25 Randomy Things About Me

1. i can watch greys anatomy all day.
2. i love cooking.
3. sadly, i burn every thing on an electric flat stove tops, hate hate hate them.
4. i wanted to be an orthodontist (secretly i still do), adam says no.
5. i love exercising but i never want to do it.
6. i think my teeth need to be whiter, its been a problem since about 10th grade.
7. i love my hair short and spunky adam & everyone else likes it long.
8. i give in to easily, and i worry about what people think too much. check out #7
9. i feel like i always need advice and i can't use my own smartness. (its a sickness).
10. i might be a hypochondriac.
11. i wish i was shorter (i'm only 5'4), but if i was shorter i'd also need to be much thinner!
12. i thinking watching movies is a waste of time.
13. i love to take time tasting my food. it makes me so happy.
14. i need a blogger's anonymous.. i might have a problem.
15. i'm terrified of walking in the grass during the night, and putting my feet down in the ocean, or being in the dark. and i probably will never go into a lake.
16. i want to home school my kids but it still kind of scares me, i have a degree in this and i'm not sure i can do it.
17. i wear make up ( eye stuff and lip gloss) only once a week. (sometimes not even then)
18. i use to watched legally blonde on days when i felt sad, it made me feel tons better!
19. i wish i could afford to go to dance classes- any kind of dance.
20. i over think things. i've already been working on this for 2 hours. but it is during american idol, so i'm kind of distracted.
21. i wish i acted more puerto rican (i am half). - i guess speaking spanish could be a start.
22. i love tanning.
23. i can't remember how old i am.
24. i let my husband named our son after a famous basketball player and have some family joke for a middle name. reefer to # 8. It is a perfect name though.
25. i love breaking open crab legs, love even more drowning it in butter and eating them. BUT you have to do the work yourself to appreciate it.

What's All That White Stuff??

It snowed finally, if I can call it snow. They called school off in a 30 mile radius for half an inch of snow. It is so freezing outside the "snow" is crispy and icy. It's just a sad story. I miss soft Utah snow & the warm igloo feeling. It was still fun introducing Jo-Jo to the white cold stuff!

Hope is There to Uphold Our Faith

Help For Hump Day
Part 1:
The Infinite Power of Hope- President Uchtdorf read it
I love how Prs. Uchtdoft starts his talk with the story in WWII and he states that they were in a war zone. I love that because I think it defines where we are now. In this world, in this war zone. We need hope to endure, hope in something greater. " In times of distress, we can hold tightly t othe hope that things will 'work together for our good' as we follow the counsel of God's prophets.

He compares hope, faith, and charity to the legs on a stool. They work together as the opposites of doubt, dispair, and failure. "Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart".

There is a lot of talk on faith, and hope. " Hope comes of faith, for without faith, there is no hope. In like manner faith comes of hope, for faith is 'the substance of things hoped for'".

What is it that we need hope for? Hope in our Savior, that we can endure even when we are being polluted with many depressing situations. Hope "encourages and INSPIRES us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear..... Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to us".

Favorite Quote: " With hope, we can 'have patience, and bear our afflictions'"- I need to believe this!

Crusin'

Here is my cute cute baby J strolling in his walker. His feet can reach now and he loves him comfy slipper/shoes! Go ahead baby, go see the world!!

Helping Liz

Today I helped my little sister for 8 HOURS with her project. It's not even due on monday. I am not complaining too much because I had tons of fun. She had to make all these shapes and decorate them. We were all creative!! It was a blast!

72 Hour Food Kit & Emergency Binder

I finally went out and bought a couple of things for my 72 hour food kit. I have been saving milk jugs like the example of the food kit from food storage made easy. Instead I just picked up these dollar boxes and stuffed them with the things they suggested! I had a simalar box in my car back in the day but it was filled with body spray, gum, soup,a hand warmer and lip gloss or something. I am so excited to have something incase of an emergency! I feel so great knowing we can run away and have 3 days of food.
As for the clothing, and daily goods.... well, I am working on it. I am trying to make a goal to by 5 things each pay day. I guess the first step is going around the house and seeing what I already have. It is on the to-do list!

