Christmas Day!

Christmas Day is a hectic holiday. We are only allowed a few hours with the kids on Christmas, so Daniel went and got the kids super early, rushed them back to our house to open presents, then we went to Ted and Kathy's for some delicious breakfast and more presents, then to Randy and Renee's for some MORE presents and some fun looking through vintage Barbie goods and then the kids had to be rushed back home. I think they got some pretty good loot! After the morning madness, I went to my parents for about an hour, then rushed to pick up Daniel and go to the Grow family party, where of course there was more food and more presents! After that, we headed up to Rebekah's for MORE treats and family time. While it was busy, it was a good day and good to be around family. Giftwise, Daniel got a new computer and some clothes and I ordered myself a new compact digital camera (it didn't come in time for Christmas) and Danny got me some perfume and a new karaoke game. Here are a few pictures, unfortunately we didn't take many.

Christmas Eve...

On Christmas Eve, we joined the family at Ted and Kathy's house for yummy food and good times. We ate, talked, played a game of Imaginiff and later, we even got a visit from Santa!

Noelle wasn't so sure about Santa, until he gave her chocolate.

Boo had his own special moment with Santa.

All the sisters with Santa.

The whole gang, in our natural state. I love this picture!
After the party, Daniel and I went home and got into our coordinating Christmas jammies.
Love him!

Holiday fun...

I have a few things I need to catch up on! December went by way too fast, but at least we did lots of fun things while it passed! We had Daniel's company party, my salon party, we went to Desert Star Playhouse with our good friends Erica and Joe (and Andee and Kelly!) which was my first time there and I loved it, we had a Christmas dinner with friends and I got to go to Hale Center Theatre with Erica and her family for their annual trip to "A Christmas Carol". (Thanks Kalie for letting me be your date! I love you guys!)

The only thing that was documented was the dinner with friends. We had a big feast at our house and we played Phase 10 all night after that. Here are some pictures, and for more, you can check out Aubrie's blog here.
Shiloh and Michelle.
Aubrie and Ron.
Koy wanted to play too.
Then Koy laughed at us when he beat us. (He's so cute!)

Holiday Cheer

Just wanted to thank the neighbor children for helping the Christmas deer population grow. Look for a fawn or 2 on our lawn in the coming months.

Movin' on up...

So, I don't know if anyone has noticed, but snow has decided to finally fall across Utah (and apparently Vegas) over the last week. Well, lucky me, I have been able to do nothing. My tires are completely bare, so driving in the snow is pretty much a death trap. After Daniel's company party on Saturday, we lost all control on 2-15 on the way home. There's nothing quite like not being able to control your car on the freeway with other cars whizzing past you during a snowstorm. We were able to make it home, and I have sworn off driving in the snow since. We thought about getting new tires, but since we have upgraded wheels, the cheapest tire we could find was $130 each. We decided that wasn't worth it. We have been thinking about trading our car in for awhile now, because the Mazda just didn't offer enough room for us, plus 3kids (one of which is Daniel-sized). So after some browsing, research and mad haggling, tonight we traded our car in for something a little more family friendly. It's the Subaru Tribeca. It seats 7 but is still in the "mid-size suv" family. I wasn't quite ready to jump to minivan family status, so the mid size is just right for me. We got a good deal and kept our payment right about the same as it was, which was the only way we were willing to do it. It's fully loaded and I love it!

O Christmas Tree?

I have an obsession with Christmas. Truly. I have to literally force myself not to decorate or start listening to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving. That's my own personal rule, since I think its crap that all the stores start pushing holidays before the previous holiday has even happened. Thanksgiving deserves its time. Now that that time is over..it's Christmasland at my house.

Usually I decorate the house with everything but the tree until a few weeks before Christmas. I have had a live tree since I was born and it is a huge symbol of Christmas for me. Daniel has been fighting me on this for the last year. He says he is always the one who waters it and carries it around and then it dies and makes a mess and blah,blah,blah. I recognize that all of those points are true. It just doesn't feel right to call something artificial a freakin' tree.

Well, then came Thanksgiving day when we were offered a really nice, great sized, FREE fake tree. (Thanks Renee and Randy!) Fast forward... I am now the proud owner of a fake Christmas tree. What I love..that I can have my tree up the day after Thanksgiving too. And I have no complaining from the watering husband. I do miss the smell and the uber full branches, but I may not turn back now.

Lovin' is what I got.. I said remember that.

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving. It was also the 27th of November, 2008.

I just want you who matter to know that I have one word going for me.

