New Year's Eve

A normal New Year's Eve for our family consists of eating way too many high calorie foods, playing some games, laughing with friends, and Jesse falling asleep on the couch around 9:30pm. Mind you, this is usually someone else's couch. So embarrassing... But this year, we are staying at our house. So he can get in his pajamas before he falls asleep on the couch.

This year, we still will eat the high calorie foods (I am making stuffed mushrooms, yum!) and spend the night laughing with friends, but I got the idea from a friend for some cute New Year's Resolution Cards



Then we may play one of my favorite games - 25 words or less. You try to get your team to guess the words on your card in 25 words or less. It is really fun! Another of my favorites is a face card game called Hand and Foot. One of my very favorites, always played with my in-laws.

And what will the kiddies be doing? Destroying the basement, I'm sure. I really have got to buy an X-Box or something...

P U

Help! I hate smelly dish rags and towels!! Does anyone have a quick solution to get that sour smell out of towels...besides throwing them away, which is what I normally do? I cannot stand the stinky smell of used towels. I can smell one in the kitchen the moment I walk in, I can detect if it has been used to wipe down the table, and I detest it on my hands!! Yuck!! Does anyone have a trick up their sleeve that actually works?

Christmas at our House!

We had a fun and relaxing Christmas Day at our house! Emma got a doll from Gabe, and has been loving on her since. When she is not loving on the baby, she is cooking up a storm in her new kitchen. Gabe thinks he is so cool on his new bike, but will have to wait to test it out...don't worry, he has plenty of other gadgets to play with!

**Emma fell asleep on the way home from SLC Christmas Eve, so she slept in her dress**

Christmas Eve Memories...

When it comes right down to it, I enjoy Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day. I love the anticipation of Christmas Eve Day, the hustle and bustle! I have many fond memories of Christmas Eve involving family and friends. Many have been spent with my in-laws, and we often would give into the excitement and open our presents on Christmas Eve. I loved that! Our first Christmas in Utah was spent with a friends family from work - The Snell's. Brenda spoiled Gabriel like he was one of her own grandchildren. We ordered dinner off of a coded menu, so you didn't know what combination of food you would be served or if utensils would come with it. I will always remember that year and the love they shared with us! I also remember one year spent with the Carpenter's and testing our hand at Fondue!

This year we started a new tradition...let's hope it happens next year so it can be a tradition. We dressed up in our Sunday best and went out to dinner in SLC - The Roof at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. We were seated right by a window with a breathtaking view of the Temple. As we ate, it started to snow which only added to the magic! After we stuffed ourselves, we bundled up and headed over to Temple Square to see the Lights.

Gabe and Emma before and during Dinner...

All bundled up in front of the tree at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building...

Merry Christmas! We love you all - old and new friends! It has been wonderful to reflect on our Christmas Memories and to also reflect on the life of our beloved Savior this beautiful season.

Family Christmas Parties...

I love Family Christmas Parties! We missed Susan and Wayne at the Allen Family Party, but are all looking forward to next year when they will be with us! The Madsen Family Party has a tradition of going Bowling. We all love this tradition! There is a lot of whooping and hollering, challenging each other, bets, and teasing. Such a fun time! Here is my Mom with Gabe, Emma, and cousin Cade. We rent the entire alley for one hour. It only has 8 lanes, but we all spread out into teams and bowl like crazy!


Here is Emma, who did actually have her hand at the game and was quite good! I'll add in Christmas Memory #11 here. Two years ago, I was pregnant with her, but hadn't told anyone yet. I was four months along and was sucking my gut in as much as I could so no one would notice. How I ever thought I could hide my 4 month pregnant belly, I'm not sure. I was cornered after the bowling by my sisters and Mom. "Is there something you want to tell us?" I said, "No, do I look fat?" They all just kind of stared at me. Then it all came out. I am the last one on my side of the family to still be having kids, so this was really exciting for my Mom and sisters!

Christmas at Home...

This is Christmas Memory/Tradition 10. I've almost made it, and have thoroughly enjoyed stepping back and reflecting on this joyous season with so many of you! I have been thinking a lot about Christmas growing up. Here are some of the memories of my childhood:

• Waking up REALLY early to go LOOK at our presents...then go get Mom and Dad later.
• It was so cold in the family room where we opened presents. We all brought blankets and Dad would crank up the electric heat!
  
