Christmas lights

For Corey's birthday I took him out to dinner in Salt Lake and afterward we went to Temple Square to see the lights. I won't lie tonight was really fun! We had so much fun just being together as a family. Derek and I met up with Corey after work and Derek thought he was pretty cool to be able to pick up daddy. Now we have worn Derek out what do you think? I hope Corey had a good birthday since we have been celebrating it for the last 3 days, we opened presents and had cake at my parents house, Sunday I made him dinner and then tonight. But so I'm so lucky to have him as my husband! But Corey you better enjoy your last year in your twenties cuz next year your thirty!  Sorry the pictures were taken with a phone so they are a little grainy.

Thanksgiving and Christmas

Thanksgiving really was so much fun this year. We were at my Parents house and just had fun together. All the grand-kids were there including my very new little niece and I was so excited to see her. Derek just told me though that he wished that she was a boy. I think he is finally starting to grasp that he is the only boy cousin. We had an amazing dinner with so much food, but oh it was so good. Corey that morning had to replace his starter but I was so proud of him he did it in under 2 hours, I'm sure he could picture other ways to spend his morning but I feel very lucky that he can do some of those things and save us money. My sister Cedar and I did black friday shopping and this was my first experience ever and we went to Wal-Mart. That is one crazy place full of people who will do just about anything for the deal. Cedar and I were very successful though and got all the items that we wanted. I was so proud of myself!
Luckily now I'm completely done with Christmas shopping and all I have left to do is Christmas cards. Woo Hoo!! I've never been done this early and I'm absolutely loving it. Earlier this week for Family Home Evening we went to a concert put on by the Utah Symphony at Thanksgiving Point. It was a family friendly concert so we got to take Derek. He loves music so we wanted to see how he would do, and he did really well. He wasn't a super big fan of the "slow" Christmas songs he liked the faster ones that he could bounce too. We had so much fun, and were so excited to be able to go to something like that for a very reasonable price.
We had to buy a smaller tree that would fit in our apartment, and Derek had so much fun helping me put up the ornaments and I loved the fact that this tree was pre-lit and this tree was decorate in less time that it normally take me to just put the lights on the old one.
At this point we are pretty much done with the crazy Christmas things that happen like work parties etc. and Corey and I are pretty excited to just enjoy Christmas now. I've been trying to make sure that I focus with Derek more the real reason for Christmas and how Christmas is really a "Birthday Party for Jesus" this has helped a little bit in teaching him that because of this amazing person we have a party to remember the day that he was born. This has really made me reflect on the real reason for Christmas. I love the present and everything but honestly more importantly I'm realizing the love of giving. It just makes me happy to watch people to open something that I gave them. Hope everybody is having an amazing Christmas just like we are.

Invaded

Ever wondered what happens at my house while I'm getting ready for the
day? My Room gets invaded by Thomas the train. Yes he does build them
all himself!

Thankful

So lately I've been thinking about the holidays and how I want them to go. Well as always Corey and I will probably not be getting each other much because we need things like tires, brakes, etc. But honestly that is just fine. This year I'm going to try really hard to create a more Christ Centered Christmas. I want to teach Derek that Christmas just isn't about Santa, and especially where Christmas is on a Sunday really remind him why we have this special Holiday. This year I have purchased a advent nativity Calendar so hopefully Derek will be reminded every day the real reason for Christmas. I'm excited to Decorate my cute little apartment. We are planning on buying a new Christmas tree and of course just having something new to decorate will be fun. I also purchased at the end of Christmas last year an Advent wreath. I was inspired by President Uchtdorf's talk last year when he talked about one of his Catholic traditions growing up. They talked about a wreath that had candles and how every Sunday before Christmas they would light one and then read certain scriptures that pertain to the symbolism of that particular Candle. Obviously I've decided to change it up just a little bit, to be a little more Mormon doctrine based but this is what I came up with 4 gifts that our Savior has given us.

