Random photo shoot pics

We went to Bonnie Park to take our Christmas card pictures. It was a beautiful, chilly day. Here are some of the extra photos that we took. Stay tuned to see the chosen Christmas card picture. It will be much closer to Christmas. (I haven't even designed the card yet!)

Pictures for our frames

We have frames on a shelf in our downstairs bathroom that say, "the girls!" and "the boys!" and they are on either side of a big "FAMILY" stand up thing. (I am sure that is the technical term) I got them about a year ago with grand intentions of taking a picture of THE GIRLS and THE BOYS. Well.....we finally did it!!
TA DA!! (Now to print them and get them IN THE FRAMES!!)

Kenzi dressed herself!

As I was doing my hair the other morning, Kenzi walked into the bathroom DRESSED! She had her MATCHING outfit almost on! Her sweet little pink shirt was on backwards and....
she ALMOST got those britches up over the diaper hump!

A pie for no occasion:)

I have been in baking mood, so I surprised Scott and made his favorite cherry pie:)

WOO HOO!!

Kristie got a letter this week that said she was accepted into National Honor Society!!!!  Go Kristie!!!

Camryn

Last Sunday we tried on Camryn's baptism dress and took some pictures.  It was a beautiful sunny day and I wanted some pictures in front of our burning bush.  Guess what?   Our bush wasn't burning!  Our neighbor's, the Gallas, had a beautiful burning bush or two so we tiptoed over to their house and took some pictures. Thanks Gallas!  Camryn let me put her curled hair up POOFY like I like it, and then we took some with her hair down like she likes it.  Thanks Camryn:)  She will turn eight on Tuesday, November 3rd and then be baptized on Friday, November 6th.  Exciting!!

Sunrise

Check out the sunrise that Carson encountered on the way to the bus stop the other morning!

Olive Garden

We had lunch at Olive Garden last Saturday. As always, after we eat our mints, we have to make something out of the wrapper. Then the server has to choose which one she likes best:) Here are the entries: At the top is my cup (a cootie catcher gone bad), then Carson and Callahan's airplanes, below that is Camryn's house and last, Kristie's "Y" for none other than... BYU!! Scott's creation is in the picture below. He made a hat for Ollie the Olive. Guess which one the server picked?! MINE! (She must have thought I was paying the bill.) Then after we paid, she brought us MORE mints! We couldn't do another round of creating though, it was naptime:)

Homecoming

Kyle and Danielle went to Homecoming with friends last weekend:)

Sponge Bob

Kenzi was playing in the sink with one of those sponge-things on a handle that you put the soap in the handle part.  You know, the ones that when the sponge part gets gross, you take it off and replace it with a new sponge.  Well, anyhow, I was in the playroom and Camryn was in the family room and Kenzi was in kitchen, when all of a sudden Kenzi yells, "MY SPONGEBOB CAME OFF!!!"  Camryn and I come running, look in the sink and see the sponge part in the drain. We just started cracking up!  We totally got the giggles!  Her sponge(bob) came off!

P.S. For those of you who think I let my kids watch Spongebob, I don't!  But I DO buy Spongebob Macaroni and Cheese, so THAT'S why she knows good ole' SpongeBob!

Puzzles

The puzzle is finished!  Camryn and Scott started this puzzle last week, and it has sat on our counter unfinished until today!!  The main reason is went unfinished is that they wouldn't let anyone else help.  Do you know how difficult it is to walk by a puzzle all week and NOT try to put a piece in???  Camryn has always been so good at puzzles.  She can whip through a 100 piece puzzle in no time.  The next level of pieces is 500.  That takes too long, so I found 2 puzzles on the internet, a 250 piece one and this one which is 350 pieces.  Those are much more doable in a short amount of time:)

It's General Conference Weekend!!

We love the first weekend in October and April.  That is when our church holds it's General Conference. On Saturday and Sunday, from noon-2pm and 4-6pm they broadcast talks from Salt Lake City.  We get to hear our prophet, President Monson, President of our church, speak along with many of the 12 apostles and General Authorities.  It is the most uplifting, wonderful weekend ever!  It is broadcast on the BYU channel, which is 374 on our Direct TV.  We love making a bunch of munchies and gathering in the family room to listen to to conference.  We are having a brunch this morning before it starts.  Sausage casserole, sticky buns, muffins, etc.  YUM! 

