Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Jan 13 Journal - Christmas was Sooo Good

This was a really special, and memorable Christmas this year! My first one with a child that could enjoy it and I could enjoy them, and we could all enjoy each others' good company.
Since Luke works in a school, we get the same vacation that students get- which is really fun for the time off, but hard on the checkbook. Luckily I picked up a client to do private speech therapy for just before Thanksgiving that will be some good backup money. The only problem is I thought I would have been paid for my work in Nov and Dec by now (mid Jan) but I haven't yet. We are going finish the rest of this week on fumes! Hopefully it comes soon. My client is such sweet guy, 4 yrs old with autism. He is the easiest and most fun, and smartest client with autism that I have ever had which makes it easier to leave Gracie with Dad for 1 hour twice a week at night. It is really a fabulous deal which makes getting my degree all worth it. I think it will continue to help supplement in the future but I never have to be a slave to my job so that is nice. The funniest thing is I got this client by putting my name and an ad on CRAIGSLIST of all places for a speech-language-pathologist to advertise. It was my last resort after two people in church fell through. I prefer it this way anyway, but how FUNNY huh? I love craigslist!
So back to Christmas...
We spent Monday through Saturday (Christmas was on Friday) with the Barbers and had a wonderful time with Grammy and Papa and Hailey and Todd and our niece and nephew too.

Christmas Day: Really Fun!
- Took a good long time opening gifts.
- Santa gave Gracie her favorite gifts: a baby, stroller, highchair, and rocking bassinet matching set. (She won't go anywhere without her baby (de-di), and she loves pushing the stroller and running with it. She also yells GO adn VROOM).
- Ate Lenna's yummy breakfast casserole.
- I took Sofia and Gracie out to play in the snow.
- Luke came after he fixed our sled up with a rope.
- Gracie wore baggies in her brown Mary Jane shoes and a couple of blanket sleepers since we had no snow clothes.
- Gracie had fun but banged her nose on the sidewalk and got really cold.
- Grammy snuggled with her to get her warm when we got home and then we all napped.
- I made Cafe Rio Pork tacos/salad for dinner which I should I got in the crockpot sooner to be just right. It was still good.
- Watched family slides on a real slide projector from their growing up years.
- Went to bed happy and exhausted.
- Went to see New Moon. The guys were nice about that. Gracie did well but there is a funny story about the movies I will have to tell later.

Week after Christmas: Sunday through Friday (New Year's Eve Thursday) @ Chandler's
- Church and dinner and time just catching up.
- SNOWBOARDING all day Monday, mom/dad/Anjelica/Michael watched Gracie and even brought her up the mountain to see us. We had fun despite the really bad snow and visible rocks, roots everywhere. Luke and I both tore up our knee really bad, but that is the best I have ever snowboarded. Tino and Nancy and BJ came and we taught BJ to ski for the first time. We missed Gracie!
- Movie one night and Wii another night. I hated it and cried. I CAN'T play nintendo games!!
- Spent the night at Bill/Bri's new house and spent all day the next day playing in the snow and talking. It was fun.
- Made some really quick visits to see my highschool friends and did some errands with Kevin while Luke went to Burley with his dad to pick up their new van.
- New Year's Eve- Ate Papa Murphy's Pizza, played games (Balderdash was my favorite) with everyone--- except Lisa and Karl and their kids, until MIDNIGHT then we ran out side in the snow, not barefooted and kissed and danced and yelled, wahoo!
- Went back to Draper and spent the night. Helped Lenna take down her Christmas and left for home.
- 6 hours later, back in Vegas, went to Jenny Lytle's wedding reception and stayed late to clean up.
FUN TO BE AWAY AND WITH FAMILY BUT GLAD TO BE BACK HOME AND NOT IN A SUITCASE (although we did get the coolest new luggage bags from Rick/Lenna for Christmas, that was the only thing that helped when you have got your house packed in your car and staying at different places for two weeks. Thanks!)

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