The Reason for the Season

I went to the temple the other night and the nativity there is so simple, yet amazing. I am overcome by emotion as I contemplate Mary and her baby...our Savior, Jesus Christ. I wish you all a very Merry CHRISTmas!

100 Things

Copy and paste it into your blog and then just bold the things you've done!
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis - I did this yesterday!
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Gone on a hot air balloon ride
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (Pig Latin- FLUENT!)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake - my finger did!
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

Our Oceanside Staycation

Jacob took this picture

in front of the resort

Little feet, oh how sweet.

Joshua

Noah

Jacob

Noah

Jacob

all my boys

My First Trip to Bates Nut Farm

I think the pictures say enough.

Joshua's Safari Party 10-4-08

Wood Badge

Dirk recently went to Wood Badge for Scouts. It's basically the equivalent of an adult Eagle Project, intensified. He's with his fellow Antelopes here after winning the rocket challenge. Go Antelopes! I'm so proud of him.

Joshua's Birthday

Joshua was SO excited for his 4th birthday. He loved his presents.

This picture was taken as he was looking up at his umbrella. Don't you love his messy face?!

He loved blowing his candles out. He was so proud of himself. He had shear joy exuding from his little being.

I still can't believe he has 4 candles on that cake...where does the time go?

Miss Chloe

I just love this photo. She was barely 2 months old here. Yeah, I need to catch up this blog...

Halloween Time

One of my favorite times of the year is Halloween. I love that it means that Thanksgiving and Christmas will soon be here. I love that it usually means that the weather will cool down, and feel like Autumn. I love that. I also love decorating for Halloween. This is what my piano looks like this year. I took this photo after all my kids were asleep. Dirk wasn't home yet, and the house was dark and quiet. I love this time of night. It's so peaceful. Well, I didn't know what to do with myself so I grabbed the camera and played with the settings until I figured out how to take a cool picture in the dark without flash. I love how this picture looks.

Why?

Can someone please explain to me the appeal of repeatedly filling up the bathroom sink, adding hand soap, and dipping your head in the mix? This way I'd be able to figure out 2 of my kids a little better!

Pass the Butter, Please

I heard a crinkly sound one day so I went to investigate, and this is what I discovered. A butter thief!

Needless to say, I made him put the butter back so he flipped out in his 2-year-old sort of way and flopped on his bed where his silky blanket was.

A minute later he felt much better, but honestly, have you ever seen sadder puppy dog eyes? ;o)

Snuggly

I just caught them in a cute and cuddly moment while they were watching a movie in Jacob's room. I sure do love my boys.

MY HERO!!!

I just have to say that I LOVE MY HUSBAND, and I KNOW he loves me too. Look! I even have proof!!!

I love mowing the lawn, but about a year ago, my dear lawn mower stopped working while I was using it. Ooops! So we ended up buying an electric mower off craigslist and I didn't like it at all! I missed my gas mower so much. :o(

One day while cleaning out our garage I noticed we still had the gas mower collecting dust and who knows what else, so I just put it on the curb and someone took it.

A while later, I noticed what looked like my old gas mower in front of my neighbors house. The person who took it brought it back!

Dirk took it as a sign I guess and said he'd try to fix it. Later that night I heard a noise outside, followed by Dirk coming in and asking me follow him. He pulled the starter and it was the most glorious noise I ever heard!!!!!!!!!! My mower was back!!! He even took the blade off and sharpened it and everything. See...TRUE LOVE! ;o)