Awfully Beautiful

Happy Birthday to Me!

2012-01-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

I love my birthday because it means I get to celebrate with my favorite people!

This year I got to celebrate a lot!

First, we had a family get together at WingNuts. We were suppose to sing karaoke but missed it by a couple of hours. We enjoyed each other's company instead!

I took the day off of work and let the kids take a day off from school. This was what I woke up to... YUM! The boys were quite sure what I liked the most so they made both french toast AND breakfast burrito's!!

We went out to lunch at Archibald's and to the fun candy store at Gardner Village! We had planned to go tubing but the when we got to the hill we found out the rain was causing the snow to be sticky instead of icy, so we couldn't tube down the hill. Instead, we came home, jumped in our PJ's and had a lazy day around the house watching our favorite TV shows!

Next, Conner and I went on a date to see Brian Regan. He is my most favorite funny guy. This isn't the show we saw, but he is just so funny!

The next day, yes... this is a 3 day celebration, my awesome cousins and sisters planned a fun night for all of us. We met and ate dinner at Texas Roadhouse!! It was a great night spent with my favorite people!

Another great birthday celebration!

Basketball

2012-01-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

Zander has been keeping busy with Basketball this year! He is SO SUPER excited to be playing! His team are second and first graders playing against third graders. They are actually pretty good and very fun to watch!

Garrett's team was so good last year, they are also playing up. His team is all 4th graders and they are playing against 5th and 6th graders. They are still killing everyone!

G is so fast it's hard to snap a clear picture of him. He plays point guard and yells out all the plays.

Wrestling

2012-01-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

Conner has taken up a new sport.

Wrestling!

He is fast and strong!!

... and he is a winner! In his first wrestling meet he won it all!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

2012

Conner had a bunch of friends over! They ate lots of food, played lots of games, and had lots of fun!!

Christmas Card 2011

2011-12-31T21:18:00.002-07:00

Check out our awesome year in review!! What a great year it was for us all!!

Good - bye 2011! Here's to a new year in 2012!!

Christmas Hike

2011-12-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful Christmas hike. There is no snow this year so everything was pretty dry and colorful!

It's one of our favorite traditions!

Then we head back to have dinner with Grandma and Grandpa J and open presents!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Santa must have thought the kids were better than I did because they got a ton of great stuff!

Megz got a nice, new flat iron!

Zander got a few new costumes to add to his collection.

Conner got some new cool shoes and a big LuvSac (but no hot girl)!! :)

Stocks got a huge, crazy shooter nerf gun! Watch out!!

What? A Kinect?? Lucky kids!!

We had the family over for a yummy dinner!

We love having everyone over to celebrate!

Merry Christmas 2011!!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa came over with a very large bag of gifts on Christmas Eve! They must love us!

For Christmas we each get a new pair of PJ's. Here we are.... modeling our new attire.

And here we are being our inner selves!

We had a fun Christmas Eve. We each picked something for an awesome dinner. WE WERE STUFFED. We each picked a game and played a bunch together. Then, we watched ELF. After a long fun night the kiddo's settled in for a good nights rest.... anxiously awaiting Santa!

Temple Lights

2011-12-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

I love traditions. Our Temple Lights traditions is one of my favorites.

Riding tracks is all part of the experience!

Next stop.... JB's!

Then we walk around temple square and take in the Christmas spirit! It's beautiful!

Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

Here are our creations from this year's Gingerbread making day...

Good times!

Holiday Decorating

2011-12-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

Aunt Ang invited us over for some delicious soup and she had some fun decorating things for us to do!

There were ornaments, cookies, and gingerbread houses to create!

All the cousin came which made it even more great!

Grandma and Grandpa were there too! They jumped right in and helped us make some fun things!

It's so fun to have everyone's creative juices flowing.

Christmas Concert

2011-12-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

We received a special treat and a perfect way to start the holiday. Megan's choir put on a Christmas concert. It was so great to hear her sing.... she did a great job!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

It was a quiet Thanksgiving for Niel and I. The boys were with their dad in Idaho. We celebrated the best we know how.... with family.

We had dinner with the Jaramillo Family, including Grandma and Grandpa Dean too.

Lots and lots of fun to be had and plenty of good food to eat too!

Awesome Coaches

2011-11-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

Football is over but end of year parties are the final way to end the year. We have so much fun celebrating a wonderful year.

I forgot my camera the night Gar had his team party. Below is is awesome team!!!

Zander loves Coach Edwards. Me too! I don't know how anyone has so much patience for a little team like they had. It was great to spend another year with him as Zander's coach! Zander won the "Hit Man" award. He definitely had a great year!

Coach Templeton and Coach Hancock are were fantastic as usual. Stocks is lucky to have them. We celebrated at Shakey's and had a ton of fun!

This was Conner's last year with the Livingston brothers as his coaches. Conner has played every year with these good men. He has learned so much and we appreciate all their dedication.

And I just had to add this picture. This is me and Conner and our difference in height. Yeah.... I am sad my little boy is turning into a tall, young man.

Christmas Tree

2011-11-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

We decided to put up our tree very early this year. Even before Thanksgiving.

I say.... bring in the Christmas spirit early.... why not?

Terrible Sickness

2011-11-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

I really should have taken a picture of all the sick-ies in our house the past week. Yeah... it last an entire week. Stocks got it first, but it only lasted about 3 days for him. Conner, Garrett, and Zander all ended up missing an entire week of school. It was terrible. They had fevers, chills, headaches, body aches, and yucky noses. They were so sick, they couldn't even play video games... that is seriously how ill they were. I missed a couple days of work to take care of them, Niel took a day off too. We even called Grandpa Dean who came over one day to help us out. Thankfully, Grandpa didn't get sick and the sickness past.... but WOW! Never seen anything that bad and hope we never do again!

A Little Update

2011-11-04T20:19:00.001-06:00

School keeps us plenty busy. Here is what we have been up to...

Conner did his science project nearly all by himself this year. He made a motor and tested magnetic pull. He did a great job!! He received 98% on his project.

Way to go Conner!

Stocky worked long and hard on a model based from a book. Stocks did fabulous and received 100% on the project!

Yeah Stockton!

Gar had to make an Anasazi Indian replica out of natural resources. He used clay, grass, sticks, and rocks to put together his creation. He receive 100% on the project.

Awesome work Gar!

Zander hasn't had any real big project yet this year (thank goodness). Instead, he has been keeping Niel company at BYU basketball games. Don't they look so great in their BYU get-up? Zander's favorite player is Noah Hartsock.

Go BYU!

I wish I were doing something a little more fun. Check out this awesome picture. Ok, so don't look at the terrible hair do... my eye is the problem. I ended up with a terrible eye infection that required a trip to the InstaCare. NOT FUN!

I have had better looking days.

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-31T21:07:00.000-06:00

Another great year in the books!!

Garrett was GMAN for halloween. I have always told him he has super hero powers. He sure looks like a super hero to me.

Grandma Dean made his awesome costume this year. Gar got to design it himself and Grandma put just the right touches on it.

He looked incredible!

Zander made a perfect Joker. Look at that mean face.

Stocks knows just how to be Michael Jackson. He has the moves and everything!

Conner was a Knight. This is a super awesome costume because we are Lonepeak Knights.... everyone loved it!

