2010: A Year in Review

I figure that since we are beginning the new year tomorrow, I would post about all the highlights of the year 2010. Not much has happened, and not all of it has been good. However, I still feel the need to post them.

- Josh and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary.Our three year anniversary is coming up soon (so weird).

- We have a new addition to the family: our puppy Jack Jack. He was adopted on February 13, 2010.

- I fell in love with my little Jack Jack. I cannot get enough of him. He's such a goofball.

-Josh and I finally went on our honeymoon. I know, two years later. Late is better than never! We went to Disneyland in March!

- With out tax money we were not only able to go to Disneyland but we were also able to get our garage door fixed. I love having a garage to park in!
- I got a new car. Well, it is a new/used car. It is a 2007 Chevrolet Equinox. I love it!
- I completed my first year of teaching.
- Josh got in a HUGE car accident in May. It was terrible. After 6 months of therapy he was finally released. I'm just thankful that he was okay and that he's still here with me.
- We went down to the Gila Valley Temple open house. My whole family went (except Paula and Evan).

- We went back to Disneyland in October with my family. It made me and Josh realize we are not sure if we want another family vacation again. Too many people! We'll see what happens in 5 years.

- I started my second year of teaching.
- Josh got a job working for AT&T. He's been working there for awhile and is finally getting used to it.
- Our backyard is a constant work in progress. We have removed rock where we want to put grass. Maybe I'll be posting about having grass in a year!
- I started teaching piano lessons at a dance studio near our house. I love it!
- Josh and I went to the zoo on veteran's day again. What a great date (especially if you only have to pay for one ticket)! We met our good friend Olach there again.

- Josh and I had our first Christmas with Jack Jack. He loves his toys!

- We made a trip to Eagar before Christmas. It was a lot of fun! I helped Karen get prepared for Christmas while Josh worked on the computer. It was a great start to a vacation. (sorry no pictures).

Although this year had it's struggles, I cannot help but to point out the good things. The year 2010 has been great to us. As we move into the 2011 year, join us on our new journey's and struggles. Have a happy new year!

Christmas 2010

I will admit that I always hate it when Christmas comes and goes. I love the Christmas season and all the anticipation that leads up to it. I love Christmas Day but I prefer everything before that. Anyway Christmas was really good this year. Josh was supposed to work on Christmas but he ended up only working 2 1/2 hours. I got really lucky! He was able to come to the Pratt family Christmas breakfast and then we went home and had our first Christmas with Jack Jack. It was great. We then went to dinner with Josh's mom. I think the day after Christmas was worse because we had a morning breakfast with Josh's family and then went straight to my parents for presents and then had dinner there. Yes, it was a long Christmas season but it was nice as well. Here are a few pictures of our first Christmas with our little puppy.

Jack Jack excited to see what he is getting for Christmas.

Jack Jack ready to play with his new toys.

My new steering wheel cover. My old one looks so trashy... especially with my new car. 

Josh opening up one of his presents (with Jack Jack looking on). He got 5 new shirts from me. I think that I was just as excited as he was.

Picture of puppy just for good measure.

Me with one of my presents. Josh got me the Island of Dr. Brain game. We had it a long time ago and now I can finally play it again! He even installed. it!

Jack Jack and his new favorite toy. It already has holes in it.

Gingerbread Houses

Josh and I decided to make some graham cracker gingerbread houses for fun. So, we did! It was a lot of fun. Maybe next year we will get a kit and make a real gingerbread house. Anyway, here are a few pictures. Sorry the ones of Josh are sideways. I haven't turned them yet. 

Josh working on his house.

Josh and his house. I love the candy corn icicles. I really think his was best because he took the time to frost his.

Me and my house. I think it kind of looks like a trailer. I'm just surprised that it didn't collapse.

Tuesday Truths

1. The truth is... my goal is to completely update the blog by the end of the year. I only have a few days left. I hope I can do it. We will see.

