LONG TIME....

Hello firiends, fam and fellow bloggers!!!

It has been almost a year since I have been on the blog...I lost interest for a while, but I decided it would be good to write, even a little bit every day....as sort of a way of keeping track of everything.

So, to update the last SEVERAL MONTHS...
I got home from my major vacation, I am now 26 weeks pregnant with a baby boy.  Andy has been in Headstart preschool program that has really helped her.  Rodda is now 2 years old, and acts that part very well.

Steve is getting ready for the BIGGEST test in medical school right now....STEP 1, and it has taken its toll on our fam.  I am juggling Rodda and my mulitple weekly doc appointments right now.  We are still getting use to being away from fam in a "foreign" land, but we are starting to get the hang of things ( only took 2 years).

Excited to keep updating this thing!  Keep smilen!

Start up Summer!

My summer started on June 1st when I loaded up my gals and headed to San Antonio.  Since then, I have been to Arizona, St. George, Manti, Salt Lake, and am now currently in Oregon (refer to pic below)

Still have yet to go to Disneyland, and Fresno before we head on our way back.  It has been a never-ending, never forgetting, eventful adventure packed packed full of surprises!

 I could not even begin to describe what this summer has done and continues to do for me.  I have been able to reconnect with people and discover things about myself and how I work as well. 

  I have seen lots of family and friends and cherished every moment.  I know I have not been on this blog for forever...such is my crazy life and lack of internet.  But, I still intend to keep it up every now and then, for my own sake.

  I am so grateful for opportunities that have opened up and the many people who have made this summer one to remember!

The best kind of testimony

 I took my 2 gals with me to our special "WIC" appointment...Without too many details, let me just say, these are LONG, very LONG, and you meet lots of "interesting" people while waiting ( I am prob one of those people).

 I brought things for the girls to do while we waiting ( been through the process before and learned the first time, the hard way)...and after about an hour, I was almost DONE myself...but we had to keep waiting.

 Then, this lady came and sat in one of the seats behind us...and, for some reason, Andy went right up to her.  She just started chatting, my little gal who is afraid of everything and has to warm up to the idea of anything.

 I then heard her tell the lady " I love my family...and we are a good family and I LOVE that we will be together forever."

 Something came over me at that moment.  I, of course, started to tear up a little bit, but I know that my gal had spoken truth and spoken with the spirit and the lady she told it to knew it too.  We both teared up, and she said that was about the best thing she has ever heard someone say ( my thoughts exactly).

 My daughter taught me so much that day, as every day, things hard to explain.  She showed me her testimony, but also showed me how easy it is to be a missionary, and how we should NOT be afraid to do that. 

 I only hope I can be like her...

Why EASTER is TRULY my FAVORITE HOLIDAY

I will be honest...Easter wasn't ALWAYS my favorite. I always enjoyed the holiday very much, but it wasn't necessarily my TOP pick. Now, there is no doubt it is my favorite holiday (yes, even more than Christmas, but Christmas is a close second)...


 I think it started the year I moved to Arizona (a BIG year for me) and was an ANGEL in the Church of Jesus Christ EASTER PAGEANT . I had never even seen the pageant before, had no idea what I was getting into, but unless you are in the pageant, you don't realize just how much goes into it, and the spirit that goes behind every single moment of it!



The pageant changed the way I viewed Easter forever, and I ALWAYS think about it whenever Easter is around. I love that the holiday is all about the Saviour and that HE LIVES!





There is also something about the less pressure/less stress of EASTER that I find refreshing. It is commercialized, yes, but not quite as much as some other holidays I feel. It is because of that, I feel that it is easier to focus on the right things of EASTER.

 Easter also is in the spring, the BEST time of year in my opinion. I just LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE EASTER!

   I love the way I feel during Easter, and I love all the wonderful messages that come out during EASTER! I hope we all get to take advantage of , to me, what is the BEST time of year!

Mardi Gras, 2011!!!

