Places to go...

Smarmy

2009-12-16T21:10:00.002-07:00

Austin had his acting debut

when he played

Reginald Smarmy,

the game show host in the play,

"Who's Dying to be a Millionaire?"

It was a fun, entertaining show

a comedy/murder mystery

put on by the drama club

at the middle school.

He did awesome!

Great job, Austin!

Just don't forget us when you're

rich and famous. :)

Snow day

2009-12-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

They are very few

and far between.

But when they happen,

we LOVE it!

Didn't so much love the 4:30 am phone call,

but the news was good.

No school!

We woke up to over a foot of snow.

And it just kept coming!

Half the fun is

digging your way out.

Much of the day

was spent playing in it.

Syd built an awesome

snow cave.

After they were thoroughly frozen,

they came in for some

hot chocolate and

indoor fun.

London was counting the days. . .

Snow just makes it feel

more like Christmas!

I write the songs...

2009-12-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

London has been learning recently

how to write letters of the alphabet.

She puts them down randomly

on paper

and then tells us the story.

One night, she told me

she was going to write a song.

Of course I assumed she would write

more letters,

then sing me the song that went with them.

I was wrong.

This is what she brought me:

I thought that was pretty cool.

Giving thanks

2009-11-26T19:19:00.001-07:00

This year was a special year

for Thanksgiving.

It was the first time in

quite a while

my whole family was together:

Mom, Dad, my brothers and sisters.

It was so awesome.

We also got to have my grandparents,

cousins, aunts and uncles from

mom's side together, too.

There were almost 50 people there,

so we celebrated at the church

near my parents'.

Several tables were set

with red tablecloths

and festive dinnerware and centerpieces,

thanks to mom.

Getting together wouldn't be complete

without the guys shooting some hoops.

Dad carved the turkey, as is tradition,
and gave Austin some pointers
along the way.

My cute sis, Lindsay,
and my future niece!
My brother Justin and
his wife, Andrea.

Let the feast begin!

My little brother, Mitch.

I'm surprised he wasn't

first in line!

(Just kiddin', bro)

My wonderful grandparents.

It was a feast to remember,
and a wonderful chance
to think about all
we have been blessed with,
especially,
FAMILY!

Rowdy

2009-11-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

Jordan was busy using the computer

one night.

When we saw what she had been making,

we got a good laugh.

Silly girl.

What would we do without her

to keep us smiling?

Haulin' wood

2009-11-07T12:59:00.003-07:00

This year

Doug bought some split oak

to help heat our home

during the winter.

So our lucky kiddos

were excited to get to help

haul and stack it.

They are such awesome workers!

We are looking forward

to having lots of cozy nights

by the fire this winter!

Boo!

2009-11-01T12:39:00.002-07:00

This year

we were invited to the home of

some good friends who had their own

pumpkin patch

and the kids each got to pick out

their favorite one to take home.

The kids then designed faces

that would bring their pumpkins to life.

Aren't we a scary bunch?

Heading to the ward Halloween party.

It was on Halloween,

so we only had to get dressed up once. :)

We came home that night with some

fun memories,

good times,

and waaaaaay too much candy! :)

Halloween horseback ride

2009-10-31T12:06:00.001-06:00

A surprise snowstorm

in October

brought winter

before any of us were ready for it!

But that didn't keep us

from having a blast

riding horses on Halloween

at the home of some

wonderful friends.

We had the best time

and are so thankful for the Broomes

and the chance to spend time

with them at their ranch.

Evening in SLC

2009-10-27T20:34:00.003-06:00

We had a few hours to spend

on temple square with the kids.

We had never really been to

the Conference Center,

so we started to explore outside a little.

After noticing

that tours were offered

every half-hour,

we decided to peek inside

and see what it was all about.

We were not disappointed.

A kind gentleman

took our family on

a grand tour.

We started out on the roof,

since the sun was setting.

I discovered that there was

no more perfect time to be up there.

This wall mural,

etched in stone by lasers, was

remarkable.

Our guide told us that

every equinox, the sunset aligns

directly through the

center of the spire,

and that about 600 people go up to the roof

to take pictures of it.

He then took us inside,

where we were able to see

hundreds of beautiful

works of art --

paintings, sculptures, murals.

We were amazed

by the sheer size of

the worlds' largest auditorium.

It was incredible.

He told us it seats 21,000 people.

We thoroughly enjoyed

the chance to learn more about

such a beautiful building,

and so many interesting

facts and stories about it as well.

All of us gained a greater appreciation for

the Conference Center.

After the tour, we walked across the street

to Temple Square.

It was awesome to spend some time

with the kids

in such a beautiful place.

It made us all appreciate our faith

and the faith of those who

sacrificed so much

to build those magnificent buildings.

We are so blessed!

Wheeler Farm

2009-10-26T12:37:00.001-06:00

We made a quick trip over to Utah

for a couple of days.
While Doug and Marc held their business meetings,

Tomi and I took the kids to

Wheeler Farm

for a few hours.

We had such a great time!

We took some pizza over for a picnic lunch

and then walked around

to see what the farm had to offer.

First on the agenda

was a cute little hay and corn maze for the kids.

Next we took a wagon ride

on the dirt roads

past the animal pens

and some beautiful fall foliage along a stream.

The kids had a blast

feeding the geese and pigeons

from a loaf of bread

so kindly offered us

by a stranger.

And we couldn't help

but spend awhile

playing in all those beautiful leaves

on the ground.

Ten

2009-10-24T21:00:00.004-06:00

Sydney wanted a

party of all parties

for her 10th birthday.

So we had some friends over

and celebrated with them

for a few hours.

A little pizza was served

to start off the night.

We played a fashion designing game

where the girls created an outfit

out of a roll of foil.

Very fun!

They did great work!

I see some real potential here. :)

We played a couple more games,

then turned on the

disco ball

and they danced the night away.

