Tanner Treats

TWILIGHTED

2009-01-22T23:14:00.004-07:00

I went to see Twilight the night it premiered (Nov 21st), but then I took Maddie the next morning. We had so much fun on our Mother-Daughter day. Maddie enjoyed showing off her "Team Edward" t-shirt. And what would Mother-Daughter day be...without a little ice cream after the movie?

Believe it or not, this was a "small" sundae!

Meet Macy!

2009-01-22T21:48:00.005-07:00

Happy 5th Birthday, Macy!!! This is a cute picture of her in the outfit I made for her birthday, which was November 18th. Her birthday was low key and we didn't have a party, but in "Macy's World" every day is a party! Macy is just one of those happy-go-lucky girls. She is accepting and makes friends wherever she goes. The sun always shines on her and she has a positive outlook on everything. I don't think Macy has ever been sad a day in her life! What a blessing she is to our family! However, there was one little snag to Macy turning 5 years old. Ever since Markie started school in 2007, Macy wanted to know when she would get to go. Our response was always, "When you are 5". The day after her birthday, she woke up and got ready to go to school, and as you can imagine, she was very disappointed that she couldn't go. It took a lot of explaining about when a school year starts, and even though she didn't really understand, she accepted it. She still asks occasionally why she can't go to school, and after answering her, she still replies..."But Mommy, I'm 5 now". Moral of this story: watch what you say to Macy, because she takes everything literally. Another story about Macy that will forever make me smile...Me and the kids had driven to Dallas (from Corpus) to visit my family. We had just left my Grandma's house to drive back home and had stopped at a gas station to fill up. While filling up, Monte called to tell me there were storms all along my route back to Corpus, so maybe I should stay one more day in Dallas. I replied with, "I wished you'd called and told me that 30 minutes ago before I packed the kids up and stuff. You know Macy's gonna have a cow when I tell her." Not 2 seconds after I said it, Macy pipes up from the back of the van in an excited voice saying, "Markie, guess what...I'm gonna have a COW!" and she laughs and giggles about the prospect of getting a real cow! It's totally, classically MACY! She brings smiles to everyone she meets! One last story about my sweet Macy... when I say she is accepting of everyone, it's literally the truth. Her eyes don't see any difference between herself and anyone else. About 6 months ago, or so, I had taken the kids to Arctic Circle to eat lunch and play in the playplace. Along came a girl, probably about 7 or 8 years old, in a wheelchair with mental and physical disabilities. She had a nurse with her as well as her mom. You could tell the nurse loved this little girl very much as she got the little girl out of the wheelchair and put her on the floor to "play" with her. Most kids in the playplace shied away from her, but not my sweet Macy. She didn't see anything different about the girl-all she saw was a new friend and so she went right up to her and said "Hi, I'm Macy!" The nurse told the little girls name, since she couldn't communicate well, but that didn't stop Macy, she kept the one-sided conversation going and played with the little girl on the floor until it was time to leave. She never once asked what was wrong with the little girl, or why she couldn't stand, or speak. She was open and accepting and loving. For a mom, that is the most precious thing to witness. When the gospel says "to become as a child", Macy is the perfect example to me. I love my Macy and I hope and pray that as she grows older, her personality and sweet, special spirit stays the same. Happy Birthday My Sweetheart!

OVERNIGHT VACATION!

2008-11-08T02:50:00.005-07:00

We picked the girls up from school and took everyone on a quick overnighter to Salt Lake City. We got there and had a quick bite to eat and then headed over to Temple Square. It was a perfect evening, the air was cool and crisp, but not bitter. We took pictures by the Temple and then Monte surprised us with...

...A carriage ride! We had a great time and the kids learned a lot from our guide.

Afterwards, the kids just had to pet "Smith". Apropos, huh?

Then we were off to the Visitor's Center and pictures by the fountain. I thought for sure, one of them was going to fall in!

Next we went to the hotel to change into swimsuits for a quick dip before bedtime. The next morning, we were up bright and early for breakfast and more swimming! We left around lunchtime and stopped in Layton at the Chuck E. Cheese. Markie was so excited when we arrived, she asked "Are we in Texas?" We had a fun couple of hours playing, eating, and playing some more! Then we headed home. Thanks for the fun overnight vacation, Monte! You are such a fun Dad!

OUR HALLOWEEN WEEK!

2008-11-08T01:36:00.008-07:00

So it was time to carve the pumpkins and make our silly faces, then...

... we got all dressed up to go to the Fall Booktacular Event. We bought books, played games, won prizes, and ate treats!

A couple of days later, we were off to...

...The Monster Mash Concert!
The girls piano teacher had a small, informal "recital" so the kids could play their Halloween music! Markie was very nervous since this was her first time performing, but she did awesome! Once again, the kids got a treat bag and lots of cookies!

The next event on the calendar, was the huge Melaleuca extravaganza. This year, Dad's department picked rock & roll as their theme for decorating and dressing up. So, the kids and I got up early and went to Grandma and Grandpa's house to turn Grandpa into...

...Billy Idol!

We then went to the girl's school to help out with class parties and watch the Parade of Costumes! Then later that afternoon, we met...

...the whole "motley crew" at Melaleuca to go trick or treating through all of the departments. Major props to the IT department, who chose "Star Wars" as their theme and didn't disappoint! Totally awesome! Thanks Dad for the fun time!

A few hours after that, we went to Mom & Dad's ward for their Trunk or Treat. They had it inside and had families decorate a classroom door instead of doing it outside with the cars. So the kids participated in the Halloween Fashion Show and then went "door to door" and got even more candy! I was so exhausted by the end of this day, I had no idea how I was going to make it through the next day which was...

HALLOWEEN!

We took the kids to "BOO at the ZOO", where they had lots of games, fun, and of course CANDY!

One of the kids favorites, was the leaf pile. They had a huge leaf pile where you could dig around to find cool prizes like...

...FANGS!

After a couple of hours at the zoo, we went over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for some traditional trick or treating. We got through all the houses on their cul-de-sac, but then it began to rain! (Thank Goodness) So we headed back for some warm soup and toast that Grandma had made for us! What a fun week we had!

IT SNOWED!

