The nine most memorable moments of oh nine

9-Spending a week on Mexico with the "big kids" only to come back and realize I had been replaced by grandpa Don!!!

8-Louis stopped sucking his thumb....he was 7 mind you....this was monumental!!!!

7-Learning that sharpie can be removed from wood doors with minimal damage!

6-New couches!!! Never owned couches of my own until now...we're the hand-me-down crew here :)

5-Spending countless hours having wii tournaments! I love spending time with the kids that doesn't involve yelling and making them do chores or homework!!!

4-Cole moving into a big boy bed. Not sure if this is a good memory, but it's pretty darn cute to see that little snugly bug in that huge bed at night and kneel up to it to say prayers...it's basically adorable!

3-Me, learning to say no. I know this sounds weird...it took me until I was 32. But I have finally (kind of ) learned how to say no. If I'm too busy to work, I can say no. If I don't have time to do something or the ability to do something for someone, I have learned that it's okay. People won't hate me and I am not an awful person because I can't be everything and do everything for everyone!

2-Christmas morning. It was seriously one of the most memorable and fun Christmas mornings on record at our house. Not because of what we received, but just the fun we had and time spent playing and enjoying each other.

1-The most memorable thing for me this year is my family. I know that's vague. I tend to be a "what's coming up" person. I am so concerned and consumed with what's next, that I don't stop and enjoy the moment. I have been trying really hard to stop myself and take mental pictures of special moments. Nothing fancy, just a smile, a funny conversation, a look from Cole. I am trying to soak it all in. I sound like my dad when I say...time goes way too fast. We can never get a moment back..don't waste it and enjoy it all....my dad used to get so emotional about this. Realizing how fast time goes and how much we waste and do not savor our moments together. I think with the passing of my grandmother this fall, I have taken this very seriously. You never know how much time you have with you loved ones. It saddens me that it takes a death of a special lady to bring this to my mind, but it has. I really feel like this has affected the way I parent, react to situations and just am in general. I really hope that next year I can continue to enjoy my family, spend more fun, down time with them and just let them know how much I love them and enjoy being their mom, and wife!!!! Here's to a great new year. May you all have a fabulous 2010. Enjoy your families and friends and love like there's no tomorrow!!!!!!

Lou's Wrestling Tournament

Well, the wrestling season has come and gone. Sad day! It is so much fun. It's crazy hectic for about 4 weeks and then poof....it's over!

Louis really had a great year. He is learning a lot and becoming a very good wrestler. Unfortunately for him, he's a big kid. In wrestling, that is not a good thing. Then you get matched up with the older, bigger, more experienced kids, usually....oh well, he comes by it honestly!!! He's literally a head or a head and a half taller than almost all kids his age!!!!!!


Here are a few pictures from the year end tournament. Don't mind the tears, it was a rough night! He did really well. He got pinned (bad call!!!) in the first match, he won the second match handidly....and lost the third match...only because he got head butted in the eye and was so upset he couldn't get his composure back and just got beat. Darn it. Oh well...he had fun and he and Ross only got in a few arguments!!!! :)

It ends with a bronze medal! Louis we're so proud of you. You're becoming such a nice young boy! I love you so much!!!!

How can you not love that face!!??!!

Things That Make Me Want To Reconsider EVER Seeing Nutcracker AGAIN!!

Now, don't get me wrong...we all had a great time. I am so glad that I saw it and I Kennedy and I had so much with our friends!!!

Here are a few things that made that night sPeCiAl!!!!

1-We saw a grandma almost get run over. I mean...literally almost hit! It was funny.

2-The Snow Queen had a complete wedgie the.whole.time.

3-The fact that it was an hour and 45 minutes too long. The story could have been wrapped up in about 15 minutes.

4- Bailey (our friend's daughter) took a $50 nap. So worth it!

5- Tepanyaki was ...iffy at best. I KNOW!!! It is my all time favorite restaurant. My chicken wasn't even cooked through. Ick.

6- The male ballerina's (?) tights were so incredibly snug that right when Kennedy saw them her first comment was "Holy groinage, mom". Wow. That's my girl.

