The Carroll's

Truly Awesome Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies by Kroger

2011-11-14T13:42:00.003-07:00

These sinfully delicious cookies are to die for! The chocolate melts and coats your mouth with smooth chocolate chunks! They are crispy, yet soft and have a warm buttery taste. You can't beat Truly Awesome Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies! I will take them over any other brand any day! I wanted to eat the whole box of cookies to myself but had to hold back. The only negative thing about these cookies is the package. It is hard to get the cookies out which may actually be in my favor because I wont eat as many. The package I think does help keep the cookies fresh longer than most brands. I am a bzzagent solitary bee is my status

Truly Awesome Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies by Kroger

2011-11-14T13:39:00.002-07:00

On Guard

2011-10-10T00:25:00.002-07:00

So by now with the season change, I would be taking my semi-annual trip to the ER. Luckily with the aid of my doterra oils I was able to get over bronchitis without going into the ER! And I was not stuck with the usual 8 prescriptions I would have to take!

Lemon Oil to the Rescue!

2011-07-21T22:04:00.002-07:00

So today my kitchen was bugging me. It was dirty and I had not been able to get to it for a little bit for a deep clean. Like a good scrub down. I wanted to give my new lemon oil a test run on how well it can clean. You put a couple of drop of the oil into a spray bottle of water. Connor lost our spray bottle so I had to improvise. I was thinking about what to do when I saw a recycled water bottle of dasani and saw that I could fit a spray head form my vinegar cleaning solution for glass. Cleaned it up filled the water bottle up with water and added the lemon and I was ready to go. I sprayed just a few spritzes on to my stove top that was really grimmie (yes embarrassing) And then I wiped and it all came off in like one wipe. I was thrilled!!!! So I cleaned my whole kitchen with it and it didn't take long. I cleaned my kitchen floors with it and finished the floors with Zerorez. Zerorez is a multi-surface cleaner that is electrically generated water that is put through a special process. Its amazing! I am so excited for my new natural cleaning products!

Chickens and Rabbits

2011-07-20T16:03:00.002-07:00

With my friend Crystal Mabb we are raising chickens and rabbits. Chickens for their eggs and rabbits for their meat. There are 5 chickens and just 4 rabbits so far. We hope to have more rabbits soon. There is a buck named cracker jack and he is a pure breed of New Zealand and the other buck, cupid is a holland lops. One doe, Clover is 3/4 New Zealand and a 1/4 california. While the other Doe, BB is a California. Today we made a rabbitry in the backyard. It looks pretty good if I say so myself. It was hot and crazy but well worth it. This is another way we are trying to go natural. We will have fresh eggs and fresh rabbit meat.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

2011-07-18T21:25:00.002-07:00

One of the solutions I found to allergic reactions to laundry detergent with myself and family was making it myself. I thought it was this long drawn out process that was going to drive me insane, until my good friend Jeanne showed me her recipe. Its quick, simple, cheap and keeps your white pristine and your colors bold!

The ingredients you will need are:

Borax Powder

Super Washing Soda

1 bar of zote soap

(all of these products can be purchased at Wal-Mart)

Directions:

measure out 2 1/2 cups each of the Borax and Super Washing Soda and put in a container

grate zote soap into powder mixture and mix well.

for one load of laundry you only need 1 tbsp of laundry mixture. For extra soiled clothes add 2 tbsp of laundry mixture.

One batch makes 150 loads and costs about $5-$6 to make. Alot of our eczema flare ups have subsided after using this mixture it has been a life saver, thank you Jeanne!

Going Natural/Homemade

2011-07-18T21:22:00.002-07:00

So, what do you do when your family has many sensitivities to a variety products you buy at the store. Especially when a major problem is laundry detergant and medications? Our solution was to turn to natural or homemade cleansers, detergents and remedies. I was skeptical and worried about how hard it was to go natural or homemade. In this blog I will be posting what I have learned along the way of trying to make my family more comfortable and trying to eliminate skin flare ups and keeping them healthy!

Job Searching

2011-07-12T21:28:00.002-07:00

Job Searching is frustrating, time consuming and just plain stinks....you get your hopes up especially when there are so few jobs in your particular field and then they crush you with we thought someone else was better than you...even though they dont know you and dont know how good you are at what you do.

I finally started applying Spencer in Utah, New Mexico and Idaho

Truths Come to Light

2011-06-29T09:18:00.002-07:00

I am so grateful for our current trial. When you are going through something you really do need friends there to help. I am sorry if it sounds stupid, but having people there for you makes a big difference how you are able to deal. We have had a few friends that have made it so much more bearable and making the days fly. But we have also been able to find out who our real true friends are. As soon as this trial hit, we had some friends and family that treated us like the plague. Its sad because I figured if you are friends at least you would stay friendly. Not asking anything from anyone. I have been there so many times for these people as well so it was extra sad for me. But I am glad to know who my true friends are. Thank you for your kindness!

Dobson Alumni Choir

2011-06-26T22:00:00.002-07:00

I was able to take part in something beautiful this weekend. We got together all generations of choir members from Dobson High School to celebrate Mr. Evans' 30 yrs of being there and retiring. He was amazing and we will never forget him. The choir was so amazing!!! The music was beautiful and perfect and the right emotion flowed into it. It made me realize how much I missed being on that stage and singing my little heart out. Choir was one of the few places I got to go to get away from it all. I got to partake in the medicine of the soul. How lucky was I to have been able to experience this and not only with just any teacher, with Mr. Evans. I wish the whole world could stand in front of him and unite and sing for him and feel the amazingness that comes from this man. He truly had a gift from God with music. And we will always love him and always be touched by his wonderful gift.

Friends

2011-06-26T08:41:00.003-07:00

Wow the more time goes on the more I realize why I had more guy friends growing up. Thank you guy friends for being you. No pettiness with you, you never treated your friends like crap and always made them feel special. If you were going through something you didn't block your friends out of your lives without giving an explanation. We always communicated and I didn't have to worry about you PMSing. Thank you guy friends!

New Class

2010-09-29T19:04:00.001-07:00

Well, now that Rylee has switched classrooms, we have seen tons of improvement. Especially in her behavior. Silly girl. But I am so excited and relieved that she was able to be switched and she is doing much better!

