What is going on here?

It all started on conference weekend. As the family was sitting downstairs watching conference, JD was inspired to totally gut the basement! And things have taken off just as fast. My basement is trashed right now but JD is so excited about what he is doing he promises it won't take too long!


JD is loving this demolition stuff! He is having a great time tearing off all that stupid paneling and ripping off sheetrock!



We are changing things up a bit down there. The whole point of all this is to move Josh and Dawson down to their own room. So we are putting a wall in the middle. One side will be a bedroom the other will be the family room.

We are also changing the bathroom. The door and shower are changing places. It will be so nice when it gets done. But I'm not quite seeing the end in sight any time soon but JD does!

Viva Las Vegas

Auntie Alissa is home from her mission. She served in the Oakland California Temple Square Mission! (Her mission was where I grew up. She even had a zone conference in one of the Pleasanton buildings- I'm so jealous -I miss it a lot!) We are so glad she is home! Lissy met Rissy for the first time!

What is that? Some kind of Tanner fish monster? He had a great time swimming in the hot tub!

Yes Josh and Dawson did go off the slide into the freezing pool! They would go down the slide then swim as fast as they could to get to the warm hot tub. They loved it!

We don't usual venture to the strip because it is always a total mess to drive down there but we did this time. We wanted to go to the M&M world. We made it there with JD grumbling about traffic and me grumbling about how much I hate Las Vegas because of all the filth everywhere. "Boys look at me, boys look over here, boys let's just close our eyes for a while!"

We met Red the M&M who lost his M in Las Vegas. (It's a 10min 3D movie they show there). Tanner was pretty freaked out to see that walking M&M (personally I think he was faking his fear just so he could scream like a girl in the store). It was pretty funny though! Marissa didn't mind Red at all!

This was on our last night there. The boys zonked out in like 5 minutes! And if you know my kids, especially Josh, that is totally unprecedented. Here they are on grandma and grandpa's bed!

I Love Love Love Fall!

Tanner, Marissa and I ventured out today! I said to Tanner at lunchtime - let's go on a hike. So we ate and left.

The fall leaves were awesome and the brisk cool air was wonderful!

We went to the Bridal Veil Falls trail. I highly recommend this simple but beautiful walk!

Making a quick pile of leaves!

Loving the leaves all over the ground!

Best of buds - Tanner and Rissy!

The Best Birthday Present a girl could ask for!

So yesterday was my birthday and it was great. Heather came and visited me and brought me tickets to the BYU Spectacular, I talked to my good friend Natalie from Missouri for 45 minutes, my mom, dad, my sisters and JDs sisters all called and two of JD's classes sang Happy Birthday to me over the phone. The phone was busy yesterday but it was nice. Tanner had preschool so Marissa and I hung out at home. When I went to pick Tanner up his teacher came over to me and said how much she loves my son. What a great helper he is and what a good boy he is. Josh and Dawson had early out for parent teacher conferences so we headed over there with the whole bunch of us. We saw Dawson's teacher first and she had nothing but great things to say about him. He is doing great in school, he is respectful, he is kind and an all around great kid. Then we saw Josh's teacher and again nothing but wonderful things. Doing great in school, works well with anyone, kind. My heart was full. We usually hear good things at parent teacher conferences but yesterday it just really boosted me up. I am so thankful for such wonderful, awesome boys. So as we were leaving the school I told JD that I had just gotten the best birthday present. At home things aren't always ideal - I definitely don't have perfect kids but it was just nice to hear that at school they are so well behaved and respectful!

I also got exactly what I wanted from JD and the kids. A pink IPOD nano. It is the brand new one that just came out. It is sweet and I am having fun with it. This picture is not only funny looking of me but check out Dawson taking in a big breath and Tanner blowing from across the table with me - funny boys!

Oh No

Jagged old nasty fireplace and Marissa - need I say more!



This is where the picture of her falling head first into her basket of toys goes!