New Years Resolutions Anyone?

I really am not a fan of New Year's resolutions. Why?
1. Because I usually don't set realistic goals for myself.
2. Because I don't think I have actually accomplished one of my so called "new years resolutions" in my life.
And 3. Because an entire year is a long time to have for a goal. I'm such a procrastenator that having a year to do something is guaranteed that I wait til December and try to cram it in the last month and fail miserably and then feel really bad about myself.

Sooo, am I giving up on New Year's resolutions you ask? Sort of. I decided to replace New Year's resolutions with a new form of goals. I am starting a 12 month calendar of goals. I got this idea from my relief society President so don't think I am creative enough to think of this myself. It seems so much easier to me to have a goal for each month. Or even 2 goals each month, provided they're reachable. Some are goals for our home, and others are spiritual goals. Some are personal goals I want to change about myself, and others may be physical goals.

I just think they are much more reachable and realistic for me. So, January starts out with a couple goals.
First, we want to clean our backyard. Sad news, we had to re-home our beloved dogs Alabama and Crimson. Honesty the saddest day of last year, even more sad to me then when Josh lost his job (I know it sounds stupid). But these were my babies and they loved us and we loved them. We put so much time and love into raising them, not to mention money. But it was the best decision for them and our family and we are doing ok. So to start the new year I wanted to clean the backyard of all rocks and poop and get it looking more managable to put a brand new backyard in. We won't be getting that project done for awhile seeing how it costs money, but we just want to get the backyard ready for when we decide to start it.
Our other goals of getting the front and back room rearranged after the dogs left has already been done and it looks great!

Anyway, enough with my January goals. January is almost over, and I can't believe it! Braxton turned 2 last month and we enjoyed having friends and family over for food and games. It was Toy Story themed, since that's Braxton's favorite. We did all of Braxton's favorite foods (hot dogs, mac n cheese, and chicken nuggets) and played pin the badge on Sheriff Woody or pin the space ranger sign on Buzz. The kids had a lot of fun and we really enjoyed having all our friends and family there. Braxton really had a great time. He's at that stage in his toddler life that's he's really starting to have "friends" and play with other kids really well. I love it! It has especially been sooo fun having all his cousins back from Texas. He's been able to play with them more and get to know them! It's been so much fun! Braxton is talking so much more everyday. He's putting more phrases together and sometimes I actually think I can understand him! He loves his brother so much and all babies really. He is so good with him and is such a love bug. He has a problem sharing sometimes but most of the time he lets Nixon play with him. But These last 2 months have been especially hard for us since he woke up one morning and decided tantrums were the only way to get what he wants! So frustrating! But aside from his tantrums and late night screaming we love him to pieces.

Some of Braxton's favorite things:
Word- Woody or "woobies"
Food- depends on the day, this kid is picky! But to be safe i'll just say Cheese
Toy- His Buzz and Woody dolls. Or just any Ball
Game- Playing Basketball with his buzz and woody hoop


Nixon. I don't even know where to begin with this child. He will be 1 in February, and it feels like he's still my little 2 month old baby! He's much slower with his mobility than Braxton was, maybe that's why I feel like he's not old enough to be 1 yet! Braxton was running around by the time he was 1 and Nixon I doubt will be walking yet. But that's just fine with me, Braxton does enough running for him. I was worried that as Nixon got older he would grow out of his sweet easy going personality... and thankfully I have been wrong so far! He is still just as much of an angel as ever! He has so much love to go around it's incredible. I didn't think I could learn as much from a baby as I have from Nixon. But this kid is the opitome of unconditional love. Talk about a true example of Christ. I know he's only a baby, but Braxton was never like this. From the time he was about 2 months old he was very selective of who could hold him or who he shared his smiles with. Not this kid. He is as giving of his love as Christ was. Not a single person I know of has yet to make him upset for no reason. Obviously he gets upset if he's hungry or poopy, or extra tired. But even then, you can always manage a smile out of him. He is something special and I just pray that he doesn't lose it as he gets older.
Aside from that, my Nixon can sure eat! His pediatrician to me he should be off all baby food now so I took him off baby food and ever since he has been a non-stop eating machine! I mean it is all day long. He'll have a whole bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, then a handful of cheerios, then a whole banana, then some crackers, then a whole hot dog for lunch, with some more fruit and more crackers and another bowl of cheerios if I let him. Then a whole bowl of ravioli for dinner with some green beans and more fruit. Non stop i'm telling you! He eats more than I do!
Anyways, I love my boys more than anything. They bring so much character to our family and we have been so blessed!

