Daisy's Birthday

Daisy turned four earlier this month and wanted a Build A Bear party. We told her just school friends (and besties) and we'd go for it. Cutest party ever. The store handled the whole thing beautifully and the kids had so much fun. What a breeze for me. With Tripp out of town so much and he and I obligated the first two weekends of the month, we needed a hands off party. This able crew delivered.

The cute party guests met us at the store but not everyone was feeling up to a photo. Once the party got started, all the kids lost their shyness for the camera.
We couldn't have a party without Abbie's besty Rubes. Sometimes she's Daisy's too. She is pretty much just a sixth member of our family.
This is one of my favorite photos. Daisy's dear friend Jonah came all the way from Kingman to join the party. He calls her "His Girl" and she just adores him. After they finish grad school and missions, they both have my permission to marry. I dig that kid.
Daisy had a lot to say to our party maker "Clayton". She chatted his ear off while stuffing her bear, and pretty much any other time she got a chance. There was a lot to say that day. He was a champ and took it all in stride with a smile.
Daisy and her school friend Paige. Two of her school friends, Paige and Scarlett both had baby brothers born days before the party so grandma's were nice enough to bring them for the fun. Yippee! for Grandmas.
Another favorite...all the kids making wishes on their hearts before it gets stuffed in their bear. Look at Jonah's cute eye.
We couldn't let Aunt Sam leave the party without a Snoopy so she picked one out and got it stuffed just like the other members of the party. It pays to be the single Auntie at the party that is adored by her nieces and their mom.
They played a lot of games. Games with bears over the heads, games with bears in circles, lots and lots of fun games.
Daisy and her fully fashioned bear Snowflake.
Tripp and the girl squad. Love this photo too. Just more proof that Ruby could fit right into our family if hers didn't love her so much.

The party was fun. Daisy is four. Just as sassy as ever. She is much sassier than Abbie was at that age. She loves Chocolate Milk, coloring/crafts, animals (wants a kitten for Christmas), is picky about food but then will eat something out of the blue.Very particular about her clothes (Abbie wasn't at 4) and is more courageous than her sis. She loves to cut and glue and make things. She will come up with people blowing trumpets that she made out of paper, glue and a button. Nuts. We love her.

The Nutcracker

We took the girls to Salt Lake last weekend to see Ballet West's Nutcracker. It's a special one for me and Tripp agreed that it would be a magical first ballet for the kids to experience. We had some delays Friday getting out of town and didn't actually make it all the way to Salt Lake until Saturday but we made it in time for the matinee and had a wonderful time.

Daisy actually did come with us but was being a stinker right before the picture was taken and decided to hide behind me. After the ballet, we went on stage and the girls had their photo taken with a few of the dancers (the Sugar Plum Fairy even!), watched a magician, were each given a small nutcracker and got to see some of the lovely props...one from the original Nutcracker (the grandfather clock that they still use!). Abbie has been dancing around the house (both ours and Leslie's) ever since.

It snowed on the way down and back but not enough in SLC to stick. Abbie and Daisy were crushed...they wanted to make a snowman (and Daisy a snow bear). There was plenty in Cedar but we had to quickly move out of it Saturday morning to make it to the show in time and through it Sunday to get home. A huge disappointment. They LOVE snow. See the sad Daisy face.

And as always, staying with my Aunt Leslie was fantastic. The girls adore her and her two little doggies, Sophie and Maggie. Leslie's house is like a magic Christmas wonderland with all of her fun decorations and Abbie in particular loved walking around and chatting with me about them all. The Barbie computer is pretty great as well. They are already asking me when we get to visit her again....

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year was wonderful. Tripp was scheduled to be out of the country and thankfully (no pun intended) his trip was postponed at the first of the month so we got to have him home for the holiday. That being said, he didn't want to go anywhere or do anything (quite literally). Linds & Sam decided to stay in town as well and that's all it took to hatch our plans for the do-nothing Thanksgiving.

We called our food "Traditional" with green been casserole and sweet potatoes with marshmallows but really it was just fun to try some new things. We did the usuals, JAWS at Abbie's school (wow, Bartlett is actually Abbie's school now!) in the morning then some sort of Turkey decorating (cookies this year - see photo below of cookies Sam baked and helped kiddos decorate) then eating around dinner time. The kids played inside and outside. Tripp took a nap and hung out on the couch. Wes made rolls. Lindsay, Sam & I chatted endlessly and planned our Black Friday route. Ryan ran around like a nut and Kramer, well Kramer napped and cuddled in Aunt Sam's lap.

I am sooooo incredibly thankful for this group. The very best little sisters in the entire world. Super daughters and nephews. A cool brother in law. And the handsomest, best husband for me in the entire world. Thankful indeed.

