Happy Birthday Kent!!

 Today is Kent's 37th Birthday!

Kent and I went to the Flames game in Calgary last night together for his bday as we aren't able to do anything tonight for his actual birthday. It was a good game and they even won. We had a good time! On the way home from the game I asked him how he feels about getting even closer to 40 years old than he is now. He laughed and shrugged his shoulders and said,

"37 is still young, at least that is how I feel!"

Kent is working today. And then he doesn't know it but when we meet him in Airdrie tonight around 4:45 I have booked him in for a 45 minute massage.While he is there the boys will go to there kick boxing and Brynley and I will go hang out at Walmart or something like that.

We will be going out for dinner and a movie Friday for his birthday as well. And then we will do his birthday cake on Saturday. He has requested my no bake Cherry Cheesecake, so that is what he will get.

XO XO We hope you have a GREAT day today...LOVE YOU!! XO XO

Getting there...

I forgot to mention in my last crazy busy post that on top of all that we have been scrambling to get things in order for all of our fostering stuff that needs to be done. The social worker who is in charge of doing the Home Assessments came out last Thursday (Jan 20) to meet Kent and I...she was here for 3 hours that morning!

It is quite the process to become foster parents. We are almost there, almost done with all the "big stuff." We had to answer a lot of VERY personal questions while she was here. 

She gave us lot's to do before our next meeting which is this Friday (Jan 28). We had to do Geno-grams, family histories for both our families, our own personal history write up about our lives etc. LOT'S of work...but all of that is finally done!! Everything else is in their hands for them to get us licensed. Training will always be on going and need to be updated yearly.


This past Friday (Jan 21) we both had to go have Medical Examinations done by our family Dr as well. So that is done now too. Both of our Criminal Record Checks are both back and as well as our Intervention Checks. 


Saturday (Jan 22) we had our all day Aboriginal Training in Calgary. Ty was at a friends house and Cole was hanging out at home waiting for Brynley to come back from Melanie's. We took Bryn to Mel in the morning to babysit for us and then after lunch she took Bryn home to Cole so she could nap.

I tell ya, I walked out of the training on Saturday with my eyes WIDE open and with a lot more empathy for these people and all that they have gone through. The teacher was Native and he was a great story teller and knew how to grab our attention and keep it. We did a fun activity and learned so much.  

Our foster care required check list is almost completely done:

• Foster care application
• 21 hour pre-service training
• 3 references
• Medical forms
• Police Check
• Intervention child welfare check
• permission for release form
• SAFE Questionaire 1
• SAFE Questionaire 2
• Environment safety checklist
• budget
• birth certificates copies
• driver's license copies
• driver's abstracts
• car insurance info
• home insurance info
• CPR and First Aid Certificates
• Aboriginal Training
• Genogram
• Grievance
• 72 hour kit/important phone numbers
• first aid kits home and vehicles

We are now just waiting on them actually licensing us and processing everything.

Now looking back at all we have been doing lately I see why I feel like my days are all blending into one ha ha! I am SO glad this is almost done. Looking forward to moving ahead =)

Where has all the time gone?

Am I the only one feeling like time is going by so fast lately? I can't believe it is Wednesday already and yet I still have so much to do. I feel like my days are all running together and I am getting nowhere.

This week started off as a hectic one for me as I have so much I need to accomplish before Thursdays sewing class and also before Sunday.I emailed my sewing teacher (Rose Travers) to see if I could gt some help with the baby quilt top that I am supposed to have done by Thursday...which I hadn't even started sewing it together at this point. I have just been so busy! 

Rose came to my house Tuesday afternoon. She is thee nicest lady! I love being around her because she has such a calming presence about her. She is such a good teacher and SO patient! I was able to get a lot done while she was here. I am so thankful for her willingness to come out to Crossfield and help me like that. 

When Rose was here she said, 

"I hear you have a new calling."

I was shocked she knew and I said, 

"yes I do, how did you know that?" 

And she smiled and said, 

"Kim (my YW pres.) is my daughter!" 

