Thanksgiving and Fall Mash-up

There is nothing cuter than those little paper hats that Elle makes at school. There is nothing sweeter than the pies that Tarah and Sean my sister and brother in law have mastered. There's nothing yummier than the turkey Sam made this year, and nothing better than willing teenagers who will help in the kitchen! and maybe nothing quite as fun as staying at your sisters for a long four day weekend. We had a great holiday!
We've been outside playing in the leaves and enjoying our gorgeous Utah Fall weather. Going to Princess parties and having fun dressing up. I love that I get to have Elle with me so much. She makes things fun.

Timpanogas cave is an amazing wonder. We give it our family high-five and our stamp of approval!  

This fall has also brought lots of fun opportunities for me including fashion shows, hair shows and some photoshoots - Sometimes when I get home I don't even recognize myself but thankfully it can all be washed off!

Park City =s a great mini get away - we had a fun Labor Day Weekend seeing the sights, visiting the Utah Olympic Park and goofing off in general.

 

With November comes voting season, and family - all gathered for these two cute boy's baptisms. Laura's roses still looked amazing as of the first weekend in November - then two days later while eating lunch at kneaders with Grandma and Grandpa it was dumping snow!! That was fun too while it lasted. Just a quick post and  here comes Christmas!

 

Halloween Hullabaloo

Here they are, my little devil, scary scream scarecrow reaper guy, and the little vampiress. What gorgeous weather we've been having this fall! It was nice not to freeze while trick or treating.
So a word about the costumes... Audrey and her cute friend Morgan decided to do a joint costume and use stuff we already had in the house - and this is what they came up with. When I asked Audrey why she had to be the devil she said because Morgan has the white skinny jeans! Ahh, yes, of course. Reese has officially moved on to wanting to be scary - I guess no more Harry Potter for him, he's past that... and Elle I begged to be Cleopatra because I found the prettiest little costume and she declined, opting for the vampire dress. My influence in this realm has rapidly diminished. Oh well, cute they will always be, and I love that I get to do all these fun things with them. I love Halloween - all the candy and none of the stress of Christmas.
Audrey and Morgan's mini photo session

This year Sam was gone for work - it was the first time it's ever happened. We missed him being home for sure but everyone was so busy and excited running around all day I'm afraid it was Sam who felt the most sorry. I kept him updated all day with pictures and he vowed to try not to schedule a trip next year. The kids visited his cubicle at the work Trick or Treating party to leave him some sweet messages on his board.
This time, I was in Reese's class for the class party - the dry ice was such a big hit that Reese said he's going to wish for some for his birthday. Yep, apparently, it's that amazing to kids.  Trick or treating was a giant success with more candy than anyone should ever ingest. Yet somehow, it's nearly all gone just 10 days later.. After we got home we kept up with tradition and watched the Nightmare Before Christmas while counting up all the loot. A fun time indeed.
  

Birthday Girl

I can't believe our little Lou-Who is getting so big! What a sweet heart she is and how lucky we are to have her in our family. Seven years old!

 Early morning presents with the family before Audrey went to school. She was so excited and yet, a tad sleepy. Love those knobby knees in roller blades, too cute.
This year's special party guests included Grandma Mary and Grandpa Tony. They came to town so that Sam and I could take the red-eye flight out that night...Understandably, this party may have not been as high maintenance as some of our parties tend to get, but a good time was had by all none the less. Elle wanted me to make her cake this year, and it was neat to put my Grandma Livingston's heart shaped cake pans to use.
 

This Crazy Kid..

Elle has always been my most active, athletic, whatever you call it, coordinated or bouncing off the walls child. I came around the corner to see this - Elle, what are you doing? Just reading - duh. ;) Also the streamers, they're just because. Just because Elle likes to create things on a daily basis and this day it was decorative streamer art.. It's like living with a little knome in the house.  

Sam has been traveling a lot lately and he actually wasn't able to be here for Halloween last night - but at least we had him long enough to carve the pumpkins and eat some yummy seeds that we like to roast.  The kids are definitly growing up, they each opted out of the fancy designs so they could carve their own this year. Elle had some help on her big pumpkin but she managed to carve her name into a small one all by herself. Reese was also particularly proud to have done it on his own.     We hope everyone had a great Halloween! Posts with costumes soon to follow!  

Speedy Quick Phone Picture Blitz

I think it's time I realize rounding the corner into late October that I may never catch up from our summer of fun here on the blog...So I'm setting out to do what I always do in this case, a phone photo blitz! OK, Summer, we had cousins to stay, hiked the Y, went to the pioneer village in Provo and generally traveled in a pack around Y town.

