2011 is quickly fading into 'last year'! And boy what a year it has been!! Another year that involves a move, though hopefully the last for 6+ years. I dearly miss Princeton, NJ and many things that I came to love about living there. The friends, the familiarity, the ward, surrounded by wealthy but giving people, and deep in a culture that promotes good health, excellent education and exciting possibilities. They are all missed. I am so grateful for the years that we had there and the experiences that have helped shape our thoughts and feelings on life. That said we are also loving our new house in Springville! Jeff, after graduating from Princeton this spring, is immersed in his job at BYU and loves it. He often commutes the 10 miles to campus either on his new road bike or in his new Nissan Versa....he loves both. He continues to work on a website he created for his ancestor George Benjamin Wallace and tries to get in some golf, climbing and now yard work. I have discovered a love of garden work even though I don't know what I'm doing. It is very theraputic for me to be outside and working my own ground. I am missing that already this winter! I have set up a co-op preschool for Ashley with some kids nearby and am also watching two children about 20 hours a month. Between those things, learning how to keep up so much more square footage than I've ever had before, exercising, attempts at being SuperMom, trying out new recipes, crafting and watching “Chopped” you can trust that I sleep soundly at night. Brianna, now 8!, is enjoying having her first male teacher at school, making new friends, and singing in a choir that she joined this fall. She was baptized in the spring and was thrilled to have her family, all four grandparents and an aunt, uncle & cousin there to celebrate with her. Jared, who just turned a whopping 6 years old, likes Kindergarten and is always talking about new friends he is playing with on the playground. He is still amazing us with his capacity to learn and apply and recently tied for 1^st place in a chess tournament. He is well balanced though and also love sports, particularly soccer which he excels in, helping me in the kitchen and around the house and couldn't be happier with a Wii now in the house. Ashley is as adorable as a 4 year old can be. Even when she is grumpy I can't help but think she is the cutest thing and she can never last long in that state. She likes her preschool but really can't wait until she goes to “Jared and Brianna's school” next year. She is in ballet this fall and is doing well with that. She still loves books and is beginning to read fairly well now and I'm afraid she just may be reading quite well by the time she is potty trained. Ugh; I'd rather those tables be turned! All in all with 365 days in a year a lot has changed in our lives!

We often think of the wonderful people we've had the chance of meeting so far in life and hope you and yours are well. Merry Christmas & to all a Happy and Prosperous 2012.....and consider this your invitation to come visit!!! 

B's First Christmas Concert 

B belongs to the beginning and advanced Hobble Creek Singers Choirs.  She is just old enough to do both.  The director wants her in the younger choir because she needs strong singers but she says since B does piano and can read music ok then she'd also like her in the older choir so she can sing more advanced songs and be ready to be in that choir next year.  B is having a blast with all the singing and choir rehearsals twice a week is so fun for her.  Here is a tasting of their concert!

Yes, this is Christmas!!

Ah, how I love the Christmas season!!!  Christmas books, Christmas decorations, Christmas music, family celebrations, nativities, Christmas concerts, the excitement in the air and in the stores.  I love that our grocery store is all decked out for Christmas.  I love that our school has a Christmas tree.  I don't love that I've been to 4 stores and can't seem to find those small white lights for our Christmas tree.  We had three we got out of the box but 2 of them don't work & we can't decorate our tree until the lights are on!  I've thought of foregoing lights and pretending that ribbon is lights but I just can't do it.  What Christmas tree doesn't have lights?!  There must be lights!  Even if I have to break down and get multi-colored ones.  I've done them before.  I like them.  But I don't LOVE them on a tree like I do white lights.  I love a great red/gold traditional tree with white lights!  How festive they are!  Alright, back to loving Christmas.  There's exciting things coming up this year.  Christmas in our new house!  We've never had Christmas in our own house--just apartments or families houses.  When we had our house in Cali we moved in in January and out in August.  No Christmas!  This is the perfect time to start new traditions!  Any favorites you have?  I'm also having a blast with creating several of the gifts we're giving this year!!!  But I can't share any ideas/pics until I give them!  Our Christmas card is on the backseat this year since I'm doing all these gifts.  But, that's alright because we do electronic cards anyway so I can put them off.  Ha!  I'm excited this year to have a big Christmas Day breakfast before opening gifts!  And to have my parents, brother and my sisters' family here Christmas Eve.  And to see my daughter's first Christmas Choir Concert!  And to meet my new niece!  Three cheers for Christmas!!!  So much excitement!!

Thankful November:  Part IV

November 19:  I am grateful today for black lights.  They make everything so fun!  We celebrated a birthday for my little man today with his sisters and friends and the indoor course had black lights all over the place.  They had used what looked like special black light paint to decorate the place and of course everyone had a least one thing glowing on them.  So cool.


