School Has Started, Summer Is Almost Over...

Today was officially Peyon's 1st day of her 3rd year of Preschool. Where did summer go? The last 2 years she has attended Ranches Kids Academy and they had done such a great job with her. She is such a smarty and has done so well in Preschool. This year she will be attending ABC Great Beginnings which bought out Ranches Kids Academy but kept a lot of the same staff and the same building. She will have a new teacher though, Ms. Camille whom she already really likes. I have heard great things about ABC Great Beginnings and think it will be really good for her. I think she will be plenty ready to start kindergarten in fall of 2010.


This was taken at 7:15 a.m. which is early for Peyton. She was not a happy camper.

Dance Has Started

Yesterday was Peyton's 1st day of her 3rd year of dance. I decided to put her in Ultimate Dance Co. which is closer to my house in Saratoga Springs rather than Illuzion Dance in Herriman where she has gone the last 2 years. That will make it a little easier on me not having to drive so far every week. Her friend Marissa who lives next door also attends Ultimate Dance Co. and they are on the same competion team. I was a little nervous about her being on a competion team and wondered if she is ready and old enough. But then felt that she needed a little bit more of a challenge and what sold me was all the competions they will do throughout the year and that they will learn 2 dances to perform at those competions. Peyton loves the performing part of dance and is not scared at all to get up on stage and dance in front of a crowd.

All American Trials '09

On Wednesday, August 19th, me, Bradyn and Houston flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico where Peyton and my mom picked us up and then we all drove to Ruidoso, New Mexico where my dad has been training horses. We went their to watch some horses that my parents train run in the All American Futurity and Derby trials. We have gone down the last 4 years during this time and we always look forward to this trip.

Thursday was the 20 Futurity trials. That's right, 20 trials and it makes for a long day. We were at the races for 8 1/2 hours that day and both of ours kids did great! All 4 horses did pretty well too. They ran 2 firsts and 2 thirds. One of their horses named Jess So Sixy one her trial and she qualified 9th fastest for the finals which will run on Labor Day. Another horse named Heart Of The Cartel one his trial and was the 2nd one out of the Juvenille but he still ran a nice race just drew a slow trial.

On Friday was the Derby trials and there was only 6 or 7 trials so this day wasn't as long. One of their horses named One Diamond Kitty ran a nice 2nd in his trial and ended up the 2nd fastest qualifier for the finals which will run on Sunday, the day before Labor Day.

On Saturday we went to the horse races again to watch a couple horses run. And at nights after the horse races in Ruidoso we would go to the New Mexico Bred Horse Sale. On Sunday we headed back to Albuquerque where my mom has been training horses to watch a couple of horses run. We spent the night there with my mom and brother and then flew back home on Monday afternoon.

Thanks mom and dad for having us down. We can't wait to fly back down this Friday for the finals!

Peyton's Trip to New Mexico

On August 3rd Peyton flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico with my mom to spend time with my parents and my brother for a few weeks. She always looks forward to these trips and has so much fun and always comes back spoiled. This trip they did fun things that included going to the horse races, went swimming, went to the zoo, went to the aquarium, went to the splash park, drove the golf cart, played hard, made new friends, and of course went shopping.

Thanks mom for letting her go down and spend time with you guys. I know she really looks forward to these trips!

Free Kitty's to a Good Home

Our cat Licorice had kittens 7 weeks ago today. I still have 2 that I need to find a good home for. One is black with short hair and it is very very friendly and loves to play. If I wasn't keeping the grey tiger striped short hair I would keep this black short hair. I really like this kitty but don't want 3 cats. If it was up to Peyton we would keep all of them. The other is grey tiger striped with longer hair. It is a little bit more shy but is starting to come around. All the kitty's have lived in our garage since they were born but do venture out a bit. So they should stick around pretty good if you are looking for something outdoors. They are potty trained to the litter box and eat kitty food and drink water. Both are females I think but I don't know for sure. How do you tell? They are ready to go now! Let me know if you are interested and would like to come out see them or I could meet up with you some where.


Black Short Haired


Grey Tiger Striped Longer Haired


Licorice, the mother cat (the dad is a possible grey tiger stripe of the neighbors)

"BOB" Family Reunion

This last weekend was my "BOB" Family Reunion. "BOB" stands for Birkinshaw, Osborne and Baxter which is all of my Grandma's, my mom's Uncle Phil's and my mom's Aunt Lois' families. I was really excited because my mom flew in town for it so it started out by me in the kids picking her up from the airport Thursday afternoon. We made a couple of stops at the store, finished loading up the trailer and then headed to my Uncle Mick and Aunt Laurie's cabin at Joe's Valley that night.

On Friday everybody just kind of hung out while everybody else was arriving at different times. The guys and some of the kids went on a long 4-wheeler ride. My mom and I took crafts for the kids and some adults girls to do, so that day we had the kids make rock neclaces with help from the adults and the adult girls made anklet bracelets. Later that day we took the kids down to play in the stream that runs behind the cabin and after a few of us took my cousin Calie's boat out on the lake.

On Saturday everybody went down to the beach at Joe's Valley Reservoir and sun bathed, had lunch, road the wave runners my Uncle Mick rented, went on my cousin Calie's and my mom's cousin Kenny's boats, wave boarded, knee boarded, wave surfed, tubed, and the kids just had fun playing in the water, in the sand and on the water trampoline.

On Sunday we just hung out again. We had the girls make little purses and the boys little treasure bags with the help from the adults of course and the adult girls made more anklet bracelets while the guys all went on a long 4-wheeler ride. We then packed up and headed home late in the afternoon.

On top of the fun activities we did we ate really great food and enjoyed good conversation and telling stories around the campfire at night. I love this trip because it is different than any other camping trip we go on because one it is with my family that we don't ever go camping with besides this trip and two we get to go boating and do the water activities. It's nice for a change!!! Thanks Uncle Mick and Aunt Laurie for providing the spot and for putting it on!

My mom with Peyton than flew out to Albuquerque on Monday afternoon after we did a little shopping of course. That's what we do best. Peyton will be down there with my family for a couple weeks and then me, Bradyn and Houston will fly down for our yearly trip during that time and stay for 5 days and then bring her back home with us. Peyton was so excited to go as she always is. I'm sure they will have lots of fun!

More Family Pictures...

I received the rest of our family pictures we had taken July 12th. I am so excited at how they turned out and thought I would share some more. Thanks Evonne for doing such a great job!