Finally, this weekend we celebrated with my family, out birthdays. It was low-key and I really dropped the ball as far as my meal and activity planning. It was very relaxed. I just did sandwiched, chips and salsa and carrots for lunch; spaghetti, salad and garlic bread for dinner. I made lemon bars and cheesecake for dessert and we had champagne, apple-pomegranate sparkling cider and Merlot.

After all, we weren't just celebrating our birthdays. We were celebrating Coley and Victor's engagement. Coley's ring is gorgeous and they are so happy and excited. I did a toast to them last night at dinner and then Coley did a toast to Jarom and I for our birthdays.

We made a quick trip to Target to get a specific game everyone wanted to play. The Investigation Discovery channel was on all day until just before dinner when it was changed to the Olympics. We all got to visit and laugh and just be together and celebrate all of the little and BIG moments in life.

Aunt Tracy and Uncle Dustin gave me a fun appetizer cookbook. I can't wait have something to try some of the recipe out on and they gave Jarom a grilling cookbook. I'm always looking for new recipes for the grill, too.

Aunt Tracy and Uncle Dustin had to leave in the evening to get back home to Duke, but it was great of them to come out just for the day. I was so happy they came, because it is kind of a drive for just a day trip.

This morning, us girls went to JoAnn's and returned home just in time for lunch. After I got everyone situated for lunch, I started cookies. I told Victor I'd make him some fresh Snickerdoodles and then Jarom wanted his Oatmeal Cranberry cookies, so I spent the next couple hours in the kitchen making cookies while the rest of them played Phase 10 and watched the Olympics.

The dogs loved all the attention and treats they got, too. After everyone left, Jarom, the dogs and I took a nap, did laundry (which I'm still doing) and I'm updating my blogs. It was a laid back weekend. Nothing spectacular but I think everyone enjoyed themselves. I have a lot planned to do and work on this week.

Today, I feel better than I have in 4 weeks. The phlegm and congestion seems to be all gone. No coughing and my voice sounds more normal again--and all just overnight. Just Saturday I was still having cough fits when I laughed. It's great! I feel great! Jarom bought me "Just Dance" for the Wii and I'm so excited to start dancing with it and getting this weight off, with the Wii, "Just Dance" and "Wii Fit". I haven't worked out at all this year because of this cold and now it's gone and I can get busy!!

Well, it wasn't my idea of a great Valentine's Day but it was okay. It wasn't horrible and I spent time with the munchkins next door for a few hours. I told Leanne and Wallace to take advantage of the fact that Jarom was out of town to have a Valentine's date without the kids. They took me up on that offer and went to lunch together and a winery.

I spent Friday night and Saturday working on Valentine's Day projects making gifts and cards for the kids. I had fun learning projects for them to color and learn with and made fun foam message boards for each of them; in addition to a few other little things-a wooden plane for Trenton that I painted and put together myself. Madysen colored a flower pot and I gave her some seeds to plant in it, too. I made some fun little cards with the cricut, glitter glue, and stickers. I had a lot of fun doing it all and putting it all together. When they returned from their date, they brought me some beautiful flowers-pink and white carnations, heirloom roses, lilies, etc. Beautiful!

Madysen and Trenton and I had fun on our own, too. We colored and played games and had our tickle wars like we do every time we are together.

I gave Leanne her belated birthday gift too. I made a few pairs of earrings for her and gave a devotional book and some hand lotion.

My sweetheart made it home before midnight from Oregon. He had to leave suddenly to take care of some things at his parent's home and it took him away for the last half of the week. When he came in he had a dozen red roses, bottle of champagne and two of my favorite magazines. All I gave him was some chocolate, which I owe him some more because I had a HUGE craving and dug into his. Thankfully, Monday was a holiday for Jarom and I had the whole day together, but we spent it mostly in bed. He was exhausted and I was still fighting this crap. the cold part was gone but I was still battling this horrible cough and congestion and phlegm. I couldn't even laugh without having a coughing fit, but at least I got to spend that extra day with him before he went back to work.

My sister and brother-in-law were sick at Christmas and my mom and dad got it. Jarom got it shortly after he got home. I was surprised that I didn't get it but the week of my birthday I got sick. I started to feel better for a few days and then it seemed to hit me again, harder the second time around. We had a birthday celebration planned for my birthday weekend with family for both Jarom and me but I had to cancel. I couldn't let family and friends come over if I was feeling yucky and put them at risk to get sick.

And then, there is Mr. Victor. I would feel absolutely awful if he came over and got sick and it caused more complication for him. Especially four months after his kidney transplant. We rescheduled for this past weekend and the details about all that is coming up.

Jarom and I did go to Safeway and picked up the perfect slice of chocolate cake that was really like four normal size pieces of cake. We also stopped by Baskin & Robbins for a little ice cream cake. My Jarom doesn't like cake so I have to do pie or ice cream for him, so I got to enjoy the best of both worlds.

