2009 comes to a close

1. What did you do in 2009 that you had never done before?

Ran a 1/2 marathon, completed a triathlon, lived outside of Utah

2. What would you like in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

money?

3. My best memory of 2009.
Jackson learning to walk and grinning from ear to ear as he runs into my arms

4. What was your biggest achievement?
Run the 1/2 marathon in under a 7 minute per mile!

5. Did you or someone you know suffer any illness?
Dave's grandma has dimentia and she forgets that anyone comes to visit. She is so lonely :(

6. What was your best purchase?
A new car

7. Where did all your money go?
a new car, tuition

8. What was your favorite song for 2009?
fireflies (but Dave hates it)

9. Who was your biggest influence of 2009?

Dave; My mom, Tessa

10. What was your favorite new TV show?
Better off Ted

11. What was your favorite new book?

Hunger Games & Catching Fire

12. What was your favorite movie?

to be honest, I was pretty disgusted with most of the movies I saw this year

13. What has kept you sane?

Scrapbooking, laughing with Dave and Jackson, MBASA, Signing Time video for Jackson

What I WISH I had a picture of

Warning: no pictures in this post, but it still may be entertaining.

#10 A picture of all my aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings laying on scooters and trying to get under a short hurdle in a family race.

#9- The 1000 piece puzzle, 2-500 piece puzzles, 3- 300 piece puzzles, and 2 100 piece puzzles completed (That is 3100 pieces minus the 2 missing pieces)

#8 Our Christmas day . . . amazing food, lots of presents, wrapping paper galore (Jackson in heaven).

#7 Jackson tripping over a 6 month old baby- me jumping to catch him and spilling orange tang all over my mother-in-laws newly cleaned carpet . . . I didn't even apologize about Jackson smashing the baby . . .

#6 Jackson methodically covering the kitchen floor with newspapers.

#5 Dave got into an 'argument' with Jackson. It went like this:

J: MEH! (more)

D: No!

J: Meh!

D: No!

J: Meh!

D: No!

J: Meh!

D: No!

J: NO! (Shaking his head) No-no . . . MEH!

Guess who won?

#4 Dave scoring the winning basket on the 'old man's team' at my family party (granted he is a 'few' inches taller than everyone else in my family)

#3. Jackson's first experience with red marker

#2. The look on Carly's face as she opened a leopard and zebra print shirt . . . "Is she serious?!?" She made no attempt to graciously accept this gift and promptly returned it :)

#1. Dave and I decided to try our hand at cooking a full turkey. Unfortunately, we did it with no 'adult supervison'. After digging around to find the entrails and whatever other grossness was inside, we attempted to put the turkey in the oven bag (which I had been coached on by my mom). I put some flour in the bag and then Dave tried to slip it in . . .and SLIP it did! The bag didn't even slow the turkey down on it's way down both of our legs and across the kitchen floor. Dave and I were covered in flour and turkey slime. My pants had a hole in the them, and the turkey ran away with the spoon. Just kidding, after taming the turkey (twist tying BOTH ends of the bag) we cooked and enjoyed the turkey. I think we are sticking with Ham . . . precooked . . . . from now on.

Lay-zee dayz

We are being so lazy and carefree on our 10 days off. I haven't even taken pictures because that involves getting the camera out of my bag . . . plus, then I would have to scrapbook the pictures :)

We have suceeded in watching an entire season of 24, playing several racquetball games, and packing up and unpacking for multiple trips to Lehi and Salt Lake.

At our MBASA Christmas party Jackson really seemed to like Santa he introduced us to Santa at least 15 times while sitting on his lap (saying 'dada' while pointing to either me or Dave)

Sushi night with our friends the Mackrory's. Jackson loved having 2 fun play friends, which gave us time to play a game of Ticket to ride. (yep there is a pizza WITH sushi for those who are weird enough not to like sushi)

We took Jackson sledding and he absolutely hated it. He cried everytime he went down . . . and even when he would just watch us go down. For being a daredevil he is a pretty sensitive kid.
I don't think I got a single picture of Christmas morning, but here is Jackson's haul. He got a lap top, tent, basketball hoop, bike, mittens and puzzles (Kind of sounds like a 20 year old's toys rather than a 1 1/2 year old's toys!)

It's not calculus . . .

