Apparently I LIE

So remember how a couple months ago I put this big post on about how I was gonna start blogging again?  

Well my computer contracted this awful virus and, long story short, it was out of commision.

But...

Seven Weeks, one Military Tech Guy, a Trip to Phoenix, and one fabulous Brother-In-Law later.... we are back.

Merry Christmas!

 

Santa Came

E Family Christmas Party

Every year on the sunday before Christmas we have a family party with my step-dads' family.

 We Eat

 

We Laugh

 

We Sing

 

Santa Comes

 

We Exchange White Elephant Gifts

(Katie hates is grateful for the XL Mens Socks she received)

 

We just have a fun time.

 

Happy Holidays!

The Many Faces of Jaycie

So I stole this super cute idea from my friend Britt...

Every month we take a picture of Jaycie with a sign that says what she's been doing that month.

So far we've had much sucess taking these pictures... no accidents or wardrobe malfuntions or any of that; but this month was different. Daddy was suppose to be helping her sit (it's a skill she's working on right now) and he wasn't paying close enough attention.

Sad!

Happy Happy Birthday!

So we had two birthdays at our house last weekend! That's right, Maddie and Katie turned 3.

IT WAS AWFUL!

Not the part about them turning three but the day they turned 3.

Let me paint a picture for you... Me, in the bathroom, all day, both ends at the same time, wishing I was anywhere else at the moment. Thanks to my mother my house got cleaned and thanks to Josh people got to eat (well everyone except me, that would not have been pretty). I planned and planned to make this party great. I bought all the food, Cafe Rio Salads (delish), and made the cute cupcakes; but I just had to watch from afar.

The girls made out like a bandit though. They got more toys than I have ever seen any kid get. Tons of princess and dress up clothes (now I need a trunk). They had a blast, I stopped barfing, everyone was happy.

Hey! Where Ya Been?

Oh, ya know. Busy!

So what, it's been almost 2 years... no big deal. Not much happened, we just....

-Went to Hawaii, lost our camara, had the best time, no photographic evidence of it though.

- Josh had Surgery! Nothing major, just his ankle. He was out of work for 2 months so we decided to take another vacation.

- Went to Disneyland. Had a blast (plenty of photographic evidence), dragged the family along to push Josh around in the wheel chair while I pushed the stroller bus.

- Got a couple new Nephews (apparently I'm the only one who can have females in this family)

- Decided to get off birth control so we could start trying to have another baby. Figured it would take 3 years like it did the last time. NOPE! First month. Now I know what the other half feel like.

- Decided to rent out our house so we could move. Found fabulous renters who I never want to leave.

- Moved in with the in-laws while we built our house.

- Potty Trained the Girls (so much easier than I thought)

- Had another Nephew

-Built a New House in a new neighborhood.

- Had the cutest baby girl ever!

- Decided to start blogging again now that my life has calmed down a little.

So ya know, nothin going on.

Phoenix

Last week Josh and I and the girls flew down to Phoeniz to visit Josh's Brother's Family. We had such an awesome time. This is the first time we've been down there and I haven't come home weighing less. Linden and Josh like to eat interesting food, food I do not eat, and therefore live off of cereal when were there. This time I told Josh if he wants to eat the weird things then be my guest but the girls and I weren't going to. We needed real food.

Now when I talk about weird it's usually something like this...

Frog Legs (bought raw at the chinese market and then BBQ on the grill)

They also like tripe and tounge, things I just can't swallow. Don't think I judge all this by look, I usually try everything at least once. (I drew the line at tounge though, no way)

Or something equally gross, this time it was Rocky Mountain Oysters. For those of you not familiar with them they look like chicken nuggets. Deep fried and served with a side of Ranch or Ketchup; but they aren't chicken, they're balls. Yup, bull balls to be exact. It only took Josh eating a few to realize he can no longer stomach them either (I also drew the line here). It seems wrong for a man to eat nuts. Just sayin'...