WHAT???? I was SHOCKED as I had NO CLUE that was Kim's Mom...they are very different from one another LOL. Rose was wonderful with Bryn while she was here. Bryn was being a turkey the whole time and showing off and wanting Rose's attention. Rose handled her really well =)

The top of my quilt is almost done and ready for Thursday's class now. I just have to attach one more row and I am ready. I am doing that this morning...then I am going to do my YW newsletter.

Tuesday evenings

Tuesdays are crazy for us as the boys have their kick boxing at 5 p.m. in Airdrie until 6 p.m. We have supper and then we have to be at the church by 7p.m. for Cubs/Scouts, my YW meetings and Kent's meetings. 

YW last night was good. I had Brynley with me. I of course brought her toys and snacks. She wasn't sure what was going on and why we were at church. She walked right to her Nursery room door and let her self in, turned on the lights, waved bye to me and went and got some toys out of the cupboard ha ha. She thought she was going to Nursery.

Bryn can open the doors so she kept taking off from the YW room. We were playing a game kind of like sherades, but a little different. It is exam week so I guess they weren't expecting very many girls. ALL of them showed up and even a couple of girls that usually don't come. It was fun. A couple of the Beehive girls were really into Bryn and making her happy and what not so that was nice and Bryn liked that. It was a fun evening, lot's of laughter.I can't wait to get to know all these girls better and their names. So far I know only a handful...slowly but surely!

Wednesday

Cole has a Dr. appointment with a wart specialist. His finger and foot is a mess. We are hoping this specialist can help and not be as painful as he last procedures...it was awful!

Kent and I are going to the Flames game tonight. This is part of his bday celebration he said =) As Thursday we aren't doing anything (which is the actual day of his bday) as I have my sewing class and I have to be there or I will miss out on too much (I am feeling REALLY guilty about that). So, between going out tonight and going out Friday evening for dinner and maybe even a movie that will be his bday celebration.
 
Friday we are doing respite care again with Zoe until Sunday around 4 p.m. Kent and Cole will be heading up to Deb's Saturday to work on her basement. Then after church on Sunday and when Zoe goes home (around 4pm) Tyson, Bryn and I will be heading up to Deb's to stay the night (Kent and Cole will probably still be there.) The kids don't have school Monday and Kent is taking the day off. I am going with Deb and Sheri to a photography course in Red Deer on Monday. It is all day! I am looking forward to it.

Lot's going on and I have lot's I am needing to accomplish. I have to make the newsletter for YW and hand it out on Sunday as well. I have NEVER made a newsletter so I am needing to sit down and figure that out as well.

*Deep breath in, deep breath out*

 

Our sweet, sweet Grandma's!

For the past month or so our Grandma's have been on my mind. I have been anxious to go down to Cardston to see them. Kent's Grandma Jeana Stanford is 97 years old. My Grandma Ruth Woolf is 91 years old.  

Kent had the day off and we figured we had better take advantage of him having the day off by going down there. We had to literally drive down (the roads were not great-2 1/2 hour drive) and we stayed longer than we had planned as we didn't have much time as we had to be back in time for our kids. So we were there for roughly almost 2 hours. And then we drove home and by this time the roads weren't as bad thank goodness.

My Grandma hasn't been doing well health wise for a while now. But just recently she had shingles and it was just awful...so painful! She has dementia really badly and doesn't really know any of us anymore. 

I asked  her if Kent could take our picture together and she said that was fine. In the picture you can see that she is even smiling, but I think she was actually smiling at Kent because she would lit up like a Christmas tree when she would look at him or if he said something to her...so cute!

 Her bed wouldn't sit up (the buttons weren't working on it) so this is the best we could do. I LOVE this precious lady!

Oh how I wish I lived closer so I could visit her more often and help take care of her. She is the sweetest lady! She was alert and talked quite a bit with us. Which lately I have been told she sleeps the majority of the time...so we were lucky she was so alert for us. 

I took our family picture down off of her wall to show her my family. I pointed us all out and told her our names. She looked at me and said,
 

"you are blessed"  

and then smiled at me and just starred at me. I smiled back and told her I agreed!


