All Aboard The Polar Express!!!

Last night we went a ride on the Polar Express to the North Pole. It was so much fun! Alex and I decided not to tell the kids what we were doing. We just told them that we had to leave at 6:00pm sharp and that they needed to have their pajamas on. They didn't have a clue as to what we were doing. For the entire hour drive to Heber they asked if we were doing this or that. Our answer was always "I don't know." When we arrived at the train station, Sage said "we are getting on a train!" and once we got inside the station they read on the departure and arrival board that our train, "The Polar Express" was going to the North Pole. It was so exciting, even in the absolutely freezing cold.

They served cookies and hot cocoa, and the host let Sage and Alexa help lead the Christmas songs on the microphone, which they really enjoyed. The elves danced with all of our kids too!!! Once we got to the North Pole, Mrs. Claus came by to see us and then Santa Claus who gave every child the "first gift of Christmas." My kids really had a lot of fun. Everyone on board got a copy of the Polar Express book to read along with the Host. Our whole family had a lot of fun. It was worth not getting Sage's and Alexa's book reports turned in on time (they were due today).

Sage's and Alexa's Spanish Christmas Concert

Sage and Alexa performed in their school's Spanish Christmas concert at the University Mall. It was really fun for all of us. They were especially excited to get to see all of their friends and teachers at the mall. Afterward we ate in the food court and ran into their 1st grade teacher, Miss Chidester whom they absolutely adored and haven't seen since first grade. I curled all three of my girls' hair so they looked especially beautiful.

Thanksgiving - Christmas is coming!

Sage and Alexa performed in the 3rd grade Thanksgiving program at school. They had a lot of fun singing a variety of Thanksgiving songs. Alexa was a pilgrim and Sage was an Indian.

Alex had the entire week of Thanksgiving off and we really enjoyed it. Thanksgiving Day truly marks the end of fall for us because we take down every piece of fall decor and get out the all the Christmas things. It is so exciting at our house. The twins did a very good job of decorating the Christmas tree this year. I loved to watch them step back about 10 feet away from the tree before they added an ornament to see where the best place to put it was. Then they would step back again after they placed the ornament to make sure it looked "balanced". They are totally growing up and have a really good eye for design. They are quite the little creators.

While we were decorating downstairs Belle got into a bag of Noah's clothes and dressed herself. She came downstairs to show us and we couldn't stop laughing. She is our "funny girl".

Happy Birthday Noah!!!

Noah had his 5th birthday this month and instead of having a big birthday party with lots of kids he decided to just invite his very best friend Elliott to go do something special his family. We went out to eat at a restaraunt and then went to Kangaroo Zoo for a couple of hours. Everyone had a blast.

Alex and all the kids coming down a slide.

Elliott and Noah - Best Buddies

At the restaraunt

Belle in action.

The next three go together, I was trying to snap a pic of them and each time I was about to get it one of them would jump up. Then of course they wanted to see the picture and they just thought it was the funniest thing that their head was cut off in it. It was really funny.


Back at home we sang, Noah blew out his candles, opened his presents, and we had cake and ice cream. What an evening!

Halloween

Finally, here I am at Halloween. Alexa is the frog, Sage is the clown, Noah is Spidey, and Belle is the furball or kittycat.

Lake Powell

In October we were able to fit in one last little vacation to Lake Powell. We went with Grandma & Grandpa and Chrissy's family. It was fun but not quite as warm as I would have liked it.

End of Summer

Ok, I'm sick of going through what we did this last summer and posting it I just want to put in some of my favorite ones, then I will do Halloween and consider myself current. It was good practice though and I think I got it now.

Trevor and Ashley took Sage and Alexa fishing at Deer Creek.

Isabelle was fascinated by the worms the whole time.
We went to the Utah County Fair and saw lots of animals.
All summer we had a large population of Praying Mantis' in our yard and my kids enjoyed collection and playing with them. We were horrified to find out that they were cannibals when we found one killing and eating another while it was still alive and fighting for its life.
This was Noah's first day of preschool with his teacher Miss Jodi. Miss Jodi has the priviledge of being one of the 5 only people who are funny according to Noah.

This is Isabelle on her first day of school with Miss Lindsay. We are sad that Miss Lindsay had to move but she will still be Belle's first preschool teacher.

