This year

This year we headed up north for Thanksgiving. We left on Wednesday morning and stayed with Mike's parents. We had a family dinner with his family for his dad's birthday. It was nice to see everyone. On Thanksgiving, Mike and the boys woke up and went to play football at 8 am. I think they are all in one piece but quite sore. After the football, we took the kids to see the movie "BOLT" at Jordan Landing. It was a very cute movie. After that we went to my sister's for Thanksgiving dinner. We had dinner about 5:00 pm. It was delicious. There is always preparation that goes into a big meal. Mike and AJ were helping Kristi in the kitchen. Mike is the official potato masher, maker.

Here is a picture of us getting ready to eat dinner. Kristi did such a fabulous job hosting the dinner and making everything look fabulous. This is the adult table. My brother and his wife and the kids sat at the other table.

Six kinds of pie, yummy. When we have Thanksgiving we always have many kinds of pie to choose from. Pie, pie and more pie. The best part.

Then we had a little entertainment. AJ, Todd, Angela and Kyle(my brother) all played Rock Band with the rest of us watching and listening. Kyle is quite a ham when it comes to singing.

Parting is always such sweet sorrow. This is a group hug, that my kids are giving my sister before we head back to grandma and grandpa's house.

On Friday(Black Friday), Mike and I did get up early and head out shopping. My kids also have a tradition of helping Grandma Glad decorate for Christmas and also watching Christmas movies. This is the kids watching "Elf".

Here is a picture of my kids after helping decorate for Grandma.

Grandma made all of us homemade scones today when we woke up and were getting ready to come home. This is the kids smothering her in the kitchen before we left to come home. Thanks grandma and grandpa for letting us invade your house and also for letting us drink all of your sodas.

Some things never change

This week has been a week of much fun. I will post about my Thanksgiving but one part of my week that was great is that Mike and I and our family went over to my friend Lisa's house and visited. She ended up feeding us dinner and cinnamon rolls which was unnecessary but we had a great time just visiting.

I have known Lisa for 21 years. Mike and I met her and her ex husband one night when her house had flooded and she needed help finding a place for her furniture and Mike was her hometeacher and offered to let her put it in our apartment. We never knew that night that this would start a very great relationship that would last forever. We have been through many things together through the years but we are still very close. She is very much like me and we have so much fun together. I am so glad that we took the time to go and visit and that we make it important to keep in touch no matter where we live or what is going on. She could pass as a sister because we look so much alike. She is also a school teacher and some day I will also be able to pursue that career. I will always be grateful for Lisa and her friendship and the great times we have together.

It is probably a good thing we don't live close to each other like we used to because we would never get anything done.

How early??

I can't believe how each year the day after Thanksgiving shopping gets earlier and earlier. The stores are opening earlier and earlier and some all night long. There are even some stores that have sales on Thanksgiving day.

This is a tradition that Mike and I have had since we were first married. We go shopping real early on Black Friday also known as the day after Thanksgiving. Some years we really find a lot of great deals and it is real worth it.

I remember one year I was so pregnant and I thought I was doing fine. I was standing in a very long line and I almost passed out. Everyone around me was worried, but all I needed was a little food and to move around a little. There have been a couple of years that we have gone with my sister Kristi or her and her husband. That is always fun.

This tradition has become harder as we have moved down here for the last four years. We have to be sneaky and pack what we purchase carefully into our Expedition. Many people say that we are crazy and that they can't believe that Mike will go with me, but he always does and doesn't even complain. We go to breakfast and shop and just enjoy being together. This always gets us a very good start on what we need to get for Christmas. The older that I get I wonder if it is worth it, because it is so hard to get up early on a long weekend, but it always ends up being worth the few extra hours.

I must say that I really don't enjoy standing in long lines and that is probably one of the things that I hate most about the shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

If you go shopping how early do you go??? I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. Thanks for all your comments.

Hospital on Thanksgiving

As I am thinking about Thanksgiving and ones from the past, I remember one of our most memorable Thanksgivings ever.

