Good Guy Today

I can find this little one in his underwear all the time. It's so tough for him to keep his clothes on.
This morning he found a sword and was getting the bad guys.

How could I not take pictures to document this imagination. Oh, how I felt safe today.

Pinewood Derby

It finally happened after planning it for 2 months. We had to reschedule twice and then after we finally got the okay on another date the church was closed for carpet cleaning so, it was moved to this cool barn. And the kids wondered the next day if they could go back.

A few photos to show for the night. Let me preface by saying that Gabe the whole time was telling it wasn't time for a photo. I'm still glad I took them regardless of him wanting me too.

Here's Gabe's derby. He wanted a tank this year...he worked hard on this thing and then when it came time to racing it, it was too heavy. So...we had to make a few minor...I mean major adjustments and few tears were shed but once we got Gabe's derby got on the track it placed 1st and 2nd the rest of the night which got him the title of 2nd place.

The first slim down.

Not enough so we've got to get creative.


Still not enough so we took some wood off of the sides.

Now this is official Cub Scout uniform.

Then look at my boy not so official.
He's embarassed to show how happy he is getting 1st again.


These are all the other cars. They all did a good job this year pretty unique.

Sleepin' in

11:00 Elyse just woke up for the day and in 40 minutes she goes to school. I love that they sleep in for my sake but it's tough to get them up in the morning for school and to get them to sleep at a decent time.

The weekend

Friday night...late! We are getting ready to start the weekend ritual...a late movie and Isaac decided to jump off of Bryn's bed and fly into the chest of drawers. Blood gushing out. It was all over in his face, concerned looks in all the kids faces hoping that he'll be all right. Give him about 5 minutes and he'll be just fine but I was concerned about the hole in his forhead and it being late friday night. Dreading the emergency room we decided to opt for the butterfly bandaids and batman. I just hope their is no scar.

The hole




A shot the next day with his bandaid...and better light...sun light.

Changing my blog template

It's going to mess up my photo size.

I don't post here any more

So what's up with us since the last post.

*Not really sure what happened to January.
*Isaac potty trained himself except for pooing in the toilet...I'm tired of cleaning the poo off of the walls.
*getting ready for more work to be done on the house ie: rock on the fireplace, shelving on the sides of the fireplace, and the pantry shelving, more electrical, and painting the doors to get the handles on them so there isn't a peephole in the bathroom door.
*just got a phone call tonight that some of my photos will be on a cover of a magazine. YEAH! Super excited but a little intimidated by it.
*Can't wait for spring!

I have to find a photo to post. This is one of Isaac falling asleep before he should. He basically took a 2 hour nap today until 9 pm so I will be up with him pretty late tonight. The little stinker.

Salt Lake Temple session

The day after Christmas we made it to a live session at the temple. It was a pleasure (like that word) to have every single one of us at the temple. It was cold out and I had the wrong shoes on for the walk to and from the car (I can't seem to find boots that fit my large calves).

The close up


Gotta get the majestic temple in


...and finally some shots of Greg and I that don't seem to make priority any more.

We have a nerd in the house

...I mean we have 2 with the offspring we have created (this would be Greg and Gabe). I do have to say I loooooove having a nerd around and one of the benefits from today is an:

Excel Spreadsheet projecting how long it will take for us to finish remodeling the inside of our house. This does not include the outside. The projected time when we will finish is in July of 2011 with us working only 9hrs a week no more or less (I just hope its done sooner...the spreedsheet says if we give 15 hours a week we will finish in July 2010).

Example spreedsheet.

Christmas in Review

Christmas Day...was WHITE!
Lots of presents
Smiles
so much excitement that there wasn't any sleeping until 2:00 a.m.
getting up @ 7:00 a.m. (made them wait until 8)


Santa visited Isaac at school and Elly was there for the party too




Mrs. Claus reading them a book


Isaac's chrismas ornament that he made at school.


Christmas Sledding Party was a blast!












Isaac getting board of sledding so he wanted to play in some water...fareeezing!

Confession

You know when you go to a store and there is a SALE and its a really good sale...one that if you buy it now it saves you money later and you know that you will use it. Well, I found one of those today and came out like a bandit but spent $237...shhhhh, don't tell Greg. My rationalization was this...I haven't bought scrapbooking stuff for about 2 years now... I'm thinkin it's about time I update my stuff...or soon to be collection. Not really sure when but I would like to get on top of it again. I mean I only take about 1,000 pictures a month.

