Justin Lane

At the beginning of each school year we measure all the kids (and some adults). This has been a triumphant time for Justin the last couple years because he is the tallest person in our house. 2009 measurement - Five Feet, Nine Inches! He told us that he has a goal to reach six feet, we are not sure how one accomplishes a height goal, I guess just eating us out of house and home!

Justin had a fairly relaxing summer and just entered the 8th grade. Since he plans on becoming the mexican Tiger Woods he spent two weeks in Arizona this summer perfecting his swing. During that time with the grandparents he also enjoyed being an only child for awhile - I'm pretty sure he had grandma wrapped around his finger.

As a Life Scout, Justin is working hard on earning his Eagle rank. A neat thing he is also working on is that next summer he will attend the Boy Scout Jamboree in Virginia. It is the 100th year of scouting and the last year that the jamboree will be held at this site. He has been mowing lawns to earn money to fund this trip.

In the music department he has taken on Tenor Saxaphone and loves it! He will continue with wrestling, basketball and long jump this year. Some of his favorite activies include: surfing the internet, playing wii games, airsoft with friends and watching Conan. He is a very independant teenager and we are proud to have him a part of our family!

Our Track Star!

Setting a good example? or grilling plastic bottle caps on the grill?
Hanging with his peepsA boys best friend, Lady

In his wrestling headgear

Helping with the Christmas tree - he definately gets to put the top on!

Lyndsey's Summer

Lyndsey - 15 and fabulous. Now a sophmore in High School we are so proud of all her accomplishments. She plays piano, clarinet, basson and just started ColorGuard for marching band. It is also my understanding that she plays with the emotions of many a young man heart. :) In school she is studing Art History and hopes to attend KState for Interior Design (last I heard - but I am sure this will change). Her schedule this year includes 3 honors classes as well as her beloved Spanish. This summer she worked for us answering the phones and data entry. Grandpa also let her umpire some softball games. Other weeks were spent attending EFY in Columbia, MO and her fourth year at camp. I think her best news was that we found her a car to drive to school and work - its name is Black Beauty. Here are a few pics of my georgeous daughter!

Sewing her apron for the pioneer trek

Thinking very hard about her next drill movement

With the RoadRunner during hockey season

Cooking a meal for the family, yum!

First day of driving brother to school, and his scared face.

Camp hair braids, thanks Becca!

August

I can't believe it is August already. I know this has probably been heard by many of you, but time has just flown by. Next week is enrollment and we are really excited (by we, I mean ME and by really, I mean REALLY) for August 17th!!! That is the first day of school in case you did not catch my excitement. Everyone but Lyndsey will be gone that day. She is lucky and gets to stay home an extra day.

July Happenings

Well, since I have last written it seems that alot has happened. May be about time for another rundown, here we go......

The boys survived scout camp.

Lyndsey had a GREAT time at EFY (even if it was in Columbia, MO :-) )

Clint turned another year older so for a few months I get to make fun of him.

Justin was called as the Deacon Quarm President - happy day!

Graps/Gran had good vaca in Vegas, but as we know, "what happens in vegas"

Ashton had fun learning tennis and is now taking private swim lessons. He is in training for an August 1st Triathalon...stay tuned.

Talan has decided that phemonia in the summer was not enough, he has taken it up one step and now needs to see an asthma specialist...again, stay tuned.

The twins started swim lessons,
Zach went for one day, then fell off the monkey bars and broke his humorus bone in the elbow and that was the end of that. So much for the new bike and all other summer activities :(
Zoe completed the two weeks, needs more lessons, but we will probably wait till next year.

Kindergarden camp started today, lots of appointments lined up, dentist, eyes, physical, ortho, shots for Justin, hair cuts for all.

Lyndsey leaves for Girls Camp today. She is excited that it is her 4th year!

Justin is going to Arizona on Saturday to hang out with Gpa Alan and get some awsome golf lessons. I'm thinking I need to send a grocery list and money along, he is a growing boy! Will not survive on fat free cookies and quiznos :)

Soon the summer will be over and we will need to enroll the troops. We have had as much fun as we could in the midst of the commotion. I know we have a couple special trips planned in Kansasa and Missouri. It's no disney land, but we will have fun together!

