Hiding place

This morning I woke up really feeling under the weather. I felt the beginnings of a nasty cold coming. I got the girls set up with breakfast, chugged some water, and went and got back in bed. (Have I mentioned that I LOVE having children at the age of independence?) Surprisingly, the girls didn't spend their whole morning watching cartoons, which they know how to turn on themselves. Gracey spent the morning drawing pictures and making her own envelopes for them and Emily was her shadow. Thankfully the fighting has been minimal.

Once I woke up again and feeling much better, the girls were still playing happily together. Their latest thing to keep them entertained was building a fort with their bunk beds. I did help them tuck the blankets under the top bunk, but it was all their idea. They started playing in this at about 11:00AM, took a half hour lunch break, and now at about 3:00PM they are still fully entertained. I have been able to put away Christmas decorations and relax.

Of course, the obligatory pictures....

Merriest of Days!

Christmas Day, 2009

As anticipated, it was a great Christmas. The girls didn't really get specific with Santa until only about a week ago. They both decided that they wanted a dollhouse. I will be honest, I thought that Santa already had all his lists made so I kind of counted that out. In fact, I had big plans for the next year to get all handy and Corky and I (read: only Corky) could build one! Luckily for the girls, Santa had a soft heart on Christmas Eve and was able to find a great dollhouse at WalMart!

It was a hit! The living room is between the master bedroom and the girls bedroom, so they came into our room saying "Santa came!! We saw it! He brought a dollhouse!" It was so fun to see how they were both so excited.

Santa also brought an art easel and a set of robes. These robes have since been worn over top of pajamas, clothes, towels, and anything else. They love them!


They also were able to rip into some presents.


And their stockings full of chap stick, loofahs, and notepads.


And then they played all day long!!


Gracey was heard multiple times saying "This is the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!"


I agree.

Go Fly a Kite!!

Dec. 23, 2009

Corky had the day off and so he had the idea to go fly kites in the afternoon. The girls always think that flying kites is the coolest thing ever. This day was no different, except that it was freakin' freezing! It was in the 40's and wouldn't have been too bad because it was such a sunny and clear day, but the cold wind just cuts right through your coat!

Obviously, the girls didn't care. I wouldn't have even minded as much except that I don't really have much cold weather gear.

Each girl took turns holding the string, chasing the tail of the kite, and getting a kick out of watching Corky try to catch the kite!



Despite the cold temps and wind, the girls wanted to play on the playground. I was a sissy and watched from the car. I watched as the Monster (Corky) ran around chasing the fair maidens. There was lots of screaming and lots of laughing.

Em is 3!

This little lady came into our lives at 8:19am, December 27th, 2006. It was a Wednesday morning, and I was so scared. She was a planned csection, so I had all the time to actually think about what was about to happen. (with Gracey, it was unplanned, therefore no time at all to freak out!) During one of my moments of "freak out", I asked Corky and my mom to leave the room and give me some time alone. I remember thinking, "I am not going to do this. I refuse. She can just stay inside me forever and that will be just fine!" Luckily, I had a distinct moment of clarity and my mood and nervousness turned around completely. Then I was excited. I could not wait to meet her. I remember having an ultrasound that morning before they delivered her, it was so exciting to know I would meet her in only minutes. I knew she would be a perfect fit into our family.

And she was! Still is, in fact.

An evening of BESTS!!

This month has been wonderful. And it is only half way over!

Last week, Corky told me that we should go to Las Vegas and go to dinner with our good friends, the Tidwells. I was so not wanting to go all the way to Las Vegas just for dinner, but he convinced me. We got a babysitter all lined up and were on our way. I had no idea where to and had no idea this evening has been in the works for over a month. He told me the whole evening would be a surprise.

I was all sorts of excited. I was thinking he was taking me to P.F. Changs. Even though I know Corky isn't particularly fond of Asian Cuisine, he knows that its my favorite. I was shocked when I realized we were going to TAO at The Venetian Hotel. The Tidwells then showed up and met us. Natalie knew they were meeting friends, but the evening was just as much of a surprise for her as it was for me, so it was fun to see the look on her face to see us!



We ate the BEST dinner of my entire life.


The BEST sushi.

The BEST pad thai.

The BEST dumplings.

The BEST Coconut Shrimp with Peanut Sauce (that was my meal!)



We totally acted like tourists and had the waiter take our picture. After the meal, Corky admitted that before the dinner he thought he was "taking one for the team" by eating at an asian bistro, but he was won over. He even ate the sushi (octopus, to be exact) and really liked it.

