Life!

"You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make." -Gordon B. Hinkley

Life is crazy isn't it? But it's a wonderful crazy. Roger is now out on the road (in Cali right now). His training is going well and he likes his trainer. With certain things requiring us to have insurance NOW Roger has decided to join the military reserves for a year. He wanted to be done with all things military... But life happens.

"Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds." -Gordon B. Hinkley

Ammon goes to a specialist on the 4th because he hasn't grown hardly at all in the past year and is under the 0 percentile on the growth charts. The nurse when I was in the office with him the other day said, "And he hasn't been diagnosed with anything yet, right?" Then the doctor refering to the specialist appointment said, "DO NOT MISS THAT APPOINTMENT! I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS! I don't care if there is an earthquake! You get to that appointment!!" So I guess it might be a slight issue...?

"Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier." -Thomas S. Monson

Abby and Kole have started homeschooling and are both already half way through the Kindergarten curriculum! The little smarties! They are really enjoying it too! Tonight Kole and Abby were fighting in their bedroom after I tucked them in and Kole threw a glass bowl at Abby's head. She now has a large, bruised goose egg. Ah, the joys of having siblings.

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." -John Wooden

We have also gotten some wild and exciting news! Isn't that crazy timing!

"It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. … If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers." - Gordon B. Hinkley

We have also found where we will be living for the next little while. In Roger's parent's camper trailer. It's actually quite nice with enough beds, plus a sink, stove, and fridge, and a bathroom complete with a tub and shower! It'll work out well and give us an appreciation for a house without wheels! Roger's parents have been great and very helpful and I appreciate it very much (Thanks Randy and Vickie)! Today my sister, Jessica (thanks Jess!) came up with the kids and I and helped me clean it out and set up our beds so it'll be much more ready when we move in.

"Don't give up. Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. You keep your chin up. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come." -Elder Holland

I've got my first prenatal appointment on the 27th. We could use prayers with the fact that the antibodies will still be a concern (as far as I've been told by my past doctors anyway) and we could use prayers that we will be able to accept God's will whatever that may be. But the good news is, I've been feeling a good amount of daily morning sickness already, so that's a good sign so far! And I've been very blessed with a calmness and happiness amidst all this madness called life.

Not to spoil the ending for you or anything, but everything is going to be OK.

Maple Grove!

Today my sister and I took the kids to Maple Grove to take some pictures and have a picnic.

After the picnic they played around our camping spot.

And we even caught a picture of Big Foot running through the campground!!

And remember folks... Only YOU can prevent forest fires!

Hope all is well with all of you!



Plans

Well, because we already have a house loan in our name, we have had trouble getting our loan started. Now, it's too late because of Roger starting a new job where he gets paid by the mile and not by the hour, and we will not be able to buy a house. We are also having a really hard time finding a place to rent as well because of our dogs. With Roger going to be on the road a lot we don't want to consider getting rid of them because they are such good dogs with the kids and watch dogs. So Roger is gone until the end of Sept. or later... And the kids and I have to be out of my parent's house by the end of the month. We don't know what we are going to do. But, Roger is doing great in his training and he's working things out with that. We are under a lot of stress right now, but doing well. We have been extremely blessed. And even with the fact that we are going to be homeless in about 2 weeks we are trying to be optimistic. And hey, if anyone knows of any good homeless shelters that will take in a woman with three kids and two horses, let me know! ;) And if all else fails, we have a nice big car to live in! Hope all is well with all of you! 

Six Year Anniversary

Seeing how Roger and I just had our 6 year anniversary on the 24th, I have been thinking a lot about how perfect we are for each other. I'm so gratful to have such a kind, patient, and loving husband. He treats me just the way I need to be treated. He loves me for who I am and he knows me better than anyone in this world. When I'm stressed, he calms me, and when he's stressed, I'm the calm one... And we are perfect opposites in many other ways. But we are the same in our dry, sarcastic sense of humors, and many other things. I don't think I could even describe in words how perfectly we fit each other. He gives me the encouragment and kind words that I need to give me the boost in self-esteem that I need. When others put me down and make me feel bad about myself, he tells me that "They are wrong. They don't know you. I know, because I know you better than anyone." He gives me a kindness and love that I have never known from anyone else in my life. He is my better half. My life would not be complete without him. Happy anniversary Roger. Thank you for being my better half. Here's to infinity and beyond! :)

(Abby took this picture of us a few days before our anniversary.)



Burn Baby Burn!