Oh, Bite Me

Twilight. Everyone is talking about it, so I might as well join in. I read the books forever ago. I liked them and I told other people to read them. I never understood the weird obsession girls everywhere have with Edward though... they do know he's a fictional character, right? I don't think some of them do. I got invited by my good friend Erica to go see the midnight showing with her and the lovely women of her family (and two well placed boys). I have never in my life been to a midnight showing of a movie because, frankly, no movie is worth that to me. I honestly wasn't too excited to see Twilight. I knew I would see it eventually, but it wasn't like I had a countdown on my blog or anything (Sorry Andee.) I have never loved a movie I've seen that was made from a book I have already read. DaVinci Code, no thanks. Harry Potter, it grew on me. Twilight... it hurt a little. Some of it was really good, some of it was hard to watch. I thought they followed the book really well considering how some adaptations become an entirely different story. I think for the most part, they chose good actors for specific roles, but some of them WAY over-acted. Overall, I enjoyed it and will watch it again (but not at a theater..definitely not three more times at a theater...Becca). Thanks for inviting me Erica!

I have included a picture of "Jasper" for your viewing pleasure.

Oh wait, I think I'm confused. :)

tagariffic

I was tagged with this awhile ago and am finally doing it.. here ya go.


4 random things about my husband
1. He is obsessed with sports
2. He wants to have a giant fish tank built in flush with the wall
3. He is just as obsessed with chapstick as i am
4. He makes a killer banana bread


4 movies I could watch more than once
1. Dirty Dancing
2. The sweetest thing
3. Almost Famous
4. pretty much all of Quentin Tarantinos movies


4 TV shows I watch
1. Dexter
2. True Blood
3. Shear Genius
4. House Hunters


4 places I've been
1. Mexico
2. Boston
3. Maine
4. California


4 people who email me regularly
1. uh.. krafts kitchen
2. Aubrie
3. discovery health
4. thats about it


4 places I would like to visit
1. Paris
2. all over Italy
3. Greece
4. Hawaii


4 things I am looking forward to this year
1. Christmas season
2. paying off some debt
3. Obama taking over
4. did I say Christmas season?


4. Christmas4 people to tag
1. Becca
2. Aubrie
3. Rebekah
4. Rachel

Winter Wonderland

It's hard to imagine that less than 2 months ago we were in the blazing heat of Mexico and today THIS! Goodbye shorts and t-shirts, hello jeans and jackets.

Buzzin around...

Yesterday was Halloween. I was a bee. This costume was literally made for an 8-year-old probably 8 years ago. I didn't wear the hat part in public. It was really short and really tight across my chest and around my arms (8-year-olds arms are usually smaller than an adults). Good times. Enough said.

Ok..almost enough. My adorable niece was a little witch. Cutest thing ever.

(This is her as a mad witch.)

My Cuppy Cake

It's been 2 years since we got married, but we have been best friends for years. I just wanted to take a minute to tell my wife publicly that I love her more every day and look foreward to growing old with her (insert "you are already old" joke here). I enjoyed our "Fall Family Fun day" yesterday even if it didn't turn out exactly as planned. Just spending the day with her is fun no matter what we do. In fact, we are going to watch football together all day today and that will be fun too...right honey?

2 years and some cake too..

Happy Anniversary to us. We have been married for 2 years, which seems so new considering how long we have been together. I know it's regular tradition to eat the top layer of your wedding cake for your first anniversary, but at that time we had no idea where ours was. We thought it had been thrown out, and we didn't really mind. A few months ago however, Kathy presented us with a little gift. Our cake, pulled out of the recesses of the basement deep freezer. Tonight, we pulled it out and cut into it, expecting the gag-inducing taste of freezer burn. Instead, nestled in the cover of a thick fondant, our cake was soft, moist and delicious. The raspberry filling was just as sweet as it was two years ago. Thanks for taking care of it for us Ted and Kathy! (And I love you, Danny! Thanks for being you.)


Our cake then...

Our cake now...

What happens with some free time...

Awhile back, I posted something saying I was teaching myself how to sew. Well, I pretty much sewed that one seam and my career as a seamstress has been on hold since. Well, Tuesday, my first day of temporary freedom, otherwise known as no job(don't worry I now have another one) I decided to pull out the ol' sewing machine again. Without a pattern or intructions, I cut, pinned and sewed my way to new curtains for the basement. They are pretty damn good if I do say so myself for the first project ever. I have come home many times to seeing our nice couch cusions shoved into the window sill by my lovely husband. Well, not anymore people!