White Candle - The Gift of the Holy Ghost - This gift can truly make all of our lives so much easier if we will only head his promptings.
Red Candle - Repentance - the ultimate gift that we can receive from our Savior Jesus Christ.
Green Candle - Eternal Life & Eternal Families - How lucky we are to be together not just for this life for the life hereafter.
White Candle - Peace - we always sing about peace on earth, this may not happen, but we can have peace in our hearts and in our families.
Each Family Home Evening I want to focus on this, I realize that it will be very simplified and will only get more involved as Derek gets older. But I think with a few cookies or treats and some Hot Chocolate this could really be a fun tradition for our family.

I also want him to know why Thanksgiving is special. Honestly Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite holidays. There is lots of food, fun, and family. I love to just spend time with my family and get to make memories. I hoping to find a fun activity that I can do with the kids to remind them about why and what we are thankful for. So if you have any great miraculous ideas please feel free to pass them on. I really do get a little sad that because of the commercialism of Christmas we have forgotten Thanksgiving and that we have a time to celebrate what we have to be thankful for every year. Every year we get a chance to take a whole day and truly celebrate the blessing that we have. Well I know I have much to be thankful for:
I have a wonderful husband who has worked so hard to provide his family with a loving home. He treats me like a queen regardless of how much money we have, I know that without a doubt he still loves me. He is my rock and I'm so grateful for the worthy priesthood holder that he is and how he teaches me. He has truly lived up to his promise to always make me laugh every day.
I'm grateful for a son who everyday makes me laugh, he is truly a wonderful blessing in my life and I'm so lucky to be his Mom.
I'm so grateful for parents who taught me the gospel, and taught me how to find my own testimony.
I'm thankful for the many wonderful friends who influence me and help me to be a better person by there service to me and by the service that I'm allowed to give to them.
I'm thankful for siblings who are always there when you need them and who can always make me laugh.
Most of all I'm thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for the gift of repentance because this allows me to be a little bit better person every single day.

My little Percy the Train

New Pics

 A Couple of weeks ago my Sister Dani took new pictures of Derek and they turned out perfectly.  She did such a wonderful Job, if you want to see her other works you can visit her website at capturedbydaniem.smugmug.com.  Thanks Dani I love these they are perfect!  You are so talented Dani thanks again!  I Can't wait to get these printed off and put up in the house.

An Update

So these last several weeks have been quite hectic for our family.  At the beginning of September Derek started Preschool Boo hoo.  He just didn't even care when he walked in and honestly I walked out almost bawling.  I was so excited to see him grow up and move to the next stage in life, but I was so sad.  I'm really losing my little boy, he is growing up.  Derek has such a personality these days, we have full conversations and we argue with real words, sometimes I catch myself wondering if it was better when I didn't know what he was saying. 

Derek's First Day of Preschool

Another thing that has happened for us recently was that we moved.  We finally got the chance to move into our new apartment. We were so excited to finally get this all taken care of.  Thank you to Nate and Jen for letting us store all of our extra stuff that wont fit in your basement.  That really helped out a lot.  During our move though a terrible thing happened I broke my foot.  Me being so tired of dragging boxes down the stairs and honestly just being in a hurry and kind of a bad mood, I fell down the stairs to break my foot.  I had to go get x-rays and everything, but all I can say is for that whole time that Corey was laid off and we didn't have health insurance at least we did have insurance now.  Now I get to walk around with this ugly thing for the next several weeks. Oh well, I guess it could be worse right? 

This thing is starting to get obnoxious!