A little Cha-Cha Slide really livened things up.

After Syd opened gifts,

we topped the night off

by making s'mores and playing

Apples to Apples Jr.

A totally fun night!

We were all sad when it was

time for the girls to leave.

Happy birthday, Sydney!

Ballet and bunnies

2009-10-18T21:38:00.004-06:00

Our budding ballerina

and her beloved "fairy"

Cowboy day

2009-10-02T20:47:00.001-06:00

London's preschool

had a family field trip

to a ranch.

They got to do all kinds of

fun stuff.

They got to listen to a

real cowboy

talk about the things

a cowboy wears and uses for his job.

London was a pretty intent listener.

Until it was her turn to ride the horse.

She rode like a pro.
And loved every minute!

After all the kids got a turn,

they sat a spell

and had some cowboy "grub".

Perfect weather that day

topped off the perfect preschool outing.

Campout

2009-09-26T14:31:00.008-06:00

Every summer we have plans to go camping.

And then the summer flies by.

And we haven't camped.

Summer may be over now,

but there's still a little good weather

to be enjoyed.

Last weekend, we headed up to the Gap

with our tent and our boat,

found the perfect spot

overlooking the lake,

and camped for the night.

Doug did the fire

and the girls did the cooking.

(I did the photographing!)

The night got a little chilly,

but when the sun came up,

my wonderful husband

started up a new fire

and cooked breakfast for us.

After we broke camp,

we took the boat out

for a bit of morning fishing.

London pretty much
never took her eyes off that bobber
(except to smile for the camera, of course).

She got a good lesson from dad
on baiting a hook.

Austin had all the luck this time.
He caught a trout and a perch.

There's not much that beats
enjoying the outdoors
and being with your family.
Love it!

Field trip

2009-09-23T14:02:00.002-06:00

London's preschool class

took their first trip out.

They went and toured

the local fire station.

Her class, being made up of

mostly boys,

absolutely loved it.

Here, they got to check out

the inside of an ambulance.

Next, they climbed inside the fire engine.

Then a couple of firemen
showed them how they look
all dressed in their gear.

They learned they shouldn't be afraid
if a man wearing a big mask
comes to help them in a fire.

London loved it,
and even got her own
fire hat, which she has
since given me as a gift.
I'll be sure and wear it often. :)

Handiwork

2009-09-13T15:14:00.000-06:00

This guy was

plenty busy all night.

Weaving a work of art.

Amazing. And beautiful.

Just like riding a bike

2009-09-10T14:44:00.000-06:00

It's a day in most of our lives

that we look back on and

remember vividly.

Jordan tried all summer long

and all those hours

of running along behind her

holding onto the back of her

bicycle seat

finally paid off.

She did it!!

She's getting lots of practice now

and loving her new found freedom. Yippee!

Watching the cars

2009-08-25T15:25:00.000-06:00

This is Fairy,

London's best friend.

London and Fairy love to

sit outside and enjoy the late summer weather.

She takes chairs, blankets and umbrellas out

and they watch the cars.

So if you happen to be driving by,
be sure and wave at them.
They would love it.

Summer's end

2009-08-14T10:51:00.006-06:00

I had in my mind

great plans.

We would do something

grand and exciting

to enjoy and remember the

last days of summer break.

But when it didn't work out,

the kids made plans of their own.

And I think their memories

of this day

will be even better.

Coming home

2009-08-07T20:45:00.003-06:00

For two years

we waited for this day.

Mom and Dad finished

an honorable mission

in Poland.

They served as CES missionaries

and worked tirelessly

to build up and support the

young branches of that country

which were full of young people

wanting to learn the gospel.

They arrived home on July 12th.

It was so great to see them again.

We're so proud of all that they did!

We met them at the airport

dressed like gangstas, just for fun.

And now you see why

I am a little strange.

This is the rest of my family. :)

And mom and dad's first reaction.

I'm a little surprised

they claimed us. :)

It was such a happy homecoming.

We love having them back!

I know they're going to be missed

back in Poland,

but we're glad they're here.

Great job, mom and dad!

We love you.

Milestones

2009-07-20T14:58:00.002-06:00

Jordan decided she had reached that

important age in a girl's life

where she wanted to learn how

to curl her own hair.

These are big things, you know.

So after telling her at least 100 times

to BE CAREFUL,

and after we had turned the iron down to its

lowest setting,

and after she had donned her winter gloves

for protection,

she decided she was ready.

And off she went.

(The gloves didn't last long.

They just kinda got in the way.)

Doesn't she look beautiful? It's hard to believe how quickly she's growing up.

True conversation

2009-07-08T13:47:00.000-06:00

"Mom, ask me to play tag with you."

"Ok, London - will you play tag with me?"

"No. Now say, 'why not?' "

"Why not?"

"Because I have to look at the sunset."

Silly girl.

Surprise!

2009-06-27T14:08:00.002-06:00

I noticed the dogs barking

more than usual

and went out to see what was up.

This guy

was lounging next to the gate

to our back yard.

I opened it up

and he came on in

and made himself at home.

The kids were ecstatic. They thought

a new pet

had come to live with us.

Unfortunately, these particular animals

are not indigenous to our area

and the kids realized it must belong to someone.

They made a few door knocks at the neighbors

and found the owners,

who were so glad to have him back,

they wrote us a thank you note.

However, they also let us know that "she" (not he)

will be laying her eggs soon,

and would we like a baby turtle

after they hatch?

Hmm, we'll have to think on that one.

Summer's here!

2009-06-26T21:32:00.005-06:00

We broke out the

slip 'n slide

a couple of days ago

for a day of H2O fun.

One of the best summer activities

is spraying down the trampoline

and then seeing how much higher you bounce

when it's wet.

Austin won that contest,

he was touching the branches of the tree!

The rain has been nice, but we are glad the weather has finally

warmed up!

