My made uphair do!

O.K. so I don't like to show of my creative side much (because there really isn't one), but I think I did a dang good job on Gracie's hair on valentines day so I'm going to show it off. I didn't see it anywhere which is usually how I get her hair dos I just thought it up in bed the day before her school party tried it without a braid, not so cute so on v-day tried it with braids. This is what I got.

"M"azing Gracie

Grace is the "M" azing student this week in her class. So Sunday night we were going through all our old pictures to put on her poster board. (Cuz you know me I leave everything to the last minute). But here is some of the things that makes my wonderful daughter amazing.
-She is an awesome big sister. She is Carter's favorite, in fact his first word was Gracie, (more like acie)
- She loves to read as do I, but unlike me she is really good at it.
- She can spell. She goes to second grade for her spelling tests!!
The things we wrote down to tell her class. Favorite food is mash potatoes with BROWN gravy, Favorite animals are bunnies and unicorns, favorite books are Sarah's unicorn and Unicorn Wings. And also we told them the story of her. She fell off the barstool when she was 18 months and split her head open. She had to have 9 stitches. Even though the dr. said her scar would grow with her skin and end up in her hair line as she got older, it's still in the same spot right between her eyes.
I love my little mini me (looks only) I'm so glad she's mine and I don't know what I would do with out her.

Friendly Animals

Yesterday Andy actually had a day off that wasn't
a holiday or a sunday!!!! So we decided to have a family day. After we talked the kids into cleaning the upstairs we went to the zoo. Let me tell you I have never seen the animals so active! It was a sorta-warm day and not very crowded a major plus. But the first real active part was the cougars (who are usually just laying in their caves) were tearing apart boxes.Then after a few minutes they swapped boxes. It was so cool!!
After the zebras (Chris's favorites) we went to the giraffes. The trainers were in there with one of the giraffes teaching him to back up. That part was cool, but we were just across from there just watching another giraffe. This giraffe was acting like he was going to come close to us and so Andy raised his hand and just held it there for a second then the giraffe came to his hand and Andy got to pet his nose!!!!! Unfortunately I didn't have my camera out so I didn't get a shot of it. However we went upstairs next and yet another giraffe was acting friendly and he came really close to us I got a picture of this one but we didn't get to pet him. (I didn't have the zoom in with this shot!)

In the snake house the animals were all just hyper I guess because they were running around coming up to the glass. Carter was having a ball.
Then to the gorillas and orangutans, we were inside and I had Carter up against the glass and Eli the huge orangutan came right up to glass so he was like face to face with him. Needless to say Carter freaked. The Chris came around the corner and came face to face with Eli and he jumped it was funny.
So I know this was a really long post but I have never seen the animals like that! It made the zoo so much fun yesterday. Not that the zoo isn't fun every day it was just a nice change

I guess I am more of a blog reader then writer. Anyways just a recap of my last month. The big thing I guess would be our trip to California. (yes I know that Christmas was big too but this was part of our Christmas). My big brother Ted graduated from test pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base hence the reason for the trip. We figured hey since we are in California go to Disneyland. =) We had a blast and as we were leaving Carter pointed out the window and said "Bye, Bye Dinyan" so freakin cute. Unfortunately Andy could not get the time off work so I went solo with the kids.
The week after Christmas Andy had His "5 day break" so we had a lot of fun hanging out with dad that week but Mom was ready for Jan 5 when Daddy and Gracie went back to work and school.
Jan 6 was Andy's birthday so Happy Birthday Honey!!!
Well there is a recap in a nut shell. Hopefully this year I will be more on top of my blog.
Happy New Year everyone.

So I haven't blogged in a while. Life has been busy. Before I knew it Thanksgiving had come and gone!! A lot has gone on From a trip to Cowley, Wy to visit my dad and step mom to trying to get my Ushborne Books business going. So on to the present usually I don't put the Christmas decor up until after like the first week of December but for some reason this year I feel festive. So last night we put up the Christmas tree. Man was it fun. Carter loved it, he felt like such a big boy. So now he doesn't understand when we tell him he can't touch the tree. So here is my tree decoarted by a 6, 3, and 1 1/2 year old. Doesn't it look great there are places were there are multiple orniments on one branch. But the kids love it and so do I.

I collect Christmas bears with the year on the foot. so the kids are holding their birth year bear for this pic! Hey if any of you have 1999 that you want to part with let me know I will take it off your hands. I have one for every year we have been married execpt that one.

Halloween Adventures

Happy Halloween!!! From the princess witch, Diego, A bat, A cat, and the post man
Our Halloween festivities start on saturday with our ward party. Gracies disapeared once Devyne got there and then Chris realized he has friends now and so he is too cool for mom now, and then my little mama's boy, Carter, made a new friend. Ross was his buddy that night and he didn't want anything to do with me or Andy. It kind of broke my heart but it was nice to have a little break too. Thanks Ross :)

Carter's new best friend.
Tuesday was Gracie's first grade program it was so cute but I am not a very good photographer so none of my pics turned out :( But she said her part perfectly if I do say so myself.

Thursday was her class party and school parade. I was lucky to be able to go and watch and help in class. Her class is really small so it wasn't that crazy which was awesome cause I've heard horror stories.

Aren't they cute?!

Friday was a very busy day. It started out that morning by going to Grandma Val's to decorate cupcakes the kids dressed up but I didn't want Carter to get his costume dirty that early in the day, so last minute I came up with this outfit. Can you guess who he is?

Lil' Grandpa (Metcalf)

Then we headed up to Coalville to watch my nephews in their school parade. I was able to spend a couple hours with my sisters at the same time it was really fun. I then hung out at my moms house for a little bit until her ward trunk or treat.

Munchen on donuts.

After we hit all the cars there we booked it back to Murray to make it to our ward trunk or treat. Once we hit all those cars we were off again to go trick or treat through the neighborhood. But first we made a pit stop at our house, where we found that some one had kicked in our pumpkins which I think upset me more then the kids how can people (teenagers) be so rude? Anyways back to our candy quest. We started off and went a walking and I'm proud to say we were very successful in gathering our 2 year candy supply. We had a ton of fun and once we got home Andy and I were pooped and of coarse the kids were bouncing off the walls.

Oh how we love Halloween.

17 months and counting...

So I wanted to post this yesterday but the day got away from me. But I had to mark it! Yesterday was the the 17th, also Carter turned 17 months old! Andy thinks I'm weird cause I had to blog it but I thought it was cute. One more month and he gets to go to nursery:) We are already practicing. So far he likes it. So in light of his 17th month birthday I will tell you 17 words/sounds Carter says.... (* are the ones only mommy understands)

1. Mom 2. Dad 3. Gracie * 4. shoes 5. no 6. ball 7. wee 8. meme* (mema) 9. mama* (grandma) 10. whoa 11. woof 12. raarr 13. papa (grandpa) 14. hi 15. ya 16. please 17. Thank you. He is getting so big I still think of him as my baby but I know hes a big boy.

This picture is his cheese. He knows when I pull out the camera I'm taking pictures and this is the face he pulls cute huh :)