Time to Ring in the New Year

I didn't have the chance to do my thankful list around Thanksgiving so I thought now was as good a time as ever. As this year ends it gives me a chance to reflect on 2008. I have a lot to be thankful for.

I am so excited for 2009. There isn't anything big happening but I always look forward to a new year. I can't wait to see how things go as my kids get another year older and a lot bigger. I definitely am excited that at the end of 2009 Jay will be done with one more year of schooling. Any step closer to moving along in life is always exciting.

I am grateful for the past year though. It has had it's trials and many happy times and I certainly have grown as a person. I am thankful to be around family. Marilyn and Kylie moved away and we miss them but it's nice to now have my brother and his family here. I guess you give a little, you get a little. We do miss Mar and Kylie and we sure wish Steph and her family weren't on the other side of the country. I am thankful to my mom and dad for taking me and Jay and our crazy kids in so that Jay can make it through school. I know it is a stress and probably way too much at times but I really am grateful for what they are doing for us. I hope they are really able to enjoy Zoey and Noah though and appreciate the chance they have to be around them and watch them grow.

I am grateful for my husband. We have had our moments and certainly butt heads about some things but I love him so much. We started things a little backwards but I would never want to go through life with anyone but him. He truly is my best friend and the only person I want to share my life with. I am grateful that he respects the role of a woman and is a true believer in having a wife that stays at home with the kids. We have sacrificed some of the perks people are used to in life so I can stay at home but it has been well worth it. Jay works hard to provide for us and he always has and I thank him for it. I commend him for going to school and working and trying to get a degree so that he can make a better life for his family. I know it must be hard to have so much on his plate sometimes but I know him and I know he is trying. I hope he always knows and is completely confident that I am in with him all the way. I am so grateful to have Jay in my life and for the role he plays as husband and father. I love you so much Jay!

I feel so blessed to be a mom. I know those who see me with my kids all the time probably think I don't always like my kids much but I do. I have really had to learn patience and it is most definitely an ongoing process but I try. I do love my kids so much and I know I am blessed to get to be a mom. I am thankful to a loving Heavenly Father for trusting them in my care. I am still learning the lessons of life myself but I hope I can raise my children right and we can all grow together, as a family. Zoey and Noah bring so much love and laughter to my life and I know that life just wouldn't be as happy or fun without them. They make me more aware of the simple things in everyday life and I am so grateful for that. They help me bring the kid out in myself sometimes too which I think is something everyone can use every now and then. My kids just really help me enjoy life and teach me how to love unconditionally. They are what gets me up every day and helps me get through each day. I love them so much and I truly am so blessed to be their mom.

I am very grateful to be a member of the church and have the gospel in my life. I certainly am not the best example of how one should live or speak or act. I know I can be better and I work towards it. I know that if I didn't have the gospel in my life that I would be a mess. I am not strong enough to live life on my own and it is so nice to have the knowledge that I have a loving Father in Heaven to turn to. It's so wonderful to have the knowledge of eternal families and know that I get to be with my family for all eternity. I love the stability and joy the gospel brings to my life. I am so thankful too for my calling in the Primary presidency. I was a bit intimidated by it at first but it has been such a blessing. I love to see all the kids every Sunday. Sometimes it amazes me how smart they are and they teach me so much. I really feel sometimes like I have more to learn from them than they do from me. We have a great group of kids in primary. I love each one of them and hope that primary can always be a good experience for them. I get to work with three great women too. My testimony has grown just being amongst them and having conversations with them. They are such wonderful women and I feel so privileged to work with them. I love Primary. I love the church.

I know there is so much more I could or should say but I always seem to have trouble getting things across. Though I do complain way too often, I know I do live a blessed life. I know I am blessed simply because I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and nice clothes to wear. I have freedoms and rights so many others don't. I have a wonderful family, mine and Jay's, and I know life just wouldn't be the same without each of them. I have lots and I know it and I hope I can continually be more aware of it.

I look forward to 2009. I can't wait for all the new things to come and even for the bumps along the way that will teach me and help me grow. I hope for all the best for all my friends and family. I hope for health and happiness for all of them. I hope to be a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and whatever else I need to be. I wish the best for each of you and hope you all know how much you mean in my life and how much I love you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN 2009!

