Christmas Morning

My family Christmas party

Every year my family gets together to eat a nice dinner, exchange gifts, and get our annual Christmas PJ's from my mom. This was even more special because we didn't know if Alia would make it to the party. Three days before, she was in the hospital with severe pneumonia and they didn't think she would be released in time. Alia blessed the food as we all watched (she signs), it was truly a miracle.

We all had such a blast. My mom and dad bought the kids (3 grandkids) these cool scooters. They are the ones that when you swivel the handlebar back and forth they move. They're kind of like the "Turtles" I had when I was a kid, but these have a place for your feet and are much more sturdy. Funny thing, my parents got 4 - guess who the 4th one was for? My dad. He said it was his police scooter. He's such a little kid.

As part of the party, we take our annual family Christmas pictures. We do the traditional ones with the family and then we get to be ourselves. This year, the boys (and Crystal) got gym shorts for their PJ's and they all hiked them up (this also happens to be a tradition). We got some great pictures and even better memories. Probably the funniest moment of the night involves Jenna. We were taking her picture and she wouldn't smile and kept giving us these looks. She told me she wanted to look like a Bratz doll. We don't even own any and she knows she won't get any, but it's so funny that she wanted to look like one in the way she posed. Jason decided to post like a Bratz doll too.

Anyway, here are some pictures from the evening.

Jenna's Christmas pictures

My little angel

I wanted to share with everyone how much Jenna has done for me - she is my little angel.

On Monday I received some not-so-happy news, but since she's 4, I didn't tell her about it, but she picked up on the fact that Mommy was sad. I wanted to take a long bath to relax and while the water was running Jenna came down stairs and said, "I know what will help". I asked her what she meant and she said, "I know what will help make you happy". She ran upstairs to her room and came down with a picture of Jesus and said, "Jesus will make you smile".

I am so blessed to have a child that is so in-tune to my feelings. She is truly amazing and I love her so much. Whenever I am sad she asks me where my happy face is. If I'm mad at her, she asks me to put away my angry face. I don't think I could've asked for a better daughter.

Our Gingerbread House building project

Christmas Countdown

Yup - it's that time of year again and now that it's December 1st I can officially be "in the mood". OK, I'll admit - I am a complete grinch until we finish eating Thanksgiving Dinner and then I am all ready for Christmas to arrive. I found myself at Toys-R-Us on Black Friday at 5:45 (45 mins after opening). I wandered aimlessly through the packed aisles, I really didn't have anything that I needed to get, but I like to see what is going on and love to say "I was there". I walked out of Toys-R-Us about 5 minutes after I walked in, deciding that chocolate coin maker was not worth 2 1/2 hours of my time - my nephew wouldn't care if I got it for him, he's never heard of it anyway.
I had a few minutes before JoAnn's opened - that's the rendezvous spot I had planned with my mom. I walked over to Old Navy and found a long line there too. They do have some cute sweaters there, but I hate that when I buy something there for me it's inevitable that every time I wear it I'll see at least 3 other people in the same thing. I like to be an original (to an extent) so I walk out of there about 5 minutes later once again empty handed. Two stores and I have yet to buy anything - I'm pretty proud of myself.
I get back into my car and drive over to JoAnn's and find my mom and sister already in line. They are there for the 99 cent flannel - I am there to stand in line as they shop. I don't need anything there either, but I love having the company of my mom and sister, Suzanne. I leave my car at JoAnn's and go with my mom to the mall. There I make my first purchase - a new pillow for my husband, who has been using the same pillow since before we got married. (Yes, he knows about it already).
We went to a lot of stores and I found some great deals, including a new outfit for less than $50 from my favorite store, New York & Company. I also got a lot of shopping done and can proudly say that I'm almost done Christmas shopping!
By the time I get home, Jason and Jenna have gotten in the Christmas spirit (Jenna has been in it for a month or so). Jason has hung the star-lights on our house and turned them onto the setting that I like to call an epileptics worst nightmare - they flash pretty quickly. Jason has also gotten the tree out and all the Christmas decorations. It's now 2 pm and I've been up since 5:15 so I'm beat, but Jenna really wants the decorations up. I do get some rest, but pretty soon Jenna is ready to get Christmas started. She was determined to have an angel on our tree this year so when my mom was at Target she found one and we let Jenna put it on the tree.

24 days until Christmas and before I know it it'll be over and all the presents will be opened and Santa will be back at the North Pole resting from a long night's flight around the world. I'm sure he's preparing to grant as many Christmas wishes as he can and I know that he is watching all of us to make sure that we are doing good. I made sure that I added my change to the bucket next to the bell ringer at WalMart - it's not much, but every bit helps - if we all add a dollar, can you imagine how much of a difference it would make?

