{Our 2005}

Our Highlights of 2005. I know I left some things out...but here are a a few things Mike and I could think of. Some are serious...others in fun! (in no particular order)

I hope you enjoyed your year as much as we did...and here's to a great 2006!

• Piper!!!
• Winning Apple Cup 2 years in a row
• Both Eme and Ty Potty trained.
• Eme started pre-school
• Eme started dance
• Shannon got a lap top
• Shannon getting "published"
• Shannon enjoyed designing and teaching for the Daisy Bucket
• New Friends (small group)
• Kitchen Aid!!
• Mike got a truck!! (four runner, one he’s always wanted)
• Vasectomy!!!
• Mike’s business took off.
• Lost a kitty and gained a kitty
• Eme and Ty learned to go under water.
• Piper and Emery now share a room
• Emery accepted Jesus in her heart
• Visits from Shannon's sisters Michelle and Jill
• Meeting the twins!
• Marks engagement
• Watkins family reunion.
• Mike built the kids a swing set
• Piper dedication
• Pretty Arbor Fence Mike built Shannon
• The Flagpole
• Kids singing at church
• Shannon got Bangs
• Trips to the Beach
• Visits with Maggie
• Started this Blog

It's Thursday Already?

Im in a Monday mood...(slow). Mike just went back to work today. He surprised me with Tuesday and Wednesday off. So I am just now getting in the routine of things.
I am so glad Christmas is over. It was fun, but I am just anxious to get back to normal. Actually...I'm ready for Spring. Sound crazy I know...but after putting away all the decorations and reorganizing a bit...it feels like spring cleaning. It's sunny outside and I can just imagine my bulbs starting to bloom.
Well, lots has gone on...I have a bunch of pictures to share...just need to find the time to download them and put them up! Just wanted to let you know I survived the holidays! Hope you did too!

Merry Christmas To All

Since my to-do list isn't shrinking as fast as I would like to, I probably will not get to posting on my blog until after Christmas. So I wanted to leave you all with these words that came to me in a Christmas letter today.
All the following was written by Lloyd Johnson~
What do you suppose the "great company of the heavenly host" meant when they spoke to the shepherds at Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus? "Glory to God in the highest" seems clear, praise to the God of the heaven for His entering our world. But what about "and on earth, peace to men on whom his favor rest." Luke 2:14 Perhaps it means that even in the midst of hurricanes, tsunamis, war, illness, the struggles of life' He brings shalom- underlying peace, well-being, and wholeness. We His followers are ultimately OK because of Immanuel-God with us. "My shalom I give to you", Jesus said.
So to you, Shalom and Merry Christmas! (not "happy holidays" :)

{To Do List of a Procrastinator}

~Finish cleaning the house. (kids room, kitchen and bonus room are done)
~Clean the carpets (Mike's job)
~Finish Laundry
~Wrap all the gifts
~Make more Christmas Candy and Chocolate Sauce (not a must...just doing it for more work)
~Make 4 secret projects (not small ones mind you)
~Finalize menu and finish shopping for Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning Breakfast.
Im sure there's more...but thats all I can think of...why am I bloggin...get to work girl!!!

{Traditions}

Our church offered free family photo shoots this year. I think they turned out great. They printed us each a picture and gave us a disc of all the pictures they took. What a nice gift from them. I wanted to share some tradtions our family has started and feel free to share your traditions with me as well!
~Having Christmas Eve at our house
~Going to Candlelight service.
~Birthday Cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve
~Matching PJ's (haven't done this the last couple years...but it's fun)
~One gift from Santa (usually unwrapped) and stockings from Santa. And Three gifts from us, in remembrance of the 3 gifts from the wise men. (this also helps keep down the gifts ;)
~Milk and cookies out for Santa. I've told the kids since we don't have a chimney that Santa comes to our door. The thought of Santa coming inside frightened Emery last year, so we've told them that he knocks and Daddy and Mommy get the gifts from him at the door.
~Open Stockings first, then gifts and nummy breakfast afterwards!
~We buy an ornament for each of the kids each year, usually representing something they are in to. And one for our family. This year we got a Martin Stadium Ornament. Cougs have to be represented somehow.
~Socks in the stockings seems to me a tradition for us. We have holes in them by the end of the year.

