Family o'Five

Coming home this Sunday!

2012-01-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

Charlie!

Puppy!

2011-12-07T21:19:00.001-05:00

We are getting a puppy! Not for Christmas but right after. We are getting a Chocolate Labrador Retriever and are very excited. We will go up to Pennsylvania to meet all the pups and maybe choose the one we would like to bring home. A fence is finally going up in the backyard which is exciting! I am nervous about a few things (totally had a dream last night about forgetting to feed puppies then not having any dog food and being very worried) but I know it will be a fun addition to our family!

about 1-2 weeks

about 3 weeks - eyes are opening!

Gymnastics Observation!

2011-10-27T15:49:00.001-04:00

Anna started the Learning Through Movement class this year meaning she is in class by herself, without Mommy. It is going great! Matt and I went to observe class the other day. She is trying forward rolls all by herself down the cheese mat, swinging away on the bar, and is timidly making her way across the balance beam. The teacher made the dads that were there go do the stretches. It was too funny...mainly because Matt just doesn't stretch. I love how Anna is checking behind her to make sure Daddy is doing his table too. She loves class!

you doing it Daddy?

donkey kicks...imagine her saying "yee-haw!" everytime she kicks...

Halloween Begins!

2011-10-27T15:35:00.002-04:00

We had our annual Trunk or Treat at our ward building last night, complete with yummy chili dinner. Anna had been practicing her "Trick or Treat" for a few days and was a pro at saying it right on cue. She got confused a couple times when the candy was thrown in her bucket before she got to "treat". She made it around all the trunks twice and was set. Jack and Christian made the circuit probably four times and their pumpkins are filled to the brim. The kids had a great time and are now looking forward to "getting more candy" on Halloween night!

getting the hair prepped....

my happy little Minnie Mouse! My favorite part is her yellow shoes...

Christian was Spaghetti and Meatballs

Jack was a Bullseye

look close and you can see Matt's costume...He was Clark Kent

First Day of Dance!

2011-09-11T21:40:00.000-04:00

Little Anna had her first dancing class (without me in the room) last week. She was a little shy at first but started following along and doing everything by the end. She really liked it and is excited to go back. I found out the class is a combo and she will have tap time too!! So here are her cute little pictures...

First Day of School!

2011-09-01T08:45:00.000-04:00

Christian is in the 5th grade this year! What?! Yes...one more year of elementary school.

Jack is in 1st grade! He told me when he got home that his first day was "perfect." I guess that is a very good thing.

Anna is 2 1/2 and POTTY TRAINED! I can't believe it finally happened but it has and we are thrilled! Haven't changed a diaper in 2 weeks! (I always take pictures of her then realize there is leftover breakfast on her face. Oh well!)

We decided to start a wall growth chart this year. They are pretty evenly spaced!

Ready for a new school year!

2011-07-19T01:52:00.000-04:00

Our family vacation has come and gone once again. We headed to El Cerrito first where I got to do a 5k with my mom and brother-in-law as well as visit with my Grandma Dot who just turned 96. Then we made the drive up to Lake Siskiyou to camp for 6 days. We had a great time, the kids had a blast. Both boys had a very hard time leaving. (Lots of tears at the airport.) Excited for next Summer's trip!

http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=6783337009/a=76203620_76203620/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

The Fourth!

2011-07-05T13:31:00.000-04:00

We had a really fun fourth of July this year. So fun I hardly took any pictures. I did get some, so here they are. :)
We were down in Purcellville, Virginia at Matt's grandmother's home. It was a great afternoon!

mish mosh

2011-07-05T13:20:00.000-04:00

The rest of June went something like this...
baseball championship game, won by Christian's team

A day at the "giraffe" park with cousins.

A trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Yummy semi-homemade cupcakes with homemade chocolate-peanut butter frosting.

A cousin sleepover.

An awesome evening picnic at Hammerman Beach. (Matt came totally prepared for beach action. :) )

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

"Puffins" (maple chocolate chip pancake muffins, yum)

And a whole lot of hair gone...and grown.

Jack's Tooth!!

2011-06-13T09:55:00.000-04:00

The first Front tooth is gone! It had begun sticking straight out just like Christian's did. It was getting looser and looser. Then while brushing his teeth last night Jack yells, "I lost my tooth!" We run into the bathroom and his mouth is full of toothpaste foam. I feel around in the soapy, spit filled sink and feel nothing. He feels in his mouth and says, "oh its still there." It was really loose though and starting to bleed so after rinsing we had daddy (reluctantly) work his magic and get that tooth out. It took some twisting, turning, and tugging, but in the end it came out with a pop!!

Anna's Dress Up Day

2011-06-13T09:44:00.000-04:00

I had some fun putting old costumes on Anna. She got out some hats from the dress up box in the playroom too. It was cute. Also shown, her FAVORITE bear that she totes around everywhere.

Christian part 2

2011-06-13T09:40:00.000-04:00

Christian celebrated the rest of his birthday with a family dinner of his choosing (fettucine alfredo, broccoli w/cheese, strawberries, and a chocolate cupcake with something in the middle).
It turned out to be a delicious dinner and almost everyone was there! Baba is away...
He found his hidden presents (tradition) and we sang the birthday song. And so he is in the double digits.

He just had his 4th grade band/chorus concert last week. So here are a couple pics from that as well. The woman is his chorus teacher, Mrs. Powell, the man, band teacher, Mr. Folus.

Christian's Big Weekend

2011-05-17T09:12:00.003-04:00

Christian's big weekend started with his dance concert Friday and Saturday night. He did his hip hop routine. He loved it and was very sad when it was over. He is excited for next year though when they start the new All Boys Hip Hop Crew!

