Our New Home In Utah

Well we are finally in our own home in Utah. We are loving South Jordan area. It is very close to everything! Kids are doing really well and we love being back with our families. But a BIG part of us will always miss our life in Chicago. We made som wonderful friends there and hope to always keep in touch. I just wanted to show the house. Some of you have been hounding me to send pictures. I will send those on tomorrows blog....so stay tuned. This house has alot of character that we really love. I will show and explaing in more photos to come.

Snow day!

Today school was cancelled...I was actually happy because it is the PERFECT day to do my Holiday baking. So we started early and are still baking..............One of our favorites(family tradition) Chex mix.

The girls are happy to help make some yummy cookies............

Taylor helped make the pretzel treats, these are yummy and look really cute!

Gracie - writing out her Christmas cards to her teachers.....look at how cute!

My little helper...I love her!

Ellie and Gracie took a break from the kitchen and wanted to go shovel the neighbor lady's driveway...They even thought of it on their own.

I think it has helped to play Christmas music first thing this morning because everyone is so..happy and spreading the cheer!

It is that time of year! It came so fast. We have loved watching all the Christmas shows that are on EVERYNIGHT. And we have been watching them everynight. It is a great way to get the kids settled down for the night. They bring a fun spirit into the home. I remember always watching them as a small child and getting so excited for Santa to come. The kids are anxiously waiting for our elf Fiddles to come. (he is waiting for them to stop fighting) We are still trying to finish all the decorations, it seems to be taking me so long this year. I do love this time of year. The music, decorations, snow, stories, movies and of course the food! I hope that as we all are busy preparing for Christmas, that we focus on the true meaning and the true spirit of giving. We have talked to the kids and are excited to give more than receive this year. We have so much to be grateful for. Happy Holidays to everyone!

Day At The Foot Doctor............

Okay, many of you know the story of my ankle right? Well for those of you who don't let me tell it to you. While we were in Mexico in August, I was on my was to the spa to get a wonderful leg & foot massage. I was SO excited for this all day. As I was walking to the golf cart for a ride to the spa, I walked down a set a stairs(well I was trying to walk down the stairs) when suddenly I was completely on the ground in total pain. I had fallen down the steps and rolled my ankle while hearing a loud POP! The Hotel bellboys came and got me with wheel chair and took me to the Hotel Dr. She then wanted to send me to the hospital. I said no as I was not wanting to go to a hospital in Mexico. She said at that point that she thought it was broken. She just gave me a shot and I said I would be fine and I was off to enjoy the rest of my trip, trying very hard not to be a baby, but I was in TOTAL pain! Anyway to make a long story short. That was almost three month ago and since we have been home it has really been bothering me, but my sweet husband said oh, it's not broken. I am sure it is a high ankle sprain that is really painful. So my life goes on and I continue to complain. So FINALLY my SWEET husband made me an apt with the Dr. that he just saw about his ankle that has been bothering him.hmmn!(poor guy) I saw the doctor today and he took an x-ray and OH MY GOSH!!!!! I should have listened to myself. It is BROKEN and I have been dealing with this all this time. Kelly, don't ever call me a wimp! so as for now I am in a soft cast for a week and then I have to go back to have an ultrasound done on it next week to look at the tendons and ligaments then we will decide what to do.Note to self- listen to the way YOU feel and not what OTHERS tell you! I love you Kelly...........It is broken on the Fibula just lower than the arrow right above my ankle.

Fall Pictures.............

I finally got the girls pictures taken after 3 years. I have been wanting to get them done so that I can take the old ones down off my wall, so I don't look so bad because Gracie was just a baby. So I finally got it done! Here are just a few of the 200 that were taken today. I am going to have such a hard time deciding which ones I want blown up. HELP!!!!
This is just a fun one, I don't like the house in the background, but I love the tree.


My sweet little BABY...........she is so big now!

Cute little Ellie ......

Beautiful Taylor.......

I love pictures of my girls. Of course I think that they are the most beautiful girls in the world. Ok, I know it's just because I am the Mom. They are just getting so grown up. What am I going to do when they all start dating?

Tradition or Not.............................

Okay, I woke up this cold Sunday morning to start the preparation of our (or should I say MY) conference family tradition. That is HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS! My family looks very forward to these. Well I started out by making sure that I had yeast(in the freezer) and to my surprise I find 2 bags of FROZEN CINNAMON ROLLS! Hmmmm....I think to myself "I have had a crazy week and is my sweet husband trying to let me have some time to SIMPLIFY?" or I think to myself " He doesn't think that I am going to make them and so when the kids ask for them and I say sorry, I have to make them on Wednesday night for ALL the YW/YM for Leadership Training (Rolls as leaders! what did I get myself into) so we will have then that night. He then looks like the good guy who saved the day.(with frozen ones...what!) Anyway, I could take this all different ways couldn't I? My point is............sometime we are to quick to judge others reasons for doing something. I would like to thank my sweet husband for letting me "Simplify" for today and enjoy this day with my family! (but i really want mine!)

No wonder I have always hated CATS

This is the ugliest picture ever, but really it is how I have felt the last few weeks. Why do we let ourselves get this way? Is it my own fault? What can I do to change it? I am trying to serve......do I stop serving ? NO! because it really does make me happy. I have thought a lot about this today and how I can change this about my crazy feeling life at this time as I have a lot on my plate with my calling and just trying to fulfill my motherly duties. I know that I need to prioritize my time better. Along with a lot of other things. Do you find it so hard, or is it just me? I find that there are so many things that I want to do and get done in a day.And at the end of the day I have done NONE of them. (well maybe a few) Maybe if I would pull my butt out of bed early before my kids get up, but you all know that I am NOT a morning person and that will NEVER happen, so why beat myself up over it. Maybe I am trying to fit in to much in a day. I get in my mind all the things that I want and need to do and then I get so frustrated when they do not get done.Any advice? I know ....SIMPLIFY! I know that I am rambling on and on so I will stop. I look at that picture of that cat and it just makes me feel frazzled!