Happy St. Patty's Day! don't get your bum pinched!

Two posts in the same day!

These pictures are a gem.  First picture: Sophia has had the worst cold.  Can you tell from the red Charlie Chaplin mustache?  And this is the only photo of them all looking and smiling, but Isabelle is trying to put on a brave face considering she just bonked heads and we had to take a five minute time out for her to sob about how much it hurt.

Second picture is the leprechaun trap mommy helped them build.  This morning a leprechaun left white chocolates in gold wrappers (his gold).  Sophia wouldn't eat them at first.  She said they were butter.  That pesky leprechaun also changed our milk green!  And his apology, a backwards note you can only read in the mirror.

The third picture is the lunch the girls had yesterday or would have minus the grapes that I accidently forgot. So I recreated that lunch.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Remember this weirdo?

She's probably the nuttiest 6 yr-old I know. I love it. Addie calls me with the funniest stories about her. Not only is she in her own world most of the time, but she seems to believe in everything. Which is awesome. I think imagination should be required for children. Lately she has been fascinated with leprechauns.

*One night after school she was telling Addie to hurry and finish dinner because she was hungry. When Addie asked her why, she said that she hadn't finished her lunch. She had taken her pumpkin muffin out to eat and turned for a second and it was gone. In total seriousness she said the only thing fast enough to steal her muffin was a leprechaun. So true. Addie had to turn away so Izzy couldn't see her giggling.

**Izzy made a paper link countdown to St. Patricks day.  When Addie asked what was so great about it she said, "Kt made a really good leprechaun trap this year. I really think we will catch one and when we got to Madison's birthday party on Saturday, we can show everyone!"

See pictures of trap below:

gymnastics of sorts...

A couple weekends ago April came up for a visit, and on Saturday Addie, April, and I--plus all the kiddies were at my house.  We spent most of the afternoon practicing our gymnastics.  Trying to distract Izzy from raiding my kitchen for any signs of candy, I suggested she try on my high-heeled black boots.  It went from this:

To this:

Nothing says fun like cartwheels in boots!  She makes it look so easy.

Of course, then Kt had to try it:

Izzy showed us how she can touch her toes to her head, and...

 then Kt showed us how she can do it.

Meanwhile Sophie spent most of her time doing this, and... 

Bk spent most of his time with:

Just to clarify, he's not a doll.

Another one with Brook: 

 Then some pictures of the kiddies and I for future posterity.

Not sure why Izzy is so far up from everyone.

Fun/crazy fact:

Last night I learned that the combined total of Barbies the four little girls have in the Conder family is over 50.  Fun or crazy?

me n' the gurrrrrrrrrls

I love this picture for many reasons,...

 but mainly because of this:

Shout out to cats in neckties!

I wish I could be a California girl...

Mission Beach, San Diego - don't be deceived by the sun.
It was cold sitting on the beach, and we only lasted about an hour.

Around the 3rd week of February my friend Brad and I took off to California to visit my friends Veda and Denise, and for a much needed getaway from Utah. This was our second visit. The last time we had been was during the summer over Pioneer Day. We left Friday night and stayed in Hurricane w/my parents.  Saturday we left around noon and after stopping for a couple hours to shop at the Primm outlets we got to San Diego around 9:30 pm.  Veda had made her famous specialty fish tacos, which were ready just as we arrived.  Her fish tacos are always among our favorite meals when we visit. 

While we were in California we visited Santa Barbara.  Veda and Denise have family there, and one of the families lives in a community with a private beach.  I talked Denise into letting me halo-braid her hair.

Denise had brought a pair of yellow sunglasses, and Brad came up with the idea of taking photos through the sunglasses.  It made for a really cool effect.

Denise, Brad, and I (top).  Cubbie cutting her brothers hair, and Cubbie and I (bottom).
I adore Cubbie Mann.  She is a hilarious free-spirit.

The token Brad torturing Aileen photo (top right). 

