here is our family christmas card this year. i bought some from the church, they were more expensive than i am used to paying so, we didn't get very many =( so i will share it here with you all.

the women's ministry just put on our annual Christmas Dinner for ladies. i was the coordinator and although it was highly stressful, i would volunteer for this event next year. i was warned about the stress that would be involved so, i prepared myself as much as possible. we had 184 ladies that attended this event, calling me to come up until 2 pm the day of the event. boston market catered, yummy, except we ran out of chicken and the ladies weren't to happy with ham or no salad. the desserts were a plenty. i was blessed to have 27 tables decorated all up to host the ladies of the evening. our speaker was our pastor's wife, she was great. i was really happy with her message of "the gift giver". all and all, i think the event was great!!!

Thank You to all the Women's Board who helped so much at this event. You took a lot of my stress away. Your awesome!!!!

Happy 32nd Birthday!

Well my birthday week started off with my friends throwing me a surprise birthday party. Now I knew that we were supposed to be doing something the tuesday night before my birthday but, didn't know WHAT! I was told to meet my friends at 4pm and we would carpool. I met them at 4pm, they were all at my friend Miranda's house waiting for me. Miranda made me Enchilada's, there was chocolate fondue, freshly made salsa and a magnificent cake with Marvin the Martian on top. I have some pretty wonderful friends.

On friday, my actual birthday, we got together for our normal "friday morning coffee", it was at Harr's house. Harr made the most awesome tasting breakfast. Thank you Harr! We all enjoyed a wonderful breakfast followed by coffee and "FRANK" conversations. I am really enjoying getting to know my friends more and more and we learn about each other. I am so blessed to have such amazing ladies in my life. That night my hubby and I watched Things We Lost In The Fire, It was a really good movie. I cried the whole way through but, it was still a movie I would recommend you all seeing.

Saturday morning, 6:15 am, my dad arrives to watch the boys. You see, my sweet hubby is taking me to Disneyland. I am so excited, it has been 7 years since our last time there. I was looking forward to spending the time with my hubby at Disneyland. On the way up we ate at Carrows, I worked for the restaurant change for 4 years (little side note). Food was great and we were full. Then we were off to DISNEYLAND!!! 9:30 am, we arrived and I of course needed to have my pic taken with the flower head of mickey mouse. We tried to get on Indiana Jones first, but It was broken. Then we were off to our first ride on the Pirates of the Caribbean, a favorite. It was awesome. Then we went to the Haunted Mansion, which was transformed into The Nightmare Before Christmas Haunted Mansion. It was really cool to see something different. I enjoyed it! A stranger even offered to take Daniel and my photo. We rode Splash Mountain, Awesome! Big Thunder was our next stop. There was a dad and his two little girls that got on with us. They must have been 4 & 6. I heard the dad say, "no honey the bar won't keep the snakes back" I just started laughing. As we rode the ride the girls had big smiles on their faces. We were climbing the hill for the next fast section and we see the "rattlesnakes" on the side of the train. When the ride was over one of the little girl said to her daddy, "those were fake snakes" and the dad replied "WHAT" It was so adorable. It made we wish for a short moment that my boys were there with us, LOL! and then off to "Fantasyland" for Pinocchio, Snow White, & Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, then to Storybook Land, where I saw 4 people in line with Happy Birthday buttons. I asked a little boy where he got his and I got one of my own. It was so much fun walking around all day with the attendants saying "Happy Birthday" to me. I felt special =) After Fantasyland we were off to Tomorrowland, where Daniel and I drove in Autopia, went on Space Mountain (a FAVORITE) and Buzz Lightyear, that was a cool ride too! I beat Daniel on that ride =) Oh Yea! It was 3 o'clock now and we needed to check into our hotel. We left and got our things out of the car and walked to our hotel. On the way back we ate an early dinner at Denny's. Keeping the food cost down. We then were off to the California side. Our first stop was the Monster's Inc. ride, It was pretty cool. Then Daniel and I took a photo opt when we saw another couple doing the same thing, we offered to take their pic and they took ours. Thank you! Then we were off to ride The TOWER OF TERROR, I was scared. It was a fun ride, but holy cow!!! It was scary fun. It shot you up fast and drop you down fast. WOW! We then walked to California Screamin' and had to get a Fastpass for that. As we waited we walked through Bug's land, and rode Mulholland Madness, Never Again on that one. The California Screamin was a great ride. As we walked around we noticed the loooooong line for Toy Story Midway Mania. So we decided to wait in line 45 mins to see what the fuss was about. OH MY! that was a great ride, it was like a big video game, Daniel kicked my butt. It was a must do ride for sure =) By the time we got off this ride it was time for the park to close @ 8 pm. So we headed back to Disneyland! Daniel and I checked on the Indiana Jones ride, it was a 55 minute wait so we got in line for coffee and 30 minutes later we were in the Indiana Jones line with our HOT coffee and ready for the long wait. The ride was like no other I have been on, I am glad we did it but, I don't know if the almost hour we waited was really necessary. Oh well! We then went on the jungle cruise. that was ok. Time was running out, 11 pm now. So we decided to get our shopping for souvenirs done. We bought the boys some starship troopers guns, buzz lightyear guns and pirates of the caribbean candies. Daniel bought himself a starship troopers shirt. I found a shot glass to add to my collection and a purse to add to my purse collection. It was time to head to the car and off to the hotel, it was midnight. By the time we got to the hotel and in bed it was already 1:30, I was surprised to see Daniel still awake, it was way past his bedtime. We tried to sleep in but there were lots of children at our hotel, running around, screaming. We finally got out of bed and headed to the lobby for coffee at 10:15, to discover that we were to late, coffee was over at 10 am. We quickly took showers and headed off to breakfast at IHOP. We then headed to my dad's to pick up our boys. We arrived at there home about 1:30 pm to a Kolby crying saying "I don't want to go home" so we stayed for cake, It was Grandma Mary's birthday too. We got her a mickey mouse shirt. Basically, we came home, ordered pizza, went to blockbuster and watched Kung Fu Panda, put the kids to bed and started to watch 88 Minutes before Daniel and I crashed out!!!

