Some pictures just don't need an explanation........

Ok so you'll have to bare with me. It's late, 12:22 A.M. and I no longer have a camera for updated photos so I searched long and hard for the perfect photos to post. I never found them but these were hilarious. I usually only share the ones that make me look like a normal, loving mother of the year. And I only post the perfect children shots. So I thought I would post the side of us that is around 99 percent of the time. (and no I am not flipping the bird in that picture just to clarify).

A chapter closed

Some years come and go with no real defining moments and would seem to be just an ordinary year with ordinary events. But 2008 was not that year. This was a year with an entire realm of emotions, achievements, opportunities, heartache, and an abundance of love and gratitude. Lucky for all of you reading this blog. I am not going to write about all of these events that would take forever. But I did want to close the year and this chapter of my life with gratitude for those who are important to me. For my friends, who are truly my "family" thank you for all you do for me. Thank you for forgiving my shortcomings and accepting my inadequacies, but most of all thank you for the laughing with me (or at me). And thank you for supporting my diet coke addiction. For my Boss whom I am sure is not reading this blog (if he were I would be worried) but just for the sake of letting everyone know that I LOVE MY JOB! I have amazing employers and I am grateful to be apart of "the cause". I love working for the Unified Fire Authority. For my sisters though you are miles a way I Love you and think about you everyday and wish you were both here in Utah. For my fabulous kids thank you for being you. I love your smiles, your laughter, your chaos, your talents, and abilities but most of all I just love hanging and enjoying time together. I love all my nieces and nephews. Being an Aunt is so great. I love to give them all Mtn dew and then send them home for a nice relaxing evening. (He he he) We have been given so many great opportunities to make great memories this year and I look forward to many many more. Mike, for the sake of being lame and sappy, I am going to say "you complete me" (he he he) I know stop laughing. I just had to say it. I can't really say enough about Mike that would be a whole other blog. But I am grateful for the last 12 years. I know we've been married almost 15 but lets face it there is always a bad day every now and then. (ha ha ha) So that is the greatest of 2008 but I am grateful for the crappy parts too. I am grateful to close out this year and look forward to all that awaits in 2009! I love you all and wish you all a very Happy New Year. Oh and as a side note I am grateful for my last pedicure! It was sooo cute.

Catch Up!

The week before Thangsgiving was PTSA week at the Jr. High. It was a very busy week. It was a fundraiser. Our theme was very cute it was "Time Flies By". Each day of the week the kids were suppose to dress up for the time period. Monday was Prehistoric Day- thank goodness the Halloween costume was able to be used again. Tuesday was the 50's I made my first poodle skirt I was so proud of myself. We also played "Are you smarter than your Principal?" during lunch. Wednesday was the 70's Micah, Myself and Callee worked for hours making pet rocks. We sold them for $1.00 and they made the most money at the fundraiser. They were fun. And Thursday was the 80's we had the most participation in the dress up on this day. It is amazing that the 80's styles are coming back into fashion. We also had a dance off for our lunch activity this day. Thriller is still a very big hit. And Friday was future and the day we did our raffel drawing. The week was so crazy trying to get that all done and work at the same time but it was awesome to have a project to work on with Micah.

Thaddeus had the Cutest Thanksgiving program at school. I couldn't believe how well the teachers had the kids singing. And how well they all memorized their parts. Thaddeus was very entertaing as always. These pictures say it all.

And then of course we are doing Indoor soccer. What would the week be with out practice. Morgan loves to play indoor soccer. It moves very fast but she is always upto the challenge. I love watching her play.

I am a little behind on my Thanksgiving post but I do love Thanksgiving it is always a perfect beginning to the Holidays. I am always greatful for the time to reflect on all the great blessings I have in my life. I LOVE my job. I work for the Fire Department and I have a very awesome Boss who always let's me know I am appreciated and he allows me to be balance work with being a Mom.

I have been blessed with a best friend that moved to Tooele. Lance says he only moved here to keep Callee from shopping but I will always believe it was fate. I would never had made it through this last year with out her. Callee is a good listener, a good shopping buddy although all we have to shop at is Wal-mart, Callee helps me raise my kids, she makes me laugh, she appreciates my stupidity atleast she always acts like she does, and I could go on forever but it would make this blog very long.

I am grateful for challenges that keep me on my toes.

I am grateful for my sisters. Though they are so far away they always take my phone calls and they still let me annoy them like baby sisters should.

And so many others that I won't list but one last one I will. I have the most incredible husband and kids and I am grateful for them every day!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bad Timing

Well I realize it was bad timing on my part. I really should have posted this cute picture before they lost the game. Believe me these faces weren't this happy after the game the other night. But there is no shame in losing. (Unless it's to the Uof U) But BYU didn't just lose they fell apart. But that's ok. We still stand behind them. Just a little further this week that's all. (I'll always stand behind BYU as long as Bronco is the coach. If he leaves, I'll have to follow. LOL)

Mike's mom has season tickets and each of the kids have had the opportunity to go to a game with Grandma and their Dad. And they have LOVED IT! The kids love to spend time with their Dad. And Mike loves that all of his kids love to watch football. It's one of life's perfect moments.

