And the Winner is.......

Yea and the winner is number 9....which is Kimri!!!! YEAH for you! Thanks to all of you who played, and sorry for the delay on getting the results and prizes. (I blame the whole pregnancy thing mostly). Anyway, please contact me and I will get your address and send you your cool stuff!!!!! Just remember, now you get to have your own "Pay it Forward" contest, and pass the love on! Enjoy!

It's about TIME.

I know that most of you are thinking that it's about time I post something new. Thanks to my cute husband Tony for posting for me. It really comes down to TIME. It seems that I have less and less these days. When I do have a minute here or there (and I used to squeeze little things in like this)I am just so exhausted that I can barely function and take care of the day to day things that need doing. I will try and be better, but for now, here is what has been going on.
We made it through Christmas. The kids were as excited as ever. I did most of the shopping, cooking and cleaning (and this time it was for my dad and brother as well). It was a pretty good Christmas. Different, but good. This is the first year that we celebrated without mom, so like I said it was different, but everything went well. I had a sense of responsibility to do some of the things that she would normally do. I couldn't get to everything, but the most important things got done. The kids were totally buzzed the whole month and couldn't stop talking about Santa coming and why we celebrate Christmas. They could tell all about how Jesus was born in a manger and that Mary and Joseph were there with the animals. It was really fun. Rylan asked Santa for "Team Geo Trax Airport" and all Alana wanted was a pink Barbie car. Thank goodness Santa came through for us. :) Christmas Eve we spent here with the Herrmann family. We ate and opened one gift and Creighton and his new fiancee Kristen came over. They opened all of their gifts since they would be with her family in the morning and with Dad in the evening when we went to the Simister Family. The kids woke up and were excited to go down and see what Santa brought them. They confirmed that they had been really good! If seeing your kids Christmas Morning isn't magic, then I don't know what is. They were so darling and had a great time. Then we got ready and went to Simister's (Tony's parents) by this time Creighton and Kristen came back home to be with Dad (so he didn't have to be alone). We had fun and ate there opened gifts and let all the kids (cousins) play. They had a wonderful time. They day after Christmas I was SOOOOOOO sick. I spent the whole day throwing up (TMI, I know) and laying on the couch trying to entertain my children. Thank goodness they had some new toys to play with. I think that it was pregnancy related, because NOBODY else got sick. January seemed to be just as busy as December was (which I wasn't expecting. For New Year's we spent the evening with my cousin Shawn and his wife Christina and their kids. My dad came along too. We had pizza, snack and drinks and played games. The kids were angeles. They had lots of fun playing with those cousins. They even made it to midnight and watched the ball drop. It was fun and we went strait home to bed--the kids and I were exhausted!!!! It was a fun night. Like I said we have just been busy, busy. I have a new calling now. I am no longer in the primary which is a nice change since I have spent about the last 10 years there. I miss the kids though and just teaching every other week. My new calling is with the Relief Society. I am the secretary. It is a busy calling and I am learning a lot. I really enjoy the women that I work with and have had fun getting to know more people in the ward and what Relief Society is like (since I haven't been much). I am getting farther along in my pregnancy. It has been fun to have the gender be a surprise. We are getting excited to have another little one and wonder what the baby will be like (oh, and yes, we still DO NOT know the gender...in the post Tony wrote he referred to the baby as "HE". Pure speculation. Tony has guessed correctly with all of our kids.) I have been increasingly tired. Usually by this point I feel pretty good, but I think keeping up with the two little ones and living with my dad, husband and brother have increased the work load and I can almost always say I'm a little tired. I feel bigger this pregnancy too. (Have heard that it's normal for size to increase every pregnancy and since this is my third pregnancy, I'm going with that....I have had several people ask when the baby is due and when I say April, they ask if I am having twins--NOPE SORRY just one. So that is why I am going with that theory).
Tony and I have commited to ourselves that we are going to go to the temple monthly (which we have tried to do before), but this time we are doing something unique. We are going to visit every temple in Utah and do a Session. We decided to call it "The Utah Temple Tour 2009". It has been fun so far. I am also going with the Relief Society. It should be fun. I am excited and it was really neat to see what it is like inside the other temples.
Rylan is still enjoying school. He almost has his alphabet crown (which is know all the letters and all the sounds they make) he just has 2 letters left. I am working on those with him. His teachers say that he is very bright and cute (I have to agree).
Alana loves the time that she gets with mommy (that's me). We do all sorts of things. Sometimes we watch Dora which is her favorite show. She loves to read stories with me and make believe. She uses boxes, playes with her ponies (her water for the ponies has to be real though) and she LOVES her babies and animals. She is always asking me to lift up my shirt so that she can say "Hi" to the baby. She says: "Hi baby, I'm going to be your big sisser." It is really cute. She is the best little mommy to her babies and animals and wants to make sure that they are being tucked in at night with her.
Tony is still doing school and working full time. I am amazed at how much he can accomplish (He only has 2 more years left....that is a family joke, but I am starting to wonder...sorry honey) He should be getting close. We will have a big party when he finishes. He enjoys his job and was just released from his calling in the Elders Quorm. I think that it's so he can help me, but I'm sure they have something in mind for him.
We are getting the plans done so that we can start building our house. We are very excited and have waited a long time for this.
My brother Creighton is getting married in March. He is really excited and has chosen a darling girl. I really like being with Kristen. She is a good match for Creighton and we love hanging out with them. It will be fun to have her in the family officially!!!! Congrats you guys!
I suppose that is most everything summed up. If you made it this far in my random ramblings, I am impressed. Sorry for keeping everyone in the dark as to what has been going on. I have just been tired and have had so much going on. Like I said it's all about TIME, and I have to choose what I do with what I am given!!! I am very blessed to have all the wonderful things in my life that I do!