• Our Christmas Tree was always real, usually the Charlie Brown variety. My parents still go cut one down every year.
• The lights on the tree were those huge C9 bulbs. The cool part was, my parents had these tin reflectors that went behind the lights. So cool. Did anyone else have those?
• Our neighbor, Bev, always brought a plateful of cookies right before the holiday. These were by far my favorite neighbor gift. There was a huge variety and my favorites were always the candy cane cookies and a butter cookie. Mmmm...
• Over winter break we always played in the snow. I remember one particular Christmas when Nell and I got new snowclothes. We were out building caves and forts every day! Doesn't it seem like we had more snow back then?
• I loved that relaxed feeling after all the presents were opened, the sun was finally up, everyone was content, things were just right...
• My Mom had this tiny candle set of Santa, carolers, angels...it was like a nativity set with Santa...but we also had a real nativity.
• The Ward Christmas party always had Santa there. As a child that was the best. I was always so nervous to take my turn...why?
• I loved the magic of Christmas as a child and LOVE to see my children experience the same magic.
  

Christmas with Kyle...

Sixteen years ago today, my older sister, Paula, was expecting her first baby. A boy, and the first grandson! The baby came early. Paula had Toxemia and Group B Strep was transferred to the baby when he was born. This is a life threatening infection for newborns. Kyle was born December 20, 1991. I still remember that Christmas. He was at McKay-Dee Medical Center on Christmas Day that year. Our family woke up as usual on Christmas day, opened presents, and had a Christmas meal. I still remember kneeling at our chairs before we ate, listening to a tender prayer offered by my Dad to our loving Heavenly Father to bless this new baby and Paula and Ray. We went to the hospital later that day. Kyle was hooked up to every machine possible, had the best doctors and nurses (who couldn't resist him!), and had many prayers offered on his behalf. In a short amount of time, he had open heart surgery, 2 complete blood transfusions, a collapsed lung, and every drug and experimental drug used on him. But he was a tough little guy! Sometime in February, he was able to come home. I can still picture him hooked up to his little Oxygen tank. It really was so cute! Today, Kyle turns 16! He loves to wrestle and be a cowboy! And I'm sure a few girls are chasing him!! I don't remember what I got that year for Christmas, but I do remember praying for a miracle. And a miracle is what we got...Happy Birthday Kyle!!

The Advent Calendar...

Every family should have the tradition of the Advent Calendar! What child doesn't love to wake up every morning to count down one more day until Christmas? Ours is a quilted tree with a button for one ornament to be hung on each day. Gabriel loves to lay all of the fabric ornaments out every morning and make his selection. Lucky boy...he doesn't have to take turns with anyone. I especially love our Advent Calendar, because I made it. It's nothing impressive, but was made with love by me! I can still remember our Advent Calendar growing up: it was a felt tree sewn on what seemed to be burlap. There were tiny wooden ornaments, each with a gold thread acting as the hook. We had to use a straight pin to put each one on. I, unlike Gabe, had to share the sacred morning duty with my sisters. And no one ever gave up their turn. I wonder if my Mom still has that Advent Calendar...

Christmas Books...

We love, love, love BOOKS at our house! And Christmas books are no exception! For a tradition, we wrap up 24 books each year and then open one each night. This happens every year, usually. This year I didn't, but the books are all out and will continue to be a tradition! We like to add to our collection when we can. There are even some really old ones from when Jesse was growing up. Here are some of Gabriel's favorites:

Of course, this one made the cut...we love the movie too.


This one is about a moose father who wants Christmas to be "perfectly perfect", but he forgets to buy the Christmas tree....


Have you ever woke up the morning after you built a snowman, and he wasn't in the same spot? This answers all your questions to why he moved...really cute!

Christmas Cards...

A tradition for our family is to send out the annual Christmas Card. This is our card for this year that I made on Shutterfly. I usually do a Home Made card, but this year decided to have a change. It was so easy! I LOVE going to the mailbox in December to see what treasures I will find each day. I enjoy hearing from High School and College Friends and couples we have become close to over the years. Although I don't write a letter, I do love to read everyone else's letters and hear how their little families are doing. Their pictures find a special place on our "Family" magnet board for the month of December. Less than two weeks to get those cards out!

