Flashback Friday

Heather found a fun picture of Aaron for this week's Flashback Friday. Here he is driving a tractor. His parents actually live in the same house (not pictured) where they remodeled the front yard. Aaron still likes to work outside and drive tractors around when he has the chance. He opened an "ATV Fund" savings account today with a bonus he got from work. He's been wanting a Big Boy Toy for some time now and finally decided to start his own savings plan for it. It may take awhile to save up enough money, but he can do it. Enjoy our picture of the week.

Frosty the Snowman

This was our first REAL attempt at making a snowman. (How long have we lived in Utah already????) The snow was perfect and you could actually roll it like a ball. It was pretty sweet. You can tell this is a true florist's snowman when it has maroon colored arms made out of eucalyptus and a smile spray painted on with floral paint. We had a great carrot for the nose until Kaya ate it. Oh well. The reflection of the sun off the snow was pretty bright. The kids LOVE being out in the snow!!

Bittersweet

Heather was released from her calling as Primary President on Sunday. She served for just over 2 years and was actually quite surprised to get the phone call last week. We figured they would keep in her in for at least another year. It's been a very involved responsibility at church. It's been a lot of hard work and also very rewarding. After the shock wore off, Heather was actually quite relieved to be released. The timing is right and it will be nice spending time with the adults again. Heather was a little sad at the thought of turning over her "kids" to another set of leaders. The new women called are going to be great but she had a hard time on Sunday - giving her last sharing time as the President. The kids were really sweet. Heather tried hard not to cry but just couldn't help it. It's not like she's going anywhere, but it was hard none the less. What is she going to do with all that free time???

Flashback Friday

While looking for a good picture for Flashback Friday, We came across this picture of Heather at Christmas. We were looking for a picture in the snow, but this one caught our attention as it shows the resemblence that Kaya & Heather share. Heather thought it was just the haircut but Aaron laughed saying that Kaya gets the same blank look on her face. In honor of the upcoming Christmas Holiday, enjoy the picture of Kaya, we mean Heather, in front of the Christmas tree.

Happy Holidays

Saturday night, we had our Church/Neighborhood Christmas party. There were about 300 people who attended. Aaron was asked to read a Christmas story and the night was topped off with a visit from Santa. Kaya enjoyed telling Santa all the things she wanted for Christmas. Logan was already home & in bed by the time Kaya made it to the front of the line. Heather is still the Primary President of our church organization and is responsible for close to 100 kids every Sunday and during other Primary activities. On Friday, the kids had an activity to make decorations for the dinner on Saturday evening. They have also been practicing the last 4 weeks to perform 3 Christmas songs at the dinner. It was a HIT!! The decorations looked great and it was fun to see kids showing their parents what they made. Heather took a picture of the kids singing on the stage. This was about 80% of them. Not all the kids were able to attend. Heather just started her 3rd year as President. It has been A LOT of work and A LOT of fun. A very rewarding opportunity to serve.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow....

We had our first major snow storm of the season. It started snowing very early Saturday morning and didn't stop until sometime Saturday afternoon. Kaya came into our bedroom first thing that morning saying, " Mom! It snowed lots outside!" She was so excited and ready to go out and play. We ended up with about 5-6 inches. Aaron shoveled our walks and then helped shovel the walks of 4 neighbors. The kids enjoyed playing outside for a short time. Kaya is pictured with her friend Haley. If you notice, the picture of house features a 2008 white Chevy Tahoe. The G-Ride (Heather's Chev Impala) is in the shop AGAIN!! This is the 4th time in 2 months for the SAME thing. We're hoping to get the engine replaced this time. Last time it was in the shop, we got to drive around an 08 Chev Trailblazer. This time they gave us a sweet 4x4 Tahoe. Do you think Chev would be willing to trade us straight across? Yeah right. Thank goodness for our extended warranty. Heather's enjoying the new ride while she can.

Happy Birthday Preston!!

Our nephew & the kids' cousin Preston celebrated his first birthday yesterday. Preston is Jason & Sara's son. Jason is one of Heather's brothers and they live here in Utah like us. You can learn more about them at: http://laslunasfamily.blogspot.com/ We're excited to have a cousin so close. It will be fun as they get bigger. The kids' other cousin lives in Wisconsin. We miss her and can't wait to see her at Christmas!! Her name is Ettoile and she is Jeffrey & Brittany's daughter. Enjoy the cute picture of Preston:

Flashback Friday - Happy Birthday, Dad!

