Christmas 2011

{Christmas morning}

{Christmas with the Family}

{Minute to Win it}

The True Meaning of Christmas

Abigail's letter to Santa:

Do you believe in Jesus?

If you don't let me tell you!

His birthday is Christmas.

The three wise men saw an angel.  The angel said to follow the north star and you will find a baby in cloths in a manger.

Then later the wise men found Jesus.  The wise men gave him a present so he got 3 presents.

Jesus grew up and some people didn't like him.  People hurt him.  People put him on the cross.  People put him in a cave.  

His mother was so sad.

Three days later it was Easter he rose from the dead.  We celebrate Easter for Jesus rose from the dead. 

He is the best gift of all.

I believe!

To: Santa

From: Abigail

Singing for Jesus

The girls were part of the Children's Christmas Program at church again this year.

It is one of my favorite Sundays of the year.

I love listening to all the kids sing praise and worship to our King.

Abigail had a speaking part she memorized Matt 1:20-21

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

Merry Christmas!

Arose Such a Clatter

Each year the girls go and buy a little gift for Jake.

Abigail got him a new tug of war rope.

Ash bought him a raw hide bone.

We came home, wrapped them, and placed them under the tree.

Now our outdoor dog has moved inside (which I knew would happen) and sleeps on his bed downstairs every night.  I'm not sure when the last time was he slept outside, spoiled?  Yes!  Anyways, the other night I woke to a strange sound.  It was coming from downstairs.  I turned on the light, walked down the stairs and caught Jake red handed.

On his bed with him were tiny little pieces of wrapping paper and a bone with just the ribbon left around it.  Can you believe that he had sniffed out his Christmas present from under the tree.  All I had to say was Jake and he knew he'd been busted and that he was in trouble.  But really how could I be mad at him.  I just love that dog.  

So it's always been the girls I've worried about each Christmas, hoping they don't figure out their Christmas gifts but I guess we need to start disguising Jake's presents a little bit better too.

Handmade Christmas

You know what I love?  All the things the girls are making for Christmas.

Every time I walk by one I can't help but smile.

1. Ash's colored Christmas frog and and herself made out of cardboard 2. Abigail made the elf and Ash made the Santa 3. Right after Thanksgiving Abigail made her own countdown chain, she wrote love on every link

1. Ash's gingerbread house (she was sick the last day of school and missed her Christmas party but her sweet kindergarten teacher sent everything home so she could still make one) 2. Ash's cute pine cone grass 3. Ash has made and wrapped presents for us all and put them under the tree.

This is Abigail's present she made for us at school.  I already love the bag so I know I'll love what's inside!

It sure is sweet to have so many handmade things around.  I'm so glad I took a picture of them all.  It really is the little things that bring me so much joy.

Thanks girls for all the love that you add to our home.  

Star of the Show

 Thursday was Ash's Christmas program, Melton the Warm Hearted Snowman.

She had been singing her songs around the house for weeks.  

I was very proud of her performance.

When it was time for the Kindergarteners to stand and sing, Ash put on a smile, did all the hand motions and sang with all her heart.

She may not have been Melton, but to me she was the star of the show!

 

Of course we needed a picture of Ash and Ryan together. 

And thanks Melissa for snapping a picture of me and my star.

mini ice skating rink

A Weekend to Remember

We had a very full weekend.

Friday night we went down to the Meridian Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and listened to Sissy sing.

Saturday we took the girls to see Santa at their school and walked through the bazaar.

Next stop was to Rustic Gardens where we picked out a beautiful Christmas tree.

I made 2 batches of sweet party chex mix, while chatting with Melissa. (Thanks for hanging out with me!)

The girls and I decorated the house for Christmas, finally.

We also walked around the loop looking at the neighbors' Christmas lights while wearing some cool 3D glasses that make the lights look like Santa or Snowman.  The girls loved it!

Then we all fell asleep downstairs, snuggled in our blankets, while watching, Invasion of the Christmas Lights on TLC.

Sunday we went to church.

That afternoon we went and saw the Muppets.  I loved watching them as a kid. 

Once we got home it was time to decorate the tree.  The girls loved going through their ornaments.

It was a great way to end a great weekend.

Everything Friday

1st off, Happy November!

