Only in the Country

Only in the country will you see a sign like this posted on the Middle School.

I love living in the country!!!

Charlotte Fire

This is from last Summer. There was a HUGE fire in the MinkCreek area. So many homes were destroyed. It was really sad to see all the devastation. They had a clean up day where people from all different denominations came together to clean up. Trees had to be chopped down and cleared away, rubble cleared away, just lots of hard work. This is the group from our Ward that went down to help. Steve is in the back, 4th from the left. The men had soot all over from head to toe. We ended up just throwing Steve's clothes away afterwards. There was no way we'd get them clean! It was hard work, Steve was sore and tired when he got home. But he said is was an awesome experience. The lady whose property they were cleaning up bought them all pizza for lunch. She helped in any way she could. Her house was gone, she had lost everything, but Steve said her spirits were high and she was planning on rebuilding.
I'm grateful that we live in a community where strangers come together in times of need and help each other out! {I was also happy to see a few young men in the group! How awesome that they took a Saturday to do service! And I'm happy their fathers brought them along to show them the goodness of helping another!}

It stings a little when they're right and you're wrong.

This morning I was getting a little frustrated with V.  I swear, she does not understand the english sentence,"Hurry. Hurry! Or you'll be late for school!"
It seems like I have to say hurry a dozen times!
Anyway, so I grabbed her backpack for her to take out to the truck as she was taking forever....doing something. She came into the living room, looked at me{in that reprimanding way} and stopped and said," Mom. Should you be carrying my backpack? Is it under 10 pounds?"
I responded with a frustrated," I don't know and I don't care. You are being too slow so I had to grab it for you. Now let's get going!"
She then takes her backpack from me, walks past me while saying," Okay. But if you end up having back surgery, it'll be your fault...."
Man! I hate being reprimanded by my child. Especially when she's right!
However, she is such a good daughter to take care of me and make sure I'm following the restrictions the doc gave me!

People are better than dolls

As I was doing V.'s hair for cheer she said," You know Mom, I really like people more than dolls."
Okaaaay. I asked her why.
" Because shoes are harder to put on dolls because their legs don't bend."
Well....I guess that's as good a reason as any to prefer people over dolls".

Super Star student

Our little one was recognized at an assembly at school today! I think they try to recognize each student sometime throughout the school year. I think that's awesome! What a way to boost a child's self-esteem and make them feel like they matter and are important! Each kid up there today was smiling the biggest smile! V. is growing into such a smart, kind and lovely girl. We certainly are blessed!

Today's thoughts....

* Last night my dream was in black and white. I vaguely remember Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra and Will Smith. That's it. That's all I remember!
* The wind has been howling non-stop since sometime last night. Even now, I can hear it blowing the snow against the windows. But it almost sounds more like a rain sound then snow...I just checked. It's snow. Just harder sounding I guess.
* My back has been feeling better the last few days! I'm hoping this means that as I continue taking it easy my back will continue to heal!
Steve and V. have been so good! V. has been vacuuming for me, helping me carry in groceries, and helping to remind me to not lift this or that. Steve has been taking out the garbage, carrying laundry around for me, and all sorts of other stuff!
I hate being more dependant on them, but am so grateful for them!
* Steve and his dad gave me a priesthood blessing the other night. I am so grateful that Steve honors his priesthood and actively exercises his priesthood power. I know that my back will heal if I follow my chiropractors advice, and have faith that the Lord will help with the healing process if I follow His promptings, and guidance.
* Here in a little bit we are going to go for a drive in the truck. We enjoy sometimes just driving around as a family. There should be some awesome snow drifts to drive through!

I'm a working woman! I guess?

I recently found out I am currently employed to work outside of the home. And I have been employed since last September but didn't know it.
How did I not know this you ask?
Last year right before the school year started I thought it might be nice to try to find some type of part time work to help keep myself busy now that V. was going to be in school full time. I  went in to the school district office and picked up an application to be a substitute cook. Perfect job I thought. It wouldn't be all the time. And when I DID work, it would be only while V. was at school. With the application they gave me the forms I would need to get fingerprinted. They said to go ahead and get it done so that way if I was hired they already would have everything they needed.
So I filled out the application and got fingerprinted. When I turned those in I asked to speak to the person in charge of the cooks. And I explained to her what I was looking for, that this was my first job since having V., that she is my first priority. I explained I wanted to try working again but if I felt like it interfered with taking care of V. or anything like that I would quit. She nodded and said, "Sure, sure. I understand. No problem."
Then I never heard anything back.
Well, last week a lady called wondering if I could sub. for her at one of the schools. Unfortunately, it was a day I help in V.'s classroom so I told her sorry, I couldn't. I then turned to Steve and told him I guess I had been hired but didn't know? He said I better find out if I was supposed to receive training or anything like that.
So I went in the other day and explained all this. The lady I talked to said that if I got a call to sub. for someone then yes, that means I've been hired and my name is on the list. When I asked about training, she said it's on~the~job training. That the next time I got called to sub. to go ahead and go in and just tell the other cooks it was my first time and that they would help me out.
So yeah, I guess I'm a working woman now who gets called to work 1 day every 6 months? I guess we'll see if the work picks up any! ;)

Bits and Pieces of our Life from 2011

 I found this draft of a post from 2 years ago. It's a glimpse into what was going on in our lives then.~

Wow. V. just showed me up in the pushups department. I can, of course, do more than her. But I struggle with it. She gets on the floor and just BAM! BAM! BAM! 3 in row without breaking a sweat! ~March 19th.

