Summing up six months in one post...priceless...

So, my last post was exactly one day before I went back to college full-time for the first time in too many years to count.  I got accepted into Boise State's nursing program and began working toward my BS-RN.  I had a great semester, learned a lot (including that I could actually keep up with all those young whippersnappers), and really leaned on all my family and friends for support.  Sadly, the blog was moved pretty far down on the to-do list and never got to-done.  So, in no particular order, since moving photos around on blogger is really more hassle than it is worth, here is the Cliff's Notes version of the last six months of the Luke Family Chronicles...

Here we are on the BYU campus in Provo.  Our lovely neice, Rachel, was a freshman this year and so we stopped to say hi.  She took us on a tour of campus, her dorm, and we were all able to attend the Karl Bloch exhibit, which was amazing.  Now, my girls, trained since birth to be Vandals, want to go to BYU...I'm still working through that one...

From the mouths (or markers) of babes...  Hadyn's artwork pretty much sums up my last few months...

 

More soccer.  Both girls played in the city soccer program, and loved it.  Hadyn had already played a little, plus she was part of the youngest group, so she jumped in at the same level as the rest of her team.  Regan, being 8, was on a team of kids who had already played for years, so she was a bit behind.  She worked every night in the back yard on dribbling, kicking, everything.  Sometimes alone, sometimes with her dad.  She became one of the team leaders in skills (my unbiased opinion) and learned that if you work hard it pays off.  We were proud of both girls.  Neither of them can wait for Fall soccer to start.

 Regan and Hadyn both participated in the Capital Classic this year.  Regan ran it a few years ago.  They both brought friends, and between them and their friends, were the sole participants from Middleton in the race.  Way to represent!  

Each spring our entire town (at least the cool people) participates in "Middleton Unplugged".  Everyone gives up TV, computer games, cell phone games, etc. for an entire month.  There are activities every night to take the place of being plugged in, parades, games, spa days, etc.  It's really cool.  Regan and Hadyn signed up for the challenge and made it the entire month without watching TV, etc.  They posted signs all over the house to remind them to not watch/play.  This is a particularly specific one reminding them not to watch anyone watch TV.  The bottom arrow pointing to the picture should say, "a screen".

Yes, I even missed documenting birthdays.  Hadyn turned 6.  She wanted donuts instead of a cake.  I was more than happy to oblige.  

Jeff turned...well, Jeff had a birthday.  I don't even have pictures of him with the cake, but here he is with lots of help opening his presents...

And lastly, here I am with my clinical group.  We rocked clinicals, and it was a fun group.  Next semester I have 20+ hours a week of clinicals, so I hope they go as well.

I hope you enjoyed the brief synopsis.  I missed a lot, I know, but hopefully now I can do better at staying caught up.  Happy summer!

Hadyn's First Soccer Game

Today Hadyn played in her first soccer game. She had never played soccer before (except for her first practice that was the night before the game). Here she is with her first official sports uniform.

Hadyn did awesome and scored a goal! That's pretty impressive since there were only a handful of goals scored the whole game. I didn't get her goal on video, but I got one of her near misses. She had a couple bounce off the post or get stopped by the goalie. She has a great time, and can't wait until the next game.

What We Did Over Christmas Vacation, by the Luke's

Oh December, we will miss you and all the magic you fill our home with.  The girls had the long school break, of course, and Jeff was able to take most of the month off which was so fun.  We got to go to the Middleton Christmas Celebration (yes, they said Christmas...I love living in a small town!!) where we watched a parade, ate cookies, drank cocoa, took part in the tree lighting, and, of course, visited with Santa.  

The girls made many a gingerbread or graham cracker house between church and school.  Here are their creations from Regan's Achievement Day activity.  It's a group in our church for girls 8-11.  Hadyn doesn't qualify, but when her mom is one of the leaders she gets to participate.  

We made our lanterns for Santa.  We have made these each Christmas Eve since Regan was born.  It's just four gingerbread walls held together with royal icing.  Each of us creates one of the walls and we use hard candies to make the stain-glass windows.  Our lantern gets lit right before the girls go to bed on Christmas Eve, and helps Santa find our house.  It works.  He's never missed us yet.

Hadyn has become family scribe.  She loves to write reminder notes, cards, lists, etc.  I'm sure I've picked up 100's of her memos over the past month, and I'm sure I've been irritated at the volume of paper she leaves all over the house, but then sometimes, like yesterday, when I had mountains of things to accomplish and only a molehill of time to do it in, I find this propped up on my kitchen counter, and all the clutter is forgotten:

Man, I love that girl...maybe she could give some love note tips/reminders to her father... :)

Snowy Days, Crazy Weather, Air Hockey, and Random Catching Up

We have really been enjoying this winter. 

Here is Hadyn all geared up for fun after the first big storm and Regan with the first snowman of the year.  

