Early to bed, early to rise!

I really wish I had the stamina to stay up during the night and clean my house, catch up on laundry and finish the odds and ends of life BUT I slowly start to pass out at 7p.m. so that never happens. We decided as a family to get up early and get going for the day and it made such a big difference. It seemed like we had hours before school (which we did because we had formed this bad habit of rolling out at 820a.m. throwing on clothes and rushing to school late). The kids did their MIRACLE MUSIC (a program that is fabulous if you're trying to get your kids into a routine), I cleaned the kitchen, did laundry and took a shower - wooohooo! We even had time for scripture study without fighting about it. I love the feeling of accomplishment! For all my moaning about housework and how I hate to do it and never have the time to do it - it really makes a difference when I feel "caught up" and that Ive got my house in order. I also love when my house smells good. There is nothing more motivating for me than to put on some good, upbeat music or stick in my earphones and Im off......just like that! The music keeps me going and I get excited to get more and more done! One of my favorite cleaning products has to be the KIRKLAND brand disinfecting wipes! HAVE YOU TRIED THEM? If not, you have got to. They are bigger (and cheaper) than clorox or lysol wipes and they seem more durable. I use them everywhere......the bathroom, kitchen, door handles and frames and my favorite is inside the car. They disinfect as you go and then you just chuck the dirty wipe in the trash. I use 2 when I do around the back of the toilet - grosss!
I don't know why I don't stay on top of things once they're cleaned? I guess life just gets in the way and I seriously think I work better under pressure so I procrastinate until our house is a bombsite and then I get down to business. Ugh, I used to pride myself on my organization skills and I think (or hope) they are lodged in there somewhere. I would love to get it together one of these days. In the meantime, the weekly lesson is.... going to bed early actually does pay off. Oh and just so you know we had so much extra time that morning that we finally took down our Christmas tree....yes, we almost made it to valentines day with the thing still in our living room.
http://www.childrensmiraclemusic.com/

What happened the anti-climax?

Every year I look forward to a lull after the holiday madness from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I love feeling like I have all the time in the world and nothing to do with it....(BORED) which is a rare feeling for me. I like to put my house back in order and organize. Spring Cleaning sounds exciting and decluttering even more exhilerating than spring cleaning. This year however, I got jipped....

Where's my anticlimax, my lull time, slow start to a new year.........It seemed like it didn't want to show up this year? I've been promising people and myself...."In the new year I'll have time..." Ya right! I think excess time is a thing of the past......sad I know...but I'm actually learning to accept the madness of life and just roll with it. DO WHAT YOU CAN....is my new life motto and I say it to myself at least 25 times a day.

So with that little introduction, I am actually choosing to post on my blog rather than sleeping this afternoon. I'm tired - just got done with two & 1/2 classes at the gym (no I didn't fall out of one, it was 30 min abs) and we are going to the temple tonight. I could really use a quick "pick me up nap" but if Trudi reminds me again that I need to update my blog, I might loose it. So this is my gift to you, Truddles.
I have so many random thoughts in my head lately like the cutest little old man from American Idol and his "Pants on da ground" song....if you dont know what Im talking about, you have to youtube it or better still, I will post it here for your enjoyment! The darn song wont get out of my head!!! "Lookin like a foo wit yo pants on da ground...." haha


What about this? I saw Dinosaur Train (a show on PBS kids) the other day all about how dinosaurs have to poo and it's ok because "every dinosaur poo's" ??? WHAT? Like I get the message it was teaching to preschoolers but come on.....there are no dinosaurs living anymore? It just seems wrong to have various dinosaurs riding a train singing about pooping and letting it out etc....or maybe Ive just lost touch with PBS as my kids are getting older???

Other January news - we had a glow in the dark crab soccer activity with the youth in our ward. Hilarious and fun!! Some of the beehives made posters, then myself and one of my girls went at 5:30 in the morning (YES five thirty a.m.) and hung them up on some of the boys houses along with some plastic forks in their grass.....arent we nice!!! The rivalry was ON....those boys were going DOWN!!!!

Well......we got slaughtered. Really badly slaughtered. The boys scored 7 goals right off the bat - even though we had jock jams playing and all our "gear" on! We played leaders vs. youth and leaders also go slaughtered. I think it was whatever team I was on that was loosing...lol! Baili wormed her way into coming to the activity even though she's only 10. She's convinced because of my calling working with the girls, that she's entitled to go to whatever fun things she wants. Well it doesn't help when my younger girls (age 12-14) are encouraging her to ask me if she can come. It was a super fun activity though and hilariously funny!




