Bathubs, 6 year-olds, and casts don't mix...

Yesterday Kaden accidently got his cast pretty wet in the bath before school. We blew it dry with the blow dryer, like they told us to if we got it wet, and then I sent him to school. By yesterday afternoon his cast stunk soooo bad! It was so gross! So they re-casted him this morning and now he has a cool new black, gore-tex cast that he can totally get wet! It is soo cool! He can rinse water right through it. He can totally sub merge it in the water or shower with it. Cool, huh? If anyone else ever needs a kid casted - get the gore-tex its awesome.

My boat

This is what the boat looked like when it was new.

The first "wet run"

Here are some picture of our boats first trip to the lake. She is nothing pretty to look at but it runs great. I just wish I had someone there that new how to drive a boat. Ask mom about it.

Jonathan is NINE!!!

He had a nice day yesterday. His school class went on a field trip....he said it was nice of them to have a field trip for his birthday ;) . They went to the Chandler center for the Arts and heard a Symphony of Peter and the Wolf. Knowing how young boys can be, and knowing it was music (no play or actors or other performance to watch) I wondered how he would like it. When I asked him he said (in quite a mature tone) "Mom, it was a very nice couple of hours". He really did enjoy it. Then Lennie got off work early so he didn't have to wait quite so long for cake/ice cream/presents, and we had Pizza for dinner! It amazes me that he is NINE...unbelievable. Where did the years go?? Well....here is an idea.......

Newborn

One Year

Two Years

Three Years

Four Years

Five Years

Six Years

Seven Years

Eight Years

Nine Years!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONNY....WE LOVE YOU!!!

HAPPY DONALDS EVE EVERYBODY!!!

It's Donald's Birthday tomorrow, Feb 28! And I want to tell everybody just how much I love this Birthday Boy. Donald and I started hanging-out/dating on this very day last year. I told him I would come over to the downing's and give him 25 spankins on his birthday and I almost didn't keep my word. I made it to him with just 3 minutes till midnight. But I did give him those spankins... and he's gonna get em again this year :) I'm sure I had him at first spank. Donald means the world to me. He always makes me laugh even when I'm in a sad mood. He is so smart and level headed, he helps me make wise choices when I'm not sure about stuff. He's so handsome and strong and athletic, he's like Superman! OK maybe I'm embellishing but he's MY super hero. One of our favorite things to talk about is how things will go down when the outbreak happens. (And yes, outbreak refers to Zombies.) We've got a plan. And I know he would stop at nothing to protect me and his family. And if he gets zombified I think I will let him bite me. THATS love.

So Happy Birthday Donald! I love you. And if yours and my family loves you they'll all tell you happy birthday tomorrow. OOOOOH yeah. I went there.

Our mid-winter "break"

Kaden literally had a mid-winter break this week! He is out for a week from school and wew have had the best weather - sunny and almost 60 degrees!! So we've been outside playing alot. He was just running out in the trees behind our house and he tripped and fell and broke his wrist. He fell on Wednesday and we went to urgent care that evening. Then this morning he was able to see the doctor and got his bright green cast! He loves that he has a permanent thumbs up! He gives me the sign all the time. :) He is feeling pretty good about it and we are hoping going back to school on Monday won't be too frustrating with his limited left hand ability. We are very thankful that it is his left hand!

Flash Back Friday

We Miss You guys!

This is the way the ladies ride....(and the cowboy!)

Macey on her fearless steed.


Steven was not so sure....

Brooklyn thought it was great fun.

Fun and Games in Indianoplis

We had so much fun in Indianapolis. Just a few of the pics.


In this game, you toss the corn bags into the hole. Dixie entered Bruce and James in a tournament and they did pretty well. Bruce was wiped out the next day.

Just look at that form.

We went Duck pin Bowling. I think Steven could take it or leave it. This was the neatest old bowling alley.

Brooklyn getting ready to roll.... No finger holes in the balls and they are all the same size.

Save The Date!

