Christmas in February....

So I have been meaning to do this post for over a month now but our Internet SUCKS & so it takes FOREVER to load pictures so this just kept getting pushed to the side & well...I really do want this blog to still show all the fun times in our lives as well & since Christmas & Birthdays are my FAVORITE holidays I wanted to make sure to still post on this (and I think it was time to get some fun pics back on this blog!)



Now I will try to make this as short & sweet as possible but still give you (and myself) an idea of how things went....First off Mike's 29th Bday was in December & although we did not do any big birthday parties I think this was one of my favorite birthdays I have done for him yet!! I decided to do a fun Birthday Scavenger Hunt for him (thanks Whit for the idea) & I will have to say it turned out really good. Since he was turning 29 he had 29 clues which started from the moment he woke up & lead him to his different designations as the day went on. I won't go through the different clues because I do want to attempt to make this post not a mile long but the clues led him to Breakfast at Kneaders & then a nice Movie on the couch (while i was at Primary activity days) then Minature golfing where his mom & dad was also an added surprise, then to dinner & back home...I know that doesn't sound too crazy but remember there were 29 clues so there was a lot of added little bits of fun in the middle as he did it. Happy Birthday Honey!!! Even though you are now 29 & 2 months old I hope you enjoyed your bday as much as I did :)





Then came Christmas in St George. One of the memories i want to remember is going to Tuachan to watch the live Nativity. It is nice to be able to be outside durring Christmas & not FREEZING so we took advantage of it and went & watched the live nativity. It was cool because Tuachan never does anything halfway - they had REAL Camals & everything! It was so funny because my Adorable little niece, Paige, kept yelling (through the whole production) - "I can see Baby Jesus!" or "Where is Baby Jesus". If you haven't been to Tuacahn it is a Huge outdoor theater & I am sure everyone could hear Paige. Then came Santa...as you can see by the pics Little Landon is just a Curious George & couldn't quite make sense of this white bearded, rosey cheeks, wearing a furry hat old man. Then there was Paige. She Loved Santa when she saw him at the Mall earlier that month but not tonight but it still made for a cute memory :)





What I love about Christmas is all the Traditions! It doesn't matter how old we get we still do alot of the same things every year which includes making Grandma's Famous Danish Pastry, having the typical Family Christmas Eve Party, Getting new PJ's, making fun of Grandma's many faces & of course Amber & I thinking we are "Oh So Cool" while taking our typical pics...Yes a Good Christmas Eve Indeed!!





But who doesn't LOVE Christmas morning!!! It was great being with my family because Amber's kids are too fun to watch & Paige is definately at that Fun stage! And even though Mike & I decided to have a "small" Christmas this year, I would be lieing if I said Santa didn't spoil us...but sadly Santa almost did forget me this year :( Let me explain...so the night before I helped my Sister set out all the fun "Santa gifts" for her kids & she was in charge of bringing out Mike's "Santa gifts" when we went to bed. Before we went to bed, Mike brought out my Christmas stocking & had it covered with a plastic bag & just placed in the corner not really by presents. I didn't think much of it because Mike always has plans & I was certain when I woke up & came out my stocking would be neatly placed with my Santa gifts as well....Well...I did wake up & I did come out but to my sad self my little old stocking was still sitting in the corner all alone with the plastic bag on it. And I know that Christmas isn't just about the gifts, but Come on! I had to have atleast ONE gift under the tree!! Well I tried to not show my confussion & we opened all our gifts & I had fun watching Mike's face with all his Santa gifts but then all the gifts were opened & I still didn't have any Santa gifts for me :( ..... LUCKILY, after all that Mike snuck away and he came out with 2 big gifts for me!! (apparently the Santa who was in charge of bringing out my gifts - let's call him JOSH - Forgot & Mike thought maybe he hid them under the tree but he didn't so Mike went back and found them for me)...Anyways it was pretty funny & I did get my sewing maching plus an unexpected Coat so it all worked out :) (yes, I really do know what the True meaning of Christmas is...Really...I doo!!)



