MY DAD'S BIRTHDAY

My dad's birthday was this weekend. My mom, Shelly & Kasey went to St. George for Jd's baby's blessing. Sunday, my dad and Todd came to dinner. Todd left before this picture and Ems had to work. We had a good day. I can't believe my dad is 69! He looks good doesn't he?! We love my dad and love spending time all together as a family. I love Mom & Dad living close to us. Now that Todd moved back, we all live close. I love that my girls can call & in a heartbeat, they know that they can have support & love at their fingertips. I love my family and grateful that we live close and all love being together.

Loren loves Todd (my brother). When he is around, Loren and Kasey are right by his side. They usually end up on his shoulders with him running around the house. Today Loren and Todd had fun. They danced a little bit and Todd even taught Loren how to strum the guitar. Todd is so sweet with all his nieces. He plays with them and is gentle and kind. We love Todd.

My friend Mar's daughter Jill gave Loren a ghost for Halloween. Loren plays with it every day . She dresses "Frighten" and keeps it with her. (along with all of her other little friends) I went to tuck her in and she had a bundle all snuggled up with her and she was sound asleep. What an angel I have!

LYSSI'S HOMECOMING DANCE

The Homecoming game was against Clearfield High. Syracuse beat the pants off them so all was good. This is what Lyssi looked like for the game. You may think they are a bunch of blue-haired freaks...no, just Lyssi with team spirit. (I guess that is what you'd call it)

Today was Homecoming for Syracuse High. Lyssi was so excited to go. He asked her in a cute way. He texted her about 10:00 one night and said to go look on her porch. (she had no idea who's # it was) There was a really cute bag. Inside it had a tee shirt. On the front it said "WILL YOU GO TO HOMECOMING WITH ME?" On the back it had about 30 different boys names all over it. on the bottom it said "wash me to know who is asking" So, of course, (even though it was late) we washed it and all the names washed off except Justin's.

He was in her seminary class last year and he seems like a really nice boy. Their date started this am when he picked her up for breakfast. After they ate, they went miniature golfing. Lyssi said that she won, she couldn't help it. She had fun.

Lyssi was getting a little nervous waiting for him to come. She hoped that she would be able to walk & dance in her high heels. They are so pretty. Shelly (her aunt ) bought them for her.

It was really funny. When he drove up, Lyssi jumped up and ran into Loren's room. Then she said "I can't becoming out of her room" so then she ran down stairs and then ran back up. She said, "do I answer the door?"

She finally sat on the couch in the

family room and

acted like she is totally relaxed. But then

she jumped up and went to the fridge and said "I'll

just act like I'm

looking in the fridge."

Me and Ems were

laughing so hard.

(Lyssi was too).

Pinning on the bootinere(sp?) was a total joke. We couldn't do it. He didn't have a suit jacket to pin it to the flappy thing so it made it difficult. Brennan was gone (he had to sale hotdogs at the U of U game for a fundraiser for Lyssi's softball team) but we finally made it stick w/out flopping over. It was pretty funny!

I guess Lyssi is just used to me taking pictures because she just knew that I would have to do my thing before they could leave. They are so dang cute!

SLEEPING WITH MOM

Brennan had to go to New Orleans this week. He was gone for 3 nights. When he's gone, I don't like to sleep alone so the girls take turns sleeping with me. It's kinda fun. The 1st night was Loren's turn because she always seems to think it's her turn. Haley slept with us so that all the girls would get a turn. Little Lula Belle (Loren) was already asleep but we had to snap a picture. Loren is a wild women when she sleeps. Her arms and legs are everywhere! Haley is a nice sleeper. She closes her eyes and just lays there. I love my girls! (but I can't wait for Brennan to get home)

Ems is a good bed partner. She stays on her side of the bed. She is a sweetheart. She doesn't like to take pictures but she will for me. BUT, I had to kick her out of bed when I wanted to make it in the morning.

When it was Lyssi's turn, she had to read a script of a play for homework. It was not the best. I think they were Canadian or something because they kept saying "aye". It was funny for about the 1st half hour, but after that it got so dang boring. Lyssi's legs are all over the place. I woke up a few times with her arm across my face. She is a crazy bed partner.

LITTLE MISS CRANKY PANTS!

Haley was a little grumpy tonight and she didn't know why. All she needed was a little bit of her friend Anna. All she had to do is hear her voice and things were all better!
Friends make all the difference!

Haley and Lyss are getting so good at playing the guitar. I love watching them and listening to them. It's a good thing that I'm their mom because I can't get enough of them! (when they are being nice and happy!)

