Hallo-ween!

Well...
where to start?  Minus the first two years of her life when Straight Arrow and I chose her costume for her, Roundabout has never deviated from her favorite costume.  Princess.  We're 5 years running now.  At least she's beautiful and knows how to play the part, oh so well!

Green Light is into Super Heroes.  He knows nothing about them other than some of their names.  He doesn't know what they do, how they act, or really what their super powers consist of...but still, he loves super heroes.  This year, I bought him a Superman costume, but with his birthday money he bought himself a Spiderman costume.  And as a birthday present, he received a Batman costume.  He's been mulling it over for a couple of weeks and finally decided to be Batman.  He was a very serious Batman.

Curvy Road didn't know the first thing about what Halloween was all about, but he did know that his brother and sister were constantly talking about their costumes.  At first, he wanted to be whichever whim his big brother was on for the day.  But then, a change happened.  One of his  favorite songs is from the Wiggles and it's about pirates.  And from then on, he's been wanting to be a pirate.  He's told everyone he meets about it.

Straight Arrow put together a few select costume pieces to be a 70's-ish Orthodontic patient.  He made himself some fake braces, wide rimmed glasses, and gave himself some hair back.  He was quite the sight.

As for me, I'm just going along with baby in belly.  I made this "skeleton" shirt and I love it!  7 weeks until baby Linlee!  For being 7 months pregnant, I feel like I'm still pretty small.  Don't comment on that if your opinion differs!  :)

Giving me a heart attack.

Aunt Tiffany really wanted to hike up to Timpanogos cave, but since we had some little ones along we decided to picnic along Bridal Veil falls instead.  Such a beautiful place in a beautiful canyon!  Bridal Veil falls was one of the places where the doctor and I had engagement pictures taken.  It's so gorgeous and being there made me nostalgic for Utah again.

We picnicked and then strolled along with the kids to the bottom of the falls.  The kids took off their shoes and were wading in the water when Grandpa came over and offered to take one child up the falls.  Of course, you can't just take one when there's five who really want to go!  Before I knew it, there I was watching two of my children climb up a mountain through these slippery rocks in freezing, flowing water.  It was exciting at first because I knew how excited they were to go up with Grandpa.  Straight Arrow joined them in his flip flops to help herd the children up the way.

Within a few minutes, the trail and bridge below the falls were lined with strangers watching intently at these crazy people climbing straight up the middle of the falls.  The tension mounted more and more as they climbed and slipped and climbed and slipped. 

After what seemed like forever of watching my two little ones in peril, I called Straight Arrow up on the mountain and begged for them to come back down!  The kids took a vote and every kid wanted to come down except Green Light.  Luckily, Aunt Tiffany ran up the mountain and helped bring the kids down one by one. 

the 10 year milestone.

I got the jitters this morning at 4am and couldn't go back to sleep, just the way I did 10 years ago.  Who'd have thought 10 years could go by so fast, yet be so jam-packed full of goodness?  I can't hold back the tears when I think of all that we've become through this journey so far together.  An RM marrying a teenager, feeling so ready to take on life but being so naive all at the same time.  We did it though.  And we've done it the right way. 

10 years later, we find ourselves with a family, three beautiful children and one more on the way.  We've trekked through nine years of student life, late hours, neverending study sessions, and bringing three children into the mix along the way.  We've suffered through tragedy, comforted in wee morning hours, and joyed in triumphs.  We have changed diapers, heard first words, taken Emergency room trips, cuddled up to small warm bodies, rocked and bounced, and have begun to see the little personalities we created take shape.  We've turned to the Lord in times of need and times of plenty and have always been blessed immensely.  We've attended the temple often, learned in it's beauty, and tried to become better through it.  It's all so beautiful.  

I'm so glad that I can be one to say that I love my husband, even more than I thought I loved him then.  And I can't wait to take on the next 10 years.  I love you, baby!

Hollywood Studios.

The land of awesome shows!  I love this place.  We split this day into a short morning visit and then a late afternoon return so that we could stay up "late" for Fantasmic.

