The PeePee Crew

Sandee called me last week to tell me that my fabulous friend Kallie was coming up for the weekend, so I invited myself to hang out. I love Kallie to death and I hardly ever get to see her. So, like Sandee said, we put our party hats on and headed out for a night on the town. We had a yummy-yummy dinner and then went and saw 'Step Up 2 - the streets'. It was soooo good and we enjoyed it so much in fact that we thought we would form our own Crew (which I call the PeePee crew, because we had many incidents of peeing and near peeings). We danced in the snow with the car stereo blaring at midnight (a moment that will never be forgotten) and we made up our own moves. There are millions of pictures & video documenting the event, but I will share only a few of my faves (you can see the rest on Sandee's blog).

Thank heavens for great friends. What would I do without them? I seriously felt like a 12 year old girl last night being crazy with my girlfriends. I am so lucky and grateful to have two of the most amazing friends in the world, who I have the best time with everytime we get together.
I love you guys! What a rockin' night out we had.

P.S. I am still the best but shaker ever!!

Are we 12 or what??

Sandee has some serious upper body strength!!

Happy 30th Caro!!!

My amazing, beautiful sister is turning the big 3-0 today!! Holy crap, we are getting old!!!! Here are 30 wonderful things I love about her. . .

1. She got all the good looks in the family (don't you think?)
2. She is the smartest woman I know
3. She has a Masters degree (what? are we even related?)
4. She loves her kids
5. She loves my kids and they love her
6. She is fun to be around and always positive - she is not a complainer!!
7. She is my best friend and I don't know what I would do without her
8. She has one mean karate kick!!
9. She is incredibly fit and looks hotter than ever even after having two kids!
(defiantely the hottest 30 year old I know!!)
10. She married an amazing guy that we love to death - He is sooo funny and the smartest guy I know.
11. She is incredibly frugal
12. She loves to go shopping and not buy a darned thing (she lives vicariously through my bad shopping habits)
13. She always has the right answers
14. She can be nastier than I am - if you can believe that!
15. She can party hard - but only before 10 pm - then it's all over!!
16. She was the best older sister growing up - I always looked up to her and she would always do my hair
17. She has great hair
18. She has great style sense and she looks good in everything.
19. She has a honing device for great deals
20. She knows how to get what she wants. And when she really wants something -she'll get it!
21. She reads to her kids
22. Her kids are sooo smart (it runs in their genes, plus they have amazing parents)
23. I love her kids like my own and I would do anything for them and her.
24. She comes to visit me all the time
25. She doesn't mind sleeping with us on our bed
26. Caro is Summer's role model. I think she wishes Caro was her mom and wants to be like her. She's more like Caro than she is me.
27. She has strong political opinions and can debate with my brothers and Dad.
28. Caro loves to cook and try new recipes.
29. She changes her mind all the time
30. She supports and loves her husband and will follow him wherever he goes - and she will be happy about it.

Happy Birthday Sis!! I love you forever!!

My Baby Girl is 4!!

Hallie turned 4 on Sunday and I can't believe it. She's my baby girl. She can't be 4! I am so sad at how fast they are growing up. Can't they stay this way forever?

Hallie is an amazing little princess. These are my four favorite things about Princess Hallikins:

1. She always tries to find ways to make others happy by saying nice things to them. She is the peacemaker in her preschool class (who would have thought??)

2. She loves to snuggle with mommy in bed all the time. It totally melts my heart. I hope she stays that way forever.

3. She has amazing style and fashion sense. What 4 year old likes to pick out her clothes and picks stuff that actually matches and looks great together? She loves to dress like a girly girl, which I love. Summer was never big into skirts, so I'm really glad Hallie is.

4. She is always the first person to run and help if I say I need something done. I don't know if she does it just to beat Jaxon to it, or because she really wants to help, but either way, it is greatly appreciated by me.

There are so many wonderful things about Hallie. We love her so much and are so grateful that she was sent to us. We are so lucky!!

We had an Ariel party on Saturday afternoon with her favorite friends - Ethan, Sammy, Deana. and Jarret. We did fishing under the sea, a mermaid race (this was a big hit), and of course an Ariel Pinata. It was a great party. Thanks for the ideas Stacia!!

He really loves me!!

How could I ever doubt? Especially after getting these?

I love you sweetie!! Thanks for being my lover and my best friend.

What do you think??

I finally broke down and chopped Jaxon's hair off!! I was trying to grow it out for the shaggy look that's totally in now. And we made it really far- farther than I've ever been able to go before. But one day I was looking at his calick (is that how you spell that?) and how it made his hair part down in the front and lay weird, and I just couldn't handle it anymore, so I just cut it!

