Always Playing Catch Up....

OK so I'm a lame blogger. I go months and months with nothin' and then I play catch up. You have to admit that I have my best excuse yet. We have been very displaced. We left AZ the middle of June and have basically been living out of suit cases since. The only one who didn't seem to mind at all was little E. She thought it was an open invitation to play dress up all day.


She is such a girly girl. Who would have thought I would have a total princess who loved clothes
and all the accessories she could get her hands on. I have created a little diva monster.

We had a very long summer since Nevada starts school about a month after Paradise does. Dallin started the 3rd grade this year. Crazy. He was a little anxious about going to a new school and he REALLY missed his old friends but he is such a good boy. He put on a smile (except when I asked him to have his picture taken with his teacher). Look at his face. He is thinking, mom I'm not in pre-school your killin me. :) I love him!

An even harder part to my day was finally sending Ryder to Kindergaten. He was SO ready to go! He watched most his friends start last year (he is an August birthday) and was counting down the days! Ryder is so happy and care free. I wish I was more like him :) He calls everyone he meets his friends. I just love him!

Most of his class is made up of ward members. They look so mischievious! He loves going everyday and I love all the enthusiasm he has when he gets home to tell me about his day.
Breckan also started Pre-school with his new teacher and my friend Miss Kim. He thinks Logandale is the best place on earth and has requested a motorcycle and a pocket knife for Christmas. Good Luck Brecky.

Since this is an "all in one" post- here goes halloween. My favorite part about Logandale is it has a great community with wonderful family activities. On Saturday, the parks and rec put together an awsome trunk or treat complete with haunted house, food and games. Ellsie was in heaven after getting her candy, she parked it on the grass and devoured her candy. I see where she also gets her self control from :)

The boys loved the games and rides. Dallin and Breckan got into these giant air bubbles in a pool of water. D says he felt like a hampster! Ryder didn't take to the idea. It was fun though and everything was free.

The kids made it really easy for me this year and all of them wanted to dress up in something we already had. Ellsie just loves anything frilly and pink. We had a great time with lots of parties, candy, and friends.

Change Me No-Likey

I come from a long line of movie quoters, so it comes as no surprise to me that my children have now started a little quoting of their own. Dallin's favorite quote of the moment is "me no likey" (The Emperor's New Groove). Those of you that know me well know that I avoid change like it is a plague. My emotions and mood are all over the map when, well I have to move all over the map :) Maybe that is why Heavenly Father blessed me with the most patient and understanding of men for my husband. Let just say poor Lance had to endure a few Oprah "ugly cries" on the way to our new home.

It was very hard to leave my sister and many wonderful friends, but we feel very blessed to be in Logandale Nevada. It is beautiful and clean, fresh air and lots of space.

But I'm begining to see Lance's true motivation-

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Maybe because the "recreational vehicles" section is always highlighted in the craigslist listings. The picture is taken on the trails right outside our back door.

Back to change. We have moved into two different rentals, in two different wards and tried to buy three different homes all in the last five months (Hmmm....I wonder if that has anything to do with Ellsie's crazy separation anxiety?!) We are so excited to be moving for the LAST time into our new home. The moving day is the 20th of this month. We wont be living out of boxes! Ryder came home from school yesterday saying all his friends had on sweatshirts but him. I was thinking, Honey if I could find the right box you would have winter clothes too! I will also have all our stuff so I can post ACTUAL family pictures.

I have had some requests for a picture of the new house so here it is, of course it's GREEN!

We love and miss AZ and hope to entice some of you to come visit us! I hope the trail pictures get the job done (at least for the husbands :)

Ellsie's First Year

I can't believe my baby is one!!! I guess I better start blogging again, at this rate she'll be in kindergarten next year! This won't come as a surprise to most of you, but I have absolutely LOVED being Ellsie's mom/personal stylist this past year. :)

From day one, Ellsie has had dad wrapped around his finger. He dances with her, sings in her ear, and tells her stories of all the daddy daughter dates they will take. I had to include this next picture, because it shows how truly whipped Lance is. He couldn't bear the sounds of her crying so he strapped on the good old sling! He knows at that moment it will end up on the blog!

This is how most their naps go~

Dallin, Ryder and Breckan are the best big brothers. They have always treated Ellsie so kindly and call her the "princess".....Oh boy.





There are many times when the house gets really quiet and I go to find the kids and I find them all together. A lot of times I'll find one of them reading to her or setting up her little people for her to play beside them. Melts my heart.








I used to get really excited with each new stage. Rolling, crawling, getting new teeth and saying new words; but now it makes me a little sad. This year went by so fast and I keep thinking about the milestones she has past and the army crawl I'll never see again. I have enjoyed every minute of this girl.





Happy Birthday Lou! We love you!!