Pictures with Santa

We've done a lot of things involving Santa this year but Christmas wouldn't be the same without heading to the local shopping center and getting a picture done with the Mall Santa. Of course the very second that we jump into line "Santa" had to go and feed his reindeer. (I think that's mall code for Santa's gone for lunch) We had to wait over an hour for him to finally return. Luckily we had a lot of dinning options in the food court and a few good friends to help pass the time as quickly as possible. I'm not usually a cheap person, but I'll admit I was a little miffed after waiting in line so long. I asked Santa's helper if I could just use my own camera so I didn't have to pay for one of their pictures and the guy in charge told me that the mall policy is that parents are allowed 3 pictures with their own camera but they don't ever tell you that unless you ask. He was a nice Santa and asked each of the kids what they wanted and if they had been good all year. Luke said yes he's been a good boy but not all year. That sometimes he's been a little bit naughty and mom has to get after him and send him to the naughty chair. (the things kids come up with!) Based on what Lukie told Santa I sure hope I get a present this year!

Pre-School Christmas Program

This is the second year that Bailey has done a Christmas Program with "Children's Discovery". Last year she sang "I'm the littlest Christmas Tree" and she was with the group of little 3 year olds. This year she has moved up an age group and sang the Big kids song "Hey, Hey Pack up the Sleigh". She did such a great job! We could hear her voice over the top of all the other children just belting her little heart out. We were so proud of her!

It's a yearly tradition that the Dad's get to be Rudolf when the kids sing "Rudolf the red nose reindeer." All the men get up in front of everyone with their big funny red noses and sing with the children. Russ was a great sport and continued to wear his nose until it was taken by Luke so he could feel big and manly by wearing one too.

Our Future Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer!

This is Bug and her best girl friends from school, Saydi and Riley. We all live in the same neighborhood and I have become good friends with their mothers Strawberry and Cindy. The girls did such a fantastic job at the program that afterwards we all went to McDonalds to get a little treat.

Breakfast with Santa

Last year for Christmas we did the Polar Express in Heber and it was fun, everyone really enjoyed it. This year we decided to mix things up a little and do something different so we saw Santa at Thanksgiving Point's "Breakfast with Santa'. Just thought that it is worth mentioning that Dylan wore this hat the entire day, he was so funny about it and wouldn't take it off for anything. He spent the rest of the day at my house with the kids and he even insisted on wearing it during his nap. (he told me because his daddy gave it to him.)

We had quite a group with us this year: Grandma Kathy, Aunt Rolene and Jeanine, Kyle, Dylan, Luke, Bailey and Reagan. The breakfast was only so so but the activities and entertainment made it worth it. They had a wide variety of things for the kids to do while they were waiting for the "Big man in Red" to show up.


We decorated yummy sugar cookies, talked to the Ginger Bread man, had our photo taken with the grinch, the girls had their faces painted while the boys participated in a few "reindeer games". I was going to include the photo of the kids with the Grinch, who promised the children that he has had a change of heart and that he is no longer grinchy. But Reagan wouldn't go near him. When I asked her about it she told me that she doesn't like him and that the Grinch could be a "Stranger Danger" because she doesn't know who is in the Grinchy suit. Bailey on the other hand was petting his fur and asking if she could see if his heart had actually grown since becoming a good guy.

While waiting in line for Santa they had booths set up with paper and pencils so the kids could write down their wish list. Bug wrote down that she'd like an American Girl doll, some puzzles of the continents and a few Early reader books. Luke knew just off the top of his head what he needed for christmas, SUPERHEROS, so he didn't have to write anything down. Dylan asked for a bike, which he's wanted FOREVER. But his dad told him he couldn't have one until he pooped in the potty so he thought he'd try to convince Santa instead. My cute niece Reagan came already prepared with one that she had made at home earlier that morning with her mom.

(I know, so cute!)

The girls followed the "Sugar Plum Fairy' around until she would pose for a picture. I not quite sure but I think Kyle was following her too. She was really cute! It turned out to be a really fun day!

