Christmas Time is Here and Gone

I guess that since it is almost the new year I should take a few minutes and let everyone know how wonderful our Christmas was.
Christmas Eve was spent with my family during the day because Spencer had to work on Christmas. We enjoyed a great meal cooked by my mom (who doesn't love Grandma Sally's cookin?) and watched and exchanged gifts with Spence. We then went to the annual Duehlmeier Christmas party at Doug and Susan's. I am very thankful to them and the hospitality they show by hosting this event every year. The 3 wise guys came and delivered gifts to all the children and Derek made cute shirts of Oma for everyone in the family.

Christmas day was very low key and we weren't rushed into going or leaving. We started the morning off with Santa gifts and stockings at home. McKinley was a lot of fun this year and she enjoyed opening gifts. She didn't really care too much about what was inside, but she loved unwrapping. Next year she will begin to understand Christmas and Santa a little bit more and will still be a joy to have around the house at Christmas. Tait loved the wrapping paper as well along with his truck. After opening gifts at home we were off to my parents and then to my grandmas and then to Brets parents house.

The Kettenrings do Christmas, not on Christmas. We went on Saturday and slept over and opened gifts. Kinney was terribly sick and I sure wish that she wouldn't have been. She is too much fun when she is well and we missed out on her spunky personality while at Grandpa and Grandma Kettenrings. (we later found out she had strep... 5 fevery days later) We ended up with much more loot then I ever could have imagined. The grandkids all got Curious George jammies, fruit snacks, books and monkeys. And last but not least a WAGON!!

Bret has been home everyday since Christmas Eve without needing to go to school or work. It sure has been nice to have an extra set of hands to help out around the house (especially with Kinney being sick) and to be able to stay up late (I don't think we have gone to bed any earlier than 2am) watch movies, laugh and play with the kids. Monday at our home will be sad when dad has to go back to work.

We hope that everyone enjoyed their Christmas' as much as we enjoyed ours!

Viva Las Vegas!

So this past weekend Bret and I went down to Vegas for the Las Vegas bowl. It was a lot of fun for us to get away. We were supposed to leave Saturday morning, but Bret's boss was nice enough to let him leave on Friday. So we packed up in a hurry and dropped Kinley off at grandma Laura's and we were off. We stayed at the Luxor the first night and then BYU headquarters, Planet Hollywood the next night. I LOVED Planet Hollywood and after staying there I would totally pay full price to stay there again.
I forgot the camera at the game and all of our trips out on the strip so the picture that I am posting came from my phone. The only thing that I got pictures with on our camera was the new City Center... man that thing is CRAZY big!
Instead of writing details of each thing we did I will just do a quick list...

• went to the M&M facotry
• ate at the bar at PF Changs.. I don't know who was more fascinated.. us watching the bartender or the bartender with us not drinking.
• Belagio water show... AMAZING as usual
• Tailgating
• Las Vegas Bowl - which sadly BYU lost... UofA showed up to play... BYU ?????
• walked the strip
  
• froze our hinneys off
• stayed up until like 3:30 each morning
• waited for an elevator for 20 minutes (planet Hollywood seriously needs to figure something else out)
  
• saw and talked to coach Anae

Overall it was a lot of fun and I am really glad we went even though BYU lost. I was pretty excited to be at the game since it seems like forever since I have watched them play. Sadly we have another 8 months before we get to watch them play again but until then I have added a countdown... even though their schedule is still up in the air I am pretty sure their first game will be on the 29th of August.

Thanks Jessica

As I was blogging today and catching up on everyones lives I was reading my friend from high school, Jessica's blog. She was telling of how everyone's blogs around this time of year talk about how wonderful life is and how in reality although she blogs only about the good, her life is far from as perfect as it can be portrayed to be.
I really needed this post from Jessica after hard things that my family and I have been faced with this week. After reading a quote by President Hinckley on Jessica's blog it opened my eyes to see that I don't need to worry, but put my trust in God that everything will work out the way it is supposed to. So that is what I am going to do... I am putting my trust in God that everything will work out. Not worry about all the little things. Its up to God, and He will work it all out.
So here is the quote for you all to read. I hope that it will help you with whatever trials or struggles you are being faced with. Thanks again Jessica for your WONDERFUL post.

