I'm thankful for...

Aubrie!




What a sweet girl. She has been getting up early to get herself ready and then make me breakfast in bed. Who taught her to be so thoughtful? Not her mom who seems to snooze the morning away and only get up in time to make lunches, fix cold cereal, fix hair, and jet the girls to school after family prayer.



Aubrie has been playing basketball for the past few weeks and enjoying it. Last night at the local School Board meeting she presented something for her teachers with a few other class members. She did such a great job.


Aubrie always helps me get things done. She helps cook, clean and take care of the kids when I need an extra set of hands. I expect a lot of her and she always does her best to please me. She loves making people laugh and tries to think of ways for me to 'sneak' a kiss from Matt.



BIG thanks and love to Aubrie.
p.s. These photos were taken prior to her Locks of Love submission.

Hinkley Challenge

Take the Challenge! I am doing it!
http://www.hinckleychallenge.com/index.php?clear=true

Thankful for...

Today I'm thankful for healthy bodies.

It has been a while since my last post. I have been busy with family, Primary and so many other things. I've had sick kids and nothing makes you realize how nice it is to be healthy than having sick kids for a while. It seems like Jesse has had one cold after another for the past month and a half. Matt and I have both been sick with terrible head colds. Andee got it last week and has been miserable. At least most of us are old enough to take decongestants. The poor girl has had to suffer thru the pain without anything but a humidifier, bulb syringe, and tons of tissues.

I am getting better at getting up in the morning. Although today there was no school again for parent teacher conferences, and so I took it easy, OK more than easy (I got out of the shower today at 1pm). Can anyone say LAZY! But I did exercise. I have lost three inches off of my waist in the last week. They found me without my permission and I have been working hard the last two weeks to remove them and several of their friends.

Love to all.

Hello Again - It's a New Year

What a great Holiday season. We have such great families. We enjoyed spending time with the Stevens family and missed the Strouds! We went on Hikes, sledding, to grandma and grandpa's house several times, bowling, to the Marie Osmond Christmas concert, ate too much, slept too much, and had lots of fun together!

The kids are back to school today! The new Primary year is under way. It is snowing today. The kids were so excited. Aubrie commented "If only it snowed like this on Christmas eve".

This year I'd like to use this blog to tell you about the things that I am thankful for.

Today I'm thankful for my husband - that he hasn't watched every football and basketball game, that he holds the Priesthood, that he loves me - despite my faults, that he makes me want to be a better person, that he is gentle with our kids, that he listens to me, that he shovels the walks for me and the older people he Home teaches, he thanks me for the things I do, that he includes the kids in everything he does, that he rarely rolls his eyes at my new hair-brained ideas, that he helps clean my house and fold laundry when he sees the need, that he got me a new bedroom set - including a headboard that he didn't like or want, he serves others, he lets me choose, he loves Heavenly Father and Jesus, he remembers family prayer and scripture study, he reads books by the Prophet and general authorities, he remembers what the books say when he's done. I'm sure I could go on forever, but the laundry awaits.

A cute tale from Grandpa's view

I thought that this was so cute -- Written by Marv I think -- that I had to post it!

ENJOY

Goldilocks (??) and the Two Grandparents
A Tale of Kind Deeds

Once upon a time there was two kindly, gentle grandparents who lived deep in the Rock Forest of Boulder Lane. They had been called to work in the Temple so, one Wednesday Afternoon, they left their small home to perform their duties.

They had worked a full shift and were very tired. They could hardly wait to get back to their home and retire for the night.

AS they were nearing their humble abode, they traveled slowly down the Bumpy Road, and just as they were preparing to make the final turn onto the driveway, Grandma lurched forward in her seat and exclaimed, “Look at all of those Christmas lights!! Wait-- is that Our house that is all lit up?”

Grandpa wisely said, “Don’t look at me!! I didn’t do it—don’t blame me.”

They traveled further up the driveway and saw three brightly lighted reindeer feasting in the driveway. It seemed a little strange that they were eating gravel. Perhaps Santa had come a little early and forgotten three of his reindeer. Or, maybe they had just escaped from the North Pole.

Some lights were twinkling around the garage doors. The house and garage had lights all along the roof lines and the back door of the house. Grandma said, “Somebody has definitely been here.”

Grandpa wisely said, “Watch out!! They might be hiding in the bushes—just waiting to jump out and scare us.”

They parked their car in the garage and opened the door to the store room by the refrigerator. “Somebody has been riding my tricycle!” said Grandpa wisely.

Grandma said , “Somebody moved our picnic table”

They carefully opened the rear door to their house and saw the Nerf pop gun laying on the computer boxes. “Somebody has been shooting the Nerf Pop Gun!” said Grandpa wisely.

Grandma said, “Somebody has been writing on the bulletin board and drawing pictures!”

They entered the kitchen. Grandpa shouted (wisely, of course), “Somebody has been eating my candy!!”

Grandma said, “This picture says they love us and is signed DMAKHJA. Who could that be? I don’t recognize that name.”

Finally Grandma said, “Look, Keeley’s name is also on that picture. It must have been Matt and his family.”

Grandpa and Grandma were so pleased with the nice thing that Dad, Mom, Aubrie, Keeley, Henry, Jesse and Andee had done that they snuggled all snug in their bed and slept with smiles on their faces all night long. Grandma said, “That is the nicest Christmas Present ever.”
Grandpa wisely said ,”Yes dear—it surely is.”
--The End--

SURPRISE!

Last night we had so much fun!

Matt got off early and we drove to Mattawa. Matt's parents serve in the Temple on Wednesdays, so we knew that they wouldn't be there.

He he he he.

We put up their Christmas lights for them. The kids ( and myself - I can't deny it) were so excited. Aubrie said to me, "Can't we just stay and hide in the bushes so that we can see the looks on their faces when they get home?" We knew that they wouldn't be home until very late, so we couldn't do it. It is so much fun to serve someone when they don't know you're going to! Sharon called to thank us this morning for the surprise. What a great night!