California Love

Lucy

2011-11-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

Play Ball...

2011-06-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

It's a...

2011-05-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

Open House

2011-04-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

Happy 12th Birthday!

2011-04-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Polar Bear Swim 2010

2011-02-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

On New Years Eve day, Pete came in from testing the pool water and told me he would pay the kids $20 to jump in the 45 degree pool. I told him he was crazy and to offer them $5! He gave them the offer and they were downstairs in their swimsuits within a minute!

I don't think they quite understood how cold the water was! It took a couple minutes to convince them, but Syd jumped in first. Her reaction was great, but was nothing compared to Hal's! She didn't even let us know that she was going to jump in. She was seriously out of the water before we realized she had even jumped. She was not happy with the cold water! Her reaction was so funny, I don't think Pete and I have laughed that hard in a long time! Tommy made it in after he stopped laughing too.

They survived, got to jump into a warm shower and then turned in their prize money for a dinner at Red Robin. We have a new family tradition!

Our fall full of sports!

2010-12-23T10:00:00.001-08:00

Band Concert

2010-11-13T17:26:00.000-08:00

Grateful hearts

2010-11-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

This year, in our home we are trying to be grateful. We are trying to have grateful attitudes and grateful hearts. We need to think about, remember and give thanks for as many of our blessings as we can. We have too much to be thankful for in our lives.

I made a family notebook where each day we can write down one thing we are thankful for. Every person in the family has one page to write something for each day in November. It is fun to watch how each of us come up with something different! I love this because each year we can continue and look back at the things we have written in the past.

I am including a download for the cover and inside cover for our "Family Thanks Book." I bought my spiral binder at Wal-mart - it is a sketching book, so there are no lines. I want to include a page for a picture of everyone on Thanksgiving! The cover is regular paper size, so it can be printed on cardstock or photo paper. I modge podged over the cover of mine so it would be a little sturdier and last through the years.

Get the cover download here and the inside cover here.

*I would love to give a thanks to the proper digi kits, but when I lost my hard drive all the details were lost. So, whoever made these elements, thank you!

Halloween Pics

2010-11-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

Bernard Museum Field Trip

2010-11-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

Trick or Treat

2010-11-01T00:27:00.000-07:00

Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"

2010-05-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

I need to remember to think this way...

2-Wheeler

2010-04-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2010-03-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

I'm done!!

2010-03-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

I just finished the yearbook for my kids elementary school! 52 pages, a million pictures and about 100 hours. I can't explain how happy I am.

I love this girl.

2010-03-13T17:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

2010-03-12T10:29:00.000-08:00

1st Double Double

2010-03-08T22:15:00.001-08:00

He is turning into one of the big boys...

Mother & Son Bingo Night

2010-03-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

Basketball

2010-02-27T00:29:00.000-08:00

Mr. T just finished his last basketball game of the season. He loves to play basketball and he especially loves that his dad is coach! This was his first year playing in the competitive league and he did great. We love to watch him. Now on to baseball!!

School Skate Night

2010-02-24T21:30:00.000-08:00

Three day weekends

2010-02-16T23:53:00.000-08:00

We have been lucky and have had 2 three day weekends in a row! Not only that, but the weather has been so beautiful! We just wanted to spend time outside. Since we don't have our backyard done yet, we took a trip over to grandma & grandpa's house for some fun activities. The kids love going there and riding their ripsticks, scooters and playing basketball and tennis. Here they are showing off their tennis skills...

Then I made them pose for me. The sun made for awesome lighting.

Hey buddy, look up...I want to take one more picture...guess not.

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

I saw this idea last year & just had to do it. I love how they turned out! I just took a picture, used photoshop to add the words and then cut a slit in the hand and added a lollipop. Super easy and so cute!

Happy Valentines!

Hallway collage

2010-02-09T13:57:00.001-08:00

About 5 years ago I made a collage in our front entryway of the kids faces. I just change out the pictures every year as they grow. I love it. And Pete LOVES hanging it for me in both houses! This is the current version (& I really don't have yellow walls)...

And this is the new one that will go up this week!

A night at the Oscars

2010-02-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

Our elementary school held it's second annual daddy daughter dance last weekend. Miss S was so excited! She counted down the days until she could have a fun date with dad. The theme for the dance this year was the Oscars and it was all decked out. They had 8 foot tall Oscars and a red carpet lined with stars. They danced the night away & even won the award for "Most Enthusiastic" dancing! She is already upset that she wont be able to attend next year. I told her I could keep her back in 5th grade, but she didn't go for it. Darn.

Birthday lunch

2010-02-03T14:20:00.001-08:00

Avatar

2010-01-29T09:13:00.000-08:00

We went to the I-Max theater last weekend with some friends and saw the movie Avatar. It was so fun! We went to a great little chinese restaurant downtown called Ma Jongs and enjoyed spicy food and fortune cookies. My friend kept telling us we had to go into their bathroom... so we took a trip to the bathroom and laughed so hard! If you have a chance to go with your date, take a trip to the bathroom!

We snuck some illegal pics with my phone after the movie. Some of us are in character and runway ready.

Our dancer

2010-01-27T14:24:00.000-08:00

There is someone in this family who is always dancing. Dancing down the hall, skipping across the parking lot, twirling around the table... and I hope it never stops. She is a joy and I am already sad for her to go to kindergarten next year. What will I do without her?

I love this little face!

Blue and Gold

2010-01-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

Mr. T got to participate in the Blue and Gold dinner for Boy Scouts last week. He and his dad had to make a cake for the dinner & they did such a great job! They made a hamburger cake and decorated it all by themselves. I loved it! If you would like to see how to make it, then head over to my food blog here and check it out!

He also was awarded two beads on his way to his Wolf patch. He loves scouts!

Birthday in Reno

2010-01-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

We were able to go to Reno last weekend for my niece's rockin' 5th birthday party. She decided she wanted a Michael Jackson party... my kind of party! So, my sister made a dancing room (complete with strobe light), pin the glove on M.J. and even had a black and white cake! The kids had a blast being together and we were so glad to be there to celebrate with her. Look at how cute she is!

That night, Pete and I headed out to the Silver Legacy to see my band Collective Soul in concert. I was so excited! I saw them twice last year and was really looking forward to the night. We walked down the stairs of the casino and saw a big poster with their picture on it and...CANCELLED. What a bummer. I was so disappointed. The concert got rescheduled for March, so I guess I have something to look forward to.

My 2010 word of the year

2010-01-21T14:33:00.000-08:00

My friend Raimi had a really fun post a couple of weeks ago. She decided to pick a word that she could focus on for the year. A word that would mean something and would help inspire you all through the year. I love that idea!

Ever since I read her post I have been trying to think hard about what would be the "right" word for me this year. And every time I try, the same story keeps coming back to me. It is a true story my mom sent me a while ago & I would like to share ...

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the

violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about

45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated

that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to

work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was a musician

playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried

up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw

the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but

the man looked at his watch and started to walk a gain. Clearly he was late

for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along,

hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally

the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all

the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents,

without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for awhile.

About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.

He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one

noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best

musicians in the world. He p layed one of the most intricate pieces ever

written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a

theater in Boston and the seats average $100.00 each.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station

was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about

perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a

commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty?

Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected

context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians

in the world playing some of the best music ever written, how many other

things are we missing?

My word for 2010 is Listen. I don't want to miss anything.

When you actually listen, you are doing more than just hearing. You are paying attention, noticing and then acting on what you hear. You are making an effort and are ready to hear. Sometimes, when you really listen, you can hear more than what is being said. I want to Listen this year.

I want to listen to my husband. I want to listen to my children. I want to listen to my family and friends. I want to listen to good music, uplifting messages and stories, the situations of others, nature...& so much more.

I want to slow down and Listen to the world around me.

I don't want to miss the beautiful music.

Holidays

2010-01-21T13:24:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas at home and with family! My sister & brother were both here with their families so it was extra special. The kids love to be with their cousins!

We spent Christmas Eve with extended family at my parents house and had great food and company. Then we came home for Santa to come and I guess the kids were all good this year because he brought some fun stuff!

We had a little Christmas here at home and then headed back to my parents to spend time with family and play with all the toys! We are so grateful to be able to spend time with family.

Our New Year's are always really low-key and easy! This year was a little extra special because we got to spend it with Eric, Nikki & Liv - something we haven't gotten to do before. We spent the night eating and playing Yahtzee (I still can't believe I got 3 yahtzees!) The kiddos even managed to stay awake to toast in the New Year with our yummy apple-pomegranite Martinelli's! Although one of them fell asleep at 11:55 & I woke them up a little cranky... can you tell who it is? Yeah, and the last picture is how I found her about one minute after Eric & Nikki left!

I hope 2010 is full of family, friends, food and fun memories.

Hello!

2010-01-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! I have been wanting to do this update for a long time. It seems like the further I get behind, the harder it is to start again! I will try really hard to keep up to date from now on. After all, I do have a lot to say!

I have attempted to put together some of the major events of the last 5 months. Get ready...this is going to be a long post.

Mr. T started taking piano this fall and he loves it. He has the BEST teacher and she makes it very fun for him. He loves being able to learn a song and then play it faster and faster. He had his very first Christmas recital and did such a great job! He had all his songs memorized and played them perfectly. It was fun to watch him & see how much he likes applause!

