December catch up!

Wow - this month is FLYING by.  Did I mention it is WHIZZING BY???  I just feel like I need to push the pause button and stop to take a breather.  December is always crazy with kids school parties, gift arranging, relief society socials, office parties, school reports and projects due, doing secret Santa gifts, etc.  It's all busy but it's all very good too.  I love this time of year.  It's just magical---crazy, but magical!!!

Kelsey and I on our Annual Girls Utah Trip!  We went to an organ recital at the tabernacle then lunch at the Lion House.  Wahoo!!!

Not a very good photo---but this is us having "high tea" at the Grand American Hotel.  We LOVE this!

My daddy and I at Thanksgiving time.  We made these beautiful vinyl lettering charger plates to decorate our homes.

Mom and Dad came over to help decorate our Christmas Tree before they flew back to  California.  I really miss them!!

Thanksgiving Family Photos

Our family is sure growing up---way too fast!

The "Girls"  Photo -just my sisters and my mama :)  I love this picture!

We had such a great Thanksgiving.  MaryKay and Nathan hosted it at their home and they had the most darling place settings and table decorations.  You could tell they put a lot of effort into making their home festive!  Everyone helped with the food and it was all simply delicious!  The only thing that would have made it better would be if Steve, Ali, and Hayden were there.  We really miss them when we are all together and they are not.  Ali is 9 months pregnant and just couldn't make the trip (totally understand!)  We just love everyone in our family and when some are missing--they leave a really big gap---But we have so much to be thankful for.  It was a wonderful day.

The day after we went to a park and played kickball then the teenager girls braved Black Friday for a little bit and had some success--especially when their Grandpa Marshall drove them to the mall! 

Well, Kelsey and I are headed to Utah this weekend to see Christmas Around the World and have our annual Christmas Tea Party at the Grand America Hotel.  Kelsey and I LIVE for this weekend!

Dancing with the Suns

Kelsey performed with her dance team (from Higher Ground Dance Studio in Mesa) last night for the halftime of a Phoenix Suns Game.  She did such an awesome job and she looked so beautiful!!!

Tom and Kelsey taking a pose with the Phoenix Suns Gorilla (is he really real??)



Kelsey is third from the right on the top row. 

Kohler was acting scared of the giant gorilla (ha!) while we were all posing, smiling away. 
It was a really fun night out!



Bye Bye to the Bob

Yep - I did it.  I said "bye bye" to my old "bob" haircut and chopped it off.

My kids all said that I "finally have a style" so I guess that's a good thing!  ha ha

Hailey has colored over 30 pictures in the last week.  She literally
has spent HOURS coloring and is really good at it!

(he was really focusing on his movie making skills on the computer and not in the mood for picture taking :) 
But his haircut looks really good too!

  Our sweet little Hailey girl!

Kohler is laughing at me and wondering why his wierd mother
wants to take a picture of him eating a steak.  He just looked
so cute that I had to snap a quick pic! 

We are really excited about the groundbreaking tomorrow for the new Gilbert Arizona Temple.  It's at 11:30 a.m. and we are going to ride our bikes there.  I can't wait! Kelsey is performing at the halftime of the Phoenix Suns tonight and Spencer has his championship flag football games tomorrow.  What a weekend!!! More fun pictures to come!!

Spencer, my "Sunshine!"

We taught the boys in cub scouts yesterday how to play marbles!

Here is Spencer with some of his other cub scout buddies
 (notice Hailey dressed up as a princess in the background!)

Here is Spence pulling off someone's flag in football--it was a great pull! 
Way to go Spence!

Spencer is such a source of happiness and joy in my family.  I call him my Sunshine because when he smiles, and wrinkles his freckled nose, he just exudes light and joy!  He is such a peacemaker and tries his best to act cool when he's with the teenagers yet still be a little boy and play with Hailey.  I got to have lunch with him at school today and when he saw me his face lit up.  He gave me such a big hug and I LOVE that about him!  Spencer is really coming along on the piano and has jumped up to Book 3.  I am really proud of the progress he is making. He is a very spiritual boy--asks great questions during our family scripture study and says very meaningful prayers.  He will make the best missionary!   Also, Spencer has completed his requirements for his Wolf award in Cub Scouts.  So, at our next pack meeting, he will be receiving that award along with 4 arrow points.  Yeah Spencer!!!  We love you and are SUPER glad you are in our family!!

