We Got The Keys!

The date had been pushed back several times, but yes, we have keys! We've been ripping up carpet, removing shelf liner, taking out a thousand nails and screws from the walls, changing locks, and getting ready to paint. Since this is our first time to do all this, it is ACTUALLY fun! We are enjoying transforming the place and making it clean and ours. We should be moving sometime in the next 2 weeks or so. We'll see how much we can get done in between the kids, Trent's school and work, my jobs, and all else that is going on. But, we're excited!

Halloween Package

Thank you Magaw for this cute Halloween package! Mikayla was so excited to come home from preschool and find a box in front of the door with HER name on it! Inside was a card, 2 Halloween books, a cupcake and frosting mix, and matching clothes. Mikayla saw one shirt in the box and said, "Oh! I think there's another matching one in here!... Oh! There is! Yay!" She loves matching clothes and Magaw knows that.
After looking everything over she said, "I think Magaw sent this to me because she loves me so much and she misses me a lot." I think you're exactly right Mikayla.

Where's Your Nose?

Yay Megan! She finally understands the little game and is having fun learning body parts. Her favorite is "Where is Meggy's belly button?" As soon as I say it she knows I'm going to lift up her shirt and tickle her, so now she smiles and giggles and presses her shirt into her tummy before I can lift it up! She's so stinkin' cute!
She has decided it's easier to get around with this little car if she just pushes it. BTW, do you see the little pigtails?! Finally, I can pull the hair into two little tufts at the back of her head and make something resembling pigtails out of it.

Stake Achievement Day Dance

We had such a fun dance last weekend for all the 8-11 yr. old girls in the stake. It was a daddy/daughter dance and dinner and the girls had so much fun getting dressed up and having one-on-one time with their dads. We made boutonnieres and corsages with the girls last week for our activity and they all looked so cute wearing their matching flowers.

Nicole asked Trent to go with her and he had so much fun! He made sure to pick her up in style!
Uncle Joe and Eliza arrived in similar fashion!
Trent and Nicole learning to waltz. They actually were quite good!
They did the basic waltz so well, they decided to show off and have Nicole spin Trent! The obvious height differences among all the girls and guys gave us some laughs and cute pictures. What a fun activity! :)

My Favorite Season is Here Again!

I love Fall! How can you not? The beautiful foliage turning vibrant, warm colors, crisp mornings, Halloween, no more 100 degree days, pumpkin apple muffins...I love it all! It is my favorite season and I can't wait to go to a pumpkin patch!

That's right, it's...

National Stay At Home Week!

What a great excuse for our society to sit on the couch even more than we normally do and be even lazier than usual and watch even more t.v. than we should! Haha, I joke, but you know where I'll be all week! Um, let's see, Heroes, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Biggest Loser:Families, Brothers and Sisters, House... don't roll your eyes at me! You know you're watching it all too! lol :) Enjoy!

Which way to your car?

This is the question I'm asked each time I leave Raley's and I usually always say, "No, I'm fine, I can do it." I think maybe it's a little pride mixed with just-came-from-the-gym-need-to-look-strong-like-I-can-lift-2-gallons-of-milk-and-my-kid-at-the-same-time-itis. Well, you know what? It is so much easier to just say, "I'm right out this way!"
So today when I was wrestling with Megan and paying for groceries and trying to get her to sit in the cart, I decided to de-stress a little and say "yes" to the bagger. She pushed my cart out to my car and loaded everything in while I buckled Megan into her carseat, and then she took the cart back for me. Let me tell you, it was something little, but it seriously made my shopping experience easier.
Such a silly post, but I realized today it's okay to accept a little help and make life a little easier on myself! :)

