News Archives

2008 News Archives

December 31 - End of 2008
2008 has been a wonderful year and now it's over.  A few days ago we were able to go visit Grandma Donna & Grandma Harrison was there too.  We spent the afternoon of New Year's Eve at the Zoo, and although there are no pictures of any real animals, we did see some.  It seems like there are so many playgrounds there, but the girls didn't seem to mind.  By the time we got home, the girls were so exhausted.  We ate dinner, had baths, and they went to bed early.  We didn't even pull out the party poppers we had gotten.  Bret and I were just hanging out, each of us working on our laptops, with the New Year's Eve Party on TV.  About 11:00 I was ready for bed, but since it wasn't much longer Bret wanted to stay up.  So we did, and I think it was almost 2:00 before going to bed.  Pretty exciting huh?  Pictures

December 25 - Christmas Is Here
We woke up early this morning, okay not really early, I got up about 7:30 to get ready.  Kristen woke up at 8:45 and came down stairs.  She was excited to see that Santa had come by while we were asleep.  We told her we had to wait until Laura woke up, and within a minute, she did.  So we started with stockings, ate cinnamon rolls, then headed in for all the presents.  After every present they opened, they wanted to play with it, so opening presents took quite a while.  Kristen was our little elf and would read who the presents were for and then hand them out.  There were several presents that did not have names on them, so we did not know who they were for.  So, Kristen went and got a pen that she had received in her stocking and then wrote her name on the present so she could open it.  She even added her name to one of Dad's presents so she could help open it.  Laura did pretty good unwrapping the presents, but she was getting tired by the end of it.   Today was such a nice and relaxing day.  The girls stayed in their pajamas all day, and had fun playing with new toys and reading new books.  I love this time of year and am a little sad to think that it's almost over.  But the real reason we celebrate Christmas is to honor the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ and I pray that we will be able to keep that in our hearts throughout the year.  Kristen's Present Video / Pictures

December 24 - Christmas Eve
Kristen has been faithfully taking a ring off our Christmas countdown chain every night and she was so excited for it to be Christmas Eve.  We had a great day and the evening was filled with all our usual traditions.  We started with singing Christmas songs and Kristen knew a lot of songs.  Dad was surprised that she knew so many, and I would like to take credit, but it must be her Mickey Christmas Sing-along Songs.  I was so impressed by the girls while we watched the Christmas Nativity video.  It's only five minutes, but they both sat and watched the whole thing.  We read the White Stocking and it's exciting that Kristen is now old enough to write on her own.  Before going to bed Kristen wrote a note for Santa to leave with the cookies and milk.  It was cute how she explained to us that because we don't have a chimney and fireplace, Santa will come through the door.  We have all been looking forward to Christmas for so long and are so happy that it is finally here!  One Present Video / Pictures

December 23 - Decking the Halls
This last week Daddy spent a day in the garage with some wood and his tools and made "Anderson Hockey."  (It's named after Elder Anderson, a senior couple from his mission)  It's tons of fun to play, but I get tired so easily I can't play too long.  He even made little sticks for the girls.  Last Saturday Bret went to a friends to watch the New Mexico Bowl.  He is lucky enough to have good friends to invite him over to watch football, unfortunately Fresno State lost.  That evening was our ward Christmas party at church and it was wonderful.  There was good food, a short program and a quick visit from Santa.  Laura was not thrilled about sitting on Santa's lap, but I just had to get a picture of it.  I didn't get any pictures of the girls in their Christmas dresses on Sunday, so we took some pictures today.  But now both the girls are sick with colds, runny noses and all.  So, maybe I'll try again someday, but they're still pretty cute.  Pictures

December 16 - Christmas Traditions
We love this time of year and have been busy keeping some of our Christmas traditions.  Kristen wanted to make cookies, and she actually did most of it herself.  I helped with the mixer, and told her which measuring cups to use, but she has become quite the little baker.  Yesterday for family home evening we went out to the temple to see the Christmas lights.  It was nice to be outside in Arizona and actually feel cold, and it even sprinkled a little bit.  The girls liked running around looking at the lights and when we went into the Visitors Center they loved the big statue of Christ.  Laura turned 1 1/2 at the beginning of the month, which means she has started going to nursery at church now.  She absolutely loves it!  We have great nursery teachers and Laura hates to leave when it is over.  Hopefully she is still as enthusiastic when Kristen becomes a Sunbeam in a few weeks.  Laura talks more and more each day and is always adding new words to her vocabulary.  She definitely knows what she wants, because if you ask her to do something she doesn't want to do, she's not shy about telling you no.  Kristen continues to love drawing and writing letters and in addition to knowing how to write "Kristen," she can also write "Mom" and "Dad" too.  Pictures

December 7 - Trimming the Tree
We are a bit behind this year in getting our Christmas tree.  We usually go the day after Thanksgiving, but we had to wait a little longer since we were out of town.  So, we went to Target last night to pick out a Christmas tree.  Target may not sound like the most glamorous place to get a tree, but it is very close to our house, the price was right, and it was a great buying experience (unlike last year at Home Depot.)  We put it up last night, but decorated it today after church.  Kristen was a big help putting lights and ornaments on the tree.  She wanted to put the star on first, but we were able to get her to wait until the tree was done.  The girls also loved their new ornaments that Grandma Dee got for them.   Pictures

December 3-4 - Holidays at the Happiest Place on Earth
A trip to California is not complete without visiting Disneyland.  And since we love Disneyland and we love Christmas, what could be better than Disneyland all decked out for the holidays?  Christmas at Disneyland means many extra special things: the Christmas lights in the trees and along main street, the giant Christmas tree with large ornaments, the characters dressed up in festive clothes, Sleeping Beauty's winter castle transformed into a night time wonder, the 50,000 colored lights added to the exterior of "it's a small world", the "Believe in Holiday Magic" fireworks spectacular (which includes an amazing snowfall), "A Christmas Fantasy Parade" and so much more.  As always, the girls loved it (and so did I.)  Kristen was very excited to go on "it's a small world" since it has been closed for the past 10 months for refurbishment.  At the end of the second day none of us wanted to go and we had a hard time leaving.  We're making progress with Laura; she actually took pictures with some characters without me having to hold her.  Laura has also added "Mickey" to her vocabulary of 20 words.  It was a wonderful trip and we can't wait to go again.  Pictures

November 27 - Thanksgiving at the Gage's
We spent Thanksgiving day at the Gage's and had fun playing with lots of cousins.  We tried to get a family picture with all 39 of us, but Dr. Michael was on call and had an emergency at the hospital and didn't make it in time.  We know it was out of his control and we'll try it again another time.  Krista's sister Gwen was nice enough to come and take the picture so we still got lots of shots.  Pictures

November 25 - Trip Back Home
We made the drive back to Fresno to visit and we had a great time.  We loved the cold, overcast, rainy weather.  We kept very busy while we were in town.  We visited with family, ate at Tahoe Joe's, went to the zoo, went to the MET and ate way too much food.  I was so excited to be able to catch up with my best friend Melissa who was also in town for Thanksgiving.  Thanks to Jen & Mom, Bret and I were able to escape to the coast alone for one night to celebrate our anniversary.  Thank you so much for watching our girls!  We know they had a great time, and they would love to do it again sometime.  The coast was very relaxing, but we didn't have enough time to get caught up on sleep.  It was great seeing everybody, not too sure when we'll be back again.  It's always fun coming home to visit!  Pictures

November 23 - Say Cheese
The girls looked so cute in their dresses so I decided to take a few pictures after church.  Kristen will smile at anyone and has always been that way.  Laura on the other hand is more serious and will stare people down.  When I pull out the camera for pictures, she says "cheese" and attempts to smile.  The sad part is that when she does that, she looks like a little gremlin.  She scrunches up her nose and shows her teeth, but it doesn't look happy.  So although it's hard to photograph her little smile, she's adorable when she does do it.  Pictures