I registered my baby for Kindergarten today.They took us all into a big room.Then asked all the kids who are starting Kindergarten to come to the front.I thought we were going to clap for them or something.Nope.They took the kids out into another room.I was like,Wait!!What?! We aren't going to do this together? Wait! I didn't say goodbye to her! Wait! WAIT! They took my baby away from me. I had no warning.How mean...But she came back to me all smiles and full of talk about what she did. And I signed up for the PTA. I'm growing up. WE are growing up!I don't know if we're ready for this next phase in life as a family. PTA, Parent/Teacher Conferences, homework, school lunches,etc. Alot of changes are gonna be happening this Fall!~March 17th.

We just bought our DisneyLand vacation package! Later this week I'll have to make some phone calls to reserve a couple of things, but we are just about all done with the vacation planning stuff. Now we just wait for May to come!~March 13th.

I have many Valentine memories. One of my favorites?
Valentines Day Morning,6 years ago, after a year of trying, we found out we were pregnant! Probably the best Valentines gift I ever recieved!
And she is one of my biggest sweethearts!{Steve is the other!}~Feb 14th

This morning V. came down stairs while I was riding the bike and told me she had done something for me.
"What did you do for me?" I asked.
"I made your bed all by myself!" she said.
What a sweetheart!
However, our bed certainly looks like a 5 year-old made it! ~ Feb. 4th.

You know it's cold outside when you have to kick and pound your front door open~ Feb 3rd

Being one step closer to Financial Freedom is a wonderful feeling! And, as we are paying off our debt, we are contributing MORE to Steve's 401K than before. So we are preparing for our future as well as gaining our Financial Freedom!
{Now I've probably jinxed us and something gonna's come along that demands our money!}~ January 15th

So V. and I are sick. I'm slowly losing my voice. I talked to Steve on the phone a little bit ago.
He says,"Man! You sound like crap!"
Gee.... Thanks honey.
"You sound like a different woman!"
Again, thanks honey. ;)
~ January 3rd

Today my Grandpa Hill turned 80! We had a birthday party for him with family. I was thinking about all the fond and fun memories I have of him from since I was a little girl to now. I'm grateful for those memories and I'm glad that V. is making memories with her Great-Grandpa as well! ~January 1st 

 

Randomness

* I walked 3 1/2 miles this morning, since running and Zumba are out for a while. Man. I didn't realize I was addicted to running until it was taken away from me! It was so hard to restrain myself this morning. I kept just wanting to break out into a jog. A light jog. Only for 5 minutes! But no. I didn't give in. I just walked. {But I did speed walk!}

* I asked V. this morning if she was getting dressed. She responded," Well, I WAS getting dressed. But then my eyes got stuck. So I stopped."
When I asked her what that meant, she said, with her eyes staring off into space, " You know, my eyes were just like this."
*sigh*

* After yesterdays post I wanted to clarify that yes, I DID watch Downton Abbey to the very end. Yes. I saw what happened. But in yesterday's post I was talking about what I felt and thought during the one happy scene. Before the end happened. I'm sad about the end.


* I also had the thought yesterday about how everyone is always like "I need to find me a Mr. Darcy." or " I wish Mr. Darcy was real." or stuff like that.
And I thought to myself," I don't need a Mr. Darcy. I have a Mr. H.  And he's perfect for me!"
Just thought I would share that thought.....

* This morning while reading my scriptures I came across 3 separate lines that stuck out to me.
The first being found in 2nd Nephi 1: 15 ".......I am encircled about eternally in the arms of His love." I love that scripture. Very comforting.
The second scripture is in 2nd Nephi 1: 21 and 23 "......Arise my sons...be men, and be determined in one mind and one heart, united in all things...", ".....put on the armor of righteousness..."
I wish all young men would read these 2 scriptures and take them to heart. THAT is the definition of a true man!
The last scripture I wanted to share I found in 2nd Nephi 2:4 ".......the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever....and Salvation is free."
Did you hear that? Salvation is FREE! All you have to do is accept Christ and follow Him and His teachings. That's it! As my daughter would say," Easy peasy lemon squeezey!"
* I love listening to Classical music while exercising outdoors. There's just something about feeling your heart pumping, feeling the warmth of the sun on your face and maybe the breeze on your cheek, breathing in fresh air, and listening to Paul Potts sing Nessun Dorma. {Or just any classical music!}
You feel like the heavens have opened and you feel like a chorus is singing "AHHHHHH!!!!!" And life is Beautiful! I can only desrcibe it as a very spiritual feeling!
* I think I'll make a brownie recipe I found on Pinterest today. As well as a Pinterest crockpot recipe.