2008-11-08T00:50:00.007-07:00

Well, after a balmy time in San Antonio, it was time to cool off with some snow. On October 11th, the kids dug out the winter hats, scarves, gloves, and boots and then...
...headed to the backyard with the sled!

This is Jimmy sledding down the hill. His ear band fell over his eyes! It's hilarious, he didn't see a thing!

This is Maddie "surfing" down the hill! Listen for Jimmy's squeal at the beginning! All in all, it was a fun snow day for the kids!

A QUICK GETAWAY!

2008-11-08T00:21:00.002-07:00

At the beginning of October, Monte and I went to San Antonio for a relaxing long weekend without the kids (thanks Mom & Jenn). It felt like I was dating Monte again! He made all the plans and arrangements. The first night, we stayed at the historic Drury Plaza Hotel. It's in an old, historic buildings in downtown San Antonio that was previously a bank. This picture was taken on the rooftop where the swimming pools are, plus you can see all of downtown. It was very cool to walk around the building and see the changes they had made, in order to make it a hotel. And talk about pampered, our room had an awesome bathroom with a huge 2 person jetted tub and very hot water! Yep, loved that hotel!

That evening we went to the spindle where we were going to have dinner. Downstairs in the lobby was this "longhorn". I couldn't resist, and Monte was a good sport for letting me take his picture! Ride 'Em Cowboy!

For dinner, Monte took me to the Catch House, which is the revolving restaurant at the top of the spindle. It was great food, for the most part, but the dessert...mmm! If you are ever there, order the lava cake made with Godiva chocolate. It's to die for!

The next night, we drove to Austin for a night's stay and entertainment. Monte took me to this great little place in downtown Austin called, Pete's Dueling Piano Bar. It was so much fun! These guys new every song under the sun and could make up funny lyrics to any tune! We had a great time that night!

The next day we drove back to San Antonio and went to Six Flags Fiesta Texas and rode every roller coaster they had, and then some! Our last day was split between watching the football games in our hotel room and going to Chili's to watch the games and eat chips and queso. I also got my favorite, Chocolate Molten Cake for dessert! :-) My Hunny really spoiled me! Thanks for such a romantic and fun weekend, Monte! I love you!

Happy Birthday, Melissa!

2008-11-08T00:08:00.005-07:00

I'm sorry to disappoint, but I have no pictures from my birthday, but I got lots of chocolate and fun gifts! My aunt Katy, and my cousin/little sister Emily and her daughter, Chloe, all came up to see me for my birthday. We celebrated by going to Ruby River for dinner, without any kids (thanks Mom for babysitting)! Also while they were here, we went to the Zoo (of course) and just hung out and had fun! Here's a couple of pictures from Emily's camera...

This is Macy, Jimmy and Chloe at the Zoo. The second picture is of Markie driving Chloe around in the Barbie Jeep. Markie, Macy, and Jimmy all took turns driving Chloe around. Chloe loved that Jeep, but the others quickly got tired of being her chauffeur!

Markie's Cute Curtains

2008-11-07T23:59:00.003-07:00

Well, at the end of September, I finally made Markie some cute curtains for her room. Here's the proof (and so my Mom and Grandma can see them)!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! :-)

2008-08-21T09:01:00.000-06:00

Yippee and Hooray for Mom! Today was the first day of school. Madison starts 5th grade today and Markie starts 1st grade. They were both so excited, and maybe a little nervous too! I'm sure they are going to have a terrific day!

Meet Me Underneath That Big Montana Sky!

2008-08-20T23:37:00.000-06:00

So, it was finally the Tanner Family's turn to spend a weekend up at Whitefish. This is one of my very favorite parts of summer! I love to drive up and spend time with the Bendheim family. Yes, they usually live in California, with the exception of summer, when they happily reside in Whitefish, Montana. This year we had a special treat since all four of the Bendheim cousins were there, Tanner, Redge, Robin, and Brooke! This is the "cabin" Bear Brook - the front, the back, and the view from the back. It truly doesn't get any better than this!

We had fun Growling Like A Grizzly...

Loving On Lucy...

Talking With Tanner...

Posing On The Paddle Boat

Jetting On The Jet Ski...

Lounging In The Lake...

And Jumping In The Jacuzzi!

Here is the whole gang... (back row)Redge, Todd, Uncle Peter, "Big" Tanner, Jim, Brandon, Tiffany, Robin, (middle row) "Lil" Tanner, Jennifer, Aunt Debra, Brooke, Becky, (kids up front) Joshua, Macy, Markie, Reagan, and Madison.

And For The Finale...

Last year I tried Wakeboarding, but was unsuccessful. This year, I talked Tanner (who as you'll see below is an expert) into taking me out on the boat one night and helping me learn to wakeboard. Well, here is a video of my first try! I was so excited to get up so quickly that I wasn't sure what to do!

This was about my sixth try at wakeboarding and it was my longest time staying up. Many thanks to Tiffany, my sister-in-law, who captured these shining moments for me! And a HUGE THANK YOU to Tanner, for helping me accomplish my goal this year at Whitefish. Next year you'll have to teach me to do something with the board once I'm up!
In Honor Of My Teacher (and Hero)...

Here's Tanner entertaining the little kids, who were in the back of the boat yelling "Flip Tanner, Flip!" Sorry I'm not a better videographer!

Extremely Early Birthday Gift!

2008-08-20T23:19:00.000-06:00

My kids have always wanted a powerwheels car, so I saw this one and bought it for Macy's birthday. Yes, I know it's only August, but if I waited until November there would be snow on the ground and she wouldn't be able to ride it. So, Happy Extremely Early Birthday, Macy! We even sang Happy Birthday to her so she'd realize this was her big gift! I'm glad I didn't wait-the kids are having such a fun time driving around!

Markie's Party!

2008-08-20T22:56:00.001-06:00

Well, it was time for Markie's birthday party extravaganza. She wanted a water party, so we borrowed a waterslide and slip-n-slides. The girls had a great time eating goldfish snacks and drinking tropical punch. Later we made bead necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and even rings. Then it was time for cake! Markie's "cake" was in a waffle bowl and everyone elses was in ice cream cones! Markie got lots of fun stuff including Webkins, Littlest Pet Shop, Barbie, Games, and Clothes! Everyone had a blast and enjoyed taking their gift pails home filled with outdoor goodies! Happy 6th Birthday, Markie!