Here were are..... the "Where's Waldo" group. Check out my awesome manager. Doesn't he just make a perfect Waldo?

All the kids are old enough now to go Trick - or - treating with friends. Niel and I were spent the holiday handing out candy and watching a scary movie. It was a great Halloween!

More FUN!

2011-10-22T15:58:00.000-06:00

Smile! We are just having so much fun!!

This was the secret to our successful Disneyland trip.... FAST PASSES!

We stayed at some pretty fun hotels and even squeezed in a little time for some swimming!

They had a big breakfast buffet as part of the hotel stay. YUM! I broke the waffle machine though. Trust me, it was super embarrassing. I spilled waffle batter all over the place.

I believe the favorite ride for the older kids was Tower of Terror. They went on the ride over and over again. They are the goofy kids on the top left. Conner, Kayla, and Megan on the top back row and Stocks and Carson on the second row!

These orange socks have almost become part of the family. Conner wears them everywhere he goes.

This was one of Garrett's favorite rides. Grizzly rapids. He loved to see how soaked he could get.

We took a break and rode on some of the more simple rides.

Some of our favorite Disney characters.

This was my least favorite ride. It was a gigantic ferris wheel and moved and slide. It freaked me out!

YUM! The pineapple drink was delicious! It's a good thing we didn't try it until the last day at the park. Otherwise, I would have been drinking them all day long!

We rode the bus into the park and back home each night. We were tired by the end of the day.

Our California Adventure was awesome! We had a great time together as a family. It is truly one of the most happiest places on earth!

Our Second Magical Day

2011-10-21T15:36:00.000-06:00

We ran into some friends while at Disneyland. Kinda funny because these were the same people we ran into at Las Vegas last Spring Break. They just have good taste on where they vacation. We watch Kayla and Carson do a special dance performance.

Pluto was the only character we could find to get our picture taken with!

So proud of Stockton. He isn't a big thrill seeker. He was a little unsure about going on the big roller coaster. But once he did....

... he was sure glad he did. We all had a great time on the big roller coaster. It even went upside down!

California Adventure was our favorite place! All the riders on that side of the park were fantastic!

This is a painting. It was pretty cool!

Tired after a long day of fun!

The Happiest Place on Earth

2011-10-20T15:05:00.000-06:00

Disneyland is a magical place!

I couldn't help but snap this picture.

"The Lost Children"

Those were the only frowns we had the entire trip!!

What's vacation without some good food to eat?

We had several Disneyland experts tell us we needed to try the corn dog stand on Main Street. They weren't kidding.... these were the best corn dogs ever! YUM!

Garrett was my driver for the cars adventure. He actually is a pretty great driver. We only crashed once and it was pretty minor.

I remember as a kid going on the tea cups ride. It was a favorite of mine. The kids seemed to enjoy it also. We spent move of our time on the bigger rides, but we did sneak in some of the older Disneyland specials too.

As I was saying.... onto the bigger rides!

Splash Mountain was a favorite of ours.

We also really liked Star Wars. The first time we rode it, Zander was the spy. The second time we rode it, Garrett was the spy. Who knew our little kiddo's were spy rebels.

It was a great first day at Disneyland! The crowds were pretty light and the weather was perfect!

On Our Way To....

2011-10-19T19:47:00.000-06:00

... Disneyland!

For Fall Break this year we decided to take a quick trip to Disneyland. The boys had told me it was child abuse that they hadn't gotten to go yet in their life. HaHa!

The kids saved their money to purchase some fun stuff on the trip. I had to take a picture of this because Stocks was SO proud of himself for saving this much money! I was pretty proud of him too!

We drove the first night to Las Vegas. We stayed at The Sheraton. It had this really large fish tank. It was awesome to look at!!!

We drove the rest of the way to California. We spent the day at the cold beach. The kids said it was warm enough to be in the water. They enjoyed some fun in the ocean boogie boarding and chasing waves.

There were lots of surfers in the area. Fun to watch them ride on some waves.

I thought it was pretty cold, so I chilled out on the shore with Garrett. Him and I played in the sand.

Stocky was born to surf. He loves it!

For dinner was tried this awesome place called Slater's 50/50. It was so yum!! Most of us created our own burgers. We even got to name them.

We all tried some delicous fried pickles!

Conner was the adventurous one. He tried the PB&Jelly-ishous!!! It's a burger with Peanut Butter, Jelly and bacon on it.

Crazy!

Arrow of Light

2011-10-07T19:28:00.000-06:00

Wow Stocks!!! WAY TO GO!

Stockton worked hard and fast to earn his Arrow of Light. He has some really awesome leaders who spent a lot of time and worked around his busy schedule.

Canyon Fun

2011-10-05T19:23:00.000-06:00

Uncle Pat has been sick for a couple of months. To celebrate him feeling better, and to enjoy on last day of good weather, we all decided to go to the Canyon and eat.... we love to eat!

Niel cooked us some yummy hamburgers!

We all hung around and enjoyed each other's company!

Conner Football 2011

2011-10-04T09:37:00.001-06:00

Conner had a awesome football year! He played defensive lineman, linebacker, and running back. Conner is fast and strong. When he has that ball.... there is no stopping him. Conner made several touchdowns this year. One of my favorite things to watch here his incredible fakes. Tal would act like he was giving Conner the ball and I cannot tell you how many times my eyes stayed on him as I was sure he had the football.

Conner was known this year as "Q" and for his bright orange socks!

Lonepeak Livingston made it all the way to the semi-finals.

7-2

Stockton Football 2011

2011-10-03T21:59:00.000-06:00

Another fabulous and exciting year for Stockton. This year he played defense and offense lineman, and a couple of new positions this year, running back and lineman! He is one strong football man! It was so great to watch him try couple new spots this year.

Lonepeak Templeton had a great year! They made it all the way to semi finals. Their biggest game was beating the number one team right before the playoffs!! Way to go Stockton!

Garrett Football 2011

2011-10-02T20:02:00.000-06:00

Another fantastic year for Garrett. This year he played running back and middle linebacker. He was also the punter. He played nearly every minute of every game. He is SO fast. He made tons of points this year. He made 13 touchdowns this year!!!!! The kid is amazing!!! He really has a sense of the game.

Lonepeak Smith made it all the way to the semi-finals. Their record was 7-3. The games they lost, they only lost by a touchdown. It was an incredible season!!

Zander Football 2011

2011-10-01T19:51:00.000-06:00

It was a fabulous year for Zander. He played the entire game every single game.... which is a lot for a little 2nd grader. He played Offensive line and middle line backer on defense. He even ran the ball a couple times. He was so strong!

So strong in fact that he won the "Super Stud" award in one of his games!

Zander had a small team. They were small in size and small in age as well. Their team played hard all season. They were defeated many times but finally won their very last game! It was a great way to finish the season!

I just had to add this picture. Here is Zander and his good friend Max! Too funny!

BYU gets KILLED!

2011-09-17T19:01:00.002-06:00

Tonight might have been the purchase in my life I regret the most. BYU got killed by Utah.

I guess not all was lost though. It was Stockton's first BYU Football game and he was a good sport about it all.

It was a pretty late game and we cheered loud and hard!

Stocks kept us entertained and then took a nap!

