The Nowak Family

2009-06-06T20:57:00.002-06:00

On June 5th, 2009 my little Mikayla graduated from the 6th grade. In Utah, kids go to Elementary school K-6 and then Jr. High School for 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. So, leaving elementary life is a pretty big deal! The following pictures are from her 6th grade graduation.

2009-06-06T20:54:00.001-06:00

Annie, Kayla, Ashley, J.D. and John. June 5, 2009

2009-06-06T20:52:00.001-06:00

J.D., Kayla, and Annie at Kayla's 6th grade graduation. June 5, 2009

2009-06-06T20:46:00.002-06:00

Mikayla about to sing her graduation song, Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park. June 5, 2009

2009-06-06T20:42:00.001-06:00

Beautiful girl!

2009-06-06T20:39:00.001-06:00

Magnet strips placed by the cook top so I don't have to fumble for my cooking utensils that I use the most! Now that's quality you can only get when your husband does the work!

2009-06-06T20:35:00.002-06:00

Look! John even put magnets behind the sink so when there is a sharp knife to be washed (as illustrated) you won't stab yourself!!

2009-06-06T20:32:00.002-06:00

More projects! This was a wall between the formal living area and the dining room. We decided it was a little too much obstruction so we removed it. The finish carpentry is not done yet but this gives you a pretty good idea of what it will look like.

2009-06-06T20:26:00.003-06:00

Here is an overall picture of the new kitchen. The far left (can't see in this picture) is going to be more counter space and a desk area with some cabinets. There is still a lot of work to be done but we've come a long way baby! It's been 6 months of non-stop work. Fortunatly John was able to do all of it himself (with some little helpers). We only had to hire out for the counter-tops (which are REALLY cool recycled glass), and we will have to order custom cabinets.

2009-06-06T20:24:00.000-06:00

2009-06-06T20:23:00.000-06:00

2009-06-06T20:21:00.000-06:00

2009-06-06T20:19:00.000-06:00

Hood, and cooktop

2009-06-06T20:16:00.001-06:00

Obviously, we're needing more cabinetry work done here.

2009-06-06T20:14:00.000-06:00

2009-06-06T20:12:00.001-06:00

Annie at J.D.'s school May 20, 2009

2009-06-06T20:10:00.001-06:00

Annie and J.D. goofing around before his preschool graduation ceremony. May 20, 2009

2009-06-06T20:08:00.001-06:00

J.D. at his preschool before his graduation program. He is 'posing' for this picture. May 20, 2009

2009-06-06T20:03:00.002-06:00

Can you see the blue chair on the left? The empty one...that was supposed to be J.D.'s chair. His teacher actually gave him 3 parts in the program (more than all the other kids), because he did so well in the practices. Anyhow, he had stage fright and would not go up with his class for the entire program!

2009-06-06T20:00:00.001-06:00

J.D. with his teacher (in the black), Mrs. Bennion.

2009-06-06T19:58:00.000-06:00

2009-06-06T19:55:00.001-06:00

2009-05-04T20:24:00.001-06:00

Remember what we all did as kids? I don't think it looked like this...my 4 year old has a computer class in pre-school! So hard to believe...

Brandon and J.D.

2009-05-04T20:22:00.001-06:00

Annie and Mikayla relaxing on the couch together. They are such good girls :)

April, 2009

2009-05-04T20:14:00.001-06:00

Mikayla and Annie, ham'n it up before their big party. As you will be able to tell by the next few pics, they wanted to have a luau style birthday this year. May 2nd, 2009

2009-05-04T20:12:00.001-06:00

Left to Right: J.D., Brandon, Annie, and Mikayla, posing before the party!

2009-05-04T19:58:00.002-06:00

While we were waiting for the very late bounce house, kids were starting to arrive and were piling up all over the house! Here Mikayla is on the left and Annie is the second one in on the left. All the other kids around are anxious party goers! May 2nd, 2009

2009-05-04T19:54:00.001-06:00

This is how you keep 50 kids pre-occupied, (not all at once of course)! May 2nd, 2009

2009-05-04T19:51:00.001-06:00

Brandon was the 'ref' of the pinata. He's in the orange, Elli is the baby behind him. May 2nd, 2009

2009-05-04T19:48:00.000-06:00

Mikayla's 'beach scene' cake. May 2nd, 2009

2009-05-04T19:38:00.001-06:00

Annie's 'lei' cake. May 2nd, 2009

2009-05-04T19:36:00.000-06:00

Time for gifts!

