not your mama's dance team

Last weekend I got to see Madeline perform with her dance team for the first time. I was so proud I could hardly stand it! Boy, did it bring back memories. The energy, excitement, and screaming girls were all the same. But the look, as you can see here, was all new:








Like I said, not your mama's dance team. And as further evidence I offer up these gems:

AWESOME

christmas 2008

Top 10 Christmas memories of 2008:

#10 SNOW!!!

a beautiful white Christmas

#9 Dan as Bob Cratchit

not to mention Grandma P as narrator

#8 Cutting our Christmas tree in the pitch black and pouring rain. Picture flashlights, chainsaw, and very muddy boots in my clean suburban. And hurry, because the ward party starts in 1 hour. Now there's a little Christmas chaos for you!

this isn't actually ours. it is shauna/wayne/grandma's. ours was very unlit sitting in a very dark, cold, empty house. see #6.

#7 Decorating Christmas cookies

this one, in particular, was done eyes closed by Patti & Madeline. lovely girls.

#6 SURPRISE! No electricity. (for 4 days, but who was counting?) (no picture available)


#5 Christmas caroling to the neighbors through the previously mentioned SNOW!!!



#4 Loading all the little boys onto Dad & Mom's bed for the classic Christmas TV specials. Nothing says Christmas like Rudolph + popcorn.

(prior to the electricity going out, of course)

#3 Christmas jammies


#2 isaac's night vision goggles, noah's guitar, & what came to be known as Caleb's "Heidi hat." enough said.




#1 most memorable thing about Christmas 2008: 18 grandkids, 13 siblings/spouses, and one awesome grandma at a Papworth reunion. We love you guys!

here's just a sampling of our gang. the official family picture is to follow at a later date.