Josh passed his first semester of his 4th year in elevator school and he starts up school again this week. LAST SEMSTER! WOO HOO! His final semester before he can take his mechanic test. Then it's over! Let's just pray a miracle happens and he can keep his job that long or find one at another company. This last year was a real tough one for everyone I talk to. I know we have been so blessed. Somehow we made it through with only a few bumps and bruises. If you would've asked me a year ago how I would've handled the trials we went through this last year I would've said I couldn't. It's funny how much better the Lord knows us than we even do ourselves. Because he knew how much I could handle. And somehow I survived. We survived and we are still moving forward.
So a new year has started and we have filled up our tanks (went to the temple) and are ready for the next year of whatever trials or joys the Lord sees fit to give us!

P.S- we couldn't make it through anything without going to the temple EVERY month. The one or two times we missed a month were actually when we struggled the most with our own trials. Funny how something so simple can make such an impact on our lives.

Christmas anyone?

Blessing #4- I don't know about you, but anytime I think of the holidays it just gets me so excited! The feeling I get when I think of traditions, food, games, family, friends, and my savior is one that almost nothing can spoil. And believe me, the devil has tried to spoil my holiday spirit! But there really is so much to be grateful for!

I am so grateful for this time of year that everyone, even those you least expect it from, is giving and thoughtful. If only the holidays were year round, I think we would see so much change in this world. If everyone acted and thought as selflessly as they do around Christmas time and Thanksgiving, it would be so much happier! But alas, it doesn't happen that way, so I must enjoy this time while it lasts!

I get to see ALL my family this year for Christmas! I haven't been with my entire family in 3 years. We get to do all the old traditions, and make new ones.

We get to bake!!! O how I've missed baking with my sisters and mom!

We get to have our "mall" night together, where we play our traditional game, eat, and shop.

We get to hear the Christmas Story about Christ being born.

We get to see the joy on others faces when we share our gifts with them. Big, small, and even homemade ones!

We get to sing joyful christmas songs together! We may not sound pretty, but this is one of my favorites!

The holidays bring so much joy into my life. Not only because it is a fun joyful time to spend with family and friends or because I get to bake, and eat yummy food, and sing beautiful songs, and play lots of games. But because it humbles me to think of my savior Jesus Christ coming to this earth as a little baby. So willing to BE our savior and follow our Heavenly Fathers plan. Everything I do it meaningful all because of this action, of the sacrifice he made for us. I am so grateful to be reminded of that every year. I should remember it EVERY SECOND of every day, but being the selfish human that I am, I don't. But I trully am grateful for this.

We love you ALL!

Gentle Giants

Blessing #3 - Our beautiful Great Danes Alabama and Crimson Tide

Alabama... our big boy Crimson, our baby girl (when she was small)



Our babies now... so full of mischief

I have been very blessed with the awesome dogs which we have. They have their little annoyances about them but over all I couldn't have asked for a better pair for our family. I often compare Crimson's personality to a teenage cheerleader. She is SO peppy and happy about EVERYTHING! She is in your face at the slightest hint of attention and she is just joyful and excited about anything and everything. She can be a bit of a ditz, like running into the wall for no reason, or sliding into the door. But she is so amazing with our boys. She lets Braxton crawl all over her and pull her cheeks and ears without moving or getting up. It amazes me how much patience they have! Braxton hasn't done anything yet that has made them upset enough to move from their chair.

Alabama has such a different personality, but one that we quite enjoy! We like to compare him to a surfer dude! He is so chill and relaxed, and nothing worries him! If he's getting attention he doesn't even get too excited like Crimson, he just lets you pet him. He does tend to do the "Dane Lean" when he's getting pet (they lean against your body pretty much making you almost fall over). If we get upset at him and yell or swat his butt, he just waves it off and slowly does what we want him to. In his own slow time. Better than not listening at all! He is also our watch dog, he has saved me from a few scary door salesmen that didn't feel quite right opening the door, but he was right there to scare them away. As you can imagine just the sight of him scares people off, so he doesn't even have to growl or bark. He too is just as amazing with our boys. Doesn't move a muscle when Braxton is climbing on him. He does like to lick the leftovers off of Nixons fingers and face.. but who wouldn't?

I've been especially more grateful and appreciative of these gentle beasts lately because of our circumstances. Alabama has a skin problem and we are going back and forth with having to give him up. His treatments are too expensive and he needs to be neutered as well (the extra hormones make his condition worse I guess, us girls should know about that!). He is so much a part of our family that it is breaking my heart! But we want whats best for him and if he doesn't get treated it could cause permanent damage or infection.

