BLACK.FRIDAY.

Well, today was black friday, but I stayed home and was not even tempted to go out. Okay, I really wanted to buy every cricut cartridge that was in sale, but other than that...not tempted. We went south to my mother's side of the family's get-to-gether. I was fun, but I felt very rushed and very frazzled the whole day. It is 8:30 and I am not feeling like I can make it through the day. We got to see U Dirk and A Kristy and their kids. We haven't seen them for a while. They are growing sooo fast! I also got to see my "grown-up" cousins. It was great to see them and their families, too! We definately have grown apart in the last few years, so it is always fun to see them and mingle. We also had a very special visitor at our Turkey day feast...Santa! Daeson asked for a Bakugan movie and a Bakugan game for the Wii. Tevan, of course, asked for Ninja Turtles! As if he can carry more than two! But they were both very excited and did very well on his knee. They each got a little treat bag and I, being the mean mom, made them wait until tomorrow to eat it. My great-aunt Ginner came with her husband and daughter, too. We live so close, yet we see each other next to never. Thanks everyone for the yummy food and the HARD work that went in to it! We love all of you and hope that we will see eachother more in the coming year!

Turkey Day

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I have so much to be thankful for this year. I am thankful today for my husband's family. We had dinner at his Grandma's house, and I know it is so much work for her. She didn't even really want to have it, but she did and I am grateful for that. Dani and Todd and fam came up and that was a blast. It is always good to see them. I was told I had too much time on my hands because I made Thanksgiving chocolates that were individually "painted' and I was also told my yams should not have had marshmallows on them, but what are candied yams without marshmallows!? We had wonderful food and wonderful company! THank you to everyone who participated in the meal prep and for the fun times we had BSing. We missed Brad and Heidi, but we know that we will see them soon for Christmas!

THANKSGIVING:

T Troy. He is my wonderful husband and I love him.
H Hugs and loves from my boys.
A Always having what I NEED.
N Naptime...rare, but worth every minute!
K Knowing where I came from and the potential I have.
S Singing time in Primary. I love to hear the kids belt it out without a care!!
G Grandparents. I knew all of mine and I am very lucky to have their influence in my life.
I In-laws. I have the best.
V Vacations to my mom and dad's. It is nice to see them and get away.
I In God we trust.
N Night-time with my family around me.
G Grateful to be alive and healthy!

Pause to think what we all have to be grateful for: Our Freedom and for those who fight so we can have it! I am so thankful for the men and women who fight for us...we would not be free without you! Thank you so much!!!

Christmas music...already!?

Yes, it is the season that I love to hear Christmas music. I absolutely love the feeling it brings! Also, it is snowing right now and that makes me want Christmas even more. In one of my past posts I complained that Thanksgiving is ignored and the commercial Christmas takes over. I hope that I don't appear to be hypocritical listing my Christmas music early. I will still celebrate Thanksgiving and enjoy this particular time of year. However, I have the feeling of thankfulness and that excites me to give to others for Christmas.

I have decided that our little family is going to pick a needy family and give Christmas to them. I have felt very strongly about giving to others this year. Troy and I do not have a lot of extra, but there are families who have nothing. I want to teach my kids how important it is to serve and how fortunate we are to have a roof over our heads and more than enough to eat. I often complain about wanting to fix this or that up, and how I hate the way my entry way and living room looks with our dingy carpet, but I am thankful for that carpet. I am thankful that I can turn my heat up as high as I want. I am thankful for the ample food I have to cook with and prepare my family three home-cooked meals every day. I am extremely grateful Troy has a job and can provide for us. I am blessed more than I deserve. I am grateful that we have favorable circumstances. It would be nice to have a little extra at the end of the month to "blow" on whatever we felt like, and it would certainly be nice to live in a big, beautiful brand-new home, but I am happy where I am. I am happy with things I have. And I am grateful for the means in which I attain all things.

