Sorry to keep you hanging. . .

Look familiar?

Here's the story.

Someone decided it would be fun to have a couples night

80's style at the local roller rink!

Fun huh?

Except a couple of husbands couldn't be convinced of the "funness" of the evening

so instead of begging and pleading

we decided we would make our own fun and go

PROM STYLE!

My husband must have felt particularly guilty about not going because he made us all "italian soda's as we headed out the door" 

What a guy!

So even though said husband didn't want to go

he still had to put my CORSAGE on!

Once at the rink we were ready to go!

And we skated the night away (well until midnight when the rink closed).

A little side story about those puffy sleeves. . .

I was skating along and looked over my shoulder and thought someone was skating right behind me - It was my puffy sleeve - I got scared of the puffy sleeve!

I couldn't stop laughing!

It was a slow song. . .

everyone else was holding hands. . .

Why am I such a poser?

Thanks gals for the "rockin" night!

Saturday

This was the scene at our house on Saturday. . .

Yes I said Saturday and yes he is working - 

 (I do love that he chooses to get it out of the way and done

instead of procrastinating until the last minute)

This guy looks so forward to Saturday Mornings

X-Box privileges!

This guy enjoyed a Saturday Afternoon Playdate!

And as for me I took Saturday to recuperate

 from the Friday Night I had. . .

(more to come on that later I promise)

Why can't every day be Saturday?

Kale makes me laugh. . .

This calendar sits in my kitchen and it is open 100% of the time. It is how I keep track mostly of bills. All bills were paid at the beginning of the month this month and I haven't looked at my calendar in a few days. I looked at it this morning. Now that you know what bills I have and what day they are due on PLEASE check out the 20th!

(just in case we weren't going to remember the

INOGORATION)

I smiled and laughed to myself. . .

and then I remembered this:

At the time this happened I wanted to blog about it but could never find the right way to go about it - for some reason today I find it strangely appropriate.

When Kale does his required reading for the day he loves to snuggle on my bed and read - it must be the million pillows.

One particular day he was done reading and he yelled at me from the bedroom

"I don't have a bookmark"

I yelled back, "just find a piece of paper or something to use"

When I walked into the bedroom that night to go to bed - his book was sitting on my bed and sure enough there was a bookmark in it.

Look close.

Can you tell what it is?

Well, he must have gotten into the nightstand by our bed and grabbed the first thing he found.

How Embarrassing. . .

but once again

  I smiled and laughed to myself.

Pay it Forward Exchange

I saw this on my friend's blog and I was the first to comment on hers so now it's your turn!

This is how it works:

Pay if Forward Exchange is based on the concept of the movie "Pay it Forward". 

I will send a hand made gift to the first three people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join the PIF exchange. 

All the gifts will be made and posted out 'sometime within the next year'. 

How exciting to not know when your surprise package will arrive! 

What you do in return, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. 

This Exchange is only open to those with active websites or blogs. 

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PROMISE TO POST THIS SAME 'PAY IT FORWARD' MESSAGE ONTO YOUR BLOG, WHICH MUST BE ACTIVE IN ORDER TO PLAY. YOU WILL PAY IT FORWARD TO THREE PEOPLE WHO COMMENT ON YOUR BLOG.

 I'd love for you to join me! Will you? 

Other comments are welcome,

 but only the first three will be my Pay it Forward recipients.

Sounds like fun, right? No pressure, just fun.

(and we all could use some of that these days!)

(and just because I used  PRESSURE and FUN in the same sentence. . .

this is what happens when you try to make homemade rootbeer in a container that's too small)

Reflections. . .

This week has definately been a week to look back and reflect for me and it all came to the surface while watching President Obama be sworn in yesterday morning. Putting political party affiliation aside you have to admit that history was made yesterday. I couldn't help but get chills watching and thinking about our country and what it has been through. It's kinda what I have been thinking about with my life this past week. 

It all started with Craig's List. I listed our Sentra and a dining room table and sold both.

And while I am excited about the money earned and the new found space in our garage it was a little sad to say goodbye to them. 

This table was the first "real" furniture purchase that we made. The $29.99 entertainment center from Walmart or the "free" couches from some guy in provo don't count. We paid real money for this table. We bought it when we moved from Provo to Ogden because our house in Ogden had a little dining room and there was no way the card table given to us at our wedding which we had been using as a kitchen table was going in a dining room.

It served it's purpose well, but when we bought this house it just didn't go. I was willing to deal with it until I found the perfect table at Costco.

 So it has taken up space in our garage for over a year and I decided it was time to sell it.

This was the first car that Kyle and I bought together. I still remember sitting at the table in the dealership (and the pushy salesman). We drove that car home with about 2,500 miles on it and it was being driven away by a new owner with 208,000 miles on it. 

Those miles are memories to me.