We are finally starting to get all settled into our home.  This last weekend we actually headed to Wyoming and were able to get a few things done for Carol and Joe.  We also brought back Blaze.  Blaze is Corey's dog that we had when we first got married.  For the last 4 years Blaze has been living with Carol and Joe, since we couldn't find an apartment that was within our price range and not in a terrible neighborhood that would accept pets.  But we finally have changed that situation.  Corey is so excited to have his dog back and Derek won't leave her alone.  Derek thinks Blaze should be his little buddy that follows him around.  Well Blaze is now 7 years old and she doesn't have same spunk that the little puppy does that also lives at the house where we are renting the apartment.  Roxy is only a couple months old, she is cute and spunky.  Blaze on the other hand is still spunky, but only when she wants to be and that normally only happens when they are outside and she is finding new things.
Corey and I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary, luckily we celebrated a couple of weeks before, since I broke my foot the night of our anniversary moving!  I know that is how all of you plan on celebrating your next anniversary!  Corey took me to see the play Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream-coat and we went to the Cheesecake Factory.  The play was incredible, the food was really good, and well the cheesecake was divine.  We had a wonderful time, and it was so nice to just to spend some time together by ourselves.  
So that is the nutshell version of our lives, but at least I have gotten everybody up to date!

9/11 How I Remember it.

It has been ten years since that day that completely changed our country.  It sometimes seems so long ago, yet I remember that day so vividly that when I think about it, it feels just like yesterday.  I thought that I would post my memories of the Day here so that I had a record of it for my children.  This is not meant to be a downer post just the ability for me to share with posterity how I felt on that day. I realize that just as I would talk to my grandparents about World War 2 and the great depression, my kids and grandkids would probably ask me about September 11, 2001.
That morning I was living in Logan, Utah a Junior attending Utah State University and I worked as an Intern at the local Merrill Lynch branch.  I had to be to work at 8:00am so I normally was up way before my other roommates.  I always turned the radio on in my bathroom and listened to music as I was getting ready for my day.  I remember listening to radio wondering what was going on as there was no music playing.  As I started listening more intently I realized that they were describing the terrible horrific event of the planes crashing into the World Trade Centers.  Now because of the time difference many of the events of that day had already occurred before I even woke up that morning. My first reaction was honestly thinking back to my history classes and wondering if this was some weird remake of  "War of the Worlds."  Finally I got so curious that we out into our living room and turned on the TV only to the horrible pictures of those big sky scrappers on fire.  I was just shocked.  I stared at the TV forever, it seemed like I couldn't turn away.  I had a roommate name Melinda, I honestly can't remember her last name.  She was a free spirit type and one of the few direct comments that she made was "Oh, how I wish Al Gore was in office and not George Bush."  I remember saying out loud how grateful I was we had Pres. Bush.  I remember thinking Oh No, I better get to work, this could be a very crazy day.  I got to work and shortly after we were informed that the stock market was closing for security reasons.  On our computer screens at work they had a live feed of CNBC pulled up on the computer and I remember all of us just huddled around the computer watching this terrible acts of violence unfold we watched the images of The Pentagon and then heard about United Flight 93.  The company I worked for had their national headquarters in New York like so many other companies, but it wasn't until my branch manager told me that our headquarters were actually in The World Trade Center that it hit me that this could affect me more than I thought and would later come to realize.  As were watching out computer screen something horrific happened the first tower collapsed and then our computers froze and what was on our computers was just a picture of that very depressing image.  I will never forget starting to see it fall like so many others but it stayed permanently on our screens. I was shocked!  I couldn't believe what I was watching.  I remember thinking how could we the Powerhouse of the world let this happen on our own soil.  I remember having feelings of anger and sadness. How could this happen and who could really hate us this much.  I've now come to understand and realize just how naive I really was. Shortly after the towers fell we got the call from Salt Lake City that we were to close our doors for the day and we would be given more instructions tomorrow of what to do.  So I went home and continued to watch the coverage there.  I really don't remember if they still held classes that day, or if I went.  I do remember the feeling that I just needed to talk to my family.  I just had this overwhelming feeling to let my parents know just how much I loved them.  I believe that many of those feelings came from realizing that there were so many people that died that day that didn't get their chance to say goodbye or their chance to say one more time I Love You.  In the coming days life slowly came back to normal.  The stock market reopened the following Monday, and it was a stressful time at work.  Of course this stress didn't affect me directly, but I remember thinking our world will never be the same, and of course it isn't.  The following days there was 24/7 coverage of the tragedy and honestly after a while you just had to turn it off, it was just to sad.
We have a new way of life especially when it comes to Air Travel.  We will always look differently and I'm sure like many other for at least the first couple of weeks if not for the rest of our lives we will always think just a little bit differently about the sounds of an airplane jet overhead. We seem to be in a never ending state of war fighting those who would want nothing more than to harm this beautiful country that we live in.   Now even though those events were so sad there was also stories of heroism, love, and kindness that came out of that day and touched me deeply.  I remember hearing for the first time and the acts of the passengers of United Flight 93, they were not going to let these hijackers cause any more pain than they already had, they fought back and ultimately won, even though they lost their lives.  I still cry at hearing about the stories of those who talked until batteries died on cell phone with their loved one who were trapped in the towers and the overwhelming sense of love that was given.   I was greatly touched by the stories of heroism from the public safety officers of New York.  So many lost their lives, but not before they had helped countless others.  Now I'm married to a firefighter and it scares me some when I realize and know that he would be one of those that would run into the building no questions asked and he could possibly lose his life, luckily we live in a small town and he is only on a volunteer department, but needless to say he has that type of mentality and yet I love him for that.
I remember finding so much peace from the leaders of the Church afterwords.  Their were countless vigils all across the country but a talk by then President Gordon B. Hinckley given at the Tabernacle was particularly touching. 
“Dark as is this hour, there is shining through the heavy overcast of fear and anger the solemn and wonderful image of the Son of God, the Savior of the World, the Prince of Peace, the exemplar of universal love, and it is to Him that we look in these circumstances. It was He who gave His life that all might enjoy eternal life” (from an address given on September 11, 2001, in the Tabernacle on Temple Square).  
I remember listening so intently to General Conference which was only three weeks after this terrible tragedy and I remember just wanting to feel "safe"  I learned that conference that we are the only ones who can make ourselves "safe."  We do this by complete obedience to the gospel, by doing the very best we can each day to be a better person and hopefully after a while we start to see a change within our selves.  I made a commitment that year that I would always try to say I Love You to those that mean so much to mean every time I  talked or visited with them, because you never know what tomorrow will bring. 
So, what have I learned from 9/11 I learned how short life can be, how much work I had and contine to have ahead of me to become the person that I want to, and most importantly a reminder of how much I love my family. 
Oh how this day changed our lives and the world that we now live in this event did change my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it made it stronger.  I was so grateful that I understood the Plan of Salvation and that families could be and were together forever.  I remember wishing that I could just tell all those who suffered so much loss and were so sad because they had lost their loved ones so suddenly.  That it would be OK and they could see them again.  Recently there was an Article written by President Thomas S. Monson in the Washington Post in it he writes:
"If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season. 
It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm."

