2008 wrap-up

2008 has surely been great!
Mainly because of our dear little Kate,
What do you do with a child that's 2?
For starters she's learning #1 and #2.
Most parents will know that this task isn't easy
Learning to go potty can sometimes be cheesy,
The victory dances, the stickers and treats,
And she tells of her successes to whomever she meets.
But alas through the messes and the sanity tests,
We're proud of our Kate, and think she is the best!

Ryan is loving his work and his trade,
This year he has switched from 3rd to 5th grade.
The kids at this age seem to get all his jokes,
They sure do love him as well as their folks.
The Parents at Deerfield show their thanks through and through
And it's thanks to them we go on date's too.
We're grateful for his job and our wonderful life
And I'm happy to say that I'm sure a lucky wife.

The focus for me this year was to run,
My first marathon I can say that I've done.
St. George look for me cuz I'm comin' again,
Can't wait to start training for 2,000---10.
We hope for the holidays you cherish the time
with family or friends or the loved ones you find,
We'll do the same, hoping to see you near.
But until then Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Can't wait for new adventures in 2009

I'n da cowboy

Yesterday I heard Kate playing in her room then I peeked in and she was climbing on the changing table saying "I'n da cowboy....heee haaawww!!"

To be needed

So I keep asking if Ryan will survive while Kate and I are in California for a week, and he says "Yes, but it won't be the most productive week though"

i thought that was funny

Oh to be needed and wanted is great!
Don't you love it when the photographer has you do stuff like this and you feel so dumb...it so isn't natural?? CHEESE!

Ode to Babs

Babs is my grandma, who is kate's Great Grandma... the name Babs came from my sister Amy's little boy Maika...He (if I remember right) just up and started calling her babs instead of grandma and it kinda stuck...

So the other day ( the 2nd day of endless snow-those of you in Utah probably know which day I'm talking about) I went to pick up Babs to take her and give her a perm. It was freezing outside and I got to the salon where the temperature was set to 71 but show up and definitely felt like 56 degrees. I wasn't about to have my 91 year old grandma sit there with soaking wet liquids on her hair for 2 hours just to come home to catch pneumonia. So we went back and Kate and I spent the day together with my mom, and Babs. First my mom sat in the car while I ran my errands so that Kate could sleep then we went to get lunch for all of us.

(Background on the lunch) The night before all of this my mom was sitting watching TV with Grandma and a Carls JR. commercial came on with a big juicy hamburger and fries..and out of no where Babs said with a watery mouth "wooooww...I want one of THOSE!" so it was decided that the next day, my mom would get her a hamburger for lunch. When we asked her what kind she wanted and what she wanted on it she just said "EVERYTHING" Onions, pickles, cheese, the works. Oh and she said she wanted Fries and a coke. SOOO Stinkin cute I might add.

Another background....Babs normally eats like a bird.. I went ther today and she had a small yogurt sitting by her with about 2 bites taken out of it.

So we get home with her combo meal and we all sit at the bar to eat it and I seriously was dying with how adorable she was... she sat and ate that whole entire hamburger and "MMMM ed, and OHHH ed" the whole time, she also said "this is the BEST hamburger I have EVER tasted" Now knowing grandma Pete that doesn't say much because she's always one to say that something is the most or the best. But I truly can say that I believed her at that moment that to her WAS the Best hamburger she had tasted (at least in a long while)

After that we just hung out, and my cousin Todd came to visit, then we turned on Mama mia so Kate could dance... it was a -to say the least- very pleasant day!

I now look at life hoping to see it as Babs would see a hamburger, with a positive outlook and satisfying with each second.

So thanks Babs for the fun filled and memory building day, i'll never forget the parable of the hamburger.

No picture Christmas

ok so here's a sad thing, we just spent a super fun trip/vacation/memory building Christmas and New years and I just looked at my camera, and I didn't take one picture!!!! seriously? was I too busy to pick up the camera and record the memories? yea I'm a lot bugged by that! we did get christmas morning on video though so at least we didn't miss that. So I'm hoping my mother in law...Kim took one or two pictures of our trip down there to New Mexico...

