On Our Way to Disneyland

One of the best parts of anything exciting that happens is the anticipation. Nathan agrees with me. He loves to talk about "anticipation". Anticipation for Christmas, for a Birthday (for which we wait all year), Disneyland...

So here are our "Anticipation" pictures.

I love these pictures. The girls are just so excited. And they even loved the bus that took them to Disneyland the two days we were there.

Here's Rebecca and myself on the bus to Disneyland.

It was a short ride to Disneyland on our bus, and yet here is Rebecca with 3 pictures and each one on a different lap. Can you tell what game Rebecca played while we were waiting in lines at Disneyland? Yip, Musical arms.

Waiting in line at Disneyland. Like I said, I love all of the excited faces.

Emily, getting her first glimpse of Cinderella's Castle. We had been looking at Disneyland pictures online, so she had at least a few things in her mind that she knew she would see. Cinderella's Castle and "Finding Nemo"!

My Grandparents 50th Anniversary Celebration

My grandparents celebrated their 50th anniversary this summer. They celebrated with a float in the morning parade (for the corn festival) and a party that evening.

The girls on the float. (Yes, this was the best picture I could find of the two of them.)

Most of the grandchildren in this picture. I came on the float later, even though I wasn't planning on it. I sat next to my Grandpa. The seat of honor. :)

Me and My girls.

Aunt "Candy" as the girls like to call her. She received her nickname at the hand of Emily. I have no idea why she started it. She was saying Mandy just fine. Here she is with Becca on the float.

Aunt Candy serving the girls Ice Cream at the party. (Mandy, this is the best picture I got of you. Smile!)

Yummy!

Rebecca who wanted NOBODY else except Mommy.

Best "Sister Friends" is what Emily started calling the pair of them. I LOVE it and have continued to use the term.

Meredith at the party.

Emily at the party. In the back is a quilt my Aunt made with the pictures of all my Grandparents children, the temple they were married in and a picture of the two of them. They had 8 kids.

Lots of fun. And definitely WAY past overdue to post. I loved celebrating my grandparents' anniversary with them. They are a fabulous example to my family. Love you tons, Grandma and Grandpa!

Zoo with friends

I've been so bad about blogging that I just can't remember when we went to the zoo with our friends. It seems like it was a couple of months ago. (Could it have been that long, REALLY!?!)

The kids in front of the panther.

Which one looks most scary?! Just kidding!!! This is a Caiman or a miniature crocodile. My kids love it. Sometimes they are hard to find, but this one was just PERFECTLY posed. Best picture I've ever been able to take of this animal.

Sometimes the monkeys that actually belong in the zoo don't provide some very great acrobatics, but the kids can more than make up for it. So silly.

It must have still been relatively warm when we went, because Rebecca looks hot. She wanted out with the rest of the kids, but I think it was hot enough for her to not put up too much of a fight about staying in the stroller.

It's always fun to go to the zoo with friends. Hopefully I'll get the pictures off my camera soon and post the pictures of the latest zoo trip with Daddy.

Yogurt & Our First Time Bowling

Rebecca LOVES yogurt. I didn't actually give it to her. I mean, I buckled her in, poured the yogurt in the bowl and ran off to help the older girls with something thinking I had left the yogurt out of her reach. Um...Ooops. But she liked it!

Here are some pictures from Emily and Meredith's first time bowling. They LOVED it! We went bowling back in July when we came to Utah. Thank you to our friends for going with us!

Photo Shoot at Temple

Here are a few of the pictures that I took at the temple. My cousin was sealed in the temple to her sweetheart a few weeks ago. I asked Nathan if he felt up to bringing the girls to see the pretty bride come out of the temple. I didn't think he was going to do it, but he did! We had fun taking pictures with the girls afterward. He did pretty well dressing them, didn't he.

She was coming for me. She's a MOMMA's girl. She woke up at 2:30 a couple nights ago. Nathan went to get her, but she wouldn't fall asleep until she had Mommy. I just love these little arms reaching for me.

World's Best Daddy Let's Mommy Nap

A while back, many Sundays ago, but still fairly recently, I was SO tired that I took a nap and Daddy was left in charge. Here's what kept them occupied for part of the time.

Playing with Masking Tape! Who'd have thought. I think I left it out from my staff project. Oh, you have to have a picture of that one now. I made a giant staff for my piano students. I LOVE it. Meredith is SO interested in taking piano lessons that she's faster at finding the notes than a some of my students. After reading lessons though.

Meredith with her "belt"

Emily with her house made of masking tape.

World's Best Daddy. I have NO idea who was in charge of the camera. Meredith?

Emily's First Day of School

Yes, this is a very late post, but I'm going to do better. This is the best and easiest way to get pictures to my sister on her mission. (I love you, Mandy!...oh...I mean Sister Jones!)

A traditional, and our second because we have pictures for preschool, picture on the first day of school in front of the door.

My Sister-in-law had many cute left over bows from a boutique she did just before 4th of July, so Emily's school bows came from that stash. Saved my bacon because I STILL haven't had time to make hair bows.

Emily LOVES kindergarten. Meredith can't wait to go, but she wants me to go with her. Haha! Love it.