More Parenting Stuff :)

Since Facebook EXPLODES and people get hurt when I say stuff like this there, I thought I'd put it here instead.  Don't worry...I already know your opinions.  I just like to share the new stuff I learn.  So, if you're willing to read it and not be offended here is a new article on the negative effects of the Cry It Out method.

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/crying-dangerous-kids-one-expert-says-222400379.html

Granola Bites

I made this new recipe today and it was so easy and fabulous!  Thomas keeps calling them cookies and asking for more.  It makes me happy because they are sooo healthy :)

1 Cup Oatmeal
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/3 cup Honey
1 Cup Wheat Bran
1/2 cup Chocolate Pieces
1 tsp Vanilla

Mix all together.  Refrigerate until firm.  Roll into balls.  Bake at 300 for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

So Long As We Are Nothing

Steve's cousin, Keith, is a Pastor at South Hills Church in Washington.  He always has great insights into life and we've been blessed to have him in our lives.  The other day he put this quote on Facebook:

"God created the world out of nothing; so as long as we are nothing, he can make something out of us." - Martin Luther"

While most of the comments he got were things like, "So true" and "Thanks for that reminder", one person said, "So the question is- how do we empty ourselves of the world so he can make something out of us?"

I believe that the answer to that question lies within the scriptures.  Specifically Matthew chapter 5.

"1 ^aAnd seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

 3 ^aBlessed are the ^bpoor in spirit: for theirs is the ^ckingdom of heaven.

 4 Blessed are they that ^amourn: for they shall be ^bcomforted.

 5 Blessed are the ^ameek: for they shall inherit the ^bearth.

 6 Blessed are they which do ^ahunger and thirst after ^brighteousness: for they shall be filled.

 7 Blessed are the ^amerciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

 8 Blessed are the ^apure in ^bheart: for they shall ^csee God.

 9 Blessed are the ^apeacemakers: for they shall be called the ^bchildren of God.

 10 Blessed are they which are ^apersecuted for ^brighteousness’ sake: for ^ctheirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall ^arevile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of ^bevil against you falsely, ^cfor my sake."  From lds.org

It is not enough to rid ourselves of sin, temptation, and distractions.  We must fill our lives with good.  When we are poor in spirit there is no room in our hearts for pride and hate.  When we mourn with those that mourn there is no place for self-pity and idleness.  When we are meek we are willing to submit to our Father in Heaven's will and rebellion will leave our hearts.  When we hunger and thirst after righteousness we lose the desire to feed the desires of the natural man.  When we have mercy bitterness and revenge are done away with.  When we are pure in heart there is no room for evil doings.  When we are peacemakers contention, anger, grudges, and hurt depart.  When we withstand persecution of men for the sake of our God our convictions are set in stone and our faith will not be shaken.

When we are poor in spirit, meek, merciful, pure, and peacemakers the world will very likely view us as nothing.  After all would you describe President Obama, Tom Cruise, or Nancy Grace like that?  They may have some of those attributes (I can't say they don't have any, I don't know them personally).  But, for God to be able to make something with us we need to become those things.  Did Ghandi have power and strength?  No.  He was meek and pure in heart.  Was Mother Theresa proud or carnal?  No.  She was merciful and gentle.  Was Joseph Smith rebellious?  No.  He was persecuted for Christ's sake, pure in heart, and a peacemaker.  If we want God to make something of us we have to be willing to first change ourselves.

Although this quote is directed to women, anyone can understand the meaning and let it help you change your life.

"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

Margaret D. Nadauld, "The Joy of Womanhood," Ensign, Nov. 2000, 14.

As far as I'm concerned, I know now how to rid myself of the world and become nothing so that God can work with me and make something out of me.  It's not something that can happen in a day, a week, a month, or even a year.  It is a daily commitment to live your best and a desire to become more Christlike.  When I make a mistake I can repent and try again...and again...and again.  We are not expected to be perfect, but we are expected to try our very best. 

Are Mormons Christians?

I have a lot of friends who are posting on Facebook trying to bring understanding between Mormons and peoples of other faiths that we do in fact believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, Redeemer, and Creator.  Thus we are Christians.

The cry and plea is for people to look into and understand our religion before deeming it a cult, a lie, or anything else.  But, we need to do the same.

I don't claim to be an expert in religion, or to know everything I can about other religions, but I do want to share what was once explained to me.  I took a class at BYU where we studied many different religions including Judaism, Islam, Catholicism, and Evangelicalism.  While our Evangelical friend was teaching us he explained why Mormons aren't considered Christians to most of the world, and I have to agree with him based on his explanation.

He said that being Christian is not about your belief in Christ, it is about the history of your Church.  To be a Christian you need to be a remnant of the original church Christ established while he was on earth or shortly after His death by His Apostles that held His authority.  That means that Catholics and Orthodox Christians are Christians since they were founded then.  This definition would then go to include Protestants, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Evangelicals, etc. because, according to the History of their Church, those in power were corrupt and those with the proper power of authority left that Church and started a new one.  This has happened over and over again which is why there are so many Christian churches out there today.  So, if the Priesthood in the church can trace it authority through the lines of men (or women) and back to Jesus Christ then it is a Christian Church.

Since my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was founded in 1830  by Joseph Smith, they do not consider us Christians in that sense.  We could fit into that category since our Church is a restoration of the Church Christ established while on earth and the Priesthood keys were given by Jesus' Apostles to Joseph Smith.  But, to be considered Christian by that definition everyone would have to believe these things, and if they did then we would all be Mormons and not have any problems :)

So, dear Mormon friends, I know that you believe in Jesus Christ as I do, but listen to your own words and do some research before making statements about Christianity.  To many people it is about History, not conviction.  I believe in God the Father and Jesus Christ.  I believe that Jesus gave His life to pay for my sins so that I could one day return and be with Him in Heaven forever with my family.  I believe that Joseph Smith restored Christ's church onto the Earth today along with the power to baptize in Jesus' name, perform sacred temple ordinances, and seal families together for the eternities.  I do not believe that Christ's church survived after His death, and so you may say I'm not Christian because of that.  But, as long as you know that I am trying to live my life after the pattern the Savior lived I am happy.

