New Trampoline

For Christmas, the kids got their own trampoline. Papi, Mami, and aunt Audie all chipped in to help Santa get one! It got put up by Mike, Chris and Ben Johnson on Christmas Eve in the dark. Amelie was so exited when she saw it on Christmas day! She said "My dream came true!" She was actually praying to Santa for one!

Pour Noel, les enfants on eux la joie d'avoir leur propre trampoline. Papi, Mami, et tante Audie on tous aider le Pere Noel a en avoire un. Mike, Christopher et Ben Johnson l'on monter la veille de Noel dans la nuit. Amelie etait trop contente quand elle l'a vu dans notre jardin le matin de Noel. Elle a dit: "Mon reve c'est realiser!" Elle priait meme au pere Noel pour un!

No more guests

Every one is gone... Papi, Mami, and the Browns. It was so nice to have family staying with us... But after almost 6 months of having guests, it is nice to have our little family unit back to just us.

Tout le monde est partis. Papi, Mami et les Browns. C'etait bien d'avoir eux la famille avec nous mais apres presque 6 mois d'invites, nous sommes contents d'etre de nouveau que nous.

New look for Alexi too...

Lexi got a new look, short hair and glasses...

His eyes are not as bad as Emric's but he wanted some anyway.

Alexi a un nouveau look. Cheveux plus court et lunettes. Ses yeux sont mieux que ceux d'Emric, mais il a voulu des lunettes...

How far will a Parent go for their kid?????

How about this: Going to the movie theater at 3:00am!!!!! So Justine could see the new New Moon movie with her friends, she would have gone at midnight, but they were sold out! I told her that I wouldn't do this for Mike or anyone else! Only for her! My sleep is rather sacred... I didn't do too bad the next day. I got a little tired driving with mike for our Friday night date. I think she owes me big time!!!! :) I must be nuts! OK, I admit, I wanted to see the movie, but not that bad. I would have been just as happy seeing it later, after a good night's sleep...

It was kinda fun though to see her so exited, in doing something out of the ordinary. She went strait from the movie theater to Seminary at 6am, before going to school for 7.15am. And I, I went strait to bed!

19 years

Mike and I celebrated on Monday the 9th our 19 years of marriage!

Mike et moi avons celebre Lundi le 9, 19 ans de mariage...

Our Little Holloween Kitten

Emric is the first, and hopefully the last kid, in our family to get glasses... He got them right when school started. He is so happy to see things from far away clearly now! We think they look kinda cool on him! :) He looks smart, and still so darn cute!

Emric est le 1er des enfants (et j'espere le seule) a avoir des lunettes. Il les a aqueri a la rentree des classes. il est super content de voire les chose de loin clairement. On pense que ca lui va tes bien, il a l'air intellgent et il est toujours aussi mignion!

Mami hard at work

Mami has been busy knitting, cooking and sowing for us. Photos are to come of the things she has made! Thanks Mami!

Mami est bien occupee a tricoter, cuisiner et a faire de la couture... Les photos sont a venir de ce qu'elle nous a fait! Merci Mami!

Sunday photo shoot with Mami!

Il y quelques dimanches nous avons fait une petite seance photo dans un ferme pres de chez nous. Mami a aussi pris sa chance devant la camera! :)

A couple of Sundays ago, we went to my favorite little barn by our house and took a few pictures there... Mami took her chance in front of the camera too! :)

A good day!

Today, I woke up with a dozen roses in my kitchen! What a man I have! Still romantic, after almost 19 years of marriage...

I got a lot of messages of BD wishes from tones of people (Thank you! for thinking of me!) I did the mom stuff and had lunch with Mike and my Mom at my favorite Indian Restaurant. I got a package in the mail of some neat inspiring stuff from Deseret book among it, my new favorite CD: "Nearer: A new collection of favorite hymns." :)

Ce matin, j'ai eu le plaisir de trouver une douzaine de rose rouge dans ma cuisine... Quel bon mec que j'ai; toujours romantic apres presque 19ans de marriage...
J'ai recu plein de mesages d'amis et de la famille (Merci, Merci!) J'ai fait ce que les mamans font pendant la journee et je suis allee rejoindre Mike pour un dejeuner a mon restaurant Indien prefere! J'ai aussi recu un colis de Deseret Book avec des truck bien sympa donc un nouveau Cd que j'adore!

Braides

Mami braided Amelie's hair this morning. She looked so cute! I couldn't resist stopping time by capturing this little beauty when she got of the bus... She is growing up too fast!

Mami a fait des tresses ce matin a Amelie. Elle etait trop belle! Je n'ai pas pu resister l'envie d'arreter le temps en saisissant ce moment a la sortie du bus. Elle grandit trop vite!

Missing teeth

Amelie had her 1st tooth fall out on the 15th of September! It was quickly followed by the on right next to it a few days later! She talks funny now! She is such a big girl now! Going to school all day!