A Day with G

2011-09-01T18:47:00.002-06:00

It isn't often I get one on one time with just Garrett. Somehow, him and I ended up having a day together to do whatever. I told him he could pick anything he wanted. So, he picked the morning playing video games, then we went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch, both of our favorites, and then to see a movie.

While we were watching apes take over the world, the rest of the family was relaxing at the cabin!

It was a great day!

DIPG Carnival

2011-08-26T19:43:00.000-06:00

We went to a super, awesome carnival!

Not only was it super fun and awesome.... but it was for a great cause.

Little Rex passed away from DIPG last November. The carnival was a way to raise money for pediatric brain cancer. It was a great family time spent together!

Lots of August Birthdays!

2011-08-26T19:37:00.001-06:00

August is big birthday time for us!

We enjoy getting the family together and celebrating the lives of these wonderful people....

Aunt Elaine, Grandma, Grandpa, and Conner enjoying each other's company at Costa Vida!

Doesn't Brittany look so cute? She is a friend of mine from work and is sweet enough to hang out with us crazy people once and a while.

Kam, Steve, and Ruthie came too! Family is fantastic and a true blessing in our lives!

Grandma and Grandpa J are ton of fun! We are a very lucky family to have all these wonderful people to share life with us.

Happy Birthday Niel, Conner, and Stocks!!!

Stockton turns the big 11

2011-08-25T19:34:00.002-06:00

My Stocky turned the 11 this year!

Holy Smokes!!

I love Stockton's love for life. I know I say this often, but his carefree attitude and gentle-ness far surpasses anyone I know. He is quick to forgive and looks for the best in people. And... the kid is smart. His score test came back this year, all subjects he was in high school level! If I only had his brain. Stocky is quick witted, silly, and a knows how to make a group laugh. Oh... and I love that he still wants me to tuck him into bed at night. I think he does the bed tuck in thing for me, but whatever reason, I still like that he needs me. :)

We woke him up in the morning with his favorite breakfast - French Toast! Delicious!!

Stocks decided to go with one big present this year. He gift of choice.... a nice new bicycle. He was all smiles!

Now... the race is one to see how long it takes before he is taller than me.

My guess is... he is going to creep up on me WAY too fast!

Back to School!

2011-08-23T18:22:00.000-06:00

Summer just flew by.... WAY TO FAST!

It's back to school time all ready!

Here we go....

Boys!!!

It's FOOTBALL time!

2011-08-18T17:52:00.000-06:00

Yes! My favorite time of year is here. FOOTBALL time!!

All the boys are playing this year again. This means we are SUPER busy!

I love being this kind of busy!

Zander is SUPER strong this year. Seriously. He may be small in height, but he is one tough kiddo. Don't get in his way. He will just plow you down.

Stocks is all over the place again this year. He plays on the offense and defensive line. He also plays middle line backer and running/full back. I have to really keep my eye on him because he is in a new position every time I look.

Gar is as fast as ever this year! He still has his same knack for the game. Here he is at practice... all focus and everything. He is playing running back/full back and Middle Line backer. He is also the punt kicker. I don't know how he does what he does.... but he is so good at it!

Conner's team is all together again this year. They look amazing! He is super fast and super strong!! This year... he is going by "Q"! Do you see that number 23? It's got just a Q on the back. That's what he wanted. He is playing running back and defensive line. He goes in as middle line backer once and a while too.

It's going to be an awesome season!!

Vegas with Amber

2011-08-15T17:48:00.001-06:00

What happens in Vegas.... stays in Vegas!

Kidding! We are good girls!

I had a blast hanging out with my cousin Amber.

When we were kids we didn't really have any type of relationship. As life has progressed we have become really close friends. I am so grateful for her and the support and love she shows me always. She helps me keep my head on straight.

We shopped and did some site seeing. We went to an oldies song show. Amber even got up on stage and sang a little song with the group.

We got to visit with my cousin Jared, Amber's brother. I have seen Jared in forever! It was SO good to see him. He is such a handsome man!!

It was a quick, fun get-a-way! Definitely cannot wait for our next trip!

Mr. 14 Year Old!!

2011-08-12T17:46:00.000-06:00

It can't be possible?? I have a 14 year old. NO WAY!

Conner is a great kid.... what am I saying, he is no kid anymore. Conner is a fine, young man! One great quality I have admired about Conner this past year is his desire to be better. A better friend. A better brother. A better student. A better athlete. A better son of God. Seriously... this young man has a desire to do his best. Don't get me wrong, he still loves to tease his brothers and he stills has to get his point across. But he works really hard and is aware of himself. It is a great quality.

Happy Birthday Q!

It's was Conner's birthday party year which meant he got to have a friend party.

This year Conner invited a bunch of friend to go bowling and play lazer tag!

Some of the guys who came to the party....

... and the girls who came to the party. Did I mention that Conner is interested in girls these days?!?!?!

We had a fabulous night bowling and tagging it up. I was very impressed by his friends! They are a good group of kids!

Happy Birthday Ruthie!

2011-07-30T17:42:00.000-06:00

Ah... isn't she SO CUTE!

We love Cousin Ruthie. It was so much fun to celebrate year 2!

Kayla is getting so animated as well. She is such a silly girl. I can never get her to smile for the camera, but I got her to make "crazy face" on video. Too funny!

The Green River

2011-07-29T17:57:00.001-06:00

We went on a Green River adventure!

Our first stop was Aunt Marilyn's cabin up at Dutch John!

We love Aunt Marilyn!

... and Mighty too

Our second stop.... The Green River.

Look how green the water really looks?

Stocky worked hard all summer to earn this fabulous trip. He even got to bring his very best friend, Tanner! Those two are almost like the same person. It was such a fun time for me to hang out with them both... and Niel of course. They had us both just laughing!

It was both their first times out fishing on a drift boat in the Green River. Stockton had a blast and told me, "I wish this day would never end!"

Guess who is back in Town?

2011-07-26T17:50:00.000-06:00

I have missed these little faces!

We are so glad the Jaramillo Family has moved back!

We sure have missed you!!!

Bad Dog!

2011-07-25T17:45:00.000-06:00

You are probably thinking...

"Oh cute! What a cute little dog! And what a cute Stockton!"

Well.... you would be part right. Stockton is cute.... and Rocky might be too. But Rocky has been a bad dog.

He doesn't like fireworks. As a matter of fact, they scare the living daylights out of him. I do feel bad for him, but I have no idea what to do with him when the firework holidays roll around.

This was the end results of the 24th of July holiday and us not being home.

YICKS!!!

Does anyone know of a good stucco repair man?

Car Trouble!

2011-07-12T17:36:00.000-06:00

We have two - great - reliable - newer vehicles!

But for some reason they both decided to have issues at the same time.

First the truck just died. Niel went to pick up corn at the local market place. He turned off the car, purchased the corn, came back to the car and it wouldn't start.

Weird.

He figured that it was the battery so he purchased a new battery for the truck and used his fabulous mechanical skills and we were back in business.

But...

On the same day the Sequoia got a flat tire. No big deal.... right?

Wrong!

Our spare we had wasn't the correct one. The Sequoia sat on the side of our house like this for a couple of days while we figured out how to get a tire back on it. The hard part was that we didn't have another vehicle to purchase a tire because the truck was out of order.

It took a couple of days for us to get up and running but we did finally get both vehicles up and running!

Lacrosse 2011

2011-07-09T17:32:00.000-06:00

The boys are really getting into Lacrosse. The games are so much fun to watch!