*If I have any information about my church or other churches wrong please, please, please correct me.  I don't want to be spreading wrong information.  The part about Christianity in a historical sense was taught to me by an Evangelical and I would hate to have misrepresented their beliefs.

Happy Birthday, Da-pa!

Thomas is trying to say, "Happy Birthday" to my dad.  He's whispering, so you might need to turn up the volume to hear how happy he is.  Da-pa is one of his very favorite people ever since they spent the day together when I had my appendix out.  In fact, he would call my dad Da-pa before he consistently called me Mama.

Harvest Moon Hurrah!

We went to Harvest Moon Hurrah here in Spanish Fork.  Thomas had a lot of fun playing with his balloon sword, eating cotton candy, decorating his pumpkin and dancing to the live performers they had.  Here's some pictures from our adventure.

If You Want to View Paradise...

Simply look around and view it.  That's what Gene Wilder said when he played Willy Wonka.  I love that movie (except when Charlie's mom sings "Cheer up, Charlie".  I've never really liked that song).  But, there are so many simple truths laid out in that story.  Be giving, even when you have nothing to give.  Don't guzzle down sweets.  Don't waste time in front of the TV.  Don't be greedy and selfish.  Don't be prideful.  Don't let your fears overcome you.  But, there's one that is often overlooked.

Paradise is all around you.  Right now.  Simply look around and view it.  For me I took this to mean two things.

First, your perception means everything.  If you want to have a happy life, you have to look at your life in positive ways.  It's said that there are two sides to every story, and for the most part that's true.  When Thomas pulls ALL the dish towels out of the drawer and onto the floor I have two choices.  I can get mad or frustrated and tell him to put them all away and banish him from the kitchen.  Or, I can remember that he is growing and developing and for toddlers the best way to learn is through hands-on experience.  So, I chose to be grateful that he is developing and healthy.  That's my paradise.  We can hate the place we live or we can find the beauties that surround us.  We can get mad at our spouse or we can realize that they are God's in Embyo trying as we do, and making mistakes, as we do.  Paradise is found in accepting and loving, forgiving and helping.

My thoughts have also lead me to this explanation.  Perhaps paradise is what we're already doing.  Perhaps in Heaven we still raise children, take care of daily things, care for those around us, and all the things that bring us happiness now.  Perhaps paradise is simply what's around us, without temptations, illness, and death.  I wouldn't want to be in a heaven that didn't allow me to be with Steve and Thomas and to continue to learn and grow.  In fact, I wouldn't feel comfortable in a Heaven that I didn't get the chance to be around little ones.  That's what I know on this earth to be paradise.

If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it.

A Few of My Favorite Quotes

"We look now at the opposition arrayed against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and smile, so to speak, with feelings of confidence."
Joseph F. Smith

"Our perfect Father does not expect us to be perfect children yet. He had only one such Child. Meanwhile, therefore, sometimes with smudges on our cheeks, dirt on our hands, and shoes untied, stammeringly but smilingly, we present God with a dandelion as if it were an orchid or a rose! If for now the dandelion is the best we have to offer, He receives it, knowing what we may later place on the alter. It is good to remember how young we are spiritually."
Neal A. Maxwell


"When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices of military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses?"
Neal A. Maxwell


"Through personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I have come to better understand that the Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindness, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Truly, the Lord suits 'his mercies according the conditions of men' (Doctrine and Covenants 46:15)."
David A. Bednar

"For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the second coming of the Lord...While our generation will be comparable in wickedness to the days of Noah, when the Lord cleansed the earth by flood, there is a major difference this time.  It is that God has saved for the final inning some of His strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly.  That is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God.  In all ages prophets have looked down through the corridors of time to your day.  Billions of the  deceased and those yet to be born have their eyes on us.  Make no mistake about it--you are a marked generation.  There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time than there is of us.  Never before on the face of this earth have the forces of evil and the forces of good been as well organized.  Now is the great day of the devil's power.  But now is also the great day of the Lord's power...The final outcome is certain--the forces of righteousness will finally win.  But what remains to be seen is where each of us will stand in the battle--and how we will stand."
Ezra Taft Benson

"You are good.  But it is not enough just to be good.  You must be good for something.  You must contribute good to the world.  The world must be a better place for your presence.   And the good that is in you must spread to others."
Gordon B. Hinckley

"If you don't stand for something...you'll fall for anything."
Gordon B. Hinckley

Give 'Em Ten

I've always felt like Steve and I have a really good, strong marriage. We're like everyone else and have our disagreements, but I really feel like we've got what it takes to make it. I don't mean to brag, it just makes me feel really secure and happy. I was thinking about this and realized there are a few reasons why we've been so successful. I'll share one of my secrets with you here.

Ten. That's the magic number (not three... :p). Ten is the number of faults each partner in a marriage has that drives the other crazy but will never change*. Keeping that in mind helps things in our marriage so much! Here's an example:

I find ties EVERYWHERE throughout our house. On the barstools, on the couch, on the doorknobs, piles on the floor...you get it. When I see these ties I have two choices: 1. Get mad at Steve and tell him for the millionth time to put his ties where they belong or I'm going to start throwing them away or 2. Let that be one of his ten faults that I know won't change no matter how much I want it to. I accept it as one of those and move on.

