Happy Birthday Dakota

I can't believe that Dakota is now turning 10.  It seems like just yesterday that I was bringing him home from the hospital.  Boy does time fly when you are having fun.  I can remember while I was still a kid living with mom and dad that time would just drag and drag and drag, well all except for summer break and that would fly by way to fast.  Ever since I have become a Mother time just seems to get away from me and my children are growing up way to fast.

As I look at the photo above it is hard to believe that all of these beautiful children are mine.  Every time I look at Shalynn I hope that I am teaching her what she needs to know to survive in the environment that is now around us.  In church this last Sunday someone made a comment during Sunday school that we are raising our children in enemy territory and that our homes are one of the only sanctuaries that our children have from everything that is out there trying to trip them up. 

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Tolman Dakota is ready for his next year of Scouts as a Webelos, he got his hat, neckerchief, slide, and book so he is READY.  I think that we are going to have Grandpa Matlock help Cody earn some badges so that we can keep grandpa busy.

I don't know if you can tell or not by the expressions on Shalynn, Dakota, and Tawny's faces that they really like the wii.  It continues to be a challenge to make sure that all their homework, and chores, are done before I let them get on the electronics.  But I have seen a difference when the electronics are off during the week.  The kids seem to get along better and there is less yelling and screaming.  At least when they all leave Dylan alone LOL. 



Cody gets his Bear

Well another year has come and gone for Dakota and his Scouting.  He received his Bear the first Thursday of November at the Monthly pack meeting.  We all attended and Grandma and Grandpa Matlock came too.

He also received a gold and silver arrow point, and the following belt loops.  Wildlife Conservation, Geography, Astronomy, Chess, Flag Football, Music, and Kickball.  Now mom just need to get him a belt so that he can wear all the loops that he has earned. 

Halloween

Just to get caught up a little here. Halloween was great Grandma Matlock and I took all of the kids in their costumes to the Trunk-or-treat and the kids had a blast. All of the kids but Dylan were able to wear their costumes more than once this year. Shalynn, Tawny, and Caris wore theirs to the Girl Scout Fall Harvest Festival and had a great time. There was even a haunted house there that the girl wen in more than once. Then they all wore their costumes for their school Halloween parties. Since Dylan is still home with me he did not get to wear his except for on Halloween. He was just do darn cute as Scooby Doo. I especially love the little tail on the costume. He had a ball trying to get it to wag while he was trick-or-treating. Dakota was a Ninja this year and he had a pretty good costume. He decided that he didn't want to bring any of his weapons to trick-or-treat with though.