The Gift of the Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost is a member of the God Head who is a spirit. He gives instruction to man kind and teaches us the will of the Lord. We are worthy of his influence when we keep the commandments and strive to glorify God. He fills us with hope, light, and goodness. He lest us know what God and Christ want us to do and leads us down the path of righteousness. He helped Jesus apostles after his death to know where they were needed and how to spread the word of God. Without it, they would have been lost. The Holy Ghost has been with man since Adam and is still her today. He draw us closer to God, and is a spirit of revelation and truth.
I taught the Young women in my ward for a time. The girls where so sweet and always wanted to talk… they talked a lot! So much I constantly had to tell them to stop and stay on track. So I pondered ways to help them concentrate and came up with lesson journals. They where simple notebooks I decorated with scrap book paper and ribbon, then I put their names on them. I started our lesson the next week describing the importance of remembering things the Holy Ghost prompts us about and how we should write them down. I gave them each a journal and said I would keep them so we could use them in class, they could write down the lesson, date, and any impressions they felt during the lesson. It was amazing how much better they could concentrate! I let them take the journals during conference so they could use them and then we were able to talk about the things they wrote the next week. It was a great way to keep the lessons on track and keep the girls focused with out me getting frustrated at their talking or having to get on to anyone during the lesson. Then they had fun listening to the lessons so they could write things down and use them for future talks or spiritual thoughts. I’m grateful for the prompting of the Holy Ghost that helped me to calm my class in an uplifting way.

The Anointing of Christ

A woman came with a box of precious ointment and poured it on the Saviors head. The Apostles do not understand why she did this. They feel she wasted it and should have sold the ointment and give the money to the poor. But Christ states that she did it to anoint him for his burial and that she had done a great thing. He said that there will always be poor among them, but he will not always be there. In Mark 14 verse 8 Christ says she “hath done what she could” which means she knew that in His eyes she was doing something great even if it seems small to others.
This is important to remember because Christ sees even the small acts of kindness that we do. He knows our intentions and loves us for giving all we can, even if the world does not appreciate our sacrifices. The woman is a good example of a humble and true follower of Christ. She exemplifies putting Christ first. The Lord values things of the Spirit, not things of the world. In his eyes some of the good sacrifices we can make would be our time, our efforts, and our love. Giving him our devotion and acting in faith will prove that we love him.

Happy Halloween!! Just in time forThanksgiving!

Originally I wanted Taeli to be a turtle for halloween becasue I thought it would be funny to see a little crawling turtle on the floor (I know you just pictured that and laughed like I did) BUT My crazy girl was already well on her way to full on walking so I was thinking a bunny... Ya know a fluffy tutu with a tail and little ears with pink bows on them (adorable I know) HOWEVER I found a Peacock costume on Pinterest (addicted) which just happened to sport a pair of random orange tights with white polka dots from Gymboree that I already owned, ( I know who actually owns orange tights with white polka dots?) WELL the answer is ME!! I was sold. I needed to make a Peacock costume and the cutest one on earth at that! The hunt was on. Thanks to pinterest, etsy (addiction #2) and a few other blogs PLUS my own creative genius (its the only time I can claim genius) the worlds cutest peacock was born. I totally accepted the fact that the feathers where going to drive her crazy and the costume would be short lived but I didn't care! Fortunatly Halloween provided enough noise and visual stimulation that she forgot the feathers and had a great time!



This was my favorite pic and showed the costume the best. It was the end of the night but she was still going strong!
We went to the Gammons with our cousins Bailey and Shadi and had a fantastic evening. All three girls were just the cutest Trick-or-Treaters ever. (seriously EVER) I though Taeli wouldn't be into it but boy was I WRONG! She watched as the two big girls started trotting up to a house and to her amazement she got to go too!! OH if you could have seen the joy in her 10 month old little face, or should I say body because her happiness is a full body experience. She giggled and screeched and (while holding my fingers) ran as fast as those little legs would go! It was like she was running a baby marathon and enjoying every moment of it! Shadi was so cute she would come up to every door with us and announce " This is my cousin Taeli" or "This is Taeli, my cousin" and then hold her bag out for a second piece of candy. It was awesome. Door after door Taeli ran her little body up to get a piece of the action. She knew we where collecting something and watched intently as candy was placed in her bag. She lasted as long as the big girls, only getting tired at the end of the road.



