On the 12th day of Christmas.....

On the 12th day of Christmas....    I am so thankful for my dear sweet eternal companion.  I am thankful for his gentle ways, his loving heart and his tender words.   I am thankful that he is willing to serve the Lord and the youth of our church.  I am thankful that he is an example to the Young Men he works with.  I am so thankful that he has been who he is and stands up for what is right.  I love that the bishop comes to me and tells me that I married a GREAT man.  That I chose wisely.  :)   ( I think I did well)     I love the wonderful father he is to our two boys.  I love that he loves to be home with us...   I am grateful that he is willing to do things with us, even when sometimes it is something he doesn't want to do.  (like black friday shopping)   I am thankful for his help around our home.  I am thankful for all of the LONG hours he puts in at work to provide for us.  How I love this man.    Thank you Kennen for all you do for us.  I love you so very much for time and all eternity. 

On the 11th day of Christmas.....

On the 11th day of Christmas...  I am thankful for Robbie.   I am thankful that he is such a good example to his brother.  I am thankful for the time he spends playing and being with Sid.  I am thankful that he chose to be ordained a deacon and take on the priesthood and its responsibilities.  He loves being a deacon.  He loves passing the sacrament.  He is starting to come out of his little quiet shell.  He makes us laugh and wonder what those blue eyes are thinking.   He is good at school (when he sets his mind to it)  He loves video games and watching movies.  He has an imagination which I love...  :)   I am thankful for this little boy (okay not so little anymore)  I am thankful that he is part of our family.  I love you Robbie!!!

on the 9th and 10th day of Christmas.......

On the  9th day of Christmas.....   I really can't think of one specific thing to be thankful for.  I am so thankful for so many blessings and people.    I am extremely thankful for friends.  For friends that I have had for many years..  They have been a strength to me many, many times.  Through very many difficult life situations, through happy moments and everything else.  I am thankful for them, I don't tell them often enough how thankful I am.  To those friends that read this blog..  THANK YOU!!!   Thank you for putting up with me for many years some of you have been putting up with me for 20 plus years.  I love you!!!     For my new friends..   Thank you also for your love and your support.  I can't wait for the years to come and we are all still friends.  Thank you for being my friend.       I am also thankful on this day for doctors...  I am thankful that doctors can also be led and some have chosen to follow promptings.  For this I am so thankful as now I can be healthy and be with my family.  :) 

On the 10th day of Christmas....   I am thankful for Sid.  I am thankful for his sweet personality.   I am thankful for his sneak attack hugs.   I am thankful for his willingness to help me even without being asked.  I am thankful for his words that makes us laugh.  He is a blessing in our lives.   How I love this little boy.   I love that he learns and does on "his" time.   It has been a challenge for me to accept this, but since I have school has been so much smoother.  :)   I love that he will build and play..  He has such a wonderful imagination.  He has imaginary army guys and he tells us all the time what his army guys would be saying or doing.  I LOVE IT!!!!!     I am thankful that Sid is part of our family.  :)   I love you Sid!!!!

Hope you have a very happy Thursday!!!

On the 8th day of Christmas....

On the 8th day of Christmas...   I am so thankful for my family..    My mom, dad, brother, sister in law and 1 cute niece and 2 handsome nephews and my grandma and grandpa.    I am thankful for their thoughts and prayers..  for their phone calls and encouraging words.  I am thankful for pictures I receive in the mail from my niece.  I am thankful for the time my mom spends with my boys. I am thankful for tender letters from my grandma in the mail and quick phone calls.   I am thankful that Robbie reminds me of my brother.  (I still think Robbie was placed in the wrong house on some occasions, as he and Shad are so so so much a like)   I am thankful of the memories and time we spent together as a family growing up.   Our trips to Disneyland, Yellowstone, St. George, Salt Lake and many many many more places.   I am thankful for the love of my mom and dad..  How I miss my dad..   This time of year is hard, since it was dad's favorite holiday,  I find myself not wanting it to come around.  I put on a smile..  put up a tree and wrap gifts cause I know that is what my dad wants me to do.  :)   Plus the boys need to experience Christmas the way I did.  :)   I am thankful that my dad taught me to give at Christmas and all year long.   Thank you to my family..  I love you very very much..  :)

On the 7th day of Christmas....