It was a long, soar but a most FANTASTIC WEEKEND! Thank You Daniel!!!

P.S. I tried to add pics but the files were to big =( I have them posted on my myspace & facebook if you want to check them out.

Women's Retreat

I went to my very first Women's Retreat. I had a lot of fun. To be perfectly honest, I only went because I am on the Women's Ministry Board. I didn't go with a friend, so I was a little nervous about what I was going to be doing. I knew the girl I was staying with wouldn't be there until late afternoon and I was going to carpool up around noon. I helped set up the camp site and then just went around to the different RV's and chatted with the ladies. Almost all of the ladies in my Fireside Community Life Group were there, the Women's Board Members and other ladies I knew around church. So, although I didn't go with a friend, I had lots of friends there. Some of my friends only came up for Saturdays events and it was great to see them. "Recipe for a Fruitful Life" was out theme for the event and we all made an apron to take home. I will be going next year too!

My friend Chandra and her daughter Abbi are now in Idaho, training for their trip to eastern asia. I am going to miss them so much, they will come home in december and leave again in february. They are doing GOD's work and I am so proud of them all.

I will blog again some more soon, I promise!

Kolby's Birthday Party

We spent Kolby's birthday morning with friends.  Miranda came over with Josh & Cheyenne.  Kolby opened his gift from Nana and put on his dinosaur jammies right away.  He wears them almost every night.  I have to wash them when he takes them off in the morning or I he would be wearing them dirty at night.  He likes to wear them everywhere.  I made him cinnamon rolls and we put a candle in one and sang him happy birthday.  

When Daniel got home he opened his gifts from us and was so excited to get some new legos.  My boys love their legos.  After dinner we went to Daniel's work for a football game.  Kolby and Auston were so excited, they were going to play in the band.  Auston on his clarinet and Kolby on his trumpet.  He doesn't know how to really play, but he sure likes to try.  It is so cute.  I don't have any pics of that, my camera broke.  Before we left I started to make Kolby's "train cake" he was so excited, he had been asking me to make the train cake for 3 months.  I was nervous on how it would turn out. When we got to Daniel's work, a lot of the kids were saying "happy birthday kobly" and kolby would say "thank you" with a big smile on his face.   Before the band walked over to the football game they sang "Happy Birthday" to Kolby.  He was so embarrassed, he started to yell at the kids.  I am not going to lie, I laughed a little.  He was fine after they finished and went on his marry way of being the big birthday boy.

