10 on Tuesday

We'll see how I do!

1. We are leaving in the morning to go stay with Jeremy's grandmas. Grandma Betty is in the hospital, and Grandma Rose just isn't doing well. So, we are taking a couple of days to go see them. We hope to be back Thursday evening. Because...

2. New Years Eve is probably one of my most favorite holidays. I just love it. And we have a party every year over at my friend Charity's house. It's going to be rockin'!

3. Lil Miss Macy Grace is cutting two teeth right now. One top and one bottom. My poor lil girl only has 4 teeth, so I know she's going to be getting quite a few teeth over the next few months and it's just terrible.

4. I haven't taken down my Christmas tree yet. I like to do it the day after Christmas. Well, last year, I just wasn't having a good year, and wasn't into Christmas so I took it down right away. Jeremy still remembers it and teases me about it. He says I'm the grinch who just grabs the tree and stuffs it in a box refusing to look at it for one more second. And that's not true. So, I didn't take it down on Saturday. And I've been busy working all week and now we are leaving, so it'll be New Years Day. That's fine I guess. I should have just done it on Saturday.

5. By the way, I'm not a grinch. Jeremy is though. He is. He doesn't really like Christmas, or Christmas music and I do. I love it.

6. For Christmas I got an ipod touch! woot-woot!! I was excited. I already love it =) I'll have to do some separate posts about all the christmas festivities.

7. I feel so behind in my blogging. I was thinking I still haven't posted many cruise pics. Ugh. I hate being behind.

8. I really don't enjoy the months of January or February. At all. But I'm hoping to BLOG BLOG BLOG and maybe that'll help the gloom of the winter blues in my life.

9. I would really like to get some snow. We haven't had hardly any, and I would love a good snow fall. But not tomorrow or Thursday while we are traveling ;)

10. I really just can't believe 2009 is almost over. CRAZY! It was a great year. Probably one of the best in my life. I am so blessed amazing friends and family so close to me. I love you all.

PS: If you are reading this, comment! I want to know who's following along =)

Christmas card 2009

The cards, letters, and pictures are sent. Here they are for 2009.

Hello to all our wonderful family and friends,
We trust that 2009 has been a blessed year to all. Unfortunately as life goes, some of you have had heartbreaks and losses, we send our prayers and thoughts. As for the Upham house God has truly blessed us and we are extremely thankful.
Macy Grace turned a year old November 8th and she is as fun as ever. It was a great year watching her grow and change and learn new things. We had the blessing of dedicating Macy Grace to the Lord, giving her back to Him, on I Love Life Sunday at the church. As I write this, she’s still learning to walk. She’ll take quite a few steps but knows crawling is much quicker! She is a joy and the highlight of our lives.
At the beginning of this year, Mindy made a difficult and yet the best decision for our family and stepped down from her teaching position at Fellowship Baptist. In place, Mindy opened up her home daycare and the Lord has blessed as she cares for children each day in our home.
Miudy is also continuing her education and training in the field of custom professional photography. She enjoyed the opportunity to attend a workshop in southern California this past September and has recently finished a 9 week course study.
Jeremy continues to work in child care therapy at the Southwest Guidance Center and manages our storage and rental businesses. The Lord blessed as we were able to purchase additional housing and Jeremy has been hard at work keeping up with the maintenance.
In July, Macy Grace and Mindy flew to Oregon where they spent a week. Macy Grace is a great traveler and they enjoyed spending time with the family. While there, they were able to celebrate Mindy’s great grandma’s 95th surprise birthday party.
The busy year didn’t keep us from enjoying our favorite things, being together. In October, we took Macy Grace on her first cruise as we sailed the Western Caribbean for 7 days. We think she’s addicted!
We are still heavily involved in the ministries at Fellowship Baptist Church as Jeremy drives a bus and we work in Children Leadership along with various ministries.
The theme that seems to sing throughout the year, is “God’s Been Good in My Life!” “God’s been good, in my life, I’ve been blessed beyond my wildest dreams when I go to sleep each night. And though I’ve had my share of hard times, I wouldn’t change it if I could, oh because, God’s been good.”
We truly wish you the best and trust that God will bless and protect you and your family in 2010; from our heart and home to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
With all our Love,
Jeremy, Mindy, & Macy Grace











and b/w because I don't know which one I love more

one of the best things about being home

and doing NOTHING is that you get to blog all the little things that happen through out the day.

Macy is using sign language quite a bit to communicate with us and it's cuuuute. Her newest is eat (signed by putting your fingers up to your mouth it's also the sign for food). So, she puts her fingers up to her mouth and then goes, "Mmmmmm, Mmmmmm" it's darling. How can I not feed her? Even though she just ate 10 mintues before. It's because we like to eat and if she sees Jeremy or I eating something she wants it too. So, after signing eat, and saying, "Mmmmm" she signs vigourously for please, which is rubbing your open hand on your chest. It's precious.

