Holiday Hangover

Is anyone else confused as to what exactly happened over the past 31 days? I know that for me, more than any other year, the holidays were a blur. And, more than any other year, I am welcoming with open arms the end of the holiday season with the hope of more quiet, peaceful, stress-free days. Part of the reason, no wait, the majority of the reason for my confusion is the fact that I didn't begin any holiday preparations until the 16th, after I had taken the last of my finals.

I tried to squeeze in as much holiday cheer for my kids as I possibly could, but I know I fell short compared to years past. Here is a list of our December doings:

• Had a pizza/movie night at home - Curious George "A Very Monkey Christmas". We hope to continue this tradition, and as the kids get older maybe we can enjoy some of the Christmas classics.
• Went to a live Nativity. Very spiritual and uplifting, even with whining children because it was so, so very cold.
  
• Made a Christmas countdown chain.
• Brian and I went to La Caille for Brian's work party. Neither of us had ever been there and I think we both agreed that while the food was good, we would never go there on our own and pay out of our own pockets. Word was that the cost per couple was $280.00 - no thank you!
  
• Took the kids to Thanksgiving Point for the fourth year in a row. We met up with some friends (Heather & Julie and families) at Heather's home beforehand for a delicious clam chowder dinner. Then we bundled up all the kids and took the horse-drawn wagon through the lights display. Afterward, we went to see the live reindeer and had some very, very chocolaty hot cocoa.
  
• Went to see the new animated version of "The Christmas Carol" for my dad's company party. I think this was the third year his company rented a theater for their annual party and we love it! All the adults in the family get to go, and drinks, popcorn, and candy are provided. My dad was honored this year with travel voucher for having worked with the company for 15 years. I loved the movie, except all the moving/flying motions made me a bit queasy.
  
• Had our annual grandkid party, complete (as always) with new matching pjs for all the kids courtesy of grandmom and grandpa. Grandma decided to forgo the traditional gingerbread house decorating, which was replaced with candy-making. The kids had a lot of fun and each walked away with a plate full of goodies that included: chow mein drops, chocolate covered peanut clusters, fudge, sugar cookies decorated as santa, and chocolate covered rice-krispie lollipops.
  
• Enjoyed a kid-free night at our annual adults-only game night. Mom and Dad had dinner catered by Cafe Rio (YUM!) and then we all laughed until our sides hurt playing the Name Game, Scattegories, and Catch Phrase.
  
• Studied my brains out and took my finals. My motivation and typical dedication was squashed this semester because of my pregnancy. Up to this point I have been a straight "A" student, but I knew I wasn't going to keep that record. By the end of the semester I just hoped I would get the required C+ for acceptance into the nursing program. I surprised myself when I ended up with a B+ in Physiology and an A- in Chemistry - not too shabby.
  
• Went to our ward Christmas party - Ashlyn finally got to show Santa the horse picture she had been saving and carrying around for a month.
• Made a shload of gifts and surprisingly got them all finished on time. Like every year I didn't take any pics of my hand-made gifts, which I regret. But here is what I made: 6 seek & find games, 12 quote blocks, 9 soap bottles, 2 hooded towels, 1 ABC book, 4 calendars, and Valentines Day decor.
• Sang Jingle Bells over, and over, and over again.
• Took Ashlyn and Trent to see "The Princess and The Frog" - cute, CuTe, CUTE! Taking the kids to a movie is a tradition we started last year and hopefully will continue in years to come.
  
• Read Christmas stories by the lights of the Christmas tree.
• Made cookies for Santa - Ashlyn's favorite, molasses. She seriously can not get enough of them. She calls them "brown sugar cookies" and would eat a dozen a day if I let her.

• Had our annual Christmas Eve fondue dinner which was delicious as always - my personal favorite meal of the entire year.
  
• Left cookies and milk out for Mr. C, and sprinkled reindeer food on the snow for dasher, dancer and friends - it worked! Santa paid us a visit and we all got spoiled. My favorite gift this year was a book given to me and all my siblings entitled "Henry" written by my dad. It is a 500+ page book about the life of my grandpa and it is amazing! I am half-way through and am loving every bit of it. I would probably be done by now if I didn't have to still be a mom ;o) I can't wait for the rest of the family to read it.
• Spent Christmas day with family and wore ourselves out opening present, after present, after present.
• Spent several post-Christmas days doing nothing at all!

