Happy 2008!

Happy Family, Happy Home, Happy Heart.

I am so blessed - with my beautiful, energetic and silly boys, to have a nice home and warm bed to sleep in, an amazing husband that I adore, and a sweet baby girl arriving soon. Life is good. No resolutions - I just want to remember to be thankful, enjoy my family and appreciate all that I have been given.

Happy New Year!

Walk Like an Egyptian

Or how about a regular person for that matter? The pregnant off-balance waddle caught up with me yesterday leaving church. I was carrying WAY too much stuff, trying to watch Graham and keep an eye on where I was going and WHOOP!! Onto the ice I slipped and fell. Except I looked down and I was lying flat on my belly and had landed on it HARD. It knocked the wind right out of me, I was embarassed but then who cares about that - it hurt sooo bad!!!

I was lucky that even though I had stayed late there were still some very nice men in my ward who saw me fall and stopped to help me get up. I was very grateful to have Brother Olson drive me home. Dan had stayed home with Greg from church and by the time I arrived home my parents were on their way to watch the boys and Dan was ready to drive me to the hospital to have me checked out. We went straight into Labor and Delivery and there we were for the next 4 hours monitoring the baby's heartbeat and making sure she was ok. I did have a few bad contractions when I first got there and my belly is still rather sore this morning even, but luckily that is the extent of it.

I feel more dumb than anything really. It made me think of when I was at my first semester at Ricks. I had a friend who had spikes that fit the bottom of his shoes for winter. He would wear those and walk right across the ice in front of the Manwaring Center like it was fine. Then we'd sit by the window and watch other people walk by and fall all over the place and we'd hold up papers with their "score" on it - 8.7, 9.2, 10!!!! Funny when you are a 19 year old freshman, not so funny when you are 8 months pregnant. But I'm positive my fall would've scored a 10, right?

New Car!

Finally!!! Dan and I buckled down and got serious, did some compromising and we are both really happy with our new car! We went out yesterday morning (thanks again mom and dad for babysitting!) and headed over to CarMax where we saw a 2006 Sienna on-line. Sold. To someone else, who knows when. So it was off to Karl Malone Toyota where I had seen two other Sienna's on-line. One was in the middle of a sale as we got there, (right as they opened!) and the other had milage a little higher than we liked and then when they opened the van it was trashed inside. Fair enough since a used van in Utah is going to get used hard, right? But that doesn't mean that *I* have to drive it!

I was not excited, especially when the salesman (um, college kid?) showed us a gross brown one. NO. No. noooo...! I really didn't want an 8 passenger either, I wanted the captains chairs in the 2nd row where the boys could walk through the middle to the back. If I was going to give in to the dark side and drive a mini-van, I wanted what I wanted in it! Just then we saw our Sienna - a white 2007, low miles, one owner and 7 passenger one. Perfect! I don't think it had been on their lot for more than an hour. We test drove it and it was a done deal (well, you know, done as in some price negotiating, trade-in dealing and paper signing, three hours later goes.

That place was BUSY. I guess it's the end of the month and the end of the year so great time to buy - and all five 2007 Sienna's that they had on the lot when we got there were all sold when we left!

Even I have to admit as much as I loved the Acadia, this is going to be soo much better with the kids. But the best part is that the stress of finding a new car is over!!!

Merry Christmas!!

How can I be so excited for a holiday to start and feel that same excitement for that holiday to end? We had a wonderful day though and I think the boys might assume that we have converted our home into Radiator Springs, Cars is everywhere here! But they will be busy for weeks on end with all the loot Santa and friends brought to them! Dan suprised me with some fun gifts (and a "go ahead and take a nap!" - whoo hooooo!) and it was nice to have his family stop by for a visit before we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's for a yummy dinner.

We came home and got the family room mess picked up - ugh. Every year we try to keep things simple but I'm putting this in writing that next year will be even more so. With Christmas smack right inbetween the two boys birthdays, it gets crazy with the toys. One good present keeps them busy for hours so we'll be telling Santa to keep the gift list short and sweet!

