Music Lessons

Braden and Marissa started music lessons several weeks ago! They are both enjoying their lessons and they are even practicing every day!

Marissa is playing the piano
Braden is playing the guitar, he has wanted to play the guitar for years, but being the mean mom that I am, I made him take piano lessons first.

1. people willing to teach lessons
2. kids who want to learn music
3. being able to give our kids lessons

FACEBOOK

I have had it with Facebook.

All I hear about these days is Facebook. Facebook this facebook that. I found so and so on Facebook. Aren't you on Facebook. Read about this on Facebook. Don't you want to find people you went to school with on Facebook.

NO MORE!!!!!

People, if I wanted to be in touch with people I went to high school with, I wouldn't need Facebook to do it. I would have kept in touch with them throughout all these years.

Facebook is taking my blogging friends away and I am FED UP! I can take it NO MORE! I am hearing my blogging friends talk about it like it is the coolest thing ever and I won't stand for it.

If you are a blogger, I am begging with you to keep making your BLOG a priority. One of my favorite blogs to read is slowly dwindling due to this OTHER site. I have from sources that the writer of this blog spends more time on this site, which I shall now refer to as the OTHER site, than she does on her blog and now she is having a blogging block.

I can't take it. Please people, if you are a blogger and also participate in that OTHER site, please keep up your blog. It will be so much better in the long run. If you can't do that, please don't tell me you are spending time on the OTHER site.

For the love of pete, keep up your blog for your blog fans!

1. blogs

2. friends

3. fun

Going, going........

GONE!!!!

We put these couches on Craigslist on Saturday and within 15 minutes of putting them on, we had several emails about them. We had a family at our house giving us a deposit on them within 3 hours.

They came and picked them up last night and now we have an empty room(except the piano). the piano is staying. It is way to heavy to move.

Our plan is to get a dining room table because that room is meant for that!!

Now when people come over for dinner there will be somewhere to sit!!

Might have to have a party!

1. easy sells

2. new furniture

3. sunshine

I must admit

I got a little tear in my eye during the inauguration of Barack Obama. I wasn't even going to watch any presidential TV today. Brynn came home from preschool today knowing who President Bush was and that he is done being President today and that 'Arack Bobama' was going to be our new president. I thought I would show her who he was.

I haven't really cared much about all of this. I did not vote for Barack Obama, nor was I happy when he was elected. I was a bit sick to my stomach. Today, after the tear, I got some of that sick feeling back. Although, I am thrilled for what Barack Obama means to many people in this country. All those who thought they would never see a man of color in the White House, their day has come. For them, I am happy. To me, color doesn't make anyone different. I didn't grow up with racial issues nor have I really been affected by them. It truly makes me sad that there are and have been racial issues. To me we are all children of our Heavenly Father.

This is a day that will change history. I hope it is for the good. I hope that we can all support our new President.

I also want to thank President Bush for his service. Maybe I will right a letter. I know many people didn't like him. I am not one to get too political, but I must say that he served our country for 8 years and the people voted for him twice. Something is to be said for that.

Thanks for your service President and Mrs. Bush!

1. government

2. people willing to serve

3. voting

More Birthday Fun!!!

Brynn had a fun birthday! She loved that no one had to go to work or school. She opened presents................

Had birthday cake, went to see Madagascar 2 and got to pick dinner~which was Whatever(everyone gets to pick what they want for dinner~she had noodles) had a visit from my cousin and her fiance! She says she doesn't really feel much different now that she is 4, but she can put on her lipstick better than when she was 3!!!

1. Brynn 2. birthdays 3. excitement

Happy 4th Birthday Brynn!!!

Happy Birthday Brynn!!!

Brynn's 1st Birthday

4 Reasons we LOVE Brynn~

1. she is FUNNY 2. she is sweet 3. she is mom's buddy 4. she loves EVERYONE!

Another Quiet Sunday

We had another quiet Sunday. Today church was not cancelled, I think only because it was our Ward Conference. It snowed a lot last night, but the roads to get to the church were not too bad. Once we got there, it was kind of a ghost town. We had a lot of stake people there, but not many ward members. It was fun to have the stake presidency there, considering our stake is the western half of MA from the north to the south and then some, so we don't have them there very often.

