I'm a Slacker!!!!

To be honest with you I've been a slacker for a reason. I've been trying to figure out my blog page/layout/background. It's taken me a long time. But the bottom line is I FINALLY figured out the problem. Back in June when Scotti was born I put a picture up and it was to big. It messed up my whole layout. Things were not where they were supposed to be. I've erased (helpful hint don't do that until you figure out the problem) and deleted things I should NOT have erased. So now I think I'm back on track. I'm just not thrilled with my background picture.....so you just might see some different background pictures for awhile. So this past month has been a lot of fun. Christmas time always is. We stayed here in MO because Billy's job makes it a little hard to leave. The peace and calmlness we were looking for this Christmas came and we loved it. I switched some things up when it came to the presents and how we approach the Christmas Season. I got the idea from a good friend from church (Thanks Sister Lykins). She gives out just 4 (yes I said 4) gifts per child. 1-They Want 2-They Need 3-They Wear 4-They Read. This made shopping easier because I had a purpose. I have to be honest I was a little worried our kids might freak out when they only had 1 toy to open. So Christmas morning when we woke up a little late and ate our Christmas Crunch super fast because church was at 9:00am I honestly panicked. My first thought was 'Look you've ruined Christmas!!!' But at church we had a family give their talks and it changed my panicked heart into peace. The father of the family spoke on the importance of tithing. He had me in tears and I don't cry easily. He spoke of his struggle to go to church but that through it all he never struggled with the importance of tithing. It was AWESOME!!!! I love Our Heavenly Father and how he teaches me through others. So going home and openning the presents was a breeze and the kids were awesome and loved there presents. Especially Broc who was very excited about his socks and unders that he said, "Oh THANKS MOM I really needed some new ones of these. My other ones were getting wholy." Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Thanksgiving with Family

I can't remember the last time we had Thanksgiving with family. Tuesday night my parents drove in from Utah. Thursday Tom and Renee, (Billy's brother) and Chris and Kristin (Billy's parents), all made it in time for dinner. Tom and Renee drove from Indiana and as they drove through St. Louis they picked Billy's parents up at the airport as they flew in from Japan. It worked out great for everyone. It was a lot of fun. They all came not just because of my amazing cooking (*wink, wink*) they came because Ireland chose to be baptized. I'll show pictures of that in my next post. This week was a lot of fun.

I'm Thankful for....

I'm so thankful for a new PC computer for our home. For the last 6 months my laptop has been out of order. So I've been trying to steal Billy's laptop when I could.....but just a helpful hint don't steal a guys laptop when he's trying to get his 2nd Masters Degree, he gets a little freaked out (just kidding Billy). I'm also so thankful for these guys

I'm also really thankful for Billy. He works so hard for us. He comes home after an 18 to 20 hour day and stills tries to squeeze in time with us even though he's exhausted. Man did I pick the greatest guy. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving.

Catch Up

12th Anniversary

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Being married to Billy for 12 years has taught me so much. So I'd like to share a few things I've learned.
1.)I'm not a mind reader and neither is he.....So I stopped thinking I know what he's thinking a long time ago.
2.)Happily Ever After is something that you work at and not something just given to you.
3.)Children make married life 10 times more exciting.
4.)I can't have a happy marriage without Heavenly Father and his guidance.
5.)Date Night once a week is a must.
6.)Both Billy and I have individual goals and we both need to achieve them.
7.)Humor can get you through anything.
8.)Love can make you forgive and let go.
9.)Time apart doesn't make the heart grow fonder......it just sucks!!!!!
10.)Money and wealth don't make a better marriage.....It's what you do with the money and wealth like, compromise, sharing, and relying on each other that make the marriage.
11.)Trust is HUGE in making our marriage work.
12.)Kindness, Love, and Patience isn't just a cute saying on a wall.

Mini VAN Dilemma

Billy for years has been wanting me to get a mini-VAN. He is constantly telling me all the great things that come in them; GPS, backing up camera, DVD players, GAS MILEAGE, GAS MILEAGE, GAS MILEAGE. I really don't have a huge problem with mini-VANs. I just don't think they are for me. I LOVE my SUV....Dodge Durango. I want to be able to have power in a snow storm. I want I to tow a trailer, boat, or whatever I feel like when I feel like it. AND YES I don't want to look like a mini-VAN MOM. I do however love the new commercials that make vans look sexy and more appealing So a little over a week ago we got hit by a girl who was not paying attention. We were leaving a city park after having a great family night. As we were just about out of the parking lot a girl pills out of her parking space and hits our car. She hit the front drivers side bumper, breaking the lights and pushing the pumper into our wheel. She also wasn't the owner of the vehicle and she had no drivers license. But I think the biggest shocker was when she pulled her just a year old son out of the car and he wasn't in a carseat. I think it's safe to say this girl was having a really really bad night. The police officer took a good ten minutes to instruct her on the stupity of not having a drivers license and how she put her child in danger by not having a carseat.

So the reason for my mini-VAN dilemma is we got a mini-VAN for a rental car while our durango is getting fixed. Billy is seriously doing cartwheels and loving the fact that I have to drive this van for a week.

SERIOUSLY I don't like driving the MAV (Mormon Assault Vehicle)!!!!!!

I really want to have one of theses......oh how I would love one of theses

April Showers Bring in.......

Parker found a huge bucket of rain water and decided to mix it with the mud he found. He was so proud of himself.