White Christmas

We finally got snow! The girls were jumping around the room because they were so excited. Of course we had church at 9am, but AFTER church they had a great time play outside in the cold stuff. Being from AZ, I think it looks really pretty and it's fun for a little while, but if I have to drive in it I don't like it anymore :) I will admit that having the snow makes it feel more like Christmas!! We enjoyed watching them play...so funny!

Tis the season to be...

BUSY!! Maybe I'm the only one... is anyone else so busy they don't have time to breathe? I haven't posted in a while because I just haven't had time, so hang on because I'm going to do a "quick" update on our month (so far).

Our season started with a trip to Iowa for Thanksgiving with the Munch family (Chad's sister). Chad's niece asked him to baptize her and, of course, he said yes! We had a great trip and had a great Thanksgiving. On our way home, the roads were closed through the Rockies and we were able to stay with the Torbet family (Chad's other sister). The girls had so much fun with their cousins!

Upon returning, and after months of trying to pick a color, I FINALLY painted!! I'm sure my friends were sick of hearing me talk about it...and now that it's done, I love it! I wasn't sure at first, but I really think it makes this place so much more comfortable.

When the painting was finished, it was the dreaded day...my 30th birthday. I say this without excitement because it really was an awful day. First of all, I don't want to be 30!! Dumb, I know, but I really wasn't happy about it. AND Chad was gone all day officiating a HS wrestling tournament and I was stuck with 3 whiney girls. In his defense, we decided together this was a tournament that he should attend so it's not his fault, but it really was a bad birthday. Thanks to all those who called and sent me "goodies". Chad brought me home some presents and said we will celebrate better when things finally calm down. I hope so...getting old really stinks!

Before it was too late, we had to put up a Christmas tree! We usually cut our own, but again we were just so busy! We took the girls to the boy scout tree farm for FHE and enjoyed bringing it home and decorating! Our trees never look very good, but the girls LOVE having a real tree (Chad too!) Maybe one year we'll pick a "pretty" one!

It was also my week to teach Regan's Joy School friends. Now I'm not complaining about this, because it IS really fun...We were practicing our nativity production for our Christmas party and they are so cute!! We also had performances for Sunshine Generation in various locations. The girls did AWSUM!! They were just great! Carli did the hula hoop for the Chipmunks song and sang her solo beautifully, while Regan did all her actions and said her line with clarity...maybe she'll come out of her shyness someday ?!? The girls were also in the Fruita Parade of Lights. We had so much fun riding on the float (Mollie got to ride too!) and seeing all the floats!

Amid all of this, there was a trip to California, church parties, birthday parties, volunteering, speaking in church...the list is endless! Even with all this craziness, we are having fun! We are now getting ready for Santa and looking forward to being with friends and family for the holidays! Just Remember to SMILE: It SHOULD be the season to be "JOLLY"!

WHY?

Not a day goes by that I don't ask myself "Why?" Why do you eat dogfood? Why do you drink the paintwater when we watercolor? Why do you eat only the inside of every sandwich and never the bread? Why do you pull all the pillows off the couch whenever you're in the room? Why do you growl at your sisters? Why do you dance crazy whenever there's music? Why do you refuse to use silverware? Why do you start your sentences with the word "actually"? Why do you fight taking a nap until you can't stay awake another minute? Why? I guess because you're two! Crazy Mollie...we love you!

Big Girls Don't Cry?

Are you sure? This is the smiley face that we see regularly around our house. Regan has always been a pretty easy-going kid, until now. For some reason she is crying anytime I leave! She cries at Joy School, she cries at Primary, she cries at MOPS, she cries EVERYWHERE! I'm about to pull my hair out...I don't know what to do with her. She says that she just misses me. What do I say to that? She didn't do this when she was little, why would she start now? I'm praying it's a phase and that it will be over soon. We've tried talking to her, disciplining her, and bribing her all with no success. Any advice?

Visitors

We were lucky enough to have Charisse and Carson come to visit for a couple of days, and it was so nice! The girls LOVED having baby Carson here :) Regan felt SO big getting to feed him (she stuck her tongue out with every bite!)

We made some yummy caramel corn...here's the girls watching the popcorn in the air popper.

We didn't do much while they were here, but we did get in a walk to the park in our neighborhood. It was FREEZING but the kids had fun anyways! Thanks for coming Charisse...we enjoyed getting to hang out with you! We miss you already!!

It's Potty Time!

Because of the last couple of weeks being super busy, I have neglected to mention that we no longer have diapers in our house! Mollie has been officially potty trained for over a week...even in the night! Yippee!! After picking out her new "big girl panties" (Hello Kitty), lots of praise, and 2 bags of candy - she was ready to go. It is amazing how my girls will do ANYTHING for a few gummy bears :) For some reason she wouldn't smile for any pictures; she has a mind of her own! Mollie is such a nut and we are so happy she is part of our family!! Love you Mollie Dru!!

