Hawaiian Christmas

Every year my friends and I have a little Christmas party where we have a gift exchange. This year we had a Hawaiian Christmas. It was the best so far! Suzanne and I bought gifts for each other and she spoiled me rotten! It was so much fun!! Here are some pictures from our fun filled night!

Shout Outs

So with Thanksgiving past and Christmas right around the corner I feel it is natural to have a lot of gratitude in my heart. Gratitude is certainly part of the season. That is why I have to do some shout outs! Since my separation 2 years ago, as you can imagine things got crazy and things changed a lot for me. I was an emotional wreck and now pretty much a single Mother. A lot of change all at once and almost no break from being a Mom. But there have been a few people that have truly helped me and my kids in ways I'm not sure they will ever know. I love them dearly and they are family. Sometimes my real family asks me when I'm coming home and it must be hard because they are not here with me but I do have family here.
Suzanne aka Suzilla

Suzanne could quite possibly be the nicest person I have ever met. She is also the funniest! She is here most Saturday nights entertaining me. I know I could ask her for anything and if it's in her powers she is there! She totally proved that this week! :) The kids adore her and fondly call her Suzilla as well. She is always teasing them, one day Xavier asked her if she drove her car over to the house and she said no I came on skates. So a month or so later Xavier asked her if she skated to our house! So funny! By the way we did not convert we were just dressed up!
Brent

Brent is our token male. He's the only one in New Jersey so of course he wants to hang with us! He is a grad student so he is very busy but he is my in a jam man! He babysits during nap time and bedtime so he can study and help me out at the same time! Whenever we have girls night Brent knows he's in charge of the kids! They love to rough house with him and love to make him throw them in the air until his arms ache! He tries to teach them bad stuff and he thinks it's really funny but I'm not so hot on the idea of him and Xavier riding motorcycles together!


Joanne

Joanne may love my kids as much as I do. Out of everyone she is the one that always brings them toys on Easter or Valentine's Day. She loves them so much and they love her. As of recently she has become my personal stylist and fashion coordinator. Trust me I need this bad! She is so happy for my weight loss and even buys me clothes! Is there anything more I could ask for in a friend? Lucky for me she is also my visiting teaching companion so I get to share a spiritual side with her often. I love it!

Jenn

Jenn and I have been friends for a long time! She is always there when I need her. She is the first one to offer up babysitting and the use of her truck to run errands. She is so hands on with the kids. When we all get together at the house and it's bed time Jenn is the one putting them in their PJ'S and getting them ready for bed. She changed countless diapers when we were in that stage and she was and is always so happy to do it. She always asks me how the kids are and how Xavier is doing in school. Jenn lifts me up because she recognizes my strengths, like always being right and always being too honest when others don't believe! They all learn eventually but Jenn's got it down!
RiLee

Last but not least, RiLee. RiLee and I have been friends for a long time too and we probably spend way too much time together. She is like a sister to me, we fight and get over it all in the same sentence. She really is the kids second Mother, she yells at them and disciplines them to boot! Sometimes it seems that RiLee has taken me being separated harder then I have and I know that is because she just wants me to be happy. We have been through it all together and I wouldn't have it any other way. We talk on the phone at minimum three times a day. There are no secrets no holding back and a no farting policy.

So these are my friends that really are family. They have helped me raise my kids and talked me through parenting problems my marriage and everything in between. I feel like Xavier and Bella are so blessed to have so many people love and adore them. I don't ever want to imagine life with out them! All the parties and all the get togethers are now at my house so I can hang out with them while the kids sleep. They work around my car schedule and the weekend Pedro has the kids. They make all these seemingly small sacrifices that make a world of difference to me! Sorry for the long post but I just had to give a shout out to my peeps and make sure they know how much I love them and what an impact they have on my life! I love you guys!!

Thanksgiving weekend

We started off the long holiday weekend with a feast at Xavier's school. They had everything a proper Thanksgiving feast should have! Xavier didn't eat a bite nor did he wear his pilgrim hat or Indian vest! It was a lot of fun and yummy food even if the feast was at 11AM it's never too early for pumpkin pie right?!!

Bella on Jenn's shoulders

Xavier on Brent's shoulders

Thursday morning we headed to New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade! I must be crazy! My friends Brent Jenn and Suzanne are also crazy and went too! There ended up being no parking anywhere on the entire island so I sent the kids out with my friends and they watched the parade while I drove around Manhattan. Eventually I illegally parked and was able to see the big balloons from my car! The kids had a great time and that was what I really wanted for them!

RiLee went a little crazy after cooking all the food!

Xavier, Bella, Mason and Reven eat gold fish and pretzels on the stairs instead of anything resembling Thanksgiving dinner!

Bella and Xavier hiding from the camera. They didn't touch their food on those plates! They did eat about 5 clementines each!

Rob, baby Jesse, Lexie and Me enjoying the yummy food!

This year we had Thanksgiving dinner at RiLee's house with a bunch of friends, It was so nice and so yummy! I brought over my china, I love any chance I have to use it! The food was amazing and the company was even better! Thanks to Rilee and all her hard work!!

BLACK FRIDAY!!!!!

So maybe I am crazy! I went out at 4AM to go shopping! What?!?! Who does that? Well I found out about 5 thousand other people. I started out at Kohl's. When I got there people were waiting outside to get in but I just sat in the car. The crowd wasn't too big! I got in and out with the 4 dollar toys in 15 minutes. Not bad. I headed to Wal mart which was just around the corner.

