WOW! It sure has been a long time since we have updated the blog. In a nutshell, my father passed away, we moved, got different jobs, starting a new business, Annie, Joe and I were sealed together and more in love than ever.
One of the biggest life altering changes we experienced this last year was the passing of my father. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and we were expecting the normal prolonged moments of forgetting stuff. His children all got together and threw an anniversary party for my parents knowing it was the last one he might remember, little did we know it would be his last one ever. We invited so many friends and extended family to help celebrate this special occasion. The was in June, and he was up dancing to their first dance song and visiting with everyone, by the time August rolled around he was in a wheelchair unable to walk around. The last time he was out of the house September 23 the day of our sealing. October approached and he was bed-ridden and on November 6 he passed away with all of his family at his side. His services were held nearby and my buddy Nathan Osmond sang an original rendition he wrote of "Come Thou Fount."
The house we were living in for the past two years (the landlord let it go) was foreclosed on and we were given 30 days to move. During this month is when my father passed away so our searching was hampered by that. We tried so hard to stay in American Fork but there was nothing available. We posted on Facebook that we were in need of a place and one of Annie's friends posted that the house behind her was available but it was in Pleasant Grove. We decided to at least go check it out and we fell in love with the place. It is twice as big as out last place, finished basement, kids have their own room and some of the BEST neighbors in the world.
I am on loan to Novell as a technical support agent, nothing at all like my last technical support job. My last one I worked with the end-user and i am sorry I have very little to no patience with those who cant figure the simple stuff out. At Novell I am working with IT professionals, programmers and engineers and I LOVE it. i am only on loan to them for one year.
I am in the process of starting up a business working with insurance agents to help people claim assets lost due to fire, flood or other similar events
On September 23, 2012 (as mentioned above) Annie and I were sealed together for time and all eternity in the Provo Temple. We then had Joe sealed to us as well. The awesome thing about this day is not only the sealing, but the First Presidency gave the girls permission to be there to witness the sealing of their brother to us. So minus Kertlyn and Mahalee (my daughters that live with Nadia) we were all in the temple together as a family. Also as mentioned above it was the last time my father was able to leave the house pretty much on his own. Mark and I stole him and his wheelchair one day and went to Priesthood session of conference.
So many things have happened since we last updated this blog, I will try to not stay away this long again.
Wednesday, April 4
Thursday, August 26
Tag Team
After a year and a half of searching, I am so excited to announce that both Craig and I have jobs!! (Well, I haven't been searching that long. Craig has.) I have applied for tons of jobs with the school district over the last few years, and have been offered a few. The jobs never ended up working out, either because of the schedule, the pay, or better job offers. But when I started looking for work I knew that would be a good place to start. I told Craig about it too, and soon we had each applied for over 30 jobs. As the beginning of the school year approached, I began to receive phone call after phone call requesting that I be interviewed for lunch lady, janitor, and in-school suspension positions. In the last 3 days, I have had 8 interviews. It was exhausting. After an interview for a janitorial job at a high school, I told Craig about it. I was thinking it would be a perfect job for him rather than me, with the afternoon/evening schedule and the fact that it's a full-time position. So I sent him over to see if he could get an interview on the spot. They went ahead and talked to him about it, and afterward he felt pretty confident that they liked him, although they couldn't give him an answer without first speaking to the principal. Later that evening, Bob (one of the guys who interviewed me) gave me a call and asked if I would be upset if they hired my husband instead of me. He told me that they liked me as well though, and wanted to offer me a substitute position filling in when someone was sick or when Craig had to miss work to DJ. So as it turns out, we were both hired! We tag teamed the interview and now we're going to tag team the job. It was meant to be.
Craig also has another part-time job in the mornings at Digis, a local internet company. He hasn't started yet but he has been hired. I have had two interviews at Crazy 8 (a children's clothing store in the mall), and just got a phone call for a third. If they offer me the job, I will definitely take it! Who wouldn't want to work at a fun place and get a great discount at a store you already shop at?
