What a way to welcome in 2009!

Beware ye weak stomached people!

I can't believe it is 2009!

We certainly did our best to bring it in with style.

Vomitting children, husband sick (although he bypassed the vomit) and me......well, I wasn't so lucky.



5 years and 6 days marks the date of last time I threw up.

It was 2 nights after Christmas.

Before that, it had been over 18 years.

Can you believe that!

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a real fear of throwing up. I mean, a crippiling fear of it.

5 years ago I had to have Rob there to baby sit me, rub my back, clean the sink out (because I refused to vomit in the toilet even after he cleaned it), and even say a prayer that I would let my body relax enough to let it do what it needed to do.

He then called my parents and announced to everyone that my "vomit-less" streak was over and I had lived through it. Cheers were heard around the world.

I handled myself much better this time.

I did it all on my lonesome.

Just like a big girl.

I even cleaned up after myself.

Progress............Progress is good.



Here's to another 18 years........and may it not come sooner! :)

I'm gonna' do it....

I don't normally make new years resolutions.

I can't stand the thought of making a goal and not accomplishing it......so, I just dont try.

This year I have decided that is no way to live.

Life is about making goals and TRYING our darndest to achieve them....

if we are unsuccessful, we simple re-evaluate and move forward.



I haven't decided what my resolutions will be. I just know that they are going to be goo.

I can feel it in my bones.

CHRISTMAS 2008

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning

My little superheroes (my crowning achievement.....yeah, I made those...I know, I am SO SUPER crafty)


Gabe got the Spiderman tent he was hoping for. Although......funny........I haven't gotten a picture of him with it yet (you can see it in the background in the next picture). He was the only one who REALLY knew what was going on. He kept saying, "Where's another one I can open." Obviously there were too many presents for him to handle......next year we will let Santa bring his present and leave it at that. :)

Cael got a castle from Santa. It's perfect for him. He loves little things that he can hoard. He likes to line things up or stick them in his pockets. All of the kids are REALLY enjoying this one. Way to go Santa.

Isaac got a little plastic rocking "horse" in the shape of a dog. I don't have a picture of him on it yet. He wasn't really interested in the presents. He just wanted the food/candy. As you can see..........

He spilled some of his cereal. He is searching for it here. When he found a piece he would bend down and lick it up off of the carpet. It was hilarious!

I even joined in the fun.

Truthfully....it was total and utter chaos.

Cael was sick....although he looks pretty happy in most of the pictures ( because we had not given him ibprophen or eggnog yet.....not a good combo....especially when exiting the body).

The house was a total disaster and I was as cranky as ever.

Once we got over those few bumps in the happy road......things improved.

By the end of the day, Cael was feeling much better, the house had been somewhat restored to order, and I had mellowed out.

The day actually ended quite nicely.

Rob's parents and brother came over for a ham dinner. We got to enjoy their company AND good food.

I love FAMILY. There is nothing more important.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we are on our way to Utah to visit with MORE family. We are so excited. (Thank you! Thank you! for the plane tickets......1 1/2 hours of flying sure beats 14+ hours of driving......through snow storms!).

In awe......

I am in complete and utter awe at the generosity and thoughtfulness of others.

How blessed we are to be the recipients of such love.

In the midst of our Christmas Eve celebration we were visited, once again, by a Secret Santa.

A large garbage bag filled with SEVERAL presents and the makings of a holiday meal were left on our door step.

(Someone even called a few minutes after our discovery claiming to be a FED EX driver checking to see if our packages were delivered. I confirmed that something was left on the porch. I was then asked to go see what it was and the person hung up).

At first I couldn't believe it.

Why would someone do this for us? What makes us so deserving of these gifts? Who are these wonderful people who are filled with the spirit of giving?

I had a million questions and I wanted them answered.



Then.......humility overcame me and I was left with a deep sense of gratitude for these thoughtful people.



Thank you......

who ever you are.

Thank you!

I PASSED.......I PASSED......I PASSED........

I PASSED my Primary Group Exercise Certification Exams!

What does that mean? I am now a CERTIFIED aerobics instructor.

Still.......what does that mean? It means that I will now get paid $20 a class instead of $12.

Good news for us.

I have been waiting for over a month to find out and now I have. YEAY!

It should only take 2 more weeks for my wall and wallet certificates to arrive.

Oh well, at least now I know. FINALLY!

Hooray for me!