Jan 9-15 Bball, Dash, Ice fishing, Basement

Jan 9-So Dash had his 5th birthday today the kids were so cute. Hiding tennis balls around the house and helping him find them. Giving him treats in his birthday number and giving him lots of extra attention. I gave him a nice bath and teeth brushing and he was a happy dog! We love our Dash and we are so thankful he is part of our family. Thanks for being such a great boy!

Jan 10-13 was a busy week with basketball practice, mudding the basement walls, friends playing, Bowdee snowboarding with Izak, scouts, and piano but we sure enjoy all that we have and all that we do. I need to tell you about these roses though. Treg was at school and his teacher got roses a while ago that started to die. So he was watching her as she was picking out the REALLY dead ones and throwing them in the trash... Treg got really excited and asked his teacher ever so gently if he could keep those roses to give to his mom. Of course his teacher agreed and he rushed home to give me the first 2 roses he has ever gave me... What a sweet boy!

Jan 14 - Terry and I left at 6:00 am and drove up to Strawberry to go ice fishing by the dam. Which it was really nice because the road obviously was clear enough to drive on. I say obviously because we have really missed the snow this year. Anywho... We had a good time we met up with some of Terry's Russian friends from work. They were really nice and I loved listening to them talk with their fun accents. I caught a couple and I think Terry caught one but it was amazing because one of the fish I caught it was just wrapped around its gills. Crazy but fun.


Jan. 15th So today was Sunday and Stake Conference at that. So we decided to just stay home as a family. Which is fine every once in a while but obviously today was just not a good day to do just that. Some days when I am not being productive and accomplishing something I just go crazy and this was one of those days. So I feel like I need to apologize to my family for being so grumpy. You are the best family in the world and I am sorry that I have days where I just don't feel happy inside. I don't understand it and that frustrates me even more. So I am sorry, I am trying to work on it so that when those few and far in between days do come along I can work through them better. I do love you all for putting up with me and understanding "tomorrow she will be happy again". Love me, no picture for a day like today, just a day I want to forget, but feel like I need to apologize. Love you guys!

Jan 2-8 Boys Hunting Trip

I do have to tell you since Christmas I have been making all sorts of smoothies with my Vitamixer and my family loves it. It has become part of our morning ritual the kids ask what kind of smoothie do we get today? And then I come up with something of course I always throw in a handful of spinach just to make myself feel better about it.

They have gotten to where the color doesn't bother them and if there is no green to it they call it a "Special Smoothie". Their favorite so far is with 1 cup raspberries or strawberries, 1 banana, 1 cup vanilla yogurt, 1/3 c apple juice, 1-2 Tb Agave, a handful of spinach, and ice. I think I have become slightly obsessed with it and its fun my family just rolls with it.

So this week I cleaned out the basement to get prepared for more basement work next week. This is a before picture of where we started this year. I know little by little and someday it will be complete. Then it will be time to start fixing the upstairs. I still can't believe we have lived here for 8 years and then some... CRAZY!

Then on Friday Terry left to go Cow Elk hunting with Kyle, Troy and a bunch of boys. They had a good time but this was the only COW Terry saw on the hunt... I was hoping he would come back with a Cow Elk so we could fill our freezer... But oh well he gave it a good try.  As for me and the kids we had a fabulous time going to the movie, watching Bowdee's and Tia's first basketball game this season and just being together. Then Sunday we headed to church.

Dec 26- Jan 1 Ending one and beginning a new

Monday/Dec 26 - Terry was off work so we headed up to Strawberry to go ice skating and fishing. We had so much fun. I am always amazed at how well the kids can skate around. Terry and I caught so many fish we just couldn't stop. Of course they were usually 21 inch cutthroat trout and we couldn't keep them unless they were 22 inch's. But it was fun anyway!

Tuesday/Dec 27 - Terry stayed home sick! He really never does this but he was so sick the poor boy. So I took the day to recover my house. Never a fun project but always a necessary one after Christmas. Wed was also another day dedicated to the house. I did take a break and go watch Warhorse with mom and dad and the kids. It was good just nice to get away sometimes.

Thurs/Dec 29 - Today Bowdee went snowboarding with Izak to Sundance while I went with mom and dad and the other 2 kids to visit a dear friend of ours. Lovie is my moms long time friend who has no kids or family around so Christmas is kinda a lonely time. So we took her some gifts and just went and visited for the day.

Fri/Dec 30 - We started the day going horse back riding with my dad and the kids. Then I took them to Trafalga to play laser tag down in Provo at Laser Assault. That was fun, I think I would have won but my jacket wasn't working...... ;) Then we came home and I got all dressed and ready for my hot date. We had some friends invite us to dinner at Magleby's Fresh in Orem. The Harris's are some amazing people so fun to be with and always making us laugh.

