But I'm a Boy Mom...

When I was pregnant with Mallory I promised I would never give in the girly stuff. I wanted to be a boy mom and was proud of it. Well, as of about a few weeks after her birth, I caved. And, it has been well worth every minute. If girls are going to give us harder times with hormones and such, then why not enjoy the things we do have control of - hair bows, hats, outfits, and decorating their rooms. At least we have control until they start talking! I also promised that I wouldn't paint her room pink and I didn't, but I do dress her in pink almost everyday. Well, here are a few photos of her room and I will admit I probably went a bit overboard for a baby who doesn't even know much of what is in her room. But, like I said before, do it while you still can.

Christmas Highlights

What a wonderful Christmas! I think I can honestly say THE BEST ONE so far. It was hectic leading up to it and on Christmas Eve I thought my head was going to explode, but as the evening came and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at our friend's house, it all came together. The kids didn't wake up until 8 am and we didn't go out until 8:30 am. The boys all slept on our floor since they would have to pass by the family room to get us and see everything if they slept in their room. Santa brought each of the kids three gift including a Creepy Crawler Oven, Star Wars Legos, sippy cups, and dinosaur puzzles. The grandparents in Cali sent funny hats from Alice in Wonderland and Dr. Suess along with the DVDs to go with them. We adopted at least five new WebKinz and I am sure there are more adoptions in our future. And, yesterday we came back from Cincinnati where we stayed with cousins karaoking to High School Musical 1 & 2 and jumping on their new jumping pit in the basement. I loved singing the duets (I was always Ryan) with my sister in law (she was Sharpay)! Well, 10 pounds later...it has been a nice Christmas Season and I feel ready to move on. I am usually sad to move, but this year I am ready. In fact, today I started my New Year's Resolution a little early and jumped on the elliptical and plan on continuing way in to the new year. Something had to been done because we just had too much great food to eat for the last 2 weeks. I am not complaining, just reporting. So, Happy New Year to all and to all a good night.

Happy Birthday Zane

Actually, Zane's birthday was yesterday, but I did want to mention it. See, I didn't write about it yesterday because Christmas Eve is always a BUSY day and a bit hard to celebrate a birthday. It was crazy busy yesterday. Let's just say Zane isn't exactly the easiest person to throw a party for because he just doesn't care about it. Well, the girl in me cares about it a lot and every year we try so hard to make it a special day. He is well worth the stress (mental usually!) and effort. He is the big 34 and well, I can't tease him about it because I follow and become the same age 6 days later. When I talked to him at work when we first met (12years ago), I told him that I didn't want to date anyone younger than me. He then asked how old I was and I said, "21." He asked me when my birthday was and I said, "December 30th." He said, "Good, I am six days older," and then walked away. A few weeks later we were dating and needless to say we were engaged about 4 weeks later. So, 12 years later...I still love him and am lucky to celebrate with him and our four kids. Happy Birthday Zane (yesterday)!

Sharing

Most of you know that Gage, my 3 year old, has juvenile diabetes. Well, yesterday I was going to test his blood sugar and he turned to dad and said all proud, "I get to get tested because I have diabetes." I told him that it wasn't fair and I wish that I had diabetes too. He turned to me and said, "It's okay mom.... maybe you can have diabetes next time." I thought he was so sweet and innocent. He was willing to share, but for now, it was his turn to have it. Well, I am not sure how long this great attitude toward testing and shots and forced feedings (running around after him with a pb&j sandwich) will last, but for now it is for the most part a sweet experience as far as trials go. He is a sweet guy who when he is refused an opportunity to eat a piece of candy that he asks for says, "Ohhhhhh man," just like Swiper the Fox instead of screaming and yelling. Of course that's not every time, but most of the time and I like to remember it that way. Well in this season of candy and good food, I wish all those with diabetes or any type of health issue a blessing of extra health and happiness!

Embroidery Patterns

These are the two embroideries we did for an Enrichment Activity two weeks ago. If you want them they are yours to create with. They just use a backstitch for all stitches except a french knot for the berries. Really easy - I promise. If I can figure it out, you can too! Merry Christmas~

New Header

Just so you don't think I think that this header is working with the page, I don't. I know it doesn't fit, but it is currently under construction and it might be awhile - you know with the holidays and all. So, someday it will fit in the box and until that day, enjoy the pepto background and wrong fit at the top. THE END!