I know I have faults too that Steve catalogs in his ten. For instance, I am scatterbrained when it comes to grocery shopping. I'm always running around the store trying to find this or that and then running back to the other side of the store because I forgot one thing or another. He used to get really frustrated when we'd go shopping together. Now he bites his tongue, pushes through, and gives me that as one of my ten.

So, next time your husband turns on the TV before offering to help with the dishes, or your wife sits down to read her book before mending your socks, just realize that that is who they are, give them one of their ten, and enjoy the things that you LOVE 100% about them.

*As a disclaimer, I don't believe at all that abuse, meanness, addictions, and other damaging practices should be in the ten. Only things that don't matter in the long run, but are annoying now. There are some things in a person that can and should be changed or the marriage will not work. It is up to each couple to determine what things are liveable and what things are not. Also, we don't REALLY count out ten things and have a running list, it's more of a guideline really :)

Labor Day

Steve, Thomas, and I had such a fun Labor Day weekend. We went up to Idaho and stayed with Ryan, Sweelin, and their four kids. Thomas LOVED playing with his cousins, especially Kaylin. He would follow her around everywhere she went.

On Monday morning Thomas woke up and was laying next to me in bed just talking and cuddling. As soon as he heard Spencer and Jeran get up Thomas started SCREAMING because he wanted to play with them so badly! I love that he loves his cousins!

Thomas was a very hungry boy while we were there and ate a whole hot dog, a half of a hamburger, lots of pizza, and some S'mores. He sure does love to get messy!

After we left Ryan and Sweelin's home we went to Rexburg so that I could see my BFF since 2nd grade :) She's having a boy in January and looks so cute and so excited to have a baby! I know she is going to be a WONDERFUL mommy!

Making New Friends

Since our move down here to Spanish Fork we've been trying to meet people and make new friends. It's been a lot of fun to get to know our neighbors and the members in our ward.

This last week I've been to two neighbors houses for visits. One was invited and the other was an emergency. The first was that we were invited over for a delicious dinner and some fun company. It was nice to sit and visit and let the kids play together. The second was when we had our water turned off due to plumbing issues and so I had to use the neighbor's bathroom :) Good thing she's really sweet!

Sometimes it's hard to be outgoing and get to know people, but this has been a lot of fun and we really look forward to spending more time with our neighbors and friends (old and new).

I Love This Boy

He makes my life so much fun!

We Are But Children

I know I forget this a lot...but, I am a CHILD of God. I'm not an adult yet (that'll come in the eternities). For now I am learning, growing, and changing every day. I see that more and more as Thomas gets older.

A child. Sweet, precious, loving, trusting. That is what we are (and should be). We are dear and precious to our Father in Heaven. He loves us like only a parent could.

Children also make mistakes. Thomas has been learning how to walk the past few weeks and that has been so inspirational. Every time he falls down he struggles and strains until he's standing back up on his feet. More often than not he'll immediately fall back down and start the process over. Oh the things I learn from him! When I make a mistake and get frustrated, tired, overwhelmed, or anything like that I can stop and pick myself up again. And if I make the same mistakes again, I can pick myself up again and again and again.

Sometimes walking is REALLY hard and my little Scooter gets tired of trying. That's when he reaches his pudgy little hand up to Steve and me looking for assistance. We naturally hurry over and help him back up on his feet. Sometimes that's how I am too. I say, "Heavenly Father, I have knocked myself over on my tuffet one too many times today and I don't think I can get up anymore." That's when He helps me out.

In the book Believing Christ by Stephen E. Robinson (those of who you attended LDS seminary may remember the video about the little girl who wants to buy a bike but doesn't have enough money...that's this guy) he talks about God's love and mercy to us, His children. He says, "Like our Heavenly Father, most parents are predisposed positively toward their children even before the child does anything to return the favor. Even when all the child can do is cry and wet its pants, even then it can usually draw on a vast reservoir of parental love and care and concern...God loved us even before we had the ability to love him back, let alone 'earn' his love with good behavior."

Isn't that wonderful? He loves us even when we symbolically cry and wet our pants! He will always love us and put the things that our best for us in our lives. It is our choices that push us away from Him and His love (like a rebellious, cranky child). He even loves when we are terrible at showing how much we love Him. Just because Thomas screams and throws a fit doesn't lessen my love for him. It's the same.

Next time you look at a sleeping baby or child and feel that calm happiness that comes with love and joy, remember that that same feeling is what our God feels for us ALL the time.

The Loaves and the Fishes

On two different occasions during Jesus' ministry on earth He took a small amount of food and was able to feed thousands of people and still have leftovers (Read here and here). These miracles fall into the category of "What I Don't Understand". Was everyone actually full or did the Moms (as moms will often do) say that they weren't hungry so their children would have food? Did others sneak their extra snacks in the baskets in order to insure that there would be enough for others? This miracle is one I could never quite get a grasp on.

A couple days ago there was A LOT of rain in our neighborhood. Drains got clogged and the water began to build up. Children were up to their knees and having so much fun playing and splashing. Water crept up yards and began to cause some problems. One family had some flooding in the basement and called on the neighbors to help them move their furniture so that it would not be ruined. My Mom, Dad, two little brothers and their two friends (all teenagers), and Steve went to help out. Thomas, Angela, and I stayed home to get dinner ready so that could have a hot meal when they were finished. We made 10 chicken breasts, a pot of pasta, and a salad. As the hour past and they still weren't home I was worried that there wasn't enough food. It was after 8:00 and they were going to be hungry!

