I love Christmas!!

It's true, I LOVE Christmas. I love it even more now that I'm a mommy! I couldn't sleep all night ( I woke up 5 or 6 times - even earlier than the kids). Let me tell you all about our Christmas experience.

Christmas Eve: We broke with our traditional potato soup dinner (because no one is liking it lately) and had chili & corn bread. Then we drove around to look at Christmas lights and finish handing out our neighbor gifts. After getting stuck in some random cul-de-sac, then luckily unstuck, we went home to feed the reindeer (we have a special recipe of oats & sparkles so the reindeer can find our house and then snack while Santa leaves the gifts) and look for Rudolph. Which we saw, as usual, flying North on the East side of our house. Then we ran inside and sat by the tree for the real story of Christmas, this year told by Kylie with the help of the fisher price nativity (which Trey has been playing with for the past 2 weeks). Then we opened our Christmas jammies (I will later write about how this tradition was begun in our family). So Cute!! And went to bed. Then got up again to put cookies & milk for Santa on our special tray. Then to bed again. Then up for drinks, and to bed; then up for potty and a reminder that Santa won't come if kids aren't asleep.

Christmas morning was great! After the kids finally woke up around 7:45 (Ky was awake earlier). Dave & Robyn braved the snow storm to join us for the festivities. We all went downstairs together (as per tradition) and the kids looked by the fireplace and saw empty stockings. Shock and awe would describe this perfectly as they said in unison, "Santa forgot our stockings!" :) He didn't. He just used the old ones and laid them around the room. The stocking opening commenced, followed by Dad handing out gifts one by one to be opened. Everyone was excited not only for their gifts; but possibly more to see others open the gifts they had so carefully selected for them. That was a huge blessing.

We also started a new tradition this year by sponsoring an 11 year old girl with providing Christmas gifts for her. We had so much fun. Especially the girls being so generous and picking out what they would love, knowing she would love it also! It was awesome.

We had our traditional breakfast of nutbraid (to die for - honestly) and potato/egg casserole. Lunch included ham, cheesy potatoes, veggies, fruit salad and yams w/ marshmellows (to which Treyson said at lunch again today, "this food again?!" - He had mac & cheese, which he would love to eat every meal, but cheesy potatoes he's had enough of?).

Treyson got a DS, which he is taking such good care of, transformers and remote control car, telescope, etc. Alyssa got a Zen (mp3/video player), littlest pet shop stuff, jewelry and girl stuff (smelly bath stuff). Kylie also got a Zen, books, girl stuff and 32 pairs of earrings from Dave & Robyn. Mom got a Twilight CD, and gift cards for Olive Garden, Seagull and massages! Dad got a cap bomb, a nerf gun, paintballs and money. Dad & the girls also got massage gift cards (we got a half price deal on massages - woo hoo!)

The best part about Christmas was staying in our PJ's all day and playing with each other. We got a couple of games that we played and just enjoyed being relaxed and having fun, enjoying each other's company. That is my favorite part about Christmas, just being together. I am greatful for our blessings of health, the gospel of Jesus Christ and our eternal family!

And today, we took down the tree and all of the decorations, so it'll be cleaned up when we return from Idaho, ready to welcome in the New Year.

Traveling with Kids

I was thinking today, as the kids were unwrapping gifts, how much easier it is now days for kids to travel (or for parents). Today the family got a portable (read car) dvd player because the other one broke. Each girl got a video/mp3 player and Trey got a ds. This joins the girls' ds, the girls' & mom's & dad's mp3 players (4 total) and the nano dad won last month. So, when we go to Idaho tomorrow (weather permitting) we shouldn't have to talk to each other at all. :) Great when you think of the endless "are we there yets" or "she's hitting me". But, maybe not so good when you don't get to play the license plate game. Of course, I always disliked traveling when I was little: no electronics and I get so carsick that reading was out of the question. Of course, those were the days when seatbelts were optional and we'd lay on the floor of the stationwagon and sleep or dream, or ask "are we there yet?"

Let it Snow!

Treyson, all bundled up. It took about 20 minutes to dress him, after 5 he was ready to come inside & get hot cocoa. Then we found the sled and he went out again for a couple of hours. Alyssa & her friend Jenna.
Jenna, Alyssa, Emily (Kylie's friend), Kylie & Treyson. You can see the big snowflakes a fallin'.

