SOUTHERN FRANCE

Here are some pictures of Vienne and Lyon (move your mouse over the pictures to see captions):

P.S. If the pictures are too small you can click on them to see a larger slide show.

NORMANDY

Pictures of Normandy Beaches (move your mouse over the picture to see captions):

PARIS

Here are a few pictures of Paris:

FRANCE!

Bonjour! Some of you have been anxiously awaiting to see pictures and hear about my trip to France. I have TONS of pictures and I haven't gotten to sorting them all out so you'll have to wait for those, but I can still tell you (in a nutshell) about the trip.

PARIS: Aaron and I left on the 9th, leaving all the kids for the first time with Aaron's step-mom (they were in GREAT hands). We left very early in the morning and arrived in the morning on the 10th in Paris. Needless to say we were in desperate need of some sleep, but the adrenalin kicked in and we were off to see the Arch D' Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. The following day we went to visit the Chateau of Versailles. Versailles is a little town just outside of Paris. The chateau was filled with amazing French historic paintings and sculptures, but it was the gardens that I loved most. They went on for miles, perfectly manicured with sculptures and fountains. The place where Marie Antoinette lived was the best part. Any way, while we were in the town of Versailles we saw a huge group of people protesting and the police were all armed up in riot gear. We hung around waiting to see some action, but none came :-) On Saturday we went to the Louvre, the the Museum of Modern Art, and Notre Dame. It was neat to see the art in person that I had studied in college. The night life in Paris was so neat. There were street performers on every corner. Our favorites were some break dancers. On Sunday we attended church. That was a neat experience. They had an English meeting besides the usual French meeting because of all the tourists that came through. The man who greeted us was from BENTON CITY! Small world. Everywhere we went in Paris we took the metro. I ate a lot of crepes! J' adore les crepes!!! The outdoor flee markets were one of the best things in Paris.

NORMANDY: After church we rented a car and drove to Normandy. I'm having a hard time remembering what town we were in on what day, but we visited Bayeau, Beavais, and Ferrieres. Aaron started work so Joyce and I (a co-worker's wife also from UT) drove around little towns, attempted parallel parking, and explored the little towns. Every town has at least one cathedral, sometimes more. They all looked like smaller versions of Notre Dame. I really liked them. In the evenings when our husbands returned we drove out to the D-day beaches. We visited Gold Beach and Utah Beach. It was neat to see tributes to US Soliders and see WWII history in person. Normandy had a different feel than Paris. The small towns were so quaint and peaceful.

LYON & VIENNE: So I've lost track of what day it is :-), but sometime in the middle of the week we drove to Paris...Yikes! NEVER drive IN Paris. It is CRAZY! But we made it in one piece, spent the night, and caught a really cool bullet train to Lyon (southern France). We spent the night in Vienne and again we had a rental car. The boys still had to work so Joyce and I drove around some more and explored. We were able to check into our hotels, carry in the luggage, and get around to where ever we wanted to go...thank goodness for the GPS! We did laundry and the next day explored some Roman Ruins. The Rhone Valley was first inhabited by the Romans so the culture there is really cool. We saw an ancient Roman Theater and temple and went to a museum that had a portion of an ancient town. On Friday we went to Lyon and decided to go to Switzerland for dinner. Unfortunately it was rainy and foggy so we didn't see too much of the Alps as we passed through. Dinner was great, and really expensive. The prices were listed in franks so we had no idea until the check came. On Saturday we saw a medieval celebration and then drove south to a colleagues wedding party. He's from Scotland, but lives in France. The drive was absolutely beautiful. We drove through several small villages that looked frozen in time from centuries ago. We also drove through some thick forest. The party was a lot of fun. They were delighted to see Americans at the party. It was 2-3 hours away from Lyon so we had a long drive to get back to our hotel. The next morning Joyce and I flew out of Lyon to Paris to Cincinnati to SLC. I ended up with a 7 hour lay-over in Cincinnati, but I survived.

I was so excited to get home and see the kids. It was hard to leave them for that long. Aaron is still in Europe. He is in Belgium now and will be getting home on the 30th.

Well, there you go, France in a nutshell. There's a ton of things I've left out, but it was a great trip full of adventure and yummy food! But it's nice to be back with the kiddies. I'll post a few pics soon.

Rylie's New Do!

Rylie got her haircut this morning! It was her first professional cut and she was so cute about it. Her hair grows so fast! Just last September I cut it just above her shoulders. I asked Aaron if he had any suggestions before it was cut and he said a 1/4" off would be just fine. Sadly for Aaron, a little more than that was cut off. I think he'll still like it though. Here are her "Before" & "After" shots:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Sam's Big Day!

On Saturday Sam was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was a very special day for him. We had a lot of family come to the baptism and to our home afterwards for some yummy lunch! It's always so much fun to get cousins, grandparents, and aunts & uncles together! Congratulations Sammy!

Look Who's 7!

Kaeli had a birthday today! WOW, I can't believe she's already 7 years old! Here you can see her sporting a "birthday tiara" and clip-on earrings. She's growing up way too fast! She is very responsible and is the "little mommy" of the house. She mothers and adores her little sisters. Kaeli's best friend of course is Sam...they are inseparable. Kaeli loves to play and laugh and be SUPER SILLY! She also loves to draw and be creative. Kaeli was just the sweetest baby ever, and that still hasn't changed. We love our "Kae-Ky Ray"! Happy Birthday :-)

Happy Easter!

Here are some Easter pictures. The Easter Bunny came sometime Saturday morning and the kids had their candy half eaten before breakfast. Later we went to a park for an Easter Egg Hunt. It started at 10:00 and we arrived at 10:02 and it was OVER! We had missed it! The kids weren't too disappointed since their tummies were still very full from all the candy the Easter Bunny had left :-)

There aren't too many Sundays that the kids all match. But I love it when they do! Here they are in their Easter best:

IT'S A MIRACLE!

Earlier this week I returned home from running a bunch of errands to find the diamond in my wedding ring was missing! I was so upset. Any way, I called IKEA and told them my diamond was missing (as if it would ever be found in such a GIANT store) and I searched the house and van and retraced my steps the best I could. Still no luck! Then this morning (5 days later) Rylie put on her sparkly leotard to get ready for gymnastics. She came to me all sad and told me that one of her sparklies fell off and she handed me what she though was a sequin from her leotard! It was my diamond! I asked to show me where she found it. It was on the rug that lays by the front door! I didn't think I'd ever see that diamond again. And yes all of Rylie's "sparklies" are still on her leotard. Rylie was thrilled by my reaction to her finding my diamond that she keeps reminding us that she found it :-) Yeah!

Disney On Ice - Princess Wishes!

Kaeli, Rylie, & I went to Princess Wishes last night in SLC! We met Dawn, Savannah, & Kendall there! We saw so many princesses; Tinkerbell, Jasmine, Snow White, Ariel, Belle, Mulan, Sleeping Beauty, and of course Cinderella! Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy were there too! We saw each princess' story unfold, and learned how each princess' wish came true. It was a FUN & magical night!Here are two of my princesses :-)

The Grand Finale!

Tinkerbell's magic made the whole evening possible so here she is being raised up in Cinderella's coach as all the princesses and princes danced around her!

All The Princesses Danced!

Here's one of the last dances. All the Princesses came out with their Princes and danced. This was one of my favorites! This video is for Savannah & Kendall since they had to leave early :-(

Dirt Bikin'

Aaron and Sam went out on their dirt bikes on Saturday. Here's a very short video of Sam. Kudos to Aaron for taking this shot while riding his own dirt bike on bumpy ground while peering through a tiny hole...quite amazing!

SARA'S STATS

Sara is 16 months old now and only 20 pounds, which puts her in the 8th percentile! She's in the 37th percentile for her height. Of course I'm not worried that she's so little because she's progressively gaining weight and that's all that really matters. The only thing I don't understand is why she's so little when she has such a TALL mommy???

First Pony Tail!

These aren't great quality pictures, but I had to show off Sara's pony tail. She's had piggy tails before, but this is her first pony! A bit straggly...but it counts! Yeah Sara! What a BIG girl!

Sara has a "well-baby" appointment this afternoon. More shots...so sad :-( Wish us luck.

EIGHT IS GREAT!

LOOK WHO'S 8!

WOW, What a weekend! Sam had a "Transformers" birthday party on Saturday! He had 7 friends come and his sisters...that's quite a WILD bunch! Aaron lead them in a bunch of games having to do with popping balloons, shooting nerf darts, or being blind folded. Sam opened presents, then the kids had cake and ice cream, and we finished off with a pinata!

Below are some pictures of the party decor. It was great having a basement for the party. Have you ever seen an unfinished basement look this festive?

Sam was thrilled to get a few more transformers for his birthday. Of course he hasn't seen the real movie because it's PG13, but he has seen the old cartoons that we grew up with. I loved those cartoons!

Sunday was Sam's actual birthday which he celebrated with his family. And this morning I took cookies to his class at school. His birthday never seems to end! Sam will be baptized on the 29th (yeah!)! We 're so glad we have our Sammy as part of our family. He's a wonderful BIG brother and son! Oh how we love our Sammy!

My Little SCOUT!

Sammy was welcomed into the cub scouts at a "Blue & Gold" banquet last night! Have you ever seen a cuter Scout?Here are some pictures from February. The girls have been in gymnastics for a month or so and love it. Here you can see some of their new tricks:

Kaeli doing a back bend.

Headstand

Rylie in mid-summersalt!

And Sara is just wondering if you can hear her!

SOME BUNNY LOVES YOU!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

BIRTHDAY BOY!

Here are some pictures from Aaron's birthday! Unfortunately, he had to go to work, but I got up at 5 am to make him eggs...yeah that's early. For dinner he had his favorite, Chicken Spaghetti! It sounds weird but it's really yummy. It was a tad too spicy, which is OK by Aaron. But the kids and I drank a bit more water than normal to get it down :-)

Aaron and the kiddies posing for a picture

Opening presents

There's an IPOD secretly hidden in the GIANT box! (we're so tricky)

What a LOT of candles!!!! There was a lot of heat coming from that cake! Yes, that's Mater on his hat! And he had Transformer plates, too! (I think he was a bit spoiled)

Sara really enjoyed the cake...chocolaty delicious!

Snow, snow, and more SNOW!

Here are some pictures from last weekend. We've been getting tons of snow. The kids love to sled, make snowmen, and dig snow caves. We are at finally figuring out why all our neighbors have snowblowers or 4-wheelers as plows. We borrowed a snow blower this last time and it made the job a little easier. I still think we'll stick to shoveling for a few more years.

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Dawn!

Here are the rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves, and at the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, and then leaves a comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog to get the directions.

10 yrs ago:
Ten years ago I was a hyper freshmen at WSU dating a very handsome boy who later became my hubby. Life seemed much more care-free and spontaneous back then. I was studying Graphic Design/Fine Arts and spending a lot of time with Aaron and friends at the LDS Institute.

5 Things on my to do list Today:
1- Take Rylie and Chase (next door neighbor boy) to preschool.
2- Hem my pants (something you taller ladies may never have to worry about :-)
3- Fold laundry.
4- Order doors for our basement at Home Depot.
5- Take Kaeli to gymnastics.

Things I would do if I suddenly was a Billionaire:
I don't think I would change very much about my life style. I would pay off debts, secretly help those in need, and put the majority in savings. And I think I would want to travel a lot more and see the world. I've always wanted to backpack in New Zealand!

3 of my bad habits:
1- I am so ashamed to admit that I still bite my nails.
2- Sudoku! I'm a little OCD about it.
3- Saying, "Oh my heavens!" ...Is that a Utah thing?

Places I have lived:
Vernon, TX
Prosser, WA
Pullman, WA
Mount Rainier, WA
Pullman, WA
Alexandria, VA
Pullman, WA
Culpepper, VA
Albion, WA
Boise, ID
Herriman, UT

Jobs I have had:
Window washer, Plant pathologist's lab technician, "Dishdog" then Cashier for a burger grill on Mt. Rainier, Subway delivery driver, Soil/crop physicist's lab technician, Box Office Manager at the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, graphic artist, and a MOM (the greatest job to have)!

Things most people don't know about me:
I summited Mount Rainier with my dad and brother when I was 18. I love the outdoors and would much rather be outside working then doing dishes. I love my trees and think they have feelings. I love to garden. I love to exercise and feel so much happier when I do. I love the sunshine and am in desperate need for Spring to come!

OK, so now I tag Jana, Kendra, Kiera, Karlyn, & Kristin! It's now your turn to post your responses to these catergories!

JANUARY

I love this picture of Aaron and Sara. Have you ever seen a STUDLIER daddy! This was taken on Sunday. We were actually trying to get a picture of Sara because she looks like a princess in that dress, but she wouldn't pause for a picture by herself so Aaron snatched her up.

I always wish I had more time to paint...and a place to do it! The dining room table gets sacrificed during my creative urges, and then for how ever long my project lasts we have to find a different area to eat dinner. This also happened last week when I brought out my sewing machine to hem pants, patch holes, and fix buttons. That's why I am so excited to get our basement DONE...or at least started! One of the rooms will be my ART STUDIO which I have always dreamt of since I was a kid. Any way, this is what I painted this week while Aaron was out of town on business. It helps to have little projects to do while he is gone, and it felt good to finally sit down and paint.

Kaeli's New Haircut!

This morning Kaeli got her haircut! She's been wanting to get it cut for quite awhile. Of course she had to get permission from daddy because Aaron loves his girls with long hair. Here are her BEFORE & AFTER shots:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

We call Kaeli "Mommy number 2" because she is so loving and nurturing to her little sisters. She is very responsible for her age and it's so cute to watch her interact with Sara. Kaeli is also a whole lot of FUN! She loves to giggle and play! She loves gymnastics and wants to start dance soon. She's very positive and is always looking for the best in people. She is a great friend to everyone! Boy do we love our Kaeli!