I have a funny story about Laney and Christmas presents.

It requires a little back info.

She is getting a Tablet for Christmas.  She’s been wanting one for awhile now.  Everytime we go into any store that has an electronic section she HAS to play with the various iPad products.

The other thing you need to know is I have a smart phone.  It looks pretty much like a small tablet.  I found a really good pic online to compare.  Of course I would have taken one myself but I went looking for the tablet just now and Corey has “hidden” it…and you will see why as you read further.  Pic found courtesy of this site.

I’m a VISUAL person…so just visualize these two things…my phone and the “future” tablet that Laney may-or-may-not-be-getting-for-Christmas as we say around here.  Corey…please don’t send links to the actual products.  That’s not the point of the story.  Because no, I don’t have a Samsung phone, and I don’t know what the brand of tablet Corey got.  Just picture the photo above.  ;D

The other day I “lost” my phone.  This is the time when I probably should have installed this app.  But alas I haven’t so Laney and I are searching all over the house for it.  Corey was not around to call it so I could find it…and it was on vibrate anyway.  It frequently is.

So Laney is searching all over the house…in the usual places I leave it.  She was being a good helper for her mamma.  I wasn’t thinking anything of it and she was looking around in our bedroom.  She opened Corey’s bedside table and then I heard this voice from the bedroom say, “Well…I found a BIG phone!”

I told her to close that right away and come here!  She sat there looking at me with this “deer in the headlights” look.

“Laney.  What did you see in there?”

“It wasn’t a big phone was it.”

“No.  I’m so sorry, Laney. You weren’t supposed to see that.”

Silence.

“Is Christmas ruined for you?”

A very long pause…

“No.”  she said.  “At least I know I’m getting an “iPad” for Christmas!  DON’T tell Dad I saw it.  He’ll be really mad!”

I told her she had to not say anything about it and act surprised on Christmas.

She hasn’t breathed a word since. ;D

For Fall Break we headed to sunny California and Disney.  I’m so glad we went.  I’m so glad it is over.  I think I’m on vacation sensory overload.  Five days in Disney and then one day in Sea World.  I’m just plain worn out.  The good kind.

There are so many good photos.  Here are just a few of my favorite…

Oh there’s just too many to pick from.  I didn’t even get to Sea World here. ;D

It doesn’t really matter what you put on the celebrate plate so much as the fact that you get it out. ;D

For example.  Here is a rather “boring” egg sandwich.  A staple in our house.  This is what Corey and I had for lunch together the other day.  The reason it is on the celebrate plate is because he got a new job and got the news just minutes before.  He talked about how special getting the plate out was days later. ;D

When you want to make a statement…or just be noticed.  I recommend these…

Real love is sitting at a concert waiting for your child to perform…and you have to sit thru the entire thing because they are LAST.  Not to take away from the other kids.  But let’s be real.  I just wanted to see Ava perform.  Yes.  That selfish part of me.  The nervous wreck part of me.  The part of me that wanted her part to be done so I could relax and enjoy the rest.  Self admittedly I am quite possibly the worst person for saying that.  But admit it.  You feel it too.  At least from time to time. ;D

I don’t have a photo to describe this…but lately it has been a stream of hormones and emotions and first boyfriends, talking on the phone, fighting to get homework done, failing grades, forgetfulness, sassy mouths, more hormones, more fighting…between all of us…and a host of other things.  And no one is a teenager yet.  There are days when weary is a very good explanation of how I feel.  And I think…the worst is yet to come.

Just to add some humor…Here’s what the kids do to Baxter when he sits still long enough.

Lastly…this year’s birth-a-versary present.  To know what I’m referring to see this post.  Corey got me this…

This is the iPod Classic.  No I don’t like any other version of the iPod.  Except this one.  It is so not new anymore they refer to it as the “Classic”.  I think it is more expensive than the iPod Touch.   Oy!  Don’t call me old…I’d rather think of myself as “retro”. That’s “in”, right?  Anyway…I’ve wanted one of these suckers since they came out.  Thank you, Honey!  We’ve been married 18 years this month btw. ;D

…my little Kia can 4-wheel.

But only to a certain point.  And not without major scrapeage on the side steps.   We took it on this trail…

After we decided to not drive it any further we parked and hiked.  We were looking for dinosaur tracks.  We’ve seen them before.  We found more this time (compared to 2008) because when you explore on foot you seem to find more than hanging out the car window.  Go figure.  ;D

Why is it that when you go to a destination it always seems to take f-o-r-e-v-e-r but when you are coming home it takes no time at all?  I’ve never understood that.  So when we drive to Moab…even though it is only about 6 hours…about the time we get to Idaho Springs…only 45 minutes from the house…the kids start saying, “Are we THERE yet?”  Yeah.  That gets really old really quickly.  ;D

Just a couple of favorite photos from the first day of our trip…

More to come.  ;D

Lots-o-loot.  Too much I’m sure.  That’s the great…or not so great…thing about living in the burbs.  We went barely and hour and their baskets were full.  See that basket Laney is carrying in the photo below.  Yeah.  FULL. ;D  Happy Halloween!

We didn’t have to worry about people stealing our pumpkins and smashing them…oh no.  Other “things” were afoot last night.

Corey and I are laughing and laughing.  The girls are not.   So now our jacks look really creepy for Halloween…or maybe just gross.  Laney begged me not to take a photo and both girls want us to throw them away before the trick or treaters arrive.  Muahahahahahah!

Safe and sound.  Tired and happy.  ;D

…the traditions that we come up with as a family.  Some I try to plan.  Some just evolve.   Anderson Farms was definitely a “planned” tradition.  It took hold and we love it.  One tradition that has surprised me…Moab.  For the last…it will be 3 years now…every fall…we go to Moab for vacation.  I don’t know what it is about this place that we all love.  But we all do.  This year for Fall Break, Corey and I tried to suggest a different location to the girls.  No Way!!!!  It was MOAB the whole way, baby!

So we embark this week on another trip to Moab.  Arches National Park.  4 wheeling.  Hiking.  Wandering around the rock shop we love.  And looking at vistas like these…

I wonder how many years we are going to do this. ;D

We made our annual pilgrimage (here we are in 2008 & 2009) to Anderson Farms this weekend.  I came home sunburned…yes I keep forgetting I live in Colorado when that can happen at ANY time of year…and exhausted.  What did I find best of all?  I didn’t come home exhausted because my lungs were riddled with blood clots…as they were 1 year ago when we went.  And we didn’t even know that’s what was bothering me.  No.  I came home exhausted because I was able to go and do with my family.  Maybe not like I “used” to…but gettin’ there!