It was probably about 7 or 8 years ago. We were living in Herriman at the time and Mike woke up to go play football on Thanksgiving morning with his friends from high school. It always ends up being about 75 or so men by the time everyone invites all that they know. I was enjoying the late morning and sleeping in as long as I could when I received a phone call from his brother, Max. He told me that I needed to meet him in the emergency room at the hospital and that Mike's ear had been yanked off. There I was picturing them just holding his ear and Mike bleeding all over and then Max started to laugh and told me that it had been ripped but it was still attached. I was a little irritated that he was teasing me. I got in the car and headed over to the hospital and sure enough he had a good majority of his ear ripped off from his head. They ended up stitching it up and then they wrapped his head with a red bandage all around his head. What a way to start my Thanksgiving off. I guess I was very thankful that morning that it wasn't worse and that it was still somewhat attached. After that I have tried to talk him into just watching football on Thanksgiving and some years he does and others he still plays.

Make sure that you make a great Thanksgiving memory this year and enjoy.

Cute Pictures

AJ and Karrilyn both went to the Institute Formal Dance this last Saturday night. They both are going to SUU for school and their is also an institute and they always have activities and dances. They both had a great time with their dates. I thought their pictures turned out real good so I thought I would post some of them.
This is a picture of AJ and Kelly. I thought her dress was gorgeous.

Here is a picture of Karrilyn and her date, Bryan. She had a great time. He was very nice and I thought the dress she wore and her hair turned out great.

Winter SUU ROTC formal 08

I am finally getting to post about my GREAT evening this week. I know I promised to post these and so here they are.
On Thursday night, Mike and I went to the SUU ROTC formal in the Great Hall at SUU. It is a gorgeous room. I decided that I wanted to do my hair different so I had someone do an updo for me. What do you think? It was so fun to get made up and dressed up and go with my great looking hubby. I really enjoy the formal in the winter because it is very entertaining. They tease each other and harrass each other during the night. Here are a couple of pictures of our night.

During the night they do port of orders and these are when a cadet or cadre member(instructor) finds something that has been done improperly during the semester or even that night and then there is a Mr. Vice that decides if it is relevant and if so then the cadets have to put quarters in a big bucket and at the end of the night they take the money to a charity for the holidays. They usually end up with a lot of money, all quarters. Some of these port of orders were not being in class on time, or at pt on time. Another might be not picking up your date for the formal, or not carrying a watch, or not knowing the soldier's creed. Anyway it is real entertaining and makes me laugh every year.

This is my favorite picture from the night. It definitely is not as great as the pictures that Lara took last year, but they are still good.

I am so lucky to be married to my sweetheart. We had such a great time. It is always fun to feel like a princess for one night.

Here are a couple of just me that Mike and the kids took, probably because I don't take my picture often and don't ever do my hair up.

I think the dress might be a little big, it kind of makes me look a little chubby. That is one good thing about having someone take the pictures and do some editing on them. I am still trying to decide if I like my hair up or down. I was looking at my pictures from last year with my hair down and I am not sure. Those pictures are posted on my blog (postings for 2007).

Who are you cheering for?

Who are you cheering for? Are you watching the game??

Tomorrow is the big game. The Utes against BYU playing football. This is always a big game at our house. We are definitely a divided house when it comes to BYU and the UTES. Mike and AJ are always cheering for the Utes and Todd and I are always cheering for BYU. I really do like both teams but if BYU is playing I am definitely a BYU fan. It is a lot of fun to have my kids enjoy watching these teams together. We don't watch much sports but this is a fun game to watch as a family. Oh yeah and my kids love being able to have another reason to have a party.

It will be interesting to see who wins is it RED or BLUE. I know I will be wearing blue tomorrow.. Good luck BYU.

I'm thankful for...