For the first time in a very long time, I am finally feeling optimistic about our future. When you go through huge trials for such a long time, it's easy to brush off the encouraging words from loved ones like, "Everything happens on the Lord's time," and "You won't be given more than you can overcome." We have been paying our tithing, constantly looking for jobs, and trying so hard to have the faith required to get us through this. But it was getting to the point that just having faith wasn't going to pay our rent or our power bill or put gas in the car. He tested us to our breaking point, and there were so many times that I wondered how our family was going to survive another day. Which is another situation that proves what a good team Craig and I can be. When one of us didn't have the faith to go on, the other was able to have enough faith for the both of us. We got each other through it, and I don't think very many couples that have been married such a short time would be able to survive. We are stronger for it. And now we have so many job offers we don't know what to do with them all. I turned down another job on Tuesday, and even though Craig already has two jobs, he had an interview this morning for another one. I hate to admit when other people are right, but I must say that everything people kept saying to us was true. It's so incredibly frustrating when you don't think you will be able to take care of your children the way they deserve. And yes, I have had to cut back a lot on the things I have wanted to give them - allowing them to play fall soccer, take them shopping for new school clothes, and going out as a family for dinner or a movie. We just haven't had the money. But ten years from now, they won't remember that we weren't able to do all that. Kids don't know whether they're poor. And now I can be a better mom because I have been through something so hard and I'm coming out the other side stronger and happier. And that is something that they will remember.
Craig also has another part-time job in the mornings at Digis, a local internet company. He hasn't started yet but he has been hired. I have had two interviews at Crazy 8 (a children's clothing store in the mall), and just got a phone call for a third. If they offer me the job, I will definitely take it! Who wouldn't want to work at a fun place and get a great discount at a store you already shop at?
For the first time in a very long time, I am finally feeling optimistic about our future. When you go through huge trials for such a long time, it's easy to brush off the encouraging words from loved ones like, "Everything happens on the Lord's time," and "You won't be given more than you can overcome." We have been paying our tithing, constantly looking for jobs, and trying so hard to have the faith required to get us through this. But it was getting to the point that just having faith wasn't going to pay our rent or our power bill or put gas in the car. He tested us to our breaking point, and there were so many times that I wondered how our family was going to survive another day. Which is another situation that proves what a good team Craig and I can be. When one of us didn't have the faith to go on, the other was able to have enough faith for the both of us. We got each other through it, and I don't think very many couples that have been married such a short time would be able to survive. We are stronger for it. And now we have so many job offers we don't know what to do with them all. I turned down another job on Tuesday, and even though Craig already has two jobs, he had an interview this morning for another one. I hate to admit when other people are right, but I must say that everything people kept saying to us was true. It's so incredibly frustrating when you don't think you will be able to take care of your children the way they deserve. And yes, I have had to cut back a lot on the things I have wanted to give them - allowing them to play fall soccer, take them shopping for new school clothes, and going out as a family for dinner or a movie. We just haven't had the money. But ten years from now, they won't remember that we weren't able to do all that. Kids don't know whether they're poor. And now I can be a better mom because I have been through something so hard and I'm coming out the other side stronger and happier. And that is something that they will remember.
Sunday, August 15
Dance Festival
The girls school does a dance festival every year during the last week of school. This year, the first graders did the cutest dance to The Three Little Pigs song. Hayley wore a pink shirt, a pig hat, and a curly tail made out of a pink pipe cleaner. It was adorable.
"Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!"
Grrr! Intimidating the big bad wolves.
The third graders did the "Hoedown Throwdown" from the Hannah Montana movie. It was so dang cute! Kylee had to wear a western style shirt and a bandana. I can't believe how grown up she looks in this picture.
Zig zag, step, slide....
This is a bunch of us from the ward that found each other after the dance festival and ate lunch together. I just love our ward!
Cinco De Mustache
On Cinco De Mayo, our awesome neighbors the Neilsens invited us to a "Cinco De Mustache" party. They are so crazy and fun! Everyone had to wear mustaches, so we drew ours on with eyeliner.
Even Joe had one until he licked it off.
Even Joe had one until he licked it off.
There was a mustache contest and everyone got a prize. We won a set of custom etched mustache glasses! So awesome.
They had mustache shaped suckers and a mustache pinata.
Carla, the host of the party, wearing her mustache on her shirt.
Our friends Bret, Allan, Mark, Lindsay and John.
