The little girls

Now that Bethany is no longer sleeping in a crib, we are now using the trundle bed under the bunk bed. The girls love to play on it together. Here are some pictures one night at bedtime.

 Katelyn and Bethany

Katelyn, who is 4, has long bangs that continually fall in front of her face. One day I kept moving them over and tucking them behind her ear. After doing this a couple of times I said to her, "We should put a barrett in to keep the bangs out of your eyes."  She then replied, "I like my bangs in my eyes, it looks cool." I had no idea being cool started so early!

Laurel and Katelyn

 Bethany-- 2 1/2years

Bethany loves to sing, either on her own or with others who are singing. With the Frozen songs being so popular in our home right now, she's finally picked up the tune and some words of Let it Go.  One Sunday I learned that she was singing Let it Go, while the other kids in her nursery class were singing the regular primary songs.

 Derek reading a story to Laurel

Laurel was so excited to have loose teeth finally. She is 6 and 1/2 years old and has been anxiously waiting. Recently her first one came out and she was very happy to show it off and put it under her pillow for the tooth fairy. It was great to see her so happy about a quarter the next morning.  :)

These little ones are wonderful!

Birthday surprise!

Derek went all out this year for my birthday with a short getaway. It was the week after my birthday and the location and activities a surprise. I love to travel, especially the planning part of it. I was super excited for a trip, but also just dying to know some details. But I managed to endure the wait.

We made all our arrangements for the kids (Hannah in charge, with neighbors closely watching) and left on a Thursday to the airport. There it was disclosed that we were heading to Las Vegas, primarily to get to see some shows I was interested in. The Donny and Marie Show (which is fabulous! if any of you happen to be in Vegas) and a Cirque du Soleil show, O.

Derek made the trip especially fun by reserving an awesome suite at the Bellagio, and spoiling us with VIP service. It was so fun to enjoy limo rides to a from the airport, chocolate covered strawberries, spa treatments, great seats at the shows, and wonderful meals. We tried to avoid all the "sin" in that city, and enjoy the beautiful architecture, fountains, dolphins at the Mirage, view from the Eiffel tower, etc. We really had a great time, just the two of us. Thank you so much Derek!

 the Bellagio

The Conservatory, decorated for Chinese New Year

 View from the "Eiffel Tower"

At the Donny and Marie show

 In the evening after the Donny and Marie Show

 Fountains going off, Paris hotel is across the street

in front of Ceasar's Palace

Climbing walls

Our kids have always been interested in climbing walls. And furniture and tables and....

Last year Derek attended some scout climbing training and has been eager to show the older kids how fun it is. Our four oldest were eager to learn. He started in January with indoor climbing, at Planet Granite.

Jamie discovered she was good at climbing and was happy to make it to the top

 Mackenzie found out that her muscles weren't quite prepared for all the work. But she enjoyed it.

Adam getting ready for his climb

 Hannah had a good time too but also felt her arms need to be stronger

Mackenzie, Jamie, Hannah and Adam after their climbs.

Way to go guys!

Fall 2013 (September to November)

So the school year started. I like to take pictures of the kids at the beginning of the year and at the end. Below is the first round.

Bethany--2

Katelyn--4

Laurel--6

 Samantha--7

 Jamie--10

 Mackenzie--12

 Adam--14 (couldn't seem to get a non squinty picture out of him)

Hannah--16

Derek and I were given tickets to a San Francisco Giants game (thank you Lanyi's!) and so we enjoyed a Saturday night game. We decided we would ride the CalTrain up there, and after we got the tickets, we realized the game tickets were still in the car. Our train was about to come and since it only comes once an hour on weekends, we knew we wouldn't make it back from the car in time. So we were bummed, but we quickly went with the next option which was driving up. Since we had planned on the train, we hadn't prepared to pay for parking at the game. Turns out the price of parking is a lot more than we remembered it was ($35!), so we had a bit of scrambling for change and relying on the mercies of the attendants to let us park. So despite the early stress, and the Giants losing, we had a great time together. Love those garlic fries!

  So Laurel had her birthday! She turned six and was glad that after many months of waiting, her birthday had arrived. Instead of cake and ice cream, she chose chocolate covered strawberries. We made them ourselves and they were delish! Great choice! We sure love our sweet and energetic Laurel! She's one of my best helpers in the kitchen and on shopping trips.

 Bethany definitely enjoyed her chocolate strawberries!

 Here's three sweet girls at the beginning of October. Bethany, Laurel and Samantha

 Notice how short Bethany's bangs are compared to the previous pictures. Yep, big sister Katelyn took some scissors to her head. And Bethany so calmly stood there while she got a haircut. 

 Sweet Katelyn on her 4th birthday. Can't tell from her sweet face that she is very good at making all kinds of messes and sneakily taking candy from older sisters rooms when they're not looking.  :)

 Love this picture of Laurel and Katelyn, such great buddies.

Just a few days later we celebrated Samantha's 8th birthday. She was so excited too. Especially because she has a friends party and baptism to look forward to.

Adam enjoying a pizza dinner with friends before the priesthood session of conference

After we enjoyed Samantha's birthday celebrations and some General Conference sessions, Hannah and I flew to Arizona to meet up with my in-laws. From there we flew to the east coast for a week tour of Boston and New York City. I'll give the details and pictures of that trip in a separate post.

 Laurel enjoying the playground in our backyard

Katelyn and Bethany enjoying the swing

 Katelyn and Bethany, seen together again, as they are getting to be good friends

 Samantha pictured in a baptism dress, to be put on her invitations to her baptism

 Samantha at her birthday party

 Bethany enjoying the cupcakes at the party. She has learned to love sweets like the rest of us

 Samantha with Laurel and the other friends who came to her party

Adam getting out of the American River near Sacramento, after just having jumped into from a tree swing

Adam with other varsity scouts on this fun activity. They did some canoeing on the river and then spent some time jumping in and swimming

Halloween...not my favorite holiday. Mostly because of excessive candy and awful decor and costumes you see when out shopping. I actually really love autumn time. However the kids love Halloween, and so we celebrate it to some degree. Adam has refused to wear a costume for a number of years now. While out shopping with my parents during their visit, we saw this shirt and got it for Adam to wear. He loved it of course.

 Jamie, Katelyn, Laurel and Samantha in their costumes, ready to go trick or treating

 We also got Bethany a cute shirt (so we could avoid the usual troubles of getting a toddler to wear a costume), She didn't want to smile for the picture, even with daddy in it.

One of the jack o lanterns the kids designed on our front porch

A fun picture taken at the California Academy of  Sciences in San Francisco with my parents and all the children (Derek was at work)

Samantha's baptism day, early November. Samantha and Derek with Grandpa and Grandma O'Dwyer. Derek's parents were there also, but that picture turned out super blurry.(bummer!) We are sure grateful to our parents who spend the time and money to come and support our family, especially for special events in our children's lives.

 Our family

 Adam having fun at Planet Granite during a Varsity Scout activity

 The little girls playing games one evening. Laurel especially had been getting interested in chess

 Thanksgiving morning, Derek, myself and Hannah went to a huge turkey trot in San Jose. Hannah and I ran the 5k, Derek the 10k. Wow, I found out how out of shape I am for running. We decided to do this last minute, so I hadn't been preparing the previous weeks. It was not fun to come home only to have to finish preparing Thanksgiving dinner and be limping around all day like a cripple. It was a good experience however, and I hope next year if we do this again, I'll get more prepared and schedule dinner later.  :)

2013 was a great year for us!