March-All About Grace

When we got back from Disneyland we did the whole valentines day thing. Then it was time for Grace's 6th birthday and Kindy 500. It was a busy day with her Sally car that her dad and she made.



For Grace's birthday she got to choose 3 friends and we had a cupcake party. I made each of the girls aprons then we took them on a tour of The Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakery and each girl picked a cupcake. We played pin the candle on the cupcake...decorated some mini cupcakes...opened presents and enjoyed a sunny day.



We also got to spend time with my cute niece Mercedes(Sadie for short). My kids lover her and I think she enjoys their craziness. Grace lost her first tooth (now she's lost 3 or maybe 4) and we noticed that the one she lost was the one Sadie had growing in...so she thought they were twins. I just think they are cute!

February update

The highlight of February was surprising the kids with a trip to Disneyland. They had no idea that I had booked the trip in October. We had a fun Super Bowl Party at our house with pizza, treats and drinks then after it ended...I sent the kids on a scavanger hunt to find the letters to the word "Mickey". Then they found their mouse ears, Mickey stuffed animals and water bottles for the trip. Their reaction was priceless...I don't think they believed me at first and I was kinda disappointed that I didn't get the screams...but they came. After a few minutes it was loud, then louder and then they were running around screaming and hugging Cory and I.


When they got home from school the next day...we headed out. We decided to break up the trip by staying in Vegas the first night. It was late when we got there but the kids were super excited about the lights everywhere. The next day we finished our journey to Dinseyland and checked in our hotel. I had planned surprises along the way...new water bottles, new movie, new crayola books, new t-shirts and tons of treats. The kids were good on the drive and I only heard about 100 "are-we-there-yet"s from Grace. I had invited my parents and Cory's along and my parents jumped at the idea and met us there that day. We didn't go into the park until Wed morning and the kids loved everything about it. Lane fell in love with the characters and was mezmerized by the whole thing. Jaden and Grace rode all the big rides a couple of times. It was a fun trip. On Friday Cory's parents joined us and we celebrated his mom's birthday on Saturday as our last day in the park. The last day was the bumemr of the trip...lines and Grace with her annual pnemonia. However, the weather was 84 degrees and sunny as can be. That made it fun and much better than February in Utah. When I was a kid...I went to Disneyland once when I was 4! I'm attempting to make up for it now. I have to admit...I love Disneyland. I love the magic of everything. The fireworks, music, shows(Aladdin is my favorite),characters, and the smiles on my kids faces!

"Blah" Day!!!

I'm having a blah day. I'm sure others would do something productive on their "blah" days to change it but me...nah....I'll just be "blah". So I decided to look back at other not-so-"blah" days.



In January both Jaden and Grace received their Salem Superstar Awards. They both worked really hard to get them. They have to set goals in different categories like personal goals, academic goals, and participation goals. Some of the goals Jaden worked on were doing service for someone for 3 hours, score 100% on 3 spelling tests in one month, and enter the reflections contest. He also had to do about 9 others.
Grace had to accomplish 10 goals and some of them included: reading all the kindergarten sightwords fluently, skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s, and participate in 30 minutes of physical activity daily.

These two are both such good kids and it is fun to see them learn and grow.
Jaden also had his first Pinewood Derby. He and his dad had fun making his car and he received the "best paint job" award. I was surprised when the track was hooked to a computer that did all the work...no more dad's fighting. It was a fun night..but I forgot my camera. I do have a pic on my phone and someday I'll transfer it.

Ok enough for now...that brings us through January....February was super fun and I have tons of video to prove it.

Now I'm on a roll....

Grace has been dancing again this year. Her teacher moved her to dance with 1st and 2nd graders. She absolutely loves dance...but now she also loves soccer, baseball and a million other things....so we will see. This dance recital was really cute. The dance she is competing with this year is "Splish, Splash I was takin' a bath". The kids always love to see Santa(everyone that is except Lane. After Polar Express he decided he had already talked to Santa). During this recital, I was helping get Grace's team on and off stage when I looked down and realized I lost my diamond. I went into panic mode and was all but in tears. I walked out in the hallway of the highschool and started up and down where we had been 20 minutes earlier, when I saw something shiny. All the dancers had sequins and such so I didn't get my hopes up...but it was right there. I have had my diamond fall out 3 times now and I've found it all 3 times. The last time it fell out they created a completely new setting for it and said it wouldn't fall out. I hated it though. This time, they made it back to the original only better(yellow gold is gone from the prongs). So now I love my diamond again. 3 settings in 10 years....same diamond.