Food Storage Made Easy, in the "getting started" section also suggested to have an emergency binder. I felt so proud that I already have one! My mom has had one forever! She kept all her important records with her. Her Will, birth certificates, immunization records, etc. Once I moved here and took a better look at the thing she hauled around to appointments and such I gathered all my things together and it has been so nice knowing I know where all these important things are immediately.
My book is color coded. Before the color separator starts is all our marriage documents with copies! Then Each color is a different person with all their stuff! Then I have a work color with my license and Adam will have one for his work.. and maybe we will get more children and I'll need a bigger binder! The site gave me great ideas on storing random dollar bills in it, and making copies of my credit cards. I am going to improve it and have it on hand anytime I need it!
I love the idea of preparedness. When we were little I remember playing the game "If a fire is in your house and you can only take 3 things what would you take?" As long as I fill my kit up with all my needs both physical and spiritual. My kit should have everything I need, then I can choose 2 more things.

**Other than my emergency kit stuff I would take a necklace that has been passed down 4 generations already and I can't decide what I will want to take if I had the nerves enough to actually think about getting them. Adam would pick his spanish scriptures & box of mission pictures/journals.**

Question:
If a fire is in your house and you can only take 3 things, what would you take? (other than people)

They Don't Talk

The New Year has been a new challenge in Nursery. All my oldies went to Sunbeams except for C. He turned 3 this week and he is my big helper! However, the other 7 or 8 kiddies are so young. No one talks really, no one can copy what I say, sing or answer questions. I know they are learning but they have taken over and do there own things. They can't "gather" like the older kiddies and they don't respond as quickly to their names. I am sure I am going to LOVE seeing them grow and progress into these amazing smart 3 year olds who know things and say things and participate. BUT RIGHT NOW, I don't know what I can do or should do. I need more hands than I have and I want the lessons and class to be designed for them and what they need. Back to the very beginning without having C. get bored or feel like he is the only one talking.
I need some ideas on what activities and how I should approach my lessons and activities so they aren't so easily distracted and disinterested!? What things should I do for the "little guys"?? Share your ideas with me!

Stand Strong and Immovable in Faith

HELP FOR HUMP DAY
Visiting Teaching Message, Ensign Jan 09

This has been one of those mornings. The mornings where your heart breaks in a million pieces and although you think you are trying to help but you accidentally making things worse. Sometimes I wonder how the people I love and I have such different views concerning the church and the way we live. Especially since this is how we've been living for years. How is it that I rarely have second thoughts on how I choose to live but others have so many questions and animosity towards certain commandments and the consequences that follow. Well, its been one of those mornings.

I thought I was going to blog about any article I could find about tithing and the blessings you receive therein, or even callings and being worthy. Instead, I chose to talk about the visiting teaching message for this month. It is fresh in my mind because I went visiting yesterday and it really answers all my questions and makes my heart a little stronger. It's the best band-aid I could have, BUT then again... I accept it and I don't have any second thoughts. I guess thats the first step in being strong and immovable in faith.

Sis Lant (Primary General President) says: "Our personal conversion comes as we BEGIN TO LIVE THE WAY THE LORD WANTS US TO LIVE- [by] keeping all his commandments, not just those that are convenient." We don't get to pick and choose, we don't get to decide the commandments that apply to us. Heavenly Father DOES not understand why we cannot obey. In reality the things he asks of us are easy! Its easy to make correct choices. It may seem easy to make the bad choice, so many people say that. The truth is that the hurt caused by the domino effect of bad choices is indeed much much harder. ....sorry for the tangent.