2nd, let's do a little catch up, shall we?

Abigail joined the dance team at school this fall.  She had two performances, one during the school's Veteran's Day assembly and then again on Saturday.  And let me just say, the assembly was so moving.  During it the 3rd graders sang the Marines Song, and while they sang a Marine stood up, and at the end yelled out a oo-rah.  I was touched.  I am so glad our school took the time to honor our military.

Ash is doing well at school.  It has been fun going in and volunteering in her class.  I so enjoy meeting all her classmates and helping them make cute little projects.  I love how much fun kindergarten is.  

Thursday was their Thanksgiving Day Feast.  They walked in wearing their little Pilgrim hats and looked so adorable.  They sang us a few songs and then we jumped into the feast.  I laugh that Ashlynn requested 2nds and 3rds of broccoli.

I've been working for my mom and dad.  It's been nice to have something else to do besides cleaning house.  Plus it's nice to have some extra money.  I am very thankful for this little gig, I work for 2 people who love me, I work around my home schedule and I get lunch out of the deal most days.  Thanks mom and dad.

I had lunch with my Days Club friends this week.  We met downtown at the Fork.  I sure do miss those gals, it's always nice to catch up.  I'm looking forward to our next lunch date!

Melissa and I did a little Christmas shopping one day when the kids were all in school and tonight we are headed out to the movies to see Breaking Dawn.

I am so looking forward to the girls having all of next week off.  I can't wait.  Jammie days, movies, a little baking, playing games, that's just what we're needing.

Bewitched

Date Day

now that both girls are in school and with J's crazy retail schedule every once in awhile we get a day where it's just the two of us.
we are one of those couples who rarely go out, not that we don't want to, but with schedules, and life, and having to find someone to watch the girls, it just rarely or almost never happens.
but now, we are getting to have date days instead.
sometimes when this happens we just hang out around the house and get things checked off the ol' to do list, but tuesday we made it a date day and headed out on the town at 10am. ha.

j got his flu shot.
we hit walmart for a few halloween accessories.
i tried to find an opi nail polish i've seen pinned all over pintrest, but no such luck.
j checked out brewforia.
we grabbed lunch at the pita pocket.
and he took me to home depot to look at kitchen appliances and sinks.

 my date, i'm a very lucky girl.
we had no set plans, we weren't rushed, we just enjoyed the day hanging out together.

pumpkin patch 2011

On a Rainy Day

What do you like most about a rainy day?

Ash loves that there are worms everywhere.

She couldn't wait to show me the ones in her hands.

Then she said, "hey, if I get another one I can make a H!"

I laughed.

After I took her picture she then wanted to find some more to make an O.

Ha!

I wonder how worms it'd take to spell out our last name.

Just Can It

Jason and I canned 26 jars of pickles one weekend.

We also blanched and froze 20 lbs of beans.  This was so worth all the effort.  When I cook them up with dinner those are the first thing eaten off everyone's plate.

I canned blueberry jam.

I've made lots of peach jam and peach honey butter, thanks Tina for picking my peaches for me!

Melissa has been such a great friend, we'll she's always a great friend, but lately she's been helping me can.  It's so much nicer when you have someone to help you.  We just canned our first batch of Apple pie filling.  I can't wait to try one.

I've also canned some apple butter and am going to do another batch soon.

The pantry is stocked full and I love it!

 Here's Ash and I at Cabalo's, it's a local farm that we've gone to this year for our cukes, beans and apples.

Back to Normal

Last night as I cleaned up after dinner I couldn't stop smiling.

The giggles and screams coming out of the girls as they wrestled with their dad made me so happy.

I had almost forgotten how much I loved hearing that. Oh  how sweet the sound of 2 girls playing with their dad is.

The new Boise Kohl's is finally opened.  Hooray!  Jason has been working so very hard the last couple of months.  He worked 90+ hours a week which made for long days and nights.  I'm not sure how he could do it, I'm so very proud of him.  Yesterday was his first day off in 10 days and oh how we loved having home with us!  There were many days the girls would only get to see him for a few minutes in the morning and then they'd be in bed long before he came back at night.

But we made it, we survived another store opening! and things are getting back to normal around here. 

