Today I am thankful for Good friends....

I am so thankful for Carlye and Cameron....Carlye is the best friend ever, I know that sounds like I am 14, but she is great!! She is so supportive she comes to all my dance performances, even traveling long distances. She is so fun to have around too, my girls fight over who gets to sit by her etc... (even dance friends and moms fight over who gets to sit by her!) She is also there when you need someone to talk to she would do anything for anybody. She is such a strong person and is the most kind hearted person I know.... Cam too is great he drove all the way to Farr West with us today to look at a car for Madz.... This is not his first car trip for us either. He also surprised us one day and fixed the swim deck on our boat. He is the nicest guy!! Thanks guys for always helping us out, for being great boating buddies etc etc.... WE love you both!

Today I am thankful for NOTHING!...

I had absolutely nothing that I HAD to do and NO where that I had to be so I was able to do whatever and it was great! I got to wake up before the crack of dawn... drive to Midway with these lovely people above and get my Christmas tree tag! It was great times... Note to self bring a coat next time, it will not be warm enough to take off your sweatshirt!! I also learned that I do like Hot chocolate (sam I am) You guys are the best to laugh as the sunrises with!!
I also Got to go on a nature walk and drive up the mountains with Canyon and Olivia to find leaves, we then waxed the leaves.... we made a leaf garland...Canyon has been very disappointed in the Holiday decor we have for both Halloween and Now Thanksgiving, so we tried to liven the house up a bit. It was a great day with my extended family and my kids..... I love NOTHING days!!

Today I am thankful for...

This Guy!!
For just this....
He will watch this guy so the girls can go to SYTYCD (yes sir!!!)

Really I am very grateful for Hayden, he probably hears 100 x a week "I'll be right back keep an eye on your brother" He is always there to help me with the computer to lift things to watch Canyon to burn music etc etc. I love him his grumpyness and all. He makes me laugh and helps me out and really just hears too much what he is doing that I don't like instead of how much he helps me and how smart he is etc. So Haydie babes I am so thankful you chose me to be your mother... I must be the luckiest mom in the world!!

Mine was an angels portion......

Thanksgiving/the month of November bring so many of us to think about what we are thankful for.... as my sister always says it is the one Holiday that is not commercialized and is just plain and simply about being with those you love and expressing your gratitude... I love Thanksgiving because it is the start of the whole Holiday Season and I love spending the time with my family and the traditions that go along with this time of year. This year has been a different year for me and has left me thinking a lot of what I have and what I am grateful for....Because I know I have been given so much, an angels portion in fact...so I am going to post something each day of this month that I am thankful for. They will not be in any order of importance, just my thought for the day....
Today I am thankful for Heavenly Father and Jesus and for my testimony of them and everything they give to me... I have really been in such a funk lately and am struggling to get out of it.. since I was little I have always loved going to church, I love the stories you hear there, the feelings you get the reminder of how lucky we are to have what we have and to know we will be with our family forever etc.... but lately for the first time in my life (honestly even as a teenager I loved to go to church) I dread going I don't know if it is my age, the people at my church, my job at church, the unkindness/judgment I have seen shown towards others or just my crappy attitude. I know you get what you put into things and I am probably not putting what I should or at least doing it with the right attitude.... This week I came home especially angry and it has left me questioning so much....... I then had this thought, In Alma (in the book of Mormon) it says that even if we have a seed of faith in things we have hope.... So I thought I have at least a seed... so lets start with what I do know and focus on that.... so here is my testimony that I am so thankful for.....
I know I have a Heavenly Father who knows me and knows when I am struggling and knows what I need even if I don't. I have seen him in my life I have had my prayers answered in both miraculous and small ways. I have been given so much more then I am sure I deserve. I know Jesus died for me and that the atonement is for me for my mistakes as well my heartaches. I know families are meant to be together forever and that this is not it. There is so much more. I know we are all children of God everyone and I believe that we are here to learn to love everyone no matter what there faults or trials are. I believe the whole thing is as simple as a primary song.... I am trying to be like Jesus..... I'm following in his ways, I'm trying to love as he did in all that I do and say, at times I am tempted to make a wrong choice but I try to listen as the still small voice whispers love one another as Jesus loves you, try to show kindness in all that you do, be gentle and loving in deed and in thought for these are the things Jesus taught... really if we could all make it that simple! I believe that Joseph Smith found the Book of Mormon and that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus' life here, when Tom and I went to New Hampshire a few years ago we drove down to Palmyra I could see how so many things were just set right in place for the church to be founded. The revolutionary war, the freedom of religion etc etc... It was all just stepping stones for him.
I do believe that is at least a rope to hang onto for right now and everything else will work itself out....
So today I am thankful for Heavenly Father, Jesus My testimony and "My Angels portion" ( I love the Poor wayfaring man song and that is one of my favorite lines, it describes life for us really if we give to him he will give back and it will be an angels portion...)

