Halloween 2015

Elijah's pumpkin was solid in the middle. It was crazy! It also smelled like cucumbers.

It was a cool color though. It was a greenish white.

Uriah loved his little Mickey Mouse pumpkin head.

Cleaning and carving.

Ezra carved his all by himself. Thank goodness for pumpkin carving knives. 

The 4 Boys

Ezra the Power Ranger

Uriah the dinosaur

Elijah as Luke Skywalker

Isaiah the fisherman

Maci the mad hatter

Sadee as Little Red Riding Hood. And she and I made her costume, except for the cape.

All the kids

Ezra and his pumpkin

Sadee and her pumpkin

After trick or treating for 2 hours, the kids were exhausted. Uriah fell asleep on Brigham's legs.

The kids

The adults. Lisa and Dale Kerr. Jason and me. Brandy and Derrick Nelson

Sorting through the candy.

I loved this picture of Ezra. He was going through his candy and fell asleep right on top of it.

Labor Day

I really wanted to try to catch up and post a bunch of summer things we did, but I just haven't had a chance yet. So if I'm able too, I will.  I figure I might as well just do current things while I have a chance.  We didn't do too much on Labor Day weekend.  Saturday we ran errands around town. Sunday we went to church and then went to a friends house to celebrate their son's birthday.  Monday, I got to sleep in until 7am! Yahoo! But I didn't get out of bed until 9am.  Then we got chores done, had piano lessons and headed over to our friends house, the Nashs.  The Nashs lived here when we first moved here.  They moved about 5 years ago to Lincoln and then they ended up moving back! This family is awesome and bought a house with a pool, just to be able to invite people over for gatherings!  It was a lot of fun just hanging out and relaxing! I'm so thankful for good friends! i don't know what I'd do without them! Here are some pics from it.

 

 

#7

It's been forever since I've blogged! Mainly because I was sick and barely surviving.  My endometriosis came back after my miscarriage last year.  It was horrific!  I don't want to go into details and have a pity party, but I'm very thankful to have gotten through it alive!  I had a laparoscopy scheduled for Tuesday June 9th.  I was totally ready for it and so excited and relieved! The week before my surgery, I was supposed to be feeling my pain and sick.  And I wasn't.  It was the last week of school and I thought that maybe Heavenly Father was just helping me out because He knew I needed to be there for the kids.  The week continued, still, no pain.  I thought it was weird.  So the Thursday morning before my surgery, I decided to take a pregnancy test, just in case.  Even though I was going to be taking one the next day for my pre-op tests.  I took it and it was positive! What? I ran to Walgreens at 7am and bought 3 more.  I know that sounds ridiculous, but I have had false positives before. Well, the 3 others tests were positive!! Holy cow!  I couldn't believe it! I instantly let my Dr. know and he wanted me to go and get some hospital tests done to make sure before we cancel the surgery.  I couldn't that day due to Maci's graduation from 5th grade, but found out the next day that it was a definite positive!! We were both just so shocked.  I mean, for a whole week, I was without words, which never happens.  I only let a few people know in the beginning...  my parents, Jason's parents, and a few friends that were going to be taking care of my kids all week during my surgery.  We waited until we heard the heart beat at 9 weeks to make the announcement to everyone.  Unfortunately, my tummy had decided to show earlier than that.  I had received lots of strange looks.  So yes, I am now at 12 weeks and over my 1st Trimester! Yay! I didn't have a whole lot of morning sickness, just lots of nausea and I threw up a few times. I've been pretty tired.  And I've been sooo hormonal! But, that's just part of the game, right?  We will be finding out the gender, even though I don't want too.  We are due February 12th, on my cousin Michael's birthday. Our first Winter/Spring baby.  Now that I'm feeling better, I'm hoping to start blogging again. 

Overcoming the natural man

I've enrolled in some online classes at BYUI.  Yep, I'm a college student again! It's been such a great experience and I'm learning so much!! I'm able to dive into the scriptures like I never have before.  I've been able to work on projects that help me become a better person, to be more Christ like.  And I'm so thankful for these projects.  I am truly learning so much about myself and how to come even closer to Christ. 