When they finally got back we all quickly sat down to eat. One of the young men helping offered the blessing and wisely said, "Thank you, Father, for giving us the opportunity to serve". Then they dived on the food. Not counting Thomas, there were 9 very hungry people filling their plates as fast as they could. My mom sat back assuming she would just eat a PB&J and let the boys get their fill on chicken.

When everyone but my Mom and Dad had eaten there were still three chicken breasts, half a pot of pasta, and plenty of salad left. Okay, okay, I know if you do the math that means everyone had one chicken breast each, but if you knew these boys you would see the miracle! We were all blessed for the service that had been performed that day by having enough to eat and some to spare.

The miracles of Jesus were and are real. Through faith we can see these happening and begin to understand how marvelous our Savior truly is.

Appendicitis (A Blessing in Disguise?)

Steve, Thomas, and I have been traveling a lot this summer! We've had a lot of fun and have really enjoyed spending time with all of our family and friends. We were fortunate to get home from a family reunion in Kentucky late Saturday night. My mom was a little upset because my dad wasn't able to go to the reunion because of work, but I'm really grateful now that he didn't go.

I say fortunate and grateful because sometime on Sunday I developed appendicitis and Steve and my dad were the only two here to provide the immediate help I needed. And I also grew in my faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (keep reading and those two things will be related).

Sunday evening I had an incredible craving for brownies. Mmmmm...warm, gooey, made from scratch (and Hershey's Cocoa :D) brownies! I'll share the recipe later. They were sooo yummy! But, poor Thomas started running a fever and so I couldn't stay up into the late hours eating them. We gave him some Tylenol and went to bed. I started having a little pain in my lower right abdomen, but brushed it off.

A few hours later I couldn't sleep. The pain was getting worse and I couldn't ignore it anymore. It had been exactly two years and one week since Steve had his appendix removed and this seemed all too familiar. I fretted and worried for a couple hours before waking Steve up. Thomas was restless and his fever was rising slowly past 102. Then the dog got sick and kept getting Steve up to let him outside to do his business. And I was in pain and could not get comfortable. I was so worried about my little Thomas needing me while he was sick that I didn't want to go to the hospital like Steve wanted.

I finally asked Steve for a Priesthood Blessing. As Steve laid his hands on my head I could feel God's love flowing through my body. God promised that through my faith my pain would subside enough for me to get some sleep, that I would be healed. As Steve was giving me this blessing I had two worries running through my head. First I was worried about Thomas being okay without me. And second, I really wanted an experienced Surgeon to work on me since it would be the first surgery I've ever had. I hadn't told Steve of either of those concerns. But, in the blessing God promised me that Thomas would be all right without me able to care for him fully. I know that through the Priesthood Steve holds God was able to tell me that Thomas would be all right. I began to feel peace in my heart and my pain went away. Immediately after the blessing Steve said, "I know that it's your appendix. Get some sleep now while you can and in the morning we are going to the hospital."

As scared and nervous and stressed as I was, I did sleep. At 7:30 we woke up, showered, dressed, and got ready to go to the hospital. It was then that we experienced the second miracle of the day (the first being the blessing I received). That miracle was that my dad was home instead of in Kentucky with the rest of my family. We were able to leave Thomas home with him and knew that he would be safe, happy, and well cared for.

Steve and I went to the ER and began all the procedures there. We were 100% sure that I would need my appendix removed, but since I wasn't feeling any pain and had no fever the doctors and nurses weren't so sure. But, sure enough, after the CT scan, blood tests, and urine tests they came and told me I would have an appendectomy.

That brought along miracle number three. I was scared of having surgery done. I was honestly and truly scared. But, we arrived at the hospital right after shift change and the on call doctor was Dr. Hill, the same man who removed Steve's appendix two years earlier. Yet another of my prayers had been answered. After I found that out I was no longer worried or scared.

This leads to miracle number four. All the timing was so perfect that Steve was able to send me off to surgery, take Thomas to an appointment to check out his fever, and be back before I came out of surgery. I never had to be alone. But, poor Thomas has a double ear infection.

And so I was in surgery, out of surgery, and home by 4:30. I was tired, sore, and only wanted to see my baby. He was mad at me for having left him all day and wouldn't come give me a hug or even look at me.I was sad, but realized that it was probably for the better since I couldn't really hold him anyways. He's since forgiven me and will give me kisses and cuddle with me even though I can't pick him up and hold him every time he wants. We then realized miracle number five: the brownies. It was all he would eat and the only thing that would make him stop crying when I couldn't hold him.

Miracle number six took a little while for us to realize, but what a miracle it is! I had planned on breastfeeding Thomas through the summer. Due to routine changes and traveling I realized one day last week that Thomas hadn't been nursing and my milk was dried up. I was sad at the time, but now I am grateful. I wouldn't have been able to nurse him after all the medicine and pain I've had and I'm so glad that Thomas doesn't have to deal with being weaned on top of a double ear infection and not being able to play with him mommy.

I could go on forever naming all the blessings I've had during this experience. Like the fact that Steve got a job in Utah and so we weren't living in a different state. Or the fact that Steve doesn't have to work in the summers. Or that Steve was here since we had considered flying him up to Washington right after our Kentucky trip so he could drive some of our stuff down here. The fact that we were in Utah instead of Kentucky when this happened. There were so many more little things that all fell into place that I can't see how anyone could not see God's hand in my life. He has blessed me so richly.

I am grateful for my Dad for taking such good care of Thomas. He's a loving Grandpa and Father (and Father-In-Law). He has been willing to sacrifice sleep and time to help us through this.

I'm grateful for Steve. He's been put through a lot trying to be mommy and daddy and he's done a superb job. I know he'll always be there to hold my hand and help me through anything in life.

I'm grateful for my cousin Shannon for coming over and helping out. She is willing to do anything for us and that is a great comfort.

