Dallin's new hairdo

Dallin had been receiving a few comments on how his hair was covering his ears and it was getting long and shaggy. (I only wish my little girls had hair like that at that age.) So we took him in for his first hair cut today. He was a great little guy that just sat so nicely on my lap and played with the hair clips off Jill's apron. I have attached a picture from a couple of weeks ago and his day at the salon with his new look.

Daddy loves me

They always say Boys and their Toys...

But in this case it's the Girls and their Toys,

or the fact that Daddy loves Me.

We went out today to run some errands and decided to stop at the ATV shop. Wow, didn't even think that it would be anything more than a looking stop, but as you can see we came home with some fun. We bought a ATV110... which has a 110cc engine with a pink camo body. The girls, mostly Mac ~ Ella isn't quite big enough to handle the brake yet, are very excited for their new toy. Mom is alittle nervous... that thing is dang fast!! We have turned down the throtle so that the girl can't go that fast, but Mac still scares me until she gets the hang of it. I guess it is good that we have reservations out on the dunes at Pismo Beach next week. Hopefully they will get the hang of it out there. We'll let you know soon.

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day!!

Just want to let my family know I love them!!

Catch up Time

Besides little post on the Prophet we havn't really been keeping up on what is going on in our lives, so here goes...

First off ... YEA!!!!!!!!!!! Corey is finally back on the west coast! Not home, but on the West Coast. He has been traveling of the last 3 weeks. Between 2 days in Fallon NV last 2 weeks, Washington DC. and now San Fransico since early Sunday this week, I am glad that he will be home soon and that he is almost done with the contract bids.

Things have been going well here, just busy. We have had the normal school, mutual, meetings, libarary day, park day, and gymnastics each week. And then we decide to add on even more... Stake YW meetings, birthday party, baby shower, Family dinner, Disney on Ice, Ward party, temple baptisms and Girls Camp Meetings all got put into our last three weeks. Along with Coreys traveling. How do we do it all!!!

So if you didn't catch some of all that...

I am going to Girls Camp again for our stake in June. I thought that I might get to in that they said that they wanted all the YW Presidents to go, but I got an actual call and assignment. I am really excited to go again this year. This will be a different experince for me as I am going as staff, not as a cabin councilor. I have mixed emotions over it. I will miss having the late nights with the girls, but not the lack of sleep, I will miss the over night hike with the 4th yrs, but not the hike or sleeping on the ground. (Although maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I wasn't pregnant while doing it.) But we will see how it goes and YEA!!!! me.

Kaytlynn, my neice, just had her 11th birthday this month. I can't believe that she is that grown up already. It seems that she should still be just a youngin playing with the little kids in Kindergarden. But then that would mean that I wouldn't even have had any kids yet. (Oh the memory of a life that is now gone.) So a big shout out to you ~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAYTLYNN!!!

Catch up time #2

A Night for the Princesses

Kirsten, Ella, Abby, MaCayela

Last week we took the girls out for a night of Fun. Princess Fun. The girls had no idea what we were doing. That day as the girls were all getting dressed up we told them that it was a princess party, but that is all that they knew. Diana (Lenzinger) and I decide back in Dec. to take the girls to Disney on Ice. The guys (Corey and Jared) said that it sounded like a fine idea. (I don't think that they realized that they were included in the event until after they gave the nod of go ahead. I have a feeling that it would have been alot different if they knew that they would be going along with us.) As we got to the arena and the girls figured out what we were there for they squealed with delight. They had seen the commericials on the tv, but we just kept saying I don't know, Maybe.

The show itself was fantastic. I showed all the princesses and their dreams comming true. We really enjoyed it all. MaC says that Sleeping Beauty and Arial were her favorite and Ella like Tinkerbell and Minne Mouse and the Princesses. As for myself, I really enjoyed all the supporting roles. I thought the sailors and fish from mermaid, the dwarfs, the dragon in sleeping beauty, and silverware in beauty were great. (Corey even admited that he enjoyed the show, but don't tell him that I told you.) It was great fun and nice to take the girls out for something special.

