Going to see the lights...

While we were visiting family up north, one of our stops was at my cousin Jamie's. We went to see the Lights in Spanish Fork. Every year the Spanish Oaks park has a drive through light display. The kids loved it so much we went around the park three times.

Jamie and Addison

Cheeeeeese!

Goofy Faces!!

Thanksgiving... Take Two

My dad's family were nice enough to put us up at "Hotel Mooney" for the week. It was so fun to see everyone. My sister Holly recently moved back to Utah from Washington so we got to see her and her two kids a lot. Garrison was kind of jealous that he wasn't the baby anymore! Grace and Dodge were nearly inseperable. They played so well together. Dodge tells me almost everyday that he misses his cousin Grace.

We got to do a lot of fun things while we were up there. We went to the Body Worlds exhibit that was in Salt Lake. I would have taken pictures if they would have let us. It was amazing. Dodge was so good the whole two hours it took us to walk through the exhibit. He thought it was pretty cool. We also went to A Christmas Carol at Hale Center Theater. Dodge loved the play. He even caught some of the chocolate coins that Scrooge threw into the audience at the end of the play.

Here are a few of the pictures I took. I didn't get as many as I would have liked but for the most part I was caught up with visiting with all the family I haven't seen in a while and forgot about the camera.

Grama Ruth with Garrison and Addison

I actually got a picture of Garrison smiling!!

This has to be the most precious picture I have ever seen!!

Addison and her daddy. They both have the same eyes.

Grama Ruth and Addison




While we were all there for Thanksgiving, we decided to get some family pictures. All that was missing was my oldest sister Brook and her family that live back east.

The Grandkids: Grace, Addison, Garrison, and Dodge

The Kids: Me, Holly, Josh, Kurt, and Katie

The Family

Thanksgiving Take One... November 26th 2008

We went "up north" this year for Thanksgiving to see some of my family. We got together the night before Thanksgiving with my mom's family. It is the first time all the kids have been together in years. It was fun to see all the grandkids together.

Grama Denise and Addison

Grama, Kayden, Ivey, Addison, and Dodge

My mom and her brood

The fam

Dodge and his aunts

Dodge's Thanksgiving Program November 25th 2008

Dodge's Preschool had a Thanksgiving Feast. After the feast the kids sang some Thanksgiving songs and recited some poems they learned. It was so cute to see them all in their pilgrim hats.

Dodge was more than happy to get up in front of everyone and perform.

Dodge enjoying a pumpkin pie tart after the program.

Dodge and Grama (who was nice enough to volunteer to help with the feast.)

Here is one of the Thanksgiving poems they learned. I picked this video because I thought it was hilarious that Dodge was picking his nose through most of it. Kids are so funny :)

Bad blogger betty...

I know I haven't posted in over a month, we have been busy. I promise.. new posts are on the way. I will get all our Thanksgiving pics up this week!!

-Michelle

Price Reduced...

Yep, we are still trying to sell our house! We have reduced the price from $239,000 to $219,000. So if you know anyone looking for a home, send them our way!!

Dodge's Halloween Party...

October 30th, 2008

Dodge's Preschool Halloween Party

Every year, Dodge's preschool has a great Halloween party and trunk-or-treat. This year I got to help with the party. Dodge was so cute as 'Captain Jack Sparrow'. There are so many cute kids in his class too. Addison was dressed as a pea pod. A few of the kids thought she was something else though. One thought she was a dinosoar (pea-o-saurus rex), and one though she was a tadpole. Kids are so stinkin cute!! We had a pumpkin toss, bowling, a trick-or-treat game, some crafts, and some great snacks. I have been really impressed with his preschool. They have the best teachers and Dodge really enjoys it. I can't believe he is going to be in kindergarten next year!

Dodge and Logan trunk-or-treating

Dodge helping Grama Mindy cut up some apples for the snack table



Captain Jack Sparrow (Dodge), The Doctor (me), and the pea pod (Addison)

Dodge checking out the pumpkins

Rice Cereal

October 29th, 2008

Rice Cereal

Addison is such a little porker! She eats so well, I though I would try out some rice cereal. She is still pretty young so I though she would just push it out of her mouth with her tongue but she actually did really well with it. I forgot how messy it is to feed a baby.

happy as a clam with rice ceral on the face and in the belly!

