GIVE THANKS!!

December 1st. Wow!! We have officially lived in Syracuse for 6 months. It feels like it has went so fast. I hope this is how the next 3 years feels. This has probably been the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. We are surving though! I would be ungrateful if I didn't say how thankful I am for the many things we have been blessed with. Thanksgiving is a great time to stop and think about how blessed we really are. Kevin has a great job, we live in a nice neighborhood where we feel safe, and I have two beautiful girls. I also have a great family who has been so good to us and so supportive. Thanks to all of you who have helped us along the way!!

This year for Thanksgiving, we went to grandma Della's house. She has been very sick for quite some time now but the last few months she has sort of found her second wind. Growing up, we always knew we would be at grandma Dellas house for the holidays. The last four years she hasn't felt good enough. I'm sure all of us shared that same enjoyment by being there like the good ol' days. Grandma Della has played such an important part in my life and I'm so happy my children have been able to have her in theirs.

After dinner the shoppers headed out. We now have connections in the big city so we came to stay at my house. We were headed out by 3:45am to hit the big sales. We had a great time. I look so forward to this day all year round. Everybody stayed until Saturday night. I have to tell you, we were had!! The sad part is that I still have more shopping to do.

POTATO FRENZY!!

Saturday the Owen girls decided we would try and be a little domestic. Emily had bought some potatoes from Grace, ID so we thought we would try and can them. How hard could it be right? We started bright and early!

First, Lucy and I had to run to the pan sale at the school. They have really fabulous knifes.

Since Lucy stole my potato peeler, (she lies and says she didn't)

we both got a really nice, new potato peeler. They had a lot of cool things but we needed to get back.

At home we were trying to figure out what would be the best way to cut up the potatoes.

Well they had these fabulous apple slicers at the pan sale, so back in the car we go!

Finally we started. It took us all day. Peeling, cutting, cooking, and then the pressure cooking.

Just when we thought we were finished, the propane ran out.

It was a long day but I love hanging out with the Owen girls.

I learned so much. It was a lot of work but I love the way all those bottles look in our pantry. In the end we had 150 bottles. That is awesome.

(P.S. Kevin bought a really cool cake decorating kit at the pan sale. I know kind of funny but he does such a good job, so let us know if you need him to show off his skills.)

WE LOVE EDWARD!!

Wow! Its been a long time since I have posted anything. Would you believe that I have been busy? Ha Ha, I didn't think so! Anyway, so much has been going on. I have a job!! YEAH. Now I'm starting to wonder what I was thinking! I haven't worked yet but the anticipation is killing me. We use to always joke about being a "Fake Nurse" but now I'm starting to worry if I will do ok. I will let you know.
Anyway...What a fabulous weekend. We have been waiting for so long for the Twilight movie to come out. We ordered our tickets forever ago. We had so much fun. When the movie started I was thinking there is no way I can love this Edward. He was really creeping me out. But by the end of the movie, my love for Edward was back. What can I say, I love vampires.

PHOTO FUN!

So I really love taking pictures in the fall. The leaves are changing and everything is so pretty. My neighbor Darci and I decided we would take the kids and give it a try. We had heard that the Farmington Cemetary had a ton of leaves. Well ... not so much!! But Darci knew of this cute park in Layton so we headed back. Talk about picture perfect. Leaves and trees, a stream and ducks everywhere. The kids were running all over the place. They didn't want to stop and pose for pictures but I think they turned out pretty cute! Thanks Darci!!

PUMPKIN CARVING!!!

Monday Brian invited us over to carve pumpkins. It was so nice of him to take one for the team and put up with the mess at his house. We had pizza, then went to carving. Kevin had to be the official carver because I was just a little to scary with the knife. Not as scary as Brian though, I thought we were definitly going to have an incident. But luckily we all survived. The kids loved digging out the insides, then Kevin carved what they wanted. Brooky chose hearts and stars, and Madison chose a vampire. I have to say they were pretty cute. We do love living closer to Brian, Melissa and the kids. We had a great time.

HALLOWEEN FUN!!

