Look Who's Growing Up!!!

Last night I took AJ, Todd and Angela to the doctor's office to get flu shots and they don't let you get them unless they have had a visit lately, so we had to have their well checks to get a flu shot.

I don't usually do well visits for them now that they are older, but just one of those things we had to do to get their shots.

I read so many blogs of family and friends with the statistics of their children because they are little and grow so much all the time and it is exciting. I thought it was interesting that the nurse gave me "Look Who's Growing Up" information sheets for each one of them. I was thinking about it and thought that I would update all of you on their height, not their weight because I don't think they would appreciate it. I guess you get to a certain age and that is something we don't like to share.

AJ is growing and growing still. They looked at him as he came in wondering if he was the dad or something because he looks older than he is. AJ is 69 1/2 inches which is 55% for his height. Todd is doing great and growing too. Both Todd and AJ are taller than me. Todd is 68 3/4 inches and that is 50% for his height and Angela is 63 inches and she is 40% for her height.

AJ got two shots and the flu mist. I can't believe that their is a mist. I got a shot last week and it wasn't even offered to me. Todd also received two shots and the mist and Angela received the menangitis shots and the flu mist. My kids hate shots but it is alot easier than when they were little, now I just have to drag them in or bribe them with something.

Anyway they are all doing great...

Where do I spend my time

I have been thinking as I go to school every day that I need to take some pictures of the university that I go to. I especially love this time of the year because it is so beautiful. I think that it is pretty all year round but especially in the Fall.
This is the Education Building that is new, just this year. It is such a nice building, especially compared to the building that the Education Department had until now. I spend many hours each week in this building.

This is one of the beautiful areas that is between some of the buildings on campus.

This is the clock tower that was also built this year. It is right next to the Education Building.

Here are just a couple of the other buildings and landscape that make this campus so beautiful.

Not only is it beautiful here but I feel like it is a great school. In my experience going to school here I have found that most of the professors are great, very friendly and personable. They are willing to work with you and make it some place that you want to learn.

I just wanted to share one of the places that I spend MOST of my time. Some day they tell me I will graduate and I will move on but that seems quite a ways away.

My Fall Harvest Holiday

Last weekend, we were spoiled and my mom and dad came down to see us from Salt Lake. This was my dad's first trip down here since his surgery and probably his first real trip very far at all.
They came down on Friday and stayed until Monday. We had a great time!!!!

We took a drive up the mountain to see if their were any leaves on the trees and most of them were gone but it was beautiful and we took a picture of Cedar from up there.

This picture turned out dark but it is of Mike, Todd and my dad playing Rock Band. My dad got into it. He learned how to drum and also do the guitar. Keep practicing Dad.

We also went to the movie. We saw Eagle Eye. It was a little intense for my mom but we all loved it.

Just to keep my dad in shape we went over to the school every day and walked the track. He is doing great but still needs his cane until he gets his strength up. It was great just to talk and walk.

It was so great to have my parents here. We enjoyed every minute of it. We visited, watched movies, ate good food, played Rock Band, went to church, watched movies, and ate good food some more.

There is Nothing Like It

Yesterday, I had one of those great experiences that just uplifts you. I was able to go with a friend to the St. George Temple for a sealing. A great couple in our ward were sealed to their two beautiful children. There is no way to put into words the feeling in that room as those children in white were sealed to their parents. The spirit was so strong. Yesterday, will always be a very special day for this family. All that was in attendance will always remember what a very special day and feeling we all felt and shared.

I am so thankful each day for the Lord's plan. I am so thankful for the beautiful temples and for the plan of eternal families. This is just one of those days when you know that the Lord loves us and he is mindful of all of his children.

Just the Little Things

Yesterday I had a great experience that won't mean much to most of you but I want to write it down so that when I look back years from now I can remember it.

After school, I wanted to go for a walk(speed walk) to get my exercise in and I just thought I would ask my two boys to go with me. I figured they would decline and I would be on my own like I usually am and they surprised me and both of them went with me.

It was such a beautiful day and we went for a 2 1/2 mile walk. There I was out there walking around the track with my two boys that are taller than I, on each side of me. I felt like they were walking me. It was such an enjoyable walk, just laughing, teasing and talking with my boys. They are awesome and are truly some of my greatest friends, even though they tried to smash me between the two of them and they thought it was funny.

