December and Family Fun

The kids have gone skiing 3 times in December - and they are getting pretty good. Audrey gives Chad a run for his money - and Carson is starting to find his skiing legs. This has been a fun activity for Chad and the kids.

Audrey had a ballet class demonstration in December. It was fun to see her showing off the ballet skills she has been learning. She is very confident and it was fun to watch.

Because it has been so cold in December, we have found ourselves playing inside a lot.

Here is train world that we made one morning. On other days, we have built Dinosaur World, CARS world, and Hot Wheels world. It has been fun to play along with the kids using their toys. It has also been my goal to focus more on them now that I have more "spare time".


Carson finished his learning to read book, and it suggested 100 additional reading books to try, so, he skipped to suggestion 100 and started reading the Tree House Series (several levels above him). The amazing thing is that he is enjoying it and is very persistent. We have a new reader!!!! His kindergarten teacher will be very surprised next time she hears him reading.

Our family went to Dimple Dell Rec Center for a Christmas Eve swim. It was very fun to play with the kids, and they are all getting to be swimmers, which is a different sort of swimming experience. It was a fun day.

Christmas morning, wow! What a neat thing with little kids. They get so excited about everything. We sure are in a wonderful time of life.

Christmas was wonderful, and I think we all truely felt the miracle of the birth of the Savior this year. We are so blessed.

November Brings Change

Well, this has been a crazy month for us. The biggest news is that I was released as Relief Society President after 2 years - which was a big relief and a sudden change. It has been interesting to go through that change - I am grateful I was able to serve, I am also sad that I will miss out on the blessings that came. Now, I need to make sure that my family is a bigger part of my life! I can already feel my newly available time being sucked up with un-essential things.

Fall has been fun - we have enjoyed football, Thanksgiving Dinner, the opening of an In and Out Burger a couple miles from our house, and seeing the kids progress in school and learn so much. It is strange that the fall is drawing to a close and the Christmas Season is upon us. Kate has become a three year old social butterfly, playing almost daily with her best friend, Emily. Carson and Audrey have surprised me with their progress in school, and Chad is in Heaven with the BYU win over Utah on Saturday.

These pics are from our leaf cleaning exploits one Saturday. We got them all blown, raked and gathered before the snow came down. The kids were in heaven playing in the leaves, and also very useful in compacting them into our garbage can.

This last Saturday morning Carson asked me to not go out to exercise. I asked him what I should do instead - and he said "play more with me". So, with that for a mission statement, I think I will play more with Carson (and Audrey and Kate)!

Chicago is Warmer Than I Remember!

Chad and I went to Chicago for his Graduate School 5 year Reunion this last weekend. We had a terrific trip. It was beautiful weather, especially for Chicago in November. We spent a couple days exploring and remembering our fun times there 5 years ago. Later we hooked up with fun friends and remembered good times. How fun.

On our first day, we walked along Michigan Ave and here I am by the river and Chad is next to the Wrigley Building. We spent several hours at the Art Institute - very neat to explore it without kids in tow.

That night we went to dinner and to the Blue Man Group. We hadn't gone as poor college kids, and it was very fun to spend a night on the town. We quickly snapped this pic of us at the show just before the usher told us to put the camera away.

One of our favorite things while we were there was reliving our time. We ran along the Shoreline trail - drove around our old Hyde Park neighborhood, and looking out at Lake Michigan. Here we are along the beach with part of the city behind us.

We got together two of Chad's fellow school friends and their wives (the Kanes and the Pauls) for dinner and also stayed with the Pauls for two of the nights. It was fun to be part of their life again. Chad ran with Brent on Saturday, and it was nice to see how big the kids are getting.

We visited our favorite of all time museums - the Museum of Science and Industry - and spent 5 hours there. It was just as we remembered - but better. They have added several new exhibits and updated and upgraded many parts. It was fun to explore this with Chad and no kiddos. But, we made a pact to bring our kids back. It is sooooo neat!

The Reunion had several events and we attended a "Back to Class" session where we learned about things beyond my limited world scope. The topic was on "Sovereign Wealth Funds". I felt lost for the first 10 minutes when I didn't recognize ANYTHING they were talking about. By the time the lecture was over, I felt my world had expanded and I new a lot more about wealthy sovereign countries like Dubai and China and how they typically invest their money in foreign markets like the US. Crazy what you can learn about daily at this sort of amazing University.

We also went to the class reunion dinner, and Chad reconnected with many, many of his friends from classes and projects. His Lead Squad was the most rewarding to catch up with, and they were all very nice and remembered our cute Audrey from when she was a little girl in Chicago.

Sunday was perhaps the best day of all. We attended the same church we had attended both years there. So many people have moved on in the last 5 years and are no longer living in Hyde Park. But, it was fun to connect with those that are. And, it was so exciting to see those we worked with in the gospel still strong and active - and in the ward leadership now! What a great trip. It was also fun to see the little sunbeams I taught all grown up and 9 years old now!!!!

It is fun to come home, but part of our hearts are still in Chicago!

Our Baby is A Boy

Our good news is that we are having a baby boy, he is due March 4th. We found out a few weeks ago, but I finally wanted to get it on our blog as well. Now our pattern is perfect - Girl, Boy, Girl, and new baby boy.

More Fun and Less Spooky Halloween

Every year, Halloween gets more and more fun, and Chad and I enjoy it because our kids love it so much! We had a 45 day count down and Audrey decorated her room in September.

This year we had Hannah Montana, a skeleton and Sleeping Beauty. It was so fun to help them dress up and do fun holiday things.

Grandma had her annual Pumpkin Party - one of the highlights of the year!!! We were missing our cute cousin Maren (though she attended by skype). The rest of us partied and partied. What a fun event - thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

On Halloween day, our whole family went to Cornbelly's and enjoyed their Halloween festival. Here are the kids standing in front of the creature. They loved exploring there and ran from event to event because they were so excited. It was a beautiful fall day - gorgeous sunny fall weather - and it was such a pleasure to be outdoors enjoying it.

Halloween night - the kids walked and walked around the neighborhood. We lasted a lot longer than we usually do, and it was so fun to see so many folks we know out as well. Because it was a nice night - even the parents had fun. We realized that we are lucky that Audrey still wants to go out with us. Very soon, she will be wanting to spend the night with friends more than parents.

Here are the kids exploring the booty. Even with so much candy, it is surprising how quickly it all gets eaten!

Well, only 351 days to go until next Halloween!

Isn't Fall Great - Squeezing in a Little More Sun

September seemed like an extension of summer, but October was true to it's season. There was a dramatic temperature change at the first of October, we definitely knew fall was here! With that change, we grabbed jackets and hit the parks as much as possible, trying to get our most of the time we had left.

Here is Kate's first preschool field trip. She felt SO GROWN UP! She had gone on a ton last year with Carson, but this was HER field trip. We went to a Fire Station, and here she is giving the fireman a "high five".

Kate has learned how to get on the swings and pump herself this summer. The other day I heard her outside singing to the tune of "It's a small world" - "I'm a big girl after all" and she pumped herself really high in the air. On this cool fall day, she and Cinderella Bear are bundled in pink and about to swing together. She really is growing up!

One of my favorite mornings as a mom was a few weeks ago while Kate was at preschool and it was just Carson and I at home (he has afternoon kindergarten). We packed our bikes and drove to the Jordan River Trail. He and I went on a bike ride together, exploring places that he hadn't been to before. When he wanted to stop for a break, we sat on a bench together and he just hugged and hugged me. I thought to myself - this is what being a mom is all about.

Audrey is learning to cook. She has been Easy Bak'n for her friends very often, but for the activity days talent show, she perfected the skills of mixing and baking her own cupcakes. It was very fun to teach her to measure, crack eggs, use a mixer and the oven - and then let her do it all her self a couple of times to get confidence. The kids actually got bored of eating the 75 pink cupcakes she produced in a weeks' time, but Audrey was quite pleased with learning her new skill.

We visited a small fall festival at Engh Gardens one sunny fall afternoon this month. The kids are always excited to do something together for Halloween - and this turned out great. Here they are on the pirate ship. They spent time in the straw maze and various fall displays. I also was glad to do a little perennial shopping - something I have wanted to do the last 3 years of living in our house. Hopefully the ones I picked out and planted this fall will add some color to our drab spring flower gardens in a few months.

