Christmas 2008 Lovin' every minute of it!

What a fun filled December. We spent a lot of time with family dipping chocolates, eating holiday treats, doing nativities, flying above the temple lights, and just being together. I had to tuck Savanna and Macy back into bed on Christmas morning because it was 2AM. Crazy kids. I know that I never did that growing up (NOT) What joy it is when you are a kid and filled with the excitement of the holidays. AHHHH time for the new year. Such a strange lull that occurs between the holidays. It makes one reflect on life and all of the priorities to fulfill. I am so thankful for my family. We are ready to head into the new year!

Ahhhh....December!

Thanksgiving at Rocky Point was a blast for the kids. Beautiful weather down there. We are quickly gearing up for Christmas and love to get cards and photos from friends and family. We love you guys!

Skip Turkey Day?

So, I have actually broken one of my house rules. I have put up christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. I have good reasons. We will be out of town for Thanksgiving and Dec. 1st is on Monday. It was necessary and fun and is getting me into the spirit of things. Well, I can't believe that Christmas is around the corner. the Halloween party at church was awesome and now I have to plan Breakfast with Santa. Good times. Being the party girl at church is kind of fun, except that our ward is expanding by the minute and the amount of people in attendance is staggering. I can't wait for the Valentine's Adult dinner . The kids are good, we went up to Showlow last two weekends ago and arrived to find 3 inches of snow on the ground. It all melted by the afternoon , but what a beautiful sight it was.

More Good Stuff

This weekend has been eventful. Macy and Savanna were in a gymnastics competition on SAturday. They did awesome! We then went to a family Halloween Party at the Faas'. It has been non stop candy ever since. Now, I am busting a move on the Ward Halloween party set for this Wednesday. It is requiring a ton of work. Life is good and flying by so fast.

This picture is on Chad's 3rd Birthday. So fun!

Better Late Than Never!

Here are some fun pics from the past summer. We had a great time up in UTah with friends and family. I have to say, one of our highlights was rednecking it at the Delta, UT Fourth of July Celebration with the Parade and exciting Demolition Derby. Tate and Chad were mesmerized for four hours. Pretty good stuff! We visited the St. George Temple, Thanksgiving Point, and lots more! Good times in UTAH. The weather was great and we didn't even miss the heat in AZ. The only reason we came back was to start school. BuMMer!

OCTOBER ALREADY?

Okay, I don't really know what is happening here. My time is slipping away like sands through the hourglass.........so are the days of our lives. LOL I can't seem to keeep it up anymore. Who are these supermoms that can get it all done and look like fashionistas to boot. The blog has fallen to the wayside, and I was so pumped about it in the begiinning. I guess I got looking at other people's blogs and felt completely inferior. Well, that seems to be the way I feel most of the time. Pretty hard on myself and never quite measuring up. What is this? A couch evaluation. Snap out of it, sister. That is just you know who trying to distract me from what is most important in life. Like reading the NIENIE recovery pages and truly having gratitude for my family and my life. The whole picture and beyond. Let us , meaning me, be more grateful, more humble, more everything that Pres. Hinkley used to say. I need to post it on my forehead everyday. Hope you have a great day too! No, don't have a great day............MAKE it a great day!

Breathing easy again

Well,
I didn't realize just how crazy summer was until the peace and quiet began last week. This week has been filled with getting organized and back on track with everything. My fifth and final child to be potty trained is independent and going to preschool. I don't waste any time. He will be spouting off all sorts of amazing things like the presidents of the United States before you know it. Some people say that I will regret sending everybody off and that I will miss the little pitter patter. A wise person once told me, name withheld to protect the innocent, that if you are independent and good with sending them out the door, you will always feel that way about your children moving to the next thing in life. Maybe that is another pure delusional justification made up in my silly mind. C'est la vie. My youngest is turning three . Besides preschool and gymnastics, what else should I sign him up for? Spanish? Chess team? Just another actifvity for me to drive to. I live in my suburban, like most mommies. Is this the wrong way to go? Should I drop all activities, home school and run a tighter ship? ................LOL! These are all good things, but where do we draw the line.. I don't even take the time to discipline my kids half of the time because we are such a hurry to get to the next thing. I hate to be late to anything of course. It is no wonder that I will be starting a parenting class with Keri Maughan in September to bring the reins in on my lovely children. Well, I was just informed that my three year old is flashing the cleaning people, so I better go!