Markie's Birthday Dinner

2008-08-20T22:40:00.000-06:00

We took Markie out to dinner on her 6th birthday because her party wasn't going to be for another week. Markie picked Olive Garden. She says it's her favorite place to eat. She had cheese pizza for dinner and cake for dessert! It was a fun dinner as you can tell by Jimmy's face! People who were sitting around us came over to ask Markie how old she was and wished her a Happy Birthday.

This is the crew at Olive Garden singing to Markie and then Markie blowing out her candle!

Maddie Our Movie Star

2008-07-21T22:35:00.000-06:00

My Grandma came up in June for a visit and she returned to the airport via the shuttle bus. When we took her to the bus terminal, they were shooting a commercial and they asked my children if they wanted to be in it too. Of course they said yes! In this first clip, you will mostly see Madison and you also get a glimpse of my Grandma! If you look hard and quickly, you will also see me behind my Grandma. I'm the dork in the navy colored cap and Markie is standing right next to me!

Commercial #2

2008-07-21T22:16:00.001-06:00

Once again, you will mostly see Maddie in this one. Somehow, she always made sure she was front and center! In this clip, you will see Maddie, Macy, and Jimmy, but you have to look very fast after the opening title sequence to catch them all. Good Luck! By the way, there is a pause button and it does come in handy when looking for the kids in the commercial!

I've Been Tagged!

2008-07-19T00:17:00.000-06:00

Yes, I've been tagged and unlike someone else I know, I begged her NOT to tag me! But, here goes nothin:

10 Random Things About Me

1) I think I need to pull in on the reins of my sister-in-law, Jenn. First, she ropes me into doing Fantasy Football and now she's tagged me! I'm scared to think of what's coming next!

2) My favorite holiday is Halloween. I love the cool, crisp air. The changing of the leaves. Decorating the house. Getting all dressed up. And of course, THE CANDY!!!

3) I miss my

"We're Not Perfect, Never Will Be, But That's OK, We Like It That Way" Texas Girlfriends!

4) As a young girl, I was enamored with The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. At age 7, I got a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader necklace for Christmas and thought I was all that! At age 24, I was accepted to try out for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleading Squad, but declined because I wanted to straighten my teeth so I'd have a better chance of making it. I always wonder how I would have done if I had just gone for it. I can say, this is one of my regrets in life.

5) My favorite thing to eat as a kid was "sugar sandwiches". Yes, I was a little ghetto!

6) For Kindergarten graduation, we had to pick what we wanted to be when we grew up... I picked an Actress. Secretly, I still want to be one when I grow up!

7) I love violent sports! I truly enjoy watching boxing and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Mainly because I know that there's going to be a lot of action and someone is gonna get a can opened up on them. I secretly wish it was me opening up that can!

8) When I was a teenager, my BF, Melody, and I had a notebook that we would write in and give to each other every day at Seminary. We went to different high schools, so this was our only time to see each other. Well, on the weekends, we'd make up funny, romantic stories about how we met our future husbands, aka Antonio "Tatu" Pecorari #9 and Willie Molano #21. They happen to be our favorite soccer players for the Dallas Sidekicks!

9) The year after we started the above notebook, my other BF, Heather and I started a notebook with stories that were hilariously violent. We watched a lot of Miami Vice back then. Anyway, it was always a contest to see who could knock off our friend, Melody, the quickest and funniest in the story. Melody was truly a BFF and GREAT Sport for putting up with Heather and me!

10) I totally want to take ballroom dance lessons, but it seems that I lack a partner, since NO MAN that I know wants to take lessons. Don't they know, it's just exercising, but more fun! David George, where are you when I need you! :-)

Now that the torture is over, I TAG... Emily, Anayansi, Teresa & David, and Michelle (who needs to start her blog!)

Blast From The Past!

2008-07-18T23:40:00.000-06:00

This is my famous friend from Chicago, Michelle. She's famous because I introduced her to the world in my blog about my curtains. Yes, this is my friend who spent a lot of time and effort to find me the right kind of curtain to make for my living room. She was up at Bear Lake, Utah for a family reunion, so we decided to hook up in Logan to see each other. Michelle and I used to live close to each other in Corpus Christi, until she moved to Chicago in 2003 (I think). She helped me with a lot of sewing projects, back in the day. I actually owe all my serging skills to her, since she's the one who first introduced me to the magic of "The Serger".

The last time we saw each other was in 2006, when we hooked up in San Antonio. It's amazing to see how our families have changed over the years. Rachel is her oldest daughter (standing next to her), Meagan (standing in front of her) is the same age as Madison, Natalie (doing bunny ears to Maddie) is the same age as Markie, and Owen is her youngest. I still remember when Owen was born and I accused her of copying me! 3 girls and then the boy! Speaking of boys, Jimmy was with us, but he was too busy playing by the creek to come and pose for pictures. Rob (Michelle's husband), was there as well, but hey, somebody had to take the picture! Thanks Rob!

Markie and Natalie, really kind of hit it off. You would have thought that they had been friends for years, instead of just meeting each other today!

The girls were begging to do a silly picture, so here it is! Looks like Madison got Natalie back with the bunny ears!

Crazy Summer Fun!

2008-07-18T23:34:00.000-06:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so this should explain how our summer is going!

Monkey Video!

2008-07-12T12:57:00.000-06:00

No it's not a video of my kids! Every time we go to the Zoo, all Jimmy wants to do is go to the monkey house. It is his favorite part. It is also the very last thing to see at the zoo. So this past visit to the zoo, July 10th, I took a short video of the "screaming" monkeys just for Jimmy. Enjoy the Monkey House!

A Fun Day at Blast Off!

2008-07-12T12:23:00.000-06:00

Markie's favorite part of Blast Off, besides playing with Tyson, was the Make Believe Room. She loved getting all dressed up and even got Jimmy to come in there and play as well.

Here's Macy and Tyson in a "Tree House". Then I got the three of them to quickly pose for a snapshot in the small ball pit!

Here is Markie with her cousins Tyson and little Charlie! They had a "blast"!