Take one awesome partner Kristen (on the left) PLUSPlus this weapon
raised to the power of stinging flesh (yep I was flexing here, I'm glad you noticed)

EQUALS:

Getting Ready

Jackson LOVES to mimic us and do everything that we do. He gets so frustrated when he can't open everything we use (most of which he CAN open). He wants to be a grown up I guess (I keep trying to plant seeds of how grown ups don't use diapers . . .)

I love this layout because it is so Jackson. Trying to keep him from destroying all our technology is a full time job.

Take a Break!

3 days off of work and school was just what we needed. We had a great time with friends and family. (I am only disappointed that we didn't get more pictures!)

Top ten events?
1. FHE and bowling with my family ( 16 people in our tiny apartment- amazing!)
2. Jamie: Speed scrapping; Dave: Video Games
3. Thanksgiving Dinner with the Dave's family - getting 2nd in the "how many pounds can you eat?" contest.
4. Racquetball games galore (and no black eyes this year :) )
5 . Black Friday shopping at 4 am. We went to 8 different stores (not including 2 separate trips to 3 stores) and spent alot of money . . .oh, and of course got great deals.
Look at Jackson . . . doesn't that make you excited to see him on Christmas morning?
6. Celebrating 3 years of marriage
a. Bed and breakfast at the Armstrong Mansion- the Christmas room (yep-that's Santa Claus on the headboard!
b. Ice skating with conversation about our past 3 years together and our goals and dreams for the future.
c. SUSHI!
d. Sleeping in!!! (until 7:45- Thanks Mom for watching our boy all weekend!)
e. Massages on Saturday morning
7. BYU vs. UT - Food, Friends and a Victory- enough said!
8. The first Christmas movie of the year (our decorations were up weeks ago, I don't know why everyone else is so slow!)
9. Missionary Homecoming (Welcome home from Argentina Elder Dustin Harper). I love the power and spirit a good missionary brings home.
10. Singing the Messiah with the Utah Symphony and choir. Did I mention we tried (and succeeded) to keep this little critter alive despite his obvious desire to "live on the edge"? (he got up there from the little dresser next to the desk - his favorite place to be recently)

Welcome to the MAIN EVENT(S)

I have been REALLY busy the past 10 days. (Don't mock the scrapbook pages it was the best I could do to get ALOT of pics in a small space at 1 am).

On Saturday, Nov 7 I planned a robbery mystery dinner for 24 couples from the MBA program. Due to the numbers and lack of "free waiter and waitresses" Dave and I ended up being servers all night. For me it was fun to watch the other people get into their characters and enjoy a gourmet meal on fancy dishes. For Dave, well, he just loves me I guess. This was ALOT of work to get tables, chairs, settings for 24 people and enough food to go around. I appreciate my friend Rhandi who put together an amazing 5 course meal. We want to do this again, only we want to participate this time. Is anyone interested?

Then on Tuesday, Nov 10 I planned and prepared for a Pampering night which included massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, satin hands, foot baths and lots of food too. We had a great turnout of over 40 people! People didn't leave until 10:30!

Thursday, Nov 12 my PE classes, plus 75 extra kids, participated in the speed stacking event to try to get the most stackers in one day to beat the Guiness book of world records number. The kids really enjoyed the fun work out. We had 180 kids stacking for 30 minutes each.

Finally, on Monday, Nov 16 I planned a bowling night for families in the MBASA program. I was sad that, although the sign up sheet said that 100 people were coming, only 50 showed up. Am I crazy that I would rather have 100 people come? I just really like everyone to have a good time together. We still enjoyed ourselves . . . Dave even got 4 strikes WHILE holding Jackson (show off!) I barely bowled over 60 . . .

Not to mention (this is for my personal journaling sake . . .) making dinner for my in-laws, playing racquetball and flag football, going to a wedding shower, reading a 400 page book, have a dinner group with people in my ward, RS super Saturday activities, math night at my school, putting in grades for trimester 1, taking Jacks to the bean museum, going on a double date to a BYU game, and oh, yeah, and I have a son and husband too . . . They haven't seen much of me lately. I am already doing MUCH better this week.

Even though it has been alot of work it is really rewarding to plan something fun and see people enjoy it. As I went home from each event I was trying to find a way to repeat the activity so more people could enjoy it.

Funny and not-so-funny story

Funny:
I am on a Flag football intramural team with some members from MBASA. We are called the "trophy wives" and all the other girls are amazed that we are married WITH kids. Playing freshman is the funnest!
What 28-year-old, mother of one doesn't daydream about a fantastic play in flag football?
Well, first off, am I the only one who daydreams?
So I had this great image of me knocking the football out of the QB's hands and catching it and running it back for a TD (I am a rusher). Then, right before I went to my game, Dave reminds me to "rip their pants off" - Which is a joke because he got his shorts ripped off in the front at one of his games.
Ironically, both of these things happened in last night's game. I grabbed what I thought was a flag and it ended up being the flags with a handful of sweats that ripped right off. Luckily, we formed the 'girl' modesty circle and she borrow a pair of extra pants someone had.
The next play wasn't exactly like I dreamed, but I rushed the QB, so she started running the ball and ran into her own blocker, which squeezed the ball out and I happen to pick it off and run it back for a touchdown. Very awesome feeling.
I also caught another pass for a TD. We won 22-0. I am loving the games this year! We are in the final 4 - wish us luck!
Not-so funny: Our computer died . . . AGAIN. I am hoping that it is just the video card and NOT all the pictures/ scrapbook stuff. But either way, if I ever want to scrapbook again, we have to buy a new computer. I guess digital scrapbooking IS expensive :)

Jumping Jacks Take 2

Remember this from last year?

My recent hobby

Recently, I have joined a scrapbooking site at scrapmatters.com. I have been completing different challenges and in the process completing some of my scrapbook that I am so behind on. I love the challenges because, you know me, I am competitive. Plus it gives me a place to start, other's layouts to copy and great ideas for titles and journaling. I also like that once you post your layout, people comment on your pages . . . it gives me a sense of accomplishment, instead of waiting until I print an entire book for people to be able to look at it. Here is a sampling of my recent pages.

Destructo

This is an older video . . .but Jacks is still destructive. Today he learned to throw things in the garbage, problem is that it isn't necessarily trash that he throws in . . .

What is the drive that makes kids NEED chaos all around them? Jackson won't play with blocks, legos, or anything like that, UNLESS we build something, THEN he will destroy it.

Too Much Fun

I have, in my life, been accused of having "too much fun." (to which I replied, is there such a thing as TOO MUCH fun???) My trip to Denver was just that.

As if meeting with 5 old roommates was not enough I fit in everything I wanted to do. First, I got to see MaryAnn and Ryan's new home! Ryan got a job working as an accountant for one of the BIG 4! He is an amazingly hard-worker! Their house is gorgeous (I'll admit I was a bit jealous of the stage they are at in their life . . . settling down, buying a house. . . having an income . . .)

My parents and sisters happen to be visiting the same weekend, so we all played (and of course I forgot to get a picture of Ryan OR MaryAnn :( Dayton and Jackson steal all the clicks!

The fun new pull toy . . . Jackson was convinced he could pull his lightweight cousin.

How would you like to wake up to this every morning. Their yard is gorgeous!

It took Jacks a minute to get use to the leaves, but then he couldn't keep them out of his hands, shirt, hair . . . and I'll even admit . . . his mouth!

We also went to a local pool to cool off from the icy 45 degree weather. We just love to see our kids be this happy!

I also met up with a friend from Hiroshima, Japan. She was such a help to me in Japan as a missionary. She became my special friend and taught me alot of Japanese. She would do splits with us and teach lessons with us. I learned on this trip that her mom ASKED her to be my friend because she was worried about me. (funny story: This lady, Sister Tanaka, came up and said "oh, you are a bean!" I had no idea what she was talking about so I start looking in my dictionary for "bean". My companion informed me that in Japan "greenies" are also called green beans, which is then shortened to "bean" . . . It was ENGLISH!)

Anyway, my friend Chiyo has a 1 year old Sean. It was so nice to catch up after many years. Is it sad that I didn't speak a single word of Japanese the whole night?

WOW! I even went to a haunted house! Just kidding, that is the Colorado temple . . . not really sure why it is glowing green. I have been there before, but not inside. It was nice to feel the peace of the spirit that is in all temples.

What do you think? Is there such a thing as "too much fun"?

Please Stand Up.

Here is a little exercise I would like to try . . .

Please stand up if you had roommates your freshman year of college.

Remain standing if:

1. You got along with your roommates

2. ALL of your roommates liked each other

2. You called your roommates after moving away.

3. You visited your roommates after moving away.

4. You lived with one or more of your roommates after freshman year.

5. You got ALL 6 roommates together for a 10 year reunion

6. You still all like each other.

7. You once posed together with 6 roommates with matching 'undies' sticking out of the top of your pants.

How far down the list did you get? Is anyone standing? I didn't think so, but I AM!

