2008 Region Showcase

Last night we went to the 2008 Region Showcase that featured the dance companies of Orem High, Timpanogos High, and Pleasant Grove High. It was at Timpanogos High School and it was a blast! Each team performed 3 dances that they've been working on.

Before the show started I tracked down Maddie and Abi. Abi is the captain of Timpanogos' Dance company. It's fun for 2 cousins to be on rival teams!

Orem High doing their introMaddie in the "hip hop" danceAbi front and center!

Me and Maddie after the show

We also saw Zack (Maddie's other cousin - he and Abi were born 1 week apart) Zack was there taking yearbook pictures for Timapanogos.

Halloween Party

Dave's sister, Sandy - and her daughter - Alisa, threw their annual Halloween party and it was a blast. They do such a great job decorating, make delicious food, and just making everyone feel so at home. Here are some shots of everyone's costumes.

Dave and Marianne Heaps (Miss Kitty and John Wayne)

Maddie (Tin Foil Alien Girl) and Abi (Not dressed up!)

Jared and Brittany (Priest and Pregnant Nun)

My mom and dad (Skeletons) with Maddie

Dave (Salvation Army Santa) Lynn (Witch) Sandy (Witch) and Maddie

Dave and I before we left. I don't know what you'd call me but I hate to dress up and I found these plastic bullets at the Halloween store and thought they'd go well with the jacket Dave got in Mexico and my sombrero!

Our Little Cheerleader

The Orem High Cheerleaders always but a clinic on for the little girls that want to try their hand at it. Our friend, Carlie told us about it and Emmie and her BFF Jill couldn't wait! They practiced for 2 days and then performed on Friday night at half time at the Varsity football game. She was so excited to get to perform like her big sister!

Jill and Emmie after practice

Emmie, Carlie, and JillMaddie and Emmie before we left for the big game.A blurry shot of her performingThe stars after the show!

HSM 3

Yes, we saw it! It was a little cheesy in some parts but we still loved it. Once Maddie and Talbie got home, Brittany and I checked the elementary school kids out of school early so we could go see it. Some of the kids were excited to go, some complained about it, but afterwards we were all happy we saw it!

Scenes from UEA Weekend

We didn't do anything too exciting over our fall break - but here are a few shots of some things we did do.

A little while ago I ordered something that I was going to use for Christmas gifts. When it came in the mail, they had sent the wrong thing! I called the company but they said it would cost too much to ship them back - so they told me to keep it - no charge - and they'd resend what I had ordered! It was a box of all these random stickers. Score! The kids went around the neighborhood selling these the first morning.

Then we went to Borders to spend their hard earned cash!

Bronson trying to find a "Goosebumps" book that he doesn't already have!

My parents had taken Bronson out to lunch and to "Halloween USA" for his late birthday celebrations - so we had to go check it out afterwards. I took Bronson and Emmie with me.

It's a great store with just about anything you'd ever need for Halloween. Including a spook alley!

Emmie's reaction to the spook alley!(Isn't it horrible when your child is screaming and you think, "I need a picture of that!")

Charity and Nail Polish

I've been thinking a lot about charity lately and there was a beautiful story told in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. It was about an elderly couple that had been married for years when the wife lost her eyesight and was almost blind. The only way she could see things were if they were held up right against her eye. Her dear husband, knowing how much she loved to have her fingernails painted, would paint her nails. When his wife would bring her fingers up, nearly touching her eyes, she could see her beautiful nails and it made her happy.

I thought about this and I knew, without a doubt that Dave would do this for me. But - I wasn't so sure about my son. So - I leaned over and said, "Bronson, if I lost my eyesight and went blind, would you paint my fingernails for me?" He didn't even hesitate and said, "Yes." Then I thought I'd push it and I said, "What about my toenails?" He said, "Sure."

What a good boy!

Update to Prior Post...

Many of you have encouraged us to be daring and wear the below costumes to our Ward "Trunk-or-Treat". We have been daring in the past, but not this daring! I remember the year that we shaved Dave's head (just the top) and left his hair longer on the sides. He was the Elder's Quorum Pres at the time and he went as a HIGH PRIEST. I don't remember anyone thinking it was that funny - especially the High Priests! Then there was the year we went as a Nun and a Priest. Adam and Eve might be too much for some people!!

