Stranded on a desert island

This week, a part of Anamarie's homework was a story starter-- following up on the question, "If you were stranded on a desert island, what things would you want to have with you?" I LOVED the practicality of her answers. Hopefully you can read her entry!

I would bring wood from a forest so I can bild (build) a house. And fire so I can stay worm (warm). Water so I will not haft to gring (drink) from a drty pond. A friend so Im not lonly (lonely) and!!! (the exclamation marks mean she really means this part) toothpast so I will not have cavitys. Cantls (candles) so I can see when it is nite time. Flowers so it will smial (smell) good in my woud house. And happy.nis. (happiness)

LOVE THAT GIRL! She is gonna be the most humble, practical American Idol winner ever and will spend her money wisely!

This week was also her dance recital. She danced to "Run, Run Rudolph" and said she wasn't nervous at all. :) She said that she was just busy the whole dance trying to find Grandma and Grandpa in the audience! Here she is with her dance teacher:

I'm STILL divying out cookies from the yummy cookie exchange we had on Tuesday night. I can't believe how good all the cookies were...I want ALL the recipes but still want the girls to come back next year and share their secrets again! YUM! Can you tell who won the holiday costume contest? (Unfortunately she took the side ponytail out before this picture, dang it!)

Lastly... YEA!! We take off on Sunday for two weeks in Georgia. Merry Christmas everyone!

Manna from heaven

It rained for the first time in over 6 months on Saturday and the kids were in heaven. It was like they had never seen rain before. Dave let them go out and get soaked in the rain. Look how happy! (except for Alex who seems to have the same blink when you take a picture problem as Papa!)


Happy day! (Kinda...) Yesterday was Carmen's first day of nursery and she loved it. Didn't even look back after she saw all of the toys in the room.



Caught! My dad fell asleep about 10 minutes into our ward's primary program a few weeks back. Dave couldn't resist whipping his phone out for a pic.


Carmen LOVES the baby ice cream cones at McDonalds. She literally stuffs the whole thing into her mouth! Here's proof!

Julian!

Our ward boundaries were changed today (expanded) and the very best part was that we only had 1 hour of church today! Even better than stake conference! So, our little family (plus Sarah, who's basically family anyway) took a roadtrip to Julian for a few hours. We had so much fun candle dipping and making apple cider and going on a hayride and feeding the goats and holding the chickens and mining for gems! We'll definitely go again-- maybe next year in early October when you can pick your own apples. Fun day! And...I am getting that boy's hair cut this week. Promise.

Hey there, Delilah

Yea for me! (not mom) I got a hamster! I saved all my money for a cute little white and red hamster!(that squeaks ALOT.) Thank goodness it's not a family pet. All has been going well, some things funny some not ,like when Delilah pooed and peed ALL over mom, and when Carmen almost killed Delilah by throuing her on the ground, AND when Delilah rolled herself to the stairs and... of course rolled all the way down the stairs.Well, I'm done writing because my fingers hurt. Peace out!
Love Hayden
P.S.
It's awsome having a hamster! You should get one! :)

editors note: Hayden saved up all of her birthday money and allowance for months-- Hamsters are expensive!! So thanks Great Nana and Great Papa, Ginny and Jerry, Grandma and Grandpa W. Lets just cross our fingers that this hamster doesn't end up like many of the others I've owned before... smashed in the garbage compactor, found under my parents' bed in the middle of the night, or assumed to be hibernating for months. :) And, the sweet name is for one of Hayden's favorite songs...and the all kids sing it all in unison. Funny, but I can't wait to post a new post so I can update the song attachment!! :)

Happy Halloween from the Super Heroes!

Daddy's girl

Carmen LOVES Dave. I like to think that she likes me, too, but I know she's a Daddy's girl. They have their own language, as he speaks just to her only in Espanol. He plays rough with her (swinging her on the bed and tickling her). As soon as Carmen hears his voice when he gets home from work, she runs to him with her arms stretched out to the side, ready for a big hug. Carmen especially loves going on walks with him during church. She loves to be outside and to point at birds, say "ah puh" for airplanes, and to walk on the edge of curbs in the parking lot.

Ever since she was born, she and Dave have gone on walks during church-- first he pushed her in her stroller and she fell asleep in her carseat. Now she's such a big girl that she walks alongside him, holding his hand. During third hour of church while I'm in Young Womens, Dave and Carmen go to their "spot"-- I don't know exactly where it is, but I know that Dave carved their initials in a tree there a few months back. (Cute, huh? Vandalism, but I'm not sure it's exactly on church property so does that make it okay?) I know he's dreading December, when she starts going to nursery and he has to start going to Elders Quorum. It's such a precious relationship for both of them. I thought this photo that Dave took during their walk on Sunday was too cute I had to share it.

5!

Happy 5th birthday Alex! It's hard to narrow my favorite things about Alex down to 5, but here goes:

1. Alex is one of the most genuinely kind people I know-- out of the blue, he asks me how my day was (without being asked or having it modeled for him but just because he wants to know), he puts his arm around me at church (and any other public place when he's sitting next to me), he's the first to take care of someone who's hurt or sad at school...

2. Alex quietly climbs into bed with me in the morning. He wants to cuddle, but knowing I'm not quite a morning person, he will just lay silently by me (without touching me, thankfully!) until I feel like waking up.

