Goodbye 2009

2009 has been a year of ups and downs, as I imagine it has been for everyone! Thankfully, Rich and I still have our jobs and are employed full time. I know of so many families out there who are looking for employment and my heart and my prayers go out to you. Even in their time of need, these sweet friends I think of still continue to serve and strengthen our family. They are truly people I look up to (one has a most awesome blog - I need to ask her for tips how to make mine look as cool as hers!)
We are surviving the teenage years with a son who is 14 and taller than both his mom and dad. He is our "breaking in" child as he is the oldest. I often times think he must have volunteered for this in heaven as being the oldest cannot be easy. Everyone expects more out of you, expects you to set the example and never have a meltdown! Just think, I only have 4 more to go thru this with!
We were blessed by my Mom and Dad to go on a great family reunion to Pagosa Springs, Colorado this summer (Rich had to stay and work - that was a bummer!) The kids had a great time with cousins, aunts and uncles and of course Grandpa Dexter and Grandma:) My younger two ask every day when we are going again today. After a 9 hour car trip driving the 5 monkies by myself, I informed them it was going to be a looong time!
My youngest is going to turn 5 in January and that means kindergarten next year!! I cannot believe I have reached that stage where all my kids will be in school. Brandon is a freshman now and it just seems like he was my cute 2 year old running around. Darin is going to turn 12 in 2010 and will receive the Aaronic priesthood. It is going to be wonderful to have 3 priesthood holders in our home.
It has also been a year of tests and trials. Some of the trials I thought we would never have to go thru, but thankfully we are starting to see the reason why for them (even though I still grumble at times about this certain trial and ask "why me?!") Guess Heavenly Father just needed to really beat this one into my obstinate head and I am going to just have to keep looking for those lessons I am supposed to be learning.
I am so thankful for my immediate little family and my extended family. It is so wonderful to know that I can call up my mom, dad, brothers and sisters - in - laws and vent and bounce ideas off of them. Sometimes it is nice to get a new perspective on things and I think I wear my husband out by constantly crying to him.
I was released from the Primary this year after being in there for 10 years. I miss my primary kids and I miss singing time!! So far I do not have a calling in our church, so I am trying to lay low and not remind them. I am enjoying the time off from it!
2010 promises to hold many new and exciting things. More dance lessons and plenty of baseball games with 4 boys playing in league baseball this spring.
Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!

Christmas Day

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! Little bit late with the photos but I was trying to figure out the new camera. We all had a wonderful day and the kids were so excited to help each other out with their gifts and actually played nicely together. Now to put all the stuff up.....

Preschool Christmas Program

Camryn is my youngest child and the last one to attend Mrs. Billing's preschool. My oldest did not attend as a group of mothers did Mommy School. A dear friend told me about Mrs. Billing's preschool for my next child, Darin. All of the rest of my kids have attended her preschool.

Every year she puts on a Christmas program with the children. So fun to watch them perform the Christmas story and sing songs. I did not get a video camera until last year, so unfortunately I was not able to video tape the others.

Camryn played Mary this year and she loved it! She also is the redheaded girl singing in the christmas songs. She is like her older brother, Darin, and likes to perform and ham it up for any video opportunity. Now if that particular talent could only earn them some money........then Rich and I could retire:)

Does anyone know how to get the popup ads from underlining key words in my post?! I do not know how to make them stop.

Secret Santa

We woke up last Tuesday with a Chistmas card on out front door. I love receiving Christmas cards and seeing what my friends and family are up.
I opened the card just expecting to see Christmas greetings (which would have been great!) Instead someone put $200 dollars in the card and an $100 dollar gift certificate to Toys R Us. In some ways I feel guilty as I know there are so many people that are more deserving and in need of it. I have been the recipient of Christmas presents being delivered to our house 5 years ago, when Rich lost his job 2 weeks before Christmas and I was 8 months pregnant with my last child. I felt the same way then, that someone else must be needier and could benefit from it. I cried both times that someone had thought of our family and showed great love for us.
My family did a secret santa for a friend a few years ago. Her husband was out of work and she was frantically searching for a job. It was the best feeling in the world to be the giver of the Christmas gifts!
For now, I will just take this kindness and blessing and be thankful. I have already made a goal that next year I will do the same for someone else. I am a big believer that it is better to give than to receive!!
On a side note, our sunday school teacher made an awesome point about gift giving. He said often times our families just need our time and that is the greatest gift of all. I am going to try to keep this in my life this next year. The housework can wait just a little bit longer so I can give the gift of time.
Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

P1100127 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

P1100127 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This picture is from our work Christmas Party we had the first week of December. I cannot figure out how to just get the picture off Flickr as a friend took them and put them on this website. The party was lots of fun, awesome food and so fun to see everyone dressed up instead of wearing scrubs. It was also fun to just go out as adults and no kids:)

Christmas Songs

My daughter is cracking me up right now. She is standing outside, singing Christmas carols at the top of her lungs, waiting for her brothers to come home from school. I sure hope the neighbors enjoyed the free concert as I know the neighborhood had to have heard it. Anything to embarrass her brothers!! I do believe that is her goal in life at the moment.

4 year old dance recital

Is there anything cuter than watching a group of 3-4 year olds dance in their recital? I am very blessed to have a great friend that runs Miss Beverly's dance loft out of her house. She has a master's in dance and still currently performs with a group called Conder (which I believe is a mixture of modern dance, ballet and movement - in other words I need to go watch Bev perform!! She has the patience of a saint with her classes and the girls learn so much for her. She has been a sweetheart and let me exchange helping sewing with the costumes in exchange for the lessons- I love having great friends!! I also have to say that she has had 4 kids (oldest is 12 and youngest is 4) and she looks like she never had them!

Hard here to tell who my daughter is. When the group finally sits in line on the floor, she is the one who spins around first. She also has a bun in the back of her head - not on top. The whole group is just so much fun to watch!!

Orchestra Concert

Darin performed in his 6th grade orchestra. He is right behind the music stand, in front of the conductor. The piece performed here was "Believe" and I think they did awesome!!

This piece is a Christmas melody. Darin changed from the violin to cello and has done a great job!

This is Silver B ells. Enjoy and I hope this helps bring the Christmas spirit!!