tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66351035574505715222024-03-19T05:29:50.896-07:00Steph's Little LifeI dont have anything important to say, maybe sometimes I'll think of something clever but I don't know... I mostly just want people that aren't in contact with us very often to see how we're doing.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-39050111637529330722009-03-04T08:32:00.000-08:002009-03-04T08:48:31.631-08:00Because it was emptyNoah has a hard time remembering to keep the light off, stay in bed, and not scream that he is Indiana Jones when we put him to bed. Jaden and Noah share a room so this is a real drag for Jaden who has school in the morning. Anyway, recently we have been putting Noah in our bed, just to get him our of the room where Jaden is sleeping. Noah doesn't like this plan AT ALL. He cries and cries and cries until finally he falls asleep. Being the mean mom that I am I just let him cry... it's good for him, and he needs to learn the consequence of being such a little butt head!<br /><br />As mentioned before, he doesn't like this idea very well. Last night was NO EXCEPTION! We were watching SVU and suddenly Noah is screaming his head off. I just rolled my eyes and sent Mike up. About 5 minutes later Noah is still screaming and Mike walks downstairs, sits on the couch and says, "I can't deal with him." Sigh... I guess it's my turn... I truge up the stairs to see what the problem is and he comes walking (still screaming) out of my bedroom completely and totally naked. This is become an unfortunate habit of his at bedtime... taking off all his clothes. I ask him why he is crying and he says it's because "Because... um... because... I um.... I peed in the shoebox." (this is the queue for my blood pressure to start rising.)<br /><br />"Noah! Why did you pee in the shoebox? There is a bathroom right there?!?! Why did you pee in the shoe box."<br /><br />"Because the wannapona see wha tee boo!"<br /><br />"Noah, take a deep breath and stop crying. I can't understand you."<br /><br />Noah takes a deep breath and turns off the waterworks. (Note: this is the number on indication that he was FAKING!!!) Once he was calmed down I said "Okay, now tell me why you peed in the box."<br /><br />(On the verge of falling apart again.) "Because it was empty!" Queue waterworks...<br /><br />I turned around and looked down the stairs to Mike who was shaking quietly and covering his mouth...<br /><br />I couldn't look at Noah for a couple of minutes because I was laughing so hard.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-82798986600638556192009-02-23T07:35:00.001-08:002009-02-23T07:37:26.379-08:00Brown Roses<div><br /><br /><div>I thought this was really neat. I am totally going to get some of these for my yard. Have you ever heard of a Brown rose? I think they are cool:</div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlssogJBCYW8sW-hes2cSSgnjMExthYwHPj5CrUKDLIrgsph5ioCARAIuxhCd89m0tyWCCZ5FqLTHU8Bi70o7TJ07S122aLvAMB_mRV2FKjQDu7zMeI3aXnFK2HBnktRY8oXCRt4erqo/s1600-h/brown_rose-730327.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306017062608121298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlssogJBCYW8sW-hes2cSSgnjMExthYwHPj5CrUKDLIrgsph5ioCARAIuxhCd89m0tyWCCZ5FqLTHU8Bi70o7TJ07S122aLvAMB_mRV2FKjQDu7zMeI3aXnFK2HBnktRY8oXCRt4erqo/s320/brown_rose-730327.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div></div><br /><div>I also found these. They are called "Black Roses" but I thought they were really pretty:</div><div> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJdKFsm6hQ9BoSOy2jK1g_XHsgc07RspaTNLkjaTOdkT9dQaEDmNY9kJKLfLlq7LSs5h8vQLupS5SopgNXSECprG28AGP_tmwgRYEmZWyB3ioo687SJc2vaa0GhbAOS5Bi_iAPCNYHrY/s1600-h/black-baccara%202.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306017242247395618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJdKFsm6hQ9BoSOy2jK1g_XHsgc07RspaTNLkjaTOdkT9dQaEDmNY9kJKLfLlq7LSs5h8vQLupS5SopgNXSECprG28AGP_tmwgRYEmZWyB3ioo687SJc2vaa0GhbAOS5Bi_iAPCNYHrY/s320/black-baccara%25202.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Anyway, I thought they were nice. </div></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-57564894273201756372009-02-11T11:53:00.000-08:002009-02-11T12:07:53.150-08:00Stuff...Well... we did the heart attack on Monday and it was great fun. The Nosy Nellie that is my brother in law Greg (Best... not James) opened the door and then my sister in law came home at exactly the wrong time. She wasn't very discreet or sympathtic for the kids that were hoping for a surprise. She just stopped to chat then pushed her way through and into the house. It was a little strange. Anyway, after my in laws we went to my parents house and did it to them. It was really fun because they weren't nosy and didn't open the door. The boys had so much fun sneaking around and whispering, they got a little cold at the end but it was really fun for them. <br /><br />I got to hold Jennie and Greg's babies yesterday (Mike's sister had twins late last year). That was lots of fun. Because we've been so sick we haven't seen anybody in Mike's family for weeks and weeks but I got to hold both of them at the same time. I should have taken a picture. It was super cute. <br /><br />Mike has started receiving his gifts for Valentine's Week. He was a little confused the first night. I don't normally give him presents for no reason at all but yesterday he started to catch on. I did the whole thing with the candy bars and he said " That was great, I've never had one of those posters and I've always wanted one." I don't think anybody would understand the magnitude of that comment... just me. It's one of those things that only your spouse could know and I know how big of a deal that was for him and how flattered he was. (BTW Greg... my husband likes the cheesy stuff!) Anyway, it's really helping our currently strained relationship. (Only strained because of the day to day things of regular life... no worries, nothing to dramatic!) Anyway, I thought I'd give you a quick update of how things are going. Nothing too exciting... man! I'm exhausted!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-72241829655015830522009-02-03T10:21:00.000-08:002009-02-03T10:53:38.139-08:00Valentine's Day<div>I said that I was going to dedicate this blog to being prepared for the second coming... well, this entry does that, in a round about way... We have been really having a hard time the last few weeks.. just life, kids sick, jobs are stressful, and a constant need to do the laundry and dishes!!! Nothing too much to worry about (it would be nice to be included in prayers... if you think about it. Man! I had an awesome experience the other day with prayer... another time though) just the difficulties of life getting to us. \Well, because of the discouragement that seems to be sweeping through my house like poison lately I have felt inspired to express to my husband how much I love him. You can tell somebody something a hundred times and it's still the same thing over and over, just words. I have been trying to serve him by doing little things... not whining as much when he has to go to a Jazz game for his work... ahem... and when he has church stuff to do. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>On top of doing that stuff I have decided that I am going to do an extra special thing for Valentine's day next week! Every day he's going to get a little treat from a "Secret Admirer!" I wonder if he will tell me about it if I say it's from a secret admirer... hmm... that is going to be an interesting experiment (I'm NOT setting him up... it will just be interesting...) I bet he'll tell me about it. We don't normally celebrate Valentine's Day because it's just such a cheesy holiday and we usually just end up in an argument! Once we even celebrated in August (6 months later) so we could avoid the crowds... we just aren't big on Valentine's day... that's changing this year! Anyway, here are my brillant ideas... </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Day 1: Use the following website to send him a braille message via email from a secret admirer.</div><br /><div>Day 2: Money for my Honey... Check out this <a href="http://cutevalentines.blogspot.com/2009/01/several-years-ago-i-made-my-kids.html">website</a>. </div><br /><div>Day 3: New Shirt and Tie with a note that says "We are a perfect fit!"</div><br /><div>Day 4: Poster Board telling him how much I love him with candy bars. (You know, "Don't 'Snicker' but I think you are a 'Mr. Goodbar.'" Kind of thing)</div><br /><div>Day 5: A small Scrapbook that is just pictures of us and has reasons that I love him in it. Check out <a href="http://www.sugardoodle.net/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3826&Itemid=5">this</a> website. </div><br /><div>Day 6 or 7: I'm just not sure what order I'm going to do these things in yet but I am going to make him a <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/valentines-day-projects-for-kids?lnc=a489cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=lpg_holiday&lpgStart=1&currentslide=19&currentChapter=1">hanging paper heart </a>and fill it with candy for him to wake up to. (I'm going to do this for my whole family)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0XFgm2TJdHemJrinAP3SKhITTKfZ8UL6_xHy9pF1p3cyJ6xWWNaJhf78Zz_clOidyMZm6DfPhbXqdcpZMad4mu1cZYnsFoa3L4mbMw0C27wGjWDiiZhB7mzhHItCMRwibGNDScY4YyE/s1600-h/gt02febmsl_bonbon_xl.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298645022369931570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0XFgm2TJdHemJrinAP3SKhITTKfZ8UL6_xHy9pF1p3cyJ6xWWNaJhf78Zz_clOidyMZm6DfPhbXqdcpZMad4mu1cZYnsFoa3L4mbMw0C27wGjWDiiZhB7mzhHItCMRwibGNDScY4YyE/s320/gt02febmsl_bonbon_xl.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Then the other one I'm going to do will be making heart shaped cinnamon rolls and taking them to his work. </div><div> </div><div>FUN huh?!?! </div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-67078342351891758292009-02-02T14:58:00.000-08:002009-02-03T08:37:34.904-08:00Boredom BustersOkay, I know that the title of this entry is totally creative and cute... not my idea. (I am hanging my head in shame.) Anyway (Okay, no more hanging) I found this FABULOUS website that I may have mentioned before but I don't remember... anyway, it's called Sugardoodle. It's got great ideas for everything from FHE to.... hmm... can't think of a "to." Well, it's a great website and my primary kids can credit most of my lessons to it. I strongly suggest you check it out.<br /><br />On this amazing website I found a fantastic list of things for kids to do. I have printed this out and I'm going to hang it on my fridge so when my kids want to turn on the TV we can find something else a little more creative for them to do... some of the things on here need parental guidance (especially with kids as young as mine) but some of the stuff they can do without me which gives me a minute to load the dishwasher or do a load of laundry. Go check it out.... right... <a href="http://www.sugardoodle.net/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2910&Itemid=429">here</a>.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-86966538394450022002009-01-27T12:40:00.000-08:002009-01-27T13:55:18.317-08:00A Different DirectionWell, I have been thinking about something. I don't think anybody would argue with me that this world is getting scary! The economy in the crapper and all the scary things happening out there. Then you read the scriptures and that gets me even more scared for my little family! My cute kids are SUCH good kids (most of the time) and I can see Jaden's little testimony blossoming and (thank heavens) Noah follows his example... at least so far. I do know that I am responsible for teaching them the things that they need to know to make it and "be all they can be." That is not a responsibility I take lightly. I think about how I can help them and teach them things every day. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed that all my kids need and I frequently feel like I'm totally failing them. But then I stand up and say all I can do is the best I can do and sometimes my best sucks! Luckily my best is usually pretty good. They are good boys.<br /><br />Anyway, now I will get back to the subject at hand. The second coming is... coming my friends. I am done with the goals I had set for myself, I am going to erase them and am going to spend my time and energy preparing for the second coming. I figure that's kind of all inclusive. You have to be ready financially, spiritually, and all other ways. Also, I want to help others be ready so ocassionally I will post ideas on how to get ourselves prepared for the second coming of the Savior.<br /><br />Okay... here goes. I once had a dream about food storage (I know, I have the strangest dreams... last night it was like my brain was throwing up! I dreamed that my best friend from High School was sitting INSIDE a vending machine! I seriously dream in technicolor... it's all very vivid... and EXHAUSTING!) and since then I have been totally obsessed with food storage but because of my POOR planning skills (poor doesn't even begin describe the extend of my planning skills) I have never really had much more than just a few weeks of food storage. I get so proud of myself when buy something to put in my food storage. (Funny story - Once Mike and I were in Provo for a BYU football game and on the way home we were going to stop at a park to meet his family and have a picnic. Before we could do that we needed to stop at the grocery store to pick some stuff for a PICNIC... so stuff like paper plates, plastic forks etc. When we got there we were talking about trying to beef up our food storage and decided to start watching sales and buying things for our food storage that way... well, we got so excited that