NEW YEARS EVE!

Can you believe how quickly time has passed? This year is over in just hours and we have to look back and see how in the world time has flown by! It is time to make some new resolutions ( unless your resolution is to NOT make any resolutions ) ;) I know that not everyone believes in resolutions.....I like to think of my resolutions as more of Goals. Realistic ones. Not "I am going to lose 500 pounds" type resolutions. Those are not cool.....Anyway, I haven't really thought about my goals for the year yet. I am sure as I go throughout the day today and tomorrow I will have time to think about them. As for tonight, we are going to ring in the New Year with some good friends, games, food and fun. I am looking forward to it. Well off I go to get the house ready for guests. Have a :0) Day and :0) NEW YEAR!!!!!

December 26-30

Wow time flies when you are having fun! The last week has been fun. We have all played with our new toys. Unfortunately life has to come back to a full swing and so this last week has been spent cleaning. I am currently working on getting the Christmas decorations back in the garage. I have loved this season and not loved this season. I have had mixed feelings. I am ready for it to be done and the new year to begin. I had myself a little breakdown this week and I got really mean with my kids. A good friend saved me though and took me to dinner away from the house. It was nice. I had to really take a good look at my life and realize that I have too much clutter. So I decluttered. I made the kids get rid of all the toys they had before Christmas. The only toys they kept were cars and barbies. The rest went away. Their rooms are clean. The house is mostly clean. I still have to clean the kitchen and laundry room. Ah...life. I am happy to say that my mood has changed and I am doing much better today than I was a few days ago. Hope you all have a Happy Day!

December 18-25

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! So yeah, the last week and a half has been super crazy, and I can't imagine why....must be because today is Christmas. We have had such blessings in the last couple of weeks. We have made it so far. Hopefully we will continue to make it. We always hope for the best. Of course we also realize that Family is much more important than all the things in the world. I was thinking today though......Have you heard that story where this couple wanted to get each other something special for Christmas, and one sold their hair and the other something they really loved...today reminded me of that. As we opened our gift from my mom and my grandparents and we were getting things for this New Queen sized bed that we were supposed to have by Christmas and realizing that there was no bed to put it on. It was interesting. The reason we don't have our bed is because my husband ended up in the hospital having his appendix out. I am so glad he is alive and I would much rather put my money towards that, than a good nights sleep. So until we have the money, which may not be for a while, we will have this beautiful set to remind us what is really important.


Merry Christmas to you all and I hope you Have a great week!

December 17-18

On the 5th day of Christmas Heavenly Father gave to me, a priceless experience when my 3 year old saw Santa and screamed Santa and ran to him. Sooooo very cute! A great date with my husband at his work party, yummy food, friends and an Awesome Bishop and his wife who watched my kids. They are GREAT!

On the 6th day of Christmas Heavenly Father gave to me, a beautiful snow covered ground, a new friend and some yummy food and talking to my cousin and my good friend. :) makes me happy!

December 16

On the 4th day of Christmas, Heavenly Father gave to me, A beautiful world full of Frosty Trees! No matter how cold it may have been today, (and it was really cold and HUMID) it was worth it to see what could have been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The trees and the fences, the roads and the cars, all covered in Frost this morning. It was a beautiful sight to behold. I don't know why it struck me so deeply but I felt the love Heavenly Father has for me. I feel very lucky to be alive to witness such miraculous things. :)

Hope you have a :0) day!

December 13-15

Wow it has been a busy week, and to think that I have another busy week next week...Hopefully after Christmas things will get a little less busy, OR NOT! ;) I like being busy though, it helps me to keep my mind focused and to realize what the good things in life really are.

Anyway, here is the post for the 13-16!

On the first day of Christmas Heavenly Father gave to me, the joy of spending time with my family! ;) The last few weeks of having Daddy home have been fun. We have been able to spend a lot of time together. We went and saw our son perform at his school and it was nice for him to be able to attend the performance...he is usually working and can't attend. We also took him to the doctor and he was released to go back to work on Wednesday.

On the Second day of Christmas Heavenly Father gave to me, a poor little girl with an ear infection and a wonderful husband who was still able to attend my daughters school performance so that he could record it and I could still see it! :) I am sure glad he didn't have to go back to work because my poor little girl was not feeling well. I sure am a lucky girl!

On the Third day of Christmas my Heavenly Father gave to me, 3 wonderful children, who love each other and play so well together. They have fun and they actually sometimes do what I ask them to do! Yesterday they helped me to get the house straightened and then we played until they had to go to bed. They are so much fun! I love them.

Another thing I got was the opportunity to go help out at Activity days with the girls. It was so much fun. OH and SNOW!!! We finally got some snow after a really odd and really warm winter.

Have a :0) day! Today should prove to have a wonderful gift from Heavenly Father. I am looking forward to seeing what it is!

December 12, 2010

Happiness comes in many forms. Today it came in many forms as well. Certain things really give me joy. Today I had several.

Lets start with the amazing Stake Conference we had today. Not only did we get a great message, I also got to sit next to some amazing people who have the most adorable little boy. I loved it. I truly enjoyed feeling the spirit and watching as our Stake President bore his testimony of Music. It touched my heart.

Next we have Choir! I am so happy that people came to practice today and I am looking forward to the song we will be singing next week.

Third, we have our wonderful Bishop. We went in for our meeting for Tithing settlement and it was just such a good feeling to be in the presence of that man.

Fourth, we went on a little drive after Tithing Settlement. We drove around and explored and went looking at the biggest houses in the valley. It was fun to look at them. I really enjoyed our little ride.

Fifth, I made Caramel Popcorn tonight. IT WAS SOOOOO GOOD! It will definitely be in the family recipe book.

Sixth, We spent the evening watching one of our favorite shows with some really Awesome Friends. We really enjoy spending time with them.

And lastly for the night, when we got home, we prayed as a family and sent the kids to bed. It was a wonderful day. I have had many happy moments!

Hope you have a :0) Day!

December 8-11

Okay so the every day posting thing isn't hard, I have just been super uber busy this week.

So here is what makes me happy,

I am thankful for a Physical therapist who discovered that my hip problem is not Muscle related. It is actually Joint related, which could be worse than a muscle injury, however I am just happy that they found what might be wrong!

I am thankful for the opportunity to help out at the elementary school. It is a ton of fun. This week is the last week of school for the 2010 year. The kids are super excited and it is going to be super fun.

I am thankful for my physical trainer, She has been awesome and has worked with me and my silly little hip problem. I know she wants me to succeed and I know that it is hard when I am not there yet, for me and for her, but I know she is there.

I am thankful for great family and friends who support us no matter what is going on in our lives. We have often needed support these last few years and sometimes I feel like we have to ask for more than our fair share, but I am glad that we have friends and family who still keep trying to help when they can.

I am thankful for a great ward and I am completely convinced that we live in one of the best wards in the world. It is full of wonderful and kind people. I really love it.

I am thankful for the opportunity to lead a support group for those with Epilepsy. It is a learning experience. I have a lot to learn from those who live with Epilepsy. They are amazing and wonderful people. They are looking for hope and for answers and I hope that I can do the things I need to do to help them.

These things really make me happy. I hope you all have a happy Day!

December 6-7

You know what really makes me happy? Knowing that if there is a medical problem I can call a good majority of my friends and ask them what to do about it.

You know what else makes me happy? A great doctor who knows just what to do to fix my husband and make him feel better. This doctor also loves my child and spoils her rotten every time we are in his office.

You know what else makes me happy? A delicious Turkey Dinner that I prepared because my mom brought us a turkey and it needed to be used.

You know what else makes me happy? An awesome Bishop who is willing to listen to me whenever I need to talk, who is willing to help my family when we need it and who is just totally in tune with the spirit.

You know what else makes me happy? My beautiful Poinsettias. I bought them from the scouts to help them out and they are beautiful.

You know what else makes me happy? My kids hugs.

You know what else makes me happy? My awesome husband who is my rock.

You know what else makes me happy? When my friends and family are happy!

Have a :0) Day!

December 1st-5th

So my husband had his appendix out this week. He is hurting but it sure has been nice having him home. Life is a little harder as he is out of work but really it has been worth every minute of time I have been able to spend with him. It has made me realize that we don't spend enough time together. I have been blessed to have the spirit of the priesthood in my home. I listened as our home teachers gave my husband a blessing and it was so wonderful.