One thing I've been learning about this week is the "natural man being an enemy to God." In the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 3:19 reads, "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."  So what does the natural man mean exactly? Does that mean that God doesn't like men that try to live all naturally off of the land? I thought that when I was younger. :-) The natural man can be any thought, feeling, or action that is not in accordance to Heavenly Father.

Examples of the natural man-
I have several things about me that are against the nature of God.  We all do.  One of them that I used to have is that I was quick to judge others.  Is this something that our Father in Heaven wants us to do?  No. He wants us to uplift, build up and love one another.

How about a person that is a great person, but let's the every whim and desire to be satisfied.  Whether it's eating too much, being too lazy, drinking alcohol and doing drugs, satisfying lustful desires with someone other than your spouse,  someone that is full of pride, someone that is all about earthly possesions, or one that is rude and crude in speech and manner.  There are many more, but there was just a few.

How do we overcome the natural man in us?
Robert L. Millet said," One does not put off the natural man by living longer. Nor does one change his nature simply by attending meetings. The transformation is accomplished only as one chooses to be changed through the mediation of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost, by means of gospel ordinances. In the language of President Benson, "The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature." The world can't make us better people, we can only accomplish overcoming anything through our Savior Jesus Christ.  He continues saying,

"We recognize that putting off the natural man is possible only through the grace and atonement of Christ. That is why the scriptures refer to the process as being born again. Having had our sins remitted, we die to the things of unrighteousness and are born of God to a new and higher spiritual life. We begin to enjoy what Paul called the "fruit of the Spirit," namely "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." (See Gal. 5:22–25.) We are humble and submissive; eager to know and carry out the will of the Savior, eager to have our own wishes swallowed up in the will of a Higher Being."  

Why do we want to overcome the natural man?

President Ezra Taft Benson has observed that "just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ."  No one really understands why they need Christ in their life until they really come to realize His lasting impact on our eternity!  Once we realize and know what this life is all about and what our Savior has done for us, we will have a desire to repent and come closer to our Savior.  We have this innate desire to stop doing things that are contrary to Him.  Because we love Him so much and appreciate beyond anything all the He has done, and continues to do for us.  I am thankful to know how I can come closer to our Father in Heaven and our Savior.  I love how I can become better each day and slowly overcome all of my weaknesses.  The more I'm able to overcome through the atonement of the Savior, the happier, more peaceful, and more strength I have during the ups and downs of life.

 

Welcome Logan!

My younger brother Derek and his wife Jaci had their 1st baby!  Do you know how wonderful this is?  Derek is the first sibling in 6 years, other than me, to have a baby.  It's so nice to finally have another nephew in the family.  I love all of my nieces and nephews so much, but us older 3 siblings are happy that the younger 3 siblings are starting to have children too.  It takes the pressure off of us a little... haha! But anyway, we were so excited for the big day!  I tried so hard not to be annoying and didn't want to keep asking them questions.  I always hate questions at the end of the pregnancy.  The due date came along and we were going crazy! I wanted to send a text that night and ask if there were any contractions, but, I didn't want to bother them.  When you ask if there are contractions, and there aren't, it's like a slap in the face or something.  So I got up Monday morning and saw that I had received a text from Derek that Jaci is in labor! YAY!! We waited and kept getting updates and finally, Logan Derek Meyer was born!  Weighing 8lbs 8oz. 20" long!  It was one of the happiest days that I had in a long time.

He is just so perfect! He doesn't look like any of my kids, except for his mouth. He and Ezra have the same mouth.  And that's because Ezra has the same mouth as Derek.  Genetics are definitely fascinating! We are just so happy and excited for Derek and Jaci!  Welcome to the family Logan!!! We're sure glad you're here!

Ciao Elder Jacoby

Right now, I have the opportunity to work with the missionaries in our ward.  It's such an amazing experience to be able to help people come closer to our Savior.  Of course since I work with the Elders, I get to know them.  They feel like nephews to me, since I'm way too young to be a mother figure. haha. I've always loved missionary work though, but didn't get a chance to work with them as much in the last few years since I just tried to focus on my family and my other callings at church.  Elder Duce and Elder Jacoby are just wonderful and I'm so thankful that they are setting such a great example for our children.  The kids hear stories about Jason's mission, but they can't even picture him being a missionary since he's a dad.  But they definitely can look up to our Elders.  So on a mission, missionaries get transferred to different towns to be able to learn different things.  This week, Elder Jacoby is leaving and we will be getting a new one.  We will definitely miss him, but are still thankful that Elder Duce is still here.