Miss S had the opportunity to travel with her dance group to Disneyland and dance down mainstreet in the "Dance the Magic" holiday parade. It was an amazing experience and is something she will always remember. It wasn't without drama though! After practicing for almost 3 months (and I won't say how much it cost), it almost didn't happen. Her parade happened to fall on one of the rainiest day in Southern California in the last 10 years. It literally poured all day long. I mean all day.

She left in the early afternoon for backstage practice and we waited to hear if they would be allowed to dance in the rain. As the afternoon went on, we learned that the first parade of the day was cancelled. She was supposed to be part of the introduction to the second parade, and as time got closer they cancelled that parade also. But they were still going to let the girls dance if the weather improved. We waited and waited. I was getting text messages every other minute with news... "on hold", "starting in 10 minutes" and then the last one said "they are just going to walk and wave." Just then we looked down the street, saw them coming & they were dancing! It was one of the happiest moments. The street was lined with families of all the dance groups (no one else would wait in the rain!) and there were not many dry eyes. It was as if the skies parted and all our prayers were heard because it didn't rain at all until the girls were done. It really was magical.

We got to spend a couple of days at Disneyland with our friends the Kirkpatricks & we loved it! The kids had a wonderful time together and enjoyed every minute. We are glad to have spent this vacation and made some great memories with them!

Some highlights were...

*Seeing the Christmas decorations

*Miss H getting to go on all the big rides. Her favorites were Tower of Terror and Space mountain! She is so fun!

*Seeing the "real" Santa

*Watching Miss S. dance down mainstreet & surviving the rain

*Getting our matching Vans

*Mr. T making his own remote control car at RideMakerz

*Caramel apples, beignets, churros, gumbo...

We took one day and had fun driving around LA. We went to the American Girl store - a must from some members of the family. We saw the Princess and the frog movie, which was a big hit! We also went to the Chinese theatre, walked along the "Stars" and met some interesting characters. Then we went to Cheesecake factory in Beverly Hills. Great day!

Miss S got to perform in two local parades to prepare for the Disneyland parade. She danced in the Downtown parade and also a night parade. It was so fun to watch her. She did an amazing job and looked super cute in her costume. She loved sharing this experience with one of her best friends!

I love a guy in uniform, especially this one. Mr. T was so happy to earn his Bobcat and is enjoying scouts a lot. He is happily working towards his next badge! And you might have guessed my new calling...don't I look great in yellow?

We had Indiana Jones, Belle and a scary bride at our house for Halloween. They were sure cute! Miss H really got into it this year, running from house to house. They all loved spending the night with their cousin Olivia!

Do you recognize the "scary bride" dress in this picture? It was my very fancy, Jessica Mcclintock 8th grade graduation dress! Yes, that is me, braces and all. I think I have seen that hairstyle again lately... retro 1990.

We had to take a trip to our favorite pumpkin patch. They had some nice big pumpkins this year! It is fun to see the kids take pictures in the same places for the last 6 years, they sure have grown!

Mr. T turned 8 this year and was preparing to be baptized in our church. These are some of the pictures we took for his big day. Isn't he handsome!
He was baptized and confirmed a member of our church a couple of days after his 8th birthday We had family fly in from Utah to spend the weekend with us and be there for the baptism, which was a lot of fun. It was a special day for him and we are so grateful to all those who shared it with him! We are also very proud of him and the important decision he made to be baptized. He is an amazing son, brother and friend. He is sweet, thoughtful, smart, funny and very unselfish. We love him so much.

We had a new addition to our family! My sister had her third little girl and we all fell immediately in love. Can you blame us? She is so beautiful.

One of the highlights of the year was when I got to meet "my band", Collective Soul. I can't even explain how excited I was. Pete and I went to San Francisco to see them play at the Regency ballroom, a beautiful and intimate venue. We got to go backstage right before the concert and meet the guys. They were really cool and talked to us for a couple minutes until they were whisked away by the band manager. Then we got to go upstairs and stood front row for the concert. These pictures show how close we were, no zooming used! I even got a guitar pick thrown at me from Will - he saw me, threw it all the way across the stage and it hit me in the head! I loved every second. They put on the best concert ever. I am excited because I get to see them again in a couple weeks! Yes, I'm a little obsessed. Go listen to their music and see how great they are!

Miss S had another great soccer season with her team! She has been on this team for 5 years and has played with some of the girls for 6 years now. They are so cute together. They work so well and genuinely like each other. Not to mention that they are really good. They always end up winners! I love the bottom picture, it perfectly illustrates how they feel about each other!

The kids looked so cute and were very excited on the first day of school. I can't believe they are starting 2nd and 5th grade! They have awesome teachers and are looking forward to an amazing year.

Miss H started her second year of pre-school at Miss Cathy's. She was so excited to get back and see all of her friends and be in class again. She loves her teacher & thinks learning is so fun. We are so glad she gets to go to such a great school.

It was time for Miss H to get a haircut...I put it off as long as I could! I loved her ringlets. They were amazing and I knew that when I cut her hair they would be gone. But she needed it, so I cut her hair (and cried as I did it). The ringlets are gone, but there is still a little curl at the bottom. I have to admit that her hair looks much better and she immediately looked older!

In July we went to Kauai with all of my family for two weeks. It was heaven. We had the most incredible time and find ourselves wanting to go back almost daily. We loved the island and found a lot of favorite spots. We feel so grateful to be able to spend time with our family in such a remarkable place. We can't wait to go with them again!

Some of our favorite things from this trip were...

* Finding "secret beach"

* Shaved ice!

* Pete & the guys scuba diving

* Going on the helicopter ride

* Watching the giant turtles at Queens bath

* Going up to Waimea canyon

* Exploring the island

* Spending time with family!

Miss H decided to be daring and get her ears pierced while in Kauai. I thought she was kidding at first, but she wasn't! So we found a store and she picked out some cute pink jewels. Luckily they did both ears at once because she was shocked. She was very brave though and didn't cry! I love the middle picture - it shows her right after the piercing and she is trying so hard to control herself! She looks so cute.

We are home...and want to go back!

2009-08-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

We were able to spend 2 weeks in the most beautiful place on Earth. It was amazing and we loved every minute of it. I have A LOT of pictures to sort through...so there will be many posts to come about this trip! Here are just a couple of what we saw - and why we want to go back so bad! Can you blame us? It was our heaven - incredible surrounding, beaches, ocean, shave ice & family. Couldn't ask for anything more.

Dance recital...

2009-06-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

The girls had their dance recital last weekend. It was a little crazy trying to figure out the scheduling - Miss S. is in Jazz and ballet, so she was in all 4 shows this year! She did such a great job and loved every minute of it. We have really enjoyed watching her progress and seeing the difference between this year and last. It is amazing! She has become quite the dancer. She surprised us and told us she likes ballet more than jazz & tap. It is usually the other way around, ballet is much more serious. She loved her ballet routine this year, she danced to the love theme from Star Wars. She said next year she wants to try hip-hop, we'll see! We are so proud of her!

Miss H. just started her dance class in January and picked it up so quick. We weren't surprised though, she dances everywhere. She looked so cute up on the stage! Her routine was to James Taylor's "How sweet it is" and it was! (so sweet.) She did a great job and is so happy to dance. She was the best little dancer there!

The highlight for Miss S. was meeting and talking with her favorite "rock star" (her words!), Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval. He is a former student at her dance studio and has gone on to do well on "So you think you can dance" and his dance group Quest won this last seasons show "America's best Dance Crew." He is an incredible dancer, we love watching him. He was nice to the girls, especially since they kept staring, screaming, waving and trying to pictures every time he walked by.

Here they are in their costumes just after the first show on Friday night. One of the best things about the recitals - they get to finally wear makeup!

Me and Miss S. after her Jazz performance on Saturday night. She is getting so big.
Here is Miss S. with her BFF and D-Trix. You can see how happy she is with her favorite dancer!
Miss H. waiting to get ready for her Saturday night performance.

I cant help it, but I get teary eyed every time they get on stage. They are so cute together.

Here they are with Dad after the Saturday night performance.

And Grandma and Grandpa!

Me and Miss H. right before she went on stage.

Dominic was trying to be nice and take a picture with Miss H. She refused. I thought maybe if I went with her - nope. She is actually trying to escape my arms.

Was it worth it?

2009-06-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

We waited an hour and a half to take this picture at the mall Saturday. But, I can't say no to a princess...

We love dad!

2009-06-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

We had fun celebrating and trying to spoil dad on Father's day. The kids were excited to pick out gifts and have a special day for him. We are so grateful for all he does for our family. He makes us all happy and we love him so much!

Aren't they cute together!
Miss S helped me decorate for him - she wrote him a note on the chalkboard sign and helped me make a really fun tie banner. He picked pull-aparts for breakfast, our favorite! (the recipe is on my new blog.) Here are the morning jammie shots. They can't ever wait to open the presents!

My family all came over at night for dinner and we all celebrated a little more. Here are all the kiddos with Grandpa for father's day! We love him too!

Frosted...

2009-06-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

Just because I am not busy enough, I have decided to start a new blog! I am writing a food blog just for fun! I am going to post my favorites - then when I am out of town they will all be accessible. And I can't wait to get them all printed out into "my own" cookbook. You are all welcome to check it out and share my favorites! Just click HERE!

