Miss America 2010

We have been planning this weekend since last June when my former Miss Pl Grove Whitney Merrifield won Miss Utah. Whitney wanted Lizzy to come and do her hair and makeup back stage so we planned to go! What a fun week it was! Betty Memmott our dear friend came with us! It was her first time to go to Miss America...and she loved it as well! Ya gotta do it at least once! !

Here we are! Miss America 2010! What a fun week! We left on Tuesday morning.. picked up Lizzy in Cedar and headed off! It wasn't warm...but it was sunny and it didn't snow! We had some heavy rain...but hey we hardly noticed...! When you are shopping shopping shopping it really isn't a problem!

One of our first stops... PANERA! Holy smokes the bagels are YUMMY! This is one of our favorite places to eat... Cinnamon Crunch Bagels and Hazelnut Cream Cheese... Seriously so good! The clam chowder is amazing too!

Betty and I ... WE LOVE HER!

Our first night after prelims! Whitney rocked her talent! She was amazing! Stefanie and her mom Charlotte with us.

Here we are with Whit... she looked so beautiful!

Tradition... everyone poses at the Miss America backdrop!

Lizzy and I at visitation waiting for Whitney to come up!

Here we are with my other daughter... Raychellene! She did Whitney's wardrobe for Miss America.

Posing at the backdrop... not my favorite thing to do.

You know I can't stay away from a Build A Bear... Whitney needed one...(I know she did! )

Lizzy with Wilma and Bob Knightfrom Hoopeston Illinois. They were Lizzy's host family at the National Sweetheart Pageant. They are so supportive of our Utah girls. Lizzy loved staying with them and they have become life long friends! They love our girls. Whitney was another of their girls and so they came to Miss America with us!

Friday we spent the morning at the Las Vegas Temple! It was an awesome morning! What a beautiful temple! I think it is one of my favorites!
Friday night we all headed down to the strip! We ran into Kayla Barclay Miss Utah from last year. She is beautiful inside and out!

M & M Factory... who knew you could spend $12.99 on a lb of M & M's... Whoa! This is Mr. Green M & M.

Here we are in the 3 D M&M movie! We are all about high class entertainment!

Hal and Dallas drove down to "surprise"us! It was our anniversary so that was fun! I got some beautiful roses!

Here are Lizzy and Dallas at Cheesecake Factory! Yummy! Try the Chicken Bellagio!!

My cute honey... So fun to have him show up! I know how much he LOVES pageants!
I think we walked the entire strip! Poor Betty had blisters! But after all it was our 39th anniversary! We may not be able to walk much longer...since we are getting so dang OLD!

Happy Birthday Brett!

We are so glad you belong to us and we sure love you and hope you had a Great Birthday!

Happy Birthday Matt!

Happy Birthday Matty! We love you so much and we are so blessed that you gave us Angie and Sadie too! Hope you had a wonderful day!

Hanging With The Miller Boys

Right after Christmas Matt and Angie got a great deal on a trip to Mexico. They invited Jen and Nate to go...so we helped tend the boys for them.

Mason and I went to lunch with Lois one day! Mason had a great time just chopping that cupcake to a million tiny pieces... He was so content and patient. What a great little guy!

cutting and cutting....

Messy Messy Messy...

Orange frosting doesn't come off very easy.

On Friday night we had a movie night... Too fun! "Son of Flubber"

Here is grandpa leading the "guests" into their seats. Notice the flashlight...The room was actually dark...

VIP Guests at the movie.

Mom and Dad RETURN! Jen and Nate came back rested, tanned and rejuvenated!

Grandma found a killer deal on an old box of baseball cards. The kids (including Matt) were mesmerized. 1986 box and the bubble gum was hard as a rock. I went to Partyland and there were 2 boxes there... I should have bought both. Bargain of the year.... $5.00.

This little guy wouldn't let her get away!

Presents for everyone!

Handsome little guy with his new shirt.

Oaks...

Presto ~ and his hacky sack

Sadie's Baptism

On Jan 2, 2010 Sadie Anne Marchbanks was baptized and confirmed a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day's Saints. It was a wonderful day filled with great memories and people we love.

Matt and Sadie

Angie ~ Sadie and Matt

Angie's family: Amber and Joe and their kids and Teriesa and Charles and Ashley.

Our crew...

Sadie's baptism quilt ~ She chose the fabric and the colors!

Angie and Matt with Sadie.

Opening presents....

Amy ~ Hal ~ Lizzy and Jenny

Ian and Elisa's Baby Blessing

Right after Christmas we attended my nephew's baby blessing. They live in Texas and came home for Christmas. It is always fun to see MY side of the family! Sue and I were best friends all through high school and at Ricks College. She ended up being my sister in law and I dearly love her. Five beautiful kids and so many fun memories.

New Year's Day

New Year's Day we hit the sale at Dillards... AWESOME! Then we met Kim, Julie and Megan at Cracker Barrel for lunch. It was so fun to be with them. Half the fun of Cracker Barrel is the shopping!

Lizzy and Megan... She is going to be a Junior next year! I can't believe it!

Lizzy and Terry in goofy Rabbit ear hats. They actually flap up and down! I wish I had bought it... Hilarious!

Goofy... granny!

A visit at Grandma and Grandpa Marchbanks....
Grandma teaching us how to make a loom hat. Check out the tiny one Dallas had to make for a class.... very tiny.

New Year's Eve 2010

Another year...Come and Gone. They sure seem to go faster now than when I was little. Fun night with some of the kids. Heather had to work and we tried to go to her Texas Roadhouse but the lines were incredible. We went on over to Olive Garden and had a yummy dinner. Then off to Jen and Nate's for games and treats. I got a dice game from a friend at work and we have played that thing non-stop since then. It is a riot. Midnight came with all the traditional hoop la!

Lizzy and Dallas at dinner

Nate and Jenny

Matt and Angie

Oaks and Nate

Oaks ~ Sadie~Preston and Treyman

Blow em' hard!

Worn out...

Matt ~ Sadie and Angie

Part of the Millers...

The crew... still going ...and going and going.

The Real Santa

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas...without a visit from the "Real Santa". Santa has been coming to our party for years! He knows each of the kids and he is amazing! Every year he asks the kids things that no one else but the "Real Santa" would know! The kids watch out the window as we play the game... "Grandma... is Santa coming tonight?"... I always say I don't know...maybe...the weather is kind of bad... so I am not sure!" They watch and wait! Even this Santa's granddaughter thinks he is the real deal!

Here is the Man!

Millie was a bit freaked out....

My camera was out of battery...but I got most of the kids!