Talin's 4!!!!

Today was Talin's 4th Birthday!!!! I can't believe he's four, and yet he's been four in my mind for months now.

He had a good birthday! He got a Penguin Pillow Pet (he specifically asked for), an RC car (he specifically asked for), books, and a Mariokart T-shirt.

Talin at 4:

Favorite color: Green

Favorite food: Spagettios!

Favorite toys: cars, trucks, tractors, trains

Favorite movies: Cars, Wall-E

Favorite shows: Go Diego Go!, Umi-Zumi, Bubble-Guppies

Youth Conference

Soooooo.......Our Stake had a Youth Conference this weekend. Last Sunday, they got a "mission call" and then they met on Thursday night with their different "missions". Erin was in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Mission. Well, Friday afternoon, they had some fun and then went to play in the mud..........really.

I don't know if they had any fun......... Saturday afternoon, they learned how to teach as missionaries and got to go teach a couple families. Then, they ended Sunday afternoon with a Testimony Meeting and a dinner to break their missionary fast. I'm sure there was A LOT more to it, but that's what I can remember. The Stake did such a wonderful job - I can't imagine all the work that went into it! And, it was really fun that Lafe just happens to be in Young Men's so he was able to be there with Erin.

Spring Break!!!

Spring Break was filled with a little Spring Cleaning - at least we got the bedrooms done. Lafe took off the end of the week, so we had a little fun.
On Thursday, we went to the Science Museum - we've wanted to get a membership there for about 11 years -no joke - so we finally did it!!! We had a great time. Sorry, the only picture is on Lafe's phone - hopefully I'll still get it on here :)
On Friday, we went to the ZOO!!! Lafe's sister had a pass to get us all in - yeah!!! It was great weather and really fun.

Ethan, Jamie, Laura, Erin

Kelcie, Helen, Talin

Jamie

Helen, Kelcie

Laura

Some of our favorites:

Koalas - they leave next week and we LOVED being able to see them!!!
Jaguar - I love big kitties - I just want to snuggle up next to them and take a nap!
Galapagos Turtles - we got feeding time!
This little bunny was so tiny - you can't tell because of the zoom - and was living with the turtles. Laura fell in love.....
Squirrel Monkies are always a favorite - you get to walk in among them and they're so tiny jumping everywhere.

The rest of Spring Break was filled with Youth Conference........more to come.......

Spring is coming

Spring must be coming because the lawn mower is back! Talin's most FAVORITE thing is helping Dad mow the grass! Welcome Spring!

Talin funnies

Just had to get these written down:



Yesterday, Talin comes to me and says, "I know how to spell 'piggy bank' " (keep in mind that he only turns 4 in a couple weeks) So, I ask him how, and he says, "USAA". I start laughing because that's a magazine that had come in the mail and Erin said there's a picture of a piggy bank on the front! So, we had him showing everyone all night how to spell "piggy bank". But, we are totally amazed at how many letters this kid knows - and we're NOT teaching him! He's picking it up - probably from his cousin, TV, and computer games, but hey.....he's learning them!



Today, I'm waiting to pick up Erin from school and Talin says, " Mom, that girl is really pretty." So, I look up and, yes, she's pretty, but I don't think much of it. Then, we move to another spot because Erin went to talk to a teacher, and he says, "Mom, that girl is really pretty, too! .......... I love her." So, I laugh, and thinking I'm using a teaching moment, say "but, you don't even know her". To which he says, "but she's the cutest one there!" AH - and he said something else that I wanted to be sure to remember, but I can't. I was dying laughing - trying not to laugh too hard or he'd stop and be embarrassed, but it was so funny!

Sunset

Just had to add this incredible sunset last night - the picture doesn't show nearly how beautiful is was!!!

Get a Life, Ethan!

We've had a great time telling Ethan to "Get a Life"! He actually earned his Life in Scouting in December, but he finally got it at the last Court of Honor. So, now we're so glad he finally "got a life!"

