Halloween

For Halloween this year Alexis decided she wanted to be a kitty and Ariana wanted to be a princess. Alexis has been pretending to be a kitty for several weeks now so actually dressing up as one was very exciting for her. Grandma Gayle came down for a visit the day of trunk-or-treat and it was lots of fun having her visit. My girls love their Grandma so much. Yes I did dress up, I couldn't let my brides maid dress only be worn once so I became a Halloween princess too : )

I know it is hard to see in this picture but isn't Justin soo cute in Ariana's crown!?!

Wedding number 1

This weekend was George and Catrina's big days. I say days because when will George ever do anything normal? George had two jobs to take care of for his wedding. Find a bishop to preform the ceremony and make hotel reservations. He was totally on top of one and completely dropped the ball on the other. Can you guess which one he did take care of? ; ) If you can't than the rest of the story will fill you in. George and Catrina both had really hoped my Dad could preform the ceremony but since he is not an acting bishop he couldn't. Well they needed to be married legally and since George didn't find an acting bishop he came up with a plan B. So here is plan B:
*Friday night after the family dinner go to a local wedding chapel in Reno and get the legal part done
*Don't tell anyone except for the parents and siblings
*Saturday Dad preforms the ceremony that they consider real
It was hilarious!! After dinner Friday night Catrina's Mom, Mike, Catrina's brother, my Mom and Dad, Justin and I all head out with Catrina and George to the wedding chapel. A very strange man preforms a the legal ceremony that none of us can stop laughing through. He was seriously telling old Native American stories and trying to be so serious and the rest of us just couldn't stop laughing. I'm sure the chapel all thought we were nuts.












You may kiss the bride!

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick









Umm need I say more?

Pennies by the Inch

Lately Alexis has been asking how she can earn money and is always hunting for coins. We weren't sure why she all of a sudden became so concerned about having money but offered her little chores to do so she could earn some money. Tuesday night I actually took the time to talk to Alexis while she was cleaning her room and asked her what it was she wanted the money for. I was surprised by her answer:"I need money to help the kids at the hospital feel better Mom." I understood what was going on then. Our primary is helping raise money for the primary children's hospital and Alexis wanted to help. I was impressed that this sweet little girl cared so much for others and that she didn't want the money for herself or a new toy so we talked about ways that I could help her earn more. We came up with the idea that we could make some cupcakes and cookies to sell around the neighborhood. After dinner we went to the store and Alexis picked out two cake mixes (rainbow and "pink"), two frostings (vanilla and chocolate) and the suff we need for chocolate chip cookies. That night she helped me bake all the cupcakes and the next day she helped decorate them and bake the cookies. Alexis set the prices herself for the cupcakes and cookies: "I want 1 quarter for a cupcake and five dimes for a bag of cookies!" With that we set out around the neighborhood with our treats in the back of our wagon. I was once again shocked by our neighbors kindness and genorosity. I thought she would make around $15 but when we got home and all our goodies were gone she had earned $49! She is so happy that she was able to earn money for the "sick kids at the hospital" and I am greatful to her for reminding me that it is good to remember and help others. I let Alexis and Ariana keep a cupcake and cookie to eat but Alexis was much happier with how she was going to help than by the yummy food she got to eat. Joy does come more from helping others than ourself.

One more night with brownies!

Tomorrow our new biggest loser competition begins and I have been enjoying myself this weekend. Its been a little over a month since my last competition ended and I have not been doing weight watchers. Getting "back on the wagon" (or horse) has not been so fun to think about. This weekend though I've had a great time : ) Saturday night I went out with Becky Bunting and Elizabeth Dover. We first went to the adult session of stake conference to find out the new ward boundaries (I already miss seing all you guys in the new Laurel Hills ward) and afterwards we went out to Red Robin and piged out on their YUMMY stake fries. We had the waiter bring us all different kinds of dip and just had a great time talking and LAUGHING until it hurt! If the fries weren't enough I decided I needed to make that last box of brownies in the pantry today so I wouldn't be tempted during the competion. The girls and I had a great time and if you need proof just look at Ariana! Yes brownies are delicious and I love to eat the batter too even though you aren't suppose to.

