I'm so sad... I want to scream, cry, and turn back time all at once : (

It was an honest mistake but I'm having a hard time not lashing out. I realised today that Saturday Justin accidentally deleted ALL of the pictures and videos on my camera! I've lost everything from right after school started in August-last Saturday (Dec. 12). Seriously, so much lost and since I haven't been blogging like I should for the past few months I can't even find relief in my blog. The ones I am the most sad about are Halloween. My girls were both so cute and we had some fun family pics (we hardly ever have pics of all of us and now they are gone!!)

For Halloween Alexis was Princess Leia (she loves Star Wars, especially the old movies) and Ariana was a Giraffe (her favorite animal that she is OBSESSED with). I can't believe they are gone... I LOVED those pictures and movies and I think it was because they defined where my girls personalities are right now so well. (Halloween normally isn't like that but this year it just was).

On a sad note but not as sad as my personal photos I also lost ALL of my preschool photos from this year in preschool (and twilight, and Thanksgiving and decorating the Christmas tree). Ok I need to stop because now I am crying....

Ok I'm back:

So here is my plea, if you have any pictures of our family from September-December 12 can you please, Please, PLEASE email/send them to me?

Thanksgiving Memories

We went to Utah for Thanksgiving. My sister-in-law Kimberly had to work on Thursday so we called Friday Thanksgiving. So Thanksgiving Friday we had TOTALLY fun day. We played speed basketball, tackle football and most exciting Alexis learned how to ride a bike without training wheels!

My sister-in-law Kelly was telling me Friday morning about some good black Friday bike deals at Wal-Mart and that got us talking about how Alexis needs a new bike because she can ride her scooter faster than she can our little bike and she is a little embarrassed by her training wheels. Kelly mentioned that when they are ready they just "get it" referring to ridding without training wheels. We went out and decided to see if she would even ride on a bigger bike. I held the back and she took off. It only took me a minute to realise I could let go of the bike because Alexis was balancing the bike all on her own!! Yippee no more training wheels!! Congratulations Alexis! She rode her cousin Ryan's bike the rest of the trip and when ever she was on it had this HUGE grin on her face. Now she is begging for a new bike... maybe Santa can find one ; )

This is me trying to keep up with her and (notice Justin is just in his socks! ; ) )

The boys had fun doing silly stunts and of course pictures had to be taken.

Pain!

Last Monday I woke up and my left arm was hurting. I have no idea what I did while I was asleep and I assumed it would just stop hurting once I got moving. WRONG!! It just got worse and I ended up having to wake Justin up and ask him to please rub my shoulder (I'm sooo sorry honey!) I could barely move. I tried once and ended up like this. Justin couldn't help laughing and took my picture while stating "I know this isn't funny to you now, but I promise it will be funny later." Ya I didn't think it was so funny then that he was taking my picture but going through pics now a week later, yes he was right it is kind of funny.

Justin Turned 30!

Friday October 16, 2009 Justin Richard Ashby turned 30. The girls made fun posters for the front door and while Alexis was at school Ariana and I decorated the house with lots of balloons. The girls also made two books for him. We bought a baseball cake from Costco and invited a few friends over to share and help blow out all those candles.

Turning 30 has made Justin feel a little funny but we did have a fabulous day. We've been working really hard towards paying off his car so we decided for his birthday to pay the remaining balance as his "present". This is Justin getting ready to pay off the car:

YIPPY, now both cars a totally paid for!!

Justin also has never taken our girls to the movies and thought they might like Where the Wild Things Are that was being released on his birthday. We borrowed the book from the Scotts and the girls loved it!! (we had to read it three times the first night we read it) We ended up at a Matinee showing on Friday. Justin wanted to buy popcorn and drinks (something we never do and I know why WOW $17 for a large popcorn and 2 drinks) I couldn't even focus on the movie at first because I was trying not to hyperventilate about the expensive popcorn... don't spill ANY of IT!! The girls had fun going to the theatre and loved the popcorn and drinks. The movie was decent, the girls liked it and they loved sharing Daddy's lap.

After the movie the girls each took their favorite item out to the car. Alexis wanted the popcorn bucket and Ariana had way to much fun waving her massive straw around. Alexis had way cuter pictures with her bucket but she insisted on me taking a picture of "shoving popcorn in my mouth" so I had to include her request.