A LOVE Story

10 years ago I married the most wonderful guy.

Our love story began in the summer of 2000.

Our first meeting was July 11 to be exact.  I was working as a CNA at the hospital, which meant I worked 3, 12hr shifts a week.  That left quite a bit of free time, if I didn't pick up any extra shifts.  On a hot July morning I got a call from Tom.  Tom was Theresa's husband and Theresa was a nurse I worked with.  Anyways, Tom called and asked if I would like to go water skiing with him and his friend Jason.  Jason worked in retail and Tom was a pilot and they just needed to find someone else with an unusual work schedule that could go out to the lake on weekday too. I didn't even have to think about it, I was in.  

Now just so you know I wasn't expecting to meet my future husband, which is the case for most of us when we leave the house, but that was just who I was about to meet.  The funny thing is, that Tom was a lot older than me, like in his late 30's so I figured his friend Jason would be his age too.

I pulled up to the gas station, our meeting place, stepped out of my white ford fiesta with the blue hood and walked over.  I immediately realized that Tom's friend was not Tom's age but instead my age or as I'd later find out, at least still in his 20's.

We had lots of fun out on the lake that day.  And all I specifically remember was that I thought Jason was totally cute.  Plus, I'll never forget that when I asked him to guess my age he guessed 25.  That never, and I mean never happens to me, people always say I look younger than I am.  I had a date that night that I had to get back for, but I remember all I could think about was Jason, and wondered when would be the next time we'd see each other.

The next day when I went to work, Theresa was working too, she said Jason asked her, to ask me, for my number.  Yes!

So we start dating.  I really liked him.  He was so interesting.  He'd lived in Hawaii, been to Africa and Costa Rica.  He loved to travel and that impressed this Idaho girl.  He was a gentleman.  He had a career.  He was determined and goal oriented.  He was an all around great guy.   I helped him celebrate his 29th birthday and then a couple weeks later he told me he was taking a traveling job with EB and that he'd been gone 4-6 weeks at a time.  I couldn't believe it.  Good bye great guy, it was nice to know you.  And so, I really didn't think it'd ever work out.

But how would I know that the one thing I thought would pull us apart actually would end up bringing us closer together.  It was during those weeks he was gone that we spent hours talking late into the night about everything and anything and connecting.  We really got to know each other.  It was better than dating.  On a date you chat a bit over dinner, sit through a 2 hour movie, and then go home.  But instead of that we talked and shared everything.   

By Christmas I was head over hills for him.  On my birthday he told me he loved me.  In March he was asking me for my opinion on what color to paint the house he was building.  In May I went to meet his parents.  And on the fourth of July, after a day spent on the lake boating with my family, he proposed to me.  Yes!

On our wedding day I'll never forget Jason words to me as we drove to the reception.

He told me that when he's on his death bed he wants to hear me say that I'd had a wonderful life, full of love.  I cried.  I cry now thinking of those touching words and all that he does everyday to do just that.

Our marriage is full of love.  And that love continues to grow, especially with the addition of these two beautiful daughters of ours.

It's Your Birthday

Happy 6th Birthday Ashy!

We celebrated bright and early.

Ash was opening presents by 6:30.  She got a CD player, CD, books and a flower headband.  That's in addition to her new pet Riley, the horse, from Annie and her other new pet Buddy, the Betta, that's happily living in her room.

(and she also had a present from herself that she made and wrapped and had waiting in the pile with the other gifts, seriously this girl cracks me up!)

I made her a special chocolate pancake breakfast and served it up on the you are special plate.

Then it was a mad rush to get 2 girls ready for school.

This afternoon I'm bringing in doughnut to share with her class and then after school we're having a little celebration with the neighbor kids.  

We sure do love you Ash!  You make us smile everyday!

I thank the Lord for you, our little anniversary gift.

Hells Canyon Adentures

This summer mom and dad invited Abigail, Michayla and Clay to go camping with them up in Hells Canyon.  

They spent 5 days, 4 nights camping, boating, fishing, swimming, rock jumping, and enjoying the wildlife (like the deer that would be in their camp site every morning).

Plus, they celebrated my dad's 59th birthday.

Thanks mom and dad for taking the time to create such very special memories with your grandkids.  They had a blast and can't wait to go again next year.

