GRATITUDE...I think showing gratitude is a talent...a talent I hope to obtain someday!
Cicero once said, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others."

Today is the first day of November. It is a month of thanksgiving. It is my goal, to speak more often of my gratitude, and so with that in mind, I would like to share a story....
This morning while I was showering, one of the shampoo bottles fell onto the shower floor. Two seconds later, my eternal companion groggily entered the bathroom with eyes squinting in the light. His purpose--to check on my safety.

This same scenario replays weekly in our home, and I have come to some conclusions:

1. I need to be better about not knocking down the shampoo bottles.

2. I am grateful to a husband who loves me! I am grateful to this small random act of kindness. My heart grows each time this occurs. My heart grows in my love for my husband, and his goodness to me, and it grows in my desire to administer random acts of kindness.
Thank you, dear Bryan...once again for teaching me about kindness!

INTRODUCING....
LIGHTENING MCQUEEN, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, & LUCY from the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA!!!!

We had a fantastic Halloween! The kids ran from house to house with the excitement that only children can have! Jake was especially funny as he kept his little legs pumping, and his arms swinging in an effort to keep up with his sisters...he didn't slow down--he had a blast!

Story behind each costume:

Lightening McQueen:
Well, Lightening McQueen is a regular at our household. Occasionally we manage to escape the house without a car in hand, but only occasionally...

Alice in Wonderland:
Last year while in Disneyland, Amber fell in love with this costume. Every day as we entered the park, Amber mentioned the costume, stopped and looked at the costume, and pleaded with a her big, beautiful brown eyes for the costume. After some negotiating...it was concluded that Amber may have the costume, on the condition of her wearing it for Halloween. Amber accepted, and here we are...a year later...wearing Alice! It has been the best purchase of the year. Amber has worn it weekly...to school, and to play!

Lucy from Chronicles of Narnia:
Hailey just finished reading "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", and to her delight, she fell in love with Lucy's character, and the whole story! Lucy has inspired Hailey in area's of perseverance, courage, and faith! What a fun book for her to read!

HALLOWEEN PARTY!!!
We got together with a few adults for a Halloween party this year! Bryan and I went for the old traditional route...mummy and witch. We had a lot of fun!
Something I realized about myself...
1. I have never enjoyed dressing up...somehow it was always out of my comfort zone.
2. This year, I think I enjoyed dressing up!
3. Conclusion: Perhaps, I am getting too old to care...age adds wisdom right?! ( ...If dressing up like a witch means I have years of wisdom?) At any rate, I had a great time doing something I usually have to convince myself to do!

IT ALL STARTED WITH A TREE...
Last year during Halloween, I visited a friend that had a countdown Halloween tree. I searched everywhere for the same tree...to no avail. Two months later, among the Christmas trees, was a small purple tree. Perfect!
I remember telling my sweetheart of my plan..."First, I will use it at Halloween, then Christmas, then Valentine's Day, and finally I will use it for Easter too!" To be honest, I think he thought I was stretching the tree idea a bit far, but it was his uncertainly of whether a one-year project could be completed that kept me motivated! (Thanks, Honey, for the motivation!!!) So, one year later...our tiny purple tree has posed for a countdown for all four Holidays, and I am happy to announce I have completed four holidays worth of activities....
The Valentine's countdown focused on love scriptures, and we talked about what it meant to show love to those around us. The Easter countdown focused on Christ. We read scriptures, watched movies, and did fun simple activities all centered on Christ. Finally, Halloween has arrived, and our countdown went something like this....

I absolutely love how these activities provide "planned family fun"; however, I also think too much of a good thing, can change it into some less desirable. We have had to talk about what it means to not "expect" to do things, or "expect" to get things, which, to be honest, has been a good lesson. All in all, my kids absolutely look forward to the family time, and to tell the truth...building relationships with each other makes all the effort worth it!!!

COME LISTEN TO A PROPHETS VOICE

"And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them." Mosiah 2:6

General Conference brings tents to our home! Our children anticipate building the tent, eating on the carpet, and two days of pure joy of sitting under our table! This year our tent extended past those two days...somehow I couldn't bear to take it down while they were having so much fun! I think they slept in it for three nights until finally a sweet reminder, by my loving husband, was whispered in my ear about the nicety of eating on a dinner table. (I took it down the next day.)

LINDER FARMS HERE WE COME....

We had so much fun playing at Linder Farms this year! It's pumpkin patches, greasy doughnuts, and corn mazes that makes the cold weather bearable (I hate being cold)!!!

