Christmas 2019

Christmas was great this year. As always! My favorite thing this year was finally cashing in our Christmas Jar. Over the year we have collected our change in the Christmas Jar with the intention of doing something good for someone else. I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t fill the jar and was completely shocked when the total reached almost $40.00. My friend recently divorced and has had a rough year. We decided to help stock her freezer with the money. We went to Walmart and filled a box with goods to drop at her door. It wasn’t much, but my kids loved picking out their favorites and seeing what a huge difference a little change can make. I hope with my whole heart that my kids grow up learning to think of other people and find ways to help where they can. 

 Christmas Eve was spent with our usual traditions and a new one. We made sugar cookies, opened pajamas, watched a movie and played a new board game. We even spoiled the kids with a second hand ping pong table. Its gotten a lot of good use already.  However, our new tradition was the best of the day. Kristie Denning, a good friend of mine, gave us a beautiful handmade manger with a book. The book tells a story of a family struggling to feel the Christmas spirit. They decide to draw names and do something kind for that particular family member. Every time they do, they put a piece of straw in the manger. The goal is to fill the manger up with good deeds to create a comfortable spot for baby Jesus to lay on Christmas Eve. We started off by drawing names and trying to do secret acts of goodness, but I soon found out that my kids do better with some recognition and encouragement. We opened it up to all acts of kindness qualified for straw in the manger. So if they did something kind at school and told me about it, or I saw them doing service to a family member or what not, they got to put straw in. It wasn’t exactly as the book directs, but I will never shy away from praising my kids for being kind and serving others. They eat up the compliments and it drove them to do more. It was fun to watch the manger fill up more and more each day. By Christmas Eve our DI baby Jesus was comfy as could be. 

 

Christmas morning was wonderful. We spent the day hanging out and opening gifts. We bought some mini bikes for the Ashton property and showed the boys on Christmas morning.Not really as a gift, but because we couldn’t hide them any longer. Scott and I enjoyed a couple of rides around the block and we can’t wait to take them out this spring. 

Christmas was wonderful. Every year I wonder if I am teaching the boys enough about the birth of our Savior and the true meaning of Christmas. I hope that I don’t emphasize the gifts and the commercialization of the holiday rather the quiet night long ago. I hope they know that their mom loves the Savior and tries very hard to bring the spirit into our home. I don’t think we’ll ever be that home where the spirit abides naturally and the gospel learning is abundant, but we will always be the house that works hard to earn the spirit of the Lord and works to teach our children. And I am proud of that. I am grateful for the Christmas season and the reminder to slow down and enjoy the treasures we have been given. Our family, our home, our friends, the gospel and the land around us. I’m learning more and more about peace and what a gift it is. And because the Savior was born, peace is possible. Joy is possible because of Christ. Hope is possible. Eternity is possible. Happiness is possible. Because of him, all things are possible. 

Day Date

After another week of being sick, Kyle needed a morning of fun away from the TV. So we headed to KidsTown while his brothers were in school. I expected to be there for maybe two hours, but three hours later I had to drag him out so we would be home when his brothers got home. It was a blast and I’m not sure who needed it more, me or him. I love one on one time with my kids. 

Strep and a Story

Poor Kyle. Its been another long week. He was feeling under the weather again and all signs pointed to strep. Sure enough the strep test came out positive and he was on his way for another antibiotic. This is his second case in 30 days.  I have a feeling we'll be head to the hospital soon to get his tonsils removed. I'm hoping not, but I guess only time will tell.




We were invited to a Christmas play at a Christian church by Scotts friend/co-worker. We took the kids and attended the Friday night show. It was a good play and the message of love for the Savior was obvious, but there was so much lacking. And the kids noticed it as well. Mainly Tayden. We commented on the difference in prayer, and lack of reverence for Christ as they casually called him Jesus, and the absence of the spirit. It was my first experience in a church setting of another faith and it made me more grateful than ever for the truthfulness of the gospel. I'm grateful to belong to the restored gospel with all the facts and truth. I'm grateful to know that our Prophet has been called of God and we receive modern revelation.   I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon, the keystone of our religion. And I'm grateful that I get to feel the spirit on a regular basis.