A conversation with Derek

Derek came up to me this morning, showed me his mosquito bites. Then
told me they were little elbows. I tried to tell him they were
mosquito bites, but he was having nothing to do with that!

Corey's New Job

Yes, he has a new job.  He has actually had this one for a couple of weeks now.  There were so many times when we thought his temporary position would turn permanent, but apparently that wasn't the case.  We are preparing to move in the next couple of weeks, and it is no coincidence that everything is happening at the same time and here is why.
Corey had been laid off for about 8 months and we have been regularly fasting and praying that he would get a new job soon, but that didn't seem to be in the cards.  I went to work full time and Corey was an amazing stay at home Dad.  However, we began to feel like we needed to make some more changes in our lives.  Even with myself going full-time we were still struggling to make ends meet (I just don't make as much as he does).  Our Landlords then decided that they were going to put our home up for sale.  It still hasn't sold, but it I will tell you that it did light a fire for us to make some more dramatic changes.  We have been given the opportunity to move into our neighbors basement apartment.  Now the house is smaller, but we feel really good about it.  After we finally gave our Landlord our notice and we made the final decision that we were going to jump all in things changed for us.  Within four hours Corey got a call telling him that he got a new permanent position.  He is now working in downtown Salt Lake City at the City Creek project, he absolutely loves it except for the commute, which is over an hour one way.  So everything is changing for us, we are moving Corey started a new job, I'm cutting my hours back to more part-time and Derek is getting ready to start preschool.  But with change comes growth so we are excited for the next adventures that come into our lives.  Hopefully this time we can learn our lessons a little differently than with a layoff.  Thank you to all who have supported us during these trials.  We have had so many family and friends who have been our listening ears and shoulders to cry on during the frustrating times and our moments of insecurity.  We love you all and appreciate all that you have done for us.

