Okay, so I am obviously WAY behind on our blog. I am not sure where the summer went, or what I have to show for it, but in the meantime I lost the blogging bug. However, I'm back now and will do my best to catch up on the last 3 months. I am vowing from now on to do better so that I don't have to summarize 3 months at a time ever again, as that definitely takes the fun out of blogging. So, sorry in advance for this massive post. This is really only for our family history, as a blog is probably as close as I will ever get to actually scrapbooking (believe me, I have tried!).


Cooper and Kennedy are getting to the age where it seems like they fight nonstop. It is not really fighting, I guess, mostly just Cooper teasing and Kennedy screaming. I never realized growing up how annoying that is as the parent. In this picture, however, you would think they are the best of friends. Actually, they really are good friends. Kennedy just doesn't put up with much.



These pictures are from Cooper's preschool graduation in May. He did the pledge (with help, of course) at the beginning of the program and did pretty good. He just stood there through most of the songs that were performed, but he was definitely the best lookin' kid there!









Here are some pictures of our LeFevre Reunion in Tropic and at Ruby's Inn. The weekend was pretty cold and rainy, but we still made it fun. The picture of Shane and the kids pretty much sums up the vacation for us!





I ended up doing another natural bodybuilding competition at the end of May because it was a pro qualifier. There were 3 of us this time, so that was good, but in order to technically get your pro card you have to be the overall winner with at least 5 in your division. I did win, but did not expect to go pro because of the small number of competitors. Well, I got an e-mail from the promoter the following Monday who told me that I got my pro card because he felt like that ruling was unfair and that I looked good enough to get my card. I was so excited I could hardly stand it. However, in my eagerness to continue with the sport, I hurt my back the following week and have been less than 100% ever since. So, needless to say, I have taken some time off and gained at least 10 pounds but am planning on coming back in the spring to do a pro show and actually win money this time!







Here are some pictures of Cooper's birthday party on June 12th. I cannot believe that our little boy is now 4 years old! He had a fabulous time opening presents and could not believe that they were all for him. He kept asking me if each present was his before he would open it. Kennedy got some underwear, so I had to include a picture of her wearing those at her own insistence. Funny girl.



My kids look so grown up here that it makes me sick!




Here are the 3 most important people to me in the whole world! Shane was recently asked to come back to work for StoresOnline, so he is now traveling for them again. He is out for the first time this week in Canada. I am not sure if we can do this again; with him being home so much this year, I am not sure that we are going to be able to go back to him being a traveling salesman. But, we have to make a living somehow, so we will see how this goes at least until something better comes along. It is only Tuesday though, and it already feels like he has been gone a month. This will take some getting used to again.



Here is our yard all raked and weed free thanks to Randy and Shane, as I cannot take any credit for it:) It made me excited for a yard after Randy and family took us up in the mountains and hauled some big boulders down for our flowerbeds. I can finally envision some kind of landscape now.






Here are a few pictures of our most recent adventure to Island Park for our Nelson family reunion. We stayed in a huge, beautiful cabin all together and had a blast. We played the game Survivor and were split into different teams which made the vacation a lot more fun (go light purple team!). The kids had a really good time as well. In fact, I asked Cooper if he had fun, and he said that he wanted to move there. He really took to the loft upstairs and would just live up there if he could!

This past weekend I competed in my first bodybuilding competition. It was the NGA Utah Natural and it took place at Davis High School. I have wanted to do one for a long time but have not had the confidence, the nerve, or the commitment to actually follow through with it until now at the ripe age of 30! It was a good experience, especially since I won! There was only one other woman bodybuilder, but she was a lot more experienced than me (she has her pro card and sponsors, etc.). I was really not expecting to win but was just hoping to give her some good competition. Well, I guess I did because after the show the male winner from last year came up to me and said that I shocked a lot of people because up until now I guess this lady had never lost. The judging can be a little subjective, but everyone I talked to said that I definitely deserved to beat her. Here a few photos to document the night (courtesy of Jo from Groll Family Fitness). Shane tried to take pictures from the audience, but it was so dark that we waited until after the show to take some in the hallway.








Here we are at the evening finals. Wendy (my competitor) is a lot more experienced poser (as you can probably tell), so I could work on that some more. She took her time to sweep into each pose and was very natural and graceful as she did it, but I guess that did not matter because you know who won!