99 Days to go

Tony's Thoughts-
I decided to chat into the blog seeing as how my wife definitely has other things on her mind right now. We are getting very excited about how close the baby is. I looked over at the counter on the right and it looks like we are now in double digits. This is so weird to think that there is a little one hiding just under my wife's belly. Last night when we were sitting in the family room watching 24 (I love my DVR) I had my elbow resting on my wife's stomach. All of the sudden, I started feeling someone try to push on my elbow. It was like he was saying, you are bothering me, move your elbow. How can someone so little, already be pushing me around, just like my other two kids. It's amazing how when you feel something like that, how much more real it becomes. I already talk with my wife about my 3 kids rather than 2. It is really interesting some of the concerns that we have now that we think about 3 kids. Who gets to go to the back row of the van? I would say the oldest, but my wife has a good point. Rylan needs to be right by the door, so the preschool can unload him. So that puts my daughter in the back row. Of course that means the second child gets relegated to the back seat :| The second children are always picked on. We are designing a house right now, and do we choose 3 smaller rooms, or two big rooms and let a couple of them share? Lots of questions with no apparent answers. Sorry, I am rambling. I am so excited for the little one come to join our family. I can't wait. It is a huge responsiblity. When I think about my kids, I feel such a desire to do what is best for them, and a weight with the concern that I am making mistakes. I love my kids so much, and I want the best for them. That is my driver. That is what makes me move, and work and study, is to give the best to them.

Pay it Forward

I just love contests (I don't really know why, because I rarely win!) This time, however, I just happened to be the lucky winner! Woo-hoo!!!!!! A while back my Uncle Rob won a pay it forward from his daughter's blog and then I won his pay it forward contest!!!!! YEAH!!! So now I am going to "Pay it forward." So what does this mean for you????? I will continue on the contest and have my very own pay it forward contest! You have until Saturday, January 3rd to leave me a comment, and I will randomly pick a winner and send you your own package. Then, when you get the package I send you, you have to have your own contest and pass along the love. Hence the pay it forward concept. So comment away! If you can't think of anything to comment on, I would love to know what Holiday traditions you and your family has. Good Luck everyone!!!

p.s. Thanks uncle Rob, I did get the email and I am already deciding what to get with my Food Network Gift Certificate!

Count Down to Christmas

I am taking the challenge of writing 30 posts in 30 days. (Thanks Catherine for the idea). I am doing this because I need to be better about writing things down. After all this is supposed to be my family journal.
Yesterday, the kids and I made advent countdown chain calenders. The kids had a lot of fun. First I had them color a Christmas Picture. Then we made a chain out of red and green strips of paper connecting them together. Rylan finished his, but was quickly off to something else after and I had to finish Alana's. However they have been excited about ripping of one link of the chain off every night before bed. They quickly take it off, admire the rest of the links and say "that's how many days until Christmas" and then rush the one taken off to the trash can. It is very cute.
In the morning they get to eat a chocolate from their other advent calender (thanks Nana for buying them). They have been a fun tradition and both advents give the kids something to look forward to. One in the morning and one in the evening. They get so excited about it. That is what I love about it, children make the magic of Christmas possible. So we are officially counting down. 23 days to go!