Christmas Memories

HaTs!

I just read my mom's site and saw that she posted the photos of Mallory and all the hats she made her during her trip out here to Kentucky. It was fun when she would finish one and we couldn't wait to try it on Mallory. They turned out really cute and I think my mom should go into business. She was getting them done so quickly. It made me want to run out and get more yarn to get more hats. That is one talent I wish I had - knitting/crocheting. I took a knitting class once and let's just say I did not pass with flying colors. And, now I am afraid to try again because what if it wasn't just a fluke (bad teacher) that I didn't catch on. What if I really can't figure out how to knit? So, I am leaving it to the future of one day I will accomplish that skill and become quite good!

dEaR SaNTa...

I love letter writing to Santa and the magic of it all! Tonight Boston and Trevor wrote letters to Santa along with including an additional list of wants and desires. Boston had me help him and he asked Santa if he would still get gifts even if Santa saw him in the night if he gets up to go to the bathroom. I guess we've been telling Boston that Santa won't leave anything if you stay up and wait to see him. Trevor's letter just included a short note that said, "Please refer to my Christmas List for the three gifts mom and dad said I would be getting from you!" Then, the two of them put on their heavy winter coats over their p.j.s, put on their shoes and ran in the dark to the mail box to put the letters in. I hope Santa gets those letters quick enough to respond! I remember one year getting a letter from Santa when I was about five years old that told me that I needed to be nice to my brother Brett if I wanted to get gifts that year. I guess I needed to be a nicer sister. Hopefully, over the years I have changed and now Brett can say that I have been nice to him! If I am lucky then Santa will leave a great gift for me this year!

Turkey Day

I love Turkey Day. And, I especially love it when cousins are involved. Okay, so technically these weren't my cousins, but they were my childrens' cousins and they all had so much fun together that it reminded me of when we had Thanksgiving in San Diego every year at our house and we waited all day for our cousins to come. We would eat tons of orange rolls, sit at our own cousin table, and then were bribed to do the dishes in exchange for more orange rolls. Now, our kids have their Ross cousins to play with on Turkey Day. And, as Trevor said as soon as they left, "I feel so lonely when their not here." We had a nice dinner and us adults were even kind enough to let the cousins have their own table in the other room. What more could everyone ask for?

They Had a Ball!

Trevor and Boston combined their birthday parties this year and the thing that they decided that they both liked was BOWLING! So, a bowling birthday party it was. We had it at Ten Pin Lanes and once we got there we knew we were slightly out numbered as the boys were running all around not knowing whether to get shoes or look for bowling balls. Jeff Mortenson was kind enough to stay and help man the party with us for an exchange of a chance to bowl. Once we all get our names on the board, our shoes on, bumbers up, and bowling balls in hand, it was so much fun. The boys had a blast. Gage thought this was his birthday party as well. He had been practicing for months by bowling on the Wii. His little size 7 bowling shoes were so cute. Sydney Mortenson stayed as well and the ball weighed more than her I am sure, but she managed to get it down the lane. Some of the kids threw the ball so soft you wondered if it would make it to the pins. But, we would all yell and scream and that seemed to help the ball make it to its destination! Tanner Williams was a bit shy at first to bowl because he just wasn't fond of those shoes you had to put on. At the end we finally convinced him that he should try and he bowled the last 4 frames. I think turning 6 and 9 was great for Boston and Trevor and I am not sure that we will be able to top this next year!

Extreme Makeover

Zane was asked by his friend that does insulation to help out on the Extreme Makeover house here in Louisville. They broke ground last Friday (actually demolished the old house) and will finish the home by this Wednesday. He went to the opening and said it was a funny site. He considered swaying the music with a big smile from a band that was playing so that he could be on TV, but then decided that cheesily smiling and swaying was not the way he would want his 15 minutes spent! He went last night in the middle of the night - starting at around 11 pm and coming home at 2:30 am - insulating. He said this house is over 3000 square feet and they had so many of them that they put all the insulation in in 50 minutes! World record if you ask me. Anyway, these are some photos of the work.