On the 7th day of Christmas..   I am so thankful for MONDAYS!!!!!    I am thankful that it is time spent as a family ALL day long.  :)   I love having all 4 of us together.  I love being able to do things together.   :)   If you can't tell Monday's is Kennen's day off.   It is a great day at our home.    We are able to play, talk, go out, help friends, and so much more on Mondays.  Tonight the boys built the best Lincoln Log city.  I sure do love our time together.  Happy Monday!

On the 6th day of Christmas

On the 6th day of Christmas...  I am thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and my membership in His church.  I am so thankful for the many blessings that I have received from our Heavenly Father.   I am thankful for my testimony.  I am thankful for the church callings we have and that we are able serve those around us.  (the youth)   I am so thankful for the spirit that dwells within us and within our home. 

Happy Sunday!   1 more week until CHRISTmas...  :)

on the 5th day of Christmas

On the 5th day of Christmas....   I am so very thankful for the extra "teachers" my boys have.  I am so thankful for Miss Jen at the science zone that helps the homeschoolers learn and love science.  She does such cool things with them and the boys really enjoy it.   I am thankful for Mr. Cody and Brandon at the Boys and Girls club for teaching the boys all about PE and teaching them new skills there.   I am thankful for Miss Erin..  I am thankful she sits down and encourages the boys to learn art.  Not just to do it but to love doing it.  She is amazing and the boys love her and the class.  She does amazing projects with them and our house is full of the art work they do.  She not only does drawings, paintings, but she has taught them about clay and other things to make from art.  :)  Thank you to the extra teachers that my boys come in contact with on a daily basis.  You are not only teaching them about what you are good at but how to become better people.  Thank you for the examples you set for them. 

On the 4th day of Christmas....

On the 4th day of Christmas..  I am thankful for a home that protects me and my boys. (all 3 of them)   I am thankful for the shelter, the warmth and a place that is filled with laughter and sometimes tears.  I am thankful for each scuff mark on its walls and little hand prints also.  I am thankful that our home is a place that the spirit can dwell and we can feel peace and love.  I am thankful that our home has provided us with many happy memories. 
Merry Christmas!

On the 2nd and 3rd day of Christmas

On the 2nd day of Christmas...   I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to share my testimony.  As on this very day I was able to share it multiple times.  I love that I can do this and I love that the spirit whispers to me exactly the words that needs to be heard.  :)  

Ont the 3rd day of Christmas...   I am thankful for the shooting noises, (including spit)   the laughter and the friendship of my boys.  I am so glad they get a long well and that they can sit and play together.  I love just listening to them interact with each other.  :)  Being a mom is the BEST!!!!

On the 1st day of Christmas!

On the first day of Christmas....   I am very thankful for the opportunity to teach our boys.   I love that we can wake up together,  eat, play, do school, play, learn, field trip, learn,  laugh....    I love homeschooling and I love the opportunities it has brought me and the boys.    Who knew I would end up using the degree I earned so many years ago.  :)     I love that it has brought our family closer together.   I am thankful that through homeschool we can have scripture study,  we can learn what the boys are interested in..  

What a GREAT job I have..  :)  

slacking!!!

Man have I become a slacker...   Sorry to those that read...   but I know many don't so this is for me.  :)  The month of Nov. seemed to fly by.   With birthday celebration, Thanksgiving, School, snow, friends, family in the hospital.   We have spent much of the month worried and in prayer for my cousins son who had a cancerous tumor removed.  (after 3 brain surgeries)  This son is only 12 years old.  He just had his 3rd surgery This Monday.  (Nov. 28th)  Which is where they decided it was a tumor and not just a cyst.  They will be finding out results today.  So if any of you are reading this please say a prayer for them.

