MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Last night, FUN!


Rick and Lori and family came up. Food, games, stories and the real meaning of Christmas - CHECK! A few gifts exchanged then on to opening new jammies. Teeth were brushed, treats were left for Santa and reindeer food was put out in the rocks. Kiddies quickly to bed but not quite that quick to sleep.


Finally after many interruptions 5am finally came.

Take a look at these pictures and try to figure out what Santa finally brought to our house.

Do you need more?

Okay, one more hint.

Did you guess Wii? Then you are right. It has been MUCH fun! Even Grandma L. got in on it. I know we will have great times as a family with this.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.

Almost There!

So for the last few years we have gone to see a man dressed as Santa. His street is all decked out, his house is decked out, he has the suit, age and beard. He does it for the love of it. His wife use to sit out with him as Mrs. Claus until she got to sick. He listens to the kids, gives them candy canes and lets you take as many pictures as you want. One year we forgot our camera. He had a friend take some for us on a floppy type disk and gave them to us. So awesome. I tried somewhere else this year first. Wee One and Girly barley spoke and Speed refused all together. So, we went back and what do you know. All three just gabbed and gabbed and gabbed. They loved it and him. Thank you, who ever you are. Just a few more days.

One last project for the kids. This year I let them do it all by themselves. No really! I didn't stick one thing anywhere! I think the did a smashing job.

Candy Day!!! Home Made With Love.

Dec. 12th mark candy day at our house. The traditional creating and dipping of your own chocolates. YUMMMMMMMMM!! Here are some of our friends and family that came to share this day with us. We figured there were at least 60 people in and out of the house that day. It was so much fun. Thank you all.

I think Carter had a great time don't you?

Here though is the one who hated the day! Poor Marty in his own little prison.

Thanksgiving! ?

Okay, so not quit the traditional Thanksgiving, but WAY FUN! We did have turkey but we also had a roast beast!!



Here are the before, during and after shots.



Yup; the head, tail and all! Man he was yummy.
(Sorry to you vegetarians. Sort of.)

More Thanksgiving

I guess we went all out (WAY OUT) this year. The kids (and adults) took turns "shooting".

be be gun style.

This is what got shot at.Thanks for hosting us Rick and Lori.

Veterans Day Events (1)

Parade

We started out the day meeting up with Jamie and Heidi and crew downtown Mesa,

we had a great time watching the Parade.

(the reason we have the opportunity to celebrate this or any day)

My girls,

Favorite picture of the morning.

Veterans Day Events (2)

The Farm

After the Parade we headed out east to Superstition Farm. It is a working dairy farm. Kids were free that day and they had lot's of activities, events, crafts, food, petting zoo and more.




So much fun in just one day, by the time we got home we were all pretty wiped out. What a great way to be.

The latest cake,

Here is the latest cake I had fun making,
it was for JP's lesson in Elders Quarum. (Chocolate cake - peanutbutter buttercream frosting- YUMM!)

10 years.

On our way to Vegas we actually stopped at Hoover Dam.

As you can tell it was quite windy but, we had a good time.
They are building a new overpass that will reroute all traffic off the dam.

I thought it funny/sad that this was stamped on so boldly. Really! Do you need this bit of advice?

Okay, so in Vegas besides all the waking we did (I have scabbed up ankles as proof), show seeing (KA - awesome!) and overall fun having, we made time to go into this 4 story M & M world. Cute-yes, tons of stuff-yes, outrageous prices-**** YES! Did we give in and buy m&m's in colors you'll see nowhere else? YES JP got speed ASU colors, I got the girls different girly colors and since it was almost Halloween I couldn't resist getting Black and Orange. You'd think that at $12.99 a pound they would taste a little different or something. Not so, but much fun.

So because we can't let glitz and glamour skew our sights we have reality with us always. Who else can say that while in there first ever cab ride in Vegas, they got pulled over because the driver was speeding? I think just us. It was quite fun actually. While waiting to get on our marry way again we found guide books you can only get in cabs (I guess - didn't see them anywhere else) we found coupons for the things we were planning on doing the next day. It really did work out for our benefit.

A little more adventure for us. As we arrived at the van to leave we noticed our tire was flat. So, JP got to change the tire before we left. It was the first time he changed the tire on the van. Usually it's me stuck doing it because I am far away from home.

JP made the trip even better for me. He got us on the guest list for a club called LAX at the MGM Grand. (he knows how I love to dance) Then he got us VIP passes, so we didn't have to wait in line and we didn't have to pay a cover. SWEET! THEN, when we got back to our room he pulled out this.

I of course cried like a baby. It was the kind of moments you see on Jewelery commercials. So random, so unexpected and so romantic.

Thank you JP for the BEST 10 years of my life. I can't imagine life without you. Speed asked me today at breakfast, "Mom am I your best friend?" to which I answered "NO". He was a bit shocked that I didn't automatically say yes and asked "then who is?" my reply was "your dad." You truly are, again Thank you and I LOVE YOU!

Oh the thinks they think.

Two of the latest Speedism's I really want to remember.

#1

Speed: Mom you can really birth your own horse.
Me: What?
Speed: You know this meal is really good, you can birth your own horse.
Me: You mean toot my own horn?
Speed: Oh, yeah. Toot your own horn.

#2

Speed: Mom have you heard the story about Hickory Bob Crane?
Me: Who
Speed: Hickory Bob Crane, the headless horse guy.
Me: Oh, you mean Ichabod Crane.
Speed: yeah, him. Do you know it?

I adore my children!

Halloween

Happy Halloween!

HOOOWWW!! Scary~ Okay, not really, but it was fun.











Notice girly not in this picture. That's because pumpkin slime is "SSSOOO GROSS!"



Fun ghosties made with grandma's guidance!

Speed- this was the greatest costume ever, he started out as a Ninja and by the end of the night he was a robber. Simple blackness can be made into whatever you want it to be.

Girly - was a diva! There was a hat that went with this outfit that really made it, but she wasn't quite that divaish.

WeeOne - well there is a story. If you look at her head it's pretty clear what she is right? Of course. She's a red kitty! She insisted on it. I am a red kitty!

Maybe you've noticed an extra body, that is cousin Colton as Scream.

We were Hawaiian tourist's trying to blend in,

And the head witch.

Start the day carving a pumpkin, headed out to our wards Trunk or Treat (it was wonderful) some people went all out. Awesome! Then home at dusk to Trick or Treat around the neighborhood, then off to a Halloween party down the street. A surprise visit from G&G Ross in between and Colton playing with us too! What a great night had by all. Untill next year.

Run, run as fast as you can!

Speeds school just started a new program called the Running Club. It's every Wednesday for 45 min's. Yes, they are running and being active for 45 min straight. I think it's awesome. He went yesterday and loved it. It runs until the middle of March. How great is that. Maybe it will open the gate to new things for him.