H A P P Y T H A N K S G I V I N G!

from Pilgrim Kaylie and the rest of the family!

Kaylie enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast last week at her preschool with her pilgrim friends and indian friends. Daddy got to go visit and take a few pictures. This made Pilgrim Kaylie a very happy pilgrim.

They enjoyed some yummy fixins. It's a good thing Pilgrim Kaylie isn't as picky as her siblings and could enjoy "everything but the green beans. I don't really like those," said Pilgrim Kaylie with a squinched up nose, shaking her head no.

What did you love and not love so much on your Thanksgiving plate?



M I G H T Y H U N T E R S

Look what walked across our yard today? How odd, right? Well how odd is it that this crew hunted it down with fish nets and some bare hands to capture the poor guy and put him in a dog's crate for several hours as a pre-Thankgiving pet. Huy and the neighbors were trying to decide who should kill it and eat it for their Thanksgiving turkey, I mean, pheasant!

Killer Whales Rock

She is the cutest goalie on the fields!

Taylin had a great season with the Killer Whales. In her new age group, the field is bigger and they learn off-sides, and have a goalie. And that is what Taylin wanted to try and she practiced hard and learned to be a great one. She got good with her drop kicks and getting on the ground to stop those balls. She was still able to play forward some and she made several goals, and she was an awesome defender because she has a powerful kick.

The team played so well throughout the season that they took 2nd in their division and were invited to a tournament. That day was particularly cold day with a wind that chilled us all to the bones so I didn't get many pictures, but the following team ones. Although the team didn't advance to the finals, Taylin played her best ever!


These girls loved team hugs!

At the team party at Gattiland, the girls shared in a great celebration!

(Megan, Marisa, Gabby, Chloe, Grace, Taylin, Sydney, Olivia, and Daniela)

We are so proud of you Taylin! Keep with it and you will become an even better player!

Falling behind,

and catching up...

A quick one...

With no pictures... I'm not a fan of no pictures, but this time, I just had to do it without them...

• Taylin had her 3rd grade school musical, School House Rock. She was so cute up there on stage saying, "Math is great, now don't get me wrong, but what about science... perhaps the solar system" and singing Inner Space Janet Planet. (Hey Chelon, do you have a pictures of the girls you wouldn't mind sharing?)


• Tanner finished his "regular" flag football season, sad to say, losing in the Superbowl game against da Bears, ending the season with a 7-2 record. Not bad. (pics to come)


• Taylin finished her soccer season, placing 2nd in her division, which got the team an invitation to a BIG tournament in Georgetown. It was her first soccer tournament. They played three games, in the freezing cold wind (yes, even in Texas it gets cold), and although they didn't win, she played her best soccer of the season and she had a great time. (pics to come)


• The kids got their 1st nine week report cards with all A's, and a B or two. We are so proud of how hard they work and how smart they are!

And finally...

• Nike got his first report card. He went to an "evalutation" at a boarding/doggie day care. This is what it said... (it's too funny not to share it word-for-word)

"Daycare Report

Date: November 17, 2008

Name of Dog: Nike

I played with: Quinn, Travis, Magnum

My favorite thing is: Running around like crazy with the rest of the boys in my group! There was another lab puppy, named Quinn, who was just my size and he liked to play the same chase games that I love to play!

Nike is a very playful boy! He had no transition period at all, he was relaxed from the moment he first entered the playgroup! He loved to run around with Quinn and they played rough all day! Nike is a sweet boy and is welcome back anytime!"

Oh, that is good cuz he had to stay three nights over the weekend. (Emphasis added by me.)

Okay, one picture. This is Nike with his bestest friend, Ginger (the Clark's dog). I guess you could call her his "girlfriend" since I'm learning that dogs are considered humans to people who have dogs, love dogs, or care for dogs. I guess I am going to have to fit into this mold eventually, but not sure I'm there just yet. Anyway, the picture is to show you that Nike is definately getting big, but Ginger is small so that makes him look bigger than he really is.

Her first field trip

Here is Kaylie at the Pumpkin Patch. It was her first field trip with her preschool class,

AND,

it was her first time on a school bus. I think that was more fun for her than the pumpkin patch. At least she was more excited to be riding a bus and didn't seem to care much about the pumpkins.

The first steps.

She chose the very last seat. Odd?

My baby is growing up! Aaaaaaa!!

H A P P Y H A L L O W E E N . . .

from a crazed football fan, a sweet and beauitful little mermaid, and a playful, cute puppy!


