MacDougalls 365

Presidents Day in Utah

2012-02-22T15:47:00.000-08:00

Baby B. was born and blessed this Presidents Day Weekend, so we took a little drive over the mountains to see some cousins. We started out seeing the Oaks in Bountiful. Then drove to Spanish Fork the next day to see the McCains.

We spent an afternoon at the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point.

Something cool must have happened!

It was I's favorite part of the trip because she held B. almost the whole time - or pushed her stroller.

This museum had so many hands-on exhibits - including water erosion. The kids built a dam, of course.

Here is I. practicing for when our baby comes.

Looking at these pictures with four kiddos makes our future seem so real.

I. and her cousin H.

M. got a little sick - poor girl. Tom took the older kids to a BYU Volley ball game while I stayed home with her.

Even G. couldn't resist holding baby B.

And of course, I. had to get the final hold. Only 6 more weeks and then I. can hold a baby all she wants!

A Night At The Museum

2012-02-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

Another night, another exhibit, another picture. I think G. is trying to copy a certain picture we had a couple of months ago. We think he's funny.

We Have a 7 Year Old!

2012-02-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

Lego party for our Lego maniac!

This is my attempt at Lego sugar cookies. At least they tasted yummy!

Today was a snow day at school - a lot of boys had a lot of energy! The first game they played we called "I Spy the Lego guy!"

We cut out a mini figure and hid him around the home. They played this for awhile!

Next, they played what we called Lego Collaboration. Each boy had a bag of Legos. They took turns dumping out the legos and taking 90 seconds to build something. Then they passed their structure to the next boy who took 90 seconds to add on his legos. The next round they took 45 seconds and the last round they took 25 seconds.

Most of the time, though, there were just boys running around the house.

My creative I. decorated the plates.

After all his friends left, it was time for his family party. This basketball hoop is a major hit! I'm not sure how long I'm going to have it right in the middle of our downstairs - but for right now, it's a good spot.

The big big hit was Queen Ann's Revenge - a Lego pirate ship!

Happy Birthday to our awesome 7 year old!

What a Life!

2012-01-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

Yep, this is typical of our 4 year old - surrounded by toys and being busy. She doesn't have a care in the world! She is still wearing her gymnastics leotard (plus she has tricky toes like her grandma).

28 weeks

2012-01-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

12 more weeks to go!

This little girl is excited! No, we don't know what the gender is and we are not going to find out until this duckling makes it appearance!

This makes me laugh - not posed, but M. just wanted to feel my baby bump. So cheesy.

Sunday at Church

2012-01-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

All this went into my church bag! There is a reason why I make my kiddos carry their own stuff to church!

Bowling

2012-01-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

We had another day off on January 2 and the kids chose to go bowling.

The scores were all over the place - for the kids AND the adults!

Little M. was super independent - no help from parents, no help from the silver track you can roll it down. She can do it herself!

Yep, I was there too.

A Couple of Christmas Pictures

2012-01-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

Oh man I do love these kiddos!

M. and I. called G. "Hufflepuff" all day because of his tie. I think he looks sharp.

Yep, we are home for less than 5 minutes and her sweater and shoes are off.

This is the best we've got this year. I'm sitting on the edge and therefore towering over Tom who is all the way back. No one who is 6 months pregnant wants to look like an ogre!

Christmas 2011!

Ice Skating

2012-01-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

We went ice skating this past week. It sounds really fun in theory, but it was a lot of hard work for mommy and daddy! G. just had a difficult time and didn't seem to get any better. He was wearing hockey skates which I guess means the blades are really thin. Regardless, he never quit and just kept trying - no matter how many times he fell! That's my boy!

M. was just too young. She went around the rink two times holding my hand and a couple of times with Tom, but all she really wanted to do was take off her skates and drink hot chocolate (who doesn't?) She says maybe she'll try again when she is 14!

Tom spent about half the time like this.

I. loved it and was happy the entire time! Now she wants to take ice skating lessons.

It was fun to be outside, together as a family. Tom had taken the day off and it was nice to have something to do together. We probably won't try again until next year - maybe.

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-26T20:26:00.000-08:00

All is calm . .

All is bright . . .

Perhaps, one of my favorite features of G.'s is the freckles across the bridge of his nose.

M. did this puzzle over and over again. All the pieces make shapes of characters from the nativity story.

I. made the cookies for Santa. She read that chocolate chip were his favorite. Everyone is very serious I guess.

We attempted to act out the Christmas story from Luke. M. was an angel.

G. was a shepherd. and a goofball.

Santa came!

Bikes for everyone!

Unfortunately, there is snow on the ground. We've been doing laps in our unfinished basement!

Lots and lots of Legos - we spent hours putting together sets!

I. has Hogwarts Express (Harry Potter, of course).

G's pride and joy - The Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean.

That only took all day!

It was a beautiful day - I was kind of glad that we had church in the middle of it. G. and I. sang in a children's quintet and I. sang a solo. I accompanied them on the piano. These kids are awesome I tell you. The day was so slow and calm and a fantastic day!

Christmas Eve Sledding

2011-12-26T19:43:00.000-08:00

Our kids tell us it is a tradition to go sledding every Christmas day. This year, we didn't think we would have enough snow to do this. Luckily, on the 22nd it snowed about 8-10 inches and by the 24th, the sun was shining. The conditions were perfect!

Here she goes:

I asked G. to pose for me and this is what I got:

At least I. knows how to pose:

M. had a lot of fun with her daddy.

She does love to go by herself, but this hill was a bit much for her.

I did go down a couple of times. It is hard to share a sled with a 6 month old preggo person, though. I wasn't the preferred parent.

This is my favorite: Tom and G. with their legs flying in the air. The didn't fall off the sled; they sat up and kept going.

