The rest of Oct.-Dec.2009

Madison turns 13. Yes, that's right, a teenager.

Happy Birthday, Maddy Moo!

Her favorite and Grandma Kris' specialty, the donut cake.


Madison and Karley get to try out their new Christmas gifts.

Dustin got this hat for Christmas from Karley, who found it at a garage sale. Yes, it says PEPSI on it but that's not all. Look at how truly great it is...

...Shades down...

...shades up.

You don't even have to say it, I know you're green with envy.

Madison got her beach cruiser

Karley got her longboard

Paige got her Moxie girls

Scott got his DS Christmas was very nice and Santa was good to us this year.


Dustin ran his first half marathon, the Rock and Roll LasVegas Marathon.

I don't have pics. but he completed the race in 1:51:33

division:231

gender:1356

overall:1869

Mad Props... that's all I have to say..
Mad props.


November

• For Thanksgiving we all got together to share our traditional meal. Joey and his family from Texas, Lizzie and her family from New Mexico, and Becky and her family from California. (The rest of us are still here in Vegas) This is the whole clan except for a few.

  It was great to have everyone together.

  I was very THANKFUL.
  

  All ten of us.

  Hopefully it will be sooner than later that we can take another one of these photos.
  

  The grandkids minus Elara and Cami.
  

  I came downstairs to find these one day while we were moving. I read the note and thought it was cute that Dustin was still calling me his girlfriend but couldn't figure out what he meant about the working part(since everyday feels like a hard day at work)

  Fresh flowers, old note.

  He said he'd found it in the garage while packing stuff.

  I love that he found an excuse to bring me flowers and

  I love him!
  

  We moved out of this house. I thought I'd need to post about all the things I would miss and about all the memories I would be sad to leave behind. I have none of that. The decision to move was the best decision we've ever made and there is only one thing I miss and that's a tall eucalyptus tree in the backyard.
  
  
  
  October
  

  Halloween night we went trick-or-treating with Francie and her family. Oh the food, the company, and the candy! Quite a night!!!
  

  Getting ready for our ward's Trick-or-Treat party. We were told to make a booth..ours was pretty sad.
  

  Scott as Charlie Brown for Halloween. That scowl is his Charlie Brown face. Poor Charlie Brown.

2009 in pictures...July-part of Oct.

OCTOBER

We take family pictures on conference Sunday. STRESSFUL...that's all I can say.
I do love these kiddies though. Love 'em. Love 'em. Love 'em!

Scott is disgusted with what's going on in the world these days, just disgusted.

My kids listen AND take notes conference Sunday.

We go to Anaheim, this time we visit Disney's California adventure for the "exclusive" Halloween party. We felt totally VIP and get to load up on candy and ride all the rides without having to wait in line. So much fun!

SEPTEMBER

Dustin completes his EMT basic course and passes with flying colors. He signs up to take his first firefighting class.

We take another trip to Kanarra for Labor Day weekend this time. I try to get a "cool picture" of my children and they just end up emotionally scarred and now when I pull out my camera they cry(not really)

Paige turns 7. Happy Birthday, Pinchy Pie!

Are you too old to be called that?...Nah...never.

Paige 7 years old

Kanarraville, Utah

Labor Day weekend

AUGUST

School starts. Karley is in 5th grade and Paige is in 2nd grade. Mom is overjoyed.

Madison is in 7th grade.

We take one last trip up to Mt. Charleston before the summer officailly ends. Our kids annoy each other. We go home.
Leah LOVES yogurt!

Leah is officially thirty something...EEEEEEK!

JULY

4th of July BBQ in the Williams backyard in Kanarra.

We travel to Kanarraville, Utah with the Cogburns for the 4th of July and have the time of our lives. Except for one little moment that involved a hose, a stunned girl, and wet unders for the rest of that evening.

Karley buys roller skates with her birthday money. Begins skating through life.

Dustin swims 500 meters in the ocean. Dustin will rethink that next time unless he has goggles. Can you spot him?

Dustin rides his cousins Vespa. Dustin tries desperately to convince his wife to buy this Vespa. She says, "No". Dustin still wants a Vespa...bad. Sound familiar? read previous post.

Dustin runs a 5k at the Ocean Festival in San Clemente.

Paige runs her very 1st race, the 1 mile Dolphin Dash, and kicks butt doing it!

Karley hits double digits. Happy 10th birthday!

2009 in pictures...Jan.-June

JUNE

Paige at Pedro's tacos in San Clemente.

She loves the bean burrito.

One of our most favorite places to be.
The last day of our vacation...boo hoo.
THE O G
original gangsta.

MAY

Scott with his most prized possession.
Happy 3rd birthday, Scott. Pine Valley, Utah
This trip couldn't have come at a better time.
Thank you Winders.

Scott turns 3 and gives up his binky forever...ever...ever...ever...

Madison helps Karley tie her cape at the Race For The Cure they both ran with GK(Grandma Kris)

APRIL

Grandma and Grandpa Great visit Las Vegas.
We finally get a picture with all 4 kids + Grandma and Grandpa.YAY!

Madison is inducted into the National Junior Honor Society.

Dustin turns the big 3-0 and is celebrated by close friends and family.

Madison and Emma perform a dance they made up to Taylor Swifts You Belong To Me (partially choreographed by Dustin) and Karley sings Taylor Swifts The Best Day.

Don't even try and forget about the dance party!

After Dustin's party we received the most decadent and unsharable treat. Dori Peck's delicious and delightful chocolate covered strawberries with whipped heaven inside.

After 5 back-breaking, stressful, and under-appreciated years at SW Iron Dustin gets laid off 4 days before his birthday. But I'm not bitter, nope, not bitter at all. I lied, I'm still angry.

I'll never forget that day when Dustin walked through the door and we stood in our kitchen scared but trying to convince each other everything would be OK. For a long time it wasn't and now...everything IS OK!

Easter Sunday

Dustin's cousins came to town for the Viva Las Vegas Car Show.

Brandon shows off his skills on Karley's quarter pipe.

FUN weekend!!!

Conference weekend we get all amped up on "SCARY PEPSI" (as Scott calls it) and head to Anaheim to visit Dustin's grandparents.

MARCH

I buy my first tube of red lipstick and declare myself a real woman.

Scott vows to protect our home from bad guys...until he gets dozey and falls asleep.

Stake t-ball. Still too young to play.

February

Scott gets pneumonia again and is diagnosed with asthma. He LOVES/HATES his nebulizer.

We travel to Irvine for Dustin's Water Polo Tournament with Madison and Scott and leave Karley and Paige with my Mom for the weekend.

January

We celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary at the lake with my family canoeing.

I try desperately to convince Dustin to buy me a canoe. I don't get one. I still want a canoe...bad.

We ditch our kids and spend the rest of the afternoon together...alone!

Scott takes in the lovely view.