Claire's First Day of School

(OK OK, so I'm about three months late on getting this entry done,

but I'm a busy girl! Gimme a break!)

So... funny little Claire started Kindergarten! (Our friend Marjean had taken each of the kids on their very own school-shopping trip. Claire saw this little "school-girl dress" and simply HAD to have it. Marjean was kind enough to oblige.) She was so excited about kindergarten. I think a lot of that was rooted in the fact I wouldn't let her wear her new dress until school started. (She cried and cried at the Kindergarten Round-Up when the kids get to meet their teacher and familiarize themselves a bit with their classroom.

Cute, new clothes make all the difference in the world! Thanks, Marjean!

Standing in line, listening intently to Mrs. Olson

A moment of hesitance

Sandwiched in line between her two buddies Josh Hardy and Drew Foster

"I Dressed Myself"

George had jumped in the shower. When he got out, I threw him his underpants. He wanted to dress himself. moments later, he walked in the kitchen and announced that he was ready for school. He's got on a clean pair of pajama pants, a clean (but inside out and backwards) pajama shirt, his boots (on the wrong feet) and NO UNDERWEAR. My baby's going commando!

He's saying "I dressed myself." And indeed he had.

Back Where It All Began

In the Middle of October when the leaves were changing colors and the temperature starting to cool slightly, we decided to take a drive up to Zion National Park for the day. We packed a lunch and packed the kids and headed back to the place it all began.

Here's the whole family standing in the same spot where

Trav and I got married nearly 14 years ago.

Miss Natalie Kate climbing around

The men-folk hiking around

George, Natalie, Henry and Claire

a perfectly good spot to take a photo

(Zion is SO beautiful!)

Same spot, same kids, looking in the same direction this time

Halloween is finally here!!

The girls both had their dance recital on Halloween. The little girls danced to The Monster Mash and the big girls danced to Thriller. It was Claire's first time and she was all-smiles. They both did a bang-up job! Natalie, in position
Claire and Lexi McInnes, hanging out to watch the bigger girls

Brett and Tiffany Reynolds at the Trunk-or-Treat. Tiffany is their dance teacher but moonlights as a mad scientist/balloon bender. It's nice to be friends with talented people!!

Cameron McInnes and our little George

The little buddies found each other at Trunk or Treat adn decided to stop for a snack.

The Trick-or-Treaters on their way out the door

Natalie = Taylor Swfit

George = the Travelocity Gnome

Henry = the Secret Apprentice

(Star Wars, of course)

and Claire = Madeline

They had a fabulous Halloween and 3 weeks later, we're still trying to plow our way thru all the candy!

Natalie Kate's Baptism at Otter Creek

A day to remember...

Paola Hawkins and Natalie Kate Stafford

Paola and Natalie

Natalie, testing the water

Natalie Kate

Natalie on bank of Otter Creek

It's a lengthy one, but with good reason. Our little Natalie and her cousin Paola Hawkins (my sister, Cheryl's little girl) got baptized yesterday in Otter Creek. Why Otter Creek? It was our Grandpa Fletcher's favorite fishing hole. The girls wanted to be baptized together, but we knew it would have to take place on neutral ground. Cheryl and I hatched a plan to have it all happen at the Creek and they went along with it. (Yeah!!) After much planning and plotting, the day finally arrived. When we got to Otter Creek (right by Antimony, if that helps. Ha!) it was a beautiful day. It was just before noon and the sun was shining brightly. As we waited for everyone to get there, the skies darkened a bit and big raindrops began to fall. The boats started coming in off the water. We were right by the boat ramp where they had been kind enough to reserve us a few picnic spots with easy access to the water and the restrooms. Things got pretty busy there for a few minutes as we rallied our troops and trucks came down to haul up the boats. Soon enough, everyone was there, the rain ceased, the sun returned, the Creek was empty save for one small boat that soon disappeared out of sight. Coincidence? I doubt it. I think it was just Grandpa Fletcher's way of letting us know that he, too, had arrived.

And so began a very special day in the lives of two very special little girls:

Natalie Kate Stafford & Paola Annabela Janice Hawkins

Natalie Kate on the bank of Otter Creek in her dress that she sewed, with a little help from me. She did such a good job as I coached her to "Sew with confidence!!" instead of being so afraid to do something wrong. It turned out beautifully!

Gary, Trav, Jeanette, Uncle John, Grandma Fletcher, Uncle Bill and Aunt Rosie, waiting for us to get started

James and his Dad talk as my Dad visits with Bishop George "Porg" Thompson and his daughter and son. (Porg is both my Mom and Dad's first cousin.)

Little George took "Gramma" Susan on a nice little walk around the hill we were on while we weer trying to get everything situated and organized.

Aunt Rosie Fletcher getting ready for the music. She accompanied the opening and closing songs. She also wrote a song just for the occasion. It was so incredibly beautiful. How much more special can a baptism get than having a song written just for you! Aunt Rosie's amazing that way.

