{ Thankful Thursday }

About time for a new post eh! Things have been busy the last few days meetings, farewells, and an Adoption presentation that went pretty good I think. I did it with a birth mother who did a great job telling her story too. It was nice to hear two opposite ends of the adoption spectrum. I was so nervous, its alot harder to share your story and feelings, basically your life with people you know and spend every week with. Than to do it for people you probably won't see again. But I think it went good we both cried and really got to share feelings from the heart which in turn touched alot of hearts I think (I hope.)
Anyway, So its been a good week so far busy like we like it.


So this week I'm Thankful for a lot first for:

1. Friends ~ Yesterday I spent about 4 hours talking to people about life, situations, problems, concerns and just life in general. They all know I won't say anything to anybody and that what they say is confidential. I love talking, listening to people hearing people's stories and knowing that we are all the same. We all have feelings of inadequacy, hurt feelings, feelings of indecision, feelings of sympathy and empathy for others, we all go through hard life trials each our own maybe to be able to help and be there for others, to help others in their trials. We all have feelings of wondering what others are thinking about us even if we say we don't care, we all want and need good friends. We all have a need to feel accepted, loved and cared about. No matter our life situations. Life is hard but its alot easier with good friends and caring family.
2. I find alot of words of wisdom in the books I read I love to read! This week I read Rachael Ann Nunes "Flying Home" its so good!!! That is where the last post's quote came from. Sometimes I read something that sticks with me, then go back and read it again and them write it down. I'm a simple person and when something is profound yet I can understand it then I love to share it or keep it for myself.

So this is from awhile ago from a book I read but I'm so thankful for my scriptures I've found so many answers to questions and really in miraculous ways sometimes.

" We try to read scriptures every day. I figure if God went to all the trouble of providing instructions, the least we can do is read them, especially if we're going to be asking for his help all the time. Its like asking your mom for a recipe then when she sends it, you ignore it and call her on the phone and ask how to cook the dish. We have the scriptures to tell us how to live a Christlike life and how to solve many of the problems we'll encounter, but we often ignore them and continually ask for guidance when He's already given it to us."

I love that because it is so true how often do we get on our knees pleading and crying for help? When if we open our scriptures the answers are there for us. If we all read them more we'd all be a kinder, Christlike people with more empathy for others, more strength to give to others, we'd be there for more people through service and open and ready to be there for someone. We would be a more caring, charitable people. We are a selfish world and so all about me oriented, so much competition in this day. Why can't we be more
caring, more thoughtful and more patient ( I know there are alot of people out there who are those things but we can all do better especially starting with ourselves) With alot less complaining, less rushing , less competing we would all be a more Christlike people. What a better world it would be.Just something to think about. OKAY on a lighter note number 3--

3.I'm SO SO grateful every morning that I wake up that I have good eyes that they aren't all blood shoot, puffy red and disgusting and itchy so today I'm going to share my disgusting before and afters's so here you go: I'm thankful to know what my allergies are and to avoid them.

This is what my eyes looked like on a pretty good morning without hydro cortisone that I had to put on every night for 6 years. They usually looked scaly puffy and red during the day.

Big difference eh!! Let me tell ya if you have major skin problems go get patch tested! It only took dr's 6 years to figure it out!! I'm so THANKFUL for whites and feeling 100% better for 5 months now!!

Well hope everybody has a great week that's my thankfulness post for this week kind of deep eh. I'll think of something more fun later this week. Make it a good one.

{ Something to Think about.. }

"When we're young, we only think about what we don't have, instead of what we do.
We think of all the places we haven't been, instead of the places we have.
We think of all the things we want to learn instead of what we already know."

{I like that--- sometimes we spend to much time wasted, in wishing instead of being grateful for the places we have been, the things we have learned, and all that we've been blessed with.}
Just something to think about....

{ What Happens.....}

When you send a husband out to do service on the ranch with a bunch of scouts over the weekend?????....... THIS IS.... Check out these awesome pictures taken by D.

I know nice hat kolt his daddy dressed him j/k Kolten loves to try to dress like dad especially when they go do something together if dad's wearing a hat so is he even if it happens to BE daddy's hat!! Love my boys!!
So ya I didn't really send D out to do service he needed some clean up/ blow up/ burn down on the Ranch so it was a good time-- sounds like something for the scout camp I'm pretty sure it was a hit with a bunch of 12-14 year old boys.
( I know I changed my blog again why because spring left and its SNOWING again outside I'm so so sick of snow and cold) So when I feel springy again I'll change it again ! It's kind of fun anyway changing it up all the time.