I have had a lot to do but it has been fun to a point. I have run a lot of errands and got a lot of things done around the house. The Christmas tree is up and decorated and the decorations are all up and we are almost ready for Christmas to come.

Anyway I am happy. I am happy that I have a husband who is still alive, children who love each other and everyone, I am thankful for a place to live, I am thankful that even though we don't have much, we still have a little to give the kids for Christmas. Life is good. I couldn't ask for more. I have my family and that is what truly matters at Christmas time.

I hope you all have a :0) DAY!

A few posts behind

Well my posts came to a halt this last few weeks. I am sorry that they did too! I was doing so good! Anyway I thought I would finish my November posts up and then continue into December. It has been fun posting every day and I really enjoy it. So here goes.

November 25- I am thankful Family. It was so nice to spend the day with my Grandparents, Uncle, cousins, mom and all that family. It was great!

November 26- I am thankful for more family. We went to my Dads house and spent the weekend with them. It was so much fun to see my Sister and her little girls.

November 27- I am thankful for good quality plays. We took our Daughter to Savior of the World tonight. It was so much fun. I really enjoyed seeing her face as she recognized the stories. She loved it. So did I.

November 28- I am thankful for weather warnings on the news. We were able to avoid a lot of headache by watching the news. Otherwise we would have been traveling in the snow.

November 29- I am thankful for a safe trip home. we came home and safely. I was able to get quite a few things done at home that evening and it was nice.

November 30- I am thankful for Emergency rooms, Surgeons, and pain medication. My husband was hospitalized over night due to an appendix attack. His surgeon was wonderful and everyone there was awesome. I am so glad that we have the technology to make people better.

That leads us to December. I am now going to post happiness posts again. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to write things I was thankful for in November. It really made the daily posting so much fun. I hope you enjoyed reading it! :)

Have a :0) Day!

A little behind......I'm Thankful For.....Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, November 22,23,24

Monday, I was thankful that I had a vehicle so I could get some things done for our trip this week. We are looking forward to seeing our families.

Tuesday, I was thankful for proper blizzard warnings. I am glad that we were home safe and not traveling during the worst part of the storm. It didn't end up being a long storm like previously predicted but it was long enough that I am glad we were all home and safe.

Wednesday, Today I am thankful for warm clothes....IT IS COLD! I am also thankful for snow plows that clear the roads so that we can travel to see family for the holiday. I am thankful that I have family to go see. I am thankful that tomorrow I will be eating a yummy turkey dinner.

I hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving! :0)

I'm Thankful For.........Sunday November 21st

Having the knowledge to Cook. Yes, I hate cooking, but once in a while I actually like to do it. Like today when I made a whole Thanksgiving feast. I can make a turkey, I can make stuffing, I can make pies! I enjoy to cook once in a while, It isn't very often though so my family better enjoy it while it lasts. :)

I'm Thankful for..............Saturday November 20th

Thats Right. I said it. I LOVE SNOW!!!! I am thankful for the beauty it brings. It makes the world look clean and beautiful. I love it. I love the cold. I love love love SNOW!!!! :)

I'm Thankful For......................Friday November 19th

People who give blood. It saved my life. It could save yours. In October of last year I needed 4 units of blood. 4! I know I know that is a lot of blood, TELL ME ABOUT IT! I still went home with half the blood count of a normal person, AFTER the blood transfusions. It was a scary thing, however if it were not for the people who give blood, I would not be here. End of story. So I am thankful for those who brave the needle and just do it! Thank You!

I'm Thankful for.............Thursday November 18th

Today I finally buckled down and went to the doctor after being sick for just over a month. I was tired of coughing. The doctor prescribed me with Amoxacillin. I am hoping that it will make me better, So today I am thankful for Amoxacillin! Yay for drugs that make you better!

I'm thankful for.........Wednesday November 17th

I am thankful for what memory I have left. I feel like I have been forgetting a lot of things, I forgot that my kids and I had a dentist appointment, I forgot that I was supposed to do something for the PTA, I forgot to feed my kid some lunch. Lately the forgetfulness has been so often that I wonder when I will completely forget who I am. I truly am thankful for the memory I still have....at least I can still remember to take my kids to school in the morning, and make sure I am wearing pants. :0P

I'm Thankful For..............Tuesday November 16th

So today I am thankful for having a very awesome person in my life. My Physical Trainer. Yeah...I know....She must be lucky because I am not in pain today and I actually like her. I am so glad she cares enough to help me to lose weight. I realize that if I don't lose this weight I could die earlier. I don't want to. I want to live a long and healthy life. She has changed the way I think about losing weight and it has become fun to do. I love the Pain! So today I am thankful for her because with out her, I would be really busy spending 24 hours a day, DEAD.

I'm Thankful For........Monday November 15th

Yeah.....doesn't get much better than this....I LOVE HOT CHOCOLATE......Yeah I know I have already said I am thankful for hot chocolate....this hot chocolate is special :) This hot chocolate was delivered by a couple of really good friends to my door. It made it taste SOOOO much better :) SO I am thankful for good friends who brought me some yummy Hot chocolate. I am a lucky person!

I'm Thankful For.........Sunday November 14th

Trials. I am thankful for trials. Yes life throws you lemons. Big deal! If it makes you stronger, go with it. I have had many trials in the last few years, physical, mental and Spiritual. However these trials are what have made me so strong and given me such a wonderful testimony of the gospel. I am so thankful for the trials that have shaped my testimony. There have been many, I am thankful for the trials that have saved my life, I am thankful for the trials that have changed who I am today. So yes, today I am thankful for "Lemons" aka-Trials (you know, just in case you haven't figured that out yet). Without them I wouldn't be who I am today. Yeah and HEY! FREE LEMONS!!! I LOVE FREE!!!

I'm Thankful For......Saturday November 13th

I am thankful that I have the knowledge to read and understand many great books. I am very blessed. I am also thankful that I have a way of accessing many different books, thanks to a library system in our country. Lucky Me!!!! :) I love to read!

I'm Thankful for........Friday November 12th

Today I am thankful for my warm Hoodie. I have been freezing all day and it has curbed the cold. :) I am also thankful for a bed that I can rest in to get better from this cold.....and Just maybe I will actually get better!!!

I'm Thankful for......Thursday November 11th

As the sun has set and the darkness has come, I sit here in my home and I am thankful so much for the many people who have served our country and made it a safe place to live. People who have provided us a place where we can have many freedoms and privileges. We are very lucky to live in a place that we can practice our religion, speak our minds, and be free. So today I wish to thank all those past, present, and future who protect our country. THANK YOU!

I'm Thankful for......Wednesday November 10th

I am thankful that today I have a phone again. You never know how much you need one in this world now a days, until you don't have one! IT has been so hard to not have one. We now again have a phone though and that makes me happy.

I'm Thankful for.....Tuesday November 9th

Today I am thankful for the plan of salvation and Yellow Balloons

I'm Thankful For............Monday November 8th

On this Rainy rainy day, I am thankful for Umbrellas, Apple cider, a warm blanket, a good book and ....
A fireplace.



I love fall!

I'm Thankful for.......Sunday November 7th

Need I say more??

I'm Thankful For.......Saturday November 6th

I am Thankful for the Temple. Today I had the opportunity to go with a dear friend. It was tons of fun. I really enjoy going. It is so peaceful and quiet and just a great place to feel the love of Heavenly Father. I am glad I live close enough to one to be able to attend often. I certainly am very lucky!

Have a :0) Day!

I'm Thankful For......Friday November 5th

I am thankful for Music. Music is my life. I love it. I love listening to it, I love relating to it, I love singing it! It is beautiful and expresses how I feel in times that I can't express in words how I feel. I could not live without music. I am so thankful that it is something I love.

I am Thankful for....

So every day in November we have been challenged to write down something we are Thankful for. Well no better place to do it than on my Mission to be Happy Blog.....Since I am a few days behind I will start by stating the 4 days prior and then A new post each day will tell you what I am thankful for! I hope you will enjoy my list and I challenge you to do it too! You won't regret it!

Monday November 1st- I am thankful for my family. The reason I am here, the reason I care to be here. I love them and I am glad they are here.

