2010 Family Photos 11/18/2010

This year I made sure to get our family pictures done... The kids have all grown up so much and when I look at them I think where did the years go??? I love my family so much and they are all so beautiful with such cute smiles... I am so thankful that I was so blessed to be a mom... What a blessing it is to be able to raise such wonderful children and to go through all the ups and downs together as a family... I tell my kids no empty chairs... That means I want them all to live their lives so we can be together forever in the eternities and have no empty chairs... What a BEAUTIFUL family we have... I Love Them All ...

Change

Remember this quote from a few months ago... When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~Victor Frankl~ Well I ponder about the changes I need to make all the time... One change that I decided to make is just to sit down and really enjoy reading a good book... I never have done this NEVER... I have always had to be cleaning, doing laundry or something that has to do with physical labor to feel like I am doing what I need to do as a Mom-Wife... I decided one of the changes I needed to make is to make some time for myself and really put myself into a good book... So I grabbed one off my bookshelf and just stared reading... Owen couldn't handle it at first but he got used to it... He took some pictures of me reading because it was so different for him to see me doing it... SAD I know but just like the quote says we are challenged to change ourselves... I can say that I really love going through the trials we are facing right now... I am learning so much about myself having to take a good look at myself and the changes I need and want to make in my life... It's NEVER to late to change the person you are into the person you WANT to be...

ksl.com - Loan modification program leads Utahns into deeper trouble

ksl.com - Loan modification program leads Utahns into deeper trouble

Owen and I were told to apply for this program when he was laid off from ATK and in March we did... We just received a letter from our bank almost 7 months later telling us that we didn't qualify because our loan is owned by outside investors that won't give our bank permission to change our loan in anyway... The letter said the only thing we could do is keep paying our mortgage... I read this article today and this just made me so thankful we never stopped paying... I am so upset at how our government is treating the American People... What are they thinking??? They have paid the banks to do this to us and the banks our just taking advantage of us that are struggling money or not... Can we trust the government to help us??? NO Can we trust the programs that they "say" are going to help us??? NO, SHAME ON YOU!!! Look what you have done to all these poor people and I'm sure you don't even care not one bit do you??? Well I care and I am so sorry for everyone that has been taken advantage of... If I could I would help, but as you know by my blog we are unemployed and unable to find work even after almost a year of being laid of from ATK Launch Systems you know that company who built the rocket motor for NASA who Obama said he would support the space program but did he do what he said NO and now over 3,500 people have been laid off just in 1 year with more layoffs planned in January 2011... This my friends is the truth not only my truth but as you see many others... I NEVER in my life thought I would be living this nightmare and I'm sure you didn't either... I just have to take it one day at a time and just pray that one day it will be better... I know that the Lord is helping me each day to be able to get through this trial in life... We all have them they just come in different ways... If we look to our daily blessings and not just to the trials our days will be better and we will find happiness in the mist of the sadness... ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!

Happy Halloween

We had a BLAST this year... We went to the school carnival on Friday and on Saturday we went to the trunk r treat at the church in the cold rain, they had hot dogs and hot coco (the kids most favorite drink EVER) and then we went trick r treating on the Price's side of town still in the rain for most of the time... The kids had TONS of candy and it was YUMMY!!! They were so cute I just love them all... Thanks to Owen Seth looks so AWESOME!!! Jiselle was a BEAUTIFUL witch... Mitchell and Justin, well what can I say they are Teenagers :)... Noah was MIA but we found him and by then camera had ran out of batteries... Oh well

Listening to that still small voice

That is what happened this morning when I drove the kids to school... I left my house and got to the stop sign when I decided to drive a different way and as I drove to the next block in a half and saw someone in the road sitting up but not getting up... I waited for a two cars to pass and decided to pull over because I couldn't tell if it was a child or not... I got out of my car and then could tell it was an elderly lady in her 70s or 80s... She was so tiny she reminded me of my grandma Metzger... I said honey are you OK and she said no I fell some how... I really don't remember what happened... She turned and looked at me and her head, nose, and lips were bleeding... I helped her clean her face and got her in my car and drove her to her house to make sure she got home safely and got the help from her family she needed... I was in shock at how I watched the cars just drive passed this poor lady and no one stopped to help her... I am so GRATEFUL that I could listen to that still small voice and drive a different way so that I was at the right place at the right time to help Sister Page... I think we need to make sure that we slow down and take the time to be a where of what and who are around us so that we aren't the ones who drive past those who are in need of our help... Another one of his TENDER MERCIES!!!

Seth's Bobcat Scout Award

Seth got his Bobcat Award for Scouts tonight and I am so proud of him... He is my last son to go through Scouts with and to tell you the truth I will miss this someday when my boys grow up... Let me tell you about this kid... He is AMAZING in every way... He is so dang smart and super FUNNY always being so silly... He has the most tender heart and is always willing to help with any job even the laundry... I feel so blessed in my life to have this boy here in my home... I had so many times in my life that I wondered if my babies were going to make it after long hard pregnancies, with 3 of them born a month early and my miscarriage with Noah's twin, but by the tender mercy's of the Lord I have 4 healthy happy children who have been so blessed in this life!!! I am so thankful everyday that I get to share that day with each person in my family... What a lucky Mom am I... Thanks Seth for reminding me tonight about how important it is to support and help you each to succeed in this life, to help you be the BEST kids you can be and to help you each to set goals and how important it is that you accomplish them... I love you my little BUDDY!!!!

