New Year, New What?

OK, I have not posted since Christmas, and life still goes on - Can you believe it? We think time will slow down and get easier, but it just gets harder & busier. We look back and remember all the advice we were given when the kids were growing up and now we notice that we are the ones giving advice to others. Please, if I am telling you my life's experiences, take everything with a grain of salt... I never attest to being perfect or right at all times, but I do expect my children to think I am perfect and right all the time!!!

We made it through December with only a few bumps and bruises, SilverRush at Riverton High School was an amazing Success! $81,000.00 + earned and collected in 3 weeks time to donate to the International Rescue Committee - We are super proud or our girls and all the Students and friends who sacrificed sleep and homework to make this life changing event a Huge Success!

Chris and I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary on December 28, 2010, going to a movie and dinner. We absolutely love going to the movies, and this year with jobs and changes we have only been a couple or times and really enjoy when we can go!

New Years came with Sickness in abundance - Jocey had been fighting off a cold/throat/sinus/cough thing for weeks - and decided to be her loving self and share the love with all of us. Starting with Stone, then Hunter & Zoey, Mom & Alissa (Alissa still battling the flu with 7 days under her belt (tightened 3 more notches) Chris - has been doing everything in his power not get the full blown thing so stays away from most of us and complains in quiet.

Jocelyn had her 2nd Drill Competition on January 8th in Sandy, Utah. This was the first one we could attend, seeing as the 1st was while Chris and I were soaking up the sun in Hawaii - Let's just reflect on that for a minute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OK back to reality - She was worried about the dances and how there were changes made in the final week, however she had a great time they saw some awesome competition and came home smiling - even though they did not place in most of their routines. Next one is this Saturday in Murray - I thought competition dance was demanding - Yeah Right - That was a cake walk compared to this - The things we do to give our kids Life Experiences???

Someone asked me the other day, "How do you keep up with 3 Involved High Schoolers and a multi-sports playing teenage boy and active Hunter?" My reaction is always Mom's can Multi-Task so I Divide and Conquer (At lesat I like to think that's what I do), and if that doesn't work, I get a 44oz diet coke, Hagen Daaz -Vanilla Swiss Almond Ice Cream, Jammies, Lock the Door to my room and watch Football in my Bed! Works EVERY TIME!

*** Pictures to Come Soon!****

Our Chirstmas Card 2010

So with all the changes in our household this year and all the craziness with Work, Job Search, Drill Team, Sports & SILVER RUSH; I decided this year to email our family Christmas Card and Letter; However I do not have quite enough email addresses of family and friends that I thought so I am putting this on the Blog and Facebook. If you did not receive this on your email, please send me your updated email address - Thank you!

Welcome to our life with 4 Teenagers & a little guy who seems to never get his way…..

Alissa, 17 ½ (18 in March)

Senior, SBO Historian, Avid Volunteer, Golfer, Piano Player, A’capella Choir, Main Other Driver, Ready for the College Experience, If she is not studying or sleeping, she is at the High School planning the next event. She is going to be an amazing Adult!

Zoey, 16 ½

Junior, Finally Driving, RHS Dance Company, Choreographer & Teacher at TDC, Dance Co Publicity Chair, Junior Class Historian, Keeping her grades up!, Stressed to the Max!

Jocelyn, 15

Sophomore, Silverline Drill Team, Mia Maid Class President, still trying to beat the Nasties, Did I say Drill Team, Oh, yeah that pretty much is her life or being grounded, as she would say! Boys, Boys, Boys oh yeah and she is pretty sure she is going to Marry Justin Beiber. (Definitely her Mother’s Daughter – we butt heads on a daily basis)

Stone, 13

Finally Middle School 7^th grade, Another Teenager – AARGHH! – Cooperstown Baseball, A-Team Quarterback, Super League Basketball, Deacons Quorum 1^st Counselor, 7^th grade Choir, Scouts (when he fits it in) Girls Calling all the time, Still fighting with Hunter ……

Hunter, 11

– Angels Baseball Team (Mom’s Favorite) – Lake Powell Fanatic – Friend Fanatic, Artist, Drawing Contest Winner, Boy Scout, Jr. Jazz Basketball, Still Mr. Imagination, Can’t wait to see TRON!

