'Tis the season and Where did Sunday go?

This is no doubt one of my favorite pieces of art. Mary and Jesus....it is so precious and so real. I have a large giclee` of this over my piano that Mike's Mom bought for me after I had Gavin. We shared a very special moment together when she took me to the gallery to surprise me. The name is called: Be it unto me by Liz Lemon Swindle. Do you think she really knew what she would give and sacrifice? I sometimes look at this and wonder.

I promised Jeffrey yesterday that I'd bake him his favorite chocolate chip cookies today. Did I????No! I feel so bad. I know it is just cookies but, I guess it is a way that he knows that I really hear him? So guess what I'll be doing after I put up the Christmas tree! I am putting the tree up all by myself this year as a surprise to the children. When they come down stairs tomorrow it will officially be the Christmas season. I am so excited!

Giving Thanks

Life is crazy but it wouldn't mean anything with out my family!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! I am so truly blessed and have so many many blessings in my life to be grateful for. Too many to list them all but I can start with:

My wonderful husband who I love so much and who makes me laugh. He is a great father to our 4 amazing beautiful children with out them where would I be in this life! I am living my dream!!!

I am so thankful for my Saviour Jesus Christ who has paid for my sins so that tomorrow I have a chance to do it better, a clean slate everyday!

The roof over my head and a safe car to drive isn't too bad either!

I have been blessed this past year with out VERTIGO !!!! That is such a blessing to my family and me, because I can take care of them the way God meant me to. I am thankful to Him for that. If you don't have your health you don't have anything. It is so true when you have really been there. So, I am thankful for my health and a pretty much healthy body (that could be so much more if I did something about it!) :)

Alright! I think I am ready to share now....

Ta da! I have opened my very own special to me online shop! I am so excited!!! Today I offically launch: Pemberley Court at http://www.pemberleycourt.etsy.com/ I have a few things listed with many many more treasures on their way! (I have been busy with a birthday party and Thanksgiving and traveling are right around the corner!) But, I don't think that'll stop me. Also I have given my new baby it's own blog: http://www.pemberleycourt.blogspot.com/. Come by and say hi!

OK.....here is a hint

on what I have been working on........just waiting to iron out a few more kinks and then I can tell you more!

Twilight and a night out with the girls

Tonight I got to go spend a very fun eveining with some very fun girls! A movie and dinner. We started off at the theater where we watched Twilight which was excellent! Then off we went to have dinner at Claim Jumper. It was so nice to be able to get out and spend time with such good friends.

Jeffrey's birthday party!

Here are most of the kids minus a few who weren't able to make it yet....due to Cub Scouts but they arrived a bit later and we were so happy to see them! This is everyone after doing our first activity. They all had soooo much fun with this! Notice the big yellow prize box?

Wow! What a fun day! It started with Mike being the Dad that he is (THE BEST!!!) taking all our boys and driving all the way down to Glendale just to get Krispy Kreme doughnuts for Jeff's party. He didn't want a cake or cupcakes just some good old KK's. While they did that Cami and I got the house ready for a bunch of boys to arrive and do an Amazing Race type Clue hunt in our neighborhood. Everyone loved it!!! When they found their last location there was a huge box that was wrapped up and full of guns and bling (Oh my gosh....I totally set these kids up like they were gangstas!) Next we took all of my Fall pumpkins and let them use them for target practice in the back yard. They shot the Red Rider Daisy BB gun and when I said "OK are you done with this yet? Don't you want to come in and eat?" They all replied unanimously "NO!" So, they massacred the pumpkins a bit longer. After eating Pizza we had a Guitar Hero Play Off and then Doughnuts and gifts! The boys even decided to have a hula hoop contest! It was a fun day. Can't believe my baby is going to be 11 in 3 more days!

Hello

Is anyone still reading? I feel like it has been sooooo long since I have posted! I have been very busy working on "something" I will let you all know what it is very soon. Aren't you just dyin' to know what it could be?????? LOL

Dad is OK!!!

Thanks to all for your prayers and well wishes. It really meant a lot to me. Talked to my Dad today and he is home from the hospital and doing better. He took a nap outside in the sun and then walked down the end of the lane, let the horses out and I think he did too much!!! That is totally my Dad. If you are sitting you are idle.

