(Christmas)

Feels like forever since I've posted but with surgery, Christmas , family, games, food and fun still going strong its hard to find a spare moment sometimes. But thats what real life is right living it and realizing that time seems to pass even quicker then ever and the things that matter the most are my family, children, husband, my faith these are the very most important things to be spending my time on:). 

But I hope everybody had as good a Christmas as we have. 

Life is short and seeing my kids' faces of excitement and hugs of thanks and disbelief or the tears running down ones face because of something you gave was something I enjoyed more than anything I was given. 

But above all to know that K2's surgery was successful in that he is looking straight and is so super excited about it makes me the happiest momma around! And the best present above all. Nobody likes to see their children suffer or wonder if they will be teased because of something out of their control and anything we as parents can do to make things better for them is a blessing....an answer to prayers and we have had many of those! Thanks to all who kept him in your prayers he is one loved little man:)

 D and I feel so so grateful for our little family every single day it's impossible to not think of those who made it possible especially this time of year we are pretty blessed to have these four beautiful children and the greatest gift of all an eternal family which we don't take lightly:) So Merry Christmas and a very happy 2013 :) ( I'm still hoping to do a recap post of 2012) but until then this is my first iPhone from bed on the holidays post;)

and the yearly comparison of growth from 2011-2012 can't miss that right:)

"While it’s true that we can find materialism and anxiety in Christmas, it is also true that if we have eyes to see, we can experience the powerful message of the birth of the Son of God and feel the hope and peace He brings to the world."
—Dieter F. Uchtdorf

One last MERRY CHRISTMAS 

and a very 

HAPPY NEW YEAR in 2013!! 

*{top graphic source 320 sycamore}

{10 for Tuesday..}

{well I started this post on Tuesday ha ha its Thursday now}

Merry Christmas

 I can't believe Christmas is only a few days away.. that is insane!

1. Speaking of insane thats pretty much where I am ha ha.

Its been a long hard week K2 is starting to get back to feeling like himself ..he looks straight and that is a huge blessing......but its been a seriously long week I spent most of it rocking him in the rocking chair. 

Love that little guy!

2. I love mail on a good day but I especially love this time of year and the cards that come:)

3. So sickened by the school shooting don't understand what gets people to that point and CHILDREN?? Made me hug my kids tighter & longer and appreciate them all the more.

4. Love this.  

5. My big K turned 11 today I can hardly believe it!!! Seriously so crazy!!! 11!! He was the best Christmas present ever still is!!

11 Things I ♥ about Kolt:

1. He is understanding.

2. He is super smart.

3. He is loving and kind to others.

4. He makes friends easy and always has.

5. He sticks up for others when someone is being mean!

6. He is good at sports.

7. I find him at night reading his scriptures at night and that makes me so so happy.

8. He is my bud we have lots of awesome talks.

9. He understands & is sensitive to what others need.

10. He is very responsible.

11. HE IS LOVED by so so many!!! we love him so much! 

We didn't get to meet him for the first time till Dec 22 /2001 but our lives changed forever the minute he was placed in our arms...

he is a blessing in our lives and to those he associates with he is a great brother to his siblings and a wonderful happy kind handsome son and I feel very very blessed to be his mother!

{all he wanted for his birthday was to go to the hobbit and out to dinner with us! Love that kid no party sounds awesome to me:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY K

6. I watched all the twilight movies this past week can't wait to watch the last one...remember we were a little home bond with K2..who is now starting to feel better and getting back to himself....only looking straight ahead its exciting!! More than one person has said how much they will miss his cute shy like head turn to look at us...not gonna lie we ind of got used to it too so cute...but probably not so much when trying to look at the chalkboard or drive eh! So glad its working for him!!! Love that little boy!!

7. Attended Choir concerts and school Christmas concerts this week  for K L M so fun to watch them grow. L loves choir and its fun seeing her be so passionate about it! They all did great today it was fun to watch them. I loved M's little wave when he saw us and his cute wave when he finished! i love watching the kids when they come on desperately looking for mom and dad and when they find you and give you that wave or smile...makes me so happy!!

{They have loved skating a school too I put L & M in learn to skate in January and they are both super excited about that too:)

8. I love the buy and sell groups we have on face book I sold $200 in jewelery orders over the weekend exciting:) besides the clothes to sell and just stuff to get rid of that somebody else loves its so fun!!

9. I hate family drama in any form or worrying about siblings life is hard sometimes..... why can't everyone communicate and be happy:( 

....perfect quote to go along with that this week...

"You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel. Remember, that. " 

-so true for all of us !

