Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving this year was a bit interesting for us. Cameron was let go at his job with Morris Murdock the day before Thanksgiving. It wasn't the news I was expecting to hear that day. It came as a quite a shock, but we decided not to worry about it until after Thanksgiving weekend.

We had dinner with my family this year and the food was wonderful. It was nice to be with family, especially with our current news. We weren't going to tell anybody we were jobless, but everyone kept trying to get a gameplan with me on shopping for the next day so I finally told them I wouldn't be doing any shopping and why.

I'm grateful to our families for all their prayers and support on our behalf.

We had a great day hanging out and just being together as a family. I love days like this, I wish there were more of them in the year.

Austin, Cam and Kevin playing some Thanksgiving Day football.

Shannon, mom and all the grandkids drawing pictures for Uncle Ryan's Christmas package to Peru. He only has 3 months left!

Tessa and Melinda

Matthew and Shane

The cutest baby ever.

Proud grandparents with our Livvy Lou and the newest addition for Matthew and Melinda Madison Mae.

Christmas in November

Cameron really wanted to put up our Christmas decorations 2 weeks before Thanksgiving so we compromised and put them up a week early. The kids were very excited. Olivia loved playing with all the lights. We can't wait for Christmas!

New Moon Experience

So my friend Janet who I didn't even get a picture of is a BIG Twilight fan and I decided to help her work the New Moon Experience at the South Towne Expo this year. Because I worked it I was able to get a free t-shirt, gift bag, into the event for free and see the movie for free. It was actually a lot of fun. Lots of my friends from my ward helped too. And my favorite cousin Lyndsey.

The movie was great and I had a lot of fun just getting out of the house and hanging out with my friends.

Here Edward is playing Olivia a lullaby.

Holly, Becki, Kelly, April and Angela in front of Bella's truck.

Me crossing the line to be next to Alice's car. Lyndsey was freaking out at my rule breaking.

Me and Lynds.

Shooting Expedition

Austin was so excited that we let him get a BB gun for his birthday. When Cameron came to me with the idea I said NO WAY! But Cam kept talking about it and getting Austin pumped up about it so I caved.

After his baptism Cameron and Austin went out to the desert to shoot his new gun. Austin had a blast and wants to go all the time now.

These pumpkins never had a chance.

Austin's Baptism

Our Austin is 8 and is now baptized. We have been having FHE lessons for about 2 months now on baptism and what it means. Austin was ready and anxious for his big day.

I got to do a spotlight on Austin and I shared some of the funny things he's said and done throughout his life. I told the story of when Austin as 2 and he picked up two rocks and walked up to his dad and said, "you want a rock?" Dad said, "yes," and then tried to take one from Austin and Austin said "no dad you get your own rock."

Another time right before he turned 3 Austin was telling his dad and I how much he loved us. I then said to him, "well what about baby Greta, do you love her too?" Austin said after much contemplation, "Hmmmm.....I'm not sure yet."

He also loved to yell "COCONUTS!" We asked you how to say please in spanish and he yelled "COCONUTS."

When he was 5 he got sick and had to go and see the doctor. His tummy hurt really bad and he as worried they were going to have to take out your tummy. The doctor said it was strep and that you would have to take medicine for it. You looked up at me and said "I have to take more medicine....I'm doomed!"

And then I told the story of driving to see Grandma and Grandpa for Sunday dinner. You were being really quiet and asked you if you were okay. You were silent so I siad, "Well I'll take that as a yes." And you said right back to me, "You can take that as a no."

Cameron gave Austin a beautiful blessing for his Confirmation.

It was a great day. Austin had his friends Braden, Sean and Carter and their families come to support him. And Lyndee played the piano for me and Shelley gave a prayer. My parents and my brother Matthew and his family came and Mike Spencer also made the trip and he brought Crystal with him.

Afterwards we went to our home for a lunch and once everybody was gone Cameron took Austin out to shoot his new BB gun.

Halloween 2009

Halloween was great! We had such a fun eventful week with Halloween parties at the school and carving pumpkins. Greta came home from school on Friday after her school Halloween party and said, "this is the best day of my life."

Saturday we enjoyed spending time together as a family while anticipating Trick or Treating that night.

The kids got a ton of candy and had fun going door to door with their friends. After we finished our neighborhood we went to a haunted house created by April Hintze's brother in another neighborhood in Eagle Mountain. There was a cemetery outside that we had to walk through to get to the entrance to the haunted house. Once inside we heard spooky sounds and saw haunted mirrors, cadavers, and jars full of who knows what. The butcher knife wielding skeleton that jumped at us got a scream from Holly and was the final straw for Greta, who immediately said, "How do we get out of here?" It was such a maze that she wasn't sure we knew how to get out. We finally made it and were rewarded with candy bars from a guy in a coffin. On the way out Alina was worried about the people coming behind us and said "I hope they make it out alive."