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!

In a lull

My life is in a bit of a lull right now. Things are going fairly well and smoothly. Same old stuff. Matt and I went out to the Firestone Grill last week. It was really yummy. I had this pomegranate chicken on a bed of leeks and pomegranate sauce with goat cheese on the top...it was super yummy. Matt had the rib roast (insert eye roll...such a man). Matt's Mom sent us money for our anniversary and so we decided to go out for dinner with it. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to try something new. I'm a bit of an adventurous eater. I like to try new things and I am not afraid to try anything at least once. There are some things that I've eaten that I wouldn't choose to eat again, but I do like to try new things. Tanner is a little bit the same way. He'll try most things for at least one bite but if he doesn't like it, then that's it. Matt is a mediocre eater. He eats most things but he doesn't like to eat vegetables if there's something better like meat or potatoes. He's not super picky but he's the kind of person that has to be in the mood for certain foods on a particular day. I could eat rice or spaghetti any time, every day for all meals (same with Tanner) but Matt has to be in the mood to eat that. Otherwise he doesn't like to eat it.

Anyways, enough about food.

We are going to the Temple this week. We will be eating in the cafeteria afterwards...mmmmm...soooo yummy. The food in the Temple is like food from Heaven.

Tanner is getting ready for his skating carnival in a few weeks. He's done so well in skating. He was also officially published today. The local paper had a picture of him and a friend riding on GT's behind a quad on Saturday at the fun Elders party. It's a picture of him from the distance but we know it's him because of his coat. It's kind of exciting.

Matt is such a homemaker. He made his first loaf of homemade bread this week. It was much better than any bread I've ever made. Tanner had a bad habit of burrowing the bread when it's warm and it wrecks the bread so we have to be careful not to leave it out on the counter without maximum supervision. He burrowed in one of Matt's loaves and so we told him he couldn't have the "good" bread until he ate the hole-y bread that he made. He was totally fine with that. He continues to bring us much joy and laughter every day.

Well, I guess that's it for now. Life is just chugging along, which is fine by me ; )

CAN ANYONE HELP THEM?

There's a family in the states that needs some immediate help and I hope that by posting this someone, somewhere can help them. She babysat us when we were kids and his Mom is in our ward.

You can read their story/situation here

We had a really fun start to the weekend. Matt and I went to our Celebrity party on Friday night and it was SO much fun! I think I would have had more fun if I hadn't been feeling crummy. I had a bit of a head cold and so I was suffering, mildly. Then on Saturday morning Matt and I had plans to go to the Temple and when I woke up, I could barely open my eyes because the light hurt my head so badly. So I went back to bed and Matt went without me...which was fine. We're going again in 2 weeks. We are going on our first date this Friday. We're going to dinner. I don't know where, but I'm excited. We have made it a goal this year to go on a date every month. It's hard when life gets busy and you have other commitments to add that to your plate but I know that it's important and so we are making time for what's important...dating! Last year our goal was to go to the Temple every month and we did it and it was surprisingly easier that I thought it would be. We just marked down the day every month that we were going to go and that's when we went. This year we marked down in the calendar our date night every month, plus our temple day. Even though going to the temple is a wonderful thing, it's not the same as a date. We may go on 2 dates this month because I still haven't seen Avatar and I really want to.

I'm usually really against and I strongly resist going to movies that are so hyped up because they usually end up disappointing me...plus they're mostly boring for me (ie Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter) so I just don't go. But my sister said that I would really like it and so I am putting my trust in her and hoping it will be what I expect it to be.

January really flew by and I know that this month will too because it's a short month. That means we're closer to spring...my favorite time of year. Spring always brings newness and it reminds me so much of the Resurrection of the Savior. I always look forward to Spring.

Kristi wrote on her blog recently that she is "head over heels in love with her life" and I thought to myself, what a wonderful thing it is to be so happy and in love with your life. I only wish more people were like that. I believe that being happy is a choice and that happy people exemplify Christ like characteristics. I heard recently that being healthy affects how a person is happy and I think that is true. Some may disagree with that, but for me I think it's true. Even though we are all given challenges and tried and tested, we can choose for ourselves how we're going to let those things affect us. We can choose to let those trials make us stronger and happier or we can allow them to tear us down and make us miserable and unhappy. I hope that we will all try better to choose happiness because there really isn't anything like being truly happy.

Now I know why...

Erica, you always forward some really great stuff. This is one of the best yet : )

Glancing through the hymnal last Sunday I noted that as sisters in
Zion, we who are called to serve are all enlisted to go marching,
marching forward because the world has need of willing men to all
press on scattering sunshine. We wonder if we have done any good in the world today because we have been given much and want to do what is right, keep the commandments, press forward with the Saints, choose the right, and put our shoulders to the wheel going where He wants us to go. However, as the morning breaks high on the mountain top, truth reflects upon our senses, and while we still believe that sweet is the work, we also realize that we have work enough to do ere the sun goes down.
And thus we ask Thee ere we part, where can we turn for peace?