Tagged

So, I've been tagged! Kathryn gave me fair warning today, but I still don't know about these games where you have to come up with stuff about yourself that is interesting. I will try my best though. For this game I need to write 6 interesting facts about my self and then tag 6 others and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog. So, if I tag you, you must do the same. Got it? Good!

Tagging - Tanya, Cheryl, Jennilee, Julie (mom), Jessie, and Kim

1. I love egg nog and it is egg nog season - by the way. Once when I was in sixth grade we had to write speeches about things that we love and I wrote and gave a entire speech on the beauty of egg nog. One year for Halloween my mom made me this skeleton costume and my sister, Tanya, wanted to wear it to a Halloween party and I told her that she could if she bought me a quart of egg nog. I hid it in the fridge and drank it all myself. You had to hide things in my house if you wanted anything to last with 7 brothers and sister, ya know! Anyway, loved it then and love it now.

2. I used to sing and dance carrying a cultivator (a gardening tool) accross the BYU football field at least once a week. If I had this gardening tool (basically like a claw on a long pole) I could perform many show tunes and really kick up my heals. I would do round off back handsprings down the sidelines as well. I also used to listen to a Miami Sound Machine tape I found with my friend Monica at work and we would put it on the tape player in the dump truck and park the truck and dance in a field across from the stadium. I am happy to report that the BYU stadium grounds and other sports fields were well taken care of during the years that I worked there!

3. They used to call me Tra-Snake in college. You may wonder why and you will just have to keep on wondering!

4. I still love ska. Once in awhile I will turn on a CD of The Specials, Madness, English Beat, Special Beat, etc. and just skank. Okay, that word doesn't sound too good, but it is a real term for a type of dance that you do to this type of music. In college I used to put on my monkey boots (which I still have) and go to ska concerts. If you don't know what this music is, you are missing out. Talk about a weight loss boogie! Anyhow, I miss my old music ways sometimes. Sometimes I even forget that I have an opinion of what I listen to.

5. Someday I am going back to Italy. That is where Zane and I went on our honeymoon and we wanted to go back there for our 10 year anniversary. Well, ten years came and went (we did go to the Cheesecake Factory though - so close) and we haven't been back. When Zane asked me to marry him it was on the 50 yard line of the BYU football field in the evening and he asked me to go to Italy with him. The only stipulation was that I had to go as his wife. Heck ya - I was all over that. Who wouldn't want to go to Italy? Getting married wasn't so bad either. The city that I really want to go back to is Varenna. It's this quaint little city on Lake Como in the Italian Alps. That's where we were the first night and as Zane was zonked out catching up from major jet lag, I was walking down cobble stone streets and alley ways saying, "Buona Sera" to the little old men on the streets and eating my first gilato. It was magical! The ice cream and the scenery!

6. My favorite stores and catalogs:

Boden
Sundance
The Gap
Banana Republic Outlet
DSW and Off Broadway Shoes
Garnet Hill
Forever 21 (like I am 21!)
Restoration Hardware
Crate and Barrel - when are we going to get one?
IKEA - always take an extra suitcase when traveling to a city with one


Well folks...that's all!

Mallory's Footie Jammies

I love the time of the year when babies wear footie pajamas. They are so warm and toasty when they wake up. When I zip off Mallory's in the morning I tend to leave them like that for awhile until I dress her so that she has room to breathe. You know, feet being cooped up may sound cozy for awhile, but there is time for freedom as well. Mallory is nine months now and she is getting so funny. She has big front baby teeth (that is an Underwood trait) and it may take awhile for her to grow in to them, but I will enjoy the look until she does. I had a friend say to me the other day, "You really are getting girly." She was talking about the hair clips I put in Mallory's hair, the fact that my blog has girly colors (at least for me they are girly), and that I love to dress Mallory in pink. I never thought I would be that way. In fact, I painted her room blue just to make sure that I didn't. But, in the end, the girly bug bites you and there is not much you can do. So, I am going to ride with it!

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