Tis the Season

I thought it was time that we posted some pictures of the season. First, of course, our tree (which the camera does not do justice).

My sweet husband, being the good sport that he is (and under much duress), agreed to "help" Santa for the Project Read Christmas Party. Needless to say, Aspen wasn't fooled for a second, but it may be the only good pictures I get with Aspen & Connor & Santa at this age.

They were not so fond of the Santa at the ward Christmas party.

What would Christmas be without building a gingerbread house? We did this at Jeremy & Cynthia's house for FHE last week. Moral of the story: buy the $10 gingerbread house kits rather than buying $40 worth of candy & then spending all day baking gingerbread bricks.

What would building gingerbread houses be without raiding the candy stash with dad?

We had a nice snowstorm yesterday, so even though I was sick with the stomach flu, I headed out with Aspen while the kids were in school and Connor was napping. Eating snow seems to be her favorite winter pasttime.

Snow angels, of course.

Sledding (way funner today with Devin who ran her around and around the house on the sled).

Yes, I'm sick, don't criticize.

And what would Christmas be without the whoopee cushion?

Aspen had sooooo much fun with this.

Connor eating a cookie treat after Aspen's dance recital.

Connor learns to feed himself with a fork:

He actually got quite a bit in his mouth (not that you can tell from this picture).

Look mom, no hands!

Christmas Recitals

Tis the season for Christmas recitals, although I guess Aspen is the star of our family this year! Devin's school did not invite parents to the Christmas performance (rude!) and Shaylee is on a competition dance team, so they'll have lots of competitions in the spring, but no winter recital.

This was Aspen's first dance recital, and she was really nervous. It was really informal with the parents at the dance studio. They could wear cute red or white tutu outfits, but Aspen opted for just her pink leotard. Once we convinced her it was okay to just dance with her class and we'd sit and watch and clap and take pictures, she did a great job!

Nice third position!

This is serious business!

Connor likes to practice this move in our kitchen:

Okay, so maybe I am having fun.

Here comes the leap!

Aspen also performed "Old MacDonald" in her first piano recital. She did a great job, even if mom sat on the bench and helped her keep her place (it's tough performing in front of all those people!).


My other students also did an excellent job--I feel so honored to teach them and watch them progress with their music. Keep at it guys!

Aspen also had a Christmas program for her preschool--she loves Learning Dynamics! It was, of course, on the day of a huge snowstorm, but that didn't deter the kids from having a great time and singing their hearts out.

The four year olds had speaking parts, but the three-year-olds got to act out part of a song. Aspen was just about the cutest present I've ever seen (check out the concentration as she holds up the present and sings):

Aspen with her favorite teacher, Mrs. Peterson:

Connor and I enjoyed watching.

Although he would rather have been with dad (who was taking pictures). For those of you who aren't aware, Connor is a "Daddy's Boy." If daddy is around, he wants nothing to do with me.

Cruising.

Yes! I got my dad. :)

Christmas Tidings

In the past year, we have focused on recognizing the hand of the Lord in our lives—daily. And it is there. As many of you know, due to the economic downturn, Dennis lost his job in May when the bank he was working for laid off everyone outside of the state of California. He decided to venture into the insurance business (something that has interested him for quite some time), and spent a couple months studying for and taking exams to get his insurance license. He is now working for Federal Financial selling life insurance and InsureRight, an independent insurance agency working with multiple insurance companies to sell health insurance as well as property and casualty insurance. It is a slow business to build an insurance clientele, and we have relied on faith, tithing, and food storage—all principles of the gospel we are grateful to have religiously followed throughout our married life. So when the time came, there was no question that tithing would be paid first, and we have been blessed financially as we have not seen a decrease in our bank account although we have had little income coming in and have still had expenses that had to be paid. We are also grateful to have ample food storage and a garden on which we have subsisted throughout the summer, only going to the store (literally), for milk, eggs, bread, and some fresh fruit. How grateful I am for inspired leaders and wise parents whose counsel we followed and have thus been blessed so amazingly in our time of need.

Shaylee started 9th grade this year and loves being at “the top of the food chain” at Willowcreek Middle School. She is surviving French and algebra and loving Seminary. She is learning so much about the gospel, and we have truly enjoyed our family scripture study each morning at 6:45 a.m. We spend 30 minutes reading as a family from the Book of Mormon, then we each read individually for 15 minutes (Shaylee and I are reading the New Testament together, since that is what she is studying for seminary). We enjoy being together for individual scripture study so we can answer questions Shaylee and Devin may have. They are truly blossoming in the gospel. Shaylee is now on a competition dance team for Ultimate Dance and looks forward to the national competition at Utah Valley University, as well as a competition at Disneyland over Spring Break. She is also faithfully working toward earning her Young Womanhood Recognition Award.

