Thanks Mystery Friend!

I wanted to say thank you to whomever left the Mystery Gift on my doorstep this year! It was full of beautiful accessories-a scarf and 2 necklaces. I don't know who you are (which frustrates me no end), but I am grateful that you would think of me and be so generous! Thank you and Happy New Year!

Christmas Memories

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

We had an awesome Christmas! Everyone was happy and despite the success, I'm definitely glad it's over! We were so glad to have Scott's mom visiting again this year! The girls were totally spoiled by everyone.

I am proud to say that I made a delicious Christmas Feast with all the traditional trimmings. I got it done with only one hitch...I made a new Sweet Potato Casserole the night before which I forgot to reheat for the meal but it went great with leftovers for dinner! We spent the day eating, playing with presents, watching movies, and putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

I am looking forward to relaxing for the rest of the break...except, of course, when I'm getting ready for the next party, which is always right around the corner!

Merry Christmas!

We were all dressed up after church today so I snapped this photo and turned it into a Christmas Card! We look pretty good, if I do say so myself! Of course, I'm no Annette, or Kelly, or Andrea...but all in all, not bad!

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I've had such fun this year getting to know you through your blogs. What a wonderful way to keep in touch and keep involved in each other's lives. Thanks for commenting and making my days with your love and advice!

Snow Day 08

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Picture Post

I finally figured out an easy way to get my pictures! So here is an update from some of our fun times...click on the images for full size.

At Taylor's Band Concert--She did an amazing job!

An early Christmas gift:

Check Taylor's reaction below and Shaylie's down farther...

The Joys of Catching Snowflakes on your tongue.

Toyland. Toyland....It looks like we're ready for Christmas.

Three inches of snow last night!

Tired of Woting**

What? It's been a week since I posted!?!! How can that be? You're probably thinking it's because I haven't been to see Twilight in a while, so what could I possibly have to blog about? Well, you're partly right....I haven't been to the movies lately, but that's no excuse for slacking on my blog.

Over the past week, we've had a lot going on...Band Concert, Ward Christmas Party, Birthday parties, Dad visiting. I'm hoping to have some pictures soon. Right now, the only one I have is this one from my cell phone of my brother receiving his birthday cake at Olive Garden. Happy 31st Chad!

With only 8 days until Christmas, I have pretty much finished up (to the detriment of my checking account and the relief of my husband!) It should be a good Christmas, but like I said in a previous post, next year I'm shooting for a simpler, less material Christmas if it kills us all!

In other news, I had a very scary Mom moment today. For some reason, Shaylie and I have not been able to get in a routine for where we will meet each day when I pick her up. This is new to us over the past week or so, since she was riding her scooter to school everyday when the weather was nicer. But, for some reason or other, she is never where I think she is going to be.

So, getting tired of searching for her each day, I told her this morning, "meet me RIGHT HERE after school today!" Well, I headed over to pick her up ( I was a bit late, it was about 3:40) and I expected her to be in The Spot, but she was nowhere to be seen. So I headed over to the alternate spot and she wasn't there either. I waited out front since she usually calls me if I'm late to see where I am, but no call. So I went into the school to see if she was in the office waiting and she wasn't!

So I'm not exactly panicking yet, but I am concerned...by now it's about 3:50. I had the secretary do a loud page for Shaylie to meet me out front, but after about 5 minutes I decided she wasn't there and she must have decided to walk home, so I got in my car and drove the route home....no Shaylie! Well, by now I am getting fairly upset.

I went back to the school checking all the side streets that she might have taken as I went...I had the school do another loud page and checked her classroom and the playground, talked to her teacher and principal but nobody had seen her. I called Scott...by now I am in tears and about to panic big time...it was about 4:05 p.m. I got back in my car and drove the route home again with phone in hand itching to dial 911 and chanting "this is not happening" and praying "please let her be safe" and crying "where could she be?"....Taylor had been waiting at home for her to show but she had not come home yet... I turned around, drove back down Canterwood and there she was!!! just coming out of Stone Creek!!!

I couldn't quit sobbing...I'm sure she thought I was crazy...but I was so relieved to have found her, and that I didn't instigate a nationwide Amber alert or something. I have only been this scared twice before, and that was when Taylor disappeared in a friends' grandpa's RV to play and another time she was hiding out in a clothes rack in a mall in Phoenix. Shaylie swears that she wote** for me in The Spot but when I didn't come she decided to walk home and took a route that I didn't know about apparently. So...all's well that ends well, but as soon as I knew she was safe, I could have happily strangled her and you can bet that she'll be waiting for me in The Spot tomorrow OR ELSE!!!!