Rebecca, Clint and I are reviewing all cases where insanity was a plea....might need that information at some point :)

Just a little more of the story

It has come to my attention that some of you are not "up to date" on whats going on over here in our crazy house. We really do like to have fun and only sometimes does the madness of this whole thing take over and make me want to cry. So here is a recap of the last year....hoping that if I say it out loud, the next twelve months will calm down. :)

As I am writing, I feel as though I should start before that, with a quick catch up on our immediate family. Clint, Lyndsey, Justin and I moved back to Kansas from beautiful Colorado in July of 2001. I was on the fence about the move, we built our first home in Greeley, Colorao and felt like it was heaven. Just an hour to the mountains, fishing, hiking, camping, skiing, all sorts of nature. We learned what it meant to chop down a "real" christmas tree (and life will never be the same). Alan asked if we would move back to Topeka and Clint could help him run some of the business's he owned. He anticipated his retirement was pending and wanted to be able to hand over the reins. So we said goodbye and journeyed home. The family bonding we accomplished with our little family, although away from the big family, was amazing. I would suggest it for all young couples.....MOVE AWAY FROM YOUR PARENTS....establish your own life. It is the best therapy in the world.

Nonetheless, we found a home here and settled in. Justin started Kindergarten, Lyndsey was baptized, Brad and Rebecca were married - had thier first child - Ashton Cooper Coates, Brad served his first tour in Iraq. We had a good time getting to know Becca and watching Ashton grow, he was such a funny little guy. Brad returned and accepted a job in DC. Before we knew it, Lyndsey was in middle school, Justin gained a new best friend (Lady, his cocker spaniel), life was just cruising along. Alan did indeed retire and it was sad to see them move back to Arizona. Truth be told, it was alot of work for those left here. We had a good family summer that year fixing, redecorating and selling thier home.

Both of our kids were active in school clubs, music, sports and life rolled right along. We've done glasses, contacts, braces, appliances, more braces, broken a few more bones, but still hanging in there. We feel very blessed to have two smart, happy teens. We love to spend time together, play board games, ride bikes, garden, laugh and eat. We also love to travel. Last May, both children were advanced in school - Justin to middle school and Lyndsey to High School. Exciting times lay ahead.

We took a family trip to Flippin, AR (if you have never been it is totally worth the drive, if only so that you can see a police cruiser that says "Flippin Police".:). This trip was special because we spread my Granpa's ashes in the Arkansas River. Many of my cousins, aunts, uncles, neices and nephews were in attendance. After that trip, we attened church camps for a week (separatly - Lyndsey and I, Justin and Clint) then headed off to Arizona to visit the relatives. We decided to drive so Lyndsey could get in her driving hours. Fun, Fun, Fun is all I can say!!!

**ok, my battery is low, I will finish this in the am. I promise the end is worth the length...

Monday, here I am again. Need to finish this for all the fans :)

I received a call while on vacation that my youngest brother Brad had to serve another tour of duty in Iraq, and that he would leave in less than a week. At this point Ashton is 6 and Talan is 11 months old. They had discussed many options, and ultimately decided that Rebecca and the boys would move back to be close to family while he was away. I just had an impression that I should fly out and drive back with Becca. Even though we get along, we are both very strong women and it was easy for me to offer this, but probably hard for her to accept. She left it up to me and I gladly came out. I have to say that while sending off my brother has never been one of my favorites, and that while our family is open, Becca had been hard to read - I always wished I could do more for her. So I was nervous, but I knew that if I could at least keep her mind off the boys, keep them happy, then all would be ok. I guess as the oldest child I feel like mother goose to all the neices and nephews.

We had the most wonderful 19 hour, 3 day drive back to Kansas ever! Fun, laughs, diapers, no sleep for Talan, first ice cream cone, becoming one with google....very many others. Just a great drive. I think that our sisterhood grew so much stronger during that drive. That we found out our similar interests, similiar dislikes, thinks we had not previously known. Loads of fun for me, loved being with the boys and reuniting my bond with Ashton. I guess kids just feel comfortable with me - because I am a sucker and give them what they want:)

Somewhere during the drive Clint and I decided to ask Becca if she would consider living with us instead of an apartment. We knew it would be a huge decision for her. But were happy when she said yes. Uncle Clint had such a good time being a male figure for Ashton the first time and the same is true of Talan...he loves them up. It has been many years since anyone acknowledged that he arrived home from work, let alone screamed in delight, ran to the door and gave out hugs.

