Christmas Letter 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Thank You for all your love and friendship.

Make a Smilebox greeting

A Little Dancing

Well Cali decided to enter a Dance choreography contest. The theme: Beauty is... I was hoping she'd do a lyrical song (because I think she is born to be a contemporary dancer), but mom's weren't allowed to influence or help according to contest rules. So I restrained myself from providing any help. I think it turned out cute, not her best...something always mysteriously happens when the camera roles. But I think it was a great experience for her to do it.
Here it is below...and of course the boys always want in the action, so I recorded one for them too to post.

At least he caught the ball...

My wonderful hubby got up at 4 am with me on Thanksgiving to help clean toilets...yes I think that's love. He had a Turkey bowl at 8:00. Our parting words. Lisa : Don't get hurt. Tim: I thought you were going to say Don't hurt anybody. Lisa: Well, yeah that too.
He comes hobbling in through the door at 10:00 as promised when he'd be home. Lisa: Tim stop teasing. Tim: I'm not. I'm sorry. Can you get me some asprin? Lisa: Seriously Tim, stop teasing. Tim: I'm not. Can you please get me some asprin? Lisa: (Then I realize he's not kidding) I don't think we have any, but I can get you Tylenol now and I'll call Caryn. What happened? Tim: I went up for the catch and I landed in a ditched filled with mud. Lisa: Well did you catch the ball? ( I already knew the answer...this is not a first, it's just been a while) Tim: Of course. Can you get me some pain medicine?

Don't ask me how he drove home, considering it was his right ankle. But somehow he did it. Even after he made it home, he hobbled around helping me get everything ready for Thanksgiving dinner. It was like when after a lady totaled his car in the snow a few years back and he refused to get in an ambulance, he walked home about a mile carrying his temple bag and a snow shovel (maybe a basketball too--can't remember) which had been in the back of his car. Somehow he becomes a superhero amidst these moments...I guess that's why he is the rock in our family.

I know he's not going to be happy I'm writing this...but he's out of town, so maybe he'll forget by the time he gets back. I'm thankful for my hubby most of all this Thanksgiving...for his positive attitude, his drive, his sacrifices, and his ability to always get back up.

I should have taken a picture the first day, the swelling has gone down significantly...This is day 5.

An Early Birthday Present

Happy Birthday Will...I got you a haircut. Love, Trent
It's kinda hard to see in the pic, but the left side is cut almost to the shaved level. and the back of the top is considerably shorter than the front. With scissors in one hand and hair in the other Trent exclaims, "I accidentally cut Will's hair". Hmmm.To fix it I'd have to shave it, but I'm not going to, because I'm afraid that all the strawberry blonde hair will be gone...and I really don't want to cry on Will's birthday.

Happy Halloween

First an apology...since joining FB in March I have shamefully neglected this blog. My family communicates mostly through FB therefore I have been slacking on the blog.

Halloween lasted several days this year and I think we have way more candy than we need. We had trunk or treat on Wed. Halloween Party at Daddy's work on Thurs. and then of course Halloween. I didn't need to buy those 2 huge 350 piece tootsie pop and dum dum bags. Nope I'm not in Harlingen anymore where they had a cop directing the traffic on my street to protect the swarms of trick or treaters. I think we got maybe 50 trick or treaters including a adult mom and her middle school daughter. I guess she wanted to be a kid again.

The kids were adorable of course...and Will loved loved going up to the door and getting candy.
Instead of saying Trick or Treat, he said "Treat Treat".

Trent was Spiderman and Will was Pooh Bear (but he wasn't too keen on having the head up). We didn't decide on Cali's costume until the week before when at a church clothing/Junk exchange and we found cowboy boots. Yep that solved our problem, and all I had to do was buy a cowboy hat at the dollar store.

yep, its number 8

Well its official, were moving! This will be number 8 in 7 1/2 years of marriage. And yes...it should be home for a long, long time. This is finally a move where we can say we'll be there more than 2 years. Hurray! Tim is now the Administrator at Timberwood Nursing and Rehab in Livingston, TX, and he is loving his job. He finds it challenging...but I think that's why he loves it so much. Well that and he is the boss. He has been working there for about a month and half--only coming home on weekends. So needless to say I'm extremely anxious to get settled into our new home. Yes our new home. I'm saying good-bye to San Antonio and will miss it dearly. On the other hand I will not miss this apartment, nor it's cockroaches and biting ants. Poor Cali, she got bit by her eye while sleeping and the next morning her eye was all swollen. It looked like somebody punched her.