"It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of his blessings, He will hear our prayers." -Gordon B. Hinckley.

cute monkeys!

Who wouldn't love cute little monkeys like these?

I took this picture after Ethan, McKinley and Tait had their Grandma Laura annual pictures taken... I couldn't resist these cute little bums!

Drama Drama the moles part II

In response to my sister in laws comments, I just wanted to clear a few things up.

First of all here are her comments....

Oh brother! You don't have to cut around those moles and I'm not a mean in-law! As a beautician asking someone to do your hair and having to deal with those are a difficult task i did cut you trying to remove all your hair! Sorry the hair cut you choose shows them. Usually i wouldn't even cut around them and tell the client sorry because you don't want to deal with blood. I cut hair, not skin and moles. So it does gross me out when i try to cut around them and nick them. I because a beautician so i don't' have to deal with blood and gross stuff. Also as a beautician i gave you my opinion. As your IN-LAW (i hate being defined as that still I hoped by now we'd get pass that!) AS your FAMILY I told you want i thought of them and if those comments hurt you and the moles really did mean that much to you, then you tell me to shove it never talk about it again and move on. You never said that. Thanks for making me look like the bad guy instead of talking about it to me to my face! Whatever, next time something bothers you just let me know so i don't get my face smeared all over the internet! If you want to know what hurts that does!

December 15, 2008 11:56 PM

Blogger Robyn Parker said...

UGH!!!! How mean can you possibly get. Seriously You creamed me and my mother because you conformed to us! Oh brother grow a pair!

December 15, 2008 11:59 PM

Second she sent me a text telling me she thought better of me. I in returned asked her if she loved me more now that my moles were gone and told her I did tell her more than once that I liked them and then apologized if I hurt her feelings by "creaming" her.

Her response...

Whatever, you are just a rude person and I just have to accept that. Thats not sugar coated and so I hope that doesnt hurt your feelings but don't worry I wont post that for anyone else to see because I am not like that.

Or because that comment is rude? - my thought

Since she already thinks I am a rude person I guess posting what she said to me that is "nice" is okay.
I don't want to drag anyone into all this family drama, but I honestly had NO idea that my story about my moles would cause this much pain to those people who I love.
I just want to let everyone know, my friends who read this especially, that I do love my "in-laws" (I call them that as a description not because I don't consider them or love them like family) I was indeed very hurt by the comments made about my moles. I guess by not "growing a pair" and yelling at them and "telling them to shove it" or not telling them 100 times that I like them I had no right to make them "look bad" or reiterating the comments made to me (all of which were said) I also didn't have the right to "cream" them. If someone is paying you to do their hair, that also means cutting around things like moles. I go to Robyn because she is an excellent hair dresser. I recommend her to everyone who comments on my hair. She always has done an outstanding job on my hair and I am apologize if the hair cut I chose required some extra time and skill.
The fact of the matter is, I was only thinking about my feelings. I told the story from my point of view at a time when my feelings were raw. I didn't mean to "smear" any ones "face all over the internet." I did however mean for you all to understand the story from my point of view, and by ALL I mean Robyn and Laura as well. I wanted them to know that it really was a HUGE thing for me to do and becuase I LOVE them I was willing to sacrifice something that meant a lot to me for them. In no way was I meaning to hurt their feelings. Especially because my feelings were so hurt by the things they had said to me. I was shocked to find out that HER feelings were hurt by my explianation of MY hurt feelings.
I guess we all have something to learn about the things we say.

Need a Laugh?

When I was doing this I was seriously peeing my pants! Who could have thought that something so little could make my day?!
I hope that these silly faces and dancers made yours too!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

They are no more.... the story behind the moles.