Yes, it is snowing (again). It snowed yesterday (around 5-6" at our house). It has pretty much snowed for the last few days (a week?) here. I look at pictures on my sister in law's blog and they're sitting in their driveway in shorts watching dad wash the car. Ya, I could do that (in a snowsuit if I were nuts or under the age of 10). Our dad would wash the car, except that the water would freeze. (I may be jealous, I'm looking for jobs for TJay in Guatemala - it's warm there. It's my annual quest to move to Guatemala. I'll get over it around April - still 3 more months, maybe a short-term job). My cousin's blog had a picture of them walking in the surf on the beach in So. Cal. Ya, I'm jealous of them too. Envy is one of those things it's ok to have, or not?

Kylie put snow as #8 on her Christmas wish list. So, Santa, mark that one off. :) I am actually liking the snow (as I sit inside on my computer with chocolate milk and a warm lunch in front of me). The kids love it! We went and saw Twilight yesterday with one of Kylie's friends. Then we came home to play in the snow: sled, build forts, make angels. For Treyson, it was just a feat to walk through the snow as it came up to his thighs. Alyssa's friend came over to join in the snow fun and her parents (who are from Michigan) said this is more like Michigan snow than Utah snow. (Great, never wanted to live in Michigan, may not even want to visit).

At least I'm done Christmas shopping (if we don't have it, we ain't gonna get it) and don't have to leave my house (except to go to the gym tonight) again. We are hoping the snow lets up so we can travel to Idaho ( possibly the only place colder and with more snow than us. I don't like cold, why do I always think it'll be fun to go to Idaho in December? I'm nuts or forgetful or both or huh?) I'm going to post a couple of pictures of the kids playing in the snow yesterday.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! I only mailed about half of our Christmas cards, so if you didn't get one, send me your address, and for the half I didn't get mailed out, enjoy a New Year's Card! :) Love to you all!

FIRST

I saw this on TJay's blog, and thought it was an interesting idea. I will attempt to answer these personal questions.

My Firsts

1. Who was your FIRST prom date? Matt Meanea.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? No

3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? N/A

4. What was your FIRST job? Subway and a pharmacy in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

5. What was your FIRST car? Hyundai Elantra - after I got married.

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? No one yet. (I'm not a very capable texter).

7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? TJay

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Ms. Silva

9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane ride? Nevada to visit my Dad.

10. Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends with him/her? Nope. Can't remember her name. I think it was Danielle.

11. What will be your FIRST thought when you wake up tomorrow morning? Do i have to really get up? can i snooze a bit more?

12. Where was your FIRST sleep over? It would have to be my cousins house with my parents there. My first on my own sleepover was probably at Sarah Dodson's house.

13. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? Kylie ( I wake her up in the morning).

14. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? My Dad's, with his 3rd wife.

15. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? snoozed my alarm

16. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? UB40

17. FIRST tattoo or piercing? ears, around 10 or 12.

18. Who was your FIRST kiss from? Danny Sims (3rd grade, at school, behind the cottonwoods).

19. Who was your FIRST boss? Ken Virgin

20. When was your FIRST detention? Never. I was a good girl.

21. What was the FIRST state you lived in? Nevada

22. Who was the FIRST person to really break your heart? dunno.

23. Who was your FIRST roommate? Dave (my brother).

Vomit and Candles

Vomit and Candles . . . we've reached a conscensus in our family, that is what our family room smells like. Okay, I know you are jealous. Right now you are thinking, "wow! how do I get my house to smell like vomit & candles?". Well, I'll give you the formula. First start off Saturday evening with a family dinner at JCW's (I LOVE JCW's). Everyone gets a burger, fries & a shake. Fat & happy comes to mind right now. Then you go to a dance recital where, unbeknownst to you, the dancer has a tummy ache. She dances, she visits with Santa, she comes home and lays down to watch a movie with the family. Then she comes to cuddle and says she doesn't feel very good. You say, do you need something? "no" Do you feel like throwing up? "no". Okay, cuddle with said child on dual recliner (note to self: never let a sick child cuddle with you on the new, nice sofa). A little time passes and child sits up and VOMITS. She is a very talented vomiter and a recliner has a LOT of crevices where vomit chunks can get to (you could tell what she had eaten for dinner - GROSS). After spending an hour and a half cleaning the floor, the table, the recliner, remote control, etc. The room still smells like vomit. Of course, it is Saturday night so you can't call a cleaning company to come over. Kylie said the room stinks, so I told her to mop the kitchen floor because the orange or lemon or whatever flavor lysol cleaner we have will possibly over power the vomit smell. It helped.

