Halloween Fun!

Bailey's Swimmer Pumpkin!


Here are some photos from our Halloween. We had a Ward Party on Halloween Eve and I took Bailey, Cameron and Jackson while Morgan and Dad stayed home since Morgan was still recovering from H1N1 Swine Flu!

On Halloween, we did the Pumpkins...or at least John and the kids did pumpkins. That night, I took the two littles out Trick or Treating, Cameron went with some friends Trick or Treating, and John and Bailey went to the Utah game. It was a VERY fun day!

Going to the Ward Party.

Morgan not looking too sick.

The Pumpkins.

Going out Trick or Treating with our friends, Ellie and Sydney and our miserable dog-witch!

I know! I know! FINALLLLLLY! -- Here we go...Our Swine Flu Quarantined Day of Pumpkin Cookies and Spa Day...and an UPDATE! Finally!

YUM!

What do you do when you have Swine Flu (or Jack Jack does) and you are self-quarantined on a Sunday with no dad (he left Saturday for Indiana and Detroit) and no Maaama and Baaampa (who went to St. George for the weekend...bad timing I know)??? Well make pumpkin cookies to decorate and have a spa day of course! We started with decorating the cookies I made, then moved on to facials in the tub, then did nails and toes. It was lovely! Unlike swine flu...yuck! Jack was tested Saturday and came back positive and today (Monday), Morgan is coming down with the SAME symptoms...fever, aches, etc. 3 down, 3 to go!

Bailey painting Morgan's nails...

Cam trying to figure out toe separators.

Bailey painting my toes. Pretty nails!!!

By the way...since it has BEEN SO LONG...a little update. John has a job...YAY!!! He is contracted with a company for 7 months and then we will see...he feels like it will get extended and we are praying for more job opportunities for him to contract with. He is loving what he is doing and we are loving that he is happy and we get a paycheck!!! Yipppeeeee! Travel is tough but we are getting used to it again and just feel SOOOO grateful to be employed and surrounded by such love and generosity. We do not know how we would have made it through the trial of unemployment without everyone's prayers and love!

Bailey is mad at me because I did not blog that she turned 12...so here it is: Bailey turned 12! Sorry Bailey....been a little crazy! But I love you! The rest is all normal...Bailey is in 7th grade (Jr. High...I know!!) and loving it! Cameron is in 4th, Morgan in Kindergarten, and Jack Jack is in Preschool! Dog is fine. All is well...except for the swine flu that has arrived and trying to potty train Jackson -- not fun!

Gratitude.

Last night around 10 pm we found 3 huge bags of groceries and a gift certificate on our front porch.  I just stood looking at it and crying with gratitude for the anonymous person who so graciously left these for us.  

This trial of John's unemployment has taught us so many things...humility, pure reliance on the Lord, faith, faith and more faith, and how blessed we are to have such amazing friends and family. We have received so many generous gifts from our great friends and families.  I can not describe the feeling that comes from being on the receiving side of such kindness and love...we have not had to say a thing and we have just been blessed beyond our belief!  Thank you dear ones!  We will not forget... We look forward to paying it forward soon.

Happy 9th Birthday Darling Cameron!

9 years ago today our darling Cameron joined our little family as the second child and second daughter.  She came out on her own terms, was a quiet and observant baby (the best I had),  and then as a toddler continued her quest for independence.  Our good friend Will Calhoun coined her the "Pleasant Disobeyer" as she would smile so beautifully at any order and then proceed to do the opposite of your desire.  She also LOVED to dress up and would change her clothes about 4 times a day...mingled with dress-up clothes and "real" clothes.  She loved fashion.  Not much has changed since.  She is still so beautiful when she smiles and still has her own mind.  She does obey much better though but on her terms.  She has a huge heart and loves her sisters and brothers and would do anything for them.  She has an awesome spirit and loves to learn about the gospel and surprises us often with her knowledge of her Heavenly Father, her Savior and their plan of happiness.   She also is a great friend to all and an amazing gymnast.  We are so grateful she is part of our family and love her dearly.  Happy Birthday Cameron!

Our wonderful "babysitter" Sarah went to Hawaii and brought these back for the girls.  

Cam age 2.

  

Cameron age 3.Her halloween costume.  

 

age 4... her birthday presents...

Cameron's first day of 2nd year Pre-school...age 4.

California and Easter fun...

Thanks to our friends the Blakes, we were able to go to Southern California for 10 days and stay in their awesome home across the street from sister Rachel in Irvine(the Blakes went to Hawaii lucky them), and spend some time with our cousins and friends.   We had a wonderful Easter Sunday and watched our niece/cousin Ellie receive a beautiful name & blessing by her father.   Then we had the standard ham dinner with Matt & Zach (Hannah was sick so Kay stayed home), the Kopayghoras, and the Phelps and of course the big Easter hunt.  

During the week, we went swimming, to the beach (but forgot the camera dang it), to Irvine Park (another blog...) and to the Getty in LA (an experience to say the least).   

More pics to come in other blogs but for now...Easter Sunday...

The beautiful Phelps family.

Darling Ellie in her blessing dress...we had so much fun playing with her...

gorgeous mom Rachel with baby Ellie.

  

The start of the hunt...

Mia and Isabel...

Cameron with darling Susie...check out those eyes and hair!

and darling Joseph...same blue eyes.

cute Isabel.

The gang checking out their spoils...

Welcome Jeremy...

2 weeks ago today, we welcomed another cousin...Jeremy Ted Gibbons...Jocelyn & Robert's numero dos (2)!  We are so excited for them and can't wait to meet him either and hope it won't be too long!  I just wanted to share some cute pics of him...

A little mush in diapers! So cute...

Jocelyn (looking great!) and Peter..the classic 2 year old!  So fun!

Maama...who we miss terribly... with the boys!

Happy 5th Birthday Little Morgan!

Yesterday we had a "Pinkalicious" party for our little birthday girl Morgan.  We decorated everything pink, played "Pink, pink, PINKALICIOUS" (as opposed to duck duck goose), musical plates, and the pink marshmellow game saying "Pinkalicious."  We also read the book "Pinkalicious" and of course had pink cupcakes!!  

We also got GREAT news that my sister Rachel had given birth to her third girl on Morgan's birthday and named her "Ellie" just like Morgan's best little girlfriend!  Now we have 3 people with that same birthday in our family...Alex, Morgan and Ellie!

How fun is that??   It was a great day.

"Pink, pink, pink...PINKALICIOUS!"

Reading "Pinkalicious" to a very cute decked in pink (of course) captive audience!

Our new precious niece, Ellie Sarah Phelps

And our little Morgan 5 years ago...born in the very same hospital!

 

Morgan and her best friend Ellie!

SNOW!!!

So it is all about SNOW here...it is COLD but pretty!  

And it sure makes for CUTE photos of John and 

little man Jack shoveling the driveway.