Ariana's Frist day of Dance

Ariana loves to dance. Last year when Alexis would go to dance class Ariana wanted to dance so bad to that I finally borowed a pair of tiny tap shoes for her to wear while we watched Alexis. To be in Miss Lori's dance class (I LOVE Miss Lori!) at the Whitney Ranch Rec Center you are suppose to be 3. I know Lori has made exceptions before so I thought I might let Ariana start in January. By the time the session starts Ariana would turn 3 about 6 weeks after. Well dance started for Alexis on Friday and it was like Ariana was being tortured to not be in the room dancing too. Miss Lori's classes didn't fill up for the fall because of a registration problem with the rec center and she being the kind woman she is offered to let Ariana come try out her 3 year old class the next week. If she did good I could enroll her now! I was so excited and she was too but at the same time I was worried that she wouldn't listen or dance once she was in class. Well dance is over and she did GREAT! She listened to Miss Lori and even tried doing all the dance steps. I'm really proud of her and that for being so little (she's only 2 1/2) she listened and tried so hard. Thanks Miss Lori for letting Ariana start dancing she loves it!!

George and Catrina's Visit

My brother, George, and his girlfriend now fiance, Catrina, came to visit this past weekend. For a while now I have been trying to plan with George how was going to propose and he decided that he was going to do it while he was here in Vegas. Thanks to my previous post asking for suggestions George thought it would be perfect and unique to propose with Catrina standing in both Nevada and Arizona over the state line on Hoover Dam, so they could say they got engage in two states at the same time. Thursday night I drove out to Hoover Dam to "check out the scene" for George. I've never been out there before so that was neat even though I ended up not turning around in one of the look outs and had to drive for awhile in Arizona.

Catrina standing in Arizona and Nevada

Aren't they soo cute and happy?

We had a great time together this weekend and I think Catrina will fit well into our family. While they were here we had a pizza night that during the middle of it George got to talk to my parents and tell them that he was engaged and getting married October 25. He was very nervous and stressed about what they would say but it all ended up ok.

George on the phone with my parents

Our pizza party while George got to talk on the phone : )

Alexis had fun taking some pictures too!

***ANNOCEMENTS***

Its said by some that bad things come in three well I think good things come in three too right now. I have three exciting announcements:

1) My brother is getting married!! I got to meet his totally cute girlfriend, Catrina, this weekend that now gets to be my new sister-in-law Oct 25. Thanks to everyone who helped with ideas for how George could propose. He decided that proposing in two states was really cool so thanks Karen for the suggestion. As soon as they send me the picture I will post it with this announcement this is a picture of the ring set though.

2) Ariana is wearing panties!! HORRAY!!!!! Potty training this time has been SO EASY. She is still getting the hang of pooping in the potty but she holds it really well and normally waits until she is in a pull up or diaper which means she can wear panties without me having to worry to much about a big mess. I'm so proud of you Ariana!!! Also fun news for Ariana is Miss Lori (our dance teacher) said that Ariana can start dance this week even though she is only 2 1/2 and you are suppose to be 3 to start. What a great reward for being a big girl.

READY FOR THE LAST ONE?
3) We are starting a new biggest losser contest!! My friend Jenny has decided to organize another round of motivating weight loss. Anyone is welcome to join. It starts Monday September 22 and to get in is $20. You can loose weight how ever you like, you weigh in on your own scale each Monday and the person with the biggest percentage of weight loss at the end of the competition wins all the money. Even though I lost the competition during the summer it was the best $20 I've ever spent on getting healthy. If you didn't see my post on the results from the summer I lost 9.14% last time! I think I might start a blog for anyone to publish on for support who would like to join. Just let me know if you are in. I totally am especially since Catrina (my brother's finace) asked me to be a bride's maid in the wedding in 6 weeks.