2008 Highlights!!

Lance and I went on our first cruise to Baja, Mexico and loved it!!! We are already planning another trip:)

Cayden turned 2 years old!!

Went to the "Happiest Place on Earth" aka Disneyland:)

Went to the taping of GTU and Won a 7 DAY HOUSEBOAT VACATION AT LAKE POWELL!!

We spent the 4th of July in Tridell, Utah with Lance's cousins and the kids made 2 new friends!!

Spent 7 amazing days on a houseboat with 11 wonderful friends!!

Carlie turned 6 years old!!

We had an amazing fun filled 2008 and look forward to what adventures the year ahead will bring!! Happy New Year!

5 More Minutes?

Now when we tell Cayden it is time to go to bed he replies with "5 more minutes"?? Since when does a 2 year old negotiate his bedtime? I can't wait to see what he tries to negotiate when he is 5!!!

Our White Christmas!!!

I thought the reason for the snowblower was so you didn't have to shovel??

Waiting anxiously to see if Santa came!!

Santa came through once again and we have two very happy kids!!!

I was hoping there would be snow for Christmas but I didn't think we would be digging ourselves out all day long!! We got over a foot of snow where we live and they are predicting another 12 inches during the night which I can't even imagine after what we had today! It has felt like we shoveled all day long! Lance couldn't have gotten his snowblower any sooner (and we were worried now that we finally had one that he wouldn't need to use it)!!!

Santa of course made it through all of the snow to our house last night and the kids could hardly wait to see what he brought! The kids both got what they were asking for and were excited that Santa even took the time to leave them a note! We celebrated Christmas Eve last night with Lance's family and then luckily made it to my parents this morning for breakfast. That was an adventure in itself! Lance of course thought I was crazy that I was even making him attempt the drive to my parents in the blizzard that we were having at the time! Once we got out on the main roads though I showed him I wasn't the only crazy person who wasn't going to let the snow stop us from celebrating Christmas!! Snow and all it has been a wonderful Christmas we will never forget!! Merry Christmas!!

Visit from Santa Claus

Every year we have a Christmas party with Lance's side of the family where we eat real Italian food (his mom is italian) and Santa comes. Real Italian food is not the Olive Garden!! It is things that after 10 years I still cannot remember the names of but all I know is I still cannot eat food that has fish in it!! The best part of course is when Santa comes! The kids get so excited and can't wait for him to call there name so they can sit on his lap. They get to sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas and then they get a treat bag and a card with a $2 bill in it!! There are getting to be so many kids now that sometimes it is a long time before your name gets called. Cayden kept trying to go up and would say "my turn"! Cayden asked for the Wall-E DVD and Carlie asked for Hannah Montana slippers and Hannah Montana socks!! At least my kids have been consistant:) There are a couple of cousins who have decided they aren't sure if there is really a Santa Claus anymore and are testing it out by whispering there requests to Santa only to see if he really comes through!! There parents are a little worried about Christmas morning!! We know they won't be disappointed though because at our house there are no doubts about Santa Claus, he is coming in only 3 more days and the kids can't wait!!:)

Party, Party, Party!!

The parties never seem to end this time of year for Carlie!!! Last night we had both of our families over for the big celebration! It's a little chaotic having both families at our house at the same time but it is better than having to do everything twice (especially this time of year). When it started snowing yesterday Carlie was worried no one would come. Everyone made it through the snow and Carlie had a great birthday party!! It is one of those things that will never change having a birthday in December, you never know what the weather is going to be like so you just hope for the best!! Carlie picked out her own cake and I know what you are thinking, it's not a BIRTHDAY cake but it's the one she wanted and I figure if that's what she wants then that is what she gets!! It was actually really nice not having to deal with cutting a cake and everyone thought it was cute. We have once again made it through a Christmastime birthday and we will take a sigh of relief until next year!! I do learn each year how to make this time of year less stressful and more enjoyable, so maybe by the time Carlie is 18 I will have it all figured out and I will look back and wonder why I made everything so difficult for myself!!!:)

Build-A-Bear

Carlie wanted to go to Build-A-Bear for her birthday this year so we invited a couple of friends. The kids had so much fun making there own bears! The best part was not having to do anything but sit back and take pictures!! They have party planners that take care of everything for you and keep the kids entertained the whole time!!!! I could not believe how many people take there kids to that place a week before Christmas! That is the last place we would have been if it wasn't for Carlie's birthday!! Thankfully we got the special treatment and didn't have to wait in the long long line of people! Thanks to everyone (from Carlie especially) for coming and celebrating Carlie's birthday with her!!

Happy Birthday Carlie!!

Today is Carlie's 6th Birthday!! We are so glad Carlie is part of our family! We love you Carlie!!

Here are a few little things about Carlie......

Favorite Show.... Full House & Jon & Kate Plus 8

Movie..... The Grinch

Food.... Speghetti & Waffles

Treat.... Cookies

Colors......Purple & Blue

Music.... Hannah Montana

Favorite Things to Do.....Make cards, do anything crafty and play with her friends

Spotlight for the Day

Carlie was the spotlight today in her kindergarten class! To the 5 year olds in her class this is the biggest day of there lives!! She got to fill out a paper that hangs in the classroom telling about herself. Then she got to sit in front of the class (in the teacher chair) and answer questions about her from the other kids in the class. The most common question was "what is your favorite toy"! For the rest of the day she gets to be the teachers helper too!! Each kid gets to pick an activity to do with the class, she wanted to play with the parachutes (you have to look at the pictures to know what I am talking about, I didn't think they even had those anymore)!! The kids loved it even though they couldn't go in the gym and use the huge one they had a great time with the little ones they could use in the classroom. Carlie got to be in charge and tell everyone what to do (which is every 5 year olds dream come true)!!! You can't forget the treat, Carlie picked donuts! What a fun day for Carlie:)

Christmas Recital 2008

Carlie had her Christmas dance recital tonight! She is in a jazz class this year and danced to Let it Snow. Carlie did so good, she has been saying she is nervous the last couple days but you can never tell once she gets up there! Thanks to our good friend Shauna her hair looked gorgeous too!!

Countdown to the big 6!!

We are about a week away from Carlie turning 6 and it can't come soon enough!! I have to answer the question about 50 times a day of how many more days until my Birthday! So in looking forward to the big day I thought I would post some pictures from the last 5 years. Sadly we didn't get a digital camera until Carlie was a couple months old so newborn pictures are hard to find. Only 8 more days to go (I think this is bigger than Christmas right now at our house)!!

Christmas Tag

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial
3. When do you put up the tree? the week before Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? sometimes Christmas day (I am done by then)
5. Do you like eggnog? Love it
6. Favorite gift received as a child? that was so long ago, I have a horrible memory
7. Hardest person to buy for? my husband
8. Easiest person to buy for? Cayden
9. Do you have a nativity scene? yes, I bought it probably 10 years ago at ZCMI (time for new one)
10. Mail or email Christmas Cards? Mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of one
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Four Christmases (my new favorite)
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? around Thanksgiving normally, but this year I was FINISHED by the day after Thanksgiving!!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? no
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? chocolate
16. Favorite Christmas song? I like too many to pick just one
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Does traveling to West Jordan count?
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes
19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star
20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning
21. What's the most annoying thing about this time of the year? Rude people shopping
22. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red, silver and the red berries
23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Cranberry salad
24. What do you want for Christmas this year? Only Santa knows:)
25. Who is most likely to re post this on their blog? who knows......

Happy Birthday, Lance!!