Thanksgiving!

This year we spent Thanksgiving with my side of the family.  We all brought assigned items and spent the day at Grammy Great's house.  We all ate until we were sick and then spent the evening playing games, visiting, and realizing just how blessed we are!  Grammy Ann pulled out her famous Bingo game.  Growing up my siblings and I spent many Friday nights playing bingo at the dining room table with mom for penny candy and money.  The tradition has moved on with the grand kids, but now with larger bills!  Grammy Ann had a stack of cash in her purse and  kept pulling out $5 bills for every winner!  The person who got Black Out first received a $10 bill. The kids each came home with a stack of cash!  They thought that was the greatest thing ever!  It was a great day, and fun to hang with the family!  :)   

Call us Crazy...

We did it! Yes, we were two of the many thousands that took part in the craziness this year on Black Friday! Adam told me he thought I was crazy for even thinking about going out, and little did he know at that time he was coming with me! No one else wanted to go and I had to have a partner, so he was the lucky one that was volunteered. He has it pretty easy since every other year we are in southern Utah, and that means all the girls go together while the dads stay and "babysit" kiddos. This year stores opened earlier,so our adventure started at 9:45 p.m. After all our darting in and out of stores shopping, we arrived back home at 6:00 a.m. with everything we went out for! I do this every year and have never seen it like it was this year! There were so many people. We stood in line outside of Target for over 2 1/2 hours before they started letting the first groups through the doors.

A few things we experienced during our evening:
1-Had some interesting conversations with people!
2- Were given free facials at a store where our target line buddy works.
3- Experienced what it would be like stranded next to a cattle truck for over two hours.
4- Pepsi and Dr. Pepper wont keep you going like it used to.
5- Discovered our youthfulness and energy levels are fading fast!

Adam swears he will not do this again!  Ya we will see! :) 

Star Struck...

Yes... we stood in line for over two hours for the opportunity for the girls to finally meet David Archuletta!  I can't complain too much because it initially was my idea.  I had heard earlier during the day that he would be in the Orem area that evening.  I called Adam at work and asked him what he thought about surprising the girls?  He went for it! If you know our girls you will know that they LOVE this guy!  Ever since American Idol, he has been on their radar!  I have to say, of all the people out there to admire, they chose a good one!  Considering it was Monday and family night, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time together...standing in a very long and cold line.  I told Adam that I was preparing him for Black Friday.  He didn't think that was too amusing. :)  After a long wait, it was the girls turn to have him sign a Christmas CD and magazine.  He personalized each one, and they thought it was awesome!  With David's initial Hi to each of them, Makell stood there all googly eyed and  responded with a faint Hi.  Kaitlyn initially acted all shy with a perma grin across her face, and Kourtney responded with a Hi back which instantly made her face turn bright red in color!  It was quite comical!  David Archuletta is really nice, and yes... really cute! What you see is what you get with this guy! The girls were so funny after!  I think his song "Crush" has a new meaning around our house now!             

Waiting in the long, slow line outside!  I think our girls were some of the youngest fans, and Adam was one of only a few dads!    

I wish I knew what Makell was thinking at that very moment! I chuckle every time I see this picture! :) 

Definitely star struck! 

Makell's Imagination

I love Makell's play time! She can always come up with something entertaining! She is our child that we very seldom hear how board she is or that she has nothing to do.
   I love the fact that I get to be a kid with her at times! She had a bowl full of water and a slide, so her Polly Pockets could go swimming!  She spent over an hour continuously sending each one down the slide and into the "pool".    

Kourts First Temple Trip!