This has been a big weekend with many fun things going on. Maddy gets out of school early every Friday, so Brooky and I had the dough all ready to go when she got home. Sugar cookies are so much work but they have been asking for some time now. They had fun rolling out the dough and playing in the flour then about half-way through they were done. So I spent the afternoon rolling out cookies. The worst part is, just when you think your done, you have to frost them. They turned out pretty good though! Check that off my list!! Friday night the Owen clan was coming down. We had pizza and then headed over to the Pumpkin Walk here in Syracuse. Over 2000 carved pumpkins. We had to wait in line a long time but the kids were good and it was fun to see all the different ideas. Afterwards we headed back for hot chocolate and donuts! Nana and Sarah spent the night. The girls love that. Saturday was a morning with TROY BOLTON! We had tickets to HSM, I have to admit, it was quite good. Nothing like starting your day with a big bag of buttery popcorn. Saturday night my dad and Shane and Colleen and her kids met us and we went to the South Towne Expo Center. The kids dressed up in their costumes and made a haul on candy and enjoyed the games and crafts. "We're just making memories, right dad?" It was a lot of fun. Today the girls had their Primary program. Maddy did really great on her talk and we are just happy to say Brooklyn sat with her class. Lots of things going on this time of year. Lots of fun! I love spending time with our family, Thanks everybody for coming to visit. We love you!!

SNOW!!!

Yuck!! Have I ever mentioned that I really hate winter time. Well this Sunday we got a small glimpse of whats ahead of us. They kept saying it was coming, but I think I was in denial. The girls were so excited. They were outside all day. They would play for awhile then want to come in for hot chocolate. I would just get all the wet clothes put away and cleaned up, and they were ready again. They had a great time. Lucky for me, it is mostly melted now. The best part is when it had all melted on our driveway, there was these mysterious brown balls all over the driveway. We have had a problem with loose billy goats in the neighborhood. Crazy huh!! Well I guess they stopped by this weekend and left a surprise. Yuck!!

BLACK ISLAND FARMS!!!

Before I had kids, I always looked at those moms who would make a stink over every little thing, like they were crazy. As time goes by, I have come to realize that I am one of those moms. So I went to volunteer at Brooklyns pre-school and left with the biggest belly ache. I hated it!! I was so sick but a girl from my ward has a sister who has a pre-school. Well we went barrelling into her driveway and lucky for us, there was one opening. Butterflies and Bullfrogs Preschool. We transfered over and I must say.....we love it!!! Today we went on a field trip to Black Island Farms. It was so fun. We all loaded up and went for a hay ride through the crops. The kids all got to jump out and pick their own pumpkin. Brooky thought this was the best. After, they have a cute little play area. We watched a pig race, went on train ride, and got to see many animals. Thank you Ms. Hanah!!

GOOD TIMES!!!

I have been so busy lately that I haven't had a chance to get on the computer. I know, hard to believe, Amy and busy in the same sentence. We are finally settling into a routine. The last couple of weeks we have had a lot of fun, including pink eye. Good times!!! A couple of weekends ago, Kevin was working and so we went and stayed at my moms. I'm sure they love us invading their home but they are always so good to us. Shane was hunting so Toni came and stayed. It was a slumber party. We really just hung out, but sometimes that is the best times. We ate and ate, the kids played, we combed hair, and ate some more. I love my family so much. They have been so supportive this summer. I miss them but they are always just a phone call away. Maddy is having tons of fun with her new friend Sydney. They are together everyday. They had their first sleepover. Laughing and giggling to the wee hours of the morning. This last weekend, Kari and Shawn came to visit with their family. We went to the zoo and to the Hill Air Force Base Museum. We had a lot of fun. Kevin was in seventh heaven, it was like he just walked into the learning channel. This week Luke and Judd stayed with us while Toni went to school with Shane. I now have a better appreciation for Toni, she definetly has her hands full. We do love the boys though and our house is very quiet. Oh yeah especially our nights. Love you Juddy!

WATCH OUT!!!

I just can't keep up with Brooklyn. She is getting so big, so fast. Every day there is something new. Our latest accomplishment is NO TRAINING WHEELS! Now if you know Brooky, you can image how this makes me feel. The girl can barely walk. She is so determined to keep up with

Maddy, she jumped on that bike, and away she went. My stomach turns every time she takes a corner, but she is so proud of herself and that makes me very happy.

