My Piano Blog!!

I have been mulling over this idea for at least 6 months and finally decided to take the plunge...I started a piano blog. It's called www.pianochambers.blogspot.com. I'm hoping to create a fun, collaborative place where piano teachers (and students) can share ideas, techniques, and ways to have fun! Check it out if you are interested! I'm very excited:)

New Commitments

For Christmas this year, I gave Dave the "Total Money Makeover" book from Dave Ramsey with my commitment that I am willing to do whatever it takes to get out of debt. I'm sure if you know me well, you know that I love to save money. That has changed over the years with "I deserve this or that" or "This would be fun because..." and other justifications to nickel and dime us out of financial freedom. So I'm putting all excuses in the past and moving forward...
Here are my steps:
1. Get current with payments - I never thought I would have to say this! - and start tracking my money again
2. List my debts on a bright posterboard, so that when they are paid, I get to shout it out that we are one step closer to freedom
3. Plan out what to do with our money before we get it so that it doesn't dissappear when it comes.
4. Stay accountable with Dave. He is a very consistent accountability partner thank goodness!

I hope you are all enjoying the New Year! This is my favorite time to plan and create exciting futures for the upcoming year. We like to have themes for our years, and when it was Debt-Free in 2003, we actually achieved that for a month, so our theme for this year is "Feeling like Heaven in 2011."

December Celebrations

Aren't the kids talented? :) The one above is actually my amazing neighbor's creation! Yes, I attempted a "gingerbread house party." I found a good icing recipe from Allrecipes.com that worked like glue, and put together 14 houses for the kids to decorate. And they actually spent time and got really creative. It was so much fun, and really got us in the mood since there still is no snow on the ground yet.

We had a fun week last week. I went to MOPS (mom's of preschoolers group), and heard about "snowman soup". It's potato soup with croutons, a carrot, and breadsticks in the shape of arms. Fun huh. The recipe was DELICIOUS from ourbestbites.com. Isn't it cute, and the kids loved it!

So there's a little tidbit of our celebrations so far, I'm sure there will be more to come! Hope your holidays are just as fun!! If not more:)

Whoa Slow down!

OK, am I the only one who feels like the weeks are flying by in the blink of an eye? We have moved from Halloween to Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here tomorrow, and I don't have

anything besides the Christmas Cards and the tree up. No presents or even a list yet! But in spite of that we are still having a blast. I did get a pang of homesickness while talking to my mom and they were playing a game at Melissa's house. But that was it!

Halloween was a little scatterbrained, and I didn't get a good picture of all the kids dressed up, but there's one of Braden on an ambulance as a ghost...fitting huh? Then he decided to be "super Ronald McDonald" for school and then just a McDonald's worker - he's recycling last year's costume. Tina was Belle, and then a fairy princess. Brooklyn was a cheetah girl, and Cole was the standard Bumble bee costume. Dave and I just found stuff. I think the older we are the less creative we get!

Thanksgiving did turn up one stray for us to invite over. Dave's co-worker Melanie came and celebrated low-key with us. Then we all went to Harry Potter, and Braden spent most of the time on her lap:) There was a part where a snake jumped out, and Braden exclaimed, "That surprised me!" He sure cracks me up. I don't have a lot of pictures, but we did make "hand turkey cookies".

Now with December upon us, I was gently reminded by Melissa that I needed to update! It is crazy to see how fast time flies, but I am grateful for the season. I think it will be a little different that what we are used to, but as Dave loves to point out, we both enjoy change! This has been a big change, and our family has embraced it whole heartedly. I am so grateful to be a mom to such wonderful children. I am glad to have the gospel in our lives. I am the Primary Choirster now (I have been hoping for this calling for a long time!), and Dave is going to be the 16-18 year old sunday school teacher, and I know he will be perfect for the job. He loves teaching and working with the youth. Granted there are only 3-4 kids in the class, he will make it fun:)

The big move!

Welcome back!! I apologize for the delay in the pictures and updates. We just had our internet and phone installed, so we are back in business! I just wanted to show you some pictures of important events in October:

1. Tina got baptised on October 7th in Brigham City - the last day we were there. Everyone was able to come that lived close, so the love and support was felt by all. Tina is such an amazing girl. She knew all the answers when she was interviewed by the Bishop. The service was great and Dave was able to baptise her and confirm her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. What a milestone!

Then came the move the next day. We left a little later than we were expecting and this was my view for 12 hours (The moving truck) it was a nice drive with beautiful views. We pulled in at 12:30 am so technically we got there on Dave's dad's birthday, October 9th - Happy Birthday Gary!

Generally the first thing I get set up wherever I live is my library card. I was in for a nice surprise when I found the library. It's only a year old. It was SO nice I had to take a picture. We lived on tons of movies, books, and tapes while waiting for the internet:)

Here is our church. I've noticed a common theme is triangular windows in Colorado. The building has them, but the inside looks like a normal church. The primary room is called "the children's meeting room". I love our ward. Everyone has been very friendly and nice. We have attended a RS meeting, Primary activity, and Trunk or treat all in a month!

We had to take advantage of our packing boxes and made a haunted house. Here's the kids pulling "scary faces".

This is the amazing school that the kids attended on their first day - October 14th. It's called Riverview Elementary. It is such beautiful scenery. You can see our church from the school too. Braden had a field trip in New Mexico to a pumpkin patch, and Tina has received 2 "eagle awards". If she gets 10 she can eat lunch with the principal. The school is very fun and it has an art room, music room, counselor's room, a built in preschool, and 3 playgrounds. We love it!

So there you have a glimpse of our life here in Colorado. We are really grateful to be here. Hopefully I can upload some videos of our house so you can get a better idea. We wish everyone well, and can't wait to get caught up with everyone else.

The Big 8!

I am now the proud mother of an 8 year old. She is such a sweetheart to put up with this time of craziness. I felt bad because we have been focusing on moving, that's right moving! Dave has flown the coop to work in Colorado, and we are trying to follow as fast as possible. So I have been focusing on that. Tina got really sad on Sunday and wanted to have her daddy back, so I had to think of something great for her birthday to offset the saddness. My solution was on short notice, get her cousins to join her at the roller rink. It was nice to have it with them. And Mindi played the gracious host to have everyone back at her house for pizza, cake and ice cream. I have the best family-in-laws!!!

She received a Barbie pool from Braden, a wii game from Cole, a Barbie dress from Brooklyn and an art set from me. She also got a gift card to Claire's and some $$! She wants a Nintendo DS, and has thought about saving up, but now she wants to save that one for Christmas, lol! (I don't blame her)...

In a way it feels like she has been 8 for a while. She is very mature for her age - maybe that comes from being the oldest? She is such a beauty, inside and out. I love when she gets excited for things. I have all the confidence in the world for her. I know she will achieve whatever she wants to. She is so smart. We talked about Baptism, and she is more ready than I was. She is actually excited to fast and repent! I admire this sweet daughter of mine. I am so grateful to be her mother. I think I have learned more from her than she will ever learn from me.

Happy Birthday Tina!, Love, Mommy (or should I say Mom now?)

Back to School

I have 2 kids in school now! I'm so happy for them. I LOVE school time. They are getting so big and smart:) Tina is in 2nd grade and really enjoys it. She has Mrs. Stangler who is great. Braden is in Kindergarten with Mrs. Holdaway (he calls her Mrs. Giveaway). They are so big. Here they are with their new school clothes and backpacks. I can't believe how fast it goes!