So, You Think You Can Dance?

This is the first season I have watched the show and I love it. I'm blown away by the talent of these people - the things their bodies can do is incredible - and the fact that they can learn such complicated choreography and have it perfected in a week! So fun to watch.

Well, I know that I can NOT dance. As any good mother of a young girl, my mother tried. I think she just wanted to put me in a tutu. (And by the way, why am I the only one in a tutu?)How's my form? If you could see my face, there is a look of concentration mixed with confusion.


I think my mom wanted this....
...but once I discovered this....
....there was no more tutu wearing for me.

Sadly, I had a relapse in my preteen years. I spent a few painful months in a jazz dance class

Could this picture be any more awkward?

Then, in high school - I got into swing dancing. I actually really liked swing dancing.

I took social dance in college - doesn't everybody?

Dancing confessions:
My sister and I are seriously trying to learn the HoeDown Throwdown dance from the Hannah Montana movie. I'll let you know when we've got it and we can teach you :)

I want Chad and I to take a ballroom dance class sometime. Chad is a good dancer. He can waltz and I think it's romantic.

Consistency

I read Elder Bednar's Conference talk again today and I love what he says about consistency. It is something I struggle with personally and also on the family level. I seem to have a series of days or sometimes weeks where I'm really good and consistent with my spiritual goals and then I let laziness, or worldly pursuits get in the way. Elder Bednar's talk is motivating. He relates to the fact that it is hard, especially with young children to hold meaningful Family Home Evening, scripture study and prayer. Despite the challenges, he says there is value in not giving up:

He says, "In my office is a beautiful painting of a wheat field. The painting is a vast collection of individual brushstrokes—none of which in isolation is very interesting or impressive. In fact, if you stand close to the canvas, all you can see is a mass of seemingly unrelated and unattractive streaks of yellow and gold and brown paint. However, as you gradually move away from the canvas, all of the individual brushstrokes combine together and produce a magnificent landscape of a wheat field. Many ordinary, individual brushstrokes work together to create a captivating and beautiful painting."

I love this analogy. I know that the results won't be immediate but it is important to instill habits in our children, and for ourselves.

He goes on to say, "Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (D&C 64:33). Consistency is a key principle as we lay the foundation of a great work in our individual lives and as we become more diligent and concerned in our own homes."

I know there is strength in consistency, now I just need the strength to be consistent.


And just for fun....

Isn't he getting big? He's almost TWO!! Baby Bennett isn't a baby any more

Boardwalk Ice Cream Co - GRAND OPENING!

Chad's new business is delicious - I will let these pictures explain:

Reasons why they are so yummy (if you still aren't convinced):

1. We use Blue Bell ice cream which is a premium ice cream that is the #1 selling Vanilla in the country.(You can only get it in 12 states) You can really tell the difference between this ice cream and the airy, tasteless stuff you get in the grocery store.

2. We dip the bars in Guittard Chocolate - straight from San Fran. yummm

3. You get a lot of topping on your bar - and we have lots to choose from. My personal favorite is Oreo on one side and Reeses pieces on the other. Need I say more?

*Tip: Take your first bite quickly after it is served. The chocolate is still soft and everything just melts in your mouth.

Now that you are hooked - Come check us out tomorrow - Saturday, Nov. 7th - because we are having our Grand Opening PARTY! All our ice cream will be HALF OFF ALL DAY! Plus we will be raffling off cool prizes and even FREE ICE CREAM FOR A YEAR!! There will be balloons for the kids and lots and lots of ice cream!

Find us in the South Towne Mall in Sandy right by the fountain and Forever 21.

Halloween

We had a different but fun Halloween. Chad's new business Boardwalk Ice Cream Co. opened on Halloween at the South Towne Mall in Sandy so we spent most of the day setting that up. Chad had to work that night and we missed him a lot but we had lots of candy to drown our sorrows in. We have awesome neighbors and went to dinner at the Andrew's house. Then we went trick or treating around the neighborhood.

Conner insisted on riding his bike but soon gave it up because it was slowing him down and he wanted to keep up with Clayton. It was funny to see this little dragon riding a bike.



