karate day

Today was karate belt test day. H and Beloved both earned their blue belts and Brother his orange. Lu and I went to watch and video. They all did a really good job.

Brother with his new orange belt :)

Lu spent a lot of time playing with balloons that they had left over from last night.


Part of H's test.

This evening we had dinner groups. We had a really nice time and good visit.

School Christmas Party

The PTA put on a very fun Christmas party for the kids. They had a reindeer craft for them to do, hot chocolate and cookies, a very fun puppet show that the kids loved and laughed at and then a visit from the big guy! Lu was sad that she didn't tell him she wanted a pocket knife, ...yeah right.

Brother wants one, badly. He has some big boy friends who are new cub scouts and they have them. We told him when he is a scout, in 1 1/2 short years, he could have one. There has been a lot of pocket knife conversation about. They are both prepped that neither one is getting a pocket knife however.

Brother and his friends K and M.

2000

This is sad, we have no pictures of Christmas 2000. Several years ago we had a virus or something dreadful and lost a ton of pictures on our computer. This was before we started backing them up.

No paper, no digital. We did have a Christmas though, I am sure of it. It's really not about pictures and presents or even carols and lights. It is about a babe born in a manger and I am so grateful that he was. That Mary and Joseph did all that they could to raise him and keep him safe. That He came, even in the lowliest of circumstances, to live a perfect life and then to atone for the sins of all mankind. What a miraculous blessing and miracle that is for us. So even though I love the lights and the music and the gifts and the holiday movies and cookies and spending time with my family even without all that fun and joy and happy times the wonder of the season is still there and is still the most precious gift of all.

1999

H's first Christmas. We spent it in TX. This was the year of H screaming all the time. I don't really remember anything to write about. I assume we went to the ward party, and the girls went to school parties and by looking at the photos I can tell you that we had presents. That's about it though.

Every one looks happy though, so that's good.

singing for his supper

We had the missionaries over for dinner tonight. After dinner Elder SC sang a song for us.

excuse me while I ramble on a bit

At this season when there is a flurry of present buying and gift making and baking and parties to plan and to attend life gets kind of crazy.

Also for us this is a season of getting the house ready to sell, and trying to decide what to buy in our new location. Both these events, while wonderful and fun are also stressful. Read: $$

Beloved and I have different spending habits, or desires I guess. I always want to spend more on Christmas than he does, a lot more.

He wants to spend more on houses than I do. Well sort of. We both like big nice houses, but come on..who doesn't? He feels more of a need for a big lot than I and has more requirements.


The home we presently live in was all his idea. We had a much smaller lot, with a smaller but still adequate home on it and he really really really wanted land. Eventually we bought this home and while I haven't loved the land. I have really really loved the pool and it's been nice to have space. Space to have company over, space for our family to spread out. I've gotten used to it and kind of want to keep it. All though heating all this space is an issue and cleaning all this space isn't so fun :) We have enjoyed sharing our pool with friends in the summer and having large parties through out the years

Still we're having a hard time deciding and one of us is getting fatigued with all the conversation about it and the other frustrated that he is "doing all the work", which means looking at houses on line and floor plans.

So, it's a good time to look back to happy carefree days when we just met (11 years ago this month) and were dating and not sharing a bank account :)

Top picture, taken in my parents yard, we were there for dinner maybe...I'm just guessing. He must have just gotten off of work and I just finished plowing the back 40. I don't know but our outfits sure don't coordinate! Look how skinny we were. I, of course, thought I was fat but I'd trade in a heart beat now!

Next photo, shortly after we got engaged we went on a ski trip with a bunch of Beloved's colleagues. They rented a huge house, there were tons of people and sleeping bags everywhere. We skied (me rather pitifully, him much better), went out to eat, walked in the snow and got lost. I wasn't paying attention because I didn't know I needed to. It turns out my sense of direction is better so now I always do and as a result have turned into the back seat driver I never wanted to be but it is necessary in our case. It was fun and so much snow! I remember walking back to the house one night and the sky was clear and shining with millions of stars and it was kind of light with the moonlight relecting on the drifts of snow and the air was crisp and clean. It was beautiful and I was awed by it, and happy, and looking forward to a happy life together.

