Kate update

"helping" make Christmas cookies

sledding with Dad and Anna (sorry I was too lazy to turn it)
Christmas day at Grandma's and Papa's
Headed to the Dr. with an ear infection. It was the worst snowy day of the year. I was so nervous to drive up to Orem to the doc. Kate was obviously not overly concerned.

Our Kate is getting big way too fast. She is still as sweet as ever and we enjoy her personality. She is really learning to hold her own, especially around Anna who she knows will take things from her. If Kate sees Anna coming she whips around away from her and yells "Mine!" I don't blame her. She is so fun right now that I am sad that she is getting older. Just 1 month until nursery which we welcome. I hope she will go despite her recent bout of separation anxiety. Just for memories sake I wanted to write down some of the words she is saying. I always think I will remember when the kids did this or said that, and when it comes down to it I really don't. She is by far our earliest talker and it's fun to have her express herself.

Words: up, mine, no, Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Thank you, bubble, biki-binki, ink-milk/drink, Anna, bless you, here you go, please, cheese, bye bye, hello, doggy(was her first word), Papa, woof woof, hop, bap-bath, treat, nose, all done, night-night, baby, jump.

Reunion

Today was a good day. I had the chance to sit and chat with my very best friend growing up. I had a family of only brothers and she came from a family of 9 children with 6 girls. Needless to say I spent much more time at their house than my own. We met at her parents house, the same home she grew up in, just 2 doors down from me. I have not been back in that neighborhood for years. It was such a strange feeling. It was fun to see my old home and remember the many memories made there. I remember summer afternoons on bikes in the cul-de-sac playing cops and robbers and hide and seek. The summer evenings of night games. The porch where I received a date's good night kiss (or two). I felt so old explaining to Anna about the house I grew up in and which window was my bedroom... it reminded me of my childhood and my parents driving through what to me was an unfamiliar neighborhood, but to them a place so very poignant. More important than the homes in our little neighborhood was the friendship that still remains over all these years. It was so relaxing to sit and catch up on our own growing families as well as those of our siblings and old neighbors of long ago. One of my favorite moments was as I was getting ready to leave I was standing holding Kate, Jenny was standing bouncing her baby, and Mindy her older sister her baby. Wow, how life continues to go forward and change. While I reminisce of the innocence of a wonderful childhood in a wonderful, protected neighborhood where we all cared very much about one another, I love the naturall progession of things. It was a neat afternoon to reflect on things most important, the relationships with others we have and will continue to form. No money, job or house can replace those connections. While at times I find it difficult to express my love or affection to a friend, today was a day of just that. An hour to remember and rejoice in both trial and triumph, joys and sorrows. To put my arms around a dear friend and tell her I love her.

Yellow

Isn't yellow a cheery color? There is a cute little house on Geneva road that is sitting vacant ready to be bought that I drive by often. It is painted a very bright canary yellow with a blue door and looks so cheery and inviting. The sun has been shining and it makes me feel so yellow and happy. I love the sunshine. When we were living in Michigan, the winters were beyond cold and long. There were a few times that I actually went to a tanning bed so I could close my eyes and pretend I was laying in the sunshine. It did wonders.

It's been a busy week. When the kids started back to school after the holidays I was so happy to be back into a routine. It is only now that we are back into that routine I realize how busy and fast paced our life is. I often think about starting Anna in dance and Ethan wants to take drum lessons. Not only is that more expense but more and more driving and time. I don't quite know what we will do in later years when all the kids are in school and have various reports and homework to complete.

Today was a yellow day. It was happy because I got my kitchen floor mopped and Rand took Anna on a date which she has been praying for all week. "please Heavenly Father bless Daddy to take me on a date to the Disney Store". Oh, and speaking of praying Ethan asked me a few weeks ago if God always answers our prayers. I am amazed at the things he thinks about. I told him that He does but in the way he knows is best for us. Yesterday morning he prayed that we wouldn't be ornery. Later in the morning Anna was being quite ornery and Ethan said "Anna God answers our prayers but we still have to work at it...quit being so ornery". He cracks me up. He was off from school Thurs and Friday because of parent teacher conference. When Anna asked him why he wasn't going to school he told her because it was "Stake conference". I laughed so hard. Anyway, I digress. After the Daddy daughter date We went up to IKEA to use a gift card we got for Christmas. Tonight I think Rand and I are going to spend some time chillin'. Poor Rand has had a very rough , stressful week at work and needs a break. I think we are going to watch "Mama Mia". He hasn't seen it but it's just such a happy movie that makes you just want to get up and dance.

I'm so glad that Monday is a day off from everything. I think it may be a kind of honey do catch up day though. There is always something that needs to be done and another load to be taken to D.I. :)

I'm sure glad the sun is shining...

You go girl!

Yesterday we got some great news! After battling Ovarian cancer for 2 years my mom got her results back from her recent blood work and her numbers were great! We are so thrilled and relieved to know that after going through so much that things are looking so positive. It's been a tough road and of course there were times she wasn't sure she could continue but she pushed forward and we are all so grateful. We are so grateful for her example of faith and strength through all of this. We love you, congratulations!

January smanuary

A pretty picture of our home in the snow. I love the snow until hmmm maybe January 1 and then I think I'm pretty ready for Spring.

Is it just me or is January not very exciting. I keeping telling Rand we need to put some fun things on the calendar so I have something to look forward to. I keep thinking I should blog because it's been awhile and I'm certain that everyone is just waiting for me to tell them all the great things I have been doing. :) Well let's just say not much has been going on around here. We did buy a box of corn dogs and have enjoyed those a little more frequently than we probably should. We would probably bake ourselves to death to break up the indoor boredom if it weren't for the fact that I'm not eating any treats. You heard me NO treats. The no treat business is something crazy I do on occasion in an attempt to have greater control and of course hopefully loose some weight. The longest I have ever gone is 4 months. I am hoping to go longer than that this time but we'll just have to see. Randall just better not bring home chocolates for Valentines Day. So what are some things you are doing at your house to not go crazy with the kids indoors all day? Part of me wants to spring clean already and yet the other part of me thinks that's a miserable idea. There are many movies that came out over the holiday that we didn't have a chance to see so maybe we'll start seeing some movies. We did see Valkyrie and thought it was very good. Well I myself am bored just writing this so if you made it through congratulations. Oh, and if you are reading this and have been or are going to a sunny warm place in the next month or two don't tell me I just don't want to know. :)