Daron was such a great helper for Opa today in his backyard... They did some tree trimming and mowed lawns and I'm sure he was happy for the "Grandpa" time one on one for a little bit! He's a REALLY great helper when he wants to be!!! :)

Thanksgiving 2008

The spread ws YUMMY... the conversation was HILARIOUS... and we all had a GREAT TIME!!!!

Lauren GIRL...

Here's more Lauren...











Helping with the Christmas decorating...





A little "Psycho Ruth" going on...





And, before church last Sunday. She's
getting so big!

Happy Thanksgiving...2008

Here's wishing all of the people we love a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving! I feel very grateful and thankful for so many blessings in my life. I love my family and extended family so much and do not know what we would do without their love, generosity and support. I hope we can someday repay everything that has been done to help us over this past year especially!!! I love our church and feel very appreciative to have been born in the covenant and raised in such a happy home and that Kevin was also. I am thankful for our health, a nice home to live in, the great school that the kids attend, good friends for them and us, and all of the other things I take for granted on a daily basis. So, enjoy your turkeys and trimmings and remember all of the reasons we should be thankful!!!!

(thanks for the Tom Turkey Tawna!!!! Hope you are having fun in Colorado!)

Happy Birthday Granny...

My Mom is having a birthday and in true "blog freak" form I am up and blogging about it! She is such an awesome Mom, wife, grandma, sister and friend. She has always been so willing to help out ANYONE who needs it, especially her kids. Like Tawna said on her blog, you can call Mom and ask for help with flyers, handouts, business cards, christmas decorating, canning, bread making, sewing, babysitting, a ride somewhere, etc., etc., etc. and she makes it happen! She is such a talented lady and we have been lucky to have her teach of some of what she knows. I haven't probably told her enough how much I appreciate her, look up to her, and love her! We all do!

I love her pink, red and blonde hair and love that she wears it soooooooo well! Not many people can pull that off... I love that she was and is such a great example to me... I love that she came out to her car once and someone parked so close to her that she had to get in on the passenger side and she was so mad that when she finally got into the driver seat she opened the door a few times and banged it into the persons door so they'd think twice about boxing someone in again.... I love that she says things like, "I felt like throwing the jars that didn't ping into the street and setting them on fire and then running them over with my truck, but instead I made apple pie out of them".... She's FEISTY... I love the outfit she wore to take me for Beauty School registration when I was 17 and it was a DOOZY... I love that she teaches me how to make yummy soup and sometimes just sends a whole pot of soup home with me... I love that she's a DUNER... I love that she talks so sweet to squishy... and loves to hold her and feed her and give me a break... I love that she loves christmas music the most and especially her MANHEIM... I love that she wants christmas music played at her funeral no matter what time of year it may be... I love that she has sworn all of us to put, "I'm off like a fart in the wind" on her tombstone someday (many, many, many, many years from now of course)... I love that she LOVES to read great books and then I get to borrow them (Daron, Kaitlin and Maddie really love this too by the way, they said so)... I love it when she cracks up sooooo hard that she's crying...

I really hope you have a great day Mom and for your "blog cake" I picked this chocolate cake because it's just you! Chocolate Cake in Milk (Kanaga tradition)!!!!! I love you lots!

The Main Man...

Daron cracks me up... We were at tithing settlement tonight and were set apart for new callings, and Kaitlin and Maddie were doing service (in the nursery) for Enrichment so we all went down to the church for quite awhile. Daron brought his book, Harry Potter #6 (can't remember the name), and sat and read so nicely. So many people commented on how he was such a great reader and seems really into it. Even the Bishop. He would answer peoples questions and then get right back to it. He is such an amazing kid and we've got to give him his props!!!! He's so smart and it really does come naturally to him. Anyway, I was proud of how nicely he sat while we were at the church building so long tonight and how he conducted himself at tithing setlement and answered the Bishop when he came to him. He will be an absolutely awesome man someday!!!!

Highlight of my week...

I just wanted to send a little praise out to our monkeygirl! She has made me feel like all of the prodding and sometimes yelling and repeating of things is all worth it and REALLY sinking in where our kids are concerned! A few days ago she did something that sent me into a happy frenzy because I knew it was possible I'd just never seen it done to the extent she took it! The kids have chores that they are assigned every day in their individual chore bins and they are to be done after homework and before playing. There is always whining and having to remind them to do them or go back and do them better! This one particularly glorious day Maddie girl went in and looked at her chores in her bin. She, without whining, unloaded the dishwasher (which was her chore) and then reloaded it (the almighty EXTRA MILE!)!!!! Then my sweet little daughter, went in and grabbed the hand vacume and did an excellent job of vacuming the long hallway (her chore) and also the 2 long runners down the hall (the extra mile again!). And last but not least...she went into the laundry room, put the vacume back on the charger (which never happens in our house) opened the dryer and took the clothes out to fold, put the clothes from the washer into the dryer and started them (didn't even know she knew how to do this) and went on her merry way to fold and be done to play!!!! I was soooooo impressed I had no words! I told her thank you so many times she thought it was funny. ALL of the kids are great but some days they go way above and beyond and I need to be better about making a BIG deal out of it!!! GREAT JOB MADDIE!