Kourtney turned twelve a few months ago and received her temple recommend to be able to go inside the temple!  She has been anticipating this experience for a long time!  This was her first opportunity to do baptisms for the dead.  Just recently Adam came across three individuals in his family line that still needed temple ordinances performed. Kourtney had the wonderful opportunity to be a proxy for her two great X4 grandmothers and a great X3 aunt.  It was such a neat experience!  Adam baptized her and I was able to be at the font to watch and help with towels as the confirmations were preformed after.  I have always hoped that when I saw my children make choices that would bless their lives and they themselves recognized it, that it would make for special and unforgettable memories!  This experience with Kourt was more special than I imagined!  I'm sure she doesn't understand the significance now of what she helped her ancestors with, but I know she felt a glimpse of their excitement!     

It was such a special evening!  One of the temple workers made the comment that he had never seen so many different people bring so many family file names to the temple all at one time.  What a wonderful time for so many people! With it being quite busy it gave Adam, Kourtney, and I a lot of time to talk and  enjoy the moment! She can't wait to do it again! 

Reflections 2011!

Kaitlyn and Makell both entered the Reflections Contest this year at school . This years theme was; "Diversity is..."  After talking about it with them, they decided to enter the 3D visual arts category with an idea in mind.  As we talked about how our extended family is very diverse, they came up with the idea to make salt dough people that related to our family.  The diversity in our family consists of Navajo Indian, Pakistani, Samoan, Korean, and Caucasian.  After being judged in their age group Kaitlyn was awarded 1st place in her school!  Her project will go on to the district level for judging!  Makell was awarded 2nd place in the school as well!  They were so excited to hear the good news!  Fantastic job girls!    

Kaitlyn came up with the idea to show diversity of people surrounding the world.  I love what she wrote in her description that she turned in with her project.  She said,  "Even though we all look different, come from different places, and do different things, we really are the same."  :)

  The rules stated that they could not have help from anyone.  With Makell being in Kindergarten, this was her first contest to enter. I was so proud of her! I love her salt dough people! Especially the one with a toothpick sticking out of it's head! lol! :)  I am so proud of the girls and their hard work and creativity!  Good job Kaitlyn and Makell!     

Halloween!

   Our Halloween morning was different than usual. I found myself only taking pictures of Kaitlyn and Makell in their costumes before school. Kourtney's school was not having the students dress up, so Kourt went in her regular every day clothes. It didn't seem to bother her. I guess she was prepared because we have the stipulation that once you enter junior high, your trick-or-treating experience is over. Kourtney was our official candy giver this year! She did dress up to hand out candy to the kids in the neighborhood! She made sure that I bought "good" candy this year because all she would be getting was left overs. To her surprise our sweet friend walked over with a bag full of candy for her. Melissa you made her night!
   It was a perfect evening for trick-or-treating!  No coats or jackets, just giddy kids roaming the neighborhood!  Dad kept trying to hide rocks in Kaitlyn and Makell's buckets. A few nights ago we watched the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.  After that he was on a mission to give a few rocks out.  Disclaimer: No rocks were given out to other children! Only his own children. Who knows... you could probably be sued for something like that these days!  Kaitlyn and her friends went around together! Kaitlyn had a ball! With as much candy as she came home with, they must have ran door to door! The kids decided to go with the Wizard of Oz theme this year. Makell made a perfect little Dorthy! We found a stuffed dog that looked like her buddy Harley. She though that was the best! Kaitlyn our comedian totally gets into things like this! She wanted to be the witch but without a green face. Kourtney dressed up as the fortune teller. We had the costume and it worked with their theme.
   I think the kids will be a sugar high for weeks to come! It's a good thing the kids donated half of their candy again this year to the dentist.  He then donates it to kids with MS and the kids at Primary Children's Hospital. It definitely helps the teeth as well!

Job Well Done Kourt!

Kourtney just finished her first term in Junior High with excellent grades!  It has been quite different than elementary school!  Seven class and six teachers that all give homework on a regular basis. :)  Even with a lot of work, she says she really likes the change!  We are so proud of Kourt!  She expects the best out of herself!  She is self motivating as you can see! She is the type of person that will rise to any given expectation.  Great job Kourtney!  Keep up the good work!  :)