Elegante

I need to catch up!

2012-01-18T11:20:00.000-08:00

Although i need to catch up on my family blog, I have chosen to work on my personal fitness blog for the next few months... Please go to this blog and follow! http://losingitwithjoni.blogspot.com/ Thank you!!

Chick Cruise to the Bahamas

2011-02-26T17:06:00.001-08:00

February 5, 2011 Cruise to the Bahamas with Jen, Meg, Mandy and Kim!

Half Moon Cay was our favorite place we stopped at! Very beautiful, warm and relaxing! We could have stayed on that island the whole trip!

On of the Many pictures of my Bestie Meg! We had some good laughs and just enjoyed spending time together.

Love, love, love all these ladies! Thanks for the 8 days in paradise! Looking forward to Cruise of 2012!!

It's GREAT to be EIGHT!

2010-11-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

Shelby was baptized by her big brother Jordan on November 6th. This was a very exciting day for everyone! We are so proud of Shelby for making the decision to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. She will be an amazing member and we look forward to her growing Strong in the church. We were so thrilled that Jordan wanted to baptize her and did an amazing job,, in fact while he was baptizing her I couldn't help but think of his mission coming up in 1 and a half years and it brought tears to my eyes! Amazing day for both of them!

We all look like we are on death row! LOL

Shelby was confirmed that same day by her Grandfather Dan! So proud of my baby girl! Hard to believe she is the last one. They grow so fast!! Love you Shelby Jean Marie:)

Madison turns 13!

2010-10-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

Madison Michele turns 13 today! Where have all the years gone? Madi has grown into a beautiful young woman! She has the cutest personality and is wise beyond her years! It's so nice to have a daughter to do things with, to laugh with to be silly with! As a mother, I am so proud of Madison for the example she is to not only her siblings but to those around her.

I can't believe she is only 13! She looks 16 in this picture!

This is the Madi face we all Love!! Happy Birthday sissy!! We all love you so much!

She's BACK")

2010-10-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

Madi's new team! Utah FC U14! Madi is twelve playing with girls that are 2 years older then her and guess what? She had the best season EVER! She is back in the game 100%! She has worked very hard and is in the best shape ever.

Natalie and Madi back together again! They both played on different teams last year and had a hard time being away from each other!

Madison plays most of the game, she only gets to sit out for about 5 minutes, so here she is waiting to go back in.

Chasing the ball, she plays defense.

Madi and team doing their cheer before the game starts!! Congratulations Team on Placing 1st in the Utah County U14 division!

Football!

2010-10-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

As Dakota would say FUTBALL! Dak is playing for the Orem Tigers tackle football team and LOVES it! He was born to play Futball!

He has had 5 games and only lost one. they are on track for the number 2 seed in the tournament!

We have all learned a little bit about the game and cheer the team on every Saturday

They practice 3 days a week for 2 hrs each day! Dakota comes home Hungry, hot and sweaty!

Sometimes we get little scared when he gets thrown on the ground and he has been carried off the field a few times but he is a trooper and gets back into the game as soon as he can!

Good Job Dakota! We are so proud of you!

Goodbye Sweet Cola!

2010-09-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

December 17,2005-September 19,2010

Cola passed away last night in John's arms peacefully! He was so kind, loving and very protective of his family. We enjoyed the short years we had him. We have wonderful memories of Cola and we will cherish them always. We were sad to see him go but, we know that he is no longer in pain. It's always heart wrenching to see your children go through loosing a pet, the memories are still so fresh. Shelby stayed home with mom today and they comforted each other. We love you Cola and you will be in our hearts forever! Rest in peace our little one.

Back to school

2010-09-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

My babies have grown up! Shelby is in Second grade and Dakota is in fourth! The first day of school is always so fun for the little ones, the older ones know whats coming and as you can see by Jordan's photo he is not so happy about this first day of school! Jordan is a senior this year, i can't believe it!! I am feeling so old! Madison is in 7th and has made the move to the big school. We are looking forward to this very busy school year!

Happy Birthday Jordan!

2010-08-16T11:06:00.001-07:00

Jordan turned 17 yesterday! Where has all the time gone? It seems like he was just born yesterday. He is a senior this year, this makes me feel OLD!! Time to get the college scholarship paperwork filled out, and all that fun stuff! We are so proud of Jordan, he has got to be the eaisest teenager on the planet!! He is a joy to have in our family! Happy Birthday Jordan!!

Adam's Canyon

2010-07-17T22:38:00.000-07:00

Adam's Canyon is located on the East Bench of Layton. You start hiking up a steep incline in SAND! I must say that was the hardest part of the hike. Soon you wrap around a hill and head straight into the mountain, where we found shade and cool temperatures! This is the most beautiful hike I have been on! There was so much to look at, it was the perfect day in every way!

This is a common picture of Karen and I being that we hike every Wednesday and Saturday together! We have been having so much fun together and we are looking forward to reaching our goals by the summers end!

My Mom has never been on a hike in her whole life, so we brought her along for her very first adventure. Shelley said we are never going to be invited for a weekend and her house because, this was not on the agenda! Guess what? She is just as addicted to hiking as we are and we have already planned an over night hike for the 5Th of August!! Derek is a pro at hiking and had no problems, he even helped us over the rocks and through the sand!!

I love this picture of Shelley, you can't tell me she wasn't having fun!!

Mom was having a hard time going down so Derek held on to her as if she was on a dog leash, we laughed about this for hours!!

The river was so awesome, It was so peaceful and relaxing! I could sit by it for hours.

Love this picture of my mom's face!!! She was like wait, I want to be in this one!!!

Finally making it back to the car!! This was a big accomplishment for my Mom and sister Shelley! So proud of them!!

Braces!

2010-07-15T11:05:00.001-07:00

So, we finally made it to the day Madi has been waiting for! BRACES!! Little did she know what she was in for!

How come they didn't have this device when I got mine on? This made for a very fast placement of her braces!

I love this picture, because i told her to smile and it really looks like she is trying to, lol she must think I'm the most embarrassing mother but, i don't care I thought it was fun!!

She picked red and blue bands and on the way home I had to laugh because she was looking in the mirror and Say's " I should have picked bands that accented my eye's!! Who thinks like that?? So funny.. Today she is on ibuprofen and not eating much and a little cranky but, this will pass in a few days and she will get used to them..

Samuel Jefferson Adair

2010-06-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

This statue is my Great, Great, Great Grandfather who was one of the men that Brigham Young sent to settle Dixie! It was fun to see this large 7 foot statue and I'm so glad my children were able to see him too!! Got to love Genealogy!!!

