bowling

a few shots from yesterdays trip to the bowling alley.

we all had our own technique for a high scoring game

Tim's was to go for an amazing leg sweep as he released the ball - he just ended up on his butt!

Michael's technique was to use all of those super manly muscles to throw the ball as hard as he could - maybe the pins would fall down in fear!

Justin took his cues from the serious bowler lady in the lane next to us - (she was so cool, she even had a wrist guard) - she would shine the ball and then lick her fingers every time! YUCK!

Somehow I didn't get a pic of the best technique- Maggie's - she walks up to the line very casually, as if she is SO bored with this game. Then she releases the ball and takes her position - her right hip out, left knee off to the side - and patiently waits for her strike, which she gets time after time!!

Michael and Maggie

the full nelson

Tim and his friend Wade - who by the way, threw the ball like a grown man! That kid has some arm!

a quick game of pool after bowling

it's ok to make up your own rules, right?

Maggie and Justin

So, the big news in our family this Christmas is that my niece, Stephanie, became

engaged to wonderful Matt!

He proposed on Christmas Eve in front of the whole family! It was awesome!

(again - way to go, Matt)

We are all thrilled that they will be getting married soon- they are a great couple who remind me how fun it is to be in love with your best friend!

We all love Matt a lot, and he just fits right in with our bunch!

Congratulations, you guys!!

Matt, sweatin' bullets just before proposing!

The big moment! She was STUNNED!!

He had her crying (along with all of us!) before she even saw

the ring - it didn't end ALL NIGHT!

She said YES!

SO PRETTY!

For Leighana

Thank you for blogging about me and the love we share.

I wrote a song for you:

Your on the phone

With Maggie, she's upset

She's going on about something that you said

She doesnt get your humor like I do

I'm at my house

Its a typical Tuesday night

I'm thinking Maggie is a friend that no one likes

And she'll never know your story like I do

'Coz she's obnoxious

I am super cool

She is boring and I like to party

Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find

That what your looking for

Has been ME the whole time

If you could see that

I'm the one who understands you

Been here all along

So why cant you seeeeeeeee

You belong with meeeeeee

Not with Maggie

Walk in the streets

With you and your worn-out jeans

I cant help thinking this is how it ought to be

Laughing on a park bench thinkin to myself

Hey Maggie is skeeeeeesyyyyy

And you've got a smile

That could light up this whole town

I havent seen it in a while

Since she brought you down

You say your fine

I know your better than that

Hey what your doing with a friend like that

Yeah 'Coz she's obnoxious

I am super cool

She is boring and I like to party

Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find

That what your looking for

Has been ME the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one

Who understands you

Been here all along so why can't you seeeeeeee

You belong with Jenniiiiiii

Standing by and waiting at your backdoor

All this time how could you not of known

Babyyyyyyyyy you belong with meeeeeee

Not with Maggieeeee

Ooooooh I remember you drive into my house

the beginning of the night

I'm the one that makes you laugh

maggie's smiles are a lie

I know your favorite song

And you tell me 'bout your dreams

Think I know where you belong

Think I know its with meeeee

Cant you see that I'm the one

Who understands you

Been here all along

So why cant you seeeeee

You belong with meeeeeeee

Standing by and waiting at your backdoor

All this time how could you not of known

Babyyyyy you belong with meee

Not with Maggie

Your friend is NOT Maggie

Have you ever thought just maybeeee

You belong with meeee

You belong with me

just the weekend

If I really think about it, we didn't do anything all that great this weekend, but I felt like we were go, go, going everyday! I may need a nap sometime soon!

Tommy stayed home for the most part working on a few little home improvement jobs (new seal on shower door, new light bulbs in each room etc.) while I carted the kids around.

Friday night - movies for mag and tim and friends, friends staying the night - bedtime for me, 2:30a.m.

maggie and friend Chris

Saturday - up early for Christmas Parade, Forney hometown Christmas celebration for the rest of the day, kids enjoying being out and about with friends. Even though it was cold and windy, we were there long enough that I got a little sunburned!

Big Slide- a Hometown Christmas tradition!

yep - it was VERY muddy in the "kids section"

Mag with friend Allie

Tim and friend Tyler

maggie and friend/apparent lover, Amber

Friends - sarah, jessica and maggie

BFF Haley danced on the main stage a few times

Maggie with friend Chris

P.S. - I love this photo!

Then home long enough to brush our teeth and to grab some much needed advil, before I had to drive Maggie to a stake Christmas party. After the party, I got to hang out with her and a couple of friends at starbucks (CARAMEL APPLE SPICE!!!) - bedtime - Midnight.

Scotty, Leighana, Maggie, Carlie, Justin

Sunday - new church time - way too early! - had a couple of friends over for lunch, then went to the baptism of some new friends. (Tommy confirmed both boys, and I cried a bit - I always do when I hear him give any sort of blessing! I am SO grateful that he is a worthy priesthood holder) Bedtime -11:00.

So - again nothing great happened, but the cold weather, and the late nights (I am old enough that 10:00 is too late for me!) have made me tired! Now it is 5:00 a.m. and I am looking forward to that nap!!! Crossing my fingers that I get it!