Did I mention that I have BIG plans tomorrow? Target at 7 a.m. with my mom for 50% off and then I'm coming home to put away Christmas! I feel like I can actually think about baby girl (Dan is calling her LuLu, although I'm pretty positive this is not her name) now. So with seven more weeks and me feeling every second of it in this pregnancy, I need to finish up the nursery and get this house picked up!! Wish me luck

Build-A-Bear!

Picking out just the right dog.

Carefully putting in the heart.
Greggie giving his heart a kiss.
And putting it inside.
Fluff and dry - getting the doggies nice and clean!

Friday I went with the boys, Grandma and Grandpa to the mall. The boys had no idea what we were doing, just that Grandma and Grandpa wanted to give the boys one of their Christmas presents early. We teased Graham saying it was a new shirt from TCP but he was not amused. But the minute he saw that we were heading into Build-A-Bear he turned right around and gave my mom a great big hug. As expected, both boys picked out the dog and both named their dog Copper. (Slight obsession with Fox and The Hound around here.) What a fun experience though! They loved kissing the doggies hearts and filling them up with stuffing. The favorite part was giving them a bath afterwards. Neither wanted to get an outfit, and as Graham pointed out "Dogs don't wear clothes mom." However they did find it very important to get each Copper a leash.

I'm a little sad that these Copper's have replaced the OTHER Copper stuffed dogs (for now) but I know I'll be even more sad when Graham and Greg decide they are done with sweet little boy things such as stuffed animals.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for the fun present and especially for all your time and attention spent! That means more than anything!

I tried to make it sound bad...

We headed out with our poor weather judgement into the blizzard tonight to see the light park at Thanksgiving Point. BIG mistake. The freeway was a mess, Graham was cranky and Greg fell asleep. What should have been a 20 minute drive was almost 45 and luckily Graham decided to cheer up once he saw that the lights looked "just like Disneyland," where he has never been, but he knew it to be true.

What a waste of money. Half of the lights were out (not due to power failure, but more lack of maintenance sadly enough) and I am still penning my nasty gram to Thanksgiving Point in my head before putting it in email. I really wanted our money back. But we stop for the boys to get a soda and then head home deciding to take the frontage road to avoid the freeway mess again.

This is where Graham sees a "playground." We tell him it's an obstacle course and there is a jail there.

G: And they get to play on that anytime they want?!
Mom: No, it's a place where people go when they do bad things, like lie, steal or hurt someone.
G: Do they get to leave?
Dad: Eventually
Mom continues to talk (thinking I'll make sure he knows jail is BAD)
Mom: They have to wear uniforms there and they can't have soda. They have to eat bread and water. It's not a fun place to be.
Moment of silence....
G:They eat bread and water? So it's just like church!!!

Dan and I connot control the laughter. Yes, baby, bread and water just like church. I guess church and jail must seem very similar for a five year old!

Are you serious??

Without giving away myself completely in lameness in tv viewing....all I can say is, if Chrissy picks Billy over Clay, she is one DUMB girl.

If you have no idea what I am talking about all the better. Tonight should be interesting to see what happens.

Who invented this?

Moon sand is EVIL. EVIL EVIL EVIL I tell you. Whoever invented this does NOT have children. I just paid to have my house cleaned last week and now there is freaking moon sand everywhere. I've already told Graham that he has today only to play with it. Then it's going bye-bye.

I know exactly who gave it to us as a gift and boy I'm already plotting payback for their kids birthday next year.

I've found "The ONE!"

After HOURS of on-line hunting, reviews and comparisons and test drives, I have found the car of my dreams while I have three young kids. It cute, sporty, stylish. And I still avoid the mini van/school bus downfall that I dread.

The GMC Acadia. Ahhhhh. I'm in love. I have found my automotive soulmate. At least my soulmate while I have kids, carseats, etc. I'm sure there is a two-seater fully loaded convertible that will become my soulmate when I am 50 and not driving to swim lessons, soccer games and hanging out in the car pool lane. But until that day comes....

