SHE IS ONE!! REALLY--I'M NOT KIDDING!

Actually, she is a bit older than one now (sniff, sniff) but these shots were on the big day. Well, the one on the left where she is making her "scrunchy funny face" isn't, but I just thought is was pretty cute.

Anyhow, she had a blast playing with balloons, eating her cake, and seeing the lights at Scottsdale Train park.

Here's Angie and Sunny getting everything ready for the big girl--she took a lovely long nap that afternoon so we were able to surprize her. :)

We are SO blessed! (seriously--ha, ha--any TAMN readers out there????)

Our Little Mobile Gal

Here is the video promised of Ella Walking. Yes, we are bloggin' on Christmas Eve--we firgure we will be up all night anyway right? Have a Merry day everyone!

A few Christmas beginners

Things have been rolling along and happening WAY TOO FAST around here. Is it almost time for the 12 days of Christmas for goodness sakes?
Just thought I would post a few pics.


Merry Christmas lights at the temple--this was our first out of the house Christmas event and lots of fun. It was great for all of us to see Ella react to the lights. As we started to get closer to them she just started squealing with delight and kicking her legs around. She just kept saying, "ooooooh!" and, "woooaaaah!" It was basically adorable.

I love how the star is hanging in mid air and you can see it from so far away.

Sunny went into our "art room" this last Sunday (It's really just a very large pantry where I also have the kids keep their art and craft stuff) and came out a little while later with this number. I let her use my sewing stuff if she puts it back of course. Anyone interested for Christmas presents? Who among you does not want an animal skin purse with a flannel handle?????

So, yeah, I took this picture during the Relief Society lesson in church--don't tell the Bishop! I just had to get a shot of Ella with her little boyfriend Taz--they have so much fun together playing and walking back and forth through the back door. (Yes, she is a walker now--video to come.)

Hope everyone out there is having a great Christmas season and spending time with those you love and who love you too!

Brooke--are you out there??????

Okay, this is totally lame of me, but Brooke--are you out there??? I have been trying to call you and your number says disconnected--I just don't want you to think I am not trying to get a hold of you, and I don't have your email or address--thank goodness for the blogosphere--that is, if you check my blog--I hope so--call me if you see this 'kay? Thanks!
Carolyn


P.S. Thought I might as well post a few random pics while I'm at it.




This was out very own "October Surprize"--and we didn't even have new dirt on Obama--sorry, I know, it's over now, but I just thought that would be a funny joke. Anyway, we took our kids during the last Friday of October break to AZ Science center to see the Narnia exhibit. We've read all the books and seen the movies--new and old--so we're pretty big fans. And the museum itself is lots of fun too. We are all so much smarter now! Don't you love the one of Ella and Logan at the top proving they are siblings?


Yeah, go for it Sunny!


Yeah, they were pretty surprized I guess--I don't know, I was buying the tickets when Dad took this one--go figure.

Everyone in the kitchen for story time....

And Ella having her afternoon snack and beauty treatment.

All Hallow's Eve! All Hallow's Eve

Here's a few pics from Spooky Night. Ella was a lovely butterfly who enjoyed trying to walk around to the little booths with all the other "big kids," but was also happily oblivious to the fact that they were getting sugary substances whilst all the while she was just being adored as usual.

Angie was a cute little hippy girl, but don't worry, she's still a Republican.


Sunny was a jazzy little witch with lovely purple eye shadow--she looked, well, bewitching!

And Logan was Luke Skywalker I think. He is playing a game here at our ward Trunk or Treat--which actually wasn't in a parking lot but in a family's backyard--there VERY large backyard that actually takes up two lots--they call it Haws Haven and it was so fun--they had a fire pit to roast marshmellows on, and everyone who came set up a little booth of some kind for the kids to get their candy--very homey, fally, and neighborhoody, as well as a bit chilly for good measure!

Hope fun was had by all!

All right, another boring political post...

But I couldn't pass this one up--come on, the election is a few short days away people! We are coming down to the wire here, and I really believe this one issue is very important, so here ya go--another video about Prop 102. This one is with an Apostle of the Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints--Elder Bednar. I think it is a great little discussion. I promise the next post will be fun, family friendly, and full of photos of our darling chlidren all dressed up to get candy. Have a great Halloween everyone!
P.S. Ella is REALLY close to walking--she has taken about 3 to 3 1/2 steps to date. EXCITING STUFF!
http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/media/mediaplayer.swf?media=http://broadcast.lds.org/newsroom/video/flv/bednar_edit02_150k.flv&type=FLV

Wondering How to Vote?

