and "Give it a Tri. Thanks Uncle Mark for your help and support! I would also like to Thank Uncle Mark and Dave Peterson for the blessing they gave me in Utah. It helped me be calm and relaxed.

Aunt Stacy, I had many great and fun moments with you too. Boating was be far the best, you really helped me get in the water and taught me some that I think is really fun. I really appreciate you helping our family when we are in times of trouble.

Gramma Bear and Grampa Bear, I had so much fun seeing you. Gramma Bear I had so much fun shopping with you and talking to. I loved spending time with you and can't wait to see you again. Grampa Bear, I had so much fun at your retirement party. Meeting your friends and family was fun and I hope I get to see them again. Happy Retirement Lee Welf!

All of my younger but taller cousins (or the ones getting close), I had so much fun with with you all. I love you Conner, Chloe, Maddie, Jenna, and all your friends that I got to meet, can't wait to see you next year!

Uncle Scott and Aunt Wendy you both bring positive vibes our way! Aunt Wendy thank you for the pancake cake and the broil cake, personally I don't like pudding anymore. :) Uncle Scott thanks for the hike. It was fun to see all of you hiking! I had so much fun with Bryce, Maddie, Aunt Wendy and Uncle Scott the hike was fun hope to do it next year!

Dani it was so fun to see the way you changed and found yourself in Italy. I want to go there and see the different culture that you had a chance to live in for 10 months.

Thank you to all of the family for your support.
Ci vediamo la prossima estate!!
Love Cailey :)

Steph

This summer I found joy in all the little moments. We didn't need to be doing anything in particular, we just needed to be together. And what I found was amidst all the change there was (and is) always one constant: FAMILY. This is what motivates me to get out of bed each morning and put one foot in front of the other. Here are just a few highlights caught on camera:

Stacy being a cheerleader.

Cailey off to Girls Camp.

If in doubt throw it out (or give it to Wendy).

A rare moment.

The picture says it all!! :)

Enjoying the lake.

Taking Advantage Of The Wind

2010-05-09T04:47:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny brought my kids kites. We had a little time to spare one evening so Camden took his out for a test drive.

Thank you Mr. Easter Bunny.

Encore

2010-03-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

This is why Cailey loves to play the piano. He played this for her when she met him. Here again is Jon Schmidt:

She Can See Clearly Now

2010-03-04T07:05:00.000-08:00

After complaining that she can't see the board I broke down and took Cailey to the eye doctor. She is now sporting new glasses.

Dream Car

2010-02-27T09:05:00.000-08:00

Cailey found her "dream" car.

Too bad she's too short to reach the pedals!

A Dream Comes True

2010-02-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

Cailey has been playing the piano for five years now. She LOVES to play, and thankfully her piano teacher encourages her find music that she wants to play. Her favorite pieces are those of David Lanz, and Jon Schmidt.

Last Friday, Cailey went to an extra practice to “learn how to critique” others and in turn they critique her. This is all done to improve their performances. Little did she know that her instructor had a HUGE surprise for them!!

In the middle of the critique the door bell rang and in walked
Jon Schmidt!!!!
He stayed for about a half hour and played songs the students requested. Cailey said he flipped the bench around, played with his elbow, and even had the piano shaking!!

When Cailey came out to the car after it was over she was shaking, and had tears in her eyes when she said: “One of my dreams just came true!”

A BIG THANK YOU to Yvonne Burch for being such a wonder teacher and for doing these types of things that inspire her students to realize nothing is impossible!!

(Here is Jon Schmidt's wedsite:
http://www.jonschmidt.com/)

Who Says Money Doesn't Grow On Trees?

2010-02-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

I have to preface this post by saying that my daughter, Cailey, has an addiction to paper, and all things related to paper; paper clips, tape, scissors, glue (hot or cold), crayons, pencils (she prefers mechanical), post-its, etc. She is a MASTER at making confetti out of the scraps of her masterful creations. This is usually a sore subject with me, as most of the time I am left to vacuum up the mountain of leftovers. But once in a while her creativity and thoughtfulness surprise me.

So, for my birthday Cailey made me what every woman would want... a money tree! (Granted it only had five bucks, and some change, but...) The thought and love that went into it

MADE MY DAY!

Catching Up

2010-02-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

I got a FB message from a friend of mine I hadn't seen in 13 years!! She was going to be in town and wanted to get together. We met at (of all places) Village Inn in SLC (my kids are never going to let me live this down, since we were the YOUNGEST people in the whole place) and were able to spend a couple hours reminiscing and catching up. She had called another friend of ours and he too was able to stop by and say HI! It was so fun to see old friends...