when we walked into the grocery store... in Provo - We DON'T live in Provo, we live on the other side of the mountain actually- to buy paper plates we ended up walking out with 6 boxes of cake mix because they were on sale! Can we say ADHD??? I get so distracted so easily. We still have a couple of the boxes and that was not last football season but the season before!!! I still have them because I always forget that we bought those so I buy another whenever I need it. I really need more structure to my life.) But I don't have anything documented so I really have no idea what I have... I could tell another story but I won't... I'm such a space cadet! Well, in order to build my food storage I am going to use <a href="http://selfreliantsisters.blogspot.com/2008/06/food-storage-on-500-week.html">this</a> plan. Once this plan is completed it there will be enough food for one person to survive for a year. I figure that will keep my family kicking for a few months so I think that's a good place to start! Anyway, I'll keep you all informed on how things are going.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-34849786642744749932009-01-23T08:16:00.000-08:002009-01-23T08:32:39.227-08:00Isaiah... the great brick wall in the Book of Mormon<div>At least for me...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I am not the brightest star in the sky (not stupid, by any means but sometimes a little dense) and I NEVER get anything out of Isaiah. Truth be told I have not been doing very well at the scripture goal (everything kind of stopped when Jack got sick.. now that he's better I'm trying hard again) but I have reached the Isaiah the chapters in 1st Nephi. Oh man! They are rough... I find myself just reading them to just get through them and call it good... sometimes I skip them. I don't know what to do, this is ALWAYS the point that I lose my gumption and the scriptures just start collecting dust. I REALLY LOVE the stuff after it but the actual Isaiah chapters... </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Anyway, I wanted to share this AMAZINGingly brillant idea I read about today... My pantry is a death trap. Always so messy. Then that mess always tends to vomit out all over the kitchen. Can I just say that I LOVE chalkboard chalk? I think it's brillant! A FANTASTIC IDEA! (Sidebar - My sister had the idea of making a list of all her spices and keeping it tapes up to the inside of her spice cabinet because... like the rest of the world... she will keep buying the same spice over and over again because she doesn't think she has it. Then that retched cabinet is just overflowing with duplicates of the SAME STUPID SPICE!!! Well, Jill... this one is for you. instead of using a peice of paper, which will undoubtably get all wrinkly from old age and will get all messy when you write a spice up there then it's gone and you have to scribble it out, cover the inside of your cupboard with chalkboard paint and keep a single piece of chalk handy. That way, when you use a spice, you simply erase it. when you buy a new spice just add it to the bottom. I know I know... I'm brillant... now back to the pantry) Using an old Ruler paint it with chalkboard paint and hang it in your closet. I don't think I'm doing this brillant idea justice. Here is a picture... </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294527518459576290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdH222WJsJj3gaFGxmeGyPStFsV0WOgpYVgueZp3NdLvtPbazj_6vLkBAGoXhJC1x_Y8ekq59N4BGeBfwFdJFYqj6fIfgkfMVT1giYJNZmmkNlKmOhLwgGDvEAc_V5Ah1VCauCyafG9k/s320/Pantry" border="0" />Now do you understand the brillance. For the story behind this glorious creation go to this website... <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/">http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/</a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-75785759409012316472009-01-16T15:33:00.000-08:002009-01-16T15:53:19.754-08:00Heart Attack!!!Okay, I am going to start my "Direction" today. I am fairly confident that the people this entry will effect don't read this blog so I'm safe that I'm not spoiling anything.<br /><br />I am the mother of 3 little boys and I am BOUND AND DETERMINED that my boys will be sensitive and loving. I try SO HARD to impress on them the importance of thinking of other people. Well, starting next week we are going to make another effort in this on going battle. We are going to "Heart Attack" their grandparents. (For those that don't know what a heart attack is - it is a group of people that take decorations to somebody's house and secretly decorate their front door in hearts and valentine's related items.) I found some really great ideas too... We are going to make "stain glass hearts." (Let's try this picture thing again.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292042140533370242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOafPEFJG-nVMHGte2CYF9iBSzFh9v4hfixGtFZznAokN_ltE3e-IuhtfhvnkA-LCJiNFycQSgMmYyGQzZaccOjW-yd5jH8zXzk4erhyphenhyphenUJbTOCNTOrqMtXr2SKetMkQgPNH-dh4PqHrI0/s320/crayon-hearts-1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />We are also going to do Heart door mat...<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292042434317120306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaStNXQt3__swqwsofNy1T4h9jeDirL2SScvA-Lt7xlHcIJ-ob3ZFCidU90i9oKkhJSIac0BrFU2BUMiWS3mdOL7fDOi5naGANlqeSGfEx_YL2LTmP335auCM92EkhDLzwH3IUWJPnM94/s320/Heart+doormat.jpg" border="0" />And, we are going to make some hearts with things we love about them and tape them to the door. I think our parents will really like it. <br />We will be doing each of these activities for the next few weeks for family night then on the family night before Valentine's day (which is also Mom's B-Day) we will take all the stuff over there and secretly decorate their door. <br /><br />I'll take pictures of the final product. <br /><br />By the way... all the projects above can be found at the following link: <a href="http://www.skiptomylou.org/">http://www.skiptomylou.org</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.skiptomylou.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/crayon-hearts-1.jpg"></a><a href="http://www.skiptomylou.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/crayon-hearts-1.jpg"></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-89015420071293781172009-01-14T15:07:00.000-08:002009-01-14T15:26:22.399-08:00DirectionYikes it has been a week! I realize that it's only Wednesday but I'm trying not to think about it. Normally I'm not like this. I figure that I should be happy no matter what day it is. In my never ending quest to be happy and content with the little life I have I try to keep myself happy with wherever I am at the moment. Well, today is Wednesday and I'm not very happy about it. Oy... I could use a nice weekend at the Anniversary Inn. We are all sick (except Mike but I'm sure it's coming) with an "Upper Respiratory Infection." Really we all have a CRAZY bad cold. AND we all have PINK EYE!!! YuckO!