Whooooooooohoooooo!

Happy New Year to you all! Thanks everyone for the awesome Christmas! This was the least stressed I have ever been and it was wonderful. I certainly missed giving gifts, but have lots of great ideas when we have the money and time. You all have some fabulous gifts coming....someday:)

I was so excited about everything that I have going on right now I just had to share! I had a Facilities Board Meeting today for the Waldorf inspired Charter school that is in the works. The board consists of two other fabulous mothers, and one other incredible father. We are trying to find land, a space, an architect, get the zoning, skip the flood plains, find the resources and do whatever it takes to find a school building for the purposed charter school. It will be called the Raintree Charter School, after the Golden Raintree. It is overwhelming and an incredible amount of work, but soooooo exciting. We are at the stage of trying to determine exactly what our needs are and may tour a few buildings next week. The goal is to have this school up and running by 2010. I have no idea where I will be or what I will be doing by this time next year, but am so excited to be a part of this initial process. I was part of the Curiculum board but that has a dozen or so people so I figure my limited resources were better used in the board. It is insane what a dedicate, motivated, and a little bit crazy group of parents can achieve. Anyways, it is just one of the many things that I am spending my time on these days and I just had to share my excitement!

I will be posting some more soon......so be prepared!

Annoying (but very funny) Mom phrases! @ Yahoo! Video

I just had to pause in my trip blog to update my life these days. After returning from our trip last weekend I have thrown myself back into the rigors of daily life and the added approaching x-mas holiday. We were able to get a tree two days ago although that almost didn't happen. Our finances have dictated our need to have a no frills x-mas and the tree just about went out the window. I tried convincing Teilee that it would be just as fun to decorate one of our trees outside. In the end I couldn't stand the idea of not having a tree so we just went to the cheapest place we could and bought a parking lot tree. I know, I know totally not sustainable. The tree farm we went to last year was put out of business due to a tornado.
We are striving hard to make this a $0 x-mas and are falling a little short. I bought Nick a gift (I couldn't pass it up). The kids are getting gifts that we are making out of wood and or fabric. I am not sure what they will get each other. It is so much easier to let Teilee pick something out, rather than trying to guide her to make something. I have a few ideas (decoupage a fun box, doll blanket, melting crayons into heart shapes, etc...) Anyways so far our bill is around $20 (with building supplies) and that is still too much:) We still have x-mas food, stocking stuffers and a few other things, not to mention whatever Nick will get me so I don't know what our final cost will be. I am getting to stretch my creative muscles and it is quite fun! I have always loved a challenge, maybe next year we will spend absolutely no money (other than food) on x-mas. I am so fortunate to have scrap wood and tons of scrap fabric. I am grateful that I was encouraged to give up gifts for other people. Despite my wanting to give gifts the season really loses meaning when I am stressed about affording other peoples gifts. No one wants to recieve a gift from me that I can't afford and will stress out about later. Someday I will have the money and I will have all of these great ideas to use.
So these are some pretty darn dorky pictures. They were taken the fateful night (Nov. 15th) that Nick and I had a date and I was sick. Can you tell that I am sick in the pictures? I am still dealing with sinus junk but am feeling a ton better after my healing trip to Kansas! Why is it that trips are always too long and too short? It was fantastic seeing everyone and meeting little Adaira. I think she takes after her aunt Andi with her snorting, and her aunt Jessi in the looks department. I didn't take nearly enough pictures but as soon as I sort those I will include those in a blog. One trip at a time please.

How do you like my new blue streak? I have blue in the back underneath my hair as well. I think I need to do at least 3 times the amount of blue in the front. Although I also just had about 6 inches removed and I don't have a pic of that. I always wanted blue hair and so I just finally did. Hey, I don't have a job I have to go to and no one really cares if my hair is purple, or orange, or blue. Plus I am helping Landis learn his colors:)

Next week we will be making some gluten free gingerbread houses, making some outdoor edible ornaments for the birds, touring x-mas lights, singing x-mas songs with friends, maybe making candles, and just enjoying our family. We will also get together with our preschool co-op (those women rock and their kids are so great). This Sat. I have my first ever MNO (mom's night out) event. I only know a few of the women but I can't wait. Also our neighbors will be making some homebrew on Sat that I might stop by. If I wanted to spend about 13-20 bucks I could make a gluten free beer. I prefer wine anyway;) I think this has been the most busy, relaxed, interesting Christmas we have ever have! Nick has been working so much that I have had absolutely no expectations for him to be involved in the happenings and prep work for the season. He is not big on Christmas anyways so he doesn't feel left out and I am only undertaking what I absolutely can acomplish.
Plus I have been able to get the kids to bed everyday this week before 9:00 pm. YES!!!!! Tis the season to be jolly.................

Part 1 of our Trip

Yes I am going to do it. After shuffling through all of the pictures and memories and am ready to chronicle our trip.

On day one we changed plans last minute and drove the short way through Wyoming into Utah arriving at our destination of Magna, Utah. Kara and the kids had just recently moved into a new home. By recently I think she had spent about a week in the house before we came! It is beautiful and big, and the backyard is incredible. I am way jealous of her gigantic grape vines, numerous fruit trees and large garden space. I am not jealous of all the work that she will be doing to the house! Knowing her it will be done by next summer:) Kara's bridal shower was shortly after our arrival. Nick and the kids went to Jimmy and Molly's house to play with Jacob and Isabel's step siblings (Levi, Stormy, and Malachi) and with their brand new baby kittens. If those kittens survive to be adopted they will be the toughest kittens ever! That's Jimmy and Molly in the picture with Teilee and Landis.

The bridal shower was a blast although I totally forgot to take any pictures! I finally got to meet some of these friends and co-workers that I have heard so much about. Kara's mom (Trina) and sister (April Lynn) were there and it was so fantastic to see them!! Despite the presence of family and even Kara's soon to be mother-in-law, presents were unwrapped, including my gift of fuzzy handcuffs and lingerie. Not to be outdone April Lynn gifted a 'personal massager'. I have to say Kara handled it very well!!:) I just had to share that because it absolutely is the last thing people expect from Kara's family and the 1st thing I love about the whole group. They break the mold and always have a great sense of self and of humor!! The next day while Jacob and Isabel were in school and Kara at work, we visited with Jimmy and Molly briefly before taking a trip out to the Great Salt Lake. We went to Antelope Island and hiked briefly before finding a fantastic, salty beach to explore. The colors of the rocks were amazing. Bright purples and greens stand out amongst the grey. It really is an incredible place. We had a few encounters with some cool spiders, buffalo, jack rabbits, and shore birds. Unfortunately the serenity was constantly interrupted with the sound of airplanes and jets taking off over the Lake. With Landis around every plane noise is an exciting adventure so we were not disturbed too much;)

Of course we had to strip off our shoes and socks (and pants for Teilee) to wade in the shallows. Despite best efforts, jeans and pants all ended up wet and smelly. It was worth it.
Due to our late arrival to the Lake we quickly headed back to Kara's for a calm evening at home. That evening we were able to get some much needed one-on-one time to catch up, laugh, cry, and remember how great it is to be around Kara (and her family). At this point we were still anxious to meet the hubby-to-be Isaac. I did begin to wonder if he was a mythical creature. That night the kids passed out from having soooo much fun! In the coming days we were looking forward to Kara and Isaac's receptions, their wedding, and getting to spend more time with our Jacob and Isabel!
Coming soon....Part 2: The Receptions