Addie's Dance Performance

As I am still not very proficient at uploading video to my computer, you will have to accept the photo version of Adelyn's December in-class dance performance. Her class did a beautiful dance to the Russian piece of the Nutcracker. Adelyn just loves all that she is learning and does such a great job.

The girls chassé together in a circle.

Perfect form

The ending pose

Mashayla, Anika, Adelyn,
Miya, Chloe W., Camille, and Chloe B.

The proud mama.

Family Pictures

My good friend Annie took these pictures for us this past Saturday. We were so grateful she was willing to do that for us, and she did a fabulous job. I'm so happy to have them done!

My little family.

Cute Addie

Where our family began...

One of the only smiles we got out of little Annalise before she decided she was freezing and didn't want to be outside anymore.

I love it when Adelyn is being silly.

Another group shot.

My Preston guy with a pink nose (it was so cold!)

Thanksgiving Dinner...at Mimi's Cafe

Not the greatest pictures, but I had to record the event. It was my first experience eating Thanksgiving Dinner at a restaurant. It was super yummy. Super easy. No cooking. No clean-up. Pure pleasure. The only downside was not having many left-overs.

The Rocque clan: Amber, Dana, Brent, Becky, and Kevin.

Another view of the group. (I promise I was not mad in this picture.) After Mimi's, everyone came over to our house for games. It was a really nice and relaxing day. By Sunday, however, Ryan and I were already wanting more turkey, stuffing and pie. So we had no other choice but to break down and made a whole Thanksgiving dinner anyway. We invited some friends over from our ward to share it with us, which made it all the more worth it. The result: delicious!! (with plenty of left-overs). Problem solved.

Enjoying Autumn

Adelyn has officially mastered the monkey triangles at Discovery Park. (Her tongue goes crazy when she concentrates; she got that from me.)

But the tire swing may still be her absolute favorite.

Annalise loves to "ride" bikes. She takes advantage of any moment that Preston isn't riding his.

Smiley eyes Preston (with no shoes, of course).

Annalise, however, loves her shoes. If they fall off, she'll bring them to me to put back on.

This picture was taken on Veteran's Day, so there were flags in every yard around our neighborhood. Adelyn was very proud that she chose to wear this shirt on the perfect day.

Another bike to try. This time it's the neighbor's.

This picture is so typical Annalise. She loves to sing with a big open mouth.

This picture is so typical Adelyn. Wearing dress shoes and a skirt, with her sweater draped over her shoulder like Miss America, she is roughin' it and playing soccer.

And this picture is so typical Preston and his whiny face. (I can't just post the cute ones.)

Me, giving my children something their father cannot: spins (Ryan gets dizzy and squeamish after spinning around only once or twice). Spinning was one of my favorite things to do when I was little (and still is).

Boys Will Be Boys

Preston, always the clown.

Tayson looks like he's grown some two-year old facial hair.

Jaron is all laughs.

I love these silly boys.

The shirt speaks for itself. :)

Halloween Night

Halloween night started out pretty rough. We got POURED on at the ward trunk-or-treat, so we huddled together under umbrellas and sloshed through puddles from car to car. It really wasn't too bad, but Preston was SOAKED by the time we were done because he kept running ahead of the umbrellas. But you would never know it by looking at his face; he was just as happy as ever.

We dressed up as Toy Story characters this year: Buzz, Woody, Jessie, Bo Beep, and Little Lamb. I borrowed a lot of the stuff from friends and family. Our good friends in Wyoming even surprised us and shipped us their boots and cowboy belt for Ryan because I couldn't find any his size! We were so grateful. I made Ryan's vest, Addie's chaps, and embroidered Addie's shirt. It was fun getting it all together.

Jessie!

Preston refused to call any of us by our real names that night. He yelled "Bo Peep!" when he wanted me or "Woody!" when he wanted Ryan. Oh, and if you can't tell, he's eating a piece of candy in this picture. This boy LIVES for candy! I don't know what I'm going to do with him.

Probably my favorite part of the night was trick-or-treating house to house along the street where Ryan grew up. It had finally stopped raining and it was dark, just like I remember it when I was a kid.

We visited both Ryan's mom and my parents to show off our costumes and take pictures. Here's another group shot.

Addie knew all the right Jessie poses.

Woody with his "girlfriend" Bo Peep. :)

Pumpkins

Ryan and Preston carved an awesome ghost (mostly Ryan).

Adelyn and I carved a crazy pumpkin face (mostly Adelyn).

Personalities

Adelyn has her dramatic, wants-to-be-a-beautiful princess side...

and her crazy, party-animal side.

Annalise has her serene, angelic side...

as well as her studious, adventurous, busy-body side.

But Preston, he really only has one major personality characteristic...being completely rambunctious and full of mischief!! (Okay, maybe that's two, but you get the idea.)

Gardner Village

Ryan took the kids up to Gardner Village with some of his family while I was at work. This has been one of our favorite pre-Halloween traditions. They looked in the shops, took pictures, and ate some fudge from the candy shop.

Ryan's beautiful little sister Amber.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins...

A very intense picture of Preston with his laser sword. He looks like he just met Darth Vader.