10. Have you seen this clip..... I love this Christmas Song...

grab some Kleenex

Hope you all have a great Christmas

From our Home to yours..

{ Life these days.....}

 This was the week K2 had surgery on his eyes Strabismis Repair on both eyes not fun:(  We had to keep him away from lots of people 2 weeks before so he didn't get sick....Then Sunday night we drove up stayed in a hotel and had to be at the Children's Hospital at 7:15 lots of waiting wondering and pain our poor poor baby!! Is having a hard time recovering and hasn't opened his eyes for 2 and 1/2 days!!

 Its exhausting and kind of like having a patient with dementia or something he's yelling at me that he needs me, that he is tired, hungry and wants to be held most of the time....so I hold him as long as I can and K has been a big helper too. 

I feel so so bad for him and just wish I could take his pain away!! They say it feels like razor blades and dirt so he is doped up and cranky:(  all in hopes that this surgery worked and we won't have to do it again...praying it did the job! Now to get him healthy and no infection...

 Our handsome nervous little boy

 waiting for our time

 right after just as he came out of recovery break my heart:(

he kept saying "this is bad, the is so bad"

 getting fluids in him and sleeping it off

 and recuperating at home

..... so keep him in your prayers if you will..... he is pretty miserable and me well just a little exhausted but holding him having him healthy is our only concern. Thanks to all in our families and friends who prayed and fasted on his behalf appreciate it so much!

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

On other Christmas fun news 

and the best news well so far it looks like we will have snow for Christmas and that is exciting:)

Have a great rest of the week!

What is a favorite Christmas treat or recipe that you love?

{10 for Tuesday a little of this a little of that:) )

free printable from here

 A little peak inside our life this week:

1.}Don't use a tin foil ball like pinterest tells you will work wonders for static etc....pretty sure its what left silver streaks on my blankets and hoodies ...lesson learned :(

2.} Don't order early from Vista prints.ca and think your on the ball..... got them back and they were grainy and pixely :( the pictures themselves are high quality so....lesson learned not there again no matter how good the deal sounds:(

3.} Pretty sure this boy has talent K drew me my dream home close to it he is so good to me:) sweet caring observant and fun he and K2 are a lot alike

and this awesome horse these make me happy 

I love happy children pictures.....

4.} K2's  surgery is on Monday getting nervous no matter how big or small any surgery is not fun to go through:( He is the sweetest boy ever he keeps telling people "i get surgery and I look straight and see good " he is so smart! So send your extra prayers our way Monday :) now if we can keep him healthy till then so it doesn't get postponed:)

5.} This is the craziest month when it really shouldn't be...love this quote:

“It is easy to get caught up in the pressure of the season and perhaps lose the very spirit in our lives that we’re trying to gain.”

-president monson

6.} Started our Book advent Dec 1st the kids love it and their aunt alley gave them countdown ornaments they do everyday and they are loving it we made salt dough ornaments last night for FHE the kids loved it! #didntjumpontheelfontheshelfbandwagonthisyearsomanyotherthingstokeepupon

7.} My Christmas Wish list ha ha includes kitchen things never thought the day would come but they just aren't something I go out and buy:) 

oh and a new pair of these would be perfect;) aqua 7 this is all in hopes my husband reads my blog;)

 8.} Lots of foggy mornings around here pretty but if the 90 days thing stands febuary is going to be brutal...

9.} Best book I've read in a long time ITS SO GOOD ! READ IT:)

 

10.} I have now jumped the allergy board from my hundred others I'm already allergic to....  and can now add nuts and citrus to it:( dried fruit with sulfa dioxide whatever the preservative is in all of them so so sad because I love almonds and dried fruit:( getting old sucks ;) 

I did find these at Costco that I can eat and I love them they have nothing but pineapple in them no preservatives they are super good!

 Bonus:) Instaweek Shots....

making buns|learning to read awesome| crafting |beautiful sunrises| and peace.

 ...and my favorite instagram shot this week my kids got up made scrambled eggs and all worked together ... grated cheese, bacon bits, ham and peppers and served it up to each other and sat down to eat and when I walked out from getting ready I said "awww" and they laughed and said "we knew you'd say that" probably one of my favorite moments this week Love my fabulous four!

 ------------------------------

So through it all...... the ups and downs...the busy "ness" of the season if we remember ....

"How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us. 

and, keeping that picture in mind, 

we manage ourselves each day to be and do what really matters most."

-Stephan covey.

Merry Christmas !!

one last whine;) a little pet peeve......

because thats what it is .........I strongly dislike the happy holidays syndrome going on ... actually I will shop at a store more if they use the word CHRISTMAS for what it is! I strongly dislike the wording Happy Holidays its CHRISTMAS people! 

anybody else feel that way sometimes I feel like the only one bothered by it:)

 Thoughts? Who's still out there anyway? 