I could watch the Beauty and the Beast production over and over...I think it's so cool!  We also saw "Lights, Motor, Action" which was just mind blowing.  I cannot imagine how much practice it takes to do the car stunts they performed.  Seriously amazing!  Plus, the kids loved it too! 

 We went to "Playhouse Disney"  which was semi-cool for the kids.  Green Light turned to me halfway through the show and said, "These aren't the real guys".  So, it wasn't quite as magical and believable as the rest of the Disney characters.  We saw Muppet 3-D vision and weren't all that enthused by it...the other 3D shows in the other parks were way better...but then again we're not hugely into Muppets around our house. 

Rockin' Rollercoaster was a ride just for me and the Doctor.  The munchkins didn't have the height for it.  Takeoff is the most amazing on any rollercoaster that I've ever ridden.  0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds.  I nearly lost my stomach. 

 The new Toy Story Mania is all the buzz!  Admittedly, it's a pretty cool little ride.  We went twice and loved it!

Probably the coolest thing at Hollywood: Fantasmic!  It may just trump all other nighttime Disney shows!  It has it all...lights, fireworks, lasers, music, amazing fountains, 1.9 million gallons of water, a 50 foot dragon that Mickey gets to defeat as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, and 45 cast members including the Princesses!  It was awesome! ( A word to the wise....Get there super early, but don't sit too close or you'll get pretty wet by the end.)

Rainy, rainy MONDAY.

So, our plan all along was to leave Sunday night to drive through the night to get to Orlando.  The goal was to have the kids sleep all night in the car...and I'm proud to say that it worked!  We had three drivers since Scott's dad was able to come with us and we took turns sleeping (I never actually drove!).  It RAINED all the way to Florida.  In fact, we left North Carolina in the middle of a tornado on the ground.  Scary!  We got to Disney at around 5:30am and were so lucky to be able to check into the *only* empty cabin at that hour.  Check-in wasn't supposed to be until 3pm, but we got a place and unpacked and then headed to the Magic Kingdom. 

Let me say it again...it was pouring!  We pulled out our Disney ponchos that we were forced to buy on our last trip to Disney because we weren't prepared for the rain.  They didn't help much...we still got drenched!  BUT...it was totally worth it to be in the park during a downpour because there was seriously no one else there.  We rode every single ride that we wanted to as many times as we wanted and we were *done* by mid-morning which was just about the time that the rain let up and people started pouring into the park.

The kids were enamored by everything!  Cinderella's castle, Dumbo, cotton candy, shops, the ponchos, the rollercoasters, Small World, Grandpa being with us, 3D shows, just everything was so magical to them (except for Curvy Road's fear of big Goofy characters!)

We went back to our cabin, changed into dry clothes, set out our dripping shoes in the sun to dry, and took a nap to take advantage of the park again in the afternoon.  Day 1 was a huge success, but I realized early on that I had forgotten how tiring a fun vacation is!

This trip marked the first time that our kids were tall enough for a roller coaster.  We tried Big Thunder Mountain railroad first.  Green Light LOVED it, Roundabout wasn't a fan.  Then Splash Mountain...Green Light LOVED it, Roundabout hated it.  Back to Big Thunder Mountain...Green Light couldn't get enough; it was growing on Roundabout.  It turned out to be one of her favorites by the end, but it did take some time for her to settle in that she did actually have fun on it.

Feeling like Homeowners.

Everyone always says that once you own a house, everything falls apart.  Every little (and big!) expense just seem to keep piling in one after another.  And while we feel so grateful that we have an income to support our home, things do just keep breaking. 

Like I wrote about a few weeks ago, we paid a hefty sum to have some trees taken down.  Mind you, those were the most important trees that were making threats to our home.  There were others that will come down at a later time.  Not a week after we had those trees cut, I noticed that a huge pine tree out in the forest had been totally uprooted and fallen over during a rain storm.  It hadn't fallen all the way to the ground and was resting on another pine close to our home.  If the big pine pushed the little pine over, it would indeed fall on our house.  So!  Straight Arrow decided to go on a little chainsawing adventure with my dad. 

