Gratitude...

I once heard that ingratitude is a sin so I will make sure everyone knows I am so grateful for all I have!!! As you all know it is the Christmas season which is as always a wonderful time of year! To start with the lights and parties but I say of this season I am most grateful for the kindness and love. I am blessed with so many friends and family who are wonderful beyond words! I put all my Christmas cards I received on my wall around my temple picture and I (with that alone) feel very loved!

Another thing is, it is wonderful to look under the tree and see so many wonderful gifts (mostly for our sweet little girl) to know that she is loved and taken care of is a wonderful feeling to me. But not only have we been blessed with so much for sweet Samantha Jean but Dan and I have also been given so much! We were blessed with enough that we were able to pay for our Anniversary trip next year! We aren't going anywhere like a 5 star hotel in Hawaii or anything but it is a blessing to know we will be able to do that. Able to do something fun to celebrate something so wonderful as being married to an amazing and wonderful man. As well we were able to buy some small gifts and put some money into our rainy day fund. We were not expecting anything nearly so much as that!

We are also blessed with so many friends and the kindness they show us. 2 couples were completely willing to watch Samantha yesterday so we could go to Dan's Christmas party. They didn't charge us anything and we know Samantha is in good hands. It is beyond words to say how nice it is to get out of the house and not have to worry!

And none of this is to mention Dan's amazing boss and work place. His work provided for the Christmas Party dinner and free bowling along with prizes(we got a 16 piece grill set) , a certificate for a free ham (got one for a turkey at Thanksgiving), and a box of delicious handmade chocolates for all the employees. This is not to mention winning Dan's desk decorating contest which we won and got $40s in gift cards.
Or how about getting a gift card to go out to dinner from another family member or our neighbor giving Samantha a gift (I'm just guessing but she made her 12 grandchildren knitted blankets so it may just very well be a blanket,and that takes a lot of time )as well she gave us a large tray of fudge and butterscottch candy she made. All I have to say is WOW. How is it that I am so blessed? That I have a roof over my head and food to eat, that I live in a great place surrounded by amazing people, and have the best family (mine and Dan's) in the world.  I have a smart baby who is growing and learning. I have a vehicles to drive and I know they are reliable. How amazing to just realize all I have been given!
In the ensign (a church magazine) as an activity for the kids it suggest naming 100 things you are grateful for. I think I just might... I may just post it up here when I'm done.

Well in closing up this post I say to all of you friends of mine who take the time to read this I love you. I appreciate all you do for me weather it be watching Samantha, sending your prayers, a smile, a kind thought or word or whatever form it is in Thank you. I am most grateful for all the Lord has seen fit to bless me with and I hope I am able to pass that blessing along! I hope I am able to keep the Christ season alive and well all year long. Merry Christmas friends and family I hope you are as blessed as I am and that your New Year is more wonderful than the last.

My two greatest blessings.

Current Goal and a dash of Samantha

So I currently have a goal to fit into my wedding dress! I figure if I can fit in my dress than I'm doing okay... still about an inch to go. Sad but true. Dan just keeps telling me your doing great, he's so sweet! I am glad that I am so close to my goal though. I was afraid I would be one of those people who would have kids and never be the same size again. I weighted myself on a scale at Dan's work ( he says it weights a little on the heavy side, and he promised he wasn't just saying that ;)  ) So if I calculate it... the scale said 152 we'll say I'm at 150 I'm okay with that. It's not my perfect but it's a good place. I have been doing turbo kickboxing up until a week or so ago (Semester change at the school) but have borrowed "The 30 day shred" from a friend of mine. It says if you do it right you can loose  up to 20lbs in 30 days... but I have to say I did it Monday and it is Thursday and I am still a little sore... but I got some real weights at the store so back to killing myself ;) So we'll see what I can do!

Samantha is to smart sometimes! She has an old junk dvd player that stopped working and she figured out what the plug is and drug it all the way across the living room to try to plug it in!!! Where does this kid get these ideas from?! Well she is still super cute anyway. A lady at the bank said she looks like a little elf, funny!

More Videos!!!

Samantha says HOT!!!

She helps Dad eat :)

The baby dances...

And so does Minnie.

Oh how the baby grows in not so long a time!

