The return of myself...I haven't been dead...

Just the busiest I have ever been in my life...Oh bloggers...how I've missed you. Student teaching ends for me on Thursday...so Good Friday really will be a GREAT Friday for me...and for my neglected blog. I will be doing a TON of back-blogs...so get ready to get inundated on your Google Reader.

Love Mandy

My Momma raised me right...

But I'm immature in ways and gas is just one of those ways...this was pretty much the funniest thing I've ever seen...

Back on track...

I think it's totally funny how I love blogging in spurts and that knowing all of the things I have to blog about, I just get overwhelmed and can't focus on where to begin...

I didn't really blog about Christmas so that is where I will leave off.

Please be patient with me...I (literally) only have 10 more weeks of school left and I couldn't be happier to have my sanity and good intentions back!

Birthday happenings...

Today was Camille's 5th birthday!! Happy Birthday Camille-e-buns!! She couldn't believe the waiter at the restaurant knew it was HER birthday!! She's so cute when she is embarrassed!

Camille chose to go to the Denver Aquarium so away we went! Mom & Dad posing outside!

Callie (aka Bug Bug) was LOVING chasing the bubbles outside!

Oh, I love the excitement on kids faces over something so simple...BUBBLES!!

Callie next to sharkeeeee!

I'm thinking about changing professions...what do you think?

Camille is in AWE looking at the giant freshwater turtle!

Love the puffer fish!

The aquarium was teeming with life!

The Carpenter family (5 of 6- missing Eli's family) L to R: Katy & Dan Ellis, Nate w/ gf Amy, Camille Ellis, Blake & Jovie, Mom, Dad, Me & Callia Ellis.

The Ellis family feeding the sting rays...so cool!

Oh, the box jelly fish...awesome.

Doesn't this guy look grumpy?

Jovie was having a tough time... hard to sleep with so much action going on!!

Look at this gorgeous tiger! Tigers at aquariums is a tech. I'm sure it was LOVING all the water surrounding it!

That is SO much like Nate to stick his finger in a tank full of piranhas. What a dork!

Bug Bug was loving the sharks!!

Those sting rays are so smoothe!

The aquarium even had snakes...

I've always loved horses...you can add sea horses to that list as well. So cool!

This little guy was quite unique!

The sharks were all over the place in this tank!

Now THAT is a phasing sky line

Camille got what she loves the most- Strawberry ice cream cake from Coldstone.

Christmas happenings...

Christmases in Mesa always kinda trip me out a little bit. I've lived here for 6 years now... but I don't know if it will ever really feel like a Christmas from Colorado or Utah...the nip in the air...icicles...or on a rare occasion- a WHITE Christmas. But the one thing that is consistant is to be able to spend it with family- which I so much cherish.

Mimi, Grandma and Pops with Jovie

All gifts were appreciated (of course) but this is the one I was so much hoping for! Thanks Blake!It will probably take me quite a while to learn to use this new lens, but I'm sure it'll be a blast!Jovie was posing in her little Bumbo chair and Christmas outfit. She was our VERY special gift this year! Who could honestly ask for a cuter, more sweet, chill and darling little girl!??I do believe in the spirit of Christmas!!Blake testing out the lens- and getting some sweet shots!Jaime and her family came out on Christmas day in the evening from San Diego to spend the holiday with us. Parker was being so cute about opening presents- I love that age!My nephew Jax looking so handsome with the lovely tree in the background. My mom-in-law Shauna is an amazing decorator. I only wish I had the EYE she has for decorating. Her home is quite the winter wonderland!Even little angels can get cranky on Christmas!! Haha- Jovie looks so 'sweet' with all that cupcake gear!

We made out like bandits this year. (This photo is just for insurance purposes)
I hope your Christmas was Merry and Bright and brought many smiles, hugs and love into your home! We are so grateful for the love of our Savior Jesus Christ and to celebrate his humble birth! Merry Christmas! Love the Kimballs

Christmas Eve...

There is nothing like a dog's genitals messing up your perfectly good picture...slightly humorous...not our dog's genitals...my brother's dog's genitals...we were dog sitting...I'm not quite ready for my own dog...including genitals...Sheesh.

