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Mitch: My all-time Favorite basketball player

Isn't he adorable?!!

Mitch is COMPLETELY addicted or committed to basketball. You can find him outside 6-7 days a week practicing and playing with whoever will play with him or by himself. He comes home from school and doesn't even come in until he gets at least 20 minutes in. Then he will play very often 2 hours or until it gets dark. It doesn't matter if t is 30 degrees or 100 degrees, he is outside.

Mitch loves to watch basketball on TV and rarely misses the Jazz or BYU games. Sometimes he is even lucky enough to go with his dad to Jazz games. He also went to the Matt Harpring basketball camp this summer. That he didn't love so much. Matt ran a great camp, and didn't let the kids mess around. That was good because Mitch learned a lot!



He practices with the 12 year olds in our ward sometimes, and can hold his own! The coach is excited to have him in 3 years! The funny thing is this is all new in the last couple of years. He now loves basketball, football, and rugby. A couple of years ago (ok when he was 1-5) he was all into vacuums. I wasn't sure what to do with him. We have gone through 6 vacuums in his short life. We are now on #7. We went with a dyson for the warranty, although I think he has outgrown the desire to play with vacuums! I think sports are easier to deal with. the vacuum addiction was very cute though!

He has a drawer full of collared golf shirts and jeans,but will he wear them? NO!!! He wears too big T-shirts with the Jazz on them and washes them frequently so he can wear them or some other athletic shirts EVERY day. I barely got him to stop wearing shorts to school last week!

He wants to play college basketball at BYU when he grows up. He knows he has to have good grades to get in, so a few weeks ago at SEP conference, he had a B on his report card and he wanted to make sure that the B wouldn't mess up his chances of getting into school. I assured him that he was ok. I thought that was very cute! He is such a good boy and a joy to have around. I am so glad that he has found something that he likes and that he sets goals for himself. I am a proud mother!

Go Mitch!!!

You feel bad....

You know that I love teeth. I try to take care of mine and so far so good. Until now.......

I made it 31 years with no cavities until yesterday when I had a little cavity filled. I know you feel bad for me. I Know it!

Nativity: The First Tradition

When Jess was growing up, his family had a tradition of putting out the Nativity at the very first of the holiday season, before anything else. I love this tradition, and Jess and I have wholeheartedly incorporated this wonderful little idea. Tonight, while Jess read the story of Christ's birth in Luke, the kids took turns setting up pieces of the Nativity. They had a great time, and I love that putting up the Nativity before the tree and the lights puts the most important reason of Christmas--The birth of out Savior Jesus Christ--in the forefront of our minds. After Jess read the story, we sang a few Christmas songs and got really excited for Christmas! The Christmas songs about Christ always bring a wonderful spirit. I am so glad we get to carry on family traditions and incorporate things from both sides of the family. Don't worry...Christmas Eve will find the kids acting out the Nativity, another wonderful tradition from my side, that I know many people do! Enjoy the pictures!Alyssa was sooo careful with baby Jesus. Lindsey is little Mother---I love her!Mitch and Lins are good friends:) They are getting it just right.Alyssa was sad that daddy wouldnt let her touch the nativity and play with it after--now she has her own in her room.The After picture. It is even ok that Alyssa put the donkey in the rafters! The kids had fun! Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving one and all! We have so many things to be thankful for at this time of the year as all of you do too! I would love to tell you what we are all thankful for today.

Alyssa is thankful for: her daddy and mommy, preschool!, nursery, the temple

Lindsey is thankful for: her clothes, food, family and her friends

Mitch is thankful for: basketball, his sisters, friends and BYU

Shanna is thankful for: her family, blessings that come from trials, friends, The Gospel and the knowledge that comes from it, that we can continually try and be better, healthy kids, a great husband, my home, all my extended family(including Jess's great family) I have alot to be thankful for!

Jess is thankful for: his family, me, that Mitch goes with him to BYU games, that his girl's go on dates with him, The Gospel, that he has the opportunity to get his MBA(even though it is really hard) and of course BYU football!

We hope that this day finds you happy and able to reflect on all of the blessings that you have. It makes life so much easier to deal with when we have an "Attitude of Gratitude" and look for all of the positive things in life! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

New Kids On The Block!!!

I went...I seriously went! And I am not going to lie, it was AWESOME! I thought my love for NKOTB was in the far recesses of my mind; Now It's Not. They were amazing 18 years ago when I saw them in Seattle...I was 13 and full of hopes and dreams.....Anywaysies, and they still are! On saturday, I was remebering they had their concert that night. I kind of wanted to go. Jess, being the jem that he is told me to look and see if they still had tickets. One of my best friends, Irene, had great seats on the 14th row. I was going to try and get seats close to her. I found some on ebay for a fraction of the cost and Jess bought me a couple of tickets with the stipulation that he would not be caught dead anywhere near the concert. Thankfully Chyrelle, another friend, went with me and we had soooo much fun! We met up with Irene and some other gals and had a crimpping party ( see the side pony with crimps). Now that I think about it, I think ThAt was even out of style when I went the first time! Oh well. We had fun--Notice Chyrelle's big jean jacket, and bow in her hair. We had row 24 seats on the floor. Halfway through the show, The New Kids did a couple of sons n the middle of the e center on a small rotating stage. We turned around, and they were only 9 rows away! I could have thrown something at them they were sooooo close! They sang a few new songs and then mostly san old ones. It seriously felt like I was at the same concert as the 1990 one. They were so fun to listen to. Jordan s still, you know ummm cool and his falsetto voice is wow! Joey was really cool too. Ok they all were. Some hihlights were definitely Jordan singing "I'll be loving you forever; the small rotating stae where they were so close; all of their other old songs, and being with good friends. Everyone there was around my ae and previous fans. It was knd of sweet that people love them so much. They have helped create memories for many girls/now women. I guess that once a fan, always a fan! Thanks for all of the fun girls!!!

A special shout out to another of my closest frends Amber who has been a fan with me from the beginning. She was going to fly in from Boise but had a new baby! Next time.

A very belated Happy Birthday!

Really, it's too late, but...HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS!!! I need to take any opportunity I get to say how wonderful he is, even if his birthday was last month. :) Jess is an extremely hard worker who has never complained about working and going to school full time (both times) and is happy to do it, knowing he is helping his family. He loves to play with his kids and has never complained about watching them for me. He loves to take them anywhere he is--running errands or going to do fun outtings. He is truely an amazing person. He is very genuine, and will do anything for anyone! He also likes to take me on really fun dates! I could go on and on, but I won't...at least today! He is Awesome and I love him!