Tuesday, April 10, 2012

2012, Welcome to our blog

Well, my last post was covering our Halloween festivities and how on-top of things I was. Hm...haven't done much blogging since then so I guess THAT didn't last!

Here's a little picture summary for those of you that check my blog a couple times a year-if there's any of you left out there! Love, Amy

Aaron and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary at the beautiful Disney Aulani Resort in Ko'Olina, Hawaii. We spoiled Izzy and let her come along too. I had two wonderful friends take Olivia and Chandler here at home so we could spend a week in paradise without one diaper!
It. was. amazing. If I'm lucky enough to ever make it back there...well I won't even go there because I doubt I'll ever make it back! Yay to our friends the Jones's in CA for making it happen!


Izzy became a great performer with her violin studio group, Madsonian Strings. They performed at the Festival of Trees, Heritage Park, and the J. S. Memorial Building during the holiday season. She was pro and Jolly Old St Nick, Away in a Manger (her fave), Jingle Bells and We wish you a merry Christmas.



Working backwards here....Izzy and Livi loved the leaves in November. We have the largest tree on our street right outside our front door. It dropped a good 30 black trash bags full of leaves. They made for great piles of leaves to jump in and out of...again...and...again!



Baby Chandler and Grandpa Jack in Parma, ID. We spent Thanksgiving visiting the Norton family in Idaho and had a great time, as always!


Last the best...this picture makes me cringe and laugh. Over Thanksgiving weekend in Idaho, we tried to get 4 girls to look AND smile at the camera. This was as good as it got-no one is crying! But we successfully managed to get a picture of Izzy flipping the bird to the camera-unknowingly of course. Katelin looks disspointed in Izzy's behavoir, lol. Silly cousins!

Friday, November 04, 2011

Happenin' Happy Halloween!

We had a super fun totally awesome Halloween. This year really was exceptional for us. In years past Halloween sometimes is a bit chaotic, but this year I felt like I was finally getting the hang of the chaos. Yay! And it didn't hurt that our kids were friggin' adorable!!! Love them! In case you missed the movie Tangled (for all you Mother of boys out there?), Izzy is Rapunzel, Chandler is a cuddly monkey, and Livi is a "pretty kitty." She couldn't quite get the hang of saying the "k" on kitty and replaced it with a "t." Gotta love kids!

Yeah I could pretty much eat him up. Best. Kid (er..monkey!). Ever.


She loved having whiskers drawn on her face. I think she thought I was making her even more "pretty" since I used my eye-liner makeup. Her eyes are getting so beautifully blue lately!


Izzy..er..Rapunzel waited patiently through the month to wear her special dress. She absolutely loved it!!! She survived with the wig on for most the day, but her head needed relief from the itchy-ness before trick/treating. She went out in full costume for 2 huge rounds of treat gathering. Dad said they were the last ones out (after 9pm on a school night-die hards!!!)


Chandler loved Halloween, just like Aaron!


Izzy really got into the pumpkin carving this year. Apparently Livi got into nose carving.


Izzy's 2nd annual Halloween Violin Group Lesson. She loved dressing up and playing "spooky" twinkle twinkle little star with all the other violin students and her teacher. She also got to play with the SAU Fiddle Fest at Wheeler Farm all dressed up as Rapunzel. She was glad she got to stand next to another girl her age playing the violin dressed up as Snow White! She is really making up for lost time without practicing in California for 4 months. She LOVES Group Lesson!


I scored with a priceless photo from her Dilworth Elementary School Halloween Parade. I almost missed her walk by, but thankfully she turned back with a happy wave and smile!


Izzy and Lizzy (don't you love the names? Her best friend-I feel sorry for her school teacher trying not to mix up those names!) after school on Halloween.


Stopping for a photo (Doesn't Livi look awesome??) with our good friend Lily at the Foothill Village Shopping Center's 12th annual Trick-or-Treat. The dentist office even had a spook alley for us to walk through and all the shops handed out treats. This was good practice for the late night ahead!

We are enjoying way too many kit-kats, Reese's and M&M's...Yum!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Changes in the air!

Izzy started Kindergarten in the mornings at Dilworth Elementary.

She is doing great and loving all the friends she's making.

I'm doing great having the time away from her-she's exhausting

but of course I love her, she's just got tons of energy!


Chandler-6 months old (almost 13 lbs..little guy!!!) BEFORE HAIR


AFTER HAIR, GOOD LOOKING EH? (Don't look too close I'm no pro!)




Birthday, Fun & Sun!