We have been busy with school...  We have been learning new crafts and hobbies as we have been making Christmas gifts.  It has been fun!     We learned new ways to cut snowflakes this week, so our snowflakes are in the shapes of whales, turtles, lizards, birds, mickey mouse, minnie mouse, seahorses, fish and more.  What a great activity.  :) 

I will post pictures of the snowflakes next time..  just wanted to do a quick update now before I forgot.   

Thanksgiving was spent cleaning out a plugged sewer pipe at the Allen's...   Still had a GREAT time.  They even offered to feed us.  :)   Kennen and I went black Friday shopping.  I sure do love spending time with that man.  I am blessed beyond measure with him as my eternal sweetheart. 

Church is busy..  with youngmens for 2 of the 3 boys..   We are always going, going, going...   Kennen is in meetings every Sunday before church and then some Sundays after church. 

As for my scouts with the community pack.  My last day will be Dec. 14th...  At which point the parents will be taking over..   At this point I am relieved, happy and excited to be moving onto the next step of my scouting career.  I want to be with my own boys.  :)   

Today is Snowy..  Dec.1, 2011 has come in with a bang.  It started snowing at 6 pm last night and has not stopped..  Sid is loving it..  He goes outside, gets a cup full of snow then comes in and puts flavoring on it..   He is so funny..  :)   Gotta love that boy.    

Will update again soon...   Tomorrow is busy watching Shannon's kiddos so they can get ready for the concert.  YIPPEE  I am so excited to go out and listen to some WONDERFUL Christmas music.    I really should put up a Christmas tree and wrap gifts.  I am slacking.  Oh well!!!   Wishing you all a GREAT day.  Love to you!

A GREAT SUNDAY

So today we had the primary program.  It was great...  Those kids did a wonderful job.  Sid was so funny to watch and he remembered his part so I guess that is a good thing,  although he said it on not his turn.  Which when we asked him he simply stated I got there first so I went first.  Silly boy!!!!!

Robbie was set apart as the 2nd counselor in the Deacon's today.  My little boy is getting so big.  It is great to see him passing the sacrament and all the little kids are yelling Robbie.  It is fun!   One of our friends little girl always says..  "mom, Robbie is passing us the food"   I love it!!!!


Kennen is busy with youngmens.  As for myself I got peed on today in the nursery.  yep, you read it right..   The joys of working with the little kiddos.  :)   Hope you all had a GREAT Sunday also. 

Hey, Shannon.....  Thanks for the better than anything cake.  ;)  It was way yummy!!!!!

This week was also my birthday. Thank you for the calls, texts and everything else.   Shannon once again pulled through and saved me...  So thanks for the pizza and the talk and the snowman.  :)    Julie (my sister) sent me a wand that she made that says olivander's wand shop I love it!!!!  oh and so do the boys..  :)   Sending love to you all!!!!

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!!

This week for us has been busy, yet fun..    I will break it down into days,  ready set go...
Monday..  We cleaned ALL day long..  Got rid of so much stuff out of the basement,  boxes of toys, books, games (the ones the boys don't use or have out grown)

Tuesday...   We did school, pe, errands, picked up scout popcorn..
Wednesday...   school, scout stuff, put out fires, more scout stuff, scouts, went to Connies for a couple of fun hours.  :)  Received a text that a dear friend from highschool had her cute little baby.  Congratulations Layla!
Thursday...   put out fires all day....  then went to pe...   talked to a dear dear friend..  Went to RS social (Thanks Shannon for taking me with you)
Friday...  Made caramel apples (caramel from scratch),  did school, went to speech, went to art, made a baby blanket.
Saturday...   Went to a baby shower..  Have I ever told you how much I love our ward??   and then came home and got ready for a birthday twister party..   then the 3 boys and I went and did errands after the party ate dinner at 830pm.  (if you ask Jeannette with the time change it could technically be 730pm which made me feel a little better)  

Man..  writing it all down doesn't do it justice.  Really doesn't sound like we did much.  hehehe   Oh well,  Glad it is Sunday today and that tomorrow begins a new week.  Wishing you all a great Sunday and a wonderful week ahead.