Sat/Dec 31 - The last day of the year. I hate to see such a great year end. We had so much fun this year with so many good memories. But we are looking forward to a new year with new experiences. We spent the night together as a family we had a nice Steak dinner, played board games (which happens rarely in this family because Terry hates them), we danced to the x-box, watched a movie, banged some pans and lite firecrackers and sparklers, toasted in a new year and off to bed. It was nice to just be together, but we all missed our friends as well. So thank you 2011 for being so kind to us all!

Dec 19-25 Christmas Week

Monday today my dad offered to take all the grandkids to see Happy Feet 2. My kids love going to the movie because we really don't go that often so they went and had a fabulous time while I finished Christmasing. I dont think my dad realized how much that helped me. But it also helped my brother since he was home sicker then a dog with Strep and the flu!

Later that night me and the kids went to the Beehive home here in AF to do family home evening for the elderly that live there. We planned to do the True Christmas Story (nativity scene) with our neighbor and her 3 amazingly talented boys. I think everyone enjoyed a perfect night full of happy times and memories to be remembered.

After that we quickly delivered our friend gifts and called it a night. We have been blessed with so many great friends. Most of them are BYU fans though, I guess everyone has their downfalls. So this year we thought it would be fun to give them something yummy to enjoy while they watch their BYU games. :)

Tuesday we had a friend of Bowdee's and ours call and invited us to Jump on It in PG. So we went with them and had a ball all of our kids played really well together. She doesn't have a girl but her neice was with her and Matia really liked playing with her. Then the kids got together with the Callaways and had a short playdate before our Thanksgiving Point Christmas dinner at JCW's family date.

Dinner was fun, we just love getting together with this family. They are so down to earth and fun to talk to and all of our kids get along with each other. After dinner we went to see the lights and the line was at least 1&1/2 hours long.

So we drove by really really slowly and then we split up the kids and went home for late night play time. The kids didn't mind missing the lights as long as that meant they got to play longer. Have I mentioned how much I just love having good friends... For us and the kids!

Thursday we were going to make gingerbread houses with Troy... That fell through so instead I quickly made reservations to Wendover and as soon as Terry got home we headed out. We were able to get 2 free rooms with a joining door so we each had our own beds which the kids thought was fabulous. Then Terry, Bowdee and I watched a football game while Tia and Treg watched Disney in the other room. It was too cold for swimming but a nice night away from it all was just what I needed.

Friday we got up had our McDonalds breakfast then headed out. We hit a few stores doing some just fun shopping that we never go to because they are to far north and west like the NPS and Army surplus store then we headed home. All in all it was a great little trip that we all enjoyed then we slept under the Christmas tree together which Bowdee claims as his favorite Christmas tradition.

Christmas Eve we were able to have my family that was too sick to go to our Covington Christmas party come to my house to recieve our gifts from mom and dad. We ate a simple meal, played a few games, did our music recital, performed the nativity, and opened gifts. It was a nice party we just missed the rest of our family.

I was so excited to get the Vitamixer that my parents gave each of us kids. Just lately my mom has really taken her and my dads health seriously. She has changed her and my dads eating habits completely and have seen such a great change that they wanted all of us to see the benefits of eating better. So they helped us by sharing the wonderful world of Vitamix with us. WE LOVE IT!

After the family was gone and the house was clean and quiet again we decided to go see the Temple Square lights. We put it off so long hoping to go on a magical night where it was snowing... Sadly to say we will not be having a white Christmas infact this is the least amount of snow (0.1") measured in December in Salt Lake has ever seen in recorded history.

But the trax ride was fun like always. Temple Square was filled with people oohing and aughing. The light sound of horse hoofs clinking on the road in the distance is always a favorite. And the lights were amazing and suprisingly stunning everytime we see them. What a perfect way to enjoy Christmas Eve.

Christmas Morning! Wow I survived a night of tossing and turning in my bed with butterflys dancing in my tummy all night with excitement. As Matia did the same thing in Tregs room. She and I both didn't sleep a wink all night. Terry threatened me that next year he is making me sleep with the kids. Matia and I both heard Santa stirring about and probably made him sweat with hussle so he could get finished without being peeked upon. We noticed things were not quite the way they have always been. Like the letters were left behind, cookies barely touched, the reindeer food WAS untouched, and our stockings were still under the blankets not on top like usual... I told Terry next year I will try to be better about not tossing around.

