ansons unplugged

Beach Bums

2011-10-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

The Beach . . . where do I start? Everything I can think to say sounds so cliche: how peaceful it is, the mesmerizing waves, the soft breezes. It truly is calming. I could let myself go and let my worries and cares dissolve. I have to admit that several times as I sat on the beach I just did not want to come home. I guess we will just have to go back!

I loved that we could spend so much time there this summer. I love that my kids had the whole routine down pat: suits on, sunscreen on, find your flip flops, (in the meantime Mom packed the towels, beach bag and snacks) jump in the van, count the bridges over the waterway, look for the Wrightsville Beach sign, find a parking spot at beach access #4, walk through the hot sand to the cool sand, find a spot to drop the stuff, play, have a snack, drink some water, play some more, protest when it's time to go and beg for just one more minute, rinse the shovels and pails, head to the shower, rinse off, back in the van, fold up your towel and put it on your seat, home to Grandma's, eat a snack in the kitchen while you wait for your bath, shake the sand out of your suit, get clean, rest up for next time.

It was quite the process, but worth every minute. I can still see the huge towel pile in the laundry room (especially when the whole crowd was there) and the piles of sand I swept up in the bathroom floor after all the baths were done the the suits were shaken out. We got pretty good at sending all the kids through the bath in a short amount of time. I can still hear the shrieks of protest when we sprayed the kids off in the cold water at the shower in the parking lot. I can still see the sandcastle Grandpa built with the kids. That was all they talked about as we planned our vacation, building a sandcastle on the beach. And although it did not turn out perfect, I am sure it lived up to all their expectations. I can still see my little Sam chasing the birds on the sand. He loved the water, too, and got a little mad at us when we would not let him run head first into the ocean. He was completely worn out after about two hours. It was all we could do to keep him awake on the ride home so he could have his bath before he hit the crib. I can see Ally playing in the surf with her cousins. They made up some game called, "flushed away." I am still a little fuzzy on the rules, but I know it involved a lot of giggling. I can see Sariah sitting on the sand, kicking her legs as the waves washed over her. She always won the contest for most sand in your suit. I can see Zac run into the waves with no fear, trying to keep up with Uncle Brian. He rode his first waves on the boogie board this summer. (We also had to explain currents and undertows to him and then Mom had to let go and trust him.) I can still see my timid Brook, getting a little braver each time we went. By the end of the summer she was jumping and splashing with the rest of us. And I can still see my trooper of a husband who went with us as many times as we wanted to go, even though he had a bad burn on his leg that did not take too kindly to sand. (And how did he get a burn, you might ask. On a his friend's motorcycle as they were heading up the canyon to go tubing on the river. See, he did play a little without us, too.)

While the pictures will never do the memories justice, I am glad we took them. And I am glad we brought home some sand and shells to help us remember, too. It will have to tide us over until next time.

Family Pictures

2011-09-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite souvenirs from our summer at the beach is our family photos. The people I cherish most in one of my favorite places. Doesn't get any better, especially when you have a great sister-in-law who happens to own a nice camera and knows how to use it:) Thanks, Toni for working your picture magic. I know it took a good chunk of your "free time" to put this all together. We love you! Someday I will learn how to do a slide show on my blog, but for now you will have to do the old fashioned scroll down the page thing. Enjoy.

Favortie Places

2011-09-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

We have a few favorite places that we visit every time we are at Grandma and Grandpa's: the aquarium at Fort Fisher and the ferry in Southport. Sometimes we do them both in the same day, but this time we made separate trips. The aquarium at Fort Fisher is awesome. Sariah and Zac remembered going from four years ago and they were excited to go again.

Of course, being the geeky English teacher girl that I am, I had to take a picture of this sign and include it in the post. I love it!

Of course, we really go to see the marine life. The touch tank is always a highlight. Brooklyn talked the whole drive out about touching a starfish at the aquarium. She was a little hesitant when she actually got the chance, but she did do it. I just couldn't snap the picture fast enough.

Sam loved the "fishies." And he loved being with his grandpa. We all had a good time, but we missed Joseph this time around.

Grandma and Grandpa surprised the kids with lunch at Chuck E Cheese on the way home. They were thrilled! They were too busy having fun to stop for a photo op. But Sam cooperated once. I sat him down on this ride and then put the token in. When it started moving, his whole face lit up. I wish I could have captured that look. It was pure delight. Bet you can't guess where he spent his tokens?

Joseph did get to join us for our trip to Southport to ride the ferry, as did Toni and the girls. The kids love the fact that our van can drive right onto the boat. And they like to feed the seagulls that follow the ferry looking for a handout.

After we used all the bread and were sufficiently windblown, we headed upstairs to sit in the air conditioned, quiet cabin. The kids enjoyed looking out the window and waving to the other ferry we passed. We saw a few yachts and dreamed about being rich enough to have a family reunion on one of those, but then decided it would be too crowded and we were content with our ferry ride.

On the way home we stopped near Old Brunswick Town to see if we could see an alligator up close. We saw a little one, but the big gator was hiding under the lily pads. It was HOT, but very pretty. Another great Carolina day.

Greenfield Lake

2011-09-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

There is a beautiful cypress lake in Wilmington, surrounded by a neat park. The first few days we were there it was uncharacteristically cool, so we loaded up Grandpa's canoe and headed for the lake. The kids each got a few turns to go out on the canoe with Grandpa and Uncle Brian. We saw turtles, Blue Herons and a white Egret. It was gorgeous. I loved gliding through the quiet trees.

Sam did not show an interest in the canoe, so he waited on shore while we all had a turn on the lake. Even though it was cooler than usual, it was still plenty hot. It got too hot to play at the playground so he chilled in the stroller. It made both Mom and Grandma a little calmer to not have him on the loose so close to the water. Thanks for humoring us, little man.

The other kids were pretty good about waiting their turns as well. It did help that Grandma was there to keep them entertained.

When we were done in the canoe, we packed it up and had a picnic lunch. We took pudding for dessert, but forgot the spoons. Good thing we had bid pretzel rods. It was actually pretty yummy to use pretzel spoons. We might do it again sometime on purpose. Sam was excited to be out of the stroller. He had a grand time eating lunch and chasing squirrels.

No, we did not feed the alligators. We did not even see any. (Although Dad and Brian have seen them when they have been out in the canoe.) But before we left the lake, we did feed the turtles! The kids thought it was fun to feed turtles instead of ducks. And the turtles are obviously used to being fed. They all came as fast as they could when the first bread crumbs hit the water. I was surprised by how many came to get a bite.

We all tried to throw bread to the littlest turtles. One piece I threw landed on a turtle's back. Another turtle just climbed right on and ate it. We left some on the railing and a few birds came and helped themselves. We were all hot and tired by the end, but we left contentedly with another great memory made.

Grandma's House

2011-09-04T14:58:00.001-07:00

Grandma's house is just the best, don't you think? It does not matter who you are or where Grandma's house is, it is just a special place. And why do we call it Grandma's house? Grandpa is there, too, and he just as much a part of what makes it special, but we will always call it Grandma's house. No offense, Dad.

One of the best parts of our vacation was that we were there long enough to have down days at home when we played and just hung out together. Grandma scored major points with Sariah when she put together a doctor kit, complete with a white coat and Rx bottles full of "medicine" (aka Skittles and Lifesavers) that she could dispense to her patients. There were also real Band Aids, a stethoscope, clipboard with patient information forms, a scrunchy blood pressure cuff and a "shot needle." Grandpa scored big points by patiently playing patient. My parents are cool.

Zac and Brian logged a lot of time playing video games. They did other things too, but this was definitely the activity of choice. Zac was Brian's shadow. He wanted to do everything Brian did, including eating everything he ate, right down to the peanut butter and Cheeto sandwiches. Thanks, Brian. Brian was even kind enough to take Zac along when he went to play basketball with some friends and the missionaries. What a great kid.

Sam became instantly attached to Grandpa. He gave the biggest grins to "Bampa." If Dad was in the room, Sam had to run over to him, giggling, and at least just touch his leg. Sometimes he wanted to be picked up as well. Sam also loved the dog. He even let Molly lick his fingers.

Of course, Sam also made plenty of messes. I found him asleep like this one afternoon. He had figured out how to reach the diapers on the bookshelf beside the crib. He also pulled a huge pile of papers off the shelf and stuffed them all behind the crib. But we were at Grandma's house so it was all OK. Good think he is so cute.

Ally and Brook were in cousin heaven. Katy came to play almost everyday and Caroline was down several times, too. For the most part they all played well together, but where there are four little girls, you know there will be a certain amount of drama as well. They about came undone when Grandma pulled the Barbies out of the attic. It was fun for me, too, as I remembered all the hours I spent with Western Barbie and Angel Face Barbie in the Dream Cottage. The kids also loved any chance to get wet. We filled the pool a few times and let them cool off. On cooler days they put Grandpa's new swing set to good use.

We just moved right in and made ourselves at home. I got the master bedroom while we were there. (Mom and Dad stayed in the "cave" which is our affectionate name for an additional bedroom/bathroom that used to be separate from the house, but is now attached.) At one point Sariah was talking to Mom and said, "Hey Grandma, you know that bathroom that you use when my mom's not here?" That made us chuckle. We did have a pretty sweet set up. Thanks for making our home away from home so comfortable.

Road Trip

2011-09-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

So I guess I should start at the beginning, a very good place to start. We left early on a Wednesday morning. It took literally all day Tuesday to get everything gathered and packed. We bought a car top carrier which I am grateful we had since it made the van much more comfortable. I did not take a single picture of our trip. We were too busy driving and mapping out the next best place to stop for a break. We stopped at rest stops to eat picnic lunches. It was perfect. The kids had a break from the car and could run around. Sam was in heaven. He quickly learned that there were often dogs or babies (two of his favorite things) at the rest stops. If there was a dog, we could not keep him away from it. He would not eat until he had been over to visit the "woo woo." (According to Sam, that is what a dog says.) It was a little frustrating, but mostly cute. It did not matter how hard we tried, by the time we were done stretching our legs, eating lunch and taking multiple trips to the bathroom, we never managed to get back on the road in under an hour. When you are driving for 7+ hours a day, any delay feels huge. But we came to expect it and deal with it.

Back to Wednesday, we made it our super long day and got all the way to Kansas. After 11 hours of driving, we were exhausted and very grateful for the DVD player in the van. We made it in time to swim at the hotel and then drop into bed. The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and hit the road. By the time we had the car top carrier loaded and all of us in and ready it was much later than we wanted to be. That day, the miles seemed to crawl by. We didn't make our final destination until after 10 pm. It was the worst day of traveling. I made the executive decision to put the car top carrier in the stow n go and just cram everything in the back. It saved tons of time in the morning. (And for the return trip we packed smarter so that we did not have to get into the car top on hotel nights. I feel pretty dumb that I did not think of that on the trip out, but live and learn right?) Day three was better. We got a better start, but it was still a long 8 hour day. Our goal was to make it to the hotel with time to relax and swim. Our hotel was in Knoxville where two interstates merged. Needless to say, we joined I-40 about 30 miles down the road from our hotel. By the time we realized our mistake we were DONE with driving. We got a room at a different hotel. In the end, we were able to cancel our previous reservation. We did get to swim and relax a bit before bed. That alone was worth the possibility of paying for a room we did not use. Day four seemed to drag! We thought we would never make it. We were out of picnic stuff so we stopped at a Wendy's for lunch. That was when I realized what a great idea the rest stop picnics had been. The kids were literally crawling on the floor and dancing on the chairs. They were so tired of being cooped up in the van. I took Sam and Brook into the bathroom and by the time we were done both of them were crying so loudly, Laura could hear them in the dining room. I was embarrassed, but mostly I wanted to sit down and cry with them. We did eventually make it and Grandma was waiting for us with real food and a comfy house where the kids could run around and make as much noise as they needed.

I am grateful for the safe trip we had, no major incidents or trouble. Laura and I kept each other laughing and sane. I will always remember driving over bridges, looking at maps, finding Sam's pacies, playing the alphabet game, weird billboards in Kansas, and lots of good girl talk. And we still like each other and would do it again. Love you, Laura!

The Grand Adventure!

2011-09-04T14:11:00.001-07:00

This summer was truly magical. I think I am still in denial that it is over. We had the opportunity to take a six week vacation. Laura came out and then drove with the kids and me back to North Carolina where we spent the majority of our time. Joseph stayed in Utah so he could finish his summer classes for his doctorate degree. Then he flew out to join us. We spent some time in NC together and all drove home together via St. Louis where we visited with more cousins.

It was an amazing trip and I tried to soak up every minute of it. I can honestly say that I truly "got away." I was able to let go of all my responsibilities and most of my worries and just enjoy time with people I love. What a true luxury. I had to remind myself, "Oh yeah, I do have a house and friends and a life somewhere else." There were times I truly did not care if I came back home. Mind you, most of those times were on the beach:) That's when I had to remind myself that if I truly lived in NC, I would not live at my mom's house and get to play all the time. It was all a wonderful illusion.

Of course, it is good to be home and back to "real life." I am grateful for the memories we made, some of which I will attempt to share in the posts that follow. Thanks to Mom and Dad for letting us invade their house. Thanks to Donny and Katy for sharing Laura with us and for coming to visit everyday. Thanks to Laura for the fun road trip. Thanks to Toni, Kevin and the girls for all the trips back and forth to Greensboro. Thanks to Brian for being an amazingly patient Uncle. Thanks to Emily and Chris for coming to play with us, too. Thanks to David and Amy and company for showing us St. Louis and for letting us crash in your basement. And thanks to Joseph for enduring a brief stint of bachelorhood so we could have extra time at the beach. Mostly, thanks to my kids for being such great sports about all we did. Now you definitely have something to say when you're asked what you did on your summer vacation!

