Year in Review

Well as 2008 comes to a close, I sit back and think about everything that we have done and been through this year. It really hasn't been an eventful one, just a pretty normal year. Here are some of the highlights with pictures if they apply -
January - Ryan's 11th birthday, here he is opening presents from Mom and Dad. Notice the basketball shorts, and Jr Jazz uniform. He had practice on his birthday.January also is my Moms birthday, I remember we dined at Chez Red Lobster. (YUCK fish!!)

February - This month of course is Valentines, the day of LOVE - what ever! We were going to a from Jr Jazz games and Aynsley was performing down at the High School at half time.March - This month started out OK - finished up Jr Jazz games, Mom, Dad and Nan and Shane left me here all by my lonesome and took off for Florida, and DisneyWorld. The month ended really sucky - My sister, Nan and her wonderful husband, lost their beautiful baby boy, Markham. What great and marvelous things he needs to do on the other side? We wont know till we all get there. He must be some great warrior for the kingdom of god, to only be gone for such a short short time, from our heavenly father.

April - The flowers started to pop out, the birds were singing. And the kids got a trampoline!
Yes - they jumped and jumped and jumped, and Ryan can do a front flip! Took all summer to master it but he can do it. Baseball started as well, we had try outs, and then opening day. I love baseball!! I love that my son loves it ALMOST as much as I do!

May - The school year came to a close and with that comes - the LONG standing tradition here in Grantsville of the "1st grade circus". YES YES, I know what you are thinking, "what the??". This is such a tradition here in Grantsville, that it is like a 1st grade prom! The kids perform a circus for the parents. Clowns, Ballerinas, you name it they had it. Here is Aynsley out in front of our house getting ready to go the first night. Right after this - Grandma an Nanny took her to get her hair chopped off!

June - Summer time!! YEA - kids are out of school - they split their hang out time between Grandma's and home with Dad. Ryans baseball season finished up, my birthday came and went. I spent my birthday rescuing Leo at work. The car broke down on his way to work! SO I got to go and pick him up and follow him home.
With summer time comes time for my favorite thing, besides baseball, FLIP FLOPS!! I live in flip flops - love them, and I bought a couple of way cute ones this year! Well to have good feet in flip flops you must have a pedicure at least a couple times during the summer - more if money allows - Aynsley got her first pedicure this summer -
July and August - I tell you these 2 months just seemed to fly right on by!! August is when I started to Blog! The kids went to and from the pool. I have to tell you, when Aynsley is at the pool, she NEVER takes off her goggles. It is quite funny to watch her at the pool! I have already blogged about her birthday, I cant believe she turned 7!School started and Football started - Ryan started 6th grade - yes I have a stinky 6th grader! And Aynsley started 2nd - it is sad that my kids will never go to school with each other - out here in G-ville, the kids go K-2 in one elementary, and 3-6 in the other, and Jr high is 7 and 8, high school is 9-12.

September - We started the month with Swiss Days - LOVE IT!! Football games on Saturdays, practice throughout the week, the fall months are the busiest for our family. We also went to the State Fair and had a fried PB&J! You think gross, but it was good!

October - The leaves start to change - the weather starts to turn chilly and Halloween comes!This year Aynsley and Ryan kinda matched again, like the good ol days - (they were Sully and Boo one year - the cutest ever!) We finish up football, time changes!

November - Thanksgiving came and went - and we took off for a family vacation. Disneyland. Phoenix to see Leo's Aunt and cousins. It was fun, although I wish I could have had a couple of more days at Disneyland!

December - now we are current - no reason to tell you about Dec. just scroll down and you can read all about it.

I cant believe that 2008 is coming to a close - I hope 2009 will be good - I am a little scared with a new administration going in - and the economy on shaky ground. But there is one thing that I am grateful for - my family - I love them all so much and I am so glad that we have each other!
HAPPY NEW YEAR ! See you in 2009!

Happy HO HO!!

Where do I begin, OK I will start with Christmas Eve - I am just going to post pictures and tell you all about it Cooking our Christmas Eve FEAST - yes my mother puts on the whole she-bang, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, the 3 layer jello salad. Except one year, when her arm was broken,we had Mexican, it was easier for her with a broken arm.

Aynsley and Grandma after dinner, preparing for GAMES!!

Nanny - Sleeping after dinner, OH how many times has this happened?? Lost count a LONG time ago!!

Kids in their NEW Christmas jammies - I remember when my mother used to make them for us every year!

Yes and then Christmas morning finally came - Here we are seeing what Santa brought. Ryan received a Nintendo DS, 2 games for it, a snow sled, Mario Kart game for the Wii, a Guinness Book of World Records (don't ask, it is a weird 11 year old thing). Aynsley received a new bike, HSM barbies, Littlest Pet Shops (yes more!), Junie B. Jones books, and a snow sled.

And then of course, both got clothes from Mom and Dad, movies, etc. From everyone else clothes, games, jewelry.

And here is Mom with her NEW camera - I think she likes it!

All in all it was a good day, we had dinner at our house, kind of a tradition that I took over since my grandma has passed on. I love doing it for my family and know why she had such joy in all of us coming over Christmas day, just to hang out. I will continue on with this as long as I possibly can. Leo and I love to entertain and love having everyone over. And I love every year, preparing and remembering my dear sweet Grandma. I miss both of them so much! My Grandpa's too. It is sooooo weird not having any grandparents anymore. I know that they are in such a better place, and preparing such great work! But I miss them!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and I look forward to seeing all the pictures!

Aynsleys half time performance

Well here she is - the first performance the pictures were too dark - and now this one I didn't have my camera on sport setting - so some are a little fuzzy - but her is our little dancer/cheerleader -

She loves this class and the teacher is a very good one - she is an assistant U of U cheer coach. Here is Aynsley doing a stunt - she is the base of course!

She just loves doing this and performing - I think that the best thing she likes about performing is getting ready for the performance, the hair, the make up !! OH YES - she is a girl through and through. She is her grandmothers granddaughter, she was sent here through me, for her grandmother!! She is a mini-Karen!!

Christmas Time!!

Sorry I haven't posted lately - I have been a little busy... the first week of December, we went out of town on vacation then we came home to a busy week. We had to get our Christmas stuff up, and Aynsley had her first performance of the year down at the Basketball game, then I had to do a Christmas party at the church. More shopping to complete, etc etc, where did the week go! We have also been a little busy at work, BUT NOT LIKE WE SHOULD BE! I have to say, this economy thing SUCKS!! This time of year, I should be so busy that I am working late trying to find enough trucks to cover the loads, well that is not the case, I don't have enough loads! If people aren't out buying food at the grocery stores, then I cant replace it! SO to all my family and friends, I know that times are hard and we all are pinching the pennies, BUT I beg you, DON'T BUY STORE BRANDS, buy Kraft! I need freight!!! :) LOL

Here are a few pictures of Christmas at our house -
Kinda the same old same old - although we did change the lights outside - as the lovely Grantsville winds ripped the multi strands to shreds last year!!

More to come - last weeks performance pictures didn't turn out that HOT - so I need to take more Thursday when Aynsley does half time again - keep watching!