Merry Christmas in Utah!

We went to spend Christmas this year with our families in Utah! Boy have I acclimated to the weather here in Vegas. It snowed HARD everyday and I found myself becoming more and more annoyed with the wet, snow and cold! But otherwise we had a very fun filled trip. We spent Christmas Eve with my family. Christmas day we spent time visiting family and eating Chinese for dinner (a new family tradition!). We also had time to visit long lost friends, see old neighbors, go sledding, see the lights at temple square, go on a carriage ride, and catch a movie. We also celebrated Christmas with Keith's family Saturday! We are really sleep deprived and were really cold. But we had tons of fun and are glad to be home!
Here are some random pics from the trip....

Hannah's Christmas Tap Recital

Hannah had her Christmas tap recital Saturday! She did just a fabulous job! What a good little dancer! We are so proud of you Hannah! Way to go!

Here Comes Santa Claus...

There are so many fun things to post at Christmas time! I am a blogging fool!

We took the kids to see Santa at the mall today. We waited in line for 90 minutes but it was worth it! They were so excited to sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. (Hannah anything Barbie and Nick anything Diego!) They also smiled so sweet for the camera! Next year we'll remember to go earlier when it isn't so busy. But these cute smiles were worth the wait! :)
Last night we also went to the Ethel M. Chocolate Factory with our good friends the Beisners. We had some yummy hot chocolate and walked through their lighted Cactus Garden! (only in Vegas baby!) I don't know if the kids had more fun seeing the lights or running around with Luke & Hailey!

It's been a fun and busy Christmas season! We can't wait to do even more!

Vegas Snow!

So 8:00 Tuesday morning it started to snow here. Hannah was so excited but we told her not to get her hopes up...it wouldn't stick! 6 hours later it was still snowing and there was a few inches on the ground! My kids were ecstatic! We played outside for hours, making a snowman, snow angels and eating a ton of the good white stuff! I think I must have dressed & undressed my kids 10 times. We made way to much hot chocolate and had a complete blast! Anyways it wasn't exactly Utah snow but we'll take whatever we can get! We hope it snows again on Wednesday!

Do you like Nick's pink boots? (Hannah's from last year!) Poor boy!

Elf Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Gearing up for Christmas!

So we started counting the weekends left until Christmas and decided we better start packing in some actitvities before the holiday passes us by! This weekend we really turned up the Christmas spirit in our house by decorating and putting up our tree!

We also decorated a gingerbread house and some gingerbread men! Hannah & Nick had a great time getting their fingers sticky with icing and eating every other candy they stuck on!
Finally we made the trek to Boulder City to ride the Santa Train! Nicholas could hardly wait to board the "choo choo" and see the Big Guy!

We had a few hours in kill in Boulder City while we waited to catch our train so we decided to drive up to Hoover Dam and check it out! Keith had a great time and thought it was really neat! It was cool but I think a lot of it was lost on the kids!
It was such a fun & busy weekend! We better get geared up because we still have 2 more before Christmas! I hope they are just as packed with fun holiday activities!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had such a terrific time in Utah over the Thanksgiving weekend! Even though it was super cold and I don't think the sun shone once. We love it there! It was fun to be with our families and catch up. Hannah and Nick had a fabulous time playing with their cousins too! For now we are going to savor the warmer weather in Vegas and gear up to do it all again over Christmas. It'll be great!

Look at all those cousins! 11 plus 4 more on the way! (& yes that is an annoucement...look further down on our blog!)

The Nigbur cousins goofing around at Grandma Dottie's.

Going to lunch with all my sisters and mom to celebrate her 64th birthday!

100 Things

I copied this from my friend Veena's blog! It was fun to see how much I have and haven't done in my life! Do it yourself! Copy and paste the list into your blog and bold or highlight the items you have done. For me, the items I have done are in blue. Here we go....

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

I've done 48! How about you?

Happy Halloween!

We had such a great Halloween! Hannah said she wants it to be Halloween everyday! Can you imagine? Hannah dressed up as a High School Musical cheerleader for her party in preschool and decided to be Snow White Halloween day. We even sprayed her hair black! (What a mess!) Nick was a studly cowboy! We had a great time trick or treating with the Howells. Thanks! We are all sugared out and glad it's over!

Our Week with cousin Emma!