Todd and I went into the nursery for 2 kids, which was fine, given the fact that we only were having 2 hours of church!

Now we are home, have the driveway cleared, have made treats and are going to hang out and be excited for the long weekend!

1. church

2. snow

3. treats

A Different Sabbath Day

Yesterday our church was cancelled. Todd still had stake meetings, so the stake presidency called and said that the ward that meets in the Stake Center was having Sacrament Meeting at 3, so the high council should bring their families and while they were having their meeting the families could have a pot luck dinner.

We went and it was fun. It was fun to have a different kind of Sabbath Day and to be able to take the kids out of the house. It helped keep the day a bit more holy!

1. church

2. friends

3. a GOOD potluck

Brandon

When school first started this year, our kids of course were going to a new school. It was not an easy transition. Brandon had the hardest time. He was used to elementary school and when we went to get signed up for school found out he would be in middle school. 7 different classes a day. He struggled. We have no kids on our street, so none of the kids made any friends before school started.

Several weeks after school started, we were driving to the church for scouts and we were listening to Jericho Road. Brandon loves them, the rest of us think they are ok. This is what he said to us when the song "You Melt the Madness" came on the cd:

"This is the song I would think of at school when I was struggling to get through my day and wishing I wasn't alone and missing my old friends and my family."

Totally made me cry, but I was grateful for good music. These are the lyrics:

Some days it feels like I am walking
through a storm
A strong wind blowing at my heart
I long for shelter only you can give me, Lord
You are all I need need cause
You're the Prince of Peace

Chorus
You melt the madness
You calm the fear inside me
When the world is spinning out of control
You stop the struggle
Lord, it's your love that brings sweet rest to my soul
And my heart knows
You melt the madness
You melt the madness

It seems this crazy world is never gonna change
So, Lord, I want you to change me
And in the chaos I'll be calling out your name
Won't you set me free
With your serenity

Chorus

Come what may
No matter what we face
I'll be still, and know that you are God

Click this link to listen to it! I couldn't find it to add it to my playlist! It is #12

http://www.jerichoroadmusic.com/media/music/album/the-best-jericho-road

1. kids

2. good music

3. feeling the spirit

Had to put the music back on

This is my niece......she loves the music and gets very excited when her mom clicks on my blog and this Utah Man song comes on.....had to put it back on for her!!

This is a picture we took of her while we were talking to them on Skype. her dad was holding her upside down!
My mom is not going to love this picture, but again this is one we took on Skype. We were talking and all of a sudden, someone let a toot and it was bad. She was copying the kids!

1. webcams
2. video conferencing
3. family

GO UTES!!!

GO UTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sugar Bowl

(6)Utah v. (4)Alabama

Who won the game???

NOT ALABAMA!!!

31-17 Utah victory

Now the BCS might realize what they are missing!

1. Utah victory

2. Friends to party with

3. 2009 off to a good start(thanks Chris)

Sewing & a movie

I will admit, I do not know how to sew. But it is football day and one of our Utah sweatshirts has some holes in it. I decided that I would reteach myself how to thread the machine and figure it out so I could fix the sweatshirt. Todd thought it was monumental and had to take pictures!

We also always go to a movie during Christmas time. With family in town we didn't go, so we went to see Bedtime Stories today. It was a great movie. I recommend it!

Recovery day......

for us anyway. Nate and Sarah left this morning and we spent it cleaning and putting away all the stuff that didn't get cleaned up before the family got here.

We had a relaxing afternoon because we were tired from partying while we had visitors!

Thanks for making the 12 hour trek!!

Snow Day

Nate and Sarah were going to leave today, but because we got a big snow storm they are staying another day. The kids, especially Eliza, decided they wanted to go play in the snow so out they all went. Nate started to use the snowblower and moved his car down the driveway...........

Brandon
The pictures are out of order, but after Nate boasting about taking his car out in the snow and not having any problems, they couldn't even get it back up the driveway!!!

Finally, they had Sarah go out and drive, so all 3 big guys could push the car up the driveway!! It was such a funny sight to see!!!

Todd with Eliza and Brynn in the sled!

Happy New Year!

We spent the evening watching movies and we rang in the new year with

Wizards of Waverly Place on Disney!!