Good Morning....

Every year gets earlier and earlier...they used to sleep in a LITTLE. I'm sure that won't change for the years to come either. Bright and early we got going. Had to wake Joshua up...man that boy is a deep sleeper. It took him a LOOOOng time to finally grasp that SANTA had come. When he caught on he jumped out of bed and passed me as he raced Isaiah down the hall.







This was Isaiah's big gift...He wants to play really bad but didn't want to ask for that instead of his helicopter so Santa wrote him a letter explaining that he wanted him to have it and that he will have to practice hard (hey a little help from Santa couldn't hurt) this is the series of events...







Can't wait to start practicing with him.

These are my form of indoor entertainment/energy getter outter ;) They've been a hit. They've REALLY been bouncing off the walls all day.


This was the prized possesion of the day...it's even fun to me.


I made my own gift...take it into your own hands and you won't ever be disappointed. Not that Mike ever disappoints but I wanted this picture and didn't want to pay the price for it. Can't wait to get it hung...it's going to be the center of my FAMILY wall coming soon...Mike by the way did a great job as usual. Just another reason I love him.


Made the boys super capes. Joshua wanted it on right away and ran away from all the unwrapped presents down the hall yelling 'supermaaaaan'


After breakfast Santa led us on a hunt for a surprise gift...that sneaky Santa. Throwing in things we weren't supposed to get.


Hope you all had as wonderful a morning as we did. It was even better after my belly was full...very full of baked french toast and maple bacon. Now that it's almost dinner time I'm looking forward to the smell from the crock pot that's been teasing me all morning. Texas pulled pork sandwiches. Yum!!!

School program

These first pictures are of Isaiah's school program. He and Joshua were festive wearing santa hats. They looked pretty cute.



We made our own polar express box car...too bad the picture didn't get the whole thing. I wish I would have known that it would only last 30 seconds. I spent waaaay too much time on the silly thing.



Santa totally surprised the class and showed up after everyone had hot cocoa. They were totally thrilled!



This left them all even more excited for Christmas than before...

My sister Summer and I take the kids every year to help shop for gifts for Coins for Kids. Every year it is a choatic, frenzied, hectic party. I love doing it! It gets me in the best mood. The day after everyone shops is wrapping day and we were there helping wrap and spotted this guy for the one and only documenting picture.



Love this tradition.

Jingle Bell rock...

He knows the words, or should I say he makes up his own words to almost every Christmas song. It cracks me up! I thought you'd get a kick out of his lyrics.

As fast as you can...

This is what he's been saying all day and when anyone does anything mean he says "you're on the naughty list" Funny.

Toffee & gingerbread

The other night Mike got an itch to make toffee. He gets an idea in his head and it's a done deal. So he let the boys help...Isaiah looked awesome in my girly apron. There were plenty of taste tests and in the end Joshua wanted me to lick the wooden spoon with him. It was scrumptious!! I hope our neighbors like toffee 'cause it was gift worthy.



Looks funny but it was a candid moment ;)


Isaiah made a gingerbread house at school today...here is the beauty. It became the after school snack on the walk home. Hence the icing mustache.

This is what was left for me to sample...it was pretty yummy.


Tomorrow is his Christmas program so I'll have more pictures from it.

Almost 20 years ago...

Even writing it seems impossible...20 years? Almost 20 years ago I started playing the violin. When I was six I would get out my moms viola and pretend to play. I would beg her and beg her to let me start playing the violin. I'm so glad she listened to my six year old pleas.



There is something totally unexplainable about being able to express yourself through music. The experiences that have come from being involved in music are some of the best memories of my life. I have met some of my best friends, learned from the best teachers, and rubbed shoulders with some of the best violinists in the state. I've played in youth orchestras all over the state, played in the pit orchestra at Tuacahn a number of times, and was invited to play with the Southwest Symphony in their Divas night at Tuacahn. I got the opportunity to play at the olypmics in Salt Lake in 2000. I was awarded Music Sterling Scholar in 2002. Many other opportunities have come also. Little things like being able to play at rest homes during the holidays and watching peoples faces light up. Playing at fiddle festivals, concerto nights, recitals and weddings. The memories keep flooding the more I think about it.

The point of this self indulgent post??? I love the way that music touches lives. So I am going to start teaching. My goal is to bring the same joy I've had to other peoples lives.



I've just completed some teacher training with Bonnie Romkey. She has been the Concert Master of the Southwest Symphony a number of years. I feel that will get me off on the right foot. So spread the word...I'm finally going to do what I Knew I'd always do and I'm so excited!!

Another ride

We went out to explore a new area we've never ridden before. We kind of made our own trail but we found some awesome scenery and as always laughed our heads off while we bounced on our excessively trotty horses.



We usually take three of the other horses so these aren't quite in as good of shape so they struggle. Poor Celeste was riding a barrel, Misty is Fluffily round through the middle. She struggled to keep up at a gallop.




We liked this tree...


and this rock...


And this rock...


This one too...we saw a lot of cool rock formations!


Then we decided to give a try to some jump shots. Boots are NOT fun to jump in. I felt totally bizarre and look totally uncoordinated next to Celeste...She caught on quick, I struggled. But this is the result... crazy fun!!




Patrice tore her calf muscle so she didn't jump...yes she still insists on riding with a TORN calf muscle. Fridays are the days I look forward to most. We have more fun!!

kids say...

At Halloween Mike was telling Isaiah about the Great Pumpkin. Isaiah kept telling him that he knew there was no such thing as the Great Pumkin...he'd seen Charlie Brown. So Mike gets out a picture from his mission and it's of Mike standing next to a sign that says The Great Pumpkin (arrow) that way. Anyway Isaiah still didn't believe him and said "There's only two things that are real, that's Jesus and Santa Clause" Great right? Get this...



Sunday we were talking about something we could do for a family this year for Christmas and this was my conversation with Isaiah...

Me: What do you think you could do for a little boy your age that might not get presents this year?

Isaiah without hesitation: Let's take him a plate of cookies and help him get off the naughty list.

He says stuff like this all the time...I love the stuff he comes up with.

Field Trip

Isaiah's first field trip ever. We went on the bus over to Staheli Farm and corn maze. His cousin and him have the same teacher so they got to go together.



We made it through the corn maze only getting lost a few times.


Then headed back to the farm to pet the animals.
He was amazed with this sheep...


This water contraption was nifty...


You slid into corn at the bottom...


Horse walker swings...