I gave her water to drink and put chap stick on her lips. My Grandma loves to have her hands and feet rubbed with lotion. She has severe arthritis so it feels so good to have them rubbed. I put lotion on her and she quickly pulled her hand out of mine and commented that my hands were cold ha ha. Sorry Grandma, my hands are ALWAYS cold!! 

When I was done rubbing lotion on her hands we just sat there holding each others hands for a while smiling at one another. She then asked me if I had worked there long =) I told her no and then I said teasingly,

"Grandma, it's me, Barbara, your favorite Granddaughter"

my Grandma smiled and said, 

"oh yes"  
(she said it sarcastically and with a mischievous smile)

and then she laughed! It was great to see her sense of humor come out and be able to have fun with her that way. I miss my Grandma! While we were holding hands I told her I was Gayla's daughter and that Gayla was on a mission and missed her a lot and wanted me to give her a big hug and kiss from her. So I did right then and Grandma said with a smile, 

"oh, that was a good one, thank you". 

I couldn't help but laugh and then we both just sat there starring into each others eyes and smiling. No words were said, just quiet. I got teary eyed and then I noticed Grandma looked teary eyed. I don't know if she was feeling what I was feeling, but it was strong! Our hearts were connected and you could feel it. I told her I had to go and she thanked me for visiting her. She was tired. I tucked her in her bed and made sure she was warm and comfy. How great it was to do those little things for her. They are so small, but matter so much to her and it mattered SO much to me.

Grandma Stanford...
On our way down to Cardston Kent's Aunt Ruth let me know that Grandma Stanford had woken up that very Monday morning at 5:30 a.m. VERY confused and disorientated. The staff called Kent's other Aunt, Betty (who lives in Cardston) to tell her she had better come up.  Once we heard this we were even more thankful that we were on our way down there to see her.


Kent's Grandma has had amazing health and been so independent until just recently. She has shingles right now as well and is still hurting from them as the sores are still trying to heal. It was hard to see her in pain. Kent and I were SO surprised to see how much her health had changed and how different she is now. She was still confused and disoriented when we got there and would fall asleep extremely easily as she just couldn't keep her eyes open. She was eating though, so that is good.

Grandma Stanford has always been a such a strong woman. She didn't know who we were. But she did remember our son Cole and who he was when we explained that we were his parents. She said, 

"yes, he is the one that makes me things and likes to draw like me. I have drawn things for him to ya know!" 

Cole was pretty proud that she remembers who he is and no one else there.  =)

She told Kent that Russell (her son, Kent's Dad who passed away 18 months ago) hadn't been down to see her for a while and by the tone of her voice she wasn't too happy about that. Aunt Ruth was telling us how Grandma had told her one time when she had gone to sleep that, 

"I was in limbo!" 

And they asked her what that meant and she said,

"I was stuck between here and there" 

(meaning the present and Heaven).

Hearing that gave me goosebumps. She would join in our conversations while we were there and then fall asleep. Anytime she fell asleep she was really restless, constantly moving her hands like she was doing things. Or she would mumble things constantly and even slightly open her eyes and be having a conversation with someone. 

Kent's Aunt Ruth and her husband Morley were there with Grandma Stanford as well as his Aunt Betty. It was good to see them and be able to visit with them.

Kent's Grandma Stanford and my Grandma Woolf are both in the same nursing home in Cardston.These Grandma's are so ready to move on and for some reason they are still here with us. As much as we are wanting them here, we want them to be happy and not in any pain anymore. They are both wanting to be with their husbands who have passed on years ago. 

It was extremely hard to say goodbye to them both. After we said our goodbyes and walked away I cried. I cried because I wish I could help them more and be there. I wish they didn't have to hurt and be so confused and stuck in these bodies that just aren't working anymore for them. I cried because that could have been the last time I got to kiss them and tell them I love them! But, at least we got down there and we did get to see them, cause you just never know!

Overwhelmed

We had our first YW Presidency meeting last night after mutual. Every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. is the Young Woman's and Young Men's activity night/Mutual. Kent is there as well as he has his Elder's Quorum meetings and then Cole and Tyson are there as well as they have their Scouts/YM and Cubs activity's. So Niki had Brynley for us. 

