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Showing posts from 2008
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When we got up on Christmas morning someone left a note and a dollar in my stocking. the note said "Dear Jenny, I hope you have the best of Christmases." I know my sweet Spencer got up and made me this card. He also made one for Tyler. Austin was also really cute. He made me a prayer rock and wrote a song complete with sheet music. It was 4 notes and it was called Pray any time. I love my sweet kids. Hailey was really cute because she was so excited about everything. Her voice was so loud and excited. She was excited for everyone. She is so fun. Ethan was a crab apple on Christmas morning. He wouldn't get up when the rest of the kids did, so I went down to wake him up. He didn't want to get up. I asked him if he wanted to come and see what Santa brought him and he said "no I don't, I'm tired and I'm not getting up." I told him that was fine but we were going to open presents without him (I thought for sure this would get him up). He

Mount St. Hepworth

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Between the snow and the wind blowing we have quite a mountain out there. Here is a pic of the mountain Is anyone up for a visit? Luckily we made it to Utah for a short trip and made it back we had major snow when we left and it just got worse yesterday.
Christmas 1997 Tyler and I have our first Christmas together. My first Christmas where I didn't get to see my family. We went up to Idaho because Tyler's Dad was going to be alone. We ended up picking up Tyler's dads on-line friend from Maine at the Salt Lake Airport. She brought some live lobsters to cook up. I didn't watch. Tyler gave me a pair of Doc Martin shoes. The most expensive shoes that I have ever owned. Christmas 1998 Our first Christmas in a house that we bought together, out in Magna. I found a Christmas tree a few days before Christmas at a tree lot that was just giving the left overs away. I was expecting Spencer at this time. I couldn't stand the smell of chocolate, and no way would I even consider eating it...lol Christmas 1999 Our first Christmas with Spencer. We were really poor since I quit my job when Spencer was a few months old. I remember all I bought for Spencer was a squeak toy from big lots for Christmas. Tyler gave m
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It's official, we have moved into our new bedroom! I'm so excited. Here is a pic of the new room. We don't have a working bathroom yet but we do have the flooring in. I can't wait for the bathroom to be done. Hopefully this week the cabinets will be installed and then the toilets :)
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In a good placeI don't know if I mentioned before but I am now the secretary in the Relief Society Presidency at our Church. The RS president used to help with the LDS 12 step program in our area. One time a few years ago when I questioned if I should let my brother come and live with me I called her. She was so level headed and gave me great advice. I remember her asking me what I was going to do when he came home high. Would I kick him out? I know whatever I did would certainly affect my kids, and I didn't really want that kind of influence on them. I remember I kept saying "what if I tell him he can't live with me and he dies, then it will be my fault." It is so interesting how time and experience can change your perspective.I am at a point in my life where I know that it doesn't matter what I say or do, my brother is going to do what he wants to do. I pray for him and I often reflect on the Serenity prayer (this is the same prayer they use at AA) God grant

Sweet Brig

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Brig has been such a sweet baby. He has been so patient and tollerant as I have been trying to get all of the painting done so that the carpet can be laid next week. I left a paint can down that I thought was empty and little Brig crawled over to it and had quite a bit of fun. Good thing he was already wearing a dirty onsie. Yes after this I just threw it away..lol Here is the other reason that his onsie was so dirty before the paint. I made brownies with Ethan and I let Brig lick the spatula. I don't normally just hand it to him but I had him in his high chair and decided that I didn't care. He licked the spatula before he got into the paint, just in case you wondered.
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On the 11th of November it was Veterans day. Our school puts on a really nice program for the veterans in our community. Spencer wanted me to call and ask my dad to come ( my dad was in the Utah Air National Guard ) of course he didn't tell me to invite my dad until the day before the program and my parents don't live close to us. So my dad wasn't able to make it. The program was so nice. All of the boys that are in the scouting program came in their uniforms and they had them wait by the doors and open them for us on our way in and our way out. They also had a really nice flag ceremony. I thought the program was so nicely done. The 4th, 5th and 6th grades sang all of the different songs that go with the area of military where you serve. They had all of the veterans stand when their song was sung and everyone in the audience would applaud them. I even felt emotional (I think I get that from my mom). I felt so grateful for the freedom that I have and for all of t

