Slowly

So this week I have been mucho lazy! I am taking my time saying goodbye to Christmas and Hello to the new year. Christmas was a lot of fun, and I am behind again on posts, but right now I am enjoying being lazy so I probably won't catch up for a while. I really enjoy New Year's. As kids we were all given fresh notebooks on New Year's Day, we were to write our resolutions in them. I loved it! The chance to get a fresh start, to try to do it better than last year. There have been resolutions that I have kept, resolutions that didn't last a week, and resolutions that taught me about myself. I know that some people are anti-resolution arguing that if you are going to do better you just should. That there is nothing magical or special about New Years that will make keeping your resolutions easier. But I disagree! New Years is magical. In 2009 I can do whatever I put my mind to. I can be a better mother, a better wife. I can read my scriptures, have FHE regularly, and reinstate family prayer. To me, it is a fresh start.
My friend, Jenni, told me of something she did growing up. Instead of Resolutions they decided to give a gift to Jesus. After Christmas, they would choose something they could improve upon in the next year, write it down and put it in a box to be opened next year. I think it is a great idea, and I think that it is something my kids would understand better than resolutions. SO we might do that- but me I will go buy my brand new notebook today, and try to find some quiet time tomorrow and write my resolutions. What about you? 2009 is full of promise! What will you do better?

Forgotten Carols

So last Monday I got to go to Vegas with a bunch of friends to see Michael McLean's "The Forgotten Carols" I wasn't gonna go at first cuz I didn't think I would have time with all the business (that's busy-ness not business BTW) going on. But I changed my mind and I am so glad that I did. I had so much fun! I always have fun with my friends and I am so thankful for them.
Anyways, my friends Andrea, Jamie and I went up early to shop and on the way it was snowing!

I was so excited! I took tons of pics and then I made Andrea stop at a gas station so I could take more pics.

I know I am a total dork, but I love the snow! Even a little bit. Well the snow actually caused some major drama. The group that was coming later thought they might not get through cuz they heard rumors that the roads would be closed, and they had our tickets, so we almost had to make other plans. And I must say, they would have been pretty good plans, too. *wink* So we shopped and laughed and broke a couple minor traffic laws- then we met up with everyone else at Olive Garden.


Then it was on to the show! and what a fabulous show it was. I loved it! I seriously cried a lot, especially at the end- although some thought it was major cheese- I love cheese! AND it took me until intermission when I read the program to realize that it was actually Michael McLean himself acting on stage.

Yeah I'm kind of a dork! SO after I decided that I really wanted my picture with him (he is like a Mormon celebrity after all)!
But the line was huge so I was trying to get my friend, Tana, to stand close enough so that it looked like she was next to him.

He noticed us being silly and motioned to come on over and get a pic. Well, he didn't have to ask me twice!

All in all it was such a fun night! I think we should go every year- Thanks so much Wendi for putting it together.

We've been very good this year...

So last week was the ward Christmas party. It was a lot of fun. They had crafts at the table for the kids to do while they waited. It was a great idea, but I had to laugh when they announced that they had crafts and crayons on the table so please keep your kids in the cultural hall. Ha Ha! they must know my children. Anyways, after dinner Mrs Claus came and told a story. If I was better at this whole blogging thing I would show a progression of pics to show how Hannah got closer and closer to the table where Mrs Claus was talking.
it was pretty funny.
Oh and Jared is a future Pyro! He was not into the story at all but thought that the pretend fire was awesome!! He kept putting his fingers on it and going "Owww that's hot!"

Then he decided it would be a blast to run up and down the halls with his friend, Daxton, sorry Jamie- Jared is already turning him to the dark side!





The story was a little lengthy, but once it was over they started singing, Jared was way into that.
He and Daxton and Allie were getting their groove on. It was so cute!
Santa was having a hard time finding good old BHC, isn't the look on Zach's face priceless. He was concerned that if Santa couldn't find the church he wouldn't be able to find our house come Christmas.

Well, thanks goodness those kids sang loud enough and Santa finally came much to the delight of my rugrats.

Making doughnuts

So a while ago I had grand plans to do something Christmas related each day leading up until Christmas. But as most of my plans do, it got forgotten about. But we did do and FHE a couple of weeks ago about the true meaning of Christmas.

It was really neat. We were supposed to read a scripture a night until Christmas. Well, that didn't happen, so it will be added to my list for next year. After FHE we made daoughnuts with leftover biscuits we found in the fridge. The kids had a blast decorating them

and I think that Kerry enjoyed being the chef more than he will admit. I messed up the glaze, I added way too much milk and not near enough sugar, but it was still way yummy! I think that we may have found a new tradition.

