What happened to my dots?????

I am really bummed. My dots are gone, even changed to dark dots and they don't show up! Owell.

Grateful For Friends

I feel somewhat hypocritical writing about this since I don't feel like I act grateful! I have always been blessed with good friends from as long as I can remember. I was going to go through the ones that stick out most in my mind but it was getting a little bit too lengthy so I deleted it! My point in writing this is to say that there are so many wonderful people every where! And that's why I feel so guilty. I get caught up in my bubble of a life and I lose touch. I think of these people who have touched my life. Each one so talented and amazing in their own way! I am soooo grateful. They all have lifted me up whether they knew it or not. They all have strengthened my belief in the goodness of people that through them God has blessed and continues to bless my life. These last 2 months with my back injury people have brought meals and watched my kids, taken my kids places, organized fun things for them, painted Gwen's birthday present (a table & chairs), brought me treats, books, movies, called me, visited me and listened to me (I didn't realize how out of touch I felt). I know others prayed for me and that helped me too. I am so blessed to have so many good people in my life. I hope I can do better. I do appreciate all of the great people in my life!!!

I wish I could post all the photos I have but I am having a hard time finding them all so I'll just post these--so if you are my friend and don't see your picture please don't take it personal. Maybe you are grateful! Send me an updated photo and I'll post it!

Happy 14th Birthday Timo!!!

So my mom and I were reminiscing about Timo's birth! It was a crazy morning. Tim called my mom at about 4:30 AM I had been laboring an hour--at first I thought my back was hurt! HA! So when my mom arrived she said, "You need to get to the hospital NOW!" I said,"No!" Why? Well, my first labor was 22 hours, so far I'd only been in labor 2 hours, there is no way this baby was coming NOW! Tim finally sided with my mom. Tim got his sister Shellie (we were living in their basement at the time) and my mom drove us. It was a half an hour drive on ice, I was hysterically in pain in the back seat no seat belt, Tim was trying to massage my lower back that was killing but it didn't seem to matter. When we got to the off ramp, Tim and my mom couldn't decide which way to go to the hospital. So I yelled, "That way!" and pointed--me who never knows where I am! Once we got there I didn't speak a word, I was in a zone. I told the nurse to ask my husband. Anyway, after realizing I didn't need to go to the bathroom, they checked me, and my bag broke and there was his head! He had meconium so they cleaned him out before I pushed his body out. A respiratory therapist came in and double checked him. So he was born about 15 minutes after we got there!!! WOW! It was crazy!

It seems like yesterday yet today he is 14. These teenage years go very quickly which I think is a curse and a blessing! Timo is turning into a pretty good young man. He has many talents and skills and he's pretty good at helping out. When I ponder on his life I get a big lump in my throat, and wonder if I have done enough. Thankfully, I get a sweet feeling that heaven is watching over him as well to make up for my mistakes.

Pajama Day!

Today was Pajama Day at the elementary school. Why in November? I always wonder why not in September in Utah. Owell, I guess this is the only week that could be dedicated to Red Ribbon Week. If you don't know about it, Red Ribbon Week is the Just Say No to Drugs! Week. So what do pajamas and drugs have to do with each other? I always wonder that too but the flier said, "Don't be up in the night! Just say no to drugs!" I think it's a bit of a stretch but it still has a good message. Luckily, today was a beautiful fall day to say no to drugs!!!

Grateful for Tradtions

When I was kid we didn't have a lot as far as material things go but I do remember special traditions we had around the holidays and other traditions (like my mom telling me she loved me everyday--even when I was a teenager!) . And not just Christmas either. Traditions can be daily, weekly, monthly, yearly things not just for holidays. So naturally I have tried to implement traditions that are meaningful into our family. One important thing I have learned over time is to be flexible. Yes, traditions need to be consistent to be traditions but if it's more stress than joy it's not worth doing this year or ever, depending on the tradition. The years I have a new baby or this year with my back I scale back, and my kids usually understand and I think (or hope) they see it as compassionate. People are more important than keeping a tradition at all costs. When we have these 'crisis' we try and include the kids in the planning of the holiday--what tradition do you really want to do this year. This helps them feel a part of the process and ownership in the family.