Annual Soccer Summer Party!

2009-06-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

We are so lucky to be part of such a great soccer "family." Every year Coach Rich has all of us over to his house for a pool party & we wouldn't miss it! The kids have a great time, love being together and I love seeing all my friends too. Here are all the girls with their coaches in their picture corner (they take pics here every year, I should pull some old ones out) - they sure are looking big! Can't wait for next year!

Here is Miss S with her best friend!
I LOVE this picture! She jumped off the rock, extended her legs, pointed her toes and then smiled for me. A dancer even in the air.
My favorite boy...
Miss H was loving spending time with the older girls, especially C. She is so sweet to her!

Last day, yeah!

2009-06-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

I can't begin to explain how happy I am school is out. I feel just as excited as I did when I was in school! I feel like I can finally breathe and many of my responsibilities have gone away.

This year has been great. Both of the kids had amazing teachers! We have loved being a part of a new school, it has provided many advantages. We feel a lot of school pride and have loved the "old town" feel to our school. With only 280 kids this first year, there have been many things the kids could not have experienced anywhere else. They all ate, had recess, assemblies and so much more as an entire student body. They got to know everyone, regardless of grade and it made our new neighborhood so much better.

Here they are, ready to go to their last day of 1st and 4th grade.
This is a pic for some of my friends who didn't understand my description! This is a paint can and a clipboard that I modge podged with cardstock, then filled with cookies. The best part is the chalkboard on the backside of the clipboard!
Mr. T with his teacher. After this picture he told us that he was ready to go home and play Guitar Hero. I asked him why and he said he wanted to play "School's out!" Funny kid.
Miss S (in her favorite shirt) and her teacher. I can't believe she is a 5th grader now! She is certainly starting to act like she is older!

I love this face...

2009-06-13T00:33:00.000-07:00

Our princess let me take her out for a little photo shoot and I got some good ones. Here are some of my favorites...

Ringmaster...

2009-06-13T00:25:00.000-07:00

Mr. T went to school with a mohawk and came home with a mustache. I had to laugh when I saw him. He looks like he should be lifting weights at the circus.

He begged me to give him a mohawk so he could look like a friend in his class. I gave him a partial - normal in back, the hawk on top. I like it. But I am a little biased, he is always stinkin cute to me.

We're the dancers...

2009-06-13T00:06:00.000-07:00

Ever since the Justin T. skit on SNL, my kids love to use that line any chance they get. It never fails to get a laugh.

Here is one of our dancers. She and her friend had jazz pictures and had to get in their full costume with makeup - which is something that makes them so happy! I can't believe how big these girls are. They have been best friends for five years now and it seems like this last year they have grown up. I love it that she has such a great friend. There is nothing better.

Our defender

2009-06-12T23:52:00.001-07:00

Mr. T finished his second season of farm baseball & he did it with a bang! His team was able to keep the other team scoreless and he got all 3 of the outs while playing 1st base the last inning. He played amazing this year and had a great time with his team. He is turning into quite an athlete!

Our lefty batter!

Again, are my kids trained or what! Run through first, then smile for mom. Love it!

posties

2009-06-12T23:41:00.000-07:00

I have been finding a lot of notes around the house lately. They are usually on post it notes & they always make me laugh! It seems most of them have to do with food or the wii. Can you guess who is leaving them for me? Here are a couple of them...

Preschool Show

2009-06-12T22:48:00.000-07:00

Our princess had her last day of preschool at "teacher Cathy's". The kids put on a cute show for the parents - they sang, recited poems and had all the moves to go with them! I loved it.

She has had a great year at preschool. She made lots of friends and finally had a chance to have her own activity. She is already missing it! Thank goodness she will be back at "teacher Cathy's" in the fall!

I love these pictures because they completely capture her personality. The class had to wait a minute to start the program, so instead of coming back to us or playing with the other kids, she danced. She danced and was totally oblivious of anyone watching her. Seriously, she makes me smile.

The princess and her favorite teacher ever!!

Pop rot...Science Fair

2009-06-12T22:29:00.000-07:00

Miss S won the science fair for her school's 4th grade! Her board was sent to the district and it was displayed for the big science fair. She and her friend Katarina did this project together. They measured granulated limestone and soaked it in different kinds of soda. They tested the acidity of the sodas and tried to see if any of them would erode the limestone. They worked hard and were so excited to make it to the district. Great job girls, we are proud of you!

Bibbity bobbity boo!

2009-06-12T21:53:00.001-07:00

My little princess turned 4 last month & can't believe it! She is such a fun, sweet little girl. There are so many things I love about her. She loves pink, princesses, always wears a tiara, dances and sings all day long and makes me laugh all the time.

She had a party for her birthday this year - with a big surprise! When all the girls came, they were greeted with crowns and wands. They kept running around the house saying, "Bibbity bobbity boo." So we rounded them up and had them say it together by the front door & guess who walked in the house - Cinderella! Their magic wands had brought her to our house! I wish I had gotten a good picture of their faces, but I was having so much fun watching I missed the moment.

Cinderella was so much fun to have at the party. We are so glad she came!

Cinderella walked through the door and met the birthday girl!
She painted all of the girls faces...

She played games and did magic tricks...
She stayed for princess cupcakes and the presents...
She even taught them how to dance!

My little princess was one happy girl!

What so funny is that this is actually the best picture of everyone together. I took about 10 of them and have come to realize 4 year olds are impossible! I was frustrated, but now it makes me laugh. You can tell my daughter is trained to look at the camera!

It was so much fun watching all the girls interact with Cinderella. They were smitten. We caught our princess the next morning at the door, saying the magic words trying to get her to come back!

Their favorite hunt...

2009-06-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

Every year my mom does an elaborate Easter egg hunt in her backyard. She makes it really fun for the kids - she color codes the eggs to match all the presents she buys for them. She literally stocks up on stuff all year long for this hunt! Well, the kids love it. This year was a blast and the kids walked away with a bag full of goodies. Thanks grandma for such an amazing tradition!Here are all the kiddos - minus Olivia this year, we really missed her!
And she's off!
Taking a little break...
Counting...actually she is looking for the eggs that had cash in them!

Hello

2009-04-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know its been a long time. The thing is, I got behind. I had a list of things that I needed to blog about & then before I knew it the list grew longer and longer. It made me tired. So, I just didn't do it. I really did want to, I was just a little lazy. I had a million other commitments that were screaming at me.

I had a great spring break doing exactly what I wanted. My time was spent resting, playing, bike riding, reading, rock band playing, movie watching, egg hunting, cuddling, dancing, laughing and eating - it was the best. A whole week with no school, preschool, jazz class, ballet, baseball, or tap classes. Wow, I really needed it. Now I can get back to the routine with a little more energy. And I am tired of people getting mad at me, so I guess I can blog too. :-)

Here is a little of what has been going on around here the last couple of months...with pictures, of course.

Miss S turned 10. Really, 10. I cant believe it. She is such a great girl. She has the best heart and is always trying to make the right decision. She cares about others so much and is constantly trying to make those around her happy. She is so smart too! I am so proud of her.

We have a seriously cute face around this house. It started off looking like this one - snaggle tooth and all.

And then turned into this toothless smile. Although, not for long. The big ones are already on their way & let me tell you they are BIG (I saw his x-ray!) It makes me a little sad. I love his baby face, and it is gone. I wish I could freeze time and keep him like this. He always has a twinkle in his eyes. He is a happy, cute and sweet little boy. I love him.

My little miss H started ballet classes and she loves it! This picture makes me smile because it is just her. It gives you a glimpse of her personality. She is constantly singing, dancing and skipping. Skipping down the hall, skipping down the street, skipping in the store...little curls bouncing. She is just a happy little girl & she makes me happy.

I had two kids with some CRAZY hair! This is always our favorite spirit day!

Someone was a little too tired. She had a rough day and fell asleep on time-out. Poor, cute baby.

Mr. T went right from playing basketball with his favorite coach ever - dad (which he absolutely loves!!)

Swish!!

To playing baseball, which he loves too. He is great this year! He has made probably 90 percent of the plays for his team and is really doing well. We have noticed a huge difference in him this last year with sports. He has such confidence and isn't afraid to be aggressive. I have such fun watching him!

Miss S got to get all dressed up and go out with her favorite date, dad. They attended the daddy daughter dance at the school. It was an amazing event put together for the girls and their dads. They danced the night away & even won the prize for the limbo. I would have loved to have watched that!

It is just too cute.

Snow Day

2009-02-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

While we were in Reno, we decided to take a trip up the mountain and play in the snow. Grandma and Grandpa met us there for all the fun. We found a great place to take the sleds down some hills. The kids were in heaven. We all had a blast going down the tubes - even the 3 year olds loved it. And Miss S got some help snowboarding from Angie on her own board!

We were exhausted by the time we were done!

New Years in Reno

2009-02-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

We decided to head over to Reno to spend New Year's with my sister and her family. We stayed up eating and playing games ( the new version of the game "Life" stinks! ) until the ball dropped. I am so glad we were able to go. I love spending New Year's in our jammies with family.

All the kiddo's New Year's Eve.

Getting ready to toast the New Year.

Miss H at midnight!

They are big enough to stay up now!

Angie and Brock on New Year's Eve.

Me and Pete, Happy New Year's!