CANNING PEACHES!

Ted, my father-in-law thought that we needed a canning lesson. He is a big canner and came over with a box of peaches and showed us how to can them. They are beautiful and we'll love eating them this winter. It was fun. Even Haley and Loren learned how. We did it outside so the mess wasn't in my kitchen. Ted is a wonderful teacher and an awsome grampa! We love him and Harriet living near by! While we were canning, Ems was puking her guts out. She had the flu the whole entire day. Poor thing. She was so sick.

50's NIGHT

Loren had a 50's BASH at her school the other night. They had dances, limbo and games. Loren can keep the hula hoop up with barely even moving her body. She has the touch! We had a lot of fun! It was fun to see all of our neighbors. We think that Lakeside Elementary is the best!

TENNIS

Lyssi has never played tennis in her life. She came home one day and said that she wants to try out for the tennis team. I kinda laughed and told her to go for it. She came home after a week of going to the conditioning and said that she made the team. (everyone made the team) But, she is really good. She has won a lot of her matches. She has played doubles and singles.

SUNNY LAS VEGAS

We got to go to Vegas to visit Kelly and Chel. They just moved into a new house with a beautiful pool. It was over 100 degrees. It was shmokin hot! Loren and I went for a walk. We were so hot, Loren ran to get into some shade. She stood there and then said-mom even the shadows are hot. pretty dang hot!

Kelly and Brennan worked hard and put his closet together. They put in shelves, drawers, hanging rods, and lights. It looked so nice. Brennan enjoyed spending time with Kelly. We don't see him and Chel nearly enough.

Loren really liked hanging out in Rachels room. She listened to music and knowing Loren, she talked Rachel's ear off! It was great seeing her.

Look! Baby Dallas wants me. I had to hurry and snap a picture because he's so dang cute!

Loren was so excited that baby Dallas was visiting his gramma & "G-Pa". She carried him around everywhere. She loves babies, and she really loves him. She took him on a walk, played with him and swam with him. I guess she mostly held him. She didn't want to put him down. She wished we could stay a few more days to be his little mommy. Dallas loved her too.

Loren and McKennly are the team cheerleaders. They are troopers! Friday night, the games didn't get over till 11:30 pm. We just drag her along.

Lyssi had a softball tournement in St. George this weekend. She did so well! Their team took 4th place. It was so hot but Lyssi loves playing there. The ball park is really nice. I learned that they make fake dirt. St. George has red dirt and when we got there, it smelled like melted crayons. I was told it was the dirt, they made it and blew it on the fields. Who knew?!

Lyssi played 5 games on Saturday in the blazin heat! She doesn't care, she just loves playing.

Brennan has a good time coaching. He loves it because he gets to spend time with Lyss and he really loves the game. Go CHARGE!!

BEAR LAKE

We went to Bear Lake over Labor Day. Emily brought her friend Jessica and Lyssi brought her friend Sara. We went with 4 other families all of whom had trailers and we were the ones that everyone felt sorry for because we had tents. (we are still thinking that is all good) We really had a good time. One family brought a projector so we watched a movie while eating dutch oven apple cripsp. Now honestly, does it get better than this~even if we had to climb into our tent at the end of the day.

The beach was so fun. We were still somewhat clean and we had such a good time in the water and on the beach. We brought our 4wheeler, kids played in the sand, swam, floated in rafts...it was a good day!
We lazed around all day long. All of the girls, and there were a lot of them~all got along and had fun together.


I wouln't have wanted to be the one burried, but they seemed to think it was cool. Loren played in the sand building things the whole entire day. She was meant to be a beach baby!

I just had to put this of Brennan, just because he looks so dang cute!

Cold! Cold! Mornings! By now we are cold and filthy dirty but hot chocolate makes it all better! That is for the sweet little kids, as for the big girls...don't they wake up looking adorable?!





Everything was fine and dandy until Hurricane Katrina decided to pay us a visit. The rains came down and the floods came up! It was so windy and in a matter of minutes, everything in our tent was wet and because of the wind and the dirt-muddy too. We all ran for cover ! We went to share the warmth and dryness with the Soifua's. They didn't see us coming and we hit them hard!

We had a few kids from a few different families that were all in the trailer, but when it came to bed time-the Bateman's pretty much filled Soifua's trailer. It was fun. We told stories and shared most embarrassing moments (and we all know that I have a few!) We were wall to wall people and we all just snuggled right in. It was crazy fun and they will be memories that will last!