LIL' FLIPPERS!!

Ever since my girls were just babies, they have loved being tossed around. Kevin had them doing so many tricks by the time they could even walk. Now they both love gymnastics. When we moved to Syracuse we started looking around and found a place called Lil' Flippers. It is fabulous. They are so kid oriented and the staff is really fun. Madison catches on so fast, they moved her to the intermediate class. She loves the bar and the balance beam. Those are things she hasn't had a lot of experience on but she jumps right up there. Believe it or not, Brooklyn is pretty good herself. I know the girl can barely walk but she flips with the best of them.

BROOKY'S FIRST DAY PRESCHOOL!!

Yesterday was a very big day at our house. Brooklyn started pre-school. Yikes. I was so nervous. The day before I went to meet her teacher, she stayed with our neighbor Darcie. I was sick, I kept thinking what have I signed my baby up for. I have kind of planned on going back to pre-school myself because I knew she wouldn't go. Well yesterday we show up and she was so excited. She ran right into her class. I couldn't even get her to tell me goodbye. I held back the tears until I got back to the car. I am so happy for her. She is so cute and so big. I do love her teacher. This morning she did tell me, "I think I'll just stay home with you" At least she still loves her mom. So many big changes going on in our lives right now. The girls have adjusted so well. I love them so much and it makes me very happy to see them happy.

OWEN FAMILY CAMP OUT!!

I have so many things I want to post. It seems like there is nothing, then all at once, there is a ton. This has really been a fun thing for me. One of my goals with staying home was to become computer savy. Believe me, I'm still learning and I do cuss but I'm trying. This last weekend was Labor Day and Papa Ron's b-day party. Every year we get together for the Owen Camp Fest. It is always filled with adventure and fun. One year it was killing squirrel with sling shots, this year was mud, rain, and 4-wheeling. Kevin had to work so we were late getting up to Cottonwood. I have to admit, I was dragging my feet. The first night we had just enough time to eat dinner and go to bed. The next day we went for a 4-wheeler ride. We had a great time. We also found a spring and did a little hiking.(One hill, but it counts). When we got back the weather took a turn for the worse. The rain started to fall. We all packed into Papa and Nana's trailer to stay dry. Munchies and Boondoggling filled our afternoon. The rain just wouldn't let up so we decided to break camp. Everyone was soaked to the bone, tearing down tents and cleaning up.
We all met back and Papa and Nana's for a sleep over in the warm, dry house. We had a great time. Thanks so much Papa and Nana for all your planning.

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Happy B-day Brooky!!

Today my baby girl had a birthday. Sad thing is, she is no longer my baby. She turned the big 4 today. Of course she slept until 10:00am, then she just couldn't wait to open her presents so I let her have at them. Later we met Grandma Janet and Toni in logan for lunch and a day of fun. We went and played at Ryan's Place and went out for ice cream. She is getting so big. We are having her B-day party on Saturday but we had a good time today. Her and Maddy think they are Rock Stars. Brooky starts Pre-school in two weeks. I'm not quite sure what I think about that. She is getting so big. Happy B-day Brooky!!

TOOTH FAIRY!!

Yeah!! All summer long Maddy's two front teeth have been sort of loose. All of her friends keep losing teeth but hers were going nowhere. I tried to tell her to leave them alone because if they fall out, everyone will wonder if she has lost her top four. Ha Ha! Well she kept working on them all summer long and last night her hand slipped and that tooth was just hanging on by a thread. I tried to get in there but she wouldn't let me touch it. Finally Kevin comes home and I'm thinking, this thing is coming out. He pulls out a string, ties it around and yanks!! Holy Cow! She screamed and screamed and still that tooth hung on. We finally gave up told her to keep wiggling it. At 11:45, her and I were up talking and she was so worried she would swallow it during the night. We pulled out the orajel and before long she had it. She is so excited to start 2nd grade with a missing tooth. The tooth fairy brought her $5.oo for being so brave. Go Maddy!!

JOB WELL DONE!!