Hiking the "Y"

2010-06-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the beginning of the entrance to the "Y" mountain! I went to bed Sunday night filled with anxiety about this hike we were about to go on, I layed awake all night trying to tell myself that I could do it and when it came time to really head up that trail i was so scared! I didn't want my children see me fail!!

I was a little nervous that John was not with us because I knew I could only help myself at this point make it to the top. I didn't worry about Madi and Marisa, i knew they could do it, it was more Shelby and Dakota i worried about. This might sound a little crazy but i told them they couldn't hang on me or I'd never make it!! Shelby walked up like it was just a walk in the park, Dakota struggled about half way but, he and I had a talk and we put on our brave faces and kept moving!

When we finally arrived at the top, i just wanted to cry! I made it, I made it!!! I would never have been able to do this had i not had the support of my sisters and my kids! My sisters helped with my kids and i am so thankful!!

The kids and I at the top! All of us so happy to have made it! It's not a long hike, but straight up and going down was a challenge!

Shelby and I hiking the last stretch:) We all had a blast and want to do it again soon! Karen and I have made plans to hike Timp at the end of summer. I better get loosing those last 40 lbs:)

Me and 3 of my cute amazing sisters, Julie, Shari and Karen! We missed you Shelley!

End of School Programs

2010-05-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

Shelby had her graduation from 1st grade today! I enjoyed their program. They had planned to have a picnic in the park after but we had a huge snow storm so we had the picnic in her room! It was fun to spend some time with my sweet Shelby!

Shari with some of shelby's friends!

Doing a little dance to their song! This was my favorite:)

Getting ready for the big program, i think they were very nervous! They did a fantastic job! Now, on to 2nd grade!!!

Madi participated in a 2 month program called NOVA, it used to be called DARE. They learned a lot about drugs and other important things like how to pick good friends and to be good examples to others around. This is Madi getting her certificate for finishing the program. So proud of you Madi and for the great good choices you make.

Dakota had to make a simple machine, he and his dad made a crane with a pulley and magnets.Here he is demonstrating his machine! He worked very hard on this and I'm so proud of him!

The fourth grade student always put on a recorder concert for all the parents, they have worked on their songs all year! Always a great program!!!

Mother's Day

2010-05-12T07:43:00.001-07:00

We had a barbecue at Chris and Kristen's home on Sunday, and I'm so glad the weather was clear for and hour or two! We gave my Mother a stepping stone for her garden and she loved it!

Not sure what Madison was staring at but this picture shows her new hair cut! She looks like a teenager now! Yikes she will be one in October!!!

I am so amazed at how into my weight lose program my family is! Jordan bought me some workout shoes, he even got me the same ones i have but different color. I love them!! John and the kids got me my very own IPod, now i don't have to borrow Madi's!!! Madi stayed up late on Saturday putting songs on it so i could jump right into my workouts!! John made me breakfast in bed and made Gluten free whole wheat waffles! My family is the best and so thoughtful and loving. I had the best mothers day ever!! What a blessing it is to be a Mother and to have these wonderful children to take care of! My life would not be complete without these 4 special spirits and a wonderful husband!!! Thanks for making Mother's day special and for your support and love!

My little Cub!

2010-05-10T07:03:00.000-07:00

Dakota is playing big boy baseball and is on the Cubs! He is enjoying every minute of it! I am thrilled to have him enjoy the sport as much as I do! He is in the learning stage and is so dedicated. I have had to miss a few of his games due to soccer in Salt Lake but we are done with soccer this week, so I can go to the rest of the games!

Here he is running to first base but wanted to drop his Bat off first! Always so kind and worries about others. WE LOVE BASEBALL! GO DAKOTA:)

Womens Conference

2010-05-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity to spend Thursday at Women's conference with my Mom, Sisters and Friends! We had a great time and enjoyed the classes. We left at 8 A.M and got home around 10 P.M. I have been such a freak about my exercises program and was trying to figure out how i could fit that in so i ran stairs in the Marriott Center, have you ever gone from bottom to top without holding on to the rail? Let me tell you, that is exercise!!!!
We attended the concert that night and the MC was Hillary Weeks! She is an amazing LDS singer/songwriter and has the funniest personality! The music was fabulous! Best day I've had in a long time:)

Look at all these women in one place!! OK, there were a few men....

P.S... Thats Hillary standing next to me!! Julie and I got brave and went down to the floor to get our pictures:)

Back in the game!

2010-04-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

Madison has been given the OK to play soccer again! Although she still needs a lot of therapy, she has improved a lot in the past few weeks! Do I worry that she is going to get hurt again? YES, i worry every single practice and game! She has a great coach that can see when she needs a break, or moves her around the field to a place where there isn't too much running. Madi is a very strong girl and with her determination I know she will be an amazing Soccer player in the years to come! We are so proud of her!

The fields they play on are so huge!
We got to the game really early so while the girls were chatting I was catching some ray's!!

Scera Park Singers Alumni

2010-04-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

It's very hard to really see these pictures but I decided to post them anyway. A very special surprise was planned for Ms. Greaves the 6Th grade teacher. She has been teaching for 40 years and she started a school choir back in the late 70's called the Scera Park Singers. All who could come on Friday were invited to come sing for her a few of the songs she taught us. She had no idea and when they opened the curtains and we were all standing there the look on her face was priceless! We had her lead us and it was if we went back in time!!

Jennie, Steve and I were great friends from Elementary through High School! One of Madi's best buds is Steve's son!

Here we are again with Patti Greaves! The best teacher there ever was!! She was an inspiration to all of us, and especially us who enjoyed singing, she gave us the courage to use our voices!

Madi was taking pictures from the very back of the gym so they are way blurry. It's funny how nervous we were! It was just like old times!

We had a great time, I enjoyed seeing people i hadn't seen since 6Th Grade! Channel 2 news and ABC 4 news were there and aired that night and Dak, Shelby ,Madi and I could be seen! John, Jordan, Madison and I have all had Patti! I told her she could not retire until Dak and Shelby made it through her class. Thank you Patti for all you have done for our family! We love you!

A 9 Year Journey!

2010-04-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

After 9 Years of watching Biggest Looser, I find it amazing how many lives have been changed not only on the show but for those of us that watch it. I was on Facebook yesterday and I could not believe how many people were so excited to watch it last night. I know I have Blogged about this before but, for some reason last nights episode made me realize why I have been over weight my entire life, and here it is.... I've always felt like i have let people down because of my weight, sounds weird but, when you go through life feeling like you don't deserve love from anyone because you are over weight is a life long struggle for me and not feeling like i fit in anywhere has been difficult. It was easier to hide behind my food then to fix my problem. I thought about this for a long time last night and I wondered why my weight lose program is so different this time, why I am so determined, and then I realized the difference is, that I'm doing it for myself this time. I have had a huge awakening this past year with my health and I have chosen to change my way of living, to become physically, Emotionally and mentally strong.

