HOORAY, Jenny comes to visit me!!

Sedona, Arizona
Jenny on Bell Rock
Montezuma Castle
Lorelei and Jenny watching the Orangutans at the zoo Saying good-bye to our fun-filled week of Jenny

I have had the pleasure of having my best friend Jenny come visit me for the week. We have been best friends since we were 16 years old. Her husband surprised her and bought her a ticket down to Phoenix for her birthday week. We had so much fun together. We went up to Sedona for the day. We went window shopping, had lunch, went hiking on Bell Rock and then went to see Montezuma Castle, (basically, an ancient castle built in the side of a mountain) which was so cool to see. We had fun watching movies, going to the zoo, enjoying Boba and Bing (Chinese desserts), temple, shopping and having fun. I miss her already and I'm waiting for my next visitor to come!!!

Happy Halloween!

Clark Kent and Cheerleader Lorelei
Going trunk or treating at the church.

Princess Mommy and Cheerleader LeiLei
Halloween Night and our beautiful Snow White!

Snow White Lorelei & Princess Dora Ashley
Out trick or treating

I have realized that Halloween is so much better when you have kids, I have forgotten how much fun it is going trick or treating. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays, I love all the psychotic Halloween decorations, scary movies and haunted houses. It also helps to have a brother born on Halloween, because we were always guaranteed a Halloween party. This year Lorelei and I had fun decorating the outside with lots of spider webs, lights, spiders and bats. We went to many Halloween parties, it was always fun to dress up, carve and decorate pumpkins, and of course trick or treating. Who doesn't love going house to house and asking for free candy? It's the only time of year it's acceptable! It doesn't get any better than that!!!

Pumpkin Carving Tradition

Here we are attempting pumpkin carving. Uncle Steve, Lorelei and I, working on our pumpkins. We made an Ariel and Cinderella pumpkin face this year. It was lots of fun and messy. Guess who did all the work? Who came up with this tradition anyway? Lorelei and Steve were wrestling, Chad was taking a nap and I was working hard on making sure I didn't cut my fingers off. Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween and Birthday Steve!

Happy 33rd Birthday Steve and Happy Halloween! For the past year I have had my older brother Steve living with us. He has been such a wonderful brother, friend, Uncle and fix it man around the house. Lorelei absolutely adores him and is always looking forward to when Steve will be getting home. She runs to him and gives him a huge hug. She has been so fortunate to have an extra male role model in her life. They have so much fun together. Steve has one of the kindest hearts ever. He would do anything for anyone and genuinely cares for others. He loves music and he has taken over my piano and fills the house with music again, I just never have the time to sit down anymore, but glad to hear that the piano is getting some exercise again. He has such a love for animals and adores his pet rabbit Harry, which we have adopted as our family pet too. He has such a wonderful personality and we have been blessed to have him in our home. He makes us all laugh! He is definitely one of my bestfriends! We love our Steve. We just now need to find him a cute girl to set him up with. So if you know anyone, he's single! Here's to the best brother and Uncle ever! Love him!

Mother Natures Pumpkin Patch!

We went to a pumpkin patch this week and we had so much fun. We went and picked out and decorated pumpkins, we did a corn maze and went on a hay ride. We went with our friends to explore the pumpkin fields. Good ole Halloween fun!

The REAL Snow White!

Here are some darling pictures of Lorelei in her Halloween costume. She wanted to be Snow White this year, which is interesting because she has never seen the movie "Snow White." I guess I still need to wait a couple more years until it comes out again. My scanner is broken, so I won't be able to show you the outcome of what we chose, but here she is, adorable as ever. So weird to see her in a black wig! Here are a couple pics before the photo shoot. Check out the website below to see more of her pictures.

Lorelei's First Day of School!

September 5, 2007

Lorelei on her first day at Preschool. She goes to Miss Christi's Preschool in Mesa. This is her second year and she loves it. Here she is before the big day. She knows her letters, numbers, how to write her name, and they are working on sounds now. Today at church, she read her first words(besides her name), MOM and DAD and I didn't help her at all. I love that she is learning so much and that she is like a little sponge ready to learn the next thing. In January, she will start Chinese preschool too.