Susanne

I think there is something wrong with your comment enabler. I have never been able to make a comment on your blog. I know there's people that read it and maybe they're having the same problem. I can't wait for tomorrow night.

Anyways, in other news...

I LOVE my job. There is something totally satisfying to me to put on my work clothes and go to work and feel smart and be treated so nicely. I hope I can work there for a very long time.

Tanner has no school today and so what does he want to do? Play the Wii ALL day! That kid already has an addiction problem...lol. Matt and I are very consistent at limiting him but he wants to play all the time. I need to have his friends over more often.

I got the Ensign today and had a quick look at the articles in it and it looks like a really good one. They are all good but some months are better for me than others. Do you find the same thing? I love the First Presidency message this month. President Monson is such an amazing teacher and there is no mistaking what he says. I just love what he shares with us. His stories are easily applied to any ones life. What a blessing it is to have someone like him to share his knowledge with us to lift us up and edify us.

I asked this on my facebook but I will ask it here: if you could or had to design a float for a parade, what would you design or do?

We ran out of pull ups last night so we covered Tanner's bed with a garbage bag and a mattress protector and this morning he was totally dry! We're going to try it again tonight but Matt is buying more pull ups just in case he's not ready yet. I really hope he's ready. It would be nice but it's not the end of the world if he's not.

Well, I think that's it for now.

The best sleep ever

On Monday night I had the most glorious sleep in all the world. I had been telling Susanne about how I can not sleep for the life of me. My brain does not stop...EVER! I write in a journal, I tell what I think and feel to Matt and my friends but I can not get my brain to just...for lack of a better word...shut up! So she suggested taking Melatonin. I tired it last week, but nothing happened so I upped the amount I took on Monday (I only took 2...I'm not a pill popper, don't worry), and I had the best night ever. I was truly rested in the morning and I felt wonderful and energized. Today, it's another story. I could not sleep at all last night. I have a small head cold and it's affecting my sleep. So, hopefully I'll get over it soon and I'll be able to get into a sleep pattern.

We were in Calgary for the weekend. Tanner had a speech appointment and we decided that we were going to do something fun for our 10 year anniversary (which isn't until the 28th). We normally don't do anything for each other on special days because we always get a yearly gift. But since it is 10 years, we thought it would be nice to do something for fun. We went to the Cheesecake Cafe for dessert and then the next day we took Tanner to the movie 'The Tooth Fairy'. We wanted to see Avatar, but it's still wildly popular and it tends to be sold out still. So we'll see it another time.

It's so crazy to me to think about the fact that Matt and I have been married 10 years! It does not seem that long ago we were getting ready to be married. Time flies by so quickly. It has been such a wonderful journey and I look forward to many more years and challenges that will build our relationship and friendship. I really am so lucky to have such a loving, caring, patient, sensitive husband. I just really love him.

I am really slow going on my scripture study. I am 4 chapters away from Deuteronomy. I am really enjoying the Old Testament but there is so much to learn from it. I feel like I'm only scratching the surface. When I read it again, I'm sure I'll learn lots of new things that I missed this time.

Things are going good and we are enjoying our time together.

Words

Some words that I've been thinking about a lot lately...

Numbers-numbers can sometimes be like a story that doesn't add up

Joke-they can be super funny and it's great to be the one that has the last laugh...but they're not funny or morally ethical when they attack something so personal

Games- I LOVE games. I love playing card games and board games with my family. It's a favorite past time of my family's. A game I don't like is this one.

Truth- someone very wise once said "the truth shall set you free". Another one I really like is "truth will prevail".

Knowledge- knowledge is power and the power that is given to all of us faithful members of the church is powerful beyond any other power if we use it wisely. I'm talking about the power of Christ.

Belief- I don't just believe what I say, I know it to be true with every fibre of my soul and no one can take that away...ever.

Loyalty-I consider myself a fiercely loyal person. I will back up and stand up for anyone who I love...even if that person has ever or ever will hurt me. I will be loyal to my family and friends until the day I die.

Love- love is such a rare and precious gift. There are so many different kinds of love and it's such a great gift and feeling to know that people love you for you no matter what

Lies- are a tool of the adversary and if a person chooses to lie, judgement will be upon their head and no one else.

Happiness-is what I try the hardest to choose no matter what trials or hardships I face because in the end, I know that's the better choice and I will become a better person for that choice.

Laughing on the inside

Some people have nothing better to do with their time...seriously!?

