Austin the Artist

So here is a drawing Austin did last night. He is taking an art class in school and loves it. We got him a art set for Christmas and this is his first picture from that set. Can't believe how good he is although I shouldn't be surprised considering his genes. It all comes from his father. I'll post a few more later that he wants to re-do. You will be amazed. Thought you'd enjoy this.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR FAMILY & FRIENDS

Merry Christmas everyone! I wanted to update my blog for my family so we can all feel a part of each other's Christmas since we can't be together in person. So it still amazes me that I can take a picture two minutes ago and share it with all of you two minutes later. Aren't we blessed! And what fun it is to share our joy with all of you at this special time of year. So...this is how our celebration began. We put up the tree and for some reason I didn't take any pictures. Sorry! Then Austin cleaned the house and set our table and created this napkin tree. Isn't he clever? He's always amazing me with his creativity. The pic is out of focus. Sorry. But you can see it well enough.

Then Austin made sure we purchased a gingerbread house for he and Whit to decorate. I think we did this the first FHE of December. We had our tree and home decorated the day after Thanksgiving this year which is a first. I'll try it again next year too. They had fun decorating the house. Here they are leaning over the roof trying to assemble the "V" shaped porch covering. They should just stand on their heads don't you think?

Here is the completed house. Reminds me of the story "Hansel & Gretal". Only just the good happy parts of the story. The tree to the side of the home later received individual ornaments etc. Really quite excentric. Austin again is very detail oriented. Cute huh?

Next comes all the hustle and bustle which we don't have pictures for thank goodness. But yet it is still fun and is part of the holiday experience each year. When I am busy working full time all we have time for each evening is Choir concerts, Ward Christmas dinners, YM/YW, sledding, snowmobiling, working out at the gym trying to burn off some calories ahead of time, homework, college finals, etc. etc. Wow how do we survive it all? We take one day at a time and enjoy each day! It was real fun this year. Wish I had pics of each of these things. But then it would be like watching old home movies for some. So...all of a sudden Santa twitches his nose and it's Christmas Eve. We went to Herricks new home this year and had a nice dinner and lots of delicious desserts (not to brag but my desserts turned out just as good as the filet mignon). Just savor that for a moment and your mouth will start to water I'm sure. So here is Austin holding his bubbly last night at the dinner table. My kids love sparkling apple cider. They even ask for it in their stockings each year. Austin had to share this particular bottle. Sure added to all the wonderful flavors.

My two great kids were awfully good this year. Austin kept asking last night how Santa manages to land on the roof tops and not get hurt. He's 12 yrs old but still wants to be 5. We'll savor that too for as long as we can.

So as I mentioned we had steak, red potatoes and that delicious Grand Parisian salad from Costco. I don't know what it is about that salad but I just love it. If I'm hungry I can eat the entire thing myself. We had a great time visting with Preston's parents. We took a picture of them too but poor Grandpa is just not photogenic anymore. I'm sure he'd prefer we not post that picture so I didn't. Life is getting more challenging for them each day. As my friend says "getting older is not for sissy's". So...happy thoughts...here is my sweetheart and I last night.
Our twenty third Christmas together. I'll talk about that more later. We just celebrated our 22nd anniversary. Can you believe it? Where does the time go?

After we filled our tummies of dinner, two different kinds of fudge, gingerbread cookies and my homemade almond rocha we decided to let it all settle as we read the story of Jesus' birth from Luke chapter 2.

Came home and finished wrapping a few gifts (all the gifts) except the ones the kids gave to each other and us which they had already wrapped. Look at this homemade bow made by Austin. I'm going to hide the store bought ones again next year so he can be creative and make his own. Thought you would enjoy seeing his creativity again. Inside this box from Austin to whitney was a belt. Whitney all year has stolen her brother's belt so for Christmas he thought it would be appropriate to buy belts for her. Her very own.