Stockton was an animal out on the field! He scored plenty of points for his team...

... and he was a GREAT goalie!

Conner had a great time too! His team dominated this season!

Conner and Cannon play lots of sports together. They are in track, Lacrosse, and Football!!

It was a fabulous season!

Steele Days Parade!

2011-07-09T17:25:00.001-06:00

Grandma Dean got to drive the Bus in the Steele Days Parade!!

Garrett, Stockton, & Alayna all got to participate. They had a ton of fun throwing out candy and waving to the crowd!

I Heart Faces - Water

2011-07-09T06:52:00.000-06:00

Can't pass up an opportunity to post one of my most favorite pictures!

Boogie Boarding has become an all time favorite in our family. It's too bad we don't live by a beach!

Stockton definitely fits the mold as a "surfer dude" .... I can imagine Stockton growing up and finding a place to live near a beach. We could ride the waves ALL DAY!

Everyone has a picture of "water." Go to I Heart Faces and enter this weeks photo challenge!

I am a picture Freak

2011-07-08T19:47:00.000-06:00

I think I might actually need professional help. I thought it would be interesting to see how many pictures I took for the 4th of July holiday. I counted them all up.... over 3 days....

134 pictures!

I don't know what to say... our lives are well documented!

Raging Waters

2011-07-06T19:18:00.000-06:00

We have a favorite water park we love to go to.... Raging Waters!!

There are some really great ways to get wet!

There are some crazy big slides. Conner, Garrett, and Niel all decided to go on them.

Here goes Conner.... down, back up, and over.... he made it!

G was next. Down he went.... but up he didn't quit make it.

Then it was Niel's turn. Down. Up... almost up... oh.... not quite... then back down.

The day was super fun though! Stockton loves going on the tube runs, rope swing, and he is always up for some fun entertainment for me and the camera!

Zander loves the tube slides too. We tried to hard to get people to take him on them!!

Gar was quit daring this year. We went on both big slides and more adventures.

Conner was a good sport. He took his little brothers on things and even hung out with me for a while. It was a fantastic day!

Our BIG 4th Celebration

2011-07-05T18:06:00.000-06:00

Wow... we really celebrated our Nations Freedom this year!

We started the morning with a nice Freedom Run. Niel did the 10K. Conner did the 5K. Garrett, Me, Zander, and Stockton all did the mile. Below are our awesome times:

Niel - 51:16.45

Conner - 23:54.22

Garrett - 07:42.10

Amy - 09:57.49

Zander - 09:58.96

Stockton - 10:21.48

We are just all SO excited to run with ALL these people!

Right after the race we headed to the Provo Parade. I think everyone in the city of Provo was there. We all settled in to various seats to see the parade and enjoyed a cool morning.

After a short nap we got ready for a family BBQ. YUMMY!

Gosh... I just had to add this one. Isn't Alayna so pretty? I love it that they are so close now!

And everything is more fun with cousins around to have some fun with!!

Zander says that girls are silly. Garrett just jumps right in with his cousins and enjoys every minute of it!

It's time to get wet!

Boys will be boys!!

We dried off and put on some hiking attire. We met Grandma and Grandpa J for a nice hike up to the G on the mountain!!

Talk about an amazing firework show. We could see everything in Utah county. It was an incredible view.

We celebrated a fantastic Fourth of July!

Stadium of Fire

2011-07-02T19:05:00.001-06:00

Stadium of Fire was fantastic this year.... but of course it was!!

There were SO many people out for the event.... like the entire city of Provo!!

It's always so much fun when Grandma's and Grandpa's come!

This was the program for the night...

My favorite part was Archuleta. Who knew that he sang at Stadium of Fire Years ago??

He has an incredible voice!

Our Grandparents

2011-07-01T21:21:00.000-06:00

Our family is very blessed!

We are so lucky to have wonderful

Grandparent

in our lives!!

Grandma and Grandpa Dean took some of the boys down to Vegas for a week of fun and adventure!

They went to several different spots. The Red Rocks, M&M Factory, Tuacahn, and several other fun activities. No other adults were around.... just Grandma and Grandpa and all these little munchkins.

Everything is always more fun with cousins!

Then Grandma and Grandpa J took the boys for an evening of fishing... and more cousins joined in on the fun too!

They each learned patience and calmness (something we don't get a lot in this crazy household of boys).

The patience was worth it.... they each caught at least one fish!

We love Grandma and Grandpa's. I know I do! I am so grateful they are around to love the boys and take time out of their lives to be a part of ours!

Summer Sleep Nights

2011-06-20T17:11:00.000-06:00

One of the best things about Summer is sleeping outside!

The boys love to build blanket tents. Here is their creation that lasted two nights!

They slept in until 8:30 .... WOW! That is a record night!

Good Morning!! Time to wake up!

Strawberry Days Rodeo

2011-06-18T16:05:00.000-06:00

Giddy UP!

Are you tough enough for pink?

... we are!

Here were some of the fun things we saw at the rodeo this year!

Here we are enjoying the fun times at the rodeo.

We really love to bring friends and family with us when we go to the rodeo every year. That is the best part.... hanging out with with our favorite people!

Schools Out!

2011-06-04T18:48:00.000-06:00

School is out! What a fantastic school year it was!

Conner finished up his first year of Junior High! He LOVED it!!

He did very well for his 7th grade year. He had some fun projects and developed a real liking for art.

Stocks did well his 5th grade year. His efforts were good this year. He had a couple hard papers he had to type up and a big wax museum event. He picked to be Benjamin Franklin! He also took 3rd overall in the Geography Bee in which he completed with 6th graders. He took first in the 5th grade! We were all so proud of him!

Gar is a terrific speller! He studied hard every week and did well on his tests. His biggest project was a poster of and report on a famous person. No surprise he picked a famous football player for his report.... Steve Young! 3rd grade was plenty exciting and super fun for him!

Zander is finally in school ALL DAY! His favorite part of the day is lunch! He enjoyed being big! He loved his teacher and his class. He had to write a paper on his favorite animal which happens to be a Zebra.... mostly because it starts with the same letter as his name. He loves schools and did very well!

White Socks

2011-05-26T06:19:00.001-06:00

It was splendid season of baseball!!

Gar played on player pitch league this year. He is awesome!

Gman was one of the youngest on the team. He held is own though. I was proud of him for trying so hard and learning some new things.

Gar played short stop and outfield. This season he caught a ball that was hit in the outfield.... it was awesome!

His confidence is a little shy when it comes to hitting. He really practiced and did he best. He got on base several times and scored several points for his team.

His greatest strength is his speed. Often times we would catch up to the runner in front of him. He is one fast baseball runner!

He enjoyed his teammates and have wonderful coaches!!

... and wouldn't you know it. They won the Championship!!!

But of course they won it..... Garrett seems to land himself on pretty great sports teams! I told him he must be the lucky charm!

Hot Springs Adventure

2011-05-14T21:10:00.001-06:00

We thought it was be SO much to take the kids up to the Hot Springs in Spanish Fork Canyon.

Everyone did really well on the hike up. The trees were plenty green from all the rain this year. The river was roaring and rushing down.

As we got the Hot Springs we realized the water was so high it had pretty much washed away the lower springs.

