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Well it is going on 3 weeks now that I have started my work out routine and eating plan. I am doing alright, I defiantly have my good and bad days. It really makes it hard to eat well when I am stressed and tired, but I am determined to run a triathlon in June, so I am staying on track for the most part. My sister Amber and I are training together and will be running it with two of my other friends (maybe). I have never done a triathlon before or any race for that matter since High School, so it will be very interesting to see how I do. I know I can do the biking and the swimming, I just don't know about the running with my knees. If anything I am just excited to get back in shape, and do something competitive for a change. Wish me luck.

Well after the Christmas let down, I was a little leery about the New Years eve get together that was being planed with Casey's family. Zack and Katie were not very comfortable having my kids over at there house the night before, and it was already 6:30 on the 30th, and nothing had been planned. I assumed that we would be having new years at my house, so that way we could put the kids to bed and have all night to hang out and do whatever. When Tina called and told us to get a babysitter because we were going to go to dinner and a movie and maybe bowling. This sounded so much better than just hanging out at my house, but it was very short notice to get a sitter. We called some of the youth and luckily were able to get one last minute. Nick wanted to bring his boys so we brought Cameron so they could hang out.
We got to the restaurant at about 6:30 and every thing seemed fine. We had a very nice meal and conversation. We all decided to go bowling rather than see a movie (which I thought sounded better), so we could talk and laugh more. We got to the bowling ally, got our shoes, got our ball and were ready to go. Nick put all the names on the board and used funny names for all of us. I was Sniffers and every one else was something different as well. When Nick put Katie's up he put "The Boss". As we all started to bowl we were laughing and having fun, but I noticed that Katie seemed very upset. She gets that ways sometimes and nobody ever seems to know why. I have to be honest, after seeing her like this the past few times we were all together, I did not care!! I was so tired of the pouting that I could hardly stand it. I was there to have fun, so was everyone else. The longer we played it came to my attention that the reason she was upset was because Nick had called her " THE BOSS". I really thought this was so silly. I really don't think Nick meant anything by it. All wives are known as THE BOSS. He did not say BOSSY, if that is how she took it. I don't know, from then on it became very weird and uncomfortable, which was unfortunate because I was having the best game I have ever had (146). I even ended up beating everybody (so fun) but it did not matter, everyone was so uncomfortable that we just wanted to leave after one game!! We all decided to go to Zack and Katie's house for the count down to New Years and have cinnamon rolls. I was not looking forward to this at all, but I was determined to have a good time and make the best of it.
When we got there Katie went straight to her room and everyone else just wandered around. The boys wanted to play Rock Band but Tina said it was retired tonight and that we were just going to have a nice quiet evening. There is really nothing for them to do at Zack and Katie's so they were all just sitting around. Tina needed some yeast for the cinnamon rolls so Casey went to the store to get some. While he was gone I was trying to liven everybody up, but Nick was on his phone texting ( like he always is) and Zack, you could tell was very upset. He was saying that he was going to go to bed soon (it was 10:00). Well I had had it. I was not going to spend my New Years like this. When Casey walked in the door I said to him "we are leaving", "I want to go home". He totally agreed. He went in and said goodbye to everyone since Mom and Nick and the boys were all leaving early the next morning. They really didn't even seem to care that we wanted to go home ( oh well). Well we said our goodbyes and told Zack that we needed to get Cameron's backpack out of there truck so we needed the keys. He went in his room to ask Katie what she had done with them only to find out she wasn't there. She had taken the truck and went to her friends house up the street. I can't even tell you how upset I was. I thought that was in very poor taste, and very immature.
Well Casey and I were determined to salvage the night so we stopped and got ice cream, rented a movie for us and Cameron, and enjoyed a night alone together in our PJ's. Sometimes that is better than anything.