3. His ear-to-ear smile takes up most of his face.

4. It's easy to make his day--either play cars or jets with him or give him ice cream and he's all set!

5. He's a tease. He loves to tease his sisters, but he'll often say something wacky or not quite right, just to see my reaction. He'll keep a straight face, too, so that I'll mistakenly think that it's his error. But he's just one ahead of me. :)

I love you Alex!

Trouble

With a capital T, that rhymes with C and stands for Carmen!


Evidence


Alex, scolding Carmen--see him pointing his finger at her in the mirror?


Mug shot, in front of more evidence. Click on this for a close-up!


Asking for forgiveness (she's hugging my legs)


This was intended to be a pic of her first ponytail (her hair is just long enough). But look at her, at it again!


We love you, Carmen. And have (hopefully) put all markers, pencils, chalk, soap, lotion--- out of reach.

Pranayama

Wow, it's the middle of September and I'm just trying to catch my breath from the start of school two weeks ago. SmallTalk has been pretty crazy, with insane therapists, budget cuts, and marketing for the new office I've got my hands full. Pranayama (yoga breathing) is helping me feel me calm and collected (at least on the surface)!

Hayden started third grade-- I'm learning that means math homework out of a hard cover book, a science fair, and personalized, decoupaged writing journals.

She turned 9 just two days before school started--peace signs cover her back pack, most of her shirts, her bathrobe and (of course) her birthday cake!


Anamarie started first grade-- and makes a present for her teacher every day. She's a complete suck-up, and I know is just looking for that individual loving attention that she constantly craves...and Mrs. Corry will give to her once she gets her bearings from her over-full classroom!


Alex started PEP (aka the first year of a two-year kindergarten program)-- so far, no tears. But he begs and begs for playdates every single day now. AAAHHH!

He also (finally) learned how to ride a two-wheel bike at the tail end of the summer (pre-haircut and sporting a surfer-style mullet)

Carmen is loving being the only one at home. She does have separation anxiety at the gym-- not from me, from being there without any of her siblings for the first time. And she now necessitates an eye on her at all times. She's exploring and making messes and sticking all sorts of things into her mouth and ears!


Dave has been hopelessly swamped at work. His favorite outlets right now are surfing in the early mornings and his drum set.
We did get away last weekend, and went to Vegas for my (and Kath's) birthdays. We got to hang out at the pool and shop at the outlets and eat at lots of yummy restaurants with Katherine and Kam. We had too much fun, we completely forgot about taking any pictures. Oh well, next time! :)

Fav summer memories...

We've been playing a LOT this summer and have collected hundreds of pictures so far. We've picked our top 30 and put them here... pictures from North Carolina and Helen, GA, beach camping at South Carlsbad, CA and the Padres Game. Enjoy!


The fam in Helen, GA


I so wish I had a picture of Dave when he actually did this--drove away from the gas station with the pump in the tank at the small-town gas station near the cabin. Unfortunately, I was at the pool with the kids and missed the neighbors coming down to look at the gas spill, and everyone referring to him as "Sam Traina's boy". Real proud.


Oh yeah. MJ Tribute band "Who's Bad". Loved it.


The Padres literally put Alex to sleep and bored the girls out of their minds... that is until the walk-off grand slam in the 9th inning. Alex even stayed asleep through the fireworks, though!


Had to take a pic to show how BADLY I was beating Dave at Uno. He had to put his cards in piles of colors to organize... not sure if this pic does justice to just how many cards he had in that hand. Because he's such a horrible cheater and makes up his own rules, he amazingly came out of it and ended up winning. Lame.


Carmen's getting the hang of airplane rides.


It helped a bit that we gave her just a bit of whiskey before the flight, though.


Keia's thumpin' good melons


Oh the shelf at the Walmart in Murphy, NC. Just another pic we couldn't pass up.


This picture more than describes our camping trip-- the big kids crazy and loving it, Carmen trying to figure out where we were and when she'd get home, Dave.....confused? What do you call that look?, and Jen just trying to grin and bear it. Mess, exhaustion, and a sick family? Doesn't matter-- we'll be there again next year. But maybe with an RV.


Carmen was easily the earliest riser of the entire campground. Sorry, guys.


We all get impatient while Dave tries to balance the camera on top of unsteady inner tubes in a losing battle to take a family picture.


Anamarie, the new model for Lake Hiawasee, shows off the enormity of the lake and the lack of any boats. Our little secret.


Hayden tore it up on the wakeboard! Pretty brave and awesome for an 8 year old.


Joey the pirate was too cute not to take a picture of. :)


Hayden perfects her cannonball while Anamarie sports a thong in the background.


You go, Mumu! She got up on the kneeboard, and was a great sport!


The kids check out another rock to jump off of.


Cousins


Carmen's not too sure about the tube.


Anamarie got up on the kneeboard!


Jen & Dave "lifeguarding" while the kids swim in the lake


Carmen checking out Helen, GA. Can you see Michael and Mumu in the background?


Joey being brave and plugging his nose just like Papa :)


Lunch at some country cafe in Helen


Alex swimming in the lake, his favorite thing to do.


Jump Alex!

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Anamarie striking a pose mid-air


Dave gets some air


Anamarie climbing into Papa's boat