Winter arrived!

Winter has officially arrived and it has been SOOOOO cold! I don't remember it EVER being this frigid here in SLC! I love the snow for how it makes everything look beautiful, but this nasty Arctic cold can go away! There has been MANY days where the temp was around 7 degrees when I woke up and that's just wrong! It is beginning to warm a bit so lets hope it is a trend!

Carter's Varsity football team ended up making it to the second round of playoffs, against Lone Peak, but lost. It was SOOOO hard to watch. It was evident pretty early in the game that we weren't going to come away with a win. It made for a VERY long game! But Carter played great and I saw him walking the sidelines toward the end of the 4th quarter patting his teammates and encouraging them. When the game was over they congratulated the other team and knelt in prayer as a team. I was glad to see they ended their season in the same way and kept their character all the way to the end. We were waiting for Carter on the sidelines and he walked up and threw his arms around his Dad. I'm not gonna lie.... I cried. It was the sweetest thing to see Chan whispering into his sons ear and Carter buried his head into his shoulder. It was priceless. I was next and I had a hard time getting anything to come out. I knew this was probably his last game on a field... ever. I managed to get out that I was proud of him and that I loved him. All those senior boys (and parents) were choked up.  It was a tough loss. Even though their season ended that night, they still had a LOT to be proud of. Their region is the TOUGHEST in the state and it was the farthest that Alta has gone in over 3 years! So they could hold their heads up high! His banquet was a week ago and it was fun! They did some very nice things for the senior boys (an Alta blanket and framed poster of each individual player). The dinner was yummy and Carter earned his Hawgs hat! It's a big deal for a lineman to earn! He's been wearing it proud! He was also shocked to learn that he earned an Honorable Mention in the 5A Region III! Such a HUGE deal! He was literally shocked! He turned to me and said, "Did they just say Crismon?" It was cute! We are so proud of him! He also got his first "official" job! He's been working for Fotofly in Lehi in the Santa studio! He helps move the families through and also helps the Mom or Dads get dressed in the Santa suits. He's really enjoyed it and is LOVING having his own money! :) Let's just hope he'll be able to continue working there after the holiday season!

Will's been in heaven! His football season ended much earlier and he's been chomping at the bit to do something else. We decided to put him into the same program with Carter's trainer, so he started in November and is LOVING IT! He comes home from the workouts totally wiped and is usually SUPER sore, but he's learning a lot and is getting stronger already! In fact we can already see his arms getting bigger! I am hoping he will be bigger, faster & stronger and will be MORE than ready when next years football season starts! He is also thinking about doing track in the spring- FUN! He brought home a project last week from wood shop and I was stunned! He made a beautiful table!! I think we may have found an inner talent there! He reminds me A LOT of Chan when it comes to these things!

Brianne has been busy too! She has been spending every extra moment with friends, but in between that and school she has been working on her voice. She's still taking lessons and has sang another solo at our Ward Christmas party. She sang Silent Night and did great! She's also singing in our Ward choir with me, which is super fun!

I have news as well! I finally landed my dream job! Starting in January I will be moving from Special Ed to the attendance office at the middle school! Woo hoo! I have always wanted a job at a school in the office but those jobs have always been the "you need to know this person" kind of job! And I guess this time I did know the right people! YAY!  I did my first day of training today and I've got a lot to learn! But I am SUPER excited! :)

Chan has been working super hard and we attended his holiday work party and he was getting a lot of accolades from different people. Some even thanking me for letting him work there! I am glad to see him getting appreciated for the work he does. He also tore down the play set in the back yard, rented a tractor and laid gravel for our new shed! It was installed and is wonderful! We've needed this for years but finally decided to bite the bullet! He also decked our house with wonderful Christmas lights and our home looks super festive! I'm so glad he's willing to do all these things! :)

Life is good around here! We are looking forward to the Holidays and spending some quality time with the family! In fact tonight we're going out to dinner, delivering our neighbor gifts, going to check out a cool light show by our home and doing our annual "Santa Bomb"! We're looking forward to it! 

*Santa Bomb- when we secretly place a huge blow up Santa in a fellow neighbors yard to cheer up their home for the holidays! We usually choose families that don't have any outdoor Christmas lights etc. It's our 3rd year doing it and we LOVE it! :)

 

Fall Frenzy!

I love fall!!! It is my favorite time of year! I love how the weather cools, the leaves change and the mountains look like they are on fire, the football games, the corn stalks and pumpkins on my porch! It is all wonderful! This year it feels like it is on fast forward and I just want it to SLOW DOWN! I'm sure part of the reason is how busy we all are! So it's been a bit of a fall frenzy around here!

Will's football season is officially over and they had a rough season. However, I feel that they learned a lot! I'm pretty sure I've already said this, but being the young team they were they did have A LOT to learn! Going from little league to high school football is a HUGE transition! I look forward to seeing how they do next year! It's going to be awesome! Will is planning on starting to work out with Carter's trainer John Madsen over the off season so get bigger, faster and stronger, so his next season will be GREAT!! He is really excited to get started but I do have to say he has NO IDEA what he's in for! John is going to kick his butt!! :)

Carter's varsity team is officially in the playoffs! The first one is this Friday against Taylorsville! They played an AMAZING game last week in the black and blue classic against Bingham, but unfortunately didn't come away with the win. Thankfully that game didn't effect our standings and we'll be going in as the 4th seed! Seeing how well they played last week I KNOW that they can continue on and I'm excited to see the game! Carter is also going to start working out with John again after the season is over. He is bound and determined to win that power lifting meet this next spring! He's tired of taking 3rd place! :)

Brianne did an AMAZING job singing in church! I couldn't have been more proud of her! She was so composed and didn't even miss ONE note! It was stunning! It's hard to believe that she is only 11 when you hear her sing! I'm trying to convince her to tryout for a musical at our local theater but so far she's a firm NO! But I'll keep trying!!! I don't think that voice should go to waste! She is however singing in our Ward choir again and has even recruited 2 friends along! And I love that she chose to sing alto- it's a challenge- but one she loves to take on!

Chan has big news too! He got a new truck! You would think that he won the lottery with how happy he is right now! We went and traded in the Honda (AKA "beater truck") because it was having issue after issue and we really wanted him to have a more reliable used car to drive. We figured the best thing we could give him is our Subaru! It's an Outback wagon and has over 130,000 miles on it but it's in GREAT condition and the perfect car for him to drive! The only hitch is that it's a stick shift and Carter wasn't used to it! But he had tried on occasion to drive it but never did it often because he didn't have to. But NOW he DOES! Thankfully he's picking it up quick and is doing GREAT! Anyway, we traded in his truck and leased a brand new Toyota Tacoma 4 door! It's a beautiful truck and rides like a dream! It's even getting him out of bed earlier in the morning because he can't wait to drive it to work! So cute! I'm so happy for him too because he works so hard for our family!

