DECEMBERRR!

Well, I have been absent from my blog long enough and I am here to redeem myself. (wink, wink, Jesse) I have no real excuse except for three kids, a husband, and house work that never ends.... But here I am taking a break from laundry on Monday of all days to send out some long over due pictures. It was cold enough for snow a couple of weeks ago and it hasn't gotten any warmer, so enjoy the snow pics. I am also sending a couple of just for fun pictures because I have been playing around with my "Christmas" present I got early from Roger - a Nikon 40DX. I haven't unleashed all the power it contains, but I plan to learn to soon. It will be my camera for a very long time! I took one pretty cool picture of the temple when we went to see the lights. So, enjoy the pics, I am sure there will be plenty more to come after Christmas. A friend also gave me an idea about doing just pics on Wednesday - and call it "wordless Wednesday." So, hopefully in a couple of days that will happen. Love you all. Merry week before Christmas.

Happy Halloween!

Just thought I'd send a couple pics of Halloween. The kids got loaded with candy this year! Haleigh was absolutely enthralled - it did not take her long to figure out how it worked. She is one smart cookie. She would laugh every time someone gave her candy and be right ready for the next house. She was such a trooper! The boys also had a good time - of course. We love you all and hope your Halloween was safe and spooky!!!

In Memory

8 years on October 4th 1999 my amazing sister, Mandy Leigh Martell, passed away. It seems so long ago, yet not so far into the past that her memory is gone. Her absense is felt daily, but I am so grateful for my Savior and His sacrafice who made it possible that we all have the opportunity to see her again. I love the fall, and so did Mandy. Halloween and Christmas were her very favorites. She loved Tigger and DisneyLand. She had a childlike heart and soul! Her example of faith, love and Christ-like charity will forever be felt and remembered. I am grateful for a wonderful family, extended family included. I am grateful for my husband and for the timing of our friendship and eventual marriage. His love and companionship saved me in many ways. Heavenly Father knew I would need him to help fill the void and my loss. He is my strength when I am weak. I am grateful also to Peggy, who is now my sister for life! She had a hand in bringing Roger and I together. She also was there as a friend when I needed her most. My most precious memory of Mandy in her final moments here on earth was that of singing at her bedside, holding her hand in mine with my friends Peggy and Cassidy there to help me stay strong as we sang her hymn after him quietly into the night. Mandy, I love you - you are forever in my heart. (Please forgive the fact that I have no pictures - I hope you will remember her beautiful smile and face - just picture an angel)

A smorgasboard?!

I am not even sure if I spelled that correctly, but I have a jumble of pics to put on since it has been a while that I last blogged. The first picture is of Gabe after his first week at preschool. He loves it! I am so grateful because last year he wasn't so sure about the whole mommy leaving him for 2 hours at a time thing. But, he has grown up and is doing well. He is one of two boys among 10 girls! His teacher informs me that he seems to enjoy the fact that the girls surround him. (He's a charmer!) Haleigh's newest favorite spot to sit is in the laundry basket. I put her in there to keep her out of trouble one time and she seems to have liked it enough to want more. Just yesterday she wanted to sit in the basket with her ghost bag which she likes to collect things she shouldn't have - this time it was the infant's tylenol. She also snagged my body spray and a sippy cup. She is developing quite the personality and she is a cruiser now! (which means lots of bumps and bruises in the future) Tyler found the spider webs we're hanging up for Halloween. He thought it would look nice as a wig, and I thought it would be a funny picture! Gabe liked the movie "Ratatouille" and so he wanted to bake cookies like "little chef" - the name of the main rat in the movie (if you have seen the movie you know what I am talking about). He loves to help in the kitchen, so I call him my little chef when he helps me. Kids are great, even if they bend me out of shape at times. They make me smile daily with their quirks and imaginations! May you all smile today at something quirky!!! Lots of love.

Goooo Cougars!

Yes, it is that time of year again for our family! The sweet smells of the stadium food and the sound of excitement in the stands. It is BYU football season. We were a "little" nervous (Roger got up at 6 am with his nerves in a knot!) to see where the Cougars were this year considering the senior graduate losses they experienced at the end of the last season. Needless to say we were pleasantly surprised at the outcome of the game, with BYU winning 20 - 7. There is just something about being at the game. It is magical in a sense; maybe they put something in the water? But for all you who don't go and are not sure what I am talking about, "Rah, rah, rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah, rah, rah! Gooooo Cougars!!!!!"

School Days...

It begins. A full day of school for me, I mean Tyler! He was so excited to start and meet new friends and not a care in the world he didn't quite get the concept of being there all day - which I tried to explain before he began. So, at the end of the first day I drove over to pick him up and he asks me if I was worried about him being gone for so long? I giggled and explained that I knew he would be gone that long and he says matter of factly, "Oh, I thought you would be afraid and wonder where I was or if I was lost or something." It was cute. He is now in his second week and seems to be enjoying it. ***P.S. Haleigh has started walking! It is so funny to watch and she thinks she is such a big girl.

The Cookie Monster

Yesterday afternoon Roger decided to give Haleigh a whole chocolate chip cookie to herself. As you can see the results are messy! She devoured it and then gave a triumphant "ahhh", which I just happened to get on camera. She hasn't been given many sweets and now you can see why. She turns into a messy monster, but boy is she cute!