Out they went to buy a new chainsaw and tromped up the snowy hill with their new, orange baby (happy Valentines Day, baby!).  

After a few minutes, I didn't hear the buzz of the saw anymore and looked out the window to see what was going on.  I saw this stuck underneath that large pine.  (Note the 120○ angle on the blade there....yeahhh, it's not supposed to look like that.)

Ode of Lowes Home Improvement who did a straight out exchange for this chainsaw despite 100%-fault-on-us.  We only had to buy one chainsaw that day: thankfully a $250 homeowner project instead of double. 

A little personality.

Add a little personality to that sparkly white snow and then you can really tell  a story.

1.  Green Light and Curvy Road sledding along

2.  2-minutes into the snow fiasco, we find Curvy Road kicked back in his camping chair in the garage just content to watch everyone else.

3.  The only real snow-playing-parent here.

4.  Yeeah.  Straight Arrow thought that the snow would be powdery enough to take the leaf blower and blow snow off of the roof onto the kids for a little snow shower.  Yeah....didn't quite work like he hoped.

5.  My little snow angel.

6.  This little girl could stay out all day in it.  She loved it!

7.  A snow tower.  It's what you resort to when you can't build a snowman.

8.  Foot pajamas and rain boots.  :)

9.  An inside view of dad digging the van out after a failed attempt to leave.  We're snowed in...literally.

10.  The Grampy and the tractor that plowed us out.  Freedom to get up the hill!

11.  Cold and crying.

12.  Warmed up rice packs warming the ice cold toes of a 6 year old girly girl.

The calm before the storm.

There's always a calm before the storm.  

The day was awesomely teasing of soon-to-be Spring days.

I watched the birds hurriedly search for food outside of my window.

We enjoyed a day at the park.

 

  

  

  

...and then the storm hit.  

More to come....

And PS...aren't my boys absolutely gorgeous?

the rhyming stanza.

Tucker Family News:
2009 edition

With all the festivities of 2008,
We didn’t pen our poem so great.

So back with tradition in 2009,
The rhyming stanza is back and that’s a good sign!

This year has been awesome
And one that we’re glad has finally to us come.

It’s been a year that could be characterized by change.
Our experiences have really been quite the range.

In February, after many months filled with tears,
We pulled our Roundabout out of Kindergarten and decided to homeschool for the rest of the year.

Our experience was far from the expected.
We loved every minute together and enjoyed the curriculum that we carefully selected.

In March, we all celebrated as the kids gained a new aunt.
Uncle Gary married Sarah; and for that, we won’t rant.

Dr. Tucker received his Masters degree.
An Orthodontist at last; bringing his number of higher education degrees to three.

2009 was finally the year to search for a job.
We feel incredibly blessed; our school years we left behind with a sob.

For jobs, we searched high and we searched low.
We searched far and wide in this great state, but exactly where we would end up we just didn’t know.

Sometimes life deals you the unexpected.
Straight Arrow was offered a job at Wake Forest University that we just couldn’t have rejected.

A clinical position 4 days of the week and an academic appointment made the offer just so sweet.
Straight Arrow is loving his work and that, you just can’t beat!

So out of Married Student Housing/ Baity Hill did we leave.
Dear Chapel Hill and our friends near and dear we did grieve.

We packed our things and looked for a place to move.
We made an offer on a gem of a foreclosure; a drawn out process it did prove.

But in the end, when we closed on our home,
All the stress seemed worth it for a house from which we never wish to roam.

New friends we did seek;
We felt a warm welcome in our new ward the first week.

Home improvements, yardwork, and cleaning became our new routine.
Beautiful wildlife, both flora and fauna, became our new scene.

Our first square-foot garden was planted.
Squash, tomatoes, and basil; such bountiful goodness from it to us was granted.

The warm summer was fabulous; we had friends come as guests.
Even Grandpa Tucker came all the way from the West.

The beach, eating strawberries, catching frogs, and tractor riding;
Just a few of our summer adventures in which we were gliding.

August slipped up on us before we knew it.
And school enrollments now seemed to be the right fit.

Roundabout began attending in the First Grade.
Her teacher we love and a better experience for which we had prayed.