{ Legacy of Adoption }

Once there were two expectant mothers.
One carried and cared for you beneath her beating heart.
She became your Birthmother.
The other carried the hope of you within her,She became your Mom.
As the days passed, and you grew bigger and stronger,
Your Birthmother knew that she could not give you all she needed after your birth.
Meanwhile, your Mom was ready and waiting for you.
One day your Birthmom and your Mom found each other.
They looked into each other's eyes and saw a friend.
Your Birthmom saw the life your Mom could give you.
Your Mom saw how much your Birthmom loved and cared for you.
They decided that what you needed was both kinds of love in your life.
So now you have two families, One by birth, the other by adoption.
And now you have a home where you can get:
your questions answered, your boo boos bandaged,
your heartaches soothed, and much-needed hugs.
And a place where you can find: answers to your questions,
your image in the mirror,a part of yourself, and much-needed hugs.
Two different kinds of families.
Two different kinds of love Both a part of you.

Author Unknown

Just wanted to share !

{Favorite Things Friday }

It's my little sisters birthday today. Happy Birthday Holli girl!! She has had quite the past year and deserves a great 29th year!

My sisters are some of my Favorite people in this world-- we have so much fun together laughing, reminiscing, shopping, watching our children play and wondering how we all got to be this old in this stage of life. Holli has had her fair share of health problems she suffers from ulceritive colitis and had three surgeries last year and the year before she finally ended up in the Mayo clinic after she got down to weighing in the 90's we are so glad she is getting healthy and feeling so much better. She has two cute kids and is a great mom!! Sure love her. She is such a fighter and a great example! I'm glad I have such great sisters.

Some of my favorite things are:

Salt City Candles love them!

Silly kids who want there pictures taken then act like monkeys love it! Because before we know it they will never want there pictures taken!

love crest white strips a couple times a year a quick fix and works great!

Favorite Kid Lessons in life: Masen always eats snow off people's boots when they come in from outside. So we thought it would be fun to get a bowl of snow and a spoon for him cause we really thought he would love it cause he always eats it inside and out and says ummm!! So apparently the effect isn't the same in a highchair since this was the reaction we got. D and I have to much fun!

I love love traveling this is in front of the ruins of the Berlin wall!! Loved loved going to Germany!! Favorite things are learning about others cultures and lives and history! This second Germany picture in front of checkpoint charlie SO MUCH HISTORY!!

So that's probably enough for today! I could go on and on about my trip to Germany in 2006 maybe I'll do a future post on it for fun!

D comes home tonight and we got out for a long walk went to the library got some books, and tired the kids out who are now taking a very nice nap! So its starting to feel like spring and I'm so excited soccer starts soon and I'm the soccer association secretary so life will be really busy next month after registration! But I love to be busy!! Have a great weekend!

{Thankful Thursday }

I'm thankful that it is warm today the sun is ACTUALLY shining.
I'm thankful that I finished a project I've been working on for too long this week!
I'm thankful for a babysitter who gave me a five hour break while I took care of things in town.
I'm thankful for great kids who are getting big and are so full of life and are healthy (the reason I need the break ha ha)
Thats all for today gotta run again. What a week!

{ Anything Is Possible..}

If there was ever a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing,
IT IS NOW.
Not for any grand cause, necessarily... but for something that tugs at your heart, something that's your inspiration,
something that's your dream.
You owe it to yourself to make your days here count.
HAVE FUN. DIG DEEP. STRETCH. DREAM BIG.
Know, though, that things worth doing seldom come easy. There will be good days. And there will be bad days.
There will be times when you want to turn around, pack it up, and call it quits.
Those times tell you that you are pushing yourself, that you are not afraid to learn by trying.
PERSIST.
Because with an idea, determination, and the right tools, you can do great things.
Let your instincts, your intellect, and your heart, guide you.
TRUST.
Believe in the incredible power of the human mind. Of doing something that makes a difference. Of working hard. Of laughing and hoping. Of lazy afternoons. Of lasting friends. Of all the things that will cross your path this year.
The start of something new brings the hope of something great,
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

Author Unknown


(Busy week this week found this and love it maybe I'll get to the end of this week!!
Kids aren't in school this week, D is on a business trip for three days and things are crazy. My pet peeve for the day my house is to small Masen can open his door even with a door security thingy on it, he gets out of bed about 7 times before he finally if he does settle down it is beyond frusterating he wakes the kids up a good hour before they are ready and the day starts off wrong!! Any suggestions I need help???
{ A post isn't a post without a picture so here's to random!!} Yes we need new family pictures one of these days!
Needed a blog face lift too. Needed to feel a little more brighter!! When will spring be here?? I can't wait I have cabin fever I think I need out!!! blah blah I know.

