What will your year be?

I was struck at church today by the pastor's message. I felt it was worth sharing and if nothing else something to think about as you plan your 2008 goals!

My Sunday began with the Tri Fusion Master's Swim Class at Oz Fitness at 8am. We swam 12, 150's for a total of 1800 yards today. And yes I did have to nap later. We followed the swim by a social at Starbucks with several other Tri Fusion members. Trish and I then went to church at Life Center. It is somewhat a miracle in itself that I managed to get to church--I have been frustrated with God's plan for me but luckily I come around. Because you know God doesn't give up on you even if you close the door on him.

Now back to the sermon! Today Pastor Joe was gone, which I immediately was thinking, "Oh great, I invite Trish, and our normal pastor is gone!" But to my surprise Trish and both loved it and we both commented how we listened the whole time! (my mind has been known to wander just a little during a sermon!) Today's message was all about what will your year be... "A Good Year or a God Year?" Let me explain... a God Year would be when you trust in the Lord and walk with him through good times and bad. The Good Year referred to the year where you inform God your "instruction book" for how you'd like things done. My experience with the two is that when I think I can plan everything I am likely to be disappointed because my plan and God's time are not always in sync. Pastor Williams used the story from Genesis about Joseph. Time and time again in his life he faces disappointment yet never strays from God's love and will.

So, as you make your 2008 goals, I encourage you to reflect on your relationship with the Lord. What could you change? How can your life mirror that of a life living and trusting in the Lord? The further I am from God almost always correlates with my life feeling out of control and unfocused. Time and time again I am drawn back to the light of my savior and am once again comforted by his love, even when things don't go just my way. I am constantly reminded that of how Great our God is!

Happy New Year!

Adventures in Elko

Well this family made the trek to Elko, Nevada for Christmas this year. We boarded the Keith Jayco Motorhome and embarked on a 14 hour trip. On the way down we had some treacherous roads and lots of storms. We camped at an RV resort both on the way down and the way home. We can say we have camped in Caldwell and McCall Idaho!

Once arriving we loved our stay. My cousins did a wonderful job hosting 25 people! We relaxed, read, cross country skied, went sledding, played family trivia games, foosball, xbox, guns, and enjoyed the company of my relatives. I haven't seen my cousin Dave in over 2 years as he has been out at sea. My brother and his wife also drove up from California and of course Ashlyn too! It is however always nice to get back home.

We hope you had a blessed holiday with your families! Cousin Annie and Joey during the kids' gift exchange!

Christmas fun for you to see!

Preschool Christmas Party!

Joey's Preschool Class!

Today was Joey's Preschool Christmas celebration. Mrs. Pritchard, Joey's teacher, read a special story about Jesus' Birthday. Gifts were given to the moms, that were made by the children, a gift book exchange with the kids and of course a gift from their teacher. Our favorite part of course were the songs. The kids all became quite shy with the crowd of parents! Grandpa and Grandma were there too. The event ended with a few cookies, Joey's favorite! We sure love preschool, it is Joey's top choice of the week!

We love our Grandpa! These are the new books Joey received at the party.

Fun in the Snow!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

The holiday festivities are in full swing at our house. The tree is up and the house is decorated. Not sure if the outside lights will make it but we are feeling the spirit over here. Joey found the reindeer antlers and immediately put them on Tucker. I then grabbed the camera, of course! I used my photoshop skills to do a little crop and cameo.

Yet another example of my tech job skills spilling over to the family. I am still enjoying my job as the tech chick, it allows me to have a little more time for my family and I love the new challenges of learning the tech stuff! I am still dabbling with my triathlon training and just fired up my swimming - finally! I hope to do another triathlon in August.

Tom still continues to fish in Alaska each summer. He is finally excited about the prospects this summer of having crew he has had before. Such a treat. We continue to enjoy fresh salmon from the freezer and try to share it with friends when possible! He also is still active with real estate, although it's a bit dry at the moment, let us know if you need to sell your house! :-) Tom's hunting seems to be expanding to more days and weekends each year, if you're a hunter's wife this is no surprise to you, but he absolutely loves it and our dog, Tucker, is amazing at it too.

Joey is 3 and a half. He is the light of our lives, full of energy, energy, energy! This year he has been going to preschool two mornings a week and has absolutely loved it. His teacher is Mrs. Pritchard and what she says is the law, at home or school! He then attends daycare with Grandma Nancy and Papa Glen 3 days, which has been a blessing for our family as well. He loves to be outside golfing, kicking the soccer ball, casting his fishing pole, riding his bike, and spending time with grandparents! "Joey, Joe, Peanut, Love bug, Buggy", also known as Joseph, is a complete love and we can't imagine our lives without him.

Our exciting news is that we think we actually get to start building our house (3 years in the making) on top of Five Mile Prairie this spring. Keep your fingers crossed for us. We (okay, mostly Tom) have been fighting the city/county on trying to get hooked up to sewer and water for quite sometime. Our property lies right on the border of the two which has been quite a challenge and somewhat frustrating for sure. Kudos to Tom for keeping after it! We can't wait to start building our lil' rancher!