In case anyone out there is curious, we thought we would post our opinions on the local propositions. We hope we've researched these well enough to be able to vote confidently on them, but please feel free to comment on any thing you may have learned to enlighten us futher. These initiatives are all pretty important because they affect our lives on a local level. Here ya go:

Proposition 100 - Protect Our Homes Act (YES)
This initiative will prevent the government from imposing a new home sales tax. Governments already collect taxes on your property based on the property's value. This new tax would unfairly cause a second tax to impact your home or property.

Proposition 101 – The Freedom to Choose Act (YES)
Governor Napalitono opposes this…need we say more?
This proposition would restrict the government from interfering in health care choices such as the following:
1. Restrict a person's freedom to choose a private health care plan or system of their choice. 2. Interfere with a person's or entity's right to pay directly for lawful medical services. 3. Impose a penalty or fine, of any type, for choosing to obtain or decline health care coverage. 4. Impose a penalty or fine, of any type, for participation in any particular health care system or plan.

Proposition 102 – Marriage Protection Amendment (YES, YES, YES)
We fully support protecting the law already in place to keep marriage defined as only one man and one woman by making it a constitutional ammedment.

Proposition 105 – The Majority Rules Initiative (No)
Proposition 105 would result in a law requiring a majority vote from all REGISTERED voters for any bill referred by the people of the state of Arizona that involves spending. We feel this could make any referred ballot measure virtually impossible to pass by majority vote. There are often less than 50% of registered voters that come to the poles (outside of presidential elections). There is some feeling that any ballot measure could have this requirement levied as there are government expenditures for any new law that is passed.

Proposition 200 – Payday Loan Reform Act: (NO)
This proposition would have the effect of extending Payday licensing indefinitely. Payday loan licensing is set to terminate on July 1st 2010. The proposition was created by Payday loan businessmen. We do not support this industry because we feel these loans hurt people and families financially. While it is called a “Reform Act” it is really an act to allow their businesses to continue without interruption or review.

Proposition 201 – Homeowner’s Bill of Rights (NO)
This proposition would require the seller of a dwelling place to provide a ten year warranty of the materials and workmanship for the dwelling and would prevent the seller taking part in the contractor selection process. It would also allow buyers to accept cash for the repair rather than having the actual repair performed. Worst of all, it opens the door wide open for buyers and sellers to enter into legal litigations, thereby ensuring jobs for way too many lawyers.

Proposition 202 – Stop Illegal Hiring Act (NO,NO,NO)
This title is misleading. This proposition is actually an attempt to weaken the current illegal hiring laws. Each of the items that appear to strengthen illegal hiring in the proposition are actually already in place, and this proposition will weaken or get rid of them.

Proposition 300 – Increase Legislative Salaries (NO)

Proposition 400 – Rental Inspection (Yes)
This will make for safer and improved rental properties.

Prop 102--It WILL make a difference.

Do you think that maybe Prop 102 isn' t really "that big a deal?" Maybe you think that it won't affect our lives personally. Well, read this article and this video and see what is happening in California and Massachusets, where four Supreme Court activist judges in each state have overturned the existing laws about same sex marriage. Let's make sure to protect marriage in our state and not open the door to endoctrinating our children WITHOUT our consent. Vote YES for marriage!

Fall Break

Here's Ella having a great time at my friend Stephanie's house. We have had fun so far this break. Here's some highlights.

So, we had to kick off Fall break with some "Fall Cleaning." woo hoo!!!! My mother in law actually called when we were doing this and told me to post about it--so here ya go! :) Look at those future home makers at work cleaning blinds--ah yeah!

When we went to visit my good friend Stephanie and her kiddos and we thought it would be fun to have them do some Fall crafts. They had a great time creating things together...

Logan, however, is not much of a crafter when he can be outside being a boy with his buddy Ethan.

Here's the finished product--yeah Fall time!

We also took a trip to a park I really like called Greenfield Park. They have all these funny exercise stations and the kids really wanted to go around and do them all. Like, a balance beam, chin ups, rings, step ups, stuff like that. Each one has little instructions. This one was just a leg stretch I guess. They are so funny, but I must admit I think it is kind of cool that they like to do this stuff and get excited about it!

Here's Ella watching and enjoying an apple while her siblings entertain her with their "work out" in the park.

