December

We started off December by going to see "A Christmas Carol" on its opening night at Hale Center Theatre. Fabulous. It totally put us in the Christmas spirit - and is something we hope to see every year now that the kids are old enough.

The next day, we decorated our tree. And, for the record, it was Kylie's turn to put the angel on top. As you can see, she was a tiny bit excited about it. She is a nut.

Tree decorating always goes smoother when it's her year to put up the angel.

I think we baked something nearly every day in December. The kids are all about the baking - and the decorating with frosting and eating. Here Matthew is helping with the gingerbread men.

Kylie rolling out the dough for cinnamon rolls.

Too many goodies!

Kylie is hugging Matthew because she liked what he gave her for Christmas. We had a nice peaceful Christmas hanging out at home all day. So nice. On Christmas Eve we went to a friend's house for a fiesta and bingo. We had fun, but as usual, I forgot to take pictures.

And that's about it for Christmas - if I post anymore it'll just be "hey, look at the amazing amount of crap I bought my spoiled kids." I'll save that for their personal albums :)

Christmas Recital

Kylie had her Christmas piano recital a couple weeks ago. She played 2 songs, and they're both on the video. She was pretty nervous for her first song because she had to go first. Just recently, she has realized that she actually likes to play the piano, and practices without being asked. Yay for no more whining about practice everyday! We are loving all the Christmas music she plays for us :)

November

I'm sure if I gave it some thought I could share lots of great stuff that happened in November, but I am going to keep it short and sweet so I can be all. caught. up. yay! So, 2 great things about November....

Big snowstorm earlier than usual = happy kids.

And a fun Thanksgiving!
Kylie made this cute little turkey. I stuffed his belly with batting because she insisted all Thanksgiving turkeys have to be fat, even paper ones.

I cannot keep my kids from eating the snow. Gross.

Matthew just bends right over and licks the snow. It's things like this that make me want to be a kid again because now all I think is eww.

We went to my parents' house in St. George for Thanksgiving. I tried to take a good pic for our Christmas card in the pretty groves there, but it didn't go well.

The kids just wanted to run and play with their cousins.

Kylie and baby John were literally inseparable. Kylie is going to be an excellent babysitter someday - she loves babies, and they love her.

John and Keith were happy to be reunited. I didn't see much of John the entire weekend - it's like I do not exist when these two have a geek convention. Haha, I love you honey.

***

One other thing worth mentioning, our Relief Society Presidency was released, so I am no longer the 1st counselor. Doesn't a break sound nice? Ok not really, I knew I wasn't getting a break. I'm now in the Primary Presidency. And I am actually loving it - kids are fun :)

October

It feels a little wrong to be blogging about pumpkins while listening to Christmas music. But, I am determined to get this thing up to date!

Our favorite pumpking patch

The cornmaze still freaks Matthew out a little bit. I don't know if it really does, or if he just acts scared for the sake of tradition at this point. He likes to imagine (out loud) all the things that might be hiding and waiting for him in there. A few years ago he spotted a squirrel and a few chickens in it - that's as scary as it gets :)

I just love the mini wheelbarrows.

Matthew does not share my love of the miniwheelbarrow. He says it's embarrassing, and that this would be the last year I could make him use one.

We discovered a new place to have fun. Have you been to Incredible Pizza Company? Kylie & Matthew L-O-V-E it. They have a kid buffet there that is every kids dream.....pizza, mac & cheese, french fries, ice cream, etc. Then you buy a game card that is good for mini-golf, mini-bowling, bumper cars, laser tag, and video games. Hours of heaven for them.

It's a fun place.

I joined them on the bumper cars. I felt like a kid - they spin, and they're fun :)
The place is a little pricey - especially if you have more than a couple kids - but I thought it was worth it.

Kylie's class performed Michael Jackson's "Thriller" dance for Halloween. Adorable. The kids had soooo much fun getting ready for it. Her teacher cracks me up. She is obsessed with Michael Jackson. She used to be a back-up dancer for him. The week of Halloween she had life-size cardboard cut outs of him around the classroom and they listened to Michael Jackson music all week. Her son is even named Jackson.

