OME!

So, I am overjoyed with the number of events that are coming up this year having to do with "Twilight"..and then "New Moon"...and TwiCon...and then "my" big "New Moon" premiere Event in conjunction with TwilightMoms!!!!! Oh the joy!

But first off...can't wait for Friday's Mail! Y-U-M-M-Y!!!!! Bring my Edward to me!

A Great Day for Miss Cydnee Magoo!

Yesterday, very early in the morning I woke up, and wrapped Cydnee's present that I was going to give her before breakfast. When she woke up...which was right on time mind you, I let her open it right away. It was two new school uniform/outfits, and she was really excited to have something new to wear today. While she was getting dressed I made her a special breakfast which she was so excited about! I love the way she thinks. It's very much the way I think, and no, that's not why I love her thinking, it's just that, it shows that some of the good things I do, have rubbed off on her. For example, as I was making her eggs and fruit, I asked her to get out a plate. Well today was her special day, so she pulled out a nice dinner plate, with matching salad plate and bowl, to make lovely breakfast setting! So silly! I had to giggle to myself!

After school we had her all but convinced that we weren't going to be doing anything for her birthday. At one point I even had buying that she was babysitting Jaxon while the rest of us went out! She didn't like that at all! We wanted the restaurant location to be a surprise, along with her birthday cake, etc. I think we did a good job at pulling it off. Even Jaxon was in on it, and I was amazed at his ability to keep a secret all afternoon, and even through dinner!As soon I had picked Jaxon up from school we headed out to finish up the last minute touches to the day. I wanted Jaxon to pick out his own present for Cyd. And it was so cute what he found for her. Cydnee LOVES LOVES LOVES monkeys, and Jaxon keyed right in on this cute plush set of monkeys that hug one another, kiss, and say, "I LOVE YOU!" Then even cuter was that he saw this Toblerone box that looked like a red rose and he wanted to "get his sister this beautiful red flower!" Couldn't deprive him of that! We then went and picked up Cyd's birthday cake. When Jaxon saw that it was a HSM3 cake he screamed, "Oh she's gonna LOVE that!" When we arrived home, Jaxon helped me put together all her gift bags. And may I say how impressed I was. I would hand him the tissue paper and tell him exactly where it should go in the bag and he would place it in the bag very gently. Then in then end fluff it up the way I always do! HA HA HA! Again, the good that I'm teaching my kids! He kept asking me, "Mommy, did I do such a good job on the presents?" Yep you sure did kiddo!

So for dinner we decided to take Cyd to this new Brazilian Steakhouse. She had never been to something like that before. She was completely surprised, and very excited to see that Sammy, Lamar, and Hayley had all come to join us as well! Dinner was fantastic! We all ate and ate and ate. Even Jaxon got into the whole meat concept! Jaxon knew that he had to eat really good in order to cake and ice cream later, and I've never seen a kid love birthday cake the way he does. Cyd had left the table to go to the salad bar and Jaxon started squealing about how excited he was to eat the birthday cake. I quickly looked at him and said, "We don't have any cake!" He gave me the most incredulous look and said, "UH yeah you do mom, I saw you buy it and hide it in the refrigerator!" Nothing getting past him. So we quickly told him we wanted it to be a surprise, and the cute kid didn't say another word until we got home!

After dinner we all came back to the house and surprised Cyd with her HSM3 cake and her presents. I think this was my favorite part of the whole evening. Jaxon was killing me with how cute he was being for Cyd. He was SOOOOOO excited for her to see her presents and her cake. He was giddy and jumping all over the place! We let him give her his present first. What an adorable interaction. He watched her with such anticipation and when she opened up he started jumping up and down with excitement telling her how to make the monkeys kiss. The best part was the big hug at the end!

Cyd loved all her presents! Mel and the girls gave her a complete set of real sketch-art-books, charcoal pencils, and all this other stuff she needs to work on her artwork. It's something that Cyd loves to do, and it's something that the four of them all have in common and work on together. So that makes me really happy! Chris gave her this Dance game she's been wanting for her DS so she was thrilled by that. And I surprised her with a Mommy/Daughter night-out-on-the-town complete with dinner and tickets to see "Phantom" at the Hale Centre Theatre! She freaked out! We get to go in a month! I really enjoy getting to take her to plays there. And I love that she loves it as much as I do!

