Finally! Thanksgiving in Arizona

I'm asking Santa for a new and imroved camera this year! Mine was having problems so I wasn't able to upload my photos in a timely matter.

Every other year we go to Arizona for Thanksgiving to visit Matt's family and friends. I love this visit because not only does he have a great and huge family but I love his friends and we always all get together and laugh and talk. This year we did it without 50 kids running around so we got to visit a little longer without the usual interruptions.

Okay, I also love the weather this time of year in AZ. We wore shorts and t-shirts, played in the water, visited a favorite lake and ate too much! Here are some photos, finally.

At Saguaro Lake - notice the cactus in the background. Ilove it!

We stopped and skipped lots and lots of rocks. Matt won but I was a close second!

The kids loved running and dodging these mini fountains that spurted randomly at a local outdoor mall.

This ginormous Christmas tree was a great photo opp!

Timpview Takes State!!!

YES!! Nicholas' team took the State championships just before Thanksgiving break and it was soo exciting! We played Cottonwood High. The score was . It was truly a great game to watch. They all looked so seasoned out there. I felt like I was at a pro game.

I stood up the entire time because I wanted to be by the students and cheer! Students kept looking back to see who the loud mouth was and I just smiled. Matt was glad to sit a row behind me :). I cheered, jumped up and down, and froze trying to keep warm - I must have burned several hundred calories!! Yeah for our local high school. They deserve our applause!

Tee awesome photos I took are corrupted (whatever that means). I'm so sad :(

Ahhh, Tuesdays . . .

Tuesday is just about my favorite morning of the week. Why? It's the only day I have somewhat open. Monday - vaccuum, and clean bathrooms, then gym to teach and work from home. Wednesday - laundry, mop floors and dust, gym to teach then work from home. Thursday - Walmart (groceries), do preschool with kids, work from home. Friday - gym (for fun), work from home. Saturday - work from home (most of morning). Of course, there's all the in between stuff, like stimulating your children physically, mentally, spiriutally, and socially. Obviously, I feel great comfort in structure, but I also love my no plans Tuesdays!

This moring, after feeding the kids, kissing Matt goodbye, paying bills, and getting dinner in the crockpot, I started on a soup I love for lunch to avoid the whole meal rush at lunchtime - Yes, three meals down and it was only 8:30. After that, Aidan and I made gingerbread men cookies while listening to Christmas music. I love Christmas music and the feeling it fills our house with. It was so peaceful, meditating (I love to cook/bake) and fun. Ella chose to draw instead as she is in love with our nativity scene constantly playing with it. She was all set to draw every character. I think I'll frame this one. I treasure my Tuesdays. I treasure mornings with no plans - who knows what peace and fun they can bring.

Photos to come

Kids Say the Funniest Things

I would love to write a book someday about all the cute, funny, embarassing things kids say. For now, I have them written in my kids' journals but I wanted to share a few:

Saturday morning, Aidan came into bed with us (as Ella and Aidan do every morning) and had this 3D magnetic cow puzzle he was playing with. After putting it together, he had it under the covers. Ella asked, "Aidan, what did you do with the cow?" Aidan replied, I hid it under a bushel." Matt and I couldn't stop laughing. I guess scripture reading does leave some impressions!

Nicholas - age 2 1/2 eating yogurt
N - Mmmm. Mommy, what kind of yogurt is this?
M - It's boysenberry.
N - (after quite a pause) Oooh! I wonder what girlsenberry flavor tastes like!

Ella - age 3
Matt - C'mon, Honey, we have to put on your socks and shoes. It's too cold for bare feet.
Ella (puzzled) - Daddy, why do you call my feet bear feet?

Aidan - age 2
Me - (in a hurry to get out the door) Aidan, we need to change your diaper. Hurry.
A - But, Mommy, I dont' want you to say 'yucky.'
M - Okay. Sorry. I won't
A - But, I don't want you to say 'gross' either.

I felt so bad. Poopy diapers at 2 1/2 were not pleasant, obviously!

Today, after family prayer, Aidan was too active to stop and give me a kiss. I made a really big sad face. Aidan said, "Mommy, stop doing that." Ella added, "You look like a troll!"

Below is why I love and insist that Aidan and Ella share a room. Here's a short conversation between. They didn't know Matt and I were still inside the room when we turned off the lights:

E - Aidan, are you filled with the spirit of God?
A - Yeah.
E - Me, too.
A - Touch me not.

Oh the laughs we have at our house thanks to our children!

Timpview Goes to State! And Nicholas' First Date!

Yeah! So, Nicholas' football team won the state semi-finals at Rice Eccles on Friday and is going to the State Championship this Friday against Cottonwood! So, if any of you saw my son at church today or around, you may have noticed his noticeable, stylish haircut. He's not going through a phase (I hope not). It's tradition at Timpview for the players to get their hair cut or styled somewhat radically if/when they go to State. Nicholas and a friend decided to go with mohawks with lightening bolts on the side. I thought I would put it up since it may be the only time he ever has his hair like this (until next season, hopefully!)

Nicholas turned 16 in March but his first date was just a week ago. A girl asked him out! Actually, Renee is a girl from our old ward and a great friend! This is what Nicholas usually looks like. Whew!

