Strike A Pose

These are the most recent professional pictures of the kids. The only way to see an eye or two from Cousin It was to have them lay down. Oh, for the day when having portraits is easy again!!!!

Catch Me If You Can - Christmas

Colorado was wonderful! We got there on the 23rd and didn’t get home until January 3/4. It was so fun for the kids to play in the snow and feed the deer (They would arrive each evening and let us feed and pet them. Generally they numbered in the 20's with does, baby deer and large bucks.) and have the biggest family Christmas that we have ever had. All of my siblings were able to be there. Even my sister in New York was able to manipulate her plans to spend the holiday’s with us.

We stayed twice as long as anyone else so that made the trips twice as nice. I got to spend time with everyone and then have 5 days just to ourselves. It was truly the best Christmas ever.

We started a new tradition in the family. I bought a couple hundred sheets of gold paper (they are beautiful – they look like gold dust sprinkled over leaves of gold) and everyone emailed me their testimony which I printed onto the gold paper. I assembled a book and surprised my mom with the “Family Gold Plates”. We’ll add the current testimonies each year from now on. There were a lot of tears of the good kind. We also watched the Christmas story through a powerpoint I had worked on and played the parts of the women surrounding Christ’s birth on Christmas Eve. My sister, who has just had her first baby (the cutest Trey ever!!!), played Mary and it was so touching how emotional she got.

It was GREAT!!!!

Two of my sister’s and Annedria’s husband went snowboarding/skiing. They spent the whole day out and I think had a really good time. I helped watch Trey while they were out.

The best thing about the snow I’ve decided … after the morning frost, it sparkles like diamond dust has been lavishly topped over everything! I was mesmerized! We don’t get that effect here. We loved it!!!

So we are back to normal … sort of. Life had to start again, and I am trying to instill some changes. We are going to concentrate on performing more service this year as a family.

I did my first “Children’s Book Reading” for the community this last Saturday. I’ll be doing it every second Saturday of the month. We’ve also have planned on helping at the Care Center at the north of Celina each month and two of each month’s FHE are designated for service. I want the kids to learn to love service and understand the joy that comes through service.

Well, I’ve gone on long enough…



(Grandma.)
(Grandma and Grandpa with Potter.)

(Annedria, Scott and Trey.)

(Shaundra and Ashlyn.)

(Taylor, Liz, Ashton and Peyton.)

(The fam.)

(Colbey)

(Taylor and Liz goofing off.)

(All of the kids and grandkids together.)

(Christmas morning.)

(Ryleigh dressed up as a fairy and Landon showing off his Dance Revolution Game. Colbey's pretty good at it all ready.)

(More Christmas morning. 15 people make quiet the mess!!)

(Just a few of the dear we got to pet and feed each day.)

Catch Me If You Can - November

Ryleigh, Landon and myself went to the pumpkin farm in November with Ryleigh's playschool group. We went on a hay ride, got to choose a pumpkin each and feed all the animals. It was VERY cold and I was glad I had brought gloves for them. We stayed longer than the rest of the group to get in the hay ride. It was SSSSOOOO cold that most sane people wouldn't wait in the 45 minute line for the ride, but no one is surprised that we are not sane!!! : )

Catch Me If You Can - Halloween

We made luminaries out of 2 liter bottles (20 of them) to decorate our car for the trunk-or-treat. Landon went at a sorcerer and Ryleigh went as a witch at school, a pink devil/dragon at the trunk-or-treat, and a green fuzzy dragon on Halloween night. Colbey went as himself.

Catch Me If You Can - Disneyland

So we did EVERYTHING at Disneyland and Ryleigh was called up and involved in everything we went to. They LOVED her and treated her like a princess. Landon, after 5 days, overcame his fear of roller coasters and spent the end of the day riding Maulhaulens Drive over and over again. Sadly, this was the ONLY ride Ryleigh couldn't go on because of her height. She was tall enough to ride Space Mountain and Splash Mountain but not for the kiddie coaster.

Somehow, circumstances occurred where we paid for 3 days at Disneyland but ended up getting 6 days there. You can imagine we were in HEAVEN!!!! A trip of a lifetime for the family!!!

Anyway, there are WAY TOO MANY stories to tell about our time there ... so I won't. Just know that if it could be done, we did it. If it could be brought up on stage, Ryleigh was. If you could see it, we saw. If you could scream it, we screamed. We did it ALL and we loved it ALL.

Thanks dad for providing us the opportunity of a lifetime!!!


(Ryleigh had cut her own bangs and they were in the process of growing out.)


(Ryleigh's favorite Princess is Jasmin - because of the three rubber bands in her hair.)

(When he asked Ryleigh where she was from, she looked at him like he must be an idiot and said, "From my mommy.")

(The idiot mommy.)

(Ryleigh called up to participate at the House of the Future to play the drums.)

(They LOVED the teacups. I was getting a little sick!)

(Roving Pirate Minstrels attacking their prey.)

(It looks like she's telling Mickey a secret, but she is actually going in for a kiss. Scott wanted to know when the last time he washed was ... )

(Landon hangin' with his peeps.)

(The cutest Toucan's in the whole hut!)

(Adventuring at California Adventures.)

(People to call, places to be.)

(Taking a break on the tire pile after an exiting drive with Roger Rabbit.)

(Exploring the wonders of the sea in a submarine.)

(I think I can, I think I can ... what are the perks exactly for being the king???)

(Don't we look alike? Same goofy smile, same red tongue.)

(Oops! Got caught!)