Learning, growing, and just being beautiful :)

It is amazing to watch children grow especially when they are your own! Samantha has started doing all sorts of fun stuff in the last month or so. She know eats cold cereal with milk and a spoon, it's not a perfected process yet but she can get some in her mouth! She said her first word besides ma or da HOT! She can point to her head, ear, nose and we are working on eye. Wow what an amazing little girl. She has also started trying to say Paw Paw (my dad) it kind of comes out like Bop though so we'll keep working on that :) She "dances" or goes "round and round". And she is even starting to get her top teeth! The top left is 1/2 way through and the right one is trying to poke through the surface. So exciting. She is so cute and she amazes me!!!

Kix are tasty :) !

Not the best picture of her but the kid won't stand still!!! This is her beautiful Christmas dress from her Grandma Penny :)

I'll try to up load some more videos a little later.

"Men's hearts shall fail them"

Luke 21:  26
" Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."
      I have been thinking a lot about that phrase, men's hearts shall fail them. I have had some friends of mine who have had some hard circumstances come along. One the death of a husband and then in this same year the suiside of a son. And another friend a beautiful young woman who just went back to work after maternity leave of her third and her husband decideds to get a girlfriend on the side. I have to say I have a soft heart and it makes me very sad in both instances. I have been rather astounded as both of these cases involve members of the church. I am dumbfounded. The first friend after losing 2 loved ones in the same year has taken up drinking and partying, she still has 2 daughters still at home. In both cases I just sit and wonder how often were scriptures read as a family in the home, how often were simple yet gratitude filled prayers offered up, was the temple attended regularly? I am more and more convinced these things MUST be done. Just sitting here thinking on both of these very sad situations my eye brim with tears. Why must we be so short sited in this life!? For those blessed with eternity, blessed to know they have their family by their side for forever, why would you give that up? Love and peace, and joy do not have to be lost. I suppose I have not been married for very long but I try everyday to make sure my husband is content. To make sure he has everything he needs but even if I didn't he is steadfast and loyal.
       I was talking to a couple that is in our ward about this subject just last night after dinner. How looking at the world today is sad. Looking at the slip of morals and how so often the world (Satan) tells us there is nothing wrong with our "favorite sins".  Our friend was saying he was talking to his dad after looking at some class pictures of a high school in the area of the airport he was sitting in and in the first one all the guys are wearing button up shirts, ties and jackets, then next just shirts and ties and then all the way to the present where the people looked  scummy as he put it. He asked his dad why that was and his dad replied simply that people had stopped going to church. What a profound realization. That we find respect for our selves, through our dress or what have you, when we observe to keep the Lords commandments. Keep the Sabbath holy, don't' use the Lords name in vain and things from modern revelation avoid R rated movies, and things that can be addicting.
        I know without a shadow of a doubt that people NEED to be remembering the Lord daily. Even for those who are not "Mormon" (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints) Prayers need to be said, scriptures need to be read and pondered, church needs to be attended. The Lord wants to bless us but he can't if we won't take the time to come to Him. For those who are members of the church Family Home Evening needs to be done, home and visiting teaching need to be done, attending the temple, and just giving thanks for all the blessings we do have. I hope especially during this Christmas season that people not just for a month but as a start to something new or good habits continuted that people find strength in the Lord that they look up with a brightness of hope and one of Love and Charity for all men.
         It is my testimony that the Lord blesses those in abundance who remember Him always. That we truly with be blessed more than we can comprehend if we are but willing to be obedient. And I say this in the name of my Savior Jesus Christ Amen.

http://lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#mens-hearts-shall-fail-them
 This is a link to a short video on this subject. I hope you enjoy it. It says there is trouble in our world but that there is a bright hope in our Savior.

This and many more LDS temples can be seen at www.ldschurchtemples.com/temples/  (For some reason I couldn't get the link to work right so you can either copy and paste or type it in) If you have any questions about "Mormons" you can check out mormon.org.

Thises and Thats

So it's been awhile since I've been on but life just keeps on moving! Samantha has finally started to get more teeth. The one on the top left front is poking through and the one next to it is close. Unfortunately she moves to much to get a photo! She is still learning and growing and she loves to push boundaries and learn what mom and dad will do. I don't know if it's the teething or what but she has been rather cranky for a bit her, I'm hoping it will pass soon! Some days it's great to be a mom and others you are wondering when you get a vacation but I think it's important to keep and eternal perspective.

