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My Joy

So here is the story! Amber is in Joy school this year and she loves it. It is teaching her how to find joy in herself and the world around her. It has wonderful music, fun lessons, new things to learn and explore, and new friends to get to know. It has been going wonderful these past 3 weeks! This week it has been at my house with my sister in law teaching. SO fun to see it up close and not be the one teaching! I got to sit back and observe the learning. I saw the lights go on in their eyes. The joy they felt learning a new song or understanding what their senses are and help them do! SO MUCH FUN! Alysha - you did an awesome job - I love you! So here are some pics from this last week. I tried not to take too many because I didn't want to distract the kids... I really had to fight the urge to bust out the camera every 5seconds!
These are from Tuesday; the kids were just sitting around the table for an activity.





Here is Thursday (today). We had an extra kid today. I was babysitting my neighbor's kid while she went to an interview. THX Alysha for taking on an extra kiddo!








As you can see they got to make pudding and use it to finger paint! It was a huge hit. So after school was over I made lunch for my two. Amber wanted more pudding and I told her if she eats all her soup she can have some before her nap. That was all I had to say! If you know Amber, she doesn't eat that well, so that was huge for her. I guess she wanted the pudding. Here are some pics before lunch/pudding...


They were both clean and so was my kitchen
Then I gave them pudding....





Amber is such a sweet big sister! She loves feeding Brigham and asked to share her pudding with him. After these first pics I asked Amber to now feed Brigham the right way or she won’t be able to anymore. Ok. I walked away... After about 5 mins of me doing laundry I thought they are being to quiet. This is what I found!





I laughed and laughed! I should have taken a picture of the highchair, table, and floor! She did the total job. After my great laugh I stripped them down to take a bath and found another surprise that made me laugh even harder.

She even painted his back! It was too good. These two are the joy in my life! Moments like this I will remember forever and they won’t remember them at all. These moments and memories are what life is about! A sweet brother and sister doing what they do best, sharing and making a mess! Life doesn't give any more joy than that! Times like this make all my other worries/problems seem so unimportant. With everything that causes me stress I can still find joy each day! I still laugh. I still smile. How could I not? I know you smiled when you saw their cute, messy faces! I have two healthy, happy, beautiful, JOYFUL kids! I am so blessed!
This is My Joy!

9/11/2001

I remember. GOD bless the USA!
Ground Zero in 2007

Joy School

My girl started Joy School! She was so excited and had a really good time. I can't believe I have a 3 year old... I'm ganna blink and she will be 18! AAAAAHHHHHHHH. I love her so much. She is such a sweet girl and so smart ;)

The Gift

Church was difficult today. A family in my ward is going through ever parent's nightmare. My heart is just broken for them. There were a lot of tears listening to the update by Bishop in Sacrament meeting. It's a good thing Brigham needed to walk the halls. I lost it pretty bad and was glad I wasn't in front of to many people. Primary was something I will remember for the rest of my life. They spotlighted little Rachel today and we sang her favorite primary song. As soon as the children started singing the Spirit just intensified! I can't explain it; it was like a wave moving through the room giving us all a hug. Honestly the most beautiful feeling ever. How thankful I am for my children. I pray I never have to experience what this family is going through. But if I do, I am deeply grateful for my knowledge of the Atonement! Jesus Lives! That is pure truth and because He lives, we will all live again. With Temple Covenants and enduring to the end we will be together forever. That is such a precious gift! Hug your babies... we never know when they will be called home!

First Ride

My camera went dead before they actually got going but I think it's still cute! Amber loves riding on the quad with Daddy.

Hair Cut

Brigham got his first hair cut. I love it so much! He looks so grown up. Thanks Aunt Susie for doing such a wonderful job with a screaming, crying baby who wouldn't hold still!!

Before:



After:




I LOVE MY SWEET BOY!

1 Nephi 7 : 12

Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.

All Grown up!

I have been reflecting on my childhood a lot recently. Probably because I have children of my own and when I do something with them I think, maybe my mom and dad used to do this with me. Right now my oldest, Amber, is getting to the age where she/I want her to start participating in activities like pre-school, dance, piano, swim... just to name a few. These are all things I did at her age and loved! These were things my parents sacraficed money and time for me. Back then -obviousley- I didn't understand those sacrafices. But even as I grew older and did understand -to a point- those sacrafices didn't stop and my activities didn't stop. My parents never told me no or discouraged me away from any thing I felt like doing! They were always %110 supportive. Looking back on this now, I am a little ashamed because I don't think I ever showed the gratitued I should have to them. Being a parent now and being a poor parent (only poor financially, I am RICH in all the ways that matter)I see and feel how hard those sacrafices can be. Expecially the finacial ones! I don't know how my parents did it back then... when we were young, they weren't rich. They struggled like every young family does. But, it didn't stop them from giving me and my brothers every opportunity we need/wanted! Amber isn't as blessed as I was, I guess... I can't put her in all the activities I participated in, at least not right now. We are going to take them one at a time;) This year is Joy School and I am struggling with paying for just that alone!
So here is my point. I wish I would have given my parents a few more hugs, a few more kisses, and a few more thank you's! I guess I'm all grown up now!?!? My mom always told me I wouldn't understand until I was a mom myself! She was right! I didn't understand, and now I do!
Thank you Mom! I know you don't read this often... but I LOVE YOU TONES! I wan't to be like you. I want to love like you love and give like you give! You are perfect and beautiful! YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND.
Thank you Dad! Thank you for all the butterfly kisses. All the daddy daughter camp outs! I love you and miss you TONES! I hate that you live in TX, I really do hate it! I miss seeing you every week. I miss you being with us on Holidays, birthdays, and just because days!

Family Pictures

We had our pictures taken a few months back and I wanted to post some of them. They turnned out so cute ;)





I love this picture of my Mema and Olepa! It is so special to me. They have been married 55 years!

These are of my Mom and her parents with my brothers and I!



Here are the Cousins! I can't stand how freakin cute they are!

This is my Mom with the kids. She is the BEST Nani and Mother on earth. She loves with all her heart and gives everything she has to her family! I love you Mom, more than you know!

And here is my little Eternal Family!