My last year in my 20's...

Oh my.....I am 29. That's a big number. A scary one too. Didn't I just turn 24? I'm sure I did, that's not such a big number.

I had a great birthday, the best one I can remember in a while. (I can't remember too far back anyway.) It snowed all day making everything so beautiful, I had Josh and my kids celebrating with me, I got to celebrate Peyton's little successes in kindergarten, I picked out some fine things for myself that Josh wrapped up for the fun of opening them even though I knew what they were. It was a fine day.

I started thinking though... am I where I always thought I would be at 29? In some ways yes, and in some ways no. But I know that I am so glad to have what I have right now. I spent a lot of time in the past couple of years thinking about what I didn't have and what I thought I deserved and what I thought I was owed. Well I learned my lesson. I'm not consistently greatful for what I have but I get little reminders all the time nudging me along to look at the greater picture and see, really see how lucky I am. I think I have a gift to see the positive in most things, I really do. I am proud of myself for that. When we were going through the hardest thing in our life up to this point, I still was able to recognize the "tender mercies". I am grateful for my life, for my husband, my children, my family, my friends, my supports, my home, and anyone that makes me laugh. I'm thankful for a wonderful year, and hope for another one. Here's to my 30's! (Well, not yet.)

Kids Fun

Josh-"Kids, don't tell mommy her presents are here. If she starts looking around tell her to stop looking!"

Kids-"Okay!"

Kids-"Mommy don't look around for you presents!"

Me, walking away...

Paige-"Mommy don't look under the coffee table!"

Me, looking...

Paige-"NO! Don't look under there!!"

Peyton-"Paige, you are the worst secret teller ever!"

Hello Snow!

Finally we got our snow! And boy did it come with a vengeance!

Thanksgiving in Mesa

Every year we spend Thanksgiving in Mesa with the Piercy family since we moved to Show Low. I love the long weekend that we're able to spend with my family. We had great food of course and did some shopping. Paige and I went to see Ballet Etudes' The Nutcracker again and loved it! I always look forward to going backstage and seeing Kellan and Sharon and everybody else. The kids and I also went to see the Temple lights again and they were beautiful.

Paige and me with Lauren as Sugar Plum Fairy.

Paige loved the part where the Mouse King (Kellan) got stuck in the mouse trap.

Some of 2nd Act cast.

Halloween 2011

Here's some random shots of our Halloween:

Friends

It's good to have friends wherever you are. When we moved to Show Low I left a lot of good friends from church. We were always having lunch parties at each others homes, play dates at the park and girls night out. I don't really do that anymore now that I live here. I get the occasional play date, but I haven't really had a girls night out since moving here 2 years ago. That's a sad thing, I know. I really miss those.

But I was so lucky to meet someone who I consider my best friend. That sounds silly to me like when your a little girl and you have your one true best friend (or bosom buddy, which is what I had growing up) but I really feel like Becky and I were always meant to meet and become friends. We are so much the same person. On top of that our kids are the same ages and they seem to be best friends as well! It's not often we spend more than 2 days apart from each other but when we do the kids reunite like it's been years! Here are a couple of sweet moments I wanted to remember of the kids at the park. They are taken from pretty far away because Becky and I just talk the whole time and try to keep one eye out for the kids the whole time.

The three girls.

The four of them.

Bob

Paige got her first major hair cut! At 4 years old! Haha. Her hair has grown so incredibly slowly and unevenly to the point that she had a mullet a couple of times. This time we just shortened it by a good 4-5 inches to try to even it all up. She looks great with a short bob! I love it. Her Aunt Colbi did such a good job and I think Paige enjoyed her shampoo/cut/style morning! We love Aunt Colbi for doing it! I'll take a better picture of her hair styled and add it in soon!

A 6 year old Story cont...

The only picture I took on his actual birthday! Oh well, got lot's more to come! Here is the official 6 year old opening his gifts at home.

A 6 year old Story

My baby boy, first born, tallest kid in his class, turned 6 years old last Friday. My kids are so luck they always get to celebrate their birthday twice! How fun to be 6! We first got to travel to Grandma and Grandpa Piercy's house and celebrate with my family. I love spending time with my family! Peyton had a great time going to the mall to play first and then having pizza and cheesecake for dinner!

I can't believe my little boy is 6 and in kindergarten! Peyton is such a fun boy in our home, he listens and obeys his mom and dad, he is easily made happy, he has a sweet heart and likes to show people he cares for them, he is a great artist, he is so smart and learning things very quickly, he loves to build just about anything into anything, especially loves Legos, he can navigate around the internet with almost no help, he is called Lil'Mookie by his dad, he is a very good eater (which he didn't used to be), he is really good at hitting a baseball and throwing a football, and he is our best little big boy!

Gimme S'more!

We had a cold spell a couple of weeks ago so of course we had a few fires in the fireplace. Then we had the bright idea to roast marshmallows! It was fun but could potentially be very dangerous since we have carpet right near the fireplace. No accidents happened though. We're good. It was fun and delicious!

I sat across Paige for dinner and this is what she was wearing. I had to document it.

Adams Family October Celebration 2011 cont...

On Sunday we went for a drive in search of more Fall colors. We found it in one of our favorite places to be. Except Sunday was a cold and rainy day so we decided to pack a picnic, coats, blankets and games and eat and play in the back of our van while enjoying the view of the beautiful trees. What a great idea! The back of the van has space for a swimming pool so we were able to stretch out and enjoy our space while we ate and played games. Afterwards since the rain had stopped we went for a short walk into the trees. It was so beautiful and eerily quiet. I kept waiting for a bear to come out of the trees, it was a little spooky. No bear, just beautiful colors, beautiful weather, a dead mouse, a couple of tiny leaping frogs, and maybe some joke telling. The kids' jokes are awesome. We made it back to the car just in the nick of time before the rain came down with a vengeance! What a great weekend with my family!

This tree was amazingly huge, but there was also a constant buzzing sound coming from it so I thought it would be best to back away from the tree and leave it alone. Just in case.

A beautiful grove of Aspen trees turning colors.

Adams Family October Celebration 2011

Every year we have a celebration the first Friday of October to celebrate Fall and the kick-off to the whole holiday season. Because when better time of year is it than now?! We love Fall and spend the weekend enjoying it starting off with caramel apple making and then a viewing of our favorite October movies: Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin and then Corpse Bride. This is one of my favorite nights of the whole year. I'm glad to make these memories with my family.

Of course the kids put plenty of candy on theirs! Is there even an apple under there?

Watch our Garden Grow #6

This is officially the end of the garden. Everything is being picked this week and pulled out to prevent losing anything to frost. It's sad that we won't get anything else but I am also ready to be done with it for now. It's amazing that we've been eating from the garden for the past couple of months and still are! Here's one of the last harvests:

Things I have made with garden veggies:

Roasted Tomatoes

Tomato Paste

Tomato Sauce

Zucchini Bread

Fried Zucchini Flowers

Fried Zucchini

Zucchini and Onions

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Baked Spaghetti Squash (lot's!)

Cucumbers and Tomatoes in Balsalmic Vinegar

Corn and Zucchini Salad

And of course random veggies with dinner from the garden

Things still to make:

Salsa

Cucumber Relish

One more loaf of Zucchini Bread?

More baked Squash

Watch our Garden Grow #5

Another tooth, another dollar...