Vanilla Ice Concert

Kyle was in the business of booking concerts for about the last year and a half.  He was able to get Vanilla Ice to perform here in Cleveland.  This was the night of the concert.  Scott got to talk to Vanilla Ice for awhile before the concert and thought he was a really nice guy. 

Everytime the girls would start going crazy over him on stage, Vanilla Ice would start chanting FAMILY! FAMILY! to remind them and himself that he is happily married with a FAMILY!

Kenzi's prayer

On Friday, we got home from Callahan's birthday party late and so we gathered in the kitchen for a quick prayer before bed.  I asked Kenzi to say it.  She just repeats after me.  Here's how it went:

Mom-Say, Dear Heavenly Father...."

Kenzi-(eyes squished shut and arms folded) Dear Heavenly Father...

Mom-Thank you for Callahan.

Kenzi-Thank you for my treat bag!

Mom-(trying NOT to laugh)  Thank you for my family.

Kenzi-Thank you for Cal's party!

At this point we had to end the prayer because we were all cracking up!  Apparently, Kenzi doesn't need to repeat after me anymore.  She knows exactly what she is thankful for!!

Callahan's 11th birthday

Like Callahan's birthday cake???  He would MUCH rather have Krispy Kreme doughnuts than cake!  Works for me!
We went to Lazer Extreme to play Lazer Tag with some of Callahan's friends on his birthday, September 25, 2009.  Kenzi considers these boys her brothers!  And I think it is nice to have 10 big brothers to protect her!!  Callahan and his friend, Nick kept trying to get Kenzi to say Nick's name.  She had refused to say it for days.  She kept saying, "I can't" and so they would bug her to say it again and again.  Finally, she looks at me quite exasperated, and says, "Mom, I can't say Nick!"
Kenzi calls Callahan her buddy.  She just adores him.  (I think the feeling is mutual!)

Happy 11th Birthday Callahan!  We love you!

Design Star

For Kristie's birthday last year, she became our Design Star winner.  She was given the task to redecorate our kids' bathroom.  Well, we are finally getting around to it.  Here is the before picture, and you will have to stay tuned for the after picture cuz we are not quite done yet!!!

Football....with Callahan #21

Callahan's biggest fan!

Stampin' Up! Cincinnati Regional

Julie, Linda, Stephanie and I went to the Cincinnati Regional on Friday, September 11th.  We drove to Becky Kittaka's, a fellow demonstrator's house in Piketon, Ohio, had a shoebox swap (where you put all the supplies needed to make a card in a shoebox type container and then everyone makes everyone else's cards) and slept over.  We were up at 6:30am ready to drive to Cincinnati the next day:)  We met our friends, Mary Sue and Sharon and Linda there too.  It was such a fun day!  Stampin' Up! always puts on fabulous meetings...full of ideas, samples, classes, swaps and make and takes too!

Football

Carson is number 14.  We spend our Wednesdays watching the Center Middle School football games.  Little stressful to watch, but fun!  We have had beautiful weather for the games up until this week which was cold and rainy:(

Ho Hos

Have you ever wanted to peel and unwrap a HoHo?  We had HoHos for our family home evening treat the other night and this is what one looks like peeled and unwrapped.  Personally, I don't have time for that, I eat my HoHos whole and my Oreos together, not unscrewed!!  I guess I am just a together gal!

This is what Kenzi's cute little HoHo face looks like!

Another milestone....

We put the little kids to bed and had a shaving lesson.  Scott told me to grab the camera, and off we went!  Carson is such a fun kid.  He is such a joy!  You have to admit that is a pretty cool picture with Scott and Carson and the mirrors....right?

Playin'

I just love when my kids play together:)  Kenzi is just SURE she is old enough to play all the games the big kids play!  They are good about including her:)

Just Clownin' Around with friends!

Addy and Kenzi play so nicely together:)
So do Camryn and Sydnee.  They are not in the same class this year, so they are missing each other:(  It was good to have a playdate!
I couldn't resist throwing this picture in!  I love that cute face!  I love how happy Kenz is!