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Saturday, February 1 | Say Something 
We rang in 2014 in our same old fashion, we hung at our house just chillin', eatin' and setting off fireworks! Just the way we like it! 2013 was amazing, can't wait for what 2014 has to offer!
Thursday, February 18 | 2 Comments The day of love, was just that a day full of love and family.
We woke up to some fabulous easy cinnamon rolls made by the perfect mother, that would be me, and since I’m so wonderful I’ll even share the recipe with everyone, but I must thank my mother in law for this awesome recipe. (see below)
Then we headed to church and the message was awesome, I think it was prepared especially for me. It was about being fearless! I think my new favorite bible verse is Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” This verse is so perfect for me, who worries about anything and everything!
After church we ate lunch fast and then headed out to play in the beautiful Arizona weather, I figure we better enjoy it while we can cause soon we are going to be melting. So we went to a huge open field and shot off Cooper’s rocket that he calls “The Metalizer” and flew Uncle Matt’s airplane and even wrecked Uncle Matt’s airplane. 3.2.1. blast off!!!!
Then it was time to head home and make din din! We had a fun steak dinner that was made at home with L-O-V-E! We had steak, salad, asparagus, noodles and I even made these really fun layered jello hearts (see recipes below). After dinner Colby made a fire in the backyard and let the kids make smores! It was so much fun. The kids were so excited, Brielle even pulled out the “this is the best day of my whole life” statement. I’ve never heard that before.
We had a sweet day filled with so much love. I’m so grateful for my family they are so wonderful and I love the heck out of each and every one of them! I couldn’t do life without them!
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. margarine
2 TBLS. cinnamon
Glub of Karo syrup
24 oz. bag frozen rolls, each roll cut into forths
Combine first four ingredients, heating until margarine melts. Cool a little before pouring over cut up rolls in well greased bundt pan. Let rise in oven all night if fixing for breakfast. Otherwise let rise until doubled in bulk‑‑about 3‑4 hours. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25‑30 minutes. Let set five minutes before inverting pan. Can add pecans if desired. **I cut down on the margarine by 2 TBLS.
3 (3-ounces) packages of red flavored gelatin
1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 (1/4-ounce) envelops of unflavored gelatin
Dissolve one package of flavored gelatin in 3/4 cup boiling water. Add 3/4-cup cold water, then put the mixture into a 9X13 inch glass pan and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Stir together 1/2 cup boiling water and the condensed milk. In a separate bowl, dissolve all the unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water for 1 to 2 minutes. Thoroughly mix in 3/4 cup boiling water, then combine this mixture with the milk and let it cool. Add half the mixture to the pan of red gelatin, pouring it over a spatula to slow the stream, and refrigerate for 20 min.
Continue alternating layers- gelatin mix, the remaining milk mix, the final gelatin mix- chilling each for 20-30 minutes to set it. Create individual servings with a heart-shaped biscuit or cookie cutter.
Friday, January 9 | 3 Comments Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009. 2008 was such a fun year filled with lots of adventures and it definitely had its ups and downs, so what will 2009 bring, well we’ll soon see…only time will tell! We decided to start off the New Year right with friends and family and staying up way too late celebrating. We had a blast on New Years Eve just playing and enjoying each others company.
It started at 5:00 at Texas Roadhouse with 12 of us so luckily since we live in such a huge city with a million people my sister got smart and did call ahead so instead of waiting for 2 hours we waited for 20 or so minutes, thanks Erin. Then we headed to my house for a little fiesta. (Seriously little just a few friends and my sister and her family) We had each person bring some appetizers over and a bottle of Martinellies Sparkling Cider (gotta love the Martinellies). Then we just hung out. We played game, played the Wii rock band, chatted, played Left, Right, Center, and then when it was midnight we all, barely since we were all so tired, rang in the new year with the TV and good old Dick Clark. It was fun. We went outside at midnight after watching the ball drop and shot off silly string, did poppers, drank our martinellines, and just enjoyed the last little bits of 2008 and the first little bits of 2009! Here’s to a year full of adventures, fun, and excitement. Happy New Years all!!! (Okay after seeing all the pictures of me which I usually don't put in the blog, can you figure out what my new years resolution is? Hint... to lose weight)
Monday, January 5 | 1 Comment Our Christmas has been the same the last couple of years…BUSY… but fun and filled with family! It usually starts out on Christmas Eve and goes until the end of Christmas day! I know there is lots of writing and pictures in this post, but it is all important to me so read if you want and skim if you want. I just love all of it and wanted to be sure to have it journaled (if that is even a word) for my kids.
On Christmas Eve we stayed home and cleaned and cooked most of the morning. Then we got ready and headed to Casa Grande to hang with my mom’s side of the family. We had appetizers, exchanged gifts, took pictures and just hung. It was fun to go up since we don’t see them as much as we’d like. I love to be able to bring the kids up there to visit their great Grandparents, it’s always fun to see them give them hugs and kisses. My cousin did a great job hosting it and we are grateful that she opened her house to all of us. It was beautiful and fun! Thanks Kris for having us. 