Devin is now in the 6th grade and loves his teacher, Miss Albaugh. He is also at “the top of the food chain” at Harvest Elementary, and he is thriving. He completes most of his homework in class and has enjoyed having more time in the afternoon to hang with his friends, which usually means playing soccer at the park on the corner. He is an amazing soccer player and has been one of the stars of his team this season, which he loves. He is also now an 11-year-old scout and is truly exemplifying the characteristics of a scout—he is service oriented and always looking for opportunities to help out.

Aspen started preschool in August and can’t get enough of it. She feels so grown up when she sits at the table with the “big” kids after school and does her “homework.” She already knows all the letters and sounds of the alphabet and can write most of them—she is a pro at writing her name and is starting to sound out short words. She also moved to Ultimate Dance with Shaylee and is enjoying ballet and tap with her new teacher, Miss Misty. Our latest “Aspenism” occurred while reciting one of her favorite poems. I started, “’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the . . .” Aspen responded, “house.” I continued, “Not a creature was stirring, not even a . . . “ Aspen calmly replied, “baby elephant.” WHAT!?! Where does she come up with these things?

Connor is getting too big too fast. What happened to my baby? He turned one in October, and he is wearing (and growing out of) 24-month clothes. YIKES! He loves to say “Momma, Dadda, ‘Lo, Bubble bath, Up, and More.” He is so much fun to interact with, and is already conniving enough to get his big sister (Aspen) into trouble. Where do they learn these things? He loves (surprise) reading books and playing with cars. He is “all boy.” He has recently started walking all over and trying to chase Aspen through the house—I’m in serious trouble!

Shock of all shocks, I was released from playing the organ after seven years. I miss it, but I still get the opportunity fairly regularly, and it is so nice to sit with my family during sacrament meeting (okay, sometimes—I have been “subbing” for the ward chorister, who moved 4 months ago and for whom the bishop has not yet found a replacement—hello, anyone can wave their hand!). I was also released from the bear den this summer, and Dennis and I have enjoyed serving together as Primary teachers for the eight-year-olds. What fun! Even, more fun, we will get the opportunity to teach the Sunbeams in January, and we are so excited! I continue to work at Project Read and recently returned from the national adult literacy conference in Arkansas (the first out-of-state conference I have attended since I’ve had chidlren). As a family, we thoroughly enjoyed our two-week vacation to sunny Florida, including a 7-day Disney cruise courtesy of Grandpa & Grandma Brown. We truly made memories to last a lifetime.

We love you all!

Dennis, Shauna, Shaylee, Devin, Aspen & Connor

Cruise

So I've finally done it--put together a slide show of some of our cruise pics (yes, this is only a few of the 1,000+ photos Dennis took--not to mention the 3,000+ photos I got from his other 10 siblings who went on the cruise with us). I narrowed this down to 145 photos, and if you want to see the 465 photos I opted to print in my gorgeous photo book, then please stop by my house (if you're too far away, I'm so sorry, but you'll have to survive with the slideshow above).

Once again, we need to send a huge shoutout to Grandpa & Grandma Brown for taking us on this amazing 7-day cruise. Because we had to cover the airfare, we decided to use our sky miles to purchase 4 of the 5 tickets, which meant we had blackout dates over Thanksgiving. It was literally cheaper to fly in a day early and visit the Kennedy Space Center, and then stay an extra 4 days and stay in an amazing Hilton hotel for about $30/night (a condo with a full kitchen, no less, which saved my food budget, but I did have to attend the 2-hour time share presentation, ugh). Anyway, so we got to go to Disneyworld as well. What fun!

So here's the rundown . . . we flew out Thursday, Nov. 20 and got to Orlando that evening. We took a shuttle down to Cape Canaveral and then spent Friday at the Kennedy Space Center (see photos in the slideshow and previous post about this adventure). We met everyone on Saturday and boarded the cruise ship, took a look around, enjoyed amazing food (of course) and the "Sailaway Party" on the pool deck.