Anyway onto our house, which I am so excited for. I can hardly wait. We'll have many "projects" to do, but I'm way excited. I would personally like to thank the city of Houston for having amazing home prices--we're getting way more than what we would have gotten in San Antonio. I guess that's to help me like the city despite its crazy humidity/heat and the fact I now will be watching the hurricane tracker from May to Nov every year. Favorite parts of the house so far...Nice big and deep kitchen sink, new appliances, and a good-sized laundry/mud room. Oh yeah and Cali is happy because we now have a fireplace for Santa to come down. The only dilemma is the pool! What to do?

We're moving to Kingwood, Tx which is the nearest good sized city (imo) to where Tim works. He unfortunately will have a 45 mile commute everyday...but oppurtunites for the kids, schools, and proximity to Houston were bigger factors in our decision. That and Tim didn't want to feel like he had to put on cowboy boots to fit in somewhere. Although he will now admit that country music is starting to grow on him. Anyway Kingwood seems like a great town, very family friendly and chuck full of tress, which Tim appreciates more than me. I'm just hoping one doesn't fall on my house during a Hurricane. Cali is going to have a blast trying to climb them all..and I'm sure Will will be right behind her. Move in date: July 31st. Hurray!

When I'm Emotional

I admit it. I am emotional. I'm a girl...so it's normal right. Well my emotions came to the surface recently on two separate occasions. The first was yesterday. I was filling out forms to register Cali for Kindergarten in Kingwood, TX (yes, we're moving...details in another post). Which shouldn't seem too emotional as I had already done this for her school in San Antonio. Then I get to the part about allergies and fill out the info that she has a peanut allergy. Nothing unusual...just like the other forms. However this one had me check a box to say whether or not she must sit at an allergy free table. Now all along, I knew that she probably would have to do this...but for whatever reason checking the box made it all too real, and I began to cry. I couldn't bring myself to check it...though I know I probably will have to--to prevent her from exchanging food with others. I wondered what this would do to her. Would she be alone? Would kids tease her or make her feel bad for being different? My heart went out to her, and I sobbed for her. She has always handled her peanut allergy very well...only on a few occasions have I ever seen her truly hurt because of it. I just don't want her to feel that everyday. I'm sure it'll be fine. There will probably be others like her, probably ones with worse allergies. And I'm sure she'll still have plenty of friends. I just can't believe what a simple check the box can do to me.

The second instance was today. The kids and I were having a normal day sitting at the table eating cereal for breakfast. I look over at Trent and he has his hands on his mouth with a distressed look on his face. I figure he just bit his tongue and I'm waiting in anticipation of his delayed cry that he gives when he's hurt. No sound. Silence. I ask him if he's okay. Silence. His eyes are now full of terror. I slightly panic and tell him to talk and tell me if he's okay as I'm flashing back to my 5th grade Health class. Silence. That's when I realize he can't talk...he's choking...really choking...not the something is stuck and I can still cough to get it out. I jump out of my chair. I grab his shoulders and my first inclination is to pat his back. (Apparantly the can you speak part is ingrained enough and not the heimlich part) But just as I'm about to do this...his mouth opens with some cereal, and he begins to cry. I'm not sure what happened: if it went down or came up. There was no coughing or sound. Now just his cries and his "I was choking. I couldn't talk." That's when I lost it and began to cry.

Update on Cali

• Got into the dual-language immersion program
• Mom found a great dance school and both mom and daughter are taking classes
  
• took an art class...and we will gladly accept any paper donations to our house as we are now always in short supply because of her nightly "letters" to us and her daily "art projects".

