27 September 2008

My computer is being exceptionally slow tonight, so I guess I'll be short. As soon as I download photos from Denni's computer, I'll post pics from the second annual Project Read Spelling Bee tonight--it was awesome! I'm pretty glad it's over, however.

Check out these cute pics of Connor helping me weed. He loves tomatoes, so he picked one himself:

Then he tasted it:

Then he went back to playing in the dirt:

And loving it:

We going "no cost" on Halloween costumes this year. Aspen borrowed this darling pink poodle costume from a neighbor, but now she wants to be a ghost. We'll see how convincing mommy can be before then.


I got to go to a "Ladies Night Out" for Foster Care this week. It was wonderful, and much needed. We got massages, ate chocolate, and won prizes (like a jumbo pizza from Pier 49 that was great to feed my family tonight). Check out all these amazing women who are saving the world one foster child at a time:

Fall Soccer

Well, I found the pictures of Devin playing soccer . . . there were 96 from one game (no, that's not a typo--96 photos). I told Dennis he should be the official team photographer. Check out these action shots:


Devin has some of the most beautiful, delicate footwork you've ever seen (he didn't get that from me!):


Can you see the beads of sweat? He was working hard!

Team huddle . . . good game!

We opted not to pay a million (or $10) bucks for official photos:

Devin's friend Payton is on the team as well:

That means our friends the Dolan's come to games as well, and boy do the girls have fun!

There's a park right by the field where they can play before the game starts:

Cute Macie!

Jamie is quite the gymnast!


Heading to the field for game time:

The best of friends:

Mom is a thinker & brought yummy treats:

The blanket is way more fun to wrap up in:

Melissa & Macie:


The next generation of soccer:

Ward Ice Cream Social & Water Party

A few weeks ago we had a ward ice cream social/water party. Somehow one of our photo cards was misplaced and I just found it and downloaded pics . . . so here they are (and yes, we were all there, but Dennis was behind the camera, and Shaylee & Devin no longer "hang out" with mom & dad at these functions--they were off with friends).

Who needs a double stroller?

FHE

We have been having a monthly Family Home Evening with some of Dennis' family, so my family decided to get in on the act. We now have a Brown FHE on the first Monday of the month, and a Pearson FHE on the third Monday of the month. Tonight was our first "official" Pearson FHE, and it was tons of fun. Grandma & Grandpa Pearson came down with Aunt Breezy & Great Grandma Burnett. They brought yummy lasagna and we had salad and homemade breadsticks and zucchini/squash and pineapple. Then we learned about Jesus blessing the children, sang songs, read scriptures, and then came the fun stuff.

We made Grandpa & Grandma feel "old" by sitting them down on our love seat and videotaping them talking about their life. What fun! Even I learned some things I didn't know (and Breezy was shocked that her parents were alive during the Civil Rights Movement and could actually remember Martin Luther King, Jr. giving his "I have a dream . . ." speech).

Then, we had to burn out the tree stump in our front yard, so Dennis has been digging about it, and drilling holes in it, and pouring lighter fluid in it, and then lit coals on it tonight. We roasted marshmallows and ate s'mores, and then we had a yummy (rich) chocolate truffle. Whoa!

What fun--we can't wait until next month!

Congratulations!

CONGRATULATIONS SETH! My cute baby brother (aka "shorty"--of course the only one in the family to top 6') called me tonight to tell me that he's engaged to Taely. They've been dating for quite some time, and now it's official. They plan to be married in the Salt Lake Temple sometime next May. We're excited for you buddy!

Tagged

20 years ago.....
I was 9 years old.
I was in 5th grade with Mrs. Tengastal (aka Mrs. T.). We thought her husband would be "Mr. T," you know who I'm talking about, but he was not--short, fat, with glasses!
I danced (ballet & tap) and of course, played the piano.

10 years ago.....
I started my junior year at BYU.
I had just returned from a semester in the Dominican Republic and was a bridesmaid (for the first time) at my roommate Aislinn's wedding in San Antonio.
I was living with some of my best friends and having the time of my life.

5 years ago....
Finished my graduate work at BYU. Yeah!
Dennis and I celebrated our 4th anniversary.
We got to travel whenever we wanted and did a lot of it (Japan, DC, Champaign to visit Shelly & help on her house, North Carolina).
I worked full time for Project Read (in the office).
Dennis was still working full time for Barber Bros. in finance.

3 years ago....
Shaylee & Devin were baptized & moved back to our house, permanently.
Aspen was born.
I started working part-time for Project Read from home.
Dennis was still at Barber Bros. as a sales manager.

1 year ago...
We took an amazing family trip to New York & Kirtland (including a church history tour, the Hill Cumorah Pageant, and NYC).
Connor was born.
Shaylee was in 8th grade & Devin was in 5th grade.
Aspen enjoyed play group & hanging with mom.
Dennis was working as a marketing rep for Fireside Bank.