By the way, his hair...he loves his long, curly hair. I finally got some cream stuff especially for his hair type and after it dried (after this picture) it actually looked really good. Not so poofy as usual.

Last night we went over to Bel Air Town Hall. During the Town Meeting the Historic Preservation Society presented certificates and gift cards to the winners of their Poster contest. Christian took home one of the Honorable Mention prizes. This was out of all the 4th grades in Harford County! He drew a picture of the Hays House.

That is what the house looks like, and here is Christian's drawing.

After the awards presentation we headed over to Rockfield Manor, another historical building in Bel Air, where the HPS held a small reception with some refreshments for the winners. All the artwork was displayed with descriptions of each of the historical landmarks that were drawn. I am including pics of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Everyone's posters were great. I am so proud of Christian!

something soon

2011-05-16T18:56:00.002-04:00

I will have a new post by tomorrow. Going to a neat thing tonight that I will definitely post about...

Day 30!

2011-05-03T13:05:00.000-04:00

A Photograph of Myself Today + 3 Good Things That Have Happened in the Past 30 Days
I decided to photograph myself au naturel...I have not yet put on make-up and I threw my still wet hair in a bun...

teeth/no teeth...

Anyway...three good things that have happened in the past 30 days...

1. I have finished one of my jobs until the fall. We did our show on Saturday and I danced onstage again which felt great.

2. Anna got a big girl bed and ended the pacifier phase...she was excited while we put up the new bed. We kissed the pacifiers bye-bye and put them on the porch for the pacifier fairy, who came and took them and left a cool block puzzle and zebra for her. She went to bed last night and did great! Not one peep! This afternoon, naptime was a little trickier, she cried for her pacifier, and her blanket from her crib. So I gave her the blanket, she asked if she could put her finger in her mouth, I said sure, and she has been asleep for about 45 minutes. Phew.

3. Good and bad I guess...Jack decided he is done with baseball, he does not like it, at all. So good because our Saturdays are now free, but bad because shucks...I don't know what he likes to do! Also good, Christian does like baseball and is having a fun time playing more "real" games this season.

I am really glad I did the 30 days of blogging. I think it got me in the habit of blogging everyday. Keep checking in cause I am going to keep trying to do posts, interesting or not! :)

Day 29

2011-05-02T08:33:00.000-04:00

A Song That Makes Me Cry, Or Nearly
I think at church a song that touches me and is a "nearly" would be Families Can Be Together Forever. It is hard not to think about your family and where everyone is in their lives and being together or not throughout eternity. I have always had a soft spot for that song.

Day 28

2011-05-02T08:30:00.000-04:00

An Art Piece That Means Something to Me
well...I am not really sure where to go on this one...how about a picture that means something to me??

This is a picture of my whole side of the family with the exception of my little brother. This picture just means a lot to me because I only get to see these guys about once a year. It is a special, fun time that is filled with ups and downs but I would not change it. I love my family.

Day 27

2011-05-02T08:22:00.000-04:00

My Dream House
a few things I would like...
a big porch that has room for small table and chairs or just chairs...
fenced in flat backyard
big kitchen with gas range and lots of counter space, and a big pantry
a room for each kid
a master bathroom with two sinks
a deck (preferably with all or part screened in)
an office
a pool table might be fun in a basement type family room
I guess that would be my "dream" house...now some pictures of what I have in my mind...

Day 26

2011-04-29T10:11:00.000-04:00

A Photo That Makes Me Angry/Sad
Not so much angry, just sad. And not really personal, more just sad for all the people who had to see this and end up with that...I can't even imagine.

Day 25

2011-04-29T00:44:00.000-04:00

A Photo That Makes Me Happy

It just does...what can I say.
:)

Day 24

2011-04-27T13:02:00.000-04:00

My Favorite Book
I definitely can't choose one, so here are my favorite books.

And I am currently reading...

Day 23

2011-04-26T09:44:00.000-04:00

Something I Could Never Get Tired of Doing
Watching this...

or this

Day 22

2011-04-25T15:57:00.000-04:00

My Celebrity Crush
hmmm...

Zac Efron...

Day 21

2011-04-24T12:58:00.000-04:00

5 of My Biggest Pet Peeves

1. being ready to leave and having to wait on people who don't seem to think it is important to get somewhere on time...or at all.
2. moms or dads that smoke around their kid, especially in a car.
3. going to a grocery store and them not having an item that they should have. (happened at 3 stores yesterday!! had to settle for something similar...lame)
4. realizing library stuff was due yesterday.
5. sitting down to watch a DVR'd show and having it cut off 5 minutes before the end.

These are pretty basic pet peeves. I always think of them when they happen and then can't remember when someone asks what they are. So this is all I could come up with today.
Happy Easter!

Day 20

2011-04-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

My Worst Habit
I have a problem saying no. More specifically, saying no to sales people that come to my door. I get duped! I am a softy...I have bought cleaning product, magazine subscriptions, knives...although I think that last one was a infomercial but still. In the words of Ado Annie, "I can't...say...no!"

Day 19

2011-04-22T17:08:00.001-04:00

A Picture of Me Last Year and Now and How I Have Changed Since Then...
Taken in April 2010

Taken in April 2011

So not a whole lot has changed appearance wise...darker hair, longer hair.
I feel like I have grown up a little in the last year, learned some "life-lessons", made some changes in my day to day. I feel like a better mom, a better wife. I am finally learning to enjoy "keeping the home". Sort of...At church I am no longer in the Young Women program, I now teach Valiant 8 and it is great! I love being in the primary and singing the songs.
So all changes that have come about since last year are positive and on the way forward.

Day 18

2011-04-21T09:23:00.000-04:00

A Photo of Somewhere I've Been

One of our favorites places! Disneyland! We have been twice with the kids and can't wait to get back again.

Day 17

2011-04-20T13:53:00.000-04:00

A Photo of Something That Means a Lot to Me

I think family goes without saying so something else that has just always been a part of my life is dance. I have done it since i was about 4 years old and am still teaching and performing when I can to this day. I love it. It is a part of who I am.

Day 16

2011-04-19T14:51:00.000-04:00

What's In My Purse?

This is going to be a boring one I think. I am not going to put a picture.

My wallet.

A bag with just in case things and lip gloss.

A bag full of gift cards, business cards, and pictures of my kids.

Receipts float around here and there.

Check book.

Gum.

Pack of tissues.

Hand sanitizer.

My phone usually.

My ipod and headphones.

That's about it! It's kind of a big purse.

Day 15

2011-04-18T13:45:00.000-04:00

Something I Crave a Lot

Just so happens that recently I have been craving this A LOT. It is just so good...

I was going to just find a google photo to put in here but thinking about it made me want it so I am eating this as I type...mmm...

Day 14

2011-04-17T22:03:00.000-04:00

A Photo of Something That Makes Me Happy

this guy.

everyday.

Day 13

2011-04-16T10:23:00.000-04:00

Something I Never Leave the House Without
Easy...

It includes my numbers, my email, my calendar...

basically I would not remember to do anything if I didn't have it.

Day 12

2011-04-15T12:42:00.000-04:00

A TV Show I'm Currently Addicted to
Well I can't pick just one so here are four that are "must-see tv" for me during the week.

I have a few other sitcoms that we watch but must see like the day or day after it happens are these shows.

Day 11

2011-04-14T15:24:00.000-04:00

A Photograph of the Town I Live In

So from the bottom up, Main Street in Downtown Bel Air, about 3 blocks from our home. The Bel Air sign. A super pretty reminder that Spring really is almost here on our block. And Anna running down our street during a walk.

Bel Air is a pretty big town but has a small town feel I think, at least in the area we live in.

I love it here.

Day 10

2011-04-13T22:29:00.001-04:00

A Photo and Description of What's in My Makeup Bag
Well...thing is...I don't have a "makeup bag". I have my purse but I don't carry around makeup except for lipgloss and chapstick. So I will put up a generic picture of the "makeup" that is in my "bag".

Victoria's Secret Lip Gloss

Nivea Chapstick (the kind that looks like a glue stick)

That's it...I get my makeup finished at home so I don't feel I have a need to carry it all with me.

Day 9

2011-04-12T16:29:00.000-04:00

A Photo of the Last Item I Purchased

I went to Barnes & Noble yesterday after finishing book two of the Hunger Games trilogy and bought this...naturally.

Day 8

2011-04-11T11:34:00.000-04:00

A Recipe

I was going to put up the recipe for Bakerella's cake balls but when I went to the blog I saw these as the featured recipe. And, um...YUM! These look so yummy and easy and I am probably going to have to try them sometime this week. Click the link for the full post and recipe...here is a picture to give you a preview...

http://www.bakerella.com/mini-maple-pancake-muffins/

Day 7

2011-04-10T17:57:00.000-04:00

A Song to Match My Mood and Why

Whataya Want From Me - by Adam Lambert

Because I feel like I am constantly being badgered and questioned and having demands thrown at me today and this whole weekend really. But I guess that is the life of a Mom. Kids will be curious and demanding and will hound you and bother you and love you no matter what you don't let them do and no matter how "mean" you are to them. Unconditionally.

Day 6

2011-04-10T17:50:00.000-04:00

This should've been done yesterday but the craziness that was my life did not allow me to sit down at the computer. So for yesterday...
A Photo of an Animal I Would Like to Keep as a Pet

Rhodesian Ridgeback...when grown up they look like this...

Day 5

2011-04-08T08:46:00.000-04:00

A Photo of Myself from 2 Years Ago

April 2009

Day 4

2011-04-07T08:11:00.000-04:00

20 of My Favorite Things
1. My Family

the rest in no particular order...
2. the Beach
3. Movies
4. Shoes
5. Games
6. Good Music
7. a Warm, Cozy, Comfy Bed
8. my Daughter's Voice
9. Dessert, especially involving chocolate
10. Summer Olympics
11. Twilight
12. Harry Potter
13. Warm Spring Days
14. Sunsets
15. Vacations
16. Friends
17. Dance
18. my Husband's Voice
19. Photo Books
20. Church

Day 3 - shoot, thought about doing it yesterday and forgot...

2011-04-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

My Favorite Photograph of My Best Friend
So this is my friend Geri. She is awesome, funny, creative, and great to talk to. Plus she goes to midnight showings of the Twilight movies with me! :)

Day 2

2011-04-05T14:05:00.000-04:00

A Photo of Myself and a Description of How My Day Was

This is me about 2 minutes ago. It is only 2pm but I don't want to wait til later cause I will forget to post. So my day has been very relaxed. Doing laundry, reading magazines, reading lots of books to Anna, played Zingo with Anna, snacking.
I think I will read more of my book and then take Christian to piano later. Then I teach dance tonight.
Wow, pretty boring day I guess. Alright, that's it!

Day 1

2011-04-04T11:01:00.000-04:00

15 Facts about ME (I am going with the basics here, 15 is a lot!)

1. I am 5'4"
2. I have brown hair
3. hazel eyes
4. I am a dance teacher, but I love performing
5. I like putting together photo books online
6. I like pretending to model, doing model walks, posing for the camera, etc., I know, nerdy
7. I like singing, not the greatest at it but I still enjoy it
8. I love it when we have a day at home and there is nothing planned and I just get to hang around with the kids and Matt all day
9. I am LDS
10. I really like to shop, especially trying on shoes
11. I like to bake
12. I love dessert
13. I love living in Maryland, its gorgeous
14. I like movies and tv
15. I am a Twilight fan :)

30 days of blogging

2011-04-03T13:53:00.000-04:00

I saw a friend did this on her blog and thought maybe it would get me back into actually posting things on my blog. It is called 30 days of blogging, and since I'm having a hard time coming up with something interesting to blog about on my own, I'm going to do it. Here is how the 30 days will look:

- 15 facts about me.

- A photo of myself and a description of how my day was.

- My favorite photograph of my best friend.

- 20 of my favorite things

- A photo of myself two years ago.

- A photo of an animal I'd love to keep as a pet.

- A song to match my mood, and why.

- A recipe

- A photo of the item I last purchased.

- A photo and description of what's in my makeup bag?

- A photograph of the town I live in.

- A TV show I'm currently addicted to.

- Something I don't leave the house without.

- A photo of something that makes me happy.

- Something I crave a lot.

- What's in my purse?

- A photo of something that means a lot to me.

- A photo of somewhere I've been to.

- A picture of me last year and now and how have I changed since then?

- My worst habit

- 5 of my biggest pet peeves

- My celebrity crush.

- Something I could never get tired of doing.

- My favorite book

- A photo that makes me happy

- A photo that makes me angry/sad

- My dream house

- An art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc) that means something to me.

- A song that makes me cry (or nearly)

- A photograph of myself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days.

We'll see how it goes! You should try it too!

2 year old cutie

2011-03-09T14:02:00.000-05:00

Anna Reese is 2! She is starting to talk a bunch and put together sentences...she is funny and sweet and loves giving hugs and kisses...she does happy, sad, surprise, and angry face on command, she can sing twinkle twinkle and I am a child of God, she can run, she can jump, she can do a sweet tilt (dance move), she "reads" and "talks" on the phone which is hilarious, she has to sleep with this bear in her arms, she loves hamburgers, she saw daddy in Joseph and now sings "Jacob and Sons", she loves disney princesses, she recognizes some states from our USA puzzle we do together almost every day, she has learned all her colors and the letters A and B, she adores her brothers and wants to do everything they do, and overall she is the sweetest little part of our family!

a whole lot

2011-01-19T16:22:00.000-05:00

Christmas, brain surgery, New Years...where to start? I think we will just do some pictures and maybe I will get better at posting new stuff as I get less busy...good luck to me. :)

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Birthday Jack!

2010-11-30T13:45:00.000-05:00

6 years old!! He is such a spunky, fun kid that makes our home a happier place!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-23T15:02:00.000-04:00

Some highlights from our pumpkin patch outing...

how did this happen??

2010-10-09T14:16:00.000-04:00

When did Jack become old enough to start losing teeth!!?? That's right, his front bottom tooth is super loose and he is wiggling it like crazy (I think because Christian filled him in on the whole "get money" thing.) I can't believe he is losing teeth and turning 6 next month.

And Christian is beginning to play the trumpet!! He had his first lesson already and owns his very own trumpet.

And my little Anna says please and thank you and is also learning to jump. Still no air yet but she is getting close! She also loves reading books together. This one, Red Hat Blue Hat by Sandra Boyton is her favorite...

mommy and me time!

2010-09-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

Anna and I have been enjoying some mommy and me classes this fall. She is doing a tumbling class that is really fun...lots of climbing, rolling, jumping, hanging, and balancing.

We're also doing a dancing class. She gets to wear a tutu and dance to fun kiddie songs, play with a hula hoop, learn some new skills (like jumping, galloping, balancing on one foot), and loves the shaking all the foam balls off the parachute.

I really love having a little girl!!!

firsts...

2010-09-06T11:28:00.001-04:00

First day of kindergarten for Jack...

First day of soccer for Jack...

First day of fourth grade for Christian...

First day of pigtails for Anna...

Time is flying by!!!

my roomie!

2010-09-06T11:18:00.000-04:00

My roommate from college and her twin sister, Lisa and Laura, were coming out to DC to visit and made a special side trip to see me! I was excited to see my former roomie of two years. It was great to catch up and reminisce. I took her over to Broom's Bloom dairy for some yummy ice cream and we taught them to play one of our favorite games, Dominion. We had a most excellent time visiting. It had been too long!

This is one of our classics...

My little/big girl!

2010-08-15T14:21:00.000-04:00

Anna is 18 months!!! She went to see the doctor on Friday the 13th. She is 22 lbs 11oz. Still kind of a runt. And 32 in. long. Healthy and happy. She had her first Sunday in nursery today and I didn't see anyone for the whole two hours so she must've done well! They told me she was in awe the whole time just looking around and taking it all in. She is saying all kinds of things, not very clearly but she definitely has sounds for things. Some of her words include Daddy (her favorite word), hi, bye, please in sign language (thanks Mindy :) ), Jack, Christian, Mommy (sort of), milk or cup, dog, woof, mickey (as in the mouse), baby, bear...She loves dancing when music comes on, clapping when anything finishes, playing peek a boo (one her favorite things to do, she even says boo), when she gets really excited she either drops to the floor on her belly or if she is near a couch or pillow she slams her face/head against it repeatedly. Its hilarious. She is so cute and happy and lovable and it is so fun watching her grow. :)

there's a snake in my boot!

2010-08-15T14:13:00.000-04:00

Well, not in my boot...but next to my house! We got home Saturday night to find a slithery snake gliding past us on our front walkway. Matt has a "thing" about snakes. Phobic. So, he stood there shining the flashlight while I took these...

Then he said he'd take care of getting the kids to bed while I caught it in a paper bag that it easily wiggled into (sucker) and brought it across the street and up a ways to release into the wild near someone else's house. I even got a good scare out of him when I returned with the bag and said I didn't let it go and pretended to shake it out toward him...hahahaha.... :-)

Check out the vacation photos!

2010-08-10T13:27:00.000-04:00

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=266122&id=546409477&l=3bc3c564c8

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=266135&id=546409477&l=89402a69b2

We did so much fun stuff on our 10 day vacation I just can't really sum it all up. But highlights...Disneyland, Anna met some princesses and more importantly Mickey Mouse, LOVE THAT PLACE, Oceanside "The Main Attraction", family at Sammy's, a group of 27 (15 being kids) ordering and eating at a restaurant, coronado beach = gorgeous, Legoland, SeaWorld (soaked), Legoland Waterpark, street fair in Oceanside, Cali Surf Museum, Britany Hamilton's actual surfboard with the bite in it, Coldstone and the sytycd results w/ mom and sisters, Disneyland one more time, crappiest hotel experience ever! (two people walked into our room in the middle of the night having been assigned our room...yikes), fairly smooth 5 hour flights....home...laundry...jet lag...

it was there the whole time!

2010-07-11T13:59:00.000-04:00

On Friday I was introduced to a little beach that is only 30 minutes from my house in Baltimore County. It's only $3 to park for each person in your car not in a booster, ample parking, long row of large trees shading picnic tables w/ grills, a great little sand area, and a roped off swim area with no waves. Lifeguards are on duty, there is a bath house and grill. I just wish I had known about this little gem. All that time I spent wishing to be at the ocean I could have gone to this (much less exciting, but still) little beach area. The kids could enjoy it more than the ocean. Christian was able to walk all the way out to the rope. Jack was halfway out too and trying to swim all over. Anna wasn't a huge fan of standing or sitting on the shore. (Her friend Hazel was trying to show her how awesome it was. She just wasn't having it.) But she liked floating in her little raft we have. We had a really fun time discovering this new place. Hope to go back lots more this summer.

Fun on the Fourth

2010-07-06T23:32:00.000-04:00

For the Fourth we (as usual) headed down to Purcellville, Virginia to the cabin at Baker's Acres. It was hot and humid and there were a record number of gnats this year but one of the most fun years so far. Anna was all decked out in her patriotic gear. We did some swimming where Jack and Christian surprised us with there ease in the water. They had a blast getting thrown around in there. We did some of our own fireworks when it got darker. It was just a really fun day.

alright, alright, I'll take a mini-van...

2010-07-06T13:43:00.000-04:00

We did it! We got ourselves a minivan...that's right, a minivan. I guess once we really started looking into what would work best and what we needed it just fit the bill. Captain's chairs in the middle, leather seats, stow-away seating, automatic doors and trunk, and a huge trunk space. We decided on a black 2007 Chrysler Town & Country Touring, bonus, only 23k miles!

Our first ride in it down to Virginia quieted any doubts we may have had about purchasing it. It was quieter, no fighting boys, no screaming baby (she was facing forward for the first time in her new seat and LOVED it), fantastic air conditioning, much better ipod attachment, just better.

So, yes I am very happy to own a minivan.

I only have eyes for you...

2010-06-19T11:27:00.000-04:00

2010-06-10T11:06:00.000-04:00

New Summertime background. I am so excited that it's warm again. Lots has been going on. It won't stop until July. I just got finished playing the head cheerleader in High School Musical at a local community theater. I had more fun doing that than I've had in a long time. It lit that fire in me again to want to be onstage. So hopefully more dancing in theater or shows in the near future.

Christian and Jack wrap up baseball this weekend. We also have Matt's sister Elizabeth's wedding weekend!

Anna is trying to get her last four little teeth in, the canines and I think its made her a bit grumpy over the past week or so.

We celebrated Christian's 9th birthday and took a fun family picture. Sorry a little blurry.

Lots of fun stuff to look forward to as well. Hershey Park, girls camp, cubscout daycamp, Eclipse, July 4th...and of course more pool time!

Inspired by...

2010-06-01T10:36:00.000-04:00

A lovely, creative friend, Jennilyn, inspired me to take more couple's photos of me and Matt. I have been meaning to after trying to put together a small photo album for him at Valentine's day of our almost 10 years together and having a hard time finding pictures of only the two of us. So, I started last night. Set the timer to take 3 pictures in a row. I only put the best one up, Matt was embarrassed about his face in the first one and I accidentally put up the wrong finger in the third one. I swear, it was an accident!
I love my Matt! Coming up on our 10 year anniversary this month is just crazy! I can't believe it has been 10 years. I'll save the rest for a post closer to our big day. For now, here is the picture.

my 15 month old girl

2010-05-28T08:44:00.000-04:00

Anna Reese

15 months 2 weeks

21.7 lbs

31"

She says ball and bear (which kinda sound the same "ba") and she is starting to say yah, she walks fast, she is starting to climb (yikes), she knows where her nose, belly, hair, head, and bellybutton are, she shakes her head yes and no, likes to kick and throw a ball, LOVES her teddy bear (it goes everywhere with her), bounces and walks in circles when she hears music, can make a pony tail in her hair (really small, but still a pony tail), eats just about everything, loves playing with Jack and Christian and gets so excited when they come home from school, waves hi and bye, squeals and kicks her feet when Daddy comes home, is the cutest most lovable, happy little baby girl ever!! We love her.

yum yum yummmmm....

2010-05-17T10:53:00.000-04:00

Last night we had bbq ribs for Liz's birthday. I didn't know what Anna would think about trying them. She did not just try it...she devoured it! Loved them!

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different meaning...

2010-05-17T09:14:00.000-04:00

So we left church a little early cause I didn't feel good.
Jack came out of primary first and said, "why are we leaving early?"
I said, "because I'm not feeling so hot..."
Christian then came out of primary and said, "why are we leaving early?"
Jack replied, "because Mommy doesn't feel hot."

She's gonna be a soccer player! Yes she is!

2010-05-03T14:17:00.000-04:00

Anna loves kicking things around the room. She kicks, then giggles a little, picks it up and throws it if it gets stuck, well, see for yourself. :)

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spring time, spring-a-ling-a-ling time!

2010-05-03T14:05:00.000-04:00

We wait outside for the bus to come for Jack when it is nice out. It was very nice this day. Jack wanted to learn how to climb a tree. He is still a little short so for now I just put him in the tree. (kind of a mini photo shoot of Jack...) Enjoy the montage...

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It's baseball season

2010-05-03T13:48:00.002-04:00

Already got some shots of Jack at baseball, so here is Christian... This was the very first game.

Baby Blue

2010-05-03T13:46:00.000-04:00

Just had to show off Anna's new outfit. I loved it when I saw it at the store and loved it even more on her.

Little Miss Muffet

2010-05-03T13:40:00.003-04:00

Jack was in the "Nursery Rhymes" unit at Pre-K and they usually put on a performance for the parents of all the nursery rhymes they learned. The parents didn't get to come in this time because of make-up days and stuff so they recorded it for us. I did take some pics and video at home of his part. He was to play the spider from Little Miss Muffet.
Anna played the role of Little Miss Muffet.
He was pretty concerned about how to scare her away. He kept asking me what he was supposed to do and he sounded sincerely nervous. I think he figured it out though and did a great job.

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Little Miss Muffet

2010-05-03T13:40:00.001-04:00

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there were too many pictures and stuff

2010-04-22T16:02:00.001-04:00

I guess that is why it's taken me so long to do a new post. Well, I am pretty much going to put up some pictures. Jack started T-ball this year. He looked so little and very cute running the bases and trying to throw and catch. Christian started too and is looking good. Anna is getting pretty speedy on her little legs. She is understanding a lot too. That's all I can say for now. :)

day at the park

2010-03-29T10:40:00.000-04:00

I finally got these off my phone. It was during that beautiful first week of Spring. We went over to the "big giraffe" park. It was Anna's first time there. She loved going down the slide and climbing all the stairs and especially swinging.

Jack had a dinosaur celebration at pre-k where we went through their classroom like a museum and got to see all the dinosaur projects they had made. It was very cute.

One more cute pic of Anna. :)

so far in March we've...

2010-03-19T10:34:00.001-04:00

...had Anna help Daddy cook...(she was perfectly safe...)

...we visited the Herr's Potato Chip Factory in Pennsylvania and got to see how the chips are made and even eat some potato chips directly off the belt, still warm...very yummy...

...Anna just got cuter...so we took some pictures...she puts her arms way up in the air now when we say "how big is Anna?"...and when we ask her where her armpits are...she knows she'll get tickled...she loves to eat...she was 19.9lbs at her 12 month appointment so probably about 20lbs now...she is walking a lot more now...she realized how much more she can get into with her hands if they are free...she smiles...she laughs...she waves...she is happy and sweet and pleasant...we love her so much...

...we're going to attempt a new activity on Monday nights where I have one child help me cook something and hopefully sort of learn how to do it...(thank you JL for the idea)...so this is Jack...he picked Fettucine Alfredo to make...he did a good job shopping for the ingredients and putting things in the pot and stirring...

...this last week has been beautiful and Spring-like outside so we've been taking lots of walks...we decided to get all Springy in Anna's outfit on Monday and walk to the park and a bakery...then Tuesday we didn't walk there but went to the park and played on the swing...Jack was getting all kinds of parents to push him on the tire swing with their kids...Wednesday we went with our friends to walk on the Ma & Pa trail...it was a lovely...hot...walk...Anna had a great time chatting with Hazel though...it was fun talking with G too...:)

(this is mid-story..."my daddy is THIS big!")

...Hazel decided she wanted to come over the next day too and borrow some of Anna's clothes...her Mom said no so she took matters into her own hands and threw up all over the place...forcing her Mom to come over and change her...and maybe clean up the throw-up too...that's okay though...we like having surprise visitors...

...so far March has been pretty fun!!!

he is on it!

2010-03-13T19:34:00.000-05:00

So my son has totally outdone me on the blog updates. Check out Christian's blog by clicking on his name in my friends list to see what he is up to. He did it all by himself!

snack time

2010-03-01T16:20:00.000-05:00

Jack's shirt...hahaha...

love my little cuties

YW Weekend Activities

2010-02-22T15:35:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was full of fun activities. The Young Women had a Daddy/Daughter Date night on Friday that my counselor Geri planned. It was super cute and we ended up with a great group attending. We danced and played some musical chairs. It was a really fun night for the girls and their dads.

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Then Saturday morning the girls had their last basketball game at the Stake center. I finally made it! We had 7 girls on our team and they volunteered me to act as their coach. (I know nothing about the rules of basketball), but I yelled SUB! and was a great sideline cheerleader with the other parents. It was a lot of fun and the girls stayed undefeated!

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Valentine's Day

2010-02-19T08:45:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day was on Sunday this year so we dressed up for church and put on our bobbys and bow-ties and clip from the awesome fundraiser that TR did and headed off to church. There were lots of bow-ties and a few clips and bobbys. Everyone looked so cute!

Anna had to snap a picture with her friend Hazel.

When we got home we did a V-day photo shoot since everyone was so coordinated. That's about all we did for our Valentine's this year!

My Valentine <3

My Anna is ONE...life in pictures

2010-02-15T14:58:00.000-05:00

I love you Anna!

somethin' new

2010-02-01T21:51:00.000-05:00

Jack got a new hair cut so here is that.

And Anna is just too cute so there she is.

This is her scrunch face that she does all the time.

amazing people, amazing opportunity

2010-01-29T08:49:00.002-05:00

That's what friends do.

I am stealing the already stolen post from my good friend Geri who is way cooler and thought to do this first. :)

Please click the link above and read about these two incredible families and then go check out the super cute items at Likely's Etsy Shop.

I too have been blessed to know these two ladies. Jennilyn is always willing to help and serve. She is a person you can always count on to lift your spirits. Caitlin is an amazing secretary in my YW presidency and I think I would forget everything if she was not around. She loves those girls so much. She is great mom and such a strong woman.

almost February finally

2010-01-25T09:31:00.000-05:00

January...The New Year's resolutions are already out the window...looking forward to getting onto February now...Anna is 11 1/2 months and I can't believe it! She stands well, no steps yet, eats big people food, plays with her brothers ( Christian was chasing her around last night crawling, she would crawl then look back and see Christian coming and scream and laugh then start crawling away again really fast, so funny.) We all had the stomach flu (except me miraculously) as it passed through our house. Jack performed as an Arabian dancer in his little Pre-K production of the Nutcracker. That is about all my exciting news. :)

Atlantic City

2010-01-18T09:58:00.000-05:00

I got to go to one last dance convention last weekend in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It was The Pulse and has such celebrity faculty as Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Cris Judd, LaurieAnn Gibson, Desmond Richardson, Dave Scott, and Sonya Tayek. I got to take class with most of these awesome choreographers over two days. It was a lot of fun. I met a couple of really fun people. I got some really cute Nappytabs sweats and shorts. And Matt and I went on a date and lost a little bit of much. Very little. Slots aren't that fun. Anyway, it was an unforgettable weekend. I hugged Mia Michaels! Anyway...

Sonya, Desmond, above.
Sonya, LaurieAnn, Brian Friedman, left.

me and Cris Judd.

Mia Michaels at the luncheon. I did get a picture with her but it is on someone else's camera.

Our room at Bally's.

A room with a view.

Fun times!

oh man...

2010-01-18T09:47:00.000-05:00

There has been so much that its too much.

We took family pictures in December with the whole family. Here are my three.

Christmas was nice, but, Anna was sick, fever/cold, and Jack was just getting over pneumonia. Otherwise very fun visiting with family from far away and celebrating.

New Years was fun. Matt and I went to our first grown-up party and had a great time. Then went to watch the countdown at home with the fam.

So far 2010 has been more sickness. We've got some stomach bug that has been making the rounds around ours and other families homes that we know. So far its hit three of us, Jack, Anna, and now Matt. I am hoping that is where it ends.
Otherwise things are good. We have a home. We are together as a family. We know our loved ones our safe. I don't think I can complain about too much else when I am that blessed.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

2009-12-21T14:54:00.000-05:00

We had our first Blizzard here in Bel Air since...a few years ago? Its been awhile.

We were snowed in all weekend and got lots of baking and cleaning up done.

The boys tried to play outside in the middle of it but sledding was impossible and Jack had started getting a fever late Saturday and came in not feeling so good.

He just has a virus so it'll pass.

Matt tried shoveling halfway through the storm and all the work he did was covered in about 10 minutes.

These are our garbage cans on our back porch. You can see how deep it got.

The plow came by on Sunday and you could really see how much snow there was after that.

Fun to finally have some snow this winter!

there and back

2009-12-17T15:22:00.000-05:00

Anna and I got to take a quick weekend trip to California last weekend to spend time with my family and see my little brother dance in Berkeley with his company. Oh it was a fun trip. Anna did pretty well considering the three hour time difference. She was all smiles usually. It was so great to see everyone. Here are just a few of the memories.

checking out the view from up here

meeting up with cousin Elise

Off to San Fransisco for shopping!

Loving the playtime with Grandpa and cousin Neil (I think Grandpa is too!)

Mom, sister Mary, and Me in our new matching tee's

Going to see Santa soon! Picture time with cousins, Aidan, Elise, Neil, and Molly

Huh, so this is what he looks like up close...

Big night out to Berkeley to see Dallas perform

me, Mary, Mom, Bridget

Our little Dallas with his big sisters

Newest cousin Alan got blessed on Sunday so Anna and Neil got all dressed up for the occasion

Trying to get a picture with all the cousins that were there...