He bought me my Cricut Expression for my birthday. I'm so excited! I've convinced him to let me get the Yudu, too, but he wants to be sure we have the full amount to buy it and pay for it all on the website, rather than do the payment plan, so we are taking a few months to save the money and not put a crunch on our finances.

I didn't buy him anything but that is because with his bonus I agreed to him buying a new 47" flat-panel LCD HDTV and blu-ray player. He's so happy. We have both enjoyed it quite a bit and he loves it! The following weekend, was the UFC fight with Couture and some other guy and the Super Bowl so we invited our guests to stay have a little celebration with us on Sunday after the game for our birthdays.

I have been watching the munchkins next door more. I watched them shortly after returning from home for the holidays and we had a blast. We read, colored, had tickle wars, played with toys and games, watched cartoons and had a snack. It was fun.

I went over a few days later and Madysen always comes up to give me a hug but this time Trenton came up and gave me a hug, too. It was so sweet. He was finally getting comfortable with me.

Since then, I've watched them half a dozen times or so. Both Leanne and Wallace go to school on Tuesday night and if her brother can't watch the kids for some reason then I get the great pleasure of doing it and we have quite a bit of fun. I've watched them a few times on the weekends so Leanne and Wallace can have time together too.

Madysen is just so smart. Sometimes she really amazes me, but Trenton is no dummy. He is getting to the point where you can see it in his eyes that he is learning something new and he's starting to talk and learn words. I can't believe he will be two in 5 months.

Wow! I can't believe I'm two months behind on this blog, so I'm going to sit here while I wait for all the laundry to get done and update them. I just finished updating my food blog and now I need to do out family blog. The laundry seems to be taking forever to dry, so I should have plenty of time to get this baby updated.

We went home for Christmas and spent the holiday with my parents, sister and brother-in-law. It was so awesome to finally have a Christmas with my parents after 9 years. We've been home for the holidays but we always seems to spend Christmas Day alone or with Jarom's family so I was so excited to have this year with my parents.

It was nice and calm and stress-free. Our drive was a bit long because we didn't really sleep well the night before leaving and I drove about 3/5's of the way. I had to insist at one point because I caught Jarom's eyes drifting a couple times. It was dry on the CA side. Once we got to Mount Ashland, I was driving and it was a little slick with some thin ice and freezing fog, but we got through it safely and the rest of the way was just kind of drizzly.

We got gift cards for our favorite stores, games, and other fun little things. The dogs had fun, but then they always do when they get a lot of attention. Mom and I made lots of homemade dog treats for them and they loved Dad for sharing little bites of his meals too.

While we visited, Steve and Tiff were in my old bedroom (the guest room now). Mom didn't park in the garage while we were there, instead Dad moved his vette and he turned the vette's little garage into our little chateau. It was like having out own hotel room, the only downfall was no bathroom so we would have to get all dressed and bundled up to go inside and use the bathroom if we needed it in the middle of the night. Dad set it up all cozy for us. It is already carpeted in there but he went out and bought a couple really nice area rugs and set up the Aero bed on top. He put in a heater that kept it nice a toasty and even insulated the garage door more so that the wind wouldn't whistle and get drafty. I put both dog beds in front of the heater but Miss decided she wanted to sleep next to me. Her bed ended being next to me and Gus next to Jarom in front of the heater.

Jarom had to head home the Sunday after Christmas, so he drove home with the dogs but I stayed behind until the 3rd and flew home. I moved into the guest room or my old bedroom after my Sister had to get back on the road on the 29th and cleaned up my chateau room so Dad could tuck his vette back in when he returned from Utah.

My Dad had to go to Utah just after Christmas because his step-dad passed away and he went for the funeral. He was going to drive but the weather caused him to change his mind and fly or I was really thinking about going with him for the three days but we couldn't afford a plane ticket at the last minute for me to go with him but it was just fine because my Mom and I had some time together. My Aunt Steph came out one day and the three of us went shopping. My Aunt Val took me to Newberg one day to see my cousins Sherry, Dennis, Carmel and Devante. It was a great visit and I was able to see Sherry's cute home. My Uncle Pat came out one afternoon with his wife and my two little cousins. I love Billie, I just have a hard time calling her Aunt Billie. Billie is the same age and Jarom and I and it is just kind of awkward for me, but hopefully she doesn't take it personally. Jaxson and Gabriel are just too cute.

Dad's birthday is on New Year's Eve and we had family over for cake and ice cream. Mom stayed up with me until midnight and then we headed to bed...after I texted Jarom "Happy New Year".

The rest of my visit was just relaxing, reading, and what-not until my flight home Sunday morning on the 3rd. Jarom was right there when I arrived, but it was lunch time when I arrived so we stopped by In-&-Out for lunch. It was so good. We haven't had that for a long while so it was nice.