Braxton's 14th Birthday

It is so hard to believe that it was 14 years ago when we brought this little guy home from the hospital. He has always been such a blessing to me and Brian, and I knew before he was even born that he would be perfect to me. He is nice to everyone and is well known for that with his friends.

We had Grandpa, Memaw and Tim over for a big dinner and cake-and-ice cream on Sunday.

On Monday was his birthday officially and I wrote on the Compass windows Happy Birthday so when we went about our day , we went to the movies for his birthday to see New Moon finally and ate out afterwards, it was his choice of restaurant.

My friend at work gave me a big pink bag, a lot of boxed candy, and a movie gift card for Christmas. She's pretty smart for thinking that because we were planning on going to the movies ahead of time. I thought that was way cool, we were all set to carry all the goodies in the theater. I might make it my tradition from now on with my bag. Happy Birthday Braxton!!

My recipe for any good relationship

Communication
Understanding
Sensitivity
Speak emotions out loud
Compliments not Criticizm
Patience
Forgiveness
Humor
Trust
Thoughtful
Easy to talk to, great listener/want to be around

These ingredients are important to me. Mix them all together, a good and delicious Relationship with someone else. If one or many are missing, start all over again relationship tastes really icky. No good!

Christmas 2009

On Christmas eve at Mom and Dads house we had a talent show this year that was different. All the grand kids organized it and it turned out really good. Braxton played a card game called Blink for his talent, he is good at this game. After high school I crotchet a lot of baby blankets, that was my talent.

Brian's talent was catching quarters from his elbow.

The grand kids performed a commercial They sang "found a peanut"

Braxton's present from Colt: Rangers Apprentice

Brian got a web cam from my mom and dad. That was the neatest thing about Christmas this year, on Christmas Eve we chatted via webcam with Tyler and Tiffany and saw Nicholas, and on Christmas day via webcam with Brian's family.

On Christmas morning I got a pair of Shape Ups. They are fitness footwear they are so cool, I am way excited.

Braxton is wearing his new pajamas from Memaw and Grandpa. He got a Harry Potter snuggie from Santa. Mom and Dad and Tim came over on Christmas morning and had breakfast with us.

Me and Brian are wearing our new pajamas. Everyone got new pj's this year, we all opened our boxes with new ones at the same time it was the funnest part on Christmas Eve.

This is for Brian's family back in Pennsylvania he wanted to show his computer.

Merry Christmas

  

Christmas at Work

Some of the things that we did at Icon are, On Tuesday we had a potluck breakfast brunch with mostly office personal and management. Me and my mom brought fresh fruit and I made a yummy fruit dip to go with it. The dip was a hit!! We also brought a unisex gift to the brunch and played a fun game to exchange gifts with everyone after we ate.

This is the tree in the receiving office, that's my desk that you can barely see on the side. In just the receiving area where I work we had drawn names for a gift exchange, it was a $5.oo limit. On Wednesday we had to bring the gifts to work so we could open them while we had cake and ice cream. (Might I add) I put this little tree up and decorated it, it has been my duty for years because everyone says I do such a good job and for years it was just me and my boss in the office anyways.

On the 24th is when I bring presents to work for my closest friends for another exchange Its a day that I look forward to because it has been a tradition that has gone on for many years.

We went and saw the lights!

We were cold but it was fun to see the lights with the crowds of other people in the Christmas spirit just like us. We went to the Ogden's Christmas village.

This picture of the big green tree was the lights in the park by the Roy City office building. I loved this tree it looks better in person than in picture. I called it the Emerald tree (referring to the Emerald City on The Wizard of Oz)

Braxton was tired from Christmas shopping today and didnt really want to see the lights, he was much happier if he got to take the pictures. This is one of his not so good pictures. But it really does look neat just wanted to share it!

School Christmas Assembly

Braxton's choir group performed in the school assembly along with the other choirs and the Jazz band. They sang Born, Born in Bethlehem. He had a concert this week too, the assembly was very worthwhile we were glad that we went, they sang good!


hint: He is on the middle row in the middle.

Playing in the Snow

Me and Braxton were playing in the snow.....

It doesn't look much like a snowman, its more of a snow blob!! Whatever it looks like we just spent time together as a family and it was fun!

Making Gingerbread Cookies

Cutting out our little gingerbread men

All lined up and ready for baking!

Warm and freshly baked out of the oven

Our family Brian (Fat man cookie) Jackie and Braxton

The Best Thanksgiving Ever 2007 !!

I am sure everybody would agree in my family. That year was a favorite Thanksgiving memory!

IT SNOWED TODAY!!

Its a winter wonderland...........

Taia says Hey won't someone please come out and lets build a snow man. Her white plastic ball was in front of her and she was nudging it to build a snowball.

We had planned on decorating the tree and when the snow started coming down it just put us more in the spirit, a perfect day for it to snow!!! Burr we will just stay inside and keep warm. We checked the chimney flume and the fireplace was all good to go, this is just the beginning of many fires in the future this season. Yea!!!

15 years at Icon

On Nov 15, it will be my 15Th year anniversary date for working at Icon. Can you believe it? I remember saying that very first year many times "Oh I am not planning on working here much longer, what have I gotten myself into working for this company." There was a meeting with the whole Returns Center and Me and my Mom were both awarded with a Gold medallion and Sams/Wal-mart gift cards. The years have gone so fast!!!

Thankful

WOW another year is coming to an end. I have so many things that I am thankful for, I am thankful for a lot of the good in my life and for my family and friends. I have made some new friends this past year, and some friendships have just gotten stronger. I want to thank everyone in my family because at one time or another they have helped me at sometime.

I would like to start off the first of this month and say thank you to Brian and Braxton. I am so blessed to have them in my life. They are such support to me, they are more support to me than I am to them I think. They are both good listeners and they show me understanding when I need to ramble on about my trials and issues. Being the only girl in a family of all boys hasn't been a easy life, its been a lonely life.

We have had quite a year these past 11 months. When Brian got layed off on January 9th, I knew this was going to be a hard year. We have had our ups and downs other years but this year has been hard and has made us grow in areas that I think we needed the most. Brian has never complained to me ever about not having a job. He has been strong this whole year, he gets down and discouraged but he is always there for me. I try to be patient and remember that I still have a job and give him positive encouragement. We joke that he is the AM. mom and I am the PM. mom, he has helped take care of Braxton and Taia during the day and some of the household duties. That has helped me alot because it has taken the pressure off of me. He gets Braxton up and off to school and drives him to the Jr. High and picks him up everyday. That alone has taken stress off of my shoulders that I used to have to deal with when he was working.


I hope to post more thoughts and feelings too on the blog in the future. I just wanted everyone to know how thankful I am just for the simple things of life.