MICHAEL IS ONE!!!!!

We are doing Cake and Ice cream on Friday night at six for Michael Michaels birthday! 1 years Old already!!!! It will be at my mom's house any one who does not know where that is...call me! nothing to big just fun with family and of course the eating of the birthday cake! i love that with little ones. Please every one come. LOVE you all

Utah County

My hubby and boys have come to Utah county for Christmas. We are staying with my aunt Holly and her fam, in their wonderful new home in Highland area. They have lived here for little over a week or so and you would NEVER guess that by how put together her home is. (not really that surprising if you not Holly but...impressive all the same) It is really great to be up here. Chad and I are both from this area and the majority of both our families are still in the area. It is so fun to come and see everyone.

I don't think I will be blogging again till after Christmas, so HAPPY HOLIDAYS! We love you all and hope that your Christmases are fun filled and happy.

HUNTSMANS's

Sorry so boring.

LOTS OF SYRUP!!!!

Chad and me at our best.

Our attempt to take a picture of us.

I love this picture!! My boy is beautiful!

michael got some balloons and went nuts, had so much fun!


What a great smile he has got.

On Thanksgiving day,
Dad and Braxton the only picture I got with any adults?

My first attempt at 7 layer jello, I think I did a great job, it was a fantastic sucess

Braxton Chowing down

Michael enjoyed dinner, he really liked the Jello but i did not get any pictures

Liah eating Thanksgiving dinner

We made our gifts for neighbors this year. It was really fun and I think they turned out really well.

The second kind

Liah's hands, they were so dirty, but they kids have a lot of fun.

Braxtons hands

The kids "helping" it was so fun

Gingerbread 2008
chad's finished product


My finished producted

i love doing gingerbread houses with people who have not done them for so long, they come up with the best ideas, so original. this is Chad's snow angel. He scrapped off the icing, cool huh.

Chad made this great tree in his front yard, it is quite a feet of enginering.

The Larsen's were the only couple to come to our party, but really it was so much fun, they did a great job.

Chad's inside

Michael fist candy cane. He loved it, but was so sticky after

Our spread. It was a lot of candy for only three houses being made

Liah, she is so cute, showing me her gingerbread man, the other side is decorated!!;)



Our 2nd attempt at gingerbread, the first was way dry? the second one worked great a little "bubble issue" but other than that a sucess.

This is Michael with his Balloons. he loved them, and I loved watching him get so excited.


I think this enough. I hope you enjoy this post, sorry for its length but I wanted to catch you up on our day to day.

Tagged by Jo!

Here's how to play:
1. Link your tagger (Jo) and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. There is nothing more fulfilling to me then cleaning! I have a little Monica Geller in me, I love to organize and keep things neat and when I find a dirty room...I want nothing more than to throw on the yellow gloves and get to work.

2.I am afraid to have any girls. This is a completely irrational fear, I have no control over this, but all the same, the thought of having a teenager with the same attitude problems as I had at that age...YIKES!!!

3.I like computer games. I'm talking World of Warcarft, Sim's, etc. I blame this nerdy addiction on my dad. He always use to ask me to play with my bro and him, I loved it. The memories with them playing are some of my favorite. Just a warning to whom ever does play with him...he will turn on you in the last seconds of the game. Break your alliance and kill you off to hold victory all his own.

4. I desire to become a lawyer. This is a passion, if I can I would like to rewrite the way that divorces involving children are handled in our legal systems. I truly believe there are better more appropriate ways to handle the struggles of divorce with out damaging our children. (sorry this may be harsh words, but they are just my opinion) I would like to attend BYU, maybe one day? For now being a mom is great.

5. I LOVE water. I drink it all day every day and really can not stand to be with out for to long. Not really that unusual but I am getting a little worried that I am really not that interesting of a person.

6. I can talk to just about any one for hours... I call this a blessing and a curse. I never seem to be able to get to a "stopping point" in conversations, I just have to walk away. But I get to know so really amazing people and can develop relationships with them in a few "short" conversations.

7. I had a "broken" foot on my wedding day, and my honey moon. I say "broken" because it was a bone on the inside of my foot and just ached more than anything else. The doctors told me to stay off or it would worsen and I just laughed! IT'S MY WEDDING NO FREAKING WAY!!! My dad and Chad were with me when the doctor told me, then they tried to put a hard cast on it and I would not let them. It was a funny experience. My foot healed fine, occasionally it aches but that is true to any bone that has been broken.

