Goals

Wow, I can't believe that January is already gone. It went by so quickly. Tonight I went to another Jesus the Christ study class. I really like hearing other people's insights and I also love getting to know some of the older sisters in the ward, but my favorite part of the class is having the added incentive of finishing the book. I have never made it all of the way through, but this time I will.

Today I spent the day organizing. Being more organized was one of my New Year's Resolutions. It is going to be something that I will have to continually work on because it doesn't come as naturally as I wish it did, especially when I don't have a lot of storage space to work with.

I am so excited to start writing my book. I still have a lot of studying to do, but I am loving every second of it. The book that I am studying is all about what life what have been like in Book of Mormon times. It is very interesting!!!! I am so glad that I have chosen the Book of Mormon to be my book of personal daily study this year. I loved reading the New Testament, but there is such an incredible amount of power and testimony found within the Book of Mormon that I feel a greater yearning within me to change and improve upon many of my weaknesses. I have so much to work on, at times it is almost overwhelming. I am just so grateful for the Atonement!!!!!!

Beginnings of 2007

No my computer is not working yet, but my sweet neighbor Beth is letting my use hers so that I can update really quickly. I am so excited because today I accomplished a really big goal that I set for myself at the beginning of last year, I just finished reading the New Testament. I loved reading it so much. My testimony of the gospel and of the Book of Mormon have increased through my study of the New Testament. In my prayers, I have found that I have been expressing my gratitude for the fullness of the gospel more than I ever have. I have loved to really learn about the ministry of the Savior and the apostles. Now I am just trying to decide where to go next. Either the Old Testament or back to the Book of Mormon. As a family, we read in the Book of Mormon each day but it is a totally different experience for me when I am doing it as my individual study because I get so much more out of it. In this month's New Era, there is a really great article about the writers of the New Testament. I cut them out and glued them into the margines at the beginning of the books. I also really want to rememorize the scripture masteries. I guess that maybe I should have waited to read the New Testament until this year since we are studying it in Sunday School, but for whatever reason, I felt prompted to read it last year, and I am so glad I did.

Yesterday it snowed 1 1/2- 2 inches. I was in heaven!!!! I love the snow so much!!! It takes me back to Rexburg. I took the girls out to play in it today and they were so funny. Cloey liked to walk in it but she put her hands in it and started to cry hysterically because it was "too cold". Katelund just wanted to build a snowman because I have been singing "Once There Was a Snowman" in singing time. Which by the way, I can't believe I haven't written about this yet....Katelund is in PRIMARY!!!!! I wish somebody would have warned me about what an emotional thing it is when your first child moves up to Sunbeams. My tears were flowing which was really bad because I had to get up and teach a new song, my new favorite song, "I'll Follow Him in Faith". I think the primary kids are probably going to get so sick of me saying, "This is my favorite song..." because I say it with almost every primary song. Anyways, Katelund did wonderful!!!! She loved it so much and she was so good. I was really nervous because the nursery in this ward really lacks any kind of structure, but I just had to trust that the sisters that were in there needed to be there and that the Lord would make up for the lack of structure and of course he did because all of the Sunbeams were incredible!!!

How the girls are spending their days after Christmas...

Christmas

We had such a wonderful Christmas. On Friday morning, the Prasse family (our good friends from Fayetteville) came to visit us. They stayed all day Friday, spent the night, hung out at the mall with us on Saturday and then left at about 3 p.m. We had so much fun with them. Friday day we spent all day catching up. Deborah, me , and Gabby (their 9 yr. old daughter) went shopping, the boys (I mean men) stayed home and watched Katelund and James (we have decided that we are going to prearrange Katelund and James' wedding) while they played X-box and watched Jimmy' special ops training movie of his tazing experience (he had to get tazed and taze others in order to be certified). Then that evening we got a babysitter for the kids and took them out Friday night to our favorite restaurant here in Fayetteville, Flat Rock. Saturday morning, we go up early and went to the mall. Cory had to be there to help solve problems if they arose, so he walked around with his walkie-talkie and got us all free massages, discounts, and hook-ups on free car strollers for the kids. We also fulfilled Katelund's Christmas wish, to get her ears pierced. We were so sad when we had to say good-bye. We love and miss the Prasses SOOOO much!!!!

