And just like that 2011 is around the corner!

We hope you all had a Christmas full of celebration for Jesus!

We were spoiled beyond measure that’s for sure. In a mini Christmas recap: Kyle, my man in brown, actually got home at a decent time this year, just after 8, now that’s something for me to be excited about!! We spent Christmas with my In-laws a sleep over to boot! Kyle and I stayed over along with my sister in-law and her family. We went to Faith Chapel for Christmas Eve candle light service and what an incredible hour it was, singing, praising the lord, and the message…oh it was amazing. Faith puts on a better service each and EVERY year. Each year I think as I leave I say that was the best one yet. I can’t wait till next year because I know without a doubt it will be the “best one yet”. Now that is what Christmas is all about.

So as we wrap up the final week of 2010 and look into 2011 do you marvel in thought about what the New Year will bring. I know I sure do. I have made a few resolutions and have already started to act upon them. Like half the world I have added the most popular new year’s resolution to my list, I want to lose weight. Yesterday I got myself a gym membership to Anytime Fitness. With getting it this month we will get the summer free! That brings me to my next resolution; a financial diet. Oh the joys of being submersed in the financial world day in and day out within my job. I know I am blessed beyond words for our financial stability but I also know it could be improved. So with 2011 and some of our plans I know I need to go on a major financial diet and just kind of clean house. Funny I say house…that is item number 3!! Kyle and I live in a BEAUTIFUL home why don’t I stay put more??? It seems every evening I am running here or there and never get the time to just enjoy being home. In 2011 I am going to simplify things a little and just try and enjoy home and the ability to fit in some things that mean more to me. That brings up my 4th and final goal for 2011, attending church on a more regular basis. Our lives are crazy just like everyone else’s but it is time to find that balance for what is important.

How about you, have you given it any thought on how you will try to change in 2011?

May your Christmas be full of joy...

My Christmas Eve day will go at little something like this…

Load the car with gifts that are wrapped and are waiting for the big day along with a few groceries.

See $5 from Kyle on the table for me to stop off to wish the ladies at Startbucks a VERY MERRY Christmas. Ok maybe I needed to stumble in and get a mocha in the red seasoned cup one last time!

Enjoy the last minute rush at work, were open until 1:00. Then I will do a bit of finishing up with any last minute wrapping, and package delivering to my cousins.

We’re going to Faith at 3:00 for their amazing Christmas service to celebrate Jesus! Oh we have so much to be thankful for and praise god for. He is the reason for the season!

After Church we will scurry off to warm our chowder and start our endless snack bar and await Santa flying through the dark night’s sky! From 4:00 on I plan to eat till my tummy can’t take it anymore, crawl into my plush purple pants, and pour myself a glass (or 2) of wine!

Tonight we are attending a sleepover at my In-laws!! We will all get to awake to Christmas morning together.

May you Christmas be full of joy and dreams for the next year to come!

Chowder Tradition

For as long as I can remember, we have had my dad’s clam chowder for Christmas Eve. To me you can’t have Christmas without dads chowder. It brings back such great memories of big family get-togethers with the Mahana’s. Food, food and more food all for our palate pleasure!!

This year my dad will be spending Christmas with my sister and her family. Several weeks ago I asked him if he would make me the family famous clam chowder before he went.

Last night he invited Maci and me over to teach me the tricks to the trade of this clam chowder.
Let me tell you Progresso this stuff puts you to shame

There was a little of this and a little of that…

And waaalaaa we have a Crockpot full of joy for Christmas Eve!

Thank you Daddy you are the best, and the Christmas tradition lives on!

Santa Clause is comin to town

Happy almost Christmas...3 days...really, where has the year gone?!!!

Time to pack my little Maci to go to dads for Christmas! (choke, hard swallow) For those of you that have to share your little ones on the holidays you know my bitter sweet feeling. I know he will be a great Santa but I don’t think it will ever be easy not getting to do it myself. Doing it when she gets home is just not the same. For some families they (as I see it: GET TO) split the holiday by Christmas Eve and Christmas day but with distance that is not realistic for us. I have been struggling this year to be excited for Christmas and here is why…how do you have Christmas morning when the best part of you is 4 hours away? I am doing my best to shake it but the time to pack is among us. She has opened all her gifts here at home and is ecstatic to pack her Christmas movies and jammies head off to dads to see what awaits her under the Christmas tree there.

Tonight I will back my little punken girl into the car and take her over to nanas for a sleep over with nana. Nana will then take her to Sheridan for me in the morning. I don’t think my mom realizes that it is more than just the trip she is making for me. I think it would be a lot harder to watch her go.