At 4:45 Matia just couldn't take it any longer so she awoke her brothers and they all bounded through our door. We called mom and dad Covington to make sure they were going to make our 5:00am plan and they were up and at it coming as fast as they could (still surprised the kids woke up that early). As soon as they came we took our picture and started with the youngest... Treg always gets to go first.

Treg got the "Red Camera that does video too" from Santa and an electric guitar from Terry and I. Matia got the "animal jam membership" she had asked Santa for, and a wheelchair for her american girl doll from us. Bowdee did get his Sundance Year Ski Pass from Santa, and a Snowboard from us. Grandpa got a stationary bike w/ shoes. And Grandma got her vitamixer and a nice jacket.

Terry & I both got new Sorel Snowboots. I guess Santa thought we needed a new pair... Terry's were 20 years old and mine were 15, so I guess he was right. But I love love love the fat boy cowboy boots Terry bought me and he loved the new hiking boots I gave him. So I guess it was the year of the boots for us.

Terry and I bought the kids an X-Box 360 which they absolutely LOVE. I told them I didn't want to get one until the basement was finished. But I gave in because I didn't want Santa to beat me to the punch. It was the best Christmas of my life. My childhood Christmas's were always magical but this was incredible to see that special light in each of my childrens eyes. I am so thankful for all 3 of my amazing children. They mean the world to me.

Dec 12-18 Matia Dance Treg Gingerbread

Monday night I always look forward to Monday nights. I love that there are no games to go to, no practices of any kind and we get to just chill as a family. So tonight we watched the Christmas Story. I don't think it is the kids favorite but its a classic so we just have to do it every year. And I can tell the older they get the more they like it. We also had popcorn and ice cream to top it off.

Tuesday Bowdee had piano practice with Grandma. He is getting really excited because we are going to a family party where the kids will all be doing their first recital. So he is really loving the piano right now. Then after he went with his friend Annie to go deliver a secret Santa gift to his teacher. She went in for surgery for a preventative against cancer but found out she already has it. So they are really struggling this Christmas. I am so thankful for opportunities that help our kids be generous and thoughtful this time of year.

Wednesday this was our day to go drop off Sub for Santa so we went down to Orem dropped it off then went to Toys R Us to just get some ideas. We are having a hard time figuring out what we can get Matia and Treg this year. They want the same things that they have a hundred of already so we are looking for something unique that they might like. Then of course we just had to stop at Crispy Cremes since we were so close for some yummy fresh donuts.

Thursday Matia had her last dance practice before her dance recital on Saturday. So Terry and the boys dropped her off while I recovered from this morning. You see I came back from working out with Kami and went downstairs to collect all the trash for trash day. When splish splash I was walking through a swamp. I looked in Bowdee's room and it was flooded and out into the hall and my preschool room. Water was filling up his window well and leaking through. I ran outside and the water hose was on and going right into his window.

So Bowdee and Tia worked as a team to bail water out of the window well and I started sucking out water from the basement. Treg was helping me get stuff off the floor and anything else I asked him to do. It was nice to see each of my kids be so willing to help in a time like that. It took me 2 hours of sucking water to get it out.

I stopped because I had my preschool Christmas party that started at 9:30... AUGH!!!! What a mess! All 3 of my preschool parties were perfect the kids all had so much fun and I got some pretty amazing gifts. But right after the party I was right back at cleaning up the swamp in the basement.

What a day, can I just say I am exhausted!

Friday today Treg had his 2nd grade Gingerbread Christmas performance at school. So I went to watch him and that is always so much fun. He did such a great job at his talking parts and he sang so great. It was sad though because he is one of the smallest in his class and he was in the back row so I had a really hard time seeing him. I was that crazy mom moving around trying to see her son. Then Matia came home from school and just wasn't feeling well so she was taking it easy and at 10:00 she woke us up because she was vomiting... Oh boy it was quite the night I don't think she or I slept one blink the rest of the night. It was pretty sad.

Saturday morning Matia still wasn't feeling good. It was so sad to see her so sick she couldn't even hold down a popsicle. So I gave her a little phenergan and by lunch time she was feeling just good enough to go and do her dance. So we tried it and she did great one of those highlight moments that I love (watching my daughter dance on stage).

After we took her to Olive Garden because they had free kids meals and we wanted to show her how much we appreciate her dancing even though it is not her favorite thing to do.

Sunday morning we were suppose to be going to A.J. (my nephews) homecoming and the Covington Christmas party but there was just no way we were going to make it. Treg and Bowdee were starting to feel sick and Matia still wasn't up to par. So we just chilled the rest of the day trying to bounce back from this week full of fun! We were all disappointed to miss my cute nephews homecoming and our family Christmas party... Maybe next year we will make it.