The Dentist

2010-09-09T21:30:00.003-07:00

Today we tried to get Rylee into the dentist and to be looked at to see what is going on inside her mouth. Also she needed a cleaning. We have been through 4 dentists already that couldnt work on her. So today started pretty good. She went and sat in the chair and was talking to the assistant and even asked where the thing was that she had to bit down on to take a picture of her teeth. Just as soon as she got the camera positioned where it needed to be, Rylee jumped off and said she wasnt going to have any pictures taken of her teeth. She wanted Dr. Gailey in there to do this. And we kept telling her that he coulnt come in until she has pictures taken and her teeth cleaned. She kept screaming and running away. We held her down long enough for the assistant to actually polish her teeth. This was actually something to be very proud of, since she was the first to ever do that for Rylee! We had to hold her down so that Dr. Gailey could get his mirror in her mouth and see what was going on in her mouth and he found them. He was excited that her teeth werent as bad as he thought. He thought he was going to have to pull them but they can be saved, yay! He gave us a referal to a friend of his, Dr. Quackenbush. sp? We are excited for this because our sister in law takes her kids to him. He can knock the kids out without having to use an IV which I loved hearing this. I really would try to do it without using an iv on her. But kudos to Dr. Gailey and his office! You guys are great sports!!!

Changing Teachers

2010-09-07T20:02:00.002-07:00

This year Rylee was put in a normal ed class. Well as the first couple of weeks of school started, her teacher realized that there was something up with Rylee. I had a feeling we were going to have this problem. She was wandering around the classroom and laying on the floor and just not doing so well. We were wanting her to be in the intergrated kindergarten program because of this problem. So this past weekend I get this phone call from the "IK" teacher and says that she is getting Rylee moved into her class where she needed to be in the first place and that she was going to get her occupational therapy! And even the OT does not go through she will work with her and of course we will work with her at home. Rylee has to develope muscles in her arms and hands that are underdeveloped. It was such a blessing to hear from Ms. Hatmann!! I was worrying this whole time about Rylee's behavior and we get to have an IEP meeting to hopefully put these behaviors on her IEP. Oh my gosh what an answer to prayers!! Its going to be sad to have Rylee leave her friends and go to a new classroom but it will be for her benefit!! yay!! I talked to the teacher and it sounds like its going to go through soon woohoo!

All Day Sphagetti Sauce

2010-08-15T15:40:00.002-07:00

Ingredients
10 ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup Burgundy wine
1 bay leaf
2 stalks celery
2 tablespoons tomato paste

1.Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl of iced water. Plunge whole tomatoes in boiling water until skin starts to peel, 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and place in ice bath. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then remove peel and squeeze out seeds. Chop 8 tomatoes and puree in blender or food processor. Chop remaining two tomatoes and set aside.
2.In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic in oil and butter until onion starts to soften, 5 minutes. Pour in pureed tomatoes. Stir in chopped tomato, basil, Italian seasoning and wine. Place bay leaf and whole celery stalks in pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Stir in tomato paste and simmer an additional 2 hours. Discard bay leaf and celery and serve.

When you do sauces that simmer all day they have this wonderful texture and richeness that cant be achieved by a 15 min sauce! I do an all day but not this intricate. I will post mine in a while. But I wanted to put this one because its an awesome one!

The First Day Of School

2010-08-12T18:59:00.002-07:00

The First day of school went off without a hitch. My kids kids could not wait for school to start! It has been fun to have them both in school all day. I was able to get some stuff done. I was able to help the Librarian at the school organize some of the shelves of books. I plan on going in there weekly to help her with that. She hasnt had an assistant in forever. It was fun though! Also, I have been taking a boy to school and picking him up from school for his parents. It has been so much fun for the kids to do this. So far he is a good kid! *keeping my fingers crossed!!

Fish, Fish and More Fish

2010-08-06T18:46:00.002-07:00

We went to SeaLife Aquarium in Tempe. It was so much fun. Even though we really didn't go far we did have a little get away from the heat. The sea life was so amazing. The sting rays were so cute and wanted to come up to you and almost want to cuddle. Many of the sharks did the same thing. They would come right up to you against the glass!

Customize a digital scrapbook

Scrubbing Those Books Clean

2010-08-02T21:25:00.002-07:00

This morning we got to go to Connor and Rylee's school. The reason for this was that a boy in our stake was doing his Eagle Scout project. This project included scrubbing off books and and shelves. Also some were vacuuming the shelves as well. The kids had so much fun helping scrub down the books. I think they were into it because it was their school. The librarian was having so much fun that people were in there cleaning. She hasn't had an assistant in forever. This whole project put a big smile on her face. We ran into some employees who were scrubbing the building that know us and it was fun to see them and chat. We ended up staying the whole time. We thought we would leave early but we were one of the last few to leave. I had so much fun and my arms had a wonderful work out but it was all worth it. I talked with the librarian and asked her if she needed help (volunteer help) in the morning and afternoon and she said yes she would! But she doesnt want to over work me. And I said dont worry about it cause all the kids will be in school and I have to drop them off and pick them up anyway everyday and so I can come in and help before and after school!

Messing Around With Pictures

2010-08-01T18:43:00.002-07:00

I combined 2 pictures. One of my grandpa in the Navy and my Dad as an Airbourne in the Army. I wish my dad's pic was bigger.

Distractions

2010-08-01T13:25:00.003-07:00

Today in relief society our President had the lesson. She talked about distractions and things that keep us from the Lord. In other words idols. You know like the internet and television and so forth. Hahah as I am blogging on the internet. But we talked about activities that are getting in the way and taking away from time with the family. The number of dinners that families actually sit and eat together have decreased as the years go by. WE ARE SO DISTRACTED. And now with the texting and facebook and things like that, we are more withdrawn and our communication skills are horrible. We need to take advantage of the little moments since we are such a busy society. My favorite was Nets. Now this is a definition that Sister Carter gave for them. Nets: Anything that entices or prevents us from following the call from Christ. And then she said one more thing that stood out. She asked, "Where are we in Lehi's vision of the tree of life?" When then were given the challenge each month to find something that keeps us in the world and come out of it. This is to help us not be distracted!

Photo Editing

2010-07-31T20:31:00.002-07:00

As you can see I am playing around with photo editing. I don't have a fancy editing program like photoshop. I use a free one called splashup. If you go to splashup.com you can use it! You can tell I am getting used to it still, the photo looks cheesy. I still need to play around with it a bit. Wish me luck lol!

What's For Dinner?

