Happy #35!

Happy Birthday to my Handsome Hubby! It is still his birthday even though it is 9:24 p.m!

Hey baby, here are 35 things I love about you:

1. you still make me laugh
2. you are very handy around the house
3. you help me make stuff for my cakes
4. you are a pretty patient guy
5. you know your way around a kitchen
6. you'll change a stinky diaper
7. you are not a crazed fan when it comes to watching sports
8. you will give the girls a bath
9. you never complain about my cooking
10. everything I make it "your favorite"
11. snuggling up on the couch to watch our shows
12. you still take me out on dates
13. you let me play co-ed softball even though you really don't want me too
14. you are always willing to watch the kids when you can
15. your hands
16. that you aren't selfish with your time
17. you in your referee uniform
18. that you'll take me golfing
19. that you like to travel
20. your voice
21. things that I cannot say to the public (hee -hee)
22. how you treat others
23. that we can still have fun together
24. you'll help make the bed
25. your eyes sexy blue
26. your willingness to help me no matter what i need doing
27. your mind. you are so smart. I love to watch you think
28 what a hard worker you are
29. how you play with the kids
30. when you read the girls a story
31. when you play basketball. so sexy
32. when you come up behind me to hold me and kiss my head
33. that you don't blame me for spilling chocolate on your new blazer's seat
34. the family and life we created together
35. I just love every stinking thing about you you are the best!

Merry Christmas

This is my favorite/least favorite time of year. I love the Christmas season. I love everything it encompasses. The giving, the baking, friends, family, remembering the birth of our Savior, service, Christmas songs, decorating the tree, hot chocolate on cold nights and so much more.

But December 18th is still a hard day. My sweet little sis would have been seven. Crazy to think she was just three when she died.
We still miss her very much. The little girls always ask about her and the things she liked. Jacie is so much like her big sis. I just wish she could remember her.

In case you are wondering about the My Little Buttercup song before the Christmas songs here is why. The Three Amigos was her favorite movie and she would make me sing it to her (with actions) every night before bedtime. She would laugh and laugh, probably at me because I was such a dork. How I miss her. The Kenny G is on there too because her grandma would play his Christmas songs to get her to take a nap when she was at her house. Funny all the little reminders you have of loved ones.

I hope this holiday season brings everyone joy. We should all find something to be joyful about. We all have trials and problems, some are harder than others, but everyone has them. Try to find the joy in life and it will make you just a little bit happier.

My joy is still my family. I love to just sit and look at them. They bring much laughter and love to me. I want them to know how much I do love them and how much I'm glad they are mine.

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas. I know I will
Love to all

California Dreamin

We needed a change of scenery and decided to take our yearly family vacation to California again. We got our condo in Newport Beach and flew down. We also wanted a vacation where it was just that, a vacation. No running around ragged trying to do everything and see all the sights. I think we accomplished just that. Besides the two days at Disneyland, we didn't have an agenda. All we wanted to do was go to the beach, swim, do a little shopping, eat some great food, and spend time together as a family.
We did all that and nothing much else. The beach was great, a little windy, but fun. We even had a flock of seagulls chase us down for the snacks we were eating.
We ate at great restaurants and of course hit Ruby's Diner. Love to eat there!
We loved going to the pet store at the mall where we got to hold all the cute doggies. Jacie wants one so bad (all she wants for Christmas)
I found my happy place and wish I could go there every day. Our condo was just a 1/2 mile from the beach and so I would run down there and just enjoying running along some beautiful scenery!
It was just a wonderful week and although it is over before you want it to be, it didn't fly by. Can you grow potatoes in California?

p.s. The car is a Bentley. Even in the land where every other car is a luxury car, this one was sweet!!

Listen real close to Karlie when you see this video. We were on the big Ferris Wheel at California Adventures. It wasn't bolted down so when you would move it would sway back and forth. Totally freaked Tanner out which freaked Karlie out because she liked it until Tan started to scream like a girl (he does!) He screams and she goes, "We're gonna die!" So cute and funny

Disneyland

We only wanted to go to Disneyland for two days. Not a lot of time for two parks and a lot of rides. But, we didn't want to tire ourselves out. This trip is supposed to be relaxing! My mom flew over (because she is a Disneyland freak) and hinted really hard that she wanted to come.
We were happy to have her with us, especially Kyrie. She made reservations for us to eat at the Blue Bayou restaurant. That is the one you can see when you are on the Pirates of the Caribbean. That was a fun experience and the food was terrific! Definitely would eat there again. Thanks Grandma!
After lunch we decided it would be in our best interest to split into groups so we could ride the rides we wanted to. Grandma and Kyrie went together, Tanner and Kyle, and I got to take the little girls. It worked out great because Kyrie doesn't want to go on the "baby" rides!
The only thing that sucked was in the 2 1/2 hrs we separated I stood in line to see Tinkerbell and to meet the princesses. Those lines are sooooo longgggg! It was good for Karlie because she was asleep and got to get in a nap. It was cute when we met Terrance and Tinkerbell. Terrance wanted to wake Karlie up so he tried and failed and then gave her a pinecone as a gift for missing him.
The little girls love "It's a Small World" ride which they've named, "The Little People" ride.
One of my favorite things at Disney was when I found the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and got the girls princess makeovers. Jacie ate that up! She talked and talked and was so excited to get fairy sprinkles, pink hair, makeup and nails done. She was in her element! Karlie didn't quite know what to think but she was happy with the finished product. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of another little princess who would have loved to get made over too.
The other favorite part of mine was the fireworks show. They were wonderful and made me teary eyed too. Set to beautiful Christmas music and more fireworks that we see in ten years. Worth the price of admission just for those.
Disneyland is really the Happiest Place on Earth and we love to go.

