homeless pixie

We had our first "hair tragedy" in our family. 3 kids and this has NEVER happened...until now. Maybe it was because she had to share her birthday with her Father this year or maybe because her birthday was on a Sunday, I don't know...but Sydney Kate took matters into her own hands and trimmed her own hair and then hacked her sisters! Good thing Sydney's hair was in a pony-tail or we would have been in real trouble. I must say, it could have been way worse but Avery May was homeless looking for two days :) And now, thanks to a sweet friend of mine, she is all better...she has turned into a pixie! I keep calling her "pixie" and she says "I'm not pixie, I'm Avery May!" She's a cute little half homeless pixie :)

homeless...

Pixie!

Little Ann

Meet our newest addition. It's sort of unbelievable to me that we are dog owners, but we are. And what's even more unbelievable is that I like her! She is fun and pretty obedient and she is teaching Payton some responsibility and confidence {he wears a noseplug when he cleans up poop...soooo his dad's child}. Not sure I am really up for her riding in the car with us for 15 hours to Idaho :) But I'm sure she'll have fun up there. Macky & Will got a dog named Dodger and the boys are anxiously looking forward to Ann & Dodger's first meeting. Again, cannot believe these words are coming out of my fingers...

A little background on why she is "Little Ann". Payton and Mike read "Where the Red Fern Grows" about a year ago and it's been nothing but dog since then. Payton cried many a tear for a dog. He begged and pleaded and saved money {just like Billy} and so this mom couldn't resist. I remember reading that book as a family growing up and there sure wasn't a dry eye in the room. It teaches many good messages and I recommend it to any boy. or girl. or parent.

So...Little Ann is part of the family. "yittle ann ann" as Avery would say. She also says Ann Ann is a "chocyat Yab" and it may be the cutest thing ever.

oh the joys. every boy needs a dog, they say.

Sydney Kate is 5!

It's official, the girl is 5! And a sweet 5-year-old at that {minus the birthday hang-over yesterday aaaand the crazy mess she is with all her artwork & new toys!} We celebrated Sunday on her real day {along with Daddy on his Father's day} and then her "friend celebration" as she calls it, was yesterday. We swam and had lunch and it was fun. Miss Avery is getting to be quite the little fish, I tell you what. Good times. And today, I will be playing clean up!

We sure love you Sydney...you are sweet and sassy and full of goodness & tender tears. I hope one of these days you learn to not be petrified of Little Ann. But the truth is, you get your nervousness from yours truly, so I can't be too surprised :) You are a light and a blessing to our family. Love you forever.

baby shower...

I have been planning a baby shower for one of my dearest friends and I have to say, it's been so much fun. And the end product surely was a success. I will just post a little peek at the decor. It was lovely and I really can't wait to squeeze her little one to come! A big thank you must be given to my hubby...Miguel. He has been very patient with all of my shower-prep/wheatgrass growing/over-the-top shenanigans. 'Tis true, we women are silly when it comes to the details, but I enjoy those parts the best...so a thank you to you, Mike {doesn't he look skinny & handsome in that picture?} Also, a thank you to my partners in crime.

I think Shenise said it best: "it was a pleasure doing business with you". It really was.

shock of all shocks...a new post!

I'm back. I know there's no real good excuse for being 6 months absent from the blogging world...but my computer has been broken and I have been major busy. That's it. The blessed computer is up and running again and I have come to a realization that I am not ever going to not be major busy, so I must just deal and move on. I know I have a lot to catch up on, surely a few pictures to go along with the festivities, but most of the pictures will have to wait. Lots has happened in our busy lives since we left our hearts in San Francisco ;) Here's a few:

New nephew and trip to Utah

swimming lessons
Let's Play Music recital

Avery turned 2!

end of 1st grade for Payton

Visit from Aunt Kate & Arleigh Bug

time with extended family in Idaho

new puppy {Little Ann...and yes, hell may have frozen over}

2 trips to Disneyland

new church calling {we'll talk about that one later}

I turned the big 3-0!

baby shower for a dear friend

Sydney turned 5!

and that's what you missed on Glee :)

30th Birthday warm butter cake and dinner @ Mastro's. {maybe if I stop eating warm butter cake, my arms won't look so large?} yummo!

You'll have to turn your head on this one but thought I would share Miguel's creative side ;)

There is much more to be said but I have fallen asleep twice writing this post. ta-ta! xoxo

Aves is 2!

Avery turned 2 and had a fun beach party with friends and family. She wanted a pink Dora cake, so I did my best! I thought she turned out pretty cute. We had a great time and she was thrilled with the crown and clip on earrings...Happy Birthday big girl, can't believe you're two.

I left my heart.

I think I managed to surprise Mike with his Christmas gift this year, folks. It gave me MAJOR anxiety, but I planned a little trip to SanFrancisco. He grew up in Antioch {about 30 miles away} and hadn't been back since they moved like 15 years ago! I hadn't been since about that age too when we went as a family {Jared was a baby}. And it really was a wonderful couple getaway trip. We realized that we hadn't really been on a trip without friends or kids for like 9 years! what? yes...it was due time. We had a great time.

Here's our trip in pictures...

{Friday-New Years Day} We arrived into Oakland, rented a car and drove to SanFran. Checked in to our hotel at Fisherman's Wharf. Then we walked and walked. We had crab & more crab! We went on a bread tour at Boudin's {just for you pop}. We walked to Pier 39. Later we drove down Lombard street, went to see Coit tower and then back to the hotel for a little rest. Then out to dinner in China town...it was a little rainy and just beautiful down town. We ate at a small chinese place we were recommended to go to and it was off the chain delicious! Definitely suggest House of NanKing, people! Then we hustled to Market Street past Union Square and saw Wicked at the Orpheum theatre {thanks G & J}. I had seen it a few years back, but I liked it even better the second time around. I only had to wake Mike up once ;) He said he liked it too. It was a wonderful way to start the new year!

