Finally a new post!

So I feel a little overwhelmed with the amount of blogging I haven't done. I'm sure most people feel that way around Christmas. It has made me not even want to attempt writing anything. Well here goes nothing!!

We spent almost a month in WA for the holidays. It was so fun to be back "home" with everyone. We had a great time eating, staying up late, playing games, playing in the snow, eating again, and just hanging out! Does anyone else feel like they gained ten pounds? Anyway we had a great time and thank you mom and dad for always making it so wonderful to be back home and for putting up with us for so long! Also congratulations to both my younger brothers who are getting married. Matt and Debbie will be getting married on Valentines day and Marc proposed to Amy at Christmas and they are planning a July wedding. They both picked great girls and we are excited for the addition to our family.

The Nutcracker

Jossalyn was able to perform in the Nutcracker again this year. She had a lot of fun participating. She did a great job and really looks forward to doing it again next year.
Jossalyn the Angel


Jossalyn and her good friend Taylor


Jossalyn, Aubrey, and Taylor. (Jossi can't wait to be a clown!)


The girls came to watch Jossi perform!


Maddy and Jossi


Will and Rylee-the poor younger siblings that get taken along to all the rehearsals! Rylee couldn't figure out why she couldn't be in the Nutcracker!

At the park

We spent a couple hours at the park today. It was such a beautiful day here. The girls had so much fun. Reagan and Jossi had a great time rollerblading and Rylee rode her bike.


I love the colors of the trees right now! So gorgeous!!

Isn't it crazy we are still in short sleeve shirts!! So much fun!

What we've been up to lately

Wow it seems like time is flying by. I wish it would slow down from time to time. We have had a pretty busy month and I'm not even sure what we have been doing. I'll see if I can sum it up.
Jossi ended her soccer season and had a blast. She was truly dissaponted that soccer was over. I was getting a little nervous that she wouldn't like sports and I would be sitting at a lot of ballet recitals! Which would be fine, but I'm glad she's keeping an open mind.

Jossi's class took a field trip to some farm and I went along with them. It was fun to see how she acts at school. She had a great time and even got to milk a cow.

Jossi before school one day. She is quite picky about what she wears, but even more picky about her hair. Can I just tell you it drives me crazy!!! I do the hair, shouldn't I get to pick?! She also asked me last night what those bangs are called that I have and McKenna has. I said "swoopy bangs?" She said "yeah! Can I have some of those?" Seriously?! She's six! I told her to forget it! Maybe when she's old enough to fix them herself.

Rylee for the most part just gets taken along for the ride. We did make it out to Six Flags one day, which is one of her most favorite places.

She also play a lot with her cousin McCall. They have a lot of fun together!

Rylee is also so ready for Christmas. She cannot wait to go to Washington! One morning I went to pull her out of bed to take Jossi to school and she started crying and said, "mom I thought we were in Washington at Grandma's house." She had been dreaming about Gma's and was very dissapointed when she realized it wasn't real. Poor girl! I think this will be one of the longest stretches of time that we've been away. I guess that's what happens when you get tied down with school.
Reagan and I are both also very excited for the holidays. Reagan is probably more excited for the break from school. Between that and work, he is a very busy guy! Anyway, I guess that is a little of what we've been up to. I just hope we can stop and enjoy this time of year as it gets so busy. It truly is the best time of the year! (I also don't mind that here in Texas we still have days in the 70's:)

The Halloween that seemed like it would never end!!

We had a very fun Halloween this year. It was a very busy week with the ward Halloween party, an adult Halloween party, (which was fabulous by the way! Thanks Hopkins!) Jossi's harvest festival at school/favorite storybook character day, (don't you love how they add that on Halloween day so the kids can dress up! Very clever!) playgroup potluck and trick-or-treating at the park, and finally the night of halloween, pizza and fun trick-or-treating with awesome friends! I must say, I feel like my kids' costumes were very well worn! I thought it was pretty funny Halloween night when I was dressing Rylee in her costume and she said "Halloween agaaain mom?! So here are some pictures to show all of our fun.

Rylee as Jasmine! (Every picture I took, she was posing like this!)


Taylor, Jossi, and Reagan- such great friends!


Rylee and friend Samantha


Toria and Jossi (Jossi by the way is the Geisha Elizabeth Swan)


Trunk-or-treating to end the ward party fun!


I didn't see Jossi do this, but I heard she was unbeatable!!


Reagan and I as Jail birds!


Jossi at school for favorite storybook character day (Rylee was nice enough to let Jossi wear her costume for the day.)


Halloween night McKenna was so nice and gave Jossi a ride after she fell and scraped her knee.

By the way, this was also the week that I went with Jossi on her field trip to a farm, and Melissa was out of town for the week, so I helped watch the kids! What a fun, but crazy week! And I forgot to mention that I will never get used to Trick-or-treating when it's eighty degrees!!

Pinkalicious

So for about the last six months Rylee's favorite book has been Pinkalicious. When we heard there would be a play done, I knew Rylee would be so excited. We went with our playgroup from church and Rylee had a blast! She didn't move the whole time. She insisted on bringing her book and she was dressed all in pink along with most the little girls there. Afterward we all enjoyed cupcakes in the parking lot. (Thanks Jamie!)

Rylee all ready to go!!


Playgroup friends


Rylee and McCall

My little helper

Whenever I am doing laundry, Rylee loves to help. She has actually become quite the little cleaner. It's too bad that by the time they can actually really clean, the newness has worn off and instead it is a fight to get your kids to clean. I think I will take advantage of my little maid while I can!