My in-laws are pumped for Christmas this year, my mother in law has even invited us to stay the night Christmas Eve so we can all awake Christmas morning together for breakfast and gift opening. I know it will be tons of fun and I am looking forward to 4:00 Friday (that’s after Church) when we will get to eat, drink and be merry all weekend long!! Do you know how long it has been since we had an entire weekend where we just got to be lazy and watch movies in our jammies, no obligations, events or parties…oh what a joy!

But for now, Im going to finish packing this little purple bag and spend the rest of the evening with my Maci.

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Holidays:

As we hang the ornaments from the Christmas tree, frost our Christmas cookies, turn up the holiday music, and Maci’s mind fills with thoughts of what Santa will leave her under the tree, we hope you have had a joyous 2010.

Maci, 7, is now in first grade. I am very blessed that she excels academically. She loves to play soccer, swim, ride her electric scooter, jump on the trampoline with the neighbor girls, have sleepovers with Aunt Debbie or Papa, work on her garden with nana and grandpa Tim, play her Nintendo DS, count “sleeps” till the next time she gets to see the Blankenbaker’s, and is very eager to learn to sew with the sewing machine papa just got her. Maci loves to go 4 wheeling and jet skiing with her dad; she even has her own 4 wheeler.

Kyle is in his 10th year with UPS. He is a driver supervisor and although he puts in many hours at work he is blessed to work with a great group of people and always has good stories to tell when he gets home. For the past 2 years he has been having his 67 Nova restored. It got to come home on his birthday this year. It was one of the best birthday gifts he could have received. He is itching for summer so he can take it to a few local car shows and show it off.

I am in my 4th year as the marketing officer at Billings Federal Credit Union where some of my coworkers remember me crawling across their desk as a baby. Yes my family has banked there for years. This summer I got the opportunity to take a photography class from Karen Russell, a very well known photographer that shares my photography style. Over the past year I have really gotten into photography. I am also the PTA President at Maci’s school which can occupy a great deal of time throughout the year but has been an incredible experience and a great way to get to know teachers and parents at the school.

Kyle, Maci and I moved into our new house in May. It has been so exciting making it our home. We will put the finishing touches on this spring when we put in our yard and finish the basement. We are very fortunate to live in such a great neighborhood and have incredible neighbors.

Kyle and I celebrated our first anniversary in June. We got to sneak away for the weekend and go to Big Sky to celebrate. We spent the day zip lining, getting massages at the spa and ended our day with wonderful dinner.

In July Chrissy and I celebrated our golden birthday (28 on the 28th) my mom and I threw her a surprise party with lots of her friends in Bowman.
Also in July, we were able to attend the Mahana (my mom’s side) family reunion. It was a long time in the making and topped the charts for a great time. Our family wants to go back and float the river again!

In August, Kyle and I along with his parents took our annual trip to Deadwood for the Kool Deadwood nights car show. It is not a trip without stopping for the all you can eat prime rib and crab.

In October Kyle’s grandma passed away. Although a tough time to get everyone together, I can officially say I have now met all of Gary’s (my father in-law) 11 siblings. It was great to get to spend some time with everyone and we look forward to the next time we will get to see everyone.

In November Kyle and I took off on another long weekend adventure to do some Christmas shopping and attend a Denver Broncos game in Denver. It was my first NFL game and yes it was the game the Broncos beat the Chefs and the stadium was rocken, we had a great time!

We hope that all of you have a wonderful and blessed holiday season and a grand new year.
Kyle, Cathy and Maci

Santa I believe

Have you sat down to write a letter to Santa? After hearing the song Grownup Christmas list...I did! This is one of my favorite Christmas songs.

Dear Santa,
Do you remember me; I sat upon your knee, I wrote to you with my childhood fantasies like a Barbie car and Nintendo and you came through with all that for Chrissy and me!! As children we believed you were the grandest sight to see, and for as long as we believed, you would always give us something lovely underneath the Christmas tree.

Well, I'm all grown up now, with a child of my own and still need help somehow. I'm not a child, but oh my heart can dream, Santa I believe in Christmas magic!
So here's my grown up Christmas list, not only for myself, but for a whole world in need.

No more lives torn apart Santa I wish that wars would never start. I wish that love would never end and the innocence of youth would only be the truth. Time would heal all hearts, and everyone would have a friend. Santa why is money key. I would like a simple life, what a joy that would be.

Santa I believe! This is my grown up Christmas wish.

Do you have a gown up Christmas wish?