Apparently, I love sewing, because now I don't want to stop. The next day, I took a random yard of fabric I had and made a pillow case for the upstairs couch pillow complete with little ties. Another improv project, but it was a success. I'm now working on two more for the remaining pillows. I know these are pretty much the two most simple things I could have sewn, but I'm still pretty proud.

My Enrichment night specialist (is that what they still call it?) is really coming out full force now. I went into Roberts a few weeks ago ans saw a sign I wanted but wasn't willing to pay $30 for. So what's a girl to do? Make it herself of course. The letters look funky in this picture, but it's pretty much exactly like the one at Roberts down to the weathered edges. $6 is a lot better than $30!

Fall Harvest

Just a little final update on how the garden went. Carrots, Cucumbers, Jalapenos, Yellow Squash and Zucchini were the top growers. My tomaotes grew like mad, but not till late in the summer (my fault for bad initial planting spot then moving them later)and I have about 30 great looking green tomatoes still on the vines right now...depressing. Green and Red Bell Peppers...not great. One single Cantelope which was good, and one Onion...One. Next year will be a much different garden...this one was a learning experience which was a lot of fun.
This is what happens when you don't pay attention to your squash for a week...not the ideal result.

Update

Well for the few people that cared, I just thought I would let you know that I am officially somewhat healthy. The cat scan didn't show any cancer or mass, so that was a relief. My blood work did show some kind of inflammation/infection in the body, so they sent me to an ENT specialist to see if he could figure out what my jaw lump is and why it's not responding to antibiotics. After he probed me, he concluded it really is just a swollen lymph node which is more noticeable and more irritated because of the unevenness of my jaw. How ironic. So I guess now I just wait for it to go away, if it does.

And my stripping-induced back injury is now almost back to normal. Life is short people. Live it up!

A Day at the Races

Actually it was a day at Boondocks with the kids for a work party...but the go-carts seemed to be the highlight of the kids day (at least the highlight of the boys day). As you can see, Jazzy was a little uncomfortable with some of the driving habits of the people around us, John most notably, who liked to bump people off the track. I should probably also mention that it is not so easy to take pictures with your phone while driving these machines, so I'm sure that didn't help her either.
Joshy finally built up the courage to drive one on the beginners track. Once he did it, I think he wished he did it earlier cause he went back for more.
Go-carts were just the beginning of the fun though. We also went minature golfing (which I think Jazzy actually won), a few rounds of Lazer Tag, Video Games and tickets for prizes machines, batting cages and Bumper Boats-even though it was a little chilly, we just squirt the people on the sides watching so WE stay dry. We also had a lunch buffett consisting of hot dogs, hamburgers and some other backyard BBQ type goods. Everyone had a great time and we were all tired by the end of the day from all the running around we did. Thanks to Todd for having a work party that the whole family could enjoy.

I'm falling apart.

Health problems of any kind are really frustrating to me. Is it too much to ask to go through life without ever having to go to the doctor or take a day off for a REAL sick day? Ok, maybe it is, but I'm still too young for this. So far this month I:



Found a random lump

Had an ultrasound

Had horrible lasting migraines (which never happens so it is something)

Had blood work done which came back abnormal

Had a CT scan

Have done something to my back which has made it impossible to move for the last 3 days

Still waiting to get results of CT scan



Don't be alarmed friends. I'm too young (and too stubborn) to die so that's not happening. Right up front they were able to tell me I don't have a gigantic tumor so that's really all I needed to hear. What I DIDN'T need to hear was how big our deductible is and how much this is all going to cost me. That might be my biggest concern right now, other than figuring out how to pee without my lower back spasming in pain.


(This is how I feel and pretty much what I look like when I walk. I'm seriously considering getting the cane too.)

Me? A "Party" girl?

