TEMPLE SQUARE LIGHTS

Every year we visit Temple Square during the holidays to see the spectacular lights and to help get us in the holiday spirit. This year was particularly cold as walked around main street and around the temple, so we didn't spend much time there; however Reagan loved the colorful lights and walking through the trees. After our short visit to Temple Square we visited Grandma English and brought her a basket of holiday treats. Grandmas always has her village up around her tree, so the kids are mesmerized by watching the moving figures beneath it.

THANKSGIVING SWEATERS

Dan and I hosted Thanksgiving for my family this year. We decided to have an ugly sweater party and had the best time planning the festivities.

First we sent out invitations to everyone with a turkey in an ugly holiday sweater and asked everyone to wear their holiday best! The invite was entitled "Thanksgiving Holiday Style!"

Due to the nature of the event we decided to make it really festive, combining both Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations. The tables had Christmas table clothes with orange plates and Thanksgiving napkins. The centerpieces had a combination of Santa's and Christmas trees, next to corn-a-copias and turkeys.

We spent a few weeks preparing for the event by making the kids their fashionable holiday sweaters and shopping at the D.I. for Christmas vests and turtle necks. We made Jaxson's shirt into a Christmas tree and let him decorate it with lights and ornaments. We topped it off with a festive Christmas hat including a start for the top. Madi's sweater became an advent calendar, full of surprises in each numbered pocket. Reagan had a beautiful red velvet Christmas dress, decked out with ornaments. Dan decided to go with the Uncle Eddie look from Christmas vacation, but more festive, sporting a red holiday dickie and a thin white sweater, accompanied with a holiday vest. I was decked out with a poinsettia turtle neck and custom made Santa head sweater vest. I must say we were dressed to the nines! The best part of preparing for this holiday afternoon was spending time with our family and laughing the entire time as we came up with our attire.

During our feast we had a CD playing of the worst Christmas music we could find on itunes. We hosted a contest for the best holiday sweater and the winner received the coveted prize - FRUIT CAKE! We also played BUNCO and the dollar game; no one left empty handed, we had prizes for everyone.

It was a fantastic evening, such a fun party that included everyone. Not sure what we are going to do next year to top this!

HALLOWEEN CUTIES

I always look forward to Halloween, the decorations, fall weather, picking out costumes for the kids and yummy treats! This year because Halloween fell on a Saturday I was able to spend the entire day with the kids. So I decided to start the morning out right with a good jack-o-lantern breakfast.


I made pancakes with bacon for the mouth, candy corn for the nose and I froze jellie bellies in gummy lifesavers and vanilla pudding for the eyes. Madi and Jaxson could not figure out what they were and didn't want to eat it, but Reagan dug right in (no fear in that child).



Madi and Jaxson both had friends to go trick-or-treating with, so off they went as I took Reagan out. She enjoyed trick-or-treating this year; when we got home she started taking candy from the bucket for our trick-or-treaters and put the candy into her own bucket.


As always we had our traditional dinner in a pumpkin with spiced cran apple juice! No spud nuts this year because Mom was in Denver; however I make sugar cookies instead to make up for it. They were delicious.

MOAB

We decided to take the kids to Moab in October. It has been a favorite destination of both Dan and myself since we starting dating back in 1993. The first trip I ever took to Moab was with Dan - I am still amazed today by its beauty. Since that first trip, Dan and I have come back several times, river rafting, 4 wheeling and hiking through Arches National Park.

We thought the kids would enjoy the beautiful scenery and being outdoors. My cousins Troy and Chris were nice enough to rent us out their condo so our family along with some extended family all drove down for a long weekend.

We spent some time in Arches National Park, our favorite Arch (still) is Sandstone Arch, as we are able to climb all around this area and on top of the arch; in addition the hike to the arch is covered in soft red sand, the little ones loved it as much as us adults.

