Coloring and Reading

We had a fun time coloring animals and our hands the other day

Whenever Zoey comes over, the cushions to the couch always come off and we either sit or lay down and read books.

Our 2007 Christmas Vacation

The Saturday before Christmas we made a quick trip to Las Vegas to visit some of Dan's family. We stayed until Monday afternoon and then went up to Delta until the 26th. On Sunday Quinan got sick and was throwing up all day. So the girls didn't really get to play with him much, but they still had fun. It was good to see everyone, even if it was for a very short time. Ropers--Thanks for letting us stay with you guys!
We stopped in St. George to visit my Grammy. It was so good to see her and My Aunt and Uncle. The girls had a blast riding Aunt Pam's scooter. They fought over whose turn it was and then so Aunt Pam just started to give them rides together. They cried when we had to leave. I love them all so much and am very grateful for them.
About 30 minutes outside of Delta we hit a snowstorm and so it took us a little longer to get home, but we made it safe and sound. I felt bad for Ryan and Ali. It took them 3 hours to get there, when it should only take 1 1/2 hrs. As soon as everyone was together, Papa read the Bible story and then we opened Christmas Eve presents. I forgot to get the girls some PJ's, but I had got them robes and slippers. So they wore the PJ's that they got last year. They fit them tons better this year even though they are 12-18 mo pajamas.




Christmas Day was good, but very very long. We woke up and had breakfast and then we opened presents. After all that, there was the fighting and yelling and not sharing. Image 4 kids under the age of 2 trying to play with everything with no naps. You can imagine how that was! We watched a movie, ate some dinner, played a game, had dessert and then everyone started to take off. We left the following afternoon.

It was a great Christmas this year and I am so grateful to live close to family to share these memories with. Dan--thank you for all the things you got me. You are an awesome husband!

Scarlett Scarlett Scarlett!

What am I going to do with my little Scarlett? You are totally out of control! :) You are 2! For lunch today you had a hot dog with ketchup. After lunch you decided to use that ketchup for much prettier purposes. Thanks for your beautiful artwork on the walls and on Zoey!

...One year older and wiser too???

It is always wierd to have a birthday and become one year older. I turned 28 yesterday, but I don't feel like I should be that old yet. I feel like I should still be in my early 20's or something. I am 2 years from being 30. That is pretty crazy! Although, the other day, this guy that I work with thought that I was 22 or 23. I try to take that as a compliment, because I know that when I do get old, I will really wish that I was younger. :)
My friend Sarah asked me if I had done the things that I wanted to do by the time I was this age, but as sad as it is, I didn't really have any goals set for myself. I have started my family and I think that when I was younger, that was pretty much the only thing that I really wanted. Now I don't want you to get me wrong, having a family is a big deal, and I love mine so very much, but what do I want? Where do I want to go? How do I want to raise my family? Do I laugh enough? Do I help my family or the community? What should I do for Dan to make him the happiest husband ever? I think like many people in this world, I just kinda cruise by. I don't take the time to evaluate my life and think of the things that I need or even want to do. When I am with my little girls, they make things so simple. I try to be patient and be like them, because they take in EVERYTHING! They love to learn and laugh and be crazy. Life is so short and yet I take for granted that I am going to wake up in the morning and be there with my family. I guess I need to breath and slow down. I need to be more happy. I need to tell people that I love them. I need to not be so scared of life in general.


Am I crazy for thinking about all this stuff because I turned 28? I don't know, but it can't hurt!

Then.....Now.......

Kids grow up so incredibly fast. I remember bringing my girls home from the hospital when they weren't quite 4 lbs---now they are at least 23 lbs. It seems to go by in a blink of an eye. Where has all the time gone? Although it is a little sad to see them grow so fast, they are such a joy (on their good days!). They can do and try to do so many things every day. It amazes me at how much they know and remember. Here are a couple of pictures to show everyone how different they are. The first one is the day they were born (I look like crap, but who wouldn't after 12+ hours of labor and staying up until 5 in the morning). The second was just a couple of days ago. They sometimes like to be held like little babies, so Dan wrapped them up and I held them like I used to.

Winter is here...

Yesterday it snowed pretty much all day. It was awesome! We took the girls outside for a bit and Dan helped them make a tiny snowman. Sorry--it is kinda hard to see it.

The girls are so different, Hawley was walking all over and playing in the snow. Loving every minute of it.....

Scarlett on the other hand would just stand in one place and not move. She hated every minute that she was outside. What is weird is that the last time it snowed (in September) she absolutely loved playing in the snow. The only thing we can think of, is that she can somehow remember falling into the fire pit and associates that with snow. We don't know, but she hates it now. In the picture she was crying.

My Favorite Girls!!!!

I love this picture, it is so cute and funny of the girls--just lounging. (I think that they are watching Mulan.) They make my life so fun and interesting. I love them so much!

Trans Siberian Orchestra

Dan bought me tickets this year to go see the Trans Siberian Orchestra. We have wanted to go for a long time and we were finally able to go see them. We found out over Thanksgiving that Ryan and Ali were also going to see them and they were even in the same section that we were in. So we all drove up together, ate at some Sports Grill in the Gateway, and went to see the exciting show.
It is amazing how talented those people are. I have always wanted to play instruments the way they do, but I know that I don't have the perseverance for it. So for now, I'm good with going to see amazing people play amazing music. It is a very incredible show and I will definitely be going again!!!

P.S. I don't have the pics yet, so I will have to put them up later.

Giving Thanks...

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband! He does so much for me and the girls. I love when we go to Delta and he always has to take a nap. This time when he was taking a nap Oakley kept waking him up to tell him what was going on. Finally when she was told to leave him alone, she covered him with a table runner, because 'he was cold'.

I am thankful for my girls. They keep me on my toes all the time and make me see things that I might not normally see. They are the cutest girls around and make life so much better!

My family members are also something that I am very thankful for. They are very crazy, insane, and fun. They know how to drive me crazy, but they also make me so happy. I know that I would never be the same person without them. I guess that makes me a little crazy, insane, and fun huh!?!

I am very very grateful that we live so close to my family. I know that when we move, I am going to have a really hard time with it. I'm thankful that Dan and my family get along, so that we are able to come visit as much as we do. Family means so much to me and I am sad that we aren't able to see Dan's family as much. I am grateful for them as well. I'm grateful for the ones that we live by and get to see more often than the others.

I have so much more that I am thankful for, but it would take forever to write everything. I love everyone and thank you all for everything!!!

Daddy

Scarlett loves doing whatever her Daddy does. She always looks so cute with the way that she copies him and wants to be with him all the time.

In this picture, Dan was attempting to take a nap and the girls wanted to lay with him. They all have so much fun together. Dan is such a wonderful Dad and the girls love him so much. I am so grateful for all the things that I have in my life. I have been blessed beyond my imagination!