Snow at Pine Valley...

October 11th, 2008

Pine Valley, UT

I absolutely love Pine Valley, especially in the fall. We decided to take the kids and go to the reservoir to get out of the house and hike around. We didn't check the weather but we knew it would be cold so we bundled up and headed out. It was such a beautiful day and all the leaves were starting to change. When we were hiking around, a storm literally floated in on us and the snow began to fall. It was fun to get out and see the snow. Dodge liked it until his fingers got too cold. Addison slept through the whole thing in the baby sling.

Dodge
Ryan and Dodge at the reservoir

Whoa! Super close up self portrait of Ryan and I

Addison all bundled up and sleeping in her baby sling


Dodge(doing his best Captain Morgan pose) and Ryan

Dodge and his freezing hands

Blessing Day...

October 18th, 2008

Blessing Day

We gave Dodge and Addison a name and a blessing at our home with our families. Dodge looked mighty dapper and Addison was a doll in her blessing dress. It was nice to have everyone together. We are so blessed to have such support from our families. I still don't know how I got so lucky to have such a great husband and two great kids.

f Addison sure had a lot to say to Papa Mooney after he blessed her. It was the cutest thing. (Not quite sure what Ryan was doing with his face in this pic... guess he thought he was out of the frame!)

Aunt Megan stopped by on her break from work



Grama Ruth and Addison

Aunt Niecia

Dodge and his Aunt Kaitlynn

I don't know how, but all the pictures we have of Craig look like this one!

Papa Mooney and Uncle Kurt scarfing down the goods!

Addison and her uncle Craig

Dodge and Grama Mindy (these two are pretty much inseparable)

Addison looking beatiful (bib to keep the dress clean of course!)

Dodge was such a good sport to dress up even though he was sick and would have preferred sleepers and his bed.

Dodge's Belt Graduation...

October 24th, 2008: Dodge's Belt Graduation

Yellow Belt

Eating at Ruby Tuesday's before the graduation (he was a little excited!)

He got marina sauce all over his white belt at dinner so he was a marina belt before he got his yellow belt at the graduation!

This is his 'fighting stance'


Grappling is one of Dodge's favorite things to do. He won his this match!

Dodge with Mr. Reis

Dodge with Mr. Bell

Dodge's recipe for mud...

Dodge told me he wants to be a farmer (among many other things). He said he was going to have pigs and he would make mud for his pigs. He asked me if I knew how to make mud. I thought I did, apparently I was wrong. Here is his version of how to make proper mud for pigs:

"you see mom, you have to take some dirt, then you have to let it rain on it, then you add milk to it, mix it up with a big big shovel, and then add some oil too, then you stomp on it. Then you have mud and the pigs can roll around in it."

I just love our little conversations, I always learn so much.

Just a funny story...

I decided I need to share some funny stories about Dodge. So here is one of my favorites:

When he was three and started using the potty like a big boy, he was at Grandma Johnson's house one day using the toilet. While he was doing his business, the lid fell down and smacked him right on his "wiener" (as Dodge calls it). He came out crying and said to grandma: "Grama, grama, my wiener hurts. Kiss it better Grama!", she then replied (while trying to control her laughter), "Dodge, we don't kiss those parts better."

I found this hilarious!! I know his future prom date will enjoy it too!

Funny questions...

Dodge always has some great questions for me. As a mom, I sometimes find myself searching for the right way to explain complicated things to a four-year-old.

Recently, Dodge asked me why I have two moms. I tried to explain and I guess I didn't do a good enough job. He simply disagreed with me and said, "mom, you have two moms because I wanted three grandmas."

Addison gets her ears pierced...

We recently went to the fantastic mall here in St. George (yes, that was sarcastic), and Addison got her ears pierced. It didn't take very long and she handled it better than I imagined. She didn't cry that long and seemed to have forgotten all about it ten minutes later. I just figured getting your ears pierced is gonna hurt no matter how old you are, at least she is young enough she won't remember it. I think the part she hated the most was having me hold her head. Our good friend Tiffanee went with and got pictures since Ryan refused to take part in the torture. Her ears have already healed up well and they look absolutely adorable.

All done!

p.s. Her adorable outfit was from her aunt Mandy. It is one of my favorites on her.