This year Christmas was in Utah. We got to stay at home and have Casey's family come to us (minus Jamie, so sad). It was really nice not having to travel with the kids this year, but I have to say that I missed my family terrible. The traditions that we had growing up are almost imposable to top or even match.
Every year in my family we would have a big Christmas Eve party at someones house with our whole extended family, Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, and Cousins (there was a lot of us). We would meet at someones house and have dinner (mostly a lot of finger foods, which I love). Then we would all gather in the living room, and each family would prepare a skit, program, song or story. It was always my favorite time of the night. We would always start oldest to youngest, which meant Grandma would go first and read her story that she read every year "Davey's Christmas".
Next it would be our family's turn, since my mom was the oldest of the Aunts. We would normally sing a song as a family that was kinda funny, then mom reads a poem that she writes every year about things that have happened to us that past year, it is always pretty funny. Then Auny and I would always sing a duet together. We would normally plan it the night before, so sometimes it would turn out good, other times not so much. But it was always fun. Then came Cathy's family, they were always good at the piano so they would sing or play the piano. Next was Heidi's family. They were always very good singers and Heidi was awesome at the guitar. We then had Tina and her family. I think they were the most entertaining. No matter how hard they would practice and rehearse, something would always go wrong. It was always so funny. Connie was always last  because she is the youngest but she never really wanted to sing or do a program until later in her life when she got married and had children of her own. So we would move onto the Cousin gift exchange.
 We would draw names the year before so we would have a whole year to think about what our person would want, or what to do for them. This was always so fun because we were always so close and would hang out all year long, but were never able to tell each other who we had, it had to be a surprise. So when the time came to x-change gifts it was just as fun to find out who had you as it was getting the gift.
Next it was the adults turn. They did the same thing between the Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents. Although with them, they would make there gifts every year. I have to say, my family is very talented. The gifts they would make seemed like you bought them from a store. They too would pick names the year before so they would have all year to make them. It was cool to see what they would make.
We then would play games all night until we got so tired our parents would have to carry us to the car to go home.

The next morning we would do the traditional, wake up early, open presents and play all morning. As we were playing Dad would be in the kitchen making Belgium waffles and Mom would be making something for the dinner that night we would have with the whole extended family again. At around 4:00 we would all go to the church and have a big Christmas dinner with our whole family. I love this part. We would have the best food, play games and sing and laugh for hours. All the kids would bring the presents that they got that morning and show them off. We always had so much fun. So when I got married and had children of my own, I could not wait to continue this tradition with my husband and kids. But like I said before this is a hard tradition to match or top. We have been away from my family for the past 8 years, and we have been home for Christmas twice in all that time.
Casey's family have much different traditions, and when I say different I mean none!!! We get together, eat food, and then everyone just seems to go there own way. Not much else. It is so hard because I look forward to Christmas all year and it just feels like any Saturday night with the family to me. Even Cameron this year was sad because he said it did not feel like Christmas all that much to him either, and he has not had the kind of Christmas I have talked about, but even he thought something was missing.
Next year we will be at my family's for sure, I can't wait!!     

          

This year has been a very tough year for Casey and I, probably the toughest. Losing Jim and our job in the same month was hard enough, but then having to move 4 months later was almost more than we could bare. Saying goodbye to Missouri was bitter sweet. I have so many fond memory's, but also some bad ones as well. I have made so many dear friends, and I will miss them terribly. They were always there for me when I needed them, especially Carolyn. I know that we will remain friends always.   

I think one of the hardest things about leaving is knowing I will probably never return to MO again. Missouri was always a place that Jim considered home, more than the rest of us I think. Now that Jim has passed on, it seems as though we have all made peace with finding a new place to call home. For the most part everyone has made a home where they feel comfortable and are happy to stay where they are, but I am not sure how I feel. We have moved around so much and I have found good and bad things in all places, but I have never fully felt at home. I don't know why that is but I am hoping that soon I can feel that comfort and peace from a place the way Jim felt about MO, and that I will know without a doubt that that is my home and that is where I am supposed to be.

I feel like UT is a good place for us right now in our lives, but I am not sure if it is the place that we should make our permanent home. Only time will tell.

