merry ruined christmas

It's not really ruined of course, not yet anyway.
Well, my Christmas shopping is pretty much done. Pretty much as in Pete and Gab what do you guys want?!

We went to Edmonton like a month ago or something and that is the last time I took pictures, but they didn't download, so here ya go from forever ago.

(this picture is obviously from oct or november, it's way to ridiculous to have an outside picture with the 7 feet of snow that is here now.)

Alli thinks Santa is visiting Lethbridge this week. She asked if the Santa visiting the mall was the real one, not like the pretend one at the church party. Oh dear. I guess the complete madhouse of Santa at the ward Christmas party wasn't sufficient. So we visited Santa on this freezing freezing (as in -29 without the windchill) cold winter night.

(I know, sorry you have to see this messy face picture that only I think is cute.)

It's worse. James has seen like 3 of his Christmas presents. I thought maybe we could sneak a little train set in the cart and he wouldn't notice. I didn't think he did until he started telling people he has a train and train tracks. Then after the horrendous Calgary trip, noted in the post below, James caught a millisecond glance of the trunk, so short I wasn't even sure he was even looking. Well, we got home and he was like where is my boat? I want to play with my boat!

I'm not sure if Santa has anything James hasn't seen yet. This kid remembers dang it! But I'm not really worried about it for him. However if Alli catches on to anything she might not put it together this year, but since she remembers what present she got from Santa last year (and she hasn't even seen it or played with it since the summer) she might remember the happenings of this year next year and put it all together. But probaly not...

I'm an awesome mom right?


And to top it off, Alli told her Primary class that I'm having a baby. Great. Because I'm not. Her teacher was all to me, "So is there a congratulations in order?!" UMMMM, NO! She has been asking me to have a baby for a few days now. She also keeps talking about our house in Cardston and when we move back with a baby. James has been talking about the Cardston house since we moved here. Don't they know how good we have it here?!



What is going on around here?!

The Santa is watching you is not working as a disipline tool. (what the heck?!)

Alli had her first ballet performance. I took no video or camera. We'll just pretend they never had a Christmas recital.

But, good news. It's been so long since James had an accident in the pants that I can't even remember when it was, YAY!

Other good news, Alli wanted to cuddle with me 'for forever' today. So we did, until 9 o'clock this morning, it was the best.

And the talented Rebecca Cooper is doing a mini giveaway photo session for the spring. I want to win. So don't enter!

mom jeans

welcome back to me. who know how long i will stay...

So we have been doing the same old this and that. Having fun and all that. Apparently not having enough fun to have anything to write about though.

And I put up an eyes closed picture of the kids last post and really had to do just one more of them.

We just got back today from a ridiculous weekend. Derek and I planned a trip up to Calgary for this very weekend a while back when football was FINALLY over and before too much Christmas fun began. So Friday after school we decided we were ahead of this so-called blizzard warning. Well, we got past Lethbridge and met the 'so called blizzard.' It kinda gave a whole new meaning to the term white-out. I'm not even exaggerating one bit when I say we were in a complete white out for more than half the trip from there. I'm talking I can about 1 foot in front of the car. Derek said, the roads weren't bad, it was just bad visibility, to which I replied. Yeah, I guess the roads weren't bad if you don't consider 2 small black strips of ice covered highway bad roads.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!

(this is from the internet, I would have been glad if that is what it looked like. We would not have been able to see the ruck in front.)

I was literally sick to my stomach. I kept trying to fall asleep so I wouldn't have to look, but I couldn't. When we finally made it to Susie's house almost 4 hours after we left (normally a 2 hour drive) I was so tense I had a headache and a backache and a sore neck. So THANK HEAVENS we made it. I NEVER would have gone if I knew it was that bad.

I think it was worth it, as we drove past the ditches before Calgary littered with cars and semi's. We dropped the kids off at Susie's with a babysitter and went out to eat with them. The kids were so lucky (and Susie and Ryan so kind) to stay over there and Derek and I stayed in a hotel and went on Saturday to do our Christmas shopping.

Did some good shopping. Pretty much started and finished shopping in one day. Now one to the title.

I got the kids some goods and thought I'd fancy myself a new pair of jeans for Christmas. Now, this is quite the task of life of many women. I was blessed for many years to be able to buy whatever jeans from wherever with no worries. Sale on jeans? I'm there, no matter what the style, looking and feeling not bad. Then came a child, and it became a little more difficult to find that fit, but the second, near impossible now. You know, it's got to hit you at the right place around the middle while keeping the bum and thighs looking well. And speaking of the bum, gotta keep it, and those lovely love handles TUCKED IN. Easier said than done. I swear, I cannot attend a girls night where the topic of good jeans and baby names do not come up!

Well, I hit up a bit of a sale at the gap. I grabbed a few styles in various sizes and colors. The job is not done right unless you try on 17 pairs I'm quite sure. And then it happened. I pulled up a pair. They felt just right. Snug with a slight stretch. A nice little boot cut look. Slim but not too slim through the thigh. Buttoned up just below the waist giving me that TUCKED IN feeling....wait...buttoned up just below the waist? I turned around too stare at my own rear end. There it was my friends. The biggest mom bum I had ever seen on myself. I almost laughed outloud. I had never seen myself that way before. I showed Derek and he knew something wasn't quite right in the front. Then I showed him behind and how high it went up, and the disaster that was my bum. He gave a little chuckle, and said, 'umm you can't get those.' So the jean search continues as it will for life I'm sure.

But I have one secret I'll tell about those dang mom jeans. I LOVED how they felt! There I said it. And hey, the 80's are back, so I'm thinking anytime now, since we're already wearing the skinny's, we'll jack 'em up again too.

Butt...I guess there is no way those are comfortable.

I have nothing

(Please note James)

I have nothing to say these days. I don't know what it is, but I just don't have it on the blog lately. I must be getting blind in the monotony that is life. Nothing wrong with that because I'm happy and life is good, just makes for a boring blog the last couple months I guess.

So what else is there to do in a time like this but find a tag and tag yourself so you have something, anything to blog about to get things going again.

I found this tag over at visible voice. She's a crack-up. I guess you just have to make jokes to get through when you live where she does! Well, I've been sneaking on her blog off and on for awhile as per Rhonda's advice. Turns out, she sneaks on me here and there too! COOL! If we all started fessing up, think of the webs we could weave!
Anyway, on to the tag. They are all the same, but different. So read on if you want to see my family pics from Rhonda dispersed throughout your in-blog entertainment.

Your Hair:

LOOOOOONG. The longest it has ever been ever and I love it. I have the occasional dream that I get a huge chop of a haircut and it's cute, but I'm devastated inside in that dream. So I'm not ready to lose the locks yet. The last time I had a chop was 3 years ago at Christmas, right before Brooke's wedding here. I loved it there and I do sometimes miss short blond hair. But if we are keeping score, I get checked out way more when I have long hair, even in the mini van. (c'mon don't pretend you don't notice when you get checked out) and who doesn't love that once in a while?!

Where is your cell phone?

in Derek's pocket

Your Mother:

Good, Great, Grand. I mean where would I start? We live with her, she is a saint (you too dad!)

In the mountains where she belongs! (I make fun of her for how much she goes hiking, mostly cause I'm jealous)

Your Father:

A genuinely good person. If he wasn't my dad and was a guy I knew I would still have the same respect I do for him.

(how can you not respect a __ year old guy who wants to try out his new wakeboard?)

Your Favorite Food:

Seriously, I love all food. I'm not picky. Put something in front of me and I'll most likely eat it. I'm actually trying to remedy that slightly. I don't exactly have that teenage metabolism anymore, dang it. I need boundaries. But I enjoy chocolate and bread in all forms and a good casserole....(please tell me i got a laugh at that)

Your dream from last night:

It wasn't a haircutting dream. I do dream all the time, but I don't remember, I had to share a bed with the sickie James and he is a manic in his sleep too. Kicking me all night.