Livi turned 2 on September 18th. She loves having Izzy around to mimic and get into mischief with. She is a yogurt stabber, eat anything & everything (including non-food items), liquid soap dispenser, scribbler, talker, always bruised, jumper (NO fear-she kills the spiders in our house too), runner, snoarer, snuggler, cryer, typical 2 year old. Oh yes, and she pretty much skipped the size 2T, and is now wearing all of Izzy's 3T hand-me-downs and size 8 shoe. Her 2 year old Well-Child-Check documented she is 100% for average height of a 2 year old.

She's growing up fast!



Can you tell who was more excited about it being LIVI's Birthday??



We took a hike around Silver Lake for FHE in September to enjoy

the changing colors around us.






This is Izzy's 2nd time in the Primary Program. Her speaking part was "The scriptures are special and they are the word of God." She did a good job and tried her best at sitting quietly in front of everyone during the program. Her teachers were smart enough to sit her apart from the rest of her class.

We went to St. George for UEA Break. We hiked to the Emerald Pools in Zion National Park.

The kids did an ok job, minus the constant "Izzy, watch out for those people, Izzy stay on the path, Izzy slow down, Izzy speed up, etc" Can't you hear it? Luckily both Livi and Chandler were strapped in carriers. :)






Sand Hollow Reservoir, beautiful scenery!


Our sweet boy Chandler soaking up the sun!
















Saturday, July 02, 2011

Folsom Fast Forward

Here we are! And soon we go! We could have never predicted that our move to


California would be so short. We acknowledge Heavenly Father has a plan for our life, and we


must go forward with faith. But for now, enjoy this fast forward catch-up of


our lives so far in Folsom, CA.




Our 4/2 spacious one-level home. Thank you craigslist.com for letting me find you!


This orange tree is one of the five different varieties of fruits growing in our backyard.
And yes, the oranges make great orange juice!


We have visited the cute Folsom Zoo.

The lady at the pay desk made sure I knew

"we're more of a sanctuary than a zoo." Take note!


Folsom Lake is a great weekend activity. Above 5 minutes from our house.

Lots of water, sand and even life-guards to make you feel

like it's almost the ocean. Izzy enjoyed her mad life-jacket-assisted skills

swimming in the lake.


Livi preferred the sand, and actually didn't eat it!


Izzy and Livi have made lifelong friends with our cousins here!


Brotherly love. James, RN and Aaron, RN. Say Cheese!!


Iz & Logan, taking a break from slides, swings, and chasing butterflies at the park.


Aunt Lynette enjoying precious baby Chandler. And look, they even color coordinated!


Our A M A Z I N G neighbors (2 kids/parents missing from photo)

the Achee (Aah-SHAY) Fam.



Here's mama Achee with that precious baby again.


They have both been angels in my life!!



And Chandler is already being scoped out by Kami as a potential mate.


This girl can't get enough of Chandler. She's locked eyes on him every


week at church or any other time they are within ten feet of each other.


Can't blame her!


Iz with her ward park day buddies. A fun Folsom park with


a waterfall & stream to play in!



Liv and all the tweens in our ward that


loved chasing her around (making my job easier!)




----------------------------------------------




Six Flags-Discovery Kingdom with Lynette & kids


June 29, 2011 Photos


Lynette braved the kiddie-land with 5 kids under 7 so


Aaron and I could ride a coaster together.




We rode a big coaster and I realized I'm not 15 anymore. Ouch.



Just about to get on the mildest coaster Izzy was tall enough to ride.


Think Lagoon's Wild Mouse ride.


Ya...she got a little freaked to say the least!



Penguins & cousins, yay!



Family photo when we arrived. Notice we're all wearing jackets.


It was raining when we got there...talk about a downer!


But it ended up to be short-lived and it kept the temp very comfortable all day!










Gotta love a whale ride with Dad! The ride operator would


make obnoxious, yet hilarious whale sounds every


time she operated the ride. Think Dori on Finding Nemo.


A Shamu wanna-be, Shouka the Whale!



A beautiful day, all around. No one cried once, for real!


Livi had white knuckles keeping this large, refreshing,


overpriced drink from the rest of us.


Notice Chandler's glaring eye.



This photo was taken before that large, refreshing,


overpriced drink was revealed to Livi-who then had


to have it. (Notice the stroller facing the opposite direction)


This ride was thrilling, can't you tell?






Next Stop-Independence Day, Izzy's 5th Birthday on the 7th, the Thomas's/Nortons


come to visit, Chandler's blessing, pack up the house and another UHAUL back to Utah.


This is all before July 16th.




Wish us luck!