I Remember

I've been watching Rising (a documentary of the rebuilding of the 16 acres at the world trade center) and I'm so moved by it all.

I am overwhelmed by the many stories

touched by the dedication of those working to rebuild

and amazed by all the thought, details, and purpose behind the new buildings and memorial.  For instance, did you know that they have hot water running through the memorial so that when you touch a person's name it will never feel cold.  So many details.  

Last night I saw on the news that they've sent pieces of the wreckage to every state so that we can all have a memorial and never forget.

9/11/01

I remember I worked that morning.  I was a Unit Clerk on the Telemetry floor.  My 12 hour shift started at 6am.  I can't remember where exactly I was when I first saw it,  but the news ended up on every patient's TV and was also on in the break room.  We were all watching in disbelief.  It was a scary time, a day of story after sad story. A day filled with fear and unknowns.  So much heart break and uncertainty.  The hospital was put on alert.  No one was allowed to leave until an all clear was given.  Coordinators came around asking if anyone knew of someone or had family in DC or NY.  They also wanted to know if anyone was in the Reserves.

Jason was working out of town, in SLC.  I went home to an empty house that night.  I remember watching news report after new report.  News of death and survival.

I remember the eerie feeling I got when I heard an airplane fly over after the airports had reopened.

The Sunday after the attacks I attended church.  I wasn't a member of a church at the time, we were looking for a church, but that Sunday I attended the local church, I just had to.  The congregation all stood, held hands and prayed.

I remember everywhere you looked you saw an American flag. 

I remember how proud I felt to be an American.

Our wedding was only 11 days after 9/11.  Jason's sister was unable to get a flight out to attend our wedding.  The airports were still closed in the DC area.

Jason and I flew to HI for our honeymoon and the security was on high alert. There were so many new regulations.  It was really scary to board that plane and think of all that had just happened.  Flying would never be the same.  

Our country would never be the same.

I'll always remember.

1st Day of School

 Ashlynn was so excited for her 1st day of school.  She couldn't wait to get there.  

It sure helps a momma's heart when they are so happy to be going to school.

Ash was thrilled that she was now at the same school as Abigail.  She's finally a Wildcat too.

I wasn't sure if the girls would have a recess together but I asked Abigail to look for Ash and check on her for me. 

Ashlynn and Ryan are in the same class together.  I'm glad she has her best buddy with her all day.  You should have seen them playing on the playground together.  Right when the bell rang, kids dashed off the playground and started running.  You could see Ash and Ryan looking for each other.  They found one another and walked together to line up. 

 

It was finally time to go inside, she gave me a sweet little wave, blew me a kiss and then walked in for her 1st day of school.

School Days Are Here Again

I gave Abigail a ton of hugs and told her I was really going to miss her.

I told her I was super excited for her new school year and that I couldn't wait to hear all about her first day.

I wonder at what age I wont tear up a as she walks into her new classroom.

Abigail was so glad she got to see Jason before school.

He told her how nice she looked and that he wanted her to text him when she got home to say how her day went.

Abigail woke up bright and early and came downstairs already dressed.

She had the morning all planned out, step by step.

We curled her hair and got ready in time so that we could walk to school.

She saw a lot of her friends and happily posed for pictures.

She gave her teacher a wild sunflower she picked, it was so sweet.

Happy first day of 3rd grade!

Attention! Angry Bird Lovers

One night we got a knock at the door

Cody and Luke were over to hand deliver a letter to the girls

I opened it up and read the following:

Attention! angry bird lovers

here is a angry bird contest

the pigs have grown stronger

we need you to make a new angry bird!

directions: draw a angry bird and tell us it's power 

it must be new

then send it back to Cody, Luke and Ryan

Isn't that such a great idea.  The girls loved it.  

We got the five together and had a little angry bird contest.

They had fun seeing what each other came up with.

 Of course there was no winner, they were all so very creative.  Melissa and I did come with awards for everyone.

Cody - Most Creative Award

Abigail - Most Powerful Award

Luke - Most Dangerous Award

Ashylnn - Most Funny Award

Ryan - Most Birdy Award

It sure is fun to watch these five together.  And you never know what idea they're going to come up with next.