Ellie's 6!

Ellie turned six this past Tuesday. She started the day with Lucky Charms and she got to buy hot lunch at school. She was pretty excited about that! Before school, she got to open some of her gifts--she got some "soft" pants, Phineas and Ferb Pez and a Loving Family Car.



In the morning, I went into her class to do a Thanksgiving craft. They turned out so cute and the students seemed to have a fun time.

After school, we went to Brian's parents for piano. Brian met us there and we went to the mall to get Ellie's ears pierced. She's been looking forward to it for a while! We borrowed some numbing cream from Terri and Ellie didn't even flinch when they pierced them. She picked some really cute white flower earrings. We snuck in a visit to Santa while we were right there. I thought Ruby would be scared, but she wasn't at all.


After the mall, we went to Elephant Bar for her birthday dinner. We decided we want to let the birthday person choose a place to eat on her (or his) birthday, to help them feel special and that we are grateful they are in our family. It was a good time!

VIP

This week, Ellie is VIP in her class. She got to bring home "Hermes," the class monkey. She had to write in his journal what he did and she filled out an "All About Me" poster. She has been very excited to have him over such a long weekend!

Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house. Our festivities started the night before. Usually every year on the night before Thanksgiving we have a girls' night with dinner and some shopping. This year I took Eliza, Libby, Ellie, Hattie and my mom. We met up at Kierland with my Aunt Deb and my cousin Emali and two of my cousins' wives. We did a little shopping before, then went to dinner. It was the plan to go to Cheesecake Factory, but they weren't very accommodating with such a big party, so we went across the street to Coal Burger. My grandpa joined us all for dinner. He really wanted to get out of the house! He actually was very generous and treated us to dinner. We had a fun time visiting and catching up.

On Thanksgiving, I got up and made pumpkin cream cheese breakfast rolls and we watched the Macy's Parade. We got ready after a bit and then headed to my parent's house where we hung out until time to eat "dinner." Both of my brothers and their families came, so it was fun to have everyone there. My girls helped my mom set the table cute and she had made the cutest place cards for each of us, too. We had a yummy, yummy meal! Everything was delicious! After dinner, we did a little activity with the place cards--depending on the color of M&M you picked out of your box, you had to tell/share something with the group--like something that makes you happy or something you love about the person to your right, etc. Then it was time for the annual ornament exchange. It was so fun seeing what each person received. The funniest was Ruby--Libby had given Dallin a green car ornament. Ruby loved it! So she was excited for her turn to open her ornament. She kept saying, "Car, car!" She peeked in the bag and saw that it wasn't a car, and she pushed it away and said, "NO! No car." Chris had gotten her the cutest pink monkey ornament, but if you tried to give it to her, she would push it away and fuss that it wasn't a car. It was pretty funny. By the time we got home, she did end up liking her ornament and even wanted to take it to bed with her. My parents also had gotten each grandkid an ornament along with a pair of PJs. They were all very excited about that! After all fun, we all headed out to Mesa to see the temple lights. It was nice because it wasn't crowded at all. It didn't take us long to walk around and see everything, then we were back in the car headed home. Overall it was a great day!!

In no particular order, here are some pictures from the day...

Still Here

I thought I would try to make it a whole month in between posts. I almost made it! Brian asked when I was going to update my blog and I said, "I don't have anything to update with!" We've just been busy with day-to-day things. I'll try to recap a few along with pictures mostly captured with my phone (e.g. poor quality! and sorry about the placement of the photos...kind of wonky):

I went on a field trip with Eliza and Libby's PI class. We went to the Rock Art Museum to look at the petroglyphs. The weather was great, the field trip was the perfect length of time, and lunch at the park after was a lot of fun.




A few weeks ago, we had the Primary Sacrament Program. I was somewhat hopeful that Libby would participate because she did her part with absolutely no problems both weeks they practiced. But the morning of the program, she thought otherwise. When we got to church, she just cried and quietly sobbed during the whole first part of church. I felt bad for her because I think she wants to do it and knows she can, but the nervous, reserved part of her takes hold and doesn't let go.

I've done a couple of photo shoots, although I am not doing them anymore. :) One was a newborn, one was an engagement and one was a family. I have a wedding to do this weekend and a family the next, then I will be done for a long while!




Last week was my mom's birthday, so my brother and his family, my parents and us met up at Buca di Beppo for dinner. We had a good time and got a good kick out of the people singing to my mom and the candlesticks she got to blow out. She loves that kind of attention. Haha!


I've been Christmas shopping and making some Christmas gifts--trying to get everything done before baby boy comes. Now if I can just find the time to wrap it all before, too! I had my baby shower this past week, which will be a post of its own, but we have been busy since washing clothes and getting things put away. It's been quite stressful for me in not knowing if we are going to be moving or not and if so, when, etc. So mix that with trying to figure out where the baby will go makes for one frantic mama. I think I have finally resigned myself to the fact that we won't move before he comes, so I just need to figure out where he'll be here for the first little while. We usually put newborns in our room or in our closet, so we set up a little make-shift nursery in there until we figure out our long term plan. It looks pretty cute for a temporary room.


I officially stopped hiking and walking the hills this past week. I would have kept it up, but I would get too tight and contract too much during and after, I felt it best to lay low for a while. I go to the doctor tomorrow, then from here on out I am on the once a week appointment schedule. He'll be here before we know it!

Family Halloween Party

This past Friday we had our family Halloween party at my parent's house. The kids always look forward to it with much anticipation.

They had early release from school, so it was torture having to wait to get their costumes on. They sure looked cute when they got all dressed up though.

Hattie the ballerina

Ellie the rock star

Libby the smartypants

Eliza the M&M

Ruby the cowgirl

And yes, Brian and I dressed up, too. Embarrassing. I feel like I came from the 80's. No one knew who we were though. Do we look familiar? We are Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar.

What do you think? Close?


First we had a spooky dinner.










Then each family did a game. Brian and Kamille did the one where you try to get the ball into the cup on your partner's head.


Dan and Chris did the pinata. I am glad no one lost a head from a flying bat.


And we did eating a donut off a string.



Then we went inside for the "fish pond" with Grandma the fish. The kids love that always.


Everyone visited and the kids ran around and played. It was a fun night!

Grand Canyon

A couple of weeks ago, Brian did rim to rim at the Grand Canyon. He's been working towards it for a little while now. He had a good time overall and it was a good experience, but he said the actual hike wasn't necessarily fun. During the hike, I think he thought, "I am never doing this again," but now he is already planning on doing it next year. I guess it's like childbirth when you say, "Never again," and then your forget and do it again (and again and again). :)

Soccer

This season, Eliza and Ellie are playing soccer. Eliza hasn't played for a few seasons because of either track or us needing a break. This year she is on an all girl team and she is really enjoying it. She is much more aggressive than she was last time she played. She has been doing great. She even scored a goal at her last game--with her left foot even!




This is Ellie's first year of playing soccer. She really is having a fun time, too. She is on the same team as her friend Chloe, so it's like a play date during practices and at the games! Ellie runs up and down the field, smiling the entire time. She scored a goal the first game. She makes a cute little goalie and does well on defense, too.