I am so grateful for Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. I know that through my faith in Him I have been and will continue to be healed. I'm grateful for Joseph Smith for restoring the Priesthood to this earth so that I could be blessed with it today.

Thanks to everyone else for their prayers, well wishes, and thoughts. They really, truly do help. I am recovering and feeling better!

The Prayers Have Been Answered!

After months of prayers, applications, interviews, rejections, confusion, and testing our faith we have finally been blessed! Steve is signing a contract as I type.

We've learned some important things these past months. Like, sometimes the way God answers prayers is subtle. For us the question of, "Should we live in Washington or Utah or somewhere else?" was answered through the timing of jobs opening and closing.

Originally we had wanted to go to Washington. Steve called people and sent e-mails, but no one had any jobs and they said they wouldn't have any. So we looked elsewhere. Now that he has a job one opened up in Washington. But, we aren't too disappointed. If we were supposed to go there it would have worked out first.

We've learned to go forward even when we don't know where we're going. When we took one step into our insecurity the next step would be shown. Like when we were applying for jobs. Once we started looking beyond what we wanted and were comfortable applying to did this job come up.

And most of all we learned patience. Prayers are always answered, you just need to wait.

And now...what you all really wanted to know: Where is this job? I know some people are happy about it and others are disappointed. We were really looking forward to being closer to Steve's family and still hope to someday. This job is in Salem, Utah at a charter school. We will be moving closer to the school, but that's only about 20 minutes from where we now are. Thanks for all your support and prayers over the past months!


I know this has nothing to do with the post, but he's just so darn cute!

Job!

We'll let you know by Tuesday where we'll be for at least the next year!

Disneyland!

We had so much fun in Disneyland! We stayed with my family in Disney's Grand California Hotel. It is so beautiful!



We all shared a two bedroom suite and had access to the concierge lounge. I ate more chocolate strawberries in three days than in my entire life. (Maybe that's why Thomas had diaper issues...)

The first day there Thomas, Steve, my mom, and I played in Bug's Land in California Adventures. He loved the spinning ladybugs and the Chew Chew Train. It was a perfect start to our vacation!

One thing I was surprised at what how quick Thomas got tired. He could wake up from a nap, ride one ride, and be yawning again. I guess it was all too stimulating! But, he did really good about just falling asleep wherever we were (except when I had to ride the carousel three times in a row).


First Day


Second Day


Third Day

Thomas' favorite rides were Monster's Inc., The Little Mermaid (my new favorite too), and Winnie the Pooh (don't trust the scared face, he laughed the rest of the way through).



He also LOVED the parade! I wish we would have watched it everyday! The music and dancers were so great and he danced and pointed and had so much fun.

My advice to friends and family going to Disney with little ones is to plan plenty of naps and snacks, and don't try to stay up all night. Thomas would get so tired by 7:00 or 8:00 and so I'd go back to the hotel with him. I was surprised that I was so tired. The first two nights I slept on top of the covers without even changing into my pajamas because I fell asleep as soon as Thomas did. In Disneyland there is a mother's room at the end of Main Street where you can feed and change your baby in privacy and quiet comfort.

It was a great family vacation and Thomas had so much fun!

What Is Going On?

I wish I could say.

We are moving out of our apartment at the end of the month. So, the next question would be, "Where are you going?" Sadly, I don't know. We're still waiting to hear from jobs that promised responses in March. Steve is applying for jobs in Utah, Arizona, Washington, and Idaho. And we are waiting...and waiting...and WAITING!

A couple months ago I was led to the book Faith Precedes the Miracle by Spencer W. Kimball. Now I know why. It takes a lot of faith to plan on going and still not know where you are going. There have been some stressful days (how are going to fit everything into a trailer to move? where are we going? what if you don't get a job? what if I absolutely hate where we go?) and some fun days (let's move to Hawaii! let's build a house with secret passages in it! do you think if we move to Taiwan our parents would ever visit?).

So, when we know more I'll let you know too :)

Adventures

Steve's brother Ryan blessed their baby, Tae, last weekend. We were going to go up for it, but then the weather turned nasty. So, we made the sad decision to stay home. Then the weather turned nice on Saturday late morning, so I frantically packed everything up and we took off. Thomas did a good job in the car as long as we stopped every hour to let him stretch. Good thing it's only a four hour drive.

We went to Idaho Falls and stayed with Granna and Papa (Steve's parents) in a hotel. We took Thomas swimming for the first time. He was really scared and just clung to me the whole time. But, he really loved seeing his grandparents again.

The next day was really crazy. We went down to the main floor of the hotel to eat breakfast. While there Thomas exploded out of his diaper. Gross.

Steve's parents headed to Shelley to visit with Kaylin, Spencer, Jeran, and Tae before the blessing. Thomas decided to make another poop. We were late leaving the hotel. Steve missed the exit. We were late and Steve ran into the church building right as they started the blessing. I missed the whole thing. Oh well.

After that we went to Pocatello for a missionary homecoming talk. Thomas was so happy and having fun. I changed his diaper when we got there. A few minutes later he wanted to eat, so back to the Mother's room I went. I'm sure the ladies in there thought I was crazy. Thomas loved playing with his cousins and Uncle Ryan during Sacrament meeting. When he got fussy they gave him back to me.

Suddenly Steve looks down at my skirt and starts to freak out (all during the missionary's talk). There was a huge PILE of poop on my skirt. Poop up Thomas' back and all over his church clothes. I started laughing so hard. Everyone else was trying to hold back laughter as well. Steve quickly used up four baby wipes trying to clean me up. Once I was clean enough to walk without making a mess Steve and I went to change him. Thomas was so hyper I knew he wouldn't lay on the changing table in the Mother's Room. We looked for an empty classroom, but somehow ended up in the Stake Offices. We stripped him down and started cleaning. Then Thomas decided to roll around and scoot his naked self all over the place. We finally got a diaper on him and Steve went to get us some clean clothes.