(here's where it gets long - feel free to opt out now)

I remember when it was our only car for quite a while - like years. I remember that I worked 8:00 - 5:00 and Kyle worked 3:00pm  - 11:00pm. So I remember I would go to work at 8:00am then I would take my lunch at 2:30 pm and I would pick Kyle up and take him to work (it was 1/2 hour from our house) at 3:00 pm  - get back from lunch at 3:30 - leave work at 5:00 and wait until 10:30 pm when I would leave to go and pick him up at 11:00. We made it work - somehow.

I remember bringing our first baby home from the hospital in that car.

(I even remember my friend Lyndsey coming over to visit and we had already put the car seat in the car and when she saw the seat through the window she thought we had already had the baby)

I remember driving that car from California to Idaho when we got the phone call that my mom wouldn't make it through the night. 

I remember driving that car home from Thanksgiving once and going through a really bad snow storm and sliding all over the road, but it kept us safe.

I remember a Sunday drive when we got a flat tire (I was driving).

I remember somehow getting Christmas trees on top of it and back home to our little house.

I remember we took a vacation to Morro Bay, California for a family reunion and we had just bought bikes and we strapped those bikes to a bike rack on the back of that little car and for the 13+ hour drive we were both so nervous that the bikes were going to fall off. I stared out the back window the entire trip.

I remember once when we lived in Ogden, we stayed out late at friends house playing games and when it was time to go home the ground was covered with snow. Any way you took to our house you had to go up a hill. It was after midnight and we had to try at least 4 different streets to get home because our little car would not make it up the hills without slipping back down. 

I remember soon after we moved to California - Kyle was in law school at night on the weekdays and then worked graveyards on the weekends. I got a job nannying for a family all day on the weekdays. The only time I saw Kyle was when he was picking me up and dropping me off to work. (this job only lasted a about 6 months) but almost every ounce of communication between us for those 6 months took place in that car.

Soon after I took another nannying job for a family who needed a sitter in the evenings. So Kyle would drop me off at 5:00 pm then he would go to school and around 10:30 every night he would come by to pick Kale and I up again. There were some nights I would just sit by the window waiting for that little white car to pull up because it meant my night was almost over.

I remember date nights and drives for no reason.

 

I remember taking Kale to the hospital for stitches when he cracked his head open and him being worried about getting blood on "daddy's car" (Kyle did take really, really good care of that car).

I remember late night runs to the store for things such as diapers or ice cream.

I remember early Saturday morning trips to the Oakland Temple.

I just remember that car.

I should be excited that we are moving on to bigger and better things. I LOVE my new dining room table. I can't imagine the room without it and Kyle's new truck is AMAZING. 

So while it's exciting to have the NEW, I can't help but reflect on the OLD.

My guy is sick.

Really sick.

Like I've never seen him this sick.

So sick he has already taken 3 sick days.

He doesn't take sick days.

Even when I beg.

He hasn't taken a sick day since he became a DA over 3 years ago.

He went to the doctor today.

He couldn't drive himself (I had to leave a very fun little lunch date to rescue him).

He's so sick he got a doctors note (I kid you not like back in the 3rd grade) telling him he cannot go back to work.

He has lost 11 pounds since Sunday (lucky!)

He's been dealing with all this:

Fever (at least 3 of them that leave my sheets soaking wet when they have broken)

Rash (all over his poor belly)

Chills (followed by sweats)

Sore throat (the doctor used the words "looks like raw meat")

Body Aches (he was moaning, yes moaning he hurt so bad)

Throwing up (out both sides if ya know what I mean)

Having a sick "man" is much different than having a sick child.

What do you do?

I'm trying to take care of him. I feel a little helpless. 

Any suggestions?

The one thing I do know is when he gets better I'm going to the doctor for one of those "get out of life" notes!  I need one right about NOW!

Happy New Year (It's still January right?)

So I sent out a "New Year's Letter" this year instead of a Christmas card.

They are in the mail and being delivered as we speak so to everyone who isn't on the mailing list (and if you want to be on the mailing list keep those addresses coming) here you go!

Happy New Year 2009

Wow! Is it really 2009?

Well, 2008 was a year of First's for the Jibson Family so here we go:

We bought our 1st house.

(well technically we bought our house in  December of 2007, but since we didn't move in until Christmas Eve - close enough)

We had our 1st daughter.

Our 1st car we bought together almost 11 years ago was replaced by our 1st TRUCK!

We set up our 1st Christmas tree out of a BOX!

Kaylynn started our 1st BLOG.

And also became a 1st time Facebooker!

Kyle was able to baptize our 1st child and bless his 1st daughter in the same weekend.

Kristopher had his 1st experience with stitches in his tongue.

Kale pitched in a baseball game for the 1st time.

We took our 1st trip back to Monterey since our honeymoon.

Kyle unclogged a garbage disposal for the 1st time.

(no calling the rental company anymore)

We painted for the 1st time.

We walked to school for the 1st time.

(We now live close enough to the school that we can do that)

The boys took their 1st solo bike ride around the neighborhood . . .

(did I mention they were by themselves)

Kyle prosecuted his 1st case at the NEW Placer County Courthouse (and won)!

Kristopher started pre-school for the very 1st time.

Kale started the 1st day of 3rd grade at a new school.

Kaylynn ate her 1st persimmon ever and it came from her very own persimmon tree in the backyard.

Kara said her 1st word "mama".

We took our 1st "staycation" as a family.

Kyle attended his 1st college football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena

(Tennesee vs. UCLA)

Kale became a 1st time cub scout.

Kris became a 1st time Sunbeam.

We broke down and now have cable for the 1st time.

(at least no we can watch conference from our own family room)

For the 1st time in a lot of years Kaylynn was not all by herself over Father and Son Campout weekend.

And last but not least this is our 1st New Years Letter!

Maybe next year we can get back on track with the Christmas Cards.

We had a wonderful Christmas and we hope all you did as well.

Happy New Year

Bring on 2009!

Love,

Kyle, Kaylynn, Kale, Kristopher and Karalyn Jibson

And is there any better way to "ring" in the new year than having a little "tea party"!

Thanks girls (you know who you are - Papa included) for a fun day out!

Followed by the 2nd annual, every other year, Jibson Family Talent Show!

She showed off her mean walking skills!

He can stay like this for longer than you think!

He was quizzed on Multiplication Facts

and passed with flying colors!

I showed off my talent of how I got through piano lessons - SIGHT READING!

And he read a funny poem in Spanish

(at least I think it was funny - I don't understand spanish - but I laughed anyway)

We were joined by

Skipbo experts,

violin players,

tap dancers,

artists,

farmers,

rodent killers,

master ornament makers,

muscle flexers,

instrument makers,

high kickers,

magicians,

and even a

guitar player!

You wouldn't believe all the talent in one room!

11 Months Old

Honestly 11 months old?

You've got to be kidding me.

You are not going to be 1 next month!

Oh yes she is!!!

Gift of "LOVE"

I did it!

I did it!

I did it!

I actually finished a project that I said I was going to finish!

I love it!

I love it!

I love it!

A little background. . .

Each year for Christmas Kyle and I give our kids 3 gifts.

There's three reasons behind this.

1.  The wise men brought 3 gifts to the baby Jesus.

2.  The kids know exactly how many gifts they will be getting from mom and dad each year and we avoid the "I got more last year or he got more than me" routine.

3. It helps us to not go crazy right before Christmas. Even if I see something that I know my kids would love I think to myself I already have my three gifts bought.

Now the three gifts they get are:

A gift of LAUGHTER

A gift of LEARNING

and

A gift of LOVE

The gift of Laughter is just that - something fun!

The gift of Learning is some sort of learning toy (you can really have fun with this one - this year Kale got an alarm clock as his gift of learning - it doesn't have to be boring)

The gift of Love is something that I make for the kids each year - some years have been very simple for example a few years ago I took all of Kale's flashcards that he had made at school and laminated them and put them on a ring so he could have them all together - but this year we went a little overboard and made them this flag.

Each baseball is fabric dyed and individually screwed onto the frame.

It took more work than I thought it would but it is so worth it.

Now did my kids "ohhh" and "awww" over the flag when they opened it.

No not really, but now that it is up on their wall I think they like it!

Even her "DRAMA" is cute

Do you know what it took to get this picture?

Well, first there was some of this. . .

And then some of this. . .

And yes even some of this. . .

DRAMA!!!

Football, Football, Football . . .

Is this how your week looked?

This was pretty much what we (well 3 out of the 5 members) of our family did all week!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Oh! What a CHRISTMAS!

Didn't everybody get a new car for Christmas?

Actually this is what Kyle got for Christmas this year. . .

but a few days later we went out "looking" and came home

with a new truck for him.

(There will be a post later about the whole story)

CHRISTMAS EVE

We started Christmas eve with a Snowball fight!

In Loomis you ask?

Uncle Jeff and Aunt Chris brought Truckee snow with them

and we all had a BLAST!

Even Karalyn got her first look at Snow!

After the snowball fight we had an amazing dinner,

and ate way too much

and decided to head home and wait for Santa to come.

When we got home we found some presents under the tree

and a letter from SANTA.

He told us that he had already stopped by and that no one was home.

He left a few presents and told the kids to open them

and then hurry off to bed and he would stop by one more time.

Oh and he told them they better leave treats!

So they opened up NEW christmas jammies. . .

And a new Christmas book we read together as a family . . .

And I have never seen 2 little boys hurry up to bed so fast!

Mom and Dad instead of settling down for a long winter's nap

snuggled on the couch and watched "Christmas Vacation"!

CHRISTMAS DAY

The long walk down the stairs to see if Santa had come. . .

One by one they each found their presents!

Then we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's house. . .

to open the rest of our presents. . .

(remember this is the year of projects - here is one of them)

Read the Paper. . .

Play the New Wii that Grandma and Grandma got for Christmas. . .

And of course it wouldn't be Christmas if the baby didn't play with the boxes and bows more than the TOYS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

(and I can't believe it's a NEW YEAR already!)