Twas the Sunday before Christmas......

Here we are, December 21st and I am finally getting around to blogging about Christmas. I haven't been in the holiday mood so much this year. I think it is because my girls haven't really been asking for much from the Jolly Fat Man. Whatever they see on TV is what they want for that minute. When Santa asks, they really don't have much to say. That makes it hard to shop when you don't know what to buy. I am having a hard time buying stuff just to buy stuff this year. Needless to say, Tom and I didn't do an ounce of shopping until this past Thursday. If you are counting, that is one week before Christmas. I think we did okay though, the gifts for the girls are finished and the rest of the gifts won't be too hard to find.

To get the week started, tonight we built Santa's sleigh out of gingerbread. It was one of those kits that you get at the store and everything is included. Grandma Pam buys a kit for all of the grand kids each year. The girls get so excited to put it together. With the help of cousins Chase and Ceclie we finished the sleigh and 4 of the reindeer. I must say that the sleigh kit is easier than the gingerbread house to put together and decorate. Which means less mess and a shorter attention span in needed to complete the task. Which also means happier kids and a happier mom. Tom took the pictures this year because I was helping man the frosting. Here is the finished product. Santa is ready to go.

Indian Leg Wrestling

On Sunday night, my brother and his wife Lori invited the family over to their house for dinner. After some great meatloaf and mashed potatoes, the adults settled onto the sofa's to chat. Somehow the subject of leg wrestling came up. I think because my nephew Chase wanted to sword fight, which led to chasing him around the living room and kitchen, which led to WWF, which led to leg wrestling. Anyway, Tom wanted to teach Chase how to leg wrestle. He did fine but it is hard when there is a two foot difference in the length of the legs involved. Chase got bored fairly fast with this new sport and off he went to find the cousins. Which brings me to why I post today. Josh then wanted to try it out. Tom was leery at first because we have that 2 foot leg difference again, but now the length is not in Tom's favor. (well, maybe not 2 feet, but Josh is taller) After a bit of convincing, the guys were on the floor on their backs counting down to the wrestle. First match, Tom wins!!! Yeah, go Tom! Second, third, forth and fifth, Josh wins. He must have figured it out after being flipped over the first time. So Josh was the leg wrestling champ for the night. Sorry Tom, maybe next time. The whole event lasted about 5 minutes but it made for a good laugh. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera, I will leave the images up to you.

We are a happy family!

Here are the latest photo's of the fam. It is hard to believe how much we all change from year to year. (Secretly I wish it was just the girls, but oh well.) I have to give credit to Sandi Fender for the wonderful memories she has captured for us. The girls had so much fun taking the pictures, they could have taken hundreds more. If you need some great pictures taken for the holidays or special event give Sandi a call she does a great job. Take a look at her website.

sandifender.com

An apple a day.....

After quite a traumatic week for me, I am ready to be back to normal again. I am not sure if, or how soon that will happen but I am praying for the day. After a trip to the ER and a visit to see the Neurologist, they told me I did not have a stroke and did not have MS for which I am extremely grateful for. I guess all of the numbness in my extremities and face, are symptoms of an awful anxiety/panic attack. Now, I just need to learn how to control them and all will be well.
As a result of all of this, I went to the funniest doctor I have ever been to in my life. His name is Jozef Ottowicz, doctor of Neurology. He is German, as you could probably tell from his name. Imagine Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther but with no mustache and white hair. I have never had to concentrate so hard on anyone while they were talking, except the deaf guy at Crossroads, in order to understand what he was saying. He was very thorough in his examination and I left with all of my questions answered. He narrated everything he did, poking me with pins, having me walk on my toes and heels, touch my noes with my eyes shut, follow his finger with my eyes. While checking my reflexes, he would say, "I pound you softly one time, on the left, on the right." At this comment Tom had to turn his head and look away in order not to laugh. He was very funny. I can't get across how he talked or how he said the things he said but he is now my favorite new doctor. I told my dad about him, he might fake a neurological condition just to see him in person. Tom liked him too but gets tired of listening to me try and impersonate him. Anyway, it was the highlight of my week so far, I know I live a boring life, but you would like him to too I guarantee!
On a more serious note, to all of you who called and checked on me, came to see me, and kept me in your prayers I am so grateful for all of you. For my mom and dad who came to the ER and collected my two traumatized girls and let them have a sleep over THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! To Tom, who keeps me calm and takes the best care of me, I LOVE YOU CUTIE. And to my family, who even though I am going crazy, you always make me laugh and see me through it. Thanks for everything!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma Elaine

I am a day late but I wanted to wish Tom's mom a very a happy birthday. I had to work and couldn't attend the birthday party, but I was thinking about her. She is a wonderful grandma to the girls and a fabulous mom to my hubby. I hope she got all that she wanted and had a very special day. Happy Happy Birthday Elaine!! We love you!

