Happy Birthday Sydney!

Sydney "doing" her hair



Easter 2002 (she loves dresses!)




State swim trophy





Loving the Dolphins in Hawaii





Sydney with Snoopy




Sydney at the hair school...with her new "up-do"




Our baby girl turned 11 today! That is seriously messed up. She always seems to be the one that I struggle with her getting older. Maybe it is because she is so little. It just doesn't seem possible that she is already 11! Sydney is such a sensitive, sweet little girl! She has always been my very best helper, and does anything to make others happy. (Let's hope this is a good thing in the future!)Sydney always tries to do what is right, and when she doesn't she feels terrible. She gets heartbroken when she knows Brian and I are disappointed in her. We love her so much and are so grateful for the fun, sweet personality she brings into our home. Sydney had a teacher tell me once that she wishes she had a room full of Sydney's because she is such a good kid. Not much else to say! My only complaint about Sydney is how stinking fussy she is over her hair. Drama in the morning time! Must have got that from Brian! Love you to pieces Syd the Kid! P.S. I have no baby pic's of Sydney on my computer because that was before the day of digital cameras...and I don't have a scanner!

Good News/ Bad News

I have been feeling a bit down lately. I have been feeling extremely blessed lately. Let me explain...

Bad News: This inversion we are in is dark, cold, gloomy, foggy and depressing. Our air quality is worse than down town LA. We are told to stay indoors. It's been over a week now!
Good News: We are getting a storm this weekend which should blow all the gunk out! I can't wait to see the mountains, and get outside in the fresh air again!

Bad News: We are soooo busy at my work lately, that I am seriously losing it.
Good News: I am probably not getting laid off anytime soon, unlike most of America.

Bad News: The economy stinks, and because of my job...that is what I hear ALL DAY LONG!
Good News: Brian has a lot of work right now...which in this economy is nothing short of a miracle!

Bad News: I have gained 10 lbs with my crazy schedule, which when you are 4'11" means your clothes no longer fit!
Good News: I got 3 new pairs of pants and a new skirt as a result!

Bad News: There are days that I feel like being Young Women's President is taking over my life.
Good News: I love my 25 girls so much, I learn so much from them, and my counselors are among my very best friends. It is a joy to serve with them. I am growing tremendously!

Bad News: I hate, hate, hate my kids being gone to school all day.
Good News: They LOVE school, and have fabulous friends and teachers. (I didn't say they love homework, however!)


SO...this is kind of how I am feeling today. A little down...a LOT up. Sometimes, life seem overwhelming, but I know it is so important to look for the good in life, and count our many blessings every day. After all, they are not hard to find!

Tyson's Baptism!

Hanging out at the Clubhouse

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Tyson's many fans!




It's almost time!





A VERY blurry family picture (sorry!)



Wow! There are some handsome dudes!



Tyson got baptized on Saturday, the last baptism for our family! They are growing up...and I am not sure I like it! It was such a great day and a FUN weekend! Tyson was so excited that he could not wipe the HUGE grin off his face. I think he was actually giggling under the water in the font! We were all just glad he didn't start swimming around! I am so proud of Tyson. This is something that Tyson wanted to do, HE wanted it. He didn't get baptized because Brian or I wanted him to (although we did!)....but because HE wanted to. He didn't stop talking about it for a LONG time! I love this little guy. It was pretty crazy with everyone in town for the occasion, but it was a blast. Only one little drama just as the day was ending...somehow Kylie got locked in the clubhouse which we had rented out for lunch. We all cleaned up, shut the doors and left for home. Kylie had gone back up to go to the bathroom at that same time..and nobody saw her sneak in and shut the door. (I was in the other room cleaning windows when she came up) When we got home, it was about 20 min when we realized she was missing. Brian and I ran back to the clubhouse to find her peering out the window with tears in her eyes. We had already turned the key into the lock box and the doors to the clubhouse lock from the inside too. She was totally trapped. (Can anybody say fire hazard?) After tracking down the office manager...we rescued Kylie unharmed. Whew! Another one of those "mother of the year moments"! Although it should have been "Father of the year" award...because it ended up Kylie told Brian she was going back up and to not leave her! HELLO Brian! His memory finally came back to him about the time we pulled into the clubhouse parking lot to look for her. A little late dear! Other than that it was a perfect weekend! We had family drive so far and make great sacrifices to be with Tyson on his special day. Thank you to all of you who made the effort to come. Tyson was so happy you were there, and we love and appreciate your support! Sorry my pictures aren't great...I think my camera is trying to die on me. For some reasons my cameras' never last very long. Might be the user...just might be.

Jingle Bell Rock!

