Here is my (Ryan's) first foray into the world of blogging. Okay, not so much blogging, but movie making. I've made a highlight video of Justin's 2008 football season, and quite honestly, I don't know if I'm more pround of him for creating these highlights or of me for putting them together in a fairly decent video (might I add, without the help of a Mac, which would have made this infinitely easier and much less adventuresome). I figured with the number of sports seasons we will enjoy of the next many years, I'd better learn how to create some memories that we can look back at. I hope you enjoy.

(This is Nicole now- for those of you that don't see Justin often he is #12 and usually has a white towel hanging from his belt. Enjoy :)

Since It's Been a While...

As is our Thanksgiving tradition, we headed to Fashion Island after we stuffed ourselves. We enjoyed a super yummy meal with the Empeys- Steve and Mike and company, and the Swansons. We each had a question- provided by Amber- that we had to answer during dinner about things for which we are thankful. There ended up being way too much food- anyone one want more mashed potatoes? But we had a great time together. As you will notice, in this picture Ben is missing and we have substituted him with Sam Swanson. Since the boys seem to belong to both families, we just interchange them whenever we are in the mood :)

Heather will probably hate this picture, but I love Heather, so I'm including it. Seriously, what a great friend, super mom and amazingly beautiful woman!!!!

The Mike and Stephanie Empey family

Marin and Haven- these 2 hit it off immediately and were inseparable for days.

Auntie Heather and Uncle Steve and kids

Then off to Hawaii.....

My fabulous mother-in-law decided to take her girls to Hawaii for a week with no kids. I am usually pretty antsy after a few days at the pool, but I think I hit a whole new level of relaxation that I didn't know existed. The bags under my eyes even disappeared! Here's the view from our lounge chairs at the pool.

We ate lots of yummy stuff...Maui onion rings, fresh fish, awesome hamburgers on the North Shore, sinful desserts and our favorite thing, virgin lava flows! My mouth is watering as I type.

A pic of us on the North Shore at Jamisons- one of my favorite restaurants. I do have to admit that I liked Roy's better this trip, but it was actually all good! And none of us had to cook it, or clean up afterwards!

The view from the LDS Temple in Liae. From the doors of the temple you can see all the way to the beach. It is so beautiful!

At the end of our week, cousin Kathy Steele and 2 of her girls came to visit her mom and dad that have a condo next to the time share we were at. We had lots of giggles and fun being with them at the pool and beach. For our last afternoon, we sat at the beach until after sunset. It was perfect! (I have to say that I was really tan after a whole week, but I look pale next to Kathy!)

At the temple earlier in the week. I am so lucky to have such fabulous and fun sisters- in-law! We read, ate, slept, laughed, read, ate, slept, laughed, laughed, shopped, ate, had massages, relaxed, ate, and actually even worked out a few times! What an amazing fun week!

Thanks Janet- you rule by the way! :)

Lights On Broadway

We have had tons of fun the last few weeks performing in Lights On Broadway 2008 at church. I first have to say that we have AWESOME friends & family! So many people came to see us in the show. We had over 50 friends and family members come to the show. It meant so much to us to have them there and the kids were so excited each show as they asked who was coming today.

One of my friends told me after seeing the show that I belong on the stage. What a great compliment! (I have to agree with her :) I love choreographing and creating things, but I admit that my first love is performing. Getting to perform with such talented friends was a bonus- Jen and I getting ready for the opening number.

I have to add that Amber, Marin and Ben were awesome on stage too! I don't think that Amber and I look much alike, but as I watched her perform under the lights- holy cow! It was like watching a video of myself. I just wrote a sentence about how awesome she was, but had to erase it, because then it sounded like I was saying that about myself too! Just know she was great- and even graceful!

Marin and Ben were just as fun. Marin tends to be quieter and a bit shy in large groups, but get that girl on stage and she's great! She was more nervous than the rest of us, but once the lights were up she was on! Here she is as a "Lost Boy" for Peter Pan.

As the shows went on the kids got messier and crazier (the youth too) and not only did they use stage make-up to look dirty, they started ratting their hair and using sticks and leaves from outside to put in their hair and clothing. It was awesome.

Ben, along with the others, has spent his whole life at rehearsals and ball fields. He loves those sports and can't wait for baseball season, but I have to say that he knew exactly what to do on stage. He is only 5, but knew every word to every song and all his choreography. I got such a kick out of watching him. I know his father doesn't want a performer son, but he is good at it :)

Here he is as a "Lost Boy " with 2 other boys form our Stake who are brothers. I think the kids loved being dirty on purpose!

The Dancing Queens stole the show! (My computer is frustrating me so the pic is sideways- sorry about that!) It's hard to get the full effect of the costumes in the hallway lighting, but we had a great time! And yes, the girl in the middle is 6 1/2 months pregnant with baby #4! I now know how a rock star feels with all the peopple screaming and cheering for you- I can say it's addictive!!!

I loved every minute on stage- I have to write though that it stresses my husband out. He practically had an ulcer watching the show. He gets so worried that we will mess up or something will go wrong. He is a wreck. I'm the one on stage and I'm not nervous- all he has to do is watch! Very funny! It's probably good he's on the field during Justin's games or he would have a heart attck!