Happy Birthday Justin. Don't worry I don't think 30 will be too bad. Your birthday was a fabulous first day and I truly hope the rest of your year will be too. I think back to where we were a year ago and the difference between the two years is black and white. I'm so grateful that we had such a great day for you! Happy Birthday! : )

I've never felt so loved during a temper tantrum before

Today I played the organ at church and while I played the prelude music I let my girls color. Its a lot better than them climbing and running through all the choir chairs. Once the meeting started I ask them to pick up and sit down. Normally this goes just fine with occasional whispered warnings while I am trying to play the opening hymn but today, well we had quite the different adventure. Ariana and Alexis started fighting over which crayons to put away and Ariana with all of her three year stubbornness was not happy with how many she got to pick up (these were cool triangle shaped crayons that they can't get enough off) So as I am playing the opening song there is screaming, there is yelling, Ariana was stepping on the foot pedals of the organ and making them play while she yelled about the crayons. And of course to make it all better she was yelling right in the bishop and 2'nd counselor's ear! I always bring a snack that they can have after sacrament is passed if they are reverent and so I whispered to Ariana that she wasn't earning her snack. Ok, wrong thing to say to an already past upset three year old. This just escalated the screaming and turning it into rolling around on the floor. Un-noticed by me, Reina Gammett came up and got Alexis to come sit with her but Ariana wouldn't have it. The song finally ended and prayer began and I was RUNNING Ariana out of the church as she was screaming "I DON'T WANT A TIME OUT!" So how did I feel so loved? As I ran out I was followed by at least 5 people trying to help. They all knew I needed to play again in a few minutes and that I was by myself with my girls and realised that I needed help. One thing that touched me was it wasn't just women who came to my aide it there was also a young women and Ariana's nursery teacher who is a man. I know EVERYONE in the room had to have heard our exit but no one had to come help but they did and it wasn't just one it was many. I feel so blessed to have people who care enough to try and help when I need it most. Its hard to ask for help sometimes but it is touching when other's reach out and just offer it. That situation could have left me very frustrated, crying and wondering why I even try. Instead I walked back in loved, appreciating the wonderful people around me and feeling the spirit. Thank you...

Ariana's counting method

On our very long trip home from Utah this summer I taught Alexis how to identify the numbers 1-100 by using the mile markers on the road. It worked quite well and Ariana enjoyed it too. Over the past couple months we've tried to keep up the number recognition and one day I asked Alexis what a 4 and a 5 was. Ariana instantly yelled out "four-d-five". I was amazed, had my little three year old really caught on how to recognize numbers by just listening in on my lessons with Alexis? I had to check so I started asking Ariana about other numbers and came to find out she has a new counting system. Ready for it? See if you can find the patteren : )

number/Ariana's name for it

45/ four-d-five

69/ six-d-nine

33/ three-d-three

25/ two-d-five

15/ one-d-five (this, by the way, is the one she tells me about all the time because she see's it on the speed limit signs on the way to school and no matter how many times I tell her it is fifteen she laughs and says one-d-five again and again.)

Funny Moments From August and September

FuNnY CaMpINg AuGUst 1-8, 2009

umm...yes dirt is an acceptable trade off for sand when building castle

We had lots of fun activities to do while camping. Once I told the girls something we were going to go do and Ariana got extremly excited and yelled "!vamanos!" and ran out of the tent. (I guess they are picking up some spanish.)

Ariana and Alexis were playing house and had two very funny conversations:

1)Ariana was the daddy and Alexis the Mommy. They decided that they were going to have a baby and had a whole debate on whether they should have the baby first or get married first. They decided to have the baby first...

2) Its dinner time in play house land:

Ariana in as deep as voice as she can make:"I'm the daddy. Its time for dinner. I don't know how to make the dinner."

fUnNy WEdDinG rEcePtioN August 14, 2009

My sister-in-law Kara got married on August 14. Her reception was beautiful in her oldest sisters back yard. At the very end of the reception Alexis, her cousins Taylor and Derek and her Uncle Devin all decided to make the party a "splash" Devin REALLY made an "electric" moment when he did a flip in and his legs got caught on one of the strands or lights set up as a canopy above the pool and sent the lights into the pool and slightly shocking himself.

FUnNY ArT September 12

We are participating in a group that does "pizza parties" Its the best baby sitting exchange group. Our kids love it and when its your turn to host you take everyone else kids, provide pizza, a craft, movie and pop corn. Well last week the craft was decorating paper bags and this is what Ariana accidentally did to her bag. SOO FUNNY! When we picked the girls up Ariana was asleep and we were assured that it was not done on purpose. The next day Ariana told me about her bag and said, "I wanted a P sticker and two O's and then I wanted another P." And than laughing,"Mommy I spelled poop!"

FuNny GIrlS BeING GiRls September 17 (well and for the last week)

When ever one of the girls has to go potty the other one out "I need to go too" and runs to the same bathroom. Wow, yes going to the bath room in groups is something born into us (I guess) : )