This has been a busy week

My Mother and Father in law were in town last week for Thanksgiving, we had so much fun, but the time just went way to fast. With two family's to visit and 6 grand kids to juggle time between, I think we tired them out. They came in to town just in time for the big Ute/BYU game, my mother in law is a big sports fan. Sunday we were able to take them to our family's favorite little hot spot for lunch at emigration market, I love their sandwiches, YUM. I never remember to take photos while there here, I'm always just having fun being with them. What I missed most this visit is, we didn't have a lot of time to just sit and be with each other and chat. We did have a great thanksgiving together with lots of food and desserts. We watched Fred Clause and made gingerbread houses after dinner. Desi birthday was this week I cant believe she is growing up so fast. Her class at school has the birthday girl donate their favorite book to the class library, and a parent reads it to the class. Grandma and Grandpa were in town so I surprised her by having Grandma there to read the story. She had a great birthday we ate at her favorite restaurant Rib city and after went to our Church's Thanksgiving service.

We did black Friday a little different this year, we didn't wake up early and shop. Lots of us were hit with a yucky bug so we wanted are sleep. We took the kids to the mall to see Santa come in a helicopter, then we went shopping together after. We shopped all day, my feet were so sore when we got home, but it was well worth it.

Devin didn't like the noise and wind of the helicopter.

Here comes Santa clause

We have made the plunge and I'm already questioning my sanity. The girls really needed bunk beds in their room it was getting a little tight with space. We were waiting until Devin could move into a big boy bed at the same time so we didn't have to store Desi's bed. I'm thinking, this was a bad move. Devin fell out of bed last night once(daddy says he learn and figure it out) I'm not so sure. The girls got a new bunk bed which they both think is the greatest thing ever, but what I didn't realize, is this is now a toy and the girls play and fight, and brother has figured out how to climbs up it. So until the newest wears off, I think we are going to have to keep their room locked unless bedtime. I hate bed transitioning, kids need their sleep more than anything and when they don't have it, it's HELL, and it makes me not a happy mom. I hope that Devin can learn quickly to stay in bed and go to sleep, today he figured out how to open his door so he just kept coming out he thought he was so smart. Since he missed his nap I'm hoping that he just crashes tonight.

I hate to say goodbye to my mother and father in law, I really enjoy having them here and hanging out with them. The kids just adore them and Devin connected with Grandpa instantly which was a big surprise to me. I cant wait until they move her in a few years, and we have more time with them.

My Sweet Girl

Ariana is growing up so fast, she knows how to get her way most of the time. She is more girly than Desi was at this age, but I'm sure a older sister to look up to helps. She is so sweet and wants to makes sure everyone knows that she loves them. She got to have her first experience of putting on her stage makeup for her nutcracker pictures, she loved playing dress-up, she kept running to the mirror to look at herself. Ariana favorite things right now are the mountains, church, and all her Grandma's and Grandpa's.

Ariana spent some time at Grandmas this week and they made this picture together and sent it to me in the mail. It was so sweet to find something from her in the mailbox full of bills. I know that these are things that Ariana loves because that's exactly how she would say them. She does love pens and scissors but she can't have them at my house, they are evil. I love how she says "I love my Desi". Too cute.

Dentist visit

Desi is most likely, the biggest drama queen I know, she isn't a big fan of pain or anything that could cause her pain. She had a dentist appointment today, my kids mouths are super small, so all their teeth are very close. The dentist has already told me to start saving my bucks for extra dental care and braces for all three... HIP HIP HOORAY!! Desi needs two crowns and her tooth in the very front needs gum drafting done...HIP HIP HOORAY!! The dentist already knows my child freaks out, last year he tried to orally sedate her and it didn't work, she was wide awake. So this time they are going to put a IV in and put her all the way out. We got a appointment and sent us home with a big future bill...HIP HIP HOORAY!!! Since I was already on the, worst mother in the whole wide world list, I decided I really needed to get all three kids in to the doctor for their flu shots. I would think that they would remember my drama queen, but they sent in one nurse, I told the nurse, we are going to need a back up. It took 2 nurses and me to hold Desi down, trying to get her pants off, all while she is screaming at the top of lungs...you guys are killing me!!!!! STOP IT!!! Then, it was Ari's turn, by now she knows something is definitely up...this is not a typical doctors appointment, she starts screaming, but she is so much smaller, she didn't have a chance, it was over so fast. Devin was totally clueless, until the shot hit and he whimpered and asked for a sucker. Devin will take a shot over being left in nursery at church any day. So, I'm glad it is all over until next year.

