Wrestling or Choking?

Cooper has been so excited to wrestle. He got a 2nd place medal today. The tournament was very disorganized and long, but we all made it. (Allie was at a sleepover with Grandma and Grandpa Davidson and Alicia, so we didn't have to worry about her whining ...only Maggie.) Cooper still needs to work on some proper holds--he looks as if he is choking the kid in the above picture. The poor kid was crying most of the round. Cooper's also very happy to be wearing his cousin Rob's wrestling shoes.

Thanksgiving Feast

Allie and Kiah

Allie had her Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast today. They were all decked out with bonnets and collars and were able to eat in the lunchroom.

Who's been sleeping at the top of the stairs

After we had tucked the kids in bed, we came upstairs to find Cooper asleep at the top of the stairs wearing a new stocking cap. If you can't tell by the picture, he is at the very edge of the stairs. One wrong turn and down he would have gone.

Allie the youngest

There are advantages to being the youngest when the others are in school. You get a lot of mom's attention. We decided to have a picnic at the park and play.

Reflections Time again

Maggie, Cooper, and Allie all entered the Reflections contest this year. They all received trophies for their entries. Cooper's photo took first and will go on to the next level. Allie's photo took second, but since she is in the same age group as Cooper's, hers will not go on. Maggie took second in literature and her entry will go on. Very proud of my kids. (Cooper was at a wrestling match and was not there to receive his awards.)

Allie the Candy Maker

Allie wanted to make her own Nerd Rope, so she got her candy from Halloween and dipped the licorice in Nerds, Pixie Stix sugar and rolled some in cotton candy. She thought she was just ingenious and had to have me blog about it.

Field Trip for Maggie

I was able to go on a field trip with Maggie today. It was a lot of fun to be with just her--well, along with 56 other 4th graders too. We had a fun day together going to the Natural History Museum and the Farmington Bay wetlands.

Halloween 2010

The kids had fun with their costume picks this year. At first Allie was going to be a grandma and then a vampire grandma. Cooper was going to be a hunter with a bear on his back. Maggie wanted to be a pumpkin. Well, as Halloween drew near, Allie saw a Scarlett O'Hara costume and exclaimed, "I want to be Scarlett!" We had just recently watched "Gone with the Wind" and she knew exactly who she was. So mommy indulged and bought her Scarlett along with a can of black hairspray. Cooper then decided he wanted to be Dracula. Maggie stuck with a pumpkin. They were all darling! I love Halloween!!

Woodbadge for Chris

The highest rank in the Boy Scouts is an Eagle. The highest rank for adult leaders in the Boy Scouts is the Woodbadge and Chris earned it tonight. He didn't want to make a big deal about it, but he did let me take a couple pictures at home. He even received his beads at the Cub Scouts pack meeting. Chris and I went to Brick Oven after with his scouting buddies that came. We're proud of him for reaching this goal.

Halloween Parties at School

Maggie and Burklee

Allie, Cooper, and Maggie all had Halloween Parties at school, but I was only able to go help in Allie's class. I did get pictures of them in their classes. They all had fun at their parties. I just wish they could have dressed up for their parties. That was the part I always loved as a teacher--having fun parties.

Cooper the Crusher--WWF Style

Cooper got out of this kids' illegal hold.

Cooper started wrestling and he loves it! He is quite the little scrapper. This was his first match and he won by a long shot--if they kept points. I was surprised how into it I got. I wanted Cooper to "get" his opponent and "crush" him.

Pumpkin Carving Time

Our annual pumpkin carving was our family activity today after church. We always have a great time scooping out pumpkin guts and drawing & cutting out faces and having fun!

Lunch with Friends

Sallie, Kimber, Anne, Kara

I met with my second year roommates today (Kimber and Kara were 1st year too.) We lived together during the 1987-88 year at BYU. Kimber has a missionary leaving in December, so she was out from California mission shopping with him. I can't believe it has been 23 years since we lived together. We don't look a year older than 19, do we?! It was fun hanging out with them and catching up on our families and life.

Chris is 39!

Today was Chris's 39th birthday! We had a little party for him tonight and then tomorrow night we'll have crab legs for him because he is running the Layton 10k tomorrow morning. Allie gave him a 7-11 gift card for Slurpees. Cooper gave him a wallet with money in it, and Maggie gave him running shorts. I gave him an Nike gym bag. Nothing over the top, but fun for him.

School Pictures--Fall 2010

I wasn't very impressed with the school pictures this year, but hey, I had them taken.

Allie's Kindergarten pose--with a little crooked grin.

Cooper--1st grade-- with all of his teeth still in.

This isn't the greatest picture of Maggie--4th grade, but she still looks cute. Maggie said she looks like she is in pain. (She kind of does.)

Friendship is for forts and corndogs

Allie had fun with her friends, Ashlyn, McKenzie, and Hannah. They decided they wanted lunch up in the fort with their corndogs.

Staying with Aunt Barbara & Uncle Perry

We had so much fun with Aunt Barbara and Uncle Perry. They live on a couple acres that used to be part of my Grandpa Leonard and Grandma Ocean's 100 acre farm. Aunt Barbara drove us all over to show us where the old farmhouse, pond where my dad would swim, and the old barn were. She took us to the cemetary where G & G Dick were buried and Uncle Bob. I loved seeing all of the family stuff and hearing Aunt Barbara's stories of my dad's family.

Uncle Perry and Aunt Barbara were such great hosts. We just liked hanging out with them. The kids especially loved it and collecting hundreds of acorns. They came home with way too many.

Independence Visitor's Center and Liberty Jail

The house that stood above the Liberty Jail where Dad and Aunt Barbara went to church.
Maggie Cooper and Allie posing in front of Joseph Smith while incarcerated in the jail.

Our Family in the Independence Visitor's Center Maggie studying the replica of the Gold Plates
Yee Haw!

After we left Elynn and the Kids, we stayed in Independence and went to the Church History sites. We first went to the Visitor's Center. The tour was great and it was very interactive for the kids. You could sure feel the spirit there.

We met Aunt Barbara at the Liberty Jail after we toured the Visitor's Center. The Spirit was also very stong there. It was a wonderful presentation and our family enjoyed it immensely.

I think Aunt Barbara should volunteer to be a tour guide there because that is where she and dad went to church when they first joined the church. She explained where she would play the piano in the old house that was above the jail and they would also have dances at the old house that would shake it when they danced. She was only 14 when she was the pianist for the Liberty Branch. Dad was the first missionary to leave from the Liberty Branch that met above the Liberty Jail. Pretty cool.

Grand Slam!!

While we were at the game, Robbie happened to be in the right place at the right time and caught Wilson Betemet's first ever grand slam ball!!! The funny thing about it was, Elynn was going to call Mark to tell him about it, but Mark called her and said he had just seen Rob catch the Grand Slam ball. Rob was a super star.

After Rob caught his lucky ball, I saw Maddie diving for a foul ball. She was a scrapper and fought for that ball. Before the game started, Rob also got a practice ball and then gave it to Cooper. So in total, we came away with 3 MLB balls and we got them all signed by Wilson Betemet...and Maggie's hat too.

Royals vs. A's

We were able to go to a Royals game while in Kansas city. It was pouring down rain and we weren't sure if they would be playing. Oh, by the way, we also got our tickets for $1.74 on Stub Hub. It was also $1 night--hot dogs, drinks, peanuts, and Twinkies were all $1. Our cheap night was also an exciting one. The crowd was very thin and so the kids had the run of the stadium. They were everywhere and having a ball.