"All of us have problems. We face them every day. How grateful I am that we have difficult things to wrestle with.They keep us young...if that is possible. They keep us alive.They keep us going. They keep us humble. They pull us downto our knees to ask the God of Heaven for help in solving them. Be grateful for your problems, and know that somehow there will come a solution." --President Hinckley

{ Challenges }

Sometimes I read something and it jumps out so true to life this is one of them:::

“The challenges you face, the growth experiences you encounter, are intended to be temporary scenes played out on the stage of a life of continuing peace and happiness. Sadness, heartache, and disappointment are events in life. It is not intended that they be the substance of life. I do not minimize how hard some of these events can be. When the lesson you are to learn is very important, trials can extend over a long period of time, but they should not be allowed to become the confining focus of everything you do. Your life can and should be wondrously rewarding. It is your understanding and application of the laws of God that will give your life glorious purpose as you ascend and conquer the difficulties of life. That perspective keeps challenges confined to their proper place–stepping-stones to further growth and attainment.”
—This is part of a talk given by Richard G. Scott
Love it! What an awesome blessing the gospel is in our lives if only we lived it the way we should every single day!!!

{I've Been Tagged}

I've been tagged by my SIL Kristyn to write six things that most people don't know about me and that I haven't blogged about before. Here we go:

1. This is hard not sure lets's see I'm addicted to "Days of our lives" and have watched it for about 12 years most days. I put my kids down for a nap at 1, get on the treadmill and watch days and read a book.

2.Like Kristyn I get ready every single day hair, makeup, clothes (obviously)--- whether I'm going anywhere or not and each of my kids are showered, or bathed, hair done, clothed all usually before 8:30 on school days and other days pretty close to that.

3. I have to have everything picked up off the floor or counters before I leave my house to go anywhere, I can't go to bed without the dishes being washed and in the drainer ( don't have a dishwasher YET)

4. One summer I worked on a fishing charter boat (my dad's) off the coast of Vancouver I was the cook, cleaner, fisher-- I've caught stingray, huge halibut,rock cod, salmon, shark ( by accident it wasn't very big but a shark) Saw pods of whales mostly every day that was cool. A Deck Wench is actually what my title was And I lived it-- I hated it and probably was a wench j/k I learned alot and got all the money I needed for my next semester at Ricks!!

5. D and I kissed for over 9 hours in a store window in Logan Utah in 2000 while attending Utah State just to win cash and prizes we tied with another couple who wouldn't quit either, and won a backpackers tent, a wakeboard, and some boarding clothes and some cash( what poor starving students will do for a little money eh)/ ( D's favorite thing is waterskiing and he is dang good!!) So we haven't kissed since j/k!! But its not fun to kiss for that long plus I 'm shorter then he is so can we say ---sore back sore neck!!

6. Last but not least I have had over 5 surgeries to remove large ovarian cysts ( which Dr's compare to the size of various fruits funny considering I 'm so fruitless!!!

SO there it is !! I guess the rules are I tag 6 people then leave a comment that I tagged them on thier blogs --So here are my tags LAURA, TASHA, MAMA C, MANDY, MINDY, ERIKA

{ Thankful Thursday }

Today is thursday again the week flew by! First Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and family hope you have a great day!!

This is my awesome family !!!


• I'm thankful for family this weekend all 6 of us bro & sis's will be together I love it!! I have a great family and love them all so much we always have so much fun we are loud, laugh alot, and are sarcastic I think some of my bro's and sister in laws wonder what they got into sometimes but we have lots of fun!! Holidays make me think of family and how we grew up and what kinds of things we did together on every holiday. I know I want to have traditions and things my kids can always count on when its any holiday I love it! Like when we decorate the christmas tree we listen to christmas music (who doesn't eh) but then we have peppermint hot chocolate and watch Polar Express the kids love it, we look forward to it . What do you all do for the decorating of the christmas tree anything different or fun???