How Can We Stand Strong and Immovable in Faith?
It is easy... they are "simple, indispensable practices that almost seem mundane". Maybe they don't seem mundane if they are so difficult to some.
We should be firm and stead fast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord. (3 Nephi 6:14.) We "can and should EXCEL in living and sharing [our] testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ."(Sis. Beck)
We can do these with the mundane things:

WE ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWERS

1. Make & Keep Covenants- you chose to make these promises with the Lord, you knew you could do it, and he is counting on you! He loves you and knows you can succeed.
2. Be worthy and worship in His temples.
3. STUDY his doctrine in the scriptures and words of the prophets.- If this very important in our life, and if our PURPOSE is to return home to our Heavenly Father and live the way he wants us to on this earth.. we should really know what he wants from us.. to learn everything we can, all our tools are sitting right in front of us.
4. To QUALIFY for, recognize, and follow the Holy Ghost- Thats right you have to be ready to receive the counsel, and once you get you should DO IT!! "Go and do all the things the Lord commands."
5. Share and DEFEND the gospel.
6. Participate in sincere personal and family prayer.
7. Have Family Home Evening
8. Live principles of self-relience and providence living- prepare and persevere.


"... no one can do these things for us- these are personal practices and habits."

Question:
Why Should We Be Strong and Immovable in Faith?

Washing Machine Oops!

It was done with good intentions!
I was not trying to be malicious.

*My great husband worked in mud and gunk all summer and now works in grease and oils. He needs his clothes washed about every other day.We have a little "stinky storage box" near his closet to store his clothes until he needs to wash it in the morning. He doesn't want to mix them with our other laundry, which is such a generous thought!

However- For some reason there is ALWAYS clothes in places that he doesn't want to mix in. He just makes stacks of clothes and when I am cleaning up at night I just transfer those random stacks to the hamper. I don't care if there clean or not, they get placed somewhere so there not everywhere.

Well, twice in 6 months I thought I would be a nice wife and do his work laundry so they would be ready for him when he needed to go to work. This would be such a wonderful surprise for him and he won't have to feel rushed to get them clean.

Last time I did this he left his work phone in the pocket and it was completely ruined. You'd think I would check for these things, but I didn't. Today his stinky clothes was not in his "stinky box" it was just thrown all around it, and I didn't want J playing in it, or around it, so I just picked everything (including his coat) and hauled it down to the laundry room. I thought it would be so nice to get his coat washed and nice and warm because it has been so dreadfully cold lately. So, I dropped all his stinky clothes in the washer and I took off a belt I saw on one of the pants, and got them started.

I told Adam he needed to switch his laundry over and I have never seen him this mad before. He freaked out! HIs paycheck and W2 was in his coat pocket, and another pair of pants had a belt on it still. I didn't care to check, I figured you don't keep those things laying around everything has a place and this time it was the washer. Maybe its my fault I didn't check and I don't wash my clothes all flipped right side out. (another dumb thing). You just don't leave important things laying around in stinkiness. Dang- Its not like I did it on purpose!

What is your worse washing machine story??!?

Best Friends

MERRILL
Adam's Best Friend is getting married next month and I wanted to make a post on our best friends!
I don't know as much about Adam n Merrill as I know about my best friend so I don't have much to say. I guess he met Merrill when he was in 10th grade. They were stuck at the hip. From stories I've heard they had their adventures! Plus, they are creepily funny! We love you Merrill and we are so glad your getting married so you don't feel like the third wheel because I took your spot! Hooray for Adam and Merrill.
Dance Photo: The youngest I had of them together:

Time Capsule retrieval after their missions:

Even after the wedding I couldn't separate them! lol.

LINDSAY
"G-n-Z" Lindsay and I met in 7th grade and became super friends in 8th grade. We both bloomed from braces and glasses to two hot chicas. We have done many things together and we will always be each others #1 girlfriends! In high school we went to two different schools but that didn't stop us. She was friends with the Woodside crew and I was in with the Denbigh kids. It was the best of both worlds. She would come visit me after school during practices (too see boys duh!) and I snuck into her school one day to steal her away and take her to the beach! I don't think we were ever in school during our Senior year. She doesn't understand all my life styles but she loves me anyways!! and I love her even with all her crazy tat's and all the other crazy things she chooses. I have the best kid memories with her! And I had too many pic's to choose from!
P.S. Yes, she has always been that skinny ( Kind of the opposite of adam and merrill.. i just wish what happen to merrill can happen to me! lol) We would always joke about trading fat and skinniness.. we'd have the perfect bodies if that were possible!
At the 8th grade dance, our older pic together:

