TAEKWONDO CLASS

Jack ha decided he wants to do Karate. I was excited about it and got Colby to agree to sign him up. It took me a month or so to decide on a studio, but I finally did. Although I loved the studio that I attended which was Bobby Lawrence Karate. I opted for U.S. Taekwondo. The Price was right the discipline the clean factor and all the masters are wonderful. The studio is located in Lehi so it’s just minutes away and is spacious in size. He starts as a white belt in the Little Tigers class attending Monday and Wednesday for 30 min at 3:30 pm. It all works out great for us. I make sure I attend every time and pay close attention so I can practice daily with him at home. It is not considered karate it is TAEKWONDO, originating for Korea. The teachers are masters. There is Master Kim, Master Joe and Master Schroeder. They are great guys, they shake the kids hand and end each class with a hug.

Jack loves going which is such a relief. He has taken swimming lessons, baseball, soccer. He liked swimming so that was good, he always complained about practicing soccer with his team mates and hated the games. Baseball he never really got into. But Taekwondo He loves, he throws an ecstatic fit when I say lets go practice he jumps for joy when I tell him to go get his Gee on for class and enjoys every minute there. He tells me that it is his favorite thing in the whole wide world. yes he says that about a lot of thing but things which he truly cares about.



He pays close attention and has helped in all aspects of his learning. This sport is not only great exercise for him but a great learning exercise. He has to complete 2 written book reports a month has a sign off sheet his school teacher has to fill out every month a sheet for me to fill out on how he is getting along with us his friends his brother his attention he is required to do 8 chores a day. So it is hitting much more than just self defense. I would recommend this studio to anyone interested. I’m extremely happy with it and Jacks progress. It is so cute to see him in action. Grandma Kathy and Papa L cam last week to watch a class and went for dinner after wards. Here’s my little guy in action!h a hug. I love to see it. It established that there can be discipline respect and love in a relationship. I was very impressed to see that.

LILLY AHSOKA SNIPS

He's been saving up for a turtle for 4 months. Well next time before I make him wait in anticipation for so long Ill do my home work. He saved and waited and got excited then...I thought ya its time to go get it. We went to Pet smart and looked at getting his turtle. Colby was not excited about getting one, but Hey he wants a dog that's not going to happen he would love to have a cat ,.....uh nooooo. He has had frogs has fish and now wanted a turtle. I thought it was a great idea until we saw the ending price tag. Turtle: $80.00, Light#1 12.99, Light #2 24.00, Food daily veggies- fine Cage 60.00 6 months down the road, thermometer 12.00, humidifier meter 12.00, it started to really add up. Jack had about $45.00 and that wasn't covering it. I also thought.... extra power to have the two lights on constantly not to add the fire hazard having it in a child's room.
So I talked him into a hamster. His girl friend Jandi had one and we watched it a couple time and it wasn't too bad. Jack had also watched Elliot's two parakeet birds and quickly decided he didn't want birds too messy and have to change their cage almost every day. Ive turned my child into a little OCD a god thing in my opinion. its the workable kind he likes things clean but doesn't let it run him.
So a hamster. although at the time they only had hamsters that looked like mice not very cute. The employee told us that there were expecting some long haired hamsters in two days so we decided to wait for them. two days turned into 2 1/2 weeks. Jack was getting very annoyed as was I. But they finally got them in and we went down and picked them up. Lilly is adorable and as long as you have clean hands she is very sweet and no nipping.
We decided to make a book about Lilly and had shutterfly help us out with it. it should arrive any day. took me a few days to put together and is Jacks reading level.

Jack got a new pet!


We like lily although she is stinkier than I thought but Bath and body works took care of that for us. We just placed a great smelling air freshener in Jacks room and now it doesn't bother me.

DECEMBER FUN

We did a lot with the kids the week before Christmas. Colby was in China for 2 1/2 weeks in December so we had to fit it all in last minute. We did do all of our shopping and some activities before he left.
We took the boys sledding and had a successful time there no getting hurt which is always my worry when doing that.




I took Jessica Arionna and my boys to temple square and went on a carriage ride we all enjoyed that we had hot drinks and sang Christmas carols real old school. We ate at the Lion House. Something Jessica always wanted to do so it was good to get that in. We later were locked out of the parking lot that we parked out car in and had to wait for someone to come out with their car so we could sneak in to get ours. Weird how early it closed.