This Year....
Dennis was laid off & decided to pursue his dream of eventually owning his own business (became an independent insurance agent with InsureRight & Federal Financial).
Aspen in preschool! Loves to dance, read, sing, and cook.
Devin in 6th grade! Loves soccer, basketball, running, and video games.
Shaylee in 9th grade--high school credit! Loves to dance, read, clean (that's right, clean) and hang with friends.
Dennis and I will celebrate 9 years!
Big plans for a Disney cruise over Thanksgiving (thanks to Dennis' parents!).

Yesterday...
Aspen had preschool. Kids went to school.
Connor did not nap well.
Worked 4.5 hours.
Cleaned house, cleaned out & organized pantry.
Two loads of laundry (washed, folded, & put away).
Spaghetti for dinner.
Played with friends (thanks Melissa for letting us come over!).
"Date" with Dennis to the grocery store.

Today...
Weaning Connor (no more morning feeding, poor boy!).
Devin's soccer game (blowout--7 to 1). Devin scored the first goal.
Weeding! Lots of it.
Bike riding, playing outside.
Clean house.
Update blog.
BYU football.
Grilled cheese & soup for dinner.
Make casserole for tomorrow.

Tomorrow....
Church--Maren's baby blessing.
Family get together after church (waffle bar, yum!).
Alicia & Jonathan come over to decide on wedding photos for book.
Standards Night with Shaylee.

Next Year....
Alaskan cruise (I know I'm dreaming, but I want it).
Healthy kids.
Dennis' job will have picked up and will be enough to support our family.

13 September 2008

So as many of you have noticed, it's been almost a month since my last post. Sorry! It's been a little insane (but good) since school started. We've obviously been getting "back in a routine," and it's working really well for us, but by the end of the day I'm often so exhausted that I just drop into bed rather than hop on the computer to blog or something.

So what is this fun schedule, you ask, that is keeping me crazy and running throughout the week? Well let's give a brief rundown . . .

Every morning we are up between 6 & 6:30 a.m. I feed Connor & make breakfast while Shaylee & Devin get ready for school. We then have scripture study from 7:30 a.m. and then the kids are off to school around 7:35 a.m. Then I shower & get ready before Aspen gets up at 8 a.m. (sometimes sooner). We get her ready for preschool MWF or dance on Tuesday or babysitter on Thursday while I head to work. Aspen goes to preschool at 9 & Connor naps while I get the house picked up, laundry started, and a couple hours of work done. Aspen is home at 11:30 a.m. and we usually head to the park for a half hour before lunch. We have lunch around noon and then it's nap time/quiet time at 1 p.m. I work until the older kids get home between 2:30 & 3 p.m. Then we hear about their day, help with homework, have reading time, etc. Then we have afternoon activities before I get dinner ready and we prepare for the evening. Monday is of course FHE, Devin has soccer on Tuesday and Dennis often has planning commission, Shaylee has YW & Devin has scouts on Wednesday, Shaylee has dance on Thursday, and Friday is open. Soccer games Saturday morning, yard work & house cleaning (and these days an afternoon of BYU Football, but don't bring it up with Dennis because it hasn't been on TV for two weeks in a r0w). Any questions? YIKES!

Can I just say that Devin has been an absolute angel the last few weeks? He volunteers to take Aspen out and play with her while I get dinner ready, and it is such a help!!! Love you Dev!

More pics from Aspen's first day of school:



Aspen at the soccer game (soccer pics of Dev must be on my other camera):

Annual Physical

Shaylee and Devin had their annual physical this week, wahoo! Actually, it's just nice to have it done. They are both in the 50th percentile for both height and weight (no one cares so much after you're about 4, but now you know). We decided to go to Alpine Pediatrics (at the corner by Smith's) rather than going all the way to Provo, so we switched pediatricians and were quite pleased with the experience (not to mention a 5-minute drive rather than 30 minutes each way). So happy to be at the doctor . . .

Muffins & Peaches

A couple days ago Aspen decided she wanted muffins for lunch. I thought, "Why not?" So we made scrambled eggs to go with it. She is quite the cook. She mixed the muffins herself and loves to help cook the eggs.

While I was putting the muffin mix into the muffin tins, I set Connor on the counter and held him with my hip. Unnoticed by me, he turned around and grabbed a peach off my basket on the counter. He shoved it in his mouth and would not let me pull it out. I had to wiggle the bib up under the peach to protect his new shirt. He ate the whole peach (skin included) and would have eaten the pit if I hadn't fished it out from beneath his teeth. He's an animal!

$2 Tuesday

We visited Thanksgiving Point again for $2 Tuesday (the last of the summer). I've been considering a family membership, but we don't have the funds for it right now, so we go when they have a special. :) This time we went with our friends Kimberli, Landon, and Everton. They'd never been to the dinosaur musuem before, but Aspen was happy to "show them the ropes."

Almost looks like an engagement photo, huh? These two are so cute together. If you ask Aspen who loves her, Landon is always at the top of the list.

Aspen and Landon are 1 month apart (Landon is almost exactly 1 month older than Aspen). Connor and Everton are also 1 month apart (Connor is almost exactly 1 month older than Everton). They bonded from their strollers:

Aspen still loves to dress up like a dinosaur:

Shaylee, Devin, and Connor had fun:

The wave pool is always a favorite with the kids, but it was crowded:


Digging for dinosaurs is the highlight before we leave: