On to Christmas

It's amazing how quickly Thanksgiving comes & goes! Sometimes I think it gets lost in the rush to Christmas but I think it's such a great holiday to reflect on what we are thankful for....something that often gets forgotten in our busy lives.

This year we hosted Chris's family for thanksgiving. Since both sides of my family are very large we will probably never host them but his family is a much more manageable size for Thanksgiving.

Chris mom arrived on Tuesday, his brother on Wednesday, & his sister Thursday + their families. We've had a week full of visitors.

On Thanksgiving we of course ate, the guys played x-box, the kids played, & then we celebrated Chris's sister son's birthday (his b-day was last week).

The day after Thanksgiving we pulled out all the Christmas Decorations. I'm so glad that my kids find this task so enjoyeable, I really don't. It wasn't something I was looking forward too. Both of the boys were Giddy & Excited and Jaden literally put our tree together by himself. He's so smart! Landon danced in circles...so adorable!

Later that evening we headed to Rexburg for Santa, fireworks, & a chili dinner. All we had to do was bring a gift for each persons admittance. Beforehand we let Jaden pick out 4 toys at the store and although it was hard for him to realize these gifts weren't for him, it was such a good opportunity to show him how to share & think of others. The boys were freezing and ready to go home until the fireworks began. They love them! Landon kept saying "wow". Fireworks against a cold clear sky are really a neat site.

Now, I'm tired & sick but feel like I'm staying caught up & that's a GREAT feeling!

Reflection

I'm not any good at these types of posts but I have seriously had warm feelings this week & I know it's because my life is so blessed so here's my attempt to be grateful for my week. I decided only to reflect on my week because my life is so full & my list would never end.

My church and the knowledge that it brings. It's such a blessing to have such a foundation in my life. This blesses my life daily!

My Boys! Chris has been travelling the last 3 weeks (a fact I choose only to share after he's returned home). It's so nice to have his travelling done for the year and to see the excitement of the boys when he returns home; and we did sneak a visit in last week. These boys make my life full! (Landon in this pic just wasn't happy & we couldn't get a good one, but this one does reflect real life).

My parents! (Had to scan this pic in). My mother is such a good moral compass for me. This week I've had some worries & I really make the very best effort to be the best person that I can be. I call her so that she can help me & tell me if I'm wrong or right....I love it when she tells me I'm right:) It's a relief to know that she's such a fair person. My dad loves to spoil his family! We feel his love all the time.

Great friends! This week has been so busy. I've realized that with Chris gone I only spent one night without someone at my house keeping me company. The party on Wednesday was such a success that instead of it ending at 8:30 pm it ended after 10pm. And I got to enjoy Friday with friends again celebrating a Birthday and going to NEW MOON (so good btw).

My sisters! Can I just say I LOVE THEM! I love having Jenna live here and to Britt, you just need to move closer. This week Britt found tickets to Atlanta for a fabulous price. We were all ready to jump on them but wanted to check with sister-in-laws. In the mean time they shot up WAY high! I'm sure it's because we are supposed to wait and purchase them at even a cheaper price...so on this one, I'm grateful they are going to be cheaper:) We are going to get them and have a fun girls week in a warmer climate!

These are just a few of my blessings that I'm grateful for!

Do you Need a GIRLS NIGHT OUT!!!!

Hey Ladies! Do you need a night out???

I have just what you need. GLITTER TOES!!!!

If you haven't heard of Glitter Toes they are NEW to Idaho Falls. It's a gel application dried under infared lights. They last for about 6-8 weeks. You can also have these done on your fingernails. For this party ONLY she'll be doing them for 1/2 off, $12.

This next Wednesday I'm hosting a party at my house and all are invited. I've blurred out my address on the invite, if you'd like to come & don't know where I live, leave a comment with your email address and I'll email you where I live.

AND THERE'S MORE! Tons of hair product at up to 40% off. PLUS free facials! There will also be discounted makeup and facial products.

The Glitter Toe Specialist is Amanda Burke (she's trained in hair & nails). Jenna Johnson (also trained) will assist. If it's slow Jenna will bring her wax pot and do waxing $5-10.

Katie Parker will be doing the facials and will have product to purchase.

AND we may have found someone to do massages. We think she'll do them for FREE or at a very discounted price. She's super good and it using this as a way to build up her business. She'll even have her chair here.

That's a lot of pampering at one location so it will be LOTS OF FUN!

Treat a friend to a girls night....I think it'd be a great Christmas Present. We all need some pampering this time of year.

Ice Pop

Jaden...how do I even describe this boy.

A boy whose mind runs non-stop, who has an unlimited amount of energy, stubborn, determined, just to name a few.

Jaden gets to pick out a movie on Friday nights. He's picked "Sid, the science kid" the last couple of times. Today we had to make 'Ice Pops' and I couldn't figure out where Jaden was getting this from (it was from Sid, the science kid". I watched as he made them. A cup, banana, put the stick in the banana so it will hold in place, pour juice over the top, and freeze. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Sometimes Jaden's non-stop thinking along with his stubbornness & unwillingness to listen worries and overwhelms me.