In the meantime, Justin's team has only lost one game and is doing great! He got voted by his teammates to be on the All Conference Team this week and Ryan is sad that when he grows up he won't be built like an offensive lineman because he is good at it! I am relieved that he won't be a giant beast of a man :). He loves football- and Gracie has happily been shuffled back and forth from the field to the stage and loves every minute of it. She has even started "dancing"- bouncing and waving her arms to the music. So cute!

Love and Hate

I love that I can keep in touch with people all over the world, send messages to the entire class or cast at one time, order things, look up info, directions, weather forecast, movies times all with a few clicks of a mouse. I HATE that I am so dependent on my computer that I have felt lost all week because it is in the shop being fixed!

I love that I can look up my child's schedule online, see grades instantly and check the lunch menu. I HATE that my junior high child's teacher make them print out things every single night on my printer!

I love that technology improves and my computer works much faster than it did 10 years ago. I HATE that my daughter's school as the very latest updates which she then cannot access at home, because we don't have this year's software and so we spend 3 plus hours trying to download the newest and best which then crashes my computer and now I have no computer!!!

Oh well....hopefully I will get it back soon and the Geek Squad will have fixed it all so that I can really check my email, upload pictures and return to some normalcy since I am currently having to wait each night until my husband gets home from work to use his laptop- which is nice, but different and I'm not used to it!!!

Celebrations and Silliness

First, I have to post that I am COMPLETELY caught up on Grace's scrapbook!!!! Yah-hoo! (Marin's and Ben's are about 9 months behind, Amber's is current since she does it herself, and we won't dwell on the fact that Justin is still in 1st grade....) But Grace's is current!!!

Don't check your eyesight- it's real- Amber is playing a tuba! She decided that instead of the trombone she was going to switch and play the tuba! She will be the only one in Concert Band- unlike one of 22 trombonists. She is excited. I am laughing!


She loves it already!

The 2nd day of school Marin says they added a little boy to her class. His name is Valentino or something like that. I ask her if he has white skin, or brown, if he looks Chinese, etc so I can figure out who he is when I see him the next time. She says, "Brown". Ben pipes up and says, "Oh, brown, like me and Cristian and Michael." I die laughing!!! Cristian is Samoan/Latino and Michael's African American/Filipino! That's my boy Paco! Brown.

SEPTEMBER 11th

As our principal asked all the kids for a moment of silence today in honor of those who lost their lives and those whose families were forever changed, I realized that not a single child in our school was actually old enough to be in school when the planes crashed that day. Amazing. I remember taking Amber to school- she was in kindergarten and Marin was only a few weeks old. That means about 1/3 of our school hadn't even been born! It truly doesn't seem that long ago. So many things have changed in our American lives because of 9/11/2001. I paused a moment with the school children to remember and to say a prayer, but a moment really didn't seem long enough.....

My Babies are Growing Up

Thursday was our first day of school. Amber is in Middle School! How did that happen? Luckily we are still in the same parking lot. Unlucky for me I have 4 pick-up times! Ben- 12 noon, Marin- 2:15, Justin- 2:45 and Amber- 3:25. Kill me now! I'm trying to figure out carpools or something so it won't be quite so bad every day.

Justin got a new teacher for 5th grade, Mr. Norris. He loves him already. He is very nice and cool and even has a basketball hoop in the classroom that says Go Lakers!Justin was extra excited to be with his best bud, Sam Swanson. They haven't been in the same class since 1st grade.



Marin was nervous because she did not get the teacher that Amber and Justin both had. She is in Mr. G's class and even though there were tears the night before, she was all smiles after school and is excited to be in his class.


Ben and Max are not together, much to our great sadness. Max is waiting and doing pre-K this year instead. They will still get to play together lots luckily!

My baby!!!! off to kindergarten. He was very excited and was ready for school long before it was time to leave at 7:45. His teacher is new to kindergarten, but not to our school, in fact, her daughter and Marin are friends. I adore her and their class is small, so I think it will be a good fit for my Benja-boo-boo.

The elementary school gang!


Ben had a short first day- they have all the kids go in and meet for only an hour while they do an orientation with the parents, then the day is over. Ben, Grace and I went to California Adventure with Joy and Ian. The boys rode Mulhouland Madness 3 times in a row! They wanted a 4th, but we had to do bathroom break. These corn dogs were HUGE! Notice it is the size of Ian's arm! We had such fun and there were very few people around. Fun!

I'm sad for school to start- so many things to do already! Oh well- happily I still have Grace.

End of August Update

The goings on of the last few weeks have been a blur- we seem to be gaining speed as the end of summer approaches- one week left until school starts. Football of course is in full swing, as are rehearsals for Lights on Broadway. Ryan was in Florida last week for work and we've been having tons of birthday celebrations!

First we had fun with our cousins- Steve had to work in So. Cal for a few days, so Heather and the kids came along too. We went swimming lots, played at castle park and walked to the new frozen yogurt place and had lots of fun playing! Here's Amber, Tyler and Justin being silly.