We've had quite the day today! We got up, went to church, nothing new there... Got home ate lunch and then went to make a salad that has toasted sesame seeds and almonds in it. So, naturally, I put them on a tray and in the oven to toast them... Then I got distracted. With 3 shorties running around and the stress of Roger leaving in a few hours after this happened to start his training for his new job that he will be gone for 2 months for, and with the house (my parent's house) we are staying in being sold by the end of the month, us having no place to stay and not being able to find ANYWHERE to rent that will allow our dogs and that we can afford on Roger's training pay, and trying to buy a house, WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD BE DISTRACTING ME!? So suddenly, I smell the seeds/nuts burning. I whip open the oven to pull them out, and they are on fire! I close the oven, turn it off, and race to get out the fire extinguisher in case I need it. I open the oven back up and flames start coming out! I start looking for the pin to pull on the extinguisher, guess what, old extinguishers apparently don't have pins. I calmed myself and figured it out and used it. I got the fire out no problem... But then was the time to clean up the mess from the extinguisher. Guess what, that powder gets EVERYWHERE!!!! It was on everything in the entire kitchen! After spending several hours deep cleaning the kitchen and oven I went to shower it off  and then was time for Roger to leave. Kole started crying, "I don't want you to leave again!!!!" and all that jazz. My nerves are really shot. After some crying and calling my parents who are on vacation right now to tell them what happened and ask what I should do with the oven now, and to offer to buy another one just like it, and to get some (very expected) criticisms... I told my sister Jessica that I should have called my parents and said, "I'm leaving the church, and Roger and I are getting a divorce cause I cheated on him and my drug dealer boyfriend has gotten me into drugs... JUST KIDDING I ONLY LIT YOUR HOUSE ON FIRE!! Phew! That could of been really bad huh!?" ... I'm just very ready to have the day over with. Unfortunately, Ammon doesn't agree that it's bed time and I'm honestly to tired to fight tonight. Bring on the next 2 months without Roger and without a place to live. I'm ready! And kids, I hope you are ready to eat microwave meals for the next 2 months, cause obviously I'm to brainless to even run an oven (even though I've been using one for at least 8 years)! BRING IT ON!!

New Job!

Roger's got a new job! He's going to be driving for Central Refrigerated trucking. He'll be starting his 2.5 week training on the 23rd (missing our anniversary again... Whoops, that just occured to me!) up in Salt Lake then he'll be going out on the road with a trainer for 5? weeks, I think is what he told me??... Monday we are going to St. George to look at houses there. We are pretty sure on the one that we will get, but we have a "top 3" that we'll look at. We are very grateful that things are working out for us. What a loving Heavenly Father we have!! He has blessed us immensely!

We have been spending the Saturdays up here having some family fun that we have missed out on during Roger's deployment. Our favorites were going to Boise's new aquarium and feeding the giraffe at the Boise Zoo!

Hope all is well with all of you!!

Daddy's Home!

It's been a while since I posted... Mainly because Roger is home, and other than that, nothing else is really new.... Well, ok I guess it just feels to me like nothing is really new. Roger got home and had 2 weeks of leave. He's been applying for jobs, but has not had any luck yet. We are now back up in Idaho for the last month of work he needs to do for the AF and so the kids and I are just sitting around in TLF going stir crazy. We have been able to see lots of our old friends, and met our good friend Derek and Vernae's new baby, who is adorable! And sadly will be attending the funeral of some other close friend's new baby. We were supposed to be coming back to Utah for the 4th of July, but Roger's work has decided against that now.

Roger is doing good. He is now looking for jobs here on base also, since we have been in Mountain Home for 5 years, it's become home too. We never had a problem with living in MH, just the long drive, and Roger just hated his job and having to work 14-15 hours a day and having to deploy... So we figure why not look here too?

I'm good. Glad to have Roger back... Usually. ;) 

Abby is good. Full of energy, as usual. She has recently been obsessed with wanting a baby sister. While shopping in Walmart she randomly started saying (very loudly) "Why can't I have a little sister!? I want a little sister!!" All the while I'm wrangling Kole and Ammon and thinking, "Uh! Hello!? Bad timing to beg for me to have another kid!!" We have been seeing lots of cute newborns up here which is making Abby's baby hunger grow. Unfortunately, even though they are all very cute, my baby stomach is so full and bloated I could burst... I'm the opposite of baby hungry...

Kole is good. He has the "brother" position down pat! He is the biggest pest! He is going to be seeing a specialist the end of July for his stomach/bowel issues he's had for a long time. That's all really new with him.

Ammon, thinks he's in his terrible 2s. He is a pro at breaking things. Especially stuff in the store as we walk past it. Which is all doing well at keeping my baby hunger away. Frankly... I'm exhausted!

I tried to post the videos of Roger when he got home and saw the kids and the dogs, but they are such big files I'm having a hard time getting them to post.

Hope all is well with all of you!