Thursday, November 19, 2009

Update!!!

Sorry, I have been a total slacker of a blogger. This blog is a journal for me and well, I guess I'm not much of a record keeper. so anyway, I think I am all caught up now and hopefully will be able to keep things updated. Please enjoy reading there are a ton of new posts, I think like 3 pages o something. Enjoy!

Announcement

I am 12 weeks pregnant!!! We are expecting a little bundle of joy in the early part of June. This little one has already caused a little fuss. About a week ago I started bleeding and well, after 2 miscarriages the sight of blood just is scary. I am my progesterone supplement, but yet I still knew I was miscarrying. The Dr. sent me to the hospital for and u/s and there was my little babies heart beating. I was so relieved. Tears filled my eyes. My baby is OK. I just had a Subchorionic Hematoma (sp?), which is a gathering of blood under the placenta that burst. It should heal by week 20, so we shall see. We are very happy and excited for this little one.

Family Pictures

We finally got our family pictures done in October, thanks to a friend of mine, Missy Hancock. Here are a few of my favorites.

I really wanted to get a BYU one, but Kortney was having a fit, so this is the best one.

Me and my sweetheart. How lucky I am to be married to my wonderful husband.

My girls aren't they so cute. Mike and I often talk about how blessed we are to have wonderful, beautiful girls.


Katie


Kortney


Precious moments between a father and hid daughter.

And a few more of family pictures.


Boston

I was so lucky, my mom and a few of my sisters thought it would be fun to all go to Boston for a week. So I arrange baby sitting and Mike was going to watch the girls and I could go play. I was so anxious just before, I had never left Kortney for more than 1 night. I got on that airplane and enjoyed every minute of my trip. Here are a few pictures.

I loved the gas lamps

We went on what they call a Duck Tour of the city. This car turns into a boat and goes in the water too. It was a fun way to see the city. :)

The memorial for those who lost their lives in the consentration camps really hit me. There were 6 of these towers and each number represented a person who lost their life.


Going to the temple was quite the ordeal. We cought the train, then cought a bus and then walked to the temple.

When we got there it was so worth it to go. First of all there was nobody in the session except us and 3 other people. It is so nice to go to the temple with your sisters and mom. It was a beautiful temple.
Next, we went to Sharon, Vermont for a day. I think this was the highlight of my trip. The leaves had all changed color and it was just a nice day.
This is where the home stood that Joseph Smith Jr. was born in.

This is a monument that early members of church built. It is an amazing story.

A picture of the beautiful leaves.

Then we went to Ben and Jerry's for a tour and ice cream. :)
I loved the city of Boston.

The last day we visited Salem. Visiting Salem was quite intersting since it was the month of October.

I got home and the children were all healthy for the most part. The house was still standing. Plus we got new roommates, Rachel, Jason and their family moved in while they are between houses.

Joseph Smith Symposium

Mike was asked a while back to participate in a Joseph Smith symposium. The two of us felt like it was a good opportunity for Mike to go and share his testimony with others. It was a 3 day event and I decided to come and go when I could and Mike would go for the whole 3 days. Well, when we got there, it was a bunch of archaeologist who have found evidence that the Book of Mormon all took play in North America. The Native Americans were the Lamanites. Not the whole Central and North America theory. It was very interesting, but like Mike and I talked about after the first evening, Mike and I came home and talked on the car ride about how it really could be true, but does it really matter where he Book of Mormon took place? My faith is built upon the context of the Book of Mormon. Anyway, the next day was Mikes day to speak. I get there just before Mike is about the do his "short" talk to the whole group of 500 people. Mike got up and he gave the most powerful testimony of our Prophet Joseph Smith and his dear wife Emma. I hear him speak over and over and the Spirit in his room was so overwhelming it brought tears to my eyes. Mike got done and came down and said that was the strangest feeling, my knees were shaking and I couldn't feel like I could stand. Mike was then there for the unveiling of Joseph Smith Jr.'s sword.

After we broke out to our smaller classes there were multiple people to come up and talk to Mike and I. The strange thing is that we heard multiple people remark on Mike's aura, and how he invited the Spirit into the room. Then a lady came up and introduced herself, she was a blessing in disguise. She mentioned that while Mike was up there she was 2 men standing on each side of him, holding him up and protecting him. I thought how interesting when he had told me that he couldn't feel like he could stand. This lady told Mike that she feels he needs to come to the Family History Center in SLC with her in a few weeks and learn the ins and outs of the New Family Search. Now this is a lady who doesn't the family history work for the General Authorities. Mike dedicated one week working with this lady and has learned so much. He has hooked up numerous people since and lets just say many people are having the opportunity to take their own names to the temple because of the time he has been able to give to family history work. The work is continuing. I love the dedication my husband has to his callings.
Sorry this is kind of a scattered post. I hope you understand everything I meant to say.

