A very merry Wii Christmas...

This morning the girls gave Brett & I our Christmas present, sleeping in until 7:30am! I can't believe they held out that long! They were up at 6am, contemplated checking the tree but opted to wait until we got up. Finally, at 7:30am they couldn't wait (who can blame them!) they were really quite walking to the tree and then BOOKED it back to our room. "MOM, DAD, SANTA BROUGHT A WII!!!!!" They were literally jumping up and down! "Let's go open it and play!"

It has been a Wii infatuated day! Santa brought a Wii that came with Wii Sports (it has like 5 different games on it), Wii Play (also has like 5 games on it), High School Musical 3, and Sing It - but Santa forgot the microphone so we can't play that one today.

We took a couple hours break to go to Great Grandma Carvo's for festivities there and then back to our house to play Wii. We're ALL getting into the action! Brett & I have played a couple games against each other and there are only two out of like five that I have beat him at and he is determined to win those! I really have NO CLUE what I doing to win but I'm happy I'm winning at something!

Santa shared with Melissa and her family that we were getting a Wii so they also got us a game, Hasbro Family Night. It has Connect Four, Sorry, Sorry Sliders, Battleship,  Yatzee, & Boggle. We still have yet to play that one.

I never knew my girls were so competitive! It's great family fun! I'm sure that's what Santa had in mind!

Thanks Santa!

Merry Christmas

Wishing each of you, near and far, a wonderful Christmas!

One of my FAVORITE ornaments on my tree!

Believe in the magic of Christmas!

Let it SNOW...

There has been winter weather advisories and serious snowfall all AROUND us since last week, but we have not really seen any snow, just a bitter cold wind. Apparently, it warmed up enough to snow...

When I went to bed last night there was barely a layer of snow on the grass. When we woke up this morning Brett tells me that it snowed about 4" overnight. I would say that when I went to shovel the walk in the backyard a couple hours later that there was at least a total of 5"; it was kind of hard to gage as there were drifts. Brett and I shoveled the driveway before we headed off to the shop to take the kids sledding (that will be another post), there was a good 6" - no drifts. When we got home the driveway was lightly covered, again.

Backyard with drifts

The girls helping out. Proof that we shoveled earlier today! :)

Side story: Our road has not yet seen a snowplow. Why is it that whenever the snow dumps people forget how to drive? Someone hit our mailbox today. It's got to have left a mark as our mailbox sits on top of a 6" steel pipe along with our neighbors. I did not receive a knock on my door, Brett looked out the window to see if it was still snowing (of course it was) and saw our mailboxes on the ground. Nice.

Brett left to go check the livestock and while he was gone (about 6pm) I thought I'd be nice and shovel his spot in the driveway since it had snowed so much that you could no longer tell that we had shoveled earlier. He got home just before I finished. He laughed and said he had just done the entire driveway before he left. SERIOUSLY!?! We got the ruler out and in the non-piled up or drifted area we are at 10" and counting. We have a piled spot that is 36.5"!

An ice chest at the shop, snow free yesterday

The driveway at 6pm tonight, partially shoveled. Coming down just as fast as we're shoveling

Check out the snow! SERIOUS!

Our pile of snow just off the driveway.

Current snow accumulation at 6pm tonight

Winter advisories are in effect for pretty much all of Eastern Wa and the Idaho Panhandle. As I type it's STILL snowing. Interested to see what tomorrow brings.

School Christmas Programs...

This last week was the last school week of 2008; meaning Christmas programs.

Jillians' was Tuesday morning at school. There are two Kindergarten classes at her school and they performed together with the Life Skills class. Life Skills is such a better name for the special education kids as they are learning things to get them through life...

Anyway, all of the kids were fabulous! You had shy kids and the NOT so shy kids who were singing at the top of their lungs and bouncing to the music. Jillian, well, she knew the songs but Brett and I identified a "thing". That "thing" is when she gets bored, she rolls her eyes. She's sang the song (or danced the routine, like at her dance recital) SO many times that now she's ready for it to be over, I guess. It was a hoot! The best part; when they all sang "All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" as Jillian is missing her two front teeth. :) 

Another cool part that I would like to mention is the Life Skills class performing two songs with bells; I can't remember what songs they were but I was impressed.

 We had cookies in her class afterward

Alissas' performance was Wednesday evening at the MLHS Theater. They too had their shy and not so shy performers. Alissa had a good time; she was a bell ringer for "Jingle Jive" she was SO focused. She did great! Brett & I were VERY impressed at the performance. Their music teacher rocks! They were good to listen to, the could do some complex rounds, they were all singing, and they all appeared to be having fun! Way to go Mrs. K!

Alissa before show time

Dressing up is apparently the key for me to realize how much my kids have grown; for both of them! They are beautiful, precious little girls; too bad they won't be little for much longer.

Brett's 1st snowmobile trip of the season...

Brett was just itching to get snowmobiling with all the winter weather that has hit the surrounding areas! He was able to go on Friday with Kevin and Fred. 