Camping trip 2011

Our Cozy little tent

The Kids Playing in the tent

Cedar and Chris's cozy home for the night

We went Hiking and saw some amazing scenery, and Corey found a couple of fishing holes.

A Beautiful Waterfall

The Kids just wouldn't hold still to take a good picture

We had so much fun on our camping trip, we went up Santaquin Canyon to Tinney Flats and it was really a fun little place.  The kids had fun, and it was great to be in a place where we had absolutely no cell service.  We were alone.  My parents came up Friday night and had dinner with us.  Chris cooked some amazing Tin Foil Dinners.  I completely forgot my camera, so the only pictures that I could take were from my phone, so I guess it was good that I at least had it.  I will admit, it would have been a better trip if I hadn't had been so cold at night, I just needed a little bit better sleep.  Oh well, we still had a little family vacation.  That morning we cooked a massive breakfast and I don't think that I had ever had hashbrowns and eggs that ever tasted that good.  Once again, Chris was the cook and I could tell he was happy just to be cooking outdoors.  Camping is really his thing. The kids were so mad when we had to leave, but we had to get home so we could all get ready for Maybel's 1st birthday party. 

First real fishing trip

Back in July Corey took Derek  on his very first fishing trip.  They borrowed my Sister Cedar and her husband Chris's Canoe and went out to the little reservoir that was out by their house in Santaquin.  Derek absolutely loved it and was so excited when Corey took him to Wal-mart to buy him his very own Lightning McQueen Fishing Pole.  Corey says that Derek actual learned to real and cast pretty quickly and Corey had a grin on his face the whole way home.  I know that this is something that Corey has wanted to do his whole life.  He has always thought about the time that he would get to take his boy fishing.  They had a lot of fun, didn't catch anything, but Derek was super patient and wasn't even worried about the fact that they didn't even bring home a fish.  Derek talked about it for several days and still asks about going fishing every time we go to Cedar and Chris's house.  I'm so glad that these boys are such good friend as I know that this relationship has got to help us as one Derek will get bigger and think that we aren't as cool as we have fooled him into thinking. 

Beating the Heat

So, One Saturday afternoon we decided that we would fore go all the typical Saturday chores, and we would head to the mountains to escape the heat.  We packed a picnic and away we went.  We drove up Payson Canyon and really just had a lot of fun.  Most importantly we found where we wanted to camp the following weekend.

Derek and I decided that we would cool off, by dipping our feet in the still very cold water.

Corey reminded me this day that these kind of pictures are the reason why he is still living in Utah.  This kind of scenery you just don't find anywhere else.

Derek just had to try to fish, even though the water was running to fast if he could at least cast, he wouldn't care if he actually caught something.

We have no idea who these people where that kept getting in our pictures, they just kind of showed up and wouldn't leave us alone.  Weird.

The Spanish Fork Rodeo

My Dad was kind enough to get us all tickets to see the Spanish Fork Rodeo.  I love Rodeo's and Derek thought it was pretty cool. Thanks Dad again, for the fun times, we really do have so much fun just hanging out with the family.

The Grandparents

Nate and Jen

The Harding's

The Gambling's - I was so shocked how well Maybel did.

We had great seats and weren't sitting in the sun.

We found this hat for sale after the Rodeo and well I will admit that it took all I had not to spend that $30.  Doesn't Derek look just so cute.

These are some very tired kids.