I realized when doing this post that my picture-taking in December was rather lopsided. I actually didn't take many pictures in December, but of the ones I took 90% of them involved Ashlyn because she was just more into all the hub-bub of the holidays. Sorry Trent!

Trent Turned Two

Oh, this post is so very, very overdue. I have only one excuse: school. Trent turned two on November 14 and we had such a fun party to celebrate him. The theme was Buzz Lightyear, his current hero.

We decorated with lots and lots of stars, green and purple crepe paper and balloons, and a ginormous Buzz Lightyear mylar balloon.

The party started out with dinner - pizza planet pizza wheels, galactic smokies, out-of-this-world spinach dip, oranges, and salad. Then we had the kids make there own galaxies (aka: snowglobes). We used empty aqua pod water bottles (which look like rockets), added stars, glitter, and planets (beads), filled them with distilled water, added some blue food coloring, put in a couple drops of glycerin, and super-glued the lids shut. Then the kids shook them up and their galaxies swirled to life. Super fun and easy.

After the craft we had the kids "walk on the moon." Since we couldn't really have a bounce house indoors, Brian brought home a humongous roll of bubble wrap from work which was folded into about five layers and we let the kids loose on it. A dream come true - what kid doesn't love popping bubble wrap?

Then Trent got spoiled with presents and we had star-shaped sugar cookies, cake, and ice cream cones.

To end the night, Trent passed out Buzz Lightyear flashlights to all his cousins - an awesome find from Walmart, of all places.

I love a good party and I think this one was a success! And now I have to get busy planning Ashlyn's 4th birthday party :o)

Hallelujah!

I took my last final last night and I am so happy today! No more teachers, no more books...for at least 8 months!! WOOHOO! I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I am going to be able to spend more time with my kids, finish a bunch of projects, have more time to look for a home, shower EVERY day, cook, and maybe even exercise!

I celebrated last night by cozying up next to the fire and cuddling with my kids. It was fabulous! Now, I need to kick it into high gear. There is so much I need to do to get ready for Christmas. So many presents to buy and make and wrap. Wish me luck!

People CAN Change

I am currently working on a Christmas project that has required me to search through my files upon files of photos. Through this tedious search, I came across these old pics:

When I showed Brian the photos, he couldn't believe it. The first picture was taken on Brian's birthday in January '08, just before he decided to start loosing weight. I have to admit that when he first told me he was going to change his eating habits and start working out, I didn't take him very seriously. Why? Because up to that point he never cared about what he looked like or much about his health. It took a very high blood pressure reading to make him realize that he needed to change something. And he did. And he has kept off 65 pounds for over a year now. He shows serious self-control when it comes to food and he exercises at least 5 times a week. Of course I will love him no matter what he looks like, but I am very proud of him and what he has accomplished.

Stay tuned for a post about my baby boy's 2nd birthday...

The Naked Man

Brian went on a "company retreat" last weekend to this lovely bit of heaven:

"Situated 23 miles southwest of the San Francisco International Airport, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay provides a magnificent backdrop for the perfect Northern California coast vacation. Whether you are roasting marshmallows and making s’mores in your own terrace fire pit or relaxing on the bluff after a rejuvenating spa treatment, our Resort offers a stunning destination for your next getaway. Enjoy innovative cuisine in our ocean-view restaurants, two championship golf courses and miles of walking trails at the most romantic setting in Northern California."

But this post really isn't about his weekend of luxury, or the fact that I didn't get to go, but rather spent the weekend tending to a very sick little girl while not feeling so hot myself. Yes, I am harboring some resentment. Anyway, this post is about what happened while Brian was retelling to me some of the events of his getaway. Here's how it went:

I was laying in bed Sunday morning while Brian was ironing church clothes and he began telling me about his trip. At one point Ashlyn had made her way into our bed to cuddle up next to me, as she often does in the mornings. Brian continued his story-telling, not really thinking that Ashlyn was paying any attention. And then he stated, "Oh, and I saw a naked man this weekend."