Our year was filled with many blessings and a few sad moments too. We are looking forward to a new beginning with a refreshed 2008 and hoping it leads to adding to our family one of these days too. We are so blessed by the support of our family and friends and appreciate each and everyone of you.

We hope this finds you and your family enjoying the season, making new memories and passing the cheer!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Happy Birthday Jill!

We Love You JILL!

One of my dearest friends turned another year older, or at least is about to! Jill will celebrate on Dec. 9th however, a brunch was held in her honor this past Saturday at the Blue Onion Bistro in Seattle. I just adored the company and it was fun to see Jill feeling a little better too. A huge thank you to Vanessa for coordinating the event! What a treat to see all my Seattle ladies as well. Happy Holidays you all!

Kauai Photos!

Here are the a few photos from our fabulous trip. We are so grateful to my parents for such a wonderful way to spend time with family...in Kauai!

30 Ways to Know You are a PARENT!

Couldn't resist sharing this!

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.

9. Your heart breaks much more easily.

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

11. Every day is a surprise.

12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you.

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

14. You become a morning person.

15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

Next 15...

1. "You discover how much there is to say about one tooth." — Ashley's mom

2. "You finally realize that true joy doesn't come from material wealth." — Anonymous

3. "You now know where the sun comes from." — Charlotte

4. "You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have." — Sophie's mom

5. "You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers." — Roxanne

6. "You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night." — Kellye

7. "Silence? What's that?" — Anonymous

8. "You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having." — Brenda

9. "You discover an inner strength you never thought you had." — Ronin and Brookie's mom

10. "You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule." — Thomas' mom

11. "You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one." — Jaidyn's mom

12. "Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog." — Kara

13. "You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late." — Tracey

14. "You learn that taking a shower is a luxury." — Jayden's mom

15. "You realize that you can love a complete stranger." — Dezarae's mom

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, Hawaiian style!

Thankfulness can be found in many ways...ours just happen to be with family and some place a little warmer than here! We just returned from Kauai with my parents. It was a wonderfully relaxing week. It was our first time to meet our new niece, Ashlyn, and see my brother and his wife. Some eat turkey we say, fish tacos! Okay, we did miss the traditional meal, but it was nice to not be so stuffed and tired. Our trip was a great time for everyone. Stay tuned for a slideshow of pics!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Daddy!

On November 8th we celebrated Tom's birthday! Here are a few pics of the festivities. Joey couldn't get 37 candles on the cake though! High five for blowing out all those candles boys!

The Littlest Angel

Okay, I just couldn't resist posting this pictures of my niece. Isn't she precious?

Ashlyn Keith and her 1st Halloween!

Pumpkin Carving

On the eve before Halloween, the Montecucco's could be found carving the chosen pumpkin from Greenbluff. We started with little help from our neighbor, "G" (AKA-Jerry) to get the lid off before daddy got home. Then we dug in. A shower curtain on the kitchen floor made for the perfect gut catcher! Joey loved trying to cut the pumpkin himself with a butter knife. He wasn't quite sure about getting the insides on his hands and wanted some lotion! We ended with a photo next to our Jack O' Lantern and in our Halloween outfit for tomorrow...Buzz Light Year!! Daddy brought home a surprise, "Toy Story". When asked what you should say for the new movie Joey quickly replied with, "Trick or Treat!"
Happy Halloween everyone!

Fall Fun?

Well, we aren't quite sure just how many times we'll need to do this but for those of you with pine needles I know you feel our pain. We find that hiring our neighbor boy and getting the whole family out helping is the way to go!

Photoshop

My latest endeavor has been to learn the program called Photoshop. It has been challenging to remember all the different components and then of course, teach a class to adults. I have been so intimidated to do my latest class because I don't know the program that well. One on my cohorts at work was supposed to teach it and I was going to be the one sitting back and just learning for fun, but no that would have been too easy! What do you think of some of my tricks?

Pumpkin Patch Visit

We were so excited to host the Cunningham Family this weekend. Sean, Jill, Will, and Cougar. The big boys went hunting two different mornings and limited out on the opening day of pheasant hunting. (that is very exciting I might add) We had dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Keith, visited Greenbluff, had massages, a girl's lunch at Twigs, date night at Downriver Grill, coloring, lots of playing and cookie decorating. Here's a sneak peak at some of our events:

Anything cuter?

Joey...ready for a swim!

While packing this last weekend to head off for my scrapbooking getaway, I emptied my workout bag contents onto my dresser. Joey walked in and quickly grabbed my swimcap and goggles and said, "Mommy, I can do this!" What a cutie!

A Beautiful Poem

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men.

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have the compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

To all my dear sistas' and friends...thanks for your friendship and love. Know that I'm here for you all ten fold.