I know this picture might be hard to see but I really like it. This was taken when my brothers, sisters, parents and Mike and I went on a cruise about 10 years ago or so. We had such a great time. I have three brothers and two sisters. They are great. I am excited to get to see them soon, at least part of them. I must say that my family is the greatest. If we are ever struggling or having trials we are there to support and help each other. We had an awful lot of fun as kids and when we get together we are big kids all over again. Some of my siblings don't remember much life without my husband, because for example my brother, Kyle was eight years old when we got married. I am so lucky that my family totally adores him and he is like a brother to them. I remember him taking them shopping, bowling, or just playing with them and harrassing them. I am thankful for my siblings influence on my kids and their love for them. My kids were spoiled for many years because noone else was married for a while, so they have had a lot of one on one time.

I am also thankful for my wonderful parents that have put up with all of us. My parents have been through a lot through the years but they are the best. They have taught us how to serve, love, care, work and be committed in all that we do. My mom is a true example of enduring life and making the most of every day. She has taught us so much by her life. My dad has taught how to love everyone and serve those around us and treat them how you would want to be treated. I am so thankful for their example to me and my kids.
There is a cross stitch saying in my entry way that my mother made that has a saying that describes our family.
Our family is a circle of strength and love.
With every birth and every union, the circle grows
Every crisis faced together
Makes the circle stronger

I am truly thankful for family.

You must have been a beautiful baby

I know this picture is not the best but back when I was little color was a little hard to come by. I just love this picture of me even though it is getting a little old.

One of my greatest joys or blessing in my life was my childhood. I didn't have a normal childhood but I wouldn't change it for anything. I had the great opportunity to grow up on a farm. I guess you could say that I was a country girl. We were taught at a very early age to work and to work hard. The jobs that we had to do were not the kind of jobs that young girls ever would want to do. Even though we worked hard, my parents always made time for us to play and we would play hard too. I remember waking up at 5 am before school to help milk the 150 goats that we had on our goat farm. I remember feeding baby goats by hand and just loving every minute of that job, because they truly thought you were there momma. My parents made cheese, ice cream and jerky and delivered it all over Salt Lake. Work was hard but it was a way of life and it became our fun too. I remember having milk fights as we were milking and chasing animals all over the place.

I also grew up on a mink farm, and a pig farm, so you see I have done a little of everything and I wouldn't change that for anything. I would have to say that I REALLY didn't like mink not one little bit. I remember one day having one mink take a hold of my finger and I think that was the last thing that mink did because my dad came after it and gave it a beating. I was screaming and pretty much terrified. Yep I have a scar to prove it. Most people would say was that really good for kids to work so much, and I would say I think it was. It is what made me who I am today. It has definitely strengthened me and I can handle most anything. I have so many childhood memories that most people will never have and I would never want to change it.

Thanks mom and dad!!!!

You should try it

You have to try it!!!. Ok you don't but if you like Key Lime Pie, you should. This is one of my easiest recipes and one that has become favorites for many of my friends for Thanksgiving. I hope you all try it and enjoy!!!!
You never know maybe it will become one of your traditions.
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you it is quite healthy too. Well at least compared to most pies. Many of my friends use it when they are on a diet because it is only 3 pts for one piece. You would never know it because it is very delicious!!!!!!! Let me know if you try it.

Key Lime Pie
1(3 oz) pkg sugar free lime jello
1 (8 oz) carton fat free cool whip( or regular if you aren't watching calories)
1/2 c boiling water
graham cracker pie crust( or reduced fat cracker crust)
2 (6 oz) key lime light yoplait yogurt

Mix lime jello with boiling water until dissolved. Add yogurt and gently fold in Cool Whip. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until ready to serve.

WOW that was easy, anyone can make it!!

Through the years

Many of you didn't know me when my kids were little, so I thought I would post a couple of my kids years ago. These pictures are from one of our first vacations to Disneyland. My kids love Disneyland and they still do. Through the years, there have been many times that I have thought, wow, I have great kids.

This is a picture after we went on one of the water rides at Seaworld. They love the water rides, especially they love seeing me get wet. Aren't they cute!!!! These pictures were taken in 2000. Things have changed a lot but they are still the same great kids.