Your favorite drink:

Derek makes good drinks. I like the margaritas and pina colada's, but lately I want starbucks hot chocolate. (any flavor with will do) There is this dang distance factor in the evening when I'm cold and craving one.

Your Dream/Goal:

I should probably have some of these.

What room are you in:

Kitchen, James is sitting beside me eating an orange. errrrrrr, go to bed!

What is your hobby:

I should really get some more of these, but I'm content right now. I still like to run and workout. Also, I'm doing piano lessons and I crave to be good at it, but I'm not. That's about it.



What is your fear:

I'm not going there. I hate talking about it enough that I don't want to write about. I said it on here at one point in time and I'm just not up for right now.

Where were you last night:

Working.

Something you are not:

I'm not really passionate about anything. Sometimes I wish I was, but that's just not me I've found. I think if I didn't have kids, I would go back to school and either get my degree in nursing or do something interior designish. I would love to be smart enough to work in a real ER. Or to get all the swirlling in my head decorating ideas organized and really find my true style and DO it! But the whole kid thing is workin for me right now.



Muffins:

Just waiting for the bananas to over rippen!

Where did you grow up:

Here. Good ol small town Raymond. Blah boring, but I love it!

The last thing you did:

Swept the kitchen floor

What are you wearing:

Jeans and a black shirt, exciting, I know.

Your TV:

my friend.

Your pet:

no thank you

Your friends:

the BEST!  I have many.  Here are a select few having a hearty laugh while the waiter played photographer.  Apparently I got a real kick out of it.  And how embarrasing that I'm wearing the same shirt as in the fam pics!

Your life:

Not bad. Derek has a good job. We are healthy and happy. I'm really trying to focus on the little things with my kids these days. Just enjoying them. I don't want to waste time feeling guilty about the things I might not be the best at as a mother or in life. It's not fair to me or my family.



Your Mood:

Not a good mood, not a bad. Just here, kinda lame I know.

Missing someone:

Always.

I wasn't going to do it, but ok, I miss Jacklyn all the time. Sometimes I don't, but mostly I do. Is that pathetic? Well if it is I don't think so.

Please don't hate for this picture Jack, I love out lipstick.

Vehicle:

The van is making a weird noise. I still reach for the clutch when I drive it. (the other car is a standard)

Your Favorite Store:

I like stores. I just like going in them, and I'm a SLOW shopper, so I usually go alone or drag the kids to make it even slower and yet less productive at the same time.

Your Favorite Color:

I don't know, Green I guess

When's the last time you laughed:

Oh laughter. It would take too much background and too long to type and then you might not even laugh, so I won't but oh James. If anyone watches SNL I'll tell you the story.



Your best friend:

The one and Only. So hot.



One place you go over and over:

ummmm, crazy?

One person who emails you regularly:

I'm not a regular email kinda gal, but I chat to Susie regularly.

Favorite place to eat:

This is where I am weird. I mean I like most foods, which in return means I don't have a definite place I LOVE to eat. I just like going pretty much anywhere that I don't have to cook.

Where do you want to be in six years:

Wow, 6 years. I would be happy being right where I am right now in life. (minus living at the parents, did you have a small heart attack mom?) Things are good, and I can't complain.

TAG You're IT!

I have loads more pics, but I'll spare you.  I'm so happy with them!

Hope this was all as exciting for you as it was for me!

don't worry, i'm still a slacker mom.

I think I do things pretty much the same living with my parents. I try not to get in their way too much. I clean up after the lot of us most of the time, just like if we had our own place. (own place...sigh) And so my routine may involve a little nap here and there.

Last week I was reading the kids some books on the couch. The next thing I knew I woke up to THIS!


Falling asleep in the afternoon while reading is no surprise for me even when I thought I wasn't tired when I sat down. When I woke I thought I must have been sleeping for an hour with the mess. The kids had got into the games cupboard as you can see. I jumped up (for fear of the time and my mom or Derek would be home any second) and looked at the time and realized I could not have been asleep for more 5 minutes or so. 5 MINUTES! Not bad kids, not bad. I let them keep playing with all the stuff for over an hour. They weren't wrecking anything, so I decided why not. And I made supper. Derek did see the mess (and helped me with the looooong process of cleaning up) but my mom didn't, phew. I guess she'll see it now.

