{ Happy New Year 2010...}

LOOKING BACK at 2009

1. What did you do in 2009 that you've never done before?

I got to Bath a brand new baby for the first time just after he was born and I got to see him smell him, feed him, love him his first night in the hospital,

and bring him home the next day, we've never

had that opportunity with

our other children! Sweet little K2!!

AND then Taking that same sweet baby in for a CT scan five months later-- scary, and going on a cruise, and building the basement from framed/cement to finish -- we survived

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions and will you make more for next year?

My new year’s resolution is the same one it is every year spend quality time with my children and family, keep up with exercise, read my scriptures, prayers and temple attendance.... all of which was a little harder adjusting to four kids but is getting back on track.

AND will be awesome this year!

3. 3.Did anyone close to you give birth? Any weddings?

My sil Katelyn to studly little Spencer, my sister Holli to beautiful Malia, and my brother and sil to another beautiful niece Peyton in April!

As for Weddings wow did we ever my youngest two siblings got married this year and D's sister in the summer,

my sister in April

and my "little" brother in October

and Allison {to Brady} in June! Crazy wedding year!!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

We had a friend Lori die of cancer earlier this year, she was young and left a husband and two small children. We had D’s uncle die last month too,

5. What places have you visited?

We went to the Bahamas on a cruise, to the Florida keys, Miami and to Utah this summer, two watersking trips this summer to the lake! A good year and lots of memories!

ahhh relaxation!

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Some fun family trips with just our kids, lots more family memories, a new waterski boat lol!!!And of course to get in better shaped and more toned up!!

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched in your memory and why?

July 2^nd the day K2 was born and probably the day we were told we were chosen to be his parents, and meeting his amazing birth parents and the feelings that went along with it feeling it was so right, and that we had met them somewhere before.

Then the day we were told K2 has {INS} Infantile Nystagmus Syndrome.

Discouraging day.

FYI for those of you who would like to fast along with us on the first Sunday in January we are doing that for K2 and his eyes…}

and of course being sealed on Dec 23rd to K2 and K's baptism!! Big events!!

8. What was your biggest achievement this year?

Juggling everything lol!!
{thank goodness we don't' have a dog ha ha!!}

Getting away together to the Bahamas! That was a biggie if you know D!! Me I would be travelling the world if I had the money & time lol!! Shooting for when I'm old!

Not really my achievement but we did work together but all the work to finish the basement and all the work in the yard it’s so almost done and it will be amazing when it’s all the way done!

On a doesn’t really matter scale I made some doggie cupcakes for M’s birthday that turned out awesome well he loved them anyway and I was pretty excited they turned out!

And M finally being Potty Trained!!!! and having a second grader and a kindergartner where does the time go!

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No, but K got stitches on his head when he slipped on the ice at school,

10. What was the best thing you bought?

The best thing we bought this year would have to be just all that made the basement what it is cause D did an amazing job! And the Moby wrap for K2 thanks Jodi love it!!

11. Where did most of your money go?

Basement and yard, K2 {sensing a pattern here for 2009}….

12. What song will always remind you of 2009?

I run to you.... lady antebellum, and I gotta feeling .....black eyed peas and ??

can't think of any more right now??

13. What do you wish you would have done more of?

After K2 came into the family it was harder to find me time, time to get on my treadmill or get up early but oh so worth it!!! SO I am excited to get back going into routine everyday!!

14. What do you wish you would have done less of?

Probably computer time and more time on the ground with the kids…. we are Doing better though..

15. What was your favorite TV program?

Loved Biggest Loser this was the first year we got it on our peasant vision tv! We love CSI Miami and Vegas, American Idol and I watch 90210 and D is a 24/flashpoint fan

16. What was the best book you read this year?

Loved the Karen Kingsbury books so good and easy clean reads,

17. What was your favorite film of the year?

Blind side …..by far! love loved it!! If you haven't seen it go!!!

18. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

I turned 33 this year had a fun birthday and lots of great cards and thoughts and love from everyone, pretty much what makes a birthday when we get so old eh!! {yes that means I'll be 34!! In a couple of weeks crazy!!!}

19. What political issue stirred you the most?

Obama.…{watching what an “obamaination he is, more like it}

H1N1-seriously blown way out....something didn't and doesn't add up!!

