Merry Christmas!!

This Says it all!! Merry Christmas!!

This is my favorite holiday of the year! I love the cheer, the snow, Santa, and most of all, The real meaning of Christmas.

It is a time when the young and old come together, to enjoy the one thing we all have in common......the desire to be happy!

I love it that I have the ability to make my children happy at this time of year. My heart breaks for those who don't or can't.

Like this picture, may your Christmas be warm, cozy and full of happy, safe feelings!

Love to you all!

I'm sitting here on my bed with my new laptop for the first time. It feels good to recline! I am just getting used to it and learning how to use it. I couldn't figure out the sound and then I something and it worked. I still don't know what I did! Or how to do it again or change it!

Today was a very special day. My brother and sister in law were sealed to their new baby they adopted. He was their foster baby and then were able to keep him. I cried of course. The spirit through out was very strong and beautiful. There are some things that you just know are right and this was one of them. It made me yearn for the day we adopt Wyatt. I can't wait.

We are all now sitting on my bed watching "The wizard of Oz." I have so many memories of watching that movie and now here I am, sitting on my big bed with my beautiful children watching it. I think I have the best family possible. We are so happy. Our lives are so beautiful and perfect. I have the greatest kids and I adore them. We have so much fun together and I cherish these moments when they are young!

I already mourn the day they grow up and leave home. I love being a mother and I may not be perfect at it but I feel I do my best. My kids are happy, wall adjusted and so fun to hang with. Except in the car!! Life really is beautiful.

It has finally snowed. It makes me so happy! If it is going to be winter anyway, I want it to be beautiful. I love how lacy the trees look and the crunch beneath my feet.

As you all know, it is Friday. In fact, it is free Friday! On Free Fridays there are no chores that need to be done. The kids have a day off. I love it but the house has to be clean on Thurs. for a Free Friday to take affect.

We bought a new lap top. It has been very fun. We will mostly use it for the business but I am excited to to be able to play the highly addictive, terribly violent, satanic game of World of Warcraft with the hubby now. It will be a great date night. It is something we enjoy doing together.

So anyway, I am looking forward to a wonderful weekend with no surprises or stresses. I hope the same for you all!

Today I am feel great gratitude. We had an experience this weekend that can really bring you to your knees. I am feeling immense gratitude for modern medicine.

As some of you may know, We have had that awful flu at our house. I have found out since that doctors think it is a strain of to Roto virus.

Jake had gotten sick on Sunday night last, then Heidi and I were sick Wed. night. Up all night throwing up and diarrhea like water. Cramps that were worse than any of my labors.

Thursday night Wyatt, started throwing up and started with the diarrhea. We couldn't get fluids in him fast enough. He devoured every bottle. Dying of thirst. Over the course of just a few hours, I would learn, that he had lost about a pound of fluids. In the middle of the night we rushed him to Mc Kay Dee hospital.

From tests we learned that his sodium levels were unusually high. If they hydrated him too fast with those sodium levels, he would have seizures and could have brain swelling. He was much more ill than even we had anticipated. If we had lived 100 years ago, he would have died by morning.

I can't believe how fast it went. Fine one day and deathly ill in the next few hours. They hooked him up to an IV and took tests to see if they needed to fly him to Primary Hospital. They decided to keep him there and they admitted him to the pediatric ward. They took labs every two hours at first.

That was the worst experience of our lives. Here we were, holding our beautiful baby down while he screamed as they stuck needles into his little feet to get blood. He would look at us with wonder in his eyes, asking us why we were allowing this. I cannot describe how this made us feel.

The next day Doctor Lloyd, whom we adore, came and changed all the orders. The kind of iv fluid, how often to take blood and what to give him. Wyatt had not been allowed to have anything oral that whole first day. It was terrible. Dr, Lloyd was furious that he hadn't been called by the hospital sooner. I thought they had called him. He made them quit doing labs as often as he felt they were torturing our baby. Which is exactly what it was.

To make a long 3 day weekend short, his numbers leveled, he gained his weight back, the diarrhea ended and it all turned around for the better.

On Sunday morning as I rocked him, 2 older men came in to give me the sacrament. I have taken the sacrament my whole life. I can't count how many times I have heard the sacrament prayers, but at this moment, as these men knelt at my feet, and prayed, the words hit me like a flood of emotion. I started to cry. This is why Christ came. This was why he did what he did. For me and my poor baby who lay in my arms. It is in moments like these, moments of extreme pain and gratitude that the magnitude of what he did hits me.

Thank heavens for these miracles. It doesn't seem fair that 100 years ago a mother would have lost her beautiful child.

So, I am full of gratitude today. I'm so glad it's over.

Chrismas Meme

I stole this from Jenny at "little family" I loved it and tag anyone who reads it!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping paper. I have to make it as difficult as possible for my kids to peak.

2. Real tree or artificial?

I prefer real trees. I always had a real one growing up but I have an artificial tree now. Less stress and worry.