Saint Nicholas Eve

This year Russell and I decided that the kids were old enough to introduce them to a beloved German tradition that I grew up celebrating. It is a Dutch/German holiday called St. Nicholas Eve. It is celebrated on the 5th of December and as the story goes St. Nicholas and his companion Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) travel on horses through out the country side delivering small toys and goodies to the good girls and boys. Children would place their newly polished shoes outside in hopes of receiving something special and occasionally they would set out a carrot and a bucket of water to refresh the riders horses. This tale is something to look forward to if you have been good, minding your parents and behaving like a proper child but it has a much darker side than the American tale of Santa Claus, who only leaves a lump of Cole for those who have been naughty. This is where Zwarte Piet steps in. According to the more modern Saint Nicholas legend, Zwarte Piet is a servant who accompanies Saint Nicholas on his holiday travels. In some versions, it is alleged that Saint Nicholas once liberated a young slave named Peter, who decided to serve Nicholas (as a free servant) rather than enjoy liberty alone. Zwarte Piet is today commonly depicted as a black man in the colorful pantaloons, feathered cap and ruffles of a Renaissance European Page, a tradition based on a single illustration in a book published in 1850.
Zwarte Piet is often portrayed as a mischievous but rarely a mean-spirited character. Parents used to tell their children that if they have been good, Zwarte Piet will bring them gifts and sweets, but if they have been bad, Piet will scoop them up, stuff them in his huge dufflebag and spirit them away to Spain for a year to teach them manners as punishment. Though this is increasingly uncommon nowadays, he can still carry some type of whip or scourge, especially a birch, which could be used for birching or in modern words, to chastise children who have been too naughty to deserve presents. The character is believed to have been derived from pagan traditions of evil spirits.

After listening to the legend of Saint Nicholas and Zwarte Piet the kids were excited to find a pair of shoes and set them out on the porch. We had polished their Sunday shoes but they both agreed that they had been especially good all year long and decided instead on setting out their moon boots which were much bigger and could hold a lot more. That evening Bailey fell right to sleep. However, Lukie was up half the night, terrified about what he might encounter the following morning and required verbal reassurance all evening long that he had indeed been a good boy. The next morning Bailey ran for the front door in excitement and found her moon boots filled to the brim with all kinds of treats. Luke was a little more apprehensive, not quite sure if his boots or Zwarte Piet was going to greet him on the porch. He was more than relieved to find that his moon boots were also stuffed with small gifts and goodies and of course a note from St. Nicholas' companion. It said that children must mind their parents because they love them and know what is best for them. To always use your manners and be on your best behavior. Be understanding of others and always use kind words. Be selfless and giving to those in need. If you continue to do these things then you will never have to worry about Black Pete. So, I have quickly come to the realization that there is absolutely nothing wrong with instilling a little bit of fear in your youngsters. I haven't had to remind Luke once since Dec. 5th to be a good boy. He has been an absolute model child and we are very proud of him. As you can see this particular tradition has worked rather well for our family. (as I'm sure it has for many other families throughout the world) Now I totally understand why my parents insisted on celebrating this fabulous German holiday year after year. (besides the fact that my father, Uwe, is German) You can never have too many reminders to be on your best behavior. It is definitely something that we continue through out the years with our little ones.

Bailey and her loot
Lukie relieved to have treats in his shoes instead of the alternative.

Saint Nicholas Eve has taken the place of our Christmas Stockings. We figure that the kids are so inundated with things on Christmas morning that the stockings are just too much for them. It has been a fun way to continue to celebrate and pass down the traditions of my German heritage.
What Luke thinks about the Switch and the bag.

Not having it!

2008 THANKSGIVING

Grand America

Over the years our extended families have gotten too big to get together under one roof for dinner. Our sweet little grandmother has passed away and she was usually the one to hold Thanksgiving Dinner in her home, since it was the only one large enough to accommodate a big group. So we have resorted to a new family tradition, Dinner at the Grand America Hotel. It is a special occasion and something my children look forward to all year long.
The Hotel was decorated for the Holiday season with Christmas trees in every corner, life size vignettes and Gingerbread Houses too big to eat. Dinner was a massive buffet with all the traditional Thanksgiving feast in addition to crab legs, prime rib and a Chocolate fountain with an endless assortment of goodies to dip. (Lukies favorite) They had a children's buffet with chicken strips, hot dogs, french toast and just about anything else the kids could possibly want. I loved the fact that after we were finished eating we didn't have to worry about cleaning up the kitchen or doing the dishes. Instead, we went to the movies! Mom and I skipped out a bit early and went to see Australia (Oh Hugh!) while the men watched football and let the kids play at home. Russell put a Turkey breast in the oven while we were at the show so we could all have a Turkey sandwich and a piece of pie when we got home.

Just let me reiterate that I absolutely, 100%,

L-O-V-E this tradition!This is the second year that Rolene, John and Jaime have celebrated Thanksgiving with us. We hope it continues for years to come.

Janine and Darcy
Luke dipped everything imaginable in the Chocolate fountain: Strawberries, pineapple, cheese, hot dogs, turkey, chicken strips, crab legs, sausages, grapes, cake, fingers, his tongue and I'm sure he would have tried his head if we weren't watching him properly.

