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Halloween 2009

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

I thought that I would be ambitious and just get the pictures up now rather than 2-12 months from now. Bless my heart.

Alivia had a very fun Halloween being dressed up as Sleeping Beauty.

We started out by going to our ward's Halloween party. Alivia shot some hoops and made several in the basket.

She was able to see a couple of her fellow Princesses and friends.

Silly Faces.

They had face painting and she requested a pumpkin.

We then went to our friend's neighborhood and joined in on the neighborhood parade and went trick-or-treating. We had too much fun and Alivia was a die hard "Trick-or-treater".

Alivia also had a Halloween party at her "law school" (aka daycare when I'm at work) this past week where they went trick-or-treating around the YWCA.
(I don't have pictures of that but she had a blast.)

"Little Cheeser"

She wanted so badly to have her Little Mermaid camera in the picture!
Silly girl.

This past week Alivia was also able to go to a "Sesame Street Live" performance with her "law school".

The title was "When Elmo Grows Up."
It makes it a little easier dropping her off when I know that she'll be doing something really fun.
She is also learning a lot and wants to learn to read.
I can't believe she'll be in Kindergarten next fall. Crazy!!!

We're looking forward to Christmas. But who's counting?????

Christmas Countdowns at WiddlyTinks.com

Finally!

So long glasses!!! Brian had surgery last Friday on his eyes. Once his eyes are healed he shouldn't have to wear glasses anymore. The poor guy's glasses were literally falling apart. He's wanted this surgery for so long. Now it will just take time for his eyes to heal.

Brian is such a cute Dad. He took Alivia to the air show in Utah when they were there together. They always have too much fun together. Anyone can tell that Alivia ADORES her Daddy!
We love you Brian. Here she is being silly and hiding from the camera.

This past summer was fast, furious, and a bit hectic at times but we had a lot of fun!! First, Brian spent the summer in Utah working for my dad. Of course he took Alivia with him to Utah to visit grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. (I think if he would have gone without her then he would have been in trouble.) Alivia had a ball spending time in Price/Elmo with the Taylor grandparents and cousins

and in Salt Lake with the Jackson grandparents and cousins. She was there for several weeks while I was back in Kansas working. After Brian and Alivia were there for several weeks they both made the drive back to Kansas and brought Kiersten, Brian's sister, and her four kids with them. We had a ball with them. We took them to the swim beach at Shawnee Lake, they played in Alivia's mini swimming pool on the back patio, we went to World's of Fun,


and just plain had a blast!!
After that fun was over Alivia remained with me and Brian drove back to Utah with Kiersten to continue working. Alivia and I did fun things together. We went on bike rides, went swimming, etc... We then got to hop on an airplane and we flew to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We had an awesome time there with Grandma Jean and Papa Jackson. We loved the scenery and did all kinds of fun activities. Alivia even managed to go on a 4 mile hike up to a waterfall (most of it was flat). She just needed a piggy back the last 1/2 mile or so. What a trooper!!

While we were there we got our family picture taken on a one ton Brahma Bull.
I'm thinking about using it for our Christmas cards this winter. :)
Yes, this IS a real bull. We had to climb a ladder to get on him!!
Of course, Alivia doesn't go anywhere without making a new friend. Meet Ruby. Ruby and Alivia were connected at the hip around the condo. They had fun swimming together, riding bikes, and we ran into her and her family several times while doing different activities away from the condo. They're planning on seeing each other again another year.

One day in the condo we heard Alivia calling for help. We found her stuck in the cooler.

It's official. We've got a fish on our hands!!

Alivia has been so proud that she can "swim in the deep."



She even wanted to wear her goggles at home.


