A Great Weekend

We had a great weekend. It started Friday when I was able to go to a party to celebrate Denise and Heather's weddings. They both were married last month, but it was just hard to find a time everyone could get together. We all met at a pizza place and just sat and talked. I haven't done that in a while. It was good to see everyone outside of work and talk about more exciting things.

Saturday was National Scrapbook day! To celebrate, Roberts had a free all day crop. My wonderful friend Jen hosts the crops so they are so much fun to go to. Lauren and Holly were excited to go and make something. They both made chipboard word books. Lauren's said "Friends" and Holly's said "Party" I think they both had a great time. Holly also made a summer page and both girls made bookmarks and photo frames.

Meanwhile, Charley and Nate went and saw Wolverine. They loved it! Afterwards they came and picked us up and we were headed to Addison's First birthday party. It was at the Living seas Aquarium. The place is so much bigger than it was when it was at the gateway! They had tons of family and friends there, pizza, veggies, bread, drinks fruit, lots of food. And of course cake! It was so fun to watch Addi open her gifts with the help of Travis and her bio parents. it was a neat party for everyone to be at. There was also a video playing highlighing Addi's first year of life. Very emotional and very exciting to watch. After the party the girls were able to come spend the night at our place with Kendal. Clint & Sheri & Grandma Blackwood came by to visit also. It's always so fun when Charley's family is in town.

Here are a couple pictures from the aquarium...

First Piano Recital...

A few months ago, Nate mentioned he wanted to play the flute. Hmmm... Where did that come from? So, I told him when he was in 5th grade in school, he could join the band. I figured that gave him a couple years to decide if that was what he really wanted to play. (I'm certain he'll change his mind by then). But I told him in the meantime that we would get start him in piano lessons so he could learn to read music.

So Nate started piano lessons two months ago. Tonight was his first recital. He was nervous, but he did a great job! He played "Popcorn Party" and "Star Wars Theme". Afterwards we went for ice cream with grandma and grandpa J to celebrate.

I Couldn't Resist...

This is kind of a two fold post. Anyone who knows me knows how I am about Disney. Well, I couldn't resist giving the blog a disney makeover! I've actually had this finished and ready to go for a couple months, but wanted to wait until after the holidays were over. Halloween and Christmas were just too fun to decorate the blog for so I couldn't just skip them over.

But on the other hand, I couldn't resist blogging. I've been asked to pull the blog from the internet. I've thought about it, and thought about it, and I am very sad about it and I have mixed feelings. I have to admit, blogging has been a social outlet for me. It has reconnected me with family & friends, and it something that I have really enjoyed. I have,however wavered back and forth with the internet security thing. I have taken into consideration the concerns that were brought to my attention, but in the end, I've decided to publish the posts I have been saving and start posting again... and we'll see what happens. I do feel that I take careful measures, and don't disclose anything too personal. Besides... I've never really been known as one to follow directions anyway!

I am curious though, what are your thoughts on blogging??

Happy 2009!

Wow... I can't believe it's already New Years! This has been a whirlwind year for our family! To celebrate new years, we just got together with some friends... played WII... played board games... and had fondue. We also watched the neighbors light some fireworks and watched the ball drop. It was relaxing, and a lot of fun! Sometimes those are the nicest holidays. This is a picture of the boys playing guitar hero.


And... Here's some of the Blackwood family's top events of 2008... and not in any particular order...

1. Of course, the biggest... Charley & Sarah married June 4th.

2. 4 Disney trips... February, June, October & December

3. Nathan was baptized.

4. Sarah moved to team trainer at SelectHealth.

5. Charley moved from Provo & found work in Salt Lake.

6. The house went up for sale.... and we are still living in it 9 months later.

7. L & H both performed in Peter Pan.

8. We got a new truck.

So here's to a happy 2009! Hang on, I'm sure it will be a fast one!

Christmas in Idaho...

We finally made it to Idaho! It was an extra 75 miles (around Pocatello way since the main roads were closed) and an extra 3 hours, but what the heck. It was an experience. When we first got there, everyone was eating dinner, so we just joined in. It was just nice to visit with everyone. The next morning we all went and saw Beverly Hills Chua... however you spell it. The movie was actually really good!! After that it was shopping in the twin falls mall and some more visiting. We were able to get together to play games Saturday night as we watched it snow... and snow... and snow... wondering if we were going to be able to make it back home. Kinda funny, while we were sitting there playing games, Denise's phone rang... they were calling church off for a snow day! Wowza... I've never seen that in West Valley... but then I was reminded that a lot of people drive a lot farther in the rural parts of Idaho. So after a short-after christmas weekend in idaho, it's back to Salt lake and back to work tomorrow. And although sad, but funny, this is the only picture I took in Idaho. (Charley will probably kill me when he sees this! LOL).

More Christmas!

We have so many fun pictures from Christmas that it's hard to decide what to highlight. So here's a few more from Christmas with the Jamison's. This is for the family that couldn't be there, and for those in Idaho. Enjoy!

Christmas Aftermath...

Even though this has been one of the busiest Christmas's, it has been one of the most exciting. This is our first christmas as a combined family. I will admit it's challenging to shuffle the kids around on parent time, and I was nervous about how it would turn out, but everything turned out perfect and it's worth seeing the smiles on their faces.

Nate woke early as usual to find that Santa had brought him a set of golf clubs. He's been golfing with Charley several times, and has become quite fond of it. He also got a stocking full of bakugons & a few other small things. Then it was off to unwrapping.... some legos a DS game, a telescope... you know, the usual boy stuff. After that, I went back to bed to take nap! (I know... I know... but we had been up all night wrapping and such. One of these years i'm going to get to bed at a decent hour on Christmas eve).
Charley's normal parent time on Christmas this year began at 1 pm. The girls called at 11 and said they were going to close the roads down in their neighborhood and asked if we could come get them earlier. Looking out our windows, the snow was barely covering the grounds. So we got ready and headed out... The farther south we drove, the worse the snow got! Out at their place, there was sooo much snow you could barely drive though it. It was amazing the contrast from their area to the rest of the valley! So we took them to my parents to open their gifts. L got mostly clothes, a nightmare before christmas fleece blanket, pajamas, DS games, and cash for a shopping spree. For H it was a shopping spree, clothes, books, DS game, pretty much the opposite of Nate's boy stuff!

Then it was off to my parents. The kids mostly got gift cards (for the girls) and cash (for nate).

There was so much snow in Heber that my sister Erin couldn't make it, but it was still nice to be with family. After that it was dropping the girls home, and nate to his dad's. Christmas evening was sure quiet. Not the same without kids around. Charley and I were going to head to Idaho, but with all the snow, the roads were closed at the Idaho border... so despite the bad weather, we decided to go to a movie and head to idaho in the morning.

A Letter to Santa...

In All the rush, Nate never made it to see Santa. I am hoping the spirit just stays. I always tell him that if you believe, then you receive. Nate hears a lot from the kids at school, but I think i've convinced i'm not nice enough to leave him toys. Hmmm. Well anyway, here's his letter to Santa. I took a pic because I thought it was so cute. And in case you're wondering, yes, that's OJ and popcorn that he left him. We're very untraditional over here at our place!