Have you been naughty or nice?
Can't wait to see you all soon!

Kelly & I made our Thanksgiving dinner here. We had a HUGE table so it was nice to all sit together for dinner.

Our room.

Theater room included huge flat screen TV with a mini kitchen for easy access to drinks and popcorn, some kind of crazy advanced DVD movie system thingy, air-hockey table, huge iMac, full PB kids kitchen set, & toys (they loved the dress-up clothes). Best part about all this was that it was downstairs so they were out of the way

while we hung out & watched TV upstairs.

Jack & Isabel at "This is the Place"

Isabel & Jake LOVED baby Dean.

The best part about our visit to the temple came after watching The Testaments movie when Isabel had tears in her eyes and said she felt the Spirit.
Cousins.

I LOVE EMMA!

In front of the Y mountain

Even the entryway at our house was beautiful.

I can't get enough of adorable Emma!

Seriously, just look at her in those boots!

Lovely Park City

Some updated shots of Isabel & one of Jake asleep during naptime. Happy that Christmas will be here soon so he will have a BOY cowboy hat & boots and will finally stop wearing Isabel's!

Have you...

ever heard of toxic synovitis? It's what Jake has, except it's not with his hip but his right foot. The kid cannot walk--he tries but limps badly & cries from the pain. Poor guy! What's going on with my kids right now?!

Isabel update...

2009 Soccer Pictures

Before the game all calm & relaxed...

during the game, quite the opposite.
Isabel has scored goals every game so far.

So the actual latest news on Isabel is that she may have fractured her left radius. The quick care took x-rays and told us they think that it's broken but they had to refer us to be sure. We see the orthopedic tomorrow. I would have taken her today but there was no way she was missing the 2nd grade school Spider & Bat Fair. It was AWESOME! I sadly forgot my camera, but luckily my friend took a picture for me. It was so cute to see all the kids proudly showing of their creative dioramas. Afterwards we came home & being that it was our first cold day of the year, we had hot chocolate. Too bad I was out of the most important ingredient: FLUFF. Wish us luck at the doctor tomorrow. I'm still hoping that it's not actually broken. She has her fall piano recital in three weeks and it would also be sad for her to miss the rest of the soccer season.

Alright so I turned around after snapping a photo of Isabel and he was in my face just like this...."Take a picture of me Mommy!" All day he tells me, "Mommy, you're my best friend". Then Daddy comes home and he tells him the same thing.
We hug & kiss all day except for the hour or so that he "goes Gremlin". Then we're literally at each other's necks. Wish I could say that only happened around Halloween.

I know, more gratuitous photos. That's all my blog is. At least I only annoy you with them once every few months. This just cracked me up too much when he came home from preschool with a hat & badge. Lucky guy had a firefighter visit the school so Jake went on and on demonstrating the stop, drop & roll rule but kept telling me, "Mom, fire and RUN out!!"

Okay so I feel guilty if I only post pics of Jake so that means I'll post of Isabel soon too.

Back to School Breakfast

Back to School Crowns
waiting for them when they woke up this morning.

Jake sang the ABC song when he saw his "J" pancake.

I loved that Isabel appreciated the special breakfast.

We all love pancakes with whipped cream
& sprinkled chocolate chips.....

especially me. :)

Fresh fruit and vanilla glazed cinnamon muffins
with sprinkled powdered sugar.

After breakfast, Jake picked up his swords (he sleeps
with them). Notice Dad that he's already broken the top off
one of them. No matter. He's the type of kid who learns how to
make do--notice his bottoms serve as a holster.

Then the prince & princess engaged in a sword fight.

Okay, so Nie Nie inspires me.....though my back to school celebration is on a lighter scale and recognizably less cooler. Still, I'm okay with copying a person like her. Imitation is the highest form of flattery is it not? The kids left those crowns on for hours. We are all so excited for the new school year. Jake did so well at his orientation. Made me happy. And Isabel lucked out with an awesome teacher. Holy crap! Off subject...my desk is next to a huge window looking out into our backyard and I just saw the most amazing bird on our tree. I mean, it was bright yellow, with a little bit of red, and a bit of blue---totally tropical. So beautiful and yet confusing since I live in the desert. Alright, had to get that out. Anyway, we send our best to the family for a happy start of the fall semester. Special shout outs to Caity in her last semester of nursing school--woo hoo! Patti teaching seminary again--woo hoo! And all of our super smart kiddos heading to school--woo hoo! Ya, I know, that was one too many woo-hoos.

"Hoarders" was brought to my attention this week (thank you Entertainment Weekly). This my friends is why I studied psychology. Absolutely fascinates me. Check it out on A&E.

Threw this one in there for fun.
If you look closely (or maybe enlarge the photo),
you can see Darth Vader's eyes staring right back at you.

*Snapshots of Isabel*

I don't have any pictures of her piano & dance recitals.
Isabel did get some professional pictures done in her dance costume (80's Madonna style) but I haven't gotten them
back yet. She & I are both excited for the summer--
but before we know it, she'll be headed into the 2nd grade.

It wouldn't be Jake if he didn't have some kind of
scratch/bump/bruise on his face.

He has started smiling for the camera though,
squinted eyes and all.

Sitting still for but a moment while watching TV.

Sporting his 'Superman' cape....

while climbing on my furniture.

And Jake had absolutely no problem sticking out his butt
so I could take a picture of my FAVORITE underwear.