As for me, not too much has changed! Just doing my usual volunteering and my respective Mom duties! But I will say I am SOOOOO excited to have Brianne come into Young Women this week! YAY!! I've been waiting a long time and I KNOW she's going to love it!

October 13th update!

This football season is going by entirely too fast! It's been a rough start as Will's Sophomore team has only won 1 game (ouch) and Carter's Varsity team has had it's ups and downs as well! They both came out with HUGE wins this past week over Copper Hills and they BOTH had fumble recoveries! So crazy! I also think I neglected to mention that Carter broke his pinky finger a few weeks ago. We thought it was just dislocated but after seeing an x-ray and a specialist we discovered it was broken AND dislocated! Unfortunately they can't really fix it until the season is over! Otherwise he'd be unable to play! Gotta love boys- just rub some dirt on it and GO! We enjoy so much going to these games and being a part of all the happenings that the boosters provide the boys. It really is a blast!

Brianne is going to perform her very first solo in church this coming Sunday! She has been practicing a song called, "A Window to His Love" for over a month and is finally ready to sing it! I heard her sing it from beginning to end a little over a week ago at her voice lesson and was already crying! I am sure I had better bring a box of kleenex! I have been encouraging her to sing in front of people and I know she'll be great and it will build her confidence! I'm really looking forward to it!

I had parent teacher conferences for Will and Carter about a week ago as well. I have to admit that Carter's have never been all that pleasant! I was worried, especially given that I had already heard from one of his teachers regarding behavior. Carter is an awesome kid but their is no real off button for him! He enjoys socializing SO MUCH! It's hard for him to remain quiet and listen to lectures etc. However, this time around it was pretty good! He's doing "okay" in school- he's doing his usual grade ups and downs- especially during football season. He always tends to droop a bit because of the rigorous schedule. I'm sure when late November hits so will his school stride (hopefully)! The most exciting visit I had was with his Seminary teacher who is amazing. Her name is Sister Newbold and Carter LOVES her lessons. She does really innovative things with the class and keeps them on their toes! She had nothing but wonderful things to say about Carter. It was wonderful to hear of his example in class and how much he shares his testimony there. It warmed my heart. He may not be the most "academic" kid, but he is a shining star where is really counts and for that I am so grateful! Will's conferences are always fun! He is a great student! He may not have straight A's but he's always trying his best and is a very respectful student. All of his teachers had wonderful things to say about him and I am very proud of how he is doing for his first high school experience! I wish I could have met his seminary teacher as well, because he loves his class just as much as Carter, but the line for that teacher was crazy long! Maybe next time!

I am loving my new job! It's an adjustment to get used to going every day and right in the middle of the day (10am-1:30pm), but I am already seeing benefits! I am able to accomplish things at home before heading into work! I find myself cleaning and doing laundry, making phone calls and sometimes even doing dinner preparation right when I get home! With how crazy our evenings are with football it's nice to have some extra time to get home made dinners prepared! The job itself is EASY! I follow students in their classroom helping with work, I take them to PE and to lunch. They are all sweet kids and like having people to help. I have attended 2 training classes to help me better understand the environment I'm in and how to contribute and those have been very helpful as well.

Fall is here and the weather is changing! Before I know it there will be snow on the ground and we'll be preparing for Christmas! I'm not ready!! Can't time slow down just a BIT!!

Football update!

I seriously can't believe it's almost October! This past month FLEW by! I have been thoroughly enjoying my boys football, and even though they haven't had many wins on the scoreboard, I feel that they are learning lessons and bettering themselves every day.

Carter has been working especially hard. There's a lot of talent in our area and he is constantly fighting for his spot. When he has played he plays well! He did get beat in his Timp View game a couple times, but since has been pushing himself even more and we have seen improvement! Their first region game was this past Friday against Brighton and they lost by about 12 points, a tough loss, but I'm hoping that this week's game against Jordan they will come out strong! Carter has also been his "usual self" and has been participating in lots of school activities. He went to a girls soccer game on Saturday with a friends number painted on his chest! He was also asked to go to the Halloween dance and is VERY excited about it. He is all in with having FUN!

Will's team has had a really tough start. They haven't won one game! :( It's hard to watch your son get disappointed week after week, but I tell ya I think it's been good for him. All it has done is to drive him to be better. He doesn't get a lot of play tie right now, but I've never seen him work this hard... EVER. I think he wants to play better more now than ever and if he keeps up his motivation to be better- he will be successful! I'm so proud of him! Will is also doing great in school. He's taking a wood shop class for the first time ever and is enjoying it a lot. I also enjoy watching him at the Friday football games get into the student section and become one of the "rowdies"! It's pretty cute and he LOVES it!

Brianne is still our best cheerleader and she comes to every game she can! She's not afraid to yell and she loves the connection she has to the players. She even took some photos for me at this past weeks game and did a great job! She is also doing awesome is school! Middle school is going awesome for her and she is fitting right in. She has several teacher that her brother had and she enjoys the good attention she gets from them. Especially the PE teacher Mr Halbert- he loves to razz her about her brothers! She's doing great in PE too! Running like a pro and they are currently playing softball and she was thrilled that her teacher noticed her skills in softball. It made her week! She's already talking about playing again in the spring! She is also excelling in her voice lessons. Every now and then I'll catch her practicing in her room and will stop and listen. She really has a gift and I can't wait for her to share it with others! she is supposed to be singing a solo for the first time in church real soon and I know she's terrified, but I couldn't be more excited! she sang in the Primary Program today (for the last time) and did a fantastic job! The leaders even moved her around on two songs because she had such a strong voice. They wanted to even out the sound! She also spoke and did amazing!

Chan is plugging away at his job and whatever spare time he has he's doing favors for his family or watching the boys play football at games and practices. He's still the Ward building coordinator, Ward Clerk and Ward Tech specialist. He's technically still in the Scout committee too but has asked to be released since his plate is full! We still try to sneak out for a date night here and there too! :)

I gave notice in the job at All Search last week and start a new job this week. The job sharing with my friend Kelly was awesome, but the work environment itself was not good. It's a shame too because I loved the job itself and the owners were very kind. However, I feel this change is another meant to be. I was offered a couple jobs at the middle school before the school year began but because I had just gotten started with that other job I turned them down. Just about a week ago I was offered another, and since I wasn't loving my circumstances, I took it. It's an aide job at Brianne's middle school and she is STOKED! I'm glad that I will have time off at the same times as them now during holidays etc. It truly is a blessing and even though it's every day it's only about 3 hours so I can still do my Mommy jobs! Happy day!
  I also got to go to Oklahoma about a week ago to visit my sisters. Even though I didn't do much, it was the BEST time! We sat and visited, had a pedicure (Heather's first time), got soda's every day at Sonic, went to get yummy cupcakes, ate out and laughed and laughed. I wish I could do it every couple of months! It was fantastic! I am so grateful to Chan for covering my duties while I was gone and for making this trip happen!

Family life is good, crazy and full of adventure, but GOOD! 

