Best Night of My Life!

Well for those of you who know me well I am a huge Neil Diamond fan! He came in concert to SLC on my birthday December 19. I really wanted to go but we didn't buy tickets. Well about two weeks before my birthday my dad sent me and email that said Happy Birthday JanaRae ~ Sorry Mark! Then there was a link to print two tickets to the concert. We had row 7 seats 5 and 6. I don't know how my dad did it. It was AMAZING! We kept walking down lower and lower. I was in total shock as we got to guards at the floor. We showed them our tickets. WE then got a wrist band and escorted to our seats. WOW! It was first class. AS soon as we sat down two ladies who were sitting more center stage asked if we would trade them seats. HECK YES WE WOULD! Our seats were next to one of the lady's son. There were also two half rows on the side. So we really only had 5 rows infront of us. In this picture you can see that there really aren't that many people in front :) Keep in mind we had no zoom on the i phone camera so this is really how close we were. I know I am still in shock!
So my first words as Neil walked out on stage were "He is so old." However he's still got it! I really thought since the concert was so close to Christmas he would be singing a few Christmas songs but those were not his picks of the night. He sang Lots of songs from the "Hot August Night" CD. He sang a lot of old songs such as Brooklyn Roads, Shilo, I'm a Believer, Sweet Caroline, Forever in Blue Jeans (I swear he looked at me during this song, I was the first one out of my seat as soon as I heard the music), Coming to America, You don't bring me Flowers, Craclklin' Rosie and much more. It was fabulous! Mark is not much of a dancer at concerts. He watches a concert just like he would watch a movie. I was so greatful to the lady sitting next to me who would dance. We sure had fun together. Mark was a good sport and stood up everytime I did. We were not allowed to bring cameras in. However Mark's phone has a camers so this is the best we could get. Thanks so much Dad for making my birthday the best one ever!

Breakfast With Santa

Mark has been working really long hours for the past two weeks. He had his finals week and then a crazy work week. He told me he was going to work today (Saturday) and I thought I would plan a fun filled day for me and the boys. We started off with breakfast with Santa. Due to the snow we didn't get much further than that. I wanted to go up to Gardner Village where they let the kids make ginger bread house for free (at least that is what I read on the Internet) and then the Salt Lake Library was doing The Grinch Stole Christmas. The snow was pretty bad north of the point of the mountain. So after breakfast with Santa and an hour in the kiddy land, for Ethan and Jake, we came home.

So this is the first Santa that I have taken my kids to this year that was in the traditional Santa suit. The rest have all been in his workshop outfit LAME!

Here's Ryan enjoying some chocolate milk.

Ethan and Jake more interested in the movie than their breakfast.

Celebrations

Last night we had a combined birthday party for Dan, my brother-in-law, Noelle, my sister-in-law and me. It was a lot of fun. It happened to be December 7. This date is not significant in my family because of Pearl Harbor. It is the day my parents got engaged 33 years ago! My mom and dad went to a fireside and then back to some one's house to have banana splits. My dad put the ring in the cherry. They have celebrated this day every year since by making banana splits. We loved this day as kids. The rule was you could make your banana split as big as you wanted and you didn't have to finish it you didn't have to. My parents have been a little disappointed that I haven't celebrated this family holiday since I have moved out. When Noelle suggested having a combined birthday party I could keep from suggesting banana splits. They were yummy. Happy Birthday to Dan and Noelle and Congrats to My mom and Dad. I love you!

Cool Ethan

Yesterday Ethan asked me to take a picture of him. He totally chose this pose all by himself. He told me he was cool. I thought it was pretty cute. Also I was told that our primary chorister asked Ethan to come up and help lead the song Follow the Prophet. He wouldn't sing the song until everyone had stopped. He really enjoys being the star of the show.

Last weeks addiction

Where have I been for the past nine days? Stuck in the Twilight Books. My friend Titia let me borrow the first book and on Saturday the 1st I read about 3 chapters. Then I finished it on Monday. Then on Tuesday night I borrowed book 2 New Moon. No, I didn't sleep that night. I think I finished the entire book by Wednesday. I thought this was getting a little out of control. So I took a break for the rest of the Day Wednesday and then on Thursday I bought book 3 Eclipse.

I read that on all night as well and during Ryan's long nap on Friday. I finished it Friday afternoon. So I went and bought book 4 Breaking Dawn that same day. Mark was going to Nerd night (playing video games with his buddies until all hour so the night) so I started reading Breaking Dawn.

I read a lot on Saturday and Mark let me read all day Sunday and I finished Sunday night. My life can now go back to normal. I told Mark that the Twilight books were my drug of choice. I think it became a little bit of an unhealthy addiction. But now that I have finished those I can go back and hopefully reread (a little more slowly) for enjoyment instead of the out of control obsession.

Halloween at the Hemingways

Here are Ethan and Jake on Halloween night. They were so excited to go trick or treating. It was such a nice night (For Utah). It was nice to not have to put on coats! Mark took them out for a while and then we went over to my aunts house. Kids make all holidays so much better.

Here is Ryan. This is actually on November 1st. On Halloween Ryan was a little tired around 3:30PM. I put him down for a nap. He didn't wake up until Saturday at 6:30AM He must have been tired. I still wanted a picture so we just had to do it the next day.
My sisters were here for Halloween. Kellie and Erik left on Saturday :( I always just want her to stay forever. Emily lives here. We all got together at my house. It was a crazy night.
Any of you who know me since my high school days ( I think it was my senior year) I had this brilliant idea to have what I called The Great Pumpkin Race. I have just never done it. I had this great idea to get cheap pumpkins the day after Halloween and then use them as shoes and race. Matthew (Emily's boyfriend) was at the store on Halloween evening getting a pumpkin. The employee told him they were all free and he had to take at least four. Emily told Matthew to get as many as he could. So here are pictures from our first ever PumpkinRace.
Here is the medal stand. Emily smoked us all. She did have a few practice steps and got it figured out before the race actually began. I took second and the race ended with Kellie's dramatic finish. Yes the pumpkins hurt your feet and I think mine might be a little bruised still.

A special thanks to Matt for getting the free pumpkins. And to Mark and Matt for carving our shoes. I am definitely up for a rematch for next year.

Its Official

Six weeks ago today was Mark's 30th birthday. He kept telling me he wasn't officially 30 since he was born six weeks early. Ha Ha Ha. So tonight while he was home teaching the boys and I made some brownies and frosted them. Then put the candles on. We sang happy birthday and had a mini surprise party (minus the presents) for Mark. It was fun. A nice excuse for brownies anyway. Here's the brownies.

Here's Mark lighting the candles. Ethan and Jake were so excited!

My boys! (Ryan was sleeping)
I just think they are all so cute!
We love parties!