Jimmy found some giant balls to push around and then decided to jump into the ball pit!

Here's Madison, aka "Falcon", and Uncle Tyler, aka "Inferno", at Blast Off. They had a great time playing Lazer Tag and Rock Climbing. I think Tyler actually had more fun than Maddie if that's possible!

Jim & Becky Tanner Family Reunion

2008-07-12T11:50:00.000-06:00

After the Canadian family reunion, we returned to Idaho Falls, where all of Monte's siblings brought their families to spend the week with us. We went to the waterpark in Pocatello, had lots of dinners together, played on Grandpa's swing set he built, and the boys golfed for the Tanner Cup. This years winner was Brandon!

On July 3rd, there was a fireworks show at Rigby Lake. We have the best seat in the house since Jenn's backyard backs right up to the lake. It was lots of fun and the kids loved it, except for Jimmy who doesn't enjoy the noise. On July 4th, we went to Freeman Park in IF for the huge Melaleuca Fireworks Show. It was awesome! Thanks Justin and Kim for taking Jimmy home that night so he wouldn't be upset about the noise!
This is just a hair of the Melaleuca Fireworks Show Finale. I made 2 mistakes...turning my camera sideways and not checking my batteries. Sorry, next year I'll get it for sure, but until then enjoy this very short snippet!

North Of The Border, Eh?

2008-07-12T10:43:00.000-06:00

On June 29th, we headed north to Cardston, Alberta, Canada. We went up for the Jim and Hazel Tanner Family Reunion. This is Monte's Grandma and Grandpa, as well as all of their kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids! It was a lot of fun. There were many events and contests... The Amazing Race, "Survivor" type challenges, Tanner Idol, Rook Tournament, and a Tanner Fun Run. There was lots of food, great conversation, awesome prizes, and many memorable moments!

The fun began with face painting by Aunt Jenn. She's quite talented so the line was long for face painting. Jimmy couldn't wait, so Melissa worked on the Batman Mask. Not quite as nice, but it is hard to paint a 3 year old's face while he's moving around!

Lots of fun & cute crafts for the kids to do! It was Macy's favorite hang out. If you couldn't find her, she was probably in the back of the room at the craft tables!

And Aunt Kim was in charge of the games for the kids. We especially enjoyed the last game called "Torture the Adults". Brandon and Tiffany were kind enough to volunteer, although they had no idea WHAT they were agreeing to!

One of the most entertaining events of the reunion was Tanner Idol. We were all divided up into teams and were given about 20 minutes to come up with a song/skit. That evening after dinner, all of the groups performed. Monte, aka "Randy Dawg Jackson", was one of the judges along with 2 of his other cousins. It was so fun watching everyone perform. Melissa and Markie's group "Hazel's Bells" came in 3rd, while Madison's group "The Corn Huskers" came in 2nd. Monte's Dad, Jim, was in a group called "The Milkshakers". Their performance took 1st place! Later that night, there was a Rook Tournament. Monte's mom took the Grand Prize for that event! Congrats to all the winners and to Monte we say "Yo, Yo, Yo Dawg! That was off da hook!"

YES, I KNOW!

2008-06-22T00:50:00.000-06:00

Yes, I realize that it has been a over a month since I've posted anything. All I can say is, thank goodness I don't have any friends like my cousin, Emily. She didn't post for a couple of months and her friend put her link in "Time Out for Not Posting". But I can tell you a short, insightful story about myself... At the end of my Senior year in High School, a friend that sat across from me autographed my yearbook. She signed it "Procrastinator #2".

I bet you can't guess who was #1! :-)

Well, I think I'm finally current on the blog, so enjoy what's been happening with us for the past month and a half! And my apologies to those who have been waiting, waiting, and waiting for me to put these pictures up!

My Hard Work

2008-06-22T00:30:00.001-06:00

For the last few months, my living room has been my little pet project. With some guidance and help, this is what it looks like now.

At this time, I would like to thank my sister-in-law, Jennifer, for spending hours in Tai Pan helping me design and arrange the floral centerpiece for my long dining room table.

And a really big thank you to my friend, Michelle, in Chicago, for all of the many e-mails and phone conversations regarding these drapes. She took a picture of this type of drape at the Parade of Homes, then patiently talked me through how to make them and how much fabric I'd need. Actually, I think she had to walk me through it a couple of times before I had it all down. But, as you can see, it was all worth it. The drapes are gorgeous and the pictures really don't do it justice. Thanks a million, Michelle! Hope I did you proud!

LANDSCAPING - PART 3

2008-06-21T21:48:00.000-06:00

"HOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFT OFF!"
Yes, it looks as if we have grass growing!

Now when you look at the house, you see a hint of green, instead of tan dirt!

I bet these beauties will look awesome when their leaves change color this Fall! For now, though, I just love seeing leaves on the branches!

We just reseeded the backyard, due to some large bald spots! Hopefully in a couple of weeks we'll see alot more green!

Even after all that work, we managed to also put together a trampoline for the kids in the backyard. Next up, a playset!

THE YEAR OF A MILLION DREAMS

2008-06-21T20:56:00.000-06:00

On June 7th, we traveled to California and spent a couple of days with the Bendheims. On Monday and Tuesday, we met our friends and former neighbors from Corpus Christi, the Killians at Disneyland. We had a blast seeing each other and catching up. The girls were so happy to be with each other again! We had a blast! Thank you Killian Family for meeting us out there, and thank you Bendheims for once again being such wonderful hosts to us.
I love this picture with Jimmy because it shows such personality! Behind him are Markie and Claire.
Here's Madison and Zoe on one of the rides.
Macy, Jimmy, and Claire on the Jungle Boat Tour. They were all too short to go on the Indiana Jones ride.
Towards the end of the day you just need to take a load off! The fun part of this trip was that when we left to drive back to Idaho, we were able to take Zoe and Claire back with us for a weeks visit (the oldest, Rebecca, had to go to Girls Camp). It was just like the good ol' days in Corpus! We had a great time with you two girls and can't wait to do it again!

