5 for Friday

The 5 things that made me most happy this week...in no particular order



1. Matt and Tanner. They are so fun and love me for me and are both so good to me.





2. Going to Relief Society last Sunday and this Sunday. I miss it soooo much and love being able to go when I can.





3. Reading the messages in the Ensign. I love the General Conference issue and love re-reading the talks. I just finished reading President Uchtdorf's talk on patience. SO GOOD!!!!






4. Friends like Susanne, Sharon and Jamie (no picture). I know these are old pictures and you're both probably going to complain that you look terrible in them but I don't have recent pictures of either one of you so you'll both have to suck it up...lol. These friends are some of the greatest friends I have . Sharon watches Tanner and always has nice things to say no matter what. She's always so positive. And Susanne is there night or day whenever I need to talk or just to tell her good news or bad news...whatever it may be. Jamie is supportive and loyal and understanding and always puts equal amounts of effort into our friendship.




5. My sister's, Amy and Megan. These are pictures from last year's birthday because we are celebrating their birthday's tomorrow so you'll get pictures next week. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my sisters and they really are my biggest fans and greatest friends. Although we did not get along as kids (no one really liked me...I was a little mean) we have really become true friends as we've gotten older and married/moved away/went on missions. Each of my sisters (I have 3) are special and unique in their own way and I love them all.

There are other things that made me really happy this week. 5 is not even close to the number of things that made me happy this week. It is just a small fraction of all the blessings in my life.

Tanner lost his second bottom tooth. It was actually kind of funny because it was the night that I run and when I got home he said: I lost my tooth while you were running. He had been eating corn on the cob and it came out. He didn't tell the babysitter and so he said it fell on the floor and wanted me to help him find it. Right! because finding a tooth on a beige colored carpet is easy. I told him I would look for it while he went to bed but then he found it. I don't know how, but he has really good eyes.

I also planned our trip to Salt Lake. I thought I should think about booking a motel because it probably isn't smart to drive all the way there in one day. right? Tanner is an excellent traveller and we spoil him on trips...as in, we have a portable DVD machine that he can watch movies on. He really likes that so we have put some movies away until our trip so they'll be "new" for when we drive down there. I might see if I can borrow a couple from some friends, but if not, I think we'll be fine. We bought him this travel bingo game that he loves and also travel size Trouble. If you know of any other games/activities that you find your kids like, I would love to hear about them. Movies are the easy way out if he's getting bored but I would like him to do other things too. Books and music only go so far for him.

We are trying a few new things while we're there. Normally when I've gone, we do Temple square and shopping but this time we're going to do some tours and the Children's museum and the zoo. Now that a lot of the stores that use to be only in the states and not in Canada, are now in Canada, shopping won't be so "special". I remember Old Navy and Bath and Body Works were special stores but now that they are in Canada, the novelty isn't there as much. We always go to See's Candy store and this time we are actually going to do a tour of the Candy Factory that makes the world famous Salt Water Taffy. It should be fun. I'm sure Tanner will love it, if nothing else.

So I guess that's all for now. Have a great long weekend and don't get burnt!

Word of the week...

B L U F F

Those of you who are familiar with my life right now, know why this word would be a great word for the week right now. Enough said...moving on...

L O V E

Another really great word right now. The things I love the most right now in life:

-Matt. He made his first loaves of home made bread last week and they were by far better than any I've ever made. He loves me for me and I know some days that can be really hard...it can be hard for me to love me some days ; )

-Tanner. If you had told me 7 years ago that a child could bring a person so much joy and sheer happiness, I'm not sure I'd believe it. It's something you have to experience to understand. Tanner is a very very very bright spot in my life...constantly...even when he's being a pickle, he is my pure joy in my heart. I know that the way I feel for him is only but a small particle of the way Heavenly Father feels for us. That is unimaginable to me...incomprehensible. How could anyone love me more than I love Tanner? I don't know how, but I know it's true.

-Friends. I love love love my friends. They are a strength to me every single day. They are a constant source of forgiveness, understanding, laughter, joy, happiness, and most of all love in my life. I don't have a huge circle of friends. I have but a small handful of friends that I trust with my life and heart and that's good enough for me. I'm not one of those people who needs to have lots and lots of friends to feel good about themselves or to feel a certain way. I know my friends love me for me, no matter what.

-My job. I adore my job. I love getting up and going to work and meeting people everyday. I have amazing employers and I am grateful every day for the opportunity they have given to me.

-My sisters. Word cannot express how much I love those girls. I love them. All my sisters are unique in themselves and there are certain things that I know I can talk to each sister about. For example, I can talk to Megan about marriage and kids because her and I are the only ones with children. It's something we understand with each other. Amy, she is a movie nerd (a good thing) and she can tell me what movies are worth seeing. She is also really good at talking about real life and political, deeper subject...especially the gospel. She is so stinkin' smart when it comes to the gospel. Melany, she has a quiet strength all her own. She listens when you don't think she is and she can make me laugh like no one else can. I love my sister a lot.