She sleeps

2009-06-22T14:01:00.004-06:00

I went in one night to check on London

and this is what I found.

I couldn't resist taking a photo.

Is there anything cuter?!

The Wild, Wild West

2009-06-19T14:09:00.010-06:00

One of the blessings

of living where we do

is the beautiful scenery

and especially,

the wonderful people we get to know.

Last weekend we were invited out to

the 80-acre ranch of some good friends.

They really showed us a great time.

First we had the chance to see their 2-week-old foal.

The kids were disappointed they couldn't ride him,

he was so cute.

But we did get to ride some other horses,

and had a ball doing it.

Doug and I both were pretty rusty,

but it didn't take him long

to get back in that saddle.

Like riding a bike, I guess.

He was in horse heaven.

London was fearless.

Once she saw those horses,

she begged to ride,

and then after a couple of times around the arena,

she thought she was ready for a solo act,

(no one holding her horse's rope)

and wanted to go faster!

It was a good first experience for her,

we hope the first of many.

The other kids also loved

every minute of it.

We were treated to a wonderful dutch oven dinner
around a campfire,
of bbq ribs, baked beans, biscuits,
and s'mores for dessert.
It was an evening we won't soon forget!

Energy Camp

2009-06-17T14:53:00.003-06:00

This summer

Austin got the neat opportunity

to attend a one-week camp

at the local community college.

Its focus was to teach the kids

about solar energy.

Austin absolutely loved it.

They toured the local

solar array.

In the classroom, they split into groups

and built different contraptions

that actually were solar-powered.

Austin's group made a drawbridge.

Other groups built an elevator,

a car that rolled,

and an airplane with working propeller.

Each student received a kit

for making a house that could have various

solar energy-powered functions.

Austin's had a windmill,

and inside, a lightbulb.

He also plans to add

a refrigerator and an air conditioner.

Each kid also got to build and take home
a solar oven, as well.
Pretty amazing!

He had the best time
and learned so many new things!
A summer week well-spent.

Seven

2009-06-12T19:41:00.003-06:00

Happy birthday, Jordan!

She rocked at bowling!

We had a great time.

We were the only ones there!

We love you, Jordan!

Your smile brightens up our days,

your sweet notes make us smile,

and your hugs and kisses are the best.

Thanks for being you.

Dancers

2009-06-11T14:45:00.005-06:00

The girls' dance performances

were at the end of May.

Couldn't help posting

some pictures of them.

They looked so beautiful!

Not that I'm biased, or anything. :)

This was London's first recital.

She did so great!

Jordan was so cute and fun to watch.

She danced to "True to Your Heart"

and "A Night to Remember"

from HSM 3.

Syd was in "Secret Agent Man"

and "Little Wonders".

She was awesome.

And after the recital portion,
she was also a part of the production of
"Tarzan"
put on by the Academy.

It was very well-done.
Fun for us to see
and for them to be a part of!
I'm so proud of them.

Twitcherskills

2009-06-06T22:34:00.005-06:00

We have these
flowers in our
flower beds
that the girls
like to pick
and bring in
the house.
We don't know
if they were
planted there
or if they are
just weeds,
but they're
really cool-looking.
We didn't have
a name for them
so London just
made one up.
She called them
Twitcherskills.

It just stuck,

and now every time

she brings more inside,

she says,

"Here's some more Twitcherskills."

I think she's pretty clever.

I think that's exactly what they look like.

Family outing

2009-05-31T16:03:00.006-06:00

Over Memorial Day weekend,

we packed up the family

and a picnic in the truck

and headed up the canyon a couple of miles.

We stopped at one of our favorite spots

where no one else was around

and made our little camp for the day.

The kids needed no entertaining.

They picked dandelions for bouquets,

walked up and down the creek

looking for treasures,

searched for and collected snails,

made their own fishing poles,

with grass tied together for line

and completed with a dandelion for a bobber

and tried them out

while Doug did some fishing of his own

and actually caught a few

small brown trout.

He grilled us some

delicious hamburgers

and we had a regular outdoor feast.

Even took a rare family photo

with our little tabletop tripod.

After lunch we packed up

and drove a little further north

to explore the ice cave.

It was mostly melted away,

but there was enough ice

to skate on.

What a fun day we had!

Wow!

2009-05-28T15:16:00.002-06:00

On the last day of school,

Doug and I were asked to come

and be at an awards assembly

at the middle school.

We learned that Austin

would be receiving the award for

6th grade boy of the year.

The 6th grade class has

almost 200 students,

so that was pretty awesome, we thought!

Here he is getting his award plaque.

He's such a great kid,

we're really proud of him

and all that he's accomplishing.

Great job, Austin!

Tour of the town

2009-05-24T15:27:00.005-06:00

In school this year,

the 3rd graders had the opportunity

to learn more about the history

of the town we live in.

They learned fun facts about the people

who founded it

and lived here 100 years ago.

Then, last week, they all went on a

walking tour to see the buildings

and talk about the history behind some of them.

It was fun to go with them and

hang out with Sydney for a few hours.

The group would stop

at several places

and a couple of the kids

who had researched that particular building

would stand up and

tell the group about it.

We live in a pretty cool little town.
It was fun to learn more about it.

It was interesting to learn

about the fire

that happened 100 years ago

and how the people dealt with it,

and how such an event

could change an entire town

back then.

After the tour,

we all stopped at the park

for a picnic lunch.

Then headed back up to school.

I think that being there

made the history come alive for them,

and was so much more fun

than just reading about it.

We really enjoyed it!

Carnival

2009-05-23T20:41:00.004-06:00

Living in a small town,

it's not too often that there are

new and exciting things to do.

So, when the carnival comes to town,

we go.

That big ferris wheel

drew us in first thing.

So we jumped on there

right away.

The 3 older kids

rode the swings,

they loved it.

