Happy Thanksgiving!

We had so much fun this Thanksgiving! Our city has had a 5K and 1 mile family fun run for the past 3 years on Thanksgiving morning. So this year we decided to go and do the 1 mile fun run. We walked most of the time but it was a great way to start the day!

It was a pretty chilly morning. Even Lauren & Brynlie got their own racing numbers.

Alyssa and Kohler waiting for the race to start.

Here we are. Kohler's missing from the photo, he's actually standing next to Alyssa (oops).

Here we come, crossing the finish line. We sprinted the last stretch. It was fun because everyone was cheering us on (even though we were almost last place)!

Kohler, coming across the finish line.

Hanna found an injured Monarch Butterfly and decided to bring it home to live in her fairy garden.

This year we had Thanskgiving with our good friends, The Becksteads and Tukes. It was so much fun. It was also really nice to split up the meal 3 ways. It didn't seem like such a chore.

Getting ready to eat, Kohler, Christian Beckstead, Bryson Tuke & Alyssa.

Trevor Beckstead & Lauren.

Jaden Tuke, Kamary, Ashley Tuke & Kevan Beckstead.


Brynlie's yummy Thanksgiving dinner!


Silly boys!


Everything tasted great!


We did a Thanksgiving craft for the kids.

After dinner we just hung out and talked. We went through all of the Black Friday ads--so fun.

Here are our hosts, Wade & Jen Beckstead! They are the best friends ever!

This Thanksgiving we had so much to be thankful for. We have been incredibly blessed. I love my family, my husband, my kids and my friends. I am so thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that has brought so much peace and joy into my life. I am very blessed indeed!

Happy Birthday Lauren!

This year Lauren turned 4 and had her very first birthday party. She was so excited about her birthday. Every time we went to the store she'd add things to her "birthday list". It was nice because all I had to say was "put it on your list" and then she'd put it back and we could keep walking. By the time it was her birthday, her list was miles long!

She was so excited to have a party and have her friends come to play. We had a princess party. We started by making crowns. Then we pulled out the balloons. It's amazing what entertainment a package of balloons can bring!

Playing with balloons.

Then we made candy necklaces and dressed up like princesses.

Here is everyone dressed up.

Of course princesses need to go to the ball! So we did a little dancing. We also tried to walk with a book balanced on our head. We had some pretty graceful princesses there.

Here's the princess cupcakes.

Yummy!

Opening presents! Lauren had a great time and now she has her own Barbies and Polly Pockets to play with (much to Kamary's relief).

The kids had the day off from school and so we went to the park for a picnic. Hanna is so funny. She has true Arizona blood and wears her coat everywhere.

We were having a great picnic and then the sprinklers turned on! We had to run for it!

Lauren playing at the playground. Then we went to the movie theater and watched Indespicable Me.

Here we are ready for the evening family party.

Blowing out the candles.

Grandma & Grandpa Smith gave Lauren this Strawberry Shortcake doll. Grandma & Grandpa Wheeler gave her a Littlest Pet Shop doll. She loved them both!

Opening presents.

It was two days full of celebration and fun! She was very happy and feels like such a big girl.

Here is our sweet 4 year old, Lauren!


Fun Facts

Favorite Color: Pink, Pink, Pink

Favorite TV Show: Dora the Explorer

Favorite Movie: My Little Pony

Favorite Food: Anything with noodles

Favorite Song: Anything High School Musical

Favorite Book: Pinkalicious

Favorite Primary Song: I Love to See the Temple

Favorite Scripture Story: Adam

Fun Activities: Lauren loves music. She'll sit in her bed and listen to my ipod for hours. In order to keep her buckled up in the car, I play her favorite songs. It means that we listen to a lot of Hannah Montana and High School Musical. She also loves to dress up, paint nails, play with Barbies, Polly Pockets and little figurines. She is an energetic child full of life and personality.

We love you, Lauren and are so happy you're in our family.

Veterans Day at the Zoo

For Veterans Day we decided to go to the Zoo-- us and everyone else in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area! It was very crowded and we had to park about a mile away but we still had a great time.

Brynlie & Kohler outside the new Koala exhibit. They were really cute, they looked like stuffed animals.

Looking at the Wallabies.

Climbing trees.

I love this picture!

Sweet Lauren.

Resting in the stroller.

The Zoo has a carousel and every time we go, the kids want to ride it. So this time I FINALLY let them.

Kohler

Brynlie. She wasn't sure about the ride. As soon as it started, she said, "Down."

Alyssa.

Lauren was so happy! She's so cute.

It was a tiring but fun day out with the kids.

Brynlie is 2!!

This month starts our crazy holiday season where we celebrate three birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years all within two months!

This past week was Brynlie's birthday! She's the baby of the family and I can't believe she's already 2! When she was born I thought, "When she's 2, Hanna will be 12, Kamary will be 10 and Alyssa will be getting ready to be baptized, Kohler will be in school and Lauren will be 4!" I couldn't imagine it...and now here we are. It's crazy how fast time flies and how quickly they grow up. We love Brynlie and enjoy her fun personality every day!

She finally has the present unwrapping thing down. She didn't need any help from siblings this year and she let them know it!

Grandma & Grandpa Wheeler gave her a stuffed monkey. She really loved it. She calls every mammal a monkey. She has started calling the dog "pooch-monkey". It's really cute.

Cuddling with the monkey.

Opening more presents.

Siblings kept trying to help and Brynlie told them "Mine," all day. I don't know where she learned it, I think it's an inherent two year old thing because she had never said it until her birthday.

Hanna worked really hard painting this picture for Brynlie. We're going to hang it on her wall.

Brynlie got a pull dog toy for her birthday. She really likes it.

Brynlie's favorite song is "Lollipop". Every time we're in the car she wants me to play it, so naturally, we made her a lollipop cake!

I think she approves.

Yummy cake.

She also got a baby stroller for her birthday. She's waiting for Dad to put it all together.

Here's our sweet Brynlie. Such a big girl. Of course, she wouldn't be two without throwing a tantrum and she rose to the task, several times, actually.

With the stroller done, she zoomed around the house.

Here she is with her stroller, bear and new birthday princess jammies.

She got this bear from Grandma & Grandpa Smith. She loved it!

Mommy in training.

Against my better judgement, she also got bubbles for her birthday.

Here is a cute video of Brynlie blowing out the candles!

Spotlight

Favorite Song: Lollipop

Favorite Movie: Baby Einstein (especially the animal ones)

Favorite Story: Little Lamb

Favorite Food: Bananas (if I let her, she'd eat them all day)

Favorite Activity: She loves to sing and dance. She loves listening to music, playing with her big sisters and she loves to get "pretty"--painting nails and dressing up.

Favorite Color: Pink

Funny Sayings: She's talking so much now. She says no, which means yes. Says Mom for both Mom & Dad, calls every mammal a monkey, she can sing Hannah Montana, High School Musical and more. When we're in the car and listening to music she says, "Turn it up."

Nicknames: Binnie, Brynners, B

Other fun things: She loves to go out. She'll get her shoes on and wants to "go". She loves going to the store and being outside. She loves to say her prayers, playing with Dad, and she loves to jump, jump, jump. She is such a fun little girl and we all love her to pieces. We're so glad she's part of our family.