Finding a Path Again

It has been so long since I wrote anything on here. not that there haven't been things going on in our lives, but for some reason I closed myself and our family life off to this venue. I am saddened to think of all the wonderful things that I did not capture on here. Such as our incredible garden that looked like the garden of Eden. My Father in law finding and marrying a wonderful woman. I finally did something that I should have done at least 11 years ago which is I got my GED! That was huge! We went through another doggy who was sweet and kind but I was allergic to.

Some of the biggest life moments were, an accident Dan and the kids were in. It totaled the burb. We did Foster Care for three kids. We really struggled, but also grew a lot too. Dan and I had some black months after that. All most all of the kids will have had a birthday and grown way to big! I have done a ton of projects around the house to make this house my home. Those are still on going. I feel someday it will get there.

Most of all through this last year I have been on my own journey. I have learned a LOT about myself, who I want to be, where I want to be going, and how I want to get there.

I have defiantly found my own two feet and use them often. This journey or path that I started on started a long time ago, long before I was married or had kids. But as some of you may know, things get a little fuzzy as you try to discover who you are with this new "thing' of being a wife and a mother. Never was it bad, but just a different path for a while. I have felt a new awaking in my life, a more Organic self! I love that change or just a remembering of what I really want in life!

As this has opened up new thoughts and dreams it has also opened up new frustrations too! How to go from one extreme to another without serious war wounds to show for it, or how to bring everyone along with me. But for the first time I have hope for doing it and having success! I guess I just needed to start somewhere, and I guess tonight it is on here! So here is to a renewed commitment of writing and sharing myself and my family! Here is to old thoughts with new feelings

Isaac

Not much of a post just that I miss my Isaac! He is about to head over to the Phillipines soon. I was so excited for him to go on a mission!! But I am also very surprised at just how much I miss him! Like really miss him!! That's all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had so many things to be Grateful for this holiday season! The three at the top of the list of course is the Gospel, our Friends and Our Family!!
So from Our Family to Yours, Happy Thanks Giving!!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

So the snow came just in time for the Holidays! Starting on Saturday we were pounded with our frist REALLY heavy storm of the year! We did have a smaller one before we left on a vaccation but it did melt quickly. It came down hard! Lots of winds! TONS of snow! And of course we live in Idaho so Wayyyyyy below freezing temperatures! Most of us hunkered down and listened to Holiday music! But not this man! He waits for this all year and comes up with reasons to go out!!

Look closely he has icicles on his goatee and mustache!! So handsome! ( He can't even see me holding the camera!!)

So it was a good storm! But as everyone knows its the calm after the storm and the beauty it brings that is always incredible!!
Our windows look Stunning!!

The crazy drifts!!

Our buried swingset

The snow pelting our kitchen window!

The sunset the day of the storm!!

Stay warm!!!

Potty Training! #4

This face is cute!! This is the face of our baby! She knows she is the baby and yet she over all has been the easiest of all 4 of them! Which is irony because Dan and I were not wanting to be pregnant yet and her pregnancy was my hardest. And yet it delivered her to us! the sweetest cutest little girl! Ahhhhhhhhh................... ( thinking about her as a tiny baby!)

Sorry got off on the cute face! This cute girl is potty training! She is (not shocking) the easiest of all of them on that too! There is something soooooo cute about going from the big bulky diaper to the cute little panty bum! So wish us luck this week and weeks to come that MOM will stick with it and lilly will too!!

9 years flew by fast!!

I can't believe my baby is 9 years old! I still remember all of his First's! Of course the day he was born was the most incredible and amazing experience of our lives!! He was healthy and perfect!
Then when he started to learn to walk. His first Christmas! His first trick or teating Halloween! Swimming in Arizona and jumping in! Potty training (I thought it would never happen!)!
And now here we are, 9 years later! When they tell you it goes to fast it does! I am sad that those baby years are over with him and yet sooooo excited to see him growing into a little man!! He and I have a special bond that I am so thankful for! He makes me laugh all the time! And he is always quick to help me with something!! So here is to the next 9 years, may they slow down a little more, but be filled with the same kind of joys and excitment!!

Family Pictures

So I love family pictures! I love the way my walls are covered with Pictures of my family and watching them grow with each new one! I love trying different looks and ideas and I love framing them and putting them up!!
However, I hate actually trying to be in and take our family photo! someone usually doesn't want to smile or act normal or hold still! And someone is usually yelling and screaming and freaking out! And that someone is usually me!

It's one thing taking a picture of someone and asking them to do something or trying to get them to do something! it is another thing all together being on the other side of the lens and having NO control of my kids and their faces and body positions (not to mention my sweet husband!)! Oh it makes me crazy!!!!!

So even though I Have a beautiful family, family pictures are a crazy event at our house!! No matter how "Beautiful" the end result is, the memories are not so sweet and loving! Lots of bribes, cussing, yelling, begging, crying, and fake smiles goes in to them!

And if we hung up real family pics, one of these would be on my wall! Instead we have some that turned out a little less honest!!