On Christmas Eve, we only had sacrament meeting. There were some great speakers and then some musical numbers. I actually had a part in each one because I was in the the "ward chamber" (it is a group of 8 of us that the bishop calls the ward chamber choir). I felt so lucky to be part of it because they are all AMAZING singers and the songs sounded GREAT!!! I only wish Gladdis (sp?) Knight had been there to hear it (I guess she didn't come here for Christmas this year). Anyways, then I led the primary in 2 Christmas songs.

After church, we went and had dinner at the Curriden's house. Afterwards, all the kids (and both sets of missionaries) acted out the nativity and then we all went caroling around the neighborhood. We had a great time!!! The Curriden kids LOVE Cory and were constantly wanting him to play with them. Katelund and Cloey followed their dog around the house all night and I just loved spending Christmas Eve with some of our ward family.

Christmas day was wonderful but it was a little bit lonesome. I loved being with my family but I really missed having a lot of people around. I spent the evening giving Cory his Christmas gift, the best body massage ever and an incredible pedicure. He loved it!!!! As I was talking to Cory during his massage, I told him how sad I am that the Christmas season is over. But then he so sweetly reminded me that the Christmas season is all about the spirit of Christ and that is something that should be with us all year long.

If you look closely in the picture below of Katelund, you can kindof see her new earings. They are little gold studs. She LOVES them!!! She tells me that she feels like a princess.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Our Savior's Love

Yesterday my visiting teaching partner and I had all of the sisters that we visit teach over to my house. I had made neck warmers for each of them, so we heated them up put them around their necks and read the Forgotten Carols to them (along with the music from the CD). While they listened and relaxed, my partner served them cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate while I read. And then while she read, I gave each of them a manicure or pedicure. It was so much fun!!! They loved it but I think that I love it even more. One of the sisters had never had a manicure in her life. I gave her the best one I could possibly do. It is amazing how when you serve people you start to feel such an incredible overwhelming amount of love for them!!!! I am so thankful for the Relief Society organization that provides and encourages service to other sisters. I am very lucky that two of the sisters that I visit teach, I am also very good friends with, one of them is Austyn, my running partner. Yesterday as we were running, we were discussing how so many times we tend to look at the blessings from the Lord coming in financial ways, but probably someday when we look back retrospectively we will see so many other blessings that came through good health, wonderful friends, safety, etc... I know that one of the blessings from the Lord that I have received is the ability to feel the Savior's love for others, and as I feel that, I find it very easy to love them and want to serve them. I think that blessing is probably a natural gift in most women, but I am so thankful for it, because it helps me to better understand the atonement, the great need for charity, and the magnitude and significance of our Savior's love.

Waiting Prayers

The other day I sat down with the girls to say prayers at lunch. I asked Katelund if she wanted to pray. She said sure and then she bowed her head, folded her arms, closed her eyes, and....sat there for a little while. Then she opened her eyes and began eating and Cloey and I were sitting there wondering what that was all about. I said, "Katelund you didn't pray." She said, "Yes I did Mommy, it was a waiting prayer". I thought it was so funny but the more I have thought about it I think that she taught me something very profound. I think that it would be really good every once in a while to just fold our arms, bow our heads, close our eyes, and wait for the Lord's answers/inspiration to come.

Cloey's Boots

Yesterday I was getting the girls dressed to go to the work-out room (they walk on the treadmills while I run). Anyways, I was trying to put Cloey's tennis shoes on her and she was throwing a fit because she didn't want me to put them on her. She ran to her closet and I realized what the tantrum was all about. She wanted to wear her black boots. It was so cute!! She puts them on all the time to walk around the house in. I think she loves them so much because everyone makes such a big deal out of them when she wears them to church.

