Weekend in Williams

Last weekend we got to do the famous Polar Express train ride thanks to the ticketmaster herself, Sara! Derek (bro) and Alexa (sis-in-law) drove up with Owen, Drew, and me. We followed Lindsey (friend), Kip (Lindsey's husband), Sophie (their daughter), and Shay & Asia (Lindsey's nieces).This is how he fell asleep on the way up... wearing his $1.50 Wal-Mart beanie (from the women's section).

K we were all so excited for the snow. I haven't seen snow deep enough to play in, in probably 10 years.

Then the train ride... After our train had been going a few minutes and we had our hot chocolate, the train stopped and the power went off. Our whole train car ended up having to relocate due to bad breaks and a "flat tire" (their dumbed down explanation for us). But it wasn't a big deal at all, except we got jipped of our cookies! Sophie was still disturbed by that the next morning :)

Uncie Der Der!

Drew & Sophie looking out the window at Santa's House in
"The North Pole."

Getting our bells. Those things are huge!

Then Saturday before we went home we played in snow at a rest stop. Kip took these pictures that I LOVE.

Owen's showing off his scary skull gloves.

These are what he chose just for this occasion.

2 years old... that's my goal to get rid of the binky.

Anyway... just a way fun weekend. Could only have been better if Justin was there. Thanks again Sara!

Goodbye Preschool

Owen's AZ Preschool Class

Olivia, Kaleb, Matthew, Miles, Owen, Crew, Kennedi, Audra, Caleb

Not pictured: Briant, Tyler, Colby

Today was his last day of preschool here. I'm sad for Owen cause he LOVES it. He asks almost every morning if today is a preschool day and every day when I pick him up he's so happy! A few of his preschool favorites:

Letter to sign: T

Song: Rudolph

Snack: Ding Dongs (the snacks each day had to do with the letter of the week; Owen brought gummy lifesavers (look like O's) to share for his last day)

Crafts: Turkey Pumpkins, Reindeer Hats

Next month it's back to the Methodist Preschool but it just won't be the same. Mrs. Lunt/Aunt Suzanne is the best :)

Owen & Briant

12/14/07

While Karen and Jared were in Hawaii, Owen and Briant got really close. Wish I could say the same for Drew and Max.

Happy Because...

12/19/07

OWEN
He finally talked to Santa... a few times!
1. Got his candy cane
2. Went back to tell him he wanted Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer
3. Went back to sit on his lap
4. Went back to tell him his name

DREW
He has candy!

Desktop

Justin just emailed me what his computer desktop looks like in Iraq... I love it.

Mesa Temple

Isn't this picture so pretty? I love it. I just really wanted to post something pretty to look at instead of Brent's nasty mullet.

My Mexican Hermano

This is Brent, my "Mexican" brother that is not Mexican but lives in Mexico. Apparently he also knows my blog password. My password is now changed!

I think he entered this picture into mullets.com in high school. If not, he should have.

And those dump truck pictures are REAL! Happened today.

Dijo means "said" in case you didn't know. I didn't.

dump trucks

My mexican hermano sent me these fotos today of a problemita they had at work. He was quite astonished by this because he dijo that they normally work with such high tech equipment. He said "you should've seen the driver hanging in the air there waving around, he had to open the door and drop out, I couldn't stop laughing" I love my hermano, hes the mejor in the mundo.

Bored

So apparently I need to change my blog password so Justin can't post things about WHAM while he's bored in Iraq :)

I don't know that net tank top is pretty hot though.

WHAM!!

Who says Wham is gay? If you think this, You are sadly mistaken. You obviously have not heard their rockin' song "Everything She Wants". I gave it 5 stars in my playlist. I know you will agree with me after hearing this song.


Just to give you a taste:

" Uh huh huh...
Oh yeah...
Uh huh huh...
Oh...oh...
Uh huh huh...
Doo doo doo...
La la la la...

Somebody tell me,
Wont you tell me...
Why I work so hard for you?
All to give you money,
All to give you money..."


