The Glazier 5

New State, New Schools, New Teachers...

2011-09-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

That's a lot to conquer..

Madison - Kindergarten (again!)

Tanner - 7th grade (first year in middle school)

Alex - 3rd grade

But hopefully with all these new fun neighborhood friends, you will survive!

Finally...

2011-09-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

After nearly 7 months of living in uncertainty and apart, we finally got our family back together under one roof!

(Now the question is, can we get all our junk back under one roof?)

Before the onslaught of boxes!

And the chaos begins!

Looks like our Saturday's will be a bit more busy than with our AZ desert landscaping!

But the best part is...it's only a bike ride away! Come visit!

How Time Flies

2011-09-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

It's been almost 4 months since we left Arizona. In some ways it seems like just yesterday and in other ways eons ago! Here is a little glimpse of what we've been up to:

Moving Day...amazingly all 23K lbs fit into the 18-wheeler! We were getting a little worried towards the end!

Hello California! Even if it was only for a week in HB (thanks Uncle Lon & Aunt Grace!)...next up Utah! The kids are quite certain we are vagabonds!

Spent some time with cousins and second cousins!

More time with Tueller cousins - on the Heber Creeper (and it definitely creeped!)

Good times with G&G Glazier at the Hogle Zoo

Said goodbye to Aunt Bev and Uncle Dave ...El Salvador will Love you!

Did some Alpine sliding in Park City - glad to have our Dad join us for the weekend!

Welcomed home Aunt Carol and Uncle Mike from 3 years in Chile!

Hiked with Grandma Chris to Ensign Peak

And finally found this circus tent to move into!

Hello CALIFORNIA!

Going Private!

2011-09-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

Let me know if you want access...no promises on how often I'll post, but hopefully more than once every 2 years!

I heart SF

2009-10-22T21:10:00.001-07:00

They're Done...

2009-06-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

For six long, I mean short weeks!

Madison's preschool graduation with Ms. Nicole

Alex with Ms. Lowe (Kindergarten)

and apparently 4th graders are just too cool to have their Mom's come in for a pic with the teacher - maybe I'll have to sneak in next year Tanner!

Keeping Tradition

2009-01-12T19:19:00.000-08:00

Every year that I can remember, my paternal grandparents and now my parents have always made a big batch of Bratceli's just in time for the holidays. They are a thin Swiss cookie made from lots of butter, sugar cinnamon and a hint of lemon...hmm, no wonder they are so good! The recipe comes straight from Switzerland and has been passed down from generation to generation. After serving a mission in England, my dad was able to travel to Switzerland before returning home. During his travels, he found a bratceli iron and brought it home to his mother who had also spent many years making these with her family.

In years past, I had helped here and there rolling the dough into small balls, but had mostly just enjoyed sampling the finished product. But this year, I knew it was something that I wanted to make sure I knew how to do from start to finish. I wanted to learn the "tricks of the trade" so that I could pass this tradition on to my children. Especially since my parents have been able to secure a few more irons in their travels and with the help of a good Swiss friend. And I'm hoping that I might inherit one of them! (hint, hint - and I promise I'll be a good girl!) Here are some photos of our attempt - and yes, I conned everyone into helping! Unfortunatley during our fun cooking adventure we lost track of Madison and cousin Josh! They apparently didn't think it was their thing and decided to check out Grandma Chris' bedroom and take a peek at all of her beautifully wrapped Christmas presents! Grandma Chris wasn't too happy! I think eventually she decided to laugh about it! :-)

Everyone rolling tiny balls

According to Grandma Tueller you have to give them a little curl - no flat bratcelis around here!

The aftermath of Madison and Josh - two days BEFORE Christmas!

thankful

2008-12-01T20:27:00.000-08:00

we are thankful for...gingerbread houses with grandma chrisslumber party with the cousins and using every blanket we had in the house mesa temple christmas lights with all of us!
a yummy feast!

and great big cousin hugs - come back soon!

Confession

2008-11-16T19:23:00.001-08:00

We broke all tradition tonight! It's true...we put up a Christmas Tree before Thanksgiving. {Gasp!} I know, you are thinking we are horrible, unthankful people! More confessions? We've resorted to artificial. {Gasp!} Yep, two of them! This would have never happened to us in Washington or Virginia. I've always dug my heels in and insisted on a fresh, evergreen scented, pine needles everywhere type of tree. How can you have artificial when you are surrounded by the real thing?

And, we've always waited until the day after Thanksgiving when we'd put our boots and gloves on, pack the car with a saw and some twine, find ourselves a U-Cut Christmas tree farm and pick out the most beautiful tree we could find. So what happened this year? I've just got the bug even though the sun is still shining brightly, there is no sign of snow or inclement weather and I haven't even made a single Christmas present purchase. So tonight we lugged the Christmas tree box off the top shelf in the garage, pieced the tree together like a puzzle, fluffed it's branches, plugged it in and voila, we've got ourselves a tree! A little different that what we are used to, but the kiddos still had the "It's Beginning To Feel a Lot Like Christmas" smile written all over their faces!

Of course, the webkinz had to make it into the picture too!

Oh, I guess I'd better confess this too... I've been listening to 99.9FM for all you locals. Hey, they are playing it and I'm listening to it! I know Mom, I'm breaking a BIG rule!

Participating in Democracy

2008-11-10T22:14:00.000-08:00

Election day is always a fun and exciting day. Going to the voting booth, knowing the endless commercials are coming to an end, and the excitement of watching the results come in as the polls close help make the day unique from the other mundane Tuesdays. This year it was especially fun for me to share it with Tanner and Alex. They helped us fill out our mail-in ballots, with each of them taking turns completing the arrows on the ballot for the candidates we were voting for. It was also fun answering their questions about the various topics, and seeing their surprising enthusiasm for certain candidates. The best part was watching with the boys as the results came in from across the country. We had the TV on and the Internet up. As the results started to trickle in we watched the map of the United States change colors, and followed the count of the Electoral College. It really surprised me how interested and excited they were to see how this whole democracy things works. We talked about the math involved that's necessary to win the election. Minute by minute as new results surfaced they would yell for each other to come watch, and Alex would run into the other room declaring, "Mom, we just won Texas." Tanner counted up the minimum number of states a candidate needed to win the electoral college and thus the presidency (btw, it's 11). Alex started to keep his own tally of the electoral college so he could take the results with him around the house to tell others. He did it in the margins of his kindergarten coloring and writing assignment, and as you can see from the picture he had to keep erasing and updating Barack Obama's count so often that he actually wore through the paper. I was so proud of their interest and basic understanding of how this process works. Hopefully they'll remember the fun of participating in the experience and also how to accept victory and defeat while being a "good sport." We can savor our victories, and if we don't like the outcome, we can work harder to change it next time.

