Eddie's Top Ten Favorites

1. Playing basketball.

2. Playing soccer.

3. Watching inspirational sports movies with his dad.

4. Throwing Frisbees with Kyle.

5. Talking about sports with other sports enthusiasts.

6. Wearing sports jerseys.

7. Reading books and magazines about sports.

8. Pears (he's eaten like 6 in the past two days and will probably hate them soon).

9. Listening to "Mrs. Robinson", by Simon and Garfunkel.

10. Playing Dance Dance Revolution in the arcade with his mom (this might be my favorite more than his).

Hannah's Top Ten Favorites

1. Reading.
2. Teasing her dad.
3. BYU.
4. Playing tag with friends.
5. 7th Grade Choir (she likes her teacher and singing).
6. Signing up to participate in everything she possibly can.
7. Walking home from school with friends.
8. Saving money for her trip to Boston.
9. Going to Young Womens.
10. Acting.
    
    

A Million Children

Ginger has been talking a lot lately about wanting to be a mom when she grows up. The other day she told me she wants to have a million children. When I asked her where she was going to put them all, she said, "All the girls will have princess rooms and all my boys will have Batman rooms."

Squishy-Face Photos

As many of you know, squishy-face photos are my favorite . . . . . but they aren't always the easiest to capture. Thanks to my talented and kind sister-in-law Becky, we have some new ones to choose from. Some of the ones that "didn't turn out" are my favorite. Help me choose which one to make a large photo of for my wall by voting for your favorite in the comment section. Thanks!!!

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Hannah Turns Twelve

No birthday of my own will ever make me feel older than realizing how old my kids are getting. Hannah turned 12 this week. She is ecstatic . . . I am exhausted. How is it possible that my child is old enough to wear makeup, go to girls camp (without me), and is soon to be starting middle school??? Have that many years gone by? It seems like only yesterday I was the one who was excited about turning 12.

I took Hannah for a twelve year old makeover so she could learn how to wear makeup tastefully. (I wore blue eyeshadow, globby black mascara, and frosty pink lipstick at that age. Ya, it was bad--I won't go into detail about my share of ozone layer depletion via Aqua Net usage.) I tried to coach Hannah in proper before and after shot modeling. I think she did a good job.

Before

After

Hannah also had a murder mystery birthday party . . . with BOYS!!! I'm sure you believe me when I say, "I watched them like a hawk." I'm lucky and relieved that they are all good kids, but I tell you I got a little nervous when they started playing "Murder in the Dark" and "I've never . . . " I think I've officially decided that there will be no parties after the age of 12 in my house. I don't think I can handle it.

Hannah was Sherlock Holmes in the murder mystery

These pictures are kinda dark, it made it more mysterious.

Dear Hannah, I am proud of the young woman you are becoming. I brag about you to all my friends and honestly don't think I could be any more blessed as a mother. You are kind, confident, intellegent, thoughtful, hard working, and silly. I love ya and I like ya too. Have the best 12th year imaginable. ♥-Mom

Marky's Christmas E-mail

Below this blurb there is a link to view Marky's Christmas E-mail. I'd just like to say that not everything he says about me is completely true. I want everyone to think about how often they see me without makeup (it's got to be more often than you see me with makeup, right?). Anyways, enjoy---I think he did a good job on it.

www.funnymanwhodoestricks.com/santasong.html

She is just Sooo HUGE!!

Ginger went to Primary for the first time on Sunday (she finally joined the big kids at church). She came home a changed kid. I told her she was so BIG---she prefers to be called HUGE. All day Sunday she walked around like she had grown two inches taller. Monday, she wore panties and had her first potty training success. Monday night, she decided that she was big now and could say a prayer all by herself for the first time (she went on and on and on---I'm still not quite sure what she said, because she was whispering, but she did it all by herself). Tuesday morning (today), she decides she will get herself dressed for the first time. The greatest part about this moment is that, even though she is holding one sleeve in her hand, she still doesn't realize it's a shirt! I'm still laughing right now as I type this. It's been three hours since she put it on and she's still wearing it----completely proud, standing 2 inches taller----because she dressed herself.