Stars and Stripes

2011-09-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE the 4th of July? I'm sure I have, so forgive me while I tell you again. There is just something about celebrating the freedoms we enjoy with the people we love to share those freedoms with. Maybe it's the combination of parades, summertime, childhood innocence, barbecues and fireworks. Or maybe it's the family traditions we have created. One day I will be able to put my finger on it and eloquently express it. But until then I will ponder on my blessings and try not to tear up too much when the parade route goes silent as the flag passes by and we all put our hands on our hearts. And I'll clap a little louder for the veterans who sacrificed more than I'll ever know so that I can enjoy summer holidays with my family.

This year was extra fun because Laura was with us, too. She came out to spend a few days with family and then help me drive the kids out to NC. (More on that adventure to come.) We opted out of the fireworks this year due to weather, exhaustion and our upcoming trip. Nontheless, it was another great day.

Summer School

2011-07-25T11:24:00.001-07:00

The beginning of our summer was also full of "lessons." Zac, Ally and Brook all wanted to take swimming lessons. They loved being in the water, channeling their inner fish and I loved that they all had class at the same time, so it was one trip to the pool. Joseph was at home so I did not have to chase Sam around and worry about keeping him out of the water. I actually got to watch the kids swim.

All three kids had great teachers, especially Brook. Somehow, there only ended up being two little girls in the class. A perfect first experience with swim lessons. Sam was amazing with them. She had them putting their faces in and blowing bubbles. She even convinced Brook to jump off the side of the pool, where she caught Brook and took her all the way under the water. Here Brook is showing off her scissor kicks. She still does her "swimming lesson bubbles" in the bath tub. Thanks, Sam.

Ally loved her teachers as well. She improved her front and back float and left her face in the water for a little longer than she did last year. Slow and steady improvement. We'll take it.

Zac was super excited that part of his lessons were in the deep end. He learned to tread water and pencil dive into the pool.

During the end of May and all through June we logged many hours at the ballpark. Ally played her first year of Tball. She was on the Cubs, just like Sariah and Zac their first year. So now we have three Cubs hats to keep track of.

I managed to snap one or two action shots in between cheering and keeping tabs on the other kids. I was proud of the way she hustled and participated. She has informed me that she wants to play softball with the big girls. I have a feeling that we will spend many more summers cheering her on.

Zac played for the Orioles this season. He had an amazing coach (Joseph) who had an amazing assistant (me) who made many phone calls to keep the team informed and on schedule. They played on the bigger fields this year so it was a little harder to take pictures.

He did well and had a few great hits. Baseball is in his blood. Like father, like son.

Sam loved running around at the games. Sometimes it was a challenge to keep him off the field, out of the dirt, and protected from the sun, while still witnessing all the amazing plays Zac and Ally needed me to see. I also had to make sure Sam did not eat the rocks. He is ALL boy.

Brook was a good sport about being hauled around to all the games. She'll be old enough to join the fun next year if she wants to.

Sariah was a good spectator as well. She especially loved when Grandma and Grandpa Anson came to watch the games with us. And so did I. It was a big help to have extra hands and eyes, especially for the games when Joseph was out of town.

This summer Sariah opted for art class. She loved going each morning with her friends, Shawnie and Nicole. She created many masterpieces. On the last day of class, our family got to go to the art show. Each student presented his favorite piece. Sariah showed us a picture of a camel she worked hard on. Then we got to walk down the hall and look at the gallery. It was a great experience for her. I love watching the kids develop talents and learn new things. I can see their confidence growing and that makes my heart happy.

Family Outings

2011-06-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

As soon as school was over, we made a list of things we wanted to do this summer. We have been packing in as much as we can before the summer really gets crazy with grad school and a cross country trip. So far we have done Tball, swimming lessons, played with friends, camped in the backyard, and walked to the library. Our bigger outings were to the zoo and the children's museum. I think we will all be exhausted when it is time for school to start again.

The zoo is always at the top of the list of fun places the kids want to go. This time it finally worked out to do the bird show. Brook and Ally were a little bit nervous about the birds flying over head. It was pretty cool, actually. They even talked us into a donation so Zac could have his picture taken with a bald eagle. It was a great start to our day at the zoo.

Sariah loves the zoo. This time she walked the whole way. Way to go, Sariah. She got to spend some time with the camels and even got to talk to a keeper about them. We learned that the camels' names are Mabel and Gobi. We got to watch Mabel eat a treat that was supposed to lure her onto a new scale that she was not wild about. Smart girl. What woman is excited about getting on a scale?

Sam loved the zoo, too. Especially when we let him run on his own.

One of Brook's favorite things this time was the egg at the playground. She was quite content to crawl in and out and sit inside. Maybe it was nice and cool in there. The weather was actually perfect and the zoo was not too crowded either.

They do have a new exhibit of sorts. There are animated dinosaurs all over the zoo. Some made noises and others sprayed water; they all move. Ally and Brook were a little nervous, but Zac thought they awesome. So did I. If you are headed to the zoo this summer, be on the lookout for the dinosaurs.

I love spending time with my crazies. We fit right in at the zoo, loud and wild!

A friend also gave us a pass to the children's museum, so we decided to squeeze in a trip. Zac asked if we could ride the train into downtown. We thought, why not? The trip up was great. The kids kept saying, "This is so fun."

Sam was not as impressed. Probably because he filled his diaper right before we got on. The trip home was a little less fun. We hit all the after work traffic. The train was crowded and we could not all sit together. But the kids were very well behaved and made new friends. They were cracking people up with their very "candid" report of our outing.

The museum was amazing. The kids all enjoyed the Life Flight helicopter on the roof. They could climb inside and pretend like they were flying the helicopter. There was even a button that made chopper sound effects. It scared Brook as it was fairly loud, but she was brave enough to get back in and take a turn at the controls.

Sariah about came unglued when she saw the grocery store. She was definitely in her element as cashier. She enjoyed scanning groceries for several of the kids in the store. It was fun. I secretly wanted a turn, too. Play is an important part of life for all of us.

Ally was excited to play mailman, but before she could deliver any mail she was off to the construction zone where she made fast friends and built amazing structures with them.

Zac liked the construction zone, too. He was also pretty excited about the rock wall. Coming down was harder than it looked. Little Sam wanted a turn, too. That is him in the green shirt.

Brooklyn would have spent all day in the playhouse. There was a little kitchen and a pink mommy dress, all just her size. She also loved the grocery store. Life got even better when she learned that you could shop at the store and bring the groceries back to the house to put away in the cupboards.
Sam loved the museum, too. There were lots of balls and places to run. His favorite was the water play area. He cried when it was time to leave. I missed the photo op since I was keeping track of the others. But here he is drinking water. Does that count? Probably not. All in all it was a fun day. While family outings get a little hairy sometimes, they are totally worth it. I am glad we a building a treasure trove of memories together. Family time is always time well spent!

Kindergarten Graduation

2011-06-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

Ally hit another big milestone -- Kindergarten graduation. Aunt Nicole got to come with us. She was a life saver, wrangling kids and taking pictures and doing things with my camera that I did not know my camera could do. Hence the way cute picture above.

The kids did a great job with their program. My personal favorite is "The Rules of the Classroom." There is something too fun about watching little bodies groove to the music. Ally was so excited to perform for us. We were treated to several pre-performances at home at the dinner table and in the living room. Still, the actual day was a treat. We really do have a great elementary school and amazing teachers. At the end there was a slide show. I have to admit that I got a little teary as I watched and the country song, "Let Them Be Little" played in the background. Life goes too fast and we do need to let our kids be little. All too soon the messes and noises will be over and I will long to have my happy little kids climbing all over me.

Sariah, Brook and Sam got to come watch the program, too. They were very patient especially since they could not see very well.

Ally is a social butterfly. She makes friends wherever she goes. So it is only appropriate that we snapped a few pictures with friends.

I love you, Pal and I am so proud of the great kid you are. You will conquer first grade just like you have everything else. There is nothing you can't do!

Haircut!

2011-06-12T14:34:00.001-07:00

Yes, Sam was in serious need of a haircut. And yes, we needed some good "before" pictures, aka blackmail for later:) Most of them were in the tub. Sam, you can thank me later for not posting those.

As you can see, Sam was thrilled about the whole process. We took him to see Tisha, who really is a professional. He sat very still through all the tears. Brooklyn was with us and was very concerned that Sam was so upset. Tylie had to take her for a little walk. Thanks, Tylie.

In five minutes, Sam grew right up. It still amazes me how much more grown up they look after their first haircut. Now Sam really is my little man. Thanks for humoring me, buddy.

Numero Uno

2011-06-12T12:43:00.001-07:00

Our Sam is officially one. It is hard to believe that he is a whole year old. On the other hand, he is such a part of us that it is hard to imagine our life without him. He was definitely meant to be part of our family. We had fun celebrations for his big day. Two days before his actual birthday, we were at Pack Night. Our friend fed him little pieces of her cookie and then gave him is very own, whole cookie. He was delighted. I wish I had taken a video. He has this infectious little giggle. (According to Grandma and Grandpa, Joseph used to giggle like that, too. I know, it is hard to imagine Joseph as a giggler.) Sam had us all laughing along with him. If only we were all so pleased with the little pleasures of life.

Backing up a few more days to Easter Sunday . . . When we were all together for Easter dinner, we celebrated with Sam and Brook. Sam was not to sure about unwrapping presents. He tore off one small piece and then tried to put it back on. How cute. He liked his singing puppy from Grandma. He also like Brook's toys. We had to keep luring him away from all the pink stuff.

Finally his actual birthday arrived. He still did not quite know what to do with the wrapping paper, but he liked the toys. So did his siblings. I was excited to give him this little racetrack, but he hardly got a turn with it. The big kids took over. Zac was the worst. Now Sam just sits in it. Oh well. It's the thought that counts.

Sam knew exactly what the puffs were and knew just what to do with them.

As per tradition, he got his very own cupcake all to himself. He was not hesitant at all. He pulled the candle right out and as soon as the wrapper was off, he started shoving it in his mouth. His bandaged hand did not slow him down by any means. We got some great video that will hopefully be on the blog soon.

We love you so much, Sam. We love your smiles and growls; we love your toddle waddle and side-to-side head bobble. Please don't grow up too fast. We don't want to miss a thing!

You know you need a new oven when . . .

2011-05-22T20:55:00.001-07:00

Sam almost made it through his first year without major injury, almost. The night before his birthday, I was in the kitchen fixing dinner. It was frozen pizza night. The pizzas were in the oven and I was cutting fruit with my back to the oven. Sam was playing in the lid drawers as usual. All of a sudden, I heard him start to cry, It was the "hurt cry," the one you pay attention to fast. I turned around to see him standing at the oven with his hand on the window. I grabbed him away. He could not have been like that for more than 30 seconds, but it was enough to raise blisters on his hand. As I was running cold water over his hand, Joseph checked the oven door. It was truly hot. I had no idea the outside of my oven got that hot. We assumed it was because it was on so high to cook the pizzas. Poor Sam just cried and cried. Half and hour and some burn cream later, he still had not stopped crying. That prompted a trip to the after hours clinic (not cheap). The doctor confirmed he had a second degree burn and wrapped it up for us (not cheap, again). We also got a prescription cream for the burn. We did not see our regular pediatrician that night. When I explained what happened, he just looked at me and said, "You mean he touched the inside of the oven door." I thought, "I'm not that stupid, really." I already felt like a horrible mother, but I am not that bad. I assured him it was the outside of the door, but he just kind of looked at me funny. I wonder if he thought he was not getting the full story.

If you are still reading this story, I will try to wrap it up. Sam was pretty good at keeping his bandages on. He got lots of sympathy. Every time I told his story though, people would all say the same thing, "Your oven really gets that hot on the outside?" By this time I was starting to catch on and little pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, like the fact that our oven has always baked a little fast and seemed to be baking faster. The next night, Sam's birthday cupcakes baked in 15 minutes and almost burned. The oven got too hot to touch again. When we saw our regular pediatrician for Sam's one year check up, my suspicions were confirmed. After telling him what happened, he looked at me funny and said, "Really? I have never heard of a child burning his hand on the outside of an oven." I told him we were pretty sure our thermostat was out and it was time for a new oven. He jokingly offered to write me a prescription for a new oven. If only it were that easy. He did ask to take a look at Sam's hand and asked if he could clean it up and cut away some of the dead skin. If I had known how "not cheap" that would be, I would have said no and done it myself. Needless to say, it turned out to be a very expensive accident, what with the "burn treatment" bills and the new oven that is now sitting in my kitchen:) (The actual arrival of the oven was a fun adventure for another post.) And it will get more expensive, because now I need the cleaners to take care of the ceramic top and real pans with flat bottoms as opposed to the twelve year old warped ones I have now. But Sam paid the biggest price. I still feel horrible that he had to discover the problem with the oven first-hand (pun intended).

Once we got some good burn cream on him, it did not seem to slow him down much. He still toddled around the house with his new-found walking skills and he learned to eat with one hand. Little kids truly are resilient. I am just glad Joseph was home each night that week as wrapping his hand was a two man event.

And I just had to leave you with this. Who couldn't love that messy face with the slobber and mystery bruise on his forehead. I'm afraid he is 100% boy and there are many bumps and bruises to come, but hopefully no more burns.

Blondie Turns 4!

2011-05-22T20:30:00.001-07:00

Brooklyn's birthday celebrations started on Easter Sunday. We celebrated with family at Grandma and Grandpa Anson's house since we were together for Easter dinner. (We also celebrated Sam's first birthday, but more about that in another post.) We brought cupcakes. Grandpa supplied the candles. Brooklyn wanted the cupcakes to be pink and blue and purple and yellow and black and white and green. She was surprisingly accommodating when I told her to choose three colors. Pink, purple and yellow won.