November 21 - Wild Times Without Dad
Dad had to go to Atlanta for work for a few days, so we tried to keep busy while he was gone.  You'll see in the pictures that they can be a little creative with their food, and sometimes get into mischief when Mom's not looking.  Kristen has nicknamed our living room the zoo, and pretends to go to the "zoo" and see the animals.  We haven't been since before summer, and since it is cooler now, I have no more excuses.  The girls were wonderful and they loved being there.  I asked Kristen what she wanted to see first, and without hesitation she picked elephants.  Another favorite exhibit was the orangutans.  We stayed there for such a long time while they watched the baby orangutan play.  Kristen had fun throwing her fish crackers at (to) the birds while we were eating lunch.  And then we ended the trip with a ride on the carousel.  But next time we go, she wants to go play on the playground with Daddy.  We had some fun while Daddy was gone, but we're glad that he's back home where he belongs.  Baby Orangutan Video / Pictures

November 11 - Eight Wonderful Years
We just celebrated our eighth anniversary and I can't believe how the time has flown by.  Bret had a long day at work that day, so we never even took a picture.  Before we had kids we would go out of town for our anniversary, but now we stay home and he's lucky if I make him dinner.  But we'll get a chance to celebrate soon.  If you're really bored and have nothing better to do (like folding the laundry) you can watch the video I made for Bret.  It actually includes the last 15 years.  He is my best friend and I am so lucky to have him with me forever.  You're the BEST babe, I love you!  8th Anniversary Video

November 7-8 - Backyard Camping & Rockets
Kristen has been wanting to go camping for months, and it's not easy to find a free weekend that we don't have anything going on.  She especially wanted to go camping when I was packing for Wood Badge or Bret was packing for a campout.  We didn't want to wait any longer, so we settled for camping in the backyard.  We set up the tent, and Bret set up the big screen for us to watch a movie.  We watched "The Grinch" and while the girls didn't last the entire movie, they still had fun running around the backyard.  One benefit to camping in our backyard as opposed to real camping, we are not surrounded by dirt.  They could play without getting filthy.  Kristen slept in her princess bed (air mattress/sleeping bag) while I shared my sleeping bag with Laura next to Bret on a full size mattress.  So obviously, I didn't sleep that great and I headed up to my own bed around 2:30 am.  The next day was filled with tons of fun too because Bret had been working on building a rocket launcher for the girls.  It's kind of funny because Bret had been telling Kristen for a couple of days that they were going to build a rocket.  And then one time Kristen said "so Mommy and Daddy and Kristen and Laura can all get in the rocket together."  Then we realized to her a "rocket" was like she had seen on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse where they all get in it and fly to the moon.  After explaining that we were just going to make little paper rockets, she wasn't quite as excited.  But once they made the rockets and started shooting them off, she was having tons of fun.  Even Laura had a rocket, and she would help launch it.  The video doesn't quite do it justice.  With Dad stepping on it, the rocket flies really really high.  We'll get that on video sometime.  Rocket Video / Pictures

November 4-5 - Vacation...Any Ideas?
A few days ago we decided to go on a quick little vacation, so of course we went to Disneyland.  We voted early so we were able to get away for two days.  It was such a wonderful feeling walking down Main Street as they announced the opening of Disneyland (we usually get there just after it opens.)  The weather was perfect and just a little chilly in the evening.  We were able to go on lots of rides and didn't have to wait in very many lines.  Kristen was in charge of most everything we did and sometimes we went on a ride three times in a row because she really liked it.  Laura even expressed her opinion a few times by pointing to things she wanted to do.  The Tiki Room is always a huge favorite for all of us.  Kristen has about half the show memorized.  On our last trip Kristen watched people shoot guns at the Shootin' Exposition in Frontierland and this time she talked Dad into trying it.  Tuesday night after the parade, Laura was running around and fell and scraped her nose.  She is definitely our accident prone child (for more evidence of this watch Tarzan's Tree House video below.)  Poor girl, hopefully it won't leave a scar.  One of the highlights was getting seats right next to the stage to watch the Billy Hill show.  It was a very relaxing and stress free vacation.  Bret had several really busy days before we left, taking care of all his school and work stuff so he could relax too.  We love being at the happiest place on earth with our little family.  On Monday before we left we had our ultrasound and found out that we are having another girl.  We are super excited for another little princess to be joining our family.  Shootin' Exposition Video &Tarzan's Tree House Video / Pictures

October 31 - Trick Or Treat
We started celebrating Halloween a day early by going to our ward (church) trunk-or treat party.  Laura was our Minnie Mouse this year, and Kristen was a "pretty pink princess."  Kristen walked around the parking lot, trick or treating to the cars and getting candy.  Laura stayed to help pass out the candy and eat a little bit of it.  I don't think she knows what she was missing out on.  They had fun, Kristen was mesmerized by some of the spookier decorated cars and would stand there and just stare.  Kristen was very excited to get dressed up again for Halloween night and go trick or treating.  Laura was excited because she likes the Minnie dress and even did really well at keeping her headband/ears on.  We just went around the block near our house and encountered a few spooky guys on our way.  Kristen wasn't scared, but just interested in them.  Laura was pretty clingy to Mom and didn't go up to too many doors.  But when we got home and she didn't have as much candy as Kristen, I think she began to realize what was going on.  The day after Halloween, Kristen wanted to get dressed up and go get more candy.  I'm already so sick of all this candy, I'm glad this is only once a year.  But you've got to admit it's a pretty weird holiday to dress your kid up and take them out begging for candy.  Pictures

October 26 - Wood Badge
This month I spent six days at Wood Badge.  (Bret went earlier this year.)  Wood Badge is advanced training for adult scout leaders.  The first weekend was the 9-11, and I returned again the 23-25.  Aside from being with my family, this is the best thing I have ever done.  If you are ever involved in scouting and have the chance to go, it is worth it!  It will change your life.  I won't give too many details, but there are lots of pictures to see (thanks to the wonderful scribes we had on staff that took over 2,000 pictures!)  I was in the Fox Patrol with five amazing people that I will never forget.  Our Troop Guide, Susette, was awesome and made the experience such a great one.  I loved my patrol and know that we were all meant to be there together.  It's hard to imagine if I had been in another patrol I wouldn't have known these wonderful people.  We worked together and had a great time doing it.  I can't imagine any other patrol laughing as much as we did during those six days.  I feel so fortunate to have gone to Wood Badge and am so grateful to the 20 staff members who put forth so much time and effort on our behalf.  Hopefully someday Bret and I will be able to serve on staff together.  Rocket Video / Pictures 

October 26 - Belated Birthday
I'm really late in posting this, but we celebrated my birthday this month on the 8th, one day early.  When I woke up that morning, Bret wished me a happy birthday and I reminded him that it wasn't for another day.  But since I was leaving for Wood Badge the next day, he wanted to celebrate it before I left.  Bret made Monte Cristos that turned out super good and I got a few presents that I needed for Wood Badge.  My Wood Badge course began on my birthday, and that night when I checked my voicemail I was lucky to have so many birthday wishes waiting for me.  So far my 29th year has been amazing and I'm going to enjoy this last year of being in my 20's.  Pictures 