If you look closely, you can see the faces of Tom and I. They hit a bump and got some air!

The kids liked going down with Tom on the little pink inflatable sled - that was the first pick.

G. always puts his boots down in the snow to stop them. It results in a face full of snow!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-26T19:20:00.000-08:00

We had a fun pie party - although low key compared to years past. The weather was beautiful and a lot of our friends went out of town. Still, it is pretty fun and a great tradition!

The Oaks came from Utah to join us for Thanksgiving.

I sacrificed a plate of our wall to get this picture - I backed into it and it fell off the wall and broke. Rats. BUT - at least I remembered to get a picture!

We had fun and I didn't take any other pictures! The day the Oaks left, the kiddos wanted to set up our little tree. We call it the kids tree and this year, I let them do it exactly how they wanted.

It was completely done within the hour and they love it!

Time to start the Christmas season!

G Loves Basketball

2011-11-28T20:59:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of pictures from the latest game. I'm sure there will be more posts just like this!

he's #9

his little tongue make me laugh

Glee Performance

2011-11-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

I. participated in her first performance as a member of her school's Glee Club.

She worked up the courage and tried out for a solo. Our good friend helped coach I. and taught her the harmony part for Halo. She was nervous - an emotional wreck - but finally the audition was over and she got the part.

Singing and dancing and performing - I hope that I. does a lot more of this. I love watching it!

Her cute solo friends:

Now, if I can talk Tom into teaching me how to get the video on here, maybe we'll have some live footage of the actual event!

Oh Baby!

2011-11-28T20:32:00.001-08:00

We've been keeping a secret - a 20 week secret:

Another baby is joining our family and we couldn't be more thrilled. I am more than slightly embarrassed that I am actually posting these pictures (and I don't know if it is because of my bump or because of the fact that I was washing linens during this), but I know that Grandmas want to see.

We have hit the half way mark and are smooth sailing so far! Thanks for giving me someone to share our fantastic news!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

This year we had a pirate:

who loved to pose for his mommy:

Rapunzel:

and Hermione Granger:

and I got festive and put on cat ears and a tail for the Trunk or Treat.

We got some pumpkins carved:

and went trick or treating with our gang:

M. came home earlier than the rest, but was super content to sit by the front door and wait for more trick or treaters to come:

Way more often than not, these holidays are passing by too quickly! We had a great Halloween!

M Turns 4!!

2011-11-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

This little girl turned 4 this year. I love 4 years - one of my favorite ages. This year we had a family party.

Why yes those are gluten-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and tree-nut free cupcakes! We were super excited about how they turned out.

Opening presents - I went all out on wrapping them.

M. holds tea parties almost every Sunday after church - but she was wanting a pink tea set! So happy to finally have one.

Plus - a monster size box of dress up clothes!

I love family parties - we can just open the presents right then and start playing with them.

Blowing out the candles

Happy Birthday sweet little one - you are a joy to be around and the perfect compliment to our family. This school year, I've spent so much one on one time with this girl and life is happier when she is around!

Board Game Tournament

2011-10-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

It was a grey day during fall break and we spent the entire day playing games.

M. won Sorry.

Mommy won bananagrams

I. didn't let anyone else participate in dominoes.

G. won I Spy

We also played Memory, Uno, Chutes and Ladders and Yahtzee! Fun way to spend the day.

Washington DC -

2011-10-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

One of the kids favorite things had nothing to do with monuments or museums!

The McConkies took us to a park right next to Regan Airport. The planes fly right over the park as they are landing at the airport.

It is super loud, but super fun. We brought a lunch and it was a beautiful day! The kids raced the planes.

Then we also were able to spend a little time at Arlington Cemetery - so impressive!

There is still so much that I didn't get pictures of - raspberry and apple picking, our hotel, our double date night in Georgetown, the fun bar-b-q with college friends. Oh well. This was a FANTASTIC vacation!

More Washington DC

2011-10-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Tom was finally done with his conference and was able to come downtown with us! Due to unfortunate circumstances, this is as close as we got to the White House.

and this girl spent some quality time in this stroller!

We walked to some memorials.

World War II Memorial:

Lincoln Memorial:

They were redoing the pond. Fortunately, there were hardly any lines anywhere we went. Unfortunately, there was a lot of construction and "re-doing."

G. was our navigator. We stopped often to check the map.

There was some damage done to the Washington Monument during the recent earthquake. We didn't get to go up, we did see the men repelling of the side fixing the damage.

Back to the American History Museum:

We drug the kids into the Museum of Art to see some of Tom's favorite paintings (Thomas Cole, Voyage of Life).

We did go to the National Archives and LOVED it, but no pictures were allowed. We ended at Ford's Theater:

Actually, we ended the evening with a Bar-B-Q at the McConkies home with some old college friends.

Believe it or not, I've still got another day's worth of pictures!

Washington DC - Museums

2011-10-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

While Tom was doing conference stuff, I drove the three kiddos into downtown and we went and saw museums. The kids LOVED them!

Air and Space:

I. studied Amelia Earhart last year in school and this was her favorite!

Museum of Natural History:

G.'s idea to take a picture in front of the carnivore display

The Hope Diamond

These wings are the size of my palm!

Plenty of hanging out! I walked those two (m. rode in a stroller) a ton and there were very little complaints. They were awesome.

Museum of American History

We lost steam before we finished this museum. We came back with Daddy two days later.

Washington DC - Fun With Cousins

2011-10-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

We did it! We took the entire family to Washington DC and what a memorable vacation it was! Tom had a conference there and we decided to tag along. We had so much fun. I have so many pictures and will have to break it into several posts - here we go!

Our kids are very good travelers. We get many compliments on how well they do on an airplane. They always get hot cocoa to drink and I think the flight attendants aren't used to people ordering that! We read books, color, play Angry Birds, and have some fun.