When mutual was over (usually around 8:30 p.m.) is when our meeting began. Kent and Cole were waiting for me...and let's just say they were waiting a LOOOOONNNNG time...our meeting was 2 hours long!!! What the??? I couldn't believe it. Note to self, bring my own vehicle every 3rd Tuesday of the month when I have a Presidency meeting. We didn't get home until 11:30 p.m. NOT COOL!! I felt so bad as Niki had Brynley and Tyson ended up over at Jeff and Melanie's after a Birthday party he went to instead of being dropped off at Niki's. So they were probably wondering what the heck Tyson was doing there. Not to mention how late it was when we finally picked them both up.

I AM SO, SO SORRY MELANIE AND NIKI!! THANK YOU for watching our kids.

Tuesday's are going to be tricky with Brynley as we can't pawn her off to someone every Tuesday as that just isn't fair to her or Niki. My other sister in law (Melanie) has a dance class that night so she is already busy. I talked to our YW President about Brynley as they are wanting me there every Tuesday so I can get to know the girls better and be a part of everything. She told me to bring Bryn on the activity nights we are just having fun and doing activities. Our meeting nights (which is once a month) I will need Bryn to be babysat. So, I talked to Niki about it and she said she would watch Brynley for us when I have that once a month meeting. 

THANKS NIKI for being willing to help me out with Brynley once a month so I can fully serve in my calling!!   =)

I had NO CLUE how involved the YW Secretary's calling was. It is going to be A LOT more work than I had anticipated. As my Mom said,

  "it is like you are the 3rd counselor". 

I have to teach on some Sundays and go to activities every Tuesday night and do my own Personal Progress Book. They are doing a reading challenge with the YW...they want to read the Book of Mormon in 99 days....they had started this challenge a week ago. So, I sat down Monday and read and read to catch up to where they were all at. I WANT to do and be apart of all they are doing. Plus, do all my responsibilities each week as the secretary...which there are M-A-N-Y!

I slept MAYBE a total of 3 hours last night as my brain was on YW's overload and wouldn't shut off. There is A LOT of work that gets done and I am just amazed by it all. Like I said, I had NO CLUE!!

  

After our meeting I still felt clueless as to what all I had to do...as there is just SO much and I am new to it all. Our YW President challenged us all to do as President Roche does and pray for each of the girls in YW. So she assigned each of them a group of girls to pray over....Sister Hall (2nd Counselor) is to pray for the Beehives that she is over, Sister Smith (1st Counselor) is to pray for the Miamaids and Sister Berryman (YW Presidnet) is praying for the Laurels. Sister Berryman then looked at me and said you can just randomly pray for whomever. I laughed and said, 

"no, I will pray for each of us." 

They all laughed and said good idea. All joking aside I will pray for us as leaders as we definitely will need it. But, I will pray for our YW's as well. 

I know the only way I am going to be able to juggle ALL my responsibilities in my life right now which are:

*being a wife

*being a Mom

*home responsibilities

*Visiting Teacher

*YW Secretary duties

*sewing class projects

*foster parent training/licensing

*counseling

is by being organized, and having faith that I can do it all. I do know I can do it, I just need to remember what is important, and ask for help. I have found myself on my knees a lot more lately praying for strength to be able to do all that I am being asked to do. 

This past Monday was a tough one emotionally for me. I had a lot I wanted to accomplish...researching my new calling and figuring it all out and doing all the reading from the Book of Mormon to catch up on the 99 day challenge. I found that when I was reading I was fine and understanding it all and really enjoying reading the scriptures. But when I would stop and give myself a break from reading and go do some laundry or whatever that I became VERY grouchy,  negative and doubtful with all I was trying to accomplish...and I didn't understand why!

I have been quick to cry and feeling so inadequate...all I can think of is that Satan is working hard on me cause he DOES NOT want me to do this calling. I feel like a war is going on inside me. I know I can do this calling as I REALLY desire to do it...but, then a big part of me says don't do it as you will only screw up and the girls won't like you and you will only fail as you have no idea what you are doing. But, when I close my eyes I can feel that he will not fail me and I can do all this through him as he knows me and knows my heart and what I can do. So, I am going to carry take a deep breath and carry on! 

