Thanksgiving in Arizona

I took the kids to Arizona for Thanksgiving this year.  Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday to spend with my family.  For the past two years I have had to miss spending it with them, so this year I was extra excited!  Maybe I love the chaos of the currently 43 people or I love my mom's stuffing and smoked turkey or I love shopping on Black Friday with my mom and sister in laws or its a combination of it all!  The only part that is difficult is traveling by car 653 miles...yes I kept record.  It took us exactly twelve hours from my garage to my parents front door.  It didn't seem that long though, I have to admit it was one of the most peaceful drives I have taken.  Sometimes just to school seems longer than 12 hours!

We stopped at the dam down in Paige and walked around.  The kids thought it was so cool.  Mom, well she was terrified of how far down it was!

 While in Arizona we got to meet 3 nephews and 1 neice that were born during the "Don't go further than two hours away from the hospital" stage of our life.  A couple of the nephews were born just a month ago.  They were so cute!  All my nieces and nephews are cute.  Brandt with baby Carden.

 Odette loves babies and wanted to try and drag Carden around like a doll, but fortunately she settled for kisses. 

 In Arizona the sun was still shining!  It actually was the first time that we had visited that we didn't get burned touching the door handles to the car or feel like we were walking into an oven when we went out the front door.  (If it was this weather year round, I would move in an instant!)  The kids loved a morning of playing at the park.

 Josselyn kept trying to do the monkey bars and would go just out where she couldn't reach and freak out for someone to come and save her.

 Odette did get some sleep in between all the fun activities.  Isn't she so cute sleeping.  What an angel!

 Meeting baby Brad.  I think Odette was figuring out that the babies here weren't like her babies at home in her closet.

 We celebrated my niece, Kaylynn's 14th birthday.  She grew up fast!  We had fun eating out of a trash can lid at some BBQ place (yes I am horrible at names) and doing a little shopping.  We also all got to try out her gift...an ipod that is like the iphone but no phone...see, I can't remember any technical names.  It is way awesome and now I think I have a few people living here that would like one. 

 Then, Uncle Geoffry heated up his hot tub and we went swimming!  Yes, in November while it was snowing a big old blizzard here at home, the kids were having fun like it was summer vacation!!

 Before Odette went swimming we had to try out the long boards the Aunts and Uncle were playing on.  Odette loved it and even figured out how to lay on it and push with her hands to make it move.  Josselyn even tried it out and even though she crashed she still thought it was fun. 

It was one of the "bestest" Thanksgivings ever!  We celebrated two birthdays, blessed two babies, had a family picture done with all the family and no one was crying or throwing up!  (I will post when I get a copy) and ate lots and lots of yummy food!  My mom will always make the best stuffing!  And, well, my family will always be the BESTEST family ever to spend Thanksgiving with!

We are Blessed

Better late than never...

For an FHE before Thanksgiving, we made a thankful tree.

The idea was that every day the kids and I could write down something different that we are thankful for.

However, it didn't exactly work that way.

Once they started thinking about what they were grateful for, they just wanted to keep on writing.

So much so that they were trying to write faster than the other because they needed more than their allotment of leaves.

It was wonderful to me to watch the kids say the things that they are thankful for.

Even if they did seem a little silly, like chap stick.  (Josselyn)

It reminded me that there are plenty of even little things that get overlooked that I should be more grateful for and not take for granted.  I don't think I could live without chap stick!

"But why should we be so thankful when life seems so unfair and not going our way?" they say a few days after they can't write fast enough.

Here are a couple of reasons I told them.  Maybe you have more to add.

• Because "a thankful heart is a happy heart."  We are all much more happy when we are grateful.  And who doesn't want to be happy?
• "Count your many blessings, see what God has done."  I definitely want to see what God has done for me each and every day.
• President Monson's talk teaches us many reasons why we should be grateful.  My favorite, "the Savior gave thanks for what they had-and a miracle followed."  I know that miracles do happen when you are filled with thanksgiving.

We are all blessed.

Each and every day no matter our circumstances we all have much to be grateful for.

Odette turns 2!

Last year I was really bummed to be in the hospital for Odette's first birthday.  I have always loved throwing parties for the kids.  The little bit that I did try and do last year just wasn't so fun since Odette was so very, very sick.  So, this year was a really special party.  We were going to really celebrate!  It was great fun.  We were in Arizona so we got to have the party with my side of the family-we haven't had a birthday party with them since Kathleen was one!  We had cousins, a pinata, presents, balloons with "Mouse" (Mickey mouse is Odettes very favorite character.) and a birthday cake made special for her by her very cool Aunt Heidi!

 Odette couldn't hardly wait to have her turn to hit the pinata.  She had been trying to break it for a couple of weeks by ripping off all the pretty decorations.  Her Uncle Phillip helped her so I could take the picture.  He also spun all the kids around and around and around again!

Some of the kids waiting for their turn or the candy to come out first.

 Odette was so excited--she got tootsie rolls!  One of her now favorite candy that she will attempt to eat, wrapper and all if I can't open it fast enough for her!

 Opening presents.  She was really good at doing this and is now all practiced up for Christmas...in fact she has already started to open those ones!  Guess I gotta hide them for a while longer!

 So excited to see the candles on the cake!  She loved blowing them out and she did it all in one breath!  May all your wishes come true my Odette!

And my favorite part that brought tears to my eyes!  She licked the cake ever so nicely and then proceeded to very neatly take little scoops of frosting off with her fingers and eat it.  She didn't eat or even smash the cake part, but she ate frosting with a smile on her face!  Way better than what occurred last year.  Happy Birthday to my sweet Odette and wishes for many more to come!

Kathleen's Recital

Today was Kathleen's piano recital.

 She was very excited and nervous.

She has been working really hard for a couple of months to memorize her songs.

She did an awesome job!

Celebration!

Today was Odette's birthday celebration with the Hopekids at Classic Fun Center in Sandy.

It was lots of fun for ALL ages and abilities!

We got to have the whole place to ourselves, along with the other Hopekids that were celebrating their birthdays in the month of October, November or December.

(We haven't been to Classic since the last time our cousins Jayce and Alek had their birthday there.)

The kids all enjoyed the BOUNCE ZONE. 

(Even I went on the big slide and bounced.  Sorry no picture, I slid so fast that Brandt just captured an empty slide.)

Odette loved playing in THE JUNGLE.

Josselyn loved riding her scooter, especially when the fun colored lights were on.

However, I think everyone's all time favorite was the BLAST ZONE!

There were soft balls all over the place and many "shooters" to put them in.  The kids were pretty good aim at getting their mother.  Odette just loved that balls were everywhere!

 And what would a birthday party be without cake?

Odette got sung to along with 29 other kids.

She was so excited to blow out her candle and EAT her cake!

What a difference from last year!

Odette also got what most girls love at this age--a baby doll and a stroller to push her in.

What an amazing party!

Thank you Hopekids!

Sour Cream

I wonder if your body will absorb the calories from food if used as a lotion?  In Odette's case I sure hope so.  I think more food is spread on her body at meal time than actually enters her mouth!

So Cute

 Who says that a Bad Hair Day is a bad thing?

I think it is one of the cutest things ever!

 

{I also LOVE when Odette says cheese for her pictures!}

Halloween

Thankfully we had a ward party for Halloween.

At the party, there was a picture booth.

(Thanks Jamie!)

If we wouldn't have gotten pictures there, you wouldn't be able to see the three beautiful fairies, the fairies mother and a clone trooper because there was just too much rain to do much the "real Halloween".

Not to mention, Odette ended up being a cow because she didn't like her tutu.  Even though it was in her color--orange.