At a wedding looking super cute:

Our competition team we joined at the bowling alley:

Visiting me during cheer practice so she could spy on the wrestlers:

One of my visits back "home" while away at college:

He Adapts to the Level of Our Understanding

Intro memo: This year I made a goal to read from the Ensign and study the topics therein along with the Book of Mormon. I wish to record some of my thoughts as I read. I feel I will remember it more if I recall & record what I read. Reflect on how it may apply to me, and why it is important. Just like everything thing else I have started it may not be a constant habit. I seem to start things and never follow though. Here is my example. However, I am going to try again. My "Help for Hump Day" post. Wednesdays are smack dab in the middle of the week. This is my booster post to give the extra " hooray, life is great" feeling to finish off the week strong. It will probably be a couple of quotes, and small thoughts, may not always come from the Ensign or the scriptures, but it will always leave you (and me) thinking and uplifted ( i hope!). Nothing too long and very basic because I don't work on intellect and I am no scriptorian. However, I do have the feeling inside that confirms truthfulness and how grateful I am for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Even a Child Can Understand- Elder Gerald Causse read it

In our church we believe that 8 is age of accountability and then a child may be baptized. Sometimes, I wonder if that is too young and if they can really understand what they are doing. Do the comprehend it ALL?? After reading this talk I remembered they don't need to. Heavenly Father "adapts to our level of understanding". Elder Causse says "God would indeed be unjust if the gospel were only accessible to intellectual elite". This is so true. As I teach my sweet nursery children I feel fufilled in my Sunday service because the spirit is just as strong and the principles are being applied to there level of understanding as well as mine. The gospel is true in every level, it is true and unchanging.
"Little Children have a marvelous disposition to learn. They have TOTAL TRUST IN THEIR TEACHER, a pure spirit, and great humility- ..all the qualities to open the door to the Holy Spirit". I believe people would learn more if they had trust in who was teaching. Many people I know and love have the desire to compare and debate the concepts being taught in the church and in anything someone else may know. If we allow ourselves to learn from our leaders and our greatest teacher, the Savior through the Holy Ghost we will be suprised on the knowledge we gain. Maybe I just love it becuase one day I will be the teacher, especially to my children.. and what do I have to teach them. I must allow myself to be taught as a little child the purest and truest concepts of the gospel. The facts that allow this young child of 8 to make this great choice by his Saviors example. They know what they are doing because they are taught by the Holy Spirit. Let us be as "a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to ll things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father"(Mosiah 3:19). I do know somethings, and the gospel is adapted to me, my Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to learn more and gain knowledge. I just have to allow myself to be taught.
Causse closes hoping "we will KNOWHOW to open our hearts like a little child and take pleasure in hearing and practicing the word of God in all the power of its simplicity".
My Challenege: Take the time to think about what you know about your Heavenly Father and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can fisrt imagine you know nothing at all, start from the beginning asking yourself questions and the Spirit will answer. Do I know Heavenly Father loves me? Do I know Jesus Christ is my Savior? Do I know Heavenly Father hears prayers? Do I know I am here for a purpose? Do I know what that purpose is? etc.

Nursery Board

This was the first project I did for the Nursery. It is designed to keep track of all the kids. This way I know who is with me and when they leave, etc. It was crazy when parents would come and then there kid is gone and the door is open for escapes, and other kiddo's are getting sad because their mom isn't there. Luckily I had a solution, I read this idea on sugardoodle while doing all my nursery research. They had an apple tree and apples. I choose to do sheep in a field with a shepherd.
Every Sunday morning when I get there I put the board outside of the classroom. Luckily we have two doors in our nursery class. I labeled one to be the ENTER door and the other to be the EXIT. When the child comes to Nursery they remove their sheep from the "Missing" side & place them in the field. A lot of the parents allow their children to remove their own sheep which helps them recognize their name, and they get to see their face underneath. When everyone is in I know who is on the board and who is missing for the day. We can then go over who is here and who is missing, and then return it to the table outside. (We never do because play hour is first and they are too occupied, but we could do it before our prayer.. which is a great idea since we have all little ones for the new year!)
When it is time for pick up the parent removes their child's sheep and slides it under the door. We make a big deal about the sheep & whose name it is. We then have time to gather all the childs "stuff" and we walk them to the EXIT door while the children are gathered on the other side, waiting for sheep and playing group games. It is super easy and has been really helpful. I don't feel worried about the kids leaving, and I have control on when the doors open and close.
Plus, it has our schedule posted and what the lesson was for that day. Everyone loves the sheep board.