She got a fun Tinkerbell barbie and "Look n Find" book. She even got to climb into Grandpa's lap and they found some fairies together.

On her actual birthday, she voted to open presents before Dad left for work. Of course, it was all wrapped in pink. She kept asking, "Am I four yet?" Later that night, we were at pack night and someone asked her how old she was. Without missing a beat she said, "Almost five." Nothing wrong with planning ahead.

It also just so happened that her friend came to play at our house while her mom helped with something at the school. So, we had a little party of sorts. The girls decorated pink wands and ate cupcakes. These two little blondies are peas in a pod. We sure enjoy having Sabrina at our house and are grateful for good friends.

Emily and Chris came over for dinner that night. Then we dashed off to pack night and hurried home for cake and ice cream. This year she wanted a Tinkerbell heart cake with pink frosting. Easy enough, thanks to the cake toppers you can grab at the Wal Mart bakery. (You know, I really resent my dependence on that store. But, I digress). Those are fairy rings on the cake. She loved it. We love you, Brookie Cookie, drama and all. I look forward to all the adventures we will share this year while you are "almost five."

Easter Sunday

2011-05-15T14:04:00.001-07:00

I think I have my mother to thank for the obligation I feel to have new Sunday clothes for the kids on Easter. We always had a new dress and she usually sewed it herself. I am over the sewing myself, but I still feel like they need something new. Of course, we probably actually needed something to wear to church in the warmer weather and Easter was the excuse to get it. Anyway, it has turned into a fun tradition. This year, I was even brave enough to take all three girls shopping together. I did survive and actually enjoyed a little taste of future girl time with my daughters:)

Ally chose a pretty red dress that I love on her.

Brook "shocked" us all by choosing pink. The headband from Aunt Nicole was the perfect touch.

Sariah is way too grown up. Who taught her to pose anyway?

I actually took pictures after church this year. No one would have ever known if it were not for Zac's lightning fast ability to change clothes the minute we hit the door. I was a nice mom and did not make him put his shirt and pants back on. He did consent to clip on his Easter tie. What a kid. Sam was not so impressed either.

Joseph looked handsome as always. I am grateful we do all the bunny stuff on Saturday so we can focus on Christ on Sunday. The more I ponder, the more significant Easter becomes. We truly have cause to rejoice in the marvelous blessings that are ours because of the Atonement.

Bunny Day!

2011-05-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

It was another great Bunny Day at our house. The kids woke up to baskets of treats and new shirts from Mom and Dad. The highlight of course was the Easter egg hunt at Grandpa's house. This year we did it in the evening and had some pizza, too. Nicole and Grandpa filled the eggs and the big boys hid them. Then we turned the kids loose. It was fun to watch their individual hunting techniques. My favorite was when Benjamin "found" an egg in Sam's basket. It was classic. You can get away with it this year, buddy. But next year I have a feeling Sam will not be so cooperative.

Someone has to give Zac a hard time. Thanks, Grandpa.

The picture is a little blurry, but I loved the look on her face.

Next year we will teach him to eat what is on the inside, too. He was not too sure what to think about his first Bunny Day. That's OK. I have full confidence he will figure it out.

In the Blink of an Eye

2011-05-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

Literally, it feels like Sam has grown up in the blink of an eye. Yes, it is cliche, but how else do you describe it? With another cliche maybe? However you say it, he is way too big, way too fast. So here is a look at a few accomplishments I managed to snap a picture of as I was trying to keep up with my big boy.

Sam was so pleased with himself when he got up on all fours. It took awhile to get everything working together, but when he took off, he never looked back. Crawling opened up a whole new world. (Now he just giggles as he walks from room to room.)

Once he was mobile, he was into EVERYTHING! He was thrilled when he learned to open drawers in the kitchen. All of the kids have loved the drawer of Tupperware lids, and Sam was no exception. I just had to dodge the messes he made as I fixed dinner. He gives his grandma fits when we go to visit because she has lots of cupboards and drawers to explore.

Of course, not all milestones are pleasant. Sam has had his first few ear infections, too. And, he decided to share. At one point I had nine bottles of Amoxicillin in my fridge. Everyone but Zac had at least one infected ear. Sam and Brook had double ear infections. That was crazy! Lucky for us, Sam loves the pink stuff. He gets excited when he sees me shaking the bottle.

He pretty much loves to eat anything. He has taken to solid foods like nobody's business. Some of his favorites are strawberries, grapes, bananas, bread, yogurt and cheese. He wants to try everything we have. Most of the time we let him. He loves his milk and is learning to drink from a sippy cup, too. I still won't let Joseph give him bacon. He needs more teeth for that:)

Sam is my first dumpster diver. Luckily, he has not found anything too icky yet. (Although, "icky" is one of his new words, along with "cookie" so I guess we're OK). We have since replaced our garbage can with one that is a little sturdier and more Sam proof.

Self discovery is a painful process. (I almost saved this picture for it's very own post.) Sam discovered that his finger fits perfectly in his nose. It also fits in others' noses and ears. This is a discovery that delights his siblings, his older brother in particular. I am not sure why he was crying this time. I think he was ready to get down and mom kept taking pictures. But they are so cute-and confined-in their high chairs. I couldn't resist snapping a few more.

Sam loves to share, too. He tries to share his food and his pacifier. Lately I think he is trying to give hugs as well. He just toddles over to someone and leans his head on them. Then he looks up with a big grin and toddles away.

He has also started to point. I love it. He points at the family pictures on the wall. He points to what he wants to eat or play with. He points to random things that make no sense. He is just a fun kid. He is cute and clever and so proud of himself. We are proud of him, too. I just wish he would slow down a bit.

Conference and Cousins

2011-05-08T20:33:00.001-07:00

One of the best parts of General Conference Weekend is spending time with family. Liz and I got to visit while the kids had cousin time and the boys were at Priesthood session. Now that Benjamin is a little older, he and Zac are becoming little buddies. They enjoyed sneaking through the house with Nerf guns and glasses, hunting bad guys or just teasing the girls.

Ally, Rachel and Brook were in their own pony world. Their game lasted all night and they still did not get enough. When it was time to go, they made plans to continue the grand pony adventure at Grandma's house the next day.

Sam and Hannah are still figuring each other out. I love watching them together. (So does Sariah. She hovered over them all night.) Tonight we were all together again for Mother's Day. Hannah kept taking Sam's pacifier out of his mouth. He would grin at her and take it back. Then she grabbed it again. They kept it up until Sam had enough and crawled away. Before we know it, they will be up running around with the rest of them. If only the cousins lived closer. Sigh. Although these past few months we have been spoiled with fairly regular get-togethers.

Saturday night it snowed, a very wet, very heavy snow. On Sunday morning we woke up to sad news. Our tree did not survive the storm. (Trees were actually down all over the valley.) Zac was in tears. This was "his"tree. It was part of many fun games. Sometimes, he climbed into the branches and just sat there, observing the world. He even asked to sleep in it one night. I was sad, too. Of all the trees in my yard, it was the one tree I actually liked. Joseph was able to get the branches off the driveway that morning and later in the week, our kind neighbor let us borrow a chain saw to take care of the rest. (Joseph rather enjoyed his first chain saw project. It saved him hours of work with a handsaw.) Our neighbor also helped us haul away most of the limbs. The bigger ones are stacked on our driveway, waiting for the Scouts' next campfire.

It was a good thing the tree did not block more of the driveway, as Joseph, Sariah and Zac needed to be on their way early that morning. We got tickets for the Sunday morning session in the Conference Center. They picked Uncle Marc up on the way. Zac and Sariah were excited to go and I hope it will be a special memory for them. As they left the session to head home, Sariah looked up at Joseph and said, "I love conference. This is the best day ever!" She really does look forward to conference. Her favorite part is listening to the choir so I was extra excited for her to hear Music and the Spoken Word before the session started. Thanks, Joseph for taking them.

Cubanapolis

2011-05-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

For a recent pack night, our pack participated in the Cubanapolis 500. (This was much better than the Kindy 500, because Zac made his "car" by himself.) As always, the activity was well thought out and the boys had a great time. Each boy needed a pit crew to help him through the race. The boys were decked out in their car, goggles, and huge rubber boots. They made four laps around the gym, making a pit stop between each lap. The boys could not do anything themselves; they were dependent on their crew.

After lap one, the pit crew changed tires. This meant pulling off the boots and socks and then replacing them. Lap two was a windshield wash. We squirted water on their goggles and wiped them off.

After lap 3, the racers fueled up by drinking water through a tiny straw. I don't know who had more fun, the racers or the pit crews. I got to help Zac and another boy in the pack. He actually ended up with the best time. I am pretty sure it was due to his amazing crew:)

Zac is loving Scouts. At our Blue and Gold banquet he received his Bobcat. He had actually earned it earlier, but opted to wait for the awards night. Now his goal is to get his Wolf by the end of the summer. I am proud of him and grateful for his opportunities to learn and gain confidence. My boy is growing up and what a great kid he is turning out to be!

Late Nights and Pedicures

2011-05-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

Sariah turned 10 in February and decided she needed a "late night" with her friends. (A late night is basically all the fun of a sleepover, minus the overnight. A great concept if you ask me.) We made a giant cookie, ordered some pizza and invited a few friends.

The girls giggled non stop. It was a great party. Brook opted to watch the late night feature, Madeline, while Zac and Ally hid in our room upstairs to watch Star Wars. Sariah was in her element: pajamas, chocolate, movie and friends. Does life get any better for a 10 year old girl? Not in her world, especially since Aunt Emily joined the fun, too.

The Sunday before her birthday, we celebrated with family. She wanted a chocolate cake with the number 10 on top. Easy enough. Some where along the line, birthday cakes became a big deal in our family. The kids look forward to choosing the shape, flavor and color. I am grateful that as they get older, their requests get simpler. Although, Sariah really "took the cake" when she asked for a belly cake on her third birthday. We are still not sure where that came from.
This year Sariah got lots of art stuff and some movies. We gave her a trip to the salon for her first pedicure.

Aunt Nicole came with us. The night before our big day, I fell and really hurt my foot. I opted out of the pedicure, but went along for the ride. Sariah has always loved having her feet rubbed. She used to scoot up to me, stick her foot in my face and say, "Rubba my feet." She loved her pedicure. She looked very grown up sitting in the chair getting pampered. I wish we could pamper her more. She deserves every minute. We may have really started something, though. She told me just the other day, "Mom, I really need a pedicure." You and me both! Ally took pretty careful notes about what was going on. Yesterday she told me she wanted to go to the beauty salon and out to lunch. Girls are such fun. Happy Birthday, Sariah Girl. You make us so happy. Thanks for keeping us on our toes and sharing your unconditional love with us.

Kindy 500

2011-04-24T20:50:00.001-07:00

Our kindergarten has a great tradition: The Kindy 500. I can say it is great because I am not currently working on a Kindy car. It is fun, but tons of work. The teachers put in even more work. It really is amazing what they pull off. As a culmination of their unit on our country, each student makes a "car" from a cardboard box. They get to parade through the halls of the school, showing off their creations to the rest of the students and the parents who come to watch and take pictures/videos so they can document all blood, sweat and tears that went into making the cars. Then they "drive" them across America, stopping at famous landmarks (Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, etc.). The kids love it.

Ally decided she wanted a bus. We decided we did not want to mess with paint this time around so we tried yellow duct tape. It worked rather well. We added some windows, complete with passengers (I cut out our family's faces and Ally took care of our hair and clothing), headlights, taillights, suspenders and voila! We had a pretty great bus. That crazy pigeon even sneaked aboard. I assure you that Ally did all the driving, however. (If you have not read the pigeon books by Mo Willems, you are missing a real treat).

She had a great time at school, even if her arms got tired lugging that big bus around all morning. (We will have to think VW Bug for Brook.) Brook had fun watching the parade with her friends who also have Kindergarten siblings. Look out! These three blondies will be racing their own Kindy cars before we know it. Thanks again to the teachers and volunteers that made it all possible. I am so grateful my kids are making happy elementary school memories.

Ugly Bug Ball

2011-04-24T20:15:00.001-07:00

For her 6th birthday, Ally wanted a bug party. Yes, she's six and yes, she wanted bugs. Being our social butterfly, she had quite the guest list. In a moment of weakness, I indulged. Lesson learned. We had a great time, but it was chaotic. When the kids arrived they each made some antennae, aka headbands with pipe cleaners and pom poms. (Thanks again, Family Fun.com). The boys were a little unsure about the headbands, but they were good sports. Next up was pin the spots on the ladybug. After that, we marched to the basement where we cranked up "Ugly Bug Ball" and danced around like bugs. (You remember the Haley Mills movie Summer Magic? A true classic in my book, but I digress.) Some of Ally's friends are now officially convinced that I have lost it. I wish I could have captured the looks on a few faces as I led them in buzzing, hopping, crawling, etc. around the room. We took a breather from the dancing to play "Who put the bug in the buggy jar?" An impromptu version of "Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?" Joseph needed a little more time to prepare the treats. I was rather proud of my resourcefulness. The kids all went with it, bless their hearts, because by this point they all knew I was a little crazy.

Sam knows I am crazy, too. He is used to it by now. However, he did not quite know what to think about his bug headband or the heightened noise level in our house. We wrapped the party up by unwrapping presents, eating cupcakes with colorful, rubber worms on top (They didn't eat the worms, of course. Those were the party favors. Which became extra cool when Zac showed them all that they stick to the ceiling if you throw them high enough. Thanks, bud.), and taking everyone home. Whew! It makes me tired just remembering it all. Ally loved it and that is all that matters.

The friend party was Saturday morning. On Sunday evening we celebrated with the family. She wanted a ladybug cake. It was actually pretty fun to make and yummy to eat. Although we did have a bit of trouble with the spots. They kept sliding down the side of the ladybug, hence no close up photo. Maybe next time we will let the frosting set a little more before adding spots.