Kaylie saw this costume in a magazine weeks before Halloween was even here. But, Mom delayed ordering it in hopes of finding something similar at a store. After not having any luck, Mom went to order it and, of course, her size wasn't available in the much coveted pink version so Kaylie was a good girl and consented to the blue one. She is a good sport that way. She loved wearing it and was the prettiest mermaid in all of Texas!


Taylin was our cute little puppy... again this year - three years running. She opted out of her Gabriella, High School Musical costume at the last minute so it was a good thing we still had everything for the puppy to return this year! She is definately getting better at the picture thing. I mean, look how cute! She wanted to bring Nike along, but Mom and Dad didn't want to have to deal with that. Maybe next year.

Tanner was too busy playing football with the neighbor boys to come for his picture. Maybe he thinks he's getting too old for that. I say not!

We, as a family, didn't have a chance to go to "the patch" this year, so we had to divide up the tasks to get our pumpkin. The girls and I picked out the pumpkin... at HEB (local grocery store). Not such a good selection, probably because we waited too long, but a good price. And then Huy helped the kids come up with our pumpkin design. Kaylie's requirement was a happy pumpkin, Taylin's requirement was crossed-eyes, and Tanner required teeth. Here is the result. Pretty darn cute.

And here is our family trademark!

Tanner was happy with his loot.

Taylin was exausted after collecting her loot. She couldn't even finish the candy in her hand. Ha!

"Happy Halloween" says Kaylie as she ditched the group early to get home to rest her feet!

On another note, we put a bowl of candy out at our front door. When returning home, we were expecting most of it to be gone, but I would venture a guess that only 5 pieces were gone. What to do with so much left-over candy?! My waistline surely doesn't need it.

Check her out!!



Notice anything different about this pretty lady? Isn't that a beautiful smile? Our Little Miss Taylin has had her braces and expander removed! Hurray! She was so excited leading up to the event, but when the time actually came, she was a bit nervous because she didn't know what to expect. And because I never had braces, I couldn't tell her if it was going to hurt or not, but I assured her things would be just fine. And things were. As always, she was a tough trooper and only scared the assistant once when Taylin wiggled and sort of yelled as the glue was being etched off her front teeth. She thought it would hurt before she was even touched. We had a good laugh about that.
Now you see them...
(this picture is of Taylin biting on a gauze as hard as she could while the assistant plucks the brackets off - she is lying down in the chair)

Now you don't!!

Instead of going back to school, I tried to be a fun mom and we went to lunch and to Walmart. I know, how fun is that?! We had a good time. Taylin said, "This is the best day of school ever!"



This is Taylin's first meal of choice to eat without braces! Yum! Her favorites, chicken sandwich, now she eats them with lettuce, fries, and an orange drink. Okay, we shared a rootbeer float too! We love a Wendy's float!

a joyful life

This past weekend Huy sent me to Time Out! Can you believe that? He was actually very sweet to let me go with some friends to San Antonio to hear a group of LDS presenters and to give me a time out. Here is a little of what I learned.

joy in motherhood
2 Nephi 10:23 -- "free to act for yourselves". Remember that you live in a household of free agents. You don't get to control how they react to your parenting. But the more right things that get in, (the more teaching, love, positive influences, example) . . . the more control you have.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not insurance against pain. It is a resource in the event of pain.

I love these messages from Emily Watts, but this one to her children was the best: "I give you the gift of an imperfect mother so you don't enter into marriage with unrealistic expectations."


joy in music
My favorite part of the weekend.
Performances by Michael McLean and Hillary Weeks

Love to feel the spirit through music.

That IS Michael at the piano.

joy in letters

Write more letters! Don't you love getting a letter in the mail?

Jason Wright, The Wednesday Letters

P.S. I love your hair!

joy in listening
Other presenters, Michael Wilcox, Chris Stewart, and Carolyn Rasmus

joy in friendship

Sarah Reyes, Sheyenne Alvarez, Andrea Cole (with baby Isaac), and Tieryn Allen

Sheyenne and Tieryn

No, Huy has not photoshopped Andrea's tongue... yet!

Had a blast with these ladies!

We drove down in a ton of traffic, but nothing that an Atomic Fire Ball can't do to pass the time.

Obviously, Sheyenne and I eat everything the same, except I eat chocolate!

Free hotel rooms. Smelly, but free.

Thanks girls.

Events of the day

Many have asked, "How big is Nike now?" Well, he just keeps getting bigger. At the vet last week, he weighed 42 pounds and Kaylie was 43 pounds. As you can see, he still does the "flat tire" and he is about 4 tiles long which would equal 4 feet. He's graduated to a bigger collar and I'm not sure if I like it. He listens much better, okay, most of the time. He is shedding more and more so brushing him helps, but I need to keep at that. We all are loving on him and he is spoiled, just like the rest of the kids.