<br /><br />Anyway, being happy in the moment... being happy in the moment... being happy in the moment... I have been trying to think of a specific direction I can take this Blog. I don't really want to just blog about my every day life... I'm not exciting enough for people to read that! People would get bored. Heaven knows I'm bored with my life sometimes, I can't imagine why anybody would want to read about it! <br /><br />I read some really fun blogs, crafts, FHE, decorating etc... I have been trying to think of something inventive that I could do but I'm not the kind of person that is great at one or two things. I'm OK at several things and would like to just blog about those several things. FHE, crafts (I would have steal ideas for this one!), cooking, decorating (again with the theft!), scrap booking, organizing (I'm not very organized but I have a lot of good ideas and maybe if I were to write about them I would start using them!), money tips (stop laughing!), and tips on parenting among other things. I don't mean to brag but I think I'm a pretty good mom. I lose my temper sometimes and sometimes my kids socks don't match but I think they are turning out to be great kids and even though I know I can't take all the credit I do feel that I have a few good ideas for my VERY SMALL audience. I believe there are two people that read this blog. (HOORAY FOR ME!!! At least I don't have to be nervous about offending a large group, sorry to the two of you!)<br /><br />I'm not starting today... I'm too stinkin' tired and I'm at work so I really ought to... well... work. I will start soon and I'm going to start thinking of things I can do. I would like to give you a fair warning. While I am kind of creative I don't think that I am going have any ideas that blow your mind and my craft stuff probably won't be all that sensational but they are mine, I am proud of them and if you don't like them then you can just go home!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-48894893735094477872009-01-12T09:41:00.000-08:002009-01-12T09:52:24.597-08:00Phew!!!<div><div><div>Man what a week! We had to take Jack to the hospital this last week because he had a really high fever and couldn't stop coughing and his blood oxygen level wasn't high enough. It was really scary. He has been SOO sick. He has viral Pnemonia (sp?) and a virus just like RSV but it's not RSV. It's been rough and several nights of very bad sleep. He's doing much better now and is at the sitter so I could come back to work. Poor little guy.<br /></div><div>Anyway, I have some pictures that are a little old but they are super cute! This was before Jack's time so he's not in these pictures but DANG! They are so stinkin' cute!! Now, how do I do this? Hmmmm....</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHqGmKxjAPLUJcBCybuAqiHnT5zVC3_nmVYgdoj6nvwWjRKQiNBEiwnxejU6kzLrPKlyOTBOrLlJcRPporhd4BLe8ApOSu1u6bMh02YpTyE8UuFyBk7T-2LeJZcX-csT8z09yx7rzL64/s1600-h/Mike+and+Noah.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290465010925148226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHqGmKxjAPLUJcBCybuAqiHnT5zVC3_nmVYgdoj6nvwWjRKQiNBEiwnxejU6kzLrPKlyOTBOrLlJcRPporhd4BLe8ApOSu1u6bMh02YpTyE8UuFyBk7T-2LeJZcX-csT8z09yx7rzL64/s320/Mike+and+Noah.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Yeah! I did it. This is Mike and Noah. What a hottie! (Mike that is... not Noah, but he is going to be a heartbreaker!)</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlq5lxPMTi2sfo4VCxrN300AyIrP3BbspqDmqAtGsG8ENmqoy-Hq-B3YJBIfWHD7vTHYn9mbHz1JJAhKQGviZ9p1fyZQS27VIfxRF1uDqapTn_VSrbBZhQEcm0yO61z7Plsn5ckU5Fe0/s1600-h/Steph+and+Jaden.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290465461775695378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 229px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlq5lxPMTi2sfo4VCxrN300AyIrP3BbspqDmqAtGsG8ENmqoy-Hq-B3YJBIfWHD7vTHYn9mbHz1JJAhKQGviZ9p1fyZQS27VIfxRF1uDqapTn_VSrbBZhQEcm0yO61z7Plsn5ckU5Fe0/s320/Steph+and+Jaden.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I did it again! I think I can handle this. This is Jaden and I. It's funny, it's like looking the same face twice. We look so much alike!!! Talk about a heartbreaker :) </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Here are all four of us. I'll bring some of Jack soon.</div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290465774198439426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iUhZhCxBhXyeaAE_sogGBm_VEuX2hv2iWLDCI5RtLJ6RmUUN5NURor4tzX5BAP1xbVKVidU5b13DZsF4F6IaoPOCq3Kpk3NXAmi7tWRs_1wNXZhZsCHUs6ysVHoh2sAbTw3nRBkeNCI/s320/Taylor+family+2.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-69954284325478914892009-01-06T06:38:00.000-08:002009-01-06T06:49:09.378-08:00Book of Mormon FHEI love FHE I can't even tell you how much I love FHE. It's so exciting to teach my kids something and then they mention something from the lesson about a week later. It is so much more satisfying than teaching primary (which I also love, just not quite as much as FHE) . A few months ago I felt very strongly that we needed to have FHE on the Book of Mormon stories. Things didn't work out so that we were able to start doing it right away because it was Thanksgiving then Christmas so we had special FHE's for those but now that it's boring old January we are trying again! OH MY GOSH!!!! My kids are so stinkin cute!!!! I really don't know how I lived without them, it's like they have always been there... even before they were here and part of my life. (I have some pictures I meant to post today but I can't today. I'll try really hard to remember tomorrow!) Anyway, we did some role play. Noah was Nephi (he was a little grump and didn't want to be the guys that complain... aka Laman and/or Lemuel) Jaden and Jack (Jack just played with the Christmas ornaments we haven't put away yet) were Laman and Lemuel respectively and Mike was Lehi and Laban while I was the narrator, Zoram, and the angel. Noah has this turkey baster that he runs around with all the time and he calls it his sword so that was Laban's sword. It was so fun to see my kiddos with towels on their heads pretending to be these people. I love love love my kids!!! <br /><br />Next week we are going to talk about Nephi building a boat and color pictures then glue them on construction paper. We have a special place where we hang our FHE art so these will be displayed there and after a week or two they will move to the family scrapbook. I'll try to remember to take pictures! (Here is where I found the pages for the boat coloring activity... it's a pretty long link... <a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=21bc9fbee98db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=6da79f82a6bab010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1">http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=21bc9fbee98db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=6da79f82a6bab010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1</a>)Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-76765691013335283192009-01-05T11:51:00.001-08:002009-01-05T12:15:23.570-08:00New