Must read....

I bet there is a chance you read NieNie. If not you absolutely must start. Not only has she done a ton of interviews on National TV, she has shared her story and it is incredible. I have often read her posts with tears in my eyes for what her amazing family has been through and overcome. Her testimony of the gospel, and her love of the Savior is especially felt.

Click HERE to read about her life changing accident and journey to recovery.

quotes on love

I was searching for something today...and these quotes on love I couldnt stop reading. I had to save...

Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.--

Bertrand Russell
The way to find out if you love someone or not, is by talking to them. The more you talk to them the more you either hate them or love them.-- Brad Breitenstein
The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman's heart.--

Jaime H. Young
No woman/man is worth your tears and the only one who is, will never make you cry.--

Source Unknown
Looking back, I have this to regret, that too often when I loved, I did not say so.-- David Grayson
Love is the compass of life.-- Peckeroy
A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance, and tenacity. The order varies for any given year.-- Paul Sweeney
If there is anything better than to be loved it is loving.-- Source Unknown

Yearly Family Holiday Photo

Happy Holidays from our family to yours !

( this was the family photo that I wanted to send out...but didnt...thus many got an email with a different photo. dont know why...owell-merry christmas everyone!)

mishmash of christmas stuff

First of all, we live in a house full of WHITE walls and WHITE carpet. How BORING! However since this is not our long term home, and we are just renting, painting is not really an option. I have always loved the look of vinyl lettering and images in homes - I think it looks fun and its an easy way to put something on the walls that can add some color. Well after much searching and agonizing over which images I wanted in this house I picked up something for each of the boys rooms, in addition to a couple hallways and over the dinning room table. I will say this. I Love love Love the finished look. But no one TOLD me that if you have ANY texture to the walls- yea just forget it. Its basically a waste of money and perhaps wont stick after you apply it. See the flowers below?

I adore them! However after applying the flowers I woke up this morning and BOTH stalks of the flowers had peeled off! They arnt sticking to the wall! I reapplied them yes I did - because believe me( I had already ruined one saying and Jonathan worked so hard on them) and I didnt want to have these fall off permanently! So I got the credit card out- flatting it out again and again. THEN I used my fingers to push on the surface of them over and over again...I just hope when I get home today they are still on the wall! :(

This chandelier -was a pain in the behind. After making and ruining one delicate letter vinyl, we decided to forgo the directions and cut off individual pieces and put them on the wall in small chunks. Again- NEVER will I buy such intricate pieces. Its a nightmare to apply!!! I do like however how it turned out.

Here comes the saddest thing of all. Our tree. Jonathan hates fake trees. I love them. So each year we battle over live or fake and again I won out. Heck - we already had it and so why not? But after putting up we discovered that half the lights werent working....or that we didnt have any ornaments! Thats right. We went through EVERY box in the garage and to our dismay all the ornaments that Jonathan had as a child...all the decorations that Elijiah has made, or I have bought for him, all the ones that I hand selected over the years...GONE! I cannot fathom where they have gone! Cindy came over on Saturday to give us a few ornaments she had made for our tree, so between those and the 1$ specials (wallmart) and glass bulbs that I HATE( plus no tree topper) this is what our Christmas Tree looks like this year. Im still hopeful that someday we will find that elusive box( thus the reason I didnt go buy stuff that I liked) and all our cherished christmas ornaments will be found ( im tearing up just a little right now..:( )

On an up note...last week I decided that Elijiah and I could make a holiday decoration. So this project seemed simple enough- and it was- it just was hard to find the materials. I went to a total of 2 craft stores to find the Styrofoam wreath, and two grocery stores to get the candy. One of the many things you should know about me is that I hate to go out and shop...Im definitely an online shopping kinda gal. I hate battling the crowds and traffic and not finding what I need. Anyway it was fun to do even though Elijiah stopped helping after the first 10 minutes.

But I will say that it adds a bit of color to our otherwise boring walls.

Finally the Thanksgiving recap...oh I know im late...a good week late. But see with the move we had right before Thanksgiving, my brain cells were tired. I was tired. We were all TIRED. Tristan had a terrible cold- that kept us up more than a few nights. We had mounds of unpacking to do.

(so here we have stairs #1)

And with that unpacking came the stairs. We had no idea when we looked at the place that we would be in agony over the following week that we moved in. See going up and down in the space of a day is no big deal. But when you have a box and inside that box are items that need to be stored, you go to the garage. If some of those items need to go into a bedroom you go up 5 flights of stairs...and so on. And on and on and on.

(stairs #2)

So can you imagine how we felt after DAYS of unpacking, with a sick kid that doesnt sleep? It wasnt pretty. My mother- my good kind mother, came and helped get a HUGE chunk of the unpacking done with me as lets face it...I was tuckered out.