Ella loved the swing, as you can tell, and actually left her cute hat on for a few pictures--she used to let me put them on her, but I guess hats are no longer for "big babies," at least that is what she keeps telling me--just not in so many words.:)

Action shot--Logan is really into camo these days, if you can't tell.

After we played for a bit, we wandered over to the little lake. I had the grand idea of having the kids do some sketching to get more "one with nature." They actually thought it was pretty cool, although Angie definitely had the longest staying power. I was really impressed with how well Logan was studying things and being so calm and serene. I was thinking what a great idea I had and how I had helped him to really learn to observe, and then when we got home he started to tell me he wasn't feeling well. Come to find out he had a FEVER. Maybe that explains why he was so calm! And I thought it was the beauty of nature--nope, he needs a little virus to slow down! Still, I think the kids felt really cool doing this and learned how animals come to us when we just stay still.

Our ward campout this year was a little different, being in the desert and close by. However, it really turned out to be lots of fun. We did a night hike and a day hike, played lots of games, and had a really fun campfire. Yes, it was actually cold enough for a fire!

Breakfast..the best part of camping!

I love the sleepy baby picture--this was on the night hike, which had a nice enough trail to push Ella around in--and she did fall asleep, slept the whole way through, and then stayed asleep when we got back to camp and had to change her for bed--nobody gets in the way of her sleeping time I tell ya!

Since we are on an extended year round schedule, we still have another week of break. Hopefully I can think up a few more things to keep everyone somewhat happy and busy! :)

Hey Whitings!

I just wanted to let the Whiting clan know (if you don't already) that we have a family blog. You should check it out and post something. Jack posted some cool family history stuff on it. Here's just a few random pictures. We have had some big events lately (birthday for Dad, marriage of my big sister) that I want to post about, but haven't downloaded the pictures yet. I need to hit that pillow, but here's some shots just in case you were wondering if our kids are still cute and charming--you were right--they still are!!


Mobile Baby #1--She will find a way
to get into ANYTHING--but with
this face it is easy to just laugh
when she does!
My mom and step dad were in town at this hotel
so we did some night swimming--the weather
was perfect! GO FOR IT!




Loving the curls that are coming out on Baby Ella!!

Constitution Fair and whatnot

Disclaimer--these pictures were all taken with a camera phone, so yes, they may be blurry- and no, it is not you or your computer.

Okay, I guess this one classifies in the "whatnot" category. This is Ella's reaction to ice cream for the first time. Or, actually, it was "ice dream" at Chick Fil A, which isn't really the real stuff, but I love it--and, despite this face, she did too! (By the way, I want to endorse Chik Fil A here as a SUPER DUPER company--love their philosophy, service and food--great family fun!)
She's not walking yet, but she sure likes to get around with this thing. Oh, and do you notice the new 'do? Yes, she has two, count them, two ponies! Complete with double bows for church and other important events.
Outta my way mista!
Now we veer away from whatnot and into the Consitution Fair. This was a great community family/patriotic/education thing that the Town of Gilbert puts on every year. For ten bucks your whole family gets in and they have games, rock climbing, shows, patriotic storytellers, these huge blow ups of important Washington buildings, a great show, and a fireworks display at the end. It was really a fun night and I hope it instilled some love of America and the Constitution in our kiddos (and in us!).
Angie brought her friend Gracie along and they had lots of fun together.

Here we all are in front of the giant Consitution because when Mom actually makes us all wear one of our several matching sets of t-shirts, we had better get a picture to prove it! Unfortunately, Ella had to change her shirt a little before this one, but she is sleeping anyway so I don't think she really minded much. This was after the really cool show and FIREWORKS--yeah, it was a great display--almost as nice as a 4th of July show!

We met Ben Franklin on our way in, and we later found out that this guy was a brother of someone we knew.
Here's Ella learning all about the great United States.
Libery Bell and somewhat delirious children who were up way past bedtime but living off sugar and glowsticks and the energy of a very large crowd.
This was a cool ride--a log swing. For some strage reason Logan wouldn't ride it, even when I offered to go with him. Sometimes he gets afraid of large crowd situations and I think he was just a bit scared because of that already. He got a cupcake in the cupcake walk though so he was a happy camper after that!

Well, there's a little update on something fun we did this weekend. Hope everyone out there in the blogosphere is doing well--let's all remember our miraculous Constitution this week, and all those who gave so much for our freedoms. Yeah America!