THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who has called or written notes with their thoughts for us. It means a lot at this time. It's been a long week between trips, illness, car accident and grandpa's passing. And I'm sure the week ahead will be long too. But we will make it through thanks to great family and friends. Thank you again for your thoughts, prayers and friendship. Love to you all.

Happy Birthday to ...............the Queen! (ME)

For Christmas just over three years ago, my mom gave me a daily calendar for 2005. And this was the one for my birthday.

So of course I had to keep it!

Sometimes it is GOOD TO BE QUEEN! (at least I can pretent to be - right?)

(yes I am posting this the day after my birthday)

When we were in St. Louis last weekend Aunt Heather helped the girls put together these signs to decorate our front door for me. Jeff helped the girls with the big sign. This was waiting for me when I came downstairs from having breakfast in bed - yes you read it right, I got breakfast in bed! I could totally get use to that!

I felt horrible (still do a little) because I wanted a chop salad from Portillo's for dinner, and of course the girls can never agree on where they want to go. So Jeff and Emilie went to get dinner - they started at Burger King for Emilie, then to McDonald's for Ada and then they were headed to Portillo's for us. Jeff was waiting to turn right out of the parking lot onto the main road, but there was a pick-up truck in front of him. Well Mr. Truck decided he was too far out into the road and decided to back up - right into Jeff. (and yes he was in my car!) Mr. Truck pulls forward and Jeff starts to get out to talk to him and he drives off! So Jeff tries to follow him and calls the cops. Luckily he got the license plate of the guy. So thank you Mr. Truck for a busted bumper and cracked headlight for my birthday!

(I'm sure there will be more to come about this one)

The men had a stake training last night, so the girls and I went over to my friend Alison's and watched Hairspray and ate lots of treats.

Thanks to my family and friends for making it a great day!

The Flu? Not So Much

I try to be a big enough person to admit when I am wrong. So here it is: I was SO wrong!

Jeff tried to convince me to go to the doctor, but I didn't see why since I was sure I just had the flu. But last night my throat still hurt and the glands in my neck were incredibly tender and hurt, and were still that way this morning. So I decided I would go to the doctor, pay my

co-pay, and then have the doctor tell me that I had the flu. Waist of time and $15 right? Yeah, not so.

I have STREP THROAT! Nearly 35 years and never had it until now and I'm not enjoying it finding a home in my body. So here's to antibiotics and the road to recovery. Now I pray that Jeff doesn't get it, 'cause I'm in no mood to rub his forehead and say "Poor little bunny". (see previous post) But if I do have too, I'm totally using the british accent! HE HE

Men vs. Women - when they get sick

These are the days when I wish I had a job so I could call in sick, get in bed and not move until I feel better - like most men are able too. Unfortunately the job of a mother does not allow you to call in sick and there are three little peoples depending on me for the basics. These are the days I am grateful for Disney channel and that the girls know how to use the remote! It hit me Monday night and is still going. Yesterday I thought dying was a good option. The flu - temperture average = 103.9. Meaning its checked in at over 104. I ache from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and every muscle and joint in between hurts, I mean

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!

Today is a little better than yesterday as far as the aches, but still running a temp of over 103, close to 104. Thank goodness for Advil. I was actually able to take the girls to school and run a couple errands. YAHOO Then I had to come home and take a nap before picking them up due to exhaustion. Gratefully yesterday my neighbor picked the girls up from school - there was no way I was going to make it. Taking them to school was exhausting enough! Hopefully it will go away soon. In the words of my good mother-in-law "This too shall pass". So I thought I would share this video that my sister-in-law Heather shared with me over the weekend. We got a good laugh out of it. Hopefully Jeff and the girls don't get it - it stinks being sick!

Isn't that hilarious - and so true?

Ciao and Buona Fortuna Nick!

We spent the weekend in St. Louis for a few reasons 1) Jeff had a meeting down there, 2) We went south to warm up (NOT!) and 3) to see Jeff's nephew Nick before he leave on his mission to Milan, Italy in 2 weeks and celebrate his birthday with him.

It was a great weekend to go since the girls had Friday and Monday off of school. Emilie, Ada and Sarah had a blast hanging out with their cousins. Emilie and Ada spent hours playing bowling on the Wii. They got pretty darn good - they even beat their uncle Tom more than once! I have a feeling there is going to be one on in our future. And yes I must brag, I played too and scored a record 215. YAHOO! Thanks for a fun weekend! We'll miss you and we love you lots Nick!

Ada, Nick, Sarah and Emilie

Sarah and Nick

Playing games with Nick

Just because I think she's darn cute!

Sarah and James, Heather and Wally

Sarah with all her Blair cousins - minus Peter :-( and her sisters

James, Nick, Becca, Ada, Emilie and Bryant

A New Tradition........Our Holiday Tree

I meant to post this last week, but never got around to it, so here it is!