WOW ! WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

Well, it has been a crazy summer. WE went out of town to Midway , UTAH. WE spent the fourth of July in Delta, or all places. We had the best time at the town parade and demolition derby. My two younger boys were mesmerized for four hours watching event aftter event of cars and truck smashing into each other. It was a blast and very memorable. WE also finished out the summer in Rosarito, Mexico which is about 25 min. south of San Diego. We all got to try surfing and had a great time at the beach. Now, on to School we press forward. WE jumped into our new schedule this week and moms around the world are breathing and smiling once again. It is all good. My camera is broken, so I need to get a new one to post some new pics........for now here are a few.

Camps, camps, & more camps!

Well, after last weeks chaos and confusion...........order has been established once again with one word...................CAMPS. That is the only way for us moms to survive this summer. My kids were so busy with swim team, gymnastics, piano , strength training, etc. that they were happy to veg out in front of the tv for a bit before they crashed for the night. Everyone in the house was much happier with a steady schedule of events going on. I guess that is the ADHD/OCD in me coming out once again. AHHHHHHH..... order at last. Schedules are a good thing. Idle hands are of the devil etc etc... what are the other cliches? Anyways, new topic: All of the fancy pillows that I paid for & HAD TO HAVE to go on my master bed sit endlessly on the floor in the corner of my master bedroom: TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES. My only consolation is that I did read somewhere for allergy sake that leaving your bed unmade allows it to air out and get rid of the bed bugs..........versus making it up nice and tight with the moisture there for the bed bugs to feed on the old dead skin cells and reproduce at mass rates. UH Gross! Why did I just burst the bubble of all of you bed makers in the world? Just some food for thought, no pun intended. Anyways, I guess that I shall never change my ways. My friend actually suggested getting a decorative holder for my pillows. HAHAHA. What is the decorating world going to think of that. Maybe I could patent the whole idea. A wrought iron decorative pillow holder that looks great with or without the pillows, depending on the mood of your day (Lazy or not lazy) Ok . I am rambling and that is only because I am trying to block out Blake's terrlble attempt at practicing his piano for 40 min. He manages to leave and get a drink, play with the dog, go to the bathroom, and actually play his lesson for 20 minutes. Such is the life of a mom!

Bucket List for Summer

Okay..............everyone needs to try this one out. I got the idea to ask my three older kids what they expected for this summer. What are your goals or accomplishments? It was very interesting to hear their answers: Try this out with your kiddies. I think you will be surprised, as I was, what is really going on inside their heads

Blake: 1. have fun with my dad

2. get dad to say "I love you"

3. have total freedom

4. raise $300 from working

5. get our family to get along better

6. go to a very fun place with my dad

7. see Kung Fu Panda

8. buy an Ipod

9. organize a lemonade stand

10. have a great summer

Savanna 1. Learn how to do a back flip

2. swim better

3. take care of my new glasses better

4. help Macy and Blake not to fight

5. How to have a better diet

Macy 1. Help Savanna not to be a poor sport

2. try to not yell

3. be nice to everyone

4. get better at swimming

5. learn how to do a back tuck back handspring

6. help my mom

7. help my dad control his temper

8. not hit my brothers and sisters

9. help my friends

10. help Tate and Chad to swim better

Isn't it interesting to see how our children can hone in on our weaknesses. I sometimes as a parent try to avoid the real issues at hand and deal only with the immediate symptoms. Like putting out fires all of the time, yet not looking at the pyros themselves to see what is setting them off. Wow.................deep thoughts. Anyways, I don't think that I need to worry about the latest and greatest vacation for my kids, since they didn't name any, (not that I am going to cancel any existing plans), but it truly is a good time to build on the relationships in our home during what is supposed to be a less hectic time . Blake suggested that we do some team building that he learned on his science trip to Catalina Island. That is the beauty of looking at things through a child's eyes. There is always forgiveness in their hearts and hope and faith of new tomorrows. Well, here goes nothing..................seize the day! I guess it is on ly fair now that I do my own bucket list for summer: Stay tuned till tomorrow

Why does anyone take kids to the movies????