Year'sOkay, I'm fairly confident that nobody reads this blog (it has been since August since my last post!!!) so I thought now would be a good time to start back up. Last year I read a blog (<a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/">http://crockpot365.blogspot.com</a>) that was about a woman who made a new years resolution to use her crockpot every day for a year. She did, and it was AMAZING! She did such an amazing job and now she is going to write a cookbook that is going to be in stores this fall. (I HIGHLY recommend it.) Anyway, I would like to follow in her footsteps... sorta. I am not ambitous enough to crockpot every day for a year, or even cook every day for a year. But... I am SICK AND TIRED of flaking out on so many things sooo.... i thought this might be a way for me to be accountable. I just have to keep my self pumped up... (I'm going to do it... I'm going to do it... I'm going to do it!!!) Sooo... these are the items that I have determined that I am going to do this year. <br /><br />1. I SERIOUSLY need to lose about 30 pounds. I know I know... those that know me think I'm crazy but I am bigger than I have ever been (I can't even blame it on having three kiddos because I have slimmed right back down to my former size after all three!!! I just REALLY have a weakness for candy! However, I do think I can blame a desk job.) I am not one for dieting and I don't think it's to the point where I need to go crazy to lose weight so right now I'm starting simply by working out for a total of a total of 3 hours a week (that's about all I can fit in, I'm a busy girl) and so far my muscles are completely SPAZING OUT but I am on target! <br /><br />2. Pray 2x's a day. Obviously this is going to be quite personal since it's called "Personal" prayer but I have let this drop and I can see the difference in my life. <br /><br />3. And this is the biggie! I am going to have 100% visiting teaching for the whole year! I know this may not be that big of a deal for most people but for me it's terrifying! I am scared of some people (specifically the people I visit teach! - not that they are terrible people, they are AMAZING but I am not so much... so it's scary for a not so amazing person to go visit people that are so incredible!) and I've been such a flaky Visiting Teacher (that doesn't even describe how horrible of a VT I am.... One girl I was I was visiting pretty consistently while she was pregnant then I - as usual - flaked out and I have not seen her since.... SHE IS NOW PREGNANT AGAIN!!!! AND HAS A 2 YEAR OLD BABY AND HAD A MISCARRIAGE IN THE MEAN TIME!!!! I am that bad of a VT!) it's very embarassing to go now. I am going to repent and then just try again.<br /><br />4. Read the scriptures 4.5 hours a week... again the best I can fit in right now. I have not been doing a good job with this either and I feel the change since I've stopped. <br /><br />Okay... there you go. I'm sure nobody even checks this anymore but I think if I can pretend that somebody is out there listening then maybe I'll be a little more accountable. I tend to make grand plans then not follow through (I know... me?!?!?!? Not follow through?!?!?! NEVER!!!!!) but I am really going to do it this time. I really really am going to do it! I just need to get over the hump of the visiting teaching!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-21240308050367472142008-08-14T08:40:00.000-07:002008-08-14T09:15:56.289-07:00My LightWell, I have been reading alot of emails about family and how much particular people mean to them. I would like to jump on the band wagon. I wanted to talk about my boys. (I promise I'll do pictures eventually - we are currently in a camera slump. That means that we have no stinkin' idea where our camera is and that is KILLIN ME!!! We have almost NO pictures of Jack.) Jaden is 5 and is about to start kindergarten (!!!) he CANNOT wait. He is so anxious to start and start learning. He read a book last night! HE READ A BOOK LAST NIGHT!!!! It was a "learning to read" book and truth be told he had half of it memorized but he did so well with the words he didn't know. You could almost see his self esteem go up a couple of notches. It was amazing! I know I can't really make this judgement but I really think he is a little ahead of the game. We go in for his SEP evaluation next week so we shall see if he is truly as brillant as I think he is. Also... that kid is so good lookin'! He got my beautiful face ;-), hair, and eyes. He has naturally tan skin and a smile to kill! He is always trying to help and will do just about anything for somebody he loves and he loves everybody. He is going to break hearts but he will feel awful about it.<br /><br />Noah... Noah is just about the funniest kid you've ever met. He is a singer and a dancer and he is a smart little booger. He has this turkey baster (I hope that's how you spell it) that his uses as his sword. Last night he had his turkey baster and an apple cutter and put the apple cutter on the "sword" and made an extra cool sword. So, he had his normal sword and the little part by the handle that protects the hand. Mike was dumbfounded, he thought it was genius! I didn't really think much of it but it was really quite clever of him to put the together and make a "real sword." Ching! (That's what he says after drawing his sword from his pants pocket.) Then he says "I'm Peter Pan!" He's a MAJOR GROUCH when he wakes up after a nap but snaps out of it because he get a drink of apple juice or gets to play with his very best friend... Jaden. (I REALLY hope that friendship lasts, they both need a good friend and it would be so awesome for them to have the other to lean on.) Noah looks more like his Daddy with his squinty eyes and light colored hair but I think his hair will go dark (Maybe not as dark and Jaden's - Jade's a brunette in the purest sense of the word) although I really hope it stays blonde. <br /><br />Jack Jack is the baby and is all smiles and giggles. He's rolling over and laughing at his big brothers now. Jaden makes this gross noise and Jack thinks it's SO SO SO funny. I love the sound of baby laughter. (I've been thinking about recording it and setting it as my ring tone but I'm not sure I'd be able to hear that if it's buried in my purse and I'd inevitably have that gross noise Jaden makes and I don't want to hear that everytime my phone rings... but I digress.) I love the way he smiles and me and kicks his feet when I sing the "Sunshine" song to him but change the word Sunshine to Jack. I completely adores his older brothers and I think that someday he will proud to call them brother. I always thought that the relationships between girls is special but now I think that boys have the better relationships. I've always struggled with relationships with girls because of the drama that comes with them but the relationship between boys is pure. If a boy doesn't like you he doesn't pretend (generally speaking) like some girls do. I hope all my beautiful boys stay close together. They are the light of my "Little Life."