Amelie a perdu sa 1ere dent le 15 septembre! Elle a ete vite suivi par celle d'accote quelques jours apres. Elle est une grand fille maintenant, elle va a l'ecole toute la journee!

Make a Smilebox photobook

Rock climbing and repelling

We did a lot of activities this summer! I am going to try to put a few here... I may have lost a lot of photos on my external hard drive from this summer... Yep it died! :( But most of my photos were backed up on another drive! Thank goodness!

Justine and I went with a few young women from her class at church rock climbing with our Bishop. Emric was already there with at a scout camp out. We had a lot of fun! I even repelled and rock climbed! I find the repelling still very easy, but the climbing was a little more challenging than when I remember in my younger days! I loved it though! Justine was like a monkey and the Dare Devil that she is! Emric was quiet at ease too!

My little baker!

I just had to take a brake from our vacation to post these photos of my little baker! She is so darn cute! When I start cooking she goes and gets a little stool and her apron, and comes to helps. But that is not all! She pretends she has an audience and describes everything we do! Like a TV cooking show! She asks me what we are doing and why, so she can tell her audience! Simply adorable! I should record her!

Je dois prendre une pause de notre petite vacance pour mettre ces photos de ma petite cuisiniere... Elle est trop mimi! Quand je commence a cuisiner, elle va chercher un petit tabouret et son tablier et vien m'aider. Mais c'est pas tout! Elle imagine qu'elle a une audiance et decrit tout ce que l'on fait! Comme a la Tele! Elle me demande ce que l'on fait pour bien pouvoir tout expliquer a sont audience! C'est trop adorable! Je devrais la filmer!

A Fun Cousin Visit!

I am posting this in retrospect. 

I've been looking through some of my journals and found one with just a few entries, my last ones before I started blogging more.

This is what I wrote.

I have had a lot of family stay with us this Summer.

My Cousin Fabrice, Sarah and their boys Paul and Tom came to stay with us for 3 weeks.

They are the perfect guests! Fabrice would cook almost every night. 

They would do the dishes, clean up dinner, and help with chores.

Having the 'Vanaquer man family trait', Fabrice would fix anything that needed fix'n!

Mike's car brakes, irrigation gutters during a bad rain storm that started flooding our basement!

During which as a true French man he ran out only waring his underwear!

I did give him a clear plastic rain pancho for the neighbors benefit that is!

We had a wonderful time while they were with us.

The kids would all go to Kings Island together.

We also went to Hocking Hills.

Emric and I took a road trip with them to Washington DC.

There we did a LOT of walking! 

Like we do a lot in France.
Emric was not used to it!

We went to the Air & Space museum, the Holocaust Museum, The Indian Museum.

We did a little shopping and the Boys went to the Spy Museum.

They left with promises of us visiting them in France in the future!

I'm sure I have some pictures somewhere! 

I just need to find them and I can post them here!

Long awaited visit from the Browns!!! :)

As soon as Justine and I got home from camp, we had the privilege to see our cousins for a couple of days! We had not seen them in almost 2 years... The kids were happy to spend a little time with them, and me with my sister...

Des que Justine et moi sommes rentre du camps des jeunes filles, on a eu la visite de la famille a Aude, pour quelques jours! On ne les avait pas vu, cela faisait presque 2 ans! les enfants on ete tres heureux de passer du temps avec leurs cousines et moi avec ma soeurette

My First Girl's Camp

This is the 1st time That I go to Girls camp as an adult. I loved it! I do have to say that we only spent one night in a tent (on a beautiful farm), the rest of the time we were in cute cabins! I don't have my pictures on my computer yet... I will put some as soon as I can, if I havn't lost them!

C'est la premiere foi que je suis allee a un camp de jeune fille en tant qu'adult. J'ai beaucoup aimer! J'ai passer qu'une nuit dans une tante (sur une ferm tres belle), le reste du temps on etait dans des cabines trop mimi! Je vais essayer de metre des photos si je ne les ai pas perdues!

I took the 5 love language test

I feel loved when...

The Five Love Languages

My Primary Love Language is Acts of Service

My Detailed Results:
Acts of Service:	12
Quality Time:	9
Words of Affirmation:	4
Physical Touch:	4
Receiving Gifts:	1

About this quiz

Unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. It can be helpful to know what language you speak and what language those around you speak.

Tag 3 people so they can find out what their love language is.

Take the Quiz!
Check out the Book

My 1st 5K!

I just ran my first 5 kilometer race! I've been running about 3 times a week in the mornings for just 20mn. About a month ago, a group of moms was organized, by some moms at our church.(I've got a link to the blog in "useful blogs"). We are going to run/walk for local 5k and 10k's, for local charities. I joined the group hoping it would motivate me to do more cardio, and so far it has worked. Anyway, I was surprised that I actually ran the whole thing! I did walk towards the end for about 2mn... I did it under 40mn! I know, I'm slow, but I did it!