We spent some time up at the Indian Ruins in Sedona. Montazuma's Castle and Well are houses built on the side of cliffs. It was really neat to see the architechture used for a supposed unlearned people. The made their houses in the cliffs to protect them from the elements and give them excellent defense agains enemies.

We went to the park near their apartment for a few hours. It was the girls' first time at a park and they seemed to like it. Katie was scared of the swings at first but once she saw Maddie was having a good time she lightened up.

We went to The World Wide Zoo and Aquarium. It was super expensive and I'm sure I wouldn't spend that much to go again (with a coupon we paid $23.00 per person, babies are free). They had a lot of rare birds and monkeys. While looking at a lot of the monkey pictures I've decided I took way to many pictures of their butts. We saw some turtles "doing the deed" in the petting zoo. I took video of it for a couple of minutes, because I'm apparently weird like that (but I was one of probably 10 people who also took video, so it's not that weird), because it was just so funny.

Do you think this face means she knows what their doing? Maybe we can skip the whole conversation! :0)

Afterwards, we went to Abuelo's Mexican Restuarant. Loved the food, not so much the hair in my enchilada, but I got my meal for free. Madisyn wouldn't even touch her quesadilla, she wanted the 7 layer dip so she ate healthy that night.

James and Tonja came down the day before we left (Josh's sister) and we went to dinner and breakfast with them. The dinner was good but the breakfast was amazing. We went to a place called Butterfield's. If you ever go to Phoenix, this is the place to eat. They have amazing food and awesome German Pancakes. Josh had blueberries for miles and my omlete was to die for. It's only open in the morning and early afternoon and if you don't go early you'll never get in but It's awesome, worth the wait.

The way home was an adventure. Flying Non-Rev (code for you don't pay much if anything because you work for an airline) was a joke. We got to the airport at 11:00. Our flt out was at 12:02. Went through security and missed the flight because it was full. I expected that so we just rolled over to the next flight. While waited once again realized the flight was full, but you never know. We got on the outbound flight when it was sold out. I love when people don't show up. Anyway, I called Delta because they also had a flight out within 20 of the one I was listed on. The guy listed us and then said there were 20 seats and we wouldn't have a problem. We leave the terminal and catch the bus to Terminal 3 for Delta. Go through security (now keep in mind I have lotion in my purse and two sippy cups with water 1/2 full, went through security in Salt Lake and at Phoenix, so this is my 2nd time through security.) The old guy has a fit that I have sippy cups with water in them (I always travel this way, they just test it and let me go), he's so irritated that he makes me have a pat down (super invasive, the girl put her hand in my pants to feel my waist band and she touched "the girls", totally awkward), escorts me out to dump out only one sippy cup, I get to take the other one through), gives me a lecture about how he's going to have to call supervisors to come talk to me and them makes me go through security again.

We run to Delta and get our passes. Grab some Wendy's for the babies and wait. The sweet and totally helpful (did you catch the sarcasm there) ticket lady at Delta told me that we were on the list and there were still 20 seats so we would be fine. She even gate checked our stroller. When she was about to board the plane she came over to Josh and said "Oh, your flying standby, right?" Josh says "Yes" and she walks away. Now keep in mind that I told her we were listed for another flight in another terminal and I needed to know if we were going to make it. She assured me at least three times that there was no problem. So she boards the plane and then gets on the intercom with the following messgae...

"For all those waiting on standby, be advised that this flight is full. We cannot get you one. If you want to wait until the plane leaves the gate I can roll you over to next flight!" (the following day)

I was pissed. We ran, like mad people to the bus, through the terminal (I felt like Home Alone) only to get to the gate as the plane is pulling away and to find out that there were three empty seats. So irritated, I absolutely HATE Delta right now.

We finally got on the next flight out on Southwest and was home around 7:00 that evening. It was a nice vacation but I really don't want to fly again for a bit. At least until May!

Hopefully Hawaii is better!