However, you won't see me

riding any of those ones

that go in circles.

Not a good idea.

London was dying to ride

the merry-go-round.

But not those horses

that go up and down.

Just the seats

that stand still.

She was happy.

The hall of mirrors.

This one was
London's choice.
She rode it all by herself.

It was a great diversion and
a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Building Hogwart's

2009-05-19T20:22:00.003-06:00

Austin got a set of

Harry Potter building cards

for Christmas.

He has built a couple of different

castles

with them so far.

He did this one on Sunday.

Maybe we have a future architect

in the making!

Fishing field trip

2009-05-17T16:56:00.012-06:00

On Friday,

the 3rd grade classes

went over to the local pond

and got some pointers on fishing

from the Division of Wildlife officer.

He gave out free fishing poles

and helped them all

learn the basics.

Lots of parents

took the opportunity

to go fishing with their kids.

Sydney's getting to be a pro

at casting.

London really gets into it, too.

And we have to laugh
at some of her comments.
When she saw this,
she pointed down at the water
and said,
"Mom, look!
Someone dropped their hair
in there!"
Totally serious.
(I think.)

There's nothing better
than getting that

tug
on the line.
She quickly hands it
over to dad to reel in.

A little rainbow.
We had to pet it
before we let it go
back into the pond.

Hilarious comment #2
from London:
"Mom, look!
Someone dropped their
fluffy stuff in there!"
Again, totally serious.
(I think.)

It was a beautiful day,
perfect for spending some
quality time together
fishing at the pond.
Hooray for living
in a small mountain town!

Folk singing

2009-05-17T16:33:00.005-06:00

The first graders had their music program

last Wednesday night.

They sang a variety of fun folk songs

to the teacher's guitar-playing.

Songs like Kumbayah,

She'll be Comin' 'Round the Mountain,

This Old Man, Old MacDonald,

Mr. Tally-Man, and The Man in the Woods

were fun to listen to

and sing along with.

And when the kids were done,

proud parents gave them

a standing ovation.

The kids did really well.

Just one more sign

that another school year

is rapidly coming to an end.

(Lots of field trips coming up!)

A beautiful spring day

2009-05-07T21:48:00.007-06:00

It was a perfect

bubble-blowing day.

Bubble guns

are even better.

More action.

A perfect fort-building day, too.

And a perfect roller-blading evening.

The kind of day
you wish would last forever.

It's about time!

2009-05-05T21:37:00.005-06:00

For the past few days,

Jordan has been working on her front tooth.

Wiggling, worrying,

twisting, trying,

pleading, pushing,

fumbling, fretting,

crying, coercing

pulling, prodding. . .

until today --

she came home from school

and it was turned sideways in her mouth.

Still in, but looking quite freakish.

I told her, Jordan -- it's time.

She refused to let me pull it out.

So we just waited.

And then,

finally

she came in and showed it to me.

It just fell out,

on its own.

How about that?

I think kids look so cute with their

front teeth missing, don't you?

Such a fun age.

GIrls on the run 5k

2009-05-03T20:59:00.009-06:00

The past few months,

Sydney has been participating in a program

called Girls on the Run, for 3rd-4th grade girls

at her school.

They would meet after school,

and the coaches would spend the first hour

teaching the kids about such ideals as

self-esteem, positive self-image,

healthy physical habits

and developing good relationships.

The last 30-45 minutes, they would run,

in training for a big 5k run

at the end of the season.

Yesterday was the big day.

We met at a park, where all the girls in the program

in our area came together

with any other girls or women who

wanted to participate.

I think over 1,000 people had registered to run.

Pre-run warm-ups.

Group pic.

It was so much fun!
Sydney did awesome, I was so proud of her.
She ran almost the whole thing.
Once we got into a rhythm,
she didn't want to slow down much.
Having a crowd cheering for you was motivating, too.
It felt great!

She's amazing.
It's a great program, and I know she's already
looking forward to next year!

Fishing night

2009-04-21T20:40:00.002-06:00

Last night for FHE

we decided to grab a picnic dinner

and head up the canyon

for some fishing.

It was a blast.

We caught a couple of small fish (perch).

London caught her first one!

Doug had his eye on the huge pike

we saw jumping in the middle of the lake.

Maybe next time. . .

It did make for

a great memory, though!

Easter weekend

2009-04-16T19:20:00.005-06:00

The hunt.

Sunday afternoon.

"He loves me,

he loves me not."

Milestones

2009-04-07T21:12:00.005-06:00

Last tooth lost.

I swear it was yesterday

when he lost his first one.

I remember he came home

so excited

and told me he had bit the seat on the bus

and it just popped out.

Now, the last.

I can't believe it.

Someone tell me,

where does the time go??

Funnies

2009-03-31T16:27:00.005-06:00

Random conversations with a 3-year old,

good for a few laughs:

One morning the power went out for awhile.

So she told me, "Then we need to go to the store and

get some new powers!"

We were jumping on the trampoline, and she got

a bit of an electric shock from it. So she says,

"That tramp winked me!"

She was helping fix dinner one night, and I commented,
"London, you're such a great helper!"

She said, "I AM a great helper. AND a great sister!

AND a great visitor!"

She was watching a VHS recording

(for the first time she knew of, she usually watches DVD's)

and after the tape ended, the screen went all blue.

So she came to me and said,

"Mom, you better fix this. Because then it got off

and then it breaked. It's just broken."

One day I told her, "London, you're so cute,

I just want to squeeze you!"

She said, "Mom, don't squeeze me,

then I would be a ant!

Just hug me."

How could I resist??

Shooting, Monsters and Aliens

2009-03-29T16:30:00.009-06:00

Yesterday's Spring Break activities included:

shooting practice with dad.

All of us got to participate.

First things first: eye and ear protection for everyone.

After placing targets a couple hundred yards away,

we first tried out the rifle.

