He is not my child...

I have a few pictures of Ella but first, My son again. We had Grandma, Ben and Renee over for dinner last night. (My dad was out of town) Tyler and I made a great salad for part of the dinner- Lettuce, tomatoes, celery, carrots, cheese, garbanzo beans- Make your own, put whatever you want on it.  Tyler had two helpings of salad on Sunday and today, Monday, that is what he wanted for lunch ...
Since I helped him make his salad, I ate one too. But this is what I would have rather eaten.  

- Breakfast cake, cookies, homemade fresh bread or bran muffins

I ate a salad!  I guess I am growing up!
Ella- 

Ella is walking around using what ever she can to hold herself up.  Tonight was Tyler's easel.  She did so many laps around our kitchen that she just sat down and was all tuckered out!
She loves walking

Our fun weekends

I need to take some pictures now that I have healthy kids and Darren and I are feeling pretty good too. But that is for this upcoming week..

This post will be about our weekends and spot light Tyler.  Ella will have to wait until I get some more pictures taken. 

Tyler got this jacket from his Aunt Nellie, He came down the stairs this morning and said, "I just looked in the mirror and I look pretty handsome!" (notice the collar up- His Dad helped him get dressed!)
This is Tyler getting ready for work with Dad, you can't see but the tie is bunched in his sweater and so his tummy is a big lump- It was cute

Ok, our weekends- My husband is the best!

Three weeks ago- We took a family walk/bike ride- Tyler biked a total of 4 miles - I pushed the stroller with Ella in it and Darren encouraged Tyler while on his bike too

Two weeks ago- I needed a break from sick sick kids- So Darren took Tyler up skiing- Tyler did great- and is almost ready to go on a lift, no more tow ropes!

This week- Darren and I skied on Saturday, WOW!  Heavy wet snow ( it was basically raining, kind of snowing) and lots of heavy wet powder all day.  That feeling of skiing in the back country, with no one around (we were in bounds, no avalanches, don't worry Dad) but powder and just floating down this incredible snow- That is such a wonderful high!

So next weekend we hope to take Tyler up skiing again, then the weekend after that Logan with the Grandparents, maybe some snowshoeing ... Then Hawaii for 8 days- 

I will keep you posted, add some photos, but really this post is supposed to make you want to go get out, it is so easy to stay inside, Get out, go play!

It's been a week!

This has been such a hard week- How do you do it if you have more than two kids that are sick because I didn't think I would make it with just the two I had?

Both of my children have had coughs that induce throwing up because they cough so much.  They both have had ear infections which I didn't catch until Thursday, Thanks Dad.  They both have not taken naps until Friday because they have not felt well with ear infections.  But I know if I pray for patients I have more of it- So Friday was so much better. 

This is Ella with her little cousin Grace Allen- There is one other girl cousin, Sophie, my brothers daughter.  Ella played peek a boo with Grace for quite a while. 
This is Tyler's store.  He got all the appliances out and the pots and pans.  Then he emptied the silverware drawer into each one-  You could buy anything you wanted. Lucky for me, the shop had to close because it was lunch time, and we got things put away. 
Tyler LOVES his train track from IKEA.  He builds all kinds of things with his dad.  

Oh, I forgot- I flew to VA too...

I celebrated the first night of Hanakkah while there - Safra is on the right and her kid sister and boyfriend- (Amira) 

I also caught up with my old friend Stephanie Watson- She is single- any ideas???
Safra's long long hair- her hair grows three times faster than mine
Safra's parents- We went to Jeanine's art gallery where she is the director and saw some neat art
Safra is back in Israel now- I love and miss her!  Thanks for letting me come hang out with you for 4 days!  stay safe!

December in one post

Grandpa Balls and Tyler played train 

Dad and Tyler participated in the Harston family talent show- Tyler loves to play the paino
All the Dennis and Nola Harston grandkids- (we did just finish the nativity- they dont usually dress this way!)
Tyler loved being a shephard- but he had to substitute the sheep for a white stuffed bear- which he was just fine with- and Jenny and Eric were Joseph and Mary with their new baby Grace
This is for Neti- Your right a picture says a 1,000 words- MY SON ROCKS!!! (he does have marti gra beads on too)

All in a days work!

I would like to dedicate this post to all those who have tried to teach me to make bread.  

Bread is of the most delicious things in the whole world-  I survived off of bread and cheese for three weeks with Safra in Europe.  Darren did tell me in Australia and South America that he needed to eat more than bread and cheese, so we ate dulce de leche also....(that is carmel yummy stuff in spanish- you spread it on bread!  EVEN BETTER!)  

So to Kathren C., Tiffany E., and Pam N. who inspired me, but more importantly to Renee my little sister who taught me to put the mix in my bread maker, turn it on, pull the dough out an hour and half later then put it in a tin and bake for 25 minutes-- all told the time it took me to make this delicious looking loaf of bread - no more than 5 minutes and that is with distracts!!!

Now I just have to not eat it all when it comes out of the oven hot and yummy!

29 years and 1 day...

So I had a great birthday yesterday- And when I was doing my hair yesterday- on my birthday- I randomly thought (most of my thoughts are pretty random) but I thought- This is nice I am 29 and don't have any gray hair- I wonder how old I will get before I get gray hair and then I thought- wow- I really don't want to have to start dying my hair ...

Today- December 11, the day after I thought this, I looked in the mirror to brush my hair out and noticed a shiny blond, no not blond, GRAY hair on top of my head- (refer to picture below) So the answer to my question is - You have to be 29 and one day old to start getting gray hair- All I have to say is my husband did it to me, well wait- Tyler helped a whole bunch too!

Earthquake

My State Farm Agent forwarded me this article, per my request-  I have attached my favorite quote in the article- but mostly I hope I will be prepared so my family will not go hungry or cold.  

Stever had warned earlier, "I think people in our valley have expected to call 911 and have help there in three minutes. But in the event of a catastrophic event, it's not going to happen. People are going to be on their own. It will give new meaning to individual and family preparation."

IT'S 2008 -- AND 'THE BIG ONE' SLAMS UTAH It is 2 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2008,
a freezing, snowy Friday. Most people are still at work or school --
which, unfortunately, is the worst-case scenario for what is about to
happen.
FULL STORY:
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C635199749%2C00.html

November Ends

We hung Christmas lights on our new patio out back- Tyler was a great help on the ladder

We spent some of Thanksgiving break in Logan with old friends- this is Riverside trail- The kids started off running...

Then the slowed and rested...

Then crashed.  Tyler was so tired by the end, as where the Dogs and the kids
Ella is a beautiful baby who does the army crawl - but give her a week she will be on her knees moving everywhere.

Thanksgiving was great- Darren cooked the Turkey and did a great job- We had the whole Balls family together- Except for Baby jonah who doesn't want to be born yet-

Ranell played the piano and Tyler loves to listen to the loud vibrations on the paino- No we dont make him stand in the corner