Party, Party, Party!!

The last month has been one giant party. Me and both of my kids had our birthdays in January. We started the celebrating on the 10th at Kaleb's grandmother's house. Grandma Bessie and Grandpa Gary hold special places in our hearts. =) They're wonderful, caring people and there's always a warm togetherness in the air anytime we're there. They always hold birthday dinners on one Sunday for any birthdays that occur during that month. It works perfectly to get everyone together and celebrate. There were *Worms-n-Dirt* cupcakes and all three of us each got a turn to light up the candles and get sung to.

Then the official birthdays began. Mine came along first on the 14th. Kaleb and I went out that following Saturday. We pawned our kidlets off on Grandma Knobel for a sleepover and went to dinner and a movie. We ate at the always-yummy Olive Garden and went to see "Leap Year" at the theater. The food was delish and the movie was cute. It's always strange to watch movies with Amy Adams in them since I tend to feel like I'm looking in the mirror when I look at her. =) We slept in late (which was a TOTAL treat!) and then we went to brunch at a place called MacCool's. It's an authentic Irish Pub with authentic Irish dishes, stone tables, musicians playing Irish tunes, a fireplace, and out back in the bar they have a huge shuffleboard table. After we stuffed ourselves we played a few rounds of shuffleboard. The staff was so friendly and it's a new favorite place of ours to go. We've been there a few more times and have taken the kids there as well. We're thinking of going there for St. Patrick's day. The staff said it's always one big party with music and dancing and the whole works. We enjoyed being able to escape responsibility for a couple days, but we sure missed our little ones! Funny how that works...  You always feel like you'd jump at the chance to *get away*, and you usually do! But then when you ARE away, you realize how much you miss your kids and how your entire world revolves around them. =) All in all... it was a good birthday weekend for me. Here's a pic of our cute kids at MacCool's for their first time...

Next came Angela's birthday on the 26th. We took her out to dinner at a restaurant of her choosing. She chose Applebee's and we all enjoyed more yummy food and had the staff come sing to her AND Justin. It was quite entertaining to watch them try and squish both their names into one song. We all enjoyed their giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae. Mmm!! That is a MUST-TRY! Next time you go to Applebee's, try it! Super-yummy! =P After dinner we took Angela out shopping to pick out a Nintendo DSi. She had decided that was what she really wanted for her birthday. A HOT PINK one, no less! She got to pick a game out to go with it and has since added a couple more games to it. She absolutely loves it! All of her cousins have one and she has been wanting one of her one for quite some time. Now she talks constantly about getting all of her cousins together so they can ALL play their DS's together. lol. Such a cutie-girl, she is. I still can't believe she's 6 now...  She's turning into such a wonderful, beautiful young lady. I'm proud to call her my daughter. =)

We had her official birthday party that Friday. She had been begging for a slumber party for forever, and I finally relented. It was fun, but I'm not sure I'll be doing THAT again any time soon!! We had 6 other little girls there, not counting Angie. We had pizza, a pink, rainbow-sprinkle cake (which I baked!), and presents. Each girl brought their favorite game and we took turns playing everyone's games. We had candy and popcorn and danced amidst balloons to Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana music. We watched a movie, "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs", which was pretty cute. Then, at about 2:30am I finally threatened everyone with beatings if they didn't go to sleep. LOL!!  =D We all had a blast, and Daddy was super-awesome and took care of breakfast so I could escape to my Saturday-morning math class down at UVU. Amazingly enough, I was able to stay awake through the entire class and completely ACE my chapter test!! Woo-hoo!! I was totally psyched... I was one of THREE perfect test scores in the entire class! Even MORE amazing was thee fact that when I got home from class, everyone was still alive and the house looked like only a MINOR train-wreck. *hee-hee* I was able to help see everyone off, and then the cleaning ensued. We managed to repair the house by lunchtime and we ALL had naps after lunch! I think all the girls had a great time and Angela got some cool gifts. However, next year I think we'll party somewhere other than at home and leave the aftermath for someone ELSE to worry about!

Justin's birthday was next on the 30th. We figured since he was only turning 2 that he wasn't quite at the age for an official *friend* party yet. But we did celebrate with family and close friends for the special event! Grandma and Grandpa Christesen came over during the week with Donuts bearing candles for both kids. Justin absolutely LOVES getting sung to and being able to blow out candles. You have to negotiate with him to wait to blow the candles out until AFTER the song is over!

