Christmas pictures 2010

Zane's painful smile

Loved this truck.

I love profiles.

This is Claire typical look... what a pill!

This ones pretty good except for Zane.

OH MY GOSH.....is that a smile?

Just if Claire was looking!

You know how it goes, you get the outfits all together, get everyone ready, load up the car, get to the location and whammo...nothing goes according to plan. I should first say a shout out to our photographer , Alex. He is dating Melissa and has an enormous talent for such a young chap. He was pretty affordable too. So if you like what you see, let me know and I will pass his number on to you. OK, so Claire fell asleep on our way down to Sedona along the switchbacks and was super cranky when we got there so she didn't smile. Zane did the typical 5 year old grin that is forced and often looks like he is in some sort of pain. Brian's collar was half in and half out and no one noticed...not even me. It was a beautiful location and so many awesome places for great photos. I especially loved the green grass with all the leaves falling down. One lady saw us taking pictures came over and picked up handfuls of leaves and began throwing them on us. It was pretty funny. After it was all over, we went to the Javelina Cantina for dinner. Getting the pictures back made me happy to get a few good ones and realize how important this time is in my life when all my children are with me and how much we all love each other..even if some are more cranky than others!

Happy Birthday Natalie

Natalie's self portrait

When Trenton was born

Serving others during the floods and serving her sister

Being funny AND fashionable at girls camp this past summer

Today is Natalie's 14th birthday. doesn't seem like it was 14 years ago when I had her. It was such a wonderful day to bring her home in San Ramon, Ca and have a little sister for Melissa that looked just like her. Natalie was a BIG baby for me but she was so sweet and good. Really , now that I look back she was probably my easiest. She is a really great girl, full of spirituality (like me) ha ha. She was so emotional the day she was baptized, more than any 8 year old I have ever seen. She makes fun of me for always tearing up at someones talk or a hymn or a video..but she is exactly like me that way! I love how Natalie is so social and friendly to people. She is not judgmental at all and always gives someone the benefit of the doubt. She will share whatever she has with anyone. She looks up to Melissa and is one of those sisters who is always trying to please her. I would've given up a long time ago but not Natalie, she is a people pleaser! I won't get into the things that she needs improvement on because this day is her day so she can be a messy, disorganized bundle of irresponsibility if she wants to! I love her just the way she is and I am so excited that I will be picking her up from school going to get pedicures and lunch and a special night of beauty at Dillard's that I am sure we are going to WIN something! Happy 14th birthday Natalie....I love you with all my heart.

Whats going on

Powder puff football team...Melissa is on right hand side 2nd row

These are the 3 guys in their unitards.

Melissa, Cierra, and Emily

We had Melissa's last football game of the year (more on this later) and it was a little sad I must admit. We have been going to watch her cheer for 4 years now and have seen her grow into this wonderful young lady. She is interested in doing cheer in college too and has recently started taking a class called "flight school" at Summit gymnastics and the owner there said there are a lot of scholarships out there and would love to help Melissa apply for them. So this flight school is where she goes for 2 hours and partner stunts with a couple NAU cheer guys and learns how to stunt with one person rather than a group of girls which is what she is used to. She went last night and said she enjoyed it and was able to do quite a few things. She said a standing back tuck seems impossible now but I know she will "get it"

The football game the other night was kinda crazy when the 4th quarter started 3 Coconino guys came running out in red "unitards" or shall I say "body suits" for Alex, they ran across the field at the NAU dome and one came over to the cheerleaders, picked Melissa up swung her around and then took off for the doors. Then the Flag high principal took off running faster than any 50 year old man I have ever seen and actually caught one, but hurt his knee in the process> poor kid was 18 so they threw his behind in jail for the night (LAME) and Melissa's boyfriend Alex was the one that picked her up and he didn't get caught but they knew who he was so he got reprimanded and was suspended for 3 days. He and his friends wrote apology letters tot he administrations. I stood by Melissa as she was questioned by the police officer and she was honest about it. It really was just kids having fun. No big deal. So we will see if they press charges. Crazy huh?

Just a couple more....

Some of the "ladies"

ALL of us using a timer.

Nice huh?

I forgot to add these pictures of the super fun Halloween party we went to at The Parkers. It was fun to see everyone dressed up in costumes and we had a great time. Brian and I decided to go as "white Trash" and it was pretty funny. I wish I woulda had a better preggo belly but we were short on time since the ward Trunk o Treat was right before this. I even took hair from my hair brush to make fake chest hair for Brian. He had to fix someones heater and so he arrived late to the party. Everyone was making fun that he really wasn't out fixin' a "heater". When he arrived he walked in the house with his fake beer and yelled just like a redneck..."PARTY!" It was hillarious. We had a great time.

ALL Rolled into ONE

I forgot to add this one of Trenton and Zane.

The girls stunting Trenton in the pool.

Grandma and Claire

Trenton's team in a huddle...strategizing I'm sure! He's #22

Melissa cheering....she is 2nd one in from the right.

Getting her 2nd academic letter...way to go!

Zane in front row, tan pants..feet not reaching the ground.

Our pumpkins

These past few weeks have been so busy that I haven't had time to blog. So I'm going to just roll it all into one and post all the happenings in my life. Trenton had his first soccer tournament. His team placed 2nd and he won 2 out of 3 games and played awesome. We spent time at my parents house in Gilbert and enjoyed swimming at the clubhouse.

Melissa was awarded another academic letter at school. She has regional cheer competition at Deer Valley HS this weekend. Zane had a Harvest/Fall presentation in his class. Claire LOVED Halloween and loved saying "trick or treat" and Happy Halloween to everyone she has seen in the last few days.

Natalie got chosen to go to "ALLSTARS" some kind of leadership camp. Her I-touch has been confiscated due to a facebook addiction.

Yesterday I had both Zane and Claire sick with the flu and Melissa with a bad cold. So as I was getting Melissa Advil at the pharmacy counter which you have to do now because of so many crack heads abusing some ingredient in there, Claire began vomiting all down the front of me and herself. The poor lady had to get out the antibacterial wipes to clean off her counter. I then went to the restroom and tried to wash the front of my shirt in the sink but then looked like I was entering a wet t-shirt contest, thank goodness for my large purse which covered the front of me as I was exiting the store. There were about 6 people in line behind me giving me the dirtiest look, like I can control vomit people! Aggh, I hope they all got sick. So that's been my life lately. Exciting huh?