Flashback! - Mud Monster!

Justin is scanning all of our old pictures into the computer, and he came across these pictures the other day!  Can you guess who's big black eyes are behind the mud mask?

Yes, it is Adyson!  When I went out in the back yard and found this scene, I asked Alyssa what she was doing and she said "making her"  and I said "making her, what?"  and Alyssa said, in a very excited voice "I am making her a mud monster!"  I can remember when this happened, just like it was yesterday, but I didn't think I had any pictures of my little mud monster!  I am so excited we found these!  It was so funny, and I can remember thinking, how am I ever going to get her clean again??!!  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY AMAZING FRIEND WENDY!

Saturday night we celebrated Wendy's Birthday with a really fun group of friends!  Wendy and Loren, Toni and Hugh, Bryon and Joanna, Molly and Andy, and Justin and I.  We had a great time eating at BJ's (yummy!) and laughing!  By the way you get a free pazookie at BJ's on your Birthday!

Wendy and I knew each other when we were little kids.  We were in the same ward and our parents were really good friends.  When Wendy was 7 her family was in a car accident and her mom and little sister died.  Wendy and her dad lived in our ward for a short time after, and then they moved away.  Then, 6 years ago I joined a charity organization (Golden WHEEL) that my friend Joanna was the president of.  Each time I would go to a meeting I would see this woman and I would find myself staring at her, and she would do the same to me.  I could not figure out why I thought I knew her.  Then about 6 months later, we (all the ladies in the organization) went on a retreat to Park City, Utah for a weekend.  I was rooming with Toni and Joanna, and Toni asked me if I knew Wendy's story.  I said, no, I have been trying to figure out why I feel some sort of connection to her.  Toni then told me about Wendy's mom and sister dying in a car accident when she was 7.  All of the sudden I remembered the whole thing.  I ran down stairs to find Wendy and tell her who I was, and how we knew each other.  When I told her she remembered and we hugged and cried for a long time.  

Wendy later told me that she had been praying for ways to know more about her mom.  It was then that I realized for myself how Heavenly Father works through other people to help us with our trials.  I was able to tell Wendy things that I remember about her mom, and she was also able to talk to some of the women I know, including my mom, that were friends with her mom.  

Wendy is an amazing woman.  She has 5 beautiful children, 2 of which were foster children that she and Loren adopted.  She has had more than her share of trials in her life, and she continues to be one of the strongest people I have ever known.  I love her and want her to know that she is truly one of the great examples I have had in my life.  Thank You!

Mini Racers, More fun than we thought!

The whole family loves these things!  They are so much fun!  They go 10 miles an hour, and adults can even ride them!  

Our kids got these mini racers for Christmas, and they still ride them everyday until the battery needs re-charged!

FINALLY, After 7 years!

Finally, after 7 years of not having a front tooth, Tanner's front tooth is coming in!  It is a little funky looking, and I think it needs some braces on it, but yes there is finally a tooth!

If you don't know, when Tanner was 8 months old he fell out of his crib and knocked the baby tooth out, that had just started to grow in.  So needless to say we have never seen Tanner with 2 front teeth!

This is what happens when you are a SMART BUTT

Yesterday after school Alyssa and Amanda were folding laundry in the other room and I turn to look at them just as Amanda holds up a big baggy pair of Justin's pants and says to Alyssa "Are these your skinny jeans?"  All night, every time I would think about it, I would start laughing again!  I guess when you are a smart butt to your kids they pick up on it and start being one too!  At least it makes for a lot fun laughter in our house!

I love reading on my friends blogs the funny things their little kids say.  I wish I would have had a blog when my kids were little so I could remember all of the funny things they use to say.  They are big now, and the funny things now are usually sarcastic!   It really is fun though to see them grow up, and see how each of them has a different since of humor!

A Suite Time!

At the Golden WHEEL auction a group of us bought a suite for the Phoenix Suns Game last night against Atlanta. It was really fun!  We enjoyed eating (it is crazy how fast you can use up a $750 food credit), visiting, and watching the Suns win the game!  And as an extra bonus I found out last week that my niece Karrah would be dancing in the half time show at the game!  It was a great night!

Christmas Morning- It's Finally Here!

Every year, my parents and Justin's parents come over Christmas morning and watch the kids open their presents and then we have home made Cinnamon rolls for breakfast (I make them every year on Christmas Eve).  I think I will be sad when our kids get too big and they don't want toys anymore!

Santa

I few weeks ago in primary we were having a lesson on faith in our primary class (I, along with a team teacher, teach Addy's class), and the other teacher asked the class if there was anything that they had never seen, but really wanted to see. The first boy said, snow and Disneyland, and then Addy raised her hand and said Santa Clause. She then asked the class how they new that these things really existed.

I know that Addy is the age (she just turned 10) to "have the talk" with, but she was so sweet and innocent when she said that, that I just could not bear the thought of ruining that for her.  She is so sweet and so believing. I just love that about her.   

Christmas Eve Pajamas

We have the tradition of new pajamas every year on Christmas Eve.  We had this tradition when I was growing up, and it had been fun keeping the tradition alive for all of these years!

Alyssa's Favorite Christmas Present!

All of our Christmas pictures were on Justin's camera, and then on his computer.  I didn't know how to transfer them to the family computer that I use.  So, I just got the pictures today.  So now I can post Christmas pictures (2 weeks late)!  Oh well!

Alyssa, asked for Hair Extensions, contacts, and to get her braces off for Christmas!  She is definitely a teenager!  Here she is with her Hair Extensions.  I think she looks great with long hair!  She has tried to grow it long her whole life, and it just does not grow!  She is loving having long hair now! 

Christmas Vacation!

We took complete advantage of our "Christmas Vacation" and took a trip to Utah and enjoyed "The Greatest Snow On Earth"!  We skied 2 days at the BEST SKI RESORT IN THE WORLD - ALTA, and 1 day at Brighton. The trip was great, we had great snow, and can't wait to go again! 

This is our annual picture we take in the giant rocking chair at a gas station in Beaver, Utah.

In line for our first run of the new year!  January 1, 2009!  What a great way to start out the new year. Doing something we all love together, as a family. We tell our kids all of the time "these are the good times"!

Justin with his friend Trever Figgins.  They served together in the Tennessee mission 24 years ago.  Every year when we go to Utah, Trever and some of his kids ski one day with us!  It is always fun to catch up!

Addy taking on the half

pipe at Brighton!

Alyssa and Amanda snowboarded Friday with their cousin Brett who lives in Utah, and 2 friends Kyler and Jessica Figgins, who also live in Utah.  I think both girls decided that they might like skiing better!  After 1 1/2 hours of trying to get down the mountain, they both sat on their board like a sled and slid the rest of the way down!

Fun at the hotel!  The girls wanted to make sure that everyone knew that the snowman they made was a girl!

The snow was incredible! With 13 inches of new snow Saturday morning, we got to make new tracks!

Notice the negative sign in front of the 17.  Yes, it was 17 degrees below zero on our way home!  Burrrrrrrrr!

Flagstaff, on the way home, there was tons of snow!

Happy Birthday Grandpa George!

The day after Christmas is Grandpa George's Birthday.  We had a small party for him.  The cute little dog is Grandma Linda's new favorite thing!  Her name is Khloe, and she is soooo sweet and cute!