Halloween 2009

After a rip-roarin' good time with the Pearce's for our annual Harvest Party (which I hope to get

pictures for...) the kids got dressed up and went trick-or-treating...

Adorable Witch #1

Ninja-meister

Adorable witch #2

Back to school...

So it's better late than never but I thought I should post some pictures of the kids on the first day if school.

You can tell by the looks on their faces their true feelings about the event...

Duke started into 5th grade (which here in Colorado means Middle School next year! Yikes) Bekah started 3rd and our baby Addie started Kindergarten.

Make a Smilebox greeting

Family pictures and updates

So, I realize that I may be the world’s worst blogger, but here I go again.

My sister took some pictures of the family, and a few turned out pretty good. I am so picky about pictures of me, so when I actually get one that I like it’s a miracle. Well done Lori!


Brandon and Duke



Rebekah, Denise, and Addie


Brandon is doing a big semester this fall, only 3-ish semesters to go, so he will be a busy boy. We are preparing for graduate school so we are downsizing and simplifying life. We have sold our house and are moving into an apt. Sounds drastic, I know,
but we are really excited about it – it will be better in so many ways.
We switched the kids to the school they will go to there, Canyon Creek – so far so good. Duke is in 4th grade, Bekah is in 2nd grade, and Addie just started pre-school. That means that 2 days a week I have 3 hours with no kids!! What ever shall I do with myself!!!



Bekah (7), Addie (4), and Duke (9)


I have recently been privileged to record some songs with Sally DeFord on her website. That was one of the reasons I needed to take some pictures of myself. Ugh. Other than that I am busy with Brandon and the kids school and other minor events, and trying to get enough hours in with my own Medical Transcription schooling. School is basically our life at this point in time. This too shall pass!



BF’sF - hehe



The Fam!


I have always wanted a cute kissy picture and I love this one (although Brandon wishes he had shaved - oh well.)




And I think this is the one I am going to use for my feature on the DeFord site.

10th Anniversary

Been awhile, I know!

So it had been about 7 years in February since Brandon and I had been away together on a trip - we went to Ouray, CO to a B & B for our anniversary in 2000 - other than that if we were alone together it was for a funeral or a wedding or a workshop of some sort - needless to say, it was way overdue for us to go away. So we thought for our 10th anniversary we just had to go somewhere, so we got Nana to watch the kids for us and we were on our way.

I served my mission in Washington State and loved it there and have always wanted to go back with Brandon. We talk about moving there one day but he had never actually been there. So we got fantastic airfare and left the day of our anniversary.

We spent the first night in Seattle. We went to the Space Needle for dinner at sunset - it was a fantastic view and awesome food!

Then the next day we drove up to Port Townsend, which was my last area in the missionfield, and piddled around a bit.

(Beach in Pt Townsend)

(Lighthouse in Pt Townsend)

(An old military fort by the lighthouse)


Then we drove over to Forks (the rainiest town in the nation) and stayed a night there. We went 15 minutes down to the Quillayute Indian reservation in LaPush. It has four of the most amazing scenic beaches. They call them First beach, Second beach, Third beach, and Rialto beach (they decided to get original on the last. hehe) Some are easily accessible and others you have to hike for a mile or so to get to, the hike was incredible, so beautiful.

(Third Beach)

(First beach)


There is tons of driftwood on these beaches, some new, some really old and weathered. And some HUGE!

(Rialto beach)

The next day we went to Hoh National Rainforest, which again, is so beautiful. We went on a hike called the Hall of Mosses - for obvious reasons. Our camera was being silly and we couldn't quite get the shots the way we saw them - pictures definitely don't do it justice - but you'll get the idea.

(Hall of Mosses)

Then we drove back over across from Seattle and stayed in my first area, (I served 1/3 of the mission there) Bainbridge Island. We stayed in a place called Abode by the Sea - had stairs down to the beach and we could watch the ferries come in and out to and from Seattle. We went to church and visited with some of my favorite people there.

(Bainbridge Island - view from Abode by the Sea)

The day we went home we hung out in Seattle some more and wandered around Pike's Market.

It only rained twice while we were there and both times were at night while we slept - the days were gloriously sunny and mild. It was by far the most refreshing, relaxing, rejuvenating trip I have been on. We planned hardly anything on purpose so we could do anything we wanted to, or nothing at all.

My first blog...

I thought it was about time I started one of these. We have a crazy, exciting, crazy, great, crazy life as a family and I thought I should start keeping better track of things, and this way we can share it with others too. So here we go...

A little update on the family:

Brandon is still in school - will he ever not be?!! He is a Jr this year in his undergraduate so he is really focusing in on what he wants to specialize in and we are starting to look into graduate schools. It will be exciting to see where life takes us. He is the exec. sec. at church and we just had a ward split and got a new bishop, so that has been pretty busy for him also. And this is all done in between holding down the fort at his job working with his Dad and brother selling replacement windows in CO. Their company is called Home Design. Needless to say - my sweet Brandon is a busy, busy boy.

I am still at home with the kids and doing Virtual schooling. We love it but it's definitely taxing. But we think this will be a good option for us to have with the moving we will be having to do for Brandon's schooling and beyond - it's quite portable :) And we are so happy with the curriculum, we really feel like the kids are getting an excellent education. I am officially down to one calling in the ward - which is nice, I am the Music Chairperson - I like it, I get to help coordinate all the music in the ward. Right up my alley. Speaking of my alley - I have recently put out a demo to some LDS recording companies and have heard back from a couple - I have been told they have some things in mind for me and they will be in touch - so that is definitely exciting news! Always wanted to do this and hopefully now is my time. I have just started voice lessons just to perfect a bit and increase my upper range.

Duke is in 3rd grade - he will be 9 this week. So crazy!! He loves anything having to do with science. He wants to be a scientist when he grows up. He does not like writing, although he is very good at it when he will do it. He loves to read and is very good at that. He has recently taken up golf and is loving that (especially the time he gets alone with Dad.) He is earning his Wolf badge in scouts and will be moving into Bears.

Bekah is in 1st grade and will be turning 7 next month. She loves art - she wants to be an artist and an art teacher when she grows up. She also loves math. She loves school and does really well in it. She is the best little helper for her family, always willing to do whatever anyone needs.

Addie - sweet little Addie! :) This girl is a spitfire. Lots of spunk. She loves to learn also and loves to read books, that's probably her favorite thing. She would choose a book over a toy most times. She is 3 1/2 and has been in her "terrible 2's" since she was 1. hehe She is full of love for everyone and is really a sweetheart.

Well, that's all for now. Here are a few pictures of Halloween.