August 9, 2008 Alpine Days Parade

Early one Saturday in August, at 7:00am I was awakened by a frantic phone call from my parents telling me that I needed to hurry and wake my kids up, dress them in specific colors and bring them and their bikes to Alpine so they wouldn't miss a once in a lifetime chance to participate in the world famous Alpine Days Parade, and I needed to be their by 8:30am (the drive alone is 25min). So being the obedient daughter I am and not wanting to be the cause of my children missing out on this rare opportunity, I did as I was told. I woke my kids, toasted some eggo waffles to eat plain in the car, pulled out anything in their wardrobe that resembled a patriotic theme (any color of gingham is American right? Oh yeah, Spiderman is too.) When we arrived my mom met us in a parking lot with streamers, scissors, and tape. Within minutes the bikes and kids were transformed into mini-floats. Then they got to hurry up and wait 45 min for their turn. Since they didn't have a registration number my parents asked a guy running for the state school board if they could join his group, what was he going to say? Any way they did get to be in the parade, my kids had a blast and the real truth came out that Grandpa was just dying to be in the famous Alpine Days Parade and my kids were just part of a ruse to get himself in.

Here's Grandpa with Isabelle on the back.

Alexa and Sage

Noah

July 4 & 5, 2008 Fourth of July & Double Baptisms

On the Fourth of July we went and did Fireworks at Tara's house. The kids, of course, had fun and we didn't stay out too late cause we had the girls' baptisms early the next morning.

The long awaited Baptisms of the Twins

Waiting for their turn.


Alexa and Sage with their hair still wet and absolutely beautiful in their white dresses. The necklaces they are wearing have blue gems in tear-drop shape settings to remind them of their baptism and are a gift from their mom and dad.

Alexa and Sage with me.

Alexa and Sage with Alex.

It was a very nice day!

June 28, 2008 Going Home Via Cove Fort

So my luxury 2-week vacation is over, and I don't know when we will get to take such an extended vacation again since Alex got his new job in Springville and will no longer be traveling. I'm a little sad about it because as hard as it was to have him gone M-F, the "free" vacations were a really nice perk.

On our way home we stopped at the church historic site, Cove Fort. Alex and I stopped there once before year ago, before we had kids, and I absolutely loved it. But I love historic sites and this is a really well done one, of course all the church owned sites that I have seen are in excellent condition. The barn at Cove Fort is especially cool because it is constructed completely out of wood parts, no nails or bolts or metal beams to hold it together and totally historically accurate. They missionary told us that the only people the church could find to construct the building were the Amish, because the type of construction is nearly a lost art. I just think that is so cool. Anyway if anyone has never stopped by and has the chance I totally recommend it. Here are some pics from our visit.

June 25, 2008 The Getty

While in L.A. the kids and I met Susan, Brittan, and Paige at the J. Paul Getty museum. It was really an incredible place to visit, just not really for young children. From the parking lot you take a tram up to the entrance and once I realized that it was a "look but don't touch" place I started scanning for a stroller rental. I was more than happy to find they had strollers available as a courtesy, free of charge. I decided I better get two, one for Belle and one for Noah, (who was a little confused because I have been telling him for the last 2 years that he is really too old for a stroller) and they had to stay buckled in. I am glad I went but wouldn't take kids again.

Right before we left, I realized that I hadn't seen the one artwork that I really wanted to see - Lilies by Van Gogh. I took the girls to see it even though they were tired and didn't want to go. I told them that one day when they were older they would be so glad that I made the go, Alexa decided I was right but as you can see in the picture Sage was not convinced and dragged her feet the whole way.

Noah and Belle both crashed on the way home.

June 23, 2008 Double Birthday - Sage and Alexa turn 8!

The day before Sage's and Alexa's birthday we went to visit Grandma Faye and Wayne. We were able to go to church with them and then have dinner at their home. It was a very nice visit and my kids would have loved to stay there for a week just to play with all the beanie babies and other stuffys.Noah, Alexa, Cassie, Isabelle, Faye, and Sage Alex, Noah and Wayne

For their birthday, Sage and Alexa got to go to American Girl Place in Los Angeles and pick out their first American Girl Doll. Alexa pretty much knew that she wanted Kit before she got there and did choose Kit. Sage on the other hand had a harder time. She really liked Kaya and Julie. She ended up going with Julie who is the newest of the historical dolls - she is from 1974, the year I was born and comes with all the 70's stuff. They had so much fun and American Girl Place is amazing.Later that day we had cake and ice cream at the apartment we were staying at and then later we took the girls (Kit and Julie) to the swimming pool.

Happy Birthday Twin-bobs!!!