A New Life....

Well, you all may think that I am just being dramatic BUT I am serious...my life has changed. No more kids whining in the kitchen at 5:00 while I am trying to think about what we have in the kitchen so I can make a nutritious meal for dinner. No more temptations to call my hubby to pick up a pizza on the way home, and most importantly our meals are nutritious and delicious! How is all this happening, you might ask? Well my Mom gave me 30 freezer meal recipes! All tried and true for the freezer so they are actually good. It took me an entire Saturday but it is SOOOOOOO worth it!! I love the recipes because the cooks tell you what order to do everything so that you can cook 30 meals and piece them together all at the same time. It is incredible! Also, I saved $150 last month on our grocery bill, just because all the recipes are made by scratch. Sooo....there you have it. My new life! Now at 5:00 I sit by my oven watching my dinner bubble, hug my hungry kids, and set the table!:)I LOVE it!!!!




30 meals all in one freezer! Yay me!

The only problem is the mess I have to clean up from my new life!


If you are interested in changing YOUR life, check out my mom's stake blog. It is linked to mine. Under my favorite blogs!

SO I learned something today...

I can't do everything! I want to DO everything and I want to BE everything for my kids but the reality is... it is not possible. Isn't that a sobering thought? But Heavenly Father has provided a way for my children to still get the attention they deserve.
E had a "drive- in" movie for his school. Sounds like fun, huh! Well, the teachers forgot to call me to see if building a cardboard car out of a box would fit into my schedule that week. Needless to say, it just didn't fit into my schedule. So the day before the big drive in movie, I pulled J aside and asked her if she could help him build it. She did great. They worked on it all day only needed a little help here and there. Here is a picture of the finished product...





The best part about this story is... I wondered if he would be embarrassed at school because making a cardboard car did fit into some very creative moms schedules. There were some awesome cars!!! BUT he didn't even notice. His car was the BEST because he and his sister made it. It just taught me that I don't have to do everything and Heavenly Father will always help me find other ways to give my children what they need.

Recession Meltdown....

Funny Story.... My Hubby came home from work and asked what he could do while I was getting dinner ready. I told him to go gather up the kids and change his work clothes and dinner would be ready. Well pretty soon we are all gathered at the table for dinner except Dad. I went looking for him and found this...

This recession is so exhausting for him. He is doing so good at helping people through it but it is so stressful to manage other people's money and deal with the level of emotion that comes with people losing money. He has a great perspective on it all though and is trying really hard to see Heavenly Father's plan in all this. It is time for us to learn how to use our resources better and how else can we learn this then by having it taken away. It is a tough lesson especially for those who just lost their "nest egg". But America will get through this! We just have to work together. Meanwhile.... I think I'll let him sleep.

AHHH! Warm Sunshine!

My hubby and I went to Florida this week. He had a conference there and I went along for the ride. It was so great to feel the warm sunshine. I forgot how fun it is to be outside! :) We went the epcot center with my brother. It was so good to see him. He lives there while he finishes up his last two years before he becomes a true full fledged doctor. I just love him. He has worked so hard and done all that has been asked to be a doctor. Can you believe that it would take 8+ years to become a doctor? It sure makes me appreciate doctors more! He is so great to answer every one of our medical questions.... and with 5 kids we have ALOT! Would you talk to your brother about you and your children's bowel movements? Yeah... we have a "special" relationship. Love ya Cory!!!!


While in Florida we saw a real armadillo. I have never seen one in my life. They are so cool. If you scare them, they curl up in a ball. This one was just walking around on the grass right by us. It was so COOL!!!


This house was so cool, I had to take a picture. It was designed to look like it was crashed up side down. It looks so realistic. The picture doesn't do it justice.


WELL.... I love my husband so much that we went golfing. He wanted to go so bad and so I went. It was actually fun. I have never golfed before...he says I am a natural. Yeah... I know compliments go pretty far with me and he knows me well. So I signed up with a golf league! Just kidding! But we had a good time. I love him!


I had to take this picture of his shot in the lake. It was funny but he did do really well. He golfed a 45... whatever that means! :)


It was a great vacation! And the best part was that when we got home to our kids, they didn't even want to come home. My sister and her kids are funner than me!! She was so great to watch them... imagine having nine kids in your house...and then imagine getting them all ready for church! Yeah... she's the best!

Time alone...

Well...yesterday was my sweet angel's birthday. She would have been 21! I miss her so much and today it hurts. It was a wonderful day yesterday. I spent it at the temple. It is the closest place to heaven. I stayed there all day looking for some "sign" that she was with me but all I felt was peace. You would think that would be enough. I wish I had more faith. I wish I could be content in just knowing that she is happy and busy helping our family on the other side. I believe that she is but I want to know! I am starting to resent those common stories we hear about people seeing angels and visions of them and stuff. I know it is wrong but I want to see her again! ....
Alright.... this is a little depressing but I actually had a great day yesterday. My other sweet sister and her husband watched all our kids. I am so thankful for time alone. It helps me regroup and figure out where I am going and what I am doing to get there. But on the other hand I am thankful for the full life that I live to keep me distracted from my "time alone." Sometimes it is too painful. Thanks for listening to my ramblings....who ever you are.....