And Yes those are pics of us golfing as well. You see in St George they experience a thing called "Warm Christmas's" & you usually don't see a thing called "Snow", so to really enjoy Christmas Day we went out Golfing. I will have to say that Mike will want to enjoy Christmas this way every year now & truthfully I enjoyed myself as well :) Thanks Mom & Dad for a GREAT Christmas!!! (it's better to say it Late then Never...Right?)

And if you are still reading all this I have to say that I really enjoyed reading your comments from my post below! I really do have the Best Friends & Family & I really have enjoyed all of your great advice!!!

Chapter 4: What would you do?

Ok...I promise that my next post will contain some fun pictures on it & be more about what we have done or are doing (my hubby wants to make sure I keep posting pics on the blog as well) BUT for now, since I don't have much time but I wanted to get a post done I decided to ask you all a question....

So I always hear these phrases (or something close it), "I wish we would have done that before we had kids...." or "You are so lucky you don't have kids yet because you can do so many things..."

So My question to you is "WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO BEFORE YOU HAD KIDS??" I am sure Travel is a popular answer but I really want you to think about this. Because I don't want to look back & realize that I missed so many opportunities during this time because I was just focused on the "having kids" issue. And I constantly find myself saying things like, "If we had kids I would do This or I would learn more about This!" Etc..Etc... I need to change my focus so I am going to lean on YOU to help me do this ;)

So....Tell Me :) (and you don't have to have kids to answer this because chances are you may already be doing that thing you would do ;)

Hugs & Kisses - Traci

Chapter 3: My "HOPE-A-lutions"

Ok so with this "Year of Hope" comes my "Hope-A-Lutions" (go on you can say it...Yes this was very creative of me...haha). There are probably MANY but I'm going to stick with some of my current top few. I figured if I told them to you it will be even more embarassing when I don't atleast Try to accomplish them but at the same time since they are "HOPE-a-lutions", I am really just hoping I can accomplish them all, but if I don't - I will survive!!! (did anyone else just hear the song "I Will Survive" in your head??)

Now in no Particular Order....

• HOPE-A-Lution #1 - to keep my Year of Hope going by keeping this blog updated & keeping it Real!!! and hopefully to keep it fun enough that it is worth reading :)


• HOPE-A-Lution #2 - Read my scriptures more often (I don't know why this is hard for me but in Primary the theme is "I Know the Scriptures are True" & so we have challenged the kids to read the entire Book of Mormon this year so with them I have pledged to do the same)


• HOPE-A-Lution #3 - To figure out how in the Heck to Use this thing!! (and hopefully how to make really cute things with it too) This was my Christmas Gift & much Wanted Gift from my loving Hubby....

I will have you know that I have threaded my first bobbin & I threaded the machine & accomplished my very first mini sewing project (picture to come) on my very own. And I am blessed w/ good friends that know what they are doing & so hopefully with the help of my dear friend Kim (and hopefully a few others) I will become a SEWING MASTER!!!! Again...These are just Hopes ;)

• HOPE-A-Lution #4 - To keep up with my Workout Routine!! I won't say I want to lose X amount of pounds because I always get frustrated but I do want to feel healthy & feel good so with the Hope of continually working out I am sure I will lose weight & I will feel Great :)


• HOPE-A-Lution #5 - That "this Thing" will happen for us!!!! (if you don't know what I am referring to, please refer to Chapter 1) And I hope to stay Positive even if it does not :)

Ok I think that is enough for now, but since my Birthday is this week I have One request to ask of You! AS A GIFT TO ME GO OUT & DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF & then come back & tell me about it :) It doesn't have to cost money (or it can) but have fun with this & do something that makes you HAPPY atleast for a small moment :)

Hugs & Kisses - Traci

Chapter 2: The Voice in My Head...

So I've been doing a lot of "thinking" during my nice little Holiday break from work & the other night when I was "thinking" instead of sleeping I discovered something...the Voice in my head is not the same voice I hear when I am talking or the voice I hear when I hear me on video or something (BTW that voice is very whiney & more high pitched than the voice i hear when I am speaking...I apologize that this is the voice you all get to hear when I speak). The voice I hear when I am talking to myself in my head is very calm & full of lots of wisdom. Everything she says is Awe inspiring!! She is the reason I decided to start this New Year of Hope! She told me it was a great idea & that i had lots of things to say. But then after I wrote my first post I got a little nervous. I kind of felt like she had lead me down a dumb path but then I read all your comments & you were all very sweet & gave me a stamp (there must be a better word i could put here) of Confidence so Thank You!! I really do appreciate you!! Now if only I could get the voice in my head out so you could hear her! Really she is fabulous & she uses such good Grammer & is Whitey & Fun!! So tell me, what is the Voice in your Head like?? (Please tell me you speak to yourself too - haha)

Moving On...

