Thursday, January 12, 2012

A little Christmas

I wanted to get Christmas, and Trent's swearing in, and Cameron's birthday up, but my computer isn't cooperating, so this is all we get for now. Cameron was so excited for Christmas he slept in his Santa hat!
Santa brought Tyson a skateboard!

Dad surprised everyone and got us a PS3 move! Mom's still not so sure about it.



Kaylee and Lucy checking out their stockings. Santa brought them matching ballerina jamies!More later!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Christmas Update 2011

2011 has been an exciting year for us!



KAYLEE:

Turned four in August.

Got a frenectomy over the summer: she can talk now!

Still lives for her ballet class each week.

Can't get enough princesses or fairies or her friends and cousins.



CAMERON:

Will turn seven in January.

Has become a math whiz, asking about and understanding multiplication and division.

Still loves to just play and have adventures, and is all boy all the time.

Has become a great reader. Can't get enough Fly Guy and Magic Tree House.



TYSON:

Turned ten in November.

Loves to be with his friends or go to any kind of sporting event with Dad.

Has turned into a book lover! Always has to bring a book along.

Loves flag football, tennis, and basketball with his friends.



TRENT:

Call him Councilman! Elected to our City Council in November, which means no more HOA and no more planning commission.

Still loves to build and design beautiful furniture for his wife. Just finished a new hutch for our kitchen and has plans for built in cabinets in our loft/office (some day soon). Has been blessed with many side jobs, basements. He does beautiful work and we're so proud of him!

Still plugging away at Xactware, but now as the International Coordinator, so he's gotten to visit London and Amsterdam a few times this year.



AIMEE:

Loving being at home and watching the kids grow way too fast.

Freelance writing for local paper, just one or two articles a week covering a neighboring city.

Staying busy with Primary Presidency and feeling blessed to have such wonderful ladies to work with.

We have been blessed with the best family, friends, and neighbors, and are so grateful for the abundance of blessings we enjoy.


May you feel the real Reason for the Season in your life.

Love,

The Augustus'

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Coucilman Augustus

Trent is very civic minded. He has loved serving on our HOA board for the last three years. In college he served on the Utah Home Builders Asso. presidency, one year as treasurer, one as VP, and his last year as president. I guess I should have seen this coming.
While on the HOA board he spent a lot of time at city council meetings because our HOA is surrounded by the city golf course and our neighborhood gets a certain number or votes when issues surrounding the course came up.
A few months ago we found out that the only ones running for city council were people who lived outside of our neighborhood and who had made statements at council meetings that they would rather see the multi million dollar golf course go to weeds than spend another tax dollar on it. Yes, that would be great for property values in our neighborhood and our city....160+ acres of weeds. Good idea.
He waited until the day before the deadline and no one else (that he knew of) had signed up, so after many tears from me, he signed up to run for city council.
It soon became very clear where each of the 12 candidates stood. 3 people eventually had to drop out for various reasons, so the primary election came down to 9, 3 people who were running to serve in the city and protect our property values and increase commercial base, and 6 people who we found out later had met together, all running with the intent of getting rid of the golf course because they see it as a money pit.
By the time the first Meet the Candidates Night had rolled around, we'd been "visited" by two of the opposing candidates, who came over to scope Trent out. One of these individuals quickly identified himself as the ring leader for the other five. When he said jump, they asked how high. By the end this guy (who loves to tell others what a righteous priesthood holder he is) had pulled every dirty, nasty political trick ever invented. He told the only woman who made it through the Primary is would be better if her husband ran than her because he was a priesthood holder. He did the same thing two years ago to a women (who is a wonderful current member of the council) who isn't a member of the LDS church. Evidently, he disagrees with the Founding Fathers about whether we should had a religious test for our leaders.
After Trent made if through the Primary, this guy and his followers changed their tactics, flip flopping their positions on almost every issue because it was clearly hurting them in the polls. They lied, told half truths, and then accused Trent of having no integrity. Trent and two other candidates came into the election wanting to be fair minded, help to right the city's current economic woes concerning the golf course, and to serve our community. They meet together and made a promise that they wouldn't use negative campaigning and they would do what they could to help each other get on the council. By the day of the general election, it had become a 3 on 3 race. By the second Meet the Candidates, it had become obvious that the opposition hadn't really done their homework and didn't really have a plan at all. They distributed nasty flyers accusing Trent, G, and J of ridiculousness, while touting how much virtue and integrity they had. They ran an extremely negative campaign. Then some of Trent's supporters posted their own flyers and signs around the city that were negative toward the opposition. Trent, G, and J asked them to remove them, but they chose not to. It was all very nasty.
In the end, cooler heads prevailed. Amazingly, Trent, G, and J were all elected to the city council. We thought maybe two of them would get on and one of the opposition, but this was ideal! And the troublemaker got last in the polls. Couldn't have asked for a better result.
Immediately following the election results, the opposition demanded a recount, including do a CSI style investigation of their own of the ballot boxes and the counting rooms. Instead of removing their election signs, they posted over them, accusing the city of rigging the election. A few days ago the Lt. Governor's office rejected their request for a recount saying they hadn't even come close to proving impropriety.
This troublemaker will undoubtedly continue to be a huge thorn in the city's side. Five years ago, he and his puppets drove Smith's out of building a store here, and almost got Walmart to pull out too. They have cost the city thousands of dollars in various board of adjustment hearings and ridiculous initiatives. They push their agendas without considering the full consequences of their positions.
I am so proud of Trent, G, and J. They are fair minded, reasonable, and willing to work for the community, not for themselves. Trent will make a great councilman. He ran a positive and fair campaign. We are so appreciative of all those who supported him and helped us deliver flyers and post signs, and talked to their friends and neighbors about the issues. It's sad to see a negative few discourage others from participating in the city.
Our kids have had many great experiences learning about how our government works and why it is important to serve each other. They have learned about loving those who treat us badly. They really worked to help their dad in this election and have been his greatest supporters.
We are thrilled with the outcome and look forward to Trent serving with the other councilmembers and the city staff, good people all. So blessed to live in a city with reasonable and honest people...for the most part.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Halloween 2011