The official date is 8/8/8! If that changes it will be only by one day. We don't have very many more details but we will try to keep everyone posted about anything important. I still live in Boston and I'm really trying to get the heck out of here! But we've decided I need to be home in April no matter if I have a job or not. So.... Everyone, please pray for me that I will get a transfer.
Thanks family. I love you all!
-Shannon-

The Gustins love Jon Schmidt

When we were in Utah, we got to go to a private performance with Jon Schmidt. He was awesome! He is soo talented and so fun to watch. Here is a video of one of the songs he played.

He was way casual, just asking us what we wanted to hear. People were asking for his well known songs. Then Kolton asked him if he would play "Teach me to walk in the light" (We had been learning that song to sing as a family in sacrament meeting). He said he had never arranged it before but he'd give it a try. He totally just played it beautifully. The boys loved it! Here is a video of the end of the song - I couldn't figure out my camera in time for all of it :(

CAMPING ANYONE?

The Weather is feeling GREAT and I think it is time to have a BIG camping trip. Those of you who can make it,

lets have some suggestions (where & when). We were thinking March 21st (good friday) rob has a half day so we will be heading out to camp in the late afternoon. rob suggested Sycamore Creek or Oak Flatts. I would prefer somewhere a little more GREEN. what do you think???

Mom, Shannon, and Donald have already said they are in but Mom said she doesn't want to make it a big deal, (she might be tired of being the camper cook :) but we have to go BIG! lets make it easy for everyone and asign meals/snacks/drinks, that way everyone gets a break. Everyone can bring their sleeping gear, games, bikes, and we will just have a Gay old time! :D We are so excited, Lets start planning

Do you give a lick

I have updated our blog if anyone gives a "lick" you should check it out!

Love you guys! I need more posts I am lonely with sick kids in Seattle.

Hey, guys!! I need pics for the calendar....

I have pics from Stacie and Coleen so far. Thanks!!

I need to have pics from everyone before I can start on it. We are already in to February, so HURRY!!

How about this, if we are gonna go through with this, everyone needs to send me pics by Valentines Day. We can start the calendar in any month we want, so we can make it a March 2008-Feb 2009 if we want to.....or we can do March 2008-Dec 2008, so that next year we will be on the calendar year..........?

Either way, I NEED PICTURES! :)

HAWAII

Sorry the Pictures are not in order =) This is us at Hukilau Beach!

Zayah and his Cousin Anessa. They finally learned to get along just before we left to come home =)

Zayah getting ready to go! Diapers and wipes thats all he needed =)

Jaba Prying he dosen't get pounded by the waves at Pounders Beach

Zayah on the Flight over! He was such a good boy!

Pretty Picture of Pounders Beach

Zayah Being Buried alive! The wind was blowing so hard! Hukilau Beach

We got to go to Hawaii last week for Jaba's really good friend's wedding. We had a great time and can't wait to go again tomorrow Morning =) This time For Jaba's Granfathers 85th Birthday Party. Hear are some fun Pictures of our trip! We love you all and will post more Pictures of Hawaii when we get back!

Thanks Shannon

Shannon came out and saved our poor kids. We have all been sick for a few days and they needed her to play with them so bad! She came looking for a Super Bowl party and ended up being Nanny McShannon for a few days. There are no pictures. (Thank goodness.) We stayed in and watched the Super Bowl and went to the doctor on Monday. We love you, Shannon. Thanks for taking care of us.

Beauty in the sky!.....

We have had some actual WEATHER today!! It has rained and HAILED on and off all day long. Then tonight just as the sun was setting, we saw the most INCREDIBLE full rainbow!! It was so bright and gorgeous....we stood outside in the hail (little tiny hail, but still hail) to get some pics. The photos just don't do it justice, but they are still pretty.

Last Meal and Oh so fun in Seattle

What A group for dinner. This was just before Kevin left. We missed all of you who were not there. (Lenard, is that you under your hoodie?)


We thought you would like to see Kevin's "couch replacements"!! Who let those dogs up there?

This was so much fun.The Aquarium was a highlight of our visit in Seattle. The kids loved this room. They could touch everything and even got to feed the sea life in these pools. It was fascinating. We couldn't hardly get them to leave.


The beach the next day was so fun, cold, but fun. The kids found and shared all kinds of treasures. Bruce and Lois thought they had never been so cold in their lives. I have a ton more pictures if anyone wants to see them just ask. Stacie and Coleen you may be interested. Let me know.