The bestest neighborhood ever!

Two and a half years ago, Lane and I bought a lot in our neighborhood. We knew we wanted to live in this area and were so excited when the developers dropped the price. (Too bad the crystal ball was broken and we didn't forsee that it would drop a WHOLE LOT MORE!) So we bought the perfect lot next to the park and tennis court. Yes, this is bliss. We built the house and had dreams of many neighbors with young children exactly our kids' ages running and frolicking through the park and fields, having the most magical childhood ever. OK, so maybe we weren't hallucinating that bad, but we did hope to have some young families with kids our age.

Well, although our neighborhood may look like a desert wasteland in parts, those few houses that are here and actually occupied by something other than dust and bugs have provided our kids with some great friends! We definitely have the girls in the 'hood over here. And thankfully, one family has provided some perfect boys for Conner. So, literally all are happy!
I love our neighbors and neighborhood. We are "seriously so blessed" ;) to live here!

We started what I hope will become an annual tradition of loading the kids on a trailer and Christmas caroling to the Bishopbric. The kids had a blast, and moms and dads had fun singing at the top of our lungs and watching the kids thoroughly enjoy themselves. We topped it off with hot chocolate and Krispy Kreme donuts at the end. What a great night!

Warning!!! A plethora of Christmas posts to follow!

Now if this sweet little face doesn't get you in the mood for Christmas, I don't know what will! It almost makes up for all the "problems" she causes all day long!

A fantastic week at Rocky Point

What's better than a week with your husband and no kids in a gorgeous beach house on a deserted beach? NOTHING!!!

To celebrate Lane feeling human again and being in remission, we took a little getaway the first week of December and stayed in the Casa Blanca Villas on Sandy Beach. We haven't been there for 15 years - it has changed that's for sure!

The funny thing is that the whole place was deserted! We literally didn't see another "tourist" or visitor there the whole time we were there! We had the beach to ourselves, the pools to ourselves, the dunes for quadding to ourselves, the restaurants to ourselves. 5 different restaurants - we were the ONLY people in every single one! That's OK I guess - we had a very nice private seranade that probably lasted longer than it normally would have - were there other people there to draw them away!

We had a great time hanging out, doing nothing, doing a 1000 piece puzzle (which by the way was missing a piece - and we opened it brand new!), quadding, eating, reading, getting massages, pedicure, running on the beach, etc.

The last night there, we were so starved for interaction with other people that we decided to go do the "booze cruise" and no - we don't drink. We talked them down to $20 a person instead of the regular $30. That was all the beer and margaritas you can drink - no help to us - as well as some food. We figured it would be worth getting out and doing something instead of sitting in a restaurant alone. There was a live band on board - and it looked to be quite a party on this 3-story boat that could hold about 200 people.

Well, we enjoyed a 2 hour cruise off the coast with 4 other people. Yup, there were 6 of us total. Can you even believe it? Why would they even take the boat out? I am SURE they lost money on that cruise! We were sitting at a table by ourselves, and started laughing when we saw the workers playing the Wii. I guess they have it there for the guests' entertainment, and since they had nothing to do, they were playing baseball on the Wii. Lane and I knew we were getting a Wii for the kids for Christmas so we thought we'd try it out. I guess the highlight of the cruise was playing tennis on the Wii. You can see pictures of the empty boat and the workers playing in the collage. That was the exciting night out to interact with other people.

Can I just say that I missed my technology though? I really need a little bit of noise in my life! There was no TV, the cell phone didn't have the best reception, there was no movie theater in Rocky Point (?what's up with that??). Thank heaven we brough the i-home and the i-pod. I laughed on the drive home because I was reading a book. Lane said he'd give me 1/2 hour more to read then I had to talk to him. I looked at him and said we have been together by ourselves for 3 days talking. I am out of things to say!!!! That's pretty scary when I run out of things to talk about or say! Wow!

Anyway, we had a great time, even if it meant I had to scratch half the Christmas decorations on the house. We got home and I had missed out on the whole first week of December and decided it just wasn't worth the effort of putting it all up when half the month was gone! :) Call me Scrooge.

Thanks to my awesome husband for a great week!

I love my chocolate

Why, why, why must everything good be bad for us? I am feeling that way about my love affair with chocolate. Especially dark chocolate. Smooth, silky, dark chocolate.

It used to be that it always was bad for you. Now, experts say that the pure cacao has some health benefits. I personally subscribe to that way of thinking for sure. :) However, at this Christmas time, where chocolate is abundant in the pantry and on the shelves, I am avoiding it, and it is avoiding me. I figure if I don't buy the good stuff and bring it home, I can't eat it, right?

Wrong! I have resorted to M&Ms, chocolate chips straight from the bag, frankly whatever works. I think I have to blame my dear sweet mom for my chocoholism. (Is that even a word? It is a sickness, I know - cause I have it!)

I really have missed my friend chocolate. Trying to not buy it so I can be "good" has been kinda hard!! So, maybe I will have to just break down and buy the real Dove good stuff and indulge. On second thought, maybe I won't - a moment on the lips = a lifetime on the hips!

Time to hit the gym.

I love my Conner

Today, driving home from his friend Collin's house, Conner asked if dogs have babies. Of course they do, I said. "Well, what do they do? Just like throw up and a baby dog comes out?"

I seriously love the kid.

Thanksgiving at the Adairs!

 

One of the benefits of not having your own family live by you is you get to adopt a family wherever you live! Lane's whole family is here, none of mine is. It was the "in-law" year for Thanksgiving, which means we were on our own. In Mexico it was great - because all of us were alone - we had Thanksgiving together. But here everyone has family. It makes it hard for me with none of my family here.

So, I am sooooo thankful for good friends who let me adopt them as my own family! We had a great time with our adopted family - the Adairs.

This year we have so much to be thankful for. It really is crazy to look at all the "bad" things that have happened to us, but then when we list the blessings, we find ourselves with an over-abundance of them, and wonder how we can complain about anything! We really have been so blessed and continue to be every day. Life is good - you just have to look for the good!

The family tradition continues . . .

Savannah met up with the turkey after the race

Me and the girls before the 10K. Yeah - I am ducking to get down and "fit" in the picture! :) Why must my good friends always be like 5 ft. 2 in.????

The whole crew when it was all over. We had a great time! Kayla, Savannah and Lane did the 2 mile fun run. Conner and Addison were cheerleaders.

Me crossing the finish - racing that dang lady to the left of me. We played chase the whole race - I think we tied.

Lane taking off on the fun run.

49:48 Yup! That was my time for the Turkey Trot! Exactly an 8 minute mile! Yea! I actually beat the turkey this year! That is supposed to be the goal. Course I try not to get my head too big cause the turkey is a 65 year old man in a 30(?) lb. turkey suit!!! At least that's what they tell me . . .

Next year - shaving off another minute.

Totally worth the work - cause then I eat like crazy the rest of the day and only feel a tiny bit guilty.