We spent the first two days with Tom's sister, Bonnie. Our kids have so much fun with cousins.

These 2 are only a month apart.

I love how old everything is back east. Even my kids were very interested in the history.

Chatham Manor

I'm not sure what game they were playing - sure was fun to just watch their imaginations go wild.

The only way we were able to leave Auntie Bonnies was to entice the kids that we were going to get to stay in a hotel that night. Otherwise, there would have been tears.

More to come . . .

Too Funny Not To Share

2011-09-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

We visited the new T. Rex exhibit last night. We had a great time and we got to take our little friend with us. I laugh so hard every time I see this.

Half Marathon #4

2011-09-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

On August 13, I ran the Georgetown Marathon with my friends - again. I generally have fun running this, but not this year. I was so happy to just be done!

12 Years

2011-08-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

If you’ll be my soft and sweet
I’ll be your strong and steady
You be my glass of wine
I’ll be your shot of whiskey
You be my sunny day
I’ll be your shade tree
You be my honeysuckle
I’ll be your honey bee

If you’ll be my Louisiana
I’ll be your Mississippi
You be my little Loretta
I’ll be your Conway Twitty
You be my sugar baby
I’ll be your sweet iced tea
You be my honeysuckle
I’ll be your honey bee

Today marks the day I've been married to my "strong and steady" for 12 years! Words can't explain the partnership I feel with Tom and the happiness our marriage has brought me.

First Day of School

2011-08-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

School started ridiculously early, as always. This year both of the oldest go all day! What a bittersweet moment.

New backpacks, new lunchboxes, but still there is a bit of nervousness in the air.

G. is my first grader now, and the one I cried the most tears over. He's awesome and he is very missed while he is gone!

And yes, he wore his fancy Star Wars shirt for the first day. The theme was Back in Black and since he doesn't own a black school shirt, this was what he wanted to wear.

I's in fourth grade - no biggie for her this year!

I. and Mrs. Hawk

G. and Mrs. Rossi

Bye bye sweetie! You will be missed!

I's Birthday

2011-08-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

So, I. turned 9 in July and this was the year she got her ears pierced! She was the last one of anyone in her grade to get them pierced, or so she says.

We got to the mall before it even opened. She was ready and wanted to get them done!

Ta-Da! Instantly, she's older.

This was not the year for a friend party, but I. had us scheduled pretty well. We had her ears pierced, Chipotle for lunch, painted pottery, frozen yogurt for snack, dinner and presents!

Her favorite was a wardrobe for her American Girl, she's an organizer!

And she requested red velvet cake with chocolate mousse in the middle - this girl takes her sugar very seriously!

Happy Birthday Sweet I. You are so many answers to my prayers!

Colorado Rockies

2011-08-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

A summer must - attend a baseball game!

Boy, was this family excited to do that!

G. and Daddy spent the entire game talking about the game.

M. and I. spent several innings working on a snow cone!

Even G. would get up and dance! He danced like a chicken and it made me laugh every single time! It was a great night! The Rockies won, even better!

Rocky Mountain National Forest - Part 3

2011-07-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

We LOVE campfires - even more when there are friends! We gathered in the evening at a common fire pit.

The next morning, there was nothing planned except to not rush home. We took a windy road up to the top of the "highest mountain."

It was fun to play with snow in July.

Yes, my hat is down low - this is the third day of camping!

Silly kiddos!

This trip was the best camping trip we've had ever! Our kiddos were so awesome, which can totally make or break a trip! We can't wait for next year!

Tennis Camp

2011-07-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

My oldest 2 took a week and participated in tennis camp this summer.

They went every day. They played every day - it was fun to watch them.

I. liked it enough that she is continuing for another six weeks (only 2x/week, though).

G. doesn't really like the heat, he liked it but had enough.

Of course, my BFF hung out with me!

Rocky Mountain National Forest - Part 2

2011-07-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Our FAVORITE place to watch fireworks if off of Estes Lake. There is a huge field and we park there.

Everyone sets up their camp chairs.

Glow sticks and treats are passed all around. The kids keep busy by just being kids!

Finally the show starts and it is a fantastic show!

We were told that Rocky Mountain National Forest is being over run by elk. We saw plenty of herds!

Our camp site:

Another highlight - this deer that just parked itself about 20 yards from our friends' tent!

More pictures to come!

Rocky Mountain National Forest - Part 1

2011-07-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

We spent the 4th of July camping in the Rocky Mountain National Forest. This is the third year we have done it and we LOVE it!

Packed and ready to go!

We stay at Moraine Park - it is perfect for our kids. There are huge rocks all around that they spend hours climbing.

We got there early Monday morning and started off with a hike, even before we unloaded our car. This was to Fern Falls - a 5.4 miles moderate hike.

There was so much water! We hiked next to the stream almost the entire time and had to cross over water 15 times (we counted). Many times we had to hike over the "mucky mud."

One of the many bridges - and I. is wearing my sunglasses, I don't know why.

This little one was in the backpack about half the time, but she likes to be out jumping from rock to rock. Every time we crossed water, we got her out. She loves it!

The falls were gorgeous!

We saw a mommy and baby deer (no picture) and this moose! He was just walking along and it was so cool!

We always try to sell hikes to our kids with the possible sightings of wild life, so it is always rewarding when we see something! We had a fantastic time on this hike!

More pictures of the rest of our trip to come!

I Love Watching Them Do Chores

2011-06-24T08:35:00.001-07:00

It makes me very very happy!

Last Day of School Photos

2011-06-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

Last day of kindergarten and third grade

I. had a writer's cafe where she read some of her poems aloud to the parents

I. had a good group of girls in her class this year.

BFF bracelets

As per tradition, a summer basket and balloons was waiting for them when we returned.