We all went back and as tradition fallows we sat on the front lawn passing out candy to the other kids that came by and enjoying the spoils of our evening. Taeli watched everyone pull candy of the bags and start eating it and caught on pretty quickly. She pulled all her candy out and bit each piece (wrapper on) only to be displeased with the taste of plastic wrapping. She tried every one and then went on the hunt for anything sans wrapper. I did relent and give her some pixi stix.

It was a great night of family and fun and I would say a costume success :)

Happy Halloween!! Just in time for t

Be Prepared

There are three things that if we watch for then we will know the Lord will soon come. One is that many false prophets will arise to lead us astray. Another is that even the greatest of Nations will be turned against each other, and one is that the earth will tormented with great natural disasters in all areas of the world. The Lord counsels us in Mark chapter 13 that if we watch for these things we will know he is soon to come. Likewise we must build our testimonies so that they are so strong that we will not be led astray in the last days, but be ready to receive Him.
There are many ways that we can prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The most important is to accept Christ as our savior and redeemer. (D&C 45:56-57) Believing Christ is the principle of the Gospel. Without accepting Him, we have nothing to base our testimony on. He is the life and light of the world. He gives us everlasting life if we believe in his light which is the Gospel. We must have a strong testimony of these truths. (D&C 33:17) We need to pray, and diligently build our testimony. We can do this by preparing mentally, physically, and spiritually for his second coming. We must gain knowledge of what to look for, be active so we can physically face what ever trials are laid before us, and spiritually be strong so we are not led astray. One more way we can prepare is to stand in Holy Places. (D&C 87:8) We should actively attend church meeting and the temple so we will draw closer to the spirit and hear and head its promptings. By doing all these things we will know there is nothing to fear in the Second Coming and rejoice when our Savior returns.

The Widows Mite

One day when Jesus was watching people give money to the city treasury a woman, a very poor widow, gave a farthing. This was all the money she had at the time and for her it was a very big offering not just of money but of faith. For as Jesus described, she gave all she hath hoping to be blessed in return. This widow gave more than the rich who although they gave in abundance, they gave because they had to and just enough to feel satisfied with an offering. Their gifts had no meaning to them. But the poor widow gave all she had, just as we should give all for Christ.
The example she sets shows us what type of offering is acceptable to the lord. He asks for all we have, money, time, and love for fellow man. In 2 Nephi 25:23 we read “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God’ for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” This typifies how we should serve and after giving our all, we are saved by grace.
There are many ways we can be better examples of Christ, one being to be dedicated to our families and do all we can to serve our children and spouses. We can also magnify our church callings. Many times we try to scrape doing to bare minimum but to reap the benefits and blessings God wants us to have, we need to commit to our callings completely. This doesn’t mean they have to take up all of our though and time, but we should actively try to do our best.

Two Parables of Heavenly Rewards

When reading in Matthew 19:16-30 we learn what is required to achieve eternal life. In these verses a man come to Jesus asking what he needs to do and the Jesus lists the commandments. Afterward the man says he has done these things, so what else is there? Jesus replies, give up all you have and give it to the poor and needy; follow me and you will have eternal life. Saddened, the man goes away, because he is rich and does not want to give up his possessions. Jesus goes on to state the rich have a hard time excepting the Gospel because they value worldly possessions over gifts of the spirit. We are promised by the Savior that if we sacrifice in life and follow his commandment, we will be given eternal and one hundred times the blessings that we had on earth. As Jesus explains to Peter in verse 28, those who follow Christ will sit in glory in heaven, be greatly blessed and have the gift of everlasting life.

From the parable of Serving in the vineyard we learn that no matter how long our service is, each hour is just as important as the last. In this parable we read that some were hired in the morning, and some every three hours till the eleventh hour. Each was promised a penny a day, even those who only worked one hour.