THE BUCKET LIST

2008-06-21T19:53:00.001-06:00

My Grandma came up for a visit on 5-27. We've been planning this trip since last fall. My grandma is only 76 years old, but she has a bucket list. Those of you who have seen the movie know what that is. For those who haven't, it's just a list of things you'd like to see or do before you "kick the bucket". On the list was "to go on a cruise", which we went on in February. Another on the list is "to see Old Faithful". So we took my grandma up to Yellowstone National Park. Along the way, we got out of the car to take pictures. The best stop was by a lake where there was about 4 feet of snow on the sides of the road. Monte started a snowball fight with Madison. We also got to see the Old Faithful Inn, which was built in the winter of 1903-04. The last on my grandma's list is to see Chicago, which she will get to do in July, when she travels with my aunt. My grandma says she will have to start a new bucket list soon, so if you have any suggestions
please share!

Dance Portraits

2008-06-21T19:37:00.001-06:00

Here's the girls professional dance portraits. My favorite is the black and white of their heads all together. About 12 years ago, my brother and I did this pose for a picture that we gave my mom for Mother's Day. I understand why it was her favorite too. It completely shows our fun, goofy personality! I can still remember the photographer saying, "Tip your head down, I can see right up your nose". My brother and I promptly cracked up laughing and the photographer snapped the picture. With the girls, the photographer did the same trick. Looks like it worked!

DANCING THROUGH LIFE

2008-06-21T19:08:00.000-06:00

On 5-28, the girls had their dance recital. Madison was in a Jazz & Hip Hop class. They did an awesome dance with capes to percussion music from Drumline. Their second dance was to Fergie's "Clumsy".

Macy was in a Ballet & Tap class. She danced to "Flowers in the Garden" to which she wore a huge flower on her head. She also tapped to "I'd Like To Teach the World to Sing" along with a tamborine.

Markie was also in a Ballet & Tap class. She tapped to "You've got a friend in me" and danced to "Shake a Tail Feather" with a pink feather boa. Markie looked like a Radio City Rockette dancing up on stage!

POT OF GOLD?

2008-06-21T18:57:00.001-06:00

On 5-20, we had the most beautiful and extraordinary view from our back windows. Behind our house was the most gorgeous rainbow I've ever seen. It was so close that we could see both ends of the rainbow!

Monte tried to get a picture of the whole rainbow, but since it was so close, he couldn't fit it all in the frame! Our family truly found a treasure that day!

CHOCOLATE CAKE GIRL REUNION

2008-06-21T18:44:00.001-06:00

Janet is my friend from Montana. We used to be in a scrapbook group together that met every Wednesday night. (This was back when we both actually had time to do it!) Usually one (or both) of us would have had a bad day, so to end it nicely one of us would bring chocolate cake to scrapbook night. Thus we were dubbed the "Chocolate Cake Girls". Janet and her two kids, Josey and Kyle, came for a weekend visit.

We, of course, took the kids to the zoo.

We both couldn't believe that the last time we'd seen each other was when I was pregnant with Markie and she was pregnant with Josey. We had a great time staying up late every night laughing and talking. Janet, thanks for coming down for a fun weekend! We'll do it again soon!

BEAR WORLD

2008-06-21T18:38:00.001-06:00

On 5-16, Monte volunteered to go with Markie's kindergarten class to Bear World.

They saw bears, buffalo, and...

Deer!

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-06-21T16:53:00.000-06:00

So I know that most of you girls out there won't understand this, but I traded this present for...

...this present. Yes, it's a motorcycle! Many of you don't know, but I have a thing for motorcycles. It began when I was young and both my uncles had motorcycles. I was constantly asking for rides!

Well, to make a long story short, Monte and I met BECAUSE he had a street bike. I asked for a ride one day, which led to him asking for a date, and the rest, as they say, is history. So, Happy Mother's Day to Me and all you other great Moms out there!

LANDSCAPING - PART 2

2008-06-21T16:45:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of May, we began the landscaping again. We had the curbing put in around the plant beds. Next we had the rock put in the plant beds. After this, it's on to planting grass seed and wildflower seed. Yippee!

What landscaping would be complete without the Texas stepping stones? This was one of my many Christmas gifts from Monte.

Newest Additions To The Tanner Family

2008-05-07T11:19:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, May 3rd, our cat Shadow, had kittens. We didn't even know she was pregnant! She had 4 little ones, 2 solid black and 2 black and white.

The girls were so excited to see newborn kittens. They constantly ask to hold them.

Markie wanted to take one to show and tell at school, but she had to settle for just taking a picture instead!

Our 4th Daughter!

2008-05-07T11:13:00.000-06:00

Most people don't know this (and Monte will probably kill me for sharing), but occasionally we have 4 daughters instead of 3. This was one of those days when Jimmy got into the girls clothes and came upstairs wearing a cute dress. He thought that it was so funny to wear the girls clothes. It took me about 5 minutes to get this one picture, because he was making silly faces and dancing around and acting goofy! I have to say, he's a much cuter boy than girl!

SPRING OR WINTER?

2008-05-07T11:06:00.000-06:00

O.K., so on April 29th, the high temp in Idaho Falls was 74! I thought Yippee! spring is finally here! Not so fast, the next day the high was only 47 and that night it snowed! Yes, this picture was taken when I woke up May 1st. We got 2 inches of snow! Has anyone seen Spring? And if so, could you please give it directions to my house!

Happy 10th Birthday, Madison!

2008-05-07T10:51:00.000-06:00

This year, Maddie decided she wanted to have a slumber party! She invited a couple of close friends and her cousin Reagan. The girls ate pizza and then I let them all decorate Maddie's birthday cake. I was really amazed that they had so much fun doing this. Maddie thought it was pretty cool too!

This is Madison with her friends Lindsay and Hartley!

After decorating cakes, the girls played games. First they played Dance Dance Revolution-Disney Version. They had lots of fun. The girls then took turns playing against Monte and me. After DDR and the little kids going to bed, I stayed up with the party and taught them how to play Spoons. We played for an hour or so and then watched the movie "Enchanted". The girls stayed up until 1:30 am and then had the nerve to wake me up at 7 am asking me to play Spoons with them again! We finished off the party with a pancake breakfast and lots more games of Spoons!

Here's Madison showing off her birthday gift from Monte and me. Yes, it's a motorcycle! She was so excited and has really enjoyed riding it around the house and on trails with Dad!

