three in...three out

before...



after...

WELL DONE!!!

just don't eat the yellow snow...

Ah, the good old days of playing in the snow. Remember how it took an hour to get all of the different layers of warm clothes on. And by the time you were all dressed you were so sweaty and miserable? Then you were finally ready to go outside and play in the snow for hours....or like twenty minutes before you were so cold that your face felt as numb as Novacaine at the dentist's office? Well the snow days are back...now it is just the second generation. (Oh, and my husband too...he is still a kid at heart.)

We had a fun snow play day at my mom and dad's house a few weeks ago. All of the cousins got their snow gear on and went out for the long haul. They had so much fun having snowball fights and building snowmen. Lyza and Halle loved being chased by the snow monster (a.k.a. Mr. Bull) and burying him in the snow.

Seriously I am so glad I am married to a man who loves to PLAY! No wonder Lyza loves him so much. He is always up for playing with the kids.

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!!...actually just for another month and then I am ready for the sun.

8 months old...how did this happen

So one day I woke up at about 6:00 in the morning, got in the car, went to the hospital, and about 9 long hours later our beautiful 7 pound boy was born....

Then I blinked for ONE SECOND (seriously one second) and he was 8 months old. How did this happen. I guess I am going to have to stop blinking.

I really can't believe how fast my life is going by. I feel like I am on a race track, begging everyone around me to slow down before it is over. However, I am on the race track shouting at the top of my lungs and no one seems to hear me.

Back to the topic at hand...my ever evolving, extremely handsome man in my life. Okay I mean, one of the two men in my life.

Seth has been with us for roughly 248 day now. And I can seriously say that there hasn't been a day that has gone by that I haven't kissed him, loved him, smelled him, kissed his open mouth (I can do that, I am the mother) pinched his cheeks, hands, and nose. Wow, now that I am righting this all out...I kind of feel like I have tortured the boy.

Seth, you are my pure joy. Thank you for all that you bring into our lives...here are a few of the things that happened this last month:

• You developed a love for every door stop in our house.


• You had the ability to get all 4 of your front top teeth to come in at the same time.


• You have perfected your army crawl and getting around the house in record speed.
• You signed your first sign, "More" of course. Good Job Scrubby!


• You were forced to sleep through the night, when mom and dad let you cry when you would wake up. (they didn't want to do it, but they had too)


• If even possible, you became more yummy and lovable then you were any previous month

Seth, it has been 248 days of bliss...Thanks!

girls night out...oh and seth too!

While my sister Sharielle was in town we were able to sneak away for 2 fun nights with just the girls. Our first night was dinner and to hear Kurt Bestor. As we sat at dinner, with no children, we looked around and said...forget Kurt Bestor we could just sit hear and converse for the next 3 hours. But after going to Kurt Bestor we were so glad we did. He had the most amazing violinist there as a guest. She was AMAZING!! I just look at people like that, who have this unimaginable talent, and I am in awe. We had such a great time that night.

Our second night was to see Twilight. We all actually enjoyed the movie because we all had such low expectations going into it. And toward the end of the movie I found myself actually accepting the actor that was playing Edward. He wasn't as perfect and handsome as the Edward that is in my imagination, but he wasn't all that bad.

Getting away and having these girl nights always reminds me of how much I LOVE my sisters. There is just something about them. They are women that I look up too, I want to be like, and that I seriously could laugh for hours with. Every time we are together it is never long enough. We are very lucky to have each other. Such fun times.

it's a pre-school christmas program...

Lyza has loved going to pre-school this year and she has two fantastic teachers at her school. Ms. Kelsey, who is actually in our ward, and Ms. Jennifer. The week before Christmas they put on a Christmas Program packed full of songs about snowflakes, reindeer, and snowmen. And we had a visit from the Jolly Man himself at the end. (Lyza still hasn't warmed up to him yet.)

just dance (part 2)

Here we are at our 2nd Christmas Dance performance for Ly Ly. This was held at Timpview High School with The Dance Club. Lyza started at The Dance Club this year and takes one class a week. Her teacher is Ms. Bethany and I can't say enough good things about her. WE LOVE HER!!! Between Ms. Bethany and Shalice as her teachers Lyza is one lucky girl. We are sad though because Ms. Bethany just had her first little baby (we are actually so happy about that) but she won't be teaching Lyza's class anymore. Lyza will miss her so much, but hopefully we will be able to have her as a teacher again soon. We have been so spoiled having Ms. Bethany as a teacher.