No matter how long we have been in the service of our God, each person we bear testimony to, each act of kindness we give is just as important as the first. For converts this means they have not missed out on ANY blessings of the gospel. An old man who is baptized is just at important in the kingdom of heaven as the child of 8 who was born into the church. To those who feel they deserve more for working longer I would ask why they are more important than their brothers and sisters in the Gospel. God loves all his children equally and wants us all to come unto him and return to him one day. Our reward in heaven is not determined by the length of service rendered, but by our sincerity in testimony and love of Christ.

“The Lord Appointed Other Seventy Also”

In this chapter of Luke, Jesus appoints Quorums of 70 and sends them out two by two to teach the people in every city. He counsels them not to take anything with them and give special favor to no man, but to offer peace to all people. He tells them to teach the peaceable but leave those who refuse to repent to their own fate. He admonishes them to remember that they are building the kingdom of God and to accept all those who come to repentance.
We believe that our church is built upon this same principle today. That we are building the kingdom of God by preaching repentance but that all are free to make their own choice. Like the Church of Jesus Christ of old we have 70’s today who teach us. The job is the same today as it was hundreds of years ago. There are few to teach so many but we must find those who are willing to hear the message. We should rejoice and be grateful that we have the power of the priesthood to help heal the sick and cast out evil from our lives. If we have a strong testimony of the Savior and his love for us, he will remember us and we will be his people always.
Today the quorums of 70 are not ordained apostles but are full time ministers of the gospel that are special witnesses of Jesus Christ and act in the name of the Lord, having been given that authority through priesthood power. We have many groups of 70 today because so many people need to be taught.

The Truth Shall Set You Free

There is some good symbolism in the scriptures that can teach us how to be free from sin. For example in Matthew 18:6-9 Jesus teaches that it would be better for a person be drowned than to offend others. If we look closely at the word “offend” which means to hurt, mock, trespass, transgress, or cause to stumble, we will see what not to do to others. Also we learn how we should not be treated. In verse 9 Jesus uses symbolism referring to a hands arms and legs as his friends and his eyes also are the members of his family or household. By cutting them off he meant that we should cut them out of our lives. We should not associate, or have little dealings with people who would purposely offend us. Many times when we are offended we act out and in turn are sinning.

To the savior being free did not just mean in a people free from worldly oppression. He mean them to be free of sin. In John 8:32 we read “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” He means the truth and knowledge of God. When one knows eternal truths and implements eternal principles in their lives they will be free of sin and likewise be free. Elder Bruce R. McConkie states that when we are “free from eh damning power of false doctrine; from bondage of appetite and lust; free from sin; from evil and corrupt influence; and from every form of restraining power; we will be free to go on to the unlimited enjoyment of being fully exalted beings”(Institute Manual p.109) As Latter-Day Saints we know this is true, for we can see this type of freedom reflected in our lives when we follow commandments. From the law of chastity and being morally clean we can have harmonious relationships with our spouses. When we obey the word of wisdom we are free of many addicting unhealthy habits and are free to be clean and healthy inside and out.

When Jesus says HE is the way, truth and life, he is stating that the way back our Heavenly Father is by following his teachings and trying to live up to his example. Knowing the savior will help us see the truth, know of his love for us, and help on the straight and narrow path to return to him.

Walking on Water

In Matthew 14:22-33 we read about Jesus walking on the water to the ship his disciples were on. When Jesus apostles first saw the Savior walking in the water they were afraid and thought he was a spirit. Peter’s response was a test of his faith Christ. He had outwardly proclaimed to believe Jesus was the Son of God but now he was asking for a sign. We do not believe in seeking signs to justify our faith but Christ permitted him to come across the water to him. As Peter began to sink he called out to his Lord for help, and help he received. But as we know it was only when we was sinking, when he began to FEAR, that he called out. Sometimes we are so blind to faith that we forget our God until that last moment when we really need help. Had Peter not feared, not given up on his faith, he could have made it to Christ upon the water.



For further insight on this principle of applying faith we can read in the Doctrine and Covenants section 88 verse 67. “And if your eye be single, to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.”

