Thanksgiving

For the first time EVER I had Thanksgiving at my house. Amber really wanted to do the cooking (have I ever mentioned I don't love to cook?) so we had it at our house because there is more room than at Ambers. She did a fabulous job on the turkey it was delicious, we at one point thought it was a 28 lb. turkey....thankfully it was only 20 lbs. Here are a few photos of the day, we spent it being thankful for eachother....kinda :)

Aaron is definately thankful for Abby's cute little feet! Ashlie is definatley thankful that Aaron sits RIGHT next to her when Shawn is around! I am thankful Jason isn't in a gang...why is he always making weird hand signals....??
I am thankful for daughters...Ashlie is a sweet baby!I am thankful that I got to set a pretty table for the holiday.

Thanksgiving was wonderful, I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Good food, great family....awesome.

Song Lyrics....

Jason loves to sing. Here are some of my favorite lyrics...this week. This happens all the time I just never think to post them. He make me laugh.

Beyonce - Sweet Dreams...the lyrics are sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare. Jasons lyrics are... Siegfried or a beautiful nightmare. I don't think we have ever watched a Siegfried magic show...

Another....keeing in mind it's football season.

Black Eyed Peas - Meet Me Halfway...the lyrics are Can you meet me half way, right at the borderline? Jasons lyrics are... Can you meet me half way, right at the forty line. I think he is watching to much football with his dad and brother!

Anyway this makes me smile and chuckle. Last month was long...this month is going to be better! My children make me laugh! I love them so much!!! I am so grateful to have five beautiful, amazing and funny children.

Why I love Institute

This is the email attachment Bro. Jensen sent out this week that we went over in class on Thursday night...worth reading...I know it's long but it make a person think. Enjoy!

Why do Some People Have More Trials than Others?
One of the most difficult aspects of mortality is that we experience trials. We know that the purpose of these trials is to help us become more like God. More refined. More pure. If God is patient, then I need to learn patience; and the primary way to learn patience is to not have something that is wanted. If God is forgiving (thank heavens!), then I need to learn how to be forgiving; that usually comes through being wrongfully hurt. And so on and so on. As Elder Orson F. Whitney so beautifully said:
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven” (quoted in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, 98). REVELATIONS 7:13-17 However, there are times when it feels like we are getting more than our fair share of this trial business—times when we feel like there is a dark rain cloud following us around, while the sun is shining on everyone else.
We might wonder why God gave us such a hard life, or so many problems, yet seems to have given so-and-so the perfect life, or hardly any problems at all! Thoughts like these can lead to bitterness and anger, instead of fostering the God-like attributes that our own personal gardens of Gethsemane are meant to grow. We would do well to remember this truth: trials come in different sizes and shapes, and are individually tailored by the Supreme Maker of the “robes of righteousness” (D&C 109:76). What may seem like a walk in the park to you is a climb up a hill for another, and vice versa. What may seem like a blessing to you—take being good looking for example—is a source of trial for another who struggles with temptations of chastity and vanity as a result of their beauty; temptations that those of us who don’t look like we belong on the cover a magazine don’t have to contend with as much. Elder Packer clarified this truth so well:
“Some are tested by poor health, some by a body that is deformed or homely. Others are tested by handsome and healthy bodies; some by the passion of youth; others by the erosions of age. Some suffer disappointment in marriage, family problems; others live in poverty and obscurity. Some (perhaps this is the hardest test) find ease and luxury. All are part of the test, and there is more equality in this testing than sometimes we suspect” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Choice,” Ensign, Nov 1980, 20).
Notice that he said the hardest trial is perhaps ease and luxury (what some others might consider a blessing! But, remember, it was the ease and luxury of the Nephites that lead them into apostasy. Perhaps ease and luxury are the hardest spiritual tests because it becomes easy to forget the Lord during those times. Our prayers are generally the most fervent during tough times, and the weakest during the smooth ones). More importantly, there is more equality in our individual doses of trials than we might realize upon first comparison. The Lord is mindful of us all, and we should take great comfort in the fact that we are all tested in our own unique and individual times, seasons, and ways that help us become more like God.