Gymnastics

Ella has been asking for quite some time now when she gets to do "nastics" (that shat she calls it) again. We did a mommy and me last winter/spring and I said never again. Try being 9 months pregnant and then having the baby in the middle and having to come back to it after just having the baby. (Thank heavens for Grandma that was willing to go to class for the weeks right after adn and then willing to keep Dallin when I returned.) Needless to say I kept telling Ella that she couldn't do class until she was 3yrs. and could go by herself, 'cause mom's not doing the whole mommy and me again with Dallin now on the move. So she has been asking since Nov. when she can start...

Our Tuesdays are now our crazy day. Ella and MaCayela have both started Gymnastics again and loving it, but it is one crazy day for mom. MaCayela has preschool that morning at 9:00am and then it is off to Ella's class at 10:00am. That finishes at 11:00 and MaC needs to be picked up at 12:00. School and class are about 15mins apart, but with 2 kids with me the extra 35mins that I have between dropoffs/pickups and class isn't really enough for us to get in and out of our car and accomplish any errands. So the DVD player is back in the car and we sit in the parking lot while Dallin gets a nap in his car seat and Ella talks to mom nonstop. (Literally nonstop, I am so surprised how much of a buffer Mac is when it comes to the conversations with Ella.) Surprisingly though, the teachers are having a hard time to get Ella to talk in class, she won't even tell them her name. It has really made the staff chuckle, 'cause they all know that from last years mommy and me class that she is just a ball of fire. It really makes me laugh becasue she tells me ahead of time... mom, I'm not going to talk in class today, I am going to be shy. (How the crap do I get her to be shy around me and not talk. Even when we play the quite game she can't make it to teh count of ten.) She is doing great at the skills and even listening to the teacher, another thing that I can't get her to do.

After picking up Mac from school, getting home to eat lunch, taking naps for everyone, getting dinner ready, feeding everyone, it is back to the gym for Mac's class. (With the other 2 little ones in tow.) Part of the deal with Corey for an evening class for Mac is that I would take the other 2 with me so that he can have a night to himself, since he has the kids on Wed. and Thurs. nights due to mutual and meetings. MaCayela is actually in the 6 yr old class this year and is doing well. She is alittle behind some of the others, but is seeing what the others can do has pushed her to want to do more. She really has been funny with it though. Just the other day they were working on their cartwheels so when she came home she wanted to practice more. I would try and spot her the way that her teacher had, but it was never right in her book...

Mac: Mom can you help me with my gymnastics pleeeaaaaaaaase!
Mom: Sure (I've seen the teacher do it, how hard can it be. I thought.)
Mac: I'm going to do a cartwheel, ready?
Mom: Go for it.

I put my hands on her hips to help steady her. As she goes over my arms get all twisted and I almost drop her on her head.

MaC: MOOOOOM, you dropped me. That is not how teacher Renee does it.
Mom: Sorry, lets try again.

Same thing all over again. (I now know that you are suppose to start with your arms crossed so that when they end you arn't all twisted up. Would have been good if I had noticed that is how the teacher did it before we tried it at home.) Anyways...

MaC: Mom you dropped me again! Just do it like teacher Renee and you won't drop me.
Mom: I'm just not sure how she does it, I'm sorry.
MaC: Well, just show me how to do a cartwheel and I will try and copy you.
Mom: ... that would be a problem, mom doesn't know how to do a cartwheel.
MaC: *with a look of surprisement and inocents, with just a touch of humor* You don't... Well maybe you should come to my class and teacher renee can teach you too.

Great now I need to be in class with the 6 yr olds to learn something that I should've learned years ago. But gymnastics was never my thing. Give me a sport with a ball or some skiis or something, but don't ask me to contort, spin, flip, or twist my body into something. Didn't happen years ago, certianly not going to happen 20years older and 3 kids later.

As for Dallin during all this, he enjoys getting out and all the attention he gets at the gym from all the other moms and staff. He gets to play with the toys and flirt with all the ladies how much more could a male want. I really am lucky and blessed that he is such an easy going, laid back kinda kid. And isn't he a Cutie.

A New Prophet

Thomas S. Monson is the new president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was announced today at a news conference in the Church Office Building. President Monson, 80, succeeds President Gordon B. Hinckley, who died 27 January 2008.
The new world leader of the Church has called to serve with him in the First Presidency, the top governing body of the 13-million-member faith, President Henry B. Eyring, 74, first counselor, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 67, second counselor.

