Monday, December 31, 2007

Tired of my awesome Blackberry?

More than one person has mentioned that they want to see pictures of the kids now - not my phone. I still haven't uploaded all of the Christmas pictures. So for now you'll have to settle for Knott's Berry Farm (Or Blackberry Farm, or Raspberry Farm, whatever Anna feels like calling it that day).

Marlene and I took the kids a few weeks ago, on Toys for Tots day, when you get in for the cost of a toy. It was so busy I was scared for my life a few times, but we had fun anyway. The kids were amazingly good and we did get on a few rides eventually. We didn't take many great pictures, but I guess you'll enjoy them more than my beautiful red phone. Click on each picture if you want to see them life size and kiss those chubby cheeks!




Thursday, December 27, 2007

The Best

Best Christmas present I got this year:




Best Christmas present EVER:

I've wanted a Blackberry for a while now, but I had no idea Ben was getting me one for Christmas. I also hadn't looked at them much, so I didn't know they came in RED, my favorite color. When I opened that phone on Christmas day, I literally got tears in my eyes. Sad, I know. But hey, it was a beautiful phone.

And now, I truly understand the term Crackberry. How did I ever live without it? Today we went to Sea World and I utilized the long car ride to check both work and personal email, read the news headlines, and look up directions to Sea World. Then, on the way home I looked up the number to a pizza place and ordered pizza. Plus, I could have taken 1.8 MP digital pictures and read my horoscope while I was there. Does the awesomeness ever end?

Ben asked if I checked my email in the middle of the night last night. Come on, I'm not that addicted. But I may have grabbed it as I got out of bed and checked my email in the bathroom. Maybe.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Merry Christmas

There will be plenty of posts and pictures coming to show our Christmas activities. Tonight we had a wonderful Christmas Eve, and although the kids are obviously wired and excited for presents, I tried to keep the true spirit of Christmas in my heart. We didn't do cards this year - but I wanted to wish our blog readers a Merry Christmas. However you celebrate, we hope you feel the joy of the season!

"In each of us there is at Christmastime something of our childhood. We all revel in the fun of Christmas—of giving and receiving tinseled presents, of singing favorite carols, of feasting on goodies we never miss at other seasons, of gathering together as family and friends, all having a wonderful time. But there is something else, something better, and that is to sit together as families and read again the fascinating story of the birth of Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem of Judea...

Christmas is more than trees and twinkling lights, more than toys and gifts and baubles of a hundred varieties. It is love. It is the love of the Son of God for all mankind. It reaches out beyond our power to comprehend. It is magnificent and beautiful. It is peace. It is the peace which comforts, which sustains, which blesses all who accept it." ~ President Gordon B. Hinckley, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Little Ben

Busy times...

As Christmas draws closer, Allison and I have found we have more and more time away from work to do other things. Although we have no pictures, Allison and my mom took the kids to Knott's Berry Farm last weekend. Everyone had fun although I hear the lines were ridiculously long.

I also took the kids to the UCR Botanic Gardens sometime last week. They had fun looking for turtles in the pond and we went off-roading with the double stroller. For a moment, I was worried we weren't all going to make it our safely. Luckily the kids seemed to enjoy it.


Anna was quite the trailblazer...


Other than that, we have been looking at lots of houses. Some we like, some we hate, and most are overpriced. We have been looking at a lot of homes in Orangecrest because of the ridiculous square footage you get for the price. Who would think we could get 4,000 square feet in Riverside at an affordable price. Unfortunately, many of the homes are big boxes on tiny lots.

I have started to look at listings in the newer area off La Sierra (Victoria Grove) but I am not sure they are any better in that regard. We haven't seen any houses that were priced perfectly and had everything we are looking for. A few that we were really interested in were already sold. I am not exactly sure what we would do if we found a house that was absolutely perfect. Perhaps we would make an offer or perhaps not. We will cross that bridge when we get to it.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Anna Tells a Story

Anna can be a very shy child. Sometimes painfully shy. But today, she was the opposite, or so I hear.

Now that Anna is almost ready to move up to the big kid class at church and become a "sunbeam" in January, she has been visiting their class sometimes. The kids range in age from 4 to 12, they sing songs, learn lessons, etc. They even have one or two of the kids give talks each week. A talk is prepared ahead of time and lasts just a few short minutes since the kids are so young.

A little girl went up to the front of the group and gave her talk today. Note: she had prepared, had pictures to show, and had her Dad to help her. After she was done Anna said, loud enough for all to hear, "I want to tell a story now!"

Apparantly they had some extra time, so she did. They let her go right up to the front of the class. I can only imagine Marlene worrying about what she was going to say. We hadn't prepared her, and there were probably 25 faces staring at her. She got up and said something to this effect:

December is for baby Jesus. The shepherds came to see him. And the angels came to see him and sang songs.


Then she went and sat back down with Grandma. Can you believe she did that? I can't believe I missed it, because it is the cutest thing in the world. Luckily Grandma Marlene was there so she can tell us all about it.

One more thing about the big kid class. When it is your birthday they give you a goodie bag with candy. As they were leaving, Anna told them it would be her birthday when she came next week. Too bad her birthday is in June. What a little story teller.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Apologies to Dad

Dad was mad that I didn't include pictures of him and the kids in the latest posting. So, here you go. nothing exciting to talk about but more pictures of the kids. They love it when Grandpa is working around the house so they can pitch in. The jury is out on how Grandpa feels about it.




Isabel is still not sure about Arlo.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Fall again

This time of year in Riverside feels like Utah about 2 1/2 months ago. I have nothing else to say so enjoy the pictures.



Thursday, December 6, 2007

Christmas Pictures

I am officially the worst Mom ever.

By the way, I declare that at least a few times a day. Like when a kid falls off the couch. Or when they whine at my feet for 10 minutes while I make dinner and I ignore them. Or when I turn on a video.

Anyway - my reason today is because Adam and Isabel are 18 months old and they have never had a professional picture taken. Anna had like 5 by this age. I figured I would at least have them done for Christmas, but we haven't yet. And right now Isabel has a scratch and goose egg on her forehead, so I have to wait longer.

My point is - I might send out Christmas cards late this year.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Turkey lurkey

We didn't post for a few weeks, so now I'm catching up. I know it's long gone, but here are a few Thanksgiving pictures. Ben and Kevin deep fried our turkey. This was the third year we've done it and it gets better every year. Anna fed the babies lots of mashed potatoes.


BYU Roomies

Let's just say I never thought I would be the one in this group holding two kids in my lap, with someone else holding my other one (ahem, thought it would be Melanie, ahem). Hurry up and pro-create guys! Ha, just kidding. I have to laugh about it since sometimes our young little family strikes me as kind of absurd.

Anyway, here are my old roommates and I, getting together before we left Utah. Ellie posted another picture too.


Ellie and Anna, Katherine and Caleb, Melanie and Josh, Me and Isabel and Adam

Sunday, December 2, 2007

The end of an era...

If you are wondering why our blog has died it is because our children are no longer cute. It's an unfortunate fact of life that your kids grow up and stop looking as adorable as they once did. Anyway, here are some pictures from the Mission Inn Festival of Lights. Enjoy!

***This is Allison now. I asked Ben to blog, and I guess if his heart isn't in it, you get comments like "our kids are not cute." So here are some pictures of our cute kids. (Okay, these may not be the cutest pictures ever, maybe that's what prompted the comments above)