Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Finally...our BUNGEE JUMPING videos!!
We'll be going back for more in the Spring if anyone wants to join us!! Can't wait!
Merry Christmas!
What an enjoyable Christmas we had this year! Grammy, Auntie Shell-Shell, Uncle Smitty, Auntie Jill and Baby AJ all came to our house for Christmas. The kids spent the day playing with all of their new gifts while the adults gorged themselves with food! We had a great Christmas dinner ( a 6 lb. filet mignon from Costco which I highly recommend) and just an overall relaxing day together. Take a peek below!
Masyn was on her HSM dance mat all day...she loved it!
Skipbo and Gingerbread Houses
We have some different traditions in our family when the holidays approach...every year the whole family gathers for a huge Skipbo tournament! I was never really into Skipbo until this last year. I suppose once you learn how to play and actually beat someone, you get sucked in for more! Anyway, this Skipbo party is completely professional. I'm talking rows of tables covered by white tents, dozens of Skipbo decks, catered food, trohphies and alcohol of course. The whole family, young and old, competes for the title of "winner"! Some of my cousins have been playing since they where 7 years old (I got a much later start in the game)!! It's loads of fun and a great time to catch up w
ith everyone.
In addition to Skipbo we also get together with a bunch of the local cousins and make gingerbread houses. This has to be the kids favorite event by far! The get to make gingerbread houses piled high with candy with their cousins they absolutely adore. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures...sorry!
ith everyone.
In addition to Skipbo we also get together with a bunch of the local cousins and make gingerbread houses. This has to be the kids favorite event by far! The get to make gingerbread houses piled high with candy with their cousins they absolutely adore. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures...sorry!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Breakfast with Santa
Every year the Montage has an event for all of the employees and their families called, "Breakfast with Santa". The kids absolutely love it, and it is such a joy to see their faces light up over all of the fun things offered. This year, aside from the great food and the big fat man in the white beard, there was face painting, cookie decorating, coloring contests, picture frame making, magic shows and karaoke (what kid does not like to hear them self on a microphone)!! We all had a great time and look forward to it again next year. Thanks dad for working at such an amazing place!
Bungee America Baby!
On Saturday I surprised Nick for our 6th year Anniversary by taking him bungee jumping off of a bridge (The Bridge to Nowhere) in the Angeles National Forest! For those of you who don't know my husband he is petrified of things like this. But there is a small side of him that he has mentioned on rare occasions that wishes he could be more daring...so I basically thought of my little gift to him for this very special day as "his wish come true"! When I gave him my talking anniversary card that so excitedly broke the news to him once we were at the bottom of the mountian, he didn't seem to happy with me at that moment! He was stuck out in the middle of no where, about to go on a trecherous 5 mile hike, to do something he hated...perfect, the true test of LOVE! Anyway, take a peak at our most memorable day together. He loved me even more by the end of the day!
This was at the start of our hike. The mountain we were hiking to can't even be seen in this picture. It was just beyond the farthest mountian you can see. It was a 5 mile hike that took about 2 1/2 hours. We hiked along side the San Gabriel River, crossing it about 7-8 times up to our knees (mind you it was freezing cold hypothermia conditions). The hiking trail could barely be called a trail most of the time as it gets washed out so often it frequestly changes. It was more like hiking through bushes, over rocks, through rivers and along steep cliffs!
Along our hike we saw some long horns (aka rams). There was an entire herd of them about 50 yards away. It was amazing to see wildlife so close by!
We finally made it to the bridge! Holey, moley it was a long way down! Almost everyone was having second thoughts (inlcuding me, and I've done this before in a gorge), but there was no turning back now. We were going to conquer that bridge!
I decided to do the back plunge! It was the most amazing, adrenaline pumping thing of my life. Of all of the things I've tried (skydiving, hang gliding, glider planes, para sailing, etc.) bungee jumping has to be the far most scariest. But I have to admit after that first jump it just made me want to come back up for more. I loved it!
Nick decided to go with the front dive. It only took him one count down from the group and he was falling no where but down! He came back up thanking me for making our 6th year Anniversary so memorable. He was also asking when we were going to do it again! I was so proud of him that he was able to conquer one of his fears!
Once we were finished bungee jumping, we were left to hike back to the parking lot on our own or in small groups. I'm not sure which one was more scary...jumping off a bridge or afraid we were not going to make it back to our cars before dark? It took us about 3 hours on the way back as a result of some minor detours! It still amazes me that we were brought up there by instructors yet on our own to get back! I think we crossed that freezing cold river atleast 15 times on the way back trying to figure out the right way. Atleast we were with some friends we had meet over the course of the day...after all, we all know how great Nick and I are with directions!!
This was at the start of our hike. The mountain we were hiking to can't even be seen in this picture. It was just beyond the farthest mountian you can see. It was a 5 mile hike that took about 2 1/2 hours. We hiked along side the San Gabriel River, crossing it about 7-8 times up to our knees (mind you it was freezing cold hypothermia conditions). The hiking trail could barely be called a trail most of the time as it gets washed out so often it frequestly changes. It was more like hiking through bushes, over rocks, through rivers and along steep cliffs!
Along our hike we saw some long horns (aka rams). There was an entire herd of them about 50 yards away. It was amazing to see wildlife so close by!
We finally made it to the bridge! Holey, moley it was a long way down! Almost everyone was having second thoughts (inlcuding me, and I've done this before in a gorge), but there was no turning back now. We were going to conquer that bridge!
I decided to do the back plunge! It was the most amazing, adrenaline pumping thing of my life. Of all of the things I've tried (skydiving, hang gliding, glider planes, para sailing, etc.) bungee jumping has to be the far most scariest. But I have to admit after that first jump it just made me want to come back up for more. I loved it!
Nick decided to go with the front dive. It only took him one count down from the group and he was falling no where but down! He came back up thanking me for making our 6th year Anniversary so memorable. He was also asking when we were going to do it again! I was so proud of him that he was able to conquer one of his fears!
Once we were finished bungee jumping, we were left to hike back to the parking lot on our own or in small groups. I'm not sure which one was more scary...jumping off a bridge or afraid we were not going to make it back to our cars before dark? It took us about 3 hours on the way back as a result of some minor detours! It still amazes me that we were brought up there by instructors yet on our own to get back! I think we crossed that freezing cold river atleast 15 times on the way back trying to figure out the right way. Atleast we were with some friends we had meet over the course of the day...after all, we all know how great Nick and I are with directions!!Happy 6th Anniversary Baby!
P.S. I will be posting the videos of our actual jumps soon...check back!
P.S. I will be posting the videos of our actual jumps soon...check back!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Our Little Zain!
We just found out that Zain has to go in for an adenoidectomy on December 29th! So in other words, he must have his adenoids removed. He has suffered from breathing problems and asthma since he was about 4 months old (poor guy) and has probably been in and out of the ER at least 7-8 times since birth. We are really praying that this little outpatient procedure finally gives him some long needed relief. Zain you are in our prayers and we love you!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Trimming the Tree!
Tonight we finally decorated our Christmas Tree. I say finally because Nick thought I was crazy when I put up all of the Christmas decorations, lights and tree on Thanksgiving morning!! I was a little excited for Christmas this year! It just seems as the kids get older Christmas gets even more exciting...I'm sure that this cycle will reverse again once they hit about 16 (hehe)! Anyway, after a visit to the mall to see Santa and ask him a very important question..."where do you keep the reindeer when you are at the mall?"...we went
back home to decorate the tree. Merry Christmas !!
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