September 27-October 1 - Vacation of a Lifetime
What a trip!  We left early Saturday morning and headed to Anaheim where we met my parents, Jen & Kids, and Bret's Mom.  We checked in to the Disneyland Hotel (a first for all of us) and then we were off to the game.  (see post below)  Thank you Jen and Mom for watching the girls while we went to the game.  It was so late by the time we got back, that we decided to order room service.  That was pretty special for me, I think I've done it once in my life, and it wasn't anything like this.  The next day we started out with some character dining at a breakfast buffet at Goofy's Kitchen.  We saw Pluto, Goofy, Chip, Dale, Alice and Baloo.  And there was tons of good food too.  Although we all ate too much, since it was a buffet, Kristen liked getting ice cream with sprinkles after breakfast.  Bret liked their ice cream so much he took one to go.  Then we headed down to check out the 3 pools at the hotel.  Hannah loved the little water slide, and went over and over.  Kristen liked swimming, but I think she really like playing in the sand and getting all dirty.  The hotel was amazing!  I loved all the special little Disney touches throughout the room.  Our room keys/cards had our names on them, and even Kristen got one.  We stayed in the Wonder Tower and below our balcony was a waterfall and Koi pond.  We started our visit to the parks on Monday by going to California Adventure.  Before we had left home, the weather forecast showed 81 degrees and 0% chance of rain.  Well, when I checked again Saturday night (after we're already there with the clothes that I had packed) it said 85 for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Monday started out overcast, and it rained on us a little bit as we walked through Downtown Disney to get to the park.  I started to wonder if I was going to have to buy myself a new sweater that day.  But the rain didn't last, and the sun came out.  It ended up being 86 on Monday, 103 on Tuesday and 99 on Wednesday.  I may live in Phoenix, but this was too hot for my liking.  I think the difference is that when it's really hot outside, we just stay inside.  But when it's hot, and we're standing outside all day long, it feels so much hotter.  I know that Fall doesn't hit Phoenix until November, but I figured that in Anaheim, at the end of September, it would be nice and cool.  So, we survived the heat and even spent some time in Innoventions on Tuesday, just to get out of the heat.  We also had dinner at Cafe Orleans, so we could indulge ourselves with the super yummy Monte Cristo.  We only had a few hours to spend at Disneyland on Wednesday before we needed to head for home.  We hadn't seen Mickey or Minnie yet, but had told the girls the past couple days that we would see them.  We did catch Minnie briefly in ToonTown, but then it was time to go.  We headed up to Town Square hoping to see some characters.  When we didn't see any, I asked and found out who would be coming out and when.  We were so lucky to catch so many characters, in such a short amount of time.  The amazing thing is because we were ready and in the front of the line when Mickey came out, we were able to get our pictures then be the first when Minnie came out, and then Goofy, and then Donald, and then Pluto, and then Chip & Dale.  It was totally worth the extra 40 minutes we spent, and it gave Mom some time to go shopping.  I know we go to Disneyland often, and sometimes the memories of the trips can all run together (especially when I'm so far behind in scrapbooking them all.)  But I know this trip was super special and will never forget it.  Thanks Honey for a vacation of a lifetime!  Waterslide Video & Pluto Hugs Video / Pictures

September 27 - Bulldogs Football
We were lucky enough to make the drive to Pasadena and watch our Fresno State Bulldogs beat UCLA at the Rose Bowl stadium.  It was wonderful to see so much red in the stadium and to see so many Fresno State fans come to support the team.  We were even able to get the red wave to go around once.  We had a great time and loved the game!  Of course the best part is that WE WON!  It was really hot and we had to park miles away from the stadium, but it was all worth it.  My dad, and Bret's mom, Dee, also went with us.  It was a trip of a lifetime, one that we'll never forget.  Bulldogs Touchdown Video & Pictures

September 25 - Laura's Boo Boo
Last Saturday after a busy morning of Primary Activity Day and a baby shower, Laura threw us for a loop.  I had just gone up stairs to do some laundry, and Laura was following me.  As I walked past the stairs, I saw her and she was just 3 stairs up from the landing.  I took a few more steps when I heard her fall.  I ran down to her, and Bret was downstairs and he ran up to her.  I picked her up and was totally caught by surprise to see blood pouring down her face.  Bret was able to think clearly and apply pressure right away.  He passed her off to me a few minutes later and I continued applying pressure.  At this time Bret was now laying on the floor because he gets light headed when he sees blood.  Kristen informed us that there was Jell-O on the carpet, although it was really blood.  Bret tried to go clean it up, then he had to lay down on the landing.  Laura had hit her forehead on the corner of the banister.  After looking at the cut, we decided we should take her into the ER to see what they could do.  Now keep in mind that this was more blood than I had ever seen in our house, and since she's a girl, we didn't want some awful scar across her forehead.  We dropped Kristen off at a friends house and drove to the hospital Laura.  She was pretty happy and watched Chip & Dale cartoons on the way there.  Luckily we only waited about 20 minutes before it was her turn.  The doctor looked at it and said he would stitch it up...one whole stitch.  So not the biggest cut in the world, but it's the worst we've had.  I blame Bret's genes, he also got stitches in his forehead when he was little, along with his brother, and nephew.  Bret left to go get Kristen while I stayed with Laura while they did it.  She did pretty good.  She screamed at first, then I put in her pacifier and then she just kind of squeaked.  So two and half hours later we were on our way home.  Laura fell asleep in the car but wanted to eat some dinosaurs when we got home.  She had her stitch removed today and she didn't make a sound.  She's one tough little cookie.  Pictures

September 13 - Outside
The weather has cooled just enough that when the sun has set, and with a little breeze, it actually feels nice outside.  We took advantage of it and had a picnic dinner at the park.  Daddy also brought along any and all sporting equipment we had that the girls could play with.  We found an empty field, and benefited from the lighting of a near-by soccer game.  The girls had a great time, mostly just running around.  Before we had even finished eating, both girls had ran to the other side of the field, so Dad got to run after them.  They had a ball playing soccer, t-ball, catch, but they also learned to do something new.  Dad was a great sport and showed the girls how to roll down a hill.  One roll was all we could handle, but it didn't seem to bother Kristen.  She did it over and over and over again.  Laura preferred just running downing the hill, but only if she was holding daddy's hand.  We had a great time being together and enjoyed being outside.  We can't wait until it really cools down and we can do this all the time.  Pictures

August 30 - Kristen's 3rd Birthday
It's hard to believe that Kristen is already 3!  We celebrated her birthday a day early by going to Makutu's (an indoor play place).  We didn't want to deal with the Saturday crowd, so we went early on Friday.  Kristen had such a wonderful time.  I think we are almost to the point where she can just run around and play by herself there.  Partly because Bret couldn't keep up with her.  She wasn't afraid of anything and even did the big slides all by herself.  Laura was a little more cautious and stayed pretty close to me.  They were so exhausted after playing so hard all morning and napped on the drive home.  While Daddy went out home teaching that night, I took the girls on a walk in the wagon.  The monsoon had been in full swing the last few days and we saw many trees that had fallen down in the storm.  Luckily for us, we didn't have any damage.  On her birthday we just relaxed and had fun together.  The girls ate, played, napped, and laughed.  Dad even got to enjoy a little bit of college football (goodbye Saturdays).  Kristen's favorite part was opening her presents and playing with all her new toys.  She had been talking about her cake for days because it was going to have Mickey and Minnie on it.  But when it came time to eat, she just wanted to play with the Mickey and Minnie, and make a big mess.  We feel so blessed to have such a sweet girl in our family.  Makutu's Zip Line Video & Making Eggs Video & Birthday Presents Video / Pictures

August 20 - Happy Birthday Daddy
Today was Bret's 29th birthday and although the day started out a little slow, and turned somewhat hectic, it ended in the best possible way.  Bret went to work and while he was gone a big package came.  Unfortunately for him, the package was for Kristen's birthday next week.  Thank you to Grandma Dee for sending a big box full of packing peanuts (and presents too).  The girls had a great time playing in the box and hiding in the peanuts, and Laura liked breaking the peanuts into little pieces.  Bret came home from work to take two tests for school.  I made pizza for dinner, since pizza is Bret's favorite, and we hurried and ate it before getting ready to leave.  Tonight was our Stake Court of Honor, and since we wanted to be with Bret on his birthday, we all went with him.  It was AWESOME! The girls didn't exactly sit still the whole time, but our troop had a great presentation and they took home the "Top Unit Award" for our stake.  The award for "Top Scout" was also from our ward.  We are on the biggest high tonight and so excited for our boys.  They have worked really hard during this past year and they deserve it!  Now they all need to work on their Eagle rank and merit badges so they can retain their title next year.  It was almost 10:00 PM when we got home from the court of honor, but we still needed to have some cake.  (What mean parents, we make our kids stay up late and eat cake.)  I tried something different with the ice cream cake.   I used mint Oreos with mint chocolate chip ice cream and it turned out great.  It was such a wonderful day and I really think their Troop winning the top award was the best present Bret could have imagined.  Pictures