"Cute Kitties"

We had a great Halloween! We went to our 4-ward trunk-or-treat where the girls got WAY too much candy and then to a "gathering" at a friends for homemade soups, rolls, and more trick-or-treating. We laughed, ate, and stayed out too late (Thanks Steph and Dave!) The funniest part for us was watching how the girls would literally transform into a real cat when they put on their costume...we had to call them "Kitty" and they would only answer in meows :) They even slept in their costumes, they loved them so much! This morning was like Christmas, dumping out their candy and trading with each other. Hope everyone had a very Happy Halloween!

ps-Yes, Carli DID lose another tooth, on Halloween...she's now missing her two front teeth on the top AND the bottom! We call her the toothless wonder...Christmas pics should look GOOD this year ;)

"Crazy Carvers"

For some reason, these girls go absolutely crazy when they find out we're going to carve pumpkins (it's almost as good as Christmas!) We waited until the Monday RIGHT before Halloween this year, because it's pretty warm still and we would have a big moldy mess if we carved them earlier. We let the girls draw their faces first and then helped them cut them out. SO FUN! The girls gave each pumpkin a name...can you figure out which one is which?

1. Scary face

2. Silly eyes

3. Sarah

"Politically Incorrect"

Last night, our friends had an adult costume party. It was SO much fun! We haven't dressed up in years so it was kinda fun to work together to come up with costumes ideas. In light of it being an election year, we decided on John McCain and Sarah Palin (thanks for the original idea Jill) Personally I think Chad went a little overboard (yes, he really did shave the front part of his head!) and we hope you enjoy the picture. :) Mollie told us, "Mom, you look cute. Dad, you look UGLY!" We had a BLAST!! Great costumes, great food and great company...Thanks Darrin and Darcy!

Caramel Corn

A family tradition in my house growing up was making homemade caramel corn with my Grandma. She has the BEST recipe and I have some great memories of making it with her! I decided to make some caramel corn with the girls for a yummy treat. They thought they were so big helping and stirring. And the best part...eating it! I let the girls sneak a piece while it was still hot because that is one of my favorite memories!

Backyard Roast

For fun this summer, Chad dug a firepit in our backyard. It has been really fun! We decided to enjoy it one more time before it gets too cold. We roasted hot dogs and ate outside. It was nice and we enjoyed being with each other around the fire. We have sure enjoyed Colorado and this great weather! Wish some of you were here to enjoy it with us!!

Halloween Poll

Help! I need some advice. We have been tossing around different costume ideas for weeks and couldn't ever decide. For Family Home Evening on Monday, I told the girls that we HAD to decide that night what they were going to be or I wouldn't have time to make them. Long story short...they want to be the same thing they were last year! So my question is:

Is it cheesy if the girls wore the same costumes they wore last year?

One thing you need to know is that we weren't home for Halloween last year. We went to visit the Munch family in Iowa and went trick or treating in Minnesota, of all places. I'll take advice from whoever wants to share. It's probably not a big thing, but I'm curious what you all think! Thanks!

"Tag You're It!"

I got "tagged" by my friend Katie, so here it goes! (I've never done this before! Kinda fun!)

8 TV Shows I love to watch
1. Life
2.Biggest Loser
3.The Mole
4.The Bachelor
5.Law & Order (any of them)
6.The Office
7.Tonight Show with Jay Leno
8.? (I can't think of anymore...it was hard enough to come up with the ones listed!)

8 Things I did yesterday
1. Volunteered in Carli's class (I like to stay and eat lunch with Carli and her friends in the cafeteria...so cute!)
2. Took Regan to Joy School
3. Waited for the sister missionaries to visit (we are working on our new neighbors!) FYI-the missionaries never showed :(
4. Went to the grocery store with Chad, Regan, and Mollie. WOW, groceries are expensive! Maybe we just eat too much :)
5. Took a card to a lady I visit teach...her mother just passed away
6. Took girls to Sunshine Generation (thanks Jen...you are so awesome!)
7. Made dinner, washed sheets, vacuumed, & played Barbies
8. Parent/Teacher conference for Carli (I know I shouldn't brag, but she is such a good kid!)

8 Favorite places to eat
1.Suehiros (Thanks Sam and Jill! Their sushi is yummy!)
2.Olive Garden (I love to eat there with my sisters and mom...miss you guys!)
3.At home...Chad is a really good cook :) Friends are always welcome!
4.Anything seafood...shrimp, lobster, crab (Just can't get enough)
5.Friends houses (let me explain...we LOVE to hang out with friends. Dinner is the best way to just sit and "chat")
6.My dad's favorite- Chinese/Mongolian Grill
7.?
8.?
*Couldn't think of anymore-Sorry!