One of my most favorite stories is about when Mike and I were taking the kids to see Stuart Little when it came out. We thought for Family Home Evening we would go to the movies. We were excited. When we pulled into the theater and told them what we were going to see, Todd proceeded to say he wasn't going. He didn't care there was no way he was going. He had been told at school that the white cat in Stuart Little swears and he wasn't going to go to a show that the cat swears in. Well, what were we going to do now. We hadn't heard anything bad about the show and really knew that they would enjoy it, so we picked him up with him yelling at us and made him go to the movie. ( WOW, making a kid go to the movie, what awful parents)

After the movie, my kids said that they loved it and wanted to buy the movie and Todd loved it too. They said "mom, the cat didn't even swear". The truth is that the cat did swear but my kids enjoyed the movie so much that they didn't notice it at all but Mike and I were watching to find out if it did or not.

I am GLAD that I have such great kids, that teach me so much each day.

Rice Pudding

My son Todd has been bugging and asking me to make Rice Pudding for a very long time. It has been one of those Rice Pudding days many many days in the last two weeks, but my life is quite busy and it hasn't worked that I had the time to make it. I finally made it today. Most of my family just loves my Rice Pudding recipe. It is different than most recipes for rice pudding. It is REALLY yummy. This is my mom's recipe that she used to make when I was growing up and I love it too. (Colt, I know you will be jealous) My brother that lives in Minnesota loves rice pudding like there is no tomorrow.

I hope you all enjoy and give it a try. It is perfect for a day when it is dreary and cold outside.

Rice Pudding

4 Tbs butter
milk ( approximately 2-2 1/2 quarts)
2 Tbs vanilla
3 cups sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups rice
4 cups water
bring water to boil and then put lid on it and simmer for 20 min, unless you have a rice cooker.
Mix sugar, cooked rice, vanilla, nutmeg, and butter together.
Add milk until it is real liquidy. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 3 hrs.
About every hour I add more milk and stir it up. It usually ends up being about 2 or 2 1/2 quarts of milk by
the time I am finished adding milk each hour.

I hope you enjoy!!!!!

FYI

I am so excited!!!! I just turned in my electronic portfolio for assessment. It is a portfolio with much of what I have done during my time in school. It has artifacts and I have to send it to the professors at the school and they look at it and assess it. It is one of the requirements for graduation. I am getting a little closer each day. If you are interested in looking at it, let me know and I will give you the link. It isn't anything great but it is to me.

Beauty All Around

This morning I had to wake up early to take Karrilyn to school and it was chilly and I didn't want to get out of bed and as I made it out onto highway 56, I was taken away with the beauty of the sunrise. There was pink and red just above the blueness of the sky. It was beautiful. I just love the sunrises and sunsets in Cedar City. They have to be the most beautiful of most anywhere in the world.

I hope you look for beauty all around in everything that you do and see. The world is such a beautiful place and we often don't even see it. If you can't see beauty in the features of the world, then look for beauty in a child's smile or actions or those that are finding some way to add to the world around them.

Just Find Beauty and share it with others!!!!

The Greatest of Friends

Today I want to share one of my GREATEST blessings in this world and that is my great friends.

One of my friends, gave me this hanging lately and it is how I feel. I hope that all that meet me end up feeling like they are true friends when they leave being around me or my home.
This hanging is a friendship wall hanging that means so very much to me, as you can see it is hanging in my hall. My friend, Annette, that lives miles and miles away made this just for me. She is so very talented and I don't see her much but her friendship is very important to me as SO MANY of my friends are.

I love this poem that I found that tells how I feel about my friends much better than I can.

Why God Made Friends

God made the world with a heart full of love,

Then He looked down from Heaven above,

And saw that we all need a helping hand,

Someone to share with, who'll understand.

He made special people to see us through

The glad times and the sad times, too;

A person on whom we can always depend,

Someone we can call a friend.God made friends

so we'll carry a part

Of His perfect love in all our hearts

Just in the last two weeks I have had people that have called or emailed me to say just the right thing at the right time. Thanks so much!!! I hope you know who you are!!!! I wish I had pictures of all of my friends that are a part of my heart because they are a part of who I am. I am thankful for my friends close by, friends that I have met just online, and friends that are miles and miles away. Thanks to all of you that comment on my blog and make my day. I appreciate every great word.

