Christmas time is here

Well Christmas has come and gone once again. We did our new Christmas Eve tradition (2nd year) with the Liston's of sledding and treats. Then home to get ready for our Christmas Eve festivities with Jordan's family. Then to Christmas Day.....The kids had a wonderful day, waking up at 7 am to see if Santa had come to our house. Well thankfully he did and brought the kids each a bird house to build, Kaas got a new tool box and Kora got two more Cheetah Girl's Dolls. But the biggest surprise for the kids didn't come from Santa but came from their grandparents. For Kora the two big things this year for her were new golf clubs so she can start junior golf this summer and a Nintendo DS. Kaas' big things this year were a drum set and the new Geotrax Airport. It was a great day spending it together but it was even better putting the kids to bed that night! Man I was exhausted however Jordan and I did manage to stay up past midnight playing Shaun White Snowboarding on new Wii Fit (Thanks Mom and Dad!) I will post pictures later of the drum set, it is awesome! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and were able to enjoy the day with your families.

Thanks

So the other night I was sitting at the table with the kids doing a little art project. I started talking about things I was thankful for and asked Kora and Kaas what they were thankful for. Kora started and said she was thankful for her grandmas and grandpas and her friends and her uncles and aunts. Kaas just said what ever Kora said which cracked me up. Anyways as the kids were winding down their lists I thought to myself..... What! They haven't said they are thankful for Jordan and I. So I started to ask are you sure you aren't thankful for anybody else and Kora looked at me and said Nope that is it! Man being a parent is soooo overrated! Just kidding, I know they are thankful for us but my goodness sometimes it hurts to be a parent.


On a different note..... Kora had the opportunity to go to Disney on Ice with her Aunt Carla. Carla and her husband are missionaries in a Spanish ward downtown anyways one of the families they have grown to love has recently lost their house and is currently living out of the homeless shelter. Well back to my story.... Carla brought two of the little girls with her along with Kora. After the preshow party Carla took the kids to they were handing out Disney coloring books. Carla took the book and played a game to choose which girl would get it. Kora was chosen and saw the look in the other girls eyes and turned around and gave the coloring book to one of the girls. When Kora got home that night and was telling me about her fun time she mentioned that to me and I just teared up. I can't believe my little girl thougth to do that. I am so proud of her for knowing the right thing to do.

Ten Things

Ten things I am thankful for and why......

1. My husband, I am thankful for the unconditional love he has for me. I am thankful for the way he kisses me good night, good morning and just plain hello. I am thankful that he knows me, not just the "hey nice to know you" but the deep down thoughts that I have. I am thankful he makes me laugh and I am thankful that he encourages me to have a career and a life.
   
2. My daughter, I am thankful for the unconditional love she has for me. I am thankful that when people see her they say she is exactly like me when I was little, I am thankful for the cuddles and the loves she gives me. I am thankful for the "MOMMYYYYY" screamed a the top of her lungs when I come home from work. I am thankful she loves her brother soo much and loves to help out. I am thankful she is independent yet still looks to us for help. I am thankful she enjoys going to church.
3. My son, I am thankful for the unconditional love he has for me. I am thankful that he is such a rough and tumble little guy (2 years old and almost 38 pounds, I guess that is not little!) I am thankful the Dr. tells us he is not fat just strictly solid!!! I am thankful for the hugs and loves he gives me. I am thankful for the "Mommy, I love you" that I get at night.
   
4. My Parents and My In-Laws, I am thankful for the continuing love and support they give us. This also includes my brother and sister (in laws and my brother.) I am especially thankful that when I was a Senior in High School my parents told me I had no choice that I was going to college. When I told my dad I wanted to go to Cosmetology school he said only after you have completed a college degree and are ready to open a Salon as your own business. That hasn't happened and I don't know if it ever will but Thank you!
   