Then, on his actual birthday, that Saturday evening, we had close friends and family join us at McDonald's for cake and presents for Justin. He, again, thoroughly enjoyed the singing and candle-blowing. He had a few bites of his yummy, double-chocolate cake with sprinkles, (which I also baked myself!) before he decided it was time to play again. His favorite toy he got was a remote control WallE. It's pretty cute! He also got his very own copy of UP (we had been borrowing Uncle Kassidy's) and some smaller, poseable WallE and EVE action figures. He's an official Pixar Addict. =)




The kids also got cute birthday cards with money in them from Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Clark and also Great-Grandma Christesen. They loved getting their own money to take shopping and promptly put the mula to good use! Angela was also taken to dinner and shopping by both the Knobel grandparents and Grandma Bessie and Grandpa Gary. My kids aren't spoiled in the slightest! ; )

All month long was full of cake, presents, and fun! *whew* BOY am I ready for things to slow down a bit now!! I need time for me AND my bank account to recover! =P I am so thankful for my two beautiful kids and that they continue to grow cuter and more love-able. Each day you think it impossible that you could ever love them more. Then time passes and you realize that couldn't be further from the truth....

'Tis the month for many celebrations!

I started my Math class this last Saturday. 8am. THAT was tough to get up on a Saturday morning to go do math...  ugh. And I'm sure it will only continue to get harder. But once I woke up and got there it went really well. I was really worried because it's been FOREVER since I've done math. But it seems to be slowly creeping back into my "old lady" brain. =) Yes. I said "old lady". My birthday is this Thursday. I will be 25. Or, as Kaleb has enjoyed pointing out, halfway to 50 or also a quarter of a century old. It's alright. He's an old fart too. ; ) 


It's really odd as you get older. Birthdays come and go, and they fly by faster with each recurring one. You always hear from those older than you that time only speeds up faster and faster as you get older. But you never REALLY get it until you start getting older yourself. And it's SO true! You wake up one morning with yet another stiff back and look at your kids and wonder, "Who the heck are these children and where did my babies go???" I know some would say, "25??? Seriously, you're still a young punk!" But, honestly, 25 is one of those ages that make you stop and wonder where the time has really gone.... There was a day that 25 sounded reeeeeeally OLD... 


My two beautiful babies have their birthdays this month too. Angela Mae will be 6!! I can't believe it! She's growing so fast! They both are! Little Justin will be 2. Officially a toddler. It's absolutely insane. It makes me feel even older. *sigh* Ah well...  such is life... and it's okay, because life is beautiful... and the passing years only enhance it's beauty...

My New Years Resolutions...

I've never been big on making resolutions for the New Year. It seems as though people (including me!) make goals and get all excited about them, only to forget them two weeks later. It's slightly depressing! So this year I'm not going to set any specific deadlines with any specific numbers or a specific goal or anything. I am, however, going to list three areas I want to work on throughout the course of the year. I feel that as long as we are constantly striving to do better, we cannot go wrong. Specific dates and/or numbers are not always necessary. So here are my three areas I will be striving to improve :

1) Be a better mother, wife, daughter, person

I will be more kind and loving. I will be more open and understanding. I will be more patient. I will be more trusting, even if it hurts. I will be quick to forgive and non-judgmental. I will be approachable and make people feel comfortable and at-ease in my presence. I will not let a single day go by that I do not tell my family, especially my husband and kids, that I love them. I will be the kind of person that others turn to for help. And I will help them in any way I can, even if that is only by listening.

2) Improve my Physical health

Yes, I want to lose a few pounds and tone up, but I also want to be as healthy as I can. I am going to limit the amount of junk I eat and cut my meal time portions in half. I am going to start snacking on healthy foods. I am going to cut down, or perhaps even QUIT soda altogether. Since switching to diet sodas I've somewhat lost the desire to drink soda anyways. I will drink water and juice instead. I will exercise a minimum of twice a week for at least 30 min or more. I will also begin taking a daily vitamin.

3) Improve our Financial health

We will open a savings account and begin putting a few dollars each payday into it...  and we will NOT touch it except for true emergencies! We will also start college funds for the kids. The dollar amounts we put into this now may not be much, but it will add up. And as we get older and more financially sound, we will increase the amount we put in each payday.

One specific thing I do want to list as a goal is that we attend the Temple at LEAST once a month. Whether as a couple or individually.

I wanted this to be more general than specific, but I think maybe it turned out more detailed than I planned! Oh well! That's what happens when I let my mind rattle out onto paper. =) 

Here's to life, love, and happinness! 2009 was a good year, and I hope to make 2010 unforgettable!

