The End

After nine long months we can finally say that drill team is over. No more fund raisers, no more early mornings, no more drama, no more service projects. Done! The team ended up taking 2nd at state, which most people would be thrilled for but it was a bit of a heart breaker for the girls. They took state last year and were so looking forward to winning again. Mahala really did learn a lot and she improved a ton this year. I love to watch her dance but I don't know if she will try out for next year or not. She is just starting track so maybe a little time away will help her to make up her mind. The team at State, trying to hide the tears behind the smiles.

"Sally" started out being my favorite dance, but kick ended up being my favorite. At first I hated their costumes but by the end I loved them, all except the sewing the hat on their head every time. Mahala was lucky as a freshman to make every dance this year.

The four freshman this year - Amory * Mahala * McKinnah * Lyndin

Kassidee and Mahala are good friends and they ended up being team sisters this year. The Selgae Spectacular is the final thing for the year. It was fun to see Mahala all dressed up in a fancy dress. I think she kind of liked it too. Granny, Morgan, Brielle, and Grandpa Spencer came down to watch her dance. And for all those who are not from Fillmore and are wondering what the heck a Selgae is, it is Eagles spelled backwards. I always thought it sounded like some sort of booger or fungus or something. Now you know.

Fun With Brielle

Okay I could see if I had fun little kids around all the time that I would be a much better blogger. I told Morgan that Brielle did about 100 things yesterday that about cracked me up. BUT I have to share this one. I was sitting at the computer reading Nolans letter and I had my camera right there by me and Brielle was sitting on the arm of my big chair right by the side of me and she started saying "oweeee, oweeee"(she loves to carry the E extra long) Anyways I looked to see what had happened and she was busy digging in between her toes. I had put her on a new pair of white socks that morning and between every toes she had the dreaded "Toe Jam" Every time she would go to a new toe and find more she claimed another owie. I mean this girl was serious. She really got into digging things out. At one point she tried sampling a little taste of the toe jam but I hurried and got it out before she found out she might have a liking for it.

















On one more note, it is so fun to do little girls hair again and YES Brielle is finally getting enough to do. It is still super curly in back and when you get it wet it curls up really tight. She is pretty good about letting me play with it as long as you have Dora on the TV in front of her. I love little girls and especially this one.

Happy Valentines Day

Yesterday Kyle and Morgan brought Brielle down for a couple of days while they work on their house. It was the best Valentines Day Present ever. She is so fun but also very busy. I am glad I have Nickaus and Mahala here today to to help me. She loves "Hayee" so much and for the life of me I can't figure out why because Mahala is constantly bugging her. Brielle loves everyone now and in a way that makes me kinda happy, kinda sad because for the longest time she was just my girl. Oh well I guess a grammy has to share.We took this picture yesterday so we could send it to Nolan on his email. He isn't going to believe how much Brielle has grown. Now can anyone remind me of how you clean your house with a two year old at your feet. I have forgotten, oh yeah now I remember. My house was never clean.

Better than Christmas

Okay this is how lame I must be and how lame I think January is. I have nothing better to blog about than my recent shopping trip. That's pretty sad if you ask me. I have always hated January and we can now add boredom to the list. I haven't been grocery shopping for over 6 weeks. I mean I would run to the store and grab milk and bread and a few things here and there but mostly we just ate up all the nice food storage that I had been working so hard to build. So I was practically out of everything and they were having good sales finally up north so away I went at 5:30 this morning. I was going to list everything that I got but it was too long so I erased it.This is all the stuff that goes in the fridge or freezer.

This is all the pantry items.
This is the stuff I hate spending money on the most, Cleaning and Personal Care items.

I got enough food to last over a month minus getting more bread and milk. I am scared to tell Adam how much I spent because it was alot. He told me not to worry about it when I told him it was alot but his alot and my alot are very different numbers. I will tell him first that I saved over two hundred and fifty dollars before I tell him how much I spent....Good idea?

Man I will be glad when it is February and I can get over these January Blahs and maybe have something post worthy to write about. But I might add that I have a two year supply of Nutter Butter cookies.

Christmas with the Britts

This definitely was a different Christmas this year having Nolan gone on his mission. We all missed him so much. It was so good to talk to him on Christmas Day. We got to talk for about an hour and a half. We had three phones on our end so we all could get in some good listening time. He loves it there and doesn't have a spec of homesickness, which makes me happy and sad all at the same time. He was able to see his first baptism the day after Christmas and he said that was a totally awesome experience. It was a young newly wed couple and they had the mission leader from their ward baptize them because he was the one who referred them to the missionaries. They have a couple more baptisms planned for the end of the week.