The kids like to get in his gated area and lay on him and he is so good to let them.

Kaylie has done it!

She can now write her whole name perfectly and she knows the letters. She has been working on it a lot and we are so proud of her. There are no papers lying around that don't have her name on it!


Our tree has LIMONS?

When we first moved into our home, we did some landscaping in our backyard. Huy planted what I remembered was a lemon tree in a pot and the first year it had fruit. I thought it had outgrown the pot so I moved it into the ground. It grew and grew, mostly big thorns, but never had any more fruit. So five years later, Kaylie and I went outside to do some yardwork one day, and to our surprise, we saw 5 limons on our tree. We were so excited. Kaylie has since checked on them often and she has wanted to pick them. And to be honest, I couldn't remember if it was a lime tree (they are green) or a lemon tree (they are larger than a lime, I think) so I've made her wait so we could watch and see what would become of the limon tree!

Tanner found one on the ground (Nike probably knocked it off) so I let him cut it open and see if it smelled good or was rotten or what the deal was. We were hoping to find out if it was a lemon or a lime, but we are still bewildered. As you can tell, Taylin was not impressed with our garden produce, but Tanner seems to like sucking on sour limons!

summing up our BIG weekend

games, playoffs, trunks, treats, play, dance, winners, losers, dogs, and more

We began on the road headed for Fort Worth to the BYU vs. TCU football game. What was planned to be a great game wasn't so great. We had great company and fun just getting to the game - geared up in the BYU gear, blue hair, helmets, shirts and some traffic - but then after a scoreless first half for BYU, the girls just wanted to get home to play and for bed so the boys stuck it out until the end and the rest of us went home. The end was a very sad loss for BYU, 32-7.


A bit grumpy, Bubbas didn't want to take pictures to fill the down time.

Oh, on second thought, a bribe for cotton candy did the trick.

This wig made people do funny things.

See what I mean?

The traditional (2 times running) BYU vs. TCU picture with my sister, Karmen. Okay, she's really not my sister, but I'll claim her as one. People always ask so we've just decided to go with it.

Best of friends such that they call each other cousins, which would make since since their mothers are sisters, right?

Peek-a-boo, I see you!

These two became buds over the weekend. They take such good care of each other. But Lilers (that is what I call her) informed us she didn't want to be called Lilers any more, her name is Lily. I don't know if I'll be able to make the switch.

Two of the biggest BYU fans around.

That's my boys!

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS!

The best news from the weekend was that Huy and Jeff's football team won the NFL Flag Football Regional Champions! They pulled this team together after a scouting trip to Cedar Park, finding four boys able and willing to practice 10 times before the tournament. They went on to win their pool (of three games) and then they had the best scores from each game that they got a bye in the first round of the championship bracket, putting them in THE championship game. And of course, they won that and were crowned Regional Champions!

Game One
We played the Cowboys from our league back home, whom we played the previous week and won, 31-0, and whom have several of Tanner's good friends. Getting a few nerves shook off, the game was won after the mercy rule was called, a 28-0 win. This game got the boys pumped up and ready to play and win again.


Down-time after the first game - clearly they were all smiles and happy to be moving on.

Game Two
After another win, 28-0, mercy rule applies, the boys came together and took it to the Packers from Southwest Austin.


Needing some nourishment, a few munchies got Tanner ready for the next game.

Cole was there to cheer Tanner and the team on, as bored as he was.

Game Three
I didn't pull the camera out for this one. But yes, again, mercy rule, 29-0. They went for a two-point conversion at the end, "so they could practice it."

A little pep talk before the big championship game. They played the Titans from Southwest Austin.

The coin-toss.

The veteran players as captains.

I was so proud of our QB. Oh yeah, that's my son!

And he not only can throw the ball, he can run it. The two above pictures are in sequential order. Notice the boy in black on the right in each picture! Tanner was just short of a touchdown.

After the victorious win, 13-0 this time, the team signs the papers to arrange the flights paid for by the NFL to Orlando, Florida for the National Championship Tournament. They are also given cleats, shorts, jersey, and gloves from Nike. Pretty sweet deal!

And there you have it - the Regional Champions!

And just incase you hadn't noticed, the team was not scored upon throughout the entire tournament!! How do you like them apples?

Fall Festivities

This year we were able to join the Clarks at their friends Fall Festival at her home. The kids wore simple costumes and had a great time playing games, riding horses, eating desserts, watching a magician, and trunk-or-treating for candy.

Thanks guys for taking us along with you everywhere and coming with us everywhere. We had a blast!