Random info from the day: -4 degrees F at the snow park (where you park) but warmer up the mountain. The snow was fluffy but no base - meaning when you get going you hit the earth below vs. a base snow layer. AND, Kevin got his first crash of the season out of the way.

He had a blast and can't wait to go again! 

He so deserves the fun; he works SO hard all summer long he deserves to play just as hard!

Welcome to snowmobile season!

Enjoy his great pics!

Mt. Rainier in the distance

Enjoying the fresh snow

Gorgeous!

Fred, Kevin, and MY sled - it's an Arctic Cat. :)

My Pre-Holiday Shuffle...

I regret to inform you that this Holiday has caught me a bit unprepared. 

For the last two years, I have gotten all the holiday shopping done BEFORE we go to Vegas; not this year. I didn't have ONE gift purchased or made before we left. I thought that I was doing good getting most of my shopping done the Saturday we got home and pretty much finished up this last week. The shopping I got done on Saturday was internet shopping - I LOVE SECURED INTERNET SHOPPING! Well, due to weather, my gifts have yet to arrive. They were due to arrive Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday...I got Wednesday's delivery yesterday. Who knows when the other gifts will arrive.

I also have yet to DO our annual family portrait; without the portrait, no cards.....see where I'm going with all this? The thought is there, the materials are not. I have no one to get after but myself, but honestly, I'm not stressing. It is what it is and I'm okay with that. :) In fact, I'm not even planning on having our family picture taken until Saturday, December 27th. My friend Nena got her Christmas present early - a new camera, so I volunteered my family for a photo shoot. Thanks sweetie, I'm looking forward to it!

Please do not be upset at my laid back attitude, but this year I am all about making the memories and enjoying them vs. stressing out and not being able to wait for the Holidays to be over.

It's not you, it's me. :)

Enjoy the Holidays!

In other news...

I hope you see the changes made to my blog today!!! 

I created a new "banner" (the picture at the top with the title). It's winter and Brett's SO excited to go snowmobiling! These are some of my favorite pictures from last year! Two of the three pictures above I took. I WISH I took the middle pic - that's Brett! Kevin took that when he, Fred, and Brett went to Montana last February. AWESOME picture Kev! Thanks for sharing!

I also added a music player to share what "my favorite songs right now" sound like. I spared some of you on the fact that I didn't make it play automatically; so to listen, just press play. :)

Enjoy!

It's a matter of perspective...

Today has been a unintentional day of observing others perspectives; do you see the glass as "half full" or "half empty"?

Let me give you an example. While waiting to pick up Jillian from school this afternoon another parent, a father, received a call. Please note that I did not try to listen to his conversation but when he's the ONLY one talking in the hall that we're all waiting in it's impossible not too. The weather was the topic; he was telling his caller what a beautiful sun shinny day it was, "just gorgeous!"; whereas every other parent who had entered that hallway was "boy, it's cold out there!" Both views are correct, but who was the "half full" and who was the "half empty"?

Another example was on Stacy's Julian's blog regarding a "self-hinder" book. (That made me smile ironically.)

Food for thought: we all have a choice to view each situation with a positive or negative approach; why is the negative so much easier to choose?

Vegas Baby...

No excuses! I've been avoiding my computer!

Brett & I just returned from our 5th annual trip to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas! It is always a highly anticipated trip, always different, new, and exciting! That's a part of why I look forward to and love this trip! It's far enough away from home for Brett to relax and have a good time and in a town that never sleeps we usually don't get much sleep either...

This year we drove down...yes, I said drove. Brett, Brett's cousins Josh and Alex and I all made the trek. It's about 16 hours from home to Vegas; except on the way down we took about a 5 hour detour to Draper, UT to pick up Brett's cousin Ted. A detour well worth taking! We don't get to see Ted as often as we'd like so anytime with him is awesome! He was kind enough to welcome us to his home atop a mountain - seriously! What a spectacular view! He and his golden retriever, Chopper, were fabulous hosts! I learned a new card game...GREAT! I can't remember the name of it, which is extra funny as Ted couldn't remember the name of it when he was teaching it to us!! :) That's hilarious!

Anyway, Friday we arrived in Vegas. We always stay at the Grand Desert, it's a great location for the rodeo; right across the street (relatively speaking) from my FAV casino, Hard Rock, and a free shuttle to Harrah's which gets us to The Strip.

oasis within the two towers

Isn't it pretty?!?

Brett & I usually stay a week and those that we've met up with down there, friends and family, are there for just a part of the week; this year Ted was the only one to leave before the rest of us (dang work anyway!). The "rest of us" would include Brett's parents, Larry & Genia, to Josh, Alex, Brett, and myself.

I'm gonna go with "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" AND "be yourself. at home." for this trip! :) I will point out some highlights in ADDITION to the Rodeo: 

A country bar with a HUGE dance floor, I believe it alone is 2,500 sq. ft. - no joke! I had a BLAST here! I even was silly enough to "challenge" Ted; "you ride the bull, I'll ride the bull.." Yeah, OF COURSE he was gonna ride it now! 

