Pictures with Santa '13

 I have been such a slacker mom about getting my kids to visit Santa that I thought this year is a must!  I don't even know when the last time we sat on the big guy's knee.  My kids thought it was great (he happened to be visiting a bank) and were so out of their element that they couldn't even come up with anything to ask for!

I should have prefaced this by saying my kids thought it was great - except for Colby.  Thank goodness I was ready to go when Abby ran Colby over to Santa because this was the only shot we got.  There was a split second of Colby screaming on Santa's knee (which I was ok with but Santa wasn't) but I couldn't back away fast enough to take the picture.  So I sent Abby with him and here we are.  I did get one other picture of Colby truckin' away from Santa as fast as possible.  Oh, alright, I'll post it.

I even gave him a candy cane for bribery.  It didn't work.  

Ho, ho, ho!! Merry Christmas

Abby's 9th Birthday

Happy Birthday to Abby!!

Abby is now a big 9 years old.  And did you know that you know pretty much everything at 9?  It's almost like what's the point of continuing.  You already know everything;)  This was our conversation this week. 

 Me:  "Where did I put those forks?  I know they're flying around here somewhere. "

Abby:  "Idiom!!"  

Me:  "Huh?  Ok."  (trying desperately to remember my junior year in Mrs. Jackson's  class -aka Stonewall.  I couldn't.)

A few days later I was talking to Abby again when I hear - in the middle of our conversation- "Idiom!!"

Me:  "Geez, Abby.  You should be an English professor or something.  You really like..." (as I'm searching for the proper description)-

Abby (totally cutting me off): -"Figurative Language?!  Yes.  I do."

When did my brain become so muddled?  I can't make it work right!  So then I asked Abby the definition of an idom.  And now I know.

Abby wanted an Angel Food cake with white frosting and candy all over it (much like Brooklyn's but it couldn't be just like Brooklyn's).  Then she was hit with inspiration and decided she needed a rainbow cake.  It turned out perfect for her.

Grandma Lu is photobombing and she doesn't even know it;)

Abby is lucky enough that her birthday nearly always falls during the time Ed and Dena come out for the big hunt.  And we still had Uncle Philip around.  And now Uncle Travis and Aunt Jessica live here so they get to hang out with us too.  So we had quite the party!

So exciting!!

Abby blowing out her candles.  She had some extra help there in the corner!

Presents!

Abby with her birthday haul and Brooklyn kindly helping model some of the new items!

Things about Abby at age 9!!

-loves to sing - especially the songs from Frozen

-made it past 2 rounds of the Hoop Shoot this year

-doing great in school

-loves playing with Colby

-loves playing the iPad 

-very competitive

-still loves Blue Bear

Happy Birthday Abby!!

Brooklyn's 7th Birthday

Happy Birthday to my little Brooklyn!  

Brooklyn turned the big 7 this year and I'm wondering where time has gone?  She was lucky enough to get to go to McDonald's and get her very own Happy Meal (which doesn't happen - ever), so her new little toy is straight from Micky D's. 

Dare I say it was her favorite present?

Well whether it was or wasn't her favorite I can't bear the thought so we are going to say NO.  

Here's all the kids just waiting to get their little hands on some of that cake.  I surprised Brooklyn by throwing on some fancy colored Sixlets.  If you haven't seen them they look like colored pearls and they were a hit!  In fact,  I think I heard gasps.

Here we all are.  Except for Darren who was taking the picture.  Uncle Philip was lucky enough to be around to help celebrate.

Seven!!!

Brooklyn with all her presents.  And surprisingly alone.  I'm pretty sure that changed in the next 3 seconds.  She had plenty of helpers with those presents.

And here she is in one of her new outfits.  I must say, she looks good!!  

Some things about Brooklyn at 7:

-very caring - everyone gets a hug as they leave my house

-total fashionista 

-doing very well in reading

-loves doing her hair with a side part 

-loves helping with Colby

-does NOT like noodles but LOVES pasta roni

-big time wiggler in bed (Abby complains all the time)

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!!

The Big 34

Happy Birthday to me.  And to my twin.  And to my mom.  My (our - I am a twin, remember?) birthday is on the 13th and my mom's is on the 18th.  What a birthday present we gave my mom, right?  Who wouldn't want cuddly 5 day old twins to help celebrate?

Nothing too exciting happened.  In fact we got home late from.... something (I can't even remember what it was) and just pulled out a frozen cheesecake. But then I thought to myself "That's not a birthday cake."  So I made one a few days later.  The day before my mom's birthday, in fact.

And my dad happened to come by and noticed my freshly baked cake and asked if I could bring it to my moms party.  So I did.  And this is us with our birthday cake.

