We're Home!

Ten days, 3,500 miles, 4 states, 3 hotels, skunks, cows, 3 dead birds, cracked windshield as a result of hitting the birds, dry air, snow storms, ice, temperatures varying from 8 degrees to 70 degrees, throw up, wet pants, snow clothes for all 4 of us (which we will probably never wear again), 8 Temples, The Bluebird Restaurant, 1st time sledding for the girls, a sledding accident for Laura, nearly getting sideswiped by a diesel truck, a visit to Dad's grave site, and having the most wonderful Christmas ever! We enjoyed every minute of it! The only thing I would have done differently is to stop at Haggermann's the first time we passed through Salt Lake as it was closed for Christmas. We loved the snow and every aspect of it and it definitely felt like Christmas for us this year!

Christmas plans!

We are doing something different this year for Christmas. We are loading up the van with all our presents and going on a road trip! We are even taking a Christmas tree with us! We've stayed in a hotel at Christmas time before but we will see how well we like staying in 3 different hotels! The kids hope Santa will be able to find us! We have had trouble in the 8 years of living in Texas to really get into the feeling of Christmas because there is no snow. So, we thought we would go find some. (If we don't, then we will have to wait for that crazy day in Texas.) With the weather being so cold as it has been, we've heard of snow falling from weird places...even Vegas! So, wish us luck! As we won't be seeing Family this year we hope you all know you will still be in our hearts.
Merry Christmas!

I'm a pink slipper!

Our Theme for Enrichment this month was Bringing 'Soles' Unto Christ. We were to bring a shoe that best describes our personality. I took a pink slipper.

Pink...because I am all girl...and a mother to girls
Slippers are quiet...I am a quiet person...until you get to know me and I don't like attention brought to myself.
A slipper is easy...I am easy to get along with.
It's warm and comfortable...I am comfortable to be around.
They come in fun styles... I can be alot of fun too!

I had a friend who thought I was a high heel; polished on the outside and comfortable on the inside. I had to remind her that high heels are not comfortable!

1st talk...Nativity!

Danielle gave her 1st talk in Primary yesterday. She was given a pretty broad topic so we went with the theme of Christmas and what I've been doing this past week...The Nativity.

We are very proud of you Danielle!

Every year our Stake puts together a wonderful display of Nativities that bring hundreds of people from all over our community to enjoy. (This year we had over 1600 attend.) I was overwhelmed when I was asked to be a part of the Nativity Exhibit and decorate a section of it! I am convinced the Lord had his hand in this decision to help me shift my thoughts to a better place this year! How grateful I am! I have to admit my husband is the decorator in our home because I lack the know-how so this was a big challenge for me. Anyway, I think I did a pretty good job. This picture is only half of what I was asked to do. Unfortunately, it didn't get to stay this way for long (only 2 days.) A weeks worth of hard work and long hours comes down easily in a matter of about 3 hours. :(

Mother/Daughter Date

Tonight Hannah and I went to see the Allen Christmas Tree lighting for a Mother/Daughter date. This is kind of like Temple Square at Christmas time but not as pretty and not as fun, but for Allen it is a big deal. This was something that started out as a Family outing but Brent came home really sick today so Danielle stayed home to take care of him. Isn't she sweet?! Actually, she was so tired that I refused to take her. Brent talked her into staying home with him. They played "Sorry" and had hot chocolate and watched "The Cosby Show" all of which she loves to do. Anyway, before we left I made Hannah bundle up in all her jackets because we don't own coats here in Texas, it just doesn't make sense to buy a coat that you wear for 3 weeks out of the year. Once we were bundled up (it was in the 40's) we headed up to 7-11 where we stopped for hot chocolate and then headed to the Tree lighting. Once we got there, we walked around, took some pictures, talked with some friends, watched the tree light up...twice. Not sure what happened there. We got some popcorn and walked around some more. We decided it was time to go home. Then the fun really started! As we got into the car, Hannah realized she was missing a glove. She gets out of the car to look for it and almost gets hit by a car. After I lecture her about watching out for cars in the parking lot she starts to cry, not for getting yelled at, but for losing her glove. I then drive across the parking lot looking for this glove. We don't see it. I tell her we can go get her another pair of gloves.(By the way, this glove had a hole in it) After a trip to Target and walking out empty-handed I then think it would be better to go back and search for the glove than to store hop looking for a pair that would satisfy her. So we go back to the "Tree." We ask the police there if they can help us and if there is a lost & found anywhere. They were so nice but we never found the glove.(This whole time I kept thinking "Danielle is giving Hannah a pair of gloves for Christmas, can't she wait for 3 more weeks?!") As we walked back to the car I looked down at some stairs that we didn't walk by before and there it was! Hannah finally had a smile on her face along with two matching gloves! I'm so glad our date ended the way it did...a happy child and a happy Mom!

Mind tricks...will they work?

I am one of the many who is obsessed with Twilight! I love the books! Once I started reading, I finished all 4 books in 10 days. My poor family was so neglected. I would drop Danielle off at preschool and I would sit in the parking lot for all 5 hours (no wasted time by driving home) and read, I would stay up till wee hours of the night reading till I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, my house was a mess and Hannah ended up wearing Danielle's underwear due to my lack of household duties. But, like I said, I was obsessed. I was one of the crazy ones who camped out till 12:01 am on November 21st to see the "Twilight" premiere. It was so cold (the one night it got in the 30's) and so much fun! Yes, I was one of the oldest there along with about 12 of my "old" friends although I felt very young as I normally don't do things like this. In my 33rd year of life it turns out that I feel like I need to prove that I'm not getting old. My mind is telling me I'm not, but everything else is headed in that direction. On our family vacation this summer, we went to Colorado and on my birthday we happened to go rafting down the Colorado River. Half way down in an attempt to stay young, I decided I wanted to go cliff diving.."I've done this before...when I was younger" I say to myself. "It will be so fun!" I rallied Brent to go with me and so did the girls. Brent & I jumped off 30 ft cliffs and the girls went off a 5 ft cliff. As I'm standing on the cliff I decide I will wait till I am just about to hit the water to get my breath of air. I jump. The drop scared me so much that I couldn't catch my breath. Once I hit the water, I think I went into shock. When I came up I still couldn't catch my breath. "This isn't what happened last time" I'm thinking. Again it was cold but still so much fun! I am hoping that if I keep telling my body that I'm not getting old maybe my body will listen?!