Catching Up with Random Pictures

Alrighty so I have a bit of catching up to do!! The following pictures are in completely backwards order but I didn't have the patience to sit and download them in the right order so just have fun and enjoy!

Brigham shoved the whole dang egg in his mouth and was quite proud of it.

Brigham couldn't wait to eat the "double eggs" for Turkey Day.

Brigham was quite the sous chef helping me make his all time fave "double eggs."

Brigham Halloween 2009 - Cowboy although some thought he was Indiana Jones and Brigham would quickly correct them yelling "I'm just a cowboy!"

Isaac - Our cute little firefighter! He LOVES anything that has to do with firefighters or firetrucks.

Getting ready for Trick or Treating 2009!

Brigham's Ben 10 birthday cake that mom and dad made for his 5th birthday in August!

Very happy about his cake!

This is how Isaac felt about it being Brigham's birthday!

Our cute 5 year old!

Daddy went to D.C. during the summer to give a presentation for his work.

This is the set up in D.C. for SAMHDA . . . "Substance Abuse Mental Health Data Archive" . . . who Daddy works for.

DAY OF FASTING AND PRAYER FOR AMERICA

A friend of ours received the following as an email and felt strongly about it that she posted it to her blog. I too feel strongly about this. If you know me, fasting is a gospel principle I fall short of routinely. But when a cause arises that stirs such strong emotions in my heart for the well being of those things I hold dear then I am in.

Although it is different type of war we fight, I feel to lift my own standard of liberty as Captain Moroni of old and say to the world "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children" (Alma 46:12)

Normally I don't care if something gets forwarded on or not. But if this stirs you up in remembrance of that which you hold most precious, then not only join the cause but share this with all that you can.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We, my wife and I, are firmly convinced that our elected politicians are incapable of representing the will of the American people - and incapable of adhering to the Constitution of the United States of America which they took a solemn oath to uphold and defend.

We are among the millions of US citizens who are at our wits' end sending e-mails, faxes, telephoning, meeting with elected officials, demonstrating, rallying - and hoping - that those representatives will do the will of the people.

They have failed. Have we, as well?

The United States of America is a choice land, a nation that was founded by our forefathers who were divinely inspired by God the Father Almighty.

This choice nation has been the defender of freedom throughout its relatively short history. We have led in the fight for freedom against many tyrants and dictators who have plundered and pillared their citizens and have subjected them to great sufferings through blood and horror.

The people of those nations who suffered these great injustices knew that they could always depend upon the goodness, power and righteousness of the United States of America to extract them from their plights. And it was done - many times over. It was not done without expense - the expense of the blood and sacrifice of the members of our armed forces - and the suffering of their families.

As the year 2009 soon comes to a close, we the citizens of the United States of America finds ourselves facing many of the challenges - which those nations suffered at the hands of their political leaders. We are being attacked from within! Who do we turn to? Which great nation can we turn to, to help us to keep and maintain our
freedom? We do not have the same hope of those nations to whom we were benefactors.

We MUST turn to our Savior. If we are a righteous people, we will be deserving of, and receive of His blessings as He has promised. He suffered and died for us - He atoned for our sins; each one of us -- individually.

We know that -- as a nation - we can once again be the choicest of lands. However, we cannot achieve that blessing without our willingness to please our Lord and Savior.

We are asking that all who read this message that have faith in Christ designate Sunday December 6, 2009 as a day of fasting and prayer for America. You do not have to march on the nations Capitol nor go to a tea bag rally. From the comfort of your home, you can get on bended knee and with a broken heart and contrite spirit, petition the Lord to bless this nation generously according to His will. Then,
keep the fast for that day. Make that Christ-like commitment to our Heavenly Father. He will listen, He will answer. That has been promised.

"And whatsoever he shall ask the father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you." (3 Nephi 18:20)

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:22)


Joe and Janice
St. George, UT.

Such a SLACKER!

I know, I am such a total slacker with my blog since my surgery!! And that was 2 months ago!! I would post pictures of things that I've taken pics of but Robert took the camera with him on his business trip to San Francisco this week. As far as my surgery, I have been on regular foods for the past 2 weeks and things are going "okay" I should say. I'm finding what I really cannot tolerate and what I really do like to eat and can keep down. Any kind of fast food at this point is so off my list!! I eat small bowls of Special K cereal, crave orange juice, like veggie soup, and can eat about a half sandwich . . . sometimes. I also LOVE frozen Gogurts!! I've lost almost 50 lbs now and am really seeing it in the way my clothes fit. Can't wait to buy a new pair of jeans!!