Im drawing a blank...If Mike thinks of more I'll add them. Please share yours with me!

{Random Ramblings}

I know I should be posting something Christmasy (tis the season) But my creative Muse hit me last night and I had to finish this layout...and therefore share it with you. When the Muse (whatever that means) hits I must create, since it doesn't hit me all the time. I'm starting to think it's an hormonal thing (but I wont go into detail).

Another thing that's been on my mind the last week is my little business. It's the start of the Wedding Planning season. The time where brides start thinking of their invitations. Time for me to start trying to get my name out there to get their business. Here's my dilemma; My first year in business a couple of ladies in my town put on a Wedding Fair. It went really well and I got some really good business by participating. The second year they had to cancel it, therefore my wedding invites orders went down (this is the money maker of my business). They did however say they were planning to do one this winter. I contacted them last week and they are not planning on doing it again. I am so bummed.
There is however a show in the next,much larger, town in the first week in January. It would be such good exposure for me and open me up to a larger clientele. Also, I would probably be the only Invitation Designer there. I contacted them and they want close to $500 for a booth. Money my little business doesn't have right now. Man I wish I knew we weren't having a bridal fair in our town ahead of time so I could have saved for the big one. O'well, just kicking myself for that.
I have been thinking about maybe doing a mini-show myself with some friends I have in the wedding business...but in the long run, would it be less money than the $500 for the Big Show? And less exposure? O'well, we'll see what this year has in store for Defining Details.
Hey, if you know anyone getting married in the need for invites, send them my way!!! Shameless plug I know!
Oh, and a big shout out to Miss Lisa W. and the rest of my Yakima crew. Thanks for all the business this past fall and to come!!! Keep having babies ;).

Okay that's my ramblings today.

{Fa La La}

It's finally hitting me that Christmas Time is here. It's taken me a bit to get in the swing of things. Better hurry up since we only have a little over a week. O'dear.
Things that help remind me Christmas time is here;

Building a Gingerbread house with the kids...it turned out really cute, however it's half gone now ;).
Christmas Cards. I love them...especially the pictures and letters that come along with them. My "Christmas Stick" has now been turned into a Card Tree. Look close, you might see your picture there.
Christmas pageants. Em had a little Happy Birthday Jesus party at school today. The did a little reenactment of the Christmas Story. What a sweet little angel, that desperately needs her hair cut. I just noticed Joseph is picking his nose. Classic!

Happy Holidays...hope you are all in full swing of the festivities!!

$20

That's it folk!!! Mike did some research and found our problem with the van was a small part, cost $20 and took him only about 15 minutes to fix!!! We're up and running again!!

Bring on the diamonds Santa! ;) (just kidding, I am not expecting diamonds)

Tree Trimming Time

We put up our tree this weekend. It was the first year I let the kids put up all the decorations...can you tell ;). After they went to bed I rearranged them...so the tree looks a lot better than in this picture. I didn't think they would noticed that I switched things around...But Emery said this morning "Hey mom, that's not where I put the heart..." Oops, caught. Anyway. They had fun! I had fun...I just set my "Martha" side of me aside...It's a family tree and it should look that way. (are you proud of me mike?)

Ty had fun dressing in our Tree Skirt...What a sweet Chris Cringle. (spelling?)

Now I have to get our Christmas Card designed and out in the mail.

Off to go create! (and do laundry...Joy!)

Things that make you go hmm....

Remember that saying? Arseno Hall used to say it on his Late Night show. (by the way...we have 2 degree's of seperation from him...but that's another story)
Anyway...today's sermon at church was really good. It was titled "Going the Distance". It was about having faith in Jesus even through the hard times...fighting the good fight....
One quote our pastor said that really hit me was "The difference between Happiness and Peace is; Happiness is manipulated by your circumstances, and Peace is finding calm even during turmoil." I loved that definition! And I sat there thinking I Have that Peace and calm. I know I do, although I really cant say I have had much Turmoil in my life. Pastor Dave also said that he wasnt making a prediction, but he could pretty much gaurentee that some of us will face hardship during this holiday season. And will we fight the good fight, find that calm...and still celebrate the season.

