Valentines Day 2012

Both Grandma's sure make Valentines Day special and exciting by sending packages!  We were spoiled with lots of fun things and treats!!  Thanks Grandma Smith and Grandma Bennion!  (Thanks to our Grandpa's too....but I'm pretty sure Grandma had more to do with it!!!)

 We decorated sugar cookies for Family Home Evening

 Lydia loved her mask from Grandma Smith and wore it all night long!

 Hattie Loved getting slipped a few bits of cookie too:)

 Valentine Hair

 Valentine dinner

Jake was gone this Valentines with the youth at the temple but he surprised the girls the next morning with fun Lollipops and me with Chocolate strawberries in a chocolate bowl YUM!!!

I'm so grateful for all my sweet valentines!!

Thanksgiving 2011...ER Pie

Thanksgiving 2011 will always  be remembered as the Thanksgiving Jake, Gracie and I spent in the ER.   We had just started our Thanksgiving feast at Jodi and Johns.  The kids of course were done with their meal  in about 7 minutes and were already back outside playing in the backyard.  The adults had just started to dig into our meals when John and Jodi's daughter Megan rushed in to inform us that Gracie was hurt and bleeding.  Sure enough we found Gracie outside on the ground next to a scooter and a frowny faced cut in her chin from the handle of the scooter.  Thinking that possibly we might be able to go to an InstaCare place and avoid the ER we spent the next hour going from place to place only to find that the only place open on Thanksgiving was of course the ER.  Luckily, they weren't busy and we were able to get in pretty quickly.  After the doctor saw her and gave her some numbing cream we had a while to wait before they could actually do the stitching.  Gracie had been very calm since we arrived at the ER and was actually quite happy to be having some one and one time with Jake and I! So, when she suddenly started getting upset and tearing up we were a bit surprised but we tried to explain that the stitches wouldn't hurt and everything would be fine.  That still didn't calm her down.  Finally, she was able to get out what was troubling her so much," I just really don't want to miss pumpkin pie!" she said.  Oh that sweet girl...here she is about ready to be sewn up and all she wants is  a slice of pumpkin pie!!!  The Doctor caught wind of the situation and the next time he came in he had a slice of pumpkin pie just for Gracie.  She was thrilled!! She got her stitches and the Doctor was amazed at how well she did and told her she was the easiest kid he has ever stitched up! Now the 8 stitches are gone and she'll have a small scar on her chin for the rest of her life to remember Thanksgiving 2011 and her ER pie!

Lydia's 3rd Birthday

   Our little Lydia Belle turned 3!  Oh how we love you Lydia!  I think Grandma Bennion put it best in your birthday card when she said we hope you never loose your Sparkle and Shine. However, I could do with a little less mischievousness!  You didn't take a day off even though it was your birthday.  You started bright and early by squirting toothpaste (poospaste in your language!) all over the bathroom towels.  While I cleaned up that lovely mess you got your self a drink from the fridge but filled the cup up a little to full.  You couldn't be bothered by dumping the excess out in the sink ( it was your birthday after all!) instead you just dumped it out on the kitchen floor and then continued the process of filling and dumping, filling and dumping until that just wasn't fun anymore and you left the mess for me to discover (at least my floor got cleaned that day!) and went on your merry way.  Later in the day I also discovered that you had helped with the laundry by placing an entire box of dryer sheets in the dryer! So helpful you are!!!
   When we asked you what you wanted for your birthday you always responded the same, "Purple flower burtday and thkirths  and thparkly shoeth!" (skirts and sparkly shoes...you have a bit of a lisp, which I just love!)  We tried to give you some ideas of toys you might like but you stayed firm on your request of skirts and sparkly shoes...so skirts and sparkly shoes is what you got along with a purple flower cake and some great presents from Grandma and Grandpa Smith and Grandma and Grandpa Bennion that you really did love!

We love you so much Lydia Belle and really do hope you never loose your Sparkle and Shine!!!

Happy Whooolaween!

We had a fun Halloween!  I saw the idea for these owl costumes and fell in love with them. When I showed it to the girls they all loved the idea too!  I figure my years of being able to convince them to be what I want them to be are probably coming to an end so I have to take advantage of it while they still think I have good ideas!  Of course it wouldn't be Halloween without a trip to the pumpkin patch or with out carving pumpkins.  Jake did all he carving of pumpkins this year.  I'm just now realizing that we never got a picture of the girls finished pumpkins!  Jake of course did another amazing pumpkin!!!  

Fall photos 2011

 It is GORGEOUS here in the Fall!!  We took a drive up Santaquin Canyon a couple Sundays ago and I was almost emotional about how beautiful the trees were.  I kicked myself the entire way for not bringing my camera.  The colors were so bright that they literally looked lit up!!!  I told Jake that we Had to take pictures this week to catch the gorgeous colors.  The Friday after our Sunday drive we went to take pictures.  Although it was still very beautiful it was amazing how much the leaves had changed and were just not as vibrant as they had been a few days earlier.  Oh well...I guess I'll never forget my camera again!!! Anyways, here are a few of the pictures I took of the girls and our family...

Hattie's rockin some "Mom Jeans" for sure!

Brynlee...wearing the same thing she wore in last years photos!! ha ha what can I say, I'm cheap!

Brynlee is 5!

 Brynlee turned 5 this month!  Her Birthday landed on a Wednesday and we planned a "friend" party for the next Saturday so her "real" birthday was spent with the family.  I told her we could do whatever she wanted, a dangerous thing to tell a 5 year old!  However, her requests ended up being quite easy to fulfill.  A backyard lunch of Mac N' Cheese, a movie for quiet time, decorating the house with streamers,  and dinner at the Pizza Factory (they make a special breadstick in the shape of the number of years old you are on your birthday!)  After dinner she opened her presents from us and Grandma and Grandpa.

 Then Saturday Finally came!!  This was Brynlee's first "friend" party and she was pretty excited.  She decided she wanted a Hello Kitty party, so a Hello Kitty party is what she got...and if I never see Hello Kitty again I would be just fine with that!!!!

The cake

 The Decor

 Brynlee and her guests enjoyed a lunch of Nutella and Bannana and Nutella and Strawberry Jam sandwiches cut in the shape of flowers, strawberries, watermellon, strawberry jello, and popcorn.

The Games

Pin the Bow on Hello Kitty

 Pass the Present

The Guests

 Doesn't Hattie look thrilled!

Happy Birthday Brynlee, we sure love you!!!!!