Of course, there were presents galore because Grandmas were involved. She had fun tearing though them all.

The usual crowd was here: Grandma, Grandpa, Nicole, Juan, Emily and Chris. The Walkers showed up via the much anticipated birthday box that Grandma sends in the mail.

Think "mini" and Ally loves it: Polly Pockets, Squinkies, Jungle in My Pocket, Littlest Pet Shop, etc. Since she got one of all of the above, her birthday was a hit. We love our Pal, drama and all. Thanks for keeping us on our toes and making us smile everyday.

Pink Brook, Part 2

2011-02-06T21:43:00.001-08:00

A little while ago I did a post about Brook and the fun ways she falls asleep. That very night I found her asleep like this. Too cute. She is snuggling her bear that she recently named Rose. We are thinking that came from Briar Rose, aka Sleeping Beauty.

A few nights later she fell asleep with the book on her face. I think that is The Berry Best Picnic. We are very into Strawberry Shortcake; I am sure it has nothing to do with the fact that she wears pink clothes and has a pink kitty.

Just a cute picture I couldn't resist sharing. Gosh, I love that girl. She really does "tickle me pink!"

Firsts

2011-02-06T21:11:00.001-08:00

2011 is just over a month old and already we have hit some fun milestones, or firsts, at our house. Brooklyn had her first day of Primary. She is so proud of the fact that she goes to Sunbeams. Her teacher can do no wrong; Brook adores her. For the first week, she mentioned her teacher in her prayers every night. One week she was sick and Brooklyn cried. The week following that Sunday, she kept asking if her teacher was all better. She is still a little shy about participating in Sharing and Singing Time, but that will come. She is learning the words to the songs and I love to hear her little voice around the house.

Ally lost her first tooth! (Actually, she has now lost two.) She could not wait to get to school and write her name on the tooth chart. I love Kindergarten; how every child is validated and celebrated in so many ways. (Why aren't we more like that as adults?) The tooth fairy managed to find her on the top bunk and left a little something. Ally was thrilled and loves feeling grown up.

Sariah put this pony tail in all by herself. I had no idea she knew how. This was the first time I witnessed it. That girl is full of surprises. She was not thrilled with me taking her picture. She acted like, "It's no big deal, Mom." Get used to it, Sariah. I will probably be annoying you for the rest of your life:)

Zac had his first Pinewood Derby. His excitement and anticipation were palpable. His dad and Grandpa helped him make his car. He reminded us constantly that we needed to work on it. I am sure he dreamed about it, both sleeping and awake. As I have mentioned before, he has amazing den leaders and cub masters. They made every boy feel so special and had several events for them to try. Zac won two 3rd place ribbons and got "Sportiest Look." He couldn't have been happier.

As for Sam's accomplishments, take your pick. He has taken to solid foods with gusto. His favorites are bread, bananas, Cheerios and graham crackers. I think his dad even slipped him some chocolate pie tonight. He has also learned to sit himself up and to crawl. And of course, I have no pictures to document these momentous occasions. Well, I do have a few crawling ones that I will save for another post.

Even Joseph and I learned something new. We are now full-fledged texters. Go ahead and laugh. Welcome to the 21st century, right? We got new phones for Christmas and I have to say, I am loving it. I get excited when I hear the little noise my phone makes when I get a text. I know I'm a dork. I especially love keeping in touch with my far away family more often. I even get texts from my Dad. So watch out, you never know what the Ansons will learn to do next!

Happy New Year

2011-01-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe Christmas is over and that January is almost gone, too. Wow! Life is settling into a routine again, but I thought I would take a moment to blog about our New Year's celebrations. We had our own little party at home. We told the kids that they HAD to stay up until midnight. We said it was the rule and that anyone who fell asleep would get water squirted in their face. They all giggled and thought that was the best rule ever . . . and they obeyed it perfectly.

We played our new Wii games that we got for Christmas. The kids were a little unsure about Disney Sing It, but after a few rounds they were belting it out. We especially like the playback feature where you can make your voice sound like a mouse. It's hilarious. Mario Cart is fun, too. Although, after watching the girls drive I am pretty sure they will not be getting their licenses for a LONG time. Course, maybe I should turn in my own. Come on, is it too much to ask for a course that has guard rails on all the turns? My goal is not to win; I just want to stay on the course for longer than 30 seconds. After we had our video game fill, we watched Despicable Me. It was an instant family favorite. At least once a day someone says, "It's so FLUFFY!!" at a random moment. Of course, we also ate lots of treats.

By 11:45 everyone but Sam was still awake. We honestly thought the kids would all crash long before midnight. Besides Sam, I am the only one who fell asleep (just for a few minutes). We handed out the noise makers (that didn't make noise -- I grabbed the wrong package. The kids were disappointed, but I was secretly glad) and watched the ball drop. At 12:10 they were still running around the family room. They thought it was great that they were SUPPOSED to go crazy. Brooklyn was in the thick of it, dancing around and yelling, "Party on the dance floor!" Where did she hear that one? It actually was kind of cute. Once we got them in bed, they did crash hard and so did we.

The next day we just took it easy. We went to Grandma's for dinner and tried to convince ourselves that real life would start again on Monday. It did. We were in some serious denial. The holidays were truly wonderful. Now we have about 10 months to rest up until we get to do it all again!

Christmas Morning

2010-12-31T16:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning was all that it is supposed to be (even if a few of the pictures are a little blurry). The kids were up early, but not too early. Sam was still sleeping so he joined us at his leisure. Once he was fully awake, he had a great time. He played with his new toys and growled with pleasure. Santa got everything just right. There were fun surprises for all, including the Wii game that both Mom and Dad got for the family. (Good thing we saved receipts.) I especially liked watching the kids get excited for their siblings to open the gifts they bought. They are catching on to the joy that comes from giving. Joy. That is a good word to describe our morning together. Later in the afternoon we headed to Grandma's for good food and time with the cousins. I am grateful we have family close by to share the holidays with because time with family is what it is all about.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-31T16:03:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that I love traditions? Well, I do and we have a great one on Christmas Eve that we adopted from the Smiths. We started at the matinee movie. Carol and company met us there. In the lobby there was a Sesame Street poster with a cut out of Oscar's head. (Is there a special name for those?) Ally wanted her picture taken, but the others declined. This year we went to see Tangled. It was adorable. Sam was a perfect baby and let us stay in the theater for the entire movie! I went totally prepared to spend most of the movie in the lobby with him. Thanks for the fun surprise, buddy.

After the movie, we were off to dinner at the Brick Oven, yum. Don't let Sariah's face fool you. She was higher than a kite all day. We just happened to catch a rare "down moment."

Sam enjoyed himself at dinner. He had fun playing with the tablecloth and slobbering on the silverware. It was great food and even better company.

Once we were full, we made our last stop of the evening at the Smith's for the Nativity. Brook and Mariah were our angels. Not sure where that face came from.

Ally and Skyler were Mary and Joseph. Ally snuggled right up to her Joseph. It was fun to watch. Skyler was a great sport. Zac was a wiseman who somehow escaped Mom's camera. A cousin from the other side of the Smith family was visiting with them for Christmas. She and Easton were the other wisemen. They had Zac in stitches "off stage." Zac's giggle is contagious and I had a little trouble being a reverent audience member.

Sariah also opted to be in the audience. I was surprised since the Nativity is usually a highlight of Christmas Eve for her. But, as she told Carol, "Sometimes when you get older, you just want to sit and watch."

Sam was actually a shepherd with Emma and Hadley. He had his costume off before I could snap a picture. He was not too impressed but he sure looked cute. Missy played the piano and David assumed his traditional role of narrator. As I sat looking at the tree I felt the peace of the season in my heart, that special peace you feel when you think of the Savior. I thought of my family and the blessings we enjoy because Christ was born, lived on earth and completed his mission. I am grateful for that special Christmas moment. Our evening ended at home where we "hung" our stockings, left a treat for Santa (leftover pizza -- lucky Santa) and tucked the kids into bed in their Christmas jammies. A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Snow Day

2010-12-30T19:11:00.000-08:00

December 21: 4 days before Christmas, piles of laundry to wash, last minute shopping to do, several projects to finish, presents to wrap, 2 ft. of snow overnight, and an unexpected day off of school . . . What's a busy mom to do? PLAY, OF COURSE. Tuesday morning we woke up to tons of snow and no power. Joseph had to dig his car out of the driveway to get to work. While using the flashlight to find the kids' school clothes, I seriously thought about just keeping them home, but I was supposed to help with Sariah's class party, so on we went. We were going through our morning routine when Joseph called from work to tell us school had been canceled. Since when has school been canceled in Utah because of snow? In our district it has actually been 25 years. The kids were ecstatic. And so was I. Joseph came home and we decided to play. Hence, Freddy the snowman was born.

Here is a look at the top of our shed.

Brook was excited to play in the snow and use her new pink gloves.

Sariah asks to play in the snow every time we get as much as a dusting. She was thrilled there was actually enough to do something with.

Ally kept getting stuck, but I don't think she minded too much.

Zac could not get enough. He kept jumping, diving, tackling, digging, rolling, etc. He came in wet from head to toe. He had barely dried off when he got an invitation to go sledding with a friend. They had a great first ride down the hill, but the second trip down, they went over a jump on accident and landed smack on their tailbones. Their sledding was cut short and they spent the rest of the day resting in their respective houses. I am happy to report they have both made a full recovery.

Brook was excited when Dad cleared a path to her playhouse.

And she was even more excited when Dad built her a baby snowman for her house. She and Ally named the snowbaby, Diamond and decked her out with a carrot nose, pretzel arms and Craisin eyes. They were both disappointed when Diamond melted. Freddy eventually did, too. But the memories will last. I am grateful for the chance to slow down and play with my family. Somehow most of the laundry, shopping and projects still got finished, and the stuff that didn't probably was not that important anyway.

Chirstmas Program

2010-12-30T19:00:00.000-08:00

The second graders did a Christmas program at school. They did a great job. Zac practiced his sign language for "Jingle Bells" any chance he got. He was also part of a group that recited a poem about the meaning of Christmas. On the big day he told me he was excited and also glad to get all the practicing over with since they had to miss a few recesses to work on their program. I love watching the programs at school, even though it gets a little crowded in the lunch room. If I can figure out why my videos won't work, I will post some so you can enjoy the performance, too.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-29T22:26:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and this year was extra special. All the Ansons were together and we soaked up every minute. Ally could hardly wait for her Thanksgiving feast at school. She dressed up like an Indian, sporting the necklace she made that she was particularly proud of.

The Sunday before Thanksgiving was Joseph's birthday. It was also the day David and Amy arrived from Missouri. Two perfect reasons to celebrate with good food and German chocolate cake.

Sam wanted in on the Thanksgiving dinner preparations. Actually, he just wanted to gnaw on the cream cheese. Do you think I could get anything out of this adorable product placement? I should mention that the cream cheese was for an amazingly delicious pumpkin cheesecake Grandma made for my birthday which landed on Thanksgiving this year. Thanks, Mom!

We decided to have a grand sleepover at Grandma's house the night before Thanksgiving. All the cousins slept together upstairs in the storage room, of all places. They loved it. Brook later commented, "That was funny that we slept in the storage room."

We use the term "slept" very loosely. Brook had to be removed from the room since she was keeping the others awake. She fell asleep on the couch downstairs. All the cousins were finally asleep by about 10:45. The adults stayed up playing games until almost 1 am. The first kids started waking up around 5:45 and they were all up by 6:30 or so. It was totally worth it, but we were all tired the next day. Poor Benjamin literally fell asleep in his mashed potatoes. That would have been an awesome picture.

Zac had some canker sores that kept him from fully enjoying his meal, but they did not get in the way of enjoying his time with Caleb. The two cousins had a grand time together. They are two peas in a pod. Both of them shed tears when it was time for Caleb to go home. It was a tender moment for all of us.

All in all, it was a great Thanksgiving. Thanks to the Missouri Ansons for making the long drive to share it with us. Family is one of our greatest blessings. Hopefully we can make it to your house this summer.

Great to be Eight!

2010-12-29T21:43:00.000-08:00

Zac's birthday celebrations started a week early when Joseph took Zac to his first BYU football game. It was cold and rainy, but the cougars won. He loved it and can't wait to go again.

The Saturday before his birthday, we invited some friends for a pizza party. It was a little crazy; about what you would expect with six 8 year old boys and a few sisters running around. The energy level in our living room skyrocketed.

My favorite game was the cookie-0n-the-forehead game. Each boy got a vanilla wafer on his forehead. He had to manage to get the cookie in his mouth without using their hands. A few of them actually did it. It was hilarious to watch.

The boys really liked the unwrap-the-candy bar game. When they rolled doubles, they got a turn to unwrap the candy bar while wearing oven mitts. It was loud and wild and exactly what they wanted.

The day before his birthday, we had the family party. Grandpa, Grandma, Nicole, Emily and Chris all came to help us celebrate. Star Wars was the theme of the day. A little last minute coordination helped us all avoid duplicate gifts. He scored great Lego Star Wars stuff, including the Wii game he was hoping for. He campaigns to play it daily.

As you can tell, the Lego Star Wars shirt was a huge hit as well. Thanks, Aunt Nicole.

Zac wanted a chocolate layer cake with chocolate frosting. And that is what he got. I love that his cake requests are getting simpler.

We wore Sam right out. Good thing Uncle Chris was there to snuggle. I think Chris was ready for a nap, too.

