November

Well another month has passed me by and I need to do a quick review. I think I have mentioned before that I am terrible about getting out my camera at large gatherings because I forget I can. So I have a few pictures that I had Dan's sister, Deborah, take for me. The rest of the memories are nestled securely in my mind.

Thanksgiving this year was at Dan's sister, Stephanie's, house. It was a lot of fun with all the Neville's minus Jim on a mission, and Jon and Somelea in DC. We ate good food, watched some football, had a piano and french horn concert, checked black Friday ads, visited, and ate some more. It was great to get together.
Steve Watching some football
Dan, Josh and I chillin on the couch
Dave and Bryan cheesing it for us
Dave and Barbara playing Christmas songs
Drake loving the Geotracks airplane
Steph and Mario on clean up
Deb and Logan
Grandma trying to teach Drake how to play the French Horn

A few days after Thanksgiving we had that wonderful 'blizzard'. We got about 8 inches of snow and Drake was begging to go play. I got the boys all bundled up and headed outside. Logan was tired and didn't last long outside, but Drake was having a blast and didn't want to go inside. Drake wanted to build a snowman and while we were doing so he just kept singing 'Once there was a snowman'. When we finally finished the snowman he immediately wanted to knock it over. I kept trying to convince him that Daddy need to see it first but he really wanted to knock it over. He knocked it over a couple of times but luckily I was there to put him back together. Drake was having so much fun in the snow so I tried to teach him how to make snow angels but he was more interested in jumping in the snow and then doggy paddling around in it. After two hours he finally decided he was ready to go inside. It was a great snow day!!
Drake and Logan bundled up
Drake working on his snowman
Drake after a failed attempt to help him make a snow angel
The finished project

For the first time since we have been married I was able to get out all my Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. Dan took the boys to his Steph's for the day, and Deb and I did some shopping. After shopping I came home and decorated my house. It was so nice not to have to worry about little people for the day. That next Monday for Family Home Evening we went and picked out our Christmas tree. We tied it to the top of the Van and got it into the house. It was late when we finally got home and Logan had fallen asleep in the car so he went to bed. Drake, Dan and I did the decorating. We had a lot of fun and then the final touch was Dan placing his Grandmothers angel on the top of the tree. It was fun to have Drake help with the tree and it will be even more fun next year when Logan gets to help too.

Drake on Dan's shoulders
Dan adding the angel

Halloween

Halloween was a lot of fun this year. Not only did we get to go to Disneyland but we got to see good friends and make an attempt of trick or treating in the rain and hail.

The Friday before Halloween we had our annual Pumpkin carving with friends Ben and Vanessa over with their adorable little girl Kinzley. We had some broccoli cheese soup in bread bowls(yummy) and a pumpkin roll for dessert. Next we carved our pumpkins. It is always so much fun to get together with Ben and Vanessa. At least we get to see them once a year.

For our trick or treating fun we headed to Springville to hang with the DeLlamas's again. We always have so much fun with them. This year was a little different though, because of the weather. It rained a lot and hailed a little. Luckily, Drake had had a good time trick or treating in Disneyland and I didn't need anymore candy to snack on continually everyday, so he didn't seem to mind hanging out at Sarah's playing with airplanes and cars.

All in all it was a very memorable Halloween!

Ben loves cleaning out the pumpkin

Drake got to help Daddy carve his pumpkin

The final product. Howling wolf(Ben and Vanessa), the Troll(Dan and I) and Happy the jack o lantern(Drake). The one on the end is a fake one.

Tigger and Eeyore

I love this picture of Logan!

Tigger smiling, poor Eeyore had a nose in the way a lot

October Update

SAMI'S VISIT

We started out the month with a 10 day visit from my niece Sami while her family; Sarah & Miah, Jake, Kade, and Mason with the exception of Mati who was staying with her Grandma, were in Hawaii visiting my other sister Angie. For the most part they got along pretty well, but there were those times when he just wanted to make her cry and she didn't disappoint. I realized that boys and girls are just programed different. We had a great time with Sami and Drake cried when we dropped her off.

