A lot of changes......

Its been awhile since my last post and I had every intention of trying to get the blog caught up but obviously that didn't happen.  So I decided to to a quick run through of our last year.  A lot has happened so hopefully I can do the last year justice.  2013 was a big year for us and we did so many things with family.  We enjoyed many trips to Lagoon with Jace's family and one trip to Disneyland for Halloween Frightmares.  It was so much fun.  Tate and Grant had a blast and continue to talk about it to this day.  Here are few pictures:

We had several family reunions.  We went fishing and swimming with the Pearson's and four wheeling with the Searle's.  Tate played soccer both in the Spring and the Fall and enjoyed every minute of it.  Tate also started Kindergarten in September 2013.  I can't believe I have a child in Kindergarten.  He has done really well and loves his teacher Ms. Cook.  He can't wait to go to first grade next year.  Grant turned 3 and continues to be very mischievous.  He is always getting into things and we love him for it. Jace continues to go to school but was blessed to receive a paid internship last year in Idaho Falls.  It truly has been a blessing for him and our family.  As for me I have experienced some big changes.  I was laid off from my job in September and have since been a stay at home mom.  It is strange to say the least to not have a job.  I have been employed since I was 15 years old.  However, the boys have loved having me at home and it has been nice to be with them.  I was recently offered a part-time position with a local company and will be starting that soon.  It will be a change from mom being home all the time but hopefully it will be a good change.  Now probably the biggest change is we are adding to our family.  A new little one is on the way and will arrive in August of this year.  It is a girl and we are very excited.  It will be fun to have the experiences a girl brings and at the same time I am a little scared with the potential drama that may also come my way.  If she is anything like I was with my  mom I may be in trouble :)  

A few other things that have happened is my little sister was married in the Bountiful Temple.  She found a good guy and is extremely happy.  My other sister also announced she is expecting her first and is due a month after me.  I am so excited for her and the little boy that will be joining their family.  I am also excited for more grandkids on my side of the family.  

Here are a few more picture to enjoy :)

While the last year has brought on several changes some chosen and some not we know we have been blessed.  So far everything continues to workout and we know as we continue to follow our Heavenly Father he will help us find the right path for our family.  I am grateful for the knowledge I have in being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  In times of despair and wondering about the future I have been sustained.  I still have times of doubt about what is going to happen next, how we are going to make everything work with school, bills, new baby, and etc but I have a 100% firm in the knowledge it will work out.  We will be okay and there will be brighter days.  I have been trying really hard lately to look for the positive in all the negative that has happened and trust me somedays it is a challenge but if I look it is always there.  There is a quote I saw recently that has stuck in my mind, it is:

Carry on.  Things will work out.  If you keep trying and praying and working, things will work out.  They always do.  If you want to die an early age, dwell on the negative.  Accentuate the positive and you'll be around for a while.  -Gordon B. Hinckley

So my plan is to try every day to Accentuate the positive. 

Tate Turns 4!

Well we ended the spring with a Birthday Party.  Once again I did it outside.  Every year I think it is going to be good weather and every year it ends up being cold, windy, or some other inconvienent weather.  Tate loves Jake and the neverland pirates so had a pirate party.  Tate wanted to dress up so I made him a costume and he was Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  We had some friends and family come and we tried to do a few activities but the wind was awful so it made it a little bit hard.  So we went straight to the treasure hunt.  I had gone to the park earlier and took pictures of different spots and the kids had to find the locations in the picture which lead them to the treasure.  We opened presents and then ended with cookies and cupcakes.  Here are a few pictures from the party.

This was Tate's Reaction to Every present.

 

As you can see it was Cold!

Happy Birthday Tate!  We love you so much.  You bring so much joy into our family and even though you sometimes drive us crazy you can bring a smile to our face so quickly.  We are so grateful you joine our family. 

March 2012 and Easter

For Spring Break we went back down to Roosevelt.  We went to the Park and then had an Easter Egg Hunt.  It was acually quite warm.

 

 

The Easter Bunny made it to our house. 

 

 

We got some new cars.

 

Grant enjoyed the candy.

 

Behind the basket is the quiet book I made. 

 

 

 I love this kid!

 

February 2012

In February 2012 we went to Roosevelt.  In Vernal which is just past Roosevelt there is a Dinosaur museum and quarry.  We didn't go the worry since it was so cold but we did go to the museum. 

 

Tate thought standing under this big dinosaur was fun at first then he wasn't so sure.

 

 

We dug for dinosaur bones and then went and saw all the dinosaur bones that were put together.

 

Outside of the museum they have some life size dinosaurs.  So we headed outside.

 

 

The last thing we did in February is we said goodbye to Jace's truck from High School and the blue truck that is hidden in the back of the picture.  I was so excited and HAPPY to see these go.

Our Ward Christmas Party

Every year our ward does a Christmas Party and this year was no different.  Our Bishop wanted to go all out and so we had a theme.  The theme was a night in Bethlehem.  The Primary was put in charge of the decorations and I am so proud of my presidency and others in the ward who helped us accomplish everything that we did.  I wanted to share the pictures for the decorations.  It was a lot of work, but after all the comments from the members of the ward it was definately worth it.  The pictures aren't the greatest but hopefully you get the idea.