~Train/Cow Ride...Pulled by a Tractor (Jake's Favorite)~

~Amber Cruising the Slide~

~Even though Jakey is Smaller, He Always Ends Up on Top~

~FEEDING ANIMALS~

~CORN MAZE~

I AM SO BLESSED
I normally do not write random thoughts...I normally stick to writing about my family's many little adventures. Today; however, my thoughts keep coming back to me with a resounding, "I have been blessed", and I can't help but express my gratitude for all the world to see, and perhaps with this gratitude through my type...I will somehow express a small portion of my love. For my first time ever, I will write my thoughts, and hopefully reach the one man I hope to reach...I love you honey!
Part 1: Young women's project...I am on a mission!
Two weeks ago I started a project (inspired by my young women's manual) to express love to another person in my family. I chose--my husband as the prime target! I wrote washable crayon love letters on the shower walls, I made special meals, and I worked on saying "thank you" more often. Yet as the days past, I kept feeling like my husband was working on the same project, and he was doing a better job at it than me! He was even using my method of writing on the shower walls...(which I loved!)
Part 2: Our First Date
Last week my husband and I celebrated the 11Th anniversary of our first date. Eleven years ago we went to Big Judd's, and so every year since that date (that we have lived by a Big Judd's), we have celebrated by going to Big Judd's. Through the course of our meal (which we had to take to go), I playfully teased him that it had been eleven years since the last time he had surprised me. He teased me saying, "whoaaa...you will most definitely be eating those words very soon my dear...!"
One week later...I began eating my words...
My eternal companion and I were sitting at a drive-up window when he said, "sweetheart, would you mind looking at some a...food storage items in the glove box?"
To which I replied, "sure."
To my amazement, I sat staring at a plane itinerary to Paris, France (my dear friend, Jill Simmons had just moved to Paris, and I had teased my eternal companion on several occasions about going, but never had I ever imagined that that would ever come to pass...)
So many thoughts and emotions were going through my head as my sweetheart explained that everything was taken care of...he had cleared the trip with his boss, and he had the time off so that I could go gallivanting in Europe!
Part 3: I am so BLESSED!
So this brings me to my ultimate thought...I AM SO BLESSED! My heart is full. Not because I am going to Paris (don't get me wrong...that will be so fun). My heart is full, because I have someone in my life that teaches me so much about being Christ-like. He is always serving me and the kids. There are so many nights when he thinks I am sleeping, that he kisses me good-bye, and goes off to the kitchen to clear the dishes (while I selfishly enjoy the company of my couch)...simply because he knows that it is important to me. Without any asking on my part, he does all of the laundry...simply because he knows how much I hate laundry. Without any complaint, he does my every whim I send his way...pick up the kids here, help me with this, and oh by the way honey, do you think you could....? The list goes on and on, and I am so eternally grateful for this person I call my eternal companion. He is never thinking of himself. I really do not talk about him enough, or brag about him, because I don't want to brag. But today I want to brag! I want to proclaim how very blessed I am to have this sweet man in my life, and I want to feel good that I am bragging, and most of all I want the whole world to see that I am bragging just so he can truly see that I feel so incredibly blessed!
Ten years ago I sat on a lawn proclaiming to this man that I wanted to always be treated like a queen. Ten years ago this sweet man asked me to be his wife, and I agreed!!! Ten years ago I made the greatest decision of my life! I am so very blessed! I am blessed to have an amazing husband, and because of my decision ten years ago to become his wife, I am blessed to have three beautiful children whom I love and adore! I am blessed that this amazing husband honors his priesthood, adores his family, takes being a dad seriously, and puts Christ over all! I am so blessed to learn from his example!
I AM SO VERY BLESSED!
I LOVE YOU, BRYAN, WITH ALL MY HEART!! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!

SWEET REWARDS
September 12, 2009
We have a reward system at our house, where our children earn "rocks" if I catch them being good (i.e. serving one another, doing chores without being asked...). The goal is to fill a jar with rocks. Once the jar is full, the children pick an outing for us to do as a family. In September, the kids chose to go to ROARING SPRINGS. We all had a fabulous time! I can't wait until our next outing...KEEP EARNING THOSE ROCKS!!!

~ Jake anticipating the splash~

~Amber loving the splash~

Jacob loved the mat slide! I can't imagine how big it must have looked to a two year old, so I was so surprised when he agreed to ride. He seemed a bit nervous the first time, but he never veered from his determination to ride. After the first time down, there was no hesitation in the least! We rode this ride over and over again for at least an hour! Good times!

More Slide ACTION...

LABOR DAY FUN
We went to the zoo with Mollie Harlow and her daughter, Kalli, on Labor Day. The girls had so much fun running from exhibit to exhibit. I am not sure we saw very many animals, but that didn't deter anyone! It was such a perfect day for the zoo!

BACK TO SCHOOL!!!

Hailey and Amber started school! Amber is attending Desert Sage Elementary, and Hailey is still at Amity Elementary. We tried to get Amber into Hailey's school, but to no avail...

To be honest, I have dreaded this day for a long time. I always dread the beginning of school. I love having my kids at home. Don't get me wrong...I am not some amazing mom, but I do my best, and the thought of someone else teaching my children for the majority of the day is difficult for me. I have to put my whole trust in a teacher I don't even know. I have to believe that she will care for my child, and to be honest, I do not think that is always the case. So, with heavy heart I send my children to school. I send them to learn what I can't teach them at home. I send them to discover their identity. I send them to learn how to communicate properly to adults, and socialize appropriately with other children. And although I send them with a heavy heart, I also send them with a smile, because I know that even though there will be bumps along the way, there will also be great joy! And also because I know that those "bumps" along the way is what develops character. And isn't that what life's all about...working through the bumps, and finding the sunshine in every day moments?

This is a picture of Amber with her new teacher, Mrs. Witgenstien. We went to kindergarten round-up a few days before school, and Amber got to meet her new teacher!

~ Amber on the First Day of School~

~Hailey on the First Day of School~

BOTH GIRLS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:
They were so excited! They were practically jumping out of their skin just get to school! Good Times!