Drake and Sami playing the best toy ever...an empty box

Sami in the box

Drake figuring out how to close the box

DISNEYLAND

For those of you that know me know I LOVE pretty much anything Disney. This month we got to go to Disneyland with our friends Clayton and Kristi Fulton and their two daughters, Kaylee and Lauren, who are the same ages as Drake and Logan. We checked in to our place Monday evening after the drive from Santa Clara.

Tuesday morning, we had to kill some time because Mickey's Halloween Party didn't start til 3pm in Disneyland, so we went to China town to do a little shopping. Dan got some hats, I made an impulse buy that I immediately regretted and then we ate at the resturant that we ate at on our honeymoon. After our short trip we headed back to get the kids dressed up to head to the Happiest Place on Earth. It was a bit of a rainy day and we weren't sure how it was going to be in the park, but once we got there we realized that it was going to be great.

For those that have never heard of or never been to the Halloween party should really go. It is totally worth it. The party officially starts at 6pm but you can start entering the park at 3pm. They put a wrist band on you and hand you a trick or treat bag as you walk in. They only allow a certain number of tickets for the party and at six when every one else has to leave you pretty much get to run on to every ride. Not only is there a limited number of people in the park, they have trick or treat stations and give out GOOD candy and lots of it, they have the characters out for pictures, parades, and fireworks. Now when I said you run on to the rides I wasn't kidding in fact because there was no one in line Dan and Clayton didn't even have to get out of the log on Slash Mountain they just sat there and went again. Kristi and I had the same thing happen when we rode Indiana Jones. It was AWESOME! I think we will go the Halloween Party again in the future.

Wednesday, we took a drive to try to find a beach. For future notice Newport Beach did not have a beach. At least not that we could find. So we ended up at Huntington where we got to see a guy who was fishing off the pier catch a stingray. We also got some fries at the Ruby's resturant that was on the pier.

Thursday, we were back at Disneyland and California Adventure. I tell ya I can't get enough of it. It was still a rainy day so there wasn't the over whelming number of people as usual.

Friday, we packed up and our little family headed up to Riverside, CA to visit my mission president. It was so wonderful to see Pres and Sys Baugh. It has been a couple of years since the last visit. After visiting with them we met up with the Fultons in Barstow and headed back to Santa Clara for a couple of days and then on to home.

As much fun as the vacation was it was nice to put my kids back to bed in their own rooms and in their own beds. Needless to say I can't wait until the next time we go to Disneyland.

Four years ago it was just the two of us on our Honeymoon in China Town now there are four of us.

Eeyore, Tigger, and Dad

Kristi, Lauren(aka Ariel), Clayton, Kaylee(aka Tinkerbell), Drake(aka Tigger), and Dan waiting to shoot some aliens.

Enjoying the ride

It was a bit rainy can ya tell?

Eeyore it taking a nap

Little Tigger and Eeyore meet big Tigger

Mom and a happy Eeyore

Dad and Tigger

Halloween at Disneyland

Tigger had a great time

Dan and Drake with Lightning and Mater

Mom and boys waiting for Muppets in 3D

Drake loves to drive

Kristi, Kaylee, Drake and I riding the spinning lady bugs. Drake and Kaylee just laughed the whole time.

Dads enjoying some flying at Bugs life

Drake told me "I loves Chip and Dale"

An afternoon nap

Dan, Drake, Clayton, and Kaylee on the tea cups

Drake is one crazy driver

Logan had so much fun.

He was so excited to shoot the monsters and anyone who got in his way

LOGANS FIRST HAIRCUT

Sadly, my little Logan is growing up. I was trying to wait until his first birthday to cut his hair but his hair grew a lot faster than Drakes, and I'm afraid that if I wait that long he will look a little too shaggy. So we got it cut. Here are his before, during and after pictures. He will be 10 months old tomorrow.

One last look at my baby boy.

The barber was great!

He's not so sure about the clippers

The first after shot

He looks so big...(if you are wondering about the hand; he wanted to see how hot a lightbulb gets. Five blisters later, it gets really hot.)