New Years 2010 Motto: If your healthy, your wealthy!

Wow, not one post in December... how sad is that! Well, it was a fun month with of course many fun activities! We had our usual five Christmas parties to attend and each one of them was special for one reason or another. One memory that stuck out for me was when Tatum told me her favorite part of all of the parties was spending time with her cousins. She and Jill got MANY presents of which I felt a bit of anxiety over what to do with them all but presents wasn't what stood out for her. It certainly made me re-think how present giving should be done next year! All in all it was a lovely holiday season of which I just finished putting away all the decorations...ugh it has to be the worst part of the season ending! (it was a 3 day event!)

Now for the New Year, every year I think about what my new years resolution is going to be? I never do the typical resolutions because I really try to maintain some level of balance when it comes to diet and exercise all year round (which means I never completely cut out sweets or junk food but I try to maintain a balance to it all! Eat in moderation and work it off!) As for this motto: If your healthy your wealthy... it applies to all aspects of my life. When I make good healthy choices regarding money (do I really need it or WANT IT) I usually feel good when I make that distinction rather than having guilt about spending too much and the list goes on and on. Whether it is a need to spend time with my friends or be home with my family... keeping in mind what will make me emotionally/physically the most healthy and of course happy! I work with a number of people who have experienced the true meaning of if your healthy your wealthy, so it is incredibly meaningful for me this year. Being healthy is ultimately the most important of all ... I may need to refer back to this post to keep it all in perspective. Happy New Years to you all as I wish you luck with your resolutions!

Enjoy the pics from the past month!

Tatum and Jillian going to a Christmas tea with Grandma Diane.

Tatum performed for the Cardinals Charities at the Friendly House. According to Tatum she took a picture with a very BIG Cardinal FAN... she still didn't understand it was Lyle Sendlein starting center for the Cardinals!

Tatum, Kira, Jill and Terrin at story time with the Grinch! Fun!

Hahn Family Lumanaria hike in Ahwatukee.... absolutely wonderful!

Jillian did a great job at the school Christmas show this year!

Last but not least GO CARDINALS!!! Another play off season and a great start to 2010!

'THANKS'giving Weekend

The title of my post is 'THANKS'giving weekend because I have so much to be thankful for this past weekend~ here are just a few...

1. My sister in law who was so kind enough to take my girls Wednesday night so I could set up the house for the party of 25 coming over for Thanksgiving. Not only did I get completely set up and clean the house but I was able to hike Camelback Mountain the next morning with my best friend Ashlee. Thank you Kelly, you gave me an incredible gift!

2. The beautiful weather on Thanksgiving, the kids were able to play outside all day long and not go crazy indoors. Also made for a wonderful hike where I was able to share great conversation and burn some calories.

3.Quality family time with my immediate and extended family. This time always brings back memories for me as a child when I would spend hours with my cousins, aunts and uncles.

4. Good movies, we went to see The Blind Side- what a feel good movie!

5. Dinner with Hatos' family, great food and fun concert performances by the girls!

6. Decorating for Christmas.... this night is always a tradition in our family, we have hot chocolate and listen to Christmas music while we hang ornaments. I will cherish these moments with my family forever!

7. Six straight days off from work, it was so nice but ready to be back to work tomorrow!

Yes, Jilly is smiling! Yeah!

My lovely nieces and nephews ate dinner outside, gosh are they growing fast!

Tatum and Madison

By the way a not so thankful moment this past weekend was when Vince Young completed that touchdown pass. Poor Cardinals... you almost did it!

Performances, Parties.... Halloween!

Tatum is on a dance performing team which I might state is very time consuming and of course expensive!! If you know Tatum she loves to dance and even more so perform. On her actual birthday she performed at the Gilbert Halloween Carnival and let me tell you she was a little more nervous than I expected. As a parent you don't ever want your child to feel any discomfort, but she did fantastic! She looks about 13 with her make-up on and hair straightened, this doesn't help when she is about 3 inches taller than the rest of the girls in her class. Her next performance is at the Gilbert Days parade where she will ride on the Dynamite Express float... yahoo! I have had my share of crowd filled events to last me the rest of the year...but I hear that this is just the beginning. Ugh!

Then we had a big Halloween Party for Tatum's birthday which was so much fun! Everyone came in costume which always makes for a great time especially when you buy your husband's costume 50% off at Joanne's. You can imagine what costumes were left over.... I had three to choose from and needless to say I didn't realize how funny it was going to be. I bought him a Wizard outfit which didn't look so bad on the hanger but when he put it on... OMG it made all the work I did for this party worth it!! I think others would agree, I would love to attach a picture but of course he wouldn't let me take one. We had some other great costumes like Charlie Brown, Mario and Luigi, and of course the birthday girl was Glenda the Good Witch. Jilly and I were the bad witches. Overall, Tatum had a great birthday!

Birthday Girl... I love you so much! You continue to amaze me with your ability to show love and care for others wherever you go. You brighten my days and fill our home with joy!

McDonald Happenings!