This picture has nothing to do with my topic, but can someone tell me how to download images from the web like from the movie Prince Caspian? That is what I ventured out to take my kids to see today, seeing that it was the first official day of summer. I am trying to turn over a new leaf and be a "fun" parent instead of the drill sergeant that I have shamefully become. Do this , do that, why aren't you ready, hurry up, get in the car, you have 5 minutes to finish, and last but not least. What should you be doing right now.........then what's next. Soooooooooooo..... I am trying to be a laid back fun mom for the summer. HUMMMMMMMMMM. OCD/ADHD sets in and I am going ballistic. But I digress. So, I actually got a babysitter for Chad, since he would be impossible at the movies. Then the other four kids and I headed off to the movies. On the way, Blake made a careful and golden observation that we really don't go to the movies very often. I chuckle to myself and say, " hmmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder why?" Well, I seem to remember how much fun it was the last time( six months ago) and then question what I am doing on the road to disaster yet again. So, I am locked in and here we go. Things go smoothly, we stop at am/pm for icees and candy to avoid the inevitable drain at the theater. We get our tickets, and I cough up the 10 bucks for popcorn(full of trans fat). Good to go. We get in just in time , past the previews and showtime of 3:00. Prince Caspian is the pick of the day. It starts out ok and I take a deep breath and close my eyes and relish in the fact that there is no one talking to me and I block out the movie to catch some shut eye (4:30 was early today) About 1 hour into the movie and no end of it in sight the fun began. Tate needed to go to the bathroom...... get a drink.......run up and down the hall etc. We settle back in for the last part, or so I thought. Then each of the kids comes up to me in the middle of the show telling me how sick they feel (I wonder why) tangent: if you catch your kid trying to smoke, do you sit down and make him smoke the whole pack until he throw up and never wants to touch it again.........talk amongst yourselves. End tangent. Tate starts losing interest with all of the deep noble thoughts being shared on screen and 5:15 didn't come fast enough. Get me out of here. While on the drive home, the kids start bouncing off the ceiling of the suburban wondering what we are going to do when we get home............uh ........give everyone benadryl and go to bed? Oh yeah, it is only 5:30. After all of the chaos I remind myself why I don't take kids to the movies and wonder what movie will be out in six months that will provoke me to this kind of torture again. All that aside, I finally put Tate and Chad to bed and the other get wrapped up in a movie and just like going through labor, I think to myself..................................it wasn't that bad. LOL

Liver enzymes, what are they anyways?

It has been since that dreaded day Sept 11th, the date of my gallbladder surgery, that my liver enzymes are finally back to normal. Hooray! Elevated enzymes are a pretty good indicator of how healthy your liver is. Your numbers should be around 30-40 and mine have gotten as high as 166. No wonder I felt like I was coming down with the flu for weeks on end. Miserable. After trying many things, I found Dr. Dave Shiflet in Mesa. He has helped me over the past month feel so much better. I was apprehensive to do my bloodwork again to see if things had changed. The doctor called me on Tues ( the dr. who scheduled me for an ERCP) and cancelled the procedure because my liver enzymes tested normal for the first time in eight months. He couldn't explain it, but I could. Another testament to alternative medicine. Don't get me wrong. I love westernized med, but there is surely a place in this world for alternative. I am hoping to close this chapter in my life and press forward. Onward and upward to summer vacation. After reading others blogs, I fear that I am boring..........so I need to spice things up a bit hmm, hmmm. I am just too tired, maybe next time. Au revoir.

More Blah, blah, blah

So this week has been filled with preparation. Dale and I are in charge of The entire ward adult dinner party on Friday night. Wow. I just wish I knew how many people were actually going to come. Costco is my new best friend, oh wait, we are already well acquainted. It is a love hate relationship . I go in for 2 things and come out with 20. Oh well. We are busy getting my parents home ready for their return from Bolivia in August. Granite counters go in this Saturday.........yeah! More pics and fun stuff to come. Blake gets to go to Catalina Island for his 5th grade Science camp. Things have sure changed. I only got to go to Camp Tonto. Well, I am getting sleepy........

COOKIE DOUGH , ANYONE?