Christmas 1996...

December 1996 I was a Junior at Idaho State University with the three best roommates anyone could ever ask for! Pepper, Jamie, Tara, and I were 4 peas in a pod. We got along amazingly great for 4 college age GIRLS, laughed a lot, could read each other's minds, and consumed a large amount of Cereal together. I wish I had a scanner to show you a picture of the 4 of us. It brings back good memories just thinking of them. So, back to Christmas...some of the details are kind of sketchy. Let's be honest, none of us got much sleep and again, we were living on cereal. Pepper, if you read this, you may have to fill in the gaps! That Christmas we had a beautiful live tree. How we got the tree...that's the sketchy part. I can't remember, but it was really pretty and filled our tiny apartment with the scent of pine. We loved it. Tara was a little elaborate at times and covered the tree with at least a couple thousand lights. I am not joking! We all left for Christmas break leaving our lovely scented tree to become dry as a bone. When we returned, we knew the tree needed to find a new home in the dumpster. The problem...we couldn't get the billion lights off without permanently damaging our arms from the pine needles. So, we chucked the entire tree, lights and all. Sorry, Tara. I also remember one of the gifts Pepper gave us that year before we all headed home for Christmas. She had typed all of our favorite scriptures on a small card and laminated it for each of us. I still carry that around in my scriptures...

Pajamas...

I put this darling nightgown on Emma last night, and had a flood of Christmas Flashbacks involving "The Christmas Eve Pajamas". So naturally, my 4th Christmas Memory is the tradition my family had while growing up. Every Christmas Eve, we anticipated the moment we got to open one present. It wasn't a surprise what was inside. It was always pajamas, but hey, we got to open one present early! This nightgown that I put on Emma, reminded me of the nightgowns my Mom used to make for us every year to open on Christmas Eve. I wish I had a picture to share! All 5 of us girls got the exact same nightgown, hand sewn by my Mom! I am not sure the precise year that the Pajamas evolved from hand sewn to store bought, but eventually she quit sewing. But the tradition carried on. I know some of my sisters still have the tradition. We somehow let it slip when we started having kids...maybe it's not too late to start!

This picture is of Emma being tempted by the Hallmark Ornament Tree...Seriously, is she not the cutest?

Hallmark Ornaments...

Growing up, it was a tradition in Jesse's family for his Mom, Susan, to give her sons a Hallmark Ornament each year for Christmas. Susan gave me all of Jesse's ornaments at one of my Bridal Showers. It was one of the best gifts I received! At first the collection was small, but it has continued to grow substantially each year since we have been married...thanks to Susan! She has continued giving us and our children Hallmark ornaments each year. What started as a small collection and filling a small tree, has turned into several 18 gallon bins in my garage that we haul out at the beginning of each December and start to pick through. They no longer fit on just one tree, so we have to be selective. This year it is all Children Ornaments. We could do a tree with only Santas, only Baseball and Basketball, only Cars and Trains, only cartoon and Disney characters, only the ones that hold special meaning to us... It is so fun to sort through them and see the one's that perhaps didn't make the cut the year before. Someday, we should get a gigantic tree and hang them all on it. I can't even begin to guess how many we have. Maybe I will count them when I put them away in January. Susan is in Greece this year...whatever will we do? Oh ya, buy our own :)

Christmas 2005...

Gabriel has ALWAYS wanted a baby sister, ALWAYS! He would ask us constantly about when he could get a baby sister (he was worse than my sweet Mother-in-Law, Susan! - Just teasing, Susan!!) He even started telling his Primary Teachers, Pre-School Teachers, and Babysitters that I was going to have a baby. I was continually getting congratulation notes on his homework, and I was constantly apologizing and explaining the situation... Oh, how he wanted a little sis! We discovered Fall 2005 that we were expecting, so decided to wait until Christmas to tell Gabe. We told him Christmas Eve 2005. Was he ever excited! We probably could have just told him our surprise and forgot Santa that year. Five months later he got her - Miss Emma Kate. Best friends from the beginning...I hope that goes down as one of his best Christmas' ever. It was one of mine...

Christmas 2003...