My Aunt Renae sent me this fun/great clip to watch & I really did enjoy it. Thank you Renae!! I think I will have to add this as a subtitle to my Year of Hope & that is "Look Not Behind Thee"...

If you want to check it out it is found here: http://lds.org/pages/look-not-behind-thee?lang=eng

Hugs & Kisses!! Traci

Chapter 1: A New Year Means A New Beginning...

This really is a New Beginning for me! If you haven't noticed I haven't blogged in like 8 MONTHS! When I started Blogging I was somewhat of an Addict! I couldn't wait to Publish my next Post & read all of the fun comments!! I also Loved reading everyone else's blogs & learning about the great things that were happening in their lives! I spent way to much time reading blogs, commenting & posting on my own. But what I did have was a Journal!! Or we could say a Time line of all the fun things we had enjoyed in our lives but then slowly a Vicious thing started to happen.... I allowed myself to start comparing my life with those around me & I started asking myself the questions of "When is that going to happen for us"..."What is in store for us" And then sadly the "Why has it not happened for us??"

I forgot the reason why I started this blog and that was so I could remember the great times Mike & I have had together & all the little memories that I wanted to remember & be able to share with all of you. Well this year is going to be different. This really is my Journal (and that's mostly to the fact that I am HORRIBLE at keeping a journal) & this really needs to be about Me & my little family (Mylo included). I LOVE the great comments you have all left me in the past & sadly because I haven't posted in such a long time I am sure less of you will be looking at my blog &/or commenting but that is Ok. I hope that you won't mind if I am a little more personal & less filled w/ just "fun" pictures. Hopefully I will say something inspiring in one of my Tangents but most importantly I hope that I Grow this year!! Obviously I won't be growing in Height (sadly I have come to terms with my short self) but I hope to grow in my Relationships, the Gospel & Myself. I am declaring this year as my "Year of Hope!!!" Thanks to my Dad!!

Recently my dad & I had one of those talks that you hope to get to enjoy with your parents & those close to you every now and again. It was those kind of talks where laughter was heared & tears were shared. It had been a really long time since I had really "spoken" to my father & although he is a great Dad, I always find it easier to talk to my Mom but I'm glad we had this opportunity. Although we talked about alot of things one of the things that stuck w/ me the Most was to "Never Lose Hope!" (that was mostly due to my father making sure I wouldn't forget that) but he is Right! The second you Lose Hope you Gain Self Doubt & the Desire to Press Forward.

I think I should back up for a moment...I feel that this may be coming across as I am depressed or that I am not enjoying my life but those things are not True. I am very happy in my life & feel blessed each & everyday. There is just one big part of my life that I feel I am lacking in or wish I had more control of. This one thing has become like a black cloud over my head & at times makes my vision a bit blurry & unable to focus on the Good things in my life or unable to Truly enjoy the blessings in the lives of Others. That one thing is my Yearning & Desire to start our family (I told you this would get personal). I do feel that trials are important & if handled correctly they can truly strengthen you & make you better & so I really am trying to stay positive but each month that passes by, the harder it becomes but with my New Year of Hope!! I am going to try really hard to not let that happen. There are too many good things happening around us & too many things Mike & I have yet to experience together that I Hope this new Focus Can be a Good One & WILL be a Good One!! I just feel that documenting & talking about this will be somewhat like "my therapy". Don't worry my post aren't going to all be about this "one thing" or if I will even talk about it much, but I do hope that by you understanding the background to where all this is coming from that I can share more of myself with you :)

So I hope you are prepared for alot of sentences that start out with the words "I feel" & "I hope" because my hopes & feelings will be shared. I appreciate all of you & hope you can go on this journey with me :)

Love You All!!! Traci