Swings!!!

Zoey and Noah absolutely love the swings Grandma and Grandpa got them for Christmas. What a great idea it was. They put them up on Saturday and the kids love them. Thank you Mom and Dad for getting them something they love so much.

Christmas Dinner at My Counsin's House

On Christmas day we always go to my cousin Kristy's house for dinner. This year was pretty insane with a lot of people. My brother and his wife and 4 kids were there plus my cousin's in laws and a niece were visiting from England and Australia. I think there were like 23 of us there, 4 of which were 2 year olds. It was so insane but a lot of fun. We had a traditional dinner of turkey, ham, potatoes, green beans and rolls. We all just hung out for a while and then afterwards my family went to Donnie's house to check it out. There we exchanged gifts and then we went home. It was a great time and it is so awesome to have my big brother and his family around now for the holidays. Perspective of how high this make shift table sits. Dad was pretty short sitting at it. The left of the picture is my cousin Stone and his step dad's niece. Zoey in her paper crown from the poppers we did. She has such a funny look on her face.Noah's paper crown. He was not thrilled about me taking his picture.Donnie being all festive with his crown and whistle. Ha Ha!!! Donnie, Amy, and Garry's dad.Garry's niece, Jenn, Kella, and Davey. All us crazies waiting for Kristy to conduct our whistle band. It was one of the most hysterical things ever. It is so fun to have a cousin that thinks of silly, fun things for us to do. Adorable Lissy Lou with her crown over her eyes, blowing her whistle. She is so dang cute. Me and my sister. We are quite a crazy pair. I love my sista Feef!!!

Christmas Morning

This Christmas was so much fun. We woke up and looked in our stockings and checked out what Santa brought us. Everyone got a present from Santa this year. Usually after we do that we eat breakfast and then open the rest of the presents. This year though the kids were so excited to open things that Grandma let breakfast slide and we just opened presents. Just goes to show how favored grandkids are. We would have never got to open presents before we had breakfast when I was little. That's the way it should be though. The kids had a great time opening their presents and seemed pretty pleased with everything they got. Everything was laid back and nice. It was a great Christmas. The kids opening their stockings. Zoey got an awesome Star Wars Clone Wars poster. Noah was mesmerized by his Cars notebook. It had a holographic picture on the front. Cosmo got right down to business with one of his new toys. He was one excited dog that morning. The popular gift from Santa of the day. The kids got the light sabers they have been dying for. They even light up and make noise when you fight with them. Noah got an R2-D2 that makes noise. He was very excited about it. R2 is his favorite. The awesome monster truck from G & G Kinney. Way cool!!! What will one day be one of the most classic Christmas moments in our family. This is a toy vacuum that looks real. Noah started opening it and when he saw what it was he tried to cover it back up with the wrapping paper. He kept saying "wrap it back up, wrap it back up". It was sooo funny! Jay picked out this awesome Mater ride on truck for Noah. He LOVES it! He is on it all the time. The funny faces Zoey makes are a good indicator of how excited she is. She was very excited about the jewelry we got her. Zoey really wanted a truck like brothers to play with outside. She got one and was very happy about it. The Little Mermaid doll she really wanted. Thanks G & G Kinney!!! An often requested movie from Zoey. My kids love big people movies and it trips me out. An ice cream gift card. How awesome is Aunt Steph?! Zoey can't wait to spend it. The cutest Chewbacca stuffed animal. My kids are huge Star Wars fans if you couldn't tell by the selection of gifts they got this year. What and awesome Christmas. Thanks to everyone for making it such a great and fun one for Zoey and Noah!

Zoey's Letter From Santa

I had to share this because I thought it was the coolest thing ever. It totally made the holiday for me. Zoey got a letter in the mail from Santa. Of the 4 letters we sent Zoey is the only one who got a letter back from Santa. The return address was even from the same address that we sent the letters to. I don't think Zoey knew what to think of it. She was very surprised but thought it was so cool. Jay and I were so excited for her.