 It is finally that time of year. I love Halloween!! I love carving pumpkins and dressing up and being scared and of course candy. Halloween has it all. I especially love being a mom during this time of year. When I was a teenager I was so sad because I was in between. To old to do the fun things but not old enough to have children and take them out. We had so much fun tonight. Carving pumpkins is just the kickoff to Halloween.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well this weekend could not have come at a better time. I have been so overwhelmed with life that I have really needed a break. My best girlfriends, Carolyn and Christin from St Charles, came up this weekend for my birthday. We really had so much fun. 

Well when they got here on Friday I was so excited. I could not wait to leave and meet them at the hotel. That night we stayed up until 2:30 talking and laughing. It was so great to be back with them like old times. I have really missed that. Well I had to get some sleep because I had to work at 6:00 that morning and it was now 3:30. When 5:30 came around I was dying. After I got off work at 11:30 we spent the rest of the day shopping. They are so entertaining to shop with. Just the Coach shopping experience was a treat in it's self. Later that night we went to the landing to have dinner. We went to a really nice Mexican Restaurant that was great. After dinner we decided to shop on the landing a little more and then either go see a movie or go back to the hotel and hang out. On our way back to the car we walked past this Bar that plays live music. Carolyn really wanted to go in so we went in thinking that it would be for just a little while, but we were really starting to have a great time, so we ended up staying until 1:30 in the morning. We sang all night and laughed and even were hit on a little (thats always nice). It is one of those Bars that you just make a request for a song and they would play it. So we requested Piano Man. We said that we would go after they played that one, but after an hour of them not playing it, we were getting tired ( I mean I was going on only 2 hours of sleep). Finally Carolyn went up to the piano guy and asked him if he would please play it. He said he would after a few songs. When he finally played it, we went crazy. We were standing up and singing it at the top of our lungs. After, I was so ready to go. I was so tired. As we were walking to the door we herd everyone start to scream, so we turned around and see Jason Yaeger from American Ideal walking up to the stage and grab a Mic. Of course we had to stay and hear him sing, especially because he was playing my favorite song " Faithfully" by Journey. He did awesome, it was a perfect ending to a perfect day.

When we got back to the hotel I was spent. All I wanted to do was get in my PJ's and get in bed, but I wreaked of cigarette smoke from the bar so I hopped in the shower then we stayed up a little while and talked. The next morning Christin and I slept in until 10:00 but poor Carolyn woke up when she herd a car alarm go off. After we all got up and got ready we went back to the landing to shop more and have lunch before I had to get back home so Casey could get to work. After shopping for a while we ran out of time for lunch, so we just headed back to my house to drop me off. I had the best time. I am so happy to have friends like this. Even after I have moved, they are still there for me.     

 

Well today is my birthday. I have one more year of my twenties, then I am over the hill. I really have such a great family, especially husband. Today I woke up at 8:00( thank you very much) and came out of my room to the whole house covered in strings and balloons. Then Casey made me eggs and bacon. After breakfast Casey and Cameron said they had a surprise for me and to go sit down in the living room and close my eyes. So I grabbed Charly and went and sat down on the floor in the living room and closed my eyes (thinking that it was a gift or something), when all of a sudden I hear this nose and I am covered head to toe in silly string, along with Charly. Poor thing was so scared and confused that we could not help but laugh. It was really fun. Well after the string was all cleaned up I opened my present which was a large picture frame and the soundtrack to Lost Boys. I love it so much, I grew up listening to it all the time. We then decided to go have lunch at Red Lobster. I really had a great day. I am really so blessed to have such a great family that loves me. 

Now that Charly is 1 and walking and growing so fast, it makes me a little sad. She is our last, so every phase she goes through I realize it will be the last time I do any of these things with my kids, so I am going to saver and enjoy every minute of it. 

We did have fun though. I made a little flower cake out of cup cakes. When I gave her one she dove right in, it was so cute. We opened presents and played with the toys I got her, but she was way more interested in the balloons. At first she was scared of them, then she wouldn't put them away all night. I love Birthdays, they really are so fun.

 

 

When I was growing up there where so many things I was good at. I was always good at Sports. I was always good at Singing. Most subject in school I could manage if I studied hard enough. But English. I don't know what it was about English, especially Spelling. I have struggled with this my whole life. So of course what do I do, I marry someone who can spell any word, even if he doesn't know what it means. 