As luck would have it, November Pack Night was the day after Zac's birthday so he got to go. He looked way too grown up in his Cub Scout shirt. They gave him all kinds of things including some neckerchief slides and a board to hang them on, an actual neckerchief and a plaque with the Cub Scout promise. He also got flipped upside down to remind him to do a good "turn" daily. I am so grateful that we have amazing Cub leaders in our pack. Zac loves scouts and has already earned his Bobcat.

And, of course, the best part of turning eight was Zac's baptism. He was baptized on Dec. 4th, the same day I was baptized (a few years ago). It was a special day for our whole family. I am proud of Zac for deciding to be baptized. Thanks for setting a good example, Zac. We love you!

Trick or Treat

2010-12-29T20:55:00.000-08:00

After months (literally) of planning what they would be, the kids finally got to dress up for Halloween. We spent many a mealtime conversation discussing options and making suggestions. This is what they finally came up with. They got to don their costumes three times: at school for the Halloween parade, for the ward party and for the actual trick or treating.

Brooklyn settled on Tinkerbell. Actually, she was the first one to make a final decision. She insisted on wearing her costume to the school parade. Two of her friends showed up in costume to watch their older siblings as well. The wings did not work too well, but she was thrilled nonetheless.

Ally wanted to be a cow. We have a great cow costume in our stash so it worked perfectly. It fit her and her personality. She is too fun.

Zac considered several Star Wars options and decided to be Anakin. I did my best to whip up a Star Warish tunic. It turned out OK. He was disappointed that the "no weapons rule" applied to lightsabers, but he understood. I was proud of him for choosing to follow the rule despite what the other kids might do. What a great kid.

Sariah wins the prize for changing her mind the most. We were getting her dressed for Activity Days (her first opportunity to dress up) when she changed her mind yet again. She had decided on a cheerleader, but when it came time to actually put on the outfit, she wasn't too sure. So, we quickly taped some Smarties to her jeans and sent her out the door as a "smarty pants." She loved it and stuck with it, you just can't see her pants in this picture.

Sam was not particularly impressed with his first Halloween. It could have had something to do with the fact that we stuffed him into a fleece pumpkin suit that was a little small for him. He sure looked cute, though. He humored us long enough for us to take a few pictures.

He much preferred his more casual Frankenstein bib.

He also rather enjoyed his Halloween card from Grandma Walker. He actually tried to eat it. Next year we will let you have some candy, little man.

Fall Fun

2010-12-27T21:03:00.000-08:00

Fall 2010 was full of little events that kept us busy. This post is dedicated to a few of those moments. Sam was very patient as we hauled him everywhere we needed to be. Here is is hanging out on Aunt Emily's couch while Sariah had her piano lesson.

Sam decided to learn to sit up. He started with the help of his Boppy pillow. Now he is a pro. He has since learned to get down from a sitting position and roll/scoot himself to get what he wants. We are helping his siblings understand that their toys are no longer safe on the floor, especially all the little Polly Pocket sized stuff.

Sam and Brook are getting to be good friends while the big kids are at school.

Sam also celebrated his half birthday. Following family tradition, he got half a birthday cake. Well, he got to look at it and we ate it. Sorry, dude. You can have your cake and it too next time.

We broke out the saucer for Sam to play in. He loves it and so do the rest of the kids. The first few days it was out, each time someone walked by it, they turned on some sort of music or played with a toy. It about drove me bonkers, but it is great for him to have a place to play while I make dinner or grade papers.

We took our monkeys to the zoo during fall break. Our family loves the zoo, especially Sariah. She is particularly fond of the camels.

In October, we hit a pumpkin patch with our good friends. It has become an annual tradition that kids won't let us forget. It's OK because the adults look forward to it, too. Between the two families we now have 9 kids, with number 10 about to make her debut, tomorrow in fact. Wow! Who would have thought our little families would grow so quickly. My favorite part of this picture is Brook's self imposed bunny ears.

A not so fun part of fall is the annual flu shot. We bribe the kids by taking them out to dinner after we are done. Here we are sporting our band aids. Maybe someday we'll be able to get our shots without all the drama we are privileged with now. I'll spare you the details.

This fall the kids made a great discovery . . . LEGOS! Uncle Chris and Aunt Emily came to babysit one morning and Chris brought his collection. One time was all it took; they were hooked. Joseph was pretty excited to join the fun when we got home. Legos made it onto each of their Christmas lists and we now have some of our own. Once again we are thankful for our super cool uncle.

Family Pics

2010-12-27T20:53:00.001-08:00

My amazing brother-in-law has done a little photography work on the side and wanted to try family pictures. We immediately volunteered to be his guinea pigs. We are thrilled with the results. Thanks, Chris!

Back to School

2010-12-26T21:25:00.001-08:00

Before we knew it, it was time to head back to school. We all mourned the easy going summer days. I love having my kids home and there is an actual ache in my heart when it is time to send them back. I was a little lost those first few days. I missed my kids. It does make it easier knowing that they like school and that we go to an amazing elementary school.

Zac is in second grade and hit the jackpot this year. His three best friends are in his class, along with other friends he enjoys. His teacher is great, too. He still comes home filthy from his recess adventures. He is learning and gaining confidence. He made a goal to read 8,000 minutes this year. He is on track and will make it as long as we can keep finding Star Wars books to read.

Third grade has been a bit of an adjustment for Sariah. Her best friend moved and her other favorite friend is in another class. She is making new friends and is still as social as ever. I get regular phone calls from Sariah just to let me know how her day is going. The secretary recently called with a "message" from Sariah. I guess Sariah had tried to call, the phone was busy and the secretary promised to keep trying. Sariah needed me to know that she was in charge of the treat for family night and she wanted chocolate chip cookies and if she waited until after school to tell me, I would not have time to make them. Dad stopped for cookies on his way home and we had a little chat about appropriate uses of the phone at school. I love that girl. And I love the secretaries and teachers at school who love her, too.

My sweet Ally started Kindergarten! Can I really have three kids in school? Yikes. She was beyond ready. Ally LOVES school and her teacher. She has the same teacher Zac and Sariah had; she's amazing. Ally is a great reader. Her favorite books are Dr. Seuss and Magic Treehouse. Just the other day she was whipping through a new book and she looked at me and said, "You just can't stop this great reader!" I love that confidence. She got to decorate a paper doll Ally to bring on her first day. She thoroughly enjoyed that project and all others that have come home since. I have learned to let her do it. Any suggestion I make is immediately rejected, even when she asks for it. She'll say, "Mom, what color should I color the house?" I'll say, "How about blue?" Ally: "Naw. I want to color it red." She definitely has a mind of her own. She is a social butterfly and probably needs a calendar to keep track of all her play date invitations. What will Jr. High be like? You are right; I don't want to know.

And Brook? She was just as excited as the big kids. She keeps me company and helps take care of Sam. She loves to help me run errands while the kids are at school. But her favorite thing is when she can have a friend come over and play. Before I even know it she'll be off to school herself. Time goes too fast. I just have to soak in these days when the world is still full of wonder for them. It will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Hodge Podge

2010-12-26T20:25:00.000-08:00

Warning: This is a long post and the events are not in any kind of order. This is a collection of moments from Spring and Summer 2010 that did not merit a post of their own, but that we wanted to remember. Ally and Zac took swimming lessons. They did well. It was our first time at the public pool (previous summers we have gone to a private pool) and I liked the convenience of having lessons at the same time every day for two weeks as opposed to dragging it out over a month. Sariah and Brook opted out this time.

We had the chance to catch up with some of Joseph's Illinois friends. The kids had a blast running around in the fun backyard. When Brook, Ally and cousin Rachel hopped in the bucket together, I couldn't resist. It turned out to be one of my favorite pictures of the summer.

We caught the Onion Days parade on Labor Day. It is not as big or long as the 4th of July parade, but the kids love it and we love that it is so much less crowded.

Sariah loves her grandparents. In third grade they put on a program just for grandparents. This is the picture we sent to the slide show.

One night we decided to have "kabob night." We had kabobs with grilled chicken, veggies and pineapple. The kids built their own fruit kabobs to go with it. We even thought about dessert kabobs. They never made it past the planning stage. Maybe next time.

We spent a lot of time in the water. Brook and cousin Benjamin had fun in Grandpa's backyard even after the pool had drained.

With a new baby, we decided not to try a "real" camp out in the canyon. We pacified the kids with a camp out in the backyard. Sam was so impressed he fell asleep when we went out to visit the kids. The kids were beyond excited. They wanted to stay up until it was completely dark so they could see the stars. We played UNO and read books. That was a bit of an exercise in frustration as the kids were HYPER. Sam and I slept inside and Brook joined us after an unsuccessful try in the tent. When it did get dark, it was a little much for her. Props to Joseph for sticking it out with the other three.

We discovered a new favorite family activity. Joseph has a projector in his classroom that is hooked up to his computer and projects onto the big screen. We can put a movie in and pretend we are at the theater. The kids love it. We have even watched a football game online up on the big screen.

Brook and Ally are great friends. They can lose themselves for hours in their games. One morning they had their dolls all lined up on the couch. Another time they were playing dolls and Brook told me I could play. She said I had eight kids and they were all crying. I asked her what I should do. She said, "Take a nap."

Zac lost teeth left and right. I kind of miss his big toothless grin. His permanent front teeth have grown in now and make him look too grown up.

We got a new kitchen table. It was bittersweet. Our old table belonged to my great grandparents and then to my grandparents. I have many memories of eating at Grandma's house at the yellow formica table. My grandma let us borrow it when she moved. We've used it for about 9 years. It was hard to give it up. My kids were 5th generation Walkers to eat at that table. Imagine all the family meals shared around that table. Yes, I am sentimental about those kind of things. I do enjoy our "new" hand-me-down table. It fits our family and our space better. In this picture, Joseph is working on grading papers for the online class English class we "teach." It has been the perfect side job for us and has been an amazing blessing for our family.

A rare pregnant picture. That is one regret I have; I do not have many pictures of me while I am pregnant. I am one of those weird moms that truly enjoys being pregnant, aches and pains included. This one is about a month before Sam was born.

Ally and her friend are hilarious together. I am not sure which superheroes they are here, but it was a great game. Although, they have since informed us that they have "broken up." Not to worry, they are still great friends and us moms still hold out hope for the future.

Batter Up!

2010-12-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

What would summer be without baseball? (I'm sure Joseph would have a witty answer for that one.) We kicked the summer off at the ball fields two nights a week. Zac played his last year of T-ball. Part way through the season, they had the choice of using the tee or having it pitched to them. Next year it will be all coach pitch. Zac was thrilled, even though his team was the Angels, not the Braves. It was fun to watch him improve his skills this year. He is a smart player who really understands the game. Thanks to Uncle Chris and his cool camera, we caught our little leaguers in action.

Joseph was able to coach again this year. He loves baseball, which is where Zac gets it from. I think he loves it even more when the boys see him off the field and call him "coach."

Ally also decided to play this year. The pre-Kindergarten league is called Rookie League. They have a clinic for the first two weeks and then they play a few games. She was a delight to watch. She also improved her skills. It was great to see Zac and Ally practicing in the yard, getting pointers from Dad.

She insisted on having her hat down at all times, almost covering her eyes. I am surprised she could see.

I love this picture.

Aunt Emily, Uncle Chris, Grandma and Grandpa were on the sidelines to cheer them on. How cool to have your own fan section.

Brooklyn loved running around and occasionally paused to cheer her siblings on.

Sariah loved the social aspect of the ballpark, watching the games and chatting with whomever she sat by.

Sam was a trooper to be hauled around. He was only about one month old when the season started. He actually slept through most of the games. Just give him a few years and he'll be running the bases with the rest of them.

Under the Knife

2010-12-26T17:50:00.001-08:00

Joseph celebrated the end of summer by having surgery. He had a ganglion cyst on his left wrist. It would come and go as they tend to do, but his was rather large. It came to stay during the summer and he decided to have it removed. It was a same day procedure. The nurses all commented on how large it was and the doctor said it was "textbook." In fact, he took pictures and video during the surgery that he plans to use in teaching med students. Joseph has some of those pictures on his computer. Maybe he'll add them later. We don't have the video, but I got to see it. I watched them lance and drain the cyst. It was gross and strangely fascinating at the same time.

For three days after the surgery, Joseph had to ice his wrist and keep it elevated. He had to wear his bandage for two weeks. It could not get wet . For two months he was supposed to restrict his activity and be careful about what he lifted, including Sam. Joseph was not a very patient patient. But he tried to follow the instructions and put up with all of my reminders to take it easy. We were both glad when he was back to "normal." Wrestling five kids is a lot easier with four hands.

His incision is barely noticeable now. I am grateful for Joseph's big, strong hands. Having him "out of commission" helped me remember how much I depend on him and appreciate the little things he does for me everyday.

Sweet Dreams

2010-12-26T17:28:00.001-08:00

I have been collecting pictures and planning this post for a while. Brooklyn takes after her big brother and has trouble falling asleep sometimes. She plays, reads, sings, asks for drinks of water, asks for stories and anything else she can think of to stay awake. Finally she wears herself out and falls asleep in the middle of whatever she was doing. (It reminds me of the little girl in Monsters, Inc.) We have found her asleep in some pretty funny positions. It makes me wonder what little game she was playing when exhaustion finally won. She often falls asleep with books. Pinkalicious is a favorite.

This time she had a book but she had gotten into her pillowcase as well.

She is a mover. We find her sideways, upside down, diagonal, whatever. She also likes to sleep on top of her comforter and just use her blanket. This night she didn't use either.

That is her Strawberry Shortcake doll she is curled around. My legs would ache for days if I fell asleep like that.

I think this might be my favorite. It made me giggle.

The very picture of comfort itself.

Most mornings she wakes up bright eyed and bushy tailed. But other mornings she can be a bit grumpy. Whatever adventures the day may bring, they usually involve princesses and the color pink. When we went to get her hair cut, she asked for a "princess hair do." She was quite pleased with the result.