Football 2013 Week 1

It's hard to believe football has started around here again! I think mainly because it has been SO HOT! I am VERY ready for the crisp fall nights under the lights!

Carter has already had 2 games- the first was against East and it was an out of region game. They knew it would be a tough team and THEY WERE! My favorite word for the East boys was "thick"! They were big, meaty and strong! Most of the team are Polynesian and they are tough! Carter wasn't a starter in that game but played 2 series of defense in the first half (both of which his helmet came off) and then he played the entire second half as guard on offense. He really played great and held his own given how big these guys were. Carter is a tough kid who is very strong but he's not tall when it comes to Varsity line. The tackle that plays next to him is 6'5" and Carter is 5'11"! But he knows his job well and can PLAY! They played hard but had a loss. His next game was against Lone Peak and after watching film from the East game the coaches did some tweaking and changed up the starting line up- and Carter was in. I was so proud! He had earned his spot! The Lone Peak game was a totally different vibe. It was a home game (which is always better) and they came out firing! I think the loss to East was good for them! They won 35 to 17 and played an amazing game! Carter played fantastic and even got a thumbs up from his head coach which I know meant a lot to him. Carter got up this past Sunday to bear his testimony and spoke of this last game. He was VERY nervous and he said that prayer is what got him through. He said that he prayed before his first series and did well. Then went out on the second series and got beat and was angry with himself and he realized he hadn't prayed before that one. He said a prayer out on that field before EVERY series and from then on had the strength he needed in each one. He said he knew that some of that strength came from Heavenly Father. It was amazing to hear- I had no idea he did that. I knew he prayed before the game, but I had no idea he was praying before EVERY series. What a great example to his peers and his family. I am a proud Momma!

Will has had one game and it was against Lone Peak as well. It was the Thursday before Carter's and he was soooo excited to suit up! Chan wasn't able to come because he was at the University of Utah vs Utah State game (which the Utes won- hooray!) so it was me, Brianne and Chan's Grandparents. Will plays defense and is a linebacker and he was not a starter but did get in on a few series throughout the game. He is learning A LOT and I can see improvement in his play but he needs more high school experience. He literally got ran over on one play the poor kid! But he is putting in his best effort and is doing his job well! I am excited for him and all he is learning and I have to keep it in perspective that he is only a Freshman playing on the Sophomore team! I know that each game will get better and I really believe that with his determination he is going to be awesome! Unfortunately the entire team needs the same experience because they lost- and quite handily- to Lone Peak. But there are plenty of games to come and this was their first, so it can only get better! 

I have to say as well how proud I am of Brianne. She was VERY bummed that she would no longer be able to cheer on the sidelines for Will since he was playing for the high school. But since the boys started practice she has become more and more excited to go to the games and she is their BIGGEST cheerleader on the sidelines! She knows most of the Varsity team by name because they spend time here at our house and I even managed to get a photo of her with some of them after their first team dinner. She always gears up in her best Alta gear and was VERY excited to get her "12th Man" shirt to wear on Friday. She is beaming with pride for her brothers and loves to tell people about them. It warms my heart!

I never knew this would be my life when I started having kids but I LOVE IT! I love Friday Night Lights, feeding the team before the game, hearing the varsity boys call me Momma Criz, the cheering, the rowdy kids with paint on their faces to cheer on their team, eating hot dogs in the stands with Chan and giving my sweaty boys hugs when they win and lose. It's a wonderful thing to be a part of and I'm grateful for all of it! Being a Football Mom is the BEST! :)

2013 orientation day!

Today was a big day for Will and Brianne!

Brianne had her 6th grade orientation at Indian Hills. The night before she was VERY anxious and worrying about getting to classes and her locker. I decided I would go in with her and stay for the first part, get her to her first class, give her a big hug and let her go! That's exactly what I did too! She seemed much better once she got there and found some friends to chat with, but once I got her to her classroom the nerves returned for a moment. I gave her a big hug, told her how to get to her next class and said "have a great day" and walked away. I know she'll be fine! She's a strong kid under all those "nerves" she likes to display on occasion! And besides she's only there till noon today... no biggie! I can't wait to hear all about her real first day on Monday- that will be a BIG day!

My experience with Will was a little different. He did not require me to go in with him (although I believe had I not already planned to go with Brianne he probably would have let me) so I just dropped him off about 30 minutes early so he could find his locker and try it out before going into the orientation. His day is basically a full school day followed by football practice, so he is excited. Still a bit nervous, but his nerves are more about the SIZE of the school. He's not worried about much else- in fact he's loving the idea of being in high school and playing football etc. He's even planning on attending the first "stomp" dance tonight. So fun! I know that Monday will be a whole new adventure because he'll be riding to school with his brother, a senior this year, so I'm sure he'll be feeling pretty dang cool! Such a big year... I'm excited already!! :)

Lake Powell, Vegas getaway and more!

Since Chan and I are both working this summer our time off was very limited (as was our budget) so a big summer vacation was out of the question. But thankfully Chan's parents offered to take our kiddos to Lake Powell for 5 days right before the boys began mandatory conditioning for football. Boating at Lake Powell is one of their absolute FAVORITE things and I can't say I blame them! It's beautiful there, peaceful, and super fun! They swam, watched some crazy summer rainstorms, did night swimming with glow sticks, had a dance party on the swim deck and ate some yummy food. They came home with sun kissed skin and big smiles on their faces! They left on a Wed (Pioneer Day actually) and I had that day off work. So right after they left I went to town cleaning my house! I went through the basement like a housekeeping tornado and even cleaned the carpets! Then I went upstairs and continued on until the house was smelling and looking good!  I even did every stitch of laundry and had it put away! It was an awesome feeling and the best part was that I KNEW it would stay clean for at least 4 days because the kids were away! SWEET! I went back to work with Chan the following day and then Friday we decided to have our own getaway before the kids came home. So we jumped in the car and went to Vegas for the weekend. We stayed at the Aria, which was amazing, and we didn't really do a whole lot other than hang out in our room! We just wanted some down time together and that's EXACTLY what we got! We did venture out and walked the strip, saw the fountains at Bellagio (again), walked the stores in Ceaser's Palace, ate at Planet Hollywood, walked part of Crystals mall at the cosmopolitan, and my favorite was sipping Chai tea and eating the best cinnamon roll EVER at the Aria pool. It was heaven. It was just the perfect little getaway and it's funny how the minute we get in the car to go on our little "trips" we turn into the silly kids we were when we met! We have so much fun together and I am SO grateful for a husband who sees the importance of spending time alone. He's the BEST! Now back to reality (darn it) and working again!

