Getting Ready!

We had a lot of fun putting up our Christmas decorations this year, and took lots of pictures! (Rasmussen's this is a sneak peek at our submitted pics for this year's video :)

Noah helping put the tree together

I think the star should go here...

nice earrings!

Adam wanted in on the action

Lots of love around the holidays

Hanging up baby Bennett's stocking (even though he won't make an appearance until February, Noah thought it was important he have a stocking too)

Little Miss Christmas

So very blessed

I just have to write a note on here to show my gratitude and appreciation for all the love and support we've been given lately. I don't know how many people come on here, but for those who do, I want to share my testimony that I know that Heavenly Father has been answering our prayers and that He is completely watching over us. I don't know why we've been blessed with such amazing people in our lives-you are all incredible. I do know that we have always been watched over our entire married lives in every way, but there are times (like this last week) when we have a monsoon of blessings poored out on us. I'm overwhelmed by the goodness and kindness of others, and hope that some day we can pay it forward to someone else who needs it!

Another Scentsy Giveaway!

My sister-in-law Maren is having another Scentsy giveaway-this time with 3 winners! Check out her new blog at www.marensscentsations@blogspot.com (also on our sidebar).

Pumpkin Patch '09

Sweet pic of Brad & Adam

Playing in the corn (Alyssa, Adam, Noah, Zach, & Ethan)

Elsie and a sunflower

The traditional family picture

Noah holding our pumpkin

This is the one!

"Belly Shot" with Lindsey (24 weeks) and Allison (32 weeks)

This was our 6th year going to Apple Annie's Pumpkin Patch (last year being the only exception since Noah was born), and we had lots of fun, as always! For the last few years, we've gone with the Smith side of the family that live in Tucson-we always have lots of fun with cousins and Grandma & Grandpa and Aunts & Uncles. The pumpkins were A LOT more expensive this year, so we only got one (Noah got to give the go-ahead, since Elsie would be going to Buckelew Farms for preschool), and it's little but cute. The kids had fun playing in the Apple Orchard, playing in the corn "bucket" (we were still finding hidden pieces a few days later), and riding the tractor to the patch. It was really windy that day, but we still had fun-we love our pumpkin patch tradition!

Brad's Birthday (Oct.2)

Happy 30th Birthday Brad! I'm so thankful you married me and that you are such an amazing husband and father-thanks for being my best friend! We love you!

Scentsy Giveaway!

My awesome sister-in-law Maren is a Scentsy representative, and she just recently sent this out

"if anyone is interested in winning a FREE scentsy plug in and a scent to go in it, enter my contest at http://www.gotscentsy.blogspot.com The contest will end on the 30th, so add me to your blogs and tell your friends!!!"

Scentsy products are awesome, and I could tell you all about it, but check out the blog and maybe you could win!!

September

It's inevitable-every time September hits, I get very excited for Fall and everything that comes with it! Ever since I was a little girl, Fall was my favorite season (with Halloween as my favorite holiday-it is now a close 2nd after Christmas :) I just love everything about it. Last year, I had a hard time getting into the holidays, but this year, I am very excited! The kids are older and can understand/enjoy them a little better, and that makes me more ready for the seasons to change. Anyway, just thought I'd share a little, and even though in Tucson the weather doesn't exactly change like other places I've lived, this time of year still makes me happy :)
P.S. The picture above is of Elsie and Noah with a few of their cousins, running to pick out a pumpkin-every year we go with the Smith's to the pumpkin patch-another of my favorite (and hopefully the kids') traditions!

First Day of School

Now that things have somewhat settled down, I thought I'd post a few pictures from the first day of school. Brad is still teaching Middle School Social Studies (our school is K-8), Noah started 1st grade, and Elsie started half-day preschool (also at Red Rock). Noah was pretty nervous for the first day, but ended up doing great (we knew he would!). Elsie was very excited to go to school-she even gets to ride the bus! Plus, I think she enjoyed the attention she got since she cut 10 inches off her hair! And Adam enjoyed some alone time with mommy (though he does occasionally take a nap while both kids are gone, and when that happens, I do too!). I always miss the kids while they're gone, but I love seeing them gain confidence and learn new things. 2 weeks down, 41 more to go!

Getting ready to head out the door

Noah in front of his classroom

Noah at his first desk (in Kinder they worked at tables)

Elsie heading into afternoon preschool

Hanging up her backpack-not an exciting picture, but I thought the back of her hair looked great that day :)

This has nothing to do with the first day of school, but we thought Adam needed some recognition (we were out of swim diapers, so we used a pull-up-they hold a LOT more!)

Noah and Elsie

Here are the latest pictures of Noah and Elsie (Noah's 6 year and Elsie's 4 year). My sister in law Eloise (who's awesome, by the way) took these pictures the other day for us-no more JC Penny's-yeah!! She took the "real" ones, and my brother Cody took a bunch of candid shots (we don't have those yet). Her photography blog is on our list of family and friends to the right-check it out, she does some awesome stuff and she's just getting started! Thanks Cody and Eloise!

P.S. Adam saw Noah posing at one point and wanted to be just like brother, so he posed all on his own! We'll be doing his 2 year pics next month and hopefully he'll be as willing to let us take them!

Pics from the Trip

Here are pictures of our trip (not necessarily in Chronological Order-sorry!)

See Post below for a "little" overview of our trip

The Kids on the 4th of July

Brad, Uncle Craig, Aunt Savina, Great-Grandma, & Elsie (we're bummed we didn't get pics of Uncle Gary and Aunt Jan and their Fam's)

Great-Grandma and Elsie

Adam loving the swings

Noah showing Elsie how to dig

Noah coming off the slowest slide-though he loved all of them

The 2 new big slides at Lava (I went down the purple one-holy cow! It was so FAST!!)

The curly slides at Lava

Inside our motel bathroom-Brad was excited about the phone

At the 4th of July Parade

My neice Abby with Adam in our motel (she was such an awesome help!)

Inside the Conference Center during our tour

On top of the Conference Center

View of Salt Lake Temple

Adam loved this train (the Dinky Engine) and was very sad he couldn't get any closer

Noah playing Tarzan

Elsie on Great-Grandma's porch

Adam loving City Park

Brad (in the red shorts) getting ready to jump off the highest platform at Lava Hot Springs (He did it too!)

Brad and the kids after playing in the foam sprayed by the Fire Dept. every 4th of July
(they loved it for about 2 minutes, then were done!)

Elsie with her towel turban (done by herself) at Lava Hot Springs

I wish we had better pics of Noah going down the slides-he went down all 4 (even the biggest ones!) more than once!

It hailed "Sonic ice" sized hail the night before the parade! Luckily it was pretty nice the next day!

Noah caught some Harry Potter glasses from the library float and thought they were awesome-we thought so too!

The kids riding the mini Ferris Wheel at the Carnival (which was free, by the way-all of the activities were! Woo hoo for small town celebrations!)

This old tow truck was made up to look like Mater-we had to get a picture! The kids thought it was so cool!

There were so many good pics, we wish we could've posted all of them!