GIRLS NiTe!

WARNING: The photos below contain images that may be harmful and depict pure and complete CRaZiNesS...  VIEW at your OWN risk.

What can I say? It's girls night in it's finest form.  We all got together and danced the night away to a little Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Rascal Flatts, Fergie, and who knows what else! We parTaayed! We ate some good cookies, put on cucumber melon masks, drew lipstick on each others faces (where WE thought their lips should go)and did our hair in the ugliest hairstyles --  It's a fun game, you should try it! :-) We played jungle speed, sequence, and Jen and I spent the night and stayed up till the weeee hours of 3 am. Super FUN BONDInG!! IT's GIRLS NIGHT!! We got the best Fam in the world! Thanks mikee for getting us all food (from the girls night budget- thanks Dad) and MOM for being the fabulous and fearless leader! Oh, and I guess we should say, THANKS to the greatest HusbAnDs for letting your wives get some seriously awesome sister fun!!

   Oh and one more thing... don't Judge.

 

The sistas- Mom, Rachel, Bonnie, Jen, Heather, Carrie, and myself
                          And more sister power.. before the craziness begins
Look how sexy?? Aren't you proud mom and Dad??
 Getting DOWN...  Bustin' a MOVE
                                   Okay, let me explain...      ummm.... nevermind. 

                    Don't Ask.....

                                  ....  ALL for ONE...      and ONE for ALL  

              I warned YOU...  the scariest thing is, we don't even NEED alcohol... 

The Best Day of the Week!

I just LOVE Sundays! I love being able to take a break from normal, everyday activities and go to CHURCH, be uplifted, spend the day with my FAMILY, visit people, RELAX and take it all in! 

      The CHALLENGE: 

Recently our Bishop gave all of us the challenge to be more reverent when we come to sacrament meeting.  He said to come EARLY, listen to the PRELUDE music (yes, there actually is beautiful music before the meeting starts), and to NOT hold conversations before the meeting, just take your seats and be reverent.  WOW what a challenge!! 

    THE PLAN: 

At the beginning of the new year, I made a resolution to be EARLY to church each Sunday and to sit in the very front of the chapel (now, we were never really LATE to church ever, but we were always there on time and a little rushed as we scurried to our seats just as the bishopric starts conducting).  We also have 9:00am sacrament and a VERY, VERY large ward. To sit in the front, or the normal bench seats, you have be at least 15 minutes early or they will be all taken. You know how it is, kids make it a little harder to get to places right on schedule!! You have unexpected things come up and more people to get ready.... 

   THE RESULTS: 

 We have been there each week EARLY (with one exception, we got there just as the meeting was starting) and by early, I mean 8:45-8:50 (i know, my Dad still doesn't believe me).  It has been SOOOO wonderful! It has made all the difference in preparing us to take the sacrament, be reverent, think about what we should be thinking about and not being so rushed and frantic.  In fact, Jade has been so great because she's not rushed either, and we sit on the third row and she can see the young men prepare and pass the sacrament and she loves it. We don't try to talk to anyone, and as the ward members have done the same, it is AMAZING what a better spirit we feel in our meeting.  I love hearing the prelude music and singing the words in my head to prepare me for what I am about to do and to learn!  

   ... Need a Sunday BOOST?  TRY it!! :-)   

Much needed Winter GeTaWaY

Can I just say, I LOVE SAN DIEGO! Can I also just say, that ALL those people who live there are completely, and utterly SPOILED!! It rained for two days and there was a 'breaking news alert' on the T.V.  People were freaking out and getting out sand bags and there were accidents all over the freeway.  The weatherman actually got to say something other than, "sunny with a chance of a cloud, high of 75".  I didn't even know if they had that in their vocabulary! It was quite humorous! They all survived and luckily it turned nicer (which is relative, coming from SNOW).  Seriously though, it is my most favorite place! The shopping, the weather, the swap meets (i'm addicted, that's a whole other post), the food, the diversity, the trees/greenery, the beach, the sunsets, and the things to DO!! We had a blast! We went down for Jason's Master's program (he finished his first year) and my mom came with us.  We visited with Grandad, my Uncle Mark and Pam.  We just hung out and enjoyed being together with no work! It was great! 

Look how BIG she is?? She's the cutest little chunk ever! She's only almost 8 months and will soon be bigger than Jade! 
My wonderful mom watched the girls for us while we attended an awards dinner for Jason for his Master's program.  He finished the FIRST YEAR!!! YEAH!!!  (that was the reason for the trip after all).  
This is us after the dinner at the University of San Diego beautiful campus!! It's gorgeous! 
Funny story:  So JAde is obsessed with princesses and such... and kept asking us where Ariel lives.  So we told her she lives at the beach, in the ocean.  One beautiful day we took a walk with my mom up and down the path at Mission beach (i swear we walked for miles) and coveted ALL those beautiful beach homes that would be HEAVEN to live in... anyway and we came upon this statue outside one of the homes, and JAde about DIED!  It was ARIEL!!  See, Mommy didn't lie! She DOES live at the beach! Oh i love how kids are sooo easily entertained and sooo easily excited!! :-)

more pics... LEGOLAND

   We went to Legoland which was SO fun! A Perfect, fun place for kids!! We found great tickets on Craigslist and Jade was still free (i'm going to be sad when she turns 3). These were ALL made out of legos! Everything... you see! They had all sorts of cities that you can walk around, or take a boat ride and see.  
Gracie was hanging out and was super good for being in a car seat practically ALL day! 
Jade was trapped in the lions head! The picture is not blurry... it's LEGOS remember? 
Jade's favorite ride was a fairy tale boat ride where they saw different fairy tales as they toured around the little river (similiar to 'its a small world' ride at disneyland).

 

SO Far... SO Good!!!

     Towards the end of his chemotherapy he was so swollen and full of nasty chemo

drugs and steroids... but he was still such a babe!!

Neatest picture EVER! The head shaving party! It was such a sight

seeing all those boys come together in support! 

   

      This is Jason's Dad, who shaved his mustache after like 30 years, and Nick his brother who headed up the whole head shaving party!!! 

 

We just got back from another cancer check-up at the Huntsman cancer Institute and Yeah for Jason!  It has been exactly five years since he finished his chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments!! HE GRADUATED to ONE year visits/check-ups (instead of every 6 months)!  I know, I know, poor Jason he will miss Dr. Glenn's upbeat positive personality (not), and getting poked, prodded, and x-rayed....  Yea Kidding!! Jason is da man!!  I surely can't ever complain about child birth or being sick or anything anymore in this household! 

  It seems like SO long ago, yet seems like YESTERDAY (i know it doesn't make sense).  He is doing well and I'm taking GOOD care of him! Congratulations Jason!! Here's to LOTS and LOTS of more years CANCER FREE!!!