Happy Happy Birthday Todd

Winter Fun!

 I make my kids hike with me when on break and they LOVE it!  Syd got wet first.

 Nice save Bry!  He is having so much fun!

 Bry decided to cut his own hair, well he wanted to try out the clippers and... he told his friends it was an exclamation point so they wouldn't bug him about it!  We talked about lying...

 This is Bryant's good friend, Denaysia who lives around the corner from us, but she just told us she is moving soon within the next month, so sad!

Family outing at the Maplewood Golf Course, it was freezing!



Halloween 2014

 We hosted Trick or Treating again this year in our neighborhood.  Many of our friends came and we had so much fun!  We started out in one huge mob but soon it was the runners and the walkers.  After we hit our neighborhood we all came back for some cider and treats.  Then it was on to the next neighborhood spook alley!  So proud of Bryant making it all the way to the front door and candy.  Although he wouldn't go again with Kacie, who was too afraid, to see Ms. Jeppeson at the door.  She is a second grade teacher at his school.  It was fun to see her there.

 Taylor was a mummy, Sydney was from a Jane Austin novel and Bryant was a Red Ninja this year, just kidding about Tay, she is seventeen and no fun!

Pintictin, Canada 2014

 The first weekend in August we headed to Canada for the West family reunion with Todd's family.  We got to meet Kim, Darren's fiance' and we agreed that we like her and he can still marry her.  We arrived Thursday night, had a late dinner and it was off to bed.  Friday we had a day to ourselves and Papa treated us all to Parasailing!  I was a bit nervous but it was such a smooth ride and super fun!  If you notice I am lower than Todd and Sydney, for some reason my harness made me lean back farther than theirs, a little uncomfortable but better than holding myself upright the whole time.

 Cousin time.  Spence taught the kids some hand game that they played like this forever!

Sydney and Kristina drawing and reading before the big family reunion dinner.  Great Uncle John Wright and Bryant playing Pass the Pigs game.

 Like I predicted, our family stuck together and didn't mingle much at all.

 I can't believe I don't have any photos of Nana and she was the reason we were all there together.  Thank you Nana for a fun weekend with cousins!

Temple Square

 

In April we headed to Utah for a long weekend to attend Emily Hansen's sealing in the Salt Lake Temple.  We have known Dave & Janae' Hansen since 1991, twenty two years!  Here's a funny story:  I was telling David's brother how cool it would be to see someone you knew at temple square, but there are so many people that that would never happen.  Not thirty minutes later I see a guy I know, then a lady I didn't know, his brother and then I saw his mother my friend from Oregon!  I ran up to her and hugged her tight!  I haven't seen her in years, it was so nice to say hi and visit for a few minutes.  I miss Mary.



Happy 9th Lego Birthday Party!

 This may very well be that last fun little kid party we have so we went all out!  Bry wanted a lego party, well since that is all he ever does anymore!  He just wanted a home party with lots of games.  Taylor set up the Ninja Run in the hallway and the kids loved it!

 We decided to make our own pizzas, which was fun.  While they were all at the table eating they began telling jokes!  It was so funny to listen to them from the kitchen, they were having a blast!  The best joke came from Kacie, "What do trees drink?   Rootbeer!"

 How embarrassing!  The table was set so nicely too, but ten nine year olds tore it apart!  Also the cute display of candy had been taken to be put into the goody bags.

 Gifts... they couldn't get close enough to Bryant!

 Every thing turned out great.  It was definitely crazy with eleven nine year olds!  They were loud and so full of energy!  Todd limited them to half a cup of rootbeer then water.  While we waited for parents to arrive we had them jump some energy off!  Happy Ninth Birthday to my favorite son who always has a huge smile on his face! 

Pre-Christmas Activities 2013

 So not sure what happened with this photo, but it is kind of cool!  This is Taylor holding Summer Smart at our ward Christmas dinner.  Below is Sydney and Emmie talking with the snow fairy at the Snowflake Lane in Bellevue.  Every year we meet up with the Rigtrup, Allen and Paternoster families for FHE and head to Snowflake lane for dancing fun!  The kids get lollies from the  high school students dressed as nutcrackers and then the drummers come down the street and play for twenty minutes, so fun and festive.  This helps me get into the holiday spirit every year!

 I finally got a photo of both Jon and Bry looking happily at the camera!  They always have fun dancing and trying to avoid the girl fairies!