Peter applied this type of faith his life and that is what allowed him to walk on water. Doubting, he did not make it all the way. But if we can have faith, with an eye single to the purpose of the Lord, he will reveal ALL things to us. The word single in this scripture is important. It refers to our motivations and dedication to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His glory will not be given to those who seek to use it for evil purposes. We must seek for His glory, not our own. The knowledge of God is all encompassing. He can show us truth, and light. As we have all learned in science the color white is really the encompassing of all colors. White light is considered to possess all earthly color. Therefore symbolically speaking, if we are full of the light of the spirit, we have been filled with all knowledge.

Dinner is SERVED!

Just had this for Dinner. Thank you Pinterest byway of RealmomKitchen.com I cut the recipe in half and it was enough to feed six... yes thats six... thank goodness some family came over to help eat it! Delish!!



Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate (I used a 14.5 oz box of Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne Rigate)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each), halved horizontally (I used some leftover cooked chicken)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced (I used 8 oz of button mushrooms)
1 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces) (I used an italian blend that had provolone in it)
1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. If you’re going to freeze one, use a disposable foil pan. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside.
While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. While chicken pan is still hot, toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Use a little extra olive oil if needed.(Since I used left over chicken, I just cooked the mushrooms in the olive oil)
In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot , melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer. Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and and gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes. If freezing, place remaining parmesan cheese in a zip-top baggie. If cooking, sprinkle on top.
Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Freezer instructions:

To freeze, prepare through step 4 and then let pasta cool. Cover pan well with plastic wrap. Place extra cheese in baggie (for topping) on top and then cover entire pan well with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, preheat oven to 400. Remove foil and plastic from pan and set cheese baggie aside. Place foil back on pan and bake for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil, stir pasta, and top with cheese. Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes (I only did 10 minutes) or until mixture is hot and bubbly throughout.

The Greates of Prophets

When the Disciples of John the Baptist were sent by John to Christ, they asked him if we was truly the Christ they had been waiting for. He said he was and that they should go back and tell John all they had seen. I suppose if I were one of the disciples I would have told him that I seen Christ preform miracles. He healed the sick and raised the dead. Christ also spoke to the people about John, telling them he was not just a mere man but one of the best men ever to walk the earth. He was the greatest prophet, the only one worthy of preparing the way for Christ.
John had the disciples go to Jesus not for his own reassurance but to help persuade the disciples that Jesus was the true Messiah. Many of his followers were having a hard time following Jesus because they had been loyal to John for so long. John was Christ prophet, he taught the words of Christ, but was not the figure to be worshiped. Much like Joseph Smith was the prophet who restored the Church in our day, but was not the one to BE worshiped. Christ is the head of our church, his prophets are the earthly leaders of it.
John the baptist is among the greatest of prophets because he was trusted by God to prepare a way for His Son to come to earth and be accepted by the people. This is no small calling. Only one highly favored by God would be given this task. He was the only one worthy to baptize the Son of God. Lastly, John was the only legal administrator of the priesthood power on earth. Being born of Zacharias, he had the lineage of the power of the priesthood and was the rightful administrator of that power. He fulfilled his calling with all righteousness.
Johns words in John 3:30 sum up his full attitude toward the savior when he says “He increase, but i MUST decrease.” He knew who Jesus was. He knew by divine revelation that Jesus was the Christ. He knew that this was the man he had prepared a people for and that they must follow Christ, not himself. He knew Jesus was the Savior.

Beatitudes

The foot notes in the Bible for Matthew 5:3a describe being blessed as gentile, forgiving or benevolent. Being blessed characterizes someone who is humble and has suffered in meekness. Therefore I would say the definition of blessed by these terms is someone who have meekly and humble suffered trials but forgives those who have trespassed them and retains a gentle demeanor.
The Beatitudes in this section of Matthew are attributes or “attitudes” we should live our life by. They are Be poor of spirit (need the spirit), Be mournful (of our unrighteous behaviors), Be meek, Be righteous, Be Pure in Heart, Be kind, Be peaceable, Be strong (in the face of persecution).
Three of these that are most important to me are being poor of spirit, Be peaceable, and Be strong. Being poor of spirit really means that we are seeking after the Spirit. When we crave the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives and seek to be worthy of it we will be on the straight and narrow path to our Heavenly Father. Being peaceable is important in all aspects of life. We need to have peaceful homes for our families to fee safe and comforted in. Our homes should be a peaceful refuge from the world. We should not speak harshly but search for solutions to problems and correct wrongs in kind ways to restore peace wherever we may be. Lastly, be strong is one of the most important beatitudes we can have in these last days. With so much turmoil in the world and Christianity being attacked on all angles we must stand our ground. We need to be pillars of light in a darkening world, strong influences of good for our families, and examples of the Jesus Christ when others will not.
Following the beatitudes Christ was teaching in Matthew will help you draw closer to the Spirit and be a disciple of Christ.