Christmas at home

2009-01-27T13:25:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas this year was great. Pete's mom flew into town for the week and we spent time with my parents too. It was my family's year with the in-law's, so my brother and sister were both in Utah. But, luckily we live by my parents, so we get to celebrate with them every year. We also got to spend some time with Pete's brother and his family, we loved it.

We spent Christmas day at our home, which was so nice. We unwrapped, played, ate and enjoyed the day with each other. The kids got just what they asked for (thanks to Eddy) and spent most of the day occupied with their new toys.

The kids loved having their grandma Knudtson here. She spent everyday playing and teaching them new games. They were really sad when it was time for her to go home. They cant wait for her to come back.

The kids waiting to go and see what Santa brought. I love the sleepy faces.

Cant get there fast enough!

Can you tell who is her favorite Princess? She was a happy little girl!

This is just what they asked for!

I just loved her reaction. I wish I could get that excited!

The kids with Grandma and Grandpa Tolman on Christmas day.

The kids with Grandma Knudtson, all dressed up for church.

We love Eddy...

2009-01-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

Eddy is our family's elf and he spent the holiday season with us. He quickly became a part of the family and it was hard to say goodbye. He showed up shortly after Thanksgiving with a book that explained why he was visiting us. He returned to the North Pole every night to report to Santa how our family was doing. When he came back in the morning, he was always in a different spot!

He was great to have around. I often found the kids talking to him about many things. They would tell him about things they were doing, about changes in their wish lists and also about the behavior (mostly the bad) of their siblings. They made sure he had good food each night ( see the oreos in the picture!). He was the very first thing they looked for everyday.

We miss Eddy, but cant wait for him to come again after Thanksgiving this year!

Bike rider...

2009-01-21T14:13:00.000-08:00

Miss H was so excited! We got out her sisters old bike and she immediately took off. She tried to keep up with the kids and didn't want to stop. Now we hear this all the time, " Mom, I'm a big girl. Could we go for a bike ride?" So cute.

She is such a little picture poser.

Santa came to our town!

2009-01-21T14:06:00.000-08:00

We went to see Santa come through the neighborhood, something the kids look forward to every year. They love to run along with the fire truck, wave to Santa and get the tiny candy canes!

Dance...

2009-01-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

Miss S is also taking dance twice a week and got to participate in her studio's holiday performance. She danced in a jazz routine and was also in the ballet number. She is in her second year of jazz/tap and in her first year of ballet. She is loving it! It is really cool to see the improvement between this year and last year, what a difference!

She is especially excited because in this dance studio, during your second year of ballet you get to participate in a Disney event. During your second year of ballet you get to dance down mainstreet during the filmed taping of the holiday parade. So, next year she will be able to dance down Main Street at Disneyland! When will you ever get that chance again! We already cant wait.

She is in the class with one of her very best friends, Mackenzie, which makes it even better. I am so glad she gets the opportunity to do such great activities.

Soccer tournament

2009-01-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

Miss S played in her first soccer tournament and did a great job! She played mid field and forward this year. She is on the best team. They are amazing girls, friends and soccer players. Most of them have been together for 4-5 years now and they love each other. There is never any fighting, hurt feelings or cliques! They have so much fun together and it shows - they placed #1 in the number one bracket this year for the normal soccer league.

Collective Soul!

2009-01-13T22:27:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I am obsessed. Pete surprised me and got me tickets to see my favorite band, Collective Soul. They played in a really small venue at a casino in Oroville. It was so much fun to see them in such a small setting. I fell in love with their music my senior year in high school, (sigh) so long ago in 1994. And now seeing them live has made me even more of a fan. Maybe, just a little bit obsessed. But, I cant help it. They are awesome. Thanks Pete, for such a great night and memory!

Pete and I snuck down a back staircase and watched as the roadies loaded the guitars into a truck. There was a limo Suburban waiting for the band and we could see their drinks sitting on a table. We waited for a minute and then went out to see if we could meet them. A couple of the roadies came back out, saw us and then reported us to their tour manager. We were quickly escorted out of the area, but not before we saw their bass player Will Turpin on the phone right by us. I got in a pic of their guitar cases!

We weren't supposed to take any pictures, so I had to take all of them sneaky without a flash. They didn't turn out too bad.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

Giving thanks...

2008-12-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

Wow, things have been busy around here. I feel like I am finally able to take a second and actually think about the last couple of weeks. Thanksgiving was great, my brother and sister came into town and my whole family was together. I love it when the cousins are all together, they are so excited. I kept hearing the 3 year old girls telling each other at random times throughout the week how they loved each other. It was the sweetest and cutest thing to hear because they really mean it. They love each other so much, they would rather be with each other than anyone else - pretty sure me included! They are so lucky to have that special relationship and it makes me happy for them.

We spent the week bowling, going to the movies, shopping, cooking, eating and chatting. I loved it. I wish it didn't go by so fast.

Miss S helped make the name tags for the table. They turned out really great.

Mr. T has a really big fan in his cute little cousin. She absolutely loves him. It is so fun to watch her face when he comes into the room, it is the cutest thing. To her, he is a movie star. She cuddles him and follows him all around. I am so glad I got these pictures!

Apparently, "the princess" found the chocolate cookies that were hidden in the laundry room. All of the sudden my mom was yelling, "Amy, get in here!" I ran in & found H with her face in between the dryer and the cabinet, trying to hide the fact that she was sneaking cookies. Of course, we thought it was funny and so she did too. This is a perfect example of her the last couple of months, good thing she is so cute. I have no idea how many cookies she actually ate - and no, she didn't eat her dinner. Oh, well.

We set up a tri-pod in front of my parents house, trying to get a good family picture. This one just makes me laugh everytime I see it. The way Eric is looking at Pete and the way Reagan is looking at the girls is just so funny. Maybe you had to be there.

Here are the cute cousins.

My favorite Sugar Cookie

2008-11-18T21:48:00.000-08:00

It is almost time to start baking Christmas cookies! I love this time of year. I thought I would share some of my favorites. I will start with this one... to download and save, click here and then right click on the image! Have fun baking and see if you can eat only one. I cant!

All done...

2008-11-17T10:04:00.000-08:00

Soccer ended on Saturday and it was such a great season. Miss S's team ended up #1 - they are the #1 team in the highest bracket for their age. They are an amazing team! Most of them have been playing together for 4-5 years and they all get along and encourage each other, it is really fun to watch.

It has been an eventful couple of months, busy and crazy. We had practice every Monday and Wednesday from 4-7:30 and then 2 games every Saturday. Mr. T survived a foot injury and is now feeling well again :) He had it rough for a while and couldn't even run, but he stuck it out and played wherever he could. He makes an awesome goalie! He finally got to let loose and run the last game and scored in the last 5 seconds of the last game. We were so happy for him!

It is always a bittersweet thing when soccer ends. I miss the friends we have on the team, they are great. But you know it is bad when you are excited to have a Saturday to clean the garage!

Bread and water...

2008-11-12T23:57:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday was the primary program in our ward. The kids have been practicing it for a couple of weeks. Mr. T had a line to say with his class and Miss S had to give a 2 minute talk about serving others. She did awesome and looked so beautiful, so grown up. I am really proud of her, she has an amazing ability to speak in front of people.

Before church I saw this piece of bread on the counter. I didn't think too much of it. With three kids I see a lot half eaten food left on the counter. No big deal, I left it there. Whoever ate some of it might come back for more. I didn't realize what this little slice of bread meant to my little guy. When we got to church Mr. T had to wait until they called his class up to sit in front, that's when I learned.

Mr. T - "It's okay, I already had the bread and water. I did it at home."

Me - Confused, then remembering the bread at home, "Did you bless it too?"

Mr. T - "Yep."

It was so sweet. He thought he wouldn't get the sacrament if he was sitting up front and so he did it himself. It was sweet because he thought about it ahead of time and knew it was something he didn't want to miss. It was sweet because he didn't involve anyone else, it was important to him. It was sweet because I was able to see a little bit of his faith. He is just sweet.

Trick or Treat...

2008-11-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

We had a great Halloween! My kids got to go trick or treating 3 times this year and you should see the piles of candy in our house. It is ridiculous! I need to find a place to donate candy. Here are some pictures of Tinkerbell, Captain Jack Sparrow and Hannah Montana...

Testify, part 4

2008-10-31T00:37:00.000-07:00

I know that God created all of this...

I look around me and wonder how anyone would think otherwise. These are pictures from some of the amazing and beautiful places I have been this year. They are just some of the wonderful things Heavenly Father has given to us.

Testify, part 3

2008-10-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

I know being a mom is the best thing in the world

There is nothing that could make me happier than being a mom. There is nothing I would rather be doing than spending my time with the kiddos. Seriously. I know that what I am doing right now is exactly what I am supposed to be doing.

Elder M. Russell Ballard quoted this in one of my favorite talks (you need to read it.) He said, "Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”

I do not want to miss out on any moments. I want to make every day, every minute count. They are too important. I am grateful for all I have, especially my kids. They are a gift in my life and I want to treasure each of them. I am going to do better. Everything else can wait!

Testify, part 2

2008-10-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

I know getting an education is important.

