Do you smell that?.....It's the smell of VICTORY!

With all the rain we've had recently, Hunter hasn't had a soccer game. Thursday night he finally had his first game. GO TITANS!! The fields were still a bit wet so it made for a slippery time. These are the same kids Hunter played with in the fall and they seem to be working a little better together this season. Even though they didn't score they played a good game and had a lot fun.


Hunter doing the coin toss...

Some action shots of Hunter





Caught in the act!

After Hunter's game we went one field over and watched Taylor and her team (No Fear) proceed to dominate. This is the team that she has been on since we moved here. There are a few new girls, this season, but they have come together to make a great team. After the game Taylor asked Dave..."Do you smell that?...It's the smell of VICTORY"!

Welcome home Edward

...Edward we're coming!....Waiting in line to buy a copy of Twilight



He's all ours!

It truly was a Twilight miracle that we didn't get kicked out of Walmart before it was our turn. We had just come from watching a friend of Amber, Carlie and Maggies who is in a band and I had my camera with me. Apparently the RUDE lady at Walmart didn't like the fact that I had it and kept coming up to me asking me if I was taking pictures. Honestly, there isn't really much to see in Walmart that I want to take a picture of and I don't want a picture of the Twilight books. I own them, DUH! We got our copy of Twilight and high tailed it out of there.

Tomorrow night, Twilight party with the girls, can't wait....

You will soon be OURS!!....

Edward my love, we will soon own you....FOREVER!!

We are thankful for.....

Dave: My kids straight A report cards, my bride, the Red Wings breaking the 100 points for the 9th season in a row!, the chili recipe Jake found on the internet, thankful it was only the fuel filter and nothing more expensive!, the rain and my NEW rain barrels!!, I'm thankful for other ridiculous blogs that make me laugh, NO CAR PAYMENTS!

Amber: Permit(license in 15 days!!!), hanging out with the best friends..and Cameron, mom's car getting fixed, food, soda, candy, guitar hero, SPRING BREAK, pink hair dye, the rain, rain boots, making yummy cookies!, my new phone that works amazingly, dad for calling and getting me a new phone, photoshop!!

Stefanie: Great report cards!!, Dave for planning and doing FHE, my kids and their crazy friends, MAKING MY LAST CAR PAYMENT!, AND a cheap car repair, the rain, now the sunshine, getting our photography blog up and running...YEAH BIG SHOT, laughing so hard I almost peed my pants, learning that the insurance FINALLY paid on the last of Amber's test (it's all in what code they put), chocolate creme de menthe kisses...oh yeah they are WONDERFUL!, Being able to take AWESOME pictures with Jenni.

Jake: food, friends, being able to go the movies with friends.

Hunter: Gavin sleeping over, straight A's.

Taylor: my mom and dad, friends to play with, sleeping over at Natalie Whites house 2 days in a row!, Spring Break, food, Capt Underpants books.

Friday the 13th.....not UN-lucky!

Friday the 13th has the distinction of being unlucky. WELL, NOT this time! The schools decided to make yesterday a non uniform day. Needless to say the kids were THRILLED! Taylor and Hunter were allowed to wear jeans and a green shirt, to help celebrate St. Patty's day early and the start of Spring Break! Jake and Amber were also allowed to wear jeans. So to them that made Friday the 13th a VERY lucky day! Yesterday was also the Accelerated Reading party for this 12 weeks at the elementary school. I'm in charge of the AR program and this time I had arranged for the Dallas Zoo to come. They have a program called "Feature Creature" where they will bring three animals from the zoo to show and talk about. They brought a furry little fellow that I can't remember what it was called, I think it was a Kickachoo. However, I kept calling it a Picachoo! A beautiful colorful parakeet named Chili and a 40lb Boa Constrictor. It was VERY cool and interesting to see them up close and learn about them. Then right after that there was the academic pep rally. It was a BUSY day at the elementary school! At the pep rally, Taylor was given the award, "Student of the Six Weeks" for her class. That award is given to the student who shows kindness, respect and is helpful to others during the six weeks. I must say that REALLY is Taylor. She is all three of those things! I am SO proud of her!!!
The Jr. High also had a pep rally where the 8th grade teachers played basketball against the 8th grade basketball team. According to Jake the kids DOMINATED! I wished I could have attended that as well. It sounded like it was a lot of fun.
Really the only thing about yesterday day being unlucky was the non-stop rain and because we can always use the rain, that was even lucky!


Isn't this little fellow cute!


Chili who comes from South America.


The kids LOVED Sally, but some of the teachers were FREAKED out by her.



Hunter and Taylor enjoying the presentation from the Dallas Zoo


Waiting for the pep rally to begin.


Taylor with her Certificate, pencil and free kids meal from Chik-fi-la (yum!)

Spring soccer is here!

