Halloween 2013

 I haven't blogged in forever but we just had such a great Halloween tonight I just have to document it. I may say this every year  but this one really was our best ever. Here we are at the reinstated, wonderful Dopp family Halloween party. We are so glad to have this tradition back. It is a great gift our friends the Dopps give us and one of the few Halloween traditions we all participate in together. I can't seem to get the great pictures Circe texted me off my phone but I will steal some when she blogs them.

 This year Brittany pretty much took care of herself in the costume department. She came up with this idea, Miss Captain America, all by herself. Then she made the hat and tutu. I did help with the shirt but I have to say this was my easiest Halloween so far. Maybe having older kids is better than I thought.

She even added patriotic makeup!

Matthew was the first of my Duck Dynasty family. The boys love this show and being Willy was perfect for Matthew. He was awesome!

Josh was the younger brother, Jace I think. Isn't he the cutest redneck you've ever seen? The boys helped paint their spray-painted nerf guns with camo to complete their look.

Earlier in the week there was a school Halloween dance. I took the boys and was the mom, Miss Kay.

This is my new favorite picture. William even got into it and dressed up as Phil, the dad.

After Circe's party we hit the streets for trick-or-treating. This is Josh with his best buddies Tavin and Gage. His night was complete because he got to go with them the whole time. They cracked me up because at every house they would yell "attack!" and run at the house. Half the time they hit the ground and army crawled across the lawn. Silly kids. They were so fun though

Brittany was our candy distributor who later went to a party(!) and Matthew started with us an then ditched us to go with a friend. .

What a great night!

 

Arrow of Light

 This last week Matthew achieved a milestone. He finished with Cub Scouts and got his Arrow of Light with his Weblos badge. In our ward you receive a special handmade arrow to commemorate the occasion. Oh and you get your face painted.

 Right before the refreshments are served!

 Very cool cake.

Matt with his friend Max who also received his Arrow of Light and Weblos.  Great boys, both of them!

Crafty Brittany

 Brittany is currently obsessed with The Avengers. She has also determined that a little crafting is a great way to reduce the stress of school. She spends a fair amount of  time on pinterest and between that and some encouragement from her friend Emme she decicded to tackle some fantastic new shoes.

One of a kind Avenger shoes!

A Wet Soccer Game

 Last Saturday it rained. Not just a drizzle but torrential downpour! We we got to Josh's game it was drizzling by the half it was pouring and everyone there was drenched. But especially the players on the field. Don't you love that face? Does he look like he is having fun?

 The crazy thing was the kid played great! Almost made three or four goals.

The important thing was this smiling face at the end of the game. Then we took him home, made him hot chocolate and put him right in a hot bath!

A New Cousin!

 Last month we had a baby shower for William's sister who was expecting a new baby girl. All the sister and their mother before the party.

 Annie and her mom.

 And then last week she arrived! Giselle Marie, the prettiest little thing you have ever seen!

 She is just so sweet!

 Can you tell how excited I was to get my hands on her? That is her daddy behind me.

And this boy is totally infatuated with her! He wants us to babysit her immediately if not sooner. Welcome the world little Giselle Marie! We are so glad you are here!

Matthew's 11th Birthday

 It has been almost three weeks since Matthew turned 11 and I have not documented it! So here goes.  We had a family dinner and he requested a BYU cake.

 Can you see it is blue inside, just like Matt!

 On his actual birthday we raced over to Boondocks where he drove and drove and drove.

 Favorite birthday activity. Matthew insists we won't  have to teach him much when he turns 16, he figures the go-karts will have taught him a lot about driving. Later that evening he and his dad and Josh went back and played some more at Boondocks.

On the Saturday after his birthday we had a party with his friends. We took them to see The Lone Ranger which they all loved.
I think it was a great birthday for a great kid. We are so lucky to have Matthew in our family, I don't know what we would do without him!

Girls Camp 2013

 Brittany came home from Girls Camp yesterday. She had such an amazing time! So I thought I would blog some of the pictures I stole from the leaders from facebook before I forget everything she has told me about it, This is the group minus the fourth years and YCL who had already left. Don't they look nice and clean?

 They went right from the church to a spot Brother VanderDoes had picked out to teach them to rappel.  I wasn't too worried about Brittany doing this. Whenever we go to Moab she is always scaling to the tops of things. I was right, she really enjoyed it! She did say taking this first step off into what feels like nothing was scary the first time.

 But once she learned to trust the rope and Brother VanderDoes at the bottom she had a great time. Did it more than once too.

 Once they got to camp, down near Manti, they had tons of fun. Playing in the lake there, apparently Brittany and her friend Emily are trying to balance on a bogie board that is submerged under their feet.

 Silly games.  This one involved putting a shower cap on your head and seeing who could catch the most Cheetos in the shaving cream squirted on the cap.

 Skits. What would Girls Camp be without skits?

And a monster, eight mile hike. That would be Brittany right there in the middle asleep. Or at least looking asleep.

It was a long, difficult hike but it ended here, at the Manti temple. The girls received letters from their moms telling them why their mothers felt it was so important for them to make going to the temple a goal. They also had a speaker meet them there.  That would be the one young man in the picture. He was an impressive young man who had suffered a lot of loss in his young life.

 I am so grateful for these amazing leaders and girls who are such a great example for our Brittany.

Shelter Weekend

 

I have six of the very best girlfriends a girl could every hope for. Most of us have known each other since we were in elementary school.  Then there are two fabulous girls who because of their wise choice in men also became part of the group. We have lunch every week at one of our houses. We have done this every week for four years. I know! It is astounding! But the best part is the fantastic dynamic we have going in our group which we call Shelter, we were named by one of the kids. I was thinking about it in church today when we were talking about the bad habit we women often have of comparing ourselves to other women and find ourselves lacking. I couldn't help but think of my Shelter girls. I don't feel that when I am with them. I don't know if it is because we have known each other for so long, if it is because we are so honest about our flaws and challenges or as we often say, if you added us all together we are the perfect woman, but I only feel better and improved when I am with them. That is why last weekend was one of my very favorites of the year. It was Shelter Weekend. For three wonderful days we all go up to Sarah's beautiful condo in Park City.

We talk. And talk. Then we eat some chocolate to coat our throats.

Then we put our feet up while we talk, and solve all the world's problems.  And eat some more.

We do take a break to venture out of the condo for an amazing concert with the Utah Symphony. This year it was with Steve Martin. I know it is unusual to think of laughing a lot and the Symphony in the same activity.  Maybe that is why is was so very enjoyable.

A little resting in the sunshine. Look, not one kid is bugging Sarah!

We did also venture forth for a yummy dinner at the Silver Spur. Dinner on patio furniture with comfy cushions and live folk music in the background, and check out that view. Amazing!

We had such a fantastic time. This was our last meal before we left. Do not be fooled by its healthy appearance. This was the cleanse meal before we left. And there was also lasagna. Yum.
 Only 50 more weeks until we can go back...

Brittany turns fourteen!

So I am struggling to update this poor blog. My first-born child turned 14 almost a month ago. We did our best to celebrate this fantastic kid! First she celebrated with her friends. They went together to see a pioneer movie called Ephrim's Rescue. They loved it but said it was really sad.  I guess I should have thought that one through for a birthday party, but they said it was still fun. Then we went and yogurt because that is another of Brittany's favorite things. On her actual birthday she went and drove the racecars at Boondocks, that is really the only thing she likes there but we did need to get that practice in, next year there will be a learner's permit.

 

We also had a family party. I love this picture with Brittany's cousin Libby photo-bombing it. So funny, and so typical of their relationship. Sort of a milestone this year, Brit didn't chose some kind of theme cake, she chose a yummy German chocolate cake. Guess she really is grown up! She is such a great, responsible, fun, smart, adorable girl and I am so very grateful she is mine!

Happy Pioneer day 2013

 Today is Pioneer Day. It is a big deal in these parts. It hasn't always been a big deal in our family because the Dad has to work, his is not a local company so he doesn't get this local holiday off.  So we watch the parade and usually stop there. Bu this year we needed to go to Salt Lake anyway so I figured we should enjoy a little pioneer history. Lucky for us not only was the Pioneer Museum open they had some fun activities going on.

 Every one was thrilled with my museum idea. They did warm up eventually.

 I had told the kids about this item I remembered from my youth. The two-headed lamb.  Yes, part of the beauty of the Pioneer Museum is it has some weird stuff in it.  William insists this is a taxidermy trick but it sure looked real to me. Smaller than I remembered though.

 They also have a plethora of hair wreaths. You know, the wreaths Victorians used to make from the hair of their deceased loved ones. They had dozens of the these elaborate, slightly gross creations. To my amazement, as part of the Pioneer Day activities they had demonstrations of a lot of Pioneer skills. Including a lady making Hair wreaths! I couldn't believe it! I have seen a lot of lost arts in action, I do a lot of handwork my mother-in-law does tatting. But I had never seen someone make a hair wreath. Fascinating.

 There was some really neat items too, like this program from the dedication of the Salt Lake temple.

 Very cool, shiny fire engine.

So many beautiful linens and handiwork. Brittany loved the crazy quilts. In fact, she is currently working on one of her own. So I am going to count that as a success, she was inspired to recreate  some pioneer heritage of her own!