JEFF TURNS "40" !!!

OKAY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT BLOGGING! I HAVE BEEN SO BUSY THAT I REALLY HAVENT HAD TIME. JANUARY WAS SUCH A CRAZY MONTH FOR ME. I HATE JANUARY!!!! JEFF TURNED 40 THIS MONTH AND I HAD 3 REALLY BIG SURPRISES I HAD TO PULL OFF. THE FIRST ONE WAS A FAMILY AND FRIEND PARTY. WE HAD A GREAT TURN OUT.. AT ONE POINT I HONSETLY DIDNT THINK MY HOUSE COULD HOLD ANY MORE PEOPLE. THERE WERE ABOUT 40 PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP THAT NIGHT!! JEFF WAS VERY SURPRISED... HE , OF COURSE, PARTIED LIKE A ROCK STAR AND NEEDLESS TO SAY HE DID NOT MAKE IT TO WORK THE FOLLOWING DAY. HE HAD A HARD TIME PARTING FROM THE PORCELAIN GOD!! I FELT A LITTLE RELIEVED THAT I PULLED OFF THIS PARTY AND JEFF REALLY APPRECIATED IT. OKAY ON TO #2 SURPRISE. WEDNESDAY WAS HIS ACTUAL BIRTHDAY. I HAD ARRANGED FOR A COUPLE OF HIS BUDDIES AND THE FAMILIES TO MEET AT TIMBERMINE EARLY SO ME, JEFF AND THE KIDS WOULD GET THERE A LITTLE LATER AND THEN THEY COULD YELL "SURPRISE".! I SPENT THE DAY GETTING BALLOONS AND DECORATIONS, GETTING THE CAKE, RUNNING UP TO TIMBERMINE AND DECORATING. THIS IS THE FUNNY PART I PROMISE.....SO WE ARRIVED AND WE WALK INTO THE ROOM ( WHICH IS DECORATED WITH TONS OF BALLOONS) NO ONE IN SIGHT AND MY "BLOND" HUSBAND SAYS "WOW LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE ELSE IS TURNING 40 TOO!!!!" AND THEN EVERYONE YELLS SURPRISE!! OK....THE LOOK ON HIS FACE WAS DUMBFOUNDED AND HE COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT HE JUST SAID WHAT HE SAID...WE WERE ALL LAUGHING PRETTY HARD ..NEEDLESS TO SAY I GOT JEFF AGAIN!!!!
I WAS FEELING A BIT MORE RELIEVED THAT WED. NIGHT WENT OFF SO WELL AND THAT I WAS 2 FOR 3. SO THE NEXT BIG AND FINAL GIFT TO JEFF WAS A SURPRISE TRIP TO LAS VEGAS. I REALLY HAD TO PULL THIS ONE OFF!!HERES THE STORY.... ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE MY DAD CALLED JEFF AND TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS LOOKING TO BUY A TRUCK OUT OF SLC. COUPLE DAYS LATER MY DAD CALLED AGAIN AND TOLD HIM HE BOUGHT THE TRUCK AND NEEDED JEFFS HELP PICKING IT UP ON FRIDAY NIGHT. I TOLD JEFF THAT I WAS GOING TO TAKE THE KIDS ICESKATING WHILE HE WAS HELPING MY DAD WITH THE TRUCK. I RAN MY FANNY OFF ON FRIDAY PACKING FOR THE KIDS ( THEY WERE STAYING WITH MY PARENTS) , PACKING FOR JEFF AND I AND GETTING IT ALL LOADED IN MY CAR WITHOUT HIM KNOWING. I ALSO MADE A HUGE POSTER FOR DOWN AT THE AIRPORT. OK SO JEFF IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT HELPING MY DAD WITH THIS TRUCK THING ON A FRIDAY NIGHT! HE WAS VERY UPSET AND WAS ACTUTALLY KIND OF MEAN TO ME BECAUSE I WOULDNT HELP HIM GET OUT OF HELPING MY DAD!! HAHAHA!!!! WELL I DRIVE OVER TO MY PARENTS AND DROP OFF HIM AND ZACH. MY MOM SAYS SHE WILL HANG OUT WITH ME AND LEXIE FOR THE NIGHT. SO WE DRIVE LIKE CRAZY TO GET DOWN TO THE AIRPORT, PARK THE CAR, TAKE THE SHUTTLE OVER TO THE TERMINAL AND WAIT FOR MY DAD TO PULL UP WITH JEFF. WE HAD ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO SPARE. SO ME AND LEXIE ARE STANDING ON THE CURB HOLDING THE POSTER AND MY DAD PULLS UP. OK... THE LOOK ON JEFFS FACE IS CONFUSSION AND PRICELESS!!!!! HE DIDNT UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WERE ALL DOING AT THE AIRPORT AND WHY ME, LEXIE, AND MY MOM HAD COME DOWN TO LOOK AT THIS TRUCK. ( DUH READ THE POSTER JEFF!) OKAY SO IT TOOK HIM ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO FIGURE IT OUT!! YES I PULLED THIS ONE OF AS WELL!! I AM THE MASTER AT LYING (NOT A GOOD THING) AND PULLING OFF A VERY STRESSFUL WEEK FOR MY "OVER THE HILL" HUSBAND.!!! WE WENT TO VEGAS AND HUNG OUT WITH SOME OF OUR CLOSE FRIENDS FOR THE NEXT 4 DAYS! WE WENT TO SPENCERS FOOTBALL PRACTICE AND ALEXIS ROLLER HOCKEY GAME. WENT OUT TO DINNER, WATCHED MOVIES AND HUNG OUT FOR THE SUPERBOWL. WE HAD SUCH A RELAXING TIME AND IT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE ALL THEIR CUTE KIDS. I WISHED WE COULD SEE THEM MORE OFTEN. MAN THIS IS A LONG POST. I HAD A LOT GOING ON AND I WAS A LITTLE, OKAY A LOT, STRESSED OUT! WHEN WE GOT BACK I JUST HUNG OUT IN MY SWEATS ALL DAY ON TUESDAY. I THINK I DESERVED IT!!! MAN I REALLY DONT KNOW HOW JEFF CAN TOP ME BUT I GUESS I WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE!!