The kids did great. All shots were

pretty close to the bullseye, in a straight line.

London got to try shooting the bb gun at a can.

She was happy.

Next stop for her, concealed weapons course. :)

We felt like cowboys (and girls)

right out of the old west.

Jordan had to give it a try,

though the bb gun was more her pace.

Doug showed us all what a marksman he is.

After that excitement,

we decided to take a little trip to GJ

to see Monsters vs. Aliens - in 3D.

It's worth the extra price for the 3D. It was pretty cool.

The kids loved it. And the glasses.

By unanimous request

we had a delicious dinner at one of my favorite places,

(OK, I had to twist a couple of arms. But McDonald's? Come on.)

Red Lobster. Mmmm!

It was a great end to a fun day

and

a pretty good spring break.

More sweets

2009-03-26T21:07:00.008-06:00

Today was another

inside day.

So, we made the most of it.

After we cleaned up the beds

from the living room slumber party last night,

we played some indoor baseball,

dodgeball,

rock band,

and made a fort.

Then I got a craving.

You know those big round Lofthouse sugar cookies,

the ones with the pink frosting?

They're not sold where we live,

but I discovered them in college

and fell in love with how big and soft they are.

The wheels started turning, and I thought,

If I could find the recipe,

that would keep the kids busy for an afternoon!

(A-ha, I'm too smart for my own good!)

So, I went on an internet hunt.

And found it! The perfect imitation recipe.

We made a quick trip to the store,

and then began making them.

They really are

so much like the ones you buy,

I was amazed!

Big and puffy,

but lighter and even more delicious.

Perfect!

It made a lot.

Now what??
I'm in trouble. :)

Spring break, Plan B

2009-03-25T21:26:00.007-06:00

We had planned to make a

trip over the mountains for a few days,

but the weather had other ideas.

So, we are now looking for fun ways

to spend the week closer to home.

Today, we thought we'd put together

an Easter Bunny house.

Like a gingerbread house,

only for Easter.

It was pretty fun.

And here is the

final product.

You always wondered

where the Easter Bunny lived, didn't you?

Well, now you know.

Ruth's house

2009-03-24T22:41:00.007-06:00

Spring break

has brought a bit

of cold and snowy weather this week.

This afternoon, however,

the sun came peeking out for awhile.

The kids took advantage

and spent some time outside.

Jordan and London

went over to Ruth's house.

Ruth lives across the street from us.

Her own kids are grown and gone,

but she loves the ones in the neighborhood

to come over and visit.

She has a porch swing

that they love to swing on in the summertime.

And a puppy they can throw the ball to when they want.

Today, she gave them a blanket to sit on

and brought out a bin full of Cabbage Patch dolls

to play with.

They love it. And her.

Happy Spring!

Seeing green

2009-03-17T15:16:00.004-06:00

It was

"top o' the mornin'"

on St. Patrick's Day.

The kids came upstairs for school

all decked out

in everything green they could find.

In celebration,

we had cereal with

green-tinted milk

and green sugar sprinkles on top.

We hope you had the

Luck o' the Irish today!

Date in Denver

2009-03-15T21:20:00.011-06:00

These days,

Doug and I don't get to see

a lot of each other.

So we were thrilled to death

to have the chance

to steal away for an afternoon

to see Phantom.

It was showing
at the Buell Theater
downtown. We were
running a little late,
so I didn't have time
to take many pics.
But here it is.

The show
was so
amazing.
We went
with some
good friends
who got us
tickets
for some of the
best seats in
the house.
We loved it!
It was such
a fun
double-date.

I don't think
I could ever
see that show
too many times.
The music is
wonderful
and the

experience is unforgettable! We had a great time. Thanks again, guys!

Missing persons

2009-03-10T16:33:00.006-06:00

On today's docket:

playing with the village people.

2 churches exactly alike

were carefully constructed.

One was for her and one for me.

Mine was a surprise.

Ta-da!

I left for a few minutes,
and all of a sudden I heard her
burst out crying.
I wondered how in the world
do you get hurt
playing village people?
I went running to her and she suddenly stopped,
and smiled.
I asked what was wrong,
and she said
the village person was sad
because he was all by himself.
Poor guy.

So she went on a search
through Austin's room

and found his friends.

You gotta have friends!
She's got it figured out.

First trip to the dentist

2009-03-05T14:27:00.005-07:00

Yesterday,

London went with me

while I got my teeth cleaned

at the dentist.

She watched with great interest

everything the hygienist did

and seemed excited when I said,

"Maybe we could get your teeth cleaned sometime, too."

Well, they had an opening today,

so I thought it would be a good idea

to take her in while she was still interested.

I told her about the appointment this morning,

and she was happy.

But after she started thinking about it,

she changed her mind.

Soon, she did not want to go to the dentist after all.

In fact, as I was making lunch,

she thought she would be smart

and barricade me into the kitchen.

She told me I was going to just stay in there

until it was time to go get the girls

after school.

I said, "What if I need to use the bathroom?"

Then she showed me how I could

just step over the shortest pillow.

That was nice.

When her wall was finished, she came in,

folded her arms and said,

"You're not going anywhere, ha ha."

OK then.
Well, as we all know,
moms usually win these kinds of debates.
I finally talked her into going.
I used the old bribe trick of
"You'll get a cool bag to take home,
like I got."
So off we went.

She did wonderful.
She got right up in the chair
and the hygienist made it fun.
She let her pick out
her favorite flavor of toothpaste
and tell the chair to move up and down.

She got to wear
cool shades.

And the toy of choice?

A punch-balloon.

That made it all worthwhile.

Not to mention

the sparkling smile she got

as an added benefit.

I think she changed her mind

about the dentist,

and may even look forward to

the next time she goes.

Weekend away

2009-03-01T20:55:00.011-07:00

Last Friday,

we were reminded

that it is still winter

as we made our way

down to Denver.