Speaking of eternal perspectives I have been thinking a lot about that lately. I have a very good friend who lost some family and she kind of just turned her life upside down. To me it is sad to see all the opportunities that she is losing by the choices she is making. Life is hard sometimes and I'm not going to say it's not but why throw what is important away for a party or a drink... I just don't understand. I hope that I can find more charity within myself and learn to just love. No conditions. As I am so imperfect I still have a long way to go on that one!

Just being silly :)

  She learned how to put the oven mitt on... maybe we told her to many times she was going to burn her hands? Better safe than sorry, right?

strong girl

She was trying to be helpful and  tried to put things back lol

Big shoes to fill

Bath time fun!

Big smiles for mom

Splashing

Hello are you there?

Snack time!

Marshmallow baby.

Wanting picked up

For some reason she enjoys climbing in her box...

Out for a stroll

Babyzilla...

Just thought she was funny :) It's also pretty funny watching her chuck stuff because she does it so nonchalantly. You just see things flying over her shoulders and wonder what in the world she is thinking lol.

How can you help but love her... she was like a human wrecking ball in that cabinet which she figured out how to open all on her own might I add.

BABYZILLA STRIKES AGAIN !

 

She just kept going until all the bags were out then I made the mistake of opening the closet door and some of the shoes escaped lol She is fun and tiring all at the same time :)

Wise words and something I realized...

So for the wise words there is a talk and I hope all of you will listen to it or read it. It's titled "You Matter to Him" I know all of you aren't the same faith as me but it is about God's love for each of us. That no matter where we are or if we feel small and insignificant that He sees each of us and loves each of us.
A quote from it:
"This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God."
I included a link for anyone who wants to read it or like I said listen to it (the options are to the right of it to watch or listen)
http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/you-matter-to-him?lang=eng


For the something I realized part is actually an experience thanks to my sweet Samantha Jean. She is such a dear sweet girl! A few scriptures come to mind, those of becoming as little children.
"...becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love..." Mosiah 3:19

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:4
I think I understand these scriptures better. So a week ago or so my neighbor comes up to ask about something and is just talking to me and Samantha starts playing with her shoes (she loves Velcro). My neighbor loves Samantha so she lets her play with them :) Samantha wanders off then just comes back and hugs her legs. That surprised me because Samantha only usually hugs Dan and I. It just made me realize how much all if us need to be loved. Weather we have tattoos, smoke, go to church or don't, have a big family or a small family or no family at all. We all need to know that someone out there cares, even if it's in a small way :)What an amazing little girl with an amazing capacity to love even and just over one. I am grateful God saw fit to bless me with such a beautiful amazing little girl!

Random Catching up stuff...

So Halloween was a week or so ago now but I thought I would put some pictures up of our little lamb :)

She wasn't really happy about the hat part. We didn't actually take her trick or treating as we figured if she couldn't say it she wasn't really ready. We went to the ward party for church though and she ran around like a crazy person so we didn't make her wear the hat because we didn't want her getting to hot.
Dan and I were going to go and Mr. and Mrs. Bo Peep but as all the Bo Peep costumes looked like they belonged to hookers we decided against that and Dan went as a greaser and I went as a vampire, although I couldn't get my teeth to stay so I wasn't a vampire at the ward party hmmm. Hope I don't have problems getting dentures to stick that could be bad lol ;)

That's my handsome hubby and the wee babee in the back ground :)

This was on Halloween I was going to answer the door and say Good Evening but no one ever came to get candy... kind of sad but true.




Other random stuff Samantha has of late taken to crawling in her box that her toys go in... not sure why but it's kind of funny. She just climbs in and just plays for awhile.
Also she LOVES horses!!! There are some just down the road that she loves to pet when they are up by the fence and she is very upset when it's time to go!

 She is very good at gentle hands :)

The top picture was becuase it was time to go and the bottom picture is our horse friend who comes up to say hello :)

 

A day or two after the video we went to pet the horses again but down the fence a little ways from where we normally are and unfortunately for me it was an electric fence. Well Samantha, the horse and I got a bit of a shock when Samantha decided to see if it was active. Everyone is fine but it was quiet the surprise!

Something to enjoy!

So for a Relief Society Meeting (activity) we are doing a Grateful activity and we are making Single serving pies in a jar.... they look WONDERFUL so I thought I would put a link up for any of you who enjoy cooking and or pie :)
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/09/single-serving-pie-in-a-jar/