Gordan B. Hinckley Challenge

President Gordon B. Hinckley on the Book of Mormon
"I take in my hand the Book of Mormon. I read its words. I have read Joseph Smith's explanation of how it came to be. To the unbelieving it is a story difficult to accept, and critics for generations have worn out their lives writing books intended to refute that story and to offer other explanations than the one given by Joseph the Prophet. But to the open-minded, this critical writing has only stimulated them to dig deeper; and the more deeply they dig, the greater the accumulation of evidence for the validity of Joseph Smith's story. Still, as has been demonstrated for a hundred and fifty years, the truth of the Book of Mormon will not be determined by literary analysis or by scientific research, although these continue to be reassuring. The truth about the origins of the Book of Mormon will be determined today and tomorrow, as it has been throughout the yesterdays, by reading the book in a spirit of reverence and respect and prayer."( "Praise to the Man," Ensign, Aug. 1983, 4)


The challenge is that we are to read the Book of Mormon in 97 days, one day for each year of Pres. Hinckleys life. It starts on Feb. 4th and goes through May 10th. I am excited to take this on and looking forward to it. I have also challenged my Young Women to join me in this. We will see how it goes, and you can see how I am doing as we are going to post our chart.

If you decide that you want to join in... http://www.hinckleychallenge.com/

A Prophet of the Lord

Our sweet prophet, President Gordon B. Hinkley, passed away yesterday evening. He served as prophet for our church for 15 years, since 1995. He worked so hard to spread the gospel throughout the world and so many lives have been touched because of his continuous efforts. One of his first acts as president was to send out a proclamation to the world concerning the family. He made it very clear to all the members of the church that we needed to be seen and heard as much as possible so we could share the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone. He set a goal to have 100 functioning temples on the earth by the end of year 2000 and worked hard to see that it happened. There are now 124 working temples with another 12 under construction or announced.

What a man that President Hinckley was. President Hinckley was the prophet for my adult life to this point. I loved to hear him speak and to see his sweet smile and the twinkle in his eyes. He has made a profound impact on me, as he has focused on the youth of the church, while I have spent the last 7 years working with the Young Women. He has spoken to them, taught them, testified to them, and loved them, in a way the we have all gained from him.
As for my kids it is the only Prophet that they know at all and it has been an experince to be able to teach and explain to the girls about Pres. Hinckley and what changes are to come.

President Gordon B. Hinckley

MaCayela's special hair do

So MaCayela wanted to do her own hair for school yesterday and I so I decided to let her. I tried to talk her out of some of the clips but she said that more makes you more beautiful. So I let her do it and go to school that way. When we walked in to class Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Wahlen both commented on how wonderful it looked, and she just beamed that she had done it all by herself.

My true color

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Yellow

You're yellow, the color of joy and energy — two things you definitely bring to everyone around you. It's hard for anyone to be sad or lonely in your presence; your sunny disposition and cheery outlook just won't allow it. The warmth of your personality shines through in the kindness you show friends and family (and strangers, too). Always ready with a lighthearted joke or heartfelt compliment, you know how to make people feel good about themselves, so they can't get enough of you. Yellow is a warm and inviting color for a warm and inviting person — you!

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/rd/50651/color/index.jsp?testname=colorogt&resultid=A

She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes.

It has now been a week since my grandma has come down the hill and been staying with us, and it has been one of the most pleasant visits. While my aunt and uncle are out of town, my Grandma Marianne has been staying with my family. I was a little nervous at first not know what to expect while having her here, and how it would be with our kids and the chaos that goes along with it. But it truly has been a wonderful experience as we have gotten to know her better and my kids have gotten to spend time with her. I have loved our late night and nap time talks and surely enjoyed having another pair of hands around when it comes to entertaining the kids while preparing meals. The kids have loved having somebody else to play games and cards with, do puzzles and read to them. She is a wonderful lady with so many stories and insights to share. I do not look forward to the day that she will leave for she will be missed and our home will feel a little empty for a time. We love her so much and Cherish this opportunity that we have been given to spend this time with her. (even if it was by default.)

Vineyard time!!!