November 20:  I am grateful that I have discovered I am an alto instead of a soprano when singing.  Why I haven't known this sooner, or at least done something about it, I don't know.  I've only been singing alto for maybe 2 years now and like singing in the choir because it helps me find my new notes!  (I sang today in church)  A lot of times if I have a hard time finding the notes I still just sing soprano because I'm more use to hearing it.  It's like learning a whole new song when I sing something in alto that I've been singing all my life in soprano.


November 21:  Today, other than birthdays for special boys, I'm grateful that our town has a recycling program.  We fill our big trash can full by the time two weeks rolls around (they come every other week) and I feel so much better knowing that the trash is going to be reused instead of just tossed in a large hole somewhere and buried.


November 22:  I'm thankful for the 2 little kids I babysit, one boy and one girl.  As soon as we moved here I started looking for some part-time work I could do, preferably at home, that offered little enough hours I wouldn't be stressed.  I've found I really enjoy doing babysitting because it allows me to feel like my time is better spent, essentially because I end up playing more with my own kidlets too.  This opportunity came up kinda out of the blue when I was just starting to give up thinking I could find something.  It's only an average of 5 hours a week and my youngest is getting along great with the two kids and I feel great about it and really enjoy the sweet kids.

November 23:  I'm grateful we started birthday lunches with the kidlets.  Big J said his family use to do this when he was younger and at first I thought it was cheesy but then once the kids started school I really missed eating lunch with them every day.  This is a chance for me and one of my kids to have fun one-on-one time.  And we go out to eat so little that it is a treat for them.   Little J and I went to Cracker Barrel, because he wanted Mac N Cheese--go figure.  We had lots of fun together!

November 24:  THANKSGIVING DAY!!!  The culmination of the thankful season.  There are so many things that I am thankful for.  I am thankful for my parents and siblings and my extended family and  a whole added family of brothers and sisters in law, parents and grandparents in law, new uncles and aunts and cousins of J's family, new nieces and nephews and especially my own children and husband.  They are so amazing!!  My hubby and kids just put up with a 7 hour shopping/lunch marathon with me!  I'm so grateful for a husband who sees his duty as providing for his families needs, and I help by trying to make those needs minimal.  :)  He has always worked hard to provide for us and I feel his sense of duty is a lot of what compels him to do that.  My kids waited patiently since January until a few days ago to get a Wii.  At the beginning of the year we all decided to put half of our birthday money toward a Wii and after the last birthday of the year we could get it (November!).  I was blown away when the kids would mention it throughout the year without whining or asking why we couldn't get it sooner.  Such incredible patience!  I also have to include here the wonderful friends I've had throughout my life.  Those who have helped lift and inspire me.  Those who have believed in me and cheered me on.  Those who have at least attempted to understand me (I'm very complex) by getting me to open up, rather than judging me.  And I must also mention being thankful for the gospel and Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father.  I've not always been the most faithful member of the church but I'm thankful I have the gospel.  I'm thankful for the people I've gotten to know, for the source of strength I draw from each week at church and the ways in which I've grown and developed from challenging callings and from challenging myself.  My heart swelled on Thanksgiving day when I thought of all I have to be thankful for throughout my life!

Thankful November:  Part III

November 11:  Of course today I am thankful for all the veteran's throughout America's years.  My Grandpa being one of them.  He flew airplanes for the Air Force.  I am thankful for their dedication, bravery and sense of duty.  I am also thankful for their parents, wives and family who support them.


November 12:  MmmmMMm.  More food.  Japanese food.  We went to Tsunami in SLC tonight for dinner and it was scrum-diddly-umptious!!  I'm thankful for restaurants who make a point to serve good food, have a good atmosphere and good service.  I love to watch Restaurant Impossible and I am more thankful for these goods.

November 13:  Fake Thanksgiving.  J's parents are going out of town for Thanksgiving so they had an early Thanksgiving.  That means two turkey's!!  Not much better than a turkey hot out of the oven.  (yes, yes, more food. I guess I'm really loving food)

November 14:  I'm thankful for J's wisdom in getting the cheapest car in America.  I wanted something bigger and better (like a truck......) but with all the money we've put into our house and down payment on the house, etc. I am thankful he was insistent on buying as cheap as possible while still new.  And I LOVE that it gets great gas mileage.  (much better than any truck)





November 15:  I am thankful for the internet and for crafty people who blog tutorials.  I love being crafty, but I'm not very naturally gifted with crafts so I love that people who are naturally gifted share their wisdom and I can reproduce it.  It makes me very happy to find something that is cool to make that I wouldn't have thought of or known how to do by myself.  This is a Kindle cover that I plan to eventually make.  Awesomeness.