Happy Halloween!

Hailey and Mommy at the pumpkin patch with her pre-K school class!



So many pumpkins to choose from . . .



"You didn't tell me you were gonna kill it!!!" 



Even Kohler, while doing homework, can make his creepy "white eye face!" 



Wow - we can really make some scary faces!!!



We had a really fun week last week.  Hailey and I were able to go to Schnepf Farms and pick out a pumpkin to take home.  I love the pumpkin patch--it's always a fun "fall thing" to do except it was 90 degrees outside and I was sweating up a storm which seemed to ruin the "fall moment" for me!

This is  Spencer--looking like a very, scary Wolfman!

Since Halloween was on Sunday this year, I was especially grateful this year for the ward's trunk-or-treat party.  We had over 350 people show up and my chili won 2nd place!  Yea!  The kids had a lot of fun and of course, got a lot of candy! 

He actually really scared our dog, Rider, looking like this.  It was pretty funny!!

Here's Daddy and his little princess--Aww . . so cute!

Why does Spencer look like he is growing up so much each and every day?  Please stay little!

Just had to show this cute shot of Hailey's hair.  She looked so pretty!

What a crazy weekend--

My baby shower specialty--baby feet sugar cookies.

Shanon - the guest of honor!

This was one of the craziest weekends we have had in a long time.  Tom and I embarked on fixing a water leak in our front yard which turned out to be an 8 hour ordeal!!  Yikes--it was such a muddy mess.  But, after taking Tom's entire Friday, we got it figured out.  That night we treated ourselves to quiet dinner at CPK then went to see Bye Bye Birdie, which one of our staff members was in.  Then, the next day, Kelsey had dance in the morning at 7:15 a.m. and Spencer had a football game at 9 a.m.  Tom and Kohler went to help a family they hometeach at 7:30 a.m.  They helped him fix a sprinkler problem and Kohler scalped their yard and laid winter grass seed down for them.  They were there a few hours--then Tom had to leave by 11 a.m. to head up to Lakeside/Pinetop to sing at a Tea Party where the Governor was suppossed to attend.  She couldn't make it but Tom said it was a great performance.  He didn't get home until after 10 p.m. 


One of my Laurels - Taylor, Shanon's niece

Meanwhile, I hosted a baby shower for a gal in our ward and over 40 people came.  We served lunch and everyone had a great time.  Then, after I got the house cleaned up, Kelsey had a party with her dance team friends that didn't get over until 9:30 so I had to drive clear up to Mesa to get her and got home a little before Tom.  Then, on Sunday, we had the missionaries over for dinner.  They are two sisters, both from Idaho, and full of the spirit and a passion for missionary work.  Kelsey and I made an all Chinese Food dinner for them.  We made sweet/sour chicken with jasmine rice, fried cream cheese wontons, sesame noodles, mandarin/pomegrante salad, and of course, fortune cookies! It tasted so delicious! 

Spencer still loves army guys!




Spencer's army guy and sword - notice the blood!


 After dinner,  Tom and the older kids had Standards Night while I played playdough with my little ones.  At the end of the day, we both collapsed on our bed!  It was a busy weekend filled with many good things.  We feel so blessed to do what we do.

Looks like Hailey collapsed too!

Let's Play Music

 Today is a half day which means my kids will be home early.  Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes it's a crazy thing!  (usually it's crazy!)  But this morning was nice and quiet.  Hailey and I worked on her homework for her music class, "Let's Play Music."  I LOVE this program.  It has the unique ability to integrate fun and play with musical concepts.  When my older children were younger I tried other programs and it just seemed to be a lot of "fluff"--lots of songs but no substance.  This class even challenges me learning the solfeggio hand signs and trying to sing them in reverse order when we sing "Do Re Mi."  They expect a lot out of their students and they rise to the challenge!  Hailey loves the music on the CD and we are having a lot of fun doing this class together as mother and daughter.  My good friend, Heather Prusse, is our teacher and she is absolutely fabulous.  I knew from the first trial class she gave that this was a perfect fit for Heather.  She is always prepared and has a passion for what she does.  I am just so glad she introduced us to this program!


Hailey getting her musical puppet show ready!

Daddy and Kelsey watching her show, "Alladin and the Magic Lamp."

One of her favorite parts is the minor section of the piece where she gets to put on a mean "Genie" face!