My hometown is on fire!

Mike came home today and flipped on the T.V. and told me watch! My hometown of Yorba Linda is a blaze! I feel so terrible for all of those families. Such beautiful homes and nature are destroyed!!! I hope they can contain it soon. You can read about it here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/11/corona-fire-off.html It is all over the news and I must admit it is a little hard for me to watch.

Yesterday was a scary day for my family.I love you Dad!

So, last night I got a phone call from my sister Dallas, she said "Are you sitting down?" I'm thinking that she is pregnant or won the lottery or something! That wasn't even close to what she was about to tell me." Dad had a heart attack this evening!" My hear sank, I wasn't sure what else was going to follow. She filled me in on what she knew which was: After going to the hospital he was quickly admitted and they performed surgery quickly there after (angioplasty?) they put 3 stints in his blocked artery and will need two more stints in the near future. It shocked us all because my parents eat so healthy! They have for many many many years. The Cardiologist said that 75% percent is hereditary and the rest diet. After the shock wore off, I felt a bit better about it today. It is hard living so far away from them and my other siblings especially when something like this happens. We are so grateful for the talented surgeon that worked on my Dad's heart. We said a special family prayer for him last night and asked God to please protect him and that everything would be OK. He answered our prayers and my Dad is doing better today and will stay in the hospital for a few more days. Thank you to Jeff, Linda and Dallas for keeping me posted on Dad. I love you guys and you too Mom!:)

Then I found these.....

while looking for some pictures of my Dad. I miss my little girl, she is all grown up now and almost 7!

Christmas is coming!

We had an opportunity the other day to share our family's Christmas traditions in a video for our ward's(church) upcoming Christmas party. It kind of thrust me into that reality a little sooner than usual. It was so nice to have the whole family gathered around in the living room as Mike shared our top 3 favorites which are: Reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas followed by reading from St. Luke KJV Bible about the telling of the birth of the Savior of the World. We feel that this really helps us to remember the reason for this special day, that we are so blessed and that it's not all about what St. Nick might bring! Next came the tradition of baking all kinds of cookies and then the kids got to share about opening one gift on Christmas Eve which is always always always pajamas! Hey....I like to have great looking Christmas morning pictures!

G&C

I took this picture awhile ago and forgot all about it! I just love how G has his arm around C! They look so dang adorable and you can tell they really do like each other! These two used to do so much together when C was little. G would do just about anything for his sis. Including dress up. Shhhh don't tell! Here he is helping here with her homework and enjoying some hot cocoa.

A photo shoot with big sis

Yes this is Blake climbing on to the counter!(I'm pretty sure he's looking to get some of Dads chocolate!) What the camera catches when Mom's not looking!

Do I need to say anything????

Happy 1 year blog anniversary to me!

I can't believe that I have been blogging for 1 year already! I have really enjoyed every post and reading everyones comments. If you don't have a blog, you gotta make one! My church councils us to keep a record or a journal of our lives and I think that blogging is a great way to do it an share it at the same time! I love how I get to keep in touch with family and friends and share what we are all up to in our lives!

I got my sticker!

Mike and I (and Blake) all got our stickers this morning for voting! We dropped the kids off at school and headed over to our polling place and voted. Mike and I have never been able to go together and vote. It was a great morning. After we dropped little man off at preschool we went to the mall to do some shopping for the kids and then to Claim Jumper. We eat there way too often, but with the economy the way it is we are just trying to do our part to keep them in business! Now we have been watching Fox News (the music is so dramatic in the background)to see what the outcome will be!!!! This is a very exciting time for us. Since Mike will not be home tonight I think I'll have to be on the phone with my "girls" as we wait and see! Kim......I'll be callin' ya tonight! (Nancy you too!) Anyone else want in??? Hollie??? Can we do 4way calling?

It's official....we have the sickies now!

First Camryn now poor little Blakie. We went to church today and he was fine but as soon as we got home he was cranky and feeling hot. I put him in my bed and he crashed and slept for about 3 hours. Yep, as soon as he woke up he let it all out all over the floor downstairs thankfully it cleans up easier on tile....too much information??? If you are a Mom then you get it!