So today, when we got up and went downstairs, it still smelled like vomit (let me add - just for sympathy- that Lyssa got up and vomitted every hour last night until 6 this morning. At least she made it into the puke bowl or the bathroom). So, it being the Christmas season and Kylie having inherited her father's tendency to be a pyromaniac, There are about 10 candles lit and burning in the family room/kitchen. TJay found a cherry car smeller thing (probably the official name) and set it on the floor by the sofa, so when you're down there it smells like pukey-cherry. YUM! I've cleaned with every product that I have (TJay even sprayed Pledge, thinking it was air-spray) and still we have the puke smell.

Tomorrow, I call carpet cleaners and beg until I can find someone who can come tomorrow and clean the couch and the carpet. Yeah, that will be fun. I guess I'll spend my Christmas bonus on that. Well, if I wasn't expecting it, I can't miss it. Right? Anyway, that is how we have the delicious scent of vomit and candles. To smell for yourself, come on over, but hurry, it's here for a limited engagement (hopefully).

Sunday

I have had such a great Sunday! It began with fasting, which isn't my favorite - but this week I have a personal purpose. There is a little boy in who was in my nursery class who had cancer this summer, got his liver replaced and they thought it was gone. His hair is growing back, he got his PICKU out (feeding tube thingy) and was looking great. He is 2. His mom had a baby on Sunday, on Thursday they found out the cancer is back in his lung. So, tomorrow treatments begin again. Another girl from our ward had serious medical problems on her mission and is home trying to recover, still it's going to be a long haul. So, the ward was fasting for these two youngsters and their families. The opening prayer in Sacrament meeting was beyond inspirational - with everyone crying. It was too amazing to put into writing. Lyssa bore her testimony today, and sometimes sounds more like a 30 year old than a 9 year old. It was lovely.

Then in primary, Trey gave a talk about Jesus being born and the wise men coming and how we can be like him. Then I got to do my calling, which is singing "with" both the nursery classes. The babies (1 1/2 & 2 year old nursery) are so cute! They are getting to know the songs so well and love to sing the last word in each line. :) The big nursery (11 - 3 year old boys & 1 girl) gets a bit crazy. :) Love it! Since I sing in nursery, I get to go to Relief Society again, and that is always a spiritual treat, but with testimonies, it is always better.

I actually made a really yummy dinner (somehow fast Sunday dinners are always better). We had our hometeachers come - on the 1st Sunday no less. And I've read at least 5 articles in the December Ensign. I'm catching up with old friends & their families now through blog posts while watching the old claymation "Rudolph" show with my family. And, I made my favorite treat: sweet Chex mix. (Ok, so it's my favorite treat today). ;) I feel well-rested (I got a nap in also), well fed (physically & spiritually) and well-loved (played lots of games with Trey this afternoon). What a great way to end a great weekend!

Oh, lest I forget, we had the opportunity to see Jeff & Autumn (TJay's brother) and their kids Friday night and again on Saturday. The cousins don't get to play often since the ones from Idaho don't come down much and we don't go up much. They always have a great time together and are looking forward to seeing each other when we go up after Christmas. :) Love it!

I'm ready to start a new week and happily feeling the Christmas spirit which is the spirit of Christ!

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving was great! Here's the low-down, or down-low - whatever.

Wednesday we had a visit and lunch with Grandma & Grandpa Cash (on their way to Dave & Robyn's). Then we met up with Obo & Aba (TJay's parents) and drove down to Price where we ate at Grog's (very, very yummy food); then we continued down to Moab where we had rented a house: 3 bedroom, 3 bath, living room, full kitchen - it was very nice (for the same price as a motel room).

Thursday we woke up to rain - it poured all day - but we still went to Arches National Park. It was very cool to see the park in the rain, we didn't hike that day, but could still drive around and see the park. We ate at Denny's (it was open and we didn't need reservations) and went to the movies. The kids & I saw Bolt (Ky & I wanted to see Twilight, but Trey won out); TJay & his parents saw James Bond.

Friday the rain had stopped, but it was still very cloudy. We hiked to some arches and saw the northern part of the park. It was fun to see the park partly covered in clouds, it brought a whole new dimension. We ate pizza at Zax (again, very good food).

Saturday was our final day of vacation and the sun was out & bright! We hiked to the windows, double arch and the others in the lower part of the park. It was outstanding! We had the best time and loved all of the climbing and hiking. We went to Green River and ate at Ray's Tavern (it was then we realized that everywhere we ate - except Denny's - was a bar). Very yummy hamburgers!

