Halloween

It was a really nice Halloween! The weather was beautiful & the events we attended were FUN! The weekend started with the Church halloween party....very fun...no pictures.....Saturday the town had trick-or-treating for the kids downtown. Finally, came Monday. The school had a parade, preschool had fall festival then trick or treating after school. A very fun weekend!

Columbus Day dirt biking

A friend in the ward rented out a dirt bike track in Walnut, Illinois called Sunset Ridge MX! We were able to take our family and have a really nice morning riding. I was so worried that I would have forgotten how to dirt bike, although it came back pretty quick! I could even start my bike up all by myself!

Daddy's Gift

Trav was able to go to London England on business. This was his gift to the girls! Aren't the dresses beautiful! Tatum received a really trendy hot pink cotton dress! I got an awesome sweater & Andy Warhol t-shirt!

Since September

It has been nice to be back home. I have really enjoyed getting back into our routine. I have surprisingly found myself actually referring to here as "home". Last year was really difficult for me emotionally. Although, reflecting back. It was hard spiritually. I am glad that I had time over the summer to surround myself with: my loving family, friends, the beautiful world that has been given to us & a chance to get a new perspective on life. I realized that although moving was tough. I still had it pretty good. I have been so blessed to have a few constant friends who put themselves into my life. In the ward Trav & I were invited to join this "book group" that discusses deeper spiritual/religious topics.....very interesting. So in all that....I have over-scheduled my girls in too many lessons, joined the PTA, still in YW and wanting to socialize while having a clean house!!! HAHAHA!! So what do I drop....putting laundry away!!! And unfortunately getting on the phone.....I need to get better at that though..... Here are some pictures of the girls First Days at School, Montana at Jr. Pommer performance, my Young Woman's trip to Kirtland, Ohio & some other cute pictures!!!

Summer comes & goes....

I can't believe but our 2011

summer is quickly coming to a close. I am taking the girls "school shopping" to Missoula tomorrow!! I have to get it in before we head to Illinois & the lovely state tax!!

We have had an amazing time being with family & friends. We are so blessed to play, visit & learn! The kids have room to run, pretend, socialize & exercise! We get to visit, watch kids, play & craft! I have truly loved watching my girls grow & enjoying themselves this summer!!!

Wow

I was able to go to Arizona a few weekends ago, spend a day with my family & another day with girl friends from Calgary. I am so grateful to my wonderful husband who supports & loves me and provides me with time to rejuvinate myself. It was such a blessing to spend time with my parents, Sister, Sister-in-law, then My Grandma & Aunts & Uncles!!! Lots of family in one day!! I have been blessed with goodly parents and a wonderful heritage.
Then being able to see my dear friends from Calgary was a joy! It was great to be back in my element, of familiar faces & trusted friends. I do not regret moving. Although, it is not easy. I was so blessed to become friends with such wonderful ladies in Calgary & am so grateful that those friendships are still strong & true!!
As a mother. Coming home was hard. T did such a great job & was so much more fun than me! Seriously, last week I think my girls were deciding if they liked having me back! I was so glad to be home. But maybe it is time to relax about scheduling "stuff" and start cherishing the time we have to be together. To play, laugh and create.
Tonight, as I was making dinner Tatum got really hurt. We spent the early evening in the emergency room. I thought that I would be spending the next few weeks with a baby girl in a cast. Luckily, it was only a displaced elbow ligament. Anyways, we are all healthy, I just need to get us all to appreciate each other & stop cleaning the house.....

Recent Pictures

We took the kids to the Shedd Aquarium, we all had a great time! It was so fun to watch the girls explore, play & be kids!

Friday evening I was able to go to the church & learn how to make Pillow Case dresses! I finished them Saturday evening & had the girls wear them to church! I think they are really cute! YEA! I finished a project!

Make a picture slideshow

Tana's Party

Personalize your own scrapbook

Life as of lately

Since our hair cutting fiasco, life has gone by quickly! In February, Montana turned 6 years old! She had a really fun birthday party with ALL the little girls in her school class & 2 girls from church. We had it at "pump it up" a jumpy castle place, then did pizza & ice cream cake. Everyone had a great time & her friends where extremely generous! She had asked for Barbies & got LOTS of them! Now I am informed that we need a Barbie House for them to play in......(we'll see about that!)