We visited Santa at the mall and paid out the butt to do so. What a rip off but I have a tradition of doing it and have out entertainment center full of the years of seeing Santa with the boys I even have a couple of me and Santa when I was a kid.
As Colby was gone we had a few fun activities with Colby's parents A movie night and a night we went to Wingers for dinner.




We went to see Nativity but the line was hellatious so we visited Santa in stead and drove around to some light. Hardly anyone did extravagant lights this year. It was weird same with Christmas cards I got a 1/3 of what we received last year ...must be the economy.



Because of the work trip to China, December seemed to go by very fast for all of us once it was over we were not ready to take it all down so it stayed up decoration wise until mid January. Then half stayed up till Feb 1 then up came Valentines.

ACREE FAMILY PICTURES

Yet another attempt at blogging. I am going to try blogging at least once a week every day is simply to much for my schedule but I do see the importants of it.
Sundays seem like a good day. Yet today I am having a productive day so I'll add a little today.
What have we been up to for the past three months. Well.....a lot actually.
November we (Colby and I) got the Acree family together for some family pictures. Our plan was to modify them and have them printed for everyone for their Christmas gifts. It turned out will in the end although getting everyone together Was like pulling teeth with no laughing gas. Which I actually just had done and yes it was tough. I'm missing my tooth it was a good thing and now that it is gone I see how important it was. Any how...We got the pictures done and I had them printed for every one and did a few different things. Grandma Norma Nell is weaker and was unable to stand and attend the event out side so we took he picture in the kitchen. Boy did we make our work hard. The lighting was completely different and took a few hours to get it lose on top of that she was wearing pj's, no bra or shoes. So we had to improvise.Colby colored her close buffed them and do numerous other things to make her look presentable for a family picture. in the end it turned out fine. but instead of saying thank you all Norma had to say is.....oh my boobs look horrible. Well.. ya they do but your old what do you expect.!! Love ya but damn women be nice.
Here are the ending results.

Trick or Treating

The boys did not seem to be to into Trick or Treating this year for some reason. We spent the day cleaning up from our party the night before. then when trick or tr eaters started coming to the door, in the pouring rain mind you. We decided we should get going as well. Larry and Kathy called to say they were not going to come join us like usual on account of the rain. I was a little bummed out to be honest I have really enjoyed them spending time with our family lately I thing things are funner in groups. they really enjoy playing with the boys and show them such love every time they are with them. so We got dressed in costume and ventured out. By this time the rain stopped for about 45 min.. so it was perfect we only did our street and the boys were happy with that. We then went home and continued answering the door. that was Jacks job and he was happy to do it. He was reluctant to give candy to only one child. A boy from his school that had been giving his new girly friend some trouble came and he answered the door and I heard him say "Oh, not you...he then tuned to me and said " Mom that's the boy that pulls Adell's shirt" Jack said you can only have candy if you will be nice to Adell for now on" then he gave a piece. Adorable protecting his friends. That's the kind of man I want around.
We watched Hocus Pocus and then went to bed. After all tomorrow is really Halloween.

Adult Halloween Party/ Birthday

Colby played host at our annual Halloween party. we decided to make it an adult only party for 21 and over guests. we had a great turn out and enjoyed ourselves I think more than we ever have at a home party. Most of the group were co-workers/friends from Colby's work, I had a few friends there and both sides of our family came.
Once again I took help from Colby, Kathy and Larry for cleaning and all the guests were asked to bring a dish each. I got off without making a thing. of course I purchased chips ice among other things crazy how a simple party ends up costing us a few hundred dollars. oh well we only really do it at Halloween.
We had the house very dim but Halloween mood lighting was everywhere. The first couple of hours was filled with simple socializing and eating. Everyone kept commenting on how great the food was and what a nice spread it was! I was glad it all came together just as I wanted it. We had a desert table on the family table and all the filling food were placed on the island. the alcohol table we in the entry on the Bombay chest. it spread out nicely and kept congestion down. A large group gathered outside around the table and fire. smoking their cigars and drinking enjoying themselves. the rest of us got busy on the dance floor. gaga got the party started followed by Katie perry and black eyed peas. we moved out the furniture and enjoyed ourselves well into the early morning. we had a great mixture of people of all types ages and personalities. Best party ever! Colby and I kept saying how awesome it was days after. I hope everyone else enjoyed themselves as much as we did.