I remember the feeling that washed over me during my graduation from BYU. I was sitting on the stand, with Pete by my side and miss S was on my lap. It hit me all of the sudden, and I couldn't stop smiling. I turned to Pete and said, "I am SO happy right now." It truly was one of the happiest moments of my life, no doubt. Partly because I was proud, partly because Pete & I were graduating together, but mostly, because I was DONE! The thoughts of test, papers, deadlines and all of the other little stresses were over & I felt such relief.

I started BYU knowing what I wanted to study and for the most part really enjoyed my classes. I graduated in Broadcast Journalism, and it was fun. I have always loved to sit in front of the camera or computer and "produce" my own little projects. I did it all the time, even in high school. So, I was really excited to finally get to the last year of school so I could do all the things I loved. I was going to be taking the class where we wrote, edited, produced and anchored KBYU news every day! Only, it didn't end up being quite as fun as I expected - surprise! I was pregnant.

You may think that is a normal thing at BYU, and it probably is in many majors, just not mine. Nobody was pregnant while they were working on the news station. I was the only one. We had to get to school by 7 in the morning to compile all the news coming in off the wires (it sounds cool, huh) and I would be so sick. I have some wonderful videos of me anchoring the news looking just a little pale. By then, I knew working was not going to be an option for me, my life was taking a different direction. School got a little tougher with a baby, but I did it.

When Pete and I graduated a year after little miss S was born, it was a great day. I rented her a cap and a gown and I carried her across the stage with me.

It was funny, I was so happy to be done with school and yet, I missed it after a while. I didn't miss the tests, quizzes, projects... I missed learning. My days were spent with one - and then 2 babies. I loved it. I wouldn't have traded that time for anything, but it was hard too. I didn't get much time for myself. I remember thinking I needed to find something that I could do, something I could learn about.

A couple of years ago, it hit me. I could learn and do whatever I wanted. Learning does not have to be done in school. Since then, I have found things that interest me and have done what I can to learn more about them. The things I have learned and have been able to do have brought a lot of enjoyment in my life. And I have so much more to learn! There are so many things I want to know about, so many things I want to do well.

I know learning is something we need to do always. We should never stop. Everywhere around us, there is a chance to gain knowledge. It makes me excited. I only wish I had more time in my day. I know it sounds cheesy, but it is true " the world is my campus."

Testify, part 1

2008-10-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, when we first moved into our new ward I was not that excited to go into Relief Society. I haven't been in that class in so long, about 6 years. So, I wasn't really sure what it was going to be like. I guess I expected to be a little bored. I am not. I have thoroughly been enjoying the lessons and women in Relief Society. It is a great place for me to be.

Yesterday we had an amazing lesson. It was taught by a fun lady, who always does a great job teaching. She helped us to understand what testifying does for us. Not only does it help others to know how we feel, it strengthens us also. She taught us that if we are courageous and testify of the little things we believe in, then we will "shine brighter." I thought about what she said and was really touched by the message. She is right. I need to do it more. I need to be proud of who I am and what I know. I need to share more of myself with others and not be worried about it.

So, I decided this is going to be my start. I am going to testify of one thing every day this week. It will be something I know, something that is important to me. And if nobody reads it, that is okay. I will have thought about it, and I will have written it down. I want to be a little more shiny.

I Know Who I Am

I am a daughter of amazing parents, who raised me with love, kindness, trust and wisdom. I never doubted they loved me, ever. I never had a time when I couldn't turn to them, ever. I never did anything (on purpose) to disappoint them, almost ever!

I am a sister. I am the older, bossy sister who I am sure rubbed my brother and sister the wrong way many times. But, I love them very much and am so grateful for them.

I am a wife to a wonderful husband whom I love and trust completely. I am so blessed to have him in my life. I am grateful for the relationship we share and the opportunity we have to raise our children together.

I am a mom. There is not anything that could make me happier. I am amazed at the love I have for each of them. My heart sometimes feels overwhelmed. I hope they know how I love them.

I am a friend. I have so many friends who are such great examples to me. They show me many of the things in my life I would like to work on. I am grateful for them also and the love and support they show me. I hope I can reciprocate in a little way what they give to me.

All of these things represent a part of me. I think about all of them, and it makes me want to be a better person. It makes me want to live happier, to be kinder, to serve others, to make the right choices for me and my family. But, all these things dont describe the whole of who I am. I know that I am a daughter of God. And that is all I need to know.

Yesterday, Miss S came home from school and informed me her friend told everyone they used to be monkeys. She was so confused. I could see in her face how absurd she thought it was. I tried to explain to her that is what some people think, but we don't. We know. We know we were created in God's image and that we have never looked like a monkey. So, dont worry. You won't one day be reunited with your great grandparents, the apes. Seriously, I was so happy in this instance that I could explain to her, without a doubt, the truth.

Knowing I am a daughter of God is incredible. It is incredible because I know what it feels like to have a child. I know the feelings you have and the love you are bursting with. That is how He loves me. I know it. I know He knows who I am. I know He cares about my life, my feelings, my actions, my choices, my happiness. I want to make better choices and be a better person because of that.

I know a cute family whose mom yells to her children as they are walking out the door, " Remember who you are and what you stand for!" I know who I am. I need to always remember.

Pumpkin patch

2008-10-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

We went to our favorite pumpkin patch to celebrate T's 7th birthday. We have been wanting our family to come and join us for years, but they could never make it. So, we decided if we had his family party there, they would have to come!

We went to Disneyland!

2008-10-16T23:10:00.001-07:00

We were able to go to "the Happiest place on Earth" all last week! Pete had a work conference in the Disneyland hotel, so we went up a couple days earlier and had fun. We actually went into the parks for 4 days, which was the longest we have ever been there. By the end of the week, we were so tired! My parents came down on Wednesday night and joined us for a couple of days, which was great. We love it there, H is already asking me if we can go back!

Cute girls with their tiaras, you can tell they are having fun!

I love to kiss him - even when he wont let me.

Grandpa and kids on the big Sun Wheel in California Adventure.

I absolutely love this picture!

T celebrating his birthday at Rain Forest Cafe with his favorite new Jack gloves.

In the tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki room...

H with Cinderella - one of the three princesses she got to meet after I waited in line for 2 hours!!

While I was waiting for the princesses, grandma took H and had her face painted. She was so happy! She told the lady exactly how she wanted it done and wanted it all in pink, of course.

I love the decorations for Halloween time in Disneyland! It is amazing. You feel like you are in a magical place.

Grandma, me and S on the Sun Wheel!

We were all so happy because H was finally tall enough to go on Soarin' over California! It was so much fun to go on the ride as a family. I could go on this ride all day long, I love it.

Dad and kids on the Orange stinger swings, T was just tall enough.

Yeah! T has been waiting for years to go on Screamin'. He loved it!! I love it that my kids dig the rollercoasters.

Our home

2008-09-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

I have been getting quite a few requests for pictures of the new house, so here they are. We are feeling settled now and are loving it here. We feel very blessed and amazed to have been able to make this move & especially to sell our other house! We miss our old neighbors and ward, but are having fun meeting new friends too. One day when our life calms down (yeah, right!) we are going to have everyone over. Promise!!

I didn't think so...

2008-09-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

but maybe I am...

H: "Mom, will you turn on this movie for me?"

Me: "Sure H, just a second, I want to finish reading this."

H: HUGE sigh & then, "My mom is so crabby."

I love this boy...

2008-09-19T21:09:00.001-07:00

There are so many things I love about my sweet little guy. He is so smart, kind, funny and good. I miss him while he is in school all day long, I am still not used to it. These are some of the things about him that make me smile...

- Everyday after school he runs out the gate and buries his face in my waist while he hugs me. He will hug me the whole time we wait for his sister to come out of class. It makes me melt every time he does it.

- When we are walking to and from school he always holds my hand and tells me all about his "recess adventures."

- Everyday he has that little boy right off the playground smell. You know, the one that smells like a mix of blacktop, sweat, crayons and monkey bars.

- He has a laugh that makes you smile. And what I love, is the way his older sister can make him gut laugh like no one else.

- He has a memorized little spiel he says to us every night when he is going to bed.

- He loves to sleep in my bed with me when daddy is gone.

- He wakes up super early on the weekends (to watch cartoons) and then is soo tired on school days.

- He is legitimately proud of himself when he does something good. I hope he is always able to be happy with himself!

- When he makes a goal, he accomplishes it! For example, in order to play Rock Band he needed to learn the 100 words for 1st grade. He got the words, studied them and learned them in one day - no joke.

- He is really good at Rock Band!

- He has specific directions for his hair every day. Some days he likes it to the side, some days all spikes - but ALWAYS wants the front spiked up. Pete and I were laughing at Back to school night because every picture he drew of himself had his hair perfectly spiked in the front.

- He only wants to wear a suit on Sunday and he loves it when he and his dad wear matching colors.

- He tries so hard to be good and is really sensitive and sweet. If he thinks I am unhappy he can't handle it. He will always give in when he thinks it will make one of us happy. My mom and I always talk about how we hope he marries a nice girl and not one who bosses him around!

- He is always grateful, well, most of the time. And he is so happy for the little things - like homemade milkshakes, they make him so happy.

I think I could keep going on and on... I just love him.

I had to take a picture of him after school today because he came home so dirty! His school shirt actually looks grey instead of white (although the camera didn't really capture the filth.) I am glad their new school finally picked their school colors. Maybe we can get a new shirt!

