Merry Christmas!

I realize that I have really been slacking off with my blog this last month; the month just really seemed to get away from me. Couple the holidays with being sick and traveling and it is easy to see why I am so behind! I am repenting now though and hopefully I’ll do better in January.

This year we traveled to Saint Louis to be with the kids for Christmas. We were hoping Michael could couple this trip with business so that we could save on Airfare. So, he scheduled his flight the day before mine hoping to conduct a vendor meeting. Shortly after, our company put a stop on all travel so we went ahead and paid for the flight and Michael flew out before me and Aiden.

Aiden and I were scheduled to fly out Friday evening so that he wouldn’t have to miss school and so that I wouldn’t have to take a vacation day. At 1:30pm my offices were closed because the weather was so bad. I jumped in my car and prayed that I would make it in time to catch my flight. Sam was nice enough to drive us to the Airport which took 2 hours to get there. On the way there we heard that the SLC airport was not allowing anyone to land for next 3 hours. I was immediately worried that I wouldn’t get out. Sure enough my flight had been delayed indefinitely. Aiden and I were lucky to get on the 4:56pm flight 2 minutes before the doors closed which had already been delayed for 3 hours. As we were boarding we got a call saying that our connecting flight in Denver had been cancelled!

Luckily Michael’s Sister Jodi lives in Denver and was an absolute doll and picked us up and put us up for the night! It was great to visit with her and her family while we were there. She was over the top accommodating just like Michael! It was really better than being in a hotel. Early in the morning she grabbed Aiden and let me sleep in until 10:00am and she had breakfast waiting for me when I woke up!! We flew out of Denver at 9:30pm and arrived in Saint Louis just after mid-night. Michael picked us up and we started on our 2 hour drive to his parent’s house.

We had a great time with the kids catching up with what was going on in their lives and playing games. It was amazing to see how much they had grown since I was out six months earlier. While we were grateful to spend the time with the kids on Christmas it wasn’t exactly how we would have liked, one of the challenges with coordinating with two ex wives.

The older kids went home to be with their mom on Christmas Eve and didn’t come back until 9:00 pm that night. We had to have the little kids back home on Christmas morning at 11:00 am which means we had to leave his parents house at 9:00am. We had all of 30 minutes Christmas morning to open presents so we missed out on some of the magic but we were grateful for the time we did have.

We had a 3:45pm flight to SLC so we spent some time visiting with Michael’s brother David and his family. Afterwards we grabbed some lunch to kill some time. When we arrived at the Airport we were informed that our flight had been moved up an hour earlier and that we had missed it. They were able to get us on another airline so we would get home that night but we had to fly through Atlanta. Michael said it was a blessing because it meant we could all fly home together – we were originally scheduled on different flights from Denver to SLC. Aiden is potty trained and I didn’t have a pull-up, he fell asleep and at about 11:30pm wet his pants! I didn’t have extra cloths so I had to take his clothes off and wrap him in blanket.

When we landed in SLC there was a blizzard, the roads hadn’t been plowed and there was zero visibility. I also had a bad cold that seemed to be getting worse by the minute. We made it home though! We told Aiden that Santa was flying to our house and that Christmas was the next day. He woke us up the next morning and I asked him if Santa had come. He went running to the living room and came running back to our room screaming that there were PRESENTS!!!! It was great watching him open presents, it gave us the opportunity to enjoy a little of that Christmas magic!

Tis the Season!

This year since we were planning to be in St. Louis for Christmas I couldn’t see us purchasing a new Christmas tree. Michael on the other hand insisted we have a tree because we had the whole month to enjoy it. He also refused to let me put up what he calls my “Charlie Brown Christmas tree,” he said he was so embarrassed for me last year. So, I gave in.

We bought the tree the day before Thanksgiving and Aiden was so excited that he insisted we put it up immediately which we did. I had all of three Christmas ornaments because the prior year Aiden and my nephew Bear used them for batting practice and broke them.

The tree was up for two weeks with no ornaments and we still hadn’t hung Christmas lights on the house. So, Michael took me to the Home Depot to get some hooks for the outside lights and it turned out they were having a huge sale. We were able to purchase 52 ornaments and a gorgeous angel for $8.99!!!! Aiden and Michael were thrilled to see tree decorated. I must confess though that I never did get around to purchasing new ribbon for the tree…. Oh well next year it will look even better!



Michael also decided to put up the lights that same day. The weather had been great the last two weeks however just before Michael went outside it started to blizzard. That didn’t stop Michael though. While he was up on the roof freezing his butt off I was watching anxiously below with the phone in hand praying I wouldn’t have to call 911. Luckily the lights were installed with no accidents! And so the Christmas season officially began!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Well, I’m finally getting around to writing about Thanksgiving!! This year Michael and I decided to host!! There is something about the holidays and big family gatherings that gets me really excited. We started out with a count of 16 people which quickly grew to 24 – the more the merrier!! Michael and I stayed up the night before making stuffing, preparing yams and potatoes, and baking pies. We also got the turkey ready by putting it in a yummy marinade that Michael made. We finally called it a night at 11:30pm and set our alarm for 6:30am, we wanted to make sure the turkey was done on time. My mom told me the key to making a good turkey is to have it done on time.



We got up at 6:30am and got the turkey stuffed and put it in the oven then we went back to bed. At 11:30 am our turkey was done!! And our guests weren’t expected to arrive until 2:00pm. We decided to let the Turkey rest and put it in the oven down stairs at 170 degrees. It turned out great!! It turned out really moist which is exactly what we were afraid would not happen.