I didn't have an extra skirt (who knew I would need one?) so Steve brought me in my jeans. By this time Sacrament was almost over so we hung out in the hallway. Everyone came out laughing and people I didn't know gave me the "I've been there before" smile.

Luckily he slept all the way home from Pocatello until we got to Salt Lake. Sometime between SLC and Provo he had another blow out we didn't know of. When we got to my Mom's house we stripped him down again to clean him. Poor baby :(

Let's just say it was a crazy weekend that we'll never forget!

It's Been Too Long

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. We canceled our internet to save some money, and my computer charger doesn't work anymore. So, I only get to blog when Steve is home so I can use his charger and we're at my Mom's stealing her internet :)

Things have been kinda crazy the past month. Thomas has had three ear infections (or perhaps it's just been one that has never actually gone away). Fortunately he loves his medicine. He's been pulling on his ear again today. Good thing his 9 month check up is tomorrow.

Holy cow! I can't believe he's 9 months old! He used to be my tiny (relatively) baby.



Now he's crazy all the time!



Time flies so fast.

Jobs. That's what everyone really wants to know about. Well, Steve is applying to everywhere in Alpine and Provo School Districts, Pasco (where he's from), and a few in Arizona. We're waiting to hear back. Hopefully we'll know by the end of the month so we can tell our landlords if we're staying or going. Steve told me to just think and act as if we're moving to Pasco, so I've been boxing things up slowly. Very, very slowly. If you have any boxes they would be much appreciated. I just used my last one.

We'll keep you posted on what we hear back from jobs!

New Responsibilities

I just received a new calling in our ward. I'm now the First Counselor in the Primary Presidency. Can we say "Overwhelmed?" Well, I'm actually really excited so the nerves and stress haven't hit yet. I get to spend every Sunday with God's Children singing, praying, and learning together.

I am so thankful for this opportunity to serve those I love and their children. I'm excited for the things I'll learn as well. I'm grateful for Steve's support as I take on this new assignment. Thomas is excited to be able to go to Priesthood more often instead of Relief Society :)

I know God doesn't give us any challenge or assignment we can not overcome. So I go forward with a prayer in my heart that I can do His will.

Swaggin' the Swag Bucks Please Note: This is a Shameless Post

So, I might be TOTALLY lame, but I found this site called Swag Bucks. You get bucks that you can trade in for stuff just for doing things you do every day. If you use their search engine (which pulls from Google and Ask.com) you are randomly awarded swag bucks. If you play games you can earn more bucks. It's simple. And, if you click on my link everytime you search and win I win too :) I've traded in Swag Bucks for $10 worth of Amazon.com gift cards so far and have used them to buy baby stuff. It has been sooooo nice! Here's the breakdown:

Daily Polls: Take the poll every day and receive 1 Swag Buck

NOSO: I don't remember what it stands for, but I go in and skip all the offers and get 2 Swag Bucks. You can do this once a day.

Trusted Surveys: 1 Swag Buck a day just for visiting the page. I never actually take a survey unless I'm REALLY bored!

Games: From what I've noticed you get 2 Swag Bucks from every 3 games you play up to about 6 or 8 a day.

Swag Bucks TV: Watch 10 videos and earn 3 Swag Bucks. They have everything from baby info, cooking, health, technology, pets,...they're all between about 2 and 7 minutes.

Search: From what I understand your first 20 searches are eligible for wins. Fridays are MegaBucks for Searches. I usually average 8 Swag Bucks a day on searches.

There are other things you can do too, but I'm lazy and these things are the fastest and easiest ways to earn.

So, join me and help me get free diapers for my baby :)

Thanks Steve!

Thomas, Steve and I have all been sick the past week. Steve started a week ago with a head cold and is just now today feeling better. On Friday we found out that Thomas has a double ear infection and I have an infection my body is trying to kick also. It was a tough weekend and I wouldn't have been able to make it through without Steve and my Mom. They were both on call and willing to help with whatever Thomas and I needed. Steve even let me take a much needed 3 hour nap on Saturday morning. So wonderful! He has been such a good nurse and a good "mom" for Thomas. He fed, entertained, changed, and administered medicine to him while I laid in bed feeling awful!

We had a surprise party for my Mom on Saturday night (after taking much Ibuprofen and Baby Tylenol). She loves Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton so we had a Mad Tea Party for her. It was so much fun. I had already got the cake made before I found out I was sick and Angela, Kyshel, Steve, and Cousin Shannon helped out with the rest.





Steve is going to the Teacher Fair on the 18th. It is typical for the representatives to offer jobs on the spot, so Steve and I have been doing a lot of research lately. There are people from Arizona, California, Washington, Idaho, Taiwan, Alaska, Virginia, Maryland, and Utah. Don't worry, we won't be moving to Taiwan or Alaska! We are very excited and nervous for that day. It's like our whole future will be determined then. Wish us luck!

Change

I read this poem this morning and felt what it means to love someone. When you are able to forget yourself and be truly interested in what they are interested in, to think something is important just because they think it is important, you know that you are in love.

As a child I never knew
that trains and cars
would decorate my living room.

Or that I'd collect snakes and bugs
and rocks and sticks
or find handprints from muddy hugs.

But I must trade my days of young,
my pretty bows,
my princess wands, and soft sung songs,

For balls and bats and pirate swords,
for blue and green,
trucks, dinosaurs, and lion's roars.

For I now have a little boy,
who plays with me,
the things he loves now bring me joy.