Many changes in our world as we know it!!

Yesterday, at church we had our Primary program. It was awesome. This year it was definitely a little different than it usually is during the program. They split our ward. (In the LDS church if there are too many people in your ward then they split the ward so that there are fewer people in each ward)
They have been talking about it for a long time and they finally did it. I was pretty teary eyed during the program because it was so spiritual and because I was thinking about all my friends that I will miss. When a ward is split, people always say that they will keep in touch but it hardly ever happens.
This is the second time that they have split our ward since we have lived here. The last time they split it I was serving a RS president and it was about 2 1/2 yrs ago. I know that it is important to split a ward that gets so big because it is so hard for the bishopric and other leaders to be able to attend to everyone, but I have made some great friends that have been split off that I will truly miss.

I think it is even harder for me because while I was serving I gained such a strong love for the sisters in our ward, and I still have that feeling like they are part of us. It will be so different without some of them in our ward. I thought the split was a little crazy, it is amazing what they can do to boundaries to put people where they want to. I was surprised how hard it was on my daughter Angela. She is having a hard time because she has had some really great YW leaders and they have been great friends to her. It is always hard to lose people that care about you. To all of my friends that are going to be in the other ward, I will miss you. Thanks for all of your friendship and support in all I do.

I also am not sure about our change in presidency for our government. It is truly a day of history in our country when a black man becomes the president. I am glad to say that I am willing to support him and give him a chance to be a president. I hope our country will willing accept him and give him a chance to see what we have elected and hopefully he will be an ok president to help get us out of some problems that our country is in at this time. We will see.

Month of Thanksgiving

For the past few months I have been thinking about Thanksgiving coming up, not because I am excited for pie and Thanksgiving dinner, even though I am but because of what it reminds me of.

I remember when I was a little girl, the week or two before Thanksgiving my family would make fruit baskets and take them with a nice note to a list of people that had influenced our life for good. We would express to them of our thanks for them in our lives. I loved doing this. I think that is what this time of the year should be about. We need to be grateful for everything we have and all of the important people in our lives and show it.

I also have been thinking how many blessings that I have in my life. This has been something I have been thinking a lot about with my past set back in my health. I can't express how something that you have that is real hard in your life can make you be grateful for Everything. I have so many blessings in my life and I hope that I can share them with you this month, especially because many of you are my Greatest blessings.

Happy Turkey Month!!!! I hope you all can focus on what you are most grateful for and show your gratitude. I will post many more postings this month on this, so check back!!!!!

Vote it is our right

Are you voting? I hope that you all take the chance to vote, even if you don't think that it matters or if you don't want any of the candidates to winn. You still need to vote. Mike and I went and voted last week for the early voting. It is nice to know that I have voted and that I don't need to try to sneak in sometime today.

If you are unhappy you can always write in Fred E Meyer, which is Mike's nick name. He already has a few votes, people that have written him in. I have two children that are old enough to vote and I have realized how important it is that they are taught that they always need to vote.

I am not going to give my opinion or who I am voting for her on my blog, but I do have a very firm belief that it is important that we vote. We have the RIGHT. We need to take it. If you are unhappy then at least write in Mickey Mouse or better yet Fred E Meyer. I know him and he would make a GREAT PRESIDENT.

We are so lucky to live in a country where our voice can be heard, so let's at least vote for one of the candidates or write someone in showing them that we are unhappy with either of the choices but don't give this right away.
REMEMBER VOTE!!!!

Time Flies

I was just thinking about the changing of the seasons with Halloween over with and Thanksgiving right around the corner and realizing how fast time seems to go and it seems to fly faster and faster.

It was four years ago at the end of September that we moved here from Herriman. I truly can't believe that we are here let alone that we have been here for four years. I remember when we moved here it was very hard for the whole family. We had left our dream house that we had built with a big wrap around porch and trees around the property. We were living on an acre and a half. We had so many Great and close friends. It seemed like a bit of heaven on earth. We felt like family in our ward and lived around people that we truly loved. We had lived there for five years but we had thought that we would have lived there forever.

