Best Family

PETE'S BIRTHDAY :)

2009-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

PETE TURNED 27 ON APRIL 3RD. I KNOW HE IS GETTING REALLY OLD, BUT WE ARE NOT READY TO TRADE HIM IN ON A NEW ONE YET. WE GO ALL OUT TO CELEBRATE SUCH SPECIAL OCCASIONS. LISTED ARE A FEW OF THE FUN THINGS WE DID TO SHOW PETE HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM....

I TOOK THE KIDS TO SEARS AND LET EACH OF THEM PICK SOMETHING OUT FOR PETE (BECAUSE I KNEW I COULDN'T DO ANY BETTER). HE RETURNED TWO OUT OF THREE; WE WILL SEE IF THEY CAN DO BETTER NEXT YEAR.

PETE AND I GOT A BABYSITTER AND WENT TO TARGET SHOOT HIS NEW 45 HAND GUN IN THE RAIN.

THE KIDS FILLED DAD'S CAR WITH BALLOONS AND THEN HID IN THEM TO YELL SURPRISE.

WE WENT TO MESQUITE ON SATURDAY AND HAD DINNER WITH OUR PARENTS.

WE CAME OUT AHEAD AT THE TABLES, AND I WON BINGO YEAH!

A special thanks go out to Kalli for staying with our kids so we could go away for the night. We love you Aunt Kalli!

Autumn & Sadie GO DISNEY!

2009-04-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

Autumn and I went with Grandpa Brad
and Grandma Jan to Watch Aunt Kalli

Cheer at Nationals in California. We had
so much fun hanging out in the sun at

the beach, and we spent a whole day

at Disney, just the two of us. I enjoyed

this Disney experience so much that

I now have a goal to take each of the

boys on a solo trip to the Magic Kingdom!

Highlights.....

Grandma Jan and Autumn buying a sea shell, hiding it in the sand, and then making Grandpa believe they found it.
Autumn's little pink bucket full of shells from the beach.
Autumn serving everyone food from the buffet.
Having Autumn say after every ride (and at least an hour wait to get on), "That was worth the wait!"
Watching Tinkerbell fly above the castle to start the fire works.
Autumn went on BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN like a rock star.
The smile on Autumn's face after she had blue butterflies painted on it.
Our special meal of poptarts, apples, and chips at midnight.
Watching Aunt Kalli cheer like a rock star!
Dragging the traveling suit case with Minny Mouse, that Autumn had to have, six blocks back to the room at midnight.
Having Autumn tell me, "Mom this is the best day of my life!"

We were worn

right out!!

SPRING BREAK

2009-03-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

Spring break brought beautiful weather to Saint George, and we enjoyed every minute of it. We frequented the park instead of school, and I got out on my bike three times. We started the week by popping corn for family home evening. When nobody was looking Drake made his way up onto the table to devour the last of the bowl. He is officially rounding on the terrible twos, and I am going to need eyes in the back of my head for at least the next 18 months.

The kids begged their Dad for lunch at IN-N-OUT, and they didn't have to twist the arm to hard to get their way. We do enjoy the burgers, but the stickers and hats are icing on the cake for the kids. Brad loves to put his stickers directly on his person, and Autumn chooses to keep her stickers for weeks on end until Brad finds them and puts them also all over his face while she screams for mom.
On Friday I took the kids and headed to Beaver for what else but PROM! Only those of you who understand Beaver living will get why my mom, my sister, my daughter, and myself went to the Beaver High Junior Prom. To redeem myself a little bit I have to add that I went to do hair and to see Kalli for her B-day. However, that said the prom was just to tempting to turn down, and Autumn even found herself a genuine Minersville Cowboy.

We saved the best for last. Sunday was the funnest day of all. After Church me and the kids made green snicker doodles, (they always have to be some wild crazy color because it is more fun), Pete made the most amazing homemade pizza from scratch, dough and all. His talents amaze me and my children make me smile and smile. I love Sundays.

We still have Monday off from school, so I think we will head back to the park for a picnic lunch weather permitting. I think Tuesday is going to make me a little sad..this has been so much fun it makes me look forward to summer.

Tuacahn Duathlon

2009-03-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

My wonderful family spent Saturday morning supporting my racing addiction. Jamie and I signed up for the Tuacahn Duathlon. We participated in the sprint, running 1.5 miles, then biking 12, and finishing up with another 1.5 run. I came in 4th overall for the women, taking home the 1st place award in my age category. My kids get so excited when they see me coming in at the end of a race. I love to hear them cheering me on. Autumn says she now wants to do a race that has running and biking, so I am looking for a kids race in our area that we can do together. A big thanks goes out to Pete who puts up with all of my training, and drags the gang to the finish line. I LOVE you baby!

