A Pleasant Surprise

Last night when I went to turn off the computer this is what I found...

10 Reasons Why I
Love My MOM

1. She makes delicious food when she has a good recipe, and sometimes can just throw things together without one.

2. She takes me where I want to go (if Dad’s home) like Walmart or the library or something.

3. She lets me buy whatever clothes I want (mostly because I don’t want many clothes)

4. She takes time to read with me, or look at something that I think is interesting.

5. She takes us to the lunch park

6. She pays me money when I babysit.

7. When I need her, she’s always there.

8. She always apologizes when she does something wrong.

9. She really loves my Dad

10. She shows her love for me

I love You Mom!

Jacob is a Bobcat!

Jacob loves scouting. He was excited to receive his Bobcat at the first pack meeting and is now excited to move on to the "fun stuff." All the boring memorization of laws and promises, etc. was starting to wear on his patience. He has some great leaders who plan such fun activities like a day hike, bike rodeo and campfire skits like "Hi, my name is Joe and I work in a button factory...." He got our whole family doing it on our last rode trip and it made the car ride a lot smoother.
I was really glad when he came home and showed me his new marbles that he learned how to play several games with at scouts. He's decided now that he's going to start a marble collection to display rather than the crushed pop can collection that he had been considering before he went:0) I'm so happy-Marbles are so much more "mother friendly." They're not sticky, slimy or messy- and they're small. I like small collections!
It was fun for me to help him prepare a spaghetti dinner for the family although I was a bit worried when I taught him how to make jello that I'd start discovering jello concoctions in the fridge on a daily basis - Jacob loves jello.

Alyssa - 6 weeks

Alyssa just started smiling- although I have yet to capture a really big one on camera. She is such a sweet baby. She has quite a few nicknames at our house. I call her "Sweet Lyssa", Rebecca calls her "Lyssa-Boo", Jacob calls her "Hubby-Wubby" and Daniel calls her "Little Tom Tom." I don't know how the boys chose their names for her... maybe Dan still has a lingering hope that he'll get another brother. I think he'll have to wait for Rebecca to get married for that to happen:).

Pioneer Day Reunion

For Pioneer Day we headed down to Utah for our Neal Family Reunion. The family has been scattered across the country so it was great to see everyone together again. I took some snapshots before Courtney came to do a professional job at taking our family pics. I can't wait to see them!

Jared... looking just as handsome as when I married him. That's what early morning basketball can do for you:0)







After a few hours of waiting for everyone to arrive for the group family pictures... the kids couldn't hold back any longer. They went wading in the pond in what we later discovered was contaminated water. Later Jared took them to the real pool while rested at my sister Kara's.
To finish the evening we went to the carnival in Spanish Fork. This was most of the kids first experience with amusement park rides. Emily (our daredevil) was pretty disappointed that she couldn't go on the "big" rides. Daniel was big enough but didn't dare. And after Jacob experienced the swings he decided he wanted to return to the "mild" rides on the other side of the park. I've always loved "losing my stomach" but I think I'll have to wait a few years before my kids can join me on the rides at Lagoon:)




Looks like Jacob was not so happy to be on the kid's roller coaster at first...
But he was happy by the end.

Josh and Paul joined me on a "big" ride.

Emily the "Tomboy"

I remember dressing up my little brother Jon in dresses but I've never seen something quite like this.




Jacob wanted to help Emily become a tomboy one day so he helped her dress up in these clothes. I thought she was trying to dress up as a gangster:)

Homemade Band

One evening Jared and I went on a short walk with the baby and came home to discover that Rebecca had rallied the kids together to sing and march around the house. I love it when they all play together so creatively.

So blurry... but I love how this picture captures the action!

Family Pictures

Too many cameras+Too little sleep=Sleep Deprived Pictures of Me:)

Jon came all the way from North Carolina!

After attending church to hear my dad give an inspiring talk we all gathered for family pictures in my parent's backyard.