2010-07-30T22:09:00.003-07:00

Tonight when I got home I really didn't want to make anything that would take too long. Actually I really did not want to cook. I have been dragging all day. So I assessed what I had in my pantry and freezer. I look in the freezer and I had some left over turkey bacon. Then I looked in the pantry, and I have these little 4 oz packets of instant mashed potatoes. And I had broccoli that needed to be eaten and I had cheese. So I decided to cook the bacon until it was really crisp. Then I threw that in another pan because the bottom of the other one got too burned. Then I took my broccoli that I chopped up and put it in a measuring cup and put some of my instant hot water from my water cooler. That steamed it, I then threw that in the pan with the bacon. I shredded 1/2c of cheese and threw that in. Then I measured out 4 cups of my instant hot water and dumped my instant mashed potatoes in and presto! I had instant potato soup. I combined that with the other ingredients and bam I had a soup in a few minutes! The kids loved it and went back for thirds. That is why I say it serves only 4 hahah because my kids ate it up and kept eating it. And the upside its a little heathier than most things that are instant :)

Walk Now For Autism Year 2!

2010-07-30T08:43:00.002-07:00

So, this year we are doing walk now for autism with autism speaks again! Its going to be so much fun! We were wondering if there were any of you who would like to join our team or donate! Any little bit helps

Wow Its Been Almost A Year

2010-07-29T14:39:00.003-07:00

Ok, so there have been a few people who have said I haven't written in my blog in a while. I checked and its been almost a year. How sad is that. So I am writing in my blog. Well, alot of things have happened in a year. Don't know where to begin. I am excited to be doing coupons to buy groceries that is always so much fun to get either freebies or to see how much I save! I had a blast doing an interview for the Beehive, one of the church newspapers. We got a new ghetto car that gets better gas milage. Its been a bit beaten up. I would have to thank Jason and Crystal Mabb for that car. It was much needed! School is starting real soon and Connor will be in 2nd grade and Rylee will be in Kindergarten! I can not believe she will be going. It is all day too. It's going to be strange having her gone all day. But that means I can go to the temple now! I wonder if there is a day I can volunteer every week :) Its sad to see them grow up so fast!

Walk Now For Autism

2009-09-23T22:34:00.003-07:00

Hey guys! Spencer and I are participating in a fundraiser called Walk Now for Autsim. It will be held the 1st of November 2009. It is put on by Autism Speaks, which is a organization that most of you have heard of. We need everyone's support if you are able. We need donations so that our walk will mean something. Here is a link that tells you more about it and how you can donate.
http://www.walknowforautism.org/az/kjera

My Blog

2009-09-06T00:21:00.002-07:00

I am not sure if I am going to be keeping this blog up for much longer. I don't get a lot of readers on here. I love writing on this blog and trying to keep it up and I am sorry if it is really boring, but life gets crazy for me so I havent been able to get pics on here and make it all fun. I will try to start doing that more often but I need more readers if I am going to put the effort into it!

Yeah For School!

2009-08-26T18:49:00.003-07:00

Even though we are going through the trials that we are going through at the moment...it has been peaceful since school has started. We are learning to love life even though we are having a hard time. Connor is excited to be in first grade and play on the big playground. Rylee is still getting over being in the PM class and is not happy about it. But its better because in the PM preschool class is where they get ready for kindergarten! So we are all so excited that to be back in school and get our routine back. Only hard thing is now Rylee gets out 1hr before Connor does and they used to get out at the sametime. But we are having a good time!

More Old Family Photos

2009-07-30T18:48:00.002-07:00

This is my mom's family. It is her dad's family. I love these pictures!!

Old Family Pictures!

2009-07-29T18:18:00.005-07:00

I recently was able to obtain some old family phots! I was so excited!! The little boy and girl seen together are my Grandpa Nuttall and his sister Aunt Gay! Aren' they adorable!! And the Navy picture is also of my Granpa Nuttall.

!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-23T15:19:00.001-07:00

Money Sucks...

Hair cut

2009-06-28T00:30:00.002-07:00

So on Friday Rylee decided to make a a dred lock out of syrup and winding her hair around and around. I tried all day to fix it and had no luck. So Spencer tired to brush it out and as he was brushing and trying to get through it, it ripped out of her hair. I was like omgosh cause it was a pic piece! And Rylee was worried and had screamed because it probably hurt and couldn't figure out why she had this clump of hair missing from her head. So we decided it was best to cut her hair at great clips especially since we have a hard time maintaining her hair. And spencer said he would get her pink earrings for having to go through that. He felt really bad that her hair came out like that. But the good thing is, she loves her new hair cut! And her new earings. ha ha. I will get some pics of her hair soon and post them. Her hair barely comes just above her shoulders.

Pinetop

2009-06-23T21:54:00.002-07:00

Wow we went to Pinetop for 5 days and it was exaclty what I needed and what we needed as a family! We had 5 days with really not using a phone, no internet and all the alone time we needed with just us and the kids. It was so easy going and the kids really didn't fight as much. They loved the tramp outside and would jump for hours and they enjoyed listening to the animals. We did some hiking and what not. I was thankful for this trip and thankful for the kind friend that paid for our cabin stay!

Summer Heat

2009-06-09T16:02:00.001-07:00

In lieu of summer I have changed the background of my blog to match the sweltering heat. And not to mention the wonderful humidity that we are experiencing at the moment. I wonder if we are going to be getting monsoon seasom early...

Birthdays

2009-05-29T20:26:00.002-07:00

Well Life can be busy when you have 2 birthdays only a few days apart. Well, usually I don't get to do anything on my birthday but this year Spencer surprised me with setting up a babysitter (which by the way never happens for us) and taking me out to dinner and a movie (which never happens). So, it was special for once. I really needed out without my kids. I never get away from them. Rylee is excited to be 4. She keeps telling everyone I am 4 I am 4. But it was a good week.

Hair!

2009-05-23T09:01:00.002-07:00

I just got one of the most amazing haircuts in my life thank you soooooooo much Tiffany Egbert!

Girl's Night Yea Baby!

2009-05-14T14:08:00.002-07:00

Last night I had a blast with Julie and a girls night! First, we went to get our nails done at Fiesta Mall and we had a pedicure. Which was only my second professional pedicure in my whole life! Then we went to Mimi's cafe: oh yum! Then Danny called and was missing her and jealous and feeling left out so we told him to join us for some wii! It was fun we bowled and then we played this block knocking game it was awesome! I had a blast! Then we sat outside my apartment and talked for for a couple of hrs. She is so sweet and I am soooooooo happy for her and Danny!!

