Party Time! Kate is 1!

Well, the Birthday Fairy found our house once again! Baby Kate turned one on November 18, (we celebrated yesterday the 19th because Daddy was off enjoying the Cougars big win on her actual birthday. I didn't mind much though, it was actually nice to have one more day in between having to blow up balloons again.) Its hard to believe that it has already been a year since I had her. She has grown up in the blink of an eye!
She loved opening her presents, but her siblings enjoyed it almost more. I had to fight them off the entire time. ( "We're just helping her mom!" "Leave her alone! Back-off! Sit down! Let her do it by herself!") At first she would get so mad at us when we would take away one opened gift and hand her another unopened one, but she figured out that there was something good inside all the wrapping by the end. She got a few little toys, some cute clothes, and a little purse (Vera Bradley from Grandma, stuffed with fruit snacks. She loved unpacking the purse.) She scored!

Happy Birthday to Kate

She didn't mind being sung to, but the fun went right out the window after she grabbed her candle.

Kate eating cake

Kate was afraid that her cake would burn her. No amount of coaxing could entice her to dig in!

Look who's ONE!!!

After we gave her a spoon she got a little braver and started to

enjoy eating the cake a little bit. Mmmm...Mmmmm...Messy!
It all ended with a dunk in the sink! What a fun party!

Mountain West Conference Champs!!

Here stand our BELOVED BYU freaks with Cosmo the Cougar. After BYU dismantled New Mexico (42-17) Brandon, Jarom, Alex, Justin, and Chris stormed the field. BYU is the official Mountain West Conference Champion and have been invited to the Las Vegas Bowl! WOO-HOO! ("Utah Sucks!" as quoted by Jarom.)

Party Time! Halle is 6!

Well, my little Halle Loo-Hoo turned 6 years old today. She had a great time with several friends from school, Alyssa & Bailey (Alyssa's best friend), and Liberty. Any of you who know Halle know how particular she can be. This year she wanted a "snowflake" party. It actually turned out really cute. We played several snow themed games (pin the button on the snowman, snowball scoop, hide the snowflake, pictionary, and freeze dance), wore snowflake hats, and ate a snowflake cake. What a great party for Halle!



The Birthday-Fairy found us and left the house decorated and presents on the table!




New outfit. (Halle called it "Eskimo clothes", she got the sweater and furry little boots.)


Halle, wearing a snowflake party hat, with her cake. She insisted on snowflake hats. (No comments...I did my best and she loved it!)


All the party girls, (and Carter). Back to front, left to right: Bailey, Alyssa, Arianna, Emily, Lauren, Carter, Kaylee, Liberty, Halle, Laurel


Make a wish!!

Christmas Spirit

Last night Kevin and Becky dropped by for a visit. When it was time for them to leave, we looked outside and it was snowing like crazy. So they decided to stay the night. The snow was so pretty, (big, heavy flakes coming straight down) and it felt like Christmas. So we pulled out the Christmas tree, turned on the fire, and put in Christmas music. It was so much fun!! (No, I am not leaving the tree up quite yet. Back to the basement it goes, but it was really nice to get it out for a day.)

My camera didn't do the snow justice, but you get the idea.

Carter and Owen enjoying the Christmas lights.


Wish you could see this better, little Owen was mezmorized by the fire and the lights. It was so cute.


It always seems like it either snows before or after Christmas and I feel the Christmas Spirit too soon or too late. I always feel guilty if I feel it too soon, but this year I am going to let myself enjoy it whenever and as often as it comes!

The Guilty Party

So the other night after Alyssa's baptism the adults decided to get some babysitters and go to dinner. We enjoyed a nice evening at The Outback. When we returned to my house, we were greeted by a bunch of scratching little kids. Apparently they had gone into the unfinished basement and pulled out a TON of insulation from the walls. (Some in the party were more guilty than others.) They were miserable from the itching and I think they all learned their lesson about insulation the hard way. We had to throw them in the tub, which I think they all quite enjoyed. Jarom, Justin, and Brandon cleaned up two large garbage bags of insulation. The big question is...Where were the babysitters during all this???? (In their defense they were watching 3 babies and all these older kids, but still...)

Singing "When I Am Baptized"

Alyssa, Halle, Carter and their cousins singing a musical number at Alyssa's baptismal service.

Alyssa's Baptism

Well, it happened, Alyssa was baptized! It was a great day with such a nice program. My mom spoke on baptism and Jarom's mom spoke on the Holy Ghost. All the little cousins and Alyssa sang a musical number (which I will post as soon as I can) and it all just turned out beautiful. Alyssa was really excited and promptly came home and wrote in her journal about it. She is such a sweet girl and I am so proud of her.


