Christmas

I love this time of year. I love the lights and decorations especially! So Friday we put our tree up. The girls had a blast putting up the tree. Both of them do well not to touch the tree or the decorations, but sometimes they need a little reminder not to touch the tree. I also put out some gifts, so far they haven't tried to mess with those. It was fun family time. Can't wait to see their faces after Santa has come. They're so excited!

 Oh and I can't forget to show you our awesome stockings!!!! Mine is the best! If you know me well enough you should know which one is mine and which one is Greg's. :)

23

Today I am thankful for my little Aliesha.

I guess she's not so little anymore, cause today she turned 4! I really cannot believe that she is already 4. I would like to share Aliesha's story:

November 22, 2007. Thanksgiving day. I kept telling Aliesha not to come out of mommies tummy until after Thanksgiving, cause then I could eat a lot. :) She was a good little girl and stayed in my tummy. After dinner we had pies. Greg was really tired from working an all nighter for Thanksgiving so we headed home early. We got home at 11 and got ready for bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was out. And of course I couldn't get to sleep. all I did was toss and turn! As I was laying there I felt something wet... Umm weird! So I got up went to the bathroom and thought, hmm I think my water broke, but it wasn't a huge gush that I was expecting so I ignored it. Went back into the bedroom paced around the bedroom, trying to feel contractions, cause once again I thought that you feel contractions right from the get go of your water breaking. I really didn't want to wake Greg up, especially if it wasn't necessary. I went back into the bathroom, cause it just kept coming. So finally I walked back into the bedroom and quietly said Greg I think my water broke. He sat straight up and said YOU THINK??? I said I don't know, this has never happened to me before! So he said call you mom then call the doctors. I called my  mom and she informed me that it doesn't have to be a big gush, that it could be a little trickle. So I told Greg that it was my water. Unfortunately for us I didn't have my bag packed. Nothing. So Greg is frantically trying to pack my bag as I call the doctor. They tell me to come in. As I'm standing in my room I'm calling all of my friends telling them that I"m gonna have a baby. Still no contractions and I'm feeling fine. Greg's still in a panic throwing anything and everything in my bag, Finally we head off to the hospital. I'm still as calm as can be. A little scared and nervous for everything to become reality. We get to the hospital I get dressed lay in the bed and.... BAM! contraction! Off the charts! It was HUGE!!!! Owie! So I get an epidural after an hour. Finally everything all numbed up they tell Greg an me to get some sleep. I had my mom, sister, and mother-in-law all there with me so we all doze off. The nurse comes in and wakes me up so that she can check to see how far along I'm at. And next thing I know she's yelling all these medical terms and all these nurses are rushing in and getting my bed ready to wheel out. All I caught is HR drop to 50 and it's not coming up. Okay so now I'm really scared. I'm cold therefore I'm shaking vigorously. Also the on call doctor refused to come in. He absolutely wouldn't come in. So now the nurses were frantic they now had to get a hold of my doctor, whom wasn't on call! They rush me into the OR and prep me for a C-Section. Greg's still by my side the whole time calming me down. Finally my doctor walks in and turns on the stereo and starts the C-Section. I thought there would be no pain but holy moly I felt like I was going to vomit the whole time! Finally little Aliesha came out of my tummy to the song, I believe in Miracle's, by Hot Chocolate. Kind of appropriate. haha.  

Aliesha Is a very smart, loving, caring. She is such a girly girl! She loves to shop, loves candy, the colors pink and purple. She would wear dresses every day if I let her. She cannot wait till she can wear makeup and high heels. She is growing up so big and I am amazed at how smart and beautiful she is.  Here's some pictures of our little girl:

 Hospital

 First family pic

 Sorry so Blurry She's 7 months here

 3 Years

4 Years

Mommy and daddy love you very much Aliesha!

18,19,20,21, and 22

I am thankful for good movies

I love to cuddle up in a blanket and watch a good movie. Whether it be a good comedy, chick-flick. To the thrilling horror, action adventure. Even the ones that take you to magical places and make your imagination run wild, I love them all.

I am thankful for good books

The difference between a book and a movie is you can picture it anyway you want! No crappy acting actors, no horrible screen plays, just the author and your imagination. I could get lost in a good book any day.

I am thankful for a heated house. 