Confessions

OK, so I realize that most of us only blog the good stuff. But last night I said to Mike I think the blog has made me reveal things I normally wouldn't share. I am not an emotional freak all the time. Only when it comes to my kids. And I hate being that way, emotional that is. I am not use to sharing the tender hearted, baby crying freak that I am when it comes to my kids, but I can't help it I am a sorry sap when it comes to them. That is a sign of old age. So since I am sure everyone is tired of my emotional out bursts I thought today I would blog the more evil side of me. Because that is my better side anyway. So last night after making the one last round to make sure all the kids were tucked in tight, sleeping, and making sure the T.V.'s, radios, cell phones, anything else they find to make noise were off. I started thinking I really need some sugar. Well I was too lazy to run to Maverick, and I had just thrown away the left over halloween candy (stupid, I realized at that moment)so I remember Thaddeus always has the stow away treats in his room. So I snuck into his room and looked around. I spotted the coveted gummy bears. Thaddeus had a baggie of them tucked underneath his arm, I am sure he thought it was a good middle of the night snack, or he was planning on eating them for breakfast. I thought twice about it and then decided he loved his mom enough to share. My intentions were just to eat a few and save him a few. I nudged the bed a little just to make sure he was sound a sleep and then I stole his gummie bears. Instead of eating just a few I ate them all. They were so good. I love gummie bears from Costco. Then like any good mom...... I got up early and went to work leaving Mike to deal with the mystery of the missing gummy bears. I hope Thaddeus likes raisin bran because that was about all we had left for breakfast.

"Beautiful baby from the outside in...."

I am not sure my words can do justice to the feelings I get when I look at this picture. I must has looked at it 100 times today. And each time has brought a new memory or new emotion. With Micah we have been able to experience a lot of "firsts". First baby, first bumps and bruises, first words, first Christmas, first birthday, first loose tooth, first to go to kindergarten, first baptism, first love, first girl fight, first time big sister, and many more. These experiences pull at your heart strings, they teach you how to love more, teach you more patience, teach you more gratitude, teach you more humility.

Last night we attended Young Women in Excellence, it was a formal affair. Micah was so beautiful. Not just on the outside,but it is so apparent that she is absolutely beautiful on the inside too. Micah has an incredible knowledge of who she is, where she came from, and she knows who she wants to become. Micah is determined, focused, smart, a Daddy's girl, a little dramatic, full of love for her family and friends, and full of laughter. Micah is a huge help at home, she is very responsible, and she is the best big sister anyone could ask for. Micah is looking forward to being the Beehive class president. She loves her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Her testimony is growing everyday. All of these first experiences have been amazing, rewarding, emotional, and quite frankly exhausting. What ever did I do before I became a mother?

We had a great night. I wouldn't change any of these experiences for all the diet coke in the world. Course I think I drink all the diet coke in the world because of these experiences.

(Daddy's little girl has him wrapped right around her little finger.... can you tell. )

Little scholars!

Who needs school when you can grow up in a warehouse and learn everything you need to know. Thad unlike my other children and the misfortune or fortune as he would see it to grow up at work with his mom. Thad went to work with me til he was 5 years old. I knew he was street smart, he could work a fork lift, he knows how a tractor trailer backs up, he can run a copy machine, and log onto the Internet. You know all the things 5 year olds know...(lol). But today at our first parent teacher conference we realized somewhere he picked up all the book smarts too. Thad is excelling in Kindergarten far beyond what I think Mike or I had even thought. We just took it for granted because we are around him all the time. He's always funny, says the best things, and we know his vocabulary is huge. But, it is interesting to hear what the teacher had to say about Thaddeus. It's always nice to hear someone else validate what you think and that is that Thad is brilliant. When we showed Thad his report card his words were " I totally Rock!!!!" Yes you do little buddy! Thanks for being such a great kid. (I am sure he'll be reading and editing this soon.)

We also had parent teacher with Morgan's teacher. Morgan also is doing very well in school. She has 4 A's and 1 B+. And for the first time Morgan achieved 100 percent attendance in the first quarter. We received last years core test scores, and she received a 3. (4 is the highest) This was up from the year prior. Morgan's teacher has several pictures hanging in the classroom by her favorite little artist... Morgan. Her teacher even told us about a get well card Morgan made for her. She said it was so cute she took it home to show her kids. They are all in Love with Morgan. Morgan is a beautiful, talented, happy, caring, artistic little girl. Good Job Morgan. Mom and Dad are very proud of your hard work and commitment to doing well in school. Your an amazing little girl. Thanks for bringing so much laughter into our life.

Micah, well she got her very first B+. We were all shocked. But she is handling it very well. (smile) Micah has just started 7th grade. She has 3 advanced placement classes (Algebra, Science, and Spanish), she is involved with PTSA, still playing the piano and attending lessons, intramural sports, She is her Beehive class president, and she is still a very big help at home. Micah is an amazing student she always has been. And although I gave her a hard time for her B+, I totally excuse it it's in History who needs that anyway. (lol) Actually I totally back her up on her defense of the B+ in this instance, I have to blame the teacher he voted for Obama. I am very proud of Micah. Jr High is a big adjustment but she is doing incredible. Thank you Micah for all your hard work. You are a great example to the little's. Mom and Dad are so proud of you and your accomplishments.