Mothers

2009-05-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

"Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life. The mother's image is the first that stamps itself on the unwritten page of the young child's mind. It is her caress that first awakens a sense of security; her kiss, the first realization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness, the first assurance that there is love in the world. . . . She who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters. . . deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God

Learning Experience

2009-05-10T08:33:00.003-07:00

What I forgot to mention in my blog entry about in our long trip was the learning experiences we had on our way. One of the big things pointed was that we never really can do anything on our own can? This trip was proof! Without my father's help I would not have made it back sooner than we did. I kind of had promtings of what road to go on,l but ignored them and got turned around. Then I finally listened and took the right road! I did it as a last minute thing. So as I am going down the right road (Hayden) everything is looking familiar and that is when we were like maybe you should call grand-dad winter and see if we are remotely where we were suppose to be. Another lesson...Primary Songs. Does wonders for freaked out handicapped kids have a meltdown!!! Also does wonders if you have anxiety problems. I didn't have an anxiety attack. I was able to just drive, which I have never been good at just doing. usually there are 100 things going on in my mind. But as soon as Winter put those songs on it was like ahhh and we were able to sing and talk about Scottsdale and different things! Thank you for lifes lessons!

Our Long Trip!

2009-05-09T18:12:00.002-07:00

This morning while I was at a birthday party for Rylee's friend, Spencer calls and says he has locked his keys in the car. Not only were they locked in his car but in the ignition! I was like how did you do that. I am just guessing its cause he didn't get any sleep last night because our A/C was broken. So I drive out there and half the 101 freeway is closed. No problem cause they show you signs where to detour. This was for the 101 North. Well we get there unlock his car and eat lunch in the Hospital cafeteria and head home. We get on the 101 south and that is closed down too! So we try to make it back home but there were no detours for the south. Luckily I had this feeling to take Hayden home and Winter calls her g-pa and he tells us we are going the right way and to head to McDowell and get on there! Wow I left at 10:30 in the morning and didn't get home until 3:30pm ugh we are all wiped out. I am just glad I took Winter to help me navigate. I just learned that I knew the surface roads a lot better than I thought and so did she! And it was my first real freeway travel experience ever and I had no probs! I used the 60 and the 101!

The Carroll Cook Book

2009-05-08T19:16:00.001-07:00

Ha ha I cheated and stole Winter's idea of making a recipe book as a blog to more easily find my recipes! check it out at carrollfood.blogspot.com!

Woohoo!!

2009-05-08T17:52:00.003-07:00

I finally have gotten around to playing around with blog headers and stuff like that! Thanks to Winter she showed me how to do it on Windows Vista. Everyone else just knew how to do it on xp.

NASCAR

2009-04-28T14:11:00.002-07:00

Our family and same and Dorcas' family got to go to NASCAR the weekend of April 18. We all went Friday night for qualifying and then Spencer and Connor went all of Saturday along with Sam, Sterling, Jean-Luc, and Josh. They seemed to have fun and Connor's driver came in 4th. It was a fun but long weekend. I will have to post pics later!

Gotta Love It!

2009-04-09T10:26:00.002-07:00

Ok, Rylee has thrown up for a couple of days now and its getting exhausting trying to clean it all up and still get the other stuff that needs to be done at the same time. I am so behind on house work it isnt funny! Well the first mornig she threw up she nailed her mattress big time! And for some reason her vomit was red... Well, anyway when I tried to scrub her mattress I couldnt get it out and it had rips everywhere and as I was scrubbing it was ripping even more ugh! So now we have to buy her a new mattress! UGH!!!

Feeling Frumpy

2009-03-24T15:04:00.002-07:00

Of course I am feeling frumpy again!! So I am always trying new ways to lose weight. For me eating right and exercise doesn't cut it and ever since I have had kids I can't lose wieght. My butt is huge and so it my chest and I can't take it anymore. I hate trying on clothes because they don't fit me right no matter what size I get. I just want to be able to go to the store, take something off the rack and put it on and it look decent. I am trying slim quick pils and I hope they work. I really do this is my last straw. If this doesn't work it looks like I am out of luck and I will just have to have a huge rear end and chest for the rest of my life!

Spring Break Is At An End.

2009-03-22T01:47:00.002-07:00

As spring break's end draws near to its closing I think most of us moms can say thank goodness! It was nice to have some family and friend time and fun, but it was getting frustrating. When you have extremely active children its hard to keep them entertained and busy. I would like to thank our friends Winter, Danny, Justin, Brad, Rissa and Crystal for helping us pass the week. You guys made it a lot smoother and your kids really helped wear mine out. We will treasure the memories we have gained and shared with you and your families!

R.I.P. Computer

2009-03-13T09:35:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I was trying to get on the computer to check email and other things. As I am trying to get on the computer just kept freezing and then it just wouldn't start up on one of the tries of turning it off and turning it back on. I got so frustrated. Spencer was so much more frustrated that he even went and bought a new one. We couldn't take it anymore. We only needed a tower because our monitor was fine, we even got a new keyboard and mouse that came with the tower. Oh my goodness are they so much better than our old ones! I am glad to have a new computer but didnt like paying for it. And thanks to Brad we got it up and running!

Reading Again...

2009-03-04T09:43:00.002-07:00

I have been wanting to get this book "1776", By David McCullough. The other day Spencer asked if he could go by a book and that he wanted to go to the book store in Fiesta Mall. I said woah ya, since you actually want to read a book. So we went and ended up going to borders instead and I got to buy by book. I love it so far! I recommend this book. So check it out!

Farewell Cheetah Star Wars Catfish

2009-03-03T17:13:00.004-07:00

So the cat fish was a bad idea. I think he was too big for the tank plus I think he was lonely! I guess they are suppose to be with 3 other catfish. So instead we got three neon tetras and three ghost shrimp. The kids are excited! And today we will be having Cheetah Star Wars Catfish's farewell. Connor seems ok about.

Fish!

2009-03-02T16:27:00.002-07:00

The kids have been begging us for fish and we keep telling them no. Finally last week we got them some fish. We got them 5 gumpies and one died the next day which we gave him a toilet funeral. Today we also got a catfish to see if he will keep the rocks clean. Also this past friday Connor got an award of Exellence and part of that award was a free kids meal at TGIFridays. We had a blast there and the kids enjoyed it and the employees were wonderful!

Hives

2009-02-26T10:42:00.002-07:00

As most of you may know I have been itching for a week and 1/2 now and its driving me nuts! I developed more of a rash on other places so I wondered if I had Hives. So I looked it up under google images to see if that is what I had. Sure enough my rash matched it. it says that hives should only last up to 36 hrs um well I have had these for longer than that. So it has to be the chronic hives yeah for me!

Matsuri Festival

2009-02-24T12:20:00.003-07:00

We Have been wanting to go to the matsuri festival for a while and when our friend Heather called and said they are going and asked if we wanted to meet them there we were excited! When we got there we ran into Carlos-Spencer's brother and he wife Yvette, there son Chase and his wife Paige. We went straight to the food and got some Man's yum yum yum and some Rumane. Rylee was interested in the Akita's and Shiba's (Japanese dogs) she would not leave them alone. Then we ran into a few other friends there as well. Connor was interested in the sword fighting and ended up with one.