Uncle Fester????

I was going through my pictures today and came across this one of my nephew Chase. Everytime I see it I laugh out loud. He is hysterical and always wants to make a face when you take a picture of him. I couldn't keep it to myself any longer, I had to share.

I can do it all by myself

The other day, I started making Mac-n-cheese for the girls for lunch. I put the water on the stove to boil the water and got side tracked. I had been cleaning all morning and decided it was time to bathe before it got any later in the day. I got in the tub, and THEN remembered the water on the stove. At this point I was already in the tub, and didn't want to get out. I asked Jaidyn if she wanted to make the mac and cheese. She was elated to say the least.

She boiled the noodles, drained the water and added the ingredients to the pan. She was so excited that I was letting her do it herself ( with a little help from Madi). I just walked her through it step by step. She kept telling Madi to stay back she was trying to cook and Madi was in her way. She was such the grown up. Needless to say it took about ten minutes longer than it should have but in the end, there was hot cheesey goodness in a bowl.

Observations of a four year old

Here is how Madisyn's mind works, sometimes I think I make things too difficult.

"Mom, I think that we have to wear warm clothes today."

"Oh okay, that is probably a good idea" I said.

"Do you know why we have to wear warm clothes?" she asks.

"I think so, but you can tell me why you think so." I reply.

"Because the toilet seat is cold." she says with an I'm so smart tone.

"Oh yes, I should have known." I say with a chuckle.

So Grown Up

Here is my first born. My little bugaboo! However, you will notice that she is not so little anymore. I can't believe she is growing so fast. I never dreamed I would be a mom to an eight year old. She has changed so much over the last year. This is her latest school picture and I think it shows her personality to a "T". Here are a few things about my cute little Jaidyn.

She is the most tender hearted little girl I know.

Jaidyn loves her sister and wouldn't be without her.

She loves to draw and create lots of art projects, she has an imagination I am amazed by.

She can entertain herself for hours, movies, reading, playing in her room, or drawing.

Jaidyn is very smart, and has a really good memory.

The boys in her class love her, I can't count how many boyfriends she has.

She is very theatrical, wants to sing and dance with the best of them.

Jaidyn has a "thing" for info-mercials (she gets this from her dad). She can recite the commercial and tell you the number to call. If you want to scoop on time-life CD's she's got it. Want a good christian rock CD, she can sing all the clips on the TV and tell you when to call. How about the Swivel Sweeper, any RONco product, or the latest steamer, it doesn't take long to convince her to buy.

She makes us laugh all the time.

We are so glad she is a part of our family. I am glad she is my little drama queen and wouldn't be without her.

Serving

I have worked a lot this weekend and have made some observations. Some I have noticed before, others just recently. Talking to my fellow servers, I think it important to note some dining out etiquette.
1. Standard tip should be a minimum of 15%, if your server does a good job, tip them more. 20% lets them know that your dining experience was a good one.
2. If you have teenagers, that are eating out without you there, they should know about rule number one.
3. If your food did not meet your satisfaction, you should tell your server about it, so they can get you something else, or try and fix it for you. If the server stops by your table and you say that your food is fine, then don't leave them a note on the credit card slip that it did not meet your expectations.
4. Don't punish your server because the food, was not cooked rare enough, well enough or somewhere in between, we don't cook the food. However, we can take it back and make them do it again. Which we will gladly do if you tell us about it (refer to #3).
5. If you come to a restaurant to eat, expect to talk to people, namely your server. Don't ignore them when they come to the table or tell them that they are bothering you. YOU sat down at the table to be served, expect some communication.
6. If you have toddler children with you, just because you are in a restaurant, doesn't give you a right to throw food on the floor and then walk on it when you leave.
7. If you eat out, expect to add a tip to the total, don't rack up the bill and then not tip accordingly because you don't have enough money.
8. Remember, that most servers like the job they have, including me, next to Cinnabon, I love my job! However, I work for $2.13 and hour and tips make or break my shift.
9. Servers enjoy being treated like a person, we can make your dining experience enjoyable if you give us the chance.
10. If you eat our regularly, or if you have a server that you like, ask for them, it is a compliment that you would want them as your server again. And if you have one of those annoying but informative surveys on your receipt, take it, mention your servers name, tell the higher ups that we did a good job. We get rewarded for those things, and most of the time you get free food when you come back.