Formal Easter Portraits

2008-04-07T09:42:00.001-06:00

Yes, I finally got the kids Easter pictures made. It's been 3 years since the kids have gotten a portrait done all together. At the last professional picture, Jimmy was just a couple of months old! So now I've redeemed myself - Family you'll be getting your pictures this week!

Spring School Pictures

2008-04-07T09:38:00.000-06:00

Every spring the kid's school takes personality portraits. This is Madison and Markie showing off their "personality"!

Easter Egg Hunt!

2008-03-24T17:07:00.000-06:00

Well, Sunday was Easter and since we just got rid of the snow, but have no grass yet, the Egg Hunt was inside again this year!

Here's Jimmy finding eggs and showing off!

Here's Markie with her full basket!

Here's Macy, who immediately when the hunt was done, sat down opened EVERY egg and ate the candy inside. We're surprised she didn't have a tummy ache that night!

Here's Maddie with her loot!
And here's the whole gang, Maddie, Markie, Macy, Jimmy, and their cousins Reagan and Tanner.

Happy Birthday, Monte!

2008-03-24T17:03:00.000-06:00

March 2nd, Monte turned 37 years old! We were in Vegas, but celebrated with the kids when we got back.

Here's Monte blowing out his MANY candles!

HEY BABY LET'S GO TO VEGAS!

2008-03-24T16:47:00.000-06:00

On February 29th, Monte and I went to Las Vegas. Monte had a seminar to attend to, so that left me to cruise the strip.

This is the first night we arrived and we went down to Freemont Street.

I actually found a place that had deep fried Oreos and Twinkies! I thought I was back in Dallas at the Texas State Fair!

Our second night, Monte and I went to see Phantom of the Opera at the Venecian. It was incredible. If you ever get the chance to see it there, please do! This was our third night, we went to see Mama Mia! Super cute musical and I can't wait until the movie comes out in July!

This is Monte at the theatre in his best ABBA pose! :-) He's such a good sport!

Chloe's Here!

2008-03-24T16:41:00.000-06:00

On February 20th, Chloe came to visit (along with my cousin Emily and her husband Michael). Macy fell in love with her and danced for her. They only got to stay for a day, but we had fun anyway! Here's a couple of the girls who wanted their picture taken with Chloe!

Three Generations

2008-02-18T14:37:00.001-07:00

This is a picture we had taken on the cruise. It was formal dinner night and so we all three got fancied up to eat. I wanted to include this picture in with our cruise pictures, along with a four generation picture of us as kids (with the addition of Madison).

The top left is my Grandma around 7 years old. Top right is my Mom around 3 years old. The bottom left is me around 2 years old. And bottom right is Madison around 4 years old.

Cruise to Cozumel

2008-02-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

On February 4th, my grandma, my mom, and I went on a cruise from Galveston, Texas to Cozumel Mexico. It was so nice to get away from the snow and sweat a little in the sun! We had a great time and I just wanted to put a couple of pics from our trip on the blog.
This is me and my grandma at the Mayan ruins.

Here's a picture of the locals at the ruins.
It's a mom and baby Iguana.

For those of you who have been on cruises, you know it's all about the food! So here's a couple of pics from the midnight buffet.

Dragon ice sculpture.

Man, I wish my fruit platters could look this nice!

When I flew into Dallas to meet my mom and grandma, I also met with my longtime friend, Atesh. We've known each other since 1st grade. We went to the same private school through our elementary years until I left at junior high. We still seem to manage to find each other over the years, no matter where life has taken us. Thanks for the fun evening Atesh! I look forward to getting to see you again when I'm in Dallas!

Speaking of Bath Time...

2008-01-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

Well, welcome home Murphy! Since he was used to sleeping with his mom and 8 brothers in a hay stack, Murphy really needed a bath! He's had 2 so far this week! Now if we can do something about that bad puppy breath! He's a great puppy and is already potty trained. Yipee! Welcome home Murphy!

Calgon Take Me Away!

2008-01-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

This is just a cute picture of Jimmy. He wanted to take a bubble bath in the big bathtub. It's more like a swimming pool to him!

Soon To Be Newest Member of the Family

2008-01-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

Introducing, Murphy Tanner, the soon-to-be newest member of the family. For Christmas, Monte surprised the kids with a picture of Murphy, who is a Golden Retriever puppy, and told them that as soon as he's ready to leave his mommy, then he'd come to live with us. We still have a couple of weeks to go, but we decided to go out and visit and take pictures.

Here's the kids with little Murphy. They all wanted their pics taken with him. Except we couldn't get Jimmy to hold him, he was too busy chasing all the other puppies and having fun!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jimmy!

2008-01-09T21:39:00.001-07:00

On January 3rd, Jimmy turned 3 years old. He picked out his own cake and was quite proud of it.

His favorite present was of course the bike that he asked for. I guess since his sisters got big bikes, he thought he needed one too. He had a fun time riding through the house on it, until Mommy got tired of telling him to stay off the hardwood floors. After that, the bike went into the garage. He'll have to wait until spring to ride again!

Madison wanted to add a little something to the festivities, so this was her contribution. Yes that is 8 party hats on her head. The little kids think it's absolutely hilarious when she does this. What can we say, She aims to please!

Christmas Fun!

2007-12-28T18:54:00.001-07:00

This is Jimmy playing with his "power tools". He put on his safety goggles and I just couldn't resist taking his picture!

Uncle Justin and Aunt Kim got the family Guitar Hero III for the PS2 as our Christmas present. It was a huge hit. The boys and even Monte's Dad got into it. They had it cranked downstairs and were having a blast! The girls enjoyed playing too, but I'm not sure we had as great of a time as those boys did! Here's Todd and Monte playing as a band. Jen, Dad, Justin, and Maddie watch on.

The kids enjoy "playing" too! Jimmy's always saying now "I wanna play Rock Start!" We think he means Rock Star, but we're not sure. We just know he likes to strap on the guitar and play.

This is just a cute picture that I got of Markie and her newest cousin, Autumn, on Christmas. Markie was always asking to hold her and when she couldn't hold her she was on the floor talking and playing with her. Markie really enjoyed having a little baby around.