Next: engagement party in Ohio. I think this was in April and we flew back to meet all the family and friends and had a huge party. It was very nice.

Last one, the night before our wedding. Both families went out to eat at a restaurant whose name now escapes me, but it was fancy and fun! We were very excited. He was a hottie (still is, actually now he's even more distinguished looking with a little gray in his hair and a few stress lines on his face! (it hasn't been easy for the poor guy to be married to me)

So we press forward, grateful for the good times and happiness and enough money to worry over. I am grateful that he is a hard worker, that he's smart and I don't have to help kids with math homework, that he always wants to do what's right. Sticking it out through the harder things. The piles of laundry I never finish, the angst of raising children, someone's grouchyness, $$$. The good with the bad, forever.

Our honeymoon to Kauaii! That was sooooooooooo fun and relaxing and lovely. (Even when I made him buy matching muumuu and shirt combos that were pretty dorky!) We need to go back there :)

1998

This was our first Christmas snow!!! So exciting. We went to Ohio to spend Christmas there. Getting there was an ordeal, but it was worth it. We had so much fun. Right after school got out for the Christmas holiday I left my job as a first grade teacher, we packed up our car and drove from CA to TX. 3 days on the road. Beloved was transferred from skunk works to Ft Worth and was starting the beginning of Jan. We arrived to an ice storm. I don't remember the exact details but we showed the girls their new home, spent one night amidst tons of boxes and left in the morning on treacherous roads to the airport where we tried to fly to Ohio, by way of Chicago. When we landed in Chicago the airport closed so we had to spend the night with only our carry ons and then in the morning finally made our way to Ohio. We were scrappy and tired and somehow forgot our suitcase with every one's shoes but it was not a bad trip. Everyone travelled well and were in good moods.

We were very happy to have snow and to be with our family. Santa's sled literally exploded with wonderful American Girl stuff and lots of other gifts. We went to Christmas Eve services at Grandma and Grandpa B's church, which was so nice. We shopped and ate and played. It was a good year.

We were expecting H, which was also very exciting for everyone. The girls had been begging for a new baby for a long time and Beloved was thrilled to be a daddy.

little crafts

For preschool today we made these cute mangers that I saw in the Friend. We also made stick puppet manger people.

1997

I think this was the last time MSV and I spent Christmas together :( One of these years we'll have to do it again. Michael was home from his mission, about a year or so and V and R had been married a year. Everyone but Alec was there. We had a fun, chaotic Christmas. The girls and I had our own apartment by this time but we came over early early to spend the day.

The Sunday before Christmas, posing by the tree.
(Beloved and I had just met, but hadn't gone a date yet)

Christmas Concert

Last night J , Lu and I picked up Nicole and Mariah and we headed down town to watch Em's Christmas Showcase. It was at the Travis Ave Baptist Church and it was AWESomE!! We loved it. The church was so beautiful. I loved their lit trees, wreaths and garland. The kids who performed did such a good job. I loved the drum line and the choirs and the orchestras. Lu's favorite was the ballerinas. It was very Christmasy and fun.

I wish I'd taken my camera to capture the sparkle of the night.

Belgium

They are there and settled into their apartment. We got an email from another missionary, they don't have phone lines and Internet yet. Probably next week. We kind of thought they'd be sent south to France but they are actually in Belgium in a little city called Mouscron. I can't wait to hear about their adventures. In the meantime here is their address. I am sure they would love a Christmas card.

Elder and Sister Arhets

70, rue du Blanc Pignon
Mouscron, 7700
Beglium

1996

Every year we act out the nativity. This year was J's turn to be Mary. It is always so sweet to see the little ones reenact the birth of our Savior.

This was our Christmas card photo that year.

music

Sunday was a lovely day. We went to church. Ethan gave his talk, he did a great job. After church Beloved and I went with Rob and Tori down to St Andrew's Episcopal Church for their Christmas Concert. It is a wonderful church down town with awesome stained glass windows and a very "bishops wife" kind of feel to it. The choir was really really good and the music, although in Latin and not so Christmasy as I expected, was gorgeous. I had a really nice time and it was reverent and quiet. They have a Christmas lessons and carols evening in two weeks and I am thinking about going back for that.