Learning to move a little!

Psycho Ruth, our Pretty Princess...

I am pretty sure that my cousin Rachel was dubbed

"pyscho ruth" when she was little as a nickname. I don't know why but I think it fits for Lauren sometimes. Again, I say this with love...she's nuts!!!!! I must document for future reference what she's been up to lately. Ever since Halloween she has put on her princess costume at every moment possible. She wears it over her PJ's or over her clothes during the day and she walks around and says, "pretty princess" and "so pretty"! She is soooooo pretty to us even when she has CRAZY hair and layers of clothes under her pretty princess duds! Sometimes her princess dress is accesorized with a bridal veil from Maddie's costume, sometimes with princess shoes and even sometimes with one flip flop and one tennis shoe or mismatch! Beautiful none the less!!! I found her at 3am out in the main part of the house with EVERY light on and the PRINCESS DRESS (that I hid in the closet at bed time) on over her jammies, just singing and dancing away! She also has picked up the wierd habit of laying on the backs of the couches...where did this come from all of the sudden???? She will lay there and watch a movie or whatever. Anyway...we luv her!

Swarmed by BEES...

This is Kaitlin's new Beehive group (part of it) that kidnapped her on Wednesday night (her b-day) for her first night at young women's. She was so shocked to see them all at the door and even more shocked when they said they were taking her with them!



They decorated the whole front yard with Bees and it was really cute and fun for her...



She's officially a Beehive now!!!!

Kaitlin's CAKE...

Aunt Jade
did an AWESOME job on Miss K's Birthday Cake!!!! Green is her favorite color and it was fun to watch Jade make it with Nans recipe and decorating tips and everything! Thank you Aunt Jade and we love you lots!!!!!!!

"12"

Happy, Happy Birthday Kaitlin Dear...

Happy days will come to you all year...

If I had one wish that wish would be...

A Happy, Happy Birthday to you from Me!!

You are sooooooo loved and we hope you have awesome Day!

Happy Birthday Kaitlin Marie...

Kaitlin has hit the big number 12!!!!!! She is such a sweet girl and we love her lots, but here are the top 12 things we have to say about KAITLIN...

1. She is such a pleaser. She wants everyone to be happy and tries hard to see that happen.

2. She is a perfectionist at everything she does. She puts a lot of time & effort into her school projects, art work, etc.

3. She's the best combination of outgoing and shy. A little crazy and a little reserved! The first time I met her she says,"you're a little crazy aren't you Taya?...that's okay cuz I am too!" I will always remember that...

4. She loves to read and is a great reader. She finishes one book and can't wait to get to the next!

5. She is a great helper and we practically have to make her stop helping and do something more fun on many occasions.

6. She is a phenomenal artist and I really envy that! She is like her Oma and Granny that way...Super creative and imaginative!

7. She is a wonderful example to her younger brothers and sisters...and there are a lot of them, 6 to be exact!!! She knows that being the oldest this is a must and she takes her role of good example very seriously! I know that her Mom and Albert and Kevin and I really appreciate her in our households!

8. She is a great storyteller. She is hilarious and very animated when she tells you about the day or what happened at church or a funny story or joke she heard. She also is fantastic at writing stories. She again, uses that great imagination and puts it to work!

9. She loves the church and strives to do all of the things that are right. She is an example to me even on many occasions. She has worked very hard to earn her Faith in God award and is already very excited to start on Personal Progress in Young Women! Her prayers are always so sweet and full of concern for others.

10. She is VERY dramatic at times and to me "drama queen" is a term of endearment where she is concerned. It's okay to have a little drama, it keeps it real!!! She knows when to reel it back in and it's usually pretty funny to watch!!!! I think she'll be a famous stage actress someday. She loves to act and it's right up her alley!

11. She has a beautiful singing voice! She is so much like her Daddy in this department. She loves to sing and just belts it right out for all to hear!!! I love that and think it's fun when we are doing Saturday chores or hanging out with music on to hear her singing away!

12. She knows just when to give a hug or make us all laugh. She is so full of love for her family and friends. She is an amazing young women!!!!

I know it's hard for me to believe that she's already 12! And, I have only known her since she was 7, so I can imagine how Christy and Kevin feel about their "baby girl" being a Beehive already!!! She has so many awesome examples in her life and I know she will be just fine!!!!! We love you Kaitlin and Hope you have a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Tag...4th File & 4th Picture

Here it is Bekki...Thanks for the tag! This picture is of Madison at 3 months old (We were driving to a family party for the 4th of July) and she went WAY cross eyed in the car. I think it's funny that it was the only time in her life she was chubby and she had a double chin, and she told me today that her dad, Shane, was just making fun of Emersyn's double chin (all in good fun I'm sure...and it IS FUNNY!). Anyway, she was and is such a cutie!

