Birthdays, Jobs and Thanksgiving

November was an exciting month. We celebrated Jeff's birthday on the 5th and Ellie's on the 19th. (We also have Grandma and Grandpa Hays' birthday, Aunt Cindy's, Uncle Brad's and cousin Cambry's birthdays this month.)
Ellie received a "Moxie doll" along with clothes and books. We had fun experimenting and making a fun cake. (We used a chocolate transfer sheet to for the pink designs.) We are excited she is 8 yrs old and can't believe the time has gone so fast.

We spent Thanksgiving this year at my parents house in St. George. We enjoyed nice weather and a marvelous Thanksgiving feast with my parents, Uncle Ray and Aunt Marianne. The boys enjoyed fun mountain biking, and we all had fun, swimming, spelunking in caves and going to the beautiful outdoor nativity at Tuachan theater.

Jeff started a job in Logan,UT on Nov. 16th. He commuted daily the first week then found a room to rent so he doesn't have to do the commute. He comes home on the weekends. It is a new experience for all of us. He enjoys the people he works with and enjoys the company.

Ellie was baptized on Friday, December 10th 2009. We had a wonderful evening with family and friends present for her baptism. There was a special spirit that night. We continued to have a special weekend as the next day my sister, Lara and her hubby were sealed to their little girl Joci in the Salt Lake Temple. My whole family was there. We rarely are all together, it was a wonderful weekend.

Happy Halloween

We had a great Halloween. What wonderful weather. Lots of candy and friends and I love having Halloween on a Saturday. I think we should officially make Halloween the last Saturday of the month. (My pictures are a little blury. Our camera started on the fritz a couple of weeks before Jeff lost his job so we have to hold very still and make do with our struggling camera. The picture of all four kids was a complete blur--oh well.)

Cowgirl Jessica


Scarecrow Ellie


Bugs Bunny Mason


Jonah as a Hobo handing out Money.

St. George Camping Trip

We spent UEA weekend camping at Snow Canyon, just outside of St. George. We were one of five families from our ward camping together. There were 17 kids total ranging in age from 9 months - 16 yrs old. Two of the men in our group ran the St. George marathon that Saturday.
We had great weather until high winds hit Sunday. We had fun hiking, biking, eating S'mores, boating and playing. A good lesson was learned when one of the boys became lost on our hike, he was found quickly thank goodness. The kids found a small tarantula on the 9months old high chair, while she was in it, and this led to screaming and high emotions until Jonah stepped on the spider. Thanks to my parents who loaned us their camper so we had quite a comfortable time.

Ellie and Jessica with friends we were camping with.

Jessica, Jonah and Ellie in the red rocks.

Mason on Bear-Claw Poppy Trail.

Jonah riding Bear-Claw Poppy Trail.

Jonah and Mason mountain biking.

Cousin Joci

Ellie holding Joci. Look at all those blue eyes.

Mason feeding Joci.

My sister and her husband came to Salt Lake the last week of Sept. so we could go see The Scarlet Pimpernel at Hale Theater. We had a fun busy weekend of a Primary breakfast, soccer games, girlie boutiques then a play and dinner. (The last two activities were with out children, so fun!!) It was a fun break for me. I've been working so many weekends it was nice to have one off.

Mason enjoyed feeding Joci. Ellie and Jessica pounce on their new baby girl cousins and the boys never get a chance. The boys act like they don't care but when the baby becomes available one boys asks if they can have a turn. She is such a cutie, we all enjoy her.

First day of school

Jonah, Ellie and Mason

Jessica, now in kindergarten. She started school a week after the older kids.

Ellie---starting 2nd grade.

Jonah---flying into 4th grade.

Mason---starting 4th grade.

Quick up date

Busy, Busy, Busy all of the time. Sometimes hard work, sometimes fun. Always on the go: Sailing with friends at Jordanelle, Father and sons camping trip for the boys, a Yard sale for the kids to earn money and to help clean out the house. Steph's family visiting in August, sooo much chaotic fun. We love cousins. The kids have done a couple of 5K races with Jeff, Steph does the one mile with Jessica. Pony rides on labor day, dinners in the canyon, swimming and water fun, bubbles and side walk paint.

The kids are all in school, the boys in 4th grade, they are learning to study hard and get used to new teachers, Ellie in 2nd grade whips through her homework and spelling tests, loves her friends; Jessica started Kindergarten in the AM, she loves everything about it, especially the 20 - 30 minute recap she gives me of school each day. (She talked to me about Obama's speach yesterday for at least 15 minutes.)

Jeff still job hunting; going stir crazy, wanting to be working. Helping around the house, frequent bike rides, helping at the kids school and with cub scouts.

Steph working, working, then playing with kids and hubby. I spent 6 hours helping the PTA pres. with a school fundraiser today. (Jeff spent 5 hours helping with bike safety training at the school today too. I think we have most of our volunteer hours in for the year.

House is off the market for now. We'll try again next spring.
In the meantime, I love the beautiful weather, I love a morning without children and enjoy when the children come home. I love cleaning out corners of the house after the yard sale.

Life is good, life is busy, life is fun.

(Pictures to follow)

Boys Birthday Party

Jeff as a Secret Agent, Shiloh, the dog, as his assistant, Jonah and Mason



The Mystery Birthday cupcakes



The spread of snacks.


The boys wanted a murder mystery for their birthday party. Due to busy schedules, we held their party in May, a month after their birthday. This was one of the first parties that Jeff took charge, I loved it!!!
Jeff dressed as a secret agent and all of the kids coming to the party were secret agents in training. Our neighbor, who is a detective, had some crime scene tape Jeff used around the whole front yard. Many of the guests were friends from the kids school who I had met before but their parents had never met us. Those parents sat in front of our house for up to 10 minutes unsure if they should let their child out of the car. Jeff stood on the front porch, not moving with Shiloh at his side. As some of the neighbor kids came in, the leary parents then let their child out of the car to come up to the house. Jeff took each child as they came, one at a time, gave them a secret bag with special equipment, handcuffs, magnifying glass etc. (purchased at the dollar store). Each bag had a secret agent name on it and the child got a corresponding name tag ie. Agent Smart, Detective Scooby, Agent Blart, Detective McGruff, Agent Flatulent (that was Jeff's idea), Inspector Gadget etc.
Jeff had Shiloh sniff each present the child brought and then taught the child a secret knock. The child in turn had to do the secret knock in which Jonah and Mason would answer the door and let them in. It was so funny, the kids were talking at the end of the party how scared they were of Jeff and how they were nervous they would mess up the secret knock. (Every time a kid came, Jeff changed the knock.)

The kids came in and trained in three things: Fingerprinting, where they all did their own finger prints. Target practice, they shot dart guns at targets drawn on our sliding glass door. Lastly the physical test was an obstacle coarse in the backyard they were timed on.

After those activities the kids stopped to have snacks. While the kids were snacking and laughing I let out a blood curdling scream. I held up an envelope with red bloody fingerprints on it. That was the first clue of the murder mystery. There were 10 clues, the kids had to figure out the rhyme and find the next clue. They loved it. I loved that the kids were old enough to read and logically think of each clue. All I had to do was sit back and watch them. Our dog Jenna ended up being the victim and Ellie was the murder. It's a kids party, we couldn't make it too gory.

Then came presents and cupcakes. The boys played and had such a great time. This was one of the funnest parties I have done. I think it was due to the age and ability of the kids. It is nice to have two kids done in one party too.