Lately I have had a few women ask "When do you find the time to take care of you?" My answer is... I don't let anything get in my way! I need 2 hours a day to exercises, and track my food. I've had to say NO more often, I go to bed early so that i am rested for the next day, I'm totally focused!! It has to be the right time for YOU! I have spent so much money on my stupid diet fads, money I will never see, but now I KNOW that my life is worth so much more then money!

I am so grateful to all the contestants on The Biggest Looser, for their stories that inspire me for the trainers and all of the advice they have given. I would not be this determined without this show and now I know I can do this! I'm doing this for me:) I'm grateful for the loving support of my husband and my children, for the times when they push me, for when they eat Ice cream after I go to bed! So, for those of you that are struggling, find out whats holding you back and move forward, whether it's with weight or any other trial, You can do it!

Cola is on the mend!

2010-04-12T13:45:00.000-07:00

Cola is welcoming kisses and hugs from the girls! It was a difficult week for all of us, but he is on the way to recovering from his illness. His blood is still not clotting, but his blood levels have come up which has given him his energy:) We have to watch him very carefully and take him in for blood work on Friday. We love you COLA!!!!

Cola

2010-04-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Cola is a very sick little dog! He is at the hospital in critical condition, and we are all so sad! We have had Cola for over 3 years and we love him so much! He is a beautiful, kind, loving and so protective of his family! I never thought I'd get so attached to him but, I'm lost without him:( The kids are very sad to see him so sick. Never thought I'd spend so much money to save his life but, it's not just me i have to think of, it's the four children that are attached to him too!! We love you Cola!!!!

Update: Cola's temperature has come down to normal, I went to visit him and he was so happy, they let me take him home for the night, but he will have more injections tomorrow starting at 9. We are kind of nervous tonight, so we are going to take shifts watching him.. Maybe he will pull through:) Prayers Please:)

Thursday"s Update:

Cola got really bad last night so we took him back to the hospital, The news is not good:( They want to take his spleen out. Looks like we have a big decision to make...

Sisters

2010-04-04T09:34:00.002-07:00

We had the opportunity to go to St George a few weeks ago to have some time away from our everyday busy life. It's such a wonderful blessing to have 4 sisters, 4 best friends! We have so much fun together! My sisters are so funny, sometimes we laugh for hours about the dumbest things:) I love you sissy's!!

Shelby's first game!

2010-04-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

Shelby has decided to follow in her sisters footsteps and wanted so bad to play soccer! We signed her up and she had her first game on Wednesday. Shelby is more of a dainty girl, one who likes to wear dresses and play girl things, so i was a little nervous she would get hurt, but she did just fine! She was more of a butterfly watcher, which was hilarious to watch:) I'm amazed at the difference between competition and just rec play. Shelby had fun and that's all that matters:Hmm... where did the ball go??

It was freezing cold and i kept running back and forth to the car to warm up! Hoping we will have warmer weather for the next 6 games:)

My little surgeon's!

2010-03-28T13:10:00.001-07:00

On Saturday the Alta View Hospital was having a fair at which the kids could come and see whats it's like being the Doctor instead of the patient! This was a great activity for the young kids to really get a feel of what happens in the medical field.

Dakota and Shelby got to sit in the life flight helicopter and they thought is was so awesome

Shelby got to put a few stitches in a chicken breast, she said it was hard to get the needle in, but enjoyed learning about how they stitch up wounds.

Shelby and Nicole doing a little operation on some grapes:) They were so cute!

Dakota not really sure he wants to dig into whats hanging out on the table, I think it was spaghetti!

I am so grateful that we have these workshops that our children can participate in, they seem to have a greater appreciation for their Doctor's. Dakota and Shelby talked about this experience the whole day and I just loved how excited they were to have sewn up grapes for eye's, Chicken for stomach's and Spaghetti for intestines! It was a great day:)

Good News!

2010-03-11T20:14:00.001-08:00

Today was Madison's last trip to Primary Children's! The x ray's look very good and she can get rid of the boot!! Madi is so funny, the shoes she decided to bring up to her appointment were ... yep you guessed it, Soccer shoes! The first question out of Madi"s mouth was" How soon can i get back in the game". Unfortunately she needs physical therapy 4 times a week for 12 weeks! We were disappointed with this news but, she was told she could start back at a very slow pace.

Madi and I made it into a fun day together! We went for a celebration dinner at Texas Roadhouse and then to the rec to workout together! We had so much fun together:)

Sher is the funnest nurse ever! We will miss her a lot!

Talcahuano, Chile

2010-03-07T18:49:00.000-08:00

I have had a pen pal in Chile for about 25 years, Igor Castro. My good friend Angie introduced us to each other while she was on her mission in Chile. We wrote each other faithfully for many, many years.. Things happened like marriage, kids, life, and we lost track of each other. A few months ago i was able to get connected to him through facebook and we have caught each other up on our lives. When the earthquake hit Chile, I was so worried that my friend did not make it.. For days i tried to find any news of him and then on Thursday he sent me a note on facebook telling me he was alive! He told me of the quake and then the tsunami that hit his town, He lives in one of the hardest hit areas. His whole town is gone! It's hard to imagine that kind of destruction and he sees it first hand. I'm grateful that his life was spared, and my heart goes out to those who lost loved ones, their homes, friends and there life as they once knew it.

2010-02-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Anaheim on Saturday, Checked into our Hotel and John took the 4 kids to Disneyland while I tried to get some much needed rest as I was not feeling well. Our good friends Betsy and Marisa Firth were also joining us on our vacation and when they arrived we met up with John had dinner and then John went back to the park with 5 kids and stayed until midnight:)

Sunday we got up bright and early and arrived shortly after the park opened. I was so excited and the kids were in Heaven. We decided to all stick together and headed off to space mountain:)

Betsy, Madison and Marisa waiting in line for space mountain! That was one of our favorites!

Jordan carrying Shelby after a long day of rides and lots of walking!
Shelby was starting to get sick at this point of our trip.

It was so nice to see smiles on their cute little faces the whole trip!

Madison and Jordan had a lot of fun together and became closer as siblings! This made my day:)

When Dakota was about 4 years old and Betsy lived here in Utah, He would always call her his girlfriend. And as you can see he still has feelings for her! lol

I'm still amazed that no one got lost! I was always freaking out if they were not right next to me. John did pretty good at blending in with all the other "kids" in the park!