This is what it was like.

White-knuckle at times,

but we made it!

Doug and I had tickets

to watch the Nuggets play the Lakers.

We had a blast!

And the Nuggets had one of their best

defensive games ever.

It was so fun to watch them win!

We had a great time

visiting with Grandma and Grandpa

who were so great to let us stay with them.

Grandma took me to get my first pedicure

on Saturday! It was divine.

I think I'm going to need

one of those again sometime.

We took the kids downtown

for some fun

before heading out.

London was amazed

at how tall the buildings were.

We walked down to

16th Street and had lunch

at Rock Bottom. Mmmmm!

Then we

headed over to the Aquarium

for a couple hours of

fun.

It's always so great

to get away

once in awhile!

We had such a fun weekend.

Budding authoress

2009-02-24T08:20:00.004-07:00

Jordan has recently discovered

a new love.

She set up her own little desk

in a corner of the house

and started writing.

Over the weekend, she spent

several hours at that desk.

Before I knew it, she had written 6

of her own short stories

to give her teacher.

I was so proud of her!

She compiled them into a book.

Here's one of them, which I share with permission,

for your reading enjoyment.

THE PRINCESS GOES TO THE BALL

One day a lovley princess lay on her bed. She was so lovley her mother did not want her to have a prince. One bright sunny day there was a terrible storm that knocked down the castle! The Queen died, the king died, but the princess survived. What should the princess do without her parents! She thought and thought but did not know what to do. So the princess lived her life out on the streets. Until she met a charming prince. So they got merried and they settled into their lives. And one day a terrible thing happened, the prince broke-up with the princess. But the princess did not brake up. She told the prince he could not brake up with her because they had already gotten married so they stayed merried. And they go to the ball and they have a great time exept for the princess. She had a great halftime. And then they bought a house.

Larger than life

2009-02-22T17:38:00.007-07:00

When I made that

phone call

to Doug a couple of weeks ago

to tell him I had had an

incident

with the car,

our nicest, newest, only-one-working-right car,

it reminded me all too well

of that time when I was 16

and had to call my dad

to tell him about that fender-bender

in our family's new mini-van.

He had reacted kindly to my tearful news,

making me feel better

instead of worse.

And that day, in my eyes,

my dad was larger than life.

So when I called Doug

to tell him what had happened the other day,

that I had made a mistake

that tore the front bumper off the car,

I was tearful as well.

And his reaction, much like my dad's,

was kind and understanding.

Yesterday he spent a couple of hours

fixing my mistake.

I watched him and thought

what a man I had married.

He's so handy

and can fix just about anything.

Like my dad,

I thought he was larger than life.

But not just because he's

good at that manly stuff.

Because he was compassionate and kind.

Because he knew I felt bad

and that it could be fixed.

Because he knew that

people mean more than things.

Boy, am I lucky, to have a man like that.

Going crazy

2009-02-20T11:20:00.002-07:00

Today is

crazy hair day

at school.

This was the craziest hair

we could come up with.

Lots of ponytails

streaked orange to match her shirt.

Syd likes to live on the edge a little.

She was loving it.

Jordan's crazy hair

consisted of 2 ponytails

(with different color rubber bands!)

and red streaks.

She's a crazy girl.

Look out, school --

here they come!

Passion for fashion

2009-02-17T15:05:00.006-07:00

Sydney's teacher this year

has been great about

encouraging Sydney to

follow her dreams.

She had her start a "Passion project"

of her choosing to work on.

So Sydney has begun keeping

a portfolio of her fashion designs.

These are a couple she created this weekend:

Syd's teacher also has a sister

in the fashion industry

who has agreed to be Sydney's pen-pal.

They write back and forth

and share ideas with each other,

and she encourages Sydney

and tells her her designs are

fabulous.

I agree, they are pretty good!

Who knows, maybe someday she'll be famous. :)

I love valentines!

2009-02-14T21:10:00.011-07:00

There was lots of love

to go around

at our house tonight!

The kids each sneaked off to their rooms today,

making their own special cards

for each other.

All on their own! It was so fun to watch.

Jordan made 3 or 4 cute notes for each of us.

Sydney made scrapbook-type cards

with envelopes.

And Austin made an

origami box

in which he shared

some candy hearts

with us.

Doug outdid himself

and gave me a

gorgeous rose necklace,

in keeping with his sweet

rose tradition.

He is so romantic!

We hope you had a

Happy Valentine's Day, too!

Another year wiser

2009-02-13T16:07:00.002-07:00

Happy birthday, Doug!

Thanks for everything you do.

You're amazing.

We love you so much!

Anything goes

2009-02-13T15:53:00.002-07:00

The scouts decided

to have their own version

of the pinewood derby.

Only without any rules.

Other than a weight limit.

So there were some pretty creative cars.

They raced them the other night.

Austin's car had an air hog

attached to the top.

It did awesome!

We called it the Yellow Submarine.

The only car that beat it

was one with a bigger air hog on it.

Great job, Austin!

A giving heart

2009-02-10T21:28:00.008-07:00

Our little Jordan

was hard at work

this afternoon.

We didn't see her for awhile.

But as I was tucking her in for the night,

she let me know

there was a surprise on my bed.

(Mom and "Dady'o")

These were
on Doug's
side of the
bed.

And this
is what
I found
on
mine.

It makes me so thankful
to think that, undeserving as I am,
I have a little girl
who thinks I deserve
whatever gifts she can give.
Even flowers on my bed at night.
Kids are such a blessing.

Monster

2009-02-07T11:07:00.006-07:00

by Jordan

Age 6

Just a little, mom?

2009-02-05T14:35:00.003-07:00

One day,

London decided

it would be nice if

she put some

lip gloss on.

So she did.