Hmmmm......Cupcakes

I have had a rough month....it seems all that could go wrong did. Everyone is healthy and safe but everything else seems to keep falling down around me. It's in those moments that we turn so completely to Heavenly Father. Why is it that I can't just do that from the start? Anyway that is a topic for another post.

But this post is a happy post about the sweetness of Heidi Jansson. I was just doing the mom thing last night reading with Jason and the phone rang....it was HEIDI! She had extra cupcakes and was going to deliver them to ME!!!!! WHAT???!!!! Yes is was true and she did it! They were so very very delicious I would have eaten every one of them if my family wasn't there...but they were so I shared. :) Heidi said, I thought you might need a cupcake...she has no idea how true that is. The Lord knows everything we need...even if it's just a cupcake.

Education Week and the First Week of School

I took a GIANT leap of faith this year and went to education week. What a year to decide to go...the year the district changes the school year to start a week early! I have a knack for doing things the hard way so I really shouldn't have expected anything else but...I did!

Jimmy is such a great guy...he is a good dad too, he never minds when I want to do something (he does however mind when I give him jobs to do around the house :)). He got the boys up and out the door everyday (they had to buy lunch though!) but he did a great job and the boys survived and I went to education week. When I came home and things got back to "normal" I think they (Aaron & Jason) were wishing I would go back to education week!

Everyone tells me what an amazing thing education week is..."whatever" is what used to think, but after being there for a week and learning so many things I don't think that anymore. I didn't really know how empty I was until I got filled up! I loved this experience. I cannot really tell you all I gained, all I know is I feel like I have been given a fresh start. I loved it. It was worth whatever sacrifice had to be made. I think ANYONE who reads this should go...soon!! It is a great blessing to me to have been able to attend something so amazing.

That's all....
Here is a picture of the boys Jimmy took on the first day of school and sent to me. An added bonus...got to spend some time with my sweet baby Brittany!! It was a good trip!

Cake Decorating is not like Riding a Bike

I cannot believe that Abigain is ONE!! I remember how tiny she was the day she was born and now she just walks around my house like she owns it! She is so super cute and she loves her Grandma and Grandpa and we really do love it! She gives Jimmy and I so many kisses (sometimes it's a bit gross with all the slober...but I don't care) we LOVE her!

I decided to take on the task of making her 1st birthday cake...what was I thinking!!!???? More importantly why to I take on such big projects ONE day before I leave for education week? AND why did I want to make it such a big cake...well basically because that is me :)

It's not that easy to pick up where I left off though. I got all my cake decorating stuff out and realized it has been atleast 5 years since I decorated a cake...you just can't beat the Costco cakes. They aren't pretty but they get the job done. Anyway I did the very best I could but cake decorating isn't like riding a bike it's more like running. I used to run 3 miles everyday...now I can't even make it to the corner...it's like it never happened! So the cake is a little crocked and I can find about a million faults with it BUT I like it! Amber, Derek & especially Abigail liked it and so I am happy!!!

My Special Birthday

I waited until today to show off my special birthday presents...it's exactly one month after my birthday. About 2 weeks ago I realized I never blogged about the amazing presents I got from Brittany and Ashlie. Below is a scrapbook Brittany made for me, it is probably the most special gift I have been given in my life. The time and thought and love it took is truly one of those blessings you hope to receive as a parent. Sometimes when children are small, it's hard to imagine them being as kind and loving as this...maybe it's not when they are small, maybe it's when they are teenagers...or maybe pre-teen...but you get what I am sayingNot only is it 40 things she loves about me (some of them she really doesn't love though) but each page is so stinkin cute I can hardly believe it. As a scrapbooker...it really makes me proud.
Look how thick it is :) I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it~~ it is a most precious gift given to me by one of my sweet sweet babies.
She did such a great job. I cried and cried through the whole thing. What a total surprise it was and it is something I treasure so very very much
BUT do not let that over shadow the equally sweet gift Ashlie made for me. How cute is it?? It's a coupon book from her to me :) Every page is so cute as well...I LOVE IT.
The coupons are very useful too!! Living with a graphic designer can sometimes be a problem (for her not me) I always think up crazy things she should design for me. I will show her something on-line or in a store and beg her to design it for me...she really is amazing so included in my coupon book are GUILT FREE design coupons. Will I really feel guilt free??? Anyone who knows me is saying "NO" right now...but I am going to try.
I have really great children. They love me, but most importantly they love the Lord. I am so very proud of them and the choices they make each day and I a grateful to be lucky enough to be their mom! My 4oth birthday was pretty special, thanks to a family who loves me!

p.s. Jimmy bought me a piano for my birthday so I have been taking lessons from Kristy Smith...she is so kind to me. I am going to prove the old saying You can't teach an old dog new tricks wrong!!!

Six Flags is no Disneyland

We were supposed to be at Disneyland all week...but instead we were home. We thought Aaron was going to have a tournament next week and so we cancelled our family vacation....believe me I know what you are thinking, my girls all told me. Anyway we are going to go in November instead and I am really really excited about that. I have never been to Disneyland anytime but July...hot, hot, July, so this is an exciting twist for me! Jimmy and I took the boys to Six Flags on Thursday I bought season passes and was DETERMINED to use them twice...now I feel like I got my money's worth. Jason is such a sweet boy, he will take pictures with me - he will do just about anything with me his is such a good boy.

Jason and I waiting in line for his favorite ride...Tony Hawk (it makes me motion sick)

The picture below is the dead fish the boys got to feed the sea lions.

The sea lion who enjoyed the treat we bought!

My attempt at taking a picture with Aaron. He's not as sweet as Jason :) Brittany would have been so proud of this picture...I am smiling right, looking at the camera...and then notice Aaron's hand shoving my face out of where his is! Brat :)

So I begged for a photo and this is what I got. Jimmy and Jason great...and the 12 year old...way to cool for school. Ha! He's a good boy so whatever, I guess 12 years of ME taking photos of him could have lead to this...but whatever!!!

We had a great day, shows, rides and food, but it was no Disneyland I can't wait for November!

When Did This Happen??

I remember when Aaron used to try so hard to be taller than us...now he just is taller. Isn't this picture so cute, before church yesterday when Aaron came out of his room Ashlie noticed they matched!! Funny huh? He is so big now...it makes me sad. He is such a good boy though...anyway don't want to start crying about my baby growing up! I wanted to share this picture though....because I think it's really cute!
By the way...Aaron is on the slanted drive way and Ashlie is on the higher part. He is so tall now!

Home from Bakersfield

I am home from Bakersfield. I can't say I will ever miss that place...it was so stinking hot there! I really enjoyed myself this week though. Brittany came with us, which was nice...even though she would have rather been at Disneyland (where we were supposed to be) but she was a trooper anyway. I love that girl. Ashlie said to me when I got home...you didn't ask me to go and I didn't I just thought she wouldn't have wanted to go...next time I'm going to make her come!! Aaron's team came in 4th place...not great but not to bad. The two teams that beat us were actually the two in the championship game, the boys did great I am very proud of them. If they would have won the world series would have been the week of the 18th of August (the first week of school) and I would have had to miss education week. I am so exicted to be going to education week, it's going to be amazing! I am really glad I don't have to miss this exciting opportunity, and I am glad to have a small break from baseball. It's never far, but a small break is great. I feel like crying though because soccer starts next week!!!!! AHHHHH! Anyway life is busy, life is good, I couldn't ask for more.

A week in Bakersfield

WoW!!!! It is hot in Bakersfield. I will not really be updating my regular blog for atleast a week or so but you can see the updates of Aaron's all star team at the blog I have created for the team http://elkgrove12u.blogspot.com
I hope you check it out...I am not much of a sports writer I have figured out. But I am working on it!

NorCal State Champions!!