We are going to miss this...

2008-09-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

We had a great Labor day swimming at my parents house. The kids LOVE to swim, they are fish. Even H, she can swim without any help across the entire pool, pretty amazing for a 3 year old! They have so much fun going over to grandma and grandpa's house. Not only for the swimming, but they get to roam the backyard there and just be outside. There have been a couple of times this year when T has caught a lizard and had it climbing all over him. It is just a fun place to be. I love it too, and have gotten spoiled this summer because every time we went over my parents fed us!

In fact, a couple of weeks ago we were there and my parents were busy. H noticed they were not hanging out with us and asked where they were. I told her they were busy and she said, "But, they didn't bring us out any food!" She really is my daughter - she knows how important food is! Thanks mom & dad for a really fun summer in your backyard!! We are already looking forward to next summer.

New school...

2008-08-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

The kids started school yesterday! They were both really looking forward to it, but were nervous too. We are so proud of them. Neither one of them have complained or whined about going to a new school. We know it isn't easy to leave a school with friends you love and go to a new one where you dont know anyone. But they went in to their classes like they had been there for years. They both have really cute, young teachers who seem very excited to be at their school. It will be fun for them to be a part of the first class opening the school - they get to pick out their mascot, colors, etc...

I missed them a ton during the day! H and I kept looking at the clock and she kept asking when we were going to "get the kids." I love that she calls them "the kids", it just makes me smile. I am especially having a hard time with T going into 1st grade, I dont like him being gone all day long. Kindergarten was perfect, he could go and play for a while and then come home. I never felt like he was gone for too long. Now they are both gone longer than they are at home, it makes my heart ache to think about it.

But, even though I am missing them, they are ready to go and I have to be grateful for that. We saw a mom chasing her son down the street and then actually carrying him onto campus crying - I felt so bad for her! I have loved laying in their beds with them the last 2 nights at bedtime and hearing details of their days. They are the cutest kids and I love them so much!

Pre-school!

2008-08-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

H went to her first day of pre-school on Tuesday! She is going to a cute little school with some little friends and the nicest teacher. She was excited and felt so big.

We have been talking about it for a while now so she would be ready and she always tells me "mom, dont cry. You can come and pick me up!" I didn't think I would cry, but when we dropped her off and she walked right in and started playing, I had to walk away so I wouldn't start. It was harder than I thought.

I missed her the whole time she was gone, I kept forgetting and looking around for her. She is my pal all day, we are hardly ever apart. She is a sweet girl and I am happy she gets to be in such a great place to start out her school experience. I love her!

We will miss them...

2008-07-30T23:11:00.000-07:00

We went to the park yesterday with our great friends who are getting ready to move to Utah. Over the last 6 years Stephanie and I have watched our kids and our families grow and have become better friends. She is an amazing person and there is so much about her that I admire. She is kind, smart, beautiful, generous and an awesome mom. There have been many times when I dont know what I would have done without her. I am so lucky to have her for my friend. I am excited for them to move and start their new adventure, but I am going to miss her and her cute kids a lot - and I know my kids will too!

Jonas Brothers...

2008-07-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

Who would have known it would have been so fun? My friend Kellie called and invited me & S to go to the Jonas brothers concert with her and her daughter. S was so excited to go to another concert with her best friend. Two years ago they invited us to Kelly Clarkson and it was a blast, so she was ready to do it again. I went into this concert not really expecting to like it as much, but I have to say, I am kind of a fan now. They are pretty cute boys and they play their own instruments and write songs. S is a huge fan now, she was always afraid to say she liked them before because they are boys - and boys are gross. But not now, she is openly admitting her fondness for them, although I still cant get her to tell me which one she likes the best. Because she cant handle the word "like" being used for any boy, even a Jonas brother. H on the other hand, will tell you immediately she is a Nick fan, she already thinks she is 9 too. Thank you so much Kellie for inviting us, we love you guys!

The girls in front of the tour bus before the show.

On the grass, waiting for the show to start!

The girls made their own signs on napkins, they say "Jonas brothers, you rock!"

This was their faces when the pyrotechnics started and the boys came on stage!

I love this picture, they are both in the air!

They started playing their favorite song, "burnin up"!

Encore!!!

This is during the 2 HOUR drive home, crazy!!

Eeewww Barracuda!

2008-06-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

I love spending my days with H. She is so funny. She loves to sing & she will do it all day long! She comes up with new songs all the time! Here are my new favs...

Happy Birthday Princess H!

2008-05-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

My baby is 3 today! This is what she woke up to - a new princess chair with all the trimmings. She is in heaven!

I cant explain how much I love this little girl. She makes me so happy everyday. She is sweet, funny, smart, kind, creative, beautiful and good. I wish I could freeze her in time and keep her this way forever. She is so fun for me, always happy and ready to go and "do stuff." I am so blessed to be her mom.

We're finally Home!

2008-05-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

Yeah! We finally made it into our new home! I can't believe how long it has taken to get here, but we are really happy. We got TV today, and almost all the boxes are gone - not too bad! I have so many people to thank for all their help. Thanks to my friends and family who came over to help us move furniture, those who came at the last minute to help me clean the house and for those who made us dinner and watched the kids for me. I feel so blessed to have such great friends - I love you all! We cant wait to have you all over soon!

Marathon Post!

2008-04-06T21:51:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to post these pictures for a month and haven't had the time, so I am going to do them all at once. It is a huge post, so be warned!

T got the "Coyote of the Month" award and was so proud! It was so cute because when all the kids walked into the room, he saw us there he knew he was getting an award & he couldn't stop smiling. He has the best kindergarten teacher ever, we love Mrs. Moore! He absolutely loves going to school! He loves to learn and is always writing stories and leaving notes all over the house. My favorite was last week for S's birthday - he wrote her a card all by himself and it said "Happy birthday. 9 roxks. You are mi besd sisr." It was so sweet, I loved it. I love him!

He finished up his basketball season and had so much fun. He loves to play basketball. He especially loves it because dad is the coach! He loves his time spent with dad!

Pete's brother Jim turned 50 and his wife Diane surprised him with a trip to Monterey. We met them there for a couple of days and had a wonderful time! It was great spending time with them, and you cant help but enjoy the surroundings. I remember it being beautiful, but actually it is amazing. I could have stayed and taken pictures of everything in view, it was all incredible.

This is the oldest working lighthouse on the west coast. I loved it! It was so pretty.

This is the sign on the beach we walked on in Carmel - it would be enough to keep me out of the water - but not Jim!

This is Jim DIVING into the huge waves on the same beach as the death sign!

This is my very favorite picture from our trip. It summarizes the entire trip! Jim loves the water and I think he could have sat there the entire time. I am so glad he got to come and we got to share his big birthday with him! We love him.

This is Pete's heaven. One day he will play golf here and he will be content!

For Christmas one of my presents was to go and see Dana Carvey! I have loved him since I was in junior high (so, a long time). It ended up being even better than I expected. He came to a little venue here in town where you sit down at tables and eat and listen. We got to sit at the table right in front of the stage, it was actually attached to it. We were so close to him, we were in the spotlights! It was so much fun and we had a blast. He was working on material for an HBO special he is shooting soon, so it was cool to hear new stuff. He makes me laugh just looking at him!

This is how I have been finding H lately. She is really starting to love reading. Her new favorite books are...Pinkalicious, Fancy Nancy and anything from the movie Enchanted. Can you tell what kind of a girl she is? She loves anything pink, sparkly, frilly and princesses. She makes me happy.

Over spring break my mom, sister and I took all the kids to the little zoo in town. They had a great time! They love this zoo because it is always filled with roaming chickens and peacocks they can chase. Here they are in their cheesiest pose!

Riding on the train - it was really fun for the little ones!

I love my close ups!

S just finished up her second round of indoor soccer. She has such a great time playing with all her friends. She is so lucky because she has found an amazing team. They have been together for 3 full seasons now and they just click. They are sweet to each other and enjoy playing together, it is so fun to watch them. She has learned a lot too and has a great time playing different positions, a couple of the games she played defender, mid field and forward all in one game!

We met one of my best friends at the park over break and the kids got to play. H loves to play with Lindsay, aren't they cute! They are going to be in pre-school together next fall, I cant believe it!

T got this cape from a wonderful friend and was so excited. He wore it all day & even to the park, I loved it. How great to be able to play pretend and have so much fun, I hope he can keep doing that for a long time.

You can't really tell, but T has a real doozy of a fat lip in this picture! He and Pete were playing catch and the ball went over his glove and smacked him in the mouth. I felt so bad for him! He is a really funny little guy too, he has always been aware of how he looks. Ever since he was two he has been telling me how to do his hair. So, when he woke up and knew it was our church's easter egg hunt and his lip was still really fat he was nervous to go. So funny!

My mom puts together an amazing Easter egg hunt for all the grandkids every year. This year she outdid herself and spoiled them rotten! They left her house looking like it was Christmas! They played in the backyard and had so much fun together. He is a picture of all of them right before the hunt!

This Easter was extra special because it was also my mom's birthday! We found the stats for having Easter this early in the year and it was something like - it hasn't been this early for 90 years and wont be this early again for another 200 years. So it was kind of cool for her. Doesn't she look beautiful!

