One more party for Amanda!

Well, I guess there will be two or maybe three more with family parties next week....BUT, this is the Backer's Cake party!

Mike and I were in San Antonio (more on that later) over Amanda's birthday, so we had to get the Backer's cake when we got home.

We celebrated on Tuesday with singing, cake and ice cream!

Amanda wasn't about to smile....but we did get her to eventually. She really is a good and happy kid, but for some reason she does not give smiles for pictures away for free.....

Amanda'a party!

Amanda got to celebrate early again with her friend party the same day as she got her phone! Mike was at conference, so my friend, Jeni Wilson, came along to help. It was so nice of Jeni to come, but she's also the reason that we had to have the party on Saturday when Mike was gone. I had planned to have Amanda's party on Friday night and Mike would have been home, but Jeni's hubby was throwing her a surprise 40th birthday party on Friday night!

So, it all worked out well in the end! Plus, it was so fun to sit and chat with Jeni!

Cute girls! Keslee, Suzie, Brinley, Hanalee, Bridgette, Amanda, Maddy, Susie and Liz

We had the party at Black Island Farms corn maze in Syracuse. We set the girls loose in the maze and farm. They also have big slides and pig races, so we just told the girls to meet us back at the picnic table at 9:15pm. Amanda checked in with me all night on her phone!

It was nice to be in touch ;)

Some cute cupcakes and the heavy, heavy hangover game (with well diguised voices) completed our little party!
Of course, she was thrilled with the presents-such nice friends!!

The best part was we took the girls home after this and we were done!

Amanda and Liz did get together after the party for a bit. It turned out to be a great party!

"Hi, this is Amanda"

Mike and I were going to be out of town for Amanda's 12th birthday. We were feeling quite sad about it and decided we needed to give her the present before we left. So, Saturday the 2nd, Mike & I visited t-mobile in-between soccer games. Mike had priesthood session of conference, so I rushed Amanda home from her last soccer game. Mike & Sydney had planned out a cute little treasure hunt. They wrapped an empty cell phone box and tricked her saying it was really my box.

Then, Sydney called Amanda's new phone and Amanda had to follow the ring to find her phone! We really surprised her. She told me she was speechless! We had been telling her no phone until jr. high, so she's a lucky girl!

Now that's a great smile, Amanda! We love you!!

Sydney's Party

Singing 'Happy Birthday!' Elise Bagley to Syd's right...

For Sydney's birthday party, she wanted a late-night. No problem. She did the invitations and wanted to have the time of the party be 6-10:30p. I talked her into 6:30-10p....that's long enough with a bunch of 8/9 year olds. She had everyone wear their pajamas, too.

She's quite the party planner.

We made individual pizzas, played games, opened presents and watched 'Princess Bride'

Sydney has really nice friends and received lots of nice presents, including a homemade fleece blanket with her name on it! Did you know that most of these girls never heard of 'heavy, heavy hangover?' I was happy to introduce them.

Halli Davis in the pink against couch, Lucy Kennedy in coral in front of Halli

Abby, Gracie, Kennady, Addy, Sydney, Emma, Natalie having their own little pizzasNatalie again, Brittany and Danielle (I can't tell them apart), and Abby

Sydney and Maddy W

Gracie, Hannah and Sydney

Sydney's Birthday!

September is Sydney's birthday month. On her actual birthday, the 23rd, we went to dinner. She chose Tepanyaki. We like to go here a lot, but hardly ever sit at the grill. We'll sit at the sushi bar, but since Sydney doesn't like sushi, she wanted to sit at the grill. It was delish! We even sang to her and she got a huge sundae for dessert since it's her birthday.

Then, we went home for Backer's cake and mint chocolate chip ice cream!

Happy Birthday, Sydney!

Soccer in the fall...

On Sept. 17th, Amanda had to play in Morgan. I couldn't believe the view that was her backdrop! (of course, pictures don't do it justice) The leaves were just beginning to change....Love soccer in the fall!

Amanda getting a nice kick...she's #9 navy blue

(different that byu blue...just in case you wondered)

And, a little of Brandon's game. This is how our Saturdays go...Amanda's comp game, Brandon's game...sometimes at the same time...and then to Amanda's rec game. This last week (Oct 2)
Brandon scored a goal!!!

More pics from Powell

Here are pictures that Nicole forwarded to us. Our last day we went back to the huge sandhill. It was a perfect way to end the trip.

Racing into the water...

Doing synchronized swimming with the kids...we were awesome...

My very handsome hubby!

More pictures from the amazing beach where the kids played in the sand forever

Cute Zoe and Sydney!

Cute Taylor and Brandon!

Darling Amanda getting a mud bath from Zoe and Syd

The boys...

Me teaching Zoe how to knee board

Me teaching Brando how to knee board....he didn't do it at the last minute...

Our family, with Taylor in the foreground... at Rainbow Bridge

Sydney holding up the bridge

The kiddos

And the parents!!

Pictures of our visit to Rainbow Bridge. It's quite the area now. You have to hike 2/3 of a mile. There is a ranger that is stationed there and you aren't allowed right up to the bridge anymore. But, it's still a spectacular sight!