We had the most fun and loved our little holiday vacation!

Tagged!

I got tagged . . . here are the rules:

1. Go to your pictures file.

2. Go to the 4th file.

3. Go to the 4th picture.

4. Post it and tell the story.

I tag: TJay (who has to do the 5th picture in the 5th file, since we share pictures); Nisa, Julie & Gina.

This is a picture of Alyssa (5 years old) and Treyson (1 1/2 years old - notice the beautiful blonde curls!) collecting eggs Easter morning 2005. We love to egg hunt, and after the initial finding of eggs, we take turns re-hiding and re-finding (this can last for hours). We still love doing that. I have to include a second picture of Trey & Kylie (8 years old) looking for eggs.

Aren't they cute?

Tagged!

I got tagged . . . here are the rules:

1. Go to your pictures file.

2. Go to the 4th file.

3. Go to the 4th picture.

4. Post it and tell the story.

I tag: TJay (who has to do the 5th picture in the

TWILIGHT

Well, you knew it was coming . . . the Twilight report. It was AWESOME! My cousins wife's sister (ya, follow that one) rented out a theater for the Twilight premier. So a few cousins, Kylie, Robyn Cash & I went along with 160 other people (I actually saw a former neighbor there while we were in line). There was popcorn & soda waiting for us (Kylie heard some lady say, "why do they get special treatment?!"). We had great seats: 3rd row center (the upper 3rd row, not the too close to the screen 3rd row). Gina (cousin's wife) and her sisters made apple cookies for everyone, handed out "party favors": prizes for best dressed (aka: wearing t-shirts) and spa coupons to everyone! They really made a party out of it. They are too cute!

We loved the movie & can't wait to go see it again (Lyssa gets to come with us next time). I loved the actors they chose, the cheesy parts, the not-so cheesy parts, everything. My favorite parts were the vampires running & jumping and when Alice killed James. :) After the movie, Gina's mom had a party at her house with a Twilight cake (we didn't go there because I'd been sick). It was great! If they do it again for New Moon - we are totally there! I can't wait for New Moon to come out! Thanks for the fun, Gina!

This ends the TWILIGHT report.

There is gross info below.

Read at your own Risk!!

Sick: I've been sick for almost a week now! YUCK. I HATE being sick. It began last Tuesday (Nov. 11) with a telltale throat tickle. I tried treating with natural rememdies, then added my prescription decongestant (left over from last spring's sinus infection). By Tuesday (18th) I was sooooooo miserable, I went to the doctor and got an anti-biotic and nose spray (stay on the decongestant). He said I had a sinus infection & ear infection. By Wednesday, it had moved into my chest for a little bronchitis. (Sad that I'm so sick often, I know exactly what I get and when). Luckily Wed & Thurs were half days at school, so I could go there and come home to nap. Friday was no school, but I woke up feeling a bit nauseous. When Trey went to school, I took the girls to the mall to get Twilight shirts (only feeling like vomiting a couple of times), went to see Robyn at work and puked on University Ave in Provo. Picked up Trey, went home, vomitted, napped and woke up to go to Twilight (I'm crazy, but I couldn't NOT go - and I felt better after the last trip to the bowl). I thought it was my amoxicillin that made me sick. So on Saturday, after I was feeling better, I took the amoxicillin with food, so I'd be ok. Well, you guessed it, sick again. So, now that I'm feeling a bit better - and eating again, I'm NOT going to take the meds again. I guess I'll call the doc tomorrow and see if I should take something else since, I'm only half-way through the 10 day kill the bug spree. But, I'm feeling a little better - Finally! :)

Smokin . . .

Well, I decided to vacuum on Saturday (dang cold weather, I should be at the lake on Saturday), that was my first mistake. I was vacuuming the living room and heard a funny noise. Then I smelled smoke. Then I looked down and saw smoke billowing out of my vacuum cleaner. First I hollered, then I turned the blasted machine off, unplugged it and set it outside. It is now in residence in the garbage can. I went to buy a new one (I was only part way done with the front room), and TJay said he'd come and we'd look at TV's. So, what did we come home with? If you guessed a new vacuum, you'd be wrong. We bought a TV (TJay's story will differ, he'll claim it was all me, he didn't want to buy one, yada-yada). So, I guess I get to go on Monday to purchase a new vacuum, again not finished vacuuming. So, if you come over, don't look at my half vacuumed front room (or, maybe do, but only the vacuumed side not the unvacuumed side. Kind of a glass half full sort of scenerio). If you have any advice on what kind of a vacuum to get (think cheap; not bagless) then please let me know. :)

TWILIGHT!!

