Halloween Recap

We had a great, easy Halloween. Noelle had decided early on in October that she would be a black widow spider. Boo and I started discussing how we would go about making a spider costume that was really cool without being too expensive. We also looked at spider costumes online and decided they were to cheesy. Then a miracle happened. Like any other three year old, Noelle changed her mind. She was now going to be Cinderella and a spider. After many attempts at explaining that you can only be one or the other she decided on Cinderella with tap shoes. (curses on those tap shoes). I nixed the tap shoes for trick-or-treating, however for the school costume day she insisted. I figured why not let someone else suffer those tap shoes for a couple hours.

We started our Halloween week celebrations with some classic sugar cookies. I learned not to mess with a good thing. I altered the cookie recipe and was sorely disappointed. But as you can see, Noelle and her friend didn't mind.

Noelle's friend showed up ready to get her cookie on. She also brought an apron for Noelle.

Cinderella getting ready for school.

Watch out Miss America, Noelle's been practicing her wave.

This is the Riff-Raff. Captain America is my favorite and the giant fairy wings that nearly took out an eye.

This is the best picture for featuring the tap shoes and the static cling of Noelle's dress. She's going to need therapy for this picture.

This is Noelle's friend Dyllan L. She can't say his name without also saying his last name. Its pretty funny. She always tells me about him when I pick her up.

Halloween Night! Cinderella and a purple dragon.

Noelle was afraid of this house and she thought it had a stinky smell. (fog)

Viva Las Vegas

We took a weekend trip to Las Vegas so that we could cheer on the Utes at the Utah vs. UNLV football game. Thanks to our good friends the Stringhams we had a weekend filled with golf, a tiny bit of shopping, beading, swimming and a three day playdate for Noelle and Trey. The babies did great at the game, all things considered.

TRADITION! Cookies at the condo are one of the traditions we have. Yum!

Noelle playing hopscotch in her PJs.

Swimming

Check out the Riff-Raff

Noelle and Sydney sporting their "Go Utes" sweaters.

Thanks to Grandma Nay for making them so they would have matching.

Sydney's sweater was a group effort. :) Ask me why I ever even try knitting anything.

No Shame

I've entered Noelle into a photo contest. Its not even the first time I've done it and I don't feel bad either. She's cute and our last entry was a success coming in at second place. In this contest I'll take top 20.

If you're willing to go through the trouble of creating a log in for yourself we'd love any and all to participate in the voting. You can vote daily. I can think of at least five people that will join me on this daily quest. Thanks to all five of you even if we don't win.

Click here to go to the voting page

Baby Girl ID: 102066115

By the way, I think these pictures are pretty awesome, even if they didn't make the cut! Also not bad for setting up a sheet in the corner of my bedroom so I could have good afternoon light. Hobo home studio.

Also, as if Noelle's pictures weren't enough, look at her sister. This girl melts my heart.

FHE

I guess the time has come to officially start, or at least try to have Family Home Evenings. We've done small things and called it such, but last night we really gathered together and talked about good things and tried to keep it simple for Noelle. Boo even had a game that was simple enough for her to play. All in all, it was a disaster. She was terrible. Running around the house, literally rolling around on the floor and throwing pillows at her sister. Boo and I kept looking at each other with a very clear understanding of expressions. "We're doomed." I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry. I think I did a little of both, seriously. Our whole experience may have lasted all of ten minutes. We both kept thinking about Elder Bednar's talk in conference about how FHE went in their house. We even laughed a little.
The only saving grace was that this morning, while in the shower Noelle asked me if I remembered that we had FHE last night. It opened up a little discussion about it, she thought it was fun, couldn't remember anything we had tried to teach her, but knew it was FHE. So here's to hoping that next week we have a little less running around and flailing limbs and that she learns something.

UPDATE: Noelle has been asking to play family home evening. I told her we will do it again on Monday. She doesn't know when Monday will come, but boy oh boy is she ever excited.

