Learning about Pumpkins

Avannie has started preschool today!!!  And she loved it!  

First Day of School with her "Happy Face"

First we sang some songs, spun the weather wheel, did the calendar, did some letter phonics (ZooPhonics), and then had the lesson about pumpkins.  How do pumpkins grow?  We read a book explaining the process.  Then: pumpkin counting. story about Spencer the Tiger and his pumpkin, a song about pumpkins sitting on a fence, dissecting a pumpkin and feeling the guts and the seeds, a snack of whole grain/low sugar pumpkin muffins, a craft to make little jack-o-lanterns, and then play time.  

The Class:  Lydia, Jihoo, Avannie, and Tony

 It was so much fun to watch these little kids learn!  Yes, they got side-tracked but it was still so fun!

Avannie is the oldest of the bunch - born in June.  Then Lydia and Tony are in October followed by little Jihoo.

Applefest Half Marathon 2011

Go Joseph and Kelly!  Mile 8 on the famous Wheeler Road, one very long uphill.

Joseph and Rick Hann were this year's Dominators (team name) at the Applefest race in Hollis.  They did great!  They came in under 2 hours - barely - but hey, they reached their goal!  Ricky had the first leg of the race and Joseph had the second.  For each leg, they both ran with a good friend, Kelly Olsen (blue shirt with the backwards red hat).  Joseph said that it was Kelly who kept him motivated.  Thank you Kelly!

It was different being a spectator this year.  With my parents in-town, we jumped in the car and were able to see Rick and Amy (little sister) on Nevins Road.  Then we drove along the race course for a mile and pasted Joseph.  We then drove a back road to get to Wheeler Road, and barely made it in time to see Joseph pass.  I ran along the side for a minute before giving him the "good game".  Then we jumped in the car again to make it to the finish line in time.  We got caught in traffic right in the middle of Hollis for 20 minutes as the police officer wouldn't let any cars go through.  So after a quick feeding for Sadie and watching Joseph pass our car, I jumped out of the car and dashed to the high school to watch Joseph cross the finish line.  I made it!  He finished with excellent time!  And about a half hour later, Amy finished!  It was so fun!

The Dominators

Re-pump-li-kins

Kempa' and I watched the republican debate while carving pumpkins last week.

Kempa, Amy, and Cain

Pig and 'BOO'

His tail got caught in a crimping iron.

Boston Fireworks 2011

Utah Trip

South Weber Trains

Kitchen floor is always the best place for a snack.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon with the Family

Bryce Canyon National Park

Someone is learning independence.

My Paul Bunyon Husband

This is how the professionals do it.

This is how Joseph does it.  Freaked me out!

Are you nervous?  Because I sure was!

Almost there!  Please observe my observation post.

Done!  Thanks to Garrett for saving my husband's life!!!

Easter 2011

 I took 8 pictures of Avannie wearing her Easter dress, and this is the best one of them all.  Still not super but I have a slow camera that missed the smiles.  Drats!  (I just got the camera 7 years ago....) But just know, if she was smiling in the pictures like she was in real life, it would be charming!

This is the Easter Egg Hunt that happened in our living room.  She loved it!  But I still think that I have the most fun hiding all the eggs.  he he he

Good times never were so good... SO GOOD, so good!!!

Taylor came out for a visit strategically on the opening weekend at Fenway AND when the opponents were the New York Yankees.  And being the avid fan from Utah that she is, the sisters went to the game.  It was awesome.  We got to Fenway at 9:00 am (for a 1:15 game) to take the tour of the stadium - definitely worth every penny and hours of waiting.  The hotdogs couldn't have been better - must be a pregnant thing, but I put 2.5 packets of relish on mine.  "So Good, So good, so good!"  Yum!  I sang Sweet Caroline with the rest of the thousands of fans and was beaming the entire time.  And best part of all was being there in PERFECT weather with Amy and Tay.  I made even made it with going on the subway/trains and didn't even get too sunburned.  Awesome day!

Day before the game, Tay and I went to the local Marshalls were we found awesome Red Sox jackets in the little boys section for only $14.99.  Next day at Fenway, we saw one that looked the same for $45.  What a steal!!!

