Making the most of Rainy Days...Anderson Creek Family Fun Day

We had a great time at Family Fun Day this year!  We got to go to school with A and A and have dinner and a big party!  We had a super fun time inspite of the rain that nearly drowned us.  We love the rain at our house and inspite of the fact that we didn't get to bounce on one bounce house or slide on one super slide we had more fun than anyone there!  We just know it!

We got cotton candy...

and popcorn...

and snowcones...

JT's first one...in fact!

Here he is looking handsome as ever!

...here she is just as the rain started to fall!

...so we went somewhere covered to get our faces painted.  This was one of the funniest parts of the night!  Do you all remember when you were little and got a chance to get your faces painted?  Do you remember the excitement that you felt?  Well, HN and AL were feeling this same way tonight!  They made me laugh so hard!  First of all, AL face painting was so wet that her hair was stuck ALL over in it and was smearing red and black paint everywhere and she just wanted to get that UGLY thing off of her face.  Let's put it this way...the face painter painted about as well as...well...I'd hate to say it...but as well as a 2 year old (kind of an insult to JT actually) Okay so HN gets up there and gets all painted up and walks away with her head held high thinking she's got the most amazing piece of work painted on her face.   She proudly headed for the mirror to see the masterpiece on her cheek only to find a butterfly that looks like it just got hit by a quickly passing car!  Her proud face quickly turned into utter embarrassment as she quickly came over to me and pleaded to go to the bathroom and wash it off!  It was so funny!

...hmm what do we have here...a small little puddle, right?

...he thought that little puddle was pretty great...until he found this...

And thought it was FABULOUS!!

along with everyone else...except for AL who was too cold from all the rain already!

Do you remember what I said earlier...about the hail...well if you look closely you can even see it!  Some of them were the size of small bouncy balls!  Wherever we went everyone was huddled under the covered areas...except for us!

Look at the size of these puddles...

how could you resist!?

Have you ever seen HAPPIER kids in your life!  All those other kids...really missed out!

Today is a gift...that's why it is called the PRESENT!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

We were just strolling down memory lane and enjoying some pictures of us with our Daddy!  We hope that you have a Happy Birthday today! You are the best Daddy ever!  We Love YOU!!!!

Daddy with the little Man at OCS Graduation!

Strolling in the woods behind our house!

JT at 4 days old and Dad's off to training again!

SUPERMAN!

Snuggle Time!

...look at that look on his face!  Is that love or what?

At the Reno Balloon Races with Nanners!

Love the Lazy mornings...We need more of those!

...what can I say!  So Cute!

Happy Fourth of July!

...waiting at the doc's office

Happy Thanksgiving!

...obviously a game not planned by Dad!  HEE! HEE!

Happy Halloween!  October 2004

Ward Fourth of July breakfast...do you remember this Grandma Connie?

Our Trip to Fairyland...according to Mom

We took a wonderful trip to the Botanical Gardens over Spring Break and had a fabulous time!  Here is just a glimpse of the beautiful sights that we were blessed to be a part of.

Here are the gorgeous Popcorn flowers that covered many of the trees!

Look at this beautiful bunch of flowers...

and this one...

and this one...

the girls were Garden Fairies today 

bounding from one flowering tree 

to the next collecting treasures 

for their welcoming spring social for

their fairy friends!

Skipping in a line across the miniature bridges..

and while the boys did this....

and this...

(of course because a boys business is playing in the dirt...)

and this...(because a boys business is playing with the vroom vrooms)

we all had a moment to think about our Daddy and how much we missed him...

and then...they prepared the food for the Fairy Banquet...

of course from the treasures that were collected 

from the Garden Fairies!

And don't forget the ceremonial salad...what banquet would be complete without that!

A meal fit for a queen...of course the Queen of the Fairies...

...who might just be hiding in this beautiful bunch of pink flowers!

There were signs of Spring around every corner...and on nearly every hand...

...and in every bucket...we found some minnows...to welcome in the Spring...

What is Spring without dancing around the largest tree we could find...

and a beautiful walk through the forest with amazing family and friends....

playing in water fountains...

and enjoying good company...

 ...and of course a nap after the greatest fairy banquet of all!!

My Easter Blessings

This time of year we reflect upon the Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ and his atonement for each of us.  I am constantly striving to remember these blessings daily in my life as we pray daily, read our scriptures, try to treat one another the way our Savior would treat us if he were in our presence.  Would we change the way that we live?  Someday I hope I can honestly answer Yes, whole heartedly.  I can honestly say that we are trying-  Trying to do what is right and teach our children the most important things in life- sacrifice, kindness, charity, love and selflessness.  I have gratitude in my life for those that give daily so that I can grow and learn what I am supposed to.  Special thanks to those that support me and teach me selflessness, love, charity, kindness, and sacrifice.  

As our thoughts turn yet again to our Savior, I am grateful for all that I have and am and have been blessed with!  What great supportive kids, husband, parents, siblings, friends and family that I have.  Thank you!  I cherish each of you!  Below is a link to a song that is very special to Nathan and I, we hope you enjoy it and feel the spirit that it brings!

Come thou fount of every blessing

Easter Hat Parade!!

Here they are with their Bright Happy Hat Friends!

We had a great time at the Easter Hat Parade!  The girls had such COLORFUL Spring hats!  We lined up in the hall and waited for the entire Kindergarten to show off their Easter hats that they made at home with their families!  We had a great time making ours!  Good job A and A!

Walking through the halls for the Parade!  It was so hard to get pics of both of them they were walking so fast.  I got lucky one time around and they were standing by each other!
Here they are with Mom and JT.  Mom is welcoming in the Spring.  While waiting for the parade to start she used a package of tissues and sneezed about 45 times!  Welcome Spring!

Being Twins!!!

 Here they are making Jam.  They literally with HN made the whole batch by themselves!  I washed the berries and cut the tops off and they cut them up, smashed them, added the sugar and the pectin, and mixed it all together until it was all done- and Yummy!  Hey and only 1 hair in it!  They are such good kids!

AL and AA got these cars when they were 1 year old and still refuse to get rid of them.  They have the greatest time together.  They have worn out a lot of shoes on these bad boys.  They race up and down the street and give Mom a heart attack at how fast they go!

Two of us, Two of us climb the stairs.

Two of us, Two of us say our prayers.

We get into bed and two by two,

we sing and tell stories-That's fun to do!

We whisper secrets and laugh until,

Somebody calls, "You two be still!"

We close our eyes...All four shut tight,

and wonder why in the day we fight...

when we like being two by two at night!

   ...And the authors are....  

We were lucky enough to attend AL and AA's Book Premier!  They rolled out The Red Carpet for their "All About Me"  books.  These girls wrote a book all about them- They were the authors and the illustrators!  We had such a fun night!  They got to sing us a couple of songs at the beginning and they even served us treats after they read each of their books.  What a specatular night!  Way to go girls- You are so GREAT!!  Here they are with their teachers!

AL was not really feeling so great tonight but she did a great job and was a good sport!

AA was sure excited.  They kept these books a secret for a long time.  They wouldn't breathe a word about what would go on at this activity!  It was all a big surprise!   I  wish you could all read their cute books for yourself!  I am so lucky- oh the many benefits of being a MOMMY!