The goals of 2010

So this post is a little late..I should have posted this last week....but hey I have been busy! Generally I dont make resolutions....mainly because I know that I will not keep them. I have ADD when it comes to resolutions...they sound so good, but then I lose interest and move on. So, I make goals....that way I can give it the old college try and if it doesnt work out then so be it. No harm , no foul! So here are this years goals..in no particular order.

* Love my Husband better
* Try one new recipe a week ( I will try to post the recipe as well)
* Break a sweat (workout..in one form or another) for 300 of the 365 days
* Read the Bible (entirely)...I get bored in the old testament so I am starting in the NT this time!
* Volunteer more
* Worry Less
* Smile More
* Appreciate the little things
* Journal at least once a week
* Blog once a week!
* Take my camera out once a week and shoot around! (post pictures????)

2009 Blessings

As I sit here and think back on the past year..I am realizing that amongst all of the hard times there were so many blessings. I am reminded of God's Faithfulness to us and his goodness and grace. I reminded of the fact that we have good health. We have running water, a roof over heads, food in tummy's and clothes on our backs. Why is that we focus so much on the negative on our lives? This year...I plan to look at all the blessings. To not take advantage of all that we have!

Here are some of the blessings of 2009 (in no particular order)

* Good Health for Ryan and I
* Ryan has a great job that despite the economy keeps growing
* I got hired by a great company to work with kids and teach once again
* Our AMAZING friends that stand next to us...that encourage us, that spur us on. For these friends we are truly grateful!
* Our wonderful and much needed vacation to Kauai that we thought we were going to have to cancel due to finances. But Gods goodness allowed us to go!
* We had a great trip to Arizona in June and spent much needed time with all the kids!
* We joined a married couples Life Group...what a blessing
* We have each other (Ryan and I that is)
* The Lord allowed my mom to stay with us one more year. Despite the disease and how hard it is, I cant imagine a world without my mom.
* We have an AMAZING family.
* We have been able to watch our nieces and nephews grow up more this year. They are becoming such exceptional kids!
* We were able to finish the paver patio in the backyard, due to the help of great friends and family.
* We finally got the dog that we had been waiting for...We LOVE BOZLEY! He brings so much joy and energy into our house! It feels more like a home now that we have him!
* I have been able to watch Ryan's relationships with his brothers grow this year!


I am sure that there are so many other things that I can post.....but we are most grateful for God's grace and provision. He is faithful to us, even when we lack in faith! Here's to an amazing 2010!

The Young Year in Review

January: Ryan and I celebrated 3 years of wedded bliss
February: I felt the nearness of God as I struggled with my moms disease
March: Ryan and I went to Denver to visit my dear friend and her husband. I finally put together my garden in the front of the house
April: I turned 35
May: We hosted a baby shower for the Thompsons...awaiting the arrival of Miss Avalee
June: We brought home our own little bundle of fur...BOZLEY
July: worked at Royal Family Kids Camp and we welcomed little Miss Avalee on the 4th!
August: We started work on the backyard remodel
September: Made our first round of Limoncello. Amy and Andy came out to visit for Amy's birthday and spent the day at Disneyland!
October: Walked in the Memory Walk in honor of my mom. Bozley got stung by 3 bees and went into shock. Saw Star Wars in concert with Anna and EG. Hosted the Halloween party on our newly finished backyard patio!
November: Hosted our first Thanksgiving at home. Went to Kauai
December: Spent Christmas in Arizona. I got hired with Play-Well TEKnologies as a LEGO Engineer!

Tacky Christmas Sweater Party and cookie exchange

This year we started a new tradition.....a Christmas Cookie Exchange....with Tacky Christmas Sweaters. Enjoy!
Michelle's yummy goodness!
The Tracy Specials
Shelly's Peanut Butter Overloads
Anna's Pretzel Things
The assortment deand the Peppermint Candy Tarts I made
Even Pippin got into the Tacky Christmas Sweater Action
Anna...no sweater, but tacky tie!
My homemade beauty..out of a tree skirt and other stuff
Shelly was the big winner...she found all of this in a thrift store for under $3.00
Tracy's Homemade sweater
Shelly and her winning combination!!!

