The last few months have been so hard. I sit and wonder if this is how it gets once you get older and take on more responsibility. I guess I am specifically refering to my job. I have been so lucky the last ten years in that I have loved every aspect of my job and never once had difficulty with my responsibilities.
Let me say that since things at work have changed a bit I have noticed my mood change, my stress level skyrocket and even have become more frusterated, disappointed and angry. Obviously these are not qualities one wants to possess. I believe the responsibilities of my work have brought on these feelings and negative thoughts.
I sat in my car today eating lunch thinking about how constant these negative and self defeating thoughts have taken over my demeanor. I am bombarded by it each day and frankly have let it take over me. As I sat there today eating my sandwich, listening to music from my i pod, I was reminded of a song that has I have been touched by many times before. The words are as follows:
When all is said and done
As the seasons slip away
When I've taken steps beyond my sight
Will I find my strength in greater light
Will my courage grow with every passing day
And will my faith be constant as the setting sun
When all is said and done
When all is said and done
And the years have turned to gold
Will my life become a legacy
Will the things that matter most to me
Will the fire of faith burn bright as I grow old
And will I want to be the person I've become
When all is said and done
When all is said and done
When my eyes can finally see
Will I glory in the sweet release
And will mercy fill my soul with peace
Will I kneel and wander at the Saviors feet
Will I hear him say "well done"
When he sees who I've become
Will I live with him
When all is said and done
It is very hard as the world is today not get caught up in its work ethic and all of the pressure that comes with it. At the end of each work day I try to leave all of difficulty and stress behind. I know that at home I have things waiting for me that matter the most. I know that I can be a happy, positive person that is not all consumed by her job. Most important, when all is said and done I know that I am a daughter of God who loves me and knows who I am.
On Wednesday morning December 23rd, our plane landed safely at the Oakland Airport...California, here we are!! We were so so exicted to be able to spend a whole week in Concord with my family, whom I haven't seen for seven months. The weather was perfect with a slight chill in the air.
"Rudolph" greeted us at my parents house. Do you see him?
As we arrived the house was decorated to the nines. My favorite part are the seven different themed trees my mom has decoarted (and when I say decorated I mean packed with tons of lights, hundreds of ornaments, bows, poinsettas and tree toppers). She truly has her own festival of trees.
These included 2 Santa Clause trees, a Snowflake tree, a Frosty tree, the yummy Sweets tree, a color filled round ornament tree and finally a winter tree. 
The festivities went on and on, however all of these pictures are in random order because there are too many to organize on this post. So, you will get a picture by picture explanation of our amazing Anderson family Christmas holiday! 
To begin, (above) Uncle Logan and Cody put the finishing touches on a gingerbread train...Cody is OBSESSED with trains!
My family loves to play cards. One of our favorites is Tripoly. Logan and I also learned how to play Pegs & Jokers with some instruction from my parents. We got a beautiful hand made Pegs & Jokers board for our weddding that was in CA up until now. We can't wait to use it!
This is Cody and myself passing time before we were seated. Man, I love being an aunt!
Ty settled his craving with a double oreo cookie dough fudge mountain of ice cream. He wasn't able to finish.
Christmas morning we all jumped in our car and headed over to Kendra and David's house to watch Cody open his gifts. There we had a breakfast casserole and orange, sticky pull aparts. The morning was perfect. The best part is seeing the magic in Cody's eyes as he realized that Santa had come that night and left his snowy footprints behind.
Cody loves pirates. So, Christmas morning Grammy read "A Pirates Night Before Christmas."
One of Cody's gifts from Poppy and Grammy was this
amazingly cute picnic table. Poppy had actually built this himself with the help of a friend. Isn't is adorable?!
(Above) One night after dinner, we had a FUN dessert. My mom placed in front of each of us a scoop of peppermint ice cream with a small candy cane and a lit candle on the top. Before diving in she specified that this was a "game". She explained that whoevers candle stayed lit the longest would win. As we sat taking small and non-damaging bites to our ice cream, dad and Logan were emersed in competetion. Dad came out victorious. I got last place. 
In addition, we spent about four hours at the Monterey Bay Aquarium looking at some of the neatest things. I hadn't been there since elementary school, so it was fun to see how things had changed. Among the highlights were a sea otter feeding, standing in a glass cave while water was being flooded above our heads, and seeing the seahorse exhibit...very neat!
Logan loved going into San Francisco so much last time we were there, that he wanted to go back again. So, thanks to some awesome tour guides and schoffers (thanks mom and dad!) we were able to walk the Golden Gate Bridge, which is something I hadn't done in the 15 years I lived there. That was probably the highlight. We also headed to Fort Point, the beach and Pier 39/ Fishermans Wharf. Logan and I were also able to do some shopping and then meet up with my folks for dinner. It was a perfect trip in my opinion, not too long, efficient and memorable.
(Above) This is absoluetely one of my favorite pictures of me and Logan. Isn't it beautiful!!
I love the Golden Gate Bridge. I think it is so beautiful. It's got to be one of the most amazing structures in the world. Being able to walk across it and be so close is so neat. I'm glad we took the advice from my mom and dad to make it happen.
My incredible parents!
A top view of Fort Point taken from a top the Bridge. Fort Point is an incredible historical site. If I go on, this post will be all about the history of San Francisco city!
Our visit to California was too short, but truly perfect. We are so blessed and grateful for all that we have been given. Thank you Mom & Dad for everything. It is holidays like these when I am so thankful that there is such thing as family.
On December 20th this year we celebrated an early Heinrichs Christmas with Logan's mom, his siblings and their families. There we had a yummy four course turkey dinner, opened gifts and spent family time together before people headed out of town for the holidays. 
Thanks for everything Vicky! As you call tell from the picture above, Logan had a good time, as did the rest of us!
Ok, let me start off by saying "WE LOVE STRING CHEESE!" Logan and I are consistently buying those huge bags of Frigo string cheese from Costco. We love it. I bet you think it is just a snack. Man are you wrong! Often times in the morning I will be rushing out the door knowing full well I have eaten no breakfast and won't be eating for the next five hours. But...I can open the refrigerator door and grab my trusty string cheese. Yum.
Now, in regards to the title of this post. Logan and I bought our first bag of string cheese a few months ago. When we got home we quickly opened the bag and helped ourselves. Of course, having had string cheese when I was younger, I know exactly what to do....peel it off piece by piece like a stringy hair, or licorice twists. Well as I was enjoying my first piece, Logan looks over and said "How is it?" Before I could answer, I saw him unwrap his cheese and take an UGLY CHOMPING BITE right through the log of cheese!! I couldn't believe my eyes!! What was he doing?!?! Its not called chomp cheese! Everybody knows that you don't just bite the cheese like you would a banana!!! The correct way is to gently peel each stringy piece off until it is gone. My mouth fell to the floor as I yelled "Logan!!! What are you doing?!?!?!?!!???" You should have seen his face! (I scared the crap out of him.) Anyway, I explained the right way to eat string cheese and to this day he still chomps on that cheese just to spite me. What a waste! 