Our favorite part of the trip had to be sledding on the sand hills across the street from Arches National Park. We all went to the dollar store and purchased sleds and spent the entire afternoon sledding down the hill. I don't think Jaxson will ever come clean. The kids were hilarious and along with the BOYS of the trip (if you know what I mean). It is fun to be a kid again!

PUMPKIN PATCH

One of the things our family looks forward to every October is a trip to the pumpkin patch. We are lucky enough to live very close to the best pumpkin patch around! The kids love running through the corn maze and using the wheel barrels to gather up all of our pumpkins and I love taking pictures of them.

We also enjoy decorating our porch with all of our pumpkins, straw and skeletons.

The pumpkin patch was a little different this year because they put all the pumpkins in huge rows, usually we get to pick the pumpkins right off the vine (which is my favorite part). Once we got there, I didn't care as much about picking the pumpkins off the vine because it was freezing! As much as I enjoy the pumpkin patch, I enjoy the warmth more! The kids couldn't of cared less about the cold, they wanted to ride every tractor, takes lots of pictures and run through the corn maze dozens of times. Despite the cold, I still loved every minute of it!

LAGOON

We took the kids to Lagoon for Labor Day, it was so fun just to spend the entire day together as a family. The kids were so happy and it was evident on their smiling faces. You have to cherish the days as a mom when everyone gets along and there is no fighting or crying. This goes down as one of my favorite days for 2009!

FALL FOOTBALL

What a difference a year makes, Jaxson really got into the groove of football this year. After last year, I wasn't so sure he would play again; however we was aggressive and loved handling the ball this season. It wasn't a surprise to see him get a touchdown almost every game. We are so proud of our little athletic boy! I love watching him play the game, whatever it is.

LAKE POWELL

Dan and I got to experience our first trip to Lake Powell this summer! WOW - what a beautiful place it is. I think If I would have been Brigham Young - I would have said Lake Powell is the place!

What made this trip so amazing was the fact that we were with some of our best friends, in addition to having no kids with us. It was pure relaxation for 7 straight days. At first I didn't know what to do with myself, but I soon fell into the groove of laying out, reading, taking a little dip in the lake, and starting all over again.

I think we all gained 5 or more pounds on the trip because everyone made incredible meals, plus the fact that we snacked all day and night. Brad even made of Pina-Coladas! Each couple was in charge of 2 meals, so for the majority of the time we were waited on hand and foot.

The weather was perfect other than the sandstorm we were in Saturday night. It was a monster of a storm, however we didn't realize how bad it was because we were protected in a little cove and the guys anchored us into the beach really well. We waited out the storm inside by playing games.

Over the course of the week, we all tried surfing behind the boat, wake boarding and some of us even got to experience cliff jumping. WHAT A RUSH! The Master Craft boat the Willden's hooked us up with was fantastic. All 12 of us were able to enjoy boating together. The surf board got so much use that it had to be ducked taped together to get us through the entire trip. Ryan and Heidi were crazy enough to get up on the surf board together, they made it look easy; however Rusty and Brad proved that theory to be wrong later in the trip. Chip tried to barefoot ski, boy did it look painful. Brad took a few hard falls on the wake board as well. But the scariest fall Brad took, was when he was setting the timer on the camera to take every ones picture on the beach. He set the camera on the 2 floor of the house boat and then jumped down to the first story, he slipped on the way down crashing on his back on the metal ramp. We were all gasping when he jumped up and ran up the beach to take the picture. It worked well; however after the adrenaline rush was gone, he was in a lot of pain.

The funniest night was when we all played Bear Bear, Moose Moose! Everyone chose to be an animal and the guys were very creative (Chip's flying squirrel and Rusty's unicorn were the hit of the night). If that wasn't enough we played several rounds of Mafia throughout the trip. Night volley ball was interesting with the bats flying around. Melissa was nearly attacked by one, it was hysterical!

Dan and Chip came out one morning wearing short, shorts! They happened to be 1990's Jazz shorts in purple and white. WOW - did they look good flaunting those bad boys around!