Travis's parents also came to visit us for a week, the beginning of February!! What a GREAT time! We got to go celebrate Montana's birthday at Tom & Eddy's...a GREAT burger place! Glenda even MADE some curtains for me, for the living room! They turned out beautiful! THANK YOU Glenda!

Tatum has learned to walk! She has been trying to since November, although in the last two weeks she is doing it! Tatum does not crawl anymore. She keeps on getting up & trudging on! I think diapers where also invented to padding when babies fall! Her walk is even starting to look a little less Frankenstien-ish.

Montana began piano & is doing very well! It took some coaxing to build her confidence & get her to really apply herself, although I think she has figured out that it is fun!

Travis & I attended our first ever "Walker Auction" a concept unknown to me, but the power of the PTA is great!

I was VERY nervous about the whole night. First, I went with 3 other couples and Trav MET ME THERE!!!!! This worried me, although my neighbor has really taken me under her wing & I had a great time with them! Then, what to wear. I wouldn't have been really stressed but Kitty (neighbor's name) said that other women were very concerned about it...etc. So I got her opinion...then chose to wear something totally opposite!! AAHH! But it worked out great! I felt totally comfortable, modest & got a pair of AWESOME heels! Thank you IVANKA TRUMP! Then began the bidding...so we had agreed on spending a couple 100 dollars...& the bidding began at a THOUSAND dollars.....so we bid on the silent table auction section!! Wow, I swear the school raised about 80 grand in one night. And why are our property taxes so high???!!!???

I got my hair cut....it hadn't been done since September...but it was a dissapointment.....my hairdresser was in a fight with his wife & obviously was concerned more about that than my massive amounts of brown hair. Goodbye hair....goodbye money...

Travis took the big girls to Indian Princess again & had a great time! This organization is hilarious! It is a Daddy/daughter group & the men really do a good job. Their is a little pow wow meeting, then they always do a craft, play games & have a treat. Pretty impressive, I think.

I am still committed to training for this 1/2 marathon. I have surprised myself with how I have really stuck to it. (I am not usually totally committed to stuff like this). BUT, I am doing it! It is actually fun to run! My knees are sometimes KILLING me...but I just got some new shoes & insoles....hopefully that will do the trick.

Colleen is doing so well with school! We made playdough together the other day then Played playdough. I was making snakes then turning it into numbers & shapes...she really knows her stuff. I was very impressed. I can't believe that she is going to be 4 next month. She is such a sweet little girl. Unfortunately, her feisty side usually presents itself in front of people. So probably not everyone would agree with the "sweet little girl" statement!!! But she really is a cuddle bug & just needs "loves". She still calls Montana "thithter"(sister) all the time! I hope that never ends and she is in a constant state of pretend! She wakes up and says, "Mom, pretend you are the mom & I am the baby"....so I have to pretend I am the Mom...good thing I am good at it!! Ha Ha!!

Basically, life is going. We have been busy. I do love our school, neighborhood, home,...but moving is just hard. Hard on me. Everyone else is doing great. It just takes time to REALLY find your niche. But I think maybe it is starting to work out. We have been SO BLESSED. I am NOT complaining, it just takes some time getting used to change. Good thing I have such a great little family to keep me busy!!

The Earrings

Well, we decided that she needed some earrings just to help out the hair cut......

THE HAIR CUT

Last Thursday, we put the girls to bed and allowed them to play in Guppies room. At 8:30 pm Travis went to check on them & all I hear is "girls we don't play with scissors". I dashed up to Tana's room to find LOTS of hair on the ground. Montana cut the left side of her head to her scalp!!! AAAHHH!! I cried hard for about 20 minutes. I definately scared the girls in my reaction.

Colleen's hair also was cut although, not as bad. It was cut above her left ear & in a very chunky way.

Here are the pictures.....we had to go to the local salon, early friday morning, to get their hair fixed!