What are you looking forward to at Christmas most?

{I tried a new music site but not sure if I did it right can you hear any music ?}

{Realistically Speaking...}

Can't tell at all its the kids decorated tree can ya;) Thats why we have two tree's :)

So you know how you have this perfect picture scenario of how your picture perfect tree decorating night is going to be you know soft Christmas music playing, nicely putting ornaments on, stringing the lights and ending with stories, hot chocolate and a movie.......

hold that picture perfect scene......

yep didn't happen that way....

It was more like swinging lights, flying ornaments, fighting kids, kids climbing the couch and a three year old climbing on the tv?what. One accidentally finding his Christmas presents.... mom getting mad? 

Sounds homey and picturesque doesn't it;)   

Um didn't quite picture it that way not sure what happened besides......... the full moon shining brightly.....

outside

So it was more like okay bedtime and sleeping kids five minutes later.

Sometimes THATS just life...and sometimes like every other area of life we have a picture of how things are going to be or should be and they don't always turn out that way 

But we made memories not saying they were awesome ones they were fine.... ha ha...But it happened and today was a better day:) 

Kind of like wanting a picture perfect shot like this 

via pinterest

 and getting this 

 but we tried and we keep trying....EVERYDAY......

story of our lives right anybody who has perfect, well behaved children has never really lived yet ha ha!! 

Love my rowdies......  I'd say they got a Christmas Tree decorating experience kind of like what I grew up with ha ha!! Fun times;) 

All memories:)

Moving on..

Some of our FAVORITE things right now are:

 These Christmas CD's thanks Kristyn for sharing

Love this music reminds me of home

 Along with all our other Christmas favorites Jackie Evancho, Amy Grant, Josh Groban Michael Buble ....WE  LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!

FAVORITE PRINTABLES

found here

AND THIS ONE

found here

Trying these found here

Doing this

Kids loved this Eggnog french toast from here

Adding this to our countdown looks like fun from here

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

"Life is just like a Camera
Just focus on what’s important.
Capture the good time,
develop from the negatives
and if things don’t turn out
just take another shot."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!
{all my music is gone:( now what?? anybody know where a new widget is for music??}

{10 for Tuesday}

AND its actually Tuesday ha ha:) long week....coming to the realization that life isn't going to slow down any time soon....

1. so took some time for this.....

2. K2 got a big boy bed actually he got more than that he got a double bed:) new dresser and new mattress pretty much a new room.... he's loving it! I'm loving him .....seriously not a sweeter face then those of  peaceful, healthy, sleeping children ...such a big boy. 

They just grow up way to fast.

3. Got asked to be back on Parent Council so I'm excited to get back into that:)

4. I HATE potty training.

5. K2 has a cute little friend that loves to play with him and he is loving going to his house and tells me every time before he goes i will miss you! and I melt every time..... he makes me feel so loved!

6. Report cards came last week so did two more babies in the family they are officially all here! Look how cute M is holding cute little Cambree

7.  Thoughts lately...so much going on everywhere ....sad stuff....

In life we all make choices

 I feel sad for the choices some make....

sometimes it hurts to watch people go through

the consequences of their choices....through trials...heartache....

sometimes it only takes choosing the left fork in the road

instead of the RIGHT fork.....

sometimes there is nothing you can do

sometimes just watching and learning from them is the best choice....

life is all about that....choices..attitude...determination...no matter what....

Every Time each choice determines which direction the future
takes each of us

because of our choices and how we CHOOSE to react

what fork we take in the road makes all the difference.....

I hope we're all working on taking the right fork..

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

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

8. Made some jewelry again and sold most of it in minutes thats encouraging:) Thanks to those that bought :)

9. Got my Christmas cards ordered ...no tree up yet...a little christmas shopping done....I can't even believe how fast this year went by and that its this time of the year already!!

10. The past couple of weeks have been a struggle for me but through it all I've had the greatest conversations with people close to me ......shed lots of tears and felt many hugs.....and kind words and service and felt peace...... in so many ways. Life was never meant to be easy and it is what it is ..........its much easier to handle when blessed with great families around me and great friends....and that's what makes the sometimes unbearable parts of life worth it having people who love you, understand you and who are there for you.

I am very blessed and very thankful for all I have.

FAVORITE QUOTE OF THE WEEK

No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse.
~ Jeffrey R Holland ~

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

HAPPY AMERICAN THANKSGIVING THIS WEEK TOO:)

Question: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS Music?