 I also managed to find the time to do a garage sale! I've been looking at some of my "stuff" lately and saying to myself, "How long have I had that?" I am discovering that I am sick of a lot of those things and decided to try and sell them to anyone who will fork over money for it! HAHAHA! So I spent 2 days going through closets (ONE whole day was practically spent in Brianne's room) and making piles of things to sell. I was SHOCKED at the amount of "Stuff" I had accumulated! Most of which had not seen light of day in YEARS! So off I went to the dollar store for stickers and poster board and away we went! This past Saturday I got up early and went out to face the people! Our home is in the PERFECT spot for a garage sale! I put up 6 signs (which really was a lot- I probably could have done 4) and I was BUSY!!! I was done by 1:30 and had sold practically everything! The best part you ask? I earned enough to buy school clothes for my kids! YAY!!! Can't beat that! And there was still a bit left over for me that I'm hoping to use to purchase a new bookshelf! Happy Day!

School time is almost here! So over the next three days I will be taking the kiddos to purchase a few items for school. I refuse to buy too much of anything, clothes or otherwise, because I only want to buy what they NEED. And inevitabley the teacher will send home lists of things THEY want them to have! So we'll get a few things and I enjoy that one on one time with them while we do it. I registered all of them last week and I am still in a bit of denial that I have TWO in high school and a middle schooler. YIKES! But it's going to be a SUPER fun year!

I wish I could have a vacation on a beach somewhere before it all starts, but after this week begins "Hell Week" for the boys (their 2 a day full pad practices before their official season begins) and then it's orientation for Will and Brianne and it all starts! Oh well, maybe we'll be able to get in ONE more day at the pool! **sigh**

Young Women update...

Well they finally called a new Young Women Presidency and I am thrilled to say that I am staying on as Secretary! YAY!! I was REALLY hoping that's what would happen! Brianne is THRILLED that I will still be in there when she goes into Young Women this fall and so am I! Woo hoo!

Youth Conference

This year since I am in the Young Women's Presidency I was able to join in going to Youth Conference! Both of my boys were scheduled to come but Will was unable to come at the last minute due to a summer school class :( which I was very bummed about! However, the Young Men leaders found an amazing opportunity to go down south to Snow College who puts on programs specifically designed for youth. It's called "Snow Fun" and boy was it ever FUN! We left VERY early on a Tuesday morning so we could go down and do baptisms for the dead at the Manti Temple before going to check in at the college. It was a rare opportunity given that the pageant is going on! Anyway, we made it down for an early session and it was wonderful! I was able to go in and help and I was able to watch all of these youth come in one after another to participate. It was amazing! I have to admit I teared up and not just because my kid was one of them. I have truly grown to love each of our youth in our Ward! After that we had a good 2 hours before we were to check in at our dorms so we went for a bit of a guided tour by our own Sister Lara Ross! It was awesome! Her family is from Spring City which is right near there, so she gave us a tour of the cemetery where Orson Hyde is buried and then over to the actual "spring" that the city is named after. It was fun and the kids got a kick out of all of it. Then we were off to the campus to get checked in. We had some time to play games on campus before heading over to our rooms. The dorms we got to stay in here AMAZING! They were practically brand new and accommodated about 6 people per room. I got to stay in one dorm with my fellow YW Leaders.That first night we were able to go and see the Mormon Miracle Pageant. I had not seen it before but it was wonderful! It's very well done and the message is beautiful. Over the next few days we walked all over campus doing anything from water activities to devotionals and all of it was fun! One of the days we even went up the canyon to do a ropes course! I was so impressed with a lot of our girls and their strength! I have to say that my favorite parts were "where's Kelly" and the last night's testimony meeting. Where's Kelly became a bit of a motto for our group! It was a joke that Carter started down there- he would just randomly yell out "where's Kelly" when we were out and about! And in a very obnoxious voice to boot! Sometimes people even thought it was for real and would ask if we had lost someone! It was hilarious! And at our final testimony meeting it was amazing and the kids all bore sweet testimonies that will forever be in my heart. Our Bishop was the last to speak and in the middle of his words he slid over a white board and behind it it said "Don't tell Crismon but Kelli was here" he seriously brought the house down! We were all laughing and taking pictures of the white board. It was a time I will never forget! I'm so grateful I'm able to work with the people I do! I am sad to say though that our YW President is moving and will be released next week. That means I may no longer be in YW :( The thought makes me sad! I was hoping to be able to stay at least until Brianne came in this fall. Fingers crossed! I am teaching the combined lesson for the YW tomorrow and it's the last Sunday we'll be together as a Presidency. It was a difficult lesson to plan for. I said a lot of prayers asking for guidance and I feel I got it! I know whoever is called for the future we'll be great, but I will sorely miss my time here if I'm let go! What a blessing it's been to my life! I love the youth!! :)

Working....again!

I know it wasn't long ago that I wrote LONG post about how time is precious and that me working outside the home just wasn't going to happen. Well, unfortunately that has changed. Our circumstances required I get a part time job to help with family expenses, but this time I was going to at least try and find something different than the school route. I am SO glad I did! My good friend Kelly put in a good word for me and got me an interview with the place she was working. She had a job-sharing position and the person she was doing it with was leaving so they would need to hire someone new! I went in for the interview and was hired immediately! I don't know what Kelly said to them, but it must have been good! Anyway, I started the second week of May and am enjoying it. I'm not going to say it's easy because working has it's challenges, but I enjoy the job a lot! It's a company called "All-Search" and they do searches on people for title companies etc and are also registered agents for other companies. We stay busy accepting summons, garnishments etc from process servers all day as well as doing searches, answering phones/emails etc. It's something TOTALLY different from what I HAD been doing for a job! It's interesting to learn these new things and I feel I'm learning pretty fast. I am already doing things the previous person never learned to do and she was there for over a year! The best part is that it's a VERY small office and it's family run and they are VERY accommodating to family matters etc, which is awesome! And since Kelly and I are good friends we just work out our schedule amongst ourselves! It's great! I suppose if I HAVE to work, this was a perfect spot for me to land. Honestly I think it was heaven sent! 

Milestones...

The school year finally came to a close! Whew! It was a whirlwind year for me! It really went FAST! But as this year comes to a close it was an end of a big era...... We are now officially done with Elementary School. It is something Brianne and I have been talking about A LOT so we knew it was coming and we both seemed to be handling it beautifully! But this past Friday was her 5th grade Celebration and we got up early and I helped her get ready and put on a cute outfit and did her hair and off we went! We went to Starbucks first for some yummy frappes to celebrate and then we were off to school for the festivities! The Principal made a few comments (since it was his last year there too because he is also moving on), then the teachers began reading the names of the kids to come up and get their certificates :) It was fun and I yelled REALLY loud (of course) for her when she was called. I am truly so proud of her! She is a fabulous student! They also fed the kids a small breakfast and showed a slide show of some of the events throughout the year and then we were free to take photos and give hugs! So I grabbed my camera to get some shots of her and her friends and her teacher. When I walked up to her I could see tears were welling up in her eyes. As soon as I could I grabbed her and held her in my arms and she cried, which of course made ME cry too! It was hard to see her so emotional! Her teacher was crying too and as I took a look around we weren't the only ones! I just told her that today was about enjoying her last day and getting her friends to sign her autograph book and feeling proud of her accomplishments. It was a tough day! I was glad that she went home with a friend after school and had planned a sleepover with 2 friends to celebrate the start of summer! It helped her feel a bit better! She is still a bit sad, realizing that she's done with that school, but in a way I am happy too. The fact that she is so emotional leaving there tells me that her experience at that school has been nothing but stellar! She LOVES that school and I can only hope that her next experience will be the same! On to middle she goes!!!