Christmas Shopping Anxiety

If you know me, you know that once I set my mind to doing something I don't stop until it is done. Well, I started Christmas shopping the last couple of weeks. I cannot reveal what I bought because my family would know what they are going to open on Christmas. I am almost finished and I am very glad that I will be able to enjoy the holiday season. I need to purchase one more gift for my mother, I need to get Gma Sarah and Gma and Gpa Lish's made. I have my dad's to finish and I have one more item to purchase for Brad and Heidi. Troy and I decided that we would not purchase any presents for each other this year because of the shed and the other projects we have done this year. We also decided that our boys would receive one present from us and one from SC. Every year I do the 12 days of Christmas for them and that goes along with their Christmas. So I guess technically I do 13 presents for them. This year I have the following 12 days for the boys: Day 1: Homemade aprons, Day 2: Two large coloring books, Day 3: Three snowmen on a bowl (they have the cutest snowmen bowls with "floating" snowflakes at walmart), Day 4: Four finger paints, Day 5: $5.00 GC to McD's, Day 6: Six books and tapes, Day 7: Seven piece coloring set, Day 8: 8 oz floaty soap, Day 9: Nine cracker jacks (my kids LOVE cracker jacks for snacks on long trips), Day 10: Ten Holiday Cakes (I bought little Debbie holiday cakes), Day 11: Eleven sugar cookies (we will make and decorate sugar cookies and deliver to our friends and neighbors), Day 12: Twelve month calendar (Daeson's is Spongebob and Tevan's is Blue's Clues). It is harder and harder every year to think of things to give the boys. I might have to start sneaking ideas from my mom's lists that she did for us. :) I have no idea what to get the boys from SC. We have not made our lists yet, nor will we until AFTER Thanksgiving! I am all over shopping BEFORE Thanksgiving, but I feel like Thanksgiving always gets the shaft! I feel like it is a time we need to be Thankful for what we have so that we are not so thirsty for Christmas gifts. Just a thought. I am thankful that the bulk of my shopping is DONE and that I will be able to enjoy the reason for the season!

Mixed Emotions

Today my heart is mixed with many emotions. I will no longer be teaching Relief Society every second Sunday. I have enjoyed studying the lessons and relaying them to the sisters. It has been refreshing to go to my meetings. I thouroughly enjoy Sunday School and I feel like I have taken so much from these meetings. I feel it was an honor and privlege to teach RS. I will truly miss the wonderful sisters and the Spirit I have felt there.



However, the Lord has a different calling in mind. I will now be serving with Barbara as a second councelor in the Primary presidency. I am nervous and excited about this calling. I know the primary is involved with the scouts and that absolutely terrifies me. I know, having two little boys, I will eventually have to embrace Cub Scouts, but I thought I had another 3 1/2 years! :) However, I am very suprised to have this calling extended to me and I know working with Barbara will be very fun. She is a remarkable person and I have admired her since she has moved into the ward. The other councelor, Becky, is very fun and has wonderful ideas. She is definatley someone to look up to, also. So, as I go forward with this calling, I will do it with a happy attitude...no more mumblings or complaints from this mouth. It is time to step up to the bar and just do it!!!

McD's

Okay, so McD's has an eggnog shake, but it is NOT as good as I had hoped. Sad.

Eggnog Shake?

Yeah right! Arctic Circle nor Sonic have them right now!!! What does a girl haffta do???

XBox original and games

If you know of anyone looking for a used XBox, games, controllers, dance pad, extentions, remote, ect...send them our way. We decided to sell the games system that never gets played. Heck, our Wii never gets played either, but it is too new for Troy to let go of. We have a variety of games: Road Rage Simpsons, Yourself fitness, Dance Dance Revolution, Halo, Tiger Woods Golf, ATV, Beyond Good and Evil, Quantum Rdeshift, Otogi 1 & 2, Robotech, and a lot more. I have it listed on Craigs list for EIdaho. I have it all listed for 150 I think, but I am so willing to work with someone. Everything works great and there are no problems with any of it. Let me know if you or anyone you know is interested!!!! Thanks! oh, and a brand new Monopoly game stillin the packaging for $3.00. Troy absolutely HATES monopoly and I bought it for him for Christmas last year...who doesn't like Monopoly?!?!!?