Mugsy, 5 (The Puggle)

Ok I think this is finally the year we’ve enjoyed having a dog. No longer a puppy, Kind of Lazy, very loving – STILL SHEDS – and getting so fat she has a hard time going up the stairs. (DAD feeds her from the table – oh yeah everyone feeds her from the table – Thanks DAD!)

Chris & Alice (40 something - feel 20 something)

Alice turned 40 and loves it, Celebrating the Big 20^th Anniversary,Chris still in Stake Office as Exec Secretary (6^th year), Stepped down from Cost U Less Carpets as an owner, Alice 1^st Couns in YW, Working as T.A. at North Star Academy, 5^th year, Went to Cooperstown, NY this year with Stone, Spent the beginning of December in Kauai, for our 20^th Anniversary. We are crazy busy, bussing kids to and from the High School, Charter School and going to various performances, assemblies, fundraising events, sporting events, awards events, youth activities, church activities and trying to keep up with 4 teenagers and 1 little guy!

We would not change a thing (even if we tried) !!!

Chris and Alice Gibbons Family

Christmas 2010

A little Christmas Message:

Th Gibbons have been humbled through out this difficult year and we are so grateful and thankful for all our Family and Friends who have stood by our sides with the changes and difficult times we have faced. Our message to all family and friends is that:

We are grateful to know the true meaning of this holiday and to have been able to teach our children and be an example throughout their lives so far. We hope and pray we can continue
to reer our amazing children to be loving, service oriented, and positive contributors to society and have them be a positive influence and example to everyone they may come in contact with. We recognize this is probably our last Christmas will all of our kids living under the same roof and we are surprised how fast the time has gone -
Remember "The magic of Christmas is not in the presents but in HIS presence."

Kauai: 20th Anniversary

This scrapbooking design made with Smilebox

Wow what a great week!

Tuesday the Blizzard of the Decade to come in....Wow 4 inches and Wind - Not a record breaker - But Keith's Family got here in time to miss the Storm? Wednesday after work and pulling into my driveway the Sander's Family arrive from Cali and can't wait to get into the snow....Well at least they thought it would be fun til they realized how cold it was! Picked up Brooke & Adam from the TRAX - Then Dad & Bryan showed up and it was one big party! With 25 people under one roof - We really had an amazing time! No fights, everyone had bathrooms - No running out of hot water, We all cooked, cleaned and just messed around! It was amazing and I wish I could do it more often. Tammy, Jim & Family joined us for Thanksgiving Dinner and Friday we all met up at Salt Lake Temple Square to see the Christmas Lights get turned on and met Lisa, Rick & Family. The only sibling not able to make it to Utah was William - But he will be forgiven - Someday....
We haven't all been together since Mom passed away 8 years ago and the time went way too fast and we feel very blessed to have had these 4 days with the siblings, Dad & the cousins. I am so Thankful for all of them~ Now off to Hawaii!!

Thanksgiving 2010 @ the Gibbons Home!

Create your own photo album

Saturday is NO day off!

Sleeping in has become a thing of the past.... you don't get to sleep in when the kids are little, you get a little bit of sleeping in when they are in adolescent age - Then Active, involved teenagers come and forget about it! My Saturday Morning - and I thought It would settle down when Football ended - Yeah Right!

7:00 am Drive Zoey to work
8:00 am Drive Hunter to Scouts
9:00 am Drive Jocey to Drill
10:00 pick up Hunter
11:00 am Pick up Zoey
12:00 - 2:00 Washing machine repair guy (2nd water pump in 4 months!~)
12:00 pm Stone to Basketball
12:30 pm pick up Jocelyn
12:30 pm Alissa Hair Cut
2:00 pm Pick up Stone
Grocery Shop (oh yeah no dinero)
Christmas Shop (Same predicament)

The best is - It's supposed to start SNOWING - ICK!

Well the bright sides are;

• Jocey doesn't have to be at Drill at 7:00 am,
  
• Zoey will have her license soon,
  
• Alissa can drive herself,
  
• My husband is around to help this morning,
  
• I will have 20 minutes of pure pleasure laying in a tanning bed this afternoon in preparation for my HAWAII trip in 14 days and
  
• it will be pretty outside when fresh snow falls - Oh YEAH, and I will be right in the middle of it!

Maybe in the middle of all this I can clean for my arriving visitors? AAARRGHHHHHH!
The joys of Motherhood - Oh and as my Mother-in-Law would say -

"It's where you're at dear"

What if I don't want to be where I am at Today - Oops I'm late - Well Off AGAIN!