November 16:  I am thankful for 10-11 year old girls.  At church I co-head a group of 10-11 year old girls and we have so much fun!  We've tied blankets for needy children, made cards for moms, practiced manners and had a fun daddy/daughter dinner.  They are a great group of girls.

November 17:  I'm thankful for people who are willing and able and love to do co-op preschools with me.  This is my 3rd year, I believe, to be the one to rally troops and set up a co-op preschool.  These are great for me because I love teaching cute, adorable little minds and also love a little break the other weeks.  I also can't stomach paying so much money for a preschool when I can do it myself.  Sure, three of the four years I've done co-ops we couldn't come close to affording a preschool but I sure enjoy using that money other places this year now that we could afford it.  And, my kids have loved it too and that makes it all worth it.

November 18:  Today I'm thankful for good Doctor's because we went to one who was not so great.  Little J had an allergist that he went to in NJ and I'd like to keep him going to one since he has so many allergies.  We went to an allergist today and he was definitely sub-par.  He comes in and introduces himself by just his name and then asks what his symptoms are.  What?  We're here for the first time, wouldn't he like a history discussion first?  We weren't there for symptoms but to get to know him.  Besides which, what symptoms is he talking about--food reactions?  environmental allergy reactions?  Then when he goes to check my little man he pulls so hard on his ear that I cringed and just about jumped up and smacked the dr.  I remembered that I didn't always think his allergist in NJ was the best but she was knowledgeable enough that I stuck with her and ended up liking her more.  So maybe I should give it more time but I don't think it's a very good sign when the dr. looks over his food allergies and says, "so what does he eat?".   And "boy, if his wheat allergy ever gets worse he'd have a hard time eating anything."  Uh, a Dr. is there to help not to be negative and glass is half empty.  So, I appreciate a Doctor who is willing to have a positive mind-set, good manners and ever-increasing knowledge.  I'm not sure this dr. possessed any of those qualities so we may not be back again.

Thankful November:  Part II

I am going to be away from my computer this weekend so thought I'd do my second "Thanks"giving post before I go!

November 6:  People who make me laugh.  I've always wanted to be bubbly, but it's just not in my jeans.  It is a quality I admire in others so I love to be around people who are bubbly and cheerful to add some spice to life.  One of my favorite things to do is make others laugh--even though I'm not bubbly I still attempt humor.  My little A came in the room one day last week and said, "Mom, I fell and was sad and laying on the ground but when J tickled me it magically stopped hurting!"  Laughter is magical!  Our choir director here is a ball of laughs.  It makes going to choir fun and tickles me to see her have so much fun singing.




November 7:  Tilapia.  As I said I've gotten into food.  And fish is one of my favorites to cook and eat.  ShopRite (which I dearly miss!) often had fish that went on sale.  I hadn't had tilapia since leaving NJ and had been seriously craving it.  Finally I saw tilapia on sale a couple weeks ago and  bought some.  Now if I could just find some salmon or halibut on sale..........




 November 8:  True Friends.  I had a friend whom I love love love dearly and miss terribly write an email about her having a hard time.  My heart immediately went out to her and I really just wanted to book a flight to go give her a hug and help her however I could.  This is a friend during my college years who I've laughed so hard with that it left us gasping for breath, cried with during sad times and one who has inspired me and I'm sure many others to be better just by being who she is.  I would trust her entirely to never speak ill of me or put me down to make me feel bad.  I hope I've been that kind of friend to her and I will hold her friendship with her my entire life even if I never get to see her again (but I hope I will!)  She is super cool!  I have several friends that I would consider this way and I feel very fortunate for that.


November 9:  My bike.  This is the sweetest ride I have EVER owned.  I LOVE riding it around the neighborhood and with the kidlets.  It gives me a different sense of freedom, feeling of good health and of reducing waste.  As winter has come on I've wondered if I would still ride it for short commutes.  Most of the time, I just can't stomach starting up the car and driving one block to book club or visiting even though it's 30 degrees out.  I don't know that'd I'd ride in rain or snow but I really love riding when I can!


November 10:  Little gems that I get to hear every day.  "J, do you still eat your boogers?; I don't" from my 4 year old to my 5 year old.  Yes, hunny, he does.  And my 5 year old, "Mom, I just saw the garbage man come. Can I get my shoes and jacket on and bring the trash cans up the driveway?"   Yes, yes my sweet boy, if you really want to.  {Precious and humorous.}  There's nothing quite like being a mom.

More Halloween!!!

