1st Pinewood Derby

On October 26th Maxwell participated in his FIRST Pinewood Derby. Although he didn’t place in any of the races, I couldn’t help feeling proud of him and his ability to create something unique on his very own. The gentleman who owned the derby track and assists the scouting program locally, approached My mom and Dad at the end of the event. He told then how impressed he was that they let their son take the lead in creating his “Spittin’ Fast Watermelon Car”. He kindly added,

“That’s what it’s all about, for each boy to learn from and feel proud of his accomplishment.” Way to go Max! We are so proud of you!

Halloween

Corn and Cha Cha Dancer
Indian, 80's girl, and Fairy

What a fun and exciting Halloween day and night. And what made it even better was that I could spend it with my cousin, Kenzie! That will and always be a night to remember

Cruise 2011

Our family recently returned home from a week’s vacation to the Eastern Caribbean. Our Royal Caribbean Cruise began in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday, October 16th. We visited Nassau (Bahamas), St. Thomas and St. Maarten (U.S. Virgin Islands). Our favorite day was spent at Honeymoon Cay on Water Island – a quick five minute water taxi ride from St. Thomas. My dad and my mom visited there in February and knew it would be a hit with the kids. My siblings and I enjoyed sculpting in the sand, catching small tropical fish near the shoreline and playing catch with a ball given to us by a local. It was a perfect day and one we will always remember spent together as a family.

I’m not sure any of us could pin-point what our FAVORITE thing about the cruise was, but here is a TOP TEN list including some of the most memorable moments:

10. Chilled strawberry soft-serve ice-cream cones anytime of the day by the pool.

9. Maxwell’s unforgettable performance at Family Karaoke Night.

8. Our family suite located at the front of the ship. Although small, it was always nice and quiet and we enjoyed escaping the rest of the ship and our fellow shipmates.

7. The woman in Nassau selling handmade jewelry on Junkanoo Beach. We spent an hour with her as she patiently customized each piece of jewelry to fit perfectly. She told us she felt “guided” to go the beach that day to meet our family. She also told my mom that she needed to keep a close eye on Madeline, referring to the beautiful young woman she is becoming.

6. Spending time with the Widdison family. We met up several times with Skylar and Traci Widdison (My Dad's Cabinet Contractor) and their adorable daughter, Ashylnn. She bonded instantly with each of the girls and we loved doting on her for the week.

5. Sorrento’s Pizzeria located on the Royal Promenade, Deck 5. Delicious.

4. Maxwell making friends with Ethan, an eight year-old from Connecticut. They had fun attending the “Explorers” class together each day. Maxwell gave him a Book of Mormon the last day of our cruise. It was his first to give away on his very own!

3. Madeline and I meeting fellow teens (12-14) from Great Britain and Brazil and having a group to “hang out” with for the week. Madeline's favorite was a 12 year-old boy named Callum from London. He followed her around like a shadow for the week and she loved every minute of it.

2. Giving a Book of Mormon to “Bubba” from Turkey. He served us breakfast one morning in the dining room and we bonded with him instantly. We could only comprehend half of what he said in his broken English, but his happy heart and smile were infectious. He kissed the cover of the book after we gave it to him.

1. No computers. No cellphones. No texting. No Facebook. No work. No assignments. Just uninterrupted family time. A PERFECT FAMILY GETAWAY.

Amelia's Birthday

Today we celebrated My 13th Birthday. We set up our very own fall carnival in the backyard and invited all of my friends over. The guests enjoyed visiting each of the booths – complete with treats and prizes for the winners. Following the carnival the girls and I watched a movie and each went home with a homemade caramel apple. We all had a great time, including Zoey, who took advantage of every piece of hot popcorn that hit the concrete patio floor. :)

Keri and Amelia
Guess how many

Baloon darts, and bean bag toss
Hot popcorn comin up!
The girls also enjoyed fishing for some candy and toys at the fish pond. :)

Starting school Again

The first day of school was great for me! Starting in a new school, new friends, new teachers. I knew it was going to be hard, but it was better then I thought! Cant wait to finish off the year at Mt. Ridge junior high!!!

Madeline's Party

Madeline's birthday party was a huge hit. The girls watched soul surfer, chatted for a little while, and when it became dark; roasted marshmallows and played night games. What a fun night with all of Madeline's friends.

Madeline's B-Day

Even though Madeline spent most of her birthday in a bus coming home from trek, we had a great surprise in store for her when she got home. We decorated her room, set up the presents, and got the cake ready to cut into. Madeline had a great birthday and loved every minute of our surprise.

Fireworks on the 25th

Fireworks on the 25th. Sadly we could not spend this with Madeline since she was on Trek, but we still had a great time. Even with the rain, we attempted a few times and just finally decided to just stick it out until we were all out of fireworks. Subtract the rain, it was a pretty great way to spend the night.

Stadium of Fire

On the 2nd of July My family and I had the opportunity to go to the Stadium of Fire. We had the chance to hear David Archuleta, and Brad Paisley sing. It was a great experience and the fireworks at the end were priceless! And what made the 2nd of July even better, was that I could spend it with one of my closest friends.
Keri and I