Year End Blog Card

Okay, so I didn't get Christmas card's out this year. You can only do so much right? Anyway, I decided to just do the post on my blog and tell about the year and show some pictures of the year. It was a great year, I can't believe that it is already over!! The older you get (or the older your kids get) time truly flies by. Maybe I am that much more busy or I am that much more tired, I dunno. I did take pictures of the kids in their Sunday clothes by the tree and everything but that is about as far as it got. What cute crazy kids!! They get along great...most of the time and they love to scream and run around the house. I wish I had just an ounce of their energy (I would probably blog a lot more) and they can always make me smile.
Isabelle has done a lot of growing this year. She is definitely not a baby anymore (although she likes to pretend like shes one saying 'wah' and 'goo goo') . She is absolutely a little princess and wouldn't have it any other way. I told her it was time for her picture and she ran and posed herself sitting under the tree perfectly all by herself. She knows how to use those great big brown eyes of hers. She is a spitfire, truly strong willed little girl (My mom told me that she is as stubborn as I was - I guess I had it comin') which of course I love about her but it also wears me out. It is probably a good thing since we are having a BABY BOY next spring and she have to hold her own between two boys (I don't think that she will mind the attention)!!!
Collin of course started kindergarten this year. I look at baby pictures of him and am amazed at the boy he has become. He is so bright. He catches onto everything and doesn't miss anything. He loves to be involved in whatever we are doing. After watching Ratatoullie, he wanted to learn how to cook, oh excuse me, be a chef. He wanted to cook for himself (not just help mom with cookie dough) and he made (supervised) maccaroni and cheese and because he was very exact in his measurements, it turned out better than mine usually does (I just throw some milk and butter in). Collin is a wonder to me. He loves to love and always knows when to give hugs and when to draw me pictures to cheer me up (after hormonal pregnancy meltdowns usually).!!
A rare picture of our whole family. We need more of these! We are very lucky to live where we do. I never pictured myself living in California but it has been a better fit than we ever imagined and we hope that we live here for some time to come. Mike's job is good and we have all made great friends here. It also helps that some of my family has moved closer and that we live in a popular vacation spot and get some visitors (definitely more than in Reno).
I had the opportunity to do a show this year and play Maria in The Sound of Music at a community theatre in Irvine! I loved it! It is a role that I have always wanted to play (doesn't every body?) and it was as fabulous as I anticipated! This picture is pretty much the only proof I have as Maria has a ton of costume changes and is rarely offstage but I had to get a picture of me in the signature nun habbit. Maria doesn't make a very good nun and about 5 weeks into the run of the show I found out that I was pregnant and we are due to have a baby boy on April 21 of next year. It seem like everytime that I get into a groove with my singing and performing and have visions of granduer the Lord brings me down to earth and reminds me of my eternal duties and blessings and my true role . I am grateful though for every chance I have to do a show!! I love and it makes me whole. I am lucky that I do get to 'have it all' in moderation of course.

So there is a brief overview of my 2008 and my life. Hopefully I can keep more resoulutions next year, survive having 3 children with flare, and just be fabulous!!! Ha Ha!