What a Stress

Yesterday, I woke up to feeling very sick to my stomach and I knew exactly why. I knew that I was going to have to speak last night at the Young Women Stake Leadership meeting. I still didn't know exactly to say what I wanted to about repentance and be able to do it in five minutes. You would think that I would get used to this since how I have to present all the time in school and I had to get up in front of people all the time as RS president but for some reason this time was even worse.

I just have to tell you that I actually am alive, even though I really didn't think I would make it and I know it wasn't one of my greatest talks but it is over with and there is the thought that if it was really awful they won't ask me to speak again.

I keep waiting for it to get easier but I think that will have to wait for a different life time, at least for ME.

I Have an Announcement!!!

Yes, I have an announcement but I am NOT pregnat, even though that would be fun and exciting it is not my announcement.

Today, I just found out some news that I have been waiting and waiting for and figured there might be someone out there that really wants to know about it. About six weeks ago I blogged about taking the Praxis test to be an Elementary Education teacher, this is required to start the block and also for student teaching.
After I came home from the test I was about in tears because the test was very hard. I had studied for many many hours and nothing that I studied was on the test. Well, I finally received the results for that test.

I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you all heard my screaming because it was real loud. I was so excited because I seriously thought I was going to be taking it again. It cost $130 and it was very hard and stressful.

I was so excited that I was screaming and crying at the same time. I was thinking how I wished that some of you could have been here to celebrate with me.
Yes, I am very excited!!!

Happy Birthday Kami Jo

Today is a very special day besides being Columbus Day. It is my sister Kami's birthday. This is a picture of Kami on the left(isn't she beautiful), my dad, my sister Kristi and myself. Kami's name is Kami Jo. She was named after the cameo jewelry because she reminded my parents of a cameo.
As you can see Kami is very beautiful. I vaguely remember babysitting her when I was pretty little and thinking how beautiful she was. Kami is six years younger than me. She loves to horsebackride, mountain bike, hike, swim and many other outside adventures. Kami has two beautiful children that she really enjoys.
I remember once when Kami was just very little probably 3 or 4 and she was outside walking around and stepped on a nail. She was crying and crying and couldn't move. She was quite a ways from our house so I remember picking her up and carrying her all the way back to our home.
I am so thankful that she is my sister. I don't see her often enough. Kami you are awesome and I hope you have a very Happy Birthday.

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

Yes, it is October 11th and the weather outside is frightful. I can't believe it is snowing and it is October. Yes, in Utah the weather could be anything at any time but usually it doesn't snow until after Halloween. I do love the snow, but not quite ready for it yet.

Not only did it snow today but it has actually stuck to the ground. Kind of crazy. I bet my pumpkin vine is now frozen. We will have to bring the pumpkins in tomorrow.

I guess there is nothing really to do but say "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow"

I Guess I Owe Ice Cream

I must say that my kids are the greatest, but I guess all moms feel that way about their kids.

Last week Todd had another Cross Country race here at the high school. I told him that if he could break 20 min for his 5k race then I would owe him an ice cream at DQ. Mike and I showed up at the race and it was windy and I just didn't know how well he would actually do. It is so awesome to see him compete, each time as he goes around I am just screaming and screaming "Keep Going, push it!"
As he was getting closer to the finish line I just kept thinking it would be so awesome if he could PR and break 20 min. We were all screaming as he came in at 19:36. I couldn't believe it. We were all so thrilled and you should have seen the look on his face. WOW!!!! I guess I owe him ice cream.
Way to go Todd!!!

Pay Day

My full time job is and has been so hard at times through the years but I would never trade it for anything. I often wonder if I should have finished school before I had my family, how much easier it would have been when I was younger. I feel so lucky to have stayed home with my kids while they were growing up and as they continue to do so. I would never give it up for anything. Some days, as most moms do, I wonder did it really make a difference????

It seems like there are very few days that I feel like I just had a "Pay Day". Well today was one of those. I was having a kind of bad day anyway and as I opened my mail there was a nice letter from Todd and Angela's seminary teacher. The letter just thanked me for raising such great children and how great their insights and testimonies add to her class. I am so thankful for those people that take the time to let others know how much what they do or what they do every day makes a difference. She just made my DAY.

I also want to Thank all of you that read and comment on my blog. It truly makes a difference in my day and I look forward to hearing your comments.