Bennett did not want to put on a costume. He was scared of them. Finally I said, Bennett if you put this on people will give you candy. It worked. He was a trick or treating maniac. "Tee o tee" he'd say. After letting him eat several pieces of candy I finally said no more. He soon found his way around that. He started biting into the wrapper and sucking the candy out. I also found him hiding under the table with candy - wrappers and all - stuffed in his mouth. He wants to wear his costume every day now.

Potty Mouth

I love when babies learn to talk. At first you feel like you are in a foreign country because they are really trying to communicate with their babbles and you have no idea what they are saying. This is the stage of playing the guessing game and lots of pointing. Eventually you start to pick up on their version of real words. You become excellent at translating their one syllable blurts into sentences. "Bleeblah" -- oh that means he would like to go to the park, etc.

Well, Bennett has several things that he likes to say. Some words more than others. Here are his favorites and their translation:

"Caca" = chocolate milk
"Bum" = gum (not that he gets any but he begs)
"Hores" = dinosaurs

Maybe I have a potty mind, but I can't help but giggle when he walks around screaming, .....Caca....bum!....hores!

Other things he likes to say (over and over)

Where we going?
What we doing?
Beh-Beh's (Bennett's) turn
No nap!
Where's titi (Clayton)
aaa - ooo = Thank you

One he learned tonight -- My candy!

Here is the little talker...

Half Way Party for Danny Boy!

Danny is halfway done with his cancer treatments. I know it has been a LONG road for them so far but it has got to feel good to be on the downhill. The great news is that the torture that they put him through is working! The cancer is GONE -- now they just have to wipe out any traces/memories from his body to make sure it will stay gone for good.

It was a really great weekend. Bennett and I flew out on Thursday. It was fun to spend some time just with Bennett. He sometimes gets the shaft at home so it was fun to give him more attention. I think he loved it too. He LOVED playing with his cousin Lucy. She got him hooked on princesses. By the end of the weekend he started preferring her princess dolls to his beloved dinosaurs. (shh...don't tell Chad) And speaking of Lucy she is just such a fun girl! Princesses are her world right now and we got to go see Disney's Princess on Ice show in San Jose on Friday. I was blown aways, it was so entertaining!


Lucy made a beautiful Snow White and look at the cute Prince hat Christy made for Bennett. Bennett was a little outnumbered at this event but he didn't seem to mind.

The rest of the weekend we hung out in Santa Cruz. Wow it was so gorgeous and SOO warm. I could get used to a view like this...
It was great to just be able to hang out and talk. Danny and Christy are so amazing and I'm in awe at all they have to go through.

Here's to a fast second half!

Sunday Afternoon at the Temple

Getting into the Halloween spirit

It's all about pumpkins and spider webs at our house lately. Clayton especially wants to carve a pumpkin every day. He is obsessed with pumpkins and wants to buy another one whenever we go to the store. Yesterday I asked him what he would want if he could have any toy in the store and he said he didn't want a toy, he wants a white pumpkin. Go figure.

The boys had a great time decorating our front porch with spider webs and every day since they say they need to make adjustments. They will pull more junk out from the garage and pull another section of web over the junk. It looks lovely.


We met some friends at Hee Haw Farms the other day and had the best time! We hadn't been there in a while and it was so fun. It helped that the weather was perfect and it wasn't that crowded. There was lots of things for the kids to do - slides, "haunted" house, corn box, corn shooter, hay ride, animals - including the HUGE pig Leroy. Well worth it! Plus they played old school country (the 90's ha!) and we were lovin it.

I love the Fall and Halloween!

Family Photos

We are lucky to have such talent in our family. When the Harlows were here last week, Denae took some family photos for us. We went up the canyon and were literally running from place to place, chasing the sun. She did a great job despite the fact that it is nearly impossible to get three little boys to smile normally at the same time.

If you live in the Bay Area and need your famiy photos taken, she is your woman. Here is the link to her website:
Harlow Photography






And speaking of talent, my little sister had her album release concert last week and it was SPECTACULAR! It was at the Tahitian Noni theatre in Provo and the venue was just perfect. I was so nervous for her and was so tense right before but once she sang her first song I was just in awe. I was in the first row smiling so big and also on the verge of tears because I love how her dreams are becoming a reality. I am shameless in my pride.


Another website you need to check out: Lindsay Aline