Will had a bit of a celebration as well! This year he will be leaving middle school! It was a short 2 years there for him, 7th and 8th grade, but with the changes he will now be onto high school as a freshman. They had a small program for them with a comedian and gave them an ice cream sandwich, but that was it! And for him there were NO tears! He came home on Thursday after school and proudly exclaimed, "Mom, I am a high schooler!!" He is SO excited! He has been preparing to play Sophomore football and all! I think the reality of how BIG his new school is won't hit him until I take him to do his final registration, then he will be nervous! Hahaha!

Carter has turned the corner as well and has finished his Junior year. He is VERY excited about his upcoming senior year! He and his friends have already been talking about their futures and the fall football season. They are ready to BRING IT and to enjoy this last bit of time they have together! I also kicked him out the door today to go and apply for jobs! He went to a couple places, and hopefully by the end of the week he'll have employment! We've let it slide thus far for multiple reasons, but at this point he NEEDS to get a job and not just to have a little money in his pocket! I want him to gain some more experience before he heads out into the world! Wish him luck!

On to all sorts of new things in our family! We can do it!!! (I just keep telling myself that!)

Brianne's balling!

I was so proud of Brianne for deciding to play softball again this year! It was a tough decision to make given the other girls were older, but she chose to do it and I am SO glad! I learned recently that most of the girls are in 8th grade!! The same as Will!! She is in 5th and is holding her own! Watching her play is so fun and she has really improved! Her throwing skills are WAY better and she is GREAT at catching now! She will go out in the front yard and play catch with one of us (she really likes to do it with Carter because he throws fast) or she will throw up fly balls to herself! The other thing that has improved is her knowledge of the game itself! I have actually caught her watching women's college softball on TV sometimes! I haven't convinced her to stick with it into high school yet but I hope I can because it would be a shame to lose the skill she's gained! This sport fits her personality! She enjoys the camaraderie with the other girls and getting dirty out on the field! I love listening to her play by play of the game in the truck on the way home and I love watching her out on the field- it truly makes me happy!

A big week for Carter

Carter's week last week started off with an election! He decided he wanted to run for the Senior Class Vice President! I was excited at the thought and was eager to help him in any way I could. We got the packet of paperwork and got to it! We filled out all the required forms, got the teacher recommendations out, wrote his platform etc etc etc! We even made posters with HUGE pictures of him and some of his friends. He did a great job and the Primary election was this past Tuesday and unfortunately he didn't make it through. He was VERY bummed, but I was proud of him for giving it a try! It's not something I would have thought he would go for, so the effort alone was awesome!

That same week on Thursday was the Weber Power lifting meet! He has been looking forward to this since last year! This year there were about 7 or 8 high schools that participated and the boys are placed in weight classes (carter is heavy weight) and they have to do three different lifts. In Carter's weight class they started with the Squat, then did the clean and ended with the bench. We all came to cheer him on as well as Chan's parents and his Grandparents. It was fun to have a little cheering section for Carter! It was tough to tell what was going on because there were boys everywhere! Thankfully there was enough of us that we got some close up pictures and video and a few of us stayed up in the stands. I knew that Carter would do well, in fact earlier that week I ran into his football coach and he was even thinking Carter could win it! But we weren't prepared for the MONSTER from Granger to show up! He was HUGE and was the guy who took first place in his weight class. Carter was second to him most of the night but slipped to third right at the end :( The kid who took second from him is a Kruger (who's boys have ALL played college ball at the University of Utah and have gone on to the NFL) and he only beat him by about 25 lbs. But he took third overall and we couldn't be prouder! His lifts were the following: Squat 505lbs, Clean 225lbs and Bench 345lbs! And he did all that while losing 30lbs over the last 2 months! I would say that the boys who beat him had easily 50 pounds on Carter and a head taller! He really had a fun time and loves to lift! He still has one more chance for a win next spring but I would say that taking first in his high school and 3rd in the state is nothing to be sad about! I am super proud of him! Way to go Carter!

Carter's Birthday!!

Carter had his birthday yesterday and turned 17! He was on the phone with his Grandparents and said to them, "Yeah I turned 17 so I'm almost a legal adult"! WOW! Hard to believe but true! And I mean that in the way that time has gone quickly, not that he doesn't SEEM like an adult because he DOES! He had a great weekend- it started with friends on Friday night "hanging out", and then he had the Sadie Hawkins dance on Saturday night and had a blast! It was an 80's theme and he and his date looked like they had walked off the pages from an 80's hairband cover! Led Zepplin shirts and all! Then Sunday we had our fast day due to conference the week before, so no special breakfast, but I did do our usual birthday surprises on the counter along with some decorations! I had to modify my usual fare of favorite candy and treats because Carter is on a special diet right now to lose some weight for football and is currently down about 22 pounds! So I got pretty creative in the grocery store and got a few of his favorite energy drinks (which I RARELY get), a LOT of gum, some beef jerky and sugar free Jello. But I did say he had to choose something from my Pinterest board to make him for his birthday cake. I insisted he indulge for just ONE piece of SOMETHING, so he chose a chocolate chip cookie cake. It was my first time making it and it turned out SO GOOD! I highly recommend it! And he LOVED it! Just like his brother we opted to give him money so he could purchase what he wanted and it didn't take him long at all to hop on Nike.com and find something! But I'm happy that choosing practical gifts make him that happy! Boys can ALWAYS use new shoes! Hahaha!! We are so proud of Carter. He has had some challenges come his way this past year, but when each presented itself he has always rose to the occasion! We know that whatever he chooses to do in life he has the skills to be successful! Now we are just excited to see what it is!

One last thing- when Brianne realized it was his 17th birthday and that he could be going on a mission and or leaving for college within a year she said, "No! I don't want Carter to leave." I thought that was pretty sweet! I just love my family! How blessed we are!

The big 39

My birthday, the big 39, happened in March. I still don't see myself as that old AT ALL! I remember people saying that a lot growing up and I always thought it was a funny thing to say.... until now! I really FEEL much younger! Anyway, the morning of my birthday I came downstairs to find it all decorated for my birthday! Brianne had stayed up late to blow up balloons and make it look festive! It warmed my heart! I do that for them on their birthday and she wanted to do it for mine! It made my day! On top of that I got some sweet cards and Chan made my favorite meal of Beef Tenderloin with Spring Vegetables! YUM! It was soooo good! I was a very happy Momma!

