just in case. . .

. . .you were wondering--we ARE alive. just living it up with lots of fun activities and endless playdates with cousins and uncles "cookie" and "tent" {Colby & Trent}. i have lots of fun posts to share as soon as i get all my pictures in order. hopefully this sunday. i'm off for a sleepover with the densley clan and a full day of sledding tomorrow.

oh, and if you didn't get a christmas card from us this year--don't feel bad. i didn't send any. i'm aiming to get some valentine love out in 2009 instead. ha ha ha.

christmas surprise

the best Christmas present EVER!

i don't know how i kept it a secret for all this time, but i did and i am happy it wasn't spoiled. i can't even explain how good it feels to be able to make my mom's Christmas wish come true.

S.U.R.P.R.I.S.E!

a little background: Chris and i were planning and excited to spend our first Christmas in the east with our little girl, in our little home, with good friends we consider family. with Chris's grandparents serving a mission in Washington, D.C. we were planning to spend some time with them over the holidays as well. back in October Chris applied for a job in Utah and when they called to see if he'd be willing to fly out for an interview on Dec 15th and work for a week...we saw an opportunity we couldn't pass up. I owe a lot to my sister, Jenn. She played interference and diverted all gifts to her basement and not the post office. a big Thank You to the entire Densley family for not spilling the beans. as you can see...my mom had no idea. for all she knew we where driving to D.C. for a little R&R with the grandparents and that is why we our cell phones were unavailable.

ahhhhh!

with this week almost over and the official 12 Day's of Christmas about to commence around these parts, i am busier than ever. needless to say, I NEED CAFFEINE to maintain my sanity and stamina. okay, not really, but i have snuck a few here and there. {it's all about survival here} i just wanted to note that i AM trying, but it's H.A.R.D!! and just for a good laugh in the coming years i need to document what i like to call "signs of a mother in distress" or just a day in my life.


first, you stay up into the wee hours of the morning finishing projects, laundry, and other miscellaneous tasks. just when your head hits the pillow, your alarm clock goes off. in this case that alarm clock is a two year old SCREAMING child who is positively terrified of some unseen "monster" that is currently following you throughout the house. finally you both are able to drift off to sleep on the couch with tv on. huh? what? it's 9AM and i have a meeting in 30 minutes. hurry, hurry. get in the shower. print the agenda. etc.

second, your meeting ends...FIVE hours later. you go to run errands and realize you never put pants on your child. what? this has never happened to you? believe you me, this time i forgot! going pant less around our house is a normal thing--for savanna, but today there were no tantrums about wearing the pants because this mom forgot to put them on. {i'm still talking about Savanna here :)}

for the grand finale of the evening, when you run to the grocery store at 10PM in the rain storm and arrive only to stomp in a puddle and remember you still have on your house slippers.

seriously people. i need caffeine just so my brain functions properly. before you ask, YES, i finished getting what i needed at the store--soggy slippers and all.

ending of an era

*sniff, sniff*

it shouldn't be a big deal and maybe it makes me seem a bit dramatic, but i am going to miss my daily dose of Diet Coke. yup! i am giving it up. currently sitting on my table is a caffeine-free version, but it's just not the same. i have always struggled with admitting that i had an addiction, not just a preference, for Diet Coke. i had myself convinced that it wasn't as bad as some people made it out to be. that is until i picked up this:

the December issue of the Ensign

needless to say, i didn't even finish the glass i had poured before venturing to my mailbox. don't get me wrong, i did supply myself with a much needed "fix" by way of the gas station so i wouldn't harm my child in a moment of stress. i have since taken my happy pill and am praying that i will be able to overcome the temptation the next time i am face to face with my daughter's evil twin. LOL!

New York, New York!

In an attempt to reclaim our pride at supplying our guests with 5 star accommodations, we planned an impromptu trip into the BIG apple. While getting there and finding affordable parking was an experience in itself {GPS is NOT all it's cracked up to be} the overall trip was well worth the stress.


First on our tour de New York was the LDS Temple. we actually had Gma convinced that Lincoln Center was the Temple until tried to take a picture. We then headed {by subway} to Times Square. I don't know why, but I absolutely LOVE Manhattan! It's not the people or the mucky streets that lure me in, but the shopping! I am grateful that I've never taken a "girls only" trip into the city because heaven knows I have a serious addiction. I held back this time and only walked away with a souvenir shirt {and one for Savanna}. I could pass up the opportunity knowing that our time here may be coming to a close.

Next on the tour: Rockefeller Center and the un-lit tree. LOL! It was chaos down there! Seems that we were blessed with perfect timing and arrived right as they were cleaning the ice and had shut down the rink. Ugh! I love NY but hate the crowds--go figure! Luckily by this time Savanna was out for the remainder of the trip. We then walked from Rockefeller Center back to the parking garage in Lincoln Center.

is it just me, or is she "striking a pose?"

it's not NY without a little street dancing