5.6.7.8...

One of my favorite things growing up was to DANCE! So I can't even begin to explain how fun it is to watch my girls light up the stage. Here are just a few of my favorite pics from their big night.
Probably my favorite picture! I love the excitement in their eyes!

London would dance for candy but my girls they so look forward to the gorgeous flowers from Grammy and Bubba!

The grandparents who were nice enough to come sit through the show!

And of course a quick family picture to capture the magical moment!

They were all so AMAZING! I am so proud of them and all the hard work that went into such a fabulous show! Even Travis who was such a good sport and learned the Dad's dance and performed it so well! (if were friends on facebook the video is up!) Nothing can kick off this festive season like a Christmas dance recital! :-)

Traditions....

Every since I was a little girl I remember dreaming under the white twinkling lights of a freshly decorated Christmas tree! Reading Christmas stories and falling asleep with a hot chocolate mustache. It really was some of my favorite times. So of course it was a tradition I wanted to pass on to my kids. So every year the night we decorate the tree we all sleep under it's majestic glow reading Christmas stories, sipping hot chocolate and giggling together. It is quite possibly still my favorite tradition this time of year!

After a somewhat restful night we packed the bags and headed to the cabin for a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend full of food, movies,lat night fun, and shopping. It was so nice to get away and enjoy some family time. Especially since the numbers are dwindling befor TJ leaves!! We woke up Sunday morning to a gorgeous snow storm! When I saw this view from the window, I was pretty sure our weekend getaway was going to be extended!

But then I remembered Travis lives for driving in stuff like this so he was eager to dig out and put the four-wheel drive to work. Thankfully we all made it home safetly. Ahh now back to reality...

Happy Halloween!

So I'm not going to lie. Halloween is not my favorite holiday. Don't get me wrong I think it is a great idea to dress up and get candy from all your neighbors. But when it starts a week early with school parties, family parties, church parties, dance parties, and by the time the actually holiday rolls around I am a little partied out. But I do it every year just see the candy satisfaction on ALL of their faces! So here you have our Halloween Week....
My parents kicked off the festivities with a super fun Halloween party.

(yep that's right my Dad is Superman!)
Next up was the school parade...
Kennedy the Lady Gaga inspired Rock Star.

Thailee the super cute witch

Easton the handsome Knight

London the adorable little Ariel

After the parade we grabbed the party supplies and headed to Kennedy's class to make the cutest little chocolate owls. It is always fun to watch her interact with all of her friends!

After school we got Gus in his costume...

(He was the star of the show! More on our new little guy to come...)
Then it was off to the trunk or treat.

The kids loved seeing friends and getting LOTS of candy! The next morning was the big day. So we filled their bellies with some yummy mummy food, in hopes to curb the candy appetite.

Then it was the moment they had been waiting for.... TRICK OR TREATING TIME!!!!! Not even the grey clouds and soggy weather could dampen their little Halloween spirits! They bundled up and were off...


Although they came home with a bout of frost bite they were grinning ear to ear! With Halloween being on Sunday I couldn't just let the day go by without celebrating it, so I left a little Halloween surprise on the counter for them! So even if Halloween isn't my favorite holiday I will forever cherish the fun times we get to share as a family! Now on to the "real" holidays!!!!! Yippee!!!

Apple and Pumpkin Pickin'

We started the day with a little apple picking... but when we got to the orchard they said they were all out of apples...WHAT? Oh well the kids still had fun climbing trees and playing with the cousins.


Then we headed over to the one and only Pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin





Everyone found "the one" and can't wait to carve it! Happy Fall!

Coach of the year and his MVP

Travis did such an amazing job coaching Easton's Baseball team this fall! They crushed every team! Here is Easton after hitting a real home run! I think his smile says it all!

Travis had a Dad's vs. Son's baseball game to end the season. It was hilarious. The Dad's definitely had their game faces on. But the boys still beat them! It was a great way to end a perfect season.

All the boys gave Travis their number so he could coach them again this spring. It was a very fun team and one sexy coach!

Loving Fall

We toke a gorgeous drive up the canyon to enjoy some crisp fall air and some amazing views!

We stopped at the Olympic Park to see some aerialists in action, but unfortunately they had the day off.

We were all beaming with Olympic pride when we left. Each kid proclaimed that they will be in the Olympics someday.

What a month!

Maybe my youngest child will forgive me someday for not only not blogging her birthday but for only taking one picture of the whole day!

