In Honor of Twilight...

There are some real crazies out there, when it comes to Twilight... it's funny to see these married, mormon girls screaming and ranting for Edward... I admit he is appealing, but in my mind he looks and acts a bit like Mr. Wimmer (Trent that is).
Anyway, The song you hear as you scroll down is in honor of the movie I will be seeing very, very soon (though probably not at 2 a.m. I choose sleep over Edward).
Enjoy!

Halloween Night!

Haillie and Maddi are 'Posh Poddles'.
Taryn's first TRICK OR TREAT moment

We had a great Halloween this year and I want to remember it! The weather was perfect, so warm but with a few sprinkles. We had a trunk-r-treat at the church then scowered the neighborhood for signs of life (which there were none... I guess all the candy was eaten by then). Trent, Haillie, Taryn, me and Haillie's friend Maddi walked about 2 miles searching for lighted porches. When one was found Hai and Maddi would take off in a dead run with Taryn bouncing behind. I was so thankful for Hai saying 'thank you' to everyone that gave her candy - she was a good example to Taryn who only wanted suckers, so when someone gave her something other than that she would reach into her pumpkin, take out the offensive candy, put it on the ground and hold up her pumpkin again to them - so they could get it right and give her what she wanted. Taryn and Haililie were IN HEAVEN that night, and so was I just to be watching them.
The one thing I am so sad about - I didn't take a picture of Trent's costume - hillarious - he wore a wig and was 'Hair Club for Men'.

'Twas the Night Before Halloween...

And yes, we're just barely getting to our pumpkins. How does time move so fast? I swear it took an eternity for Halloween to come each year when I was a kid.
Pumpkin carving is always a blast, but this year was especially fun because we would get to see how Taryn responds to pumpkin guts. As Haillie got busy scraping and pulling in a very clean and organized way, Taryn picked up where she left off and quickly destroyed the kitchen and all of us, covering everything with pumpkin guts.
We found out a few things tonight:
Haillie is a MASTER carver, and Taryn loves to eat pumpkin guts -what doesn't she love to eat?


Here are our pumpkins all lit up for FRIGHT NIGHT and on our front porch. Dad's is on the top step, then mine, and last but not least is Haillie's.



HALLOWEEN MORNING:
Haillie got to dress up for school and have a parade in the morning, so we thought we'd all join in the fun. Taryn was a cow, I was a bunny, and Hai was a 'POSH POODLE'. They both looked darling, and it was worth all the work to make Haillie's costume - she looked sooooo cute! I couldn't get over it. I had one of those moments as Haillie walked by in the school parade, and I couldn't get over what a pretty girl she was... I just stared at her thinking, 'she's beautiful'.


Trent took this pic as Taryn was sitting on the coffe table Halloween morning. Can you believe she can get her legs to do that?

The Happiest Place on EARtH.. no, really, it is!!!

I Love Disneyland! Yeah, that's right, me! I think I get more excited than Haillie as we are walking in the gates. It's ridiculous how much fun it is to wear yourself TOTALLY out, then wake up the next day and do it all over again. I think the reason I love it more now than I did when I was little is being able to see 'the magic' through the eyes of my children. Haillie still gets starry-eyed when she sees a princess, and Taryn about flipped a lid when she saw Winnie the Pooh in real life. And it's not just me, Trent races through the streets of Disneyland, with Haillie flying behind, trying to be first in line at the Fantasyland Rides. It really is true that the most responsible adult walks through Cinderella's castle and comes out the other side a big kid. It is the one place where Haillie and I are on the same level... in awe that Arial is right there in front of us. And it always ends too soon! I could go back tomorrow and be just as excited and thrilled to do it all again! With that all being said, here's a little tour through our Disney photos...
Lexi and Haillie riding the Caterpillar through watermelon and candy corns... and you actually smell the scents as you pass through them... yum!
Haillie and Mary Poppins (yeah, she wasn't my favorite, kinda snotty, but then she is Brittish, so...)
Trent, Tar, and Hai getting ready to ride Soarin' Over California, Haillie's favorite ride at California Adventures. It's a yummy smelly ride too.
Trent and Taryn on there way to Huck's Island. We play hide and seek on this island that could last all day long!
Cruella DeVille was DARLING with Haillie! She noticed Hai had cat prints on her shirt and said, "Oh, do you love animals... hmmm, so do I, now GET IN THIS COAT"
I love this picture of Taryn, she was so happy (not that she isn't normally) but what a perfect moment to snap a shot!
Just waiting in line for Nemo's Underwater Adventure - a ride I wouldn't miss! LOVED it!
TEA CUPS... I always need a minute after this ride.
Dumbo is always a favorite. It was Taryn's first ride at Disneyland and Dumbo definitely started her off right, she loved it!

CUTEST NEPHEW!

Congratulations Julie and Broc (along with Quin, Jakey, and Travy)... I know it's been a long, heartbreaking road, but finally you have YOUR baby. We love you, Tyler!

Haillie's First Day!

Well, it's already time to head back (I am excited that it's just Haillie and NOT me also). It has been really fun having Haillie around this summer... she is a HUGE help with Taryn, and it's fun to see her playing and I've loved being able to chat with her any time during the day, but it sure is exciting to send her off... especially when she has a smile on her face and she is soooo excited to go! She gets to carpool with Madison (her best friend) everyday, they are in the same class, and they sit next to each other (we'll see how long that lasts - Trent gave them one hour) so I think her excitement doesn't come so much from SCHooL, as much as it comes from WHo is in that school with her. So without further delay... here is our DARLING 3rd grader, attending C.S. Lewis Academy...

Happy Birthday BABY!

It is with mixed emotions that I post this entry. I have LOVED more than words can say, watching my baby grow and have laughed and cried more than ever before in my life as I watch her eat her first bowl of rice cereal, make funny faces to get everyone to laugh, fall and get hurt, watch a nurse put an IV in her baby hand, cuddle up to her big sister, try to sit in Jesse's water bowl, climb over corrals meant to contain her, and SO ON AND SO ON. She is one of my greatest blessings and joys and has brought so much depth to our family. I feel like having Taryn has made me a better mother to Haillie (the kind of mother she has needed) in the way that I no longer approaching mothering from a teacher's perspective but from a MOTHER'S (not that I beat myself up for it, most of the time, because I did the best I knew how to do and that's all I can ask of myself). I constantly have a quote in my head that "I am going to clean house less, and play house more" now that I can see first- hand how fast these little ones grow and become NOT-SO LITTLE (Haillie especially good gosh)! It breaks my heart a little to have a one-year old, yet at the same time I am filled with gratitude for her and am so excited for all the joys I get to experience with her in years to come.



Our darling little TROLL!
Some of the on-lookers... Denise, Julie, Duane, Mom and Daddy (Trent).
Taryn's first birthday cake... not too elaborate considering the destruction that would soon come to it.

Quincy, Jakey, and Travy wishing Taryn happy birthday!
Sweet Sisters!


Here comes the mess...
Wait for it...
There it is!

We love you Taryn! You have brought an unmeasurable amount of joy to our lives. You are truly loved! Happy First Birthday my baby!