Well, just a few minutes ago, she wanted some chips that J was eating and because we don't think a 13 month old, with only 4 teeth needs chips, we opt for a graham cracker! She signs eat, and please and we sign cracker and give it to her. Happily she begins chowing down as a monsterous 65 lb beast snatches the cracker right out of her hand. Without harming her mind you. And in 0.2 seconds, she's bawling. Hysterically. We don't bust out the tears for no reason around here. They are huge, crocidle, I was done wrong tears. We chastise Jake, give her another cracker and giggle as she just keeps looking at Jake and heaving and heaving and heaving. She doesn't stop, for like 63 seconds. It's that serious. And this time, she goes and sits on the couch next to J to eat her cracker never taking her eyes off of Jake.

And the snow....

Where is it!??! It snowed for a pitaly hour and now nothing. I want snow!!!

It's snowing

YEAH!!!! We might have a WHITE Christmas, I hope so.

2 days until Christmas

Almost all of my shopping is done. I'm buying one more thing for Jeremy but the store is out, so that may have to wait until after Christmas :( And one more thing for his stocking, otherwise I'm done! Woohoo!
I still have some wrapping to do. That takes such a long time.
I have purchased all of Macy's presents, but I'm still waiting for the piano to arrive. It says it should be here tomorrow. BUT we have this impending snow storm, so now I'm hesitant to believe that it'll be here. It's my fault, I waited until Saturday to buy it when I've known for months I was getting it for her.
I bought all of our food for our Christmas Eve dinner as a family; just Jeremy, Macy Grace and I!

I'm making
*Barbque Roast Beef
*Cheesy Potatoes
*Corn Casserole
*Deviled Eggs
*Dinner Rolls
*Oreo Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Dessert - aka - Yumm-O!!
Of course nothing healthy but divinely delicious. And it closing, I'm leaving you with some Holiday eating tips from my friend over at g&d.

Monday, December 21, 2009
10 Holiday Eating Tips
I received this forwarded email from a friend and had to share. These are words to live by. Enjoy!

10 Holiday Eating Tips


1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.


2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!


3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat step #3.


4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.


5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello!


6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.


7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table--like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa--position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.


8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?


9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.


10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips; start over. But hurry--January is just around the corner!

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

thankful

I just finished a phone call with my Grandma and I'm so reminded that life is a vapor. Wednesday night around midnight she heard a dog bark and she looked out the window to find their dear neighbor Buck's RV in flames. She called 911 and Grandpa ran out the door and pounded on Buck's window but to no avail, the trailer was engulfed in flames and Buck was dead. The heat from the fire was so strong it definitely damaged their trailer and belongings with smoke. They are safe and I am beyond greatful to God for protecting my Grandma and Grandpa. I love them more then I realize sometimes.

lil christmas girl

weekend recap

I had a most fabulous weekend.
I closed the daycare at 4:30 on Friday, my friends picked me up, and we headed out of town for the bigger city. It was great. No agenda besides yummy food and shopping, and a movie. No kids! No husbands! Nothing, just girls. It was needed. We pulled into the city and decided Johnny Carinos would be just perfect. We put our name on the waiting list and ran over to the theatre to buy our tickets, went straight back over to restaurant and we were ready for the table. I devoured a plate of 16 layer lasgana =) and some wonderful bread. We were SO full!
The movie we saw was Brothers and it was intense. I liked it - I think. It was just really really intense. I vote next time for a chick flick!
We found our hotel, split the beds and Michelle and I stayed up talking until 3:30! It was so fun though. The best thing about a shopping trip is that the stores don't open until 10:00am so we had plenty of time to get around in the morning.
We went o Ihop and I indulged in so ridiculous yummo California Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes. Divine.
We shopped and shopped and stood in ridiculously long lines, but I completed my shopping and I feel good. We ate Red Robin for dinner, loved Marble Slap Creamery, and topped off with Starbucks. Mmmmm.
We pulled back into town at around midnight Saturday night and no doubt we were tired but we're young, so it's all good.
Like I said, it was great and I loved every second of it.

Last night we had our Vision Banquet at the church that celebrates the New Year and the theme and goal for the ministries. Our theme is "What Faith Does" and I couldn't be more thrilled with the idea. Faith changes lives. It heals. It believes. Faith is the foundation of my life and there couldn't be a more suitable theme right now. We sang and ate and laughed. I love my church and more so, I love my faith.

Have a great week! Love to all.