Sisters

Boy do I love these 2 - they crack me up and give me awesome advice! I am so lucky to be blessed with such great sisters. Crystal gives me great advice on what to do with my hair - and she's the one who's helping me get back to blonde. If you ever need a hair stylist - she does a great job (and no, I'm not biased in the least).
Suzanne is always there to help me and answer questions about children - she has 2 and they are Jenna's best friends. Suzanne is also very patient, more than I am. She never ceases to amaze me.
This picture was taken at my house when I hosted a Jafra party (makeup and skin care)

Jenna's new haircut

well, it's actually a few weeks old now, but I wanted to share it. She loves it and it fits her personality very well. She's very sassy. And no, I did not pose her, I just told her to pose!

50 years from now

I've been thinking a lot lately about my great-grandma and how lucky I was to get to know her. She has been in heaven for probably 20 years, but this week I have been thinking about her. I can remember walking with her outside of her small 1 bedroom house. The house had a tiny kitchen/dining room with no dishwasher (and I remember not wanting to eat off her dishes because she washed them by hand). You went up 3 stairs to her living area where she had old wooden gnome faces hanging on the wall and a crystal candy dish with circus peanuts in it (sometimes they were stale, which made them even better). She had a small laundry and bathroom with her tub and washer and dryer and in the other room was her bed. The outside of the house had wide, blue, wood siding and a white trim. If we walked to the side of her house, there was a honey suckle bush and there were some stairs that went down to her cellar. We always were afraid to go in there because there were spiders and who knew what else, but if grandma was with us, we were safe. She also had a beautiful rose garden and tall pine trees surrounded her house.
Detached from her house was her 1-car garage...and this is why I've been thinking about her. I remember her using all of her strength to pull open her garage door and closing it after her car was out. This past week my garage door reverted back in time and I have had to manually open and close my own garage door. My arm hurts and Jenna thinks I'm amazing all because of this garage door.
So, this is my question, how was it that she was content in a house smaller than the length of my bedroom & sitting room? Why am I concerned with having more room, more stuff, just more. I don't have to keep up with the "Jonses", but I do like to have a full closet of clothes (my closet is probably just a tad smaller than her bedroom). I have a whole room dedicated to my hobby, while she crocheted, knitted, and quilted all from her rocking chair.
My goal now is to remind myself that I don't NEED what I think I need - I am truly lucky that I have so much. In 50 years, will it matter? Will I even remember that I had that pair of shoes or the name brand clothes? I truly believe a simpler life is a much happier life - if only it were so easy to become that simpler person.

My Little Red Riding Hood

I am in love of these pictures of Jenna and wish I could take credit for taking them, but alas, Jason took the pictures. But, I can say the leaves were my idea! My mom has this apricot tree right beyond our back gate and the leaves were just perfect - and Jenna loved playing in them.
Wait, I can take credit for the costume though... believe it or not, I made this costume and am so proud of myself! My mom showed me what to do and I did it. Jenna had fun helping me tie all of the ribbons on the basket and I was able to get rid of a small (very small) portion of my ribbon stash.

For Jenny

Jenna has a special namesake, she was named after my best friend, Jennifer Ann, "Jenny". Jenny is Jenna's angel. Ten years ago this Halloween my world changed forever. My best friend, Jenny, died that evening at 5:01 pm going to a haunted house with some friends. I was living away from home and my mom, sister and brother-in-law drove 3 hours so they could tell me in person and be there to comfort me. I can only imagine the long drive that that was for them. I still remember it all too clearly. But, I am not going to dwell on that - she lived a wonderful life and changed my life forever and that it what I talk about.

I met Jenny my sophomore year in high school - we instantly clicked. We complimented each other very well. She once compared me to a mama chicken where I kept her in line, I think we kept each other in line. Jenny loved to dance and I loved to see her express herself in such a beautiful form. If you could see how my spirit dances, it would dance like she did. She was born in Germany and lived most of her life in Louisiana but moved to Utah just a couple years before I met her. People used to ask me to make her mad because that was when her Southern accent came out and for all of us that never left Utah it was a thrill and of course I obliged. We had a monthly fight just to blow off steam and would call each other the dumbest names we could think of like, "broken locker" and "empty carton of milk". I think that is what kept our friendship strong. I don't remember many fights, but people would ask if we were in one if we weren't together. We were inseparable. I knew that the drive to her house was 3.6 miles each way. I knew that if I took something out of her closet that she would say it looked good on me.