August 11 - Random Pictures
I thought I had better post some of these pictures from the last week.  The girls got a new little pool, complete with an elephant slide.  The old whale pool was good for one summer, I think that is all you can expect here.  We put frozen gallons of ice in the pool to cool it off, and the girls loved licking the ice.  We ended up using three which lasted for about 15 minutes, but the water felt so much cooler.  Kristen got a T-Ball set and Laura loves to play too.  I also did a little photo shoot of Laura since I needed a new picture for the wall.  Nothing really exciting here, we're just keeping busy with our normal stuff and waiting for summer to end.  I am so ready for fall.  Elephant Slide Video / Pictures

August 3 - Family Home Evening
This is actually our family home evening from last Monday, I'm just a little slow in posting.  Daddy was in charge and he wanted to do the story of Ammon from the Book of Mormon.  First Kristen dressed up as a sheep, and then Laura, who was a Lamanite robber, chased after her and scared her away.  Kristen thought this was hilarious and would run and hide in our bedroom closet.  Then Kristen got to be Ammon.  She loved having the sword and cutting off all of our arms.  During this past week she would continue cutting off our arms, (and sometimes legs and heads) whenever she could get her hands on the sword.  Luckily for us, the sword found it's way back to the prop box.  I'm not quite sure that she understands that Ammon was a missionary and because he had the spirit of the Lord with him, he was able to protect the sheep.  But at least now she knows that Ammon cut off peoples arms.  Thanks Dad for a wonderful family home evening, we had a great time!  I also thought I would post this video of an old FHE past time.  We miss the old gang!  Hard to believe there are now 8 kids between us.  Thanks Melissa for saving this and giving me a copy.  Old FHE Video / Pictures

July 26 - Pioneer Day
Usually pioneer day comes and goes each year and I don't get too excited about it.  But this year our stake put on a pioneer trek for the youth this past week.  They also held our stake pioneer day celebration in Heber so we could welcome the youth as they entered the "salt lake valley".  Bret got to help with a game for the youth on Friday morning, so we went up Thursday night and camped until Saturday.  I was able to wear my pioneer dress that I made (with Darlene's help) from 14 years ago when we went on Trek.  My bonnet that matched my dress got lost years ago and I have always been so bummed about it.  Can you believe that 14 years later I found some of my old scrap material and there was just enough to make me a new bonnet?  Kristen wanted to have a pioneer dress too, and I figured I could make one.  After all, how hard could it be?  I started sewing 2 weeks before and started with the bloomers, then bonnets and aprons.  And it is very hard to find time to sew with these 2 little girls around.  Mostly I would stay up and work on them after the girls went to bed.  I didn't get started on the dresses until Tuesday (we left on Thursday.)  On many occasions I questioned myself as to why I thought I could do this, I don't really know how to sew.  But after many, many prayers, and help and encouragement from Bret, I finally got them finished.  I was actually sewing on the buttons in the car on our way.  I am so glad that we took the time to be involved and go camping together as a family.  We all had such a wonderful time!  There were 5 other families from our ward there and we really enjoyed being in their company.  The girls love camping (playing in the dirt) and I thought it was fun to be dressed in our pioneer clothes.  Bret even grew a mustache for trek, and thankfully, he has already shaved it off.  For some reason a lot of the pictures we took turned out fuzzy, but at least we'll still have the great memories.  The stake put on a fireside Friday night and told about the first couple days of trek.  Then on Saturday morning there were booths for the kids to do activities and make some pioneer crafts.  Our ward was in charge of two booths, one was teaching the kids how to make a whirligig and the other was doing the stick pull.  Then we waited and watched the youth as they pushed and pulled their handcarts to the end of their Trek.  They served lunch, then we packed up camp and headed home.  We had a great time, but it felt good to be home and take a shower.  Because of the trek this year, I have thought a lot more about the pioneers and feel a greater appreciation for them.  I am so grateful for the early saints who endured so much persecution and tragedy and yet continued on to reach Zion.  I am also thankful for both of our parents who have been pioneers in our own families in finding and following the gospel.  Hurrah for Zion!  Pictures

July 17 - 53 Years
Happy Birthday to Disneyland which is celebrating 53 years today.  We love Disneyland  and although it may sound silly, I am so thankful to Walt Disney for following his dream and creating such an amazing place.  What would life be like without Disneyland?  I don't ever want to find out.  Summers seem so long for our family, not because of the heat, but because we can't go to Disneyland during the summer.  Our passes don't work during the summer months, and it would definitely be too crowded for us anyway.  Every day this past week, Kristen has asked if we can go to Disneyland.  (She knows it is far away, so she tells us she wants to go to sleep in the car and wake up at Disneyland.)  After all, it has been about two months since our last trip, so it's only natural that she's ready to go again.  And I admit that I've been feeling the itch too.  But I guess we will have to practice patience and wait until September to return to the Happiest Place on Earth. 

July 10-11 - Staycation
We've had a good time this past week.  We started the beginning of the week by running errands.  Since losing so much weight, Bret has been needing to get his suit altered, so we finally drove out to the Men's Wearhouse.  We went there since that is where we bought the suits, and they alter them for free.  Well, turns out that they would have to alter it so much that it would cost almost as much as a new suit.  (I guess the free alterations is only good if it's a little change.)  Because it was almost 1:00 and we weren't close to home, we stopped and had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes.  We hadn't been to one in a long time, and were reminded that we eat too much when we go to a buffet.  The girls weren't complaining though, and loved all the different food, especially the little ice cream cones.  I can't believe it, but I am actually using the term "staycation", it just sums it up so well.  We didn't go out of town for a vacation, but had some reward points racked up, and used it to go to a local resort.  We went to a resort that had several different pools, a lazy river, water slide (Kristen was too little, bummer!) and a "Tad Pool" for little kids.  We spent the day swimming, and then out to Peter Piper Pizza for dinner.  We thought the girls would have lots of fun there.  (Silly me, I forgot to charge the camera; so I only took a few pictures while on our staycation.)  While at the hotel Kristen got to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, which was a huge highlight of the trip.  Thanks to our summer monsoon, there was a great storm that night.  We opened the sliding door to the balcony and enjoyed watching the lightning and hearing the thunder.  Kristen loved it too.  There was a really loud crack of thunder, and it set off the car alarms in the parking lot.  The next day we swam some more and enjoyed hanging out on the lazy river.  Then we headed to California Pizza Kitchen to eat dinner.  (Yes, pizza again.  I think Bret could eat pizza every day.)  We had such a great time swimming and I especially loved not having to worry about all the things on my to do list.  But then Saturday came and it was back to reality...9 loads of laundry later and I am all caught up.  Peter Piper Pizza Video / Pictures

July 4 - Happy Fourth
We started off the morning by going to our ward breakfast at the church.  I wasn't sure that we would make it since it started at 8:00 am, but we made it, and were only 25 minutes late.  The girls loved the food and were very good.  This afternoon we decided to cool down in the pool.  Although because Phoenix is so stinkin' hot, our little pool felt more like a warm bath.  So Kristen went into the house and got "my cup" and wanted to dump the cold water and ice into the pool.  The ice melted within seconds, but still a great idea.  So then I went into the house and got the entire box of ice cubes from the freezer.  I dumped it in and the girls loved it.  They mostly loved sucking on the ice, but it did help to cool the water down.  But after only two minutes it was all gone.  Next time I'll break out the frozen gallon jugs.  And then for dinner, (tradition....TRADITION,) we went out to Carls Jr.  Since Bret is always at scout camp over the fourth and I don't take the girls out for a fireworks show or anything, our special treat is going to Carls Jr. We've done it for 3 years now, so I think it's officially a tradition.  Water Volcano Video / Pictures

July 1 - Grand Canyon
Bret left for Scout Camp so the girls and I headed north with Grandma & Grandpa.  We went to the Grand Canyon and it was so beautiful.  It was a little hard on the girls because every time we stopped to get out of the car, they would of course want to run around.  But that's not a good place for that, so they always had to be holding someone's hand.  The girls did pretty good in the car (since they just watched movies the whole time.)  We stayed at a hotel in Flagstaff that had an indoor swimming pool.  I think that was probably Kristen's favorite part.  We swam just before checking out and then got ready to head home.  We drove back going through Sedona and enjoyed seeing some of the sights there.  Who would have thought that this desert could be such a beautiful place?  Pictures