The weirdest thing was that about a half hour after what could have potentially been the most tragic hour of my life, we were all back to normal doing our normal every day things. It struck me how quickly your life can place you at the edge of the bottomless chasm and threaten to dangle you over the edge, then jerk you back and say, "just kidding!" I don't think it's very funny, but I am grateful for the reminder that life is beautiful and fragile and we need to stay as far away from the edge as possible!

**Yesterday, I was also late to pick Shaylie up. This time she was in the office and ran out to the car when I drove up. She asked me where I was and I said I had a meeting that went long. She said, "I wote for you forever." I said, "Wote is not a word. You need to say "waited." I waited for you forever." With a twinkle in her eye, she said, "Wote is too a word. I read it in a book yesterday. It said, "She wote and wote for her mom, but she was late because she was in a meeting." I said, "How convenient." and we both cracked up. She is too funny!

Traditions-Old and New

Winter is here! You can tell when winter comes to St. George because all the leaves fall off the trees. Shaylie had fun scattering the leaves as fast as I could scoop them up!

Taylor and I had fun at our Mama/Daughter date night on Monday! Scott and I always take the girls out for a date night on the first Monday of each month. The girls get to choose what they want to do and we trade off each month. Taylor was sick last week so we went last night.

We went to dinner and then Taylor wanted to see Twilight! Yay me! This was her third time. I would tell you the number for me, but I've stopped counting how many times I've seen it. It was still awesome, but I think I am done for a while...until Dollar or DVD!

Shaylie and her dad went to see IGOR at the dollar theater ($2.00 theater, I should say!) They had fun too! Scott wasn't too sure about the movie though...he said it was a little bizarre. He liked Bolt a lot more! He hasn't seen Twillight yet.

Christmas is giving me stress. I want to start a new tradition of NOT spending money at Christmas time next year. I always overdo it and I HATE it!!!! I loved Janna's story on Sunday about how her mom would make them homemade gifts and they would look for ways to serve others. I would love to have a more meaningful, less expensive Christmas. Maybe as my kids get older, it will be easier to slide into that. If any of you have ideas for me, please share!!! It's too late for this year but I am committed to make a change next year. I'm sure we'll have a nice Christmas this year, but there has to be a better way.

Quick Update!

I wanted to let everyone know that my phone is working again! Yay! And be sure to check www.thetechfamily.com/wordpress to see the girls' piano recital perfomances!

Real Sick, Universe.

What strange whim of fate has decreed that the happiest time of year (aka The Holidays) is also the most germy! The majority of my family is sick...even the dog! What is up with that? Maybe it's the Universe's way of making us slow down and spend time together..."Be sick, enjoy," the Universe says in a soothing mellow voice. "I know you have things to do, school to attend, work to get done...but will it kill you to miss a few days of all that and just rest?" I don't know if this will kill us, but it's sure trying hard. Seriously, if it weren't for the stockpile of severe cold medicine, industrial size boxes of Kleenex and Disney DVD's...we'd be in major trauma around my house. And what a time of year to be sick!!! There is something almost every night this month and we have been missing a lot of it. So we are doing our best to thwart the Universe and it's microscopic death bugs....with any luck, we'll be over it all before the bulk of the Holidays gets here...just in time to gather the entire family together again...and spread entirely new bugs around. Thanks, Universe....that's real sick.

Don't Encourage Me!!!

Okay, you guys. I'm glad you are enjoying my Twilight fixation, but I am starting to stress out! I thought the holidays would put a curb on my infatuation, but we went to a Hot Topic store during the break and I saw all the cool Twilight stuff and a couple times today I've had to remind myself that it is Totally Illegal to watch pirated movies online and that I shouldn't try to find a website that is showing it because that is B-A-D. But I guess the fact that I haven't given in to tempation proves that I can control myself and I would really like to see the movie again LEGALLY, but I feel like I've spent too much money on it already and I still want to start reading Eclipse, but it just isn't the same as Seeing It! So...if it's a choice between giving in to my urge to participate in nefarious online activities or going to see the movie again...I think my choice is clear. I can put it off for a day or two by reading Eclipse and Breaking Dawn but I don't think I can last much longer. It can be my Christmas present to myself! And I know I could find someone to go with...but I don't want to encourage anyone else's obsession either. Maybe we should start a support group....Twilighters' Anonymous, maybe? Hello. My name is Tonya and I'm a Twilight-aholic. Whoa...I feel better just admitting it...except for it reminded me of that scene in the movie where Edward finally says hello to Bella. Sheesh, I need help!!!!