Justin's All Star team got to go to an OC Flyers game- a minor league team that uses Cal State Fullerton's fields. The boys got to be the bat boys and in between games (it was a double header) they went down on the field and received plaques, had their names announced, etc. It was a fun, but hot evening- and it was also James Denton bobblehead night. He is a part owner of the team. For you Desperate Housewives fans, he was there with his family and he is as cute in real life as he is on tv. The bobblehead was funny too- it's him in a baseball uniform, but he is holding a wrench instead of a bat. Ha Ha!

Sam Swanson and Justin got to be bat boys together and had lots of fun. We took the next picture at the beach this week to replace the one on our fridge that's from when they were 7 years old. Maybe I'll keep both up so I can see how old they are getting. I love these two boys!!!!

We've been to the beach lots in the last 2 weeks- I want to keep going, but will probably only get one last day in before school starts. That makes me VERY SAD!! I love the beach. My kids live in the water and love to boogie board- even Ben! I wonder how long it will be before Grace joins them....

Luckily, Joy loves to take her children to the beach as much as I do. It's almost always the 2 of us with our 9 kids, Grandma MarJane, Nana Janet when she is in town, and then other friends like Swansons or Logues. Marin and Maggie have loved their matching swimsuits- we didn't do it on purpose. And Gracie loves it all! -the sand, the water, the friends, and the food- a girl after my own heart!!

We celebrated the birthdays of Papa and Marin on Sunday. It is always fun to have them together for their birthdays. She was his favorite present ever and she loves her Papa. I take a picture of them each year- I'm sure it won't be long before she can't sit on his lap because she will be too big!

Sunday night we had a party for Janet's 60th birthday. When she walked in and saw all the chairs set up she asked if she actually knew that many people in California! We had a great time visiting, telling Janet stories and reading 3 words that each guest wrote to describe Janet. There were many of the same words over and over including: "shopping", "happy", "beautiful", "friendly". All of which fit her perfectly! Guests included Evans, Swansons, Izus, Robles', Candy and her daughter, Redfords, Christoffersons, Millers, Dottie and Joy.

Janet and her best friend from high school, Candy. They still wear matching clothes all these years later!

MarJane, Sue and Janet- the card was of 3 old ladies in swim suits- it was very funny and we decided it was the 3 of them at the beach!

Our football and t-ball firends, the Matthews, invited us the Adventure Playground Wednesday- aka the mud park. The kids ran around, slid down the water slide and then played in the mud pit. They had tug-of-wars, mud fights and literally rolled in the mud! The above picture is Amber and Emily Duginger. Emily won for "Queen of the Mud Pit". Below is Justin if you can't tell.

And last but not least, Amber got glasses. She loves them and loves to see everything better! We also had to go to middle school registration yesterday and get her all set up for school. She will be doing 2 electives- choir and concert band- so she will have to stay after school and do PE each day. It's ll make for a long day, but I hope that she will have fun! She is nervous and a bit excited too.

Well August is almost over. I have a baby that is almost 9 months old and has 5 teeth. She is crawling and trying to stnd on her own. She has actually done it twice for just a second. It won't be long now. School is about to start and our fun summer will be over......Sadness...

Welcome to the Fair!

We recently went to the OC Fair with our friends the Halls. So much fun! Joy had tons of coupons so we didn't spend and arm and a leg- maybe just an arm! In any case it was great fun. Here are Amber and Ian welcoming us to the fair.We did lots of "little kid" rides first and then headed over to the big ones. We ran out of time to do all the kids wanted, so we had to promise that next year we'd start on the big rides. I did the water ride with Justin, Maggie and Marin (and lost my favorite hat down the big hill) while Joy had Grace. Then Joy went with all the kids except Amanda (who had had too much food and too many spinning rides) on this one. Grace and I watched as they giggled themselves around the track! The boys
The girls

The food! Or what was left after we pigged out- fried potaotes with ranch and nacho cheese, corn dogs, chocolate covered strawberries, soda, lemonade, water, funnel cake (to die for!!!), a BBQed turkey leg, fish and chips....Heather Swanson always says you gotta eat your way through the fair! I think we did.
This grossed even me out- here are just a few of the "yummy" treats they deep fry at the fair!! Oreos, Snickers candy bars and more were also on the menu, just not on the billboard.

Much needed feet massagers were set out throughout the park and we actually used them once- all the kids got a "ride"- it was one of the favorites! :)
Maggie and Marin coming down the slide. Ben got a "rug burn" coming down. We thought Ian would be freaked out, but he actually seemed to like it.
These great street performers were singing and we stopped to listen. The kids were so cute that they joined the act. The best was watching Ian sing and dance- he has music in his soul! Justin was too cool to join in - and he was also busy eating some of Joy's turkey leg. These guys were great and they even bought the kids some fruit at the stand behind them afterward (the only healthy thing they ate that day!) They said they sing at in the movie Chuck and Larry - I never saw it, but now I want to watch the end to hear them sing!

What a super fun day with some of our bestest friends!!!