I Hope They Call Me on A Mission

This last month I have a had some really neat experiences with the missionaries. Ben serves as the Ward Mission Leader in our ward and we have been so luckily the past couple of months to have sister missionaries in our area. I LOVE the sister missionaries. Last month I was able to take them to the temple and do a special session with them. I had a special experience there that made me feel the presence of my grandmother who passed away about 8 years ago.

Last night we had eaten dinner, played some games with the kids, had gotten them down and asleep and we were playing a game of Sequence when Ben got a phone call from the Missionaries. They were at the home of a new move-in in our ward and they are not members, but they had some questions for the missionaries. The only problem was that there were no females in the home so the missionaries couldn't go in. They were calling to see if there was any chance that Ben could get a sister to come over so that they could go in. I hurried and got dressed....I was in my P.J's and headed over there.

I am SO glad I was able to go. The brother that we met with is a refugee from Conga...I call him a brother because he already has such a strong testimony of our Savior and the miracles that have come into his life because our his faith. He was born Catholic, but has always felt that it was not the true church and didn't have the fullness. He is a father of 6 children and grandfather of 3 and the spirit in the home was strong. I was able to bear my Testimony to him of my Faith and how the Savior has help me in my life. I was so excited that he set up another appointment for next Sunday. I was a little bummed thought that I won't be able to go due to a fireside I am doing.

When I got home I told Ben that I can't wait until we are able to go on a Mission together. I didn't go on one earlier in life because I got married, but I am excited for the opportunity to do it with Ben one day.

Happy 54

This is a couple of days late.....but on Wednesday my dad turned 54. There was a time in my life when I wanted NOTHING to do with my parents....after all, they knew nothing and wouldn't let me do what I wanted. As time has gone on in my life I realize just how important my parents are and how much I need them....I did then....and I do now.

If you would have told me 15 years ago that I would turn out just like my dad I think I would have died!.......But it is the truth! I am so much more like him than I would have ever cared to admit at the tender age of 16.... I have gained his love for learning.....I am constantly wanting to learn how to do new things especially when it comes to photography and videography. I am stubborn....just like him.....I want to be a healthier person and have a strong body. Anyone who knows my dad knows this is important to him. I parent very similar to him. As much as it drove me crazy that he cared so much about me, I care so much about my kids and often times I think that I am to hard on them.....just like I though he was on me....yet I turned out to be a wonderful person....I think, and I hope that my children will regard me as I do my dad.

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY dad! You are, and always will be one of the most amazing people to me and I love you so much.

Goof-Ball

There really isn't much to report on in  our house lately....ok, there is, I just can't talke about it yet. Anyways, today when I went to pick up Sweet Cheeks from Pre-school I was informed by his teacher that this little guy is the class clown. He is the leader of the goof-ball club. He recieved a sticker on his forehead in honor of his goofballness.....is that a word?

San Francisco

A couple of weeks I got a phone call from Ben who was at work. He asked me if there was any way we could get someone to watch thed kids for a few days. I asked him why, and apparantly there was a problem with one of the shipments at work and he needed to drive to San Francisco with his brother and fix it. Anyways, to cut costs they needed some cheap....ok FREE labor.... so I was asked to go.
So Thursday Jan. 12th at 1:30 PM we headed out on our 11 hour car ride. The ride actually wasn't so bad, besides my tailbone hurting like the dicken's by the time we got there. We pulled into the hotel at 10:45 that night and went to sleep. We woke up at 5:30 the next morning and got to the dock at 6:30. From 6:30 Friday morning until 1:30 Saturday morning we unloaded, palletized, and labeled 5 containers that had over 10,250 boxes of scrapbook product in them. I hurt SO BAD the next day.

We couldn't get into the docks on Saturday or Sunday so we had a couple of days to see San Francisco. I have to say I'm not much of a fan.....I have NEVER seen so many FREAKS in my entire life. It goes to show you that I live in a bubble.....and I love my bubble!

Ben's brother is a complete foodie...so we had to make it to one of the restaurants featured on Diners, Drivins and Dives. Rocco's was pretty good. Cute little cafe, but I think we were the ONLY people in there that weren't gay!

After lunch we headed down to the warf where I guess all the action is. All up and down Peir 39 are street vendors/acts whatever you want to call them. We stopped to watch one. It was an acrobatic act and I have to say it was quite entertaining.

I was a little bummed because really the only two things I wanted to see was the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz....unfortunatly the tickest to Alcatraz were all sold out....so this is as close as we got.

We walked down to the warf and saw the ships and battle ships. It was pretty cool.

I think if Ben and Kelly didn't have me with them they actually would have eaten at the warf....but I am NOT a fan of seafood....just the smell actually makes me sick.

I made them walk up to the old cable cars to get a picture. Poor guys could barely walk though so I thank them for trying!

Alcatraz Island again

On Sunday Ben and I found a ward to attend church with. We got back to the hotel...took a little nap and then went down to the consier to see what the best bridge to take to Oakland was. When we asked both people looked at us and asked if we REALLY had to go to Oakland. I asked them if there was something wrong and they told me it was the worst place to go as far as violence goes. Ben and I felt pretty confident in our GPS so we decided to go and see the Oakland temple. Before going though we had to stop off to see the Golden Gate Bridge. It is quite unerveing being on a bridge for so long over the ocean in Earthquake city!!

We did make it to the Oakland temple without ANY incident and I'm so glad we decided to go because the temple is BEAUTIFUL!!! The grounds were beautiful as well. It is actually one of the only temples that you can walk on top and walk around. The view was gorgeous!!!

