Simple Things

I was really bad and did not take my camera most places I went this week and missed out on MANY chances at getting some really good/cute pictures. I guess I'll be more aware of that this week. The one thing that did make me smile this week that I DID get a picture of is my new hair.

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Happiness is:

the rumble strips on the side of the highway that tell you if you're too far over.

appetizers at cheesecake cafe with sharon and susanne

being in the right place at the right time

feeling uplifted by the testimonies of those in your ward

going to the school gym and playing like i did when i was a kid. we had so much fun on our spontaneous family fun day.

helping sew baby blankets

going to bed at 9:30 on a friday night

naps

living in a country where there is no war

matt and tanner

love

friendship

the gospel of jesus christ

truth

the perfect tasting orange

crispy celery

cold water

reading stories with tanner

finding money in your pocket

Day 14: Favorite pictures

Projects

This is the ONLY Halloween picture of my little guy. Both Tanner and I had the flu that day (so sad, I know) so we did not get to go out at all. He's still pretty cute, though.







These are the cupcakes I made for his birthday party. It was a HUGE hit and I can't believe he is 7! I can still remember the day when we were so worried if he would make it through the night of his first transfusion.





The un-iced cupcakes (directions in a following post)





How do I stay on top of things??? I have a calendar hanging on my front door on the inside so I can look at it every time I go out the door to see what's up for the week/day etc. It's a second calendar to my kitchen one. It's my life line.





This wreath was so easy and I am in LOVE with it. I'm all about wreaths right now.


I have some really yummy recipes I'm going to share in the next few days...so if you like food, come back.

FAMILY PICTURES!

So for those of you who are not my friends on Facebook or haven't been on it lately, our family pictures are up. You can check them out HERE. Enjoy!

Overload!

There is so much to share!

We had a great Thanksgiving. We had 2 thanksgiving's but sadly, we were not sent with any left overs....hmmmm....maybe other people didn't enjoy our company as much as we did theirs and they purposely denied us turkey left overs!!!!!! lol

We went to the Carriage Museum after our wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. It was nice to be able to spend the day together doing something new.

Tanner "helped" Aunty Amy make caramel Apples. He was eating the sprinkles off the plate

Emerson and Tanner were so cute on Sunday! They were chasing each other around my Mom's table for a good 30 minutes. It was hysterical.

Uncle Blayne and his nephews. I just love this picture.

Tanner and his cousins on Matt's side of the family.

Can you believe that these boys are all pretty much 1 year apart. Tanner the youngest, the middle, W, 14 months older and S a year older than W. They ADORE Tanner and Tanner loves them too.

Uncle Blayne took the boys for a golf cart ride and let them each take a turn driving. They all wanted to drive the big vehicles home.

We ate dinner at my Mom's outside. It was such a beautiful day and we all enjoyed our meal.

Can you believe that this cute boy is going to be 7!!!!! Just over a month and he's going to be 7. Plus, I just love that sweater. I got a steal of a deal at The Children's Place. It was 20% off! He looks adorable (I'm not at ALL biased...lol)

Tanner "needed" to have a picture of his shoes...I gave in (it didn't take that much convincing)

Tanner's school had a cross country run and this is Tanner on his run.

Tanner and his best bud R.

Another best bud J

oh yeah...he has a few best buds. This is another one.

You have to click on the picture to see it large to appreciate it. You'll notice that his top tooth is missing. It's one of only 2 pictures because he's a little self concious about it. I could just eat him up!

Happy weekend!

What are you thankful for?

I frequently get asked "What is Tanner's Diagnosis?". I don't mind telling people because I feel like if by my story I can help someone deal with something in their life, then I've made some sort of difference. Some people don't really know what a cleft looks like and I just want to make it clear that ALL clefts are NOT the same. He also has a 'condition' called craniosynisos...essentially what this is is that the bones in his head fused together prematurely and and he had to have his head cut open and have his skull re-shaped (thereby creating the necessary space for his head to grow properly). He also was only born with one working kidney. He has a couple other things but those are the major ones.

So why am I writing about this??? Well because not just today but every day I look at Tanner, I am so profoundly grateful for the miracle he was and continues to be in our lives and the lives around him. It really amazes me what medicine has been able to do for him and will continue to do for him to help him be as 'normal' as possible. He started off like this:







and now he looks like this:







I am grateful for modern medicine. Tanner has had over 5 surgeries in his short 7 years of life and will have more surgeries down the road but I don't worry about it because I have faith and trust in not just the doctors and their knowledge, but in God. And I KNOW that it is because of Him that Tanner is still here and with us.

I am grateful for the town I live in and love so much. Calgary was great for the time being but it is no longer where I belong or call home.

I am thankful for the gospel and the knowledge it provides and for the strength and comfort it brings.

I am thankful for Christ.

I am thankful for jobs that provide not only what we need but things we want as well (not EVERYTHING we want, but we don't have to scrimp as much).

I am thankful for my life and for living in the time that I do. Although the world is so worldly and there is so much temptation and bad I am grateful that I didn't have to walk across the plains.

I am grateful for health. This is really important and although some days I wish that my body would function the way I want it to (read:get pregnant), I am grateful for the blessings my health allows me.

I am grateful for the earth and the beauties of it. I am easily captivated by fall and all the beauty it brings. There is almost nothing more beautiful than fall.

I am thankful to be alive and be able to learn and grow and choose to be happy.


Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

My life in photo's

Birthday traditions:

I always make a fun cake for Tanner's birthday. For my own birthday growing up my Mom always let us pick what meal we wanted and the cake. We also got breakfast in bed for our birthday.







Tanner got this and the ladybug cake for his 3rd birthday. This one was for my side of the family's party and the ladybug one was for Matt's side of the family's party.





This one was for his 4th birthday party with our families here.




This one was for his 4th birthday with his friends





This is Tanner's cake for his "friends" 5th birthday. I found it in a book



This Book of Mormon cake I made for the Russell party




These emoticon cupcakes were made for the Collins' party.

Please DO NOT get me started on the absolute ridiculousness of having 3 parties!!! I did it mostly to please both sides of the family and let me tell you, it will NOT be happening again. This year was so full of...(word vomit).





This was for his 6th b-day

We had ONE party and it was pure bliss.

I already know what I'm going to make for his cake this year. It's not a piped cake and for some it's a weekly "challenge". It's going to be easy and that's what I'm about this year.


I do remember my 12th year of high school was the only year I was at school for my birthday (my b-day always fell during spring break) and I really wanted a balloon-a-gram. My Mom got me one and sent it to the school. It was the funnest thing. I remember my 16th party. I had a huge party (it was the first year after we had turned 12 that we were allowed a co-ed party). It was AWESOME! And my 18th was pretty sweet too. The best birthday was my 24th because the day before, I found out I was pregnant. That was the best gift ever!

We usually try to be all together for our birthday's. It doesn't always happen but we try.


One thing that defines me:

there are lots of little things that define me and who I am. I am not just one thing. I am NOT defined by my role as a mother, or a wife, or a daughter, or a sister, or a friend, or a co-worker, as much as I am defined by what I believe in. Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints defines, by my own choice, who I am and what I want to become.