Poor Santas...

What were the men who pretend to be Santa thinking when they volunteered to dress up in thier red suits? Were they thinking about my daughter? I am sure if they were, they would have thought twice!!! This is Braelyn last year on Santas lap....

This is her this year. We even went to two different Santas, and the second one Santa just pulled Matt on his lap too because she was freaking out so bad.

At this point I ask myself, should we be saying poor Santa or our poor children who we force to sit on a complete strangers lap who is dressed in a funny get-up?

Braelyns Christmas Gift

I know that Christmas is still eight days away, but it came in the mail today and I just had to set it up. We are going to St. George for Christmas, so it's not like she was going to open it Christmas morning anyways =) We got her a bike cart that converts into a double jogger. She is already having so much fun in it and she hasn't even been out on a bike ride yet!

Here are some pictures...

What a silly girl =)

It's All Worth It...

As most of you know, I have had a lot of pain with this pregnancy. I have been to the hospital twice, missed four days of work, and been hunched over in pain for hours at a time with nothing to even help relieve the pain. This all started last Sunday before Jer was to give his son a blessing. I feel so rotten for missing the blessing and for making Matt miss it, but I am so grateful to have a family that understands. Why am I telling you this? I don't want pity, I just wanted to write about what has come of it. I have been praying for help with the pain and I have recieved that help. It is not gone, but it is tolerable. I don't know whether my body is just used to the pain now or if the pain has lessened, but it is tolerable. So my prayer was answered. The power of prayer is truely amazing. I was also praying for understanding and for guidance. I now understand that no matter what this pregnancy causes me, I am so very grateful to be carrying my son. I know that no matter what happens, he is supposed to be here during this time and I was the one chosen to raise him. So to the bumps along the way I say, "BRING IT ON!!!" because I know I have the most powerful ally, My Heavenly Father. I also have a family who I know will be there no matter what happens. All the trials we go through are worth it in the end, because you would never be able to enjoy life the same without them.

I love my hubby!

Through these last couple days, my husband has been a really big help! I have been having some severe abdominal discomfort (streching pains) and he has been so kind as to stay home from work (Monday) and run around and do whatever it is that I need him to do (I am pretty sure he ran to the store every hour to get something else to ease the pain). He has taken care of Braelyn without any breaks and let me sleep for almost two days straight. He has cooked and cleaned without any complaint. I don't think that he could prove his love or devotion to me anymore than he has. I may call him immature and give him a hard time about not doing something, but I know that he always does his best and is getting better at doing the little things that count. He probably won't read this, but I just want everyone to know how much I love and appreciate him and despite what all you other married women might think, I am the luckiest wife in the Universe!!!

Donut Addict...

So my daughter has become a victim, much like myself, to the donut. I bring home the bag and she knows what it is. She has also figured out how to pull the donuts out of the bag... not good. Maybe it is my fault, ok it is totally and completely my fault, but I don't give them to her all that often. She still eats her fruits and veggies despite my husband and I corrupting her with goodies. I am not sure how much longer it will last, but at least for now she still eats everything. =)

Happiness is a Journey, Not a Destination

This is an e-mail that I got from my sister-in-law, so if you've read it already, that's ok. It's good enough to read twice =)

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we're frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We'll certainly be happy when they're out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when ?
Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with...and remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you're off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you're born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

A Trip To Wal-Mart

Braelyn is quite the social bug. We go to Wal-Mart and she will smile for anyone and I mean ANYONE who says, "Hello!" Today I went to get a few things and she was just being a screecher not really screaming, just screeching at me every 30 seconds. The lady in the checkstand next to me just smiled at her and she became this sweet little angel and started smiling, laughing, and waving with her. Then we walk away from that lady and she starts again! It cracks me up everytime. She is such a silly girl. Her favorite part about Wally world is not the people though, it's the cart. That's right. Brae loves the cart! She gets so excited to ride in the cart that it is like nothing else in the world matters to her! I guess if we could all just be a little bit more like our kids and remember the little things in life that makes us happy, oh how much better our lives would be!