General Conference

Conference was so great. It was so exciting to hear about the new temples, especially in Rome. I felt like all of the talks were so great and very important for me to hear right now.

I must say that one of my favorite talks was the talk about angels that come from the other side to help comfort us and angels in our own every day life that are there to help us make it through the hard times and also the great times.

This talk reminded me of a very special memory to me of my childhood and one of the angels in my life when I was all alone and scared. I remember when I was a little girl, my parents owned a farm and they would travel across the point of the mountain which is close to Salt Lake if you aren't familiar with it. They would travel to deliver and do errands that they needed to in Salt Lake because I grew up in Lehi.

There was one day when they were on one of their errands or deliveries and a blizzard snow storm came in, one like we don't have any more. I was the only child in our family old enough for school and was probably only 6 at the time. The schools shut down and sent all of the bus students home on busses because the storm was so bad. We lived down a very long dirt driveway and I had to walk down it to get to my house. That particular day it was very hard to walk down it with wind blowing snow and drifts everywhere. I was SCARED to death. I didn't know if I was going to make it. I finally made it. It was a very hard walk and then when I made it down the driveway I went to go into my house and there was no one home and the doors were all locked. I was scared to death and I was cold and freezing. I started to cry.

Only a few minutes later, our bishop came down the driveway with his horse because it was now too hard to drive down and he had just had a feeling to come and check on us at our house. To me at that time and still to this day, he was an angel sent to help me. I will always be thankful that he cared enough and listened to the promptings to come and check on me. At an early age this showed me that I was important and that my Heavenly Father cared about me.(the reason my parents weren't there for me is because they got stuck around the point of the mountain and it was closed and there was no way for them to get to me)

I do believe in angels. There are and have been many angels in my life. I don't know what I would do without those special people that have been there to help and comfort me in many ways.

It is so nice to be uplifted as I sit and listen. I can't wait until tomorrow.

Yummy!!!!

Here are the treats that I promised to share. They both are the best.

Pumpkin Dessert Bar
1 large can pumpkin(29 oz)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 (12oz) can evaporated milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 yellow cake mix
2 sticks butter melted
1 cup chopped pecans
Mix the first seven ingredients as you would for pumpkin pie, pouring batter into a greased 9x13 inch glass pan. Sprinkle cake mix over the top and then drizzle with butter. Sprinkle with pecans if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes.

Carmel popcorn
1 cup karo syrup
1 lb brown sugar
Bring to boil, boil 3 min
Add
1 cube of margarine
boil 1 min
Add
1 can sweetened condensed milk
boil 1 min
Pour over 7-8 qts popped popcorn and mix
YUMMY

If you have any questions just call or comment.

She is so Cute

Yesterday, I began Start Tutoring at the elementary school. If you are not familiar what Star tutoring is, it is a reading program that is designed to help children that are a little behind in reading. It gives them additional help in reading and activities that will help them read.
I was excited to meet the little girl that I will be tutoring, her name is Miranda. She is such a cutie and it was so fun to meet her and start reading with her. This will be a great experience and to actually get to work with the kids I am so excited. I know some may think I am crazy but this has been my dream to some day be a teacher, it is getting a little closer.....

Autumn's Treasures

I received this idea from one of my blogging friends and loved it so I decided to do one too:

TOP 20 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT FALL (in no particular order)
1. The crispiness of cool weather in the air.
2. The beautiful colors of all the fall leaves.
3. Memories of homemade baked bread and soup after coming home from school as a child.
4. Reaping the harvest from my garden, some year better than others.
5. Fall and Halloween decorations
6. I love sitting by a fire all snuggled up with my husband and a blanket.
7. The smell of a cinnamon or pumpkin candle.
8. Soft homemade sugar cookies with orange frosting
9. Baking goodies with my kids
10. I love pumpkin cookies, cobbler, pumpkin bars, and pumpkin bread. YUMMY
11. The anticipation of the holidays to come right around the corner.
12. I always think about certain friends at this time of year.
13. Carmel apples or homemade carmel popcorn
14. I love wearing my sweaters, jackets and jeans.
15. All of the great movies to buy and all the new ones coming out to theaters.
16. I love rides to the mountains to see the fall leaves.
17. Giving out candy at the trunk or treat and at home.
18. I love to shop in the Fall.
19. I always look forward to General Conference on television.
20. I love Candy Corn.