Jeanette, Marjean (almost entirely behind Uncle John's hat), Grandma Fletcher, Trav with George, Mom, and Aunt Rosie

Bishop "Porg" talking to the girls about the importance of what was about to happen. He also reminded them that while there were many family members and a few friends there to watch, he was certain that there was someone special there, who they couldn't see, but who was very proud of them: their Great Grandpa Fletcher (his Uncle Clele). It was so beautiful. Anyone who wasn't already crying on account of Aunt Rosie's song went ahead and started.

Our dear friend, Marjean Beaman made the drive up with her friend Jeanette Barela. She bought Natalie the shoes of her choosing to wear with the dress she made to be confirmed in. What a gem! We have decided to adopt Marjean as our own!

"Uncle Gary" Goodman and little Miss Natalie Kate

As she walked out, her flip-flops floated off her feet.

The look on her face says it all: that water was C-O-L-D! (What a good sport!)

Natalie, retrieving her flip-flops before returning to dry land.

James and Paola Hawkins

I love this picture of James and Paola entering the water.

I just think it's so sweet.

Paola, giving Aunt Rosie a well-deserved hug

as Grandma and Uncle Rex look on.

Aunt Ellie and Uncle Bill Steeves: They live in Elko, Nevada. Ellie gave a wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost and gave the girls each a compass, a map and flashlight and a fuzzy blanket to remind them of all the Holy Ghost could do for them. They loved it!

Both Natalie and Paola were baptized in their daughter, Elke's baptismal dress. Elke passed away when she was only 18. It was our way of remembering her on their special day.

Uncle Rex Fletcher: He's the man in charge of all the fun! He brought his 2 Sea Doo's, life jackets and other assorted water-fun things. We've learned from past experience that, whether on land or on sea, it's always a good idea to put the fun in the hands of Uncle Rex!

Travis out on one of the Sea Doo's.

He and James kept themselves busy giving the kids rides.

Uncle Rex even brought a life-jacket that was just Claire's size!

She couldn't have been more thrilled!

Little Thad and Paola and Natalie getting ready to have fun

with a little assistance from Uncle Rex

Sam and Henry paddling around the shore on the Air Head

Little Georgie, walking up the boat ramp.

He's sunburned and his feet are prune-y. He's ready to go.

Porg and his boy, Shan, and their dog Boomer, talk to Paola and Trav after

the torrential downpour that followed our three hours of fun on the water.

Thunder, lightning and raindrops the size of golf balls.

(OK, maybe that last part is a slight exaggeration, but it was crazy how hard it was raining!)

Chelsea, waiting for her Dad (Porg) to decide if they are

going to wait out the storm or call it a day.

He doesn't look like he's going anywhere soon. But alas, he did.

It 'bout broke his heart to leave the Creek without any fish. Poor Porg!

All in all, it could not have been a more perfect day!

Thanks to all those who shared it with us, as well as those who participated in her confirmation today at Church. She was confirmed by our friend and Home Teacher since Natalie was just little, Heber Trunnell, accompanied by Brett Reynolds, "Uncle" Gary, Evan Cramer, Bruce Sanderson and the Bishopric: Bishop Ben Squires, Troy Olson and Brandon Dunbar. The Reynolds family (Brett, Tiffany, Bryson and Brooklynn) and the Mitchell family (Sky Scott, Jeremy "Moose" Mitchell, and Emma & Ashley) were all in attendance for her confirmation.

It was yet another wonderful day!

Happy Easter!!

Here we are all dressed up for Easter. I made the girls new dresses. (Their dolls got new matching dresses, too, of course!! I made George a new dress shirt to go with his tie that I made many moons ago for Henry. Henry, well, he got a new shirt and tie, too, but he's all store bought.

Since I had time to spare and we were still a few days from Easter, I decided to make Natalie's best friend, Brianne, a matching Easter dress. We had Stake Conference on Easter Sunday so it was the only time the 2 of them would be at the Church at the same time, both in need of new Easter dresses. (I made her a little doll for her baptism and it needed a matching Easter dress also.) I LOVE BEING ABLE TO SEW!! It's just such fun!!

George has a monkey on his fever thing.

The girls love to put stickers on George just to see how long he'll leave them on.

It usually takes him several hours to discover them. Well...

George hasn't been feeling particularly well. He's had the liqui-poos and then came down with a little fever. Poor little guy! So the other night, we're getting ready to eat dinner and Claire says to me, "Mom, George has a monkey on his fever thing." Huh?

I looked down and sure enough... there was a monkey on his 'fever thing'.

(I guess she had forgotten what a forehead was called. Hmmm.)

Hidden Valley isn't hidden anymore!

We finally found the Hidden Valley Park. It's a bit of a jaunt from our house, but it's SO worth the drive! The weather was beautiful and the kids were out of school for 10 days. We spent lots of time at various parks! HVP was definitely the favorite! Claire in her new pretty pink cowgirl boots (and her skirt that I made out my old kitchen curtains) playing around at Hidden Valley Park.

Funny pics of Geroge Axier at Hidden Valley Park during Spring Break.

(He's wearing his Bilbao Athletic Club shirt that Uncles Axier & Luis bought him.)

Pick a winner!