Alright, it was meant to be informative, not a rant, but it probably came across as both. But, if you learned something pass it on. Happy Dining :)!!!!

My hectic but educational day

My day was really hectic yesterday starting at 6:20 when Tom was off to work. I did a lot of stuff prior to taking Madi to preschool just before 10:00 including the delivery and set up of a new washer. At this point, as early as it seemed for a coke, I needed one and knew that there was more chores waiting for me at home. So, off to 7-11 I went. I got the much needed caffeine in liquid form and then realized as I walked past the donut case that I hadn't eaten breakfast and was hungry. Again, not the best choice but a donut could be consumed in the car before I reached the front door to my home. I bought the coke and donut and inhaled it as I drove. When I got home ready to do a weeks worth of laundry, noticed that the new washer needs "HE" detergent, of which I did not have. Back in the car, off to the store. I bought a several items, had a nice conversation with the cashier and loaded them in the car. CRAP, forgot what I came for, the detergent, went back in the store for purchase #2. Bought the detergent and had another conversation with a different cashier and went back to the car. As I was getting my seat belt fastened and situating myself in the drivers seat, I caught my reflection in the rear view mirror. CRAP, CRAP, CRAP!!! Here is where I notice that I have glazed donut ALL over my face. You would have thought that I had never eaten before. I just stared at myself, this really just happened. I had two full conversations with two different people, not to mention the other hundred I had passed in the store, that did not tell me I have something (apparently a whole donut) on my face! Have you had a similar experience?
Here is what I learned from the donut on face while shopping experience.........
1. The cashier(s) are not my friends. Friends tell you when your face is dirty. (I read that quote last week and knew that it applied to me yesterday)
2. I serve people a few nights a week, and if the chance comes about I will be the person, I needed yesterday and tell them that they have food on their face.
3. Donuts are messy and should be consumed carefully.
and last but not least,
4. Check face after eating a donut and before leaving home to go to the grocery store.

I certainly was at my best yesterday, hopefully today is better, no donuts, no grocery store.

Happy Birthday Saydee & Kylee!!

Here is a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Kylee and Saydee who turn 5 today. We miss you already and it hasn't even been a week since you've moved. Make sure the tarantulas don't eat your cake and ice cream.

What year do you belong in?

I saw this on my friend Jodi's blog and thought it would be fun. I would have guessed I was a little "older" but glad to know I am stuck in the "80's". I knew I was comfortable when I was there. Just a bit of fun for the day. There is even a quiz to see what piercing you are. I am afraid of the outcome to that one. Maybe I will save that one for another day.

You Belong in 1982

Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whatyeardoyoubelonginquiz/">What Year Do You Belong In?

Preschool, Day One

Here she is! Little Miss Preschool. Madi started at Advanced Preschool today and she was SOOOO excited. I am very proud of her for being such a big girl. She couldn't wait to put on her new tinkerbell backpack and start learning. The highlight of the day was getting to cut out a telephone and paste it on green paper, eat cookies, stir paint with a toothpick and talk about the letter "M". What a good start! I will say that she was fairly disappointed that she didn't have any homework. She told Grandma Pam that she wanted homework and that was why she takes her backpack to school. (I must say this comes from my genes.) Anyway, it was a great day in the life of a 4 year old and looking forward to many more Tuesday's and Thursday's to come.

Neck or Nuts?

Here is a Jaidynism before I forget.

On the way home from church today, Tom was being Tom and driving a bit crazy, mostly just to annoy me and make the girls laugh. From the back seat we hear a sigh and a groan. Next, we hear, "Dad, what are you doing? You are such a pain in the nuts!"