Christmas 2009

Its been a couple of busy weeks around here. Ryan and I always tell ourselves that we wont let the season pass us by...by getting so involved in the parties, the outings, the shopping and so on. This year it happened again....the season passed us by. Where did the time go?

The Sunday prior to Christmas we spent with Ryan's oldest Brother and his family here in Yorba Linda. It was great to see the kids as Jake has been away this semester in Washington DC as a congressional page. They spoiled us and fed us a great meal. We are so very thankful that we have them close by!

This was the first year that we did not spend Christmas at home. We traveled to Arizona to visit with Ryan's side of the family. His parents and 3 out 4 of his older brothers and their families live there. We packed up our car, including Bozley (his first long car ride) and headed out Christmas Eve. We made great time considering we had to keep stopping for the little boy to pee. We stayed with Peter and his family and had a great time. It was a blessing to be there on Christmas morning to watch the faces of the kids (albeit they arent so small anymore) as they opened their gifts. What makes staying at Peter's house so fun is that his older brother (Ryan's too) lives just over the fence. That's right they bought houses that are right next to each other. So when we were done at Peter's we just walked around the block to Paul's house. Later that evening we went over to spend time with mom, dad and Steve (yet another older brother...did I mention that Ryan is the youngest of 5 boys). Bozley finally got to meet his grandparents and they instantly fell in love with him.

One highlight of our timeout there was being able to take the two youngest kids to the movies...we went and saw " Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Squeakquel" I actually enjoyed the movie...mainly because it was clean and family friendly. Also because I got to spend some time with Hunter and Jessica. Time well spent. Later that night we took mom, dad and Steve out to dinner at one of our favorite places ( Macayo's ) It was great and we had a good time. It wasnt until later that evening that things took a turn a for the worse. I came down with the stomach flu...fever, chills, aches, vomiting.....you name it I had it! It hit me so hard and so fast and to this day I am still recovering. I do not recommend getting the stomach flu the night before you are to make a 6 hour drive home (it was not fun)

Other than the flu, we had a great time with family!

Kauai 09

Ryan...excited to be in KauaiThe rooster...official bird and alarm clock of Kauai


Beauty everywhere! Ki'lauea Lighthouse
The Beautiful Napali coast....we took a 65 foot Catamaran out to see it! AMAZING
Hanalei Valley
Off the Napali coast
Sunset on the Napali Coast
More sunset on the Napali Coast
Lunch in Poipu
Spouting Horn
fun times
Ryan enjoying our view from our lanai
At Ke'e beach.....we went looking for Sea Turtles....but no sea turtles

Ryan and I were able to get away for a week and spend some time in Kauai! We had booked our resort last February and have been looking forward to this for such a long time! Kauai is such an amazing Island....we have been to Oahu and found it to be a beautiful Island....but this is so much different. For one thing Kauai is much less developed. There are fewer big citys....we saw no high rise buildings (other than the St Regis). There is so much natural beauty around you that you just sit in awe of it! By far one of the most memorable things we did was go on a boat trip to the Napali Coast. The Napali's are AMAZING.....one of God's most beautiful places. You can not get to them by car....you either have to hike them, fly over them in a plane or helicopter or take a boat. We took a boat....a 65 foot Catamaran. Fun times for this girl who gets sea sick....but so worth it! If you are ever in Kauai ....take a trip with Holo Holo Charters!!!! Great group of people! At one point they made me keep a bucket in front of me....just in case! But I didnt need it! ( the waters of the Napali's are rougher during the winter months) All in all..it was a great trip. We are looking forward to our next adventure...which wont be for some time!

Thanksgiving 09

This was our first year having Thanksgiving at our house. For the past few years we are in Arizona visiting With Ryan's family. This year however, we spent Thanksgiving at home. Craig, Sonia and the kids came over as they stayed home as well. We had a great time and the food was so yummy! We had a Turkey, mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and parm cheese, smashed sweet potatoes, Sonia's AMAZING creamed corn, my moms stuffing recipe, rolls and all the other fun stuff that go along with Thanksgiving dinner!