Lyza did SUCH a great job at this performance. She remembered all of her dance and did her dance so well. I have actually posted the video of the dance at the end of this post. Her class was "Jingle Bells." and they were hilarious. The audience did not stop laughing.

Here is Lyza as a Jingle Bell. She loved the "Sparkly Dress" and of course the big bows!!

Lyza's number one fan...Seth (a.k.a. Scrubby) Mr. Bull and I apologize to him all of the time...because this little boy is going to have to sit through his fair share of dance performances, singing recitals, etc. But at least he will be surrounded by darling girls all of his life.

Lyza has such cute girls in her class. She has made some good friends and I have enjoyed getting to know their Mom's as well.

Here is that fan club of family members again. They were all so nice to drive down from Farmington to Orem in a bad snow storm. Now that is LOVE! We love having them with us all of the time. Here is Kelli, Lyza, Halle, and Jaicee.

I had to post this picture because I have 20 pictures like this...of the back of Lyza's head. She was so excited after her performance seeing all of her family that I couldn't get her to stand still for very many pictures. Here is the back of her head with Shalice and baby Ava! But this is a good picture of her hair we had to curl for the performance. Can I say...I am completely jealous of my 3 year old's hair!!!

This picture is so blurry but I had to post it. She is giving "Five" to her Papa Jer. LOVE IT!

These next two pictures I had to post and explain my anxiety. These are pictures of Lyza getting ready for her dance performance. We had to curl her hair and put a little bit of make-up on her. This is the first time I have ever put make-up on my little girl. Even though it was just a little bit of mascara and eye shadow...I really had anxiety about the whole thing. I don't know if it was because it made her look older to me or if I felt a little bit like "Jon Benet Ramsey's" mother? I just kept telling Lyza the entire time..."We only get to put make-up on this one time. You are too little and pretty to wear make-up." She probably thinks she has the craziest mother ever.

All-in-all it turned out great! I guess I just wish I could keep this girl bottled up and little. But no matter how much I fight it...she is going to keep growing up and experiencing life. I hope she has a wonderful life to experience. Full of fun and adventure. But for now...NO MORE MAKE-UP!!

Here is Lyza's Jingle Bell performance. Sorry for the poor quality, the video is taken from my digital camera. Lyza is the 4th girl in from the left!

just dance (part 1)

Lyza had a 2008 Christmas season full of performances. Between 2 Dance Concerts and a Pre-School performance her schedule was jammed packed. Seriously...she is only 3 years old, I can't imagine what her life will be like when she is 15! Yikes....lets not think about that. Anyway, performing on the "Big Dance Stage" is an activity that Lyza LOVES! She always asks me when she gets to go to the Big Dance Stage again. I asked Lyza what her favorite part of dancing on the Big Stage was. She replied, "I love it when mommy and daddy clap SO SO loud."

OOO, Lyza I know what you mean. It is so much fun performing for an audience and seeing /hearing their reaction. You enjoy all of your opportunities to perform on the Big Dance Stage.

Sami, Thomas, Lyza, and Halle

Lyza has the most amazing extended family on both sides of her. She had an audience full of Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins cheering her on at both of her Dance Concerts.

Here is a picture of one of our favorite people. Not only is she an incredible Aunt to Lyza but a fantastic dance teacher. We love you "Shaleeshee"

The only real picture I got of Lyza in this costume...I was struggling as a photographer this Christmas Season!!

Three Christmas's into her life and Lyza is still not so sure about this Jolly Man in the Red Suit. She likes the thought of him giving presents and riding in his sleigh with his reindeer...but up close and personal...she is not quite as excited.

One dance concert down and one left to go. Lyza, I am so glad you have the energy and passion in life to love being involved in fun activities. As always you make Mom and Dad so proud. And we will always be cheering the LOUDEST in the AUDIENCE for you EVERY TIME!!