Hope everybody is having a great week. Make it a great one.

{ Long Weekend }

Finally I get a minute to sit down and catch my breath and catch up the blog I really missed my computer ha ha. Saturday we went to cranbrook, bc D's sister lives there. There was so so much snow in Fernie { a ski town } that the stop signs were just about covered and you couldn't even see the stores on the sides of the road because of the plowed snow on the sides it was INSANE!

Sat afternoon Melissa and I went to the jenny phillips fireside it was alright. Then we headed for the hill for some night skiing Okay so I haven't been for like 8 years and let me just say I was scared! I did two runs on a BLUE run because it was the only run open for night skiing {i'm a easy, green run, snowplowing kind of girl } I really don't care to scare to die. I do have 3 kids to take care of. So I braved it two runs and the snow was okay but by the third time it was icy and I was afraid I wouldn't make it down the hill. But there was no WAY I was going again! But it was fun to get out and do something. Sunday went to church there and got to do a little spill on adoption for the YW's cause melissa was teaching so she asked me to tell a story about a time when the scriptures and prayer help guide me so it was fun to share and make aware. It was fun going to her ward cause I actually knew a few people I used to be in that stake about 17 years ago as a youth weird to say that makes me feel old!! But it was fun to see some faces I hadn't seen in years. Sunday night we came home with grouchy, crying kids who feel asleep as soon as they got to bed!

Today was a holiday here too except its called Family day. So we hurried and went to the temple this morning only to find out that there were so many people they had to make a later session but D had to be back before it would be done. So we did {int.} instead and it was really good to actually do something different. So it was a busy day. Got alot done and cleaned up the aftermath of the trip. We had FHE on service, and took the kids around to take down our wards flags that we put up each holiday in the morning its { a scout fundriser the yw/ym do each year to raise money usually they are the ones to put up and take down, but that calling needs to be filled so it falls on D so lucky us all} They kids liked it though so we made them popcorn and read some scriptures on service and put the wild things to bed! Love them but today they wore me out. Masen has got to be the worlds most busiest baby ever!! Within 5 minutes of being at Melissa and Eric's house masen had spilled half a gallon of milk trying to pour himself a glass he had the cup out and had taken the lid off himself of the milk pulled the chair out and all! Seriously you can't leave him for a second he goes around quietly exploring everything and leaves a wake of disaster along the way!! He's a great kid keeps us on our toes that for sure he is just extremely busy!!

It was fun to get away but not fun to clean up after it all or deal with the whiney tired kids. But its worth it,--Right??

Here is my cute sister in law and BIL

{ Favorite Things FRIDAY}

I hope everybody had a great Valentines Day D bought me these really pretty pink roses and we had a good night together. Did I mention I really love that guy! Anyway I got up early (but the kids got up even earlier and ruined my surprise) So I made them play in thier rooms until I was ready-- they never wake up at 5:30!! But they decided to yesterday so at six I wanted to make pink blueberry pancakes and I made them all a valentine note/card and got them a treat so we all had a nice breakfeast all together it actually turned out really fun just talking together at 6:30 in the morning the kids loved it (although they were super grouchy all day) Oh well can't win everything right!

This weekend we are getting away the whole family and going skiing and visiting with D's sister cute fam so excited to get out of town and I haven't skiied in YEARS so it'll be lots of fun!! We also get to go to a Jenny Phillips concert she is so good love her songs!! So have a great weekend talk to ya next week!!!

Well here are my favorite things for this week~~~

My treadmill is one of my favorite things and it sits right in the living room and makes me feel guilty if I don't get on it! But I have to admit I'm excited for it to get nice so I can run outside again!

Polka dots, circles, on clothes, bags, paper pretty much anything is some of my favorite things love them!! (ex.This is a skirt)

I love all sorts of body lotions I have more then 15 from Bath n body works and victoria secret and I have all season smells like cucumber for summer etc!! My favorite smells.

My favorite bags I ordered like 6 of them!! They are so handy and can carry so much I use them for church bags, diaper bags anything bags love them!! Especially since they are like 3 bucks at the byu idaho bookstore and they ship to canada bonus!!

