The Happiest Place on Earth

Greetings from the "Happiest Place on Earth!" It's been since November that we went to Disneyland during the week of Thanksgiving. We had a blast as usual and came home thoroughly exhausted. It was great to have Christi, Taylor and Bob come with us too! We drove home on Thanksgiving day and had our feast at a Taco Bell Express, what can I say easiest dinner I've ever done!
Here's some pics from the trip.


First ride of the day, Jungle Cruise.

No caption needed although it's a pretty accurate description of these two.

Nathan at Jedi Training, doing battle with Darth Maul.

Kate deciding which area of the park to terrorize next.

Tinker Bell and her friend who's name escapes me. I wonder if the kids smelled, Tink doesn't seem to want to get too close.

Kate's first ride at Disneyland, the Jungle Cruise. Let's just say that she wasn't too sure about all this stuff.

Goofy and his two understudies.

The one thing Ryan wanted to do was meet Mickey Mouse, so on the last day as we are walking out of the park guess who we run into? Maybe we have a little luck after all, don't quote me on that.

7 Years Ago...

..my Nate was born. This is guy is such a joy in our family. He adds a certain something that's hard to describe. There are times I just want to ring his neck and then there are others where he just amazes me at how much he is actually paying attention. Anyways, we just love him! Here's a flashback on Nate-dog.

Here he is doing what he loves to do best with one of his most favorite people, Big Grandpa Adams.

Halloween and Stuff

I feel lame. How come it seems like I start every other post like that? Oh yeah, because I'm so lame at updating this thing! We've been in our normal state of barely controlled chaos, but all in all we are doing pretty well. We had a fun Halloween with my mom visiting. She taught me how to make and can her famous chili sauce and we just had a good time. At least I did, she's probably needing a vacation from her vacation at this point, but I'm sure glad she came out. So before I'm disowned I'll post some pictures since that's what most people are interested in anyways..... here we go!

Kate at the pumpkin patch.

Nate's field trip to the pumpkin patch.

In the maze.

Trunk or treat.

Ryan and Kate before Ry's school party. He started as a pirate and ended as a ninja. He had to be like Nate, but it worked out and I still didn't have to buy any costumes this year!

I think this is my favorite picure. Kate the spider and Judah the soccer player. The looks on their faces just says, "end of the night, sugar wearing off, put me to bed now or be very sorry." Don't you love the left over chocolate on Kate's face. Yeah, I never let the other's have candy at that age.

And completely different subject, here's what a "lackey" looks like just in case you were wondering.

See Jane Run

In September I did my first triathlon. It was so great! My friend Kristin talked me into it about a month and a half before it was to happen. I worked my butt off, literally, in that month and didn't die so I felt pretty good about it. I can't wait to do my next one. My family is awesome. Geoff, the kids and my sister Christine and Taylor got up at 5:00 a.m. to come support me. It was so great having them there. So here's some pictures from that plus a few extra, as always.

My transition area.

Just before the swim. I'll admit I was pretty nervous at this point. They had to haul a lady out of the water just prior to our start and it wasn't pretty. She made it through ok after being rushed to the hospital, but it didn't make for very calm nerves, at least on my part.

Ryan all ready to go for the swim.

I thought this picture was funny. The girl to my left looks like she's just playing in the water.

My friend Kristin, her mom Connie and myself after finishing. Kristin's mom rocks! I hope I'm still doing triathlons when I'm in my 50's!

Celebrating at In-N-Out after the race. We deserved it.

Now for the others. Here's Em's soccer team, the Shiny Strikers.

And Katie all dressed up in Nate's jacket. She's so funny!

Ryan's First Day of School

Ryan started preschool just after Labor day. He has just loved it. In fact he likes it almost too much. He wants to go everyday of the week and cries when I say we can't go. I'm not sure if I should be glad or offended. Either way, I'm glad that he is having a good time. Something funny I need to add, they had the kids all paint a picture to hang in the window. They then wrote what the kids said about their picture or what it was. So there were cute things like this is my bike or my family. Just before they hung these up Ryan's teacher came up to me and asked me to have Ryan describe what his picture was. She couldn't understand what Ryan was saying. So I get Ry and ask him about his picture and he say's it's a lackey.
"A what?"
"A lackey."
"What's a lackey?"
"That!"
Ok, so I give up. I hope the teacher doesn't get too frustrated with him this year. He's always been a little hard to understand, but I think part of it is he's just making stuff up.

Here he is as he just got to school. He looks a little nervous.

And here he is when I picked him up, I think he enjoyed the day!

First Day of School

Today is the first day of school and I have to admit I'm a little sad. I was trying to figure out why I always feel sad on the first day of school. I think one of the reasons is I'm sad to have to be on a pretty strict routine for the next 10 months. I actually do miss the kids when they are gone all day, but I think the thing that makes me the saddest is that it's just a reminder that time is speeding by and there is nothing I can do to slow it down. Em's in fourth grade this year! I still remember fourth grade. Nate is in first and was super excited to be there. Emily not so much, but she never is. She does great once she gets into the routine, but the first day is always kind of hard for her. That makes it hard on me too, I hate to see her cry. :(
Anyways, some explanations on the pictures. Geoff was giving the kids a father's blessing before they started school and Kate, who will not be outdone, had to get up on the chair too. She climbed right up there and folded her arms, it was so cute. Of course I couldn't find the camera and when I did it needed new batteries, but I got her on the chair.

It's so hard to get a picture of them all looking, but Ry and Kate had to have their picture taken too.

Final Version, almost

We are nearly finished with our bathroom! We coerced, pleaded, drugged Greg to come home with us and do the tile, so naturally Geoff had to work overtime and Greg did it all by himself. I can probably guess the answer should we ask him to do this again. But doesn't it look great! I wanted to show a before and after picture. We still need to change out some of the fixtures and add the finishing touches, but we are really happy with how it turned out. Thanks to both our dads for all the help they gave us!




This is what it was like before we moved in.

Voila!

This isn't really posting how I had hoped, but you get the idea!

More Utah

I am determined to have the rest of summer posted before school starts next week. So I apologize for the massive amount of pictures, but I'm on a mission. I just realized these pictures are backwards as far as the order we did them, but I'm too lazy to fix it, not that anyone cares. The kids are still asking to go back to Utah, maybe we should reconsider our once a year visit, but then I remember the drive and I'm not inclined to change, sorry. :) So with those random thoughts thrown out there here we go....

Big Grandpa and Little Grandma's backyard, last day in Monticello.
Having fun at the fireworks, Nathan and Blake.

Almost all of Greg and Connie's grandkids, aren't they cute?

Grumpy doing the trick that scares me to death, at least Kate's enjoying it.

Little Grandma comforting Ryan, he was so over tired most of the trip.

I just love this picture.

A good looking crew.

Another picture I love, look at Kate's face.

This is what we love about Monticello on the 24th of July, parade candy. Who needs Halloween?

Blake and Nate at the parade, look at that tractor!

Kate enjoying the spoils of the parade.

Ella and Ryan at the parade.

I thought it was funny the way Connie was shading the love birds.

Ryan and Nate at the ranch house after family pictures, too cute.

Uncle Tom tossing Kate around, sheesh!

Ryan and Nate doing what they love to do best.

Em and Megan had a ball together.

Ryan and Joe cooking smores at the ranch house.