Let's talk about what a great parent I am!!!

New for Monday's!!! I defintely am not tired this morning and DEFENitely didn't say morning when it's nearly 3pm. My dear son did NOT stay up until 1am because he DOES NOT run the show at our house!

I also did not clean the carpets this weekend, and they don't look better either. We do need more kids for sure though... and they probably should be as good at making a mess as Carson is. I didn't go to bed without picking up toys either because there is no way I was too tired at 1am...

I since it's NOT ME MONDAY... I def. did not forget about my blog... NOPE not ME!!!

2009 Questionairre...

I did this last year over at my old blog: http://www.kariandfam.blogspot.com/


1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Photographed 5 weddings! WAY more work than I expected... the afterwork anyway.


2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Nope, sure didn't and I think I should probably work on this one again.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No one... but lots of babies were born and into my Bebe' Collection... Baby Sammy is now my fav!


4. Did anyone close to you die?
No!


5. What states/countries did you visit? Florida, that's where I am again, right now... 2 years in a row!


6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? More time of happiness... I really noticed this year how short life is, I spent a great deal of later 2008 depressed and feeling very unhappy. I am feeling much better to start the year and I really want to make sure the whole year is at least a concious effort to maintain this happiness. I really want to do more "fun things" that don't necessarily cost $.


7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I left my job working for Dr. Robertson and pursued my true passion Photography. It really has been wonderful and I have learned so much. I don't miss much of the office, however some of the patients I do miss. We did a few things this year that really have started to feel like tradition. We went to the Great Wolf Lodge again, and came to Florida in July and Dec. It has been so great being with family. Also, this year I moved to "Tildenville"!


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? My photography business.


9. What was your biggest failure?
Probably money. Defintely a weakness for me. I did really good on not spending, but saving and keeping the budget together between the two of us has really been a challenge. EXACT same answer as last year.


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope.


11. What was the best thing you bought?
My D200!


12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Carson's! He is much better this year than last year.


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?



14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills.... probably Sprint!


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to Florida and more new ideas for photography sessions.


16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Let's Get Married! First wedding season!


17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? 
same... but had a rough patch during the year. b) thinner or fatter? same.. unfortunately c) richer or poorer? poorer!


18. What do you wish you’d done more of? More memories that were pure fun... things with the kids that they really enjoy. I want to come up with more fun things for them to do that take effort and are creative to make more memories.


19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Feeling depressed, unhappy... such a dang waste of time.


20. How did you spend Christmas?
It was great because Christmases all pretty much got done the weekend before the actual day. Very relaxing.


21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Just more with the kids!


22. What was your favorite TV program?
Private Practice and The Hills.


23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Olivia Thomas

24. What was the best book you read?
TWILIGHT!!!


25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Jack Johnson


26. What did you want and get?
Bigger better Camera

27. What did you you want and not get?
too many to name!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Marley & Me and Twilight

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 29. Went to dinner at Webers where my cousin works, and went to see Twilight with Kenedey!!!

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?


31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Casual comfy... boring!

32. What kept you sane?
Family & friends

.33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Still Nick Lachey

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Election year! I wouldn't say it stirred me.

35. Who did you miss?
My mom

36. Who was the best new person you met? Tyler :-)

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008: Business... Hard drives SUCK

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Love is the answer to most of the questions in my heart like why are we here? Where do we go? and how come it's so hard? Better Together by Jack Johnson

Just another day in paradise.

My mom and grammy

Check out the heart on my mom's shirt from the shadow and the sun.

Well, I just got home from another day and we aren't doing much tonight... just hangin' out which is just fine with me. Carson didn't get out of bed this morning until around 11am which was WONDERFUL. He's a late sleeper and a night owl like me anyway, but I was up at about 10 so it was nice to have the first hour to myself. I enjoyed it!

We got around and then took my niece and nephew (Shannon & Justin) to meet my grandma who was going to take them to the airport. My great grandma was also here so we also took her to Grammy so she could head home. I think she was anxious to get home!!! Probably ready for her own little routine again.

Kenedey stayed at my moms and hung out with her friends that live here. Sierra and her hung out and played club penguin and with Webkins. They had a great time. Certainly better than driving 2 hours with no exciting destination in sight. Carson went with us and did really well. He is such a brat sometimes though. He told Shannon, "hey you leave me alone"... in a mean voice... ugh... I keep telling myself it's just a 2 year old thing... right?!

We had 5 generations there so we figured anytime we are actually all together we need to take a pic for memories. This time Carson was the 5th one, Kenedey has a few so it was a good thing for us to have him in it this time.

Tomorrow my brother Tim is coming into town for New Year's I haven't seen him in a LONG time... WAY.TOO.LONG. It was great talking to him on the phone so I am excited to hang out with him in person! He's a riot and makes us all laugh a lot!

We are warm!

Well we made it to Florida! We had a slight delay in Detroit, but nothing we couldn't handle. It was insane at the airport in Detroit. Sooo busy. We got really lucky at the security checkpoint. They had a terribly long line, but the lady sent us in the "family" line and we didn't have to wait AT.ALL.... SOOO nice when you are traveling with a 2 year old. Carson was super while we waited, he had plenty of room to get his cars and trucks out and play them and he was great!


