1.30.12

Morgan sent me picture of Malorie playing at the park while I have been gone. I am missing my little monkey !!!!

1.29.12

Instead of a photo today I have a video. This is a tradition at the start of every CHA trade show

1.26.12

1.25.12

So before I left for CHA I wanted to make sure to get packages off to my kiddos. Dylan needed some stuff to help with the fleas and Marissa's birthday is the day I get home and I want to make sure to have a present to her to open before I leave. I LOVE the flat rate boxes and envelopes from the post office. I fit as much as I possibly can inside of them and then go crazy with the tape to keep them sealed. Can't wait to have all my kids home again one day !!!!

1.24.12

So with our amazing weather chances are you will find my boys and their friends playing football in the street 

1.23.12

Had so much fun making this board book for Malorie !!!!

1.22.12

1.21.12

One of the fun things we did at Tina's bridal shower was make wedding dresses out of 1 roll of toliet paper. I helped to create Sabrina's dress above on the right. I was amazed at the creativity and how much everyone got into it. It sure was fun. Melissa hosted the shower and had her backyard all decorated. Tina received alot of wonderful gifts and is so excited for her big day !!!!

1.20.12

Can you tell we might have had this discussion . . .

I have been accused of being unfair. I have been accused of treating my other kids different. If you are a mom then you know that each child is different. And there comes a time when we need to adapt our parenting to each individual child. But some rules will be the same no matter what. Take my word this isn't a fun conversation to have at 10:30 pm when you are trying to reinforce the midnight curfew that you have ALWAYS had in place in your home. Who ever said parenting was easy ? 

1.14.12

So a bunch of friends of mine found out about the cool deal to get produce weekly. I got all this for $10. I was so excited and eager to go back for more each Saturday.

Here is the link so you can see if it is in your area ever

https://the3000club.org/the-project/market-on-the-move-mom

1.13.12

Well Friday the 13th proved to be pretty lucky for Malorie and I. We scored this almost brand new Pink Radio Flyer Trike at Other Mother's for only $24.99 (all in store credit) Mind you they retail for $80-$100 and this one is just like new. Oh Happy Day !!!

1.12.12

Sweet Baby Lainie

Poor Lainie has had a bout with RSV and had to spend a night in the hospital

1.8.12

Every month we get together as a family and celebrate birthdays. For the month of January we celebrate my wonderful sister in law Jamie and my nephew Zach (13) 

Wedding Announcements

So I just finished creating my sister-in-laws wedding invites and I must say I love them. If I could sit at my computer and create fun photo things all day and get paid lot's of money I would be so happy. But I am not so lucky, so I will just have to enjoy this super fun hobby. 

1.7.12

1.6.12

So Malorie has this fascination with the rocks in front of their apartment. And every time she walks to and from the car she has to stop and investigate them. Many times we will just tell her to say "Hello Rocks" and quickly walk by. Well today as I was taking her home, she was very excited to show her momma Karleigh's whale that she got to bring home for a visit. Until she saw the ROCKS. Then she gently laid the whale down and tried to figure out how to pick up the rocks and still carry the whale. She was so cute, and so clever in her attempt. Do you see she even tried to carry a big one under her chin. Finally, she just gave up and her and the whale sat and played in the rocks for a few minutes.

Twenty Twelve - 365

Okay I REALLY, REALLY hope I can keep up. I don't want the memories of 2012 to fade away. I want to make it worth remembering. So thanks to my friends at Memory Mixer I am going to simply take a photo a day - that is the beauty of a cell phone - I can take photo's wherever I am at.  At the end of the year I will have a collection of photos reminding me of the little things that I was blessed with every day in 2012. 

What brings you "Joy"

1.4.12

This is the photo board that I had the honor of putting together for Sandy's funeral. What an amazing woman she was. I sure do miss her already.

Remembering Sandy

I had the privilege of creating the photo board for the service today of one of the most inspirational women I have known. Sandy was the Relief Society President in my ward. She was truly a remarkable woman. She had the most caring heart of any woman I have ever know. She had a true genuine love and concern for every person and thing she came in contact with. Sandy, is a true example of "enduring to the end". She continued to love and serve until the very end.  She will remembered for her true love for all of God's creatures.A true example of strength, courage, unconditional love and 

enduring to the end !!! No doubt she was ready to meet her maker. She had cancer. But she never ever complained. She just continued to serve. I am sure when the veil opened and she entered heaven she had some errands for the angels to run, to go and check on some people and take care of some things. She was always watching out for anothers needs. She was my Relief Society President, Marissa's seminary teacher and Logan's primary teacher - a woman of such incredible knowledge. If I could have gotten just a dusting of her knowledge I would be set for life.