Lest we forget that Hallowed Eve...

2008-11-04T15:10:00.001-08:00

Alex's Pumpkin Bat

Transformer (Alex), Cinderella (Madison) and Star Wars dude (Tanner)

The Princesses

The Princess and Fairy

The Wicked Old Witch (or Mom, whatever you prefer)and the beautiful Cinderella!
I'm thinking I'll go dark next trip to the Caldwell salon! What do ya think Crystal? Maybe not!

Crashing after the sugar high and enjoying a flick on the Martinez driveway!

A star is born (especially for Grandparents)

2008-10-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

Madison is learning so many new things in her "Shinning Stars" pre-school. She loves going and playing with all the other kids. I was amazed that she knew the Pledge of Allegiance. I don't think I could recite it at three years old. She is our little star. Enjoy the show.

Be on the lookout

2008-10-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like the political discourse in America is alive and well. Voters are pondering the issues, and browsing up and down the aisles of the marketplace of ideas. We've tried to do our part. We've put out two "Yes on 102" signs in our yard and both have been eagerly snatched up presumably by opponents of the initiative who apparently didn't know where to get their own signs. Rather than express their own views they prefer to squelch ours. The first sign we put out was gone the very next day, and I assumed that it had just blown away because it had been a blustery day and the sign wasn't stapled to the stick. The next sign I put up, I made sure to staple it to the stick and hammer it in extra deep. A few days later it was gone too - stick and all. I've heard that a few other neighbors have had their signs taken or vandalized, so I guess I shouldn't feel too special. You'd think that instead of risking getting caught stealing a political sign out of someone's yard, it would just be easier to put out your own sign with the opposing view point.

It will be interesting to see how these three initiatives fare with the voters in each of their states this November. Prop 102 in Arizona, Prop 8 in California, and Prop 2 in Florida are basically similar state Constitutional amendments that attempt to prohibit gay marriage, and simply define marriage as between a man and a woman. In California, a Survey USA poll shows that as of October 17th, 48% of the people surveyed supported the initiative, 45% opposed it, and 7% were undecided. It's going to be a close battle. Some people think that if Obama begins to show early signs of winning in the east on Nov. 4th that it could suppress the No Voters on Prop 8 in California because of a sense that victory is in the bag for Obama, however the same could also happen to the Yes Voters because disgruntled McCain supporters might stay home wallowing in defeat. In Arizona, a recent Cronkite/Eight Poll showed that 49% of respondents planned to vote for Prop. 102, while 40% were against it, and 9% were undecided. We can't take any results for granted here in AZ, so please be sure to get out and vote early for Prop. 102.

A moment of silence, please . . .

2008-10-16T23:08:00.000-07:00

I am officially in mourning over the BYU loss to TCU tonight. Dim the lights, lower the flag, silence the TV, and bow your heads. It was an awful game! Not only was it a complete butt-whoppin', and it ended their double digit winning streak, and it dashed all hope for a BCS bowl bid, and it does away with all the hasty Max-Hall-for-Heisman talk, but it reminds me again that in the eyes of the NCAA BYU will always be a second class citizen on the outside of the BCS bowl system looking in. The whole bowl structure is a farce and a scam. It needs to be changed so all schools have an equal opportunity to land the big bowl games. The current system of the "Haves" and the "Have Nots" does nothing but protect and perpetuate certain college brands based on opinion and fluctuating perception. It is a sham beauty contest with different hurdles for different schools trying to gain access to the same bowl game. I think it is high time for Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah), Senator Daniel Inouye (Hawaii) and Senator Larry Craig (Idaho) [okay, many not Sen. Craig, how about Sen. Mike Crapo] to launch a Congressional investigation into how the NCAA and the BCS choose bowl game contenders. Better yet, why doesn't some disgruntled Mid-Major university file an anti-trust lawsuit against the NCAA and dispute this false notion of open competition in college football. And as long as Barack Obama is going to be sitting in the Oval Office after his campaign of "CHANGE," maybe he can champion this cause of justice, equality and fairness in the form of NCAA reform as part of his new administration. I guess before we start lighting the torches to storm the castle, maybe it would just be better for BYU to win all of its games first. So, in anticipation of next week's game, let's all "Rise and shout, the Courgars are out. . . ."

To help with everyone's grieving, I have attached a link to a homemade video my nephew and his wife made for a family reunion video contest. It is very funny. All True Blue BYU fans will love it. You'll have to scroll down past the picture of the yellow Tonka truck, and if you get to the pictures of Cosmo, Max Hall and Austin Collie, then you've gone too far. Enjoy.

http://theglazierfamily.blogspot.com/

It's TRUE...

2008-10-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

We are out of the Terrible Two's (or so the saying goes)! But quite honestly, I'm not really all that excited to have my baby grow up. I love this stage with her. I keep telling her she can't get any bigger and I want her to stay just how she is. Although she is fiesty, stubborn, oh so dramatic and has more determination than ever to keep up with her two big brothers, she is a ray of sunlight in our home with her energy, spunk and curiousity. Every morning for the last couple of weeks she asks me, "Who's birthday is it today?" I would have to tell her it was somebody's in the world, but not hers. Well, finally "her" big day arrived and she is now happily and officially THREE! And like all three year old girls she celebrated like a PRINCESS!

We love you little Madison! Happy Birthday!

Training Wheels Come Off

2008-09-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Alex passed a big milestone recently. He learned to ride his bike without his training wheels! We took the necessary precautions and decked him out in elbow and knee pads and strapped on his helmet, and went out to the street one evening after the weather had cooled down. He must have just been ready and ripe for this big step because he didn't take long to get the hang of it. I held the back of his bike seat and ran behind him a few steps and gave him a big push and off he went peddling and balancing down the road. He was a little nervous and kept looking over his shoulder to see if I was still there as back up, so I reminded him to keep looking forward to maintain his balance. I ran behind him a few trips up and down the street to make sure he didn't crash, and after a few times he didn't even need me to do that. He did great! He quickly learned how to turn around so he could came back toward home at the end of the street (and not be like Forrest Gump heading straight off to the horizon), but when it came time to stop, he did have a little trouble. Instead of braking until the bike stops and then putting your foot down, he went with the "abandon ship" method where the bike slows, and right before it stops, he jumps off or stands up as it collapses under him. Whatever works. We'll practice those details later, but for now, he is a riding and balancing machine. He loves it, and it is fun to see him enjoy it and feel like one of the big kids.