-My Mom. What can I really say but good things about my Mom. She is amazing and awesome and loving and kind and understanding and forgiving and patient and charitable and generous and strong and just a really really great person/mom/friend. Sometimes the way I feel about her is too much for me to put into words. The love I feel for her is forever.

-My Dad. Although my Dad died in '91 I still love him and am grateful for all the things he taught me. He was a great great man/leader and I still look to his example.

-My Savior. I love the Savior. Enough said for now.

-Music. I can not live without my music. I am very frequently plugged in. I don't listen to hard stuff. Quite often in the house I play the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or Tanner's Children Songbook C.D.'s. Music can change a mood or emotion so quickly and can calm and relax or liven up or make me run faster.

-Time. I love the time that I get to enjoy each day and each moment with the things and people that I love the most.

I just love life!

If my life depended on it

I could not fall asleep last night if my life depended on it. I lay awake with random thought going through my head and the song " I could have danced all night" from the movie My fair lady. I watched it and LOVED it! I love watching all the old movies that my Mom loved when I was a kid and I thought they were so boring. Like Casablanca, and Breakfast at Tiffany's and Singing in the Rain.

Anyways, I am thankful for so much lately. For being able to go to the pool as much as I want with Tanner. We love the pool and it's a great place to be on a hot day like today.

I am thankful for being re-connected with my friend from childhood through our blogs. She was my first best friend and I actually slept at her house the night my Dad died. I remember her and her Mom talking to me about what had happened and that they were there for me. It was such a huge comfort to know that my friend was still my friend even though my Dad had just died.

I am thankful for my amazing husband who this last Sunday carried my heavy church bag to church while we walked to church because I was careless and got a sunburn. He is so thoughtful and constantly does little stuff like that for me.

I am thankful for my sisters. My sisters are a huge part of my world and I love them a lot. I think about them daily.

I am thankful for my friends who are amazing and forgiving and kind to me. I have the best group of friends anyone could ask for.

I am thankful for Christal's blog. She is so uplifting and I hope my blog will be more like hers and that I myself can be more like her. I think she is an amazing person and she is so grateful for so many things.

I am thankful for my Mother who always has such great advice. Just this week I was asking her how do I encourage Tanner to say other things in his prayer other than the 3 things he always says every other time he prays. So we've tried a different tactic and it's been working pretty good. She's so smart!

I am thankful for the Bible. I love the Bible. I have been studying it this year and am thoroughly enjoying it. The stories are more personal to me as I read them and I love that I can apply the principles into my life.

I am thankful most for the gospel and for the Savior. I can see the difference it makes in a persons life and am grateful that I have the blessing of both in my life.

Anyway, those are just some of the many things I'm grateful for this week. My life is not my own. It belongs to the Lord and I hope that I can do the things that He wants me to do and live a life that honors His name.

Something cute Tanner said

Today when we were playing doctor with Tanner he asked me what was wrong (he was the doctor) and I said that my nose hurt and that I thought it was broken. So he said "I'll go to heaven and ask Heavenly Father for a new one for you". So he comes back in the room and says "how do you get to heaven?". So I explained to him that people go to heaven when they die. So he said he would die and go to heaven and get me a new nose and come back. I then tried to calmly, without laughing at him, explain that our bodies actually heal themselves and that we don't have to die and get new things from Heavenly Father to have our broken bodies repaired. It was so cute.

My sister got to come home today from the hospital from being in there for a few days because of low hemoglobin. I can't wait to meet him and hold him and cuddle him. Megan says that he is already perfect at nursing so that's really good news.

Matt's work season ended yesterday so we are back at square one looking for a new job. I'm not too overly stressed about it. I feel like I have more faith this time and that I trust more in the Lord to provide the way. I won't lie and say I'm not nervous at all but I really don't feel stressed, so I feel like that's a good sign. So I think that's it for now. I could write more but I'm getting my hair trimmed and Tanner's shag mop is getting cut so we have to leave pretty soon. Thanks for all the congrats on my sister's new baby. We are all really really excited.

Too long

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. We actually all were happy and pleasant and Tanner was super behaved. He had 2 helpings of everything on the table. He didn't like the yams thought...totally crazy since they are smothered with marshmallows. Who doesn't love yams with marshmallows????
Sunday we went to church and I got to hog Erica's new baby girl. She's such a doll with so much hair. Then we went to Matt's Mom's house for our second dinner. WE didn't stay too long because I had choir practice. Then on Monday we had family pictures...thanks to Sarah for doing that. I will post them when I can. We got some really cute ones.
It's so weird to think that the next time I'm in Calgary, fingers and toes crossed, my sister will be a Mom! I am so hyper excited for her. I can't stop smiling when I think about it. Anyways, that's all for now. Sorry that's it's so short and spazzy. I just wanted to drop a line to everyone to say hi.

Getting Better

So only 6 days since my last post...lol. Maybe next post will be 5 days from now. Let's see...what's been happening???? We are in Calgary right now and we are helping my Mom and the church up here do the annual food drive for the Salvation Army. Last year they got $750,000 worth of food and this year they are hoping to make the Guinness book of records and get $1,000,000 worth of food. What a great thing to be part of.

