Thanksgiving 2009

For Thanksgiving this year, I was excited to be able to spend it with LOGAN! (We rotate every other year with his dad)
We also had Scott and Sarah's family, Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jim, my sweet Justin and the whole Osenbach family!
My mom planned an amazing meal, and everyone else brought their own delicious contributions! My dad arranged various parts of the house, for all of our enjoyment. Football was of course on the main floor TV, but then he moved his TV down from his basement for the kids to play video games in the piano room. Then we cleared the basement and set up the ping-pong table! (which is something we haven't gotten out for YEARS!)
After dinner, we played a fun card game around the table, and the loser of each round had to go start cleaning the kitchen until the NEXT loser took over! It was great! I've never seen Uncle Jim in the kitchen THAT MUCH!!! LOL
My mom also organized a BINGO game for the kids, complete with great Dollar-Store prizes! That's been a fun tradition I'm glad she still does!

Of course after dinner, there were plenty of naps, and even a trip to the park with Emily and ALL the kids! (Thanks Em!!!)

Overall, it was a great, wonderful, relaxing THANKSGIVING DAY!!!
Now enjoy the few shots I took......
Here's HALF the table!!!


Here's the other half of the table!!!!


And here's the infamous "Kid-Table"!


Justin and I spending our SECOND Thanksgiving together!!! :) :) :)


This is one of MY favorite Thanksgiving Day traditions....Looking through all the ads in the paper and checking out what good deals there are available for "Black Friday!" This year, I DID NOT get up early, there wasn't anything worth losing my sleep. But Justin and I still went shopping later in the afternoon and found some good deals anyway!!!
So here's Justin and Scott checking out the ads!


Logan and Jake playing video games on the wii !!


The Osenbach kids playing ping-pong.....with Courtney ON THE TABLE??? What the?! They are all so good to her!


Sarah and Justin......sleeping off dinner!


Scott enjoying HIS nap!


Mark Osenbach....during his POST-Turkey nap!


Uncle Jim and Dad......DIGESTING in front of the TV!


Of course we missed Laura and Tyson and Baby Lydia! It just wasn't the same without them!! But we're all looking forward to their visit in December!!!!

I have SOOO much to be thankful for, SO MUCH! I'm grateful for a wonderful little boy who is so kind and so thoughtful. I'm thankful for wonderful parents who love and support me in all I do. I'm thankful for amazing sisters who give me strength and have become my best friends. I'm thankful for an amazing boyfriend who loves me for who I am! I'm thankful for a great job, one that I LOVE with a passion, but also gives me the flexibility to still be a mom. I'm thankful for always having good health and being able to help those around me. I'm thankful for the service I get to do in my ward. I love my primary children and love being close to them. Most of all, I'm thankful for my testimony, and my faith in my Savior Jesus Christ. I'm thankful for all HE'S done for me, and for all I've been blessed with. I know that I'm NOT alone, I know that He loves me and I know that I will be with Him again.
I have much to be "HAPPEE" about!!! And yes! I AM HAPPEE!!

My buddy....Courtney!

When little Courtney Cole was born, I felt like my sister, Sarah, had given ME the daughter I've never had! She is so cute, and adorable, and spunky, and silly, and sweet that I just LOVE her so much!!!!!
I've been baby-sitting her since she was 6 weeks old, everyday week, five days a week. But sadly now I only take care of her on Wednesday afternoons! I look forward to seeing her and cherish that time we get to play!
One of our little "routines" is depicted in this picture I took today....While I'm sitting at my vanity table getting ready for work, she always wants to sit there beside me and play with my jewelry! So cute!

She's such a sweetheart, because once we're all done, we start to sing the "Clean-up" song, and she'll slowly get everysingle item back in the basket! Isn't she amazing!!!!
I love her dearly, and miss her tons, and am SO thankful to be her ADORING AUNT!!!!

Christmas Tree Jubilee

Today, November 25, 2009 we went down to see the beautiful Christmas Trees in Ogden. This is a yearly tradition for us, the days before Thanksgiving all these trees are on display and up for auction. Our school district sponsors it, and the money goes to a great cause!
This year we took Aunt Sharon Walker with us, and off we went....Nana, Jacob, Logan, Courtney and Myself!!! There weren't as many trees this year, but it still was fun to see them all!


