Jessica's surgery ~

Jessica went in for surgery this morning to get a cyst removed from her belly button. She cried all the way to the operating table, and that was AFTER she got 5 doses of medication that was SUPPOSED to relax her. Thank heavens they were planning on putting her out or they wouldn't have gotten anything done at all! lol Good thing they gave her some GREAT drugs to get her through her recovery time! ~

Jessica and Santa Claus...

Even though Jessica is almost 14 years old physically, but mentally between 8-10 years old, she STILL thinks that there is a Santa Claus! Now let me explain why...
A few Summers ago, when we were living up in Lacey, WA, Jessica and I were in the postoffice and there was this man there that was wearing a red sweatshirt and some sweats, and looked an aweful lot like Santa Claus. She turned to me and asked me if that was Santa Claus and I said it sure looked like him, why dont you go and ask him. So...After a long time of getting her nerves up to go see, she walked over to him and asked, "Are you Santa Claus?" He turned to her and said, "Why yes I am! How have you been this year?" She was SOOO excited about it and came back running to tell me that it was. Now, the biggest thing that made this so REAL for her was when we walked out of the post office and saw a van in the parking lot with a license frame around it that stated, "MY OTHER CAR IS A SLEIGH!" I just loved it! It couldn't have been any more perfect!
Now, to this day, when anyone tells her that there is no such thing as Santa Claus, she turns to them and says, "Yes there is! He lives in Lacey, WA, when it's not Christmas time!"
Yes Jessica, there really is a Santa!
PRICELESS ~

XMas....

John got a sirius. I got some new pants since I have lost so much weight this year. We also got a new juicer. Rob & Em's family made us some REALLY nice blocks that spell out FAITH, and 2 Outback gift cards to go and eat there. Then we got a new game, "APPLES TO APPLES," from Jen & Keith, that we have really been enjoying with the family. VERY fun game!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

XMAS 2008.....

The prettiest tree ever...CHRISTINA! Baby under the XMas tree. Christina also got some shirts and another pair of pants.

AND more XMAS....

Mr. Maow getting festive. Max also getting festive by sporting his cute bandana. John with a lot of his new shirts for AZ, where he currently lives for school.

And more XMas.....

John got a really nice dress coat and some shirts and a skate board from Santa. Bob got a ton of new warm shirts for Russia, and a fondue pot full of chocolate. Jessica's newest selection to her doll collection.

MORE XMas.....

So from the Barker's, I got some initialed boat bags, which I just love! The girls all bought something that they wanted fwith the checks that were sent to them for Christmas too! Pants for Christina & Jessica, and a book for Lauren. Bob got some really nice shirts!

Christina's best friend, Linsay, made her a REALLY nice vase with their pictures carved into it. We had fun playing with the pool table too!

Christmas 2008...

Well, Christmas 2008 was a good year, except for the fact that Ashley and Gentry didn't make it here after all for Christmas! Gentry flew into WA 4 days before Ashley was supposed to. On the day that Ashley was supposed to fly in last Sunday, her flight was cancelled due to the aweful snow storm that both WA and OR were having. They couldn't get her here until the day after XMas, which was when they were going back home due to Gentry getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan at the 1st of the year. So, both Ashley and Gentry spent their Christmas apart this year, which really bummed them both out since he was leaving soon!

Anyways...Here are some pictures of our Christmas this year! ENJOY!!!!!

The 1st one was the girls and I after we all decorated the tree. This was before Bob and John came home. The kids on the stairs XMas morning. We had the Missionaries on XMas Eve & gave them gifts. Santa delivered a pool/ping pong table early since it wouldn't fit in his sleigh, and Unlce Mike & Aunt Joyce and family gave the girls all a nice shopping bag & calendar sheets. They gave the family some YUMMY cookies. All of their gifts had come with candies on them, but the cats got to a lot of them and ate them. Hahaha Lauren also got a computer for her bday/Xmas gift from both our family and her Grandma Tom.

Lauren's baptism...

I just wanted to post pictures from Lauren's baptism on NOV 29th, 2008, @ 5:00 p.m. Elder Hulse baptised Lauren, and onSunday, the next day, Elder Furniss confirmed her a member of our church.