Ethan, annoyed at his sister for taking his picture...

Getting his merit badges

Pinning the pin on Dad - Mom was at Jamie's orchestra concert.

My good-lookin' scout!

So, now he just has a few merit badges and the Eagle Project left. He has a great idea and we're trying to get the ball moving. His goal is to get his Eagle around his 14th birthday in June - that's coming up!!! Either way, I think he's done great and we're really proud of him in his scouting!

Mom's Birthday

Monday was my __th Birthday, and I think we celebrated ALL weekend!!! Friday night, my parents took Lafe and I out to dinner (Garcia's, yum!). Sunday night we were supposed to be getting together with my family for my birthday - very normal, do it every birthday - but, my kids had something else in mind. Now, let me preface this with the fact that I have been HORRIFIED of surprise parties my entire life! HORRIFIED!!! My kids decided that I needed a surprise party, so they invited all of Lafe's family, too, and then my friends that I Visit Teach and my Visiting Teachers with their families. I had NO idea. In fact, when my mother-in-law showed up, I just figured she was already out here and had come by to visit. Then, my best friend growing up showed up - I immediately knew something was up and instantly declared that my husband was gonna get it!!! I have to admit, it was really fun - I really should have friends over more often! I'm just really bad at being the center of attention.

Yes, that's me eating - it was yummy!

Monday, Lafe and I celebrated! When I was 18, Lafe took me to the Hyatt in Phoenix to eat dessert at the Compass Resaurant (its on top of the hotel and turns a full rotation in 55 min.). So, when I turned 28, we went there again for dinner this time. So, this year (I guess that gives away how old I am) we had decided that we would eat there and stay the night. Well, it was booked completely to a convention. BUT, we made it work! We went there for dinner - WAY YUMMY!!!!!!! and then bid on Priceline and got the Hyatt Place nearby for nearly 1/2 price!!! So, technically we stilled stayed at the Hyatt! (only MUCH cheaper - whew!) Woohoo!!! It was really fun! And, thanks to my kids for being so responsible, they did great while we were gone!!!

School Projects

'Tis the season for School Projects.......

Erin's Science project - She tested the different curdling amounts of different kinds of milk.

Erin's "Tree of Life" - Erin is in Sculpture this semester and absolutely LOVES it!!!

Erin's letters from sculpture - an L wrapped inside a little e for her name. She used broken popsicle sticks (see below) and pencil shavings for her texture.

Erin's Alexander Graham Bell phone for History Project.

Jamie had a History Fair and she picked the Dutch Dikes and Windmills. It's hard to tell, but the green salt-dough is diked up to hold back the blue salt-dough. The windmill is out of jumbo popsicle sticks around a cut tissue box ( hence the broken pieces for Erin's project :) ).

Ethan had a Science Project, too, but the picture is on Lafe's phone - I'll have to get it. They had to built a working machine using 3 simple machines. He built a "Pistachio Pry" - yum! It's always to fun to see what people come up with!

PUPPIES!!!

We finally had puppies!!!!!! It's been three years because we were building the house and selling the other one. Last year we bought a male puppy so we could have the daddy, too, and he was finally old enough!!! Dixie was almost a full week late, so we were very anxious. She had a rough time with this litter, and we probably won't breed her again. I think she was in labor for 3 days! She had five puppies, but one didn't make it at birth, and then we lost another one 3 days later because she had a cleft palate and probably several other midline defects. That was hard on the kids - she was beautiful and little and the favorite of the girls. One puppy was posterior and we finally helped her deliver that one - and then we weren't sure if she was going to make it - but she finally perked up and is doing great. The last two were born 3 hours apart from the others and each other! That's unusual - usually the most has been 45 minutes before. Anyway - here they are - pudgy and cute!

This is Gray - he's the only Salt and Pepper puppy and he'll probably be a light one.