Christmas begins!

Here are just a few snaps of the Christmas spirit so far this year - Decorating tree and the annual Forney Hometown Christmas Celebration Parade

A few of my favorite ornaments!

I think I made this one in kindergarten

When we were first married and had no kids to fill our time, we spent one year painting ceramics to give as gifts at christmas - we would come home from work and spend hours painting together! Ahh, simpler times...

that is my favorite ornament that we painted!

given to me by Tisha Hall in elementary school

My VERY favorite - given to me by Peter Maroni in the first grade!

tim and friend tyler, waiting for parade to begin

maggie pretending to be happy - she was really MISERABLE because of the cold!

cold smoke breath!

it was 26 degrees

he doesn't look too thrilled to see Santa - too chili - good thing my kids don't live in the north!

I'm in love

Starbucks CARAMEL APPLE SPICE.

Steve's big check

This is a check written out of my brother's checkbook - he ordered checks with large print. Boy, did he get checks with large print!

A lot of the size gets lost in this picture, but this is one of the funniest things I have seen in a while! Seriously - it looks like those big publishers clearing house checks that they surprise people with at their front doors!

He warned me before he sent it, of it's giant size - but I was unprepared - Maggie and I laughed so hard when we opened the mail and found this colossal check. Honestly, this has to be mailed in a large manila envelope!

The checks that I use are frightened of this check - they look like Lilliputians by comparison!

Steve, thanks for the money- and the laugh!

My new "best book"

I have a bit of a confession to make... I am a 37 year old woman who LOVES teenage romance novels.

When I was young, I read a book titled P.S. I LOVE YOU, I can't remember the author. It was the best book I had ever read. I read it over and over until the paperback pages were curled and falling apart.

I dreamed about the scenes that played like a movie in my mind every night for months! I imagined myself tentatively making my way down the basement steps to that first boy/girl party - like she did in the book. I wanted that book to be about me!

I loved the simplicity of that book - girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, girls dreams of that untouchable boy from afar, boy (on the last page) confesses his love for girl.

I lost that beloved book in a move, and I have never been able to locate a copy again - though I have tried and tried over the years. (you'd be surprised at how many books are titled P.S. I love you)

Well, I have found a new P.S. I love you!! It is simple - only took about 4 hours to read - and wonderful!!

It is the kind of book that sucked me in right from the start.

It is the kind of book that made me sad when I hit the half way mark because I knew it would end soon.

It is the kind of book that made me clutch it to my chest after I finished reading the last line.

It is the kind of book that made me look up the author and send her an email of appreciation!! (REALLY - What kind of a nerd am I, to do that? ! GAG!)

I am going to read it again this afternoon, and maybe again tomorrow.

It is titled

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY

by Jenny Han

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. Thank you Jenny Han, I am sorry Cam Cameron, I love you both - Jeremiah and Conrad.

Thanksgiving Mush

Thanksgiving break was mostly quiet around here - a few friends, a few movies and games, and tons of relaxing! (I have read 5 books in this past week alone!)

Here are some of the pics that I randomly shot - nothing great, in no particular order.

Just a Thanksgiving Mush of shots.

Unfortunately, there are more of Mag - Tim is very sly, and always manages to get himself just out of my shot right before I snap the pic! Maggie on the other hand, indulges me a lot more!

mag and a few friends

with Leighana

with Camie, Leighana and Scottie

Mag, Cam and Leighana on the roof of the barn

maggie's first flat tire

Not thrilled to wake up to that!

practicing her parking in the high school lot

Tim is NOT happy to be along for the ride!

just chillin' while she waits for a friend

Our unconventional Thanksgiving Dinner!!

We decided to spend the holiday alone this year - and enjoy the quiet!

Since we didn't have anyone to please but ourselves, we all had our favorites - as opposed to a traditional feast. We did have a Ham and some of the sides that go along with it too.

My homemade vegan potstickers and ponzu sauce - YUMMY!!!

Tommy made red beans and rice!

Tim chose his favorite Chicken Pillows!

and Maggie made Cheesy, garlic mashed potatoes.

Actually, she boiled them too long and ended up with Cheesy, garlic mashed potato soup - It was still delicious!

We played A LOT of Skip Bo

looking a bit smug - he ALWAYS wins!

Tim on a roll - throwing those cards down one right after the other!

Zacks lucky hand!

Mag and Zack WOULD NOT take a decent pic - They have been friends too long - they have become too much alike! I kept trying, but finally gave up - jerks.

Time to put up Christmas lights outside!

Tommy gave Tim the Sucker job - untangling each strand!

Yep - he loves that job!!

Proud of herself for climbing up and touching the roof - the girl Loves roller coasters and danger, but hates ladders! Weird!

BFF Haley and maggie made it to the roof!!

trying to look cool - but really terrified of falling!

tommy hanging lights - he's not scared at all - which scares me! I'd be more comfortable if he had a little fear, for safety's sake!

at last - feeling brave!

I just thought this pic was funny! I guess she must have been pulling up her pants?

My kids - I LOVED having them home for a whole week!