(Authored by Aaron) - My Dad, Steve, recently celebrated his 60th birthday on November 28, 2007. 60 years! Wow - What a milestone! What does he have to show for it besides some wrinkles and gray hair? ;) Lots!

What has my Dad done since I've been born? Well.... he's been a firefighter, a stock broker, worked in the oil industry, became a self-employed handyman/licensed general contractor, worked briefly as a community college instructor and recently hired on to do maintenance and equipment installation for a potato chip company. Most importantly, he's been my father, my friend, my mentor, a provider for his family and a leader.

Life has never been easy for my Dad. I've watched him struggle to overcome the many trials and tribulations life has thrown his way, but he's never given up. My Dad always told me growing up that "A winner never quits, and a quitter never wins." He's persevered when things got tough, and I admire him for that.

My Dad has instilled values in not only me, but my siblings, my friends, and countless others who's lives he has touched. Many of my friends father's weren't around when I was growing up. My Dad was a father figure to them, from Church callings to leadership positions in the Boy Scouts of America program. My Dad has provided me with guidance, advice and wisdom, as he has done with my friends. For this I am grateful, and I know many others are, too.

My Dad became a grandfather ("Papa") in 2004 when our daughter, Kaya, was born, and again in 2006 when our son, Logan, was born. I hope that he enjoys his grandchildren as much as he enjoyed his own kids.

So, Dad - Steve, "Papa" - We salute you and express our love, gratitude, and appreciation to you on the celebration of your sixtieth birthday!

We love you!

The Ultimate BYU fan - Ryan!!

Aaron's brother Ryan is one of the ultimate BYU fans. He attended the rivalry game against the University of Utah on Saturday and not only made it on the 10pm news while they showed fans rushing the field, but he got his mug pictured in the Sunday paper. Ryan is on the far left hand side of the picture. He has some dude's hand and cell phone blocking part of his face, but he got ink none the less. Way to go Ryan!!

Do you have a dirty mouth??

Logan must have thought he did, as he decided to take a taste of the bar soap. I came in the bathroom to find some big bites taken of the soap and floating in the bathtub. Thankfully, he didn't decide to actually eat any of it. Look at the teeth marks!! We already have to keep the bathrooms closed since Logan likes to play in the toilet water, eat toilet paper and suck on baby wipes. Do you think I should be giving our son some more fiber?

Home Projects

We have lived in our current home for almost 2 1/2 years. We built our house on 1/3 of an acre. We LOVE our neighborhood and our nice big lot. The only probelm is that we underestimated how much money it would take to fence, concrete, and landscape our entire yard. We were able to lanscape our front yard during the first few months we lived here. Since then, we have spent the past 2 1/2 years killing weeds and keeping our dirt in the back well maintained. Over the past couple of weeks we were finally able to complete our fence and get all the concrete work done. We plan on doing the backyard landscaping in the Spring. Kaya tells everyone that we are going to have a playground in our backyard soon. Heather can't wait to have have a safe place for the kids to play outside!! Here are some pictures. We'll have more to share with you next year

A Tender Moment

A funny thing happened to us while running errands today. Heather & the kids went to the local Wal-mart to finish up some last minute Thanksgiving shopping. Heather has been sick the last few days and was feeling tired, blah and just plain ready for bed. This was about 5:30PM. Heather loaded up Logan in the cart and let Kaya walk along side. (She doesn't ride anymore unless you want to create a scene). They walked in the Wal-Mart like they've done a million times before with Kaya poking along a step behind Heather. Heather got about 10 feet past the main entrance and realized Kaya wasn't right behind her anymore. Heather looked back to see that Kaya had discovered the security monitor that shows people coming and going. Kaya must have looked up at just the right moment, because she realized she could see herself on live TV. Heather found Kaya waving to herself at the TV screen. She then started making faces and laughing at seeing herself on the screen. It was in that moment, Heather was reminded of the wonderful 3 year old she has been blessed with. Kaya is such an amazing child and we love her so much. She can be a real firecracker at times, but it's moments like this that makes it all good!!

Flashback Friday - Serr Family

The picture for this week's Flashback Friday is only 2 years old. Aaron's family (except Ryan) came to our house for Thanksgiving. This picture was taken at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake. It's not a very old picture, but Aaron's family will be here next week for another Utah Thanksgiving. There's even a chance of snow snowers next weekend!! It's always fun to have family visit and we LOVE getting together during the holidays! It's a special time of year. Enjoy!!