TWILIGHT!!TWILIGHT!! I am soooooooooo excited. I've been reading Midnight Sun online and it's getting me so excited for the movie on Friday! I'm also totally thrilled to be going with my sweet Kylie. She is so excited, especially to see Jacob (a total hottie - according to Ky). She is so excited too. We've been looking forward to this for a long time.

In other exciting news . . . I had a date last night with my sweet Lyssa. We had the most fun. We started out going to the chiropractor for adjustments and a 10 minute massage (Lyssa's first professional massage). We went to Chili's for dinner and ate dessert first - just in case we didn't have room for it after we ate our dinner. Then we took Trey to Dave & Robyn's for his sleepover (we always love to see Dave & Robyn!). Then we went to Roberts and after looking over the entire store for the perfect craft, we found what we wanted to do: paint. So we bought some way cute things, rented a chick flick and went home to watch a movie & do crafts. We made hot cocoa, of course, while we painted and watched. It was great to have some one to one time with Alyssa. Sometimes she feels left out, being the middle child and all, but I want her to remember that she is an important and loved part of our family!

Treyson . . . can't be left out. Friday he had his Adaptive PE test (gross motor skills) and he ROCKED! Last year when he was tested, he scored at 13% (7% is severely delayed; 12% is moderately delayed; 50% is normal). So the district supervisor qualified him for services. After one year: The supervisor thinks Trey's score will be around 60-70%! That is a huge difference in a year. The man testing Trey was so suprised at how far he was getting on the test. Treyson even did things on his own that he needed to be tested on. Treyson is awesome & I'm so proud of him! (Even if he didn't want to come home from Dave & Robyn's and wanted a longer sleepover). :)

TJay . . . this is a longer blog than I'd planned, but I can't leave my sweetie out. He is leaving for Seattle tomorrow. He'll be gone to a PASS conference for SQL for the week. Back on Saturday, we will miss our Daddy! He will have a lot of fun and do a lot of networking and learn a lot, so that is good. And, while he is gone . . . TWILIGHT!! (I had to return to it).

Just Happy

This is just a happy blog, so if you're grumpy go ahead and skip it. :) I'm just feeling good today (maybe because I don't have to go to the gym until tonight, so I'm having a leisurely computer morning).
Kylie is a BEAR to get up in the morning: it goes like this, "Kylie, get up" (kind of softly spoken by me). "KY, it's time to get up" (hollered a bit more harshly). "Kylie get out of bed NOW! You're going to be late for school! (so, now I'm a WEE bit cranky & harsh). Sometimes it's repeated and lectures and yelling (both ways). Followed by "have a great day at school". (ya, right, like that's going to happen now.) So, after one of these all too harsh mornings (in which I yelled at my sweet hubby for suggesting I was being a bit too mean), TJay (who wakes up the same way Ky does - BAD) suggested I begin the mornings by just laying down with her and hugging her. So, I've tried that, I get up earlier so that I can crawl in bed next to my Ky and just lay there by her giving her hugs. Guess what? It works beautifully! Ky gets up (still not right away, but eventually), I feel good, we always get some time alone together (everyone else s still asleep), and the morning starts off beautifully. So, my mornings go better now. :)
Also, I was so worried last week about parent-teacher conference, it's always a bit nerve-wracking, sometimes parents suprise you with bad vibes. But 24 out of 27 parents showed up (yeah) and it went so well. :) And, it's over!
Wednesday, I get to go to a fireside to listen to one of my favorite authors (not Stephenie Meyer): Rachel Ann Nunes. She wrote the Ariana series which a fun LDS novel series. I'm excited for that.
More good news, we are finalizing our Thanksgiving trip to Moab plans and I'm so excited. We are renting a house with 3 rooms and a kitchen, for about the price of a motel room. We will be going to Canyonlands and Arches and I'm just getting excited for hiking around with the kids. We had such a great time last month, I'm excited to be going again.
Next week, our school has 2 half days and Friday off! woo hoo! I'm excited for that. Friday is my date with Kylie (and Robyn Cash and a bunch of webb cousins) to see Twilight! In Kylie's words, "the guy who plays Jacob Black is a hottie!" (she is right, have you seen pictures of him?) The other two get to play with Uncle Davey, since Daddy will be gone to Seattle all next week (i feel a chocolate pancake dinner coming up).
So, anyway, I'm just happy right now. (knock on wood). And happy I got to sit and get caught up on my friends' blogs and blog a bit this morning. I love lazy, rainy mornings. I don't have to go in to work until 11:30. Perfect! (Gina, thanks for drawing an eye for me - it's up on the bulletin board because it's our eye unit now.) :)

