Family Pictures August 2010

(My friend, Winter, took our family pictures this year. She did a great job at a very reasonable price. If you need a photographer and live in southern california, check out her photography website at www.winterswonderlandphotography.com.)

Family Pictures at Laguna Beach

It has always been a dream of mine to have our family pictures taken at the beach.

I wanted to wait until we were done having kids and the youngest was at least two-years-old. We finally made it, after 13 years of marriage. Today was our anniversary, December 22nd, and I couldn't be happier as I look back at what has happened in our lives.

I have a wonderful husband who loves me and who is "Super Dad" to our children.

We have been so blessed!

These are our beautiful kids who bring so much joy to me as a mother.

It was hard to get Bailey looking forward while the waves kept coming up

and crashing against her feet, but as you can see, we managed.

This shot made our Christmas cards this year and the spot above the piano in our livingroom, even though since having this photo taken, I have received a completely different hairdo and was wishing I could photoshop it in. I've gone reddish brown and a lot shorter, just past my shoulders. I love to straighten it. Right about the same time I got the new hairdo, we bought a new van, and several people told me they didn't recognize me around town, or thought I was in the "witness protection program". Pretty funny.

This shot was taken with my own camera....

you can tell it isn't the greatest quality, but the kids are sure cute!

Hopefully, one of these days we'll be able to afford a really nice camera.

This little girl brings me so much JOY!

Happy Halloween!

CANDY OVERLOAD !!

The kids already have too much candy!

Between the church's trunk-or-treat, the ward friends trick-or-treating,

Braden's football team treats, and primary teachers giving out candy,

we are sufficiently supplied with candy to last years! The kids are on cloud nine....and have already done their trading, and sorting, and organizing.

Braden was a vampire this year. He loves to be anything scary or gross looking. The fangs were supposed to be stuck with this "compound" to his teeth, but it didn't last, just long enough for a picture, but that was okay because he really liked the blood dripping down his chin.

Brianna was a cute witch. She wore gloves (not seen in this picture) that had long purple fingernails attached, which was the highlight of her costume. That and the cute boot covers that fit over her shoes which was a great deal at Walmart!

Braden's pumpkin that mom ended up helping him carve.

All the pumpkins together. Braden's, Brianna's, Bridgette's, Mom's, and Brittany's.

Cute little Bridgie! All the girls were witches this year.

Brittany borrowed a costume from a sweet friend and was the Candy-Corn witch this year.

She had fun painting her nails to match.....and actually getting to wear eyeliner and mascara, which she didn't have on in this picture.

Cousin Carter was so cute in his dinosaur costume. Bailey and Bridgette loved checking him out. He drooled just like a scary dinosaur!

I don't think I saw anyone cuter than Annie in her cat costume.

When she meowed, it was so adorable!

Okay, actually, this little witch is pretty cute, too! I can't get enough of her! She had a blast saying, "Trick-or-Treat!" and would immediately say "Thank you!" to everyone that gave her candy. Such a polite little witch.

My four witches.......with hats on their heads and with hats on their pumpkins.

Brianna with cousins, Kate and Matt, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter.

Loved their costumes.

At the ward Trunk-or-Treat. We decorated our trunk with spider webs and spiders. Brittany brought her friend, Hayley along.

Our finished Jack-0-lanterns! This year we carved pumpkins without Stu, there just wasn't time to schedule it with him being here, so I ended up doing a lot of the carving, except for Brittany, who did hers all by herself.

Our Last Hoorah!

Since our Disneyland passes expired in October, we decided to go one last time. It was probably the most fun we've ever had, too! We left after the kids got out of school and picked up Stu at work on the way. We are going to miss going, since we aren't going to buy passes again for at least a couple years. It was a sad, yet fun day!

Here is Bridgette and Bailey on the Carousel, while the older three kids went on California Screamin', the biggest roller coaster at California Adventure.

We decided to get in a swinging gondola (vs. the non-swinging) on the ferris wheel and it was a blast. Everyone loved it, except Bridgette. She wasn't so sure. She was pretty scared, just because she didn't know what to expect, but loved it after it was over.

Brittany and Brianna pretending to be scared.

This was the last picture of the night....in front of the pumpkin Mickey.