She loves her Sleeping Beauty dress and often couples it with a crown or the pink pioneer bonnet, which she insists on wearing backwards.

Thank you for making me happy and keeping me on my toes and for eventually falling asleep each night. I love you, Lou Lou.

5th of July

2010-12-12T21:25:00.001-08:00

As Sariah keeps reminding us, this year we went to the 5th of July parade. The grand parade was held on Monday this year and that was just fine with us. It made the perfect ending to a jam packed week. As per tradition, Joseph camped out with the Smith family to save our seats on the parade route. Last year they braved the rain; this year was the cold. You are my heroes. Thanks again. The night before the parade is almost like Christmas Eve at our house. The kids have a hard time falling asleep because they are sooooo excited. By the end of the day they are 100% worn out.

It was a special treat to have my parents and Brian with us this year. Grandma and Grandpa Anson were there, too, and Marc and Liz and Emily and the Smiths and Pucketts. Watching the parade with family is what makes it so fun. After the parade we had lunch at the Brick Oven (yum) and then headed to the Ansons' for naps, more food and fireworks.

I think 4th of July is one of my favorite days. I am grateful for traditions that bind us together. Another great 4th, I mean 5th.

Sam's Blessing Day

2010-12-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

Sam was blessed on July 4th. We waited a few months so my family could be here. It was a great day in the middle of a great weekend. We came home from the reunion on Saturday, blessed Sam on Sunday and did all of the 4th of July celebrations on Monday (post to come). Wow! Just remembering it makes me tired.

This picture sums up the kids' thoughts on the matter. They were pretty much on overload by this point. Zac was itching to get his Sunday clothes off; Sariah was loving all the family time; Brook did not want her picture taken again; Ally just wanted to get back to playing with cousins. Thanks for your patience, guys.

We are grateful to the family who made an effort to share our special day.

We all crowded into our house for dinner after church. It was quite the party, literally. The tattoo parlor up the street from our house decided to hold an outdoor concert in the parking lot. Our street was lined with cars and we were serenaded (if you can call it that) from about 5-10 pm. Most of the lyrics involved screaming; not my favorite. It was LOUD. I was really worried that it would last all night. Good thing it didn't because we needed to be up bright and early the next morning. We love our Sam and can't imagine our family without him.

Wolf Creek

2010-12-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

At the end of June we had a family reunion with my mom's side of the family. My Aunt Kathy hooked us up with some condos in Wolf Creek. It was great fun. I loved the time to visit with extended family. We swam in the pool, played games, watched movies and thoroughly enjoyed being a family. One morning we drove to a nearby ranch to do some horseback riding.

Brook was a little nervous. We had originally told her we were going to do pony rides. No doubt she was picturing little pink ponies with glittering tails. The real thing was a bit of a shock. Good thing Grandma was there to save her.

Zac, on the other hand, was thrilled about a chance to ride a real pony. He hopped right up, listened to the instructions and took to it like a pro. The trainer that helped the kids was wonderful. She was very patient (as was the pony) and helped them all have a great experience. Zac loved it so much, he talked us into letting him go on a longer trail ride. He felt very grown up to be with the big boys.

Ally wanted to try it, too. But up close that horse is a lot taller than it seems. She had a death grip on my shoulder. What a sweetheart. Don't we all get a little nervous about the reality of life?

While my family was here for the reunion we made other great memories. One of my favorites was watching Uncle Brian meet Sam. He was so good with Sam. He gave Sam a bath one night he stayed with us. Sam was not to sure about it but Brian loved it. I always marvel at the connection people have with babies. There is a purity and innocence we are all drawn to.

Another great outing was to the baseball game. We actually celebrated Dad's birthday by going to see Toy Story 3. Then we grabbed a bite to eat and headed to the ball field. The kids loved it, except for the movie which scared Ally a little. (She has actually instructed us not to ever buy the movie.) After the pre-game warm-up, one of the players tossed the ball they were using over the fence to Zac. It made his night. It was a very hot evening, but they were all troopers. Once the sun went down, the kids went wild. They had a great time running all over the grass playing catch and rolling down the hill. After the game, they let the kids on the field to run the bases. It was a great night and they slept like rocks.

Friend Party

2010-10-10T20:42:00.001-07:00

While our backyard was all torn up, we appeased the kids by promising a big "friend party" when the yard was put back together. We set up the swimming pool and the slip and slide. We handed out yummy treats and let them play to their hearts' content. Although I did not get any pics in the backyard, I could not resist posting the few I did snap, especially the one of Zac and his friend. I am so glad my kids have fun friends.

And although Brook did not get to invite a friend, she had a great time on her pink towel, stuffing her mouth full of Oreos; and she didn't even have to share.

The Great Wall of Anson

2010-10-10T18:26:00.000-07:00

Our big project for the summer was putting a new retaining wall in our backyard. When we moved into this house nine years ago, there was a nice wall made from red cedar beams. It made a nice elevated garden spot, but it also grew a ton of weeds. Over time, the ties broke and in one spot the wall started to fall down. We thought of all different ways to fix it and even dreamed of tearing down the wall and building a new one further back, giving us more yard to play in. This spring and summer we were finally in the position to do just that.

We hired our neighbor to tear down the wall, excavate the dirt and haul it off. That was a huge project. We had toyed with the idea of renting equipment and doing it ourselves. I am so glad we didn't . He brought in a Bobcat and had it all done in a day. It would have taken us forever. Sometimes it is worth paying for the expertise of a professional. The kids liked watching the machine dig out the dirt, although they did not like watching their backyard disappear.

Believe it or not, we found these old tires buried in all the dirt. Maybe I should be surprised that this is all we found.

The next phase of the project was to build a new wall. We hired our neighbor to do that, too. Once he got the first layer set and level, it went up pretty fast. Each of the blocks weighs 80 lbs. Again, it was a lot of work that went much faster in the hands of an experienced professional.

After the wall was built, we took over. We leveled the ground and ordered the sod. We called Grandpa and he came over for a "sod" party. They worked hard and had it done in one evening.
Of course, they had a few "helpers."

This is the picture that tells it all. Joseph and Dad were exhausted at the end of the evening. We ordered pizza and Dad took his with a few Ibuprofen. They were too tired to bother with sitting at the table. Thanks for all your hard work. After the sod was down, we had to water and wait. It was so hard for the kids to see the new green grass and not be able to play on it. They were very patient. And where was I during this whole project, you may ask? Most of the time I was feeding a baby. However, I did make a contribution. I spent a great deal of time online searching classifieds for a used swing set to put in our new backyard. (Joseph teases me that I was obsessed with my search. I probably was. It was almost addicting.) Our old set was breaking anyway and now we had much more room. In fact, moving the wall almost doubled our space. After weeks of looking, my efforts paid off. Thanks to some amazing friends with a flat-bed truck, we were able to pick up a swing set, haul it to our house, and have it set up, all in one day. The kids love it and Joseph was thrilled that it was already put together.

The best part? It even has a picnic table that Mom lets them eat lunch on. Could life be any better? I am so glad they have a fun place to play. I love to hear the swings going and the giggles. They have already had great adventures and I look forward to many more in the summers to come.

Bunny Day

2010-10-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

As per tradition, all the cousins gathered at Grandma's house for the Bunny Day Easter egg hunt. This is a greatly anticipated event that is always fun.

All the kids waited upstairs while Grandpa and the big boys hid the eggs. While we waited, Grandma had Easter jewelry for the girls and lizards for the boys. They loved them.

When the eggs were ready, the kids got to take off in waves. First up, Brook and Benjamin. Can't you see the uncontainable excitement?

Then came the girls; they at least knew what was going on.

Last up, the Easter ninja. It is a good thing we gave the others a head start. In the end they all came away with plenty of candy and all of Grandpa's pocket change. He likes to hide both in the eggs. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa for another great Bunny Day. I love this tradition. It lets us do all the Easter basket fun and leaves Sunday for us to focus on the Savior.

On Sunday the girls were adorable in their new dresses. Thanks to my sewing skills, which are quite limited, I turned Sariah's jumper (which was too short) into a skirt so they could all match.

Joesph and Zac had fun in their matching ties. I am grateful to know that Easter is more than new clothes and baskets filled with candy. One of my favorite Easter thoughts says, "There would be no Christmas had their not been Easter." How true. We celebrate His birth at Christmas because we know the significance of His life, a life that He gave for us so we might all live again.

Brook's Big Day

2010-10-03T20:32:00.001-07:00

Finally, I am getting around to playing catch up on the blog. Brook turned 3 at the end of April. It was a big day at our house. I was especially excited since that morning I had a doctor's appointment where I got to schedule my induction for Sam. The end was in sight and Brook and Sam would each get their own birthday. Whew!

Poor Brook waited all day for her party, hence the beautiful hairdo. It was cute in the morning. She insisted on wearing her pony dress that is a little too small, but hey, it was her birthday. She also wanted a Strawberry Shortcake birthday cake. Thanks to my amazing sisters, it turned out fabulous and Brook was thrilled. Laura and Katy were here for a visit and she volunteered to try out her new found fondant skills. It took us all day but we had fun (despite a few mishaps and "frosting words.") We worked so hard it was a bit depressing to cut it and eat it all up in the same day. Thanks, Laura and Emily. On a side note, we loved having Laura and Katy here. I wish we would have taken pictures of the kids together. They loved their cousin time. The only thing that could have made the visit better was if Sam had cooperated. Laura dearly wanted to be here for his arrival. We all thought she would be, but as it turned out, she missed it by one day! She seriously considered changing her tickets so she could stay. Her wonderful husband, Donny, even told her she could. (That is not a typo. I called Donny wonderful, and I meant it. Thanks for taking such good care of my sister.) In the end, she needed to get back home. We understand and can't wait for her to meet Sam in person.

So, back to Brook. She got some fun presents including a pink bat from her brother, a Strawberry Shortcake coloring book from Sariah, a Hot Wheels car from Ally, a Polly Pocket from us (the exact same one Ally has, now they don't fight over it. For some reason, they named her Noni. Beats me), and lots of other good stuff. Laura, Katy, Emily and Chris were all there to help us celebrate. We celebrated with the Ansons a little early since Grandma and Grandpa were out of town on her birthday. It was a long, but good day for all of us. I love my blondie girl and look forward to another year full of adventures. Happy Birthday, Brookie Cookie!

For Aunt Amy

2010-09-19T20:00:00.001-07:00

Dear Aunt Amy,

Now that my mom has finally downloaded a summer's worth of pictures, I have decided to take matters into my own hands. She's a little behind on the blog, and since she feeds me well and snuggle time is great, I thought I'd help her out. As you have heard, I am growing up way too fast. I am a happy kid and my the whole family competes for "Sam smiles." I hand them out like candy so it keeps everyone happy.

I am settling into a pretty good routine. I'm a great sleeper and I like to snuggle down for a nap, just like a few of the other guys at home.

I have a huge fan club. My cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents pretty much adore me. Who can blame them? My new cousin, Hannah, is pretty cute herself. They all dote on her, too.

I have learned a few new tricks. I can roll onto my tummy. Yep, I can roll all 18 pounds of me. Up until yesterday, I could get onto my tummy but not off. So after I was done with tummy time, I would have to call and call until someone came to my rescue. But, no more. Yesterday morning I finally learned to flip myself back over. Life is good.

Yesterday I also got my first taste of the good stuff -- baby food. Dad fed me carrots. I inhaled them. I've already tried rice cereal and I can down a bowl like nobody's business. All I have to say is keep it coming. I've had lots of other fun milestones and adventures that Mom will get around to blogging one of these days. She's just so busy taking care of me. (This is the part where I should probably say that she is pretty much the best mom ever). I can't wait to meet you at Thanksgiving! Say hi to Uncle David, Caleb and Jacob for me.

Love,

Sam

Sariah's Two Cents

2010-08-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

I am now in third grade. I love Miss Curtis, my teacher. I'm sad that my friend Clover is not in my class. But it's okay. When I get up for a school day I get dressed, have breakfast, get my hair done, brush my teeth, and get out the door. When I get to school I go to the lunch room to talk to my friends. Then the bell rings and we go to class. I walked home from school the other day. It was kind of hard. From now I on I will just have Mom take me and pick me up. I started practicing my name in cursive. It's okay.

When I get home from school I like to play with my little brother Sam. Mom lets me have a snack. I like to eat chocolate chip granola bars. On the first day of school, Mom made chocolate chip cookies for a snack! They are my favorite! I love playing with my friend Nicole. I love going to Activity Days on Mondays. Sometimes we swim or have a treat or work on our articles of faith. My leaders are just fun.

I love my family so much. I love going to Hogle Zoo. My brother Zachary is silly. My sister Brooklyn is silly. My sister Ally is silly. My father is silly. My mother is silly. My brother Sam is silly. Oh, and don't forget myself; I'm silly, too (and hyper).

That's it.

(written by Sariah, transcribed by Dad)

SAM!

2010-06-10T11:23:00.001-07:00

Our Sam is here and I am FINALLY blogging about it. It has been a wild ride at our house with strep throat, allergic reactions, other infections that won't go away, building a wall in our backyard, jaundice, the end of school, an insane number of assignments to grade, visits from family and just plain life. I will spare you the details - for now. I promise to catch up eventually, but since members of the extended family (Aunt Amy) have been "patiently" waiting for pictures, I thought I better get on it. Enjoy! Oh, and I better not forget the official data: Sam was born on April 28th at 1:54 pm. He weighed in at 9 lbs. 6 oz. and was 21 inches long. He is a great baby and we already can't imagine life without him.
The kids have been great "helpers." They especially love to "help" bathe the baby. What would I do without them? If Sam survives his baths, he'll survive anything.

Happy Birthday, Pumpkin Doodle!