(Check out all the water)

So we headed up to the Spring located higher up. The only obstacle we had was crossing the river to get over to the Hot Springs. I should have taken a picture. We walked across this think board to get to the other side. It was pretty intense, but we all made it over safe.

Here we are .... enjoying the warm water!

The river was pretty fast and the water was high. It was fun to relax and soak up the warmth as we watched the water rushing down the river!

Just as we were getting in the weather turned on us. Our beautiful day turned into a major hail storm. The trails were slippery with mud and water. The hail hit on us for what seemed like eternity. We tried to hide under a tree, but we found very little coverage. Zander slipped a couple times.... getting himself all muddy. We all did our best to carefully run down the path to the car, but the hike is about 2.5 miles. I am pleased to say we all eventually made it down. Even little Zander didn't cry too much. We were covered in mud and soaked to the bone but it sure made for a great story and some crazy memories!!

Gar is 9!!

2011-05-09T20:56:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe Gar is 9 years old!!!

Garrett is a shiny spot in my life. His constant smile melts anyone's heart.... especially when it comes to getting out of trouble. He just flashes that smile and bomb.... I am wrapped around his finger. G-man is so many GREAT things. Smart. Happy. Fun. Sly. This past year he has grown up. I have to add to the list.... independent. He barely needs his mom anymore. And as a matter of fact, he keeps me in line most of the time these days.

Happy 9th birthday G-man!! Love you kiddo!!

May Birthdays

2011-05-07T20:21:00.000-06:00

This year I thought I would be so smart and have Garrett and Zander's birthday parties combined. For the most part.... the party was a success. I think all the kids had fun and Garrett and Zander were happy birthday boys!

Check out the line of kiddos. We had a total of 26 kids that showed up. WOW!

It was tons of fun!!

Jump on It was the choice of activity.

Everyone left with smiles!!

Garrett LOVES burrito's. He had a breakfast burrito that morning and then picked to go to Barbacoa so he could have another type of burrito for dinner. He loves his soft shelled food!!
(he is always has a silly face)

Megan also celebrated her birthday in May. Bruno Mars tickets were her special gift. She said she even had a good time!!

Happy Birthday!!

Easter

2011-05-05T05:01:00.000-06:00

Happy Easter!!

Alpine Days 2011

2011-04-30T12:48:00.008-06:00

Conner completed track for this year. It was his first time competing and participating in Track. He did really well. We are so proud of him!!

Here is Conner, Todd, and Cannon. Some of his track buddies.

Do you see all these participants? There were over 35 7th grade boys who qualified for Alpine Days. Only the top 7 are chosen to participate in the finals. Conner qualified for both the 100 and 200 meter runs!

These boys are all really fast. Conner ended up taking 5th in the 100 meter and 6th in the 200!!

Conner had a team in the 4x100 relay also. They placed 4th in that event.

He also did the long jump.

All in all it was a real fun day. Nice weather and plenty of running all day!!

Track

2011-04-25T05:46:00.000-06:00

It's Track time too. This is Conner's first year trying out the sport.

He is killing everyone!!

He runs the 100 meter, 200 meter, 4x200 relay, and 4x400 relay!!

Go Conner!! Go Mountain Ridge!!

Baseball Starts

2011-04-23T08:25:00.003-06:00

Baseball has started for Garrett! He is loving it! He told me the other day he wants to be a baseball player when he grows up. Keep in mind, he also wants to be a football player and when basketball season was in season... he wanted to be a basketball player too. I love it that he is all boy!!

I loved this picture. All the boys lined up to watch him. Do you see little Garrett in the outfield?

Go White Socks!

Spring Break 2011

2011-04-21T06:11:00.000-06:00

For Spring Break this year we went to sunny Las Vegas!

While it was raining and snowing in Utah - we were out relaxing by the pool.... soaking up the sun!

FUN!

We had a great time.

We ate at this delicious buffet. The best part was all the desserts. Zander had 3 desserts. Stocks had several. Gar was in heaven... and Conner got a stomach ache from eating too much sugar. Niel and I were just happy that we found a place where everyone could find something they liked!!

We did a lot of swimming. I was relaxing so much at the pool that I failed to take enough pictures. All I can say is that it was WARM!!

We spend a half a day at on the strip. Niel even tried to chase a bus down so we could get to our destination.

Here are a couple of fun pictures of just stuff we did!

We went to a magic show!

Watch the dancing waters at the Bellagio!

Treated ourselves to whatever we wanted!

Walked around in the warmth!

Tired ourselves trying to find the bus!

And played lots of games together!!

It was a great trip!!

A Team Golf Night

2011-04-12T21:18:00.000-06:00

Every two weeks we have A-Team night. In order to participate, you must have good grades.

For A Team night we decided to make good use of the warm weather and find something to do outside.

We decided to go golfing!

We had a fun time. Stocks even got 2 holes in one.

Note... Conner did have good grades - we was just busy at a birthday party!! We did our best to have fun without him!!

NCAA Champion

2011-04-10T21:10:00.000-06:00

We have a new family NCAA Champion this year.

(Who knew Butler and UCONN would be in the final two)

I guess Zander knows his college basketball.

Zander picked Pirate Island has his method of celebrating!!

It ended up being a real fun night for all of us.

Games for the littler ones...

karaoke for the bigger ones....

And a fun night for the oldest ones to just sit back and watch it all happen!!

SEVEN

2011-04-08T21:02:00.006-06:00

Zander is officially 7 BIG YEARS!

(Love the toothless grin)

Good morning!

Zander had been looking forward to breakfast in bed since his last birthday.

We had a small get together with family.

Thanks for coming over!!

Zander gets a friend party this year. More to come.... soon!

My Baby is 7??

2011-03-28T05:43:00.000-06:00

Zander is 7! Yah... that's right. Pants is officially SEVEN big years!!

What a character.

It's funny.... everyone who knows Zander has a story to tell. He is a crack up. He is friendly. He is entertaining and someone you can't forget.

This picture says so much!

You got to love the kid....

.... I know I do!

Happy Birthday Zander Pants!!!

The Principles Office??

2011-03-21T18:11:00.001-06:00

Most of the time Zander is making everyone laugh with his GINORMOUS personality. He does and says some of the most funny things. I love him to death!!

But we do have other times that are challenging. I suppose parenting isn't always suppose to easy. Zander reminds me of that some times.

This past week Zander was sent to the principles office.

All of Zander's classmates think he is so funny. His teacher has mentioned several times that others really look up to him. Not only can he make others laugh but he is a friend to everyone. Those are some really good qualities... especially for a 6 year old. But the other day Zander was getting frustrated at a girl who "wasn't being very nice." Zander knows he isn't allowed to do mean things to other people, so instead.... he asked his little friend to be mean to this girl. Zander told his little friend to pull the mean girl's hair. The little friend did what Zander told him to do, and did indeed, pull the girl's hair. The girl defended herself and she punched the little friend in the stomach. The little friend cried immediately and the girl and little friend started hitting each other back. Meanwhile, Zander just sat back and watched it all happen.

All three of them got sent to the principles office. As a result, they all lost their recess for two days. They had to sit in the office and "think" about how they could have each responded better.

Now, I realize the little friend didn't have to do what Zander told him to do..... but, I do see how sneaky Zander can be in getting what he wants. Not good!

Zander lost his privileges at home as well for the rest of the day. He wrote sorry notes to the girl and boy. I really hoped he learned something.