June 26 - Grandma & Grandpa's Visit
Grandma & Grandpa Gage arrived Thursday afternoon for a little visit.  We celebrated Kristen doing so great in her swimming lessons by going out to dinner at Rainforest Cafe.  The girls loved watching the fish swim around in the aquarium while we waited and even saw fish that looked like Dory, Bubbles and Gil (from Finding Nemo.)  After a great dinner we got the chocolate volcano after seeing several other tables near us get it (which were celebrating birthdays.)  Kristen was a little bummed that she didn't get to blow out a candle, but it was yummy just the same.  We also went swimming at Kimber's while Grandma & Grandpa were here.  A nice way to cool off on these hot summer afternoons.  Kristen even loved jumping off the big side of the pool.  It's hard to believe that she just started doing it the previous day with some help, and now does it all on her own.  She is doing so great and we are so proud of her.  We also drove out to Mesa to see the temple and went to the Visitor Center.  We had such a wonderful time with Grandma & Grandpa and missed them the minute they were gone.  Thanks for coming and hanging out with us and even for watching the girls so we could run errands.  We love you and had a GREAT time!  Kristen Jumping and Swimming Video / Pictures

June 26 - Little Fishy
Kristen seemed like a different child her last two days of swimming lessons.  Maybe it was because Dad took her instead of Mom, or because we bribed her with ice cream.  Whatever the case, she did awesome!  She went from crying when she'd get her eyes wet (and get out of the pool every time to wipe them with a towel,) to "Watch me get my eyes wet."  She turned into a little fish and loved jumping in and swimming to the side and searching for rings under the water.  Once she was looking for a purple ring (and there wasn't one) but she stayed under for a long time looking for it.  So she definitely had her eyes open under the water.  Now we just need to keep her swimming so she doesn't forget what she's learned.  Thanks Kasie!  You've taught her well.  Kristen Beginning Jumps Video & Big Jump Video / Pictures

June 25 - Go Dogs!
Congrats to the Fresno State Bulldogs, the 2008 College World Series National Champions!  We're so proud of our bulldogs.  A big THANK YOU to the Larkin's for letting us invade your house to watch the game, and for dinner!  We were all sporting our bulldog red today, but I never took a picture,  We're so thrilled that they won and that they're putting Fresno State on the map, in a good way.

June 22 - Fun With Daddy
Last week my friend Kimber invited us to come over to swim in the afternoon.  Luckily Bret was home because I don't know how I would've handled both girls in the pool.  Kristen didn't like it at first because she thought she was going to have to get her eyes wet (like swimming lessons.)  Within minutes she was out of the pool, wrapped up in her towel, ready to go home.  She did come back in, and once she just relaxed and sat in the tube, she had a great time.  We got Laura all set up in a tube, and she hung out for quite a while.  Although they liked their tubes, they loved it when Daddy was holding them.  On Friday, Bret's work put on a "Take Your Child to Work Day" for 4 and up.  So even though Bret was bummed Kristen couldn't go, he talked about how excited he was that next year she would be able to go (at least close enough.)  Kristen didn't totally understand because she had put on shoes and socks (while still in her pajamas) and was looking for Daddy after he had already left.  After Bret got to work he noticed kids younger than 4, even some babies were there.  So he called me to see if I could have her ready to go as soon as he got there.  He came back home, picked her up and headed back.  (If the kids were younger than 4, the parents just had to stay with them.)  They had lots of different activities set up for the kids to do and even had a magician.  She colored a picture for a mug, made a necklace, got a gift bag, and her favorite of all, was the balloon animals.  They ended with a pizza party for lunch.  Kristen had a great time and Daddy was so happy to be with her.  That night Kimber offered to watch the girls so we could go out, and I am so glad we did it.  It was like a real date, not a work party, or church function.  And the girls had fun playing with their friends.  I have just started doing Laura's hair.  (Kristen had more hair at 7 months.)  I don't think she likes it because she pulls at her bows and screams.  Hopefully she'll just get used to it.  But it will be easier to do when her hair gets a little longer.  Laura continues to walk all over, and stands back up when she falls.  She had the cutest little laugh that makes my heart smile.  I love my little baby girl.  I had been wanting to get a video of Kristen playing the bugle for quite a while now.  I finally got one, but please ignore the fact that she's only wearing a diaper and sitting on top of her playhouse.  Kristen Playing the Bugle / Pictures

June 16 - Swimming Lessons
Kristen started swimming lessons today.  A friend in our ward gives lessons, and I'm so glad she lives near by.  Kristen did great but was more interested in playing with the water toys than trying to float on her back.  Laura also liked playing with the toys, from the side.  Kristen really likes being in the pool and is excited to go swimming, so hopefully she'll learn a lot.  I'm totally lame and didn't take any pictures yesterday, but we had a great Father's Day.  A Sunday with no meetings....ahhhhh.....so nice.  We had tri-tip for dinner, and of course we ate too much, but it was soooo good!  Bret got a new pedometer and a tie with a picture of the girls on it.  He is such an awesome Dad and the girls love him so much.  I love it when they run to the garage when they hear the garage door open at the end of the day.  Even Laura  is right there beside Kristen getting hugs from Daddy.  Kristen has a great imagination and has a new game she likes to play.  We play "jungle cruise" by climbing up on her bed, which is the boat while various stuffed animals and blankets represent animals in the water (on the floor.)  Kristen then points out the elephants, hippopotamuses, crocodiles and piranhas.  She has fun with it and Laura climbs up on the bed too.  Kristen likes to play on the top bunk where all the stuffed animals sleep.  And while the ladder was down for Kristen to climb up, Laura decides she wants to see what's on the top bunk too.  She's definitely a climber, she won't last in the crib forever.  Laura Walking 2 Video / Pictures  

June 6-7 - Ward Campout
After being unable to attend the ward campout for the past 3 years, we were really excited to be able to go this year.  It was just outside of Prescott, so the weather there was a little cooler but still sunny.  Bret and Kristen like to camp out in the backyard while Laura and I enjoy the comfort of our own beds.  I really do love to camp, but as I am growing older, I enjoy it more when I have a nice air mattress to sleep on.  So with two kids now, we have finally outgrown the tent we purchased after we got married.  So Friday morning before the campout, we stopped by WalMart and purchased a nice new family tent.  Bret did great setting it up (including staking it down,) and it is nice and roomy on the inside.  There was plenty of room for our queen mattress, Kristen's princess bed, bags, chairs and other stuff.  And we learned our lesson, next time we will bring the pack-n-play so Laura is not in the bed with us.  Our ward activities committee did a great job with all the food and even provided stuff for smores.  (After all, it's not really camping unless you eat smores.)  The campfire was so hot, I could barely stand next to it to roast the marshmallows.  It was nice and relaxing and without having to worry about food, we just got to chase our little ones all over.  Both Kristen and Laura loved playing in the dirt.  Laura even ate some, but decided that wasn't a good idea.  We loved having a break from real life and enjoyed fun company in the great outdoors.  Pictures

June 1 - Laura's First Birthday
We are so lucky to have sweet little Laura in our family.  She is such a joy to have around and keeps a smile on our faces.  Laura's day went really well, after all, the life of a 1 year old is pretty grand.  Wake up, eat, take a nap, go to church, eat, take a nap, open presents, eat, eat cake, bath, sleep.  I think I could handle that schedule.  She enjoyed eating her cake, however, this is not the first time we've let her loose with a piece of cake.  She loves all her presents!  We were also lucky enough to inherit a little playhouse for the girls from friends that are moving.  We'll miss the Baltzer's but sure do appreciate them passing on this fun to us.  It's been less than a day and both the girls LOVE it!  In the "Birthday Shirt Video" below, you'll hear Laura say "mmm" as she points to Mickey & Minnie.  She definitely knows who they are.  Now that Laura has started walking she doesn't seem like much of a baby anymore.  Laura can also crawl down the stairs, so she now roams all over the house.  Laura loves to give hugs and kisses, high fives, and her favorite thing of all is her blankie.  We call it the magic blankie because whenever she sees it, she just lays her head down on it and cuddles.  It's the cutest thing ever.  And if you combine magic mommy with the magic blankie, you've got a winning combination.  I love my little cuddle-bug.  I can't believe our little baby is growing up.  Laura Walking Video & Head Banging Video & Birthday Shirt Video & Birthday Card Video / Pictures