Halloween

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Halloween was fun this year. This is the first time that I haven't been a room mother to help with the Halloween parties. I kind of missed it but even more than missing the party I missed my family. I called to visit with my mom and most of my sisters and their children were over visiting. I wished that I could visit too. On Monday we did our annual pumpkin carving for family night. I put it off as long as I could because I hate the mess so bad. Here is a pic of my sweet Brig he is such a sweet baby. Here is Ethan the Elmo. He didn't want his picture taken..lol. Here is Hailey the Unicorn. Here is Austin the baby. He really loved dressing up as a baby. He crawled all around the Gym. He would have crawled trick or treating but I wouldn't let him. Here is Spencer he is dressed as Johnny Test. I told him not very many people would know who he is but he didn't care. Here is my last pic of all of the kids together. I should have turned the flash off I know the gla
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On the 13th of October my little Ethan turned 3! I can't believe he is 3 already. It seems like yesterday he was my baby. Ethan is sure a fun boy. I couldn't have imagined a more fun 2 year old. Another milestone in our lives has happened. Brig has stated walking :( He started walking right around the time he turned 9 months old. I wish he would have waited a little bit longer. I had a really hard time trying to get this picture. I would stand him up to take the pic and he would walk over to me before I could take the pic. Here is a pic of my sweet Brig after I took the pic and he came over to me.
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Things have been really busy lately. I have a lot of things that I keep meaning to add to my journal but more time keeps going by. Here are some updated house pics. The exterior is mostly done. WE still have to paint the doors and get garage doors. Here is the front Here is the back A couple of weeks ago I ordered a treadmill from Costco. It is just sitting in the garage waiting to be put together. I am waiting for carpet before WE get it put together, but I have to finish painting before we can do the carpet. The wall between the addition and our house is open now so we have so much more space now. It is exciting to see things really coming together.
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A little over a week ago we went to the Heber Valley Camp and stayed in some cabins with my family.I had been hoping to leave around 2 on Friday afternoonbut we didn't get to leave until around 5. We planned to buy dinner and eat it on the way down. Tyler was having a cheap moment so we went to Mcdonalds and ordered off of the dollar menu. I hate Mcdonalds and wasn't very excited to be eating there. Well I ate about 1/2 my hamburger and gave the other half to Tyler. IT was so gross and had way too much mustard on it. Tyler complained to me that his food wasn't satisfying either. The drive took a long time and it was almost 9 at night by the time we got to Heber city. Tyler was so hungry that we decided to look for a Little Caesars Pizza. There wasn't one so we pulled into Arbys to order. Right when we pulled up to where you order Hailey puked. So I told them never mind and went to the gas station across the street from Arbys to clean Hailey up. When I got all of the puk
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Here are updated pics of our house. They are done with the brick. Sometime this week the stucco will be put on too! I can't wait for the inside to get finished too. This is the front now. This is the back. Sorry it is so dark I waited too long to take the pic and the sun is almost setting.
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Here is a pic of Spencer and Austin getting ready to ride the bus for their first day of school. I didn't get to take them for their first day because I had to meet with a specialist since I have been getting so many kidney and UTI infections. Hopefully we will know why soon. Here us a pic of my beautiful Hailey. I can't believe she is in Kindergarten. It seems like she was just born.
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Here is the front of our house last week. We got new windows and the front door is gone. The wall isn't knocked out between the addition and the old house so the kids have to use the back door. Here is a pic of the back. I forgot to take a pic of the french doors on the back of the house. Maybe next pic I will :) So much has been done on the inside. We now have central air and a new furnace and all of the wiring is done. I can't wait for sheetrock.
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Today I had to be a substitute in Primary. The lesson was on forgiveness. I taught the kids about the prodigal son (Luke 15:10-32). As I read through the story I felt emotional thinking of my brother.When the son came home he was going to beg his father for forgiveness and ask him to work as a servant. When the father saw him coming he ran to him and kissed him. The son said "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in they sight, and am no more worthy to be called they son."The father ordered a great feast and fine clothes for his son and said "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.What the father said reminds me so much of my brother. Right now it seems as though the brother I used to know is dead and I don't know if he will ever be the same again. I imagine that this is how the father felt. A couple of months back while I was visiting Utah I went with my mom and we took my kids to visit Ben. One look inside his apartment was enou
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Since it has been so long since I posted I have a few pics from the last few weeks to add. My little Austin lost his front tooth. I told him he needs to lose the other one so I can sing All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth to him. My beautiful little Hailey had a black eye. She was throwing a piece of metal into the dumpster and didn't throw it high enough so it bounced off of the side and hit her in the eye. I'm glad it didn't hurt her eye ball. Since it has been a couple of weeks since this happened her eye is better now. Sweet little Ethan got a huge goose egg on his forehead when Austin was pushing him in my double jogger and it tipped over on the gravel. Poor little guy this happened just as his black eye got better. His forehead has also healed since the pic. I'm sure people were beginning to wonder if I beat my kids. Right now they are looking fine, but since I am posting this I'll probably jinx myself.
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Its been awhile since I posted a house update. Things are coming along. WE have a roof now. On Monday my dad came up and helped Tyler with the electrical. It was so fun having my dad here. I really appreciated him coming. Here is a pic of the front. And here is a pic of the back now. It is supposed to be done the beginning of October. I can't wait.
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Brigham has been doing something really cute lately. I call it his homeless man face. He sucks his bottom lip in and it looks like a homeless man with no teeth. On Wednesday Tyler was taking Ethan for a 4 wheeler ride and he went over a bump and Ethan hit his face on the handle bars. He came in crying and looked up at me and said "mom, I got hurt." I picked him up and kissed him and then he was all better. My poor little E.

Updated house

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Things have been coming along on our house. Right now we are just waiting for the roofing trusses (I'm not sure if I spelled that right) This is the garage now. If you look close you can see that the new back door doesn't have a door yet. I really am enjoying all of the flies and mice that are taking the opportunity to tour our house. This is the front. We are making a new entry to the front of the house so that big opening is the front. Master bedroom and bath framed up. I'm standing in the new living room spot. Here is a pic of part of the basement framed.
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Guess what I got for my birthday? A new mountain bike! I love it. Thanks to Tyler and Ardie for the gift. It was a great day for me :)