christmas 2009

wow i slacked on pics this year of christmas day itself but here is the day and eve in photos.  the traditional cheese was made, pj’s were opened, elf was watched, carmel break apart for breakfast, nonni’s amazing-big-as your body stockings were filled, faces were excited with presents wed been so hoping for, time was spent with the extended family on b’s side with yummy brunch, a wild present opening frenzy, pizza freats (sp?) made at my dads (they are amazing like fry bread and mmmm i want more!)…a first christmas in a long time with my brothers…(insert big smile here) and the evening wrapped up at a suns game with londy getting a barbie on the big screen from one of the suns dancers! it was a great day!

the advent calendar

since I was little one of my most favorite things about Christmas was our advent calendar my mom made back in 1970-something! it is a priceless item for me and one I have tried to purchase, beg, borrow or steal for years…since to my dismay I still don't have a sewing machine (I'm just gonna buy myself one since my family doesn't think I'm serious) and I still don't know how to sew! I digress…

so every year I look high and low for one for my little family and this year I found this to which I had to find something to put in the pockets and decided that everyday londy would pull a card from that days slot and that would be something Christmas-y we would do that night. which lead to one very excited fun filled month for londy and one very packed exhausted month for me and B

to which I had to find something to put in the pockets and decided that everyday londy would pull a card from that days slot and that would be something Christmas-y we would do that night. which lead to one very excited fun filled month for londy and one very packed exhausted month for me and B. We did everything from adopting an elf on a shelf named Charlie, seeing Christmas carol, stringing popcorn for the birds, watching xmas movies, drinking hot chocolate, looking at lights, shopping for a Christmas tree angel, making treats and reindeer food for our friends, making those great old fashioned reindeer ornaments, buying a sled in hopes of a day of snow up north (hasn’t happened yet)  going to Christmas parties, spending the night at nonni’s and even a holiday pic here and there.  silly little things like making a jib jab video of ourselves were also squeezed in where we could! so although the advent calendar was not handmade by my mom, each ornament hand beaded, meg and I fighting each year over who got to put up which favorite ornament on which day….we made it work and it was fun and I'm already planning for next year. but don't think for one second that I'm gonna stop bugging nonni to make me one of those damn calendars for me…lol!

Christmas Wish

 

Every morning i wake up to johnjay and rich on 104.7! they have a great banter and it wakes me up a little bit happier. but during the month of December every year i wake up with tears and chills and a sense of warming in my heart. every year these guys do an amazing thing called Christmas wish: where people can write letters about someone they know who is in need. and then these guys pick a letter, have that person read it over the air while whomever they are reading about listens…normally sobbing!

the letters normally go something like this one i love so much…

i am writing you about my friend Tim. Tim is a single dad with three kids living in a two bedroom apartment. he recently lost his job and has been working three jobs to make up for his one old job, his wife died just last year and 2 months ago he was diagnosed with some sort of awful disease. his heat has been turned off and he has been boiling water for the kids to take baths. the three kids sleep in his bed and he sleeps on the floor! please help him at this time of year where he wont have a Christmas. (yes all stories are like this) then johnjay and rich say we are going to grant this Christmas wish. buying them beds for the kids to sleep in hundreds of dollars in groceries, a Christmas tree with all the trimmings. coats and clothes for everyone, toys and gifts too. payment of passed electric bills and even mortgage payments. and the list goes on and on. I've heard them give hd TVs, strollers, play stations, days at the salon ect. by now everyone is bawling! the friend who wrote the letter, the recipient and me the listener. then the radio guys say is it ok if we deliver that right now cause we are on your front doorstep?!  and then the Christmas songs start playing…like “have yourself a merry little Christmas” and it is now officially time for me to get up cause now I'm late for work!

how blessed we are and how grateful i am for the warm house i have to live in and the job i have. the family whom i love so much and the friends i get to share this season with as well as all year long! really if you get a chance…you should listen…it will change your mood for everyday! :)

Halloween

the night in pictures! Lindsey had us over for yummy mexican food, a race of ghost poop and some trick or treatin! it was a blast:) londy was sleeping beauty or aurora…i never got why she has two names? and carter boy ended up as prince phillip…how cute is that?!! we had 13 kiddos and 10 adults go out hunting for candy…thanks for a great night friends!

love love love me some fall

after going to see sis i officially have fall fever! the first night there it was in the high 30s. which meant a fire and blankies on the couch:) two of my favorites! i have been really seriously considering moving out of state. i want weather! and i want cool weather, and snow, and seasons, and changing leaves! i never went away to college and moved away from home as a newly wed. az girl raised thru and thru. but i digress…

fall is….. football games

and Halloween decorations

 

windows open, sitting outside on the patio, reading in a bubble bath with candles. its the crisp feeling in the air, picture taking time, and  disneyland>> wooohoo!

but most of all its opening season for baking, baking, baking. which also means workouts workouts and yes more workouts! bring it on babay!

