More "Banks" Christmas traditions!

Building gingerbread houses is our FAVORITE tradition!

The clean up should not be confused with the fun part!

My little JackeeEating lots of frosting is always part of the deal!Jader and Mom! Jaden's

Jack's

Jensen Ding's

3rd Annual "Toys for Tots" drop off!

This is the 3rd year that I have made the kids spend their own money on less fortunate kids. They earn mula, pick out what they want to buy then DONATE IT! I love this tradition! Jaden looks like he doesn't like it... he really does! He just hates the camera!

My ALWAYS happy Fievel!

Poor Jens! He totally got the wrong idea and thought the toys were his!

I'm so proud of you boys! Thanks for caring about others before yourselves!

Our 2nd annual trip to see the lights and Santa at Thanksgiving Point!

Lots of Pictures... No words right now since I'm trying to catch up!

Matis is THREE!

On November 20th our baby girl turned "3"! We had a little celebration that consisted of a homemade dinner, presents and cake! Matis, we love you so much and we are truly blessed to have you in our lives!

A day out with my GIRLS!!!

On Saturday December 4th a group of High School Girlfriends got together for breakfast! WoW, we I don't know about anyone else BUT... I had a freakin BLAST! We talked about everything from Junior High to Our SEX lives (I'm still laughing about that one)! I am so glad we did this, as usual... we discussed doing it more often, and we missed those of you that couldn't make it. I love you all....

Alicia (My BESTIE), Lacy, Melissa, Camelle, Brandy, Staph, Christie (Poop Shoe) and Jenn!

Brandy and Steph...

these 2 GIRLS are the definition of BEST FRIENDS

Christie and Jenn

After breakfast, Alicia and I spent some

much needed "bestie" time

walking thru the Festival of Trees!

All the trees were amazing and totally off the charts with creativity.

These were a few of my FAVORITES!

Alicia, I love you to the Moon & Back...FOREVER! Oh ya, and back again...FOREVER!

45 QUOTES that we should live by:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. your Friends & Parents will, stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to Disagree.
7. Cry WITH someone, it's more healing than crying ALONE.
8. It's okay to get angry with GOD, he can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's okay to let your Children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye but don't worry, God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath, it calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood but, the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it come to going after what you want in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion, today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but YOU.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, "In five years will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone, everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business!
30. Time heals almost EVERYTHING. Give time, time!
31. However GOOD or BAD a situation is, it WILL change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of WHO GOD is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative...dying young.
37. Your Children get ONLY ONE childhood.
38. All that really matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside EVERYDAY, miracles are waiting EVERYWHERE.
40. If we threw all our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The BEST is YET to come.
43. No matter how you feel... get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield...
45. Life isn't tied with a bow but, it's still a GIFT!

I have SO much catching up to do BUT...

... I wanted to give a shout out to my BEST best Friend.



26 years ago today an amazing couple gave birth to a sweet little girl, they named her Alison Jane.
At the time of her birth, I was a little girl myself (okay... a little older :) life was so care free and easy going. I didn't have a care in the world however, there were a few things I dreamed of...
1- I wanted to meet, fall in love with and marry my BEST Friend.
2- I wanted to be a Mom.
3- I wanted a BEST Girl Friend.. One that I could tell ANYTHING to, One that would be there for me thru EVERYTHING and One that would judge me for NOTHING.

In the last few years my dreams have come TRUE!!! The have come in crazy forms and totally out of order BUT, they have come true.

For those of you who don't already know...
1- Benjamin Jensen Banks is my BEST Friend and Husband.
2- I have 3 amazing little boys... Jaden, Jack and Jensen (Ben & Alison's)
3- Alison is not only my BEST, best Friend BUT... she is Jensen's Mom and Ben's Ex-Wife.

So... Do you think it's strange that Alison and I are so close? Join the other thousand People who question it too!

Just like any other "new" Wife / "ex" Wife OR "Mom" / "Step-Mom" relationship, ours too started out HORRIBLE (to say the least.) People told me things, People told her things, etc. Pretty soon we were not only ENEMIES but we wished the other dead.
Anyway, after some life changing events, starting to respect one another & trying to be on the same page raising Jensen... Alison and I began talking. We started to put things behind us and we grew closer and closer.

Today, Miss Alison Jane West and I are BEST best Friends. We text each other a hundred times a day, and talk at least once a day. I look back and realize, I'd be lost with out her. I know it sounds strange... and, I am so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing, wonderful Husband who supports my Friendship with his Ex-Wife... but Alison ALWAYS knows when I'm sad, she knows how to fix it and she NEVER forgets to check on me. She is there no matter how happy, sad, mad, etc. I am.

I love her so much and I am so THANKFUL that God chose her to make my dream of having a BEST Girl Friend come true!

Alison,
I hope today is the best Birthday you have ever had and I hope that they keep getting better each year because we have a lot of them to celebrate together!

I LOVE YOU BUT... ONLY...FOR...FOREVER!

P.S. There are 2 songs I added to my play list.

The Pretenders, I'll Stand By You.
It's actually a song that Alison said describes what She feels for me... but, these are a few of the lyrics of how I feel about her...

I'll stand by you, won't let nobody hurt you.

If you're mad get mad don't hold it all inside come on and talk to me now.

Hey, what you got to hide? I get angry too... Well, I'm a lot like you.

AND,
Rihanna, Umbrella.

When the sun shines, we'll shine together.

I told you I'll be here forever,

said I'll always be a Friend,

took an oath I'm going to stick it out to the end!!!!