Happy Birthday, Channa!

January 20, 2009 -

I refuse to post birthday pictures. I had just gotten a haircut the day before and I was still trying to figure out how to style it on my own. Therefore, I was having a severely bad hair day on my birthday. Thank goodness my new straightening iron arrived UPS a couple days later or I might still be hiding out! (Not that the hair looks that much better straight, but at least I can fix it now.)

I absolutely did NOT want to celebrate my birthday this year. Call me a party pooper, I don't care. I feel old, fat, and yucky, and the ominous 40 is approaching way too fast. After a depressing Inaugural Ceremony that morning, what was left to celebrate anyway? I told my husband and children I wanted no gifts, no cake, and there was no need to extend any birthday wishes to me that morning.

For the most part of the day, things went as I wanted them to. It was just another day of the week - good! Then Ryan came home from work with an ice cream cake. What a dork! My step-mom called and I went into the other room to talk to her. When I returned to the kitchen, there were birthday gifts all over the table. What kind of considerate man did I marry, anyway? (At least now I have proof he doesn't listen to me!)

I was very happy to receive my own set of dumbells as one of my gifts, as I've been asking for them for a couple months now. And Ding Dongs - I love them frozen!!! There was more, but why bore you? ;) I loved Chaye's card and still have it hanging up in the kitchen.

What was I Thinking?

January 9, 2009
I just opened the yogurt cup for Cade, when the phone rang. I set the yogurt down on the table and answered it. When I came back this is what I found. (What was I thinking, leaving open yougurt on the table?)

Of course I couldn't get upset about the mess he made all over the table, his clothes, the chair, and the floor.


After all, it was my fault for leaving it within his reach.

At least he left half the container to actually eat.


With a smile like this, he gets away with a lot!

Imaginary Friends...

This took place on January 8th. Chaye informed me that it was her "friend" Brenda's birthday and we needed to make a cake. Brenda is an imaginary friend. Chaye has lots of imaginary friends, teachers, ballet classes, life experiences, etc. I decided to indulge her and possibly score some "good mom points" on the side. Of course Chaye wanted to make the cake all by herself.

First she stirred all the ingredients.


Then she used the mixer... very carefully!


She probably used way too much PAM, but oh well.


"I'm a very good pourer, aren't I, Mom?"


Everyone knows this is the best part.


"Pink cake with pink frosting, because pink is Brenda's favorite color."


"Don't lick the bumpy side of the knife, Mom, or it will cut your tongue."


"Ta-Daaaahhhh! Can we do candles, too?"


Apparently this was Brenda's 4th birthday. Yes, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Brenda, and Chaye blew out the candle. (Triple points for me for singing along.)


Cade benefits from imaginary friends' birthdays, too.


Making her day scored me the most points of all!

Chaye was very happy to share her cake with her siblings as an after-school snack. Jaise realized that it was Chaye's 1/2 birthday that day.... what a coincidence!

Happy New Year, 2009!

Where did December go.... or 2008 for that matter? Wasn't it just yesterday that we celebrated Christmas with a 2-month old baby Cade, held like a football in Santa's arms? Since the secretary of the family was way too busy last month with My-Sweet-Memories orders, we didn't send Christmas cards or a family letter out to anyone. Maybe this year she'll get her priorities straight and be more organized when December comes around!

We enjoyed a very low-key Christmas Day at home, and then later in the evening we decided to head to Clayton to visit the Cutlers and Domans. During that visit we all played games together, and hung out together, and Grandpa, Channa, Trey, Jaise, and Paige went on a long morning bike ride. Ryan and Channa took an opportunity to visit with Jason Hansen's mom, Judi, who we hadn't seen in several years. We stayed an extra night, even though no one brought extra clothes, and returned home Saturday. That evening we had a fun game night with the Hansen family.

The beginning of the next week was spent putting away Christmas decorations, taking down the tree, cleaning the house, and preparing food for our annual New Year's Eve party. We enjoyed spending the late evening with friends, and only a few die-hards stayed until midnight to welcome in 2009 with us.

On New Year's Day the Young Men and Men in the ward had a football game rematch. The Men creamed the YM 27-0 at the Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl. With a few team adjustments, the score this time was tied after 2 hours. Only a few wives and moms came and froze their butts off watching on the bleachers. Yes, Channa was there, tried and true (and lips blue afterward!)

We came home, changed clothes, ate lunch, then met the Hansen family, Ryan & Curtis, and Dave & Andy in the boonies above the dry riverbed to go shooting. Only Ryan, Channa, and Trey went. Ryan bought himself a shotgun for his birthday and he was looking forward to using it and teaching Channa how to in case of an emergency. Channa is a bit gun-shy, but she shot a couple pistols, a rifle, and the shotgun. She was surprised at how much kick the pistols had, almost knocking her off balance. The shotgun was a huge kick. Her gun of preference was the Ruger 22. Ryan shot our rooster the next day because he keeps killing our chickens. The kids watched out the window and thought it was cool when all the feathers blew up in the air. Trey was out with Ryan and he offered to bury it in the graveyard we've started on the lot next door (Cats, chickens - a real Coyote Buffet over there.)

On Saturday we took the family to the snow on a whim. Thanks to Spencer & Sarah for going with us and making us commit to the trip after inviting them! It was crowded, but we found parking at a Sno-Park and the Ranger told us where to find our own hill away from all the other people. We all had fun, until the little kids got cold and whiny, then it was time to go home. But it was fun enough to do it again, maybe sooner than later!

Now the kids are back in school and it's time to get back into routine. We don't even have a January calendar up yet but we've got things scheduled already. Life moves on, with or without us, it seems. Maybe we should catch up......

Hope you all enjoyed Christmas, and we wish you all the best this year!

Oh the Snow!