I helped with Matthew's Halloween party by doing the craft. We made little mummies out of popsicle sticks.

Kylie and Matthew went with a Star Wars theme for costumes this year.

Princess Leia and a Clone Trooper. Kylie wore the wig to a party early in the week, and it irritated her, so we somehow managed to get her super short hair into buns for Halloween day.
In the picture they are in the elevator on their way to Daddy's annual Halloween party at work.

Trick-or-Treat!

September

The big event of September was our hill catching on fire. Part of the hill seems to catch fire almost every summer, and is quickly put out, no big deal. We assumed this would be the case when we were welcomed home from church on a Sunday afternoon by this lovely smoke. Unfortunately, it was a very windy day.

I had pretty much forgotten about the fire, until the kids came running from their bedrooms with their emergency backpacks on saying it was time to leave. I thought they were cute, and laughed. Then I looked out the window and realized the fire was coming down the hill towards our neighborhood.

We packed up a few things, and went to a hotel for the night. Some of our neighbors down the street stayed, and I am borrowing one of their pictures. We are about 7-8 houses closer to the fire. Our house was never really in any danger - thanks to some amazing firemen - but there was so much smoke, I wasn't taking any chances with the kids' asthma.

Soccer season also began again in September. Kylie was awesome this year! She scored so many goals we lost count :) She is about half the size of the rest of her team now, but she is fast! She is on a great team too - they are all so sweet - and they only lost one game the entire season.

Matthew got in a little reading at Kylie's games - isn't he cute? The kids are turning out to be bookworms like their mommy :)

The kids were off track at the end of September, so we headed south to see Mema and Papa. We did a little apple picking while we were there.

My parents took us to see Tarzan at the Tuacahn theatre. We loved it! The kids enjoyed meeting little Tarzan afterwards.

The gorillas were incredible.

The play was late and I couldn't resist taking a picture of my zonked kiddos on the way home. Sorry for the flash in your eyes Dad!

We also drove down to Vegas to see my sister April and her cute kids.

We went to see the King's Tournament show with all the kids. Here's Kylie meeting one of the Knights after the show.

Cheers!

My kids did not care for the dinner - a whole roast cornish hen that you had to eat with your fingers. They wouldn't touch it.

Look how big baby John has grown! We already miss him, and can't wait to see him again in a couple weeks.

And of course we always have to feed the sheep at Mema's.

We were even there for the annual appearance of the giant spiders!

Thanks Mom and Dad!

August

What's that? Yes, I am aware that it is November. Better late than never, right?

We went to our first Real Salt Lake soccer game sometime in August.

So fun! Since the kids have both played lots of soccer, they were very into the game.

Matthew was not too thrilled about the pouring rain during the game. He was like seriously, we're just going to sit here in the rain? The rest of us were having too much fun to leave.

Kylie was asked to join "the team" at her gym. I was not expecting it because she'd only been in gymnastics for 6 months, and I was kinda hesitant because of the major time commitment, but she absolutely loves it. She practices with the team for a year before she starts competing, so we're seeing how it goes for now. I have to admit though, I am extremely proud of my little girl.

Matthew started karate in August, and he is so loving it. I am loving how adorable little kids are when they practice karate - seriously cute.

Kylie's piano teacher plays the organ at our church, and she decided Kylie was ready to start learning a little on the organ.

I've been saying forever that we are going to rip out all of our carpet and switch to wood.
We finally took the plunge. So far, Kylie and Matthew's rooms are done. Then John had to do some traveling for work, and I decided I needed a break from all the chaos. We're also repainting everything as we go, and having paint stuff, floor stuff, furniture out of place was making me crazy. Maybe by the new year it will be complete??

August ended with John turning another year older - 37! Here he is with his mom and our 2 cute kids :)