Sunflower

This sunflower is growing in our garden. It is about the only thing that grew really well this time. "if at first you don't succeed, try try again!" Look, there is even a bee on it, top right quarter of the flower.

"Holy big apple pie batman!"

This is a pie that the Barbier's gave us for Brad picking up their mail. It is apple. Yum!!!! I've never seen such a big pie!

Christmas Morning 2009

Santa brought us a NEW TRAMPOLINE!!!!!!! Yippee!!!
I Think everyone got something they were excited about getting.

Michelle got a cell phone......for right now, emergency use only, no texting.....Shan got some money, here you see her opening up a Wii game for the whole fam.

Rachel got a certificate to start dance class. She couldn't believe her eyes!!!
Brad got some new scriptures to study and get ready for his mission

Brad got Jenna a machine gun!!!!
"Who's the best!"



Jenna goes the fastest on it because she is the lightest,
she is CRAZY! She drives like a hot rod!

Ha hahahaha, even Brad tried it!!!! um..... a bit to small for him i think!!

Christmas Jammies 2009

Here they are, another tradition. (Spencer thinks it's a waste of money) :P" The kids love it. They open their jammies on Christmas eve and then we get in the car with blankets and drive around looking at Christmas lights. We roll the windows down so we get the "chill" effect and are able to snuggle without getting too hot. Rachel and Michelle's jammies were kind of weird, the shirts a bit on the small side and the pants WAY too big. I need to get some different ones for them. Fun tradition!!!!

Sisters weekend

I LOVE MY SISTERS!!!

Linda, Maria, Susan, Me, Amy

I flew up to Salt Lake on a Friday morning, Linda and Susan picked me up. BURRRR it was cold! We drove to Amy's house and Linda and Susan knocked on the door and walked in, then I stepped out from the side of the house and Amy screamed and said "What are YOU doing here?!" It was so fun to surprise her. Maria came later to join us and she HIT me and said pretty much the same thing..... ya, maria is a hitter.....anyway, we went to dinner and then went to "The Forgotten Carols" It was very well done and fun to be there with my sisters!! The next day we sat around and chatted, laughed and cried together and then we went to the Hale theater to see "A Christmas Carol". The SLC Hale theater is more high tech than the one in Gilbert. It was great! We walked over to the training table for lunch and then Linda and Susan had to leave because there was a storm coming. Mur, Amy and I did a little Christmas shoppping and then they dropped me off at the airport. It was way fun!!!! I had to take a picture of Linda throwing a snowball so I could show my kids.....

On the plane ride home I even had an opportunity to be a missionary. I sat by a lady coming home from a convention in Salt Lake. She said they had taken a tour of Temple Square and she said that the "energy felt so clean". I thought that was an interesting way to describe the spirit she felt there. Anyway, I basically just answered some of her questions and told her to go to LDS.org if she wanted to know more. I'm so glad I had the chance to go, thanks to my sweet honey!!!

23rd anniversary

Spence and I hadn't done anything for a LONG time for our anniversary so we decided to get away for a few days. We went to Greer Arizona and stayed in the Greer Lodge. Our room was on the top floor. We left on a Monday and came home on Friday. We went snowshoeing, repaired a snowman someone had made...

went on lots of walks and just relaxed. We drove into Pinetop Lakeside one day and went to the movie "Blind Side" (great movie!!) finished up some Christmas shopping and went to a gingerbread display. The local businesses made a house as a replica of their business. There were about 40 and I was impressed with some of the things they used. Everything had to be edible so they were pretty creative. Here are a few ......night view

On the way home we went to the Snowflake Temple and did a session. It was nice, just wish it could have been longer.

Gingerbread Houses

Making gingerbread houses has been a tradition of ours since the beginning. I learned to make them when I was a nanny in New york and I thought it was so fun, that I continued the tradition.

The beginning stages.....

There was LOTS of frosting eating and licking!!!!Brad broke from his usual tradition (trying to make the biggest house) .....to making the smallestRachel's finished product.....Brad's tiny tiny tiny house......

Shannon's candy creation

Jenna's house on the left, Shannon then Brad.... Michelle was at Basket Ball practice when we started so somehow we didn't get a pic of hers when she finished it. It was a new creation more like a face.....

Thanksgiving in Heber

Since this was our "last year" with our whole family in tact, we decided to go away for the holiday. We rented a cabin in Heber AZ and it was great!! We took our own food and a bunch of games, all I can say is NIIIICCCCEEE!! Very relaxing. Spencer and Jenna went down to the fishing pong and broke off some ice. Jenna thought that was great fun!

Rachel joined in the fun the next day but it wasn't as cold.

What Thanksgiving is complete without the picture of "olive fingers"!

Daddy Daughter Road Rally

For the Activity day daddy daughter date the girls made a "boxcar" with their dad. This is Rachel and Spencer's creation. She wanted it to be "bling bling" There were some really cute cars. They had a fun time!! They played games that had to do with car maintenance things. Next year Jenna will be going too! Wow! How time flies!