Fall 2011

We've had a great fall so far. I love this time of year!

I did the Dirty Dash again with some of our neighbors and their family. Unfortunately, Ben's knee still isn't quite ready for running in races. Next year though!

 

The kids got in on the muddy action and both ran the Piglet Plunge with our neighbor's kids. They ran pretty much the whole mile and loved it! (Okay, let's be honest -- Cambelle whined for much of it, especially the muddy parts. But overall they both had a lot of fun.)

This last weekend Ben went to Moab with his friends (I'll have to post some awesome videos he took) and the kids and I went to Santa Cruz, CA for a family reunion for my dad's side of the family. The kids have both only been on an airplane when they were less than a year old and Cooper is the only one that's been to the ocean (he was four months old). Needless to say, the kids were so excited! They absolutely loved the beach even though it was kind of chilly and the water was frigid. I took TONS of pictures, so even if it seems like I'm posting alot, percentage wise I'm posting very little.

It was a beautiful weekend in Moab

His first tentative steps in the water. He was
soaked a few minutes later and loving it!

Can you tell he liked it?

This was not posed. I don't know what she's doing,
but she seems to love it!

This is one of creepiest things I've ever seen. The kids were captivated.
Her name was Laffing Sal (no, I did not spell that wrong),
complete with movement and some super creepy laughter. 

She ran up and down the beach over and over again.

Cooper body surfing.

He was SO cold. Apparently this was warming him up.

We went down to the wharf in San Francisco
before we headed home on Sunday.

Cooper was so excited that we got to
explore this ship.

Cooper got to be Captain Jack for a few minutes. I
don't know what Cambelle was mad about.

Cooper steering (the ship is docked, no
real steering occurred here).

Ben was one of the assistant sophmore football coaches this year for Bountiful High School. He is loving his new job there and the coaching ended up being fun. The kids and I were able to make it to a couple of games. These are just a few shots from their last game. Ben is in the white shirt and gray shorts.

We had our friend Ang take some family pictures again about a week ago. Two years in a row of getting family pictures--I'm on a roll! Here are just a few of them.

 



Summer In A Flash

 Just a quick look at our summer. As usual, click on the collage to make it bigger so the pictures are actually visible.

Cooper's graduation from kindergarten June 2011

Cambelle's dance performance, Cooper's tennis lessons and a faux-hock, and Cambelle learned to ride on 2 wheels!

Cambelle's tantrums, I ran in a mud run, the 4th of July, and a visit from Jen and her kids

Ben's guy trip to the Wind Rivers, swimming, swimming, and more swimming

A little home improvement project--not quite not yet, but a lot better than it was

Gymnastics (I didn't get any pictures of Cambelle), Cambelle holding Elliet, playing at the park and splash pad, and sleeping after a looooong day

Playing at Pine View with friends

Cooper's first day of kindergarten vs. Cooper's first day of 1st grade. He's so big!!!

The kids doing flips

Cambelle's turned into quite the swimmer this summer

Playing Catch-up . . . As Always

Although it is now the middle of April, I decided it was finally time to post about Christmas and whatever else has happened since then. I'm so good at this blogging thing!

Christmas was so fun this year. The older the kids get, the more exciting it becomes. They wrote lists to send to Santa, they sat on his lap, and they even got excited about leaving out cookies and milk for him. We love Christmas!

Coop driving their car

Oh, the excitement!

Cambelle's turn

She wasn't exactly the fastest unwrapper

Excited about his "Joker Cave"

He had been asking for this batman cave for a couple of years--better late than never, I guess

We rearranged our living room before Christmas and sold some stuff on KSL. The kids decided to "help" us.

Trying to keep Cambelle entertained during Coop's birthday party

Our birthday Jedi in all his gear

Showing us his moves

The Star Wars birthday party

At both his friend birthday party and one with the family, he made sure he took his time and really thought about his wish before he blew out the candles.

Cambelle felt it was her duty to help him open all of his presents.

Catching up

Here's the quick and dirty on some of our happenings since our last post. Enjoy! And as a little side note, blogger has changed since I last posted and I can't figure the dang thing out! So this post might look a bit strange.

Halloween . . .



Princess Cambelle (she was mad at me, hence the tears)



Luke Skywalker

Ready to go trick-or-treating

We braved the ridiculously cold rain and Coop was excited about his loot



Having fun with dad . . .

What better use is there for a giant bean bag than to jump off the stairs?

She kept doing that with her right hand . . . weird


Cambelle's 4th birthday . . .

Family birthday party (the second of three parties she had, spoiled child)

Grace giving some advice on what to wish for

A visit from Little Gramma Gray and GG . . .

4 generation photo:  me, Cambelle, my mom , and my Grandma 


Other randomness . . .

Coop and Charlie (don't even ask--we're crazy)

Our little dancer

Christmas dance performance

Cambelle and this little boy had a bit of a run-in mid dance--he tried to dance on HER star!

Watching the clown make Cambelle's pink crown after her dance performance at Festival of Trees

The lights at Temple Square

The whole group--The Gunn family and us!