2. The truth is... I love after Christmas shopping. I don't know why, but I'm completely addicted.

3. The truth is... I don't want to go back to school next Monday.

4. The truth is... Jack Jack LOVES his Christmas presents we got him. He doesn't know what to play with now.

5. The truth is... I got a sewing machine for Christmas. I'm excited to start making a bunch of things.

Tuesday Truths

1. The truth is... I didn't freeze while I was visiting Karen in Eagar. It was awesome!

2. The truth is... I have the best husband ever! He puts up with pure boredom in Eagar just so I can go visit Karen (I won't drive up by myself).

3. The truth is.. I still have a lot of wrapping to do before Christmas. Most of them are going to be opened the day after, which is nice, so it gives me more time.

4. The truth is... I love wrapping presents!

5. The truth is... I am already enjoying my vacation from school. We are only a few days into it, but it is awesome. Nice and relaxing!

Disneyland- Day 4

Last day of Disneyland. Then I can actually move on to what is happening in our house right now. Well, at least what is happening up until now. I will admit it was a little depressing to know that it would be our last day at Disneyland. However, I think most of us were ready to go home. First thing we did when we entered the park was go over to the Indiana Jones ride. Josh, Karen, Emma, Doug, and I went there while the kids explored Tarzan's tree house and then ate snacks and went shopping.

At Tarzan's tree house. The kids really loved this!

Indiana Bryant wrestling a snake.

Raegan posing for a picture with an elephant for Paula.

Indiana Kaiden with his prize snake.

We then went over to the Jungle Cruise. It was fun to watch the kids on this ride.

Watching the animals on the Jungle Cruise.

Look at Alyssa's face (she's by me), she looks very concerned.

After that we walked over to Pirates of the Caribbean and went on the Haunted Mansion. Then we walked over to critter country and went on the Winnie the Pooh ride.

At the end of Winnie the Pooh.

Hey! We actually got a picture of dad!

At Pooh's honeypots!

Kaiden was dieing to go on Splash Mountain so he went along with Karen, Josh, and Doug. The rest of us went to see Winnie the Pooh and Tigger.

Meeting Winnie the Pooh. Raegan was scared of him.

Sara walked right up to Winnie the pooh and gave him a hug. It was so cute.

Don't you just love the look on Kaiden's face. Dad took this pictures with his camera. Not bad for being far away.

Kaiden after Splash Mountain. He was completely soaked.

By then it was lunch time. We ate something while Kaiden dried off and then walked over to Thunder Mountain Railroad (Karen, Kaiden, Alyssa, Doug and I went on that). And over to Fantasyland to get some rides there.

The troops that went on Thunder Mountain Railroad. I love that ride! Kaiden and Alyssa loved it too! Kaiden had to make sure to tell dad all about it.

After that we pretty much stopped taking pictures (its weird how near the end of the trip we didn't take much). We did go back over to California Adventure, went on King Triton's Carosel, over to the bumper cars in It's a Bug Life area (while Karen and Doug rode the California Screamin') and then over to see Muppets in 3D and Turtle Talk with Crush. It was a good day and near the end we were all ready for bed and ready to go home.
Come 2015.... we will have to see what we do for a trip. There may be too many people!

Tuesday Truths

I decided that I'm going to post about my number fetish for my Tuesday Truths today. Enjoy! Okay, in my mind, there are good numbers and not so good numbers. Here is the priority order.

If you can get to the number by counting by fives... it is a great number! Example: 5,10, 15, 20, 25...

Next come all the even numbers. Example: 2, 4, 6, 8...

After the evens comes the odd numbers (that are not prime). Example: 9, 21, 27...

Last are those numbers that (I think) should be put to shame. The primes. Example: 3, 7, 11, 13...

One and zero... they don't really exist in my book You don't write them in an algebraic equation so what is the point.

Now I know that some of you are thinking "Emily this doesn't make sense because 5 is prime." I will reply yes it is prime but it is a number that you can count by 5's to, so it trumps the fact that it is a prime. That would be the same case with the number 2. YES TWO IS PRIME! When I mentioned this to Josh this was his reply.

