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.

I had five shirts to hand embroider but I was only able to do three. Two of the shirts were too soft of a material. I did two shirts with a cow on each and one with an elk on it. Here are the pictures of the embroidery close-up.

This cow is white with black spots and tail and orange and yellow flowers


This cute cow is two different shades of brown

This my brown elk with white antlers



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

This week before Christmas has been a busy one. I finished all my baking-9 confections in all (iced cinnamon roll cookies, iced pumpkin cookies, peanut butter balls, chocolate truffles, spritz butter cookies, lemon bells, gumdrop fudge, cranberry swirl biscotti and chocolate fruitcake). I know fruitcake...yuck! Before you knock it, you have to try it. This is NOT your ordinary candied, dried fruitcake. It has coconut, chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, canned pineapple, walnuts and pecans. It is soooo good. I was in the kitchen from last Saturday until this Friday when I assembled all the treat trays.

I did most of the Christmas shopping on Wednesday morning and then Jarom and I went back out when he got home and we finished it up-gifts, stocking stuffers, wrapping paper-everything. I even wrapped it all the same day, except for some shirts that I still need to hand embroider. I'm sure I'll finish the shirts tomorrow, after which I can wrap them and I'll be all done with everything.

We delivered the treat trays this evening after I helped make cookies at the neighbors. We missed some of our friends but had a very nice visit with Sydney and we are planning to get together after the New Year. We may just get together for our birthdays.

Late this afternoon, I was at the neighbors. They were supposed to make sugar cookies but Leanne just had so much to do that they weren't going to do it. I didn't have any homemade sugar cookie dough but I did have some store-bought from Pillsbury, so I took it to them, after which I stayed and helped. Leanne rolled out the dough and Madyson cut it with the cookie cutter while I tried to entertain Trenton and keep him from trying to get the cookie dough off the counter. Once they were baked and cooled, Leanne and I frosted them and Madyson decorated them with sprinkles. It was fun.

Tomorrow, we will bathe the dogs. Tuesday, I will wash the dogs bed and blankets and any last minute laundry, pack our bags, the presents and anything else we need for our trip. Wednesday morning, we will hit the road for the 10+ hour road trip home. It is only supposed to be a 10 hour drive, but with the holidays and the fact that we will most likely hit the Portland-Metro area around rush-hour, it will be closer to 12 hours. We'll just have to see how it goes, at least we can share the driving and take turns.

I didn't get our Christmas cards out. They will be going out after Christmas. I really didn't want to fight all the people and traffic to mail them when I mailed the Culpepper gifts. I ended up having the Culpepper gifts picked up here at the house so I didn't get any stamps. I will get them after Christmas and mail them then. I'm sorry, everyone, that they are late!

I'm so excited to have Christmas with my parents and sister! I know I was home last year, but I didn't get to spend Christmas Day with my parents. We arrived the following Saturday. This will be my/our first official Christmas with my parents (on Christmas Day) in nine years. I can't wait!

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

I have had a tough time getting in the holiday spirit this year. I think that finally after 9 years, I am ready to be back home in Oregon living near my parents so that I can do all the shopping, wrapping, baking and decorating with my mama. My mama feels the same way too, as she is feeling the same way I am this year.

We had Jarom's work Christmas party on Monday. It was a much smaller group this year than normal, but that was because the kids are still in school this week so we didn't have all the kids and spouses running around. We had the gift exchange but it is one of those where the gifts can be stolen up to three times. I had some really great gifts too-a really nice BBQ utensil set in a case until it was stolen and froze, then I got a nice Brother Labeler until it was stolen and then I opened a package with about 4 lbs. of chocolate and that is what I ended up with. It is good chocolate though-cabernet dark chocolate wine gels, Russell Stover Pecan Delights, Creme Roule and Ferrero Rocher. I can't remember all the things Jarom had and lost, but her ended up with a numbered Limited Edition Wizard of Oz Pez set.




I completed our Christmas cards Monday evening. It isn't a very elaborate card-very simple but I embossed every single one. That is over 100 cards.



I haven't made any gifts this year, not my annual tree ornament. I have some shirts that I bought for some family members that I'm going to hand embroider this weekend with various little pictures based on their likes. It shouldn't take too long to embroider the shirts. I am looking forward to it and wish I could start them today but I have baking to finish that will most likely take all day.

All of our Christmas shopping is complete, as of last night. I did most of it in the morning but ran out of cash. I passed the afternoon waiting for Jarom to get home from work by wrapping all the gifts that I bought in the morning. When he got home, we ventured back out to hit the last couple of stores to finish the shopping. I had a couple things to buy and print online when we got home. We stopped at Jimboys for dinner. Jarom started to fall asleep sitting on the couch while I was wrapping the rest of the gifts so I sent him to bed. He does have some shopping still to do--for me, but I imagine that he will do that this weekend.

I finished up the wrapping and have caught up on some things on the DVR. The pups and I have been enjoying the warmth of the pellet stove all afternoon and evening. I bought White Christmas yesterday and I really wanted to watch it but I was up and down wrapping and moving gifts to the tree, so I plan to watch it today and this weekend and probably each day next week until we leave to go home for Christmas.

I started my baking on Saturday and I'm still working on getting it all finished. So far, I have the Gumdrop Fudge, Spritz cookies, Chocolate Fruitcake and Cranberry Swirl Biscotti done. My Lemon Bells are baked and ready to be frosted and sprinkled with yellow sugar. I already shaped the truffles and peanut butter balls into balls, so today I will melt the chocolate to dip them in. When all those are dipped, I have pumpkin cookies to bake and frost to be followed by baking the Cinnamon Roll Cookies and glazing them. After all that, I can assemble the treat trays. Two will go to work with Jarom, one for the High Tech and one for the Schaefers. Four other trays will be assembled and delivered to some of our friends in town on Sunday and a final tray to take home and share with my family. Other than the baking and embroidering the shirts, we are all done and ready for Christmas.

I can't wait to head home next week to have Christmas with my parents, sister and brother-in-law. While we were home for Christmas and New Year's last year, I wasn't able to spend Christmas with my parents. We have New Year with them, so this is my first Christmas with my parents in 9 years. Yes, you heard right, 9 years. Can you understand my excitement now? Christmas here we come!