Happy thanksgiving

To anyone reading this today, we want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!! We have so much to be grateful, and I hope that we can all remember how blessed we really are, not just on Thanksgiving, but all year around!!!
Things I am grateful for:
To live in this free country
Be be a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
To be a mother
To be a wife to a wonderful man who works so hard to provide for our family
For a wonderful family(mom, brothers, sisters, in-laws, sister in-laws and brother in-law)
For my health, and the health of my family
For relatively speaking pregnancies and labor and deliveries
The opportunity to serve others
The opportunity that I have had to hopefully make a difference in the lives of some troubled teens
Food

I am sure that my list could and should go on and on, but these are just a few of the top ones!!!

Over the river and through the woods...

Jackson loves being at Grandma and Grandpa's. Here is Jackson just hanging out with grandpa. That smile is just to cute!

Funny happenings from this weekend

We decided to go to Las Vegas last weekend just to get out of town, but also to be able to watch the Utah vs. BYU game. Sam's brother Dave and wife Heidi and cute baby Gabby live there so we went and stayed with them like always. Sam's sister Beth who is a nurse in Salt Lake, also needed a break so she came to our house, and we all drove down together.
Dave and Heidi have a pool and so the boys got to go swimming in the jacuzzi and loved it!! Jackson was so mad when we tried to get him out. He kept saying, "wawi(which is water) daddy, wawi daddy!!) We had a fun football party with food friends and steaks. What more do you want? Not much!! I got to do some simple Christmas shopping because there was a Target around the corner from Dave and Heidi's. Good times.
Now for the funny stories: Friday night when we got to Las Vegas I had a voicemail on my phone for Sam. It was a guy saying that he was from the District office (like school district)and needed to talk to Sam. It was 8:30 on a Friday night and this guy was calling my phone. None of us could figure out why he was calling, but Sam was pretty stressed. The guy that called is a computer tech guy and so Sam was checking his email to see if there was a problem or something. Finally Sam just called back and found out that the guy is a tech guy for the school district but that he is also our new ward Executive Secretary. Basically he was calling to set up an appointment to meet with the Bishop. We were all laughing. Ever since the ward split, every time I gave Sam the phone he thought it was going to be someone to give him a calling, so the fact that it happened, but in such a funny way was hilarious. Sam asked the Executive Secretary why he said he was from the district office and he said, "I figured you wouldn't call back if I said I was the Exec. Sec." Pretty Funny.
We came back Sunday morning and Sam went over to the church and was called to be the Ward Mission leader. After Sam was set apart he said to me, "are you ready to be making even more treats to take to people?" I of course said, no problem!!

Another funny from this weekend was at one point Sam, Beth, Zack and I were just sitting around talking and I was probably teasing Sam about what his calling would be and he jokingly said to his sister, "do you want a wife?" Zack then looked at Sam and said, "you can't have 2 wives." When we asked why not he said, "because if you have 2 wives you can't have kids!"Out of the mouth's of babes!! And then looked at us with that duh! look. We have never talked to Zack about homosexuality, but he is smart enough to know that it takes a MAN and a WOMAN to have a family and children.

Diapers

Who knew that finding a diaper that would last for a whole night was so difficult? I really don't ever remember having such a hard time with Zack and leaky diapers. Zack did great with Parent's choice the whole time. Jackson on the other hand, not so easy. During the day he does just fine, it is night time that we struggle with. So far White Cloud are the winner (not that they are great, but they do)
This morning Jackson woke up earlier than normal and so Sam went and got him and put him in bed with me while he went to take a shower. Next Zack woke up and came and laid down with Jack and I. as we are all lying there talking, I realize that I am wet. Now, at first I thought it was Jackson's water bottle leaking on my, but I was holding his bottle, that couldn't be it. I reached over and felt Jackson and sure enough he was soaked and he had soaked me and the bed sheets. Never a dull moment at 7am. This experience is what "inspired" me to write about diapers on this fine morning.

