Christmas 2011

December was busy as usual, but we wouldn't have it any other way!!!

Warner and his best bud Rion singing at the bank.  They got to put a ornament on the tree and then sing up on the house top!  What a fun tradition the school does.  

Abbi had fun at her school Christmas party.  What a cute reindeer she makes!!

And Sophie was moms stay at home helper elf!!  We had a wonderful Christmas.  Spent time with family and friends.....we wouldn't have it any other way!

When there was snow :)

Warner couldn't hardly wait for the snow to fall.  He'd been waiting all year to ride his Kitty Cat!

He could ride this for hours in the back yard if we had the snow.  Hopefully he won't out grow it by next year!  He loves it!  This year they would tie the sled to the back and he'd pull Abbi around the yard.  At one point we thought she was sleeping in her sled.  Nope, she was just enjoying the ride!!

Abbi's all ready, just waiting for Warner to come and pick her up!  Ryan let Abbi actually try driving it this year.  She took off and went straight for the tree.  It's just fast enough that Ryan couldn't catch them!!  She didn't want to try again :(  Maybe next year!!

Annual Christmas tree hunt

What would the Christmas season be like if we didn't go risk our lives to find the perfect tree?  This year we figured we'd leave the snowmobiles home due to lack of snow.  But the higher we went the more snow we ran into.  Since Joe has the only truck to get through this kind of snow the boys dropped us off and we let the kids play in the snow.  Abbi, Syd and Sophie enjoying the snow!!

Warner decided to stay behind with us girls.  The last time he went tree hunting with the boys he came back exhausted!!!  He made the right choice!!!

Check out Oakleys sweater Denice made him.  I'm telling you this dog is the most spoiled dog I know!!!  My kids think it's our turn for Oakley to be ours.  Since she's been Lynzies, Peggy's and now Joes dog.   It's our turn :)

All the kiddos rolling around in the snow!!!  They were just excited to see snow!!!  Sophie, Andie, Syd, Warner and Abbi!

Grandpa and Grandma!!!  They are the reason for this fun family tradition!!!  

We went to the zoo!

Like I said we took advantage of the warm fall days!!  The kids had a day off of school so we decided to head to the zoo to meet up with our cousins.  Along with the rest of the state!!!  It was a fun time.  I forgot my camera, so these few cell phone pictures will have to do!  Warner wanted pictures everywhere we went.  He knew December was coming and that means he gets to do his birthday poster at school!  So needless to say he was posing everywhere we went!!

I just loved this picture of Abbi with her hair cut her brother gave her!  Never want to forget this!  She wears the pixie cut so well :)

And of course who doesn't get their picture with the apes!!!  A fun time was had by all!!

And that it was...a Happy Halloween

Sophie the Cheerleader, Syd the cat, Abbi her favorite, Pink-a-licious!!  And Warner as Darth Vader!!  They filled their sacks full of sugar and had a great time doing it!!!!

Halloween Happenings

Halloween came and it went....but will not be forgotten!  It was a warm fall this year and we surely took advantage of it!  Here is Abbi and her friends Ivy and Boston getting ready to go through the corn maze!

 And who could possible be behind that mask!!!  Warner is!  He and Rilee are ready to see if they can make their way through the maze!

 The corn maze wouldn't be complete with out our BYU cheerleader climbing up the hay!!!  Go SOPHIE!

 And who doesn't like to play to play in a pile of corn!

 Jump in the Hay!

 Rilee was at the top with Sophie to take her down.  On the count of three lets go Sophie.  One, two, wait...Sophie's gone!!!

 Lets roll Warner around the farm!

 And finally,the train ride!!!  What a wonderful time all the mamma's and kiddos had!!

Atta girl!

Abbi is so not my girl! She loves to get dirty, play with bugs, she doesn't mind getting a shot at the Dr.s....she's just a brave little girl. The other day we picked Warner and his friend up from school. As we were walking into the house the boys were screaming like little girls.....there was a bee on the door step. Abbi walked right up, and with her big boggs stomped on the bee!!! Walked to the door, and told the boys not to worry she killed it! Oh, how I love this girl. She is such a quiet crack up.

Preschool Pumpkin Patch adventures!

For being a fairly warm October, the day the preschool went to the pumpkin patch was FREEZING! That didn't stop these cute kiddos from going to pick out their perfect pumpkin! Abbi could hardly wait for this day to come!!! There all loaded and ready to take a ride out to the pumpkin field!! I love this picture of Abbi! This smile is what you get when you ask her to smile. It's not the most natural smile a kid could have, but I love it! It's who she is!

