Playing with my new camera

Brielle and 2nd grade teacher

New Camera

New camera

Old Camera

See a difference?

Zoo trip

After Thanksgiving we went on an impromptu (the best kind) trip to the Phoenix Zoo with Papa and Marie. The girls loved it and it was the most perfect day, mid 70's, sunny with a slight breeze. You couldn't manufacture a better day. It was a lot of fun and then in the evening Chad and I took the girls to see the Temple lights.

Brookie the fashionista

Halloween

Ashley came trick or treating with us this year. We went up down and got more candy than the kids could hold. Brielle was a witch, Brookie was Ariel with wings, and Ashley was a butterfly. Brookie thought the whole thing was wonderful. She had forgotten since last year what Halloween was all about, but I doubt she will forget again. Afterward she kept asking when we're going trick or treating again.

Trunk or Treat

The ward trunk or treat was a chili cook off and then trick or treating of course. The Meyers were nice enough to come with us. 

Brielle's Birthday

Brielle turned 7!!! Brielle wanted to go to Amazing Jakes for her birthday party, so we told that she could only invite two friends if that's what she wanted. She invited Morgan Dayley and Logan Hays. They had a blast. Then a couple of days later we had a little family party with Papa and Marie. 

Brielle is in second grade now and still at Legacy. She loves jump roping, playing video games, watching Winx Club, and singing. She joined the school's jump rope club this year. She's very concerned about fashion and is a girly girl, the more glitter and sequins the better. She's gotten very good at singing and amazes me all the time. Every time we ride in the car she sings along with every song and then starts to harmonize with the melody and sounds very good. I've taught her the harmony part on a few songs too and she picks it up like it's easy. She's already way better than I am at hearing and hitting notes and can learn an alto part faster and better than I can (when she doesn't simply improvise her own). She is still taking piano and does very well, though she doesn't love practicing. She is still in ballet but the newness is wearing off and it's starting to become more of a chore than something she loves. She tolerates school and gets mostly A's and B's though this year she got some of her first C's. She's a great help at home and does all her homework on her own while I teach piano after school. Brooke loves her and they play together all the time. I love my sweet little seven year old.

Charlie's 3rd Birthday

The end of October we went to my nephew Charlie's 3rd birthday.

Wildlife Zoo

One hot day in October we drove up to the Wildlife World Zoo in Camp Verde. The zoo was pretty neat and the tigers were great. The workers there all treated the animals like pets. One time a worker started petting a tiger through the gate like it was a big kitty. The tiger acted like a big kitty too and then when he left the tiger got mad and jumped up against the fence. Me, Ashley, Mom and the two girls went. It was a very fun day even with the heat.

Brookie's sayings

I just wanted to quickly write some of the cute things Brookie has said and done lately before I forget. The other day we were leaving and as I was grabbing my purse she runs to me and asks what day it is. I tell her it's Wednesday. Then she runs back down the hall and comes back with a bracelet stuck up way high on her arm and a couple of necklaces. Then she says, "Okay, we can go now. I have my Wednesday things on." 

Then lately I have been trying to get her to stop saying butt and stupid. I would tell her that we don't say butt in this house. (the difference between but and butt is a whole different story, "Mom you just said but." "No it doesn't mean butt, it means...um...something else." Brookie looking up at my like I'm crazy.)
So we are driving in the car and Brookie says butt and I tell her that that is a bad word and we don't say that word in our house.
Brookie - We're not in the house we're in the car (this is without any sarcasm, she's quite serious)
Sara - We don't say butt anywhere, not in the car, or in the store, or someone else's house. We never say it. Brookie - Oh Then a couple of days later we are heading to achievement days with the 8-12 year old girls. Brookie - Who's going to be there?
Sara - Well, all the girls, you remember them.
Brookie - ya, and who else?
Sara - Sister Butler
Brookie - Oh mom, that's a naughty name

Catching Up

The Saturday before the fourth Charla had everyone over at her house for a party. They had good food and then when it got dark they lit a lot of fireworks. It was fun and Brookie couldn't decide which she liked better, the fireworks at Charla's or the big fireworks in the sky. I think she liked how close she was to the ones at Charla's.

We got to see Cinderella at the Broadway Palms with my mom. She had gotten a gift certificate there from one of her students. We had lunch there at their buffett and then watched the show. I thought it was pretty well done and fun to see.

Fourth of July

For the Fourth we went and saw fireworks at Schneff Farm's. The kids loved it and went on water slides over and over and rode pony rides and ate shaved ice.

They loved watching the fireworks and talked about it for days afterward.