Santa Came!!!

2007-12-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

This is our tree on Christmas morning. Santa brought a tool bench for Jimmy, a full nursery with baby doll for Macy, a new bike for Markie, and an IPod for Madison.

This is everyone playing with their toys!

And yes we had a Very White Christmas! It was beautiful!

Christmas Eve at Grandma's

2007-12-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

For Christmas Eve, we went to Grandma & Grandpa's house. The Tanner girls did a little skit of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Maddie was Rudolph, Markie was Santa, and Macy was one of the other reindeer.

Here's the end of the song, where Rudolph saves Christmas and goes down in history!

Uncle Justin did a little skit using all the letters of Merry Christmas. It was cute. He let all the girls help him. On his lap is his new daughter, Baby Autumn. She's a little cutie!

Fun FHE!

2007-12-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

In the Tanner Clan, we have Family Home Evening once a month together. Every month a different family member is the host. December was Monte's turn. We decided to rent a limo and take the whole family to look at Christmas lights. We sang carols, played I Spy, played the quiet game (when it got too loud), and ate lots of chocolate cookies, as you can tell by Jimmy and Tanner's faces.

The girls thought it was quite fun to stick their heads out of the sunroof. Here's (from left to right) Madison, Grandma (sitting in the back), Reagan, Uncle Todd (peeking in between), Markie, Uncle Justin, Aunt Jenn, and Tanner.

Mother Natures Winter Decorations

2007-12-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

We didn't put up any Christmas decorations or lights this year on the outside of the house, so Mother Nature pitched in to give us hand. She provided icicles that line the front of our house. They are quite beautiful. Thanks Mother Nature!

Snow Surfin'

2007-12-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

This is Maddie and her friend Rebekah in the backyard on the sled. They were trying to stand up on the sled as it was sliding down the hill.

As you can see they did really well, until...

they reached the bottom of the hill! They had fun with it, though. After crashing, they made snow angels!

Luciadagen - Happy St. Lucia Day!

2007-12-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

St. Lucia Day (Dec. 13th) is one of the shortest days of the year and marks the beginning of Christmas in Sweden. (As many of you know Monte served a 2 year church mission in Sweden). St. Lucia was a young woman in the 1st century who was known for her kindness and love. It is said that she would go out early in the morning and bring food and drink to the poor. She wore white robes with a crown of light. Lucia means "light". So for several years now, Madison (the oldest daughter), has dressed up as Santa Lucia and brings Monte breakfast in bed, as is the tradition in Sweden.

Melissa's New "Baby"

2007-12-05T21:53:00.001-07:00

I got a new "baby" last week. My wonderful, thoughtful, loving husband bought me a Yamaha Baby Grand Piano for our 10 year anniversary. I've wanted one of these every since I was a little girl. Dreams do come true! I love you, Monte!

20 More Days

2007-12-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

Well it's only 20 more days until Christmas. The tree is up and the stockings are hung, now we just wait until Santa comes! This pic is for my family in Texas who almost never get to see my house decorated for Christmas. I'll miss you guys!

Thanksgiving Guests

2007-11-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

This year for Thanksgiving, Melissa's Grandma and Mom came up for a visit. They brought presents from Texas.

Here are the kids showing off their new Cowboys sweatshirts. Go Cowboys!

Indian Markie

2007-11-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

This is Markie at her class Thanksgiving Feast. She decided to be an indian.

Happy 4th Birthday Macy

2007-11-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here's Macy on her 4th birthday. She got several presents, but the fun ones were the new bike and the ladybug umbrella!

Git Er Done

2007-11-24T19:54:00.000-07:00

With the new landscaping, comes the new lawn tractor with optional snow plow!

Here's Monte showing off his new toy. Notice there is no lawn or snow, but he just couldn't wait to play!

Landscaping Continues

2007-11-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well the landscaping is coming along. These are picture of the tree and plant placement. We've got Ash trees and Canadian Reds that line the driveway. We have some Spruces and Clump Aspens in the front as well as in the back yard. We have a couple of Crab Apples near the house. We also have tons of perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses. The lawn, wildflowers, and kids playground will be done in the spring. So landscaping is done for now!

2007-11-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our Trunk or Treat. We decided to make a "haunted house" for the trunk of the van and let the little kids knock on the door to get candy. We also had scary sounds coming from inside the house. It was a big hit! Madison decided she wanted to give out the candy. Here she is answering the door, she even did the Wicked Witch of the West laugh!

The Downstairs

2007-10-30T10:29:00.000-06:00

Since the kids got their rooms cleaned up, I was able to take some quick pictures before they got messy again. The following are all the kids rooms. Also downstairs, but not pictured, is the downstairs family room, clubhouse, laundry room, food storage room, mechanical/storage room, craftroom/office, and 2 full bathrooms.

This is Jimmy's room. We just recently got him a "big boy bed" so he doesn't have a headboard yet. The theme in his room is Western. Cowboys, Horses, Boots, & Saddles.

This is Markie's room. I still haven't made her any curtains yet. But she wanted to stick with the Rainbow theme.

This is Macy's room. She wanted butterflies, so I made her a butterfly room. Yes, her walls are bubblegum pink!

This is Maddie's room. She has daisy's on her quilt and curtains. She is also very proud of the fact that she has the biggest bedroom.

Pictures of the House

2007-10-28T17:25:00.000-06:00

O.K. Katy, these are for you. This is a picture of the view as soon as you open the front door. This is the foyer and staircase. The archway leads into the formal living and dining rooms. The next picture is as if you are walking thru the archway and looking to the right. The picture after that is looking to the left. All of the pictures following are of the upstairs. You will have to wait until the girls clean their rooms to get pictures of the downstairs! :)

This is the Formal Dining Room. The archway that you see in this picture leads to the kitchen and upstairs family room. You will see those pictures later.

This is the formal living room. Not a lot happens here, but it is a great place to curl up and read a book or to see the sun rise over the ridge in the mornings. It's also a great spot to see the moon at night.

2007-10-28T17:13:00.000-06:00

Here are pictures of our upstairs family room and kitchen

2007-10-28T16:59:00.000-06:00

This is our Master Bedroom. To the left is an archway that leads to the master bathroom. You'll see it in the next picture.