• I'm thankful I don't own fish (lol LQ) we are fish sitting and I am so scared they are going to die before the family gets home. But my kids are loving it and they are cute. But I keep having these stupid dreams that they are floating in the morning so the last two mornings I'm running in and checking the fish right away. No its fun and they are so easy to take care of !



• I'm thankful for food to eat, a house to sleep in and a warm one at that cause its cold!! Maybe I do want to move back to Florida j/k! I'll take cold over enormous bugs and spiders and lizards and cockroaches ( we lived in a shanty with no pest control three long months 3 cans of raid, lots of traps )!!!



• I'm just thankful to have all that I do there are so many things wrong in this world but I have a great husband who works hard for us all, fullfills his callings, and spends time with us when he can and I love him for that cause I know how very busy he is. He is a great father to our children he plays with them, reads to them, dances with them. And I know he loves me!



• I'm grateful to be a member of the LDS church. D works for the church ranches, our children come to us through LDS family services and I am just so thankful for all the blessing (and trials) that we have.

I hope everybody has a great day today, to many of us feel sorry for ourselves or compare ourselves to what everybody else can do or looks like. We just need to be a happier people and start serving others and then we will see how very blessed we each are cause there are so many people far worse off then we are right. --How's that for some christal wisdom or thought for the day ha ha! MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!!

{ This and That Weekend }

Some weeks fly by so fast! This weekend was crazy busy sat D took Kolt and went weaning in the morning at his dad's, which is fine cause I got some serious deep cleaning done. In the afternoon we went to a showchoir performance our town's youth puts on. The kids were really good Lauren was so cute she was doing all the actions with them people behind us kept commenting on it. She was actually really good a step or two behind but good. Masen actually even lasted 45 min of the hour and half!! That's a record-- he's growing up...right ( I hope-- behaviour wise) After that we ran into Cardston for D's uncle's 50th b-day party it was fun they had a dance afterwards it was so fun to actually dance!! Jive, 2 step! Seems like once you get married no more oppurtunities for fun dances. So I enjoyed it. The kids did too you know the limbo, chicken dance etc they thought it was great!! But sunday morn they were so tired I put them back down for a nap at 10 am and they slept for 2 and half hours! So by the time they got up it took them abit to get going so I figured I really didn't want to fight it in sacrament so we went an hour late which i have never done but they were so TIRED !! We are practicing our primary presentation for next week and I now have to sit with the sunbeams cause our teacher up and moved so it should be interesting next sunday, and the bonus is Kolten sits right behind me and sings in my ear--- loud ( now he's great but his singing is kind of like the one kid who is really off and loud and the one where everybody looks for you in sacrament and says ha ha thats your kid!! Its kind of funny but I'm just happy he knows all the words and will sing!! Gotta give him credit but I might need earplugs next week j/k!!

Then we headed back to Cardston last night for some family time with D's fam again D's brother is back from BYU for american thanksgiving so we played some pit so loud but fun! And all talked, but the kids were so extra tired this morning! Kolten was running late this morning to get out the door, and I had to head to town for Lauren's eye exam which thankfully turned out okay she is the same as she was really far sighted a plus 6!! Poor girl but she did great and they fixed her glasses up so they fit properly. I dropped Masen off at a friends and it was nice to spend some one on one time with her she is such a sweetheart. Which reminds me she was picking toothpaste and there was a strawberry shortcake one and a spiderman one and she said kolten would like spiderman and so she picked that one! I thought that was so sweet of her!!! M I listened to christmas music and decorated for christmas this afternoon-- I love christmas!!! So it was a good day.

Kolt even got his first report card today it was pretty good ! Proud of him his only thing really is that he talks to much-- he always has guess he's not any different in school so we sat down with him and went over is report card and talked about the great things he's doing and then talked about the things we/he could work on at home and school it was a good teaching moment and he went away feeling happy. I think that he's doing a great job. He so can't wait to read!! He is so awesome. So it was a good weekend long but got alot done! Some decisions made and nice to spend time with D as a family. So hope I didn't bore you to much but I'll post some pics with it too!!