Halloween Night

Olivia and her KISS Band, don't they look awesome! These girls are so much fun! From left to right... Chloe, Halee, Liv and Megan.
This year with Halloween being on Sunday and living in Utah everyone went trick or treating on Saturday. We first went up to my parents neighborhood for a eat before yo treat, it was fun, when I was a kid the circle just above my parents house always had a big barrel out in the middle with a fire going, you made one stop, got all your candy in one stop and doughnuts or hot chocolate to boot! Amber and I have always wanted to do this in our circle... maybe one year!
Hayden finally decided to be Rod from "Hot Rod", He likes to keep me on my toes... the night before he had to dress up for school he sent me a text listing all the things he needed... we were putting his costume together super late that night. I wish I could say it was with a happy mother happily helping her cute teenage son instead of a yelling at my teenager because why couldn't he have decided this weeks ago when everyone else did... but that would be lying and far from the case...
Love you anyway Haderbabes...
Tom and I took turns taking Canyon out this year.. he was more interested in keeping tabs on what decorations we needed to purchase to have for next year. He wanted me to ask people where they got there stuff... He is suddenly very into decorating and feels as though he as been slighted being in our family, we clearly do not have enough... he made Tom take him to drive through my sisters neighborhood a few weeks ago to see what kind of spider and spider web we needed to put on our front porch... and then we drove all over to find the spider... Tom was great and even though he said "I am not a freaking spider, I don't know the correct dimensions to making a web" his turned out great!
Maddie and her friends were the Mario gang... I didn't get a picture of them all, they were too busy making sure they got enough candy... they went out for almost 5 hours... Sammy O was Yoshie, Lexi Princess Daisy, Kendeyl Luigi... Maddie Mario and Winter Princess Peach... Baker and Jaimie went along too.....
Happy Halloween!!

Annual "White" Halloween Party..

Every year for Autumn and Josh's birthday Autumn throws a Halloween party.... the last 2 years we have had it at the dance studio, which is nice to have a big open space etc... It is always so much fun, and makes Halloween even more exciting to see even the grown ups in costumes... Above, Liv and Canyon posing..... they always have a good time... especially Olivia... notice Hayden in the corner, laying down (as Super Grover) he does not always have a good time...
Tom and I as Buddy and Jovie... Tom is a good sport, this was my idea, and he was totally fine with the tights and spankies...