Steve used to hate reading Good Night Moon but after Thomas started to look forward to reading it every night before bed I think it has become one of his favorites. Not because he likes the story, but because he loves to see Thomas smile.

Covenant Hearts

A while ago I decided to limit my Facebook time each day. Since then I've spent a lot more time reading. Steve and I were given some books on Marriage when we were married and, to be honest, they haven't done anything but look pretty on our bookshelf since then. I decided to begin reading Covenant Hearts by Bruce C. Hafen. I'm just over a quarter of the way done and my heart has already been touched.

On the very first page you know that this book is not a sappy book about love and all the wonderful things spouses experience together (although it does have some of that). You read, "The promise of living together in love, both here and beyond time, is worth waiting for, worth trying and crying for, through all the days of life." What a true statement said so eloquently! The promise of living together as a family in the eternities in God's presence and becoming like Him* is well worth striving through the heartaches the world offers us!

Much of the book I have read so far is dedicated to showing how Adam and Eve* set the example of how marriage and family life is. Hafen says, "Once a couple is married...they are not yet living a [heavenly] life. Rather they walk out [of the ceremony] much the way Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden--to enter a sometimes tough and lonely world." Anyone who has been married for any amount of time knows how true this is. Whether your trials came quickly (like when he accidentally stepped on the hem of your wedding dress leaving a beautiful footprint for all at the reception to see) or slowly (after the honeymoon phase wore off and life began throwing bills, babies, and piles of dishes at you), they do come for everyone.

Making a marriage work in this day and age is a tough thing to do. The focus of the world is "Satisfy yourself first!" But, if we want a happy, healthy marriage relationship we need to completely throw that out with the garbage! "Married love...teaches us about becoming more Godlike by asking us to do Godlike things for those to whom we have committed our lives."

Although marriage can be one of the hardest things in this life it can also be the most fulfilling. If we are willing to give everything for our marriages we will be blessed! If your marriage is viewed as a contract where you give half and he gives half you will be sorely disappointed when you come up short when problems arise. However, if marriage is viewed as a covenant, where both parties give 100% there will be effort and love to spare so that when trials come to you you will be able to find a way through them.

Wedding pictures have captured in time the excitement, promises, and eagerness to meet life's challenges we all felt when we promised ourselves to each other. Do not let those feelings you once had for your spouse drift away. Instead, go back to your wedding day and remember how you had said, "Mama, I'm scared, but I know that I won't be happy if I don't do this." Or perhaps you whispered to yourself, "No matter what happens we will make it through together!" Do not let those silent vows die!



*We believe that man's purpose on earth is to learn and grow, repent and forgive, so that we may become not just Angels but Gods. Read here for more information.

*For those not familiar with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' beliefs on the Fall of Adam please visit here.

My Little Sick-O

Thomas got sick for the first time this week. I have a theory that whenever you start solid foods your baby is going to get sick. So far I'm batting 100. Thomas started eating Sweet Potatoes and then three days later he had an ear infection. Maybe it was just coincidence. Poor baby though. We had quite the experience with him being sick. Let me relate all the juicy (pun intended) details.

Steve started feeling bad on Saturday night after we got home from an amazingly fun Murder Mystery Dinner hosted by Cousin Shannon. By Sunday morning he wasn't able to go to Church. My Uncle Mike had stopped by for a visit and Steve stayed upstairs in bed feeling awful the whole time. That night and Monday morning was more of the same. Monday afternoon Thomas started getting REALLY fussy and coughing. Then Thomas threw up all over my mom's blankets and bed sheets (we were babysitting while they went to CA to a funeral). Lovely. Then within a minute he vomited again. Having never dealt with this before I called my mom in a panic. I took Thomas to the Dr. later that evening and he diagnosed Thomas with an ear infection and prescribed amoxicillin. Thomas threw up twice more after I gave him his first dose. Wonderful. Now I was really stressed out. How in the world was he ever going to get better if he keeps throwing up his medicine?

That night Thomas started running a fever. We kept a watch on it and gave him some Tylenol to help out. It kept going up so my wonderful husband and brother gave him a Priesthood Blessing. I am so grateful to be married to a man who is worthy of the Priesthood and is able to call upon God to bless our family. In the blessing Thomas was promised that, by the faith of his mother and father, he would be healed and be able (and more willing) to take his medicine. The next morning he took his medicine without complaint! I don't know if you believe in miracles, but to me this was as magnificent as the parting of the Red Sea!

Through the week Thomas got worse and Steve got better. Steve told me that he truly didn't mind that I didn't feel like making dinner and that frozen pizzas were just what he wanted. Taking care of a sick baby takes a lot of energy! I had no idea! Steve has been so helpful in helping me get through the long nights of no sleep because Thomas is coughing and coughing and coughing and can't fall asleep, helping with the chores around the house, and letting me get a shower in.

Well, Thomas is finally on the up side. He got some good rest last night and is napping now. In fact he learned how to scoot today! He is such a joy in our lives!

Thomas Reading

My little boy is developing quite the imagination! He'll wave his hands in the air and make noises to entertain himself. It's so funny to watch! Last night after reading a bedtime story with Daddy he started reading to himself.



I decided to take a break from Facebook. Part of the reason is this:



I'm setting a bad example!

So far I've not missed Facebook like I thought I would. And I feel so much better about myself! I'll still get on to upload pictures and things, but I don't feel that need to stay connected all the time to find out what's going on in everyone else's lives. I'm much more focused on what's going on in my home and keeping on top of my chores.

In other news...Thomas is too big for his swing! He's discovered he can do this:



He also loves to look at himself in the mirror. I took this so that when he's 16 and still does this we can tease him :)



I hope he makes you smile half as much as he makes me!

