Holiday Wish Contest

December 5, 2009

Hey everyone! I know it has been a while but I just had to enter this contest! You should check it out yourself. There are some awesome giveaways. I enjoyed entering because it really made me think when I had to answer the questions. It is really fun. You should do it too! Good luck!!

Mama’s Holiday Wish List MemeTodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.
1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year? I know this may sound boring but I would love to spend time with my husband and my son. That would cover all 5 of my wishes. My husband has been working 70-80 hours per week and yes in these hard times money is all well and good but I want my family time back!
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received? My sister is a very talented artist and she paints something every year for me and it is always very special. Hard to pick a favorite.
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle? I have a friend who is very creative with making Christmas cards every year. She is a photographer and she always comes up with the most beautiful and creative ideas. I would love to be that creative.
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child? I would have to say my very own bicycle. I know that doesn't sound exciting but when there are 6 kids in the family (three boys and three girls..in that order) you tend to have to share a lot of things.
5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year? He told me in September that if I got him an Apple I-Pod Touch that he wouldn't ask for anything else. Yeah...right!!
6. What is your favorite holiday food? My mother's mashed potatoes and gravy!
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays? I plan to try to be a little creative with some glass etching cream that I bought. We will see!!
8. What is your favorite holiday movie? Let's see?? That is a tough one. Typically we make it a tradition to watch Christmas Vacation and The Christmas Story.
9. Favorite holiday song? Silent Night and Santa Baby
10. Favorite holiday pastime? Fellowship with family and friends. Watching movies with my husband and son.

Surprise!!! 8-25-09

I don't know what made me want to do this again except maybe to vent a little. I would like to ask everyone..if there is still anyone out there reading...to pray for my family. My dad had surgery last week to repair an anuerysm and he was readmitted tonight. Brian's dad is also in the hospital and they really aren't sure what is going on with him. We definitely need your prayers and would appreciate them so much.

On the home front...Landon started middle school and he is really enjoying the change in routine. He likes all of his teachers and has met a lot of new people. The one downfall so far is the enormous amount of homework every night. He is back playing soccer and loves it! I think he is just now fully recovered from his knee surgery. It has actually been a year and three months, boy does time fly.
Brian has been working a lot and it is like I told him, we are thankful because some people don't have a job, but we miss him when he is gone so much. Maybe I will try to update more often but you know how it is. Life is crazy sometimes. Thanks ahead of time for your prayers and I hope everyone has a great week.

Happy Anniversary...Happy Birthday 1-26-09

I want to say how thankful that I am for my parents. They are the greatest parents a child could ever wish for. God is so good and He has blessed our entire family so much throughout the years. January 18th was my parent's 51st wedding anniversary. How great is that! I know that typically you have a huge celebration for the 50th but we had to put that on hold last year when my dad was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. Like I said we are so blessed and things could have been so different and now he is doing great. I have five brothers and sisters and we planned a party for my mom and dad. A lot of my aunts and uncles were able to come and my parents were so surprised. My mom and dad never had a wedding cake and I thought my mom would cry when she saw the cake. I will post some pictures later when I get a chance. It was a great night and the surprise turned out well. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.....I love you!!!!

Now I have to say Happy Birthday to my mother-in-law...Wanda A.K.A. Nana!! We don't get to see the grandparents as much as we would like to but we love them. Landon is so blessed to have 2 sets of grandparents that love him so much and we are so thankful for them. Please say a prayer for Wanda"s sister Doris. She is recovering from a hospital stay and she is in a nursing home at this time.

As for the rest of us...Landon is playing basketball and soccer and his weeks are busy with homework, church and sports. I took him to sell ads for his yearbook today and I was so proud of him. He was the one that spoke to everyone and presented the layout. He sold a couple and had some promising prospects on others. I hope you all have a great week! God bless!!

Hermit 1-21-09

Has anyone else felt like a hermit lately? It has been so cold that we haven't really felt like getting out to go anywhere. Someone at work said when it gets to 14 degress, can really tell the difference between that and 4 degees? Not really...it is just very cold! Other than school and work we have been happy just to stay at home cook supper and enjoy family time together. I think Landon really enjoyed having an extra day off this past Monday and it was nice to sleep in a little.

Switching gears...Landon's class at school was allowed to watch the swearing in of our new president. He had mixed emotions and we had that discussion of being respectful and that God is always in control. As Christians I think we need to pray for our country as well as our leaders. I am sure that it is a very difficult job and I think that we have probably been through the toughest 8 years as a country that we have seen in a while. I pray that we can go forward and up from here. I usually do not talk a lot about politics but I have to say that the one thing about the inauguration that saddened me was when Bush came out and he was "booed". I think it was sad for our children to see adults treat another human being that way. No matter what has happened these last 8 years I feel like that was uncalled for. That is enough about that...I hope everyone has a great week and weekend. I have to work a lot over the next week and a half so I am not sure how much I will get to blog. Take care and God bless!