We also had our New Years Eve tradition (minus Lucas) to ring in 2010. Trudi and Tyler were here which was super fun. We played CATCHPHRASE and had an Asian eating feast! We took an updated picture from last year so here it is.....

I've also SLURPED (i like to say that with a LISHP) my blog into BLURP.com and am editing it for print. This is so super easy if you've never heard of it or tried it. It does require a bit of editing on the picture side it seems but I'm excited to get back a bound copy of the happenings of our year from mid 2008 to end of 2009. Plus is pretty inexpensive, especially verses scrapbooking which has long gone by the wayside in my life. I also love that fact that it's like a family journal, recording all the good (and BAD) times throughout the year. Yay for technology!!!
Ok, well on that note - my computer has frozen three times while blogging, I've taken a quick shower and kids should be home from school any minute! That would be my hint that it's time to back away from the computer.
Hope January was as good to you as it has been to us.

EH YA - found this scene the morning after we lost
CRAB SOCCER, THANKS BOYS!

Wanna Do Somethin Good???

Visit this blog... http://www.thedailyabbott.blogspot.com/
It's my sister Mandys sister-in-laws family blog. They have an auction in process right now, auctioning some great things to raise money for Mandys father in law, Garth Abbott. He is fighting IBC - Inflamitory Breast Cancer and has no health insurance. Garth is a wonderful man and deserving of all the help this auction raises. He is constantly in our prayers - not a prayer goes by that Jacob doesn't remember him and his family. Please consider bidding on an item, especially if you are in the Las Vegas Area. Thanks.......

I'm dreamin' of a Bainny Christmas......

This year we were all so fortunate to spend the Christmas holidays all together in Las Vegas. Sam's brothers Randy & Mike brought their kids out from Florida and Kevin & his family came down from Salt Lake City. Sam's parents had been here since Jacobs baptism in early December. We got to do a lot of fun things (pictured below) and ATE a LOT of food.....
It was a great holiday for us all. The kids got along really well and had a ton of fun playing together. We had numerous "shows" performed by the kids as well as a dance party/talent show (thanks to tiffany)! The polar bear swim was a tradition in the bainbridge family for years in Florida, only problem is that its much colder here and our pool was 36 degrees.....eeekk! I thought that I had heated the jacuzzi for when everyone got out of the pool but when they jumped into it (even thought the remote said it was 98degrees)it was freezing too.......ooooppps!
Everyone is gone home today in time to ring in 2010. I hope this coming year is as good as 2009 was for everyone. We are truly blessed - especially to be able to spend 2 weeks together as a family.

Bellagio Casino

Bainbridge Boys

Bainbridge Girls

Sam, Me, Baili, Jacob, Ryan & Kami

Water Show @ The Bellagio

Mikayla, Baili & Kami @ Hoover Dam

l-r : Baili, Ryan, Alex, Mikayla, Kami

Jacob, Ethan & Julia

Cousins

Silly Cousins....

I SEE YOU JOE........

Playing in the snow @ Mt. Charleston

Alex & Ryan

MERRY CHRISTMAS MORNING.......

Jacob & Julia

Ryan Stacking his presents...

"Look what I got......"

Polar Bear Swim Christmas Day....

Yep in our pool 36 degrees

Sam lays out the rules to be victorious!!!

AAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Freeeeezzzing.....Sam gets pushed in...lol

Jacob was brave & did the polar bear swim

Julia & Baili @ Julias bday party!

Alvin & The Chipmunks 2

I belong ......

to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!!
Jacob got baptized on Dec 5th, 2009. He was so very excited for this day and very prepared. Sam baptized him.

My Baby is 10

Baili rockin' the red carpet at the mall for

pictures and lunch!

As well as some shots we took for Baili's birthday

invite to Dinseys "Princess & The Frog"

Kami got upset that Baili was getting all the attention

and ended up having her own little photo shoot

also. Check out the frog on her head......

that was her idea..."where'de go?"

B eautiful

A mazing

I ntelligent

L ovable

I ndividual

This is all I got

from Thanksgiving Day.....I was too busy running around like a headless turkey...haha get it? "Headless turkey"....ok whatever......to take many pictures. Baili is turning out to be a magnificent helper to me. She always has been but as she gets older (and so creative) she loves to help me out, which I greatly appreciate. Thanksgiving was really nice. It was low key, we just had 14 people here. Dinner was fab! The weekend was relaxed and we got out Christmas tree and decorations up this weekend. Bring on Christmas.......