Christmas Eve

Christmas eve was fun as always. My brother and his family moved here just in the last week and we were so excited to have them here this year for Christmas. They came over Christmas eve and we had our traditional Mexican food. Some yummy homemade queso, homemade rolled tacos and homemade salsa. It was tasty. After dinner we went to the Disney Lane neighborhood to look at the lights, always a fun thing for the kids. We just hung out the rest of the night and Zoey and Noah got to open and wear their new pajamas. Aunt Jenn spent the night and we were going to let Zoey sleep in the living room with her. Zoey decided herself that she couldn't because she didn't want to see Santa when he came. She was very concerned about anyone seeing him but I convinced her that Jenn wouldn't see him either. It was a fun night and the kids are such fun ages this year.

They Do Get Along

I struggle sometimes right now to not go crazy with my kids. They seem to fight so much. Noah knows how to push Zoey's buttons and it gets her every time. Zoey, in turn, is mean sometimes and hits. They just really know how to get to each other and they do it a lot these days. I have been trying to make an effort to really recognize and commend them when they are playing well. I have been more aware of it the last few days and I do see that they really do like each other and they can get along if they want to. I love to capture those moments and really soak them up. I hope that as I do that I can be a little more patient when they are being more difficult. I cherish the times they spend together laughing and playing and having a good time. They really are sweet kids but they are both stubborn and independent. They both like things to go their way and neither often will relent. I wanted to post a couple pictures I have captured over the past few days of them playing together. I really do love these moments and I hope as they get older they will get closer and grow to enjoy each other more. They are crazy kiddos but I love them! The other night they got out the Pet Shop and Polly Pocket toys. They each had their place and they played well together as they watched Christmas movies on TV.Jay called me into the bathroom the other night to see the kids. They were both blowing bubbles in the water and they thought they were so funny. Bath time together often ends up with Noah in tears and wanting to get out. This night though they had a blast. (It ended with a dripping wet bathmat and 3 large towels soaking up all the water off the floor though)Today I heard Zoey explaining the computer to Noah. She was showing him how to use the mouse and pointing where to click on the Blues Clues game. She was so patient with him and he was very cooperative. It was so cute to listen to Zoey teach him.

Happy Anniversary Donnie & Amy

I wanted to throw in a post to wish my brother and his wife a happy anniversary. 12 years ago today they were married in the Dallas temple. I just have to say how amazing I think they are. I really look up to them and the relationship they have as husband and wife. They have been married all these years and they still look and act as in love as when they were a newly married couple. I think that can be a difficult thing to do sometimes and I really admire it in them. Just being around them one can tell how much they love each other. I hope that I can be that same way with Jay. I hope that my kids, nieces, nephews, grandkids, and anyone else will years down the road be able to see that same spark in Jay and myself. I just want them to know that I look up to them and really admire what they have together as husband and wife and as parents. They really are wonderful examples of showing love and affection to each other and to their kids. They have raised their kids in the church and have done such a great job of teaching them the gospel. They have such good kids and such a great family dynamic. I just think they are great people and I hope they know it. They are a great example to look to for how a married couple should be and could be even 12 years later. Donnie and Amy, you guys are awesome! Hope you had a happy anniversary and that the years to come are as good as the past 12 years have been!

Shopping is Done and Presents are Wrapped

I can finally breath a sigh of relief. I have all the Christmas shopping done and almost all the packages wrapped and under the tree. Most my shopping was actually done the day after Thanksgiving but it took me forever to get to the wrapping. It is done though and I am so glad. I enjoy doing it but it is always nice to have it done. Usually most presents don't make it under the tree until Christmas Eve but I am way ahead of the game this year. Woo hoo! Go me! My only problem now is dying because I want it to be Christmas so the kids can open their presents. I think they will be super excited this year and I just can't wait. I absolutely love Christmas. The season has such a different feel than any other time of the year. I wish the world could feel this way all the time. People are happier and kinder and the feel in the air is just different. It really is "the most wonderful time of the year".

The 3 pictures below are just pictures of my favorite Christmas decorations I have. It's the Rudolph stuff and I love it. It sits on my entertainment center every year and I love it! I just had to share because like I have said a few times already I love them!!!