Ten

Ten years today with Kurt Romans officially in my life.

How grateful I am that it does not have to stop at 10 or 25 or even 50.

How much, much more I love him than that blissfully navive day in the St. George temple ten years ago.

Over the past years I have learned:

1. Kurt will always love me.
2. It's okay that I don't have best friends because I have Kurt.
3. Kurt puts the Lord first and it makes our marriage work.
4. I find Kurt so handsome in the temple & when he is anxiously engaged in Church service.
5. Kurt will back me up 100% in ALL of my endeavors.
6. The Lord loves us and has blessed us beyond measure.
7. Kurt is good naturally (calm, patient, loving.) He gets it from his mother.
8. Kurt has grown into the perfect family man & father.
9. Service makes us happy.
10. Kurt is endlessly forgiving.



How blessed I am to have infinite reasons to love him. Thank you for a good life. I could not ask for more. I love you eternally.

Annual GBHM Party

This is the third year I've hosted a Ginger Bread House Making Party for the Preschoolers and their parents. Its one of my favorites. We held them on Monday and Tuesday night.

There was a good turn out and great creating. Generally the parents construct and frost and the child decorates. I love seeing all the different creations. One dad {whose wife owns the local bakery} was shocked that we were using Graham Crackers and Glue Guns. I told him that we keep it simple in preschool.

It was a great Family Home Evening activity for our family. Austin completely constructed his on his own this year. And needless to say a lot of candy was consumed.






Caught in the act: mouth full and dirty from candy consumption


Construction Independence

Here comes Santa Claus

Saturday was the ward Christmas party. It was probably the most uneventful ward party I've ever been too. As the Bishop told Kurt, "It sure is easy to entertain this ward."

Santa came so the kids were excited about that.



This year they told him they wanted:

Austin: Spy Gear
Emma Lynn: Barbie doll house
Spencer: Super Heros
Ruth: a present (love it!)

All the cousins {minus cutie Madison} were at the party.

Things that make me SMILE today

~ Not being a single parent any more! Kurt arriving home safely from his Vegas conference so my nightmares of becoming a widow can end.

~ Ruth saying to her cousins, "Come on babes." This makes me chuckle actually. It's sooo cute.

~ Sprite.

~ Sleepovers with BFF Jacqlyn where everyone wakes up happy!

~ A house full of happy cousins playing together.

~ Christmas music.

~ Randy, my UPS man, delivering Christmas.

~ Spencer asking, "WHY...." about EVERYTHING to the point of frustration. He responds with his most charming and certainly teasing smile, "Mom, my brain just forgot and I have to know WHY."

~ Taking a LONG quiet hot shower.

~ Ruth in princess jammie pants. {STAPLE.}

~ Remembering how delicious the rice & beans from Chavelitas were last night.

~ Spanish week, learning Austin has been Senora Mason assistant this week and giving his class instructions. Soaking up her excitement with his progress.

~ Good chats with a friend.

~ Editted family pictures from an amazing SIL. {love ya Traci!}

~ my family.

Emma's Night

Tonight was Emma Lynn's Christmas concert for school. Let me preface this retelling by stating that Emma does not sing in public. Every month when the Primary children have to sing in sacrament meeting she wiggles her way to the back of the pack and hides so no one will see her.

Monday night before bed she prayed that she would be able to sing for her concert.

Today she woke up with much anxiety over the up-coming evening event.

Again at breakfast she prayed that she would be able to sing.

Kurt and Austin gave her the sound advice to imagine everyone in the audience in their underwear. At least she giggled.

After school she declared, "Mom we had to practice for our concert at school today. There were grown ups watching us practice and I SANG!" That was all the confidence she needed. The rest of the night was a breeze.


All ready to go.


Before the show with a few of her classmates.


During


And after with BFF Jacqlyn.

We all went to Dairy Queen afterwards to celebrate their success. So proud of my girl!

Other record breaking news: today we found out that Emma Lynn has a opening in Austin's school starting in January.

Questionable

It is questionable where the couponing line between sanity and insanity is drawn. In control and out of control. Obsessive. Addictive. and Ridiculous.

I'm pretty sure I crossed that line last night.

Monday AM Kelli and I shop Rite Aid. We found a great Money Maker deal on Revelon Nail Polish. It was exhilarating to make so much money and the fabulous thing about this deal is that the coupons were not limited. By 2 pm we had each made $64! At that point we couldn't stop, and we made plans to meet again that evening without the kids to make some more money.

It turned out to be a great GNO {girl's night out} and in total I made $240 {and have 120 nail polishes to boot.} INSANE. I want to give a shout out to all the Rite Aid employees who were TOTALLY awesome and made it such a fun night.


So I was not about to take them all out for the picture. But that bag is chalk full!

So everyone {male or female} will be getting nail polish with every gift from our family for the next 5 years. Please email if you would like a complete list of color options available.

Seriously, my daughters have never been so excited about my couponing purchases as they were when they saw the table this morning with a rainbow of choices and painting options. We had the exact color to match Emma's dress for the Christmas concert tonight and lots of fun bonding this afternoon.


{Start with the hands on the top left} Emma Lynn is wearing Strawberry Electric, Ruth is wearing Plum Seduction, Brooke's toes are in Love That Red and I'm wearing Beach.

I haven't crossed the line, right?!!!

SNOW DAY

Wednesday morning I woke up at 6 am to a text telling me it was a SNOW DAY! I looked out the windows to see that the snow had not ceased all night.


This was right outside the preschool door. There was about 10 in areas of the yard not protected by an awning. Other parts of Vale reported 11 and 12 inches.

Even though I was so excited to have a break in the routine both of my school kids were disappointed. And of course Emma Lynn cried. At least they like school, right???

They quickly got over it. We turned on the Christmas music and got the house decorated.


We drank hot chocolate like our lives depended on it.

We read countless Christmas stories.

And Kurt came home to play in the snow with us! We went sledding at Grandma & Grandpa Miles'. Everyone had such a fun time! Even Ruth, "Dad, that was awesome!"





The horses LOVED Spencer (and took off the second Austin came near.)











Kurt told us that there would be too much snow in the mountains to cut down our own Christmas tree this year. {{I was really sadden by this, it's our tradition!}} So he bought one and brought it home and we had it decorated that night. I will say that it is the most beautiful tree I remember us having {but I still hope we can continue our tradition in 2011!}



I think a snow day every Wednesday could be a really great thing.