Rocket Science!

Elise got picked to be in a program that her school has called Young Astronauts. In the class they learn about Outer Space. She stays afterschool every other day with 14 other students. Mr. Maughn transforms these regular kids into

ROCKET SCIENTISTS!

This was one fun day where family got to see just exactly what goes on in

Young Astronauts

Sweet Serenity

Everybody is home, the babies are laughing. Our tummies are full of warm Vegetable Soup. The smell of the Apple Crisp that is cooking in the oven fills the air. Its slightly raining outside and the leaves are changing colors. The smell of the earth washed clean becons for me to go on an evening run.

Its Fall!

G Ma's tunes

for cruisin'with the windows rolled down

ZZ Tops Sharp Dressed Man ..Scroll down to widget to play

I know, I know not the regular Granny music right?

Well, thats because we dont have a plain old regular Grandma

We have a G Ma!

You know what I'm sayin'....G'?

Today is her birthday...G ma's of course! You would never guess that she is a day older than 30. I swear she drinks right out of the fountain of youth. This beautiful lady has a heart of gold and she is known for going all out on her grandkids.

Thinking out loud about

Monica Looker

a.k.a. G Ma

Classy

Spiritual

Friendly

Happy

Smiley eyes

Helpful

Tolerant

Welcoming

Thoughful

Young

Grounded

Listener

Mother of my Love....you are truly wonderful!

The kids spent quite a while drawing these pictures...

Ellie is trying to be like her G Pa Looker.

He is a fantastic artisit!

In this picture I was trying to get the kids to hold up their drawings they did for Gma. They were laughing so hard at Nathan who was behind me doing...

WHO KNOWS WHAT

that they totally forgot about why we were taking the picture.

P.S. Doesn't Marcus look so grown up?

WOW!

What a Weekend!

Waterfall gazing.

Whispers in my ear

"Angel"

Sweet Cherub.

Bryant... smoke follows beauty.

We had such a great weekend! On Saturday we had a weiner roast with our good friends the Siddoways. We had so much fun just hanging out with another family that has small children. They have a trampoline in their backyard and the kids had a blast! Michelle prepared Tin foil dinners for the adults. While the kids played we hung out and laughed until it was way past bedtime. We love the Siddoways! What great friends we have that live so close by! On Monday, for Labor Day, we got up early and went to a very gourmet place for breakfast... Mickey D'S! This is about the only kid friendly place when you have 2 two year olds and a "every bit of 6" daughter. When we got there a few other families our size had the same idea! Its great living in an area where you dont stick out too much and people "understand" when you have a million kids. After McDonalds we ventured onto Bridal Veil Falls. This is a waterfall up Provo Canyon that had a paved trail up to it. The kids were amazed and they learned quickly that fresh Mountain water is FREEZING even on a hot summer day. W saw Squirlls and Vanessa actualy was able to compose herself. She is getting better and better about not being too uptight about new things. Yeah!!! Then from Bridal veil falls we went to Vivian Park.A steam locomotive (Heber Creeper) was parked there and the kids loved it. They wanted a ride but we decided that it was soon to be nap time and a hour and a half ride might turn into a disaster! We hung out at Vivain Park and then went on a little ride up to Heber. This was fun but we probaby just should have went home from Vivian Park. Elise started to get car sick and so we took a little break and then headed home. It was great to be able to spend the whole day with Daddy. We dont get that chance very often and the kids loved it. I did too.

DADDY AND HIS LOVELIES

No, your eyes don't decieve you... Nate has grown a beard. He did it just to see if he can. He keeps telling me that he is going to shave it but I think he secretly likes it.
......Hmmmmmm.....

HOW DEE DOO Luke and Vanessa are TWO!

Happy Birthday to you Luke and Vanessa!
Yesterday was their 2nd birthday. Luke woke up with a fever. How sad! I think he got whatever Vanessa had last week. He was miserable for most of the day. I kept Motrin and Tylenol in him in hopes that he might be able to feel good for at least part of the day. Vanessa woke up happy and ready for a party! I have been talking up their birthday for the last week or so.During the month of July there are so many birthdays that they have learned that a birthday means cake. I decided to make them separate cakes this year and I experimented with gel paste. I am not very good at it but they turned out cute. When I wasnt looking Vanessa and Luke thought they would find out how they tasted. I was able to fix them before the party. Nathan and I gave Vanessa a baby stroller. Which she has not let out of her sight for the last 24 hours. She even rode in the car with it on her lap. She calls it her "strollie". We gave Luke a big, tough, wagon. When he saw it he called it his "Ride". He loves it and is constantly giving and gettting rides to Vanessa and Elise. We celebrated their birthday at Chuck-e-Cheese. I dont think we could have chosen a funner place for all of their cousins to PARTY! Luke and Vanessa esspecially liked the duck game. Grandma Vicky helped them play and they had a blast. Luke found a game with a gun ( what is it about boys and guns?)

