Happy Halloween!

An angel, a witch, a monkey and a skeleton pirate! We've had a super fun halloween this year! We went to trunk or treat last night and the kids also wore their costumes to school. I can't wait til the candy is gone because I'm a total sucker for those mini candy bars.

Two Birthday Boys!

Brayden turned 8 years old in September. He's now in 2nd grade and is a great student. He still loves playing with legos and also loves reading books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants and Big Nate. Of course, video and computer games are a huge love of his as well. He's currently breathing down my neck, waiting for his turn on the computer.

Bridger turned 2 in October! He's such a big boy but he's still our baby through and through. The whole family has so much fun playing with him and watching him grow. He's in the copycat stage so we really have to watch what we say when he's around. He is truly such a joy to our family! I love that Ella and Brayden get to enjoy him as much as Ben and I do.

A Spectacular View

Every time we have company in town we always make a trip to the Grand Canyon. It's only an hour away from our house and it's a fun way to spend the day. This trip was pretty wild. I wasn't sure if all the kids would make it back out of the Grand Canyon alive. 5 year olds and younger don't seem to understand the dangers involved with extreme heights. My wild nephews were running around playing push and shove with each other right near the rim of the canyon. Through a lot of tears from old and young alike, we all made it back to the car safely. Don't you love when you have to yell at your kids, "smile and act like you're having fun! This is for the scrapbook! Have FUN!" Well, I guess they're interpretation of fun doesn't always match ours.

Brayden's Baptism

We felt so loved on Brayden's baptism day. So many of our family were able to come out for his special day. It was a little crowded at times, but mostly the house was filled with kids and all the noises they bring with them. When we asked Brayden how he felt, he responded, "wet and warm." Brayden is such a bright and kind child. He is an absolute delight and I love everything about him!

It's a Sad Sad Blog!

Just in case anyone is checking, the reason why I never update my blog is because it's such a sad site to see. I've really tried to make it cute, but every time I add something to the blog it seems to make it worse. So I threw my hands up in the air and walked away from it. Today at church, we were counseled to use media to spread the gospel through our own experiences. So here we go again. I will update as much as I can and someday I hope to turn my sad blog into a happy one that everyone enjoys visiting!

Christmastime!

My wonderful parents came to visit us in early December. We went to see the lights at Los Abrigados in Sedona. It was a nice cold walk but a lot of fun.
Such a cute bundled up baby!
I love the scarves with a cactus in the background. It really does get chilly in northern arizona!
My pretty little snow princess. She likes to spend 10 minutes getting bundled up to play in the snow for five minutes and then come inside asking for hot cocoa. Repeatedly throughout the day. We've already had 3 snow days this year with cancelled school.
A little picture of Christmas in our home. I'm not huge on decorating because we're still renters and all decorations need to be up high and unbreakable. So for now, we decorate with stockings, a tree and a wreath.

Thanksgiving in Oregon

My in-laws have a loft where all the kids like to play. This beautiful yellow ladder is the only way up to the loft so Bridger was trying to make his way up there. Maybe next year.
All these wild turkeys (about 30) and deer were roaming the Stark's yard on Thanksgiving morning. We were about to put one on the dinner table but Dad insisted they were his pets not his dinner. Pretty brave poultry if you ask me.
Everyone jumped at the chance for a family walk. It was a great day and a nice time to get out of the cramped house.
"yeah, baby!" is Christer's signature saying. He has been struggling with cancer for quite some time and his body is starting to lose the battle. All his kids made an effort to come together this Thanksgiving to be with him. Luckily, he's still holding on and wanting to get out of the hospital and back home to continue living. We love you, Christer!

Family Photo Shoot

Ben and I have been married eleven years now. We have lived in 11 different homes in 4 different states, completed 12 years of college, have 3 great kids, have 1 dog who now lives with grandma, have a lot of debt and still have a lot of fun being together!
Bridger's puppy, "baby jose" was in a lot our photos because Bridger's nap was interrupted for our photo shoot. He is a big part of our family, especially at bedtime.


Ben and I are always smiling it the family shots, but the kids never are. Why is it so hard to get them all to smile at the same time? We promised ice cream and the dollar store!
I love this picture of Bridger because it shows his red hair, blue eyes, button nose and adorable personality!
Ella was being difficult today because she wanted all the pictures to be about her! We had to promise to let her be in her own pictures in her choice of pose in order to get her to cooperate for the family photos. I'm sure this is a sign of times to come. She also wears snow boots year round!
Brayden is growing up into such a handsome young guy. He is so kind and sweet and sensitive. Today, he decided to bring 2 of his brand new lego guys to our photo shoot. Of course, they were lost in the leaf-covered mountainside within the first 20 minutes. He was pretty upset that we wouldn't spend the whole day trying to find them.