(Cristy, John, Me and Camden)

Two Thumbs WAY Up!

2010-01-22T20:51:00.000-08:00

I decided to take the kids to see Avatar in 3D!! I'd heard all the hype, yet I never usually buy into it. But... I have to say it was a GREAT movie! We would give it three thumbs up if it was possible, but since it's not we'll settle for two!!

How NOT To Quilt

2010-01-19T18:42:00.000-08:00

You would think it is a rite of passage for all Mormon women to know how to quilt. Apparently it is NOT. Here are a few tips on how NOT to quilt:

1. Invite a Skillman, Shumway, Tucker, or Wels to any quilting get together. Their advice is cheap and WILL cause lower back pain.

2. Make sure you pull fabric as tight as possible, so that you get a ripping effect of the material. Adds character to your project.

3. Pin down material in such a way that is impossible to roll quilt. It gives you the opportunity to create new and improved ways of quilting. (Wendy, there is nothing to be embarrassed about… Just don't tell your mother.)

4. Send a courageous member of the group under quilt to help tie the yarn.

5. Use a VERY Sharp object to help direct where to thread the yarn.

6. First aid kits are optional. (But if any of the above are in attendance heed WARNING: quilting can be dangerous!)

8. Last, but not least, DO NOT have a good time!!

I Am Thankful For Family

2009-11-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

All the great grandkids with Grandma Wright.

Double trouble

Kyler being a big LITTLE kid!

The grandkids with Grandma Wright.

The Tucker Clan.

Happy Thanksgiving!

New Moon Madness

2009-11-20T08:05:00.000-08:00

The wait is over, at least for now. Last night at midnight the kids and I courageously went to see New Moon, with thousands of CRAZY Twilight fans! (I think we were the only people who didn't sport some sort of "team" Edward or Jacob garb.)

Buying treats for the show:

Entertaining ourselves while waiting to get in the theater:

Here we are on the FRONT ROW:

We all had a great time; we ate too much and laughed til our sides hurt!

Golfer's Anonymous

2009-10-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Tucker boys have an addiction.

Tomatoes Anyone?

2009-10-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

We moved into our new home in May, and by the end of August I had ripped out a patch of sod and started planting a garden. I was a little late in planting and of course just after I planted the rains came a washed a majority of my seeds! I did get nine tomato plants in and all but two survived!!

I decided that this year I would learn to can tomatoes since our family devours homemade salsa like it was water! I got on the Internet to learn how and one Saturday afternoon Cailey and I canned tomatoes together. It was easy and surprisingly fun!

The good news is that because this was my first year gardening I've learned a few things in the process, so hopefully next year we will have even greater success! Cheers to tomotoes!

WPJH Spirit Week Assembly

2009-10-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

This week was SPIRIT WEEK at WPJH!! And Cailey has spirit!

Try to find her in this dance video.

They also honored the volleyball team for the varsity's undefeated record!

(Here is a hint to find Cailey in the video: She is wearing dark pink and she in the middle! Good Luck!)

Cailey The Libero

2009-10-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

Cailey started Junior High this year and to our surprise announced she wanted to try out for the Volleyball team. Tryouts were the first week of school, and by the end of the week they would post who made the team. I had to work the day the teams were announced, but told her to call me as soon as she found out the results. I was nervous all day, hoping that Cailey wouldn't be too disappointed when she didn't make it. How could my daughter, who was usually the smallest in her class make the Volleyball team?

Here she is at tryouts. Notice the height difference.

The day of the results a friend of mine, who was picking up the girls to take them home, called me and told me Cailey wanted to tell me the results in person. I thought this could be bad. Another hour went by, when finally I met Cailey as she was getting out of the car with mascara running down her cheeks. I immediately wrapped her in my arms and told her as long as she did the best she could that was all that mattered. She said I know and I made it!!!! Apparently, on her way to tell me she used her water bottle to make it look like she had been crying. I was so happy for her!

She made it!

Ready for the serve!

Her serve!

Her bump!

The rules of Volleyball have changed since I was a kid. No longer do you have to be the team serving to receive a point. They also have what they call a Libero, which is the position Cailey plays. The libero is a player specialized in defensive skills: the libero must wear a contrasting jersey color from his or her teammates and cannot block or attack the ball when it is entirely above net height (which is not a problem for Cailey because she is nowhere close to being able to reach the top of the net). The libero is, generally, the most skilled defensive player on the team. When I talked to her coach, she said that Cailey is aggressive and not afraid of the ball, which is why she is a great Libero.

Making the Volleyball team has been a great experience for Cailey. She has learned to dedicate herself to something she committed to, she has learned to prioritize her time, and she has developed friendships along the way!!!