Kindie Graduation

2011-06-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Break my heart! Kindie graduation is still a silly ceremony to me and I don't quite get it (and I even have years of teaching kindies in my resume!) and yes, I let him wear his Star Wars t-shirt to this. Oops.

do you see G? bottom right

his hat is just a little too big

Still, any time one of my kiddos is performing, my tears start coming. This year is particularly bitter sweet.

Next year, G. will be in 1st grade and will leave me for the entire day! He is my bud; I can't even imagine him gone all day and I don't even like to think about it!

#3

2011-05-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when you are child #3, you spend most of your life doing what the older siblings are doing.

An empty trampoline is a simple pleasure that rarely happens!

No one telling her what game to play, or how to jump.

No one telling her to stand off to the side so they can do their tricks.

All it takes is about 10 minutes of alone time on the tramp (in your church clothes).

Then, you are ready to go see where everyone else is!

School Happenings: I's Market Day

2011-05-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

The Assignment: Create a product that you can "sell." We had $8 total. I. had to come up with an idea, make them (she chose to make 60), market them . . . She chose notebooks and we Emily's from Jones Design Company.

She had a little tablecloth to make her desk look bright and fun. She made some posters and was excited to sell (and buy).

She had a great time. It was fun to walk around and "buy" from others. G. had a great time, also.

But M. had reached her limit and this was not fun for her. We were at school all morning watching field day and this was the afternoon. She was done.

School Happenings: G's Egg Drop

2011-05-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

The Assignment: Create something no bigger than 8" x 8" that will enable an egg to be dropped from the roof of the school and not be cracked. Luckily, we happen to have an engineer in the family, and this project was quickly passed to Daddy.

There was a lot of excitement in the morning. I brought my BFF to come hang out at the school with me. She is so good to just hang out (but she definitely has her limits).

I love having my camera at school with me!

Can't you just feel the anticipation? Oh boy, I LOVE kindergarten!

It was a really windy morning and instead of being "dropped" from the roof, they were totally thrown.

Then, we just had to wait while they finished throwing everyones. G. and I just stared and wondered "did it make it?"

Time to find out. First the foam comes off.

G's a little nervous that some of the water balloons have popped. BUT, he still had a layer of yogurt cups and Styrofoam peanuts to get through until he saw the results.

IT SURVIVED!

and G. is very happy!

Busting Out The Fire Pit

2011-05-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, after spending the entire day doing yard work, Tom had some wood that he wanted to burn. So we got out the fire pit and had our first batch or s'mores!

Yes, we only had Christmas marshmallows, but at least I had gluten free graham crackers in the cupboard!

Sometimes, you can look at what my kids are wearing, namely M., and realize that I have been working outside all day and they have been on their own.

First of many this summer - we're hoping!

I Just Wanted One Picture

2011-04-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

My kids all had new clothes. I just wanted to capture it real quick.

But someone wouldn't have it. We did learn, after taking her to urgent care around 7pm, that she has ear infections in both her ears. I'll let it pass this year.

G. begged for a tie this year, but then thinks it chokes him too much. Nice.

I. will always pose, though. My goodness, when did she get so old!?

Well, this will have to do. Happy Easter from the MacDougalls!

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I have to "gear up" to dye Easter Eggs. When all is said and done, it takes about 15 minutes. The kiddos are pretty clean and little M. (who is allergic to eggs) is scared and stays far away.

Generally, they just dunk, wait, and then they are done. It's over. This year, though, I.'s mind started going. And if you've ever seen her mind clicking away, it's a beautiful thing. She started seeing possibilities - and things started to change just a bit. I'm sure next year they will change quite a bit!

Tom took M. to work one Saturday and it was just the oldest two and me. We started jello, we made a glass cube jellos, which I'm not even sure if it tasted OK. The kids had fun, though.

True bed head . .

This picture cracks me up . I must have deleted at least 30 blurry pictures. It's hard to keep these still. G. is so mad that I asked him to show me an egg. I think he's afraid if he stops, his sisters are going to get all the eggs - valid concern, bud.

but really, of all the pictures I took, this is the one that's not blurry. Can he at least smile?

Crazy Kids

2011-04-11T20:19:00.000-07:00

They called me and told me to bring my camera!

Day at the Museum

2011-04-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

While Grandma and Grandpa were in town, we spent a morning at the museum! They had a special exhibit on pirates that we were excited to see.

I never know how my kids are going to handle a museum. There is a lot of reading ad not a lot of interaction - but the pirate exhibit was really cool! Unfortunately, they wouldn't let me take any pictures.

We also spent a lot of time looking at the dinosaurs. We spent a couple of hours there and we didn't even get past one floor. We are looking forward to getting there again and exploring a bit more.

Spring Break Mornings

2011-03-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

On mornings when we don't have school - everyone climbs in my bed to watch a show. Well, everyone except me - there's no room!

G's hugs - they're the best.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

2011-03-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

It is Spring Break. Tom took a day off and we drove down to Colorado Springs and spent a day at the zoo.

My favorite part is feeding the giraffes. I am fascinated by their tongues - the length and how productive their tongue is. We watched them stretch their tongue across the concrete to sweep up any lettuce scraps.

M. was so happy, she pretty much danced around the zoo. It was a little chilly for my liking, but I'm the biggest wimp in the family.

We tried a little rock climbing there - who knew? I don't necessarily go to the zoo anticipating a good climb, but it was an added bonus.

Just when we were about to reach our limits, we met up with our dear friends. It made the rest of the afternoon - and the evening. We had so much fun together, we shared dinner and movie night too!

This is by far, M.'s favorite part of the zoo. She still talks about the carousel at Disney World that we were at a year ago! She asked all day to go on the carousel!

