Revelation

Lately Aaron and I have been going through some trials- not as a couple, we're fine. It's just hard living in limbo. *When are we going to finally be together as a family again? *Where is Aaron going to live next month? *Are we going to have to move when Aaron finds a job? *Aaron needs a job. These are just the things that have been starting to worry me. A couple years back I switched our radio station in the car and at home. I used to listen to some Hip-Hop/Rap-whatever music and felt so ashamed on day when Kali was singing a really catchy lyric. I had never really thought about the lyrics to this song until my child was singing it. I was mortified just thinking if the Savior was standing beside her and she started singing it how would I explain that. The station got switched and all we listen to is Christian music now. I, meaning me by myself, will still listen to some songs (especially when I'm working out) but not when little ears are around...anways back to what I was talking about. So I was driving to get the kids from school and the song Revelation by Third Day came on and it was like someone was singing my heart for me at that time. I broke right down in the car. Here's the lyrics:

My life has led me down this path that's ever winding/
Through every twist and turn, I'm always finding/
That I am lost again/
Tell me when this road will ever end/

Give me a revelation/
Show me what to do/
'Cause I've been trying/
To find my way /
I haven't got a clue/
Tell me should I stay here/
Or do I need to move?/
Give me a revelation/
I've got nothing without You/
I've got nothing without You/

The chorus of this song just hit me so hard. I know that things are so uncertain right now but I really feel like my Father will take care of us- no matter what the outcome. I also know that he answers all prayers and keeps all promises. I'm worried about things but I really do take comfort in the fact that he'll walk beside me and carry me when my knees are too weak to walk through this trial.

Four cheers for Mom's smoothies!

Every night after dinner I HAVE to have something sweet (thanks mom). I mean I crave something sweet. It doesn't have to be a lot but I really need it.

And it makes it so hard to eat the right thing when I feel like if my arm was covered in chocolate I just might eat it. So the other night I made up a smoothie that is Fat Free and Sugar free (well it has some natural sugars). I tested it on the kids and they absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! So we have one every night after dinner. A total must now.

Here's the recipe:

1c of frozen strawberries
1 c of fat free milk
1/2 package of fat-free sugar-free white chocolate pudding

I first put the strawberries in my food processor and dice them down so it looks like shaved ice. Then I add the milk and pudding mix and blend until it's nice and creamy. Sometimes I add a little bit of fat free cool whip for the kids but you really don't need it. It's so delicious.

Try experimenting. The other night we used Fat-free sugar-free banana cream pudding with the strawberries and it's my absolute favorite now. We have also tried ff/sf vanilla pudding and put in a banana with the strawberries and it was sssoooooooo D-LISH! It's so good and the thing is you don't have to feel guilty about drinking it. Enjoy.

Cub Scouts

Caleb has just started his long career of scouting. Yesterday we sat alone together and just hung out and worked out of his scouting book. It was great for us to have some alone time together.

I car pool with another family and take the boys to scouts. Caleb loves it because after scouts the youth play dodgeball till 9pm- he feels so grown up to be able to hang out with them and stay up late.

It's a Party

Today I had some friends over for a Mary Kay party. Okay..so I've never bought MK but it all started as sort of a joke because I'm still applying makeup the same way as high school so I learned some new skills. Everyone just brought their kids over and it was so much fun.

It was hilarious to catch the little girls getting into the makeup also.

Marlana WAS going to go to Wal-Mart after wards but as you can see someone would probably thought she was a child abuser by looking at her child with black eyes. I think the little girls had as much fun as the big girls.

Fast Sunday

Since Caleb's baptism he's had so many questions about when he should start fasting; he really wants to. So Sunday he wakes me up and asks for some cereal. I told him fine just pour what you're going to eat. (My kids tend to have eyes much larger than their stomachs). I took a shower and got ready and walked out into the kitchen to find that Caleb only ate half of his cereal.

"Caleb could you please come here. Why did you eat only half of your cereal? Did you pour too much?"

" No Mom. I'm fasting the other half."

Talk about a gut buster.

Mom's Beauty Shop

About a week ago Caleb and I made an agreement that if he couldn't keep his hair oiled that I was going to cut it. He cried because, "everybody keeps their hair long mom! All the boys have long hair!" Gosh...it made me feel like I had gone back in time and he was trying to be a Beatle or something. He didn't do it so the barber shop opened. I cut his hair and Maddy needed on so this is the finish product. It was supposed to be a bob that just kept getting SHORTER! AHHHH! This is the only pic I have of her and it's blurry because I took it on my phone. Aaron said she looks like a mini Jessy and when I went to the store the other day the lady was like, "You're little girl is so cute! I can't believe how cute she is! And I've never seen a little girl that age have the same haircut as her mom." Okay...I had to tell Aaron so he could laugh. I did explain to her that it wasn't supposed to look like mine...I don't know if she believed me.