I am looking forward to the spiritual growth that I know will come from being in this calling. I am looking forward to the relationships that I will make and come to know by having this calling. Lot's to look forward to =)

Thoughts from our ward conference

Our Stake President is such a great man. So easy to talk to and down to earth. He spoke this past Sunday about many things, but the one thing that stood out to me and really got to me was him talking about us being the hardest on ourselves. That Heavenly Father knows what is in our hearts and we need not judge ourselves and be so hard on ourselves. Do our best,  that is what we are asked and the rest will be taken taken care of.

I had to look down when he was saying this as I could feel the spirit so strongly and I was trying to keep myself together emotionally. I am VERY guilty of being hard on myself...I think we all do it to some degree, right??

The prophet Isaiah gave hope and comfort to all who have stumbled and made mistakes when he revealed these words from the Lord: "...Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as now; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18) With a broken heart and contrite spirit, we can receive forgiveness and learn from our mistakes. Part of what we may learn in the process is that happiness comes not only from receiving forgiveness, but also from extending it!"

"White as Snow" is the sequel to the previously released image, "Forgiven". Both paintings were inspired by Isaiah 1:18, "...though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." In "Forgiven" a woman kneels in sorrow and humility as she petitions the Lord for forgiveness. She wears a scarlet garment symbolizing the burden of her sins. Jesus assures her that there is hope indeed that her sins can be forgiven. "White as Snow" shows the woman now seated beside the Savior. Now cleansed, she is dressed in pure white. Her attitude is one of joy and appreciation for His merciful gift. In His hand Jesus holds the scarlet garment which once she wore, a garment now to be forgotten and remembered no more.

These 2 pictures say it all. I am definitely trying to learn how to let things go and forgive myself...it is a hard thing to do. I wish I could see myself the way Heavenly Father sees me...one day I will get there!

New calling...

I got a phone call Saturday morning from our first counselor in the Bishopric asking if he could come out to our house and talk with me. He was going to come at 3 p.m. I figured I was going to get released from my Nursery calling, but there must be more to it as why else would he come all the way out to our house?!


Brother Taylor arrived 10 minutes early. As always, he had the biggest grin on his face. He is the most friendly, soft spoken, kind man. You literally have to be so quiet when he is speaking as he speaks so quietly and humbly. When he talks to you he looks directly in to your eyes. It almost feels as if he is looking into your soul. He asked me how I liked serving in the Nursery as it has been a year now. I told him it has been great! He was smiling and said that was great and then told me they had been praying about my name and they wanted to know if I would be willing to serve as the Young Woman's Secretary? 

I was so shocked, but so excited. I said YES right away and he laughed. I told him I have been in the Primary for almost 6 years now so this will be a good change. Don't get me wrong as I have enjoyed being in the Primary, but this is a welcome change. 

It was our Ward Conference on Sunday. I was a nervous wreck as I didn't know where to go or what to do. I still brought the Nursery snack as I was supposed to bring it and they didn't know I was getting released. 

The YW President came and pulled me out of Sunday School to talk with me. I was given the binder that the other Secretary had been using and briefly told what was in and all I had to do. I must have looked like a deer caught in the head lights as she started to laugh and said, 

"don't worry I will email you all that you need to know and do." 

It was time for YW and it was combined since the Stake was there. As I walked in I was greeted with many hand shakes (the Stake leaders) saying, "

hello Sister Stanford welcome to your new calling" 

I couldn't believe they new my name. The Stake Secretary came up to me and grabbed my hand and said, 

"don't worry Sister Stanford, I know this is overwhelming, but you will be great." 

I was needing to hear that as I was feeling SO overwhelmed and SO out of my element. Being there and hearing all that the Youth are being taught and why they are taught what they are taught (on dating) was so neat. 

This is an amazing booklet. Sister Kearl (Stake YW President) said she has put a square around the word You in Youth in the title. As it really is For the Strength of YOUth! That hit me. So now, both my book and Cole's book now has the YOU circled on it.