Jordan and Madison taking a break from all the hustle and bustle! They were great helpers with the younger ones:)

Tower of Terror! That is one fun ride! Shelby will never step foot in an elevator again and not because of the ride but the movie they show before hand! lol hope she gets over that soon!

Goofy is one of my favorites! We had to wait in line to see him but, it was worth it!

Dakota driving a car like he is a pro! I was his passenger and i do have to say he needs a few years of practice:)

Madi was in heaven! She enjoyed feeling like she had her drivers licence

We had a great time together as a family and with our good friends! We don't have much time before Jordan will be out on his mission, and out on his own:( I love all my kids and I'm so happy we had the chance to go to the greatest place on earth!

Update on Shelby: She is doing much better and up running around! Now, on to the next two that have got it! A mothers work is never done:)

We are going where??

2010-02-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

We picked the kids up from school on Friday and then told them we were going to Disneyland! The look on their faces was priceless! I have many pictures to post but, i have been very sick and so has Shelby, so i will try and post our trip this weekend. Shelby has H1N1 and 2 ear infections and the stomach flu, If she is not any better tomorrow they will put her in the hospital. So, lets pray for a speedy recovery:)

A work in progress:)

2010-02-18T19:35:00.000-08:00

I never EVER like to put pictures of me on my blog for the world to see but, I told my good friend Lynda i would. I have a very long road ahead of me but i am down 27lbs and a lot of inches. Some days are very difficult and I feel like just eating a hamburger or junk food but, I DON"T! For those that see me often you may not notice much yet but, it's all going to come off!!

So next time you see me... I will be the BIGGEST LOOSER!

Pine Wood Derby

2010-02-06T20:21:00.000-08:00

Dakota and John spent all day on Saturday preparing for the great Derby! It's so cute to see them working together, talking about how fast the car is going to be and how it doesn't matter if he wins, only that they have a good time!

Dakota watching his car go down the track, out of the 6 races he came in first place 4 times:)

Dakota made it to the final 6, this was so exciting!!! After the finals Dakota took 5Th place out of about 20 boys! He came over to me and said " Not to shabby Mom!" so cute! He also won the award for the most Modified Car. Good job Dakota.

My Favorite machine!

2010-01-29T14:54:00.000-08:00

OK, so I'm finally ready to vent on my blog for everyone to see! In early November I started an exercise program that was very intense, I'm talking like 3 hours of cardio, a lot of sweat and pain! I was so into it i never even dreamed i was way over doing and actually doing damage to myself. I began to have back pain and sharp pains in my legs, I brushed this aside not wanting to break my exercise routine. On December 4Th when Madison broke her leg is when i could not pretend my back wasn't hurting anymore. I remember I was in the van holding Madison and when someone opened the door to help get her out, I was stuck.... The door flew open so fast that i screamed out in pain, I could not move..... At this point I knew I had to buck up because My daughter needed me and it was not a good night for me to crumble.. I continued to be in horrible pain the whole month of December. Lifting Madison, the wheelchair and working were making matters worse. I finally had an MRI and discovered i had a herniated disc. I was told, no lifting, house cleaning and no GYM!! What??? This can't be!! I wanted to continue, to be super woman, I had something to prove!! I wanted to loose weight , to become healthy, to live a long life, long enough to see my kids marry and have their own children.. I was devastated, depressed and lost. After seeing many Dr's they have decided that doing surgery on my back would only make it worse and suggest i have therapy 3 times a week and pain management. Surgery to me sounded like a quick fix and i liked that idea, but for me it wont work. So, my doctor has said I can do a little exercising, like the elliptical and swimming and my therapy. No lifting and prefers no cleaning..
I have decided i will do the elliptical 30 minutes a day and swimming 4 days a week. The elliptical has become my best friend!! Who ever invented this wonderful amazing machine is a genius! I have never in my life been so happy to work out! If you have not tried the Elliptical I highly recommend it, it is so gentle on your joints!
So, the next time you see me... ( biggest looser line) I hope to have lost a few more pounds and to be pain free from my back:) Thank you for all your support over the past 2 months, and as I continue on this long journey.

Happy Birthday Dakota!

2010-01-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Dakota! I cant believe you are 9 today! You came to us almost 1 month early! You were the cutest little baby in the whole hospital! You were very tiny and had a full head of black hair. Many years have past since your birth, but the memories will always be there. You have grown into a very sensitive, loving, kind young man:) You and Grandpa John shared many birthday's together, and always had fun partying together! Hope you have a great day and a wonderful year!! Love you!

From Orange to Blue...

2010-01-14T18:11:00.001-08:00

Madi and i took a trip to Primary Children's Hospital today. She was so excited to get that big Orange cast off! Little did we both know how horrible the day would turn out to be.

It took about 20 minutes to get the cast off. Madi was so scared the cutter was going to cut her! I had a hard time watching, but this was the easy part!!

She has lost quiet a lot of muscle and her leg was a lot smaller then the other one and had severely dry skin that had been bleeding.. The bottom part of her leg has lost blood flow and they decided at this point they needed to reset her leg in another direction. So, without any pain meds they continued to re-set her leg, and it took about an hour to get it to where they wanted.. Madi was in so much pain and I was having a heck of a time watching and hearing this. They ended up having her lay on her tummy and casting her that way.. The expression on her face below shows her pain and is a completely different face of the madi before the re setting..

We stayed there for some time as she couldn't move an inch without a great deal of pain. She is home and resting. In the next few day's they want her to start putting some weight on her leg to help bring in some blood flow. Madison, you are a trooper! Love you sweetie:)

Shelby's new look!

2010-01-06T15:38:00.001-08:00

It was time for some new glasses, her old ones were missing, so we headed to the eye doctor. Her vision is now 20/400. He said her old glasses were not helping her anyway.. So we picked out these cut frames and they had them ready in a few short days! We also decided it was time for a cut! Shelby has very thin hair and if we keep it short it seems to look more full. I think she looks very cute! She is tired of me giving her so many kisses every day but, I cant stop, she is too stinking cute:)

Resolutions of 2010

2010-01-03T17:02:00.000-08:00

I have decided that i can not catch up on my posting from the month of December so I will start fresh this year.
I have had a few days to think about some things i need to improve on and I decided I would post them so at some point, if I forget (which always happens) i can re read the things I'm supposed to be doing.
First, I need to work on being a better wife, being more understanding, loving ,compassionate, and giving. I will admit I'm not to good at some of these.
Second, To be a better Mother, To have more patience with my children, to do more things with them, to slow down and enjoy them.. Teach them, love them, and enjoy being a mother to my 4 amazing kids!
Third, Embrace the gospel, To go to Church every Sunday(it helps that church is at 12:30!) with a purpose and a prayer in my heart. To listen intently to the words that are spoken and to gain a better testimony of the things that i believe in.
Fourth, To get physically fit! I know this one is on every ones list and it has been one of my new years resolutions for as long as i can remember, and i have not achieved it YET! Towards the end of 2009 I had a great start but with my back I have had to quit, which has been so difficult for me!! But, I'm hoping to start back up soon and will continue to eat healthy so I don't gain back what i had lost..
So, I start with four resolutions and I will work on them daily to improve my self and those around me!!