Saturday marked the beginning of Spring soccer....YEAH!! Taylor had her first game of the season and she got to play at the new city athletic park. Which I might add is an AWESOME park! I really can't wait till the splash part opens. Anyway back to soccer. Taylor didn't play fall soccer, but decided to play this spring . She is again on No Fear. This time around Taylor is playing on the field more instead of goalie. She is excited about that. The last season she played (last spring) she was stuck as goalie. Even though she is a good goalie she didn't like playing it. Saturday she came close to scoring several times and at one point had an open goal, but for whatever reason she kicked the ball wide. Oh well, there's always another game for her to try and score and for me to make a fool of myself yelling! I just get so into it. Hunter hasn't had his first game yet, but rest assured I will be out there screaming my head off for him soon!

Going for a goal


Getting ready to kick


Darn goalie stopped it! You just wait till next time...

big shots photography is up and running!

Not only am I finally caught up with my blog (I posted three in one day) Jenni and I have put the finishing touches on our photography blog. YEAH!!!
We are SUPER excited about this new adventure we have started. Click on over to our big shots photography blog and check it out.

Here's a couple favorite shots of us in one of our favorite locations...

You're beautiful....

Tuesday for Young Women's we had a WONDERFUL sister, Tami Link from our ward come and talk to the girls on beauty inside and out. It was a FABULOUS lesson and one I think we all enjoyed. I know I did. It was a GREAT reminder that if we don't have a kind heart no amount of makeup applied or expensive or stylish clothes worn will make us beautiful. Beauty comes from within and even the most plain person becomes beautiful when their hearts are full of love and kindness. She then shared a VERY cute handout she had prepared, a list of beauty tips from Audrey Hepburn.
She also gave this quote, which I ABSOLUTELY love:
If happiness is the most attractive accessory--then a genuine smile is the best lip gloss.

Beauty Tips
By Audrey Hepburn

For attractive lips, Speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, Seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, Share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, Let a child run his or her fingers
through it once a day.

For poise, Walk with the knowledge you’ll never
walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored,
renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed;
never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll
find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have
two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for
helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she
wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she
combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her
eyes, Because that is the doorway to her heart, the
the place where love is.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, But
true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion
that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with
passing years—only grows!


Thank you Tami for such an AWESOME lesson!

You are not only beautiful on the outside, but also a GREAT example of inner beauty!

Friends, fun and hockey...

Our friends, Tommy and Jenni are HUGE Dallas Stars fans and they know what a HUGE Red Wing fan Dave is so they invited us to go to a Stars game last week. Even though it wasn't the Red Wings, it was a hockey game. First off I must say the seats were GREAT! But the company was even BETTER! We had such a fun time as you will be able to see from the video. Unfortunately the Stars didn't win. Jenni and I are convinced it was because of the Voodoo terrorist that was sitting by Jenni. He was a true nay sayer and used his voodoo powers to put a jinx on them. Even though they did not win we had a GREAT time and I seriously laughed myself silly.

Either he is a voodoo terrorist and he put a spell on the Stars or the glare from his head blinded the team.


We aren't sure but we also think our "friend" put a spell on our hair.


As always a picture of the Zamboni machine for Amber.

Happy Anniversary!!

Dave and I celebrated our 19th (WOW!!) wedding anniversary on Feb. 24th. Seems so crazy that we have been married for almost 20 years! Honestly it doesn't feel like it has been that long. Dave took me to this WONDERFUL restaurant...Texas De Brazil. OH MY GOSH!! The food was AMAZING!!! AND we were without kids so it was nice and relaxing.
Happy Anniversary Dave, I love you!


The BEAUTIFUL flowers he brought me.


The AMAZING restaurant we went to.


This shows how married we are...we bought the EXACT same card for each other!

Our thanks

Last week I missed our thank yous. OOPPSSS!!! Actually I'm WAY behind on my postings. I have several from this past week I need to do. Fun stuff too!
So before I head out for the day, here is what we are thankful for...

Taylor: Tooth Fairy,soccer,friends, school, family, birthdays, nature, bikes, chocolate cake, art, electricity, my home, clothes, church and music

Hunter: grandpas birthday (he turned 84), friends, losing a tooth (tooth fairy's been busy at our house), soccer, toys, candy, toy guns, our house, I'm thankful for my mom and dad

Amber: Hanging out with Camaron, pictures, texting of course!, free minutes after 7pm, Paige for driving Zack and me to school, Jonas Bros concert movie, soda, Victoria Secret

Dave: Tommy and Jenni for taking us to the Stars game, Texas De Brazil, a good nap

Jake: Food, phone, money, tv

Stef: My family, my kids, GREAT seats and GREAT fun at the Stars game (thanks Tommy and Jenni) Stadium nachos....YUMMY!!, celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary, Texas De Brazil (WONDERFUL food), Amber and Jake for letting me take a TON of pictures in several different places yesterday, hugs from Taylor, kisses from Hunter and finding my cell phone this morning in the BIG grassy field where I dropped it yesterday taking pictures!