A few pictures of our house in New Harmony

This is one of the bedrooms (i think) but as you can see we had to rip out all the old drywall which revealed abode walls. It looked way worse than this. At one point I just went back and sat in the car because I was freaking out that it would never be livable.

The siding on the house was peeling off and had not been updated in probably 40 years. As they pulled up the floor Justin found old newspapers from the 1930's, that they used as insulation, under 7 different linoleum.

These pictures aren't great since Justin took them with his camera on his phone but you can get the basic idea that it went from bad to worse to AWESOME! The kitchen is not very big but it gets the job done. Well, so far, the microwave is great. We haven't used anything else.

This is the final outside picture!! A few months ago Justin drove his little brother, nephew and brother in law up to lay the sprinkler system and grass. It looks great and smelled even better.

Visiting Santa

While in Utah last weekend we decided to go see the Live Nativity in Tuacan which is hopefully going to become an annual tradition. We had a great time. The play is only about 15 minutes long but it helped to put us in the true Christmas spirit. Prior to taking our seats we stood in line to see Santa. This is always a little scary because my kids like to change their minds at the last minute and ask for something random that hasn't even been mentioned until then. This year we had no surprises as Tanner asked for an iTouch and Madisen asked for Zhu Zhu Hampsters and all their stuff.

After the play we took a couple of pictures of us in front of the big Christmas tree and stumbled upon wooden cutouts of elves and the nativity. Who can resist putting their face in a wooden cut out?

Meet Santa's special helpers below!!!

A weekend in New Harmony

My three favorite people

Madisen, Sterling and Emma

Snow bunny Madisen

Me and Justin

Tanner

Madisen and Me

Got to love the pink headband that Madisen wouldn't wear so Justin did!

I think Tanner did the most sledding.

DeMille Family

Madisen sledding on her belly.

We took so much time apart last year fixing up the house in New Harmony Utah and now it is time to enjoy some weekends there. The kids were more excited about this weekend than our last few trips to Disneyland and this cost way less! We loaded the car up with all our recently purchased snow stuff including heavy coats, snow bibs and pants, gloves, scarfs and hats, Thursday and headed out of town. After a short visit at Grandma and Grandpa's house we drove the rest of the way up the mountain to our house affectionately know as "Harmony in the Hills". At our arrival Justin got our and turned on the gas, power and water and started up the heater in the house while the kids and I sat in the warm car. After about 20 minutes we went in to the house which by now was a very brisk 50 degrees. We quickly changed into jammies and snuggled down in our blankets to get warmed up and get some sleep. The next morning we dressed and waited for the Vivier's to get there. We then drove Cedar City for a quick bite to eat and a stop at the local Wal-mart for some sleds. Up the mountain we went to Brian Head for some sledding!! We found a spot at the end of a closed road and hike in about 100 yards to find a great little sledding hill. The kids had a blast. I thought for sure the kids would be done playing after about two trips up that hill but we lasted almost two hours playing and laughing as we all took turns sliding down the hill whether it was on a sled, our bellies or bottoms. We can't wait to go back. Maybe next time without the kids so I can learn to snowboard!!!

Cliche, I konw

We had a great day here is Henderson. I guess I am going to do the cheesy thing and tell you all what I am grateful for. Starting with my wonderful husband who works so hard a worries about everything so I don't have to . I have been so blessed to never have to work outside my home since bringing the two most wonderful children into this sometimes really terrible world. I am also so indepted to the military men and women who sacrifice so much to keep us safe. A special thank you to Brian and his wife!! Of course I am thankful to have been born into the church so that I never had to wonder about where I came from or what is waiting for us after the test. Last but not least I have to say I am super happy to have been born at a time full of modern inventions such as cars, air conditioning, indoor plumbing and so forth. Yep once again I have branded myself a city girl I know. But I am a very, very blessed and often times spoiled city girl who loves her family and thanks the Lord everyday for them.