Head Wounds

2009-02-24T12:13:00.002-07:00

Everyone know how much head imjuries bleed like it is really serious. Well when your husband swings your daughter up in the air and as he is bringing her legs down. And your son decides to run under her legs. There is going to be blood everywhere. Seriously there was. Rylee had her dress shoes on when her foot made contact with Connor's head. You could hear a lot crack sound when it happened. But underneath all of that blood was a small cut. It probably needed stitches but we were able to stop the bleeding with a pull-up in the car and an antibacterial band-aid. Thank goodness for first aid kits that fit in your car! We were on our way into Souper Salad when this all happened and Connor said he still wanted to eat so we go in with his hair blood stained and his shirt covered in blood. It looked like he was in a serious accident!

Quick Family Visit

2009-02-18T17:24:00.002-07:00

This weekend Sam and Dorcas came into town. The kids were excited! They found a really cheap but in good condition suburan in Tucson so they came down to get it and came and stayed with my mother in law for the weekend! It was nice to see them since we dont see enough of them. They brought their new puppy Luigi. He is a maltese/palmoranian. He is the sweetest most docile puppy I have ever seen! He was a good cuddler. But it was nice to be able to hang out with family that you can get along with and not have to worry about how your kids act or what you say and just be yourself!

Happy Statehood!

2009-02-14T14:54:00.002-07:00

I love you, Arizona; Your mountains, deserts and streams; The rise of Dos Cabezas* And the outlaws I see in my dreams; I love you Arizona, Superstitions and all; The warmth you give at sunrise; Your sunsets put music in us all.
Oo, Arizona; You're the magic in me;
Oo, Arizona, You're the life-blood of me; I love you Arizona; Desert dust on the wind; The sage and cactus are blooming, And the smell of the rain on your skin.
Oo, Arizona; You're the magic in me;
Oo, Arizona, You're the life-blood of me.

Happy 97th Birthday Arizona!

Party!

2009-02-12T20:31:00.005-07:00

Today Fry's has been having a Valentine's Party. It started about 3 pm and will end at 11pm. It was fun they had cookies for the kids to decorate, pictures that they took with a cute background that they put in a valentine and then they had valentines you could write out yourself. THey also had these jumbo cupcakes for only 99cents. They kids had a blast and it was fun for all of us! I really love how they make it fun for the community! I will scan in the kids pics from fry's later and put it on. It was really cute!

Wow Lots Of Little Kids

2009-02-12T11:45:00.003-07:00

Today I volunteered to help in Rylee's Class for her Valentine's Day party. The had a really fun sub! Mrs. Jackson has been sick and this mornign she woke up worse. We still had fun with Mrs. Dunkle and the Sub Mrs. C. We decorated cookies with frosting and candy. The kids ate more candy than decorating, but they still were cute. They played some games and lots of fun! Rylee of course had to act out since I was there. Unfortunatley it looks like I might not be volunteering more if she keeps acting like this! Although it was fun, I don't know how they do it with soooooo many little kids! When we got home we went through Rylee's Valentines and woah so made out nice! Way too much candy but they enjoy it!

Take Care Health Clinic

2009-02-11T09:28:00.004-07:00

Yesterday when I picked Rylee up from school I noticed that she had lots of green snot coming out of nose. I gave her nose spray to see if that helped and it really didn't do anything. So when I got Connor from school I talked to her teacher and she said she was really worried about her nose and that the school policy is that if their snot turns green from clear then they consider them sick. I told her I know I noticed that today but we dont have insurance and she said wow oh my gosh and I said ya. She Said that I should ask the nurse about anywhere we could go. Well our friend Erin was standing there listening and she said you should check with Fry's and CVS they have minute clinics. I said ok. Well we werent that far from Fry's so I checked with them and they said their clinics haven't come to the East Valley yet but try with Walgreen's or CVS. So we went to Walgreens on Cooper and Warner. Its called the Take Care Health Clinic. They can do physicals, well visits and sick visits and shots. It was awesome and it only cost me $64 for the visit and 13.99 for the antibiotics. Rylee ended up with an ear infection. The Dr. there was so nice and had fun with the kids. She was really sweet and the little clinic was awesome. You sign in on a computer it was awesome. And then she sent the prescription over by computer to the pharmacy and you just wiat the 15-20 min to get it. It was really worth it seeing how most places would have been double that without insurance! Thank you Fry's and Walgreen's I knew there was a reason why we shop with them!

Woohoo A Gift Card!

2009-02-10T10:25:00.003-07:00

For Spencer successfully completing his 90 day probabtion, John C. Lincoln Hospital gave him a $25 dollar gift certificate to Olive Garden! So we are using it for Valentine's Day.

Silly Mountain

2009-02-08T20:12:00.002-07:00

Last week a guy in our ward, Brother Everett told us about a mountain that even the kids could hike and it gets all their energy out. So yesterday we decided to take them there and see if they could hike it. Connor was amazing had no problem, but on the way down Rylee cried the whole time because we took a steep trail and she was tripping the whole time. But other than that they had a good time and want to go back again soon!

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Blog Background

2009-02-07T18:37:00.003-07:00

So I noticed the blog background that I chose a couple of weeks ago for valentines day ended up being the most popular one. So I decided to change it. Not offense to the ones who had choosen it, you have great taste! I just like being different, so this is the one I chose instead!

The H20 Mop

2009-02-06T19:50:00.002-07:00

Today I got this mop called the h20 mop. Its freakin awesome!!! It cleans with steam and it can even do your carpets. It came with a free hand held steamer that can sanatize almost anything. I was so excited that I have been cleaning and steaming things all day. I know I am pathetic. But all you do is fill the mop up with water and it steams it out on the floor and this terry cloth pad that you attach to it picks up all the dirt. The head is a triangle so it hugs any corner or surface! It left my floor shinny and clean and it felt clean to walk on no icky sticky residue left from harsh cleaners! Ok so now I sound like an infomercial but seriously I recomend checking it out!

Student of the Month

2009-02-04T12:59:00.001-07:00

I totally forgot to blog about Connor being student of the month in December. He got it in the category of caring. He is a really caring little guy and has kids of all ages at school come up to him and say hi and give him hugs! It great because they always smile when they see him!

