Christmas Cards

I love reading everyone's Christmas cards and seeing pictures of how everyone's family's have grown. But, you must all please forgive me as this year with the move life was crazy and I decided to save a little $ on postage and so no cards were mailed. Plus I knew no one wanted a card without a picture of my handsome boys and no pictures were taken this year with all it's craziness. So, my goal for January is to have the boys pictures taken and to send a New Year's card. Or maybe a Valentine card for February- either way - I owe you all one and it's a work in progress!

Merry Christmas...

Christmas was wonderful.

My boys slept until 7:30 and patiently waited while we turned on lights, made hot cocoa and got the camera ready.

Justin was so excited that Santa had come and couldn't wait to rip into it all. But he was very good about asking who gave him what present and saying, how did they know I love transformers, CRAZY! Probably because anyone who would talk to him he would tell them all he wanted was transformers - and by the way all these toys marked 5 and up - Phew! it takes an engineering degree to transfomr them - thanks to Brent's degree that transformed Bumblebee into a camero!

Nic was unlike a normal teenager and was so thankful and happy about all his presents! He was excited about everyone of them, and even the 1 game he already had that he got he was so calm and nice about - because of his awesome attitude we braved the stores and return lines today and switched it for him.

The boys loved Guitar Hero from my sisters and much to my family's dismay I got on the mike and sang Beat It while Justin played drums and Nic the guitar - what FUN! My husband however said Kristi, seriously do you really think you can sing - I just sang louder :)! Justin and Nic also jumped and did all kinds of crazy stuff on outdoor challenge for the wii and we had a hilariusly fun game of dart tag - man those darts with rubber tips smart - but oh so much fun! My sisters send fun gifts, lucky for my boys they don't have any kids to spoil yet so they spoil mine double much!

We had a nice day enjoying our family and talking to family on the phone. After dinner our wonderful friends Brent and Stacey and their girls stopped by to say Merry Chrismas and we shared our dessert with them. A Wonderful end to a Wonderful day.

I hope you all had a Wonderful and Merry Christmas!

Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

We hope that you have had a wonderful year and are happily looking forward to 2009.
2008 has brought our family some trials, but we have persevered and are stronger for our struggles. I read that when we are struggling we know God better than those who have no struggles. This year our family has come to know Our Heavenly Father very well, and we are assured that many blessing will be found from our struggles this year.

As many of you are aware we started 2008 with Alex in the hospital – he went in on Thanksgiving night and came home 43 days later. The result of a bad case of pneumonia (some funny name that one day you are walking fine and the next you have been hit by a mac truck) that resulted in heart surgery, the loss of his gall bladder, appendix, 2 feet of intestine and part of his colon. He also endured for months at home IV's, endless trips to DR's, wound care and his personal novice turned pro (sorta) nurse- ME! We were also very fortunate to have many family members rush to our aid and fly out here to help us take care of the children. I don't know what we would have done without them. This year our family has all invested in the flu shot and Alex the pneumonia shot! Alex is now doing very well and looks great except for the gigantic scar on his stomach – it’s HUGE!

Like the majority of our neighbors we are struggling with the economy and the housing depreciation. We were part of the housing boom out here and the bubble has popped putting houses on the market for less than ½ of what they were worth! We were affected especially with the numerous medical bills, loss of almost 6 months of work, and the fact that Alex lost his full-time hours and medical ins. after he went back to work from being ill. He’s now working a 2nd job - security at night. We decided to move and were able to get a bigger house in a really great community with pool, parks, fields, walking paths and a K-8 school for about 1/3 of our previous mortgage. We bought someone else’s foreclosure and paid over $160,000 less then what the previous owners bought it for, and the house was only built 2 years ago. CRAZY! We moved at the end of November and we are mostly settled except for the garage.

The boys are doing well. Nic is 13 and in 8th grade and is still a straight A student and was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society this year in a beautiful candlelit ceremony. He is very active in Boy Scouts and has gotten so many badges and has earned his 1st and 2nd class. He hopes to be an Eagle Scout by 16. He just went on a 10 mile hike and overnight campout. He is still idolized by Justin who tries to do everything that Nic does.

Justin is 4 and my little buddy, we hang out and do school work, clean and go to the park. He has taken 3 sessions of swim and they end this week until Jan – and yes we are taking outdoor swim lessons in the Y’s heated pool – too fun!!! He also played soccer and is now starting T-ball. He is so excited his coach is a man for t-ball. He was quite disgusted that he had a woman as a soccer coach ‘cause men are only suppose to be coaches mom! Things kids think I tell you!

I am doing fine. Sometimes struggling to make sense of all these life lessons, and sometimes thanking God for easier struggles than those around me. I worry about the world and economy and try and stock up a little more in my food storage every shopping trip. I pray for a world with a little less struggles for my children, a world where jobs are plentiful and everyone is entitled to medical insurance, and a world where parents don’t have to work numerous jobs to put food on the table. But most of all I thank God that even though life is a struggle right now, that I have a wonderful loving extended family, and a husband and 2 boys that I love and that love me, and every night as we sit down at the dinner table and thank God for our blessings I remember that my life really is blessed!

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and many Blessings in 2009!

Christmas Eve

Everything is done. Potatoes made and in the fridge ready to be reheated in the oven to make them nice and fluffy (I made them with cream cheese). Carrots and celery cut and on their special plate, dip made, almond croissants made for breakfast and donuts bought. Turkey thawing and stuffing onions cut. Since I discovered these wonderful turkey bags, I am washing and stuffing and baking the turkey tomorrow as it will take no time at all to cook a YUMMY moist turkey!

All my presents are wrapped thanks to Nic who watched Justin yesterday until I was done - I don't think I've ever NOT had to wrap presents Christmas Eve before. I do have to get better at hiding gifts. I do believe my littest has gotten my desire to peek. He is so fun this year and SOOOO excited for Christmas! He can't wait to see if Santa will bring him his transformers.
Alex also has the next 2 days off, how exciting!

Blogging world

I need saving! Maybe if I sit Nic down here he can figure out how to add a playlist for me.

I took the boys to the mall today. Nic wants to wear his watch now that he recieved when we said our family vows at our wedding. He feels he is mature enough to wear it now. Most days I agree with him. So we got a new battery and added some bands as he has grown over the past 6 years! Wow, time has flown!

We also got new church shoes and flip flops for Justin and new sneakers for Nic - it feels like I just bought them new ones. They are growing like weeds!

We also made a trip to my fav. place for Orange Julius! Love them!

Nic is out of school now for Christmas for the next few weeks. I love having my boys home. But... Mr. Justin thinks his brother should spend every second with him. Nic not so much! I have been listening to them bicker back and forth for the last 10 mins as Nic has his friend Wes over and they want to play video games. At least Wes understands as he is the oldest of 3 siblings.

I'm off to rescue Nic and Wes and put my youngest child to bed.