Another angle for posterity!

By the way, it was freezing!! We bundled up like crazy, drank hot chocolate, jumped up and down like cheerleaders and managed through the game. My voice is hoarse from yelling so loud. Matt got a little embarassed. I can't help it. It's the cheerleader still in me.

Aidan has found a new toy (this helmet). He puts it on all the time. He is so adoring of his big brother. It's always, "Ni-Nis" (Nicholas) this or Ni-Nis that, football this, football that. It's so cute to see him get down in defensive back position and then asks, "Mommy, will say 'hike'

to me?"

I grew with brothers and a dad who were all sports fanatics so it's fun to "re-live" this with my kids!

One Word

You can only type ONE Word! Not as easy as you might think. Change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Where is your significant other? kids
3. Your hair? ponytail
4. Your mother? sacrificing
5. Your father? romantic
6. Your favorite thing? pump
7. Your dream last night? lots
8. Your favorite drink? water
9. Your dream/goal? Italy
10. The room you're in? dining
11. Your hobby? children
12. Your fear? health
13.Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? quiet
16. Muffins? NO
17. One of your wish list items? sleep
18. Where you grew up? California
19. The last thing you did? kissed
20. What are you wearing? sweats
21. Your TV? samsung
22. Your pets? two
23. Your computer? hp
24. Your life? beautiful
25. Your mood? tired
26. Missing someone? mom
27. Your car? honda
28. Something you're not wearing? watch
29. Favorite store? busy biddy
30. Your summer? short
31. Like someone? yes
32. Your favorite color? pink
33. When is the last time you laughed? seconds
34. Who will retake this? who?

Halloween, finally

I realize these pictures are late and I wasn't going to post them but I couldn't help it. They'll never be this age again for Halloween! I love Halloween! Now, on to the next holiday. . . !

Sleep Deprivation

I should be posting our pumpkin carving in our family or my kids' Halloween costumes maybe later; . . . I thought this was comical.

Okay, so most of you know that I have a hard time sleeping. Some nights are really bad and lately I have been pretty decent. The night before last, I think I finally fell asleep at 2:30 am and only woke up twice (to go to the bathroom, check on the kids). I woke up with the kids at 7 am.

Anyway, I went to Old Navy today to return something and as I was approaching the entrance door with kids and bag in one hand and purse and keys in the other, I found myself clicking my "Unlock" button on my keys to my car to open the doors to Old Navy! I kept thinking - why isn't it opening??

I'm going to bed early tonight - yeah, right! Happy Halloween! :)

Go Thunderbirds!

Okay, so Nicholas' football games are always a blast as I grew up with brothers and a dad who bascially checked out during football season so I fully appreciate the game. Last Friday, both JV and Varsity Timpview teams won and finished the season 9-0. Here we are after the varsity game on Friday. Nicholas is JV but also plays varsity and ended the game against Provo High by sacking the quarterback! It was quite exciting. The score was 51 - 7.

We now go to the play offs. We took State last year. We play West this Friday. Go T-Birds!

Sea Creatures

I have been meaning to take the kids to the aquarium for a while now so we finally did it this past Saturday. My absolute favorite was the octopus. He was quite phenomenal up close but I couldn't help feel sorry for the litte space he had to swim in. Touching the manta rays was also fun. The jelly fish were so pretty.



This made me think of home - California. Near my home town (in Monterey) there's this amazing aquarium with the most beautiful jelly fish exhibit. The next time we visit, I'm definitely taking the family here.

This Weekend

Okay, I admit. I haven't been to a BYU game in years and I have missed out. We bought tickets this season and Nicholas and I went on Saturday. I was absolutely not going to be cold. So here I am completely layered. Before posting this, I said to Nicholas, "I'm not going to post this, I look fat." Nicholas replied with a chuckle - half kidding - half agreeing - "Uh, yeah." Oh well, here I am with one of my best friends, my son! I can always count on him to be honest with me!

ELLA LOST HER FIRST TOOTH!! AAGH!

So when we got home, Ella showed me her first lost tooth. I was actually kind of sad. Silly, I know.

Little White Lie & Honesty?

Okay, so my little Aidan has such a vibrant personality. It took him a while to talk but boy did he make up for it soon after he started. He is quite articulate and doesn't hold back sharing anything he feels. Anyway, today he came upstairs after eating breakfast (I was getting dressed; Matt makes breakfast every morning for the kids) and his hands were wet from washing them. Here's the conversation: Me- Aidan, you're supposed to dry your hands after you wash them. A - I did! Me - How come they're wet? A - I dried them but the water didn't come off." LOL.

Later today, Aidan and Ella were both in time out because they both hit each other (seriously, this is a first). After I spoke to both and let them out, Aidan said with a big SAD face, "Mommy, I said a prayer in time out that you wouldn't ever put me in time out again. I don't like it when you put me in time out. It's not nice." LOL

St. George Marathon - Sat. Oct. 4, 2008

Matt ran his 6th marathon this weekend! I was so proud of him. Needless to say, it rained the entire marathon and we were not prepared. Although the kids are smiling (being super great sports!), they were freezing after sitting under umbrellas for 1 hour 30 minutes. Shoot! My pic of Matt crossing the finish line didn't make it!