Monday, August 2
Don't You Quit
June 18, 2010
"Don’t you quit. You keep going. There is help and happiness at the end. Some blessings come sooner, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust god and believe in good things to come. " –Jeffrey R. Holland
It’s amazing how powerful such a simple statement can be. I am always moved by the talks given by our prophet and apostles, but this one is especially poignant right now. As I watched the video of Elder Holland’s talk on You Tube, it was as if he were here, speaking to me. As I have said in other posts, every time I start to doubt or lose faith, something always comes along and hits me between the eyes and I feel so foolish for asking "Why?" It’s so easy to lose sight of what’s really important, especially when there are so many worldly forces pressing down on us. Sometimes it seems like everything is going wrong and there is no relief in sight. But lately, I have been so blessed to have the constant companionship of the spirit and its calming influence. It has been remarkably easy for me to sail through the trials that seem to face me on a seemingly daily basis, and I know it’s because I have been trying so hard to do the things I’m supposed to do. Craig and I are preparing to go to the temple to be sealed to each other and our baby boy, and I am doing everything I can to ensure I am prepared to receive those blessings. As a result, I have been comforted and cared for in ways I never thought possible. Some of the challenges we have faced had left me spiritually drained and I was seriously questioning my purpose in this life. I never wanted to be one of those people who only prayed when life got really hard and they needed help, but at the time, I was. But I knew that He would help me if I asked, and since then he has given me more than I feel worthy of. It's a good feeling.
"Don’t you quit. You keep going. There is help and happiness at the end. Some blessings come sooner, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust god and believe in good things to come. " –Jeffrey R. Holland
It’s amazing how powerful such a simple statement can be. I am always moved by the talks given by our prophet and apostles, but this one is especially poignant right now. As I watched the video of Elder Holland’s talk on You Tube, it was as if he were here, speaking to me. As I have said in other posts, every time I start to doubt or lose faith, something always comes along and hits me between the eyes and I feel so foolish for asking "Why?" It’s so easy to lose sight of what’s really important, especially when there are so many worldly forces pressing down on us. Sometimes it seems like everything is going wrong and there is no relief in sight. But lately, I have been so blessed to have the constant companionship of the spirit and its calming influence. It has been remarkably easy for me to sail through the trials that seem to face me on a seemingly daily basis, and I know it’s because I have been trying so hard to do the things I’m supposed to do. Craig and I are preparing to go to the temple to be sealed to each other and our baby boy, and I am doing everything I can to ensure I am prepared to receive those blessings. As a result, I have been comforted and cared for in ways I never thought possible. Some of the challenges we have faced had left me spiritually drained and I was seriously questioning my purpose in this life. I never wanted to be one of those people who only prayed when life got really hard and they needed help, but at the time, I was. But I knew that He would help me if I asked, and since then he has given me more than I feel worthy of. It's a good feeling.
Friday, July 30
The Maze
Last night, Craig and I went to the premiere of our sister-in-law's new movie, The Maze. It's a story of 5 friends who decide to break into a corn maze after dark, when they think everyone's gone home. Little do they know, they are not alone. There's a killer lurking in the shadows, murdering people one at a time. I hate scary movies, so I didn't really want to go see it. I was just going to support Shalaina and spend time with Craig away from the kids. But I have to say that I ended up loving it! It's PG-13, so it wasn't too gory. It had just the right amount of suspense - enough to scare the crap out of me but not so much that I was afraid of the dark later that night when I got home. :) It is going straight to DVD on October 19, just in time for corn maze season and Halloween. It's definitely a must-see.
Shalaina plays Jordan, the main character who is being chased through the maze by a psycho killer in a red hood. We thought she did an excellent job. She is so talented and beautiful! We are so happy to see her living her dream and doing it successfully. She is definitely on her way to the top. We're so proud of her!
Friday, June 18
FHE
To celebrate Craig's parent's basement being finished, they invited us over for FHE (April 26, 2010). We had dinner, a service project, a lesson, ate ice cream, and enjoyed each other's company. Here's Mark barbecuing yummy carne asada for tacos, and in the background me and Sabra (although you can't see her) are weeding the front garden.
Hayley and Triston eating ice cream for dessert.
Grandpa and Joe hanging out in the garage, Grandpa's favorite place.
Hayley with her cute little gardening gloves and shovel, ready to help out with the yard work.
Talitha is always striking a pose :)
Joe adores his uncle Mark.
We are so thankful that we live close to our family and that we can spend time with them! They are the best!
Hayley and Triston eating ice cream for dessert.
Grandpa and Joe hanging out in the garage, Grandpa's favorite place.
Hayley with her cute little gardening gloves and shovel, ready to help out with the yard work.
Talitha is always striking a pose :)
Joe adores his uncle Mark.
We are so thankful that we live close to our family and that we can spend time with them! They are the best!Sitting up!
When Joseph decides he's ready to learn something, he just goes for it. He figured out how to balance when sitting up, and now that's all he wants to do! He doesn't fall down much either. What a cutie. April 10, 2010
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