I made the kids Pj's for Christmas this year because Jaden says everything itches him so I bought nylon/raylon fabric and went to town. Grace's ended up working well for nursery rhyme day(I promise the hat was not part of the original plan), and Lane's was left over fabric from when I made the kids jamas a few years ago. They actually liked them though.


We planned on being by ourselves for Christmas Eve this year but in the end...Cory's parents, grandparents and sister had been crazy busy and needed some R&R so we invited them to come over. We continued a tradition my mom used to do by setting a nice table and making the evening special. We ate a yummy dinner and then had our little program followed by one present. It was fun to have grandparents come and special memories were made.


For the first time...we were able to have Cory's parents open presents with us Christmas morning. The kids thought that was very special. Grace got a barbie house and I swear Santa may have gone gray just over building this one. The original plan was to refurbish the house that I had as a girl but apparently I'm older than I think and so is the house...doing a completly new one was less work. I think Santa did an awesome job...I kinda like him.


Jaden is always hard to buy for right after a big birthday like he had. However, a wii game and soccer net made his whole Christmas. He and his dad spend most of Christmas day relaxing and playing. He loves the holidays and especially Christmas. He is super good at knowing scripture stories and reminding us of the reason for the season.


Lane was super excited for Christmas this year and wanted a truck and trailer with a four wheeler....he got that. He has played with it daily. He was so happy with all his gifts and just fun as always.


And just because he is the youngest and not in all the activities...I had to post this. He is such an amazing kid. He is super cuddly and always giving hugs and kisses and telling me he loves me. He is also potty trained which was easier than any of my others (probably because I waited). I love this kid and will be sad when he leaves me home alone...we sure have fun together.

An update...yeah!!!

Grace started kindergarten this year. I don't know where the time went with her. It seriously has flown by. She is a great student and her teacher calls me often to tell me how obedient and considerate of others she is. I get to help in her class and she is always giving me hugs when I'm there. I love this girl!!



After having our basement flood both before it was done and after...we finally figured out how to fix it. A long day with all five of us digging (I seriously thing I dug a hole taller than me), we placed some pipe and haven't had flooding since (knock on wood).



Halloween was exhausting this year. I think I dressed the kids up like 4 times. They were pretty cute though. Jaden chose to be a skeleton again and I think the costume finally fit him. Grace was a "cute" witch...she really was. Lane wanted to be Elmo or "melmo" as he says. We did the school parade and parties, the trunk or treat which was rained out of the ghost town and into the church, and we were able to meet new cousin Sadie and say goodbye to a very special great-grandma all while celebrating Halloween.



The kids have been very busy in school. Grace dressed up like Little Bo Peep for Nursery Rhyme day at kindergarten and even got to do the announcements on the school tv. She was super shy about it...but did very well.


Jaden decided to enter the reflections contest this year. He took first place in our school and was sent to state. He didn't win there but I'm so proud of him for doing it.


After a funeral for Grandma Holley the first of November and a yummy Thanksgiving ...it was time to start celebrating Jaden's 8th b-day. Really? I still can't believe I have an 8 year old. He had a friend party with 3 friends for a late night wii night. They played the wii and the new Toy Story game that Jaden got, ate pizza, and had fun.

I've always wanted to take the kids on the Polar Express but just couldn't justifiy the money right around Jaden's birthday and Christmas. This year, a friend from our townhome days offered up 4 tickets for $40!! I jumped on it and since Lane was free...it worked perfectly. We told Jaden we had an extra surprise for him and I waited to tell the kids until after we watched the movie on a Saturday afternoon. They were so excited and raced to get dressed and we headed out the door. It was so much fun...thanks Tawnya!!


Jaden was baptised on the 4th of December at 8 in the morning. He has been asking for his whole famiy to be there. He wanted so badly to be surrounded by all his family. He was extremely disappointed with Grandma Holley's passing but we kept telling him that she was there. He missed a couple other members of our family but we were so lucky to have soooo many there. It made the whole day special and he was given written letters from each of those that were there. He has read these letters again and again. All his cousins were there and he kept telling us it was the best day ever. We had breakfast at our house after the baptism and then did cake and ice cream for his birthday. We were even more thrilled when my brother and his wife and kids stayed for the weekend with us. We don't get together often enough and my kids still ask if we can do that again. Such a special weekend with so many special familiy members who took time out of there busy holiday schedules to make it great!!!





So now I've at least updated until almost Christmas of 2010....so much left still to do...but maybe later.