Upcoming Nutcracker Events

I know this is a very informal way of inviting all my friends and family to these events, but please know we would love for you to be able to come. Desi and Ariana are both performing in their dance studios Nutcracker show. It's put on to give all the girls a great opportunity and the girls have a lot of fun. Desi is performing two parts this year she will be a bon bon and a mouse., and Ariana is a little party girl. This is just a small studio Nutcracker, they don't have a live orchestra or anything like that, but it's really fun and it's a really great Christmas event.

They are performing this year at both the Christmas Gift show and the festival of trees, at the South Towne Expo Center, both of these performances will only be a sample of the show. Ariana won't be performing in these, she will only be in the full shows. The Christmas Gift show is on November 14Th at 6pm, It is $8.50 for adults and free for kids under 13. The festival of trees will be December 4 at 1:55pm, it's $4.00 for adults and $3.00 for kids 2-11, I remember in the past when I have attended these events that they sometimes have two stages, if I find out more info about which one, I'll let you know. Their group is called Hot Shots, but here is both the web pages.
www.holidaygiftshows.com/salt_lake_event.htm
www.festivaloftreesutah.com

The main nutcracker event is on December 1 and 2ND, the performances start at 7pm. Cost is $6.00 for everyone, the show is about a hour and half long. Ariana's part is at the very beginning of the show and only about 1 minute long so don't be late or you will miss it. This show will be Pleasant Grove High School. Let me know if you need any more information or Directions. We would love to see you there.

I Love Digital Scrapbooking

I'm going to share my love of digital scrapbooking with everyone, it is so fun. You can do so much digitally than you can with the traditional way. I switched because I was having a hard time figuring out how to have time to scrapbook with the kids, it seems by the time I got out all the supplies one of my kids would need my attention, so I had to put it all away. This way I can work on a page and save it if I'm not done. I LOVE IT!!! I like to scan my babies first outfits and use that as my background page, or use a favorite picture as the background and lighten it and add other photos around it. So here is a sample of some of my pages. My baby boys first year



Desi, she was 10 months.


Ariana, Wow she looks so different now

Devin

Dinner Trouble

I'm having a really hard time getting dinner on the table without stress lately. The girls have dance every week night except Friday, and it's always a different time. Jim has also had a weird schedule and I never really know when to expect him home. Lots of night he gets in as late as 8. I look at those family's that always have a sit down dinner at six, that is so unrealistic for us.
I try to feed the girls dinner before they head off to class, but dinner always seems to take longer to put together than I thought, so I'm rushing them though their meal so I can get them to class on time. When I feed them before class that also means that we are eating without daddy, and I have to reheat it for him when he gets home. If I wait until after class then some nights that means that we are eating at 8 and I'm rushing them so they can go to bed. I know it will only get worse as they get older and have more activity's.
Jim likes a hearty meal when he gets home from work, he is a very meat and potatoes kind of guy, he is a true meatatarian. Then you add Devin's milk allergy to the mix, there are so many things that have milk in them, so I have to get creative. I found even the taco seasoning that I use has milk.
I know I need to be a better planner, I'm definitely not born organized. I think, I should just accept the fact that we can all eat at different times and put my crock pot to good use. Any good and hearty, for picky eaters, and no milk recipes that anyone want to send my way, I would love them.