Go Ted!

It was a blast, poor Ted, I was cursing him the whole time even though deep down I KNEW he would ride it if only to spite me! :)

Yes, that's me

(Great pics from Brett's phone! Not so much.)

Seeing Brooks and Dunn perform "Cowboy Town" at the NFR Sunday night. WOW!

Watching Brett, Josh, and Alex at Fast Lap Kart Racing. So NOT a thing for me but they had a BLAST!

Front to Back: Alex, Brett, Josh

the track (before the race)

Toby Keith's I Love this Bar & Grill; located inside Harrah's. My FAV meal, pulled pork sandwich, and drinks served in Mason jars! 

This year was especially fab as Brett danced with me for at least three hours to the live band playing after the rodeo. Yes, Brett danced! Not many drinks required I must add! We had a BLAST!! THANKS HONEY!

We were blessed with FABULOUS weather on the way down so as it is December I was VERY anxious to travel home. Can you say winter storm warning! CRAP! I must say that I am very thankful for all the thoughtful calls we got to make sure we were aware of the warning and to make sure that we were okay. Despite my anxiety, we really were okay. The roads were not as awful as foretold and the part of the trip that I was most fearing, Cabbage Hill, was bare and dry - NO snow. THANK THE HEAVENS! I still was a crazy person, asking Brett to keep it slow, but hey, we all made it through my craziness! :)

We finally pulled into the driveway after 12:15am this morning. It's fun to get away, but it's good to be home.

Where were the kids you ask? We were lucky enough to have Brett's cousin, Elliott, (yes, Brett has a TON of cousins) stay at the house with the girls. He had quite a schedule to keep up with this year; Alex had it WAY easier last year! Jillian gave him a run at times (surprise, surprise!) but it all worked out! Thanks again Elliott! Same time, same place next year???

Can you believe all the give-a-ways...

Holy Cow! Have you seen all the awesomeness going on today in the blogging world?

I am in awe once again of my friend, Nena. Seriuosly, if I could have an ounce of her creativity!!! That girls got a give-a-way you've got to check out! A 3x4 ft Santa Canvas that she MADE. SERIOUSLY!! Tell one and all to leave a comment  (on her blog) and check this out!

Another hot give-a-way, Cathy Zielske is giving away a free one on one techy tutorial! AWESOME!

The craziness continues here! More to come LATER....stay tuned!

Good Grief...

I was off to such a great run and then WHAM! I lost it!

Life; well, life is crazy. Last night I fell asleep BEFORE 8pm on the couch. Life has had it's ups and downs since the last post. Let me share the ups...

Saturday, November 8th, I was given a great surprise by my friends! I walked into a VERY successful surprise party for me. It was great! I got to see how one plays Beer Pong and laugh until I cried at times. 

For those of you who are not familiar with the game, let me put it in it's simplest form: you set up 10 cups on each end of a long table, in those 20 cups you split 4 beers. A team of two to three people stand at the ends of the table and each get one shot with a ping pong ball; they are trying to shoot the ball into one of your cups. If they make it, you drink that cup. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, there are tricks, rules, and downright hilarious moments that come from the "simple" game. I am not a beer drinker so I watched for most of the evening; then I played and had others drink my beer for me. :) It was a great night!

Charli was the gracious host of the event and was a great hostess making sure that everyone was well taken care of. Bobbi made this ab fab soup inspired by Olive Garden. (Really, I need more of that soup!) Melissa made it to the party! This is BIG! She is SO STINKIN' BUSY! Thanks sweetie! And do my friends know me or what! For my gifts, Charli got me a gift certificate to iTunes, Melissa got me a gift certificate to the GAP, and Bobbi got me a whole bag of CHOCOLATE! It was PERFECT ladies, thank you.

It meant a lot to me that night but it even means more to me today to have such great friends! Not only the ones that attended the party but those who've always given me an ear to listen to my frustrations, a shoulder to cry on, and a hand to hold. Thanks guys, you know who you are and I thank God each and every day that I have been blessed with the company of each of you. :)

Last weekend, the 14-16th, I attended CKC Seattle. It's a scrapbook convention that is actually held in Bellevue (that's always bugged me that it says its in Seattle but its in Bellevue...oh well.) Melissa, Charli, Terrie, and I headed out Friday after school. I was thankful for good weather as I was the one driving. Poor Charli, broke her finger the Tuesday before and was contemplating not going. I'm glad she chose to go, it wouldn't have been the same without her. We took some great classes, but I will NEVER do a convention in one day again. My brain was fried!