Only problem is now my heart is set on a car that I am ready to buy but Dan is still mulling over. Grrrr. Actually, we are quite opposite in this regard so it's good to have a husband who wants to thinks things through completely while helping me to avoid buyers remorse on such a big purchase. $40 shoes can be returned. Vehicles? Certainly not as easy as a Nordstrom return for sure!

I'm hinting for a pretty white one (because a Fink girl only likes a white car, right?) with a red bow and shiny, silver keys making a happy clinking noise in my stocking on Christmas morning! We'll see if Santa thinks I've been naughty or nice. If he thinks I've been more of the "nice" this year I'll end up with something terribly sad like a Kia or Hyundai - sigh!

Preschool Christmas Party

After a long day of looking at cars (with the boys and below freezing weather, mind you) Dan and I headed over to Graham's preschool Christmas party. He was so excited about this and quite happily let me tuck in his shirt, which is not usually a favorite fashion statement of his. We all piled in the car, ready to go and take Greg to Grandma and Grandpa's house first. Then the car would not start. Try and try again, nothing. Not even a "click." Of course this would happen on the night when it is Rexburg, Idaho-esque cold and we are running late and in the car that we want to trade-in, right? YES! I had fun laughing at it and singing "Ironic" to Dan while he rolled his eyes at me. So we all pile into Dan's car, make it over in time, get both boys situated and what else could go wrong? My camera is dead. Back on goes the coat, up the stairs and over across the street to my mom and dad's for their camera as back-up. WHEW!

Dan made a little snowman ornament with Graham, we played a few Christmas games and read him a story. Then the kids all sang "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." (very cute, they all sang, "good tidings we bring, to you and your KIDS!") we then had a brownie and came home. Easy enough and Graham was delighted with his on-going Christmas party status asking me when are we going to go to our next party and where was that at?

I am getting partied out here but at least it wore the kids out before bed tonight!

Hot Date Downtown

Dan's previous boss gave him a generous gift certificate to The Grand America Hotel last Christmas. We found it tucked away in a drawer and realized that it was about to expire at the end of this month. Quick plans were made and Grandma took the boys for the afternoon so I could drive downtown to meet my cute husband for a rare lunch date of just the two of us.

I had worked in the sales office at The Grand for almost two years, while dating Dan, getting married to Dan and being pregnant with Graham. Pretty cushy job for a pregnant girl to work at a five star hotel writing contracts. I worked for three lovely women there and lucky for me I was good (and fast!) at what I did which left lots of time to surf the web looking for baby names, continue my on-line obsession with looking at real estate and send emails to Dan who worked up by the U. I like to joke that I got paid well to sit at a nice desk to write thank-you notes from our wedding and baby showers, but it's true!

When I left that job I was almost eight months pregnant and there I was today almost in the same spot pregnancy wise waiting for Dan to meet me in the lobby just like old times. I even got that fun "flip" in my stomach when I saw him walk around the corner that I used to get every time I saw him when we were dating, but seems rare as life and kids have made us busy. It made me feel so happy to think about what we have done and accomplished in the last five years since having Graham and Greg, and I felt so blessed to know that I didn't have to go back to work after our date. Just home to my sweet boys and be there with them. I think I take staying at home for granted sometimes, but I really do know how lucky I am!

Points for Trying?

Greggie happy with his donkey/cart acquisition

We had good intentions for Family Home Evening tonight. There is a Stake nearby that puts on a live nativity that Dan and I had just heard about, so we bundled up the boys and headed over there only to find that it is no longer going on. Graham sadly said "I wish the activity scene was still having their party!" We drove around looking at Christmas lights, went by the temple and then came home.

Cousin Meg gave the boys the Fisher Price Christmas Story set so Graham and Greg brought that downstairs when we got home and told the story of Christ's birth. Which then turned into a fight of who got to hold the donkey and cart. Which turned into "Let's wrestle with dad and pretend he is a donkey."

