on the third day of christmas....

Three Grac-ious Hosts! (and one on the way)
Kasey, Dawn, and Taygin hosted our Uribe family Christmas party. I'm sure little Knox loved the Mexican Feast his mother gave him.
I'll let the pictures do the talking....

on the fourth day of christmas...

Fooooouuuur yum-my babies!

I know this one doesn't look like a baby.

But he is.

I just barely had him.

Almost 14 years ago.

This is my 13th Christmas being a mom. 13 years watching a child wake up to the wonder of Santa. 13 times making dreams come true. 13th morning realizing what Christmas really can bring to our lives.

13th year wishing I hadn't spent so much money, and wished I'd finished shopping weeks ago.

I'm. so. tired.

Happy Holidays my magic making friends!

on the fifth day of christmas...love...gave...

Fiiiiiivvvvve Golden Girls!
(that's right, we're gettin' old)

Today I'm celebrating friends who could care less if my house is dusty, un-vacuumed, un-mopped, and if there are dishes in the sink. A new tradition began this year. One with just the five of us and another with husbands included. Both of them brought too much laughter and so much fun.
A Christmas lunch would not be complete without Michelle making us laugh, or....a little Diet Coke, a lot of food, the best gift ever, and 208 kids climbing everywhere.

~Merry Christmas, and this year, may we all forgive those who don't have a perfect home!~

a thanksgiving tournament...

Our holidays always consist of an AAU Tournament. If we're in town for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, then we are watching Alec play. This tournament turned out to be the best yet.
I don't know if it's because this is his last year playing on a team that he has been on for the last 7 years, but it seems to be more fun than ever watching these boys play together. Maybe we are just cherishing every moment they get to spend on the court before perhaps playing against each other on different High School teams. Most will go to Alta, some Riverton, Juan Diego and Alec and Jake will play for Herriman (hopefully).
We have been very spoiled when in comes to coaches. Alec has had the opportunity to play for one of the most spectacular men we have known. Someone who loves these boys and cares more about the men they will become than the ball players they are. Someone who gives more time and resources than I have ever seen a coach give. It's not very often you get a coach who's profession is working with troubled young men, and knows just what these teenage boys need to experience. I told Alec on Saturday that I just can't imagine not sitting in the bleachers at his basketball game without Coach Gliss's wife, or without seeing coach sitting on the bench with the boys.
I know in the future our coaches will be different than him. It makes me sad. We've already experienced just how 'different' coaches are with the new coach of his school team. I don't know that I am ready to experience the 'other' type of coaches. The ones who want to control my son more than they care about him. The ones that call him Alex, instead of his name. The ones who threaten or play the guilt trip tactics. The ones who are just plain 'schmarmy''.
Coach Gliss is the complete opposite of all that.
The beginning of the last year together, they took first place, for the first time in an AAU tournament. They have taken first place many times in league play, but this was special. This felt so much better. They all deserve it!

They played Juan Diego in the semi-final game. We have had trouble with this team in the past and had trouble with this player next to Alec. He is a great player and I think he has intimidated some of our players in the past. This is a new year, and I think our boys have realized they can play against anyone. It was extra sweet when the game went into DOUBLE overtime and the tournament rules said that if a game went into double overtime, then the first team to score three points wins. Juan Diego scored first and then we lost the ball and had to foul this 'great player'. He missed his first shot which would have won the game. Then he missed his second shot which would have won the game. Speed came down the court looking for the open shot. The ball was passed to Alec, who was about a foot behind the three point line. As always, he was calm as ever as he shot it for the win. We were not as calm.
Nothing but net.
And then jumping and screaming and hugging (between moms) began. Oh, it was good.

We then had to play a few hours later against a team we had yet to beat. We lost to Bingham in the State Tournament last season and in years past always struggled playing them. This time our boys played better basketball the entire game. This game too, went into DOUBLE overtime! Talk about heart problems for parents! This time Zac's perfect free throws ended the match.

Again, the screaming and jumping and hugging (between all) began.

Here the boys of Speed are, minutes after their win.

I wish I could bottle up everything he has taught these boys over the years. I know Alec is a better person from having him as his coach.

And I had to add this last picture. Here is cute Ambree and Carter who went down to Provo to watch the Cougs beat the Utes this year.

So far, a very good season of thanks.

the real dessert...

Because who doesn't want to shop ALL through the night at two malls and wait in the freezing cold lines of Target in the dark and get to spend those sleepless hours with some of the best women I know.
There is something about looking at the ads, making a list, making a plan, drinking a lot of caffeine, laughing, sleepwalking, laughing hard, yelling at people who yell at us, (but nicely), getting the gift, getting gifts for yourself, carrying out the plan, and then finally passing out in your clothes.
It's just fun.
It's tradition.
Valerie, Kim, Melissa and Ambree...I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else.
We get it done.

a season of thanks...

