Giving Thanks & Counting our Blessings....

This year Thanksgiving was with my side of the Family. We switch off every year. I was in charge of the Pomegranate Salad and a Pecan Pie. The Pomegranate Salad was a big task for me...but convenient since we have our own Pomegranate Trees.

I love Pomegranates. They are so yummy... and it reminds me of the time when I was young and we'd always pick pomegranates at my Grandpa and Grandma Leavitts house. We'd crack them open on the sidewalk and eat lots and lots of pomegranates! Artie doesn't even like them

=( (what a weirdo...he doesn't like popcorn either....another one of my favorite things =). Anyway, we always let a bunch of people come and pick some off of our trees since there are way more than we would ever eat. But this year we needed a bunch since I was making the pomegranate salad for about 40 people! The kids had fun helping me pick them...... I shelled pomegranates for 2 days..... the kids helped me a little bit....Ammon loves pomegranates... he would try and just take a bite out of it like an apple =). Then while I was shelling them he would stick his hand in the bowl and take a fist full and try to shove them all in his mouth.... he then would go after the ones that fell on the ground. When he got full he would start throwing the ones I hadn't got to yet out of the box like they were balls..... he had a blast... but it was hard for me to get anything done! =) The kids and I also had fun making Turkey Cookies out of oreos and candy cornThanksgiving Day was fun hanging out with family and having the Best Meal Ever!!! I love being with my family. It's always a lot of fun! I'm so thankful for all of them!!Alley was playing Soccer with the "big" kids! The kids had so much fun playing with cousins, as always. It was rainy all day and they played and played and played outside...they got soakin' wet! But, they had soooo much fun!

The rest of the weekend was a lot of fun too! Artie got up at 2 am on Black Friday to go to St. George with his brothers....I think it's becoming a tradition that he and his brothers go up waaaaayyyyy early. Rocki and I and the kids then met all of them in St. George at the Mall around 8:30 am and did a little shopping with Artie's Family. That's also becoming a tradition. We all shop with his Parents every year and they buy us stuff..... yeah =) So Nice!! Later that day we went back over to my parents house and had leftovers....(Thanksgiving dinner all over again =) Saturday we put up Christmas Stuff... and Went to Dinner at Wolf Creek with my side of the Family (Adults only)! We had a great Thanksgiving and a fun weekend! Now, I can't believe it's almost Christmas! I love being surrounded by family. We are so lucky and grateful. Our kids love playing with cousins and I'm glad they can be near all of their Grandparents and even their Great Grand parents.

New Calling

Well, I have received a new calling in our ward. I am already the Choir Pianist...we practice Every Sunday, even when there is not much to prepare for! =) And sometimes I fill in at the Organ for Sacrament meeting. I was the Primary Piano player and that was seriously like my 5th or 6th time in that position. My first time was when I was in High School. I played the piano for the Spanish Branch Primary. Anyway, since I'm rambling about callings... I've also been in the young womens class presidencies while I was a young woman =),the Young Womens Laurel Advisor, The Sunbeam Teacher and the Nursery Leader. I really do enjoy each calling. So, now I have a new one, one that I never thought I would have because I always end up behind the piano where I am comfortable. I am now the Primary Music Leader. Wow! I am excited and a little nervous. I love music! And not many people know I also like to sing rather than always playing the piano! So, I am excited to have a change. I know every calling is from our Heavenly Father. It's so weird, actually a couple months ago... out of the blue, for some reason... the thought popped in my head that it might be fun to be the Primary Music Leader. I don't know where that came from or why I even thought of it. And now that's what I am.

I'm a Good Driver Now.....

When the girls play with their car it's always been Alley driving, because Ashlyn was a crazy driver =). She would just go all over the place and push on the gas and let go, push and let go...so it was a little crazy. Now...with Alley in school, Ashlyn has had a lot of practice. She is doing great! Ammon loves to ride too, but I wouldn't let him go until Ashlyn had some practice =) Ammon always looks a little nervous while Ashlyn's driving as they go around and around the house lots and lots of times....But he loves it! He never wants to get out and he cries when they finally have to stop!! Ashlyn is so happy she can drive the car! She says, "I'm a good driver now!"

I can SEE....

I took Alley to get her first checkup from the eye doctor! I figured it was time since she is in Kindergarten. But, I never really thought she would need glasses!

Alley is Farsided & she has an Astigmatism. So, she can't see things up close and the Astigmatism make things blurry anyway. So, Wow! My little girl needs glasses. Dr. Brotherson said she needs to wear them the whole time she is in class and she can take them off when she is playing outiside, but that she may just want to wear them ALL the time because she'll see SO Much Better!! Ashlyn thinks she needs to wear glasses now too, so she always puts on her sunglasses =) Alley is very proud of her pink case! Alley wore her glasses for the first time to school on Tuesday! Her teacher said she did so good and that she was very careful to put them in the case before she went out to recess. She also said that usually Alley would sit way up close when they are copying things from the board and this time she was sitting far away and finished so fast and held her paper up and yelled out "look Mrs. Mickelson, I'm already finished." She was so proud!! Alley is doing so good and I can tell she can see so much better with them on, she'd much rather have them on all the time then go with out them! She was a little nervous that the kids would laugh at her because she looks different with her glasses on =( But, we told her it doesn't matter because we think she looks cute and the most important thing is that she can see so much better now! I also recently got new glasses. My eyes have gone down a step with each kid =( I've had reading glasses since I was 5 (they had little strawberries on the side...haha, cute, cute) & I also have an Astigmatism. I have never been good about wearing my reading glasses =( but now that my eyes keep getting worse I love my glasses, especially when driving at night... scary!! Anyway, so Artie says it's my fault that Alley needs glasses, because I had glasses when I was 5 and I have an Astigmatism =) (Just for the record...he is way Blinder than me) So there! =)

okay... I'm doin' it, "The GrEaT 8"

