Balboa Park

Noah

Jordan

Grandmama

While on Christmas Vacation in San Diego we decided to spend a day at Balboa Park. My boys LOVE the science museum so we had to stop there first. They always have such a great time. We then had a picnic lunch and went to the railroad musuem and to our surprise they had an exhibit made completely out of legos and if anyone knows my boys they are obsessed with legos. It was perfect! It was such a beautiful day- the weather was incredible, the sun warm and bright, the boys learned new things, explored, played, watched a magician and enjoyed being out side. A true San Diego day!

greatness...

"Let us remember, too, that greatness is not always a matter of the scale of one’s life, but of the quality of one’s life. True greatness is not always tied to the scope of our tasks, but to the quality of how we carry out our tasks whatever they are. In that attitude, let us give our time, ourselves, and our talents to the things that really matter now, things which will still matter a thousand years from now."

--Spencer W. Kimball

"I wasn't there"

I Wasn't There

I wasn't there to see the star

That brightly led the way.

But I can have the Saviors light

To guide me every day.

I didn't feel the gentle peace

That fell on the Earth that night.

But I can feel His spirit

When I am doing what is right.

I didn't watch while Mary held

Her precious little one.

But I don't have to see to know

He is God's chosen Son.

I wasn't with the shepherds

When they learned of Jesus's birth.

But I can learn and share His word

With others here on Earth.

I didn't know the Wise Men

With their treasures rare to give.

But I can give a priceless gift

Just in the way I live.

I didn't hear the angels sing

Hosannas sweet and clear.

But I can praise and honor Him

Each day throughout the year.

~Wendy Ellison

Christmas Eve in Calico

We were on our way down to San Diego for Christmas, which is a very long drive roughly 12 hours, when we all became very ready for a break. Brandon mentioned on several trips from Utah to California that his parents stopped once at the Calico Ghost town and that the boys would loved it. We finally said " OK, today is the day we are stopping!" Lucky for us to tour the village, mine, and ride the train was half price because it was Christmas Eve. We all had a great time exploring, got our energy out, and learned some new things. It was definitely worth the stop!

Aidan & Hip Hop

My Aidan loves to dance but not just any dancing - Hip Hop! It started with him listening to my workout and clubbing music, then we started watching "So you think you can dance" and he loved it. He fell in love with Hip Hop, break dancing, and the like right away. He thought it looked so cool , the music , the moves ... it made him feel tough and he still wants to do all sorts of flips and tricks. We found a local dance school - Alpine Performing Arts school and he has been attending once a week for an hour since last August for Hip Hop 2. He did also enjoy Hip Hop 1 last year for a few months to try it out and now he is hooked. We are very impressed with him. Hip Hop 2 is a class that is more advanced for 10-12 year olds ... he just barely turned 9! So they are all taller, older but not more coordinated than Aidan he can keep up with them easy!!!! It is so awesome to see him dance, do tricks and perform. The combination of the music and the moves well its just awesome. He already does so well in soccer and baseball and has always played "up" but this is just pure joy and fun and when you watch him you know that he is all lit up inside. He did such a great job at the Christmas recital last night! We love you Aidan and we are so proud of all your hard work in developing this talent you have and enjoy!

Wow!

I read the following this morning on facebook! One of the best compliments of my life!

Shawna posted something on your Wall and wrote:

"I suggested today to my management team that we bring YOU in to talk to the team about being positive, reassuring and motivating....you, your authentic self my darling friend evoke good in everyone who chooses to be there best self, YOU and your natural self have a divine message... You are fantastic!!"


Shawna is a senior executive - I am humbled by her kind words. She is an amazing woman herself, one of the kindest, most uplifting and beautiful friends I have!

Sunday Baking

Christmas cookies with the kids
Peanut butter hershey kiss cookies rolled in powdered sugar

Pumpkin muffins with a tangerine glaze

As most of my family knows I enjoy baking on Sunday. Its my way of relaxing and providing some goodies for my family and neighbors when otherwise I would be too busy. So here are a few pictures of the delicious treats we made this week!

Preschool Christmas Program

There isn't anything more adorable than a Preschool Christmas Program. The kids voices, some know the words, some don't, some are so animated and happy, other kids are crying, some have their parts memorized, some have no clue and the teacher whispers it in their ear, but over all the Spirit of Christmas is there and the kids are doing the absolute best they can. It is too cute! Noah was also pleasantly surprised to see Santa- he's been a bit unsure about Santa's helpers, he knows they are not the REAL Santa, but this time he was ready and excited for a picture. This is Noah's first picture with a Santa ever. He was so happy but since it was such a quick picture we didn't really get to pose him or anything but it didn't matter - a happy child is what it is all about!

Letter to Santa

We have a family tradition of writing a letter to Santa every year including us grown ups! We feel that it is so important to reflect on our blessings over the past year, give our thanks, and think about what it is we really want for Christmas. Sure there are a variety of "wants" but what are our goals what is it that we truly want for our family and eachother... So we take the time to write our thoughts and feelings in a heart felt letter and send it to Santa. This year we went to Macy's where they not only have a beautiful mail box dedicated to these special letters but they also donate a dollar per letter to charity. It was a great and warm experience for all of us.

Ditch the workout ...join the party! ZUMBA

I had the most fun last night that I have had maybe EVER working out and dancing! I got this info off the Zumba website! I am hooked and have to thank my dear friend Sonia for inviting me and showing me this new world of fun!


Let's face it, working out can be healthy, rewarding and beneficial. Working out can be lots of things, but it's never been known to be an exhilarating experience…UNTIL NOW!

The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba® Fanatics achieve long-term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exciting hour of calorie-burning, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!

The routines feature interval training sessions where fast and slow rhythms and resistance training are combined to tone and sculpt your body while burning fat. Add some Latin flavor and international zest into the mix and you've got a Zumba® class!

In the past years, the Zumba® program has become nothing short of a revolution, spreading like wildfire, and positioning itself as the single most influential movement in the industry of fitness.

As of July 2009, the Zumba® program is being taught at over 40,000 locations in 75 countries, has sold millions of DVDs, and has changed the lives of Zumba® Fanatics worldwide with an astonishing five million participants taking Zumba classes every week.

Why? Because it's the best party around.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!