The fog out here has been crazy, some real pea soup.  I don't know if Boise has been this fogged in this year or if it's just Middleton, but this is a pretty standard morning for us.  Normally you can see barns and cows out there...

I kept meaning to post this sign Hadyn made for me after I got admitted to BSU's nursing program.  She's such a cutie.  I probably should have corrected her that I am still two years away from being a nurse, but I really just smiled and enjoyed it. 

 Last week we made the trip into the big city of Boise because I (hold your applause) SCORED a full-size, fully operational air hockey table off of Freecycle!!!  Could that be any cooler?  We have spent many an evening and afternoon in the garage working on our skills, and as the girls say, learning our angles.  

Then, since we were already down there, we stopped by the Capitol building to see the tree and walk around.  I do not think there is a prettier state capitol building than ours.  I haven't been to the capitol since they finished renovating it.  It was awesome to see the old photos of all the past sessions of the Senate, here is the 33rd Session and my Great-Grandpa, H.T. Moss.  I know you're thinking, "what a looker", to which I must reply, "of course, where do you think I got my dashing looks from?"

Jeff checking out Boise from above.  This is just behind the senate chambers.

Hadyn striking a pose and looking very fashionable.  A future senator...

The Luke family in front of the Poinsettia tree in the basement level of the rotunda.

Looking up.  Isn't this gorgeous!?

  A close up of the tree...I spy with my little eye, something cute and red-headed!

And here we have Idaho

Winning her way to fame....

(for you poor, neglected friends out there from other states, that's from our state song...)

All I Want for Christmas...

In order to show that the Luke family (at least two of them) have already completely accepted the commercial side of this Christmas season, I present to you Regan and Hadyn's Christmas Wish Lists...get comfy...I'll add my own thoughts in parentheses and keep the original spelling, because it's just so cute). 

Hadyn:

1. Ice Cream Maker (we already have 3)
2. Dipindots
3. Beard-a-Bear (I think Build-a-Bear, but Beard-a-Bear sounds like an interesting take on it)
4. Pendo (I have no idea)
5. Gttre (Got nothin')
6. Doggy
7. EZE Bac Micwav (EasyBake Microwave)
8. Liv Doll
9. Fla Scen TV (Flat Screen TV...I got my first flat screen TV when I was...)
10. Gogo (I'm not sure what this is)
11. IPod in blue
12. Laptop in pink
13. ITuch in Green
14. Kitty that's brown
15. Nal Polish that's sparkly
16. DSI
17. Stilish clothes
18. A room with food in the room (We never let her leave the kitchen with food.  Apparently she's tired of that).
19. Dollhouse bed
20. Trning rack with clothes (turning rack, I guess like in stores)
21. Dollhouse and dolls with furniture with it

Regan:

1. Justice dance shirt and pants (FYI, Regan loves the store Justice, you'll see that as you read along)
2. Liv doll
3. Flip Flop slippers, pink, Justice
4. Justice sequin jeans
5. Jo-Ann kids sewing machine (my mom would be proud)
6. Dip'n Dots maker
7. I-Pod or I-Phone (what!)
8. Justice sandstone skinny cords (skinny underlined)
9. Puppy! (exclamation point included...both girls asked for this, and both girls literally climb up my body if they even see a real dog)
10. Clay Pepperoni (I'm not sure what this is)
11. Barbie video girl
12. Scrabble Flash
13. Spy video tracker
14. Paper jams (?)
15. Easy bake cookie maker
16. Pendo Penguin - Pink (this must be what #4 on Hadyn's list is)
17. Membership in Poptropica (Kids web-game)
18. Laptop !! (Again, she added the exclamation marks)
19. SpyNet night vision
20. SpyNet spy watch
21. Cute snowboots
22. Air Hogs Vectron Wave
23. Cell Phone
24. My own bedroom (Dream on sister)
25. Skateboard
26. Magic Fabric
27. Snowboard
28. Build-a-Bear
29. Light brwon boots
30. Earrings
31. My own flat screen TV
32. EasyBake microwave
33. GoGo Walking toy puppy (This was on Hadyn's list too, I'm sensing some collaboration on these lists)
34. Justice on the Go Sugar Sweet Set
35. Justice Blue Skinny Cords (Can you tell we just got a Justice catalog in the mail?)
36. Laptop mouse
37. $10,000,000 (I'll get right on that)
38. Laptop in black and white
39. Cream snow vest
40. Kit Kat (now we're hitting closer to my budget)
41. Tic-tacs (again, I'm willing to consider this one)
42. DS
43. DSI
44. Wii
45. Candy maker
46. Legos
47. Sleeping bag
48. Make-up set (WHAT?!!)
49. A pink throne (why not)
50. Dollhouse

I'm out of breath, and ran out of pretend money hours ago.  Luckily, they know these lists are just for fun, and they really aren't expecting really any of this.  I love Christmas dreaming :).  I remember going through the big Sears book every year and choosing something off each page with Rich and Kathi.  So fun...