I. waited FOREVER for this peacock to show his feathers. He finally humored her and it was worth the wait!

I do love my little family! What a great day!

Playing Together

2011-03-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

My kiddos doing really good just playing together. It makes me happy. In fact, right now there is dinner in the crockpot, my kids are playing Geo Trax, my spray painting project is drying and I have my feet kicked up blogging away. Now that makes me happy, too.

They spent at least an hour playing trains together, and then they cooked dinner. It was Cook With Mommy Tuesday and they are getting so good at it. They made chicken strips, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagas, and lemonade. What a success. I. made the potatoes, G. made the chicken (surprise) M. helped me with the asparagas, and everyone stirred the lemonade. I am helping less and less. That makes me happy too.

Not This Year . .

2011-03-18T10:18:00.001-07:00

Despite a totally awesome trap, the leprechaun did not get caught this year. Rats!

It has begun

2011-03-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

I.'s been seeing the orthodontist. She has begun "Phase 1." Oh my, I'm pretty sure we won't have a break from the office for many MANY years!

In this phase, I. got something like a retainer put on her bottom teeth (I can't even remember the initials for it.) She really won't get brackets until she is a teenager.

G Loves Basketball

2011-03-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

This winter, G. has played basketball. He loves it! Finally, my McCain genes are starting to show in this boy! He practices dribbling in the basement, he always is asking how long until he can play, he wants to shoot all the time. I love it!

The gym and a fast moving boy make less than ideal pictures! But they are going up on this blog for posterity's sake.

So fitting that one of the better pictures is of G. pulling up his shorts (his mother also gave him her backside).

Tom has taken him to High School basketball games. The girls, however, are less than thrilled!

One of Tom's seminary students plays on the team, so it's fun to cheer for someone you know.

February

2011-03-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

Where did February go? The worse part of February is that it goes to quickly! Here are a couple of things that we did this month:

We had a day off school, but the high schoolers did not. G. was up before seminary, so Tom just took him to seminary. I went to pick him up and had to bribe the girls out of bed with a special treat. Of course, I. chose Krispy Kreme. We did stop by and get smoothies for M. on the way.

and yes, the girls are still in their PJ's. Actually, you could catch I. in these clothes any time of the day.

We had another day off, and we spent some time at the Field House with friends.

I think the size of my two oldest scared others away. I remember when I just had I. and she was little, I would get so annoyed at the big kids playing on the play structures. Now, I have the big kids and I'm annoying other moms!

For FHE one week, we had a scavenger hunt at Target. I. made the list and I thought I would kill at this. The teams were M. and mommy vs. Daddy and I. and G. They won because I couldn't find an Obi Wan figure!

Valentine Happenings

2011-02-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

Just some pictures of our very full fun filled LOVE day!

M. and I made marshmallows - gluten and egg free (always looking for these types of treats)

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting in a jar

Mailboxes for love notes

Oatmeal Cranberry Heart Scones - for the big kiddos in our family (I am so not a foodie blogger - sorry about the picture)

Gotta love a tulle heart shirt!

Valentines Parties at School

Our Valentines were a hit!

Delivering goodies to her teachers

We had flowers, candles, chocolates and lots of love the entire day! Hope your day was special, too.

One Year Older and Wiser Too

2011-02-20T20:48:00.000-08:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Getting old never felt so good! Seriously, it's awesome to look at your life and realize how m any good people surround you and that you are perfectly content with where you are!

Spoiled by friends on Friday night at the coolest little place. I'm surrounded by gorgeous women! Actually their beauty is just the beginning of how awesome they are.

Came home from a date with my husband on Saturday night to find my kitchen looking like this - thanks Young Women!

My command center is filled to the brim with love - not a bad thing!

A dear friend has a layover for a couple hours and Tom willingly takes the kids on a Saturday so I can spend some time with this group of women. (Seriously - I have gorgeous friends. If I didn't know them, they would intimidate the heck out of me!)
On Sunday, I put the camera away and just spent time with my little family. I got no less than 20 birthday hearts from my kids and the surprises kept coming. What a wonderful day. 35 is going to be a great year!

Our True Identity

2011-02-17T12:30:00.000-08:00

I love this message. I used it in a YW lesson at the beginning of the month AND shared it for FHE. My favorite part is when he says something about the world trying to convince us that we are not really swans and that we are just ugly ducklings - "but you know better." I hope that in the midst of the tough stuff, we remember who we truly are and our potential.

G turns 6!

2011-02-10T13:16:00.000-08:00

G turned 6 on February 3. What a great day was it. G. is so easy to please and his wants are so simple - so the day was very simple. He started the day off by running and giving me the best hug and saying "See Mom, 6 year olds do give good hugs." I had been wondering if they could compete with 5 year old hugs.

He is trying really hard to keep his eyes open - silly boy

We brought doughnuts to his class and Daddy met him at lunchtime with McDonald's Happy Meals. He gets out of kindergarten at the same time that I. heads to lunch, so the three of them ate lunch together.

G. really wanted basketball shorts - I love that they go to his socks (and that his socks don't match!)

We had a little family party that night. We made cinnamon swirl pancakes and bacon, per G's request. We opened presents and had cake. Simple!

He got the gift he wanted - Lego Star Wars X-Wing Fighter

Lego guys helping with the candles

This boy is so awesome - he melts my heart. Five was a great year, we can't wait to see what 6 is like!

Up and Over

2011-01-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

and over

Christmas 2010

2011-01-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

New Christmas Jammies to open up on Christmas Eve

Mary and a Shepherd in the kid-directed, kid-costume maker, kid-written play!

We had to have 2 Marys.

Christmas morning - opening their stockings and waiting for breakfast. Yes, our family has to eat breakfast before we go see what else Santa brought us and open presents. If you knew G., you wouldn't question it.