The Power of a Black Bat

2008-09-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

Today was the day Alex has been waiting for ...the day he finally got to go to the dentist! Without going into all the details of previously failed visits, the number of dentists we have seen and the expenses we've incurred, we had told Alex that if he was brave and didn't get too crazy on us, we'd buy him his new favorite, "have to have" Black Bat webkinz. {I know, you've got to love bribery!} So needless to say, the past few weeks he has been all consumed with figuring out the number of days {he is a numbers kind of guy} until he could "earn" his next webkinz. The fact that he was going to have six more cavaties filled was purely secondary. Fortunately with the help of a little "sleepy juice" this time around, he did just fine and was a mighty brave and courageous little guy. We now have a Black Bat roaming our house and a happy boy that hopefully doesn't have to go back to the dentist for a long, long time! Who knew Webkinz could have such power?

Why, Oh Why???

2008-09-11T15:51:00.001-07:00

After working my tail off for an hour doing this

do I come home and find and indulge in these

when my fridge is fully stocked with spinach, cantelope, strawberries, whole wheat bread...

Back to work I go! Ugh!!

and no I didn't eat 60 packs....just enough to satisfy that sweet and salty craving!

Mmmm....THE Bread!

2008-09-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

How do you make approximately 24loaves of bread in just an hour and a half ? Just invite all of your favorite Beehives and of course The Expert, Trish to come over and voila! We didn't quite get them in the pans or cooked, but we still had a great time learning how to make that yummy sacrament bread. Thanks Trish!

Did I mention that I'm still finding flour everywhere? :-)

Labor Day Adventures (or misadventures...) at White Horse Lake

2008-09-05T10:29:00.001-07:00

Our neighbors invited us to go "camping" with them over Labor Day weekend. We, of course, thought "sure, we'll go" because our kids just think camping is the greatest thing ever! Anything to make the kids happy and give them outdoor experiences, right? Now, I use the term camping loosly, because for our kind neighbors who invited us, "camping" is done in a brand new huge camper with all the amenities of home....fridge, microwave, beds, etc...you get the picture! For us , think not so luxurious like tent, dirt, bugs, mud... oh, so fun! So, after spending a day and a half packing, trying to figure out a menu that can last in the cooler for 3 days with only the ice that you take and watching the weather reports that didn't look promising, we finally get into to the car for what should be a 3 1/2 hour drive. Well that 3 1/2 hour drive turned into something like 7 with all the "quick errands" we needed to do on the way out, horrible holiday traffic, "I have to go potty" stops and a few phone calls from the neighbors who had made it to the campsite earlier reporting that they were having torrential rain storms. We were sooo close to turning around and heading back home. In fact, I had my three day weekend "honey-do list" already figured out in my head! But alas, from the back seat two little voices said, "We don't care if it rains, we'll still have fun and not complain!" "Really?, No crying if you get wet and muddy?" Nate and I tried to confirm with them. "Really!" they said. So, we pressed forward! And fun they had even with some major downpours here and there. We took a hike, attempted fishing, ate too many s'mores, took in the cool refreshing mountain air and, amazingly, the tent actually stayed dry! (inside that is! :-)

Nate whipping up some pancakes!

Madison & Jacob doing some diggin'

Balancing Act

Got to love catch and release!

Girlies playing with the bait

Tanner really getting serious about this fishing thing!

Oh so happy that neighbors have dogs so I don't have to!

Yippee For Our Shining Star!

2008-08-05T16:52:00.002-07:00

After watching her brothers start the new school year, Madison has been beside herself waiting for her turn to go to pre-school. Every day she would ask, "Do I get to go to "Shiny Staw" today? Unfortunately the answer was always "no, not yet!" Finally the day arrived...and this is how she came down the stairs in the morning ready to head off to her very first day of preschool...and the terrifying part--she is still only two!

After a little mother intervention and a lot of coaxing we made it out the door looking like this...

Ahh, much better! (Or at least a little more innocent :-))

We love this Shining Star!

A Relinquished Job

2008-07-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

I'd venture out to say that when a child decides to take on a household job, most mothers are more than happy to let them take it on. Well my little Madison has decided to take on this job...

Yep that's right she is now my resident cricket, silver fish any kind of bug catcher! She is quick to get her tissue and once she has the culprit captured, into the toilet it goes! I have no intention of EVER putting this task back on MY "to-do" list!

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

We've had a great FOJ weekend, felt spoiled to have our Daddy home for an extra day and a half, ate way to much and swam 'til our hearts content!

Madison taking a ride! Nothing like filling up on Doritos!

Chillin' in the "Hot Tub" with Alyssia in between sliding and swimming in the real pool!

We are so sad to say "adios" to our sweet neighbors, the Smiths. We will miss them wish them all the best in Alabama!

Around The World and Back Again

2008-06-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it wasn't around the world, but it sure felt like it after logging in approximately 2,400 miles on our good 'ol travellin' van. Talk about living in your vehicle...by the end of our trip that poor van needed a bath inside and out! Even though the drive up to SLC is not the most scenic or pleasant, we tried to break it up so it wasn't as bad. Our first pit stop was in Las Vegas. We got a great deal on a hotel through one of those last minute travel sites and actually had good luck with a nice Hilton. We spent the morning swimming and as all tourist to Las Vegas must do, cruised down the strip (with me crossing my fingers the kids would not see anything they shouldn't...ugh!) After Vegas we hit the road and after many a potty stop (thanks Madison!) we made it to SLC. We spent the first couple of days with my parents while Nate left for a business trip to Idaho. We also spent some time with my family up at Park City at my aunt's condo and celebrated my parent's 40th anniversary. The weather was a little chilly for us Arizonans but it didn't slow the kids down. They loved the Alpine Slide (wished they could do it again but the parents are too cheap!), swimming, Cousin Camp activities and just hanging out! Tanner and Alex at Grandma and Grandpa's throwing bread to the ducks and fish!

Glazier and Anderson cousins

Cousins at Park City

We then journeyed over to South Jordan with Nate's parents and tried to get in as much time with Mike and Carol and their family before they departed for their 3 year stay in Santiago, Chile and Greg's 2 years to Concepcion, Chile (how lucky to be serving in the same country as his parents!) We enjoyed being able to attend their combined missionary farewell - what a spiritual feast it was for all of us. Each one of them will be a great missionary. Nate also gained another year (we won't mention which year! :-) while on vacation so we had to do a little birthday celebrating. We managed to hike up to Timpanogas Cave with the kids and encouraged Nate's parents who are in their mid 70's to join us. I think they had second thoughts about a 1/4 of the way up. Let's just say the 3 hour tour turned into an ALL day adventure, but we all made it down alive.

Glazier Clan

Hiking Timpanogos - "just put one foot in front of the other" was our motto!