A lesson for Mom

Why does life seem to get so busy around the holidays? I am so behind on blogging! I promise I will catch up this weekend. I think the pace might slow a little. But I just had to write a quick thing so that I can remember.
I feel like we are not doing a great job teaching our children the true meaning of Christmas. Well at least not all of our children. Kerry and Zach went and bought some presents for something one of the dentists in town is doing for less fortunate kids. Zach was awesome! He had a good time choosing the presents, trying to get exactly what the little boy we were buying for would like. He seems to understand that it is good to give.
Our sweet daughter on the other hand- not so much! It's really my fault, I didn't prepare her much. SO today when I was wrapping the presents, I was trying to explain why we were giving, and why it's good, and all that jazz. Well, I started wrapping Sorry Sliders- a board game that our sweet princess really wants. I did my darnedest to explain that we were not giving HER Sorry Sliders away, that this was another one that i had bought just for this little boy that wasn't going to get very many presents. Mind you hers is safely hidden with the rest of the presents, but I didn't want to say, "You're going to get one too." Silly me wanted to use it as a way to teach selflessness. Yes, I know stop laughing! I now realize that 5 may be a bit young for such a lesson.
SO she did finally relent that this present would make this little boy very happy, and then proceeded to remind me that such a present would make my little girl VERY happy as well. I told her we would have to see what is under the tree on Christmas. So a few minutes later she asks to call Daddy. I dial the number, hand her the phone and continue what I am doing. Within seconds I hear- in a super sweet voice- "Daddy, can you bring me home Sorry Sliders?" You tell me this girl doesn't know how to work the system!

How bout a whore? and pretty tables, too.

So we Burgess's have been quite crafty lately. Hannah made a gingerbread house today at school. Usually on the car ride home, I tend to tune out the kids' conversations but sometimes a word or two stick out which makes me pay closer attention. Today the word was "whore" but not as you are thinking. Hannah was describing all the parts of her gingerbread house to Zach and she was telling him about the candy canes that she had shaped into a heart for the door.

So Zach says, "oh so kinda like a whore!" "What?" I say from the front. "You know Mom, like heart and door together- whore." "Um," I said, "how about something else?" So now the door on the gingerbread house is called a dart. Which I think is equally creative and will not raise near as many eyebrows.

So for Enrichment on Wednesday night my good friend, Mindie and I decorated a table. I think it turned out super cute if I do say so myself:

The santa hats are cupcake pops from bakerella and we put chips, salsa, and guacomole on the table to distract from the unprofessionalism of the table. Here is cute us by our table (p.s. we had a super cute pose first but Sandy couldn't figure out my camera *wink*)

We are so blessed to have some seriously talented ladies in our ward. Here are some more of the tables. Here is my friend, Sandy's (by the way don't ever make the mistake of messing with her plates hee hee) She did a nativity set in the middle, and I think that the whole thing turned out really classy!

And here is my sister-in-law Andrea's. Seriously, she is so talented it make me sick. She is way crafty and even helped me decorate my kitchen, which I am so very thankful for.


I am way bummed that I didn't get everyones pic, especially Katie's and Jamie's which were so cute! Maybe some of all these girls craftiness will rub off on me...one can hope!

best waste of time ever!

so i feel like crap today! I'm not entirely sure why, maybe it's something I ate. But I don't have time to be sick, I have too much other stuff to do. But while I can I am just resting trying to kick whatever it is. And what better way to rest than to play on my laptop. SO whilst I was surfing the web I came across the BEST pointless thing to do. It's called line rider and you can expeience the fun here i have to admit I have already spent way too much time on it this morning. But it makes me laugh so hard- especially when I make the little guy fall off the mountain, or have a spectacular crash! Jared comes running to the couch each time because I am laughing my head off. I don't know what is so funny- but it makes me laugh a lot! And apparently linerider is somewhat of an obsession for some people check out you tube if you don't believe me. try it I am telling you- it will at least make you smile.

crisis averted?

I've been debating whether or not to blog this, because it's pretty embarrassing- but as my blog is supposed to be a journal of sorts and I want to remember these times, (right?) here we go:

So this morning was just like any morning,frantic rush, you know the usual. SO I send the kids to the car and grab my shoes and purse and head out the door only to be met by a 3 year old on the verge of tears. "Mommy," he says, "I pee-peed in my pants." I'm not sure if it was embarassment or pain that was causing his tears to well up- it was pretty darn cold this morning! So back in the house we go to find a new outfit. Somehow we managed to get to school only 2 minutes late! yea me! Then we went about our morning errands. I had to stop at the office and Jared was very happy and content listening to "Jedi Knight" and singing along at the top of his lungs so I decided to just run in and back out. As a side note- this was a tough decision because when I was younger and not as wise, I used to leave Hannah in her carseat when I picked up Zach from preschool until one day when I was met at the car by a very irate mother who had called the police on me because how dare I leave my precious angel in the car, etc. Well let's just say I burned rubber getting out of there.. I was not about to be hauled away *wink* she didn't really call the cops she just let me have it with a verbal assault. I probably should have called the cops on her. Anyways, back to today: So I watched the car the whole time, left the door open, grabbed what I needed off the counter (all while still watching the car, I am a little paranoid), then walked back to the car. Jared had gotten in the front seat and was pretending to drive. I went to open the door and....yep you guessed it- LOCKED! no big deal, Jared knows how to unlock it. But no he can't. I am standing outside the car trying to explain to my sweet 3 year old how to push the "other" end of the lock button- he has the "lock" part down pat if you ever need a car locked, he is your man- but he just can't seem to figure it out. SO then I think, okay just open the door. That also seems to be beyond him. Then I start to panic: He can't get this open I am going to be standing here forever! Someone is going to call the police and then I WILL be hauled away when they find out that I left my kid alone in the car. Then just when it seems like all is lost the door opens and my angel- with a grin the size of Texas- says, "Here Mommy, you sit in your seat and I'll sit in my seat." So do you think he was just messing with me?