Election Blues

Well, it's sad but true, Sarah Palin won't be in the white house (I pretended it was her running). Now we have 4 years of Obama. I keep hearing, give him a chance, he may turn more centrist than far left. Pelosi & Reid may not run away with a huge liberal agenda. So, I will wait and see. I will support President Obama until he proves that liberal socialism is what his true identity is. I hope the Democratic rulers will right the economy, better public education and save social security. I also hope they'll take care of the oil crisis and stay in Iraq until it's safe for us to leave - and not have to go back later to finish the job. I hope Obama finds Osama (that's just fun to say) and the major test will be handled better than Biden seems to think it will be. I wonder if Obama will find as he sits in the Oval Office that it's not as cut and dried as he thinks it will be. I hope he doesn't bankrupt coal companies and cause more job loss. So I will pray for my country, for my leaders, and hope for the best.

Halloween

I don't know how to do those cute collages. :) But I still wanted to post all of our wonderful spooks for this year.

Kylie was a "dead corpse bride". She bought a bride outfit and splattered it with "blood". The funny thing is one of her good friends from school did the exact same thing (same dress even) and they didn't plan it. They had talked about being goth brides, but then didn't plan it out anymore. I guess great minds think alike. :) Her friend came over to trick-or-treat and have a sleepover, so they looked like twins.

Alyssa was a beautiful brunette witch. Our neighbor didn't even recognize her with long, BROWN hair. She loved it and as always is so generous. She loved getting made-up. She even got to wear her costume to her dance class this week and thought that was great!

Treyson is IRON MAN. He was so funny because when people would say, "hey, Iron Man". Trey would lift up his mask and say, "I'm really Treyson. I'm just being Iron Man for Halloween." He is such a funny fellow. We would start walking to a house and he would say, "that's not the house I want to go to", and he'd refuse to go. So, we went to some houses in our neighborhood, and some were skipped.

TJay was dressed up as a horror movie person (Ok, I'm bad at keeping them straight, he had a hockey-type white mask on, green jumpsuit - like prison clothes and a sword). He sat by the candy outside (unseasonably warm that night - NICE!) and would point with his sword to the candy when kids said "trick-or-treat". He hid his blackberry behind his sword and played games all night - and twittered.

I sprayed my hair black in the morning and Ky saw me and said, "mom, you're Bella". So, I was Bella Cullen (read Twilight). I decided I wanted to be Bella Cullen instead of Swan because she was beautiful and not so clumsy. We had lots of fun. We went to TJay's office to do trick-or-treating before heading home to the neighborhood. We have more candy than we should ever eat! :)

We love Halloween!

W

Birthday, Birthday, Pumpkin

Treyson's birthday is TODAY! I won't dwell on how my baby is 5! (who woke daddy up this morning with : "Dad, today is my birfday. Sing to me, dad!"). If I dwell on how old my kids turned this month, I'll turn into a babbling ball of mush. I'll wax poetic about my youth leaving quickly with the onslaught of older children (when the BABY is 5, that is bad!).

So, on with the happy. Trey's party was last Wednesday and we went to Vineyard Pumpkin Land. It was awesome! It's all centered on little kids: corn maze, "light alley" (with halloween, thanksgiving & Christmas lights on display), huge pumpkins (see picture), animals (goats, rabbits & fowl), and blow up toys: slides, jumping pit. It was so much fun and so easy to do. We finished with cupcakes and presents back at the house. Treyson had the most fun! He had a great day today and told everyone he saw that today was his birthday. My 3rd grade class sang to him and he loved it.