So many of you that know me pretty will also probably know that I also have moles... a lot of moles, some little, some big. It must come with my fair skin and the exposure to sunlight that brings them in multitudes.
When I was younger, I had a particular patch of moles that grew in a straight line up my neck. My mom always would tell me "that is where Jesus sewed you up". That tells you how long I have had these moles because I honestly believed her. I know and have known for quite a while that this is NOT where Jesus sewed me up. Although because of that little saying, these moles have always had a special place in my heart. They were a reminder to me of my Heavenly Father and that he makes each one of us different... some with moles... some without.. some short... some tall... some big.. and some small.
Well I cut my hair a few months ago and my sister in law Robyn, who does my hair complained about how ugly they were. Yes, I know that moles are ugly, but these to me make me different... they have sentimental value. And Yes, I do know that is weird to some of you, but read my above paragraph again so you can understand why. Anyway, every time I see her or she cuts my hair she makes comments about my moles and how I should go get them taken off. After my last hair cut and all of her comments and everyone elses comments I thought that I should get them removed. But I was so torn up about it. Later that night I explained to Bret why I loved my moles. He told me that if that is how important they are to me, then to not get them removed. So I decided to keep them.
The weeks to follow only worsened the situation... My in laws made comments like
"I love you, but if I pay to have the moles removed will you do it?"
"you still have those? they are SO gross"
"Just go get them taken off"
"You do know that is not where Jesus sewed you up, right?"
Although they are family, the comments still cut pretty deep because I am attached to these silly moles. I like them, they don't bug me and really that is all that should matter... right?
Well, I finally decided against my better judgment to go get them removed. Tuesday I went in and they are now gone.
I was planning on writing a poem to both Robyn and Laura about my moles being gone for them for Christmas. Mostly so I would have time to cope with my loss of my "different"-ness being gone and to hopefully be just as happy that they are gone as they would be. Yesterday Robyn noticed that they were gone and both Laura and Robyn are happy now that my moles are gone. But for me, I am not. I hate the fact that because someone said something about what I looked like or because the person I pay to do my hair doesn't like them I got rid of them. I folded... which is SO not like me.
The area that my moles were now is sore and tender. The dr told me that I will always have a scar there where they were. It will always be a constant reminder to me of my comformity.

Anyway, with that being said.... Merry Christmas to all those people who hated my moles.

Ok... Who said the Prayer?

This weekend was a lot of fun! Friday my mom flew out to Arizona for her sisters 60th birthday with all her brothers and sisters. Which meant that we were in charge of my little sister Anna until my dad got done with working early Saturday morning. My dad dropped Anna off at our house after taking my mom to the airport and she spent Friday night with us. She was a such a great helper with the kids... I was even able to take a shower while both of my kids were awake and make a quick stop at the store without piling everyone in. (for those with kids you know that it is a 20 minute ordeal just to get everyone in the car)

Friday when Bret got home from work, we decided to go up to Park City to go get Tait his Christmas stalking. Bret and I bought our Christmas stalkings up there on our honeymoon so we go back up there each time we have a kid. Anyway, we were having the hardest time trying to find this little Christmas Shop on Main Street so we finally asked one of the workers for another store if it was up or down from where we were.. and that is when she told us that the store went OUT OF BUSINESS!! great! Now I have to see if I can find a stalking just like the rest of ours...(I think I might just make it instead) Bret and I were pretty bummed out and to make to best of it went to El Chabasco's our favorite place to eat in Park City. Its good food and not so pricey.

After Park City we drove back to my parents house and put the kiddies to bed and watched Chronicles of Narnia, until my dad got home.
Saturday morning we got up and Bret wanted to change the oil in the Tahoe before we did anything else. This is the first time that we have changed the oil since we have owned it and had NO idea that it would end up being an ALL DAY project. I don't know or understand all the technical stuff, but I guess someone tightened the bolt on too tight and NO ONE I mean NO ONE could get it off. Bret tried, Danny tried, a guy who works on cars in our neighborhood tried, this thing was NOT coming off. Bret decided to see if maybe my dad could get it off so we drove out to Riverton to my mom and dads to see if my dad could do it... and sure enough he could. Anyway, 5 people, 6 hours and 4 trips to Checker later it was finished. McKinley was being SO funny chasing Dash (our dog) around my parents front yard trying to pick him up and I had to snap a few pictures of her holding him because Dash looked HUGE when Kinney was holding him.