This was one of Logan's favorite trees! Who doesn't love a Mickey Mouse tree???!!!!


This tree was VERY CREATIVE! Can you see the snowman in the tree?....
See the hat on top, the big coal eyes, the carrot nose, the coal smile and how about the branches sticking out the sides for the arms!!!! Clever, eh? I like this one!


This was another one of Logan's favorite trees. It was done by our home teacher and his wife, Kyle and Terry Conger. He runs an automotive shop, so the whole tree has a car theme! Very clever!



It's fun to read the titles of each tree and who donated them, it's also a great local even that we'll enjoy for years to come! And maybe someday......we'll donate our own tree!!!! Hmmmm.......

I LOVE TO ORGANIZE!!!!

Yes! I really do love to organize! My room wouldn't show it, or my closets right now, but that is one of my favorite things to do! I love the feeling of cleaning out unused junk, keeping what is absolutely necessary and finding the perfect place for everything to be stored!!!
So....this afternoon, I decided to make sense of the toy room in the basement! I should have taken a "before" picture because it was a DISASTER! I did it when Logan and Jake were NOT with me....and many toys got thrown away (either cause they were broken or from McDonald's).
Once I got things organized and in their places....I pulled out my favorite TOY!!! My LABEL MAKER!!!! Justin gave it to me last year, and once I get it out I just can't stop! So.....I then labelled every single shelf so that from here on out, all the toys would have their own designated "spot" and hopefully keep from getting as bad as it was! (Notice I said "hopefully"?!)


Can you see every single label??? :) There is no mistaking what goes where! ANYONE could come down and put all the toys away...and there'd be no question as to where things go!!! Brilliant right???? ok.....maybe this is a little over the top, but I still had SO much fun doing it!




I had this metal divider-thingy...and it works great so Logan's Lego's can all be up and out of the way, but on display too! And then see the little containers I had? They work great to store any extra pieces and all the little guys and their accessories! I labelled those too!


My motto is....Everything in it's place, and a place for everything!!!!


The big test will come with time....will things really look this good all the time? Probably not. But if Logan and Jake are asked to clean the toys up....now they know just HOW to do it!!! And I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the job gets done correctly!!! Wish us luck!!

Park City Lego Art

On Friday, November 13, 2009, Justin, Logan and I drove up to Park City to view an art display called "Art of the Brick." It has been in Park City at the Art Museum, and this weekend was it's last. All these pieces were done by one man, and they were absolutley AMAZING!!!! The pictures don't do it justice, but I did take lots of photo's to share! There was so much detail put into each piece! It was fascinating!
I kept telling Logan that we could EASILY go home and make these! HA! I wish!


The artist wanted YOU to decide if this "red man" was sinking or exploding out!!! Hmmmm.......


Justin and I both loved this one! It was creative and amazing that he made the man's reflection!! Wow!


Freaky or Creative??!!


This was Logan's VERY favorite of all of them!!! He absolutley LOVED it!!!


Look!! Logan is holding the pencil! Now he can take it to school!!! (He did keep talking the rest of the night about what he'd do IF he could take it to school, and just how he'd use it!!! ) Funny imagination!!


Justin and I !


This was BIG! And on the other side, it actually had PINK fingernails!!!


Logan and Justin are "breaking out" too!!!


Check out the DETAIL!!! Amazing!!!




Very Cool eh??!!


Logan and I want to try to build this with our own Lego's!


Very UNIQUE!!


This is for all you Beetles fans!! Can you tell what it is???


If you look closely you can see each individual Lego piece!!! Fascinating!!


Once we were all done, we walked up and down mainstreet, went into a few shops, then drove around for a bit. Justin used to work at an Architectural Firm in Park City, so he showed us where his office was, and also lots of the buildings and homes he designed! It was great to look at all the other beautiful homes up there too!

