New Years Eve - Food - Fun - Games & Surprises!

So for this New Years not only did we have awesome company, (Brett & Sherri), but we actually had plans as well! We had played with the idea of going out to dinner, but figured out that would be a long time to have a babysitter so we decided to order in Chinese! My kids had been begging for it ever since Brett & Sherri came into town. They must have my taste in food, because Chinese is my favorite too, so I was all for it! Earlier in the day, Karen asked what we were doing for dinner saying that they might BBQ. When I mentioned Chinese, she said "ooh, that's sounds even better". Later I talked to Kara and mentioned that we were ordering "Lucky House" and then she was in on the game as well. One thing led to another and we all ended up a G-Y's house for a "Chinese New Year Feast" ha/ha. (By the way thanks Karen for hosting at a last minutes notice)

It was great food as always, and the kids had a blast playing, dressing up and being creative as they always do.


After that we took the kids home and left them in great hands with Andrea, Kara's sister, and headed over to Pace's house for hangin' and games. This is the first time in a long time we were not with our kids for New Years. It was a lot of fun, but a little weird. I felt a little better when I heard what a good time they had with Andrea playing games, drinking Martinellis, etc.


We had a fun time at the Pace's. It is always fun hanging with friends and playing games and it was even more special to have Brett and Sherri with us. They fit in perfectly and everyone really enjoyed them. We broke Sherri into her second game of Ticket to Ride. There were two games going on- with lots of laughter going, catching the intrigue of all. Brian, Brett and a few of the other guys mostly mingled (i think- we were playing a game so I am not totally sure). I know there was a little friendly tapping going on as well. I swear sometimes they act like they are 12...what can you do? When it came time for the count down we all gathered in the family room with our Martinellis and popping cranberries.- Happy New Year! What an opportunity to celebrate the coming of what it going to be a great year (I decided) with family and friends!

Now this next part is not something that I am extremely proud of, but I want you to hear it from me first, because I know sometimes when other people tell stories they can be a little over exaggerated.... So after the ball drops there is always music and bands playing. Well, Black Eyed Peas happened to be on playing Boom Boom Pow. I really enjoy that song, especially the good beat. So I was just kind of swaying around to the beat. Everyone was still kind of standing around so I went to put my arm around Brian and sort of "Boogie Woogie" behind him (his back was to me)- I did out of precautionary measure look over and see that Brett was standing by his wife Sherri, because I have on occasion accidentally mistaken Brett for Brian (they are twins after all). Anyway, seeing that I was safe it wasn't Brett, I started to wrap my arm around Brian and dance up behind him. I was watching the tv as I did this and then as I looked up toward Brian... I realized the person I started wrapping my arm around to "boogie" with was not in fact Brian, but our friend Alex. I was so startled that I screamed and jumped back (which unfortunately drew everyone's attention) I'm not sure if it was all the soda I drank, the jumping back or the nerves, but I had to run to the bathroom. I was laughing so hard out of pure humiliation that I thought I might pee my pants (fyi- I made it to the bathroom!) As I came back in the room, needless to say the laughter had not stopped. The problem was if I hadn't screamed, not very many people would have realized what happened, but I was so shocked that it was just my reaction. I cam back to find Alex was quite proud and sure that it was just his pure animal magnetism. (O.K. ?!?- j/k Alex) Come to find out Brian had been sitting on the couch and was nowhere near me at the time. Not only that but my friend Karen, Alex's wife, was standing slightly behind me watching the whole thing wondering what in the world I was doing. If nothing else- it made for a truly memorable night. One of Brett's final comments was "It was kind of nice to see it happen to someone besides me" - Thanks Brett. Happy New Year to you all and may your New Year be full of surprises too!

Easter Morning

This year the Easter bunny and I hooked up on the kids Easter baskets. I thought it would be fun to personalize their buckets and obviously the Easter bunny filled them perfectly with flip flops, swim suits, socks, chalk, candies and more. The kids had a great time pulling out all their goodies. Colby obviously had a perfectly personalized basic with Hot Wheels and a shake and go “The King” from the “Cars” movie. I think they were very blessed this Easter.

Thanksgiving 2008

What do you get when you put together 14 kids 8 adults and a lot of good food? A Great Thanksgiving! This year my family, including my Mom and Dad, joined the Garcia-Young clan and their friends the Saunders' from Wyoming to celebrate Thanksgiving. Ben and Holly Kroutil joined us for a short time as well. The food was a great compilation of everyone's efforts, especially the hosts. We were very grateful to have such wonderful friends to invite us over and to be able to have my Mom and Dad with us as well. One of our favorite parts of the meal was the pies. Karen made her famous apple pie, my Mom made her yummy banana cream pie, and I made pumpkin (Brian's favorite) and chocolate cream pie (my favorite). You can never have to many pies! Just ask me!

At this time of Thanksgiving, I recognize that there is truly much to be grateful for. In a time of economic uncertainty and many new changes upon us, I am especially grateful for every little thing that we have been blessed with! I am thrilled that Brian has a good job, and that we can still afford our home (as many people in our neighborhood have lost theirs). I have a wonderful family whom I love dearly and I learn from daily. Most of all, I am grateful we have the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives, which gives us hope and encouragement and has taught us to prepare ourselves for whatever may lie ahead. I am grateful to have leaders who are in tune with the spirit who guide us in the things we should do to find joy in our journey. I am very grateful that we can have the spirit in our home, that we may enjoy the peace that it offers us, provided we let it! (ha/ha) Overall, I really have no complaints. The only things I could complain about are things that are my own fault anyway. I guess I still have a lot of work to do! Thank you to all my family and friends whom I love and care for so much. You've had such an impact on my life and have helped in making me who I am today. (I hope your not too disappointed) (ha/ha). All my love- Jessica

It's Halloween!!