Do you LOVE candles???

This Saturday, I am hosting a Scentsy open house from 6-8PM. This is the hottest new thing in candles. Basically, these are warmers specifically designed melt "Scentsy Bars" into a wax pool that throws the maximum amount of fragrance over the longest period of time. Scentsy Warmers melt wax at a lower temperature so there is never any danger of burning children or pets. There's no wicks, soot, smoke, and these are totally lead free. They also have room sprays and Car Candles. You can learn more at : http://www.scentsy.net/

I attended an open house and booked one of my own. I NEVER EVER do these kinds of parties, however I really liked the product and by having a party I can earn free stuff & discounted items. (Handy for Christmas gift giving this year!!) If you like what you see and you're interested in placing an order, send me an email & we can work something out. I'm not actually selling the stuff, so I will only have a few days to place my orders once my open house is over on Saturday the 17th. Please share with your friends & Thanks for looking!!

Busy Busy Busy Busy....

It seems like the past few weeks have been non-stop. We've been in the process of doing things around the house (inside & out), getting ready for the holidays, visitors, and just keeping up with day to day life and 2 kids. Over the weekend we went down to Heather's Aunt Deb's house in Moroni for a short but relaxing visit. She always has treats for the kids and it's nice to have no internet service, no home phone calls, no fast food, and limited cell phone service. It's almost like camping, but with a warm house and comfortable bed!! Aaron had Monday off for Veteran's Day and we spent the afternoon geocaching as a family throughout Utah County. Here are a few pictures from our adventures:

A nice smile from Kaya.

Logan is a happy camper.

Moose, standing next to a Moose.

An airplane display at UVSC.

Flashback Friday - Happy Birthday Mom!!

Heather's mom will be celebrating a birthday tomorrow, the 10th of November, and this week's Flashback Friday is dedicated to her. She is the world's best mom, mother-in-law, and grandma!! She really is and we are so lucky to have her. She is always there whenever we need her and we can always count on her for love, support, encouragement, advice, guidance, and financial support. Mom is also a hard worker, dependable, and a good friend. We all hope she has a great birthday!! We Love You, Mom & Grandma!!

Flashback Friday - In Memory of...

Ollie Ann Denniston - AKA "Granny"

May 6, 1905 - November 3, 1993

This is Heather's paternal great-grandmother. While looking through pictures for Flashback Friday, I realized that it was around the time of year that our Granny passed away. I was lucky enough to know her until she passed in the Fall of my senior year. Granny loved to write poems and keep journals. She liked to cut out pictures of the great-grandkids and make collages with them. She enjoyed cutting out poems, stories, and anything that inspired her. I think she just like using scissors as she used to cut out all the coupons in the paper including ones for dogfood. (Even though we didn't even have a dog). She was a wonderful and special person who loved everyone and was loved by many. She devoted many years of service to her family and I was honored to be able to do her Temple work just a few years ago. What an inspiration to us all!!

Happy Halloween - Part 2

Aaron was able to come home early tonight to enjoy Halloween with the kids. Kaya and Logan were so excited each time they heard the doorbell ring. Kaya wanted to put the candy in each kid's bucket and Logan was just facinated with everything that was going on. He wasn't too keen on wearing his costume at first. I finally figured out it was because I forgot to take the tag off. Once that was resolved, Logan was a happy camper. I could hardly get him to sit still long enough to take a picture. Kaya's friend Whitney and her little sister Brynn came down the street with their Daddy to go trick or treating with us. (Whitney's Mom is my secretary in the Primary Presidency. We have been serving together for almost 2 years. Kaya & Whitney are best friends as they were born just 7 days apart and have spent a lot of time together not only in nursery but at many meetings and activities with us). Aaron took the kids and walked around to a few of the neighbors. We then switched off and I took the kids around to a few houses with Whitney's Mom. After bidding farewell to our friends we drove to a few more houses in our neighborhood and finally called it good and went home. The costumes came off the minute we walked in the door and the kids immediately inspected the goods. Everyone got a piece of candy, we called the grandmas, and then went to bed. It was a good evening all in all with the last picture of Logan being my favorite. It shows just how much he's enjoying that KitKat!!

Logan wasn't very happy about his costume at first.

The only picture of my "monkey" and "lion" together.

Kaya, Whitney, & Brynn

Aren't they just so cute???

