Mmm, Looks Good

This picture is a classic. It is so Farrell. He is in the background there, eye-ing that delicious looking ear of corn. I’m thinking he is already dreaming of the turkey and potatoes that will adorn his plate here in a couple of days.







Here are 9 fun facts about Farrell you should know, for he is 9 years old. (Okay, so this too, should have been posted a month ago.)

1. Farrell is a champion! Really, in baseball his team was #1. He received the “best-overall” award in soccer. And he earned the MVP award in his first year of Flag Football this fall. He LOVES sports.
2. He used to play the violin, and now plays the piano. But, of course, would much rather be outside playing catch.
3. He loves to eat.
4. He is happy and really can make anyone laugh with his silly-ness! As a matter of fact, he often resorts to trying to make his little brothers laugh when they are about to cry, “Mom!”
5. He loves riding his rip-stick.
6. Farrell can do a ‘fripple-back-flip with a front-flip-extra” on the trampoline.
7. He is really kindhearted and enjoys serving others. If he sees our neighbor out in their yard, he would much rather help her with her yard work than work in his own yard. ;)
8. He likes to draw and build things.
9. He is friendly and makes friends easily – with anyone, no matter their age. There are a handful of older people in our ward who ADORE him, 2 or 3 times a month someone will come up to me and tell me how they “just love that Farrell.”

We love you so very much Fare!!

There Is Beauty All Around

This fall Abby went to an overnight camp at Clear Creek with the girls in the 5th grade. I went with as a chaperone. They had a packed schedule full of fun and learning. One of the activities on the first day was a ‘ropes-course’ where they learned to help one another in a small group setting and rely on one another – this was one of the highlights for all the girls.



Later, on the first day we went on a hike, and I was reminded of something beautiful about Abby…. Many of the girls were chatting in small groups, not lifting their eyes from the trail. Abby, on the other hand, was looking all around and repeatedly stopped and would look up with awe at the beauty all around us, she was taking picture after picture of the fall leaves, stopping and pointing “Wow! Look at that! That’s so pretty!” She took over 100 pictures, no kidding. Anyway, I just loved it how she was able to appreciate the beauty that was all around us.







There are so many things about Abs that you should know – here are 11 (in honor of her 11th birthday,….um, which was recently – okay, not so recently.)

1. She is smart – and knows it, but doesn’t flaunt it – she appreciates it.
2. She got her ears pierced! (Yeah, she got her Dad to approve 1 year early!!)
3. She really likes to take pictures and make movies.
4. She loves to read. Yeah, yeah, old news – everyone knows that one.
5. Her favorite color is light BLUE.
6. She loves tradition. We can do something once, and if it was fun – it’s tradition and we’re locked into doing it again and again.
7. She loves to write stories.
8. When it’s movie night, she often looks for the LONGEST movie.
9. Abby is everyone's friend!
10. When one of her little brothers get hurt, she is the first one on the scene to help.
11. Game Time anyone? Abby loves to play games, card games, board games, all games!

Happy Birthday Abby!! We love you so very much!!

Thinking Ahead

The first thing Farrell said when he woke up this morning:

"When I'm in college, do you think I can play tackle football during recess?"

Happy Birthday EMERON

Here is a little post for Ems: After our family night last night, the kids were goofing around a little (surprise, huh) and Anna was trying to shut the door before Daddy got to it and Ems was right there and turned his face and…. yeah, the door handle got Ems right in the cheek, it split open. So, after a little deliberation between Geoff and I as to whether to take him into the ER, and if we should get a plastic surgeon,… Geoff, er, I mean Dr. Dean, ended up super-gluing the cut together and attaching a band-aid. And Emeron was brave through the whole ordeal.

You know this Emeron of ours, he is quite a kid. He is named after his Daddy and his Great Grandpa. And, I just have to say that whoever is Em’s friend is as lucky as can be because he is such a nice kid!! He is always, always, always so kind to others. He, of course loves to have fun and be silly – he is Geoff’s son. Emeron is turning 5, and here are FIVE things I want you to know about him:

1) He is extremely tolerant of his younger brothers of 3 years and 1 year. He helps them and shares with them and teaches them….
y’know, mostly good stuff.

2) Ems can run fast! Wooosh! If you could see him run it would make your hair blow! He also loves any sort of accolades given in this regard.

3) He is reading – and proud of it! This is always such a fun stage for me when the kids first learn to read, and they find the words they know on signs,
on mail, and in books. Emeron enjoys it for the most part, as long as he reads in small, short intervals. :)

4) Ems loves the colors DARK BLUE and RED. He is a BYU fan, after all – and loves to share that with anyone who happens to be wearing blue.
And did you know that RED is mostly a spiderman color, and not so much a UTE color?

5) Emeron is a superhero at heart! Any given day he is always the good-guy – saving the world! (If only he could help us on this Election Day.)

We love you Emeron!! You are our Very Important Person today and always. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!