And a blog was born . . .

I had no idea how many of my friends were on here. I had been asked to get on before, but had been slightly unsure until now. I am hoping I will be able to keep up with this blog and post at least once a month--if not more! There's already a bit of an introduction on the side panel, but I'll sum our family up a bit here as well.

Kaleb and I were sealed in the Bountiful, Temple on March 23, 2007. I have a beautiful daughter from my first marriage, and we were blessed to have her sealed to us that day as well. It was a very special day for us. I love the Temple, and the ordinances performed inside them are amazing. I feel blessed to have so many precious Temples so close to us.

Since marrying each other, Kaleb and I have added another little one to the mix; a beautiful and always-happy little boy, Justin. Angela will be 6 and Justin will be 2 just this next month. I cannot believe how time flies! It seems like both of them were just tiny newborns only yesterday...

Angela started Kindergarten this past August and she has been excelling like a little superstar! She can write and read and count to 100 in just about any format! Her teacher sang her praises at the last parent-teacher conference. I am so proud of her and her accomplishments. Not to mention the fact that she is the TALLEST in her entire class! It's hard to stomach the fact that my baby girl is getting so big, though. She is turning into a beautiful young lady. She loves to sing and dance and socialize whenever she can. She also has started getting a weekly allowance and has mastered the concept of paying her Tithing along with that! She's so awesome! She loves to shop with me and beams anytime she gets to purchase something with her own hard-earned mula!

Justin is a typical 2 year old-- Independent, stubborn, too intelligent for his own good and about as busy as a little boy can get. He is always smiling and giggling and happy, which usually makes up for his mischief! He is a total cutie! He loves to color and sing and dance. He loves cars and constantly begs for someone's car keys to run around and play with. Pooh Bear and Elmo are some of his favorites. The movies UP and Wall-E amazingly hold his attention perfectly every time! He loves them! He idolizes his big sister and always wants to follow her and play with her and do whatever she is doing. They both love each other to pieces (most of the time anyway!) and I can see the bond only growing stronger through the years. Hopefully Justin will get buff and scare away any guys trying to hang around his sister! 

Kaleb is currently pursuing his Bachelors in Computer Sciences. He is a little more than halfway there--time never seems to move fast enough when it comes to this area! He is working downtown Salt Lake for Integra Telecom doing Tech support. It's a good job and we count our blessings every day that goes by that he still has a job with the way the economy is going right now.

I am also currently working on school. I am going to UVU and working towards a degree in Nursing. It's been something I've dreamed of doing for quite some time now. I've got quite a ways to go yet. I just started this last fall and it's hard finding time to do a whole lot of schooling when there's a job and two little ones stealing my time. =) I just finished my English class with an 'A' (yay! go me!) and I will starting a math class Jan 9th. That's a Saturday morning class... ick! But it feels good to be using my brain again. =) I am working as a full time Nanny for 4 other children. It definitely has it's stressful moments, but I also count my blessings every day with that job as well. Not only does it provide extra income, but I can bring my two kids with me each and every day. The blessing of being able to raise my own children is priceless. The family I nanny for is great and we love them all to pieces. I have been with them almost 2 years now (as of this next May), and I have come to love those kids as if they were my own. I am so very grateful for my job. I really lucked out!

We're living in beautiful Bluffdale, Utah and we love it! We love the area and love our ward. We're in a really nice apartment complex where the rent is cheap and the square footage is more than generous! 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms so we all have our own space. We spent a few months squished into 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom in my parents house and that kind of took a toll on EVERYONE. However, we are/were extremely thankful and grateful to mom and dad taking us in like they did. They're awesome! =)

Christmas was great and we all loved every minute of it! Lots of family and presents and good food! Lots of snow as well. Sadly, now that Christmas has come and gone, I am ready for the snow to be gone as well! I miss my warm, sunshine and green grass and swimming...  *sigh*  My sister, Becky, and her family were able to come up from Phoenix and spend Christmas week with us. It was so much fun to have them here and we played and laughed and had a blast! We miss them so much already! =( 

For New Years we plan to party at Kaleb's parents house. They have an annual party there with games, family & friends, and more good food!! LOL--  I am gonna have to lose like 15 pounds after the holidays and the endless food that stares at me until I give in and eat it. I was doing really good with running and exercising and lost some weight...  but then it got COLD! Ugh! I may have to hit up the exercise room here at our apartment complex...


That about covers it for now, I think! Gotta get working on dinner. I have kids who think they need to eat! =) Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!!