My BIGGEST fans!

The Red Dirt Adventure

2009-02-18T13:15:00.000-08:00

While Autumn was at school I decided to take the boys to dig some red sand. When you live in Saint George Utah you can get red sand for free, and I decided that I needed some for my house. We are very proud of our red dirt and it is a must have inside if you want to be a true Dixie Dweller.

First the
boys did
the digging!
They loved
this job as
you can
see.

Then the
dirt was
placed in
these jars
for all to
enjoy!

ANNIE OUTCOME

2009-02-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

So we received the word, and Autumn was not selected for one of the coveted spots in the Tuacauhn's upcoming production "ANNIE". She made it through two of three callback rounds, but when it came right down to it I think she was just a little bit smaller then director was willing to cast. She took the news a little hard at first, but she has now moved on, and will settle for seeing the play, "more then once" this fall. We are so lucky to live close to these kinds of opportunities, and Autumn looks forward to another try, after all she has drama in her veins.
Autumn we are so proud of you. Chin up.

ROUND 2

2009-02-09T17:02:00.000-08:00

Autumn showed up for round 2 of ANNIE auditions ready to dance her little heart out. Little did we know that she would also show up the very youngest kid still in the running. Autumn was the only six-year-old that passed the vocal audition...the next youngest dancer on day two was eight. Autumn was not at all intimidated by all of those older girls, and she just went in and did her very best. For those of you with little girls in dance you know that two years dance experience can make a big difference. The number of returning girls was right around 50, most of them were local, but a few were called back from Salt Lake, LA, and Chicago auditions. We have been sent home to await out another round of call-backs for line reading next Saturday. We should hear by about Friday one way or another. Because Autumn was the smallest girl at the dance auditions, if she does not get called in to read for the role of the smallest orphan "Molly" she will most likely be done. Autumn has been so amazing through this process. I only wish that I had half the confidence and bravery that she does. Good Luck Autumn or should I say "MOLLY" I love you girl!

ANNIE

2009-02-06T14:54:00.000-08:00

So Autumn has some exciting news to share with the world. Yesterday we went out to the Tuacahn Amphitheatre for ANNIE auditions. It was so much fun, and Autumn was so brave. She left the theatre yesterday feeling really good about her singing audition, and we came home to wait. Today we got a call back for round two. They want to see Autumn again tomorrow at 1:00 pm for a dance and speaking audition. We are so proud of Autumn, and we want to wish her good luck and lots of love!

Here are some pics from yesterdays audition....

2009-02-06T10:10:00.001-08:00

I guess that I better start updating my blog since Margi gave you all this sight so that you could get to know me. Lets see...breifly...I have three kids Autumn 6, Brad 3, and Drake 1. I am married to Margi's older, and only, brother Pete. I live in Saint George Utah so running at sea level is a real treat for me. I love to run, but I train for tri. I do all of my run/swim work-outs at 5:00am starting with a 6 mile run on Monday. Tuesdays and Thursdays I swim 2500 meters. Wednesdays I run an 8-10 mile major hill run, Fridays I run 3 swim 1000, and Saturdays I do long runs between 10-20 miles. I bike and spin in the afternoon and evenings when I can find arrangements for my kids. I love to race and am looking forward to the relay. Good luck as you run your miles.

Just a thought for the day..."Mental toughness isn't genetic-it's honed through experience."
-Bradley Young, Ph.D., sports psychologist

Addresses

2008-12-12T08:08:00.001-08:00

I need current addresses asap, if you want to see a Christmas card from the Best family this year. Happy Christmas to all, and Merry New Year!

Crazy in October!

2008-11-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

I love October. I love it because my birthday is in October, my favorite Holiday is in October, and my favorite time of year is fall. Every year the month of October is crazy and wonderful, and this year it did not disappoint.

Drake started the month off with a bang, literally. The first Sunday in October we showed up to church a few minutes late, and we were waiting to enter the chapel after the sacrament. Drake crawled head first into the glass door and split his eyebrow open. Drake and Dad spent church in the emergency room getting Drake glued shut. I think it makes him look tough.

Our next big October event was Bradley's third birthday. We went to Jump'in Jack's. Brad was in heaven climbing and jumping. After we tired everyone out we went to the Pizza factory for food, presents, and cup cakes. Brad was so happy with all of his new cars. I guess everyone got the memo on how much he likes them, because nearly every present had wheels. We are so lucky to have Brad in our family. He is so funny and smart. He loves HIS school, HIS sister, HIS cars, and HIS letter factory. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAD!