After meandering between Salt Lake and Orem, we headed south and found ourselves in Moab. It has been many years since Nate or I had been there and I desperately wished I had had my mountain bike with me. I know those days are over, but I would have loved to have attempted Slick Rock again...it's only been 3 kids and about 15 years since my last "biker girl" adventure. Arches National Park was beautiful and absolutely stunning with the red moutains contrasted against the blue sky. We spent two days driving and walking around the Park and even conned the kids into another hike (after the Timpanogas adventure or misadventure) to Delicate Arch. After Moab, we travelled southeast to Durango, CO where Nate had some more business meetings. What a beautiful and refreshing town...who knew! I'm ready to go back already (maybe that's because it's 115 degrees here!) And, since we had just purchased the oh so pricey National Parks Pass (it went up by $30 bucks this year), we had to do Mesa Verde National Park which is just outside of Durango. We hiked (yes, the kids are all hiked out!) and toured the "Cliff Dwelling" which is part of Mesa Verde. Such fascinating people and way of life. How they actually carved out homes and lived in the sides of cliffs still just baffles me. From Durango, we headed back home making our last stop at Four Corners, something you have to do at least once in your life. We all stood in different states at the same time. So, after nearly 3 weeks on the road, it was nice to get back to our own digs. We had a great adventure and loved spending time with family and enjoyed seeing new places.

Tanner balancing Balanced Rock

Delicate ArchClimbing Walls

Cliff Dwelling

Four Corners

We Have A Swimmer

2008-05-30T07:53:00.001-07:00

Alex started swimming lessons and he has come a long way in just a short two weeks. It started with a lot of tears, screaming and a determination NOT to get in the water or get his face wet, to finally saying, "I think I really like swimming and let's not be late!" Thanks Mrs. Pam!

It's Official...

2008-05-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

School Is Out! Hip Hip Hooray!

And what a great year it was!

Tanner's First Day of School

Tanner's Last Day of School with Mrs. Eidsvaag

Alex's First Day of Kindersteps

Alex's Last Day of Kindersteps with Ms. Settle and Mrs. Swanson

Alex and Mia - Best Carpooling Buddies

Kinderstep Graduates Brayden, Alex and Mia

and Kinderstep wannabes Madison, Riley and Tanner

When It Rains It Pours....

2008-05-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

Literally and unfortunately figuratively in our case!

Weather-wise we have had a much needed and refreshing change of scenery today. We went from melting in 100+ degrees (108 to be exact) to a nice WET 70 something today. I love the rain. I love the smell. I opened our sliding doors and just let the rain and cool air blow in. It reminds me of our Seattle days. We even had some hail come down today just as we were suppose to be leaving for our outdoor swim lessons (they were cancelled). The kids loved watching the hail cover the lawn and trampoline in white miniature snowballs and really how often does that happen here in AZ especially in May! The boys asked me if this was a record amount of rain that has ever come down (have they already forgotten their early childhood years in Washington?) It then triggered us to think about a streak of a 100+ days of rain in Seattle. Hmmm, maybe the sunshine isn't all that bad!

We also took a trip to dentist this afternoon. I'm never fond of these days, usually because the news is never good. I thought last week was bad when I was told I needed to make a return visit, especially since I'm the one that carries floss with me everywhere I go. With them both needing some pretty extensive work, let's just say today's visit with the boys was possibly the worst and most discouraging yet and we will be POURING big $DOLLARS$ into somebody else's bucket! Just as a friendly reminder....Don't Forget To Floss!

And lastly, we've had many a RAIN puddle land in places it shouldn't (ie, my carpet, the car, her bed, etc) in our attempts to potty train the little lady the last few days. She is really trying her best and has been so excited about getting new big girl undies. We got her another pack yesterday (because I couldn't keep up with her mishaps and the laundry!) and she ran them quickly up to her room and then returned to tell me she had all her new undies organized! I still haven't looked to see what "organized" means! The last couple days I got brave and ventured with her and the undies to the gym and to her music class. She really is doing a good job. Hopefully this storm is coming to an end!

My New "Favorite" Thing

2008-04-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

Living in Arizona with it's unrelenting dry weather and my increased use of flip flops, I've fallen victim to horrible, disgusting, and ugly looking feet! (Just ask my husband!!) Now, I had seen ads for this product and as usual think to myself...gimmick! But the other night I just couldn't help myself. I mean really, I was getting desperate! And who can afford a weekly pedicure? So I put it in my cart, used my 20% off coupon and gave it a whirl the minute I got home! Guess what? No gimmick here, it really works! So, for a few bucks and a little scrubbing, I'm one happy soft footed girl! :-)

What's This You Say?

2008-04-08T15:53:00.000-07:00

My cute Alex made this just for me the other night, after Nate mentioned to the kids that my birthday was coming up! Alex quickly ran upstairs and disappeared for about a half an hour. He finally came to me with his hands behind his back and a big smile on his face. He then presented to me his package . I carefully opened the tape covered gift and found this very detailed, miniature creation. So what is it?

It's a Fruit Basket, of course! Complete with bananas, oranges, grapes and strawberries! I LOVE it, Alex! Thank you for being such a thoughtful boy!

You're Fired!

2008-03-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, I was fired! No, not by Mr. Trump, but by the blogging world! (You know who you are! :-)) I'm not sure what my problem is ...writer's block for months, more interested in reading about everybody else's fun life, my new addiction to my high school 20 year reunion site (shhh...don't tell anyone I'm that old!), a crazy spring break, a very needy 2 year old who doesn't like Mom on the "puter"... whatever it is, I just haven't convinced myself to sit down and blog! So in an effort to get my blogger job back, here is a month in review through pictures (because I did take them intending to blog)!

A visit from Pres. Abe Lincoln himself on President's Day!

A fun trip to Tucson with Grandma & Grandpa Glazier

Are we still in the United States? ... hard to tell in Nogales, AZ!

A field trip to an Aviation Museum - saluting on JFK's Airforce OneAn hour or two before my card group was to begin... I just love you Madison!

A mission call for Mike and Carol (Nate's sister) to Salta Argentina! We are so excited for you and look forward to hearing about your adventures!

Jumping with Grandma Chris! Alex and Grandma Chris panning for gold!

Grandma Tigger and the boys...doesn't she look great for 87?

The Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple!

And, a great trip to San Antonio to celebrate Grandma Jeanie's 75th Birthday! It was the best surprise birthday party we've ever been to!

Dining on the Riverwalk and waiting for the birthday girl to show up! Isn't it beautiful at night? The food was great too!

Please can I have my job back?

Shaq Sighting!