(Stairs #3)

We had a very nice Thanksgiving break. Spending time with family, spending time with just us. It was wonderful- got organized, spent way too much money. Because seriously? When you move in somewhere there are lots of little things you need that you didnt need before...such as a Coat Rack. Yes we dont have a main floor closet, so I purchased a coat rack.
(4th staircase)
Tristan has become very adept at stair climbing. Gratefully he is at an age where I can trust him enough not to fall down. Where was I? Oh yea...my birthday came and went, but we made arrangements to have a date night which was wonderful. Dinner and a movie. Nothing too crazy- but anytime with Jonathan is a special treat and always a great night.

( numero 5)

New Moon was better than I thought...seriously. I could hardly stand the first movie. In fact I loathed it. The second movie was decent and I was glad we went to see it.

(six...)

There is just so much to be grateful for this time of year that its impossible to list them all. However some of the big things that jump out at me are:

1. Modern Medicine- but more importantly- the Priesthood in my home

2. Family

3. Testimony of my faith

4. My Savior

5. A husband that I love

6. Healthy children

7. A place that we can call home

8. Freedom

9. Friendships

10. Having reasons to smile and laugh

(finally --seven, thats right folks- 7 flights of stairs in our new place...didnt seem that big of a deal until we moved in...unpacked and couldnt walk the next day for all the stair climbing we did)

I am mindful of the richness in my life. Not only the physical comforts that I enjoy, but the ever increasing knowledge of the things that are most important in life. This time is especially poignant to me as I think about the upcoming holiday and what it means to me. I hope that each of you had a equally wonderful Thanksgiving, and I have to say that I am additionally grateful that the unpacking has come to an END!!!!!

Not the best outfit

So not sure what prompted me to wear this outfit now that I see it in a photograph. See a while ago Katie and I put together a presentation for highschools - educating them about the games industry and providing them information on how to get involved. Ive decided I need a stylist- where is Jenna when I need her? Oh yea. Italy.

We have a couple more presentations this week....hopefully Ill be able to pull something better out of my closet this time!

A Little Late....

But it took a while to do the birthday letter- and my internet wasnt connected...just so you know....plus I didnt have any of these photos at work...so sweetheart- this ended up being a few days late!
Who would have thought that time would fly by so quickly eh? Wasnt it just yesterday that I remember you being born, and handing you over to your mom and dad? Where do the years go?

It really does seem like the years have flown by- or perhaps its not wanting to admit that I too am getting older. I still feel at times like the 19 year old that handed you over to the social worker after spending 3 whole days as your "mom". Never will I forget the following weeks and months where I would be heartbroken but it was your mother that kept me afloat. She would call, send pictures- and I would have the opportunity to see you when I could. It was in these early years- that your mom became one of my best friends. I remember one trip that my dad flew you out to see me- in which I took you to Grandma Kathryns in CO. I know you dont remember that trip - you were only 15 months maybe? I remember having to fly with you, alone of course, and with all your stuff. No one told me how much stuff you have to take when flying with a baby! I was looking pretty overwhelmed im sure as many folks offered their assistance. However you were completely unfazed. You were incredible that whole trip and it was a memory that I cherished for years to come.

Another time was when your parents came to utah and let me have you for a few days- again you must have been 2 or so? I was in a tiny little apt and you had to sleep on the couch. I remember you calling out for your mom a few times, and I thought its okay- I can handle it...then you stopped calling for your mom. You started to call "Amee, Amee" and my heart couldnt take it and I brought you to bed with me.

You have had a wonderful family- a sister who adores you and always has. I have a collection of photos of Chloe holding a willful Noel in various stages of your life. You were doted on, and given everything I could have hoped for.

There was a time when I was pregnant with Elijiah you said that you hoped it was a boy, as you wanted to be my only girl.( I think you have cursed me!) But later said that you just hoped you wouldnt be replaced....Oh Noellie.

Later you realized how much your brothers adore you. Look up to you, and miss you. They look forward to every call, and visit and are equally as sad when you leave.

You are incredibly patient, kind and loving to them and are the best older sister anyone could ask for. Thank you for growing into the talented young woman that you are. Thank you for allowing all of your crazy family to be a part of your life. (because lets face it...we are a bit nuts) Thank you for loving Jonathan and adopting him as your "dad".
I look at each years pictures, I look back at your baby photos, and realize how lucky I am. To have time with you, to share in your accomplishments and to know that you are exactly where you need to be. It has always been an answer to my prayers to see the baby I loved and gave up- become who you are today. Happy (late) Birthday- Happy 14th!!!!