 It is March In New Orleans, which can only mean one thing..MARDI GRAS!!!  Awesome, crazy and wild are just a few of the words I am using to describe it!

There are still 2 Days left of Mardi Gras, and I have already been to 5 parades!

 That might seem like alot of parades, but carnival season starts in Jan my friends...and there are 5-6 parades a day for a few weeks!  I have been wondering about Good old New Orleans, but I must say that Mardi Gras had really helped me to appreciate it on a whole new level.

 These parades are not like anything I have ever seen!!!  First of all, to be in the parade you have to be in the "krewe" that puts it on, and PAY to be IN it.  The mardi gras parades are famous for their "throws" of bead, all sort of them, (some normal, some lighted up, some with emblems), and depending on the krewe and parade, they have their own special throws.  Like a shoe, with the emblem on it, stuffed animals, flowers.

 You will notice different outfits, since we have gone over a few days.  Mardi Gras is not at all what you would expect, very family friendly.  Dont get me wrong, there are very crazy aspects of the whole thing...but not at all like you hear or expect for that matter.

This is a very common thing at the parades, and something I have never personally seen.  People set up this ladders and get their kids to sit in them...That way they can see "reach out" for beads everywhere.

Each parade we went to was very different.  The ones in the city are HUGE HUGE HUGE,and crazy, but they also are the nicest and give out the biggest and best pics.  I have no pics of that parade, which was my favorite.

The video doesn't really catch the feel of it.  The floats of people are usually pouring out beads and prizes, non stop...The one time I recorded it you couldn't tell.  The parades are throughout the day and night...and very long and exhausting, but so much fun.  Steve was done after our second parade, but I think we still should go to as many as possible.

The big problem is saving a spot and the crows and waiting.  It really is incredible though, and I plan on making it a tradition.  Can't wait for the next time I get to yell "THROW ME SOMETHIN MISTER!" (I forgot to mention KING CAKE--YUMMM!)

Just cause...

Ever since we moved to New Orleans, I have fallen way behind on my blogging.  I use to look forward to doing it, and get excited to post.

 I really don't have an excuse...I just have never been good at change---with ANYTHING.  Too bad that is what life is all about.  When I changed to be a missionary, came home, when I moved, changed my status to being married, became a mom, became a mom of 2...

 I am not exactly sure why I take so long to adjust to knew roles and changes in my life...I actually like change, I think it is good for us, and necessary.  So why then, can't I ever just get into a new rhythm and flow.

I also believe that people get things out of life what they put into life.  Having said that, let me just say that I am still having a hard time adjusting to New Orleans.  I don't feel like I fit in anywhere, I feel ackward in every single way you could think of, socially, emotionally, financially...

 I just don't know.  Maybe that is really why I haven't  blogged at all ( doesn't explain my lack of picture taking for my second oldest)...I am hoping I can get out of my funk and back into a newer, better rhythm...

 HERE's to hoping....

MIckey Mouse is Truly the BEST!!

 

We had the wonderful blessing and privelage to be able to go to disneyworld over Christmas (apparently the absolute busiest time of year...only blackout days for military), and ANDY has this obsession with Micky Mouse....As soon as we saw him, our life was complete.

 This was the very first thing that we did at disnworld.  Totally worth the hour and a half wait...

Andy has met several "characters" in her day, but has always been afraid of them!   She usually just stands by them for a pic, and cries after.  This guy she ran right to, hugged him, and couldn't get enough.  I actually started crying!

Insecatrium!

 Umm yeah, we have passes to go to all the cool kid attractions in NEW ORLEANS.  Including the BUG PLACE.  So, I thought I would post pics froma  few months ago when we were within walking distance of everything..

 Yeah, you can dip the bees and aunts in chocolate.  I was alone with the gals, no witnesses, so I had to take a pic

 Very crunchy, a little weird....

 The stamp says I ate a bug...I deserved that stamp!  Still can't beleive it!

 Andy loved the whole thing, it really was so much fun!

 There is a butterfly place that they just fly around you.  Can't even describe, just so cool!