Precious Moments

Katelund has been saying and doing some of the cutest things lately that have just really been melting my heart. Here are a couple that she said or did today...

In her prayer today at lunch she said, "Please bless the missionaries and help us to be missionaries too."

While I was making dinner tonight, Cloey came up to me and was pulling at my pants because she wanted me to read her a book (this is her new thing that she is now doing all day long). I asked Katelund if she would read the book to her. I didn't think that she really would, I just kindof said it. To my surprise, she sat down on the floor with Cloey and began to read her the book perfectly. She then read about four other books to her that apparently she knows by memory. The teacher and mother in me was beaming from ear to ear!!! Cloey was loving it, but not as much as I was!!!!

Today as I was cleaning Katelund's room "with her", she started to walk out the door. I asked her where she was going and she said, "I'm just going to go read my scriptures for a little bit." It was so adorable!!!!

MY COMPUTER IS FIXED!!!!

I am so excited, we finally have our computer up and running again (thanks to Cory's home teaching companion). The other week at Enrichment, the sister that was teaching asked everyone who writes regularly in their journal to raise their hands. I was so proud of the fact that I could raise my hand because I consider blogging as my journal writing.

This last week I finished making my Christmas cards and I sewed 10 Christmas presents. I felt like such a "Martha Stewart" this week. I slacked off a little in my running because I had some really bad cramps but I made up for it by accomplishing some great projects. I decided this weekend that I really like to sew. There is nothing like the feeling after you have sewn something all by yourself and it looks good.

I am just on such a high lately. I am just so happy in my life. Are things perfect? No, and they never will be in mortality, but I am finding that they older I get and the more I grow spiritually, the happier I become with who I am and how my life is going. It is so easy to become upset over the little insignificant misfortunes that life brings, but when I have an eternal perspective it is so easy to deal with the hard times through rose-colored glasses.

I had such a wonderful birthday last week. I couldn't believe how many random people in my ward called, wrote a letter, or just wished me a happy birthday. Last night as we were at our ward Christmas party and I was walking around from table to table talking to people and saying hello, I realized how much I am beginning to love my ward here in Asheville. I wasn't sure that the day would ever come where I would feel like this ward even compared to our Fayetteville ward, but the day has surely come. Heavenly Father is so wise and loving by setting our church up in ward units where together we become a family as we learn how to serve, forgive, lead, follow, and love one another.

Tonight we had the missionaries over for dinner and I had invited my neighbor , Beth, to come over also. She ended up not coming. I was so disappointed. I was so excited after we talked for so long about the gospel, and after she had gone to the Christmas devotional and told me she wanted to come to church with us. Cory was trying to cheer me up and telling me that I needed to keep loving her and planting seeds so that the Spirit will prompt her when it is time. I know that he is right, I was just so excited about sharing the gospel with her. It is like having the most valuable precious thing in the world and just yearning to share it with others and have them feel the same way about it. I will just keep being her friend (which is very easy because she is an incredible girl) and pray for the Spirit to work within her heart.

Catch-Up

It has been awhile since I have posted, and for that I am so sorry. It is a little tough to get to get access to a computer these days.

Anyways, I have so much to catch up on and so little time...
First, I just want to say what an incredible Thanksgiving I had. I had such a wonderful month and I was overwhelmed with such an amazing amount of gratitude in my heart!!! I was also very excited to compete in my very first race. Although it was only a 5k, it was a major accomplishment for me because it "has only just begun"...I am planning on racing in a 1/2 marathon with my friend Austyn on April 28th in Virgina. I am so excited and I have a lot of work and training ahead of me.

I am getting so excited about Christmas this year. I am excited about the fun traditions that we are beginning in our family, the Christmas music that I'll have playing constantly in our home, and the time I have to reflect upon the greatest gift given to mankind, our Redeemer, Savior, and King.

Well I have to go but I will continue this blog tomorrow.

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.