As we were eating dinner, Corky handed me something and said, "This is what we are doing next!" He gave me our tickets to see Phantom of the Opera!

I saw this play on Broadway nearly 10 years ago. I had nose-bleed balcony seats and could barely remember specifics. I am not sure, but I think I may have been jet-lagged and even dosed for a moment or two. Definitely not this time. I was SO EXCITED.


This production was the BEST. The costumes, the music, the theatre, the set, and the flawless scene changes. And BEST of all, our seats! Our seats were near the front and we didn't miss a detail. I must say though, this theatre is quite smaller than on Broadway so I doubt there is a bad seat in the house.

I won't say that I wasn't moved to tears more than a few times. Even just in the opening act. Being older, I appreciated it so much more and loved every second. I would go again in a heartbeat.

So to sum the evening all up....

BEST food.
BEST entertainment.
BEST friends.
and of course...

BEST HUSBAND!!!
(thank you Corky, I will not soon forget that night!)

I realize now, after seeing these pictures, that that is the most unflattering shirt I own. Oh well, I guess not every detail of an evening can be perfect.

The Polar Express

Pretty much all my childhood dreams came true last Thursday!! We got to ride "The Polar Express" in William, AZ.

The girls were excited from the beginning, even posing like they are in an engagement photo. All decked out in their warm pajamas and coats before we were even loaded up in the car.

When we got there it was cold! Our car's thermometer told us that is was a chilly 14°. While we waited to board the train, the girls kept busy blowing hot air out of their mouth, playing with Corky's gloves, and watching the "chef's" prep the train cars.




We finally were able to board. The girls were so excited to be on a train again and I am not going to lie, so was I. Just like in the story, we were given cookies and hot chocolate.



On our way to the North Pole, the book was read over the intercom. I honestly didn't know that they were going to do that, but it worked out perfectly because I had brought our book from home to read on the train. So the girls followed along as we read "The Polar Express" for the 100th time this season already.


After a while, we arrived at the North Pole. Our seats were on the opposite side of the train so the girls jumped across the aisle and sat with some teenage girls. Funny how the teenage girls all of the sudden seemed to be having more fun as they were sharing it with little kids. Little kids make everything seem magical, am I right?


Can you guess who visited the train after that? Jolly Old St. Nicholas himself! He posed for pictures and handed out bells to all the kids! The ringing of all the bells was deafening. Apparently there were a lot of believers on that train!


The night came to a close but we finished off with the obligatory family photo and also snuck one in with The Chef and Conductor.


It was so fun to do that with the kids. The Polar Express was a story that I loved growing up and now share it with my own children. I am grateful to have been able to enjoy such a fun evening with my family.

Frumpiness at its Funnest!!!

Some friends of ours threw a killer "Ugly Christmas Sweater" party!!! Let me tell you, it was hilariously fun!! For some, it wasn't just an ugly sweater....it was head to toe dress ups. It nearly surpassed the excitement and success rate of adults dressing up for Halloween.





Where did I get my sweater, you ask? I got it on ebay for $6.50. Funny enough, it was described as a "pretty sweater!" I suppose it can be considered pretty. It has glitter and sequence, and a pretty ruffled collar. The lady that I bought it from wrote me a sweet note. "I hope you enjoy the sweater," it said. I didn't have the heart to respond what I would actually be using it for. She never has to know.

Corky's sweater is a little more mild. We were going for the "Log-Cabin/Ski Lodge" look.

It was a great night! Complete with adult conversation, great food, and great friends!!

I have a new boyfriend

It is true. Let me tell you about this brand new relationship.

We snuggled with each other all during the movie "New Moon."
(Corky didn't even care.)

We stared lovingly into each others eyes.

We snuck kisses all week long while I was in St. George.

As much as I tried not to be, I was jealous when I had to share him.

What can I say? I am in love.

Please meet my brand new nephew Drake!
1 month old son to my brother Dallas and sister in law Jessica

Hush Little Baby

Tonight I did something very much out of the ordinary. I got in bed and laid next to Emily as she fell asleep. I can't think of a recent time that I have watched my children actually fall asleep. Even as babies I left the bedroom while they were still awake, it created good habits, you know? As they have grown and thrived on the usual routine, they have become good sleepers and bed time has never been too difficult. Tonight though was an exception.

Emily was especially sad (especially tired is probably more appropriate) and I was uncharacteristically sympathetic. As I was next to her in the bed, I watched her face relax and listened as her breathing slowed. As her mother, it was a sacred moment. I saw in her face the cute 8 month old that I was absolutely smitten with. She didn't look like my almost 3 year old, she was my little baby all over again. I will admit, sometimes I forget just how smitten I am by my children.