This is my cutie niece, Miss Lucy. Love those tights. She loves to give the kids kisses (aka grabbing them by their cheeks and slobbering away). They love her kisses.Miss Kaylee was a purple princess, ala Rapunzel.

Cameron at the boy's school parade. His whole class had their arms folded. I think their teacher must have had a "come to Jesus" talk with them before they started the parade.

Tyson was all smiles.

Went to Gardner Village (it was packed!) with Grandma and Aunt Lissa and Lucy and Aunt Jen, who took lots of cute pictures of everyone. We love finding the witches hidden there every year.



Tron Guy Cameron, or as he calls himself: Sam Flynn!

After Tyson decided on being a Tron Guy for Halloween and Cam chimed in with the same thing, Tyson was a really great about having the same costume. He is such a good brother, and they have had a great time having light disc battles together.They had a great Halloween, lots of candy, excellent friends, and the weather was perfect for once!




Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Give oh Give Away....

I saw this on my sis-in-law's blog and thought it sounded like a fun idea. If you would like to play along send me a comment.
Rules:1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people that comment on this post. It will be a surprise and may arrive at any time in the next 365 days (yes, a year).
2. To sign up to receive a gift from me you must play along too. Share the giving love on your blog by promising to send a handmade goodie to the first three people that comment on your blog post.
3. You must have a blog.
4. After commenting on my post, you have to post this (or similar) on your blog to spread the love. Leave me your email address and I will contact you.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Little Fishes

I know, I stink at blogging. I've been busy!

Long overdue pics from swimming lessons in July. Kaylee is in the red. Really, this is two classes, there were only five, usually four, kids in her class. Her favorite thing was putting her face in the water and looking around. Cam the Man in the center. Loved swimming lessons! Is an excellent back floater!

Kaylee's teacher was adorable. After class the first day, she came up and asked if she could bring Kaylee a treat the next day because she was the only kid that would follow instructions! This is sort of unfair for the other kids in the class because Kaylee had already had a year of preschool and dance classes. She knows how the teacher system works. But if she's going to be teacher's pet and all that, I guess a little reward is okay!
Tyson did great, passed off everything and is getting to be a better swimmer each time we go.

He mostly loves doing cannonballs!

Yeah, I know my little fishes are cute.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Catching up

I've haven't been great about blogging lately...so here's a whole lot of catch up from the last six months! There are four or five posts here, so scroll all the way down! In January, Cameron got to be the King Bee in Kindergarten. This means he was large and in charge for the whole week.
On his King Bee day, his class got to ask him questions, and he taught them how to build the best Lego ships.

We had 3rd Grade Math Night. All the 3rd graders got to play math oriented games. It was fun, but wish they had involved the whole family, not just Tyson. Check out that arm! BYU quarterback? Just sayin'.





Saint Valentine's Day Lovefest!


Kaylee's preschool trip to the aquarium was a hopping good time!


Aimee got to go and help chaperon 5 little girls. Kaylee and her friend from dance, Kailey, were golden, another girl was the snottiest little thing I've ever met, and the other two were wanderers. They sure kept me on my toes! Kay's favorite part was the new penguin exhibit.


The Bean Museum Reptile Show with neighborhood friends!


Dyeing Easter eggs!


Pinewood Derby 2011! Cars made by Tyson, Cameron, and Dad all had respectable showings, but the car made by Mom and the Primary Presidency (okay, Trent made this one too) dominated the field! Our sweet friends, the Martin kids, each entered a car and they wiped everyone else off the map! Next year, they are going to have to teach the rest of the ward their derby car secrets.


Cuddling up with Dad and cousin Lucy!


Kay's big dance recital! Weird to see make up on your three year old. She was excellent! Not a drop of stage fright, and all her grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins came to support her.


The boys got her flowers!




In February, Kaylee cut her own hair! And Barbie's hair. Mom took her to have it evened out into a cute A line. Then she cut that too. Then Aunt Lissa had to even that out into a bob. And Kaylee had to throw her favorite pink craft scissors in the garbage.