{ANNOYED}

Have you ever been really annoyed by everything and anything before you even get out of bed? Yesterday I was so thankful for everything and today I'm so annoyed with everything. I need some D and me time away from this house and kids I think. But ya weaning cattle with three kids does not count nice idea but no thanks was thinking maybe dinner and anything?? Is it that hard? I love being a mom but today I wanted to walk out the door, catch a plane to cancun and lay on the beach for a week have a servant someone who gets ME breakfeast, lunch and dinner and does my laundry and brushes my teeth hum I think thats what my kids have. Instead I sat and read to them for an hour, cut Masen's hair, took Kolten to get a haircut, started dinner etc etc! So I scrapped a page a little while back with a nice reminder I need to look at once and awhile. So does anybody else have days like this?? Hopefully it will be a good weekend!!! -- Later

{5 year old wisdom....}

about recycling and saving the earth that is what I hear about everyday Kolten is learning about the environment in kindergarten this month. If I hear another word about garbage or recycling or "mom why are you throwing that away", or "why don't you use the other side of the paper too", or shut the water off mom if your not using it! He sounds like me on that one so maybe I can't blame that one on kindergarten!! But its so annoying don't get me wrong I'm all for caring about the environment and recycling (okay I don't do it but if I had alot of spare time to make 5 garbages and put the right garbage in the right place maybe I would!) But I cannot wait until the new topic starts! Love the boy but tired of the garbage topic and where everything should go. But I'm glad he's learning about all these new things. I guess he's just excited to share all he learns and I should be happy he wants to talk to me!! I remember last year friends who's kids were driving them nuts with all the recycling and garbage talk now I fully understand!!

Anyway on a different topic saw D for about an hour today, {before he left to take his company's president back to catch his flight back to SLC} so that was nice to see him and actually have a conversation with, in which I found out he lost his visa card and had to call and get a new one. Which didn't help with company expenses on the trip to the airport which now come from our account oh well thats life and it always get worked out!! I'm just glad I got to see him for an hour. He works so hard the kids are missing thier dad but they are being so good for not seeing him for 3 days now. Tomorrow he gets home but then has Baptisms for the dead with our ward youth so really they won't see him until friday. Hopefully we'll do something fun this weekend. Anway I need to go change a diaper before I die of the smell and read to my kids we are working through the narnia chronicles they love it sometimes we read for about an hour and sometimes I put them to sleep I feel like a good mom when that happens ha ha!! TTYL

{mother and daughter}

I love this picture of Lauren and I she is getting so big and changing alot. Today I get to go to parent preschool with her (and masen ) but she loves going and asks all week long when preschool is. She hardly pays attention to me there and loves a lady named Tessa there, sits on her lap for circle time and everything. It's kind of funny she is so independent so I guess its good.

She has had more trouble seeing lately though, we have to go to the eye Dr this week she keeps taking her glasses off and telling me she can't see and her one eye is doing something weird turning up and in. I had hoped her eyes would only get better catching it so early but I'm kind of scared to find out they are getting worse. I hope they aren't but I have a feeling they are. It's got to be horrible to not be able to see right, I feel bad for her. Well hopefully it will all be okay we'll deal with whatever it is. Gotta run. TTYL

{another day}

Some days are so deja vu-- get up, get showered, get ready, get three kids fed, showered, clothed and ready to go out the door by 8:15- its our car pool week so all kids in the burb and pick up a couple more drop off for kindergarten, go home, unload maybe have time to get another load of laundry going, eat breakfeast, vaccum, sweep, change another diaper, do the dishes, and its only 9:30!! Does anybody else feel so deja vu everyday? But the great thing is-- I love it --I wanted it and waited for it!! Didn't most of us!
Last night I went to tuck in all my kids and give them a kiss goodnight, when I came to tuck masen in he says sleeply "mommy", it was so comforting and precious that it brought tears to my eyes. That I have this beautiful little boy who calls ME mommy and who we fought so hard to keep here and he calls me mommy now and forever how lucky am I! I just felt so blessed .
Aren't they just all so cute and precious--- When thier sleeping?! I love it!!
Well I should go get more of something else I do everyday done.