I am always cold. Even in the summer. So to have heat in my house is a big blessing. I especially love walking into my girls room and seeing them sitting by the heat vent under a blanket talking to each other. cutest thing ever.

I am thankful for makeup

Yep I know very superficial of me, but I have to have makeup when I am going places. If I'm camping with family then no. I don't need makeup, but when I'm around certain people/groups of people I have to have it. sad, but true.

I am thankful for my hair straightener

cause without it I'd be Medusa! Literally... that or a brown hair version of carrot top. ha!

15,16, and 17

Okay I am so glad that I am doing this! Everyday I'm looking for blessings to be thankful for. It really makes life a much more positive life.

I am thankful for Friends

Friends through out my life have helped me become me. Some come and go, we fight, we argue, we love, we create memories, we cry, go through trials, and much much more. Even the friends that I no longer talk to I am thankful for, because with out them I wouldn't be the strong, stubborn person I am today. Growing up I have had Great friend, some have been there for me through the toughest of times. Some were sent to me to teach me a lesson to test my strength. Without my friends I don't know who I'd be. 

I am Thankful for the Mountains.

What more can I say to this? It's so peaceful hiking through the mountains. I love seeing all of God's beautiful creations. Love the wild life, the bubbling streams, the beautiful glass-like lakes. It's a place that I can escape the stress of the city. I am truly blessed to have mountains not even 20 min away.

I am thankful for the holiday's 

I love this time of year! The crisp cool air that makes soup and hot chocolate taste so much better. I love the warm clothes, sweaters, boots, scarves, etc... But most of all I love the reminder of what we should be thankful for, and the birth of our Savior. What a great atmosphere to be in!

10,11,12,13, and 14

Whoa I'm a slacker. haha. Here's my catch up post...

I am thankful for Challenger.

Challenger is the school Aliesha attends, and she absolutely loves it. She is learning so much from it! Everyday she is so excited for school. She talks about it constantly. They have taught her so much there and I love their curriculum. She is such a smart little girl and I am blessed for her to be able to go to Challenger. I can't wait for the time when McKenzie is able to go to Challenger.

I am thankful for my trials.

Yeah I know trials are no fun. No one wants to deal with the hardships of trials, but I am truly grateful for my trials because they make me who I am. One of my most favorite scripture that I often turn to is. D&C 136:31... "My people must be tried in all things. that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom." 

It's pretty much self explanatory, but it gives me strength, courage and faith that I can get through anything. And that it is worth something, the celestial kingdom. I'm not going through these trials for nothing it's for the ultimate gift.

I am thankful for prayer.

I'm going to share a personal story, one of which happened very recently. It can also go hand in hand with trials. Greg and I were invited to a party at his friends house. We took the girls to grandma's house for the night and headed off to the party.  His friend said she invited about 20 people to come over for food and to watch a big boxing match. During the party I was tried, I could literally feel Satan's power, telling me to just do it. That it was fine. I was curious about this particular thing, and therefore made me weak and vulnerable. I declined, but in the back of my mind I was still fighting with myself, saying it was okay, no biggy. Once again I was faced with this trial and temptation. It's amazing how strong Satan will push and tempt you. I shook my head said thanks and went and sat down next to Greg, still fighting myself. I then got the feeling to pray. I prayed for help, pleaded for help. I didn't know what more to say, but Heavenly Father help me, please, help me. After that my desire went away, my curiousness was gone, I didn't even feel tempted, didn't argue with myself in my head. I was still faced with the trial, but I really felt stronger, and not phased by it. I am so glad that I prayed. It really is a blessing to me to be able to ask for help and receive exactly what I needed. Prayer works, sometimes not instantly, but it works. I am truly grateful that Heavenly Father provided me with the help I needed.

I am thankful Greg.

I know I have already done this, but I think I need to do it again. Greg is my best friend. At that party we were stuck like glue and I am blessed that he was there with me to be my friend and allow me to stick to him. Same with life, I am glad that he is so willing to have me by his side. He is one of the only people that understand me and really know me. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. He makes me a better person. I am grateful that he loves me for who I am.

I am thankful for modern day cleaning supplies.

