Finally....A New Post!

I know a few of you have been wondering....when in the world is this girl going to get a new post up??? Well.....here it is. Lots have happened in the last seven months. So, here it goes! Jarom turned 10. I can't believe how time flies by! Kaylee turned 5, and she is still a pistol as ever! Azelynn turned 2, and Blair turned 1. It seems like yesterday that they were all just babies, but they have to grow up sometime. They sure are a joy to have in our home. Next I think the biggest accomplishment....I FINALLY finished my degree! WAHOO!! Yes, after 10 long years, I finally received by bachelors degree in business management. I'm so proud of myself for sticking it out and not giving up! The next best thing...is I landed a great job as a claims adjuster for MetLife Insurance Company. Now, I'm so grateful that I was able to get such a wonderful good paying job, but at the same time I'm so sad to leave the kids. I have been home for 18 months, and I have loved every minute of it! I wouldn't change it for the world. I really hated staying at home when I first quit work after I had Blair, but now it's going to be really hard going back to work for 8 hours a day. I know that everything happens for a reason, and I would not have gotten this job if it was not meant to be. I contemplated applying for this job for 2 weeks. I finally got up the nerve to go ahead and apply, and thought if I get it great and if I don't that's okay too. Well, not even a week later they called me for a phone interview, then a few days after that, I was called in for a face-to-face interview. Everything just fell into place, and I knew this is what was meant to be. This company seems like a great organization to work for. They have wonderful benefits, 401K, sick leave, and even have tuition reimbursement. I start December 6th. I'm excited, nervous, and scared. I know I will do fine, but it's just the thought of starting a new job in a new environment. I have more posts coming...I didn't want to bombard you all with a huge long post, so I'll do it little by little! lol. Wish me luck! ;-)

Early Easter

So, I'm a ding-dong and totally forgot that Sunday was our "early Easter." I mean since this coming Sunday is General Conference, the kids had to wear their Easter outfits the Sunday before. It was totally poor planning on my part. Thank goodness I had bought the girls' dresses the week before. Thanks g-ma Fern for such cute dresses! They looked absolutely adorable! Jarom looked handsome as ever. I swear he looks more and more like Jesse everyday. After church we went to our good friends the Mannings, for a wonderful feast. Alicia cooked such an awesome dinner, and we were so grateful to them for having us over. The kids played and had fun. It was great day!

Walking With Dinosaurs

Last Wednesday evening, my sister and I took Jarom and Kaylee to see Walking with Dinosaurs. She was able to get free tickets from a lady at work. How grateful we were to be able to go. We had really good seats, and sat actually pretty close. Can I just say, that this show was just awesome!! I even enjoyed it! The guy that was narrating the show, was absolutely phenomenal. They had huge real-life dinosaurs come out such as, T-Rex, Ankylosaurus, and the teradactyl. They really made you feel like you were "walking with dinosaurs." All in all we had a fabulous evening.

A Good Laugh at Mickey D's

So, I have to say that ever since they have built the new McDonald's on Losee we have been frequent customers during lunch time! It so happened this week, my dad took us there for lunch, except this time we did a quick run through the drive-thru. After I got done placing the order for everyone, Kaylee decides to roll down the window and yell as loud as she can to the lady taking the order....."and one ice-cream to go!!" My dad and I just looked at each other and started laughing so hard. I felt so bad for the poor lady taking the order! When we got to the window to pick up our food, the lady asks me.....so which one of your girls yelled....."and one ice-cream to go???" I just started laughing and told her it was Kaylee, my four year old. She laughed and said that all the workers in McDonald's heard what she said, and they all got a good laugh for the afternoon. I swear Kaylee definitely keeps us going, and she is one funny girl!