I have mentioned in earlier posts what a tender-hearted little boy we have. It started at a very young age. One of my favorite Christmas memories involves our tender-hearted Gabriel. In 2003, he was 4 years old, and it was our first Christmas in Utah. Santa was bringing him a train table and trains, but that was it. I worried that he may be a little disappointed that all he saw Christmas morning was a table and trains. No presents to open...just trains to play with. Boy, was I wrong! On Christmas morning, he walked in to see his present, and of course was excited. Then he turned to Jesse, and in all innocence said, "Dad, I don't know what to do about it." Jesse was unsure what he was talking about. "What's wrong, bud?" Then a response that made Jesse and I cry - "I got too much stuff." Only our Gabriel. Always reminding us of what is important in life. That year a little child reminded us that the material things in life aren't what really matters. It's our Savior, our family, our friends...I carry that memory around all year long, but at Christmas, it has a whole new meaning. Thank- you my tender-hearted Angel...

Welcome December!

It's finally here!! The snow had perfect timing this morning to welcome in a new month! Now, it is starting to feel like the holidays. Break out the hot cocoa, turn on the fireplace, hang the stockings, trim the tree... I will start tomorrow on my 12 Christmas Memories. The wheels are turning, and it has actually put a smile on my face, and sometimes a tear or two, to think of so many fond memories...Can't wait to read all of your favorite memories or traditions! Here we go...

Wanna Play?...

So I've really become addicted to this whole blogging world. No really, I need to be committed to some institution for some help, but they would take my computer away and thus no blogging... Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed sharing and reading about our Grateful Hearts in November. So...I was wondering if anyone wanted to play with me in December? Here's what I am thinking...the 12 Memories of Christmas. I don't even know if I have 12, but I promise to dig deep and come up with something. I am posting this early, because I know some of you are not quite to the addiction level I am and check your blog every day (um, hour). Just kidding...kind of. And, since I wasn't quite diligent enough to post my Thankful Blog everyday, I thought we may need the entire month of December to post the 12 Memories (not just the 12 days before Christmas.) Get it? Kind of? Okay, so if anyone wants to play with me - start anytime in December. Ohh...so fun. The wheels are already turning...I can't wait to see what some of you share...what did I do before blogging...

Thanksgiving, Family, Home...

My heart has been full of gratitude this month, but especially on Thanksgiving when we traveled home to spend the day with family. If memory serves correctly, we haven't ALL been together since Thanksgiving of 2004. I am so thankful for my family...all of them...these are all the grandkids and one great grandchild on my parents side...16 in all...each special to me in their own way...

Going home is an interesting thing...so nostalgic...I like to wander around from room to room and notice the little things that are always the same...Mom's jewelry is still on the top of her dresser, her lotion still smells the same, Dad's keys and wallet are still on the kitchen table, the bread is in the same drawer. And some things are different...the trees are more mature, the rooms seem smaller, my old room seems more of a guest room than mine...but the love is the same. And for that I am grateful...

When we were little, we used to have one of those old rocking horses with the springs. We would try to see how close we could get the nose and tail to the ground. We succeeded many times, but enjoyed the hours of trying more than actually succeeding. That poor horse is now outside, faded, and cracked...but Emma still hopped right on and rode it like the cowgirl in all of us...


So, as November comes to it's finish, I carry my grateful heart into a new December...

Emma...

Today I am grateful for Emma. It seems I spend my day picking up the messes this little tornado makes...but I wouldn't trade it for the world! Here are just 5 of the reasons I love and am grateful for my Emma...

1. She has perfect timing...I thought I had it made - a great husband, a 6 year old in first grade, all day to do according to my own plan, no crying babies in the middle of the night, no diapers, we could pick up and go anywhere as a family on a whim, etc. etc... She entered my life to remind me what I was missing...

2. She gives the best hugs and kisses...open mouth with tongue...gotta love it!

3. She has been sleeping through the night since we came home from the hospital...angel baby!

4. She reminds me each day of how special it is to be a "Daughter of God" and what a privilege it is for me to be her Mom and raise her. I like to think we were best friends at another time and place...

5. She likes her Daddy more than she likes me. It does hurt my ego a little, but there is nothing sweeter than a "Daddy's Girl".

Gabriel...