Change

Uncle James and Auntie Shalynn

My brother Mark

Sister Marsha and Desi

Cupcakes I made for the party

I'm overwhelmed with joy right now, I'm excited for the next 4 years. It was definitely history in the making and I wanted to make sure Desi was a part of it. We always have all our family over for a election party, party is kind of a strong word,we eat, and watch the TV very closely. My family is very political so it's fun. The kids and I made cupcakes for the party and frosted them in red and blue. As we found out Obama had won we all cheered, and made a lot of noise. Then we all were silent as we thought about what this means. I'm sure his term won't be perfect,but I think he has a strong vision of a better America. I hope that we can all come together for one purpose, a better future for our kids. America has come so far, and I'm so proud to be a American where I have a right to vote, a right to be in the church of my choice, America is a place where all things are possible. I just pray for guidance and wisdom for our new president Barack Obama. Change has come to America,God bless America!!

God Answers Prayer

I'm always amazed at the fact that God does answer my prayers, even the little ones that seems so small and insignificant to the bigger problems that are going on in the world. I have prayed some prayers that were important to me, but seemed almost silly to pray and to even bother God about. I've prayed in the middle the Wal-mart for the cashier to hurry because my kids were ready to have a breakdown.
I woke up the morning we were going to Disneyland and I felt sick to my stomach, and other things I won't give a visual on. I just prayed God, not today!! My kids have been looking forward to this, Please God. I felt God telling me to go back to sleep you will be fine when you wake up, and I was.
I was talking with a friend from India, and she has a amazing story about God helping her to have a child after being barren. Her faith in God is so inspiring, she uses her faith in God's healing powers, by blessing and encouraging other barren couples. She has a list of couples and prays persistently for these couples on a daily basis. She was feeling a little down last week because no one on her list had become pregnant and she was asking God about it, she found out one of the women on her list has become pregnant. Praise God!!
Story's like this inspire me, sometimes we think that God has forgotten about us, and that he doesn't love us. I know that he continues to be a great God, a God who loves us and cares about our little problems. Sometimes we just need to persist at pursing God and not give up and to continue to ask him for what we need.

Halloween

I have been in crisis mode ever since we have gotten back the trip, unpacking, laundry, and Halloween just around the corner. I really wanted to have all the kids costumes before we left, but I ran out of time. So I went searching for costumes on Thursday, I had specific costumes that my kids had to have. I got lucky and found them, Hanna Montana for Desi, Pink princess(well it's a pink fairy, but I'm not telling) and something that daddy would approve of(nothing to femi) for the boy, he is golfer, Yeah for Kmart.

It doesn't feel like Halloween to me unless we go pick pumpkins and carve them and make Halloween cookies. I have been trying fit all these things in. We went picking pumpkin in between dinner and taking Desi to dance class. I stopped at walmart and they only had 2 pumpkins left, I needed 3, and besides that's not really picking a pumpkin. I stopped at Smith and they had more of a selection, but not much and they wanted 30 cents a pound, that seemed kind of pricey to me and I only had 10 dollars in my pocket. Desi had already told me she was going to pick the biggest one. The minutes were ticking away and now we only had 15 minutes left before Desi had to be to class. Maceys had good pumpkin pickings, and only 15cents a pound, and Desi found a huge pumpkin, I couldn't even pick it up, A dad helping his kids saw me struggling and helped get it into the cart, it weighed in at 30 pounds.

The Big Impossible Pumpkin

After cutting into Desi's pumpkin we found it was so thick, it would be impossible to carve, so we called the big impossible pumpkin.

Ariana my pink princess, she was so excited her costume lit up and changed from green lights, to pink.

My little golfer boy

Hanna Montana, I was looking at this picture and she is standing on her tippy toes so it kinda looks like she is wearing very high heels. She is not!! I'm not a big fan of heels for kids.

Halloween night we went trick or treating to some neighbors, lots of people weren't home because the local LDS church was doing a trunk or treat. We decided to go to the truck or treat and Desi could see some of her neighbor friends. We had fun talking to neighbors and the kids got their candy fix.

We drove by Calvary mountain view Church and saw that they were having a party with a big jump house outside, so we took the kids and played games, and Desi got her face painted. The kids got tons of candy and had a blast.