CKC 2007

(Sorry, No picture from this year)

Left to Right: Terrie, Melissa, Me, and Charli

This is the second year that the four of us have gone together. It was nice. Charli and Melissa had an instant bonding moment shopping! Man those two can shop!! Many of you know I am NOT a shopper. I go into a store, get what I need, and then I'm out. NOT SO for Melissa and Charli! They like to look at everything! Saturday night after dinner we went to Bell Square and split up. Terrie and I one direction, Charli and Melissa in another. Terrie and I were done shopping around 8pm, I called Charli, "Where you guys at?", "Oh, we're in ____ (I don't remember where they were), we haven't made to JcPenny yet". Seriously?!? That's where they were headed when we split at like 7:15pm. Finally, at 9pm I text Charli and ask if they plan on sleeping at the mall tonight; I would have been happy sitting in the car reading a book I had just gotten earlier in the day BUT Charli had my key, so on a couch at Nordstrom I sat with Terrie people watching and visiting with each other. :)  They got to Nordstrom just after 9pm and we headed back to the hotel. Really, I wasn't mad, just tired so I didn't look so thrilled. It was fun to razz them though, as I am going to continue to do. :)

Sunday, we had a replay. The only thing on our list when we left Moses to do on our way home was to stop at North Bend and get some shoes for Kolby (Melissa's son) and go home. (Again, remember my shopping style). Well, I threw us off track because I wanted to stop by a LSS (local scrapbook store) and see if they had some stuff I was unable to find at the convention. We got to Issaquah an hour before I had planned and an hour before the LSS opened so, we looked for other stores to be open; hello Target! After an hour in Target and a half an hour in Bath and Body Works, we made our way to the Mad Scrapper. They didn't have what I was after so I was ready to go in like 10 minutes; I was the only one. Melissa is so funny to watch shop sometimes; she can get so excited over things! Case in point, the Zutter corner rounder. Okay, it is REALLY cool! It looks like a giant paper clip. But Melissa's reaction was too cute! "Well, isn't that just too adorable!" "Look! It's even pink!" "It's going home with me!". After a stop at a camera shop, that I wanted to go to along with Charli, we were off to North Bend. 

Once we got there I was TIRED. I told Melissa, "one hour, then we're headed home." Three hours later, we were finally on our way. My tiredness DEFINITELY was showing. Melissa says to me during the shopping experience, "Charli and I know your not a shopper, but we're having a lot of fun and loving it" (something to that effect). Great, I'm a party pooper. She's right, I don't shop, but I was happy that they were having fun. They both work really hard and are really busy! I don't know how they stay sane sometimes. So, truly, I was viewing the shopping as retail therapy. I was just too tired to be happy with them. :)

They had so much fun shopping together they're making plans for Black Friday (Day after Thanksgiving)! May the force be with you two ladies! I'll be at home sleeping! :)

In other events: I made it swimming two times last week and not at all this week. This week was VERY emotional for me; too much stress. I am looking forward to a somewhat quite weekend in comparison, to just decompress.

As I write this entry, I am doing my very best to not get frustrated that I  completely missed out on a free scrapbooking class online and that I am 5 weeks, yes 5, behind on my DYL class.

Tomorrow, I am scheduled to take Tracy's family pictures. I am REALLY excited about this! She and her family have been through SO much in the last 6 months; a lot has changed. It'll be interesting to see those changes in their pictures. They're gonna be FABULOUS! I'll post them after the shoot ( I'll try my best at least).

Top 3 from last years photo shoot:

Great family portrait!

I LOVE these two shots! 

They weren't planned/posed. I caught a great family moment!

These are the types of shots I LOVE - they're candid and true.

TTFN! Ta Ta For Now! ( I love Tigger!)

GNO...

So, last night I had the pleasure of getting together with some girlfriends that I don't really get to see that often for a girls night out. I was thinking that I would wait until  I got the picture from Nena to blog about it but...not sure when that'll happen. (Sorry sweetie, I know that you have the best intentions! your life is just CRAZY! :))

Anyway, Charlene coordinated a gathering since the last time we really got together was 2 years ago in Seattle at the convention I was just talking about in my last post.

Goofy faces!

We were to each bring our latest craft project. I brought my DYL pages that I do have done, Eva brought this super cool Advent calendar that both she and Charlene have created, Charlene brought an album that represented a half a year, Melissa shared her many many many duties/obligations/projects in stories (great stories I must say), and Nena, well, Nena brought her latest endeavor, the Halloween costume she made for Hendrix. 

Now, I say it this way NOT to lessen the other projects presented but for those of you who know Nena, it's never a little simple thing, it's over the top fabulous! She posted pics on her blog but they do them NO justice. She created the pattern and then brought it to life. Wow! There is no limit to her many talents. She not only made Halloween costumes for each of her children (no pics yet) but for two nieces and 10 other orders she received (lady bus and honey bees) three days before Halloween. (Seriously, three days!!)

It was a great night spent with great friends that I don't get to share time with very often but last night holds a warm place in my heart. Thanks guys! Let's do it again, but not wait 2 years!

Is it too much...

So, I've shared the creative funk that I have found myself in once again and I am looking for ways around the issue that is holding me back; trying to control the things that I can and let go of those things I can not. But my creative side is just ready to bust! I am finding myself agitated that I am not creating; it is truly an outlet that I can just escape and funny thing is THAT'S WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW!!

"Well, then scrapbook" you say. I can't! I just sit and stare at my supplies in hopes of inspiration, but I get nothing, nada, zilch. Then I just get more frustrated.

