Daddy Is So Proud!!!

This is Josh writing. I just had to take these pictures. It just goes to show you that boys and girls are wired differently. It can't be that I always gave him cars and trucks to play with ;0) A little backround on these pictures as follows: I was reading my email and Jorgan "kneed" up to me, (he wasn't crawling or walking) pushing his Tonka truck and holding a hot wheel car. I just had to take a picture of my son's masculinity!!

Quiet Time!

So, my goal is to capture some of our "everyday" family memories. Here are 2 pictures of an everday occurence at our house. Everyone in our house needs a little bit of alone time everyday... especially me! So, while Rachel and Jorgan are nappping, Elizabeth gets to chill on the couch all by herself for about an hour and a half. She loves this special time of day because she gets to decide what she wants to watch. Whether it's PBS cartoons or a movie, she gets to pick without having to compromise or share with Rachel!
We used to try and change it up, sometimes she would get to read books, sometimes play computer games, sometimes watch tv. But I've noticed as she's gotten older that she really enjoys just being able to lie on the couch for a while!
I sure love this sweet girl! She has such a tender heart and a quick whit! She makes me smile everyday! I know these quiet time days won't last forever, just until first grade, but I still wanted to capture the memory of her sweet face as she asks me, "mom... why are you taking my picture?"

A Perfect Brightness of Hope

Today I went to the Relief Society Conference. (Getting up, getting showered, dressed, beautified, kids fed, babysitter picked up, and kids dressed, husband-less by the way, all by 8:30 this morning was quite an adventure...) Nonetheless, I was really glad I made the effort to go. It really pays to spend 3 hours feeling the spirit and being uplifted. It was a crazy week and I needed something to help me remember how wonderful and happy my life is.
I listened to President Smith encourage us to truly study the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. He reassured me that spiritual growth is not going to come automatically. I have to really work for it, and be patient as my testimony grows over time! He also reminded me of the importance of consistency in my personal study... One part of personal study that I am terrible at! I think the most important thing that I learned from President Smith was the importance of the atonement of Jesus Christ in my life. The atonement of Jesus Christ is the most important part of our time here on Earth. If I want to stay focused on the Savior; if I want my children to have a desire to keep the commandments; if I want to find joy in my marriage; I need to continually study and teach my family about the atonement of Jesus Christ. There was so much more that I learned today, but most of all I want to remember the feelings that I had there! I felt inspired to try a little harder and do a little better. As he spoke I knew that as he bore his testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ, that what he spoke was the truth. (I am hoping that by writing this down I will better be able to remember those feelings forever).
I then listened to President and Sister Ence. The most valuable thing that they taught me was that the only way for my husband and I to become closer to each other, is by drawing closer to the Lord. We will always find happiness in our marriage if we both continually come closer to our Savior.
Last, I attended a class by Sister Jennie Slade. It is because of her class that I am sitting "journaling" my day! She encouraged us to remember to capture our memories and preserve our family history. One way to preserve my family history is to write in a journal. So here is my first goal. To be better at keeping my blog. So I apologize if this all becomes really boring for you all to read! But, I think that writing it all down on a piece of paper every day is never going to happen! She also encouraged us to always have the camera ready! How better to remember the wonderful things in our life than by having pictures of everything! So, I've decided that if I really want to capture what our family is really like, then I need to take more candid photos. Thus, I am ending this post, and starting a new one, which you will see above!!

Oops... Did I forget something???

Well, It has been a very fast 7 months since my last post. I think that I had forgotten that blogs even existed! Yet, we are still here and still enjoying life!
Really this just shows how good I am at journaling. 8 months of journaling went reasonably well, then I fell off the wagon. 7 months later here I am... let's see how well I can do this time!



Lots has happened since my last post:
-- In August we took a trip to Washington to visit with my family. We got to spend time with all of my 6 sisters, go hiking and swimming in the Columbia River, tour the Wanapum Dam, stay in Chalets on the beach in Oregon (Josh bought me a wave board which I almost killed myself on), and spend a few days camping with my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents! 3000 miles of driving later... we were home.
-- Elizabeth turned 4 in September! Yah! Big girl! We had a cute little party at the park with her frineds. We decided that we wanted to teach her simple outdoor kids games. So we played Red Rover and Duck, Duck, Goose. (FYI-- these games are not played the same way as I played them growing up. Nowadays, if you send a kid to the mush pot... they cry. Instead, if you get tagged... you get to go again. Woops... I wish someone would have told me that sooner!)
-- In October we went on a wonderful vacation back east! I had never been much farther east than Colorado, so this was a fun adventure. We stayed in New Jersey with family (thanks Shaun and Maria!) that toured us through New York, New Jersey, and Pittsburg. We especially enjoyed a trip to the Manhattan Temple! What an amazing place to have a temple... at the intersection of 3 major streets!
-- In November, Jorgan and I traveled to Ellensburg for my sister Melodie's wedding. So grateful to have a new brother! Hope he feels welcome and loved in our family! P.S. A 5 day vaction with 1 extremely mellow child, and 8 adults... is HEAVEN!!!
-- Right before Thanksgiving we moved into a rental house! It is amazing the difference a garage and a backyard has on the peace in a home! Everyone seems to have a little more personal space. The kids have friends to play with right outside the front door! Never knew how a house could change so much! Thank you Heavenly Father!
-- Christmas! It was fun to just be our little family! On a whim, we decided to take the kids to a movie Christmas Day. Alvin and the Chipminks: The Squeekquel. Cute! The girls loved it! Or maybe they loved sitting in a cushy chair with a lap full of popcorn! Who wouldn't?
-- From after Christmas through New Years we spent with both sets of Grandparents... at the same time! Can't get much better than that. Rachel kept telling my mom, "No! You're not Grandma! You are Grandma Patti!" Wow... why do two year olds have to be right all the time!
-- Finally the New Year. We celebrated our anniversary at the Venetian watching Phantom of the Opera! Amazing!! Except for the part where I had to walk from the Venetian to Planet Hollywood in my 4 in heels. If the pain wasn't bad enough... I had to wiggle my way through a thousand street junkies handing out naked lady pamphlets! AHH!! Needless to say, to save our marriage, my husband got us a taxi back to the Venetian!




-- Now here we are! Mid January. Josh loves his job! He transfered over to the ER and is doing amazing there! I am doing the best I can to be the best mom I can! Which sometimes I fail miserably at... but my kids still love me and we are learning together! Jorgan will be one next month... I can't believe how he has grown and become such an important part of our family. Rachel will be three in March! She amazes me more and more everyday! She learns so quickly! Elizabeth is taking gymnastics at the community center! She is adorable to watch and frequently asks, "Mom, can I go to gymnastics every day?" By the way, she is going to start Kindergarten this year! Life flies by way too fast! We are happier than ever and loving eachother more each day!



-- Here's to another day, another week, another year, an entire lifetime, and forever! Thank goodness for the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the atonement, and His love for us. I am eternally grateful to our Father in Heaven for the incredible blessings that he showers on us each day! I love my family and the life we have together here on earth. I am so grateful that we can be together for eternity. Who could ask for anything more?