Blessings in Abundance

This is the time of year that always lends to reflection on how thankful I am for what I have. I feel so blessed!! Not to say that I haven't had my fare share of trials (so it seems sometimes)...but honestly I do have a lot to be thankful for!!! It may seem cliche to list all the things that I am thankful for in my life, but since this is my family journal I will attempt to do it anyway (as incomplete as it may be....since I have so much to be thankful for!) I am going to start at the beginning....
My parents-I have the most amazing parents, and I wouldn't be where I am without them!!!
My testimony of the gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ. The Atonement and all He sacrificed for me.
My brothers-the older I get the more thankful I am for them, because they are my link to the past and to the future.
My husband-Someone who treats me good, and he is a wonderful father.
My Children-I am so blessed to have the most amazing kids!!! They are so smart, cute, and they teach me so much every day! They are what keep me going!!! Excited to have one more to love!
Being Pregnant-Even though it's difficult to be pregnant sometimes, I am thankful for the opportunity! I realized this early in my marriage, when it took us 3+ years to have kids. I know what a special blessing this is to be able to bring a child into this world.
A place to live-I am thankful for a place to live (there's no place like home...need I say more?)
Food-Yup food, I love food! But seriously it is a basic necessity.
Freedom-I am thankful that I live in a free country and that I am able to make my own choices!
The Internet-sounds silly, but you really can do so much and find good things on it. I guess I should say modern technology.
Showers-Ahhhhh! A nice hot shower. Try going with out one for a while, it makes you appreciate them.
Good Health-I am thankful for the most part that I am healthy. It's no fun to see people struggle with health issues.
My own trials-Sometimes it's easy for me to think that my trials stink, but sometimes when I see other people and their hardships it just makes me thankful for my own.
Good People and Friends-Other peoples examples, honesty, and my friends (it's just nice to know someone has your back).
I have so much more to be thankful for than this, but I figure this is a good start.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I will post more about the Holiday later.

Survival Mode

I have been in "survival mode" lately. I have been doing only what needs to be done...maybe a little extra if I feel good. I have been feeling a lot better lately. I don't feel sick on a regular basis anymore, mostly smells will set me off. Also, I am just tired. Which is why I have only been able to keep up with the most important things. (Don't get me wrong I am still very busy, I have a 4 year old, and a 2 year old--It's not like I get to sit on the couch and eat chocolate). I am excited for this baby though. We aren't going to find out the gender. This one will be a surprise! So to all of you out there, please don't feel bad if I haven't called, emailed, talked, or been able to get together with you. I am simply living in "Survival Mode". Thank you for being patient with me and for staying in touch. I think that is what I need the most. :)

BTW, Tony signed me up for facebook. I was trying to decide if I wanted to and he made the executive decision. I think it will be fun to find some old friends and stay connected with everyone. So look me up!

Modern Mom

Who knew that being a "Modern Mom" could be so busy! Some days I just feel like this (although I am never sitting down and I don't have a glass of alchohl like pictured above) It just seems like things just keep getting busier!!!! When my dad seems me runnning around to get things done he just laughes now and says to me "Have you ever seen those modern women?--Gosh they're busy!" I'm sure it comical to watch and he just thinks it's funny, but seriously...I NEED MORE TIME!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a mom!!!!! Love it, but there is always so much to do, and so little time to get it all done. I will make a list (yes, I am totally a list person) and if I cross half the things off of my "To Do" list I feel pleased with myself for all that I have accomplished in a day (not to mention keeping my children happy). I am open to suggestions if you all have an advice on this subject. I am just a modern mom keeping it real and loving what I do!

Breakfast Bake

Crescent Roll Breakfast Bake

1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls

1 package bacon (cooked and crumbled)

21/2 c. cheddar cheese

4 eggs

1/2 c. milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper or to taste

Press crescent rolls into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch buttered pan. Mi eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over crescent rolls. Sprinkle with bacon crumbles. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**Variation can use 1 lb sausage, browned and drained well instead of bacon and use Mozzarella Cheese instead of Cheddar.

It's a very easy recipe. I didn't have any good breakfast casserole recipes until I found this one, but I really like it. Hope you all enjoy and if you have any good breakfast casserole recipes. Please pass them on.

Here you go Dorey, sorry it took so long and the party was awesome!

Picture Tag

I saw this on my friend Shari's blog and have been wanting to do this. I thought it might be fun and might give you a little insight on me. This is how it works: For each question look up the answer on Google Image Search, then choose your favorite picture from the first page of results. Just as Shari did....Tag to anyone who wants to try it out

Your age

28

Favorite color

Green

Favorite Vacation Spot

Hawaii

Where you grew up

Salt Lake City actually not in the city, but a suburb and most people know where SLC is.

Place you would like to visit

Italy

Favorite Food
Most any kind of Past (bring on the carbs!!!!)

Favorite Treat

Icecream!

Past Love

Art (since I don't get much time for it anymore)

First Name

Charayne (or Rainey a nic name)

Last Name

Simister (everyone calles us SiNister)

What you are doing right now

Blogging and being a mom