May 31 - Playing Around
We haven't been doing anything real exciting lately, just playing around the house.  Laura took her first steps last week.  It was mostly step, step, crash, and then out of the blue she walked across the family room by herself.  We must be having fun, because time sure is flyin'.  With the weather warming up a little bit, we don't spend as much time outside.  Kristen likes taking Daddy's bugle off the shelf so she can play it, and Laura likes sucking on the mouthpiece.  Laura is beginning to play with toys on her own without having to have someone with her.  Another favorite thing of both girls to do is to look at pictures on the computer and watch the videos from Disneyland.  Laura also can climb up on the Zebra and bounce by herself, quite the big girl now.  Laura Zebra Video / Pictures

May 19-20 - Grandpa's Birthday at Disneyland
What's a trip to California without going to Disneyland?  We went on Grandpa's birthday and got him the special birthday button to wear.  It was perfect because he got lots of extra attention!  Shelly couldn't bare the thought of me having all that fun without her, so she came with all her kids.  We were also lucky to get Grandma Dee to go with us (and we convinced her to get a pass, yeah!)  We had a great time even though it was so hot on Monday.  (Okay, so it was only 90 degrees, (it was 111 at home) but Tuesday was wonderful with a high of 73!  As soon as we got there we saw Goofy and Pluto and jumped in line.  It was funny because the kid in front of us didn't want to go near them.  But after lots of coaxing from his mom, he finally did.  Then right after that you have Kristen run up and Pluto just grabs her.  Laura like the characters as long as I was still holding her.  Laura loved the carrousel!  She was so happy, even before the horse started moving.  So Shelly, Mom & Dad got there before we did, so we had just met up after riding the teacups and within a minute Rebecca and Chris found us.  Becca got to go to Disneyland with the school band and Chris went too.  It was so fun having them with us for a little bit, Becca was a huge help with all the kids.  Of course the parade is always a favorite with the kids.  When we told Kristen it was time to go get ready to watch the parade she said "watch the parade and eat ice cream."  We didn't have time to get the ice cream cones, and we didn't want to break tradition, so Bret found some frozen lemonade drinks.  We had so much fun but were exhausted by the end of the day.  Grandma and Grandpa went out to Tony Roma's while the rest of us went back to the hotel and ordered pizza.  Day 2 was great and we got to see the new "Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage" and the new "Pixar Play Parade".  As well as see some of our old favorites like "Billy Hill and the Hillbillies", "Turtle Talk with Crush".  Just before California Adventure closed Zachary wanted Grandpa to take him on Grizzly River Rapids.  Grandpa didn't want to get all wet just before the drive home, but lucky for me I had a poncho so I volunteered to go with him.  It is my favorite rider there, but I'm glad I had my poncho on, I would have been freezing if I had gotten all wet.  When we were leaving, the parking lot at the hotel was so empty, we were tempted to stay another day.  But Bret had to get back to reality  and make some deadlines for work and school.  But we'll be back again some day.  Green Cones Video & Kristen & Pluto Video & Carrousel Video / Pictures
 

May 11-18 - Surprise!
We had planned to go to Fresno to visit on the 14th, but decided to go early and surprise our Mom's on Mother's Day.  We were exhausted after driving all through the night, but glad that we got to spend time with family.  My Dad was taking the Elders to hike Redwood Canyon the next day, so we got up early (left at 5:00) and drove up to Kings Canyon National Park.  (Thanks Mama Dee for watching the girls!)  We stopped at Big Stump on our way and I just had to climb to the top.  I remember as a little kid being too little to climb it, then with someone helping me, and finally I could do it myself.  I climbed it super fast, and I think the Elders were a little surprised.  They climbed it too, after I pointed out how to get up.  The hike was beautiful and Dad did a great job making it more than just a hike.  He makes the 7 mile hike into a truly spiritual experience.  We are so lucky to be surrounded by such beautiful creations and I kept thinking "How Great Thou Art".  Pictures

The rest of our trip was filled with visiting family and Bret even managed to sneak in a round of golf with his Dad.  I forgot to take pictures until the last two days of our visit but we had such a great time with everybody.  There was some sadness on Sunday the 18th.  We went to church at the Maroa Branch (Cambodian speaking) where my Dad has been serving as the Branch President for almost 10 years.  The stake president was there and announced that they would be dissolving the branch.  We were there the Sunday that they organized the branch (just before Bret left on his mission).  And I served in the branch as the pianist until I got married.  We love all the members of the branch and will miss seeing them when we come to town.  The Phev family is so strong and has been the heart of the branch.  The members of the branch have become Mom & Dad's family and they have watched the children grow over the years.  It is really sad, but I'm glad I was there to be a part of it.  Pictures

May 7 - All Caught Up
I am officially all caught up....on the website.  We've had a few busy weeks with hosting parties, attending parties, church stuff and just trying to do all our normal things.  I attended a baby shower for a friend a few weeks ago and had to share the awesome cake that was made.  (For those that were there, you'll be pleased to know that I am not sharing the photos of the game.)  The other day Kristen found the sun screen and wanted to go in the pool.  And since it is May and pretty warm outside (we hit 100 on April 29), I pulled it out of hibernation.  The water felt cold when we first got in, but we got used to it.  Then it got windy and made us feel really cold, poor Laura would hardly let go of me.  The sun also started hiding behind the clouds a bit, so after an hour we toweled off.  I also figured I better try to start potty training Kristen.  (When she's changing her own diaper, it's probably time.)  After the first few days (and how many laundry loads later) I decided I would give it a rest and wait. (Diapers really aren't that bad.)  Then she started doing it herself.  She's not totally there, but she's come a long way in the last week.  Laura 4 Wheeling Video / Pictures

April 25 - Family Pictures
A friend of ours is starting a new business, Moonlight Photography and took our family pictures for his portfolio.  Thanks Chris & Mandi, the pictures turned out great!  I gave Kristen a lifesaver in between shots as we walked to the next location.  She normally bites it and chews it all up in a minute.  Who knew that this would be the time she would suck on it and keep it in her mouth for so long?  So she's got a lifesaver in her mouth in half the pictures, but at least she's still cute.  Pictures

April 15 - Coming Soon
So I have now become one of those people who never update their site, but it isn't from a lack of trying.  After being home from California for a couple of weeks (back in March) I tried to update the website but it wouldn't work.  So, finally a few days later I called tech support to find out that the company that hosts our website no longer supports Microsoft Front Page (the program we use to edit it.)  (That's also why the comment box didn't work.)  And in the mean time my new computer kept giving us trouble, and after a little bit of research we realized that Vista was our problem.  So we began the process to get rid of Vista and go back to XP.  Thanks to the many hours Bret put in figuring it out, I once again have a computer that works.  The upside to not having a computer for a week was that I got more sleep since I couldn't be online surfing people's blogs.  Now I am over a month behind on news and pictures and wish I could say nothing has been happening.  But lucky for us, we have been busy and have lots to share.  So bare with me over the next few days as I put up the old stuff and hopefully I'll get back in the habit. 