Lining up by age to go check the other room.

G.'s goods. This was the only picture where he didn't have his eyes shut - mission accomplished (boy was it ever).

I get so sad that she doesn't have toys anymore. She's growing up.

Now, this was a hit - a HUGE hit!

We spent the day checking out everything, reading our new books, playing our new games, putting together Legos. It was perfection and I say that every year!

Gingerbread Making

2011-01-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

I love decorating cookies with my kids - well worth all the mess. It takes all afternoon to make the dough, roll it out, cut it out, bake it, wait f

Although M. can't eat them, she has no problem decorating them!

I. takes it very seriously - or course. This year, she created Star Wars Characters. We don't buy anything new and just use what we have - I love what she can come up with.

G. is learning that it's OK to be careful and take your time. Really, though, he just doesn't care.

I used the best recipe this year! My kids don't like all the spices, so they never eat. This recipe was like a butterscotch sugar cookie. YUM! They stayed soft for days!

Licking the frosting off her fingers - please don't lecture me on cross-contamination.

Santa and Rudolph creations

We did haunted houses in October, gingerbread men in December, we'll do Love Shacks in February . . . I'm sure I'll think of more!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-30T12:05:00.000-08:00

Mailing Santa's Letter

2010-12-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

This year, we found a "special" mailbox that the kiddos wanted to mail their letters in. So, after we wrote our letters, we piled in the car and drove out to mail them.

Poor I. - she had 2 teeth pulled that morning and still wasn't feeling well. But she really didn't want to wait another day!

Christmas Piano Recital

2010-12-05T13:07:00.000-08:00

The most stressful time of the year for me - Piano Recital time! Not only are all the students that I teach performing and I get super nervous for them, but this year, I. and G. also performed. Oh, to top off that stress we hold it at our home and I try to get it all Christmas-y and nice for the recital and serve refreshments.

In the end, it is always one of my favorite nights. I. played At The County Fair, and Angels We Have Heard on High.

This was G.'s first year and he was terrified! He played Book of Mormon Stories, and Jingle Bells. We are so proud that he did it.

I love teaching piano and I have so many opportunities to do so. Our kiddos performed well - we are proud!

M's Gymnastics

2010-12-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

M. started gymnstics this week - we are very excited!

MacDougall Family 3rd Annual Pie Party

2010-12-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, Tom and I were anticipating have our first Thanksgiving by ourselves. I don't mind the cooking part, I actually enjoy it. It just sounded lonely. I thought maybe we should invite friends over for dessert. Tom said that no one really enjoys Thanksgiving dessert because they are too stuffed on Thursday. If we really wanted to have fun, we should invite friends over on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, and we could really enjoy dessert. THAT is how the Pie Party came to be.

Every year, we stuff our home with our dearest friends. Every year, we say we couldn't hold any more, but the next year we always do. Every year, I get really stressed out about the imperfections of our home - but the party is a success every year. It has become my favorite get together and I look forward to it all year.

We set up a large chalkboard in the kitchen. Voting is very important to my children. I. writes down each pie as they come in. We give everyone 2 votes and they can't vote for themselves. The winner takes home a prize - usually a candle. I love how imperfect the system is - I think it keeps the competition away. It's bugging my kiddos, almost to tears, and I'm sure we'll find a new system next year.

The pies get set up on our kitchen island. There was such a variety this year - I love it! We had apple, pumpkin, pear, blueberry, cherry, key lime, candy bar, banana blackberry cream . . . . you get the idea. Pumpkin Cheesecake took home the prize this year! Yum!

This year, the kids and I made Cherry Pops - via Bakereala. Didn't they turn out cute?

Everyone comes and goes (actually no one really goes, which is how we like it). It's impossible to get a picture of everything perfect!

I really don't like getting a babysitter to go to a party, I like my kiddos with me. Because of this, kids are totally invited. We let them go down into our unfinished basement and be loud and yell down there. The only casualties this year were 2 big bouncy balls that were popped. Other than that, it wasn't bad. Our friends have really good kids.

I love love love having our home stuffed with our friends that we are so grateful for. I love having this get together to kick off the holidays. It gets bigger every year! See you in 2011? I sure hope so.

Just Another Day

2010-12-05T11:35:00.000-08:00

I wrote this post for my other blog - and wanted it here for memory's sake.

Warning - this might be one of the most boring posts you've ever read! It's definitely the longest! There are 2 questions I get asked ALL. THE. TIME. The first one being about how I cook and feed my family with one child having severe allergies. The second question always has something to do with where I find the time, what is a typical day, how do I get things done. I'm combining both those questions into today's post, Just Another Day.

I get up at 5:30 am. This particular day is Monday, so it is muffins for breakfast. I get a batch of banana oatmeal muffins mixed up and in the oven, start the laundry, empty the dishwasher, make lunch for I. (I try to put a joke in her lunch) make our bed, feed my hubby and get him out the door at 6.

This morning G. woke up around 6 and needed breakfast. He got banana muffins and yogurt. I wasn't expecting him to wake up so early, so my treadmill run got changed. Instead I pop in a 30 minute DVD (abs and arms today) and work out while G. eats breakfast and watches me.

7:00 Shower and get ready for the day. M. and I. have woken up and it has started snowing. We have a tradition that if it is snowing at breakfast time, I let the kiddos have hot chocolate for breakfast. M. LOVES hot chocolate!

M. is the one with all the allergies. Her breakfast this morning is rice bread toast, yogurt and hot chocolate.

Because I have to be very careful with what I eat or I gain weight real quick, the muffins are a no-go for me. I eat a quick bowl of oatmeal and a clementine (we call them cuties).

8 am - the kids get dressed, brush their hair and teeth while I teach a piano lesson.