I just had the most amazing weekend/flashback to '99 college dorm life. Six people (plus a few extra kids) flew/drove in for hours to be together for 2 days in Colorado.

We looked through old pictures and laughed hysterically.

One of the roommates found a list of 100 memories from freshman year that I had written. We went through them one by one for hours (yep we were up past 2 am 2 nights in a row . . isn't THAT a flashback . . . except I had to wake up at 7:00 am to a needy baby :) ). We laughed (but didn't cry) and relived memories long forgotten.

We caught up on where life has taken us and what we have learned in our 10 years of being 'grown ups'.

We ate like piglets (just like we used to except now we can cook . . . or at least Chan's mom can!)

and had LOTS of dessert. Especially BTS cake (email me if you want the recipe or the meaning of BTS)

To the bestest, hottest girls of E Richards 219- Jen, Stac, Linds, Chan, Katherine and James

This weekend was a miracle and one of my all time favorite events! BONUS!

Love you and see you in 5 years for sure!

Here's what I don't get

How can a kid who can't tell the difference between a Coupe car and a Barbie car, meticulously pick out small, soft chunks of carrots carefully mixed in (hidden) with similarly-cut bits of hot dog(without tasting it before), throw them over board and proceed to eat the (nutritious?) hot dog?

Size Matters

The first part of the video shows you Jackson's background with cars . . . not super entertaining, but make sure you watch the end . . .

How do you explain that to a 15 month old? (Happy 15 months today Jackson!) No wonder kids are easily frustrated! Life throws all sorts of curves at them . . . just when they learn how to use their past experience to succeed . . .

Big Shoes to fill

Jackson has some big shoes to fill in his life . . .and not just because his dad has size 14 feet!

Dave is an incredible father and provider. I just wanted to give a shout out to him (it's the only way I can get him to read our blog) and tell you 10 things he does that I love and admire about him.

10. Ever since school started Dave goes to bed late and gets up EARLY. He lives on very little sleep and never complains about the sacrifices it takes to do what he does.

9. When this guy cleans . . . the house is emaculate! I love how everything has it's place and he leaves nothing undone!

8. He loves to play with Jackson and make him feel loved. He is fun and has a lot of energy with him (is that where Jacks gets it?)

7. He helps us to make a budget and tracks our finances perfectly.

6. If there is ever a situation I don't want to handle (talking to a salesperson, etc) he will do it kindly and happily. He doesn't get flustered or treat the other person badly. He is genuine and real with them (and he does if for me when I don't want to :) )

5. He's handsome . . . tall, dark and handsome. . .

4. He is patient with me. When he apologizes, it is from the heart and sincere.

3. Dave is gone again this weekend while puts himself out there for job interviews again. I know it isn't easy when rejections happen, put he keeps doing it (again, without complaining). He will be a good provider.

2. His committment to honesty and integrity are incredible. Even if he can get away with something, he believes it is more important to please God than man.

1. Dave is funny! He makes me laugh (and I should probably laugh MORE at him than I do). He makes light of life and is able to make happiness in our family.

A few of my favorite toys

Please begin singing now to the tune, "A few of my favorite things"

Toys with big buttons and bright shiny big screens

Toys that make noises and continue to sing

Stuffed animals all cuddly and soft,

this are a few of my favorite stuff!

Chairs I can climb up and tables to dance on

Couches to jump off and love sac to land on

pots, pans and spoons to bang, click and cling

these are a few of my favorite things!

When the battries die

when my mom sighs,

when I'm feeling bored

I simply look in new drawers to see what I find . .

and I'm sure that my mom don't mind!

Brotherly Love

I know that everyone has a sob story and this one definitely isn't the saddest one out there, but I still want to help my brother as much as possible. My little bro, Tyler, graduated from BYU in April with a business management degree. He had been looking for jobs ever since. His wife just had their first baby in August. He wants to provide for his family and is a very hard worker. I know that people tend to get jobs based off someone they know. SO, if you know of anyone who needs an entry level business guy, please let me know. The sooner they can get an income, the better!

Here's Jackson's recent cousin Grant Tyler (In honor of Tyler's favorite cousin, Grant who died 10 years ago)

P.S Dave is also looking for work next April in the MBA field. Keep your eyes and ears open!