Now the Update without Pictures

The month of November (and the beginning of December)was absolutely crazy...Connor was the captain of the National Academic League Team for the junior high. They had practice everyday after school and games twice a week. In addition, he was on two indoor soccer teams at two different places. Add all that with young mens and school work and family life...equals crazy! Cheyenne also made the volleyball team...she also had practice after school and games twice a week. She also adds in homework, family life and babysitting! For me of course equals more crazy-her practice went an hour later than Connor's, so I had to make a separate trip to the school to pick her up. Sierra has taken a break from gymnastics-if for no other reason we can't get her there all the time. She has continued her piano though and actually has a recital tonight! She always has a ton of homework-her teacher says in prep for junior high-WHATEVER! Boston always has his homework done before he reaches home...it works out nicely, he can play with Joran! Annicha has also done wonderful in school and is very good about her homework and reading. The three at the elementary school have put up with a lot! I've had to check them out early on many occasions to attend the away games of Connor and Cheyenne...or babysit while I take Connor to indoor games...The youngest two have been dragged everywhere...games, errands, shopping and everywhere!

We had a yummy Thanksgiving at my parents...Lisa and I did the cooking and the shopping the next morning of course. The cousins loved playing together and can't wait until next time... How can I forget the BYU vs. Utah win...we loved the game! Thanks to Jeff's parents for joining us...it was a disjointed game because Connor had and indoor game right in the middle...but we watched it all and are still wearing the smile!

A milestone was made in our family...Connor got his drivers permit the day before Thanksgiving...Here in Utah you are able to get your permit at 15...and Connor turned 15 in September. How sad is it that he had to wait that long because he had no time??? The licensing department is only open 4 days a week 7-4. Connor is never home during those hours so we had to wait until he had a day off school...crazy! He has been driving a couple times with Jeff, who says he is doing great!
Cheyenne is trying out for a comp volleyball team tonight (during Sierra's recital of course), but only after Connor's indoor game...I guess it hasn't let up as much as I thought!

Hopefully after tonight I'll have some more pictures to add, so this doesn't become a novel...in the meantime-you can check out our attempt at pictures in our house...too dark and cold when we are all home together...we're doing more, but not until after Christmas.

Maren's Hair Cut

As I have been doing Maren's hair lately, I have found it kind of scraggly. She has a lot of naturla curl in her hair, but I think the length was weighing it down so it didn't look as cute anymore.

this is a picture of her before...


Here is another picture before...she has this weird concept of a smile when we ask her to...


Getting ready...the under layer was so much longer than the top...



The first snip...sorry these are so blurry...I wasn't the picture taker...


Here is Maren after her fit to wear the Barney cape (that is what we call it)...this is after she is all done of course...


Here is our sweetie after she is all done...she now has a bob....it shrinks up a lot from her hair being curly...we took off a good 4 inches or so...

Ye Faithful Followers

Oh ye faithful followers of my blog...I am so sorry for the delay in posting...life has been crazy and I feel like I need to get the pictures on or my blog isn't as fun. This is just a teaser to keep you interested until later today when I can actually get this blog up to date...hopefully! Don't give up the faith-there is more happening to come, I promise!

Maren's Christmas Shopping

It was getting close to bedtime Sunday night. I went up to put Maren to bed and this is what I found...she was sitting in our bed with a toy catalog that had come in the paper that day (the paper was on the end of our bed). She was upstairs all alone, but she was saying outloud...I want this and this, Oh! this is cute I want this too....she kept going on and on. She would turn the page and start again, but rarely using the same words...who knew she could do this at age 2! What are we in for when she is older????

Her showing me different things on different pages!

I found it amusing she skipped all the boy toys and went to the pink pages!

Halloween Dinner and Trick or Treaters

Before trick or treating I always try and have the kids eat something...pizza that looks like a pumpkin usually works.


Here is Maren as Elmo...she loves Elmo!

Joran is Batman...some days he tells us," I'm not Joran, I'm Batman!"

Here is Annicha our cowgirl...you can see her cute boots a couple pictures down.

Boston is our knight this year

Sierra opted for Hippie this year

Cheyenne and Connor went to a party the night before Halloween...it is a Magic Tournament...which is a card game...they dress up like people from the cards...here is Cheyenne dressed like one of the evil women...check out those fish nets!


Here is Connor's outfit for the Magic Tournament...I can't remember the name of his guy, but everyone there knew just who he was.


Since Connor is a Student Body Officer, he had to dress up for school...this is his costume for school...we got an extra kick out of this one since he is the captain of the National Academic League team this year.


Halloween night there was a stake dance...Connor's "friend" Kalli, was going as a princess so he dressed up as a prince...


While Connor was dancing the night away Jeff took this crew trick or treating. Cheyenne took Sierra and one of her friends trick or treating and met up with our friends son who was taking his brothers trick or treating...that left me and the animals to answer the door!

I just realized you can't see Annicha's cute boots in any of the pictures...so sad...black roper boots...so CUTE!

Pumpkins 2009

We grew our pumpkins in our garden this year...here we are going out to pick them...Maren goes first since she is youngest...

Here she is

Here is Joran with his big pumpkin.


Annicha wanted a big one as well.

Boston

Sierra

Cheyenne


Connor with the last two...we tried to keep the number down so we weren't over run with pumpkins



The weather was pretty nice on Halloween, so we cleaned and carved out in the back yard this year. Here's Maren before she realized pumpkin guts were slimy...


Here she is after asking for us to wash her off...


Joran had a great time and did his all by himself. (His shirt says,"Handsome is and understatement". We all agree...he is so stinkin' cute!)


Annicha dug right in...then she would flip the goo all over everything when she pulled out her hands...


Boston cleaning his pumpkin


Sierra doing hers...


Cheyenne making faces...it's her theme lately.


Here are some pictures of the finished jack 0' lanterns...you might notice that each lid is cut in a different shape so the lids don't get mixed up for the different pumpkins...that was Jeff's idea. He also cuts the designs with a jig saw...much faster and neat...the kids get tired of trying to cut theirs so are happy to draw the design and have dad cut it with the saw.
In case you are wondering, Connor decided not to carve his so that is why he isn't in any of these pictures...

From top to bottom: Maren's, Joran's, Annicha's and Boston's


These are Cheyenne and Sierra's


All of the pumpkins


Close up of Cheyenne's cat


Sierra's spider



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Family Pictures from Pumpkin Walk

Here are our children at the Pumpkin Walk...they look so thrilled because we have done the walk and taken all the pictures and now it is drizzling and getting cold...they were good sports and did one more picture for Mom.


Maren as Cinderella


Me and Jeff goofing as Sleeping Beauty and the Prince ( I was not going to lay in the mud to take this picture!)

Joran flying a plane...he still talks about this picture!

Joran as Yoda

Joran as Bob the Builders...he was checking out his outfit right when I took the picture

Connor as Harry Potter- the glasses were hooked onto the plywood!

Connor as Cinderella????

Boston as Harry Potter

Annicha wanted to try Harry as well

Annicha as Ariel


They had a lot of fun doing these...my bigger girls were helping Joran and Maren so that is why they weren't in the pictures...thanks girls :0