When we got home we carried on one of my favorite family traditions that I did as a child and that is to let the kids open two presents (we only got to open one when we were kids, but they get two) they got to open a pair of new PJ’s and then we each open an ornament for our Christmas tree. It’s great because when we put up our tree each year we always get to see our ornaments and remember the fun memories of the years past just from a simple ornament. The kids love their PJ’s and they are always way excited to wear them. I try to get ones that they can wear the rest of the winter (and hopefully next winter, do you see how big Brielle’s are?) Then it is off to bed as fast as we can so the Big Man in the red suit can come deliver presents and eat all the wonderful cookies we left him. This year it was homemade chocolate chip cookies and we even left carrots for the reindeer. Let me tell you Brielle feel a sleep so fast so that Santa would come and Cooper-well he was a bet freaked out to be honest with you just thinking about some big man in a red suit coming into our house, he didn’t think that was cool, but he finally feel a sleep. I think he was okay with the present part.
On Christmas day the craziness began. Literally it didn’t or should I say we didn’t stop. It all started at our house. The kids woke up at 8:00 which I was way surprise I swore they’d be getting up at 6:30 with how excited they were the night before! They came in and got us squalling cause Cooper got a bike and Brielle got a two-wheeled scooter. Now side note we ordered her a bike that was suppose to be here on Christmas Eve, but guess what? It didn’t make it, as a matter of fact it didn’t even get here until the 29th of Dec. I thought Brielle would be so upset, but she didn’t even said much about it or even complained thank goodness for her two-wheeled scooter. Anyway, back to Christmas, then we opened our stockings which is my favorite part. I still love waking up to see what Santa has put in my stocking, it’s funny I still get butterflies wondering what’s in there! Next, we ripped into all the presents and I had to cook a bit while the kids and Colby played outside on the new riding toys.
After that it was on to Erin’s house for our yummy, traditional Christmas brunch. We got there about 10:30 and had egg dishes, juice, hot chocolate, fruit, yogurt, granola, and cinnamon rolls. It’s always yummy, and didn’t let us down this year. Then we opened our presents it was great Chase pretended to be Santa. He kept saying Ho, ho, ho who’s this one for. I think the best part was at the end watching the boys, Kinley, and Chase play Rock Band 2 on the wii. They were rockin’ out. It was super hilarious! When it was time to head to our next fiesta it was pouring rain. So we had to run to our cars and try not to get soaked.
Our final destination was Jami’s house with all of Colby’s family. It was quite the bunch. There were like 22 of us all gathered together excited to open all the fun presents. So we did that first. We always let the kids do theirs first and then the adults go. As you can imagine it is quite the process, but very exciting to see what everyone got. Then comes the food. It was luscious as always. We had steaks, potatoes, salad, blueberry muffins, drinks and lots of goodies. Jami made the whole thing look really nice in the middle of her living room, it was a winter wonderland. After eating we just hang out and let the kids play while we chatted, had fun, and relaxed. 
Christmas was wonderful and filled with family. It is always busy, but I just love having so much family to spend the holiday with. We truly are blessed this holiday season.
Friday, January 2 | 1 Comment Anyone who knows me knows going to see lights is something that I find to be absolutely spectacular, magical, and a holiday must. I think Christmas doesn’t seem like Christmas until we get to walk around in the freezing cold weather, bundled up in our jackets with our little hats and seeing the twinkle of all the beautiful holiday lights. I just love it. It truly is something I absolutely love. This year the lights that we got to enjoy were many, some I did with Colby and some I was nice and let Colby hang at home while I took the kids. If you are looking for a magical moment with your family try one of these holiday light event below next year or guess what you can even go still this year…
Zoolights: We did this with our good friends, Amy and Scott. This was wonderful and the best part is Jenga the talking Giraffe. The lights are spectacular and really well done. 
Cursing the Neighborhood: Every year I love to take walks or drives around different neighborhoods just to see the lights and the houses all decked out with fun, bright, beautiful lights. Some are crazy, some professional, some colorful, some white, but all different in there own way and usually done with love.
Val Vista Lakes: We do this every year with our neighbors across the street. It is something we have done for the past 4 or 5 years. First we do dinner, then we head to the lights, which are so beautiful. I love them because they take like 20 minutes to walk through, there are great picture spots, there are beautiful waterfalls, and it is free, they just ask for a can food donation. How great is that? After the lights we always exchange gifts and chat. It is very fun and we love hanging with them. 
McCormick Ranch Train Park: This is one of my favorite places to go. It is so beautiful and Cooper loves it cause it has the best train. The only thing is that if you do it go early cause it gets way busy it is that great. We go and let the kids play at the awesome play ground, have sandwiches there, and then get in line for the train early before the crowd of people. (I’m so sad cause we missed it this year cause of all the rain, maybe next year.)
Temple Lights: I love to do the temple lights they are free, beautiful and only take about 30 minutes to walk around and see the whole thing. Also, it’s nice cause they have a wonderful nativity scene so it always makes us remember the reason for the season. We see lots of Santa, but not as much of Jesus so I love to do a few things that the Nativity. 
These are a few of my favorite things.