My sister Normandy came out for a few days and we did a lot of fun things when she was here.
We went swimming at the swim beach at Lake Shawnee. We went down the water slides. Alivia was even big enough to go down them!!! We would just catch her at the bottom. What makes the slides even more fun is the slight layer of "slime" you feel on them from the lake water. It's all about adrenaline!! We also went to Six Flags in St. Louis when Normandy was here.
Alivia went on her first BIG, full sized, roller coaster. I was SO proud. During the entire ride she looked like her eyes were going to pop out of her head and she looked like she might cry. However, when the ride was over she immediately said, "Let's ride again!! Which we did!! This roller coaster at one time held a Guinness Book of World Record for being the longest, tallest and fastest coaster of its time. This coaster contains 3,872 feet of track, has drops of 91 feet high and 87 feet high, and reaches a top speed of 62mph. Go Alivia!!!

(WE MISS YOU NORMANDY!!!)

Needless to say, there's never a dull moment when Alivia is around.

She brings us so much happiness and we are so glad that we are her parents. Today at church she gave a talk in Primary about her visiting the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. She was able to share this picture with the other primary children.
At the end of her talk she sang, "I love to see the Temple."

We miss all of our dear friends and family in Utah!! Sorry this is so late coming. We look forward to seeing you over Christmas break.

The post below is a new/old post. I guess I never saved it. So enjoy!

Better Late Than Never!!!

So I realized that I never actually posted this. I had it saved and never finished. (Bless my heart). Here it goes. We had another fun Halloween (yep this was 2008 Halloween) with our cute Alivia. She was Little Orphan Annie once again! She's been having a ball at preschool.
At school they dressed up and had a "parade." Alivia is very social and it was fun to see her interact with all of her friends and teachers.

Annie and Sandy

There are TONS of trees here in Kansas. It makes it very green during the year but as the leaves fall, it provides us with a lot of leaves to rake and to play in. (yes, this was from fall 2008) Alivia loved playing in the leaves.

Alivia made this cute hat at pre-school.
When I picked her up from pre-school she was wearing it.
I asked,"How was school Alivia?" She just said,
GOBBLE GOBBLE!!!

Yep, this was from 2008 too!!! She loved eating her project!

This is probably our favorite video of Alivia. This was taken back in 2007, the summer we moved to Kansas.
We were arriving to World's of Fun... our favorite destination.
Keep in mind, she was not even two yet. Her 2nd birthday was in 9 days from this day.
It amazes me at what a great talker she was.
July 17, 2007

Alivia was begging to play outside in the snow. She had too much fun even though we didn't have snow pants for her yet. We couldn't get her to come back in the house. Silly girl.

Well It's About Time!!

Well, it's about time I updated this thing. Needless to say, it's been pretty crazy around here. Brian is busy with being a "2L" law student. He's doing a fine job in school and is always busy. He is really enjoying his oil and gas class and finds it very interesting. He is currently working on writing a paper that addresses the legal and regulatory issues about coal and how it relates to energy. This has been a great experience for him since he grew up in the coal mining town of Price, Utah. Also, my great grandfather was a coal miner in Spring Canyon, Utah near Price.

I work about 24 hours a week at St. Francis Home Care. I really enjoy the work but they really load it on for the time that I'm there. Many people ask me what I do. I do many things including: IV antibiotics, changing dressings on wounds (including wound vac dressings), teaching about medications, teaching patients how to manage their diabetes (ie: check their blood sugar, draw up insulin, give insulin, etc...), and many other interesting things. I see all kinds of people and the many VARIOUS living arrangements they live in. It really makes me grateful for what I have.

Alivia is growing up SO fast and can do all kinds of "Big Girl" things now.

One of my favorites were these pictures she drew of our family.

Dad Mom Alivia
(I especially love the arms coming out of our heads because
I remember drawing people like that)
She drew these all by herself when I wasn't looking then told me exactly who they were.

Back in May we were able to go to Utah for a very short week. We took off in our car right after Brian was done with his last final. We drove straight through. While we were in Utah we were able to go to Wheeler Farm with our cousins. We miss you guys!!

Alivia, our little "chic"
Cousin Brynlee, Jacy, Aunt Michelle, Alivia, Aunt "Normy", Allyson, Grandma Jean and cousin Kinsley on her lap.

We fed the ducks.

Aunt "Normy" cut Alivia's hair for her.

She loved eating an ice cream cone to keep her occupied.