This immediately sparked some interest in Ashlyn. She was all ears. Brian then started telling me about the layout of the hotel, leading up to how he saw said naked man. Ashlyn didn't like this shift in the conversation and pretty soon she piped in with, "Daddy. Wait. Pause the story. Where was the naked man?"

After a good laugh, Brian continued on with the story. Most of the rooms face the ocean and as Brian and a fellow co-worker were walking along the path leading down to the beach, Brian noticed that several doors were open. As he passed the first door, he looked and saw a cleaning crew. The second door, nothing. But lo and behold, standing in the doorway of the third open door, a naked man. Completely nude. Facing the ocean with his hands on his hips.

Ashlyn: So, where was the naked man?

Followed by: I wish I could see a naked man.

And then: What room was he in?

So, if you see Ashlyn and she tells you that her daddy saw a naked man, or that she wishes she could see a naked man, you'll know why.

Spooktacular!

Halloween 2009 features:

The-rootinest-tootinest-cutest-cowgirl-you-have-ever-seen-in-a-tutu.

What, you've never seen a cowgirl in a tutu? Go ahead and google it. I promise I'm not so far off on this one. Plus, with how stinkin' cute she is, I wouldn't doubt that you'll be seeing more cowgirls in tutus in the future. Could be the hottest new trend of 2010.

And:

SUPER TRENTERS!!

Never fear, Super Trenters is here! Whenever you are in trouble, he'll be there. Rain, snow, wind, or hail, he'll be there to rescue you...unless, of course, he is taking a nap and then you are flat out of luck.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Charm or Crowd?

Some say, "third time's the charm."

Others say, "three's a crowd."

So, which is the number three?

A charm?

Or a crowd?






I'm not sure, but we're going to find out on June 13th 2010!

**I wish I was the type of woman who could have kept this a secret for longer. But, it is getting increasingly harder to act happy and healthy when I feel so nauseated and tired all the time. Unlike my lovely sister, I do not enjoy being pregnant. It's a good thing the end result is worth it!

Photo Op

Somebody was in a great mood and looking quite smashing, so I could not resist pulling out the camera and snapping a few shots. What a handsome little guy!

I just love this guy so much. I can't believe he will be two in just over a month! He has grown up so much in the last year. Here are a few facts about Trent at 23 months:

• Has to have his blankie and puppy every night for bed.
• Counts to 10 all by himself!
• Loves watching Caillou, Dragon Tales, and Thomas.
• Prefers a plain piece of bread over a PB&J.
• Talking up a storm - says 3 & 4 word sentences.
• Favorite breakfast food is oatmeal.
• Drink of choice is chocolate milk - crazy kid ;o)
• Loves story time with mommy.
• Can identify square, heart, star, circle, and "triangogo".
  
• Becoming increasingly more cuddly and always wanting to be held.
• Gives the meanest looks of any kid I've ever met.
• Sings these songs all by himself: Twinkle Twinkle, Patty Cake, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Row Row Row Your Boat. Actually, most of the time he doesn't really sing, but yells the songs with his "angry face" on!
  
• Newest trick is to move a kitchen chair across the kitchen floor, climb up, and raid the candy dish - Grandma always keeps a full candy dish.
  
• Bath time is a favorite, along with post-bath cuddle time.
• Hates being strapped into a shopping cart which means it is getting harder and harder to take him anywhere.
• Loves playing with balls.
• Ultimate favorite past time is wrestling with daddy.

A Movie Set

I recently met a lady who had moved to Utah from California four years ago. I am always curious to know why people move to Utah and so I asked. She immediately responded with, "I love the four seasons! Oh, and the mountains! Every day when I go outside I feel like I'm on a movie set."

I too love the mountains. And I have always loved living in Utah. I have no desire to live anywhere else. But, having lived here my entire life, I feel like I take the "movie set" for granted. Not everyone gets to be surrounded by such beauty, and I just do not go up enough. Whenever I do go to the mountains, I feel more at peace, more relaxed, more...I don't know, complete? A trip to the mountains is definitely good for the soul.

