Vacation in Mexico.....

LONG POST WITH LOTS OF PICTURES!
We are back to reality. We just spent a week with our good friends the Allen's. They have a time share down in Rocky Point about 20 minutes outside of town. It was not at all what I was expecting....this place was fancy!

We spent our days swimming in the huge indoor/outdoor pools. Walking and building sand castles on our own private beach and playing games at night (while the kiddos slept.)
It really was paradise and went by too quick. I got a pedicure with my friend Jess while we were ther and we went into town a few times. Also we went to Church on Sunday and I got to play the piano in Spanish.(Wink, wink) Those days of Sight reading the notes came in handy b/c I couldn't read what the song was.

I forgot my memory card and my sweet Sis-in-Law Allison took in to our friends brother who came down on Sunday. Thanks so much Alli! And I still didn't take enough pictures. I wish I had a pic of our friends that we went with...and the girls by the pool. I never took my camera down there...bummer.
Oh And Liv gave us many scares...she would run out of the room when we weren't looking and run down to the pool..yikes! The joys of 2 year olds!

We got sick on the way home and have been trying to recover all weekend. Doug is officially in business too. YEA! Call us if you need a tune up:)


This is the view from our room


Walking in from the ocean..


Monday in the evening


The kiddos loved burying their feet in the sand....I would then ask "Where's O's feet?" They loved pulling them out and showing you! The little guy on the right is our friend Kirkland. He is the same age as the girls...such a cute kid!


Whee!




Trying something new....I like it.




Outside the box for me....playing with full sun...


Me and My sweetie on the beach. We had so much fun being there with our litlle family.



The Dirt Mall....well it's paved now...but we went there in the middle of the week for fun. There is so much breakable stuff it's not even funny....but we had a good time though. Ate a churro and then on the road to a taco stand for lunch. YUMMO!


We let Liv choose the turtle that she watned it. She went back like 5 times to switch. When we crossed the street she saw some more bobble head turtles and wanted to switch hers....this is the reaction when we told her no!


With Their souveniers(Sp)....they made quick the ruckus walking up and down the street.



Isn't she pretty...I love the colors here...I wish I had more willing models...


Liv petting the ceramic dog...there were so many things to break here.


Audree LOVED laying in the sand. She loves putting food in her hair and fingerpainting too....


We brought some kites and someone gave us one...too bad I cut the kite off when I was taking the picture....grrr.



Little Livvy Loo likes to snuggle...she wants to hold you all day long...



Relaxing


The best picture out of a few hundred....My sweet friend Jess took this...Thanks Jess!


The girls love spinning...


Sweet Hugs at the end of the photoshoot

Pics from this week....

Taken with a self timer before church...hence the crooked upward shot! Sorry lis...look at those roots! I need a new doo!
Funny story about the dress I am wearing...I bought this dress at Target last week. A little retro...but cute. I was telling Doug about how I was going to dress up for Primary this week as "Granny Goodnote" (I dress up in special charchters every few months to spice up primary...) I came home with this dress and Doug asked..."Is that your Grandma dress?" ACK! I debated whether or not to take it back...I kept it because I felt cute in it. Dougie and I have been doing weight watchers for the past 2.5 months and I have lost 14 lbs and Doug 21 lbs. Something to celebrate and buy a new dress right? I still have way more to go and will probably gain some back while we are in Mexico this next week. But our lifestyle has changed. I now crave running or bike riding and I get sick when I go out to eat or eat too much.
Sorry for that little tangent friends....back to the pics...




Daddy's girls....


Manda crocheted this hat and I took it from my mom's house. These are just some snaps after a nap one day. I just love little Audree in these...Liv was not having pictures or the hat....And these are with the new camera. All I did to these was resize for the web...pretty sweet huh? It's crazy how obsessed with Photography I have become. The other night our friends dad came over and he has taught photography for 30+ years. You should have heard us....f-stops, histograms, burning, ISO...Doug just sat there and smiled. It's neat to have something I love....besides my sweet little family.



I just love this little one. She can be so easy going and go with the flow. But she is a little aggressive. She always has to stand her ground. Today while I watched my neighbor she shoved him 5 times and threw a car at O's head. But she does not whine/cry/or throw tantrums like Liv so she is easier in that respect. And she is such a little lover....snuggly and sweet. And she is always says Hooray when it's time to eat. And she also always says...Cool...Awesome as she gives you a thumbs up...what a ham!





Here's the best of Liv....that's some play-doh..they're favorie. P.S. Sorry about all the crud in the background...