20. Who was the best new person you met?

K2

[and those because of him}

And I got to meet a beautiful blogger friend in real life… Lynn

21. Craziest things your kids said or did??

When L brought home a dead mouse like it was a lady bug or something ! YUCK!! Or when L said after watching a movie {home alone}told the boys needed to “get the H*** out of the bathroom” in her little four year old knowledge of the word and in the right context yes we threw the movie away {but I did laugh and THEN have a talk with her!}

She loves to quote movies its kind of funny most of the time!

And just our year with the busy busy M probably a year I will never forget!! love that kid!! Love all my kids but this one gives me a run for my life or was that his?? ha ha! j/k!

How can you not love this cute feisty face eh!!

22. A reoccurring theme over the past year?

Learning that the most important things in life aren’t things that life is made up of so many important memories and moments, and that TIME is one of the most important things too!To make everyday and every moment count!

And most of all to find JOY in the journey.

23. One of My favorite Quotes of the year

You are the person who has to decide.

Whether you’ll do it or toss it aside;

You are the person who makes up your mind.

Whether you’ll lead or will linger behind.

Whether you’ll try for the goal that’s afar.

Or just be contented to stay where you are.

-anon

SO HERE'S TO A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!

To Miracles, Happiness, Peace and Believing...

What a DECADE!

*graphic at top Heidi Swapp

{ Some of life's greatest gifts...}

Yeah! and Wow to the weekend we just had.. so so busy but so worth it!
So many good things happened , lots of fun and memories to last forever.
Some of life's greatest gifts
a forever family sealing. my kids excited Christmas faces. a baptism. and a blessing.
some letters and gifts from people that were unexpected and brought many tears and I am so thankful for each of them.
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First of all Christmas Eve we went to the temple and were sealed to little K2.
It was a very cold day so our pictures aren't the greatest, but the memories of seeing our four kids together and having K2 be apart of our forever family is something I will always remember. I hope in 20 years we are all in the same place together.... all of us.
It was so nice to have 7 of D's 9 brothers and sisters there will us and all that could be from my side of the family too, some friends .... it is an awesome feeling, lots of tears, lots of love.
{oh and a few wonderful, busy M moments what a kid! more memories I guess right eh!}
And really who else can say they got ready in the bride's room 5 times lol!!

the happy little prince in the whites Grandma bought him for his special day....Warning lots of pictures!

some of the family that came

the best the cold would allow and patience too probably lol! It was pretty cold...poor baby had had enoughloved the stable and mary and joseph statuesound asleep seconds later ...trying really hard just to get one family picture that was semi good oh wellChristmas eve new pj's*************************
and then it was Christmas day! some excited facesthe kids in their new hoodies and opening up one last special present from K2's birth mom just as we were ready to head to grandmas!
{{ Thank you so much L & C for all you are amazing and so very talented! we love you both!!}-----------------------
and finally the day after Christmas the day K2 had been waiting for so long ha ha... SOLID foods have you seen a happier baby! He was so excited to have solids he cried when I took it away!but really the day K had been waiting for it was another awesome day again with all the chaos kids and all that was going I so wish we had better pictures and at least a picture of K by himself sad! But a very happy day so proud of him, it was a great program and it was fun for K to plan who he wanted to speak or sing and we got him to call and ask those he wanted too! He did great! We had a big family dinner after the baptism and celebrated all three events. It was so nice to have so many of our family around we were sad for those who couldn't be here, but we understand and we missed them too. It was a beautiful weekend almost like Christmas was squeezed in there but it was all good! ************************
Then finally on Sunday we blessed K2 it was beautiful and I bawled {like a baby.}
Such a beautiful blessing and day too.

We didn't get one of the whole group so we took a family pic the kids had had it by then. Don't really blame them. It was a long weekend one thing after another. Ask me if we'd do that much again around Christmas again. Well because we had so much family coming we decided it would be worth it and it was. BUT having said that I am glad all are finished and we could actually relax a little today.
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Hope everybody had a great Christmas!!
Me thinks I'm ready to sleep for a week!