Every October Pete and I host an Adult only murder mystery party at our house. We always have so much fun, and we hope that the crazy people who show up have fun too. This year was a little bit stressful with so many last minute cancellation, but it turned out as fun as ever. A special thanks goes out to all those who played roles, and who helped with food. We couldn't do it without you! It was so much fun that we are considering doing it again this year for New Years.

Halloween! I just love it. We had so much fun this year dressing the kids up. Autumn was a scarecrow, Brad was Lightning McQeen, and Drake was the cutest monkey ever. I sported my trusty cat costume, and trick or treated door to door with Autumn. We had so much fun in Beaver with cousins and Grandma and Grandpa. I guess now we can start planning for next year.

Good Bye October. I will miss you until next year. I guess now I better start thinking about Christmas.

The Big Race

2008-10-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

So I have some good news, and some bad news. I will be positive and give you the good first. I did it! I finished by second full marathon this year. I ran the Saint George Marathon on the morning of Saturday October 4th. I ran the 26.2 miles in 3 hours 41 minutes and 1 second. Finishing is always good news, but now for the bad, I missed qualifying for Boston by two seconds. Yes, I know what you are thinking, anyone can push for two seconds. Well maybe I could have, but I thought I had it and therefore I did not feel the need to destroy by body any further. Needless to say I now would give my right foot for two seconds. I must add that it did rain the entire time that we ran. It has only rained during one other Saint George Marathon ever, but sometimes that is just how it goes. I developed some severe blisters on my right foot at about mile ten, due to the fact that my shoes and socks were full of water. I am not making excuses for myself, after all it was only two seconds, however I am looking for sympathy if you would like to send your condolences. I am done now with my sad story, but if you would like to check out my detailed results you can click on the link below.
It is not raining today, and probably won't again for a month so we are off to the park. Have a good day.

http://runpix.name/stg08/42/finord.php?LastNameEM=4909

Fall California Trip

2008-10-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

The Best Family took a whirlwind trip to California for the sealing of Mike and Margi. I didn't get any good pictures of this wonderful event, but I am sure if you check out their blog they will post some. We were so happy to be there with them, and spend time with family. While there we did make it to the most magical place on earth, at the most magical time of year.
This was a one day Disneyland extravaganza. Needless to say we ran from ride to ride and character to character at warp speed, and loved it. I was most excited about the Halloween decor, I love everything Halloween and it really did make the adventure for me.
Here we are on Minny Mouse's very hard and uncomfortable couch. The kids loved playing in the character' houses, and I must say Minny's house was so cute.
Brad would have spent the entire day in the character's cars if given his choice. We would pull him out and he would take off on a dead run back as soon as he thought nobody was looking. In fact he spent most of the day trying to run off, and/or crowd to the front of very long lines. Many a time he was body surfed back to the family by the nice people in line in front of us.

Crewela Deville was the first character that we came across at Disneyland, and my favorite of the day. She did such a good job, and was a real treat to talk to.
Autumn was very happy to meet Cinderella, but it did not quite make up for not seeing Ariel. She will forever tell people that she went all the way to Disney land and didn't get to see her favorite princess. To make up for the disappointment we had to buy her a stuffed Ariel in the gift shop (problem solved!).
Brad love love loves Mickey Mouse. When we finally got into the private room to see Mickey he began singing Mickey Mouse Club House. Mickey was dancing and every time we thought Brad was done he would just start over singing the same two lines again and again. It was really very special to see him so excited about this classic character.
Gotta love Goofy! It was so much fun to take our kids to Disneyland. Brad and Autumn are the perfect age to fully enjoy the experience. We will have to return in a few years for a more extended visit when Drake can have an equally magical time.

Hanging in BEAVER

2008-10-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

Things can always get a little weird when we go to Beaver for a visit. I think it must be the small town atmosphere, it messes with your brain.
First we let Drake take a bath on the driveway with a bucket of water. He stuck his head in the bucket twice to wash his hair, before continuing on to wash the rest of himself. For those of you who find this a bit scary, he was under constant supervision, and no worry of drowning is necessary.
Being a competitive family, like we are, no gathering is complete without a little friendly competition. I won this hand stand competition after four rounds, and some cheating on Ruby's part. We also held a long jump, hand stand walk, and gymnastic competition. I think I won just about everything.
The kids found time to take a little ride on the elk that Grandma Jan will not allow in the house. This beast hangs in the garage, and I think that he is Brads new best friend after Grandpa.
We ended the night with a fashion show. Ruby pulled out Grandma Ruby's selection of old dresses and we modeled them for our adoring fans. Don't we look fabulous?

GOOD TIMES!