What a Blessing

This morning I was looking through all our pictures on our computer to see if there were any that I could delete. Of course I couldn't part with a single one.

I found one of Braelyn and when we were bringing her home from the hospital.

I think this one stuck out to me because it was the first time we had put Brae in a carseat and it hit me that we are going to be putting our son in a car seat for his first time in just a few short months. Then I was rummaging through the recent pictures and found one of Brae in her costume sitting in her carseat forward facing for the first time.

It's only been a year since we took this first picture of Brae and she has grown so much. It won't be long until we are taking pictures of our son for his first time forward facing. It is so crazy how fast time flies, yet how slow it seemed to be during it all. I am so glad that I took the time to enjoy every moment. The first year was hard, and this next year is going to be even harder, but I am so grateful that our Father in Heaven has given me the blessing of having children. He reminds me that it is a blessing everyday through my daughter and I know that will be the case with my son too. I don't know why He chose me to be one of the lucky women that can bear children, but I am so glad He did.

Fudge, Cookies, Cakes, and Pies

Life Is Short


I just thought I would share this as I fully believe in eating dessert first!!! =)

10 Things to be Thankful for.

Ok so this is kinda stupid but I decided since it is Thanksgiving and all I would write a list of 10 things I am thankful for.

First and foremost, Our Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ. Without him we would not be able to be with our Heavenly Father again or with our families forever.

Second, my family. Not just Matt and Braelyn either, I am talking dads, moms, brothers, sisters, in-laws, grandparents... the whole kit and kaboodle. I am especially thankful for Matt and Braelyn for the joy they bring into my life everyday, for my dad whom I talk to everyday, and for my Grandma Joan who is always there for me to talk to for hours on end about nothing even when we both have things to do. I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!

Third, that I am sealed for all Eternity to my husband, children, and the rest of my family. What a wonderful thing to know that when I leave this life, as long as I keep the covenants I promised I would, I will be with my family forever.

Fourth, that Matt and I both currently have jobs. Even in the current economy with lay offs left and right, we have been blessed with steady jobs.

Fifth, that I have a roof over my head. With so many people losing thier homes, it is so comforting to be in a home and even knowing if something happened and we needed to move in a hurry that we have so many places to go to.

Sixth, that there is food in my cupboards. I am so lucky to have food. There are so many families that don't even have a can of green beans for their Thanksgiving, I am so grateful that I have some food storage and that we were able to cook (not make... thanks for the correction grandma =) ) a turkey for Thanksgiving.

Seventh, that we are so loved by the people around us. When the holidays were nearing Matt and I thought it was just going to be us for Thanksgiving this year, but we were invited to three different dinners. April Skouson Scow invited us to come have Thanksgiving with her family this year, a friend from Dunkin', the Stenburgs, invited us to come have dinner with them, and Jeremy invited us to come have dinner with his wifes family. We felt so loved by the invitations.

Eighth, that I am pregnant. Yes, I really did just say that. Even though I am terrified out of my mind to have to children of the opposite sex so close together, I am so grateful that I am able to get pregnant with no problems and that the Lord has blessed me with children. I don't know what I would do without Braelyn and I am sure I will feel the same way about our son when he arrives.

Ninth, being able to cook. This is such a small yet big thing. I am grateful that I am able to follow or tweek a recipe with ease and that I am able to make good meals for my family.

Finally, technology. Such a silly thing that we couldn't live our lives the same without. You think about it and everything rotates around something that someone made technologically advanced. Indoor plumming, lighting, tile floors, carpet, computers, internet, cars, and on and on. What would we do without all of that?!

I am so glad that I took the time to reflect and I challenge everyone to write thier own list. It is such a good reminder. Thanks for taking the time to read!

Better Late Than Never

Just some pictures of Braelyn as a Bumble Bee and of her eating cake on her birthday! Like I said, better late then never =)

I CAVED!!!!

Thanks to my dearest sister-in-law April, I now have a blog. Thanks April!!! I think... and maybe I will be able to think of something to write soon... until then enjoy the pictures I am going to attempt to put up of my family. =) Thanks Chase for the awesome pictures!