Me, frustrated. (I LOVE my Mac!)

I am getting ready to attend a scrapbooking convention this next weekend in Seattle with some girlfriends and I am so looking forward to it. But today, as I am looking over my class lists and reviewing other classes that I have already signed up for not in Seattle, noting that I am 3 weeks behind - not two in my DYL class, and thinking on how I should really start my 5 projects for BBCC this winter qtr I found myself asking, "Is it too much?". Between carpooling the kids to school, working part to full time, handling the books for Carvo Farms, dance transportation, homework, dinner, chores, and bed; where did I see that I really had the time? I ask that and I know part of the answer, I need to find the time because it is an outlet; an outlet I really need.

I wonder how many of my friends accomplish all the things on their plates. Seriously, how do they do it? I don't hear them complaining about how busy they are or what they are missing out on. (Way to suck it up guys! I am being such a whiner right now!) But I really don't get how they keep it together all the time!

I use this blog to vent a lot, more than planned. Thanks for taking the journey off the main road every now and then, and the support you guys always send. Thank you!

It never fails...

Just needing to run to town for some quick errands, not wanting to get myself "ready" for the day just yet; no big deal right? Yea right.

When you don't get yourself "ready" it NEVER fails that you run into EVERYONE you know! People you haven't seen in years get to see you looking your best (ha ha), you get introduced to new girlfriends (Great! Just the first impression I was after!), etc. Overall, you take TWICE as long to make your "quick trip".

I hope I've learned my lesson, to either take the time to get "ready" or not let it bother me so much when I don't! (But you do know that when you are "ready" you see NO ONE right.) 

Wonderful life lesson of the day!

Ali and Bananas...

See! Good, positive thing! Alissa came home with some great news for the day...

Congratulations Boo!! You were chosen as this weeks Golden Eagle Awardee! 

In short, a Golden Eagle Award is given to those students who do something extra special - helping, sharing, giving, beyond the expectations. Kids are given a "token" that is put into a drawing for the week and this week Alissa was chosen. She was allowed to choose a prize and she chose an inflatable monkey which she named Bananas because he's a monkey that eats bananas and he is yellow like a banana.

Alissa, I am very proud of you. You are an extraordinary little girl, thank you.

A little disappointed...

Lately, I have been unable to capture ANY creative energy. I know why, but I am unable to overcome the obstacle at this time to move forward...

I am officially two weeks behind on my DYL class...

And, I am tired...

A week that, in the big picture of things, has been a GREAT week, this is my focus today. It's amazing how the negative things can overpower so many positive things! How sad is that.

I wanted to post this today as a reminder to snap out of it and get over it. I have the choice to make it a better day, and that is what I choose to do.

Our 8 Hour Halloween Marathon...

Yes, you heard me, 8 hours! The girls had a blast and didn't really slow down until the last hour!

We were invited to join the Chapmans' in traveling here and there throughout the day; so, we all packed into my car and headed off! We followed Charli's sister Jayci and her niece Terrin to Stephanie's (Charli's sister, Terrin's Mom) work in Ephrata where they were hosting a chili feed that is a fundraiser for their Christmas family that they sponsor each year, then we trick-or-treated all her co-workers. We parted ways with Jayci and Terrin and as we were leaving, I removed a bag of M&M's from Camyrn as the drive is about 20 minutes from Ephrata to Moses Lake, a lot of time for an almost two year old to get chocolate everywhere; I broke her heart and boy did I make her mad! She cried ALL THE WAY BACK to Moses. Charli informed me that she's never protested that long. Thanks, makes me feel good. Poor Cam!

Next, we headed to see Justin (Charli's hubby) at his work get more goodies there. Camyrn had fallen asleep by the time we got there, poor thing. After Jusitn's work we were off to Charli's office to trick-or-treat. I stayed in the car with Cam so that she could continue to sleep from all the stress I put her through, it was the least I could do; then to BK for dinner. The whole reason we chose BK was for the iDog toy and guess what? No iDog toys, sold out, but the sign was still up that they were available, oops. After we picked up the food we headed to the much anticipated spot, the High School.

I love that this is an option! Indoor, safe, and fun; all that a parent could ask for. They even offer hot cocoa, cookies, and pictures for a small fee and have a haunted house at the end of the trick-or-treating! Justin and Charli are HUGE Halloween fans! I just love the candy. I used to like Halloween but I think that with the busy schedule of birthdays right around this time and that I'm still gearing up for more birthdays next week it can just be too much. This year the girls didn't even know what they wanted to be until the 25th, the day after Ali's birthday. CRAZY!

Anyway, Justin was itching to go throught the haunted house with the kids! My kids are not huge "I like to get scared" kinda kids; they're more, "I'm gonna have nightmares over this" kinda kids. But, I thought Riley and Cayli want to go (they're younger than my kids), it's only at the High School, how scary could it really be, really. Well, apparently it was scary enough that Cayli and Jillian were crying and Riley and Alissa were pretty spooked. They hadn't even made it half way and Justin got them all out of there. Hmmm....

