sLeDdInG aNtIcS!!!

Last week Dean and I took the kids sledding. This was the first time dean has been able to come with us to the Amphitheater. What a great time! It is amazing to me how fearless they all are, including Dean. Above are some of their tricks. Someone had built a ramp in the middle of the hill and we were there for hours. So much fun! I am not a huge fan of being cold or sledding but I was going down the hill with Addy and the whole time she just kept telling me "it's okay mommy, it's okay." It is sad when your six-year-old is braver than you are.

DANCING QUEEN!

You can dance, you can jive

Having the time of your life

Ooh see that girl, watch that scene

Dig in the dancing queen

This weekend Addy got to fulfill her life's dream, or was it me? Kendyl's school was having a fundraiser for the drill team. They were running a mini-camp. We enrolled Addy and you would think that it was Christmas. They will have three practices and then they get to perform on Friday at the basketball game halftime. YEAH!!! Saturday was the first practice. Dean was at the temple with the Young Men, Kendyl was at ODP so lucky Jake got to come with me. He was such a good sport (see picture below). I swear he read for four hours straight, between giggling and whispering in my ear "this is so WEIRD." It is so weird to see girls from his class that were also in the camp with Addy, openly flirting with him. Is it starting already? Addy hasn't stopped talking about it since and has been practicing nonstop. It was so fun to watch her. She loved every minute of it and I was so happy for her, I almost got teary-eyed. It is finally her turn, after sitting through hours and hours of soccer games for her brother and sister. Have I finally got my girly-girl?

Kendyl works hard for her $$$.

Even Jake helps out.

Kendyl loves soccer and we love soccer too but it is a big expense. To help out with her fees Kendyl has gotteen her first job. She cleans Dean's office building every Saturday. It takes about an hour and a half every week and the money goes toward her ODP fees and BYU soccer camp this summer. YEAH!!!

More V Day!!!

Valentine's morning started out yummy. Heart shaped pink pancakes and strawberry smoothies. YUM, YUM, YUM!!!

SO YUCKY!!!

BEFORE!

DURING!

AFTER!

I don't know if it is a sign of getting older or what but I am wanting to try new things. This shouldn't have been one of them. At this incredible dinner, there were oysters. Kelli, Laila and I decided we were going to try one. SO GROSS, but now I can cross that off my list of things I want to do and remember never to do it again.

Valentine's Day!!!

OUCH!!! Thank goodness Valentine's Day is once a year.

This Valentine's Day was so much fun. It was an all weekend event. It started Friday night when a bunch of friends met at Grand America for dinner. There was lots of laughing, stories and fun. We missed those of you who didn't come but you were the wiser ones, note the crazy bill above. We were told they weren't doing anything special that night, that it was just the normal dinner menu. I guess we should have guessed this was not the case when we got there and our waiter gave us a tour of the buffet, good old Sam. The company surely made up for the expense though. After we all ate so much we were sure to burst, we got the bill and then all of us decided if it was going to be that expensive, no way were we done eating and promptly got up for more. HA! HA! After dinner we headed over to a dueling piano club for lots more laughs, and singing. We love you guys. I can't think of better friends to spend Valentine's Day with.

tOoThLeSS!!!

Addy lost her second front tooth this weekend. It has literally been hanging by a thread for weeks and has started to effect her eating and talking. I was almost ready to pull it out in her sleep but thank goodness I didn't have to. We were in the car driving and all of a sudden she just started screaming. It had just fallen out. She looks so CUTE!!! I guess she is a big girl now. SO SAD!!!

SCHOOL VALENTINE PARTIES!

This Valentine's Day was crazy fun. I helped in both Jake and Addy's classes. I love to go and help. It is so fun to feel their excitement and to hear them yell "Addy, it's your mom" or "Jake, it's your mom" when I come in the classroom. I am so thankful that they have great teachers this year. It has been fun to watch how different they are with their Valentines. Addy just picks one and writes their name on it but Jake has to analyze each Valentine, especially the ones for the girls. He got several blank love notes this year and has been so funny watching him trying to figure out who they are from. I worry this is just the beginning.

See, the circus can be educational.