Dave Thinks We Should Be...

... for Halloween. I don't think so!!

Meeting Rachel Bilson...

Today I took the "Maddie's" to find Halloween costumes in Salt Lake and look who we ran in to! We were leaving and Maddie M spotted her walk into the store. We turned around and followed her back in to see if it was really her. It was! They wanted a picture taken with her but they were too scared to talk to her. I went up to her and asked her for a picture. She was really nice about it. Pretty fun!

Look at These Cute Babies~

Before the cold weather set in last weekend, Dave and Bronson got the bunnies winterized and put a bunch of straw in their cage. We also had to introduce the mommy and babies back to the big cage. I have done a lot of reading about bunnies and they say you're not supposed to have them stay together, but our bunnies are so nice to each other and we've never had an ounce of trouble with the big bunnies being mean to the babies. I hope the trend continues cause they've been together for almost 2 years now.

Watch this cute video of the babies trying out their new house!

Dear Little Molly!

On Saturday Dave and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the temple and see our dearest friends in the world - sealed to their little girl! They waited years and years for Molly to come to their house and they were able to adopt her when she was born. You have to wait a very long 6 months to make everything final before you can have the sealing. She is such a blessing. Not only to her parents, but to everyone she flashes that big smile to. I just love her!!

I can't remember when I was so moved by the Spirit as I was that day. When her parents walked into the sealing room I was overcome by emotions. When they brought Molly in, I lost it. Dave and I feel honored to have been a witness to such a wonderful event.

I made this little pillow for her but I didn't want to post it until I had given it to her mom. I didn't want to spoil the surprise.


Britt - this is what it looked like when it was done and I had spelled her name wrong. You have the version when I tried to make the "i" in Jacquelyne - a "y" :)

Is it Me...

...or is anyone else getting sick of these blog backgrounds? I'm just about ready to go back to plain and simple!!

Grape Juice

I love homemade grape juice. It reminds me of my childhood. My mom always made grape juice in the fall and we would drink in all winter. She would heat it up and we would drink it warm. It's a tradition I carry on with my family.

We have lived in our house for 12 years and every spring I think about planting grapes and every year passes by and I haven't done it yet! I could kick myself!!! Next spring I'm committed to do it.

Our wonderful neighbor gave us these grapes this year and I made grape juice yesterday. It's the easiest thing in the world to can and canning always makes me feel like a little squirrel - gathering nuts for the winter.

The Mall and Makeovers

Maddie and Talbie had some "girly time" at the mall on Saturday and got makeovers. It was fun for both of them but especially Talbie. She has make up but she never wears it. They helped give her some pointers on ways to put it on and look good. We had lots of fun!

Go Tigers!

It's Homecoming weekend for Orem High! Dave and I are both alumni from OHS (even though we both just went our senior years there) and it was fun to be back - especially to watch Maddie perform. We went to the assembly that day at school and watched the Dance Company perform. Then they performed at the football game that night. It sure brings back memories from when I used to do that! It actually feels weired to be old enough to have a daughter doing what I feel like I did just yesterday - even though it's been 20 years!

Brooke, Ali, and Maddie after the assembly

The Heal family came to watch the game too!

Us at the game...it was the best "recital" Bronson had ever been to! He always has to sit through dance recitals, but this time he got to watch a football game before!

Maddie hates it when I take her picture. I was able to capture this one as she ran into her good friend, Josie - who just moved from our ward before school started!

The tiger mascot was very scary to Dallin and Emmie - but they warmed up to him at the end.

Getting ready to perform!

School Pictures - 2008

The kids have all gotten their school pictures back. We have really had good luck with school pictures and I've never needed to get retakes. Maddie wasn't very happy with her picture because it was taken the first week of school and she's so tan against her blond hair. I think they all turned out great!

Birthday Fun

On Friday night, I was at the church teaching a class or our ward's "Fabulous Friday" craft night. Dave was a trooper and he took Bronson and all his friends to see Kung Fu Panda at the dollar movie and then they came home for root beer floats.

On Saturday night, Dave and I took Bronson out for his birthday dinner. He choose "Fuddruckers" because he loves to play the games.




Then on Sunday we had the family over for cake and ice cream. He had a great birthday!!