Halloween partay

Our church had a Halloween party and Brian was in charge of the 'donut on a string' game. As you can see, he had more fun than Cameron when his turn came! Cameron didn't care though, he laughed the whole way through and got a donut in the end...everyone wins!

8 is GREAT!!!!

Lindsay had a Bday and turned the BIG 8!!!! she had a great time at chucky cheese (why do they like that place so much???) With a few friends and of course the highlight of turning 8 is that she was able to be baptized by her dad on Halloween! Her birthday was lots of fun and she made it through the whole day with smiles (which is rare!) and her baptism was a really special day although she woke up that morning with a fever and couldn't go trick or treating later. I can't believe she in now 'accountable' and growing so fast!!! She is a fun and responsible big sis and we all love her so much!

Alyssa knows Chinese!

warning....infomercial

Everytime I'd see this infomercial for the Touch 'N Brush all I could think was.....BRILLIANT!!!!! I have the problem of kids spreading their toothpaste from one side of the sink to the other. The other day while at Target I found the 'as seen on TV' section. Thinking to myself, " if they had that toothpaste one I'd buy it!!" Low and behold, there it was, and I couldn't resist! This thing does two great jobs: 1) NO MORE MESS and 2) the kids think it's super FUN to brush their teeth!

How dreamy of a product is that, and all for the small price of $19.99!

Popcorn...but better!

I need a new post on this baby. So I'll talk all about the yummy caramel popcorn I made the other night. The recipe is soooooo easy and from one of my new fave blogs I even became facebook friends with the two gals that run the blog cuz I think they are so witty and clever. The recipe has only three ingredients....well four, if you count the popcorn, but it's ALL done in the microwave and can be made in minutes!

That's my kind of treat!

Autism Carnival

Every year Sahara Construction has a free Carnival for Autistic kids and their families. My kids look forward to it every year and have such a GREAT time playing games, jumping in the bouncy houses, eating lots of food, and the "best" part is coming home with lots of plastic little prizes for them to scatter all over the house. There are always lots of tables set up from groups in the Salt Lake area that offer services and great info for autism. It really is a great service Sahara does for these kids and there families - to provide a fun day with no judgements from ANYONE about your "difficult" child.

contest

click on the picture and check out this site....super cool bike and if you click to the link it'll put me in a drawing to win one. It's a long shot, but worth a try.

The Power of Communication

Although Natalie can only say a handful of words, she can sign many. Here is a sample of a few. It's amazing the things she can tell me without saying anything at all.

Check out this site

So my husbands sister, aka my sister-in-law, is quite the talented one and has a great blog for those trying to get tips here and there on this and that. It seems as if she knows how to do a little bit of everything and I think EVERYONE should check out her blog to see if she has provided any life-changing tips just for you!!!! Here's the link in case you didn't catch that you should click on the word 'blog!'

http://damselindisdress.wordpress.com/

Drum Roll Please!!!!!!

Here she is!!!!!!!

Making her debut appearance on the Fordever Family blog

FORD BABY #5!!!!!

I love that you can even see her little hand up next to her face. Unfortunately for her, It looks as if she may have inherited my nose. All my other kids have gotten their daddy's nose, hers might change....She's still got a few more months to cook! Isn't it amazing that at just 24 weeks along she's already a little person with every part she needs?!

1st day of school

Every one needs a first day of school post......so here's mine!

Lindsay just started 2ND grade and Alyssa is now an official Kindergartner!

...this is them ready to go!

I can't believe Lindsay is a 2ND grader, how does time go so slow....yet soooooooo fast?!


Waiting outside the school for the flag raising and the anticipated bell. Alyssa immediately found a friend and left my side....she'll have no problem in Kindergarten!

This year at our school they are beginning a new Chinese Immersion program which I am very excited for Alyssa to be in. It begins with the Kindergartners this year and they'll stay with it through sixth grade. For her it's an extended day and she'll spend the whole morning with some cute teachers hired from China. Only Mandarin Chinese will be spoken and they'll learn all lessons in Chinese. They stay for lunch then afterward they get an hour and a half with an english kindergarten teacher. Through the years they will do half the day in all chinese: math lessons, reading, writing and everything totally immersed in chinese and the second half the lessons in english. What an amazing opportunity it'll be for her to know the chinese language, which is a language spoken by millions or billions (I don't know the stats). She will certainly have a leg up when she is older! I know she'll excel in this program, because although she is still considered 'special needs' she has a brilliant mind and picks up quickly on things like this.

I had to throw one in of Cameron...he doesn't get enough exposure on this blog! As you can see I try to inundate him with boy things and brain wash him to like spider man. He'll be so surrounded with sisters his whole life....like I was, So I need to try my hardest to 'boy' him up! Any suggestions are welcome...especially when it comes to potty training this little guy...he is so stubborn and just won't do it!!!