(Top left to bottom right) Brad teaching himself to skateboard;
Veda, Denise, and I before we ran 4 miles on the beach (Brad, taking the pictures, also ran);
eating monster burritos from Freebirds after our run;
and a beautiful Santa Barbara sunset from Veda's parents back deck.

Hiking Cowl's Mountain w/Veda's roommate Meredith.

Balboa Park - one of the museums.  They had a chalkboard wall that said "Draw A Skull".  Brad drew the one in the photo and then Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas next to it.
I took a picture w/the Titanic exhibit for Jayna--but we didn't go in.

Torrey Pines - one of the most beautiful hikes I've ever done.

Our Torrey Pines hiking crew: (left to right) uh... I forget, Maelyn, Marcilyn, Grant, Veda, me, Brad.

Marcilyn, Grant, and Veda are Mann cousins.

Other highlights of the trip were riding bikes on the beach boardwalk and eating at The Habit in Santa Barbara.  Watching Beauty and the Beast on VHS (we never even had to push the tracking button!).  Going for a walk while eating an orange off the tree in Veda's backyard.  Talking out on the hammock.  Eating the best toffee chocolate chip cookies I've ever had.  There's more, but it's making me nostalgic and then I might start crying at my desk.  Kidding, but not really.  Maybe I'll move there and then you can all come visit and see for yourself how great Southern California is--and then you'll want to be a California girl or boy as well.

soooo special

Here's a little Valentine sneak peek.  Addie had a cute little Valentine party for the girls (pictures to come), and Sophie, Addie, and I went to a princess party for the soon-to-be-3 Penny.  All the girls wore princess dresses.  The party (pictures to come for that also) was super cute, but we expect nothing less from the super talented Natalie.

Here's a funny story about Sophie.  The other day Addie was on the phone with my mom and sister and the whole time Sophie was brushing Addie's hair and saying, "so special, soooo special", and would occasionally hold her chin.  Kids are the cutest.  So are kittens dressed in clothes.

John and Marlena from our very own DOOL want to wish you a 1980's Happy Valentine's Day. 

 Here is my favorite Valentine from 2012.

I've recently started watching the TV series Friday Night Lights and I'm hooked.

It's such a good show.  Tons of drama, heart, and high school football.  I highly recommend it.

Isabelle's Book "I Love"

Here's a little story Izzy made.  That girl is a real hoot and a holler.

What would we do w/o her wackiness.  My favorite is the facial expressions.

(she hears him coming near)

(translation: "Tada!")

 The Moral of the story is:

If someone gets mad at you, build them a tower and then they will love you and marry you.

In closing, I submit this awesome picture:

"A snake is chasing you!"

St. George Temple

This past Monday we celebrated MLK, jr. day in St. George.  April went through the temple for the first time.  It was so exciting and special.  The past year has been so good for her and she has come so far.  We couldn't be prouder.  I got to be her escort, which is something I will never forget.  I also got to wear Grandma Conder's temple dress, which made the occasion that much more special.  Addie, April, and I all went through the St. George temple for the first time.  The only thing missing from the day was our sweet Kc.  We missed him.

L to R: Dad, Geneva Bringhurst (Blake and Brooklyn's grandma), mom, April, Aileen, Addie, and Jayna

April's friend Donny "Donzo Gonzales"came to the temple also.  He has been a really great friend to April and the family.

Jayna and I's token weird friend photos

After the temple we headed on down to the ol' Chuck-A-Rama.  The choice is yours at Chuck-A-Rama--and we chose right. Nothing like a full belly to help you fall asleep on the drive home.  Lucky for me Addster wasn't tired at all and she let me sleep in the back while she drove a couple hours.

Addendum:

Here are photos taken in the "photo booth" at our MSA Christmas black tie party back in December.

L to R:  Moroni Schwab, Jayna, Chris, Bradley, me, and Paul Tripp

Chris and Paul could have cropped everyone else out of this one and sent it as their roommate x-mas card.
Maybe next year.

Nothing says friend like a back-to-back photo.