This, That, and Everything in Between

Random happenings to catch you up on.

Grandparents Day with Grace

Greatest and Big Papa

Grace was chosen as an outstanding student! She is lovin' Second Grade!

This really happened.

I went outside to take the trash out with nice clean jeans. This is what my jeans looked like after I came in from taking the trash out. It's like I got into a wrestling match with the trash can. Who does this? To this day, I'm still confused as to how this really happened. I think it was a combination of days and days of Texas rain and flip flops that did a whole lot of flippin' !!

For the rest of the day, I glared at this green can like it had hurt my feelings!

Amelia and Ella, celebrating Halloween at the Cudd's Ranch. It's a fun tradition every year!

Trunk or Treat

Ella would not smile. Not even once. She actually ended up getting the most candy!This is Grayson. I love him. His costume was one of my favorites

This was my other favorite costume.
Brian as Nepolean Dynamite
He even had a thing of chapstick in his pocket

The mommies!!!

Daniel and Grace

These two are inseperable.

This takes TRUNK or TREAT to a whole new level. I even saw a few grown ups going down the slide.

This was Matt's Prize Winning Pumpkin.

We referred to him as:
"Ghetto Fabulous"

We have been doing a whole lot of this!!!!
Grace loves it! Go Clippers!

Alivia loved her first season of soccer! She scored her first goal on the last game of the season! Go Spice Girls!

Thanksgiving Feast at Alivia's preschool.

She was more than thrilled when Grammy accepted the invitation to come!

We love our friends

Ella came just for the cupcakes!

My latest creations!

Mr. Personality

Strawberry Shortcake

Floppy Top

My new favs!

Toni and Holly, you made all of these even more pretty! Love you both!

Wrapped in Ruffle

I love doubling these up! You can never have enough ruffles!

On Top in Grays

Rose
Lovely Cream
Cilantro and Lemon Grass

Mini Ruffle

This one claims to be the creator of all these beauties!

She always has something to say.

Creating is important even when you are 2. Most the creating this one does is in the form of a huge mess.

I Love you my little shadow!

Cuteness

Every time I look at this photo it makes me smile.. or... want to fall asleep. This baby is delicious!

Thanks for the pic Summer Lyn Photography!

Happy Monday

Dear Friend

It's been 12 years since I spent time abroad with these beautiful people! We walked the streets of London, traveled the English countryside, visited Versailles and the Louvre, and made even more memories in Ireland and Scotland. We learned about history, the arts, and ourselves. It was one of the most amazing times in my life!

I walked into my new home on 27 Palace Court to find this Dear Friend. She was the first person I met. It seemed as if I had known her forever- kindred spirits. We were inseparable for 4 months. We have treasured memories of our time abroad.

(Then)

Life has taken us to different places experiencing different things, but we reconnect for an afternoon to find that some things never change.
Thanks for an afternoon of remembering and laughing and catching up!

(Now)

I love you Dear Holly!

First Day

First Day of School started with the smell of Homemade Cinnamon Rolls. I know... I don't know what got into me. It was a hit. I think it will be a new tradition.

Mrs. Yanel and Aliva

Happy First Day of School Cute Girls!!!!

As for this one...

She will be going to potty trainig school! I think she was trying to tell me something by putting not just 1 but 10 pairs of her big sisters undies on. I took 10 pairs of panies off this little bottom!

Wish me luck!

Eleven Years Strong!

Young Love

Eleven years later...

Wishing we could take a little swig out of the fountain of youth! Matt is getting used to the many gray hairs that have started showing their bad selves on my head. It's a good thing his favorite color is gray!?

SOOO Glad It's You I Get To Grow Old With.

Happy Anniversary Matt! I love you!

Road to Reunion and then some!!!

***Road to Reunion***

This was the mother of all road trips!!! Many hours, or should I say days, in the car led to many hours of fun with the people we love the most!

A whole lot of ELMERS!!! Eighty-Nine to be exact. We were only missing 6 family members who were never far from our thoughts. We missed you Mom, Dad, Annie, Amanda, Emily, and Carl!



Every T-shirt was numbered according to when each person came into the fam. Every number counts!

I love this picture of Amy!

Elmer Reunion = Games, Games and more Games

Day Games
And of course the Money Dig
Little Ella kept giving every coin she found to the diggers around her. She didn't pick up on that whole "Finders Keepers" thing. We will have to train her for next time.Then, there are the Night Games. Every night at the same place, the same time, you'd hear a whole lot of laughing mixed in with a whole lot of trash talkin'. There was usually 4-5 different games going on at the same time.


It can get pretty serious.It's always fun!!!And there is a whole lot of this... See you gamers at the next reunion Thanks for the Memories! It was an unforgettable "Road to Reunion" - Love you all!!!!


Next, we squeezed in a trip to the new OquirrhTemple! We made it through without Ella showing off her lungs! I laughed at this pic because it's more parking lot than temple. The kids were ready to go, but I had to stop to document that we did it! Love this temple!

Just keepin' the tradition alive at Strawberry Reservoir. Dad and Mom these are for you.

Uncle Rob as The driver, The pole fixer, and The line untangler.
Who said princesses don't fish. She even had her sparkle shoes on in the boat.


Ella and Me.

There is always one who falls asleep.

***Next destination: Pasco, Washington***

Things I remember about this week:

Suz tackling a crazy canyon

Dutch Oven Cooking

Dental work and more dental work. We love you Dr. Rob

Boating with the Andelin's

Cinnamon Rolls

Swimming on a very cold day

So You Think You Can Dance

Creating Frames of our Family Roots

Hot and Cold Money Game with Suz and Kendall

Oh, and most of all...

Cousins laughing and playing and playing and laughing.

That's what it's all about!!!

Next, ***Sick Road back to UTAH***

Suz, thanks for taking care of a very sick me on the way back.

I couldn't stay sick for long. There was more fun to be had with more of our favorite people!

The Christensen's!!!

Pony Rides at Thanksgiving Point.
Every kid needs a big brother like Coy.

Ice Cream with Jake and Zack


We love our night with Grandma and Grandpa Walker. It's always one of our favorite things to do in Utah. It's precious time! We sit outside and laugh and talk, pick garden vegetables, ride the horse swings, play in the sprinklers, and eat ice cream. It doesn't get any better than that. Plus the view is remarkable!

A favorite feature at Grandma Anna's and Papa Roger's house is the Trampoline. Matt can still do his back flip at the ripe old age 33. Love ya Matty!

Two silly girls having the time of their lives!

Then there is this one who would rather be drinking out of the fountain than jumping on the tramp.

They say that "All good things must come to an end"!

We love you Christensen Family!!!

and

in the words of Ella, "We'll be right back!"

***Road back to Texas***

Leaving our mark at the Hole In The Rock!

THE END!