A few weeks ago Alivia and I had a "Panty Party" while we were putting her clean clothes away.
Brian has the job to wash the laundry and we put it away!

I think we'll include these pictures in her "wedding video" someday!

Awww, the good life!

This is our backyard and we were able to cool off in our sweet pool a little bit this summer.
Alivia and Brian do a lot of fun things together.

My little albino family members!

We had fun with it up until we didn't add any chlorine to the water and then it turned into a swamp!

No worries, we emptied it and cleaned it out, now it's ready for next summer.

Brian surprised Alivia one day with her new Little Mermaid sheets for her "Big Girl" bed. She loves them.

Daddy is a good sport and played dress up as he was trying to read for school.

Isn't he a "Pretty, Pretty Princess?" (Sorry dear, I had to say it)

Our little curler head girl.
She won't let me put these in her hair lately because they are uncomfortable to sleep in.

One day I found Alivia playing with her "friends." She had put bibs on most of her dolls, lined them up on her bed, and then put a baby bib on her. She is very creative.

Silly girl

This past summer Alivia had fun drawing with sidewalk chalk in our backyard.

We would outline her body.

Then she starting outlining her "friend's" bodies.

Then she oulined Mommy's body. It was funny because she just drew a giant circle around me.

There's a lake here that has a fun swim beach. My family came out and visited us in July. Grandma Jean was able to come out a little bit earlier than the rest of "The Gang" and we went to this lake with her. It was a blast. We did all kinds of fun things with her. Brian and Alivia had a blast playing in the sand and Brian helped her make roads to drive the little cars around in the sand.

The rest of "The Gang" arrived a little bit later. My niece, Madison, who is next to Alivia in this picture, came out here to Topeka to play in a fast-pitch softball tournament. My dad seen in this picture is her coach. We had a blast watching the games and just hanging out. It just happened to work out that they were here on Alivia's 3rd birthday. These are pictures from her special day.

Alivia with cousin Sadie and Kinsley

Earlier that day we went to a local pool and went swimming.

It was too much fun. Here is cute Cousin Jett!

Brian Normandy (my sister) Ron (Lindsey's hubby)

We got season passes again to World's of Fun. We weren't able to go quite as much as we did last year but we have still enjoyed going. While "The Gang" was in town we all went!! This year Alivia wasn't scared of the Charlie Brown people. Last year they scared her and she wouldn't go by them.

Alivia showed Jett the ropes about riding the rides.

At the beginning of September Alivia started preschool. She loves being able to go to school like her dad does. She goes for two hours, two days a week. Here she is getting ready to hop out of the car to go into her school.
Alivia coming out of her first day at preschool.
Notice how she's carrying her backpack upside down.
She's waiting to be loaded into the car.

What a cutie! Her shirt says, "My Dad Rocks"

Here she is!! Ready for school! This shirt reads, "What happens at preschool, stays at preschool."

Alivia is a spirited little 3 year old. Her favorite color is pink, her favorite food is macaroni and cheese, she loves to put on lipstick and help mommy put on hers too. She loves playing with other little kids. Alivia is very smart and can now write and type her first name, she recognizes almost every letter of the alphabet, and she can chat your ear off.

This is a little journal entry Brian wrote about Alivia. They crack me up!!

· September 17, 2008:

o Alivia had two moments tonight that were hilarious. The first came when I was changing a light-bulb in the hallway. Once I was done, she exclaimed how proud she was of me for changing the light. She said, "I so proud of you dad. You saved the day!!!"

o The funnier of the two was when Allyson was going to the bathroom. Alivia likes to talk to her when she is in the bathroom. Well, Allyson needed to "take care of something" and needed Alivia to go away. Allyson told me she needed a "little distraction" so Alivia went to find a little distraction and I told her (Alivia) I would help her find something. A minute later, Alivia came back to go see Allyson in the master bathroom. She declared that she had found the "little distractions" which ended up being a box of tampons she took straight to Allyson.

We can't wait to see all of our family in December. We love you so much and are counting down until we get to see all of you again!!