Happy Halloween!!

 Sid is our little clone trooper.  :)

 Robbie was a blind referee...  missing in the picture the walking stick and glasses.

 The boys' pumpkins..  the one on the left (on carpet) is Sid's  the other one is Robbie's  Oh and Sid's has 3 faces and Robbie's has 2.  Silly boys!!

 Just had to throw in these pictures of Sid...  This was our first snow we received..  He had to go out and play.  oh and eat it...  :)  Isn't he so dang cute??

Hoping you all had a very happy and safe Halloween...   :)    It was beautiful weather here and we were able to go out without a jacket.  WOOT!  WOOT!    The boys got their share of trick or treating fun.  On Saturday the downtown businesses put together an activity where you get to go to each of the downtown stores trick or treating..   They had a blast!  Then on Monday (Halloween day)  We did Sunrise shopping mall, The Science Zone trick or treat trail and the Eastridge Mall..  The boys made out amazing!   

Oh and we also had our Ward Carnival and Trunk or Treat...  :)   Love to you all!

Now we have 2.....

Robbie the day he was ordained a Deacon Oct. 16, 2011

Sid in his new suit  Oct. 16, 2011

Robbie looking sharp...  :)

Sid looking handsome!

We have been busy or this would have been posted last weekend.  Sorry!!!    Robbie was ordained a Deacon on Sunday Oct. 16, 2011.  He looked very handsome and this Sunday Oct. 23, 2011 he will be passing the sacrament for the very first time.  I can't believe my baby is that big.

We now have 2 priesthood holders in our home.   We have been learning about the priesthood more since Robbie is now in the youngmens.  He is excited that as a priest in the aaronic priesthood you can baptize others.

We also have 2 new suits...   2 handsome boys...   1 very handsome dad and 1 proud mom.  :)    I love my little family!!!!!

HAPPY 12TH BIRTHDAY ROBBIE!!!!

 This first picture is of Robbie and my dad and me just right after Robbie was born.  Hard to believe my baby has gotten so big..  :)  Do you see the hair?   the beautiful skin?  the round perfect head?  

 This picture was just taken of Robbie a couple of weeks ago as we were on one of our outings.  We found a horny toad and the boys loved holding him.  The horny toad was also happy cause it was freezing out and the warmth of the hands made him happy.  :)

This picture was taken this summer.  I caught him in a tree and what a perfect picture it turned out to be.  :) 

It is very hard to believe that my baby is 12.   That he is tall, handsome, and oh so kind.   He loves little kiddos and is so good with them.  He is a GREAT friend and a wonderful student.  He is amazing (usually) with his little brother.   I am so honored to be his mother.  :)   He has brought so much love and compassion into our home.  He is our quiet child...   Robbie we love you so very much and thank you for being a GREAT son and brother.     Happy Birthday!!!!   

He is so excited to become a deacon and be in the young mens with his dad.   As he says  "yippee, no more primary!!!"    Gotta love that kid.  

So at 12 he is 5 feet 6 ...    He wears a size 10 mens shoe..   He loves to play video games...   He loves spare ribs and moms homemade chicken noodle soup with the homemade noodles...    He is in the 6th grade..    He loves going to PE..  (what kid doesn't right?) 

This weekend Robbie will be ordained a Deacon..   :)

Doctors and Dentists...

this first picture is right after they put the stuff on...  

 after a couple of minutes....

 this is the ones in his arm..........    He is such a trooper...   no tears...  but did go into a shock state where he got cold and sweaty and white as a ghost.. 

 this is of my incision on my neck.............