I know God wants us to be happy and I know he has a plan for each of us that doesn't always go with what we want, but if this is a test of our faith I hope I'm doing the right thing because if I give him up it will be the hardest thing I have EVER had to do in my life, hands down.

I'm not trying to be pessimistic. I really have been so blessed having these creatures from God in our home. I love them, and am grateful for their spirits.

Just to get an idea of their size :)

My Angel

Blessing #2- Nixon.

I don't even have words for to describe how I feel about my youngest son Nixon. He is 9 months now, and just an amazing spirit. When I was pregnant with him I was so worried that I couldn't love any child more or the same as I love my first born Braxton. But God knew just what I needed. This sweet intuitive boy who is independant enough to play by himself nearly all day long, but when I need it he is a love bug and snuggler. He loves EVERYONE. I thought he might grow out of that as he got older but I think his love for everyone just grew as he did. I swear he can read my emotions like he was my twin or something. If I need extra sleep one morning he will play in his playpen for nearly an hour without making much noise. If I have lots to do that day he will take extra long naps and play around me when he's awake. If I need someone to lift me up, he snuggles with me on the couch ALL day long (thats what we did yesterday) when he wasn't even tired or anything. He just KNOWS when I need something. He is amazing and I couldn't love another child more. The rest of our family may favor Braxton because he is loud and needy and can walk and talk and play. But Nixon is my jewel, he sits in the background quietly waiting his turn for attention, and I try to give him as much as I can because to me, he deserves every bit of it! Don't get me wrong, I love Braxton just as much, in different ways of course. But Nixon is my special blessing from our Heavenly Father.

Mr. Smiley... his personality EXACTLY

Thank you for the amazing child! He has saved me from my own insanity many times!

Starting New

It's time for me to start new, refresh myself, and refocus.

I have been trying really hard to focus on the things we are blessed with and the things we have. But it seems like no matter how hard I try those selfish thoughts like 'How are we going to get out of this?' and 'Why is this happening to us' keep coming back again and again into my head. It seems like the theme in church lately has been Gratitude. And not just because of Thanksgiving, it started a few months back. I know everyone is struggling, we all are in our own ways. I feel so selfish feeling this way because I know we aren't alone in this.

Today was one of those days. I haven't been this unproductive in a long time. When I have a lot of stress on my mind I tend to shut down and in order to not think about whatever is happening I sleep. Yes I know it's lazy and cowardly but I sleep as much as I can to keep the stress from my mind.

So this is me trying to reboot myself and get going again. I'm going to start again by COUNTING MY BLESSINGS. I KNOW I have many to be thankful for but I am going to do this every day that I can remember, so I don't allow myself to FORGET and have days like today.

Blessing 1. I am SO grateful for the best husband in the world. He loves me. He is a worthy priesthood holder. He is a great dad. He provides for us the best he can. He is patient with me. He ALWAYS apologizes even if he didn't do something wrong. We are perfect for eachother in everyway. He is my eternal companion.

New Adventure

So I'm starting a new adventure with something called ASEA. I've only been taking it a few days but O MAN what a difference!! PLEASE follow my blog on this new adventure and learn about it too!

http://www.myaseajd.blogspot.com/

Life is still going great! We still have our ups and downs but that's just how life is sometimes I guess... well now that I think about it, that's just how life is all the time!

Love to you all!!

God Works In Mysterious Ways

So as of 1 1/2 weeks ago Josh got his job back!! By some miracle his boss convinced the big bosses to hire him back. There are lots of little details but all that matters now is he is again a working man! And thank goodness! We had kept our faith going pretty strong until that last week we both nearly broke to pieces (mostly me) from the stress of not paying any bills for a month. We didn't know what would happen and were still trying to stay positive and trust the Lord. And he came through just as we knew he would. I don't really know what the Lord was trying to teach us those 4 weeks of unemployment but I do know that we have grown stronger as a family and as individuals. We saw first hand the power of charity and selflessness as so many helped us in so many ways. President Monson's talk this last weekend on Gratitude hit the mark for us. For our hearts have been filled to the brim with gratitude. I am so grateful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us and would never let us handle more than he knows we can. I love you all and thank you for your prayers and love!


Braxton is in this phase of closing his eyes every time I want to take his pictures. Frustrating! But still cute :)

I just LOVE this picture of my 3 handsome boys!

Braxton Loves his hats!

He was trying to ride his Handy Manny motorcycle. It was quite commical!!

He loves spaghetti!