Love It!

If Disneyland were my friend on Facebook, I would love it. I'm not embarrassed to say that I shed a few tears when I walked through the front gates onto Main Street. Disneyland still holds all the magic that it always has. Dereck and I agree that we probably love it a little more than our kids. Their favorite part of our trip was the stop in St. George with a whole lot of their Canadian cousins.

Sweet Little Sister Friends

Ski School

Kiara and I had a fun time in ski school this winter! We're on the same level.

Kiara might be a little better than me actually.

Looking out Ava's window at a deer

Merry Christmas!

It is July as I write this and my air conditioning just kicked on, but I'm already looking forward to Christmas this year. What a magical, wonderful time of year!

Before:

After:

The Bests of the Season

The traditional Williams white elephant gift exchange

School Christmas Programs

And sledding at Jeremy Ranch on Christmas Eve

Christmas in the Heart of Draper

We found the best place to visit the cutest Santa.

I'm afraid to let the word out because it was free and there was no line!

The Draper Youth Council had a bunch of cute little crafts to make and treats! If you really must know, it was here.

You can tell how much Ava loved him.

Kate's enjoying her chocolate chip cookie!

Here Kiara is reviewing her list with Santa.

Little Miss Mae

Discovered how to empty the book shelf of books in seconds

Discovered eyes

Giving Thanks

This year we were able to have Thanksgiving at our house-twice! Once with my mom and stepdad and family and again with my dad's side of the family. It was wonderful.

We train them young on how to scour the ads in preparation for Black Friday!

My very talented brother-in-law Luis drew pictures for the kids to color on their paper tablecloth.

Paper plates are the best! I guess I won't be featured on Martha Stewart. Dang It!

Foto Fly

I would highly recommend this studio to do your next family photos or kids photos. They have a flat fee and they give you a CD with all the images on it so you can print and publish as you wish (no need for copyright release for pictures of your own kin). I still love, love, love this studio as well.

We Moved!

Somewhere in the middle of everything else, we moved! (On October 30)

The worst part of moving: leaving our old neighborhood. We still miss dear friends and neighbors.

Luckily we are only about 2 miles from our old house, so we still get to run in to lots of people close by.

The best part of moving: more space for you to come visit and to join us for dinner!

Come see us anytime. Please!

Veterans

Kiara's school only celebrates 2 holidays: Veterans Day and Memorial Day and boy, do they ever celebrate them!

All students were encouraged to invite a veteran to a special breakfast and assembly in their honor. I cried all through the assembly as I sat by my grandpa and thought about his honorable and selfless service to our country and to his family. He is indeed a part of the greatest generation. I love you, Grandpa!

Kiara's First Day of Kindergarten

Does she look a little nervous? I think her mom was more nervous!

Kiara, Miss Eschler, and friend Rylee

Cousins

My sister thinks they look like an old married couple. Sometimes they act like one.

Ava + Bananas = Love

O Canada! (2010)

We got to wave to Dereck's dad, Broyce, in the Cardston Days Parade. All the grandkids love to join him on their horses. Look at cute Nicholas in his chaps. He's the same age as Kiara. Broyce still serves as an MLA (like our state legislature).

Swimming at Cameron Lake

Climbing into Grandma's treehouse

The girls are getting a little more brave on the horses. They're not standing up on their horses yet like their cousins. I'm just saying it was a big deal to ride without their dad. He was leading them the whole time though from his horse Fred.

The cousins had fun taking turns bottle feeding the calf that lost its mother. This is pretty little Taylor.

We took a really neat side trip for a couple days. We stayed with Brett and Paula in Calgary. They live in a beautiful neighborhood by a lake. Then we drove to Lake Louise and Banff and then back to Mountain View on the Cowboy Trail Highway. I had never been in such unpopulated beauty! That drive home was amazing.

Banff Springs Hotel

Lake Louise

The best part is being surrounded by wonderful family! Linda had a lamb roast at her house on Sunday night. What a great turnout for dinner. Dereck's Grandma Mary is surrounded by her posterity.

I keep asking myself why I had never hiked Bears Hump in Waterton National Park (the Canadian side of Glacier National Park) before. It's 1 mile straight up, but look at the view!