I cant believe that 2 years has gone by since Luke and Venna were born. They amaze me at how much they learn and grow each day. I think back to the day that they were born and how my Joy was so full. Why have I been so blessed? With each child I have I wonder how will I ever have enough love to give them. But then its like magic as soon as they are in my arms for the first time I fall so deep in love all over again. I am amazed at the infinite capacity we, as human beings have to love others. I have heard that the love of a mother to her child is a glimpse of the love that our Father in Heaven has for us. This amazes me, how can anyone love more than I for my children? As we go along day by day I try to cherish each moment and let is soak in for I know they wont last forever! In Natalie Merchant words "These are the Days!"

The little one said "Rollover..Rollover!"

Mornings in Mommy's and Daddy's Bed

Yoo Whoo... Tooth Fairy...

i lost a tooth to day . I was in the cafaterea today and the story is i was in the cafaterea and i was eating a apple and then it felt realy loose and then three people around me was saying that it was bleeding and then my frend gave me a cooke rapper but then i said that wont work so i asked Laceys frend if i could borrow a napcin frome her. and then she said ok here you go. and then on the third time taking the napcin out of my mouth it was gone and my frends couldnt find it. and neethr could i. and then my frend found it and some body was about to step on it and then it took it to my teachr and then she couldnt find a pack for it. and then she just put it in a napckin but then she finaly found a box. and then went to find all my frends and my meanest frend was like i dont care and that was when i went to find my frend Abgail but i couldnt find her. and so i forgot about that end of the story see you later. Elises story.

Look how cute this is. Nate is so good with Elise. She tells me all of the time how much she loves her daddy. What a man! Today he taught Elise how to drive the lawn mower! I cant wait until she can do it all on her own, that will be a few years down the road though. As much as I love Summer I am ready for Fall to come. Fall is my favorite time of year.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Today I separated Luke and Venna for nap time. They never seem to get much sleep when they are in the same room . So I set up a crib in Elises room and put Luke in it. About 45 minutes later I hear him saying something that sounds like "pretty". I check in on him and find him with Ellie's empty laundry basket and her play makeup colored all over his body. He must have climbed out of bed and made a party out of nap time! He was right though... he sure did look pretty with Ellie's makeup all over his lips!

Girls Day Out... with the kids

On Monday a bunch of my friends got together to go to the Childrens Garden and surprisd me with a be-lated birthday lunch! It was fun to be able to hang out together and just laugh. All of us are from the same ward and we have so much fun together! I dont know what I would do without these guys. They have been a great support to me and my family and being with each one of them makes me feel so unconditionally loved. Thanks Briti, Ash, Amy, Jodi, Whit, Meg, Donna, Nat and Julie!

UPDATES!!!

My Modem has been down for almost 9 days now. We didn't figure out it was the modem until Saturday. So much has happened in the last two weeks! As you know Elise has been gone. We have talked to her and she is having so much fun! She went to Sea World with her Gpa and sent us some pictures form his new i phone.

On August 5th our little Marcus Jay was Blessed. He is still such a good baby. His first smile was the day after he was blessed on the 6th. The only rough part about Marcus is that Vanessa loves him so much... too much. She is always kissing him and has to be touching him if he is in the same room. Its actually very cute.. unless you are trying to take pictures ... (check these ones out). Its fun to see her nurture and mother Marcus... well pretty much Marcus and Luke.


The Highland Fling was on August 4th. My dads birthday! My dad was in charge of the candy toss. We had a lot of fun there. Elise got her face painted and it was so neat. I had never seen it done so professional and fun to look at. Later on that evening we went to a concert at Heritage park with my cousin, Stephanie and her family, and my parents. Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band played. The kids had so much fun playing with balloons and glow stix, rolling down hills, dancing, getting lost, and watching the fireworks. Lucas Loved the fireworks. He was absolutely mesmerized. Ever since the Fling Luke will point to the sky and say " fiwoks" and then instinctively Vanessa will say "Pop" "Sky" ... I (s)cared! I guess that tells you what she thought of them. Needless to say Elise, Vanessa and Marcus were asleep by the end of the show. What a night!

mY GirLie giRl

I just got back from taking Elise to the airport to visit her Gma and Gpa Looker. They live in Carlsbad, California. She was so excited to get on the plane and travel "all by herself" she almost forgot to give me a kiss and a hug. She loves to visit her grandparents and I always miss her SO much... almost to the point of tears! So... here is little tribute to my big 6 year old girlie girl off to California.

