Merry Christmas!!

Santa came to our house last night. A little early I know, but he knows that we are leaving tomorrow for Cal. and that we wouldn't have time for presents in the morning. So the kids were pretty excited. The big gifts for this year were Nintendo DS's for the boys and MJ wanted a Polly Pocket Airplane. The boys were pretty shocked, it's great to see there faces when they open the gifts. So in the morning we are off to the airport to fly to Sacramento and then rent a car and drive for 2 hours to a town near Redding to be with Jeremy's Dad and that side of the family for a week. We are very excited to get away for a while and actually spend some time with Jeremy and family. It's been very busy for Jeremy at work, traveling and working weekends this last month. But it all pays off when you get the time off for a break and when the bonus comes. Can't complain.

So just wanted to wish everyone a very merry Christmas. I wanted to post our picture with Santa this year too. It's one of our traditions since George was born. And then I put them in a book. And I look at the book a million times over the holiday, so I wanted to share them with you. It's fun to look at how they grow up every year and to see at what age they like and dislike santa. Pretty cute.

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

The first snowman of the winter.

Surprise!!

When did the price of stamps go up to 41 cents???????

Happy Happy Birthday Mason Dear.....

Mason turned 6 today. He chose to go to a movie for his party, so we went to see Bee Movie. He got to invite 2 friends, his best friends Jaxon and Max came with us. Grandma and Grandpa Fitzgerald and Paul and Julie came down and met us there too. It was a pretty good movie with a lot of adult humor, but kid friendly too. Came home afterwards for Oreo cake. (don't count the candles, thought I had enough, but didn't) All in all I think Mason had a good day. These years just keep going by faster and faster. Any of you that know me well, I love that they are getting older. It's getting so much easier and I feel like I can enjoy each day more without being stressed out as much any more. Like taking them all to a movie with friends and actually enjoy it, if you know what I mean.

We love Mason. He's the comic relief that keeps our family happy and laughing. He knows he's the funny one too, which makes what he does to make us laugh even funnier. What a kid. He's just way too cute and lovable.

A Thanksgiving like no other

This was the first year ever that we've not spent Thanksgiving with family having a traditional dinner. This year Jeremy and I spent the day in Dallas at the Cowboy's vs Jet's game. The kids spent the day and weekend with their cousins having a blast without their parents being able to ride a horse everyday. I don't think they missed us at all. It was a nice little break for all of us I think. (Thanks again Ryan and Courtney for taking care of our abandoned kids.) I flew down to meet Jeremy on Wed. night. He was already there working. Thurs. we woke up and went to the game. It was freezing cold there. I was not prepared for 30 and 40 degree weather. At the game we bought a blanket and a few cups of hot chocolate to help keep us warm from the snow that was falling during the game, since all I brought was a couple of sweaters. Pretty Crazy!! Afterwards we went to TGI Fridays, one of the few places that was open, for a non traditional dinner. It was a little sad not to be with family, but nice to be doing something different and having a little mini vacation. That night Jeremy had to be at one of his stores at 1 am to help out, so he did that while I slept and then he came back and slept while I went shopping. (Fun for me!) We came back home Sat. evening, back to life and reality. It was definitely a Thanksgiving like we've never had before.

Oh Yah, I almost forgot the most important part of the game. The Cowboy's won!!! Jeremy's a Jet's fan and I'm a Cowboy's fan. We got quite a few looks at the game with Jeremy in his Jet's jacket and me in my Cowboy's hat, together. I don't think there was any other couple there like us. Ha Ha.

Happy B-Day to Me

I turned 31 today. I kind of wish on birthdays that you really did feel different, but of course it's just like any other day and life goes on. A tradition that my friends and I have is to go to lunch at Cafe Rio for eachother's b-days and many days inbetween. So we went today and had a delicious lunch. The pork salad is the best. I love my friends, they are the bestest ever. For my cake, which I don't care for much, so I always make something else, I made a Pumpkin Dessert. I got the recipe from a friend and let me tell you I think it's better than pumpkin pie. So here it is, you have to try it, just in time for the Holidays too.

Pumpkin Delight (I named it)

1 big can pumpkin filling

1 can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or the spices you would normally put in a regular pumpkin pie, it's on the can)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup butter, softened

yellow cake mix

Heat oven to 350 deg. Mix like you would for a pie and put in a 9x13 pan. Mix the 1 cup butter and yellow cake mix in a bowl til crumbly and pour on top. Bake for 45 min. Serve with Cool Whip or Ice Cream and Enjoy, Yummy Yummy!!!!!!!!!

New Email Address

We have a new email address. It is alysatoponce@aol.com. The old one stopped letting me log in. Very frustrating. So I made a new account. So if you've sent an email recently, please send again to the new address. I need to redo my address book too. I don't have any of the addresses written down so if you could send on email so I could put you back in my address book that would be great. Thanks.

George's Baptism

George was baptised today. It was very special for us to see our oldest turn 8 and to watch him and Jeremy perform this special ordinance. Thanks to all the family and friends that came. It was a great day.

