Ashlee's 12

Our little girl turned 12 today!  How and when did this happen?  We decided to keep things low key this year.  No party.  Ashlee got to pick where she wanted to go to dinner.  She chose Red Robin followed by Cold Stone Ice Cream.  She also got a new hairstyle and some money to spend on a future family vacation.

Today Ashlee was  awarded with several awards at an awards assembly at school.  She received a Life Skills Award for being efficient.  Her teachers said that she always" goes the extra mile" and goes over and beyond what is required of her.  She received an awards certificate and an engraved key chain for her participation on the school volleyball team, and she received a certificate for having a 4.0GPA,which is hard to do at our school.   Our school has different grade cut offs than most schools.  We basically do not have minus grades.  So technically a B- at a regular school is a C+ at ours.

Ashlee's new hairstyle.  She got bangs and some layers.

Ashlee receiving the Life Skills Award for being Efficient

Volleyball Award

Gold Honor Roll 4.0 GPA

All the 6th Grade Gold Honor Roll Students

Happy New Year-A Fresh Start

Happy New Year.  A time to clean and wipe out the old and ring in the new.  A time for a fresh new start.  I must admit I am more uncertain about 2013 than I have ever been before.  I do not know if it's the state of our government, world, economy, the rising crime taking place around us, etc, or a combination of things.  I just have an uneasy feeling heading into 2013.

I think some of the un-easiness I may be feeling is being brought on by so many of the uncertainties going on in our own lives, and wondering where this year will lead us.  Here are some of the things I am feeling uncertain about:

-John's employment
-Ashlee and Mikayla's school (i.e. Is there a better option available? Is this the right place?)
-Trying to make it with me working one less job
-Rising taxes
-Health care changes going into effect
-Rising cost of living, food, etc.
-Trying to run a successful business and hoping we can make it, without being ran out of business because of taxes, and people who choose to take product, but not pay for the product.

I like the idea of taking a word and using that word throughout the year and I also like the idea of just listing some of the things you want to improve upon in the year to come.  I cannot think of one word that encompasses everything I wish to accomplish this year, so I am going to list some things I hope to improve upon, all the while looking at 2013 as a time for a fresh new start, and dealing with things one day at a time. 

-Family
-Faith
-Health and fitness -eating healthier (less sweets, more healthy choices) and finding the time and motivation to excercise!

"We would do well to slow down a little, focus on the significant & truly see the things that matter most." Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day

Christmas Eve was celebrated at our house.  My brother and his kids, my mom, and Terry came over. We had Mexican food for dinner and cookie cups for dessert.  Exchanged gifts and visited.  My girls have known for a while now that we are going to Disneyland in February, but my brothers kids just found out on Christmas eve that they are going too.  Ashlee belongs to a club at school and they get to go to Disneyland at a discounted rate(anywhere from $75-100 per ticket less).  We are allowed to get as many tickets as we need, so my mom is helping pay for all of us to go(her gift to all of us for Christmas).  The kids are so excited.  We have not been since 2008 and cannot wait!

 

Christmas Day John  had to go to work.  The girls did not think they could wait until John got home to see what Santa had brought and open their gifts, so we got up early and let them open their gifts before he went to work.

 Santa brought them a laptop.  Our desktop computer is on it's last leg.  And everyone fights over the one computer to get their homework, bills, etc done.

 Ashlee got a cell phone (I am not sure about kids having cell phones, but with carpooling, and her starting to babysit I felt it was necessary).  So many people these days do not have home phones, so when she goes to babysit, she has no way of calling for help if she needs it.  She also got a knitting kit, a sweat outfit, and some boots.  She has been knitting way.  So far she has made a scarf and a beanie hat.

 Mikayla got a knitting kit, boots, duck tape, and clothes.  She has been knitting away too.

Ashlee opening her cell phone

 When John got home from work we went to my moms for Christmas dinner.  I woke up Christmas morning sick and was not up to taking pictures, the rest of the day.  I know, I should have....

Christmas Baking

My mom gathered up the supplies and her, my nephews, and neice came over today to do some holiday baking.  We made several simple treats, assembled them in packaging and delivered them to friends, relatives and neighbors. 

Hailee, Mikayla and Ashlee

Songs of the Season

Tonight Mikayla had her school Winter (aka Christmas, you have to call it Winter so you do not offend anyone these days!) Performance.  The program was called Songs of the Season.

Mikayla is in the middle with the green reindeer ears.
 

Mikayla is the 2nd one in from the right.  Her and her friends Allison and Brooke had a little friends skit in the song, but I could never get a decent picture.

Mikayla's 4th Grade Columbia Field Trip

Today I took the day off work and went on a field trip to Columbia State Park with Mikayla.  In fourth grade they learn about the California Gold Rush and so what better place to go, than Columbia.  It rained the entire day and it was soooo cold.  At one point, when we were walking up the hill to the old school house, the rain turned to slushy snow.  We tried our best to make the best of it and to stay warm, but it was hard.  I felt bad for them, because there was so much they could not do on the field trip because of the rain.  They could not pan for gold, or do the bucket brigade, their guided tour was cut short because of the weather. 

Bowling

Eating lunch in the Saloon and trying to get dry!

More bowling.  Trying to get out of the rain!

Playing with foam bricks under a heater.  Trying to get warm and dry!

Mikayla's 4th grade class.  Mikayla is in the pink jacket.

Getting a lesson at the school house.  Mikayla is in the pink jacket.

Abbie and Olivia.  Two of the girls I chaperoned.

Outside the school house.  A bit of a break in the rain.  Trying to get a class picture without umbrellas, hoods, etc.

Turlock Christmas Parade

We have had an annual tradition for the last 5 years or so, every year we go to the Turlock Christmas Parade.  It is a huge parade.  You have to get there early to get a spot, if not it's standing room only.  My brother and my niece and nephews got there early and saved us a spot.  We bring dinner and hot chocolate and eat before the parade starts.  Then we enjoy the parade.  The parade last about an hour and a half.  We look forward to it every year.  The highlight of the parade was a huge Save Mart Shopping Cart.  Unfortunately I could not get a picture of it.

Hailee and Ashlee

A galloping horse float.  It has to wait for some space in between floats and then it takes off galloping and bucking.