Here we are after the race, still standing!

Je viens just de courrir mon premier marthon de 5km. Je vais courir a peu pres 3 fois par semaine le matin pour 20mn. Il y a un mois, j'ai joint un group de maman a notre eglise, en espoir de me motiver pour faire du cardio. Nous allons faire des courses de 5km et 10km localement pour des charites. Jusqu'a present cela marche. Bref, je me suis bien surprise, car j'ai tout courru sauf 2mn vers la fin. J'ai fini en dessous de 40mn! Je sais, je suis lante, mais je l'ai fait!!!!

"It's Ok" Hugs...

Today, my little Amelie finished her year of Kindergarten! After this summer, she will be going to school all day! Time goes too fast! I just want to keep her small and stop time.
She hurt herself after school and came to me for a "it's OK hug"... There is something in those hugs so magical, they make me feel so good! I realized today that she is the last one of our kids that really needs those hugs anymore... I want to cherish every single one of them while they last... Before you know it, the kids get older and they don't need them anymore... But how I love them!!!!

Aujourd'hui, ma petite Amelie a fini son annee de Kindergarten. Apres cet ete elle va aller a l'ecole toute la journee... Que le temps passe vite! Je veux just la garder petite et arreter le temps.
Elle c'est fait mal aujourd'hui et est venue me voir pour un "c'est Ok" calin. Il y a quelque chose de magique pour moi dans ces calins! J'ai realise aujourd'hui qu'elle est la dernier de nos enfants qui veux encore ces calins... Je veux cherir tous ceux qu'il me reste... Avant que l'on ne s'en rend compte, les enfants grandissent et en ont plus besoin... Mais moi je les aimes ces calins!!!!

Mother's Day in New York

This year, Mike went to New York during mother's day week end. He took me along. It was a lot of Fun! Mike worked a lot, and I did a lot of walking and discovering Manhattan, Time square, etc... Our hotel was in the middle of time square! I spent a lot of time in Central park! Love it! I was able to see Phantom of the Opera and The New York ballet! Both were awesome! I am posting a lot of the pictures I took there on my "One photo a day Blog". When I got home my legs hurt from all the walking! The first time I went to New York, I wasn't too impressed, but this time I really learned to love New York!


Cette annee pour la fete des mere, Mike est alle a New York City pour son travaille. Il m'a donc enmene avec lui. C'etait super! Mike a beaucoup travaille, j'en ai profite pour aller a la decouverte de New York, Manhattan, Time square, etc... J'ai passer beaucoup de temps a Central Park: J'adore! J'ai pu voir Le Phantom de l'Opera, et Le ballet de New York; c'etait merveilleux! Je suis en train de metre pas mal de photos de mes aventures sur mon "one photo a day" blog. Quand je suis rentree, j'avais bien mal aux jambres! La premiere fois que je suis allee a New York, c'etait Ok, mais cette fois ci, j'ai vraiment apprecier, j'adore New York!

No pictures were aloud, I did manage to take just a few shots at the ballet;

without looking into the viewfinder...

Spring Break Vacation

This year the whole family took a little vacation during spring break. We went to Florida. We had a good time... Mike was sick the 1st day and spent the day throwing up! We spent 2 nights in the Tampa area. We actually were able to take some Family pictures... It wasn't easy since I had to be in front of the camera... Anyhow, here are a few that I like. Mike still was not feeling too good during our shoot...

Cette annee, notre petite famille a pris une semaine de vacance pendant les vacances de paques... Nous somes alles en Floride. Nous avons passes des bons moments. LEs 2 premieres jours, Mike etait malade, il a beaucoup vomit!! :( Nous avons passer 2 jours dans les environs de Tamps sur une iles Sand key. Nous en avons profiter pour prendre des photos de famille sur la plage... C'etait pas evidant sans moi deriere l'apareille! Mais enfin en voila quelques une qui sont OK. Mike ne se sentait toujour pas trop bien.

Oh Dear!!!

On the 1st week-end of may, during a successful yard sale (I love to make room in the house!) We saw 2 young dears running through our yard! They seemed quite lost and out of their comfort zone! I just had time to run in the house and take a few shots before they took off down the street!

Pendant le premier week-end de mai, pendant que je faisait un "Garage Sale" (J'adore me debarasser de ce qui est vieux et que l'on a plus besoin). On a vu 2 jeunes faons qui sont passer dans mon jardin. Ils avait l'aire bien perdu! J'ai just eu le temps d'aller chercher ma camera avant qu'ils partent.

Her First Written Poem

I you Love me mom
I you love me dad
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mom and dad
Yes mom and dad
I love you
Dad and mom

By AmElie

Happy Birthday Mike!!!!!

The BIG 40!

Our little Ballerina