So, in between the morning and afternoon conference sessions on Saturday, we took the family up to Sundance and rode the tram. It was beautiful. We were even lucky enough to see a hawk flying overhead. The mom in me was a little nervous about the lack of seat belts, but the kids did great. They both just sat and admired the scenery. The height actually made Ashlyn a little nervous. She kept saying, "I'm not sure about this high."

On the way back down the canyon, we stopped at Bridal Veil Falls so Ashlyn and Trent could pick some leaves. It was such a perfect afternoon that Brian and I decided to make it a yearly family tradition.

September Come & Gone

I swear it was just yesterday that I wrote my summer post and couldn't believe it was September. Now September is over and October is here! School has kept me extremely busy and I am finding less and less time to not only keep up on my own blog, but everyone else's as well. Nonetheless, September was a very fun and very busy month and definitely worth mentioning. So here it goes:

We took the kids to the state fair. They loved it. Me? Well, lets just say I'm not dying to go back next year. I usually love a good fair, but there were just too many people this year and we could barely maneuver the stroller . It didn't help that we happened to go on Fiesta night - oops.

We caved and spent an extra $4.00 so Ashlyn could ride a pony. It made her day, so yes it was worth it.

We went to the zoo to see all the babies - tigers, giraffe, and elephant oh my! This little guy made me want to change my major and become a zoo keeper...until I realized that although it would be fun to play with the baby elephant, I would also have to clean up the ginormous baby elephant poop, not to mention the even larger mama elephant poop. No thanks.

Ashlyn discovered a new pair of shoes - Wii remote covers. Love this girl. The other night I asked her if she wanted to go to the store with me, just the two of us. She usually loves one-on-one time with mommy, but she surprised me when she responded, "Um, no thanks." "What?!" "No thank you mommy." "Oh." She could sense my disappointment and so she came over and wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a kiss on my nose. Then she smiled, looked me right in the eye and said, "I still won't go with you."

I was lucky enough to go on a weekend getaway to Las Vegas with my girlfriends whom I have known for almost 20 years! Thanks so much to Brian, who did a great job playing solo. We had a blast!! I can't even say enough about it. We ate lots of great food, watched a couple chick flicks, talked, laughed, soaked in a hot tub, shopped, and even shed a few tears. My SIL Stacey met us for dinner and a movie on Friday night. She surprised us all by paying for our meals - she is the best. The highlight of the weekend was going to see Lion King at Mandalay Bay - AMAZING!!! The acting was amazing, the costumes were amazing, the stage and props were amazing, and the music was amazing. I would go again in a heartbeat. The only bad part of the show was that I wanted my kids to be there. They would have loved it. Don't worry, I made up for it by bringing them back a little bit of Vegas...

Even though was a busy month, I managed to do a little canning. Mmmm, homemade spaghetti sauce made from fresh garden tomatoes! I can't wait to try it, but it might be awhile. After all that work, I am hesitant to use them!

And just like that, September is gone. On the bright side, we welcomed in fall which is the most wonderful time of the year - in my humble opinion. And now that October is here, I get to pull out all my favorite pumpkin recipes. To kick things off, Ashlyn and I made pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing today. Delicious! And of course, it is Conference weekend which means that we will be having pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon syrup. I can't wait!

Addicted

A few minutes before my human physiology lab began tonight, a fellow peer walked in and asked if anyone in the room had a lighter, because "I really need a smoke before class starts." Sorry, I can't help you there. In fact, nobody in the room was able to come to her aide. She then proceeded to pace around the room, her eyes searching for something, anything to fix her dilemma.

In walks the teacher.
Student: "Hey, is there some sort of lighting device in the room?"
Teacher: "Huh?"
Student: "Is there something I can light a cigarette with?"
Teacher: "No, there's nothing like that in here. There are gases in this room."
Student: "Well, what do you use to light them?"
Teacher: "We don't! They would explode."
Student: "So, there's not a bunsen burner or something?"

HAHAHA...Are you kidding me?!

So, here's what I think: If you have to ask your physiology lab teacher for a bunsen burner so you can light a cigarette and feed your addiction, then you might want to consider quitting. I'm just sayin'.