Gone, baby, Gone!

So my hubby has been traveling a lot this past year.  We were lucky enough to get about a month reprieve, but he had to go out to Minnesota again last week and again this week.  What should have taken 3 days has turned into 5.  We can't wait for him to be home again.  Last week while he was gone his work had a family work party.  The families of the employees were able to take a "tour" of the pilot plant and offices, which are usually on "lock down", think Willy wonkas chocolate factory here.  So, I wanted to go and thought it would be fun for the girls to see where daddy works every day, but mike wasn't going to be home yet.  Anyway I decided to go regardless and I'm glad I did.  Everyone was aware that I was coming by myself and they were very helpful.  Emma made a new best friend in Mikes Co worker Mary.  They colored, got t shirts, pizza, and ice cream.  The best part of the night was that daddy came home right after we did.  Its not fun having him gone, but I am reminded of all those whose spouses are gone far more than mine and it makes me grateful for what we have.
Here are some pictures of us staying busy while dads away.

Here, there, and everywhere

So another thing that has been taking up my time/thoughts is the prospect of moving.  Nothing has ever been sure and isn't still but there has been a lot of speculation, on my part, as to this possibility.  Again, I get obsessed over things.  Well earlier this year Mikes boss approached him with a possible opportunity to get his doctorate.  There was talk that the company could pay for him to go to school and he would continue to work as well.  That job could've taken us to Maryland, Canada, or a few other places.  We still have yet to hear back on any details regarding that so for the time being that option is off the table.
So at the beginning of the year I thought we might be doing that. Then, because mike updated his resume on a job site, he began having all these recruiters calling him with job opportunities.  Let me back up and say that mike really enjoys his job and isn't looking to move, but was just keeping an eye out for interesting possibilities or places closer to home. Anyway, one of those options was in Florida and then another in twin falls.  Mike had wanted to progress in his current job and his bosses have been working very hard to help him.  In order to find the position he was looking for he thought he would have to move.  The options for that were Ohio, Chicago, France, or Switzerland.  By this point I was sure wanting to know what our life held in store.  We figured that we would be moving sometime this year until mike was told of another position of interest here at nestle in Bakersfield, so for the time being we are actually just planning on staying here.  We are hoping he gets this position, but he still has to go through the interview process.  We'll just have to see, but I have sure been on a roller coaster thinking of all the places we could potentially be moving too.  Some fun and exciting options, but we will be content where we are at if this is what the Lord wants for us.

Here are some funny pics of the girls.

Amazing man

So I am posting so much today because I am home sick with a stomach bug. I just wanted to put a shout out to my amazing husband.  He had such a busy day planned at church and didn't sleep well last night, but got up and watched the children all morning and got everything squared away for church so I wouldn't have to worry. Sure love this man who loves me so much.  Can't resist someone who holds your hair when you have to throw up. :-)

Also, mike is coming out with a couple new products through the skinny cow ice cream line.  So great because they are 150 calories or less.  Ok so my shameless plug is for these amazing  "snickerdoodle" ice cream sandwiches.  They are actually oatmeal cinnamon and so tasty.  Check them out.  There is also a cherry chocolate cone if you like cherry chocolates and some other amazing treats coming soon, but those are still under wraps for another month or so so I'll let you know when they come out.  Pretty nice being married to an icecream maker. 

As you can see from my photos the girls love them as well. These are the mint truffle which unfortunately are being discontinued I think.

Mike celebrated his 30th birthday earlier this month and although it was low key he was very gracious and we had a wonderful night eating out at mama roombas and looking at the street vendors.  I'm glad I am no longer the only one who is "old".   :-)

Loved ones

My siblings have already posted about this and unfortunately I have no pictures, but I just wanted to talk a little bit about my and grandma myrtle and grandpa cleon.  They passed away within a month or so of each other and I sure loved them a lot.  They will be missed but I an so glad they are together in a better place.  It will be word visiting home and not thinking, "I need to go see my grandparents". 

My grandma was so feisty, smart and talented.  She wad a go getter.  If she wanted to do something nothing was going to stand in her way.

My grandpa was the quiet one who was such a hard worker and example of love and patience! 