So on our way home from church...our Car completely freaks out. Transmission wigs, speedometer brakes, engine dies!!!! We're assuming this wont be a cheap thing to fix. I'm finding my peace and calm place...Merry Christmas ;) Not exacltly what Mike and I had in mind for a Christmas gift to each other. But that's not what its about is it?
Things that make you go hmm....

In the last 24 hours...

• I've been peed on twice
• Cleaned up puke twice
• Had 2 children with fevers
• Made one trip to the Doctor's office
• Dealt numerous doses of tylenol and anti-biotics

But on the positive side (which I like to live in)

• Emery responded right away to the meds for Strep
• Ty's Pukies seemed to amount to nothing
• Piper learned to clap
• We got a free Christmas tree (thanks Angela and Darrin)
• I received 3 new Daisy Bucket Kits to play with
• 3 new Scrapbook Magazines came in the mail today (one of which has a layout of mine in it)
• a case of chocolate covered Macadamia nuts came today as well. (thanks Papa and Jean)
• last but not least...Survivor is on tonight.

So life is good!

{Piper's New Look}

This is her new face...she's practicing her frown. It's hilarious. She'll look at you...then you frown back at her and out pops the biggest smile. Its her new game. I caught this shot during her 9 month photo shoot I finally got around to doing today. Here is the link to the other pictures I got. Piper's 9 month Pictures. If you click on the small pictures it will enlarge them. Enjoy!

{Me Board}

Emery did a great job presenting her Me Board in class today. A little shy and quiet, but she answered all the teacher's questions.

~5 Things That Made Me Smile This Week~

So I've been Tagged by Sherry. I need to list 5 things that made me smile this past week. So here they are.

1. Peppermint Ice Cream:

Tis the season! My absolute favorite. I picked this up at the store right after hearing that DQ would not be having their Peppermint Chip Blizzard this year. So this made me smile despite the fact that the DQ lady completley ignored me when i asked her the reason for not making those blizzards. How Rude!!

2. Emery's Me Board:

Mike's not going to be very happy that I blogged this picture of him being a secret scrapper. He helped Emery make her Me Board (a board of pics about her little life) for pre-school. It turned out really cute. I will take a picture of her presenting it in front of her class tomorrow.

3. Clippy things:

Little altered paperclips I made for bag closures...Love how they turned out. Inspired by someone on 2Peas.

4. Glitz and Glamour Tree:

This is the table top tree I donated for the festival of trees on Saturday. This picture doesnt do it justice. I had a hard time giving it up. But it raised 250$ for a Childrens Program in our town.

5: Little voices praising Jesus!

By far my favorite thing this week was seeing my kids sing in front of church yesterday. They did such an awesome job. Emery knew all the words and motions. Ty didnt sing, but he was smiling and having fun...he was so sweet, blushing and showing his little dimples. We have the cutest video of them. I cant believe they are old enough to be doing this already.

Okay so now I am going out side my scrapbooking blog friends and tagging Molly and Tracy! Go Girls.

{Pip's Hips}

She's fine. After a third call to the doctor's office this moring (a heated call I might add) I was promised, yet again, someone would be calling me. When no one had called by 4pm I went down there myself to get some answers. What did I get: "The doctor will call you within an hour". She did in fact call to tell me her hip x-ray looked good and appologized for not calling sooner. Seriously, was it that hard to make the 20 second phone call to me.
All is well. Piper is fussing as I type this because Mike is trying to work with her on her standing and she much rather just be held.

{Rainbow}

Still no news from the Doctor about Piper. I am really not worried about her hips or her weight. No news is probably good news. Here's a sweet layout I did about our little one last night. Love how it turned out!

Still Waiting

No news on Pipers x-ray yet. Our doctor is the only Pediatrician in town. I've left two messages. I will let you all know as soon as I can. I am thinking everything is just fine with her little hips. But thanks for all the emails and calls.