I have reached that stage

For anyone that has been pregnant,you know the stage you get to where you are so big that your shirts no longer or barely cover the subject and your pants don't stay all the way because your stomach is to big.
Well, I am at that stage. If I am not constantly pulling down my shirt, then every move I make makes my shirt crawl up. Not that I am not always grateful for garments, but it is moments like 8 1/2 months pregnant, that I am even more grateful for my garments that cover my stomach so that nobody had to be my huge stretched out stomach. The joys of pregnancy!!! And it is almost over!

Talking in their sleep

I am sure that my boys inherited this trait from me. I totally talk in my sleep, and the last couple nights I have woken up to Jackson talking in his sleep. I haven't heard Zack talk in his sleep for a while, but Jackson this week has taken up the family characteristic.

Here is a funny story about me talking in my sleep: Ok, it really is not funny, and I wasn't really talking, but.. well here is the story. When I was in college at Utah State, I had a roommate who was one of those kinda high maintenance friends that always needs attention. Well, at this point in my life I was working 3 jobs trying to save for a mission, I was trying to decided if a mission was the right thing, and I was the 1st counselor in the Relief Society presidency. Needless to say I was very busy. Well she felt that I was not paying enough attention to her, and so she decided one night to try to talk to me and find out my opinion about her. I was not mad at her or anything, but she took my being busy as being mad at her, so one night when I was asleep she came in my room and tested out her idea that she could talk to me and I would respond. After seeing that she could talk to me in my sleep, and I totally responded (but I seriously have no recollection of it )she decided the next night to ask me if "I was mad at her and my opinion of her."

It was kinda weird because I do remember waking up the next day having some faint memory of having a "dream" about this roommate. I thought it was weird, but who knows. Well, months later she told me what she had done. She told me that in my sleep I am very candid, and told her exactly what I thought (which would be that I was annoyed that she was acting weird just because I was busy). She swore that she would never do it again, because she didn't really want to know what I was thinking.

Who knew that I would respond to someone talking to me? I sure didn't. Kind of a funny experience.

Brothers

I am so grateful that for the most part, Zack and Jack play really well together, and get along really well. They have been going thorough a "rough patch" lately, but it was so cute to walk past their room this morning and see them playing so nicely together. What good boys I Have been blessed with!!!

He did it!!

Not that we were worried that he wouldn't, but he has done it. Zack has been practicing consistently for a couple weeks, and now can write his name with no help. This is outside with sidewalk chalk. He is getting really good writing many of the letters.
He loves practicing his name as a quite activity during Sacrament Meeting, on his pad of paper.

What a great husband I have

I think the last 2 weeks has been a learning experience for our whole family. About 2 weeks ago I started having Brackston Hick's contractions. No big deal, but those contractions have sometimes gotten more intense. Basically I have had to learn to rest a lot more, and not do "everything" which is not easy for me.

So, in the last 2 weeks, Sam has totally stepped up (not that I was worried he wouldn't) and I so appreciate how much he has done to help me and our family out. He has done the dishes every night. Helped cook dinners and clean up, pick up the house etc. I am so grateful to be married to such great man, who is a great husband and father, and worthy priesthood holder. Thanks for being so great Sam!!

Wii

Our whole house loves our Wii, and it really is the only video game system that I am ok with. I am morally opposed to other video game systems because I hate that all you do is sit on your butt and most of the games are very violent and inappropriate. Ok, enough of my soapbox. This was not my purpose in this entry.

Jackson loves the Wii! We wants to play it all the time. even though he really does not understand how to play completely, he sure tries when everyone else is playing. Jackson talks in his sleep sometimes, and last night I heard him say, "Wii".I had to laugh. This morning Jack woke up, ate breakfast and then started saying, "Wii, wii" So funny!!

I wonder what is going inside of me...

I seriously wish that I could take a video of my stomach so that people could see how much this girl is moving. She must be getting to the "too big for her britches" stage, because she is moving out of control!!! I don't know how she or I are going to make it 6 1/2 more weeks. We shall see if we do?

Another give away

I am all for free!! Go here to enter in the running, and if you put a link on your blog, you get to be entered twice. Good times!! The giveaway is a black wood with metal "family" block set. So cute!!