Introducing Nellie!

My little sister has been begging for a baby pig since the summer. Secretly, my mom has been too. They were going to get one for Christmas but they were born around Christmas & brought her home today. Which makes her 3 weeks old. I think she is WAY too young to be here with us and away from her mother. BUT the owners weaned her off early! So, here we are learning how to take of this so cute and super scared baby pig! Cute huh!! I want one so bad!! I don't know why Adam says no! I guess after a week of caring for this newborn baby we will see how she is! I feel so worried for this little animal & I feel like everyone here is just like WOW, OO's and AHH's. They don't really know what they are getting themselves into. I hope she grows to be healthy & happy in joining our family!

My First Project

I really wanted a sewing machine & Adam was so cute to buy me this mini thing with what he had! Today I got to use it. (My mom helped me! lol)

We just made a quick little cover for this little shelve that JoJO loves to get into. I couldn't take him always getting into the trash, and then the cords. I had to do something. I'm going to make a matching cover for the desk! ** Don't look too close! **

Before:

After:


Yes, I am making one for the CD case too.. Look at the Post Below to know what I am talking about!!

Kisses to "The Fun with Food Storage Network"

I have been a little blog crazy lately. I may not be posting the "best" things lately but I have been doing a lot of spying on strangers and I am so glad I have. I have found some really neat sites and I will share my finds with you later!

Right now!!! I love my newest find!

Food Storage has been on my mind since we left UT. It has been eating me up inside and I want to get started on something so important. I almost put the word "Prepared" in my Word of 2009, because I want to get going on being READY!

They have made it easy with 3 area of focus:

Plan it

Buy it


Eat it



I have suddenly become so excited for this site and I can't wait to learn more and feel excited and ready for food storage!!

I HAVE taken their challenge to get READY in a year with food storage!!

Word of 2009

Inspired by: Tip Junkie

This year I want to be BETTER than I was last year. I want to DO everything I know I should & more. I want to be POSITIVE & OPTIMISTIC, even when I am granted new challenges to endure. I want to say YES more and Complain less. I want to ENJOY and not worry so much. I want to be more GRATEFUL. I want to RECOGNIZE what I have & not take it for granite.

The word I choose this year is:

APPRECIATE

- to grasp the nature, worth, quality, or significance of
- to value or admire highly
- to judge with heightened perception or understanding : be fully aware of
- to recognize with gratitude
- to increase the value of

Celebrating '09

New Years was so much fun!

We went to our bi-stake dance "Once in a Blue Moon".

Which was a perfect name beccause I don't know when we will get the chance to do that again!

I loved getting all prettied up and spending the night with my hubby!

I loved dancing and I had the best dancing shoes on!

Adam was a great sport and was willing to dance with me!

They also had amazing Hor D'oeuvres!

We played a contest to see who could write the most things that were related to "blue".

We had things like "smurf", "suede shoes", "whale", "light special", etc.

We came in second place with 75 total & took home a 25 piece box of Moon Pies.

We had a great time Celebrating the New Year!!

Top Tier

We finally got back to St. Louis and REMEMBERED to get our cake out of someone's freezer. We were in Utah for our first anniversary and while our cake defrosted on the drive home we decided it probably couldn't & shouldn't last for two years. So, here it is, OUR WEDDING CAKE TOP! "Almost" two years! Adam says it tastes like new! mMMm.. Good thing I'm on a diet, a bite was good enough for me!


Save the date: March 16, 2009 will be our 2nd anniversary!

I LOVE YA BABE!