Luke was completely drenched in chocolate.

(I'm talking literally from head to toe.)

A Magical Day

I know what you're thinking,

"Wow, Bell and Snow White, what the heck are they doing in town?"

The answer to your question is, they were celebrating a

Magical day together at Disney's Princess' on Ice. Bug and I invited Mia and her mother Jenn to join us for a fun girls day out. We went to lunch before the show and the two girls got such a kick out of all the attention they attracted in their Princess costumes. For some reason everyone could easily figure out who Mia was (Snow White) but they just couldn't quite figure out Bug's character (Belle, in case you don't know).

Mind you the majority of people who commented on the costumes were at Olive Garden in the middle of the afternoon, elderly and probably haven't seen a Disney movie since Fantasia was released. But hey, it was still fun to keep them guessing. The show was truly magical, done in trademark Disney style. Bug's favorite part was Belle dancing with her handsome Prince and the number from "It's a Small World." She sat on the edge of her seat with eyes as big as saucers never moving a muscle until intermission. It was entertaining for of all ages and I even found myself a little disappointed when it was over. They did a tremendous job at keeping the excitement level up and flowing from one story to the next. I was impressed to see a wide variety of characters from the older well known Pinocchio to the newer Mulan and Incredibles. My favorite part was being able to hear all the little girls voices over the top of the sound system singing as loud as they possibly could to all their favorite songs. I couldn't help but smile at how adorable these young girls were, singing about their future love and all their wishes coming true. It was strangely reminiscent of myself when I was young, down in my unfinished basement listening to Disney records, rollerskating and singing out loud to all my favorite songs.

Disney is timeless, I guess that's why we all love it so much.

It brings back nostalgic memories of the past and enables us to re create those moments for younger generations.
It was such a fun day with my Bug, well worth every penny!
Even for the ridiculously overpriced $12 snow cone.

Quality time with my boy

Today my mom took Bailey for the afternoon which allowed Lukie and I to spend some time together. It's not very often that we get good quality, mother son, one on one. I wish I could say that we used it doing something adventurous or creative. But, since he wasn't feeling 100% (gotta love this time of year) we ran a few quick errands then spent the rest of the day at home doing laundry, playing good guy bad guy (guess who I always get to be) and watching as many Batman shows that we could stomach. Periodically Luke would jump up to teach me a new "super hero game" or tell me a lengthy imaginative story then he would kindly pause and wait for me to teach him something new and exciting. I'm not very experienced in the art of boy play so after a few miserably failed attempts at swords the best I could come up with was........ dancing. He didn't seem to mind, we just giggled our heads off at each other acting like such silly goofballs. So I know it might be considered "rushing the season" a little but today I had such an urge to listen to Christmas music. While cleaning the house I busted out the holiday CD's and told Luke to get changed into something more appropriate so we could cut a serious rug. He was on it, and with in seconds he had shed his costume and walked out of the bathroom looking like this, with his hair gelled and sun glasses on. Amazing, I know it's unusual to see the boy with out Super hero garb on. It's a battle every day to convince him to put on "civilian clothing". So you can imagine my surprise when I asked him about his handsome getup, he proceeded to tell me that he no longer wants to go byLuke or Lukie, he would much rather be addressed as Lit'l Russ when he isn't in super hero attire. After all he was wearing Russell's signature back fleece jacket, shades, outdoor shoes and sporting one cool dude attitude. Hilarious! I got such a kick out him dressing up as his Dad to dance with me, what a little gentleman. I didn't have the heart to tell him that his daddy doesn't dance. (sorry Babe, you're good at a lot of things but Dancin' definitely not it.) Luke was an amazing partner, you should have seen him light the floor on fire with his breath taking footwork.

Finally when he could take it no more, Lit'l Russ retreated into the bat cave for a nap. It was such a laid back, ordinary day with out doing anything of major importance. However, I know that these are the days I will remember when my children are grown and gone. I love being home with my kids and I truly enjoyed the day with my very favorite boy.

Happy Halloween

Halloween is my kids favorite holiday and with good reason it's not every day that you get to dress up and walk around town begging all the neighbors for candy.Bailey was Tinkerbell and Luke was... Guess Who? None other than the freakin' awesome Superman and his side kick Scout the Superdog.
One of Superdogs Super Amazing

Magical abilities is to shoot powerful yellow "lasers" out of his eyeballs.

(not included with costume) What did Superman say to Dash the Incredible?
Mine are BIGGER than yours are!
Adam , Luke and Scout

We are lucky to live in a neighborhood with a lot of little kids so we met up with a group of friends and hit the town together in mass. It was such a beautiful night the weather was like a September evening. The kids loved being able to Trick-or-Treat with out their coats on because then they could show off their costumes.
Saydi, Bug, Riley, Kennedy

Holy moly, I've never seen so much candy! There were quite a few full size Candy bars that Russell and I had to confiscate for Adult inspection (consumption). It's going to take weeks to eat it all and I'm sure grateful that it only comes once a year, we were totally worn out. What a Happy Halloween, hope you all had the same.

Pumpkins

I'm a little bit behind on my blogging so today I am playing catch-up. Last month Heather and I took the kids to a great Pumpkin patch in West Jordan where you got to pick your very own pumpkin off the vine. Poor little Dylan wasn't feeling well and it sure shows in this picture. I just want to pick him up and give him a love. Russ helped Bug and Lukie scoop the guts out, yucky.
We made it a fun family night and ordered every ones favorite Pizza. Kyle, Dylan and Gram helped carve pumpkins After the carving was over and the Pumpkins were set out on the porch Gram got the kids into jammies and helped settle the boys in by reading them a couple of stories.

A little blurry but you get the picture
Cat by Bailey
Ghost by Dylan
Bat, cause it was the closest thing to a Superhero by Luke

My Grandma Faye

Donna Faye Bowen Day Rogers
Donna Faye Bowen Day Rogers 2/24/1922 ~ 10/27/2008 Our dear wife, mother, grandmother and friend was born Feb. 24, 1922 and died peacefully on Mon., October 27, 2008 following complications from a stroke. She was at home surrounded by her family. Faye was born on Feb. 24, 1922 to Edith Mary Stagg and Abner Womac Bowen. She was the youngest of nine children. She grew up in Midvale, Utah. She had a lovely singing voice and was invited often to perform in plays, church and special occasions. She graduated from Jordan High School in the spring of 1940. She enrolled in beauty school in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1940. Faye opened her first beauty shop on Main Street in Midvale in Dec. 1941. She married Harold Robert Day on August 17, 1943. He died on Jan. 15, 1954. She married Rex G. Rogers on February 1, 1958. Faye was a member of the L.D.S. Church. She served as Stake and Ward Drama Director and was Coordinator in the Junior Sunday School in the Draper 3rd Ward for many years. She taught the five year old class in Primary for many years. She had a beauty shop, "Faye's Style Shack" in her home in Draper for 50 years. She closed the shop in 2000 at the age of 78. They moved to a lovely new home on Arrow Creek Drive in Draper. She loved her association with the operators and patrons that flowed through the shop over the years. She enjoyed playing games and played monthly with a group of friends from her high school years and with a second group of good friends from Draper right up to her death. She loved going to the movies and went each week with her best friend Avis, whom she loved dearly. She liked to travel and had many nice trips over the years. She loved to attend activities and go to lunch with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was fun loving and spunky throughout her life. She was happiest when surrounded by her family. She is survived by her husband of 50 year Rex G Rogers and three daughters, Kathleen Klindt, Salt Lake City; Anne Pinarelli, St. George; and Cheryl (Doug) Perkins, Salt Lake City; and three sons, Gordon (Suzanne) Day, Sandy, Utah; Paul Robert (Carmen) Day, Anchorage, Alaska; and LaMont A. (Susan) Day, Draper, Utah. One daughter Kathy preceded her in death. She has 17 grandchildren, 16 great-grand-children and one great-great-granddaughter. The family wishes to thank those that helped us in caring for her these last months. A special thanks to Aundrea, Tim and Yolanda and to the staff of the Highland Care Center.

Luke is 3

I remember when I was pregnant with Luke, Russ and I went to get my ultrasound and the tech told us it was a boy. Russ had him check 3 times to make sure he wasn't mistaken. It was such a happy day for us because we wanted a boy so badly. Bailey had put an order in for a new teeny tiny little white fluffy puppy but she finally decided that she was satisfied with a baby brother. We all wondered what Luke's personality would be like, since Bailey is such a character, we worried that if he was timid he would end up in his big sisters shadow. He surprised us all and was born with all the personality and charisma that a 10 pounder could hold. Luke is so much like his daddy it just makes me laugh. They both run non-stop all day, everyday and it wears me out! We are working on harnessing Lukie's energies into Athletics and motorcycling and he seems to understand and enjoy them all. He loves to test himself to see how far he can push his little body and he is always making up games to see who can do this or that bigger, better or badder. Luke is boy through and through and yet he remains my little gentleman. He is kind and polite and he always makes sure to open doors for the girls and tell them that they look pretty, Gram Faye in particular. Luke is hilarious and he loves to entertain - not to mention he's a pretty great dancer. Here is my Birthday tribute to the Boy in honor of him turning 3 We were delighted to have boy in our family and he was such a easy baby. I think I was the only mother known to history to have brought home a newborn that slept through the night every night. I had insomnia something terrible and so I stayed up nights on end watching my sweet baby boy sleep.
Two buddies chillin'. Luke has always idolized his daddy.
My little Blue Eyes. We all wondered where he came from since Russ and I both have Brown eyes. Apparently Russ and I both carry a recessive gene that causes blue eyes and we think they're beautiful! If you ask Lukie where he got them he will tell you, "From the sky".