I was reminded last night by a dear friend that I hadn't updated my blog for awhile..  So Shannon here is your update.  :)     This month has been eventful I guess is a good way to say it.   I went to the doctors for my surgery and the neck is doing fine,  just have blood clots in my arm.  I do have to say they hurt more than my neck ever did.  So for the clots, I have to hot pad my arm constantly..   which as a mom is impossible so I do it in the evenings and go to sleep with the hot pad on my arm.      We have also done a lot of dentists.  Sid has been twice this month and received 3 crowns and 2 cavities filled..  ugh!!!    Sid had to also go have allergy testing. Which was interesting..  We found out he is allergic to everything except horses...   Can't have a horse cause he wouldn't be able to eat because ummm  allergic to hay and alfalfa and everything else "farm pollen", "grass", "weed", "tree", "dust", "mold", "cat", "dog", "feathers"  and who knows what else..  they shot 62 things in his back I think  and 6 in his arm..  

As you can see from the pictures..  his poor back swelled instantly... It was so crazy...   :(      

Well at our house tomorrow  10/11/11 is a very special day...  It is Robbie's 12th birthday..  He is so excited!!!!!!!     I will post again tomorrow

We have also had some fun this month getting to know ward members.  :)   Have I said that I LOVE our new ward..  

Road to recovery....

The last 2 weeks have seemed like a blur...    On the 8th of Sept.  I went into the surgeon to discuss what was going to happen since the cyst on my thyroid was back.  We left his office with a plan of a 6 month check and another ultrasound at that point.   This was at 9 am...   at 4:30 pm I get a call from the surgeon himself..  Which to me was odd but okay.  At which point he tells me he had a funny feeling to check further into my charts, something didn't seem right after we left.  He found that the paths 6 months ago really wasn't clean.  The pathologist missed something.  At which point he tells me I will be going in for surgery on the 19th.  If he had his way it would have been the 12th but he was full that day.   So......  here we are with this news, tears was shed for days.  Then came the thought.  I shouldn't be sad, I should be thankful.  Thankful that Dr. Smothers listened to the promptings given to him to look further.  Who knows what 6 more months would have brought.   

I call my mom and prepare all I need to for her to come and help for the week.  The boys and I made 12 dozen zucchini cookies, 4 loaves of bread, cleaned the house and got a lot in order for the arrival of GAGA and a week of mom in bed.   I spoke to many dear friends that prayed with me and for me. 

The Sunday before surgery Kennen and I spoke in Sacrament meeting on the Atonement.  After our talks the Bishop got up and asked for all to pray for me since I was going in for surgery. I am so thankful for the ward we are in.  They have been a blessing to us.  

I am thankful for the power of prayer, I have felt the uplifting powers it provides.  I have felt the blanket of love it offers.  

The surgery went well...   the scar is a scar still with stitches in it right now.  The boys say I won't need a halloween costume I just got a built in one.   :)    The tests came back and NO cancer...  woot woot   I still have a little bit of my thyroid, so hoping that is enough that I don't have to take thyroid medication.  

Thank you all for the thoughts, prayers, daily check-ins, flowers, food, etc....    I am blessed beyond measure.  

Oh and before all this happened....  check out the blog entry below ...  WE FINALLY DID IT...    We finished the Mormon/Oregon Trail from Chimney Rock to SLC.   It took us 2 summers but WE DID IT!!!!!

PIONEER TRAIL

The pioneer trail...   I have to say that we have finished our trek of it.  We started at Chimney Rock, Nebraska and went to Salt Lake City Utah following the trail the Mormon pioneers went...  It has been a fun journey,  we have felt the spirit of those pioneers and have learned of their endurance and strength.     We have done this trail in warmer weather and it was still challenging in parts even for a car..   I can't imagine doing it by foot in the winter.   YIKES!!!!       Hope you all enjoy pictures of our journey on the mormon trial... 

Chimney Rock, Nebraska

Scottsbluff, Nebraska

this picture to the left is the Oregon Trail Ruts...   They are amazing!!!

This is Register Cliff...  this is where the Pioneers would write their names so that their families and friends know they made it at least that far.