2008-02-22T13:40:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Shaquille O'Neal was recently traded to the Phoenix Suns...and it's been a big deal around here! In fact, his first game was just two days ago against the LA Lakers - unfortunatley the Suns lost! Well, today we had our first Shaq sighting at none other than the now famous and fabulous Ahwatukee Subway! I was sitting in the car with the kids while Nate went in to order. Literally two minutes after Nate got in line, here comes Shaq walking down the sidewalk right in front of my all too cool mini-van! :-) There is no mistaking him--he is really as tall as they say he is! He even had to duck to get in under the already tall doorway. It was amusing to watch all the people in line turn their heads trying to decide if it was really him! A guy who owned a smoothie business a couple of doors down came running in with a poster to sign. A young girl ran back out to her car and returned with a Phoenix Suns t-shirt. Two guys came out and I could hear them say, "Did you see those crazy pants he was wearing?" It was pretty fun to be a "fly in the car" and watch everybody's reaction! Finally, when Nate did come back out (it took him forever and I was pretty sure that he had invited himself to eat lunch with Shaq - although he insists that it was because they couldn't get Shaq's footlong order right!) I asked him where my Shaq signature was. I figured that was the least he could get for me since I waited in the car with two busy and starving kids. Unfortunately, Nate informed me that he didn't have anything on him that Shaq could sign. Oh, but wait! As Nate was getting back in the car with our sandwiches, out walks the big guy! Nate tells him, "Hey we're glad to have you here in Phoenix, good luck with your game tonight!" He replied, "Thanks, man!" and he looked in the car where I had Madison sitting on my lap in the driver's seat and said to her, "Hi Baby! Good thing ya look like your mamma and not your daddy!" We all laughed and Nate and I watched (and discreetly took a photo with our cellphone camera) as he walked over and hopped into his big black Diesel! I think I like this guy!

My Madison

2008-02-21T08:12:00.001-08:00

I was so exited to get a little girl after two boys! I looked forward to all things pink! Pink clothes, pink blankets, pink bows in hair. And sure enough there was plenty of pink in the house to diffuse the overwhelming blue. But now that she is becoming that independent two year old who insists (demands may be a better word) on doing things all by herself, loves to joins the evening wrestling match with the boys, screams just as loud as her brothers, can cover her entire body in blue marker and spits when she is mad (yes, I said spit), I wonder what happened to my cute, soft and feminine little girl that I had yearned for. Well, luckily despite all the previously mentioned activities we do get a few days when she is all girl! Last week she begged to have her toes painted and her hair in ponies. This morning she wanted to have her fingernails painted pink - so that is just what we did! Thank goodness for little girls! We love you Madison!

Sad Sunday

2008-01-27T20:26:00.000-08:00

We received a sad phone call this evening informing us of the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley. What a great man and great leader. His influence has been felt not only throughout the church, but to people all over the world. He will always hold a special place in our hearts. Let us all do a little better in honor of him!

The Last and Best of the Birthdays...

2008-01-27T13:07:00.000-08:00

This one turned out OK...hmm Alex or Tanner?

Not sure who took this one . . . lovely, isn't it?

The last birthday we celebrated this month was the most important... that being the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ! It was a different Christmas for us this year because we made the decision to not travel anywhere and just stay home. We had just driven home for Thanksgiving and for Grandpa Glazier's birthday, so the thoughts of spending another 2 days on the road and in the car felt overwhelming. In some ways it was a bitter sweet. Sweet, because it was nice to be able to spend time with our own little family to create our own traditions and not having to add the stress of traveling to our schedule. Bitter, because we love to be with our extended family and love to celebrate and share this wonderful season with them. We really felt like we were missing out on so many family events. On Christmas Eve, we decided to drive up to the Mesa Temple to see the lights and nativities. The crowds were light and considering it was the end of December it was pretty warm. I always associate seeing the temple lights with being completely bundled up - I think I went in flip flops, but I have digressed! The boys decided to be photographers and took turns taking pictures with the camera. We've got some lovely shots! Pictures of legs, sidewalks, Mary and Joseph with their heads missing, half a donkey...you get the picture. But, they had fun! After the temple, we thought we'd find a restaurant and sit down for a nice dinner before heading home. And truthfully, I was not in the mood nor prepared to cook a big dinner for basically two and then 3 separate short orders! So, we searched high and low for a restaurant with it's doors open - no luck, not even the local Chinese food joint! Good thing for Albertsons! I madly dashed in grabbed a few things and we headed back home. So much for having somebody else make dinner! The remainder of our evening consisted of making a quick, last-minute, not memorable Christmas Eve dinner, baking cookies for Santa, sprinkling reindeer dust on the lawn and deciding to read and act out the nativity on Christmas Day because the mother was exhausted and there were still hours of wrapping ahead! Even though the day ended a little chaotic and tiring, I hope the kids will have good memories of being near the temple and understanding it's importance and understanding the significance of Christ's birth. This is truly a great birthday to celebrate!

The Double Bash!

2008-01-27T12:51:00.000-08:00

After speaking with our physician the other day, this may have been a big mistake for the middle child, but what is done is done! In between the two birthdays, we had a double birthday bash for the boys at Amazing Jakes! Aside from it being complete chaos for us as parents, I think the boys and their friends had a great time. They were able to miniature golf, ride go-karts, bumber cars, play laser tag and at this point I can't remember everything else (it is all a big blur :-). As much fun as it was, I think next year we are sticking to cake and ice cream at home! Phew! Two birthdays down and one to go!

It's Your Day To Celebrate Alex!

2008-01-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

So six days after Tanner's birthday comes our next celebration. Did I mention December is busy? Alex is now the Big 5! He is our funny little man that we love so much! He has been going to Kindersteps this year and has made some giant leaps in learning. He won't admit it, but he is becoming our resident mathematician. He loves to count and can even do some multiplication. For example, he explained to me the other day that we needed to take 2 water bottles for all the members in our family. With there being 5 members in our family, he would need to get 10 bottles of water for all of us! Maybe he will follow in Grandpa Russ's footsteps! He also is getting very good at all the XBOX 360 Star Wars games and could probably play for hours and hours if his mother would let him. Alex enjoys building Star Wars Lego sets too! Our house seems to be filled with everything Star Wars! I love that he loves his little sister Madison and I overheard him the other day telling her "Don't worry, I'm your big brother and I'll take care of you!" Even though in the background I could hear her yelling, "quit pinching me!" We love you Alex!

On To The Birthdays - Happy Day Tanner

2008-01-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

Still loving Star Wars
Thanks to the Riggs' Family - we have all the tools to find Scorpions!

As you all know, life can be pretty crazy in December all on it's own. So, when you pack two more birthdays in (yes, I know ... we just take 'em when we get 'em!) let's just say it makes for an extra crazy month! Tanner turned 9 this year. Wow! It is hard for me to believe how fast the time goes! It is amazing to watch him learn new things and see how he is becoming more and more capable. He is a good big brother to Alex and Madison. Nate and I were just talking about when he might be a good babysitter...soon, but not quite yet. We love you Tanner and can't wait to see the things that you accomplish this year!

