Oops!

I posted below, not realizing I was on the wrong blog. In case you're reading this, skip over to my latest one at http://pikespeekjl.blogspot.com/. This one shouldn't be updated any longer -- I need to keep telling myself that. :)

Family pics . . .

Here are a few of the goodies from our great photographer, Tricia. You may be seeing one of these on the Pike Christmas card. (Sorry for the repeat, Facebook friends).

Sorry for Alyssa's immodesty, but I love this one. Jayce looks so cool, and Alyssa looks so . . . typical. :)

The best kind of family picture. Mom and Dad are there, but their heads are cut off (showing off the way cute kids). Love it!

Urgent!!

Wanna' take a peek at the Pikes? I've been secretly creating a new blog due to the current one's space restraints. Please check out http://pikespeekjl.blogspot.com/. Just remember to change your links or your favorites (depending on how you get to me). If you're a deranged stalker, please take this opportunity to move on to something else. :)

I'm still debating about going private. Stay tuned . . . .

HiIlarious!

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive

Disneyland, Schmisneyland

We had season passes to DL, but we've decided to hold off before we renew again. However, going from season pass holder status to a regular Joe Schmo is the worst!!!! For one thing, we didn't get those extra discounts (meals, parking, store items), and another thing, we had to rush around like crazy to compensate for the money we spent on tickets. As pass holders, we took it easy because we could always head to the park the next morning before we headed home. Jayce was so confused as we went back to Vegas -- "Why didn't we go to Disneyland today?" He didn't understand that we were unwilling to pay another $280 to go for a few hours (unbelievably expensive)! Anyway, we've been spoiled.
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On a less-pouty note, the kids had fun. Miss Alyssa had a blast. She was SO cute on the rides -- I couldn't get over her enthusiasm. She's a brave little girl, too. She had no fear when things got a little intense (Pirates, the Haunted Mansion, that 3-D bug movie -- the rides that typically scare toddlers). She couldn't get over the "pretty castle" and LOVED the Winnie the Pooh ride. She was so smiley and good that whole day. Jayce was finally tall enough to go on Splash Mountain, Star Tours, Soarin' Over California, and Thunder Mountain Railroad, so it was a whole new experience for him. He loved Splash Mountain and Soarin', but he was scared on Star Tours ("Mom, I'm kind of nervous") and Thunder Mountain ("Too fast!"). When he complained about Thunder Mountain's speed, we knew we couldn't take him on Space Mountain -- even though he's tall enough now.
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Anyway, the vacay flew by way too fast, and now it's back to the ol' grind of having a husband that always works. We really miss our family time!

Jer took Jayce to Disney's California for Trick-or-Treat night. Jayce donned the SWAT costume and had a blast with Dad.

The SWAT costume was intentionally missing its accessories -- a flashlight, hand cuffs, walkie talkie, etc. We figured they would all be lost on the rides or among the crazy crowds.

Alyssa has a really hard time posing for pictures. Whenever she sees my camera, she wants to play with it and look at the pictures of herself. I'm finding she's quite vain, saying, "See Alyssa, Mommy," over and over again until I relent.

The carousel, next to the new Toy Story ride -- a big hit with the kids.

Chillin' on Pirates . . . . Argh!!

St. George Escapade

Ta da!!! I'm back to the blogging world. I have so much to catch up on, but I'm too tired to do it all in one sitting. So tonight I will focus on the St. George trip to Tuachan with the Relief Society sisters (go Somerset ward!). We went to see Les Mis with a little shopping on the side beforehand. I got to ride along with Kellie and Leslie -- fun, entertaining conversations were had by all. And remember ladies, what is said in Kellie's car, stays in Kellie's car. :) Actually, in all honesty, we're pretty un-Vegas-like. Disappointing, I know -- nothing too salacious to confess. :)

Les Mis was wonderful!!! The setting at Tuachan made it perfect. I've seen the traveling Broadway show twice, but this version was far superior. First off, let me tell you that I've been known as a rock -- someone who never cries. I was the one girl at girl's camp who never wept during testimony meeting (all four years!). I rarely showed emotion. Now I have to take it all back -- I'm not sure if it's because I'm a mom, or aging makes me more sentimental, but I was so emotional during the production. I was just amazed at the vocal talent, and of course, the story line was powerful. I've decided that I'm glad I wasn't blessed with an amazing singing voice. If I had to perform, I would cry the whole time thinking, "My voice is so beautiful . . . I'm too moved by my gift!" Fortunately I was a spectator, so only the girls around me noticed my sniffling (thanks to Tricia and Kellie for not openly mocking :) ). I had a blast, and I'm looking foward to other girl jaunts in the future (Wicked, perhaps?).



The whole gang


Julie, Karin, Kristina, Kellie, Tricia, Leslie, and Moi

Busy, busy, busy!!!

Okay, my posts have been so lame as of late, but my level of life insanity has reached its peak. First off, I went to St. George on Saturday with the Relief Society to see "Les Mis" at Tuachan. Oh, my goodness! What a production! We were gone the entire day and didn't get home until 1 a.m. I'll post more on that later. Sunday was crazy . . . Church, Alyssa's birthday party (she turns 2 on Thursday, but we celebrated with Jer's parents on Sunday), and then I had to interview a family for a newspaper article. "Huh?" you ask. Every year an LDS group puts out a Family Week insert into the Las Vegas Review Journal. With my BYU Public Relations connections, I volunteered to write an article -- at the time thinking it was no big deal. I thought, "Hey, I was a big shot reporter for the BYU Daily Universe, so of course I'm capable of one silly article!!" (okay, I wasn't a big shot, but I wanted to stress my confidence level). However, what the HECK was I thinking? That was ten years ago!!!! I've started writing, and I'm utterly perplexed. How do I attribute? Where's the flow? What about the transitional sentence at the beginning of each paragraph? Seriously, I'm a mess trying to remember those days when I actually knew something. Forgive my venting. Anyway, any computer time needs to be spent on that (since the deadline is in a few days), so blog postings will have to be suspended for now. Please don't cry -- I will return. On top of all this madness, my house needs a major overhaul and we're going to Disneyland this weekend. No rest for the weary.

Stay tuned for these future posts: St. George trip, the Pumpkin Patch, and Alyssa' birthday party. I'm actually writing this to remind myself.