Archway and master bathtub.

Master Bathroom. In the mirror to the left you can see it reflects the door that leads to the toilet. In the mirror to the right, it reflects the door to the master closet.

2007-10-28T13:42:00.000-06:00

Introducing the Wicked Witch of the West (Maddie), Wicked Witch of the East (Macy), Belle(Markie), Pirate (Jimmy), Cheerleader (Reagan), and Dash (Tanner). These are the kids at Trunk or Treat with their cousins.

Our friends Luke & Wyatt from Corpus Christi, carved pumpkins with us.

These are the scary jack-o-lanterns!

Landscaping Begins

2007-10-28T09:57:00.000-06:00

Landscaping finally begins. This is what the house looks like after they get rid of all the weeds!

The End of Harvest Fest

2007-10-28T09:33:00.000-06:00

Here are the kids resting after being at Harvest Fest for most of the day.

Maddie did face painting.

And here's Markie with Uncle Brandon showing off their buttons that they made together.

Cookie Decorating Booth

2007-10-28T09:17:00.000-06:00

Here are the kids at the cookie decorating booth. They are given a plain shortbread cookie and a cup that has icing and various candy to put on top of the cookie. On the table is a bottle of orange sprinkles that you can also use. After knowing that, scroll down and look at Macy's cookie!

Harvest Fest

2007-10-28T08:58:00.000-06:00

On October 13th, we went to Harvest Fest at Freeman Park. They had lots of fun stuff to do. This is a little train the kids rode on. And of course we had to go and jump around in the inflatables.

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-28T08:42:00.000-06:00

Here are Markie & Macy with their pumpkin patch finds. This was a real pumpkin patch and the pumpkins were still on the vines. We had to cut them off ourselves. The girls were so proud of their pumpkins.

Markie the Scarecrow Sister, Macy the Flower, and Jimmy the Scarecrow Brother. Here we are on the hay stacks with our friends Luke & Wyatt.

First Snowman in the new house

2007-10-28T08:34:00.000-06:00

Well, this was on October 7, 2007. It was the day after we got back from sunny California. It was the second snow of the season. Amazingly enough, it also snowed the day before we went to California. This is the kids 1st snowman in the new house.

2007-10-18T11:52:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of October, we decided to drive to California and take the kids to Disneyland. This picture of Jimmy in the back completely tells the story of the drive. Yes, that is a big bowl on his head!

This is the whole crew on the Dumbo ride. We all enjoyed it!

Here are the kids with Sleeping Beauty. Jimmy was quite infactuated with her. She called him "Handsome".

Here we all are with Mickey Mouse. It was such a terrific trip. Thanks to the Bendheims for letting us stay with them and for feeding us so well and for babysitting a couple of days. You guys rock!

2007-10-18T11:29:00.000-06:00

This is Maddie with our High School Musical 2 cake we made. We had a party to watch the movie with our friends, the Killians!

Here are the Killian & Tanner kids the morning they left to drive back to Texas.

Over Labor Day weekend, we went to Whitefish, Montana and visited Aunt Debra and Uncle Peter. We had great times, great food, and great company!

2007-10-18T11:12:00.000-06:00

Here are the kids at Freeman Park in Idaho right before we saw the big fireworks show on the 4th of July. Madison (9), Markie (5), Macy (3), & Jimmy (2).

Tanner Treats

2007-10-18T10:49:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone! Well a few of you have blogs and make it sound so easy, so the Tanner Family decided to join in. We decided to call it Tanner Treats, so hopefully you will think getting to see pictures of us is a treat! We have been in Idaho now for 4 months and really are loving it. It has already snowed 3 times now, but nothing major. As Monte says, it's a winter wonderland up here on the top of the hill. We'll include some pics so everyone can see our beautiful view. We have started some landscaping, but due to the snow we just got yesterday, it will be on hold for a couple of days. We will put pics of the kids and of our new home on here since a few of you have been bugging us to send some. So sit back and scroll around. We hope you enjoy this treat of getting to see the Tanners!

Tanner Treats

*TWILIGHTED*

Meet Macy!

OVERNIGHT VACATION!

OUR HALLOWEEN WEEK!

IT SNOWED!

A QUICK GETAWAY!

Happy Birthday, Melissa!

Markie's Cute Curtains

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! :-)

Meet Me Underneath That Big Montana Sky!

Extremely Early Birthday Gift!

Markie's Party!

Markie's Birthday Dinner

***Maddie Our Movie Star***

Commercial #2

I've Been Tagged!

Blast From The Past!

Crazy Summer Fun!

Monkey Video!

A Fun Day at Blast Off!

Jim & Becky Tanner Family Reunion

North Of The Border, Eh?

YES, I KNOW!

My Hard Work

LANDSCAPING - PART 3

THE YEAR OF A MILLION DREAMS

THE BUCKET LIST

Dance Portraits

DANCING THROUGH LIFE

POT OF GOLD?

CHOCOLATE CAKE GIRL REUNION

BEAR WORLD

Happy Mother's Day!

LANDSCAPING - PART 2

Newest Additions To The Tanner Family

Our 4th Daughter!

SPRING OR WINTER?

Happy 10th Birthday, Madison!

Formal Easter Portraits

Spring School Pictures

Easter Egg Hunt!

Happy Birthday, Monte!

HEY BABY LET'S GO TO VEGAS!

Chloe's Here!

Three Generations

Cruise to Cozumel

Speaking of Bath Time...

Calgon Take Me Away!

Soon To Be Newest Member of the Family

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jimmy!

Christmas Fun!

Santa Came!!!

Christmas Eve at Grandma's

Fun FHE!

Mother Natures Winter Decorations

Snow Surfin'

Luciadagen - Happy St. Lucia Day!

Melissa's New "Baby"

20 More Days

Thanksgiving Guests

Indian Markie

Happy 4th Birthday Macy

Git Er Done

Landscaping Continues

The Downstairs

Pictures of the House

Landscaping Begins

The End of Harvest Fest

Cookie Decorating Booth

Harvest Fest

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch

First Snowman in the new house

Tanner Treats

TWILIGHTED

Maddie Our Movie Star