Christmas Concert at Pathway!

Every year for the last three years...Aubrey sings in her school Christmas Program. I am always completely disappointed...because it is SUPER crowded and I rarely even see her at all. This year was about the same. But maybe because I knew it would be that way...we just enjoyed getting ready and enjoyed the night anyway. I couldn't see Aubrey one bit...but I knew she was up there singing her little heart out.
Aubrey is growing up to be such a sweet girl! I love seeing her be confident and making friends. We ended the night with BLIZZARDs. (Well , the kids did.) I enjoy the Holiday's so much and this was a great way to get it started.

Black Friday.

I didn't step foot into one store today...but it was a good day none the less. The Watkins (Hatch) have a tradition of bowling on Thanksgiving. This year we ended up doing it the day after. We haven't done it for a while but it was a lot of fun! The kids are getting older and really are trying to do it now. Weston was so competitive and kept trying to beat the other team. We lost. Our team was Aubrey, Weston, Maya, Jake and I and Cicily and Spencer and Max rotating between them. I don't know how we lost as a team...because I actually WON! My score was 132... No one really kept score...but I did of course (I wonder where Weston gets that from?)

Anyhoo...it was a fun day. Started out with Brunch and Norm and Sue's house. Lots of goodies...then off the the bowling alley!

Cicily was loving it!

Gotta get a pic in of Mari...hope we get to see her more when we move in closer to town.

Best buds!

Weston being cool as usual.

Thanksgiving!

Let us all give thanks!!! First off our Holiday began a few nights before seeing our old BFF's....The TAYSOMS! I love this family. We met them the first time we moved to Maricopa over 7 years ago. We have been on vacation with them...they came and watched us when Jake and I were on Wheel of Fortune and we have just so many "hangouts" under our belt. It was just like "old times" and the kids got along great. We had pizza (homemade) and spent the evening together. Friends like this are hard to come by and we miss them so much. Now they live in Texas!!!

Anyway...I already have my picture wall up....and I wanted to give thanks again for this. It was like Christmas for me!

Now this is actually Thanksgiving day. It is the 3rd Annual Turkey Trot here in Maricopa. I look silly in this pic...but gotta remember how we got up and ran a mile with the kids. Fun times! It was so cold!!!

Lastly...later that day we actually ended up having Thanksgiving dinner here at our house. I was feeling nostalgic knowing this is the last t-day we will have here in this home. I love and have been grateful for this home since we moved in. I love the space, the layout...the memories...the colors, the neighbors...you name it! So I am grateful we got to spend it here with Grandma and Grandpa Watkins and the Jensen family. We had all the fixings. Cranberry fluff...turkey, gravy, rolls, stuffing (homemade and sooooo yummy) and even a Peterson tradition (the relish tray.) I even made 3 pies and they were absolutely WONDERFUL! Cheesecake pumpkin with a strudel topping...banana cream and homemade caramel and chocolate cream pie! Loved it! We ended dinner with a round of kickball and watching the kids play in the street. Later that night we drove in and spent the night at The Watkins. I think I need another post with pics to show you what we did the next day.

Family Pictures Fall 2010

Warning...lots of pictures to come. I love pictures and want to print my blog someday...so I want them all here!

My good friend Heidi Buckmister took these. I love my kids and honey for "suffering..." through hours of smiling and having fun together. They turned out so cute. I won't even get into how stressed...crazy I am about pics. The truth is I think I am such a visual person...it just means the world for me to SEE my family! I love you guys so much. Thanks for doing this Heidi... I love you for it!

Also...I just want my children to know that I am so glad I was blessed to have them be mine. And of course... thanks for marrying me Jake!

I sure am one lucky lady.

Aubrey's letter to Santa. Smile!

Dear SantaClaus ,

because …w w w wait one second. I forgot to tell you I was sad. Well as YOU KNOW I am sad ,

I am sad because I didn’t get a LETTER FROM YOU.

I really WANTED one because I sent you a wish list a month or two ago.


Aubrey’s Christmas List

.another pillow-pet
.another zhu-zhu pet
.a pack of squinkies
.a squinkies home
.a filled stocking
.a filled Christmas tree
.a dog for the whole family
.a skateboard
.a password journal
.a few packs of ice breakers

Love,
aubrey

I also want to be on your NICE list .

I ALSO want everything I asked for.

But before you leave, I want to tell you I love you.

And I want to tell you I believe in YOU!


Love, Aubrey.

We sure love this girl!!

Spencer Jumping

I wanted this on the slide show...but I am technologically challenged.

Spencer turns two!

Two things here: Sorry about the song (if it offends...Spencer loves it for his HIP HOP.)...Secondly....sorry there is a random pic of me...don't know how it got there...can't figure out how to get rid of it.

Life at our house!

Family Home Evening...went wonderfully this Monday. Daddy brought home a clearance Halloween kit. The kids had so much fun putting it together...then we parents judged it...like on"Challenge and Cake Wars."

Too cheap for school portraits...but she is just too sweet to not document the occasion.

Spencer my boy...has turned from baby to "big boy" over night. He is loving talking now. He will try any word now...and even participated in his first family prayer the other day. Turns two next Tuesday.

Now, Spencer, Jake and I are all sick with colds/flu....so just chilling.

Watkins' First Camping Trip!

So it really is a strange thing that we have never gone camping before. I was raised doing it all the time and Jake and I even went before we were married once....but here we are 9 nine years into marriage and we have NEVER gone! Weird! (that is what Aubrey would say for sure.) So, I think we just keep making excuses...mostly we don't want to drive far and AZ is too hot. So, last year Jake took Weston to a Father and Sons outing at a place called Oak Flat and it really isn't too far...so we were off. I picked up Aubrey around 2pm from school and we went and got Jake from work. I was stressed, cause I did the packing and I NEVER do the packing. (Jake is our packer.) Anyhow, it was a nice ride up and it went off without a hitch. (If you forget Spencer throwing up all over the bedding right around bedtime...I shudder when I think I cleaned all of that up with no water...) So I don't know what to say other than the kids were in absolute HEAVEN!! We had hot dogs and smores for dinner (I had a cooked apple....darn you sugar free goal!) The kids road bikes and hiked. Spencer grew up over night I tell you...and he held in there with the other kids. Here is Jake blowing up the air mattress. Even with it...I struggled in the sleep department...we all did. Hiking...the best part.

My two boys...I just started to cry just looking at this picture. I wish I could freeze time and just stop them from growing. They are so cute right now. I love seeing them wrestle and laugh together.

Smores! Spencer once again...just doing everything we did.

My lover! I am so glad he made us do this...I wanted to back out at the end...but it was worth it!

Cheesy grin...breakfast was eggs and pop tarts.

New Hair

This is for Tina and any others who just might care....my new hair cut and color.