Goodbye 2008!!!

Where did December go? I can't believe it is the end of the month and more especially the end of the year. I guess we better get ready to start a new year. Ready or not . . . here it comes!!!

Our family had a great Christmas! The kids were spoiled rotten! Jason and I broke down and bought a Wii for the family. We got Aerosmith Guitar Hero, Mario Kart, Wii Sport, Wii Play and Wii Fit. The kids have had a great time with it! Jason and I were forced to play a couple of the games tonight since we hadn't played before. We bowled one game, played a few games of tennis and then did a round of boxing. Yes, Jason beat me in all three games, but we had fun! I can't believe I am sweating after playing video games!!!

We have had a great 2008 and look forward to an even greater 2009! I have been thinking of some New Year's Resolutions for myself. The first thingI am going to work on is to get my Diabetes under control. I was officially diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes a few weeks ago. I was started on Metformin. I will be going to Diabetic Counseling at the hospital next week. I am actually looking forward to it because I want to feel better. I will actually learn what I need to do and what I need to eat so that I can keep my sugars under control. Today makes it one year that I started working out at Curves. I can't say that I've lost much weight, but I have lost a lot of inches and I am stronger and feel better. I am going to stick with Curves again this coming year. I just need to be better at attending 3 times or more a week. I also am making a goal that I will be more organized this year. I will work at decluttering my house.

This year we have a lot of things to look forward to . . .
* Megan turning 16, driving and dating :0
* Amanda taking a trip to France this summer
* Zac starting Kindergarten
* Lexi turning 12 and going to young womens
* Kristen turning 9 and knowing everything there is to know about everything (yes, she is right behind me reading over my shoulder)
* Jason getting a 1% raise - hee hee
* Me getting smaller and healthier
* Mocha (the Stud) getting a date or two

Those are just a few things we have coming up this year.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

This is for Mom : )

My mom just sent me an e-mail wanting me to update my blog. Apparently she didn't see my "I'm thankful for . . ." entry that I made last night. I know I have been bad at updating my blog. Things have been crazy!

Here is what has been happening in our family: Megan is busy with school (classes and social life in the Student Activities Committee and Key Club). Amanda is busy with school also (classes, preparing to start Academic Games and Student Body Officer meetings). Lexi is busy practicing her clarinet for her concert next week in school. Kristen isn't that busy these days. She just loves to come home from school and watch re-runs of Extreme Home Make Over on the DVR. Zac is just Zac. He is happiest just trying to keep Mommy on her toes all the time. Jason is working lots of overtime hours. Allison is relieved to have the Ward Christmas Party over with!!! She is also busy shopping and getting ready for Christmas.

We had Megan's friend Andrea take some pictures of our family last night so that I could get some Christmas cards sent out. Here are a few of the proofs . . .



The "real one" will be coming soon in the mail (if I have your address). If not, I will post it on my blog soon.

Take time to enjoy the season!!!

I am thankful for . . .

I've been reading a lot of my friends' blogs and have been inspired to take time to list some of the things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for . . .
* My husband
* My kids
* My parents
* My brothers and sister
* My in-laws
* My grandparents
* My home
* My health
* My friends
* My testimony of the Gospel
* My many, many, many blessings
* ETC, ETC, ETC

I am so very blessed! I thank my Heavenly Father for loving me so much and for blessing me with so much each day!

It's about time!

Okay, I've been getting a little bit of slack (okay, a lot of slack) from my friends wondering if I am ever going to update my blog. I really haven't had time to keep up on it too much. I keep thinking that maybe things will start to slow down a little in my life, but they never do.

Here is what we've been up to since my last post:

Halloween Activity at the church. Jason and I are the Activities Committee Charimen in our ward. We had an activity on Thursday, October 30th. It turned out to be really great! We had a LOT of people come to our activity, parade, trick-or-treat around the church. I was glad to see so many people there! It was a lot of work, but certainly well worth every minute spent planning!

Halloween - October 31. My kids were all out of school that day, whether being off track, no preschool or out for the end of the term. We went to Gardner Village to see the witches (along with everyone else and their dogs). I was really ornery, but trying to be happy for the kids. We visited with Great Grandma for a bit as we went trick-or-treating at her house. Then we came home to get ready to go out for the night. The kids got way too much candy and I was way too tired when we got back home. It was fun, but I am glad it is over for another year!

