It's About Time!

Well, as you can see, Karlee lost her front tooth last night! That tooth has been loose since last April! I am not joking, I have had to feel how loose it is (at Karlee's request) every day for 9 months! I'm as relieved as she is that it finally came out! Jake and Kars had been trying to pull it out for days...but finally Jake just took her to Grandpa Clark's house...he is the tooth-pulling master! One little tug and it was out! Doesn't my little girl look all grown-up??? Thanks Grandpa!!

Close Call...

Here are the results of Audree's attempt at "decorating" the other day. All the girls like to pretend to "decorate" all the time by draping ribbons around the house on doorknobs, drawers, windowsills...etc. So, as I was getting dressed the other day I suddenly heard a loud bang. Audree started crying and so I ran into Spencer's room and saw this, as well as, black up the wall. I asked Audree what she was thinking and what had happend. She replied, "I was just decorating!" I noticed my silver necklace (half burned) laying on the floor next to the nightlight plugged into the wall. It became clear what had happend...she tried to drape the necklace around the nightlight that was plugged in and set off a nice spark. Anyways, luckily Jake has done a fabulous job on our electrical and besides having to replace the plug and cover...no harm done...Audree was fine too, no burns or anything.

P.S. I haven't had a chance to mention that we finally (after months of late nights and hard work) finished our basement!! It is so nice down there and we are so excited to have a nice place to send the kids to play! Hooray!

Queen of the Dance!

Audree had her Christmas dance recital last night. She did such a great job...no fear, big smiles, and she knew the dances so well! I cheered her on with tears in my eyes...I don't know why I get so choked up when I watch my kids do stuff like that...but I was so proud of her and I knew how much she was loving it! She was so excited that Dad, Aunt Brookie,her big sisters and little Bubba were there for her! Most of all...she LOVED wearing the ballerina outfit and make-up! She is such a little prima donna! Work it, Audree!

Our's Is the Real One!!

Last night we took the kids to visit Santa at the mall. Rylee was wondering how there can be Santa's at all the malls when there is only one Santa. We talked about how he has helpers...but you never know where the "real" one is! Well, after we talked to "our" Santa...we were throughly convinced that "ours" was the "real" one!! After all, we concluded...he wore bells and his beard was very real! Most importantly we gave him our lists, which Mom made us limit to 4 things, and we made sure to tell him how good we have been (most of the time). By the way...Spencer doesn't seem quite so convinced about the authenticity of our Santa in the picture...but I think he'll come around!

My baby is 2!!!

Well, his "real" birthday is the 18th...but we celebrated a couple days early this year! He really is getting bigger and talking like crazy! His favorite things to say right now are "Christmas Tree", "Hi, Santa", "binky" and "love you". He is just the studliest kid!!

We had planned to just get him a small truck for his birthday since it's so close to Christmas and he is still so young. We took him with us to Wal-Mart when we went to get the truck...with a small (fist-sized) truck in the cart, we suddenly noticed him playing with something a bit bigger...and he was LOVING it!! We just couldn't disappoint him...so the fist-sized truck wen back on the shelf and THIS came home with us...

He is a very happy little 2-year old and hasn't stopped pushing this thing around the house yet! I didn't think you could spoil a boy the way you can a girl...I was wrong...very wrong! Those adorable eyes and big smile get me everytime!

It was a very fun evening...we had quite a crowd of Clark's over for soup and rolls...thanks to Holly and Judy for helping with veggies and cake!! After all the birthday festivities we headed to the Spanish Fork drive-thru lights. Those of us who dared hoped in the back of Jim's truck. There were 7 kids, Jake and I, Candice and her friend, Doug. We piled in under a load of blankets and snuggled as close as possible. It was 17 degrees outside...but you would be surprised how warm it stayed under the blankets!! Our faces were frozen with smiles when we finished driving thru it the 2nd time! That excursion will have to be an annual tradition! Happy Birthday, Bub-a Bub!!

We Never Really Change...

Just when I think Rylee might start to grow out of her LOVE for dressing up...she proves me wrong. This is how I found her after lunch the other day. I guess we never really change...I am thinking that watching her dress herself as a teenager could be entertaining and frightening! She really is so creative and thinks pieces of scrap paper, left over strings and random items she finds on the ground are "treasures"...she will put them together to make the most interesting things...which means I am always running out of glue, tape and paper!!! Audree is also into dressing up...but only in dresses, nothing quite a crazy as Rylee. What fun it is to live with Rylee!!!

California Turkey Day!

Alright...so I have been SO bad at keeping up the blog the last couple weeks! Then we went on a trip to California for Thanksgiving and I didn't take a single picture of all the fun things we did...I needed a photo break!! Sometimes I feel like I have to be the photographer on our vacations instead of the Mom...so this trip I just left the camera in the bag!

Luckily, Shanna brought the camera for our trip to Magic Mountain! I tried to surprise Jake with a day at his absolute favorite place ( I am NOT a good secret keeper!)...so we went without the kids and had a BLAST! My mom and dad and Katie (Travis's wife) watched the kids while Blair, Shanna, Brooke, Travis, Jake and I went on a big date! It was really fun to be together and everyone besides me loved the roller coasters too...I took some Dramimine that wasn't very effective...so I was on the verge of throwing up most of the day!!

We also took the kids bowling with Aunt Brooke one day! They love to bowl...and we practice our patience as their balls move approx. 2 mph down the lane!! I won the big bowl-a-thon and have taken many an opportunity to remind Jake of this ever since!!

Turkey day was a great one! My orange rolls (an absolute MUST for every Thanksgiving) turned out pretty well this year and the food was perfect! Thanksgiving really is one of my favorite holidays!!! Perhaps it is my obsession with food...but I like to think it's just getting together with the family!

We made a quick trip to the beach where Jake taught the kids to louer the seagulls with bread and then try to hit them with foam balls...they never got close, but we got some disturbed looks from a couple watching them!!

I also went to Katie's baby shower...her and Travis are having a baby girl in January!! We can't wait to meet Bristol Ann Nemrow!! While we were gone, Jake's sister, Sarah had her baby too!! Welcome to the world Sadie Groneman...we can hardly wait to meet you!!!

It was a quick and crazy busy trip...but going to California for Thanksgiving is one of my favorite things...now we are back and I am trying to get started on Christmas preparations!