"...Always abounding in Good Works"

It was that time again... vineyard time. And since we are to be always abounding in good works I extended to my girls the option that they had to either work in the vineyard or babysit so someone else could be to the vineyard. It was formal night and so I had 4 girls that definitely didn't want to go to the vineyard and mess up their nail *eye roll* so they were all vying for babysitting jobs. I had planned on staying home due to sick kids all week, but one of my sweet laurels called Friday night and begged to babysit. So, I was off to the vineyard... and actually looking forward to the opportunity to serve.

This year there is quite a lot of work to do in the vineyard. We had to do some sort of grafting type work by planting a vine down into the ground and next to the post. We also had some post to replace all before we pruned and tied. But the weather was beautiful (not to cold, foggy or windy) and the company of our ward was great. Sometime we forget how good it feels to spend our time doing something for someone else with no gain for ourselves.

Mosiah 5:15

15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.

So this is the new theme for Young Women and Young Men this year. In being our Young Women President for our ward I got to introduce the theme on the first Sunday. (probably one of my least favorite parts of the calling is teaching. But oh how I love my girls and would do anything for them, so I teach even when I'm uncomfortable.)

Wow, what a powerful message it is for the youth, and the rest of us for that matter. To be able to be

"steadfast and unchanging,

immovable and unwavering

a strong and holy light

a sure and steady guide

when all the world is falling apart"

Our youth have lots of challenges facing them, and I pray that they can stand strong in the decisions and choices that they have to make. I love working with the youth and the wonderful choice spirits that they are. (especially my girls)

What kinda mom does that...

Okay so I feel absolutely horrible. I am the worst mom ever.... Okay maybe not ever, but I feel pretty bad. Life seems crazy and I somewhere along the line lost my mind. Dallin has not been feeling well off and on lately and on top of all that he is teething. So, needless to say we have had our share of nasty noses, horrible coughs and constantly disgusting diapers . They say that it is an old wives tale that teething children get yucky diapers, but it is true with my kids. All three of them have been that way. Well on Sunday I changed Dallins diaper and got him ready for church and off we went. Dallin gets passed around quite a bit being that Corey is in the clerks office and I am in Young Womens, so he spends the third hour with the ladies in Relief Society. Which are just wonderful to help me out each week. After church I am on my own as Corey stays and does tithing and "clerk stuff", this week Corey made it home around 6:30pm. By the time Corey came home this Sunday I was like... here, you wanted a boy, here is your son. The kid was just fussy!! (which should've been my first clue, being that Dallin is usually my easy going mellow kid.) By 7:15 or so we decide to give up and get him ready for bed, I just couldn't take anymore fussing. As Corey undress Dallin to change him into pj's I hear him yelling at me from the bedroom to come help. The poor kid had had a yucky yucky diaper for quite some time, I mean like sense church, that had leaked out the sides and dried to his rear by this time. The poor kid had to go strait to the bath just to get his bum clean without him screaming as I tried to wipe.
Due to all this failure on his moms part, Dallin now has a bright red bum with sores from sitting in it. (hence the reason that there are no pictures as to why I am a bad mom.) And due to his teeth and cold he is always in need of a diaper change, which I am trying to change right away.
I feel so bad for the little guy and hope that I am not the only mom that forgets the little things like changing diapers.

We're gunna party like it's 1999!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Can you believe it is 2008! We had a great low key New Years eve. We enjoyed food, fun and friends. What more could you ask for. We spent the evening at DeLynn and LaShays house with the Hummans and all the kids. We had planned on setting the clocks forward 2 hours, watching the ball drop on central time and going home at 10:30 to get some much need sleep for the little ones. Needless to say we looked up from playing games and it was 10 mins to 11:00 and the kids (all the girls, the 2 babies were already in bed.) were still doing pretty good, so we decided to stay. At midnight the kids had a blast pulling all the poppers and screaming.I think that the girls actually had more fun cleaning up all the confetti and streamers. It was really nice to be all together with the girls and our friends to ring in the new year.

From our Family to Yours we wish you all the best for the new year.

We're dreaming of a white [day after] Christmas

About four weeks before Christmas MaCayela and I were watching the old movie White Christmas. MaC then turned to me and asked if I had ever had a white Christmas. While it has been some time, I remember as a kid having a least one Christmas at the cabin. I got a blue record player and either that year or another time roller skates, and pj's from grandma Lue. (boy things haven't changed much... most of the greatgrandkids got pj's this year from grandma lulu.) As I told MaCayela about these memories she begged for us to go to the cabin for Christmas. As I didn't really want to have to deal with the whole Christmas and Santa thing up there we decide that since Corey had the week off we would go up the day after Christmas and stay through the weekend. So we booked it with Grandma and we were set for some fun family time.

