Utah!!!

We have a tradition that when our kids turn 12 they get to go up to Utah for General Conference - it just so happens that Jamie's birthday was actually ON Conference this year - Lucky! So, we flew up Friday morning and enjoyed the sites in Salt Lake:

View from the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

South side of the Temple

Standing by the handcart that Grandpa Allan made and donated to the Church History Museum (we think, it doesn't have a sign anymore, but it looked like his)

By the Christus in the North Visitor Center

Inside the Conference Center!

Outside the Conference Center waiting for my brother to bring us lunch :)

This was where we stopped to finish our lunch before the second session on Saturday. It was so pretty, and Jamie thought we should get a picture. Sorry, the pictures aren't the greatest - all I took was my cell-phone. We had SO much fun and it was fun to visit with my brother and his family. Really fun tradition!!!

Happy Birthday, Jamie!

Happy Birthday, Jamie!!!

She's 12!!!!!!!!!!!! She actually got to open her presents a day early because one of them was a gift card to Deseret Book that she could use in Utah........more to come. I think her only request was the Just Dance 2 Wii game.

This is what the kids made for her when we got back - on her actual birthday.

We're so excited for you to be in Young Women's!!! Although, your parents are having a hard time believing we have 3 in mutual now!

Another one?

Kelcie came home from school today laughing about her other tooth feeling so loose and her teacher teasing her that "what if you lost that one today?" Well, withing 10 minutes, she lost her second tooth! Crazy that they both came out within like 24 hours! She's loving it!

It feels so cool and funny that she talks with a little lisp - I let it go for a few days, and then I had to inform her that "s's" use your top teeth, and she still has those! :) She looks SO CUTE!

Family Birthdays

We usually celebrate birthdays with my family on Sunday evenings, and since this Sunday was right between Talin and Jamie's birthdays, they celebrated together!

The cake!

When the grandkids turn 12, my parents give them a tent - Jamie has been waiting and excited for years!!! Of course, she set it up right away!

This was where we found her later than night reading a book :)

Happy Birthday, Talin and Jamie - to come........

Kelcie's tooth!

So, Kelcie is almost seven and hasn't even had loose teeth yet, which is normal for some, but late for our family! Well, a few weeks ago they were actually started to get a little loose if you tried hard. Yesterday morning, she woke up and came down saying her tooth felt funny and was really loose. Sure enough, it was REALLY LOOSE overnight!!! Strange! And, true to our family, the new one was growing in behind it. Today, at church, she showed me it was about to fall out! I asked her - please wait til we get home so you don't lose it! So, after church, she tried for a minute and then asked me to pull it out - it was very ready! So, she finally lost her first tooth - one VERY excited little girl!!! And, I think the one next to it will be in a few days!

Talin's birthday party

So, we had a little birthday party for Talin yesterday. Sorry, there's lots of pictures, but I wanted to show all the things we did!

These are the cute little candy tractors we made for the party favors - I saw them on the internet like 2 years ago and have been wanting to do them ever since! Talin LOVES tractors, so it was perfect! Getting ready for the party - they buried him in balloons!

Marble Painting - huge hit!

Uncle Brian's Bounce House filled with balls - so fun!

Playing

Car, Car, Tractor aka duck, duck, goose

Racecar aka follow the leader

OH - they did red light-green light, too - forgot that picture.

Balloon fun - loud music and balloons, what could be better?

Opening presents - they were supposed to be sitting on the blanket!

Cupcakes

Blowing out his candles

Fun presents!

O.k., I had to put this picture in because if you look at Talin in the middle front, this is about how he was feeling the whole party! I was so frustrated with him - mostly because I've done this before with other kids and didn't want to do it with him! I really didn't expect it from him, either - he's so easy going! But, I think too much attention for too long got to him. It's o.k., we made it through and I think everyone had fun - including him!

The cute group making silly faces

Fun party!!! And, this felt like the easiest group of kids we ever did a party with!!! I'm not sure why! Maybe because the backyard is bigger and they could just play without wanting to go inside or want more to do? I don't know - but, it was great! AND, FYI, it's AWESOME having older kids to help out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Driving me.......

O.k., no picture for this.....yet. Erin got her Driver's Permit today - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! She can't possibly be old enough to drive, right? She was determined to get it on the exact day she could - which just so happened to be during her Spring Break, so it worked out. She studied and was so nervous to not pass the test (teasing from friends), but she did great! Now, we have to teach her how to drive! I have to be honest, it's a little scary..........but, she does really well. Faced with that problem of wanting her to have as much experience as she can before she's on her own, and letting her drive! Anyway, wish us luck!

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!