I Heart Haunted Houses!

I finally got to go to a Haunted House with my friend Amy. I love haunted houses and the thrill of being scared. I love horror movies too. I maybe a little demented, but I still enjoy it. We went to a place called, "The Nest." Supposedly, it is one of the top 10 haunted houses in the nation. It is all based on a true events about an Arizona serial killer named Jacob Kell, who murdered 35 people in 1945, before he was found and killed. It was pretty psycho. I got a few pictures of us before we entered the haunted house. It was too dark, so here are just a few. Too bad I couldn't take the camera in. It was wicked cool. Two thumbs up for "The Nest!"

Speaking of Mexico!

Here are some pictures from our recent trip to Rocky Point, Mexico. We went in September with our friends Jeremy, Jolie and their daughter Taylor. Our hotel was right on the beach. We had so much fun going swimming in the ocean, building sandcastles, collecting shells (we even found a hermit crab with our shell collection when we got home), going horseback riding, and ATVing. It was so awesome and a much needed vacation for all of us.

Come listen to the Prophets voice!

As we were listening to conference this past weekend, we were so excited to know that Lorelei was also tuned in. When Gordon B. Hinkley was naming all the countries that the gospel has reached and finally got to the country Mexico, Lorelei says, "Hey, I was in Mexico." Just when you think they aren't listening, they put two and two together. We were so proud and especially because she really was "Listening to the Prophets voice."

Where does money come from?

So this week Lorelei has been turning on and turning off lights around the house. First she turns them all on and then a little while later goes and turns them all off. Finally last night, she starts flipping the switch in the family room. I said, "Lorelei, please stop switching the light on and off, you are wasting electricty and it costs a lot of money," (Like she really is going to understand the meaning of that.) Then she asks, "Mom, can I come with you." I say, "Where are we going?" She says "To the store to get some more money." We all had a good laugh about that one. Apparently, she thinks we get everything at the store.

ARIZONA IS STILL HOT!

Here it is the beginning of October and it is still hot outside. We are still in the mid-90s and that is SOOOO NICE compared to the crazy HOT summers here. How many of your kids can still run around in a bathing suit in October? So this is where I get to brag! While you are all stuck at home for the winter months I will be enjoying them, outside on a lawn chair, sipping lemonade and laying out in the sun. You can make fun of me all summer long, but this is my time to enjoy my ONE season. Here is Lorelei and her friend Allison playing in the spray park at the zoo. How would it be to be a kid again?

Mommy and Me Time!

This week I have decided to start a Mommy and me calendar. Each week we pick out a daily activity to do together. It gives Lorelei that one on one time with mommy. I guess, Leilei turning 4 years old has really hit me hard. I feel sad that I have missed out on so many opportunities to just sit down and play with her. Many of you know I have OCD, so I constantly have to be doing something. Most the time I neglect Lorelei while I try to get through my To-Do List for that day. So, now we have come up with a great solution to spend time together. Our list goes like this: Zoo, playdate, crafts, games, cooking, play-doh, swimming, park, walks, movies, fly kites, piano etc. So far this week, we have gone to the zoo, movies, games, crafts and here we are making cookies together. This week we will plan for some more fun.

Disney on Tour!

We skipped school on Wednesday to go to the Disney Playhouse on tour. We went with Tammy, Ashley and baby Victoria. Lorelei was so excited. We got to see Mickey and friends, Handy Manny, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger and Lorelei's favorite, Little Einsteins. Here we are before the show. I kept it a secret until the show started. Lorelei loves surprises, just like her mommy.

"I pledge a KA llegiance!"

While giving Lorelei a bath, I hear her reciting the pledge of allegiance. I was so proud of her. I had to record the experience. Her lispe is so cute. I can't believe how well she knows it. This is what she learns at Preschool. I love it!!!