Party with the cousins at Tumbleweed Park

We had a great time playing at the park and celebrating Erin's 7th birthday with all the cousins. We missed a few of them, but had about 12 kids including ours. It was a really cool park with a big sand box with these big dinosaur bones you could dig for, giant gila monster, turtle shells, swings, slides and everything else. Very cool park!

Party with the cousins at Tumbleweed Park

We had a great time playing at the park and celebrating Erin's 7th birthday with all the cousins. We missed a few of them, but had about 12 kids including ours. It was a really cool park with a big sand box with these big dinosaur bones you could dig for, giant gila monster, turtle shells, swings, slides and everything else. Very cool park!

Blocking the wind to keep the candles lit!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN, BIG #7!!!

Thank you Christensen boys for the guitar

(not pictured, but very cool pink Barbie guitar with microphone headset that really works!)

Thank you Ashley!

Thank you Tatum and Stockton!!

Big Erin, can't believe our baby is 7!

The rare two-headed tortoise

Guess Who?

Mason!! He requested this picture himself as he was peeking through the little crack! Funny boy!

Cute Curly-haired boy Bryson

Cara and Shawn

THANK YOU for staying with our kids this weekend. There was a lot going on and it was such a comfort knowing that you two were there! The kids said they had a blast! You will have to let us repay you somehow . . . plan a weekend (or at least a date night) and let us watch Ashley and Mason any time!!!

Grandpa Steve turns 70!

We sure had a fun weekend in Branson, Missouri celebrating Brad's dads 70th b-day! We had Steve, Donna, Tiff, Canon, Sid, Anna, Brad, and Clarissa. The best part of it all was "Just being together," as Grandpa would say.

Canon the Chauffeur

We did a little four-wheelin', brake slammin, crazy driving, but heck, it was a rental! Thanks Canon!

Brad and Tiffany (and baby due in one month)

Tiffany was our travel agent/planner for this surprise 70th Birthday celebration for their dad. We had her to thank for getting us some good "dings" for flights on Southwest, and for setting up the place and rental car. WOW! We sure had a great time! Thanks, Tiff

We went to see the violinist, Shoji.

Brad says he's a fiddler, anyways, he was pretty good! Some people really have talent! Now I want to get Daniel playing the violin or some sort of stringed instrument. Shoji was this Chinese guy that incorporated several background singers and dancers into his show, so it was a lot of variety too. Very good, but SIX was better!

Here's the little house we stayed at.

It was brand new, first time anyone's ever stayed there! It had four bedrooms, king-sized bed in each room, four bathrooms, and a nice game room/TV room in the basement. To top it all off, it was cheaper than it would have costed for all of us to get hotel rooms!

Lamberts, Home of the Throwed Rolls!

We ate at this old country-style restaurant, mainly because we heard that they throw rolls to you the whole time. Yep, the rumor was true, they throw rolls continually throughout your meal! It was pretty funny, the food was interesting (Chicken gizzards, liver, and cat fish were on the menu to name a few), and the portions were humongous!! We wasted a ton of food! Fun place, wouldn't recommend the food.

The SIX Brothers

We saw the show voted "Best New Show" In Branson, the SIX Brothers. They were six out of ten brothers that sing and do their own backup without any band or instruments, they only use their voices. It was amazing! They made drum sounds, instrument sounds, bass, etc. We could hardly believe our ears! A gal in our ward is their cousin and she gave us the tip to go see them, they were awesome!!!

Panthers

Daniel's flag football team beat the Vikings today in their final game!

Postgame Party at the Park

Kids vs. Parents

The kids played way better against the parents, what's up with that? I think they killed us.

Daniel and his good buddy Ty

Erin and her friend, Tatum
Good little cheerleaders.

This awesome band performed at the "Bands of America" competition at NAU on Saturday and placed 8th out of 30 bands from AZ, CA, CO, UT, and TX. Miranda was a little worried about marching on the AstroTurf after only marching on real grass, but they were fine and no one slipped or tripped. Only the top 10 bands were chosen to perform again in an evening performance and Corona was privileged to be one of them!

CDS Marching Band

For those of you who haven't seen the show yet this year, they will be in CA on 11/10, and again in Tucson at UofA on 11/17.

Corona at Dobson

Front and Center

Here's a move they just added to the show!

Woodwinds Rock!

Miranda has been enjoying another awesome season of CDS marching band.

Trick or Treat!

Darth Vader (Stockton) meets Scarecrow (Erin)

Ninja

Daniel was a very cool Ninja this year.

Watch out for this Ninja!

Daniel's finally reached an age where he wants to dress up in a "cool costume." No more cute costumes for this boy!

Marlee as the Corpse Bride

Scarecrow Erin

This costume was super easy to make, I used hand-me-down overalls with raffia sewn in each leg, the shirt and bandana were from Daniel's old Woody costume, we bought a straw hat from the dollar store and sewed raffia around the inside. It was itchy, but soo cute!

Here comes the Bride, oh, oops, she died!

This costume was also a piece of cake thanks to Jen letting us borrow the corset and white sheet. We added a few stitches and holes to the train and she was looking like a real zombie! We forgot her dead flowers though, that would've helped, folks kept asking her if she was a princess.

The Scarecrow and Dorothy

We were missing the tin man and the cowardly lion, but we had fun anyways!

Too cool for Tricks or Treats

Or is that "too old?" Poor Miranda, she stayed home this year and answered the door. She did go out with some friends to play games though.

Guess Who?

I went down to help in Daniel's classroom today. They had a fun party . . . the kids made masks, placemats, decorated pumpkins, and ate tons of junk food!

Clowning Around with Erin

Nope, no clown for Halloween. Her dance class performed at the Tempe Public Library last Saturday, and for that she was a cute little clown!

Clowny Erin

Erin's dance class performed to the "One-eyed, one horned, flying purple people eater" song.

The first day of school

Daniel is in 3rd grade, Erin 1st grade, Marlee 8th grade, Miranda 10th grade.

Miranda, way 2 cool 4 before-school pics.

I had to post this old picture instead. It shows her true feelings about having her picture taken, especially on the first day of school! This gal had a summer full of YW camp, band practice, band camp, band parties, piano practicing, Harry Potter . . . yes, she is reading #7 AGAIN!