I wish Justin would wear a nice netted tank top like George! Hot!

Helmet Face

"I call this 'Helmet Face.' Everytime, since I can remember, I make this face when I put on my helmet. My poor companion adopted my tradition and now we look absolutely ridiculous."

- Elder Jason Owen Martindale, Tennessee Knoxville Mission

Ghetto

Who is in this picture?

Karen (sister) is holding Max (nephew) while pushing Owen in the stroller (because he fell down and broke his crown), who has Briant (nephew) on his lap (because he's cold). Karen (sister) is about to run into Cole (brother) who is shorter than Jared (brother-in-law). But who isn't? Jared (the tall one) is holding Drew (because when I'm not taking pictures I'm pushing the stroller). And also because he likes him.

What are they doing?

Smiling for the picture. But before that, looking at Temple lights.

About that stroller....

.

Pictured is my ghetto version of a double stroller. The front tray came off so it now comfortably seats 2, if you count sitting on a lap as comfortable. When Owen doesn't feel like walking Drew gets to sit on his lap. We get lots of special looks. Somebody please tell Justin it's time for a new stroller!

Tree Hunting

Not like it was hard:

Drove 3 hours to Safford...

Tami picked us out a tree from their nursery,

and that was it!

Although it looks like I'm playing peek-a-boo behind the tree, I'm really holding the thing up!... With the help of Aunt Sherri who is helping from behind.

But anyway I love the tree.

.

And so does Owen who thinks it's his own.

He doesn't have to know this tree tag has 2 other names on it.

A Meeting

Meet Jessica and her kids, Mason and Emma.

I just did!

She is a family friend of the Hollobaughs.

We met today at the Arizona Museum for Youth.

It was a fun place (with fun company) that I hadn't been to before.

(right by the Natural History museum that I love with the dinosaurs)

Please say that stamp ink is washable as advertised.

Also, you will be seeing a lot of Owen's fish shirt.

He's obsessed.

This is the 1st item of clothing he's owned that he wants to wear to:

Sleep, church, and everywhere else.

It should be ratty in no time.

I want this flannel tree in a kid's room someday!

Why do I love felt pieces so much?

Then we went to the former Coffee Talk which is now

Inside the Bungalow

(and probably has been for awhile but I wouldn't know)

But I do know they offer cashews as a pita pizza topping.

Any pizza place in NC should learn from them!

Gingerbread Night

My parents invite a couple ward families over each year to do gingerbread houses... this is the whole lot of em. My mom made REAL gingerbread!


This is the one I started until Owen got sick... so my dad got to finish it up with a little help from Drew.

Stay tuned for New Year's Eve when the houses get blown up!

Lights

This was our Saturday night... the APS Fiesta of Light Parade in Phoenix. My pictures are bad. The parade was good... even though my mom & I ended up across the street from Derek & Alexa/Jared & Karen.

French Toast Friday

Monday - Pancakes

Tuesday - Oatmeal

Wednesday - Waffles

Thursday - Cream of Wheat (or Malt O Meal)

Friday - French Toast

My personal favorite, the french toast.

My mom has had this breakfast schedule FOREVER. Since I've been here last year she figured out to cook the french toast in the waffle maker and it tastes so much better, no soggy middles! And she always uses Grandma Sycamore's bread... so good.

Christmastime

Aren't you so glad you don't have to look at this header anymore? I am.

It's Good

Stayed up until 2am reading last night... I don't give up sleep for just anything. I know it's been around awhile, I'm just slow. But I LOVE IT.

On a side note, remember that time I wrapped up a diaper, threw it out, then came back in the house and the diaper was still there? So I went to see what I had wrapped up and thrown out. Ya, it was my cell phone. That was yesterday (even on a full night's sleep).

Thankful

Thanksgiving in Payson from my point of view...

Those sweet potatoes were SO good.

Always zooming in on the pies.

And now a few from Owen's point of view...

Happy Thanksgiving!