2008-10-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Brad has a secret weapon when it comes to gaining the love and admiration of his grandchildren. Sadly, for Grandma Jan, it is very effective at winning over the little ones. My kids would walk all the way from Saint George to Beaver if it meant they would be rewarded with a motorcycle ride.

Six Wonderful Years

2008-10-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it has been six years already. It seems like just yesterday I was rocking her to sleep at Primary Children's and now look at her. Autumn really wanted a mouse for her birthday. Everyone was so fascinated (as you can see) UNTIL it scratched Autumn's face and bit her hand. This little guy did not stick around very long, Autumn gave up Minny for a new leapster game.

Grandpa Brad provided rides at the pre-party lunch free of charge. He is all the entertainment my kids ever need.

Piggy piggy piggy.... As most of you know Autumn has a fascination for them, so we made some cake ones to eat and of course Grandma and Grandpa got her a brand new piggy bank.

Then it was off to The Bear Mill for the real celebration. Autumn and her friends had so much fun playing games and building stuffed animals to take home.

I Love you so much Autumn. You are such an important member of our family. You are such a good big sister to your brothers, and they look up to you so much. You have such a talent for music and I love to hear you play your violin every day after school. You have so much confidence and I love that about you. I am the luckiest mom in the world.

2008-09-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

So we went ahead and muddled through another round of family pictures (Thanks Jessica). I was so happy with the results. We are a real challenge since Brad lacks the ability to remain in the same place for more than about sixty seconds, and Drake only wants to be held by mom. The above picture is my favorite, because it just about says it all. You can take one look at this picture and have a good feel for the personalities that each of our beautiful kids bring to the group. They grow so fast and I treasure each shot that captures them they way they are right now so that I will never forget their young faces. I love you all and look forward to many more picture days.

BEST OF TIMES

2008-09-04T15:08:00.001-07:00

2008-09-02T20:58:00.000-07:00

My kids make me smile thousands of times every day. I hope that these pictures help to share some of that happiness with you.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pick me up....

I know that you love the airplane that I made, and if not you soon will because I will keep looking at you like this until you do.

TEA TIME!

2008-09-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

Brad was warned about six times that he was leaning over this tub of water a little to far. I guess those bubbles were just a bit to tempting though, because he went in head first and fully clothed. I think if he could he would do it again.

2008-09-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

Autumn looking so cute on her first day of school. I can't believe that she is already old enough to go to Kindergarten. Me and Brad miss her when she is gone in the afternoon, but she loves it. She is to smart for her own good, and I don't know if they will teach her anything this year that she does not already know. I only hope that she does not distract the rest of the children with her dancing, singing, laughing self.

This was Brad on his FAKE first day of preschool. I took him to the wonderful school that Autumn attended and after the first day they told me he was not ready because he would not sit down for circle time. He is now enrolled in a less academic school and is thriving, or at least he is not hitting or kicking other children.

2008-09-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

My littlest man turned one. I am a little sad to see him grow so fast, but I love getting to know him better every day. I have boasted him as the sweetest little baby ever, but he is also a funny little man. He loves to make me laugh with his smirks, and fake burps after he takes a drink. I love you Drake Happy fist Birthday.

The rest of the party animals!

2008-07-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

Well I have given in and joined the BLOGGER world. I guess that I am trying to keep up with my amazing little sister. I hope you all know that Ruby cooks, organizes and sews. I have a hard time keeping up with my kids without adding crafts and talents to my life.

Sooo...what are we up to? Well, summer is underway in Saint George so we are mostly just trying to stay out of the heat.

Autumn is loving the break from school, but don't get me wrong she is still busy..busy...busy. She has been in swimming lessons, cheer camp starts next week, and violin practice and lessons don't take summer breaks. She insisted that she wanted short hair for summer (she must be her mothers daughter). She worships the sun and anything water related so she is tanner then her mother.

BRAD...this kid is CRAZY! He keeps me on my toes from the moment he wakes up (6:00 am sharp) until he closes his beautiful eyes at night. Brad loves being outside, but he struggles to keep his clothes on in the 112 degree heat. He follows Autumn around and has NO fear when it comes to the water. I am always on edge and TOAD is always in timeout. He is just so sweet.

Drake is the sweetest thing imaginable. This kid is so patient with his mom. He loves his brother and sister, will eat anything, and is crawling like a champ. As much as I love open mouth slobber kisses I do wish that he would learn to pucker up. We are looking forward to his first birthday next month...well everyone is but me. He has grown up way to fast. However, I do believe he will stay a moma's boy for some time to come.

Pete and I are just trying to keep up, and loving the ride. We have put out boat on the lake a couple of times this summer, and we both have new road bikes so we are tying to get out on the road as much as we can. So, that's it..isn't life GRAND!