We spent Spring Break together and didn't now what to do, so we took our version of a road trip to Crystal Springs, about 40 minutes North of where we lived. We felt that that was the coolest thing ever. One New Years Eve we ended up singing to Belinda Carlisle's Greatest Hits because we couldn't decide which dance to go to.

I know Jenny is still with me - she helps me with so much. I know she is with Jenna - Jenna knows more about her than what I've told her and she loves to dance, just like Jenny. I am trying not to mourn this month, but it is so hard. It has taken years for me to become close to a friend again, for fear of that loss. Happy dreams don't come this time of year, I wish they would, but I will settle for no dreams over nightmares that I have had.

So Jenny, I will listen to our songs and write down my thoughts and await the day when we can meet again. I will greet you with open arms and know you will be there. We will smile and know that we are right back from where we left off. I miss you my dear friend and pray that are preparing my child to find my family. Tell him or her that I'll be a good mom and that I'm waiting as patiently as I can, but you know I'm not a patient person, so if you could, please send them soon.

It's been a month

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've updated - sorry.
I got an awesome job at a local elementary school and even though it's part time, it consumes my days. I am the SEM teacher and student council advisor - so my first job was to get student council going - that I am proud to say is now done! I have an awesome group of 8 6th grade girls who crack me up. They each have such wonderful personalities and I can't wait to get to know them better. Now, you ask...what is SEM? - It's the school-wide enrichment model. In a nutshell - enrichment is anything beyond core curriculum. I am over the gifted and talented program and teach those classes and also get speakers for assemblies, etc. It's a whole lot of work and I'm only allowed about 20 hours a week. It's wonderful though - this job was meant for me, it's what I love to do and what I really went to school for. I'm stressed, but it's a good stress.
In other news, I went to an awesome crop this weekend! It was in Idaho and up in the mountains in a cabin. My friend Misty (who rocks) invited me to come with her work. They had a ton of giveaways and I'm pretty sure I walked away with more than what I paid for the retreat. And we had someone who cooked the best food! Shockingly though, I was in bed relatively early both nights, about 2am and I was up around 9 for breakfast. I did over 20 layouts there and I am very proud of myself for that.
Well, I am off to bed - it has been a long weekend.

Jenna's Dance Debut - for the local high school drill team at a clinic

Jenna's first day at preschool - finally pics

Jenna's in Preschool!!!

Can you believe it? My baby is in preschool? She has gone twice now and she loves it - and I am relieved that she does. Her teacher is a sister-in-law to my high school spanish teacher (and probably one of my most favorite teachers). My little brother, Adam, had her for first grade and then Russell, my even younger brother had her in preschool.

Anyway, here are a few pics of her first day of school...ok, I WAS going to upload some pics but there seems to be a problem, so I'll try later (apparently blogger doesn't like DH's camera and how big the files are)

more California pics

ok, here's the video of my favorite song

Our vacation!

OK, Disneyland was awesome and was so much fun with Jenna and Jason there (especially Jenna, I love Jason, but really - Disneyland is so magical for little kids).
We left Saturday mid-morning and drove 7 hours until we got to south of Las Vegas, NV - a place called Primm and we stayed at a hotel where we heard the roller coaster until about 1 AM and then some sounds from the next room that I'm glad that Jenna didn't hear.
Saturday we drove into Anaheim and we were happy to find out our hotel was directly across the street from Disneyland, it took us less than 10 mins to walk out our door and get inside Disneyland! Jenna was so excited and then the first thing we did was take her on Snow White - oops, kinda scary! We then took her on some more fun rides like the Carousel (her favorite ride) and the TeaCups which I thought she would hate but she loved them and wanted to go faster and faster.
We met a lot of characters and my favorite was Goofy - he took the time and danced for awhile with Jenna, it was so cute and she loved it and it really helped her warm up to the other characters.
The princesses were of course Jenna's favorite by far...and paying the $70 for the 3 of us to eat at Ariel's Grotto was so worth it! We sat down to eat and 4 different characters came to our table and talked with Jenna for awhile. One of them was the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella (Jenna's current favorite story). Our waiter was awesome - couldn't have asked for a better waiter and then one of the royal court members came over and talked to Jenna because she was dressed like Snow White - he sounded exactly like Crush from Finding Nemo!

Well, I'm sitting outside and it's currently 100 degrees so I am going to finish this another time and go inside before I melt.

Check out my Slide Show!

My new favorite song

Seriously this song cracks me up and I love it!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=I_wQK0mHbuU