Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! We enjoyed our traditional Thanksgiving meal so much we had to show you how much we loved our pie. Here are some of the things we are thankful for: Brynn: I am thankful for my bed.
Abby: I am thankful for the color pink.

Leah (don't you all wear a princess dress to eat pie in?) : I am thankful for my blankets, dressing up, my friends, and playing, and for all of you guys. I am thankful for everything, but not yucky stuff.

I think Shea is thankful for Oreo pie.

Halloween 2008

We had a great time trick or treating on Halloween Night. The weather was great, no need for jackets. Everyone had fun getting candy, including Shea. Shea kept wanting to eat whatever was put into her bag. Leah went as Snow White, Shea was a clown and Abby and Brynn were both vampires. Happy Halloween!

Surprise It's Five!

We are excited to announce that we are having another baby. Definitely a surprise and I'm nervous just thinking about being responsible for five kids. But we are thrilled anyway. Of course we are all hoping that this one might be a boy, but we are always happy with what we have been given. I am feeling great, just tired but then who isn't tired! My due date is March 28th. I realize that I'm slow to share the news...perhaps I was in denial for awhile!!!

Fall fun

Shea waiting to be buried with leaves.

Out enjoying some fall fun!

Shea Update

Finding her belly
Helping Leah color

Enjoying some yummy apples!

I realize it's been awhile since I've mentioned what Shea is up to. She is all over the house now. She runs to keep up with the other girls and loves to be involved with whatever they are doing. She speaks a few words, but is starting to pick them up more quickly. She learned two new words last week, bird and ball.

Leah and Shea are now buddies. Leah goes to preschool 3 mornings a week and Shea is always so excited to have her come home so she has someone to play with. She is so much fun to have in our home.

Soccer Season

The fall soccer season ended last weekend. Brynn and Abby played this year. This was Brynn's first season playing it was a lot of fun watching her play. I would guess she liked playing forward the most, she scored several goals throughout the season and was really fast too. Her coaches would put her on defense for a quarter or two each game, and she would take the ball up the field anyway.

Abby really caught on to soccer this season. She learned that she is best at defense and claimed it as her own, towards the end of the season her coaches called her their defense super star (all while Abby was trying not to smile). She had a great season too and it was lots of fun to watch her learn how to play the game even better.

We can't wait for the spring season to start!

Happy Birthday Trent

Happy Birthday to my sweetheart Trent!

I am so grateful to be married to such a wonderful person. He's a great father a hard worker and we have lots of laughs together. I hope you have a great day! I love you!

By the way these are pictures from our trip to the Bahamas. We had a fun time being able to get away and enjoy each other's company. Although you can't tell I think snorkeling was Trent's favorite activity.

Leah's 4!

August 21st was Leah's birthday. The two pictures above are on her actual birthday. She had fun opening her presents and having a family party. If you look closely at the brownies there has already been samplings by the birthday girl earlier in the day. She had a birthday party a few days later with her friends. This was her first birthday party she has had. We're pretty sure she had a fun time. It was complete with a treasure hunt, relay races, water balloons, opening presents and eating with her friends. We are so happy to have Leah in our family. We love that she is independent, a great sister, and has an incredible imagination. We love you Leah!

Back to Business

It's that time of year again. School has started. There are soccer practices to get to. Life is busy once again. Although I have to say routine is good in our family. Brynn is in first grade and gets to stay all day. She enjoys getting to have lunch at school and comes home exhausted! Abby is now in 4th grade. I can't believe it! She has tests to study for, projects to do, and not enough time to get everything done. Leah can't wait to start preschool in October. For now, she gets to rule the house for 6 hours everyday. Shea and Leah are getting pretty good at playing together. And I feel like I have a chance to get things done.

Beach House #2

We spent another week at another beach house with Trent's side of the family this year too! We had lots of fun catching up with everyone.
Brynn and Leah stayed at home instead of going to a baseball game. Trent brought home some cotton candy for them, and yes they got to eat it for breakfast. Some things you can get away with on vacation!
Serious Uno playing
Leah loves this game.
Grandpa Mark enjoying some cookie dough.
Another week of playing in the sand.
We had a great time!

Beach House #1

Time to catch up on our summer vacation. The first week in California we spent at a beach house in Newport Beach with the Harts. We had a great time catching up with family. Playing in the sand and the water.

Climbing a rope structure after eating at Ruby's

Abby really love boogie boarding this year. It brought me back to when I would go out all day in the water. Now I'm a wimp and wish the water was warmer.
Shea loved it!


Leah and Rusty running from the waves.

Elder Richard G. Scott

Yesterday Elder Scott came to speak to our Stake. We left our house with plenty of time to make it to the meeting... about an hour and 45 minutes early. Abby really wanted to sit where she could see him. (At Stake Conferences before we end up in one of the other rooms where you watch on TV). We arrive at our Stake Center about an hour before the meeting starts. After finding our seats I decided it would be best to walk around the building with the girls. So we walked around and after a few times around we found a shady spot to sit and play a few games. We were playing charades when a car pulls up and our Stake President gets out and so does Elder Scott! He is about 20 feet away from us we go over to meet him. We got to shake his hand. He told me what beautiful daughters I have. He talked to Abby for a minute. He asked her what her name was she said "Abby" and he replied "My name is Richard." It was really neat to be able to shake the hand of an apostle. He had love emanating from his countenance. It was awesome!

Reaching the Valley

In Wyoming we stopped at Little America and had some tasty ice cream cones. This was our last stop before arriving in Salt Lake. On our way out I was telling the kids that this was the way the pioneers went to get to Utah. Abby asked if it took them 3 years...it really is an amazing thing they did coming out west so they could be free to worship what we know is true.
Shea meeting Great Grandma Hart for the first time. We stayed at my grandma's for a couple nights. I've always had the best memories at my grandma's house, it was fun to let my kids have those memories too.
Visiting Temple Square in Salt Lake
The Garner's had a fun party for Abby's 9th birthday. It was lots of fun being able to celebrate with them.
Shea meeting Uncle Danny
I wonder what her wish was.
Shea's birthday is two days after Abby's, so we celebrated her 1st birthday too!