Tyler's Polar Express Performance

This year Tyler's Christmas performance at school was The Polar Express. Several of the kids had reading parts from the movie and they sang most of the songs mixed with other Christmas songs. I loved it when they sang "When Christmas comes to Town." I don't know if that's the official song, but it is such a beautiful song and they did such a great job. It's so amazing to me how Tyler will hide on stage at church and not sing any words and just give a sour look, but at school he is right up front singing loudly and doing all the actions. I think he is so confident because they practice every day at school and he knows all the words and actions. This is a clue to me that I need to somehow make sure he knows the songs in the Primary program.

Shaking the bells during "Jingle Bells"

His little buddy was embarrassed when people were clapping. He was trying to hide on Tyler.

After the performance I got to go help in Tyler's class with their breakfast. This is something that makes Tyler so proud. I don't get to go into the classroom because siblings are not allowed to be in there and I don't really have anyone to watch the other boys. This was such a special day because Trent was able to stay home after the performance for another hour so I could go do this. They had pancakes, egg casserole, bacon, sausage and juice. Their teacher does such a good job!

November 2009

November 2009

The middle of November brought Tyler's last baseball game. Yay!! It was getting cold and I was seriously tired of baseball 3 nights a week at the age of 6! Don't get me wrong I love it that he likes it and is improving every week, but it's a long season with 2 other kids bored to death at these outings. Now, as I write this in January Spring sign-ups are upon us :)

Our little Cael is an absolute trooper at these games. This is how he acts almost the entire game. Smiley, laughing...

and winking at us.

Thanksgiving in Tucson

This is the best I could get from these 3 :)

Cute cousin Kalee
I love taking pictures of here, she always smiles so cute for me.

Oh, how Trent loves the one Holiday photo!

Nick and Rebecca

Alana playing the piano for all of us.

Cousin Cason having trouble...

Cason's 1st Birthday

I just love spending time with these guys. I was very fortunate to marry into a family where my sister in laws are my friends. We are blessed to be in the category of "not normal" when it comes to our relationships. Whenever we get together it is truly fun and happiness instead of arguing and drama like I hear it is in many families. I have always been so grateful for this wonderful dynamic! These cousins are the BEST of friends!

Poor little Cael and his winter breathing problems :(
He was such a trooper during the time we had to do these breathing treatments.

Twilight: New Moon

I can't believe that my 100th post on my blog is about New Moon. I was hoping it would be something more meaningful, but here goes. This post is dedicated to my friend Sandy who especially loves reading movie reviews about teen angst written by adult women :)

This year it ended up just being my friend Laura and I because certain people had their priorities all messed up. For some reason they thought that entertaining family, getting ready for family vacation or living in Idaho was more important than buying movie tickets a week early and standing in a line outside a theater for a teen drama for an hour and a half. What is wrong with them? We still had fun though!

I don't even know if I should write this because I know I am going to come under extreme FIRE for how I felt about this movie. I think I may slowly be losing my friend Amy over my extreme disgust for Edward Cullen :) I was as excited as the next girl for the movie and I really wanted to LOVE it, but...I just liked it. I don't know if it was the hype or the fact that we know so much by reading the books and there is no element of surprise. Or even that New Moon really was my least favorite of the series as I think it was most people's. I am not sure. But, I am pretty sure the main reason is because I just really don't like the main characters that are cast. I just really can't stand Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. They just bug the crud out of me. I just wanted to shake it out of them when they stuttered and dramatically paused throughout the entire Twilight movie. I will admit that those parts of their acting were about 90% better in this one. They did get better. But, they are still not fantastic actors and they still bugged me. I have watched too many of their entertainment interviews and watched them not be able to answer a question or speak with any intelligence whatsoever. The entire time they interview they are swaying and stuttering and saying really dumb things. Half the time I think they are both probably high. So, sorry girls, they bug me. I also think that these films just leave you wanting things more developed. There just wasn't enough in the scenes for me.
The brooding dark vampire with pasty white skin just grossed me out too. I did, however enjoy the Jacob storyline and scenes. No, I don't want Bella with Jacob, I think he is WAY too good for her. I can't wait until the end when we get to see his story gain closure. My favorite book was Eclipse and it all comes together in Breaking Dawn. I have high hopes for both of these. I hope the acting can continue to get better and that I will LOVE both of them and not just like them.

Living with Nathan the Destructible

Ok, so living with boys these types of little things happen every day. But, lately I cannot keep Nathan from being destructive. The funny thing is that whenever I find him with these things done and he gets in trouble he looks at me and says, "Mom, I Sho Shorry I did that."

I wish I had taken a picture of the dresser he pulled down on top of himself because he was trying to get his chapstick out of the top drawer.

After I had cleaned up their room for the day...

Finger painting by himself (he was supposed to be in bed napping, snuck down quietly.)

Too much curiosity.

Bed Head

I think someone needs a haircut :)

Halloween 2009

Obi Won Kenobi, Darth Vader and Clone Trooper Captain Rex

I had to show so many pictures because this is SO what it is like when trying to just get ONE good picture of my boys. Nathan is such a character!