November 4 - Lexi's 11th birthday!!! I will go into more detail in another blog. She had a very good birthday and was spoiled rotten :) She had a birthday party this past Saturday (Nov 8). We went bowling and to Leatherbys. We had a great time!

1st big snow day of the season! Zac and Jaxon played outside for about 3 hours the day it snowed. They helped me shovel the sidewalks and then they went out back to build a snowman. They had so much fun! The snow was about melted when the girls all got out of school so they missed out on playing outside.

Today - I went to preschool for about an hour with Zac until he was okay. He has been throwing major fits when I leave him at school lately. It is driving me crazy! I've tried to ignore it and just leave him kicking and screaming. I've tried staying for a minute and then leaving. Today I stayed for an hour and helped cut papers out for an activity. I left when he was no longer looking back at the table for me. I hope he did okay. This "power trip" or whatever Zac is going through right now is about to drive me crazy. I love him dearly though!

Okay, so I tried to upload some pictures to add to this, but there is something wrong with my computer. I will put photos on later.

Phantom Photographer

I was just downloading pictures from my camera to my computer and found some mysterious pictures that have been taken. I thought they were cute. I think Zac got a hold of my camera and was taking pictures of many different things around the house. I thought I'd post his cute glow-in-the-dark ghost and shape witch that he did in preschool.

Lloyd's Custom Welding

Please check out our business blog. It is at http://www.lloyds-custom-welding.blogspot.com/

This is where we will be posting pictures of some of the metal art that Jason has done. I am trying to get him to be more productive in his off work time ;)

Anyone see my horse?

I went to Walmart the other day when I was having a bad day. I was walking around looking at all kinds of stuff. I came across something that made me actually laugh out loud! I made an impulse buy, but it was worth every penny!

Hey, has anyone seen my horse?




Ride 'em cowboy!

(Yes, I am a little crazy!!!)

October Update

Where did this past month go? We have been so busy doing so many things in our family. I will try to remember the main things that have happened.

We spent September and part of October at the Vista Softball Field. Lexi (Blue) and Kristen (Red) played softball. They are both doing so good! The games are a lot of fun to go to! Both girls played in many different positions on their teams. Kristen was awesome at Catcher and Pitcher. Lexi was awesome at Shortstop and Third Base. I love softball!

We went to an open house for the Oxbow Jail. Jason was part of a demonstration for the M-Cirt (Movement and Critical Incident Team). It was awesome! I about died when I saw him march in with all the gear on to show how they deal with non-compliant prisoners. I'm glad Jason is prepared for an emergency at the jail, but I am even more glad that they don't have to use these skills very often. It was impressive! (That is Jason trying to force the door open.)

Lagoon - we have spent most of our summer there and especially the past few weekends at Frightmares.

Besides all the other "normal every day stuff" this is what we've been up to this past month. That's about all for now . . .

The BIG 4-OHHHHHH!

Okay, so I did it . . . I turned 40! Can you believe it? People are saying now that 40 is the new 20. I hope that is true.

I had a big surprise to come home to after a softball game early Saturday morning . . . Megan & Amanda had decorated the inside and outside of our house with "Over the Hill" stuff and tons of balloons. They also baked me a cake and lit 40 candles. We just about had to call in the fire department. I got lots of nice presents, phone calls and e-mails for my birthday. It is always nice to know there are people out there who love me ;)

Zac starts preschool and turns 5!!!

I am way behind in my blogging. It has been over a week now since Zac started back into preschool for the year. He is going to Bacchus Elementary Preschool this year. He loves it. Here he is on his first day of school . . .

Also, Zac turned 5 last Friday. I can't believe my baby is 5 years old! He had a really fun SpongeBob birthday party. Here he is on his 5th birthday . . .

First Day of School (the second time)

Okay, so Amanda was looking over my blog and saw that I posted Lexi and Kristen's first day of school and not hers. She was a little jealous! Here are Amanda and Megan on their first day of school for the 2008-09 school year.