Janet Ella Wood

Those of you who know me well, know that when I was 10 yrs. old my family had the most Awesome oppurtunity, my Aunt Janet came to live with us. She would come and stay for summers for as long as I could remember, but this time she was moving in. At first I don't think I appreciated the oppurtunity as much as I should, but now I realize she tought me to rely on the Lord. She tought me what unconditional love is. She tought me how to hug. She tought me that it is ok to grieve. She tought me that my Father in Heaven is ALWAYS there for me. She tought me that it is ok to enjoy dessert. Lastly to trust.
Mom and Dad were up in Logan for the day so I voluneered to take lunch to Janet. I took lunch to her and she was really quiet, just sitting in her chair. I asked her if she needed anything and she just smiled. About 1.5 hours later I realized I forgot to record the BYU game for dad, so I drove back over, and when I walked in to the house I had a feeling to go check on Janet. Downstairs I went. Ther was my dear Auntie laying on her bed having a little fit. I thought maybe she had just faited, tose of you who know Janet, know what I mean. So I went up poured her a glass of apple juice and realized when I got down stairs that she was in trouble. She needs help. I called Mike, he and his brother come right over to give her a blessing. They give her a blessing, I am going nuts, intinct tells you to help her so she doesn't need to suffer. I call 911, while on the phone with them she passed away.
It was quite an ordeal for me, because they wouldn't just pronounce her death and they were quit rough with her body, but I guess they were just doing their job.

This death really affected Katie. Aunt Janet is the first person Katie has known really well that has past away. It was so wonderful explaining the whole plan of salvation to my 6 year old. I got to explain to her that Aunt Janet was such a special soul that she wanted to come and live on Earth so badly that she was willing to have a body that didn't fully work. Now that her Spirit has gone to live with Heavenly Father she can get married "on Thursday" that is what Janet would say. She can do gymnastics, she can ice skate and do all those things that she always told me she could do. Best of all she can finally go to the temple like she has always wanted to do. (well,I guess in a year)
Katie wrote in her journal all about her experience with Janet. Doesn't she look beautiful. Katie also had the oppurtunity to place the sheet on her before they closed the casket.
Some pictures of the funeral.


I loved being your "daughter" here on Earth Auntie Janet. I love you.

Java the Hut

Our beloved frog, Java the Hut passed away. You can't see him very well, but he is at the bottom of the tree in this picture

In the picture you can also see Beth, she is the large black snake. Well, Beth got a little taste of blood. Her diet usually consist of gold fish and earthworms, but one day she accidently bit Java's foot. Well, he is WAY to big for her to eat.

Well, I guess we were wrong, Java wasn't too big. I'm sure she got a nice tummy ache after her dinner.

Kortney's phase

Kortney has this nasty face that she pulls now.

Summer Rain Storms

One memory I love as a child is playing in the rain. The first video is of Kortney playing in the rain.
Next is Katie playing in the rain. She loved jumping on the trampoline and playing out front.

Our Garden

Mike and I only had a garden the first 2 years we were married. We finally got our back yard finished last fall so that meant we got to plant our garden this year. Here a few pictures of our Harvest. We enjoyed eating from our garden every day. Mike did a ton of BBQing.

A moment to forget

Mike got a little worked up and well lost his temper and punched a wall. Of course, he had to punch a stud. This was the result.

After all the swelling went down he found out surgery was a must.
Still a little out of it.

Ready to get the heck out of here.

A closer look

Lets just say lesson learned. :)

Sorry Had to post this

Have you ever seen a body so cute.

Sunscreen and a 2 year old.





Kortney's 2 yr. old cousin decided Kortney needed sunscreen.

Family Home Evening

In August we had Mikes family over for a nice Family Home Evening. We played games and the kids all loved playing with their cousins.
Mikes family loves to play Rage. It is kind of the staple game for when we are getting together.

William loved the Mexican Horse Shoes.

The kids love playing with their cousins every month.

Fairview

Every year my sister Teri and her husband Jeff invite our family to their cabin for a fun gathering at Fairview Lakes. It is always a blast. This year was extra fun because Jake, Marianne and their family and Keith and Cindy were able to come up this year. You can see in the pictures how beautiful it is there and why I love it so much.

Tucker and Panda has so much fun playing together.

"Mexican Horse Shoes" was a favorite. Here is Keith and Cindy playing. We enjoyed so much that when we got home we made our own.

Mike and I, loved going for rides on the rock crawler.

Kortney could spend hours playing in the sand box.

Splash Park

We were so excited about this new Splash Park that came in here in Highland. The kids had a blast. This will be a hot spot every summer for me with the kids.


Katie was too busy playing with her cousins that I didn't get any pictures of her. I guess I was chasing Kortney the whole time.

July 24th

On July 24th we had my sister in law from California in town and their 3 boys. We had so much fun playing with them. Here are a few pictures of the festivities.
We celebrated Dylan's birthday.

I thought this one was too cute to pass up. Katie and Haley playing house.

Sparklers were a hit.

This year we let Katie learn how to light fireworks. She was so excited to be a older girl that can do this.

more firework fun.