8 Things I'm looking forward to
1.Being completely out of debt (Soon, I hope!)
2.Having my complete year supply and 3 month food storage
3.This stupid election to be over with so I don't have to listen to anymore politics! Ugh!
4.A bigger house
5.A new car (and not going into debt for it)
6.A maid (a girl can dream right?)
7.Taking my teenage girls out of school to get lunch and a pedicure (I just can't wait!)
8.Going on a mission with Chad

9 People I tag (I couldn't stop at 8)
1.Jill Dare
2.Charisse Brownlow
3.Angela Longman
4.Miken Harding
5.Stacy Jackson
6.Darcy Case
7.Shiela Munch
8.Sally Torbet
9.Amanda McBride

Happy 4th Birthday Regan!

We love this little girl so much! It's hard to believe that she's already4...time flies when you're having fun! For her birthday we went up to Meeker to spend the weekend with Grandma and Papa Dare before they move :0( We had a fun time going swimming at the rec center and having a little "party" with a butterfly cake, ice cream and presents. All she wanted for her birthday was a butterfly cake and Barbie Mariposa. Happy Birthday Regan! Love ya!

Regan's Joy School Party

To celebrate Regan's 4th birthday, she helped me make a "cupcake cake" for her Joy School friends to enjoy! She LOVED having the day fully devoted to her and having them sing to her. They even had a princess crown with princess cups and napkins :) She is such a girl!

A Proper Intro

Thought I should post something with a little more of an update...Regan is 3 years old. She started Joy School last week and thinks she is so cool! She's such a sweetheart and has been enjoying having a little "mom" time when Carli's at school and Mollie's taking her nap. It's always fun to find out what's in her head...she is SO funny! She is in Sunshine Generation and loves to sing! Her favorite color is pink (big surprise!) and her favorite food is butter and sugar :)

Mollie is crazy! At 2, she is always getting into and onto things. She has a fun little personality but is also full of attitude :) She is usually dirty and stained and her hair doesn't stay combed for more than a couple of minutes. She is super funny...we spend a lot of time disciplining her actions and then laughing around the corner so she can't see us! Her favorite color is yellow and her favorite food is salami.

Carli is now in first grade and at school all day. She is reading and doing extremely well in school. She is involved in Sunshine Generation in addition to soccer and enjoys drawing/writing. She loves to play with friends and spends a lot of time outside (she is SO her father's daughter!) She always stands for what she thinks is right even when she's the only one! We are so proud of her! Her favorite color is pink (another big surprise!) and her favorite food is french toast with syrup.

Chad is staying busy with the business. Hunting season just started so I've become a "hunting widow". He is hoping to get 2 elk this year...keep your fingers crossed! He planted a beautiful garden this year and we've been enjoying it all summer; so have all our neighbors :) He's in the YM presidency so he's had a lot of fun activities with the scouts this summer. His favorite was rafting the Colorado River. He's done a lot of fishing with the girls and has also taken up mountain biking. He's a wonderful husband and father!

I am busy with the usual stuff...playdates, MOPS (a mothering group that I'm part of), Kindermusic, practices/games, cleaning, church, Joy school, etc. I've spent a lot of time canning this summer. So far I've done peaches, tomatoes, pickles, jam, tomato juice, and next week will be apple pie filling. I've had fun making some good friends and spending time with them. It helps so much when you have friends to talk/hangout with!

We've had lots of fun trips and visitors-I'll post a little about our summer trips later. It has been a great summer, but nice to get back to a routine. We'll try to keep you all updated on life here in Colorado! Love you!

Soccer Surprise

I know that we've spent a lot of time talking about teeth at our house, but this morning while Carli was at her soccer game we had another surprise! She lost her other front tooth!! It is still on the field somewhere :) So exciting! All the parents on the sideline got a good laugh as she ran over to me in the middle of the game to tell me that it was missing. She's going to write the Tooth Fairy a letter to explain why she doesn't have her tooth under her pillow. We told her that she would probably understand! Grandma Whiting says that she has to learn the song "All I Want for Christmas" now! Can't wait!!

"Group Fighting"

To preface this story, I have to tell you that Carli has been begging us to sign her up for soccer for atleast 2 years. We decided that we should get her started before she's too old so we signed her up for the fall season...she was really excited! She had her first practice/game and HATED every second of it!! She called it "group fighting"! It was super frustrating to watch because she would just stay on the outskirts of the game and never really play. When she did kick the ball, it was in the wrong direction :) We left the game and decided we had better explain to her how to play soccer. Chad gave her a couple of mini-lessons and her next game was SO much better! She LOVED it and can't wait for her practices and games...Yeah! no more group fighting!

FYI- this is a picture of Carli taking a turn being the goalie :)

Sleepy Surprise

I know this is weird to have for our first post, but it's the most recent event in our family! :) At 3:52am we had a little surprise...Carli woke me up to tell me that she FINALLY lost her tooth! Yeah! She was super excited and couldn't wait for the tooth fairy to come (I told her the tooth fairy had already gone to bed for the night!) We were also surprised, and grateful, that she didn't swallow it in her sleep! We are now waiting for her other front tooth to fall it...it is hanging by a thread and she's too chicken to let Chad pull it out. We'll keep you all updated!