Help At School

2009-01-30T15:00:00.003-07:00

Connor's teacher is fantastic. We are so blessed for having her. She has been working so hard with him at school on his writing. He has a hard time using a pencil. He really needs OT therapy. So I called the speech therapist because Connor is showing signs that he needs that again as well. She said Connor probably might not need it but she would talk to his teacher and see what she says and listen to Connor to see. when Connor got out of school I told his teacher what the speech pathologist said. She said, Oh I know that is what she said but I am working on her and I having Connor say certain things. She said she will keep talking to her about. His teacher is so awesome. I am praying they will let Connor back on an IEP! He really needs it!

New President

2009-01-27T13:43:00.002-07:00

Well I tried watching the inaguration a week ago and it was hard. I was even crying and it takes a lot for me to cry. I think I was mourning tradition. O'Bama is doing things different than we are used to. I think he is going to bring change but I am not quite sure if it is the change we need or want. The world is changing and the world that we grew up in no longer exists. I think the inaguration made me realize this. But I am going to try to keep an open mind with O'Bama. I am going to listen very carefully to what President Monson has to say and what guidance he has for us for these next 4 yrs. At least you know you can trust Monson!! And I am not racist but if you really think about it. O'Bama really isnt the first african american president, he is half white.

The New Year

2009-01-12T15:11:00.003-07:00

Well the new year has certainly brought some surprises. I ended up losing a good amount of weight without even noticing it. So I have decided to keep it up by exersicing everyday. Whether its jogging to Rylee's bus, running with the kids to the playground at their school or I have resistant bands that are attached to handles that give you a good burn. Also I found out that at 5 am and 10 am the BYU channel does a total body work out. Everyday its a little different so it confuses your body. Today I did yoga and I am familiar with yoga and never have sweated with it but this lady is good. I came out of it sweaty and feeling good and warm all over. Plus it helped with anxiety! I love it! This has made me feel so much better everyday!

Christmas Adventures

2009-01-06T10:20:00.002-07:00

This is a video of Connor and Rylee's school holiday parties, our nephew A.J. came into town with his wife and son before he has to go to Bagdad and our Nieces: Kaysi, McKensie and Kassidy performed at the temple lights and our Christmas.

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Our First Time At Build-A-Bear!

2009-01-06T09:48:00.002-07:00

Grandma Urrutia sent us gift cards to build-a-bear. The kids had a blast because they had never been before. Rylee of course we all read to accessorize her bear which we didn't have enough for. She still says her doggy needs shoes. She named her doggy Sleeping Beauty and bought a sleepy beauty dress for her. Connor got a Koala and dressed it up as a nascar driver and named him Jimmie Johnson.

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St. Lucia Fest

2009-01-06T09:33:00.001-07:00

Ok so I have been behind in putting up pictures from this past year hoilday adventures. It I am still trying to settle in from moving and doing Christmas at the same time. So I have a lot to post!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Santa!!

2008-12-23T09:30:00.003-07:00

These are the picutres with Santa that were taken at our ward party. They were so fun!! They only way we got Rylee over on Santa's lap was to tell her that he had a big bag of candy for her. So she went over there got her picture and her candy!

Updated Information

2008-12-16T18:58:00.002-07:00

Sorry I have not posted in a while! We have been so busy and there is so much to blog about and I am sooooooo behind!!! There will be more to come. But for now here is our new address and phone number: 2300 W. San Angelo St. #1088, Gilbert, AZ 85233. (480) 307-8510. Pictures will be posted in a few days give me time!!! The kids are enjoying school and it has been fun to be able to drive them in the morning to school. At noon Rylee is still able to be brought home and we go back to pick up Connor in the afternoon. I enjoy being able to talk to his teacher in the afternoons its soooooo much fun!

Prepare For The Second Coming

2008-11-26T10:22:00.001-07:00

This is an awesome video on the Second Coming and things we need to do to prepare for it. Look it up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqaesQ2EE8w

About His Dancing

2008-11-19T12:51:00.003-07:00

This was Connor's interpretive dancing. There was more and it looked good before the recording. And please excuse the mess in the room. I have been going through things and packing so its all torn up!

Connor Loves To Dance!

2008-11-19T09:18:00.003-07:00

We rented the animated Star Wars movie the other night and when the ending credits came on this is what he ended up doing.

Autism Video

2008-11-10T08:59:00.003-07:00

As you all know Connor is autistic. A few weeks ago I started an autism support group on facebook so that we all can share how we are doing or what we are going through. Last night as I was looking at stuff online I came across www.whatyououghttoknow.com. The guy that makes the videos has an awesome video on autism. His nephew is autistic and he did an awesome and very informative video with some humor in it. I was very thankful for that video and I have posted a link below to watch. You have got to watch it!

Life

2008-11-07T15:21:00.002-07:00

Life has been so crazy! We have had so much to do and the time just flies. I don't seem to have enough time to do everything. I forgot to blog and forget to journal. Before I know it, its night and its time to go to bed. So people if you think I have forgotten about you I have not. Also I have been trying this thing called coupon sense. I gave it a trial run today and I did well so far. I have saved 49% on my groceries. Its too soon say how terrific it is for me, but my sister in law Yvette loves it! She is an instuctor so I was going to have a workshop. Let me know if you are interested.

Halloween

2008-11-02T17:17:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics from some of our many Halloween adventures!

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My Kids Were Tagged!

2008-10-27T19:47:00.005-07:00

Connor-

1. He is quick as a whip

2. Full of energy

3. Self Sufficient

4. A minature adult

Rylee-

1. Full of life

2. A Cuddler

3. Rough and tumbler

4. Can be prissy when she wants to be.

The ones that are now tagged are the cavey boys and the higgins boys!

Stuff

2008-10-27T19:17:00.002-07:00

Sorry I really haven't had much to post about for a while and then when I did, I have been too busy to write about it. Spencer just finished his first week at his new job. He works at John C. Lincoln- Deer Valley Campus. He works three 12 hour shifts. He works every other weekend. Except this week we works 2 weekends in a row. We will be moving at the end of next month if they give us the apartment. We are waiting on a credit check. We helped Jason and Laurissa move into their new house. Yea, they have a house!!! Its a beautiful house, they are blessed greatly. This past Saturday we had our ward trunk-or-treat and we were busy getting ready for that all day and running our own arrands as well. Sunday, Nan, Spencer's sister, had her baby Brooklyn blessed. So we went out to Scottsdale for that. It was a long, long, very long weekend. But we had fun with the Haws'!

What the Women Do During Priesthood Session of Conference

2008-10-04T20:52:00.003-07:00

During the Priesthood session of General Conference we had a little pizza party. We made pizza, well Nan made most of that and Hannah and Alex helped make cookies! The kids had a blast.