We didn't make it out on the day after Christmas... Surprise Surprise right ;) But we got out of the house by 9am on Thursday and decide to find people to cover our church responsibilities and we would just stay through Sunday night or Monday morning. As usual for any out of town trip it seems that we grossly over packed but we were off for the mountains.

When we first got to the cabin the outside temp. was 30 degrees and the inside temp was 30 degrees. with the main source of heat being the fireplaces, we (the kids and I) left Corey there to start fires and open up the cabin as we headed back into town. I took the kids out for pizza and hit the hardware store for somethings on Corey's list for the cabin. We then decided that we hadn't been gone long enough for it to warm up so we went down the hill to Sonora to go to Walmart. YEA!!! Now we have even more things than what we packed and if you remember we were already over packed to start. By the time we got back it had started to warm up... 53 degrees now so we unpacked and got ready 'cause everyone was talking about the snow we would be getting over the next 3 days.



YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! It snowed!!!!!!!!! .... that is what I woke up to at 7:30am from two little girls running around in circles after being up from 3am to 6:15 with Dallin and just getting back to sleep. Mom are you so excited!?! they asked as I got up. How do you tell them ... No I am not excited! It is just snow and only 28 degrees outside, I just want to go back to sleep. Just like this.... Why yes I am, and I can't wait to go out and build a snowman with you. Well Corey and the girls went out and started the fun after breakfast and as much dawdling as we could get away with, while I got down for his morning nap. They remind me of colored Michelin men with all the layers that they had on.Joining them for a snowball fight and fun was just wonderful. (Gotta love those baby monitors.) The girls sliding down the driveway brought back memories of many winters of doing the exact same as a child. As the girls come in cold and exhausted (just the way mom likes them before nap time.) they enjoyed warming up and playing inside.

Being that it warmed up the next day and melted most of all the snow away. We spent the rest of the time inside playing games, pinball and pool. MaCayela was so excited she got 22,990 on the pinball all by herself. What a way to spend family time all together having fun and making memories.

Karyn, Wyatt and their kids along with their friends the Maguires came up Sat. night. The girls had a blast having their cousins and friends around to play with. (I guess mom and dad are only fun when there are no other options.) We then got up Sunday morning to another beautiful sunny, but cold morning and packed up to come home early.

We thank Grandma and Grandpa for the use of the cabin, and for the opportunity to build memories with our kids that will last a lifetime.

Santa came! Santa came!

I love to see the kids in the morning with their wide eyes and amazement that Santa really came.

We started the morning out in amazement, for the second year in a row our kids had not gotten up early. (our kids have always been an early wake up, except when it seems you want them to.) Corey and I just lied in bed waiting for the girls to get up. Finally MaC got up and was heading strait for the living room, but mom and dad had put up the baby gate so nobody could go down the hall early. My mom then called to see if we need some batteries for the morning, in finding out that the girls weren't both up and down the hall yet, they decide to come and see the magic of having Christmas morning with little kids. Well, we finally just woke Ella up so we could start the fun. It was a wonderful sight to see as they came down the hall and saw what Santa had left. (even though we had forgot the cookies and milk.) Those of you with young children that still believe know that pure excitement and belief in their eyes that their faith had been rewarded. I look forward to many more of these Christmas mornings.

The girls absolutely loved their play house and later in the day MaCayela told me she is glad that we are like the poor kids. It gave us all a good laugh. [http://annancorey.blogspot.com/2007/12/those-toys-are-for-poor-kids.html]

We then went to my sisters for a waffle breakfast and gifts with grandma and papa. It was lots of fun to see all the cousins having fun and playing guitar hero's for the morning.

I truly feel that we are blessed with the wonderful children and family and friends that we have. We love them all and think of you all often. Hope that the holiday season was a memorable one for each of you.

What a wonderful time for family and friends

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year. We truly enjoyed spending time with loved ones and having fun this year.