Tanner did really well in his speech. His SLP (speech language pathologist) was very impressed with him. Mostly because he has a cold and so his 's' sounds (which are hard for him to come naturally but he can do it if he slows down and controls himself) are perfect because they are not nasally. Hopefully he'll get it soon. We've been working on them for a really long time.

Tanner's quilt is almost done. I just have to quilt it now. I had to trim it and pin and sew the filling in it and that took some time. I also made my sister a quilt for her baby. It's just a double sided flannel blanket but she didn't have any and I didn't want her to not have at least one for as soon as the baby is born. It's big enough for her to swaddle the baby or use it as a crib blanket. I'll post pictures hopefully in the next post.

I also did more canning! I canned strawberry rhubarb jam. It was really easy. I am also making rhubarb pies and apple pies with my aunt. I'm doing that the last week in September. I hope that next year I can do some tomatoes and applesauce. Plus the pears, peaches, and jams. When I first thought about canning, I thought it was so hard but when I did it, it wasn't that hard at all and in reality, it's quite easy. Especially if you have a friend or 2 or 3 to do it with. It goes much faster with more people. Plus if you start small, it doesn't seem overwhelming. I only ordered 1 case each of pears and peaches and it was perfect. If I ordered more than 1 of each, I think I might have felt a bit overwhelmed. I'm glad I started small and next year, I'll go bigger.

My sister is coming to get her bassinet and baby clothes tomorrow (at my Mom's). I'm excited for her to finally have them and to be able to give them to her. We all made guesses at when she's going to have her baby and what it's going to be. Tanner said it's a girl. When I asked him if someone told him that he said that Heavenly Father told him. So who knows...we'll see. I guessed a girl too. Only Dean, Megan and my Aunt Carolyn think it's a boy. There's benefits to both. If they have a boy, they have TONS AND TONS of boy things that I can pass down to them. If it's a girl, she'll be just as spoiled as Tanner was when he was first born. I hope they have a girl because I think Megan needs to have a baby that is spoiled like Tanner was and still is. I don't know...is that vain of me? I just don't want her to feel like her baby isn't as special or spoiled as Tanner is. But I'm sure that if she has a boy, it will be spoiled in other ways that Tanner wasn't. I'm just really excited for my sister and her husband to have a baby and to be an Aunt in my family. I can hardly wait!

Well, I guess that's about it for now. Until next time...

Father's Day already?

So Matt and I decided that it was not in our best interest to work for a company such as the one he was with. So we took the truck and everything else back up to the company and left it at that. We both feel really good about it and know that something else will work out. I actually feel happy that we got ourselves out of the situation when we did because I'm not sure how much longer we could have lived walking on egg shells, having this dumb company manipulate us. What a headache.

So in spite of my frustrations, I will not post my personal feelings on this company and or boss because heaven forbid I might be accused of slander and get sued. WHATEVER!!! It's okay for people to complain about Telus or Shaw or a place they got a bad haircut at, but I'm not allowed to say anything about Action Auger because it's different if I said anything that wasn't positive about the stupid company right??? *rolling my eyes*

Anyways, my Mom and Aunt arrived from Utah today and they had a great time down there visiting their sister.

Sisters are so great. I hope that I can have a good relationship with my sisters when I'm older. I mean I do, but everyone in a family has their own differences and issues. I guess that's what makes a family so great is having different characteristics. It's nice that we all just fit together and even though there are things that bug us, that's what makes us love each other more.

It's funny this year because I didn't even think about Mother's Day. For me, it's just another day. I don't ever expect it to be anything overly special. I think because I have such an amazing husband and great son, I feel like most days are Mother's day for me. I feel lucky, every day (yes, even despite the crankiness), to be blessed to be a mother and have the wonderful son that I do. There really isn't a week that goes by that for at least one day, I don't feel special because of something Matt or Tanner does. So to have one day out of the whole year to celebrate motherhood is not really anything spectacularly great. I appreciate it, don't get me wrong, but I think if I had more children and they all did something special just for me on that one particular day, I might feel differently.
And on the subject of Mother's day, how come when it's father's day, the fathers don't get something special in church. I have only been in one ward (the Horizon ward) where they did give out something to the Father's. Why is that? Why are mother's or mother's day, more important than father's? Aren't we suppose to be equally yoked? So if we are equally yoked, why do mother's get a flower, or plant or whatever the gift may be and father's don't? Do people think that father's are less appreciative or deserving of something a little extra? There's always someone saying that a mother works 2 full time jobs, but isn't the fact that the husband provides and works outside the home, equally as important to raising a family? Both are working for the greater good but in different ways. The concept is like washing dishes. There's more than one way to wash dishes. Just like there is more than one way to teach a child about work or whatever the goal is. Life is kind of funny that way.

Anyway, that's my philosophical brain talking tonight.

Until next time...