{Masen}

Masen -- Well he will be 18 months this week he is such a busy boy and I mean busy-- He has almost been run over 3 times by running infront of trucks, and twice onto the highway. Ask anybody he runs and sneaks and his nickname is sampson hudini because he is strong, strong willed and can get into anything and everything. But we love him so so much!!! He is my cuddlest kid loves hugs and is such a boy. He loves to growl whenever he see's any animal. He is such a fun boy he loves his brother and loves {to tease} his sister!! He eats the most disgusting things too!! But I won't go there!! He is learning to talk good and he is just so fun. He is in nursery {for the last two months because I am in the primary presidency and d is in the bishopric so it makes things a little hard -- but good thing he loves nursery. Thats our baby who isn't such a baby anymore!! A ball of fire and fun!!!

{Kolten}

My Kolten-- he is going to be 6 in a month and half I can hardly believe it!! He goes to kindergarten and loves to learn and he can't wait to read! He loves movies, tv, loves to learn to rope and loves to go with his dad to the ranch. He is the worlds pickest eater! He loves to help me most of the time, he loves to pray and gives amazing prayers! He loves primary and he is such a wonderful kid. He's still my baby !! They grow up so fast its hard to believe. We waited along time for him to join our family and what a wonderful beautiful boy he is--- a very big blessing in our lives!!!

{Lauren}

This is my little Lauren Summer who is 3 she has a personality that is so fun she comes up with the most interesting things!! She loves life, her brothers, dolls, and lots of boy things, she wants to be a "hellarina" ha ha!! She is funny!!! She has wore glasses since she was 2 last dec and we have been through 5 pairs so far this year!!! She was horrible to potty train but I think we are doing good so far this month! She loves to dress up as a princess or whatever and she loves music and loves to pretend to bake !! Love her

D::The love of my life I love him SO MUCH!!! 12 years together almost (dating included) he is so awesome. I'm just so proud of him and where we are at this point in life and what its taken to get to where we are! Years of schooling--Ricks college, Utah State, U of S in Saskatoon, SK! And now he is General Manager with the church ( The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) over 3 ranches and 4 properties and he loves it! He is also kept so busy with being in the bishopric in our ward. But we love to be busy so thats how it is.

What I want to accomplish {as a blogger}....

Well after stalking blogs for a year I finally decided to start my own. I figure since D is gone alot with work and church stuff, and I always have alot to say, why not write it down where people can tell me I'm normal and all that happens here actually happens in other homes too {I hope}! I love other people's blogs and have learned so much about life, cooking, photography and crafts so maybe just maybe I have something to share too.
I love to bake, excersise, Read, scrapbook sometimes, make crafts and cards and take pictures not that I'm any good but its fun even with a crappy camera. I'm sarcastic. ANd I love being a mom and can't imagine life without any of our kids. We have been through alot over the years heartache, disappointment, complete joy, jobs, schooling, adoption three times over, and each of us have our own trials and heartaches all of which I think helps us grow and learn and love more stronger and more deeper- I know with us it definately has. Where would we be without trials and how lucky we are to have the ones we have, when there are so many that are so much worse off then us. We all learn different things from our individual trials and maybe we are given them to help others learn and grow too!!
Anyway we lived in Florida this year for 3 months for D's job training at a Ranch there from jan- march learned alot there, love the people, hated the bugs and the little shanty we lived but lived and learned and thats what we did. We drove across the states took 5 days--- loved seeing all the states loved disneyworld seaworld and the beach but really there is no place like home!!! I love Alberta!
We have been so blessed through adoption that it was a definate answer to prayers after 4 1/2 years of failed fertility treatments. But the heartache of never getting pregnant not even once in 10 1/2 years still hurts alot. But we can't imagine our lives without our three wonderful children that we have! So for that and how quickly each one has come to our home and family how blessed we are.
Well now I'll have somewhere to vent and share everyday life-- so feel free to leave a comment don't be a stalker like me j/k. TTYL {are you proud of me laura?}