I've talked about doing this for sometime, but I've just never done it. But since the girls had so much fun decorating for Christmas, we decided to have a holiday tree that we decorate for each holiday and this is it! Emilie helped pick out the decorations for our New Year's theme - I think she did a great job!

The Art of Negotiation

Ada sometimes is too smart for MY own good, and other times not so much. For instance, Saturday it was a nice day and we still had some snow to play in (not any more thanks to 65 degrees and thunderstorms today) and the girls went outside to help Jeff take down Christmas lights. They ended up staying outside to play with their friends and came in a while later soaking wet and cold. So I said "Next time you go out to play in the snow you need to wear your snowpants and boots!" And Ada's reply was "So does that mean we don't have to wear a coat?" Killing me!

Then tonight we were finishing dinner and she had a strawberry left on her plate. So I said "You need to eat that strawberry or you can have 2 grapes instead. You choose." She thought for a moment and then said "How about the strawberry and 2 grapes?" Um, okay!

After she moves out, then we'll really work on the negotiation skills! For now, I'll take what I can get when it comes to those negotiations that go in my favor!

Oh Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree.......

How empty are your branches.

Since it was semi warm today, we decided to dispose of our tree. As we started to get it out of the stand it started raining needles and it didn't stop until Jeff dropped it outside at the street curb. This is what I was left with. I think there were more needles left inside the house than were left on the tree! You had to be here to truly appreciate the how big the pile was.

Jeff is the one who wants the real tree. It's kindof like the 12 year old boy who wants a dog and then the mom is the one who ends up feeding it and cleaning up after it. At least I can get rid of the tree and not feel bad about it! :-)

I do like the real thing - but I hate the clean up! I think this is why they make pine scented candles - so I can get a artificial tree and pretend it's real with the smell!

No ordinary day

I wasn't going to post any thing about this today, but it's been on my mind all day, especially after ready "Last Lecture" (see yesterday's post). So here it is. For most of you today is just January 2nd, but for our family it's the day Jeff's dad unexpectedly passed away. It's been 7 years and I remember every detail of that day. We had lived in Chicago 6 months and Jeff went to work as usual and I was starting a new job. The morning was the typical first day on the job and my boss wanted to take myself and the other two ladies I worked with to lunch. So off we went. I turned off my cell phone so I wouldn't be interrupted during lunch. When we got back from lunch we walked in and the receptionist was on the phone and said "Jenn it's for you - it's your husband. He's been trying to get a hold of you." I picked up the phone and Jeff told me the news that his dad had passed away suddenly and that he was at the airport about to board a plane for Salt Lake and I had a flight in 3 hours so I needed to go home, pack and get myself to the airport. That wasn't a lot of time since we live about an hour from the airport that I was flying out of. So I told my boss what was happening and that I was leaving and hoped I had a job when I got back. What a way to start your first day! I got home, threw some stuff in a bag and made it to the airport and got to SL that evening.

A lot has happened since that day, what I remember most about the days following is the outpouring of love and support I felt and witnessed for Jeff's mom, Jeff's family and for Jeff and I. I am forever grateful to the family and friends that did so much for us during that time and continue to do so much for us now. I also remember how grateful we all were that no one had any regrets when it came to their relationship with Alan. We were very blessed and continue to be very blessed.

There is so much I am leaving out, but I would be here for days writing about it all. But, I am grateful for the example Alan was and the legacy he left. It's still sometimes difficult, but knowing we'll see him again makes it a little easier. I joke that Alan is to blame for us having the twins. They were born 10 1/2 months later in November. I figure they were in heaven arguing about who got to go first and Alan got tired of listening to them arguing about it, so he sent them both. I guess that means he probably told Sarah to take it easy on us after seeing some of the things we've been through in the last 6 years. If so, gratefully she has followed instructions! Thanks Grandpa!

P.S. I still had a job when we got back!

Happy New Year!

If reading more is one of your resolutions, or if you need a little inspiration/motivation for your resolutions, or if you need a "picker uper" for the new year - may I suggest a lecture given by Professor Randy Pausch from Carnegie Mellon University one in a series titled "Journeys" previously known as "Last Lecture" where the speaker was asked, hypothetically, if you knew you were going to die, what would you say to the students. Well for Randy it's not hypothetical, he is dying. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Sept. 2006 and gave this lecture in Sept. 2007. The lecture itself has been titled "Last Lecture" (click here to go to his website where you can find a link to the video and transcript). You can watch the lecture (if you have the time - it's almost 2 hours) or read it, but it's definately worth the time - he gives you some great things to think about! I hope you benefit from it as much as I did.

Happy New Year and here's to your dreams!