We are really liking living here. I'm so glad my parents are happy to have us here for a while until we figure out what is next for us. The kids really like being around the grandparents, and being here whenever anyone else in the fam is here for a visit. My parents are gone to their condo in Arizona right now for 2 weeks, so we are really partying it up here...really.


On Monday we decided to go in the hot tub for fhe. We don't take the kids in very often, and I don't know why. They LOVE it! It's like a mini swimming pool. I decided to snap a few pics

This picture cracks me up, clearly she was getting some coaching from Derek for this pose.

Let's all get a good laugh at Derek's face in this picture

Maniac

On a final note, that has nothing to do with me being a slacker mom or a fun hot tub mom, tomorrow is Remembrance Day. Neither of my grandpa's served in the war for various reasons and I'm not quite sure I remember exactly why. Mom Dad, remind me? Both of Dereks' grandpa's served in the war. Derek's sister Mindy wrote about this on her blog. She wrote some good things and has good pictures.

The one thing I have heard grandpa Hicken say is how when he was over in the the war in the army, he and a friend saw all the planes and thought it would be so cool to be doing that. So they asked if they could change to the air force and they did. He flew on over 20 missions (or more maybe?) and they were all successful.
When I was 14 or 15 my family went to France. While we were there we went to a couple places that were affected by the war. I remember rows and rows of crosses, and I remember a little tiny village that was still there in ruins. If I remember right the small place got attacked and pretty much everyone was killed. There was a tiny cemetery filled. Almost incomprehensible.
Derek loves learning about the history of all these things. (he would love to teach social studies) Me, I haven't been as into it. But I do have a deep respect for all those that served in the the war and are serving right now. We are so blessed to be in a country where we are free. It doesn't matter all the politics of the war when it comes down to the people who are serving and putting their life at risk. When you hear stories about what happened in the war, you can't help but be affected by them. My mom usually always took us to the cenotaph in Raymond for the ceremony on Remembrance Day growing up. I sometimes thought it was annoying to do on our day off school, but I understand now.

do people still care?

I'm not too late with the Halloween post, right? I've kinda been working a little bit more in the evenings this week because so many of the nurses are off sick and they are so so so short and it is ridiculously busy there. Every once and a while I'm nice and work extra, but not often! Speaking of...I refuse to bring up my day of waiting in line last week for the H1N1 shot, terrible experience all around. But I will report that the clinic for 5 and under in Raymond today was a success. I walked in, and there were 3 of the 7 or 8 nurses just waiting for me to choose which one would be graced to give my screaming kids a nice needle.



Anyway, Halloween was really an event this year as usual. My kids had the countdown on. I don't know the source, but I heard Halloween was 2nd only to Christmas in it's celebration. Ummm, no. I'm not a complete Halloween Grinch, (ya might as well have fun with the kids by now right) but all the sugar and treats, no good. I have zero self control this time of year, not that I have any during the rest of the year either.

We did manage to have the token pumpkin carving fhe of course. Except I totally forgot to take a picture of the finished products, they were good too. I drew on a face of the pumkin, other than that Derek did it all the rest with the kids, I'm still a little grinch. And for that, I cut off his head in the picture, oops! I think they carved 3 or 4?



Ryan and Sarabeth had a party the weekend before with kids and the whole deal. (See picture of the whole fam jazzed up above.) So fun of course. You really can't go wrong with a dance party in the basement with the lights out and glow sticks, it's the best part every year! The kids had so much and so did everyone else. Then Britt had a couples dress up party at her house the day before Halloween. Everyone dressed up and it was fun to hang out. So by the true and real Halloween I was dressed up out. Alli was bummed that we didn't dress up with her to go trick or treating, then she got over it when she remembered you get candy when you go, so who cares who is dressed up!


I could not get the kids to look at the camera. The street was already a buzz with children receiving candy for nothing! There was no looking at me.

