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Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

April Already?

I did it again... neglected my blog! It's not like I haven't been doing anything - I have been really busy! And sick... 


My little sister has been very sick. She has been in the hospital for over a month now - and I have not been able to visit her much. She doesn't want to have me infect her with my germs while she heals from her surgery. I don't blame her, actually. It wouldn't be nice to make her even more sick than she is. She has been in our prayers - so if any of you wish to add her to your prayer list - her name is Noelle. 


We had a very nice Easter weekend too. We really wanted to emphasize to the kids what Easter was about - and what it was NOT about. It helped that our church was holding it's Annual General Conference over the weekend, so we stayed home to "watch" church on TV. I always love conference weekend. I wish that we were able to go down and be in Salt Lake City for it again. That is definitely one of my favorite memories! However, when we have all the kids, they are more than a little disruptive to those around them, so it was best that we were able to watch this from home. I love to hear from Jeffery Holland, David Bednar, and most especially President Thomas S. Monson. I love to hear from all of them - but those three tell especially good stories! 


I notice too that there is a different spirit in our home during Conference weekend. Both DH and I recommit to doing better and applying the lessons we've been taught by our leaders. Just like spring - it's a whole new beginning!


The weekend and week following we were blessed to have a little girl staying with us while her foster parents were out of town. This little doll is about the best baby I've ever seen! Rarely a cry... eats everything you give her... no noise when it's time for bed... We just loved her to pieces! We took lots of pictures and a couple of videos. Wish I could share with you - but you know the rules! DH and I agree that we NEED another girl in the house! Little girls just play different games and make different noises than boys do. We need some balance here! 


Three Things I'm Grateful For - 

1. That I get to have a job that allows me to be home with my family and available to help others. Best job in the world - MOM!
2. The snow is finally gone from the yard!! I'm even seeing some green haze on the trees in the neighbourhood.
3. I'm on the mend after a week of feeling like crap. I hate being sick!

This Simply Won't Do!

This once a month posting has got to stop! I think about it all the time, but I've been involved in so much over the past month, that it's been hard to find the time.


There has been a lot of training to attend lately. Admittedly, some of it was voluntary - but all of it was educational. D only joined me for one of the multi-day courses - theraputic crisis intervention - and we learned so much! I've also attended conferences on FASD and Digital Storytelling. Lots and lots to learn and I love it!


There has been quite a bit to do with the boys lately too. I think that the onset of spring has something to do with that. Everyone seems to get busier as it starts to get lighter and warmer outside. We all went to see T in his play at school this week. He had a small part - but he did it so well! Here are some of my favorite shots from "The Hobbit".

Smaug the Dragon

Captured by Spiders

The Great War

It was fun to watch finally, because it had been a six month production to get in place! Of course we had to sit through the Grade 7 band concert before the play. Ahhh.... memories of the honking and squeaking that pass for music. I loved Grade 7 band when I was there - but at the time - I'd had no idea how it must have sounded to the parents. Grade 8 band was better - and I remember those days too. I'm hopeful that the boys will want to take some music when they are old enough - and I'll go endure Grade 7 band concerts again. 

Yesterday was our 4th Wedding Anniversary. I seriously can't believe how the time has flown! We've come such a long way in so little time - and yet - still so much to learn about each other. We spent a great night having dinner at Olive Garden. We were going to see a movie - but we both ate too much - so just came home instead. It was so nice to be out just the two of us! I love you, Honey! 

Happy Valentine's Day

I've been so busy - and hardly had time to think! There is plenty to blog about - but I'm still getting ready for church... My boys surprised me with a breakfast in bed and a promise to be my "slaves" for today. LOL! What a great Valentine's Day. Anyway, I wanted to leave you with this great video, in honor of this day of love... Enjoy!

I've been finding it very hard to get back into the swing of things. School has been back in for a week and a half now (YAY!) but the routines just aren't coming back. I need motivation!!


We did get to enjoy one of our Christmas presents last weekend - and we went out for dinner with Mom and S. You know, when I was a teenager, we could talk my mom into things - like dressing up as a "headbanger" to go shopping with us. That was kind of fun! So I guess I should have known that when we asked her to pose in that stupid face sucking peace sign pose that ALL the girls have on Facebook (what is with that pose anyway?!) that she would just do it for the camera.

It just came naturally to her, I guess! LOL!! It was a fun night. We laughed at so many different stories.


One of my favorite stories that came up was about the day that D sent me flowers. I answered the door and a man gave me this beautiful bouquet. While I'm busy reading the card, V asks me, "Did that guy give you flowers?"


"Yes", I reply.

Then he asks, "Does D know?"


We did get a nicer picture of Mom - just cause I knew she'd not like the one to the left here...

Better?


Love ya, Mom!

Late Night Writing...

It's late and I just can't sleep. I've been meaning to update my blog for some time now, and just hadn't found the time until now. December was especially busy with all the Christmas fanfare and activities. One of my goals for this New Year is to write more often... and with more depth.

We did have a great Christmas! We were blessed to be invited to parties with friends, and visits with family. There were many gifts and plenty of food - maybe too much food. Nineteen of us gathered on Christmas Eve - a family tradition for as long as I can remember. It would have been my Grandmother's 94th birthday. She's been gone a couple of years now, but it still feels funny not to have a birthday cake there.

Over the holidays, we have fallen into a very bad habit of grazing eating whatever and whenever. We have stayed up too late and slept in too often. But everyone is ready to get back into routine again. Especially me! The boys were telling me how bored they were on day 1 of their Christmas vacation - and it just grew from there.

D was a great help with the kids and cleanups too. I really appreciate all that he has done during his days off. This was our double duty Christmas year, so a very full house indeed! Lots of fun and noise (not fun) and the older kids pitched in to buy us an HDTV!! Totally awesome!! Our old big screen had just about bit the dust, so this one came in just in time. D's bonus from work made sure he got his Xbox too - and the boys have been inundating us with Rock Band for days now. (Some of those songs are REALLY awful, aren't they??) Not to mention that we are a family made up of singers and those who are totally tone deaf. It's sure not boring! 

I think the best part of Christmas this year, was that we spent a little more time focusing on Christ - and a little less time (and money) on the gifts. I was so sick of hearing kids ask for more, more, more... We really toned it down (excepting the Xbox) and had a very nice, modest Christmas. I couldn't convince them to spend any time reading about the birth of Christ in scripture. We didn't even watch "Mr. Kruger's Christmas"! But we were together with minimal conflict - a major accomplishment for this group - and it was very nice. 

This is the year we are hoping to have the boys adoption finalized. There are, as expected, some major hurdles to overcome in getting this done. I've been praying like crazy for a solution to these so that everyone can benefit. I could rant all day about the services that will be pulled from our high needs children once they are adopted. But I don't want this to be a political forum... yet... There are many things to be done before this adoption can be finalized. 

I want to read the scriptures, front to back, again this year. But I want to put a little more emphasis on the studying side of it. It’s easy to read it like a novel - but not always so easy to grasp the lessons and meanings that way. I will be using readthescriptures.com if any of you care to join me. Or just check in with me to make sure I'm keeping up on my goals. <

Happy New Year!

Do You Have Room?

I'm all about getting into Christmas for the right reasons today... Enjoy!

The Christmas Spirit

The Christmas Spirit

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving