GetTinG REaDY 4 A NeW YeaR!!

Today is the last Monday of 2008! Hooray!!! I'm so excited for a new year and a new beginning. I am so glad that I can have a "fresh start" each year, to learn from my mistakes and challenges in the year past, and try to improve in the year ahead.

2009 is the year where I will truly learn what it means to be a "single mom." In years past, my ex husband was pretty consistent with taking the kids every other weekend and every other holiday. As hard as it was for me to have them gone, it was time I had to recharge my batteries get things done that I personally needed done in order to be the best mom I could be! I will no longer have the "breaks" (as I call them) and will be responsible for my children 24/7. There are blessings that come along with this challenge as well, which I'm sure you are well aware of.

I will also learn how to live within a tight budget. I will lose a great amount of income each month without child support. I know it can be done and I will make it work. I have a very strong testimony of Tithing and the blessings that come when paying a full tithe. I am sure the Lord will take care of me and my family.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year! And wonderful adventures in the New Year!

Reflections Contest Winners!

Each Year the PTA sponsors a "reflections" contest where all of the students are invited to create original artwork of their own based upon a theme. This year's theme was "WOW". Garett entered the 3D art category and Megan entered the visual arts cagtegory.

Tonight they held a awards assemly and announced the winners for each category. Garett won with his big monster truck entry.

I have such talented kids! Way to GO!

Happy Halloween

Well... I had to get a post in about Halloween before Thanksgiving rolls around.

We had a great Halloween! The weather was perfect this year, as opposed to trick or treating in the freezing temperatures in years past. This year, Megan being 10 years old, went with her friends from school trick or treating in the neighborhood. She is growing up way to fast! I took Garett around with the neighbors, but he had a great time and was done after only going up and down a few streets. This year I noticed that there were a lot more of the older kids out than younger kids. I don't know if times have changed or what, but it used to be that once you hit junior high, you didn't trick or treat anymore.

Well here are a few cute pictures of the kids dressed up for Halloween... ENJOY!

Garett (Speed Racer) and his teacher (the ketchup)

Megan the Fairy Princess

Here He Comes, Here Comes Speed Racer

He's a Deamon on Wheels :)

Hello Beautiful Fairy

Time to Update The Blog

I guess after over two months of not posting anything, it's time I take a few minutes to update and let you all know what's going on in my life...

The beginning of September, we went and stayed at the most amazing cabin I have ever been to! It had the most spectacular views, had everything you could ever dream of having in a home, and had the most excellent company there to spend all of my time with! How grateful I am for my family. I wish it could have lasted forever. I didn't want to come home, and neither did my kids, especially Megan. She has such a tender heart and loves everyone. It was sad to have to come back home.

This is the view we had when we went river rafting. It was a cold day! My feet were so numb I couldn't even feel the air blowing on high from the heater inn the car when we got back inside the vehicles. But we created some wonderful memories :)

I love my family so very much! I don't know what I'd do without them! Thanks guys :) Love you!

Swimming in the Summer

Yesterday was my nephew Bradley's birthday. He turned 6 years old! He and Garett pal around together all the time. We went over to my sister's house last night for a party. The kids enjoyed pizza, swimming, cake and ice cream. It can't get any better than that!

Happy 4th of July!!!

This has been such a fun and crazy weekend! I did a lot of work related activies with City events. I really enjoy my job and all of the fun activities I get to be a part of.

My Thursday started at the crack of dawn, 5:00 a.m. to be exact. (I haven't been up that early in ages!) I met my Women In Business group at the rodeo grounds to be part of Channel 4's Good Morning Utah! We were interviewed because we were having a booth at the Western Stampede and would be selling "Tough Enough To Wear Pink" apparel to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer foundation. One of our primary goals is to raise awareness for breast cancer. My parents filmed the news for me, they are so sweet! And then called me later on and said "so how's the movie star?" lol... they are so fun! So if I somehow can get it figured out, I will put the video clip on here for you all so see me and my five seconds of fame :)
Then Thursday afternoon I spent in the 100 degree heat setting up our booth, but thanks to my great friend Joscie, I survived when she bought me a Route 66 size Strawberry Limeade at Sonic...mmmm.... very good thirst quencher on such a unberably hot day!

I have sure made some great friendships through Women In Business. I appreciate them always being there for me and making everything so fun! Go WIB!!!


Selling shirts was fun, but just proved what I have thought all along, which is I am no saleswoman! I have no problem taking people's money if they want to purchase something, but I don't like to approach people to make a sale.. just part of my personality I suppose. But we were working the booth until 11:00 p.m. and had a great time. Then I went home and took a wonderful cold shower.


Friday Morning (Independence Day) I woke up at 9:00 and went to City Hall to be in the annual parade. That was a lot of fun too!! There was cloud cover, so it wasn't nearly as hot as it was the day before. We rode in a carriage that was pulled behind a horse. We had Craig (my boss) grandkids throwing candy along the parade route and Geoff (Rebecca's husband) was shouting int the bull horn at the crowd... it was great.



The rest of the day was spent with my family at Scott (my brother) house. We had such a delicious dinner. Scott made a smoked brisket in his smoker. I had never had it before, but when he told how it was made, it sounds like it's nothing to go into a 'meals in minutes' cookbook. It took time to marinate, smoke, and then rest before it could be eaten. But it was well worth the effort.. I even asked him if I could make reservations for next time he made it. We had fireworks and then watched the fireworks that were going off in the park from his backyard. It was such a nice day.


Today, Saturday, I went shopping with my mom to help her find different things to decorate her newly remodeled kitchen with. My parents have just given their house a nice new facelift and it's just gorgeous! We had a great time together and it made me wish I had a house to decorate, myself! There are so many fun things out there, no wonder people spend so much money decorating, it can be very contageous! But in about a year, I should be able to get my own little home and can start making it my own, but for now I'll just have to save every penny that I can.

Kung Fu Panda and Chocolate Shakes

The past weekend with the kids was a lot of fun! We went and saw the new movie "Kung Fu Panda" and then had chocolate shakes.. our weakness! It was a fun movie. Megan and Garett really enjoyed it. I'm sure glad they make such fun, family friendly movies!

I was going to take the kids swimming, but that was their dad's plan for their Father's Day activity, but summer is just barely getting underway... so i'm sure we'll have plenty of days at the pool or waterpark over the next few months.

The kids are going to be off track after next week... but they only will have three weeks of summer vacation and then they start back up again. Megan will be in 5th grade and Garett will be in 1st! It will be nice to have him in school all day (especially for my babysitting budget)

Not sure what I'm going to do this weekend without the kids... any ideas?