This is Sara - the one that got stuck, but she's doing great!

This is TJ (Toby Junior) - we think he'll look just like his Dad, Toby.

The litter

This is Gray again - Erin took this picture by putting the camera down in front of it and pushing the button - didn't it turn out cute?

We're excited for them to open their eyes so they have a little more personality and don't freak out as much when we hold them!

100 days of school!

It's been 100 days!!!!! Our school does a fun ceremony for those kids who haven't missed any school since the beginning of the year. This year Kelcie got to be in it!!! (we didn't even realize she hadn't missed school!) It was really fun!

Kelcie holding her balloon before "let-go"
Here they go!

Congratulations, Kelcie!!!

I LOVE projects!!!

I LOVE a good project around the house!!! Over Christmas Break I had HAD IT with the backpack situation at our house! I knew it was too much to ask to have the kids actually take their backpacks upstairs to their rooms every night (silly mom!), so I tried having them put them in the closet under the stairs. That worked when they actually put them there, but created another problem. You see, that's also the closet where the jackets are and where all the media equipment for the TV is - which meant we were stepping on and over backpacks to get a jacket or put on a movie - NOT WORKING!!! So, I bought a board.........had my dad router it (it has to look pretty!)..........painted it to match the trim.........screwed it to studs in the wall (do you know how heavy some of those backpacks are?)...........pur on hooks...........and put their names on it (thanks to my sis-in-law). This was the finished product! AND, as soon as the kids came home, they put their backpacks there and only took in their homework!!! Oh, PLEASE keep that up!!! Even if they don't, now I have a place to say "Go put your backpack away!". Oh, and I hung it in the garage so I don't have to have the clutter inside! Whew!.........THAT WAS FUN!!!!!!!!

Student of the Month

Kelcie was Student of the Month for December!!! I think the theme was something about being helpful. Her teacher wrote: "Kelcie is a very kind young lady. She is a good friend, a hard worker and very helpful. Kelcie is always ready and willing to help out and does it with a smile. I am very lucky to have Kelcie in my class this year." Great Job, Kelcie!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas 2010

Well, Santa found us..........

The Tree - Christmas Morning
The kids - waiting to come down :)

Erin - Epic Mickey

Erin - beanbag (been a request for many years....)

Ethan - cool Erector set RC Car that plays your MP3

Ethan -Ipod Alarm Clock

Jamie - Sewing Machine and Cover

Laura - Pillowpet

Laura - Friendship Bracelet Maker

Kelcie - "American Girl" type doll

Kelcie - CD Player

Talin - Big bike!

Talin - Helicopter

We had a great time just playing and hangin' out with family! Great Christmas!

16 YEARS!!!

16 years!!!

We've been married for 16 years! We celebrated:

Breakfast at Joe's BBQ - yummy scrambles!
Temple
Nap - rare around here!
Pedicures - yes, my husband set it up and went with me and even got one himself!
Texas Roadhouse - Prime Rib - yummy!!!
and Narnia - so good, btw!

Thanks for a wonderful Anniversary Date, Lafe, and an incredible 16 years!!!

FOG

So, we NEVER get fog here, and the other morning it was FOGGY!!!!!! It was so fun! Usually, it will burn off as soon as the sun even touches it, but this time it stuck around and even got worse before it got better! I know - not a very exciting post, but we thought it was SO COOL!!!

Stake Christmas Program

Every year I think it would be neat to be in the Stake Christmas Program in various stakes, but I've always had a baby or something and talked myself out of it. This year, I went for it - and took half my family with me. I was in the choir, Erin was in the orchestra, and Jamie and Laura were in the childrens' choir. It was such a neat program - beautiful music and an incredible message. It was so much fun and so wonderful to sing in a choir again with so much feeling and expression........ and the Spirit. Just an amazing experience that I really can't figure out the words to describe. So glad I did it - and glad my kids did it (sometimes against their will :) ).