Nothing profound to say, but thought I would update

This week has been a crazy week, but fun. I used to dread even the fun things if it meant that I was going to be crazy busy. I have decided that it makes it easier and better memories when I enjoy every bit of it, even is I am EXHAUSTED!

I can't believe it is almost May already and the end of the school year. I hope my kids can survive the summer together. They tend to love or love to hate each other and it changes within minutes :).

I guess I better get going on the millions of things I need to finish up today. Yearbook, PTA budget, clean the house (HOLY COW, after a crazy week no one can come in today), list on ebay, build my website and of course, watch the Jazz game tonight. We can always hope for a REALLY good game tonight.

Also, I have to say that when one door closes another one opens. It's amazing how things keep piecing together. In one week we lose the little bit of unemployment we've been getting since Rick got a part time job. Last week Rick came home and said that the company he works for needed someone to do some writing for them and it would be by the job and that it could be done at home. It worked out this week that I would be able to take the job and start on Monday. I am really excited to start doing this and see where it takes us. I have to say every little bit makes a difference. It's still hard work, lot's of thinking about where the next penny or dollar will come from, but every little bit is a GREAT blessing. I have come to hang onto the peace that comes with each little thing along the way.

A new leaf. . .

So, it has been several months since I have posted anything on my blog. There are many reasons for that, but the main reason is I have hopes of a new website that has been a vision for a couple of years. It is going to happen this year. When it comes I will be sure to post it over on this blog.

The other reason is I didn't realize I was really falling into a very despair time of my life. It was only a few weeks ago that I realized where I was at in my life and that it was time for a NEW LEAF to be turned over. I was going through each day, taking care of family, taking care of things that needed to be done, but I couldn't figure out why I wasn't holding up under the millions of things that I used to take on. I was becoming a home body and was happy if I went a day not seeing or interacting with anyone. That is not my personality, but it seemed alright at this time in my life.

A few weeks ago I had a Friday that was more than I could handle. I will never forget it. It was definately one of my weakest days in my life. I felt alone. I felt lost. I couldn't quite crying. I felt like there was no hope. I just wanted to quit. Why did my life have to be the way it was? What had I done that brought me to this point? I had always been active in the church, I held church callings and served faithfully in them (even when I really struggled with the calling), I took my children to church, taught them to pray, read scriptures with them, served in my community, had an amazing husband who worked so hard (unbelievable hard), held strong through some tough things that had happened in my life, went to the temple faithfully, etc. I am sure we can all make our list.

Then I knelt in prayer. Pleaded for some help. I figured I would get up off my knee's and life would be the same. The weight would still be there. That's what I figured. Despair and hopelessness had taken over. I then got up off my knee's and turned on the TV. I figured I would escape the problems by turning on the TV and laying in bed. KBYU was on and it was just after 11 a.m. My son had been watching cartoons earlier. The first words I hear are "I hope ya know we had a hard time." It was the conference talk from last General Conference. It was amazing. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Saturday was still full of hopelessness and feeling like there were no answers. Sunday I got up and went to church. It was Ward Conference. Our bishop and stake president were speaking in Sacrament Meeting. What amazing talks!!! I have to say that was the major turning point in my life.

Our Stake President talked about taking one day at a time and doing all we could in that day. Recognize that another day was a blessing. To not look too far ahead. I am doing that. I am taking one day at a time and recognizing the blessings that lie in that day. Even when the bad things happen, I turn it into a positive. I feel like I am recognizing the blessings everyday. I am no longer looking just at myself and my challenges. The Lord loves me and has blessed me BEYOND any list I could make.

I can't believe the miracles that have come into our lives since I turned over this new leaf. It's not perfect, trust me, but the problems don't feel as heavy. In fact they don't feel heavy at all, because I turn them over to the Lord. I have had to put things into perspective. At Ward Conference my bishop listed things that we needed to be doing and that the Lord wouldn't withhold blessings. As that list was made there were definately things that I needed to improve on. I know that as I take one day at a time that I can get through things.