 For my birthday I requested a change to my bedroom decor! We have had the same bedroom decor (aside from a few throw pillows here and there) for a VERY long time. At least 10 years, probably more! So I proposed my ideas to Chan and he was totally on board! So here's the plan! New bed frame (that's tall enough to store items underneath) with a DIY headboard made from old doors and trim, new paint on the wall behind our bed, new curtains, new lamps and lastly new throw pillows to tie it all together! To say I am excited is a HUGE understatement!! I have already began stripping the paint from some old doors that used to be in one of our retail stores. I was the only one is Chan's family that wanted them. I knew I could use them somehow! It's going to take a LOT of elbow grease and a very clever hubby to make it work but I KNOW it's going to be awesome! I have also already bought new lamps, I've got all but 1 new throw pillow, I got new curtains and the new bed frame. I sold my old frame via Facebook and she'll be picking it up tomorrow.  I am THRILLED with the progress so far and can't wait to share how it turned out! There is something to be said about having a warm and cozy room to retreat to at the end of a long day! And I am so glad my Mom was here to help me make some purchases and have it all work together! It's going to be awesome!

I would say that's a pretty fantastic birthday! I am one lucky gal and am looking forward to spending TONS of time in my new and improved room!

Will's Birthday!!

It's SO hard for me to believe that Will is now 14! Wow! He is looking much older all of a sudden and is growing into quite a handsome young man! He is such a sweet and happy kid! His request for his birthday was a sleepover party with his friends. Such an easy request- DONE! The best part was that his birthday landed during spring break which made it an even easier request! I had each of the boys bring a snack/drink to share and I provided pizza and cake. Life was GREAT! They watched movies, roamed the neighborhood, made a Harlem Shuffle video and played XBox. He had a blast! Now that the kids are getting older we basically just give them cash and then take them shopping to buy what they want. So I took him to an outlet mall that week and he bought himself some new Nike shoes and some clothes. We also sat down at Johnny Rocket's for some yummy fries and a chocolate coke! But I think the best parts of his birthday came over that following weekend. My parents arrived the Thursday of their spring break. We planned some fun activities, including going to dinner and a movie on Friday and the Outlet mall on Saturday to pick out Easter gifts, which was super fun. My parents flew out so they could be here for his Ordination to be a Teacher. Such a wonderful thing and I am so grateful they are able to come and attend. It was made even more special because it was the last one with our current bishopric. They have all been released and we'll be getting a new bishopric after General Conference. It was also a memorable one because his brother Carter was able to stand in since he is a Priest. That made both my Mom and me cry before they even started! After the ordination was complete Bishop Stocking asked if my Mom, Myself and Brianne would bear our testimonies. It was such a wonderful experience and a tender moment for all of us. Later that day Will, Chan, my parents and I went to witness him getting his patriarchal blessing. He requested we do it while my parents were here and wow, such a neat experience! And given that it was Easter Sunday just made all of it that much more special!

I am so proud of Will! He has grown up so much and is always a loving and thoughtful person. He does very well in school and I very rarely have to remind him of homework or assignments. It's AWESOME! And I am also excited for him with football this year. He will be playing along side Sophomores at the high school and is already pushing himself by attending a camp every morning before school at 6am to lift weights and bulk up a bit! What a great kid! I love watching him grow and change and I look forward to his continued growth both physically and spiritually!

Brianne's spring activities!

Brianne is VERY excited to have a new activity this month! She has officially started voice lessons! I insisted she take piano first because being able to sight read music is so important. She has been taking piano for a couple years and is doing very well. Truly, I had been looking for a voice teacher all along and wasn't having much luck. Then we had a new couple move into our neighborhood and wouldn't you know it she is a voice teacher! YAY! She lives on the street behind us and is wonderful! She had her second lesson this week and is already LOVING it! I am excited too because Brianne has such a talent in singing! She is learning a couple songs from musicals for now and when she gets a bit more confident I am hoping I can get her to sing in church... fingers crossed!

She has also started softball again! Yay! And this year is a challenging one! She is with the same coach as last year, Steve Bojack, and he is fantastic! His knowledge of the sport has helped her immensely! The challenge is that his daughter is older so Brianne is only 11 and is playing with girls as old as 15! But she is doing really well and I keep encouraging her that it will only make her a better player! She is doing really well and has improved SO much since she began! She has quite the arm now and isn't afraid of fly ball anymore! hahaha! I am excited for her first game this Tuesday! Bring on Spring and Summer! I am ready! 

School "Lasts"

This year marks the end of having children in elementary school for me..... yikes I am getting old! And I'm not even 40 yet!! Anyway, I recently attended a few activities at Brianne's school for the last time! The first is Parents and Pastries. This is one of my favorites! We meet with the kids before school in the cafeteria and eat muffins, donuts, bagels etc while reading books with our kids. It's also done while the book fair is going on so that parents can purchase new books for their kids too! And this year it was also during Dr Seuss Day so it was a busy one! But it was fun and I enjoy reading with the kids. My favorite book to read to them is still a pop up book called Wide Mouthed Frog! It's the BEST!

The next activity was one that Brianne would have gladly skipped- Maturation Program! I went to it with both of the boys but had not seen the girl one yet so I was anxious to see what IT had to offer! I was pleasantly surprised at how well they handled it! All of the ones I attended were very well done and they made the kids feel comfortable. Such a fun experience! Hahaha! Gotta love puberty!

Another "last" was the 5th grade State Fair! All of the 5th graders are assigned a State and both Carter and Will had Connecticut (which was total chance) but Brianne got New Jersey! They have to write their state and ask for them to send brochures or other information as well as do their own research on their state. Brianne never received anything from her state, which I assume is due to the after effects of hurricane Sandy and all they were dealing with in the cleanup, but she found quite a bit on her own. They then have to do a oral presentation on their state as well as make a tri-fold with all of the information they found and a parade float out of a shoe box. Then it's time for the State fair! All the kids set up their desks in the gym and display their projects. The parents are invited to attend and we can walk through and ask the kids questions about their state. It's concluded with a small program with the kids singing a state song as well as some others. It was great and Brianne did a beautiful job! She did hers all by herself! I was very proud!

Last one was her final parent teacher conference! She has had a great year! Her teacher, Ms. Wilson, has been wonderful for her! She actually reminds me of Brianne a bit! I could totally see Brianne being a teacher someday! It's been a great year that is going WAY too fast! I am planning to attend their final field trip for Junior Achievement and am looking forward to that as well. Crazy how quickly they grow up, but what a joy!

Friends and Zumba!

A friend of mine asked if I'd like to join her in a Zumba class last fall. I looked at her and said, "why not!" I REALLY know that I need to get more exercise and this just sounded fun! So off we went! The class is once a week and we didn't always make it EVERY week but we did pretty dang good! Then this January it was time to sign up again and we recruited even more people to come and look silly! It was such a blast! We look like total idiots I am sure, in fact I am GRATEFUL that there are NO mirrors in the room we do it! Otherwise I may never do it again! I am just grateful for wonderful friends who make me laugh out loud all while getting healthy together! It's almost time to sign up again and I may have to do another round! Maybe this time I'll take it a bit more seriously and REALLY get a workout! Hahaha!