FEELING CRATFY

THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS I HAVE BEEN SOOO BUSY WORKING FOR MY DAD. I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH FINISHING UP ALL THE PAPERWORK AND ORGANIZING EVERYTHING FOR TAXES. I JUST GET STRESSED OUT!!SO I TOOK A DAY TO MY SELF AND GOT CRAFTY. I MADE A LATTER SIMILAR LIKE THIS FOR KYLEE FOR CHRISTMAS AND I JUST LOVED IT. SO I MADE ONE FOR MYSELF. I LOVE IT!!! NOW I FEEL MORE STRESSED OUT CAUSE I AM A DAY BEHIND...TODAY I WILL DO THE FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLE BEE TO MAKE UP FOR THE DAY I HAD TO MYSELF. I AM QUESTIONING MYSELF IF IT WAS WORTH. I THINK SO CUTE HUH!?

SALT LAKE FUN

FRIDAY WE JUMPED ON BOARD THE FRONT RUNNER WITH JEFFS SISTER, DEANA, AND HER FAMILY AND HEADED DOWN TO SALT LAKE FOR THE DAY. THE RIDE DOWN WAS FUN... THE KIDS HAD FUN JUST HANGING OUT WHILE US ADULTS PLAYED A GAME OF CARDS TO PASS THE TIME. WE THEN RODE THE TRAX TO GATEWAY FOR LUNCH. THE RIDE ON TRAX WAS PRETTY BUMPY..IT WAS NICE THOUGH NOT HAVING TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC! THE WEATHER WAS FREEZING AND VERY WINDY BUT WE MADE THE MOST OF IT. AFTER LUNCH WE WALKED OVER TO CLARK PLANETARIUM TO SEE A SHOW. WE ALL THOUGHT WE BOUGHT TICKETS TO A LASER SHOW AND ENDED UP WITH JUST BASICALLY WATCHING A STUPID PLANET MOVIE. THAT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BORING WE ALL TOOK A NAP! NO JOKE! WE PAID $6 PER TICKET AND EVERYONE OF US TOOK A 49 MIN. NAP. PRETTY FUNNY HUH!!? WELL AFTER OUR NAP WE WENT AND GOT HOT COCOA AND COFFEE AT STARBUCKS AND WALKED AROUND. WE REALLY HAD A GREAT TIME!

ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO SAY THAT ZACHS FAVORITE PART OF THE DAY WAS WHEN WE WERE WALKING BACK TO TRAX I SPOTTED A LAMBORGINI . THIS IS A FUNNY STORY!! I WAS GETTING ZACHS ATTENTION BY WAVING AT HIM AND POINTING TO THE CAR. THE CAR PULLS OVER RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. THE BLOGGER THAT I AM AND KNOWING THAT THIS IS ZACHS DREAM CAR I PULL OUT MY CAMERA. WE SNAP SOME SHOTS AND I WALK TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO MOUTH "THANK YOU" TO THE DRIVER FOR STOPPING SO I COULD TAKE PICS OF IT. THE WINDOW ROLES DOWN AND I START TO BEND OVER AND JEFF COMES OUT OF NO WHERE AND STARTS TALKING TO THE GUY. I LEAN OVER AND TELL HIM THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY SONS DAY AND HE WINKS AT ME AND TELLS ME NO THANKS FOR MAKING MINE. SO WE WALK OFF LISTENING TO ZACH WHO IS STILL IN LALA LAND. JEFF WAS LIKE HONEY YOU STILL GOT IT. THE GUY THOUGHT YOU WERE HOT AND WAS PULLING OVER TO TALK TO YOU WHEN I STUCK MY HEAD IN THE WINDOW HE WAS LIKE I GUESS THATS YOUR WIFE HUH? SO I GUESS THATS WHY HE TOLD ME I MADE HIS DAY!?? SO I GUESS AT 39 I STILL HAVE IT GOING ON. HE WAS PRETTY CUTE !! ALTHOUGH NOT AS HOT AS MY HUBBY! WE WERE SO GLAD TO HAVE RODE THE FRONT RUNNER DUE TO THE SNOW STORM THAT CAME IN. WE ENDED UP GOING OVER TO JEFFS SISTER FOR DINNER AND PLAYED MORE CARDS. WHAT A GREAT FUN FAMILY DAY!!!