Canyon as a Combat Carl.... from Toy Story.
Me and Liv a love, notice the great food in the back ground.... We had a turkey dinner one of my favorites!
Corbin and Jaimie as Ice dancers.... "Fire and Ice" make sure and notice Corb from the back in the mirror quite the butt pose!
Andrew and Shawna as Barbie and Ken, they make the perfect Barbie and Ken.... Autumn actually sewed a lot of the costumes... She did such a great job...
Check out that tongue! I wanted my kids to all be the KISS band especially Liv because she was born with this Gene Simmons look.... she was the only one who would do it....
Have you seen the Hangover??? Need I say more with Joshie's costume..
Emme as a perfect little Alice...
Half the night is spent with our photo shoot... Josh's cute girls (and Annie) Hazel was a cute little puppy but got quickly turned into Carlos....Lila was Rapunzel.. Nat a witch and Scout Tinkerbell
Audrey's cute little family of Care Bears...Gabby is not sure what to think about her mom with the bear hat on!
Amber's family as the classic Halloween characters... except Winter friends have so much more say anymore don't they!
Hayden couldn't decide what to be.... so he pulled this out from the year before.
My parents as Pirates... my mom is usually a witch every year, but she thought with her new leg, or lack of she was more suited to be a pirate..... This is one of the first years my dad has been in a real costume.... Canyon wanted to know why he needed a mask when he has a mustache for real anyway.... My dad is usually a golfer or Cowboy, things he kind of is anyway...
Autumn and Miotch as Woody and Bo Peep... Thanks Autumn for putting this shin dig together.
Carlye's family, we have adopted her into the family!
Maddie as Mario, and Winter as Princess Peach...
The night was full of fun, good food and games such as these... and my favorite people!!

Happy Birthday Stinky Pete!!

Today is Olivia's 10th Birthday! So for my 2010 Birthday tradition I will list 10 random things you may or may not know about Liv......
1. She has the funnest/funniest personality.... This picture is classic Olivia... she is all fun!
2. She loves life like nobody I know!... She is intense as Jaimie calls her and I love it. She is so excited about everything all the time. She takes everything by storm with both hands held tight ready for the ride with reckless abandon!
3. She wants to be a rock star soo bad! She got a Karaoke machine for her birthday today and love loves it... this is her singing her heart out to some good ole Taylor Swift.
4. Friends are VERY important to her. She wants to be with them at all times. It is hard to get her to go anywhere with out her asking if someone can come along. Megan is her best friend and just watching the two of them together makes me laugh and laugh! Megan is a great match for our little firecracker!
5. She loves EVERYONE! She see's the good in people all the time. There is not a person she does not like. Even if they are mean to her she would never say she does not like someone. She completely has life figured out, I believe we are here to learn to love everyone no matter what and she came with that talent. I so admire that in her!
6. She has her very own unique fashion style, she knows what she likes and it fits her personality... its pretty flashy. This picture above is her totally excited face because she was given money to go shopping.... This summer we were shopping and she found this shirt that was a little out there, needless to say she thought it was cute and showed Megan saying "this would totally match my headband"... Megan replied with "ya and it matches my grandma's jewelery too"..... Me and Maddie laughed so hard, it was a great comment from Megan, but totally described some of her likes in the fashion department. She is one of a kind though and just wants to show it. I love her style too.
7. She is a total spitting image of her Dad... down to little habits like sticking her tongue out when she concentrates, or dances across the floor, or does art projects.....etc etc. The first thing the Dr. said when she first saw her was she looks just like her dad. Besides her coloring I wonder if she could have anyone for her mother because she looks so much like him!
8. Her favorite colors are pink and cheetaliscious or zebraliscious.
9. She loves to get her nails done or get her toe's done, she loves totally girly girl stuff. Yet she is super strong, and when she played baseball she held her own with all the boys she was one of the best players on her team. She is a great tumbler too and loves to do cartwheels, back handsprings etc all the time and everywhere!
10. She is my happy, easily pleased, love to have her around, funny, favorite little girl in the world. She is honestly someone I strive to be like even though she is my child I really do wish to be more like her. I love her more and more as she grows and teaches me what life is about! I love her intensity, her love for life and people. I love what a great sister she is, what a great caring person she is. She was sooo worth the wait, and I feel very very lucky to be her mother!

Happy Birthday Liv-a-love..... love your face!!
Today was probably not the best birthday day, but we will make up for it over the week. She had dance all morning....but then she did go get her nails done, thanks to Grandma Kathryn and Grand Dad.. then we went to Audrey's to celebrate her and Grand Dad's birthdays..... Here are some of the party guests.... not even a spanking tunnel this time???