Even though I hate cleaning, I make sure my house and everything in it is clean. And I am grateful that we have vacuums and cleaners that will help with the cleaning process. I love the smell of a clean house and with out certain cleaning products it would be impossible to achieve that smell. :) Glad my house can smell clean and fresh.

Day 9

I am grateful for pomegranate's. Mmmm Yummy pomegranate's.

This is a must have when it's the holiday's! Love love love them. But have you ever wondered how you cut a pomegranate? Sure you can cut it how ever way you want, if you don't mind cutting half of the delicious berries in half, therefore leaking out the best part,the juice. Then there's the daunting task of plucking out all the other seeds, causing your fingers and possibly you favorite shirt to stain. Man, how can this delicious, fruit be so hard to enjoy! I'm going to show you how to cut a pomegranate and eliminate the juicy mess on your hands and clothes. :) 

Step 1:

Cut the knobby thing off. I usually cut 1-2 inches above it

Step 2:

Score the pomegranate

Some people skip step one and go straight to step two. I don't like to do this because I like to see the membrane, that's where you will score. The membrane is the white stuff in the middle and in between the berries.

Step 3:

Now all you do is grab and peel the sections that you just scored. Now don't go all Hulk Hogan on the pomegranate and rip it to shreds, then you will have a huge mess that we are trying to avoid. :) Just pull apart gently, but with some force.  

Step 4:

Enjoy.

See now you have full berries and not as much juice running all over the place. :) I like to peel all the berries out and place them in a bowl and eat them that way, but you can eat them straight for the... Shell... If you call it that. 

Word of advice, even though we cut the pomegranate in such a way to eliminate a big mess, I would still wear a old T-shirt just in case of any spills or dripping.

Day 6,7, and 8

I am grateful for extended family

I am blessed to have Greg's family and my family so close. And be so willing to have us come over and visit. They are so fun to be around. Growing up I only had sisters and so it's a major change to come into a family of 3 boys. All of which I love! They're pretty much all awesome.... If they would root for U of U That would make them even more legit, but ya can't have everything. Haha! My Mom and Dad are, in my eyes the perfect parents. I have never been pressured to do thing they want me to do. They instilled the gospel in my life and they taught me so much. My sisters are awesome! Even though we fight and argue and have different opinions it's great to have sisters to vent to and hang out with. 

I am grateful for our vehicles

We have two vehicles and I am grateful for that. Greg can go to work and I have the freedom to come and go as I please. At one point we had only one car and it was so hard, especially when I had doctors appointments. So having a second car is a blessing. 

I am grateful for music

I love music. I haven't always enjoyed music. Living at home I would hardly listen to music, usually only when I was really mad at my family, then I'd go blast it. :) When I met Greg he got me into music more, and now I've developed my own taste in music. If I'm feeling sad, mad, bored, happy, etc. I turn to music to relieve stress, to have fun, dance, sing, be lifted up. So I music is very helpful. Plus I love., love, love dancing to music... and watching my girls dance to the music as well.

Day 5...

I am thankful for my new calling.

I received a new calling 3 weeks ago, I'm a  Relief society teacher. At first I was like no way am I right for this calling. I don't know a lot. And the ladies in my ward have a lot of knowledge. I mean they read books and biography's and scripture and other church materials and know a lot of history and background. I know very little and was thinking to myself... What do I have to teach them? Last Sunday I was set apart and in my blessing I was told that this calling was for me to learn. Right then a light bulb lit up and I figured out why Heavenly Father wanted me to have this calling; it was to help me learn scripture and doctrine and more about this gospel.

There is no better way to learn than to teach. So this calling is truly an answer to my prayers. I asked for a way to help me learn the gospel in a way that I could understand it and remember it. If you don't know me well then I'll tell you right now that I absolutely love giving lessons and talks. I love to be able to share what I know and share my testimony to others. And I love learning new things in my preparation.

Heavenly Father has given me so many things that I have asked for, and for that I am truly blessed.

Day 4...

I am thankful for my home.

I only have a little apartment. 

I don't have the newest of furniture.

I don't have the best decorations,

But this is my home and it's filled with love and laughter.

This is my home and I am proud of it. It's not in the best of area, but I try to make it feel comfortable, clean, and safe. I take pride in my house and love to show it off even though it's not a million bucks.