After searching long and hard I think Abbi finally found the perfect pumpkin!

She even found a baby one for her little sister!!! We ended up leaving Sophie at the babysitters because it was just to dang cold!

Abbi just loves her little friend Ivy! Such cuties!

26.2 for the first time!!

The big day FINALLY came!!! Ryan ran the St. George Marathon!!! Whoot whoot! Couldn't be more proud of him. He trained long and hard for this race, and did awesome! I'll admit, I cried, just a little!!! I was so relieved to see him running in. I mean 26.2 miles is a long way to run. The kids were so excited to see their dad running! Most of all to hold their sign up high!!! They worked hard on this little puppy!!
It was fun to have a lot of family there to support him!! The Waybrant family got their just in time to watch him run in, and help me with the kiddos!!

My good friend Sara even came to the finish line!! Love this girl!!!

Ryan's parents, and his brother Ty were there for the long haul too! It was pretty awesome to have most of Ryan's family there to support him.

The best part for Ryan.....icing his legs and eating Popsicles with the kiddos!!

Way to go Ryan!!! Hope to be out there running 26.2 with you someday!!

Getting ready for the marathon!!

As time was getting closer to the St. George Marathon the kids and I thought we should make dad a sign! Sophie was just thrilled to play in finger paints! We put on the grubby clothes and headed out back! They loved mixing all the paint in their hands and then slapping it on the poster! Abbi wore her paint shirt for a couple of days! She kept pulling it out of the hamper wanting to paint some more!

Warner wrote every one's names on the poster for his dad. I was pretty impressed! He would ask me how to spell the names and away he went! We didn't get a picture of the final product!!! You'll have to wait until race day to see it ;)

Mile fun run??

During Homecoming week the cross country team put on a race for all the schools. When they sent the letter home and I read it to Warner, there was no way he was going to miss it. He wanted to run a race like his dad!!! His dad had been training for the St. George Marathon, so there had been lots of running going on around here! Warner and his friend Bregan on the bus ride to their start line!

I'll admit it.....I followed the bus to the start line, and followed the crowd as far as I could go. If I had 4 wheel drive I may have taken the trail too! After all the 1 mile run we did this summer was a disaster, so I was nervous for my little guy. Right as the trail started he tripped and fell down. I knew he would come and get in with me, but he proved me wrong. He got up and kept on running!!! Go buddy!

On your marks.......get set.........and RUN

I was so proud of him for finishing. Bregan brother waited for both Warner and Breagan as they were the last ones running in. I was so relieved. I thought I was going to have to chase up the trail with the little girls in hand. But, once again Warner proved me wrong. He finished and that's all I could ask for. There weren't many kindergartners that came out for the run. He deserved a medal just for that!!!!

It's all about the STICK!

The first day of school Abbi was in charge of bringing the snack. Thanks to Pinterest we whipped these easy babies up! The kids loved eating Trix on a stick! Heck who doesn't like to eat from a stick! Warner was so excited there were some left over so he could have a after school snack!!
It was such an exhausting day for Abbi. This school thing is new for her!!!
And Warner was exhausted too!!! After his first week of kindergarten he was tuckered!! And no picture of Sophie, but she was asleep in her crib. This was the day a miracle happened. All three napping at the same time! Ahhhhhhhh!!! Momma loved this afternoon!!

Sophie's day of FIRSTS!

With all the "Firsts" going on around here Sophie was feeling a little down. Until.......her big day finally came! We signed her up for a toddler dance class and this girl LOVES it! She was so excited and is still excited to go to dance. She wears her dance clothes on Abbi's dance day and also her dance day. She won't take them off!! Look at her....she is so excited and ready to go!

She was all smiles getting into the van! I have to admit so was I!!! Just seeing her so excited put a smile on my face. It's these small little things that matter!

She insisted on having her own back pack like the other kiddos. Here she goes with her little slippers in her large back pack!


Not the best picture, but couldn't you just squeeze those little cheeks!!!

Abbis first day of Preschool!

Abbi was BEYOND excited for school to start...or "gool" as she would say it!!!! She put on her larger than life Hello Kitty back pack and was ready to go!! Love this girl!!

We found her chair right away!!!

Abbi with Mrs. Jenny! She absolutely loves Mrs. Jenny! Even though she looks scared to death she was so excited. This is just Abbi's look!!!

And to top her day off she found out she gets to sit by her friend Ivy! Such cute girls!!