March Madness

If you ever wonder what my two younger kids do while Brook is at school, here is a good idea. Some days they are a little more creative then others. Today they decided to put on their "Masks" and play cops and robbers. I guess I need to invest in some real masks. It is fun to see them play so well together.

Our oldest daughter turned 7 this month. I can't believe how big my kids are getting. Birthdays give me the opportunity to brag about my amazing kids... So here it goes. I absolutely adore Brook! She is such a sweet and sensitive girl. She loves to read, go to school, dance, sing, act and says that when she grows up she is going to be a singer (like Carrie Underwood), act (like Gabriella on High School Musical), dance (like all the girls on Dancing with the Stars) and be a mom (like me). She is so creative and fun to be with. She is so good to her brother and sister, and her brother and sister love her so much. I could not have asked for a more beautiful girl (inside and out). She is my sweetheart.

Brook gets up so early in the morning, but she knew that our family has the tradition to serve the birthday person breakfast in bed. So she stayed in bed as long as she could... but got a little bored, so she decided to go play with her brother and sister. She kept on checking on me and the breakfast. When I finally had breakfast ready, Brook ran up the stairs and hopped back in bed and anxiously waited until we all came up singing happy birthday to her with her food.

She got to open a couple of cards and gifts before school, one of which was from her Grandma Jody who is on her mission... She took the gift card and got herself a Gabriella barbie and the barbie bedroom set. We are now at the end of March, and Brook each night takes Gabriellas shoes off her feet and tucks the Barbie into bed. It is pretty cute.

Brook has decided to forget about the cute decorated birthday cakes... She has taken after her mother and goes for the Strawberry dessert cake. Yummy!

To finish off the month of March, Steve left for a business trip. We all hate to see these trips approaching but are so happy and releaved when he returns home safe. This is Steve and the kids right before his trip... We love you Daddy! Hurry home!

February Fun

This year for Valentine's Day we decided to do something a little different. Our kids (mostly the oldest) is always so excited for every holiday and has come to expect a day full of fun and gifts. We have made a decision to try to eliminate a lot of the extras and just try to make it a simple and fun holiday. So for Valentine's Day, I decided to send the kids on a scavenger hunt around the house. There were several clues that would lead them to different spots but before they could get their next clue they would have to give each other hugs or say something nice about each other, or in the picture below they were to hold hands to the next destination.... Valentine's is all about love... right!

They all had a blast finding all the clues. One of their favorites was running out to the mailbox to find a letter for them... They love getting their own mail.

At the end of the hunt, there was a poem and a box of donuts for them. I really think that they all had a great day and it turned out to be inexpensive, yet so much fun for them. We had a great day!

January Memories

This day was full of mixed emotions as we said our goodbyes to Mom and Grandma as she flew out to St. Louis, Missouri to serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We are so proud of her and love getting her letters. She has been gone only for a few months, but has already touched the lives of so many people. We love you Grandma... keep up the good work.

Merry Christmas!

We will for sure have our white Christmas this year! We went to bed last night as the snow begin falling.... we woke up to the snow STILL falling and by 4:oo pm we had 11 inches of snow! Steve was outside shoveling our driveway for 4 hours (Thanks babe!) and finally gave up because there was just nowhere else to pile the snow. I should have taken a picture of the piles of snow. Our kids were so excited to get out there and play. They could care less that it was freezing cold and that they are already sick with coughs.

Brook and Brin getting in some sister bonding time. Steve had covered Brooklynn's legs up with snow and made her a snow pillow to lay her head on. She was having a blast!

Steve tried making Braden a bed of his own... but he wanted nothing to do with it. When I brought him in, his boot was full of snow.

Our little Brinley absolutely dreads getting near Santa. She has always been like this. Every picture we have of her and Santa she is crying or clinging on to someone for dear life. This year, she didn't even want Santa to bring her anything because she is so afraid. But every year, despite her fear Steve and I force her to do the unthinkable.

Braden was really cute this year with his Santa list. He also didn't want anything from Santa, not because he was afraid, he just didn't want anything. At pre-school, his teacher had all the kids make a card to Santa. She helped them write what they wanted. Braden's letter says "I just want to give you a card. Merry Christmas Santa!"

Brooklynn LOVES Santa! This year Santa sent our kids a special letter in the mail. I watched Brook walk out to the mailbox to discover the letter. She was so excited! Her jazz hands were flying in every directions. She didn't know what to do with herself.

We hope you all have a Merry Christmas. We are so thankful for this time of year as we have the opportunity to remember the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving in Idaho

This year our family made the trip up to Idaho for Thanksgiving Weekend. It was so much fun to be around all the family. Steve's sister Jana and her family came up from AZ, along with Grandma Jody. Steve's brothers; Bill, Brian and Joe live in Idaho so we were only missing John and his family. We had a blast going to movies, going out to eat, making several trips to the grocery stores, playing games and just watching the kids play with each other.

To make the weekend even better, Bill and Jeanna were sealed in the temple to their adopted son Trent (and of course, my daughter throws-up that morning so I get to stay home with her and miss this great event). We are so happy for them and excited to have Trent as a nephew and cousin.

Who goes swimming in Idaho during Thanksgiving? Oh well, the kids had a blast! And thanks Steph for thinking that there was even a remote possibility of me fitting into one of your size 0 bathing suits.

The kids spent countless hours playing games with each other. Thank you to the cousins for helping my kids have a fun trip.

This picture was taken BEFORE Thanksgiving dinner... Whats that all about?

Thank you to Brian and Angie for letting us come spend Thanksgiving with you and your family. We love you!

What have I done?

Rules are: Anything you have done has to be in bold. How much have you done?
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a Mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Tied a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (is a fish an animal?)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy

Our Crazy Lives!

A month can fly by so fast! Seriously, I swear it has not been that long since I last posted anything. Well, I have a lot of catching up to do... so here it goes!

We celebrated Brin's third birthday. She is getting so big! I really can't believe my baby is 3! We never have a dull moment with this kid. I'm telling you she has more curiosity, crazy ideas and funny sayings than any other child I know.

The other day, Steve told Brinley that if she started wiping her own bottom that we would take the family to Disneyland. Well, Brinley has not forgotten, infact, she lets everyone know how awesome she is. Someone rang our doorbell the other day and Brinley stood at the top of the stairs and yelled down to the person at the door "hey guess what, I wiped my own bum!" She was so proud... All I can say is Daddy better fulfill his part of the bargain.

Another new event is that we decided to put our house up for-sale! It has not been a fun process. I am not one for surprise visits and so luckily we sold our home pretty quick. Only about 50 days of being on the market we got an offer and we decided to take it. Both Steve and I are sad about this move. We are really going to miss our ward and neighbors, but we know that this is the right decision. Luckily, we found a home to rent in the neighborhood for the next little while until we can decide where our next move will be.... (this is still in debate:))

Lastly, to my dismay, Utah has already seen its first snowfall. My kids were in Heaven! They have so much fun playing... or I should say, eating the snow. I love sitting in my warm cozy home where I can peek out the window at my kids playing in the snow. They are so entertaining. It brings back so many good memories of me and my siblings spending our days out in the snow.

Thanks for not giving up on me. I will hopefully blog again soon!