Mrs. President?

Kate is so outgoing--I love it.  I think by the time I hit her age I was soooo shy.  I think it hit me right before Kindergarten.  So this year in her class they had an election for class president.  I don't know that the class president got to do anything more special then the rest of the kids, but she wanted to run.  She made her own posters and thought of her own slogans and even came up with the idea of passing kisses out to the kids.  Unfortunatly she didn't win, but I am so proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone and going for it.  Way to go Kate--keep it up!

Pre-School Sledding

finally gets to use his Christmas present

with buddy Cole

Since we have not had any snow, it was really fun to take Zach on his field trip up the canyon.  There was a ton of snow and he just loved sledding! 

Where's the snow?

We have had the dryest winter this season.  I think since winter started we have had two days of real snow.  So of course the first time we had any accumulation of snow the kids were dying to go sledding.  It was pitiful  with each ride down the tiny hill (the only hill with snow left) the sleds would take what ever snow was there.  Eventually leaving nothing.  Maybe the weather will make up for it next winter--although I am not going to lie it has been nice :)

Christmas 2011

It was another wonderful Christmas!  We had a quite week before and then the week after Christmas was filled with lots of extended family time.  We had both sides of the family all in town.  (I was really bad at taking pictures--something I will change in 2012) It was crazy, but really great to have everyone around!  Wish they could all be here all year round!

Waiting to see what Santa brought!

American Girl Doll Salon Chair/Accesories and a pink DSi

PS3

Cars2 race track

Lego Ninjago Fire Temple

Luke is "10"

We have another double digit in our family!  I always feel like Luke's birthday just gets jumbled up with the Christmas busyness.  I try really hard to make sure he feels special and not just another Christmas thing to check off the list.  I am so glad he has made some good friends already since our move.  We invited them over for a "Fun" night.  We played Just Dance on the Wii and some Minute to Win It games and pizza and cake.  I didn't make it real scheduled--it was fun for them just to hang out and go crazy.  Happy Birthday Luke!

December Fun

I love that the kids have programs that really get the Christmas season started! 

Zach's (and our family's) last Pre-School Christmas program.  I can't believe we are half way done with our last year of preschool--how does it happen?

 Kate had a dance recital.  The program was called "What Christmas Means to Me"  and she danced to "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree".  She remembered the whole dance and had a great smile the whole time!  Way to go Kate!

Halloween 2011

I love "homemade" halloween's!  I made everyone's costume except for Zach's.  I probably could of made Zach's but we found a good deal on his costume--so it saved me some time! 

Kate--Bride of Frankenstein, Zach--Skeleton

Luke--Skeleton

Austin--Bank Robber

Since we moved away from our first neighborhood we have made it a tradition to spend Halloween with the Wells.  We have dinner and let the kids go trick or treating!  It has been a lot of fun!

The spooky crew

Kate and Mia

Halloween instagram

Happy Halloween!!

back to school 2011

Summer went way to fast--as usual.  I really wasn't ready to go back--maybe I was just not ready for all the homework that comes with it!  But the night before school starting, we had a family dinner.  I just wanted to talk about what goals they had for themselves in the new school year.  I think they enjoyed the special fuss that was made for their back to school dinner. 

poor zach--there was no preschool sign--good thing he can't read--yet!

The kids have been real troopers--better then their mommy.  We have gone back and forth between the two local elementary schools.  In 2008 we changed schools, then in 2010 we went back to our old elementary and then in 2011 we changed back to the other one.  I know it's crazy, but we are settled now and have no plans of changing for a long time--or maybe ever.  



I cried the other day taking them to school because this is the last year I will have my 3 oldest in the same school--and probably the last year I will really take Austin everyday to school.  He will be demoted graduating to riding the bus to Junior High!

end of summer

For our last hooray--my parents took the kids to the Alpine Slides in Park City.  I remember going there when we would come up from Texas to visit my grandparents.  It was one of my favorite traditions.

The kids were a little freaked out by the ski lift--as you can tell we don't ski in the winter!  Ha Ha!  I was making the lift tilt because Kate and I were on the same end--Austin was not to happy about that.  As long as the bar was down everyone was a little more at ease though.

It is so pretty in the mountains--I think I really take that for granted.

Being the nice mommy I am--I followed Kate down the slow track--and she was going slow.  But I think it was not out of fear for her going slow--I think she could barely push the lever down to make herself go faster.  But it really was a lot of fun!

Of course the little rides before you got onto the slide caught the eyes of my kids!  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for a fun day in Park City!

kate's 7th birthday

Kate turned 7 this summer! I had been drawn to the hot pink and black color scheme for some kind of a party--so I thought it was perfect for a "Barbie" Party!  Kate really likes barbies (OK and I admit I love barbies as well) so it was a perfect fit! 

I have always loved to make the invitations, but when I came across these at Target I thought they were perfect.

I was so nervous to make the doll cake.  I was inspired and cheered on by my friend Morgan (who is ultra talented).  Mine was not even close to hers I am sure, but like another friend told me--nothing that a little frosting can't cover up! (and a little vintage streamer).  So I think it turned out cute--especially for never making one before. 

Kate loves to pose for the camera--as you can tell.  She also loves to dress up in old prom dresses.  Luckily my mom saved all my old homecoming/prom dresses.  We combined those with some dresses that my mother in law purchased at DI and we had a fashion show/photo booth.  (more pics to come).  Our other activity was a finger nail painting station!  In all shades of pink of course! 

We kept all of the dresses in the front room and labeled it "Barbie's Closet"

It was so fun to have all these girls running around!  She got barbie gifts galore of course!!  So fun!