Summer's End

We bid a fond farewell to the summer in New England by visiting its shores, our family, our friends and the places that we love so much. We even felt cold at times. It was delightful.

Noelle at Scarborough Beach, ME - She was the only brave one to go in the water from our group. It was frigid.
Ian enjoyed the delicious desserts at the Pop Over Cafe in Portsmouth, NH.

We found a cute yarn shop, which I bought red yummy yarn for a sweater for Sydney. Turned out cute. Maybe I'll post it sometime. Noelle couldn't make a normal smiling face to save her life.

We built "temples" with blocks at Great Grammy's house. Noelle was just aching to knock it down, which she did after we took the picture.

Noelle and Boo at the Clam Shack near Two Lights State Park, ME.

Stone Chairs with the whole family.

Noelle on the stone chair. Can't remember the name of this lighthouse, but its now privately owned.

Ferry boat ride through Casco Bay, ME. We stopped at a few of the islands, saw some wild life and then had a delightful seafood lunch afterwards.

Sydney Smiles! Sebago Lake, ME

Noelle and Cousin Andrea floating in the tube at Sebago Lake, ME

She was so happy to be outside for ten days straight.

Sydney in her new sun hat, ala $.50!

Family Fun Day/ BBQ.

Boo and some law school friends. We went to Boston for our good friends' wedding and got to see people from the past. They couldn't believe we had two kids. My how time flies.

Boo and Rach at the wedding.

Thanks D for the scarf. It saved my life.

Noelle, Sydney & Lauren. These girls were loving "baby sister" - I'm not sure

she could say the same about them. Also, once again Noelle couldn't just smile, she had to flex her huge muscles instead.

Noelle Update

So to be equal opportunity here I must post updates for both girls so that they don't need as much counseling when they're older.

Noelle started preschool. She likes it. She won't tell me what they do there or what they talk about, but she's happy to go and is happy when I pick her up. She's very excited to be going on a trip in a few days to see her Great Grammy and Great Papa, and her regular Grammy and Papa will be there with us too. She's been very full of funny stories lately and one of them has to do with a monkey that poops either on a glass slipper or on Uncle Daniel, just depends on the day.

On this particular day she came in and told me she was going to be a "gymmastic." I corrected her and said, "A gymnast?" She said, "No Mom, a gymmastic." She then asked if I'd take her picture and told me she would smile "like this." And she did.

Notice that her leotard is inside out and backwards.
Here she's playing in the water fountains at the water tower in downtown Gilbert. Its a new favorite spot that has great food and people like to walk around and hang out. Noelle was very concerned that she didn't have her swim suit. We told her it was fine to just play in her clothes and that we would take them off before we got in the car. It took her a minute to realize we were serious.

Sharing her special pink silky blanket with Sydney.

Playing dress ups with some of the new bling from Aunt Kati.

Sydney Update

The only update is that she's still pretty cute, oh and she's starting to smile, but I couldn't capture it on camera because I'm too slow and I can't make funny faces and talk like a moron and take pictures all at the same time. Sorry I'm just not that cool.

A half smile - she and I look very similar as babies and if I ever get my scanner to work again I'll show you the proof.

A favorite dress; my favorite because its cute, Boo's favorite because its not pink.

And then there was Boo...

This is Boo as his dad reincarnate.

Artwork

My sister came up to me and said "Do you want to see the art work that Noelle did on our tile?" My first reaction, which she could see on my face was, Oh no, what kind of pen or marker did she get a hold of and what kind of damage could it have caused? I didn't think this because she causes lots of damage at home, its just that Uncle Vic wouldn't be too happy to find something like that on his tile. However, Auntie assured me it wasn't anything bad.

The feet always make me laugh when I see this picture.

She said she found the art work after she had been in her bathroom blow drying her

hair. When she asked Noelle who it was a picture of she said, "Its you Auntie."