"Diney" Museum

Today I took the kids to the Dinosaur Museum. I was nervous to take them all by myself but they did great! All the kids loved it, especially Vanessa. The twins stayed in the stroller until they saw the water and sand table. From that point on Vanessa was on cloud 9. She went around pointing at everything. I think she was half afraid of most of it and that's what made her so excited. Luke loved it too and was grunting and speaking "Japanese". At one point he started crying and sat down. He was terrified of the life size replica of a prehistoric sharkwith its mouth open. I kept telling him that it was just a big toy... he wasn't buying it though. Once we got past the shark he was great! Elise is such a trooper. She loves adventure and never seems to be afraid of anything. I guess this would be the reason that she has been to the Emergency room 10 times for various things. Broken clavicle, broken wrist, staples in her head, 17 stitches in her 2 year old hand... and the list goes on. After the Museum we walked over to the ice cream shop that is at Thanksgiving Point. I got the kids their ice cream cone (which I paid 25 cents for all 3) Elise went to hand Luke his and she fell flat on the ground. She had been sitting up to the bar and fell quite aways down. She immediately stood up and hugged me and wouldn't let go. It made sort of a scene when she fell. I think she was embarrassed. I wanted to start crying because her little heart was broken. I have never her seen her get embarrassed like that. It was totally out of character.

For the rest of the day Vanessa kept saying "diney". All she wanted to talk about was the Dinosaurs and what she saw. I have a feeling that we will be spending a lot of time at the "Diney" Museum in the future. Fine with me.

Colorific!

"I love all of you. I like all of you. You guys are the best like the Bom Digitty Dood!!!"

"You guys are the best. Rock on, rock on , ROCK ON!"

Tonight Elise got the crayons out and Luke, Nesssie and Elise entertained themselves. It was so quiet around here that I had to take a picture. When Luke saw me taking pictures he turned around in his chair, faced backwards and then slowly turned back around. He was trying to NOT smile. It was so cute. Vanessa kept checking out all of the crayons and announcing to everyone that they were "MINE" (hers). Yes, she has learned this word... and she does use it! Elise was in her room writing secret messages. She went and put them in the mailbox and then came to me and said "Mom, you forgot to get the mail." I responded ( not catching on) " no, I got the mail today." Then Elise said "well, I think you might have left some in the mailbox." ( now, I clue in.) So, of course I go to the mailbox while she is peeking out the window watching me and I find several "letters" to me. All of them telling me how much she loves her familyand how she wants to live good so that she can live with us through Eternity. There are no words to descibe moments like this. I love my kids, they are the best!!!

HOME SWEET HOME

I thought I would post a picture of our new home...well, new to us. We moved in February of 2007 and we have loved having our first home. It was built in the 90's so we have done some updating and remodeling inside. With what a busy year it has been we have not been able to do all that we wanted. Hopefully, over the next month or so we wil be able to finish what we have started. We also hope to finish the basement within the next little while.

Money Pit

Last year Nathan and I bought this Dune Buggy. We are excited to have it to just play around in. The kids love it... well at least Elise does. Luke and Venna are afraid of it. Later this summer we are planning a trip to Fairview to stay in a cabin and go on some trails that are around. The place we are staying has a swimming pool and tennis courts and a park. We are thinking of carting a babysitter along to watch the wee-ones while we go out on the trails. I'll let you know how it goes. ( notice the name of our little buggy?.. I named it and the name fits perfectly!)

Dear Lizzie...

I had so much fun with Amber today! She took me to Dear Lizzie, in Highland for a birthday lunch. What a fun girlie place! It was so nice to be able to just sit and enjoy ourselves. I told Amber that we need to do it again. Thanks to my Dad for watching the kids! For those of you who have never been to Dear Lizzie, I highly recommend it. Its not a very kids friendly place so make sure you leave the kids at home,find a good friend and enjoy!! P.S. Dont forget to get a dessert, they are absolutely dreamy!

Say Cheese!

Here is the deal... I have been wanting a new smaller digital camera for a long time. I have a nice camera but I have wanted a smaller one that is not too burdensome to carry around places. Since I have started this blog I told Nathan that in order to have a nice blog I "needed" a new camera. Much like I "need" a pedicure or any woman "needs" chocolate. So, the other day I was with my mom and we saw this cute red camera, I just had to have it, so I bought it and I am loving it! One more reason to love blogging huh?