Tuacahn Festivities

This year, we decided to start a new tradition.

We'd heard about the holiday lights and activities at Tuacahn from friends and neighbors but had never gotten around to going ourselves.  This year, we decided to check it out and see if it earned the Beatty stamp of approval.

First, we were enchanted by the lights:

Next, there was an open fire which was very inviting to couples who wanted to snuggle:

This gigantic Christmas Tree was a perfect background:

Nothing beats a wagon ride (complete with horses), followed by a good old-fashioned barrel train:

And of course, it just wouldn't be complete without a visit to the big guy himself:

Perhaps the best part of the Tuacahn holiday experience is the live nativity.  At least, that's what I've heard.  Unfortunately, we didn't realize that it's run like a show and is only presented twice each evening - at 7 and 8 p.m.  However, we're going to try and drive out there again and see it before Christmas.


Despite this oversight, I think everyone was pleased with the evening's activities:

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you...

...Happy Birthday to you:

Happy Birthday, dear DEl:

Happy Birthday to you!

Yesterday was my wonderful husband's birthday.  He celebrated it by going to two different Christmas parties hosted by different organizations at Dixie College.

I can't believe that in five years he will be turning (gulp) 50.

I think he looks really hot for such an old geezer :)

Happy Birthday, DEl - I love you!

Giving Thanks

We had Thanksgiving with the Gublers this year at my Uncle Tyler's house...as usual, we had a wonderful time!

It was fun hanging out with cousins:


Jett, Quinn, Cole, and Mathison - all born within 14 months of each other

The weather was perfect - sunny and windless, in the mid 60's.   My uncle heated his pool, and the kids had a great time celebrating the holiday with a dip in the pool:

 
Instead of a diving board, there was a large rock near the deep end of the pool.  The kids used this for diving and jumping:

...and even flipping off of:

In the evening, we went to my parents' house to play games with the family.  Mat, Kim, and Barrick had flown out from Kentucky, and Leesha's family had driven down from Heber City.  We had a great time together!

What a perfect way to spend Thanksgiving - with family :)



Fit For a King

A week ago last Saturday was this little guy's birthday:

And it was an birthday fit for a king!

We decided to have a knight-themed party where Mathison could be king for a day.  The boys made cardboard armor (with a little help from Jefferson), participated in a weapons throw, defeated the giants (Jefferson and his friend), and slayed a dragon (pinata). I think everyone had a great time:

It's hard to believe my baby is five!  Time is passing way too quickly :(

Here are some interesting things about Mathison at this age:

*He is 42.5 " tall and weighs 39 lbs which puts him at 38% for height and 32 % for weight.

*He knows the pledge of allegiance by heart and has put some hand actions to it.

*Mathison loves to listen to contemporary singers like Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Maroon 5.  If we have an easy listening station on, he asks us to change it to the "real" music.  He often knows the words to these songs after only hearing them one time!

*He is our little daredevil.  He is constantly jumping, climbing, cartwheeling, and somersaulting in the house, and does running flips onto our trampoline.  He flips and "dives" off of diving boards, and I recently caught him trying to back flip on the trampoline. 

*Mathison LOVES money and knows the name of every person on the 1,2,5,10,20,50, and 100 dollar bills.

*Our little guy thinks it's his job to answer the door, and heaven help the family member who forgets it :)

*Mathison has an incredible memory and will often accurately recite details from events that happened over three years ago.

*He loves Legos, and can put together complicated sets.  He's also made some pretty impressive creations on his own.

*He is so funny, and constantly keeps us in stitches.  The latest was two days ago, when I heard him speaking a jumble of real and made up Spanish words.  When Mathison noticed I was staring at him, he said,"It's okay Mom - I'm in Spanish mode right now."  What a hoot!

Happy Birthday, Mathison - we love you so much!!

A Haircut, a Preschool Party and a Swim Meet



Going...

 


Going...