My new fave show!

The beginning of this summer I watched a great new show on Fox called "Glee" it's basically a weekly High School Musical fix. I LOVED it! I have found myself singing this song all summer long and can't wait for it to start up this fall(they just previewed one show, so if you missed it you can go to fox.com and watch it!)

I thought I'd put this on my blog so I can watch it anytime I want. Hope ya'll enjoy it too.

If the video isn't working go to this link to watch it....it's awesome! http://www.viddler.com/explore/Fragua/videos/1/

ps

IT'S A GIRL!

Announcement

Lindsay's worry is that this will "be so much more work" for her! She's right!!! The joys of being the oldest!

RIP Katie-you'll be missed

Brian's younger sister passed away last Thursday. It's been a crazy and emotional week for the family. Brian's sister Margot wrote this beautiful obit and I thought it was a perfect tribute to her along with this touching slideshow of Katie that another sister, Shauna, put together.

Katharine Rose Ford 1979 ~ 2009

Katharine Rose Ford passed from this life into her Heavenly Father's arms on July 23, 2009, surrounded by her loving family.Katie was born November 5, 1979 in Richland, Washington, youngest of the nine children of Rodney and Marcia Ford. Soon thereafter the family moved to Utah, where Katie lived the rest of her life. Katie was a beautiful and brilliant child. Her sparkling personality made her a joy to be around. She loved music and performing, and her keen mind eagerly drank in what the world had to teach her. At age 13 she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and her life took a different path than the one she'd expected. Although her physical difficulties grew with each passing year, her spirit remained beautiful and pure. Toward the end of her life, her humble acceptance of the Lord's will for her was an inspiration to all that knew her. Katie was exceptionally compassionate and loving to friends, family, and strangers alike. She loved everyone. She had an unwavering knowledge of Jesus Christ's love for her. Katie is survived by her parents, grandmother Verla Zesiger, siblings Margot Hovley (Art), Cheryl Ann Jensen (Ray), Shauna Christensen (Cory), Michael Ford (Melissa) Janis Reeves (Brad), Brian Ford (Rachel), and Carol Lee (Gilbert). She was preceded in death by grandparents Hugh and Rosalia Ford, Lloyd Zesiger, and brother Rodney John Ford. Funeral services will be held at the Bountiful 54th Ward, 540 N. 1200 E., Friday, July 31 at 11:00 a.m. Friends and family may visit Thursday evening at Russon Brothers Funeral Home, 295 North Main in Bountiful, from 6-8:00 p.m., or one hour prior to the services at the church on Friday. Interment will be at the Bountiful City Cemetery. Online guest book at www.russonmortuary.com The family suggests donations to the LDS Missionary or Perpetual Education funds in lieu of flowers, and wishes to express heartfelt gratitude to all the many people who have served and loved Katie throughout her life.

Centerville.....the 101st best place to live!

Have you seen the most current MONEY MAGAZINE?

It's feature article is covering the 100 best places to live in the U.S.

Check it out and see if your town made the list.

As it turns out, Farmington, Utah (which is just north of my town) is number 14

And Bountiful, Utah (which is just south of my town) is numer 71

I truely do live in CENTERVILLE!

It may not be one of the 100 best places, but if I'm just between two that are...it must be pretty good!

3rd of july centerville kids parade

on the 3rd my cute little town has a childrens parade. My sister was in town with her kids and all the cousins spent the day decorating thier "floats"

this is us waiting in the very long line of red, white, and blue dressed kids waiting to begin the parade.

Natalie and her cousin Kendra were ready to go in their matching shirts. I made patroitic flower for all the girls to wear in their hair. Unfortunately the only boy was Cameron and he was pretty upset I wouldn't let him wear one.

Cameron and Alyssa enjoying riding in the street!!!! Once in a lifetime!



At the end popscicles were waiting for all the kids....followed by fireworks that night made for a super fun day!

Hope you all had a happy fourth and enjoyed celebrating with family and friends!

what i've been up to

We've had many adventures in the last few weeks....we had a quick trip to the white mountains of AZ to see some fam, then my sister Joanna and her kiddos stayed with us for a week while her on there drive through to San Fran(their new home) We did lots of fun stuff with the cousins.

the kids decorated their bikes, scooters, stroller and wagons all day for the kid parade on the fourth of july eve (aka the 3rd) they had a blast!

this is the kids decorating t-shirts. How creative they all turned out to be.

We went to a tour of the new Oquirr Mountain Temple. It was beautiful and the kids enjoyed seeing the inside.


All of us at the temple. Brian stuck with three Beste sisters...what a lucky guy!



this is some of the kids in AZ, it's so much fun to get together with cousins....even though the 11 hour drive by myself with four kids was horrible, the fun the kids have while there is all worth it...then of course I had to drive home :(

Footloose and fancy free!

