Christmas 2009 with Friends

On the 28th of December 2009 I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the evening with some dear friends. We had a little Christmas gathering of some of my closest friends at my Moms house. We had dinner, exchanged some gifts, talked a lot, let the kids play and just enjoyed each others company. My dear friend Sterling was home for Christmas... we were so excited to spend some time with him while he was here before heading back to Chicago the next day. Tara and Brandy live here close... but our schedules are so crazy and life takes us in different directions. It had been way too long since we were all together like that. It was fun to make some time for each other. Olivia, Jorja and The Twins had so much fun playing together. Those kids are growing up so fast! Thank you guys for making it such a great day! Love ya, love ya, love ya! It wasn't quite the same without our James there to share it with us, but our hearts were with him in Botswana! We look forward to the day we can ALL be together again. Friends made the Holidays extra special for us this year.






















I also had the great pleasure on New Years Eve of getting together with old girl friends from school. We try our best to keep in touch and it's a wonderful treat to get us all together. They are amazing women with amazing lives and it is was so much fun to catch up with them. We had lunch together at El Matador... and stayed to talk for hours! Thank you girls for your time, I can't wait till we can get together again!


Heather, Heidi and Meg


Amber, Lindsey and Carrie

Christmas with Ginger Mom and Uncle Sean

Ginger Mom spent the week of Christmas in Idaho with the Kelley Clan. When she arrived back home we celebrated Christmas on New Years Eve. It was fun to keep celebrating Christmas... I love extended Christmas! Of course the girls made out like bandits! Grandma sure knows how to pick out great presents. Sean even spoiled us rotten. Olivia's big gift was roller-skates and Jorja a tricycle. They we so excited! Sean gave Jorja this cute backpack full of little toys to play with her baby dolls. She plays with those EVERY day, might be her favorite gift. Of course we had an amazing evening together. It's always wonderful to spend such nice time with each other. Ginger mom gave Josh and I one of the best gifts, Home Depot gift cards to finish our Cat Room. I was very excited and she went above and beyond! I can not wait to have that extra room functional again! Josh dove right in the next day into demolition. Of course, the pace slowed down a bunch since that initial excitement. But, one day it will be nice again! Will post some pictures soon of his progress.


The excitement is starting to build!
















Sean gave Ginger Mom this amazing new fry pan... with the exception she get rid of the old one! He had it wrapped so good too, you never would have guessed what it was!


Jorja testing out her new wheels!

We put the girls to bed and stayed up for the New Year, but I fell asleep on Ginger Mom's couch! I am such a party poop! Josh woke me up to drag me home sometime into the New Year. Happy New Years Everyone!! I am dang happy that 2009 is over. It was an up and down year. I am very hopeful that 2010 is a smoother ride for us and everyone!

Catch Up!

I FINALLY received pictures from my Mommy and I now have a copy of Jorja's Birthday! So... it's been long overdue but here is how we Celebrated Jorja's Second Birthday! Jorja's Birthday landed on Thanksgiving this last year. We celebrated at my Grandma Taylor's House. I was scheduled to work that night and was afraid of missing all the excitement. I lucked out and got called off for the first four hours. It worked out perfect! I got to enjoy the day with my family, I didn't miss a thing... before heading into work at 9pm. We didn't have an official Birthday party for Jorja. That weekend was just so busy and I hated to turn Thanksgiving into Jorja's day. Everyone was going to be out of town and it was just too much work to get everyone together after Thanksgiving. But, it was special to be with my Taylor Family on her Birthday. Jorja and my Grandpa Taylor, who is passed, share the same Birthday. My sweet Grandma Taylor had my Amazing Cousin Nancy make a Birthday Cake for Jorja and Grandpa Taylor. It was so fun to have the WHOLE family singing Happy Birthday! Thank you everyone for being apart of their Birthday. I love you all!



The Birthday Girl sitting at the infamous children's table at my Grandma Taylor's.



The Pies! We had an amazing feast on Thanksgiving Thank you everyone for all your hard work.




The cake that my stunning cousin made. She hand made all those leafs dusting them with shinny gold sparkles. It was such a yummy chocolate cake. Jorja picked off the yummy leaves eating them one at a time. Thank you so much Nancy for all your time and hard work. It was a special and unique thing, LOVE YA!




When the WHOLE room started singing, Jorja tried to HIDE by slouching in her chair. It was funny to watch her reaction to the crowd paying attention to just HER.


She did a fantastic job of blowing out her own candle for the first time. She keeps wanting to "blow candle" since then... hoping to get some "chocolate" I think.

Bowling

Olivia wanted to do one thing with Uncle Matras before he left back home to Portland... and that was to go bowling. It was a great idea! We played two games at Bountiful Bowl and enjoyed each others company. Dad and Sherrie even showed up to watch the fun and excitement. Olivia killed on the first game... and I lost on the second. Jorja thought it was the coolest thing ever and cheered and clapped for everyone! It was a family fun filled event!

Christmas Day 2009

Christmas Morning was a big hit for the kids. They woke up at normal time letting the elves sleep a little after a busy night. Blake, Lindz and Jaye made it over just in time. It was great fun to watch the kids open presents.


Olivia loved her big present. She asked Santa for three things. A scooter, a yo-yo, and a top. She got two out of three, not remembering she asked for the third thing.


Jorja struggled opening gifts after seeing her cozy coupe. She kept saying "goodbye" and driving off. We kept having to coax her to open any other presents. She loves her little car. She cleaned it over and over with a wash rag telling us she had to go wash her car. It was stinking cute!


Here is the rest of the family enjoying the morning. Jaye loved his cute gifts and Santa spoiled him rotten. He was so excited with everyone around and was fun to watch.



Josh's big gift from Santa was an ipod shuffle and a carving kit. The kids gave him ten pounds of wood to start carving. He was pleasantly surprised!


Jaye and Jorja actually are playing nice together some times. It was great to see them sharing the car together. Especially since Jorja was so in love with it.


Grandma Taylor spent the day with us. Which is ALWAYS wonderful! She even stayed till almost ten o'clock at night to play games with us. She taught us a new card game 3-13 and we played it most of the day. She made the girls these great hats! The love them and they were so cute wearing them around. Josh was jealous and asked if grandma could make him one too! How wonderful to have such a special hand made gift from their Great Grandma Taylor. '




The yo-yo... it broke the next day. But, got well used before it did.


We sat around the table a lot Christmas day. Eating a delicious breakfast, then playing card games, followed by a divine dinner and more card games. It was perfect! We grazed on goodies all day long and enjoyed each others company.


Blake and Lindz went home to nap and when they came back over we opened a last gift from mom. These very fun marshmallow guns. We had a delightful marshmallow fight before dinner. They launched across moms big room with ease! Even the little kids got one to defend themselves... but spent most of the time eating all the ammunition off the floor.



The dirty work of preparing dinner!


Hmm... I think both my brothers need hair cuts!

It was a good day! Thanks everyone for making it so memorable. I love you Family!
But... Christmas is not over just yet!