Cheney 2012 year in Review

"Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory."
          As we have been reminiscing about this past year it has been fun to relive all of those special moments over again in conversation. Here are some of the highlights from the Cheney house hold...

• Hawaii this past January. Dad loved seeing his grand kids play in the sand and the little pirate kitty pool. Kim and Jamie loved morning runs down the beach (Courtney loved the runs too, but at a different pace and not for as long as these avid runners did) Going on a Whale watch and paddle boarding lessons; tanner preferred sitting on the board instead of standing after his countless topples into the ocean. Kim stood proud being the last of the bunch to fall. Definitely a highlight of the year.  
• The family traveled to yellow stone in February. The older kids really enjoyed taking snowmobiles up the mountain while Grandma and Grandpa (Mom and Dad) stayed back and watched the babies. While exploring the mountain Jess was in heaven capturing pictures and having to travel through the powder to get just the right angle that he wanted. 
• Tanner met some new wonderful friends and enjoyed his Junior year at Brighton High School. He is now over 1/3 the way through his Senior year at Brighton and is Mr. Popular. He is such a fun guy to be around and makes everyone he talk to smile. He enjoys spending time with his friends and attending school events which he is having a hard time talking his younger sister into attending. 
• Kim loved Westminster and is continuing to learn and grow, she graduated this past May!! She is now looking in to attending a school back east and is really enjoying her job working at East High with a program called Gear Up. 
• Miss Whitney has attended SLC for the past two years of her college career and has Majored in Fashion Design. She is such a talented young lady and has a true passion for fashion. This past Spring she worked late into the night preparing pieces for a Fashion Show. Her collection was quite the hit! She applied to Fashion Schools back East this past Spring and is now attending Parsons! She has loved living in New York City. She has been living just a few doors down from the temple and on the other side just up from Central Park. She has met many new people and really enjoyed bonding and getting to know them. Whitney decided on serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and she has been called to the Korea Busan mission; Korean speaking. We are all very excited for her!
• Courtney finished off her Middle School career with a bang. She made great friends and had the best experience she could have asked for. She is now attending Brighton High School at a Sophomore and she loves it. She is on the Brighton Dance Company and has been able to have so many amazing experiences because of this. She has amazing friends and she has enjoyed meeting new people. 
• Dad and Mom are the happiest grandparents around! They love the little ones and Mom enjoys babysitting them and being around them. 
• Attending concerts, Europe, Lake Powell, and more have also put the cherries on top of the Cheney 2012 year in Review. 

We wish you Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas this season. Know that we are thinking of you and sending our best wishes and love your way!

Family Fun

Last weekend the family was able to go down to mesquite to see Kim run her race. We left on Friday and arrived late that night. When we walked into the hotel room there was a bright light shinning in, I thought it was a bit odd, but decided not to ask any questions.
The next morning we stood at the finish line of the half marathon and waited for Kim to come. The wait was short and when she came around the bend we all cheered her on to the end. When she finished, she didn't appear tired at all. I was happy to see that she had enjoyed the race.
In the tent where the finish was they had blow up bounce houses and things. Tanner and I took Tymon to go play in them and he absolutely loved it!
We drove down to Vegas for the day to shop and enjoy family time. It was a very fun trip and wonderful being able to spend the weekend with the fam! :)

Halloween

Every year for Halloween we carve pumkins! We carve the Sunday before Halloween. This, personally is one of the funnest things of Halloween to me. This is my favorite holiday so of course I want to do all possible to make it a good day! This year it couldn't have been better...

Here are just a few of the after pics of carving.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

It's that time again to welcome another year and say goodbye to 2010. It has been an amazing year for the Cheney family! December has been jam packed for us with trips, concerts, Christmas, and lots of fun family time.
*This year for the four youngest kids Christmas present we got a cruise to the Bahamas! We had all been waiting for this since we had found out and we can't believe it went by that fast!
*It also happened that Kurt Bestor was on the 18th when we thought it was on the
12th luckily the four youngest got a chance to go a couple days early, and it was an amazing concert.
*We also had a chance to attend the Utah Symphony polar express performance. That was amazing; Ty and Belle loved it!
To finish the year off tonight we are going to Little America as a whole family to spend a night, have a gift exchange, and gateway shopping for the girls.
We have done a lot this year and it has been a wonderful one! We are all very excited for 2011!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year Thanksgiving was wonderful as usual. We all had a blast with the cousins and it was a great time to reflect on all we have been given and truley be greatful for these things. Uncle Jeff gave a wonderful presentation on giving thanks and gratitude and i would like to share a quote we recieved.
"The more often we see the things arounds us - the more invisible they become to us. Learn how to live in a spirit of Thanksgiving daily by noticing the wonders and beauties of this world."
This really stuck out to me, to think about all we have been given and maybe don't realize daily.
Jeff asked us if we would like to, to make a gratitude journal and write in it every night; even just one thing we are greatful for. I am going to do this and i hope it will help me realize the bountiness in which I have been blessed with. I think this would be a great thing for all of us to do, if you would like i would encourage you to do this to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naqX9iYE0V0
This is a video containing a wonderful story; I hope you will watch and be inspired as i have.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Truley Impossible to some . . .