2008-s holiday season was a blast I thought and where do I begin? I had a wonderful time this year being able to spend it with my side of the family with Christmas sandwiched between the parties. We had a good time 4 wheeling and tubing at jennis, fondue, and a hilarious nativity. We also had an awesome day with my mom eating, laughing and playing all sorts of games. We even got to sneak away just the adults for a short shopping trip.

Christmas day was by far my favorite, we stayed in our pajamas ALL day and watched probably 4 movies. Kate was a dream boat that morning, afternoon, and night. She loved her new toys and spent the day busy with them which made relaxing easy for mom and dad.

After mom's party on the 26th we took off to New Mexico for New Years. what a fun trip that was, it was low stress and we were able to chat, 4 wheel, play cards, learn how to make new treats and much much more. New years eve was fun but Ryan and I only lasted until 11:30. Thanks to all families for a wonderful holiday season!!

Gi-ar-di-a

Has anyone ever had Giardia? yes the bug or parasite, that you get from hiking and drinking out of a stream 0r I should say drinking downstream...

We probably don't have it but seriously, We have had some nasty nausea and stomach issues for the last week or so... I'm over it but now it's Ryan's turn...I'm hoping it passes Kate by. So I got online to look up our symptoms and it matches Giardia.. lovely!

Anyhoo I have not been thinking blogging mode for a long time even though I have lots of things that have impressed my mind lately. I haven't blogged about them because they are pretty personal but I have to say that I'm looking at life in a whole new light mainly because I'm understanding the gospel AND Jesus Christ in a way I hadn't before, and I feel that when you get a glimpse of what the gospel really is (and when i say glimpse I really only mean a taste or instead of a teaspoon maybe just a pinch) of what Christ means when he says HE is the living water and by drinking from his fountain we will never thirst more...So when I get a pinch of that I feel what true happiness is and could be in my life. And truly I have a very happy life.. there is just so much more out there that we don't even know about-or I guess I should say... I ....didn't
know about-

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is really where we will find lasting happiness, and I'm so happy to be a part of it.

so that's kind of where I've been lately, and about drinking from His living water I'd much prefer that than downstream water that apparently Ryan and I have been drinking from.

Cotase: toothpaste

Family Pictures

Thanksgiving 2008

thanksgiving consisted of sleeping in till 9:00... getting ready and going to Jays...

We started our first Wells family 5k turkey trot this year and had a good turnout...Samantha and Steven came of course, Jen came and I am so excited to say that Ryan and Jay came (there was a little kicking and screaming but they came:)

after the run we got ready for the day and cooked till everything was done.. and had a super nice dinner....Kate slept while we ate and just as we finished she woke up so I got to sit down and eat my whole meal with no interruptions... ( although I will say that she was an angel face today, and lately, I've enjoyed every second with her-she probably hasn't changed, I've just had a outlook shift perhaps). Jen had some fun decorations thanks to Paula (her mom) which I'm thankful for because it made for a nice meal and a nice time spent together.

After we ate we went and did a pinata in their basement and the kids loved it... Kate, Ryan, and i all got to take a few whacks at it, and of course the kids loved the candy part.

The turkey tiredness started setting in so we didn't quite get to the bowling part of the day, and people started packing up to go home. Kate and I eventually came home leaving Ryan at Jays cuz we're in a fight......Just Kidding he is going pheasant hunting in the morning with the men...

Can I just say that I feel really lucky to have Ryan as a husband, he has let me go and do a lot of girl stuff and I'm excited that he gets to finally get out and go do some man time. I hope he has a good time, he deserves it.

So we're home and Kate's in bed and I'm just trying to figure out what I want to do with myself tomorrow...something fun I hope

Thanksgiving this year was a lot of fun for me and definitely created some neat memories thanks to the Wells family for taking me in and making me a part of theirs I truly feel welcomed, and hopefully we can create more fun traditions in years to come.

Kate lately

Turfey: thirsty

how to eat a piece of toast... tear it apart with your hands and pull out all the inside stuff leaving the crust till all the insides are gone.

favorite thing to wear: turquoise polka dot dress to dance in while saying "pretty dress, pretty dance" She got this dress from Meagan, one of the teachers that Ryan teaches with.... her girls tended Kate and somehow we ended up with it... it's actually a life saver cuz Kate loves to wear it every day. so it's definitely being put to good use.

eating cereal (honey bunches of oats) for breakfast, lunch and dinner if mom let her.