Catching Up

It's no secret to anyone who has been around me lately...I'm struggling to be where I need to be at all times and get everything done. Basically, I'm too busy! I did it to myself...trying to keep my mind occupied to keep it off some other things going on. Well, it worked, sort of. But maybe I went a little overboard. My blog posts and POTD have definitely suffered. Good, Better, Best...definitely a New Year's Resolution for 2012.

Lunch with Miss Joy

Abbie and Ruby have been wanting to see their Preschool Teacher, Miss Joy, for a few months now so we used a day off school to get together at Cafe Rio. Miss Joy got to meet baby Posie and the girls got to snuggle and chat with their beloved teacher. So fun.

Abbie/Auntie Shopping Trip

Aunt Lindsay and Aunt Sam took Abbie on her yearly birthday shopping trip the week before the big day. She is very interested in clothes so instead of the Sunshine Mall they decided on Town Square this year where they hit H&M, The Hello Kitty Store, the play park and the pretzel stand. Every niece's dream to have two cool aunties like these.

Field Trip

Daisy's first field trip of the year was on the Nevada Southern Railway. She got to sit by her school friends and her aunt Lindsay and cousin Nate and ride a big train for the first time. It was a fun trip. The conductors were these darling old men who obviously loved their weekend job. Sadly, the weather outside was super windy so it cut short our picnic but otherwise, a fun morning.

Abbie's Birthday Party

Abbie wanted to have her party at Color Me Mine pottery store this year. It sounded like a fun party but it really limited the number of friends we allowed her to invite (in the past, she could invite pretty much anyone she wanted to). The girls (and cute Nate) colored, picked their pottery, dusted it, painted it, watched Abbie open her lovely gifts (I continue to be surprised at how generous everyone is!), broke open the pinata and had a cupcake before heading out. It really seemed like Abbie's first "big girl" party. I guess that is what happens when you turn six.



Grandma Sandy came to join Abbie's party and we celebrated her birthday as well. Dinner Saturday night at a restaurant was our treat for her then a little soy ice cream Sunday with a candle for her birthday. We even surprised her with "Happy Happy Birthday Grandma Dear"...a new one for her I think.
Abbie's Birthday

Abbie officially turned six the week of Thanksgiving. She woke up to a table of presents from her mom and dad. All American Girl gifts this year for our big girl. Her class had a big "Friendship Mix" project at school that day so bringing a treat for the class wasn't really appropriate. Instead, she brought holiday buttons for everyone. That night, her pick for dinner was Lucille's and she even tried something new...ribs. But she didn't care for them. She likes the ones at home better and was happy to just eat the corn on the cob. The night before she lost her third tooth and eating the corn felt like a treat without that pesky tooth bothering her. What a sweet, smart, lovely, kind, talented girl we have.

Halloween Activities

Our Halloween festivities began with Daisy's class party in the middle of the month. Daisy wouldn't pose for the photo...rats. Nothing like a temperamental 3 yr. old beautiful fairy princess.

Later that week we headed for our annual trip to the Vegas style pumpkin patch. Totally cheesy but the kids always enjoy our hour in the hot sun. The girl who normally sets up the group trip for us moved over the summer so Lindsay was kind enough to step up and stalk the patch to make our arrangements as soon as they opened. Amazing that this cheesy patch is booked solid.


That afternoon it was the annual Bartlett Harvest Festival. We've been a ton of times but this was the first time Abbie was a student. She was pretty excited. I got stuck running the dunk tank pretty much the entire time so you see the only picture I snapped while there. I hear there is another one floating around of me on Facebook at the dunk tank (big surprise) and I think there is one of Abbie floating around as well actually doing something fun. Volunteering for Kyle never was quite was muddy or wet.
The next week we had our ward Trunk or Treat. I blew it on the photos but got this one of the girls before we left the house. Our dear friends the Fairbanks drove in from Arizona and we didn't really even get to chat with them in the mess of the event. We did stand in line with Jonah a few times, which was an enormous treat. That would be the last time we saw the Beautiful Fairy Princess crown...Daisy lost it that very night.
The next morning Abbie and I woke up with the stomach flu. Abbie got over it pretty quickly but was tired most of the day and didn't want to eat and just slept. I, however, was on my death bed. I've never had such horrific stomach flu. I am still feeling the lingering effects. My sister and her husband and kids had a form of it the week before, along with my dad. We had it, then my baby sister Sam got it after me while in Oregon. It was seriously an awful trick and definitely not a treat. I'm still tired out and my bones and muscles continue to ache...

Next up...a real pumpkin patch in Utah with the Butler Family. After being stuck inside for a number of days I thought it might do us some good to make this small road trip. It definitely put our lame patches to shame.