Cali wanted everyone to see some of her artwork that she's done...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Some Videos For the Week

Trent on the Scooter





My Tree Climber





16 1/2 Months and finally ready to walk??

Happy Birthday Trent!!!!

Trent turned 4. I can hardly believe it. I asked him if he wanted to stay 3, but he said, "No, I want to be a big boy!!!" I swear he was just born. We had a fun day. We got up early had breakfast, then cake and presents. All Trent said he wanted for his birthday were 1. Scooter 2. Scriptures. So we figured that was reasonable. He got both. I don't think he's gotten off his scooter since. And he loves his scriptures and really feels big now. That night we went to Incredible Pizzza--kinda like Chuck-E-Cheese--and he had a blast. Well so did everyone. The kids especially enjoyed their prizes. After we picked out his scriptures we went for a walk up to see the temple. If you look at the pictures of the fountains, you'll see very green grass. I don't think I've seen green grass anywhere in SA, except for at the temple. I just really want to just lay on it every time I see it!

Oh yeah, and if you like my basketball on the cake, tell Tim just how cool you think it is. LOL

Some March Madness!

Cali gives me a new hairstyle!





A Night Out to the Melting Pot! 1 Word...Yummy!




Some Fun at Guadalupe State Park

February pictures

Time for New Sandals???




Next Bham basketball star






Church ball ended!!!





This picture of Trent really reminded me of pictures of Tim when he was a kid.




Loves to Pose for the camera




Last but not least.....the kids most regrettable mistake of the month. While I thought water, TP, and a bathroom were only a deadly combination for elementary school boys...I realized Cali couldn't hold herself from the temptation. So while I was being domestic and making homemade rolls for the missionaries who were expected for dinner in only 2 hours, Cali and Trent managed to completely make a mess of the entire bathroom in what was their attempt to "have fun".

Since I had thankfully taught a VT message earlier that morning on the responsibilities of being a Mom, I somewhat held my cool as I scolded them and set them to work cleaning it up--because there was no way I was going to do it.

And while I spied on them cleaning it up, under Cali's sobs she was saying to Trent, "I wish I had never done this." Approximately 1 hour before the Elders were to come, (bathroom still not cleaned up) she comes to me with a smile on her face and a sweet as can be voice says, "Mom, maybe it's a good thing I have to clean this up, because then I can know just how hard I'll have to work when I'm a mom." With a little smile on my face I said, "Good, now get back to work".

The mess didn't get completely cleaned up until the next day, which proved to be easier since the TP mess was then dry. So consequently the Elders were informed our Restroom was currently OUT OF ORDER and if they needed one, they would have to find one elsewhere.

Unfortunately I took the picture when cleanup was almost done...so the picture doesn't give adequate justice to the extent of the damage done to the entire bathroom...but hopefully you can just imagine it.

You Can Create

I just really loved this, because I have never thought of myself as being creative.

Trent Cuteness

Trent in Chicago

Trent's pictures of Prince Eric...Cali certainly doesn't influence him does she. LOL

Recent Conversations with Trent

He had just finished up this sports class at the JCC. I asked him if he had fun. He said yes so excitedly and then said, " We played soccer and Batman". I got a good laugh because they really played Badminton.


Well, first I have to admit that Yes I'm one of those moms who frequently finds herself still in her PJ's at noon. However, my kids do manage to get dressed promptly after breakfast which is usually around 7:00am...thanks to a wonderful persistent hubby who insists we all eat breakfast together. Did I mention he makes the breakfast? Yes, he does so there are no complaints here from me.

Anyway back to my story, after breakfast the kids normally put on "play clothes" which would describe clothes we wear which are not our "nice clothes." So anyway, I'm in the bathroom telling Trent to leave because I would like to take a shower. (Yes this is after lunch, while Will is napping.) He's reluctant. I say, " Trent, look I'm still in my pajamas. I need to shower and get dressed." He quickly responds, "Those aren't pajamas." I look at him like what on earth are you talking about. You are almost 4 and you're seriously saying these aren't pajamas. I then say, "Look, don't these look like pajamas."