Tuesday November 2nd- I am thankful for family dinner. We recently started it because we felt a distance in the family relationship. I have really enjoyed visiting with my kids and my husband each day around the table.

Wednesday November 3rd- I am thankful for Modern Medicine. I am so glad I can take something to curb the symptoms of the common cold, which seems to be kicking my butt this time around, I must be getting old!

Thursday November 4th- I am thankful for the wonderful Fall weather we have been having. It has been nice to be able to open the window and enjoy the fresh air. I love breathing in the fall smells and well I just love FALL!

Decluttering

It is amazing what a little de-cluttering in your home can do for you. My living room has haunted me with clutter for a really long time. I finally just shoved everything in boxes and only pulled out what was necessary to keep in the living room (granted it isn't all done yet, I still have to declutter behind one more area). I feel so much better. I put a nice rug in it and we recently acquired an electric fireplace. It makes the room seem so much more homey feeling. I am loving it. It has made the spirit in the home change too. (and it has only been 2 days!) It is wonderful. Now I know that changing this will help physically, but, I need to work more on my spiritual clutter. I am thinking that I need to throw everything into a box and pull out the most important things. I think I can do that. I am going to give it a try. Wish me luck!

Have a :0) day!

Feelings of joy on a sick day

I woke up this morning and felt okay but I was a little light headed. However I thought I could get up and get dressed and it would go away. However it didn't and by the time I was supposed to take my kids to my friends and go work out at the gym, I still didn't feel well. I am still not running at 100% and I feel very icky. It was starting to become hard to make today a good day. I made a payment on a medical bill, Called to make an appointment to get my van looked at yet again, took my daughter to her appointment and then came home. I had one more thing on my "Mandatory" to do list today and it was to call Primary Childrens.

I called and I was put on HOLD for FOREVER! I waited and waited patiently. I was on hold for 28 minutes. I started the laundry again while I was waiting and finally someone talked to me. See we had put in an application for financial assistance and I hadn't heard from them yet. So I had called to see if they had approved it or not. Our bill was around $2000. I waited for them to look up the account on their computer and I heard, "Yes, your application was accepted." Okay So how much?? Well They covered all but $100 dollars. WHAT???? Wow! I totally didn't expect that!

I called my mom because she had intended on helping me out with that bill and she said she would and so today we got it paid off.

So my crappy sick not wanting to do anything day, Has become a day to rejoice that I now own my daughter. She is mine. I owe nothing more for her medical stuff. YAY!

Have a :0) Day!

General Conference Wonderment

Normally during conference I am sitting here fighting with the kids to be quiet and to listen and then about 20 minutes into it I send them upstairs to watch cartoons so I can actually hear the talks. That is how a conference USUALLY goes.

Today however was different. I prepared the kids early and told them that the first Saturday and Sunday of the month, the Prophet and some of his apostles were going to talk to us. I told them that they have this meeting 2 times a year and expect us to listen so that we can learn more about Jesus and his gospel. I mentioned to them that the Prophet gives us words of encouragement and advice to help us get through our daily lives and that he gives us commandments that we can follow, that will make it easier for us to return to live with Heavenly Father. I also told them that they could take notes. They were given the option to draw their notes in pictures or in words.

So this morning when they whined at first that they would have to sit through the whole thing, I was sure that I would be sending them upstairs within the first 30 minutes. I WAS WRONG!

All 3 of them sat through both sessions and My two older kids actually TOOK NOTES!!! And good notes too! The youngest took notes in her own little way (By scribbling). I was so Surprised. I didn't have to fight them. I didn't have to send them upstairs. It was an amazing session too. The kids heard how much the Prophet and Apostles loved them and it was neat to watch them sustain our Prophet and all the leaders of our church.

Needless to say, today was a happy day and it was enjoyable to be here listening to conference as a family, with no contention and with listening hearts.

Have a :0) Day!

Sister In Law

Have I ever told you how much I love my family? I have so many great sisters and brothers. (both step, in-law, and of course my real brother). I love them all so much.

Today I am going to tell you about one specific Sister in Law. She is always making sure that we are doing well. I love her for that. She voices her concern, she lets me know that I am doing a good job, (which helps when I am having a down day and need validation), She always makes me feel better as a mom. She is not afraid to confront me if I have said something that has offended her. I love that in a person. And even though sometimes hearing that you have offended someone hurts, it helps to know so that you can fix the problem. I feel very lucky to have her as my Sister in Law.

Wednesday I was talking to her on facebook and I was thinking that it would be nice to call her and have a conversation with her. I love talking on the phone with her because we talk about EVERYTHING! And I mean it. Anyway, I hadn't spoken to her on the phone for almost 2 weeks and she must have had the same impression because she called me yesterday! We talked about 8 million different things.

I don't know what it is about this particular Sister in Law, but whenever I am really searching for answers to a question I have had for a while, I can almost guarantee that I can get it from talking to her. She really helped me come up with some solutions to a few issues we have had this week and really for quite some time.

Anyway I just love her so much. I wish we lived closer so we could do stuff together. I guess a trip to Washington is going to have to happen as soon as Possible.

As a disclaimer-I just want you to know that I do love all of my brothers and sisters a lot and I have great stories about them all. This is just one I needed to share right now :)

Have a :0) Day!

Time to take a leap of faith

So tonight as I was sitting here wasting time on the internet instead of cleaning my house or doing something productive, I opened my email and read it all. Just as I was about to close it and do something productive an email popped up. It was from a company in Salt Lake offering my husband an interview for a job. Okay....Neat right?? Yeah well they wanted to meet with him tomorrow at 2. TOMORROW! Yeah so we thought about it and my husbands current job is 2 men short this week, if my husband were to have taken off tomorrow that would have put them 3 men down. So we decided to pray about it. The answers weren't clear, but we felt like we needed to take a step into the dark.

We got the feeling that we should email back and tell them his situation and his concerns and they have agreed to meet with him NEXT week instead. So next week he will be going to Salt Lake to an interview.

The company seems pretty adamant to meet with him. He must be super qualified or something. I am excited for a new adventure in life, however I am also sad that this may be the end of this chapter in our lives. I have loved living in Logan and I have many friends here in the Cache Valley. (I know you are all saying, Well Salt Lake isn't THAT far away) but it is far enough away that I will have to make friends with new people. That is a scary thing for me.

I know that the Lord has a plan for me. It seems very open right now but I am sure there is a reason for that. Maybe he is trying to get us to make decisions (I am not very good at that). I don't know why things are so open. I do know that whatever happens is the Lords will. It will all work out and the reasons we are starting a new chapter will be revealed.

Dallyn Vail Bayles says it best in this beautiful Song. This is how I feel tonight.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Father in Heaven, hear my humble plea.
Lost in the darkness Lord am I, Seeking light and hope from Thee.
How I fought but now at last I find my strength alone is not enough,
I need you by my side.

Not my will but Thine be done, O Lord
Not my will but Thine be done.
Not my will, not my path, not my way, but Thine.
Not my will, Lord, but Thine be done.

What must I do Lord?
What must I sacrifice?
Only to feel thy peace again, I'd pay any price.
To have hope to know the path to choose.
To have just one more chance to try, Lord, I give my heart to you.

Not my will but Thine be done, O Lord.
Not my will but Thine be done.
Not my will, not my path, not my way, but Thine.
Not my will, Lord, but Thine be done.

I thought I was strong,
Needing nothing for my guide.
Can it be that I need help from Above?
Can it be?
Unyielding me-
Down on my knees?

Teach me to love, Lord.
Teach me humility
Mold me and shape me as Thou wilt
Lord, I trust this life to Thee
Like a child, I place my hand in Thine
And now at last I feel You near
As I give my life to You

Not my will but Thine be done, O Lord
Not my will but Thine be done.
Not my will, not my path, not my way, but Thine.
Not my will, Lord, but Thine be done.

Not my will, Lord, but Thine be done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know that wherever I am supposed to be, it is the Lords Will. I will GO and DO.

Have a :0) Day!