Bedtime was very soon after...the meltdown began and it's probably just as well that we didn't have to wait out in the cold tonight after all. At least we'll know better for next year to go a week earlier and as soon as it starts!

Gingerbread Train!

Reading the instructions...
Mom icing, the boys eating and sort of decorating...
Ta-DAAAA! The finished product! Choo chooooooooooo!!!

I made the mistake of letting Graham and Greg see the box for this before I even wanted us to do it. So I've been asked daily about the gingerbread train! Dan and I decided tonight was the night. So much fun, the boys had a great time building it! It's all about the trains you know!

Ward Christmas Breakfast!

IS OVER!!! Thank goodness. I have had a million details in my head the past few weeks putting this together with Dan. It seems like they would put a few couples on the committee, not just three men. Poor things. It was a simple breakfast but took a LOT of work and while it was kindof fun doing it, I'm just glad for Dan's sake that it all came together really nicely. The best part was having Santa Claus come. Poor Greg, he just ran to me crying and horrified. Santa really scared him! But Graham got into this year and was excited to see him. I loved watching all the little kids just look at Santa in awe. What a magical thing to believe this red suited man knows if you've been naughty or nice, exactly what toys you like, where you live and how to put them just so under your tree. I love having kids and seeing how Santa Claus becomes so real again through them!

What a difference two years makes...Greg was indifferent, and Graham was thinking, "No way mom, get me off this dude's lap!" This year Graham was ready to go tell him all about the Mack truck he wants and Greg was finally brave enough to say good-bye to Santa at the very end!

Car Salesmen

Well, Dan finally agreed to face his fear of having a car payment again. It's something we really *have* to do, I refuse to let baby girl sit between two boys squished in the backseat of our current car. And we only have two more months until she arrives. So grandma and grandpa graciously agreed to watch the boys while Dan and I went out in the cruddy weather to look for new transportation.

We test drove a Saturn Outlook (pretty nice) a Honda Pilot (ok, but too small I think for three kids and my stroller) and a gulp, shoot me now, Toyota Sienna. That one I felt sick about. It did NOT help that the salesman was sure to point out that the front glove compartment locked which made it okay to store a concealed weapon and that the sunglass compartment above the rearview mirror came down to display a mirror "just like a school bus." Dan knew right then and there that the deal was dead. Even though we both love Toyota's, all I would ever have in my head driving that car would be school bus thoughts. I may be getting older but I refuse to think I have given up my last ounce of cool.

The man was obviously not putting two and two together. Um, do I *look* like a girl who is wanting concealed weapons storage space? And is that the type of girl who will also want to drive around a bus filled with eight children? Really? Excuse me, just tell me where do I plug my ipod in and maybe you could show me the fun compartments where I can store my lip gloss and my cell phone?

Needless to say we did not purchase a car last night and the hunt continues on - right on past minivans.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!

I am so lucky to have such an amazing mother who is also one of my best friends. She is smart, funny, and has always put her family first. She is a terrific grandma (her true calling I think!) She doesn't let people mess with her and I like that about her, be kind but don't let yourself get run over. She is at times cautious and at times beyond brave. She is creative, sassy and makes friends easily no matter where she goes.

We love you mom and hope you have a fantastic day!

Snow Day!

I drove up the street and grinned seeing the boys outside playing in the snow while Dan shoveled the driveway. The boys were "attempting" to help but it looked more like Dan was a one man show! In full gear, the were all outside having a great time, even Greggie who hates to be cold! Now it really feels like Christmastime and I remember why I like living here and getting to experience the different seasons.

I'll add too that I was thinking I should get some cute pictures of the boys and was even more surprised to find that Dan had already beat me to it. We went later to Orem for Joseph's baptism and had to make a special trip afterwards to get the boys snow shovels more their size for the next snowfall. What a cute dad!