Noni comes to town...

Noni came by Saturday for a visit after we returned from the Cougar football game that the whole family attended. This was Joey's 2nd Coug game, his first visit at 5 months old. Joey did fabulous and loved the fans, the noise and the players. Here's a shot devouring his first Cougar hot dog:Joey at the Cougar Football Game against Arizona. Too bad the Cougs lost!

Then, what could be better than a nap on the way home for both mommy and Joey while daddy drove and to find Noni at your house when you get home. We had yummy french dip sandwiches that had been in the crock pot all day. Noni was treated to a night walk, playing legos, making brick houses, watching Joe's airplane fly, picking tomatoes and carrots from the garden, enjoying one of Tom's wild turkey dinners and playing a new game Noni brought! We sure loved the visit. Thanks for coming Noni!

Hospitals are US!

Joey's first "glued" stitches!

Last night we had to take someone other than myself to the emergency...JOEY! He and Grandpa were wrestling and Joey was doing a dive WWF move that ended up hitting Grandpa and the edge of the coffee table. We have a glued gash just above the upper lip! Joey was very brave even when the glue was stinging. The experience at Sacred Heart was amazing, very fast and great nurses and doctor. Not however my first pick for a Saturday night at 9pm!

A bit different experience then what I went through last weekend. I too made an appearance at the emergency but it was last Saturday. I was 6weeks pregnant and unfortunately had an ectopic pregnancy. The size of the baby burst my fallopian tube. Needless to say the abdominal and back pain eventually sent me to the ER at about 8:30pm. I can sometimes bit a little stubborn Tom says... when it comes to my pain! I had a similar painful cramping the week before but had thought it was a bladder infection.

A huge thank you to Rhonda for coming and rescuing Joey for me and to my neighbor Jerry for the lift to the ER as Tom was out hunting and had to meet us at the hospital. My care in the ER at Holy Family was great however my after care was a little under par. I had to wait quite a while many times for more pain medicine which I might add is not recommended! My momma flew home from Nevada on Sunday and she has been my angel. Thank goodness Grama is retired! We received beautiful flowers from both our moms and from my office. I've also had a few other angels that have stopped in for a visit, tea delivery, phone calls and meals. A special thank you to Jessi, Becky, Trish, Jen and Kendra. What would we do without friends? It was also nice a having a few friends stop by the hospital even though I didn't feel very good. I also received a chocolately care package from my sista's in Seattle--a little shout out to Vanessa and Jill, thanks ladies! Many phone calls from family and friends have been so comforting and needed. THANK YOU!

Here's a little picture of my wounds. I also had glue like Joey in 3 different incision areas-one being my belly button which I'm quite worried about come bikini time! My tummy is still puffy and very sore but I'm healing both mentally and physically. Thank you all for your prayers, support and warm fuzzies. It's times like this when I start to feel sad about my loss or how difficult things seem. What joy to be reminded by seeing something as simple as new flowers in my yard and suddenly it doesn't seem so bad and I know I can make it another day. Thank you God for just a simple reminder that you are always there no matter what!

Baby Carter Visits!

Hi Carter Alexander Black!

We were so proud to have the Black family over for dinner. The one most excited was Joey. He was able to feed Carter and hold him! He is adorable as Joey would say. All enjoyed a yummy salmon dinner prepared by Tom and a little pizza on the side. We indulged with dessert by having two choices: chocolate chip cake chosen by Joey and Sean's apple pie with cinnambon icecream to boot!

Sean and Kelli even look like first time parents by the circles under their eyes but you would never notice in their actions. They are calm, collect and doing spectacular!

Family Photos

The Montecucco's September, 2007

Just enjoying this fabulous weekend. Thought we'd share a few shots caught in the backyard! The Montecucco's could be found this weekend...sleeping, having chicken quesadillas and movie night with Grammie, attending a fabulous seafood BBQ at the Quinn's, watching the Cougar game, wrestling and playing tickle with daddy, and playing in the backyard.

1st Day of Preschool

Thursday was Joey's first official day of preschool. In the morning Joey informed me that he didn't want to go to preschool and that he didn't like it. I suggested that maybe he just try it, and he replied, "I am just going to stay at Grandma Nancy's." So I just left it for the time being. I dropped him off at daycare about 8am and returned at 9:20am to take him to preschool. Once again he announced he wasn't going. Grandma also said he should go and try it.

We were off for preschool. On arrival Joey was very clingy and not into staying. Mrs. Prichard (Joey's teacher) greeted him and invited both of us over the the carpet area. I might note that all other parents have of course left! I tried song to sneak and out and was caught by Joey and Mrs. Pritchard once again invited me to stay until free time. So after 40 minutes I finally grabbed my chance for an exit only to be pursued by Joey, needing one more hug. His teacher graciously asked if she could have the hug instead and I kept on a moving.

On the pickup I was assured that Joey did great and guess who now loves preschool? Here is the before shot...not real sure about it!