{Saturday} we woke and had breakfast at a yummo little place "hollywood cafe" {thanks, yelp.com} then we just drove around. We went to Golden Gate Park, saw the "painted ladies", drove throuagh gay central {oh my goodness}, had lunch with a friend, dessert at ghiradhelli square {AMAZING}! Then we went on a night tour of Alcatraz. It was sooo interesting and a little creepy. We made a little stop back at Boudin's for a late night bread bowl & chowder. yum!


ok, let's be honest...he still did quite a bit of this :)

{Sunday} left our hearts in SanFran. Drove out of town and literally minutes out of the city, to beautiful hillsides and foggy valleys. We went to Walnut Creek and with Mike's elephant like memory and the little known device called the I-phone, we tracked down Granny & Pop's old house in Walnut Creek. We also went to Mike's house in Pittsburg and then on to Antioch. We saw the old house on Chelsea Ct. and then made a little stop at Belshaw Elementary. It was a walk down memory lane for Miguel and it was really fun for me to see his old stomping grounds. Then to Oakland...a few minutes at the temple {fyi. you have to drive through the ghetto to get there} and then to the Oakland Coliseum to watch the Ravens smash the Raiders. I could do without the Raiders fans...they are ruthless. It was fun to watch the Ravens play :) We got to visit with some of the players & their families after the game. Then off to the hotel and out to dinner {more crab}. We flew home Monday morning....picked up the kids and drove to St. George. Then bombed home Tuesday.

Thanks to A & J for keeping Payt and my mom for keeping our girls

Driggs

The whole gang in Jackson Hole
Our family.

Sammy & Avery.

On the 26th of December, we headed to Driggs to stay with A & J and crew. It is so beautiful up there. We did fondu and opened presents. It was really fun. Payton & Sydney sang "feliz navidad" again and then the boys gave us a sweet rendition of "Rudolph". Willy was always just a few words behind :) The kids snow mobiled and shot hoops in the play room. Mike & Jared took Mack & Payton skiing at Targhee one afternoon and they did great. I got to go out to Rexburg with my Aunt Chris to the Rammell Family Christmas party at Grandma Rammell's. It was a lot of fun to catch up with some cousins. I also had breakfast with Jessica and Ashlee the next day. Such wonderful people. Mike got to go flying with Roy and shot a fox and missed a coyote :) He said it was he about froze to death but it was one of the funnest things he's ever done. We went to Jackson one day and it was soooo cold! But we got our "old tyme" pictures taken for the WANTED wall downstairs and that was fun. I also went to visit Grandma Moulton one afternoon. She is doing well. We headed back down to Utah on New Years Eve but we left Payton in Driggs to play with his cousins a few more days. We did fondu and the chocolate fountain at Kate's and rang in the new year! It was a wonderful 2009...looking forward to 2010!

Happy New Year.

Island Park

We bombed from Mesa to Menan on the 23rd of December. Wow, that might be a record for us! The kids did surprisingly awesome. We stopped in Utah and met up with Andrew, Jenna & Quinn and then went to Menan to Mike's parents'. Can I just say that I really have a soft spot in my heart for their home in Menan. It is just like home to me, can't really explain. It's just lovely and warm and fun. We sat around the fireplace, Mike and Andrew shot at things off the back deck. Dama Dama made us yummo breakfast in the morning and we wrapped presents. Then we hit the {icy} road to Island Park where we met the rest of our family and Art & Nae & their kids. We had a wonderful time eating, playing games {ticket to ride}, Mike accompanied on the guitar as we sang {Payt & sis sang "Feliz Navidad" at the top of their lungs, girls sang "Star Bright" for old times sake}, Dad, Stuart & Andrew read stories {Merry Christmas Jimmy, my favorite} sat in the hot tub {kids had competition who could run and lay in the snow the longest before returning to the tub}, kids sprinkled reindeer food outside and left cookies for santa, sledding {grandpa pulled the girls...the loved it}, cross-country skiing {I ate it twice, mike face-planted once...sooo funny}, played with our new toys {baby girls fought over Avery's new car constantly, I got a "flip", payt & his I-touch and wii madden, Sydney & her tag reader and fiesta dora doll}. The weather was beautiful and clear. We got to talk to Jared on Christmas and it was great to hear his voice. He sounds like he is doing great and loving West Virginia. I failed and broke my month long hiatus from diet coke. oh sadness. And it wouldn't be a Rammell family gathering without throwing up {Sydney} and a dislocated shoulder {dad falling down stairs getting water for the pukey girl @ 5 am}...all in all it was an AWESOME time.

Thanks all.

Sydney & Avery...
Arleigh & Aves...

Grandpa reading Christmas stories.
cross-country skiing.
Games & puzzles...Rose, Payton & Max
Pod & Miguel...aka "Conner"

Payton loves his I-touch. Thanks Dad!

Santa brought Avery a "brrrrooooom, brrroooom" and she loves it.

Santa had to search high and low to find "Fiesta Dora"...it was number one on Sydney's list!

Avery & Quinn in the tub.

Andrew & Mike shooting things. {it looks like Andrew is dangerously pointing the gun at my husband's face, but I swear, he's behind him. just an optical illusion} Gotta love Menan!

Chef Sydney helping Dama Dama make pancakes Christmas eve morning!