Will, Alan, Gabriela, Claire, Madelin, Anna, Neil, Molly, Aidan, Elise, Grace

the whole family and still missing 7 people!

mom, dad, me, Anna, Eldy, Gabriela, Madelin, Alan, Casey, Bridget, Aidan, Neil, Molly, James, Elise, Mary, Will, Claire, Alex, Kari, and Grace

not pictured: Matt, Ellis, Christian, Jack, Cole, Hayley, and Dallas

My newest nephew, Alan Enrique McMurray, about 3 weeks

me and my sibs, Casey Bridget, Mary, and Alex

Anna decided this time in California (since last time she figured out how to roll over) she would start to stand up on her own and balance and then get so excited that she was doing it that she would sit. What a big girl.

Happy Birthday Jack!!

2009-11-30T10:39:00.000-05:00

You are one crazy little guy.

And we love you tons.

You make everyday exciting,

and definitely keep us on our toes.

Happy Happy Happy Birthday!!

So Thankful!

2009-11-26T08:52:00.000-05:00

So incredibly THANKFUL for an AMAZING husband, BEAUTIFUL children, and a pretty BLESSED life.

2009-11-17T17:31:00.000-05:00

9 Months Old.

Wow that went by quick.

So many things you've learned to do.

It's hard to even pick.

We'll start with your crawling,

its really gotten fast.

Sitting around all by yourself,

is now a thing of the past.

You really know how to grow those teeth,

you've got 3 and 3 more on the way!

You've been using them to try out new foods,

and you also have lots more to say.

You babble a lot and it sure is cute,

when you say dada and mama.

My favorite is "blahblahblahblah",

and you're drooling more than a llama. (do llamas drool?)

You are now 28 inches long,

and a cute, pudgy 18.9 pounds.

My little baby is growing up.

Yes she is growing by leaps and bounds.

standing, crawling, and growing teeth!

2009-11-08T15:58:00.000-05:00

Anna is growing so fast!!! And doing new things all the time. She has been standing up on things for a bit now but she has recently started letting go and trying to balance.

She is crawling all over and is pretty dang quick!

She has some snack residue on her mouth in this first one but I had to get her doing this super happy smile. You can even see her little bottom teeth in one picture.

Autumn

2009-11-08T15:46:00.000-05:00

We had our big leaf raking day on Saturday. It was gorgeous outside and we had lots of leaves needing to be raked and bagged (7 bags worth!)

The kids helped with the job but Jack enjoyed running through, jumping in, and throwing the leaves in the air.

newest feat

2009-11-03T14:28:00.000-05:00

She stands...

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For Mom

2009-11-03T14:16:00.001-05:00

Anna wore the cute little Navy outfit you sent! It was a hit! Thanks for thinking of her! We miss you!

Teeth Time

2009-11-03T14:13:00.000-05:00

Anna already got her two bottom teeth and they seemed to come in with minimal complaining. This time is different. I can see her swollen little top gums and the white tooth pressing out almost through but not quite. She has been spontaneously bursting into tears after putting her fingers in her mouth today and I am just hoping it will make its way out soon! Here is her sad little face this morning.

Halloween Night

2009-11-03T14:11:00.000-05:00

The boys donned their costumes one last time to make their way around the neighbor trick or treating and loading up their bags. It was a bit wet out but the rain held off just until we made it back home. phew. Anna decided to stay home and help Daddy with passing out candy.

Christian kept posing like this with his wand up, and sort of profile.

Halloween has begun

2009-10-29T11:12:00.000-04:00

Susquehanna Ward's annual Fall Festival was last night. The kids debuted their costumes and were very excited to trunk or treat and get candy. Matt is still sick with what is most likely the seasonal flu so he couldn't attend this year. We missed him but the kids did well with just mom there.

We got some pictures before we left. This year Jack is a GI Joe guy (not a Nazi soldier, he got the wrong salute in this photo). Anna is a ballerina for her first Halloween. And Christian, who has become obsessed with all the movies, is Harry Potter. We'll have a better shot of Christian after Halloween because he wanted to wait for his wand to come in to take a better picture.

Here is Anna in her tutu. I love the satin ribbon in the back. She was going to wear these little black shoes with pink bows that looked like ballet slippers but her chubby little feet wouldn't go in. So she went with the sparkly pink sneakers instead. She is doing some fancy work on pointe in this shot.

Just had to show the ruffle butt. The onesie itself had ruffles going all the way around. Tsk tsk on the undies showing!

Here is my little Harry Potter. He made a good one. He decided he was going to go around to the cars by himself. It is really strange for me to accept that he is 8 years old and fine to be going around on his own. Jack ended up running ahead most of the time but I could still see him. Christian just checked in from time to time. He is getting older so fast!

This is Jack and his friend Jackson. Costume wise it is his enemy! Jackson is one of the GI Joe bad guy ninjas and Jack of course is the GI Joe American Hero! I guess they put their differences aside in the name of candy.

Anna got a visit from a little boy, Oliver, that was dressed up as a Wild Thing from the book Where the Wild Things Are. She was a little scared at first but warmed up to him eventually. Love this face though.

These are most of the new babies in our ward with their mommies. We have Libby the pumpkin with mommy Kara, Drew as Pooh with mommy Genesee, Little Aedin as Roo with mommy Melissa as Kanga, Anna Ballerina with me, and Hazel the spider with mommy Geri. What a cute bunch. It was a fun night! Happy Halloween!

A little 8 month video montage :)

2009-10-23T15:09:00.001-04:00

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mine...

2009-10-17T09:46:00.000-04:00

me and my big girl. she got new boots. and a new dress.

my three loves.