I love to see the Temple

My Grandma and my cousin, Katie, and I went to the temple yesterday. I have not been to do a session since I was prego with Tevan and I had forgotten how wonderful it is. My cousin just received her mission call a couple of weeks ago and has been to more temples than I have! She is such a good girl and I am proud of her! It was a neat experience to go through a session with my Gram! I was just beaming!
I have to teach RS tomorrow and the lesson is on the Restoration and the Fullness of times and the temple. In one of the questions it talks about how we feel about our callings in the church and I thought about that long and hard. I know sometimes we get a calling that we are not excited about, and sometimes we know someone who we think could do a far better job. And, I know sometimes someone we know gets a calling and we wonder why on earth they were called to that position. And there are times that some people are turned away from the church because of someone holding an authoritative position "wronged" them. But the fact of the matter is this: the gospel is true. We are able to worship how we want in this country. We are ABLE to attend church for three hours each and every week. We are able to attend the TEMPLE for a two-hour session. We have the ability to watch/read/hear a living PROPHET and our other leaders talk to us and give us modern day revelation twice a year in general conference. I have been that person who knows a more fitting person for a calling. I have murmured about someone I didn't feel was living up to their calling. I have been offended by someone in an authoritative position before. But the gospel has never changed. The truths are there. I know that if the gospel were not true, if it were a hoax, it would have faltered long ago. I will truly try more diligently to be an apostle of Christ. I will try to be an example to all around me. I will try to not murmur and I will try to be more like Him. I have so many faults, and I am sure some people have thought that I am inadequate for the callings I have been asked to serve in. I am sure that I have offended more than one person, but never intentionally.
As we go through this live, striving to be the best we can, trying to make it once again to our Heavenly Father, I hope we can all try harder to be like Him. I hope we can overlook the wrong-doings. I hope we can forgive one another. I hope that we can find the time in our busy schedules to serve Him, to attend our meetings, and to attend the wonderful and glorious temples that we have all over this earth. I hope that we realize what a blessing it is to live in this dispensation. I hope we can all live up to what is expected of us. I know that when I die, I hope that I will be able to teturn to my Father and have my loved ones with me. I know He wants us to be happy and I know that He has shown us the way.

Returned Missionary

So I married a returned Missionary: my punishment???? Piles and piles and PILES of letters, pictures, posters, flyers, and souveniers. And guess what I get to do with them??? Organize and compile scrapbooks. Am I excited about this venture....not really. Will I take this opportunity to get to know my husband before he was my husband...yes sir! The nosy part of me really wants to dive in and read everything. The conservative side of me tells me it is not my business to read, but to organize so Troy can reflect on his missionary experience. Hmm, what part of me do you think I will listen to??? :) Though I am not excited to take on a project of this size, I am excited that Troy will be able to share his experiences with my boys. I just wish the pictures were written on and/or dated. Atleast the letters are in the envelope still with the dated postage stamped on them. Every missionary needs someone to do this while they are on their missions so it doesn't automatically get turned over to the wife! Remind me when my boys are on their missions that I said that, okay?

Trick or Treating

This was our 5th annual
Halloween party. It was a
lot of fun throwing together
and we hope that everyone
who came had a great time!





This was our witch pinata.
I actually bought it for last
year's party but forgot about it!!










Tevan was happy as long
as he was hitting the witch.












Adam was a "Cruiser"













This was the cake walk.
Thanks Adam and Kayla
for donating
the Litte Debbie cakes!








Daeson was Dan
from Bakugan











Peggy was a wizardress













I was a hot dog and
Troy was a Chinese Monk













Richard...AKA
Paul Bunyon









Melissa, Bryce, Carter and
their new baby...I forgot his name









Adalyn the Snow Princess











Jaedyn the fairy
she looks meaner than
she is :)













Mieley the candy corn was
very excited when she got to do
the candy corn bean bag toss.
Guess what the prize was???
Candy Corn!!







Kayla was the Benchmark
Brown Noser and the
recipient of the GRAND PRIZE.
And her cute Tora
was a little chick












And last but not least:
Kaden was a runway show.
Very creative Kade, KUDOS!






We had a lot of great food (chicken wings, pizza, meatballs and rice, frozen grapes, carmel corn, cinnamon rolls, regular rolls, veggie tray, chocolate pretzels, color changing cheetos, and I am sure I missed something), thank you everyone!!!! The trunk or treat was a lot of fun, too! I will have to get pics from Kayla of that. I have lost my camera (Don't tell Troy) but I am hoping to find it soon!!! Thanks to all who came: Gma Grover, Jaedyn, Adam's family, Hoopes family, Bryce and Melissa & fam, Lords family (we missed you, Barb), Richard and Peggy and Kaden. We missed those who didn't come...maybe next year!

Now that Halloween is over, I can get ready for fall. I really hope to get some scrapping done and some more quilts made. I was given a box of tomatoes and now I get to bottle them...she also gave me a recipe for mandarin sauce (I think it originated from a lady at the temple) and so I will attempt it. I bought 24 more jars today: YUCK! But, I think this is the LAST thing I am going to bottle, maybe. Definately probably not. Okay, I tell you, I have an addiction!!!!