Happy Birthday Brian!

Today is my wonderful amazing husband's birthday. Even though he is not excited about getting older, he is still the same funloving, energetic, charismatic, and happy guy I married! I just wanted to tell everyone that I have many reasons why I love this man and today I am listing "38" of them.
1. He loves the Lord and his Savior Jesus Christ more than anything.
2. He honors his priesthood and serves in whatever capacity he can.
3. He loves being a husband and is devoted to me in every way.
4. He loves being a father and adores his children. (One of his favorite things to say is that it takes a "real" man to make 4 girls)
5. He loves to have fun and laugh a lot.
6. He enjoys music. He loves to sing, he can play the guitar, piano, and trumpet, and loves to karaoke.
7. He sings in the shower and I love hearing him.
8. He likes to cook especially pies.
9. He loves to be around others and serve them in whatever way he can.
10.He loves to play games around the table with family and friends.
11.He loves to read and I enjoy watching him laying on the bed with a book.
12.He is intelligent but in a nonegotistical way.
13.He has a very quick witt and I love his sense of humor.
14.He is a very positive person even when the going gets tough, he pushes on.
15.I love how he can try so hard to figure something out when it breaks and fix it.
16.I love that he still holds my hand and puts his arm around me.
17.He loves to fish and I love to watch him as he is so relaxed yet intent.
18.He likes to try new things and encourages me to.
19.He is always warm and is my personnal heater.
20.He is a momma's boy. Some people may not appreciate this but I love how tender and loving and protective he is towards his own mother.
21.I love how physically strong he is. He can pick up and move anything most men can't.
22.I love how impractical at times he can be. He is much more romantic than I and if money weren't an option, would spoil me.
23.I love that he likes to dance and dance with me even though he is a much better dancer that I. He will even watch "So you Think you Can Dance" with me.
24.I love that he enjoys Little House On The Prarie episodes as much as I do. To me, he is a lot like Charles.
25.I love that he is the last person I want to talk to before I go to bed at night.
26.I love how patriotic he is towards his country and how important the founding fathers are to him.
27.I love that he has an opinion about everything. He is constantly studying and learning.
28.I love how important education is to him. He would love to be a continuous student.
29.I love how he has brought my distant family together and brought me closer to my dad.
30.I love that he wants to be involved in every family event and volunteers his time to support us.
31.I love that he is a very manly man. He makes me feel taken care of and protected.
32.I love that he loves the outdoors and wants to take us camping and appreciates nature.
33.I love that he will sit and watch a "chick flick" with me.
34.I love hearing him tell stories to the children at bedtime.
35.I love that he enjoys Christmas and holidays just as much if not more than I do.
36.I love that he makes me a better wife, mother, and person just by being around him .
37.I love that he always makes me feel beautiful when I feel old and ugly.
38.Last of all, I love that he is mine for all eternity. Forever and ever.

I love you Brian!

Cancer

As I was working on a Christmas project one evening, the phone rang and I was surprised to hear my mom's voice. She had just gotten back from visiting my sister Mary and her husband Jeff and grandaughter Elise for Thanksgiving. Before she left, she'd had a routine mamogram. The reason for her call was very unexpected and literally shocked me. My mom has breast cancer. She is a stage 3 with stage 4 being the worst. She goes in for surgery next week to remove the tumor and during the surgery they will check to see if the cancer has spread to her lymph system. Following surgery, she will be undergoing Chemo. I was not expecting anything like this. As I hung up the phone, I realized how precious life is. I'm not ready for my mom to go. I want her to fight this and win. Her prognosis is very good. The cure rate is 90 percent. Still, I realize how important my mom being here and in my life is and how much I need her. I love my mom so much and know that through the gospel and my knowledge I will be able to support my mom and forge onward.
He never said it would be easy, but it would be worth it.

Snow!!!

It finally snowed and boy had it been COLD.

Jake and Kaelie decided they just had to play outside in the snow

even if it was downright freezing.

Downhome Country Christmas Parade

This year Jeade'en decided she wanted to learn to play the Clarinet.

Her 6th grade offers a chance to learn and be in a band.

Their first performance was to march and play in Kuna's Christmas Parade.

Jeade'en wore a cute santa hat with blinking Christmas lights but the band

was marching so fast that I was only able to get the back of her. She's in the

dark brown coat.

It was freezing cold but my family was still very happy!
The girls just had to pose for me.

Black Friday

I have always gone out on Black Friday except last year. This year I drug my friend Jodie along with me. I awoke at 4 am and made some hot cocoa and brought along some bananas and clementines and Jodie and I were at our first store by 5 am. We didn't wait in line but we were there just after the doors opened and I made my first black friday purchase of 2009. A digital camera since our has been broken for 3 months. Then, off we went onto more and more stores. I just love Target! I was able to find everything on

my list there that I hadn't been able to find elsewhere. Jodie and I had to stand in line for 1 hour, but the conversation was great. I must say that Jodie really was a trooper. When I say "drug" her shopping with me, I mean just that. She was a great sport and we really bonded and now she can attest to the fact that I am fanatical. I love you Jodie!

When I came home, Brian had put up lights and our Christmas tree. We decorated it with the kids the next day and I took my first official picture with our new camera.

(It's a little out of focus but I'm still figuring it out)

Thanksgiving Day

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. We were able to celebrate it with our great friends The Tourville's.
Jodie did an amazing Turkey which she marinated and cooked. (I'm not a chef so she'd have to explain all of the
technical cooking jargon :). We had so much food and it was all so beautiful! As we ate, we went around the table
taking turns telling everyone what we were all thankful for. It was wonderful and such a sweet spirit permeated
our home. We all feel truly blessed for everything that is ours and the abundance which we all enjoy daily.

Thankful

For Family Home Evening on Nov. 2, we started a new tradition. We made a Thankful Tree. I had this cute little tree with lights on it that I use for lots of holiday decor. We put it in this cute little pot and filled it with colored sand. Then, each of us discussed the many things we are thankful for. We picked one thing and wrote it down on a leaf and hung it on our tree. Our goal is for each person to write down one thing each week and hang it from our tree. By the end of the month, we should have a very heavy laden tree. It will remind us all month of the wonderful things our Heavenly Father has given us and how blessed we truly are.
I made a playlist this month of songs relating to what I am most thankful for.

#1 My Heavenly Father and savior Jesus Christ who give me everything I have & more.
#2 My wonderful amazing soulmate whom I fall in love with over and over again.
#3 My 4 beautiful daughters that are my little sunshines.
#4 My 2 sons that make my world complete.
#5 The wonderful world that I live in that is so beautiful and fulfilling.
#6 All the miracles and blessings that have been showered upon me abundantly.
#7 For wonderful parents on both sides that have given me cherished moments.
#8 For amazing loving friends who have taught me so much.

Thank you!