Happy late Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELI, HALLIE, AND MICAH. YESTERDAY WAS MICAH AND HALLIES 2ND BIRTHDAY AND I DIDN'T POST. WHAT A BAD AUNT I AM. ELI, AARON'S YOUNGER BROTHER ALSO HAS THE SAME BIRTHDAY AND I DIDN'T GIVE HIM A SHOUT OUT EITHER. BAD SISTER IN-LAW. SO, MY LOVE TO ALL OF YOU, HOPE YOU ALL HAD GREAT DAYS.

An Answer to a Prayer...

So many times in my life, I have fallen on my knees to pray, sometimes more than others, but lately more often than not. I have struggled and pondered answers to questions I didn't even know I was ready to ask. I find myself in a vicious cycle of what to do NEXT.
I worry that I don't make the right choice or that I haven't put enough into decisions or that I'm rushing things. I worry way too much about things, when really I need to learn to hand my concerns over to Heavenly Father and then let what will be...be.
So much it seems has gone on, I don't know, in my mind it has. Aaron in school, both girls in school now, running to and from school, activities, play dates, cleaning house, laundry day in and out, keeping kids safe and happy and clean, trying to pay bills, adjusting to being a "single" parent while Aaron endures school and work for our family. I wonder if he knows how much I truly appreciate his sacrifices? If he knows that in the end, this will all be a bad dream we woke up to, and that one day soon he will have a great job and we will finally be one step closer to where we should be. I wonder if I am a good wife to him, if I'm a good Mommy to my kids, if I am a good sister, friend, daughter, cleaner, organizer, bill keeper, member of the church, if and how I can improve on these things, if I worry for nothing. Which I'm sure is the case. Aaron tells me that often that I do worry for nothing. These are things that concern me, that I do think of because they are important to me.
All I know is that with faith and doing what I should I will receive the answers I know I need, and I can do and be what I know I can be. I just have to keep striving, and pressing forward. I know I make mistakes, I don't always say or do the right thing, but I try, I try to do what Heavenly Father would want from me and expects from me, and that's all I can do. What matters to me is that, not perfection, just the strive to be better and do better.
My answers have come. Its amazing how rereading something you have, that you thought said or meant one thing can change or mean something completely different when you read it again when looking for answers or guidance. Heavenly Father does hear and answer my prayers. Always.

Does this look comfortable?

So Im not sure if this was intentional or not, whatever it was he thought it was pretty funny! What a spaz!

Pumpkin Patch

Can you believe its already that time again to head to the pumpkin patch? Carys' Kindergarten class headed out to our favorite place, Country Mercantile. It was raining and soooo COLD! When we first got there it wasn't too bad just drizzling a little, but after doing the maze, climbing the haystacks, and getting a pumpkin, it POURED! They got to pet the animals, but by then it was more like get me to the bus so we can get warm. I was dripping wet and chilled to the bone. BURR!! However, even being wet and cold, it was so fun going to be with Carys and seeing her experience it with her class and her very best friend Rhenley. They held hands the whole time and are so cute. (of course Jocie has to get in on it too) LOL

Eben and his SHORT hair...

Eben got a HAIR CUT...

How cute huh? Look how grown up he looks!

Eben and his wild hair...boy its LONG...

Eben is gettin' a HAIR CUT...

Happy Anniversary to us...

So we headed to Spokane for our Anniversary. I wanted to do something finally after 11 years. We never took a honeymoon and the last time we went anywhere "together alone" was 5 years ago. So....we headed to Spokane for some time away. We stayed at the Comfort Inn. We had such a nice time together. The first night we stayed in, we ordered pizza and just spent time alone. Loved that! On Saturday we had a wonderful breakfast courtesy of the hotel, and then just took our time, we hung out, took a nap, and watched some good ole' discovery channel. We headed out at 4:00 and had a late lunch early dinner at a great Restaurant at a place called Tomato Street that a good friend recommended. It was so yummy. Then we headed to the mall for some window shopping and a late movie to see Couples Retreat (perfect pick eh?) We had such a good time. We got up on Sunday and had another great breakfast and then headed home around 11:00.

It was such a great way to spend our Anniversary. Away together, alone, without kids, without phone calls, and focusing just on each other. It really was super relaxing and so romantic. I am honored to be married to such a wonderful man. Now its back to reality. Bring on the mommy duties!

The last few nights I have gone to bed with lots and lots of different thoughts and memories. I think of my four sweet children, I think of where we live, of the places in which we have lived, I think of memories that have gotten us to this point, and I think of myself. I think of a young girl at 20 who married a man she was so in love with. Now I'm 31 and I have such a different life now, I have such different priorities, things that I once thought were important then are so not even entering my thoughts, things that once concerned me, don't exist.
You see tomorrow is October 10th. To some that's not a big deal, but tomorrow happens to be my 11th wedding Anniversary with Aaron. Now you understand my reflection. I have thought alot about the past the present and the future. I have thought how different our lives were to now. We are so different, sometimes when I think of those people I don't even recognize them in my own thoughts, they appear almost as strangers. Its almost shocking to me. To others they probably look back and think oh the only difference is we have kids, or more money because you are done with school, etc. Aaron and I did things differently. When Aaron and I married we weren't active in the church, we were hit and miss. When we officially got married it was more miss then hit. A few years into our marriage what little we did have the spirit in our home, it had completely left by that point. It was a very lonely and hollow beginning.
Like I said we were different. Its amazing how events in your life, can save your life. I got pregnant with Avery and she saved us from that hollow life, to a loving, spiritual family home. When you have children and a family EVERYTHING changes, hopefully for the better. In our case it just happened ready or not. We embraced it and everything fell into place. We got active, we had Avery and were sealed as a family and everything fell into place. Not to say we don't have to work everyday to keep things together, because we do, some days more than others, but Ive said this a thousand times, the life I have now is much easier than the life we had before, we actually had to work harder at that, to cover things up, and Satan just worked harder on us. We now have the bond of an eternal marriage, sacred covenants, children, a foundation, and the passion and desire to make it a priority to never allow that old world to enter the one we have now. For that I'm truly grateful. I'm happy that I have a partner in this life that makes me better. I'm glad that I have someone to share my life, love, and children with. I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for the love and respect that after 11 yrs we still have for each other. I want my husband to know my great love for him and for his desire to be better and make our family better. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

Sundays really are the best.