Okay,

My name is Christina and I am addicted to cookie dough. Well, my addiction lulled me into thinking that I could organize the cookie dough fundraiser at my girls gymnastics. Wow. What a lot of leg work. The 39 kids sold almost 10,000 dollars worth of dough. AMazing. They earned a trip in a huge Limo, sorry no pics, so I just picked random pic for this post. Don't call me lame. Linda, how do I add people to my friend blogger list to be conneccted? Oh yeah, that was not a random photo. Speaking of cookie dough, it is quite endearing, but everytime I think of cookie dough I think of my sweet, awesome, talented little sister Leslie. She's the best. She is such a good sport when I con her into doing a baking marathon with 5 or 6 different cakes, cookies, brownies etc. WE have a lot of fun together and I wish she would just move into my cul de sac. I guess we can't or don't all want to be Knot's Landing..........what? Where did that come from? Hello, racy show from the 80's. Did you like that one Chad? Anywho, I guess that I am rambling and who is really reading this stuff anyways. Can I print this all out for posterity sake? Although not quite sure what they will gain from it ( mom is a raving lunatic) I think its the late night talking. 4:30 was pretty early this morning and 10:30 is pretty late. Once again, I watched Chad climb up my pool fence tonite. I will snap a picture next time. By the way, his life saving swim floating class is kicking into high gear. Bon soir mes amies.

Flying High

We had a chance to fly up to Showlow with Dale as the pilot. We checked on the progress of our cabin being built. We can't seem to get it done fast enough with this heat coming on.

The Fun Continues

Here are my two little partners in crime. Tate was the first one to venture up and over the pool fence. Next came Chad. That is all fine and good, since Tate is a little fish in the water, but Chad sinks like a rock. Needless to say, I wish that I had spikes on my pool fence like my last house to keep the monkeys on the right side of the fence. Such is life. Two days late, Chad proceeded to climb out of his carseat as well. Oh, I know what you are saying. Why doesn't she properly secure the car seat buckles? Good question . After 11 years , are we done with car seats yet? The fun just seems to go on and on over here and new phases every week. But with faces like those, who can stay mad for long. I did threaten them with a beating if they ever climbed the fence again. Oops, I hope no one reports me to CPS for that one.

Macy's Birthday and Baptism Day!

Well, what a few weeks it has been. Macy and Savanna celebrated independent birthday parties for the first time in their lives. March 22 and 24 were always shared in the past. It was a lot of fun for them both. Macy was baptized by her dad. She looked beautiful in her pretty white dress. What a great day for her . Things have been busy around here. Such is life with five children. Life goes on.

I AM NOT ELECTRONICALLY CHALLENGED LIKE I THOUGHT

THANKS TO LINDA, I HAVE A BLOG TO BE PROUD OF. I GUESS NOW I HAVE TO TAKE MORE PICTURES AND GET A LIFE TO PUT ON THE BLOG. HMMMMM....... WELL , I JUST MIGHT START TO RAMBLE. IT WAS A ROUGH NIGHT WITH THE KIDDIES GETTING UP FOR NO GOOD REASONS. I MISSED MY ALARM AT 4;15 AM SO I RAN 3 MILES AND PACKED CHAD UP AND WENT TO THE GYM TO DO WEIGHT TRAINING. JUST THE STORY OF MY LIFE. WORKING OUT. I ALSO LOVE TO READ AND LEARN MORE ABOUT NUTRITION. UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE SEVERAL PHILOSOPHIES OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT IS BEST. I GUESS IT ALL GOES BACK TO THE WORD OF WISDOM AND MODERATION, MODERATION, MODERATION. ANYWAYS, LIFE IS GOOD!

Back in the Saddle

Well, it looks as though I should really get this blog thing going........for posterity sake.

Things are exciting here. Macy is getting baptized this Saturday. What a special time for her.

Blake just did his state report on none other than UTAH and also plays tackle football. Savanna is excelling at gymnastics and just loves it. She will be attending a week long camp at ASU for it. Tate loves preschool and gymnastics and torturing Chad and our Maltese, Roxy. Chad likes to go to preschool too and is toying with the idea of potty training, although Mom is not ready yet. Dale is busy doing a little bit of this and that. I am staying busy running everybody around . Enough said!