valentine shopping

My boyfriend wanted to give me jewelry for valentines
but he wanted to let me pick it out
so...we took the kids with us on our date
to Salt Lake
My favorite jewelry store is at the Gateway
Brighton Jewelry
The kids had a blast dodging the water fountains, but
Tanner got soaked. I guess when it is your last child
you don't worry about the fact that it is only 30 degrees and your
child is playing in the water!

my favorite magazine

I live in the west...
but deep inside...
I am a southern girl

I get most of my favorite recipes from this magazine
(Thanks for the subscription Mom)

valentine bingo

prizes too!

frog

Alexa is taking a sewing class and this is her most recent project.
Tanner found a great use for it!

Super Bowl

This is our version of a super bowl party. We just get together to enjoy each others company and eat lots of good food! There were a few watchers too.
Brad...what happened to your chin?

a PRIZE for READING

Tanner and his dad have been reading
Junie B. Jones
books.
Drew promised Tanner a fish
when they completed their most recent book.
Not that Tanner needs incentive to read with his dad...
that is something he looks forward to every night.

Saturday Morning TV ...

When Drew and I woke up this morning, this is what we found...

Tanner and Addi had made themselves quite comfy

in the kitchen watching TV on the computer.

(Tanner was very proud
of his little spot he created under Addi's bed)

This is a great stage of life when your children are old enough to take care of themselves when they wake up early. I thought this time of life would never come, but it did ~ oh so fast! Sometimes I get a little sad to think my babies aren't babies anymore. But there is JOY in every age.

Student-Led Conferences at ALA

hmmm...not sure what to say about my boy,
other than he keeps us smiling!

Mission Photo

Ethan is working on his mission papers. As parents, there is no greater joy than for your children to choose to serve the Lord

A nap with Grandma Thompson...?

One is faking and one is really exhausted!

I am a happy aunt when my precious Ava wants to snuggle!

Samuel James Fears

My baby brother has had a baby!
I still remember the day Gary was born,
Dad and I dropped my mom off at the hospital,
they called the next morning to tell us she had a baby boy.
Wow...how times have changed for expecting parents.

I used to take Gary on dates with me when he was three years old.
He was a cute little guy...still is...but big!

Gary and Tara are such sweet parents to little Sam. (dob Dec.20, 2009)

We all miss Ethan...even Dusty! It was so nice to have Ethan home during the holidays. He is only 15 minutes away at BYU, but it is hard to pull him away from the social life of college.

The Tie

When Tanner came out of primary he showed me his tie...it was torn into two pieces. I asked him what happened and he said "it got stuck under my knee". We had a great laugh!

Beauty...inside and out

Alexa didn't wear snow boots
so Spencer volunteered to carry her into the church
for our ward Christmas party.

Spencer has NOT embraced the fact that we live in SNOW country.
He wears shorts and short sleeves to school all winter long.
I forced him to wear these jeans, his only pair.

I went on a "vacation" to Kentucky
to spend some time with my mom and dad for a week.
This is what I came home to...a sweet note and
peanut m&m's taped to the door.
Addison and Annabelle, (addi's best friend)

Thanksgiving in Arizona

My mom and I felt a little chilly
at the Mesa Temple Lights

Addison was in heaven all weekend with so many cousins to play with.

We ate Thanksgiving dinner outside

Grandma and Grandpa Fears flew
to Arizona from Kentucky
to be with some of their
children and grandchildren

Aunt Liz made us do it!

Thank you Elizabeth and Todd
for a wonderful Thanksgiving to remember.

crafting ... again

Tanner came home from school telling me
I had to email his teacher to ask her
where she got these crafts he did in class.
I said I would try to google it and find them on the internet.
He then told me "oh Mom, it is a dot com!"