We went to my sisters on Sunday the 23rd for a family dinner and gift exchange for my dad's side of the family. What fun it is to see some of those you don't get to see as often. I love seeing my cousin and her family, and why we always seem to wait until the holidays to get together is beyond me. (sorry- no pics... forgot the camera)

We then spent Christmas eve with my mom's side of the family (which is what we have done every year since I can remember) only this year we decided to do it at my aunts instead of grandma and grandpa's. (We kinda out grew grandma's house with all the grandkids and their families.) We enjoyed a wonderful dinner as usual with the best turkey ever!! ~~...okay, okay so Corey was in charge of the cooking the turkey this year, and we figured between the 3 BBQ's, a smoker and turkey fryer we could come up with something different. After having a total of 5 turkey test runs in the month of December (thanks to DeLynn and LaShay for always testing and critiquing) Corey did a fantastic job at the two turkeys for Christmas eve. ~~Well, the kids had a blast running around and acting crazy with all the cousins. The girls seem to think the best part was that they were old enough to hand out the presents when it was time. Grandma and Stacy would read the names but the girls got to be Santa and deliver them. Dallin really enjoyed the whole present thing and started to catch on a little that it was okay to rip the paper. Not that he cared what was in the paper much, but the paper was pretty cool.

For Christmas night we had a great time over at the Sapps for dinner and games. My Parents even came for some fun!! We always enjoy our time with them playing games and letting the kids run around. (They have a little girl Ella's age, Mason) The kids played Disney Bingo, which I highly recommend if you have some kids in the 3 and up range, while we played some pictionary and catch phrase.

Look who got ELFED

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1693440982

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1694365014

The girls and I had a blast elfing the kids that they wanted to elf everyone we had pictures for. Mean ol' mom wasn't going to sit there all day, but we couldn't resist elfing Grandma Lulu and Grandpa Al. We hope you all get a laugh from these.

Remembering the reason for the season

I received these from a friend of mine and was touched by them and thought that I would share them with you. The first is the churches video Joy to the World set to an Amy Grant Song. It is very sweet. The second is the Donnie Osmond song Mary did you know put to a slide show on the Savior.

I hope as we are in the middle of the hussle and bussle of this time of year that we are taking time to remember our Savior and all that he has done for us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icilgwdHiZg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii9JvTyeL1Y

I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.

Family Pictures 2007

A big Thank You to Oracio from Garcia Photography. We love the photos! Here are a few of our favorite.

MaCayela's Preschool Class

MaCayela's Preschool Class for 2007-2008. She has wonderful teachers, Mrs. Lewis & Mrs. Wahlen. She has made lots of friends and loves her class. Usually she can't wait for school days which are only on Tues. and Thurs. so you can only imagine how often I get asked how many more days is winter break and when do I get to go back to class.

Me Want Cookies

Mommies little cookie monster!

Oh how we love them, but Oh what a mess!

Dallin and Maddox BFF

So I decide that Dallins BFF is Maddox Burton. The two boys are about 2 months apart in age, with Dallin being the older, but Maddy is the bigger and faster of the two. Cute little Maddox ate first, crawled first, got teeth first, is bigger than Dallin, but watch out 'cause Dallin can hold his own now. The two boys spend every Sunday at church sitting in the foyer playing during the second hour because they are to loud and crazy for Sunday School class. The two of them just make Ashley (Maddox's Mom) and I laugh because they will just sit there and pull on each other or each others toys. If one grabs hair, than the other will grab a cheek or lip. One will grab a toy from the blanket so the other one grabs the others toy. And now that they are on the move they just follow each other around. These two entertain each other and all those around them.


Yesterday I had Ashley over so that we could get some of our Young Women things done and the two boys were sitting there playing their games with each other and I had a camera around so I thought that I would get a picture of their first real play date. One where they actually played. (They have had others, but they just laid there for those while moms had mom time.)

Wow how they have grown up. (the bottom pic is from 5/23/07)

MaC's real birthday

So, MaCayela actually turned 5 today. Since we had celebrated her birthday earlier with her sister, so that Mom can move on with Christmas stuff. Isn't that just terrible of me. I don't want MaCayela's birthday to be overshadowed by decorating for Christmas or have a tree in the back of her pictures so we just move her birthday up by a week or two.

But feeling a little guilty we decided that we would take her out to dinner for her birthday. She choose Red Robins (No big surprise there, it is usually that or IHOP if the girls get to pick) and Papa, Grandma and Trevor came along.