3. When do you put up the tree?

I have been doing it the first week of December but I was raised doing it the day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down?

My mother was adamant about taking it down on New Years Eve day but I am not always so strict about that!

5. Do you like eggnog?

My husband converted me but it has to have sprite and nutmeg! That's my favorite.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

The one that instantly comes to mind is a My Friend Mandy doll I got when I was about 4. I still have that doll and I still love her.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

Definitely. Mine is made of olive wood from the Holy Land. It is beautiful and was my mothers. She was given it from a friend who had traveled to the Holy Land.

8. Hardest person to buy for?

My sister in law. We have them this year. They already have EVERYTHING!

9. Easiest person to buy for?

ME!!! I love to shop for me! I like anything. ANYTHING!!!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

To be honest, bullets. My hubby really wanted me to love hunting. It didn't take! lol

11. Mail or email Christmas cards
Mail the cards for sure. There is nothing better than getting a card in the mail.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I love the carton and the Jim Carey one.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

I start early and it is so hard to stop even when I'm done.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

I think I have but I don't remember!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Turkey. I always associate turkey with Christmas day.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?

I like the clear lights but was raised with the colored kind. In fact, as a kid we had those big bulbs with the silver reflectors.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

I don't have a favorite. I love them all! But, if I have to choose it would be the Hallelujah chorus.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

I love to stay home but we always drive down to Salt Lake to visit Grandma in the afternoon.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Of course!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?

I love a star. We have always had a star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

We always open one Christmas Eve and they are PJ's

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

Is there something annoying about this time of year? If so, I don't know what it is!

24. Do you buy gifts for your pets?

No. I like to spend it on family.

25. Have you ever been Christmas caroling?

Yep! But not lately.

26. Hot chocolate or hot apple cider?

Both please!!! Thank you very much! But it depends on my mood!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

What a wonderful Sunday we had. Jacob and I played a piano duet in Sacrament meeting. We played "The first Noel". It went beautifully. This was the first time Jake has ever done something like this and was pretty nervous but it didn't show.

He got tons of compliments and felt so good about it. Then he was ordained as second councilor of is deacon's quorum.

All in all it was a very good day for him! I went to choir practice which I haven't done in ages. I have felt so crappy for so long!

It is amazing what we do for our kids. I DO NOT love performing in front of people like that but I know it is good for him to do so I grin and bare it.

Ah, the joys of parenthood.

The Messiah

Have you ever heard anything as powerful and beautiful and the "Hallelujah Chorus"?

Last night was our community Messiah sing in. The community orchestra with a choir and 4 soloists perform and each time they come to a "Chorus" the audience joins the choir in song.

I love it. It is one of my favorite things to do during the holiday season. There is something magical when you hear "King of Kings! Lord of Lords! Forever and ever and ever!! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!"

It sends chills to my toes. Chills to know that at the very first performance, even the King who heard it recognized it's greatness and could not stay seated. He rose from his throne in honor of the true King of kings. That is why it is a tradition that everyone stands when that song is performed. The spirit just soars with that song.

I love the Savior and at this time of year, the music just solidifies my testimony even stronger. I so want to be the kind of person He wants me to be. I so often fall short. Thank heaven for His saving grace. Hallelujah! Forever and ever!

MERRY CHRISTMAS SEASON!!!

This is the picture we attached to our Christmas Card. I love it. I think it turned out good but I have cut my hair since then. I have decided I like it short. It looks good.

I have also figured out how to send my pictures online to Walmart to be printed. That saves me time and money. Love that. Got the idea for Lisa.

So, I am feeling so much better. I am so glad to not feel so tired and sick. What a good feeling to have my health back. I want to start running again but am afraid to start. Does anyone know that feeling?

It is hard to describe. I don't want to fail. I don't want it to hurt, I want to be able to run like the wind and am afraid it wont be that way. I need to just start. I miss the high I used to feel when I ran. I have gained 10 pounds this year and my body feels yucky. I don't want to get old and fall apart and yet, I am afraid to start. Explain that one to me!

So I will attempt it today, if I can force myself.... he he

How many of you out there love psychology? I do. I studied it in school, I love the color code, I love the 5 love languages etc..... I love to learn about new and interesting ways to over analyze!

Well, we can use that information with my new post. I have had an ongoing argument with my husband about having my name oh his business account. He wants me to do work for the business but not be a part of it ( I felt).

So last Saturday, we were on our were on our way to the bank together for the first time in ages. Well, I won. We put me on the account. I just wanted to feel a part of "our" business. You know, it actually worked. I knew it would. I feel like this is now my business too. I started a new filing system, we bought Quick books, which we had wanted to do for a while and I completely cleaned out and re-organized our office area. It feels so good to be a part of it.

I don't know what his problem was before but my word,. I do a lot of work and I want my name In gold on a plaque on the door. I am a yellow after all!