Hailey turns 7

I can't believe it, Hailey is now 7

Seems like yesturday, I was in the hospital pushing for 3 hours with NO drugs. She was worth every minute of it!

Bill was due home from work on her birthday which was very exciting. Since he was coming home from Whittier he swong into Eagle River and stopped at SHINES (our favorite Japanese restaurant) and picked up food to go!

Since school started early this year, Christmas break fell on different week than normal. I don't ever recall a time when Hailey was in preschool or school on her birthday. This year, she was. Since it was also the last day before Chritmas break there was a class party. Hailey was very excited because this meant Mom could make cupcakes.

Hailey had a small list for Christmas, and as usual I picked something off that list for her birthday.

Can you guess what is in the LONG box?

It was on her list!! I am still in shock I bought it. I think I am in for some stress. But, I am hoping she will "use / play" it in her ROOM!

She opened the small present first. She is becoming a good reader so I wanted to get her some chapter books. We read some Junie B. Jones books in Kindergarten so I got her the 1st of the boxed set series. Then her old preschool teacher bought her the 1st grade series. We hope to collect all the books. You can get a really good deal through the school Scholastic Book Orders.

Here is the look on her face when she opened her...... GUITAR!
She really wanted one.....
Hailey's idol is Hannah Montana!! Hailey got her CD too! She was very excited about that as well. My next project is to burn lots of copies of that. One for her, one for Sydney, one for the car. And her girlfriends who want one too!

Hailey was very grateful and happy to have received the guitar. She is such a good kid. It's makes me proud.
Poor Sydney on the other hand, had a meltdown. She really wants one now too! Hailey is sharing, but is very protective that her little sister is going to break it! We'll have to see if I am brave enough to have a second guitar in the house.

Hailey has shown interest in the piano. So, if anything I'd like to spend money on a nice keyboard and maybe have her take lessons. We'll see how interested she is in the guitar, because if she wanted to take lessons Bill and I both said, she could have them. Someone in this family has to have a musical bone in their body!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAILEY

WE LOVE YOU

I am grateful for my two healthy, happy, beautiful daughters.

Times like this, make me realize what a lucky person I am! I love being a mom, I LOVE my kids, I LOVE my husband. I have a GREAT life. I should NEVER have anything to complain about.

Sometimes I need a reality check.....it could all be taken away so fast.
Merry Christmas to all.....I can't belive it's only a few days away!!!

Are you ready? I know, I am NOT! I still have all my wrapping to do! UGh!

This year though, I have the 6 foot table set up in the garage. So, hopefully that will make things go faster. I won't be breaking my back on the floor like I normally do!

Take care everyone......until next posting!

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SUNFLOWER

I have always LOVED Sunflowers and took this picture and wanted to share it with you.

The word, "sunflower" is also a YOGA move. So, now when I hear that word, not only do I think of the beautiful flower, I also think about YOGA!

Here are the Steps:
Start standing with your feet a little wider than hip width apart, feet turned out Inhale, sweep your arms overhead Exhale, squat down and sweep towards the floor with your hands Keep your head and chest lifted as you squat down and keep your back straight and vertical Repeat 10-12 times I actually really enjoy doing these.

October Bunco Picture

Well, I finally got the pictures to show you all....

Left to Right... Kerri Gonas (she has a bun in the oven), Trish Gottschall, Lori Hall, Michelle Pokorny, Cynthia Juettner, Scottie Dean, Ashley Dudinsky, Cathy Leonard, Abby Thielen, Kim Mattson and ME the cow on the floor.

Cynthia I think was the BEST.....it's scary how similar she looks to Anna Nicole Smith.
Bunco is always so FUN....I look forward to it every month. After the New Year, Kerry Carl will start another one and I hope to be able to play on that one as well. That will be all MOMS Club members. The group I am in now is just Eaglewood Subdivision neighbors. Yah, don't ask me how, but I managed to weezle my way in that group. I have been playing now for over a year and have only missed ONE month. Who knows what will become of this group, a lot of the players are military and a lot of them are leaving within a year. We assume the rules of only Eaglewood players will change.....if Scottie and I have anything to do with it! HA HA!

Thanksgiving

This will be a Thanksgiving I won't forget for many years to come! I always tend to remember the BAD things. It started with the Carpenters' inviting us over. (that is NOT the bad part) Bill was to arrive home that early afternoon from working 2 weeks on. He was to take the noon tunnel from Whittier and drive to the Carpenters. I was to meet him there with the girls. I got a phone call, around noon and it was Bill....telling me he was really tired and just wanted to GO HOME and not join us. I must say, part of me thought...."are you kidding me" you are always tired, but I didn't think he would actually choose sleep over his family. The conversation was cut short as he needed to drive through the tunnel. He then proceeded to turn OFF his phone and NOT turn it back on for the rest of the day. Yah, you could say....I WAS A BIT PISSED!
I wasn't exactly sure, what he would do.....he knew either way I was going to the Carpenters. I had prepared lots of appetizers and was bringing the rolls. I had to go. Not to mention I had nothing to eat at home. I really thought, he would show up. Well, I was WRONG. We arrived to find Stacy's new tables beautifully decorated with place settings for all 15 of us.
Russ & Stacy both wondered where was Bill....I thought the same. I knew once I pulled up and didn't see his truck. He wasn't coming. I knew there was no way he would drive home, rest and come back into Anchorage.
The kids had a great time playing, I kept getting more frustrated when BOTH kids at seperate times would ask, "where is daddy?" all I could say was that he was at home sleeping and they didn't understand WHY....and to this day, I will never understand either.

We did get a great shot of all the kids...

Dinner was wonderful, the kids ate great. Even though Sydney ate so much crab dip I thought she was going to be sick. She still managed to clean her plate. The crazy person that I am, I thought I would take a picuture to remind myself, how Bill never showed up. I don't know why I torture myself like this. Maybe, I do it....to make myself feel better in the hopes that Bill will see the picture and feel GUILTY.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving..... even though Bill was not there in person, he was in thought (deep thought, ha ha) I was thankful to be with my two wonderful daughters, all healthy, with a roof over our heads, and great friends (family) to share it with.