After the movein in August, we started in on the basement. We had to decide on a plan, shop for a contractor, pick out paint, carpet, wood, fixtures. It was a family event and we did much of the work ourselves. So our downstairs tenents settled in, food storage is repacked (and multiplied)...
School is well underway, Lyndsey enjoying seminary, Justin starting middle school, Ashton in a new school - Rebecca and Talan were excited to be spending quaility time together again. We became an organized functioning family. Chores were getting accomplished, dinners being made and yet fun was had. We survived some birthdays, halloween, thanksgiving and christmas, HORRAY!

It was soon 2009 and our Lyndsey had a simple request that was creeping up on us. About a year ago she asked if she could have a quincenera for her 15th birthday. She feels very close to her hispanic heritage, I reasearched it and said ok, as long as you are not also expecting a sweet 16 - no double dipping! The time was quickly approaching for her birthday, so we worked each eveing on some facet of this event. I will have a separate blog entry of all the quince details.

(For those of you keeping track of life, our current chruch callings are Clint - Scoutmaster 5 years, Second Counsler in YM - 3 years, Tanya - First Counsler in RS, over Enrichment - 2 years) We are also working together at Midwest Checkrite, our family comany. Just trying to make the business viable, give a service to other business's and make a little money. Basically we spend alot of time together.

So, during the climax of quince plans (two days before the event) we received a call from the police. Our neice and nephew, Zoe and Zachary Coates needed to be picked up. They live about 80 miles away in Missouri. This was on April 8th. So, we made it through the quince and went right into, well the only word that comes to mind is craziness mode. A world that we are not familiar with. I has been a ride the last couple of months, emotionally, physically, financially. It is a ride that all nine people in our home are riding. We each have different aspects of how it is affecting us and trying to mesh that all together is interesting at best.

We have faith that we will make it through what ever comes our way. We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers. Will keep you posted on our crazy times!

Oh Happy Day!!

Yeah, it is official, the twins are here to stay.....

Hello Summer

We are tan, we are ready, we are bored.........

Already? No really, all the kids have gotten into a routine quickly.

Lyndsey - wakes early (8:30 ish), showers, primps, dresses three different times, listening to tunes all the while, rolls into work at 10am, faithfully taking her 2 Facebook 15 minute breaks, works hard, on the way home by 4...... finish chores, chillax.

Justin - wakes early (11:00 ish), takes time to figure out what day it is and why he is alone in the house, eats breakfast (the most important meal of the day), checks on his sims character, eventually showers, practices his backswing, what is for dinner and how are you going to entertain me this evening.

Ashton - wakes early (7:30 ish), feeds himself, helps his brother get breakfast, cartoons, video games.....ut oh, this week is science camp, no tv this week - get on the bug spray and hats, birdwatching anyone? Tune in for next weeks activity.

Talan - really, need I say more - wake up, eat, breathing treatment, eat, poop, steal household items and hide them for good, eat, breathing treatment, eat, poop, plan elaborate escape from home to endanger one's life, eat, breathing treatment, eat, poop, entertain Justin, breathing treatment, sleep and repeat.

Rebecca - holy crap, does anyone want to trade her lives? Each day she gets to deal with the above and so much more...She is the official summer Taxi (guess perhaps renewing those tags soon will come in handy :) LOL - very long story. But on the bright side, her tan is way better than mine and she gets to spend 5-6 hours a day with the best children alive (then we come home and ruin the nice, quiet day of learning she was having).

Zoe - wakes early (7 am would be late for her), eats dry cereal, wants to know why the entire rest of the neighborhood is not up and ready to go. Would like to be 35 as soon as legally possible. Beleives that as soon as I walk in the door from work that food should magically appear on her plate. The upside is that she loves to do chores....can I get in trouble for child labor laws?

Zach - is forced awake by his sister, eats breakfast willingly as long as he gets to sit by Ashton. The day continues as such until Ashston gets feed up and melts down. He then looks at me and says "I didnt do nothing"....the plus side is that he threat to expose himself in public is getting better....we just act like it is no big deal...as long as Zach wins every game, is taller than everyone else and is not fat - we are good....

As for Clint and I....we really are not sure what day it is, how we got to be here, who is going where or how they are getting there. Thank goodness for Rebecca who keeps us all organized and going forward instead of backword. After all summer appointments, camps, swim lessons have been met, we hope to remain one big happy family. Stay tuned for updates :)