I laugh and try and tell her that it is not "nuts" but "neck". She then told me that "neck" does not make any sense, she will just say "nuts". I was laughing too hard to explain any further.

Summer?

Okay, it appears that I am not very good at posting. And I still haven't figured out how to put pictures on the blog. One day you will log in and have to look at the whole blog again because I will have figured out how to do it.

Summer seems to be slipping through my fingers. Jaidyn started her 3rd grade year about 3 weeks ago. Which I am not sure I am willing to talk about even now. If you know me I don't handle life's milestones very well, and I really don't handle them if they belong to my kids. However, I am proud of her, she loves school and works really hard. I will say that 3rd grade homework has doubled the 2nd grade homework and I am not adjusting very well. Thanks to Tom for taking on most of that responsibility!!

The latest adventure for the Mosers was a trip to Lagoon and Lagoon-A-Beach. We went with a bunch of cousins and aunts and uncles from both sides of the family. It was a long day but we had a great time. Jaidyn was the luckiest of the group, she was tall enough to ride all the adult rides but short enough to ride all of the kiddie rides too. It was beneficial to all of us, she could ride with Madi, who wasn't sure about some of the rides.

We had our pictures taken at Pioneer Village, we got to dress up like Saloon girls and Tom was an outlaw. Madi and Jaidyn thought it was the best, they got to hold "real" guns, (again, I will get pictures soon). What a day, it started at noon and ended at midnight, both girls were asleep within minutes of getting in the car. Tom and I weren't so lucky, I guess that's the price you pay for a day of fun with the family.

Home.....but not for long!

We made it!! A successful outing with the new trailer and the family. We had all of the comforts of home in a 20 foot box on wheels. I knew we would enjoy having a trailer, but who knew how much!?
Tom was great at hitching and un-hitching, towing, stabilizing, leveling, dumping, and all of the other technical parts of pulling an "RV". He had an group of veteran campers watching him while he manuvered the trailer into a tight fitting spot at Scoffield Reservior. I think the brand new tag on the back instead of the license plate gave them some idea that maybe he was knew at all of this. It fit into the spot like a glove and soon the crowd had gone back to the picnic tables and camping chairs.
Jaidyn and Madisyn, couldn't wait to sleep in the trailer for the first time. I don't know if a day has ever been so long. It definately wasn't hard to get them into bed. They slept well and were ready to play, "house" in the trailer not soon after getting dressed the next morning.
I guess when we bought the trailer instead of a bigger tent we made the right choice. One of our neighbors asked if she would ever see us again on the weekends, we told her the chances are slim. We are trailer converts and are never turning back. The camping travel agenda is filling fast, I think Tom mentioned, Yellowstone, Mesa Verde, Joe's Valley, Rockport..........after that I lost track.
Needless to say, I don't know if a tent is ever in our future again. (At least mine and Tom's).
I can surely say that we were HAPPY CAMPERS!!!!!

P.S. Thanks to the Crowthers, the trailer will forever be known as Spanky........welcome to the family.

A New Toy

For a while now Tom has been doing research on recreational vehicles. After much, talking, debating, searching, praying, wheeling and dealing, we have seen the fruits of his labor. We have a purchased a brand new trailer. I feel like it is a new addition to the family. The Jayco G2 came home on July 18, 2008. It is 20 feet long and weighs 4300 lbs. We have yet to name it but Jaidyn and Madi have come up with a few suggestions...Melinda, Fire, trailer.... and Jaidyn thinks that because it starts with a "J" we should call it Jaidyn. Needless to say, Tom has vetoed all of the above. When "the trailer" has an official name, we will let you know.
The girls (and Tom) seem to think that it is a mobile playhouse and have spent a great deal of time inside the trailer. We will be taking it on the maiden voyage this weekend. We are all so excited and are ready to go.
I am sure it will be everything we want it to be and more. I will post more when we get back.
Stay tuned more on "Melinda" to follow ............

What's all this........blogging?

With our best friends in Chicago, my sister and her family moving to Arizona, more friends just down the street, others in different states, and family all over the country, I decided now is the time to BLOG! I have also been stalking some of your blogs and have been inspired. I hope you enjoy the everyday happenings of the Moser family as much as I have enjoyed spying on all of you whether you knew it or not!