Katelund's Christmas List

Today as Katelund was putting pretend make-up on me, I asked her what she wanted for Christmas from Santa Claus. She told me "All I want is earrings like you Mommy" (she has been wanting them for quite some time, especially when she watches me put earrings in my ears). I then asked her what else she wanted and she said, "That's all I want because I just have everything else I want in my toybox." How adorable is that!!!! Wow, I have so much to learn from my sweet Katelund!

Gratitude

I have been feeling such an overwhelming feeling of gratitude the last couple of weeks. In our family, we have made the goal to thank Heavenly Father for at least 3 things in each of our prayers. One of the things that I have been feeling the most gratitude for is the gift of the Holy Ghost. In my New Testament reading, I have been amazed at how much the Holy Ghost is referred to in the book of Acts. I know that it truly is the Holy Ghost that changes our hearts and opens our minds to truly understand the mysteries of God.

I often wonder if I have undergone the kind of true conversion that Alma the Younger experienced. There are times when I am reading my scriptures, saying my prayers, or listening to a talk where I feel that I have, but then there are other times where I find my faith lacking or my natural man tendencies taking over. I am so thankful that our Heavenly Father gave us such an amazing gift, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Without this gift, I feel that endrance and steadfastness would be an impossible task.

Raspberry-Balsamic Chicken Recipe

I promised Mom that I would post this WONDERFUL recipe. So here it is for all to try and love!!

Raspberry-Balsamic Chicken

1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt divided
4 (4 oz skinned boned chicken breast halves
1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; saute 5 minutes. Sprinkle thyme and 1/4 tsp salt over chicken. Add chicken to sauce pan; saute 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1/4 tsp salt, preserves, vinegar, and pepper to pan, stirring constantly until preserves melt. Spoon sauce over chicken, and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 tbsp sauce).

Bathtime

Yesterday I walked in on Katelund as she was going to the bathroom, all though, as you can see in the picture, there was something wrong. She was sitting all the way down with her bottom in the toilet water. I asked her what she was doing. She said, "Mommy my bottom hurt so I needed to take a bath." Apparently, she was bathing her bottom in the toilet water. So I told her that was yucky and that we don't take baths in the toilet. I then left the bathroom and after a while I realized that I heard water. I walked in to find her taking a bath in the sink. I guess that she didn't want to get in the bathtub when all she wanted to do was wash her bottom. The funny thing is that as I was taking the picture of her in the sink it felt like dejavu. I remember a picture that my mom took of me taking a bath in the sink when I was around her age. Like mother, like daughter,.... I guess....:)

Picture Moments

For church yesterday, I dressed Cloey in a leather coat, a cute little skirt, and leather boots. Everyone was going crazy at church because of how cute she looked. She is definitely playing the part of the rebellious 18 month old, so her outfit really goes with
her personality these days. By the end of nursery, she had pulled out her ponytail and her hair was sticking straight up, it just completed the outfit perfectly! :)

Katelund and Cloey are turning into partners in crime. The other day Katelund climbed up on the counter and pulled down some leftover monkey bread that Cory brought home from work and took it under the table with Cloey. I didn't know where they were because I was in the other room, but I heard some giggles coming from under the table. It was so cute, all I could do was laugh and take a picture (and of course let them finish off the monkey bread :) ).

Last night after our dinner guests left, Katelund and Cloey climbed up on the recliner, snuggled up in a blanket, and just laughed back and forth at each other. They also had a great time on Saturday as we turned up the music and had a family dance party (sorry, I didn't get any pictures of Cory and I dancing :) ).

