This Is The Year

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 The Boy Who Loved The Girl With The Headache Ambria's story is not over.  We still have lots to accomplish to achieve her victory over this condition that has temporarily taken over her life.  It is hard.  Life is hard.  Being a mom is really hard.  But I know beyond any doubt that my Heavenly Father loves me.  And that He loves my daughter more perfectly than I can even begin to imagine. Through all of this, I've never doubted that Heavenly Father knows what He's doing.  There is a purpose, maybe many purposes for this trial.  I want to end this series of posts by sharing things that I have learned over the course of this past year. I have learned not to judge .  I try hard not to worry about what other people think of me.  It is a weakness that I haven't overcome yet.  So this experience has been quite humbling for me.  I've often wondered how our situation appears to others. Ambria misses so mu...

Here I've let a bunch of time go by AGAIN since I've posted and visited my friends. LahoooosER! I do have quite a bit to share...let's see if I can remember it all. Oh. I got older. Yeah, had my birthday last week. It was good to spend the day with my family. We went to breakfast and did some shopping. Sadly Hubby had to work that night, but I had a fun girls night with my girlfriend/cousin Kimberlee who also recently had a birthday. We treated ourselve's to a yummy dinner from Famous Dave's. I also got spoiled by my other friends and family as well, and just had a really great Birthday. I've been crazy busy with school stuff this week. We had our summer work session/retreat this week. 2 evenings and then a full day today. Making some good progress, but hard to focus when I'm getting ready for GIRLS' CAMP!!!! We head up Tuesday morning. I'm so excited, but sad as well. This will be my last activity with the girls. I've been released from my call...

The other day I ran across THE cutest craft idea for kids here . Loved this fun idea for glowing jack-o-lanterns, simple enough for ALL my kids to do, and cheap enough for me to let them!!! Here's what you'll need: glass jars (I used canning jars) orange tissue paper black paper Mod Podge (saw that one comin', didn't ya?) green paint Optional: lids and rings green tulle While the kids were busy cutting the tissue paper into strips (about 1.5 - 2 inches wide, length measured to fit the height of their jars).... I went outside and spray painted the lids and rings (glued together with a dab of hot glue) green. You can just paint the top, threaded part of the jar green with a brush...but you all know I'm a lazy crafter. So spray paint it is!! Once all the strips were cut... It was time to break out the Mod Podge. Working with a section at a time, apply a layer of MP to the jar, then smooth a strip of tissue paper over the top. Repeat all the way around, overlappin...

Well...I think I'm back. Sorta. My husband rigged up 2 computers and so far, so good with being able to post pictures, and view videos, and open attachments and stuff. I'll use it this way for as long as I have to, as long as I can get my blogging fix! Last Friday I enjoyed a funtastic girls' day out! It was me, my girls, my mom, my sister-in-law, and my sweet cousin who's staying with my parents while she goes to school here. We went mall-hopping, and started out downtown at the Gateway, a fabulous outdoor mall that has all the best stores, and great landscaping and outdoor attractions as well. Here's Monkey showin' off the bling she immediately found on walking into the first store. Here's the girls modeling the latest in headwear fashion. I turned my back for 2 seconds, and Monkey had herself decked out in these jewels. Should I be worried? Now time to model the fabulous eye-wear. First up...Monkey. She needed more than 1 take. Doesn't Cowgirl j...

Do you ever have one of those Sundays? You know, the Sundays where you spend so much time telling your kids to "be quiet and listen" that you don't have time to listen to the speaker yourself? That was my day today. This was the worst week I can remember in a loooong time for my kids (not ALL of them) misbehaving so badly! It started out when we were getting in the car this morning. Out of nowhere Monkey starts wailing "I don't wanna go to noiswee (nursery)!" with big old crocodile tears rolling down her cheeks. She has never cried about nursery. Not once and she has been going for nearly a year and a half. Weird. In Sacrament Meeting , Pixie and Bookworm decided to act like 2 year olds and fight (tug o' war style) over the Hymn books! What the heck? It was very exasperating. But something I've learned through the years is that Satan works hardest to distract us when there is something important we are supposed to be learning, or doing. He didn't...

Okay, okay. I know Halloween is still more than 2 months away. But is anybody else so over summer? I mean...the kids are going back to school...but it's still so freakin' HOT! Doesn't the thought of the beautiful changing colors, cool Autumn nights and all the fun "togetherness" the fall and winter holidays bring just make you excited for the changing season? No? Well how about this...the thought of all the last minute cramming to get Halloween costumes made again this year just puts you in a BAD mood, and you're planning ahead to avoid repeating this scenario AGAIN this year!? I really am excited for the seasons changing, and once again I am vowing to plan ahead so I can be more prepared, and REALLY enjoy the holidays. I bet Vivienne NEVER stresses during the holidays because she's so ridiculously organized and prepared! I wan to be Vivienne this year! So I've been trying to decide what to do for the kids' costumes this year. Heres what we had g...

I'm back! And I've got some tales to tell! But first things first. I'm thrilled to announce the winner of my Mod Podge Mania Giveaway...it's Shortmama ! Congratulations! Well, our last hurrah for the summer is the family reunion for my mom's side of the family. We went to a little place in Idaho called Downata Hot Springs. We use the term "camping" loosely. We have my dad, and 2 uncles whose physical health does not allow for the more "rough" type of camping. So we "cabin" it. We reserved some small cabins, a ranch house, and several tent spots to fit our family. Downata isn't really in the mountains...but there are some trees! What they boast is a hot springs-heated pool, and some fun water slides. The kids were anxious to get on the road Thursday afternoon, but I made them pose for a picture anyway! They were so excited! This is the Ranch House we shared with my 2 brothers and 1 sis in law, my cousin and her hubby, and my parents...

Yesterday my baby boy turned 11! Can you believe it? I'm not old enough to have an 11 year old! Really...I'm not! I wanted to take today to throw "humble" out the window and brag on my boy! I can't believe how the time has flown. Bookworm is my firstborn...do all you moms remember how OVERWHELMING first time motherhood is? While we were in the hospital, he began exremely rapid breathing...so fast that the doctors thought he may have an infection and did routine treatment. I was NOT pleased with my hospital experience. I felt the hospital staff was unprofessional, and at times down right rude! But that's a post for another day. After 2 spinal taps, and 3 days of antibiotics being administered via IV, they finally decided to let us go home. They put IV lines in my baby boy's head and leg...then wrapped him all up to make sure the IV's stayed in. We were to continue the doses for 6 more days at home. It was very traumatic! When I came to the nursery to ge...