Alyssa turned 9 on Saturday. She had a late night Friday night with a few of her closest friends! They had a scavenger hunt, watched a movie, ate pizza & cake, played night games & sardines, then presents and home. It was tons of fun. Alyssa is such a fun girl and she has super sweet friends. They made a "dress" for her out of the gift wrapping crepe paper. She layed on the floor, so it wouldn't fall off. Some of the girls are in my school class & so it was probably kind of weird for them at first. But, after all, it was their buddy "lyssa" and they are such a fun close group of girls that we just had a great time! On Saturday, the kids & I went to see High School Musical 3 with Robyn and her nieces and nephew. We had a great time! We love HSM3.
Kylie got to attend a BYU women soccer game with the ward YW/YM (again we're getting close to the blubbering with a daughter old enough to go to YW). She had a great time!

Now to the pumpkins. Anyone who knows TJay, is aware of his artistic ability. Add pumpkins to that ability and you get a "serious" night of jack-o-lantern creating! This year we invited Dave (party pooper) and Robyn to join us for dinner and carving (I did tell Robyn to bring knives, incase we weren't so good at sharing - each of our kids has their own. I told you we were serious!) Dave ended up being a great helper as he was the picture taker and the knife-weilder for Trey. (It saved me from having to interrupt my pumpkin carving time). We had so much fun and have 5 awesome pumpkins to prove it. We love OCTOBER! It's so exciting at our house.

Fall Vacation to Southern Utah

Our Moab Vacation

For fall vacation (UEA) we went with our friends the Richins and the Larsons to Southern Utah for 3 fabulous days! We had so much fun. This became one of my favorite vacations. We each rented a small cabin in Green River ($42/night - can't beat it) and cooked outside and had campfires (like camping without the tent and less dirt and actual mattresses). Friday we went to Arches National Park and hiked for 3 hours to see Delicate Arch (above). It was beautiful and totally worth the walk. An older couple from Seattle were there and saw Trey not wanting to walk anymore and they challenged him to see who could get there first. They were great & we saw them quite a bit as both their and Trey's pace were the same. He was excited when "we won".

We even saw some neighbors, the Camp's, there. :) It was also fun to climb into the holes and crevices. After Arches we went up Negro Bill Canyon and played on the sandy beach and watched some river rafters coming home from rafting the Colorado.

Then we went shopping (look for the kids' Moab shirts and hats at slick rock) and had dinner at Zax. Zax is a pizza/pasta place where we had to wait for a little over an hour. It was so delicious that the kids said it was worth the wait! This was after waiting until 7:30 to eat! It was great, if you go to Moab, go to Zax (they should be paying me for the good words!).

On Saturday, we went to Slick Rock. Our friends brought bikes, but we decided not to, so we hiked and climbed and it was great. Josh (5) couldn't ride on slick rock, so Lyssa rode his bike. His was the only bike without gears and she totally kept up and kept going. She is such a little daredevil, but she loved it!

This is us at slick rock with the matching t-shirts and hats. (right)

After slick rock we went to Dead Horse Point (incredible) and Canyonlands where we saw the Mesa Arch (above left). The amazing thing about the Mesa Arch is the sudden, shear drop off directly behind. The arch itself is on the edge and the view behind is amazing! It quickly became my favorite! We're debating on which picture to use for our Christmas cards this year.:)

TJay and Kevin pointing out "horseshoe bend" at Dead Horse Point State Park.

We went to another yummy place to eat and had scones (at Zax we had tried the pizza that had crust, honey, chicken and mozarella - it was amazingly good, but put us in the mood for scones and honey). We went to a fun park for lunch and the kids loved playing on the playground. There were 3 different playgrounds and one had musical instruments that even the big kids loved!

Sunday came, time to check out. We wanted a fun, relaxing Sabbath and drove to Goblin Valley to just play and explore and climb (Trey's favorite - and Lyssa's). Okay, so we all had fun climbing and playing make-believe (we had light sabers, of course). We played hide & seek. We had a great time! Then we took the scenic route home: over the San Rafael Swell, up through Emery county to Price and home. We returned home late and tired, but all of us agreed it was a great vacation!

Trip to the Zoo

Here is my class - 27 8&9 year olds! They're great and we have a lot of fun!

Our 3rd grade took a field trip to Hogle Zoo last Wednesday. It was so much fun! The weather was perfect. No kidding, it was the last warm day. It wasn't too warm, but we didn't need jackets either. We ran around like crazies - looking for each animal class. We saw the white alligator - not an albino, he had blue eyes. I was lucky to be able to hang out with Lyssa for part of the day. She's not in my class, but she's in 3rd grade so she was there. This was the first field trip I was able to go on with her. So much fun!!

This is a picture of Alyssa with her friends Makenna and Cassidy.

