Days of Presents

There is one perk to having divorced parents - holidays go on for DAYS.

When you factor in that these kids have Christmas with Harley and his parents, Colby and I and then presents or parties with both my parents and Colby's - that is a lot of celebrating and gift giving.

Christmas

Christmas Eve getting ready to open up our traditional pj's.

Oh Christmas Tree! Oh Christmas Tree!

This is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. 

For Mom and Dad's viewing pleasure the kids got wax lips in their stockings.

Santa Presents

These faces are what making the Christmas madness worth it. 

I love these two.

We truly are so blessed. 

Not just in material possessions but, it has been a year rich in blessings.

2011 could be one of the best years yet.

Since it's FB official

I can post these pictures I took of my baby sister... 2 days after she found out she was pregnant.

There's a baby growing in that there tummy.

Yay for being an Auntie!!

Congrats to Andrew & Rach!

Kyah the Brave

While taking pictures, Uncle T found this little lizard running around.

And who do you think was the first one to want to run and hold it?

None other than my princess loving daughter.

She seriously thought it was the coolest thing.

Please don't stone me for admitting this - but I'm not a huge animal person.

I like most of them from a distance, truthfully I'm mostly just scared - there I said, but regardless, we just don't really do animals - and more than any kind we don't do any kind of reptile/amphibian. Period.

Snakes?  No way!  Salamanders?  Newts? Lizards?

Nope. Nope and Nope.

SO, when Kyah runs to hold one, there is a part of me that wonders where she comes from, but I love that she doesn't have my fears and reservations and that this is proof that we come with our own personalities - at least on some level.

Then if the lizard wasn't enough... she found a stick bug and wanted to keep it as a pet.

It's a good thing I've become immune to looks like this.

My Sisters

This would be the "Charlie's Angels" shot.

Rach, my babiest of baby sisters and partner in late night game play.

Ashley, the cheeseball, the blonde, Boo.

Oh how I love these girls!  Aren't they fabulous and beautiful?!?!?

I really am so blessed to have the family that I do and to be surrounded by such amazing people.

I love having so many girls, it just means I was born with more friends than most people.

Oh Wait!!  That one on the left - totally not a sister.  That would be my fabulously young looking Mom.

Every day I pray that I will age as gracefully as she has.  She is my best friend - really if there is new news or something I need a consult on or just to check in on my day, she's the one I call.

The Faces of my Family

One of the things I am the most thankful for today and everyday is my family.

All of them!

It seems such a general statement that it lacks the emphasis that I feel for it.

I simply can't think about how much I love these people and how blessed I feel without tearing up and being compelled to thank my Heavenly Father for them.

I love this boy!  He made me a Mother, he is quiet and thoughtful and to the core diplomatic.

He's a boy, but he has a heart of gold.  His sincere love makes me happy everyday.

These pictures show exactly why I love this girl.  She is definitely the bright spot of our home.  She is wildly emotional - good and bad.  She wears her heart on her sleeve and it doesn't take longer than 2 seconds to know just how she's feeling.  She is so passionate.  I love my Banana girl.

I'm sorry, but I just think he's so handsome!

He truly is a blessing to me and to our kids.  We are so happy to have him as a Dad and a husband.

He brings a solidness and consistency that our family has lacked.

I am one Lucky Lady!

By way of Information

I've just realized I didn't post any of the actual family pictures or the explanations or where all these coming post photos came from...

For Thanksgiving we went to the lovely and WARM St. George to celebrate with our Grandparents.  They live next to this lovely gated community/golf course so my Mom planned a little family photo session.  When you are taking family photos with this many people there is some definite down time between posings and such, so I brought along my trusty camera and had a little fun.

I will add some of the actual family photos when I get them from Mom, but until then, the photos posted we from us playing and having a good time.

Behind

I have pictures....I have posts.... I have recipes.... I also have a lack of time.

I'm grateful on a long weekend to get caught up on many things.

Including snuggling the ones I love and eating and making mountains of treats to give to sweet friends and neighbors.

First Snow

We had our first big snow back and of course everyone wanted to play in it.

Kyah seriously LOVES snow.  She was soaked by the time they came in, but she was so happy.

She rolled in it, threw it, ate it and wore it.