April 11 - Growing Up
Here are a few recent pictures of the girls.  Kristen is becoming such a big girl and Laura won't be a baby for much longer.  Kristen is becoming more independent and likes to do things herself.  She does a great job cooking in the kitchen and can make her own peanut butter and honey sandwich.  She loves to draw, look at pictures on the computer, play with Legos and dress up like a princess.  Laura loves to wave hi or goodbye and even waves to pictures of Mickey & Minnie.  She is quite the climber and climbs on anything that is nearby.  She has crawled down the stairs on her own, but I don't think she's too confident because she doesn't do it very often.  Our gate at the top of the stairs broke a few weeks ago and she doesn't try to do it.  Laura doesn't like to lay still for diaper changes and is constantly crawling away mid-process.  (Kristen never did that.) And I know Laura is too young to be watching TV, but she absolutely loves the Disneyland Sing-A-Long Songs video.  It makes her so happy and she pays very close attention to all the characters.  She says Mom or ma-ma all the time but won't say da-da, I think she can, but just won't.  I love being home with my girls, they are the BEST!  Kristen Making Muffins Video & Laura and the Books Video / Pictures 

March 31 - Adding Some Personality
Flat paint is the worst!  Kristen tried to tell us that we needed to paint the house and after her artwork ended up on the wall, we were convinced.  We hired AzWest Painters to do it, and our painter Carlos did a wonderful job!  It's hard to believe that I didn't take any pictures of it being painted.  I thought about it one of the days and thought I didn't need to, so here are the after shots.  We just did a tan throughout with a couple of darker accent walls.  We did the game room in blue, and the girls bathroom in yellow.  And ever since it was painted, the girls now take baths in their bathroom.  I was so excited to not have toys in my tub, but over a month later I still haven't taken a bath and now the only thing in the tub is dust.  I never knew what a difference paint would make, it almost feels like a different house to me.  And to add to all the new fresh paint, I've become addicted to vinyl lettering.  I also included a picture of my picture wall that we finally got put up.  After thinking about it for over a year, I finally got all the picture frames for Christmas.  We've been here three and half years and it's finally beginning to feel done.  Pictures

March 28 - Zoo, Zoo, Zoo
We went to the zoo 3 times in 2 weeks.  The girls love it, and we need to use our passes before it gets too hot.  We went with different friends each time and saw lots of different animals.  The zoo is pretty big, so we can't cover it all in 2 hours (which is about all the time we have to spend so we can get back home for lunch and naps) so we get to see a variety of animals each time.  Kristen loves taking her time watching the animals.  Depending on which time I've asked Kristen what her favorite animal at the zoo is, she has said: elephant, zebra, giraffe, lion, tiger, hippopotamus (which I don't think they have there) or monkey.  But the one thing that never changes is that she always wants to ride the carousel.  So we've made it a tradition to ride the carousel, right before we go home.  Going to the zoo is a great way to spend the morning and it wipes them out so they nap really well.  Getting Wet Video / Pictures

March 25 - Spring Training
For Valentine's Day I had bought tickets for a Giants spring training game.  Bret's been wanting to go since we moved here but it's always during his busy time at work.  And because he would be on his leave of absence, I thought I better take advantage of the situation.  However, in my planning I neglected to consider that this was during spring break and that it was the Giants last spring training game here.  (It was the only one that worked with Bret's schedule, so that's why I picked it.)  The tickets I got were "general admission" so we could sit on the grass, which I thought would be more enjoyable for the girls.  We got there after the game had started and walked around the whole stadium to check things out.  The grass area for the general admission was on a hill, and already full of people.  We found a nice slanted spot in the shade on the backside of the hill.  Towards the end of the game Bret was able to stand and watch some of it.  I was bummed that we couldn't really sit and watch the game, but on the plus side, it was very sunny that day, and the shade felt much nicer than sitting under the blazing sun.  I know they were playing the Cubs, but can't even tell you who won, (pretty sad, I know.)  Pictures

March 23 - Happy Easter
We had a wonderful Easter together as a family.  Our house was still turned upside down because they hadn't finished painting everything.  It didn't seem to bother Kristen as she picked up her trail of candy leading to her Easter basket with a princess dress and jewelry.  Laura got a set of golf clubs, just like Kristen did for her first Easter.  We got ready for church and the girls looked adorable in their Easter dresses.  After church the girls took naps and we had to wake Kristen up to hunt Easter eggs before it got dark.  Bret stayed up late the night before dying eggs so we would have real eggs to hunt.  There were also some plastic eggs with candy and six toy cars from "Cars".  Kristen loved finding all the eggs and cars, but this was her last year without any competition.  After she found them all, we made egg salad with the real eggs.  Kristen loves to use the egg slicer and is a big help, but she also likes to eat it as we make it.  Egg Hunt Video & Pictures

March 12-21 - It's Always Fun When Grandma Comes
Grandma Dee came home with us after Disneyland and we had such a great time.  The girls loved playing with Grandma and we were so lucky to have her with us for a week.  Grandma spoiled all of us while she was here.  Laura got a new horse to rock on, Kristen got a new princess bike, a trip to Costco and she even watched the kids so we could go out alone.  Bret & Grandma Dee had gone to Toys R Us with Kristen and while they were looking at something, Kristen hopped on the floor model of a princess bike and rode up to them.  Grandma Dee said Kristen needed it and since they didn't have any in the boxes, she continued to ride it throughout the store, through the checkout and all the way out to the van.  She loves riding it and goes pretty fast.  We loved having Grandma visit and missed her as soon as she was gone.  After we said goodbye to Grandma at the airport, we rode up and down the escalator many, many times.  Then we made our way to the parking garage where we could watch Grandma's plane until it took off.  New Bike Video & Rocking Horse Video / Pictures

March 10-11 - Mom's Addiction
We stopped by Disneyland on our way home from Fresno and as always, loved it!  Grandma & Grandpa came and brought Nathan with them and Grandma Dee came too.  We love being there with grandparents and I think they enjoy watching the kids have so much fun.  We went on Matterhorn again and this time Kristen was ready for the "snowy bear".  It was Nathan's first time on it and he did awesome.  He was very attached to Grandpa & Grandma, but he was very well behaved.  Nathan wasn't too sure about the characters, but he really wanted to see Minnie.  He even picked out a Minnie balloon, despite Grandpa's efforts to get him to pick Mickey or Buzz.  Laura is very intrigued by all the characters, and Kristen is as happy as can be when she's with them.  Kristen loves watching the parade and loves to dance.  Waiting for the parade to start is almost as much fun as watching the parade itself.  We also saw the Electrical Parade at California Adventure and enjoyed a chocolate covered pretzel with toffee, super yummy!  Laura loved the parade so much that she started clapping for the first time while watching it.  Just before leaving we saw Mickey and Minnie together and had to wait in line to see them.  You can tell by the smile on Kristen's face that she was lovin' it.  I think I have passed my Disney addiction onto Kristen, and I couldn't be more proud.  Thanks Grandma & Grandpa & Nathan and Grandma Dee for sharing these wonderful memories with us, we had such a great time!  Kristen Dancing Video / Pictures  

February 21-March 9 - Great Trip to Fresno
We had a wonderful vacation to Fresno to visit with family and friends.  We got to do a lot of our favorite things while there which included eating at Tahoe Joe's and Zlfred's and going to the temple.   We played at a few parks, went to the zoo and enjoyed the beautiful weather there.  Bret was busy doing his school work, so I tried to give him his space and let him get things done.  Kristen loved seeing and playing with all of her cousins.  She especially likes Bryce and followed him around everywhere.  Laura was able to spend time with all of her grandparents and by the end of our visit she wasn't constantly attached to me.  On many days we would go to see someone and just when we got close, she would fall asleep in the car, only to be woken up.  Poor girl, she was such a trooper through it all.  While we were there we went to stake conference and got to see lots of old friends.  Elder Larry Lawrence was presiding and the meeting was awesome!  The next Sunday we went to the branch and heard some wonderful testimonies from the members.  I played the piano and Bret passed the sacrament, leaving Grandma alone with the girls.  Just before leaving we went to Cedarview ward and it was Matt Termeer's mission farewell.  It's always fun to go "home" and see everybody there.  The spirit was so strong and it was exciting to see how Matt has grown.  I also want to say thanks to Melissa for scheduling her vacation to Fresno so I could see her too.  (I don't think I can wait another 2 1/2 years to see you again!)  After our Pismo trip we drove down the coast to Cambria to visit Alan & Lynette.  We went to see the elephant seals, which was a little confusing to Kristen, she thought we were going to see elephants and seals.  She also liked playing with their dog, Duchess.  We're so blessed that we were able to have such a wonderful time with friends and family and to even be spoiled a bit.  Pictures

My absolute favorite part was a vacation from our vacation.  Don't misunderstand me, we loved seeing everybody but it was so nice to relax and do nothing.  Mom & Dad took us to their favorite place in Pismo.  I now understand why they love it so much and go there every chance they get.  The view from our hotel room was amazing!  We drove along Hwy 1 and stopped to see what was left of the Monarch butterflies.  We at good food, had fun at the beach and took advantage of the wind and flew our kite.  Kristen had a blast getting dirty and playing in the sand.  Pictures