The Baptism of Jesus Christ

This week I will focus on the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist. In Matthew 3:14 John says “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” He was hesitant because he knew Jesus to be his Lord and Savior and felt he was not worth to even bear Jesus shoes. (Matt 3:11) But Christ needed to be baptized to “fulfill all righteousness”. (Matt 3:15) Even though he was perfect he needed to be baptized because it is a necessary gospel ordinance. He was being obedient to Gods commandments and proving his obedience by being baptized. He was also setting an example to all men. If we want to enter into the kingdom of got we must be baptized as Christ was.
After John baptized Jesus the scriptures say that the Holy Ghost “descended ‘like a dove’ and Luke adds that he cam in ‘bodily shape’. This means that the Holy Ghost came in his natural form, as a person but descended figuratively as a dove meaning innocently or with truth. Therefore we know that the Holy Ghost came to bear a truthful witness of Christ baptism. This is important because it teaches us the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are three separate beings. The evidence of this is clear for Christ is there and so is the Holy Ghost. They are in the same place and inhabiting to separate bodies. Therefore they are two separate beings. Also at this time a voice from heaven was heard saying “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The voice was heard, not spoken by a person present which means it was God the Father speaking. This is the third and final evidence that the three members of the Godhead are three separate beings. Christ was present at his baptism, the Holy Ghost descended and presented himself, and God spoke to all from the Heavens.
The example Christ set forth by being baptized shows us how me must also obey the commandments of God. If we do, we will have access to the still small voice of the Holy Ghost to direct us in our lives and lead us safely back to our Father in Heaven.

John the Babtist

This semester I am taking a class covering the New Testament mostly Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. So, each week I will be posting a blog about something we studied in class. Not only does this fulfill part of my lesson but I think it will be a good way to have gospel discussions and maybe share some of the gospel with people who don't know much or anything about Jesus Christ. I know most of the people that read my blog are LDS and know me well, but some are not and this could be a good way to share a simple spiritual message. I hope you enjoy my posts throughout the semester!

During the reign of King Herod there was a priest named Zacharias who was married to Elisabeth and they had never been able to have children. One day when Zacharias was working in the Temple and angel appeared to him. This angel proclaimed to Zacharias that his wife would bear a son and they were to name him John. A great blessing was then given to him about the child in which the angel declared that John would be highly favored by God even before he was born and should not drink strong drinks (wine) and that many would follow him. John would be filled with the Spirit of the Lord and have the power to bring people to repentance and remembrance of the Lord so that when the Lord came again he would have a people ready to accept Him. (Luke1:14)

John was a birth and life to be celebrated for he was given a special mission when he came to earth. Even before birth he knew his Lord and left in his mothers womb when Mary the mother of Jesus came to visit for he knew who she was and that she was the mother of Christ. Being directed so early by the influence and promptings of the Holy Ghost made him a ready disciple of Christ. He would teach those who had lost their way, heal the sick, and bring knowledge of salvation to all who would listen. This was significant because it was prophesied that John would come to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. His birth signified that Christ would soon be born which is why the people had cause to rejoice at this birth. (Luke 1:56-80)

We can learn even more of John by researching in the Bible Dictionary where there is a short account given of John the Baptists life and work. Having been born through "priestly" lineage and being taught by his parents and through the Spirit of the Holy Ghost John became the outstanding bearer of the Aaronic Priesthood meaning he exemplified and magnified his calling to the highest of standards. This he did to bring a people together that would be ready to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. His mission was significant and his work necessary to prepare for coming of Christ.

