I'm Not Immune!

I woke up this morning with no voice. It seems that after a week of taking care of my family this virus has finally hit me. I was so hoping it would pass right on through the house without attacking me. Fat chance. I just spoke with the hotel that my parents had booked for Tony and I as our Christmas present and they are going to roll our reservation over to the end of the month. I'm so thankful. There is just no way we could go tonight and enjoy it.

So... it looks like we will be rolling in the New Year quietly and with tons of mucous and hacking coughs! I'm not complaining though. We usually spend every New Year together as a family, playing card games, and eating great food. I'm going to whip up some creative mexican tonight with a taco ring loaded with all the trimmings and lots of fresh avocado. Mmmm Comfort foods. I've also rented nine new release movies. We will all be sniffing, blowing, coughing and hacking together. A family. I can't wait to roll in the New Year together!

Happy New Year Blogosphere! May you all be blessed and fulfilled this New Year.

Welcome 2012!

Being a Mimi

I just love being a Mimi. I love it I say, I love it. I am amazed at the joy it brings me. The bond formed between my oldest daughter and me. The bond formed between my son-in-law and me. The unspeakable bond formed between my little grandson and me. I never, even in my wildest imaginations, envisioned the relationship that being a Mimi would bring.

Treyton has become a new best friend. All those years I prayed so hard for a boy. God is so good to me.

Everyone in my home has the crud. Today I had to take Tony, Meadow and Treyton to the Doctor. Then I brought them all home and went to pick up a few groceries and fill their prescriptions at 3 different pharmacies. Yep, 3 different ones. I had to visit 2 of them twice. I was gone for an hour and a half.

I finally got home and got everyone dosed. Ha ha! Then cooked a heavy lunch of mesquite chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, stuffing, macaroni and cheese with Hawaiian sweet rolls. We all had grace and ate at the table together. Treyton was the center of attention, keeping us all laughing. Then everyone went down for a nap. Meds taken care of and bellies full. They are all on their way to feeling better.

I am so thankful that my schedule has given me a well needed break over the past two weeks. It felt good to be home, to be a wife, a mommy and a Mimi. It felt good taking care of my family. I have such a sweet feeling of achievement, self worth, and peace. I love being content. I love my family. We are all blessed far beyond measure.

My work schedule resumes next week with school following the week after and instead of facing my new semester with dread I face it with anticipation. I'm one step closer to my goal. One step closer to my program. Once I get in the Dental Hygiene program my schedule will lighten a tad bit. Then I'll just be in school and not having to work full-time and attend school full-time. Finally, once I graduate, I'll only work a three days a week at excellent pay with no more school for a while. Unless, I decide to go for my Bachelors, which I may do on the side.

I'm so glad I home schooled my girls the years I did and stayed at home taking care of my family. My house has never been tidy but it's always been full. Full of love, full of life, full of drama, full of family. I'm thankful for the quality of life we have in every essence.

Thank-You Lord for all You give to us.

And in that day you will say, Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name and by means of His name [in solemn entreaty]; declare and make known His deeds among the peoples of the earth, proclaim that His name is exalted! Isaiah 12: 4

40.....Ewww

I dreaded turning 40 for how long? Sheesh, I wrote about it for ions. I have felt completely rotten. Happy, but physically rotten. I'm fat. My stomach so big it actually hurts to bend over. Shaving is a chore...fast becoming a rare chore because it's so stinking painful. It makes me wonder how people that are much larger than me function.

I'm just totally uncomfortable all the time.

I don't mind how I look but how I feel is terrible.

And I have this mole, it's a tiny little thing, right under the right side of my face. V (Sky) had friends over last night and as I was rubbing over it what do you think I found?

Hairs!

Long disgusting hairs.

40.....Ewwww

It Has Come and Gone

Christmas was wonderful. It's sad without my nannie and papa. This was my first Christmas without the both of them. It's hard letting go but I know that one day I will see them again. I think of them together  in heaven cheering us on and being so proud of the large family they created. They really taught us the meaning of family.

My sister came in from the beach and everyone was in the Christmas spirit. We loved, hugged, cried and celebrated. Priceless moments and I am so thankful for each and everyone of them.

Mom and dad got Tony and I a special gift and we get to go and enjoy the New Year's together alone in an all expense paid hotel room for a night with dinner and breakfast included. I thought it was the best gift of all. Tony and I don't always get to spend that alone time together with our work, school and family schedules.

My little Treyton has been a sick boy this week. I only had to work Tuesday and Wednesday, so my other days are spent with him and the girls. Heaven took Trey to the dr. today and he had an ear infection in both ears and pneumonia. He is spending the night with  me tonight because his mommy has to work tomorrow. He fell asleep around eleven but woke up around 1:30 coughing so hard he strangled. The little booger is still up!  Hopefully when we go down again he will sleep in tomorrow. We shall see. I'm keeping Pedialite in him because he has no appetite. I've had a pot of pinto beans cooking with a ham bone all day. Well actually Tony has! Trey has eaten a few bites of beans but not enough to count. Please pray for his speedy recovery. Thank-you.