Thanksgiving this year was at my parents house. Everyone made it except for Lee and Ricky. They were on extended vacation or something like that.

Lee's home now, and we are extremely grateful he is more himself than we've seen in 15 years. We've sure missed him.

It gives me hope that people can change. I don't know that he will, but I do have hope.

It's the season for miracles, right??

Have a lot of children and you get a lot of grandchildren!

The girlies were lucky enough to have their very own table....Mikey likes being with the girlies!

I'm sure my family hates me! When I show up with a 'thank you bag' for every member of the family. Then announce after the prayer that through out the day we needed to write down a short message on why we are thankful for each person in our family.

Whhhaaat??? It's only 24 people!!!!

The kids LOVED it and I only cried a little when I was reading my messages. Especially when Kasey wrote how thankful he was for me for giving him writers cramp.

I hope all those special people in my life know how thankful I am for each of them.
Alliyah was first to jump at the idea. She's so dang cute!

Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papa's...well dessert anyway and then the real dessert of many hours of shopping started at 9:00 that night. We ended the next morning around 6:45. I was so dizzy for the next couple of days.
Here is Maddie surrounded on her first Thanksgiving. It's amazing how much everyone adores this perfect little baby.

I love this picture of Jer, his sisters and Grandpa. We sure miss his partner in crime - Grandma Bean. No one, I have ever met, has had a more special light than she did. Her daughter (my mother in law) is just like her.

ftwotc drop off 2009...

*copied and pasted from 'For the Warmth of the Children' blog for our family journal.
What an amazing year! After making both drop offs, we got back in the car, mom was trying not to cry, Alec reaches over and gives mom 'five'. He says to mom, "Next year I am getting 500 of each. Just wait, I'm really going to do it. Just watch."

It's that feeling we all had leaving the schools we made the donations to. A feeling of gratitude for what we have, and a feeling of such warmth knowing help was coming to hundreds of children.

THANK YOU to all of you who made such a drop off possible.

This years totals were...

482 - socks (record! wow!)
175 - gloves
178 - hats (record)

**bonus **

10 - coats

2 - snow pants

2 - scarves

Playing basketball with socks! (of course)

The night before we were going to Midvale Elementary, we separated all of the donations. We then knelt together around everything and Alec offered a prayer on them. He prayed that the hats, gloves and socks would get to the children who needed them. He also asked for a blessing to be on each one of those children.

That night on ABC 4 news we saw a story on a school in West Jordan, which is in our district. They said that the children of Oquirrh Elementary have been staying in from recess because they do not have coats and the proper clothing to be out in the cold. This is the exact reason Alec started this charity. So that the children would be able to still play outside in the winter months. This was PERFECT!

After talking with Alec about it, we decided to give all the coats to that school and ask the principal if they need the hats or gloves as well. She told us they could definitely use the gloves too. We were happy to donate half the gloves we received to Oquirrh Elementary, along with all the coats, snow pants and scarves. They were so thankful for Alec and couldn't believe the bags we brought in.

Here they are.

The next school we went to is one that we have visited every year, from the time we knew about JSIT (Jordan Student Intervention Team). Midvale Elementary has become very important to us over the past 5 years. As we walk inside and see the beautiful children walking in the halls, little kindergartners holding hands singing 'Wheels on the Bus', many of them staring at my kids with their bags of winter clothing, we know that there is great need at this school. This is a school where 93% of their students receive free lunch and 7% are on reduced. Much is definitely needed.

As we walked in their main office just to check in and tell them we were on our way to the JSIT room, we were saddened to find out that Midvale Elementary is no longer in the Jordan School District. This meant that the JSIT program had to move to another school. We asked for the address where the new school was and as the receptionist was finding it for us, there were a couple teachers in the office at the time saying how much some of their students could use what we brought. One of them told us about a program they had called Santa's shelves, or sleigh, I can't recall the exact name of it. She said that many children missed out on receiving anything from it, and that she could also use these things.

We IMMEDIATELY said we would love to leave ALL of the donations in the bags to them. They went and got the man who was head of that program and he was very happy to have all the items Alec collected. The principal came out and talked with us, she was delightful, and also so thankful to receive these items for her children. She said that she would send an e-mail out to all of her teachers to let them know they can come and get any of these items for the children in their classes along with their family members. PERFECT!

Alec was thankful to know that his prayer was answered. That all of the donations were given to exactly who was suppose to receive them.

There is nothing better than to give.

It's so fun to see the kids get back in the car and really realize that.

It was a good, good year.

(Then I have to make sure they go home and WRITE it in their journals so they will never forget that feeling!)