Warm, Warm Weather!

Bry and Dan had to work today. This trip is part work and part play. While the boys worked we played ~ at the pool. After the boys finished business we all got ready to visit with Great Grandpa Tooman. He invited his friend Julia over and we all went out for dinner. We went to our favorite steak house 'The Black Angus' and enjoyed the best steaks ever. Grandpa and Dan talked about their favorite fighters from SPike TV. Julie told us about the Christmas Bell program she has been practicing for. Chloe finished off Dan's fillet minon, she ate Grandma's 'mooshed' potatoes, she ate the majority of her dinner and even some of her dessert. We got back to our room and Seth had passed out from over exhaustion and Chloe had a stomach ache!

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Road Trip to Arizona

We started the day at 5:00 AM Thursday morning. We met Bry & Sue at work and climbed into their car. Car seats, luggage, backpacks full of toys and DVD's, crayons and coloring books, pillows and jackets. Everything went in. All six of us went in. We got comfortable and 11 hours later we arrived!

We saw this horse on the road, it was so funny and awesome!

Grandpa never stops working, even when he was supposed to be resting.

We drove over the Hoover Dam,

the new bridge they are constructing is unbelievable!

I mentioned crayons ~ used correctly only some of the time...

And Seth has to follow in on the mayhem, such a follower.

We pulled up to the Cibola Vista Resort and the weather was wonderful. We all piled out of the car like an avalanche spilling down a mountain side. I am not exaggerating when I say that this is the nicest hotel room I have ever stayed in! It was so beautiful. Seth touched his first cactus. He is fascinated with them in all of their shapes and forms. He wanted to hug them and bring home a big cactus. He wanted to go swimming immediately and as soon as we put down our luggage he stripped down to his birthday suit. Before pinching his cute tushie, I asked him if he wanted to use the hotels toilet. He did, and very exciting, he pooped on the toilet. We quickly celebrated and then got him dressed. We hit the Cheesecake Factory for dinner and all brought home a slice of cheesecake! I hope to have peppermint cheese cake again, maybe next year!!!

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SPT ~ Holiday Feng Shui ~ Joy

When I was looking for a little substance for my new blog a while back I was introduced to Self Portrait Tuesdays or She Photographs on Tuesdays. Lelly has some wonderful inspiration that you might have thought of all by yourself but it is really fun to join in and read what many other bloggers have to say about the same topic!

Fun is fleeting, partying goes flat.

Get together's get hectic, but Joy is Eternal!

We got together last night with my family to visit Temple Square and see all of the beautiful lights. I love that Chloe wanted to talk to all of the sister missionaries and had to tell them all that this is where her mommy and daddy got married. She can't wait to be married in the Salt Lake Temple. Dan has gotten her to promise that she will wait until she is 32 ~ JOY!!!

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Congratulations, I think!

This is my niece Brittany. She has been 16 forever, more than a year even! She called me a few nights ago to tell me that she passed the test and has good enough grades to qualify for the insurance discount. The real deal should be arriving in the mail within three weeks. Mothers ~ watch out for your children!!!

Her mother {my sister} couldn't be happier about it!

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Not so Nativity

1. Krystal, Gwen and Tai couldn't come this morning.

2. Dan took my car to work and had to bring it back home and take his truck.

3. The kids were ornery and fussy getting ready to go. ****************************************************

In spite of the three strikes we went anyways and met Erin & Sam at Tom & Jenn's house. We loaded up and carpooled up to Midway to see the nativities. The three kids were too close for comfort and poking and pinching took place the entire ride. We arrived and immediately found Mom and Dad, who had gone up with the senior center. We didn't get any pictures of the kids because we were too busy making sure they didn't touch, break, or knock over any of the precious manger scenes. They have the cutest play area with a huge manger back drop. There are numerous costumes and outfits for the children to choose from. They could be Mary or Joseph, Sheep's or Donkeys, Angels or Shepherds... Our kids wanted nothing to do with it. They even have a little craft area for children to make and take home with them. You can guess that our kids didn't want to do it. I guess the age rule of EIGHT was there for a reason!

Probably the real reason for the dissent was that they were all hungry. After rushing through the rest of the displays we headed over to our favorite restaurant, Breadsticks, and finished off our meal with dessert! They have the most delicious brownies!!! Seth was in HEAVEN!!!
Erin and I vetoed Swiss Christmas in favor of the outlet stores. The kids were able to run around and play in the meager layer of snow that had fallen in Park City. Next year will have to go without the kids. Traditions are here for a reason!

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Broken Stairs, Oreos & A Princess Crown

I had finished with the laundry and had stacked the bins we used to pack at the top of the stairs. Chloe decided to push them down the stairs and learned that they don't just turn at the curve. They crash through the spindles of our railing!

