More pics

Ella celebrated her 4th birthday on December 6!!!! She got breakfast in bed...before I could finish the pancakes she got up and into her Dorothy dress. She is suddenly in love with the Wizard of Oz....she is too cute! Our good friends the Kittners loaned us their jumpy castle for the kids to play in at Ella's party.....we all had a blast!

Pictures...many of them.

Seth clued me in to the fact that the cord to attach to my camera to get pictures is conveniently now under the desk practically behind the computer....I wonder why I could not find it.....

So, now I have a million pictures to show you all!!!! Let's go way back to the kid's piano recital and all the way back to Halloween..( grandparents appreciate these kinds of things)

The cutest!!!

I stumbled across this cute little advent calender for the kiddos....Advent calenders are a MUST at our house....but they are always so bulky and huge!...and who needs a chocolate first thing in the morning ( besides me) I know Gum isn't much better.....but it is a little better. :)
I am going to try and make these with my sister in laws in Utah this weekend....
http://mylittlemochi.typepad.com/my_little_mochi/2008/11/pocket-advent-calendar.html
We decided to go for it...( nothing like decided the day before we leave) ....so here we come 12 hour drive ...we have missed you!!! Hopefully we don't lose our binkies this time!
Happy Thanksgiving....

Where did November go?

Have I mentioned that I can't find the cord to get pictures from my camera? Which really makes me mad...because I have some really cute ones on there. The kids piano recital pics turned out super cute, Hope's birthday pics, etc etc....
So, just boring ol' me tonight. Seth and the bigger kids ( not Sadie)...are attempting a back yard campout tonight....We wanted to do something fun and free..so we are giving it a try. We roasted marshmallows on the BBQ for Smores....and I brought Sadie in for bed.... We'll see how long they last!!!
I went and saw Twilight on opening night....yep..midnight baby....with 20, 000 14 yr olds! I went with a few gals from my Ward....it was so fun! I am glad I went..I enjoyed it. I really loved the books....so I think the movie would have to be REALLY bad for me to not enjoy it. Like, I love Edward.....for reals. :)

I have been busy tonight making Ella's 4th Birthday party invitations. They turned out so cute! She wanted to have a Wizard of Oz birthday...so I found ruby slipper stickers and glittered them all up ...put in on the shimmery blue Bazzill card, with gingham backing ( like Dorthy's dress) I diecutted and glittered up some big e's and threw them on there too with some sparkley red ribbon. Ella approves!...she loves sparkles! Hard to believe she will be 4 in 2 weeks!!!!!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner....which makes me miss home and loved ones....( I know I know..I was just there!)...but I think we all miss the Thanksgivings we might have grown up with...I certainly miss not having to cook!!! IT wouldn't be so bad with a double oven...but with just one...I feel like I am cooking for days...
Well, I am going to peek out on the "cold ones"....( shameless Twilight wink wink)...
Hopefully I will find that cord in the mean time. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
Peace!

Pics from my Trip Home

Short on Time

Top ten exciting and notable things that have happened in our family lately::::

1 - last month Hope won the Kid of Character award at school for CARING - boy, they got that one right...she is a very caring girl! Congrats Hope!
2 - Luke won this month for Fairness...way to go buddy!
3 - Luke has been playing soccer on a team for the past 2 months....this is his first team since he was 4 or 5. He rocks! We are so proud of his hustle....go Luke!!!and the White Dragons!!!!
4- Ella is the star student this week at preschool. She got to have show and tell and gets to bring in her fave snack. What does Ella love? Puppies and Horses!!! ( that hasn't changed!)
5 - On September 28th...Hope turned 7....yep 7...can you believe our Hopey Girl is growing up so fast? We had a scrapbooking party that was a lot of fun!
6- My great Aunt Maryanne turns 100 this next month. Happy Birthday Aunt Maryanne!!! She is the best! I just love her to pieces!
7 - Sadie got 2 molars and another small tooth in the front, along with her first haircut. ( just a little evening out)
8- Luke and Hope had their first piano recital this weekend....they both performed a solo number...and were awesome!!!! Aunt Christine has been teaching them and they are really catching on. I love love love to hear them practicing, they sound so good!!!
9- okay I am out of happenings - and out of time! gotta run!

I slack...I am a slacker

Okay - you know it is bad when someone you didn't even know read your blog comes up to you at Church and tells you it is time to update your blog.... thanks Michelle...I guess I needed some extra motivation. To be honest, I feel like I am still recovering from my jaunt back east. I flew to Pittsburgh with Sadie and Ella for 8 days..where we drove back home ( Canada = home) for my cousins wedding. Sadie should be ban from all aircraft. The girl never slept a wink on either flight of apx. 5 hours!!!!!!! Kill me!!! I know it could have been worse, she didn't cry the whole time or anything...it was just hard to keep her happy...in such a small place...without constantly slamming the poor people's seat in front of us...etc.. I even tried drugging her for the flight home, because I really thought I might have a nervous breakdown if she wouldn't sleep again. Well, instead or drowsiness, Sadie experienced "combativeness:, a rare side effect. She hit, slapped and even bite me....THE WHOLE TIME.......it was horrible.
I know the Lord was mindful of me, because I kept it together and was able to keep her quiet most of the time. A sweet lady a row across from us stopped me in the bathroom after the flight to tell me she thought I was a good Mom... how sweet!...she quickly followed that up with a .."Now, go find Daddy!"
Amen sister!!!!
SO, ...here are the top things I miss most about home..in no particular order: Family ( you know who you are!) , Real Chinese Food....( sorry American Chinese people....you DO NOT have it going on!) Harveys hamburgers( yum!), east coast Pizza.....the real thing baby!.....changing leaves, ( I thoroughly annoyed my sister by pointing out all of the fall colors!) Polite drivers ( I am sorry but AZ drivers are the worst!)...and candy. ( the candy here STINKS!)

Over all the trip was as success...it was tough with Sadie...she didn't adjust well, sleep well, etc. I wore everyone out with my craziness....But it was great to see so much extended family..and show off pics of my "GIGANTIC" family. ( their words, not mine!) :) :) :)
I would never turn down time with my sisters...can't beat it!
I got to see my Grandma too...aka Great grandma around here....that is always a treat..she is getting up there...I think she said 86. If I overshot..she doesn't have a a computer, so it's all good!!
I will post pics....I need to post about so many things that have happened in our family...yikes~~~