Sweet 16 to my Sonshine.

Finally, he got his laptop!

Sweet 16!

Enough pictures mom, really....

Not sure why he was SO determined not to smile on camera, must be a teenager boy thing.

Dear Christian...

You probably have heard this story a million times but I never want you to forget it and someday you will miss my constantly play by play of your birth. You were born on my grandmothers birthday back in 1994, so your Dad and I decided to use her fathers name... Christian. You're middle name is after your dad... Anthony. Somehow, you are turning 16! It's a big milestone. I have been at your side for every birthday and all those parties... the alien one, the army guy one, the cars, the Chuck E Cheese party, it all was joy to me. You have been one of the biggest gifts in my life. This birthday has caused me to look back over the years with a little sadness. It has everything to do with you only being 2 yrs away from 18. I can't look beyond that or it breaks my heart. You have grown into a handsome, strong, incredibly good young man my son, no wonder I was only blessed with one boy- I got the BEST!! I have every confidence in your future. I love you Chi Chi! Mom

Diet tip #1

Got a good diet tip today...

Eat BREAKFAST like a KING (or QUEEN)
Eat LUNCH like a PRINCE (or PRINCESS)
Eat DINNER like a PAUPER

and don't forget to play ball in your tiara!

In other words I need to do a 360 on my meals but it's doable!

Birthday Blocks

I made these little blocks to give the kids at church when they have a birthday since I'm in charge of them a little longer. It's kept me very busy this week. So far I've done 30 with 8 to go. I think I may now be a Modge Podge expert. It's fun stuff! The problem is that my sander is dull and needs a new belt before I do any more. My garage is one big pile of sawdust. LOVE getting my hands dirty but think I love using hubby's power tools most of all. My girls loved them, hope the other kids enjoy them too.

UPDATE as of January 17: I have finally passed the torch to the next willing parent and am no longer in charge of the children. I did hear them singing in church last Sunday and felt a twinge of sadness that the torch was passed but I also NEEDED to do something new and say goodbye to that, as hard as it was.

Answered Prayers

I was very blessed this past weekend. I had prayers answered. I mean COMPLETELY answered, down to the details. I am SO grateful. It makes it very obvious to me that I have a living Savior listening to my prayers everyday. I already knew this but it was such a powerful affirmation. I should never doubt it but sometimes I let stress take over my brain and my heart. I have been feeling so worn out and dried up spiritually lately... my spiritual "well was dry" as they say. Sometimes I doubt that my pleading is even getting past the ceiling and it seems many go unanswered. I should never doubt. Someday I will learn to wait on the Lord.... in His time and in His way answers come, not up to me or my time line. Patience, however, is not something I have in great supply, gotta work on that.

Here we go... 2010!!!

Goodbye 2009... I will NOT miss you!

Hello, New Year! So full of promise.... and repentance. Time to do the dirty work, the sweat equity, recommit to doing better when I've screwed up, and avoiding stepping in any mountainous piles of ca-ca.

This year, I will try to look at everyday as a new beginning.
I will learn from every slip.
I am one of the thousands that is determined to get in shape this year.
I want to eat better and get my kids to want to do the same.
I want to think of others and not be too focused on me that I do not see a need in someone else.
I hope I am able to feel more gratitude and have less of an "attitude".
I will organize this massive pile of clutter I call a home.
I want to be my kids example of courageous, strong, kind, gentle, and balanced.
I want to laugh more and open my eyes to all the precious, irreplaceable moments.
I will try to better all past & present relationships.
I want to do what God would want me to be doing with my time on Earth.
I will simplify.
Mostly, I just want to enjoy the journey.

And then I'd like to retire the letter "I" from my vocabulary. (As seen in the above list, far too overused).

To help me remember there were good moments in the past year I created a little video diary. Enjoy this little recap of 2009, I'm not so good at slide shows yet but here she is...

Where are you Christmas?

Is Christmas over.... really?
How did it fly by soooooooooo fast?!

Nutter Butter Santa's

First official day off school and my kids are already bored. I whipped out the melting chocolates & some goodies and we did these little cuties today to keep them busy! It was pretty fun getting covered with chocolate.

Tradition

Just wanted to think about the traditions that my mom and dad shared with me and my older brothers at Christmas all during my childhood...
*Driving around looking at Christmas lights wrapped in blankets, singing Christmas carols minus any male voices who usually protested, then returning home to have egg nog and pretending I liked it because everyone else did.
*Making cookies while the classic Christmas songs blasted on our old record player.
*Hanging Christmas cards on the back of our front door.
*Christmas Eve at my Grandma's house with all my cousins.
*Christmas morning ritual... wake up mom and dad, wait at the top of the stairs while mom and dad "check" to see if Santa came (they turn on tree lights).

Now I am grown and married and creating traditions for my own children, some new, some recycled...
*Decorate a gingerbread house (my son gets to shoot it up with his paintball gun on New Years Eve, his favorite part).
*Mattress Surfing (no snow here for sledding).
*Hang our Christmas cards on the back of the front door.
*Christmas Eve... we eat a Steak dinner by candlelight/Christmas light. We drive around town wrapped in blankets looking at Christmas lights and listening to music (returning home for hot chocolate). Watch "Scrooge" and "It's a Wonderful Life" while baking and decorating cookies.
*Christmas Day... up before the sun with excited kids (tree lights on a handy timer). Open gifts, eat lot's of candy. Watch A Christmas Story then go out for our Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra Chinese Christmas dinner. Read the story of Christs birth from the book of Luke.

It's almost here!

Merry Christmas...

I love this plaque. Any idea's on how I could get my kids to agree with it?

Words of Wisdom...

Just to share a great quote I heard
from the movie KUNG FU PANDA as my kids were watching it in the car the other day....

Yesterday was the past, tomorrow will be the future, today is a GIFT and that's why it is called the PRESENT.

Holy Holidays Batman!

Christmas because its so jam packed with activities! Holy cow. There is a love hate relationship there for me. Occasionally it gets a bit too busy but this year I am determined to find a balance.

Chloe's Christmas Choir concert is over (pictures). So fun, very cute group of kids 3-5 grades in that and one was the most fantastically unusual Scrooge. Good laugh and lots of holiday spirit. I am so grateful that its still ok here to bring up the birth of our Savior, our last school district forbid any mention of it.

It is most definitely December and busy busy busy! I am so excited and overwhelmed at this time of year but trying really hard to be jolly with a cold. I am trying hard to remember the real reason for the season and to make wonderful memories for the kids. Another memorable part of this season will be that we mark my father in laws 90th Christmas! Today is his 90th birthday, a pretty fantastic milestone.

Missing my parents this time of year! I am going to work on having them here next Christmas for all the festivities, I don't think I can go another year without my Mom and Dad!

Let the Thanksgiving recovery begin....

..

Thanksgiving was....well it is almost over, still have a few out of town stragglers for the next couple of days. I'm exhausted! I had to find my happy place a couple of times and went on a few hikes. Yes, there were paintball wars, irritating relatives, both serious and happy conversations, tears, singing, food maximus, puking, and pretty much nonstop chaos. Saw New Moon FINALLY!!!! So excited, I wanna go again!