We Survived!

2009-10-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Fall is supposed to mean Football, right? Well, football to me translates to FEAR! So every year I have talked Camden out of playing, that is until this year! We figured one of two things would happen: one, he might actually enjoy it, or two he would hate it and never want to play again. I was hoping (maybe even praying) for the latter. Didn't happen. He loved every minute of it! And I even have to say he was good at it!! Here are a few highlights.

Ready for the action!

Going for the tackle!

Running the ball!!

Proud brother!

His team!

I even have to say I can't wait until next year! Go West Point Falcons!!

Happy 9th Birthday Camden!

2009-08-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

The BIG question every year is: Will Camden's birthday land before school starts or after? This year it happened to land on the second day of school! So, as tradition we brought treats for the class and something to show and tell. But this didn't go quite as planned...Let me explain.

The day before his birthday Camden found a cute little frog and of course brought him home to keep. He played with the poor little guy until bedtime, then placed him securely in a bucket with grass to keep him safe so he take him to school the next day.

The following morning I woke Camden and told him to get up and get ready for school. I was getting myself ready and all of a sudden I heard him screaming "OH NO"!!!! I instantly realized we had a problem: THE FROG IS DEAD AND TODAY IS CAMDEN'S BIRTHDAY! Not good.

Needless to say, Camden was extremely upset. He wrapped himself in his blanket and laid on bed crying; the type of crying where he could barely breath. He wasn't sad just for the fact that the frog he loved was dead, but also that he chose not to listen to his Dad when he told him to make sure he put water in the bucket.

I had to think of plan B: LEGO'S!!!! Cousin Mitchell helped make this massive ship! The other kids loved it and so did the principal.

Rough start to a birthday, but it turned out OK. (FYI, mourning of a frog lasts about a half hour!)

Let's Play Catch Up!

2009-07-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few of the happenings of the Tucker kids while our computer was down. Enjoy!

Ashlee

Prom

Graduation!

Kyler

At Ash's Graduation

Cailey

Softball

Locks of Love

Graduation 6th grade

Camden

Baseball

Now Why Would I Want t To Sky Dive?

2009-07-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

I don’t….No really, I don’t want to. I really, really, REALLY don’t want to. In fact I have never even thought about it. But here is my problem; my sister wants me to. Call it peer pressure, or sister pressure, or whatever, I don’t care. It is all the same. It is P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E!

My sister is turning 40 and her one last wish as a thirty something is to take me sky diving. Now let me explain. My sister was a born thrill seeker and I was NOT. It is of my opinion that; one, this is her attempt to kill me off so she assumes the youngest, most coveted position a sibling can hold, or two, she wants to thrust me to the thrill seeking side, just to see if she can and then enjoy every minute of my nervousness.

I am leaning toward options two because it is stated in my last will and testament that she would gain FULL custody of my children should I plunge to my death, and that would be a problem. So now all I am left with is the PRESSURE. To jump or not to jump, that is the question. I figured if I jump, I might as well get a victim of my own. So I talked my Father-in-law into taking the plunge with us!!

It is July 10, 2009, the day of the jump. We arrive at the Ogden Sky Diving Center at 3pm and by this time I was more excited than I was nervous, for now at least.
We are all scheduled together on the third flight of the day. They help us get ready and go over a few (and I mean few) instructions. By this time I really need to find a bathroom! We watch the first two groups come and go. And when I see this guy, who is a camera man, land I think I peed just a little. But it is our turn to go. We get in the plane and take off! It seemed like it took FOREVER to climb to 13,000 feet! My Father-in-Law is calm, and I am feeling pretty good, unlike my sister who was all thumbs up ready to rock and roll. I am second in line to jump and I am still thinking, ‘I can do this’. That is until my Father-in-law all of a sudden disappears out of the plane. All I can say is *%@*^%$! and I am strapped to a guy who is not going to give me the option to change my mind. So here we go!!!!! We free fall for about 50 seconds before our chute opens. This is our final destination. Watch out here we come!!! We are victorious!!!!!!!! Stace and I are feeling great, but notice my Father-in-law in the background. I don’t think he was feeling very good. In fact, when I asked him he said he was looking for RALPH, and I think he found him! ☺ I think we deserved these “diplomas”. In fact, I think mine is going into a frame! Mock me if you want (for those of you who have read my sister’s blog) but I don’t care. I DID IT!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday Sis! You got your Birthday wish!

We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties!

2009-05-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

SO MUCH is going in at the Tucker Household,
but unfortunately our computer DIED. Hopefully
soon we will be up and going again. In the mean
time here are some things to look forward to...

Our NEW Home!

Prom...

Family Pics...