After the kids were settled into a nice sugar high, I took off to Lethbridge to meet up with my good ol friend Melissa. She was up for a few days from Las Vegas visiting her fam. We went with Shelly out to eat, and let me tell you, nobody is out at restaurants on Halloween, but the staff really dress it up! We had fun talking and laughing our faces off.



Another successful Halloween done and done!


Also, here's a look at dresser uppers from the party.

The winner of the night. Peter Pan and Wendy (a preggo wendy, hehe)

Zombies

The tie for 2nd. I'm bummed you can't see in the picture, but this just happens to be a preggo nun! (I totally messed up taking a picture of Rebecca the photographer, dang it!)

The other 2nd place. Princess Laya and the guy with her...!
The ol angel and devil
Julie and Jeff, the farmer hillbillies

Ok, Tara's husband ditched on the dress up, so she posed with Jill

The other angel and devil who showed up late and TOTALLY showed us up! (seriously I was a little scared of Matt)
We needed a little H1N1 to spread
Ok, I lied. I missed one couple. The killer bee's were there with their clever non copout costume..right Marisa?!

take a deep breath...and run

I skimmed over my half marathon a while back like it was no big deal.  Well, it WAS a big deal.

I wrote this a week or 2 after the race while I was waiting for pictures and then I forgot about this post.  I'm really glad that I wrote down some things then, because there are somethings I might have forgotten. 

SO, here's the story of the half marathon

There was a bunch of us from Derek's family that all went down to run the Hobble Creek half Marathon in memory of Peggy.  We ran it in Utah at the end of August.  It was a race she wanted to do.

I left my kids behind thanks to Alyssa and my parents.

I felt so good the whole race.  My last few miles were sheer adrenalin, I have never felt anything like it.  I'm sure I really didn't, but it felt like I was sprinting the last mile, I couldn't hold myself back.  I think I passed 30 people on the last mile, I'm not exaggerating, it was amazing.  I came up where the family finishers and family fans were, and I was overcome.  I had tiny tears in my eyes, but I was so happy.  I DID have to take a deep breath.  I have never felt that way before, especially at the end of 13 miles.  I can't really describe it, but it was a feeling of so many emotions I'll never forget.  I wish I was better with words to be able describe it, but I don't think it's possible to describe the way I felt.  

(and as great as I was feeling on the last stretch, i might just be calling for help here)

I ran it just over a minute faster than my first half marathon in May, 1 hour 53 minutes.  I was happy with the time, but I would have been happier if I beat Austin and if my time was under an hour 50, but oh well.  Dang 17 year old boys who don't have to train.

(love these gals)

I don't think I'll EVER feel like that ever again during a race.  But, that's ok, because I'll always remember the way I felt that day as I came in 459th place, (hehe, well, there was 1200 people in the race) feeling like I just might vomit, (and completely satisfied with that feeling), being cheered on by hundreds of strangers, thinking how great this family is and thinking of my mother in law and how awesome she was.  I miss her.

Our shirts said, as you can see on the front, 'take a deep breath.'  That was a phrase Peggy often said when someone would be stressing out about this or that.  I can hear her now (for some reason I'm hearing her say it to Brooke....hmmmm)

On the back it says...'and run.'  We were running for her that day!

Also, can I brag about my husby for a second?  his first half marathon, he was in the top 100 finishers!  I think he ran it in 1 hour and 34 minutes.  umm, yeah, he's hot, i know.  (but I kinda want to hate him for it because I probably trained double him.)

alli dear

My little Alli is a 4 year old today! Do I really have a four year old?



I have never minded getting older, and I'm not usually an 'oh, my baby is growing up tear, tear' kinda person. I like all the stages and growing and enjoy the fun that comes with it. But for some reason I can't wrap my head around the whole four year old thing. It's weird to buy size 4 clothes. I don't think I ever really pictured my life past toddlers for my kids or 30 for me. I still have a couple years to go before I see what life is past 30, but it's weird, I never really thought too much about life after the baby/toddler years. And now that James has been potty training this week and gave up his soother a couple weeks ago, and has been in a bed for a while and even that haircut, I realized I have dreamed about what it might be like to not have a baby. So far, it's pretty dang good and the same except I didn't take a diaper to church today.

