Christmas/New Years 2009 - The cliff notes

Just before the holiday break from school Abbie's class had a special performance. It happened to fall on pajama day at school. Abbie was very excited to have Kassie there with her - she just loves to show off her little sister.

Here is one of the songs they did for their "show"


Next up in the holiday madness was a wedding cake that I did for someone in our ward. Can you say certifiable. I'm not very good at saying the "no" word. Anyway here's 1 picture of the cake - more to come later. One of these days I'm just going to do a post about all the cakes I've done just so they are in one place - another day though - not today. (PS - I have someone who does the flowers for me - she does an amazing job & makes my cakes look awesome! Thanks Melanie)

After that came Christmas. For us it's all about the kids (& family) - they had a great time! In going back I realized how much of the video I took someone was almost always on the phone with different family members, so pictures & video are limited - but here's some of the better ones.

Nate's Christmas was all about gadgets & Legos. He loved his night vision binicoluars & still takes them out at night whenever he can get away with it.

 Abbie got a Barbie vanity with some "make-up" to go with it. I tried to help her but she insisted she could do it all on her own. Not too bad for her first attempt.

This was the Christmas where Kassie really started to figure things out. Unwrapping gifts was fun & she got them unwrapped just about anyway she could.

One of her favorite gifts was this busy ball popper. She played with it all day then & plays with it almost daily still.


Dan usually takes the last 2 weeks off each year to spend with the family. This year he had to split them up with a co-worker. He got Christmas off & the other guy got New Years, which means Dan had to work on his birthday. He worked a short day then in the evening we went to some friends' house to play games & have birthday cake. We had a great time & kept the kids out way too late - but they handled it surprisingly well. It was a fun holiday season - very busy as usual, but lots of fun memories were made.

Today I am grateful that my memory still works a little - with some help from pictures & video. I'm grateful for a wonderful family that can have fun together while doing our best to do what is right.

Sick Day

So I've wanted "the time" to write an update or 6 for the blog. Between my job, the kids, the house, Dan traveling & frankly being pregnant - I'm either too tired or just lack the ambition to write & not sound like the tired, brain dead person I've been feeling like at the end of each day.

Well Abbie woke up at 6:30 this morning crawled next to me in bed declaring that her tummy hurt. Well it's been a couple of hours since then & a few trips to the bathroom & good use made of her "throw-up" bowl. Needless to say she wasn't going to church & since I don't have a Sunday calling anymore - neither was I. Dan offered to take Kassie with him & Nate & I figured the less exposure she had to whatever Abbie has the better so I helped get them ready & off they went.

So I've decided to take this time to sit (in-between helping Abbie swap out movies, getting cool sips of water & cleaning up the after affects of being sick) and write a little. Update the blog as much as I can. So ready or not here it all comes.

I almost forgot - I am grateful for the opportunity to sit & update our blog, I just wish it wasn't 'cause my sweet Abbie is sick. Sometimes blessings come in disguise.