So now, it's onto Chris' birthday this Friday the 13th (I wonder how many of those he's had in his life time???) and of course Valentines Day! Can't wait!

Happy Birthday Cydnee!!!!

Wow! Wow! Wow! I cannot believe that I have an 11-year old! I thought turning 36 this year was difficult for me, this is worse. I am feeling really old. Yah, not liking this year so far! :-)

So my little Monkee (spelled that way on purpose) was born 11 years ago, just over six weeks early! Man was that an awful pregnancy! I was hit with kidney stones at about 30-weeks, and had to have a stint placed in my kidney as a result of the stones. We were lucky to get her to wait another month before she came. And even then, things didn't go as planned and we ended up having her c-section. I remember that my mom and Steve's mom were both there in the operating room, and there were two things that happened that kept me from slipping into unconscienceness. The first was my mother exclaiming as my doctor was cutting open my stomach that "My goodness Natalee, they are gutting you like a pig!" Nice mom! And the second would be that when the doctor broke through my water, it squirt out like a fountain and he joked that maybe it was a boy. Once again, the grandmas started screaming that they hoped not as they just decorated the entire nursery Pink! But truly, all kidding aside, what I remember most was the doctor holding Cydnee over the screen for me to see her little face for the first time. She was so tiny. Only 5 lbs 4 oz! She was our little angel...still is!

From the minute Cyd came home, on Valentine's Day, I have played dress-up with her. It's no surprise to anyone that she is the girly-girl that she is today. But if I was only to be blessed with one little girl, then I was going to have my girly-girl! It's great that we share a love for shoes, jewelry, purses, the color pink, and bling!

Cydnee has the biggest smile, and loves helping people around her. Well let me clarify, she loves helping people around her...outside of the home! HE HE HE! She loves her family, most days! And she loves her friends! Cydnee has a great talent for artwork! She enjoys creating new projects and I love it when she makes me new cards and gifts! Cydnee has just started taking dance again, and is loving that immensely. She is even going to be doing her first solo performance and competition! Go Cyd!

I love that Cydnee has learned to love all holidays and birthdays and these things are a big deal to her. I know that she will make them a big deal for her children some day! At midnight I snuck into Cyd's room and woke her up, just to wish her a "Happy Birthday!" She was so cute! She grabbed my neck and gave me big kiss, half asleep of course and thanked me for not forgetting! - I had been teasing her all evening that I didn't know what we were doing tomorrow other than normal Monday stuff!!!!

Mommy didn't forget Cyd! We have a whole day planned for you! We love you so much...and are so happy you are a part of our family!

Happy 11th Birthday Monkee-Girl!

You Found Me....

I am in love with The Fray's new album! Had to share!

Our 6th Year Anniversary!

Well it's been six years since Chris and I were married! And WOW, what a ride it has been! It truly feels like we've been together so much longer than six years with all that we have gone through in these six short years. I'm amazed many days that we have made it this far. But I guess the Lord has a plan for us, and well, there is this thing called LOVE that keeps us together! As I look back on the past six years and all that we have done together and all that we have accomplished, I am extremely grateful for every part of our relationship, the good, the bad, and the ugly...after all, that's what a marriage is all about right????

So here are some highlights of some great times that Chris and I have experienced in our past six years together!

Our Courtship: It was short, sweet, and perfect! Our first date was classic and he won my heart quickly! Since Chris had just moved to Utah he wasn't familiar with places to take the ladies so he was relying on his best friend Randy for advice. The "restaurant" that he suggested ended up being this total hole in the wall. I was so frightened when we walked in. And I thought to myself, "PLEASE don't make me stay here!" Of course he didn't and he walked us right across the street and he got us reservations on the spot at The Melting Pot! It was a piece of heaven. We stayed there for over three hours. The place was closing down and we didn't even notice! He had me rolling with laughter all night. When he dropped me off that night, I gave HIM a hug, something I had never done before! I knew that I wanted to see him again, but having gone through a divorce I was still a little gun shy of a relationship. But then Tiff came to town to plan her wedding and she insisted on meeting him! She totally approved and told me that if I let him go I was a complete moron! So that's all I needed! From that point on we were inseparable! And exactly three months later we were married!

