Tis the Season

Hey all! Well, I've gotten some complaints that it's been way too long since I updated this, and I guess people are sick of seeing Brian's giant deer (love you honey!). Without a doubt, you all know how it is this time of year. . .INSANE! I'm sure you are all just as busy as I am. But it is so much fun! I love the Christmas season, even with all the busyness. And it is awesome seeing it anew through my kids' eyes. It's just crazy that now I am the parent making it all happen for them.

Anyway, we had a great Thanksgiving at Brian's sister's house in Boise. The picture is just one of the many she patiently took of my restless and not very photogenic family. Thanks Melissa for being so patient! Brad, you too!

2008 Hunt

This is an update for all of you that are interested in our hunting season.

Elk season was first. We saw a lot of elk, but never got a good shot on a bull. In fact I had a bull within 25 yards, but it was walking straight at me in a single file line with a bunch of cows. The lead cow got spooked and the herd took off like a train before I got a shot. Of course I could have dropped a few nice bucks during elk season, but that's how it usually works. I also had couple of run ins with some huge bull moose (much too close for comfort).

The weather was too warm, but overall we had a great time.

I hunted for deer close to home and spent several hours out in the mountains. Jody and I hiked up the mountain in the dark opening morning. She was so afraid we were going to run into a wild animal (kind of the point) that she wouldn't stop yelling "... Here we come. Go away."

And of course opening morning of deer season we spotted a herd of elk with a couple of huge bulls and they came right to us.

Over the next 8 days I saw a lot of country and did my share of walking. The last day I could hunt I had the choice between hunting and going to the BYU vs. UNLV football game. I went hunting and after a lot of work I came across this spike. We wanted the meat, so down he went and now he's in the freezer.

So that's the 2008 big game hunting story. Everyone was safe and we had a lot of fun. Only 10 1/2 months til opening day.

Halloween Fun

Austin & Tori

Suzy the monkey

Nice shirt Darren

(P.S. I must've missed the pic of your fam, email it to me)

Thanks Mom & Dad for the great Halloween Party!

Lana's Preschool

Calvin & Lana finish gymnastics class

Oh, how I love Fall and BYU Football!

We have a tradition of tailgaiting every year in our secret spot. And every year we get a little bit better at the tailgating thing. This year the boys really outdid themselves: Canopy, Flat-screen TV complete with Satellite dish (so they could watch other football games, of course) and as you can see, we had the BBQ of all BBQs - one that Holly & Jason pulled behind their van. It was Brian's B-day and what a Birthday present: BYU beats UCLA 59-0!

Last weekend we went up to Maple Lake (near Payson Lakes). It's a tradition for me and Bri, we went there on our first date 8 years ago :) I wasn't expecting the leaves to already be so colorful. It was gorgeous!

The kids had fun fishing. . . .

. . .until we got rained out and they were freezing.

Brian did get a few great pics, a hobby of his.

Calvin Starts Kindergarten!!

Can you believe how big and grown-up my baby is!?!

Yes, Calvin started Kindergarten, a day that always seemed so far away but somehow snuck up on me.

Of course, he is loving it in true Calvin fashion. But I am still in shock, wondering where the years went.

And yes, I cried.

My Birthday

I just had to write here about my Birthday, although I'm sad I didn't take any pics. Anyway, my B-day was great and I thought it was over, because it was over, it was the next day. I had no clue that Brian had anything up his sleeve. Well, he surprised me by coming home early from work and telling me that we were taking the kids to spend the night at my parents. Of course, I was ecstatic. So we went to dinner and after. . . .to a dance concert at the Scera Shell. I know, it doesn't sound that exciting but it was! We sat on the very front row with our knees against the stage and got to see . . . .Chelsea Hightower, Gev! and Matt from "So You Think You Can Dance"!! I was loving it! (I'm crazy about that show) There was also Louis Van Amstel and Ashley Delgrosso-Costa from "Dancing With the Stars" plus a bunch of kids that were dancers in all three High School Musicals. We could seriously reach out and touch them. Needless to say, it was a blast! At one point, Gev was break dancing and jumped down into the audience to sit 2 seats away from me to just hang out for a little bit. I leaned over and took a picture with my phone and he posed, but it turned out a little fuzzy. I had a star-struck moment. Anyway, it was a great surprise, and a great Birthday. Brian, you are the best!!!

Camping, etc.

Best Friends

We had a great time at the Demolition Derby and Carnival in Vernal while visiting Dallin & Chanda

Finally!!

So, I'm finally joining the blog world after months of enjoying all of your blogs. I have loved seeing pics and hearing about all the things going on. So I guess I'll try to have a go of it. I don't really know what I'm doing, but here goes. . .

Summer Highlights

We have had so much fun this summer. We spent the 4th at Holly & Jason's in Idaho Falls. The parade was great, so was the baseball game, fireworks, The Bar J Wranglers (I love them!), and let's not forget the very competitive boat races down the canal.

We celebrated Lana's 4th birthday while in Idaho (along with Addy's and Austin's birthdays)

Minnetonka Cave in Bear Lake. The best part was when the tour guide took our group in the cave and began by asking if there was any questions. Quiet, and then Calvin's voice: "Yeah. . . I'm a little afraid of the bats."

Okay, so Tawny and Dustin somehow convinced the fam to have a 2-mile race at Bear Lake. No one could believe it when Brian donned one of Dustin's skimpy track outfits (in the red tanktop). But guess who won? I was so proud of my hubby!

Suzy wanted to run too!

We recently returned from a week-long trip to Brian's parents in Oregon and the Beach. We stopped at beautiful Multnomah Falls on the way.

We stayed in a condo right on the beach, all we had to do was walk out the patio door, and wa-la!

Lana and some of her girl-cousins, Rylee and Elizabeth

Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach

The Fish Hatchery at Bonneville Dam