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

OKAY, I REALLY HAVENT FORGOTTEN TO POST OUR HOLIDAYS..I HAVE BEEN WORKING SO MUCH I JUST HAVENT HAD TIME. I WILL TRY TO GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT AND NOT MAKE THIS VERY LONG.
CHRISTMAS AT THE STREBELS THIS YEAR WAS FABULOUS!! WE WENT OVER TO MY MOMS FOR XMAS EVE FOR DINNER AND SOME WII COMPETITION BETWEEN FAMILIES. WE JUST GOOFED OFF AND HAD SUCH A FUN TIME!
I ENDED UP PRETENDING I WAS A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER AND TOOK SOME PICS OF THE FAMILIES.I THOUGHT I DID AN OKAY JOB. I HAVE MY PARENTS, MY BROTHERS FAMILY, AND MY STEPBROTHER AND HIS GIRLIE FRIEND.
THE NEXT MORNING WAS PRETTY LAID BACK. THE KIDS SLEPT TILL 8 AND ENJOYED OPENING THEIR GIFTS. THEY SEEMED TO ENJOY EVERYTHING THEY RECEIVED AS WELL AS JEFF AND I.

WE ENDED UP GOING OVER TO JEFFS DAD THAT AFTERNOON. THEN BACK OVER TO MY MOMS. THE KIDS GOT SPOILED! WE HAD A GREAT HOLIDAY AND HOPE EVERYONE ELSE DID TOO.

ZACH TURNS 14

FRIDAY WAS ME AND ZACH BIRTHDAY! I CANT BELIEVE THAT HE IS 14...WOW!! NO NEED TO MENTION HOW OLD I AM....DOESNT MATTER. ANYWAY, I WENT TO LUNCH WITH CRYSTAL ( KALLI AND KAMDEN), AND KYLEE (RIDGE AND MADDIE), AND JEFF. WE WENT TO OLD GRIST MILL. IT WAS SO YUMMY. THANKS GIRLS!!!YOU GUYS ARE GREAT FRIENDS!
ZACH WENT TO SCHOOL THAT DAY...HE WAS SO UPSET THAT HE HAD TO GO THAT DAY. HE TOLD ME ITS HIS B-DAY AND HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WHAT HE WANTS FOR THE DAY. HMM...DONT KIDS DO WHAT THEY WANT EVERY DAY!!!? ANYWAY, DANI, HIS BEST FRIEND, CAME OVER AFTER SCHOOL TO HANG OUT TILL WE HAD TO LEAVE FOR SALT LAKE.
ZACH GOT ALOT OF COOL THINGS....HE GOT A NEW SNOWBOARDING OUTFIT, BOOKS, JAMMIES, MONEY, AND GIFT CERTIFICATES. SATURDAY NIGHT HE HAD FEW OF HIS CLOSE FRIENDS OVER FOR THE NIGHT. THEY PLAYED GUITAR HERO , WATCHED MOVIES, AND ATE ALOT OF FOOD! THE NEXT DAY THE BOYS WENT BOARDING UP AT WOLF MOUNTAINI THINK ZACH HAD A PRETTY GOOD WEEKEND! I CANT BEIELVE THAT MY LITTLE BOY IS 14! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!

NEW FAMILY MEMBER

I GOT A NEW KITTY FOR AN EARLY BIRTHDAY PRESENT ON FRIDAY. WE NAMED HER "PIXIE". SHE IS A SWEETIE AND FITS RIGHT INTO OUR FAMILY!!!

PINK CHRISTMAS TREE

SO I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO GET LEXIE A PINK XMAS TREE FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. THANKS TO KYLEE ( ITS ALL HER FAULT) I PURCHASED ONE FOR LEX ON BLACK FRIDAY. I GOT A GREAT DEAL ON IT AND WALMART HAS TONS OF ORNAMENTS FOR $1 TO $2. I GOT IT ALL DECORATED AND THEN HAD LEXIE COME UP TO HER ROOM. SHE WAS SO SUPRISED!!! SHE HAS BEEN GIVING IT HUGS BEFORE SHE GOES TO BED AND BEFORE SHE LEAVES FOR SCHOOL. I MUST SAY IT TURNED OUT SO CUTE!!!