London's Run

Hey everyone -- I'm doing a 2 mile run this Saturday (February 2nd) and wanted to invite you all to join in. The run is in Queen Creek at Schnepf Farms. The run benefits local children with cancer so it's a great cause. You can choose a 2 mile fun run, a 10k or a half marathon. This year, my sister, sister-in-law, niece and out of shape me are doing the 2 mile fun run. Next year we're going to gear up for the 10k (about 6.2 miles) so everyone get in shape and come and join us. You can register online at www.londonsrun.org or you can register the morning of the race. See ya there!!

Sweet Moment

Allison is my little shopping buddy and likes to go everywhere with me. It's been fun having 1 on 1 time with her this year while Connor and Emma are in school. Most days when she wakes up she asks me where we're going and who is coming over to play. I think it's about time to put her in a preschool or something 'cause I can't keep up with her. Anyway, today we were on our way to Costco and I had a CD playing with primary songs. Alli knows a few of them pretty well and today was singing pretty loud and this is what I heard: "Teach me to walk in the yight of his yove. Teach me to pay to my fadda above. Teach me to know of the things that awe wight. Teach me, teach me, to walk in the yight". How sweet is that - I hope I can get it on video before she learns to say her r's and l's.

Christmas Slide Show

Okay, here goes my 1st attempt at a slide show. I had so many cute pictures of the kids and their excited faces on Christmas morning. I couldn't choose just a few pics, so I thought I would share a little bit of our Christmas morning MAGIC!!

Christmas Eve Nativity

One of my favorite traditions and one we used to do as kids, is re-enacting the Nativity. The kids did such a great job. We were lucky to have baby Hailey to be baby Jesus and she was very sweet when everyone started piling gifts on her. Emma was Mary this year and she was very sweet and protective of her new baby.

Alli was a shepherd and carried around a little pig - close enough to a sheep, I guess.

Connor was a wise man and took his role very serious - what a sweetheart!

Temple Lights

We bundled the kids up (I think they were way too hot) and we headed to the temple to see the lights and the nativity. The kids absolutely loved it and I'm grateful that we live close to a temple so my kids can enjoy it's beauty.

After looking at the lights we went around to the front side of the temple. It was fun to explain (again) to our three children how special the temple is to our family and how we can be an eternal family if we live righteously and keep our temple covenants.

December Madness

Okay, so I know it's halfway through January already, but I'm barely getting to my posts for the end of December. Here goes...

We have so many fun family traditions around the holidays and it certainly keeps us busy. Don't get me wrong - I wouldn't change a thing and I'm so grateful to live close to most of my family so we can get together often. One thing we try and do every year is decorate gingerbread houses with all the cousins. Each house is unique and the kids have fun decorating (& eating) their cute creations. Emma had so much fun and didn't need very much help this year!!

Connor loved all the different candies and I'm pretty sure he ate way more than he put on his house!

Here's most of the kids...Alli was sleeping and did her house later and I didn't get a picture =(