2009-05-04T19:34:00.000-06:00

Pin the tail on the elephant, anyone?

2009-05-04T19:30:00.001-06:00

And what party would be complete without gigantic bubbles?!?

2009-05-04T19:28:00.001-06:00

Awww, after all that, John and I sat outside and relaxed. Away from the kids I might add!

2009-05-04T19:15:00.002-06:00

Once again, pictures just can't always show the comedy of a situation. In this picture J.D. is laying on the white chair and ordering Annie to bring him things. The funniest part was that she was actually doing it! Normally she would not. May, 2009

2009-05-04T19:12:00.000-06:00

J.D., just being cute. May, 2009

2009-05-04T19:09:00.001-06:00

We took Annie and J.D. to the 3D movie Monsters vs. Aliens. I thought these glasses looked hilarious on the kids. It's hard to tell but they were twice the size of their faces!

2009-05-04T19:02:00.001-06:00

Annie at the 3D movie.

2009-05-04T18:57:00.003-06:00

J.D. right before school picture day. I've been trying to take pictures before they leave the house because they always look so cute when I send them out the door but then when you get the school pictures their hair is everywhere and they're dirty! May, 2009

2009-05-04T18:52:00.002-06:00

Annie and J.D. on our bed reading us books. Doesn't J.D. look so much like Skyler?!?

2009-05-04T18:48:00.001-06:00

Here is Annie, on her actual 8th birthday. Here she is about to go to school. May 1st, 2009

2009-05-04T18:38:00.001-06:00

More of Annie on her way to school, May 1st, 2009

2009-04-17T08:45:00.001-06:00

On the Saturday morning before Easter the park in our subdivision has an egg hunt for all of the kids in the neighborhood. Here is J.D., ready to hunt!

2009-04-17T08:43:00.000-06:00

Annie at the park egg hunt

2009-04-17T08:37:00.002-06:00

The Saturday before Easter we were actually able to get our whole family together (no small task).

From left to right, back row:

My brother-in-law Chris and my sister Mandy, holding their newest edition, Oliver, myself holding J.D., John, my brother Derek and his wife JoAnne holding their daughter, Elizabeth

Left to right, front row:

Annie, my mom holding my sisters daughter Gracie, my dad holding my brothers son Drew and daugher Abby

2009-04-17T08:35:00.000-06:00

Annie and J.D. coloring eggs for the Bunny to hide

2009-04-17T08:17:00.001-06:00

Early Easter morning the kids had an egg hunt in our backyard. Here is J.D. finding an egg.

2009-04-17T08:11:00.000-06:00

More egg hunting

2009-04-17T08:07:00.001-06:00

This is such a perfect example of J.D. and Annie. She is always so cheerful and happy, and he is always mad at her for something! In this picture he's upset because she found one more egg than he did!

2009-04-17T08:05:00.000-06:00

J.D. and his cousin Katie at the Losee farm

2009-04-17T08:01:00.001-06:00

J.D. at Grandma and Grandpa Losee's farm. This poor tree is the only one all of the kids climb on!

2009-04-17T07:59:00.001-06:00

J.D. was so tired after getting all of his reports in...you know how it is

2009-04-17T07:53:00.001-06:00

John, J.D., and Annie flying a gigantic kite they got from Grandma and Grandpa Losee for Easter

2009-04-17T07:52:00.000-06:00

John, J.D., and Annie

2009-04-17T07:49:00.001-06:00

Here is what's in our backyard. Isn't it awesome?!? Mountains, water, what more can you ask for?

2009-04-17T07:45:00.002-06:00

Here we are at Utah Lake. This is the lake that is within walking distance of our house. Our house is actually on the opposite side of where this picture was taken. It's just as pretty on the other side.

2009-04-17T07:43:00.000-06:00

Annie and J.D. on a boat dock

2009-04-17T07:38:00.002-06:00

John is holding the 'bubble rod' and to get the idea of how big these bubbles are, look at the kids in the bottom right of the picture

2009-04-17T07:35:00.001-06:00

Another one of the HUGE bubbles we've made

2009-04-10T16:01:00.003-06:00

We decided to make cookies. The next few pics are of that disaster! Here Mikayla, J.D. and Annie are working on the dough. We made quite the mess as you'll see. For the record, the kids aren't to blame for it all...I was much worse than they were!
April 2009

2009-04-10T15:49:00.001-06:00

Here is Mikayla, sort of stirring the cookie dough, mostly eating it!

2009-04-10T15:47:00.000-06:00

J.D. and Annie

2009-04-10T15:38:00.000-06:00

More of our cookie disaster...