So we settled for this picture instead...

Jovie in total wonderment with the striped tights...they are pretty fashion forward...

thank Grandma Kimball

Yes Jovie...you are adorable.

Jovie is amazed at the beautiful sight...the tree is lovely.

Opening our "crackers" with paper crowns, fortune and mystery gift. These are a great Kimball Christmas Eve tradition. We also opened our jammies but only Jovie is sporting hers (obviously).

Boy...the anticipation for Christmas is unbearable...I always have the hardest time sleeping.

MMMmmmm...

Jovie could be the new Campbell's soup representative...

mmm...mmm...good.

Playing dress up...

Check my chucks...Silly face blowing bubbles...
Standing all by myself (not really)...makes me cranky.

Ahhhh...finally able to relax.

Then we got to go to Whit & Rachael Gardner's wedding...but that was short lived since I had a MAJOR diaper blowout...my first on record.

Rainbow Bright...

Jovie can't believe that her mother would put her in this ridiculously "Rainbow Bright" outfit...

She's actually SO phased by it.

This past week's happenings...

This past week was chock full of good stuff...

Monday...

Jovie rolled from her tummy to her back in 5 seconds for the first time...no prompting either! I think she really likes looking at the Christmas tree! This was her after-roll look!

Tuesday...

Started feeling the funk in my throat...ahhhh, give me orange juice and Airborne. Oh- and since my Christmas tree decided that the top half didn't want to upstage the bottom half of the tree (since it does get the star), it decided to quite working...Oh yeah, I'll show you...you pesky fuse. Gotcha. Ta Dahhhh!

Wednesday...

Jovie had her first all out laugh...didn't catch much of it on video, but daddy can get her all grinny- it's so cute.

Thursday...

I got a new console table so that we have somewhere to put our stockings...one of the major drawbacks to this house is no fireplace (not too uncommon however, in AZ). Blake thinks it's just a "useless piece of furnature" and "another place for me to dump my crap" (don't take that literally- "crap" meaning the mail, receipts, books, etc.). But once I got it all set up I think you can cross off "a useless piece of furnature" off his list. Oh, you know I'm gonna dump my crap here once Christmas is over. Crap- say sionara to the counter.

Friday...

Jovie finally discovered how to pull the plastic dog bone in her bumbly chair (that play's the song "Oh where has my little dog gone?...). I am so proud of her...she has just changed SO much all in the last week!

Saturday...

Our 3rd annual White Elephant Christmas party. We do this every year with many of Blake's high school friends and their wives...and a few other single friends too. I wish we had a bigger house to invite more people because I just love hosting a good celebration of sarcasm, laughter, and going home (well, I guess I'm already home) with some high class gifts... All I want for Christmas is... a dainty picture of my friend's husband ...and some pills to grow a bigger rack... sigh. Seriously Diana? You had to steal that gingerbread kit away from me didn't you! And Amy, I was REALLY looking forward to playing the Murder She Wrote board game with Blake. I can just hear Angela Landsbury's voice as the narrator. But that got stolen too. Well- we gave some hot items- the Shamwow and a giant remote control (oh you know those puppies got locked within the first round!) Some other hot items were Lotto tickets, Lo Lo's Chicken & Waffles gift card & tshirt (phrase on the back says "Eatin' good in da hood") and a QT gift card. So thank you to all that attended... The Spencer Reeds, The Dentons, The Tony Reeds, The Hamiltons, The Williams', The Nelsons, Whit, Rajiv, Jonny, Tim, and Chelsea.

Sunday...

So, the sad part is that as a family we've been sick this past week with the sore throat, cough and sniffles. But when we woke up on Sunday morning we decided not to be those selfish mo mos that go to church out of duty, then get a bunch of other people and their kids sick. NO, that is just uncool. So we made a day of staying home in our pj's and relaxing. We needed the rest. Don't judge me...it's Christmas time...time for mercy. So, to stay on "The Nice List", I'd like to donate a beautiful track to your collection.

The Velvet Teen

Red, Like Roses

Out Of the Fierce Parade

I love it when a good track pops back into my life and gets me all nostalgic.

8 days and counting until Christmas!! SO MUCH TO BE DONE!