All too fast...

It is amazing to me that we have been back in Utah for over a year! Where has the time gone? I had a huge list of things that I was going to do right after we moved back...and the list is still very long!  A lot of these activities involve going as a family. It is still hard to believe that I now have to work around a college student's, a high school student's, a middle schooler, a toddler, and a "world" traveling husband's schedule! The days of being bored, because there is "nothing going on", has definitely come to a crashing halt!


I would not trade any of this away (all except for the temper tantrums that are thrown...yes, some are by me!). Life is too short! I am learning to find all of the wonderful blessings that are in my life daily!

Believe everything happens for a reason...

"No Left Turns- Life is to short to wake up with regrets so love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it and if it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it most likely would be worth it. Enjoy life now - It has an expiration date." Michael Gartner.

I found this quote today on a friend's status update on Facebook. For some reason, it has really made me think today (this was going to be a non-thinking day!)! I am a firm believer that everything does happen for a reason! Every move that I have ever made in my life (and I have moved a lot!), I can look back and see that we were in that place for a reason, and then I can see how things started to change before we've left. I think it is amazing how Heavenly Father helps to prepare us for these changes.

I look at all of the friends that I have made as we've moved across the country and back, and I have some amazing friends! There are some that I have lost contact with, for various reasons, and I regret that we haven't stayed in touch. Maybe when the time is right, things will change. The one part about this quote above that is difficult for me, is the "forget about the ones (friends) who don't (treat you right)". That is easier said than done!

I am working really hard on following my motto for this year: "Come what may, and LOVE it"! So, I'm sure that I will continue to have changes and obstacles, but as long as I handle them properly, everything will work out!

Everything is wonderful here. Natosha is auditioning at USU for a position in the Aggie Marching Band in February. Zachary now has a UT learners permit, so now we need to get him out on the road (watch out EM friends!) to practice. Kaitlyn has just been advanced to Symphonic band at the middle school, and she is so excited about this-and so are we! Joseph is finally going to sleep on his own-without being rocked!!Yay! Of course, he is full of mischievousness, and he keeps me on my toes! I can't believe he is almost 2!!

Random Thoughts from the Zoo: Cinch! by Cynthia Sass - A review and giveaway

I am so excited to try this new diet! I am ready to get a "jump start" on losing the few pounds that I have recently acquired. Check out this blog from a friend of mine! She is giving away a copy of this book!

Random Thoughts from the Zoo: Cinch! by Cynthia Sass - A review and giveaway

Thanksgiving

Okay, so after my talk on Sunday (about Thanksgiving), I am trying to work harder on being thankful for all things. I am even trying to learn to be thankful for the trials that I have had in my life!! I am so thankful for the knowledge that the scriptures give us about how our Heavenly Father is mindful of us, and that He won't give us anymore than we can handle!

I am super excited about this Thanksgiving! We will be having most of Mike's family here, plus my "little" brother and his sweet wife! The last time that I've had Thanksgiving with any member of my family was twenty years ago. I am saddened to think that it has truly been this long since I have celebrated a holiday with a member of my family. I just hope that this will be the first of many times that my brother and I will get together!!

I would love to say that our lives have slowed down now that marching band season is over...but, I'm afraid that we are all still very busy! I loved being able to watch Tosha and Zac perform with the Westlake band. It was a sad night, a couple of weeks ago, when I realized that this performance was Natosha's last as a high school marching band student! On this same day, though, we found out that Natosha had been accepted to USU!! Yay!! My little girl is growing up (sniff, sniff)!

I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that you will take the time to see all of the wonderful blessings that you have in your life!

Blessings

This week, I have been given many opportunities to reflect upon all that I have been blessed with in my life. A lot of these reflections have come as I've been counting to 10 in order to calm down!! Joseph has hit the terrible two's, 5 months too early! He is really good at throwing temper tantrums, and I have a fat lip to prove it!



I have a wonderful family! I have four beautiful children, and an amazingly supportive husband! This week, I finally received an e-mail from my mother, after having no communication with her for over two years. I am hoping that this e-mail will spur more interaction between the two of us. I have a great father that I am learning more about all of the time! I also have four sisters and two brothers, that I am trying to develop better relationships with! Not to mention, my "second family", that has been great to be a part of for almost 20 years! 

I am honored to have some amazing friends that are there for me. Some of these sweet people I have known since high school. Thanks to modern technology, I have been able to reconnect with them, and to learn what is happening in their lives. There are some friends that I have, regardless of the distance, that I know are there for me any time, and that they care about me (and I care about them!).

I'm also thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that this gospel is true, and that no matter where we live, the same principles are being taught. It is also great to be a part of a ward family!

Applesauce

Okay, so I don't know what came over me today!! I went totally domestic and made applesauce!! I had seen it done before by my friend Mary Anne, but I had never been brave enough to try! So, I had a lot of apples that needed to have something done with them, and I decided to see what kind of a mess I could make!! I think that I had 24 apples and it made 3 1/2 pints of applesauce! It wasn't hard to make at all! The worst part was the peeling and seeding of the apples! I think I am going to check and see if I can get more apples and jars and make another batch or two! It tastes so delicious (if I do say so myself!!)!!

Now, what can I do with 6 large oranges????

Autumn

I love the changing of the seasons!! We have had a really long summer, so it is exciting to have the temperatures cool off and to feel the "crispness' in the air! It is also helping me to realize that our wardrobe from Mississippi is not going to make it for the Utah winters! Mike and I still have a lot of sweaters and sweatshirts, but the kids have mostly short-sleeved t-shirts! Time to go shopping!! =)

I think I finally have the house mostly unpacked. There are still a few boxes that need to have the contents find a home, but we are mostly there! I am super excited! I was about to think that it was never going to happen!! Now, I just need to clean walls, hang pictures, reorganize my kitchen, plus everything else that normally has to be accomplished! I might get a day off by 2011! Haha! I love staying busy!

I was super excited to see a couple of my "Mississippi" friends on Friday. We went to Cafe Rio (which is yummy!!), and had a great visit!! One of my friends lives in West Jordan, but my other friend still lives in the Brandon, MS, area. It was so much fun! Hopefully, we will be able to do this again!

Okay, so here are a few more pictures that have been taken over the year.

One of my friends from when I was in high school. We worked together at Pizza Hut! It was so great to see her and her son  after 17 years!

Joseph loved bouncing on the trampoline! I think all of the girls had fun making him laugh!

Katie loves taking pictures of Joseph and herself! At least she's smiling!! =)

I think Zac had more fun playing with the toys than Joseph did!

Katie, Tosha, and Jenny! What a lovely trio!

Joseph and Ashley! Joseph had all of his cousins wrapped around his little finger!