Logan & Brynn were both lions.

Mmmmmmmmmm.....CANDY!!!

Happy Halloween - Part 1

Today is Halloween and we had a fabulous & busy day. Logan started off the morning crying at 6 am. He has 2 teeth coming in and has been a bear the last few days. Nothing a little Tylenol and some candy can't fix!! We carved our pumpkins this morning before Aaron left for work. Here are some pictures of our masterpieces. Kaya got the Cinderella pumpkin and I (Heather) hated every minute of carving it. I'm just not into the fancy pumpkins. It was all worth it when Kaya looked at the completed product with pleasure and said, "Mom!! It looks like Cinderella!!" Logan sure liked the one Daddy carved for him. Kaya asked me several times throughout the day when it was going to be time to go trick-or-treating. She really enjoyed seeing people dressed up while we were out and about today.

Day at Gardner Village & Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

This afternoon we went to Gardner Village in West Jordan City for a "Flash Mob" event for Geocaching. After visiting with fellow geocachers and loading the kids up on candy, we explored the village as it's decorated for Halloween. The kids enjoyed seeing all the witches, both real and fake. It was pretty crowded so we didn't venture into any of the cute stores. Maybe next time. We made our way to a local pumpkin patch where the kids enjoyed rows and rows of pumpkins. Logan LOVED being in the wheelbarrow. He didn't want to get out!! Kaya had fun trying to find the perfect pumpkin and she also enjoyed pointing out every smashed and rotting pumpkin she could find. All in all it was a fun afternoon. Aaron found a fun website with ideas for carving pumpkins. You can check it out at: http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/ Kaya thinks we'll be carving a Cinderella pumpkin this year. We'll post pictures of our masterpieces next week. Enjoy the slide show!!

Flashback Friday - Pumpkins

I got this idea from a blog that I came across. Each Friday this gal was posting old pictures of her family. In the spirit of Halloween and going to the pumpkin patch I found these cute pictures. On the top is Aaron. Look at all that hair!! No - he hasn't been shaving his head ALL of his life. He still has lots of hair, he just chooses to shave it. On the bottom is Heather. Isn't she cute too? Picking out and carving pumpkins has been a fun tradition that we've continued in our own family. Kaya will be old enough this year to really have some input on what gets carved. I love my "little" kids but sometimes I can't wait until they get bigger in order to experience the next stages in their lives. They are so much fun and yet so much work!! And they always have something insightful to say. Kaya is very smart and has quite an imagination. Both of our kids definitely keep us hopping!!

Mommy's Halloween Box

Here we are, one week before Halloween, and I FINALLY pull out my box of decorations. The kids found this pirate hat and we had fun taking some pictures. I was trying to get Kaya to make a pirate face and this is what she came up with. Silly girl!! Kaya loves seeing all the homes decorated for Halloween. We'll visit the pumpkin patch this weekend.

Opening Day for the Deer Hunt

Logan was ready for the deer hunt this past weekend. Too bad we don't hunt. He still looks cute in him camo overalls from Grandma Luna. Look at those blue eyes & dimples!! With looks like these we're going to have girls knocking down the door when he gets older!!

Haircut Day

Today the kids got haircuts. We LOVE Melanie. She does a great job and is really good with the kids. We go to a cute place by our house called "Cookie Cutters - Haircuts for Kids". Here are a couple pictures of the kids with their new do's:

Jeepin' and Geocachin'!

Aaron went out this past Saturday, October 13th, to do some off-roading and geocaching with his friends out in the 5 Mile Pass area of Tooele County, Utah. Mother Nature tried to spoil the fun with intermittent rain, but that didn't dampen anybody's spirits - No way!

Here is a YouTube link to a video one of the participants made of the "Jeep Ride" geocaching event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOVvawWsfis

Here's some pictures of Aaron enjoying the day.........

Fun at the Park

Logan & Kaya LOVE going to the park. We have a small Little Tykes playground/slide in our basement where Logan first learned how to go down the slide head first. He had NO fear when it came to the slide at the park. He did, however, figure out that turning around to go down feet first works better. Here's a cute video:

This is our first attempt at "blogging". We have enjoyed reading the blogs of so many of our friends and figured it was time to get with the program and start our own. This is our chance to keep our family & friends updated regularly with what's happening in Utah. We're all so busy, yet I'm hoping this will give us the chance to stay closer to the people we love. Wish us luck!!