The Neal News

Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas 09

Fatima, Isabelle and Olivia headed UP!

Fatima trying to warm up with some hot cocoa!

Hanging out with the Morgan's at Hoo-do!

Cousin Brooks was Fatima's ski instructor! Way to go Brooks!

Isabelle, Olivia, Fatima and Brittan in their new PJ's that the elves dropped off!

Christmas at the cabin is always magical. The elves always seem to find their way here to deliver jammies on Christmas Eve and Santa seems to never get lost. We even woke up to snow on Christmas day! I am sitting in the pitch dark right now with various candles burning around the cabin. Michael took the kids snowmobiling today so that I could get our Christmas mess cleaned up. The kids have all been playing in the snow, skiing, sledding and letting Lacie (our Siberian Husky) pull them around. I love Christmas time!!!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Christmas at the cabin!

This picture is at the airport when we picked the girls up! Hooray! Momma is happy again!

Ximena and Isabelle. Xime went home for Christmas and we miss her!!!

We stopped at Ski bowl for some fun in the snow on our way to Central Oregon.

Fatima had never seen snow before! It was so fun to hear her squeal with delight!

Olivia returned home from Mexico last week and we are sooooo glad to have her home! She brought her little Mexican sister Fatima with her so that she could get a taste of life with the Neals. We are hoping that she will come live with us (just like Ximena) in a couple of years! We are enjoying Christmas time at the cabin. It is beautiful here with blue skies and crisp air. We are hoping to go skiing a few times this holiday break- maybe even some snowmobiling! Happy Holidays everyone!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Getting caught up!

Brittan participated in Young Women in Excellence and told of her pancake breakfast project.

Hayden is wrestling again this year.

Brittan performed "Feliz Navidad" at her voice recital this year.

Britt and Karlie have taken lessons together for two years now.

Michael about croaked when Brittan came walking out in these shoes. I say if she can walk in them then more power to her!

It has been awhile since my last post so I decided to try and get caught up. The last 6 weeks have been somewhat eventful with kids sports, recitals, work and Michael's busy school schedule. I hope you are all enjoying the Christmas season!

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Halloween

Pocahontas...

Gothic vampire

Pirate Ximena

Isabelle and Ximena both invited a friend to go trick-or-treating. The cheerleader in the back is the dad of Isabelle's friend...not Michael :)

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Happy Birthday Uncle Paul

The birthday boy himself! Happy birthday Paul!

This is a pretty good looking group if you ask me. There are only 5 siblings missing!

Natalie's girls Savannah and Sierra with Uncle Dave

Sissy's

Another of Natalie's girls Cheyenne with aunt Rachelle

Uncle Paul (Natalie's husband) had a birthday this last week. Natalie had a quaint little surprise party for him at a little bar in Sellwood where their friends happen to sing and play the guitar. It was fun to get together with them and enjoy a night out!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Olivia visit

Goodbyes are always hard!

Two beauties!

I love these girls.

Very funny story.....We rented a little cabana and whisked Olivia away for a couple of days. True to form, Olivia thought it would be a great idea to sneak into our cabana and scare us. She carefully climbed through the window (with Brittan behind saying "I don't think this is a good idea Olivia") and crossed through the family room and opened our door to scare us. Much to her surprise, this lovely couple was sitting on the bed! Room 16, not 18!!!

This is Olivia's sister Fatima. They have a lot of fun together and aren't afraid to fight like sisters!

Always a good wrestling match with dad!

I love this little freckle face!

Last weekend Michael, Brittan and I took a quick trip to Mexico to visit Olivia. I am happy to report that she is doing amazingly well! She is happy, beautiful, well adjusted, loves her new family and is totally speaking Spanish! I was so amazed at her bravery. I told her that I wish I was 1/2 as cool as her.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Isabelle's baptism

Isabelle's favorite little buddy from Sisters made the trip for her baptism! Thanks Syd!

Cousin Spencer came too!

Bella and daddy.

Caddie was baptized too. These two girls are two peas in a pod. We will see how it goes with the two of them sitting on the stand together tomorrow.

Isabelle was baptized today. Brittan gave a talk on the gift of the holy ghost and did a great job. We are so proud of Bella.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

"Little People Big World". We went to their pumpkin patch.

Kelly, Brittan & Bella.

Grandma and Grandpa went with us this year.

These girls are always up for a laugh!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Weekend photos

The look of determination! Hayden shaved 2 1/2 minutes off of his PR this weekend running a 5K!

Brittan really is getting better! I cringed when she did the handstand!

The Dr. said "let pain be your guide". I guess that means that jumping on the trampoline is ok?

Happy Birthday Ruben! Ximena loves you! We do too!

Mom practicing with her new camera! You can't go wrong with pictures of your own kids right?

Friday, September 25, 2009

Wacky hair day

Today was the elementary school carnival and wacky hair day! The girls had a great time getting ready for this fun event!

