Karlee's First Cheer Competition!!

What a busy day we had yesterday! Karlee had her first cheer competition and, of course, we all had to be there! We packed up and left by 9:30 in the morning...she didn't compete until 12:15 and then the awards weren't done until 2:00! She did amazing and I couldn't be a prouder mommy...she makes my cheerleading exploits look like a joke...it's so fun to watch her!
I put a video of Karlee's routine on You Tube...If you want to watch her in action!!When you watch this clip you will have to watch carefully to keep your eye on Karlee. She starts the routine in the middle, tumbling toward the front. She is at the front center during the jumps and the front center for the basket-toss stunts. Hope that helps! Just copy and paste this address to watch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X1lF6YGo5M

After the competition we decided to head up to Salt Lake and enjoy the lights at Temple Square! We had an early dinner at Applebees and shopped the Gateway for awhile (the lights on the tree there are amazing...they change to the music). We rode Trax (Spencer LOVES the train!) over the Temple Square and enjoyed the choirs and lights. Besides having to find bathrooms about 7 times during the evening (seriously!) it was fabulous! We also witnessed literally 4 engagements happen at the lights within minutes of eachother...apparently not a very unique place to get engaged...so funny!

Thanksgiving Festivities!

Before we headed out for our usual Thanksgiving trip to California...we headed to the bowling alley with the Clarks! Luckily, we had a chance to see Casey and Dave's family before we left! We all had a great time and it was fun to be together and watch the kids bowl like pros!


Just a couple hours after the bowling was done...the car was packed, a bed made on the floor of the van and we started the drive to California. I have to say that taking the kids on these trips has gotten SO much easier the past year!
Our Thanksgiving Day started with our newest tradition...running a Turkey Trot...we did the run in Long Beach this year. The only bummer is that I never get to run it...I have the kids, but everyone that ran had a great time and me and the kids cheered them on at the finish line!


Thanksgiving dinner was delicious, as usual, and we all enjoyed hanging out at Nancy and Bob's house...Spencer and Bristol especially loved dancing with the singing decorations (except when Bristol touched Spencer's singing turkey and he yelled, "Bristol...stop touching my chicken!"). Uncle Bob took Jake and Spencer for a sweet ride in his hot rod too...Spencer could not have been more stoked! Unfortunately, the evening ended with a 911 call to the ambulance. Grandpa Nemrow had to be taken to the hospital with a congestive heart failure episode...he is doing much better now.




The trip was FULL of photography sessions for the family, Brooke's bridal photo shoot, Brooke's bridal shower and family activities...never a dull moment. Jake even took the kids to Scandia (their favorite!!) with Travis and Bristol while I attended the shower. The kids were even great helpers when we did Brooke's pictures at the beach...they loved to hold the flowers inbetween shots! It was a great trip!

Kids Photos

Today I took our family pictures so that I could put together a Christmas card...I decided to use the button on my camera that will let me run into the pictures. I wasn't sure if that would work...but I actually like how they turned out. I don't want to post the pictures I am using on the Christmas card...I want everyone to be surprised...but here are some of the individual photos of the kids...I love these guys! Oh...and I put one of Jake and I on here too...enjoy!

Singer Extraordinaire!

Today was the ward Primary Program during sacrament meeting. Rylee was assigned to sing a solo during one of the songs. She had practiced quite a bit. Daddy was nervous that she would try to sing opera-style (she has a tendency to do that at home) and Mom was just nervous that she would be too nervous. But Rylee rose to the occasion. She sang like an angel, it was sweet and beautiful...I cried like a baby and could hardly contain my tears for the rest of church. I am so proud of her. I don't know why I ever worry about my kids in these situations...so far, they have always fought the nerves and done great! Of course, once we got home and I told her I wanted a picture of her singing...it was back to good old crazy Rylee...got to love her!

Spooky Halloween Weather!

This Halloween we had a great time dressing up...the kids each picked their own costumes...Spencer was very excited to be a monkey (so appropriate, don't you think?), Audree wanted to be a beautiful fairy with wings, Rylee (I am sure you couldn't guess...) wanted to be a witch and Karlee wanted to be Cinderella (the Cinderella wedding dress was on sale, so that's what we went with and she was very excited about wearing Mommy's veil). Jake and I decided to go with a Nacho Libre theme...and Jake's mustache was probably my favorite thing about the whole night!




About 30 seconds after we took these pictures (literally!) a crazy, tornado-like, hail storm came tearing through the city! We had to wait awhile to start the trick-or-treating. Jake took the kids out in the van for the first little while until the storm calmed down, then they finished trick-or-treating in the traditional manner...freezing cold walking! They all enjoyed a fresh batch of hot cocoa when they arrived back home!


I think it's pretty cool that here in good old Utah when Halloween falls on a Sunday...everyone just automatically celebrates (including trick-or-treating) on Saturday. It was great not to feel like we had to choose between keeping the Sabbath and celebrating! Even thought the weather would have been a LOT better, everyone just did the Saturday thing, no questions asked, I love it!

What is Bubba up to??

Spencer is my favorite age right now...3 years old! I think they are SO funny and sweet at this age! This morning he ran into our bedroom excitedly yelling, "It's my birthday!"...here's the story. A few months ago he asked when his birthday was and I told him it would be when there was snow. Last night we got our first dusting of snow and this morning the lawn was covered. He woke up, saw snow outside, and figured out it was his birthday. He was pretty bummed when we told him it wasn't his birthday...although, we're thinking maybe we should just celebrate his birthday at the first snowfall every year since his Dec. 18th birthday is such a bummer. Hmmm..I'll have to let you know about that!


Yesterday Spencer drew his first self-portrait. He was very proud of himself! He came in to show it to me and with tons of enthusiasm explained,"Here is my eyes, this is my bellybutton, and these are some rocks!" pointing to the circles within the circle. I couldn't help but be very excited for him and give him a huge hug! I simply love this guy!


OH, Rylee actually did this self-portrait first (the one that inspired Spencer's). She is so funny too...my favorite thing she said this week was..."Hey Mom, the mountains look like a pile of muddy buddies". Muddy Buddies are those chex cereal treats you make with chocolate and peanut butter and then coat with powdered sugar...the mountains were dusted with snow that day. Only my Rylee would make that observation...food is such an important part of her life...especially food covered in powdered sugar!

Pumpkin Patch!

It's a family tradition to head out to the local pumpkin patch and pick out our pumpkins every year...the kids watch the pumpkins grow all summer (as we drive down the road) and get really excited when the patch opens up! We have been SO busy lately, but found an evening to head out between dinner and cheer class. The kids love to pick pumpkins, but they also love the hay piles, maze and corn kernal pit. It's beginning to feel like Fall around here!