He then says, "Those aren't pajamas. Those are "play pajamas"." Apparently I've created a whole new category of clothes.

Girls, You Might Want a Tissue...

This was too beautiful not to share.





My mother-in-law sent this to me, and it was especially touching because Cori Conners was my neighbor, and I grew up listening to her songs all the time, although I had never heard this one before. I just love her music!!! Thanks MomB

Art Skills Not Required

This is our old Family Night Chart

This is our new Family Night Chart

I think we've made some improvement!

My brother

Well my brother just entered a couple videos for the 3 minute 24 hr film competition in Utah. I thought I would post them. I don't think he's aspiring to professionally make movies anytime soon, but I got a good laugh and he is definitely the most creative one in my family. My brother's the tall one with a beard. You may recognize him as he announces for UVSC men's b'ball and BYU women's b'ball and volleyball. And I may have forgotten some others. Love you Markham. Thanks for the laugh.






This one he did the previous year.

Our Hero is Grandpa, as for Wal-mart....

Well it all started with a little girl who loved to ride her bike. A bike that came fully assembled as clearly stated with a big sign that could hardly be overlooked, which pleased mom and dad, so that we weren't up to the wee hours on Christmas eve putting it together.

The first complaint came when the little girl said her seat was moving. No big deal, I'll tighten it up. To my discovery, the seat wasn't even close to being on, I pulled the whole thing right off without even a ounce of effort. Now while some may have yelled LAWSUIT (in this sue happy country called America), I shrugged it off, got the wrench and put the seat on--deciding that as a good mother I should have checked the seat first to make sure it was tight, and really no harm was done.

Then the next complaint came again while riding. The little girl's pedals were locked and would not turn. She mildly panicked, and thankfully Grandpa was there to catch her before she biffed it onto the pavement.

Grandpa is now a true hero, but not only did he do this, he took about an hour of his time to diagnose the problem and fix it (with great patience as the kids "helped")-- all while wearing nice clothes he had on from his business trip and using our tools, which I'm sure are less than stellar. Thank you Grandpa! You were here to save the day when we needed you.

Turns out the pedals were not put on all the way correctly. So while I'm not contemplating a lawsuit for emotional stress and minor damage (dust and dirt) done to Grandpa's clothes, I think Wal-mart might get a letter from me about their so called fully assembled children's bikes. We'll see...

Weeks Highlights

Well the big news of the week is Trent can ride a bike. Thankfully his birthday is in March, so that he won't have to ride a girl bike for too long. And thank goodness he's not embarrassed in the mean time. Thank you BootScoot Bikes! (Our friend started the company, their awesome) Now we don't have to go through the training wheel phase.



I wish I could have gotten a little more footage of Trent, but my battery died.

Meanwhile Will (14 months) still has no desire to walk and instead enjoys his time crawling and climbing. Neither Cali or Trent were climbers, so this is something new and fun for mom.

Should Cali attend a dual language kindergarten???

Now that it's a new year I have to start thinking about kindergarten for Cali. In San Antonio, as well as other major cities in Texas, they have two-way dual language programs.( I think they are done slightly different in each city and yes this is public school) This is what it is if your not familiar with them. Each class consists of 50% english only speaking students and 50% Spanish speaking only students. The class is taught 90% of the time in Spanish and 10% in english starting in kindergarten. In 5th Grade its about 50/50. San Antonio boasts that students are fluent in both languages by 5th grade.

It sounds awesome to me. Some people argue it puts the english students at a disadvantage to their other english peers in traditional classrooms and academically they are behind. I don't know if that's really true, haven't seen any numbers on it. It's a relatively new thing, but next year they are expanding the program to 10 elementary schools within our district because of its popularity.

Okay so why the blog...I'm just wondering if anybody knows any info about this or if they have first hand experience...please share.

take the poll to let me know what you think I should do.