Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

My kids were talking just the other day about how they really wanted to have a white Christmas. In their opinion it would be a better Christmas with snow. Well, I think that their wish came true.

Brad and I shoveled the driveway four different times today while Luke and Trista played in the piles that were slowing getting larger along the edges of the driveway and Brooke and Kennedi made their first, very own "dirty" snowman. They called it "dirty" because they dug into the flower beds and rubbed dirt all over the front of their snowman.



Luke, sitting in his snow chair, I think it's great that he loves snow so much. He is always begging someone to please come outside and watch him play in the snow.



Brooke and Kennedi with their "dirty " snowman.

I am not a huge snow lover, but I do love the way Christmas lights shine from under the snow, and everything looks so peaceful. On the way to a party someone in the car commented how the neighborhoods looked like a fairy tale, I couldn't have agreed more.

Dancing In December

So this December has been full of fun dancing oppertunities for all of my girls. Let's start with the Nutcracker. Brooke and Trista had the chance to perform at Thanksgiving Point last Monday and Tuesday. Although it was a ton of work for them to learn the dances, they really enjoyed the end product. Brooke had two parts, that of a Bon Bon, and also a soldier. Trista got to play the part of a mouse which was not a part that she would care to have again. The Saturday before the Thanksgiving Point performances parts of the Nutcracker were shown at BYU in the ballroom.

Brooke and Zoe backstage getting ready to perform at BYU. Isn't she just the cutest? She loves to wear her hair in ringlets. Brooke is such a beatiful girl, I love it when she is doing something that she loves because her eyes sparkle and her smile shines.



This is Brooke dancing the part of the Bon Bon at BYU.



Brooke and Trista in their soldier and mouse costumes. I never thought I would say this about a mouse, but I think that this is the cutest one that I have ever seen.



Kennedi's Ballet class had a cute performance in the studio at Center Stage,



And just last night she performed her Jazz number for the parents and friends and family. She was supposed to perform at the Covey Art Center a few weeks ago, but that got canceled due to unsafe dancing conditions.

Kennedi is the one in the front of the picture, not wearing her glasses. Maybe we are just proud parents, but Brad and I both agreed that Kennedi was the best in the group.



We are proud of all of our girls, and their love of dancing. Way to go girls, we love you.

And I had to throw in that we saw Santa at our ward Christmas Party. Brooke is getting to old to sit on Santa's lap. or so she says. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

I have to tell you that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas. Brad would say it's because I have an excuse to go shopping, but I would say that's not the only reason. I love the lights, the music, the trees, I even love wrapping paper. Something about red and green and silver and sometimes, depending on how it is used, blue.

In our family I am the one dragging out the Christmas tree and setting it up the day after Thanksgiving. For the last two or three years I have been bugging Brad about getting a newer, bigger tree. One that has lots a bushy branches. I got the okay this year but when got to looking there wasn't anything out there that I really liked. I have in my head the picture of a perfect tree and nothing out there matched. Brad suggested that we try a real tree instead, and for some reason I got really excited. I went looking with the kids at a place called North Pole Trees. They found one, and I agreed that it was a great looking tree. We brought it home and set it up, and I am hoping that it will last until Christmas with some green branches left. But I have to say, I LOVE the smell!

Brooke's Photos

Brooke got her pictures taken (also by Casey J.) on her birthday. We haven't had to much luck with school pictures so we usually get them taken by someone else. She looks so grown up in these pictures. Love you Brooke!!

Our Family Photos

Thanks for taking our pictures Casay!

So, Brooke's birthday came and went with a bang!! She wanted to have a friend party this year so we invited 11 of her "closest friends" over to celebrate with her. As her guests were arriving the girls had fun pairing up and painting each others nails, and applying spider tattoos to each other.



After the tattoos, the girls became glamour witches for the evening. They each received a witches hat and a hot pink and black boa (boas are fun, but even now weeks later I am still finding pink and black feathers around the house).



After the picture, the girls watched Twitches the movie while eating pizza and having a pillow fight. I know it sounds weird but these girls could not sit still for more than two minutes and they all wanted to pillow fight.

Brooke has really great friends. I am greatful that we live in a neighborhood with so many girls Brooke's age.

We love having Brooke in our family and although at times she likes to act like the mom and I have to reign her in she is a wonderful girl. She always includes her sisters, even when her friends are over. She is willing to help with house work without to much complaining, and she is polite to others and respectful. She works hard at her school work so she can receive good grades and she likes soccer and loves ballet. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKE!!!


AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

This year I decided that we were not going to buy costumes from the store. We were going to put together costumes from around the house and use pieces from costumes that we have used in the past. Boy was that a joke. Brooke needed a new one because she had grown so much in the last year that she didn't fit in anything here, and the same with Luke, he was to big for last years costume and doesn't really have anyone to borrow from. Kennedi wanted to be a bee (Brooke's costume from last year) which work out great when I found these great black and yellow leg warmers and Trista wanted to be a witch (Kennedi's from last year) until I found and made her be Alice, from Alice in Wonderland, which isn't my favortie movie, I just thought the costume was really cute. So my intentions were good, but in the end I ended up buying three new costumes for my kids. Oh well, I guess we'll try again next year.

And I wanted to put this picture on because I think it is so cute. This is what happens when you send a tired kid to the bathroom by himself and then forget he is there.

Sorry Luke :(

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORRAIN!!


I Love You


(this is brad by the way, in case you thought it was weird that lorrain needed self affirmation)