Dec 5-11 Scout Campout = Girls Party Time

Monday for family home evening we made Christmas Candy. We thought this would be a good idea however, it left way to much "to die for fudge" and "delicious divinity" in our fridge. And when you are waking up at 5:30 am to go work out this is not really the type of food you want laying around. But we sure had fun as a family making it. We just wish we had more hours in a day so we could have watched a fun Christmas movie with it.

So the rest of the week was spent preparing for this weekend it started on Thurs as Terry went to play poker with the boys and I took Tia to dance. Then Friday he got off at 3:30 and went on a scout campout in the cold december night down toward Delta. They had a good time trilobyte hunting and chillin at the hot pots down there.

But I just don't think anyone realizes how hard it is for Terry and I to be away from each other for that long. We just miss each other and long to be together again. Treg and Tia had a hard time knowing Terry and Bowdee were going trilobyte hunting without them. But didn't really feel like sleeping in a cold tent either so they were fine staying with me.

When he left I went to dinner with my friends to celebrate Christmas. So it was nice to see everyone and pass out gifts. I have to say I have some of the best friends in the world. Friends who are so stinking creative and they can make me laugh out loud wether I am with them or not. Just thinking about them makes me laugh. I love ya girls!

Saturday was filled with shopping with my mom and sister. We had a good time and it always seems to be easier for Terry to be away when I am spending lots of money. So it was fun and we always have a good time. Terry and Bowdee finally made it home around 9:15 just in time for bed. It was so nice to have him and Bowdee back!

Sunday Kyle invited the kids over to watch the Eagles game and play with the girls which was perfect because I had some friends ask me to take their photos. Which I didn't mind because these 3 friends I KNOW will not go get their family photos done unless I do it... It just doesn't happen, and it was fun to be with them.

They all have darling kids and I love every one of these cute faces. I know I am no professional but if it will get their family photos taken then that is all that really matters! Besides it is one more hour I got to spend with them. Now a days it is so hard to get together so if we have to bring the whole family along so be it.

Yes it was fun but so glad it is done! Love you girls otherwise I wouldn't have done it. Hugs and kisses...

Dec 1-4 Christmas Work Party

Friday Terry and I got to go out on a real date! I know I was so excited I just couldn't wait. I do have to say I have not done classy in a very long time. And I have never met most of the people Terry works with so I was slightly intimidated. But I was so excited to go on an official date with Terry I really didn't care.

We went to the Grand America Hotel in Downtown Salt Lake. It was great they served the most delicious dinner I have had in a very long time. It was so fancy Terry just had to take a photo of it with his phone. With a salad wrapped in cucumber, steak, salmon, and layered potatoes to die for ending the meal with a amazing pumpkin cheesecake.

Then they had a comedian come on stage that was hilarious! Of course I haven't seen a comedian for a long time so to me it was very entertaining! I truly felt like I was back into the dating world where Terry was trying to impress me... It worked... It was so fun to reconnect with him and we couldn't have done it if our kids were such good kids to watch each other and have fun at home without us. Thanks for the date Terry!

Saturday the kids had such great report cards that I promised them a trip to Mr. E's Sport Card shop and Build a Bear so we went and did a little shopping while we were at it. Then we stopped by Firehouse Sub for Terry to share his new found favorite sub with us. They were amazing by the way if you haven't been you definitely should try it.

We came home and did some chores then at 4:30 we offered to do babysitting for the Military Christmas Party. My kids decided to do the babysitting and I would give them all the money to buy their Christmas gifts. Well only 2 kids showed up Jack and Camdyn. It's probably a good thing because they were a hand full. But it taught my kids a lot about babysitting. This little Jack loved going into Maggies kennel and shutting the door. My kids were fine with it to as long as he was happy and not breaking anything.

Sunday we went to Cabela's to do a little Christmas shopping. Even though Christmas is still 22 days away my kids are so anxious to get all their Christmas presents bought and wrapped. I guess I have to say I am thankful they are not procrastinators. So we went and bought some daddy/brother gifts then we headed back up to Strawberry hoping for the same luck we had last week.

So the fishing was not as hot as last week the fish are biting less aggressively. I had 8 good bites and 2 caught fish. Bowdee caught 2, Treg 1 and Terry 3 but they were all cuts and just under the slot at 20 & 21" fish. So they were fun to catch but so hard for us to let them go.

It was also colder, we knew a storm was coming in and we got about 3" of fresh snow while we were there. So the kids spent alot of time in the truck staying warm but did come out and fish for a while.

Bowdee was our most dedicated fisher child of the night. It was fun just to be out in the peace and quite still of the night fishing with snow blowing in our faces.