It's Christmas Time Again

This afternoon there was a knock at the door. It was the UPS man. I love getting packages. What could it be? Everything I had ordered for Christmas had all arrived. To my dismay this package was for the kiddos. It was from Grandma and Grandpa Spratling..."THEIR CHRISTMAS P.J.'S!" Since we weren't able to go to the pajamas, the pajamas came to us. It was Christmas all over again. In unison they opened them and in unison they all said, "They are soooooo soft". Immediately the girls rushed off to put them on, mind you it is 3:05 in the afternoon. They have had them on all evening. Parker waited until after dinner. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the Christmas p.j.'s we love getting them every year.

New Beginnings

It's what most Young Women leaders devote their time to in January. Just a few of my giggly young beehives.

Hard to believethat my girls will make beehive #7, #8 and #9 next month.

Ring Out the Old Ring in the New

The last of the surviving Christmas treats. You have served us well. You made our holidays oh so sweet and helped us ring in the New Year helping us keep toasty and warm with all that added insulation. It is time for us to say so long, farewell, Auf Weidersehen good-bye.

Hello to anti-oxidants. We are finishing off our Costco crate of pomegranates. They also served us well through the holiday season. They filled our stockings Christmas Eve and made us feel good that we did something right for our bodies amidst the platters of cookies, the mounds of toffee, the pillars of pretzels and the seemingly endless squares of spice cake. I am so glad we made that Costco purchase and chose to eat healthy this holiday season!?!

New Year Wishes for 2009

A great way to ring in the New Year..

"We can lower our voices a few decibels. We can return good for evil. We can smile when anger might be so much easier. We can exercise self-control and self-discipline and dismiss any affront levied against us.

Let us be a happy people. The Lord’s plan is a plan of happiness. The way will be lighter, the worries will be fewer, the confrontations will be less difficult if we cultivate a spirit of happiness.
Let us work a little harder at the responsibility we have as parents. The home is the basic unit of society." - President Gorden B. Hinckley

Let It Snow?

(just outside our front door) The only reason we did not make it to Oregon......SNoW!!! Don't get me wrong. We love SnOW. Just not right now! Wouldn't it be nice if we could pick and choose the weather? With icy conditions, closure of many roads and a dismal forecast we did the only safe thing and stayed home, which none of us are happy about. We are sooooo missing all of our family in Oregon, Bruce's brothers wedding and all of the cousins.

Well there's not much else we can do but play in it....

and shovel it.

Christmas Day in our Town

This morning we awoke to the sights and sounds of Christmas. Santa visited us a day early. Being so far North really pays off. We plan to leave for Oregon tomorrow if the weather cooperates. The kids woke up at various times throughout the night wandering into the living room to see what Santa had left. At one point Bruce got up and found Parker in the living room with all of his presents around him sound asleep. The one thing we told the kids before we went to bed was not to wake us until 7am. They faithfully obeyed this command. Various times throughout the night, they enjoyed going through their stockings and finding the many treasures inside while Bruce and I enjoyed the comforts of our bed. At 7am sharp they woke us and we enjoyed a relaxed morning. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday Missy

Happy Birthday to my fabulous friend. I have known Katie for 16 years. I first met her when she was sweet, young, energetic, full of life and an appetite to boot. She could eat me under the Sizzlers table at the all you can eat buffet, that was many young women's camps ago. She is now a busy, crazy, beautiful, quick whit, wife, mother of four beautiful kids and still an appetite that could (i believe) still eat me under the table and yet manages to look fabulous. I love you Katie. Have a fabulous Day. "The birthday card is in the mail (I only sent it yesterday)...talk to your mailman.