Connor with "Santa"

We're learning new things everyday as we go down the parenting path. One thing we learned this year is that it's not easy getting pic's with Santa. We found Santa at the mall, but when we got there the line was closed so Santa could take a lunch. I'm almost glad that it was closed because it was at least an hour long wait and Connor and lines don't mix. So we went looking for Santa (in a terrible storm) at a Christmas Tree yard where I had seen him the previous day with his reindeer, but again we were too late. Santa wasn't there. By this time we were all done, so to make due, Mikey is filling in as a young Santa and this is the pic that I got. I figured it was fitting as this is probably the same face that Connor would have made with the real Santa. Plus, I saved $39.95. So the lesson we learned this year is that we won't be missing Santa at Dave's party next year!

Pic's of Connor

I'm a slacker. I haven't posted for over a month, time just got away from me this year. Here's some pics of Connor that I've wanted to post. We rarely get a pic of him looking at us, so I thought this one was cute. He's just having a little McDonalds with his monkey.

This is Connor with his Christmas trike that he found before xmas. He was trying to get it into his hut with him.

First time playing in the leaves

I call this hut head. Look at his hair standing up on end. Connor loves huts. This is one we made over an outdoor play cube.

Sliding with his train. This play cube has made for hours of fun for Connor.

Mmmmm.....pie!

Connor has a monkey that he sleeps with and totes around. I thought this pic was funny, not only because his feet are hanging out of the crib but because if you look closely you can see his monkey in the crib down by his feet.

Happy Birthday to me!

Well, it's my birthday today. And maybe it's because it's my birthday that I've been thinking a lot about my friends. Some of my friends I've had for over 30 years, my god. I'm not sure how that's possible for a 27 year old but somehow it is. Anyways, I pulled out the old photo's and I just have to share some pic's. This is Angie at our apartment on one of our birthday's (hers is on the 13th of November). Happy birthday ang! I love ya! Here's Aid (Adriene) - I call this pic my angel adriene. This is one of my favorite pic's of her. Notice the angel wings I'm sure it's a Halloween costume and I'll bet she made it. I absolutely love her smile in this it totally expresses her personality! Hugs and kisses Aid!

Here's some oldies but goodies. Remember those photo booths? I remember the drug store in the Orem mall that had a black and white and a colored photo booth. The color photo's always turned out horrible. I bet I have hundreds of these photo's. In fact, just for fun Mikey and I did one with Connor today. They actually have a photo booth at Kmart. Maybe I'll post that pic later.

The 4 amigo's - Michelle, Michelle, Angie and Suzanne

Me and Ang in 6th grade

Brownie and Suzanne - Glamor girls! Brownie worked at one of those Glamore photo places. She use to do our make up when we went out. You should see how fast she can pluck eyebrows! Love ya sis!

This is me and Jeena, AKA China and I have no idea why we call her China. I think her uncle called her that. We also call her G or GG - again, I don't know why. I'm sure we were "getting ready" to go out somewhere. How funny!

Sharon, Me and Adriene striking a pose! Remind me to tell you about this night someday.

Suzanne and Me in 1985 - we had girl mullets and don't lie...I know you had one too!

This was taken at a Halloween party that I had at my house in 1984. It was a pretty big deal because it was a boy and girl party. Of the 8 girls in the photo, I'm still friends with 6 of them. I don't keep in contact with all of them like a should but I know each one would be there for me if I needed them. How cool is that? I'm so very blessed.

This is a pic of me and angie fishing in 1984. I love this one of Angie! Be honest, you had a coat like mine. I think they're back in style.

This one is of China and Lorraine (Rainy). My family moved to Spanish Fork when I was 4. Lorraine lived around the corner from me. She came to my house when we moved in and ask if there was anyone for her to play with. We've been friends ever since...so that's what....27 minus 4 = 23. Just kidding, actually 32 years! I should call her!

Thanks for all of the memories gals. Through good, bad, fat, thin, boyfriends, husbands, kids, good hair days and bad we made it and I love ya girls!

Well, that concludes this trip down memory lane. Just wait until I break out the pic's from the last decade or so..... look out Jamie, Amy, Jackie, E, Danna, Jen, Country and the rest of you!

We hate Mikey ....part two

Dave has pulled through with pic's of the infamous "RACE". Please note: Mikey is signing #1 and I'm showing my support with my #1 sign :) . Love ya Mikey! It's hard to look directly into the sun

Now you have 4 of us scheming on how to beat you Mikey. Better watch out!

We hate Mikey.... AGAIN!

No pic's for this post. You'll have to see if the Bateman's post any on their blog.