Below is a short One minute story of John the Baptists Birth.

Thank you Mr......

DYSON!!! I know... this is silly.... But I don't care! I've been married for almost four years and have bought three vacuums. Three cheap, on sale at target vacuums. Its safe to say none of them have survived. Did I just happen to get three lemons? I will never know... because as of now I have one that should "work properly" (said with English accent)My Sis. in Law got one two. Aren't we the cutest happy cleaning mommies EVER!!!

Yum!

Had to share! I made these last night and had some family over to try them out. I changed a few things (just because I had them in the cupboard already) and then added a bit of my own. Change one: I used Chunky Tomato Basil soup (Amy's brand) in place of diced Italian tomatoes. Second: I put a square of cheese in the middle cause that's how Grandma used to do it. Three: I added garlic powder to.. well everything. Haha. I noticed the meatloaf was juicier than usual because of the Soup so I do recommend cooking it a few minutes longer. Also, the soup keeps the meat looking pink so don't worry, it is cooked, but will still look pink. Yum!



HairChair to Highchair: Meatloaf Cupcakes : ): Um, yeah right ...that didn't last long!! Back to reality....God blessed me with the most picky eater on the face of the earth and it is m...

Dear Cook Children's...

Two months ago my little Hunny Bunny scratched her wittle forehead. No biggie right? Well that tiny spot has been the bane of my existence since then for it decided not to heal. Instead it became a Pylomated Granduloma... a what? A blood blister that just grows and bleeds and grows and bleeds. Poor hunny would wake up covered in blood after scratching it in her sleep. This smallest of scratches turned into spot that required surgery to be removed. So after two months and three Dr. opinions later we were at Cook's Children's. Thats right, I was at the same office with all the families who babies were undergoing serious life threatening operations and I sat alone wishing that this tiny spot had never happened. "How did we end up here?" I kept asking myself as moms and dads alike were praying, crying, and asking their priests for guidance. Well, my baby has special sensitive skin and the best way to take care of it was by putting her to sleep so the doctor could work on a still and non-screeming 8 month old.
We got there at 12:30 to register and get our pre-op consultations. Taeli wasn't allowed to eat past 8:30 so I was playing with fire hoping she would be distracted enough and not remember she was hungry. When I put her in the "little" gown with sleeves that went down to her knees I had to laugh. She looked like the tiniest purple robed thing I had ever seen. She was a really good baby that day.



She didn't like the hospital tags on her arm and leg. She wouldn't let her leg touch the table for about 5 mintues and she successfully chewed off the arm band.


The nurses were SO helpful! There was a baby playing area and I took turns entertaining her out there with balls (her fave) and a car she could ride on. The hard part was that being entertained by me reminded her that she was hungry. So every few minutes a nurse would come by and play with her. They would walk around and talk to other nurses and play with her toy.


She was gifted with three vanilla flavored pacifiers to help ward of the hunger!

The surgery before us took a bit longer than expected so we had to wait till 2:45 before she was taken back. Poor baby was starving by then!!! She got to take her bunny and Blanket with her into the operating room so she would be comfortable. They even put name tags on them. Her bunny still has the tag on its leg. I thought it was cute that Taeli and her friend both had hospital bracelets. They matched! I gave her a kiss and told her to be good and I would be waiting for here when she woke up and the nurse sang to her as they took her down the hall. I waited in the pre-op room till she was down the hall so she wouldn't see me and get upset.
Then I had to wait in the surgery center waiting room... thank goodness for having a large family. Every picture and text I sent had at least 7 replies to keep me occupied and help not picture my poor baby laying on the hospital bed with a gas mask, IV, and breathing tube. They called me when she asleep and said she did really well. She never cried, just went right to sleep. After that I relaxed a little and then noticed my surroundings... yes, the crying and praying families just hoping their children would live. One nine year old had a shattered knee because he has a disease that causes brittle bones and he was playing to hard one day. Apparently last year he shattered his elbow. One family was hoping that their child's tumor wasn't cancerous and all I was there for was a blister. Thank you, Thank you, for my healthy child. All I wanted to do then was hold her, squeeze her, and kiss her all day.
The surgery only took about 30 min and the Dr. came and told me the base of her granuloma was a lot smaller than expected and if she does have a scar it will be as small as a freckle! I got to go sit with her after that so I could be there when she woke up. That way she never knew I was gone and I could feed the poor starving Hunny as soon as she was awake enough.