It has been a difficult year for us at the Elegante home but 2010 is sure to bring us better times and we all have a positive attitude, which helps.

So, to all of you readers, I love you all and hope that you have a fabulous 2010!

On the mend!

2009-12-20T17:50:00.000-08:00

It has been a very long 2 weeks, but I think Madi is on the road to recovery! They were able to set her leg and cast it without too many problems. This bright Orange cast will be on until mid January and then a half cast until mid April. Tomorrow she goes in for more x ray's where they will check the placement of the bones, if they don't look OK they will cut the cast and re-set. So we ask for your prayers that everything will be OK.
As i sit and reflect on the past two weeks and wonder how 2 broken bones can cause so many problems. I can't help but be grateful for lessons we have learned, for the faith we have, and for the friendships that have blessed our lives. We have felt the love from our Heavenly Father as we have gone through this trial. We have been blessed by our Bishop, our family, by our neighbors and our friends near and far. John and I feel strongly that Madison will heal and will be able to live a strong healthy life and continue with soccer if that is what she wants.
We have had many other things happening with the other children during the last few weeks but, have not had time to download pictures and blog about them, so with some time off work in the next few weeks i will try and catch up.!!
Much love to you all and a big Thank You for all your prayers!

Tuesday, from bad to worse!

2009-12-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

This is poor Madison on Tuesday morning....

Madison on Tuesday night, put in an ambulance and sent to Primary Children's!

Grandma giving Madi some extra love for her trip in the ambulance. This was very difficult for me to watch. It's hard enough to see your child break a bone, but to have them be as sick as she was about ripped my heart out!

These two guys were pretty funny! they actually got a smile out of madi!

Bishop Pectol and Brother Stayner came to give Madison a blessing before we left. Bishop has been an amazing support to us during this challenging time. The whole ward has been awesome, with prayers, phone calls, dinners and cards and gifts for Madison.

I had to put this picture in, This is what she looked like when we first brought her to the hospital. She scared the heck out of all of us! We are so lucky to have her here with us today. I have a new found testimony of prayer and the power of priesthood blessings. Madison will need continued prayers for a while now, she will have her leg put back together at Primary Children's Hospital Monday morning. With all the moving around her fractures have shifted a bit. It is going to be very painful for her and we have a long recovery a head of us. She will be in a full leg cast for 4 weeks and a half leg cast for 8 weeks and then a boot for 4 weeks. That puts us into April. The doctors feel pretty confident she will be able to return to soccer in late spring.

Madi and her Bears

2009-12-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Madison had a very hard day yesterday and today is not any better. She has been throwing up since yesterday morning and has no strength left in her. We are watching her for the next few hours and if there is no change we will head to the ER. She seems to be very discouraged today and very sad:( I'm not sure what to do for her. She has an appointment at 8:00 A.M tomorrow with Dr. Bacon and we will know more the surgery time and what to expect. Madi received one of these bears yesterday and i got her one today, as you can see they are comforting her, if she had the strength to smile she would! Please keep her in your prayers!

Two more broken bones!!

2009-12-06T10:49:00.000-08:00

Madison broke her Tibia and fibula last night at her futsol game. She fell and someone fell on top of her. It took 5 people to get her off the court and into the car. She was in so much pain and any slight movement sent her into orbit! We should have called for an ambulance because it made it more painful to carry her. We made it to the hospital and they immediately gave her morphine which did nothing the first round. Before the X ray they gave her more morphine and it seemed to calm her for a few minutes. When we saw the x ray we were so shocked! The fibula is broke just below the knee and the tibia at the bottom of her shin. She will have to have surgery to have pins placed to hold the bones together. We were also shocked that they would send her home! Bishop Pectol was with us along with my parents. We were able to give her a blessing before we made the trek home. After much distress we made it to my bedroom and she was able to rest for a while before we had to figure out how to get her to the bathroom. At 11:00 P.M. Shari Brown came over with a Port a potty and between the two of us we were able to slide her right on to it.. This is a picture when we first arrived! It's so very hard to see your child going through incredible pain!! I felt so helpless and at times cried myself.

We had a ruff night but we are finally on a pain management schedule and keeping on top of it! She seems to be doing a little better this morning.

We had a visit from Aunt Gail and Krystal this morning. Gail put madi's hair in a french braid, which came in handy when she threw up!! Later today i will attempt to give her a sponge bath and change her clothing! Please say extra prayers for the surgery to be a success and that she will be able to play her favorite sport in the future once again! A big thanks for those who helped in transporting her and for the many phone calls we have received! I will keep everyone updated on the surgery when the time comes!! Love to all!

Oh how they grow!

2009-11-29T15:42:00.000-08:00

Madison and Tyller spent the weekend taking pictures and editing them. I think they did a great job for only being 12!! I can't believe how much Madi has changed in the past few months! She is really growing into a beautiful young woman! These are just a few of the pictures they took, if you want to see more just go to Madi's face book page!!

Gratitude for Shelley

2009-11-15T12:08:00.000-08:00

This is my Oldest sister Shelley, who i am so grateful for! Shelley is an amazing sister who, is always there when you need someone to talk to, and is always willing to help me with my computer problems! Shelley has done an amazing job raising her children, she has set a wonderful example for me as to what a mother is. I know that my sisters, mom and I are so grateful for Shelley, that she hosts our Scrapbook/movie weekends every time we have them. We always have so much fun at her house! Thank you Shelley for the wonderful sister that you are! Shelley and i have a lot in common, We have had the same spiked haircut for years! Isn't she just the cutest:) Love you Shelley!

Gratitude

2009-11-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

Today i am grateful for the changing of the seasons. I love the feel of winter coming on and knowing i get to shovel snow, have a fire, sip hot coco, wrap up in a warm blanket and cuddle with the kids and my Johnny boy! There is nothing better for me then to wake up after a big snow storm and everything is covered in white fluffy snow. My favorite time of the year! This time also comes with great emotion as we head into Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Gratitude for Temples

2009-11-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

I am so grateful for the work that goes on in the temple! Yesterday I was able to watch John baptize Jordan in behalf of his Father! The spirit was felt strongly and I know John Sr. was there waiting. Kathy and I cried happy tears as Jordan went under the water. We are all looking forward to finishing his work in the next few weeks. We also had Johns dad's brother baptized and some other family names. Madison was able to come with us and do a few names also.. What a wonderful day we all had!