Halloween

The kids had a great Halloween. We had a little party with friends. Had dinner and all the kids went trick or treating together with the dads. Funny story of the night - and to preface it the night before Halloween Jeremy was telling the kids that if they got any snickers he wanted them. Maryjane of course says 'OK daddy I'll share all my candy with you and give you all my snickers'. So when they all got back from trick or treating a couple of the dad's were saying how funny Maryjane was. She was going up to the doors and asking 'Do you have any snickers?' He didn't know she was doing it or maybe he did and just let her do it, I'm not sure. So no asking politely for her and getting what they gave her, no not my child, just asking for what she wanted, just to get her dad his favorite candy bar to make him happy. Kind of embarassing.

George's 8th B-Day!!

George turned 8 on Tuesday. I can't beleive he's that old already. He got to go to his first Cub Scout Den meeting that night too, which he is so excited about. For dinner he wanted to go to The Mayan so we did and then came home for cake.

Happy Anniversary

Our anniversary was Monday. We've been married for 9 years. This was taken on Halloween. I'm a black widow and Jeremy's a gangster (sort of).

MJ singing

MJ learned her months of the year through a song in PreSchool. So hear it is. Pretty cute!

Trunk or Treat

Our ward had there trunk or treat this week. It stopped raining just in time for the parade and the trunk or treating. The kids came home with a ton of candy. The boys decided they wanted to be something scary this year. I hadn't bought them costumes in a long time 'cause they've been football players or something we already had, so I gave in this year. I told them that their costumes are a part of their birthday presents and they have to wear them for the next couple of years. I guess that makes me feel like it was worth buying them. Why are costumes so stinking expensive? It's hard for me to justify when it's for 1 or 2 nights. Oh well, they loved it. And MJ changed her mind the last minute too for her costume. She was going to be Genevieve, a dress we already had and then she saw a Tinker Bell costume and just had to have it. And since I was already buying the boys one it wouldn't have been fair to leave her out. So she is a beautiful Tinker Bell this year. George is a Punk Zombie, and Mason is a Crypt Keeper.

October Festivities

We got a chance to go to a place called Hee Haw's this week. The kids had a blast, there was a ton to do, just wish Jeremy would have been there with us. He was out of town of course. The story of his life especially from now until C-mas. So we had fun without him. The financial group that we bought our house through sponsored a night there with all thier clients. So of course it was even better 'cause it was free.

We got to go on a hayride, animal train, go karts, mini maze, pony ride, walk through a corn maze, go down a huge slide in the middle of the corn maze, and we got to walk through a real pumkin patch to pick out a pumkin to take home. So to say the least it was eventful and a lot of fun.

Flag Football

The boys had there first flag football games this morning. They both did great and they had a lot of fun. They learned that the other teams are really good at getting the flags. George's team name is the Thunderheads and Mason's team name is the Sharks. I volunteered Jeremy to be the coach of Mason's team. No other dads would do it and with Jeremy's schedule he'd be able to make it to every game on Saturdays, so I told them yes for him. He wasn't too happy with me at first, but he's been having fun and enjoying it more than he thought he would. He'll miss a few practices, but the assist. coach will be there for those. We went and bought a plain flag and made the shark logo on it for the games. Everyone thought it was pretty cool today at the game. We wanted to have some team spirit and Jeremy remembers having flags for his team sports growing up. No one around here does it, we were the only ones. So now we have football games for the next 7 saturday mornings and practices every Tue. and Thur. FUN FUN!!

First Day of PreSchool!!

The morning went by too slow for all of us. Maryjane was very excited to go to school today. Not scared or shy in any way when we got there of course. Little Miss Independent is her nickname. She watched Mason go to the same school all last year and wanted to go too and now it's finally her turn. Mom had freedom for 2 hours and will continue to 3 days a week. Not long enough though unfortunately. The kids are growing up and life is crazy around here with all different schedules. The boys just started football, so will post pics this weekend of their first games.

Kindergarten has begun

Mason began kindergarten this week. I wasn't sure how it going to go. Pre-school started out rough for him last year. (my little softy) But he's a whole new boy. We (MJ and I) went and dropped him off at school on Tue. afternoon. (I put him in afternoon on purpose hoping it would help him to have time in the morning to prepare himself to go to school.) They have a seperate playground that they play at until it's time for them to go to class. The teacher's ring a bell and they all get in their lines for each class and follow their teacher into their room. He waved good bye. And that was the end. Too easy. Lets hope it lasts. His teacher's name is Miss Ovard. She's new this year to the school. Afterwards he came home so happy loving everything. He already knew 3 other boys in his class, they live in our same neighborhood, so I think that helped him a lot. They have 10 kindergarten classes at his school, 5 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon. Crazy. I think that's how it was for George too. They're going to start building a new Elementary school out here I think for next year. There is a definite need for one. George's classroom is right across the hall from Mason too, so that is kind of fun for the both of them. They rode their bikes home together a couple times this week and they loved that. Well, one more to go and she starts next week.