Christmas

Well, Christmas has come and gone. It was a whirlwind of a last week, hence - no blogging. I went all anti-blogger as well because I couldn't get a lot of videos that I wanted uploaded to upload. I was a teeny-weeny bit upset. But, I've gotten over it - mostly - and when it doesn't want to make me scream, might even try again. Our days before Christmas were filled with getting errands and more errands done. Presents mailed off, presents being bought, the car getting detailed inside and out and the oil changed, the carpets getting cleaned, and of course, lots of baking. The kids anxiously awaited the arrival of Santa, asking on a daily basis, whether I thought they were on the good or naughty list. They became very concerned those final few days before Christmas. Hmmm....made me wonder if there were some things that went on this past year that I didn't know about! ha,ha. I've eaten probably 10 pounds in junk food the past week so I guess it's good that I got a Wii Fit this year. Christmas Eve we sang songs, listened to the story of our Savior's birth read by daddy and said our prayers. The kids SINCE Christmas have been playing and playing and playing even more with all their new toys. They were very blessed this year with nice grandparents, uncles, and "Santa" who all brought them lots of fun things. Basically, they scored. :) They really love the Wii. Even pawpaw has played for the past 2 days with them. I'll put pictures up soon. Maybe tomorrow. I hope everyone out there had a wonderful Christmas. I can't believe a new decade is about to begin. I have great hope for this new year coming.

Tiny dancer

I'm still working on the longer videos of her actual Christmas dance to upload. Sigh. But these are cute, too. :)

Michaela's Preschool Christmas Performance

Our Michaela-Bayla did a beautiful job singing all the songs. Ms. Patti, the music and worship director, is such a wonderful blessing. She gets those kids to sing their hearts out! We feel so blessed to have been able to send all of our kids to this preschool. Enjoy the videos! (in the beginning of each one there is some shaking - sorry - but it does get better and watching them is soooo worth it - well, in my opinion!!) My hope is that both the cute 3 year old singing her heart out and the spirit you will most certainly feel will make your day brighter!

It's time to play CATCH UP!

I have so much to post. Not enough time. Ha,ha. We've had school Christmas parties, preschool programs, Eiley dance performances (and yes, I forgot the camera for that one - whoops!), so much going on this past week has been one big blur! There will be LOTS of pictures and video so hopefully blogger will cooperate and I can get it all uploaded. I can't believe Christmas is almost upon us. I did Santa shopping yesterday and now I just need to get a few more things and get our Christmas cards mailed off and I'll be done. Hopefully our cards can go out tomorrow. Well, they'll have to or they won't get to anyone before Christmas! ha,ha. So grateful for our many blessings. Aaron's car broke down this past week but we got a $500 check in to help pay for it. So, although it would have been nice to use that money for something else, at least it was there. The Lord continues to provide a way for us. We are just focusing on getting Aaron's practice even busier. I'm doing all I can as his new marketing director. It's a full-time job, though, and THIS HOUSE and the kids are a full-time job so I'm just trying to figure out how to get it all done. Why we create so much "stuff" for us to do I have no idea. It just makes no sense!

Dumb girl

I got a lot done today. I also got a reality check today. I am no longer going to feel so low about dumb things. I have 3 happy, healthy children and I'm blessed enough to be their mother and to be here to watch them grow and learn. Everything else can fall apart around me. I don't care. I'm blessed beyond measure just for that. For them.

Someone listened

I guess someone IS listening to our pleas. We got checks in the mail today. :) We are very grateful. I cried. We thanked our Heavenly Father. But this little tiny awful part of me wonders why we always have to be taken to the brink of disaster, to the brink of all we can handle before it comes in. Is it always suppose to be that way? Am I not getting something here? See, I'm trying for things to work out BEFORE I want to spill my guts on blogger. That would be nice. :) So Aaron will not be evicted this week. The money is going to pay overdue bills he has and hopefully it keeps coming in so not only do we get caught up, but have a little extra so we are not so fearful. It really is feast or famine around here. Well, I wouldn't call it that. I would say it's a nice dinner or ramen noodles. Thanks to all for their support and prayers. We hope things will continue to look up and we will feel more confidence and peace with the practice. It's just such a scary thing. I hope the Lord continues to bless Aaron for all his efforts and prayers and fasting. If nothing else - HE deserves it. He doesn't get bitter and mad like I do. I hate that about me. That's something I wish I could change the most about myself. I wish I could be more humble when trials come upon me instead of just getting upset and pretty much begging for a miracle. I guess we are all works in progress. We all have our weaknesses and it just hit me that I will be shown mine so that they may become strengths. So how do I turn THAT into a strength? This will be something to work for me. Finding out how to overcome this weakness of mine and learn how to be better at handling trials. I pretty much suck at it. Pardon my honesty there. Oh, I put on a brave face and everything but inside I'm a big 'ol mess. I will work on being humble. Being humble and serving others. Oh, and about a million other things as well, but I'll start with those. :) Again, thanks be to God for answering our prayers.