My loving husband does not support me getting a third job. No, I don't have a second job, but I'm searching as of now. And I have seriously thrown around the idea of a third because well, someone has to pay the bills around here. But D believes too many jobs is one of the reasons that led to his divorce, so he doesn't support me never being home in the name of making money. So what's a girl to do? I have 99% decided I'm going to start selling Scentsy as a not so obvious third job. I had thought of this before only because I wanted to get the product at a deep discount..haha. But now I'm really thinking of doing it as a source of a little extra income. I figure, almost everyone I know uses it, but no one I know has a consistent consultant they buy it from. It's my favorite thing, its a lot of peoples favorite thing..we all win. (If you don't know what it is, it's a variety of products that make your house smell fantastic, by melting scented wax in a cute warmer without wicks or flames.) So I went online last night to sign myself up and get the starter kit. I got to the page where you can download the consultant handbook and I started reading it. That was the moment I paused. It went on and on about doing Scentsy parties, how to handle them, what to say, how to approach people to sign up, etc etc. PARTIES? I've never even been to a Scentsy party. I've just bought the stuff out of a catalog because it pretty much sells itself. I don't really even know how a party is supposed to go, other than what I've now read in the handbook. Can I really be a product-hawking, stranger-friendly, weeknight-donating party girl? Could you really see ME up there in front of strangers talking about how awesome I am and telling them this product "Warms the Heart, Enlivens the Senses and Inspires the Soul"? I would be the girl to say "Hey, this makes my house smell, don't you want your house to smell too? Oh, I mean, smell good. Thanks for coming." I've been to a million different parties for a million different products and true, in the back of my mind, I always looked at the consultant and thought 'I could do that'. Now as it's actually a possibility in front of me, I'm saying 'There's no way in hell I can do that'. Well, you know me, I'm either up for a challenge or as dumb as they get, so I'm going to try. So here's my first plug... make your house smell and buy some Scentsy from me. :)

Kalie... I salute you.

Ohh, Mexico!

Although it's already like a dream, we got home from Mexico last night. We had a fabulous time. We spent the first couple nights alone at a hotel right in Puerto Vallarta, then met up with the family on Saturday at the resort to spend another week. It was so nice to have a real vacation where I could be exactly where I wanted to be and do whatever I wanted to do. We didn't do much the first few days other than walk around the city, eat and waste time at the infamous timeshare presentation. (By the way... yes, we bought one. Don't ask.) The resort was the good stuff. We swam alot, ate alot of guacamole by the pool, boggie boarded, did water aerobics, played water volleyball, ran from crabs (at least I did... Daniel chased them), enjoyed the views, spent time with the family and just plain old relaxed. We went onto town one day with the fam where I'm pretty sure we were all sweating worse than I've ever experienced. The humidity was deadly. I got the worst massage ever since my masseuse spent half the time text messaging while I was just lying there. We also got to get away and enjoy a day sailing and snorkeling alone. We also spent a day with Rebekah and Victor doing an ATV tour, which was so much fun. I've never 4-wheeled before, and now I'm in love. We went through the city, through pastures and dirt roads to a small town where we took a break and walked around a bit. Then we jumped back on and went up through the mountains to the rocky terrain, which Rebekah really enjoyed. :) After the tour we went to this total local treasure where they cook whole chickens over this open grill. The place has no walls, doubles as a car repair service and had live chickens walking around you as you eat. It was the BEST food we ate the whole time though. So good! We just drove by it a few times while on the bus and decided it an adventure that needed to be tried. Well worth it! In fact, we took another trip back there with the rest of the family.

It was a great week and it was so nice to spend the quality time with Daniel with no distractions. It was good to have most of the family together too! Now I'm just wondering when I can go back. Until then, back to the grind I go.


4-wheeling through the cattle drive.

Us four at the delicious chicken dive!

Out the back of our condo... our private pool over the ocean.

Playing Phase 10.. a family favorite.

Shopping from the on-site jewelry man.

Noelle: adorable as always.

My husband the artist got this using a rock as a tripod.

Made in Mexico

We made it in alive without any problems and have already had a great first day and made a new friend...well...as long as we show up to the presentation tomorrow. We were offered a pile of loot to go to one of the infamous timeshare presentations and the guy is so cool we couldn't say no. He told US that we aren't interested and that he "Doesn't geev aye Sheet" if we were to buy it or not cause just for us showing up he gets 6000 Pesos (aprox $600 bucks). And to top it off HE is the one who gives the presentation, so no pressure to buy. And we get...a free ATV tour (on our own non shared ATV's) into the jungle, a day sailing/snorkeling trip, free ride to our resort on Saturday (worth about $50) and some other free goods in town. I know it sounds too good to be true so we will see how it goes and let you know...but the free breakfast at the Playa Del Sol and the ride he gave us into the boardwalk would probably be worth it enough for the 30 minutes he said he needed from us to make HIS loot. He recommended a restraunt in town and did not let us down. Some good authentic Mexican food and a great view at a reasonable price. (as seen in the picture from our table). Elizabeth took some great pictures of the sunset from our balcony that we will post later. Here is another friend of ours stealing my margarita. Somebody should cut him off...I think hes had enough.