FYI

Thank you to everyone that gave advice and commented on my first "pepto" experience. I would like to say that it worked. I took 2 Tblsp. at 7 and again at 9, and voila I slept and all is well. I really have no idea what caused this crazy experience, but I am glad that it is over!!

"Change is a comin.."

Today was the primary program (where all the kids put on the program) in our ward, and our ward split. Crazy day!! The church was packed to the gills. We are in the boundaries of the newly formed "Cross Hollows Ward".

Zack did such a good job with his part, and singing of the songs. The kids totally made me cry with a couple of the songs. One of the songs was "Called to Serve" and the primary asked all those who had served missions to stand and sing with the kids. The spirit was so strong and I cried basically the whole way through the song.

World Record?

Maybe to the rest of the world taking Pepto Bismol is common place, but for me, I would like to report that I made it 28 years, 7 months and some odd days without ever having tried the stuff. Not to say that I have not my share of upset stomachs (though I have been blessed to have a strong immune system!)but because I am pregnant and started having diarrhea (i know gross, I am sorry!! I was told to take Pepto to stop it so I don't get dehydrated. I have no idea if it will work (I have been told that it is very effective?) but it was a memorable experience none the less.
** Quick story: I hate to throw up!! Basically, I would rather have anything else, than have my stomach hurt and have to throw up! Having said that, as a kid my mom always told us that Pepto was so gross it would make you throw up, if if your stomach hurt, and you just wanted to throw up, take Pepto. This may have something to do with why I have never taken it. Why throw up if I don't have to?

Free giveway

My friend Lara is having a giveaway for the cutest hat. You totally need to stop by here blog and enter. The lady that makes these adorable hats has an etsy shop that you can also check out here

Halloween weekend

First picture is of the boys and cousin Gabby after making their Home Depot leaf press. So fun!
Next, Zack made owl cookies with Aunt Heidi. These cookies were so good and fun. We have decided to make them part of our Halloween tradition(because really we don't have many, except for having a Harvest party the sat. before)
I saw these Trick or Treat bags on Studio 5 and decided. to make some for us. So cute and easy.

This picture is of the boys in their costumes with the neighbor Bronson.

For breakfast, we made pancakes in the shapes of pumpkins, cats and a witch on her broom. The boys loved them!!!

Random pics

This is Jackson helping clean the toilet. Notice the glove on his cleaning hand? I know, I am creating monsters (when it comes to germs).

Zack and Jack love to have their picture taken. This is one of the times that they do something cute and call me in and say, "take a picture, and put it on the blog."

Pumpkin Waffles

We love pumpkin at our house, and we really should eat more of it all year round, but it is especially fun in the fall!! We eat pumpkin waffles about once a week, and while our family was here for Halloween, we made them and they were a hit!! Here is the recipe for anyone that wants to try some delicious waffles!!!

1 1/2 C. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 C. pumpkin ( I always add a little extra)
1 2/3 C. milk

Mix the dry ingredients together, and then make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients. Mix well ( will be a little lumpy) and put on your waffle iron. Enjoy!!!

We voted, have you?

We got up bright and early this morning and headed over to our assigned polling place. Gratefully there was no line, and the boys were great about being there.

I have been talking to Zack about voting, and why we do it, and not that he completely understands, but he sure is trying. I keep turning on the news to hear updates, and Zack at one point asked, "did our guy win?" I told him that nobody had won yet, but we would know later. It should be interesting later tonight.

They do say wonderful things

This afternoon after Zack woke up from his nap, and had time for a little bit of a snack he said, "Mom, I think that we need to write a note to President Monson, and then send it to him. I want it to say":

Dear President Monson,

You are a good prophet. You are teaching us good things. We listen to your words, and we want to press forward. And we press forward so we can be strong. We are your friends.

Love, Zack

I love my boys and good they are. Thanks Zack for making good choices.

More from the fun weekend

Here are just a few more pics from our fun weekend with family.

Trunk or treating

We had a great Halloween night. Dave, Heidi, Gabby, and Bonnie all came to visit. We went to our ward Trunk or Treat and had a blast dressing up and getting the candy.