After we finished the car it was off to Jaysons basketball game and then to Brets parents ward Christmas party. It was a Hawaiian themed Christmas Party and everyone came dressed up and wore lays. We ate pulled pork, chicken and a pineapple salad. It was a lot of fun and the entertainment was pretty good too, we sang songs, heard a few poems and Christmas stories, and even saw Santa. Mostly we were watching Kinney running around playing with all the other little kids. During clean up we threw everything to the middle of the table cloth and rolled it up and threw it away. (this is a very important note to remember while I finish telling this story) McKinley found a blow up palm tree decoration and began carrying it all over the gym. It was a crack up. Plus I was boasting as everyone who passed her said how cute she was. (very proud moment as a parent)

As we were all getting packed up to leave and saying goodbye to Brets mom, she reached in her pocket to get out her keys.. and that is when she remembered she left them on the table.. which meant they were somewhere in the garbage. Bret said there was no way that he was going to go through the garbage to find her keys until she told him that was the ONLY pair they had. So I packed the kids up in the car and parked in front of the outside garbage with the lights on so we could begin looking for the keys. One of the members in their ward came out to help. (which surprised me it was only one since there was well over 200 people at the party) He jumped in the garbage can and began throwing out all the garbage bags. There had to be at least 15. Anyway Bret picked one out and we unrolled the table cloth and started looking for the keys. As Laura started moving plates around and began to roll up the very FIRST tablecloth I saw my name tag that McKinley had taken off me and stuck on the table. I knew that this was our table. Laura had already started to roll it up when I screamed "this is ours, this our table!" and sure enough there were her keys. After all of that the guy from there ward, who just happens to be a seminary teacher, said "ok, who said the prayer." we all started laughing but knew that someone had to have said a prayer because there was NO WAY that out of 15 garbage bags we would have picked the first one by chance or even grabbed the right table cloth on the first shot.

It is amazing to me that our Heavenly Father watches out for each one of us. I know that He answers our prayers and I know that He answered the silent prayer that Laura had said so she would be able to find her keys. Little or Big, I know that He is there and listening and wanting to help. Kinda a cheesy faith building story, but its little things like this that help me remember my Heavenly Father.

Christmas Time?!?!

I cannot believe that it is already December 2nd!! Maybe that is why I am not so into the Christmas spirit, or the fact there is no snow.
This past weekend was a lot of fun filled with spending time with family, food and traditions. My mom took our kids for us on Saturday so we could go cut down our tree. It looked a lot better on the mountain than it did once we got it in the house. Oh well... it looks better now that it has decorations on it and it makes the house smell really good.

I haven't talked about our kids too much lately, so I just wanted to take a few minutes and write down some exciting things that are happening daily in the adventurous life with two kids under two.

McKinley is hilarious! Its fun to see her growing up and getting a little mind of her own and an attitude. She is officially off the binkey!! Hooray!!! And since she has tried to talk a little bit more. her vocabulary is expounding to a few new words... Yeah, No, love you, Tait, dad, bye and a few more. A couple weeks ago we went to go get the kids pictures taken and she wanted to be the only one in the picture. She LOVES the spotlight. She dances to music whenever it comes on and tries to sing like Aerial.. which is a definate TRY! Her laugh is so contagious and it is becoming very hard to try and discipline when she is so stinkin cute!

Taitan is getting so big SO fast. I seriously cannot believe that he is already 5 months (in 3 days) he is trying to sit up on his own, he giggles and its absolutely hysterical! Healso loves to coo and blow raspberries. He is a much happier baby since I stopped nursing and went to straight formula. That was a very hard thing for me to do becuase I loved the one on one time it gave me with him. He has started veggies, right now its sweet potatos and he loves them. He still does not sleep through the night but in a couple weeks when Bret doesn't have school or work we are curbing that awful habit! I am glad that I am finally starting to figure things out with him and that he since has been a much better baby.
Bret has only 8 more days left of school and then I get his time! I cant wait!