Ward Christmas Party

I went with the two boys to the Christmas party because Steve had to study (what's new?) and poor Juliana was sick. Nolan ran around playing with his friends and they appeared to be having a good time. Then the kids got on the stage where they found a working microphone. At first all the kids were just making noises into the microphone and then Nolan says "hi poops". Then the other kids thought that was funny and followed suit. Nolan never ceases to amaze us. Some people laughed and some mothers ran to the stage to keep them from saying it again. Nolan is so full of life, he loves to laugh, crack jokes, and find mischief wherever he goes.

He couldn't wait to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. And as for Dean well I couldn't get within a 10 foot radius of Santa before he would shake his head no and point in the opposite direction. If you ask Dean what Santa says he says "hohoho". He is too cute. Juliana likes to call him "fatty christmas" because he has a round belly just like Santa.

Go Julie Go! 2-4-6-8

We have a little cheerleader on our hands. Juliana finished her cheerleading class. She went with her friend Kaitlyn. They performed in two parades but Juliana was too sick to attend the Christmas one. We are so proud of our cheerleader she did such a great job!!

Snow in Rancho Cucamonga

We took the kids to see the "snow" at Victoria Gardens. Juliana wanted to get a picture with Santa but this is as close as she could get. Dean thought the tree was great. Nolan loved chasing the snowflakes and trying to catch them. Mom loved this snow because it wasn't cold!

Bowling

The kids had fun bowling at Joel's party. Juliana sported her new hat and picked out her "rock star" outfit for the occasion. Dean loved bowling and took it upon himself to pick up those huge balls. He is one strong kid. Nolan enjoyed every minute spent with his cousin Joel. He asks about him almost everyday. They love being closer to their family.

Halloween Party

We had a blast at our Halloween Party!! The kids enjoyed eating mummy dogs, apples and caramel, fruit, muddy buddies, and cupcakes. They loved the mad scientist (Suzanne) who demonstrated some cool scienced experiments. They played water balloon toss and mummy bowling. They also decorated their own cupcakes. It was great to hang out with the old gang again. Thanks to all who came and made it such a fun time.

Trunk or Treat

The Saturday before Halloween we went to Trunk or Treat at Church. Nolan and Juliana's cousins came with us. The kids were so excited to spend time with Joel and Heidi. They had a great time running around, dancing, and collecting candy.

Pumpkin Patch

My kids had a blast with their friends at the pumpkin patch. They earn quarters for staying in their own beds at night and this is how they chose to spend their $3.25.

Rancho Cucamonga Fire Dept Open House

So a couple of weeks ago we went to the fire dept. open house. They had a horse, some dogs, a real fire demonstration, and lots of fire trucks. One of their favorite things was going on the helicopter rescue contraption (don't know what that is called). The guy swung them around as if they were really being hoisted up by a helicopter and then lowered them real fast to the ground. The kids had a blast and were happy to have seen their good friends Kaitlyn and Matthew there.

Student of the Month

Juliana was student of the month for September. We were so proud of her. She has been doing such a great job at school. As some of you know she hasn't been the easiest child but it's nice to see that at least she is good in school. Just kidding she actually has grown up a lot and has mellowed out some. She is a really big helper and such a great reader.

Life Changing Book

I just finished reading this book for our Book Club. It was one of the saddest books I have ever read and even considered not finishing it because my heart just could not take it. I ended up finishing the book anyway and I am so glad that I did. I am so grateful for all that I have been blessed with. I am grateful for a loving husband and three beautiful healthy children. I am also grateful to live in a country where I enjoy such simple liberties such as the ability to go outside, buying food for my family, and for being considered an equal with men. This book was life changing and a huge eye opener.

Circus Time

Juliana and Nolan got to go to the Circus for the very first time. They had so much fun. Nolan had fun laughing at the funny clowns and being with his friends Brando and Aaron. They didn't get to ride the elephants but they got a picture with them. Not quite the same but oh well!

Our New House

Here is a picture of our new house. We love it! Without much help from Steve (who is busy studying) it has taken a long time to get things settled. I have been busy installing our new faux wood floors with the help of my Dad. It wasn't too hard to install but the measuring and cutting were kind of tricky, for someone like me without any experience. I am so happy with the way it turned out. I am trying to get organized so keep checking back for new pictures of our new home (to be posted soon).

Steve's white coat ceremony

Steve started goint to P.A. School on August 9. He was robed with his first white coat at a special ceremony. We are so proud of him. His school is really challenging and he spends most of his days studying. We are getting use to not having him around as much. Our house still has several things that need to get done. Slowly but surely we are getting it done (me and my parents). We are so proud of him and know that he will do great!!

Kids Gone Wild!

I was busy getting everything ready to move when the kids found the paints (lucky for us they were washable). They were having so much fun painting the garage floor and themselves. Suzanne once told the story about her kids spilling something all over the floor and instead of getting mad she laughed and got out her camera. So that is what I did. Was I upset that I had to clean up this mess, you bet! But it was my fault for leaving them usupervised, right? But Suzanne taught me a really good life lesson, thanks Suzanne!!

In transit

So here we are, finally back in California. I am so happy to have so many great friends who like to get together and do fun things. The loan for our new house is taking much longer than needed so we are living with family. I am grateful for family who are allowing to stay in their house and put up with 5 extra people. I am sure it probably isn't easy to put up with all the extra bodies, noise, and messes. I am doing the best I can to keep the messes to a minimum and of course cleaning up after ourselves but I still feel that everyone has had enough. Lucky for everyone we got notice that the loan was approved and so now it shouldn't be long before we close. Yeah!!

Juliana's Recital

Juliana did such an awesome job on her recital. She performed a tap number to "Banana Split for my Baby". She had a huge smile on her face and did a great job. The boys enjoyed watching all the dancing as well.

A couple of Saturdays ago we were having several people come look at our house as well as having an open house so we decided to make a day of fun with the kids. We started out by taking the new FrontRunner train from our house to Salt Lake City. When we got to Salt Lake we saw that the Gateway Mall was having some sort of fair. So we went there and the kids got their faces painted. That was a lot of fun but it was really hot. Then it was time to get on the train again and take it to the Bee's game. The Bee's are a AAA baseball team in Salt Lake. The kids didn't think watching the game was very fun so there was a lot of fighting, arguing, some hitting, and some crying. We were very happy when it was over. We boarded the trax (different train that takes you to the FrontRunner) and made it to the FrontRunner station only to find that the FrontRunner wouldn't get there for another 45 minutes. We were all so exhausted by then. We didn't get home until 10:00pm. Everyone was very cranky!!

Family Fun Day