Kyah with the take down on Jaxon, they both got their first lesson in "white washes." 

It was so fun to watch them run around.

Originally they set out to make a snow man, but then that didn't work out when the kids started kicking and karate chopping it, so then they played King of the Castle with the biggest snow ball.

This Boy

May be going through one of the best phases of his whole life.

He is such an amazing kid and I am so lucky to be his Momma.

He is trying so hard - which is so cute to watch.

He's doing great in school and at home.

I love to listen to him read - and not just "See Dick Run" books, but close to a 3rd grade level.

He is making goals and really trying to achieve them.

And he is so lovely lately - he seriously makes my heart melt and gives new meaning to the phrase

"My Cup Runneth Over."

What a joy my little man is, he is growing up right before me, I look at him and I can remember holding him as a baby and see glimpses of him as an adult.

I am so incredibly proud of you Jax and I am so grateful I get to witness you thrive and flourish.

I love you buddy, a million gazillion cheesecakes!

Real Life Mom Moments (RLMM)

Have you ever while standing in line, waiting in traffic or washing dishes (anywhere really) just let you mind wander?  I'm not talking about going over your to-do list, but a mini "pause" if you will. 

More often than not, when I have these moments, I find myself thinking about some funny or completely random thing my kids have done or said, and even occasionally what I've done as a Mom that can at a more rational moment make me shake my head and laugh at myself.

Because I am admittedly not fantastic at writing these moments down in a journal and because I figure you might enjoy laughing at me to, I'm going to start jotting them down here as

Real Life Mom Moments.

So, feel free is you ever see RLMM in the post title to skip on by in case you

don't dig my parent/kid rambling.

For instance just last night I had a moment with Jax that clearly illustrates why
 I am the best Mom in the World!

It's bedtime and Colby and I are tucking the kids in bed, I can't for the life of me tell you how/what conversation brought up Jaxon saying that he was going to die before I did, but regardless, that's what he said.  I quickly informed him that it just wasn't going to work like that and he would most definitely be burying me and not the other way around.  (Please keep in mind that this was a done with giggles and very playful tones and not nearly as morbid as typing it out sounds.)  I told him that I loved him too much for that too happen and I would probably die of a heart break if it did.  Then as we joked more I told him that he'd either have to have me live with him so he could take care of me or that he'd put me in a home and he'd have to come read me stories and visit me.  Again he had been laughing and joking about this the whole time.  Then after my last comeback of something along the lines of "Just don't forget about me and leave me there..." or something like that, Jaxon says that his eyes hurt and he starts crying.

Yup that's right I make my kids cry before bed - awesome!
In rush the hugs, kisses and reassurance and prayers that I don't completely screw up my kid.
Luckily for all of us kids are amazing and don't hold it against you when you try to totally give them nightmares when you thought you were kidding.
How sick is it, that after the guilt passed I just thought of how cute and sweet it is that he would actually be sad when I'm old and that way?

Around and Through

This was the scene in my front room the other night as I worked on dinner.

Jaxon and Colby each with one of Jaxon's shoes and Kyah with the lace up page of her quiet book.

The lesson for the evening?  Shoe Tieing 101.

I have purposely put off giving my kids tie shoes for one main reason - it's more work for the parent...but your kids can't stay in velcro forever.  We bought these shoes for Jax at the beginning of school and we've been tieing them every morning, but never again.

After a little time and a little practice - Jaxon can now tie his own shoes.

Colby does a great job at being willing to teach the kids.

As a Mom/wife these are moments when I love to peek my head in, maybe snap a picture or two and quietly walk back into the kitchen with a big smile on my face.

Jax is so proud of himself!  He is still having a little bit of trouble with the double knot part, but he's getting there.  Way to go buddy!  (Thanks honey!)

Say Cheese!

  So we tried to be a little more casual for our family pictures this year.  I did not go buy everyone new outfits and I did not spend serious money on a photographer.  The husband was so proud.  Since we had just spent SERIOUS money on clothes and a photographer in April of this year, we didn't feel it was necessary to do it again.  The only clothing item bought, was my green cardigan, which was half off - for $13.50 and the photos were taken by our fabulous friend Kami, who is building her portfolio.

So, what do you think?

Take your vote for the wall centerpiece....

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#5 in Color or Black and White?