So the kids were spoiled as usual this year and received just about everything they wanted. It's hard the older they get because their gifts just become more expensive every year. Some years they really have to wait until Christmas to get things they have been wanting all year. It worked out this year for sure. So here's Austin with his big request. He loves to build stuff and he especially loves to find things around the house to build with. So he wanted this marble thing it has over 400 pieces so it might keep him busy for a couple hours. He's just too smart for his own good. But he was real happy to get this and be "busy" today building and building and building some more and then tomorrow he can build it another way and change it up somehow.

And then there is our patient, parent-forgiving daughter, who finally after way too long finally got an ipod. I think she's the only one amongst all her friends who didn't have one. That's ok it's been good for her to wait for this (I think). She was very surprised and is very happy to load all her favorite songs and more songs and her favorite movies, etc. It's amazing how much data this thing can store. She loves the "killers" and Andrea Bocelli and Disney songs and on and on. To say she loves music is an understatement! She also got the movie "Mama Mia" which she and I will be watching again today. We've seen it like three times already. We just love, love, love, the music. We sing and dance around the house when it's on. The story itself has issues but the music is so fun!

Again, Merry Christmas everyone. Thanks for listening to me but I just love reading and looking at pictures on everyone else's blogs too. Now on to my next big project. I need to overhaul my blog. Thought I would tackle it later today or tomorrow while I have the time. Want to do "2009 Year in Review". Would like to do as a slide show but don't know how. I'm sure my hubby does although he does get a little frustrated with me because I don't know how to do anything on the computer. Really. If someone wants to call me and tell me how to do one that would be great. For example, I couldn't take out the SD card from my camera earlier I didn't know where it was. Then I couldn't believe it was possible to insert that card into our tv and watch a slideshow of all the pictures. Wow can't believe that's possible but it sure was cool to do that. Mom and Dad - we need your digital picture frame so we can load new pics onto it if you haven't already done so. I have some great pics of our family vacation this summer, pics at snoqualmie falls, on the go carts, the boys at a car show, Whitney in the King & I, etc. etc. The King always said that too "Etcetera...Etcetera...Etcetera...". I'll quit talking now. Have a great Christmas and enjoy the last few days of 2009! We love you all!

So Many Things To Be Thankful For

Just feeling grateful tonight. For those of you that haven't heard I'm employed again back at Webb Accountancy Corp. I think I go through these trying experiences to learn more about myself and to appreciate what I don't have and what I do. I am so grateful my job was not filled in my absence and that the Webb's were willing to give me a second chance. I learned that I don't want to go back into the insurance business but I will keep my license up to date just so I have it. I do love explaining insurance to those who don't understand it but I want to be able to do it on my terms. It's something I know I'm good at but I'll just use it as a way to help other people for fun instead of work. I'm very grateful for a supportive husband who was willing to let me figure things out for a couple months. I'm grateful Preston's business was doing as well as it was considering the sad shape of our economy. The timing of everything was terrible but amazed that it always works out if we keep the faith. And that's not easy to do as I found out. I'm grateful to be employed, to have an income to be able to assist in meeting our financial obligations and provide those necessities for our family. Things are way too expensive these days. Just the necessities, even. Poor Whitney wants to get her license so bad but it's so stinkin expensive for the "insurance" and gas and......Maybe in a couple months she'll have the experience she needs and we'll feel comfortable with her having her license. She's so patient with her imperfect parents. She's busy with the school district musical this weekend of "The King and I". I get to go see it tomorrow in the afternoon and I understand it's just wonderful. I'll post pictures just as soon as I can. I'm grateful for wonderful parents who always make sure that life is more than comfortable. Grateful for their advice and understanding and patience with their child who is not a very talkative individual. I keep to myself I'm sure more than I should. Grateful for a son who on my first day of work says "so mom how was your day?" He's always so thoughtful and thinking of what he can do for others. Grateful for the love and prayers I feel from family and friends all the time. I know I never say it so: I love you all. I am grateful for you all and appreciate each and every one of you for anything and everything you do for me and my family. I must be feeling the spirit of the Thanksgiving season and wanting to post it in writing. Happy Thanksgiving. Wish we could be with all our family and friends this Thanksgiving. So instead we'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers. I am grateful for the opportunity to be thankful.