ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH HE'S A TEENAGER!

Happy 13th Birthday! I don't know how it has happened but someone, (not his mother) has let this little boy turn into a teenager. In approx. 45 min. Cole will be 13! We couldn't ask for a better boy. Cole, is very kind hearted, caring, responsible, smart, talented, athletic, good natured etc. etc. We love him very much. But don't get too jealous, he does have his moments, just like the rest of us, but they are rare and not too serious. As his mother I wanted to take all of the credit for Cole's good qualities, but this Fall I was sitting at our V2K booth and got talking to the gal in the booth next to ours. She went to high school with Clint and she was telling me how kind Clint was to everyone in high school, and that everyone liked Clint because he was so nice and good to everyone. Great, that gal just burst my bubble! Not that I didn't think Clint was kind or anything but you know, I just wanted the credit for all of Cole's goodness. It's really alright, Cole's dad is a really good guy and I want Cole to be like him. HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLE!

So today for Cole's birthday Cole wanted to go skiing. He got a season pass to Powder Mountain for Christmas and hasn't been able to use it yet, partly because he got strep throat over the Christmas Break. Cole wanted all of us to go but Clint didn't want to pay to ski since he doesn't own his own skis. Clint went to Powder Mountain anyway and was the official photographer and sports announcer of the scores of the football games. (Clint went in the lodge and watched a little football and would report to Cole the scores of the games via walkie talkies.)

Oh and I guess Clint wanted to have some added entertainment while waiting for us to ski down the hill because unbeknownst to Cole, Jami or me Clint put Waffles in the very back of the van just as we were leaving home.Just having a little snack in the Powder Kids trailer
More snackin'.

Silly dog!

I'm not sure which one weighs more, Jami or the cooler......

Jami will probably be mad at me for posting this photo but it is pretty funny. The picture doesn't do the story justice though. Long story short, Cole & I took a bathroom break after one of our runs, well, Jami DID NOT need to go to the bathroom, while waiting for their mother to come out of the bathroom, Cole & Jami were playing around in the snow and Cole made Jami laugh too hard and hmmmm I guess Jami really did need to go to the bathroom. She skied a couple more runs with wet pants and then when we went to eat on the way home Jami wore Clint's sweat pants. A little big? Yeah! As Jami was putting them on she said, "I'm going to look silly but no one will care." Good thing she's so stinkin cute!

Just Finished

I just finished reading this book last night. I have read another of Lisa See's books, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and I really liked it so when I saw this book at Costco I picked it up. As I read the book I thought that I could tell what was going to happen and I wasn't so sure that I would like it. I just didn't understand how the author was going to hold my interest because I didn't like the way the story was going. Well, I kept reading and then I couldn't stop. I really found this book interesting. It is a historical novel, so there are some parts that are true and I really got into that. I would recommend reading this book in all of your sparetime.........yeah right, or maybe just in the wee hours of the night, like I did.

Christmas Eve & Day

Every year Jami makes sure that we have cookies for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer. She takes after her big sister Tara by making sure we keep all of our holiday traditions going. Both of the girls really enjoy traditions. (Kind of like me.) Every year I get worried that Waffles, the dog, will get Santa's cookies, or that Waffles will scare Santa away so I have to make sure the bedroom door is shut tight when we go to bed on Christmas Eve.
I know that the date on the pictures says 12/25/08 but it really was Christmas Eve, I'm not sure but I think it was after midnight when we went to bed, either that or the date is off on the camera. Pretty sure it must have been after midnight, cause we were partying at the Combe Grandparents earlier in the evening and we always stay late. I don't have the pictures from that party yet, hopefully soon.You see Waffles is already eyeing the treats and we haven't even left him alone in the room yet.Cole is keeping Waffles under control as "Vanna" presents the treats to the camera. The kids and the tree just before bedtime. Christmas morning, waiting for the "OK" to investigate the goods!Yeah, my favorite part, the joyous faces of the kids as they run to their gifts. Who took this pictures anyway? They cut off half of Cole!First gifts opened. Perfect seat for opening the rest of the gifts.The opening of the gifts.........Just great!!! Somehow I seemed to have put the same picture on here twice. I have removed pictures in the past but that skill has somehow escaped me right now so sorry you have to see it twice. Yes, I did right click on the picture and there was not a delete option. I know I'm a spaz!ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to start rockin' with some new songs!
Jami and her new Ipod. You see, Jami had a hand-me-down Ipod from her sister Tara, and some where along our trip to St. George for the Thriller performance it disappeared! My sister searched the house that we stayed at high and low, cars were torn apart, bags were searched etc. The only conclusion that we could come up with was that the Ipod must have fallen out of the car somewhere as Jami was getting in or out. Who knows what happened? Well, Jami was very upset to say the least. Santa must be very trusting in Jami to give her a brand new Ipod to take care of. Because she asked, no begged, her mom for a new one and her mom told her, "Why? You had one and couldn't take care of it."

Short side note to this story, fast forward to New Years Eve, cousin Willow was sleeping over with Jami, Willow was using Jami's old sleeping bag, (Jami got a new one for Christmas), anyway.........I unzipped Willows sleeping bag for her to get into and I'll be damned, an Ipod was in it. I said, "J was this the sleeping bag you took to St George?'' "Yes," she replied. Who would've thought.Cole sporting his new Dallas Cowboy hat. Although, I heard Clint tell Cole tonight that they were going to have to change teams since Dallas has let them down.Clint filming the fun and Waffles trying to get some attention.Double picture once again. Help me Rhonda! Grandpa and Grandma Firth always come over Christmas to see what Santa brought the kids and to spoil them with more gifts. We love them very much and have been so blessed to have them as a part of our lives. I can't imagine our lives without them. That afternoon we went to Grandpa and Grandma Dearden's house for more gift exchanging and some yummy food.

McCall showing off her new digital camera, maybe she will help her mom with pictures for their blog.

Annie caught in the act of passing out gifts. Grandpa Dearden inspecting their new food disposal. And me on the side with my mouth open as usual.

Lance and Kelsey opening a gift with McCall give directionsThis is not the greatest picture of Tara or Cole, but I don't have any photos of Tara on this post so far and she was in attendance of all of the activities. So, sorry Tara you probably don't love me for posting this but I had to include you.

Tara, Cole and Jami surprized us with a portrait of themselves and Waffles. One Saturday Tara had said that she wanted to take the kids sledding and for them to bring a change of clothes because they might go to a movie after. She wanted them to bring the dog sledding because her friend was bringing his dogs also. Well, I almost didn't let Waffles go since he likes to explore the area and doesn't listen when told to come back. He just wants to come back in his own sweet time. Clint said, "Oh, just let him go." So I did and I'm glad I did. It is the cutest picture and I have wanted a picture of those kids together for so long. I couldn't bring myself to have Cole & Jami's picture taken without Tara. I don't know if Tara realized how much this picture would mean to me but it made my whole Holiday season! Thank you Tara, love you much!!!!Clint & Ashley listening to some tunes on her new Ipod.
I just stuck this picture on to show my children's talent with dominoes. Jami received some dominoes from Santa because I'm sure he has heard her say how much she likes to play Mexican Train with Granny, but my kids have found their hidden talent of setting up formations with the dominoes and then knocking them down. They've even figured out how to start the formation on the table and then have a domino fall to the floor to continue the chain reaction. A lot of our Christmas break has been spent with the neighbor kids making these formations. Amazing, the gifts that the kids spend the most time with.

We had a great Christmas and New Year's holiday. We have an amazing family and were lucky enough to spend time with all of them. I think good times were had by all and I hope that 2009 is just as nice.