Monday came, and so did another day of work. We were hoping to get out of there by noon, but we didn't end up leaving until after 7:00. We drove all night long and pulled into our driveway at 7:30 AM. It was so nice to be home....and I know my parents were especially glad we were home! 

Faith of A Child

I've sat in a car as one mother will tell the story about their young child and how they've lost something and the child tells their mother that they should "just say a prayer" and they will find it.

Well.....I HATE to balance my checkbook.

I do it every month, but I HATE doing it!

Yesterday I was balancing the books.

I had done it 6 times....and 6 times it came up uneven.

Not just a few dollars.......several HUNDRED dollars.

I could NOT for the life of me figure out what the problem was.

After nearly an hour, I was frustrated and ready to give up.

Then I remember the faith of that little child....

"Just say a Prayer"

So I did......

I decided to give it one more go......

Wouldn't ya know, I figured out what I had been doing wrong and everything was balanced.

Prayer does that for you.....

When in doubt, say a prayer and everything will balance out!

Camera Phone Download....

I finally got a around to downloading some of my phone pictures to my computer. It's too bad they aren't better quality because they are just so darn cute!

When we were getting ready to go to Temple Square I wanted to make sure Sister's snowsuit fit her. I got her all in it and she just wanted to run around. I just love her face! She cracks me up!

Sweet Cheeks is such an AMAZING big brother. The other day I caught him as he pulled Sister on his lap and started to read her a book.

I took this picture because Ben was at a Jazz game and the kids were BEGGING to have a bubble bath. I thought the all looked so cute all bubbled up, so I took a picture to send to Ben. He told me that when he got it he thought it was a picture to always treasure because you see pure joy on all 3 of the kids faces. I actually had to give the a shower afterwards to get all the bubbles off!

New Years Resolutions 2012

I have thought alot about my New Years Resolutions for this year.....

Obviously....because it's already the middle of the month.

We usually have a Family Home Evening at the beginning of the month to go over our resolutions as a family, but this year we haven't done it yet and it's about time I write down my resolutions.

Growing up, my dad always said,

"A Goal Not Written Down is Only a Wish."

So here are my goals, written down, for the whole world to see. I want to focus on a few things this year.....Health, Organization, Simplification and Spirituality

• Health - As I mentioned, in  the later part of 2011 I was able to lose a few pounds and get a little leaner. My goal for this coming year is to continue taking care of my body....Keeping it strong.....working out and eating right. I'm not going to say I am cutting out sugar because I could NEVER do that. I just don't want to overindulge.
• Organization - There are two things I want to work on in this area. I have a "File Pile" next to the filing cabinet that gets bigger and bigger. I don't think anything has actually been filed in over a year...it just gets added. So my goal sit to get it all filed and keep up on getting filed....NO MORE PILE! I also am way WAY behind on my scrapbooking....I have gone mostly digital so I want to try and get caught up in that department. My goal is to get 2 layouts done a week.
• Simplification - I love having dinner ready at the end of the day....there are days when I don't know what to cook and it stresses me out. For Christmas last year my sister made me a dinner menu calendar. My goal is to make the calender out for 2 weeks, do the grocery shopping and then I don't have to worry about what's for dinner. I have done this in the past and it works so well! I also want to work on keeping my house clean. With little ones it is so hard to take 4 hours and clean a whole house. So I want to be able to break it down to just a couple of things a day....that way something is always clean.
• Spirituality - I feel I have been lacking this myself lately. I get so caught up in day to day things that I don't take the time to recognize or invite the spirit. My goal for this year is to read and Ensign article once a day, listen to uplifting music while getting ready in the morning, say morning personal prayers and read the Book of Mormon.

Hopefully these goals will help me balance my life and make me a happier person. If I can work and accomplish these goals I have a feeling 2012 will be an amazing year!

Imaginations

For Christmas Sister got this really cute shopping cart and food from Ben's parents....however, this is what she would rather do with it. The girl has her brothers wrapped around her little finger. She gets them to push her around in it for quite a while before they get bored of it......Love that smile by the way!

Pickles = 0 Cal

So last month we had our life insurance guy come and go over a few things with us. Come to find out we could save $100.00 a year if Ben had a physical done and met some requirements. So we said let's do it. Well.....we found out Ben needed to lose a few pounds in order to meet the requirements. So needless to say one of Ben's New Years resolutions is to get in better shape. He has become a calorie counting freak!! It's on the verge of driving me nuts, but I'm trying to remain supportive.

Last Saturday he was starving and looking for something to eat that had little or no calories....come to find out pickles have no calories! He was in heaven just eating them one after another....me on the other had have an adversion to pickles since eating a whole bottle in an hour while pregnant with K Bear!

SNOW....FINALLY!!!

The kids (and I) have been waiting for this day for so SO long!

I wanted snow for Christmas....

we didn't get it.

I wanted snow for the day AFTER Christmas...

again, we didn't get it.

I wanted snow for New Years...

yet again, we didn't get it!

I was not a happy camper!

*********

I checked the weather last week and the

weather-woman said that we were to get a "dusting" of snow on Saturday.

The kids have been asking me EVERY day when we were going to get snow.

They asked me on Friday and I told them that we "might" get a little the next day.

*********

Saturday morning Ben woke up to go to the gym.

The next thing I hear is the shovel.

I was more excited than Christmas Morning!

I got the boys up and told them to look out the window.

JOY!!!! They were ecstatic!

For the next 3 hours they asked if they could go out and play......

it was only 7:30 AM!

After lunch we put Sister down for a nap,

got the winter gear on,

and sent the boys outside!

They had a BLAST!!!