After four long and sometimes painful years the Elk Grove Cal Ripken team won the state title!!! It was such and exciting Friday afternoon...blazing hot but super exciting. I have watched this team struggle and grow and always come up just a little short...but they finally did it! So now what??? The team is off to Bakersfield to play in the Pacific Southwest Regionals...if they win that they are off to the world series. No matter what happens...they worked hard and finaly beat Laguna. It has been such a fun and exciting time. GO EG!!!

BUT...that means no Disneyland :( We will be in lovely Bakersfield instead. I still say GO EG!! I will take that trade! Anyday!

Girls Camp

I feel like a have a girls camp hangover. I know most call it young women's camp, but to me it is still girls camp. Here is a photo of my YCL 2 girls! They were such an amazing bunch of girls. I had such a great time, I was completely stressed out (as usual) but I think all in all everyone had a really good time. They made me laugh all week long. It's such hard work, doing campfire (at least for me) and being a counselor, but I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. They are such amazing young women. Here is glimpse at Deal or No Deal. The girls all love this game. It's so much fun.

What an amazing time I had at camp. It's like giving birth to a baby...during the middle you think I am NEVER doing this again and when it's over you think...hmmmm yah, I could do this again!

Where Does the Time Go?

So I was planning my next busy week last night and realized that in ONE week I will be leaving for girls camp. WHAT!!!!???? How did that sneak up on me? I thought I had two weeks, why did I think that? Can't I count? What is wrong with me? Have so many photos to share and so many things to blog about but WHAT I ONLY HAVE ONE WEEK so I can't there is NO TIME so here is a summary.

• Aaron's baseball team after 4 long and very heartbreakingly painful years FINALLY beat the Laguna team in baseball. What a moment to remember....it was so awesome. I am so proud especially of my son but of the whole team who fought year after year...YAH!!!
• Father's Day always makes me miss my Dad. I love him and wish he were here to share so many things with me and my family. I love my dad.
• Aaron's stitches come out on Wednesday...I am glad to be done with that.
• I hope we all survive this stomach flu thing
• I had all the YCL 2's (almost all) over on Friday night...teenage girls don't sleep much, the next night I was reminded that mom's don't either...cleaning throw-up up at 1:00am. BUT I love those teenage girls and my sweet boys! Sleep is over rated! :)

That is probably it until I get back from girls camp. SOOOO Happy 4th of July...!

Stitches

Aaron was playing a woofleball baseball game on Sunday...This is what happens when a batter lets go of the bat and if flys across and hits a face!!! UGH! I don't know if you can tell but it is right through his eyebrow. Aparently metal bats and faces don't mix.

I am so not good at this stuff. Blood, kids in pain....it's all way to much for me. I felt so terrible for him....

Here is the end result all stitched up. 7 Stitches and one massive headache. Funny though now that all is well I look at this with such gratitude, things could have been so much worse. I am so, so, so grateful that a black swollen eye and some stitches is all we have to worry about. He kinda looks like a boxer now!....Poor boy.

Thanks for the cupcake Grandpa!!

Everything happens on a baseball field for me now....ugh! (As you can see by the background of this picture). So Abby and I were sharing my cupcake (white frosting) I ate the top with the frosting and her mommy fed her the bottom without the frosting. When she saw me eating the top...she looked at me like...where's mine Grandma?? So SAD. We were done and holding Grandpa's cupcake for him to eat after the game...she wanted it though. So I figured Grandpa won't care...so off came the frosting top (chocolate) and she looked at me with those big BEAUTIFUL eyes and I asked her mom if it was ok (because I'm trying to be a good Grandma) she said yes so I gave Abby a bite!!! She LOVED it! She looks a little like Hitler or something with the chocolate mustache...but it was yummy! I love this sweet, sweet baby girl!

How cute is this??!!!

