Did I Know I Had Just Met My Future Husband?

(Me, Winnie, Sunshine & Leah in London, January 2000)

Absolutely not!

10 years ago I had just graduated from BYU . . . not married . . . which made me a little old to be single by BYU/Provo, Utah standards (hahaha!). I had just returned from a week long trip to London with some girlfriends. I had just started my first "real" full time job at an insurance company in downtown Salt Lake.

10 years ago TODAY I met Ben

We met at a fireside

He played the piano (impressive)

He had straight teeth (very important)

He was handsome

He was polite

I thought there might have been a connection between us

He wanted to put on a musical fireside featuring HIM, with a stake choir backing him up with"oooh's and aahh's" (too bad, a little too "confident" for me)

I didn't think I would ever see him again . . . and that was okay

Isn't life funny?

Science Fair

Abby brought a paper home from school a few weeks ago about the science fair at her school. Apparently, only kids in 5th and 6th grade "HAVE" to do it. But she really wanted to do it too. She already had her project picked out! Making crystals (sugar rock candy kind thanks toCyberchase!)

She was really nervous about turning in her project, and was really HOPING she would WIN! No such luck this year . . . but she had fun and it was good practice for when she "HAS" to do it in a few years. Actually, she came home last night asking me what she should do for her project next year. Luckily, we have a whole year to think of a good one!

Shout Out for Family Vacation Ideas!

I am looking for fun family vacation ideas! If you have one . . . please let me know!

January So Far . . .

What has the new year brought us so far? Well to start out . . . Gwen no longer goes to nursery during church. She is now in Primary and is SO happy about it. So far, each Sunday this month she has told me how she does NOT want to go to nursery and play with babies. She really is so grown up.

Abby and Halle started piano lessons. We found an EXCELLENT teacher . . . and she comes to our house to teach! I'm so happy to get a little more use out of our piano that Ben and I refinished a few years ago!

Abby also started playing basketball (no picture for this one . . . how do you take pictures in gyms anyway?)! She seems to like it okay, and is getting a grasp of how to play.

This year Disney is doing a promotion where you can "Give a Day . . . Get a Day". Disneyland MAY be in our future this year . . . so what a fun thing to do! We signed up as a family to make blankets for Project Linus. The girls picked out the fabric and helped cut the fringe edges. Tomorrow we will drop them off and then they will be delivered to Primary Children's Hospital or other Utah hospitals where children need them.

Ben still works full time and just started his 2nd term in the EMBA program. So far, it is going well and he is really enjoying everything he is learning. For me, I feel like I have been able to get used to him being busy with school and I am learning that I CAN take care of my kids by myself! Not that I am saying I prefer to do it by myself . . . but I am doing okay and am not off to the looney bin.

As to our move, and how I am adjusting to our new area and house . . . I am doing okay! We moved 5 months ago, and honestly, even though Ben and I had talked about it and felt good about it and such . . . it was really hard to leave my house and neighborhood. I really miss it. BUT, we are doing well and I feel good about where we are. Life is good.

On the Move!

Our little guy is mobile! He is so liberated.

Christmas 2009

On Christmas Eve we act out the nativity. This year Gwen was Mary and Ben was Joseph. Abby was the innkeeper.

Halle was the angel and I narrated.

After acting out the nativity, we opened our traditional Christmas Eve gift . . . pajamas!

We told the girls they couldn't get up until 6:30 on Christmas morning. I think they were probably waiting awake in their room a long time before that!

Santa brought Abby her Samantha doll, Halle an electronic dog, and Gwen a Baby Alive.

Santa spent a few hours on Christmas Eve setting up a trampoline! It was only about 16 degrees outside! Santa must REALLY LOVE our girls and Austin!

After all the presents were opened, we went to the kitchen to eat our breakfast of cinnamon rolls and eggs/sausage. Ben told Gwen to look outside and see if there was snow on the swing set. She checked and started talking about a trampoline in our backyard. Watch the video if you want to HEAR the excitement! Merry Christmas!

And the Festivities Begin!

We use an advent calendar at Christmastime to organize all of our Christmas activities. Every year, we make a list of the things we want to do during the month of December, and then I write each one down on a slip of paper and stick them into the pockets of our advent calendar. That way, there is something fun to do everyday until Christmas. Sometimes the activities are small like reading a Christmas story, and sometimes they are a little more adventuresome.

December 1st seemed to come a little quickly this year, so my calendar got started a little late. But this weekend, one of our activities was to go get the Christmas tree!

We like to go pick out a real tree for Christmas. I actually prefer heading out to the forest and picking out the perfect one there . . . but that isn't as easy to do here as it is in Washington. So . . . Home Depot is where we go.

The next day, our activity was to decorate the tree! I don't think Gwen really remembers decorating the tree in past years . . . she kept saying over and over how fun it was to decorate the tree. So fun!

More activity updates to come!