I may have found my word for 2010...we will have to see. I never thought a man could so completely understand my need to CREATE. I LOVE MY CHURCH...and the GOSPEL it teaches me.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
CREATE
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Trains and Santa
This is how desperate I am to get the picture from Paul's last post off the top of my blog! I've mentioned that I'm behind on blogging and I really am determined to get caught up...so bear with me.
These cuties and I all went one night with some friends on a tour of some houses that are decked out in model trains. I know...who knew that this was a HUGE obsession with some people. There is a local club that puts our their trains for a few nights around the holidays so the public can come and see/enjoy. I was BLOWN AWAY at the amount of time/money/acreage spent on this hobby. Their wives must be very understanding...or have worked some kind of a deal that makes it tolerable.
The above two pictures are of a two car garage at one of the houses. It is completely filled with train parts, sets, materials. Paul has NO room to complain about my two tackle boxes of jewelry items after seeing this. Seriously, the pictures do not do it justice.
This is a view looking back into that two car garage. I think they said that one acre of land on this lot was used for model train tracks. I'm glad we were able to enjoy it, but...weird!!
The kids did have a great time looking at all the trains and decor.
I had to keep little hands away from some of them, but all in all the kids did great.
The best part was that at one of the houses they had Santa and the Mrs! Being the stellar parent I am I hadn't even thought of taking the kids to see Santa. Perfect opportunity to document the 2008 Santa visit! Above is sweet Nora who could have asked for the moon and these two would have brought it to her personally.
Ella was choosing her words carefully while trying to diplomatically ask pointed questions about the reality of Santa.
Max was just silly as usual...and made Santa laugh...a lot.
Jack tends to turn into a shy guy in situations like these. He was so cute and humble up there on Santa's lap. 
Santa MADE me sit on his lap and tell him what I wanted for Christmas. It had been a while, but it all came back to me. Lucky for me I have everything I want...and more!
Show Low AZ October 2008
We have been so lucky to be able to go and spend some time at my cousins cabin up in the mountains. In October we were so glad we got to go WITH them. They are some of my favorite people and want to pick their brains on everything from parenting, to accounting, to church. Their six kids are amazing and my kids keep asking when we can go up again. Here are just a few of the highlights.
They introduced us to the candy bar game which was a hit. Now there's a great way to get kids quickly around the table to participate in games/activities!
There were flag football games.
After the flag football it just became a 'tackle Paul' game.
Here are some of the cute kids at the table. Don't ask me where Ella is getting the gang signs from?
The other angle.
On the golf course, Jack was in charge of cleaning the balls. He took his job very seriously.
Good thing Paul doesn't take his golf game too seriously.
I loved watching this kid run from the balcony...the kid's got skills.
Perspective shot from the cabin balcony.
Daddy and his girls. Boy does he love them?! Oh, and the feeling is mutual.
Me and my crazy good boys. I love these guys to death!
All the girls together.
We were there during October General Conference. The kids favorite thing to do while listening to the talks is play Conference bingo. Yes...it's the m&m's that gets them excited. Hey - whatever works!
Oh, and I can't fail to mention the family/game center they have there. It's the only chance a 4 year old has of living this pipe dream!
They introduced us to the candy bar game which was a hit. Now there's a great way to get kids quickly around the table to participate in games/activities!
There were flag football games.
After the flag football it just became a 'tackle Paul' game.
Here are some of the cute kids at the table. Don't ask me where Ella is getting the gang signs from?
The other angle.
On the golf course, Jack was in charge of cleaning the balls. He took his job very seriously.
Good thing Paul doesn't take his golf game too seriously.
I loved watching this kid run from the balcony...the kid's got skills.
Perspective shot from the cabin balcony.
Daddy and his girls. Boy does he love them?! Oh, and the feeling is mutual.
Me and my crazy good boys. I love these guys to death!
All the girls together.
We were there during October General Conference. The kids favorite thing to do while listening to the talks is play Conference bingo. Yes...it's the m&m's that gets them excited. Hey - whatever works!
Oh, and I can't fail to mention the family/game center they have there. It's the only chance a 4 year old has of living this pipe dream!Pumpin patch fieldtrip, Riparian fieldtrip, and Jack's Thanksgiving feast.
They all go together...I promise!
I just had to document a few fun and funny things from last Fall. Max's preschool went on two field trips. The first was to a pumpkin patch. It was a hit with the animals, hay ride, and of course...pumpkins. He really enjoyed himself, and so did Nora, Grandma and I. (along with his preschool friends/cousins)
Group shot. Don't mind my awkward pose as I tried to jump in the picture at the last minute!
