Christmas and Winter Fun

The Zoo too

We are glad to have Grandpa and Grandma up for awhile. It has been nice to be able to spend a couple of hours visiting with them, instead of having to take a couple of hours to get to Ephraim. We are happy to have Grandpa doing as well as he is doing. It was a hard couple of months for everyone, and now it seems to be a little better (for us). I know Mom and Dad are doing alot for them, and spending alot of time and resources... we are grateful they are able to.

Grandpa after a new hair cut. He has grown a new appreciation for buzz cuts.


After we spent some time visiting Grandpa and Grandma, Soupie, tayler and I went to the zoo. Carlee was with her Dad. The weather was perfect, mid 60's and sunny. Soupie wanted me to put the title as The zoo too, because she thought it was funny that she wanted to blog about the zoo, but Mike and Niki beat us to the punch. ut sounds like they had a great time too. We were able to enjoy one of the last days before Winter sets in.

Tayle and I had a staring contest with the little fox. She said it had Dazie's ears. I thought it looked more like ikt had Strong ears.

Tayler, Mom and Dad on the Train. Tayler loved it.

We are happy we were able to spend a little time outside before the weather turned too cold. Right now we have a few inches of snow, and it's cold. We are excited to share the weather with Mike's family when they come up. Hopefully they will return the favor this Spring.

Happy Halloween

Happy Hallooween !!! We had a good time on Hallooween Day. We went and saw grandpa and grandma Strong, both of them, Brandt gave grandpa another hair cut. Grandpa likes his hair short like Brandt and Mike's. Then we went up to see my mom, in Bountiful. In Bountiful you can walk Main street and all the buisiness' give candy out to all the little kids. We thought that was great for Tayler, she could get all her candy that day, then we didn't have to take her out at night for too long when it's was cold. That didn't happen though, she still had to go out with all the kids. She had so much fun. When we got home, we started handing out candy, Tayler had to tell the kids to wait, (she holds her hand up and says "wait, wait". Tayler had to give the candy out by herself. We thought it was cute.


Carlee the Skull Fairy. She had fun that night. One of her friends had her over for dinner, with a couple of other friends. They went around to all the neighborhoods. Carlee had alot of fun.

Tayler was Abbie k Dabbie. Very cute. (She has to make her silly faces).

Every year we go down to the same pumkin patch to take picture of the girls. It's amazing how fast they change in one year. Both are changing so much in personalty and in looks. They are both beautiful in many ways.

Happy girls.

Brandt with the beautiful girls.

We haven't had alot going on, so we haven't blogged for a while. Carlee had a Halloween party Saturday night. I can already tell that late night are going to kill her. She decided to be skull fairy for Halloween. Trying to find a costume for a 12 yre old is too fun (not really). We went to 3 different costume places. The first one, we walk out. Brandt and I were done with Carlees mouth and attuide. We couldn't find a "happy medium" with any of the costumes. Carlee was looking at the womens costumes thinking she wanted to look pretty, but Brandt and I were thinking hochie mama. No luck at the second store either. Finally the third costume place we found our "happy medium". She found the skull fairy in the junior section, actually I found it. I think she knew we weren't going with the womens section anymore. She looked realy good. I just have a hard time spending the money they want for costume that they wear for a couple hours. Oh well, at least mom dad and daughter were finally happy.

Carlee after a late night out.

Happy Birthday Brandt. He turned 35 this year. It sounds so crazy. Iwas thinking when we met we were in our early twenties. Time has gone by so fast. Each seems to go by faster and faster. We ddn't do much, for Brandt's birthday, had dinner at home and had cake. Brandt took all my presents back, that we gave him. I think next year Im going with cash. Happy Birthday we love you so much.

Tayler was helping with the presents. I think she was more excited then dad.

This is the pictures of Mollies leg. Mollie had a tumor on her leg. The morning she went in to get it removed, I thought for sure she would have cancer. I said ok this will be it we will have to put her down. After the surgery the Dr. called and told me that it was a big turmor, she couldn't tell me if it was cancer. Just like Mollie she has to keep us guessing. I know all of you think we are crazy with our dogs, but Mollie, even when hurting, still comes up to you with her tail waging,and her smile, saying to you everyrthing is ok. I know, I think Im the crazy one. The reason why I took this picture is because Mollie had stiches and she ended up ripping those open. She then got staples, and after they took those out, she still has a big hole that we clean out daily. Just to let you know, Mollie doesn't have cancer. I was very happy and relived, they are my babies too.

This was Carlees costume. Sorry I turned the camera thinking it would be ok. She is the skull fairy.

Brandt's B-day cake.

Carlee gladly exepting my help.

Tayler making a scary face. She is growing up to fast. She is finally talking more, so it has been alot better. She started a play group, and she loves going. She says "I shared with all my friends", we are still working on sharing. When the play group comes to our house, she has a really hard time sharing her toys. I can't belive how hard it is to try to entertain 6 two year olds. I am tired after they leave.

Carlee and Tayler giving Brandt his cake.

End of the Summer

The summer is coming to an end, we can tell by the activities we have done the last couple of weeks.

We went out to Antelope Island last weekend for the Ballon Festival. Gayla (Soupie's Mom) has been on the comitee that puts on the festival for the past 3 or 4 years. We have never seen any balloons since we have been going the last couple of years, I don't know why they call it the Balloon Festival. The weather is always too rainy, too windy or both. It is pretty fun though, and the weather is perfect for kite flying.