Our Basement Is Done

The After
Mitchell's room

Computer area

Family room

The Before

Can't believe we are done with this... It's been a year long project that has been so Fun at times to do with Owen... He worked on this and did it all himself and I am so proud of his determination to get it done... Looks AWESOME!!! No more projects for awhile off to start a new busy life soon of work and school... We are so thankful for all we have been able to accomplish and all the blessings we have... Finishing this has been a weight off our shoulders and now we can finely relax!!! Didn't Owen do such a GREAT job!!! Thanks Todd for your help with the electrical work and Aaron thanks for your help and letting us use your tools!!! I have one HAPPY 13 year old that LOVES US SO MUCH :)

My Chef

I love this picture. Owen is truly living his dream and when he is finished with school I am sure that he will find much success with being a chef... He is definitely the best chef you will EVER meet!!!

Challenged to Change Ourselves

I received a letter from Utah State University and I was excepted into college starting the spring semester. I am really excited but nervous at the same time. I am a 32 year old mother of 4. I was a young mother who has always done what I thought was best for my kids and husband at the time. Through the years I have had many jobs helping with the income to support them. Through the years we have always been able to get by. Our lives changed in February of 2010 when Owen was laid off from ATK. I found my self working full time at a job that I felt so unhappy and stressed out on a daily bases. I was forced to put my family 2nd after my job. I was being punished for being a minute late, stuck at the train, leaving to get my kids for any reason, and couldn't even take a day off without being punished. I have never done that and I decided that I NEVER WILL. The little bit of money I was making an hour was just not worth putting my family 2nd. To me family first is the very most important quality a parent should have. I just started a new job with even less pay and less hours now but you know what? My family can be FIRST!!! I am willing to start school so that I can get out of being stuck working my butt off in the small jobs with no pay and finally having a career. More money for my family and hopefully a retirement. I have a dream for Owen and I and for my kids and that dream is to be able to take care of them and to be able to help them throughout their life that our lives will be stress free from the chains of never enough. It seems that through my life that has always been the way it is just NEVER ENOUGH. If you or any one you know is on unemployment you know how little that check is and if anyone thinks that they can raise a family on that they are CRAZY. So here we are for now on unemployment and me working part time. Holy Cow if I could have only had a glimpse into the future. Owen is going to school and he will be done next March and he is doing GREAT and is such a wonderful chef!!! I love it :) for me I will start in January and will be done in 5 to 6 years. Sound like FUN!!! It will be so worth it... Can't wait to start and can't wait to finish. I just keep telling my self it's never to late to make your DREAMS come true. Life is full of ups and downs but we have it with in ourselves to make the best of it. I love this quote: When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~Victor Frankl~ This is where we are. We can't change our situation right now but we can change ourselves.

I FINALLY DID IT

I applied at Utah State University last week... Now just waiting to hear if I get excepted... I am SUPER EXCITED to finally be able to start college and know that it's the right time for me to go... Can't believe I waited so long to go but IT'S NEVER TO LATE TO LIVE YOUR DREAM!!!

NEVER FORGET September 11, 2001

Jiselle

Jiselle is in 1st grade now... Holy Cow... My BABY is 6 and I can't believe it. This is her on the FIRST day of school... She also just preformed with the ROCKETTES at the high school football game and she did AWESOME!!!! So cute I just LOVE her...

CAUSEY#93

Mitchell has had a good season so far... They are 2 and 2 as of today... He has done really good and every game I am so proud of how hard he tries... He wants to get a football scholarship and play in college and I know that with the amount of work he puts into every practice he will be able to someday live his dream... I really miss being at every game to support him because of my work schedule but I do go to every practice and watch him so that he knows that I do support what he does... I am so proud of Mitchell and all of his accomplishments... He's such a GREAT kid... Love you bud!!!

Seth is all ready for school

I LOVE this so much... Seth was so EXCITED for school that he got all dressed shoes in all and went to bed the night before... I went down stairs to check on him and this is what I found... So cute... I just LOVE him SO SO MUCH...

BEAR WORLD

Bear World is such an AWESOME place to go... It's only $50 a car load of 7 and that includes the rides and petting zoo and you can drive through the park as many times as you want... We had sooo much fun!!! Just look at the great things you get to do and see... AWESOME

ASPEN GROVE FAMILY CAMP

Thank you so much Alexander family for the invite to this BEAUTIFUL camp... So much to do and so little time.... It was so fun to hang out with you and your cute family... We had so much FUN!!! This was such a GREAT place for a family and I hope to go back someday.... The talk that I heard that day has changed my life... Hold on tight to the ones you love...