Haul Out the Holly!

The kids had a great time decorating for Christmas. Yes, Ron was out on the roof trying not to fall off the ladder while putting up our Christmas lights. He had a few close calls and unfortunately I missed those "kodak moments" so I can't post them. I'm sure you can picture the images in your mind and giggle a little like I did when he was explaining his near death experiences to me. Hahaha - we appreciated his sacrifices though cuz the house looked great all lit up. :)

Thanksgiving @ Niederhauser's

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Thanksgiving @ Omi's

OK, so I'm a dork...I love to bake! This is my favorite thing to make for Thanksgiving. I think I've made it every year for the past 8 years for both sides of the fam. I can never make just one pie though - that's too boring. I usually pair this with Ron's favorite Black Bottom Banana Cream and a great Chocolate Raspberry Cream. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving with out LOTS of pies.

My kids' favorite food is ham. Mom always has the best spiral honey baked ham. I swear they eat it like candy. They had lots of fun playing with their cousins and Omi's cute dog Boots.

Ron and I have lots to be thankful for this season. We really were SO blessed in everything that went along with our move: our home sold quickly last spring to a darling couple that all our old neighbors really like, our new ward and neighborhood feels like "home" already, I got back into teaching at a great time and at a great school, and our kids are adjusting well. Happy Thanksgiving.

A Glimpse of Lauren

OK, how cute are they?! This is my darling niece and her boyfriend. She just sent me these pics. They have a friend who is a photographer and wanted to get a little practice so Lauren and Adam were his guinea pigs...are they darling! I just had to share.

Cub Scout Space Derby

This was the first time we've participated in a Space Derby. Cole did almost all of the work and was very proud of his accomplishment. His Spaceship didn't exactly speed down the line, but it was a fun experience and great bonding time for him and Ron.
His spaceship is the one on the right.

What a cute kid! I'm the luckiest mom to have such a great son. Bud...I love you!

Veteran's Day Assembly

Cole's 3rd grade classes sang a beautiful song for Mtn. Green Elementary's Veteran's Day Assembly. He really did a good job...right there on the front row where Ron always remembers being. (hahaha) My class sang Proud to Be American and then the whole school sang Armed Forces Medley. It was a great assembly. I'll see if I can get the video of my class singing - they're so cute! I'm a little partial though. (FYI...that's not Cole's teacher in the photo.)

Fall Soccer

Cole has played soccer since he was 4 and just loves it. These photos were taken by Jacob's mom. This was their last Fall game and they are a great team. Cole usually plays on the left side as a forward because he's got such a great left kick and is quick. He's now playing indoor soccer and also futsol. I'll get some photos of both games and post them...they're fast moving and WAY fun. I like the games a lot better because we don't have to worry about the weather! :)

All six of these boys grew up together in the same neighborhood, same ward, same school and same soccer team. How fortunate Cole is to have such good friends that all know how to have a great time and be good examples to one another!

A Glimpse of Halloween

What a fabulous Halloween. Cole and I didn't have school so I got to take Cayli to school and help with her classroom party...how fun! Cole hung out with Ron most of the day. Boy, it couldn't turn dark fast enough for Cayli! She was getting a little irritated with the sun that it wouldn't speed up the process. :) She had been in her costume all day and couldn't wait any longer to go trick-or-treating. As I type this the kids are out with Ron and I am home handing out the candy. I have had some visits from some of my school kids and my neighbors, but other than that it's been a bit quiet. The space between all the homes up here is a little more than I think most trick-or-treaters like. Like my kids...I think they'll all end up down in Phase I where there's more homes that are closer together. There's something about efficiency in candy gathering that entices them all. hahaha HAPPY HAUNTING

Cayli's Birthday Slideshow

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Cayli is 5!

Cayli's birthday was a VERY busy day. We all had work and school AND a Halloween carnival that the Young Women were in charge. I felt bad that we were so busy so after we cleaned up the carnival we headed down the canyon to get her some ICE CREAM (costumes and all)!

These notes from Ron are just priceless! He had to leave out of town the day before her birthday and was just feeling horrible that he wasn't going to be here. He placed these notes all over in her closet so she would see them on her birthday. (She had spent the night at her Omi's so his timing was perfect!) You can tell by these cute sayings how much they tease each other. Cayli loves that she is growing up and getting bigger and she also knows how much Ron doesn't want her to grow up. She teases him all the time about it. He's the BEST father...I just love him!
Finally! The Saturday after Cayli's Birthday she had a costume-birthday party and had lots of fun with her friends. We made bracelets, played pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern, walked to the park and played, and then let the girls loose with a baseball bat and a pinata. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Princess...we love you!

A Glimpse of October

Every year we visit Black Island Farms before Halloween...the kids LOVE it. We had fun watching them explore all the great slides, mazes, farm animals, games and having a good time with each other. Cole navigated us through the 3 corn mazes and actually did a great job! He had a great sense of direction. Our favorite part was taking the tractor ride to pick out our pumpkins. I think the pumpkins we chose this year weigh more than all four of us combined. I don't look forward to making jack-o-lanterns! :)

A Glimpse of Black Island Farms

A Glimpse of Ballet

Cayli is back in dance...HOORAY! After taking a year hiatus from the dance world, we enrolled Cayli in the Imagine Ballet Theatre located at the Egyptian Theater. She is really having a good time and may even be placed in their Nutcracker performance this holiday season. She's in a Pre-Ballet class and normally they don't put this group in the production, but are contemplating it for this year. We've decided to stick with ballet and fore go the competition scene for the time. She enjoys leaping, stretching and getting all dressed up for class. They have to wear a high bun, black leo and pink tights..."just like the real ballerina's" she says. :)

Glimpse of True Beauty

From sunrise, to sunset...this place is divinely BEAUTIFUL! Simply breathtaking.

Glimpse of Camping

We were able to do a quick overnight camping trip last weekend with Tyler and his girls and Dad. (Mom, Cheryl and Heidi came up Saturday morning and enjoyed breakfast and the lake with us.) We went to Payson Lake and had a GREAT time! It was definately a place that I want to visit again. Cole had fun whittling on a walking stick he found and Cayli loved the canoe ride.

Glimpse of School

Cayli loves art in school. Recently they've been studying DaVinci and Picasso. Her favorite art project was the top photo. They taped paper under their desks and painted while they were laying on the floor...similar to painting on the ceiling. :) Great work Cayli!

Congratulations Cole...we are SO proud of your recognition. You're a great kid!

Cole got to enjoy a special visit from his principal and also a Root Beer Float with him at recess - how cool is that?!

Wow! Cole is in 3rd grade now...I can't believe it. I think he has a bit of his dad in him because last night he couldn't sleep and his tummy hurt! Other than that, he was very excited to walk to school this morning with Cayli and I. His teacher is Mrs. Waller - she seems like she's going to be great for Cole. This is a brand new school and only has about 400 students.

Cayli also started school. She was just going to do Preschool and Daycare and then the school mentioned that they had room in their all day Kindergarten for her and they thought she would do well since she's almost 5! She really works hard and is a great helper in her class.

More Glimpses of Home

A Glimpse of Home

We've spent the last 3 years preparing for our new home and NOW we're actually here. The views are beautiful, neighbors are great and we're all adjusting well. Eventhough we dearly miss all our friends and neighbors in our previous neighborhood, we still have ties to them and know we will see most of them often.

The whole process of building our home was really quite fun. I definately would do it again. (Ron has other thoughts on that, haha.)