HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

I started the fun weekend by running the Halloween Half! It was really fun! Kenzie and Kimberlee aren't picutred cuz my silly phone wasn't working to take pics before the race. Good thing Heather's husband, Dave, brought a camera or we wouldn't have had pics at all!

Thanks honey for coming to the finish line, I know that's not your fav!

Gracee's first jack-o-lantern!!

Ward Trunk or Treat...meet Dora and boots, minus the red boots--left them at home, of course!

I love this pirate costume, but he already had a costume...so I just let him wear this a couple times during the day so I could soak in his cuteness.

Look! It's Dora's negligent parents that let her go trapsing about the jungle with nothing but a little monkey and a talking backpack! Nick Jr. leaves them nameless...

pizza party!!!!!!

Marnie decide our names could be Jose and Sylvia. Doesn't Russ look like a Jose here?

Tammy Fay, Pocahontas, Tonks, Paige with a fro, Me with a fro!! We watched "What Lies Beneath". Lee and I screamed a lot...and yes, we've seen it. =)

Follow the Yellow brick road!

So we couldn't find a straw hat, but Russ is supposed to be a "mildy-dressed" scarecrow and I was Dorothy. I think doing family-themed Halloweens are so fun! Russ just humored me. What a trooper.

Gracee and her friend Lily. I loved the medal she wore as the cowardly lion. It was such a nice touch, dontcha think?

Gracee and her friend Maddie. "ROAR! Who says I'm cowardly??!"

Holy catch up time!!!

WATCH OUT! This is the world's longest catch-up blog. This is like, 6 blogs in one!!

So I am going to apologize in advance at this hasty attempt to catch up on our lives. I, as usual, have been working on tons of random projects and trying to be a good wife, mom, neighbor, friend...etc. THEREFORE, I have struggled to even get on the computer at all these days. I need to catch up on reading everyone else's blogs as well.

we celebrated the holiday weekend with family, so fun! This is us with Star's family at the Scera pool. Cuties! We all tried to wrestle and dunk Star in the pool, but as usual, he was inconquerable!! We also got shave ice afterward!We took Gracee to the Provo 4th of July Parade. It was pretty hot, but I insisted because these types of holiday events are so much more fun with kids. We also met up again with the Hall's there. That evening, we met over at the "Hannig compound" for our annual dutch oven night! (Incidentally, I love those red capris! I found them second hand when I was 20, my mom made them into capris for me. Russ doesn't care much for them, so I hardly ever wear them. When I was wearing them that day, he asked me about them--I told him it was the 4th! I can wear any crazy patriotic thing I want!)Okay, so I realize this is very blurry, but this head tilt thing is to die for! It's Gracee's new thing! And just a couple days ago, she started sticking out her tongue over and over again when she does it. I laugh so hard every time. Where does she get this stuff??Gearin' up for her first firework show!Ah, our first 4th!Happy Birthday Star! When my Dad and Di came to town, we had a blast. We all met at Star's for a BBQ to celebrate his birthday. Schuyler and Gracee are learning how to be playmates. One of my favorite things to do with dad is bike riding. We did the Provo Canyon route...Steve loves walking the route so he met up with us. Doesn't he look so handsome? Though I was leaving for girls camp his last morning with me, we squoze in one more ride, this time we did the Provo trail down to the lake. We felt so adventuresome!Though I missed my angel babe and sweet husband, girls camp was A BLAST!! I had to pump the whole time I was there, but it was worth it, I really enjoy serving in the YW organization. I see it, like the relief society, as a bond of womanhood and strength completely unmatched anywhere. I was so surprised by how much I missed Russ!

But don't worry, he came my last night there with the bishopric, this is the only pic I have to prove it...do you see him there in the corner? Pioneer day was great. People all have work off and everything here! Me and my friend 'Pamela Joy' ran the Pioneer Day run in Provo--she's a hoot! I just love her. Then me and Russ got to go on Sea Doos with our good friend and babysitter, Kenzie Harmon. Other than completely screwing up my neck, RE-bruising my tailbone, and some 'back seat driving' by you-know-who (!) IT WAS A TOTAL BLAST! No seriously, I want to do it again. I really had fun, in all honesty.

Happy Father's Day!

Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name. ~William Wordsworth I knew from the moment I first met him that he would be a fabulous father.

Gracee feels so comfortable with him. From her very first weeks, they were very well bonded--like two kindred spirits.

He's comfortable doing pretty much everything I do with her. He watches her in the evenings and on Saturdays when I go to work. He is very aware of her needs and her moods.

He enjoys all of the fun holiday parts of parenting that I like to cheese up and take photos of, or at least I should say he's a good sport about!

He is everything I ever hoped for in a husband and father and much more. I still realize/learn little things about him and think, "did I know I'd be getting that too when we were dating? Nope, that's just another icing on the cake."

One of the youth in our ward said that he's learned more from Russ in the last year than he has ever learned...that is one of my favorite things about Russ. He's an excellent teacher and example and has a burning testimony, which he is very passionate about sharing.

I am so grateful to have you as the father of my children honey! Thanks for being you because you're my favorite!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Happy April Fools!

In classic Utah fashion, it snowed a bunch after Spring had already announced itself!

Me and Russ are pretty fun I guess, but not when it comes to April Fools Day. The day before I usually try to think of some fun, last minute plan, but I never end up doing anything, I don't even know if Russ even realizes what day it is=) Help us be more fun, what are some of your traditions?