Happy Rainy Wednesday!

Well, after getting my high school boy off to school and crying all the way home because some days he and I don't "click"---I called my husband and he gave me the best advice.  "Go hug your little ones, Tamara - they will give you strength."  Of course, Tom was right.  So I went and  helped Spencer work on a really tough piano piece that he has wanted to learn.  It's in Book 4 and right now he is in Book 1 so it's a challenge - but he is totally motivated and is actually doing a great job!  I sent him out the door and after about 3 minutes, RAIN came pouring down.  So, out the door I went, running in the rain in my flip flops praying I didn't slip and fall on the sidewalk---to give Spencer an umbrella.  When he saw me he yelled, "Mom--you brought me an umbrella!!"  He was SO happy!  I seriously love that kid!

Then, on the way home, a complete gift from heaven came in the form of a beautiful rainbow. 

I ran and grabbed Hailey to show her one of her most favorite things--but this time, in real life!  She always draws rainbows on her artwork and when you ask her what her favorite color is, she will say, "A Rainbow!" 

Last night, Kelsey played in a softball game for her YW Activity.  Our team won!  Hooray!  She got there late because she had dance and they ran out of yellow shirts for her.  Our ward is getting bigger each week--more families are moving in all  time. 

Last night I also caught Kohler doing something nice for Hailey (a moment when we "clicked" ha ha)  He read her a story so I could go see Kelsey's game.

Kohler's last football game of the season is tonight.  He said he was glad the practices will be over but at the same time he is sad it is all ending.  I think deep down Kohler has really enjoyed football.  It's just been a HUGE time commitment since last May.  It will be nice to have a break. :)

Conference Photos

Getting ready for conference

This helped keep the kids awake and alert. 

Kelsey adds life to any project she puts her mind to...

Kohler, Spencer and Rider enjoying conference (well, not sure about Rider). 

Posing for a photo during a session.

I know he can hear conference...but is he really listening???

Wow - what a week!

Wow - I haven't posted in almost an entire week!  I do have some great excuses though . . . Conference was this weekend and it was AWESOME!  I absolutely love General Conference weekend because it is a weekend of spiritual AND temporal feasting!  We had homemade cinnamon rolls and cheesy eggs for breakfast with strawberries and orange juice.  So yummy!  Then, my favorite talk was by Elder Uchtdorf admonishing us to SLOW DOWN and focus on what is most important.  I felt like he was speaking directly to me. 

I also was sick with a 101 degree fever on Sunday and Monday and felt like doing nothing.  I am better now.
Another reason why I haven't posted anything is that my computer, or this blog website, is not letting me post any pictures.  For some reason, the pictures I try to download are being rejected and it is SO frustrating because I did it just fine last week.  Why can computers be your best friend one minute then your worst enemy the next???

Anyway, life is good-----we are all doing well and hopefully I will get this picture thing figured out.  As for now, the best thing that has happened this week is that it RAINED and the weather is significantly cooler!  I think fall has finally reached the valley!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays nice--that makes me happy!

It's Spook-tacular!!

Kelsey and Hailey were the decorators extrodinaire this year and they did a really great job!  I love Halloween.  It's such a fun holiday and the colors remind me of my high school colors (go black and orange!)  I just wish the weather would cooperate and feel more like fall.  We are headed for another heat wave into Conference Weekend - 105 degrees.  Great------------no family bike rides for us this weekend.  :(

Kohler did great on his game last night.  He is playing defensive tackle and really likes that position.  All 4 of his friends have had an injury this season (either broken arm, sprained ankle, or neck strains) and so far he's been lucky!  Hailey is feeling better today--no fever which is great!  Now she can go to school so I can attend my lunch with the BYU guy and Tom today.  Plus, I just am so glad she is smiling more today! Kelsey looked absolutely beautiful as she walked out the door today.  She always kisses my cheek and says, "I love you Mom!"  Spencer is way happy because today is "Lego Day" for him after school.  He and his dad built a sweet lego car last night and he is excited to show his friends.  Life is good and I am happy!

Notice Hailey STILL is wearing her karate headband.  She is going on 8 days straight of wearing that to school.
If she was my first child, I'd be dying!  But, now - who cares?  She loves it so I'm OK with it!!

These are solar ghosts and they light up at night.  Pretty cool!