We ran another "fun run" or should I say not so fun when you lose run, on Saturday. It was a 5k at Wheeler Farm to benefit the Utah Animal Assisted Therapy Assoc. Jen put us all up to it and me, Mikey, Dave, Jamie and Country all followed along. The event was sponsored by chasing tail, so we thought there may be free beer involved and that was good enough reason to sign up. Ends up there was no free beer, but the chasing tail shirt was pretty nice so it was ok. Anyway... in true Mikey fashion he beat us all AGAIN! And he beat us with a very respectable time of 28min and 36 sec (or something like that - I'm sure Mikey will correct me if I'm even one second wrong), that's UNDER a 9 minute mile which just so happens to be Jamie and my goal! Rat bastard! You know I say that in the most loving way :). Near the end of the race Jamie said "Mikey's going to beat us again, the little bugger!". I told her that it's his hard headedness (Mikey would call it will power, but I say stubborn hard headedness.. ). He had his mind set and he would have beat us if he had a broken leg, that's just how he is. Good or bad that's just how he is. So we all agree.. we hate Mikey.

PS - is hard headedness a word or did I just make it up?

Fun places to hide

Connor is such an inquisitive kid. He likes to check out things and see how they work. He also likes to see where he can fit his body. He climbs on everything and he loves to squeeze into places. Here's a few pic's of places he's been lately, just a few. Believe me, there are many more!

Mikey picked him up and carried him around in this basket. He thought that was pretty cool.

The dump truck works, the bed dumps and Connor loves to see if he can stand in it. Oh lord, please help us make it through this stage with out any broken bones.

This is a big flower pot. He gets stuck occasionally when he has on jammies without traction on the feet.

Halloween

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. Ever since I was a kid I loved Halloween. I can't really say what I liked best about it as a kid, Maybe all the the candy, dressing up as your favorite member of Kiss (Gene Simmons), the haunted houses, and I definitely won't complain about the partys. But the best thing about it now is sharing it with Connor. I get to be a kid again. There are some benefits to being a parent. He actually liked all the scary stuff we put out and even half understood the trick or treat thing. I can't picture myself waiting in the street while he goes door to door next year, so if i'm there with him with an open pillow case i'll hope you'll understand. Mikey


Superman looking to the clouds

Cool costume isn't it. How about the red Converse sneakers
Some of our ghouls having a group hug before being put away for next season

Thanks for the party Hef

Had to add a small blog about the fun Halloween party Dan and Country threw over the weekend. They had "casino night" and it was a blast. You start out with $1,000 dollars (play money of course) and if you lose it all your out of luck. I ended up winning about $15,000 (not bad considering there we're table limits) and I wasn't even the big winner. At the end of night they had a raffle for some awesome prizes. I'm posting just a few pics as i'm sure Country will probably post quite a few. Thanks again, your great friends and great neighbors.

Dan and Country

Danna, Tad, and Kris

Andy and Michelle

Look at this crowd, quite a turn out

We didn't have a good pic of ourselves, oh well
Peace, Mikey

P.S. We think Dans a Wussy for not painting the fence orange (ha ha)

This years jackos'

Although I got the patterns off the internet I still think they turned out pretty good.

Danzig skull and Angus Young Frank

Later, Mikey

Random pic's and happenings

Shiner #3! Yes, our son has already had 3 black eyes. Maybe the division of family services is going to come knocken on my door. Poor kid. His 1st shiner was when he was just an infant, he scratched his eye and it looked like it was black and blue. Shiner number 2 came when he dropped a toy on his head at 9 months old (about a day before his Dr. appointment). And now #3, caused by running with a box and falling on said box. Grandma gave him the box, so I'm blaming her (just kidding mom). Any how, this is by far the shiniest of the shiners so far..... Connor's had a growth spurt and a lot of clothes are too small. I wanted to get a pic with him in his "dad rocks" onesie before I couldn't button it anymore. Of course, he wouldn't look at me for the pic.
Is it bad to dress your son in a Rogue Brewery hat? It was a gift from the Bateman's, so it's ok right? Here he is sporting the Rogue hat and doing one of his favorite activities, playing in the jeep. Maybe that's why we're keeping the jeep? This is his new trick. Lord knows I don't even remember the day that I could do that.
And this one is just because he looked so damn cute! Dad's not half bad either... check out the new Mikey no goatee! Yeah for me! Bless that safety mask he has to wear at work occasionally. Be it not for the mask, I'd be married to father time (you know with the beard).

Real Salt Lake (real cold!)

Mikey just finished the Real Salt Lake project. He took these pic's a few days before the first game. I'll let him post the comments on each pic, but I have to say that the stadium is very cool. It's huge! I think it seats 20,000 people and has parking for 700. Can you believe that? If you go to a game, ride trax! Mikey got some tickets comped for the first game, so we went a few weeks ago. It was actually pretty fun, especially given the fact that neither one of us know a thing about soccer. We were in a section with crazy beer drinking fans, so we felt right at home. It was so cold that night that we left just after half time. I'd like to go to another game but it's going to have to be on a warm Sunday afternoon!.