Max, Lucy, Charlotte, Claire, Grace (just some of the fun people we were with)
Nora perched herself up on the fence to enjoy the view of the pigs. I couldn't resist the picture.
Pumpkin decorating at it's finest.
Another field trip the next month was to a local preserve which happens to be right by our house. They have a lot of information about the wildlife that lives there and area plants/foliage. Below is a picture of Max's two cute cousins Claire and Hannah at the dino dig.
In the above picture Max is at the dino (fossil) dig. We go to the preserve often and never knew this part existed. After the lectures about the preserve and the dino dig it was time to run over to Jack's class for their Thanksgiving feast. I hurried and got Max and Nora in the car and drove to the school just in time. It was as we were getting out of the car that Max said the funniest thing (suprise suprise). I think he had just realized that we were finised with the field trip and that this little jaunt was not an extention of the activities. We were walking towards the school and Max said: "so...was that (referring to our trip at the riparian) my field trip?"
Me: "yes it was."
Max: "that was HORRIBLE!"
I guess it didn't quite compare in his mind to the pumpkin patch. I was cracking up for days thinking about that brutally honest comment.
*LESSON* lecturing 4 year olds about native plants/animals, water conservation, and animal habitat is not considered a highlight in their fieldtrip rotation.
Here is Jack ready for the feast. Below he is standing next to his great teacher directing the students.
Shaking the butter. Have I mentioned that I just love these kids?!
I just had to document a few fun and funny things from last Fall. Max's preschool went on two field trips. The first was to a pumpkin patch. It was a hit with the animals, hay ride, and of course...pumpkins. He really enjoyed himself, and so did Nora, Grandma and I. (along with his preschool friends/cousins)
Group shot. Don't mind my awkward pose as I tried to jump in the picture at the last minute!
Max, Lucy, Charlotte, Claire, Grace (just some of the fun people we were with)
Nora perched herself up on the fence to enjoy the view of the pigs. I couldn't resist the picture.
Pumpkin decorating at it's finest.Another field trip the next month was to a local preserve which happens to be right by our house. They have a lot of information about the wildlife that lives there and area plants/foliage. Below is a picture of Max's two cute cousins Claire and Hannah at the dino dig.
In the above picture Max is at the dino (fossil) dig. We go to the preserve often and never knew this part existed. After the lectures about the preserve and the dino dig it was time to run over to Jack's class for their Thanksgiving feast. I hurried and got Max and Nora in the car and drove to the school just in time. It was as we were getting out of the car that Max said the funniest thing (suprise suprise). I think he had just realized that we were finised with the field trip and that this little jaunt was not an extention of the activities. We were walking towards the school and Max said: "so...was that (referring to our trip at the riparian) my field trip?"Me: "yes it was."
Max: "that was HORRIBLE!"
I guess it didn't quite compare in his mind to the pumpkin patch. I was cracking up for days thinking about that brutally honest comment.
*LESSON* lecturing 4 year olds about native plants/animals, water conservation, and animal habitat is not considered a highlight in their fieldtrip rotation.
Here is Jack ready for the feast. Below he is standing next to his great teacher directing the students.
Shaking the butter. Have I mentioned that I just love these kids?!GrandMary and Grandpa visit October 2008
We love it when we have visitors...especially of the Grandparent variety. Paul's parents were here in October, and while it's always too short, we sure enjoy spending some one on one time with them.
It seems like we always make it to the preserve by our house when they visit. It's a great place to walk around and take pictures. Above is GrandMary with Ella, Max, and Jack
Here are the boys. Grandpa, Paul, Jack and Max. What handsome guys!!
I loved this picture of Colin and Mary.
Paul and his Mom.
We went to the zoo one day and the kids loved the sting ray exhibit.
We all went home a little wet, but they loved every minute of it.
The other highlight was of course the orangutans. They have a baby that is so fun to watch. Nora and I could have stayed there all afternoon.
Another good photo of Paul's parents.
They are coming again in a few weeks and we can't wait!
It seems like we always make it to the preserve by our house when they visit. It's a great place to walk around and take pictures. Above is GrandMary with Ella, Max, and Jack
Here are the boys. Grandpa, Paul, Jack and Max. What handsome guys!!
I loved this picture of Colin and Mary. 
Paul and his Mom.
We went to the zoo one day and the kids loved the sting ray exhibit.
We all went home a little wet, but they loved every minute of it. 
The other highlight was of course the orangutans. They have a baby that is so fun to watch. Nora and I could have stayed there all afternoon.
Another good photo of Paul's parents.They are coming again in a few weeks and we can't wait!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
