I'll add a few pictures too.

Will all the wives of the graduates please stand

I don't know what happened but it looked kind of cool.

We found him, high power zoom.

Nate doing the Hand slapping gauntlet.

Nathan, Front and Center

The Photo Op Spot, Andy - on location.

Nate being Enlightened by Andy

The Quaker Oats Guy

Little Graduate

Some of my pictures look just like Katie's, it's like....she was standing right over my shoulder or something.

Simon's Very Expensive new toy.

Last Weekend

Nate's Graduation

Nate and Samantha's Birthdays

What the kids do when there aren't any video games to play anymore

The usual matching outfit photo shoot

Simon Turns Two

Here are a few pictures from Simon's birthday party. They're mostly cake pictures but before we got to that part we had some really good ribs Nate had smoked and the kids had hot dogs at the new kids table...with Emily (I think she was there helping Sarah).

Nate and Carrie made a huge monstrous cake that attacked Simon...ok not that huge but it was good. Simon tried to blow out the candles but I think he was just smelling them and in the end he needed help.

Something was wrong with the frosting... reminded me of Andy's wedding cake before they cut it and then Harrison telling us, "that cake is soft... and it tastes good too"

This picture makes me laugh. Look at his stomach and how far he was having to reach to get to the cake!
He got a lot of frosting before finally getting his own piece.

Then he opened presents. He seemed to really like the piano since he didn't finish unwrapping it before trying to play it. He also liked his new cars and the table.

Andy and Nate and I liked the Sesame Street Record with the laughing song on it... but most the other songs on there were kind of annoying.

"Well Whadaya Know!" Then Carrie put on one of Simon's favorite records and he gave us a little entertainment before we all went home.

Another One Bites the Dust

I guess it's alright that Gary took down the outhouse. I'm not sure with all the snow up there, but I'm pretty sure it would've been gone now even if he hadn't... or at least very difficult to get to in a hurry. We lost another tree at the cabin and once again, it was a close call. Since Keith took the big saws down you guys better get those chain saws all fired up and ready for the spring thaw cause there's going to be some work to do. Maybe dad should start thinking of some good ideas for furniture he can make out of it.

I


And this is just a really sweet picture of me. It has nothing to do with the fallen tree.

2009

To write down a thought in a poem and a prayer;
To wonder of this year: the what and the where?

To dwell in subconscious with pondering word,
To think to the depths of what may occur.

To look at a calendar, empty with space,
To write what's to happen and often erase.

To see it go slowly and then speed to fast,
To not know if happenings will fade or will last.

To wonder to wonder to wonder some more:
To know it's a New Year, but not what's in store?

May Angels guard and guide you & your loved ones this coming year

~~~Mom,Grandmother,Aleen

Happy Thanksgiving

It's Christmas shopping time again, only 31 shopping days left, very scary!

Here it is:

LAST year 2007

Jailynn to Nathan
Bryce to Katie
Andy to Jailynn
Nate to Bryce
Katie to Andy

THIS YEAR 2008!

Jailynn to Andy
Bryce to Nathan
Andy to Katie
Nate to Jailynn
Katie to Bryce

Merry Christmas!

Goodbye my pumpkin - Hope your not eating a snack right now

Since no one seems to be posting anything, I thought I would let you have a look at our yucky pumpkin.

We did not carve it - just sat it on the chair on the front porch for a little decoration. After Halloween some little critter would come during the night and nibble the pumpkin - I would turn the nibble part to the back but pretty soon it was just all nibble. There would also be a mess of pumpkin crumbs on the porch. I'm sure the mailman was getting grossed out.

Then the fuzzy stuff starting growing - I guess the critter was full of bad germs or whatever starts yucky fuzzy stuff. Finally I took some pictures and had to dispose of our poor pumpkin - he was suppose to make it through Thanksgiving - but NOPE

Better Stronger Faster

I was thinking I should let Nate make this post but I'm guessing it will be awhile so I'll go ahead and show off his handiwork for him. We all went up to the cabin on Saturday and had a good time. Simon slept and then ran around in the mud. I sat outside and read a book and watched Simon play in the mud. Nate and Carrie painted the porch. It was a nice a nice afternoon and hopefully the paint dried before the storm came in the next day.

The Finished Porch

Painting (Carrie's behind the railing)

The New Better Stronger Faster Cabin Porch

Katrina's Baptism

Just to let everyone know, Katrina will be baptised December 29th at 11:00, in California in Mom and Dad's Ward.

I told her that it is the same place that I was baptised in and Aunt Katie, Uncle Nathan, Uncle Andy, Uncle Bryce, Aunt Liz AND Aunt Carrie! (okay so the only ones NOT baptised there are Emily and Jerry and I guess Mom and Dad though Dad did most of the dunkings. So she is really excited!

Quick Cabin Trip

Nate, Carrie, Simon, and I all had a nice weekend at the cabin. Nate and I hiked Wolverine and barely made it home in the dark before the storm arrived. Nate was getting buzzed by bats in the dark and my knees hurt like crazy. I'm a new fan of those trekking poles though. I don't think I'd have made it home if Nate hadn't brought them. It was a great hike and surprisingly lonely for a Labor Day weekend. There were still some nice flowers near the top and absolutely no snow anywhere.

The next day we hiked over to get Andy's latest geocache and made a loop from the Twin Lakes trail over to the Solitude trail and back. Simon got to hike some of the way on his own since they didn't have his backpack and he seemed to really like it. The storm came in really strong that afternoon with machine gun hail and really close lightening.

Seems like we managed to squeeze a great cabin trip into two days. Hard hike, great food, big storm, a few naps, and game of balls.