Night before the Red Sox game, was a date with Joseph to the Boston Celtics.  Look at how close we were!  He won tickets from a leadership training so we made a night of it.  It was great to be with him but really, I would rather watch baseball.  Joseph thinks I'm crazy.  (that's why he married me.  ha ha)

She's an original!

Go Aggies!

 

"Do you think the brown heels are too much?"

"Aunt Tay, you gotta leave the purple shoes here, they go great with my outfit."

This is Avannie to a T.  She did all her own accessories, has lamb in tow, and is hanging out by the toilet (totally gross) as she watches her dad get ready for a priesthood meeting.  Pretty funny.  She is totally her own little person.

Avannie is probably thinking: "Its so fun having Hazel here because she has all the latest fashions: big girl underpants (over the diaper), pink back pack, and brown shoes."

Iron-on Decal Fun

Twinners: TayTay  and Avannie

 Look Mom, I found the orange marker!  And it taste so yummy!

Boston's Museum of Science

Several weeks ago, our little family went on a fieldtrip to Boston.  We were given tickets to the Museum of Science from our awesome home teacher, Brother Rigg.  And it was fun!  Well, for Joseph and I at least.  Avannie could care less about the physics, weather, boats, etc.  but she was all about the dinosaurs and the animal exhibits.  It was loads of fun but will be even better when she is older and wants to look at the same stuff that we do.

Checking out T-Rex.  He didn't make the picture as he was enormous.

Look dad!   Hooooorse!

Avannie taking a break while mom is fully engaged with the audiokinetic sculpture in the main lobby.

The only non-animal that Avannie full enjoyed.

Last HUGE Snow Storm of the Year

This picture was taken on February 25, 2011.  Why is it significant?  Because all winter long we have been hand shoveling our drive way and if you are from New England, you know that this has been a crazy year of snow so this was not an easy deal for a pregnant lady.  Joseph went into Home Depot/Lowes several times during January and February looking for a snow blower.  Hilarious because those stores were already putting the spring stuff out to sell; the snow blowers had been gone since early December.  But moral of the story, Joseph had to go into Home Depot to get some small thing and came home with a snowblower that someone had returned after using it once.  He was SO exited!  He waited and waited for it to snow just to try it out.  Finally, it did.  He loved it.  And it hasn't snowed enough to use it since.  Ha!!!

Mom's Little Helper

 Recently, I have moved all my unorganized filing from the basement to the upstairs to effort to be more diligent at it.  In the process, I decided not to just move the chaos but to thoroughly organize it too.  This project took 3-4 days to complete, but it feels WONDERFUL to have it done.  Best part is, though, as I ran downstairs to get more color paper to color-coordinate file tabs, Avannie decided she also wanted to be apart of this grand effort and climb right into the drawer.

Sweeping? yeah right.  Not when you have a toddler in the middle of the hallway reading her new book with dad in the kitchen.

 Every time I start to make cookie dough, Avannie always is very helpful in making sure everything tastes just right.

A typical day of going out... to get the mail, to the grocery store, church, etc...  We need to make sure a few purses are packed, the bears aren't left behind, and there is a book to read.

Trip to Upstate NY

 In March, our family took a little road trip to Upstate New York and had a great time.  First stop was Joseph's old middle school where Avannie and I got the grand tour.  We also got to see is old coach too, which was a highlight for Joseph.

Joseph's New York Home

After spending the evening with old friends from back in the day, we were off to Palmyra to see history!  (This was my excitement of the trip.)  We stopped at Hill Cumorah and viewed the interactive visitor center.  Avannie loved the buttons.  And she would even sit and listen to what was being said.

After Hill Cumorah, we toured the Smith homes then went over to the printing shop.  That was cool as we got to see all the different steps to print a Book of Mormon back then.  It really was a miracle.  Here Joseph is actually learning how to fold the first 16 pages of the book which would later be combined with the rest of the pages to create a book.

Last stop in Palmyra was the Sacred Grove and because of the time of the year (March), it was pretty soggy and wintered.  But it was still quiet, still and beautiful in its own way.
 

After Palmyra, we started to head east again and the last stop was a visit to my cousin's home.  Joseph was inspired at all the tree-cutting projects Ammon had done as well as all the other incredible home improvements that made their home beautiful.  

Avannie and 2nd Cousin Teya playing with the chickens.