The tooth fairy visits our house

Autumn lost her first tooth Saturday, September 7th.  It has been really wiggly for a while, but she was terrified to pull it.  I tried a couple of times, and we had no success.  Finally, Dave held her on his lap and I tied a floss noose around it and yanked with all my might.  It came mostly out, but was holding on by a little bit.  So I just puled it the rest of the way with my fingers.  She was SOOO excited that it came out.  That night Autumn was visited by the tooth fairy.  She got 50 cents (the going rate for one tooth around here...) and looks like such a big girl.  Yay for Autumn!

I have the bestest husband ever!

For all of the girls' birthdays, I make them the cake of their choice.  Whatever they want on their cake, I do my best to draw and decorate.  Some years they want easy cakes, like flowers or pineapples or piggies.  Some years, it is a bit more difficult, like Ariel or Mushu or Cinderella...
Each year, I wait with baited breath to find out what I will be drawing on their cakes.  AND, each time, Dave tries to convince them to want something REALLY difficult for me to do (usually involving a unicorn pegasus somehow)... it is kind of a sport to him.  "Let's see how much work we can make Mom do for this cake..."

For my birthday this year (and every year), Dave and the girls make me a cake.  Nothing fancy, but always yummy!  We were discussing said cake last week, and the girls asked me what I wanted Dad to draw on it.  My answer was "A unicorn pegasus flying over a rainbow which is above a princess in a castle with a moat full of alligators next to a knight in shining armor."  And Ciera added, "with a man-eating piranha attacking the knight" (Nice.)  I didn't really expect him to do it, I was just doing to him what he does to me each birthday-cake-making-time.

This is what I got for my birthday today.  I have the bestest husband ever.

First day of School

Monday was our first day of school for the year.  (And Autumn's first day EVER!)  We had outfits picked out the night before, lunches made, backpacks filled... we were ready.  I was planning on waking my girls up at 6:30, since we have to be out the door at 7:15.  When do Mom's plans ever work?!?
Brooke and Autumn were up about 5:15.  They came into my room to wake me, and I told them to go back to bed for a little while.  Yeah, right.  They left, but didn't go back to sleep.  When my alarm woke me up at 5:50, I saw the light on, so I went to see what was going on.  Ciera was up now too, and the little girls were dressed.  They were ready for school at 6:00 and SO excited.  (Chloe was the only one that I had to wake up... I can always count on her to sleep in!)

Dave took time off and helped me get all the girls to their classrooms.  I only shed a couple of tears.  I am so proud of my girls and how well they have always done in school, and I am sure Autumn will be no exception!!  Here's to a wonderful year!

Summer 2012

This summer we were very busy.  It began with the 4th of July, and is just settling down (now that school is about to start  up again)!  For almost the entire month of July we were traveling.  First, we drove to California, where we spent time with The Tanner family and the Elvester family for a week.  We had a lot of fun!  The girls were in the pool almost every day.  One day we drove over to Monterey and went to the aquarium and the beach.  The girls had SO much fun!  After California, we drove with the Tanner family to Suzanna's house in Utah.  We spent the week there, and at the beginning of the week, the men built a deck onto the back of Suzanna's house which turned out really nice!  Later in the week, we were the only ones left with Zanny (all the California family had to get back).  We went hiking in the mountains one day and hiked Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City another day.It was great!  We have really missed hiking in the mountains!  The last week of our vacation we spent in Logan with the Hamblins.  We had so much fun and played lots of games.  We were there over the 24th of July (Pioneer Day) and got to celebrate by going to the Logan Parade and having fireworks!  We love spending time with the Hamblins!

Since we've been home it has been school shopping, swimming and playing with friends, and (me) trying to stay sane until school starts!  We have one more week before school starts (and Autumn starts Kindergarten!), so we are trying to get back into a normal schedule, but still have a fun last week of vacation!  It was a great summer!!

Dallas Temple Trip

Last week, on our Anniversary, there was a youth temple trip planned for our ward.  Ciera is now in Young Women's, and so she could go for the first time.  Since I am a Young Women's leader, I was going, and Dave was able to get off work early and meet us at the temple.  It was really nice to be there with Ciera, and to spend our Anniversary in the temple.

Fifteen years and still counting

Today, Dave and I have been married for 15 years.  I can hardly believe it!  These years have flown by... we have been through a lot to make it this far, and they have been the best 15 years of my life.  We have four beautiful girls, who add so much joy and love to our lives.  I can honestly say that I am the luckiest woman on the planet to be married to a man who loves and cares for me as Dave does.  He is my very best friend, and I am so glad we can be together forever.  Happy Anniversary, my love!

(This picture is from April 2007... It is quite dated, but I had to go through a ton of pictures to find any with Dave and I together... )

The Best Dads

I am lucky to have the three best dads in my life.  First, my dad... He is a super dad and grandpa and I love him dearly!  I am so glad I came into this world with him as my dad!  Second, my father-in-law... He is a great dad and grandpa too, and I am grateful to be a part of his family now!  Last, and best of all, my dear husband and father to my girls... I love Dave more than I can ever say.  I love having him in my life, and watching him be a dad.  He loves our girls more than imaginable and would give them anything.  He is such a good and loving provider and protector.  I LOVE him so much and I am grateful to have him as my husband.
Happy Father's Day to the wonderful men in my life!