Where did I go???

So, some of you have asked me why I don't blog anymore and it's because I found Facebook. I wish I was more of a blogger, but I'm more of a facebooker, I guess. I write a quick little something under some of my pictures and call it good. I still get on and check out all of your blogs though, so keep it up and keep me on your blogs. I just might come back one day, we'll see!

Happy blogging and for me happy facebooking!

Jill's b-day

My little Chicky baby is one year older. She turned 4 this past weekend.  We had a fun day celebrating her birthday.  I took Jill and 2 of her friends to Build-A-Bear.  It was Jill's first time.  She had fun picking out her bear, giving it a heart and then a air bath.  After that we came back home made and frosted cupcakes and opened presents.  Later that night Curt's family came over to help us celebrate some more.  Needless to say she had a HAPPY birthday!  

Jill is my little princess.  She is dainty, soft spoken and very girly.  She loves lip gloss, her hair curled, her toes painted, and to be accessorized with a necklace and cute shoes!  

Jill waiting patiently for her friends to come over. 

 

Bailey, Jill and Kate all loving their new bears. 
Jill was so EXCITED to get her "skate doll".  
Hope her wish comes true!
Curt and I loving our birthday girl!

Merry Christmas!

Curt and I had fun playing Santa and Mrs. Claus this year.  Dean was so excited for Santa to come that he just couldn't fall asleep.  It was 11:30 before he finally fell asleep.   He was certain he saw out his bedroom window rudolph's nose flashing in the sky.  Oh, the innocence of a child.  I want to hold onto it forever!! 

12:30AM and finally finished setting out Christmas

The fun of Christmas morning and opening presents
Dean excited to fly the air hog Santa brought him
Jill and Kara having a ball playing with their new dollhouse
Curt helping Dean put together some of his Christmas toys

A snow day in Vegas???

That's right!  We had a SNOW DAY on Thursday.  School was cancelled.  The thing that is so funny is that these pictures are from earlier in the week when it really snowed.  

The snowflakes were so pretty to watch fall from outside my windows.  My kids played in the snow for as long as they could stand it.  After they were done I turned the fire on, made hot chocolate and sat by the window and watched the snowflakes fall.  Fun Day!!!

New York

I just got back from spending a week in New York with my mom and sister Amy.   We had an absolute blast taking in all that we could of  New York.   Our first day we went straight to the shopping on Canal Street buying purses, earrings, hats, sunglasses.... Let's just say it was a good shopping day.  We enjoyed seeing a White Christmas, Wicked, The Rocketts and my favorite the Nutcracker!  We hit some of the must eat restaurants like Serendipity and Katz.  Oh, I could go for a frozen hot chocolate right now!  We spent probably 2 days on 5 avenue shopping.  You know how we like to shop :)  It was great to spend time with my mom and sister who I don't see often since she lives so far away. Our husbands were great at being Mr. Mom!  

(for those of you who are wondering who the 4 person is in the pictures. It's my cousin Jane - the dark haired one. She lives in New York and met up with us on her days off from work.)

Frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity, Yum!

The Plaza Hotel
FAO Schwartz 
Midnight snack at Junior's
Excited to see White Christmas

Thanksgiving

We had a fun Thanksgiving at Mimi and Opa's this year.  The food was great, and the company even better!  I haven't been home for 5 months, so it was good to see my family and my 93 year old Grandma.  The kids had fun playing with their cousins.  We did our family tradition of making gingerbread houses and I think we added going to Tea at the Grand America to our traditions.  Jill and her cousin Maren looked so cute as they poured themselves their tea (hot chocolate).   

Dean making his gingerbread house

Jill and me at Tea
Jill holding her tea cup just right with her pinky out. 
Taking a stroll in the court yard of the Grand America
The girls!  (I have to add my dad who LOVES his girls took us to Tea)
Sleep overs are so much fun with our cousins!

Backyard

Before...

And after!

We are so excited to have our backyard complete.  It was a LONG 2 year wait, but we're glad to have it done, especially the kids.  We can't keep them off the tramp.

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Dean...

Curt and I were brave and took Dean and 6 of his friends to the Mini Gran Prix to celebrate his birthday.  The kids had a blast and we did too!  Happy Birthday Deano!!!

Happy Halloween

The night couldn't come soon enough to go trick-or-treating.  My kids were so EXCITED!  Kara was so cute.  She wanted to be right there with all the other kids.   She walked door to door with her little pumpkin holding it out for candy.  All she cared about were the suckers.   Fun night!

Soccer

You know fall is here when you're sending your kids off to school and spending your Saturday afternoons at soccer games.   There's no where else I'd rather be!   

His favorite position is goalie, because he likes to dive for the ball. 

I'll try to catch an action shot of that!
Dean during his warm up before his game.

1st Day of Pre-school

Jill had her first day of pre-school today.  She did GREAT!

Ready to go!

Playing with play dough while waiting for the kids in her class to arrive
Jill with her teacher
Jill with her friend Jenna

San Clemente

 We spent Labor Day weekend in San Clemente with our good friends the Weston's. 

We had to squeeze one last trip in before school started.   

Great way to end the summer!  

Jill spent most of her time either swinging on the swings or sitting in the sand waiting for the next wave to roll in and cover her up.

Dean took up boogie boarding this summer
Jill and Kara couldn't get enough of the swings
Me with my girls having fun running in the sand trying to not let the water get us as it comes in
Dean and Issac working on their sand castle

Dean's First Day!

I had mixed emotions sending Dean off to school.   I started off exicted and looking forward to this day until we walked into the school.  As we were walking down the hall to his class my eyes started to fill up with tears.  I was thinking to myself.  I can't believe I'm sending my boy off to school.   This day has really come!  I fought off my tears as we walked into his class.  He was excited to find friends from our ward in his class and to meet his teacher again.  He found his seat, and made friends with the kids sitting next to him.  He is just so ready for this.  I took a few pictures and stood back and watched him color and interact with his friends.  Again my tears started to cloud my eyes as it hit me again that my baby boy is growing up.   

Dean was very excited for his first day of Kindergarten!

Dean with his teacher Dean excited to find his name and seat
Dean was most excited to ride the bus
Kara trying on Dean's backpack for size.