As far as everyone else, like I said Robert was asked to go to San Fran for work and was very honored to do so. He has also been working very hard at losing weight and has lost about 25 lbs by eating better and working out at the gym. He is a VERY hard worker!! The boys of course have each gone through their turns of having fevers/coughs/runny noses, etc. That's the one thing I hate about when it gets cold here. The colds just keep going around and around.

Brigham started kindergarten this year and really loves riding the bus. He really doing well, still not reading, but doing well otherwise. He's starting to learn how to add numbers together and is really creative. He recently went for a check up with his eye dr. and for the first time his vision is 20/20 with his glasses! His new prescription has really helped to strengthen his eye sight! He's my big 5 year old and I cannot believe it! He is going to be a very studly cowboy for Halloween.

Isaac is 2 going on 20! He wants to do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that Brigham is doing, talks up a storm and LOVES to sing. Every morning we know he's awake as we lay and listen to him sing Itsy Bitsy Spider or Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, Old McDonald, or Twinkle Twinkle. He has started to be quite the talker on the phone and recently he was talking to his Aunt Jennifer and actually asked her to buy him a Thomas the Train! It went something like this: "Hi Aunt Jefer. I go potty on toyet. You buy me a Thomas da twain . . .fo me?" It was pretty funny and I couldn't believe he asked her to buy something for him!

All in all we're doing pretty well. I'm working just Fri and Sat right now at the portrait studio but when our hours open up for the holiday season I'll be doing a few evenings too.

I've finally . . .

made it back on to the computer!! As most of you probably don't know, I went in for gastric bypass last week on the 26th and was in the hospital until Sunday the 30th. This was my first ever surgery/hospital stay and it really took a lot out of me. I want to thank so much all of my friends and family who had me in their prayers, especially thank our friends here who took so much time out of their days to watch our boys so Robert could be with me up at the hospital. I certainly did NOT like being alone!! Robert has been my rock through all of this. I had to be on a 2 week liquid diet before the surgery and again post-surgery and am now on many supplements and medications. Robert has been the one to crush my pills, help me wash my hair in the shower, bring me my shakes and keep me going. I have the best hubby ever!! Robert has also been the best Daddy ever and has really stepped up to the plate and done everything for the boys. I am also very appreciative of my father-in-law for flying here this week so that I may continue to rest and recover and so Robert woulnd't go completely insane!! I took some before pictures but probably won't be posting those until I start losing more weight and have updated pics. I'm thinking I may start a separate blog of my weight loss journey anyways . . . let me tell you . . . it has been one LLOOONNNGGG journey!! Thanks again for all of the support and love I've felt from all of you.

Happy 5th Birthday Brigham!

Today is our little tiny baby boy's 5th birthday!! I cannot even believe he is 5 already and will be starting kindergarten in a few weeks. The time has gone by so dang fast since he was laid into my arms. For his birthday we went to Chuck E Cheese's, his favorite place on earth! Daddy made a chocolate cake with white frosting and then we topped it with his favorite characters from the cartoon Ben 10. He got Transformers walkie-talkies, a Transformers shirt, an Alvin and the Chipmunks shirt, new church pants, a book, some Ben 10 characters, and a t-ball set. He has been singing all day "it's my birthday it's my birthday I'm 5 today I'm 5 today." Totally cute!! I took some pics but haven't downloaded them yet so when I get a minute I'll post his bday pics. We love you Brigham!!

Brigham's New Glasses

So we finally got around to ordering Brigham's new glasses a few weeks ago and this past week they finally arrived. They are SO stinkin' cute with the rectangular frame, but Brigham could care less about that because they are POWER RANGERS frames! Even more exciting was the fact that a Power Ranges case came with the glasses. He was so cute when the lady brought his glasses out and he saw the case and then when he got to pick out his very own little cleaning rag. Oh my boys are so cute!

My Brother the Comedian

My little brother Hymen I mean Hyrum dabbles in the world of stand up comedians. He has performed many times in front of various crowds (and not just ward talent shows). Currently he is in a competition at a club called Comedy Works in Denver. He performed last week and passed into the 2nd round. The next round is next month. I have to admit that he is funny and does a good job with his routine, having seen him on stage in person before. Here is a recording of his set from last week. Click on the link to go to YouTube to listen. I got a good laugh out of it. Hope you do to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnzwK3KCj9g