I tag...Trish, Bobbie, Steph, Mickey, Kristen, Liz, Becky

Homework assignment for Computer Class.

Although all that read our blog, may spend the time to watch this video; you really don't need to. I am only doing this for a grade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

Here is the link to the video i was required to watch and now I get to comment on it. Feel free to comment on it if you want.

I think that the video has some nice points but seemed to be a little overkill. What is it with Kansas state and creating videos like this? I don't like the format of the video. It has a lot of information on the possibilities of social networks and blogs.

thanks for listening.

"Come What May, and Love it."

Elder Wirthlin passed away last night. For those of you who do not not know who this amazing man is, he was an apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and a beloved man. I am only 22, and have been a member of the church since birth, but since my Senior year in high school, maybe a bit earlier, i have developed a very string testimony in the Lord and his Flock. I truly believe that like those 11 others still on this Earth, Joseph B. Wirthlin was a message to us in these final days. Nothing could have been a better "final speech" than the one he gave this last conference. It was a talk on hope and happiness. It was one on enjoying the journey but mostly, to me, it was a talk on overcoming the MANY obstacles we will all inevitably face. I love that he was so optimistic on the challenges of our day to day strife. He did not say, "You won't face challenges as members of this Church." or "Say you believe and your life will be filled with nothing but joy!" He said that those trials and tribulations will come to every single one of us, (that is why we are here right), but instead up gripping and moaning about it...why not laugh? I am adding some of his talk to my post, please read it. it will make your life a happier one if you can take it to heart, if not maybe just your day will be better.

"How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can't-at least not at the moment. I don't think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement of deny the reality of pain. I don't think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. but I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life." (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin October 2008 general conference)

"The next time you're tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable." (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin October 2008 general conference)

"Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others."(Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin October 2008 general conference)

I know this was a rant of a blog but I need to put into words the thoughts and feelings I had when i heard the news about elder Wirthlin's passing. Thanks, and I pray these little excerpts help you through your current and future trials. love you all and know that it can if you ask for the help.

Judge if you must!

So i know I am not the first to say this, and I don't think I will be the last. I love Twilight! Chad says that I am bordering obsessed! I have seen the movie and really enjoyed it. The only part in the entire thing that I did not love was the meadow scene, but otherwise I really enjoyed it. The YW in my ward want to go again this week and I am SO up for chaperoning! This post was short and really pointless but...that's OK right

I love the HOLIDAYS!

Even though we are not going to be with our own family this Thanksgiving, we are making our own. Last year we did our own little feast, although it was a lot of fun this year we are doing Thanksgiving with our adopted family. The Larsen's are not going any were for Thanksgiving either, so we are having a feast here. If any one is stick-in around and wants to e included just give me a call. I am really excited, it should be fun.

I also have to say that this Christmas should be a great one. Last year I had to work Christmas eve, and the day after Christmas so we stayed here...oh and I was REALLY pregnant. But this year we are hoping to go up North. If we go, we will be there for like three weeks, plenty of time to see all family and love everyone. I have to brag for a minute I have made all of our gifts except a couple stocking stuffer! It has made Christmas a lot more work (I have been working since OCT) but really I can not wait to see how much everyone will love their gifts.

We are doing our own gingerbread for the first year. The first Saturday in December we are starting our own tradition. My parents have done this for years, but we can never make it up in time to join in so...We are doing it here. I will take pictures, and if any one in the area wants to come just let me know!!!

Random thoughts-
I love the weather, I say if you don't like the cold and you don't like the snow leave Utah. ;) I love the smell of pine cones, and cooking ham. I love the fun that Chad and I have had making the boys gifts. i love thinking of new traditions. I love the fact the Braxton MIGHT get what is going on this year? I love when it snows all night and you wake up with new white snow out side. I love leaving the Christmas tree lights on all night Christmas Eve. I love how it gets dark so early, and light so early (daylight savings) I love Christmas music. I love attempting new recipes (homemade gingerbread houses this year, wish me luck) I love little boy winter clothes, cute Binni's, and little gloves. i love my winter wardrobe, always makes me feel thin;) I Love all the Holiday food, and the lack of guilt I have when eating them.