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Why I cannot vote for Obama

2008-10-03T15:35:00.003-07:00

I got this e-mail from Jolyn Cavey and I thought It was well informed. Thank you Jolyn!

Why I (A Black Man) Can't Vote For Obama

Why I Can't Vote For Obama
By Huntley Brown

Dear Friends,

A few months ago I was asked for my perspective on Obama, I sent out an email with a few points. With the election just around the corner I decided to complete my perspective. Those of you on my e-list have seen some of this before but it's worth repeating..

First I must say whoever wins the election will have my prayer support. Obama needs to be commended for his accomplishments but I need to explain why I will not be voting for him.

Many of my friends process their identity through their blackness.

I process my identity through Christ. Being a Christian (a Christ follower) means He leads I follow. I can't dictate the terms He does because He is the leader.

I can't vote black because I am black, I have to vote Christian because that's who I am. Christian first, black second. Neither should anyone from the other ethnic groups vote because of ethnicity. 200 years from now I won't be asked if I was black or white. I will be asked if I knew Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

In an election there are many issues to consider but when a society gets abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning to name a few, wrong economic concerns will soon not matter.

We need to follow Martin Luther King's words, don't judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know Obama so all I can go off is his voting record.

His voting record earned him the title of the most liberal senator in the US Senate in 2007.

NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)

To beat Ted Kennedy and Hilary Clinton as the most liberal senator, takes some doing.
Obama accomplished this feat in 2 short years. I wonder what would happen to America if he had four years to work with.

There is a reason planned parenthood gives him a 100 % rating.
There is a reason the homosexual community supports him.
There is a reason Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, Hamas etc. love him.
There is a reason he said he would nominate liberal judges to the Supreme Court.
There is a reason he voted against the infanticide bill.
There is a reason he voted No on the constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.
There is a reason he voted No on banning partial birth abortion.
There is a reason he voted No on confirming Justices Roberts and Alito. These two judges are conservatives and they have since overturned partial birth abortion. The same practice Obama wanted to continue.

Lets take a look at the practice he wanted to continue.

The 5 Step Partial Birth Abortion procedure
A. Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps.
(Remember this is a live baby)
B. The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.
C. The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.
D. The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole.
E. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.
God help him.

There is a reason Obama opposed the parental notification law.

Think about this: you can't give a kid an aspirin without parental notification but that same kid can have an abortion without parental notification. This is insane.

There is a reason he went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years.

Obama tells us he has good judgment but he sat under Jeremiah Wright teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wright's sermons. I wonder why now?

Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 - 20 "Go and make disciples of all nations." This means reproduce yourself. Teach people to think like you, walk like you, talk like you believe what you believe etc. The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?

Would you support a White President who went to a church which has tenets that said they have a

1. Commitment to the White Community

2. Commitment to the White Family
3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic
4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community .
5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions
6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System
7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.

Would you support a President who went to a church like that?

Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of Obama's former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside.

This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discovered he went to a racist church. The church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world.

A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value system has to be based on biblical mandate. It does not matter if its a white church or a black church it's still wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would never get my vote.

Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book A Black Theology of Liberation. Cone once wrote: "Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him.

Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?

So what does all this mean for the nation?

In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing - judgment.

Read 1 Samuel 8 when Israel asked for a king.

First God says in 1 Samuel 1:9 "Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."
Then God says
1 Samuel 1:18 " When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."

Here is what we know for sure.

God is not schizophrenic

He would not tell one person to vote for Obama and one to vote for McCain. As the scripture says, a city divided against itself cannot stand, so obviously many people are not hearing from God.

Maybe I am the one not hearing but I know God does not change and Obama contradicts many things I read in scripture so I doubt it.

For all my friends who are voting for Obama can you really look God in the face and say; Father based on your word, I am voting for Obama even though I know he will continue the genocidal practice of partial birth abortion. He might have to nominate three or four supreme court justices, and I am sure he will be nominating liberal judges who will be making laws that are against you. I also know he will continue to push for homosexual rights, even though you destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this. I know I can look the other way because of the economy.

I could not see Jesus agreeing with many of Obama's positions. Finally I have two questions for all my liberal friends.

Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation,

1. Whose value system should be placed on the nation.

2. Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?

Blessings,
Huntley Brown

Connor and Rylee in Snowflake

2008-09-30T22:10:00.000-07:00

Pinetop Car show

2008-09-30T22:08:00.001-07:00

This car show was awesome! We couldn't take pictures of all the cars there were just too many these are a few of them!

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Our Cabin Trip

2008-09-30T21:45:00.002-07:00

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We went on a trip since we have never done a family trip. We decided to go up to Carlos and Yvette's cabin. It was nice the weather was perfect. Russell came up with us and we visited his family. His mom was Spencer's social studies teacher in junior high. Then we were able to see the Snowflake Temple and it was gorgeous. We had a nice time just our family.

Visiting Teaching

2008-09-24T17:24:00.002-07:00

Oh my gosh, visiting teaching was soooo awesome today! We all have kids, my companion and I and one of the sisters we teach. We went to visit her and it happened to be a half day at school so Rylee was home, and my companion had kids home as well from school. So all our kids, except Connor got to go over and man did we have a blast. We all got to talk about problems we were having. All the while our kids had so much fun playing. We didn't have any problems with the kids. We all had fun when we were done. We were there for an hour and a half! We all really need to get together and have play dates!!!!

A New Job!!

2008-09-20T15:36:00.002-07:00

Spencer finally had a call back from one of the many hospitals and facilities we have applied him at. It was John C. Lincoln Deer Valley campus. We are so excited!! He was given the weekend to think about it and then call them back on Monday! Well of course the answer is yes!!! We are so stoked!! We can finally move forward!

It's a sad, sad day...

2008-09-19T13:08:00.005-07:00

I was reading Lindsay Lohan's blog on her calling out VP candidate Palin just to see what she had to say. Its a sad sad day when you see that people blindly follow people just because they are a certain color or you think that they just talk pretty or whatever. Some of the comments made on her blog were outrageous. There was a black guy calling us racist when all along he was calling us names and mocking the way we look. Racism goes both ways and as far as I am concern he was the racist one. I mean how did some comments that Lohan made that were not true, but how did it turn into a debate about who is better whites or blacks. I am sorry but you can't tell me I am racist just because I am not voting for a black guy. His color has nothing to do with my decision. My decision is based off his character, what he stands for, and how well he knows the people that supports him. I am sorry I relate better to Palin. She is a mother, especially a mother of a handicapped child, which I am. She has learned the balance between motherhood and her career. She has had to face challenges with her children that most of the world is facing. And as for McCain, I respect him for what he has gone through in the past. I respect him for all the years he has put into politics. He has a good resume behind him and has more experience than Obama. I know Palin doesn't have as much experience, but she isnt running for President like Obama she is just second. I don't know why this all has to do with racism, its sad that people think it has to do with it. I am just sticking to my beliefs is all I am saying.