Isaiah, Elder Jacoby, Elder Duce, silly Ezra, Maci, Sadee, and Elijah

Ezra is so funny.  He found these posters near our church library and wanted them since they were giving them away.  He wants to hang them in his room. He is so proud of them.

New Year's Eve

Some pics from New Year's Eve.  Cami coming home.  Our annual Home Town Buffet tradition. And celebrating New Year's at Grandma and Grandpas.

Wiping Away The Tears

Our amazing photographer Celine hanging out with the fam.

Hermana with some of the nieces and nephews

Daddy and the lil boys

Uriah getting excited to eat.

Part of the crew at Home Town

The boys watching Joseph sleep

Shelby and Tony. Night night Tony.

Cami entering the house for the 1st time.

Hanging out

The kids love Uncle Spencer

Counting Down

Whooping and Hollering

We had a fun firework show with the neighbors

Daddy giving Uriah New Year hugs

It was a great day!  After midnight, we drove home so we could sleep in in the morning.  I love being able to create family memories.

Happy Birthday Aunt Carey

Jason's sister had a birthday.  We were able to go to Oroville to celebrate it.  It's so fun being close enough to family to where we can at times go and visit and celebrate birthdays.  Carey is now a Grandma, which is so weird to think about.  I love how the McOmber's do things.  I love joining a family and seeing how they do things compared to my family.  I love how Steve puts on his rubber gloves to keep his hands clean. I love how it's a store bought cake every time.  I love how we are all perfectly off key when we sing.  I love how there's always order to everything in that household.  I've learned many great things from the McOmber side of the family.  I'm just so thankful for family!  I couldn't imagine my life without them!  It's crazy how Maci looks so much like Carey.  She also has many of the same gifts and talents as Carey. It's awesome! Happy Birthday Aunt Carey! We love you!

Joalea Ran a Marathon

So who the heck is Joalea? And why in the world would I include her in our family blog.  Joalea used to live in PL.  She was one of my first friends here.  She helped me through my post partum depression after I had Elijah and Ezra. She was always there for me. She and I would send our kids to each other's houses.  When I was sick, she would make me soup and come and mop my floor. And then, she moved down to Rancho Cordova.  We still talk quite often and when I'm in that area, I'll stop by and see her.  I've never really done a whole lot for her though.  I've always felt like I owe her big time for all she's done for me.  On Saturday, I finally had the opportunity to be there for her and support her.  She and her friend Ashley have been training to run a Marathon in Death Valley.  When they went to sign up for it, it already had the max amount of runners and they closed registration. So they decided to do their own.  They mapped out their own trail and invited some friends to come and cheer them along.  There was no way I would miss out on something like this. Seriously, 26.2 miles? That's crazy!  So I was able to be there at the finish line for her huge accomplishment.  She is so modest though and still doesn't want the world to know about it, but I am so proud of her.  She's been training for this for forever!  I am so proud of her for being able to discipline herself to train for something like this. I know I could never do it. Way to go Joalea!!

Lynne, Joalea & I at the Finish Line!

Cami's Home!

My younger sister, Cami, just got back from serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She served for 18 months in Concepcion Chile Mission. I missed her so much!! I pretty much talked to her almost every other day before she left. But while on her mission, we could talk with her 2 times a year and email her weekly. So she could focus her energy on serving the Lord. Having a family member leave their home, family, school, friends, ect is always hard.  But it's the most wonderful thing that they can ever experience!  Just imagine... dedicating your every waking moment to talking to people about God and Jesus Christ.  Serving and helping others.  It's just such a wonderful experience!  I'm so glad she had this opportunity to serve a mission.  We are so proud of her and the hard work she's done for the last 18 months! But now she's home!! And it's wonderful!