When we got home from the football game, I started icing the cake and putting the fun stuff on it.  I was a little worried on what Kolby would think, it didn't look exactly like the picture he picked out in the magazine.  The next morning I showed it to him and he got so excited he went and got Daddy and brother to show them.  That made my heart melt.  I pleased the only one that mattered, It was his birthday and I wanted it perfect for him.

On the day of his party we went down the hill to San Elijo Hills park, they have a spray zone that Kolby loves to play in.  There is a playground in the sand with a large sun shade over it too.  This is the second year we have had his party there.  He was so happy with all the people that came and the gifts her received.  I was so happy for my little 4 year old birthday boy!

Thank You to Everyone Who Shared in Kolby's Special Day =)

Home Buying

This is a picture of Kolby with his birthday gift from his Uncle Jimmy & Uncle Nette =)
 

I haven't written in a while.  Why?  I can't tell you that.....  I have been so busy with my friends and my son's 4th birthday and ummm..... Trying to buy a house.  We put in an offer yesterday on a home here in ramona.  We are really excited, our offer is the only one on the table right now.  That makes our chances really good.  We are putting it in God's hands.  I don't need to add any extra stress to my life, I am giving it to HIM!  Thank You LORD to taking it.  Hopefully we will hear back from the agent before the end of the week, Wishful Thinking???? I hope not.  

I have learned a lot so far from this home buying process and know that a lot more knowledge is about to come during the escrow process.   I am so happy to just be given the chance to own a home in california.  I have had a few family members leave california so they would have that chance.  I feel so blessed.  So grateful.  and so Loved.  

End of Summer

It is the end of summer, school has begun.  I am looking forward to what this school year has in store for us.  Auston will start going to the JR High youth group on a regular basis.  Kolby turns 4 is a few weeks.  Daniel is starting his 6th year at the high school.  I am getting used to the school routine again. We are still looking to buy a home.  So, juggling the school routine with my hubby's job it is going to be a challenge to find a home to buy.  If it is in GOD's plan for us, it will happen. 

We had a great summer.  Daniel went to school in Oregon, we went on a family vacation.  And we had some good family time before school started.

We went to the beach, zoo, wild animal park and hung out at home playing around with the kids. My kids love the beach.  When we go we spend all day playing and make hot dogs dinner before we start

 to head home, stopping off of course for a milk shake on the way.  Our kids usually fall asleep on the drive back up the mountain.  

Although we go to the Wild Animal Park and Zoo a lot, the kids still have a lot of fun.  We just go at their pace, going where they want to go and seeing the animals they want to see.  At the zoo, we rode the bus, it was Kolby's first time on the bus and he had a blast, wanting to go again and again.  We only went once.  Then we rode the sky ride, fun but a little scary for me.  Bouncing all around.  The kids love it.  Kolby's favorite animal to see at the zoo is the Hippo's.  

 It was a great summer, Next year we will go to Oregon and watch Daddy graduate with his Masters.  I have never been to Oregon.  I hear it is beautiful.  

We plan on taking the kids to the dive in this weekend to watch Star Wars Clone Wars and Papa is going to take us all Kayaking.  We won't have to many weekends together, due to my hubby's work schedule, so we take advantage of the ones we do have together. God Bless and have a great Labor Day Weekend Everyone!!!

Family Vacation

Trying to write in between the pics, I can't seem to figure out. Oh Well! We had a blast on our family vacation. We traveled with my brother and his fiance. The first pic is taken at Zion National Park on our first day of traveling. We stayed in Torry, Utah the first night. The second day we went to Arches National Park, it was so beautiful there, that is were the second pic is taken. The next is taken at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, the cave dwellings are really cool. You have to take a tour and climb down ladders and steep steps, the kids had a blast. Daniel and Auston did a second tour that was a harder climb, Kolby was to young for it. Auston got to go Water Rafting, that was a lot of fun. His Uncle paid for him to go, they wanted him to have the experience with everyone else. Daniel, Kolby and I couldn't afford to go, but we were sure glad Auston could go. The last pic was the last tour we did in Silverton, COlorado at the Old Minning place. We got to go into the mine and then pan for silver, gold and other precious gems. The kids had fun. We enjoyed our time with our family and are looking forward to our next family reunion in two summers!!!