So Kali started begging me to get her haircut. I at first said no but remembered when I was little my mom let me have whatever hair style that I wanted. I know some parents who don't let their much older children have any decision. So..I thought about it for a minute and changed my mind.

I asked her what she wanted and she said a shorter bob. So I cut it almost to her shoulders. What I didn't take into account is that her hair is so curly and when you take all that weight off it will make it lighter...curlier. So, this is the end product. I cried. She loved it. Everywhere we go people tell her how cute her hair is, and I lip "thank you" behind her back. But now it's starting to grow on me. She likes to wear a headband which makes it look cuter. I think I'm going to leave Kali's hair to a professional.

Stair Sledding

I got a huge box in the mail yesterday, thanks honey. After I opened it and took everything out I asked Caleb and Kali to take it out to the garage.

I was a little distracted because I was making dinner but noticed that they were laughing their heads off. I went to go check it out and they were all sledding down the stairs.

It's amazing how a box can bring so much fun.

Jackson stood at the top and watched all the fun. Madeline pretended to go down which really was her sitting behind the box and watching it go down the stairs. You can't tell from out pictures but our stairs wrap and there is another set that goes down stairs. So they figured they could go down one set and swing around really quick and go down the second.

65 and counting

Thanks to some awesome in-laws/ grandparents who are willingly coming up here to watch the kids I'm going to Texas in 65 days!!!!!! Aaron's graduating and I get to pin his wings on. So of course what did I do today? Ran on the teadmill for 3 miles. Tonight is biggest loser so I'll run another 3. I have to look good! (proud Ali? I thought so).

Trapped in the House Day 2

We are having a really bad storm here and school was actually canceled yesterday...and today. So yesterday I finally made a BDU purse that I saw many moons ago. It's just a sample of the real one I want to make. I haven't purchased all the name tags that I need to make the one in my head.

But it gave me something to do during nap time. Now for today...I'm thinking pajamas for the girls. My mother-in-law gave me the pattern moons ago and the fabric but I just haven't gotten to it. So today will be the day.

"Kali I mean it. You better stop or Santa will give you Coleslaw for Christmas." - Caleb Larsen

The things kids say...

The other day Caleb and Kali were fighting with each other, surprise, and I could hear the whole conversation over the baby monitor. I called them upstairs and talked to them about the things that I hear. Now that Caleb's baptized I can say things like "you should know better you've been baptized." So after the talk Caleb starts walking away and I asked him where he was going. In a Eeyore voice he says while he's walking down the stairs, "I'm going to go repent now."

Once There Was A Snowman Who Caused Legal Problems

There's a man who lived in Anchorage and every year he builds a huge snowman. And every year the city threatens legal action against him if he doesn't destroy it.

Aaron and I were watching the news and the story was on about how in the middle of the night someone built the snowman for the man. He said he woke up to this HUGE 16' snowman in his front yard. We really didn't care who built it but wanted to see it. So we went on an adventure one night and found him. Some nice people who found him took a picture for us. Good memories.

Baptism Day

One of the proudest days as a parent.

Caleb's baptism day was a miracle, seriously. I had called the bishop and asked if the previous Saturday Aaron could baptize Caleb. He said that baptisms are only held on the first Saturday of each month with no exceptions because things were getting out of control. Guess what day Aaron left? The first Saturday of the month, January 3rd at 11pm. So Aaron was able to baptize Caleb that day.

It was such a good day. We bought him a new suit as his gift and he was so proud to wear it.

Caleb and one of his good friends were baptized on the same day. Hopefully in 11 years I can take a picture of them together again but going on missions.

Polar Bowl

The day after New Years we went bowling as a family. Backtrack, for New Years I planned a progressive dinner with four other family. So in all there were 17 kids and 10 adults. It was some crrraaaazzzzzyyyyy fun! First we went to one house for dinner, our house for dessert, and then the next house we played some games. One was we raced husband against wives. you have a string hung on the back of your pants by a clothes pin. You then have a clothes pin at the end of the string. Now it only hangs down about 18 inches. You have a empty milk jug on the ground and you're trying to put the clothes pin IN the milk jug- no hands involved! It looked so bad but was hilarious. Okay, back to bowling....