My sweet sisters and mom got me not one birthday cake but two a frankenstein and a spider! the birthday song was song and my neck we singed by the candles I bent over while blowing out the candles. Every one was in full costume as well I think we had only one guest that did not participate in that but hey, I would rather have them come un-costumed than not come at all because of it.

HALLOWEEN PARTY

Colby Granny AND i HELD A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND FUN HALLOWEEN PARTY FOR THE BOYS THIS YEAR. IT WAS OUR FIRT TIME HAVING A CHILDREN ONLY HALLOWEEN PARTY. I AM GETTING BETTER AT ASKING FOR AND ACCEPTING HELP. THIS PARTY NEEDED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I TEEDERED WITH THE IDEA OF CANCELLING IT MANY TIMES BECASUE WE ALL WANTED TO GO TO CALIFONIA AND VISIT OUR FRIENDS AND DISNEY LAND SO BADLY. IN THE END, WE DECIDED TO STAY HOME AND THROW NOT ONLY THIS CHILDREN PARTY BUT A ADULT/BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR MYSELF. OF COURSE OUR AGREEMENT WAS THAT I WOULD HAVE HARDLY ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE LATTER ONE.
I HAD A HARD TIME DECIDING WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE ON CHILDREN INVITES. I DECIDED TO INVITE ALL THAT JACK DECIDED AND ADD A FEW FRIENDS FOR AVERY AS WELL. ON THE NIGHT OF THE OPARTY WE HAD 30 KIDS INCLUDING MY OWN COME TO THE PARTY. I TOOK HELP FROM BRYSTON, ELLIOT GRANNY, KATHY LARRY AND STEVE.
IT TURNED OUT PERFECTLY AND I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT SO SMOOTHLY WITH OUT ALL OF THEM.
KATHY AND LARRY CAME TO THE HOUSE AND DID HOUSE CLEANING TWO DAYS BEFORE THE PARTY AND CAME THE DAY OF AS WELL AFEW HOURS EARLY TO HELP FINISH UP A BIT OF DECORATING AND TIE UP LOOSE ENDS WITH THE FOOD PREP. GRANNY CAME OUT THE DAY BEFORE ALONG WITH KERIANN AND HELPED ME PREPARE ALL THE FOOD THE DAY BEFORE. IM PLANNING ON DOING THIS EVERY TIME FOR NOW ON BECAUSE IT WAS SO HELPFUL HAVING IT ALL DONE AND JUST NEEDED TO SET IT OUT AND WARM UP A COUPLE ITEMS.
LARRY AND STEVE, KATHY'S BOSS SET UP THE MOOD LIGHTING AND WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HALF AS AWSOME IF THEY HAD NOT. WE SET UP A HUNTED HOUSE. FIRTS YOU WOULD COME UPON A PIRATE GRAVEYARD lit with black lights and skeletons. AFTER THAT CAME THE TALKING GRIM REAPER BRYSTON HANDLED THAT. THE REAPER WAS TELLING THE KIDS HALLOWEEN FACTS AND KID FRIENDLY JOKES. THEY WOULD THEN BE BLAST WITH THE FOG MACHINE WHICH SKARED THE BEJESUS OUT OF ALMOST ALL OF THEM. THEY FOLLOWED DR. FRANKENSTEIN INTO THE LAB WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO TOUCH THE HEART OF THE FRANKENSTEIN, AS WELL AS HIS GUTS, EYEBALLS BRAIN AND SEVERED HANDS. IT LOOKED LIKE A REAL PERSON LYING THERE. I HAD IT ON THE BED THE WEEK PRIOR AND WOULD SCARE COLBY AND I FOR A SECOND OR TWO EVERY TIME WE WOULD PASS BY. WE PLAYED GAMES BUILD THE SKELETON, HALLOWEEN BINGO. DID ART PRODJECTS, BULT A SKULL NECKLACE AND HALLOWEEN SCRATCH ART. WE HAD MANY DIFFERENT FOODS SUCH AS SWAMP JUICE WITH A FLOATING ICE FACE, MINI MUMMY DOGS, CHIPS CUPCAKES PUMPKIN COOKIES CANTAOPE AND RED GRAPE KABOBS AND CUCUMBERS. everyone DRESSED IN COSTUME. FUNNEST PARTY EVER. THE NIGHT ENDED SO HAPPILY I WAS SO PLEASED.