My Favorite shampoo now that I can't use anything else pretty much but I love it !



My favorite things of course include my scriptures which I actually never read j/k every morning I listen to the scriptures on CD while I get ready for the day. I love it cause I get way more out of it listening to it instead of letting my mind wonder while ready. But at night I read a bit and I love to read the words to hymns too. They have profound meaning if you really read and think about them!
So that's probably enough for today. How blessed we are to have so many "things" when we really could live without alot of them but it is nice to have them. But I have lots of favorite things that aren't things and mean a whole lot more like building a snow family at night with my kids (okay so one ate snow and whined and the other cried but we got a snow family made Kolten did most of the work ha ha!!) Then the wind came and blew them down oh well the memory will last alot longer! Pretty interesting snow family eh can you spot lauren behind her snow double!! Fun times! Have a great weekend!

{ Thankful Thursday } HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Since its Valentines Day I'm thankful for the love of my life. D. I LOVE THIS MAN. {I love my kids too but I always write about them.} So today I'm thankful for this man I love the friendship we share, the time we spend together and I love us and what we mean to each other. I love to LIVE, LAUGH AND LOVE with this man!Today well actually Feb 15 11 years ago at the end of a long date we got engaged. We have been through 11 years of love and learning and growing but I'm thankful for all I've learned along the journey. Going through lots of schooling -bachlors and masters degrees at Utah State and U of S was hard--but D worked so hard he got schlorships and awards along the way so many that by the time we were done we did it debt free but not without alot of sweat and tears (mostly on my part the tears part anyway) and bad jobs for both of us to get through. Now D has the job of his dreams and loves it - he is a great boss and does a great job juggling family, work and bishopric duties. I appreciate his efforts in balancing his time more then he knows.

So life over the last almost eleven years has brought us lots of joy and dissapointments like 6 failed fertility treatments alot of tears and frusterations but we are a stronger couple because of it and better parents I think because of the struggles in becoming parents, 3 adoptions produced 3 beautiful children who mean the world to us and can't imagine life any other way without them, 12 moves later, lots of trips later, love and learning has brought us this far in life and I'm excited for an eternity more as long as D is beside me all the way (cheesy I know ) but it is Valentines day. We are busy and love life. D is my best friend we get along so well and laugh alot, and take each day at a time. I'm so THANKFUL for him he makes me a better person, he is a wonderful father, a great example to us and all he works with. He works hard and does what is right. Somedays I wonder how I got so lucky and blessed to have D in my life.

He is AWESOME and I love him ! Here are some of my favorite pictures of him!!

{ Toddler Tuesday Poems and Previews...}

This toddler makes lots of squishy hug and kissy noises and makes lots of dog noises and makes me mad sometimes, makes me laugh, makes big messes, makes me hug and kiss him and makes me want to pinch him when he is so bad in Sacrament or in the store. This toddler makes me wonder what life was like before children. I'm so glad I have this toddler in my life. I just love him so much.

This toddler makes me smile to watch her play, she makes me laugh at her funny words and phrases, she makes me cry when she gets hurt and says I want my mommy, she makes me hope that life is always good to her. Makes me smile with her cuteness. She makes me appreciate princesses and barbies and good books since she always wants to do one of them with me.

She makes me feel so glad to be her mom!

This boy makes me so proud to have a son who cares so deeply for others, who has a zest for life and learning, who makes me so mad sometimes I don't even know what to do with him, he makes me smile when he tells me he loves me every day before school, he makes me laugh with his sarcastic humor (because its so like something I would say), he makes me proud when he sticks up for his brother and sister, he makes me laugh when he says our next baby boy's name is going to be obi one konobi and thinks he is the funniest kid in the world, he makes me Happy.

(A friend sent this to me and I love it its so true!!)

Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom I had never been puked on.

Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests.Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her children.

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom I had never gotten up in the middle

of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a mom.

This has nothing to do with any of this but I'm

So excited for this Aug 2/2008:

Have a great day and a Happy Valentines Day make it a good one for everybody.

{ Thankful Thursday }

So thankful to be a mother and have the children I'm blessed to have. So today is a questionaire

thankfullness style.
Motherhood Questions :

Typical time of wake-up: About 7 am for the kids and 6:30 for me to get a head start and ready for the day!

On a good night when you/kids go to sleep: Kids between 7 -7:30, D and me about 11:00

How long you have been a momma: 6 years, 42 days.