After all our guests arrived the feast began! It was great to catch up with everyone. Annie spent the afternoon interviewing everyone on what they were grateful for or what their favorite part of Thanksgiving was(thank you Annie for your handy work with the video recorder!). The adults were unanimously grateful for FAMILY!! And the kids were unanimously grateful for TURKEY!!



It appears that the kids had a great time too!! Glad I was able to see it on video! The cousins played football and just had fun running around in general! Just the way it should be!

More Aiden-isms



The other day while we were driving home Aiden said “Mom, trick-or-treating is over, next time I will be Ironman”

I was so eager to explain Christmas to Aiden and now every morning driving to school he asks “can we go to Christmas Mom?” one day he said “Mommy where is Christmas, is it lost?"

Annie picked Aiden up from school and while driving home a song came on the radio and he said to Annie “Jesus wrote this song!”

Aiden is already in control of the radio, he tells me he wants me to put on “Jonny Cash” or he wants to listen to “Colbie Caillat” and he wants it on “hard” instead of loud.

Aiden has already started his Christmas list, he told me “I want lighting McQueen for Christmas, a motorcycle with a helmet, and a four-wheeler!” Every commercial he sees he tells me and Michael “Christmas is going to give me that!”

At home or in the car Aiden will say “I’m a teacher mom, use whispers”

He always asks “Mom who bought this?” When I tell him I bought something he’ll say “actually Michael did” or “Thanks Mom!” Yesterday I told him Grandma bought the napkins he was using and he said “I love you Grandma!!”

Aiden thinks it’s hilarious to say “Mom! Mom!” and when I say “what?” he laughs and says “never mind.”

Christine was watching Aiden the other day and said he and Sarah had gotten into a fight so Aiden yelled “DAMIT! DAMIT!” and Sarah responded “SHUTUP!” I of course blamed Grandma because everyone knows that is her choice of swear words and I never swear!!

Aiden colored all over my kitchen floor this weekend, when I asked him why he did it he said “I didn’t do it, the Shaggy Wolf did” when Michael said “I don’t think so” Aiden quickly changed his story and said “Bear did it!”

This morning Aiden said “My Harley boots have germs on them.” I told him I would clean them, he said “I will lick them!” I said “ew!” he laughed and said “I’m just teasing you.”

Top 10 things I love about my husband!!



1. I love that he is a righteous priesthood holder

2. He is absolutely brilliant!! He knows everything about everything!

3. He spoils me rotten!! How many husbands cook and clean and sew?? Not to mention the manicures, pedicures and back massages he gives me!!

4. He is a wonderful husband and father

5. I love his sense of humor

6. He is a fabulous cook (my personal favorites are his ribs and lemon chicken!)

7. He is handsome and charming

8. I love his deep sultry voice

9. He has the most attractive smile, and the cutest dimples!

10. I love his cute little butt (Yes I said it!!)

Soap Box Sunday

I am so grateful we have the opportunity to attend church each Sunday. It really does give me the spiritual pick me up I am so desperately in need of each week. It is also so fulfilling to watch my Husband continue to grow in the church. Yesterday Michael blessed the Sacrament for the first time. I could tell he was a little nervous but he did a great job! He was very deliberate and clear in giving the blessing. I am so proud of the righteous priesthood holder he has become. He also received his first calling yesterday!!! He is a member of our Christmas Planning committee!! He will be sustained next week!

This week I want to share my testimony on the law of tithing. This has been something I have struggled with in the past because I always feel so poor!! I use to pay my tithing and then expect something in return. When I didn’t get anything I felt discouraged.

One day I was listening to David Ramey (who is Baptist by the way) on the subject of tithing, he said “The tithe, which is a scriptural mandate, was not instituted for God's benefit because He already has all the money He needs. He does not need our money. Tithing was created for our benefit. It is to teach us how to keep God first in our lives and how to be unselfish people. Unselfish people make better husbands, wives, friends, relatives, employees, and employers. God is trying to teach us how to prosper over time.”

It was then that I decided I would pay my tithing without expectation. I couldn’t afford it, I literally had no room in my already tight budget but I decided that I was going to put God first and that I was going to be faithful. When I did this every month I seemed to get by, checks magically appeared in the mail!! Seriously! I got refunded on things I hadn’t expected or received money back on purchases.

Lately, we have really struggled financially, when I look at our income and outgoing expenses I get very stressed out because we are always in the negative. We continue to pay our tithing faithfully and we seem to get by and we continue to receive financial blessings such as renting out our STL house or being refunded on accounts that were over paid 3 years ago!!

I testify that the law of tithing is a gift from our Heavenly Father and will help us learn to become more Christ like if we will pay it faithfully and without expectation we will be blessed.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

It is official, winter is here! Even though the winter solstice is still 6 weeks away, I am counting this as the official start of winter because it snowed for the first time this week (yes, I know it actually snowed last month, but I was out of town so I’m not counting it!).



Although winter is not my favorite time of year, because I don’t like to be cold, there are a few things I’m looking forward to. I absolutely love the holiday festivities! I love listening to Christmas music and I love to drive around looking at the Christmas lights. I am looking forward to having my family over for Thanksgiving dinner, to making a turkey, and baking pies. I can’t wait to put up our Christmas tree and to make my traditional Christmas candies!!



I love to play in the snow with Aiden – sledding and building snowmen. I love it when it snows turning everything into a winter wonder land. I love the snow covered mountains especially at sun rise or sun set when the sun casts a pink hue on them or during the night – it is truly breath taking to see the white mountains against the midnight blue sky.


(I took this picture yesterday on the way home from Grandma's and it looks even better when you blow it up)

Finally, I am looking forward to snuggling up with my sweetheart on the couch in front of the fire watching our favorite Christmas flicks and slipping hot chocolate.