The highs and not so low lows of 2009

In no particular order, here is my year.

I drove the Jeep on a Moab trail for the first time. The kids said I drove too fast, I figured if I drove fast I wouldn't get stuck.

Renan got arrested at the end of a U2 concert. Apparently he thought it was funny.
I went to the Temple Bar in Ireland and didn't get drunk.
Zoe and Ezra came in first place in a 5k. Renan did great also, but I have no clue of his time. Sorry Ren!
I was lucky enough to go to Laguna Beach twice in one year.

Zoe learned to jump serve.

Ezra broke his wrist on the last day of school, not a great way to start out summer vacation.

Made a perrenial peace garden in remembrance of my dad who died last year. The garden brought me no peace at all. Hank apparently found that it was a great place to destroy as he was running the perimeter of our property several times a day.
Ezra attempted to be me for a day. Didn't last an hour. Tough life I have.
Met Ree Drummond aka Pioneer Women. I have been reading her blog for years and I went with some friends to a book signing. She told me I have beautiful hair. I told her it was natural, but I don't think she believed me.

That my friends is my year give or take a few hundred things. I hope everyone has a Happy New Year. I love you all. By the way I turned my comments section on again, apparently some of my friends were not happy that I turned it off. I don't want anyone to feel obligated to comment! Feel free to read my blog, comment if you would like or not, either way have a great day!

Merry Christmas

Presents are wrapped and ready!!!!!!! Life is good. All that is left is a little cleaning and a whole lot of cooking. I hope this Holiday brings joy to all. Merry Christmas to all my family and friends.

I am in need of some warm weather here.

A couple of months ago my mom took me and my sisters on a trip to Laguna Beach. We had a fabulous time and I have decided that I would love to go again very soon. Lets say.........tomorrow. The arctic weather here is getting very old and it is only December. So I guess looking at my pictures from the trip will have to get me through.

My sister Rachel was the trip photographer and she took a ton of pictures. At the time I wanted to kill her because every time I would turn around there she was with her camera. It was not enough just to stand there and look pretty, she needed excitement. For me not wanting to look like a fool in public............well that was just not going to happen. I gave in eventually! After all was said and done, I was glad she took all those insane pictures.

The highlight of the day was when the chocolates were out, which was about every 15 minutes.

Apparently we weren't paying attention for this picture! All I know is that camera didn't add the pounds, it was all the chocolates I ate. Yikes!!!!!

Wish we were there girls. Thanks mooooooma!

Attempting Christmas photos with Hank

Yesterday we attempted to take some Christmas pictures with Hank. Well lets just say Hank had other things in mind.......

Hank: Come on guys lets just play.

Hank: No frisbee? Okay we can just run then!
Hank: Okay this is ridiculous

Hank: Okay maybe one quick one, then frisbee!

Thanksgiving

There is so much I am thankful for..........

Zoe and Ezra

I love that Zoe and Ezra understand at such a young age that life is precious. They are two children that don't waste their lives, they are always up for a new challenge. I am constantly amazed at there unbelievable love of life. I am one proud mama!

Renan

I love Renan! Yep you heard me right! The last few years of my life have been difficult and he has not complained one bit and let me be. That says a lot about a person. I have changed and he is okay with that. He has changed also (he believes he is just numb to the pain of living with me). Whatever the case is it works for us because we will have been married for twenty years come March.

My family

I love my mom and sisters very much and there is not a day that goes by when I don't think about them and wished they lived right around the corner from me. We went to Laguna Beach in October and had a great time hanging out. I also love my dad very much and miss him daily. He chose not to go on the trip with us and spend the time relaxing away from the madness of our lives. What a lucky man.

U2

I will never admit to being groupies, but this band has allowed us to go on many exciting trips in the last few years of our lives. Most recently Ireland. So thankful they are adding another leg to their tour. We will now be taking Zoe and Ezra to Seattle to see them next summer, maybe even New York. That's the life!!!!

Friends and Family

You all know who you are and I am thankful for you. I am thankful for all my friends that make me join life once in awhile. I am thankful for all the support and love I receive from all of you. You are the best!

A quiet ride.......

Sometimes when life becomes complicated we need to take some time out for a little peace and quiet. A few weeks ago we did just that and for a brief moment of time we escaped the world and went for a ride...........

Not much was said on this trip, we were just spending time together. That is where we get the peace and quiet that we need sometimes.

Living life with long hair.

Ezra decided to be ME for the Halloween parade at school. I thought it was pretty funny at first until he picked out an outfit at Thriftown that hopefully does not look like me. This actually was a pretty funny costume and he got a lot of comments during the parade. The problem Ezra encountered during the day was the HAIR. This is a picture at roughly 8:35am........

This is Ezra at 9:15am the same morning, not two days later, but the same exact morning!

He looks like he got ran over by a car on the way to school. The first thing he said to me was "How do you deal with all this hair!" Well first of all my hair is not quite that long, but same basic principles apply. When your hair is in your face move it!!!!! He went from somewhat looking like me to looking like "Cousin It". He later told me that there was no way he was going to go trick-or-treating in that costume, he was going to have to stick with his original plan and be "The Edge" from U2. Apparently it's not easy being me.

More pictures to come of "The Edge" and his rocker friend, Zoe.........

A Post for October

I am doing great with the new energy I have about writing on my blog. I figure I better get one in for the month. I am sitting right now by a window that looks out on my backyard. I can't believe the leaves that are falling and there is definitely a "Fall" feel to the day. I love this time of the year and I also feel a little sadness to see the light fading a bit everyday. It is interesting to think about how attractive light is and how hard it is for some when there is not a lot of it around. I know I am one that loves the longer days. I know your thinking....... is there a reason for this post????..........well actually there isn't and lucky for you I have turned off the comments section so you will not have to feel obligated to leave a comment for such a lame post.

For all you that hate to see the light fade here is a bit of info that will cheer you up. It will get progressively dark until December 21st. After that date we will gain a minute of light everyday!!!!! Doesn't seem like much, but it gets me through the winter.

It's been awhile!

I know I am terrible at the blogging thing.........but here are some pictures

from our trip this summer. I know there are some typos, but I am not

about to fix them, it was frustrating enough to do the slideshow. Patience is

not one of my virtues. I will try to be better. I hope everyone had a terrific

summer also!

Oh, also.......I hope you love the music, it was this or $3.99 for some good music. I opted for

crap! Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Why?!?

I bet you will never guess how this happened?

I bet you thought it was from this.........



or maybe this.........
Quite possibly this..............

But no, it was this..........
Okay maybe it was more like this..........

He broke his wrist from jumping over a rope! I always thought it was going to be from bunny-hopping the bleachers at the Olympus, but again I am wrong. I would personally like to go around the neighborhood and explain this to everyone that thinks I am an idiot for letting my son ride a five foot unicycle, but instead they are going to assume it is from the unicycle. The worst part about this is when he gets his hard cast on and is able to actually ride the unicycle with the broken arm. Boy...... I am going to look like a bad mom!

Yep.......This Is My Sister!

My nephew Carson turned 5 today! He definitely had some"birthday attitude" going on. By the end of the night my sister Rachel was a little crazy. Don't get me wrong this is her normal craziness, but with a birthday spin. She definitely knows how to make me laugh!!!!!!

Before and After of the Hankster

And..............








Hank and his new summer haircut. I am always in shock when I pick Hank up at the groomers! The poor dog, he looks so vulnerable. When Ezra first saw him he laughed so hard he started to cry. I also do not know if I should laugh or cry!