This time of year is always busy because of all the special events we have this time of year. To start off first Mike and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary in San Francisco. It was our first time visiting, so we truly enjoyed the quality time we spent just exploring all over. We went for Mike's cousins wedding but spent sometime sightseeing for a day or two. I swore that on Friday we walked over 20 miles because we were trying to get to everything in one day. Mike thought I was exaggerating, but we did start our morning off visiting Alcatraz which was so interesting to learn about. Then we ate lunch in Fisherman's Wharf and headed to the Giardelli Chocolate factory, took a cable car to Union Square, hit China Town and then our final excursion was to Lombard street which I didn't know if I could make. I told Mike "there better be some reward at the top of this street for me to make it up because my legs are killing me". Well, to my surprise it was worth it! The street was so neat, the flowers were beautiful and the view was amazing! We then spent Saturday in Tiburon at a park where the wedding was held, it was nice to spend time with Bob's side of the family and enjoy the incredible weather and views of the bay. However, the best part of the trip was spending time with Mike where we truly enjoyed our time together, laughed alot and enjoyed our journey all weekend long... and let me tell you it was a journey- we shared a room with Mike's sisters...! Then we returned and started our October Birthday Craze where we celebrate a million different birthdays. First one was my sister in law Angelina, she didn't get to celebrate her 30th birthday with a bang last year because she was pregnant so we made up for that this year. I should say we made up for it for years to come because I don't think she will ever forget this birthday for the rest of her life!! Needless, to say she had alot of fun dancing and little too much fun drinking if you know what I mean. I will leave it at that! Finally, the girls are on Fall break so we have had some fun lately! Tatum is loving the care free days where she sleeps in, goes to McDonald's with Aunt Kelly and watches lots of Halloween movies. I took the girls to a Cardinals game and then we had a girls night with the her cousins. Last, but not least was my big B-Day where I celebrated at work on Thursday with lunch and Happy Hour with some real good friends. Then on Friday went to dinner and a movie with family. We went to see Couples Retreat which was hilarious. All in all it was a lovely couple of days and I don't feel a day over 21! (yeah right!!) No really, life is great and I have so much to be grateful for.

This was on Angelina's birthday we went to the Sandbar in Chandler and it was so much fun! Nice to see my friend Rachel too!

Jilly Turns 4

What a fun filled Birthday weekend for my little Jillian. We started our weekend off with cupcakes in her classroom on Friday, spent Saturday at Build a Bear with a few friends from school and then last but not least was the big family/friends party in which we celebrated Jilly's fourth birthday and a Cardinal Victory (yes I am a crazy fan!) Hey, it was an easy theme to use for decorations and for others to feel comfortable in their Sunday Football best! (Cardinal red and black!)

Yes, I actually got a photo of her smiling! Jilly hates pictures so I had to act fast and get these without anyone around. Every time this time of year comes around I get very sentimental because I had both girls in the fall. It brings back so many wonderful memories, Jillian was such a wonderful baby who continues to bring great joy to my life. I am so fortunate to have her as my daughter... I love you little bean!

Tatum's first soccer game....

and she scored 2 goals! Yahoo! I didn't get to see them, but dad was sure proud !!

"She is going to be more than just a dancer..."

About one year ago....

I started this blog a little over a year ago... and distinctly remember creating a post about my girlfriend Amy's 5 year old little boy who died tragically. As difficult as this past year has been for Amy, she pulled together a memorial for Carston at his ASU preschool. They built this incredible Firehouse for the kids at the preschool to play in since Carston was amazed with fireman. This was an incredibly difficult day as you can imagine. Here, I am encountering all these new amazing adventures with Tatum in kindergarten and my girlfriend only dreams about these moments. I am reminded of what it means to live each day to it's fullest as I think about her daily. I only wish I would have made the time to have Carston come to Mike's firestation.... I have really learned to make things happen and not let things go! Those little things mean ALOT!

On a lighter note... time for Cardinal Football!!! Yahoo, we spent last weekend up in cool Flagstaff with the rest of the MANY crazy Cardinal fans! This too marks the time where I posted many blogs about my excitement for the Cardinals. Let's just say we were new to the whole Cardinal camp routine, spent an hour waiting to meet Larry Fitzgerald only to find that 20 minutes goes by fast, can you believe we only got Big Red's autograph (the bird)! We are very excited to start the season off with some great tailgates and winning games. It was so nice to get away and enjoy time with friends and cool off! This marks the beginning of many to Cardinal football posts to come! Enjoy!

Tatum's First Day of Kindergarten

Well, Mike and I knew this day would come but we weren't sure how we would feel. I realized how quickly time flies and how scary that feels!! My little girl has such a zest for life that I think Mike and I will miss her presence around the house throughout the week. In addition, we have come to realize that this is a new chapter of hers and our life - and I think it may take some time to embrace(not so much for her but for us!).

Tatum's teacher handed out this poem below as she walked into her classroom and it really touched us and put it all into perspective. Please enjoy!

The First Day
I gave you a little wink and smile
As you entered my room today.
For I know how hard it is to leave
and know your child must stay.
You've been with her for five years now
And have been a loving guide,
But now, alas, the time has come
To leave her at my side.
Just know that as you drive away
And tears down your cheeks may flow
I'll love her as I would my own
and help her learn and grow.
For as a parent, I too know
How quickly the years do pass
and that one day soon it will be my turn
To take my child to class.
So please put your mind at ease
And cry those tears no more
For I will love her and take her in
When you leave her at my door.



She did survive her first day and was super excited about telling me about what they have planned for tomorrow.