8 Shows I like to watch: 1- Friends Re-runs 2- So you think you can Dance 3- Biggest Loser 4- The Bachelor/Bachelorette 5- George Lopez (late at night- Nick at Night =) 6- Sometimes I'll watch Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the team 7- Something on HGTV 8- Yes....I guess I'm mostly a reality show junky =) 8 Restaurants I Like To Eat At: 1- Texas Roadhouse 2- Cafe Rio 3- Pizza Hut 4- Cracker Barrel 5- Wendy's 6- Golden Corral 7- Pizza Factory 8- Olive Garden 8 Things That Happened Today: 1- Showered 2- cleaned the house 3- organized the downstairs rooms 4- made the downstairs family room a play room 5- went to the store 6- went to a baby blessing & dinner 7- gave the kids a bath 8- checked e-mail 8 Things I'm Looking Forward To: 1- Thanksgiving 2- Ammon's 1st b-day 3- Christmas 4- The Twilight Movie 5- My all of a sudden break out on my face to go away =) 6- Family Christmas Party 7- 8- 8 Things On My Wish List: 1- That Ammon's kidneys are functioning perfectly 2- new carpet and floors 3- new curtains 4- a wall around our house 5- Clear skin 6- to Lose 15 lbs 7- to not Age and get wrinkles 8- a Newer and Bigger Car! 8 People I Am Tagging 1- Steph 2-Val 3- Andrea 4- whoever!! 5- 6- 7- 8-

A Little GetAway!

Alley had No school on Monday or Tuesday and Artie also had work off. So, we decided to take a little trip to Kanab to visit Erica & Nick (my sister). It was a nice little getaway and it was COLD! The kids had fun and it was nice to see them, because we don't get to as often as we use to.

"King Kong" Ammon (he loved climbing on and standing on this doll house)

Ashlyn's favorite thing is to swing

Aunt Erica & Ammon Alley, Ashlyn & Lyndsey

A Few Family Pics!

So, these last couple of days we were in Kanab, visiting my sister and we had her take a few pictures of us as a family! We are not professionals for sure! =) But, with a grumpy husband who hates taking pictures and trying to get all the kids to smile and stay happy.... I think we did pretty good...hahaha! So, here are some of them!

Ammon's First "REAL" Haircut

So, I've actually had to trim Ammon's hair about 3 or 4 times already. I decided it was about time to take him to the Professionals =) So, he got his first "REAL" Haircut on Halloween Day!

Jenna and all the girls at Valley Curls were dressed up as inmates for Halloween (as you can see) and the outside windows had Jail Bars painted on them! It was very cute!

Ammon did so good. He loved it! He loved looking at himself in the mirror and thought it was so fun! What a good boy! All my kids think it's a real treat to go to the Beauty shop...hahaha, they're funny!

Here is our Shaggy Boy Before:

And here he is After, ready to be the Hulk:

He is getting so big....and growing so fast! He has learned a few more things lately:

He claps his hands, Can shake his head "Yes" now, as well as "No." Always puts things up to his ear and jabbers like he is talking on the phone... he always says "dadadadad" when he is talking on the phone. He started walking at 10 1/2 months. He has taken about 10 steps by himself at the most! He also loves to point at everything now! I can't believe he will be one year old in a month!

Happy Halloween 2008

~Pumpkins and Treats~

Carving Pumpkins (more like watching daddy carve pumpkins =)

This year we made Caramel/chocolate Apples coated with candy! Yum!

~ Party time & the Pumpkin Run~On Thursday, Oct. 30th, Ashlyn had a little Preschool party and got to wear her costume to school! At Alley's School it was Orange and Black day and the Big Pumpkin Run! Alley waiting for the Pumpkin Run Run Alley Run- Wow! I was suprised at how far they had to run, it was forever long! Alley lost her shoe... see her turning around to look for it... =) Whew.. that's over! She said, "Mom.. at the end I was tired and I slowed down."

That's okay Alley... you did a great job!

Ashlyn had fun at her preschool party and got some treat bags full of candy!

~TrIcK oR tReAt~ Super Girl, The Hulk & Bat Girl

Ashlyn kept saying, "Super girl to the Rescue!" hahah, she's too funny!

First we went to the Ward party- Instead of trunk or Treat, it was more like a little carnival with games like a cake walk, ring toss, darts & a bean bag toss! The girls each got a ring on a pop so they won it!

~Visiting with Friends and Family~

Cute Girls: Brooklin, Alley & Ashlyn

~Then we headed on over to Travis and Natalie Anderson's for some more Food and Fun~

The kids had fun with some more games like a fish pond, bobbing for apples, cupcake walk and face painting...They got little prizes and yummy cupcakes!

(Thanks guys... that was fun as always, and great job with all the games Kaycee)

We had a pretty good Halloween! We didn't make it to the corn maze this year! Bummer... but next year for sure!!