On a brighter note.... this little picture is more of our FUN Zander! He really is a good boy and lots of fun to be with. And... he really can brighten my day with his love and excitement for life!

Happy St Paddy's Day

2011-03-20T10:04:00.008-06:00

Yeah! We love to celebrate Green!!

St. Paddy's Day means eating LOTS of green treats!

Donuts - Sprite!

And cookies!

This year we switched it up with GREEN hair!

We had such a fun DAY!

Russian Meal!

2011-03-14T21:59:00.000-06:00

Grandma and Grandpa had us over for a special dinner..

... a Russian Dinner!

We all loved the pancakes!

This is soup. It has lots of beets in it.

Grandma spent lots of time in the kitchen to make all the yummy food! Thanks Grandma!!

(Thanks Lisa for taking pictures)!

Happy Bday Dad!

2011-03-13T21:56:00.000-06:00

There's no place like home...

.....except Grandpa's place!

Look who got Braces

2011-03-12T21:54:00.002-07:00

Megs wears her braces well!!

Time Changes EVERYTHING

2011-03-10T21:19:00.002-07:00

Looks at these handsome - little guys!

...And now look at them 5 years later (almost in the same order)!

I can't believe how much changes in such a short time.

It boggles my mind to think how different everything will be in five additional years!

Boarding the Sun-Dance

2011-03-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

SUNDANCE!

The boys are getting so good at snowboarding! We had a great time together!!

Gar strapped his board on for the first time and I might add he was incredible.

It sure was a beautiful day!

Garrett - Basketball

2011-03-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

Garrett's basketball team had a great season. They were undefeated.

They killed a couple teams with scores like 108 - 10 and 98 - 6. They are animals.

He is quick and collected!

Garrett making a shot!

Go Garrett!!

Basketball for Stocks

2011-03-05T21:05:00.007-07:00

It has been a good season for Stocks and basketball this year.

He had really improved his game!

Stocks is a great defensive player.

He even made several free throws!!

Go Stocks!

Niel was the assistant coach this year! We all had such a great time!!

Five Big YEARS!

2011-03-03T19:53:00.009-07:00

I can't remember life before this handsome man walked into my life. I say that in a good way!

One of the best parts about our marriage is that we enjoy having a great time together!! I love the adventures we share. Celebrating our anniversary is one of my most favorite things to do every year.

This year, our big anniversary was celebrate at home! Some might think.... "what happened to their excitement??" .... but I will have to say it was an incredible celebration. We decided we had everything a luxurious hotel room would have... a fireplace, a hot tub, a quiet place with no kids, a nice TV, and a comfortable bed. We made it happen! We brought our mattress into the front room, right next to the fire place and TV.... and spent the entire weekend kid-less, in quiet, for 3 entire days! SWEET!!

We went to a movie, watched BYU kick San Diego State's butt, caught up on our favorite shows, SLEPT IN, bought some jewelry (NICE), went to dinner at The Roof, SLEPT IN AGAIN, and lazied around in our P.J.'s all day long!!!

Perfect!

I love his man! I love celebrating our lives together!!

I like to think of all the fun anniversaries we have had together...

4 years in San Diego

3 Year in San Jose - Bruce Springsteen and Wicked

2 years - Salt Lake City

1 Year - Not so successful cruise

Our magical Day! I love this picture. Looks like we are settling into marriage quit well!

Heres to another great and wonderful 5 years!

Another 8 Year Old

2011-02-20T22:06:00.001-07:00

Look who got baptized!!!!

Bryn was all smiles for her special day.

It truly was a great day! I love to watch Bryn grow into such a wonder young lady. She is very special and has such an incredible spirit about her.

Thanks for inviting and letting us all share your special day.

Be Mine!

2011-02-18T21:50:00.010-07:00

We celebrate yet another great Valentines Day!

Breakfast is our favorite!!! Buttermilk pancakes made in hearts is simple the best!

The boys got BIG KISSES!! They deserve the biggest kisses ever!!

Poor Conner. He got sick and had to be picked up from school in the middle of the day.
He got a nice dose of (red) Nyquil from his Valentine!

Niel was going to take me out to lunch for the big love day. But when Conner had to be picked up our plans changed just a little. Instead, I picked up lunch on brought it home.

We still spend a lovely lunch together!

We figured everything would be crowed in the evening. He ended up at IHOP which was semi crowded but bearable. We all enjoyed a second breakfast...haha!
Grandma and Grandpa joined us. We had plenty to celebrate. It was their 36th wedding anniversary!

We finished the night off with a movie of their choice. The movie pick of the night was Gulliver's Travels. It was actually a pretty decent movie.

Grandma and Grandpa spoiled us all rotten with LOTS of sugar and TONS of love.

After all...

... isn't that was Grandma's and Grandpa's are for?

2010 Book

2011-02-16T23:40:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Mr. Nash and all that Jazz

2011-02-12T13:38:00.010-07:00

Guess how I started the Valentines weekend???

Jazz vs Suns

I love the Jazz.... but I can't get enough of this incredibly, talented, athletic man.....
(he is almost as wonder as Niel.... ALMOST)

WOW!!!!

I think I might have found a new favorite Jazz player. Gordan Hayward played fantastic. He may look like he is 10, but wow!!! This kid will be around for a long time. I just hope he stays with the Jazz for a while.

Guess who else was there? Yeah... Malone. He was actually sitting just down in front of us. I hate to admit this, but when I wasn't watching Nash.... I was secretly watching Malone. I felt like a stalking fan!

The game was slightly different than other Jazz games. It was the first game I have ever been to, or even seen, when Jerry Sloan wasn't coaching. I am not sure how I feel about the news about Jerry Sloan retiring. When I think of the Jazz, my first thoughts Stockton to Malone and Jerry Sloan. Those were the glory days. The days when the Jazz were incredible. I definitely miss those times and I will definitely miss Sloan.

My favorite moment ever in Jazz history!

Ever had a bad day?

2011-02-08T21:16:00.005-07:00

I had my first real bad day of the year. I guess it was bound to happen sometime this year....

It was actually a bad 24 hours.

Started off when a deer ran into my beautiful Sequoia. When I say she ran into me.... that is the honest truth. She charged right to the side of my car. It was real dark and I was driving towards my house. There were mountains on both sides of me. Out of no where a deer just charges out. I only saw the animal, and she saw me, right as she smashed into my door. Then, she slide right through to the passengers side and wrecked that door too. The animal had no saving grace with hitting with such force. She died right in the middle of the road. I was all by myself, so I just left her there. There was no way I could have moved the deer, nor did I want too. I would have got hit myself. Anyway.... super frustrating! Deer hits are not cheap!!

Oh... and throughout this story, keep in mind that Niel was out of town on business this entire time.

The very next day I got up and got the kids up. Stockton started telling me that his stomach really hurt. Stocks is hardly ever sick so I tend to believe him when he is. He roamed around the house and tried to go about his morning routine, but it was pretty obvious he was going to have to stay home for the day. It stresses me out to leave him home sick and I have to go to work. But he assured me he would be fine and would keep the phone near him at all times.... still, stressful.