Ok, So While I'm Neglecting (she is actually napping)...

2008-01-17T12:58:00.000-08:00

I'll attempt to continue my To Be Continued Holiday post... let's see where did I leave off (it's been so long) :-)

We also got to spend some time with my family. We had a yummy post-Thanksgiving meal at my parents with my sister Tricia and her family. You would think that this post-Thanksgiving meal would have been left-overs, but not with Grandma Chris! It was a full-fledge delicious, homemade warm rolls kind of meal. The kiddos always have a great time with their cousins and could spend hours together running around, taking over the 3rd floor attic, putting on plays and going through the Grandma Box to find their next treasure. I am so glad they have such a good relationship with their cousins even though we rarely get to see them. After a "Cousin Production," we attempted to go bowling. Who would have "thunk" that everyone else in the SLC valley had the same idea. After several tries at securing a bowling lane without having to wait an hour or more, we found ourselves at Chuck E. Cheese. Not for pizza of course, but for all those fantastic rides, games and attractions! Woohoo! We also talked Uncle Travis into going to see the lights at Temle Square. It was a bitter cold night and we all had to bundle up with borrowed coats, gloves and scarffs! The lights as always were beautiful and it was fun for the kids to see the outdoor nativity, enjoy the warmth of the newly remodeled tabernacle and just spend time with Grandma and Grandpa and the cousins!

Ok, she is up! To Be Continued Again!

Daughter Neglecting

2008-01-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

See, this is what happens when the mom spends too much time looking at everybody else's blogs!

Birthdays, Christmas, New Year's...Oh My!

2008-01-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know, I have neglected my blog...but I do have a few excuses. It truly has been exciting, busy and crazy around here. I am going to try and catch up because I really do want this to be a journal and a history of our lives. Here are some highlights of the past month:

We kicked off the holiday season with a trip to Utah to celebrate Grandpa Glazier's 75th birthday (this is the first one!). All of Nate's siblings, their spouses and most of the grandkids/great-grandkids made it to the smash - that is pretty good considering many of us were coming from different states. Grandma Jeanie asked each one of us to share something that reminded us of Grandpa. Tanner brought a toy plane because that reminded him of the stories Grandpa had told him about his Air Force flying years. Nate brought some spare change. He said the sound of the coins clinking reminded him of his Dad coming home from work and playing ball with he and his brothers outside with Dad still in his work clothes and coins jingling in his pocket. Madison and I shared some Peanut M&M's because whenever Grandpa comes to visit he brings that magic yellow bag! Alex brought K'Nex. Grandpa is very helpful and patient and has built some mighty amazing things with the boys out of K'Nex. Nate spent a lot of time putting together a fun DVD of pictures of his Dad's life. He did a great job and it was great tribute to one of our favorite grandpas. It was a wonderful night! Thanks Grandpa for having a Birthday!

We decided the boys needed some good exposure at an early age to Happy Valley. Carol and Mike's son Andrew May is managing the Men's Basketball team this year. So we thought why not take the kids to see their cousin at work! I'm not sure how interested they were in the game, but they did get to have their picture taken with Cosmo!!! And, as a bonus, the Cougars came out victorious that night!

Speaking of the Mays, we spent Thanksgiving with them at their home. We had a delicious meal and I secretly loved that I was in charge of....store-bought rolls! The kids had a great time hanging out with their cousins especially Eric and Sarah.

To Be Continued ... Madison tells me she feels neglected!

Remembering The Real Meaning...

2007-12-23T19:02:00.000-08:00

I heard this today in Young Women's and it made me cry... I wanted to have my family listen to it too. What a sweet little boy with such great knowledge. I hope that we can all remember what Christmas is really about!

http://ktisblog.skylightradio.org/main/2007/12/21/logan-the-nebraska-cowboy/

Breakfast with Santa

2007-12-17T21:11:00.000-08:00

We had a fun ward Breakfast with Santa. It was actually raining that day so it did feel a little more Christmasy. The kids were excited but notice we are short one picture...Hmm, I wonder what he is asking for?
Madison didn't want to have anything to do with Santa...maybe next year!

Rain, Wolf and Dream House

2007-12-06T13:52:00.000-08:00

Rain Rain Come Again

Last weekend it rained and rained and rained .... it was so much fun! I loved it! It made it feel a little more like the Christmas season (even though I'm dreaming of snow - rain will suffice). The kids were excited to take pictures...Tanner was glad his pumpkin plant got all the water that it did! Unfortunately Nate was trying to put the Christmas Tree lights up on the house and the rain/ladder combination wasn't working. Good thing no one got hurt! I'm secretly praying that the weather forecasters are right and we'll see a few more drops this weekend.

Wolf

We've got a wolf in our house! No, it's not Jacob (for all you Twilight fans!) Way to go Tanner - he earned his Wolf last night at Pack Meeting. I am glad for the Boy Scout program and for the things his is learning and doing! A big thanks goes out to all his leaders!

Dream House

Ok, so maybe the dream house is still a dream, but the boys had a great time building this one! I think it looks pretty good considering it really was done by all the boys in the family. I do have to admit, Nate really is much better at this kind of thing than I am! This is a fun tradition we have done the last couple of years and the kids always look forward to it!

Let the Holiday Season Begin...

2007-12-02T11:35:00.001-08:00

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1135993051

Favorite Alexisms

2007-12-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

Alex has been cracking me up lately... he is turning into a funny little guy! The other day he mentioned to me that Madison was doing something she shouldn't have and so he took it upon himself to put her in "time-out" but he says, "I did give her some toys, Mom!"

This morning I was fixing breakfast for everyone. Alex was in the other room and I asked him if he wanted to come into the kitchen and get something. He replies to me, "No, Mom! I'm not in business with you right now!"

I guess I'll have to come up with a new business plan! I love the little guy even if he won't be my business partner and he does my parenting for me!

12/7/07 I just had to add another cute thought Alex had yesterday so I could remember.... He was getting pretzels out to eat and said, "I know what pretzels are made of. Really, I said, what? They are made of part wood and part snack!
I asked him if he was sure and he said "yes" and then went about eating his part wood part snack snack!

Friday Confessions & Ramblings

2007-11-16T08:06:00.000-08:00

I really shouldn't be blogging today. We are trying to leave out-of-town this afternoon for my Father-In-Law's big Birthday Bash and I haven't packed!
We just had Christmas yesterday, unfortunately it was at the Dentist office! Bah Humbug! My favorite oldest child had 6 cavities - yes, 6! What happened? And why is it that dental work is sooo expensive?