Now I tag, Tawna, Summer, Jade, Sherry, Evonne, Ali, Christy, Erin, and Kara!!!!!!

It's kind of fun...just go to your 4th picture file and post the 4th picture in that file! Happy hunting...

Apparently I'm a FREAK...

The kids are off on a visit to Texas to visit and to be there for little brother Eli's birthday party.
Christy emails this blurb from Mr. Daron today...

Just a quick note...I thought this was funny. We were talking about blogs and Daron says, "I totally don't mean to be rude about Taya, but....(big pause) she's a blogging FREAK!"


Nice, huh??? I love him!!! :) (Oh and look Daron, here I am BLOGGING about it!)

Ali's Pumpkin Spice Cookies...

Made these yummy "for FALL" cookies today for dessert and they were a winner! Thanks to Ali for the recipe and I'm posting it for everone to enjoy on "The Cooks in Nana's Nook" blog on my sidebar! The kids loved them, especially Kaitlin who's not huge on chocolate and likes alternatives to chocolate chip. I was able to send a plate full to 3 of our neighbors and still have enough for us and some to send with Kevin into the office!

A Nana Memory...

Well, Granny came out to make bread today like we've been doing for 3 weeks now, and it turned out awesome! She is soooo good to come and teach me and spend her time here. I remember my Mom making bread when we were little and it was the preferred bread in our house. We were spoiled! I don't remember making bread with Nan, but I do know we were around while she was baking bread and we got the first fresh slices spread full of soft butter and then applesauce on top. It is sooooo yummy and only goes with HOMEMADE bread right! Another favorite of mine and Nan's was a midnight snack when we had sleepovers with her and Pop, of homemade bread with real sliced cheddar cheese and pickles and mayo. YUMMMMM!

Thanks for helping me make my bread today Mom and for providing me & our family with the same kind of great memories!!!!! I am sending a loaf to Erin & Shane with Maddie tomorrow and also I have packed a loaf in Kaitlin's backpack (secured quite nicely in a perfect sized box) for her & Daron's trip to Texas tomorrow for their family to enjoy!!!!! And let's face it...with me and Kev's "small family" this weekend we could never go through 5 loaves and I REFUSE TO WASTE SUCH GOOOOOOD BREAD!!! I told Kaitlin if for some reason they wouldn't let it through the scanners (who knows these days) that Kevin had to have the security guards hold it for him and he'd pick it back up on the way out!!!

3 Month Milestone...

Emmy is 3 months old as of yesterday! She is getting so much personality and is fun to talk to. She laughs (outloud) and smiles constantly when you are talking to her and giving her undivided attention. Her happy times of day are definitly morning and afternoon and evenings are GRUMPY time!!!! She has slept throught the night twice (not in a row) and as soon as I read the copy of Baby Wise that I borrowed, I am hoping it will become a standard! She has a very prominent bulb on her chin (the first chin, not the double chin) that feels all "squishy" and we named it her smile button. When you push it she smiles and all the kids get a big kick out of this!!!








We got her this "Bumbo" chair off of Queen Creek Friends and she really likes sitting in it. She like to be straight up and down sometimes, not on an incline or in the laying position...

She likes to snooze on our bed once in awhile...

Just Because...

Daron NEEDED a haircut, so I gave him a quick trim before school yesterday morning and then spiked it just in the front like he likes. He does NOT like the gel and hairspray that I have to use to get it to stay that way however, but it doesn't stay up without it! He too has to pay a price to be handsome, YUCKY PRODUCTS!!!!

Maddie NEEDED new clothes, jeans specifically since hers were getting to be high waters! So, here's her new denim and she loves them. She got 2 pair in the dark wash which she is very particular about. Her and Daron got new clothes ordered on Old Navy.com and it is TORTURE waiting for them to get here. They LOVE new clothes!

Side note: She was "mooning" her brother and sister right before I took this picture (she has a cute tushy) and she wanted me to take a pic of her mooning the camera! Is this the same little girl who a few years ago would barely speak?????

Kaitlin is looking so grown up and beautiful in some of her new duds! The girls have both been wanting leggings and sweater dresses for school and finally got a couple each. Even Kaitlin's teacher said how "GOOOOOOD" she was looking!!!! Her new jewel toed silver flats are just my size and I told her if me and her Dad ever get the time to go on a date again...I will borrow HER SHOES for once!!!!!

Harry Potter Marathon...

November 1st and 2nd (Sat & Sun) we had a Harry Potter Movie Marathon at our house in honor of Daron! He has been working on earning rewards for obeying and being a peacemaker and this was the first of MANY rewards to come I'm sure!!!! His Dad had never seen any of them and none of us had seen the Order of the Phoenix, so we got to watch it together for the first time. Daron does love, love, love all things Harry Potter!!!! Here's a pic of Kaitlin all sacked out in her "movie spot". We stayed in our jammies and ate in front of the TV, lazy yes, but fun none the less!!!