All good things come to an end....2009

Dear 2009,

You came too fast and you ended too fast. Where did you go???? Last year we all were shorter (well the kids that is), getting ready for Disneyland, new homeowners, getting more fit, busier than usual and well to be honest I am not sure if I am ready for you to go........

Rach

Dear 2010,

Here's what I want from you and I am not asking much....

1. A firmer BUTT . Yes I know.....you said not much but like I said....I know it can be done!

2. To complete my half marathon. I know you say again not much but I know....I just KNOW we can do this! We will run across that finish line.... You and me AMY!! We will rock that marathon!

3. Well as far as the husbands Job goes...... I just hope 2010 whatever you bring....We know its for a reason and to be quite honest I am excited for new adventures to be brought. So bring it on!

4. To become a better mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend in 2010. There is always room for improvement!

5. And like all New Years resolution letters 2010, I finally ask....lets just make this a fabulous year of learning, love, gratitude, excitement, resolution, adventure and courage! I am very excited so lets get started and see where we end up next year!

See you soon 2010!

It will be a ROCKING NEW YEAR!

Your truly,

Rach

WAKE UP MOM! WAKE UP DAD! 2009

You know Christmas is different and that your older when you hear from the roof tops....

"WAKE UP MOM!!!"

"WAKE UP DAD!!!"

"SANTA CAME....come on get UP!"

The boy finally got some legos!

Me putting on Clo-bears necklace

I got a "Snuggie" along with many other wonderful items

Diana opening up her scrapbooking stuff..... her dad was thrilled ;-)

Clo-bear with her new game

Ahhh.....We just woke up...but hey not too bad.

Diana with her beloved WII game....

Is that superman?!?

Sister charms

Clo-bear with her Charm necklace on

It was splendid this year. We had a wonderful Christmas not because of what we were given but because of the time we got with each other.

My mom will love this one.......

When I was little, and I do not think I am alone here, on Christmas Eve, I would wake up, plugging the Christmas tree back in to sit and adore the LOOT that had miraculously showed up under the family tree. I would then go check out my stocking ever so quietly to see what I had been blessed with and then meticulously put each item back in its place. After an hour or two I would then tip toe back to my bedroom not before I glanced back at the beautiful sight landing warm in my bed only to wake up a short while later for Christmas to begin.

Not much has changed.

I still do this....

much to my husbands dismay.

He gets quite flustered at my "Peeking" skills.

Oh well....

It is quite peaceful on Christmas eve when you sit warm on your couch to watch the Christmas lights with warm cocoa in hand.....

......anticipating not your own anymore but the light you will get to see in your childrens eyes in a short few hours. Christmas is so magical for a child and I am lucky to have seen it three times this year in each of my childrens eyes.

......You need Milk and cookies with that!

I have a confession, I like to bake.

Are you shocked???

As my witness, my poor Kitchen gets quite the work out, especially around the holidays. I will see a recipe and "have to try it out" , making cookies, breads, cakes....well you get the idea.

Christmas eve is not the exception at our house. We pull out the mixer and ingredients for our cookies and whip a FRESH batch of cookies for Santa and his team.....wink wink! This year the children chose sugar cookies from a recipe they saw in my cookie magazine. The recipe turned out to be OK but nothing shooting off fireworks in the sky. I think next time well stick to my favorite sugar cookie recipe!

Chloe and Diana decorating the cookies

OK funny story....this is one of two cookies that ended up with frosting on it. Taylor ATE the rest of his lemon zest frosting......before frosting the rest of HIS cookies.

Cutting out the cookies! I love my large counter......a big improvement from where we used to live. I virtually had NO counter space!


OK people....My husband and Taylor are starting to loose it. I think its called....
"I ate too much frosting syndrome!"

Yeppers......he is sticking his tounge out. We are gone!

Ok now Daddy is chasing the kids around....

Remind me....

Do I have three kids

OR

Four?

.....Smile!

Welcome to my home!

Pure CRAZINESS!

I like it like that!

and well...lets face it.......

Eating frosting in large glops can do things to a person whether your big or small!

Goooooodies GALORE!

We used a lot of this......

to make these.....

We enjoyed ourselves quite thoroughly......

Do you notice the heavy machinery we were using?!?

After all that cooking I got the kids together to make up some of these cute cards. We tied on some ribbion and were on our way out the door to deliver our packages.....

It was a lot of fun to take our children caroling this year. We kept it sweet and simple, singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas" and surprisingly we all were mostly in tune....Not that we are going to audition for the sound of music anytime soon!

I am sounding out until Christmas and if I did not already tell you......

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Love,

Rach

Snow

What do you get when you mix a three 1/2 year old, a HUGE bag of stuffing,

and a mom on the phone......

Snow on your stairs!

Happy Birthday Sis!

I want to wish my big sis a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

We've both come a long ways.

Osa is not so little and my little ones have grown up fast.

We hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Love ya tons

-Little Bro. (Keith) and the family!

You reap what you sow.....

Merry Christmas Tiger

WINNER!!!

GUESS WHAT........

We won this at my husbands work Christmas party........

I never win and lookee here.... we went and won ourselves a WII!!!

Isn't life great!!

Proud

Mothers are there for us in childhood, cheering us on, giving us the push to do our best.

Well now its my turn.

My mother had surgery to change her life.

So Mom for all the times you CHEERED me on....

Here's to you...

Go MOM!!

I am proud of you and all that you have accomplished....

it will be an amazing finish.

I love you!

Love,

Rach

Choo Choo

Grandpa D. came down this weekend with a surprise up his sleeve.....

what was it you ask....

Well lets just say the kids were more than thrilled to see what he had with him....

Mom not so much when she heard it go around for the 40th time ....

but hey it was for the kids, right?!?

A Christmas train that goes inside the tree....how neat.

We love it and all the joy it brings to the tree!

I love you Dad....

Love,

Rach

P.S I think we need to get a bigger tree next year

Little fireball

Chloe is our little fireball, a burst of energy that intertwines cheer and chaos all at the same time. I love her and am so grateful to have lil'Clo-bear in our home.

I snapped up this yummy photo of her on Sunday before church....

I love the SPARKLY RED shoes ......

and if anyone knows Chloe they know....

how much she looooooves shoes.

Love,

Rach

P.S I am doomed when she is a teenager as far as shoes and Clothes go...

The land of enchantment

Where we live there is a holiday tradition called Storybook Land that has been put on for almost 40 years with the help of hundreds of local volunteers. With miles of Christmas lights, lit displays, walkways formed out of Christmas trees, and trains it creates for a land of Christmas merriment and enchantment for children of all ages. It is not Christmas without visiting Storybook land in our house.

It is one of our family tradition's and I hope it will be for many years to come....

In awe.....

Oh how she has grown this year.....

I love this man with my WHOLE heart and then some....


One of the train displays....



Wait...mom wants a picture...."but mom....."

Diana and I's favorite: the dollhouses

Hmm......my three little chipmunks.....

Mama bear and her brown eyed boy

Clo-bear and her cheese filled smile

Taylor

Diana deciding "To believe or not to believe....?"