Sweethearts

Ryan went to the girl's choice "Sweethearts" Dance....she asked him by decorating his room with hidden dinosaurs.
(She works at the movie theater too...he has two friends named Paige...so we call her "Dino Paige" cause she works at the dinosaur museum as well. Another side note: rumors were flying that another girl was planning on asking him to the dance. I got a call from Dino Paige on a Wednesday night...."Sister Ditty! This is Dino Paige....has Ryan been asked to Sweethearts yet???" I said no. "(Relief in her voice) Ok. Can I come in a half hour to decorate his room? I need to ask him TONIGHT!" Turns out the other girl was planning on asking him the next night....she waited too long!! Hee.)
He answered by going into her math class with the show choir and serenading her with his answer. They had a great time...everyone in the group were already friends. They did fondue for dinner; which I think is a great idea! No awkward sitting there watching each other chew...there is something to be actively doing during the meal. Anyway. He had a blast.
Gracie and her BFF, Brynlie, making Valentine cookies.
And that is our February So Far. I'm still trying to climb out of the winter funk in which I've been mired.

Happy Happy To My Ty

It's My Tyler's 19th birthday today. This will be a hallmark day...the first (of many I'll guess) birthday that I will not actually BE with one of my offspring on the anniversary of their birth.
(sob)
He couldn't come home...something about classes and work. Sheesh. Way to be a responsible grown-up, my boy.
We couldn't go down there....something about him being too busy with classes and work...and the price of gas for us. Way to be good money-managing role models, parents!?

Anyway. We sent him a package and cards. I called him at 8:07 this morning...the exact moment he drew his first breath. I'd warned him so he didn't screen my call :)

Our house just isn't the same without him in it. He possesses a quick, rapier sharp wit. He sees the world out of completely different eyes than I do. He makes me laugh (unexpected, coke spewing out of the nose laughter) like no one else can. He has taught me everything I know about unconditional.....well, everything.

The day of his birth was a joyous one. He was very much wanted.

I love you My Ty. I'm proud of the man you're in the process of becoming. Know that your face is missed today!

Nuthin' To Blog About

We've got the January/February blahs. Work. School. Church.
Rinse and Repeat.

Four Eyes Are Better Than Two

Grace got glasses yesterday. Doesn't she look adorable?
She spent the whole ride home furiously reading license plates, billboards, and street signs. We started singing "A Whole New World...now that Grace can see...with her new glasses..."
We're four for four now. Jill got hers in 2nd Grade, Ry in 1st Grade, Ty in 11th Grade...and now Grace in 3rd Grade. Perhaps we should have gotten genetic testing before we married and bred children :P

Christmas

Old Christmas lists fulfilled...
Christmas dinner, complete with Christmas Crackers....
Crowns from our Crackers.....
The Heelys that almost did not arrive in time for the big day.....
Opening stockings....
Four happy kids. It was a good year.

Family Party 2010

My mom began having us out for Christmas Eve...years ago. I can't remember exactly the year? Jill was a baby. Anyway. All 5 of us siblings and our kids would go to the parents house, eat dinner, my dad would dress up in a Santa suit that my mom made, and give out the presents from them. We usually got Grandma Tussey for Christmas too, so she would be there. The year mom died, determined in our paralyzing grief to carry on the tradition, my oldest brother had us all out to his house for the party. We brought our own Santa gift for our kids, and so began a new era of the Christmas Eve Party. He and his fabulous wife have hosted us for 12 years in a row now.
Somewhere along the line, it became a tradition for the last Santa Sitting to occur the year you graduate high school. If you're over 18, you won't be sitting on the big guys lap. So we only had 2 kids to gift this year. Ryan's Santa gift: a cookbook.
Grace's Santa gift: Club Penguin swag.
Tyler singing his annual rendition of a song that he makes up...he changes lyrics to reflect what is going on in each family's life that year...this year's version was fabulous.
Our annual game of air hockey. I lose EVERY year. I did give him a run for his money for the first 10 minutes or so.....then crashed and burned. Good times!
I love my family. As we get older, and the kids get older, and some us have moved out of Utah, or may be moving out of Utah, it's possible that this tradition may morph again. Maybe to a different day, or a different place. But I think we'll always get together, visit, and honor our parents by continuing to weave the fabric of our family.

MeDiocriTy

I am in the annual throes of "Oh-my-heck-I'm-never-going-to-get-everything-done-before-Christmas-and-it-has-to-be-PERFECT for each child-I'm-freaking out and exhausted!"
Good times. I had to go and have not one, but TWO December children. Add strep x 3 of us so far, and it's been a super-special week.
Then I read this today. Read, and carry on, with hope :)

"Our responsibility is to rise from mediocrity to competence, from failure to achievement. Our task is to become our best selves. One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final." (Thomas S. Monson, "Never Give Up", New Era, Sept. 1994)