2009-04-10T15:36:00.001-06:00

J.D. is determined to do a good job! Notice the flour is not only all over his clothes but also his face...how does that happen?!? April 2009

2009-04-10T15:33:00.001-06:00

Well, here are the final results. Luckily, we had lots of milk. April 2009

2009-04-10T15:32:00.000-06:00

Ahh, they grow up so fast! (J.D.) April 2009

2009-04-10T15:25:00.003-06:00

Our new family goal...trying to make the biggest bubble...this one was about 10ft long before it burst! late March, 2009

2009-04-10T11:13:00.001-06:00

Annas, Brandon, Mikayla, and J.D. eating Brandon's birthday cake. March 7, 2009

2009-04-10T11:11:00.000-06:00

Brandon on his 10th birthday. March 7, 2009

2009-04-10T11:08:00.001-06:00

Annas and J.D. on our sidewalk, eating popcorn and waiting for something (we're still not sure what they were waiting to see).

2009-04-10T11:03:00.002-06:00

I couldn't get the picture to come out clear, but this is the view off our back deck. The moon was full and reflecting off of the lake.

2009-04-10T11:01:00.000-06:00

John and J.D., goofing around

2008-11-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

Mikayla and Zack on Zack's 13th birthday. Yes, he's really 13.

2008-11-12T15:45:00.003-07:00

Zack opening his birthday present.

2008-11-12T15:45:00.001-07:00

2008-11-12T15:42:00.002-07:00

We have a little tradition in our family. When I take pictures of the kids on their birthday, they have to show (with their fingers), how old they are. Well, Zack is 13 so he needed some extra fingers, which Mikayla provided!

2008-11-12T15:39:00.001-07:00

We visited the Kennedy Space Museum while in Orlando.

2008-11-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

One of the interesting things to see in Florida.

2008-11-12T15:35:00.001-07:00

More sights in Orlando. This is a museum/fun house.

2008-11-12T15:32:00.002-07:00

The view outside of our hotel room in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The ocean waves are right behind the grassy spot in the middle of the picture. We just so happened to be in Cocoa Beach the same time as Tropical Storm Fay. Ironically a couple of hours after we took this picture there was a tornado.

2008-11-12T15:23:00.002-07:00

It's hard to tell but that's John in the middle of that picture. He decided to go body surfing in the middle of a tropical storm in Florida. The picture is foggy because the wind was blowing the sand so hard.

2008-11-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Mikayla at Ken's Lake, still our favorite place to be in the summer.

2008-11-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

Annie, loving every minute..........

2008-11-12T15:14:00.001-07:00

JD in the back of the truck, soaking up some vitamin D

2008-07-14T14:43:00.001-06:00

Zack went to a football camp in June at the University of Utah. He had a great time and decided he wants to play football in Jr. High this year. Very scary from a mom's perspective. He really enjoys playing so we are going to let him. Zack is the one on the far left in a red t-shirt.

2008-07-14T14:41:00.000-06:00

Zack getting ready to go play.

2008-07-14T14:39:00.000-06:00

What a good looking guy!

2008-07-14T14:37:00.000-06:00

Zack taking a little break.

2008-07-14T14:34:00.002-06:00

They were EXHAUSTED after all of the traveling and playing on our trip! As you can see they are piled on eachother like pancakes! Normally they would be fighting about having their own personal space!

2008-07-14T14:31:00.002-06:00

We went to Oklahoma this June to go see my cousin Amber get married. It was great! I have not seen some of my family for a few years.

Annie, Brandon, Grandpa, Zack, Mikayla, and J.D. in front of Grandpa's house.

2008-07-14T14:29:00.001-06:00

Annie, Brandon, Mikayla, and Zack in front of Grandpa Trumper's house. J.D. chose to not participate in this picture!

2008-07-14T14:28:00.000-06:00

Mikayla and Zack trying to entertain at the reception.

2008-07-14T14:26:00.000-06:00

Left to right: Mikayla, mom, Joannie, and Zack at Amber's wedding reception.

2008-07-14T14:24:00.000-06:00

Grandpa at the church, waiting for all the excitement!

2008-07-14T14:22:00.000-06:00

Zack and J.D. at Amber's wedding.

2008-07-14T14:20:00.003-06:00

2008-07-14T14:20:00.002-06:00

Grandpa Trumper

2008-07-14T14:20:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Trumper

2008-07-14T14:17:00.001-06:00

Grandpa Trumper and Annie at the family bar-b-q.