OK that is enough love you all

PS I only have 6 pounds to lose to hit my New Years resolution weight!! I hope I can do it with the Holidays!

I Won

OK not the big prize but second!
i play bunko with some girls in my ward, for those of you who do not know what bunko is...it's a dice game, tons of fun, really simple, but i am not going to explain it further. Any way, we played tonight and it was Twilight themed. SO FUN!! Thanks Kalley. We all won shirts, and then i got a free movie ticket and the twilight soundtrack. the shirts are so cute, I am going to barrow the CD and make some for the girls in the fam. Any requests? Any way, I was really stoked that I did so well, and now i can go see the show!!
Sorry this is such a short some what lame post but I was excited!
Below are all the different shirts, i love the "bite me" one, and there is another one that says "i am in love with a vampire, did I mention my husband and two kids?" Or something like that, I like that one too!

This is long sorry! YW in Excellence

This week has been kind of crazy for us. Chad is busy busy in school. It is getting close to the end of this semester and he wants to stay right on top of things. I am so proud of him, he has worked so hard this semester and I am positive his grades will show that.

I have been going crazy with YW. We had our YW in excellence yesterday night. This week has been filled with running errands, decorating, and planning. It has been really stressful, but so fun. Our amazing President came to us with the idea of doing a non-traditional night. for those of you who do not know, the night is based on showing the girls projects that they have worked on through out the year in their Personal Progress books, usually it is formal occasion. Our pres wanted to make it fun. so we did "Young Women's Adventures in Excellence". We themed it all in the jungle. With a tour guide (me) and a watering hole. we decorated the RS room all jungle themed with the girls stuffed animals and lots of pictures they painted. the walls were covered in vines (crate paper) and all the food was jungle themed, with "bug guts" and "monkey poo". It was a lot of fun, but I am glad it is done.



Our stake leader and some parents, you can see our vinny walls!


Natalie and Kadi. Two of my beehives and amazing young women.


The monkey you saw as you came in, she is working on her PP

the thank you we gave the girls, it says Steadfast and Immovable. that was our theme this year.


Our watering hole!

Our invites, were so cute.
A jungle safari sounds like fun
An Excellent Adventure, too
Through the Young Women Values one by one
Our Young Women projects we'll view.

We'll wind our way on the jungle grade
With our fearless safari guide
The RB Young Women are not afraid
They hold their torches high!



Then our clues were...
Clue #1
Here in the darkest jungles of life
Only one thing will see you through
FAITH in our Heavenly Father's plan
And in the Savior, too.

Clue #2
The jungle can be a dangerous place
Sometimes it feels like a test
DIVINE NATURE tells us we're never alone
With Heavenly parents we're blessed.

Clue #3
The jungle terrain might confuse you
You might just forget where you are
If you recognize your own INDIVIDUAL WORTH
You'll find your way from afar.

Clue #4
Like the greenery found in the jungle
Where all the wild things grow
The KNOWLEDGE possessed by your faithful guide
Will protect you from misery and woe.

Clue #5
To choose correct paths through the jungle
We must focus on signs all around
CHOICE & ACCOUNTABILITY are entirely ours
As we choose, so are we bound.

Clue #6
Like a beacon that shines through the jungle
GOOD WORKS seem to make our load light
As we share what we have with others
We gain favor in His sight.

Clue #7
The royalty of the jungle
Is not the lion at all
But the daughters possessed of INTEGRITY
Are Princesses who answer His call.

Clue #8
We've journeyed through the jungle
I think we've met our goal
And now it's time to end our trip
With a stop at the Watering Hole.


Also I am keeping track of our carpet. Once a month I am taking a picture so we can see how quick it gets dirty!


This is the stain that was on our floor when we moved in, this is one month after they cleaned the carpets, and it is back!


The lighter area is were our rug sits, I think it is horrible only after one month it is already this dirty. I vacuum and least once a week, so...


This is the part between the kitchen and the living room. It gets the most foot traffic but it really is nasty. Micheal is starting the get the dirty circles on his socks and knees again from crawling on my nasty carpet. Any one have any suggestions on how to make this better?

Wits End

I am really struggling, and need some major help!! Braxton will not stop biting! Not only does he bite me and Chad, but he is biting friends, and even other adults. Please please help, any suggestions?

Just a FLUKE??

Braxton went poo in the potty today? Now before we all get to excited...