Ashlie made me an apron for Mother's Day.  Isn't she amazing!  She has gone craft crazy though.  It's out of control.  She is going to put all of her stuff on a blog soon!!!!  So bug her about it.  She is going to be selling all of the amazing things she is making.  Good for me...but irritating for her every single time she shows me something I am like a small child... OOOOHHHHHH can I have it...can I buy it....will you make me one.....and on and on.  Sorry Ashlie I just love everything you do!!  Even though it's not mother's day yet I wanted to take pictures of this fabulous apron.  I am glad someone is using my sewing maching :)

I am not leaving for Disneyland!

I love my friends!  They have all been calling me and leaving comments on my blog wishing me well for our Disneyland vacation they think starts in one day.  It's actually in 91 days....I guess my countdown thing isn't that great if you can't tell a 9 from a 0.  So thanks everyone, but I will be at work tomorrow and the next day no magic kingdom for me yet!!!

Jason at his Basketball Game

Jason has the BEST basketball coach in the world.  Jason is learning so much.  He has the boys get into their defensive positions....it is SOOOOO cute to me :)

He is a really good free throw shooter as well enjoy this video too!

My Big Boy

It's so wierd Aaron getting so old. He is like a guy now...not my sweet little boy :( Good for him, but a little sad for me. Here is a link to some photos I took at one of Aaron's games. They are his whole team not just him but I was to lazy to go throught them! I love watching him play baseball. It makes my life super busy...but I do realize these are the good days!

http://picasaweb.google.com/pierce.alisa/Phillies42109?feat=directlink

Reality TV

So my life has just become super scary! Ashlie has started blogging! Don't get me wrong I love it BUT when I look at her blog this morning and it's all about the morning I had (which I really wanted to forget) life gets a little scary! So my life is now completely like a reality tv show, it's all ending up on either FaceBook or someone in my family's blog. I guess I am going to have to try harder to be the person I want to be and not the one I am so I don't have to read about it and have all of you read about it too!! BTW Jason looks more like a hobo with the second outfit :)

Laugh or cry those are really the only choices :) Laughing is more fun!!

Easter

Grandpa and His Girl

We had a wonderful Easter. Everyone together...except Brittany :(. I felt really blessed to have such a happy and healthy family. Jimmy and Abigail went out in the yard to spend some quality time together. She really does have him wrapped around her little finger!!

We even did some swimming....It was such a beautiful day.

It's Been One of Those Weekends...

Do you ever have a weekend when you wonder...How will I get it all done? How will I get everyone fed and from here to there and with all the proper equipment...PLUS Jimmy is out of town so I am flying solo. Also it was a very busy weekend with my calling...HELP!!! So I woke up Friday morning and thought...well here we go! Saturday was much of the same...get up and start running...today was less busy but I had to visit teach my last sister and she is leaving for Sly Park in the morning so I knew I couldn't stay long but I had to take Jason with me (something I don't do very often). We visited for 15 or 20 minutes...I was doing good trying to get out in a timely manner...we said our good byes and off I went home. I was feeling good about the day not much left to do...I was really going to enjoy the rest of my Sunday and then in happened...I realized I left Jason at her house!!! What is wrong with me?? I have lost my mind...thankfully not my child. OK note to self...can't do it all in a weekend and don't loose the children!!

Weekend in Provo

I went to see my sweet baby on Thursday and stayed until Sunday. It was such a great time. I love spending time with Brittany. We went to Salt Lake on Friday and spent the day there shopping and walking around Temple Square. It snowed part of the day....it was cold!! She didn't think it was to bad...but I was really really cold.

This is a picture of Britt and I at breakfast...It started snowing while we ate! I had flats on so we had to go back to her apartment and changed. I wasn't quite prepared for snow! Brittany's roommate spent most of the weekend with us, I just love her! Her name is Bri, we all tried on the same dress...we looked like bridesmaids...and the dress was UGLY! But we had lots of fun.
Yikes!! This really isn't cute!
OK so most of you are used to the snow but I am hardly ever in the snow, so this is a picture of it snowing...It was snowing a lot! Pictures of snow never really work out!
Britt took me to Thai Pan to do some shopping, that is a CRAZY big store. I walked around there most of the time dazzed and confused by the amount of home decorating things they have. I was also limited to what I could carry on the plane, which was comforting to Jimmy!
Our last outing was the the BYU final basketball game of the season, they won, it was a close game which made it really fun. We had a long walk the the Marriott Center and I was so cold...big surprise huh?