"If you have an issue with numbers then we have a problem. We want three kids... three is a prime number. Therefore it is a bad number. Do we have to have 2 or 4 kids because they are farther up on your list."

Here is my reply: "No, we can stick with three because 3 (kids)+2 (adults)= 5 (members of the family)... just perfect.

Now he makes fun of me.

Tuesday Truths

1. The truth is... I went to the dentist today. I've been going to the same dentist for pretty much my whole dentist life.

2. The truth is... I have a VERY small cavity. Yep, that is what I'm doing before Christmas. I don't have any insurance for that. I was told it would be $78. Hopefully it won't be much more.

3. The truth is... I thought about having a Tuesday Truths about my number obsession. I haven't decided yet.

4. The truth is... 8 days left of school. I'm so excited for my two-week break!

5. The truth is... Josh is getting a shift change starting January. We are so lucky he got a good one! He is going to now have Saturday and Sunday off. He is also going to be working from 7:30- 4:00. It is even later... which will be nice.

Disneyland- Day 3

We spent most of Tuesday at California Adventure. However, we decided that because it didn't open until 10, we would go to Disneyland for a couple of hours. Me, Josh, Mom, Dad, Karen, Kam, Kaiden, Alyssa, Raegan, and Bryant all went together. It was really fun. While Josh and I went over to Indiana Jones, everyone else went on Pirates of the Carribean. Then we met up at Haunted Mansion and rode on that.

Me and Josh in front of the hearse at The Haunted Mansion.

Raegan and Alyssa ready to go inside the Haunted Mansion. It was actually the Nightmare Before Christmas. I prefer the normal one, but it was fun to see something different.

Snack time while waiting for the train!

Riding the train around the park.

We saw some awesome dinosaurs on the train.

After the Haunted Mansion we took the train around the park and got off on Main Street. We then walked over to California Adventure.
We had to wait a few minutes for Wendi and Doug and the rest of their kids to arrive but while we waited for Wendi and Doug, the kids made a battle plan by looking at the map.

Plotting a good strategy around the park.

We decided that Josh, Doung, Kaiden, Emma, Bryant, and I would go over to Toy Story Mainia (everyone said it was the best ride ever!). Everyone else went to the "It's a Bug's Life" area and went on the rides there. The line at Toy Story Mainia was insane! We were in line for 2 1/2 hours! I had fun, ***********************************.

Riding a ride in "It's a Bug's Life" area. I'm not sure on the name of the ride... sorry.

The ladybug ride. (It's like the tea cups.)

Dad and Sara getting dizzy.

We then met up at Ariel's Grotto for lunch. It was really nice to be able to meet the princesses during lunch. What I did realize is that Jasmine was not there. Weird. Anyway, I think that the dessert was the best part! Most of it was chocolate... which is probably why it was the best part!

Princess Aurora. Raegan calls her Beauty. I think it's cute.

Kam eating his carrot. Isn't he cute?

Cinderella. Raegan was most excited to see her. Then when she met Snow White she fell in love with her!

Belle. I love Belle! I wanted to get a picture with her but I was stuck where I was at. She's my favorite princess.

Everyone then stayed at the park while mom, dad, Karen, Josh, and I wend back to the hotel with all the kids (except Bryant). The kids were able to relax and play for awhile (along with the adults).

Kaelyn resting in Grandma and Grandpa's room watching Cars. This picture is awesome!

We then went back to the park around 4:30. We were able to catch the Pixar Play Parade, which the kids really love! If you combine loud music, fun disney characters, and then add water and bubbles who wouldn't love it? After that we had some dinner and went to wait to see the World of Color. I think that was the best show ever! Totally worth the wait! Now I need to find the music on CD somehow. It was truly amazing!

You can't but help to love Tow Mater!

This was taken just for our little Jack Jack... who he's named for. To bad our Jack Jack couldn't shoot flames out of his head. Although, our house would always be on fire so I'm okay with that. (It would be kind of cool tho.)

Dude! Here comes Crush!

The one and only Lightning McQueen!