Now that Natalie has her cast off she has picked up right where she left off with the walking. She is holding a cell phone that is playing "dancing queen" by ABBA and she sure knows how to shake it with lots of support from her sisters.

This made me cry

All your children should watch this.

My little corn shuckers

Corn on the cob has become one vegetable that really brings us together. Although they make a mess.....the kids love shucking those things and finding the treasure within.

Natalie loves it when we throw her our scraps (she only has two little teath) she loves one in each hand while the third is shoved in her mouth!What a summer treat!

Free at last!

Natalie went to the Doctor's office yesterday to get her cast off.
The whole experience of getting a saw that close to her leg was a little traumatizing for her (and me I might add) so she found solace in sucking hard on her bottle of water.

Here's her brand new leg! But don't you dare take away the bottle!

The sucker at the end was the only way to pry that bottle out of her hands. Maybe the docs office IS fun????!!!!! Now let the walking begin!!!

midnight sun vs. twilight

So the last couple days I've been reading the book Twilight again, but with a whole new twist. Stephenie Meyer was working on a book called Midnight Sun that was Twilight from Edwards point of view, she was about halfway through when it got leaked on the Internet somehow. She explains it all here...

http://stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

She decided to just put what she had on her web site, but is so angry about the whole ordeal she can't finish the book.

Any who, I've been reading a chapter of Twilight, then reading the corresponding chapter of Midnight sun. It gives the story a whole new depth when you really get inside Edwards' head and view things from his view point. It's like a whole new story. Of course it only gets to about halfway through the book....but it's very enjoyable. So if you're looking for a good read, I highly suggest it. If you scroll to the bottom of the above link you can click on the Midnight sun book.

Taylor Swift meets Coldplay....you'll love it!

broken bone

Last week little Natalie climbed on an office chair and stood with both feet on the arm of the chair while holding on to the counter.....the chair spun out from under her and this is the result.



Just when she was starting to get the hang of the whole walking thing....this is really gonna set her back. She's a trooper though, she keeps a happy disposition and she's figured out how to get around just fine with her new purple accessory. It's back to crawling for her, walking will just have to wait.

Barry concert

A dream for me has been realized! I went to see Barry Manilow in concert!

My whole life I've wanted to see him in concert and I just happened to be going to Vegas last weekend and staying at the Hilton for a convention. I couldn't find anyone to go with me to the concert so I went by myself and just loved every minute.

Growing up Barry Manilow was the only music EVERYONE in the family could agree on, mom, dad and all 8 kids. So we listened to him a lot...especially on car trips, which there were many of.

I was able to sneek a few short video clips of "Mandy" and "Copacobana" my favorite!

ENJOY!

Mandy

Copacabana

Barry is very old and he is very quirky, but he is just delightful and endeering and has some amazing songs that are timeless! Love you fordever Barry!!!!!

Natalie's first steps

Last night, Sunday the 26th of April, Natalie took her first steps!!! It was fun to see the excitement on her face as she reached this milestone with all her family cheering her on!

Happy Earth Day!

Everytime I go to the store and see how many plastic bags I use I cringe a little inside. So today in honor of Earth day I finally broke down and bought some re-useable grocery bags. There's a coupon in the Albertson's add this week where you can get up to 6 bags for a whopping 59 cents each. $3 and some change is worth the good feeling I will now have in my heart when I can refuse those Earth-eating plastic poisonous bags!!!!

Now, I don't claim to be a tree hugger, but would like to do my part here and there. If I could stand to use re-useable cloth diapers...I would. But I'm not quite that dedicated. I have changed my light bulbs to the energy effecient ones. If each of us do a little...we can make the world a better place....I feel a song coming on!!!!!!!!

lime in the coconut

This is the kids favorite youtube video, we watch it at least once a week! So gather your children around the computer, cuz this one is gonna be a hit!

Opening presents.

Progression of a birthday girl's first experience with chocolate!!

Who knew chocolate could be this great???!!!!!

Happy 1st Birthday to my little baby Natalie.....The first year has been AMAZING, we look forward to what the ones to come have in store!!!!

Happy Green Shirt Day!

This is the best we could do....if you want a smile then you're gonna get closed eyes. Open eyes=frowny face!

What mormons believe.

I recently found this and love it. It is a 20 year old Harvard girl on a religious panal answering Q's about mormonism. If you've ever wondered about some of the basic questions, she does a great job explaining.


Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

Sisters with LIPS!

Us Beste girls sure know how to work the RED lips!

I have a little problem.....

The other day as I cleaned my garage I noticed that I have a stroller addiction. Who needs 9 strollers? Maybe Octo-mom.....but I sure don't!