Sunday I went to church with Britt. I am always so completely amazed by the things taught by the kids in her ward. Sacrament meeting was amazing, I learned things and felt the spirit (and it was quite) I am grateful for her being able to have these experiences. Sunday school was no less amazing...wow! We came home had some potato soup and I was off to the airport! It's wierd when your kids grow up, it's different...but then still the same. I had a great weekend. Jason got lost on Friday, a carpool mix up so I almost died of a heartattack in Salt Lake but he was found so all is well. I had a great weekend with my sweet baby!

Click on the following link to see all the photos if you want!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/pierce.alisa/ProvoWithBrittany?feat=directlink

Big League Dreams

These fields are called Big League Dreams, they have them all over the United States, I LOVE them.  They have fake fans out the the out field and they are replicas scaled down of some of the most famous stadiums, like Yankee Stadium or Wrigley Field, they are tons of fun to play on too!

So even though it rained and rained all last weekend, it didn't even slow baseball down.  They just played in the rain because the fields are synthetic not even weather is a big deal.  They did how ever delay the game a few times when it started to hail!

Aaron has made some really great friends over the years playing baseball and here are two of them.  They have such a good time together and are really, really good boys.  Is it my imagination or is Aaron HUGE compared to his friends that are the same age!???  (They are on the small side though)

I love to watch him play baseball.  After three long days of baseball his team took second place...what a heartbreaker!

Jason LOVES cub scouts

Jason and Scott at Lowe's

Here are a couple of photos of Jason with his friends and cub scout pack at Lowe's on Valentine's day making jewelry boxes, for their someone special (Jason gave his to his Grandma).  It was super fun and Jason had a really great time, he was so excited to get an apron and safety goggles.  BUT FOR ME...OH MY WORD there were about 100 little kids running around Lowe's with hammers and banging them on tables it was CRAZY and EXTREMELY LOUD!!!  I was on sensory overload when I left there!  HA! HA!

Please let me take a picture for my blog!!!

Aaron and Jason have seen a "children's" dentist since Aaron was just a baby...well now he is twelve and we were pulling up to the dentist and he said look at the sign mom it says "children's" denstist...what am I doing here????  I told him he LOVED this place, he just rolled his eyes, maybe it's me that loves his dentist??  Anyway I asked him if I could take a picture to blog about our visit to the dentist...this is all I got, and he was upset about it!  Why is it one day they are your baby and the next they are....to big for the "children's" dentist!?

Date night with Ashlie

Ashlie and I went to Color Me Mine for a date on Saturday night!  It was super fun, her frog is way cute and my ugly vase is not.  It's funny how life is, just when you think you have things figured out your daughter becomes an adult and things get more complicated.  I thought her and I needed a night out with no lectures from me!  I know she thought I wouldn't get through it but I did...and lecture free!!  We had a good time and I love her so much.

Favorite Photos of 2008

View Album

Another year is over and I thought I would put a few of my favorites photos together.  It's it amazing that I now have over 3,000 pictures for ONE YEAR!!!  So my favorites are very short as is my attention span and I got tired of looking for them and started feeling overwhelmed at how far behind I am in scrapbooking!! 

Our family has grown and in so many ways it's really amazing all the wonderful and sometimes painful things that can happen in a year.

I love all my sweet babies and enjoy each and every year I have with them!!  I am grateful today for my family.

My Sweet Baby

This is my sweet daughter Brittany.  It's so weird how quickly your children grow up.  It seems like it all happened so fast.  Brittany AND Ashlie have been trying for years to teach me how to smile in a photo!  It's unbelievable...everytime they both look so super cute and then my eyes are closed or my smile is just strange, they are always giving me a pretty hard time about it, so I thought I would post one that almost looks o.k.  So after years of training my daughters now know it takes much time to teach an old dog new tricks!!