Where in the World Have the Kinghorn's Been?!

Here we are in the middle of a great summer with school just around the corner, and every day I think to myself, "I am going to update my blog today."  So much has happened since March when I last posted that it would take me weeks to catch up.  But we have been doing a lot of fun things, so here's a little to catch us up!

We had a blast at Disneyland with Holly and Jared and their family!

Lexie was an angel.  She loved the rides.

Abby and Karlee are already counting down the days until we go again.  Hopefully in 4 years!

I loved spending a quiet morning in Pixie Hollow with my girls.

Jake literally ran from place to place.  He almost made it onto a rollercoaster from the exit side.  Luckily I caught him just as he ran through one last barrier.

We had another spring recital in the beautiful room at Piano Gallery.

Karlee had worked really hard and played beautifully.

Kayci had one song that was two pages long, but she kept practicing until she had really mastered it.  It was called Little Princess of the Garden.  Fitting, huh!

Abby is really becoming a great pianist.  I love bragging about her and hearing people comment on how well she plays.  (I think she likes hearing it, too)

Karlee got to be the Queen in her class play.  She has always been our little drama queen.

Lexie turned 1!

We had an Easter egg hunt at Grandma Reed's

Isn't she beautiful?!

Can you see the mischief behind those eyes.  

The girls all picked out fabric for their Easter skirts this year.  They looked really cute.

The traditional sitting on the couch Easter picture.

The girls, and I, played in a really fun Monster Concert!

I had a fantastic Mother's Day. I am so blessed to be a mother and to have the most amazing mother in the world!

We've spent a lot of time just goofing around :)

We went bowling with Grandpa Reed for his 60th birthday.

Isn't she just the cutest Grandma?!

Kayci graduated from Preschool.  Here with her teacher Onda K.

Brittany and Matt got married. The kids all dressed to match.

Sometimes it's hard to believe they are really mine.

My beautiful sisters.

We had a fun Mother/Daugher weekend at the cabin . . .

And went to see High School Musical at the Playmill

We celebrated Father's Day with our wonderful father's.  Here are the kids with Grandpa Reed.

Okay, so I have many more to share, but my computer time is way over today.  Time to play with the kids!

Abby Turns 10!

Abby was so excited to get new earrings from her Aunt's for her birthday.

Everyone helping to blow out the candles.

I am so thankful to be her Mom.  Isn't she just beautiful.  She'll always be my little princess!

The girls enjoying their cake and ice cream.  It's always a party with our family!

Abby got to celebrate her birthday a little early this year.  We planned a trip to Disneyland that fell over Abby's birthday (not a bad way to celebrate your birthday), so we decided to have everyone over for cake and ice cream the Sunday before we left.  I really can't believe she is 10 years old.  Where have the last 10 year gone?  Abby is an amazing girl and I am so thankful for all she does for our family.  She is a great babysitter and if you ask Jake who his best friend is, he'll tell you Abby.  She is so good to play with him and the other kids, especially during piano lessons.  I don't know what I'd do without her.

She picked the castle cake for the second year in a row which I was not complaining about all (it's an easy one!)  I hope she never outgrows the desire to be a princess!  We were able to have both sets of grandparents over for dinner and then all my sisters and their families came for dessert.  They are so supportive.  I love them so much.  Abby was so excited to get new earrings for her birthday, too.  She got her ears pierced a couple of months ago and new she'd be able to put in new earrings while were at Disneyland.  She had the option to get them pierced two years ago when she turned 8, but opted not to do it until this year (with a little coaxing from me).  She looks so grown up with them pierced.  We sure love her and hope she has many, many more happy birthdays!

We Love Science!

Abby and her "Home Grown Fresh Garden Taste" carrot experiment

Karlee and her "To Drink or Not to Drink" caffeine experiment

Karlee receiving her 3rd place District Science Fair medal

Abby receiving her 2nd place District Science Fair medal

My two cute girls, so proud of their hard work and new medals

February was another month of science fairs.  The girls entered their projects in their school science fair where they were very surprised to earn 1st place (Abby for 4th grade) and 2nd place (Karlee for 1st grade).  The girls, and Layne and I, put in many hours to do their experiments and put their projects together.  Abby did an experiment to see if carrots can be left in the ground over the winter and how they turn out if they are covered or not covered.  She also placed some in a bag in the garage and in the refrigerator back in November then tested them all for taste, color, and crispness.  It was a really cool experiment.  Karlee did an experiment on caffeine.  She placed white carnations in different jars with liquids containing different amounts of caffeine and then recorded what happened to them over the week.  Needless to say, you can't get Karlee to touch a caffeinated drink with a ten foot pole.  Not even Sunkist pop which we found out has as much caffeine as coke or pepsi.  After winning at their school, they got to take their experiments to the District Science Fair.  Abby's project almost didn't get judged because her teacher didn't take it down to the office to be taken to the District Office.  Luckily, we happened to arrive at the Fair a little early and realized it wasn't there.  Long story short, they called the judges back and we went to get her project from the school.  It was crazy but worth it, as she won 2nd place.  Karlee won 3rd place at the District Fair.  We are very proud of both of them.  And especially grateful we only have science fairs once a year.  Congratulations girls!

Finishing Up the Year (finally)

Well, it is only February now and I am finally finishing up our pictures from 2010.  Hopefully, I'll be able to stay on top of things a little better this year! 

We had another fantastic Christmas Eve "breakfast" dinner at Brian and Debi's.  The kids really look forward to the nativity, and Abby's name was drawn to play Mary this year (much to Kayci's dismay).   It was a fun, yummy night!

Eat up kids! 

The angels - Brooklyn and Kayci

The crazy nativity, Jake about took out everyone and everything with his shepherd's crook.

Karlee was the star!

We had a great Christmas again this year.  I love surprising the kids with something they thought they weren't going to get.  I also love to see the joy in their faces when they get something really wanted.  It was also Lexie's first Christmas which was a lot of fun.  We spent the afternoon at Holly and Jared's eating and opening presents from cousins and grandma and grandpa.  We really are blessed with such wonderful family.  I probably say it all the time, but I don't know what I would do without them!

Lexie's 1st Christmas.  She loved the paper, of course!

Abby got her own camera which we ended up returning because it didn't work.  She was a little bummed at first until she ended up with an even nicer camer.  She's quite the photographer and film maker now.

Karlee wanted a sewing machine and also got this cute sewing box.

Jake got an awesome train set that everybody loves to play with! 

Me and my new sweater

Kayci and her cute new doll, Meredith

Abby and Karlee got their new room.  Do you think they were excited to see it or what?!

Karlee loving her new loft bed that her amazing dad made for her.

Abby posing by her new bed.  They absolutely loved their new room.

The kids gave Layne a new mug to take his hot chocolate to work in every day.  It has their pictures on it and turned out way cute!

Grandma and Grandpa Kinghorn came to have Christmas breakfast with us.

Lexie and Houston playing together.

Cute kids - the girls all got matching puffy vests, even Lexie and the twins

During Christmas break we were able to meet up with our good friends, the Andersen's, at a little restaurant in American Falls to catch up.  It's crazy to think that it just used to be the two little Abby's, and now there are two boys and seven girls.  They play and visit like they've never been apart.  Thanks for a fun evening Andersen's.  We sure love and miss you!