Don't let their sweet faces fool you. When they get together they are Trouble! It is so great for me to see them all together, I love it. They are the cutest girls. Macie just turned 3, H is 3 in May and Olivia is 3 in December. They are going to love each other forever!

Our dipped strawberries and bunny cupcakes!

S class at school raised steelhead to release back into the river. Here she is with her "fish" right before she let it go. The best thing was a couple of days later when she told me she missed the fish in her classroom. I asked her why she missed them and she told me she missed her favorite fish - it had a "scrunched face and it used to stare at me" she said. Then she told me she was lucky because she got to release her favorite one into the river. O.K., did you see that fish in her cup? There were a hundred of them in a bucket and the teachers were passing them out! I am so glad she got her favorite with the scrunched face!

S had a sleep over for her birthday. She invited just a couple of friends and they came with their "American girl" dolls to play. I thought they would want to do a couple of cool activities I planned, but this is what they looked like the entire night. My sister bought her the game Mall Madness for her birthday and it was a huge hit! They played it over and over the whole night. Thanks Angie, love you!

Here they are in the morning with their dolls!

S decided she didn't want any cake for her birthday, but she wanted a "huge creampuff" instead!

This is Pete's new toy, he is so happy. I can't remember seeing him as happy as he was when he drove it home. He is a huge car guy, so I am glad he finally got a fun one. It is much better to drive than the 2 minivans we have in the garage - so not cool. Now at least we can pretend to be young and cool! I think he looks pretty hot in it!

T is our Guitar Hero! He really rocks, he just made it to medium level!

He cracks me up when he plays, he tries to hot-dog and dance at the same time!

Happy Birthday Miss S!

2008-03-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

I can't believe she is 9 today. She is such a great girl and I am so proud to be her mom. She is sweet, thoughtful, smart, funny and talented. She has the best heart and a really strong spirit! She is a beautiful little girl inside and out! We love her so much.

Tag #2

2008-03-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

My friend Rebecca tagged me so long ago for this fun idea. I think this is great, here it is...

Whenever Oprah does her ‘Favorite Things’ show, I am always curious about the things she chooses and why. The best part of her ‘Favorite Things’ show is that she shares them with others! Well, the other day I thought to myself, “I don’t have to be Oprah to have ‘Favorite Things’. I started to think about the day to day things that I have or use that bring me some form of enjoyment. I thought it would be interesting to find out the ‘Favorite Things’ of my friends and family too. So here it goes…If money were not an issue and you wanted to load up a basket of your most ‘Favorite Things’ and give it to your friends, what would you choose and why? During your day to day life, are there things that you use each day that make you smile or feel good? Is there something that you look forward to everyday? It can be something simple, like the type of pen you use or something big like the type of car you drive. I will list my ‘Things’ and then I will tag a few of you to do the same thing. Here they are in no particular order...

1. Victoria Secret Vanilla Lace lotion - I love this lotion. I have been wearing it since I was a senior in high school. I never get tired of it and it makes me feel good.

2. My Nikkon D80 SLR camera - I LOVE this camera. I cant imagine not having it. I drag it around everywhere and love to play with it. It is my hobby and my obsession.

3. My Macbook Pro - it goes hand in hand with my camera. What can I say, Pete spoiled me! He has figured out I am happy when I have an outlet, and I love my new computer. It has great programs that work with my pictures and I can take it anywhere!

4. Oil of Olay Complete lotion with 30spf - I use this everyday! I started using this years ago and I love it. It has Zinc Oxide, which is the most important ingredient in sunscreen (according to my dermatologist!)

5. Invisible Glass cleaner - well, it can be any foamy aerosol glass cleaner. They are amazing! They make anything look nice. I am constantly using it on everything - windows, mirrors, fixtures, and it makes my tile counters look so good!

6. My elliptical machine - I am always swearing by this machine. I LOVE it! I hate to run, so this works great for me. The trick is Interval training!

7. I.N.C. clothing line - If I could go on a shopping spree, it would definitely be in this department at Macy's. I love the way the clothes look and the way they fit. It is totally my style.

8. Bare essentials mineral makeup - I have never been a real makeup girl (except lipstick, I love lipstick!). I like it, I just have never learned the correct way to use it. But this year, maybe because of my rising age, I felt the need for a little foundation. My sister-in-law told me about this mineral makeup and I love it. Not too much, but it makes you feel great!

9. Crystal lite - YUM! I have always loved water, but now I love it even more! You can get it in big packs at Costco!

Those are some of my favs... now its time for Nikki, Heidi, Lisa and Raimi to tell me theirs!

cement slides

2008-02-23T18:13:00.001-08:00

Tag #1

2008-02-23T16:05:00.000-08:00

I got tagged 2 times this week! The first one was from my sister-in-law Nikki. The rules are to answer the questions, tag 5 more people and leave them a post asking them to do it too! So, here it goes...

1. What was I doing 10 years ago? It is crazy, that seems like a lifetime ago. I was a newlywed, finishing my degree in broadcasting at BYU and getting ready to go work for the summer in Los Angeles with Pete. It was a really fun time. We were living in a little duplex across the street from the hospital in Provo & we loved it! We had a great married ward and met some awesome people (right, Becca!)

2. 5 things on my to-do list today? Today is Saturday, so it is my slower day! I need to clean the house (in case a realtor comes through) - get T ready for his basketball game - pack up the kids things ( they are going to spend the night at grandma and grandpa's tomorrow) - make dinner - pack myself ( we are going away for a night!).

3. What snacks do I enjoy? O.k. anyone who knows me understands how hard this question is for me. It is like asking me to pick a favorite song - totally impossible. I love food! If I could indulge myself and have whatever I liked the list would go on forever. I love good bread, my chocolate cake, chips and salsa, popcorn, fudge pops, french fries, a good sub sandwich, any mexican dish .....

4. What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire? Buy a home we could live in forever, invest in real estate in my favorite places, divy out to family, and make our "job" doing service all over the world - that would be amazing!!

5. 3 bad habits? I stay up way too late, I am not very good at getting back to people by email and forget to check somedays, and I procrastinate.

6. 5 places I've lived? Roseville, Ca - Gaithersburg, Md - Provo, Ut - Santa Clara, Ca - Woodland Hills, Ca -

7. 5 jobs I've had? C'est Bon European Bakery - Rocklin Dental Center - Hewlett Packard - KBYU TV - Eclipse Marketing

8. 5 things people dont know about me? I put sunscreen on my face everyday, my mom taught me that! - I actually have quite a bit of gray hair starting to come in. I haven't dyed or plucked yet - except the crazy ones right in my part! - People think this is gross, but it is sooo good. I like to eat Ruffles with vanilla ice cream, another thing my mom taught me. - I HAVE to have the car full of food when I go on a roadtrip. My parents always packed tons for us when we went somewhere, so now when I am in the car for too long I want to snack! - Everyone always thinks that since I take about a thousand pics a month that I am a huge scrapbooker. The truth is, I haven't scrapbooked in about 8 years. I dont have the time, place or patience and I always end up not liking what I did. I am more of a digital scrapper. - **Bonus** I actually got a little excited when the rumors about NKOTB reuniting came out. Huge fan!

O.K. My turn to tag, I pick Stephanie T., Stephanie J., Becca, Julianne and Laurie. Love you guys!

Becca, I am working on yours next!!!

My date with H

2008-02-05T22:18:00.000-08:00

I am finally feeling a little better - last week was been a bad one in our house. Pete and I got whatever has been going around. I actually lost my voice for 2 days, it was so weird! My kids thought it was great, they kept asking me to scream as loud as I could because no sound would come out. I'm sure they enjoyed their little break from having to listen to me!

By the end of the week, I was ready to get out of the house. Luckily, I have a little girl who LOVES to do anything away from home. She cracks me up, everyday when we are getting dressed she asks me where we are going today. She loves to go to the store, to eat, to take a walk, anywhere! So, we took off on Friday and took a walk around the "downtown" area. We had so much fun, she is a great date. We had to leave early though because a crazy lady was following us around and calling me a mom with a "problem" for taking pictures!

She saw this dress in the window from across the street. When we got to it she stood there and then started singing and twirled like a ballerina!

We stopped at a little bakery and got some heart cookies, with sprinkles! She was happy.

I'm so cool.

2008-02-05T13:15:00.000-08:00

I dont know why, but I am a clutz. Seriously, Pete makes fun of me because I am always hitting my head on things. I think I have a depth perception problem. I can't tell how close things are to my head. I have more stories about me hitting my head on things... the cleaning box at the gas station, the railing on a house boat, cabinets, car doors, and sorry to say many more. I even knocked myself out about a year ago on my van door, luckily I had buckled in the kids already!

Today I was at T's class helping them celebrate the 100th day of school, I went to take a picture of them and the camera strap went right into my eye. His teacher told all the kids to look at us and say thanks right when I was doubled over and had make-up streaming down my face. Only me, I am so cool.

Yesterday I took S to dance and she was doing her warm-ups across the floor when she slipped and face planted in front of everyone. She was embarrassed, but luckily was able to laugh it off. Like mother, like daughter?

1st Tooth!!

2008-02-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

T lost his first tooth tonight! He is so happy - not only to get out the tooth that has been hurting for a while - but he is so excited for the tooth fairy. It was funny, we caught H running away with his tooth and he said "I cant loose it, cause then I wont get money or sparkles." Then he looked at me and told me the sparkles mean "good luck." He is so cute. I wonder if he will get to sleep?