5. My home, I am thankful we are able to live in our own home. I am thankful for the dirt and dust that I clean up and for the toys and clothes and dishes I put away (although I don't always act like I am thankful for it.) It means that we are able to provide for our family and have a place to keep us warm or cool.
6. My friends, I am soo thankful for the friendships that I have whether they be old friends, old friends that I lost touch with and am know reconnecting or my new friends that I have met since we have lived in our home. Julie, Annie, Katie, Ashley, MaryLynn, Jen, and every one else. I am especially thankful for Julie and Annie, man I wouldn't be sane if I didn't have them!!! I feel as though we have known each other for years.
   
7. My religion, I am thankful for the time that I struggled with my religion and I am thankful Jordan was not a member when we met. I feel this has all brought me to where I am today and I am thankful for that. I am thankful for the growth that I still have to accomplish. I am thankful for the power of prayer and the power of the priesthood with the blessings that can be given.
   
8. This goes along on the same lines as religion.... but I am thankful for all the mistakes I have made in my life, the mistakes in school the mistakes at work the mistakes in my everyday life; for without those I wouldn't be in the position I am today.
9. I am thankful that I am able to provide for my family while Jordan is going to school and trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up!
   
10. I am thankful for my health, although I know I need to work on things! This past spring there were some health issues that thankfully have cleared up but it has definitely made me thankful for the health and body I have.
    

Thank you to all!!!

Red Riding Hood Jacket GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Red Riding Hood Jacket GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Okay, Okay, Okay... Finally a new post!

So we finally did family pictures. I never got Kaas' 2 year old pictures so instead of just taking him someplace I decided to ask my wonderful mother-in-law to take some pictures of us. This isn't all of them but gives you guys a nice show of what we did. Let's see what else has been going on.... Kora is in the process of loosing her first tooth. We had a wonderful weekend a couple weeks ago with some friends down in Zions. It was a great fun, to wake up to our friends and all of the kids in a beautiful house. We got to go on a hike to the lower emerald pool in Zions, we dined at a place that was known for it's Ho-made pies. Yes that is what it really said!!!! We also got to spend our last day down there with Stef and Brody (okay the kids and I did along with Julie and her girls) Jordan and Sam went golfing. Anyways we had a great time at the water park! THANKS STEF for taking us there.

The week of 1st grade and Retirement Parties

So last Tuesday Kora started 1st grade! I can't believe it, but man she is soo ready for it. I have pictures to post but our other computer crashed so and I don't have them on this computer. Anyways she was set to go in her new outfit thanks to grandmas' and her new Camp Rock back pack. Kaas and I took Kora to school and Kaas had to wear his backpack so he could go to school with sister. When I had to take him out of her class he cried until we got home and set up his own school with Mickey Mouse, Lightening McQueen, Pluto, Monkey, Doggie and I can't remember who else. Then he was fine for a couple of minutes but kept on asking where sister was. If she only knew how much he loves her. Kora was completely full of grins as we picked her up from school and constantly talked about how her new class was awesome and she met so many new friends, yet reconnected with her old friends. Thank you to the Grandma's for calling to check on her that night, it made her feel soo special. Wednesday was my Dad's retirement party YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!! He is finally going to do it and I am sooo happy for him. Friday was actually his last day but it was great to go to his office and celebrate this wonderful adventure with him. It has been awesome to see within that last couple of days the weight of the world lift off his shoulders and he is becoming the Dad I remember. Best wishes and good luck to my Mom who gets to spend every day, hour and even minute with him. I hope they can reconnect and find things they are passionate about together.

Super Heroes to the RESCUE!

I don't know about you and your kids but here at my house we love to play super heroes. The kids put on their super hero capes and magic power holders and away they go to save the world. Even Jordan and I pull out our Super Hero poses sometimes.