{ MERRY CHRISTmas....}

Take the time...

Here.

Hope you all have a Very
Merry Christmas....
can't wait to share what we are doing
tomorrow,the next day, and the day after, and the one after that!!
any guesses?
{{I am so so thankful for Gifts not the kind in a box ..}}
the real ones...the ones that matter
the special people in my life and the lives of my children
this week my heart is full
full of gratitude for our family
and those that made it possible
full of love
full of peace.
full of all the things that matter most in this life and beyond....
and that we will be...

{Sundays Story....and My baby is EIGHT!!!..}

Hero at the Grocery Store

by Stephenie Meyer

ensign 2006

{thanks shelley, she had this on her blog and reminded me how much I loved it.}

Christmas stories happen in the most everyday places. I was part of one not long ago at the grocery store. I hope I never forget it, though the memory is bittersweet.

I had been shopping for almost an hour by the time I got to the checkout lines. My two youngest sons were with me, the four-year-old refusing to hold onto the cart, the two-year-old trying to climb out of the basket and jump down to play with his brother.

Both got progressively whinier and louder as I tried to keep them under control, so I was looking for the fastest lane possible. I had two choices. In the first line were three customers, and they all had just a few purchases. In the second line was only one man, a harried young father with his own crying baby, but his cart was overflowing with groceries.

I quickly looked over the three-person line again. The woman in the front was very elderly, white haired and rail thin, and her hands were shaking as she tried unsuccessfully to unlatch her big purse. In the other line, the young father was throwing his food onto the conveyor belt with superhuman speed. I got in line behind him.

It was the right choice. I was able to start unloading my groceries before the elderly woman was even finished paying. My four-year-old was pulling candy from the shelf, and my little one was trying to help by lobbing cans of soup at me. I felt I couldn’t get out of the store fast enough.And then, over the sound of the store’s cheery holiday music, I heard the checker in the other line talking loudly, too loudly. I glanced over as my hands kept working.“No, I’m sorry,” the checker was almost shouting at the old woman, who didn’t seem to understand. “That card won’t work. You are past your limit. Do you have another way to pay?” The tiny old woman blinked at the checker with a confused expression. Not only were her hands shaking now, but her shoulders too. The teenage bagger rolled her eyes and sighed.

As I caught a soup can just before it hit my face, I thought to myself: “Boy, did I choose the right line! Those three are going to be there forever.” My mood was positively smug as my checker began scanning my food. But the smiling woman directly in line behind the elderly lady had a different reaction. Quietly, with no fanfare, she moved to the older woman’s side and ran her own credit card through the reader.“Merry Christmas,” she said softly, still smiling. And then everyone was quiet. Even my rowdy children paused, feeling the change in the atmosphere.It took a minute for the older woman to understand what had happened.

The checker, her face thoughtful, hesitated with the receipt in her hand, not sure whom to give it to. The smiling woman took it and tucked it into the elderly woman’s bag.“I can’t accept …” the older woman began to protest, with tears forming in her eyes.The smiling woman interrupted her. “I can afford to do it. What I can’t afford is not to do it.”“Let me help you out,” the suddenly respectful bagger insisted, taking the basket and also taking the old woman’s arm, the way she might have helped her own grandmother.

I watched the checker in my line pause before she pressed the total key to dab at the corner of her eyes with a tissue. Paying for my groceries and gathering my children, I made it out of the store before the smiling woman. I had made the right choice of lanes, it seemed. But as I walked out into the bright December sunshine, I was not thinking about my luck but about what I could not afford.

I could not afford my current, self-absorbed frame of mind.

I could not afford to have my children learn lessons of compassion only from strangers.

I could not afford to be so distant from the spirit of Christ at any time of the year—

especially during this great season of giving. I could not afford to let another stranger, another brother or sister, cross my path in need of help without doing something about it. And that is why I hope never to forget the Christmas hero in the grocery store.