It was Micah's turn for our Family Home Evening Activity--he taught the devotional yesterday on being thankful. When I asked him what he wanted to do tonight he said that he thought we should make turkey cookies. So with my mom's help I whipped up a batch of sugar cookies. We painted them, water and egg whites plus food coloring. (We have paint brushes set aside just for this in the cupboard and to avoid mixing colors we have brushes assigned to the different colors). This is a tradition we got from Tim's family, only they paint Christmas cookies. We have that as our tradition too but incorporated it into the painting of the turkey (and leaf) cookies! Everyone enjoyed themselves, even the teenagers. They turned out really cute, I am not sure my photos do them justice! We usually print out a Thanksgiving picture (cornucopia, pilgrim, turkey, etc.) for each person on cardstock and have everyone write what they are thankful for on it. I save these for our scrapbooks. It is fun to read over time! We may do it still. There is time. Anyway, traditions help families bond by feeling consistency which builds trust,and having fun builds the emotional savings for later. So let the laundry go for a day and create a tradition or revive one, your kids will thank you!!!

Grateful For Freedom

Okay, you probably were expecting me to write about our country, etc. Maybe another day. But I am actually writing about driving. I actually hate driving but in our area buses aren't too convenient or I'd opt for that mode myself. Friday I started driving again! I haven't been driving because I have been on painkillers that have inhibited my ability to drive and I don't want to get picked up for a DUI. So I have been at the mercy of Tim, my Mom and friends to get me around. I took my kids a couple of places Friday and then Saturday I went shopping. It was so pleasant I didn't even notice any bad drivers--common here. But the other good thing is that I am getting better!!!! I have been exercising more (my elliptical) and doing some back strengthening exercises. I feel pretty good with just Tylenol and Ibuprofen. I just got sick of the painkillers and decided to try it on my own. I have been cutting back on my pain meds all a long so it wasn't super drastic. I have to admit I still have limitations but I am so grateful to be able to be more myself--that kind of freedom is priceless!

Grateful for my Testimony

So this probably should have been my first grateful post. I have been reading the October 2008 General Conference talks (see mormon.org if you are not LDS for an explanation) and that always brings the spirit into my life in a more powerful way. Translation, more peace, more happiness. I am so grateful for as long as I can remember I have known I can pray to a loving Heavenly Father and that my prayers would be answered. For as long as I can remember I have felt the power of his son Jesus Christ in my life. I knew he paid for my mistakes and that he felt my heartaches and understood me like no one else. I have rarely felt alone because I have always had this comforting knowledge, my testimony. But as we get older we find that we know more and come to rely less on our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. At least I know I do, I forget to include them in my struggles and I forget that they always, always without fail, come through for me and usually in ways more than I deserve! So as I get older and wiser I am coming to trust in them again as I did as a child and I am strengthened. I know that I still must do my part, but they will comfort and guide me through the Holy Ghost if I am willing to listen to them. In these uncertain times in our nation and world I find it extremely comforting that they are in charge and that as the apostle Paul wrote, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God ... and If God be for us , who can be against us?" Romans 8:28 & 31. It doesn't mean it will be easy but that it will be possible for us to have joy and peace even when there is chaos around us! I am grateful for the scriptures (The Bible, the Book of Mormon and other modern scripture) which also give me the same comfort and guidance since they are the words of God. If you don't feel that way, pray for the knowledge of God and his son and the Holy Ghost will come to you IF you really want to know. I am grateful for living prophets. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we believe that there are living prophets and apostles like Paul today. The words of the living prophets also comfort and guide me. I feel great hope because of their words that they receive from God and his son. So I will end with a quote from one of the living prophets,
"Hope is a gift of the Spirit. It is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the Savior. This kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment, and, as with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope. Hope in our Heavenly Father’s merciful plan of happiness leads to peace, mercy, rejoicing, and gladness. The hope of salvation is like a protective helmet; it is the foundation of our faith and an anchor to our souls." President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (to read the talk go to http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-7,00.html )