Thankful

Okay I guess I'll join the band-wagon and start this 30 day's of thanks... To be honest I didn't want to do it, I see it everywhere and sometimes they get a little annoying, depending on the person. But I feel that I need to be reminded of all the blessings I have in my life. So since we are already into day three I'll list three things I am grateful for.

1.The Gospel

The gospel is a big part of my life. I have made many mistakes, asked may questions, and been through tough times. Even through my struggles I have never doubted the gospel. I have always known that it is true. Unfortunately I have taken it for granted. My mom was a convert; her mom and dad were always jumping around form one church to another. My mom never felt either of the churches was true. When she started looking into the LDS church she really studied it and had a willingness to learn the teachings. To this day she knows the church is true. I on the other hand, Know it's true, I've found that out myself, but I haven't studied and really gotten to know the scriptures and the stories and history of the church. I really wish that when I was in primary, YW, and Sunday school that I would have really paid more attention to the things that were being taught. There are a lot of things that I don't know, but should. But I know that it is always there. And for me to really get to know the gospel I am going to have to do my part. 

2. I am grateful for Greg

Funny story: When I was in 4th grade I had a teacher... Miss.Walz. I really did not like this teacher. She was old and strict and we just butted heads. One day at PTC she was telling my mom that I need to work harder at my math and homework. I turned to her and said I don't need math! And she says well when you work you will have to know math. So I told her I am not going to work I am going to be a stay-at-home mom! She then stated that I will have to take care of bills. I said NO my husband will do that. She then said well when you cook you will have to know measurements, I said NO my husband will cook! I'm sure she was thinking, well you'll never get married then!!! haha. Well Let me tell you about my Wonderful husband. When we met in high school he knew that I was "the one" It took me a while to know that he was the one for me, but eventually I realized that he was going to be mine forever! Well we ended up getting married, had Aliesha, and then went through the Temple. One of the things Greg has done for me is, allow me to be a stay-at-home-mom. I am so blessed for his sacrifices  he makes for this to happen. Due to my lack of knowledge in math he takes care of the bills. And sadly I am a HORRIBLE cook!!!! I can only cook one good thing without destroying it, (as you found out in the post below.) HA! So take that Miss.Walz! I got what I wanted!!! Well this last year I have really thought about Greg's sacrifices. And found out that I am totally selfish!!!! It was really an eye opener for me! I get to stay at home all day while he works two jobs and has the stress of bills. I cook but there's always something wrong with it... grr. But really what do I do? Yeah I take care of the girls, but I don't suffer from stress like Greg does! He has made this possible, but I don't want to be a selfish person any more. I want to be involved, I want to take some of his stress away. So I tried to get involved and really tried to help him. And it just confirmed how strong he really is. He is willing to do Anything, anything for me and for the girls!  I have now made it a goal to be more like him. To be selfless, and to be able to sacrifice my wants. He truly is amazing. I am so glad that he has put up with my selfishness and that he is a great example for me.  I love you Greg

3. My daughters.

I have never desired to have kids. I have never really liked kids. I used to babysit kids and really I only liked two families out of all of the families I baby sat for. If I were asked to babysit I would reluctantly say yes to certain families, and while I was there I hated it and vowed that I would never have kids! When I met Greg he was all for having kids and loved all little kids. Great! Well when I was 18 I found out I was pregnant! I was scared out of my mind! I didn't want to be a mother at such a young age! When I had Aliesha I was scared I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know if I would even like being a mom. When Greg had to go to work I was left alone with Aliesha. I fell in love with her.  I knew instantly that she was sent here specifically for me. To teach me tenderness, love, emotion, etc. Then I had McKenzie two years later. And I knew that she was sent here to me to teach me, patience, to be a kid again, to teach me that I can be loved. That is one of the best things about Kenzie, that even though she gets into EVERYTHING and gets into trouble for getting into EVERYTHING she's always giving me hugs and cuddling with me.  Both of my girls are a gift. I am blessed to have them in my life. I strive everyday to be a better mother because they deserve the best.

As you can tell I really need to do this "30 day of thanks." I need this for myself so I can better myself. I am given blessings left and right and I take it for granted. I feel that I am not worthy of such blessings in my life. So I need to see these blessings so I can better myself so that I deserve the blessings. If I keep doing nothing I will feel like nothing. So it is time to put on my big girl pants and woman up. :)