Mike ended up getting a promotion offer for his job to come and work down here. We knew that the alternative wasn't good and that it was better to be together as a family than to be in our dream home around friends that we just loved. This made our decision up and we were off. It took us a long time to sell our house with Mike commuting to work and coming home for the weekend. It was hard on all of us.
We moved into an apartment and had our house built while we were living in our apartment. I must say that this move was not only hard for the kids but it was very hard for me. It has taken me a long time to make any friends and I have truly missed my friends from Herriman. I have found some great friends and I can say that I do enjoy it here. As I look back during the last four years alot has changed in my kids. It is amazing to me to remember what they were like before we moved here. Four years can make a difference when they are growing up.

I must say now looking back that the move was the right thing and that we were to be here for a reason or many reasons.
1. The kids love school here and have made great friends.
2. I am going to school and it is paid for.
3. Our debt has decreased immensely.
4. We have been challenged and grown greatly through some of our trials and blessings being down here that we wouldn't have had the opportunity anywhere else.
5. We have made a few GREAT friends that we just love.
6. We love the small town and no traffic.
7. It is great to see the mountains and not to have any smog.
8. Mike has been able to be home with us.
9. Mike loves his job.
10. AJ and Karrilyn have had great benefits for college tuition.
11. The list goes on.
I am so glad that we are where we are now and not just getting here. I am glad that my kids have had all of the opportunities that they have had. I can't believe how fast the time has flown.

Trick or Treat

Halloween was crazy for us this year. Everyone was going at different times and so we didn't get a picture of everyone together, but instead I got one of each one of my kids, except Todd. He didn't dress up. He ended up going to the football game instead.
Karrilyn had to dress up for work, a work party and a Young Adult party too.

Angela went out with some friends, trick or treating for the last time. She is Miss America if you can't read the banner. She had a great time.

AJ also had to dress up for work, and they had a institute party that he dressed up for. He had to work and then had friends over to play Rock Band.

Mike and I went to the Trunk or Treat and passed out candy and then passed out some candy at home. It was kind of weird without all of the kids home all night. We watched a movie and had candy.

Ok, Here it Goes!!!

I was just tagged by my friend Susette and this one has taken quite sometime to think on.

I am supposed to put 6 of my quirks. Humm. Do I really want all of you to know the awful things about me? I guess I will give it a go and if you think that you don't want anything to do with me after this I guess that is how it goes.

6 Quirks about me

1. I am a shy person for the most part. When I tell people this they don't believe me, but it takes me alot of work to be friendly to everyone. I must say some of my callings in my ward has helped this immensely. I do love people even though it is hard to know exactly what to say, I love to visit with people that I know.

2. I have a really hard time spending money. It is alot easier than it used to be but I'm pretty frugal. I guess that can be good but when it is extreme it isn't always good.

3. I am not a good swimmer. I have also worked real hard on this one and have overcome some problems with this. I can say I love to swim but I am not real confident on it and not real good at it.
4. I am not as organized as I should be. It seems that I somehow remember all of my assignments and where my kids need to be and where but I am definitely not an organized person. Most people don't know it because I always seem to bluff everyone on this.

5. I am an overobsessed exerciser. There are very few days that I miss my exercise. I remember when I used to work out 3 times a day. This has been a hard one lately because a month ago I wasn't able to work out at all and that was a hard thing for me.

6. I worry too much what people think. My husband always tells me not to worry about what people think but it is easy for him to say. I like everyone to be my friend and try to make everyone happy. I have realized that this is a non practical expectation. I also worry too much about my kids. Yes, they are bigger and I shouldn't but I am a paranoid mother. My kids are my life and they cause me to worry. I guess I am a worrier!!

There you have it, some of the quirks about me. I am sure many of you know more than that, let's just keep that quiet.
So now it is time for some of my friends to get in on the fun.

I Tag Kristi , Rae, DD, Kristy, Kiesha, and Sherrie. Good Luck and Thanks for participating.