Time goes so fast. Luckily there are moments like tonight that help me to just slow down. Even for a little bit.

Soccer Season is Over

It is a bittersweet end! I really did enjoy watching Gracey play every week. Corky and I both loved seeing the improvement that was made in only a few short months. The whole team really progressed even though they were 6 years of age and younger. Gracey would score a goal at least once a game and would be SO PROUD and EXCITED! We would definitely encourage and cheer for her when she helped her teammate score a goal, but there was nothing as exciting to her as being the one to actually do the scoring!

Here are a few pictures from the last couple of games! Followed by a trophy ceremony and a rap video that was shot during a recent soccer game.

Gracey is 5!

(and I am in shock!)

I really can't believe that she is getting so old. I witness it everyday and wonder where the time went. She is kind, loving, and loves to hang with the big kids. She speaks well, she is physically coordinated, and for the most part is very independent. Only when she is wanting my attention do I ever hear, "I need help!" I just can't over how fast time really goes. Or how much joy she brings to mine and Corky's lives and to the happiness of our family.

Yesterday, we had a fun day celebrating. She thought it was great when I pinned a "Birthday Girl" ribbon to her shirt first thing in the morning. She took cupcakes and a candle to her school, we got a birthday lunch from Sonic, ate it at the park while enjoying the PERFECT Arizona weather.

While we still had daylight, we gave her a birthday present. She was in need of a new bike very badly. Her current bike was what we bought for her at 3 years old. Since then, the training wheels have been taken off and she was kind of looking like a kid on a clown-bike!

Here she is after closing her eyes for a surprise, then opening them to find a handful of rocks! She said "That's not a surprise, Dad!"

Okay, here's the real thing!


Thanks to Gracey's birthday present, Emily inherited the smaller bike. She loved it. However, she started pouting about something, I don't remember what.


But she's happy again, chilling with her daddy in the back of the truck as they watched Gracey zoom back and forth.


We had a mini-birthday party for Gracey. For dinner she requested Grilled Chicken Sandwiches. After eating those, we all put on our party hats and put some candles on more cupcakes (We had SO MANY cupcakes that she frosted and decorated herself)


Oh! How we love our Gracey-Girl!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

A Christmas Carol

Even though it has been more than 5 months, I still look back on this day and just smile! It was such a fun time. Sadly, I never did get around to blogging about until now, but don't think I didn't love everything about it! I definitely did. As the old saying goes, "Better late than never!"

-------------------------------------------------
In May I had heard that the "Christmas Carol Train Tour" would be coming to Williams, AZ. Williams is about 100 miles away from Kingman, near the south rim of the Grand Canyon. I called a few friends to see if they wanted to make a day of it and see what it was all about. I was totally stoked for the new movie and love any chance to feel the Christmas spirit any time of the year, so we all packed up and went.

We were not disappointed. It was one of the funnest days of the year to me. We got to see the official "Christmas Carol" train, listen to carolers, see all the behind-the-scenes footage, and get a sneak peak at the new movie! It was amazing! Technology is incredible, I must say!

We were so lucky. It wasn't crowded at all. I heard that other tour stops, the line to get on the train and see all the features was more than a 2 hour wait. We walked right on. In fact, after we took the kids through, I left them with my friend so I could go on by myself to take some time to read and concentrate on all the little details that I was so interested in. It was so great!

And now for TONS of pictures!

Here are all the kids in our crew. (Except for Ryan who was in the stroller)


Outside of the train they had a snow-machine that the kids thought was so cool! Look how beautiful that train is!




These next photos are of all the things that were inside the train. We saw the suits they wore to create the computer imaging, the models of the homes and offices, replicas of the costumes, and behind-the-scene videos. It was especially fun to see Jim Carrey doing the acting in a leotard and then seeing it become a computer image. Amazing.




This was when we went into a theater room and watched the preview of the movie



We ended the day with a train ride on the GrandCanyon Express! The kids had a blast!!


As you can see, a fun time was had by all. I can't wait to have this movie in our home. It is a great message for adults and children alike, and I am hoping it will be a family favorite of ours. If this train tour was a true hint of what's to come, we are in for a real treat!

So go see this movie, "A Christmas Carol!" Even though I haven't seen the entire movie, I know I won't be disappointed. The story is already a classic and this movie is sure be a classic in it's own category.