Our cuddly kitty

Yoda does not like to sleep alone. He can always be found in one of the kids beds or Matt and I's (when we tolerate him) I like to find who he is snuggling with each night when I check on the kiddos before going to bed myself. This night I liked that Tera and Yoda were both in the same sleeping position. We like having Yoda around. He's a cool cat.

new pictures :)

Sarah took our pictures a few weeks ago and did an excellent job. I always love getting new pictures to update old ones and change things up a little. This is our new wall arrangement with the kids hand prints.

Mazzi's 3!

Mazzi turned three last week! Can't believe our little baby is all grown up. She had a pancakes in pajama birthday party with some of her good friends. She gave dirty looks most of her party (she does that anytime she gets shy) and got especially mad when her buddy Mitch blew out her birthday candles. :) She was singing happy birthday to herself all day and I think that her favorite part of the party, was hearing everyone sing to her. Happy Birthday to our feisty, pouty, lovable little girl! Waking up to your sweet kisses and "I love you Mommy" makes my life more beautiful.

Ready for Christmas!

I know that Christmas is not about having a big list of things to do that you can check off, but is about thinking of our Savior and trying to make our lives more like His. However, I do appreciate everything about Christmas; including the lists of things to do. I love getting presents for the people I love most. I love seeing the Christmas trees up and twinkling lights on everyone's houses. I love sending out and receiving Christmas cards. I love the extra time for family activities, wrapping presents with my kids and seeing what they pick out for everyone at the dollar store. I love setting out the nativities I collect. My latest, and most favorite nativity ever was made by Ashton and Tera this year on scraps of wood. They colored the nativity on each peice and wrote "The Jeses (Jesus)store" (story) on top. Then they had "The mom, the dad, dokey (donkey), shep (sheep), 1 wisemen, 2 wisemen." I still tear up each time I look at it. It is the sweetest gift I have ever received.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that the to do list isn't a distraction, but is something that enables us to bring in the spirit of Christmas; the spirit of Christ, through showing love for others.

Occupying my spare thoughts....

These are they types of things that occupy my spare thoughts these days. Sharing time thoughts... Christmas gift ideas for primary and for primary children to make for their parents Christmas presents.

Last month I was called as Primary President in our new ward. I don't know what I am doing, but am trying to pretend. :) Right now as we preperae for the new year we are trying to get teachers filled for the classes, manuals put together, teacher appreciation and training scheduled and baptism preview ready. Needless to say, sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed. Luckily I have some amazing women as my counselors and secretary who are so helpful and so calm. I know that the Lord will help us and inspire us. Why? Because He loves us, and more importantly, he Loves children, whom we are called to serve.

Ashtons baptism

Ashton was baptized with his best buddy, Kade, on December 10, 2011. It was a very nice day and I felt the spirit strongly as he was baptized and confirmed with the Holy Ghost. It is odd to have a child old enough to be baptized and to be accountable for his actions. I have faith that Ashton will make good choices and that the Holy Ghost will help him do so.

He was very nervous about his baptism interview. When the bishop jokingly asked him if had had committed any crimes, like robbing banks, Ashton said, "No, but my mom has."
Before he was baptized he felt it important to tell me one thing. "Sometimes when you pack me a lunch I don't like and they are having my favorite (orange chicken) I throw your lunch away and get hot lunch." He felt much better to have that off his chest before entering the waters of baptism. And it finally made sense why he had a negative balance in his lunch account!

I love you Ashton! You will always be my ever so sweet, slightly mischievousness, thoughtful, creative, fun-loving boy!

We've had a Fall!

We have actually experienced fall this year and I have loved it! We have two big trees in our yard and all the leaves have turned a beautiful yellow and are falling off the trees faster that we can rake them. Okay, so we actually have never even owned a rake. But, we do have gardeners that come weekly and rake and mow and the grass is still covered in leaves the next day. The kids have enjoyed gathering piles of leaves. Since we don't own a rake they have been creative with their tools. One day I came out to them raking with a tiki torch and a paddle. Happy fall!