Time to clean the windows

Yesterday was a long day, with family over and a birthday party. However the day ended on a sweet and peaceful note. I was able to go to the General Relief Society meeting. Our stake does a dinner before hand and it was really good. The meeting started and we all sat down to listen. Sister Beck reminded us about the importance of knowing who we are and what our mission is. She also mentioned that it is important to learn the principles and patterns of the gospel. It is important for us to pick those up so that we will be able to continually teach them to others. Sister Allred talked to us about way to be fast and immovable, 1. Prayer, 2. Scripture Study, 3. Obedience, 4. Service. Sister Thompson talked about Visiting teaching and the importance of bearing one anothers burdens, increase in unity and love, care for and pray for the sisters on our lists. Last but SO not least, our Prophet spoke to us and told us a story about a couple who moved in to a place and the wife would talk to her husband about how the neighbors laundry is always dirty and that she didn't know how to do her laundry right. A few weeks went by (or days or whatever amount of time) and the wife woke up and noticed that her neighbors laundry was clean. She asked her husband how it was possible that she had learned how to get her laundry clean and her husband said, funny thing, I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.

He then used this analogy to describe how we should not judge people. How we don't know what other people are experiencing in their lives or how they got there. There is no way we can know the circumstances of another. "If you judge people, you have no time to love them" (I can't remember who said it). Another quote was "To pity distress is but Human, to relieve it is Godlike." (I don't remember who said that one either.)

We need to accept people as we really are. As I got to thinking about this afterward, I got the feeling that there was more to the message for me than what was actually said. I came home and thought about it for a while and I studied my notes and it finally occurred to me that the message was much deeper. I realized at that moment that the problem with me wasn't with Judging OTHERS, my problem was Judging MYSELF. I realized that I don't see myself the same way as Christ and Heavenly Father do. I will be working on that in the next little while.

It was a beautiful meeting. I really enjoyed it.


Have a :0) day!

Yesterday was 2 years!

Yesterday marked 2 years since I sat down at the bottom of my stairs and had a breakdown. Two years ago I didn't know what my life would bring. Sitting here today I look back and think about where I have been since then and life is so different. I think differently, I live my life differently. Things change!

Life became important. It became worth living. I learned to love it.

I love my life! I am thankful for all those who knew something was wrong and said something about it. I am thankful for those who went the extra mile to make sure that I would be okay simply by driving by to see how I was doing. I am thankful for the prayers and love that people showed me when I was experiencing this low time in my life.

There are a few people that really helped me to change. My husband was my rock. My bishop was my teacher. My bishops wife was my support. My friends and family were also my support.

Honestly the person I owe the biggest Gratitude for is my Bishop. He understood what I needed to do and cared enough to make sure I went through with things. He helped me to find myself and to find the testimony I needed to continue on. He helped me to find the values in my life and helped me to find the will to want to continue to live to carry them out. He helped me realize how much I needed my husband and my children and my family. He helped me to overcome some really hard things. Things that even my family never knew about. (if my family is reading this, it would be better for you not to ask me what I am talking about because I have worked through it and it is no longer important).

So Thank you Bishop G.. You were my teacher and you helped me to understand the gospel so much more that I LOVE my life! You helped me to change for the better and I am who I am today because you Cared.

Have a :0) Day!

Family Pictures, Silly games, and Growing up.

This week has been so much fun. My brother came and he has been here for a few days. On Thursday we went to the store and got my daughters birthday presents bought and we went out to lunch at Cafe Sabor (yummmmmmmy!). Then we came home and played finger bowling (seriously the pins are tiny and you use a marble to bowl....it was so much fun. We also played trick pong (kind of a made up game with ping pong balls and some cups) We seriously played these games for hours. It is amazing how a few ping pong balls and some little bowling pins and marbles can entertain one for hours. So anyway we have had a ton of fun.

Tonight as I was looking at my wall, I realized that I had not put our new family pictures up yet. We had our pictures taken in APRIL! I finally decided that I needed to get them done so I made my brother go to Walmart with me at 10:45 at night and got some printer paper. Then we came home and I printed the pictures. My wall looks great! I am so glad I finally got it done.

Today I have spent a lot of time preparing for a big birthday party tomorrow. My youngest is turning three in the morning. She is super excited to see the family. Tonight I made a fun Birthday banner and got all of the decorations up. Tomorrow morning I will go get her cake and some fun balloons and then we will be set! She is growing up so fast. Time is flying. I sometimes wish I could slow it down. I hope she has the best birthday.

I am getting tired, but I am happy tonight. Many great things are happening. Have a :0) day!

Taco Soup

I was about to lock my children in a closet and leave them there for a week, when my husband came home an hour early from work and saved me.

Okay I wasn't really going to lock them in a closet but I sure was getting tired of the whining, fighting, screaming, and craziness that happens after school is out. Needless to say it was a HAPPY moment when he walked in the door and I said, they are all yours.

I often think about when my husband wasn't able to come home and save me. It was a hard thing to do and I don't envy anyone who has to do the parenting thing alone. I have been there. IT IS NOT EASY! I have several friends who have had to do this for various reasons, and I often think of them. They are in my prayers daily and I may not know exactly how they feel but I have a little glimpse of what they have to do every day. I think they are absolutely amazing!

Tonight as my husband took over by doing dishes and making dinner, (taco soup), I realized how extremely lucky I am to have a wonderful husband who really truly loves me and even when he has had a long day at work, if I have had a bad day he will come home and usually take over. I am glad I have him....I am glad he loves me enough to care.

I LOVE HIM!!!!


Now as for the Taco Soup....MMMMMM YUMMMY! It is truly a bit of heaven :)


Have a :0) Day!

Way way too long

You would think that I would be able to come here for 10 minutes each day and update this.....wow it has been a long time. The kids have started school and the youngest and I have had a chance to spend a lot of one on one time together. I have enjoyed it a lot. I can also fit in a nap once in a while! It has been nice.

This has been a long year and yet it is flying by so quickly. I really do plan on keeping this blog going and I am sorry I have not been here updating it. So here is an update to what has happened since I last wrote.

We went camping a few times this summer. The kids love to go camping. Our last camping trip was quite WINDY. Somehow though it was one of the best camping trips I have ever been on. It is amazing what a great family gathering will do for you.

The kids of course started school as I mentioned before. My oldest is in 3rd grade and behind her is my son who is in 1st grade. They love school and their teachers. They have 2 of the best teachers in the school. Their teachers fit their personalities really well.

My oldest is still doing counseling and she has been learning a lot about dealing with her feelings of sadness and hurt. She is learning that she has more control over her feelings. It is so hard for her and my heart breaks knowing that because of her medication that her feelings are intensified. It is hard to watch her sometimes knowing that no matter what I say, she will not feel any better. She is a strong little girl though and she never ceases to amaze me.

My son is doing really well in school. He is learning a lot and is starting to read better than he already was this summer. He is loving school and has made friends and loves his teacher. He lost his first tooth last week and was super excited.

My youngest will be 3 on Saturday. She has such a funny little personality and she is loved by so many people. She wins the hearts of perfect strangers in the blink of an eye. It is amazing and I am sure this will come as an advantage to her at some point in her life. It could also be a disadvantage but lets hope not.

My husband has been searching for a job anywhere. We have put in applications all over the United states. He has only been contacted by one company in 2 1/2 years and it really gets frustrating. Hopefully more companies will take him seriously and consider him for a job. It has been difficult in the last few years not knowing what each week will bring as far as work goes. However we have made it this far and will hopefully make it a long time no matter the circumstances. At least we have each other.

As for me. I am the PTA president for the 2nd year in a row and I love it. I say that and I honestly don't think people believe me. I am also a member of the community council. I really enjoy doing stuff for the community. It makes me sad that more people are not involved. I am currently considering going back to school to become an EMT. I think that would be a fun profession and it is something I have excelled in my whole life. It is going to take a year or two to get enough education in for it and I probably won't be able to start for another year. By the time I am finished all 3 kids will be in school and I will be able to work a little without worrying about the kids so much.

My testimony has grown immensely this year. It has been nearly a year since my brush with death. I am so thankful to be here and so happy to have had this last year to see my children grow and become so much smarter and loving. I have built a really good relationship with my Lord. I have been blessed so much in the last year. I know that things haven't been perfect and that things have been hard but I have also really had some amazing moments.