The spirit was very strong especially once President Roche got up to speak. What a neat man! I was brought to tears when he spoke about the Deacons (Cole's age group) and his love for them. He prays for each and every one of them every night. He spoke about how keeps the Stake Directory of all the Deacons by his bedside and says each of their names in his prayers. And if he knows them he tries to picture them in his mind. So he said he was grateful to be in the Deacons class today so he could meet them all and now have a name to the faces that he prays for. I was so over come that he would do that for my son, a Deacon when he didn't even know him. How deeply grateful and thankful I am to him for doing that. 

I had to laugh at myself as I found myself in a panic during our combined YW and YM. I looked at my watch and it was 1:00 p.m. that meant it was time to clean up the toys in Nursery and get ready for snack ha ha ha....my mind is SO programmed and in Nursery mode! I found myself smiling and picturing what they were doing right then...I love those Nursery kids and I will definitely miss them all =)

It was amazing to be feeling the spirit and hearing a message/lesson taught and me actually learning from it. Yes, you can feel the spirit in Nursery and learn from them, but this was just a NICE change...a VERY welcome change to what my Sundays are going to be like from now on. I am looking forward to all the changes and the spiritual growth that I will get from this calling.

Can I just say, how thankful I am to all the leaders of the church for all they do to help us parents teach our children...we SO need them!!

FRUSTRATED!!

We have been frustrated with the whole process of trying to become licensed Foster Parents. We have been waiting on the agency to get there crap together for over a month now. All we are needing to have done to be able to become "licensed" is for the agency to come out and do a home assessment. And once that is done then we are able to start fostering.  They say there is this HUGE need for foster parents, but yet here we are ready and willing and done our part and now they are the ones dragging there heels. I am just sayin'...really??? Is it that hard for someone to come out and take maybe an hour to come do it??? I guess so!

We got a phone call from our agency about 2 weeks ago asking if we would be willing to do respite care for a foster family who is needing a break from there foster child. We said yes and I was in contact with the foster Mom to make arrangements. So, this weekend we are doing respite care for a 12 year old girl. She has been so friendly and chatty ha ha!

We ended up taking her to see the movie Tangled 3D since she hadn't seen it yet...plus, she had never seen a movie in 3D either so she was pretty thrilled about that. It was fun to listen to her excitement about it all. So far, so good! She will be staying with us until Sunday evening. 

The weather is -28 right now....COLD!!! So I am thinking tomorrow we won't do too much other than stay in the house and try to stay warm. I had the foster Mom make sure she packed a dress so she can come to church on Sunday. Both of her parents have died so she is an angry girl...rightly so! So, we are looking forward to having some fun with her and showing her some love this weekend.  =)

Happy 13th Birthday to our Cole!

 Well, we are "officially" parents to a teenager....AHHHHHHH!!! Cole is 13 years old today and he is one happy kid. To make his day even better there is NO SCHOOL as it is a snow day! 

Cole thinks it is pretty cool that he was born at 13:13 p.m. (1:13) and he is turning 13 years old today!

We aren't planning on doing too much today for his birthday other than hang out, play some games and be lazy since we celebrated his day yesterday. We may take him out for lunch here in town, we shall see. Kent is off for the day as well as the roads are NOT good to be driving on! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweet boy....LOVE YOU TONS!!!

Sunday, January 9 2011

We had our weekly Sunday get together with the other 2 families in Crossfield yesterday. Since it was going to be Cole's 13th Birthday on Monday we decided to do his Birthday dinner on Sunday when we were all together.

We didn't have church as the roads were too bad to drive on and visibility was poor. So we stayed home and had a lazy day...well, I was busy all day baking and cooking cupcakes, No Bake Cheese Cake, Carmel Popcorn and dinner for everyone for that evening.

Cole requested Cheeseburger Joes for dinner. 

 

I got this recipe from Kraft Foods...very simple, but good. We had chips and cesar salad with it. And of course a yummy fruit punch and pop mixed drink.