Today she said to Audree after a hug..."Sissy I love you Too MUCH!" Cute....they were fighting 2 seconds later lest you think they are always like this. She also asked Doug the other day..."Can Santa come tommarow and bring presents?" Oh and we were reading scrips the other night and she said..."Look That's Lehi and the brass plates!!" WoW! Talk about a sponge...

Sorry for the ultra long post everyone....And in other news...Doug's last day is tommarow and we are going to Rocky Point with some good friends on Friday....Vaca...here we come!!

Famous.....;)

A quote from us at kids club on Thursday. Down at the bottom.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/110976
Sorry I couldn't figure out how to make a link....you have to copy and paste it. Thanks Ashley for letting me know!

Weekend in Thatcher...with my Sweet Grandma

This past weekend, my sister Amanda and I had a chance to take a trip to our hometown to visit my Grandma who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. She was in good spirits, but it was hard to see her that way. I begged and begged for a picture of her with my grandpa and she said yes. It was terribly cold and they were both shivering so I only got a few...but here is my favorite. This is in front of their house. She didn't want any side shots to show her hair loss from the chemo and radiation, but I filled it in while Photoshop.


The girls were so excited to see grandma and grandpa and O kept talking about them, the whole way down. They were quite the criers while we were there and Sacrament meeting was a nightmare. I had both on each hip screaming their heads off and running out of the chapel. People in Thatcher are sweet though...they just smiled.

Both Manda and I forgot Jammies so my sister's and I went down to good ol Walmart and bought some new ones. We needed some summer ones anyway. Here are all the grandkiddos right before bed with G&G Udall.

My parents slept out in the front room and gave us there room while we were there....Thanks mom and dad!

And for journaling purposes....In a 2 hour time span O
*Took Doug's sharpie out of his pocket and colored all over herself and her kachi(sp) pants
*Took the grill scrapper outside and scrubbed her body....greasy!
*Found her in the toilet eating the toilet scrubber! Gross! If I wasn't so mad I would have taken a picture.
*Found another pen and was drawing on herself.
Sigh....I promise I'm not a neglegent mother!! She is just sooooo busy!

And We were at Manda's today and A said..."I need to go potty." Ok took her diaper off and put her on the big girl toilet...and what do you know?? She went poop! We made such a big deal out of it....looks like I might have to potty train soon!!

We've been outside....have you?

Don't you love this weather? We do! If you were to come over to our house this is what you would see....Dress ups and naked girls. The girls are sooo into dressing themselves these days. And taking their clothes off and on all day long. I LOOOOOVVEE this weather. We have been outside on a bike ride or jog everday. I wish the weather was like this all year round...but then we would be poor. ;)
We've just been busy with life. Camp and babysitting. The girls sure are cute these days...but sometimes hard. O has just started to whine and say...."Moommmmiieee" Ugh....it's cute but is hard to hear over and over. And something else cute....O has started tattling! What? It must be built in them b/c it's not like they have heard tattling before. The joys of 2.

Also we have officially decide to start our business next month...so be sure to call us. Sometime after the 21st.

Here are some new pics with my D300...I'm in love! I told A to dance...so cute!


Nakie....Liv...in heels.....nice!


I usually try to be fair and post the same amount of pics of each girl...but today O has an extra...she was all smiles.



Oh and a shameless plug...we are selling our 2002 Chevey Silverado V6 83,000 miles for $8,000 O.B.O.

Reflections of Christ....

At the temple right now there is the most amazing exhibit. An inspring local photographer Mark Mabry {www.mabryweddings.com} photographed the man who plays Christ in the Mesa Easter Pagent. He went to different locations all around Az and Mexico and re-created Christ's life on Camera. There are no words to describe it. Breathtaking, amainzg, inspiring.
It is in it's own room in the visitors center. With amazing music playing by Cylde Bawden {www.clydebawden.com/home}. I have some of his Cd's and played them in my classroom. He makes beautiful music.
There is also a video room showing how they made the pictures. Everyone needs to see this. Thankfully my sweet hubby took my girls home and I was able to go with my Sis-in law and just enjoy each picture.
Really take the time to go down to the Mesa Visitors Center. Your spirit will love it!

(And I hope they sell the prints and the music....keep your fingers crossed) P.S. If you go to mark mabry's blog there is a video about the making of one of the pictures. It will take your breath away!

And if you can't make it down there...I just found some of the videos on You tube....
http://www.youtube.com/user/reflectionsofchrist

Valentines Day Festivities

Warning....long post:)
I just love V-day Don't you? It's so fun to show the person you love how much you care...we had a great one this year.