We were going to go to our ward building that night for the First Presidency Broadcast and desserts, but we were tired so we jammied up, hopped in bed and watched it on Satellite and drank egg nog at home.

Today I subbed. Tomorrow I sub. Tonight is FHE.

1995

Christmas 95. We were living with Papa and Grandma and I was newly single. Grandma made all five little girls these sweet lambie nightgowns. We had those for a lot of years. I think J wore all three over the next 5 years or so! They were so soft and cute. Like every Christmas the kids woke up at the crack of dawn and ran out to open their stockings. Such fun.

Two days after Christmas we drove down to the LA Temple for the annual "see the brides" day that Papa liked to take. The temple is only open one day that week and there are lots of weddings. We took the girls down and went to the Visitor's Center, walked around the beautiful temple grounds and enjoyed looking at all the lovely brides and handsome grooms when they came out to take pictures. Not too many years after this one MSV was there getting married! She was a pretty December Bride!! It was a special and fun day and a nice chance to talk about the importance of a Celestial marriage, and eternal families.

1994

This was my favorite Christmas outfit ever. The little reindeer and headband were sooooo cute! J was two and had fallen and scraped her nose so she looked like Rudolph that season :)

Christmas morning, ready to open presents!!

Happy Birthday Nana!!!

a synopsis

registered Renaldo today.
Kids and Beloved went to karate.
S and J and Em went to see Twilight.
J went to the mall.
had the house measured for new carpet.
helped Brother with his talk for tomorrow.
spent the evening playing Killer Bunnies.

The Perfect Baby-sitter

it's not cheap though :)

1993

1993. I made the girls these matching dresses. They were simple (the dresses not the girls) but I loved them (girls and dresses) and thought they looked so cute (ditto).

Sweet 16

Tonight was J's party. We rented a velcro wall. It was kind of spendy but she really wanted it and I think it turned out to be fun. It's been pretty darn cold outside however there is no wind so it's a still cold, which is much more tolerable.

The cake looked awesome all lit up. She loved it so it was worth the hours spent on fondanting it.

The whole group. They ate, played upstairs, ran around down stairs, sang to each other and played the piano and listened to music and played hide and seek outside and jumped a lot.

Happy Sweet 16! I can't believe my baby J is old enough to drive & date (group date)!!

J and Em entertain at the party :)

1992

Christmas Eve 1992. J was 10 days old. Here the girls are at Grandma Joyce's with their cousins. We lived in the same town and were lucky enough to spend a lot of time together. Aunt Valerie was a teacher and I kept the kids during the day, not every year, but many of them. This gave the kids lots of time to play together. People used to think Brittan and Dani were twins when they were babies and I took them places together :) How those little girls loved their bigger cousins! If anything makes me sad it's that they moved away, and we moved away and that time together came to an end. Similarly I am sad for my little three now, they have cousins their age living in stinkin Utah (a million miles away). They love to play together and would be best friends if they could.

Three little princesses!!

ace of cakes~ not

Tonight is J's 16th Birthday party. Hopefully it will be really fun, we're excited.

Beloved and I made her cake last night. It was an adventure. In the end it turned out kind of cute, especially if you didn't know what we were going for :)

It was super nice of muscles to do all the fondant rolling. That stuff is tough.

away in the manger

one of Lucy's favorite toys, year round, found a spot in the living room for this month :)
(this is seriously one of the best toys I have bought for her. She always plays with it)

1991

Christmas 1991. What a fun year. We had bought our first home, which we loved and had two cute girls running around :) S turned one on the big day of course and D was 4. She was taking ballet and had a Christmas recital that year :) That was also the year Santa brought her the singing mermaid. She loved it! And the Mermaid sang and sang. S got a baby doll and a shopping cart.

Here are the girls in their matching Christmas outfits (that I loved) sitting on Grandma Joyce's lap.

heat, paint and waffles

Subbed in H's class today. That was so fun. 4th grade is one of my favorites and the day went fast and was great. H's teacher teaches science and the kids rotate so I taught heat energy, three times, complete with boiling water, watching the sun and making a memory game.

After school I was the Activity Day helper mom. The girls are working on Christmas presents for their parents. I had the dad craft and had to close my eyes in the mom room :) Luckily S was home this afternoon so she could take G to ballet, and E went to play with C. Whew! Today felt Busy.