I must say the closer I get to my mid-thirties the more I wonder where time is going.  Age doesn't bother me until I get old.  And I feel like 40 is flirting with old age ( I understand it's all in perception and I am aware that I was sharing a birthday cake with someone ahem, over 40 and she probably doesn't share my perception - just a disclaimer.).  And once you hit 35 it feels a lot closer to 40 (aka old age) than 30.  And I realize 40 is the new 30 and everyone is getting healthier and more fit but lets be honest, 50 is 50 and that's half a century no matter how look at it.  Anyway, enough about that.  Thirty-four is looking just fine and I don't feel any older so that's a plus.  I made sure to make the most of it by reminding my children quite often that I was the birthday girl.  I think it worked.  It gives me at least a day of children obeying me.  Sometimes a week if I really milk it;)
Happy Birthday to me!! (And my twin and my mom)!

Halloween 2013

Happy Halloween!!

Our little garden gnome - Colby

Colby and Abby

Abby was a good witch

Brooklyn was a snow princess

Abby

Meet Spider Man

Abby, Brooklyn, Jace, Colby

Brooklyn

Jace

Our Halloween started early on and we spent plenty of time Trick or Treating.  It was a perfect night to be out.  The weather was very mild.  In fact we hardly had to wear our jackets.  The kids were just fine in their costumes.  Plus they didn't have school on Friday so we were in no hurry to get home.  I think it's safe to say they had a great time and ended up with loads of candy!

Room-mate Reunion

This summer I was soooo lucky to be able to get together with almost all of my old room-mates from college.  Can you say "fun"!!

Here we are just getting together and our first stop was our old stomping grounds of the Elms Apartments.  We spent the first year out of the dorms living here and a second after that.

 We decided to mosy on over to the very apartment that we first moved into and reminisce.  Here we are (minus my cousin who showed up to the reunion too late for the Elms).  106B Girls

 Then we decided to take a picture in the stairwell just like we did in our college days.  In fact, it was this very picture I'm referencing that landed me one of my "boyfriends".  He saw it hanging in my next door neighbors apartment and "had to meet me".  I said ok.  If I wasn't so lazy I would look up the old picture just to show you how well we've all aged.  But that seems like too much hassle right now.  So I won't.  Trust me.  We all Look. The. Same.

And then we did the unthinkable.  We knocked.  And were let in!  So we trooped through and found our old bedroom.  Voila!  Oh, the memories.

And sat on our old couch.  We have lots of pictures from the old days of this set up right here.  Nothing has changed.  Except that they did have a new couch. And a small remodel through the kitchen and bathrooms.  So kind of a lot had changed.  But this view right here (with us covering the couch and that old wooden table in front)  makes it all look the same.

Next we headed to Chipman Hall.  These were the dorms where we all met!  That's my sister and me.  We were giddy happy to be back to the good old days.

I have more pictures inside where the fun took place but I won't bore you anymore with places of residence.  I sort of feel like my dad when I start on that.

Afterwards we headed for some pizza at the Brick Oven, which is just across the street from The Elms.  I would like to have said I frequented this place while in college but really I was too cheap to eat there.  Good food.  Unfriendly college budget.  

We headed up to Park City after lunch to do some Outlet shopping and it was our lucky day!  We scored free tickets to Olympic Park.  Seriously.  

We could hardly believe our good fortune.

Here I am getting ready to do the Alpine Slide.  For free.

Next I decided to try out the zipline.  For free.

It really was fantastic.  The best part was just hanging out with all the girls.  And getting free entertainment:)

When we got back to the cabin we decided to go night 4 wheeling.  I had a crazy driver and tried not to let my life flash before me and just enjoy the moment.  It was difficult.  But I managed.  And we did make it home safe and sound.

We did lots of sewing, talking, and even threw a surprise baby shower!  I can't believe how much you can get done when there aren't children around!!  Until next reunion!

Boating

Boating 2013

Abby has done an awesome job of kneeboarding and is trying to master getting over the wake and back.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't!

Jace braved the waters for the first time ever in trying to kneeboard.  

And he did it!!  Thanks to his cousin Tyler for helping him out!

Where I usually spend my time on the boat....

The kids love going boating on Uncle Steve's boat because this what they get to do.  Surf with dad.

Colby loves his brother and sisters!

Brooklyn surfing with dad.  These kids love being out on the water!

Every year we head up to Idaho to spend time with Darren's family at their cabin.  This year was no exception.  The only difference was we decided to go straight to the cabin first and spend time in Utah afterwards.  Which meant that we drove a different path and got to drive through Jackson Hole, WY and see the Grand Tetons!  I really love going that way because it is so beautiful.  Here we are documenting our drive:)  Colby was sleeping and it was not worth waking him up to include him in the picture!  