Is purple her shade, or what. :)

All in a day's work

2009-02-04T13:40:00.007-07:00

Last Friday, Doug
and a
friend took
a little fishing trip.
I wondered if they
were crazy, fishing in
January.
I thought they might have a tough time finding anyplace to fish that wasn't frozen. It turns out, they had a great day!

Going solo

2009-02-02T12:01:00.007-07:00

On Saturday, we took a
little family trip over to
Eagle Valley to watch
Austin.
He was singing in solo/
ensemble for
the first time.

It was so amazing to watch.

It was a room full of kids

from middle school to high school.

Each took a turn singing a solo

in front of Dr. Atkinson,

from the state college.

He critiqued each person after his/her

performance, and showed them

how to improve.

But he did it in a very kind way.

It was so cool to watch, and we

were so proud of Austin.

He sang his heart out,

and when he finished,

there was hardly a soul in the room

who wasn't touched.

These are the other kids from his school

who sang in the competition.

All of them did a super job.

You can hear it for yourself.

He sings "Homeward Bound".

Blessings

2009-01-28T11:49:00.005-07:00

One of the greatest things

about Doug's work

is when he

doesn't have to hurry

in to the office.

He takes the kids to school

in the morning.

He can curl up in his favorite chair

with London for awhile

and watch Wonder Pets with her.

Like this morning.

It's hard to beat those kind of mornings.

de Blob

2009-01-26T15:11:00.004-07:00

This is what I let London do

once in awhile.

Like today.

It's a cute game

where you pick what color you want to be,

and then go around

painting the town that color.

It's a hit with her.

I know some of you are probably thinking,

I can't believe she puts her 3-year-old

in front of the tv to play a video game.

But we have fun playing it together.

And it beats drawing with crayon

on the walls, which she mustered

at the dentist's office

not so long ago.

I call it a creative outlet.

And entertainment, all at the same time.

It's that time again

2009-01-15T12:53:00.003-07:00

Today,

I decided to do

an apple fast.

After eating so many

good (but not-so-good-for-me) things

over the holidays,

I felt like I needed a new start.

I tried this last year, and it was amazing

how different it made me feel.

You can do it for 1 to 3 days.

1 day is about all I can hack.

But afterward, it makes you

really conscious about

what kinds of food you're putting

into your body.

So,

this is what I had

for breakfast.

And this is lunch.

And you drink lots and lots of this:

For dinner, I eat a regular meal,

with half being green vegetables.

It's not a lifestyle change, per se,

but it makes me feel lots better,

so I want to eat healthier.

So, maybe, it is.

Try it if you want,

and see what it does for you.

Good times in the kitchen

2009-01-13T09:45:00.003-07:00

Sydney helped cook dinner last night.

It's never boring with her around.

First thing, she cranked up the tunes.

Then she started showing us her moves.

What a blast!

Syd, you can help cook anytime.

Transformed

2009-01-10T14:15:00.003-07:00

We've driven the stretch of road

between western Colorado

and eastern Utah

many times.

Usually I'm just ready

to get where we're going

and don't think much of the

barren landscape there.

However, we found that

under a blanket of snow,

the scenery was

pretty spectacular.

Kangaroo Zoo

2009-01-07T12:46:00.005-07:00

It's New Year's Day.

It's cold and snowy outside.

You have a house full of kids.

What do you do?

Take them to Kangaroo Zoo!

Kids can run free

and jump to their

hearts' content

while parents sit around

and play card games.

Sounds great to me!

The kids were in kangaroo heaven.

What are you doing New Year's Eve?

2009-01-06T20:05:00.004-07:00

Us? We had

Thanksgiving Part II.

A delicious turkey dinner

complete with sweet potatoes,

mashed potatoes, stuffing,

and pumpkin pie.

Mmmm, it doesn't get much better.

All our kids got re-acquainted

with their cousins.

And my siblings and I

(all of them!)

got re-acquainted, too.

It was wonderful!

Then, we got to have

Christmas Part II.

We exchanged gifts

that we had for each other,

since we weren't together

at Christmas.

New Year's Eve

wouldn't be complete

without some

good old-fashioned

rocking out.

So, that's what we did.

It was a blast.

Some hidden talent was discovered.

We toasted the New Year with some bubbly,

then hit the hay around 12:30.

You?

Christmas Day highlights

2008-12-27T21:14:00.004-07:00

Capturing that first look:

priceless.

Any name suggestions

for our new family rock band? :)

Christmas Eve

2008-12-27T20:57:00.002-07:00

We would do this

every year

at Grandpa and Grandma's house

with our cousins

when we were kids.

Now that we live farther away,

and do our own Christmas Eves,

we try to

carry on the tradition

of acting out the Nativity.

The kids look forward to it

every year.

(In case you were wondering,

London is a shepherd.

She's holding a sheep

and using her favorite blanket

to go over her head. Funny.)

They get to open one gift

before bed.

This year it was

much-needed

new winter pajamas

(microfleece - wish they came in

my size!)

And the stockings were hung

by the chimney with care. . .

Countdown

2008-12-21T20:47:00.002-07:00

We are counting down

the days, officially.

Plates have been filled

and treats delivered

to neighbors.

Letters to Santa

have been carefully written.

And many pictures of him drawn.

Thanks to Sydney,

we even have a spot

for him to land

in our backyard.

I think we are

just about ready!

Are you?

Snow angel

2008-12-19T13:35:00.002-07:00

We finally got

a real snowfall.

This was the first thing

she wanted to do

when she saw it.

Now Christmas can come!

A little Christmas cheer

2008-12-17T09:31:00.004-07:00

Last night

we were favored by

a Christmas concert

at the middle school.

It helped to put us all

in a festive mood.

No, he's not singing a solo

(that will be next month)

but he had a speaking part.

He did a great job!

Here, enjoy some listening

for yourself. It was quite

fun to watch.