We had a great time trick or treating this year despite the wind being a little strong and we couldn't wear our witch hats, Tanner biffed it in the road, Karlie and Jacie received stomach aches after they snuck their loot into the playroom and devoured most
of it in one shot, and Kyrie, being a big 6th grader, decided she was old enough to go out with a group of friends instead of with us. Ahhh life. Gotta love it. Happy Halloween!

A few more pictures!

Yeah potatoes are done! We can now all breath a little easier now that the little taters are in the cellars.

Another great thing about potates being over is that we get to see our dad and husband a little more. The kids still had a week off from school so we decided to go on a short vacation. We were planning on going to Park City until mother nature blessed us with snow and so I said no way and we headed to Las Vegas because it was WARM! (Not ready for the cold weather yet)

We had a great time. Jacie could move there and be happy. She kept saying over and over that she likes Las Vegas. We stayed in Excalibur and Circus Circus. We played all the games and won lovely stuffed animals. Saw little baby lions at the MGM (so stinkin cute) went to Madame Tousauds wax musuem, walked miles and miles and just had a good time.

Oh and did I mention that Karlie was sick again. Poor baby. Sick every 2 weeks now with her fevers. But she still had a fun when she was doped up on her meds!

It was just great to be with each other as a family again.

Potato Harvest!

I can hardly believe it's that time of year again. Seems like they just planted the crops!

I was feeling quite nostlagic the other day and how I was glad to be an American and how I admire the American farmer.
I think they have a thankless job. There is a lot to farming that most people don't know about. I was very naive when I
married Kyle. I just thought farmers played in the dirt! I have come to learn about how much they need to know from marketing, finance, repairs, economics etc.... the technology is amazing (when you can afford it!) We have tractors that will steer by themselves. It is very fascinating at times and I think it is a little sexy that my husband knows how to do so many things!

So I thought it would be fun to showcase potato harvest. I know I don't take the greatest of pictures but I hope you'll get a little
glimpse of our life on the farm!

More on Jacie

I thought I'd add a few more thoughts on Jacie. It isn't very fun to have a birthday fall on Sunday so the day has been pretty boring for her. We had her family party after church. She got a lot of presents (spoiled) and she wanted a chocolate and strawberry cake. (We got back from camping late last night and I didn't have time to make a fun cake (gasp..) but she liked it. She expecially liked the chocolate covered strawberries! I interviewed her and asked her a few of her favorite things. Here it goes:

Favorite Movie: Barbie Diamond Castle
Favorite Food: Ham Sandwich
Favorite Color: pink and purple
Favorite Vacation: Going to visit grandpa and grandma
Favorite Song: I Gotta A Feeling
Favorite Animal: baby kittens and dogs

HaPpY bIRtHdAy JaCie!!

Today my sweet little chickadee is 4!! I have waited for this day for so long! It has been a while since I've had a four year old
in our house. I guess you could say it is a big milestone for me. Allie never got to be four so I was just crossing my fingers hoping she would turn four, like turning 3 was a curse or something.
They change so much from year to year and I can see the changes in Jacie. She acts more grown up and is funny as ever! She has a weird little sense of humor! She loves animals and wishes she could have a little dog to haul around and dress up. She always asks, "For my birthday I want a puppy", and the crappy parents that we are, say "No". It doesn't stop her from asking though. She loves to dress up and she loves music. She especially loves Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas and boy you should see her dance....actually we hope you don't because there would be a lot to explain!
She is my buddy and we love to go shopping together. Her and Karlie are best buddies too and they like to play and have fun. Sometimes they start talking to each other in their own little language and they'll laugh and laugh like they know what each other is saying.
She is a sweetheart and I love her so much!!!! I hope you have a good birthday Jacie!

1st Day of School- Sigh.....

I am not one of those moms who cry when their children get on the bus for the first day of school but I almost did this morning as they got on that little yellow bus carrying them off to the jungle. I can't believe summer is OVER!! I cried for that. I didn't want summer to be over so it was sad when I saw the reality of summer being gone when they stepped on that bus.
I like having my kids with me at home and being able to go do things with them. Oh, and I miss Kyrie as my babysitter too!
Oh well, It is time I guess. The morning was crazy as the kids got up late (alarm didn't go off) and we were taking these pictures as the bus was just about to our house. I thought the kids looked great and I wish them and everyone else a great school year.