Gratitude

2009-11-01T19:41:00.000-08:00

It's been a year since i did my gratitude posts, and with thanksgiving coming up, I thought I would do it again. I may not have time to do it daily, but i will try to at least get 2 a week. I encourage you all to try this again also. i enjoyed reading every ones Gratitude post last year!

Today I am so grateful for the love that surrounds the Orem 2nd ward! Everyone looks out for one another and is there to help when needed. My ward has had a hard year this year and there has been big things happening in our neighborhoods and all the members have really stepped up to the plate to help one another in a time of great sorrow. I'm amazed at how people just keep on going after what has happened to them. We have Great people in this ward and I'm so lucky to belong here. I'm so grateful for the love that has been shown to the Elegante's!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T09:56:00.001-07:00

Oh how we love the Halloween parade at the school! The kids looked forward to this all month. When I first arrived at the school there were kids running around everywhere getting costumes on, make up done and teachers trying to keep the boys and girls separated while dressing! Crazy I tell ya! Got a snap shot of Madi, Katie and Zack! I was able to help Madison's class with the party after the parade, that was fun!

Dakota, as you can see was a football player! His grandpa John always said he was as solid as a rock and would make the best football player around! I agree!! That's my boy:)

Madison ,being in sixth grade was finding it hard to come up with a costume that wasn't childish... I'm not sure what she was, but she did look grown up!

Madi enjoyed walking the halls with Edward scissor hands!! Ok, it was really Zack!

Shelby wanted to be an American Diva!! Very cute:) There was also 3 other diva's that looked identical to Shelby! John kept taking pictures of the wrong Diva.

More Birthday fun!

2009-10-21T19:27:00.001-07:00

Jordan so excited to drive us all to the party!

Dakota dressed and ready to go to PIRATE ISLAND

The boy's chowing down on pizza

Grandpa Dan stopped by for some yummy pizza and the birthday festivities

Grandma Alice Joined in on the party fun!

Madison so excited she got what she wanted!! Ipod Nano. This was a true Kodak moment!

Madison enjoying the birthday wishes from the gang at Pirate Island!

This is the biggest Pizza we have ever seen! Jordan and Grandpa said they could eat the whole thing themselves!! Jordan won by eating 5 slices!

Dakota, Shelby and Madison enjoying the food and the pirate ambiance!

Happy Birthday Madi girl!! Love you:) Grandpa John is smiling down on you!

Happy Birthday Madison!

2009-10-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our Beautiful Madison Michele! We can't believe you are 12 today!! Where has the time gone? It's hard to believe you were once so small! I remember setting the date for you to arrive to our little family! We wanted your Aunt Karen to see you before she left on her mission, so we scheduled your arrival on October 21st at 8:00 A.M. You came to us with a full head of black hair and looked like you were of Navajo decent. I thought for sure you had been switched at birth! You were the cutest baby I had ever seen!! Now look at you! You are 12 and more beautiful then ever!You're not only Beautiful, you have a great personality. Always making people laugh, with your funny faces and funny sayings!!

You have so much fun with your friends! They love you Madi!

You are always doing something wild and crazy, and that's what we love about you!! Thanks for the past 12 years! You have brought us much joy and we love you so much! Happy Birthday Sweetie!

lagoon

2009-10-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday we had the opportunity to spend the day at lagoon. It was very overcast and cold!
We decided to split up into groups of two to make for less confusion as to what rides to go on. Jordan and Madison took off in one direction and John and Dakota in another. Shelby and I decided to ride the tram across to the other side of the park. Ok, so me and heights don't really go well together and, I also found out Shelby doesn't do well either. We both freaked out on our very first ride!! Shelby was more into the spinning rides after that, not so good for me though. During the fall season lagoon adds a little extra events that go along with Halloween! They had a haunted house, Monster shows and people dressed in costumes greeting the guests. They even had a hypnotist there.

We caught up with Madi and Jordan for a while and we all went on the roller coaster and the bat ride together. By late afternoon we were freezing and met up at the Arby's for hot chocolate and a little heat being indoors.

Shelby on the mini roller coaster, She had so much fun! Her favorite ride was the tidal wave. We must have went on that like 10 times!

Just me being silly:)

The darker it got the cooler it got! Shelby and i went to the car to warm up and found Dakota and john there doing the same.. Dakota had gotten wet and was freezing!

The kids are already looking forward to next year.

Conference and the Alpine Loop

2009-10-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend we had the opportunity to hear from the prophet, apostles and Church leaders! Saturday morning session i spent watching it in our hotel room in park city with Shari, Cindy and Alicia. It was nice to be with kind loving friends while listening to the wonderful talks given.

The afternoon session i watched with my family and it was just as amazing. Sunday we made sure everyone was up dressed and ready for 2 wonderful sessions that we would watch together. President Monson's talk was a good one for me to hear! " Have I done any good in the world today?" I want that to be my new motto. If you look up and down your street you can see so many people that are in need of a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, a meal to be brought in, children to care for. There are plenty of opportunities for us to provide service to others! We need to do more giving and less taking. Elder Holland gave an amazing Testimony of the truth fullness of the book of Mormon. Very powerful talk. Elder Scott talked about listening to the whispering of the spirit and how the trash of modern day life can guide the spirit away. It was an amazing 2 days of joy as we sat as a family and listened to the words of our leaders!

During the break we took a drive around the Alpine Loop, It was raining as we started up the road to sundance. Jordan asked if he could drive, he needs 20 hours on the road so he can take his drivers test. As we started up the winding road past sundance, the weather was changing from rain to sleet and hail. Jordan was determined to drive clear to American Fork. I was about to have a heart attack at every switch back!!! When it started to snow i asked if he wanted me to take over and he said" Mom, I am driving very slowly and i think I can make it" I have to say he did a great job even though the weather was difficult. We arrived safely at home 5 minutes before the second session.

We had a great weekend together as a family and we are ready for another great week!

Twins

2009-09-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Madison and Mykel both broke their arms in the same spot on the same arm! It was hilarious to see their arms wrapped in bubble wrap playing soccer! They played a great game despite their casts!

The whole team wanted to sign the cast after the game, I think that must be the fun part of getting a cast. The only fun part! Ha,Ha!