It was a "rockin'" Christmas at our house this year. Santa brought the kids Rock Band 2 for the wii! My headache a few hours into this game made me want to have a little chat with Santa. But the smile on the kids faces, and the hours of entertainment that it provided made me think otherwise. They absolutely love it, and played until they "rocked" themselves to sleep! We also got another storm today, Christmas Day, which brings our total snowfall in the last week to at least a foot and a half! The kids got snow gear for Christmas so we had to go sledding to try it all out. They had a blast...again, THEY had a blast. Brian and I froze in our "not so much snow gear." We are supposed to get another 6" tonight..so maybe we'll have to go out again tomorrow. The kids would have stayed out all day long, had they not noticed they were losing their parents to hypothermia! But don't worry, they all complained that they were "burstin hot" as Tyson' says. Grandpa Wade made our favorite dinner Muchaka...it was as delicious as always. We ended the day by watching the new Gordon B. Hinckley movie. It was a great movie...and everyone went to bed happy. It was a very Merry Christmas 2008!



Getting ready to hit the slopes! It was a VERY white Christmas!



Tyson and Sydney built snow caves. Nice work!



Hang on tight Kylie!



Go Tyson!



Now that is some deep snow!



Taking turns opening presents



Kylie and Sydney jammin! Grandma and Grandpa cracking up!


My apron Sydney made with her hand and foot prints! CUTE!

Tyson's Birthday party was a real "knockout!"

Tyson being Tyson


Tyson 2 min later..and after the blood was wiped away


Daddy makes everything better!


Seriously...Tyson's party was a real knockout! Or should I say Tyson knocked out his front tooth at his party? Here's the story....Tyson decides it would be real fun to go to Jump on it for his party. It is a place with like 50 trampolines all lined up for the kids to get out any energy dying to escape. Last time we went to Jump on it Tyson pulled a muscle in his neck and couldn't move his entire head/neck for at least 2 days after that. But no...he begs to go back. It's his 8th Birthday...the last thing I want to do was ruin his fun...so off we go. We had been there seriously 2 min ( I had taken 2 pictures) when Tyson jumps straight into a jumping block and knocks his front tooth out. Two more teeth are knocked very loose! Luckily they were all baby teeth. Guess it pays off to be 8 and only have lost 3 teeth! He is hysterical and wants to go home. I'm sure it hurt bad...his whole mouth looked beat up! Anyway...the nice people at the place give us a coupon to come back for free anytime...and we headed home and ate cake and ice cream with the cousins and Grandma and Grandpa. Tyson was exhausted after everyone left and he fell asleep at 6:30. Poor guy...I am sure this is NOT what he had planned for his birthday but we tried to make it up to him the next day. I am still not convinced I am ever going back to that place to use the free coupon...somehow that trip will have a injury and end up being anything but free, when we end up at the emergency room!

8 on 12-8-08

I can't believe my baby is 8!! How time flies when you have a energetic little boy to keep me busy!! Today is Tyson's "golden birthday." 8 on the 8th in 08!! We are soo unbelievably lucky to have this little boy in our family. He brings so much joy, energy, love, game cube, and laughter to our home. Top 8 things about Tyson:

1. LOVES wii or any video game available. Favorite game right now is Mario Smash Brothers Melee
2. LOVES sports. Swimming, soccer, baseball, and is starting basketball for the first time this month!
3. LOVES his pets. Especially Ruby. Doesn't like to take care of them...just play with them!
4. Likes to sleep in on school days...get up early on the weekends!
5. Is SOOOOO excited to get baptized. He can't decide who to pick for talks though!
6. Is a GREAT student. I have never heard a negative word from any of his teachers. They all unanimously say he is a joy to have in class. (Don't ask me...I don't get it either!)
7. Never, EVER holds still. I remember when my Dad offered to pay him $5 to hold still for 5 min. It was torture for him!
8. Tyson is a homebody, unless he gets to chose going to Wesley's. Then it is Wesley's every time!

I am Thankful!

Here is my Thanksgiving Post a little early.
I AM THANKFUL:
(in no particular order!)
*My testimony, membership, and knowledge of the true and living Gospel
of Jesus Christ
*My Family that I love, and loves me back
*Good Health for me and my family*I LOVE living Saratoga Springs
*Getting to go to Washington for Thanksgiving!
*A husband that works hard to provide an honest living for us
*Being able to work from home, and that my job has great health
benefits!
*Fabulous in laws that I love dearly
*Repentance, with no limitations
*Family Vacations that we have taken
*Modern Medicine
*Chocolate in all its varieties
*Hair bleach
*Two Beautiful, helpful, and considerate daughters
*One FUN, Sweet, and energy filled son!
*A loving, compassionate, confidence boosting, super fantastic hubby!
*Blogging...so I can keep tabs on my distant family members
*Family members that work for airlines and get us buddy passes!
*21 beautiful Young Women in Saratoga Springs 2nd ward
*Monday night FHE
*Never thought I would say it...but I love living somewhere where we
have all 4 seasons!
*My warm, safe, cozy, small mortgage home!
*My family and friends that love me despite my many, many weaknesses

These are just a few of the things on the top of my head...I could have
spent all day on this blog, and I only had 5 min! I have soo many
blessings, many of which can not be written. I am most grateful for
this time of year to spend with family and friends, and for taking the
time to "Count my many Blessings!"
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!