Aunt Mimi did Alyssa's hair so pretty. She looked so grown up!



Alyssa in her whites before the baptism.


Jarom and Alyssa getting ready for the BIG moment!



Afterwards with her cousins. I realized I never got a full shot of her in her new dress, so I thought I would put this one in so you could see how cute it was.


Jarom, Alyssa, and me. I had just poked Alyssa in the eye trying to scoot her bangs out of the way. Way to ruin the moment!

Alyssa is 8!!!

On Friday, October 27, Alyssa turned 8! It was a great party with 8 little witch guests. I was sicker than a dog with Strep Throat, so we Lysol-ed and Chloroxed the house,(everyone pray that I didn't get anyone sick) and my dear mom (and sister) stepped in and did the party for me. She made the cake and everything. I couldn't have made it through last week without her. THANKYOU Mom!!!


All the little witches cast spells on each other and had a riot.


Making mummy-wraps. We had mummy-wraps, bloody fingers, and poison apples for dinner. (AKA hot-dogs wrapped in crescents, french fries with ketchup, and apple slices)


Even Johnny had a party hat. (I think he thought he had his bark collar on, because he didn't bark once at the party. That is a MIRACLE!)








Man has she grown up fast!!! Above is her at 5 months, below is now.

Trick-or-Treat

Cowboys and Indians


Ride-em Cowboy!!



My little Indian. Is she not the cutest! I don't know what her deal was about the binky today, she wouldn't let me take it out.





Halle sat still for an hour while Mimi triple-barrelled her hair. She felt beautiful. (She looked beautiful too.)


We're not in Kansas anymore!
Dorothy, Toto, and Glenda the Good Witch





I don't know how I managed to not get and individual picture of cute little Alyssa as Dorothy.

Carving Pumpkins!

What's Halloween without a few Jack-O-Lanterns?! We had a fun time Monday night with our Halloween-themed family home evening. It all started with a regular dinner of fried chicken which Alyssa turned into a very spooky buffet served out of caldrons. She was so cute, she put the serving bowls into several different plastic caldrons and set them on the table. I think she has a little of her Grandma Anna in her! We then carved pumpkins and followed it all up with rice pudding, we called it Ghost Boogies. Jarom loved the rice pudding in Costa Rica so he brought me home a recipe book and we all tasted it. Who wouldn't love something with an entire can of sweetened condensed milk in it?






Carter didn't enjoy carving as much as the girls. He's in a real whiney stage lately and he kept saying, "What's that stinky smell? I don't want to smell a poopy pumpkin." He's still cute as a bug though and we love him.


Halle chose the traditional friendly pumpkin.


Alyssa opted for a 3-headed/faced monster pumpkin. (You can't see the 3rd face.)

More from Costa Rica

Robyn, Ronna, and Jarom at the Ram Luna. A resturaunt where they all danced the night away. :)


These dancers in beautiful traditional dress performed for the HP crew during dinner.


Dancing with exotic women ??! So this is what Jarom does when I don't go with him!! HA!


Here's the proof that they really do work while they are away! (Phew...we were all starting to wonder. Just kidding!)

Wow! What a week!

Okay, last week was rough. While Jarom was gone, Kate got ear infections, I got strep throat, there were 2 parties to throw, and everything was followed up with a gentle dose of stomach flu. (You know it's bad when you're grateful for the kindness of the stomach flu.) I am thinking I need to burn all the towels and sheets at my house. I am not so sure Jarom was estactic to return to the germ infestation, but we're glad he's back. Anyway, I have fallen behind in my blogging and over the next couple of days am going to attempt to catch up.

Jarom's in Costa Rica

Jarom and two co-workers (as well as my camera) are in Costa Rica right now. Here are a few pictures he's sent for me to see what he's doing. It's fun for me to be able to travel vicariously with him.


A green lake in an active volcano. Jarom says the lake was probaly the size of Rigby lake, which is pretty good sized.


Jarom, Ronna, and Robyn at a national volcano park. These are his traveling HP co-workers.


Ever the history buff, Jarom took this picture of a statue depicting a war with an American filibuster who tried to invade and take over Costa Rica. His name was William Walker. Here's a link if you want to learn more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_(soldier)
It's a story I've never heard. Amazing the things you learn when you leave your own country.


The building where the Costa Rican Congress meets.


The National Theatre


A coffee plantation.