Other things on the trip that will be remembered:

1. Brad trying to spear a fish and Rusty actually doing it on his first try.
2. Being invited to play beer pong by the neighbors.
3. Fellow campers blow up doll "DOLLY" being blow away in the sand storm.
4. Watermelon
5. Queen of the O**y Tube
6. Jen out racing Ryan on the tube
7. Carmel Brownies and Bliss Bars
8. Ski boat coming untied from the house boat and almost hitting into the rocks (twice in the same night)
9. Diaper baths - in life jackets
10. Helmet dives off the boat
11. Truth or Dare (Heidi being rejected)
12. Sharing our dreams for the future
13. Stoney saying "That's a good shovel."
14. House boat looking like it was on fire and all the guys racing back to the boat to see if the ladies were OK.
15. Fun friends and forever memories!

COWABUNGA

We celebrated Madison's 11th birthday at Cowabunga Bay! Having a summer birthday, this was actually the first time we had ever done a water party. She was super excited to have her party there, and so was I. I usually put so much time and energy into the kids party, that this was a breeze not having to do anything. I took the day off from work and we played all day.

During the morning we had breakfast with Dan's family and then it was party time! The girls had pizza at the house and each of them were given a beach towel before we left for Cowabunga Bay. Madi and six of her friends had the time of there lives running around the park. We left Reagan with my sister Melissa (For which I am truly gratful) so we wouldn't have to chase her around the park. We rented a cabana and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon soaking in the sun.

We almost had to cancel the party because the day before Madi had a head injury at McKensie's house. The girls were making a fort in the basement and she jumped up and hit her head on the cabinet corner. She bled for at least 30 minutes, her swimsuit was covered in blood and we debated if she needed to get stitches (we probably should have, but after it stopped bleeding we figured she was OK) Looking back at the cut she definitely could of had a few. We worried that having water pour on her head would open the wound, so she had to be extra careful at the park.

Madi also had a stomach ache right before the party and she was on her bed sobbing minutes before the girls arrived. We offered a prayer that she would feel better and gave her some medicine and she was as good as new!

During the party we had cupcakes and ice cream sundaes. Madi received some darling gifts, including some jewelry, purses, watches and gift cards. The girls were darling and had so much fun. I think that was the easiest party I have ever done.

SURPRISE BIRTHDAY

Dan turned 39 this year! I thought in lieu of having an over the hill party next year, we would have a party to celebrate his last year of youth instead! I wanted it to be a surprise so I sent out evite invitations while Dan was traveling for work. I rented the Riverfront Park in South Jordan and the plan was to have a night of boyish fun and games, including ice cream cones.

Overall things went well, I didn't tell the kids because I know they would ruin the surprise. I ordered a massive amount of ice cream from Fendalls so we could celebrate with fantastic flavors of ice cream and pile up the ice cream cones. Only this actually turned out to be a bust. Fendalls told me they would have the ice cream packed in dry ice and that it would stay cold until 9:00 that night; however this isn't exactly what happened. Their ice cream machine broke down, so they had to deliver the ice cream and in the meantime forgot to pack it in dry ice. So when we served the ice cream cones, it was ice cream soup!

Dan and I were a little late getting to the party because when I got home, Dan was in the basement cleaning up a flood in my craft room for the second time this week. Jaxson (our dear Jaxson) left the hose on, pointed directly at the window well. Due to this unforeseen circumstance we were 30 minutes late to our dinner reservation at Market Street. After dinner we discussed going to a movie; however this was all a trick because I knew we would not be going to a movie. As we drove by the park, I had him turn into the park and then he knew. It was fun to see so many of our friends and family there.

I had a pinata for the guys and pinata for the kids. The guys pinata had an entire roll of duck tape on it. However the pinata was no match for Dan and Brad who eventually broke it off the rope. The kids had a fabulous time with their pinata as well.

It was a great evening spending time at the park, the weather was fantastic and the company was too.