This is Carlee, Tayler and me at the Baloon Festival. Tayler is flying Carlee's kite.

We counted about 40 kites in the sky at one time. Carlee's kite is the larger kite just to the right of the biggest kite shown. Carlee did a good job navigating her kite in the traffic.

Tayler comforting Carlee as she is getting a temporary tatoo.

Tayler wanted to get a temorary tatoo also. Grandma Gayla helping Tayler get her first ink done.

This is the same picture on the train at the Baloon Festival as we took last year. There is quite a difference in the growth of both Carlee and Tayler since last time.

The girls enjoying a monster snow cone at the Balloon Festival. There were plenty of treats and fun things to eat.

Carlee and Tayler posing in front of award winning sheep. Tayler was afraid to pet the sheep, she did like the goats, and especially liked grabbing onto there tails.

This is Tayler riding a pony. She thought is was pretty cool, and felt big like her sister when she rides horses. She looked cute, she had her hands perfectly placed on the saddles horn.

We have had a good summer. We are happy to have such good memories of the fun things we have done with our family, from fireworks, Bear Lake, camping out in Ephraim, Dad's open house, getting together at the park for Savanah's Birthday, spaghetti dinners, and all the other times we got together.

It really is nice to have a family that is close, and can handle being with each other (even though it may be in small doces at times).

Hopefully we can find some fun things to do this fall and winter to keep the memories coming.

first day of school 2009

I was reading everyones blog and felt really bad that I hadn't blogged about Carlees first day of school until now.

The very first day of school the 7th graders got to start without the eight and ninth graders. I thought that was awsome. We went to school with Carlee a few weeks earlier to find her classes and find her locker. Neither Carlee or I could open her locker. I was worried that she would have trouble when school started, but she is able to do it now. She also did a good job finding her classes and getting to them on time. I hope this year will be good to her.

Carlee giving Tayler a hug. This was the first day of school, seventh graders only.

We had to take this pictures. Everytime Tayler has food the dogs just sit there waiting for her to drop something.

I think this pitcure is so cute. I think it looks like Savannah in the pictures that Nikki blogged with her hair flipped up. I just think she looks like Savvy, she definatley is a Strong. We have noticed on occasion that her left eye looks crossed. We will have to keep an eye on that. She would look cute in glasses if she needs them.

Carlee starting the first day of real school. It was funny, I drove the carpool to school that day. I asked Carlee at home if she was scared, she said "no". But when we were pulling up to the school, she said "maybe I am scared now". She is liking school so far. She says the halls are packed, if she wants to get anywhere she has to put her elbows up and push through, Brandt taught her that at Christmas on Temple Square. I just hope she doesn't run into someone that turns around and hits . Carlee did see her first cat fight. She said the girls were pulling each others hair and slapping each other.

This is another picture of Carlee on the seventh graders first day. I see her more grown up everytime we take a new picture. She is and is going to be beautiful. I hope she stays just as beautiful inside.

Hey guys, we are back. We have had a good summer, we have been going camping . We went to Bear Lake , Ephraim, and Aspen Grove. Here are some pictures of are trips. I know it's not Mexico, but we have had some good times.

This picture is from Aspen Grove (Soldier Creek Resevoir), we got to rent a boat. Tayler and Carlee caught a fish, they are pulling it in, Tayler thinks fish are gross. Brandt wanted her to kiss the fish, she didn't go for that.

Another picture of Aspen Grove. The first night me and Brandt where so cold.Tayler started getting sick. We both just laid ther thinking we are going home tomorrow. We got up had to start a fire. It took us a long time to warm up. That day we kept saying we are going home, but Carlee told us we need to stay, which we did. We are glad we stayed.We had a really good time. I want everyone to know that I didn't shower for 2 days, and I still had a good time.

Aspen Grove. Carlee is fishing, she wanted to catch a fish so bad.

Tayler in Bear Lake, this is her fun thing. She could live in the sand and water forever. She was so good on this trip. We missed Carlee, she went to girls camp, she had to much fun. Carlee seemed like she grew up from this trip. It was weird for me, they wouldn't let the girls take their cell phones, never have I gone without talking to Carlee when she is gone. I missed her.

This was the fish the girls caught.It was so exciting to watch everyone face, when the girls brough the fish in. This memory you will never forget. Kids and parents.

This is us just eating whatever we want on this trip, even Brandt let go on this trip. In our camp site we had chipmunks come up to you for food. We had them everywere it was cool to watch them. I have to tell everyone me and Brandt killed a chipmunk. Brandt had some yougurt in the morning and of course I was cleaning up, I threw the container in the fire pit not even thinking that animals might want to get inside the yougurt container and kill themselfs. We got back from fishing and Brandt saw the yougurt container on the side of the pit said look, there was a chipmunk half inside the bottle dead. Can you belive the animal lover that I am, and I killed it. I just have to think it died doing what it loved, eating. It was Carlees favorite one , it was the biggest one out of all of them.

Aspen Grove on the boat. Tayler loved the water to splash on her. So cute!!!!

Carlee wanting to catch the biggest fish.

The girls .

Carlee at Grandma and Granpa Strong's house. Carlee learned how to drive the four wheelers. Brandt said she did awesome. Even though she hit a sign and Brandt's arm. She said she was sorry.

This is are little sweet child.