Blah

I haven't blogged in over a week because I haven't had anything really great to blog about. Now don't get me wrong...I am very blessed - we are very blessed - but I think I have the holiday blues or something. Aaron's stressed - I'm stressed - it's just crazy. We are holding it together pretty good but things with the business are REALLY insane. Aaron thinks God just doesn't want him to be a Chiropractor but I just can't believe that. I find it hard to believe. After all the blood, sweat, tears, and therapy we've been through to get here...it just doesn't make sense for it to not be working out. Sometimes I just wanna scream up to the Heavens, "Give us a break already!!!!!" It seems like we always manage to "get by" but we don't want to live day by day by day by day just getting by. I swear Aaron's aged 10 years the past 2 from just "getting by" and I'm not that far behind him. It's work. And I know work is suppose to be work but it's WORK. All the time. There's no breaks, there's no paid vacations, heck, there's no vacations PERIOD. It's all uphill and we are TIRED. Why does it have to be a struggle. Why is it always something. We pray, we pray, we pray, and we pray and I just don't know if anyone is listening up there!!! Today Aaron fasted for some checks to come in. May seem odd to fast for money that is owed to you to actually GET to you, but we need to pay bills. We need to feed the kids. We need to not be evicted from Aaron's office. It's our livelihood. It's everything - it's all we have. It has to work. So yes, we need a miracle my friends. A big fat miracle this Christmas. And that miracle would be for people to just cut the check and send it on it's way. Is that so hard? Is that too much to ask? I sat in church today and thought...I just want to go home. I want to go back to bed. Isn't that awful!? It's awful. I'm an awful person. I don't have enough faith. But I'm TIRED. Aaron's tired. We don't want to worry every single day. It wears on you. Notice how much I've been sick this fall and winter? Notice the wrinkles in the forehead appearing about 15 years too early in my opinion!? That's from worry! Now I don't expect things to be perfect. I've learned by now they never, ever are. Not even close. But it sure would be nice for a little break. I know...it could be worse. We could be homeless with no family or friends, we could be dying, we could have a bomb land on our heads, I get it. See....I think I just have the blues. Well, maybe it's a little more than the blues. We need some things to happen. We NEED some things to happen. I am saying it out loud...well, typing it up....we NEED insurance companies and attorneys to pay, and more patients to show up, and everything to align for ONCE in our life. Is that really too much to ask? I guess so. Pardon my blues or blahs or whatever you want to call it, but I am sad. I am. I mean, we haven't seen Aaron's family in almost 3 years!!!!!! 3 years people! Who doesn't see their family for 3 years!?!?! People who hate their families that's who and we don't hate ours! We love ours. And we can't even see them! It's sad. That is sad. I am sad tonight. I am fearful and I am scared and I'm sick to my stomach and I wish it could be easier sometimes. And that's all.

*Snow-A little*

I didn't get any pictures because we were running errands and it only lasted about 30 minutes but snow did fall today here!! It was so fun! All around you could see people smiling - it was great. Logan said pretty much every class got to go out and play in it today. According to him the "whole school was out there Mom and everyone was running around screaming!! It was awesome!" lol. Love it. Michaela was amazed. She doesn't remember the snow from Utah - she was too little. She kept saying, "I can't believe it snowing!" My parents got inches of snow today. A lot. Pearland/Friendswood area just south of Houston got a lot. Nana took pictures so I'm sure the kids will be excited to see that. What weird weather!! But I do love how it brought the kid out in all of us today. :)

busy, busy!

You know that poem about the woman who tried to do so much, tried to do everything she was "SUPPOSE" to do, and then at the end of the poem she drops dead? Well, tonight I feel like her! And I haven't even done a 1/4 of what she did in the poem!! ha,ha. Today I did so much stuff I just sat down to the computer and realized I've only had 1 thing to eat all day. A potato. A baked potato. That's it. Why am I not 100 pounds??? Oh...I might know why. The potato was LOADED with everything unholy and ohhhhhh soooo good. Including chopped bar b que. It's called the chopped baker. But still...that's all I've had! LOL. Ok, it doesn't work that way? Oh all right....I could keep rambling on and on and on but I better just end it with saying I'm especially grateful for a few things tonight. 1-a hubs who works long, hard hours for our family 2- hearing my children pray. They say the most beautiful amazing prayers. Straight from their little hearts. It gets me every single time. 3 - A dad willing to help us out with rent until money comes in. 4 - In-laws who understand paying tithing is more important than a visit even though we all want a visit really bad. Do you see a theme here? Family. I am truly, truly blessed. Except for the brother who said it would be a welcome reprieve to not have to see me for 2 1/2 years....grrrrrrr......watch out Ben! (kidding)

**SNOW**

Special weather statement today:

... SNOW LIKELY ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FRIDAY...

... HARD FREEZE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...

AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT OVER THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND EDWARDS PLATEAU AND BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. COLD AIR WILL CONTINUE TO PLUNGE SOUTH INTO TEXAS TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. ENOUGH COLD AIR WILL BE PRESENT FRIDAY THAT PRECIPITATION WILL MAINLY BE SNOW ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. THE SNOW WILL END FRIDAY EVENING AS THE DISTURBANCE MOVES EAST OF THE AREA.

SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM ONE HALF TO ONE INCH... ALTHOUGH AMOUNTS UP TO TWO INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NORTHERN HILL COUNTRY AND PORTIONS OF THE EDWARDS PLATEAU. LESSER AMOUNTS ARE FORECAST ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 57. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED.

CLEARING SKIES... LIGHT WINDS AND LOW DEWPOINT TEMPERATURES WILL ALLOW FOR A HARD FREEZE LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS THE AREA. LOWS IN THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY WITH MID 20S TO AROUND 30 ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

Oh please...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....

Pictures of Thanksgiving

These pictures were taken by Suzi, and now I'm painfully aware of how much I want, I mean need, a new fancy-schmancy camera. Maybe that can be #4 on my very expensive Christmas wish list. ;) The cardboard behind the girls Eiley drew. It was a skyscraper with huge water fountains. Her artistic abilities continue to amaze all of us. As soon as the funds are there I would like to enroll her into a special art program at the rec center. She would LOVE it. We had a very fun Thanksgiving with my family and our good friends. The kids played wonderful the entire day and I'm grateful Suzi thought to take pictures. Usually one of us remembers the camera when we are together. ha,ha.

Following your dreams!

My roommate from BYU, ohh....10 years ago (YIKES!!!! I MEAN, DOUBLE YIKES!!!), is following her dreams. After being in a job she wasn't too fond of at the end, she decided to start her own company. She's very creative and is using her talents on this new adventure. One aspect of her new company is a boutique and she's having her grand opening in Utah coming up. Below is the flyer. If you live up there you should stop in. Aaron and I know what it's like to start your own business from the ground up and let me tell ya....IT AIN'T EASY!! Following your dreams and going after it takes faith (a lot of it), hard work, diligence, patience, etc. I could go on and on. We've been there...are still there in many ways, so we appreciate anyone trying to do it themselves. If you do stop in let me know! Also, it would be a really fun girls day out trip...just saying....ha,ha. If you have your own blog up in Utah if you could post this that would be awesome. I know Krista would love you forever. Advertising is expensive and hard so any kind of free advertising helps! It could be your very good deed for the day. :)

Gatti Land

So there's this place in Round Rock about 15 minutes away called Gatti Land. On Monday's mom's eat free. It's an all you can eat buffet and then there's a game room. The 1st time we went, Michaela was really little and it was very very crowded. The food was gross. I haven't been back since. But two of my friends invited me and the kiddos last Monday and I'm not one to say no to ANY kind of girl time (aka adult conversation - even if the kids are there). So we went. It wasn't crowded at all. But it was like $20 to feed the 3 kiddos, and then another $20 for the games. AND the food was still gross. But I loved the company. So there you go. That's my feelings on the place. In the pictures you can see what the kids think of it. Eiley now wants to have her birthday party there. Ai-yi-yi!!! What am I going to do!?!?

BUNK BEDS!!!

It was time for new beds for the girls. We saved Eiley's headboard for Michaela to use when they get their own rooms. What's the best part about the new bunk beds you ask? Well, Michaela sleeps in her own bed now - all night! Last night was the 1st time she has done that in...well...ever. Woohoo!! Because Michaela's is a double it makes a great guest bed as well. Hint, hint. :)

Sweetberry Farms Field Trip

Eiley's 1st field trip was a big success. Last year I wasn't able to go with Logan because Michaela was too little but this year I was so happy to be able to go with Eiley. Michaela loved it as well. She kept up the whole day and did everything the "big kids" did. I was so grateful Ms. Blesing let me bring her along. It really was a fun day.

Eiley is in the back on the right hand side. Her 1st bus ride!!! She was beyond excited. I thought it was so sweet - she asked Ms. Blesing if Michaela could ride too. I quickly told her, nope, the bus was only for the kinder classes. She said she liked riding the bus a lot :)

Her class + a Michaela

Look what I did mom!!!

They were like this the ENTIRE hay ride. Holding hands. Sooooo sweet. When Aaron saw this picture he just melted into a big pile of mush and said, "That's my girls!!" Eiley looked out for Michaela the entire day.

Last of the train ride pictures

Go longhorns!

the Sheriff came on board to let us know there would be a gun fight in the town we were stopping at. Thanks for letting us know Sheriff!!

Visiting Nana and Pawpaw

They wanted to sleep this way!! Silly kids!






My kids love Nana and Pawpaw's house. Some of their favorite things about it are:

1. Getting to walk just down the street to the donut shop

2. Taking walks or bike rides around the "loop" behind their house

3. Feeding the birds

4. Feeding Beesley (the neighborhood dog who loves the treats they provide)

5. Nana's expansive Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas villages.

6. Sleeping over

7. Being spoiled rotten! :)