Okay...now I must confess...this year I have actually set a New Years Resolution
to actually blog on our family blog. It is taking some re-learning and lots
of trial and error. It is definitely far from perfect. But at least it is happening.
Now that I feel a little caught up maybe I'll start with 2011.
Wish me luck!!

Christmas "photo shoot"

We were trying to find the perfect place to take our Christmas
photo of the kids. Maddi really wanted to show us her favorite
running spot which she thought would be absolutely perfect.
It was a race against the sun going down...literally.
We walked and walked and walked and finally arrived...
and it was perfect. The sun was actually almost set but the
pictures turned out great. Here are just a few.
The only child we couldn't get to smile was our littlest guy...
well I guess he smiled in one, only because he had his stick in hand.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

Favorite gifts from Santa 2010

Finally...a cell phone!!!

A look alike American Girl doll complete with glasses!!

Police station LEGOS

No...she wasn't this excited about sports bras..it was the gift cards that came with them.

Santa and the Tooth Fairy

I can't believe that this little guy has lost his first tooth!!
He is definitely growing up too fast. He has been complaining
about his painful wiggly tooth for months and his older
siblings have given him lots of advice on how to loosen it
faster and the best way to do this and that. Well Dallin
did it on his own sweet time and finally announced Christmas Eve
that his tooth was finally REALLLY wiggly. Bryce confirmed that
it was REALLY lose and of course Tom topped it off by yanking
it out. After a few tears from Dallin he ran upstairs to
find the toothfairy pillow he has been dying to use.
He then exclaimed, "Wow, I wonder if the toothfairy is
going to run into Santa Clause!!"

Gingerbread houses "A Family Tradition"

Decorating gingerbread houses has always been a family "tradition" of mine
growing up. So I thought. Actually we probably only made them
one or two times. But lucky for my kids it definitely has made the
traditions list. This year the kids created a gingerbread village. We used
all of the kids leftover Halloween candy...which they will probably claim
that I "took" their candy away forever. Just please notice all of the
sweet tarts, tootsie rolls, laughy taffys, and whoppers which usually
constitute as reject candy. But didn't they make beautiful
creations!! Too bad I forgot to take pictures while making
these beauties!!

If you ever wonder why there aren't any pictures of this girl with
the family during the fall...it is because she is ALWAYS running.
This season it all paid off with the team winning State.
What a huge accomplishment.

Halloween at our house

Presenting...our mad mad scientist, his creation bride of Frankenstein,
and everyone needs a mariachi band. (well at least part of the band!!)

And here they are displaying their loot. The funnest part of
trick-or-treating is comparing and trading candy.

Fall Harvest

We were so excited to hear that where we live you can actually
grow citrus trees and apples, peaches, and nectarines.
So when we put in our yard we put in fruit trees of
every kind. Last year our little fuji apple tree produced
about 5 lovely apples. Let's say that we each ate one off of the tree
and that was our entire harvest. This year we had more than
double that...enough to even make some caramel apples!!
So caramel apples we enjoyed. Can't wait to see what
happens next year!!

Soccer season 2010

More photos to come...

First Day of School 2010

The night before school this is what I found on the kids floor.
I guess they were excited about their new school clothes!!

And here they are...off to a new year of learning and growing!!

Our Newest Addition

Trying to decide on a new puppy--definitely needs to be a girl.
(So that we can have puppies of course!!)
Must be loving, cuddly and soft.
Mom's request: must be potty trained and sleep through the night.

Introducing "Chloe" the golden retriever, well three
out of five isn't bad.

Sure signs that it is fall

Four different players, four different teams,
four different game times and locations, four
different outcomes. One great
soccer season!!