8:50 - say bye bye to M. I trade mornings with my neighbor and today she is watching M. for the morning. Tomorrow, I'll watch her little one. M. takes a snack - it probably had Pirates Booty, apple sauce, and a juice.

I volunteer at school. I spend some time in kindergarten with G. and then third grade with I.

10:30- I go to pick up M., but she won't come with me! My neighbor tells me to go run some errands. I stop by Hobby Lobby and HomeGoods. G. hates Hobby Lobby so I'm glad I can get this errand in before he gets home from school. We have a large get together this week and I'm trying to get things pulled together for it.

12:00 - pick up G. from school and go home for lunch. The kids have turkey dogs, apples and cheese balls - no comment about those. My mom bought the biggest container for my kids while she was visiting and we are working our way through them. M. doesn't get a bun, of course.

My lunch is a salad with romaine, carrots, cucumbers, feta cheese, and fat free Italian dressing on a whole wheat wrap with a slice of turkey and an apple on the side. I am stuffed after eating this!

We have a marble run set up in the kitchen today that has entertained the kids while I'm in the kitchen.

1:00 - quiet time, we usually watch some TV, play the Wii, or take a nap.

While the kids watch their show, I set up shop in the living room and work on something for our party this week.

I finish quickly and get on the computer to check emails and favorite blogs. I think I get about 15 minutes or so before the shows are done.

M. has just learned "give me 5, other side, up high, down low . . . too slow." We play while I'm answering emails.

2:00 - Library day. We return all our books and find new ones. We try to do this every Monday.

3:00 - home, 3 loads of laundry finished and folded! Go wipe down the bathroom real quick.

3:45 Time for after school snack, even though it's not technically after school time yet. M. helps me get our second pot of hot chocolate ready.

Snack is hot chocolate and Halloween Candy. G. eats another muffin.

G. and I get in some Sudoku - our favorite!

4:00 - car pool time (they are just posing for the picture - they all get buckled), give I. her snack, kisses, and the daily report. Check backpack and homework.

Pull a freezer meal from our freezer out. Tonight it is Enchilada Soup. Because I didn't make this meal, I'm not sure if M. can eat it, so I pop some potatoes in the oven to bake.

4:30 - the kiddos play together while I teach 2 more piano lessons. On this day, though, one of my students was sick, so G. and I. practiced the piano during that time.

6:15 - scheduled dinner time. It helps Tom to know what time dinner is, so we have it at the same time every day. That doesn't always mean Tom is home for it, but at least he knows he is making a choice to miss it. We have Enchilada Soup, baked potatoes, peaches, and a green salad. M. doesn't eat the soup, I don't eat the baked potatoes, I struggle to get the little ones to eat some salad. Little MacDougall Household Secret - we are always sweeping our floor, but we sweep everything into a pile and don't always sweep up the pile, we just add on to it for days until it bugs one of us. Our kids are used to it and know to stay away from the pile - kind of embarrassing!

Tonight is Family Night. We have a lesson on gratitude and talk about things we are grateful for. The kids talk about the car, so we clean the car for activity and go get some ice cream at Cold Stone.

Family Home Evening treat is ice cream at Cold Stone. (My kids move too fast to get a clear picture). M. gets strawberry ice cream with fruit, which is safe for her to eat. I can't remember what G. and I. get. Tom and I don't get anything.

8:00 - home, baths, books, scriptures and prayer. Ran out of time to do any homework today - we'll have to do it in the morning.

8:30 - Tom teaches early morning seminary and he starts preparing his lesson for the next day. I study scriptures and read along with him.

8:35 - first child out of bed - this always happens when they get sugar at night.

9:30 - finally done studying, kids are all asleep and I jump on the computer and love it. It's time to decompress for a bit and get inspired.

10:00 - in bed, lights out, mind still working full speed. Do my kids know how awesome and good they are? Did I let Tom know how he is perfect for me? Have I spent enough time on my relationship with my Heavenly Father? Do I have a friend in need that I was too busy for? How are our finances looking? Did my kids eat too much sugar today and not enough fruits and veggies? I hope the homework isn't too hard tomorrow? Am I spending my time on what matter's most? . . .

Tomorrow is another day - what a great life. Did I answer most of your questions? Any other ones?

PS - I didn't get the mail or look at a newspaper the entire day - sorry Dad.

2010 Costumes

2010-11-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

Seriously? We couldn't get a single good picture? Oh well. . . This is what happens when you are running late, on your way to the church party and quick tell the kids to stand there so daddy can take a picture.

Our Bumblebee, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia

Boo at the Zoo

2010-11-09T14:56:00.000-08:00

Because Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, we were not planning on trick or treating nor passing out candy. Our kiddos were more than a little bummed. To make it up to them, we went to Boo at the Zoo at the Denver Zoo. We were able to go after dark - so fun and since they limit the number of tickets, it was not crowded.

We walked around and trick or treated at booths. The treats were so random - chips, loaf of bread, clif bars . . .

Princess Leia taught us how to do "perfect Leia buns" which we did for the church party the next night.

We were lucky to get good weather - the kids didn't even wear coats! And score - no line on the carousel!

Pumpkin Carving

2010-11-02T16:26:00.000-07:00

Went pretty quick this year. Nothing fancy, just jack o'lanterns.

We bought some lights from last year's after Halloween clearance sales that were pretty cool. They changed colors and flashed.

Hardest part is picking the perfect pumpkin - all the rest was easy.

M Turns 3!!

2010-10-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

It started with an outing to the park - that's all she wanted. She wanted to go as a family and have Daddy push her on the swings.

This girl LOVES the swings!

We had dinner at Sweet Tomatoes - M's favorite. It's a great place to feed a girl who happens to be allergic to almost everything!

Home for presents and cake!

Siblings were right in on it!