New Do

I've been thinking about getting a new hair-do. I acutally have an appointment for Friday. Let me know which look you think is best. I'll let you know which Noelle vetoed.

VETOED!

Looks like my grandma.

This picture looks just like some of my LeFevre cousins.

Classic

Today while snacking on popcorn in the Target cafeteria there was a strange man sitting eating popcorn and having a soda with his sunglasses on and a serious accessory issue. His toupee was hideously obvious. Besides that, he was creeping me out because he was staring at someone. I couldn't tell if it was one of the checkers or just the women shopping at the Target. Needless to say he wasn't interested in me and my motherly ways.

Note to Boo: You will never have a toupee, no matter how bald and how big your head gets, it just won't happen.

Sydney - 5 Weeks

Don't you just want to eat her up?

Utah '09

This summer's trip was no different from summers of our past. We filled it with friends and family, lots of food, and of course a few really good laughs. Thank to you all for taking time to visit with us. And for those we didn't get to see, maybe next time.

Noelle loved being able to be outside without melting or getting extremely dusty. I hope her outdoor time will tide her over until the Arizona summer comes to an end.

Noelle and Gracie at the fire pit.
Cousin Tanner & Noelle enjoying some sun.

Thanks Carmen for driving down from ID to see us.

All of the Roos' minus the parents.

Cousin Cassie and Sydney at Aunt Emma's wedding. They hated their tutus if you can't tell.

Noelle and Sydney

Boo's girls

Boo Berry & Billy Boy

Noelle was a rock-star all day during the wedding festivities. She was even able to be happy after falling out of the photo booth. Emma and John had a photo booth at their reception (pretty much the coolest thing I've ever seen at a wedding), Noelle and I were getting ready to have our pictures taken together when she climbed in and sat back ready to go. However, the back of the booth just had a curtain and she rolled right out. Poor thing.

Actually she was a rock-star for almost the whole trip. We might actually survive each other.

Auntie and Sydney

Community Bath Time

Sometimes things go betther than other times.

Sydney and Noelle Survive Week One

It really hasn't been so bad.

She's a great sleeper.

Very mellow, mild mannered.

Can endure hugs and snuggles from Noelle, who really likes to hold her, rub her head, and pick off any dry skin. Noelle even says we can keep her.

Steadfast

Neither parent nor child was willing to give in, until she fell asleep at the table.

We don't usually have problems getting Noelle to eat her dinner, however with all the changes a girl can handle she's been pushing the dinner time envelope.

Sacrifice

Noelle has a few favorite things in this world. Two of them would be her white and pink silky blankets that she's been attached to since her beginning. However, since Sydney's arrival she's been ever so kind to share her things, on her own terms.

This picture wouldn't rotate right, but I think you can see that both silky blankets are there.

No we didn't stage this. Noelle decided that she needed a Barbie to play with and chose Cinderella. Needless to say the poor girl had glitter all over her legs from the dress.

Our Own DIY Project

This is our old table...

I bet you're all loving the country blue chairs too.

This is our new, old table. After hours of sanding, painting, and a few layers of polycrylic.

Now if only we had a nicely painted dining room.

Noellle counts Sissy's fingers

Back by popular demand...more Sydney pics.

Happy and content until...


Noelle displayed her vocal skills.

Sydney Rae Albertsen!

Here's Rachel happy that she didn't have to drink caster oil in order to get admitted into the hospital.

Can't tell who looks more like they just came out of the womb. It was a long night.

Very proud and excited big sister!

Anticipointment

The act of anticipation only to be disappointed.

That is the highlight of our most recent days. Note to self, when they say induction and you don't have high blood pressure or any other medical problems, you get to wait until the hospital has a bed for you. Apparently everyone else is having babies and we're not. So 36 hours of twiddling our thumbs and we'll just keep our fingers crossed that the hospital calls.

I am going to try not to be to hostile once I get there.