12th Day of Christmas

On the 12th day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How great it is to have this time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. How grateful I am to him for the things he taught and the example he has set, not only me but the entire world. I know that only through his atoning sacrifice can my sins be for given. Only thought the sacrifice he made for me can I live again as a resurrected being. If we read and study the scriptures we can learn through his example to be better people. How grateful I am to him for all he has done for me. I have truly been blessed with so much. I would be ungrateful if I did not express my gratitude for all those how have influenced my life. Thank You to all of you. Have a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!

11th Day of Christmas

On the 11th day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is an Eternal Family. In all the days of Christmas family is in them all. Family is what holds us together. I rely so much on each of them. How I love each of them and cherish each of them individually! How grateful I am to be apart of an eternal family. My parents were sealed together for eternity when they were married in the temple. Because of this I am sealed to them. They set the example that I needed to have an eternal family as well. John and I were sealed for eternity in August 1997. Now our children are sealed to us now as well. I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation and the Declaration to the Family that shows us how to be an eternal family! Thank You Mom and Dad for continuing our eternal family that our ancestors started many years ago.

10th Day of Christmas

On the 10th day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is the gift of giving. I love to give, I don't have a lot but what I have to give I do. I am grateful for this time of year when giving is more abundant. My kids have been a great example this year of giving. My kids have been earning money and this year they all wanted to get their siblings gifts, even Alex he started it! It is the one time of the year when my kids get the giving thing and so does the rest of the world. What a great time to think of others. I hope and pray that I can do all I can to give, and teach others to do the same all year long (not just at Christmas time).

9th Day of Christmas

On the 9th day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is the gospel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This being Sunday and attending church this morning. I felt the spirit, it made me think of how blessed I really am to be a part of it. I am grateful that as a teenager I had such guidance to help me make decisions that at the time were sometimes hard to make. I was fortunate to grow up in Utah and have a lot of friends with the same values I had. I was taught the Word of Wisdom as a child and used it to help me keep my standards high. Even now that I am older I still rely on the gospel for guidance. I look to the gospel to raise my children. There are many questions that I have had answered through prayer. If I didn't have the gospel I'm not sure I would have the faith that I need to pray and know that I would receive an answer. There are many times that I would have not made it if it not have been for the things that I have been taught, and still am learning things. The Gospel is true I know it because I have prayed and receive a witness of my own that it is. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, that it was written for us in this time. I know that my savior lives and loves me.

The 8th Day of Christmas

On the 8th day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is Health. There have been years that someone was always sick. The past year we have had good health for the most part. Makenna's seizures have gotten under control and she has started to talk. I have tried to eat better and exercise more. I think if I do these things maybe, just maybe it will prevent some of the illnesses that are going around. I have enjoyed exercising more and feel so much better, not to mention that I look better too. My kids may be accident prone but as long as they are not sick I can handle that. I pray that we can stay health and that all of you may have health and strength also!

7th Day of Christmas

On the 7th day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is technology. How grateful I am for that we live in a day in which we have so much. I am grateful for the heated house I live in. I can't imagine having to live in a house that didn't have heat. Telephones are such a huge part in our lives. How grateful I am to be able to pick up the phone and call anyone. I can call my family on a bad day, or to get help when needed. Computers are wonderful! What a wonderful way to keep in touch with others(email, blogs). It is also a way to find information quickly and easily, especially now that my kids have projects that require research. Lights that work at the flip of a switch. If you have ever tried to read by the light of a candle you know how hard it is. T.V. is a great way to relax, have a good time, get information, entertain. What more to say about that. Cars that can take us places fast and with heat or cold air, radios, movies players, shelter from storms, and GPS. Those are just a few there are so many more, just take a look at all we have and marvel at the luxuries we have. What a blessing!

6th Day of Christmas

On the 6th Day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is nature/camping. I have always loved going camping with my family. We always went camping every summer, and I loved every minute of it. I like being away from everything. It seemed like when we are camping we all got along. We kind of didn't have a choice since we were all had, but it gave us a chance to slow down and spend good quality time together. I love how peaceful it is. It is so quiet, I always feel like I can think more clearly out in nature. I have so many memories good camping. My favorite place to camp have been: Capital Reef- all the deer coming down in the evening right to the camp sights, the red rocks surrounding you, and going to the camp fireside the rangers put on. Calf Creek- the river/stream runs right through the camp sight, the hike to the waterfall, sliding down the rock at the waterfall. Arches- red rock, arches all over. I think that was the first place John came camping with my family. John is deathly afraid of heights, on our way to the great arch it has a really big drop off. John freaks out and runs as fast as he can to the opening, sit between big boulders and clings to it like his life depended on it. It was so funny! What great adventures we had camping. The mountains are so beautiful. when we lived in Iowa it just wasn't the same to go camping, flat, hot, humid and no place to hike. My kids said that we couldn't go camping if there were no mountains, so when we moved to the Springs and there were mountains they said "we can go camping again!" I am so grateful to that mountain and nature were created and that I can enjoy them so freely. I am grateful to my parents for taking us camping all those years, and still do!