7- I really was a little jealous of their (the male ballerinas) glutes. Really. They were awesome!!!

That is all.

That's right....2 months and 1 day. Woop woop!!!

My Crazy, Sweet, Awesome TEN YEAR OLD!!!

I so can not believe that I have a TEN year old! Time flies!! Kennedy turned 10 on December 13th. True to Kennedy form, it snowed! She was born on a snowy, beautiful night!! I still remember every detail of that night. Wow. She made me a mother. That's something so special and so unforgettable. She's such a special girl!! She gets a bad wrap sometimes, because she's got the Olsen "sass"....but she is smart, beautiful, kind, helpful and really funny! She's a great dancer, piano player, student and daughter!! Thank you KK for being my first baby and only daughter, I treasure our relationship and "mother daughter" time! You're the best!!!

Here are some highlights from Kennedy's birthday!!

For Kennedy's birthday present this year, we (Kennedy and I ) went out to dinner, to Tepanyaki and to see the Nutcracker ballet. We went with our fun friends Jami and Bailey. We really, really had a fun time!!! It was so much fun to just be with the girls and not have to worry about brothers taking up all the attention :) Thanks Jami for the fun idea!! True to Emily form, I left my camera home!!! So, just close your eyes and imagine!!!!!! It was fabulous.....(post to come on what I learned at the ballet....it'll be worth the wait)

Sunday afternoon, we had her grandparents over for cake, ice cream and presents!!!



Here's the cake. Boo.....it did not turn out as planned!!! But, it had pink and flowers. Just two of the many requirements!!!

The birthday girl :)

Kennedy with grandma Linda and grandpa Peter

Kennedy with Grandma T and grandpa Don

Kennedy with Grandpa and Grandma Olsen

....with the big fat disappointment of a cake!! At least she's pretending to like it!!!

Getting ready to open gifts...

The Peace necklace!!!

Her very own purse...make just for her from Grandma Olsen....oh to be talented!!!!

Cute Christmas outfit from Grandma Linda!

A new book series...bring it on!!

Thank you grandparents for all of the fun gifts!! She gets to go shopping and out to dinner with grandma and grandpa Olsen tonight!!! Good times :)

Mandatory Date Night

We have a fun tradition with Ross' mom. We get to go to the Kurt Bestor Christmas concert with her and her husband every year! It's become something that I look forward to every Christmas season. It means, no matter what, I get a date with my husband!! :) We had dinner at the Little America restaurant and then walked across the street to the Trax station and rode Trax to Abravanel Hall. The concert was great and we really enjoyed it!!!


Proof that we were there!!

Here are some things that made that night memorable:

(in no particular order)

Um....it was cold.

Kissing Ross on the Jumbo tron (yep, they have those at Kurt Bestor concerts)

Ross yelling a greeting to Kurt's mom, Phyllis Bestor (an English teacher from OHS) and calling her Melodie. Which happens to be his ex-wife's name (also an English teacher from OHS). Awkward.

Um...it was really cold.

Ross tying a ladies shoe lace on the street corner while waiting for the light to change.

Hot rolls at dinner. I think I ate my weight in warm, yummy rolls.

Last but not least..I learned that my father is a visionary man. Kurt Bestor's stage was decorated in these cone shaped Christmas trees. You know the kind that look like upside down sugar cones?? Lit up and colorful? Well, it looked almost exactly like a Christmas tree my father made out of a wooden frame and grapevines. I know it's hard to imagine. But it was awesome and I'm quite certain that some people didn't quite get the ....."vision"....but we did. And apparently it was 20 years ahead of it's time. Way to go dad.....


Anywho. Good times had by all and oh, did I mention??? IT WAS COLD!!!!!!

Ready???

I'm feeling really excited this year. I am already ready for Christmas....I know. I'm never this prepared or on top of things. I'm quite certain that next week or even the next I won't be feeling this confident!! But for now....I'm ready!!! I hope I can just sit back, relax and enjoy the season!