I have experience so many things, pain, suffering, sorrow, hurt, despair, happiness, joy, love, patience, peace, and so many more. Sometimes I feel ALL of these and more emotions within an hour in a day and sometimes I feel the love and peace and happiness for days. Other times I experience the sorrow, hurt, suffering and pain for days but I know that I can come out of it and feel that peace again. This time of year has been a little more difficult than I thought it would be but I know that I am okay.

I am honestly happy today to know that I am alive and well and that I am here. I have been given this chance to shine and I intend on doing so. Until my dying day. Thanks for reading this blog! I hope you will continue to read and I promise to update more often than I have been

Have a :o) day!

Seriously?

Wow I haven't written in 26 days! I guess I need to get on here more and do exactly what it is this blog was put here to do. It has been a long time and a lot has happened since I last wrote. I will start with the 4th and move on from there.

Happiness is a journey as I have discovered. Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it, other times it comes naturally. The 4th was a natural sense of happiness. We took a trip to visit family in Price. It felt so nice to just go and enjoy the sun and spend time with family. We really were relaxed. It was the first time in 10 years that going back felt like home. I vowed I would never live there again, however after that trip I might make an exception. We shall see. We enjoyed fireworks and food. We had a great time and wish that all trips could be that enjoyable.

We decided to stop at Temple Square on the way home from Price. My oldest had been begging me to take them there for a while and so when we were just passing through anyway, we decided to do it. We took the kids to see the Conference center and to the temple grounds and we visited the visitors center with the Christus and went over and saw the new SLC Temple diagram. It was really cool. The kids were excited to see what the inside of the temple looked like. If you haven't seen it, it is worth a trip there to do so. My kids loved every second of the day. We had a ton of fun and it is something they will remember. We also went to Tooele to see Grandma and Grandpa on the way home (really it was out of the way but it was fun)

That week was slow and stressful but we got through it.

My friend Came from Ohio for a visit and one day we went Wedding dress shopping as she is getting married. It was such a fun time to get together with the girls and do something so fun. I enjoyed watching the reactions of my dear friend as she tried each dress on. It was neat to see how happy she was. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I had with my friends that day.


When I returned home that day I had a message or TWENTY from my brother telling me I had to get hold of him and that it was URGENT. I don't mind getting Twenty messages from anyone, however these messages are the hardest to hear. My niece had passed away at the age of 10. I nearly fell over from the news. I didn't know what to say or how to react. The first thing I thought of was my daughter and how she was going to take that one of her best friends had just passed away. I struggled because I knew her mom and dad were both so sad and confused and I didn't know how to help them. I then couldn't imagine losing one of my children although I had lost a baby and felt a loss. It wasn't the same though because I never knew that baby the way we all knew Cheyenne. She was 10. Then I had to remember that she never went a day in her life without being in pain. I had to remember that she was no longer suffering. That she could walk and run with the angels. It makes me sad to know she is gone, but I am truly happy that I will be able to see her again someday.

The funeral was last Monday. I barely made it through the opening prayer (I was asked to say it). It was a beautiful service followed by her being taken to the cemetery in a horse drawn carriage followed by her family and her pony, Rusty.

The next day we spent with my step brother Ryan and his family. We went to Temple Square and had a good time. We visited lots of places and really had a ton of fun. The kids really enjoyed spending time with their cousins. It was a sad reason that we were all together but we tried our best at making it a happy occasion as well. We went and saw The Joseph Smith movie and I loved it. It was the first time I had seen it. I think what made it even more enjoyable was having my oldest there witnessing it with me and having her get nervous and asking me questions as to when things would happen and asking why things happened. I love the age of my oldest because they are curious and they ask many questions.

I am glad she is curious. This Sunday as we were sitting in Sacrament my oldest asked me why we partake of it. I knew the answer but I thought that taking out the scriptures and showing her the answer would be a better way, that way when she needed an answer to a question and I am not there she would know that she could pull out the scriptures and find the answer for herself. She was happy with the answer and seemed very excited to know.

Sunday also marked the ending of a great bishopric. Our bishop was released and another put in. It was a very bittersweet moment. I spent many hours in the bishops office learning about myself and about the gospel, all from a man who was very faithful and had a wonderful testimony. He was an amazing bishop and he will truly be a friend forever. Our new bishop is going to be GREAT. I love him and he will have a great influence on our ward.

Sometimes Change is hard, however it is necessary for growth. This month has been a month of Change and I hope that we all grow from it and the lessons we learn will be helpful to us in the future.

Happiness is a journey and I intend on keeping up with it......Thanks for reading!
Have a :0) Day.

Reflection

I remember about a year and a half ago when I finally lost all sense of who I was. It was a scary place to be. I also remember talking to my bishop after having lost that sense and thinking to myself that the bishop had no clue what he was talking about and that I was perfectly fine. I remember him suggesting counseling and me saying I will think about it, only to avoid it at all lengths for at least another month. He told me that I didn't have a testimony and that about threw me for a loop. I didn't believe him. I thought he was crazy. Ha! I said there is no way this man is right.

After another month of feeling the way I was feeling, I finally called LDS Family Services and set up an appointment. I felt defeated and I was scared of who my counselor might be and that I wouldn't get along with them and that they wouldn't understand the thoughts going through my head. I had no real desire to actually talk at all with the counselor and vowed in my own little brain to keep my thoughts to myself. I did not know what I was doing and I felt like I had so many things going on in my brain. Those voices (if you don't know) are always flip flopping. One minute you will think....YES this is exactly what I need......the next minute.....NO what are you thinking?? You are completely fine, you can do this on your own, you just need to pull yourself up by your boot straps and get on with life. And it is constantly changing literally from MINUTE to MINUTE. It gets kinda scary in your brain and you don't want to be there anymore because you can't stand it. Thoughts enter your mind that you can't get rid of. Thoughts of life being better, thoughts of life ending, thoughts of disaster and pain, thoughts of sorrow and to be honest with you I had those thoughts for a very long time. I thought it was a normal thing to feel the way I did.

As I sit here typing this I feel a bit liberated as I tell you about my thoughts. I wouldn't have shared this with you a year and a half ago....I wouldn't have even brought it up in a conversation and I would have avoided any talk about depression and anxiety. I did not believe that medication would help me. I was stubborn.

I finally met with a counselor, I finally told her what it was I had thought for years and when I said these things in tears, she came over and sat by me and just gave me a little hug and talked with me. She helped me work through the anger of things in the past, the frustration of the things in the presence, and helped me to change the way I thought about the future. I learned a lot from her and now I am able to do it on my own. I don't need to meet with her anymore. Although I truly miss it. I sometimes just want to go back and talk to her, just to talk to her. She was a major part of my life changing experience.

Why? You might be asking am I talking about this. (if you're not, stop reading).

About a week ago I went into my bishops office again (to receive a calling) and while I was there we started talking about where I was a year and a half ago. He said to me...The Cynthia I know now and the Cynthia I knew a year and a half ago are two totally different people. He told me how far he has seen me come and how much I have grown. He told me that the goals I had been reaching for had been reached and that it was time to make new ones. As I sat there and listened to him tell me all of this, I thought back to the way I used to think and really got it. I realized that I was a different person. I now have a testimony of myself and of the church and of God. As long as I am doing the right things to keep my testimony I will never lose it.

It was a long process....to hear that a year and a half later might be amazing to you. I tell you it was always hard. I honestly never thought I would hear those words from my bishop. At least when I started. Now that I have reached that goal........I guess it is time to make some pretty awesome new ones. If I can redefine who I am in one and a half years, just think what I could become! Here is to Life long Happiness!

:0)

Long overdue

Today I am here. I know it has been a long, long time since I last posted. I have put it off and put it off until I could find a REALLY good reason to post here. Today I know I don't have to. I am so happy today. So many wonderful things have happened this month and I am going to share them now.

1. School is OUT!!! That means I have a break from PTA for 2 months! YAY!!
2. The summer hasn't been too hot yet. I have totally loved it.
3. We have had some great friends and family really help us out this month and we were able to make it.
4. We started a new rewards program with the kids and I have never seen kids so happy to do chores in my entire life.
5. We have really stuck to our family scripture study and prayers and have seen such a change in the atmosphere of our home.
6. 3 times I have been able to attend the temple in the last month. Once with my friend Emily (I LOVE YOU EM!) Once with my good friends Travis and Chelsea (LOVE YOU TOO!!) when they received their endowments and then again today when they were sealed. Such a beautiful place to be! I love the temple. I have quite enjoyed the opportunities I have had to go.
7. My inlaws are here visiting and they took the kids for the day while we attended the sealing and they took the kids swimming. We were able to go watch them swim between the wedding and the luncheon. It was fun watching them. I can tell how much they really love our kids.
8. Tonight I am just thankful to be here. I have struggled lately with depression and I am hopefully coming out of a downward slump. Hopefully.