Well summer is over! It seems like it went by so fast. We have been very busy, but our biggest challenge is finally complete. This last weekend we finished the final step to our yard, We have GRASS!! You don't know how happy this makes me. We have worked so hard, Kevin digging in the dirt, and me trying to be patient, and now it looks fantastic. Kevin did a great job!! I wasn't sure I was going to recover. Saturday night I thought Kevin would have to run and buy a wheelchair. My thighs were so stiff, I couldn't move at all. That next morning, even my fingers were stiff. You can tell what I've been doing all summer long....Nothing. Briggs is in doggie heaven, and I must admit, so am I. He goes outside and comes in so clean. Syracuse is starting to feel more like home every day.

Happy B-day to me!

Legs? Who needs them!

Kari and Shawn

Aaarrg! Pirate Brooky

Bring it on! Happy B-day to me!

Love you Dad!

The last couple of years, I have had some really great birthday parties. I have a ton of great friends. This year, I am so over being in my 30's. We went to Bear Lake for the day which was actually a blast. The kids played and we hung out with the Greaves clan. This last Sunday, my family got together for dinner at the olive garden. It was good food but I just wanted to share some photos of a great couple days, with some great people. Thanks guys!

TWINS?????

Let's get to the bottom of this! Do Toni and I look alike? I mean enough to be twins. Everywhere we go, people are stopping me to talk and I don't even know who they are. The same happens to her. Our deal is, we smile, we're nice, and go along with it. So if you are reading this, we would really like to know what you think. P.S Please pay no attention to the extra chin on my face. I think it was bad lighting.

COWGIRL UP!!

YEE HAW!! This weekend was that Famous Preston Night Rodeo. And if you know Maddy, you know we go where the horses go. It was actually really fun. The girls got all dressed up and the only thing they were missing was the horse. First we headed to the parade, then over for one of those ever so famous, Lions burgers. Don't worry I ate mine, a corndog, then I had to finsh Brooklyn's. I couldn't let it go to waste, it only comes but once a year. Anyway, the Rodeo was really fun. We sat on the first row, so we kept getting dirt flung in our faces as the horses would run by. Maddy loved the barrel racing and all the kids want to ride the sheep next year. Brooklyn doesn't think the bulls are too cool. We saw lots of friends and family. It was good to see everyone.

Summer in the Big City!!

I keep thinking I need to get busy on this blog, but you know me and computers. Emily keeps pressuring me thought so here I go! We are finally settled in the "big"city. It has been somewhat of a challenge but is getting better all the time. The girls and I have kept busy. With many trips to Idaho, Lagoon (or according to Brooky, Magoon), and Bear Lake , we haven't had much spare time. The girls have adjusted well. They both have found friends in the neighborhood. They are both getting so big. I have missed working but I have enjoyed the time we have had together. Kevin is a worker!! He has spent most of the summer partying with Rocky Mtn. Power, and when he is home, there is a yard that needs to be done. It is coming along. This last weekend we got the sprinklers in. Now all we need is some grass. Briggs is still hanging out. I was hoping he would get lost in the big city but no luck so far. He is too busy digging in the dirt, then sprawling on my couch. Everyone has been really great to help us out this summer. Thank you everyone for your love and support. We love you!!

DISNEYLAND VACATION

Our first family vacation, it's about time. We took the girls to Disneyland. What a great week. They loved every minute of it. Hightlights from our vacation was first, we landed in Las Vegas for a lay over and Brooklyn puked on the landing. Luckily we had the bag handy. Next, we got off the plane and walked out into the sunshine and no snow. Fabulous. The girls were so excited to get there. When we walked in Madison said, "It's Beautiful". We spent most of the first day waiting in line to see the princesses. Our lives haven't been the same since, thats all Brooklyn wants to do is watch Princess movies. Another highlight (for Brooklyn anyway), was the popcorn. We spent a fortune on popcorn, everytime we passed a vendor, she just had to have it. Probably our best day was Sea World. The girls were in love. Now they both want to train whales and dolphins. They could not believe people got in the water with them. We fed the dolphins, and yes I even touched the fish. But don't think I didn't do a deep clean after that. They also loved the star fish and played in the water for an hour. It was great to be together as a family for a whole week. We will always remember our first family vacation.

WHAT THE HECK

Ok, I am going to scream. I would really like to be computer savy but this is killing me. Darcie is trying to bring me into the modern world but I don't think I can handle it. This is just a sample to see if this works, please be patient.