I just had to add these pictures. They made me laugh so hard. After the circus had ended my sisters and I caught our girls practicing what they had learned from the trapeze artists. I have to admit it was fun, even my sister Marnie and I had to try. Thank goodness no pictures for that. I am hoping that with time they will forget this skill but it was good entertainment for the moment. We were having so much fun, the circus manager had to come and ask us to leave so that they could start the next circus. That made me laugh even harder because what person in their right mind would want to sit through that twice. GOOD TIMES!!!

The CiRcUs came to town!

The little girl cousins plus one friend!

CUTE!

The SISTERS!

COUSINS!

The circus came to town last week and my sisters and I decided to take the kids. It was so fun. I love to get together with my sisters any time I can and our kids love their cousins and cry when they have to leave them. I am so thankful that we have kids with similar ages, now if only one of them would adopt a 14-year-old. Poor KENDYL!! Now let me tell you about this circus. This was no ordinary circus, it was a free kid circus. The circus always brings out some very interesting people and a free one, just doubles the interesting. My sisters and I had a ball laughing and people watching. The kids loved the trapeze artists, the dueling motorcycles in the BALL OF DEATH, and the elephants. Thanks for the good time under the BIG TOP. Maybe we should splurge next year and go to Ringling Brothers Circus next year or maybe not, maybe it won't half as many interesting people.

Was there any sleeping?

Kendyl and Jake playing Wii FIT!

This is how I found my dad when I went to pick up the kids, ha ha!!

All the girl cousins and baby Bode.

Jake and Keaton playing Wii FIT!

Some of the girls playing in Barbie Land.

My dad decided to have a grandkid sleep over. My sister Marnie had asked him to watch her kids while she went to work and he decided to make it a sleepover and invited all of them. My sisters live in another school district and they are off track right now but my kids had school so I did what any other mother would do and let them skip. It's only school right? Who knows my dad might come to his senses and never do this again. Kendyl couldn't go because if you miss one day of 8th grade you pay later. I dropped them off about 7 pm and picked them up the next afternoon. They had a ball. The girls lived in Barbie Land under the stairs and the boys played Wii games. My dad said they were great but maybe after he has recovered, we will get a different story. Terry has been working massive overtime at her mortgage company and got home later. She is great with the kids and we all love her so much. Addy hasn't stopped talking about how Grandma Terry taught her how to do a back flip and every time she says it, Jake corrects her and tells her it is not a back flip just a backwards somersault. So much fun, I hope they have another one real soon.

YOU GOTTA LOVE THIS GAME!!

Dean and I went to the Jazz game Monday night. He got the tickets from work. It was so much fun. They played the Bobcats and won. I can't decide if I like to watch the game more or all the crazy people. It's a toss up. Thanks TRUMP!!

SO, SO TIRED!

This has been such a crazy and busy week, lately I feel like they all are. This picture describes how we are all feeling, dragging. Addy actually fell back asleep during breakfast the other morning. I couldn't resist taking a picture. I actually wanted to pick her up and go cuddle with her in my bed and go back to sleep but I was a good mom and sent her to school, bags under her eyes and all.

DANGEROUS SPORT!

WARNING!!!

Addy's OUCH!

Kendyl's OUCH!

After the temple open house I took the kids sledding. The kids all had a ball, that is until they got hurt. Let's just say I guess they put that sign there for a reason. I will have to take them more seriously next time. Who knew sledding could be such a vicious sport.

I love to see the temple!

It was sure windy and cold.

BEAUTIFUL!!

Monday the kids didn't have school so we decided to play. First we went to the Draper Temple Open House. Dean took a half day off from work and came with us. It was so fun. You first meet at a church for a little video and then you take a big tour bus to the temple. The kids loved that part. They were amazed that you could actually have a potty on a bus like that. The tour was beautiful. The kids favorite parts were the baptismal font, the chandelier in the celestial room and the "forever" mirror. Kendyl really liked the brides dressing room. Before we know it she will be here getting married but not until Dean and I find someone perfect for her. The kids were really well behaved and seemed to enjoy themselves. It was a great day. I can't wait to go back.