Here we are baking sugar cookies for our friends....they love helping in the kitchen....I just wish it wasn't so much work for me!

First we went to our favorite Thursday place...Kids Club at the Mall grabbed a quick bite and then headed to Zaharis Elem. where I used to teach 1st grade. The girls loved the school. There were fishies, a bunny, baby turtle and some large tortises(sp). We had a great time seeing old friends, but the girls kept me very busy while the made a mess wherever we went. Before we left we went and saw the tortises(sp). They are big and just look like big rocks. The girls were looking at it and then it turned it's head towards them and started to come towards us. They FLIPPED! They started to scream and say..."Too SCARY!!!" I can see how it was a little scary to them.
We then came home and the girls found a letter and flowers from Dad...they loved it and wanted to smell them and rip them apart.





After good naps...Dad came home and they gave him the homemade cards they made for him.
Dad then came home and the girls gave him their cards and I gave him mine. Mine sang Martina Mcbride's "My baby loves me just the way that I am" The girls got a kick out of the music.


We had a Yummy Creamy Italian Chicken Dinner and my sweetheart let me ditch him on V-day to go to a photography seminar. http://www.edpierceseminars.com/registration.php
It was very insightful and I went with my sweet friend Micalea. Needless to say we left there feeling excited and overwhelmed...this hobby is expensive!
I also met some other really amazing local photog's so that was great too. I also got to practice out my new camera....I love it...but it will definatly take some time to get used too.
We had such a great LOVELY day...I hope everyone else had great one!

Happy Early V-day to me!

Yep that's right....a new Nikon D300!! Wow! My sweet amazing, thoughtful husband just surprised me with the camera of my dreams! Every since it was realesed a few months ago I have been drooling over this camera. Since we are starting the business soon there was no way we could afford it. So I decided to start saving all of my babysitting money and photography money to buy it.( I have a whopping $400.00 saved) Doug started doing the same thing...he saved all the money from side jobs that he has been doing to buy me this camera! I just cried and cried! I didn't even know what to say.....
I know it seems so silly but I really love learning and practicing photography. Now I can really do that! Isn't he the BEST! Gosh....he has always been like this too. When the girls were born he gave me a diamond tennis bracelet with side job money that he saved.
I can't wait to see how my photography changes. Just had to share my giddiness(is that even a word!)

The things they say....

So all you moms out there....have any of your young children said something that really surprises you? I know my girls were just in Heaven a short time ago and the veil is very thin with little ones.
We do FHE and talk about Jesus, and sing primary songs....but I just had to share the few things that they said this week.

I was changing A's diaper and she was looking at the family picture of us on the wall. She was naming everyone..."Look mom, there's Sissy, and Mom and Dad." I told her " Your'e right....that's our family!" And right after that she started singing I am a Child of God in the middle of the song though..."And he has sent me here, has given me an Earthly home with parents kind and dear." It just gave me a little chill.

Next story...I was getting some stuff ready for Primary and O' saw a picture of Jesus. She said...."Look Mom that's Jesus.... He's my friend too!" And then a few moments later still looking at the picture..."Mom Jesus is coming soon." Totally by herself....huh.

I just had to write down these stories b/c I know I will forget. And I need it for next years book!:)

And Just b/c here are the girls all crusty right after dinner....I was looking at some pics on my camera and they wanted a picture too!






And I didn't post this one is the last post....awww....kissy the sissy!

My little Valentine's....

A has a mouthful of candy....:)


Tyring out the new pink backdrop in the garage....I gave the girls conversation hearts and big suckers....I just adore these images of my girlies....sorry I am sharing so many...I just couldn't pick!













Wow...these are big!



I love A's Sucker Head!


Look at the heigth difference!




Aren't you singing..."We represent the Lollipop Guild.."

It's here.....my Blog Book

TADA!


Here is the front without the cover...very nice cloth hardbound book.


Inside...you choose the backdrop and different page layouts




The width of the book.


So I have had this blog set up for a while, and heard about this amazing place that print your blog. www.blurb.com
It uploads your whole blog and then you choose the layout/design and then they print it! And not for much money either. When I first uploaded my book it had over 300 pages. But each picture was on it's own page. So I had choose which pictures I wanted on each page and in the end it was a little over 150 pages long. I took out some stuff too that didn't need to be in there. So there you go...I love it! Very nice quality for the price. Only $50.00 for this book. Sweet! Everyone should do this. What a great way to journal/scrapbook!