We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.

Each little village here has their own tree lighting and events, our village had a fun event right next to our house at the outdoor mall.  I took Maddy and Rylan and Scott stayed home with Ian. When you go they give you a little booklet that you can get stamps from each store.  Certain stores had free things to give away, they had a horse drawn carriage, and a little mini train, and we decided to try an area novelty   "Dick's Donuts!"  They were delicious!  They also had a parade, tree lighting and Santa! Rylan was picked to be Joseph in our church's nativity reenactment.  Isn't he so cute! He took the job very seriously and carefully listened to the director and led his Mary to the Inn, and then to the stable. I found Maddy a christmas skirt and made the boys some matching bow ties, it was too cute to NOT take a picture! Scott was being extra helpful and making the kids laugh while I took the pictures, this particular one he was putting a...

I had a very interesting and inspiring thing happen to me last week.   The day before Thanksgiving I was making rolls and I took off my wedding ring so I could roll out the dough. Scott and I went out to dinner that night with some friends and I noticed that I had forgot to put my ring back on. When we got home I looked where I had thought I placed it (on the kitchen counter) but it was NOT there!   I checked every drawer, crevice, you name it.   I thought that maybe I had put it in my pocket and that maybe it had fallen out of my pocket while we were at dinner.   I called the restaurant, nothing.   I was heartbroken and distraught, Scott worked so hard to pay for that ring when we were dating, and then two years ago he added more diamonds to it.   I felt like I had disappointed him. I prayed that I would be able to find it, or at least understand where it had gone.     Scott’s sister Breezi and her family from Ohio came to visit and we had ...

I am so pleased with my little Rylan.  He is doing so well in school.  He really struggled last year when we moved in the middle of the year because the schools were at different levels.  Illinois has a higher level of education and he was behind when we got here, but thanks to insightful teachers, speech therapists, aids, and a wonderful principal we feel like he is finally caught up and at the same level as his classmates.  I met with his teacher last night and she just adores him and tells me that he is so kind and friendly with everyone.  He doesn't single anyone out, but he is friends with everyone.  I think he might be hesitant to make a close friend, because we have moved so much in his little life. She also said that he participates well, makes good choices and tries to influence the rest of the class to do the right thing.  That makes me feel so proud!  For scripture study each morning we are working on memorizing the Articles of Faith h...

Grandma & Grandpa Young drove all the way from Idaho to visit us!  It took them 2 1/2 days because they stopped at Mt. Rushmore, but they got here around 1:00 pm and we were all so excited and when Rylan got off the bus, they were there waiting for him! With G & G Young comes the I-pad which is a good way for Grandmas and Grandpas to get to actually hold their grandkids all they want.   Ian learned quite a bit from the I-pad just from their time here.   Ian has learned to say, "cheese" whenever someone points a camera at him  I am sorry to say that we didn't do that much, and when I asked them what they wanted to do they said that just wanted to watch me be a mom and play with the kids. They even babysat while Scott and I went to a dance, and when Scott was out of town I went to play with friends one Friday.  I felt guilty leaving but they insisted on letting me have a night out away from kids.  We did hav...

We were able to celebrate Halloween twice this year!  Our ward had a party which I didn't take any pictures at except for right before we left the house.  Rylan:  Calvin from the comic Calvin & Hobbes Madelyn: a mermaid Ian: a cowboy  M'Lynn was a Packers fan, she had just gotten her hair cut and so she styled it into a mowhawk and put eyeliner under her eyes.  I was a cowgirl but didn't take a picture but someone at the party did, so I will have to see if I can get a copy. I was busy "man"-ing the bouncy house...whoa those kids were crazy!  The YW were also in charge of face painting(which M'Lynn did) and a fish pond, and freeze dance the kids had so much fun.  I believe there was also a cake walk, and something with shooting marshmallows?  Then we went around to all the classrooms and trick-or-treated since our building and parking lot is under construction, we stayed inside. M'Lynn spraying Rylan's hair yel...

It was another gorgeous fall day, M'Lynn headed outside to start raking our huge backyard, and soon Rylan joined her, then our neighborhood boy, Madelyn, then Ian and I joined in on the fun.  We have three enormous oak trees and between the three of them our backyard was covered and you could hardly see the grass anymore.  When we first put Ian in the leaves he freaked, but soon after he was jumping in by himself                          The kids decided to build a fort and hallow out the middle and build walls                                                      ...