She expanded her horizons and began gymnastics and swim team.
Her second place ribbon in the butterfly stroke really made her face beam.

Green Light began preschool at a tumbling gym.
New friends and activities has made him happy to the brim.

He loves to learn new things, especially the ability to read.
He is a cheerful helper to have around indeed.

Curvy Road has grown by leaps and bounds.
His smile is contagious and he is an absolute joy to be around.

His loves are cars, balls, fish, and trains.
A smart boy he is, though he keeps his words contained.

Share the Road has enjoyed decorating our home and crafting new things.
Still thrifty at heart, she loves seeing what kind of deals she can swing.

Straight Arrow keeps busy at work by day.
By night, with the kids he loves to play.

For all our blessings this year, we feel truly blessed.
We’ve received more than we ever would have guessed.

Our friends, they are scattered this country abroad.
To hear from you all, or even better, a visit to us we would laud!

We still keep a blog to keep in touch with both family and friend. http://tellitwithpictures.blogspot.com welcomes you to attend!

We are so grateful now for our blessings galore;
For our family, our friends, but most of all, our Savior.
To him, we are forever in debt
For all the things that for us he beget.
May we all enjoy this Christmas season
And never forget that we celebrate for Christ, the reason.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dear Grandpa and Grandma:

When we pulled it from the mailbox and opened your Christmas envelope, we were thankful for your generosity and knew what we wanted to buy for our family from you. Since you're far away and can't be present for the action, we thought we'd share with you some action shots instead. THANK YOU!

Plasma Cars: We've had so much fun with these! Our unfinished basement is the perfect surface for the cars. We've set up race courses and raced each other time and time again. They are so much fun!

From their own website, "It's like magic, but you don't need to be a magician to get it to work. The PlasmaCar is a mechanical marvel that makes use of that most inexhaustible of energy sources, kid-power, by harnessing the natural forces of inertia, centrifugal force, gravity, and friction. It's so easy to operate; all it needs is a driver and a smooth, flat surface.

The PlasmaCar is adult-friendly, too. For starters, it doesn't require an expensive power source that needs constant replacement. No batteries, no power-cells, no liquid fuel-just the occasional cookie or two. It's quiet too-the only sound you'll hear is the sound of its wheels. It provides kids with plenty of exercise, more so than most toys. And the PlasmaCar is engineered to be absolutely safe when used appropriately."

racin'

around the pins and back

even the big guy and the littlest guy can ride together

and they're off!

smiles!

Wii: Everyone knows what a Wii is; no explanation required here. As a side note, I am whole-heartedly against video games. It took lots of convincing from Straight Arrow for me to agree to this, but I will have to say that our family has really enjoyed it. I definitely feel the need to limit it's use, but when we use it as a family to bowl or use the Wii Fit, it's interactive enough that I don't feel like we're just excising our thumbs while our minds rot in front of the television. :)

throwing the ball in bowling

Roundabout taking her turn with a cheer squad on the other side

the two kids have the knack for STRIKES!

Green Light always throws in a little hop on his throw

The typical score: Roundabout blows us out of the water, Green Light,
Straight Arrow (how do you like the bald Mii?), and me (I got my highest score!)

Two of my boys.

Two of my boys; sporting my two schools.
Aren't they so cute?!

Frosty the Snowman.

Roundabout was determined that she would build a snowman this winter when it snowed. School was released three hours early on Friday in anticipation of the snow. In years past, there have been many false alarms when it comes to snow and so I waited for nothing to come only to see the flurries start falling around lunchtime. By the time the bus deposited Roundabout at home, it was starting to come down. It immediately started sticking to the grass and trees but there wasn't enough accumulation yet for a snowman build. The plan was to wait until Saturday morning to build.

Snow changed to ice and sleet throughout the night making that pure snow ice-crusted on top. But since Dad had promised a snowman, he delivered. Yes, said snowman was very much a patchwork effort, but he came through! Straight Arrow shoveled snow into piles and then packed it down to create three roundish balls.

Sleigh Ride

Short-lived for the boys, but so.much.fun!