Even as a young baby his Doctor could see this & told us if we could steer his energy in the right direction he can be anything that he wants to be. She also told us not to stifle it.

A couple weeks ago at Church Chris got up and bore his testimony. Jaden ran after him. I didn't know what to do & wondered if it would be more disruptive for me to go and grab him or let him be. Afterward a lady grabbed me and told me that she just loves his personality and kept talking about him....I kind of was embarrassed & nodded and smiled. This Sunday we sat in front of them and they witnessed his need for stimulation the entire meeting. Puzzles are key for both my boys. At the end of sacrament meeting she told me that she loves watching both boys. That they remind her so much of her boys (she has 3 of them) when they were that age and that no one could understand that kind of energy & need for stimulation. She told me that teachers would probably tell me they can't focus & that they had problems but she said to ignore them. That her boys are extremely smart and that her oldest is a physicist and will be going to medical school. She said that she can tell that my boys are extremely bright & that if I ever needed someone to talk to, to give her a call. She'd also like to spend some time with Jaden...that she doesn't have grandkids yet and that she just loves him.

I wasn't sure if Landon would be like Jaden...part of me worried about having the energy to have TWO Jaden's. I'm starting to see Landon need stimulation; he's starting puzzles, trying to figure how things work. I know they are both VERY smart but then I worry I think that because I am there mom...we are supposed to think our kids are smart.

I'm crossing my fingers she's right. That they are BRIGHT and that is where all this energy comes from. Our home is always entertaining and full of energy!

health care...scary!

As the house nears a vote on the Health Care bill, I'm worried. I'll admit I haven't followed & read this bill the way I should....I think I'm too fearful to know what it really is. I'm worried this bill doesn't have the foundation that it needs to work and I'm worried our Nation is creating a HUGE motivation not to work and be successful.

First off, I need to mention that our family is very blessed. All of our needs are provided for so I know that my views reflect where our family is and I know there are hard working individuals that needs government assistance...hopefully for a short time only.

Last week we had to select our benefits for next year. This is a task and I wish I had a crystal ball that could see into the future to see what our health care needs will be. We had a choice of benefits for a monthly premium of $200, 300, or $400. Obviously the higher the premium, the better the benefits. We as a family use our benefits VERY little. When I'm pregnant that is when we use them the most. As we read through our benefits I asked Chris "when are you ready to have another baby". We decided last week that we will get pregnant later next year but have the baby in 2011..I like to plan, we'll see if our plan works out:). That way, we could save $200 a month by selecting the cheapest premium.

This week I also had an eye doctor appointment. I ran out of contacts...I had to wear my glasses for a week because I was one week away from my year mark for benefits from the last time I went to the eye doctor. As I went to pay I was disappointed with the many fees. I have insurance but it sure didn't feel like it by the time I walked out of the office.

So later in the week I was telling my mom that our benefits are deciding our future & that it's kind of sad. That we literally have planned what month we'll get pregnant, which month we'll pick up AFLAC, & so forth. My mom's reply was "Kimri, it's only going to get worse."

I don't have an answer for our country's problems. I sure wish I did BUT I do think that the answer isn't motivation for the poor to remain poor. HARD WORK is one of the answers amongst so many others. Thankfully I am surrounded by hard workers, motivated individuals but I've seen so many that aren't and it's a frustrating thing. So many receiving all the FREE benefits that go to the doctor for frivolous things. I do think a co-pay to those free benefits would help...maybe only $5. Just enough to encourage wise visits to the doctors.

When I saw the unemployment rate I was saddened. What a shocking number. How grateful I am that my husband has a job...appreciate employment! I hope we see this number decrease and quickly. I hope we can see an increase in jobs, employers motivated to hire, and less LAZY workers.

Again, I have to finish and but thankfully our family is still thriving despite all of this and I do hope that at some point in our lives we'll have the resources to help those hard workers that just can't quite make it. I'd personally like to choose who my tax dollars go to. I'm anxious to see what bills pass this next week.

Our Halloween-filled week!

It was a busy week but a fun one full of memories!

Monday for FHE we had dinner in a pumpkin & Jaden got to carve a pumpkin. Jaden had so much fun carving his "jack a latern" (he used that word, not pumpkin.) You can see how proud her was.

On Wednesday was Jaden's last indoor soccer game. His entire team was a year older then him & they were really good. They won every game. This was his last game & they let anyone come on the field for the first 15 minutes. We took Landon out to kick the ball & it was fun to get to kick it back & forth to Jaden.


Thursday we were supposed to go to a party at our friends house but her little girl got sick so instead we went to "boo at the zoo". We took her little boy because he was so sad that Jaden wasn't coming to the party. It was a COLD evening! We were ready to go home by the end.
On Friday we had our Ward Carnival & Trunk o' treat. Yes, we are crayons...they were intended for our Thursday night party & when we didn't end up wearing them I insisted we wear them to this. The boys had a blast & the evening was much warmer. Jaden circled the parking lot over & over.

Saturday before we went Trick or treating we made Root Beer. Yum! We went with Gracie & Easton & they ran from house to house with a little bit encouragement from me:) My boys have been eating candy since...they are addicted.

I hope you had a great week too! I'm getting excited for the holidays!