Prom

Carter went to his Junior Prom the first weekend in March with a friend here in our neighborhood who is also one of my Laurels! They had a VERY packed day that started at 7:30 in the morning! He picked her up and went over to a friends where their group was meeting up. Then they all climbed into a couple of cars and headed up to the Park City area where one of his friends has a cabin. They were able to enjoy the beautiful snow our state has to offer by going snowmobiling on their property there. It was Carter's first time doing it and he LOVED it, as did his date! In fact according to both of them she was the more aggressive driver! Honestly, I wasn't surprised! They had a lovely lunch at the cabin before heading back down to the valley to get into their spiffy clothes for dinner and the dance. Carter came home and relaxed for a while before finally getting in the shower to get ready. He picked out his Tuxedo, which was really cool, and looked awesome! He invited me to come with him (in separate cars of course) to pick her up so I could get some photos of them at her place before picking up her Mom to come with us to get group photos. They made a very cute couple! They looked amazing! We were able to snap some great photos of their group of 12 great looking kids before they headed out to Olive Garden for dinner. Then it was off to Rice Eccles Stadium at University of Utah for the dance. It was the first time they had been at a dance there and Carter said it was awesome! He really liked the venue and said the DJ was great. I am anxious to see their pictures because the pose they chose sounds....um....interesting! I'll try to post pictures of it on Facebook! After the dance they went to another friends house to watch a movie. All of the guys who planned this date had been working feverishly on a barn on the property. They cleaned out the loft area and added sofas and other decor along with a TV and DVD player so they could all go up there and watch the movie! The weather (sort of) cooperated given it's early March, but it was still quite cold! But they had fun anyway! It was a late night, but Carter said it was one of the funnest dances he had attended! I am so glad he had fun and was able to enjoy it with some of his closest friends! It's hard to believe the next Prom he will be attending will be his last.... yikes!

Keeping busy

It seems that all of us are always keeping busy! But here are a few more things that have happened this February!
I took Brianne to get her first ever facial! I will admit that it wasn't just "for fun". I wanted her to be better about taking care of her skin, especially on her face, since she is coming into that teen pimple time of her life. I was very impressed with her during her facial since they had to do some "extractions" and those can hurt! But she didn't even flinch! And she did learn a lot and has been washing her face twice a day since then and her skin is looking much better! I told her I would take her again before school this fall if she keeps it up! :) She and I also attended Ballet West together last night to see Cinderella. It was so fun! We enjoyed the ballet but also just enjoyed being together and laughing about the number 4, the intermission room (inside jokes) and driving through some crazy snow! It was a blast! I'm so glad we were able to go!
Will is becoming more of a teenager every day! This month he has started to make plans with friends! He's always had lots of friends but was never really the "go out" type. He was fine hanging out at home and just playing games with them on the XBox. But this month he went out with friends to see a movie and has planned another activity with his buddies for next week. I'm glad to see him finally getting out! (Carter was exactly the same way and now I can't get him to stay IN!) He also went in for an interview with the Bishop to get his Patriarchal blessing recommend. And I am thrilled that he'll be getting it when my parents are here so they can attend- which was his idea! He's so thoughtful! It's a big thing and I am proud of him!
Carter is my socialite! That kid is at everything and involved in everything! I've neglected to mention that he has been involved in a TON of activities at school- things like pep rallies, eating contests etc! He even helped film a promo video for Prom's Junior week! He's REALLY enjoying his time in High school and I love that about him! He's also out with friends on a regular basis and I love hearing about his adventures with them- some of them are pretty funny! He's already starting to talk about spring football but before that gets here he has a power lifting meet to do and we are VERY excited about it! We can't wait to see how he does! He's also gearing up for his first ACT test which is a little scary but I hope he goes in with confidence and does well. He also is going to Prom next week! Hard to believe it's here already! But I am glad he is going with Laura (one of my Laurels) who hadn't been asked yet and is a senior this year. Carter had asked another girl but she got asked by someone else earlier that same day so her parents told her to choose the first! He was bummed, but Laura is his friend and she just kept saying to ask her so he finally did! They will have a blast!
Chan also had some excitement this month! Yesterday he went up to Soldier Summit with his Dad, Mark and Gerardo and went snowmobiling! He hasn't gone in years and was really looking forward to it. We had a HUGE snow storm yesterday so there was points where it was whiteout conditions but they had a blast! The trail was about 25 miles long and they were up there most of the day. They are hoping it will become an annual tradition! The only bad part is that he is pretty saddle sore today! But he says it was worth it!
Hard to believe that February is almost over! Before we know it it's going to be summer again, which is fine with me because I am SO OVER snow! Here's to spring coming quickly!! :)

Stake Conference

We had Stake conference today and I have to admit I am not the best at attending. I always have good intentions, but the idea of being able to relax at home and not fight my children to sit in one place for 2 hours always seems to win out! However, today our Stake Presidency was going to be changed and since they have served for over 9 years and I LOVE them I had to go! I knew it was going to be amazing and it WAS! It was wonderful to hear from all of the men leaving along with their wives, but the most amazing part to me was hearing from the General Authority and listening to the process of choosing the new Presidency and them calling that new Presidency. The organization of the church is truly amazing! The spirit was so strong there today and I have no doubt at all that the men who were called were chosen by our Heavenly Father! What a wonderful blessing! I left there feeling so good and ready to start my week! How grateful I am to have the gospel in my life! And I am grateful my kids were there to witness it as well (even though they did gripe a bit). I'm looking forward to seeing what this new Presidency brings to the people of our Stake!

Love

I decided to put love as the post name because there is much to love about my life! Number one is my awesome hubby! He has jumped right in to his new job and even though he is still in the training area he has already begun to make a difference there! I'm so proud of him! He is such an amazing person and I am grateful everyday that I have him in my life! Second, obviously is my kiddos! Golly I just LOVE them! They make my life full and I love that I can be at all their activities! Carter had a big day this week at his workout. I went to watch and he was able to squat 320 lbs 10 times! And he had more in him, but John stopped him since he doesn't want him to over do it! Technically he is still recovering from his knee scope! He's such a strong kid! John (his trainer) can't even match his strength on a lot of the lifts he does and he played in the NFL! It's nuts! I'm super proud! He had a blast at the Sweethearts dance too! Tori was a beautiful and fun girl and planned a great day with a fun group. Carter is really enjoying the girl ask guy dances since he can just enjoy and not have to plan! Will just got done with another Snow Blitz. It's an after school snowboarding class and he did great this season! I'm so glad he enjoys doing that! He's the only one in our family who hits the slopes! I'm sure he'll be up a few more times with friends before the snow melts. I love watching him put all that gear on and walk away holding his board- it's adorable! His birthday is coming up and he will soon be ordained a teacher. My parents are coming out to participate and I'm thrilled and so is he! It will be a fun weekend! Brianne had her last Valentines Day party at school! She will be in middle school next year so this was the last time making a Valentine box, decorating cookies, playing games and handing out Valentines! It was funny too because she's not a huge fan of the school parties, but she was having a blast yesterday! Even her teacher had to tell her to calm down! Pretty funny! She won the contest for "most colorful box" and it was SUPER colorful! She has also come out of her shell a lot recently! She even went to the mall with a friend and let me drop them off! Yes, all by themselves!! This was HUGE for her and I was very proud! She also gets to attend New Beginnings this month and can hardly wait! It's going to be a super fun one since our theme is "Oh the places you'll stand" and is all revolved around Dr Seuss! Even the decor! She will be going into Young Women's this November and it can't come soon enough for her! They are all growing so quickly!