Oh Sandy, how I will miss her. It still doesn't even seem real that she has gone on to her heavenly home. I am grateful that I have been changed for the better becuase I knew her.

1.2.12

1.1.12

A new year - a new group of sunbeams

New Years Eve

We had a fun night playing games with friends. Ron and Michelle Jorgensen hosted and Cleve and Carol and Gina and Blair were there also. I think it has been 25 years since I had spent New Years with Blair. We had fun playing this new game that I have never played before. It was so interesting to see how Don and I did trying to match our cards. It was pretty funny to see that Carol, Gina and I's cards matched more often. It was really good for us to get out on a date - no matter what we did. Now us old folks are home trying to stay awake to pick up kids from the dance !!!! Hope we don't fall asleep !!!

Happy New Year my friends !!! Hope 2012 brings us JOY and happiness !!!

One Little Word : JOY

(**something funky is up with blogger and the words that are underlined with a dot just direct you to another search engine. Tried to get rid of them, but it won't go away)
I love a new year. I love new beginnings. I love getting a fresh new calendar. I love a clean slate.  I love picking a new word. There are so many words that I could have chosen for 2012. The thing to remember is there is not a right or wrong word. It is not for anyone else but me. In past years I have chosen words such as HOPE, FOCUS, FAITH, SIMPLIFY, . . .

At each time in my life, each word has truly been an anchor to hold onto. This year my word is JOY. It is going to be about consciously trying to find JOY in everything I do.

Let's just be honest with each other - LIFE is hard !!! LIFE is challenging !!! And many of times I scratch my head and wonder "What did I sign up for" ? I sometimes think to myself that in my premortal life I must have been super confident and and I stood in line to sign up for every challenge and struggle I could, you know because I could see the big picture back then of how our challenges and trials refine us and help us grow and how strong they make us. So that must have been me thinking I could do it all and take on anything. Now please don't get me wrong, I am stronger and wiser today from each and every lesson I have learned along the path of this journey back to my Heavenly home. But sometimes I think that I may be lacking in the ability of finding "JOY" in journey. So this year I have made the resolve to find more JOY in my life. Daily, hourly, minute by minute. This year is going to be about bringing JOY, finding JOY, sharing JOY and being sure to enJOY every minute. To wake up every day and remember to pray that I can find the JOY in my life and that I can seize the opportunity to bring JOY to lives of those around me.

2012 will be a year of finding JOY in the things that are really important to me. It will be a time to find JOY in the simple tasks of my everyday life and it will be about bringing JOY to those around me no matter the situation. Somehow when you turn things around and you look at it from a perspective of finding JOY in everything you do - it changes things.

"Joy does not simply happen to us. 

We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."

 - Henri Nouwen

Women of God

Primary

I "LOVE" new beginnings and the start of a new year. This years Primary theme is 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT. Who would not be excited about teaching children to         "CHOOSE THE RIGHT"

I am searching for ideas for my Sunbeam class. Looking for the perfect resources for a Class Poster, Prayer chart, Singing Ideas, etc . . . My new class is YOUNG - so looking to help make a smooth transition from nursery.

If you have any fabulous links / resources please, please share !!!!

Thinking I need this for my home . . .

Such a good reminder . . . .

No Christ, No peace.  

Know Christ, Know peace

Wise Men Still Seek Him

I love, love, love the Christmas season. Every year I try to work really hard to get into the Christmas spirit and bring the spirit of Christ into my home. I am getting a late start this year getting all the decorations up. We were a little busy with having a sweet little grand baby and getting our missionary package sent. (Which I am so excited will be hand delivered to him in Peru tomorrow night - what a blessing) It is not much. A new pair of shoes, some new ties and some treats. But the one thing I hope he will be most excited about is "Home Baked" cookies. I baked him an entire container of his favorite cookies. I am sure him and his companion will have them devoured in one night. But I hope he loves them. I am pretty sure he will.

I have a busy weekend with work tomorrow and I have been feeling a bit under the weather, but hoping to get Christmas up Sunday after church. I love the house all decorated, Christmas music playing, pumpkin candles burning, baking in the kitchen and homemade Christmas presents. 

That is what this month will be filled with. 

I wanted to share this wonderful blog I found  http://ashadowcanyonchristmas.blogspot.com/

It is an Advent Blog filled with short thoughts, scriptures and quotes that center on our Savior and the true meaning of Christmas.