Happy Birthday Katrena...

My Dear Sweet Katrena - It is so hard for me to believe that my beautiful, precious girl is 9 years old!!! I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. It was one of the most amazing and terrifying days of my life. I didn't know that you could instantly love something, or someone so much, but I did. From the moment I saw you face and heard you cry, my heart was yours. I would have done anything in the world for you, and still would.

You are a very special lady and you make me very proud to be your mom. Here is a list of 9 things I love about you or that you did this last year that make me very proud:

1. I was so proud of you and your decision to be baptized, you looked so beautiful all dressed in white. I loved being in the dressing room with you after wards just the two of us and being able to talk about what had just happened.

2. You're a wonderful big sister, always willing to teach Ava new things. I know its tough sometimes, but she looks up to you so much and you are awesome with her.

3. What a brave and talented girl you turned out to be. Trying out for the talent show and performing in front of all those people and doing such an awesome job.

4. I love it when you sing, you have such a beautiful voice.

5. You're so compassionate towards others always worried about others feelings and always so willing to help all the little ones that are around. You will make a great mom someday.

6. You're a friend to everyone! It doesn't matter if they are 90 or 1, you're their friend and they love you.

7. You're always so willing to help others (well maybe not mom and dad so much :)) No matter where we are, church, school or someone's home; if they are trying to pick up or do something you're willing to jump right in and help.

8. My little artist, you love it all. I love watching you create, whether its paint, clay, sewing, drawing, or dance.

9. My little chatty cathy-you always have so much to say and so many stories to tell. Please don't stop sharing them with me. I love to hear all that you have to say, even when you think I am to busy, know that I am never to busy for you. I hope you will always consider me not only as mom, but as a friend too.

Thank you for being the special girl you are, our family would not be complete with out you.

Love,
Mama

P.S. Thanks for loving to watch old movies and snuggling with me too!

Christmas 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I know I used the wrong form of "no" on the slide show.

We had a wonderful Christmas, sleeping in till 9 and we were spoiled! I even got my mixer yipee! We had many wonderful phonecalls from family, and had our traditional cinnamon rolls for Breakfast. My cousing was serving his mission here in Apple Valley and came for Christmas dinner with his companion. We cooked and cooked. We had ham, sweet potato casserole, funeral potatoes, rolls, fresh fruit, broccoli salad, strawberry jello with strawberries and orange juice, mandarin tapioca salad, corn, veggies with dip and hummus, cheese ball and crackers, picco de gallo with chips, gingersnap cookies, apple pie with vanilla icecream, chocolate sheet cake with spimoni ice cream! Brent and I ate it for about 5 nights!!! Good thing it was all tastey.

It was a very memorable Christmas and although we missed all our loved ones we will never forget the first Christmas we spent alone, but together.

First Day of School, Take 2...

After 5 weeks of no school it was back to the grind this morning. Although we have enjoyed sleeping in greatly, it is good to be back to some kind of normalcy.

I find that as a mother, wife, professional errand runner and driver it is much easier to be productive when I start my day at 6:30 rather than 9!

I took Katrena to school so that we could find out the morning routine and where she needed to go, her teacher is extremely nice and there are only 6 other girls in her class and 13 boys.

The first thing she said when she got in the car after school was that she hated her school. I asked why and she said that she only made one friend, Diane, and that another girl was accusing her of trying to steal her boyfriend, my heck they are only in the 3rd grade! Later the verdict was that she likes the school, the teachers, librarian, office staff and cafeteria workers, she only didn't like the one girl and her boyfriend who were calling her names. Which opened up the discussion about jealousy and insecurity leading to being mean to other kids.

So I then asked her if the school she is supposed to go to calls this week does she want to transfer over or wait till the next school year and she said wait, so it couldn't have been too bad, we'll see how the rest of the week goes.

Ava knows her body parts...

Check out our smart little monkey, she's been doing this for awhile now.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL6oTh6jqjI

The great Houdini...

She may look innocent



But she is not

This little Houdini refused to go to sleep last night, so I left her to cry it out while I went into the kitchen. All of a sudden I hear the crying stop and then start again as I hear her tearing down the hall. Yep, you guessed it she climbed out of her crib!!! I can't believe she figured it out already, however it is 4 months later than her sister. She grabbed a hold of her changing table that is about 9 inches to a foot away from her bed and pulled herself on top of it, she then climbed across the changing table and dropped into her laundry basket. I wish I could have heard her whole thought process.

So what time did she finally go to sleep since she woke up at 7 and took a 3 hour nap, 11:45!!!

Christmas Eve

I usually love Christmas Eve, but for some reason this year didn't feel all that Christmasey.

We spent the better part of the day baking and preparing food for Christmas day so that all I had to do on Christmas was stick the food in the oven. Now that was perfect.

Brent was able to get off work at lunch time and well he decided napping was what Christmas Eve was for, but at least Ava took a good nap with him.




Then Katrena and I went on a mommy daughter date to see The Princess and the Frog. LOVED IT!!! However, I could see how it might scare a younger child a little. Definitely a buyer when it comes out on DVD.

When we got back home we quickly made some soup and then we started our Christmas Eve traditions, first we took pictures under the Christmas tree and then made cookies for Santa, we played a game together and then read our traditional stories. Every year we have a stack of Christmas stories we read throughout the month of December, but we always save The Polar Express and Twas the Night Before Christmas until Christmas Eve. We also always make sure we read Luke chapter 2, this way we make sure that the real meaning of Christmas is brought home.

In the end the milk and cookies were set out by the fireplace and two beautiful girls were tucked into bed anxiously awaiting the arrival of Old Saint Nick, (we also had a visit from the tooth fairy as well that night), and the night well what can I say except that it was perfectly Christmasey.

long enough...

for a ponytail. I can't believe it!