 When we had children, Casey and I decided that he would be the one to help them with there spelling and English homework and I would help them with there Math homework, since I am better with that subject than he is. Well yesterday as Cameron and I were practicing his spelling words, ( Casey was at work) he told me that these words were to easy for him. He didn't seem to have any trouble with any of them. They were words like clap, tree, blue, kite, you get the idea. Typical for second grade.  Well after we finished the rest of his spelling words, I got his backpack out so I could sign off on his book that he had done his homework, and notice that there was a piece of paper at the bottom of his backpack that I had missed. When I pulled it out, I saw that it had 10 different spelling words on it. When I asked Cameron about it he just looked at me funny and said "those are MY spelling words". I was a little confused. I asked him "then what were we just practicing". He said "those are the rest of the classes spelling words", "these are mine and 2 other kids spelling words". I just stared at him and smiled. He then proceeded to tell me that he was a little confused as to why he had different spelling words than everyone else? I could not stop smiling, because Cameron's word were Valentine, Again, Decorate, Separate and so on. I swear I almost started to cry, so I told him exactly why he had different words than the other children. He was SO SMART!! He then asked me if that is why he has to go to a different class for reading. And why he has to read chapter books, and no more picture books like the rest of his class. Come to find out, Cameron is reading at a Fourth grade reading level. I didn't even know. 

I can't even express how I feel at this moment. Cameron got Casey's brains!!  I just hope that he gets my Athleticism and both Casey and my Musical talent. That would be perfect!!

Jamie and Carryn came to visit this week, we have been planning this for months. We had been planning all sorts of fun activities. When they got here Monday night we just hung out at home and talked and laughed all night. The next day we went down to the landing and had lunch and just walked around. Later that night Casey arranged for them to go to the Branson Bell for a romantic dinner and show alone. That night we watched movies, had snacks and just hung out. They are so fun and easy to be around. I never realized how much Jamie and I have in common. Wednesday we took them to see the Helicopter business and then a tour around Branson. That night we went to Dixie Stampede. The atmosphere is so amazing and the food is great, we had so much fun.

We had been waiting for Thursday since they got here. Tina came down early that morning to stay with the kids so we could go to Silver Dollar City. Casey and I have not been there without the kids in 7 years so we were really looking forward to this. When we got there it was a little over cast and looked like it might rain any time so the park was not very crowded. The first ride we wanted to go on was Powder Keg, and because there was hardly anyone in the park (at least young people who would want to ride the rides) we got right to the front of the line. We went on that ride over and over, IT IS SO FUN! The rest of the day we just ran from ride to ride until Casey and Carryn started to get nauseous and it started to rain, so we took a break and had some lunch. While we were eating it started to rain harder and harder, it was crazy. Since we were already wet from the rain we decided to go on some of the water rides, BIG mistake. It was so fun but when we got off we were all soaking wet. After around 6:30pm we were so tired that we decided to head back home and hang out with Tina and the kids for awhile.

Friday Jamie and Casey went fishing early that morning while Carryn and I stayed back with the kids. Around 1:00 Case and Jame came back and it was our turn to leave. Carryn and I decided to go shopping and have ice cream. It was so nice to have a break from the kids that we did not get back until 5:00. That night we decided to go see the SIX BROTHERS. They are so entertaining and funny but it was late and the girls were so restless that we decided to leave at intermission. On the way home Charly screamed the whole time. When we were half way home, Cameron got sick and through up all over the back seat. Carryn hearing and smelling this started to gag and almost through up herself. It was a crazy end to a crazy day.

Saturday we went miniature golfing and had lunch. The kids were being crazy at the restaurant so we took them home and Jamie and Carryn went out. That night we stayed in and played games, watched movies and laughed. Sunday they had to leave early to catch there plane in Kansas City, but we really had so much fun, it came at such a good time. Case and I really needed the break. Hopefully we can see them again soon, maybe this time at there place.