My baby is just growing and growing....

 December - 8 Months Old

 November - 7 Months Old

 October - 6 Months Old

 September - 5 Months Old

August - 4 Months old

Christmas has come and gone....

But oh what a wonderful Christmas it was.  I always build up the holiday season to something so unattainable and out of reach and always feel like I was left out in the cold.  I really did not want that to happen again this year.  So I decided to make it about making memories, spreading good cheer and helping the girls to understand what the Christmas season is really all about.  So instead of trying to schedule something Christmas every night, I let Christmas just happen.  If there was a Christmas movie on NetFlix, we watched it.  If there was a street with Christmas lights, we stopped to check it out.  If the girls book of choice for the night was a Christmas one, we read it.  If I felt like baking, I did.  The one thing I had to have was KOST 103.5 Christmas music playing in the call all through December.  There was no way I was gonna let that pass.  I just did not want to FORCE Christmas.  i wanted it to happen naturally.  To my pleasure, it did. Early on I noticed that the girls were all about Santa and presents, so we made a trip over to Toys R Us and bought ourselves the Fisher Price, Little People Nativity scene.  I wanted to make sure the girls knew why we celebrated Christmas and to understand the beauty and majesty of the holiday season.  Boy did they love that Nativity, they played with it all December long.  They created stories and rein acted the story of Jesus birth over and over.  My heart delighted in watching my girls tell the story of the baby Jesus. 

We made sure to stop by Joann's Fabric store a few days before Christmas to pick ornaments for the tree.  Every year the girls get to pick 1 ornament.  The best time to do this is a few days before Christmas because all holiday items are 70% off.  So its very budget friendly.  The girls all ran off separately to find their special ornament.  When they returned to me, each of my girls held a different ornament.  Different, but the same.  Madison chose a fairly princess with wings and a crown in a pretty light blue dress.  jacquelynn chose a lovely fairy princess with a red dress and a crown. Brooklyn chose a fairy princess with a pretty pink dress and a wand.  She also chose a snow angel with wings and a crown for Sutton.  So as you can see, my girls are true fairy princesses at heart.  I am excited to see who chooses what next year. 

We were the only family here in California this year.  It made my mom sad, but I thought it went well.  I miss my brothers and their families, but I understand that life takes us to far away places and there is just nothing you can do about it except hope that everyone is safe and happy in their own parts of the world. 

The joy of this Holiday season fills my soul and I am blessed knowing that my Savior walked on this earth and took upon himself the sins of the world so that through him I can be perfect and whole.  I know that my redeemer died for me and broke the bonds of death by living again.  I pray that every person can be touched by the love of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Rejoice the Lord is King.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A Craftaholics Christmas Exchange!

 Madison Picked Pink

 I love the Red Ring

 Joshlyn grabbed this one right away!

 Mommy picked this one out for Sutton

 Jacquelynn wanted to match in Navy Blue

 I just had to have a headband match my ring

We loved the home made advent.  I think I am gonna start collecting cute advents.

I joined in on the Cragtaholics Anonymous homemade gift exchange and I had a blast.  My new craftaholic friend is Jenn and she sent me a bunch of fun and frilly headbands, rings and homemade hair flowers.  She also made this cutie advent calender.  I loved being a part of this. 

A Senior In Red and Blue.....

 Very Proud Dad

 Very Proud Mom

 Jossy doing her thing

 Friendship

 Show that Patriot Spirit You Big Senior

 Go Beckman Go

 One Seriously Cute Teenager

Two Very Proud Parents

Joshlyn had her Senior recognition night at the Beckman High School Football Game.  We were so very proud of her.  To be honest, I never thought I would see this day.  Joss is a star and we are so very proud of her.  Who knew that I would be walking onto a football field with my own Senior.  

Go Joshlyn!

7 is a BIG number!

 Ready to take over Disneyland

 Patiently waiting....and waiting.....and waiting.

 Custom made shirts by Big SIS

 Madison's 7th Birthday

 More Waiting

 Silly Band exchange and Lunch

 The cheapest way to eat with a BIG group @ Disneyland

 O what a fun filled day.

 This just makes me laugh

Yep.....the calender says November 22 nd, but at Disneyland.....it is Christmas all the time.


Madison celebrated her 7th Birthday at the Happiest Place on Earth.  She brought along a few of her most favorite people.  We spent the day standing in lines, singing, laughing, conquering the "scary" rides, chatting, trading silly bands, taking pictures, eating, smiling and just having a great time.  Although it was PACKED, the girls had a great time.  I for one loved the fact that I did not have to plan a big party, nor did I have to clean it up.  So yay me.

Happy Birthday My BIG kid. 

WHy I'm Mormon - Guest Post

Why I'm a Mormon

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

0 Comments

I should not be Mormon. I was raised in a very troubled home where religion was twisted and distorted. I should have run away from the LDS church, screaming! Everything from my early life pointed me towards being non-religious. What happened? I picked up and read the Book of Mormon. The book spoke directly to my heart and soul, like no other book could. And I have read many wonderful, poignant books to compare it to. And even now, decades later, I cannot outgrow that book. It always stays a few paces ahead of me, opening my eyes, filling my heart with new concepts and light.

That book taught me that Jesus is the Christ, He is a personal Savior, who in every sense of the phrase, is the "true and living" God. "True and living" means "here and now". It means He is actively seeking us in our troubles right this very now. We can have as much conscious contact with Him as we strive for and allow.

I know the Savior loves me, loves all of me. My strengths, my weaknesses, my struggles, my yearnings, my strivings. These are things I have come to know through my membership in the Mormon Church. I am Mormon because it is a huge blessing to be one. My membership in the church brings peace, confidence and brightness of hope. Rare commodities in today's world!

I have heard a lot of people put down and contort the LDS faith. Mostly through false information, through quotes taken out of context and with the blinding emotions of hate and anger. Satan fights our church very hard. I would invite anyone who has been duped by such tactics to take a simpler, more peaceful path. Read the Book of Mormon and decide for yourself what it really is. I would plead with you to not absorb your opinion from someone else who has an agenda.

There is peace, there is hope and there is direction. Finding it and grabbing a hold of it has been the best journey of my life.

Why are you Mormon?

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guest post by Shawnie of Classic Moms Corner

Super Girls to the Rescue!

The Villa girlie's stole the show on Friday night at the Irvine Stake Trunk-or-Treat.  I had a gaggle of Super Girls in tow.  What a fun night for everyone.  I could not believe how HUGE this Trunk-or-Treat was this year.  Unbelievable.  Car after car after car after car off yummy treats.  The Supers were in trick-or-Treat heaven.