While we were there someone else had a birthday also and got sung to by the servers, so MaC wanted to know when they were going to sing to her and bring her some ice cream. So we had the servers sing and she got a little shy as everyone around joined in and sang to her. Later on I asked her if she had been embarrassed and she said a little, but that it was okay 'cause they brought her dessert.

Those toys are for the poor kids

For Friday's date night Corey and I decided to get some of our Christmas shopping done for the kids. We started out at Toys-r-us looking around for some little things, me already knowing what I wanted to get the kids but wanting Corey to feel like he got some input or that it was his idea to actually purchase it when I pointed something out that I knew I wanted to get. We pick out Dallins "Big red man" gift along with a few little things for others. We then went to the dress-up and baby section to look for the girls. I had wanted to show Corey this house thing for the girls gift from the "Big Man in red". As we browsed around I asked what he thought of this little house baby setup like I had just seen it and he thought it was a great idea, and he thinks that we made the decision together, if he only knew.

So we proceeded to check out with what we had decided on and move on to our next stop --- TARGET!!! YEA!!! Well at target we found the same things that we got for 5 different gifts at almost half the cost of what we had just paid for at toys-r-us. So we thought that we would just get it at target and then the return the things to toys-r-us. Great idea I figured. Well, by the time that we finished up at target it was time to get the kids from the sitter, so we piled all the purchases into the back of the excursion and headed off to the Sapps to get the little ones.
As we picked up the kids and headed for home we were talking to the kids to keep them awake until we got home. We pulled in the driveway and Corey got out to get Dallin and I took a minute to collect all my stuff from the evening. As I got out and turned to open the girls door for them I see them looking over the back of the seat and opening the bags in the back of the car.

AAAAAHHHH!!!!! GET OUT OF THERE RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!!!! or Santa is not going to come to our house. That just terrified the girls and they ran to their room. Corey went in to talk to them and they asked if the house set was theirs, he answers no and they go into even more tears. He then thinks fast and explains that the gifts are for some poor kids that don't have money to get some gifts. MaCayela then wants to know if Santa doesn't visit the poor kids and is that why we have to buy toys for them. Wow the things that they think of. We explain to them about how moms and dads also buy things for kids along with what Santa brings. We then also explain a little about the toys for tots program that MaCayelas class is going to the fire house for and that we got a barbie for her to take. Well now she wants to know what poor kids are getting the house set. oh me, oh my, now what.

Well then, yesterday morning I had a YW/YM joint ward breakfast and was explaining our occurrences from the night before to some of the other leaders when one of them (that my kids don't know from the other ward) volunteered to be the poor family for us to take our toys to. What an idea.... actually make the kids take it to someones house.

What a memory this will be when the kids look back and think of this.

It's starting to look alot like Christmas...

and I am loving it!!! I couldn't wait until Thanksgiving was over so that we could pull out the Christmas music and get the tree up. Music starts at our house the day after Thanksgiving and runs nonstop. And for some reason this year I feel like a little child looking forward to Christmas.

We got our tree up that weekend and then spent FHE decorating it. Which was quite an experience this year. As I am pulling down the boxes of decorations and ornaments... OK.. as I am pointing at which boxes I want Corey to pull down, he reminds me that the kids are very excited and I need to have Patience with them during this whole decorating thing. I laugh and say who me?. I don't care how they decorate the tree or windows as long as I get to put up the nativity and garland and other little things. SO, we proceed with bring the boxes in and as soon as I set them down the kids start pulling everything out and trying to unwrap all the tissue wrapped items. OH NOOO here goes mom....... JK! Corey and I got a system set up so that I could carefully open the ornaments and then the could chose which ones they wanted to hang and where. Sounds good, right.... Oh Yea we are working with a 3 and 5 year old. All we heard was... She choose mine! She's done more than me! That's where I want to hang mine! So, the system was modified to them being handed an ornament and then waiting until one was done.

We finished the tree with Ella getting her first try at putting the star on top with dad's help then stepped back to look at the wonderful job that they did. Wow what a job it was, within about seven branches we had the bulk of all our ornaments, pine cones, garland and holly berry's that the kids had put on. At this time it was off to bed with the little ones and moms turn to redecorate the tree. Which has had a few redecoration's each day by my own personal interior decorators.