Elyse's Daily Goodbye List

This one is Dad's
Give me a elbow high five and then a real high five. Then I need a hug and a kiss and a blow kiss.

For mom it goes like this
Wait at the bus stop and when it gets here give a hug and a kiss then wait till she gets on the bus and wave.

Prepared

We ordered our 9 month food storage a few weeks ago and we finally got the delivery...a palet. It's crazy how much we spent but the feeling of being prepared definitely out weighs the amount of money we spent.
All of this food comes from The Ready Project and I love it, it actually tastes good...you only add water...and it has a 20 year shelf life. Love it!

Better late than never

This feels like a constant line I am putting up here in my family blog...but it's true.

I wanted to put some Halloween photos on here.
Let's start with the youngest of them all little Issac. If you don't see this boy on a daily basis you would not be surprised to see that he was Spiderman. He has this costume on daily.
I tried to hide it from him yesterday because I want to see him in normal everyday clothes. Greg asked "Why?" It's not very often that you can get away with wearing a costume everyday... so why not let him...so, I pulled it out to say the least he had a HUGE smile on his face.
He has learned that Peter Parker wears a tie and a shirt and pants...this was to help so that he would wear his church clothes. It has worked so far.





Here is Elyse as Miss Daphne (well we had 2 Daphne's) Bryn was too but she wasn't anywhere to be found...plus, she refuses to have her photo taken.



our Spy Guy. I think this idea of his was good...it got him some new toys instead of a dumb ol' costume.



Here are a couple other costume shots I got (only 2 others)
I just thought this was so cute.


Here is one of the winners for the night Jeff as "chewy" and Jared won too he was of course Bateman.



a view of some of the others.

The Leaves

...we have a ton of them. I haven't done any of the racking yet this fall season and we took advantage of that the other day. I just love to watch them play and smile enjoying the little things in life.

A little of me

I have been dieting (well lets say eating healthy) and so far I have lost 6lbs of FAT yes, I have a fat measurer thingy and I have lost 3% body fat and after we do the calculations it has totaled 6 lbs. of body fat. I don't usually like to tell people I am on a diet because everyone asks how its going and sometimes its not. But I am feeling so good I want to share.
I am now lifting weights (I can already see results) and I have also been playing soccer again. It was a rocky start but I can actually run more than 2 minutes now...you have to give me some credit...it is indoor (much more intense). Greg signed us up a few months ago and I dreaded doing the whole thing because the games are late at night (even as late as 11:30 to start) and we both play so our kids are running around the bleachers cheering us on and having a lot of freedom to do as they please. I have come to enjoy it again...I would have to say my competitive side has come out a little but not too much...he he. I love this form of excersize but I did not realize it made every part of my body soar including the love handles (soon to be gone). I don't actually have any pictures for this one but will get them soon.

Busy Weekend

....filled with Bryn's Baptism, & a service project and a photoshoot. This kind of a schedule makes me a crazy woman but for Greg it brings challenge...but it all worked out just fine.

Lets start out with the beautiful Bryn. She has been waiting for this moment for some time and I think it was scary yet exciting for her. We had many friends and family to support her...which made her feel very special. She loves to have people over and have a reason to have a party. She helped me plan the food and the setting up.
The baptism was at 10:00...we probably waited 45 min before it was our wards turn (we are the manilla 11th ward) and we were the last ones to go. Getting baptized with Bryn was Blake and Megan...and the thing that Bryn remembers most was the water was "Cold".





And now for the service project. Every year we as a large family plan a service project and we were in charge of it this year. My sweet friend Kelly decided to make a service project to give to the church in Kenya and sent around and email asking if there was anyone willing to give...so Greg and I decided to make this our family project this year. The best way that we were able to serve was by making the flannel boards that is needed for some teaching materials for the primary class.
We made it into an FHE night and was able to pull out 64 flannel boards and many pictures colored by the children and toys that they brought to give to the kids. We have done this for 4 years now and I think the kids are starting to catch on to the giving spirit and I love it. We are truely blessed and I hope that I will always be guided to serve were I am needed.









and then I had to try to get a photo of all the grandkids minus 3...ummmm that was funny!