I Love To See The Temple

I took this picture of the Sacramento Temple last week with the girls. It's amazing how even without going in there is such an amazingly peaceful feeling that is felt there and everything is so beautiful and so well taken care of. I am grateful I had the opportunity to help with the landscaping for the temple Open House 2 years ago. As I walk around the outside I remember where I shoveled wood chips and planted shrubs. It's a nice feeling to know that in some small way I was able to contribute my time and labor to bring forth such a beautiful temple.
The girls and I were singing Primary songs while I was playing piano last Sunday after church and I decided since Trent was working to just pack up the girls and go out to the temple to walk around and take some pictures.
Mikayla loved all the flowers. I didn't get anything of Megan as she just wanted to walk around and follow the wild turkeys! She had no interest in slowing down long enough to smile for Mom! Mikayla stood on the edge of the fountain singing, "I Love to See the Temple" at the top of her lungs! She kept telling me she wanted to go inside to see Jesus and since the temple's closed on Sundays she thought she'd sing loud enough for him to hear. So cute!

My fashion guru

Mikayla cracks me up. We got ready to go to the gym the other day and she looks at me and says, "Mom, are you going like that?" I look down at my purple tank and black yoga pants and didn't see the reason for her question. I said yes and she said, "But you can't wear earrings to the gym! Everyone will laugh at you." I half-smiled and looked quizzically at her as she explained to me that people do not wear earrings to exercise and that they will laugh at me. I felt my silver hoops dangling from my lobes and realized though yes, they are impractical, I didn't see the pitfalls of public ridicule stemming from them. My 4 yr old then told me, "Mom, if anyone laughs at you, you come and get me (from the childcare room) and tell me and I will go get mad at them. Don't worry, I won't let people make fun of you."

What a sweet, sweet child I have looking out for my fashion welfare. :)

Same thing happened when I wore my new, cute cropped cardigan with a tank top underneath. She said, "Mom, did you know you bought a sweater that's too little for you?" I told her it's cropped and that's how it's supposed to look. She said, "Well, it's too small for you... I could wear it though, I bet it will fit me." Way to make a mom self-conscious of her attempts at fashion...

Oh well. Who could blame her? I mean, wouldn't you take fashion advice from someone that picks out this outfit for preschool? How cute is she?!

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Ruth, Ruth, Ruth!!! Today Ruth is on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire!!!!!!" I am so excited for my friend and can't WAIT until the show airs on November 24th! So set your DVR now to watch Ruth win big! She is in NY filming the show today and I'm so excited for this lovely lady to be on national t.v. I can't wait to hear how it goes! I'm rooting for you Ruth!! Love you!

Nikki's Wedding!

Nikki is a dear friend from college that I met over 8 years ago, holy mole that seems like a long time!! I was fortunate enough to be there with her as she was married to John in the Newport Beach temple. Everything was absolutely beautiful and it was such a wonderful wedding. Megan and I flew to SoCal on Sept. 11th and I would be remiss if I said I was not just slightly overanxious to be flying on that date. But... all was well and we arrived just fine. Nikki's mom watched the girls so we could get manicures together and we stayed up later than we should talking and catching up. The next day was the wedding and it was all so beautiful and lovely. Megan was so tired from the busy day and the late night from being up late at the reception that she slept the entire way home on the plane--hallelujah!
I am so excited and happy for Nikki and she truly has found a wonderful man in John and I know he will work hard to give her all the love and happiness she deserves. It was such a wonderful weekend!

How beautiful is she?! Holy mole! Nikki's smoking hot!
Me and Megan, she was a a little tired...
Megan and Avery, exactly 3 months apart and the cutest little things you ever did see!
Nikki and John as they came out of the temple.
All the bridesmaids, it was misting at this point, but at least we got some pics before we were totally frizzy and wet.

Some friends and roomies from college
At the reception
Meggy with Jessy, thank you for all the help!!
I made this vinyl lettered tile for a gift for them, I think it turned out pretty cute :)
Their beautiful cake!

