Christmas Break

Well we started off this month long party by going to California for Phil's company Christmas party. Phil works for three days and I hang out with Ashlee. We took her girls to Disneyland and only took this one picture the entire trip. It was great to get to hang out with her and meet Olivia who was born in July. Arleigh and Emery actually liked me this time and Emery wanted to go on all the rides with me at Disneyland.
Then the next week we loaded everyone up and headed down to Portland for another company party with Phil's crew in Portland. I sent a random email down to my cousin Angelica to see if she would watch my kids that night while we did the dinner. It is so great to have family all over that are willing to watch my kids at the drop of a hat even when I haven't seen them in years. They loved playing with her kids and Miya was super excited to learn that she had even more cousins...they are like 3rd cousins or something?
Christmas was great and we spent the morning here at our house opening presents then went over to Vashon to spend time with Phil's family. We spent the night and played the whole next day too.
We have the world's easiest kids to please (they have learned not to expect much I guess). They were so excited about everything they got and were smiley and sweet all morning.

I didn't take any picture of Cannon with his yo-yo, but he loves it. He is always trying to learn new tricks and he has been bringing it up to quiet-time everyday to get better at walking the dog.

Lyla got a stroller and she has been pushing it around the house for the past week. She always wants the one at Nana's so we thought it was time to get one around here.

Then this past week after parties at neighbors and friends we had to take a little time to clean up one of the rentals since we had a tenant move out the end of December. Nothing like cleaning up after people leave to top of the Holidays. The kids were good though during the cleaning and it didn't seem too bad. Phil put insulation under the floor in the crawl space and came home needing to shave his arms to get the stuff out. We decided to try just combing it out and it ended up more like a wax job when we were finished.

I had to wake up Miya and Cannon for school this morning because we are a little out of the habit of getting up early. Plus with the rain clouds it was super dark still at 7:00. I am trying to get caught up on things this morning and will head over to volunteer today in Cannon's class.

Can't even believe it is 2010. Phil said, "yeah, and just think we were married in the 90's." We are so old! Happy New Year.

Dear Santa,

In the Spirit of Christmas Miya thought she would leave a pass along card with the letter for Santa. I hope there are missionaries at the North Pole.

Grandma O'Brien

Well Grandma O'Brien passed away late Sunday night. It really has been a long time coming and I will dearly miss her, but I am so glad she is back with my Grandpa. Grandma O'Brien made the best rolls for Thanksgiving dinner, she could out stir all 5 of us girls combined when making candy (and she was a tiny lady) and she always had something great waiting in her cookie jar. My grandma lived ten minutes from me growing up and we always made a trip to her house for a Sunday evening treat. She had connect four in the extra bedroom that my sisters and I played and fought over for hours. I loved being at her house unless I was asked to get something out of the basement. Seriously that place scared the pants off me. Even when we would move the wood from the shed to the basement it was better being in the old stinky shed then down in the basement. I remember her little stuffed Christmas tree that she always put the kids Christmas socks on each year. She had a strong testimony and even after Alzheimer's set in she couldn't remember who you were, but she was happy and kind to everyone. I love my grandma.

Cannon

Yesterday Cannon was running around the house, stopped and said his tummy hurt. He laid down on the couch and I heard from the other room, "Mom your chest hurts when you have a heart attack. My chest hurts. I am having a heart attack, but it isn't serious because I am not dying."
My response went something like, "your chest can hurt from other things too, not just a heart attack."
He followed up with, "Nope, pretty sure it's a heart attack." Not two minutes later he was up and running around again.
I am pretty sure I had a heart attack this morning while doing my Plyometric workout. I will have to ask Cannon when he gets home from school.

Dear Barbie,

Dear Barbie,

I felt I needed to send a quick thank you note to tell you how much I appreciate your move to the big screen and your great acting in The Princess and the Pauper. I loved playing with you as a child mostly many hours building your dream house and was pleasantly surprised to see your career move to acting a few years ago. I know that this movie was one of your first, but may I say that I think it is some of your best work. I can see that you have spent years learning dancing, singing and acting. This practicing has really paid off. Not only are you a great actress, but you are also a great babysitter. That's right your movie is the only one my Lyla will watch. We have spent many hours over the last month with your singing in the background.

My daughters have greatly appreciated your guidance in becoming a princess. Lyla has now learned to sing and dance just as a princess should. Please send my regards and warmest wishes to all the others that played a role in making this great movie.

Thanks again,

Jamie Combs

P.S. We have lost our Twelve Dancing Princesses, could you send one for Christmas if you have extra copies.