Ready, Set, Go

Ski Bunny

Mardi Gras Visitors and Red Lodge

Well we had a little bit of home come to us this past weekend. Our good friends the Trahans came in for a vistit over the Mardi Gras Holiday. If you remember our post with Alayna. One of my Faithful Babysitters in Lousina. Both her and her parents came in for a visit. The girls went with me to the airport to pick them up. They were to say the least estatic! The Trahans brought with them some Boudin, crawfish tails, Beads and King Cake. Clair made us her famous Crawfish Fettucine. And Faith was able to share the Beads and Cake with her class at school. It was fun for both Faith and I to share with her class about the tradition of Mardi Gras. I miss the rich culture of the State.

Alfred and Alayna wanted to take on the slopes at Red Lodge Mountain, It is only about an hour from our house. I decided to take Faith up on Tuesday, Or Fat Tuesday as she learned. I thought I would have a frustrated little girl on the slopes. Not a change. After an hour of lessons she was ready to go. Fast. I would tell her to slow down and turn. "No mommmy I want to go fast" was her reply. I was very impressed. She reminded me of my Brother KayCee, when he was learning to ski.

All in All we had a great vacation. I would have never taken up the trip to Red lodge if our friends had not come. Clair watched the toddlers while Bret took care of Austin at the resort, So I could take a break when necessary to feed him.

We all are still surviving our colds. Yes we were all a little sick through it all. They thought it was funny I had halls in my candy Jar, but they came in handy. It was nice weather, I thought, but the cold weather Clair was hoping for came after she left. It is now 10 degrees outside and six inches of snow on the ground. brrrrrrrr..

Valentine Flowers

Random thoughts

I have been tagged a lot lately on 25 facts about me, husband and me trivia, and earlier I was tagged on sharing my testimony. That one was a while ago. I wondered where I would find time to answer such questions or have the time to think up witty and interesting responses, then take the extra time to spell check and grammer. Most of you know I am the worst at this. I try to ask my husband to review things before I post, but he usually ends up getting it a few days latter after I have already posted it, which likely will be the case with this post. So if you are reading it on the first day, you get the unedited edition. Sorry. Anyways I wanted to share some thoughts about me my husband and my testimony. In order to sum them all up together in one.

First of all I am so lucky to have Bret in my life. I often tell him he is everything I never knew I wanted. How could I have known when I was in my early 20's that I needed someone who gives me such confidence, always focuses on my good and never gets angry with me (not that we do not have our differnces) He picks up after himself and picks up the slack when I am at the end of my rope. How did I know that I would need someone to teach me so many lessons of frugality, which I am still trying to put in practice. I never have to encourge him to do his work or his Church callings. He is the best father the kids could ask for. He truly provides for us as a family temporaly and spiritualy. He was heaven sent. The flowers are one's he got me for Valentine's Day, however he rarely needs an occasion to bring some home. These were closed up when he brought them but are now in full bloom. They are kind of exotic which reminds me of our time in Venezuela!

I believe we each have purpose in this world, we were each sent down to this earth at specific time with specific families and friends to surround us. And Bret was sent to complete me (cheeze I know) but true.

Now that we have had #5, and Yes we are done! I feel like our family is complete and my mission as a mother and wife on earth has only started. It is such an awesome and overwhelming responsibility. I cannot do it without help and I pray to God that he is with me everyday to help raise these children that he has placed in my custody. I know God has answered my prayers in the past and I rely on him to continue answering them in the future to get by.

At different times in my life I learned great truths. While a missionary I learned that God has organized a church on this earth. In 1820 the fullness of his Gospel was restored. What does that mean to me? That I have every blessing available to me in order to find complete happiness and return and live with my Father in Heaven, along with my dear husband, children, parents, siblings, and friends who encourage me along the way.

While attending the Temple I learned that there is a place on this earth to go and find peace, a place of refuge from the craziness of life, a place to refocus and on the meaning of this life and feel the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

I know that serving others brings Joy to my life, Although I have to remember balance so I do not take on too much. My main service is in the home right now. While in Lake Charles I learned from many of dear friends that we need to rely on each other and allow others into our live to save us when needed. God often sends us friends, I have been on the receiving end so many of times.... (Thank you)

And finally I know that Christ is our Savior, I have made mistakes as we all do, big and small, but through Christ I am able to be forgiven, pick my self up again and keep going. He is my light. He is my joy. He is my everything.

Alligator or Elevator

I took Austin to the Doctor for his 3 month check up and shots the other day. Since I am still new in town and have a horrible time asking people to watch my kids I just took the whole gang along with me. I was actually pretty impressed, they did well. I only had to run after Jace once when he took up the stairs to the third floor. I bribed the girls with some Sprite after if they would behave. When we left for the sprite, Allie and Lindsay asked where the Alligator was. I was thinking they were remembering the Alligator that was in the Lake Charles Hospital. You know how each state has these new statues of Animals, Montana has Horses. I told the girls the Alligator was not in this Hospital. Yes it is mom see. and they pointed to the Elevator, and pronounced it Alligator again. it was too cute I could not correct them.