Today I am thankful for Gabe. I get a little emotional just writing that. I never knew the extent that my parents loved me until I held my little angel Gabriel for the first time. We have been through a lot together his first 8 years. I love him more today than eight years ago and look forward to many years to come. Here are the top 5 reasons I love and am thankful for my Gabe:

1. He says the funniest things...He has such a great sense of humor. He loves to watch movies and then repeat the entire thing to me. I think he gets this from his Uncle James...

2. He sleeps on my floor every night. And it is NOT, I repeat NOT, because he is scared to sleep alone in the basement. He just thinks my floor and his sleeping bag are especially soft...

3. He has the most tender heart of any little boy I know. The other night while driving home, he was mad at me for not giving into him for something (I don't even remember now). So he starts calling me stupid mom and names that actually were hurting my feelings, but I kept quiet. We get home, and I go into the house. Gabe stays in the car. I go out to see if he is coming in, and he is just sobbing. He proceeds to tell me that he is not upset about what happened before, but he is sad because of what he said to me. Hugs and kisses all around and all is forgotten...

4. We had 6 years 9 months just the two of us. Well, Jesse was there too - but you know what I mean. He was my little sidekick. We went everywhere together. I didn't do anything without him. He was and still is my best buddy. Of course, I am not so cool anymore. But that's okay. I have so many great memories of just the two of us - trips to the zoo, shopping, going to the farm, the museum, riding the escalator at the mall a bazillion times, Christmas, Easters, Halloweens, Summer picnics....

5. He taught me an important lesson on the Atonement when he was just 6 months old. Gabe had Bacterial Meningitis at 6 months, and we almost lost him. There came a point in our 16 day stay in Intensive Care that I knew that no matter which "home" he went to - mine or our Father's - that he was mine forever because of the Atonement. We were a Forever Family and still are. All I have to do is look into those chocolate brown eyes, and I see a love greater than either of us can fully comprehend. I love you, Gabriel...

Five Interesting Things About Me...

Sheila tagged me to post 5 interesting things about myself that perhaps some of you would not know. Some of you may already know some of these and just think I am weird. If you just can't handle only 5 weird things about me, go to my October blogs. There are 6 more there. Here goes...

1. I was a cheerleader in high school...and so were my 4 sisters. You should see all 5 of us do the school song together! Goooo Dragons!!

2. I am named after my Grandma Kate. I am Tricia Kate. My daughter is Emma Kate. I know, cute, huh?

3. Men with long fingernails give me the heebie-jeebies. It is so disgusting...

4. I am not a fan of condiments (please read that correctly) as in ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce... I did not eat a sandwich with mayo on it until I was in college. My first salad was when I was in college, also. The things you'll eat when you are hungry! I still eat a lot of foods dry.

5. I have not watched TV in 4+ years. I know...now you all KNOW I am weird. We just never got cable when we moved here, and then we kinda liked not having a TV. I do see advertisements for shows when I am at other peoples homes or restaurants and think, "wow, what am I missing?" I have no idea what goes on with the reality TV shows. I am so out of the loop. We do a lot of reading, walking, blogging, etc. over here.

There you go. Hope I gave you something to think or laugh about!!

Family Pics...

Our dear friend, Becky Kimball, took the greatest pictures of our family last week in the Sugar House area! They turned out SO great! Becky is so talented and captured the true personalities of our kids...Emma is a mover and Gabe is stubborn with a few giggles in between! If you are interested in Becky's amazing talent, her photography blog is beckykimballphotography.blogspot.com Here are just a few of my favorites...I could have posted about 16 more, but didn't want to overdo it :)

My Man...

Today I am thankful for my darling husband, Jesse. We met our Freshman year at College, and I fell hard for him! I thought he was much older than he really was and was so disappointed to find out that he was waiting for his mission call. I knew a good thing when I saw it, so I waited two years while he served in Brazil. The day after he returned home, we were engaged.

Here are just a few of the things I am grateful for with Jesse in my life: a best friend, a kind and wonderful father, a worthy Priesthood holder to bless our home and family, someone to make me laugh everyday, and a hard worker so I can stay home with our kids. Jess, I love ya...

My In-Laws...