Sunday we had a lovely family testimony meeting in one of the theaters on board (don't read this if you're going to look down on me for breaking the Sabbath), but then we headed out to the Disney Island (Castaway Cay), which was seriously one of the highlights of our trip. We loved the gorgeous white sand beaches, the snorkeling (with sunken ships and a sunken Minnie Mouse), and the delicious food at Cookie's BBQ (and of course the all-you-can-eat ice cream).

Monday (my 30th birthday) was a day at sea, and I was spoiled by Dennis who kept Aspen and let me go to classes on napkin and towel folding, making scrumptious appetizers and desserts, etc. That was also our formal night, so I got to have my family dressed to the nines for my birthday dinner (swordfish, shrimp, and scallops, YUM!). Dennis even had the head waiter make me a special birthday cake.

Tuesday we were in Cozumel, Mexico. Since we were going to Disney World afterward, we opted not to take any excursions at the ports. We let the kids go shopping and haggle for good deals and spend some of the money they'd been saving for the trip.

Wednesday we went to Grand Cayman and hiked to 7-mile beach. I'd heard the Marriott Hotel down the way had pretty good snorkeling, but the water was really cloudy, so instead we swam in the warm water and built sand castles.

Thursday was another day at sea, and Thanksgiving (we had a hard time remembering that it was Thanksgiving with 80 degree weather outside and lobster for dinner). Then we were back at Castaway Cay on Friday before docking on Saturday. After getting off the ship we headed back to Orlando and straight to the Magic Kingdom. The kids really enjoyed all the roller coasters, etc. We were with Jeremy (Dennis' brother) & his wife Cynthia and kids Madison (now 13) & Ryan (almost 12). Dennis' brother Scott was also there with his girls Alexis (9) and Autumn (now 6). Of course, Grandpa & Grandma Brown came along for the ride. Sunday there was a mighty storm (literally, the other Disney ship, the Disney Wonder, was at port boarding passengers and dropped its gangplank, had to leave the dock & go to a shipping yard to board passengers--yikes!). We spent most of the day in our hotel room relaxing, napping, and watching fun Sunday movies like "The Testaments." Monday we headed to Animal Kingdom, and on Tuesday we were at Disney Studios. Whew!

We were so ready to head home on Wednesday and see our sweet Connor, who stayed home with Grandpa & Grandma Pearson (thanks mom & dad!!!). He had a great time and was sort of sad we came back because he'd been pretty spoiled--they had nothing planned but playing with him for 13 days. It was rough to come back to a house with 4 kids! For me it was rough to have to start cooking & cleaning again. All in all, it was a wonderful trip, although one that we will probably not repeat any time in the near future.

Shaylee, Aspen & Connor Quips

I guess I post a lot of funny things Aspen says, so I thought I'd add Shaylee to the mix (poor girl! Geography is not her thing). Anyway,Dennis has the opporunity to win a cruise to Alaska through his work, and we've mentioned a few times how cool (literally) it would be if we won--great way to celebrate our 10th anniversary, huh? So the other day, Shaylee comments, "What does dad have to do to win the cruise to Nebraska?" I don't think they have cruises to Nebraska, anyone?

Yesterday Aspen and I were reading her "Old MacDonald" book, and it mentions sheep bleating. She demanded to know why the sheep were bleeding, and if they were bleeding, why we were reading such a sad book. I calmly explained that the sheep were not bleeding, but rather bleating--a sound that sheep make. "No, mom," Aspen replied, "Sheep do not bleat, they baa." I gave up explaining it to her, but I may wait awhile before we read that book again.

Connor is starting to become more vocal as well (in addition to walking all over the house and trying to chase down his big sister). When Connor bumps his head, which occurs fairly regularly, we often say, "Bonk." Well yesterday, I was holding him in my arms and Connor said very distinctly, "Bonk," after which he slammed his forehead into my cheek--ouch! I'll be more careful the next time he uses that word. :)

Congratulations!!!

I just wanted to give a shout out to my wonderful, amazing husband Dennis. As many of you know, he started a new career about six months ago, and it has been a long six months. Yesterday, however, he closed his first big deal on his own (which means we keep all the profits). Hurrah! We hope this is the start of something wonderful, and he is so happy with what he is doing (insurance), and I could not be more proud of him. Love you babe!

For Summer

So I promise to blog about the cruise, but I kid you not I have over 1,000 photos to go through (thanks to a wonderful photographer husband and digital cameras). Anyway, my sister begged me for some pics for the calendar she's putting together for mom for next year, so here are the ones she requested (and yes, some toward the bottom are from the cruise!).