We had such a great time last week when cousin Emma and aunt Emily came to visit! We went to a pumpkin patch, the Springs Preserve, the park, and lots of other fun activities! We love and miss you and can't wait for you to come back again!
5 cute cousins! Hannah, Nick, Liza, Luke & Emma!
The ladies taking a ride in the Jeep!

Riding the ponies at the pumpking patch!

Smile! What a cheeseball!

Cruising along!

Please tell me this has happened to you!

Okay so I feel like the worlds worst mother! The other night we were out riding scooters after dinner when I noticed something wet on Nick's shorts! Ummm.....it was pee! I changed his diaper that morning when he woke up at 7:00 am and noticed the leaking pee at about 7:00 pm! 12 hours in the same diaper! I guess he didn't poop that day! (Because I know I would have remembered to change a poopy!) The diaper was almost falling off his body because it was so full! Please tell me this has happened to other moms out there! I feel like such a loser!

Made in the Shade!

I swear I didn't have it this good when I was little! (no offense mom) But when my kids want to watch a movie why is simply inserting the movie into the DVD player not good enough? They need popcorn, koolaid, blankets & pillows! They are lucky (& spoiled) kids. I love em!

Time Out!

This past weekend I had a chance to the attend the Time Out for Women seminar in Logan Utah! I flew to Salt Lake City alone (that was too fun!) and then drove up to Logan with my Mom and sisters Georgia & Emily! We had a wonderful time! We ate out, stayed up way to late, heard some wonderful & inspirational speakers & beautiful music! It was just what I needed to recharge my batteries and come back to the reality of mommyhood! Keith was wonderful and took the kids for the weekend and even taught Primary by himself! What a stud!

I also got to attend the bi-weekly dinner at my parents house Sunday night and visit with all my siblings, nieces & nephews! I wish I had some pictures to post but none of us thought to bring our cameras!

We had a great time and can't wait to do it again! I think the seminar is going to be held in Vegas in a couple of weeks! If you have opportunity I would highly recommend going! It was great!

Totally 80's!

Ok, so I cleaned out our garage last week and this is what I found!
My old drill team uniforms! Hilarious! (Yes those are sequined leg warmers!) I used to march through the streets of Salt Lake City dancing to the Bangles & doning these beautiful outfits! Hannah loves them! (Sadly, so does Nick!) They ask to dress up in them almost every afternoon! Go Junior Jazz! (the name of my old team)

1st Day of Preschool!

Hannah had her 1st day of preschool today!(sort of) She is starting her second year at Mirabelli! She absolutely loves it! She was so brave today she didn't even want me to walk her in!

Nick had to get in on the picture action this morning! He is going to be lost without her! He cried when he didn't get to go into the classroom too!

Hannah's new teachers! Miss Leslie & Miss Pam! Very cute & very nice!

Hannah's little friend Megan! They were in the same preschool class together last year! What good buds!

Last Days of Summer!

Sooo...I know most of you lucky people already have your kids in school and are enjoying some peace and quiet ALONE! But Hannah doesn't start preschool for another week so we've been taking advantage of our free time! (okay so we have a lot of free time on our hands!) My kids had a great time playing in our tiny backyard jumping into their froggy pool! I have to admit I did it a time or two as well but didn't videotape it! We will be excited when we have a little more purpose to our days but in the meantime we are going to savor the last days of summer!

Sisters Weekend!

This weekend my mom and 3 of my sisters (Georgia, Melanie & Emily) went to St. George for a girls weekend away! We had such a great time catching up and hanging out! We saw 2 plays at Tuacahn, The Sound of Music & Les Miserables. We also ate out, played cards, hung out by the pool, read, shopped, stayed up late, slept in late and laughed (a lot)! We can't wait to do it all again next year! Thanks ladies it was super fun!

Happy Birthday Keith!

Keith turned 33 on Wednesday! (Not bad looking for an old man eh?) We celebrated with the kids Monday night by decorating the house, yelling out surprise when he got home from work and having cake! Wednesday night we were supposed to go out for a nice romantic dinner but the kids got sick. Instead we stayed home, ordered take out for dinner, played Guitar Hero (thanks Keri!) and watched a movie! Sorry sweetie! I promise to take you out next week to celebrate when everyone is healthy!

We love and appreciate all you do for our family! You are a wonderful daddy, husband and best friend! I can't wait to spend your next 33 years together! (and maybe more!) Happy Birthday!

Family Cabin Time!