5th Day of Christmas

On the 5th day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is my siblings. John is an only child, but he was raised by his Aunt and Uncle who have kids. We consider them as his 3 brothers and 1 sister. I have 4 sisters and 2 brothers. I am the middle child so I was lucky enough to be able to get to know all my sibling while we were growing up. I had fun being able to go places with my older sisters, Heather, Denise, and Jenny. I felt very lucky to have sisters let me go with them even though I was younger them they. I also had a lot of fun with my younger brothers(Nephi and Andy) playing sports, and hanging out with Kristie. Now that we are all older we hang out all together. I love that we have stayed so close over all the years and changes. I love that at a moments notice I can call anyone of them and talk, or get some advice. They have always been there for me and that has been very important to me. Johns brothers Rick, Steve and Danny, and sister Sue, have been there for us to. When we lived in Iowa they helped when need, gave us support and we had a lot of fun together. Our kids got to know each other and played often together. We got together for all sorts of occasions or just to hang out. That was very important to me to have such great family around when mine was so far away. I thank them all for all they do to help me grow as a person, a mother, and a sister. I love them all!!!

4th Day of Christmas

On the 4th day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is music. Music has been a big part of my life for a very long time. Growing up in a musical family has been a great thing. When I was in 4th grade we did an operetta at school. I got a good part where I had to sing a solo. I think that started my confidence in singing. I then sang though out the rest of my schooling years. I have so many memories of singing with my sisters around the piano. Growing up I loved laying on the couch and listening to my Mom or Heather play the piano, it made me feel calm and relaxed. I love listening to my Dad sing, he has a beautiful voice. When I still lived in Utah we, my Dad and I, joined the Wasatch Chorale together. It was like going on a Daddy Daughter Date every week. It will be some thing I will Cherish forever. Another memory of music I will always remember is singing at church at Christmas time. We were always the do-wop girls for my Dad, but one year we sang with my Mom. We go up there and started to sing and something happened and we all started to laugh. So we started over again, and we started to laugh again. We started over yet again, and we were all laughing so hard my Mom finally just said " Merry Christmas" and we all just sat down. When my mood is not so good I can turn on music and change it. I use music to motivate my self and my kids to keep going on the task at hand. I really use music a lot in my life. I am grateful to have the gift of singing. Not only to use it to help my life, but to enrich others lives as well.

3rd day of Christmas

On the Third Day of Christmas the thing that means so much to me is having such wonderful friends. I am fortunate to have friends all across the country. Friendship is very important to me because I have no family near to depend on. As you all know we have accident prone children, and when they get sick it is always at odd hours of the day or night. I am so blessed to have people I can count on at a moments notice to come give blessings or sit with all the other kids while we "Pull a Lisa"(that is a hospital visit). I also am grateful that they make me laugh. It is so much fun to be able to keep up dated on all the families all over the place. Some friend I have known for a very long time and love that we stay in contact or that we track each other down. What great friends I have and what an honor I have in having you all as friends!!!! Thank You!

2nd Day of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas the thing that mean something to me is food! I love food. I like to eat, make, and create food. I really like to cook and bake and think I am good at it. Some of the things I like to bake are cookies of every variety, Chocolate chip, Peanut butter chocolate chip, No bake, Pumpkin chocolate chip, sugar cookies, and any other that people want. I also like to cook meals like , Lasagna, Stuffed shells, Chicken Enchiladas, taquitas, and stir-fry. As long as I don't have to decide what it is i have to cook I will cook any thing, just ask my kids. My kids favorite foods are: Alex likes Chicken Broccoli Rice casserole and Banana Cream Pie, Courtney likes Stuffed shells and romaine noodles, Zach likes pizza and Ice cream, Makenna likes any thing she can just pick at, Jordan likes almost all foods. Johns favorite food is Lasagna and Pumpkin bars, and I just like food. I am grateful that we have so many varieties of food and that I have the ability to make and eat so many types of food.

12 Days of Christmas

Jordan

Alex

Zach

Makenna

Courtney

On the 1st day of Christmas the thing that mean something to me is My Children. They are a joy to have around. I am greatful that my Heavenly father has in trusted me with these sweet souls. They help each other all the time. I get comments on how they constantly are helping each other, and how well they get along. At least in the public, but they do help each other a lot and that helps me. I Love My Kids!!!

Snow Means Mess!

So Thanksgiving was great! We stayed home this year and had our friends Jason and Bess from Denver come down. It had all my favorite foods and I ate way to much of course. That night it snowed. By the next day the snow had melted. Yea!!! It snowed again on Friday night, that melted Saturday too!!! That was suppose to be it for a few days, BUT that night after we all had gone to bed it started to snow. It snowed all night and when we got up Sunday morning it had snowed so much there was already at least 5 inches of the White stuff. We went to church anyway. It was snowing so had that they excused us after sacrament to go home. It continued to snow, and snow, and snow. The boys and I decided to go shovel even though it was still snowing, there was about 8 inches by now. We shoveled our drive way and 2 of our neighbors. This is where the mess came ( I know you thought it was the snow) nope it was that the boys and I decided to have a snowball fight. It was a lot of fun until Alex gave Zach a White wash. So I was giving him one back he was getting up when his arm bent to far in. I told him to get up and go inside, what a boob. Well his arm continued to hurt and started to swell. John thought it may be popped out of place and to take him to get it checked. So off we went to the hospital at 7:30 at night, still snowing! They took X-rays, and not out of place but broken. Boy did I feel bad! So now he is in a cast and can't play in the snow for 6 weeks. What a mess!! That is my life though!!!