Halloween Pictures

Pioneer Stripling Warriors

This week as I was preparing to teach a song in Singing Time, I was trying to find some pictures in my gospel art kit that would help expound upon the words and the teachings found in the song "Can a Little Child Like Me?". One of the pictures that I chose for one of the lines in the song was the picture of the three boys that were part of the rescue team for the Martin Handcart Company. I am sure you are all familiar with the story but just as a reminder...when the rescue team that had been sent by Brigham Young met up with the Martin Handcart Company, they found them at the banks of Sweet Water (I think that was the river). The men and women in the company were full of discouragement and tears as they realized that they had to cross another icy cold river which would cause more death, illness, and exposure. There were three 18 year old boys who decided that they were going to carry each one of them across the river. Due to the large amount of exposure in that icy cold river, each one of those boys ended up dying from the effects of that single heroic act. When Brigham Young was speaking of these boys, he said that singular event would guarantee them a spot in the celestial kingdom.

As I was reading this story on the back of the picture, I became overcome with emotion as I realized that the event that I just read about took place exactly 150 years ago to the day (November 3, 1856). For just a moment, I felt like I could feel the overwhelming amount of gratitude and love that those pioneers of the Martin Handcart Company must have felt for those incredible "Pioneer Stripling Warriors". Those boys truly understood what the gospel is all about. They understood what the Savior meant when He said to love thy neighbor and to lose yourself in the service of others.

I wonder in my own life if I have stayed close enough to the Spirit to know when the Lord has needed me to help carry someone across any "icy river" in their life. No wonder the Lord has set up His church so that we have an incredible support system in our families, wards, and stakes. As we learn to "carry" each other through life's tribulations and trials, I know that retrospectively we will see that as we were carrying another it was the Lord himself who was carrying most, if not all, of the weight and making it easier for us to bear.

I can't think of a title...

Once again the sickness is gone and we are all doing great. I am so thankful that throughout all of the sickness, I didn't get sick at all. It was such a blessing that I didn't because everyone else needed me to take care of them. I have learned that once you become a mom, you no longer have sick days full of pampering and sleep. It is on those days that all I want is to have my mommy taking care of me. There is just no replacement for a nurturing mommy! :)

This weekend we are feeding the missionaries and a family from the ward. I have decided to pull out my china. I am so excited to use them!! I haven't use them since Thanksgiving at our townhouse in Rexburg.

Yesterday I had such a good run. I was listening to this song that Cory downloaded for me. I think it was called "Stay with You" by Goo Goo Dolls. It was the most motivational running song I have ever heard!! I listened to it over and over again because it made me feel like I could run forever. I am going to run my first race on Thanksgiving, it is called the "Turkey Trot". It is only a 5k, but hey I've got to start somewhere right? I was up to 7-8 miles back in Fayetteville, but since we've moved I had a month of sparadic running and now I am starting to build my endurance once again. I am up to 4-5 miles now. I love to run so much, once I get into the habit of it everyday, I start to crave it. I feel like it is my time to ponder, imagine, and solve all the problems of the world. :)

Halloween in Review

I guess Katelund has decided that her favorite spot to throw up is in her car seat. She threw up there again today when we were on our way home from grocery shopping. I hate watching my kids throw up. I feel so bad for them and I hate the fact that there is nothing that I can do but clean them up afterwards and give them tons of love and comfort.

We had so much fun yesterday on Halloween. Marie came over during the day and we ran together and then talked while the kids played at the park. Then we went to the mall to go trick or treating. I have decided that going to the mall to trick or treat is a great way to go.

Afterwards, we went over to Marie and Ian's house for a Halloween party. We ate homemade pizza, Halloween cupcakes, and roasted marshmallows over a campfire in their backyard. They literally live in the mountains. In fact, you have to drive up a winding little road to get to their house. They have dogs that are in a caged area in their backyard just to keep the bears, coyotes, and racoons away. It is so fun to go over but it is quite the drive. Luckily, she is used to driving a long ways to go everywhere so she comes over to my apartment at least twice a week. I am so grateful for her friendship. Our favorite thing to do together is talk about the gospel and what we are learning in our scripture reading. I know that we must have been friends in heaven. I will miss her terribly when we move from Asheville. I have made so many incredible friends in so many places. I am so excited for the day when we will all be together again.