Just when you thought this blog was safe . . .

I just thought I would be silly and throw in some unedited photos from home.  Life is never boring.

Due to my friend Sara's talent for making wands, there are lots of spells around here.

                                                               Summer squash chaos

Yip, it's my big brother Carson again.

                                           Probably wondering why they are taking my picture

The best day

Today I was going to work at the Library, but I didn't.  It's as simple as that.  I just treated myself to a day off.  No one probably deserves it more, I told myself.

This evening, I've been sitting on Micah's bed with him, reading "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe."  We are slowly working our way through "The Chronicles of Narnia."  I love to watch the expression in his large hazel eyes as I read to him.  He's enchanted with those books the same way I was when I was a child.  In fact, we are reading my old paperback copies of them.

After we read, I was thinking about the wooden miniature cupboard that my Dad made for me.  It sits next to Micah's bed.  A few of my old dinosaur stickers still occupy a place on the formica surface.  Now "Pepper" and "Sushi" live on it in their bowls.  There is also a Gravedigger truck, several scattered books and notebooks, and a glass coke bottle because "it's so cool."  Around the headboard of the bed, there are several Cub Scout lanyards with symbols and trinkets on them. 

It's a messy room but it belongs to Carson and Micah.  Everything in it screams their names.  It's one of my favorite places.  They also have a habit of going through my special "kept things" and adopting a few of them for their own space.  I told Dakota one day that I feel like my "treasures" are being passed out while I'm still alive :)

I am so grateful to have this evening at home.  I absolutely adore my children.  Life will never be better than this time with all of them at home.  I know that with all of my being.  Even though there are hard times, this is the best time.  Of all the places I would like to travel and all the adventures I would like to go on, I like being here with my son, reading in his room, most of all.

A New Year

It's a new year!  Here's hoping for a good one.  Yesterday and today have been such beautiful days.  That big blue sky and clear weather.  It must be a good sign :)

Good-bye 2011

This year has been a rough one for me.  You already know that.  However, today I have been thinking that there have also been blessings this year.  Many of them.  My family and I have good health, our home, food on our table.  I'm even grateful for the three jobs that tire me out so much.  Where would we be without them? 

I have a great extended family of cousins.  With my parents both gone, and no siblings that I am close to, my Uncle and Aunt and my cousins are so much my family.  I adore them, and appreciate them more than they know.

My close circle of friends keep me going.  If I need someone, all I need to do is pick up the phone.  There will be a supportive voice on the other end of the line.  I truly love them.

My boys!  Need I say more?  I have three of the best kids on the planet.  They are so much fun and make me laugh hysterically.  They inspire me to push myself beyond my limits.

I spend more waking hours with my co-workers than anyone else in my life, at this point.  I didn't plan it or want it that way, but it has become my reality.  My work has been the sole source of income for us this entire year.  Those whom I work with have become a huge part of my world.  I'm grateful that I enjoy them so much.

I'm also so thankful that I love to create.  Being able to write keeps me sane.  

I could go on and on, but I will just say I will treasure the memories from this year, but I'm not sorry to see it go.  I hope for happier days in 2012.  Happy New Year to all those I love! 

Christmas Day

I love this time of year.  I'm thankful to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  I am always overwhelmed by the love from family and friends. 

Our day has been wonderful and long.  My children are always up by 6:00 (because I force them to stay in bed until that time).  The house is cluttered with toys and clothes and new things.  We have food in our fridge and on our counters.  Micah, Carson, and I stayed up late watching Norad track Santa on his journey, on the internet.  When I was little, we just watched for a red light in the sky.  Now things are high tech.  Even the government tracks him :)

One of our highlights this year was being "Secret Santas" to our little elderly neighbor.  Carson had the idea to do the 12 days of Christmas and we all participated.  Our hearts have been warmed as we created notes and packed goodies in bags each evening.  Then we did our nightly delivery, and watched her excitement as she hurried to the door.  Honestly, it really did make our holiday.  I can only hope that she enjoyed it as much as we did.

Here are some pics.  Merry Christmas to all!

Catching up again

I had a fun Birthday a few days ago, when I turned a year older on the 20th.  I worked all day at the ENT Clinic (my newest job).  My Manager and Co-workers surprised me with a treat for lunch and also a card and gift.

When I got home, everything had turned PURPLE.  It's my favorite color, so my kids and hubby had been decorating.  We had pizza and cake and ice cream.  It was just so nice to spend the evening at home. 

I should also mention that I received gifts from my buddies at the Library also.   I love those guys!  My friend (Katie) came over and visited me, and gave me another favorite thing: fuzzy socks and lotion.  Bliss!  I felt very loved :) 

The "Christmas Junkie" in me!

Have I mentioned that I call myself a "Christmas Junkie" for good reason?  I love the season.  I was born five days before Christmas, and grew up in a holiday loving family.  I hope to pass on the tradition to my own children.  Of course, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus.  For me, there is a magic about it that you never grow out of.  I love the traditions which surround this time of year.  Great childhood memories of hot cocoa, taking rides to look at lights, making cut-out sugar cookies (with my mom's tin cookie cutters), choosing a tree and spending a whole evening decorating it.  My Grandma always spent Christmas night at our house, and slept with me in my room.  She was worse than any kid, and kept me awake with excitement most of the night.  I remember her whispering  "Did you hear that?  I think there's something on the roof."  This would go on until my Mom would yell from the other room, "Mother, you two go to sleep!"  Then we would giggle and giggle.  What a lovely time those years with my Grandma were, and how warm I still feel when I think of her smile and her laugh.

Now, of course, I love doing all these things with my own family.  My boys are also very traditional about the things we do at this time of year.  They remind me if I forget anything.  And yes, I'm still silly about it, and spend all the time I can doing fun Christmas things.  Merry Christmas to all!