We also went to Emigrant Gap but my picture never pulled up...  sorry!!

Independence Rock

Martins Cove

by sixth crossing

Rocky Ridge

we climbed Rocky Ridge, this is the boys on the trail up

Monument at Rock Creek Hollow

One of the grave sides at Rock Creek Hollow

South Pass

this is a beaver pond between South Pass and Farson. Just a site you would see if traveling the trail

This is The Place Monument

This is The Place Monument

 The last stop on our journey was Temple Square....   If you ever get the chance to do the trail and go see the sites it is amazing!!!  Even the boys had a GREAT time learning...  They would sing and we would talk..  It truly brought the pioneer spirit into our lives...   

LOTS OF NEWS...........

We have a lot of new things going on........       We have a new ward and new callings........     for those that know this has been a long time of things in progress.   We have finally been able to have our records moved to a different ward.  We love the ward we are in and we are so excited about the new callings.  

Kennen was called as Young Mens President.   He is nervous about this new calling but I think he will be GREAT at it.  
 As for me....  I get to go play with the babies in the nursery..  I am so excited.   I also have been doing many things that I have never done before.  Such as attend a super Saturday activity.    I had a blast and while there I learned how to make treats on a stick, homemade cleaning supplies, a moby wrap and also I made my very first necklace.   look at me go..  hehehehe       I do have to say that we are being blessed tons..   I love how our Heavenly Father works and the people he places in our paths.  

As for the boys they doing awesome!!   School is going well and they are doing GREAT!  They are getting so big I can't believe how fast they grow.  

We all now need to get over these colds or whatever this yuck we have...   Hope you have a good day!  love to you all.

July fun!!

 I feel like the worst blogger ever...  I haven't been doing a very good job at keeping up I am so so sorry!!!    Laurie there are going to be pictures, maybe even a lot of them.  :)    This July has been very mellow but we have had fun.  We had visitors come.  Clay, Lesia, Kayla and Kennedy came to play for the weekend.  We all went swimming lots and even to a circus.  We had tons of fun thanks for coming up Davis family... We went to Colorado Springs for Josie's Wedding and got to hang with the Jensen and Zelasko families.  It was so so much fun.  Okay so the pictures are not in order so bare with me..  This picture is the first night we went to Colorado Springs.  The boys needed to get in the water right away!

 

 So we were so excited that there was a famous daves right by the hotel we were staying in while we were in Colorado Springs..  This top picture and the bottom were taken there aren't the boys so funny?? Daddy and Sid posing for the camera.

 both are ready for the ribs, brisket, and pulled pork....

 Swimming again...   always..  they would live in the pool if we let them.

 This is at our house one evening around the campfire.  

 The boys made a makeshift swimpool...   they are so silly

 the boys waiting on friends to go to the carnival...

 Robbie on one of the rides with some of our friends..

 the sunrise at 5 am on our way to Billings Montana ward temple trip

 Robbie   swimming at the pool while Lesia, Clay, Kayla and Kennedy were intown

 Sid swimming.....


GARDEN OF THE GODS.......      So this place is so pretty!!!   

 Sid at balancing rock..

 Robbie at balancing rock.....

 Sid and Robbie on one of our hikes...

 Kennen and Sid on a hike....  

 Me and my super cute husband...

 pretty flowers!!

 my super cute family...   I sure do love them

 Handsome boys... :)

 In a cave with a smile..  you can't beat that. 

 Sid at the cave..

Dancing at the wedding....    So this is the reason we went to Colorado..   Josie looked beautiful,  Julie did an amazing job with the decorations, the dress and everything else....

 This is Toni and Sid doing the hokey pokey...   Toni is Bob's wife and is so cute, Sid loved her.

 Here is Scott, Nichole, Toni, Sid doing the Hokey Pokey

 Caught you Robbie....   :)

Home playing in the sun!

 Sid..   isn't he so cute and fun??

The boys playing in the sand box..

Hope you all have enjoyed a glimpse of our July.   Love you all!!!