HaPpY NeW YeAr!!

It is no secret-I am NOT sad to see 2009 over with! It is the last day of the year, last day of this decade! Tomorrow is a new beginning! Tomorrow is the first day of the 2010 year, and for this coming year, my hope is that my family will be healthy, happy, grow stronger together. My goal is to become more of an autism advocate, to go into communities and teach those listening about life with autism. I want to become the Incredible Shrinking Woman again, and today I have already started to GET BACK ON TRACK. By this new year's end, I will graduate college. I wont be sad to see college over with as well.

What happens this new year:
Matthew will turn 11
Bethanie will turn 8 and be baptised
Madison will turn 4 in December and she will soon start Primary (this Sunday)
Matthew will finish Cub Scouts
Bethanie and Madison will be in their first dance recital TOGETHER
I will meet my weight loss goal (yes, I WILL)

So, as you can see, I have some things in the works, some things will happen as time progresses. I hope and pray that this New Year will bring only good things for everyone!!!

A Year In Review...

Wow, I cant believe that the year is OVER! I wish I could say it was exciting. Looking back, some of the first thoughts would be:

he finally graduated college...10 year old boys, wow!...beautiful ballerina...i love my family...teaching youth Sunday School isn't so bad, the girls really are great...i feel invisible sometimes...i am not the incredible shrinking woman anymore, but i do plan to get back on track SOON, and I AM WORTH it, still...i love having a house cat...a total career change is fun and interesting...homeschooling is something i never thought i wanted to do...the holidays were fun...i wished for a lot of snow and got my wish...Madison is growing up and turning into such a delightful little girl...Bethanie is still shy but is loving having friends...Matthew is happy...my thumb is really mad after the Dr. tortured it today...i am craving a cheese burger...i only have 15 hours left for graduation...i am loving technology, just not figuring out how to use it...fudge, i know we have some left somewhere...i have some goals set for the new year, yet to be revealed to you...i love my friends, especially those who take the time to read my thoughts and offer me support continually...I drove in a city by myself the other day, which I NEVER do, and I am proud of me...my husband turned 40 the other day, and i am still younger than he is...Autism, and teaching others about it is my passion... so is my family, parents, siblings, children, and niece and nephews, dont forget my dear friends.

That is just a few of the thoughts running in my mind. Believe it or not, the brain isn't totally fried from kids and homework. :O)

It is my hope that this new year, 2010, is better for everyone financially, emotionally, physically and in every other way that it could be! this year had its share of challenges for us all, and here is to a Happy New Year!!!

Invisible Ink

Sometimes I feel so invisible. Do you ever feel that way? I think it is a combo of things. Christmas is in a couple of days. I am already grieving that it is almost over. I love this time of year. I rarely get out of the house these days since pulling ds out of school. I am not complaining, mind you, just saying, it is hard to never leave the house or to have any personal time to myself. It could be that 3 times now, I have been passed over for things when everyone recieves something as group, and I am left out. I know it is not intended with malice, but I still feel sometimes like I dont exist. I need to put my priority hat on straight. I KNOW I mean something to my husband and children and parents. That is probably the most important thing. THEY know me, who I am and that I am here. Just feeling sorry for myself is all. Chalk it up to winter blues. :O) Cant be happy all the time, right? So that is why today I am writing in invisible ink. My cup has been bone dry empty. I am giving more than is getting putting in. This past year has been fairly tough on us and even though it has been 6 weeks since ending things with the school (in a rather nasty way), I still am feeling the emotional effects from it. I know things will get better.

Bwahaha-its official....I AM a NERD!

TOTAL FITNESS A
PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH A
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY A
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY A
WESTERN CIVILIZATION I A
GPA 4.0

21 YeArS aGo...On DeCeMbEr 12th...

I met "the one". OK, I was only 15, what could I possibly know about it? I met Jeff on December 12, 1988. It was his 19th birthday. We met on a blind date, through a mutual friend. We dated all through my high school years. We became best friends, and I loved him so much! We married just after I graduated high school. I was just 18 when we walked down the isle! We hoped for kids right away. It would be seven years before that dream happened. Finally Matthew joined our family. We were so excited! Struggles through infertility were painful, and something we would deal with again through each additional child we tried for. But through those seven years, we learned that it was BEST that we didn't have a baby at 18. It was also best for our relationship because we were able to become very firm in our marital foundation. I love Jeff so much. I cant believe how the Lord loves me so much to send me such a wonderful man in my life, one worthy to hold the Priesthood, one that has such a good work ethic and is so willing to go to work each day and provide for our family. Jeff is such a good person, who has an eternal optimistic outlook on life. Sometimes I find that annoying because I am fairly pessimistic. :O) I guess that is why we balance each other so well. Jeff is such a good dad. He loves to spend time with his children, to do things with them and to teach them! I love seeing him so tenderly involved with each one of them!

We have now been married 18 years. Our love continues to grow and grow. I hope Jeff knows how much I love him and I hope he had a great birthday, even though we spent it Christmas shopping. ;OP

HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY JEFF! You don't look a DAY over 40!

I love you!

BrAnCh ChRiStMaS PaRtY...

We had a fun time on Friday evening (December 11th) at the Branch (Church) Christmas Party. The kids took part in a Nativity display that was so cute. I guess it was just Bethanie that took part. I am not sure why Madison didn't, but Matthew likely didn't want to. Bethanie was an Angel, and so pretty at that! We sang songs, saw Santa, ate great food. It was fun! What a fun way to invite the Spirit of the Season!!! Our favorite niece, Heather was there. Bethanie had a friend there (Shay) and they all had so much fun. Madison was not as brave to sit on Santa's lap this time. Bethanie wouldn't hear of it at all. I had to sit with her, hence the reason I am in the picture with them! LOL!