I planned a princess party for Audrey's dance school over at the Old Grist Mill. It was a great success and we're hoping to make an annual fundraising event! I was even able to book a horse and carriage!  More princess pictures, time at the pool, sidewalk art chalk festivals, buying flowers ( that I of course killed, hey, I tried) and Audrey gearing up to be our Trekker!  More pictures from hiking the Y and some from father's day chaperoned at the zoo for Elle's class and let Reese play hookie to come along, went to Lagoon, Audrey helped at a friend's birthday party and played the ballerina princess while teaching  basic dance moves = totally adorable, Elle graduating kindergarten, loosing teeth left and right, Reese wrapping up his Comp soccer season with a championship win! Elle eating pizza as big as her head, Audrey's spring ballet performances, Reese's Utah projects at the end of the school year including showcasing his square-dancing! I colored Audrey's hair and it was a big success and I've continued to be on The Daily Dish and Good Things Utah over at ABC 4  The 4th of July was great, we watched the fireworks in Grantsville and they were better than ever! We tried to climb much more this summer, taking different friends along for the ride and our kids are really getting good! And That's just some of the stuff we've been doing over the summer! Fall Photo blitz to follow!  

The Day a Princess Got Married

Whoa.... how does time fly like this? I know with my own kids time goes by way too fast and with my nieces and nephews time seems somehow to whiz by at an even faster pace! This is Jessica - she is the little sister that I didn't have. She was born at the end of my sixth grade year and I've loved her ever since. She got married back in May and I of course am finally getting settled enough from summer to catch up. At any rate, we are all so proud of her and the woman she's become. The dress by the way...is the one she loved from the start - it had to be altered to be right -  but right it was because just look at it!! She looked so lovely.

I felt so lucky to be able to see her in the temple before she came out to greet her adoring crowd...

Lots of family, especially all these cute cousins there to support the newlyweds! It was a great day. As previously posted, my grandma was able to attend before she passed away adding to the store of  memories for each of us to hold dear. Also in attendance was our great-Aunt Gaye, my Grandma Livingston's sister. I always love seeing her especially because she resembles my late grandma so much. On the Sign in table there was a picture of Jessica now and a picture of her when she was 8 or 9 after she caught the bouquet at my wedding! So cute.

Beautiful day, Beautiful shoes!! :)

We're so happy for these two! Mark, her new husbsand is amazing and we couldn't have hoped for anyone better. We know he'll take great care with our sweet girl! Speaking of royalty I feel like I need to add that I too am so grateful for my sweet hubby. He makes me feel like the queen of our house and I'm so thankful to have someone as amazing and loving as he is. 

 

One of the Greats

Recently I wrote a post about my Grandma and also included my Mom and my Sister. If you missed it, you can see my sentiments Here. I'm so glad I had the chance to witness her at my niece Jessica's wedding and I'm forever grateful for her amazing example of optimism, humor, grace and class. The world lost one of the greats. I hope to not offend anyone with my pictures from the day of her funeral but to honor her and her memory and share some of our experience. Of course our entire family gathered to mourn Grandma, and not just mourn but mostly to celebrate her amazing life and legacy. Although there was sadness, there was joy and comfort taken in our belief of God's Plan for us after this life. We love Grandma dearly and can't wait to see her again someday. She was buried at the family plot in Holden UT along with her husband, Parents, Grandparents and GreatGrandparents. It was really neat to be there and see such a family legacy.

Here are many of her great grandchildren. Family was always number one for Grandma. She was always telling each of us how much she "just loved" us and that she was "just thrilled" to see us.

Over the last couple of years, I've had the chance to visit Grandma in her assisted living and nursing care facilities. I liked to help her bust out once in a while to get some fresh air and see the sights. She's always so full of love for life and I really enjoyed every chance I had to be with her. She was absolutely beautiful, always has been and always will be. Not many 94 year olds look that good!

 

We know that you are having a ball up in Heaven with your many sisters, brothers, friends and ancestors. God be with you til we meet again. We love you, Always. Thank you for being our Grandma.

She Had Birthday, Shout Hooray

Although this post is VERY belated... and the blog seems to be increasingly difficult to keep up on - we still need to document the arrival of an official TEENAGER in our house!!! The time is going by so fast I don't even know what to think, other than I'm so proud to have such a beautiful, good, sweet daughter who is growing into such an interesting fun, (and funny) person. Audrey we love you so much!
Elle and Reese were troopers to get up before Audrey had to go to school just to be there when she opened her presents. She's normally gone by 7:15 for the bus so it was bright and early! Sam was out of town in the morning but she got a call from her Daddy to start her day. Also pictured here... the wreckage that follows the presents!

Audrey's birthday also happened to land on the last day of school so her cute friends came home with her to celebrate. Such a good group of girls.

 
There seems to be a fascination with moustaches going on around here. I bought Audrey a big pack full of them so the girls deemed the party "The moustache party"

And continued to wear them to Olive Garden. They got what every teenage girl probably wants - a lot of attention! Haha, plenty of people had a comment for them that day!

 Ah the carefree days of youth! :)