Funny things kids say:

Isabelle: after a discussion about grades she said "Ya, i'm not really into A's...its just not my thing!"
Olivia: "I love being a girl...you can share your secrets and laugh about them!"
Brittan: the neighbor girl confessed her love for Hayden to my girls and made them promise not to tell a soul. Brittan's response "Don't worry, my mom doesn't have a soul!"
Isabelle and Ximena are constantly cooking and after awhile it makes me crazy! Today I got the kitchen all scrubbed up and then ran an errand. When I got home I could hear clanking noises in the kitchen so before I reached the kitchen I yelled "you two better not be making cookies" to which Isabelle replied "No mom we're not, Xime's just making a cake!"
Isabelle: after being bribed..."Hey dad, is there any way I can pay you back for that popsicle I just ate so I don't have to wakeboard?"
Brittan: With a loud squeal in the car "Oh no!" Dad: What?????? "I forgot my bangles"! Dad: "What the heck are bangles"? Brittan: "Bracelets Dad..".
Isabelle: "Dad, do you know how to use a cash register?" Dad: "No". Bella with a very sassy tone: "Then why are you checking me out?"
Olivia: Bella, what is the opposite of hot? Isabelle's response: Cute?
Isabelle: "Olivia...it says no smoking in here! Put out your cigarette!"
Olivia: " Hey dad look...its a priest. Wait...i actually think its a nun....hum...I can't really tell!"
Hayden is preparing to get his wisdom teeth pulled this week and said "Mom, you really need to pick up those seduction pills for me". Of course I busted up laughing. Sedation, seduction- its all how you look at it!
I have been encouraging the kids to speak Spanish as often as they can. The other day we were in a shoe store buying shoes for Brittan (now a size 8!). There were two hispanic girls running around the store and I bribed Isabelle with the shoes that she had her eye on to go introduce herself to the little girls in Spanish. She was shy but very awkwardly said "Hola, mi llamo Bella". This experience gave her the courage a few days later to do the same thing at Hayden's wrestling match. A couple of kids were playing under the bleachers so she took it upon herself to go introduce herself to them in Spanish. "Hola, mi llamo Bella!". Again, and again and again with no response. She kept reporting that they weren't responding. Finally she approached them a final time and said "Hola, mi llamo Bella". The little boy looked her square in the eye and said "I'm African!"
Hayden: "Mom, I really need some new church clothes! I think this time around I want a black suit with a black shirt!" Mom: oh ya that will look really good when you pass the sacrament". No no no...that is serious Stake dance material!"
Olivia: "Mom, I've set a goal for myself!" Mom: "Oh ya, what's that?" Olivia: "I'm going to try really really hard to cry on the last day of school!"
Olivia: "um...Mom....you smell just like Grandma! Ya know, all lotion-y!"
Olivia: Hey dad- is there such a thing called "video-shop? Ya know, like photo-shop?"
Isabelle while playing Yahtzee: "Brittan...go with your 4's! I'm really feeling it!!! And...I was wrong!"
Dad: "Brittan!!! Stop wearing mascara!" Brittan: "Dad..get used to it! It's really working for me!"
Neal family Christmas wish list: Hayden- an iphone (ya right) Brittan- World peace Olivia- ipod Isabelle- A bubble gum machine
Olivia: "Mom, I've never noticed that my hair color is so beautiful!"
Hayden: in a sarcastic tone- "Mom I forgot to bring my coat to the cabin, but don't worry- I did bring my singlet!"
Isabelle yelling from her bed in the morning: "Mom, the tooth fairy forgot to come again!" Mom: "Oh shoot! I was worried about that when I turned the house alarm on last night that she wouldn't be able to get in without tripping the alarm! Go back to sleep and I will turn off the alarm. Let's give her another chance!"
Isabelle with her bloody-murder scream came running into my bathroom as I was trying to take a nice relaxing bath- "Olivia punched me (on accident) in the face and now I am bleeding!" I took one look in her mouth and saw a tooth dangling- through the tears and screaming I told her to look in the mirror. As soon as she saw the tooth she said "Oh... thanks Livy- I wanted to loose that tooth!"
Hayden: "I will NEVER make my kids take piano lessons!" Mom: "OK, that's cool". Hayden: "I'm not going to make them do chores either!" Mom: "Ok, that's cool". Hayden: "I'm not going to make them wake up early on the weekend's either". Mom: "Ok, cool- are you going to let them sleep until noon?" Hayden: "Yep!" Mom: "I can't wait to meet your kids, they sound terrific!"
All of my girls decided that they are tired of their long locks and one by one have all ended up with a bob. I was cutting Olivia's hair tonight and said: "So what's up with all of my girls wanting short hair?" Her reply: " Come-on mom...didn't you know that short is the new long!"
Isabelle was crying in her bed last night. She was so tired and couldn't fall asleep. I asked her what was wrong and she replied "i can't get my yawn out!"
Isabelle: "What do you mean I have to play in a soccer game on Saturday? I hate soccer- I only like practice-at the games people watch you and stuff!"
Olivia: after telling a super big lie she said "I keep praying for an answer to my problem and Heavenly Father won't even let me finish my prayer! I just keep getting the feeling that I need to come talk to you!"