 

Gone

 Yes, we cut off Mathison's beautiful blonde hair :(    I know...it will grow back soon :)   Anyway, we did it so he could be this character for Halloween:



Aang, the airbender

Technically, Aang is bald but I just couldn't quite take ALL of Mathison's hair off!  This picture showed Mathison dressed up for his preschool party; they asked the teachers to also dress up, so I put on some pirate gear:


We had a good time at the party, ending with a trunk-or-treat in the parking lot.  By that time, Mathison was a little overwhelmed by the noise and chaos, but his tears soon dried up as he realized he had a bag full of treats :)

After the party, we rushed over to the Sand Hollow Aquatic Center to support Jefferson as he competed in his first ever high school meet:

Jefferson did very well for his first meet, coming in second place in both heats.  You can tell he's not an experienced swimmer; his dive and flip turns need a little work :)  However, he has a beautiful stroke and lots of natural ability.  He did especially well in the freshman relay, moving his team into first place.  We're happy he decided to swim and are excited to watch his progress throughout the year!

Me and Mom at Red Cliffs

Mom took me to Red Cliffs a little while ago.  I love it there - it is one of my favorite places ever!
We had a fun time and there was so much to do:

Catching critters

exploring caves

climbing rocks

playing in the dirt



After a while, I got tired of posing for pictures

It didn't take me long to feel happy again :)  Thanks for taking me to Red Cliffs, Mom  - I hope we get to go again really soon!





Some New Pics

It's been three and a half years since our last "official" family photo; you know, the one you blow up and hang on the wall.  It's amazing what a few years will do - Mathison was just a baby, Jefferson looked like a little kid, and Krissia had yet to grow into her "adult" self.  Last Sunday, we drove halfway up Kolob mountain to where the fields of wild rye grow and had a REALLY quick photo session (the light was fading fast).  It's amazing what you can do in a short amount of time, and I'm really pleased with how they turned out!

I don't have the family photos yet, but during the shoot I was able to take a few pics of the younger boys, as well as a shot of DEl and I:

September Recap

Wow, it's time for some major catching up!

We were without internet for almost two weeks at the beginning of September, and I had just started a new job (details below) which is the excuse for my extended absence.  However, my conscience (and a few comments from siblings) finally got the best of me...so I've returned.

Lucky you :)

Anyway, here are a few things the Beatty family has been up to lately:

Jefferson took first place in "swing" at a Las Vegas ballroom competition:





The Beatty "mini" family reunion held at Paulette's house:

Supporting Krissia in various parades:

Watching football games:

Attending a premiere at "Docutah"

Having fun at the town square:

As I mentioned above, Mathison and I started preschool at the end of August.  He is attending Barefoot Montessori Preschool, where I am a "sensorial" teacher in the afternoons.  Working outside the home after so many years has been a hard adjustment for me, but I'm doing this so I am available to help Mathison cope in a more "normal" school setting.  For those of you who don't know, Mathison was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome a few years ago.  Fortunately, he is very high functioning - and very smart - but tends to have problems with sensory overload, anxiety, and a compulsive need for routine.  I am happy to report that he's done fairly well so far, with only a few truly "off" days.

Well, that's about all I can think of to share about our past 6 weeks - cheerio, ta ta, and all that good stuff!

The Past Few Weeks

Here is a quick recap of what we've been up to the past few weeks:

SUMMER SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS:

These were held in Hurricane the first weekend of August.  Jefferson competed very well, earning a 4th place in breaststroke (his first time ever trying this event) and capturing the gold in the backstroke.  He even took 3 seconds off of his time :)  We are so proud of Jefferson's efforts this summer and look forward to supporting him as he competes for DHS in the fall!



WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR:

We had a great time at the fair this year, especially when supporting our daughter as she fulfilled her duties as Miss Washington County!

DSC FAMILY BBQ:

In anticipation of the fall semester starting at Dixie State, the college recently held its annual family night for faculty and staff members.  There were hamburgers, cotton candy, snow cones, bounce houses, water fun, and a live band.  In years past, we've attended with all of our children; this year, it was only Jeff and Mat.  I'm trying to adjust to this new family dynamic...but we still managed to have a lot of fun.

I'm so happy that Jefferson still takes the time to play with Mathison.  He is so patient with him, and is such a great older brother :)