I'm loving...

My Roku players (they are little digital players that allows the kids to watch channels like Netflix instant watch selections and other internet channels as they become available) this is the way of the future (not necessarily this box- but the idea)!

You can order the jewelry here- the most adorable jewelry ever!

Test drove one this weekend- I think I'm in love- the kids are begging!

Next tropical vacay for sure (Bora Bora)

Mahalo!

What a relaxing week. Thanks mom for flying up- there wasn't a better person to take care of my kids for the eight days we were in paradise.

We just got back from Maui and I'm already planning our next trip back...

Warren and Annabelle's is a must for anyone who's looking to laugh all night! Cord and I were put in the hot seat and it was so much fun.
Snorkeling couldn't have been more perfect- although I could see down 15 feet or more without a mask, just on my board floating on the water.
This was my view while lying on the beach- not bad, eh?
Near Wailea...some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. Possibly a new favorite vacay spot (although Carmel is hard to beat).
I heart Jodi
the view from our room
snorkeling and whale watching (sans seasickness)
The best souvenir we brought back was Nellie's (my shorkie) shirt that says "Mahalo for a tummy rub"- precious!

So much work...so little time!

Wow- I can't believe the new year is here. I'm happy to say goodbye to you 2009, although we've had fun, there were some times that I didn't love so much and I'm embracing the change for 2010. The one thing I don't want to embrace is all these decorations! We're going to have to build a new shelf in the garage just for the Christmas stuff.

We're busy beavers over here, I've been remodeling my bathrooms and laundry room as well as a portion of the basement (I will post soon) so I have vowed not to take down these decorations until I have a place to put them (which will hopefully be soon). It's been wonderful to feel so great that I could put up three big trees (with a fourth ready to go in the basement next year when the construction is finished), and three little trees for the kids. It's been a fun holiday but now I'm looking forward to tropical vacations and springtime!

Tree in the "red room" or living room. I used my basement decorations for this tree this year because my mom in law got to come over and see my upper floor and I wanted her to see my "white" tree- normally this 12 footer is filled with formal red and green decorations- but I like how it turned out.

This is our family room tree. I love the black and white incorporated here. it's a funky "Santa" tree filled with different kinds of Santa's among other things.

This is our breakfast area- I have had this snow village for years (1997) but my kids want me to do a big village next year, we'll see how the storage room feels about that!

This is my candy tree. I had the most fun with this tree- everything would be edible if it were real.

My table- lots of fun stuff!

Sofa table- the favorite was the cherry candy canes- that jar is pretty big, although that's hard to see- my kids loved those things!

my favorite part about this is the advent calendar on the left side of the fireplace. We bought it in Carmel this year and we filled it with fun things to do to help remember Christ this Christmas season. It was so much fun to do with our kids- a new found tradition.

This Jim Shore Santa is also from Carmel- there is a Christmas store there that I had to go into our last trip and they shipped everything for me- so much fun- he's holding a partridge in a pear tree.

My "tree" in our room. I love my pussy willows and decided to decorate them with these cut glass snowflakes. I love the way they turned out and since they are "winterish" I'm leaving them up til valentines day!

if it weren't for iphoto!

Thank goodness iphoto keeps track of the dates my photos were taken or I'd have no chance of keeping up on dates of events. Yes, I have slacked big time on my blogs, but it's been a crazy fall/winter. We've had five birthdays (out of six), one baptism, three major holidays, several vacations, and a partridge in a pear tree! I will briefly summarize the last three months with photos and then try to do better at not using Facebook to micro-blog (even though that's really what I've been doing) in the future.

We picked Nellie up from the airport and were so excited to bring her home- she is a lovely furry addition to our family.

Cayden turned 12 along with three other boys in our neighborhood. We threw them a birthday bash they will never forget. We rented out the BYU practice facility and sixty of the boys friends came and had a blast!
My baby brother got married in Virginia at a beautiful vineyard, the only bummer is that it was Freeeezing that day and so the wedding was moved inside, but it was gorgeous nonetheless, and that was a momentous occasion.

Halloween was fun this year, It was a little crazy since Cayden's party was on the same day, but what would life be if not busy. The little girls were so cute in their hot pink leotards.
Maddy turned eight and was baptized by her daddy. We are so proud of her for making that special choice. I know every baptism is special but that day was so tender.
We did the annual Ottley family Christmas party and everyone participated. I feel that I now have blackmail material on Cayden when he gets older.
We spent Christmas in LA with my family and enjoyed the warmer weather. We saw Mary Poppins the musical at the Ahmanson and had a fantastic dinner at the Biltmore hotel after. It was lovely not having to make dinner, a welcomed reprieve.
The line up Christmas morning...even Nellie got a stocking, which she proceeded to attack- it was a singing moose.
My mom and I cooked side by side Christmas day and had so much fun. I feel like a little kid in a candy store at her house with all her china and crystal. She has enough place settings and variety to seat 80 for Christmas alone and it's always so fun to come home and see all the new and fun things she has purchased for the season.

Whew! Now I'm caught up until our next event. That's a glimpse into our life for the last three months- just the facts. It's been three months filled with fun and craziness...but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I hope that everyone has had a fantastic holiday season so far!

September Recap

My parents walked into my bathroom I started screaming...I had no idea that they had flown in to surprise me for my birthday (so they did a good job)- that was a fantastic weekend! My dad played football with Cayden and taught him some new moves...

Daddy and Eliza grew a 24 lb watermelon...actually five of them...WOW! They were so proud (and we loved eating them).
Cord and I had a great time going out over and over again for my birthday- I was totally spoiled- I had Kenzi take a picture of us before we left so I'd have a snapshot of the two of us.
I'm wearing ALL of my birthday presents...at once. I think my favorite is my reclaimed leather handbag- so cool!
I liked my happy birthday sign...as in, it was cute- but I don't know that I love advertising that I'm getting another year older~
Eliza's first day of preschool....
Zander even saved a place for her.
Hannah's birthday at school- her real birthday present comes this Tuesday when we go to the Miley Cyrus concert and then stay in SLC for the night- she is soooo excited
We had to do a "take two" because the bakery shorted me a dozen cupcakes so we did ice cream sandwiches...gotta roll with the punches.
ahh! I hate decisions. I had to choose which dress to wear for my brother's wedding (I'm in the wedding). I came up with three good choices and had cord take pictures so I could see what they really looked like- once this first one gets altered, it will be the winner!


Eliza's first field trip was to Wheeler Farms this past week. She loved chasing the geese who were as big as she is. They were not afraid of her in the least and she can't wait to go back and feed them again.