I feel like I have been running around like crazy trying to get things done but have nothing to show for it! And, my favorite youngest child is doing her very best job of undoing most everything I've done!

I started a week ago my assignment to make 5 scrapbook pages for Grandpa Glazier's birthday party, but I still haven't finished them!
I'm in an Arizona dilemma - we are heading to colder territory for the Birthday bash and Thanksgiving and I'm now realizing at the last hour that my kids do not have any warm coats or clothes. We are still wearing flip flops and shorts around here.

I still need to mow the lawn , take out the trash and find a frog sitter before we leave - are those REALLY my jobs?

Why is it that car repairs always come in multiples and just right before Christmas?

My house is a mess and I still have piles of laundry to do! Does the laundry ever end?

Thanks for letting me vent! I feel much better now!

I'm off to pack, clean, mow etc... I can get it all done by 3pm Right? :-)

I am looking forward to a relaxing and grateful Thanksgiving (hey, I don't have to cook this year!) and wish you all the same!

Trunk or Treat, Pre-Trick or Treat Parties and Finally Trick or Treat!

2007-11-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

Add that all together and it = way too much candy! Tanner dressed up as Jango Fett from Star Wars, Alex went as a green Power Ranger and Madison, well Madison is a whole other story! She really wanted to be Dora The Explorer, but I was too cheap to spend $30 dollars on a over-priced costume when we had a perfectly fine ladybug at home! She told everyone that asked, that she was going to be Dor(la) and so, in typical girl fashion, when it came down to getting ready for all the fun events, she put her foot down and would not dress up at all! Stubborn!!! We started the mass candy collecting on Friday night with the ward Trunk or Treat. A couple of neighbors threw a great pre-trick or treating party with lots of fun games and activities. The kids really loved it! Then off to the annual street party for a BBQ and then the long awaited real trick or treating! They all came home with so much candy, it should last us another two years! Madison is constantly asking for her "Pumpkin Treats" which really means "I don't want just one piece of candy, I want the whole pumpkin, so I can shove all the candy I can in my mouth before I get caught!" The boys have been pretty good about asking for only 1 or 2 pieces a day and I have been able to bribe them with "you can have a piece candy if you eat 3 carrots or strawberries, etc., FIRST." They are totally buying into it! Luckily, the schools have offered to collect "unwanted" candy for those less fortunate and I think I'm really going to encourage the kids to pick out some (ok, lots) of the candy to donate. All in all, the kids had a great time this year and we are looking forward to enjoying the upcoming holiday season!

Washington, DC

2007-10-26T21:11:00.001-07:00

Fall Foliage - DC Style

2007-10-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

I love FALL! And one of my favorite places to take it all in is on the East Coast! Luckily, Nate and I got to do just that - we took it all in! We had a GREAT trip to D.C.! I don't know if it was so fun because we could reminisce about the good 'ol days or if it was because we weren't lugging our 3 children around. Hmm...maybe a combination of both! The fall colors were gorgeous and the weather was absolutely beautiful even with a day or two of high humidity (we aren't used to that anymore!). We were able to catch up with lots of old friends and do some things we never were able to do while we were residents rather than vacationers! We laughed hysterically because you'd think after living there for over 5 years, we'd know our way around. Needless to say, out came the map and it was attached to our nose for a few days until the cob webs began to clear!

Some of our highlights:

Behind the scenes tour of the Supreme Court Building by Dave Moore (an old roommate of Robert's and currently clerking for Justice Alito) Who knew there was a full size basketball court right above the courtroom? I walked by the this building everyday on the way to work and yet never went in for a tour!) It was absolutely beautiful!
Eating dinner down in Old Town Alexandria with some old friends and then getting completely drenched on the way back to our car. It was the only time it rained the entire time we were there and it happened to be right after we finished up with dinner. If we would have stayed in for 10 extra minutes we would have missed the whole storm! Oh well, it made for a great laugh, right Robin?
Going back to the Jefferson Memorial where we tried to recreate our engagement picture. I'm almost certain we haven't aged a bit! :-)
Eating at Chevy's! I know that doesn't sound all that exciting and cultural, but it was a fun place that we would frequent when we lived right across the street from it in Pentagon City!
While we're talking about eating, another place we hit was the Peking Inn Gourmet on Rte 7. The Lemon Chicken is to die for! The funny part about this place is that from the outside it looks like a complete dive, but when you go in and see that there is a 45 minute wait and you are surrounded by pictures of all the dignitaries and diplomats that have been there, you know it is a good place to go!

Spending a good portion of our time on the mall at the Smithsonian Museums and art galleries including the new American Indian Museum, Natural History, National Gallery of Art, Portrait Gallery and then a new Spy museum (which is not connected to the Smithsonian - ie, they make you pay to go in, but it was worth it!) We also went to the Edward Hopper exhibit which was very fascinating!

Getting to see Hans and Jody (our world travelin' friends who found themselves back in D.C.) and their newest arrival, baby Garrett!
Last, but not least (and our main reason for the trip) was going to the "Colonial Ward" reunion - what a blast from the past! So fun to see so many familiar faces. Hopefully it won't be another 10 years...

BRRrrr!!! Ward Campout Pics

2007-10-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

Did I mention it was COLD! Just thought I'd post a few pictures from our latest adventure.... our first Ward Campout in AZ. We decided to be brave having been warned that the nighttime temps might near the low 40's (I think we are officially acclimated to the warm Phoenix weather!) and try to tough it out! Did I mention that we were sleeping in a TENT? I know we are turning into whimps - but we do have a TWO year old. Isn't that a good enough excuse to be a camp whimp? :-) I seriously thought of just sending the boys, but who would want to miss all the fun? And besides, after our Christopher Creek campout, Madison has been asking to go camping ever since! Unfortunately, we got up to the Payson area fairly late which left us setting up the tent in the dark in an unclaimed spot way at the edge of the campground. Good thing for a few flashlights and lanterns! In addition to sleeping bags, we brought about every blanket we owned (thanks Carey for the excellent tip!) and we needed them all! Luckily, the kiddos and hubby crashed pretty quickly. As for me, I couldn't quite go under between the shivers, the fear that the kids were going to freeze to death and not knowing where we really pitched our tent. I found myself getting up several times to make sure they were still in the sleeping bags (we do have a few crazy sleepers) and make sure Madison hadn't kicked off all her blankets. Oh, the life of a worried mother! :-) It sure seemed like the morning would never come! Luckily, the sun finally peaked out and the ward cooked up a yummy warm pancake breakfast (did I mention it was nice not to have to pack food? Subway for dinner, ward breakfast and home for lunch!!) It was a quick trip but all in all, I think the kids had fun and that makes it worth all the work to pack for 1 night! Did I mention that next time we go it has to be just a few degrees WARMER? Brrrr!

