Fun Family Times in December

Celebrating Steve's 33rd birthday with the kids!  We had homemade rolls, ice cream and frozen apple pie the day before.  Steve and I saw "White Christmas" at ASU Gammage Theatre on the 9th.

We love the Sirrine Garden Train tour near our home in Mesa!  We went December 10th as a family.

Christmas vacation in Utah is the best!  We drove to Utah December 20th and 21st.  We made Christmas cookie trains on Christmas Eve with our Burgess cousins.  We missed having Andrea's family with us.  We played Christmas Bingo, pinata, dressed up as the Nativity, played chimes, and dug carrots in Grandpa B.'s garden for Rudolph. 

Christmas Day on the Sabbath made it extra special, as we remembered our baptismal covenants and the the Savior's sacrifice for us.

Steve, David, Spencer, Nate and Grandpa Easthope went on a sleigh ride in Heber to see the elk on Monday, December 26th.  It was cold, but they had a fun time.  We celebrated Christmas again that evening with the Easthopes.  We loved spending the holidays with our families in Utah.  We love being with our families.  We safely arrived back home in Mesa on Monday, January 2nd, 2012.  

Thanksgiving 2011

 

David, Spencer and Anna LOVE playing in their sandbox!  It was Anna's first time and she loved it too!  Even though it's November 4th, it's perfect sandbox weather!

Grandma Easthope has the tradition of tieing a quilt every Thanksgiving after a nice dinner.  David and Spencer helped by cutting the yarn and pulling needles through the material.

Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011

We spent Saturday, November 26th in Sandy with Grandma and Grandpa Burgess.  The boys loved raking the leaves and being buried by Grandpa B.  Listening to Grandma B. read stories before bedtime is always a highlight too!

Anna's First Birthday on Halloween

We went to the PwC Halloween party and trick-or-treated around Steve's office on Thursday, October 27th. 

Anna loved wearing the funny glasses she got at the PwC party.

Anna and Grandpa Burgess on October 29th

 

Posing with our jack-o-lanterns on Sunday October 30th with Grandma and Grandpa Burgess

Anna sits between Spencer and David on her 1st birthday, Monday, October 31st.

Happy 1st Birthday to our "little pumpkin."

Anna opens her birthday presents

What is it?

Anna licks the frosting off her first birthday cake.  Everyone gets a star cake for his/her first birthday because we love them "all the stars in the sky."

"Happy Boo to you!" 

Anna was a pro at blowing out her candle and knew exactly what to do.  I also made little jack-o-lantern cupcakes to celebrate her Halloween birthday.

We dressed up as Cowboys and Indians (Native Americans) for the Menlo Park Ward Halloween party on Saturday, October 29th.  It was fun to have Grandma and Grandpa B. with us.

Waiting to go trick-or-treating after Anna's Halloween birthday party.  It was a long day.
Watch out!  Here come the Cowboys and Indian Princess!

Anna's not sure what to think about her jack-o-lantern cupcake.

"I think I'll help myself..."

"Too sweet! No more cupcake!" Anna cries as we try to encourage her to have a bite the day after her birthday.  Anna enjoyed playing with the cupcake more than eating it.

Happy 1st Birthday Anna!  WE LOVE YOU!!

Spencer's 3rd Birthday and Melanie's 35th!

Steve, David, Spencer and Anna helped celebrate Melanie's 35th birthday on September 29th.  (Yikes! Is 35 old?!)  Since Spencer's birthday is only four days later, I requested an ice cream pie instead of a cake this year.  You can get sick of cake, but you can never have enough ice cream.  My birthday also marks the 6 year anniversary of the night Steve asked me to marry him on the Mesa Temple grounds.  I'm so glad I said "yes!"  He bought me a gorgeous bouquet of pink flowers to celebrate.

