Jake's wrestling tournament

Jake and Wade were gone all weekend at a Jr. High wrestling tournament in Phoenix. It was an exciting week for Jake he had 6 matches and pinned all 6, 5 of them he pinned in the first 30 seconds! He scored the most points for his team which he loves doing! His team took 1st in the tournament! When they came home they played the video over and over! I loved seeing how proud his siblings were of him! Mitch and Jake taught each other different moves in our family room the rest of the day! Way to go Jake!

Christmas time in the BIG APPLE!

These pictures were taken from the airplane as we were landing in Manhattan New York. They seriously took my breath away! I am in love with the beauty that surrounds me!We were given a private tour and had a formal Christmas dinner at the U.N. building! So amazing!

The city that never sleeps---TIMES SQUARE! Wade and I love to walk and explore the city!

Taxis everywhere! I couldn't help posting all these pictures! I got a new camera---an early Christmas present. I am in love with my new camera...it takes the most AMAZING pictures! I felt like a kid in a candy store!

We love Rockefeller Center! Christmas is definitely in the air!

A friend once accused me of having a charmed life, I don't know about that but I do know that this was a charmed vacation. It all started by getting bumped up to first class---that pretty much described the whole trip! FIRST CLASS all the way!
Wade and I spent 5 days in New York at the Waldorf Astoria! It felt like the life of the rich and famous for a few days any way. We had a day at the Waldorf spa, shopping, dining at the U.N., Broadway musicals, sight seeing, and of course our favorite... New York pizza! There is nothing that compares to New York at Christmas time! The whole city is lit up with the most beautiful window decorations! It is quite a sight to see! Wade and I didn't want to sleep because we didn't want to miss a minute of it! We have so many traditions and things we love to do in New York, this year we started some new ones but kept the old so we were continually on the run! I came home ready for the festivities of Christmas to begin!

Winter Formal

I'm sitting here waiting up for Laurisa to came home after her date to Highland Highschools Winter Formal. My all time favorite thing is to wait up for my teenagers and hear all about their dates! I keep telling myself not to live vicariously through my children but I can't help it...it is just way to much fun! I ABSOLUTELY love teenagers! They are so much FUN!!!
Tonight I found out that they changed the dinner to one of my best friends house instead of the restaurant they were planning on going to. So I called her to ask her if she needed any help...of course she said no, but said just come over and visit! I am so glad that I went over because feeding 22 teens is not an easy task! Her brother is a gourmet chef. It was the fanciest meal I've ever seen! I came home stuffed because he kept asking me to taste everything! It was all amazing! I'm so grateful for good friends and mothers that go all out in behalf of my children! Thanks Rochelle for all your hard work you did tonight!
I came home and my husband had finished all the wash and had everything all folded in the closet, the suitcases out and an itinerary and packing list of what I needed for our trip to New York tomorrow! He never ceases to amaze me! I don't know what I would do with out him! If I was half as organized as he is our home would run so much smoother, I guess that is why we make such a great team... he makes up the difference where I lack! Thanks Wade I don't know what I would do without you!

Family Pictures

Here is some of the pictures we took on my camera in between the professional ones!
I can't believe these pictures turned out so well! We took them after being up at 4:00 am and shopping all day! My mom and Paul had scheduled these pictures since all of the family was in town for Thanksgiving! It was such a fun photo shoot because it was done on a whim! We got ready so quickly and with hardly any thought! I decided this is the way to go for all the family pictures to come, it took all the stress out of it! Of course Janelle is such a talented photographer and can make anyone look amazing! I love family pictures because it makes you love and appreciate your family all the more!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Benefit Concert for Marius was amazing!!! Light opened for the country group DUE WEST. They were so entertaining and quite the performers! Our good friend from Nashville wrote many of their songs and is their record producer! We loved all of their songs and have been listening to their CD ever since. We should have bought 2 or 3 CD's because every time I want to listen to it someone else in the family has it in their car! It was so fun to have friends and family there to enjoy the special night. I love benefit concerts because it is so wonderful to see people so generous and supportive. You can't help not loving Marius. He is such a darling boy and is so happy. It really puts in perspective of what life is all about, helping one another. Thanks Light and Due West for making the night so wonderful! Everyone needs to buy their National Album in January. Due West is going to make it BIG!Laurisa and I at the Matinee show. It was so fun to talk to these amazing singers and reminisce of our Nashville days!
Family and Friends with Due West

Shop till You DROP!!!

One of our favorite traditions is for the the girls and I to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving(black Friday). It has become one of our favorite days together! We wake up at 4:00 (which is an amazing feat for me) and we shop all day until we are exhausted, to try to get all the great deals! One of the best deals that I have ever found was last year, my laptop that I am using right now to blog! I paid $300 for a $800 dollar computer. Anyone that knows me knows I love a good deal! It is definitely an adrenaline rush! We have such fun memories from years past that we always laugh at through the day! This year Joslyn spent the night so she could wake up and go with us! It was such a treat to have her back home with us! We started off by going to Kohls to get a GPS for $50--no wonder the check out line wrapped around the store! Then headed for Chandler Mall! We were able to get all of our Christmas shopping done!
When we came home, Wade had put the Christmas tree up, cleaned the house and taken all Jakes friends to the bowling alley for his birthday party! We hurried and changed for family pictures with my side of the family, then Mom and Paul treated us to our favorite restaurant Tia Rosas. It was a fun but exhausting day! Wade and I both dropped by 9:00 that night but got woken up by our kids coming home with all their friends asking if they can hang out at our house! No rest for the weary!

Jake's 14!!!

Happy 14th Birthday Jake(our Turkey baby)!!! Jake is lucky enough to have his birthday on Thanksgiving this year and we are all so Thankful for Jake and his life! I have never known a child more loved! It has always been said that the first born gets all the attention, but not the case with our family! Jake has been given so much love and attention by not only his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, but by all his siblings. Everyone loves Jake! He has so much love to give back! He was the happiest baby, always smiling! He loves people and as a baby would go to anyone and made everyone feel as though they were his favorite! He has such a caring heart and always thinks of the other persons feelings! He makes everyone feel as though they are his good friend still to this day. He always has a song in his heart and sings constantly! His nickname around his friends is Jukebox or Ipod because he knows the words to every single song and I mean every song, even if he has only heard it once. He is very smart and responsible in school! He loves to make everything fun and can get crazy! He can entertain and make you laugh! He has a high tolerance to pain and is always very brave! He is a natural leader for good! He has such a loving heart and would do anything for anyone! When he was young if a friend came over to play and wanted to keep a toy, (even if it was his favorite) he would say, "You can keep it." He loves life and has such an amazing testimony of the gospel! He reads his scriptures every night! He is very consistent, you can always count on Jake. Even though he is the baby in the family he is an example to his siblings and parents! We love you Jake and our Thankful that you are in our family!