The next time I have a chance to be that kind of a hero, I can’t afford to miss it.
---------

Christmas truly is about
Love.
It is about a love that is both joyfully shared and unconditional. It is about a love that sacrifices, cares, and gives.
It is about loving each other just as much as God loves us at Christmastime and always. ~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

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Its K's birthday today

WOW!! I have an 8 year old!! How did that happen...

8 things about my boy..

1. he is such a big help to me always asking what he can do and he loves his brothers and sister

2. he loves to learn and loves school, and can be found reading his scriptures at breakfast sometimes... he is an example to me!
3. he makes friends easier then anybody I know where ever we go and has always been known by adults as one who is like a little adult and talks to them
4. he loves pepperoni pizza and ceaser salad and pretty much any Mexican food
5. he is an awesome drawer and story writer he loves it and is always drawing
6. he hates it when L and M wake him up every morning
7. he loves watching movies as a family and loves to play games

8. He is looking forward to be baptized this week and loves everything about life in general he likes to be busy and makes good choices for the most part.

I am so proud of him and proud to be his mother. I feel so blessed to have him as my son. He holds a special place in our hearts,
our long awaited baby
that came 5 days before Christmas.
the greatest gift

8 years ago.
Happy Birthday Babe

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A GREAT WEEK !!!!

{ Thankful Thursday & Christmas....}

Can you believe Christmas is in a week!! I am so not ready!

But I am happy and thankful to be done with yesterday {I copied and pasted this from my fb } it was our ct scan for little k2 at the children's hospital to check to see if he had a tumor that could be causing the nystagmus {http://www.nystagmus.org/aao.html} he was diagnosed with last week. He couldn't drink anything or eat anything 6 hours before his appointment! He was awesome and didn't even cry, they had to put an iv in him which was horrible! and put dye into his body, strapped him with cords and a big Velcro sheet {which I could really use for masen lol!} and then a heavy x-ray blanket on top of that! He was so good that they didn't have to sedate him thankfully!! They said he was the best baby they had seen in there content and peaceful kind of like he knew and understood what was happening. Didn't make me any calmer nothing like watching my poor little boy get poked with a huge needle on the inside of his elbow to put the iv in!! By the time we got home they had called and said he DID NOT have a tumor so we are so happy to know so quick and not have to wait longer to hear the results. and now we just do all we can to help his eyes and do what we can, pray it just gets better it seems to us that it is each week.

Miracles happen so we'll just keep on praying!!...We've had alot of blessings along the way. So its been a crazy crazy couple of months around here. and it only gets crazier over the next week and I think Christmas might be next week too lol.

Hopefully I will get some baking done haven't got Christmas cards even started they may just not get done this year ...

SO today is the day to start whatever it was I didn't get done yesterday,

starting tomorrow maybe.....

-----------------------

But we got a piano recital done he did amazing he played jolly ole st Nicolas from memory with no mistakes. I was so so proud of him! {He's just pretending to play here obviously}

Here he is with his awesome teacher we love her!

Then little L's ballet view day she did wonderful she is so fun!! and so cute! Proud of her too!!

And little K2 started sitting two days ago! He was so proud of himself and just kept smiling!

....and finally tonight the kids Christmas concert they did awesome it was fun to watch them!

But to be honest I'm not sure what bears and panda's have to do with Christmas?? I am really really disappointed that Happy Holidays and Merry Holidays replaced the word

CHRISTMAS!

Christmas is all about Christ but from the program tonight it had nothing to do with Christ. What a sad sad world when words like Merry Christmas and Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus are offensive SERIOUSLY!!!! SAD!!!! Another big reason there is so much wrong with our society. But that's all I'm going to say about it {for now}.

But look how cute they are in there costumes!! L had so much fun and followed perfectly all the actions and sang out! So proud of her too and all she is learning this year she absolutely loves school!!
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It's Christmas Time Again
(by Bob Lazzar-Atwood)

Put your problems on probation
Run your troubles off the track,
Throw your worries out the window
Get the monkeys off your back.
Silence all your inner critics
With your conscience make amends,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Call a truce with those who bother you
Let all the fighting cease,
Give your differences a breather
And declare a time of peace,
Don't let angry feelings taint
The precious time you have to spend,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Like some cool refreshing water
Or a gentle summer breeze,
Like a fresh bouquet of flowers
Or the smell of autumn leaves,
It's a banquet for the spirit
Filled with family, food and friends,
So allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Have a great weekend!