Three Things

So here's the deal: Post these rules on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!
(Okay this is going to be tough for me but I think I can do it!)
3 Joys
1. Having quiet moments in the morning before the kids wake up. I love being able to get up on the weekend before the kids wake and and just allow myself to enjoy the silence.
2. Watching the stars especially when I am up in the mountains where I can get a good look. When I was younger and we would drive down to St. George in the evening I loved being in the middle of no where and looking up through the car windows to see the stars.
3. My family..... especially when I see the kids all crowd Jordan and they just have the look of unconditional love in their eyes for him. It makes me thankful I have a such a wonderful husband who is a great father as well.
3 Fears
1. Having my kids taken away from me. I also have the fear of Jordan being taken away from me as well.
2. Snakes!!!!!! I hate snakes, I hate watching them on TV, seeing them at the zoo, and if I think about I before I get in the shower I always think they are going to come through the pipes!
3. Losing my job. With Jordan just starting his new job and the economy doing what it is doing I never really know when and if it could happen.
3 Goals
1. Get back down to possibly high school weight.
2. Own our own business.
3. Raise well accomplished kids that never think twice about what they can do.
3 Obsessions/Collections
1. Cookbooks ( I love collecting cookbooks)
2. Cleaning my kitchen
3. Kora's school stuff (all art work that she does is hanging up)
3 Facts about myself
1. I am a true blonde!
2. I have three elbows on my right arm. I broke my arm when I was in third grade and they were never able to fully put my elbow back together so I have a huge scar that I can't stand having anybody touch.
3. I am extremely ticklish, especially if Jordan just points a finger at me and smiles I know I am in trouble and automatically start laughing.
Tagged: Abby, Stef, Steph, April,

Eskimo kisses, Angel kisses and Bear hugs

Kaas has his new favorite thing, when I get to hold him which is not all the time because he is a super turbo 2 year old he loves it when I give him eskimo kisses then angel kisses then mommy kisses then bear hugs. He will sometime give his sister "sister kisses." I love the fact that I can get him to kiss me still (yes I know he is only 2, but he is a tough 2 year old who doesn't have time to kiss mommy.) It means so much to me to get loves from my adorable son.

Jokes

Lately Kora has been into knock-knock jokes. She loves to tell them to us no matter how many times we have heard them. Some of her favorites are..... Knock, Knock.. Whose there, Icee, Icee who, I see your underwear; or Knock , Knock.. Whose there, Dwayne, Dwayne who, Dwayne the bathtub I'm drowning. She has about 5 different jokes she loves to bust out at anytime. So beware! The next time you see her you might get hit with the jokes. By the way Jordan found a website Knock- knock jokes.com that has over 100 pages of Knock knock jokes so I don't think this phase is going to end anytime soon.

Kaas on the other hand has moved up from wearing the green hat Jordan got from Sundance to wearing the green hat plus the (orange) wrist band he got for christmas with his baseball mit. It is quite a look he is going for. I will post a picture of the green hat but I have yet to get the green hat plus the orange wrist band in the same picture. Enjoy!

Concert

Last Saturday night we had the opportunity to go to The Police concert with my brother and sister in law. WOW, what a interesting concert. There was a guy in front of us with a mullet and on who knows what number of beers, and every time a song would end he would bow his head and raise his glass. Then we witnessed 4 people of which I can only assume was Mom, Dad, Daughter and Son in law. Well the Mom and Dad were completely wasted and the Dad completely lost it right in front of us (I mean face first in the grass!) It was AWESOME!!!

Marriage

I love being married... well okay I would say 99% of the time I love being married! Just kidding Jordan. I love that we can sit in silence and hold hands and be perfectly content. I love that we can laugh at the stupidest things, I love that we can kiss in front of Kora and watch her give us the look of "oh my mom and dad are so lame!" I love the arguments we have and what we obtain from them. Why are you happy to be married? Please let me know.

Children are amazing

We just spent a wonderful night with our friends Sam, Julie and their kids and Jason and Annie and their kids. Jason and Annie just had a pretty rough week with their little girl, last week she got her tonsils taken out along with a couple other procedures and she has been having a rough time getting back on her feet. So we thought what else could be better then taking them dinner and spending the evening with them. As I got to see their little girl I immediately was struck with so much love for her and the rest of the little ones in my life, especially my two little ones. They are amazing and they teach me soo much each and every day Patience is the most important lesson they teach me every day. I tell people who don't have kids yet that I don't know what my life would be like with out them. I am extremely thankful I have my little ones in my life, what would it be like to be able to come home from work and just relax. Thankfully I will never know now! Anyways as you read this I hope you think about you little one(s) in your life and give them a extra special hug and kiss. You never know when they will be taken away from you.