Have you ever tried jumping without bending you knees? Well today, this was the task for the cheney girls. Over the period of about thirty minutes, we spent attemting to jump, without bending our knees; and from a first hand experience, it is not an easy task. In fact almost impossible to some. With much effort we managed a few inches in the air, surprisingly.
So if you are ever bored and need something to do; try the impossible, and make it possible.

When the cat's away, the mice will play!

Ya, play, clean up. While our parents have been on their trip we have been cleaning, and from a first hand experience i can tell you, it's a never ending job; and i thought that was a joke! But i am so happy to almost be done, Kim is pro at it and tanner and I are close but not quite there. Having a smaller room and a lot of stuff to fit in it just doesn't work out! Anyways here's what has been happening around here latley...

• Whitney is currently on a week long road trip driving down to cali and back with some of her friends from Brighton.
• Mom and Dad are on their cruise!
• Kim is moving into her new apartment for this year at Wesminster.
• Tanner is cleaning and looking forward to his big 1 6 b-day.
• I am cleaning and wondering where this summer went!!

Reclaimed!

You have probably noticed no new posts for a year and a half now, well that's about to change. The Cheney blog had been reclaimed by Courtney Cheney. So expect new updates and all that jazz!

In a nutshell...

... here's what's been happening around here:

Hawaii... :)

Valentine's dances...

Haircuts...

Grammie's 81st Birthday!

Look

how cute Whitty's picture is!

Sassy lady! :)

Updates

• I am now positive Whit is going to be a nurse. Yep I just thought it was a phase of hers, one that she and her friend just dreamed about, but nope, pretty sure we have a future nurse with us! (This will be good for the 13+ kids she will be having- that is courteous of Jess!)
• Tanner has girls, girls and more girls. Did I mention he has girls? :)
• Shortie has single handily taken over her school. If you want an activity planned, you go to her. If you have a question, she can answer it. If you need something done, she can do it! Little Miss Secretary is more like Little Miss President (and she does WAY more than the president too, so...).
• Mom picked up some U paraphernalia today. She got some pretty sweet stuff! I want some :)
• Dad worked on one of the players today. I thought one of his staff members was going to have a heart attack... it was pretty funny!

Let's play a game...

Guess who...

Who went through their season, 13-0... PERFECT?
Who has the longest Bowl Game winning streak with 8 wins and no losses?
Who scored on their first posession in the Sugar Bowl?
Who beat ALABAMA 31 to 17?
Who deserves a LOT more respect than has been given?
Who are the original Bull Crap System busters?

Answer...

Who is... the UNIVERSITY OF UTAH FOOTBALL!

If you didn't know this... you either:
A. Have been living under a rock the past year... or 24 hours...
B. Are an arrogant BYU fan who can't celebrate in your neighbors victory... hello we are talking about the Mountain Conference getting the respect we all deserve.

Again I will say...

GO UTES!

senior pictures...

Despite the fact that I was sweaty, hot, annoyed and put on the spot... here are some of my senior pictures (only a little late... we can call them my college pictures...).

Christmas...

... is coming so fast! I am really excited because that means:

• Finals and school (almost for the younger chillins) are over! YAY!
• Jess and Shauntel will be here (not soon enough though, or long enough for that matter!)!
• Road trip with the family (new for us and Christmas but it will be fun!).
• Good movies are coming out (tomorrow I will be seeing Yes Man with Jim Carrey, I've decided I might have a slight crush on him now... And what about Seven Pounds- it looks way good too!).
• We get to have dinner at Grammie's and Pop's(Santa doesn't come anymore, sad...).
• Our house is decorated to the Nines! I think Mom makes the White House look minuscule!
• Kurt Bestor (I don't need to say anything else).
• Did I mention finals are done!? :)

We love you guys, and are so excited to have everyone here so soon!

(Screw the 'politically correct'... and)...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Holy crap... it's December 4th!