Update

My friend woke up a bit last night! She was able to answer questions by squeezing her husband's hand and was able to write a note. The note was exactly what I would think she would write. So, she remembers her husband, having a baby, how to write. This morning the sun can shine. She is still so much in our prayers. Prayers are powerful! Happy Day!

Happy & Sad

I wanted to get online and blog about my awesome birthday yesterday! I had the greatest day. Jewelry from my wonderful family. A 3 hour post-church nap. A little "dancing with the stars" on the DVR (I'm so behind). Thoughtful gifts from friends & neighbors. Dinner and cake at a friend's house with a suprise visit from one of my students and his family. The kids played and had fun. The dads talked. The moms visited. It was a great evening! I loved it!

This morning I was informed that a good friend is in the hospital in ICU after giving birth to her 6th child. It just happened yesterday and no one knows what will happen or when. My heart is breaking for her sweet family. She is the kindest, most thoughtful person I know. She has taught me so much just by being my friend and a great example to me. I will carry a prayer in my heart for her and her family until she can be well again and return home. I love you, EM!

Our YW volleyball player

Well, Kylie went to a YW volleyball practice on Thursday (her first time ever playing) and a game today. She rocked! She made so many points and saves and she scored points on her serves. She is a natural athlete, she seems to excel at whatever she tries. She definitely didn't get her hand-eye coordination from her Mom! One of the refs even came over and said she should be playing rec volleyball and try out for 7th grade team. So, a little MOM bragging about my beautiful and talented daughter. It was fun for her family to get to watch her play also!


We also helped Dave & Robyn Cash move into their new home this morning. It was fun to see Robyn's family again. Dave & Robyn have a beautiful home and the kids love it. Trey said "it's awesome!" They have rocks in their backyard (rock walls) and Trey loved climbing up. The girls made a "fort" out of all of the moving boxes upstairs in the "girls room" (yes, all of the nieces have a room to share that is thiers). Everyone had a great time and we were happy we could help the newlyweds get settled.

Treyson

It is amazing how time can "heal wounds", whether they be physical, mental or emotional. I'm sitting here with Trey a couple of feet from me playing Nintendo, his latest obsession. He is able to play it by himself. He knows how to play it. He can hear it. He can move his little fingers to move the joystick controller and press the little buttons. Most amazingly, he can clearly say, "mom, it's time for me to play Nintendo". It makes all of the years (3 so far) and hours (too many to count) of classes and doctors and driving worth it. To have a sweet little boy who just 2 short years ago was labeled "moderately developmentally disabled" in many areas (fine motor, gross motor, speech) with some "autistic tenets"; now he is only "age-appropriate delayed" and no autistic signs. What wonderful words that we had hoped beyond hope to hear. After two girls who raised themselves, taught themselves and were relatively easy; I've decided that actual parenting and teaching is hard! :) I love my boy!!

Hello blog world

Okay, I admit that I'm technologically challenged - that is why I married a techno genius. But, apparently, EVERYONE is online blogging now, and I've had fun reading blogs, so I'll give it a try. I guess it'll sort of be an online diary without all the nitty gritty stuff (if you're lucky, I'll add the nitty gritty. I guess if I figure out nitty-gritty).
So, we are in the midst of "birthday season". Birthday season begins August 16th with TJay's birthday (39 this year, still very YOUNG at heart).
Then we continue to September 26 with Kylie. She turned 12 this year and so it was a HUGE celebration! There was best friends at a sleep-over, Color Me Mine (very fun), glitter nails (thanks, Kath), pizza, ice cream, pop and candy (to help us stay awake), chocolate pancakes ( a sleep-over staple so all the friends wish they were Belts and could have brownies and frosting for breakfast too), bracelet making and then running all over the place to deliver friends to their various homes, soccer games, etc.
Continuing on with birthdays, mine is in a week (October 12 - gifts are welcome). Keri (my cousin) and I have birthdays 2 days apart and decided we would be 22 this year. We pretty much decide on our new age around the time our birthday approaches. We were 29 for quite a few years. That's an enjoyable age.
Then, Alyssa is October 25, and she will turn 9 this year. She wants a skating party, but we'll have to see how ambitious I'm feeling. :) Trey finishes us up on October 29 (because I teased Keri about her daughter being a "spooky baby" because she was born on the 28th, it's my comupance). Treyson may be having an early birthday party this year, because that last week in October is packed! Then birthday season is over for the next 10 months.
I'm going to post this and decorate my page and find other blogs. Look at me go . . .