December

I love December, it's always been my favorite time of year. I eat way too much chocolate and I like to snuggle in my warm bed and I get two weeks off. I am trying to keep the spirit of the Holiday and remember my savior and his life. It helps to be done with Christmas gifts, I start way early and it not only is a financial necessity but it helps me not to have all the stress so I enjoy the month more. We watched It's a Wonderful Life with Zara and Jazmine who had never seen it. We got our Christmas tree and I LOVE the smell in my home. Candi and Mike came down on the 10th for a Christmas dinner. We went to pick up Blaine before Thanksgiving at the LA Airport and his flight was delayed so the girls and I went to the Temple to see the Christmas light. Devonn and Carla gave a us a trip to Disneyland for Christmas and we enjoyed the day so much. I rode Space Mountain with James and Pirates with Andrew. It was a beautiful day, it began to rain around 5 pm but we needed to leave anyway as it was a school night. I am looking forward to Christmas day next week. Emilee and Gary will be down. I miss Quinn and Garrett and my prayers are with both of them with their trials. I will post Christmas Day pics.

Thanksgiving

It was nice to have everyone together. We missed Quinn but he will hopefully be home for Christmas! I am grateful for my family! I love each one of them for their uniqueness. I am so proud of each for their own accomplishments. I love my grandchildren, they are all so very precious to me.

Halloween 2011

We had a nice Halloween, the kids came over and went trick or treating, we had carved pumpkins Sunday night. Jazmine and Zara went trick or treating with friends, and Quinn dressed up and handed out candy. I watched the old movie Halloween for the first time, lol. I am ready for colder weather now.

October birthdays

Busy Busy Month. We've been going to Andrew's soccer games on Sat.'s he plays so cute, really goes after the ball. Jazmine and Zara went to a halloween party on the 21st with the exchange cluster, they had a lot of fun. The girls went to youth conference and a dance. Emilee came down twice, once for a few days then again on her birhtday. It was fun being with her and having her here. Lexi had a birhtday party here at the house on the 22nd. Blaine retired and we went to a retirement luncheon on the 19th then he left today for a month trip to visit his dad in Arkansas and help him out and work for him on his property. I will miss him a lot. Jazmine had her bday party tomorrow night, friends pizza and dinner, picture to follow, then they head to the homecoming game. Tiff Zara and Jazmine will then go to a movie on Sat. I will probably go to Dylan's bday party too.

The Fair 2011

Well we (Me, Dad, Grannie, Jazmine, Zara, Kate, Quinn, James and Andrew) went to the fair for Quinn's birthday this year. I really enjoyed myself. We saw the animals and the petting zoo was amazing this year. We walked through some boring buildings according to the boys and I bought my fudge. We then let the boys ride a few rides. Andrew went on the Ferris wheel with Jazmine, James went down the slide and it was cheaper than the ferris wheel so he went on a fun house that was a dud. WE then went to the big rides and Kate rode an upside down coaster with Quinn, Jaz went on some spinning ride and then James, Zara and I went on the one that goes in a circle fast with loud music. James loved it. Quinn then spoiled the boys with some souvenirs.

Labor Day

We took Zara to Port Hueneme for a day at the beach. She had never seen the ocean before. We had a great time, Grannie met a friend down there and Emilee and Gary joined us. Quinn, Devonn Carla and the kids came. They sure had fun. Kids just love the beach. I love it too, so relaxing. We left around 3 and headed to the arcade. That was a lot of fun and Blaine got his salt water taffy. We went to Taco Bell on our way home.

Zara's here

We picked up Zara from the airport last Sunday. She is such a bright, sweet girl. We will have fun being her American family, she will fit right in.

Back to work and some exciting new adventures

Well I started back to work a week early, which will help tremendously. We were really blessed that I was able to work summer school and an extra week after school and before school. Jazmine is a senior this year and we are hosting an exchange student from Pakistan. We are picking Zara up at the airport on Sunday. Blaine retires in October and is then going back to Arkansas for a month to work with grandfather. This will be the longest he has ever been away from me. He will help grandfather drive back before Thanksgiving. Then he has to find a part time job to help us pay off bills for the next 3 years before we move out of Bakersfield. I will post some pictures of Zara when she arrives.

3rd and 4th of July

We had a great time. The 3rd we went to our annual fireworks show in Shafter. Emilee and Gary surprised us and came down after church. Devonn cooked dinner for us and then we went to the show. Lance and his family and Micah and his family and Luke and Garrett met us there. We also saw the Rasmussen's out there for the first time. The show was nice great fireworks! Monday the 4th was a lazy day. We went to the pancake breakfast at the church, later we swam and BBQ'd just us and then shot off a few fireworks in the front yard. I enjoyed the 3rd with most of the family.

A Post for Me

I was having trouble sleeping and just wanted to post something for me, last month we were going through a very hard time watching Garrett living on the streets, sleeping in parks and pan handling for heroin. We prayed continually for some kind of intervention, not really knowing what to do, then in Sunday school we had a lesson about the prodigal son. Sister Ricks gave me a book to read called When a Child Wanders, I read it and the underlying message was of hope and love and to never give up and to love them unconditionally. In Releif Society we had a lesson on a talk by Uchdorf called The Love of God, the ultimate thing we are to learn while on this earth, to love. We knew we could not let him in our home when he was using Heroin, we continued to pray. Then he was arrested for being under the influence. They held him for 16 hours, we agonized on what to do when he got out, we prayed. I continued to pray up until I got the call at 3 am to pick him up, he was beginning to have withdrawals, was I to drop in off back at the park? We had no where for him to go, when the phone rang I knew what I had to do and Blaine agreed, when i picked him up I asked him if he wanted to get clean, I told him he would have to detox cold turkey, no methadone etc. He agreed and Blaine took 3 days off work, after the initial 3 day withdrawal he left but then came back and we told him for two weeks not to go anywhere. He didn't and the 2 weeks is up and he is still staying put but he is suffering from depression. He has tested clean, I know he has a very long, long way to go and counseling to figure things out for himself. I continue to pray daily that he will feel the spirit again and that he will heal. All I can do is love him and hope and pray and have faith that somehow his mind and body will be healed. I want so much to do as Uchdorf said and express greater love to my family and my neighbor. I am so blessed with a wonderful family, wonderful husband, wonderful children and the most adorable smart grandchildren. Now maybe I can get to sleep, I am getting up early for Quinn's 7 am graduation.

Kaydance

It's been awhile since we have seen Kaydance then Amanda called me and asked if we could babysit her while she went with family and friends to Six Flags. Of course I said yes! She is such a sweet little girl. We get to take her to church with us tomorrow. Jazmine and Tiffny have been playing with her. Blaine read her a bedtime story and she went right to sleep in Jazmine's room.