This week our family made the supper so dinner was out our place. Niki and Darren were in charge of Family Home Evening. After supper we all went into our front room so we could have F.H.E. Darren gave the lesson and it was on Choosing The Right.

Darren talked about ice cream and how yummy it is and asked if we all liked ice cream...of course we do. Then he asked what toppings we liked on it and he had chocolate and caramel sauce and put that on it and asked us if that looked good and we all were licking our lips. He then said well, how about with this on it and he pulled out some lint from the dryer and pushed it into it. We all were NOT impressed that he ruined the bowl of ice cream by putting that nasty dryer lint in it.

The ice cream looked like it had mold growing in it...it was ruined! Darren then tried to pass it around for someone to eat just some of it, the parts that the lint wasn't touching...noone wanted it as it was ruined...all of it because of the lint in it. He asked why we can't just pick it off and eat it and the kids said 

"cause there will be stuff left in it from the lint and plus that is nasty!"

Darren then talked about the analogy behind what he was trying to show them and teach us all. Like going to movies and playing games that have "just one bad part in it or just one bad word in it" and trying to justify watching it or playing the games. We need to Choose the Right always by not justifying those little things away. Cause in the end if we let those little things go then it can affect everything we do.

Kori, Lucas, Brynley and Avery had other plans while we were doing Family Home Evening ha! They were in the kitchen having a good time so we just let them be this time around.

 It was a good lesson and Darren and Niki did a good job! Next week we will be at Darren and Niki's for supper and Melanie and Jeff and their family are in charge of F.H.E.

Once F.H.E. was done we sang to Cole and has his Birthday cake. He requested my No Bake Cheese Cake that I make.

There were exactly 13 candles that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY on his cake, it worked out perfectly.

He blew out all his candles in one blow...good boy, no girlfriends!  =) The cake was yummy. I had made cupcakes for all the little kids as I knew they would want to cheese cake. So they were happy eating those.

Cole only asked for a certain game for his Birthday. So he got that and then the 2nd Anniversary Edition of the John Bytheway Cd's. He is a GREAT speaker and the boys listen to the Cd's all the time.

Cole opening all his gifts.

Jeff and Melanie gave Cole some money (which is ALWAYS a good gift) and Niki and Darren are taking Cole out to a movie tonight for his Birthday. So Cole is pretty excited to go see that tonight!

Thanks everyone for helping make Cole feel loved on his Birthday!!

Call me crazy...

 All my Christmas decorations are down and now my house feels naked! I decided since Valentines Day is the next seasonal fun thing to decorate for that I would go ahead and start to put up the decorations I have for it....which I don't really have much! Yes, I know you all think I am crazy, but, I sooooo enjoy decorating and it is just too fun =)

Valentines Day is Kent and my Anniversary each year. This year it will be our 14th Anniversary! I like to have fun with it and decorate...ok, ok I like to do that for each seasonal thing ha ha, but it gives me another good excuse to decorate and make cute stuff I figure =)

I have a list of things I am planning on making ASAP as I don't have very much for Valentine's decorations...pictures to come!

Does anyone else decorate a little bit for Valentine's Day? I will take pictures of everything once I am done making it all =)

Looking forward...

A blog friend (Lynn) had this video on her blog that I just had to share on mine. It gave me goose bumps as it speaks SO much truth!

  
I had to look back at my years worth of posts to see what went on for us all as a family. It really has been an uneventful year for us. Don't get me wrong we had some great moments FOR SURE...but, it was kind of a hard year as well for many reasons. We did accomplish things we set out to accomplish and the kids are growing and happy and healthy and that is what matters! 

I must say I am looking forward to 2011 and what it will bring...good and or bad?! I feel like I have a lot I am wanting to accomplish and I truly feel like nothing is going to stand in my way...so, come what may...as I am ready...I hope! LOL

I am looking forward to accomplishing all our goals (personal and family ones). I am SO excited to go visit my parents and see where they are serving their mission. Not sure when that will be this year, but it will happen! I am looking forward to reaching milestones with our kids and as a couple. Lot's to look forward to as life is moving along quickly it seems.