 

Family Pictures

Okay, so while I'm able to post pictures {since it seems like often I can't anymore for some reason},

here are some family pictures we took last Fall.

 V. took photo's of Steve and I. This is only one of them. She is quite good!

My Happily Ever After

I was watching the season Finale of Downton Abbey. At the end when Mary, Matthew and the baby are together, I thought to myself," They are so happy. They are so in love. Their lives are perfect!"
Then I immediately thought back a few nights ago when Steve and I were having a conversation. And he told me how deeply in love he is with me. How incredibly happy he is with life. How I'm his best friend, he finds me extremely sexy, and how life with V. and I are perfect to him.
Maybe this is a little TMI. But these were things I was needing to hear. I have low self-esteem and am incredibly self-conscious of my body. Like, real self conscious. Yes, I've given birth and been through pregnancy {many times} life takes a toll on ones body. But I think the reason I am so self conscious is that I gained 40 pounds the first 5 months of marriage{from birth control}. So in a way, I feel like I lost my sexy body even before having a child. I shouldn't have lost my figure that quickly. But throughout our marriage Steve has always made me feel beautiful. And has always made me feel loved. But for some reason this last week having him say that I was lovely and sexy and the best thing in the world to happen to him really, really was needed and appreciated.
I also thought back to when V. was born. And how Steve and I were so over-the-moon happy to have her join us. I loved watching Steve with her. He was so gentle and sweet.
I also thought back on all the memories we have made together and/or as a family.
So what I'm getting at here but taking forever to say, is that while watching a fictional couple living their happily ever after, I realized how I am living MY Happily Ever After. I am perfectly content with my life.  Perfectly at peace.  Perfectly happy.

Oh, the irony

So after having my back pain increase quite a bit in just a couple of days, my chiropractor { whom I love by the way} put me on more restrictions. So not only can I not lift the laundry, push the vacuum, etc. I now can not llft over 10 pounds. And no more running or zumba. At least for 2 months. We hope that by taking it real easy for a few weeks it will allow my back to heal some. I'm pretty bummed. But, my back is not too bad and it will heal if I Iet it.I CAN still walk. And maybe try yoga? Which I'm grateful for.
I find it extremely funny and ironic that I'm always encouraging{ nagging} Steve to eat better, cut back on soda and come exercise with me. I'm always telling him I want to enjoy our golden years and not be pushing him around in a wheelchair.
And now here we are. I'm a stay at home housewife who has to sit around and wait for my husband to come home to do my housework for me! I can't even go grocery shopping without him because I need him to carry them in for me!
Me! The one who runs{ I did 7 races last year}, I don't drink pop, I eat my fruits and veggi's daily.
Then there's Steve. Sits in front of the t.v.  drinking pop and eating potato chips.
Oh the irony just about kills me!  ;)
{ even more ironic? Steve WAS going to get me new running shoes for Valentine's Day! I guess we'll put that on hold for a bit.}

No Housework

So for the past few months my back has been hurting. The pain finally got bad enough I went to the chiropractor. After talking to me and doing some tests, he is 80% certain I have a bulging disk. :(
Don't I feel old now!
Anyway, I've had 4 visits with him so far. I did think I was feeling better, but today my back was really, really hurting. When I went in to the chiropractor today he told me to really be careful with my lifting. No lifting laundry baskets, he even said no vacuuming. That pushing motion does put strain on your back.
So, sorry honey! Doctor's orders are no housework!   Mwah-hahahaha!

The Sound of Spring

Yesterday morning when I opened the door to take V. to school I heard birds singing. LOTS of birds singing!
The snow has been melting.
Yes, it's still cold outside. But...
Spring is about to start!

Creepy Crawlies

V. came screaming out of her bedroom this afternoon. She said there was a spider on her bed!
I went in to look and sure enough there was a teeny tiny spider running around her bed.
So I killed it and then we changed her bedding to make her feel better.
Spring must be right around the corner if there are baby spiders running about!

Love/Hate

I have a love/hate relationship with blogging. I used to LOVE it! But about this time last year they made some changes and I have really had a hard time with it. I can't hardly ever post pictures anymore. Either from my phone or computer. And I'm horrible at writing and have always preferred telling about our lives through pictures. But I do miss posting about what all is going on in our lives. So I'm going to try to post more often. And if I'm lucky, get a picture or two up as well!
So there you have it! Hopefully I'll be back soon to update you all on our lives!