Apparently it was our lucky day because we saw a herd of buffalo was grazing right off the highway.  The kids loved it!

My kids got a hold of our ipod and ipad and took pictures to their hearts content (like a million).  This happens to be one of my mine though.

We made it to Jackson Hole and decided to be tourists for a few hours.  Darren was in heaven.  Can you tell?

The girls and I preferred the amazing geods!  Have you ever seen one so big?  Seriously, I have a weakness for geods and have since I was young.  Something about the sparkly inside I guess.  If only I had an extra $1200 and room in the van, this baby would have come home with us;)

And some nice people we passed had a pet bird.  Random.  They took him around in  a cage with them.  They were nice enough to let the girls take a lookie.

There was one terrible incident that happened while we were traipsing around Jackson.  We had all gone into one of the little shops and gone downstairs to a toy shop that had an area set up for kids to play in.  They had a train set up and a kitchenette and some other things.  Darren was sitting on the stairs watching the kids and I had gone to look at the toys to see if there was something we could pick up for Jace's birthday since we would be at the cabin on his birthday.  I was gone for 10-15 minutes and when I got back everyone was gone except for Brooklyn.  So I asked Brooklyn where everyone was.  She gave me a blank stare, said "I don't know" and went back to playing.  So I shrugged my shoulders and went back to searching the toys.  

As I was headed around the corner I ran into Darren who had Colby.  He had taken Abby to the bathroom (right down the hallway from where the toys were set up for kids)  and was coming back.  But he didn't have Jace.  And he didn't know where Jace was.  So I started searching through the toy store (which was jam-packed with toys and corners and dead ends) to find Jace.  Couldn't find him.  Headed back to Darren who still didn't know where Jace was and then upstairs.  I looked and looked and looked through the store and he was nowhere. 

At this point I was beginning to panic a bit. I had been searching for at least 10 minutes and hadn't seen him for longer than that.   So I went back downstairs and told Darren that I had looked through the entire store 2-3 times and he was not there.  Darren gave me Colby and went to search.   

Meanwhile, Abby is still in the bathroom.

So I go make sure everything is fine with her so that we can all start looking for him and I'm 90% sure we are going to have to look outside.  Which meant he could be anywhere.  But then, I remind myself he could find his way back to the toys and what if no one is there.  So I don't know what to do and am really starting to not be able to breathe when I decide to focus on Abby and her bathroom problems.  And she was having problems.  No toilet paper.

So I say, "Ok, Abby, just let me in and I have some Kleenex in my purse."

Abby: "Noooooo!  I'm not getting up I haven't wiped yet!"

Me:  "Abby, it's no big deal.  You're not going to get messy.  Just reach over unlock the door and sit back down." 

Abby:  "NO!"

Me:"Abby!  Seriously!  We have to go!!!  Your brother is missing and we have to FIND HIM!"

Abby: "Mom.  I Am  Not Getting Up Without TOILET PAPER!"

Just so you know there was a line (of course there was.  She'd been in there for 20 minutes).  And they were listening.

So, I ran back out to find the teenage boy who was at the checkout counter and asked if it was possible to get some toilet paper.  And to unlock the bathroom door.  So I could get in and get on with the urgent matter of finding my lost son.

After we had that all taken care of we were going on 25-30 minutes of not seeing Jace.  And I started rambling to the teenage boy asking if they had a "Missing Persons" protocol in place and who should I contact.  He was no help but at this point lots of parents have overheard all of our conversations and are promising to keep and eye out and I am about to lose it.

I still haven't heard from Darren but I do have 3 of my kids so I decided it would be best if we waited upstairs until Darren got back and we could decide what to do next.  We found some couches to sit on and that was when my phone rang and it was Darren telling me he had Jace.  Relief flooded over me and I just sank down into the couch thanking Heavenly Father for keeping him safe.

Darren found him two blocks away from where the toy store was wandering around looking for our van. When Darren took Abby and Colby to the bathroom Jace didn't notice Brooklyn (playing right beside him) and thought everyone had left him.  He wanted to make sure to get to the van before we drove off without him.So he headed out of the store and began walking. Luckily, there was a group of people (there were lots of people out walking around that day) that noticed Jace looking lost and grabbed him. They were just about to call the police when Darren showed up.  When Darren left he picked a direction and just started running the streets hoping to cover as much ground as possible. Poor Jace was traumatized.  He just burst into tears when he saw Darren.  Needless to say, we had a good talk about what to do if you think your parents have abandoned you. And it didn't include walking outside of a store looking for your van.