Next stop, the Alliance Church. We have never gone here as part of our Hallooween fun but my girls and the Riley and Cayli go to VBS there in the summer; this church does NOTHING small. Why would I expect anything less?!? The time, effort, and heart that goes into their events shows and it's nice. Admission was 1 canned food per family as well as 1 bag of candy, we misunderstood and brought 1 can per child and 1 bag per adult, oh well. Local food bank gets food and it's Halloween! EVERYONE needs more candy, right?

There were games galore, tons of food and not just junk food. There were hot dogs, chips, banana smoothies, apple juice, and of course cookies! The kids had a blast! We were there well over an hour. Truly, I lost track of time once we entered the High School at 5pm until I was dragging at 7:15pm at the Alliance Church ready to go, but I was the only one ready to go. So, I sucked it up for a little longer until we headed out and headed to Steph's house where Chari's van was.

Laine, Steph's daughter, had some girlfriends over and they were all dresses as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; they were cute! They're all Jr. High kids who were having a lot of fun and geting ready to head to the scary haunted house in town. So, guess what gets back in my kids heads, yep the hounted house from earlier. Great.

After about a half an hour of laying low and enjoying the company, my girls and I head home. Guess what the topic of conversation is; yep, the haunted house. How scared they were, how freaky some stuff was and I'm cringing thinking I'm not gonna get any sleep tonight! They are going to be up telling me that they're having bad dreams. Fab. So, I tell them that they can watch a movie, which is SO against my rules I can't believe I offered it, but if it can get them to change their thoughts I'm all for it. Charli and I had already gone over the fact that it's not real, it's just the High School kids dressed up, and it's all make believe. Didn't work.

So, as I'm typing, they're watching HSM 1. Hopefully we'll all get a good night sleep.

Here are some of my fav pics from the night. 

Note to self: next year, more saturated colors! They really help bring the Halloween vibe.

Jillian, an angel & Alissa, an animal talent fairy named Fawn from the movie Tinkerbell (all that info is huge because Fawn can talk to the animals, sometimes I think Alissa can too!), waiting outside the High School. This actually makes me a little nervous for Jr. High....

Riley, a ninja, waiting to enter the High School with a canned good (admission).

You can see his ear to ear grin right through that mask! Cutie!

Cayli, a good witch, looking through her spy glass! This is one of my fav pics of the night! 

Charli took this pic and she had PERFECT timing!

Camyrn, a cute little flower. 

How adorable is she! Seriously!

Overall, it was a wonderful whirlwind of a day. The kids did great, we all enjoyed each others company, and it was fun! Thank you Charli for inviting us. 

Happy Halloween!

Everyone at Stephanie's work. What a cute setup at the entry of the building!!

Anther great pic by Charli.

New Trick...

So, I've got a trick up my sleeve that I am hoping will help me in my blogging efforts. I have found out that I can create a draft and come back to it later and it will post as the time I initially created the draft. (It's not your imagination that these are all popping up all of a sudden)

What's so cool about that? Well, I have somethings that I'm a bit OCD on and sharing events with you in order is one of them. So, being able to write the thought now and finish the thought later and then have it post in the correct sequesnce of events is a happy thing for me. I am hoping that it will assist me in my blogging efforts.

I am not happy with myself that I'm pretty much blogging once a week but I CAN NOT blog with Jillian around. That girl! She's hilarious! It's like when the phone rings, the kids were off doing something else then the phone rings and all of aa sudden they need you and they need you NOW! Same for me and blogging; I need a somewhat quite atmosphere to collect my thoughts and Jillian is right there breaking that train of thought. I have thought for the last week if I take a break and give her some time she'll go off and do her thing and then I can do mine, nope. Not so.

So, then before you know it, it's bedtime and I'm tired too. Too tired to stay up and blog.

Well, see how this new trick pans out. I'm excited!

Okay, a weekly review it is...

Since my return to the office part time and the other part of my day shuffling kids around I find my nights full of endless chores and not enough stamina to make time for the fun.

Not only am I not blogging regularly, or as regularly as I'd like, I am now behind in my scrapbooking class. Yes, I can catch up but I would have rather kept up.

I still have not even started the Week in the Life project! (Oops!) And very shortly I need to create my projects for my BBCC classes (starting Feb).

Right now is a shuffle period that I know will settle soon. I look forward to finding some creative time and working on my projects. Let's see when that happens.:) Guess it's time to start scheduling it in.

Stressing Out...

I guess my girls are stressed out, or so my research on the internet says. You see, both of the girls are having sleeping issues. Alissa has been having nightmares pretty much every night this month and Jillian is sleepwalking. It was just my luck for them to both have an episode the same night.

It started with Jillian. It's about 10:30pm and I am almost asleep when I hear "please help me" from Jillian and shes hussling down the hall. I get up to find her turning every light on and headed for the family room. I call her name, she turns around and hussles over to me and gives me a hug then proceeds to say something. What, I have no clue as it was complete jiberish. Not a lick of it made ANY sense! I keep trying to guess what she's saying and them she gets frustrated, gives up and just starts pulling me to the family room. I encourage her to go back to bed and she does.