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for reading (that is if you still do) and HAPPY FATHERS DAY! TO all you wonderful DADS out there!!!

Gardening and Family Pictures

I received a phone call one day from my mom asking me if I wanted money to buy plants for my garden for my birthday. I of course said that would be WONDERFUL! So I got money.

Today, I went to the store and bought all of my plants and then the family went out to our garden spot to plant.

First we had to work hard to dig up all the weeds and get them out of our garden. The kids did really well and they helped take them all to the compost container and then they were getting frustrated so after they finished helping with the weeds we let them play in the sandbox.

This is a community garden area and we were part of it last year as well. It is so much fun to work around so many wonderful people.

Anyway back to the garden. My husband and I continued working and got the garden tilled and planted. Then we watered it and were finished. It looks great! The kids are excited to see the plants grow.

We also planted strawberries on the back porch of our apartment.

My flowers are growing that I planted about a month ago and they are starting to look great. It won't be long until they are so beautiful.

Today was also happy because I finally got our family pictures back. They are so beautiful and I love them all. I think that our photographer was able to capture our personalities and still manage to have some pretty awesome pictures of us!

I am so thankful for the opportunities this life gives us. We are truly blessed to have a place to grow a garden and we are blessed to have such great friends and family.

Today was a Happy day.

Temple Pie

Last night I got a text from a good friend asking if I wanted to go to the temple with her. I accepted the invitation and she came and got me and we went to the temple. It was so awesome. I had not been since July of last year. It was so wonderful to feel that spirit and to just bask in the wonderful feelings you have in the Temple. It has been way too long and I do not intend on waiting that long again to attend. I went with many questions and although I didn't receive any answers pertaining to those particular questions (At least not yet) I felt peace and comfort. While we were sitting in the celestial room I asked my friend if we could stay there forever and just live there. I didn't want to leave. She offered to drive wrecklessly on the way home and I told her there were better ways to go, such as going to Village inn to get pie! So off we went....

At Village in we were seated and we looked at the pie and waited for our waitress to come so we could order........then we waited some more............and some more........we wondered if we had actually died and no one was noticing us. Finally we got someones attention and they came and took our order. We got pie and the waitress asked us if we wanted a side of fries and I asked her if they would be free and she said YES! I wasn't expecting that. It was nice to have a free thing after being forgotten. After we got our fries the waitress left and we enjoyed our YUMMALICIOUS pie and our fries and when the waitress came back, she informed us that our tab had been taken care of. So we ended up getting FREE PIE and FRIES! It was awesome! To top off the yumminess, there were some college boys sitting behind us and they made us LAUGH so much. They were hilarious! They talked about how they hate to go to church and sit behind a couple who are kissing and showing way too much affection, and one kid said "well we shouldn't sleep in church either, but we do!" Then they talked about all the ways they hide that they are sleeping in church. I remember being in College and single and having those SAME conversations with my Room mates! It brought back some pretty funny memories.

Last night was a very Happy Moment on my M2B:0). Thank you dear friend for inviting me to come!

29 and Holding

Today is my 29th birthday. REALLY! Honestly, truthfully, "I never tell a lie". ha ha...So anyway I had decided that 29 was going to be my last birthday ever. Yep. My friends and family seem to think that 30 is coming up on me really quick! HA! I am going to be 29 forever. Next year I will be 29. The year after I will be 29, and for many years to come I will be 29. Besides, you are only as old as you act right?? Well in that case I would only be 10. LOL.

Honestly though, I am not so sure that I am ready to get older. I was okay with the 20's for the most part. I am not sure 30 is going to be my cup of tea. I guess no matter what happens, Life will go on. I need to learn how to grab life by the horns and just go along for the ride. I am sure in a year when that big 3-0 comes along, I will be ready for it. Lucky for me, I have a year to wait it out.

Hope you all have a :0) Day!

Mommy's Day

I usually hate this day with a passion. Honestly.

This morning was different. I woke up and my oldest was sitting next to me and waiting for me to wake up. When I finally realized what was going on I looked and there was a plate on my night stand with toast, a banana and a glass of milk. Granted it was cold because she made it like an hour earlier and just sat and waited for me to wake up, Ha ha, but she brought me breakfast in bed and it was DELICIOUS! She gave me a card with her handprint and a beautiful poem to accompany it, and the BIGGEST hug in the world. It was great. My son gave me a flower that he made in school out of a paper cup and a beautiful Mothers day card. At church the kids made flowers with suckers and straws and paper. They were really cute. I have a whole bouquet of them. I got a coupon from my youngest for a free kiss (which really all my kisses are free anyway but hey it was cute). When we got home from church my husband surprised me by making a turkey dinner and some yummy brownies with strawberries on top! I got tons of hugs and kisses from the kids. I loved it. I had a great mothers day this year. Can we do that every day???


Have a :0) Day!!!

Quiet

Today was a good day for the most part. I was beginning to wonder by the end of the day if I was going to be fighting with my kids all night. I kept asking them to do their chores. It was getting a little annoying. Anyway I made dinner and the kids ate really good so my husband told them he would take them to get a slurpee. They paused the movie, walked out the door and it was quiet. QUIET! Silence filled the house and peace came to my heart. It was wonderful. I love my kids but I forget how quiet life is without them until they are not with me. It was nice to have it but after about 10 minutes I was wondering where my kids were again! I guess I missed them. It must have been a little TOO quiet! :)

Hope you have a :0) Day!

Neglecting

I have so neglected this blog. It isn't that anything happy HASN'T happened, it is just that life has been really busy. It has been 2 weeks. Much has happened in the last 2 weeks to keep me away from here. From seizures, to chicken pox, to the flu, to hospital visits, well that is what my last two weeks have been like.

Today I am happy. I have a great life. Yeah sometimes it feels like things are never going to calm down, that we are going to have to deal with stressful situations for the rest of our lives but honestly those small trials in life are helping us to grow and learn. Some people hear my story of the last 6-7 months and they sit there with their jaw dropped and they wonder when things will get better. Well I am here to tell you that they never got bad. Yeah they got tough and we had a lot of trials, but we also received a lot of blessings along the way.

This past week I have felt so many emotions as we took our oldest daughter to PCMC to have tests done to find out why she has been having so many seizures. While I was stressed, worried and of course as any mother would, Freaking out, I was also feeling peace that we would find what was causing them, that no matter what it was, we would be able to find a way to help her deal with it. I felt hope that we would know the results of the tests quickly. We also knew that as we went into the tests that we would possibly find NOTHING. Of course that is what we hoped for. My oldest was so brave and strong. She was amazing. She went into those tests with faith that she would be okay. Between testing we took her to the Utah State Capital and took her on a tour of it. It was a fun day to remember. Yes she was stressed as we were, yes she had to have these tests done to her at PCMC but we were able to give her a reason to have a good memory of that day by taking her somewhere really cool.

So besides the fact that life has had its bumps in the road, I know that no matter what happens Heavenly father will be there to help us along.

My daughters tests all came back Normal. Which means there are no MAJOR problems in her brain causing her seizures. We go back this coming Tuesday to discuss the test results and figure out what we need to do next.

I am happy today that I am here and alive. I am thankful for such a wonderful family who is so strong and understanding. This truly is a great life I have. I consider myself very lucky.

Have a :0) Day!

Sharing talent

I am excited to sing in church on Sunday. People often ask me if I am nervous to sing. I always tell them NOPE. I don't get nervous to sing in front of anyone. NOW, if you were to ask me to speak in church....THEN I would be nervous. I don't like speaking in church and have avoided it like the plague for years. Hopefully that didn't just jinx me (knock on wood).

Often during conference you hear this advice often, that we are supposed to share our talents and improve them. Well this last year and a half I have been taking voice lessons. I have loved it. I love my teacher and she is so great!