How many times have you been a new mom: 3

How old were you when you became a mom: 27

Favorite Kids show: -I do like ones that actually teach something color letters to read or anything like that but
-Some disney movies too

-My kids love doodle bops and super why?

Least Favorite Kids show: -I detest Barney! We got it in Florida the kids loved him but I really really do not like the purple dude!!
-So many to choose from...

Favorite chore: - Thankful for all of them j/k but I do love vaccumming- straight lines- ocd comes through ha ha

Least favorite chore: -The bathrooms. Can't stand them yuck!!

Meal you cook most often:

- Love chicken meals but the kids love mexican food and eat it better then anything else so
probably tacos something like that

Kids favorite meal: -Kolten: PB J sandwiches, applesauce and cereal
-Lauren: hot dogs and mac n cheese, Masen pretty much anything

5 things that make you smile when you are being a mom:

1. Hearing my kids play nicely together and laughing hard

2. Hearing I love you anytime and big hugs and kisses

3.At night when I put them to bed and they say "love you mommy".

4. Watching the kids stick up for each other when other kids are around and not so nice sometimes

5.silly questions and dumb jokes or words that make no sense

Favorite thing your husband does with your kids: -When D plays bull riding with them, he plays with them after supper almost every night anything they want to dance or spin in the computer chair a favorite of thiers, or play tag and hide and go seek. They love it. I love watching them or listening to them while I clean up after dinner.

Last time you went out with no kids: - To the chiro this morning my awesome sister watched them ! Very thankful for her she is the best!

If you could take your kids anywhere where would it be: -Somewhere warm, the beach probably somewhere with lots of water, they love it, we love it!!

Favorite pastime/activity with kids: -Being outside when its warm, going to the park or on walks can't wait for spring!

1 thing you said you would never do when you were a mom: -not sure, can't think of anything right now???

If you had an afternoon to yourself what would you do? -Same thing I already do probably go on the treadmill, read and clean up. Or maybe go shopping not really sure it never really happens so who knows.

1 thing you do that your mom did & now you do: Favorite quality of your own mom: -Probably reading to the kids, loved when mom read to us, she read all the classics and now we read every night most nights books like narnia its our special time just before bed etc

Favorite kids book: -Guess how much I love you?

Best advice for a new mom: -enjoy every minute because it passes so quickly

Scariest or most heartbreaking moment as a mom: -Being sued three times for custody of Masen by his B.F and wondering if he would be taken from us it was so hard to go through. SO thankful that everything turned out just fine!! But it was really HARD!!
-and the two times Masen ran out in the highway and almost got hit by 2 trucks (he is the worlds busiest baby ) it really was two seconds and he was gone

Most joyful moment as a mom: -GETTING TO BE A MOM. BEING CALLED MOM. AND HAVING THOSE BEAUTIFUL BABIES PLACED INTO MY ARMS AT PLACEMENT THAT IS JOY!!
- Being sealed to each of our children after each adoption was finalized words can't even describe the joy in knowing that finally these little babies are ours forever. Every hardship in getting them here to our home was worth every second for the feelings of being sealed together forever in that perfect beautiful moment that will last forever.

-OH and when I put each one to bed at night!! ha ha

Love these three so much-- so thankful I get to be a mom!! So I won't tag anybody but give it a try!

{ WOW 3 }

Love surprises ! Exciting eh.

Love this gospel and love President Thomas S. Monson, Henry B Eyring and Dieter F Uchtdorf. Big shoes to fill but they will be incrediable.

{ Wow }

For those of you who went to or watched the funeral of President Hinckley was that not a wonderful funeral. What a great man I sure will miss him, it's kind of like losing your own grandpa or something. Everything about him is so lovable and down to earth. He loved people from all corners of the earth, was accepting and loving of everyone I wish we could all be more like that everywhere. I watched it on BYU TV so on there you got to see them coming to the funeral, saw the prophets children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I thought how wonderful is it that we know we will see our loved ones again what a wonderful church to belong to, how true the gospel is and how wonderful and real the sealing covenant is!! Isn't it great that we know there is life after this one that we WILL see our loved ones again we can go to a funeral and laugh about the wonderful things that person did and have faith that the time will come to see them again, we don't have to be depressed and sad but happy for the life and legacy they leave for us and for each family . After the funeral I watched the graveside ceremony until they gave them the privacy they needed and shut the cameras off but it was amazing the people, the prayer, the love that was felt from all over the world for this wonderful man what a tribute to his life and legacy. I watched a ksl presentation on his life after that it was so good I cried and learned a couple new things too. He was amazing!!