<br /><br />By the way, Melanie, if you read this we really ought to get our boys together, you're youngest is older than my youngest but the others are the same age and I GUARANTEE that my boys are every bit as wild and crazy as yours. I'll tell stories about them... but some other time. Anyway, let me know when you are in town next and we should go to a park or something.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-49475746867983378022008-07-21T09:44:00.000-07:002008-07-21T10:05:15.102-07:00Scary Movies (or should I say over rated?) and Air ConditionersWell, we saw Batman this weekend. It was too long and I thought the plot was a little thin. Batman Begins had a satisfyingly thick plot but this was was just ridiculous. I was told how wonderful this movie is but honestly, it was just extremly violent and TOO LONG!!!! I thought that the movie was done and then it's like a WHOLE NEW MOVIE STARTED!!!!! When I thought it was finishing the first time it was already too long then when it kind of started again it was just torture to have to sit through more of it. I'm really glad it was free, I wouldn't have wanted to pay to see it. <br /><br />I'm sorry I'm complaining a lot today but I have another problem. Our air conditioner sucks! We have a house that is only 3 years old and our STUPID STUPID STUPID air conditioner keeps freezing up. We clean out the filter constantly but it keeps freezing. When the air conditioner freezes it will get all plugged up and no cold air can come out of it so we have to turn it off for 48-72 hours. Yesterday was SO MUCH FUN, all day in the heat!!!! It was doing so well for like three weeks we hadn't had any problems with it but then it froze up yesterday. GRRRR!!! I am going to have to pay to have somebody come out and look at it. Just to look at it! How irritating! Does anybody know a good fixit man that can come look at it for me? <br /><br />Okay, something happy. Noah is just about the funniest kid in the world! (I really ought to do the picture thing - I will someday I promise) but yesterday in church he was sitting on my lap before and he was like "Mommy, am I a sister?" This was in the middle of Sacrament meeting so I was trying to get him to sush (Noah doesn't have a quiet voice) and I said " No, you are a boy so you are a brother." He burst into tears and cried "No, I want to be the sister." I HAD TO TAKE HIM OUT!!!! Then we had an episode with a red crayon. Noah's favorite color is red so he asked for the crayon so he could color his picture of Nephi (we only do church related stuff in sacrament meeting and no treats at all, it just causes conflict - the instigator, of course, is Noah!) so I gave it to him and he screamed "This is the pink crayon, I want the red crayon! My favorite color is red!" I HAD TO TAKE HIM OUT AGAIN!!! This story is the kicker. We all walk out to car and, as usual, Noah bolts. We get the other kids in the car and Mike starts his weekly trek around the building to find him. He comes around without Noah so figures he's gone inside. Mike goes in a looks for him but has no luck. At that point I'm freaking out because there are so many places he could go! I'm trying not to let my imagination run wild but there are lots of people leaving so he could have run out into the parking lot and gotten hit by a car or somebody could have nabbed him or, knowing Noah, he could have wandered far and wide looking for a piece of candy. After about my third lap in the car I see Mike standing on the sidewalk with this little imp. It turns out that he (noah) somehow got inside and went into the primary room (WITH A DIFFERENT WARD!!!!) and was singing songs with the senior primary! He was just sitting in the back swinging his legs and singing songs. That kid! He totally didn't see any problem with what he was doing! GRRRR!!!!!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-12085753258076628852008-07-07T09:32:00.000-07:002008-07-07T09:39:24.377-07:00Harry Potter 6Seriously, this is a joke. Why the corn isn't the Harry Potter 6 Preview out yet? I want to see it so I can start the misery of having to wait for it. I keep looking for it on the internet but I can't it over and over and over again. Twilight is coming out AFTER HP6 and I have seen that preview several times. Why can't I find it?!?! Why isn't it on the internet yet? I've heard rumors that it's going to be a preview for the new Batman movie but I've heard that song and dance again.<br /><br />We saw Get Smart this weekend and laughed our butts off! It was so funny. Steve Carrell (spelling?) cracks me up! We are big fans! We watch "The Office" religiously and go through withdrawal during the summer! <br /><br />I recently saw Wall-E too.... all I have to say is Eh... it's alright. The people are kinda weird. Out of 5 I would give 3 stars. It got amazing reviews but personally I thought it was weird. I don't think we'll be buying this one when it comes out... it was weird.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-78073097067831280732008-07-02T07:15:00.001-07:002008-07-02T07:17:08.006-07:00Fly Away Bird!My kids are hilarious! Last night I was taking Jaden, Noah and Jack home. Noah was sitting in the middle which was a little different, he's usually on the passenger side of the car. Noah was saying "Fly away bird. Fly away bird.... AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! FLY AWAY BIRD!!!!!" There was no bird, I don't know why he was screaming it but it had Jaden Jack and I all laughing our heads off. It was hilarious!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-8958325585139944032008-06-30T07:20:00.001-07:002008-06-30T07:40:43.189-07:00I Never Stand Alone(Preface: I just re read this entry and think that it may come across as preachy, that's not my intention. I am simply espressing how I feel and I feel very strongly about this. I am not asking anything from anybody else, I am simply saying how I feel about my life.)<br /><br />We frequently listen to FM100 on Sunday's. They have a "Sounds of the Sabbath" program that goes on all day with church music. It's very convienant (sp?) if you don't want to listen to regular radio on Sunday. I think that they use the same schedule with the songs (probably so they don't have to had a DJ on Sunday - I think it's pre recorded) so on the way home on Sunday evening (which is usually around 8:00) we always here the song "I Never Stand Alone." It talks about how when we stand for God and what is right (even though others may think of us as "weak and simple hearted") "we stand with Nephi and Moroni, with Abinadi who testified in flame." What an honor. One of the first things I'm going to do when I die is go introduce myself to Nephi and Jacob. Sometimes when we are alone and we look around and wonder why we do what we do we can think that we are not alone because we are with Nephi, Moroni, Jacob, Joseph Smith, Heber J. Grant (my personal favorite), President Hinckley, and President Monson. These are men I will always stand with! What an honor it is to know that we believe the same thing. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and especially for a living prophet who can tell me what I need to do and how to do it. <br /><br />I heard in church the other day that we need to follow God's commandments the first time he tells us to do something. About a month before I had been inspired to do something. It was something that God wanted me to do, I'm sure of it. So I took the first few steps but didn't see it through until I heard that lesson. I hadn't been prompted again to go do this thing so I figured that I had just imagined it. Well, I know that I didn't imagine it and after I read that Joseph Smith said that we should do what God asks the first time (a concept I had never really thought about) I decided to do this OH SO SCARY THING!!! Well, I did it and I'm not sure if anything will come of it but I have decided that from now on I'm going to do what God asks the first time around instead of waiting for further promptings to do it. Sometimes we are asked to do things for other people that have nothing to do with the other person but more to do with us showing God that we will do what we are asked. <br /><br />Anybody who knows me knows that I think about the Second Coming of the Savior ALOT. Sometimes I'm terrified but sometimes I'm excited for the the people of the world to see the Savior again and live under his loving rule. I have also been thinking about God's people. God will have a pure people, we will be purged and the wheat and the tares will be seperated so there is no time to lose! We MUST do what God asks the first time. We need to follow the counsel of the prophets and we need to decide where we stand. I know I stand with Nephi and Moroni... so I stand with God. I never stand alone!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-81176558317842554032008-06-06T15:08:00.000-07:002008-06-06T15:19:26.033-07:00Dave RamseyI'm so confused. I have mentioned that I am always forgetting passwords... well I wanted to comment on somebody else's blog but it asked me for my password but I couldn't remember it. I came here because I know that I can tell this place that I forgot my password and they will be kind enough to remind me but I pushed login and I was logged in. I didn't have to enter a password. This is very problematic for me because I can't comment on that other blog. (By the way, if you want to read the CUTEST blog in the history of the world go to <a href="http://michellejohnnie.blogspot.com/">http://michellejohnnie.blogspot.com/</a>, I worked with this girl at Oakcrest and she is the cutest little thing I could ever imagine!!!!) Problems problems.<br /><br />So, I had something very exciting this morning (I can't say here in case somebody does read this blog, however unlikely, and I give away a secret) but it's put me in a highly aggetated (spelling?!?!) state and now I feel like everything I touch needs an exclaimation point! Expect to see alot in this blog. Once again, I'm drawing a blank. Ya' know, I wouldn't blame people for not reading this blog. I don't think I would read it if I didn't have to read it while I'm typing. Very boring! <br /><br />Mike and I are living by a budget for the first time really. (I know, we've been married 6 years now and have NEVER lived by a budget... awesome!) and it's driving me crazy. We aren't driving our family car hardly at all anymore (gas prices SUCK!) so we are packing all 5 of us into a VW Jetta (super squish!) and I can only spend $112.34 at the grocery store this week. That's right, $112.34! It seems random but it's really not. We have it all on paper. The trouble is I feel just as broke as I did before. Having to consult the budget before I buy a candybar is IRRITATING! I guess it's all for the best but for Pete's sake! We have recently gotten very excited about Dave Ramsey and his stuff (which, by the way I HIGHLY recommend) and we are learning for the first time in our lives how to use and live by a budget (not lovin' it). this is always been something we totaly suck at but even though I feel completely broke just knowing that we are going to have money in the back for our expenses is AWESOME! Someday we may even have money in a savings account!!! Wouldn't that be exciting?!?!? We are very pathetic when it comes to money and keeping our house clean, if only Dave Ramsey had a plan for that... we'd be set!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-91028992670576395382008-05-28T07:31:00.001-07:002008-05-28T07:37:11.213-07:00Horton Hears a WhoWe have three boys 5, 3, and 4 months. This last weekend was Memorial day weekend and it was raining like God had flooded the bathtub so we stayed home and cleaned the house. Mike and I aren't very good at cleaning the house so sometimes it gets crazy, out of control, messy! This is where we were on Monday. Jaden (the 5 year old) was going crazy and Noah (the 3 year old) wasn't dressed by 2:30 in the afternoon. Everybody was edgy so we decided that we had better get out of the house. So, Mike and I took the boys (ALL THREE OF THEM!!!) to the dollar movie. (BTW, I was happy to find out that the dollar theater in Sandy is actually a $.50 theater on Mondays!) so all four of us were able to go see Horton Hears a Who for 2 dollars!!! Of course Noah is a fiend so we had to buy popcorn and a drink so really the movie ended up costing about 10 dollars. Not too shabby if you ask me. Anyway, I think that the Horton Hears a Who movie was great. It was entertaining (except for the screaming baby in the back row! - sorry everybody) and had some good lessons. I liked that Horton didn't give up he kept trying and trying and even though that grouchy kangaroo was awful Horton didn't give in but then ended up forgiving her. The famous quote from that book and the movie is "A person's a person, no matter how small." What a simple way of saying we all matter!