In other news, things have been going pretty good. Tanner is such a funny kid. He has learned to try to trick us to get his way. Matt had an interview today. Hopefully it works out but really, it's in the Lord's hand. We are loving the weather here. It's been so nice. We have a lot of stuff going on for the next while. We'll be really busy which is good. We are going to a potluck at the end of the month. It's a celebrity one...we have to all dress up as celebrities. Matt and I are going as Luke and Lorelai from Gilmore girls. We were going to go as Derek and Meredith or Izzy and Denny from Grey's but I couldn't justify buying a dress (we were going to go as them from the season finale of season 2 where they are all dressed for the prom) that I would probably only wear once. So I got an outfit that we'll be able to wear anytime.

Well, I guess that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great day!

Dear annoyn.

If you know so much about my life, why don't you own up to who you are and tell me what you think you're so sure of and who you are.

My favorites

I re-read the November (General Conference issue) Ensign and found some really great quotes. I will share a few of them with you because there are many and over time, I will eventually share more.

Richard G. Scott: Our Father expects you to learn how to obtain that divine help by exercising faith in Him and His Holy Son Jesus Christ.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf: When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align

Dallin H. Oaks: This sobering teaching (Luke 12:51-53) teaches us that when family members are not united in striving to keep the commandments of God, there will be divisions...the straying of our loved ones will detract from our happiness, but it should not detract from our love for one another or our patient efforts to be united in understanding God's love and God's laws.

Robert D. Hales: When we do not do what is right or when our outlook is dominated by skepticism, cynicism, criticism, and irreverence toward other and their beliefs, the Spirit cannot be with us.

Kent D. Watson: Security for our families comes from learning self-control, avoiding the excesses of this world, and being temperate in all things. Peace of mind comes from strengthened faith in Jesus Christ. Happiness come from being diligent in keeping covenants made at baptism and in the holy temples of the Lord.
And finally for today...

Boyd K. Packer: No matter who you are or what you may have done, you can always pray. The Prophet Joseph Smith promised that " all beings who have bodies have power over those who have not"

I was inspired by one of the sisters I teach to go back and really ponder the words of the recent Ensign. I always have the intention to do that but I have not been successful at accomplishing it. So during Christmas break, I did it.

We had a wonderful Christmas. We went to surprise my Mom on Christmas eve day. She was surprised! We had a lovely time. Tanner is very spoiled by my family. Although this year, it was very mild compared to some other years. I think because now Emerson is part of our family (my nephew) they spoil him much more because he's little. Tanner really liked the blanket Santa made him. Santa came to him twice. Once on Christmas Eve Morning (before we left) and then on Christmas day at my Mom's. I was really worried that mine and Matt's gift we got him would be boring compared to some of the other stuff he got but he was the most excited about it when he opened it. We got him the second season of the Transformers cartoon. He opened it up and screamed and jumped up and down for about 5 minutes and when we tried to get him to open another gift, he wouldn't. So that was nice.

Matt had a double Christmas. He got 2 wallets, and 2 attache cases/brief cases.

I got 3 kangaroo jackets (I believe they're just called hoodies now), some really good sheets (400 and 600 thread count...Soooo luxurious) and we got the Wii! We have some really fun games and we love to play together as a family so it's awesome. I use to be very much against any kind of game system. I always thought it was such a waste of time but now, I'm glad we got one because we have a lot of fun together (okay Super Mario Brothers isn't that fun when Tanner plays, but we suck it up...after all, it's just a game).

Maybe this means that one day we'll have a pet...lol. NEVER!!! I like animals but I strongly, strongly detest pets. It's like having a 2 year old for the rest of your life...no thank you. Anyways, it was a really nice Christmas.

I am really glad Tanner is back in school. He was not very good during the holidays and for a week before Christmas we took all his presents away and told him that if he couldn't be good then he couldn't have his presents. He ended up being good but then on the weekend, he started misbehaving again. The Wii can be a good bargaining chip, but it doesn't solve the problem. It ends up that we send him to his room to think about what he's done and when he's ready to come out and try to be good, then he can come out. It's been working pretty good. I think it has helped him to understand the consequences of not making good choices. He was soooo cute yesterday at skating. His coach told him and another boy that she wanted them (the 2 boys) to be able to learn to skate fast and Tanner said "I can do it. I can skate fast because I'm good". Matt and I had to chuckle. We're always telling him what a good job he does at skating (among other things as well) so I think that's where it came from. We're reading the first Magic Tree house book right now. It's a really easy book and the words are not difficult for Tanner. We really try to foster and encourage his reading. He is such a good reader. His teachers are always amazed at how well he reads. They say he reads at about a grade 2 level...which is great, but we're not totally confident that he understand stories at that level. I guess that will come with time.

Matt is still looking for a job. He worked for a short bit for a friend of his. This is going on I believe the 3rd month of not having a job. It is a very difficult market out there. I may have to look for full time work and have him stay at home with Tanner. I'm not sure I can get a great paying job, but even a consistent income would help out.

Well, I think that's about it for now. Have a wonderful day!