Go ahead and laugh at me

So my car was so dirty and out by my sister Cristen's house is my favorite drive thru car wash. It's the one that power sprays everything instead of scrubbing the car with already very dirty fabric brushes. Anyway the kids were in the back seat and teasing me about opening the doors in the middle of the wash and I let my OCD take over and I started checking and rechecking that the windows and the doors and finally the sunroof were really closed. Right before entering I pushed the closed arrows on the sunroof and pulled in. The car wash starts the kids squeal and pretend to open the doors while I am yelling "don't even think about it. That' so not funny!!" While turned around I feel drops of water hit my leg. I turn around to discover that there is water dripping off the "oh crap" bar. I happen to have a towel from the day before's workout so I grab it and wrap it around the bar and notice that there is also water dripping from the bar on the other side of the car as well. So now I am panicking thinking that my car is broken and leaking all over. I am going to have to buy a new car because I can;t drive a car the won't keep the rain out. The car wash is still running and all the sudden it is literally raining on the front seat of the car. I am drying as fast as I can with my two hand towels all the while thinking "I am going to have to buy a new car!!!" Finally the car was his over and we are pulling out. I think if I get out and dry the roof maybe we can make it home without getting totally soaked. So I pull up and get out to discover the sunroof is vented open!!! I can't open the sunroof unless the sliding inside roof thingy is open so it never occurred to me that the vent could be open without the inside roof thingy open. IT CAN!!! So all I got was a wet car when I thought I would have a new car!

So many countdown's

Here is my list of countdowns for the next few weeks...

1. New Moon midnight showing 11 hours

2. Thanksgiving 7 days

3. BLACK FRIDAY Shopping 8 days

4. Back to School after a 4 week long track break 10 days

5. Weekend in New Harmony Utah with the snow

and kids. 13 days

6. Christmas Day 34 days

Yep, that is what I have to look forward to right now!!!

aaaahhhhhh...

I don't think it is too much to ask that after giving them two hours to have their rooms clean that that not look like this!!! (now I sound like my mother)

If you look closely you can see Tanner in the center of this picture playing his Nintendo DS

Madisen's room is actually worse than it looks. Everything is stuffed under her bed!

We'd like to introduce...

Speedy and Tank!!! Justin called this morning and asked me to bring the kids down to the office because he had a surprise for them. About 6 weeks ago he came home and told me he had talked to a guy and was going to bring home turtles within the next couple of weeks for the kids. I was less than thrilled since he had just made the decision on his own without taking any of my feelings into consideration. A couple of weeks came and went and I just thought that the deal had fallen through. I was wrong! it just took a little longer than they thought. As you can see we do have turtles. I have to say that thought I was less that happy about the idea of them I already love them as do the kids.

This one is hers and she is already saying "come to mommy" when she holds her.

Madisen and Speedy

Tanner and Tank

Tanner's hand looks huge next to this little guy.

This one is Speedy. I had to mark him with a sharpie so we could tell them apart.

Scentsy Party

For those of you who may be interested I am co-hosting a Scentsy Party Thursday night from 6-8pm. If you would like to come post a comment with your e-mail address and I will send you the particulars.

All Hallows Eve is not my favorite holiday. When I was younger we would go to Disneyland which I loved because I didn't have to dress up or hand out candy. Everyone said when you have kids your attitude will change. It didn't...until this year. Although I still don't love it this year was much more fun than years past. Tanner came home from school about 6 weeks ago after his class had been to the library with an idea for a pumpkin. He has been so excited about it and had swore Madisen to secrecy s no one else would steal his idea. A pumpkin snowman. We bought a bunch of pumpkins last week and on Friday night got to carving them. Tanner and Justin worked on his while I carved Madisen's. Tanner was so proud of his snowman.

The kids always get to clean out the guts!

Madisen and Tanner with their pumpkin snowman and their "family" as Madisen called them.