During my lunch hour I had to take the car into the claims adjuster. I was given the address but no instructions. Usually I can find addresses pretty well so I wasn't too worried about it. While driving to find the adjuster I made a wrong turn. As soon as I made the turn I realized I was going the wrong way.... so attempted to re-adjust myself and get back onto the correct road. I guess I should say I quickly re-adjusted myself. A cop was sitting right there and I realized his presence a little too late. He pulled me over for going 8 over the limit. I tried to tell him what an awful day I was having but he didn't really seem to care.

As I was sitting in the car waiting for him to write me up I received a phone call. I didn't recognize the number so I let it go to voicemail. Once the officer let me go I checked my voicemail. It was the principle of Conner's school. He was calling to tell me that Conner was in his office!! My first response was to freak out.... I mean really? Conner has never gotten himself into trouble. But as I listened to the message he explained that Tylenol was found in his locker. The principle went on to say that any type of over the counter medication was not permitted in the school and that if Conner needed anything for a headache he would need to come into the office and get some. He also said that Conner had told him I had given him the Tylenol, which was true, and so they were going to let him go, but wanted to let me know of the rules. Sheesh!!!!! Later I found out that Conner got a kick out of the entire thing and couldn't believe he got sniffed out by the dogs...haha!

I got home and had this great plan to take the boys bowling. But as I walked into the door it was pretty evident that Stocks wasn't going to make it. He was so sick. Zander lied to me when I asked him if he had his homework done. Since he got caught lying I figured I couldn't possibly take him bowling. When I told Zander we weren't going bowling he totally lost it. He threw a complete, crazy, outragous temper tantrum. Seriously? Do six year old's throw temper tantrums?? He cried and cried. He kicked, yelled, screamed and I thought for a second his head was going to pop right off.... mostly because I felt like mine could have.

In the end, I took Gar and Conner out to get a burritto. Zander cried the entire time. Oh... and Stocks threw up.

So... after I tucked all the kids into bed, and before I could melt away in my own bed, I had to clean up the throw up that was smooshed all over the carpet. I love my children so much! But cleaning up puke is about the most disgusting parent job in the entire world. I thought I wasn't going to make it.... but I did.

I was overjoyed to crawl into bed and pray that the next day would be better.

And it was! :)

Sundance Snow

2011-02-03T19:53:00.001-07:00

We had the most perfect snowboarding day ever!!

Here are two of my most favorite people in the world. My adventurous Mom and my incredible husband.

Mom was so patient with Niel and I. It isn't often I get much time to spend with my mom these days, so heading up on the slopes with her made for other great memory. I remember as a kid she would take us skiing every Saturday. I really took for granite those skiing moments. I thought every kid was as lucky as I was had cool parents like I did. I really enjoyed those Saturdays on the slopes with my sisters, cousins, friends, and most of all my Mom! It was great to have her come along with Niel and I.

And Niel.... Wow!!! He is getting really good on that board! Now as an adult I have learned that I am lucky to have a husband that is willing to try new, hard things.... like snowboarding. Together, we have both been learning how to snowboard and I have really enjoyed doing something hard together. We might be really sore when the day is done, but we have so much fun doing it!

Very cool! There is a slope with my name on it!

I have skied Amy's Ridge many times. Yesterday was my first day snowboarding it!

The day was perfect. Great company and a simply beautiful day!

Quick Update

2011-02-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life moves so fast.... I barely have time to blog anymore.

Here are some of the other little things we have been up to...

Zander loves his super hero attire. He was a little of everything.

Superman with a Black cap, Robin eye mask, and a nerf gun. He makes makes me laugh!

Conner worked long and hard on his science project. He took stawberries and found out what was the best way to keep them fresh, or how long it took for them to go moldy. Just in case you are curious, the strawberry in a zip lock bag took the longest to grow mold.

Pinewood Derby was interesting this year. Stockton's awesome car had the fastest run down and the slowest run down. Crazy!! Garrett was awarded his bobcat and is so excited to be involved in Scouts!

And Megan.... well, isn't she just beautiful?!

I love this quote...

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

... isn't that true?

Go Jimmer!

2011-01-30T12:15:00.003-07:00

Who ever knew I would become such a big BYU fan!

But honestly, who isn't a fan of Jimmer Fredette??? The guy is amazing!!

We are true BYU fans. Niel purchased tickets for this game months ago at $5 a ticket. See... Niel knew all along that BYU was going to be incredible this season.

I am just happy I got to reap the rewards of his great mind reading skills. I was so excited when he picked me to be the lucky one to go to this incredible game with.

It was the best BYU basketball game I have been to so far.

TOO much fun!!

Tubing!

2011-01-28T19:42:00.007-07:00

The family was off doing this....

And I was stuck doing this....

Don't get me wrong.... I like my job (well, most of the time). But I miss hanging out with the family when I have to work long hours. One thing to remember from this years sales conference.... my hair caught on fire! Good thing my work associate was quick on his feet and put the fire out before much damage was done. It makes for a funny story!

Idol 2011

2011-01-27T21:23:00.002-07:00

I am a big sucker for American Idol. Funny thing though, I don't really enjoy the tryout part. It is usually just a lot of the same stuff over and over again. But still.... I watch it! The try outs are part of the entire experience. I usually fold laundry, do dishes or find something to do while I am watching the tryouts. But tonight I really enjoyed Idol. Sometimes it isn't all about the singing, although I thought Chris Medina did a fabulous job, sometimes it is about the stories too. I found this story to be very inspiring.

This is what REALLY matters!

2011-01-19T20:26:00.003-07:00

35!

Today I turned the big 3 - 5!

(yeah for me)

Anyway.... the day was pretty good. My 5 boys made me breakfast. This meant waking up at 5:45 because I leave early.

The breakfast was fantastic!

Niel took me out to lunch!

Beautiful roses were delivered to work from my main man! They totally brightened my day.... after all, who wants to be at work on their birthday - not me!

My work friends were awesome. They got me a card and some yummy cupcakes (I love cupcakes)!

Then... I had to go into a meeting. The meeting started late and it ended REALLY late. When I say really late, I am talking about 3 hours late!!!!

I had to cancel my family birthday party. I was sad to say the least.

The horrible part was the fact that I couldn't get a hold of the four little boys I had sitting at home, waiting to join me for my family birthday party. Conner's phone wasn't working. Niel had school tonight. So the boys just sat at home. They sat and just wondered. They sat and wondered for 3 hours. Three hours is a long time for 4 young boys it just sit and wonder.

I kept thinking the meeting was going to end. But no, it kept going and going and going.

Finally, it finished up and I drove home as fast as I possibly could.

I could tell Conner was worried. I thought he was going to ground me for not letting him know what was going on. Stockton gave me a big hug and told me he was just happy I was safe. Garrett and Zander thought for sure I was going to be on the evening news.

I felt horrible for making them worry. I felt horrible we all missed a fun dinner together tonight. I was pretty disappointed in myself.

Niel walked in about 20 minutes after I got home. He walked in and he knew I was pretty upset with how the evening ended.

He walked in with this.....

.... I love him!

This is all that REALLY matters!

Thanks babe for making a wonderful birthday memory - this morning - this afternoon - and especially tonight!

Sledding at the Cabin

2011-01-17T19:26:00.010-07:00

Winter just wouldn't be winter if we didn't get some great sledding in.

...and what better way to do it than with some work friends!!

Niel invited some of his work friends up to the cabin for a fun day of sledding!! YAY!