Tonight it's waffles for dinner and home work and bed.

And Elder and Sister Arhets are now in Belgium, working away. Yeah! My sister Ang got up at the crack of dawn to see them off and then wrote about it. It was so cute. She said as soon as the bus doors opened there went dad "you never saw anyone get on a bus so fast!" He was ready :)

1990

Christmas 1990. S's birthday!! We spent Christmas Eve at Grandma Joyce's. S was born 6am Christmas morning.
D tells the story of waking up and running to our room so excited for Christmas and finding our bed empty so she dashed to the living room and saw Grandma Joyce snoozing on the couch.

D spent the day with Grandma Natalie and that evening came to the hospital to eat my jell-o and meet her new sister. S was adorable and sweet and perfect. Her middle name, Noel, for Christmas suits her well. She's like a big bright Christmas present~ wonderful and full of surprises and a gift in my life.

I felt so badly about missing Christmas with D that we came home that night, of course it was past her bedtime so she was asleep and didn't even know we were home :) but the next day was great and I took this picture of my two girlies.

Friends to play

Today was our turn to have Lu's friends over. We played Candy Land. (and memory and Disney Monopoly)

Played outside, with coats and shoes. It was cold but not too cold to go out :)

Made a couple of crafts. This Snow globe snowman out of paper plates and glitter in baggies, a Santa cotton ball count down to Christmas.

Ate. Watched Belle. Played with toys. They played mom & dad, zoo, restaurant and babies and light sabers.

stuff

Christmas 1989. Dani got a new bike. She liked it a lot. After we opened presents we went to the park so she could ride it around.

On Christmas Eve we always went to Grandma Joyce's house. Dani and later her sisters would run around with their cousins and we'd have cookies and egg nog and open gifts.
Christmas day we'd go to my parents house. With everyone living in the same town it was easy to see everyone.
We always did Christmas morning at our own home.


Yesterday was busy. We got a lot done. I went to Jazzersize, went to the Y to cancel our never used membership, got a bunch of boxes for packing stuff up, went to the Depot to order carpet (took for ever and a chunk of change), got down the Christmas decorations, cleaned up a little, took the kids to Target (they had GCs) and got some much needed warmer clothes and few fun things, did dinner groups with Holly, then went to S to Wal mart for diapers and she needed gas.

Today mom and dad are on a plane flying to Belgium!!

Some how yesterday I hurt my shoulder and it really hurt all night and still. Bummer.

Christmas 1988, Dani was 15 months old.

ghosts of Christmas past

Me and Baby Dani, 1987.

Stay tuned, tomorrow we'll hop to 1988 :)

uh oh, I feel a theme coming on

Me and Alec, Christmas 1986. Sadly my parents were not very good photographers. Don'tcha love the yellow couch. That was cool in the 70s when they bought it. Also love Alec's orange pants!! I don't know why we weren't smiling. This is, however, what I have.

Anna and MSV and Dre 1986. I took this picture. Aren't they cute!!

December 1st! Yea!

Christmas 1987. Dani at the ward social with Santa. It's a good thing she was asleep or it would have been a photo of her crying in his lap :)

Christmas morning 1987. Dani was 4 months old. I loved her little hat! so cute.

Happy December 1st!! Yeah!! only 24 days until Christmas. Some shopping done, no decorating, but the cards are here and ready to address so we're not in bad shape.

Things I am looking forward to this month:

Jenna's Sweet 16 on Friday

Killer Bunnies~ Christmas style on Sat.

1st Presidency Christmas devotional and dessert social on Sunday.

Ward Social

School parties

Karate Christmas party

Dinner groups

S's birthday

having friends over

Christmas

Two weeks off of school

I have lots to do this week. We are starting to "stage" our home, since we're putting it on the market right after Christmas. This does not go well with holiday decorating but we'll figure out something. J's party. I am making the cake and need to shop and clean and I hope to pick up a couple days of subbing this week so that will be busy. It's also my week to help at Activity Days. And I won a free month of Jazzersize so I am trying to fit that in 3x this week. We have dinner groups to sort out. Cards to address, shopping to do. All while listening to Christmas Carols!!! and finding a new cell phone carrier.