Birthdays are much more fun with little children helping you celebrate.  Steve and the children gave me some nice cards and the Wizard of Oz DVD for fun.  Steve also made a special trip to Jo-Ann's to buy me new fabric I needed for a skirt I'm making since the day before I ruined my fabric by cutting it the wrong way.  Such a thoughtful surprise!  Good job Steve! :)

Now, about the more important birthday--Spencer's 3rd birthday on October 3rd!!  (His "golden" birthday)  Since David has been studying the solar system in preschool this month, the boys have watched a lot of space shuttle videos on Youtube with Steve.  So, instead of making the dump truck cake like I did for David's third birthday, Spencer requested the rocket ship cake.  The boys loved it!  The frosting and candy were their favorite parts.  Even though it's more work, I enjoy making these fun cupcake cakes for their birthdays.  It was so nice to have Steve help me decorate it the day before.

 

The morning of Spencer's birthday we went to the Park of the Canals, a park built around some of the water canals of the Hohokam Indians from 300 BC.  This park is the boys' new favorite park and it's finally cool enough to play at the parks again after a long, hot summer.

That afternoon we pulled out the homemade playdough and had lots of fun making a mess everywhere.  They thought they were hilarious when they put it on their foreheads.  Why not put playdough on your head?

David made sure Spencer knew how to open his presents and Anna enjoyed playing with the ribbons.

Happy 3rd Birthday Spencer!  WE LOVE YOU!!
The star candles were an extra treat, and Spencer didn't mind David helping him blow them out.

Setting the camera on automatic used to get their attention as the red light flashed.  Now it's no longer a novelty, and it's pure luck that everyone is looking at the camera and smiling.

I had to include this photo even though it's out of focus because it represents our reality. Happy Birthday!  Good times!!

Have you ever won a contest?

So, as I try to catch up with my blog posts, I'm taking a little time to brag a little. 

In my never-ending quest to learn how to be a better mother, I've enjoyed several books written by Linda and Richard Eyre.  Several years ago I borrowed my mother's copy of  A Joyful Mother of Children (hilarious stories).  My sister Andrea gave me A Mother's Book of Secrets (excellent!).  I bought Teaching Your Children Joy (very practical) on eBay, and my mom recently gave me Five Spiritual Solutions for Everyday Parenting Challenges (so inspiring you may cry).  I also enjoy reading the Eyre's weekly column in the Deseret News Mormon Times edition.  When I have a spare moment I like reading their daughters' blogs: http://www.71toes.com/, or www.powerofmoms.com.  Then I joined the Eyre's www.valuesparenting.com email list.

So, when I purchased a Groupon to Barnes and Noble in February, I decided to pre-order the Eyre's newest book The Entitlement Trap, scheduled to be released September 6th.  Then, in June I received an email from the valuesparenting.com email list saying that if you pre-order their book, you will be entered into a contest.  So I forwarded them my receipt, entered the contest, and forgot about it.

Then on September 1st as I was going through my junk email I noticed an email from someone named Linda Eyre entitled "YOU ARE A WINNER."  I've received emails like this before, but it's usually from someone who's name I can't pronounce.

I opened the email and sure enough, I was a winner!  (Deep down I've told myself this every day, but now, here's proof.)  I didn't even know what the prizes were.  So I looked on their websites.  Platinum Prize was two tickets to the Power of Moms Couples Retreat at the Eyre's Park City home, including hotel and airfare.  Gold Prize was dinner for two with Richard and Linda in Park City.  Silver Prize was a five-pack of their Entitlement Trap book. 

On September 1st Linda emailed me again to inform me I was one of eight winners of the Silver Prize.  (I now have Linda Eyre's personal Gmail address--in case I ever need some personal advice I can go to her directly.)

How fun is that!?!  I emailed my four siblings and parents to let them know what their Christmas gift would be this year.  They are just as thrilled as I am. :)  I'm so excited to add their newest book to the pile of books I already own and am still trying to finish.

And, my name is on their three websites as a winner.  Who knows how many people will read my name.  I think it's kind of fun that my name is the only one that includes my maiden name, so there's no mistake who I am.

LOOK AT ME! I'M SO FAMOUS!! :) WAHOO!!  I'M A WINNER!!

http://valuesparenting.blogspot.com/

http://powerofmoms.com/giveaway-winners/

http://eyrealm.blogspot.com/2011/09/winners.html