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-20009943389163412192008-05-19T07:41:00.000-07:002008-05-19T07:58:06.844-07:00Maybe I am Strong EnoughOkay, I don't think anybody reads this but I thought I'd just get my thoughts out into the universe. If anybody does read this that doesn't know me (not likely since I've told very few people about it that do know me) I am LDS otherwise known as a "Mormon." Truly I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Recently there has been much talk around me about the second coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I don't understand why all these scary scary scary things have to happen. With the Earthquake in China and the cyclone in... I know remember where that one was, the economy being in the crapper, gas prices up, the dishonesty in politics, the terrorists and everything else that's going on I am watching the signs of the second coming come upon us and it's SCARY! I am naturally a faithful person (it's what we call a spiritual gift) but I am not sure I'm faithful enough for this! I know in the end it will all be okay and that Jesus will come back and peace will regin but I don't like the trip from Point A to Point B. There are so many good peole in this world that do not know about the gospel of Jesus Christ and it breaks my heart. With the fear I have and the knowledge I possess of the plan of Salvation (the destiny of mankind) and knowing that my eternal life is already mapped out and I am going to be okay (as is my family) I CANNOT imagine how scary this life would be without that knowledge. I am grateful grateful grateful that I know I'm gonig to be okay and my family is going to be with me for eternity. <br /><br />Looking back over the past few years I see that God has been setting me up (in a good way) to make sure that I'm okay. Through many trials I have begun to discover my own strength and my own power. I am grateful that I know that. Anyway, God has been setting me up to make sure that I'm okay. He has shown me the importance of food storage (still working on this one), taught me what it's like to have a simple little goal change your whole life, the importance of financial security, the joy and beauty of motherhood, the overwhelming power of the priesthood that has been given to my sweet humble husband, and countless other things. I'm not good at doing laundry or having a clean house all the time and sometimes I'm a HORRIBLE mother but while those things are important I'm more anxious to teach my kids that I love them, that God loves them, and that THEY are powerful too. That's a difficult thing to teach to children and I truly don't think it's something that can be taught without knowing it yourself first. I hope that I can convey to my children that they are wonderful and awesome the way they are and that they don't need to change... Maybe I am strong enough for this.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-28144975366776115082008-04-25T07:59:00.000-07:002008-04-25T08:15:24.158-07:00This and ThatI set up usernames all the time.. over and over... I can't ever keep them straight. Every time I set up a new one I come back to the website and I have to start over because I can't ever remember the one I set up in the first place. <br /><br />Jaden is starting Kindergarten soon. YIKES! I can't believe it. I feel like he might as well be going a mission and getting married now. I can't believe he's already 5 years old! He has been struggling a little bit lately, he doesn't deal with big changes well and I pointed out to him that he's not going to be going to "Miss Karen's" (preschool) anymore. I think that freaked him out a little bit. I have never been so scared of 5 year old kids in my life! When I think of all the scary, sad, and mean things kids do I am scared for my little JadenPants (nickname... I know it's stupid, but it's Jaden). What if he doesn't make friends (who wouldn't love him?!?!), what if he DOES make friends but with the wrong people?!?!?! What if they find he has a learning disability? What if he hurts himself and nobody can get to him and they can't get a hold of me and all the time my sweet little boy is in a coma?!?!? What if he wanders off the playground, gets lost and we lose him? Vocalizing these fears is not doing anything to calm me down. As a matter a fact I'm about to have an anxiety attack. I don't think it would be so bad if I were closer but I work so I am no where near him. <br /><br />Let's change subjects... The Jazz! That's what we'll talk about. I was very disappointed with their performance last night. That was the sloppiest I've seen this team play in a LONG TIME! There were so many fouls and the turn overs were a joke! I'm not much into sports but that was a sad performance. And it was on their own court! I must say though... I love Kyle Koerver (spelling?) and it's not because he is beautiful. He is just such a good guy. It's nice to have somebody that my kids look up to that is a good person. I think most of the Jazz players are nice guys but Kyle is the kind of guy that I would want my daughter to bring home (if I had a daughter that is). I heard a story about how he donates 1/3 of his salary to charities and such. 1/3!!! I wine about the 10% we donate to the church! <a href="http://www.sltrib.com//ci_9036763?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com">http://www.sltrib.com//ci_9036763?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com</a><br /><br />Anway, I know that again this has been really about nothing but that's what you get for reading my blog... does anybody even read it? I doubt it.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635103557450571522.post-70009803493356638082008-04-21T12:52:00.001-07:002008-04-21T13:01:42.423-07:00A firstThis is a first for me and I'm not sure I'm going to have anything to say... at least not anything anybody will care about. Oh well, this can be a fun little project. My name is Stephanie and I am a 27 (OH MY GOSH! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M 27!!!). I am a mother of 3 little boys who are as great as they come! Jaden, Noah, and Jack. Jaden is 5, Noah 3, and Jack is 3 months. I work full time for a growing company in Salt Lake City and I am married to Mike. Brother... what a life! <br /><br />My sister has a blog and she has a new entry all the time, so I thought this might be fun but I honestly cannot think of anything to say. I have a small life and there is nothing great or important about it except that I am the mother of three beautiful boys. They are the light of my life and even though my house is always a mess and I'm always exhausted because they keep me running so hard core I can't imagine life without them. Actually, it seems that my life didn't really start until Jaden was born. <br /><br />I have a good job (I'm not going to say where because there are some nutty people out there!) and I think I've got a pretty important position here. I might have to start traveling though and that would suck. I'm actually at work right now so.... maybe if I keep doing stuff like this while I'm at work they will discover that I shouldn't travel because I can't stay focused and they don't want to advertise that to our clients. I'm not going to try to explain what I do for a living because it's too complicated, but I enjoy it... I even enjoy some of the drama that comes up from time to time. Everybody needs a little drama.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11838912409949270979noreply@blogger.com2