Little J's cute little Kinder class decorating cookies for part of their Halloween party

The kids did such a cute little Halloween parade where we could see all the kids in costume.  I found Waldo and thought he was SO cute that I had to snap a picture.   ;-)

Cute little Waldo took his excited little sister by the hand to lead her around the parade

Sweet fairy parading around, preceded by none other than Papa Smurf

We had ghost shepherd pie for dinner on Halloween and topped it off with ghost jello

B is amazed at how much candy she got

Once again we have spooky pumpkins!!

The Halloween adventure aftermath.

Thankful November

I decided that at the end of each week I would blog about the things I have been thankful for the last week.  These will be more of the smaller, frivolous things that make life fun for me.  Of course I'm thankful for home, husband and children so don't worry.  I read a great definition of happiness the other day.  It's not so much having what you like but liking what you have.  These are the things I'm glad I have in my life at this moment.

November 1:  Thankful to have a daughter who loves to write her parents nice notes about how cool we are.  Can I hope this will continue into her teenage years?

November 2:  Thankful for books that I enjoy reading so much that it is hard to put them down for bedtime and can't wait to get a chance to get back to it the next day (even if I have to wait all day!).

November 3:  Flannel Sheets.  Jeff and I put on our flannel sheets and I'd forgotten how warm and cozy t hey are to slip into on a chilly winter night.  I was so excited about them that I went out and bought a set for everyone!! 

November 4:  Thankful for a garden/yard.  As I mostly finished preparing our yard for winter today I thought about how therapeutic an hour or so working in the yard is for me.  Whether it's weeding, planting, projects like mulch circles around our front yard trees or a raised garden bed I really enjoy working outside.  I've always been a little bit of a black thumb and I'm hoping I can learn really fast and become a green thumb!!

November 5:  Thankful for good food and always having food.  One of the basic necessities of life, but I've been more excited about food than ever in the last couple years due to a few things and I love trying out new recipes.  This picture is of our Halloween meal of ghosts in the graveyard (shepherd's pie) and tonight I made my first chili and it was delicious with a side of homemade bread, fruit from J's mom and pineapple upside down cake that I'd been wanting to make again!

Fall/Halloween Fun

We made chocolate Halloween suckers and had them at our picnic before entering Barnyard Boo at Thanksgiving Point.  We also made smoothies one night and had leftover so we made smoothie suckers that we had tonight.  Yummm!!  Thanks for the sucker mold Grandma!!

At Barnyard Boo.  J & the girls loved the Halloween croquet

I asked the lady across from us to take a picture on the "hayride" (where there was no hay)  They had a number of fun activities at the farm and we had lots of fun....aside for the 45 min. we waited to ride the horses.  

Little A's dance class did Halloween costumes for class last week

What a cute little dancing fairy!

After learning a little about pumpkins I took the preschool kids to the farm that we visited last week and we had lots of fun!

Pumpkins are too fun

On our day off school we visited Great Grandma!  We brought a warm snack to share, visited and jumped in the huge piles of leaves she had in her backyard.  B got Grandma's dog Buni into the action throwing him into the leaves too.  

Carving pumpkins!

Two fairies and Waldo before our Halloween party.  I finally won a party on houseparty.com and we had our party yesterday!

 

The kids thought this Mummy Wrap game was loads of fun!

My what good mummy's!

Houseful of kids!!  We played Skeleton skeleton where's the skeleton, Mummy Wrap, Pumpkin suck, Hay search, Halloween picture walk and made a Spook house for the kids to walk through.  I was sad we didn't get any of our spook house that we made but know that it was pretty awesome before it got torn down!  We also had spooky snacks and the kids had a blast and we got to know some of our neighbor kids better.

PUMPKIN TIME!!

This pumpkin patch was only a few minutes drive from our house.  It was great!!  Free activities and affordable pick your own pumpkins.  This was the BIG, tall hay bale maze that the kidlets went through several times between visits to the petting zoo which was complete with a kangaroo, llama, world's largest pig, donkey's and some sheep and goats.

Little A found this pumpkin, inspected it, accepted it as hers and didn't let any other nice pumpkin distract her from her first love which she held onto with great care.

B picked out a lovely pumpkin and we all had fun searching the rows of pumpkins.  The last pic is one that a cute little kid farm helper took of us on the hayride around the small farm.

Little J decided he wanted a BIG pumpkin, much too big even for him to really carry.  Didn't surprise me!  Neither did his love for the mazes at this farm.  In addition to the big, tall maze they had this maze that was more challenging and he had a blast going through several times.

This is on top of the haybale pyramid.  We expect this pumpkin patch to be a yearly tradition.