One more thing...

Well besides HAPPY NEW YEAR, because it is now officially 2008 in NYC. Saw a movie today that I loved. I Am Legend. I loved it. Of course I sobbed and screamed. I get way to caught up in movies, but it was really good. Maybe it is just cause I think Will Smith doesn't know how to pick a bad movie, and I didn't see Bagger Vance so I can't judge his performance in that movie. But it is one I will recommend and one you should see in the theatre...

It inspired me to pick another song for today: Bob Marley - Three Little Birds...

Adventures in Straightening

Last night after Sunday dinner Jennifer and Michelle went on a quest. Their goal - straightening Jadyn's hair. She loves taking baths and leaning her head back so her hair is long, but when she gets out is it curly (and shorter) again. So they bribed her to straighten her hair. I have to say that I can't let her do it again until she is much older, because she looked older to me and I wasn't ready for that.

Jadyn hates hot things by her head, she is very impatient about brushing her hair, and she has very clear ideas about what she wants. And she didn't want them to do it. But after much distraction and much bribery (yes that is ice cream as her reward - her favorite is plain vanilla - I don't get it myself, anyway) the results are in... and yes that is makeup - like I said they pulled out all the stops - and glitter in her hair, but she loved it. So I am sure she will be up for it again, next time though we will have to start with freshly washed and dried hair so maybe it won't be so puffy by her scalp...

Song of the Day - The Sweetest Thing - U2. I love it and it just popped into my head the line "Blue-eyed boy and this brown-eyed girl..." Ben's comment was - she is going to have a lot of boys wanting to date her when she is 16. Heaven help me, she will need a daddy before then to keep those young men in line...maybe I can borrow some of my dad's scary mojo for when that day comes...he was quite frigtening back in the day. ;-)

Wow

It has been a very busy week for sure. I have been neglecting my online journal for too long...good it forgives me. So we pretty much had another wonderful Christmas. Which reminds me I need to write in Jadyn's journal about Christmas before I have to play catch up and my memories aren't fresh. It is a week later and already I am hazy on how things went down...ha ha.

We had the usual Family Talent Show, only this year we actually practiced. We were amazing. We had the added talents of Aaron our new brother-in-law and he really enhanced the program. The Girls sung a song that I had them listen too at the last minute and we didn't have any sheet music, but I think it sounded semi-professional. It was 'Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.' It was a breathtaking rendition, of course. :-)

The next morning we slept in until 7:30 it was incredible. I don't think in my 31 years we have ever slept in longer than that on Christmas morning, but we (Benjamin) were under strict orders not to wake up until Jadyn did. I was almost well rested on Christmas - it was crazy.

Having a 3 & 3/4 year old there is so fun. We open presents in reverse baby-act order (it is a word we apparently made up, but only means youngest to oldest, but in a much cooler and more hip way!) And Jadyn was so patient at waiting her turn and very good at throwing the wrapping paper away while unwrapping her present. She hit the jack pot Christmas morning for sure. A dollhouse, a new crib, highchair and stroller for her babies, and a new bicycle. My mom made her some flannel nightgowns (pictured above in her "I am going to hide from the camera" pose) that she LOVED, she got a barbie phone, The Friend, a cash register, movies, a new CD player (she loves music and singing and dancing and Jenn was nice enough to bedazzle the play button, so I am not constantly having to start it for her.) And I broke down and bought her a barbie. It was hard to do.

Funny story about the bicycle...everytime someone asked her what she wanted for Christmas she replied "A Bike." Well I bought her stuff in October at Costco, (because you have to buy it when it is there otherwise it is gone when you go back - random sorry.) so she reached her limit with me already, so I passed this info on to my mom. Mom said she was too young, and I aggreed she could wait. My mom also said that it would be good for her to not get everything she wants. It will be a good lesson about waiting. So I am totally fine with this, no pressure was applied by me - well that I am aware of anyway - and so I thought we would wait till her Birthday or next Christmas. So my mom calls me on Christmas Eve and asks if they should get the bike. "Mom, what about teaching her about waiting and her being older?" My mom so beautifully replied, "She is the only grandchild, so why not?" Why not indeed? Hence the Limited Edition Disney Enchanted Princess 16" bike that she loves. (but doesn't like going outside to ride - when it is cold and rainy I guess I can understand.) BTW - I love her hair in the morning!

Go Cowboys!

Another victory...a good day - do you know me well enough to know that my stocking is a Cowboy stocking from 1994 - that is a true fan. How 'bout them Cowboys! BYU wins in a crazy finish, another good day - although I now only have 36 points in the Bowl competition - not so hot...Finished my Christmas shopping - a fantastic addition to the day. The only thing I can say about today, the shortest 'day' of the year, was of course it rained and of course it was not sunny, but besides that - it was a really spectacular day.

Song of the Day - "Mary, Did you Know." Now there are about 1 million different versions of this song, but today's winner is Donny Osmond. Only because in my effort to create a game of Christmas Name that Tune for Monday night's festivities I try to find songs that are not only difficult to name (which as far as Christmas songs go - that is pretty hard to do) but I also try to find hard to guess artists...do you think they would guess that? Donny Osmond? I will let you know how the game goes...

BTW - in case you wondered, who I would do it all for - she is pictured above. My girl. Who is of course, nothing less than spectacular, not unlike her mother. She is a new adventure everday. And the joy of my life - Jadyn Elise. This is her school picture - it is hard to believe not long ago she was a tiny little 5lb 7oz baby...now she is a little girl.

Sunshine on My Shoulders

Guess what - today is the shortest day of the year...at least the sun will shine. The Pacific Northwest offers limited sun viewing in December, and I miss the Sun so very very much. The sun comes up late, sun goes down early, sun is hidden by the rain clouds. I moved here in Decmeber 6 years ago. They tried to tell me that the rain was just little drops of sunshine. I didn't fall for it then, not falling for it now. But guess what, the sun was out and not behind the rain clouds...two days in a row. Fingers crossed for three. I have been a very good this year, so I am pretty sure it 's going to happen for me...

Song of the Day for today: Dolly Parton doing a live cover of "Shine"(Collective Soul). Let me be honest here for a second - I don't like much country music - but for some reason I really love Dolly. I LOVE her cover of "Stairway to Heaven." I cry ever time I hear it (and no I don't listen to it everyday so maybe that's why it still holds that magic for me.) I think I express such emotion - because I am a softie and because it is freaking awesome!

Five Days Till Christmas...

I was walking in the mall today and saw a sign in a store window - 5 days till Christmas. I don't know why that sign shocked me into the reality of Christmas being so close, afterall there were millions of people in the mall that I had been bustling through. But I can say I had an awakening moment when I saw that sign. Maybe it shocked me because this year had gone by so fast. Or maybe it just put things in perspective, a microcosm of my life's experience, time goes by - quickly. I asked myself whether it is five days or five years are you wasting your time? Are you just letting time pass and not leaving your mark on it? For me this year has been tough, I am not a complainer and you won't often hear me talk about diffuculties or tell you when things aren't perfect, but it has been a challenge and I feel like I am just getting by. As my boys would sing it - "I'm running to stand still." And they way I figure, if I am going to do all this running - I need to get moving...I am glad I saw that 5 days till Christmas sign - hopefully it will be a catalyst for change...Yep, that's right, a sign in a store window in the busy Christmas season - the fulcrum of Kathryn's life journey. Wouldn't that be a great story to tell when I am 82 to the great-grandkids around the Christmas tree..."One day, a long time ago, I saw a sign..." I should have taken a picture! :-)

PS - SongOfTheDay "I'm About to Come Alive" - Train