Me with my trophy and roses. As my parents and Shane were taking pictures in the hallway, a few strangers came up and also asked for some pictures. In fact, a professional photographer gave me his card in case I wanted to contact him in order to start my "portfolio". I was not aware that I needed a portfolio, so I guess I could look into that! Anyway, afterward Shane said that I acted totally in my element posing there in the hallway while people stared and took pictures. I have to admit that it was kindof fun to get that kindof attention, but the tanning cream and oil do create an optical illusion that is not always there.



Me and my biggest fan. Shane has been so supportive and understanding through all of my training, tanning, and dieting and the fatigue and mood swings that accompany it. I tried my best to not let any of this get in the way of our family, but there was no way that it couldn't at least a little bit. I failed to mention Shane as they introduced me at the show because they asked for my hobbies. With this being my first show I did not know that they were using this to introduce me otherwise I would have been much more specific. So... "I want to publicly thank my husband, Shane, for his ongoing support and encouragement in my behalf. He is the best husband and my best friend. I love you, babe."

Here are a couple of the mandatory poses that we had to do:



Crab most muscular pose.



Front double biceps.



Side triceps.

As I look at these pictures I still cannot believe that this is me, as I have wanted to do this for so long. I finally followed through with my dream, and now that I have won I am trying to decide what to do with it and how far to take it. There is a fine line between passion and obsession -- one that I do not want to cross. I really want to keep things in proper balance and fulfill my most important job as a mother. I know that Satan works on our strengths to make them become weaknesses, so I am trying to be careful. This was a fun thing to accomplish, but now I have to proceed carefully and prayerfully. Thanks to all of you who have supported through this process. I feel so blessed.

Shaylyn and I had a weekend of Twilight! We went to Logan to buy "Edward" shirts for the much-anticipated release of the Twilight movie at the Movie Gallery. We ended up spending an hour in Hot Topic in the mall looking over the plethera of Twilight merchandise and trying to decide on a t-shirt. While we were there, I broke down and had Kennedy's ears pierced at Claire's Boutique. She did not like it much but was fine after the lady gave her a sucker. She looks so cute, but unfortunately, it also makes her look so big. She will be 18 months on the 24th, so I guess she is not a baby anymore. She already acts like an indepent woman -- she does not even look back when we leave her in nursery!

Kasen was really good throughout our whole girls day out; although, he showed his disgust with Claire's by throwing a bottle of blue nail polish. It broke on the tile and splattered everywhere. We had to document it, as it is just so typical of him. Here he is pictured so innocently next to the crime scene. What a kid!

I just had to post this picture of Kennedy, as it somewhat captures her little personality -- it so fun to have a girlie girl!

This past weekend we went up to Arco to see the Boyer fam. It is always so fun to get together even though it is pretty crazy with us all under one roof! Mom planned for us to go snowshoeing at the Craters of the Moon on Saturday, and it was so much fun. I had never visited Craters in the winter and was surprised to learn so much about a place that I had lived next to for over 18 years. Mom offered to watch all 5 kids by herself, and everyone else was able to go except for Marcus (who had to work that weekend but still made the effort to come up after work Friday night and stayed until Saturday afternoon). The day was a little bit windy but overall a beautiful one. We had a lot of fun, and it was a good workout too! Thanks mom for making this happen -- you are amazing! This picture does not do the place justice at all because the view was absolutey spectacular.

A couple of weeks ago, all the boys (Randy, Shane, Kevin, Dixon, Jackson, and Cooper) went to the hunter's expo in Salt Lake while all of us girls (Sharrie, Shaylyn, Alycia, Kennedy, and Kasen:) enjoyed shopping in Ogden. We hit the mall, Lane Bryant, a make-up store, and the healthfood store. Kasen did not enjoy it per se (I think he would have much prefered going to the expo with the rest of the boys) but was a good sport. Kennedy, on the other hand, was in her element! She LOVED the make-up place and wanted to try the eyeshadow displays. When I told her no she pouted for a minute until Sharrie asked her what color of nail polish she wanted. Where does she learn this stuff?! The picture below is one of her carrying the new purse that grandma bought for her in the mall. I refused to buy her a $12 purse, but that is the one she picked out, so grandma bought it for her. We are in trouble with this little one!