Amanda is in the 9th grade at Jefferson Jr. High. She is a student body officer this year, Media Specialist. She loves it!



Megan is a Sophomore at Kearns High. She is really enjoying her health class (Pre-Nursing) and driver's ed.

Las Vegas Wedding Album

Las Vegas Wedding Album

This is the wedding video of my brother Scott and his beautiful bride Jerilyn. They were married at the Belleza in Las Vegas. I am very happy for both Scott and Jerilyn. I want to officially welcome "Aunt Jerilyn" to the family (even though you've been part of the family for years). Congratulations to the newlyweds!!!!!

Field of Dreams at the Bees Game

Kristen's softball team was chosen for the Field of Dreams at the Salt Lake Bees game last night. They were able to take a tour of the stadium, stand by the players during the National Anthem and had their names announced and pictures shown on the "big screen." It was so much fun! They had a wonderful time! Kristen and I both enjoyed the "mommy & me" time we were able to spend together also!

First Day of School

Monday, August 18th was the first day of school for Lexi and Kristen. Lexi is starting 5th grade and is in Mrs. Cloward's class. Kristen is starting 3rd grade in Mrs. Weller's class. I am very excited for both Lexi and Kristen this year in school!

Scenery of New Zealand

I couldn't get all my 400+ pictures to add to my last slide show, so I put mostly people pictures on the last one. This one will be just the beautiful scenery. It was very cloudy and overcast so you can't really see the total beauty of what I saw. I still think it was the most beautiful place I have visited so far! Grandma and I had a WONDERFUL time!

New Zealand

New Zealand

Kia Ora! Grandma Mackay and I have made it to New Zealand safely. Our flights were good and we experienced no problems at all. We have seen some BEAUTIFUL countryside here! Mom & Dad live in the city. We haven't gone around Auckland yet. I think that is today we will be checking things out around "home." We have been up North a little way and then to Corom.... (something I don't remember the name right now) Penninsula yesterday. The scenery here is so amazing! I hope my pictures can capture at least a little of the beauty here. I will have to post a slide show with all the pictures I've taken. We are waiting for Dad & Mom to get back from the mission office this morning so that we can go out and look around. We will be going to Takapuna Beach today. The sun is up and shining right now. It is cool but not cold. It is just beautiful! I'll update later . . .

Boating & Utah Lake

Phil & Keli invited us to help them test out their boat this past weekend. We had so much fun! Phil, we are really glad that your boat is fixed finally :) We'd love to go out boating with you guys any time. The kids are already begging me to call you and ask you if they can go again ;) The weather was perfect and the water temperature was perfect. We had so much fun!!!

Singin' in the Rain

So, last week we had a tremendous amount of rain hit around us. It started with a few huge rain drops and then quickly turned into big balls of hail. Then it turned into a huge downpour. My mom IM'd me and asked if we had started building our ark yet. We almost had to. Anyway, the kids enjoyed playing out in the rain and in the gutters afterwards. I had to get out the camera that day. I thought I'd share those with you :)

Exciting Night!!!

Okay, so last night I did something that I have been waiting for most of my life. What is this momentus occasion? . . . Curious? . . . Really? . . . Okay, I saw Jimmy Osmond, live, in person! (Oh, the rest of the Osmond family was there too)

For those of you who don't know, I have had a crush on Jimmy since I was probably 7 or 8 years old. I used to watch the Donny & Marie Show and kiss the TV screen EVERY TIME Jimmy would be on! I had books, posters, etc of Jimmy. My favorite movie for a long time was The Great Brain! (I wish I could find a copy of the movie now!!!) Anyway, I had (have) a huge crush on Jimmy.

Last night my friend Kim and I went to the Conference Center to the Pioneer Day Celebration. We listened to the Tabernacle Choir and the Symphony at Temple Square and really enjoyed it. Then the Osmonds came out. You should have seen me . . . I had to remind myself over and over to breathe. Oh man, Jimmy was still HOT! I was in HEAVEN!!! The concert was amazing, but I loved being in the same building as Jimmy (even just for 1-1/2 hours).

Thanks Kim for getting tickets and allowing me to go with you! I will be your friend for ever and ever!!! ;)