Christmas came early

So i have the best husband in the world! i know that you all think that your husband is the best, but sorry mine is. He is so sweet and funny. And he takes such good care of me. Plus, he loves trying to surprise me and he usually can't. Mostly because he gets so excited about the surpirse that he ends up telling me. But when he does- it's always so fun!
So Sunday after his finger injury he was cleaning like a mad man. When he cleans it make me feel a little guilty, especially if I'm not helping, but he told me that he was enjoying it so I just let him while I redid the blog. Hannah, however, was so shocked by what was going on that she asks him,

"Dad what are you doing?"

"Cleaning," he replies.

After some consideration she replies, "Dad, I didn't know you knew how to clean!"

Which is funny in and of itself, but Hannah always takes things to the next level. Utterly confused she says something about how Mom cleans and Dad goes to work (I know it would be funnier if I could remember exactly what she said). You have to imagine her little face as she tries to figure this all out. Finally, she apparently decided that Dad was trying to pull on off on her and says,

"Dad, you haven't cleaned in your whole adult life!"

Anyways, as funny as Hannah is that is not actually why I am posting again. This is why you are lucky enough to get 2 posts in one day:

and this

i love them so much. When he showed me i actually stood there and watched a load be washed AND they are so cool when the kids got home from school they stood and watched the load dry for awhile.
So the cleaning was sweet, but it was also to clean out the laundry room so the new ultra fabulous washer and dryer could be delivered. Omigoodness you should have seen it before! It was a disaster- my honey really worked hard, and I love him so much for it. Here is what it looks like now:



so now i really need to decorate, and now I have another "happy place" to go and I actually enjoy doing laundry. Now does anyone have an idea to help me enjoy folding laundry?

Super fun night...finally!

So I have been promising my friends, Mindie and Jenni, that we would do something super fun for their birthdays (that fall a week apart) for almost a month now- but it just hasn't worked out. It was honestly hard to find a night that we could all get together. Well last night, the planets aligned -plus my fabulous husband agreed to watch kids- and we finally got to have our fun.
I was joking all night that I had to take the right pictures for my blog, but apparently I need more practice because I did not get very many good pictures and totally forgot to get a few that I wanted. But here is what we did:
At the last minute I decided that I wanted to have party favors, so I hit the target dollar spot- which I am so in love with as I can always find something cute and wonderful, but I digress- this is what I ended up with

in the birthday girls' buckets there were also coldstone gift cards, and i got the idea for the flip-flops from my friend, Kendra here
yes I know that my flip-flops did not turn out as cute, but in my defense I ran out of time (actually I just have really poor time management skills). and I didn't buy enough ribbon.
Okay so everyone met at my house and we drove to our destination: pedicures! (this is where the not so great pictures were taken, so you'll just have to imagine a super fun car ride) We had so much fun! Here's Katie, Mindie, and Jamie

and here is Jenni and me
apparently before I got my eyebrows waxed- shoulda planned that better. So, at first we were just relaxing enjoying the massage chairs and really, is there anything better than a pedicure? and making small talk to the sweet people working there, but by the end we were ALL laughing our heads off and we knew all the ins and outs of the place: who was related to who, who was having whose baby, etc. seriously my stomach hurt I was laughing so hard. here is the finished products:

and now I am thinking that I should have gotten a cute little christmasy design, too- but I am sucker for a simple, french.
And here we are displaying what we learned while watching the tv they had going (obviously some of us learned more than others)

Afterwards, we went to Chilis- and this is the part where I forgot to take pictures. I think that it was a really fun night, but then I always love to get together with friends so I was happy just being there. Happy bday Jenni and Mindie! Hope it was fabulous. and now my kids are going to be late to school- I need to reevaluate my priorities hee hee hee

p.s I was going to post Mindie's evil eye pic, but she did threaten me against posting any less than flattering pics so I'll email it to her and let her decide, but seriously your kids must really tow the line when they see that- I need lessons! *wink*