Hallie wearing Eli's jersey

Grandma Jodi reading to Hallie and Jocie

Carys in Eli's jersey

Jocie's turn in the jersey

Aaron and Avery playing a game

On Sunday we headed to church for a great Primary Program. The girls did great :) It was so nice to watch them sing and get up to do their lines. They have grown up so much. Carys is still struggling with certain situations such as crowds etc...but she has grown leaps and bounds and for that I am proud of.
After church we headed to Prosser for some much needed time with family. Tyson and Stacey (Aaron's brother) was in town with his family (2 yr old twins) from D.C. We always have so much fun together. They are such great people. Aaron headed up after work to be there with us all too. It was nice. We always laugh so much and then of course the teasing is relentless, but always in good fun.

Aaron has a great family that I have truly come to love and adore who really are "my family" not just by marriage. They all support each other and they all have so much fun together.

What have we been up to?

On Friday my Mom and I went to the park for dinner (both our hubby's closed at work) so we decided we didn't want to sit around. We got dinner and went to the park. We had a nice time, before we knew it though Brandon, Katie, and Jimmy showed up to surprise us, they had just come from dinner and after talking to my Mom they decided to come down. It was nice to see them and spend time with them. Jimmy looked adorable with a little vest on and jean jacket. He is adorable. We were there until we just couldn't see anymore. It was such a nice evening to get out and the kids slept great.

On Saturday the kids and I worked on chores and got the house nice and spotless. It looked great, and then the rest of the day we could play. So we did. We headed to Sacajawea Park for Heritage day and saw lots of things; how the Indians lived, how they made their food, hunted, made fires, there homes (teepees), my Dad was also there with his work Wholesale Sports, they had a booth set up so we chatted with him while the girls shot with the dart gun with plastic darts. Then we found a group of people who have a name what it is not sure, but they had lots of birds with them for kids to see. They had an Eagle there her name was Ula. She was gorgeous. She had a wing span of 7 ft. They had lots of birds. Eben especially loved it, and kept saying Ohhh....it was very sweet. We headed down by the water and saw a huge barge being pushed by a tug boat, it was funny because it brought up some waves on the dock and the girls excluding Carys ;) thought it was great fun. Eben from the stroller was fascinated.

Later we met up with Grandpa for dinner and then headed to Walmart and home. It was a nice day but busy.

More to come....

Oh how I love them

Didn't I just have them? I mean there's no way that she's almost 6 and he's almost 14 months already. How did this happen? He really thinks he's hot stuff when he stands on the chair all by himself, but he also worries me. Little stinker.

Need I say more?

So I'm thinking that perhaps I should pay attention a little better huh? This is Jocie and Eben "playing" or should I say coloring. Not quite sure who colored on him, she claims he did it to himself, when I asked him he said..."hgublah...mama" they both have compelling stories I'm just not sure who's telling the truth. They are lucky they are so darn cute....;)

Family Home Evening

Tonight we headed to Howard Amon Park with Shanell & Lucas Stevens and their girls, with her parents Bro & Sis Manis with Shanell's brother Keith and girlfriend Marissa. We ate a yummy dinner together and the kids played to their hearts content, which is always great. The kids had a lot of fun. They got to ride on the zip line with Aaron and Grandma Nea's help (Shanell's Mom). They all did so good and had so much fun, even Eben got a turn with Aaron's help with his sister's in tow watching and running after him. He is such a big boy. It was a great evening with friends.

Im a big kid now...

First Day of School

Carys finally got to go to school. It is so hard to wait, its just like at Christmas time or their Birthday when you count down, except when you count down to start Kindergarten, you really don't "start" that's the part that's hard. They go on the 1st day for their testing, the 2nd is the day they find out who they have, and finally on the 3rd her and I got to go together (me half day). It was so fun. They read a book called The Kissing Hand. It was adorable. She was so excited. However, come time for me to go, she got a little weepy, but I heard she pulled it together very fast and had a fabulous day!

She is so grown up and so sweet. She got the teacher that I wanted at Jason Lee, Mrs. Perkins. She is a great teacher and I think Carys and her are going to get along famously. Carys also got her best friend Rhenley in her class which they were both super excited about. They have several other friends from church in their class which is nice.

09/09/09

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Today is my Dad's Birthday!! I have an amazing and fun Dad. He is awesome, so why wouldn't I give him a shout out on his Birthday? My Dad is the father of 6 kids, the grandfather of 17, and the husband of my Mom. I am so lucky to have him in my life. He is such a great support for our family, and offers great advice and always encourages us to do and be better. Have a great day Dad.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
It also happens to be my niece Adrianna's Birthday too. She just happens to share this day with my Dad and her Grandpa, how cool is that? She is 12 today. Adrianna is my brother Craig's oldest daughter, she is sweet, warm, lovable, beautiful, funny, and so smart. I am so proud of her. I just want her to know how much to we love her and want to wish her a very Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day!