Our wedding: It was very small, but very special! All of the people that I love were there. Chris made me my own wedding cake, and all the yummy desserts. The kids all looked so sweet, and I actually felt like a princess. More because he made me feel like one than because I really was one! I couldn't believe we put it all together as quickly as we did. One week to be exact! Craziness, but complete bliss!

Our Honeymoon: One of the best times of our lives! The entire trip lasted 11 days! The first half was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! I had won a trip through work and the entire thing was paid for! We stayed at the InterContinental and the location of the hotel was practically on it's own side of the island! The hotel knew it was our honeymoon and they put us up in the Honeymoon Suite on the top floor with a huge walk-out deck, jacuzzi in the room, and the works! It was magical! Every day the maids would make up our bed and place rose pedals on the bed in a different shape! And every night we would leave the patio doors open, but close the white sheer curtains and go to sleep to the sound of the ocean waves and the Mariachi Band! Romance at it's highest! The second half of our honeymoon we spent in Richmond, VA...Chris' home town! It was so awesome meeting his family for the first time! I love Chris' parents, especially his mom! She is such a sweet angel and has always been so welcoming and loving to me. We had such a great time going around Richmond and seeing all the historical sites, and all the places that Chris grew up at. I remember flying home on the airplane and we both thought what a major bummer it was that we now had to go home to reality and our version of the "Brady Bunch"!





Our Kids: We each brought two the bunch! Chris brought Abbie and Connor who are now 14 and 11! And I brought Cydnee and Chase who are now 10 and 9! Wow how these four have changed in six years! They were such babies when we brought this family together! But of course the glue that has bonded us together is a little guy we like to call Pookie! Chris and I found out that we were having a baby boy on our one year anniversary! And every since Jaxon has been born he has brought a joy to our life that I really can't describe! He truly is the center of all our lives and he knows it!

Our Homes: We have lived in three different "homes"! One apartment, and two houses! Each for two years so far! Our current home we hope to be at for a very long time, if we don't get kicked out of it! Stinkin' Economy!

Our Travels: Chris and I have been blessed with some great opportunities to travel far and wide! Some trips were due to my work, and others were just for us! Some of the highlight trips were to 1) San Francisco, CA. We had an entire weekend to ourselves. Chris had never been to California before, let alone San Francisco. So we had a blast touring the city! We had seafood every day, eating out on the bay! Took in a lovely Sunset dinner Bay Cruise, and our favorite activity was renting an electric GoCart that led us by GPS around the entire city for a scenic tour! It was awesome!!!!



2) I surprised Chris with a trip to Flushing Meadows, NY to the US Open! This was truly one of the best weeks of our relationship! I put away my BlackBerry, he truly didn't work, and we had NO kids with us, and we witnessed Andre Agassi's last and probably greatest games of all time! It was magical! Oh, and we saw "Wicked" on Broadway! We can't wait to go back and do it all over again!

3) I had to travel to our CRO in Sydney, Australia, and was going to be gone over our anniversary, so my boss thought it only fair that Chris get to travel with me. What a bummer right? It was so incredible. What am amazing place! Chris and I could not believe we were there! Our first day we immediately went to the beach because it was summer there (winter at home) and we were just in awe! And since they do not ship any produce or food into the country, everything is home grown, it was just the most amazing food I have ever experienced! We celebrated both our anniversary and my birthday there! Totally fun! We did a Dinner, Sunset cruise (we seem to enjoy those!) and it was totally romantic! Holy cow is the seafood incredible down there! Our week together went way too fast! We definitely needed two weeks there!

My Illnesses: We have been fortunate that Chris has remained very healthy. Unfortunately I have had more illnesses than most. In our six years together I have had meningitis, influenza type A (that's the bad kind), hospitalized 12 times, 3 major surgeries, at least 8 MRIs, cancer scare, and more visits to the ER than I care to remember!

Things I love: Chris' eyes, they are always smiling! His humor! Chris is a funny guy! Watching our TV shows together! Working out at the Gym...Miss those days baby! That he always gives me TWO cards for every special occasion. And every card is perfect! In bed, his feet are always warm when mine are always cold and he always lets me warm mine up with his! Staying up late and playing Guitar Hero together. Snuggling on the couch. Christmas Shopping together. Exchanging our Christmas gifts to one another. When he bakes me his Chocolate Chip cookies and brings me a hot one with a glass of cold milk! Going to the movies together!

In the words of my husband on his anniversary card to me.... Six down...Many more to go! I love you baby!