This was the corn maze. The one we got completely lost in. Rich was so irritated and wanted out right away (which you really can't do in a corn maze). I thought it was pretty funny. It probably wasn't but with us, the kids and baby Posie, I couldn't help but laugh. I think we went round and round in one corner for 45 minutes and never made it into the greater part of the maze.
Saturday night Abbie's soccer coach and her family threw the most elaborate Halloween party for the team. So amazing. Game after game and craft after craft then food and drinks and the decorations were fantastic. We all came dressed up but their family's costumes were just marvelous. So fun for the kids. I'm so impressed and thankful Abbie is enjoying her team and her coach.

At Monday's Halloween party in Abbie's class we planned fun games and center's for the day. There was even a small parade for the morning kids around the first grade classrooms as the big school parade is held in the afternoon. The ended the day with treats.



That evening Lindsay invited a bunch of families over for dinner and trick or treating. We all contributed soups or food of some kind but Lindsay (with it sounds like Sam's help) really put it all together. Can't help but be thankful for a sister(s) like her(them). Anyway, Abbie and Daisy had a great time going out to get their treats with their friends. Even little elephant Ryan waddled around with the big kids going from house to house.

My favorite quote from the entire night was from Abbie who came outside to Tripp and Papa and said something like, "No one in their know's I exist. I'm getting squished in there, like a banana. I'm a banana and I don't exist!" She walked around for the next 20 minutes (or stomped around) telling people she felt like a banana who didn't exist.
As usual, we let the girls keep a small bag of candy and leave the rest for The Great Pumpkin who left them Barbies. They were pretty excited and so am I. No more Halloween candy...yippee!!!!!

A Thompson Baptism

Last weekend we were fortunate enough to be invited to and attend this darling boy's baptism. Tyler, our 8 year old nephew, was baptized by his dad, Scott, on Saturday in Salt Lake City. What a fun day. He was all smiles and we had the best time sharing the day with both him and his family. His little brother Brigham is in the photo with the girls and that guy is something. Tripp and I couldn't get enough of him...or his five other brothers for that matter. We miss those dudes.
This is the entire family crowd. Lori has a lot of cousins that live in the area and it was fun to meet and chat with them. A few even drove in from Santa Barbara! But the girls had the best time with their cousins. Especially Will. He is two years younger than Kyle and such a great kid. The girls are missing Kyle so much that Daisy would just seek Will out and open her arms and Will just knew that meant she wanted a hug so he would open his arms up wide and pick her up and hug her (who knows how many times). What a good seed. Tyler hugged her a bunch too. I just love those kids. Such a handsome group...and Lori and Scott aren't too shabby either!

Scott and Lori live right near where my dad grew up. The Stake Center it was held in was the building my dad went to (I think). I remember the old pipe organ. Anyway, Tripp was nice enough to drive me by my grandparent's old house. It's not there anymore....a lot of houses in that area have been torn down and new ones built in their places but I walked down to the old creek behind the house and thought about the best Grandpa in the world and having fun with my cousins on the back lawn. It was nice. (Don't worry, I knocked on the door of the house and asked the owner if he minded if I trespassed....I'm certainly not the first, or last, Marz to have done so).
Next stop, lunch at the Red Iguana with Leslie and Will. It's becoming a regular stop for us. Just can't get enough of that mole. The girls were sad that Ashlie moved out of Leslie's house and we wouldn't see her while we stayed there but Will was a nice substitute.

After lunch I let Tripp take a rest and I drove the girls out to Gardner Village to see the Witches. We didn't have much time but it was a lot of fun and the fresh cool air was grand.


That evening we were invited to Tyler and Jackson's birthday party at a gym. I tried to take photos but it was gymnastics chaos. The girls had a blast though. Afterwards, we had tacos (courtesy of Lori's sweet mom) at their house. Yum! We hung out for awhile and checked out their rad garden and chickens. It was so fun to see them...can't wait for the next time.

The next morning, we slept in a little (Leslie included) and packed and had a little breakfast and the girls got their last chance to love Maggie & Sophie before we hit the road. Daisy, in particular, LOVES Leslie's dogs. They are just her size. I keep reminding her that we actually have a dog of our own but she likes these dogs and actually cries for them at home. Luckily, they seem to like her too so it has worked out alright so far. Leslie is sweet and patient with them (the girls) and lets them love her dogs to pieces. I love her to pieces.

Pies, Pies Anyone

That's right, she's back. This is our little sales lady, Abbie. She sold enough Entertainment books to earn herself this fabulous blow up chair(among other things)...the only one in the Kindergarten class. Now she's back, helping the teachers sell pies. They are trying to earn money for classrooms I believe and as she told me today, "I'll do anything for the school." So she made her list (really, she made the list on her own so if you got her call or are about to get it she put your name on it herself) and began preparing herself on the new sales materials.

She only has three days to sell them so thankfully, we won't be at this for two weeks. But she is determined to win her class the ice cream or pie party promised for most pies sold. Watch out Bartlett, Kyle's little sister may blow his sales records to the moon and without step(mom)s help this time (thank goodness).