Cultural diversity

2008-12-16T14:48:00.007-07:00

Today was so much fun!

We got together at the church

with some Hispanic

friends

from our community

and learned how to make tortillas!

I've always wanted to learn how,

and they were so kind

to share their expertise with us.

I learned:

nothing is measured with

cups or spoons, it is all

eye-balled, so it takes some

practice!

(And that made it difficult

to write down recipes!)

a tortilla press makes it

sooo much easier!

and they turn out prettier

than hand-rolling.

Corn tortillas are pressed,

flour are hand-rolled.

This sweet lady

showed us how to make

Bunuelos, which she

compared to donuts, only they

are rolled out flat and allowed to dry,

and then deep-fried.

Delicious!

It was such a fun way

to spend a few hours,

we made new friends

and learned a

bit of their culture, too!

New tradition

2008-12-15T21:09:00.013-07:00

Tonight for FHE

the kids decided

we should do

what we did

last year and watch

Mr. Krueger's Christmas.

Last year was

the first time

they saw it,

and I guess

it was a hit.

So tonight,
we snuggled up

with blankets

and a fire in the stove, and

watched this wonderful show

for the 2nd year in a row.

I love the way it reminds me of

what Christmas is all about.

If you haven't seen it yet

this year, or seen it at all,

do. You'll be glad you did.

Signs of life

2008-12-14T14:10:00.002-07:00

We are starting to see

some signs of life

under our Christmas tree.

The kids have been

busy, busy, busy

doing chores to earn money

to buy gifts for each other.

We took them all to the store

one night

and split up.

And they had so much fun

picking out the perfect present

to give the others.

Then, they couldn't wait

to start wrapping.

Each one took a turn

in the wrapping (laundry) room.

As the wrapped gifts appeared

under the tree,

the excitement spread

through the whole house.

Christmas is coming!

We can hardly wait.

Tire tracks

2008-12-11T17:05:00.003-07:00

I just noticed this

cloud in the sky tonight.

That's the first time

I've ever seen one like it.

Austin said it looked like

tire tracks.

Hey, maybe there is off-roading in heaven! :)

Good for a laugh

2008-12-10T21:18:00.006-07:00

Today, I had a most humorous conversation

with Miss London.

She had been eating

chocolate chip banana bread

and had chocolate

spread across her cheek, eye, and into her hair.

Austin said she looked like

Scar's daughter (Lion King, remember?)

I went over and started cleaning it off her face.

"What's this on your face?" I asked.

"It's chocolate." London replied.

"How did it get up there?" (on her eye)

"It just climbed up on."

(Laughing) "You're so funny.

How does chocolate climb?"

"It has some legs on."

I tell you what,

that girl.

She cracks me up.

I love it.

Sitting on Santa's lap

2008-12-09T21:14:00.005-07:00

Never done this before.

She's a little apprehensive,

to go and see that man

with the big white beard

and red suit.

What will he say?

She's shy

for a minute,

but manages to tell him

about that dollhouse.

Especially if there's a

candy cane

in it for her afterward.

No way, forget it.

I'll just admire from afar, says Jordan.

But can I still have a candy cane?

Am I too old for this?

Never.

Hey, we match!

It's a time-honored tradition,
one that we hope will last
as long as their dreams do.
Never stop believing!

Heart sandwich, by London

2008-12-09T13:14:00.006-07:00

Lately,

we have a favorite lunch.

She calls it

Heart sandwich.

She loves to make it herself.

First, you cut the first heart

out of bread.

Carefully tear off the edges.

Now, make the second heart.

Spread one with jam.

She likes raspberry or strawberry.

And enjoy!

The first bite

is always the best.

They taste much better

than regular old sandwiches!

Outdoor decor

2008-12-07T14:24:00.006-07:00

Our next-door neighbors,

on both sides,

decorated their houses with lights

first

on our street.

They both look like Clark Griswolds' homes.

So, not to be outdone,

yesterday

Doug decorated our house

with Christmas lights.

Austin helped.

Actually, they made a

day of it.

They shopped for lights and decorations

and then went to lunch.

It was a man thing.

Tangled lights, maybe,

but absolutely

no swearing here.

London and her Barbie watched.

And
the
neighbor's
cat
supervised.

Voila!

Merry Christmas

from our

now decorated house

to yours.

Just make yourself comfortable

2008-12-04T11:41:00.004-07:00

We hadn't seen Jake for an hour or so.

It wasn't long before

Sydney

discovered why.

He's not allowed

to sleep with the kids,

but when we saw this,

we couldn't help but let him stay there

for awhile. . .

just this once.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2008-12-03T14:22:00.004-07:00

It always seems like

there's a different

feeling

in the air

in December.

Decorating always helps us

bring that spirit

into our home.

We got to have

Marc, Tomi and Finn come to visit

us for the night.

Having more family here makes it

even better.

The most wonderful time

of the year!

Thanksgiving weekend, in a nutshell

2008-11-30T20:57:00.005-07:00

First, the view

from Craig and Kimberli's house.

Wow.

Their kids' playroom.

Heaven for kids.

The girls' slumber party

in the playroom loft.

Our family feast.

Dinner was delicious.

Late night card games.

Trip to temple square,

in which we stayed in the car

to look at the lights.

Too crazy.

But still, beautiful as always.

The drive is always half the fun!

We loved the chance to

spend time with family

and reflect on our blessings.

It was a great weekend!

One of the best artichoke dip recipes ever

2008-11-25T14:24:00.002-07:00

I was craving a good

artichoke dip

today.

Just had to make it!

And, I have to admit,

ate a good amount

right out of the oven.

I hear it's supposed to

rain and snow

over Thanksgiving weekend.

If you are having company,

or even if not,

this hot dip is a great dish to serve

to company

or yourself

to warm you up.

Enjoy!

Get the recipe here.
And have a Happy Thanksgiving!