Oh the things she says...

You know how you wonder if your kids ever really listen to things you tell them? Well tonight I was watching the Jazz game and when it was almost over and Houston missed, looking like it was going to go into OT, I was quite vocal about the game. Kaylee looked at me and said "Mommy, if you're going to yell so loud you need to go outside!" How many times have I said that to her and thought she wasn't even listening. Now I know better ;)

I'm finally starting!

I've been trying to get myself going on selling the jewelry I make. I took the first step today and posted pictures of pieces I've made on a blog (www.amaracreations.blogspot.com). I get asked frequently if I sell what I make, and this is something I should have done long ago. But hey, better late than never :)

Christmas Program

Kaylee's daycare had their Christmas program tonight (we're in Utah, don't they know about Family Night??). It was just a small thing, but this is the first time I've been able to watch Kaylee perform! Her first year at daycare she was too shy to go up, then she was at her dads house. She's also been at her dads house the last two years for the Primary programs. Needless to say, I was anxious to see how she'd do.

All the worrying was for nothing, she did a great job! She sat still for a very long time (even my dad and I were getting restless!) and was pretty good. When it came time for her class to sing, she did a great job and was oh so cute! I was a proud Mommy and now I'm really looking forward to next year when she'll be in school and will have to be home for the Primary program!

This is a picture of Kaylee and her best friend Aspen. It seems like not that long ago, I was her best friend, but I've lost that spot to Aspen.

Here's some pics I took of Kaylee at home after the program...

This perfectly illustrates the two sides of Kaylee:

Notes

My dad has saved for many years a note I wrote him during church, or maybe it was a picture. All I remember is my signature on it. I thought that was special that he saved it for all these years and now Kaylee has gotten to see it. Well, two weeks ago in church Kaylee wanted to write me a note and asked me how to spell certain words. Yes it was during sacrament meeting, but she was being quiet so I let her do it. I wrote back to her and we did this until the end of the page. It cracks me up to see her cross out her letters and rewrite them and to try to fit extra words in between other words. I'm proud that she can write so many words all on her own now. After I said that I thought her dress was beautiful I was listening to the speaker and didn't see what she'd written. When I looked down and saw it, it touched me. She is such a precious child, I'm so blessed to be her mother.

I don't know that I'll be able to hang on to this letter for as many years as my dad has, but at least I scanned it in so it will be saved on the computer :)

(In the picture it's hard to read, she had written "I love dress" then tried to fit "your" in between love and dress. )

Home

Tonight as I ran errands I passed through a bunch of fresh trees they're selling for Christmas. The smell hit me, it made me think of Washington. That got me started pondering where "home" really is to me now.

For those who don't know, I was born in California and lived there for almost twelve years, then in Washington for fifteen years before moving to Utah four years ago.

The smell of those trees brought back memories of our house in Washington. We lived on an acre of land in the mountains and had plenty of pine trees around. I remember when we first moved there, it smelled to me like we were camping every day. The only time I'd been around that many trees was when we drove hours from Southern CA to the mountains to camp. Washington is where daughter was born, where I got started in my accounting career and where I have many good friends and fond memories. While I lived in Washington for fifteen years, and have many good memories there, it isn't home to me anymore.

Four years ago when I moved to Utah it was because of the situation I was in, not because I wanted to live in Utah. Utah was in fact the LAST place I'd ever wanted to live. When I moved here I was scared of being judged for being a single mom by all the "Utah Mormons". Actually, my experience has been the opposite. People are so willing to help me out, because I'm a single mom. Funny though, it feels like home now. Last weekend Kaylee spent the night with my parents and after picking her up I did errands in that area and it struck me, this feels like home. I remember when I first moved here I thought Utah was so ugly! It was so brown and... well brown. Now when I look at the mountains I think they're beautiful. I love that I see the sunshine on a very regular basis and never have time to lose my sunglasses! Sure beats the record 90-something days of no sunshine in WA.

This is where I've made my first home of my own. My townhouse may be old, but it's mine and I love it! Kaylee and I have a good life here, lots of friends and very friendly neighbors. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Utah really feels like home now. Although I gave my parents, and brother and sister, a really hard time for "ditching me" and moving to Utah, I'm glad they did. This is where I'm supposed to be now.

Sweetheart

When we got home from church on Sunday Kaylee realized she'd lost her "hearts" that she got in primary. She was quite upset and adamant that I couldn't make her new ones. I called around and found her teacher and she was sweet enough to bring Kaylee over a new set.

Kaylee got sick as soon as we got home from church on Sunday (she slept from 6pm until 9am - it was great!) so I gave her the hearts when she woke up on Monday morning. A little bit later she told me she was going upstairs to get a toy and I didn't think much of it... until she came downstairs and told me next time I go upstairs to look at my pillow.

Well anyone who knows me knows how much patience I don't have - so I went upstairs to see what she'd done. That sweet little girl of mine had made my bed and left a heart on my pillow!

Sick and with a temp of 102, the first thing she wanted to do that day was follow her primary teachers instructions to do something nice for someone. We were both sick and so my bed was a mess from us stealing the covers back and forth from each other. It was quite a feat to make the bed and she did such a good job!

I'm so thankful that she loves primary and has such a great teacher!

Go Jazz!

Tonight Kaylee and I went to the Jazz game. It was Kaylee's first Jazz game! She said it made her a little nervous, and that I was too loud, but that she had fun. They played Portland and it was an awesome game! I don't think I'll have much of a voice tomorrow. Of course, when the score is really close and there's 2 minutes left on the clock, Kaylee is adamant that she has to go potty NOW and can't hold it. I made her wait till the next time-out, then we ran to the bathroom. We literally ran all the way there, and all the way back. We made it back to our seats with 29 seconds left on the clock! Jazz won and we had a great time!


I bought 4 tickets, so we took my friend Sidreis and her son Colin (Kaylee's future husband, they're betrothed lol).

Kaylee LOVED the Jazz dancers and was really getting into it! She said when she grows up she wants to be a Jazz dancer :),

This is Kaylee in protest of all my yelling and screaming. At one point she said if I didn't stop she was going to leave. I told her fine, have fun finding the car! After that she didn't complain anymore.

She got tired of plugging her ears and this was her next attempt at blocking me out :)

Finally she gave up and got back into the game...