Phoenix Children's Museum

With Clint's brother in town for Christmas we've been doing so many fun things. On Tues. we went to the Children's Museum. It was so much fun and the kids loved it! There was so much to do. We spent 4 1/2 hours there and still didn't do it all. We will definately be going back.

Caden thought he'd try out the painting. Once he realized he could only use orange (one color a day) he was bummed. He kept asking for green and I told him there wasn't any green. He then would point to a green part on the house and said, "yeah, there's green". He couldn't understand that they only paint with one color a day.

They had fun creating a pizza and putting it in the oven.

Lexi and Caden loved the grocery shopping. They thought it was so cool to be act like a cashier and bagger.

Making noise makers for New Year's

Santa Claus is coming to town...

On the Monday before Christmas, we had our large Albright family celebration. My mother-in-law made a yummy meal and we had a great time visiting with one another. We planned on having a blow up bouncer for the kids, but the weather decided not to cooperate and it rained all night long. The kids still had a great time playing together, breaking open a Rudolph pinata, and having a special visit from the jolly fellow himself, Santa! We also did our first annual cousin book exchange and the kids loved that. Thanks to Chris & Peggy for putting together such a fun night for all of us!

Caden giving Santa knuckles. Caden just loved Santa! We finally had to pull him away and tell him it was someone elses turn.

Santa even had a present for Clint and I.

Lexi with her cousin Gracie, who gave her a book.

Caden with his new book.

Sunday Best

On sunday, Lexi and Caden looked so cute in their Christmas outfits. Caden loves having a tie on "just like Dad". I may be a little bias, but I think they are the cutest!

Daddy Daughter

Clint has been wanting to take Lexi on a date for quite some time. He wanted to spend some quality one on one time with Lexi. He told her she could choose whatever she wanted to do. They ended up going to cold stone and got strawberry ice cream with brownies. Lexi says the ice ceam was good, but the brownies were "so nasty". She is so funny! After that, they went to As you Wish and painted together. Clint said they had a blast. Lexi made a unicorn and Daddy made a reindeer ornament. They can't wait for their next date together.

Planet Orange

Clint and I went to the Suns game vs. the Knicks last night. We had a great time. We were excited to go to this game because D'Antoni, the suns former coach, now coaches the Knicks. We got a little taste of the "high" life at the game. Clint got tickets from Honeywell in the box seats and we got the VIP parking pass in the garage right beneath the arena. We also got to enjoy all drinks and food we wanted. How great is that? What made it even better is that the Suns played really well and it was an exciting game. We both agreed when we left that we need to do this way more often!

All you "Bachelor" fans may recognize a certain dancer.

Annual Standage Christmas Party

Last night was the annual Standage party (Clint's Mom's side). It was a little lower key than the past, but was still fun. We enjoyed dinner and spent some time visiting with Clint's Aunts and Uncles and cousins.

Clint's uncle collects trains and has this whole get up in his back yard for them. In fact, he has a whole garage built just to store each train cart, which tells you how many trains he actually has. Let's just say A LOT! The kids loved it and thought it was so fun to chase the trains around.

Caden with his cousin Jacks

Presley, Lexi, and Gracie are cousins.

Temple Lights 2008

We went to see the Mesa Temple lights last Thursday night and the kids loved it. I love the excitement of Christmas time. Lexi remembered the lights from last year and couldn't wait to go again this year.

Lexi and Caden received an early Christmas gift from my parents, which is a fisher price Nativity. Thanks Mom and Dad! They absolutely love it! Lexi knows the story of Christs' birth and loves to pretend that she is Mary and comes to the Inn. She then proceeds to tell Mary that there is no room for her. It is the most adorable thing ever!

So as we were at the Temple, she was explaining the story to Caden as we stopped to look at the Nativity on display. It amazes me how much these young children know! Caden wanted to keep looking at the baby Jesus and see all the animals in the stall. I love this season and am so thankful for my young kids who remind me everyday how important and special this Christmas season is!

Lexi & Caden bending down to see the flowers made out of lights.

Family photos

We had such a blast taking family photos. The kids are at a great age for pictures. I convinced Clint that it was time to have our pictures taken professionaly while the kids like it and while I'm not pregnant. Lexi is such a poser and Caden will smile every time right on cue! Nick Narducci did a great job and kudos go out to him for getting some great shots! http://www.nicknarducci.net/ My favorite photo will have to wait until you get your Christmas card.

Lexi picked flowers...

...While Caden picked him some weeds!

Grease Pole...

For many years, on Thanksgiving, Clint's family has had the tradition of climbing a greased pole for money at the top. The grand kids reminded Grandpa of this and about 10 minutes later the pole was set up in the backyard. Caden and Lexi had fun trying their hand at it. Lexi did very well and made it pretty far up by herself. They thought it was so much fun.

Seriously?

Who would have thought gas would go down below $2.00 again? I filled up my suv for $36.38 today. Yippee!!! Now, that's something to be happy about!

100 Things

Since my "blogging life" has been kind of un-eventful lately, I came across this on my cousin's blog and thought it was fun. The things I have done are in Red!

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

Desert Grande Triathalon

One of Clint's long time goals has been to do a triathalon and now he can say he's done it! He participated in the Desert Grande Triathalon in Casa Grande Nov 1st. It was a sprint triathalon and he did a great job! The kids and I went down early and got to see him finish up the biking and the run. We're proud of him! He can finally say he's a triathlete! Yaaaay!