Rosa was so much fun!!! I loved getting to meet her!

Shelby and Brittany are danty sledders...haha! There are all kinds of sledders.

Sharline and Aren went all for it. They get down and crazy. Totally fun!!!

Russell was nice. He sled with the kids. He sled with his wife. He drove the sled if anyone asked. He even walked up the hill so others could ride.... and he did it without breaking a sweat.

And Grandma was the best sport of all. She let everyone ride down.... many times. She just sat and took pictures of us all!!!

SO MUCH FUN!

This was Zander's first time down on a real sleigh.

"I am so T-E-R-R-I-F-I-E-D!!!!"

He makes me laugh but I was proud of him for taking the big leap and actually going down!!

Love the Snow!

2011-01-14T22:40:00.005-07:00

Snowball Fight!

Playing the snow is awesome!

Eating the snow is even more awesome!!

Christmas Beard

2011-01-09T10:18:00.004-07:00

Niel likes to grow a beard during the Christmas holidays. I think it is his favorite holiday tradition.

Look at this sweet beard!!

He got a bunch of guys at his work to participate in growing a mustache.

Check out these sexy, hairy men!!

Snowboarding!

2011-01-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

For New Year's Day we decided to hit the slopes.

It was a perfect day. Everyone must have been tired from staying up so late, but not us. We were well rested and ready to tare it up!

It was SUPER cold though!

Conner and Stocks were awesome! They are getting pretty good!

Ari was out skiing with us. She took her second lesson. I was impressed how well she is picking it up. She was waiting for us most of the time and the first one down the mountain.

Ang and Grandma skied together. They met us for one run down the mountain.

Good times!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T10:04:00.001-07:00

This is what we were doing to bring in the New Year....

Yeah. We fell asleep.

I hope that isn't a reflection on how our 2011 year is going to be! Or maybe I do... maybe it means we will be well rested this year!!

Family Dinner

2010-12-26T21:25:00.001-07:00

Family dinners are an all time favorite for all of us. Especially when everyone comes! Ang, Pat and the girls were here from California. Aunt Elaine, Russ, Kam, Steve, and Ruthie all joined us as well.

Niel cooked up a variety of different types of meats for everyone's liking. Everyone brought some of their favorites to share with everyone. Talk about a perfect meal!

Aunt Lisa always gives the best gifts. This year she got us a chocolate fountain. We put it to good use for the party.

My favorite were the cherries dipped in white chocolate. YUMMY!

The little boys talked all the big guys into have a nerf gun war. Not sure who won but I think the kids won but only because they gave the adults the guns that jammed up....haha! At least that was the grown-ups excuse.

Fun family times!

2010-12-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

Happiest Holidays!

2010

Christmas Hike

2010-12-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

A tradition on Niel's side of the family is going for a Christmas Hike.

The hike was a little muddy this year which is different than the usual snow. We all still had such an adventure.

The boys wondered off the trail and up to explore. They found a big heard of deer and followed them as far as they possibly could. They ended up having a large deer party running from them. Check out how close they got!

The clouds were down below us. More in the city and we were above them. We couldn't see much below but saw blue skies all around.

The hike ended up being difficult for Zander. Towards the end his little legs were getting tired. Grandma J walked with him and tried to get his mind off of his hurting legs. I think he was pleased with himself and his efforts when it was all done.

Zander said it looked like we were in heaven. It was a beautiful view.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yeah! CHRISTMAS!!

A new little tradition we have started this year is going to the store on Christmas Eve. Everyone gets to pick one food item of their choice. Everyone has to share their food item at dinner or during the night. It sure makes for an interesting Christmas Even dinner.

This year's picks:

Niel - Jalapeno Pepper Poppers ~ Amy - Ranch Doritos ~ Conner - Sparkling Apple Juice ~ Stockton - Caffeine Free Diet Coke ~ Garrett - CheezeIts ~ Zander - Super Hero Popsicles

Tasty!!

After dinner we each picked a game and played together.

Grandma came over on Christmas Eve with a bag full of gifts. After opening gifts we all watched It's a Wonderful Life!

Time for bed. The boys like to sleep together in the family room. That way when the first person wakes up, they can all wake up.

They all must have been real tired because at 7:00 am I had to go get them all up. I couldn't believe it!

We all must have been really good this year!

Check out all the awesome costumes Zander got this year!

Garrett received so much Nerf stuff this year. I think he is set for the rest of his life!!

It's a new bike for Stocks this year!

Conner got some music and RipStick.

I finally got the Stockton jersey I have been dying for!!! Niel got his Kindle (well, kinda. Santa had to back order it). SWEET!

The day was filled with fun toy playing and enjoying each other's company!!

Slushball Fight!

2010-12-24T20:30:00.001-07:00

We received very little snow this year for Christmas. We did get some, but it also came with a bunch of rain. The snow turned into slush.

As you can imagine with 4 little boys and one big man - snowballs are usually flying all over the place. We all decided to have a little fun outside together with a good slush ball fight. We chased each other around and around, getting hit and dodging slush balls from each other. It was WAY too much fun!

Looks like Niel got the worst of it. This picture is my favorite. Gman is gearing up to knock Niel in the back.

Stocks is taking his shot at Niel too as Niel is trying to get ready with a good comeback.

Looks at Zander's toothless grin. He lost a tooth over the holidays! I think it is because he at too much candy!

We had a ton of fun!! Then it was back inside the house for some hot chocolate.

BYU Basketball Game

2010-12-23T20:46:00.001-07:00

We love BYU Basketball!!

Grandpa Dean and Grandma and Grandpa J came to the game with us. Not sure why I didn't get a picture - oops!

Zander was thrilled to be there. He watched the game very intently. He cheered and booed too.

It's the first sporting event that Zander has actually sat and watched and even seemed to know what was going on!

It was a great game! BYU was losing when we first walked in but they had a strong come back and won the game!! Very exciting!!

Candy Houses

2010-12-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

When I ask the kids what their favorite Christmas tradition is.....

....making candy houses is their number 1 favorite.

I love to see what great creation they are going to come up with.

Stocks has the windmill thing going on. Look at the cute little animals he made with marshmellows. Love it!

Gman has a couple of "naughty bears" on his. One is on the roof messing around and another playing in the big piles of snow (the large marshmellows). Fun!

Zander is proud of the chocolate teddy bear parade going on in his house. He has a bunch doing the cat-walk. Very creative!

Conner's theme is "The First Settlement." He has little firepits wrapped in a circle of warmness. Great idea!

Me and Niel are pretty simple folk. Just a straight up candy house with candy. Niel did make a little stream in front with a nice little walk way. At least one of us is creative!

Another fun candy making memories to add to the books!

Temple Lights

2010-12-19T21:47:00.004-07:00

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without our annual trip up to Temple Square.

We start the night off right with a ride up on Tracks.

Gar and I got in BIG trouble for taking the picture of his laying down on the tracks. Oops! Did you know there is a big fine for "playing on the tracks?"

We filled our tummies with delicious food from JB's and then headed to see the beautiful lights!

Stocks brought along his friend - Tanner Templeton!

I love this tradition. We try to do it early enough in the season to get us all in the Christmas Spirit. I love spending the time with my little family and also our parents!

It was a great evening!

On a side note.... we witness 14 different couples get engaged. Wow! That was just crazy!