Christmas 2009

I'm trying to get my last post in for 2009 and unfortunately I didn't leave a lot of time to do that. :) We had a great Christmas season and it started with Hailey getting to babysit one of our favorite babies of all time at our house on the 19th. Her name is Ellie and we LOVE her. Hailey did a great job comforting her when she was sad her mommy wasn't there and once we got all the tears gone we had so much fun playing with her. It's bittersweet watching my little "baby" girl growing up and becoming the babysitter rather than the one being babysat. I remember feeling the same way about babies when I was her age...I was always wanting to hold everyone's babies (okay so I'm still the same way now) but it's fun to watch Hailey become that way too!
Unfortunately I went brain dead during our family parties and didn't even take one picture. But we had a great time as always hanging out with my family on the 23rd and Brian's on Christmas Eve. It was very different this year with my family though because my mom was sick and didn't want to come infect everyone so it went on without her for the first time ever. It's just wasn't the same without her!

On Christmas morning we gave Rocko a bully stick to chew on and he was perfectly content laying in his bed amongst all the chaos of wrapping paper flying everywhere and giddy kids excited about their gifts. He wasn't even interested in his stocking that we laid beside him until the bully stick was gone. :)

Nick was totally hoping for a telescope this year and he left his biggest present for last hoping that's what it was....and lo and behold it was! :) He was SO HAPPY!!!

Hailey got a new scooter (since her last one was stolen) and she rode it around the house all day. She didn't put a lot of things on her Christmas list this year so I was left guessing on what to get her but she informed me afterwards that I did a really good job picking out things she liked. Whew!!! The things the kids were most excited about were the tetherball set for the backyard and the Arcade Basketball game for the basement. They ran back and forth between the two all day!!! (Yes were crazy enough to be out back playing tetherball in about 10 degree weather.)

Rocko chased Hailey around behind her scooter all day as well. :)

It was a great holiday season and as always it's sad to see another year come to an end but exciting to anticipate what the next year holds. Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year!!

Thankful Thursday

I realized a couple days ago that I missed my Thankful Thursday last week...this month is TOTALLY getting away from me. Today I am thankful for many things...I am thankful that as of this morning I only have 2 more Christmas presents to get and then I'm officially finished shopping. I'm thankful that my husband still has his job even though he has a much larger territory and will be gone a little more. I am thankful I am surrounded by such great family, friends & neighbors. I am thankful to have such wonderful kids. And most especially I am thankful for this Christmas season and I am hopeful that we can see past the presents & yummy food and feel the peace and hope that is the true reason for the season.

Christmas Fun

I can't believe there's only 18 days till Christmas...I am NOT ready yet!! :) It really seems like Christmas snuck up on me this year. We just got our tree up a couple days ago (none of the pictures I took of the kids decorating the tree turned out...I must've done something funky to my camera setting) and there's not one present underneath it...I have bought a few but they aren't wrapped yet. :) We did buy the Gingerbread House Kits though and the kids had fun making those on Sunday afternoon. So we are in the process of bringing the Christmas Spirit to our home. :)


I love this picture...I actually took it on Thanksgiving. They were all on the couch relaxing after enjoying our yummy dinner with the family.
Rocko continues to love playing in the snow. Hailey and Nick enjoyed playing out there with him until he got a little too rambunctious and started trying to bite their snowsuits. I think he was a little freaked out by them all geared up.
Hailey being Vanna White (she probably doesn't even know who that is) showing the fun kits.
(It wouldn't be a Christmas picture at our house without a football game on in the background.) :)

The final products! :) Nick was just excited to eat his...that tree disappeared about 5 seconds after I snapped this picture. :)

Rocko modeling his new sweater...yes I know, I'm humanizing my pet! :)