Little Sleeping Hunny. Her face was all splotchy from the surgical tape.

She looked like such a Tiny big girl lying there asleep on that bed! She had her blanket all tucked up around her and was sleeping peacefully with a vanilla flavored pacifier. She slept for about 20 minutes and then I held her in her gingerbread man suit. They put these guards on her arms so she could grab at her face. good thing they made it so she couldn't reach her foot either because she did NOT like the IV or the pulse monitor attached to her toe. We ate and played until she was awake enough to be sent home. She did SO good! She has a liquid bandaid and a normal one on top of that that will stay on for a week. Then we go back to the Dr. in three weeks to make sure all is well.


Not quite awake but happy and playing with there gingerbread man arm guards.
I am SO glad its over. I love her. <3

Update Time!

Since I"m so horrible at keeping up with this my first post will be an accumulation of moments since Taeli was born. And fun things we've done :)



This is after Taeli's Baby Blessing. She had both her grandpa', her dad (of course!) and her ucle's and friends join in on her blessing. It was a very sweet moment.



Afterwards we all went to my Brother in Law Grady's and had BBQ. This is a testament to how randomly warm it got in Texas this year. It was February... and we didn't even need jackets!



In May we went to Port Aransas, TX after Mike got married. Taeli did pretty good at the Beach. She liked the water but did not like being sticky and sandy afterward. This trip gave me my first experience with mom and baby co-showering... I couldn't get the sand off of her without getting my sand on her! So in we both went! It was slippery and hard to wash my hair but we got clean non the less.




Anna and I walked the beach hunting for treasure and found lots of pretty shells and friend Mr. Crab



I don't know where the family pictures went but here is Taeli and I on the Fourth. It was ... HOT



Taeli's friend Cozi turned one. It was our first time at a baby birthday! The theme was Hungry Caterpillar and Cozi's mom did a great job with the decorations. Some of them ended up on Taeli's head. If you cant tell she is wearing caterpillar antennas.



We braved Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho. Its a spot where volcanos erupted and left a huge "sea" of volcanic rock. There are caves you can go through as you hick around the part. This cave was pitch black by the time you walked to the back of it. Caves and babies are not the best combo but it was really fun! I nursed her in one of the caves haha. By the time we saw all the caves Taeli was pretty done so her and Brett Hightailed it back to the car. We had her in a front carrier and she wasn't a huge fan. We should have used the stroller.




Yellow Stone National Forrest is beautiful!! This was one of many gorgeous places we stopped to see/ take picture/ oooh and ahhh. Picturesque, perfect, love it.



It went off about ten minutes after this. Pretty cool.




Ole Faithful! And Brett.

We had so much fun this summer and I wish I had pictures of every moment! Our Washington Family (Matt and Ashley) came for 4th of July and we had a blast with them! Family pics, Saltgrass, Chillin, and trying to stay cool was the main even this year.
Taeli has learned to sit up, crawl, wave bye, got a tooth, and can even say a few words. Time sure does fly!!

Hello Blog!

Hello Again! It's almost a whole year! Wow I am Bad at blogging! We have had a child, quit jobs, got new ones, almost moved, stayed where we are, traveled, sent my brother on a mission, watched my Little sis graduate High School, gone crazy and back again... all in one year! Haha. Well that's our life in a nutshell! Lol. Taeli is 6 months old now and is the silliest baby girl ever! She is almost crawling and we Love Love Love her! I'm still doing BYUI online and will graduate... by the time i'm 30!! Haha I"m not working at the salon anymore so that I can stay home with my baby girl and I could not be happier about it! She is a sweet heart. Brett works a lot and is still doing school as well so he is a busy man! He works hard for his girls and we are always happy when he is home! This summer is going to be full of fun so hopefully I will be better about keeping up! Above is a Pic of our little family after Taeli's baby blessing.