Anyways, I am a pretty private person when it comes to my life and my feelings, but I was at church today and the lesson in Relief Society was on Hope and it was a Conference talk by President Uchdorf and it had such an impact on me I felt like I needed to share this. I felt like if it even helped one person that it was important to share.

I have no idea who reads my blog and it has been stale for so long, but for those that are reading this I want to thank my friends, family, neighbors, friends at the school and those that blog that I read. All of those bring smiles to my face and help me recognize the great blessings I have.

Thank you for bearing with me as it is long, but it was important to me to share.

Apple Grove Light Decorating Contest

I forgot to blog about Rick's excitement this year. He spent quite a bit of time decorating outside in our small area out front. We came home on Sunday afternoon on December 21st and we had a fun sign out in front of our house. Here are some fun pictures to show the sign and look at the level of the snow:

SNOW and MORE SNOW. . .and pictures of our dog

I left my house this morning at 10 a.m. and that was it. It is 10:50 p.m. and the snow has finally stopped and it is lightly raining. On the news it said that Pleasant Grove got 11" of snow in the last 24 hours. Today I had cubscouts at 4:15 p.m. and as my scouts showed up they went to work clearing my long driveway of snow. I have to say that it impressed me a ton and I was so grateful for my wonderful scouts!!! As they were clearing the snow Daniel Holdaway showed up with his 4 wheeler and helped even more with clearing the snow. It's just another blessing given to me today. Here are some pictures of the snow levels tonight:

Tonight my kids were playing with our dog and took my camera and took several pictures. Here are some pictures of our dog taken by my children.

Brayden and Ellie

One of Brayden's friends moved to Chicago about a year ago and they have been able to keep in touch. Whenever they have come into town to see family Brayden and Ellie have been able to get together. She was baptized while they were in town over Christmas which made Brayden even more excited for his baptism coming up in the next few weeks. Here are some of the fun pictures from while she was in town:

New Years Eve DDR

About 10 minutes before the New Year rang in 2 of my brother-in-laws were playing the Wii and trying out Dance Dance Revolution on the Wii. Everyone joined in and it was alot of fun. Enjoy the slow motion and the fast motion:

2 Weeks of Crazy Fun

I was thinking about all of the things we did in 2 weeks and it's amazing and no wonder we are TIRED!!!

Here is a list of some of the things we did in 2 weeks . . .
1. 2 Family Christmas Parties
2. Thanksgiving Point Christmas Lights (and the boys got to each drive with dad)
3. Spanish Fork Lights (and the boys got to each drive with dad)
4. Go to the mall and make Build a Bears (dogs)
5. Celebrate dad's (Rick's) birthday
6. Polar Express train rides for friends and family
7. Go see Bolt, the Disney movie (on Gift Certificates)
8. Christmas Eve at Grandma Hardman's and Grandma Anderson's and visited a couple families with Santa
9. Delivered Gifts to family and friends
10. Christmas day visited both grandparents and 2 sets of Great Grandparents

11. Spoiled by grandparents, family and friends for Christmas (count our many blessings :)
12. Had a friend visit from Illinois
13. Played the Wii for HOURS!!!
14. Ate Dinner at Los Hermanos (on Gift Certificates)
15. Ate Dinner at Mimi's (on Gift Certificates)
16. Ate Lunch at Olive Garden (on Gift Certificates)
17. Kids spent money they got for Christmas at the Mall
18. Had a New Years Eve Party at Grandma Anderson's until 3 a.m.
19. Clark Planetarium (saw Flies to the Moon in 3D - used tickets from Reflections)
20. Slept over at our Uncle Scott's house and played games until 2:00 a.m. and then watched a movie
21. Played at Kangaroo Zoo for 4 hours with Cousins (mom had a family pass from earlier in the year)
22. Played games with family everywhere
23. Went to a baptism
24. Michael had his first Basketball game

25. Michael and Brayden had Piano Recitals

26. Ate TONS of food and treats everywhere we went

27. Talked to their aunt Tawnya in Hungary on Christmas morning (she is serving a mission)

All of this fun and it hardly cost mom and dad any money. It was GREAT!!! It was a fun packed couple of weeks and now we will get to regular schedules and maybe some sleep.