 

so keeping with tradition…we went to the asu game yesterday, cleaned, decorated the house and then today after conference…i spent the afternoon in my comfy clothes baking THE worlds best cookie! pumpkin chocolate chip with kari’s cream cheese frosting. can you spell heaven? hmmm and what will i be baking next you ask? kizzys peanut butter cup cookie cups. and then for sure big fat sugar cookies for halloween. throw in some banana bread and hmmm what else?

masters degree weekend

this hot little thing just got her masters degree! im so proud of her! her present you ask for such a great accomplishment?

this other little hot thing going to visit her:)

i do love this girl and you know we will do anything to be together:)

so here is the weekend in pics

 

voodoo doctor 101

this….is my friend shelly! (and her cute hubby chad) oh and I'm fairly certain she hates this pic because dear friend was quite prego but I think she is beautiful and glowing!

 

shel has been telling me for ages about her dear friend kathleen who had basically cured herself of cancer 20 years ago and is pretty much this amazing soul who has dedicated her life to helping others learn about healthy living, allergies, and herbs, vitamins and energy in your body. sound crazy???! well I am a believer! after hearing story after story of this amazing person I decided it was time to go see her! (well actually shel called and said we are going…pack your bag!) and sassy little me actually agreed!

so off to Cali we go in a smokin red minivan loaded up with her adorable baby Paige!  Paige is the happiest child and we were thinking we were going to be smooth sailing. however,  Paige wasn't the most agreeable this particular weekend. just a little fussy and really not happy with being in the car…come to find out…she had an ear infection the whole time and now looking back..I'm sure shel would agree with me..Paige was a GEM considering poor girl was in total pain! I mean really… how is one supposed to know a kid has an ear infection?no fever..no ear rubbing… I mean come on? londy has had this happen one too many times herself! but we could have a good time in a shoe box soooo…

  we enjoyed each others company, ate, ate some more and saw…the VOODOO daddy doc.

kathleen does muscle testing which also is known as kinesiology. she has studied this for 20 years and as weird as it all sounds I'm a believer! and hey…what have I got to lose? sit here do nothing and waste away or see if we cant kick this diseases a**

so after 2 hours and lots of talking and lots of  ah ha moments… I walk out of her store with a big hug and this…

inside this nifty little box when its filled accordingly is just one week of pills for miss bri. each day containing a whopping 25 vitamins. some as simple as vitamin D. others qual com 10? which puts O2 in my blood stream. hmmm oxygen in my blood for a person with lung disease…sounds pretty simple and easy to understand right? so here I go down this road of natural medicine. I'm sure many of you think I'm nuts! but truly I don't care:)

I'm gonna take care of this body for its the only one I've got!

on a funny note…after leaving kathleen I was highly optimistic and yet scared to death of all the things she told me my body was struggling with and boy was she dead on!! shels dear friend told us to head to the most amazing resort to take a walk on the beach…the montage in Laguna.

so we drive into this driveway and I'm telling shelly we are not going in! keep driving. people are waiting outside in sequins and 6inch stilettos!!

and valet is your only choice and the entrance is full of Bentleys, Mercedes and maseratis! we are sporting this van

full to the top with baby, takeout boxes and traveling paraphernalia! I seriously was dying..I could not stop laughing. truly a slinky, sexy, stylin place. and here we are..flip flops, capris and a stroller! did I mention greasy from all day? thought I was gonna wet my pants. shel just acted like she totally belonged as I giggled myself silly. so out to this view we went…

which was way more spectacular at night by the way and I am dying for the chance to stay there!

thanks shel for taking me and making me face a fear that really is gonna help save my life! thanks for letting us stay with your adorable sister and her 18month old sassy twins. thanks for forcing me outside my comfort zone at a beautiful place and for making me debate…did I just pee a little? as I giggled to the valet! xoxo