Now that I am COMPLETLY freaked out, I'm awake. So, I decide to look up sleepwalking online. Just a note, sometimes the internet isn't your friend. It tells me that if your child is sleepwalking you should:

Have a consistant bedtime. Yep, we already do, 8-8:30pm every weeknight and most weekends.

Don't eat right before bed. Yep, I have always thought it was bad for your body to make it work when it's suppose to rest while your sleeping.

Possible cause: stress. Great. I'm stressing my kid out! (This is where the internet is not always your friend) 

Because I am so tired I start to just skim the rest of the article to find a that sleepwalking and nightmares are linked in searches. Great. AND that for children who are sleepwalking and children having nightmares, for them to avoid bunk beds! Fab! I'm the worst mom EVER! They have bunk beds! I'm too tired to pursue the topic any further and have to leave it until the next day.

Shortly after I finally get to sleep, guess who's up? Yep, Alissa. She had another nightmare. I do the usual; give her a hug, tell her I love her, that she is safe, and to go to the bathroom. She's spooked and just lays in her room WIDE awake. I encourage her to read or listen to her iPod and she finally falls asleep.

Next thing I know it's time to get up and not only am I not rested but I feel like the worst mom EVER! My poor kids!

I am a true believer in energy in a room and I am anxiously awaiting Brett to get back from Elk camp to help me take apart their beds and rearrange their room.

I'm not sure what is stressing them out or even if they are but I'd like to get a resolution so that we can all sleep better.

Happy BDay Boo..

Friday was the CRAZIEST day in awhile and I could not have made it through without the help of my husband and friends!

Not only was Friday Alissa's 9th birthday (more on that in just a minute) but it was my post op appointment for my knee as well. That threw a bit of a kink in my plans for the day but I was determined to try to make my original plans for the day work.

This year Alissa was SUPER excited that she was getting a party, as last year she made bad choices and a party was not an option on the table. I had planned on taking cupcakes to school and going to High School Musical 3 for her party. Sounds simple enough, right? Let me share how the day really played out.

That darned (but very important) appointment really messed with my timing I had planned for the day. It was at 9:15am in Spokane; in order for me to get to my appointment on time Brett & I needed to leave town by 7am. So a big help came from my friend Heather who let me drop the kids off at her house 20minutes early and took all the girls to school. THANK YOU!

On Wednesday, I called Ali's teacher and asked what time I could take cupcakes to class, she said they celebrated parties at lunch 11:15-12. Okay, how am I gonna pull that off? It's safe to schedule two hours for the trip to the MD considering morning traffic; if my appointment is at 9:15 that doesn't even give me anytime to see the MD. Enter Tracy, THANK YOU Tracy! She offered to take the cupcakes to school in the morning when she dropped off her son, Tanner.

I still need to thank Brett for heading out later than planned for his annual Elk hunting trip. Thanks honey! I know you would have rather gotten out earlier in the day but I appreciate the time you spent with me.

Now, the party. The movie was at 4:30pm, we can't have the party room but a half an hour before the movie which makes 4pm but the staff doesn't even get there until 4pm. It's the premiere of HSM3, I asked the staff a few days earlier if I could block off seats and they said that hasn't worked in the past and didn't recommend it. GREAT! How am I gonna pull this off if I'm the only adult? Enter Charli and Bobbi. Thank goodness they wanted to watch the movie! They came, reserved the seats, and everthing went smooth. THANKS GUYS!

The day was a success, Alissa had a blast and there's NO WAY I could have done it without the help of Brett and my friends. Thanks again guys!

Really...

It's been a week since my last post?!? Really?!? Just goes to show how crazy life can get.

Last week in a flash, in addition to the everyday stuff; Monday chores, Tuesday work, Wednesday work, Thursday surgery, Friday recoup, Saturday recoup, Sunday chores. Yep, that looks right.

Surgery, yes, surgery. Two years ago I had reconstructive knee surgery on my right knee that involved placing two screws on the bump below my knee (patella tuberosity). Well, those screws were trying to come out! Brett's joke, "they forgot the locktight". Anyway, hurt like a bugger so they needed to be taken out. Holy moly! We got to keep the screws, they're like 2.5 inches long and the threads...wow. Here's a picture taken by Brett with his phone in the hospital:

Seriously, this month is flying by! I did keep a notebook of my "day in the life" project still yet to be completed and I caught up to the current week three assignments on my "Design Your Life" project last night. Trying to lay low this weekend but everytime I sit my mind tells me there's something else I should be doing; like laundry, or meal planning, or getting ready for the week...and what a week it will be!

Monday thru Thursday I will be working afternoons in addition to my carpool routine (that should be interesting as I am currently in need of one crutch - Brett will be helping, little does he know). Thank the heavens that my mom is here, she will be helping with the girls routine so that I can work afternoons (she does know). 

