Happy New Years, Happy Birthday, Happy Day!

It’s a new year now, 2011! As each new year comes around, I like to make new year’s resolutions. This year, I don’t really have anything specific, except I want to make my goal and motto “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus”. When I read my scriptures this year, I’m going to ask myself how what I’m reading and pondering shows me how or helps me to be like Jesus. I’m going to pray and think more about “What would Jesus do?” with everything in my life. I think if I stick to this and try my hardest to do that, everything else I should be doing better should happen.

On New Year’s Eve, we went to my parents for a party. We ate all kinds of appetizers and finger foods for dinner and throughout the night, played a few games, and watched “Santa Paws”…(groan). Emma’s been wanting to see it, but it was never in the Red Box machine when we’d try to get it. It was actually a little better than I thought, but we had fun watching it Mystery Science Theatre 3000 style. Then we rang in the new year a little early, since the kids were getting tired. We had noisemakers, party poppers, and did a few fireworks outside. But it was cold, so we only did a few! Then we went back to the Ryerse’s and we watched the new Twilight movie. I fell asleep through half of it, but what I saw of it was good. I still like the books way, WAY better. No comparison. Then we did party poppers at midnight and then went to bed.

On New Year’s Day, we went up to Park City. We did some shopping and went out to eat. It has been a few years since we went there, so that was fun. I like that place, especially the Tanger outlet mall! We also hung out at Dave’s parents house for a while, so Dave could watch one of the college football bowl games on TV. While he was doing that, the kids and I played and had some fun of our own. Here we are with our bellies. Who's is biggest?

I celebrated my 26th birthday last Friday, and had a happy day, or a couple of days! I started off being woken up by Dave, who wished me a happy birthday first. (: I had forgotten it was my birthday right when I woke up until he reminded me. Then I went down to Bountiful to go hang out with my mom and brother Marko and the kids all day. That was fun. During the day, Emma went to the store with Grandma Di, and they brought me home some pink roses! It was so cute! Emma was excited and knew exactly the ones to pick out. That night, we went to the Ryerse parents and had a party for Julie & me. Julie’s birthday is on the ninth, so we get to share our parties, which is fun. We had deluxe subs for dinner, played with the kids and talked, and then did cake and ice-cream.

Our birthday cake with the candles of our combined ages.

Cute Julie

Blowing out the candles

Grandpa always holds the kids this way, they love it!

Grandma Sue and Cal

The next day, we celebrated with our own little family. We went to the Sonora Grill in downtown Ogden, right across from the Junction theatre. It was delicious! I picked it out and I’m glad I did. I got a flauta (chalupa), and it was very different, but definitely one of the best I’ve eaten. Then we went shopping for the afternoon. That night, we watched “Inception” while the kids watched “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”. It was not my favorite movie. Maybe next time I’ll watch the movie with the kids! (: On Sunday, we had a party for Kolby and me. Kolb’s birthday is on the first, so again, I get to share my birthday party with him. We had delicious chicken parmesan, alfredo, peas, salad, and French bread. My mom is such an amazing cook. Amy suggested a new idea she heard from someone in Young Women’s when they were doing a lesson on traditions. She said it might be fun to all go around the table for birthday dinners, and say something nice about the person whose birthday it is. So we did it. It was great! I can say Kolby and Dave weren’t really on the band wagon at first (they’re too much alike), but I’m glad we did it and hope that we will continue that tradition. We went first with Kolby, and I just said how he’s so much fun to be around, and how I’m glad he takes good care of Amy. Then Dave said “Oh honey, don’t get all emotional!” jokingly. So I started pretending like I was crying while talking to Kolb. It was pretty funny. Everyone was laughing. I also told Kolby I’m glad he figured out Amy, because none of the rest of us could, to which he replied, “I still haven’t figured her out!” We all had a good laugh. We joked that this conversation which was supposed to be a tribute became more like a roast. It was pretty memorable. I just thought I’d share some of the things the others said about me (they’re too nice), so maybe when I’m having a bad day, I can look back and remember. Kolby said he likes the way I’m raising our kids and so involved in their lives. He said he sees lots of other friends and their kids but thinks I’m doing a great job. Amy said she loves that she can talk to me about anything. Since we were young, we always shared a room while living at home, and we were and still are very close. Marko said he always loves coming over to our house and for the welcoming feeling that is always there. He loves just hanging out with us and the kids. Grammie said that she appreciates how I am what I am. I have no false pretenses and I’m a neat lady. She also said she’s glad I’ve developed my talents. My dad said he’s proud of me and all of my accomplishments. He said he never had to worry throughout my life that I wouldn’t do the right thing, he always knew I would. My mom said she’s proud of the mom, wife, friend, and daughter that I am. She said she especially loves that I am so tender hearted, which she says I’ve always been, and that I have the patience of Job (now lots of these comments are so far-fetched, especially that one, he he!). Cal said “Mommy!” Dave said that there are a million reasons that he loves me, but one is that I’m the best mother to our kids, and the best wife and that I do such a good job. Emma was being a little shy, but Dave helped her a little. She said she loves that I read her books so much.

Jumping for joy!

Amy, Kolby and the kids. Emma and Cal love all of their aunts and uncles!

Singing "happy birthday"!

I loved Dave’s present! After he got home from work, he told me there was a paper on the porch. He told me I’d better go get it. I questioned him about it and wondered why he didn’t just bring it in. I asked if it was the newspaper or what kind of paper, to which he told me it was a newspaper, and insisted that I go get it. So I went out and got the “Ryerse Review” newspaper on the porch that he made. It was so cute! It was laid out like a newspaper and included fun “Help Wanted” ads, advertisements of promises he is making to me for my birthday, announcement about my birthday, vouchers for visits to places, and my favorite, an editorial in the back he wrote about me. It was so sweet. He is so creative, and everything he does is heart-felt and I am grateful for him!

As for you, I hope you have a happy day and make all of the days this year happy! Somedays I get bogged down and feel sorry for myself, thinking that I'll be happy once this or that happens, or once my days aren't so stressful, or once my kids are better behaved, and on and on, but then the quote always comes to my mind, "Happiness does not depend on what happens outside of you, but what happens inside." Which is easier said than done. But happiness is a choice, and I hope I can do better choosing happiness, by trying to be like Jesus this year and always! (P.S. Sorry about all of the wierd picture layout. I don't know what's going on, but have heard a few others are having problems as well.)