Another Broken Bone!

2009-09-27T12:10:00.001-07:00

Madi had a game in Salt lake yesterday and this is a picture of her before the game.
This is after... A broken wrist! She had a bad fall during the very first play of the game! She came out and we wrapped her wrist and she rested for 5 minutes and was put back into the game. She played very well even though she was in a lot of pain. We were so proud of her for being so tuff! After the game we took her to the first med. She will go to the orthopedic surgeon on Monday and get a cast. She has a game in Salt Lake on Monday night so we will bubble wrap her cast so she doesn't whack someone with it!

We are keeping track of madi's broken bones, so far in her short 11 years here on earth she has broke, both femurs, foot twice, collar bone, wrist and her arm. We hope this is the end of broken bones.

Twas the night before pictures!

2009-09-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

Shelby and Madison decided they wanted poofy hair for their school pictures, so we put little braids all over their heads last night! It was fun spending time with them and we had lots of laughs!
The girls being silly! I said "how are you going to smile for your pictures?" Lets hope they toned down the smile a little. lol

This is how their hair turned out! Pretty cute i think!

Happy Birthday Shelby Jean Marie!

2009-09-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago today, The earth stood still as we watched in horror at what terrorist can do in a few moments. I remember that day as if it were yesterday, I think we all do.....

I also remember the 1 year anniversary as if it were yesterday also. I remember waking up at midnight in labor, 3 weeks early and thinking, I can NOT have this baby on 9/11! I didn't want my baby to share a day with all the grief the world shared on this day. As we arrived at the hospital there were many other ladies who felt the same way, we were all crying and carrying on about how we had to wait till the next day! I had an emergency C-section and by 6:00 A.M. I was holding my sweet bundle of joy... SHELBY! For that moment I forgot about the grief and enjoyed this new life i was holding, and suddenly life didn't seem so bad! This was a good thing to happen on the anniversary of the worst terror attack on US soil! This new year brought a new life and joy to so many

Shelby, we love you so much and we are grateful to have your special spirit in our home! You bring joy to us every day and always keep us laughing! You are the bright spot of 9/11, the year after! Happy Birthday baby!

Swiss Day's

2009-09-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was Swiss Day's and we had a lot of fun! I went up on Thursday and went to Park City with My Mom, Sister Shelley and friend Jana. We went shopping and to a movie.. We saw Julia & Julie, Very funny movie.

This purse is the first thing I bought at Swiss day's! Isn't it cute?? I love it. It's not the typical purse you would see me carry but, i fell in love with this one!!

I have always wanted to hang the proclamation to the world in my living room, and I found the perfect plaque and it was the right color.

My Mom and sisters and family friend Jana! We always have so much fun together!

I bought this really cute headband for the girls but, thought I'd try it on.. not to bad for someone with short hair.

Jana and Shelley brought these funny teeth to Swiss day's! They got a lot of funny stares!

This is all the junk food we ate over the weekend! I don't think i want to weigh in on Saturday!!

Even though we are camping we cant forget to bring our lap tops!! We had seven in one trailer!!
This is what i call close quarters!

We ate at Cafe Rio twice! We all love that place! I think i am dealing with the aftermath of all the eating out and junk food!

We always bring our chairs, so that we can people watch! It's the highlight of the day! We even saw a guy who looked like Santa!!

Shari eating her GIANT scone! That's one of our favorites too!

Our time went by so fast this year! We are already looking forward to next year and thinking about extending it a few extra days!! Don't know if the husbands will like that but, we do!!

Mountain's

2009-08-27T06:59:00.000-07:00

"One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time"

I went to a weight watcher meeting last night and the teacher used this quote in helping us to see how to reach our goal. I have since thought about this and how we can apply this to our everyday life. We always have trials to deal with, whether they are big or small ,it only matters how we deal with them. Start at the bottom and work yourself up one step at a time, sometimes you may fall but you get up and keep climbing. You may need to take a rest here and there but eventually you will make it to the top! Take the time you need to get there, use the tools to help guide the way. Pretty soon your mountain will seem like a small hill.
I hope for those of you who are struggling right now can use this quote in your lives and that you may overcome your "Mountain" and feel peace, love and hope along the way!

Utah FC Garage Sale

2009-08-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday we had a multi Family fundraiser Garage Sale for Madison's Soccer team. The girls had a bake sale as well trying to earn money for their bags and more practice shirts. The girls had a lot of fun getting cars to stop and buy their treats they had made.
We had so much stuff!! It was a lot of work but, it paid off and the girls had a great time!

We all decided to put everything left over in my garage and do it again next Saturday. So glad my garage is Huge!

The girls had a water fight after everything was cleaned up. Fun day!

Random pics

2009-08-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

many have asked to see how Dakota's face is healing so, i took a picture. He actually has quiet a lot of scaring. It may be hard to see from this photo, but it's pretty noticeable. I'm hoping in a few months that they will have faded a lot. He is still adorable with his scares!!

We braided Shelby's hair one night and this is what she looked like in the morning! Amazing what a little volume will do!

While the kids are away.... The mom's must play!

2009-08-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

A few of my sisters and my Mom planned a day of fun while the kids attended their first day of school.. We started the morning off with Breakfast at IHOP

A little shopping....

And more shopping....

A quick stop to get a cherry limeade!

At last, the pool!! This was very relaxing for all of us! No work, Kids or husbands! Lol

After a few hours in the sun!

First Day of School!

2009-08-20T07:43:00.001-07:00

School started this morning and getting everyone up at 6:30 was a difficult task but, we made it! The three little ones were very excited but, Jordan was not so happy about the fact that his sleeping till 10 days were over!!

Hard to believe all four of them will be in school all day! I have been looking forward to this day. I have had kids in child care for 15 years and , it is very stressful while working, to wonder if the kids got pick up and if the babysitter was sick, then what do I do. So, this was not a sad day for me but opened a new chapter in my life.. Nice to have a little freedom..

Jordan is attending Orem High School and is in 11Th Grade! He has many difficult classes this year and is also working at Hogi Yogi. He is going to be very busy!

Shelby is in 1st grade and, very excited that she gets to eat lunch at school! She is very smart and looking forward to reading lots of books and meeting new friends! We have signed her up for soccer and it starts in a few weeks!

Dakota is in 3rd grade. He LOVES school! He would go all summer if they would let him! He has already made some new friends and looks forward to learning cursive this year. Dakota will start flag football in a few short weeks.

Madison is in the 6th grade and has the same teacher John, Jordan and I had! She to loves school and is ready to learn and prepare for Jr. High. Madison will be doing homework in the car between Games and training we will be on the road 5 out of 7 days a week. Busy girl and busy mom!!