My Aunt Almyra has been here with my mom for the last week; we sure do love having them both here. I've been storing little moments in my archives of the sweet memories that have been made this week. While my mom's been creating masterpieces of Christmas trees for Krista's Open House this weekend at Elements,  my Aunt has taken the time to play Go Fish, Connect the Dots, and teach the  girls how to play her video solitaire. It reminds me of going to my Grandma Minnie's house in SLC, UT and doing things with my Aunt Wilmadeen. She'd play card games with me, we'd go for walks around the capitol building, it was just time well spent together. My Aunt Wilmadeen is no longer here to reminisce in these memories with me or create new ones with my children but I hold them dear as I know my kids will hold this visit dear. This week mom will be spending more time with the girls as Krista's project is now complete; it sure is nice to have a mom interested in helping us with our "projects" - thanks mom!

Back to this week; Friday. Friday! Friday is a busy day! It's Alissa's ninth birthday, it's the day Brett is to go setup elk camp, and it is my one week post op visit in Spokane. Who decided the week before elk camp would be a good one for hardware removal? Oh yeah, me. Silly me!

Mom and Aunt Almyra leave Thursday back to Portland so I think Friday might go something like this: Heather carpool (still have to ask her), Brett & I to Spokane (I hope he goes with me), get back in time to pick Jillian up at 1pm, Brett off to elk camp, get Alissa from school, setup party room at movie theater, have party, watch High School Musical 3, party over, day over. Whew! My mantra will be "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!!" I'm already stressed!

I'll keep my notebook handy and update when I can.

P.S. New pages added to the DYL project post. Enjoy!

MY blog banner....

I did it! I did it! I did it! Hooray!! (Sing to the tune of Dora the explorer)

I customized my blog banner! I knew I could I just needed to set aside the time and since I've been SUPER LAZY yesterday and this morning I decided to give it a whirl. Pretty cool, huh? This pic is above Cle Elum taken by me. YEA ME!

Okay, more posts to come to review my week; I've still been working on the project, just suckin' at posting! More to come!

Posting comments...

Okay, so I'm trying to get my blog "reader friendly". :)

Here's how I think I've set it up to work.

Click on "comments" at the end of the post you would like to make a comment on. That takes you to a new page where you have a box for your text "leave your comment". Next you need to choose your identity, if you do not have a blogger account or AIM or webpage then you choose anonymous. :) 

By choosing anonymous you are just that, anonymous. But I would like to know who left comments (please); my suggestion: end your comments with you name.

i.e. "Tiffany, you are CRAZY! Love you! -Brett"

Thanks! Hope this helps!

DYL Projects

Monday update...

Today was busy. I accomplished more today than I have in awhile. Here are highlights:

Broke down boxes and cleaned up the garage. Car packed to take to recycle

Hung these "butterflies" up behind the girls door for them to hang coats, backpacks, and sweatshirts

Me doing laundry (yea me!)

Taking the girls to dance

I'll add my words tomorrow - it's 12am. I've gotta work tomorrow...good night!

Sunday update...

I am very proud to share that I am accomplishing much! 

I would also like to share that I figured out the posting thing and you should now be able to leave comments on my blog. Please do! Let me know what you think. Do I ramble too much? (Too bad, that's me) Is there something else you'd like to know? Talk to me! :) Thanks! Just click on the "comments" at the end of the entry you wish to comment on. Enjoy!

I am pretty tired tonight but it was important to me to share tidbits of yesterday and today with you. (Sunday one post, Monday next post)

Sunday:

As you can see the girls are reading. This was a mark your calendar event as they had been doing NOTHING that I had asked. It was a great surprise to walk into the room and see them doing something that I had asked. Thanks guys!

Me blogging. :)

Girls ready to "wrestle" with Daddy; "BRING IT ON!"

so, he did!

Day overview: (I had a notebook handy all day)

7:30am awake but refused to get out of bed. Girls up but playing in their room quietly. This is really sleeping in for us but not enough sleeping in for me

8am Brett off to check farm

8:30am Alissa & Jillian come and say hi

eat cereal

work on DYL assignments

check email

11:45am Brett gets home. I start my weekend "chores" with mowing the grass. It was a family affair; Brett trimming, girls scoopin' poop, and me cutting grass on the riding lawn mower.

1:30pm (Wow, what a difference teamwork makes! It usually takes me 2.5 to 3 hours to do the yard by myself!) 

sort and start laundry

2pm I shower

2:15pm girls reading like I asked

2:30pm post Goals blog

4:15 start dinner - cheeseburger dish. LOVE this one! EVERYONE, except me -beef, eats this without complaint! Just happy faces!

Make "tasks" list for girls and go over it with them. Reward: blizzards at the end of the week.

5pm Eat

after dinner: 

more laundry

DYL project

girls showers

wrestle

girls to bed

Brett & I settle in for movie:Forbidden Kingdom, I fall asleep - wake up for the end

11pm bed

On the goals listed yesterday, these things didn't make it in my day: making dinner plan for the week, and hanging the curtain rod in my room. Let's see if they make it this week. :)