Here he is before the tooth came out. It was soo loose and sticking up so far! I put my finger underneath it and popped it out with one try. He didn't even know it happened until a couple seconds later he couldn't feel it anymore!

And here he is after! Dont you love how we make them smile for the tooth shots. I am always telling him to smile "normal" and then tonight I'm going "dont smile normal, I can't see your tooth, smile with your mouth open!" Poor guy, good thing he is happy tonight and super cute!

My Favorite prophet

2008-01-29T21:42:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite picture of President Hinkley. Doesn't he look great! I am sad he is gone, but so happy for him. I was thinking about the reunion he must have been having in heaven - I am sure it is a real celebration. He is an incredible man. He became prophet while I was at BYU and has been the one my kids have loved. I was talking to Pete and we were remembering one time at BYU when we were able to go and hear him speak. He gave a devotional and it was amazing to be in the room with the prophet, the feelings there were incredible. He was funny too - I remember him joking into the camera because he knew everyone was watching.
There are many things about him I love. I love his sense of humor. I love his work ethic. I love his love for everyone. I love his sweet love for his wife. I love his love of the Savior. I love his ability to answer any question with eloquence. I love the way his family loved him. I love his relationship with others. I love listening to everything he said. I love that he was a cute old man. I love him!

My Tuna...

2008-01-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

I am so proud of S, she had a great and exciting week. Her big news is her part in the school play - she tried out and got the part she wanted - she's a Tuna! Of course, Pete and I have always been very aware of her dramatic abilities. She is so excited and is going to have so much fun, she really loves plays.

I have been thinking a lot about my kids lately and how important it is for our home to be full of encouragement and love. My heart broke a little for S this week. She had some gift certificates to her favorite store( Justice) and was so excited to get some clothes all by herself. She told me all about the shirt she wanted before we went to the store, and was so proud of the shirt and matching earrings she bought with her own money. The night before she wore them, she said "Do you think it is funny I am so excited to wear clothes?" I was so cute and I was so excited for her. She went off to school the next day and looked so stinkin cute! She was so happy. When she came home I asked her how her day went and she told me about how the girls in her class and then some 5th grade girls were talking about her and criticizing her. She was a little deflated & it made me sad.

It wasn't a huge thing, but it really made me think. I tried to tell her how some people criticize others to make themselves feel better and how unfortunately, some girls get jealous and are mean. I tried to tell her how this is a great way to learn about being a good friend, if you can be happy for them when something good happens to them. I wish I had the right answers and knew what to say to her. I am not ready for these things to be happening in 3rd grade! I was telling my mom what happened and she said the best thing. She said home needs to be a loving place because you don't know what they are experiencing and having to deal with all day at school. That really stuck with me. I cant control what my kids deal with at school, but I can do my best to make home a wonderful place. That is the most important thing I can do everyday, and it is my goal.

Here she is in her new shirt & earrings!

Week in Review...

2008-01-20T22:09:00.002-08:00

Another week has flown by. I feel like it is always Sunday night! We had a great week, full of activities and celebrations. Here are pics from some of our week.

H has been wanting to play outside so bad lately, and so we go play in the backyard. She loves to be outside, and these are some of the pics I got while she was having fun in the cold!

We went bowling for FHE this week and had a great time. The kids loved it - and so did Pete. He got his best score ever and actually asked me if I was going to post it on my blog! You can tell by his face how happy he is, he did really good though - we kept playing after the first game and he kept getting strikes - he got 8 in a row. It was fun to watch the kids and their bowling style, I especially love S - she looks like a pro!

S was so happy this week because she got picked to be the Coyote of the month! I am so proud of her and the great little girl she is. She is sweet, kind, funny, smart and a wonderful daughter and sister. She loves her teacher Mrs.Boelens and is enjoying 3rd grade. I am constantly amazed by her. She has become quite a fashionista also - don't you love the belt with the t shirt!

T loves basketball!! He is so happy when it is game time. He is so cute, and he does really good! He had his 2nd game this weekend and got in some good shots. He loves it, especially since dad is the coach. It is so fun to watch him play.

We drove up to Reno on Saturday for my niece Macie's birthday party. She turned 3! H was so excited to go to her house and see her, she loves her so much. They are so cute together. My sister, Angie did a great job with the princess party. She had fun games, activities and tons of amazing food. Happy Birthday Macie, we love you!

Studying...

2008-01-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

I have been studying and trying new things with my camera. There is so much to learn about lighting, exposure and all the intricate camera functions, but I love it. S was my model today - she is getting tired of looking at the camera, but I had fun. Here are some of my pics...

I love the sun today!!

2008-01-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

I can't believe the way it has rained and stormed lately, we are not used to getting extreme weather here! On Friday we had a terrible storm with major winds and lots of rain. We stayed home and watched & listened to the storm beating on the house. At around noon S came down the stairs yelling our names and telling us to come and look out the front window. I went running to see what was going on and saw that our street was completely flooded. The water was past the sidewalks and was creeping up our front yard. We ran outside and our neighbor told us the water had risen about a foot in 10 minutes! The drain in front of our house was actually pushing water up into the street instead of draining. Pete and a bunch of the neighbors went out into the park behind the house and found that the huge drains were grated off and completely full of leaves. They got the leaves out of the way and the water started to drain again, thank goodness. I almost starting hauling things upstairs! The best part was that S had a dream the night before about our house flooding and so when all this was happening, she told me that she knew she had "a vision." She cracks me up.

Here are some of the pictures of our street flooded...

Kids can make anything fun! Check out the lake behind our house, it used to be a soccer field.

Hello Friends!

2008-01-04T20:30:00.000-08:00

I haven't totally forgotten about my blog, even though it looks like it! The last 5 months went from crazy to complete chaos and I am just starting to feel like I can breathe again. I have been waiting for things to get easier, to have more of a schedule or to feel like I am on top of things - but I have finally come to the realization that is never going to happen!

My sister gave me a copy of Sister Beck's talk from general conference in October, and I have loved reading it again. It is an amazing talk and I feel like I can learn so much from it, but I especially like the part where she reminds us to do less. That really struck me! It seems like life is getting busier, the days are going by faster and I am not getting to enjoy them as much. I want to slow things down and do less! I want to spend time teaching, playing and making memories together with my children. Thanks Angie for helping me to find another resolution for this year!

We got to go up to the snow and play the other day, it was great! The kids had a blast. It is so funny because I have realized lately that kids (at least mine) dont care if they are hot or cold, as long as they are having fun. I was freezing after a couple hours and they were just as wet as me, but they didn't care. They loved sledding, throwing snowballs and H especially loved eating the snow! She started eating it the minute she got out of the van and didn't stop until we put her back in. Seriously, her glove was frozen stiff because she had gotten it so wet sucking on it, good thing I brought 3 pairs for her! My parents and sister's family met us up there and we all took turns going down the hills - even my mom! I was thinking about posting the video of her going down the hill, but I thought she might get mad...so here are some fun pics from our snow day -

Thanks for your quick responses and your patience with me! I am shocked you guys still check in with me after so long. I am so blessed to have such great friends!

2007-09-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

I love this picture! The kids had soccer pictures this weekend and I got one of them together, I love the freckles on their noses.
Everyone always tells me how my kids all look alike, but I have a hard time seeing it. I see it in this picture. I am a little biased, but they are so cute!

JT concert

2007-09-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

I officially have the best husband around! He came home from work last Friday and told me he had a surprise for me. He handed me an envelope with a beautiful card and 2 tickets to the Justin Timberlake concert! He bought them for me and my sister, so we could have a fun night together. So we went last night and it was SOOO much fun.

I have been to a lot of concerts, but this was the best one I have ever seen. WOW, he was amazing! Angie and I snuck down to the lower level and got the best seats in the whole arena, seriously they were the best! We were probably about 150 feet from the stage, we could see him so well. It was funny because all the seats around us filled up and we thought we were going to have to go back to our seats, but no one ever came and we got to stay for the whole concert. Timbaland was there too and came out for a couple of songs and did some cool things. But JT really amazed me with how talented he is - he sang, danced and played the piano & guitar. I loved it the entire time and it was great to be there with my sister. She is the ultimate JT fan, ever since she was 14, so it was fun to go with her. I have to admit, I loved his music before yesterday, but I am a huge fan now too! Thanks Pete for giving us such a great night!!

2 of the best concerts in 2 weeks, how lucky am I!!

Here are some of the video clips I took. The camera actually makes them look further away than they were! Sorry about the shake - it was hard not to move.

Def Leppard Concert!

2007-09-16T23:17:00.001-07:00

Friday night we went to the Def Leppard concert with some friends, it was sooo much fun. I love Def Leppard, it was my third time seeing them in concert. My first time was when I was a Junior in high school, my aunt took me and a friend to see their Adrenalize concert and I was hooked. I love their music. This time they played at an outdoor ampitheater so we were able to sit outside and enjoy the night. It was great! There were so many people there - I have never seen so many at a concert - it was a sea of heads, all dancing! It was a perfect night - great friends, weather & music - minus the questionable fumes passing by every so often! I cant wait to see them again next year!

Here is a little clip from my camera at the concert, it is one of my favorite Def Leppard songs!