{Sundays Story....and Me thinks..}

{this is so cute what a great idea eh! can't remember where I got the pic from either want to say BHG?}

CHRISTMAS TIME

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male
and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer
drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to
mid-December.
Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the
spring. Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting
Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen,
had to be a girl.
We should've known…....
ONLY a women would be able to drag a fat man in
a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.
needed a good laugh this week...{thanks jennie}
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So what happens when you try to get some good pictures after church??? hum this maybe...such happiness eh..or this.... K2 knocking them around...awesome..ha ha I see a lot of future wrestling matches....but then I got a couple semi good cropped ones....
I sure love these kids. I feel like one lucky/blessed mommy to have these four beautiful children!!! My little miss Land her three brothers...---------------------
so this is a fun link...
Check this out I did it for all my kids and they were amazed it was so fun!!
Try it !! My kids thought it was so real and can't stop talking about how santa knew where they were.
Its pretty fun!{and funny to watch the kids get their personalized message} I heard them talking about how they would be getting a certain toy for Christmas because Santa told them they would.... now thats faith eh!! lol!
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and for an awesome giveaway that has nothing to do with Christmas but maybe some positive thinking towards spring... my friend Rebecca is having a giveaway here for a free mini session in the spring ....she is an amazing photographer!! we love her!! so check out her amazing website!!
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life update....
We have been so crazy busy around here had some fun things a couple parties and a fun mommy/daughter date with a group of moms and our girls who were so excited to see The princess and the frog but in turn gave L a nightmare just like I thought it would while we were watching it, some kind of scary parts for kids that scare easy!
But we had a fun day just us girls!
Its amazing what you learn being just one on one it was good for us.
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.....and then some not some fun things to occupy our time and thoughts over the past couple of weeks.
.. K2 has been diagnosed with Nystagmus and will be going in for a CT scan this week to make sure he doesn't have a tumor on his brain that is affecting or causing pressure on the nerves to his eyes, not the news we were hoping for, but we will do all we can to make things better and all we can to make life easier for him, and hopefully he will grow out of it or we will be able to find what is causing it. Either way we want what is the very best for him and will do all we can.
So please if you don't mind sending some prayers our way for little k2 this week that would be awesome.
Me thinks
I read this quote this week and thought hard about it and had to read it a couple of times to fully understand it and its really true

"EVERY TRIAL IS JUST A HARD BLESSING"..

because lots of times we learn things about ourselves and what we can handle and what makes us stronger. I look at my family, my brothers and sisters, my in laws, my friends and people who are going through hard times.... really bad things sometimes. I see so many examples of
strength, faith and endurance that they've been through--some of the toughest trials out there. Some people feel sorry for themselves but for the most part people take what they are given and spend a lot of time on their knees, a lot of time searching asking why me even sometimes but enduring what they are given and through that give us all HOPE. Sometimes they are recipients of service which builds them up and those of us too with the opportunity to serve them.
Many blogs I read of people I've never met have touched my life in ways they will never know because of the faith they have had in the trials they are going through and what they are learning through all of it.
All I know for sure is that we have a loving Heavenly father who hears our prayers and sends others to help us, or teach us the things we need to learn. Or sends that one person at just the right time. We are watched over, protected and loved no matter how hard life is sometimes.
Life is a testing ground we aren't alone, and we aren't given anything we can't handle
He never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it. So I'll do all I can here and now. Because every trial is just a hard blessing.
True.
I think so.
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Have an awesome week full of Christmas fun!!
{{We have piano recitals, ballet recitals, dr appointments, play dates, pac meetings, a family party, a staff party, among everything else!! always busy but this is my favorite time of the year {although I could do without the minus 40 below frigid temps we are getting!}}
But hey pretty sure it'll be a white Christmas!
positivity right...something like that...
everyday...
Merry Christmas...