Yes it's true my little baby is now 3! She is the cutest little spitfire you have ever seen! She can go from being the happiest little girl to having the biggest melt down in less the a nano second. Thankfully those special moments are getting less frequent!:-)
The night of her birthday celebration we had a little "west side" excitment! A Fire! It was quite impressive! Just as we were finishing some delicious Dora cake and ice cream we noticed the flames quickly coming down our side of the mountain!

As the fire got closer and closer the kids were getting pretty scared. So we packed up a few things, (I grabbed the camera and the computer and the kids grabbed their american girl dolls and baseball trophies.) so cute.

The firefighters were AMAZING! Here is an aerial view of how big the fire was.

It was quite the experience to be that up close and personal with a raging fire, and we can't thank all the fireman enough who kept us safe!

HHS Mestenas

My little Mestenas rocked the field Friday Night at the Herriman High Football game. They looked adorable!

The atmosphere is amazing! The field, the view, the uniforms, and of course all the school spirit! The game was a blow out 48 Bingham 0 Herriman. So when the mini drill team girls marched on to the field it was like a breath of fresh air!

The girls loved meeting the drill team and dancing with them!

We loved seeing them light up as they performed. It was a great night filled with gorgeous fall weather, some great football, adorable little dancers, and great friends. Go HHS mustangs!

Bucket List...

The kids have been begging to walk acroos the busy overpass bridge for months! So yesterday we were finally able to cross it off our bucket list! It was so fun to see how excited they were! I'm not going to lie, it is a little scary up there with cars cruising under you! Next time they want to take up the red cups and make a message for Dad. So cute.

My awesome little brother received his mission call last night!

All of us gathered around to hear the exciting news!

And the boys came to celebrate too!

Here is Elder Hartman reading the Call...

Drumroll please..................
He will be serving in the Alaska Anchorage Mission!!!!
We are so excited for him and this incredible journey he is about to embark on! Mom and Dad are really going to miss their Golden Child!!

I am pretty sure you will be missed around here too!! Easton will have some serious withdrawls when his idol is gone!!

Good Luck Teej! We love you!

Brace Face

I really need this girl to stop growing up SO fast! She looks so cute in her braces! She did awesome and is dealing with the new metal so well! So glad times have changed.... my braces were on for YEARS!!!

Off she goes...

Where have the last 3 years gone? Were they spent up all night with little ones, or changing diaper after diaper, were they spent playing all day on the swings or spent splashing in the pool? Were they spent cuddling sick ones, or kissing owies. Were they spent giggling at funny faces, or reading the same book over and over? I'm pretty sure they were spent doing some of my most favorite things. I just can't believe my baby is all grown up! Little Miss London headed off to her first day of Preschool today! I have always admired London's independence and strong will. She is a red, (need i say more?) She was so ready for this day. She has patiently waited her turn to put her backpack on and head out the door for HER first day. She was so excited! I'm not sure if my tears were because she was heading off to school, or if they were from her not even looking back as she marched right in the preschool door. Either way I know I am going to miss having this cute little face around!

She was so excited to have her picture taken like the "big kids" did. She even wanted a special one with just her and her Dora backpack. So London this ones for you.

She did great! She loved every minute of it and can't wait to go back! Yippee!! Life is good. I am finally at the stage in life where I have the best of both worlds! Some free time for me, yet I still have all my monkeys who still want and need me. Now if only I could freeze time......

Easton's Big Day

Today was Easton's big day! His first day of Kindergarten! He was SO ready, me not so much. He asked me for a piece of paper while I was making his lunch. On it he wrote his name and phone number and our address. Then he shows it to me and says do you think this will make my teacher happy? I of course started tearing up, telling him how proud of him I was. He said then why are you crying?

Here is the handsome little devil all ready to go...

Travis and I drove him there, (Although I had to lie to him and tell him the busses didn't run on the way to school since it's the first day! It was the only way he was going to let me take him!) I snapped this one as they walked acorss the parking lot while London was still trying to get her backpack on to be like Buddy.

He was So excited! I was bawling, and Travis was beaming like a proud parent. (I guess we balance each other out. :-)) I spent the next couple hours wondering how his day was going. I was dying to hear all about it! Finally it was time to meet my little Kindergarter at the bus stop. So London and I headed up the hill with a plate full of cupcakes for all the hungry school kids.

In true Easton fashion he bounced of the bus and ran home. He loved everything about Kindergarten and can't wait to go tomorrow. Phew...