This past weekend we headed up near Oakley, Utah to visit our family's cabin! We had a wonderful time! We ate a lot, played tons of games (Keith and I are badmitten champions!), caught up with the fam, and relaxed! My whole family was there! My parents, all 5 sisters, 1 brother, their spouses and children! (28 all together!) The weather was cool and the scenery was gorgeous!
We played in the beautiful (& COLD) Weber river!
Hannah had a blast with her cousins!
All 11 of them! (plus 1 brother) (Oh! & congrats Mel, 1 more on the way!)
Jumping on the tramp! Crack the Nick (I mean egg)!
Having a dutch oven cookout down at the firepit! Thanks Papa! It was delicious!

Happy Birthday to Nick!

Nicholas celebrated his 2nd birthday this weekend! His official birthday is July 5th but it seemed the party lasted all week! Friday we celebrated with Keith's family by having a BBQ and watching the fireworks & Saturday we celebrated with Allie's family up at the cabin! He received some awesome gifts and had a great time! Happy Birthday Nick! We love you!


BLOW! It took 3 tries to blow out his candles! Way to go!
2 candles in dutch oven peach cobbler! YUM!

Tagged....4 Things....

4 Random Things I Like About My Husband....
-He is the best "kitchen dancer" while doing the dishes every night.
-My kids think he is the "scariest monster ever"!
-He works really hard to provide for his family.
-He rubs my feet whenever I ask him!

4 Jobs I've Had....
-Millies Hamburger Stand
-Operator at Answering Service
-Kindergarten Teacher
-Mom

4 Movies I've Watched More Than Once....
-Enchanted
-My Fair Lady
-Every Animated Disney Movie
-Goonies

4 Places I've Lived....
-Sugarhouse (SLC, UT)
-East Millcreek (SLC,UT)
-Saratoga Springs, UT
-Las Vegas, NV

4 T.V. Shows I Watch....
-Hannah Montana
-What Not To Wear
-Oprah
-Spongebob Square Pants

4 Places I've Been....
-Maui & Oahu, Hawaii
-West Palm Beach, Florida
-St. Marteen
-Barbados

4 People Who Email Me Regularly....
-Mom
-Dottie
-Pottery Barn Kids
-The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene

4 Favorite Foods....
-Steak & Shrimp
-Anything Chinese
-Hot Dog on a Stick
-Diet Coke w/ Lemon

4 Places I'd Like to Visit....
-Mexico
-Kauai, Hawaii
-A Disney Cruise with my kids
-Any other cruise without my kids

4 Things I Am Looking Forward to This Coming Year....
-Nicholas Turning 2
-Going to Utah for Christmas
-Cooler Weather in Las Vegas
-Sisters Weekend in St. George

4 People I Tag....
-Keith
-Annie
-Cat
-Keri

My mom.......by Hannah

Hannah was tagged by her friend Hadley about moms.

1.What is something mom always says to you? I love you!

2.What makes mom happy? When I do nice stuff for her!

3.What makes mom sad? When I don't listen.

4.How does mom make you laugh. Tells funny jokes.

5.What was mom like as a child? Gimme a clue.

6.How old is mom? Teny? (I think she meant 20)

7.How tall is mom? Let me count you....(counts up my body)....20!

8.What is moms favorite thing to do? Play with me.

9.What does mom do when you're not around? Sit and watch TV! (Not true!)

10.If mom becomes famous, what will it be for? I don't know....this is boring!

11. What is mom really good at? Playing games.

12.What is mom not very good at? Pass the Pigs. (True!)

13.What is mom's job? To watch the kids.

14.What is mom's favorite food? Rice....do you like rice?

15.What makes you proud of mom? She takes good care of me.

16.If mom were a cartoon character who would she be? Hannah Montana

17.What do you and mom do together? Do stuff together, play together.

18.How are you and mom the same? Our eyes are kinda the same color.

19.How are you and mom different? I am fast and you are slow.

20.How do you know mom loves you? You do nice stuff for me.

Silly girl!

Hannah wants to tag Annika, Avery, Sara, Luke & Noah.

Hannah's Ballet Recital!

Hannah has been taking tap & ballet from Kids in Motion dance studio since January! She loves going every Tuesday with her friend Annika! This Saturday she had her first recital. She looked beautiful and did a wonderful job. We are so proud of our little ballerina!
Hannah, Annika & Miss Patricia.
We always stop at Dairy Queen after for some ice cream! Yum!
The big day!
Aunt Keri came for the weekend and got to come see Hannah's big performance!

Great job Hannah! We love you!