Once we got on the plane he made friends with a little girl in front of us named Abby she was 3 1/2 and they hit it off! They traded toys back and forth and had great time! Let's pray the ride home is as uneventful!


We got the airport way too early, Jason wanted to leave at like 3 and our plane didn't leave until 6:50. I really dislike sitting around and waiting, but I guess now I can say it is getting easier since Carson is getting older.


Since being at my mom's Jefferson the dog has been knocking Carson over and scareing the crap out of him! It's certainly a change from when we were here in July! Carson was carrying the dog around in July, now the dog is 5 times his size and he's scared to death of the dog!


My mind has been super busy brainstorming about the upcoming new year and the things I want to do with my photography. Gearing up for the upcoming wedding season. I REALLY want to do more low key wedding stuff this year, and I am thinking about offering a package where they just get EVERY photo we take at their wedding and the CD with all right released and be done with it, but it's very difficult to upcharge when your doing that because I don't think people "feel like" they are getting as much you know. When in reality they are because they are able to do whatever they want with EVERY photo. Brides are a pain in the rear... ugh.

Pics of the kiddos

This was ALMOST my Christmas card... hopefully you have yours now.

As requested by Grammy!

Kenedey just chopped all that hair off! I know it seems sad to you all probably however... she has SUCH thick hair that she can't even get her hands in there to wash it well. So the cut was MUCH needed.

Again,

Ok well here we go again! I took some time today to go back and look at my old blog and REALLY enjoyed looking over the memories from a year ago. It's incredible how much my kids have changed, so I have decided that for my New Year's Resolution I am going to attempt to keep another blog. I haven't been into scrapbooking at all over the last year, with Photography and my business there just isn't time left and I am getting my creative outlet through the photography and just don't have the want to hull all that crap out. I honestly think my other Resolution may be to dig out all that scrapbooking crap and take some time to go through it and get rid of anything that I won't use. It makes me a little sad because I love the scrapbooks I have of the kids, but again... just not time. Maybe in a few years again, but for now... not so much!

Yesterday we had a great Christmas! We did the usual stay home the entire day and it was wonderful. It didn't feel like a Christmas much at all just because of our ornament/decoration situtation.

Let me update you on that. I went to get out our decorations and unfortuantely THEY.WERE.GONE.

I think they are in Jen Hutchinson's basement, but she said she looked and didn't find them. I also thought they were in my great grandmother's basement, went and checked there... not there. The whole thing really makes me sick to think about it. I just keep praying Jen finds them accidently and calls to let me know she found them! Ornaments from the past 12 Christmases are in there and it's just so upsetting to think that it could be all gone.

Ok enough about that. Kenedey is doing well. School is good for her. She had a great Christmas and is ready to go to Florida on Sunday.

here's what she got this year. I thought it was fun to look back at what she got last year:

• Digital Camera
• SDHC card 8.0 (that should hold pics forever)
• ipod docking station that is also a CD player
• new portable DVD player
• 4 outfits
• Apples to Apples the game
• Upwords the game
• Uno attach
• Mylie Cyrus breakout CD
• Huge stuffed puppy (thanks Ang!)
• camo coat
• bath confetti
• 2 hats
• Nintendo DS chargers
• DS skins to make the DS cute
• purses
• gift card to target
• hand, body and foot warmers for the woods
• a alarm clock phone for her room
• 2 DS games
• bras!
• underware
• and im suer there's some I have forgotten, but that is the gist of it

Carson:

• a 4 wheeler that we have put $ in the bank for. We knew he would want to ride it in the house and just couldn't deal with him not being able to. We will get it the first week it warms up
• puzzles
• McQueen stuff
• airplanes
• cars
• clothes
• wonder pets x2
  
• slippers
• A red radio flyer scooter
• etch a sketch (buzz lightyear)
• gift card to target
• Cars movie, we have to buy a new one every year, he wears them out
• and more im forgetting!
• we went pretty easy for him this year, he really is still just into cars!

K, that's enough for today... more soon!

FUN stuff

I follow this fun blog called Tip Junkie. Today she did a post on Halloween treats for the kids and I felt really inspired to try some of them: (I think Ken would have a blast making this one!) I would love to have a halloween party for Kenedey and her friends... do you think I can get motivated enough to have a few 6th graders over and do some fun treats/activities? Well here's to trying... i'll let you know how I come out!

Monster Mash

6 white bark chocolate squares

1 cup pretzel sticks

2 cups honey graham cereal

1 cup Halloween Color M&Ms

1 cup miniature marshmallows

orange food coloring

chocolate sprinkles

1. Melt 2 squares and then add pretzel sticks, coat well and place separately on wax paper until chocolate is hard.

2. Once chocolate is set/hard melt the remaining 4 squares. Once melted add orange food coloring.

3. Add 1 cup of honey graham cereal to half of melted chocolate and mix until the cereal is well coated with chocolate.

4. Add remaining ingredients... cereal, M&Ms, marshmallows, remaining chocolate, mix, add pretzels and chocolate sprinkles mix well.

5. Spoon out mixture in large clusters onto wax paper. Let the chocolate set and then eat.