10 on Tuesday

1. Last night the christian school had their annual Christmas Cantata and it was great! My brother Dalton had the male lead and my sister Lindsey had a supporting female part. They did a fabulous job!
2. It's snowing!!! Not a alot. But it is sinfully cold out, read, like single digits, and the wind is blowing, but we have SNOW!!
3. We have an insanely busy month, but isn't that how all Decembers are? I wish it wasn't so crazy, people start to not enjoy it. I love the festivities of Christmas.
4. Jeremy has to work Christmas Eve, Christmas night, and New Years Eve this year :(
5. Macy is 13 months today!
6. She is taking steps but not fully walking!
7. I'm super super excited for this weekend. Me and a couple of friends are heading to the bigger city to do some Christmas shopping. A girls weekend - no kids! We're thinking indulging in ridiculously yummy food, catching a movie, and some great sales!
8. There is a play on Thursday night at the college theatre called Little Woman and I'm dying to go. I love that movie. Must call for tickets! Miranda, wanna go??
9. Okay I wrote this on Tuesday then never finished so it's a few days off!
10. The daycare has been crazy. Kids sick, parents off. Macy sick. We just can't catch a break! Pray for us!!

wall gallery and our tree

These are standouts.





And the tree. Kid friendly because I do not trust the daycare kids not to knock it over! haha

no eye contact

She's a mess!










She just would NOT look at me!!

flashback Friday

on Saturday!

I have moved most of my files onto my back up hard drive to save room on my main hard drive. Tonight when I was working I found these. They were taken in December 2007 and before I knew anything about photography!

the weekend

Last night we had our adult sunday school class Christmas party for the church and it was great! We bellied up to some delicious Italian food and scrumptous desserts and were completely entertained by a live highschool jazz band. I had the extremem pleasure of sleeping in this morning til 8:30! I can't tell you the last time I slept in that late ;) And Jeremy came home from work and took Macy Grace so I laid in bed even longer until around 9:00! It was heaven.
My friend Michelle and I had plans to attend the Christmas craft show and I bought my favorite cinnamon roasted pecans and a few new headbands and bows for lil lady love. I also bought a Christmas ornament personalized with our names on it for 2009.
I had a couple of quick photo sessions this afternoon then we bundled up and headed downtown for the annual christmas parade. It was SO cold but I love going. They give away a huge prize every year and we didn't win (we've never won!) but I enjoy going anyways.
Christmas is just around the corner and it makes me sorta sad. I love what Christmas represents and stands for but I hate that it goes by so quickly. It is the most wonderful time of the year!

yada yada yada

So, where do I start? What do I say?? I've never in all my days been at a lack for words, oh just kidding...

This will be very random!!

So, December 1st. Wow. Christmas. I have bought one thing! We aren't sure who we are buying for this year. I think just immediate famiy. We are cutting back right now. So, for little miss Macy Grace, we bought her a rocking pony. It was a good deal at the day after thanksgiving sale at walmart.

No, I didn't do the black friday thing. Kinda. I normally do and love it. But this year it really didn't seem like there was much to go out for. But lil love bug had other ideas. She was up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5:45am. Yup. So, we went shopping. By the time we got out of the house, it was almost 7, so the crowd had definitely thinned out. That's wrong. The crowd thins out by 7am. Oh well. I did get a couple of things, not presents though!

I haven't even hardly bought anything. I know what I'm getting J, but that's it. I need to start crackin on that.

We put up our tree - before thanksgiving. Now, that's something I never do. But Macy Grace was sick two weeks ago and the daycare was closed so I had the time to get everything out and put it all up and away. I'm glad I did it. It's pretty.

We also permantely accessorized by buying 5 and ordering 1 more standout wall canvases to form a collage on our massive empty wall space. It's all of Macy Grace. I enjoy looking at her and it definitely helps the wall not feel so blah! I'll post some pics later.

We tried to take our family Christmas picture. Yeah that didn't go so well! I need to just schedule a family shoot with a photographer, but I'm lazy about it.

And for some ridiculous reason I attempted Macy's Christmas photos ALONE! That was ugly. And bad. I needed some meds after that one!

For Macy's birthday party I have about 10 photos. That's it! I was so busy and Jeremy didn't do a great job at keeping up with the photography for me! Macy didn't eat her cake either. I don't know if she didn't like the way it tasted or getting dirty or all the people watching her, but she only had a few bites then wanted her milk. She loved playing with all the kiddos and did pretty well at unwrapping her gifts. She just hammed it up for everyone.

Jeremy and I bought her a climbing treehouse slide and it is the perfect size. We also bought her her first Dr's kit and a book that reads and sings as you turn the pages. She got lots of cute clothes and toys from her friends. We had a fabulous time.

Thanksgiving was nice. We went to my parents house and ate a ridiculous amout of turkey dinner. It was very delicous!

Thanks to Aunt Rana, Jeremy and I even got a little evening date out! We went to see A Christmas Carol and eat dinner. It was very nice. Then Sunday afternoon I had a girl babysit Macy and Jeremy and I went to see The Blind Side, I loved it, it was a great movie.

I knew this would be so random, but wanted to update on a few things. Enjoy your day!