As for me, I had my first ever Bunco party at my house last night! It is such a fun thing to do and I enjoy all these women I have come to know from PTA, Bunco, church, etc and I love getting to know them better socially! It's good for me to be surrounded by like minded people and to be able to chat, laugh, eat, laugh and just enjoy each other! I admire A LOT of these people and so I feel it also makes me a better person by being around them and learning from them.

Life is sure moving fast and I am glad I can have this time to sit and reflect and write down our "happenings" because truly my family is my one true love in this life!

Big News!

Well the day finally arrived and Chan had his "unofficial" job interview last week. I say unofficial because he has known the people at this company for YEARS! He started working with them in 1998 when their family company hired them to put in new retail software. He has worked with them ever since, even helping them give tours to prospective clients in OUR stores over the years. They have told him MANY times over those years that they would LOVE to have him work for them, but he was very happy where he was. Little did we know of all the changes that were coming! So obviously, Chan approached them a few months ago and let them know he would be looking for a job and asked them if they would have something for him. They pounced, and after he finished getting the restaurants up and running, was able to sit down over lunch and meet with them to discuss options. He left there excited and waiting for an answer and got it within 48 hours! He is the new transitions analyst for Tomax software company! Its the job he REALLY wanted after lunch that day, and funny enough, that job didn't exist before! He will be the first to do it! I really believe that they looked at his skill set and his knowledge of their product and matched it to what they really needed in their company. He tells me he still has a lot to learn but is very excited to start and I am so proud of him! So once again we are on a new adventure in the job arena! Phew! Hopefully this will be the LAST for a LONG TIME! Also, just an FYI, the restaurants are up and running and doing very well! We are excited to see how that plays out as well and are looking forward to the many years we will have them at the SLC airport!

New Year Adventures

I have to admit I am still in a bit of denial that we are in 2013! I agree with most that Christmas seemed to whiz by and now here we are starting anew! But with a new year come new changes!

Chan is finishing out his last few weeks as being a consultant for our joint venture at the airport. The last few restaurants opened around Christmas and now they are just working on clean up and ironing out a few kinks. He's done an amazing job and has been non-stop so walking away is feeling a bit strange. However, he has an interview lined up for a new job and is anxious to see where it takes him! We'll see!

The kids had an awesome Christmas break so getting back into school wasn't popular! (is it ever?) But they've been great and getting back into the groove of things pretty well! Carter just went to MORP with a few friends this month dressed as old people! I am bummed I didn't get a photo, but I'm sure I can get one from one of his friends! Brianne started an art class on Wednesdays and enjoys it very much. Will was able to hit the mountain with his cousin and friend to snowboard! He is participating in the after school program again this year and wanted to go up and use his new board before then so he'd have a feel for it. So listen to this story.... while up there he managed to drop his cell phone on the slopes! Yeah, the new upgraded one he JUST GOT in November! Anyway, Dakota tells him he HAS to call and tell me so he grabs his phone, calls me, and hands it to Will. You can imagine the service isn't "great" up there so the call got dropped but I could tell by his voice that something was wrong. Those few minutes I had to wait to reconnect I was frantic thinking something awful had happened! But thankfully, it was just a lost phone and at that point I just said, oh well and I'd talk to him when I picked them up. I drove up to get them and brought them all home and as soon as I walked in my door at home my home phone rang. The caller ID? WILL's PHONE number! HUH?? I answered it and it was a man on the other end stating his daughter had found the phone on the mountain! I ended up meeting him at the base of the canyon to get it back and could not thank him enough!! Stories like this just don't happen anymore! It was such a blessing, especially given it still worked after being in the snow! I've never been so glad that Will's favorite color is red until that day! I'm sure that why she was able to spot it in the snow! Crazy right!

Flu season.... writing those two words is horrible enough without actually having to experience it! Our house has had some fun with it over the past few weeks! Chan had a sinus infection, which he still is having issues with since it's so cold outside! Last week I got in my car to take the carpool and it was 9 degrees! OUCH! I had an ear infection (my usual) but we've also had some nasty tummy virus going through the family too! I am SO over it! Here's to hoping it's almost done and that warmer weather is coming soon! I'll even take a 38 degree day at this point!

Carter's football banquet was this month as well. He was able to earn his Varsity letter in Football! HOORAY! Such a big milestone! And he's already begun working with his trainer again, John Madsen, to get ready for his Senior season. He's excited to be back in the weight room and his knee is feeling good. Since he earned his letter Chan and I took him to a local athletic store to order his Letterman's jacket. It was fun to go through each choice and help him put it all together. We are so proud of him and excited to see it but we have to wait about 6 weeks for it to get here! Hopefully he'll get to wear it before it gets too warm.

Will was asked to be the Deacon's Quorum President last week! Yay! He has been telling me for about a month that he felt it was going to happen and I am excited for him. It's a big job, especially given the new teaching curriculum, but he is so excited to do it!

Last night Carter was asked to the Sweethearts dance! And funny enough it was the same way he had asked someone to a dance! I love the way they do that here! It's a unique Utah thing I think! Anyway, he is excited and I love that he always ends up going with someone different :)

Brianne used some of her Christmas money and bought a new bike! It's a darling schwinn that is the cruiser style. It's bright pretty colors and big enough for her to grow a bit more! She LOVES it and even though it's been freezing outside she has gone out to ride it! I am happy she decided to do that because she had been riding Carter's old bike and this one suits her so much better! It's adorable!

As for me, well I have been in an all out war with mice. Yup, I said MICE! For some reason the people who lived in our home before us didn't seem to keep things as "clean" as you should. Also, the mice had set up some pretty comfy digs in a drop ceiling in our basement which we discovered not long after we moved in! YUCK! We did A TON of remodeling in our home before we moved in and cleaned up A TON! We have caught a lot of mice friends over the years, but in December since it got so wicked cold they were showing up again. GRRRRR! I am not joking when I say war because in one month I caught 7 mice! SEVEN! EWWW! Have you heard the saying with mice "where there's one there is three?" well it's TRUE! But I am happy to say that I think I am winning the war thanks to some traps inside and poison outside. Let's just hope I am done because it's just ICKY!! I have been cleaning like a FREAK!! Wish me luck!

I hope you new year has had some fun adventures too!