I know this is atypical, but I love my in-laws! They are like a second set of parents for me. Today I am thankful for them. I am grateful to have them in my life everyday, but especially today. They are serving a mission in Greece, and I got to talk to them this morning. So now, I have been reminiscing since the phone call. They are those friends and neighbors everyone wants because they are so kind to everyone. They would drop everything to come to someone's rescue. I am grateful to have witnessed many such occasion. They have always treated me like I was a daughter to them - even before we were married. One of my favorite memories of them is when Jesse was on his mission. They took me and Katie (my now sister-in-law) and three of my roommates to St. George for Spring Break. Who does that? They do...and poor Wayne...putting up with all those girls when he only raised boys! A saint, I tell ya! I especially miss them with the holidays quickly approaching. I am grateful for their example to me, Jesse, and our children for choosing to go on a mission. It is not the easiest for them, but we are all being blessed for their selfless service. Wayne and Susan, I love you and am so grateful to have you in my life...

Temples...

Today (and yesterday) I am thankful for the Temple. Jesse and I spent our date night on Friday night at the Temple. What a better date? I am so grateful that we have a multitude of Temples so close to us, and I am embarrassed to say that I don't take advantage of their close proximity. I won't elaborate, but I am overwhelmed by the Spirit each time I go and leave with a greater desire to be better and try harder in every aspect of my life...

Sense of Humor....

Oh, I am so grateful for a sense of humor with our busy Emma! I thought it was so cute when she wanted to sit like a big girl on the potty...I am so naive! She actually wanted to sit IN the potty, and then add toilet paper, and then splash around and laugh. Now it has become a daily ritual. So not funny...but we giggle anyways. Isn't she cute?

Christmas Lights....

Today I am thankful for my Christmas Lights. I know that sounds really shallow, but read on... I am actually more thankful for those I just paid to hang my Christmas Lights. Last year Jesse hung our Christmas Lights and I got two things out of it: An ulcer because I thought he was going to fall off our roof, and frostbite because I couldn't be inside if indeed he did fall off the roof. I can laugh about this now, but last year he resurrected his climbing gear and harnassed up. He put all of his weight plates in a wheel barrow and then basically repelled down our roof. He thinks he is a genius. And you are, honey. But thankfully today, I stayed in my toasty warm house and watched three men hang my Christmas lights without the fear of them falling off my roof. Okay, once I worried about them falling and wondered if they would sue me...but they are all fine. Here are the pictures of Jesse hanging our lights last year...

Health...

Today I am thankful to be healthy. I am grateful to have a body to take care of - I try to eat right and exercise so I can be strong to serve my family and others. I think I often take for granted my health, because at the moment I am healthy. It's not until I get sick and am in bed, that I long for the days to be strong and carry out the responsibilites that come with being a mother, wife, and woman. So today, here's to my health and the health of my family...

Thankful...

I am starting a list of things I am thankful for. One "thing/person/place/whatever" for the month of November. Two things are prompting me to do this. One, I teach a Spinning class every Monday morning at 5:30AM - that is not a typo. I must admit that I have become attached to the members who get up at that forsaken hour to come sweat with me. Mind you, I don't really know all of these members on a personal basis - some I do - but most no. One member has let me have a sneak peek into her life through blogging, and she has inspired me - Thank you Sheila. She has started a Thankful Blog for each day of the month of November. I am copying her - give all credit to Sheila. But she has invited all to copy her idea, so I am! Next, I get an e-mail every week from Jesse's parents who are serving a mission in Greece. Susan is always reminding us of how grateful we should be for the little blessings in our lives. I giggle and shed a tear in the same sentence as she describes their trials and experiences - Thank you Susan.

So my first Thankful Blog, I am thankful for my Mom. Today is her birthday. She probably won't even read this because she has a phobia of computers - she is afraid of breaking them. I have tried to explain to her that all she has to do is turn it off and back on....no luck. Anyways, Mom, I love you. Thank you for giving me life. I never realized what a sacrifice a mother makes just giving birth - and then for the rest of her life!! - until I had the blessing to become a mother myself. All the late nights talking, the sick days and nights, the crying, the boyfriends, never judging, letting me grow, encouraging me, and always loving me. I could go on and on.... If any of you have the opportunity to meet my mother, you will soon realize she is one of the most humble people around. I love you, Mom. Happy Birthday!

(this is the day we blessed our sweet Emma)

Brotherly Love...