Caleb insisted that he didn't use the baby bumpers so Aaron gave him a couple of pointers.

Kali mommying Jack.

Later Mads dropped this on her foot and wanted to quit. So I would carry it to the line for her and she pushed it on down.

Always in the mood for a picture. It was ethnic hair day and boy did she look cute.

Guitar Hero Fun

For Christmas Santa brought a Wii. Well, it wasn't actually Santa. Aaron went to a company Christmas party and his friend won the grand prize: A Wii with Guitar Hero and Mario Cart. When Aaron was helping him carry it back to the car he told Aaron to take it home and give it to his kids to make it an awesome Christmas. Aaron said no repeatedly and finally Pat said he was going to call me and just mail it because Aaron's stubborn. Long story short, Santa Pat gave us a Wii.

We were trying it out and it's so much fun and addictive! Aaron's super good at it because flight school has been a joke for him and him and Pat are constantly practicing. The kids thought it was great. They kept wanting us to play the song Hit Me With Your Best Shot.

You can't tell from this picture but Jackson was just dancing and dancing. He got a workout every time we played. It was so much fun and I now have the best memories of it. Thanks Pat.

Freezing fun

Aaron came home for Christmas around midnight on the 23rd. That morning when we got up we went sledding with some people from church. It was so stinking cold! Clear blue skies and in the shadow of the mountains. Our car said it was -13.

Aaron took Jackolatern down a couple of times and he liked it...sorta. I'm sure he would of liked it more if he could of felt his face,hands, feet, and your snot didn't instantly freeze.

Doesn't she look cold?

The girls played more with their friends than do the whole sledding thing. Honestly, I was on the verge of crying because my feet were so cold. I, stupid me, wore a thin pair of Old Navy socks. I didn't realize how cold it was. I think all-in-all we lasted a whopping 20 minutes outside. Jack and I were so cold. But my wonderful husband totally understood and we moved on to the next fun activity.

Bigger Pans mean less baking

I was so excited last month when my mother-in-law sent me her old bread pans!!!! Look how much larger they are than my old ones.

Of course, I had to start making some bread. I needed to anyways because we were running low.

I always get excited when my bread starts to rise because I had such a hard time with it when I first started making bread.

Yummy! Thanks again Nettie!

Caleb's Birthday

Caleb and some birthday love. Caleb paid his tithing and I made him save half of what he got. He thought that was the worst deal ever. He'll thank me someday.

One of Caleb's present from Aaron and I was the telescope that he really wanted. We looked like the peeping family the next day. They neighbors must of thought we were crazy if they saw us. All of us were at the huge windows in the front of the house looking out across the street. We weren't really starring at them I was just trying to show Caleb how to focus it.
Caleb help make the cake. He was super excited about it. The reason that it's STILL in the pan with NO frosting is because we got home church and did the regular things: ate and took naps. While I was taking my nap Caleb and Madeline decided to eat the cake while it was still cooling.

They ate all around it. Caleb didn't mind. He said it was his cake and this is how he wanted it.

Thinking about his birthday wish.

Thank You Aunt Rosie

Okay, so I'm so sorry Aunt Rosie that this is so late. Thank You SOOOOOOOO much for the Christmas presents! I made them get a picture when we got them in the mail because Christmas morning is always crraaazzzzyyyy and they hate it when I make them stop what they're doing to take a picture. Our two princesses had fun dressing up, Blue was passed around to everyone and I still hear him talking, and Caleb had fun with his planes. Love you!

Great Minds Think A Like

I've talked about the Valiant Theory before so this should be funny. For Christmas I thought it would be hilarious to make this theory into a vinyl saying that some of my friends could hang on their mirror in their bathroom. That way every morning while getting ready they could remind themselves that they were so valiant in heaven. So that day I went to go pick up my vinyl. I went home about 20 minutes later Jodi and Steph come over. I was so excited to show them what I got them and they were so excited to show me what they got me for Christmas. I was like, "me first!" I pull out their little "I must of been so valiant" sayings and give them to them. They just stare at them and look at each other. Then they take this HUGE vinyl saying out and give it to me. "I must of been so valiant in heaven." We all just crack up. I was going to put it up in my bedroom, where this pic was taken, but decided not too because I move my bedroom furniture around too much. So it's over the door where I see it a bijillion times a day when I go upstairs, downstairs, and answer the door. I love you guys!