Ugly Christmas Tree

Every year, Black Friday kicks off our Christmas holiday. We crank the Christmas tunes, burn the Christmas candle and my favorite, set up the Christmas Tree. I love Christmas Trees. And I take pride in them. This year, Beckett was gone at a friends house while I was setting everything up. When he came home, he said, "I just wish you would make our Christmas Tree prettier. Its kind of ugly." I was blown away. I'm not saying I am a professional decorator by any means, but I wouldn't call our tree ugly by any stretch of the imagination.

I told him that was rude and asked what was wrong with it. He told me he wished it had more color. All of a sudden, I realized all the red and green blend into the pine for my sweet color blind boy. We're not exactly sure to what extent he can or can't see color, but Scott downloaded an app onto his phone so we can get an idea of what he sees. My heart sank when I saw his version of the Christmas Tree. He was right, it was ugly and needed more color.

We talked it over and decided that the day after Christmas when everything is on sale, he and I will go get new ornaments that he can see. I'm sure it will be bright and little obnoxious and totally not my style, but more than anything I want him to experience a beautiful tree. So I bid farewell to this tree, but allow Beckett to welcome his own. 

Its magical the things we do for our children. Even though giving up a beautiful tree is a small sacrifice, I think we can compare it to gift of our Savior. Heavenly Father loved the rest of us so much, that he sacrificed his son for the rest of us. He saw a bigger picture and could focus on the truly important things. I hope to be a parent in his image. 

Thanksgiving 2019

We had a great thanksgiving this year. As I’ve expressed, I feel so blessed to live this great life I do. We spent Thursday at my cousins, Deverie Jensen, house in Shelley, Idaho. My parents, grandma, uncle and cousins, spouses and kids were there. It was such a wonderful day! We spent the day laughing and reminiscing on the days of old. My grandma provided the kids with arts and crafts. Everyone had a blast!! Now onto Christmas!

Grateful Turkey

Today, Kyle had his preschool Thanksgiving program. Its was the cutest thing and he did great. He was worried he would be a little shy, but he stood up and said his part perfectly. The kids sang a couple of songs and all said what they are grateful for. Kyle said he was thankful to play Legos with Mom. My heart soared. I cannot tell you how much I love my baby.

The past few weeks I have really been reflecting on how grateful I am for my life. I've had conversations with friends and family that have been going through hard things. Infidelity, death, money issues, parenting trials, mental illness, physical ailments, and sickness. All around the world there is heart ache, hunger, stolen children, scared parents, confused people and so on and so on. And all I can think is what a wonderful life I lead. Its almost unfair how great my life is.

First of all, I have a husband who loves me. He gives me a hard time, doesn't always agree with my ideas, and laughs when I cry, BUT he loves me. He loves me more than anyone. He makes me laugh, he holds my hand and takes me to church. He works tirelessly to provide for our family and works hard when he gets home to better our life. He loves our kids. He protects them and holds them to a high standard to push them to be better.

I have wonderful boys. Just the best. They are rough and loud and its a never ending wrestling match, but they love each other. They stick up for one another and choose each other over and over. They shower me with hugs and kisses and come to me with their problems. They trust me. I am the love of their life. How amazing is that?

We have a home that keeps us warms and safe and provides a refuge from the world.

We have two cars that get us to all of our individual activities.

We have the money to provide those activities and sports for the boys.

We have clothes on our back.

The kids are being educated.

The sun shines and our seasons change.

We know the truth. The real honest truth about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his gospel. I have been endowed and sealed to the love of my life. My children have been born under the covenant.

We have health.

We can put food on our table. And then more food when our kids don't like it.

We own an amazing piece of property in Gods Country.

Scott has a great job and is really good at it.

I've been blessed with Christ like attributes, namely patience.

Our families are supportive and understanding.

We live in a country with freedom and rights.

We've had life experiences that stretched us and molded us to become better.

I'm in Young Womens and get to not only rub shoulders with the girls but with some of the most amazing women.

I feel love. And loved.

Life is so so good. I feel extremely blessed. The older I get, the more I feel it. Deep down in my bones. I am blessed. And I'm blessed to know it.

Warm Face

My baby boy is sick today. And has been for the last day and a half. He’s had an awful fever and chills and just feels yucky. It breaks my heart, but I’m soaking in all the snuggles. 

My very favorite thing about Kyle right now is how he says he loves me because my face is so warm. He’ll hug me cheek to cheek and say, “Mom, I love you so much! Your face is just so warm!” It makes me feel like a million bucks.