5 Things...

Tagged...by Christine
THE FIVE

10 years ago I:
1. Got my license to drive
2. Started my Junior year of High School
3. Went to my first concert--N*Sync baby!
4. Was Junior class Vice President
5. Went on my first date

5 things on today's "to do" list:
1. Get my Achievement Day activity ready
2. Clean the house
3. Exercise and take the girls swimming at the gym
4. Get my lessons ready for teaching tomorrow
5. Bathe Megan and get all the squished blackberries and raspberries out of her hair!

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2. Junior Mints
3. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (dough form and ice cream form!)
4. Almond MnM's
5. Diet Pepsi (gotta have one healthy thing right? hahaha!)

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Buy a house
2. Travel to tons of places and take cruises
3. Buy a Subway and a Jamba Juice franchise so I could have both whenever I wanted
4. Stash a bunch in accounts for the kids
5. Take friends and family on cruises/vacations

5 places I have lived:
1. Sacramento, CA
2. Provo, UT
3. Ukiah, CA
4. Tacoma, WA
5. Galt, CA

5 jobs I have had:
1. Deerwood Country Club
2. Cal Skate roller rink
3. Subway at the Cougar Eat at BYU
4. Elementary Art Teacher
5. North State Cafe and LaVae's food server

I tag...
1. Allison
2. April
3. Ashley
4. Ruth
5. Megan K.

Rules:Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog

Labor Day Fun

So, first time teaching water aerobics went well--better than I thought it would anyway! My tutoring position is working out quite nicely and I'm working on getting the hang of our new schedule. So, in a nutshell... life is good. :)

I know this post is late, but we enjoyed a fun time camping at Rucker Lake over Labor Day. It was colder than we thought it would be, but we still had fun! I grew up enjoying camping each summer with my family and I'm glad my girls get to enjoy the same fun trips that I did.Is it wrong to say that my favorite part of camping might just be the s'more making? yum! :)

Doesn't this face just say it all?! Mikayla loved every minute of camping, canoeing, swimming, s'more making, rock climbing, hot dog roasting, and getting dirty! It actually was harder than I thought it would be for me to let them get (and stay!) so dirty! I couldn't believe the amount of dirt that found the girls faces, clothing, and fingernails while we were there!

Mikayla and cousin Noah drying off after a swim in the lake.
Mikayla having fun playing Old Maid with Magaw.
Uncle Josh and Uncle Dusty took the girls for a hike and to go rock climbing.

The 3 of us went for a fun canoe ride around the lake.
Megan, sittin' pretty!
Me, Magaw, Megan, Mikayla, and Aunt Chloe
Mikayla loved rock climbing with Uncle Josh.
Trent giving Meggy some snuggles after playing in the lake.

Let the Fun Begin!

Whoa. What just happened?! We went from long, lazy summer days eating popsicles by the pool to one crazy start of another school year for all of us.
Trent started teaching seminary, began another semester of school and is still working on the weekends. Mikayla started everyday morning preschool. I started a job as an inpendent study teacher for an 8th grade tennis pro in town and have been training for a position at Del Norte as an aqua aerobics instructor. Which, I might add, I am teaching my first class tomorrow! Aauuggh! We are also in escrow on a home(actually my dad is, we plan to rent from him), but nonetheless, we could be moving across town in a few weeks and I have no idea what I have gotten myself into.
I didn't even go looking for these jobs. Two different friends actually called me and basically offered the jobs to me. I took them both and am scared out of my mind as they are both jobs I've never had and it is requiring A LOT of time and preparation and practice for each of them. The opportunities are exciting and challenging; this will definitely be an interesting school year for all of us. Unfortunately, I see a lot of Taco Bell and Papa Murphy's in my family's future... haha (I'm partially kidding!)

Tubing for the first time

Mikayla went tubing for the first time on Lake Oroville and loved it! She went with Uncle Josh and held on the whole time! She didn't want her turn to be over when it was time either!
She kept sitting up to wave at us, it was pretty funny!
Here's Aunt Chloe with Meggy
Mikayla even got a turn to help Papa drive the boat.
Then she jumped in off the boat for a swim with Magaw and Papa. What a fun day of boating and tubing!