February 19-20 - Our Home Away From Home
Kristen had been counting down the days until our Disneyland trip and was so excited to go.  We had such a wonderful time together and did whatever Kristen wanted to do.  She dictated most of the day, except for when she was napping.  She spent a lot of time just looking at things and having fun watching what was going on around her.  She is finally tall enough to go on the Matterhorn so Bret took her.  When they finished he asked her if she had fun and she said "the scary bear said Grrrr and scared me."  Then Bret asked if she wanted to go again and she said okay.  So then I got to go with her.  It rained a little bit on both days, and I don't remember ever seeing the sun.  Bret will say the weather was perfect, but I was worried the girls might be a little cold.  It was a little busier than we are accustomed to, but the lines weren't too bad.  However, we did have to wait an hour and fifteen minutes to see the princesses.  Although I was getting tired of standing in line, Kristen was playing with another little girl in line and having a blast.  It made me realize that Kristen was having a great time and that is all that matters.  We also got to see the flag retreat ceremony for the first time and were very impressed.  I've always wanted to see it, but never think about it at the right time.  No matter what we do at Disneyland, we always have a great time!  Pictures

February 15 - Oh Happy Day
The last few days have been fantastic!  Bret came home from work late Tuesday night and the client he was working on filed, which means, we get to spend time with Daddy!  After working around the clock for the past month and half and topping out over 100 hours this last week, Daddy is once again ours.  He was supposed to be part-time since he started school, but he put in extra hours because of their deadline.  So now he's going to take a little break before going back to work.  We have had lots of fun with him home and I have loved having the van and going shopping by myself.  I can get so much more done when I don't have the girls with me.  And Bret does an awesome job taking care of them when I'm out.  Valentine's Day was fun.  Bret's excited about his gift, tickets to spring training, Giants v. Cubs.  I think it will be fun, even though it is the Giants.  Pictures

February 3 - I Love What You Do For Me...
From looking at the title of this post, you might think that it's about how wonderful Bret is and all he does to help me.  But it's not, it's about another member of our family, Sienna.  We have had our van for 4 years and 3 months and we just turned 100,000 miles.  We love our Sienna and it has taken us so many places.  It's hard to believe that when we bought the van we didn't have any kids, and now there are 2 car seats in the back.  Laura has learned to wave and usually does it on command.  She is also experiencing lots of new foods as she wants to eat everything we eat.  Kristen & Laura love playing and laughing together.  I can not count how many mornings I have found Kristen in Laura's crib.  We have gotten quite good at making homemade pizza.  Each time we do it, it gets better, and is nearing perfection.  So far we have made combination, Hawaiian and BBQ chicken.  Daddy is still busy working a lot, but the end is in sight.  We cherish the time we get to spend with him on the weekends and look forward to a vacation when he's done.  Pictures

January 31 - Mom's Not Watching
The girls have been sick for the past two weeks and Kristen is now getting back to normal.  Lately Kristen has been quite creative when I'm not watching her.  The other day she had been eating her breakfast and I ran upstairs to get Laura.  When I came back down I saw that she had taken all the crackers out of the box, taken a bite out of each one, and then lined them up on the table.  Too funny, had to take a picture.  Her artwork found it's way on to the kitchen counter, but thank goodness for washable crayons.  It also made it onto the wall, and now I know why I hate flat paint.  Kristen likes to help feed Laura and I love to watch her do it, even if it means a bigger mess for me to clean up.  Airplane Food Video & Finger Food Video & Messy Laura Video & Cake Video / Pictures

January 29 - President Hinckley
Sunday evening we received the sad news that President Hinckley passed away.  Although it is sad that we have lost such a great man, I am happy for him to be reunited with his dear wife again.  I got to see President Hinckley on April 9, 2000 when he came to dedicate the Fresno Temple.  I remember the feeling I got when I saw him that day as the crowd began singing "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet".  The spirit was so strong and testified to me that, he is a prophet of God.  Rebecca was only five years old and she got to help put some mortar on the cornerstone.  I found a video tribute to him and loved it and wanted to share.  We will always try to stand a little taller.  President Hinckley Tribute Video / Pictures 

January 24 - Catching Up
I've been meaning to post our recent pictures and even started to do it several times.  First it was a computer problem, then my internet connection, and then other priorities came first.  We have been doing well and enjoying the beautiful winter here in Arizona.  We love our daily bike rides and the chance to play outside.  So I took the opportunity to take some pictures of the girls playing outside.  Tricycle Video & Cow Video & Ice Cream Video / Playing Pictures 

Bret is in full swing at work and after not seeing Daddy for 5 days, we were very excited to have a "Family Fun Day" at the zoo last Saturday.  Santa brought us a zoo membership and we want to put it to good use.  Kristen liked walking around and seeing the animals, except for when the peacocks got a little too close.  Laura was great and just enjoyed being along for the ride.  Kristen got a little clingy when two peacocks were walking across the road right in front of us.  I admitted to Bret that I had never had cotton candy and he decided that it was time I try it.  It was okay, but definitely not a temptation for me.  Kristen wouldn't even try it.  Daddy even gave some to Laura to show Kristen it was okay to eat it.  Zoo Pictures

After being the Activity Day leader for the 10 & 11 year-old girls in our ward for almost two years, I was released last Sunday and called to serve in the Primary presidency.  I have loved serving in Activity Days and had a lot of fun with the girls.  I'm going to miss it very much.  It's hard for me to believe that I didn't take very many pictures of our activities, but I thought I would post some of them.  Activity Day Pictures

January 13 - The Lights Are Out
We took down our Christmas tree this weekend (the very last sign of Christmas) and had to pull the plug on the lights.  We bought new LED lights for our tree this year and they have been burning strong 24/7 for the past 45 days.  This last week also brings us into a new chapter in our lives...graduate school.  Bret has just started the MBA program with the University of Nebraska.  He is doing distance learning (online) so he'll be able to do it from home, Disneyland or wherever.  So on the rare occasions that he's not at work or doing something Scout related, he'll be home studying.  Laura is getting two more teeth on bottom and loves hanging out with Daddy, because he always gives her something yummy to eat.  She also says "ma ma ma ma" and is pulling herself up on things, which means she is also taking a few more falls.  I got to go out to dinner last week for my friend Heidi's birthday.  It was so much fun!  We ate some good food and had a wonderful time hanging out.  I think it's something I'm going to have to try to do again.  Kristen loves her babysitter Afton and wishes that she could come over more, so I guess we really don't have any excuses for not going out.  Pictures

January 4 - Kristen's First Haircut
Kristen is almost 2 1/2 and she finally got her first haircut today.  I have loved her hair being long, but it has started looking pretty bad the past few months.  She started twirling her hair about six months ago (the same time she started staying in nursery by herself.)  She twirls it until it is in knots and then it comes out when we comb it.  It seems like her hair is all over the house, which is funny because she freaks out any time there is a hair on something.  So today was the day.  Kristen did great sitting still and she didn't talk much because she had a lifesaver in her mouth.  Hopefully she'll be able to kick the habit and her hair will all grow back in.  Pictures

January 1 - Welcome 2008
The past week has been very fun playing with all the new toys.  And now that Laura has started crawling, we have to work a lot harder at keeping little things up off the floor.  Kristen has found a new love of playing board games.  She likes to pick out a game and play with Mommy or Daddy.  She is pretty good at Disney DVD Bingo, and Disney Trivia (with the kids questions.)  Bret has been working this past week and was sad to miss Fresno State's bowl game, but was very happy with their win.  December 31st marked the end of the year long Gage Family Biggest Loser contest.  Shelly did awesome and won the women's portion and first place overall.  Bret won the men's and together we took the couple's prize.  I came in second overall but am pretty proud since I didn't start losing weight until September.  Bret & I will still continue until we reach our goals.  Thanks to everybody for the motivation and competition, it really helped us get started.  Laura Crawling Video & Pictures