Well... it is what it is right?!? Halloween a day where everyone gets to pretend to be someone or something they aren't and they are rewarded with candy for doing so. You've gotta love Halloween! Jade was Padame in her battle suit,(Star Wars) Cambrie was Princess Leia (I made her costume) Hailey was Super Girl, and Colby was a Dog! Brian and I even took a little stab and prentending to be someone else this year. If you watch the show NCIS you would know that I was Abby the freaky forensic scientist, and Brian was a 70's dude, with the tan leather, butterfly collar jacket and all! This year the Pace's were kind enough to host the gathering of creatures big and small. Everything is more fun with friends right!! Even Nana and Papa came to see the crazies! We had pizza and some yummy appitizers, including a disney pasta salad and a cheese ball in the shape of an owl (way cool Karen)! The kids had a blast just playing and eating with thier friends, as they always do. Then we hit the streets.
The girls took off in the first wave of "runners". Luckily Becca had the energy to head up that group. Brian, my Mom, Dad and I helped bring up the rear with some of the smaller, slower and more easily distracted animals. Literally... Colby was a dog Dakota Lewis was a monkey and Calli was a Tiger. Colby was chillin' by Dakota for a while until he got tired of walking, (just 2 or 3 houses later). He was more interested in opening the candy he got, than he was in going and getting more candy. Finally he took refuge in Karen's bike stroller with Calli. The funny part of it was Karen kept trying to get Calli to sit in it so she could push her, and Calli for awhile wanted nothing to do with it. But Colby on the other hand would jump right in, weither he was welcome or not! (In Calli's opinion, he wasn't always welcome)

Every once in a while I caught a hi Mom as the girls ran by and eventually Hailey got tired and decided to hang back with us. "I just want to walk with Papa" she said. I know they all had a great time. When it started sprinkling rain we all headed back to the Pace's house for some hot chocolate. Once we got back everybody dumped their loot out into piles to be compared and inspected. There were quite a few kids running around and candy everywhere! Somehow everytime I saw Colby go by he had a different sucker in his mouth. I am not sure where he got them or how he got them open, but boy was he happy! It was like there was an endless supply. I don't think he ever finished a whole sucker, he just kept putting new ones in everytime he found one. Oh well, it's Halloween right?

4th of July

This 4th of July was unlike any we had ever had before because we had Frank and Thelma and Brett and Sherri and their kids staying with us, which made everything more fun. We really love having them around, so to have them over a holiday was just an added bonus! During the day we mostly just hung out around the house and let the kids play while Sherri and I scrapbooked and the others relaxed. Then that evening we headed over to the Evan's house for a BBQ potluck, water fun and fireworks. There was great food and great company and I think everyone had a good time.

Colby was up to his usual scavenger antics, cruising around eating his own food and any other food he could get his hands on. What a little scrounge! At least he's cute right? I think in the end he got a little taste of everything.

One of the main attractions of the evening was the bike wash that Todd Pace built. How cool is that?!? The kids started out riding bikes through it, but eventually they just ran through it. That way they could all run together instead of having to go one by one. Bike wash/Kid wash. Later they also played water limbo. I was impressed how low Cambrie could go. She was one of the few who could do a true limbo. That's my girl!!


After it got dark we broke out the fireworks. We let the kids start with some sparklers, which was a little scary. Imagine 13 little kids running around with sticks of fire trying to swirl and whirl them all around.- Watch out! Then when it got all the way dark, we started the fireworks! It was a pretty good little show too! We all lined up at the edge of the driveway to watch the show. It was a great ending to a great day!

EASTER MORNING!

I just love these pictures, because to me this is the classic Easter morning with all the little girls in their pink sponge rollers. I am grateful that my girls let me carry on the tradition of Easter sponge rollers. My Mom did it to her daughters and now I get to do it to my daughters. Aren't they so lucky! It's just not Easter without them!- Well... that and the Easter Bunny and baskets of course.

THANKSGIVING DAY!

It was so beautiful outside on Thanksgiving! The air was crisp, but is was sunny and warm. Most of us were hanging out inside when we started to wonder where Brian went. Finally and much to my surprise and delight we found him outside starting to put up the Christmas lights.


After seeing how nice it was outside a few of us decided to join him. Colby was chomping at the bit to help his Dad- or maybe he just wanted to climb the latter, either way he was wanting to be Daddy's right hand man. Then when Aunt Honey got back from her run with the kids, they wanted to ride the "Green Machine" around. The girls were showing off some of thier gymnastics, and Papa thought he would show off some moves as well. Yep he moved right on down to the ground and then couldn't get back up. Smooooth! We were all impressed. The mind is willing but the body... well... it's got a mind of its own, right Papa? It was fun to have family at our house for Thanksgiving. We got an extra surprise when Nana was able to be there, because she was on call for the airlines and was so sure she would get called in, but we were blessed that she ended up not having to go in to work! It was a great holiday!

HALLOWEEN

Thought I would share with you some of our fun pics from Halloween night. Jade was a pirate, Cambrie was a Geisha Girl, Hailey was Snow White, and Colby was the Green Monster.

The kids had lots of fun trick or treating with their friends. Some of my favorite pictures are the last 2 where Colby was sitting in the middle of the street going through a candy bag and then the one below,where he was reaching with everything he's got to get to Cambrie's Candy bucket. He is at that fun age, mischievous but fun.