Well, the school parties have begun and Kate had her preschool party with Mrs. Sue today. She loved being dressed up princess style and playing all of the fun Halloween games. I got to help out with the party and that was a treat.

Happy Halloween!

Some Sweet History is Made

September was Audrey's 8th Birthday, so we were very proud of her choice to be baptized. This was a very neat day for all of us. Chad performed the ordinance of baptism and confirmation, and Audrey was glowing all day! It was so sweet to feel her eagerness to be obedient to the commandments. On Sunday she was also beaming all day - and was willing to sit on the stand during Sacrament Meeting. She had lots of family come and witness her special ordinance and we had a crazy family party/BYU football game party afterward. Thanks everyone that shared the special day with us!!

Here is a pic of Audrey's Rocking Birthday party! She and her friends jammed out to Hannah Montana, and they all competed to be the "best singer" and "best dancer". There was so much excitement and creativity! We had fun decorating and buying fun props for the party. We had pizza and a Hannah cake and ice cream. Another party is in the books!

We were finally able to hike Timp Cave this month. We weren't very good at scoring tickets ahead of time, so we finally planned ahead and purchased them the week before we hiked it. Carson LOVED the cool cave rock formations. He loved thinking about how the formations and caves were formed. The girls loved the beautiful aspects of the cave. And, the hike wasn't as long as we remembered! We got there 25 minutes early, so we were able to explore a little earlier than we had planned.

Chad is hooked on Tri's! He did his second in September - and the weather was much better, and he finished 35th overall. It was fun to cheer him on again, and with the better weather - the kids enjoyed the experience a lot more. Good job Chad!

September was a big milestone month for both Carson and Kate. It was Carson's first day of Kindergarten - and thus his first day on the bus. He was did great - he wasn't even nervous. He is so grown up now!

Kate had her first day of preschool. This was VERY exciting for Kate because she was going to preschool with Emily! These two are adorable together - and Kate wasn't about to miss out on getting to go. She came close, she wasn't potty trained at the first of August, the cut-off, but she got it all figured out in record time so that she would be able to go! We are so proud of that cute little girl.

Up and Away in August

We finally made it to a Balloon Festival!!! This one is so close, you can see the balloons floating over our houses - so was an easy win. Here are the kids enjoying the Sandy Balloon Festival. We had to get up early, of course, but the kids were so excited that it was fun to get ready to go. They all picked their favorite balloons, and we sat and watched until they had all been launched. Then, wanting further excitement, we drove around Draper trying to find where the pig balloon went. Fun morning!

We were excited for the $2 Tuesdays at Thanksgiving Point, but a little worried about lines at our usual haunt, the dinosaur museum. However, I have always wanted to see their Flower Gardens in the summer because I have only visited the Tulip Festival in the spring. We went to Draper Park in the morning for playgroup, then we went to the Gardens after lunch bringing Audrey's friend Ally along. It was awesome and the girls loved the beautiful flowers. Carson loved rolling down hills, exploring the spiral path and they all loved splashing in water, especially at the Children's garden. It was great to just let them run and play over such a large garden area. I am so glad we went!

Chad did his first triathlon - and he did great. He has picked up the sport of swimming, mostly this last summer, we got a road bike in late June, and he was already a great runner. He is well on his way to becoming a world class endurance athlete! He even placed in the triathlon - got 3rd in his age division (though it was a small race). We had a blast cheering him on and being part of it. It was too bad that it was pouring rain during the bike and run - the kids preferred to sit in the car! Well done, Chad!

We have had fun at the last few neighborhood playgroups, and here is the last one, a trip to the aquarium. We have enjoyed getting to hang out with other moms and kids from our neighborhood this summer. The aquarium is a little hectic - especially in the summer, but always a hit with my kids. They love seeing the animals, but they could play forever in the coral reef play area. So fun.