We Love Grandma & Grandpa!

2007-10-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah for Grandma & Grandpa! We enjoyed a great week with Grandma & Grandpa! The kids loved having them around. Even Madison got up this morning and told us she was going down stairs to find Grandma! She was so sad to realize Grandma was gone! I wish we could see them more often! We are glad that Grandpa has entered the world of retirement so maybe we can talk them into a few more trips down this way (we promise we won't ask you to come in July or August!) The kids had a great time roasting marshmallows at San Tan Flats, making sugar cookies with Grandma and playing board games and watching Star Wars with Grandpa. Grandpa was nice to help refinish Grandma Tueller's old rocking chair for Madison's room. Grandma was patient in helping me find material for drapes and then having the know-how to put them all together. I promise I'll get them finished Mom, but I may be calling you every day! Thanks again for a fun week. We miss you already!

My Baby is TWO! Happy Birthday!

2007-10-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

Madison just had her 2nd Birthday . . . I can't believe how fast these two years went. Oh where oh where did they go? I also can't believe how much she "gets" it. I don't remember the boys being so aware that it was going to be their special day at this age or aware that there were presents involved. She was singing Happy Birthday to herself several days in advance! I thought I had a little more time to get away with minimal efforts - apparently not so with this little princess!

Luckily, we did have a fun day. She got to open Grandma & Grandpa's presents in the morning (which had painfully been on top of the fridge for several days!) Then lunch with Dad and the boys! And as all good girls should do - a nice long nap in the afternoon! Our next door neighbors came over later in the evening for some cupcake decorating and of course, eating! She was covered in chocolate (and so was my house!) but loved every minute! We love our Madison and can't believe how grown up she is getting!

My Favorite Words

2007-09-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't posted for awhile . . . it's been a little bit crazy lately with things I didn't feel like posting about like paint, poop, throw-ups, box of bandaids in toilet, inability to poop, etc ... you get the point! There was, however, one bright moment today when Alex shared these words... "Mom, I'm so glad that Madison has learned to hug me!" I love that he loves her and she loves him! Those were my favorite words today!

PS: I should mention that GOLDEN was reunited with his family that same afternoon the boys found him. Phew!

DOG Days!

2007-09-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

We finally broke down and got a dog - NOT! The kids found this lost dog in our neighborhood today and absolutely fell in love with him. The poor thing, he looked so old, tired and hot. Arizona is not a good place to get lost! The kids were so excited to feed him some food and water. They even decided he needed a name - so we can now affectionately refer to him as GOLDEN! Our next door neighbor has a couple dogs so they brought out the chow and we provided the water (how nice of us huh!) She and the kids went around the neighborhood trying to find it's home, but no luck so far. She also put signs up so hopefully somebody will come and claim him. In the mean time the "Ol' Fella" is in HER air conditioned laundry room waiting patiently!

No longer Absent!

2007-09-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

After a very long stretch of being ABSENT from my children's classrooms, I finally decided it was time and feasible (no attached baby) to get back in and volunteer. I was able to go to Alex's Kinderstep class this morning at Riggs (this one's for you Krissy!) Elementary. It was so fun to be in there and see what he was learning and doing each day. We all know that boys don't always give nearly as much information as we mothers would like! It was also fun to see some of the kids he has talked about and see him interact with them. He has a great teacher and he seems to really like her. She has things very organized and structured (which, with 25 4/5 year olds you have to be!) and the kids seemed to be getting into a good routine. I do have to admit that Tanner was very sad this morning to hear that I was going into Alex's class and wondered why I hadn't been in his. So Tanner, the next time is for you!

Moving On Up!

2007-09-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

This was a great weekend . . . especially for our frogs, Swimmer and Diver! They just tripled their square footage and had their place updated and redecorated. Boy are they lucky!!! I'm still waiting for the first round of decorating to happen here! :-) Nate took the boys out on some errands and they conveniently found themselves at Petco. I guess it is good to get the boys "re-excited" about their frogs since they are all dreaming and pushing for a dog - and I just can't do it! Our neighbors who have had to pet-sit our frogs while we've been out of town will also be excited the frogs have a bigger home! They've all commented that they felt sorry for the frogs having to live in such small quarters. So here goes, our frogs are no longer big frogs in a little pond! I hope they enjoy!

Labor Day

2007-09-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

So Labor Day weekend has come and gone. Fortunately or unfortunately, we didn't do too much laboring. I would have like to, but it was too darn hot! One of these days we will get to our "To Do" list. (I must say Nate did clean out the garage on Saturday - thank you!!) We attended our neighborhood Labor Day celebration, which was really a 4th of July party in disguise - flags, parade, red, white and blue. I'm thinking next year a halloween party might be the ticket - hmm October, we might be in the low 90's! The kids had a great time jumping on the big blow-up bounce play things and the Gilbert Fire Dept showed up to squirt down those willing with their big fire hose. And, it was the first time I had eaten ice cream so soon after breakfast. Amazingly, it still tasted good! After about an hour or so, we were all exhausted from the heat and headed back to the A/C.

We ended the holiday with a fun evening with the Bennetts. We all did a little swimming and they BBQ'd some great meat they picked up at a little mercado not too far from our place! Nate tells me that would be a good place to shop! :-)

Overall it was a good weekend. It is always nice to have Nate around an extra day and also enjoy more time with the kids!

From Beach to Tent - Camping at Christopher Creek!

2007-08-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

We just enjoyed another fun weekend this time with several of our neighbors camping in beautiful Christopher Creek. The boys got new fishing poles and had a great time not catching fish, but catching crawdads! They LOVED it! We got a new tent that fit our family much better than the one Nate and I bought "before" kids! The weather was a nice change from the 100+ heat in the valley and it was a treat to be surrounded by green trees! Unfortunately this weekend we are back to the realities . . . mowing the lawn and working on the never-ending "to do" list!

2007-08-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

Beach Time!

We just got back from a great little get-a-way to So Cal. It was fun to see most of the Glazier clan and celebrate with our cousin Matt as he heads out to Panama for his mission. We spent a couple of days at San Clemente beach. The weather was perfect and the kids had a great time Boogie Boarding and playing with their cousins.

2007-07-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

First Day of School!

2007-07-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

We survived our first day of school . . . a little chaotic but still exciting! Tanner is in 3rd grade and Alex at Kindersteps! And Madison, she is wishing she could be going to school too!

2007-07-12T19:07:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I'm stillllll trying to figure this out with formatting, etc. Maybe one day I'll get it.

Blogging . . . giving it a try!

2007-07-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

This blogging thing seems to be a fun new trend . . . so we thought we'd give it a try. We hope it will be a great way of keeping in touch with family and friends since we are so far away.