Our Trials in Life

I normally don't write about church material, but this time I was compelled to write about our Trials in Life. As I sat and read this months Ensign, most of the articles within talk about our trials and what we have to deal with here upon this earth, in mortality. I'm not going to say that the past week has been the easiest, but being able to take it one day at a time has really helped me. I'm not one to talk about our problems, but I wanted to share some thoughts I had from this month's Ensign. I have found myself becoming closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, more than I ever have. I know I'm not the only one who feels like this....but when trials come our way, don't we pray harder, work harder, and turn our thoughts more to thee? If we could only do this on a daily basis. I know I'm striving each day to become a better person, and know what I have to do to improve myself. In this life we will experience grief, trials, misfortune, and heart-ache. It is up to each of us how we will deal with it. We must have the ultimate faith to endure to the end, and return to live with our Heavenly Father. I really liked this quote by, Apostle Orson F. Whitney: "No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God....." Whatever trials we are faced with in this life, we can exercise faith to make it through them. President Harold B. Lee stated, " Sometimes when we are going through the most severe tests, we will be nearer to God than we have any idea." This statement was so profound to me! When I think all is lost, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel, I turn to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to pull me from the darkness to light. Our trials will try and test our faith, but if we remain faithful, and endure we will be blessed beyond measure! God is always there, he watches over us, he knows us better than we know ourselves. If we will let him in "always" he will guide our feet in paths of righteousness. Whatever trial each of us is going through, know that the Lord is there, he lives, and he loves you, and will give you the strength to endure to the end!

Blue & Gold 2010

Jarom received his citzenship beltloop

Jarom's Blue and Gold this year was on February 16, 2010. The theme this year was, 100 years in scouting. Every year they have all the boys make cakes, and bring them to the Blue and Gold dinner. Usually they have the dad's help make the cake, but can you see Jesse making a cake?? I didn't think so! lol. So, like always I take it upon myself to make the cake. This year I had the cutest idea. Not to say the least, it wasn't very easy to make. This was my first attempt with fondant. It looks so easy on the food network, but actually it is quite hard. The first time I rolled out the yellow fondant for the bottom cake, it looked great but, it was too short on one side. So, I had to peel it off and start again. I tried and tried to get this dang cake perfect. After a few words flew out of my mouth, Kaylee comes in and says, "Mom maybe you should call Cake Boss, he could help you make the cake!" Can I just say, I haven't laughed so hard in a long time! It was quite an adventure to finish this cake, but I was pretty impressed with the finished result. Jarom didn't win, which I was really bummed about, but next year, we'll make it even better! We had fun making it, and that's what counts!

Mom's 50th Birthday Party

I am way overdue for making this post! January the 15th was my mom's 50th birthday. I can't believe she is 50. She sure doesn't even look like it. I always tell her, mom you don't even look your age. Thank goodness for that, because now I know what I'll look at her age! lol ;-) We had a great time together as a family. We all went to P.F. Chang's and had some wonderful food. After dinner, we came back and had cake and ice cream at our home. She opened up one of the best presents you could ever receive. My grandma and grandpa are taking her to Hawaii in June. Needless to say, my and I were a little jealous. We said they could totally pack us in their suitcase, and not even know we were there! I hope they have a fabulous time in beautiful Hawaii. Happy Birthday Mom, we love you very much!

Love Day

My brother-in-law decided he wanted to be the "Love Doctor!"

Jarom wasn't quite awake.
He wished he could have slept in a little longer.

For our Love Day I fixed the kids pancakes, with all the Valentines trimmings that go with it. Azelynn was the only one downstairs, and wanted to help decorate. She kept eating all the sweethearts, and kept me pretty entertained while I cooked pancakes. It's never a dull moment when she's around! ;-) Later that night, we had my family over for dinner. I fixed BBQ Root Beer beef sandwiches, which was a big hit with everyone. It sure tasted yummy! All in all we had a good day.

Kids Say the Funniest Things....

So, first I have to say that my kids are totally obsessed with Beethoven the movie. Especially Azelynn. We have been trying to convince Jesse to get a dog, but he won't give in. The kids would like to have a Beethoven dog, as would I. So, today I loaded up all the kids and took Jarom to school. On the way home Kaylee asks me, mom I wonder if BUCK is a boy dog. Now, BUCK is my mom's black chow-lab. I proceeded to say yes, BUCK is a boy dog. She says, Ummm...well Beethoven is a boy dog too, and he got infected by a girl dog and that's why they had so many boy and girl dogs. I have never laughed so hard in all my life. I swear I laughed all the way home, and still laughing walking into the house. Kaylee saw me laughing in the car, and she started laughing too. Kids are funny and you can always count on a good laugh!