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for the kindness of others. Those people who will lighten the burdens of others whether they know them or not. Ever since our neighbor was killed in the accident I have seen how individuals can become an army for good. I, along with countless others have wracked our brains for the right words to say and the right things to do to lighten the burden of our neighbor and friend. What I have witnessed humbles me to the core. I have seen elementary schools rally their students and faculty in gathering needed items for the family, My children's teachers have asked them what they can do to help/serve this family. (These teachers don't know this family.) I have seen primary children write words of love and simple inspiration all over a giant poster-sized card, I have seen ward members clean their home and help prepare for the viewing, funeral, & luncheon. The company I work for picked this family's memorial fund as their charity to donate to this year. A couple of sales reps who work for my company out of Florida and Kansas City are either sending money to the memorial fund or sending gift cards for the family. (No one at my company knows this family.) And I know that there are many, many more things that are being done that I am not aware of not the least of which are the countless prayers being offered on their behalf. We went to the viewing tonight and Colette was no doubt buoyed up by countless angels as she was the pillar of strength amidst one of the hardest nights of her life. I am thankful to witness all of these acts of generosity, love and kindness which has confirmed my faith in the human spirit.

One more hug...

We received some very sad news when we came home from the football game yesterday. Our neighbor (who was 31) had been killed earlier in the day in a motocross accident leaving behind a pregnant wife (due in 2 weeks), a son who is 3 and a daughter who is 2. He was a great guy and his little boy just idolized him. We are heartbroken over this news and it has put life back into perspective. We always get so caught up worrying about the daily grind and responsibilities and this is a reminder that it's more important to take the time to give one more hug, one more kiss or say one more I love you. We so often take our life for granted and it's unfortunate that it takes a tragedy like this to remind us of what's most important.

So to my family, friends and neighbors that read this I love you and I am grateful for each one of you. My life is better because of each of you. I appreciate the love, laughter, kindness, and examples you bring to my life. Give those extra hugs to those that surround you and never take a moment for granted! Please also add the Buttars' family to your prayers!

Thankful Thursday

With Thanksgiving tomorrow I thought I would write my Thankful Thursday tonight before all the cooking and chaos begins. :) I am thankful for so many things and it's always nice to have a day every year that directs you to reflect on those things. I'm thankful that I came across this "Thankful Thursday" idea in someone elses blog so I purposefully reflect each week on those things for which I am most grateful.

This year I have been continually grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful friends and family. My friends and family constantly lift me up, perform selfless acts of kindness, are always willing to listen to me vent and help me move on, and provide hours of laughter and fun.

I am thankful for blogs where I am entertained, enlightened and inspired. I'm thankful for the blogs that help me keep in touch with my friends that live far away and for the ones that help me get to know my neighbors better. I'm also grateful for the blogs of those I don't even know but feel like I've lived through a year full of struggles and victories with them.

I'm thankful for my husband and children. I'm thankful we are all healthy and happy and I'm especially thankful for the days when the kids actually remember they love each other! :)I'm thankful for a year full of memories together and I'm thankful for the opportunities we've had to learn and grow together.

I'm thankful for so many things but I am especially thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for his atonement on my behalf. I'm thankful for my knowledge of Him and for the role He plays in my life. I am grateful to serve in the primary with such wonderful women who are great examples to me and to be around the kids with their purity and innocence...even when they don't seem so "innocent". :)

I am thankful for my life and for everything it entails...the good, the bad, the blessings and the trials. They are all a part of what makes my life mine!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for those "Perfect Moments" in life that don't happen very often but sure are great when they do. They are the simple moments that make all the other chaotic moments worthwhile. I had one of those simply perfect moments one night this week...we were all in the living room - Nick and I were reading and talking about his book for school (it's a little hard to understand so we're reading it together), Hailey was working in an activity book doing puzzles and crosswords, etc., Brian was reading the newspaper, we had the football game on in the background, and the puppy was laying on his bed chewing on a stick he loves. No one was fighting or arguing, we all weren't running in 5 different directions, no one was chasing the dog down to get something away from him, we were all just doing our things in the same room together peacefully. It was a great moment. :)