I forgot to update about my school. I did pass my Algebra 1. I was so excited to discover this. I had 2 A's, a B and a pass. We don't get grades for Algebra classes because they are still considered developmental class so it's a pass or fail. So beginning the new year I'll be taking Algebra 2, English 112, Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 and ITE (which is a computer class.) Another full-time semester. I'm looking forward to it though. Once I get through this semester Chemistry will be my last required class before I can apply to the Dental Hygiene program. I have a few other classes that I will take to lighten my load once I'm accepted but all the required classes will be finished. I plan to take Chemistry alone during the summer so I'll have a light load and a bit of break. I'm surely enjoying my break now. Classes do not resume until the 9th.

Almost Christmas

Today has been a laid back lazy day. I kept Treyton this morning and his dad picked him up around one. Meadow and I have been laying around in bed all day, just talking, reading over some old posts here. We've especially enjoyed the ones titled, "A Meadow Moment." These made us laugh so hard! It's fun to have nothing to do but snuggle and talk. I've been so busy lately that we haven't gotten to do a lot of that. Tony went out and brought us back chicken nuggets, subs, pizza and candy bars. :) So we've remained in bed for meals as well! What fun!

Tony and Sky are wrapping the last of the presents for me. He's done all of my wrapping this year and I am so thankful. Usually I have to get Heaven to stay over late on Christmas Eve and do my wrapping. This year we are on top of things.

Tomorrow we have Christmas at my cousin Jane's house and then my mom and dad's. I can't believe Christmas is really here. Wow! I'm trying to slow down every moment and cherish it, listening to the music, feeling the spirit in the air, loving the fact that my family are all here together and getting along. This has been a great year. 2011 was much better than 2010 and I'm praying that 2012 will be better than 2011.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Treyton's Christmas Pictures 2011

These are photos taken and edited by me, at Must Be Jenileigh Photography. Trey simply did not care for Santa's hair. Not when on his pappy and not when on his aunt Meadow. The Santa suit made for lovely background in the pictures though! I love these and was quite impressed with them.

Almost Ready

I'm almost ready for Christmas! How about you? I only have a few final things to pick and I'm all done. I do plan to make an Italian Cream Cake for Christmas. It is my favorite cake of all time. My sweet grandma Rieson use to make this cake every year for my mom. I have her recipe and it's simply divine. I usually make it round but this year I'd like to find two square cake pans and make it square. I think they are so beautiful in different shapes and layers.

My exams are over and from what I've figured I've got two A's, one B. The only bad thing is that I think I'm going to have to either a.) retake Algebra 1 or b.) try to retest the first of the year. I only missed by a few points. It's a pass or fail class, you don't get a grade and that's why I'm not exactly sure what I got but by my calculations it's a retake. Of course I'm disappointed but I'm pressing through. I will pass all needed classes to enter my program!

Exams! Exams!! Exams!!!

I cannot believe that this year is about to come to an end. This has been one hard semester for me and I am thankful that it is almost over. I have not studied as hard as I should have. It is hard to work full-time and still find the time to be a quality wife, mother, friend, housekeeper, and student. I've pushed through even the hardest days, and there were hard days, that I wanted to throw my hands up and quit. I am quite proud of myself for not giving up, I put forth as much effort as I could muster and I'm finally at the end of this hurdle.

I had an exam in Sociology tonight and I aced it! I was so tickled I thought I would just bust wide open! I am thanking the Lord for that grade! My Algebra, which has been my absolute hardest class ever, should have been over last week. I needed an average of an 85% to be exempt from the exam. I had an 81%. So next week is my final exam. I'm going to spend all day Sunday and all day Monday studying hard. It is a pass or fail class and I'm fairly confident that I'll pass, unless I just totally bomb the exam. So please, if you are reading, say a prayer for me!

Then finally, my Anatomy and Physiology exam must be taken by noon Saturday, so Thursday will be my study hard day for that one. I need a 95% for an A in this class, and I truly want an A, but chances are not great that this will happen. I do however have a high enough average that if I score a 50% on the exam I would still get a B. With that being said, I really can't complain.

Then after next Tuesday, I will have a totally blissful 3 weeks off!

Woohooo!

I had originally planned on having an extremely hard semester for the Spring, but after lots of careful consideration, I've decided that my GPA is more important then finishing up sooner. I will still take a full load of 4 classes but I've decided to save Chemistry for the summer semester and be able to focus on it alone.

It certainly is a process, but it's moving along. I'm finally working in the right direction of my life goals. That is progress and it feels great. I cannot change my past but I certainly have input on my future. I'm going for it!

We Miss You Mathew

Today is the day that we lost our close friend Mathew. I just wanted to dedicate today's post to him. There isn't one year that goes by that we don't think of him. He was such a special boy. I love that you are dancing in Heaven and cheering us on! We miss you so much! Hugs sweet one.