Third Annual New Year's Eve Party

For our annual New Year's Eve party, we decided on a Chinese New Year theme. Allyse made paper Chinese lanterns to hang in the kitchen and everyone brought their favorite Chinese entrees. For dessert, we had a Red Velvet cake and a White Chocolate Raspberry cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes, with fortune cookies as a chaser.

Grandma Kathleen and Diana Stephens enjoyed the Chinese food.

Uncle David explained to Joseph the finer points of getting a hot date for New Year's Eve.

Stephen was proud that he mastered eating with chopsticks without poking out an eye.

Anna Gunnerson and her father enjoyed a quiet moment (and believe me, it was only a moment.)

Nora and Angelina played with puzzles.

Stephen was so overcome by the great dinner that his eyes started to roll back in his head.

Allyse and Joshua schooled their cousins on the air hockey table.

Corbin and his friend were the latest victims of the unbeatable duo of Allyse and Joshua.

After dinner, we gathered together for some family fun: concentration game with 2009 family pictures, family puzzle race, and "Name that Baby." At stake were very valuable prizes purchased at Las Vegas' Chinatown.

Julene was our own Vanna White as she turned over pictures for the concentration game.

Grandma Kathleen and Grandpa Wendell were the fastest team to correctly identify all of the baby pictures.

Christmas 2009

Christmas Eve was spent at Grandma Kathleen's home. We had dinner with the family, Santa Claus came to visit and passed out big candy canes, we acted out the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, we shared our talents by singing and playing instruments, and we ended the night with caroling to some neighbors.

On Christmas, Angelina woke up Julene and said with excitement, "Mommy, I have a present! Come, I want to open my present pleasssse!" Brad and Julene reluctantly rolled out of bed as they had stayed up late the previous night helping Santa. We finally opened the presents. Our little Ben had fun playing with his new Superman.

Joseph got his Bumblebee Transformer.

Ben got a new Buzz Lightyear robot. It was enjoyed more by everyone else.

Brad and Julene got a new Nikon camera. Brad is smiling at his new camera.


Grandpa Wendell, Grandma Kathleen, Grandpa Vern, Grandma Alice, and Jeannetta came to breakfast. We had pancakes, homemade cinnamon rolls, bacon, sausage, and hash browns. We were stuffed!

Enjoying a sweet Christmas moment together.

Later on that day, we went to see "Princess and the Frog" with cousins and grandparents. We had dinner with everyone at grandma's house. Allyse couldn't wait to wear her new hot pink Justice sweats.

Yikes! We have a TEENAGER!

For Joshua's thirteenth birthday, he wanted to go to the Las Vegas Bowl. His favorite football team is Brigham Young University. It was a very windy and cold night. Brad and Joshua dressed up in their thermals and boots.

Brad and Joshua sat on row 1 at the 5 yard line and had a great time together. Of course BYU won the game. After the game, Brad took Joshua's picture with BYU cornerback Brian Logan.

Confetti cannons blasted confetti all over the field.

Here is Joshua and BYU wide receiver McKay Jacobson.

Do you see how happy Joshua was? The night was freezing and the weather was not the best, but Joshua had fun with his dad. A memorable experience for both of them!

Angelina's Fairy 4th Birthday Tea Party

Angelina woke up and found her presents on the kitchen table. We decorated the kitchen in pink, of course.

Her favorite present was her Thumbelina Barbie doll.

For her birthday she wanted a Fairy tea party. Julene had her little friends decorate their wands when they arrived. They made flower head wreaths. They went on a treasure hunt to find the rest of their fairy items: fairy skirt, fairy wings, and fairy dust. Here they are dressed up as fairies.

They danced around because fairies love to do that. Benjamin helped Julene with the music while the fairies continued to dance.

Our little fairy birthday girl!

After the fairies danced, they were hungry. We had a little tea party with tiny foods: pink marshmallows, pink cookies, strawberries, tiny sandwiches, pink tiny cupcakes, and a strawberry cake with strawberry ice cream.

Grandma Kathleen and Allyse enjoyed munching on the goodies.

Our little birthday girl is now four years old.

Allyse's 10th Birthday/Pajama Party

Allyse's friends came to the party dressed in their pajamas, and they brought their favorite pillows and blankets. The party started with the girls using fabric markers to decorate tiny pillows Grandma Alice has made specially for the party. Then, the girls decorated their own sleepy flip flops with jewels and feather boas.

They painted their fingernails using their new manicure sets. They ate pizza and had root beer floats. Of course, they had a pillow fight and read a bedtime story.

The girls patiently waited for their turn to have Allyse open up their present.

Allyse opened up Lindsey's present.

Allyse opened up Abby's present. (Notice Angelina had to be in every picture.)

Annual Summerlin Easter Egg Hunt

A beautiful day for an Easter Egg hunt.

Benjamin couldn't wait for the festivities.

Allyse and Benjamin were ready to go.

Angelina lined up for the hunt. She waved to her family who was giving her some pointers: "Run down the other children and get as much candy as you can!"

The pointers didn't work, so Julene decided to help Angelina get has much candy and goodies as she could.

Angelina was pleased with the results of the Easter Egg hunt.

Joshua and cousins Corbin and Ethan lined up. They surveyed the field to see what spots had the most candy.

Allyse watched Joshua as he ran down the field in search of lots of goodies.

Joseph relaxed afterwards and nibbled on some of his candy.

Allyse, Joseph and Angelina were happy!

Julene is unaware of Brad taking a picture of her.

She was looking around to see if she knew anyone.

She finally realized what Brad was doing and started to smile.

Julene finally smiled for the camera.

Joshua was very pleased with himself and what he found.

Another great picture of Julene and Joshua together.

We stopped by the petting zoo for Benjamin. He loved grabbing the goats and touching the little baby rabbits.

Angelina wanted to take home one of the rabbits. Julene said, "No, I have enough babies at home!"

Benjamin saw a rooster and didn't understand why he was in the cage and couldn't hold him.

Joseph's Baptism

Our Joseph was baptized on Saturday, January 31, 2008. Brad baptized and confirmed Joseph. The witnesses were Grandfathers Wendell Waite and Vern Waite. Those who helped with the confirmation were Grandfathers Wendell Waite and Vern Waite, Uncles Blake Ballard and Jonathan Waite, 2nd Counselor Cody Okuda, and Hometeacher Michael Ulshafer. It was a beautiful day for all of us. I am so proud of Joseph and his decision to follow in Jesus' footsteps.









Brad and Joseph all dressed in white.