Catching Up on an Icy Sunday Morning

It has been a rather long time since I have been on here. Life has been so busy and the time just flies by. Since we didn't get to go to church because of the icy roads, I will try to catch you up a little. I will begin telling you about Landon's 5th grade Christmas Party right before school let out. He really had a great time with all of his friends. They ate and sang karaoke all afternoon. I think he really loves school but I also think he is ready to move on to middle school next year. This is just a picture of a few of his buds at the party.


I had to work on Christmas Eve and when I got home at 6:10am I tried to sneak in the bed for a while and that didn't last long. As soon as Landon knew I was home he came and woke me up and wanted to open presents. I remember being that excited too so I got up and we started opening presents. The really big thing he got this year was a Wii Fit. It really is the neatest thing. You can put the controller in your pocket and actually run on the screen with the other people. It is so cool!



One of the other really cool things was his Manchester United Soccer jersey that has his name on it. For those of you who don't know that is his favorite Premier League team in England. His nick name on the soccer field is "Rooney" and he plays on that team. He was really excited when he saw that it had his name on it.

Two days after Christmas we decided to go back to Dollywood for one final trip this year. It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed just being together after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. We had planned on going before Christmas and several things came up and we were unable to go. Because of the warm weather it really worked out for the best. The one thing I have realized even more throughout this holiday season is that God has a plan for all of us we just need to be patient and open our hearts and He will show us the way. I am so thankful that I have an almighty Father to turn to when I need answers.

Our family has been through several things over the holidays and God has really blessed us. Please say a prayer for Brian's aunt who has been ill over the holidays and please continue to pray for my mother who continually has to deal with pain everyday. I will try to do better to update more often but it is so hard sometimes with work, school, soccer and now Landon is playing basketball. I plan to post a few pictures of basketball later. Maybe today, I am not sure. Love you all! Have a great week! I cannot wait for Spring!

Thanksgiving Birthday 11-28-08

We truly have so much to be thankful for, not only during this time of year but all year long. I am so thankful for my family and for the time I had off from work to spend with them. I have to work this weekend but I have enjoyed having the holiday free to be with family. We didn't gather for our big meal until Friday because a few of us had to work and this gave everyone time to be with their immediate family. Like always we had lots of food and fellowship. Our family has grown so much over the years. I am posting just a few pics from the festivities. We really did enjoy each others company and the kids had a great time. The weather was nice so they were able to get outside and play some football while the girls stayed in and caught up on things.

This is a picture of Brian's parents with Landon. He is very blessed to have a nana and a popaw tha love him so much.




This is a picture of my parents with Landon...he really is very blessed to have two sets of grandparents that love and adore him. He really has it made when it comes to being spoiled by grandparents.

This is two of my nieces...Charity is my oldest brothers daughter and the younger one, Aubry, is my other nieces daughter and my brothers granddaughter. They are really beautiful girls.

This is another one of my nieces, my sister Kathy's little girl. I am so amazed at how much she looks like Shirley Temple with those little curls and her blue eyes. She was definitely the center of attention with her little smile and she was singing and dancing so that everyone would notice her.

We really had a good time visiting with everyone. We really should get all of us together more often..but you know how that is. Everybody is always so busy and it is so hard to just get through our everyday routine with work and kids but I think we should at least make an effort. For those of you that have the opportunity to see family everyday, be thankful and enjoy them. It is a true blessing.

Now I would like to say Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband...I love you honey. You are the greatest blessing and I am so thankful that God put us together. You are a wonderful husband and a fantastic father. Landon and I love you so much.

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and please take time to dwell on all the things we have to be thankful for...they are there if we open our hearts and focus on what God has blessed us with. May He continue to bless you all.

Camp Explore 11-17-08

This has been a very busy week for us. On Monday, Landon was off to camp with his classmates. He went to Camp Explore and they had a great time. The weather could have been better but I think that the kids really didn't mind. I sent plenty of warm clothes, hats, gloves and boots. Despite the weather they were able to do all the activities they had planned. They went out in a canoe, shot a bow and a rifle, and built a rocket to launch. Landon said they did get a little cold but all in all they did really enjoy the camp. I really missed him and I was glad they only stayed over one night. These are a few pics from the morning they were leaving. He is really blessed to have many great friends at school.

This is Cooper, Ryan, A.J., Landon and Reece. They have been buddies since kindergarten.

This is Landon and A.J.'s teacher..Mr. Koth...he is really a great teacher. He was Landon's

teacher in third grade and we were so thankful when he moved to fifth grade. I think it is awesome for boys that age to have a male role model in school.

I have been working all week and doing overtime to learn a new responsibility with my job. I am sorry that I haven't updated more this week. I will try to post more in the future. Landon spent the night with his cousin at his Mom Mom and Pop Pop's house..they plan to help her put up the Christmas tree. I am sure they will have a good time. Brian's aunt has been sick this week and is in the hospital. I would like to ask you to say a prayer for her. Also please pray for my mom and her constant battle with back pain. She has been put on new medication and I pray that will help. God is good and I know He can do all things if we believe. Love you all, have a great weekend!