We went to dinner, then headed back to Layton to watch the movie, "Where the Wild Things Are." I still have that book memorized, from when I used to read it to Logan over and over and over and OVER again! It was fun to watch Logan laugh and smile, but.....well, I wasn't too thrilled with the movie! And Justin, who had NEVER read the book had no idea what the point of the movie was! We actually came home and read him the book, and then he understood better! So....consider yourself warned, READ THE BOOK FIRST!!!

What a night!!! Too much fun!!!

HALLOWEEN 2009

OCTOBER 31, 2009
Justin, Logan and I met at Scott and Sarah's house where we got the kids in their costumes! Logan is still the "army dude", Jake is a ninga, and Courtney is Batgirl!
We then headed over to their ward Trunk-o-Treat activity! Logan and I were glad to participate, since he was sick for our own ward's on Wednesday!
Here the kids are in front of Sarah's cute house!! Oh yeah...and it's Courtney's second Birthday! Happy Birthday little Batgirl!


My sweet Justin, myself and Logan ready to do the Trunk-o-Treat thing!
Notice how Justin and I are wearing a short sleeved shirt? Well, later look what Sarah's wearing!!! I think Sarah was preparing for a snowstorm! BUT.....she still looks cute no matter what she wears! LOL


Aaaaannnnnnd....they're Off!!! Here's Logan and Jacob making the rounds! Because we took them here, and then later we still went Trick-o-Treating....it means they get DOUBLE the candy!!! What the?! I never got that when I was a kid!


While Sarah and I walked around the parking lot with the kids, Justin and Scott had candy duty! I think it was a bonding time! J/K


My sister, Sarah, CARRYING Courtney because she got scared so much! Especially at anyone with a mask!!!! Poor girl! (P.S. See what I mean??? Sarah?? You cold, Babe?)


Now Logan has extra clothing on underneath his costume and we are headed out to go "door-to-door" to get candy! It was a beautiful night, there were lots of kids, and it was just a fun atmosphere!
One house was actually handing out ICE CREAM CONES! The dad had two soft serve ice cream makers going! We got to pick whether we wanted vanilla or chocolate, and then he filled up a little ice cream cone!!! Very clever!!!
OH! By the way, here's finally a picture of MY pumpkin I carved at the party...It's the simple one with the face!!! :)


Our glowing pumpkins in the dark!!!


Logan's "STASH"!!!! The funny thing is that all this delicious candy and chocolate will NOT be eaten....by him at least! He still has his Easter candy, which I think we need to throw out now! The fun is in the getting, and Logan also loves to share! So if you have a sweet tooth, come down to Logan's room and you can help yourself!

Another Halloween is now over....aaaaahhh....the memories!!!

Halloween at Logan's school October 30, 2009

Logan had been sick the week prior to Halloween. He'd been throwing up and had a fever. We missed the ward trunk-o-treat party, but kept crossing our fingers that he'd be better by friday. Friday was a big day at his school, there was a going to be a costume parade for the parents, then a class party, which I was in charge of a game. It would have been a sad day to miss....oh, then our Pumpkin Carving party with Justin's family was that night too.
It turned out our prayers were answered and Logan started to feel better by thursday night, come Friday morning he seemed all better! It was a miracle! (Or maybe the motivation to get better was really strong!)
Anyway, he did it! We dressed him in his halloween costume for the first time, put on the "war paint" and off we went to celebrate Halloween at Logan's school! So fun!


My fearless/toothless "army dude!"


And here is the boy I've been waiting for! This is Logan in the costume parade!!! It was fun to sit there and see all the kids from my primary too!


This was AWESOME! They were all such a hit!!! The man in the crayon box is Logan's principal and the "crayons" are all the support staff! I guess someone made all their costumes, but they didn't cost more than $4 each! So creative!!!


This is Logan's class waiting in the hall just outside the classroom.....the party waas about to start!!!! .....(drumroll)


These two cute mom's came to read a story to Logan's class!
The "witch" in the white dress is in our ward, and the "witch" in the black used to be in our ward! They did a great job, now my mom and I are going to see if we could do it for her students NEXT Year!


On the whole, it's fun to be involved in Logan's school, it great to meet his little classmates and fun to be able to participate! We were just SOOOO grateful he was finally feeling better, and did not miss out on anything! Yay!