Back here in little ole' Fillmore Christmas was good. All except for me and Brielle being sick. The kids still wanted to get up before six (and Nolan thought we would be able to sleep in this year) and we had all the presents opened and breakfast ate by nine. Mahala got her prized pink camo chi straightener and a big surprise of a new camera and case, Morgan and I both felt so bad for having hers get stolen at the Festival of Trees, that we went in and got her a new one. It's even cuter than her last one, although it doesn't have all her pictures of her brother saved on it like the last one did. Nicklaus was easy this year because he didn't need or want anything. He got some things for his room now that he has taken over Nolan's, to make it his own. I don't know what Nolan will think about that though. He still loves his Nerf guns which makes me happy cuz nothing says Christmas like the sound of a nerf bullet whizzing by your head and hitting Mahala in the behind and having her scream and chase Nicklaus around the house. We got new movies and new wii games to play as a family. Morgan and Kyle got Adam and I a beautiful picture of the ST. George temple. I am going to paint my family room and then get it hung up. Adam always spoils me and it makes me guilty but only for a minute. I get one day a year and he gets the other 364.

Well as usual Christmas came and went by way too fast. Before you know it this year will be over with and we will be into 2010. I hope next year brings everyone health and happiness. Happy New Year to everyone.

Bracken Christmas Party.

Brielle, Carly, Megan, and on top Camielle. Ashlynn was sleeping all ready

I just have to say how much I love my family. My family isn't very big so my cousins have let me adopt me and my family into their family. I love them all so much and I am so jealous of the relationships they have with each other. I am hopeful that one day my kids will have what they all have with each other. It was at Kris and Jens house this year, so thank you for putting up with all of us. Your house looked beautiful and all the food was delicious. I made all the little girls these red Christmas beanies and I think they all looked so cute in them. Brielle loves to wear hers and I hope the rest will like them too.

Nicklaus loves to entertain his little buddy cousins. I think he kind of likes being the oldest one around when he is with them. Nicklaus is always very kind hearted but he loves to rough house with them and get them all stirred up. Nicklaus and Brandon

We always have dinner. Play a few games and then supposedly a small program but that didn't happen this year. The person in charge of that didn't show up. Then we do a family gift exchange. Every year it is different and it is so fun to see the clever ideas that everyone comes up with. Kim and I kind of thought alike but her basket put mine to shame. I really wanted to steal it from my dad but Nicklaus said I had enough smelly things at home. He just doesn't understand girls yet I can tell. I took a ton a pictures but once again they are all side ways and I don't know how to turn them so if any one knows the secrete trick to this, do pass it on.

Kyle and Morgan with their gift basket and Kim holding Ashlynn her greatest present ever, well one of her four.

Thanks again everyone and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas.

Festival of Trees

This tree was so cute but the Grinch kinda freaked me out a little bit.

This tradition started along time ago with my mom. All us girls would take the day and spend it at the Festival of Trees, go to lunch and do some shopping. I love to still be with my three favorite girls and I know my mom is there enjoying it with us in spirit. This trip had a hard time coming to be. Everyday had something going on. Finally I just took Mahala out of school and we went up on opening day. I thought it would be packed but really it was the best time to go because there was hardly anyone there. I thought we would start the day off by letting Brielle see Santa and that was a disaster from the beginning. Brielle loves her stroller and bawled when we took her out of it so I told Mahala to take the stroller over to the other side of Santa where you came out at. She did but she left hers and Morgans camera right on the stroller. We could see it the whole time and was only about 30 feet away from it but someone managed to steal Mahala's camera right off the stroller. They didn't take Morgans so that was good for her but not so good for Mahala. She had her shopping money in the camera bag too. She cried and cried but it was mostly because it had all her pictures of her and Nolan before he left on his mission. I felt so bad for her and it kinda put a damper on what was supposed to be a really fun day. Can you believe that someone would go to the Festival of Trees and steal a camera. And then on top of that Brielle would not even get close to Santa, she just screamed, " No ho ho ho". Mahala said she hopes that the camera breaks and that the money rips in two. I promise who ever stole it will have some one greater than Mahala's threats to answer to eventually. So if any one sees a screaming deal on a camera let me know.

This was Brielles favorite tree, well one of them. She absolutely loves Pooh Bear but there were also some cool car trees that she loved as well. She was so good and loved just being in here stroller looking at all the trees. It was so fun to have her enjoy it so much. I guess all the treats that she got didn't hurt her disposition either. If you have every had one of their scones you know what I mean. Yummy. Morgan's favorite tree was the Lucy and Ethel tree and it was really cute too. It was so totally Morgan. My favorite one was the one for Gracie Gledhill. It was really a pretty tree but the story of the remarkable family is why it is my favorite. I took a picture of it but it is side ways and I have no idea if you can turn them so they are right side up.

This tree or should I say set of trees was incredible. Not so much the design but the price tag. It was still for sale, with a hefty price tag of $12,900.oo Yes I said twelve thousand, nine hundred dollars. Crazy huh. It had four or so trees set up with a line strung between them that had Star Wars ships on them and the trees were covered with collectible figurines, very old valuable figurines. I guess if you had the money and you were going to buy a tree there this is the one you should have bought. Your purchase is tax deductible and you have items that are only going to appreciate in value, but come on, who has $12,900 just lying around. But hey if you do can I borrow a couple of hundred to get my girl a new camera?

It was still a fun, busy, rushed day. I hope this is a tradition that will keep with us for many years to come.