Sunday will be the first time I have done a musical number since before I found out I was pregnant. I hadn't realized how long it had been until just recently. Anyway I am excited to do it. I can't wait to use my voice. I hope that you all have a :0) day!

Dental Happiness

My 2 year old had her first Dentist Appointment today. She was so excited to go to the dentist that when I left to take the kids to school, she thought I left for the dentist without her!

The experience when we got there was quite interesting. She sat in the dentist chair by herself (she didn't want me there) and she did EVERYTHING the dental assistant told her to do. She got her teeth cleaned, and we were told that she is a better patient at 2 than most of their 5 and 6 year olds. After she was done she got a prize and she was happy.

Then it was Mommy's Turn! She wanted to do everything the dental assistant was doing. She took all my x-rays (she pushed the button in the hall). She helped by giving the dental assistant the water sprayer and suction straw. She loved every minute of it. The dental assistant just kept letting her help. It made me happy to see her enjoying helping out. Maybe one day she will want to be a dental assistant or a Dentist! Who knows! :)

Have a :0) day!

I have Candy

Ha. Okay so this story made my day. In spite of the sadness of giving away some of our baby furniture.

My home teacher asked us if we had any baby items we would be willing to donate. I offered up our crib and a few other items for them to give to a lady in our ward who needed some help. Anyway, I went to do some errands over by his house and I saw him outside. He was wearing a shirt that said "I HAVE CANDY". I laughed and said, "You have candy? Can I have some??" He said I would have to come into the house to get it....lol. Later that evening he came by to pick up the items I said he could take to this lady in our ward. I started to hand him the pieces of the crib and when I turned around he had a styrofoam cup in his hand. I asked what was in it and he showed me.

IT WAS CANDY!!!! Ha ha. I totally thought that was funny. He really made my day with that. Thanks Seth!!!

Have a :0) Day!

Back home

This past week we spent in Washington. We went to see family and visit the sites. We had a ton of fun. We really didn't want to leave. Coming home we decided to drive the full way home without any stops. Living in Utah we had to drive about 11 hours to get home from where we were staying. We left late because we were out late the night before. I knew it was going to be long and tedious but I also knew that I wanted to get home. We just kept driving. We had fun.

Coming home was long. I started getting tired. There is just something about coming home that just makes you feel so good. For me it was pulling into the valley and seeing the Beautiful Temple. A lot of people don' t have that opportunity but we live in a town with a Temple. As I pulled in and saw that beautiful place, I felt a peace I hadn't felt in a long time. A peace of Home and safety. It was such a great feeling. I always long for those types of feelings.

I consider myself lucky to live this close to a temple. I need to go again as I haven't been since before I had my surgery in October. I think it is time to make time to go.

Have a :0) day!

Small Accomplishments

Yesterday we went sight seeing in Washington. We went to see the Petrified trees and to see these Steel Horses on top of a hill. Well the hill is really steep and we decided to climb up to the horses. I was a little weary about it. I didn't know if I would be able to make it very far. I realized after going about half way that I hadn't stopped to get a breath yet! It was an amazing feeling. I wanted to jump for joy because I had done something I hadn't done since I was a child. It felt so good and I knew then that I was getting healthier. This going to the Gym thing is working and I feel great!

This is the very first vacation we have taken in our 9 years of Marriage. The kids are having so much fun. We have seen things that we had never thought we would ever see. So many amazing and wonderful sights. We have truly enjoyed ourselves.

Today we are heading to a little bavarian town and tomorrow we are heading to Seattle and then to the beach. I am so excited to see the ocean. I am sure it will be a sight to hold in my heart forever. IT will be the first time in my life that I have seen it.

This vacation is a great break. We have needed it. We have had a lot happen in the last 6 months and so this vacation is a chance for us to come together as a family and just have fun. No trauma, no bills, no stress. We truly have enjoyed it so far :)

Have a :0) Day!

What a wonderful Combination

I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Conference weekend. I am so excited to hear the talks from our Prophet and Apostles. I love that I can turn on my television and stream them into my home along with the spirit that comes along with it. To make this weekend even better, it is EASTER. A time when we can remember him who sacrificed his life so that we could return to live with our Father in Heaven again.

I feel so blessed to live in a time when we can hear our Prophets speak. Times are changing and the world is becoming very scary. It is nice to be able to just sit in my home and listen. It truly makes me happy.

Have a most amazing Conference and Never forget what Christ has done for us.

Love you all

Have a :0) Day!

This is what makes me happy today :)

I love spring snow. It comes and it is enough to make a snow penguin or snow man or snow whatever you want and yet in a few days It will be gone! Today we (Meaning my two youngest children and myself) went out in the back yard and built a snow penguin. Why you may ask is it a penguin? Well I will tell you. My cousin in Texas asked if we would build her a snow penguin. I told her we would when we got some good snow......WELL Here it is!!! Have a Happy day!

I can choose to be happy

I have struggled with weight for 8 years. I gained nearly 100 pounds when I was pregnant with my oldest child. I have never since been able to lose it and I have felt like I am going to be this heavy for the rest of my life. However after venting with my trainer yesterday he told me something that will help me to do better. I KNOW I can lose this weight. I keep expecting it to come off and quickly but that isn't how it works. He told me that I need to be positive about getting healthy and do things that will benefit me. He said that I get too stressed over losing weight and getting healthy and that can keep me from losing the weight. It applies in my regular everyday life too. I am trying to move forward in my spiritual life as well and I can't because I am convinced that I will never be able to get there. I feel like I am stuck in a rut!

My trainer has no idea how much he helped me yesterday when he sat down with me and talked to me about my attitude towards my life. He helped me to realize that I need to be positive and I need to work hard but not TOO hard. It will come off. I will grow and learn.

I vow to be positive from here on out. I know that it is a process and I will probably have some days where Negative tries its best to get into my head but I will work hard to keep the negative thoughts away.

I can choose to be happy. I can choose to be positive, I can choose to move forward. Keep moving forward and Upward!

I CAN DO THIS!

Have a :0) Day!

There is a floor in this room!

Okay so it has obviously been a long time since I have seen the floor in my laundry room! It is there though! I finally got the energy up to get it done. For the longest time I just let things get messy and I didn't care. Lately I have wanted so badly to declutter my house and get things clean! Today was one of those days. I got my laundry room done and worked on the kitchen and wow, can I just say that besides this massive headache I have, I feel GREAT!!!

This is a good day for the M2B:)

Have a fabulous evening!

A week in review

I am horrible at this every day updating stuff! As if you couldn't tell, anyway here is an update on the M2B:).

March has been a pretty stressful month. I know it is only the 9th and we still have a lot to do and to learn. Things just don't seem to be going our way. Life seems to be going in a downward spiral. It is quite insane. Finding happiness is getting harder and harder to do. Last week was a week of sorrow and stress. I am thinking that there wasn't much that made me happy. There are a few little things that really helped though and so I will tell you about them now.

1. My husband has a job. It isn't really helping that he has not had a lot of work but he has a job and that is Awesome.

2. My friend (she knows who she is) made me laugh at the gym. That is hard to do when I am in my slump.

3. My physical trainer cares. I know he does. He really wants to help me and he is trying so hard to help me figure out what it is going to take to get some better results.

4. I was able to go watch my friends kids and I enjoyed it so much. I got to hold her little baby while he slept. I didn't want to give him back. It was so sweet. I needed that.

5. I got out of town! 4 days. I took the kids to see my Mom and her fiance, my brother, and My dad and his wife. It was lots of fun. It was a good break and I was able to relax for the first time in a VERY VERY Long time.

6. My oldest had her follow up appointment. We were given permission to play around with her meds to find a good combination so that she doesn't get so tired. They say if she goes another year and a half without any seizures they will try and take her off her meds. So here is hoping.

7. My family is awesome and they have done what they can to help us out this month and I am so grateful for them.

8. My 2 year old LOVES going grocery shopping! That is nice because she makes grocery shopping so much more bearable because I so DISLIKE it.

9. My kids are always so good about getting up and getting ready for school in the morning. It is a happy thing to not have to fight them each day.

10. WIC- withouth it we would have NO food.

11. Fake boo boo's. I know this one sounds so funny but my youngest is having bandaid issues lately. She wants them so bad and so she pretends to have boo boo's. SO FUNNY!