Disneyland was decorated so cute with all the Halloween decor.

This is a video of the swinging gondola on the ferris wheel.

We feel lucky to live close to so many fun and exciting things to do here in Southern California. But we will miss going to Disneyland!

Nina Comes to Visit!

Our niece, Nina, got to be with us for a weekend recently.

One afternoon we went exploring around Balboa Island and Newport Beach.

We took the ferry across and back after walking around and admiring the scenery. We got some ice cream. We also got lots of stares from people when they saw we had 6 kids following after Stu and I. Nina looks like the oldest daughter.....she fits right in!

We ended up at the beach, just going to check it out, and Bridgette ended up soaked through all her clothes when a big wave happened to surprise her from out of nowhere.

We had a pleasant surprise when several dolphins decided to show

off just about 20-30 yards from the shore.

They were jumping out of the water and playing with each other for about 10 minutes.

I took some video, but it never does it justice. It was such a beautiful thing to see!

If you look closely, you can see one of the dolphins as they were leaving.

Look to the right of Nina and close to the pier.

We stopped at Lido Park, I think that's what it is called.

It's one of the kids' favorite little parks just

because it has a merry-go-round and it's right on the beach.

Where else do you see merry-go-rounds these days?

They had a blast!

On the pier at Lido Park.

Nina, Bailey, Bridgette, Braden, Brittany, Stu, and Brianna.

We had such a great time walking around, but we were pretty tired afterwards!

It was so fun to have Nina with us. She is so awesome!

First Day of School August 11, 2010

After school on the first day! Now that the "first day" nerves are out of the way,

watch out Orange Elementary, we're here to stay!

The kids all liked their teachers and were excited to make new friends.

The whole first day of school, Bailey followed me around like a puppy, asking, "Where's the kids, mom? Where's Brittany, mom? Where's the gills (girls), mom? Where's Brady?" Poor thing was really missing them, but she has sinced grown attached to Dora the Explorer and is doing fine. And every morning asks me, "Can I watch Dora the Explore, it's coming up next, mom!" That's when you know your kid has watched too much t.v. When she starts repeating what the commercials say.

Bridgette after her first day of kindergarten, sporting her "K" hat that she made.

About to say good-bye to my little Bridgie.

It's not as tough to say good-bye when it's my fourth child,

but it's still sentimental nonetheless.

She didn't even turn to say good-bye as I left.

I guess that's a good thing.

Bridgette waiting in line at kindergarten, ready to go into the classroom.

I can't believe how grown up she is getting!

Brianna was so excited to wear her pink, plaid outfit with matching hat. She's in 3rd grade.

Braden is entering 3rd Grade. He is in the same class as Brianna once again this year.

I can't believe I have a 6th Grader! Next year will come too soon when she moves to Junior High. My baby girl is growing up way too fast!

Bridgette was so excited to wear her cute pink boots that she got from her cousin, Kate. She loved preschool, but was nervous to start kindergarten. She told me she had a tummy ache the morning of, but after I reassured her that she would love it, she seemed to be fine.

Leaving for school in the morning. School starts at 7:45am and it's been pretty tough on Bridgette who has been used to sleeping in until 8:00 or so, but she is slowly adjusting and still taking afternoon naps, which is really nice.

Cameron and Casey's visit

It was so fun to have Grandma Pat here, too.

I'll post more pictures of the homecoming of her mission later.

Braden, Brittany, Bailey, Bridgette, Cameron, and Brianna.

Dressing up like superheros and fighting the bad guys!

Playing play-doh

Aren't they the cutest cousins?

We had such a great time with Cameron and Casey while they were in town visiting Russell for 3 weeks! It was hard to see them go. Bridgette tried to dress like Cameron everyday. Every morning, she'd wait to see what Cameron was wearing before she got dressed and would find the same color to wear so she could match Cameron. They had lots of fun playing "superheros", going swimming, and playing play-doh. Cameron was so fun to talk to. He has the cutest expressions and says the cutest things. We sure miss you, Casey and Cameron.

Twins Baptism

Hill Cousins-Matt and Kate
Aunt Janiel and Uncle Dave
Great Grandpa and Grandma Lowe