2010-04-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

In February, Sariah turned 9. Yes, 9. I've been a mom for 9 amazing, crazy, wonderful years. Who knew it would be this good? We had an "early bird" party. Her cute little friends came first thing in the morning and we had breakfast all together. We invited them to come in their jammies and they loved it. We served waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, juice and chocolate milk. They were too excited to eat much so we had a lot of breakfast left over. We sent them home with a goodie bag of gummy worms (because the early bird catches the worm) and lip gloss. I think Brooklyn was the most excited. She kept talking about her "glip gloss" from the party.

Later that evening the family came over for presents, cake and ice cream. The kids were excited to give her the gifts they bought. When Sariah opened Brook's gift, Brook said, "Is it the best present ever?" Too cute. She lots of fun presents including a princess poster and an mp3 player. She looks too grown up sprawled on the couch plugged in to her music.

The best part for me was that she requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, sprinkles and a number 9 candle. (The kids have been easy on me so far this year.) We love you, Pumpkin Doodle. Thanks for being such a sweet peacemaker in our family.

Sweet Treats

2010-04-02T20:48:00.001-07:00

At the end of January we got a short visit from Grandma Walker. She came to help her mom recover from some surgery on her shoulder. We loved each moment we got with her. Sariah was thrilled that they got to make cookies together (even if we "cheated" and got the tub of dough). Two of her favorite things: chocolate chip cookies and grandma. Could life be better? Thanks, Mom, for making her day.

Zac had fun helping, too, and we all enjoyed eating the cookies. Ally and Brook loved telling Grandma about every toy they had. We live for time with family.

While Mom was here, Emily and I were talking and thought it would be fun to treat our sweethearts to a Valentine dinner. And we actually did it. The kids played at home with Smith cousins and we had a romantic dinner at Emily's. The planning was almost as fun as the actual dinner. We made chicken fried steak, twice baked potatoes, cranberry spinach salad, rolls, and fruit salad. Dessert was ice cream sundaes on brownies. We used my china that I got for our wedding. I think this was the first time we used the full place settings. What a fun excuse to get it all out. The boys were impressed and ate everything we served. After dinner we watched Star Trek. It was a great evening with the best company. I love you, Joseph and look forward to many more Valentine dates.

More January Fun

2010-04-01T21:35:00.001-07:00

Over a long weekend in January, we went to visit the cousins. We went to the Treehouse Museum and loved it just as much as we did the first time. Sariah couldn't wait to get to the school house. Zac and I were her students. We had to do math facts on our chalkboards. She was a great teacher.

Brook the fireman. She had fun playing in a little pink house that she claimed as her own. I wish we had grabbed a picture of that. She actually got a little defensive when other kids wandered in.

Fun in the teepee. Ally did go with us. She was too busy having fun to pose for a picture.

Zac lost his second tooth, finally. You can see it better in this picture, but I couldn't resist the first one. He is such a fun kid. Anyway, after a week or so of having his front tooth poking out (we affectionately called it his Mater tooth), it fell out. Since then he has lost his other front tooth. He looks adorable.

Ally and Brook are my great helpers. We spent a fun morning making banana bread. The girls loved making their own loaves. They actually did a great job. I need to remember to let them help more.

I am not quite sure what inspired the posing in pajamas on Mom's bed, but it is classic. You just never know what they will do next.

We got a wii for Christmas and my favorite part is watching Brooklyn play. She likes to play baseball. She just pitches; she could care less about batting. It is hilarious. Each time she pitches, she jumps up and down saying, "Yeah, I did it!"

After a light snow storm, Zac insisted on shoveling the sidewalk. I think he secretly hoped we would pay him for his work. He actually stayed with it longer than I thought he would. This is a glimpse of the the future. He'll be a great sidewalk shoveler.

This is Zac's drum solo from our trip to the Children's Museum. I just didn't manage to get it in the right order. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Pal!

2010-04-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

Can you believe Ally is 5? I am still getting used to it myself. We even registered for Kindergarten last week. She is so ready. But, back to her birthday. She had her first friend party. We had a great pony party. First, we made wands. That really doesn't fit with the pony theme, but the girls loved it and I already had all the stuff we needed, so it was perfect.

Then we played pin-the-tail-on-the-pony. Thanks to Dad's document cam at school and his mad tracing skills, we had a huge My Little Pony to put up on the door. (And notice that the pony is holding a wand, so the wand idea did fit the theme after all.)

Joseph delighted them all by completely missing the pony all together. Thanks for being a good sport, Joseph. I made him play because the highlight of my birthday parties as a young girl was always when Dad played pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with us. Somehow his tail always ended up across the room or on the ceiling. Great memories; thanks, Dad.

We had a party the following day with the family. Ally scored lots of fun new presents, mostly ponies, pockets and pollies. The pony cake was easy and she loved it. Notice the toys that accompanied her to blow out the candles. Grandma Walker sent her some My Loving Family figures and Zac gave her stormtroopers. That is Ally for you. She loves "girl things," like ponies and dollhouses and she loves "boy things," like Star Wars and Nerf guns. She is a delightful mix that we think is just perfect. There is no one like our Pal. We love you!

The Grand Switcheroo

2010-03-14T21:00:00.001-07:00

Over Christmas break we worked hard to finish what Joseph and I called, "the grand switcheroo." This involved switching the kids' rooms around. The ripple effects of this project ended up involving every room of our house. We had to find new places to put lots of stuff and we got rid of lots of stuff. It feels good to have it all done. Funny how the arrival of one more little person can require so much preparation. Now that it is all said and done, Sarah and Ally share a room downstairs. Sariah is still on her bottom bunk, but with a new bedspread that she loves. It is actually a quilt that a dear friend made when Sariah was born. I was excited to have a place to use it.

Our Pal now occupies the top bunk. She thinks that is pretty cool. Brook misses her roommate, but loves her new big girl bed with the pink covers. She takes everything in stride if it involves something pink. Brook loves to tell everyone that Bean (that is what we all call the new baby) will sleep in her crib and share her room. She has no idea what she is talking about but I am glad that for now she is happily anticipating her new roommate.

The girls are learning to get along and share the space. I am glad I took pictures when everything was clean. It is not that way as often as I would like it to be. They are getting better. I will take what I can get.

Zac finally got his own room. Since it used to be the storage/craft/whatever room, it took significant effort to clean it out. Hence, the ripple effects throughout the house. He loves having his own space and is doing a pretty good job of keeping it clean.

He is even a good sport about sleeping on the food storage. (Yes, he has a typical Mormon boy bedroom: food storage bed, BYU poster, piggy bank with a spot for mission savings, etc.) Joseph did leave a little space between boxes that makes the perfect weapons cache for his swords and guns. It is a pretty cool room, even if his closet is full camping gear, extra bedding, etc. It works. When we moved into this house 9 years ago, I wondered what we would do with all the space. Now I know. We filled it up with kids. It is the best house in the world.

A Holly Jolly Christmas

2010-03-14T20:02:00.000-07:00

Since Easter is around the corner, it might be a good idea to do the official Christmas blog. We had a great month of festive activities to help us get ready for the big day. Ally was excited to be a part of a program at school. Her preschool did a short Christmas program. We got to read Christmas stories together and then the class sang some Christmas songs they had learned. I might be a bit biased, but I think she is the cutest reindeer I have ever seen. (Sariah had a Christmas program at school, too. Unfortunately I only got video of that and even that was not the best. She was front and center which means from where we were sitting in the cafeteria, most of her was hidden by the utility cart that was in the middle of the center isle. Note to self: If I am ever in charge of a grade school program held in a crowded cafeteria, I will send home a seating chart so that hyper parents like me will know where to sit so they can have the best recording/picture taking vantage point. The program was adorable and so was Sariah. I am glad I got to go. If any of you want to come over, she would be glad to show you the video of her program.)

Finally, Christmas Eve arrived. As Zac put it about a week before: "I know Christmas isn't very far away but it feels like it will NEVER get here." I love to see Christmas through their eyes. I know this is a magical time in our family. All of them are at perfect ages to enjoy the wonder of Christmas and to wholeheartedly "believe" as only a child can. As per tradition, we went to a movie matinee and then to Brick Oven for dinner. We saw The Princess and the Frog. It was a hit. Brook surprised us all by watching the whole movie, most of it in her own seat. She kept talking about the "two froggies." All of the Smith cousins enjoyed it, too. Even Uncle David suffered through it. Dinner was yummy and fairly uneventful, just the way we like it.

This year Zac and Ally were Joseph and Mary for the Nativity. They played their parts well. The roles everyone will play is the topic of much conversation at our house during the month of December. I am glad everyone was happy with how it turned out.

Brook really was excited to be the angel, even if you can't tell by the picture. She loved being with her Hadley. Even Blue Baby got in on the show.

Sariah was very gracious to give up her coveted role of Mary. Of course the prospect of being a shepherdess with her favorite cousin definitely sweetened the deal.

Christmas morning was wonderful as always. Even I have a hard time sleeping the night before. (Sariah wrote a story later at school about Christmas. My favorite line was when she talked about going to bed. She said, "It was a hard night for me." Bless her heart.) Ally got a waterfall adventure set for her Puppies in my Pocket and lots of other good stuff. She loved her Tinkerbell Barbie. She has this thing about not looking at the camera when we take her picture. One day I am sure it will be endearing, but right now it is a bit frustrating.

Sariah got a camera that she took pictures with all morning. She was also excited about her Disney CD's. So was I. We made copies to go in the van so there would be something that we would all enjoy listening to. It has been a welcome change. We have also discovered Magic Tree House books on tape at the library. Between those and the Disney songs, life in the van has gotten much better. But I digress . . .

Brook was the last one awake. We actually had to wake her up. She was not too excited about that. She was tired from the long day before. She stumbled out into the living room, not really sure what to make of everything. Then she discovered that Santa brought her a baby doll, just liked she asked. That is all she talked about for weeks. She still mentions it on occasion. After that she woke up and decided this Christmas thing was OK after all.

I am not sure who liked Zac's present more, him or his dad. They had a grand time chasing each other through the house. Amazingly enough, we have not lost any bullets yet. My favorite is when Brook dresses up in the gear. It is very cute. Zac also got a signed Max Hall jersey from our neighbor who works at BYU and is always bringing the kids little surprises. He was thrilled. The shirt is huge on him and will fit him for years to come, literally.

We rounded out our Christmas activities with a trip to Temple Square to see the lights. We went with some of my college roommates. We went last year too and I hope the tradition will continue. Our kids love the Thornton kids so it is a highlight for them as well. My picture taking skills were not at their best that night, but here they are in front of the big Christmas tree in the Joseph Smith Memorial building. It was a COLD night but we had a great time anyway. I love Christmas and can honestly say I can't wait for it to come again.

Zac's Dream Come True

2010-03-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

After seven years of waiting, Zac finally gets a brother. We can hardly wait!

Brooklyn the Explorer!

2010-03-07T20:40:00.001-08:00

A neighbor gave Ally a blue backpack that floated around our house until Brook claimed it. Now, they are inseparable. Sometimes when she dons the backpack, she becomes Dora the Explorer. Other times it is just a backpack. It is always full of envelopes. I am not sure where the fascination came from, but she loves envelopes, especially if they are decorated with pink crayon. I bet she has at least 20 that she carries around.

Ally gets cast as her faithful sidekick, Boots, and they have grand adventures together. Sometimes that game changes to Diego and Alicia and they run around the house calling each other on their video watches. Many animals have been saved from predators, mudslides and other impending doom. On occasion, I get to play, too. Usually I am "Dora's Mom." Which means that when Brook says, "Hi, Dora's Mom," I have to respond with "Hi, Dora. What is your adventure today?" It can come in handy when I need her to put on her "adventure clothes" or hurry to the "rescue van." A few days ago it was a little embarrassing when the game was in full tilt in the grocery store. The girls informed me that I was Linda the Llama. (I think she is in an episode of Diego.) They loudly called, "Rapido, Linda!" or "Despacio, Linda!" when they wanted me to push the cart faster or slower. Asking them to please use softer voices did not really work. But, I got to just be Dora's Mom again when Brook suddenly looked at me and said, "Hey, Linda doesn't have arms." I apologized for having two arms and agreed to their suggestion that I just be the mom in the game. They really were disappointed. I guess I am just not cut out to be a llama.

Even an explorer's day must come to an end. This is what we found one night as we checked on her before going to sleep. Buenas Noches, mi hijita preciosa.

November in a Nutshell

2010-03-07T19:58:00.001-08:00

November was a fun and full month at our house. It is a month full of birthdays. Zac started us off by turning 7. Yes, I said 7. And yes, he really did take a bite out of his cake before I could even light the candles. He is full of life, 100% boy. I loved the fact that he only requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. We enjoyed celebrating his big day with our family.

Some kind soul gave him a package of rubber lizards. Another kind soul discovered that they stuck to the ceiling. So for a few days after Zac's birthday, it literally rained lizards at our house. The kids had a blast throwing them up,sticking them on the ceiling and then waiting for them to fall down so they could do it all over again. It did look kind of cool until one lost its grip and fell, catching me off guard and scaring me half to death. Other favorite presents included a BYU football poster and Bionicles.

Zac tends to invite the same group of boys to his birthday parties, which is fine with me. They are cute kids. This year he wanted a football party. He envisioned a backyard full of his friends with all the time in the world to play touch football. Apparently recess at school is much too short to have a good game (although the holes in the knees of Zac's pants tell a different story). But, the weather did not cooperate. Lucky for Zac, he has an amazing dad who loves sports as much as he does. We moved the football party inside and Joseph introduced the boys to the world of paper football. After helping them each make and decorate a paper football, he explained how to play the game. He even divided our coffee table into "fields" and set up a tournament schedule so they all could play against each other. There were playoffs and a Superbowl to boot. The boys loved it and before we knew it, parents were arriving to pick up their boys. We did manage to have time to devour our football cupcakes before they all left. Thanks again to familyfun.com for a great idea and to Aunt Emily for helping. She is now a yardline specialist. All in all, the party was a success, even if the party favor footballs fell apart after a few throws.