I know I'm gonna think of a million things more tomorrow, but a little list of what this gal is up to these days.

-These days Alli is very into ballet. I don't remember if I have aid on here that she is in a class once a week and looks forward to it all week, and dances her moves around the house. We had a ballet friends party on Friday. (my first 'friends' party for my child. See she's growing up!?)


-She loves to color, play doctor, dolls, and princess (she is always looking for who will be her prince. James likes to be the monster or the beast while wearing a princess dress, but not the prince.)




-Alli loves all things sugar, but usually always eats her vegetables, so it makes me feel a little better. Also loves chicken nuggets and chocolate milk
-always stays awake in her bed after we tuck her in to look at books.
-writes her own name
-knows which is left and right
-loves this dang snow, but knows I don't
-her hair is grown enough that I can leave it down curly and the chunks almost go unnoticed to the untrained eye (and I'm slightly ecstatic about the whole thing but still won't be straight down for a loooong time) note the non pigtail pictures this week!
-loves to sit and have stories read to her
-asked me the other day when we are getting our own house (no plans in that department yet)
-loves to sing sing sing really random stuff
-always wants to help me in the kitchen
-makes up words on a daily basis. like today she said scrumbly and stubla. i can't think of anymore right now, but it's weird.
-loves going to her primary class at church
-always asks if we are getting a babysitter
-sneaks into bed with us occasionally for a good cuddle
-can still throw a pretty mean tantrum
-wants to be robot for Halloween, but probably won't be. (come on, how am I gonna do that?)
- and, she is so stinkin cute I can't even STAND it!



I'm so happy and proud of my four year old. She is great big sister to James (mostly...) and a great little girl to have around. She is full of life and a personality all her own. I love her so much and just crave to be around her and James having fun doing our own thing

Happy Birthday Alli!


And my big boy James had a great time at the ballerina party. He danced like spiderman, made the ballerina puppet, and just sat and watched all the girls get their picture taken having a great time. He pretty much cracks me up on a daily basis.


Why do we always think it is the cutest thing when a kid put on a pair of glasses/sunglasses? That, and bathtub pictures, random. But look, he IS so cute, and I am clearly entertained!

did you know?

Well, I didn't know.  I have this 'stack' of very important 'things' that happened on this very day I couldn't help but share a few.

But first, Happy Birthday last week to Derek.  I plastered the walls of the Raymond Junior High School with photocopied pictures of Derek in junior high, just to let everyone know he is 31!  He loves me.  He loves me when I put random pics of him on the blog like last month, and he loves it even more when I put them all over the school.  He loves me and I love him!

But, Back to business here.  On THIS day...
In 1908 - The Model T automobile was introduced by Henry Ford. The purchase price of the car was $850. 

1933 - Babe Ruth made his final pitching appearance. He pitched all nine innings and hit a home run in the 5th inning. 

1962 - Johnny Carson began hosting the "Tonight" show on NBC-TV. He stayed with the show for 29 years. 

1970 - Jimi Hendrix was buried in Seattle, WA.

1971 - Walt Disney World opened in Orlando, FL. 

1987 - Eight people were killed in Los Angeles when an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter Scale hit the area.

1991 - The white crystal-beaded glove worn by Michael Jackson was stolen from the Motown Museum in Detroit. M.C. Hammer offered a $50,000 reward for its return 

1994 - The NHL team owners began a lockout of the players that lasted 103 days.

1995 - Nearly $1 million was raised at the Farm Aid concert in Louisville, KY. The musicians that performed were Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Hootie and the Blowfish, and The Dave Matthews Band. 

2009 - Threw a baby shower for my friend Steph and teeny tiny baby Austyn here tonight, Success!

And, to top it all off on this very day, Julie Andrews was born in 1935, along with Jimmy Carter in 1924 and Vladimir Horowitz in 1903...

oh and ME in 1981!

Interesting STUFF!