Hello all! Here is news from the Cheney's:

• Whitty has fallen asleep around 7:30, 8 pm every day this week (poor girl, dance at 5:30 am doesn't allow for a lot of sleep)!
• I was able (or told to...) pick up Tanner's car pool from school. On the way home, he kept texting this person, so I teasingly asked him if it was a girl. He said yes, and ever since then (not to mention a lot before too) he has been texting girlS.
• Shortie has been sick, and has been home everyday this week, except today. Mom told her what she would always tell us growing up, "Put on your pants... you're going to school." :)
• Dad has been bit by the YouTube phenomenon... again. This time it is with really funny U of U videos though! Check them out, they're pretty sweet. Dad checked out his ESPN fantasy b-ball team the other day... pretty sure it was the first time since we started!
• Mom has been putting Christmas up. If you didn't know it was Christmas time already, come to our house, it'll put you in the mood! :)
• I have been studying (sort of) for finals. All I have to say is YAY for the hot boys and sweet girls I go to school with... they get me through! Haha jk I do love school though, a bit to much I think, but I love it more anyway!

Drought, shortage, OH MY!

We were laughing so hard I thought we were all going to pee our pants, so I am going to share this Cheney Moment with you!

This past little while the Cheney home has been experiencing a toilet paper drought. I am not kidding (even though it is usually our house that is SWIMMING in toilet paper...). I would often mention this (somehow I don't know how, but it was always my bathroom that had NO toilet paper, and my voice that would yell through the house trying to find anyone who could assist... I think this is the reason I don't shut my bathroom door... SO there you go family, it is all your faults, not mine, I don't shut my door! :) but the holidays are here, and things just got crazy. So tonight, Dad called from his room, "Mom, we're out of toilet paper!"
Whit and I excitedly squealed "Yeah, and we have been for a while!" (I think we were excited because now we wouldn't have to 'drip dry', or use other harsher forms of recycled paper... if you know what I'm saying...)
Mom the miracle worker, replied, "Ok one sec..." To which she disappeared to the basement bathroom then back up the stairs. "Everyone meet me in the hall" to which all 5 of us, still living at home, squandered and moved until we were in front of her and the glowing abundance of toilet paper . We were like little scavengers digging and grabbing, trying to get our share.
Dad (the most innocent sarcastic man alive) squealed, "This is the best day of the week! We get toilet paper!"

The next time you use your bathroom, just think of those less fortunate than you, who don't have toilet paper... and listen for the little cries of help from those who have run out... :)

Happy Birthday!

Today was Pop's 83rd birthday! We are so blessed to have such amazing and loving grandparents all alive, healthy and well. Pop looks like he is 65, and plugs away like it too! In a nutshell I want to be just like Pop when I grow up, yup pretty much! :)

Interesting facts I have learned about Pop (and if you have any please add!):

• He graduated from the U in Banking and Finance.
• He wanted to marry Gram the day after he asked her to marry him (he didn't want to have to wear a tux!).
• He was a REAL lady's man! All the girls older and younger all loved Pop!
• He played the drums in his band, which toured all over too!

(Now that I put myself on the spot I can't think of anymore, but please if you have any, write them!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POP, we love you so much!

BLACKOUT...

Where were you when the blackout happened?

Mom and Whit were able to go in Dad's seats, and I was in the Muss, but believe me, this was a CRAZY game! GO UTES! 10 and 0 BABY, 10 and 0!

PuMpKinS

Halloween 2008

Runnin' Utes

While I have a few minutes, I decided to play "catch up." Today Stephani, Whitney, Courtie and I performed in the half-time at the U game (they kicked TRASH by the way... after the first 2 minutes, I had a feeling it was gonna be a good game...). It was pretty lame, however being on the field was pretty sweet, not to mention we were up close and personal with Whit's and mine future husbands... (we decided we are going to marry football players, and Europeans, and... jk) :)

As Dad, Jess, Joe and Jamie were leaving the house to go to the Real game, Joe (as usual) was harassing Mom. As they left, Mom said, "Love you Jamie have fun, Joe, go jump off a cliff!" I laughed forever! Nice one Mom! :)

While at Wal-Mart (one of our many family routines... Jere, Joe, Jess, T, Whit, Court, Mom, Dad, and I were all present...) Jess picked out a magnet to take back East. 'Somehow' it dropped in his pocket, and when he went fishing for his phone, he came out with the magnet instead. As we laughed at him, Whit looked at him and said, "That's why they keep those locked up." pointing to a case of I-pods... :)

I'll end it at that, but there are a lot more stories! Here are some pic's from the game: (Dad and Jess are in this one... where's Waldo!?)