Before After

Then he looked so different and I thought, 'What have I done?' Did I make a mistake? Should I grow it back out again, or does he look better with shorter hair? He's handsome no matter what, but you know how we worry. I need your advise. I don't know what to do.

More like snow rabbits

Alan and I took Summer skiing again at The Canyons on Saturday !! I haven't been skiing in like two years. So it was really fun. I have never been a fabulous skier, but I love it anyway. I think I have never gone often enough in one season to really progress, but maybe this will be the year. We are going to try and go a few more times, but to Sundance, because The Canyons is not a great beginner resort(not many green runs). Summer had kindof a hard time, so we are headed to Sundance in a couple weeks. I can't wait. Granted my legs felt like jello and I could hardly walk for two days, but it was all worth it. That's why I call myself a 'snow rabbit' instead of a 'bunny' (I am not nearly as graceful as a beautiful bunny).

Anywho, it was an incredibly beautiful day up there. I am so grateful that we can do fun stuff like that as families. I love this season in my life.

Life Rocks!!

My little Ballerina

Well, we finally did it. We broke down and signed Hallie up for dance. She is constantly dancing with Summer's old ballet slippers and tries to teach herself the moves from Barbie and the Nutcracker and Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses. So we thought it was time. She was soooo excited for her first day and she asks just about everday if she has ballet class. She was very excited to try on her new dance clothes too!! Isn't she darling?

She has loved her class and I really love her teacher too. I am loving the studio also, because it is very low key, but they still have great teachers and amazing dancers there. Thanks for the referall Sandee! It was a perfect fit for Hallie.

Visiting Grandma

Alan's mom had knee replacement surgery at the end of January and we went up on Sunday afternoon to visit her. The kids had a lot of fun seeing how all her fancy gadgets work that make her knee bend. They got to push the buttons and see grandma walk with her walker. They loved taking pictures and puttin on grandmas glasses. We are glad grandma is doing better and look forward to when she has recovered from both knee surgeries.

Snow Bunnies

When Caro was here - Jamie and Alan took Summer and Christian skiing for their first time!! They went to Sundance and had a blast. There was lots of great snow and Sundance has tons of beginner runs. Summer loved it and apparently learned pretty fast. I was really nervous sending her up there, but Alan is a great teacher and she survived!

Thanks Clint - for the passes!!!

A room full of Kangaroo's???

My sister came to visit the weekend of Jan. 18th for Isaac's baby blessing (Elli's baby). And we went to the kangaroo zoo for an afternoon. It was loads of fun. The kids had a blast. Sandee and kids met us there too. It's a great place to take your kids in the middle of winter to break up the monotany. Kind of expensive though. It was $8 per kid for all day.

Anywho, that night when we got home Alan asked if we had fun at kangaroo zoo? And I told him that we had in fact had oodles of fun. Then he says something like, "So, was it just like a big building full of kangaroo's" - He was totally serious! I laughed so hard.

In his defense, if you didn't know it was a jumping place, what would you think when you heard Kangaroo Zoo? Who knows, maybe you would think the same thing - or not!

It was a good laugh.

My little Violinists

OK. So, I'm back. Let's just say I hate year end stuff, but I finally done and I can spend time doing what I love - aka - blogging!!


Well, I have to start at the beginning:

On Jan. 17th was Hallie and Jaxon's very first Violin Recital. Of course Summer was there too, but it was not her first time.

She played "The Monkey Song" (short & sweet). She was sooo brave!! Of course I have to go up with them to help, but maybe next time I won't need to - I hate pictures.

Jaxon was not as brave, but he did so good. He was totally crying and did not want to go up. But I bribed him with a toy and he did it (is that bad? - oh well). He played "Tucka-Tucka Twinkles" As he was playing his last two notes he looks at me and says "I Don't want to bow Mom!!" So, he didn't he just gave me a hug as everyone clapped and we sat down. Then he looks at me , crying, and says "Why did you make me do that mom?!" It was so funny. Even though he was so scared he actually did it. I really think he will be more brave next time. He is doing so good. He learns new things so quickly. We are so proud of Jaxon!!

Summer was amazing!! She played "Concerto in A minor 1st Movement" by Vivaldi. It was beautiful. She worked sooo hard to master that piece, and she did. She is doing so well right now. She works so hard and learns new pieces so quickly. Practicing really pays off!

Our neighbor, Carla Whetten accompanied her on the piano this time, and she was incredible. We were so grateful that she did that for us. I wish I could play. . .

Anywho, it was a fun recital, and I was so glad when it was over (I get so nervous for the kids that my stomach turns).