Okay okay, so as you can see I have many reasons to be Happy. I am lucky even with the trials we are enduring through to have such things to be happy about.

Hope you all enjoy your M2B:)!

Finding happiness in the moment

Well let me start off by saying that it is really hard to find happiness in the moment when that moment is four in the morning and your child is sick. Taking the sheets off the bed, giving that child a bath, giving comfort when you are so tired you can barely keep your eyes open. It is often times hard to find joy when those things are happening. I was able to find joy in it though.

As I was pulling the sheets off the bed and I was giving my child a bath to clean her up, I realized that this is exactly what Heavenly Father does for us. I am not any where near perfect and I make mistakes and there have been times when I am sick. I suffer from depression, which I recently found about a year and a half ago. I am a mother and a friend, a wife and a daughter. I make mistakes. We all do.

Heavenly Father picks us up at any time. It doesn't matter what time, it matters that he is there when we need comfort. I felt that love as I gave comfort to my own child. It was a great feeling.

Recently I was listening to LDSRadio and Cherie Call interviewed Michael McLean. He is an amazing person. I have to say that he has endured through many trials. I have been following his mission to be happy blog and I am continually amazed at his joy in life. I know there are days that are hard to write something "Happy" But somehow he finds a way. His music has literally meant so much to me. I am happy that I have followed his lead in joining the Mission to Be happy. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it.

Thank you Michael for your love. It truly shows through your music and your heart.

Thank you Heavenly Father for picking me up and comforting me when I need you. Even at four in the morning!

Cynthia

The joys of Dancing

Today started out rough. This morning I got a call from my husband and the way he was talking it sounds like he will be taking some time off because there is no work. I was already having a hard day when I got to the gym. I just about lost it. I couldn't handle the stress and I finally broke down. My trainer helped me focus all my frustrations on the weight equipment which really helped. He was very kind and understanding. I was so glad he was there. After that I did a few things and then came home. I laid on the couch and took a nap and then stayed on the couch all evening. Until it was time to get the kids ready for bed. They did their chores and then they all got ready. Then we had scriptures and Prayer and story time.

Thinking I was done, my youngest (2) comes up to me and says "dance mommy!" I said, not right now because I was tired and frustrated with the day. Well then all 3 kids thought it would be fun so they turned on the music. Yep you guessed it, the M2B:) soundtrack came on. The kids and I danced for half an hour and had so much fun. It is amazing the joy that dancing can bring you. It was so much fun. They were so happy for that half an hour and it was good to see them smiling.

I think maybe Dancing will be a new bedtime routine. It was so much fun!

Have a Happy day!

Cynthia

Validation

Thank you Jennifer for this video. I think this is an amazing video. Enjoy!

Oh Boy, I've got Joy!

Okay so I can't get that song out of my head, possibly because that is how I am feeling today. I have had a very productive and good day. I did all the things I needed to and had fun doing them. Even the not so pleasant things :) Anyway I have had this song in my head all day and I can't get it out! So instead of getting it out of my head I will post it here. Have a happy day!

Oh boy, I've got Joy, I do, Do you?

It starts in my heart and spreads to my head in a minute or two,

and did you know it can grow on my toes, and make my knees so they don't freeze

I feel so neat from my head to my feet

Cause I've got joy

Oh boy, I've got joy, I do, Do you?

It starts in my heart and spreads to my head in a minute or two,

And the best place to show is below my nose

for a mile or two I've got a smile for you

I feel so neat from my head to my feet

Cause I've got Joy,

I've got joy

OH BOY!

Recognition

I am not one to go out and say LOOK what I did! I actually am very against being recognized for anything. I don't like being the center of attention. Well today is no different. I still don't like being the center of attention. BUT.....I have just received a letter from the Superintendents office. It says, and I quote,

I would like to congratulate you for being named ______Elementary Volunteer of the Year!

Yeah.......Anyway I am apparently the Volunteer of the year! Woot!

So despite not wanting to be the center of attention, I get to go be the center of attention at a meeting next week. They wish to recognize me and I will go, but I don't have to like it. ;o) But I probably will.....Have a happy week!!!

Napping and other random Sunday things

OK so I have to tell you all that Valentines is NOT a big holiday in my house. As a matter of fact, this year was the first year I decorated in the 9 years I have been married to my loving husband. Usually I make my husband a card or a goodie and give it to him and tell him how much I love him. He usually forgets until the last moment and runs to the store to get something. Anyway Valentines hasn't been such a big deal. I have gotten use to the fact that it probably never will be either.

Anyway that is not the point of my post.

Today I went to church. Sat through our Ward conference and related to many of the stories and lessons taught. I cried in Sunday school as a member of the stake presidency got up and talked about how in order for us to experience true happiness, we have to go through sometimes awful and heartbreaking trials. Otherwise we can not experience it. Of course that is one of the many realizations I came to today.

I came home and having fallen asleep at 4 in the morning and waking up at 7:30 I was feeling a bit tired. I stayed awake as long as I could. I finally took a nap out of protest about 4:30 this afternoon. I slept way too long......as I was trying to wake up my daughter got up on the couch and took my face between her hands and said "Mommy, Wake up" She gave me a kiss and then told me to NAP again......LOL! It was so cute. It made my day. My kids are continually showing their love to me even on the days that are not set apart for LOVEY DOVEY holidays. :) That makes me really happy. I experienced the pain and frustration and trials to bring these wonderful children into the world and I am so happy because of it. Maybe it is the perfect example, maybe it is just the beginning, maybe I have many more trials to endure, maybe I have experienced the worst. Who knows. All I know is that now I am ready to take on whatever may come, I may not enjoy it but at least I know that there is a reason behind experiencing the trials and I can make it through them knowing the blessing that awaits at the end.

Have a fabulous Sunday Evening and GO USA!!!

Sweet precious children

I haven't written in a few days. I have been super busy with life.

My children are my joy. I love them with all my heart and I often wonder if I am making life good for them. Well Yesterday I got my answer.

I am the PTA president at the kids elementary school. I have quite a few things going on right at this moment in time. One of them was Parent Teacher conference dinner (we provide dinner for the teachers) and Book fair (which happens during the conference). Well I had a friend come volunteer to help at the book fair so I could go to my kids Conferences. She also watched my other kids while I was with each kid at their conferences. The first conference was with my son, so I left my girls with my friend and went to his conference. When I got back, my friend told me what my girls did.

My youngest was really tired (way past naptime) and so my oldest daughter laid down all the coats on the floor of the room they were in, then she went and got a book off of one of the shelves at the bookfair and read it to her. After she was asleep she put the book away. My friend told her that she was being so sweet. My oldest returned with this "Well I just want her to grow up and be happy in life, just like I am."

Hearing that makes me feel good. I was so happy that they are being taken care of and that they feel loved and happy in life. It makes me feel like a good mom. I will forever remember this.

(p.s. Our bird died today, my oldest had a really hard time with it, but she is going to be okay, I think our next adventure will be fish.......)

Maybe today is just a day of sorrow

I have had a rough day today. I read about a friend who lost his Nephew in Law of 27. No one knows why and they have very few answers. I can imagine how hard it must be to hear news of that nature. I have been there. I have a good friend who lost her husband a few years ago and I remember hearing the news on the phone and thinking, this is too much. What happened? Why? What is my friend going to do? How can I help her? I live in Utah, she lives in OHIO! I felt helpless. I felt useless. Today is no different. I can't help my friend, he barely knows me. I wish there was something I could say to make it all better but having been through many losses in the last year I know that NOTHING I say can make the pain go away.

Today was also hard for me emotionally. In October I found out I lost my baby, well today I found out that the day I found out about losing my baby, another friend was in the hospital having a D&C. Had I known she was dealing with that I would have been able to go to her and give her a hug but I was wallowing in my own pain and feeling pity for myself. The sorrow of finding out you have lost something that means so much to you is so hard. As my friend was talking about this during the Testimony part of Relief society, I could no longer hold in my tears. I had held in my tears for so long that they just flowed.

So I have nothing happy to say today. Just know that I am still on my mission, it is just taking a small detour today. I am keeping my friend in my prayers and those who have had to deal with a loss at any time in their lives. You know who you are. I love you all greatly.