Baseball Begins....

Our First Pinewood Derby!

2009-03-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

Boy, let me tell you the Pinewood Derby
is an unique EXPERIENCE! I'll preface by saying
I didn't know what we were getting ourselves
into when they passed out our Pinewood Derby cars.

This is the PURPOSE of the Pinewood Derby:
The pinewood derby is a racing event for Cub Scouts
and with the HELP OF PARENTS they are to
build their own cars from wood.

The idea behind the pinewood derby
is for the parent to spend time HELPING the child design,
carve, paint, add weights, and tune the final car.
This is what we started with:

So, we helped Camden make his car.
He picked what style of car he wanted.
Grandpa cut the block, and had Camden sand
it until his hands hurt. He primed it,
painted it, and added his favorite numbers.
This is what we finished with:

What I didn't know...
Most often the parent takes over the construction of the car.
The quest for a fast car supports an industry that supplies
modified wheels, axles, and blocks as well as videos and
instruction books. While a pinewood derby car kit costs
around $4, a set of modified wheels and axles can sell
for more than ten times that amount. Complete cars can be
purchased on eBay and elsewhere for around $100 to $200.

Needless to say...these were the standings:

Despite coming in second to last Camden had a GREAT time!

Now with this said, would I do anything DIFFERENT?
The answer...NO.

Spring My ?&@#!!!!!!

2009-03-26T17:30:00.001-07:00

I know they say that it is officially spring,
but I have proof that "they" are liars!!
Here are a few pictures I took this morning
on my drive to work. (I know texting is
against the law, but no one said anything
about taking pictures!)

I'm considering moving to Arizona.

Ashlee's Last Dance Recital!

2009-03-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

(Ash is on the far right side)

Ash's dance group

Ash and Ky

Cailey, Ash, and Bran

Our Fun Weekend With Cheyenne!!!

2009-03-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

Happy 18th birthday Chey!

Chey came up to Ogden to CELEBRATE with our family. Here are a few highlights of our fun weekend together.

Lunch at Olive Garden.

Enjoying the "Tour of Italy"

Losing our appetite... (That's for you Chey!)

Shopping for heals.

More shoe shopping.

No birthday is complete without bowling.

Enjoying cousins.

The whole gang.

We have a "Tucker Bowling Rule", if you don't score over 100 then you have to drop your drawers. Can you tell who's pants had to be dropped?

Presents, family and yummy food.

And of course cake. Nice sprinkles Chey. By the way how old are you?

First Basketball...Now Indoor Soccer!!

2009-02-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

Go Red Raptors!

Kyler Really Has A JOB!

2009-02-21T16:45:00.000-08:00

The Proof....

Our Fun Weekend In Arizona!

2009-01-23T15:31:00.000-08:00

We had a last minute opportunity to go to Arizona! Bran's cousin Trav got eighth row tickets to the NFC Championship game where the Eagles played the Cardinals. He asked Bran if he wanted to come. Heck yah! So I called and old roomie of mine who lives in Mesa and she let us come and crash at her house for the weekend. Here are some pics of our fun adventure.

Bran arriving at the stadium.

One big party!

View of the stadium. (WOW)

Bran is in HEAVEN!

Cardinals win! (Sorry Trav)

My new little friend Chase!

Could not help myself...needed a picture of a cactus.

Me and my friend Meg!

Thanks Meg for an awesome weekend! Let's not wait another 3 years to see each other OK? All my love to you and the boys!

Let's give a sprinkler cheer to Camden!!!

2009-01-15T19:11:00.000-08:00

This month Camden earned his second bead and two belt loops.
WAY TO GO CAMDEN!

It's January and time to play BASKETBALL!!

2009-01-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

Camden has his first basketball game tonight! What a riot! It was kind of like watching a ping pong game and dodgeball all at the same time! It’s a good thing they didn’t call fouls or traveling because we would have been there ALL NIGHT!

Go Cougars!

2009-01-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

The kids and I went down to Provo to help Mark get Chey ready for her new life as a BYU student. While there we had an opportunity to go to the BYU game against (I believe) #6 Wake Forrest! What a game! And although they didn't win we had a blast!

New Year. New Blog.

2009-01-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

As 2009 begins, I feel the need to pause and show gratitude for the blessings of 2008. Here are just a few of our highlights.

May - Family Trip to Oregon

May - Graduation

May - Grandma and Grampa Bear Visit

June - Visit from Grandma Wright

July - Family Celebration of Kent's Retirement

August - Cailey's Broken Nose

Summer - A new addition to our family

Summer - Distruction of the Deck

September - Camden's Baptism

September - Football and Family...It doesn't get any better than that!