Between a visit to the emergency room, a child with croup, preparing for the holidays, cleaning house and trying to come up with creative "low cost" presents for christmas I've been swamped!!! Today DH and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. We went and saw "The Holiday" which I absolutely loved and then had to go to 3 different restaurants before we found one that wasn't absolutely jam packed. (office parties.... didn't think we would really have a problem getting in on a tuesday night!) It was a nice night, it seems like forever since it's been just DH and I. We had a b-day party for my sil on Sunday, and now I have to get ready for DS's 2nd b-day tomorrow! (who we just figured out is now 3'4"!!!) THEN I can think about christmas! Wow. Way too much to do! We're having a bowl party/b-day party tomorrow, an extended family party on Saturday, I'm singing at my Mother's church on sunday and then we're split between two families for the next two days. I just can't believe how crazy this time of year is!!! It's wild. I'm making calendars for my mom and mother-in-law with pics of the whole family for christmas which I have yet to START on! I know I'm crazy, wish me luck!

Gasp! Just coming up for air! This has been a crazy week, I guess that's to be expected this time of the year. I just finished putting on a christmas program for my Mom. She was in charge of a christmas party for all of the other missionaries that she and my Dad work with so she asked me to put together a musical program. So Dh, my sister-in-law and I sang a program with scriptural narration inbetween the pieces. It went decently well, it always helps to put me more in the spirit of the season. There were some technical difficulties with the slide show I had put together, but the important thing is that it's over and I can move onto other things! Tomorrow I'm planning on helping my sister in law move and then I think that DH and I just need to relax! (who needs to do christmas cards and shopping???)

2 seconds too late..... DS saw an oppprtunity and took it! At least he aimed for the diaper package.... all I have to say is that I love the carpet cleaner we have! Wasn't too bad, just a little frustrating. Sometimes you just feel like it's a battle and you are slowly losing it. (both the battle and your mind!) The other day I ran to the bathroom and came back to a quiet front room and missing child..... this is what I found. Yes, that is permanent marker on our kitchen floor and oven with cereal, utensils and books sprinkled in. Yeah, so I freaked out, I guess Daniel figured he'd done something bad because he kept giving me kisses while I was scrubbing forever on the floor.

Amen to Mr. Clean's Magic Erasers!!!! It completely came off of the floor, but we're still trying for the oven. Good thing my father-in-law is my landlord, huh? I still can't figure out how he got the pen though, I swear he does acrobatics behind my back! I just have to keep reminding myself that he's cute and I do love him!

Today was a pretty mundane day for the most part. We got up late, cleaned house and then went over and helped my sister-in-law pack for her move this next week. Daniel was very excited to go for a "walkie" and when we got there he ran over and gave the baby a kiss. It was pretty cute. Lara's baby reminds me so much of Daniel at his age, it really makes me miss him as a baby! They growup sooooo fast! We came home and the lesson I was to teach got rescheduled, so I fell asleep with Daniel when I put him down for his nap, we slept for 3 hours! I think we might be coming down with something. Then Bryan brought home panda express for dinner which was delish! We tried a new kind of chicken and it was to die for! Then I went over to my in-laws house and practiced some duets for the cd, came home, did a digital "prelayout" and watched "Heroes" DH and I LOVE this show! Some parts we wish we could fix, but the general concept of the show we love. We're saving Studio 60 for tomorrow, but we were also hoping to go and see the new James Bond movie tomorrow.... we'll see. My in-laws saw the Nativity Story and loved it, so that goes on my endless "to see" list. DS is finally asleep, time for me to do the same!

It's December!!! I can't believe how fast this year has gone by! Now to find gifts for everybody.... I've got my DS's birthday, our anniversary and all of the Christmas gifts to get, fun, huh? Now, if I had unlimited funds I think it would be a blast, but I'm having to be a bit creative this year. (at least my son's still too young to know if a gift is lame yet!) Today was a wonderful sunday, we went to my sister-in-law's ward today as they were blessing their cute little guy. New babies are just the best! It was the same building and even the same ward that DH was blessed in, it was pretty fun to see. Then we went to my in-laws house for a delicious lunch and to sing and do a little bit of recording for the cd. We practiced some pieces and it just made me all the more excited to get the cd done. Then we took a family picture for my in-laws Christmas card, I was kind of in charge of it which made me nervous, but I think it turned out allright. The later in the afternoon we headed to my parents house for dinner and a birthday party for my Dad. It's hard to believe that my dad is 66, he just can't be that old! It was fun to see all of the family and for Daniel to play with his cousins. He just loves to follow Jared around, it makes life much easier for us too! Then we came home and I worked on some scrapbooking stuff and am just now getting the baby to go to sleep! (Late nap) This week will be a wild one, I have to put together a musical program for my Mom, help my sister in law pack to move, come up with christmas gifts, etc. Finally truly confront the laundry, teach voice lessons, finish the cd and send out christmas cards! Whew, makes me want to go to sleep just reading it all..... I think I will!