I have always wanted to take the kids to the Great Salt Lake, mostly because it is there, and it felt like a way to explore our surrounding. So, we finally made a trip out towards the Marina on the South end, bringing Audrey's friend Abby along. When we got close, Saltair said it had beach access, so we stopped there, used their restrooms and they even had outdoor showers to wash the sand and salt off when we were done. The girls loved the "castle" look of Saltair and the black and white photos of it in it's heyday. We were stoked! So, we began the long trek out to the water's edge. When we finally made it, it was just an odd experience. The bugs were so thick that they coated everything black that entered their domain along the water's edge. So we quickly all headed out into the water. Like at Antelope Island, you can go VERY far out and it only gets to your knees, so we strayed a long ways from shore. The water felt in the 90's and things were going fine, then all of a sudden, all of the kids, who were floating and playing in the water, started crying simultaneously because the salt had gotten into cuts and sensitive parts of their bodies. We made a dash back to shore, accompanied by the wailing of kids, just to be attacked by the bugs, and we had a long grueling walk back to Saltair to wash off the salt. We were all glad to leave, and we aren't planning a return trip. Now we have experienced the Great Salt Lake!!!!

We had our last cousin group this month as well - at Discovery park. We had never been to this park before, and it was amazing for the kids. It made it very peaceful for the moms to be able to sit and chat and catch up. It has been a nice summer to reconnect with cousins and sisters-in-laws! Here are Kate, Audrey and Breanne on the tire swing together. Fun day.

We are sad to see summer ending . . . it has really been a Joy.

Oregon is Beautiful!

We have gone regularly to Oregon (every other summer for years), but this trip seemed very special. All of Chad's siblings and their families were able to go, the weather was amazing and the kids were old enough to really enjoy it.

On our way up we stopped at a fish hatchery at Bonneville Dam. It was neat seeing the big ocean going fish and experience the fish steps to return the fish to the beginning of the Columbia River.

Later we stopped at Multnomah Falls. What a pretty waterfall so close to the freeway! Breanne (cousin and "adopted sister"), Audrey and Kate are enjoying the backdrop.

The Iverson family reunion is always fun - and here are Chad and I with Ross (our Gpa Iverson's brother) and Dorothy, the reunion organizers. The Iverson family settled in Portland in the 1940's, and Ross still lives in the area and owns a Tulip farm. In the off tulip season, when their festival is over, they throw a big shin-dig along the shores of their private lake. What a neat tradition they have established.

We made it to the coast, and one of the first things we did was go looking for starfish. We did find a few, and here are the kids investigating one close up. It is amazing to see life in the tide pools at low tide. Later that day we visited the Tillamook Cheese factory and got great cheese and ice cream. It was unbelievably crowded. The cool coastal weather was attracting a lot of Portlanders trying to get out of 105 degree weather. The coast had beautiful weather.

Late in the afternoon, we went beaching. It was fun to watch the kids play in sand and water. My favorite part was body boarding with Amy and Nicole. We caught some major waves and the cool water didn't stop us. Everyone wanted a picture to document our crazy exploit. Just like old times!

On Tuesday, we got up early and trekked to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. We were pretty impressed with the sea life there. Here Carson is loving the giant crabs. We had no idea that they got so big! We also loved the 360 shark tank. Very fun to see sharks swimming on all sides of you!

On our way home from Newport we stopped at Monson Falls and later at Cape Meare to see the lighthouse. We missed our chance to go inside this year, but the coast along there is amazing and we made a stop at the octopus tree as usual.

On Wednesday we went to Oswald Beach, our favorite beach. The beautiful wooded hike is followed by a wonderful beach. Here we are having fun on the wooden suspension bridge that leads to the beach. The beach was foggy - our first day of the mist, and we were surprised when the fog lifted how many people were on the beach on the other side of the river. We had been enjoying a fairly secluded beach with hundreds of other people without knowing it!

Wednesday night we took a family picture together in front of the beach house. We made quite a crew - and dinner food disappeared quickly. The beach house was awesome - great views, tons of space and open floor plans. It was a wow of the trip.

On Thursday, we discovered the beach bikes - and they were such a hit!!! Here we are biking on Cannon Beach, and Carson was proud of being able to ride with eyes closed, and no hands or feet. What a crazy guy! We roamed along on the foggy beach for a couple of fun hours, racing, being silly and doing a little adventuring. Audrey, Carson and Kate made up imaginary places and adventures that added to the intrigue.

We were sad to leave Oregon on Friday - it still lives on in our hearts. The kids are scheming ways to move their favorite store - Flamingo Jim's - to Draper. Hmmm.