Happiness anyone?

This was the year all my girls were to have birthday parties. I sat down with Reed after Halloween and talked about logistics. We didn't know how we were going to pull off three parties with our crazy schedules (party planning is not one of my talents.) About this time Southwest had an airfare special with $25 one way tickets into LA. Reed presented to the girls the option of skipping the parties for a trip to Disneyland on an airplane. They were all excited. The tickets were booked, two days later they tried to lobby for parties. They were quickly shut down. So this past week we took the first flight out on Monday morning and got to Disneyland around 9:30am. We stayed for the parade that night and got to our hotel at 6:45 (7:45 Phoenix time) just in time for the complimentary dinner. Our kids were very tired and would probably have gone right to bed except when we got to our room it was 62 degrees and the kids were cold and complaining they were still hungry. I got them in PJ's and turned up the heater while Reed got Little Ceasars.
We were at the park when it opened on Tuesday morning and stayed to watch them turn the lights on Its a Small World, had one last turn on the teacups and dashed. We ran to the exit which was not an easy task because by now the parade was going. Good times. Tanner was so tired in the car he was begging to go to bed. We put his pajamas on in the airport and he fell asleep in the stroller. He remained asleep as he was transfered on and off the plane, on and off the shuttle to the parking lot, woke up enough to acknowledge that the car was cold when I put him in his carseat and stayed asleep until Reed woke him up for preschool at 8:30 Wednesday morning. Zoe and Heidi were late to school. Molly was so tired she was sick to her stomach and didn't make it to school because she went back to bed.
having said that, this trip was actually more laid back than our last trip to the magic kingdom because we didn't feel like we had to do it all. We had just been there 6 weeks before and were able to take time to enjoy the decorations and the people watching. The lines were delightfully short. We were able to talk Molly into being in charge while Reed and I went on Matterhorn together, we haven't done that in a long time. Some of our favorites from this trip: the girls loved Mulholland Madness. We had skipped it on our last trip and I think they went on it 10 times. Tanner was brave enough to ride on a horse on the carousel, big step for him. The kids were all brave enough to have pictures taken with characters, and the lines to get pictures taken were not so long that they were forboding. Reed and Molly had an hour alone on Tuesday morning to do "big rides" (Indiana Jones and Pirates) while I waited in line with the younger crowd for Peter Pan and Storybook Land. The longest line was for the new Toy Story ride in California Adventure. Zoe really wanted to go so Reed waited with her and Tanner. Tanner loved it an that is all he talks about. Zoe braved the Haunted Mansion. Flick's Flyers got the better of me. I had to put my head down and I was really glad I hadn't eaten lunch yet.
What a great time. It was nice to have a little break from reality at the happiest place on earth.

Change is Good

This is my wonderful husband with his dad. We took this picture after Reed was made the bishop of our ward on Dec. 6th. For any of you keeping tabs that makes for a whirlwind weekend for us at the end of a very long week. I could try and explain what a Mormon bishop is, but someone else already has so if you are curious... Reed was very humbled by the assignment and has been incredibly busy with duties related to this new calling. He was really busy before. We have joked that you never experience any personal growth when you are coasting down hill. We now have a sizable hill to keep us spiritually in shape. I think Reed is getting more of a workout. I am grateful to be married to a good man who loves me and loves Jesus Christ. One of my Grandpa Mix's favorite scriptures was from Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." This change has made our life a little more hectic, but I know that we are blessed when we serve others, and have faith that this change will be good.

Zoe's Birthday and Baptism

Zoe turned 8 on Wed. Dec. 2nd. It was a half day at school. This means for her birthday date she got to go out with her dad in the afternoon. Her date of choice was a trip to Fiddlesticks followed by a little shopping at Old Navy. Because I had been working all day she got to choose a cake from the store. As you can see she chose cupcakes. I think the kids are so enamored by the brightly colored stack of frosting that they are impervious to the fact that it all tastes yucky. Tanner swiped the frosting off of his and then barely touched the cupcake. We of course lit the candles many times because that is what the kids all want to do is play with fire.
Here is Zoe with her stash of gifts. She is wearing the pajamas she bought on her date with Reed.

On Dec.5 Zoe got baptized. Zoe is a good girl with a very obedient heart and she was so excited to follow Jesus example and be baptized. She had grandma's and grandpa's and so many cousins there to share in the days events. They all came over to our house after for dinner. What a great day for Zoe!

Soul Train

The second half of our Thanksgiving break was dedicated to a trip to Williams to ride the Polar Express. Grandma Chris arranged the whole trip including t-shirts and mugs. It was a fun way to spend time together as a family.

Here are the cousins anxiously receiving their bells from Santa.

Here is Tanner, not so sure he wants a bell from Santa.







Cousins just having fun riding the rails together.

Giving Thanks

This is the crowd that was at Dave and Jenn's for Thanksgiving Dinner. I used the new panorama making software that came with my camera, so it may look a little crazy, but we got everyone in (and some people twice.) Noticeably absent are Reed and Tanner. They missed the days festivities because Tanner had a raging fever that had started the night before. For Reed it brought back memories of all the times his mom missed Thanksgiving for that very reason. Everyone did a bang up job preparing food and we all committed the sin of gluttony. Good times.

Heidi is Six

Heidi had the good fortune of having Grandma Karen in town for her birthday. This is what Grandma Karen got for Heidi. Heidi was very happy. FYI, the finished product does not look or taste very good, but she loves this toy.


This is Heidi's cake. Heidi is not so particular about cakes, she just likes to decorate them herself. She made flowers with M&M's and spelled her name out in gummi worms. 100% Heidi.
We have not yet made the list of what we love about Heidi, so we will make that it's own post.

Ode to Molly

Molly turned 10 years old
On November tenth
Seems like only yesterday
she came, from heaven sent.

I held up her clothes and thought
surely she'll never be this big.
Now she is trying to wear my clothes-
I am not ready for this.

Molly is a peacemaker,
is always kind to others,
she is smart and obedient,
I am glad that I'm her mother.

Molly planned this cake. I am not sure it turned out just as she wanted, but she was happy with it. We made a chocolate layer and a vanilla layer. She wanted vanilla icing in the middle, but I happened to have marshmallow fluff on hand, so we used it instead and then covered it in a chocolate frosting and sprinkles. Because life is crazy around here we did not eat this cake until two days after I made it, so the fluff had all oozed out. It looked really cool, and tasted pretty good too.

some things we love about Molly

(dad was gone, but Grandma Chris and Grandpa Jeff were here for FHE)
Heidi: She sits next to me at dinner. Our eye color is the same
Grandma Chris: She is tall, she is the oldest
Zoe: She is a nice sister to play with, she cares for us.
Grandpa Jeff: Great example of a big sister, born in Louisville during the fall meet at Churchill downs so we could see the horses race when we visited.
Tanner: Because she is so excited for Disneyland, she is not afraid of tall things.
Molly: I love me.