Jake and Kate riding bikes

Funny, not really

How might this happen?

Chad took the kids on a ride in the van one Sunday. Lia and I stayed home. He took them out to see if Utah Lake was frozen over, even telling Grace if it was, she could walk on the ice... OK this is very random but he was trying to bribe her into a boring car ride. They arrive. Grace and Chad get out to look at the lake. Kate and Jake stay in the van, all buckled. Chad returns to the van to find it locked. Car is running, Jake is playing a game on Chad's cell phone. It's about 7, dark and cold. Chad is in a t-shirt. No one is around. Closest house is at least a mile away. What to do? After waiting unsuccessfully for someone to drive by, or for Kate to figure out how to get out of her carseat, he smashed the back windshield in with a rock. Fun Sunday night outing. He really enjoyed telling me about it.

Play Time

My little dogs love eating on the floor.

Remember perfection? The pop scares me everytime.

Grace just couldn't get this train a goin.

This is a presentation of a 3 month old cub by Emma and Roman. I wish the audio was better, but you can get the idea. After the video the kids pet the cub too early without the teachers permission and it went wild.

Fall

It's never to late to pay tribute to Fall; My favorite season in Utah. I love the view from my front porch.

Kate playing at a park 

Baptism

Hell Froze Over!

I'm a wife, I'm a mother, I'm a blogger, I'm a Mormon!

While laying in bed one night after church Chad mentioned that I could answer "yes" to all the questions they ask you to get baptized. For the most part I could. I decided getting baptized was my way of showing the Lord that if it is true, I'm willing to do it. I always looked at the LDS faith as all or nothing. I liked some things, but not others. Then I decided I don't have to like it all. I would rather actively work on my testimony than just wonder what's true my whole life. My kids need some kind of faith to guide them, and I'm not looking to start my sect inside my family and steer my kids in opposing directions. Crazy though. I remember telling Chad when we met "Don't even try it!" I did stay strong for 15 years. I had a lot of people working on me.

 

Cute Girls

Some moms master the art of hair styling. I am not one of those moms, but every now and then a babysitter comes along and shows you your childs' true hair potential. (where to put the apostrophe?)

The picture above was for Lia's 2 month well visit. She was a little over 2 months and weighed nearly 13 lbs and was in the 50% for weight, 30% for height. Our first slightly chunky baby!

Little Lia

At 2 months Lia sleeps a lot. I'm jealous! (photos from October)

I will take it for the team and post this picture of my sister and I. She came down to see Lia and my parents and was a great help. My sweet Mom was going to send this pic in a mass email to all my relatives I haven't seen in years. Things that make ya go HMMMM. 

Barnum and Bailey

Chad took Emma, Roman and Grace to the circus in SLC and it did not disappoint. They saw dancing elephants, tigers leaping through fire and many other amazing things you will not get to see. Chad left the camera in the car, but he did take a few redeeming photos when they returned.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics has given Grace the opportunity to wear multiple leotards. She is truly learning the art of proper outfit selection. (phone pic) - I feel like I need to note every sub par photo. 

Her latest trick

Halloween Fun

Grace at her Kindergarten Halloween Parade. Bad pic, but had to include the kid sitting next to her.

My Cowgirl

Cheetah Girl (Grace's creation of course) We were all supposed to be cowboy/cowgirls... and I was the cow. However, only Kate ended up wearing her costume.

The king and his unruly son

Our Halloween party had to include the mysterious pumpkin juice with dry ice fog effect.

Another excuse for sugar cookies

My helper

Side note: My cute Kate was recently telling the babysitter to come to her room to see the big goose. They went upstairs and she exclaimed "There it is! Ahhhh!" They proceeded to her closet to see another "goose". We were perplexed until she said "The gooses go wuhooooooo!" Oh, Ghosts!

Towers

Try to find the repeating theme

In Jake's own words "I build my towers!"

Oldies but Goodies

Posting these pics from July when it's December is really bumming me out. I miss Summer. Here are my kids with some neighbor friends eating frozen gogurts on my favorite purchase, our kid size picnic table. Good times!

Jake dressed to the nines while directing cement truck traffic

Dressing up just for fun

 Say "cheese" means pick your nose

Or cry

Superheroes!

What started out as snowflakes turned into superhero masks

Kindergarten

Grace was so excited to start school and ride the bus. She didn't hesitate, and I didn't have time to get sappy because Kate was throwing a big fit. She wanted to ride the bus too.

Grace started gymnastics and loves it. I got her this cake to celebrate her big day. Her day was even more eventful when she lost her third tooth. It was loose so Chad tied floss around it and wanted to attach it to a door knob. Grace wasn't having that. He convinced her to keep the floss on and just play with it herself. Kate walked by, saw the floss dangling and without hesitation pulled it. So funny! Grace was pretty sad, but once she remembered the tooth fairy she cheered right up.