Weird and Unique

Steve and I had dinner tonight with our friends that live across the street. We were having a lot of fun and talking and enjoying Thomas being silly. Our neighbors asked us who Thomas looked like more when we were babies. So, we started talking about physical features and different things. Steve said, "Well, he doesn't have Becky's eyes. Her eyes were weird when she was little." .... I had weird eyes. Thanks, love, for pointing that out :)


Even as I was uploading this picture he told me I looked Asian :D

But, really, the point of this post is not about my eyes or to embarrass Steve. When we were talking about it later Steve said what he meant was "unique". Why do we always think of weird and unique to be the same? Steve didn't mean it to sound negative. He just was saying that my eyes were unique. I can accept that. Being unique or different or weird isn't bad, it's just the way you are. So, next time your husband tells you that your eyes or hair or lips or waist line is weird just remember...it's UNIQUE and that's good!


In his defense he did mean that he could tell my baby pictures apart from Angela's. <3

My Full-Time Job

On Facebook there is a place where you can share with everyone your job and education. It shows up right under your name so anyone who visits your profile can see it. I have friends who are studying at BYU, U of U, USU, and SUU. I have friends who work for The Walt Disney Company, locksmiths, restaurants, schools, and as engineers, teachers, ministers, and professors. I couldn't quite decide what to put for myself. After all, I thought, I'm just a mom. I could put "Self-Employed as a Home Maker" but it's so much more than that.

"Home Maker" almost seems to have a negative connotation. "Oh," you can hear people say in your head, "So, you quit going to school when you only had two years left and now you stay home and take care of your kid and that's it? Well I go to school, work, take care of my baby and husband, play piano, dance, sing, write books, volunteer at the homeless shelter, and do everything else that makes me look a million times more amazing than you." Sigh. Why would anyone want to be a stay at home mom when all these other moms are doing such amazing things?

Well, I'm NOT just a stay at home mom. Sure I cook, clean, change diapers, give baths, have story time and cuddle time and nap time, vacuum, sew and other crafty things, and do my Visiting Teaching, but it's so much more than that. I'm not just making a home, I'm teaching, training, learning, and loving.

President Hinckley, our late Prophet, said this, "I salute most warmly and sincerely you dedicated and wonderful homemakers. I have only respect for the title “housewife.”

I clipped this from the Wall Street Journal, titled “The Most Creative Job in the World”:

'It involves taste, fashion, decorating, recreation, education, transportation, psychology, romance, cuisine, designing, literature, medicine, handicraft, art, horticulture, economics, government, community relations, pediatrics, geriatrics, entertainment, maintenance, purchasing, direct mail, law, accounting, religion, energy and management. Anyone who can handle all those has to be somebody special. She is. She’s a homemaker.'"

And so, I can say proudly that I am working on becoming all of those things. I study on my own time, I learn from experience, and I love every minute of it. No, I don't study at a University, but I do seek out books, articles, and research as I learn and decide what is best for my family.

Sister Hinckley has said this about motherhood:

“It is the mothers of young children I would like to address first. These are golden years for you. These are years when you will probably do the most important work of your lives. Don’t wish away your years of caring for small children. Life is what happens to you while you are making other plans. This is a time of great opportunity for you to build the kingdom. When you teach children to love their Heavenly Father, you have done one of the greatest things you will ever do. If you can be a full-time homemaker, be grateful. If not, you must do what is best for you. I for one have never felt a need to apologize for my role as a full-time homemaker.

“These are busy, busy days for you. I have seen women in all kinds of circumstances—Chinese women working on road repairs, European women working in the fields, Asian women sweeping streets—but it is my opinion that … Mormon women are among the hardest working women in the world. They plant gardens and they bottle the produce; they sew and bargain shop. They go on the heart fund drive. They take dinners to new mothers and the sick in their neighborhoods. They take care of aged parents. They climb Mount Timpanogos with Cub Scouts, go to Little League games, sit on the piano bench while Jennie practices, do temple work, and worry about getting their journals up-to-date. My heart bursts with pride when I see them come into church on Sunday, some as early as 8:30 in the morning, their children all clean and shiny, their arms loaded with supplies, as they head for classes where they teach other women’s children. They scrub their houses with little or no domestic help and then try to be the glamour girl in their husband’s life when he arrives home at night. But remember, my dear young friends, that you are now doing the work that God intended you to do. Be grateful for the opportunity.”

To all you mothers who are at home full-time, sometimes not being able to leave the house for days at a time because of sick kids, fussy babies, or only having one car and that's the one your husband takes to work, continue to be strong and know that your recognition won't come in a paycheck, a 401k, a diploma, or a medal, but will be happy, healthy children who grow up and thank you for your time. Thanks Mom, for always being home for us and still being home for us!

Update On Our Life

This post is just an update on how we all are!

There have been some cases of RSV so Thomas is under house arrest. The only place he is allowed to go is Granny Shanny's house if everyone is feeling well. Steve and I trade off going to Sacrament Meeting, the grocery store, and doing any other errands that we need to. Thomas started eating solids this month! Rice cereal made his little belly hurt so we had to switch to Oatmeal. He loves it!

Steve is half-way done with his Internship!!! It's exciting and scary. Starting in March he can apply for jobs. We're excited that he'll finally have a job and make full salary, but we're scared because we have no idea where we'll be going! We're hoping to stay out West, preferably in the Boise area, but we'll take whatever these first few years.

As for me, I'm just surviving day to day! Thomas is getting to be so fun and more demanding. He loves to dance, which wears me out quickly, but means I don't need to do my aerobics that day :) I'm working on a couple quilts and hemming some pants, but these things seem to take way to long with a baby. Life is wonderful though!