So thankful these wonderful people were apart of my life.  Sure love them.

Crazy projects

Ok so I am going to be going crazy on my posts right now since I have 3 months to catch up on.  Truthfully one of the main reasons I stopped posting for awhile is because all of the things that were consuming my life were things I couldn't tall about.  I tend to get very ocd when I start a project and I like everything to be perfect.  Well a couple years back now I asked my mom to tell me some stories from her life that I had not heard about and that I could help her compile it to give as a gift for her kids.  Well it was so enjoyable talking with her each day and hearing these great stories from her childhood.  Well we took a break for a year and then started up full swing in October. My sister Heidi was the only one in on it because I needed someone to help me with editing details.  What a project it became.  We spent a full day in Utah trying to get it set up in a picture book format in order to get this wonderful price, only to not be able to finish it. I'm sure we will look back and laugh but at the time I don't think any of us were having too much fun   :-)  I ended up taking the information home and frantically searched for programs that would be the best quality for my moms budget.  Wow, that was a process in itself.  I halfway redid it in shutterfly to only find out the deal wasn't going to work.  So, with A LOT of patience from my family, who were so neglected, I finally found a better programming site and set to work formatting the book again.  There are a lot of other boring details, can you tell I'm a little obsessive, but it ended turning out alright.  I want sure where to cut the information off at and in the end took excerpts from my moms journal.  It was fun to read some of the things she said.  My mom was pretty patient as she was not up to date on her journal.  I had her tell me, from the best of her memory, some of the things from her kids later lives.  I hope none of my siblings were upset if she forgot things, she was in a time crunch.  Anyway, I sure love my mom and am grateful she was willing to share her life with us.  Wonderful woman, and turning 70 this week.  I'll tell you that threw me when I realized it.  For some reason I figured my parents would never get old, but time just keeps ticking on.  As I have lost my last grandparents the past few months it makes me grateful for the time spent with them and makes me wish I lived a little closer so I could spend these next years making more memories.  I just have to be grateful we are as close as we are, and can visit even the little that we do.  So grateful for my family, immediate and extended, and both sides.  We are blessed.

Christmas time

The weekend before Christmas Mikes mom and sister Melodee came out to visit. We always love any chance to see family so it was wonderful.  Momma sharp and I went to see the Hobbit while mike took Melodee and the girls shipping for my Christmas.  It was wonderful to see them but they unfortunately got stuck in traffic headed home.

A had a wonderful Christmas  for Christmas eve a always have people over but this year they all canceled at the last minute  this was a good thing since my turkey was raw in the middle.  An hour and a half later we had dinner.  That night we just sang songs, read the Christmas story and opened our Christmas jammies.  Christmas morning was wonderful because Emma is now old enough to understand the Christmas  magic.  She got what she asked for, a princess tea cart.  This girl loves tea parties.  Emma was even more excited for Vivian to get presents.  Next year we may spread the present giving over a couple days since they always get so overwhelmed.  Good times

Pre-Christmas update

So we have been hanving fun with Emma little preschool group again this year.  For December we make gingerbread houses.  They all fell and ended up more like piles of Graham crackers, frosting, and candy.  They enjoyed eating them.

Vivian is so funny.  She just has to be involved and wants to do everything that the big kids do.  She also has a temper and so watch out if you try and take a toy she wants.  She loves singing songs and dancing.  Its fun for my girls.

Catching Up

So I have been the worst blogger ever.  I have so many things to blog about that I don't even know where to start.  We got new phones a few weeks ago, my first smartphone, and I still have yet to download my pictures so there is one of my excuses.  Some of my others are that a lot of the things that have been consuming my time before Christmas were Christmas presents that I couldn't talk about.  For example, the book I helped my mom create to give as gifts to her children, that took more time than I would care to admit.  My poor family were so neglected for a good solid month.  I'm such a perfectionist, and re-did the project twice to get a better deal.  It was 2 years in the making and I am just so releaved to have it finished.  Our family has been busy as usual with all the holiday parties and family gatherings.  Both of my Anderson grandparents passed away and just so many things.  Once I upload my pictures hopefully I will get decent posts of all the many things that have transpired in the past 2 month.  For now, happy new year. We love you all.