For the last three years Grandma DeMille has called the kids and invited them to come over and make caramel apples at her house. I, as a neat freak mom, appreciate this. They go over, unwrap the caramels, help stir it on the stove and dip the apples all the while getting very sticky. So thanks mom for keeping the mess at your house and just sending home the yummy apples!!!

Grandma and Madisen

Finding costume that isn't too young or too gross for boys is hard! We went three or four costume shops and looked on line for about a week before realizing we would have to come up with something ourselves. Tanner kept telling us he wanted to be a hippy but all the hippy costumes you could buy were too girly and cheap so we set out constructing our own. I found the pants on line at Children's Place while looking at clothes for Madisen. The great thing about them is that now Tanner is done with them they are going in Madisen's closet since they wear the same size. The rest we found at various costume stores. He was thrilled and I think he looks great!

Madisen's costume took about five minutes. It was on sale and she was happy!

I love this picture!!! She looks so cute with her little black nose.

Tanner in his wig!!

So, I may not have been completely converted yet I am less of a Halloween grump this year than in the last 15.

Who says the kids get to have all the fun

We were invited to an adults Halloween/Birthday party for a friend. The invitation encouraged us to wear costumes which I haven't done since I was probably 11 years old. It took a few trips to several costume stores to find something that was approptiate to wear in public. As the pictures show I was a witch along with my sis-in-law. Justin was DOG the Bounty Hunter and Scott was Officer Dangle from the show Reno 911. We played pictionary, and a few other games and munched on goodies before retuning home to our little goblins.

Justin and Jenessa

Jusitn, Jenessa, LeAnn, Scott

Playing catch up

Time is something that gets away from all of us but lately it seems it is sprinting by and I can't catch up!!! I am the first counselor in the primary so I am over the primary program for the year. I am NOT complaining because my other choice is scouts which, let's face it, is not for me. Our program was last week so the last four weeks have been a blur of parts, seating charts, name tags, pizza, ice cream, soccer , school and the thing that helps keep me sane, Jazzercise. I am happy to have this years over and will start working on next years much sooner. That is me.

The kids are still playing soccer and loving it. Justin has started bribing them to play harder with money. Tanner gets $5 for every assist to a goal and $25 for every goal. While Madisen gets a dollar for an assist and $5 a goal. We have had to pay Tanner $5 and Madisen is trying really hard but has yet to "profit" from her game. We will see what happens next week.

Tanner is so cute on the field! He is playing so well this season. It is so fun to watch him and the rest of the boys as they really "get it." Madisen had team pictures this week which turned out super cute. The girls all had their hair done and were so excited thinking we had no practice that night. Of course their coach had them practicing after pictures but they managed to have a great time. Below is a picture of Madiesn with her BFF on the team. They both lost their teeth the same week and were so happy to share that magical moment.I posted a couple of weeks ago that Madisen lost her first tooth. A few days later she wanted me to check her other teeth to see if any more were loose and they were not. She got sad because she likes the tooth fairy to come. The very next day she came running an screaming down the stairs that her "tooth was coming out and there is so much blood!!!" I was sure she had just bit her tongue or her lip but as I got closer and checked it was true her tooth was coming out. After twisting and pulling and more screaming it was out. When I asked her how it got so loose in one day she said, "it wasn't loose. I fell and hit my face on the desk in the toy room and then there was a lot of blood and my tooth was turned backwards!!!"
Last but not least, I love the fall. The decorations are out and so are the jeans and boots!!! WE took the kids to the pumpkin patch/carnival on Friday night. It was way ghetto but the kids had so much fun so I guess that is what counts. I HATE Halloween so costume shopping is not fun for me. I put on a happy face and get dragged from store to store as we search out the perfect costume. Tanner's is super cute and so is Madisen's. I will post pictures after Halloween!!!

Simple Math

Picture 1 +

Picture 2 =

her first visit from the tooth fairy!!!