We are fully aware that Gabe is the typical big brother: he teases Emma to no end, likes to hear her cry, loves to wrestle with her, and possibly loves her more than Pokemon... There is a huge age gap between them - almost 7 years. But that gap doesn't stop the love that happens between siblings. Yesterday we took our annual trip to Cornbelly's. Gabriel was so kind and tender to Emma. He would hold her hand as they went from the slide, to the Cow Train, to the Jumping Pillow. It really was so sweet...

Gardener Village

A couple of friends and I took our kids to Gardener Village today to see the pumpkins and the witches. It was the most gorgeous day! I wish I would have got a good picture of all of the kids, but they either weren't holding still or a mom's hand or camera was in the middle of the picture. Here is one of Emma and Carson, the pirate. Emma wanted nothing to do with the witches...too scary!

My helper...

After Emma and I put Gabe on the bus, we usually come home and start the whole picking up process. We all know this process....it takes hours just to pick up who knows what and put it in it's proper location. Emma always follows me around, usually creating more work for me, and we work together. So this morning I find myself in the basement "picking up", when I realize that I am all alone and it is really quiet....I run upstairs to find my little helper sound asleep on the carpet. Is that not the cutest? I love the pigtail sticking straight up in the air! I should probably go put her in her crib...

Happy Birthday Steph!

It is Steph's birthday today. Ah...for those of you who love Steph as much as I do, it is hard to say enough good about her. She is an amazing friend, mother, and wife. She would do ANYTHING for you, and she has on many an occasion. Steph, I love ya and hope you have had the best birthday this year! You deserve it! xoxo Trish

"I Cup"...

If you have had the wonderful opportunity to meet our 8 year old, Gabriel, you have realized that he is so sweet and innocent and loves to laugh. Do you remember being in Elementary and trying to make your friends say something funny? They don't realize they have had a joke played on them until after they have made the statement? (My personal favorite was saying "what are you doing under there?" "Under where?" ha! Underwear!!) Well, Gabriel is to that stage - 2nd Grade - who knew? So he comes into Jesse's office Friday afternoon where Jesse and I were discussing the day. Here is how the conversation went:

Gabe: "Hey Dad, spell "I Cup". Giggling the ENTIRE time.
Jesse: What?
Gabe: Spell "I Cup". More giggling.
Jesse: E-Y-E-C-U-P. (He thinks he is so smart.)
Gabe: Can't speak because of the giggling.
Jesse: "I-C-U-P."
Gabe: Falls on the floor because he is laughing so hard.
Jesse and Trish: Laughing just as hard as Gabe.


Oh, to be in 2nd Grade again....

Tagged...

I have been tagged by Steph....here goes:

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I waited for Jesse while he was on mission....we were engaged the day after he got home...not sure if I should be admitting to that!!
2. I love sweets more than real food...I honestly could live on candy.
3. I love to go to the gym...teach or just take a class...I have to because of all the sweets!
4. In a previous life I was a Mammographer (aka Boob Squisher)
5. I grew up in a small town in Idaho. My graduating class was only 86 people. Our class reunions are more like Family Reunions, no joke. I love it!
6. I hate small noises that keep me awake at night: a ticking clock, a dripping toilet, Jesse breathing, the blinds hitting the window when its open, a cricket chirping.... I resorted to wearing earplugs when Jesse denied my request for him to stop breathing so I could sleep....I really don't find that unreasonable....

Who to tag...I think almost everyone I know has been tagged, so if I tag you again, sorry. I tag Becky, Natalie, Pepper, Sarah, and Lisanne (again...I know, you just haven't done it yet!!)

TV Stars...

This morning I took Emma and Gabriel to Channel 13 with Lisa, Natalie, and Kadyn Berrett to show costumes from Roberts. (At 6:30am - they are such troopers!!) Emma was the cutest LadyBug, Kadyn couldn't have gotten any cuter as a chicken, and Gabe was a perfect Pirate. I told Gabe he would probably be on TV again next week. He then informed me that he would like to be a Dinosaur next time. I will let his agent know....

Prince Gabriel

And this is Mr. Gabriel....don't you just love those chocolate brown eyes? They are so dreamy! He better watch out...the girls are going to chase him!! Emma just loves him so much, as do the rest of us! We love you Gabriel!!