Our friend liah is potty training right now. We are at their house, or they are here about three to four times a week so we have been watching her train. Since then Braxton has been asking to "go potty" A LOT. Like every twenty minutes or so. Most of the time he just wants to sit on the seat with all his clothes on, sometimes he wants his pants off. I have chalked this up to just watching Liah go.

well today he asked to "go potty" I was in his room putting away laundry so I took off his pants and diaper and in he walked himself to the potty. I came in shortly after and there it was...POO!! So now I am confused, was this a fluke? Or is he really ready? i guess only time will tell.

Squeezing in a blog..

I know, it's weird to see me blogging, but I thought I might as well write something since I haven't for a long time.

I am currently at the school in between a "freshmen's week" group (?, that's the only thing I can think of, it's not really a class and it's not really a discussion either) and my Math class (where I decided to blog during the ONLY hour that I have free time, I'll never know).

This Blog is actually 2 fold. First: to get the "Christmas" blog out of the way so people don't have to focus on it anymore, and secondly: because I just wanted to let everyone know how stupid FASSST Week is (Freshmen's week). It's basically a time where Freshmen and newly attending students can learn more about campus and services provided for them. If you can recall I wrote a blog a while ago about how I am the exception.. well, this kinda goes along with it. I transferred from UVSC in Spring 2006 and have been going here ever since. well when I transferred here they stated that I did NOT have to attend UNIV 1000 (the class for freshmen) because I was a transfer student that had taken a class similar to it at UVSC. I thought, "Great! I don't have to go through that same boring process for this school now!"
Fast forward til last semster when I FINALLY had a graduation plan set up with my counselor. basically a plan of all the classes I need to take set up into a calendar of semesters. (which, I had been doing at home with Katy until then). Well, I was talking to my counselor and she said that I needed to take the Univ 1000 class because I transfered with less than 30 credits (I think I had like 35, but only 25 transferred over) well that sucks... So I registered for the class this semester; on the first day of class, the teacher asked the students who had declared a major. EVERYONE raised their hand. Ok, who of you have declared a Medical Major? Again, EVERYONE raised their hand, except me. Who has a Major other than Medicine? I was the ONLY one to raise my hand.. weird? The teacher turned to me and said, I wonder why you are in this class... She said that I shouldn't be in this class because I was a JUNIOR, and I shouldn't have been in that specific class because I had a different major than anyone else.

Long story short (because I'm running out of time before class starts) I was put into a class that had NOTHING to do with my major because it focused solely on Medicine, and I had to take a class that helped me in NO way because I have been attending this school for 2 years! Now, I'm stuck attending groups about more services offered to SUU students about how to eat on a budget, or take classes that will help in my Major... All pointless except to graduate from SUU for me.

I would type more, but I have to go to class. This blog is not intended to make anyone feel bad, or feel bad for me, I just wanted to let you know of the Craziness that is SUU and their adamant -ness on making students take freshmen classes even when they are passed it.

Have fun all, glad I could finally post something.

PS, I want to celebrate Thanksgiving before I celebrate Christmas. Katy has turned to FM 100 who plays Christmas songs ALL DAY for those of you who just can't wait.

CHRISTMAS

TO Any one who does not like my Christmas decor already...too bad. i love it. Chad says he does not like it.. "the snowflakes are funny colors and stuff." What ever. I like it.

Halloween Day/Night

Braxton did not like the thing between his legs, this was the result!

My own little squirt, he was sweet with his fat little cheeks!

Trying escape out the door, wanted to come out and play with his big brother, or just eat the pumpkins.


My nemo, he was so good, and kept the costume on long enough for me to snap a few pictures, then the hat came off, then the fish part, then the pants...;) Thanks steph and art for letting us barrow this.


Chad and i have decided we are not the most talented pumpkin carvers, we had fun and I am going to blame it on time, and children.

My Michael in the pumpkin

The morning of Halloween, what a cutie

"Helping" mom with dishes.

Braxton did not wake up very well from his nap, just wanted mom to lay with him, I love these moments. They don't happen much with Braxton so i soak it all up!

Over all it was a great day, Braxton and Michael had a great time and the Ward carnival then Trunk or treating. We went to Larsen's after and handed out all our candy. After the boys went down some friends of ours that do not have kids came over and played games. Happy Halloween every one hope your day was a fun as ours.