Easter 2010

OK--it's been SOOOOO long since I blogged, and I can't possibly update all that has happened since Halloween last year, so I won't even try. I'll just start from now, and hopefully will be a slightly more frequent blogger from here on out!
Our Easter week was VERY busy. We colored eggs for FHE on Monday of that week, because I knew there would be no time later on in the week to do any coloring. The kids had a great time, and experimented with multi-colored combinations.

Later in the week, we said goodbye to Chris's sister, brother in law, and their kids--very sad, because our kids and their kids are very close, and Jen is one of my best friends. We will miss them a lot. They moved to Arizona, so now we have two family members we can visit when it gets too cold here! On Saturday morning, the day before Easter, we were on the road bright and early to travel to Idaho Falls for my grandmother's 90th birthday party. We listened to conference on the way up, and had a wonderful afternoon celebrating with extended family I haven't seen in a few years. After the party there was an easter egg hunt for the kids, and then we headed back home--lots of driving for one day!

On Easter morning, Robbie and Sarah were up at 6:30 (seriously! I just wanted to scream, "Please, kids, it's not Christmas!!!") looking for their baskets. At 8:30 they still had not found them, and they both had to have a little help from mom to finally find them. That made Chris all ticked off, because he thinks that if they can't find them on their own, they shouldn't have them at all. Anyway, I didn't take any pictures on Easter morning (I know, worst mother award!), but I did take a video of them having a silly string fight with the silly string that was in their baskets. Check it out--and don't worry, they did have to pick it all up!

Easter ended with conference and a dinner of leftovers so we could empty the fridge before we headed off to California for spring break vacation.

Halloween 2009

Talia picked four different Halloween costumes this year, and was a cowgirl, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, and Hannah Montana (I know--cringe, cringe. I tried to talk her out of it, but obviously failed) at different events/parties. Good thing we didn't have to buy any of these costumes--we borrowed the cowgirl costume, and the others are dress-ups that she got as gifts from previous birthdays.

Here she is as a cowgirl for her preschool party. Please note--we couldn't find cowgirl boots in her size, so she thought her winter boots would work great. I agree!


Cody was a grumpy astronaut:

Robbie was a whoopie cushion for school and Halloween day. He dressed up as Barbie for the family party, but the school and his father will not allow him to go out in public cross-dressed!
And Sarah was a wonderful zombie/mummy--we couldn't decide which one the costume looked more like. Here the kids are just before going trick-or-treating:

Pumpkin carving time!

Our annual pumpkin-carving evening was held Friday night, and we had a great time! The kids are learning to scrape out the guts of the pumpkins better, so that means less work for me! Talia carved a small pumpkin that she got at Pumpkinland when she went there for her preschool field trip. Robbie carved a shark and Sarah did a scary face. I didn't take a picture of my masterpiece, but I carved an NY for the Yankees, since we're rooting for them to win the World Series! (Actually, I could care less who wins the world series, but my husband and son are die hard Yankees fans, so the pumpkin was really for them) Go Yanks!

Shippen Halloween Party

Some highlights of this year's Halloween party:

• Adam dressed as a Cafe Rio worker
• Becky dressed as Julia Child
• Skeleton scavenger hunt
• Frankenstein pinata
• The boys dressed as girls (Colton as a cheerleader; Robbie as Barbie)
• The ball-playin boys (Jackson and Kaden)
• The nurse and her patient (that would be myself and Chris, who was still game to host the party even though he was 3 days post-op an emergency appendectomy!)
• The wonderful witches (Bev, Melissa, Ella, Lily)
• Witches brew, i.e. homemade rootbeer
• Doughnut eating contest winners Adam and Colton
• Ashley and Cooper dressed up as characters from the game of Clue
• My photogenic zombie, Sarah, who ended up in almost every picture I took that night!

Here are some pics of the night:

Fall Break

For the third year in a row, we spent fall break at my parents cabin--this is becoming a tradition!
The weather was AWESOME, and we had a great time riding four-wheelers, relaxing, chatting, reading, and eating (of course!). Here are some pics from the trip:


Robbie and Kaden on a four-wheeler. The older boys are getting more and more experience driving the machines; we learned the hard way that Kaden needs a little more practice!

Sarah and Bailey riding around the cabin

Hanging out at the campfire. No one would stay to hear the stories of Walter-the-scary-mountain-man, which made Chris very upset. He looks forward to telling these stories all year. He complained about everyone being pansies, but all the moms were happy because we didn't have to deal with any nightmares.

Doug with Peyton and Bailey; Chris with our kids around the campfire

The whole gang--the Shippens, Carpenters, and Whiteheads

First Day of School

The kids started school a week and a half ago, and so of course I have to post some pics of the first day. Rob is a big 4th grader who was mortified to have his mother walk him to the bus stop. I haven't walked him for the past two years because he always had friends on our street to walk with. But those friends all started Jr High this year, so for the first day of school he got me to walk with, and apparently that just isn't cool!
Sarah spent the first day of school home sick. She was SO upset to miss the first day, but after a day of rest and medicine, she was ready to go the next day. I had to walk them to the bus stop again (and embarass Rob all over again) so I could take pics of Sarah's first day!

The younger two enjoy the morning walk to the bus stop. Talia is quite sad that Rob doesn't find it cool for us to walk them every morning--she loves to walk to the bus and wave to Sarah as the bus drives off.

We have a tradition of having ice cream sundaes after they come home on the first day of school, and this year was no exception. Rob's sign says "Best ice cream sundae maker". And he smeared whip cream all over his face as a joke (although he actually is that messy sometimes!)

Sarah's first day--she's a big second grader! They're growing up too fast--sometimes I just want to freeze time and keep them young forever.

Cody turns 1!

Cody turned one last weekend--where has the time gone?! I can't believe my baby is a whole year old. His birthday was on Sat, but we celebrated it on Sunday cuz Saturdays are just too hectic right now! Grandpa Bob and Grandma Bevvy came, along with Uncle Brian and Aunt Jen and their crew. We had a great evening watching him open presents and eating cake and ice cream. Here are a few pics from the birthday fiesta--

He loved opening his presents

He loves his new Fisher Price farm--now he doesn't have to play with Talia's old doll house!

This kid LOVES playing with balls, so of course we had to get him a few new ones

More fun with the football!

The cake!

When we gave him his cake, he was hesitant at first. He stuck a finger in and tried it out...

And then got a little more bold....

And then started stuffing his face!

The end result! I've actually seen him a lot messier after eating Oreos, but he still succeeded in getting the cake in his hair, his ears, and all down the front of him. It was great fun to watch!