3 of Luke's favorite foods:

Broccoli, Lemonade, Candy

3 of Luke's favorite shows:

Spiderman, Batman, Scoobydoo

3 favorite places Luke has been:

Lagoon with Kaylie, Murray Pool with friends and Cousins, Bear Lake with the Taylor Family

3 of Luke's favorite Things:

Batman Costume, Spiderman Costume, 50 Motorcycle

3 Facts about Luke:

He wears his underpants backwards so he can see which superhero he has on

He is sensitive, kind and tender hearted

He tells the most imaginative stories you've ever heard

Luke's Buddies:

Dylan, AJ, Jager, Bug, Cole, Chance, Josh, Adam, Dad, Brandon,

Gram Faye, Gram Kathy, Rolene, John and Tyler

3 things Luke wants to be when he grows up:

Spiderman with big Muscles, His dad with big Muscles, Motorcycle Guy with big Muscles

3 Things Luke looks forward to about getting older:

"Getting Taller"

"Growing Big Muscles"

"Being a Superhero"

Bailey is 5

It's hard to believe that I am the mother of a 5 year old. The time has just flown by and I feel like it is getting away from me. It seems just like yesterday that Russell and I brought home this sweet little baby girl with more hair on her head and personality in her body than one person should be allowed. Bailey is such a gift! She has the amazing ability to read people and to connect with everyone and bring joy and happiness into all our lives. She is continually smiling or goofing around, she gets a pure kick out of life and is always searching for the next big adventure. I decided to put 5 of my favorite pictures of Bug throughout the years on this birthday blog, the only problem was looking through all the old pics I realized that they are all my favorite. I had such a hard time breaking it down to just 5. I have truly enjoyed every moment that I have had with my girl. Watching her grow and develop with each new stage has been a joy and a blessing.
Miss Personality
Always making us laugh. She is known for making Dress-ups out of anything, even a bucket.
She grew up so much the day she became a Big Sister. I was so proud of the way she took care of her baby brother. So Loving and protective.
Bailey Picked out her own Christmas outfit

which was supposed to be Red but she talked me into all pink.

I guess you could say it's her signature color.

The Morning of Bug's birthday she woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed and had a revelation to tell me, she was no longer a toddler interested in silly little kid things, she was now a big 5 year old. In her own words, "I am practically a grown up". (Yes, she actually said this to me)
In honor of her 5th birthday here is a Tribute to Bailey in all 5's.

5 of Bailey's favorite Foods:
Crab, Pomegranates, Waffles, Lasagna, Tuna Fish (funny thing about her liking Tuna is that it was the only thing I craved while I was pregnant with her. Coincidence?)
5 of Bailey's Favorite Shows:
Enchanted, Stardust, The Little Mermaid, All of the Shirley Temple Movies, Sound of Music
5 favorite Places Bailey has been:
Arizona with Gram Faye and Kathy to see Gracie perform her Irish step Dance. South Dakota road trip, California with Reagan and Chiristine, St.George to visit Aunt Annie and Bear Lake with the Taylor family.
5 of Bailey's favorite things:
Polly Pocket dolls, Stuffed Cat, American Girl baby doll, my ipod, Dress up clothes
5 facts about Bug:
She is an amazing little artist with a fascinating imagination, She is a true Social Butterfly, She wakes up with a smile every day, She has a beautiful singing voice and likes to make up songs, She is kind to everyone and does a great job to make sure no one is left out, even if that means including her little brother.
Bailey's best Friends:
Brooklyn, Reagan, Kaylie, Mia, Saydi, Riley, Gram Kathy, Gram Faye, Annie, Rolene and Janine
5 things Bailey would like to be when she grows up: Artist, Scientist, Ballet Dancer, Singer or a Princess. (I say shoot for the moon and go for them all!)
5 things that Bailey looks forward to about getting older:
"loosing my teeth"
"getting my ears pierced"
"Kindergarten"
"Getting Married"
"Going to bed when ever I want"