When I pulled in I saw tons and tons of people waiting in a line and I really started to wonder if I hadn't lost my mind! There were so many people I just couldn't wrap my head around it and yet i was there too. I went to wait in this huge throng of people and as I looked around I couldn't help but wonder what they were here for. I also noticed I was the only white person in the line. I then came to the realization that I was out here at 4:30 in the morning for no reason. There was no way in the world they had come to wal mart for the same reason I came to wal mart. I got up bright and early for the cricut. For those of you non scrapbookers first shame on you but secondly it is a cutting machine that is simply unbelievable. Well this is the best machine they have out and it was on super sale so I had to get it! Getting in and out of the store was pure chaos but I got my machine and i was right when I said no one was interested in the cricut with the exception of the one other white lady I ran into in the craft section! Go figure!

Lastly I headed to Old Navy for 14 dollar jeans. It was in and out no hassles no lines! I was very relived after being in the craziness of walmart! All in all it was a fun experience and I may even do it again. I got everything I had planned on getting so it was a total success!

After a cat nap and some lunch we headed over to the park to play a friendly game of football. I had wanted to play over the Thanksgiving holiday and make it a tradition so I made some calls and got it set up. A lot of the people didn't show but they really missed out! It was such a blast! My team of course won even though the other team had 7 players and we had 5. I even scored a touch down! The kids even hiked the ball and ran it and had a lot of fun playing football and playing in the dirt! The weather wasn't too bad either!

On Saturday night the kids and I went to a sweet sixteen party for a Amanda whom I used to nanny for. I don't have any pictures but we had a blast eating and dancing until almost 10!

I'm glad Monday is here! I'm hoping that I can catch up on some sleep and get some things done around the house! The Christmas decorations aren't going to put themselves up either!! I am so blessed!

Talk to my agent

venturing into the city.

Doesn't it look like she's really talking to her agent?!

This Saturday the kids had an interview with a talent agency. Long ago I uploaded the kids pictures to a couple of sites and I guess they just decided they needed to see these two. I wasn't sure what to expect but ya all know I'm on a mission to enjoy the journey so I thought this would be another thing on our list of experiences! They of course thought the kids we adorable. Bella had them eating from her palm and they couldn't get enough of her! The concept of this networking company was fabulous, the price to be in their network however was not so we won't be getting into the biz anytime soon but I'm going to keep trying! We'll see how it goes!

Fall in New Jersey

Fall is my favorite time of year! I love the weather and the leaves! The East coast has the most colorful falls ever! I love it so much! The kids also love it! Here are some of our pictures playing in the leaves! I can't help but comment on how cute my own kids are!! They are just so cute!

The best of me

So last night I had a dream. It's weird because I never dream or at least I never remember them, and even if I do remember it it's never complete and never makes much sense. Last nights dream was no exception. All I remember is my Dad talking to someone that I know about me and the kids. He said those two are the best of her. So if you love her you will love them. That really got me thinking. Anyone that knows me well knows that Eugene (my Dad, yes I call him Eugene) holds all the answers. When I need advice he gets the first call. So it seems rather fitting to have him in my dream telling me what I already know but making it a little clearer. Xavier and Bella truly are the best of me. Any of the qualities that I have and like about myself they have ten fold. Anything in me that needs improving they have already mastered. I don't know if it is like this for all parents and I don't know if you feel this way forever but I do know that they really are the best of me and I love them for showing me what I can be each and everyday!

Halloween

Xavier and his teacher Ms. Powers

These are twin girls in our ward Abbi and Bailey. They were lobsters in a bucket! they were so stinkin cute. Then during trunk or treat they were laying on these huge platters with grapes and fruit around them and candle light! It looked like they were the main course! Sooo cute!

Holy Halloween! We have been celebrating for the past week and it has been a blast! I am not a huge fan of Halloween but I don't not like it either. This year has been fun because the kids were so into it. We went to 3 different parties and each night Xavier would out line them in his prayers. It was awesome! We went to the ward party, a party put on by the town and finally Xavier's school party. So Xavier was Peter Pan, Bella was Tinkerbell and I was Wendy. I may never dress up again because no one knew who I was! I thought I looked just like Wendy but everyone was having such a hard time figuring it out! Hello I'm with Peter pan and Tinkerbell! Come on! Anyway....... this was our first family attempt at jack-o-lanterns. I carved them all with no help on the gut scooping! Xavier took one look inside and said "I'm going up stairs to play" I don't know where he gets this clean hands business but it has to stop! We'll try again next year! We got way too much candy but had tons of fun so it makes it all worth while!!

Little Chef

Maybe we have been watching a little too much Ratatouille or maybe he just wants to be a little chef. Either way he is so dang cute that it just doesn't matter. Here he is making mac n cheese. So gourmet I know! I'm hoping to get a few more dishes in him before his mission! Although having 2 kids has made me a firm believer that you can fully thrive on cereal and mac n cheese alone!

Apple Picking and Pumpkins too

Xavier in the orchard
Reven. Bella. Xavier. Mason

Jenn and the kids


Me and RiLee

family picture



Bella chowin' down

Me and Joanne on the tractor ride

Brent picking a pumpkin

What a woman!

A family shot in the pumpkin patch. Notice Lexie in the back!

So every year we go apple picking it has been one of our family and friends traditions. We always have so much fun and this year was no exception! The weather was nice and the farm was great! The kids have such a blast picking their own apples and it's just about the only time I can get Xavier to actually eat apples! This was the first year we got pumpkins too and the kids loved picking their very own!