Joseph and I also celebrate birthdays in November, but we won't disclose how old we now are. We splurged and bought "good" tickets to a BYU football game. By "good" tickets I mean they were not at the top of the endzone. We saw them play Air Force. The weather did not really cooperate that day either. It was COLD. Thank goodness for hot chocolate. But, at least it did not rain and the Cougars won. The best part was being together. Thanks to Mom and Dad Anson for watching the kids.

And of course, we had Thanksgiving. I found another great idea on familyfun.com for a pre-dinner appetizer. The kids had fun making a fruit turkey and we all had fun eating it. The pepper feathers were my favorite part. Ally and Rachel were the two that really stuck with it to the bitter end. The turkey turned out almost as cute as the cousins that made it.
The actual dinner was yummy, too. Unless you are an unfortunate little girl named Brooklyn who has mean parents that actually expect her to eat the food on her plate. Right about Thanksgiving time, we decided that Brooklyn was old enough to be accountable at the dinner table. We made the highly unreasonable rule of requiring one bite. Brook decided to hide in the corner instead of eating. Maybe she thought we would forget about her or we would give in. Neither of those things happened and she did have a bite of Thanksgiving dinner. She was rewarded with a roll which she happily devoured. After patience and persistence, Brook now eats her bites without much complaint. Although on one particularly stubborn night, she was the only one left at the dinner table. We calmly told her that she could not get down until she had her bites and to let us know when she was ready. She let us know that she was not happy about that plan, aka she threw a fit. After a few minutes we heard her yell, "Mommy! I'm ready for my bites!" The dinner wars have paid off and she has discovered that dinner isn't so "disgusting" (thanks, Zac for the vocabulary lesson) after all.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

Another Halloween has come and gone. Where does the time go? The kids had a great time. Anticipation is most of the fun. Now they have happy memories and enough candy to last until Christmas (Zac's observation, not mine). This year we had a cowgirl, a pink bunny, a sleepy head and a pirate. The celebrations began a whole week before we actually got out to trick or treat.
The Saturday before Halloween our ward had a carnival. They always make it such a fun night. The kids look forward to that night even more than trick or treating I think. We eat dinner, play games, have a costume parade and then a "trunk or treat" down the hall. I love it because it is all inside where it is warm and the kids have a blast.

Ally has the cutest little friend at church. She adores him and he does whatever she says and so it works out great for both of them. Joseph got them to pose with their prizes from the fish pond, plastic fangs! (Yeah for mom. All of the kids ended up with some. I think they will slowly "disappear.")

Brooklyn was not too sure about the party until she won a pink cupcake at the cake walk. Life was good after that, especially since Dad sat down with her and let her eat it right then.

Sariah loved every minute of running around with her friends. She made the rounds and visited all of her "people."

Later that week was the Halloween parade at school. I love our elementary school and how they make everything so fun for the kids. Zac enjoyed the parade and then was anxious to change out of his costume so that it would not get ruined before Halloween night. The costume made it just fine. On Halloween we enjoyed our visits with all of our grandmas and Emily and Chris. They all spoiled the kids rotten. I love that the kids got caught up in the magic of being a kid. This is my favorite time of year, probably because of the great childhood memories I associate with fall, like school starting, Halloween, the mountains turning red and orange, birthdays, crunchy leaves, Thanksgiving, and that slight chill in the air that means football is coming and so is the chance to wear your new school jeans. To me fall is contentment and the warmth of family. Who could ask for anything more?

Flying Zac

2009-11-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

For the past few years we have celebrated fall/Halloween by going to a pumpkin patch with some friends. It has become a tradition that the kids in both families look forward to. Of course, there is much more to the pumpkin patch than just pumpkins. There is a maze, animals, a playground, a light display and the bounce house and slides. This is the kids' favorite part. We were too busy playing to take many pictures, but this one was too fun. You can see someone has written right on the slide telling the kids not to climb up this side. Maybe someone should add, "no flying off the slide." Zac is 100% boy and takes life head on. We love him and wouldn't have him any other way.

GOAL!

2009-11-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

Ally played soccer this fall and I am finally ready for the official soccer post. We are not sure what drew her to soccer, but for two years now she has asked to play. In our city rec program you have to be 4 to play. This fall she was old enough at last. She was number 4 on the Boxers. She loved it. For those of you who have watched 4 and 5 year olds play soccer, you know it is more like bunch ball. The kids are really learning to actually kick the ball and not each other and to keep it all moving in the right direction. We had a ball (no pun intended) watching her play and learn. She always volunteered to throw the ball in or to kick it when the ref needed someone. (Note my lack of soccer knowledge. I have to admit I am more of a baseball mom, but I will learn.)

Ally had a great cheering section. Our family attended every game (except a when there were sick kids). Emily and Chris made it to a few games and so did Grandma, Grandpa and Nicole. I caught Grandpa and his Pal walking back to the car after a game. It was too cute.

Ally especially liked her turns as goalie. As you can see, she perfected her goalie stance. She actually did a pretty good job. I think goalie appealed to her because the expectations were a little clearer. She did get a few good kicks in on offense and even scored a goal.

And she was patient with all of her mom's picture taking and cheering on the sidelines. Way to go, Ally. You are my favorite soccer girl!

Here are some videos of Ally the goalie and a halftime interview with mom.

Just Doin' a Little Self Promotion

2009-10-30T13:55:00.001-07:00

Wow! This is the first time I've posted on Amy's blog. She's done a great job, hasn't she? I know I'm always impressed by all she does.

For those of you who haven't yet, check out my writing blog at joeaveragewriter.blogspot.com

There's also a link on the sidebar of this page. Comments are welcome, as long as they're honest.

--Jose

Pickles, Pigtails and Parades

2009-10-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

At the end of August, Mom Anson came over for pickle day. I love her pickle recipe and so does Joseph. It was an all day adventure the was interrupted by taking kids to school, picking them up and a few trips to the grocery store. Brook and Ally had fun "helping." They were actually little angels and did a great job of entertaining themselves while we worked. Mom and I were both exhausted by the end, but there is such a feeling of accomplishment when you hear the seals pop and see your jars cooling on the counter. I felt downright domestic. Thanks, Mom.

During September we had our share of sick days. Now I know why my Aunt, an amazing mother of six, said that the words "stomach flu" strike fear in the hearts of moms with young children. Everyone got a turn this time, at least once. I am really ready to be done. What does this have to do with pigtails? It was one of those sick days for Sariah. Mom needed a change of pace. So, I decided it was a great day for new hairdos. Brook got her first set of pigtails. She looked adorable and she knew it. (Even when she was picking her nose. Sorry, Brook, I couldn't resist.)

It has become a Labor Day tradition to go to the Onion Days Parade. Usually it is a bit of a let down after the big 4th of July parade. This year we were pleasantly surprised. The parade was longer and better than it has been since we started going. The kids collected quite a pile a candy and flyers for everything under the sun. One group even threw out popsicles. We had a great time. We spent the rest of the day canning pears. We took a break for a barbeque at Mom and Dad's. Another long day but we enoyed the "fruits" of our labors -- literally.

Don't Hold Your Breath

2009-10-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Bedtime was a little crazy one night (more so than usual) and in an attempt to quiet them down, Joseph suggested they play the quiet game. Then someone said let's see how long we can hold our breath. I think Ally was the winner. She was so intense, we could not bring ourselves to show her the proper technique.

First Day of School

2009-10-03T20:34:00.000-07:00

After much anticipation, the big day finally arrived. Yes, the kids were wired. It probably did not help that I fed them our traditional donuts and chocolate milk breakfast for the first day of school. We might need to choose a healthier tradition. Ally and Brook were almost as excited as the older two.
Sariah is now our big second grader. She loves her teachers and is making new friends in her class. She still makes her "visiting" rounds through the school. Last year she would just slip out of class and go to visit people. Popular stops were her speech therapist and her kindergarten teacher from the previous year. This year she likes to see her friend across the hall, her first grade teacher, her kindergarten teacher and Zac. We have had many talks about staying where she is supposed to be. Her teachers are very patient. Most of the faculty knows Sariah and they get a good laugh from her wanderings. Zac did inform me that one day they had to call over the intercom to ask her to go back to class. We'll keep working on that. She is doing great with her spelling and reading.

Zac looked forward to first grade all summer long. He could hardly wait to go to school all day and eat lunch in the lunchroom. When the moment arrived, he was a little nervous. He did great. He comes home excited every day to tell me what he has learned. He loves being timed for his math facts. Lunch is living up to his expectations as well. His little group of friends has fun "stealing"each other's food -- which they all find hilarious. So we had a little chat about lunchroom etiquete, including the fact that it is probably not a good idea to share bites of the same piece of pizza. No wonder they all get sick during the first month back to school.

Ally's wish to attend "real preschool" finally came true. She started school a few weeks after the big kids. She gets to go to Miss Laura's class just like Zac and Sariah. She loves it. On her first day, she asked me at least twenty times if it was time to get ready. 12:30 did not come fast enough. As I was helping her get her socks on, her nerves kicked in. She sighed and said, "Mom, I don't know if I'm ready for this." It was adorable. She has made fast friends with one of the little boys in her class. They collect wood chips from the playground (Ally's collection is in her backpack). Apparently, wood chips make great light sabers for their Star Wars games. What an imagination.

It has been an adjustment having just the two little girls at home. The first few days were long as we got used to each other and figured out a new routine. I really missed the big kids. I knew I would, but I was surprised at the actual ache I felt in my heart. Ally and Brook are becoming good friends and finding games to play together. Brook is a great pal when Ally goes to preschool. She likes to snuggle on my bed and watch Seasame Street. I love my Brookie time. The video gives a little peek into that first long day.

Ahhh! Don't eat me!

2009-09-15T21:28:00.000-07:00

This is what we told the kids to say as they posed in front of the shark at the museum. Sariah won the prize. While David and Amy were here, we got to spend a fun day at the dinosaur museum with them. Mom, Nicole and her friend, Jordan, joined us. Jordan works there and hooked us up with a discount. Thanks, Jordan.

The other kids were not so cooperative, but Caleb and Zac did find their inner dinosaurs.

The kids had a blast just running around and being together. We are not sure who had more fun in the sand, the kids or Amy. She is a master volcano sculptor.

By the time we were done playing, we were definitely ready for lunch. I think the kids had almost as much fun at Wendy's as they did with the dinosaurs. Thanks for the fun day. Hopefully if we ever make it to St. Louis, we'll get to play in the museums out there.

Walker Family Reunion

2009-09-15T20:23:00.001-07:00

The weekend before the Anson reunion, we had a Walker family reunion. Mom, Dad and Brian actually came a few weeks before and we had a great time with them and Emily and Chris at the pool, rodeo, parade and Owlz game, just to name a few of the activities that kept us busy. (Of course, I forgot my camera most of the time. We were too busy having fun.) Laura, Donny, Katy, Kevin, Toni and Caroline all got here the day before the reunion. We started on Thursday morning with family pictures. It was a bit of an ordeal at the studio, but overall the pictures turned out well. After we grabbed lunch we headed to the cabin. Our friend's very generous parents let us "borrow" their cabin for the weekend. We will be forever grateful.

It was a major odreal just to get all the cars unloaded. There were five cars in all. We eventually got everything where it needed to be and we all claimed our sleeping spots. It was wonderful to be all together under the same roof. The kids love the four square court. Caroline kept us all entertained with her "performances."

Joseph and Kevin put together a new grill so we could fix dinner. It is a good thing there is no audio with this or you might hear some "grill words." Emily and Laura were taking requests at the piano and Sariah was in heaven. Katy and Brian taking a chance to chill.

On Friday morning we had a great breakfast thanks to Kevin and Toni. I still crave those biscuits. After we cleaned up we headed for the zoo. A highlight was a stop at the carousel. For several weeks before we went, the kids talked at length about which animal they would ride on. I guess half the fun is in the anticipation. Poor Sariah was so patient all day waiting to see the camels. When we finally got there, we could not get to the exhibit because of some construction. She was truly heartbroken.

Brook became quite attached to Donny. He was super cute with her. That's right, Donny, I said you were cute. The girls took "turns" in the stroller. It was nice and hot so it was worth lugging around the water bottles. Caroline and Brook were too cute. (There's that word again.)
Friday night we had another yummy dinner and stayed up too late laughing, eating treats and playing games.

Saturday we ate again (boy, we had a TON of food) and headed to the reservoir. Dad rented a boat and a wave runner. It was a blast. I forgot my camera when it was our turn in the boat. The kids loved it. Brook did not really move so we were shoked when she volunteered to ride on the tube with her dad. We pulled a huge innertube behind the boat. Saraih and Caroline did not want to ride but the rest of us did. Brook was hilarious. Halfway through her ride, she waved at all of us in the boat. Zac had no fear. He loved any chance to ride and everytime we stopped to change riders, he was over the side of the boat for a swim. He even got a ride on the wave runner with Kevin. Ally had enough of the tube when we got swamped. She was petrified even though she had a life jacket on. I was laughing and she clung to my neck so I could not swim her back to the boat. Thanks Kevin, for helping. Despite a wardrobe malfunction, I enjoyed my rides, too.

We got back to the cabin and reluctantly packed up. We got down out of the canyon in time for an exteded Walker family party. On Sunday we got to go to church together and then went to an extended Puckett family party. It was a whirlwind of family. We were exhausted, but so grateful for all the memories we made. Here's to 2011 and the great time we'll have when we do it all over again.