I had to make more homemade oreo's for this cookie monster. I didn't make enough for our Kanab trip and he woke me up this morning shouting frantically: cookie, cookie please!!! I baked the cookies last night but hadn't put them together with their cream. He was so excited.It seams that there was quit a bit of drama while we were away. Brad and Justin got home from their hunting trip and witnessed an accident, stopped to help but the man had died. Laura has bronchitis with signs of pneumonia. Erin's in-laws had a death in their family. And Hannah has been sick and in the hospital. Chloe had preschool today but after dinner we headed up to the hospital to spend a little time with this Princess. She has had to sit around for days waiting for the right doctors or tests or what ever their excuses. She was bored and tired of being there. As soon as Chloe arrived she just hopped in bed with Hannah and they colored together while watching Gilmore Girls. Silly little monkeys!

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SPT ~ Holiday Feng Shui ~ Love

Lelly's Holiday Feng Shui: Take deep breaths. Channel your chi. Don't sacrifice the small, still moments. Enjoy them! And photograph them!

Tuesday, December 2 love

Tuesday, December 9 joy

Tuesday, December 16 comfort

Tuesday, December 23 peace

Tuesday, December 30 hope

I love, love, love Nativities. I love looking at them, collecting them, watching children dress up and act out the nativity scene. Here are a few that I have. My favorite it the first one of Mary, pregnant, on the donkey, being lead by Joseph.

I can't wait to go the 10th Annual Interfaith Creche Exhibit on Friday. It is in Midway, which also hosts Swiss Christmas and a gingerbread house display. There are nativities from all over the world made from every substance. We have our favorites but there is always something new. I have never brought my kids to this. I am not sure if they are old enough...

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Good to be Home!

I am over missing my mom's Thanksgiving dinner. I am over having the annual turkey fest at a restaurant ~ Mimi's. I am so glad to be home from riding down south in Kanab. I am so over having mountains and mountains of laundry. I can't believe that there are people out there who think shopping on black friday is crazy. Driving home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving is insane. You wouldn't believe the traffic. I am so glad that we had good weather!!!

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Kanab & AZ

I swear this man is truly a cowboy, then he blows it all by wearing true ATV riding pants. He is larger than life. He is Tony and a long time friend of Bry's. They met years ago while doing something with the scouting program. Dan and I came to Kanab five years ago to ride with Tony and his family. It is so good to be back!

I was amazed at this breath taking view of the Grand Canyon
Then turn to the left and there's Lake Powell!
I am so afraid of heights that it is unbelievable to see
how close I got to the edge for pictures!

We drove to Arizona and through the Kaibab National Park to start out our day. We saw broad canyon draw, white pockets, and were able to pick up these funny little mill stones made up of iron ore that had rolled around in the sand and wind. They looked like petrified poop!

After finishing our ride we stopped at a car wash station to clean of the bikes and rino's. We had gone the entire trip without injury and just as everything was being loaded up, Harlie fell off the back of the trailer and scraped up her sweet little face. We hope Jenn lets her come again!

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Black Friday

Good Clean Family Fun

Exploring ruins or getting roosted by Dan,

Climbing on the rocks or staying safely below,

Dreaming of driving,

Or just taking a break {potty or otherwise},

finding a Jumping Place:

or tracing the steps of a Warriors Walk:

It's all good and dirty fun when we are together!

Dan and I came to the agreement that I would drive today, so that he could ride his dirt bike. Tomorrow, I can be a passenger and just enjoy the ride. Bry just bought two new Rinos and it scares me to think of the 10 - 15 thousand it might take to replace them. Every were you look there are warnings and notices of involuntary roll overs ~ even on flat ground. Tony assured me that this was a very easy trail and mostly sand. It was the mostly I should have been worried about...

We reached a spot of slick rock that I was too chicken to drive up. I was following instructions and staying right close to Tony. I was in four wheel drive~low and thought that the tough patch was over. I was exhilarated and amazed that I made it up these crazy rocks. Then I noticed that I hadn't been following closely enough and wasn't sure what way to go. I glanced up and noticed Jared and pointed left or right, asking which way to climb. I went the hard way and ended up stopping and having to ask for help...Dan climbed in and took the machine up the hill. I hoofed it and made it there all by myself with no problems. I got back in and let Dan take me through the remainder of the slick rock. My heart was racing so fast. I was close to hyperventilating and was shaking more than a little bit. I don't know why it scares me so but there you go! I turned to check on my boy and realized that Seth had slept through the entire ordeal ~ amazing!!!

Chloe and Harlie rode together most of the day and really had a good time together. We made it back to the trucks and were going to load up but Tony wanted to take us to the dinosaur prints. Dan and I stayed behind with Seth and started to load up. I found out later that Bry had scared Chloe into tears, telling her that the Dinosaurs were going to get them. He didn't know that she already has had bad dreams about dinosaurs eating me and that she just started believing us that they are extinct and no longer living... Oh well, we will just have to start over!

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