I made a gluten free/egg free cake - come on, did you really expect me to decorate it, too?

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

October 20, 2010

2010-10-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

Bored at the mall, waiting for Daddy:

She wanted me to take pictures of her many emotions - Auntie Hev started this years and years ago. No matter how goofy she is, I think she's gorgeous.

October 19, 2010

2010-10-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Today was a stay at home day - a day perfect for sugar cookies!

I. does most of this herself, now. It's a blessing - and a curse - to have cookie dough made for you!

No finished pictures - the cookies puffed up too much. I hate it when that happens!

October 18, 2010

2010-10-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

Today, gross sticky frogs got stuck on our ceiling. We try our darndest to get them off - the kiddos tried for an hour. These suckers wouldn't come off. We had to wait for Daddy to get back in town. Daddy can fix anything!

Gross

October 17, 2010

2010-10-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

Guess which part of the cupcake is the favorite (G ate the entire cupcake, of course).

M's always happier when there is a gluten-free treat! Especially one coated in chocolate!

October 16, 2010

2010-10-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we ran the last mile of our marathon downtown. This is our second year doing it, we love it!

a little nervous before the race

We ran an average of 1 1/2 miles each Tuesday and Thursday morning, totalling 25 miles.

I's getting more and more nervous - I totally know the feeling (and kind of like it!)

And they are off . . .

We are lucky that M. loves her stroller so much.

1/2 way

I. did it!

G. getting high fives as he crossed the finish line. He ran with the the third graders. All the kindergartners only ran 1/2 mile, but G. ran the entire mile so we could run as a family.

Their medals

The Melting Pot provided post-race refreshments - might be G's favorite part!

Running is over for this season - can't wait for next year!

October 15, 2010

2010-10-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Tom invited seminary students over to watch a movie outside - this was SO fun. We hung a sheet on the trampoline net, brought the projector and speakers outside, wrapped up in blankets and sweatshirts, lit a fire in the fire pit and watched Enchanted. The next day, we had several neighbors comment on how fun it looked - they should have come on over!

2010-10-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

It's time to make our Haunted Houses again - G. reminded me that we did them last year and everyone wanted to do them again. We invited our favorite friends over and had at it.

G's house

M's house

I's house - early stages

Look at all that sugar!

October 13, 2010

2010-10-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

We didn't leave the house once today - I love these days. The kids tend to find the toys they don't play with as much.

October 12, 2010

2010-10-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Let the Halloween sewing begin!

October 11, 2010

2010-10-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Dancing on the island while I'm making dinner - oy!

October 10, 2010

2010-10-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

Our play date with Fritz - M. had an allergic reaction within the first five minutes and the play date was cut short. So sad - she loves Fritz, but we only let her get this close for the pictures and then quickly put him outside and gave her some Benadryl!

G's soccer

2010-10-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

OK - so I missed a couple of days (already!?!) G. has been playing outdoor soccer this fall and really enjoyed it. We've had beautiful weather and we all hop in the car and watch him play every Saturday.

This past Saturday, the "game" was parents vs. kids - G's favorite. Tom had to go to a seminary meeting immediately after the game, so he wasn't dressed to play, but that didn't stop him.

We start indoor soccer in a couple of weeks.

October 5, 2010

2010-10-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

I's school project, which she asked to be documented and put on our family blog.

October 4, 2010

2010-10-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Someone chose Rice Krispy Treats for FHE - with black Halloween sprinkles!

and I thought M's technique of eating it was . . . interesting.

October 3, 2010

2010-10-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

General Conference Sunday

Our forts/tents

Sunday walk/scooter ride between sessions:

Beautiful day - what great weather we are having!

October 2, 2010

2010-10-03T13:47:00.000-07:00

Listening to General Conference:

G. writing down words from Conference that he heard

The path to the driveway - big step!

October 1, 2010

2010-10-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm challenging myself to take at least one picture a day for the month of October.

Running Club:

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we meet at the school before school and run. We average about 1 1/2 miles.

I love to run right beside my kids. I'm not just going to sit on the side and cheer them on - we do it all together. Sometimes M. sits in the stroller, sometimes she gets out and runs.

It's a great way to start the morning! We've run 21 miles/each to date. They have to run 25 miles before October 16 - then we run the last mile of a marathon in Downtown Denver. I love that these kids will run with me, we have a lot of fun.

Weekend Review

2010-09-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

Everyone who knows us, knows that we have Family Movie Night every Friday night. For the past six weeks, we have watched the Star Wars movies (except for Revenge of the Sith - mommy wouldn't allow the PG-13 movie). Last Friday was the final chapter and we threw an impromptu party.
Of course there were costumes.

Ahsoka joined us. I. came up with her costume which includes a brown skirt of I's turned inside out and a turquoise laundry bag on her head. M. was pretty happy about this.

After a quick google search, we came up with Darth Vader Taters, Light Saber Hot Dogs, Leia's Buns, and Yoda Soda.

Then, on Saturday, Tom took the kids camping in the backyard.

Everyone helps set up the tent and everyone slept in it - except for me. I was warm in my bed inside. Call me a party pooper, but I like to think of it as giving a daddy-children bonding moment.

We lit up our new fire pit and had s'mores, sang songs, and told stories.

Our backyard is not "finished" yet, and I'm not sure it will ever be, but I'm loving how much fun we are having out there!

Taking One for the Team

2010-09-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Someone in our family really likes to sit by the windows that roll down.

It was almost unbearable for someone in our family to have to sit in the back so the brick edging could fit in the car.

Poor G.

My Favorite Time of the Day

2010-09-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

At 12:05, do I not only get my G. back for the rest of the day, but I also get the best greeting ever! Every day, he runs full speed, past everyone else, and gives me a running/flying hug. I love it!