Learning

2008-09-15T22:35:00.002-07:00

So I have been getting an itch to take some classes at the college, but we dont have the money right now to do that. I can feel my head going ugh. I needed a challenge, so the other day I was looking to see if there was such a thing as free language classes. So I googled it and this company popped up. You can download it to your computer for free. And it is legit! So I was scrolling to see what languages jumped at me and Finnish was one. I chose this because its an odd language, nothing like it no where else is it spoken but Finland and second was because of geneology purposes. So I am learning Finish. As of right now I know all the days of the week, colors, some animals and some greetings. I am so excited and the challenge has been exhilarating!! So my head is very happy and we arent out any money and I get to do this whenever I want in the comforts of my home!

Know This, That Every Soul Is Free

2008-09-15T22:13:00.002-07:00

Know this, that every soul is free to choose his life and what he'll be; For this eternal truth is giv'n: That God will force no man to heav'n. He'll call, persuade, direct aright, And bless with wisdom, love, and light, In nameless ways be good and kind, But never force the human mind. Freedom and reason make us men; Take these away, what are we then? Mere animals, and just as well The beasts may think of heav'n or hell. May we no more our pow'rs abuse, But ways of truth and goodness choose; Our God is pleased when we improve His grace and seek his perfect love.

This hit the other day when singing it. I think it is my new favorite hymn.

Majestic

2008-09-10T20:28:00.002-07:00

Today as I was driving down first avenue which leads right straight to the Temple. So as I was driving toward the Temple head on I noticed that the air was clean and that you could see the mountains really clear. It made it look like they were just behind the temple. So there was God's creation beautiful as ever behind the house of the Lord. As I was getting closer just passing through Mesa Drive then all of of a sudden the temple was lit by the sun but everything else remained in the shadow of the looming dark clouds that threatened storm.Then on the way home tonight there was this amazing lightening storm. It was breath taking. Lightening was striking every which way and lighting up the sky with streaks of blue and white! There is where the true beauty of the desert lies. There is nothing else like it anywhere.

Life

2008-09-09T20:14:00.002-07:00

Life can be interesting sometimes. As I watch everyone and their struggles it reminds you to pray. When you pray you can feel peace and you remember your blessings. There are a lot of people around me going through trials just as Spencer and I are. Lately I have been just thinking about ours and why ours aren't even cared about by others. Today I read about a couple who were in a private plane crash and one of them is burned over about 38 % his body and the wife was burned around 80 % of her body. Her kids are in Utah with family and that has to be hard. Hard on the people taking care of them and hard on the kids. A sister that has the three older, and has a newborn reminded me of Pres. Hinckley's saying by his father, "Forget yourself and go to work." I need to do more service to help myself feel better and so that my family can be blessed. Also along with that I need to stop murmuring about my trials. Even though they come one right after another. They are learnig experiences and this life isnt meant to be easy.

Bowling Craziness

2008-08-31T22:20:00.003-07:00

We went bowling with Claudia and Russell the other day and we decided to goof off on the last game and this it was Claudia chose to do.

Electric!

2008-08-28T19:47:00.003-07:00

Tonight there is a really beautiful lightening storm. I love these kinds of storms. Unfortunately I get pain with them and I get all static all over. But they are awesome!!!

Movie Night!

2008-08-28T15:39:00.001-07:00

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Raining Days

2008-08-14T21:37:00.002-07:00

Man today the storm kicked my butt! I kept passing out watching the olympics. When a storm comes in I get all drugged like and I can't stay consious. Its a pain. Poor Rylee was trying to play with me and I kept falling asleep on her. Luckily as soon as it started raining it lifted hte heaviness off of me and I felt a little better. But I do love the rain and the way the gray clouded sky makes the things that are green look even greener.

Movie Night

2008-08-13T07:59:00.003-07:00

Last night we had a blast. Our friend Russ came over and Crystal came over as soon as her parents were home so that she could put her kids in bed and come over. It was about 9 pm when she finally came over. We put on the new kid and we ate pizza. Sounds funny cause it wasn't the weekend or anything. We had the best time, I hope we can do again sometime. We took a picture of Russ holding a baby doll and feeding it. Rylee kept passing her dolls off to him and subconsciously he just held it there and fed it its bottle. It was sweet! Anyhow I hope we can do this again and with more friends ie Rissa and some others!

Olympics

2008-08-10T17:35:00.002-07:00

Ok all I can say is go Michael Phelps, you rock hottie!! I am a big fan of his and he is a dang fast swimmer!!!

School Days!

2008-08-08T21:48:00.002-07:00

This week has been nice. The kids started school wednesday!! They have had so much fun riding the bus and meating new friends. Spencer and I have been enjoying not having kids for part of the morning. At first we didn't know what to do with ourselves. But of course slowly things that need to be done come along. Spencer has been studying to become a registered respiratory therapist. He studies for part of the morning. I also was able to finish the last novel in the twilight saga, "Breaking Dawn". Great saga!!! Its nice to be able to have some along time with Spencer. We never have it. And we have never had it in our marriage. We got pregnant with Connor right away and when I was pregnant, I worked when he was home and I was home when he worked. So...We actually get to have sometime to ourselves!!!

Breaking Dawn

2008-07-25T21:01:00.002-07:00

So as the pathetic book reader that I am, I pre-ordered breaking dawn from walmart. It was half off so I thought it would be ok. It says its suppose to come to me on the 2nd, but I dont know if it will. I still hope though. And it said that shipping was free but I am not sure if it really is cause its being shipped straight to me. But I am sooooooo excited for Breaking Dawn!!

Twilight

2008-07-21T20:55:00.001-07:00

So I tried to stay away from the twilight saga because I wanted to be different and I new I would get hooked. SO what do I do I pick up a twilight book and start reading! Now I am addicted!! Dang it.

Humility

2008-07-13T17:04:00.003-07:00

Don't you hate when you are put in your place with your scripture study? I just opened my scriptures randomly to read to my children. Well, just previously someone had really made me frustrated and I have been working on this for sometime. It is an on going thing. Well, when I opened up it was 2nd Nephi. It is Nephi's psalm as I like to call it. It made me feel so much better but it also brought me to my knees. I have been working hard everyday to not be frustrated with this person ever since I read this. I have learned many lessons in patience. I hope I am able to over come this and I will always remember this experience.