I'm very happy with the teachers my children have and am looking forward to a wonderful year with them.

16 years ago...

2009-08-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

16 years ago I gave birth to my first child... Jordan. It's hard to believe it has been that long. Jordan and I had a ruff start at the beginning of his life, I with a deadly infection when he was 4 days old and, he having 2 major surgeries by the time he was 4 months old. But, we both made it and it has been 16 wonderful, amazing years!! Jordan has grown from a boy to a young man this past year, He is now taller then his father and wears a size 12 shoe! Jordan enjoys his computer, working, friends and his new find.... wave runners. I asked him what he would like to do for his big day and as you can see by the pictures we went to the lake! It's always such a joy to see him happy! Happy birthday Jordan! We love you!

Lazy Summer day's

2009-08-12T14:52:00.001-07:00

One sunny, hot afternoon i went in search for 3 little girls that had been missing for a few minutes.... When i looked in the back yard this is what i found!! Is that the cutest thing you've ever seen!! I love this picture! When all else fails, take a nap!!!

Now, these three girls were also bored, and dressed up in Tyllers grandmothers clothes and paraded around the neighborhood!! They make me laugh!!!

They also chose new names for themselves... Stephanie, AKA Madison- Roky AKA Tyller and Chennele, Aka Krystal !!

Looking good Madison!

Check out Krystal's side pony, it has a watch wrapped around it!! Girls will be girls!!

Now you see them...

2009-08-05T13:34:00.001-07:00

Now you don't....

Jordan, finally after four very long years got his braces off! His orthodontist told me today that Jordan has been his hardest patient ever!! He was missing a tooth on the right and a very small tooth on the left.. it seems weird to see him with a full set of teeth!! He is not done yet!!! Because Jordan is a teenage boy, who doesn't think brushing is important he has many cavities that will be filled tomorrow and they are also going to fill in the space on the left front tooth with resin to make it bigger.. after that he will be finished for a while and when he is 18 he will have a permanent implant done. Now, on to child number 2.... I need a refill on my pocket book!

One Year ago today!

2009-08-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

One year ago today Our father, grandfather passed away. It's hard to believe it has been a year already! Not a day goes by that we don't think about him or talk about the many wonderful memories we have of him! He was a wonderful example to to all of us and we miss him dearly!

Here are some of the funny saying he had that we still say to this day: So and so and so and so.. , How do you spell Blue? BLU!!! Joni babe, maddie waddie, big brother, Shelby welby, pizza by the pool.

We love you dad and grandpa!! We miss you! Till we meet again!

Strikerfest 2009

2009-08-02T19:03:00.001-07:00

Madison took 2ND place in the Strikerfest tournament! They played an awesome game! When coach Pierce put this medal on Madison, He said she was the brick wall of the team!! We now have a break for a week then will play in the USA cup August 12Th-15Th in Salt Lake. I'm happy for a break! I got so burnt this week, that when i went to church today people were shocked by my tan!! Now I will peel off one layer at a time!!
Good job Madison and team

Catching up!

2009-07-31T17:31:00.000-07:00

Madison finally got her new uniforms for her Utah FC soccer team! They are Very nice looking and the get two one white one black! She has been playing soccer all through the summer and has attended two tournaments, one in Roy and one in Orem. She will start another one on August 12th in SlC.. We are so proud of her, for the hard work she put into soccer. Madi is one of the top players on the team and rarely gets to sit on the sidelines..

Coach Pierce calming the girls down after a hard fought win!!!

It was 95 degrees and these girls were in black playing in the middle of the day!! They drank gallons of water!

Another water break!

Shelby and her best friend Morgan went to a birthday party and came home dressed like cow girls! They are so dang cute together! It's nice to have your best friend live next door

Dakota and Shelby had a little accident on their scooters! Dakota got the worst of it! Broke his tooth, they super clued his lip and as you can see got lots of road rash, on his face, Arms and knees. They are both healing nicely and we are hoping Dak will not end up with any scares!

Deer Creek

2009-07-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

As i was driving down the canyon the other day I was just in awe at all the beautiful scenery that surrounded me and at that very instance I decided that I was going to bring my family up on Saturday and so, I did! I think we had the most fun up at deer creek together as a family then we have had in a long time! The kids were able to kayak, jet ski, and float on the lake and just enjoy one another and enjoy a day outside.

Dakota really enjoyed kayaking with his cousin, he is a real pro at it and it has now become his passion in life! Such a dreamer that boy is!! Love it!!!

madison, playing in the sand, taking a break from the water! She was a real trooper dragging her mom and Aunt kathy all over the lake on our floaties! We didn't want to touch the bottom and she made sure we didn't have to get off the raft until we reached the dock!! Thanks honey!!!

Shelby and her cousin Nichole made a very creative river between the sand and the rocks! They had so much fun with all the sand!

It was kind of hard to get on the jet ski as you can see Madison struggling! But once you were on, watch out! Jordan was the driver! Hold on for dear life!!!

Jordan was in heaven on this jet ski!! He has always wanted to do this and i just loved seeing him smile from ear to ear and he gave all the kids rides around the lake!!

Dakota and Alex gave us a big scare! We had them row to the dock to return the kayak, and when they didn't return, we went on a rescue mission to find them and they were no where in sight! I started to panic and we asked around and no one had seen them. I paced the shore looking for them and fearing the worst. Finally, Kathy spotted them back at our camp spot! Holy cow, I'm still recovering from that one!!!

Dakota holding on for dear life!! He really had fun with his brother and they both enjoyed spending some quality time together!

Madi relaxing on her floatie

The girls stayed out in the water for hours! Thank heavens for sun screen!! I was so busy making sure everyone else was covered that i forgot myself and being 102 degrees on Sat, I'm sure you can picture what i look like after being on the water for 7 hours..

We all had a great time and it was fun spending time with family! Madison got sick right before we left for home with a high fever and a sore throat. She has been VERY sick all day today so, we are off to the doctors on Monday!

Independence Day!

2009-07-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States of America commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia.

At the time of the signing, the would-be United States consisted of 13 colonies under the rule of England’s King George III. There was growing unrest in the colonies concerning the taxes that had to be paid to England, commonly referred to as “taxation without representation,” as the colonists were not represented in the English Parliament and had no say in what went on.

As the unrest grew in the colonies, King George sent extra troops to help control any rebellion. In 1774, the 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia to form the First Continental Congress. The delegates were unhappy with England, but were not yet ready to declare war.In April 1775, as the King’s troops advanced on Concord, Mass., Paul Revere would sound the alarm “The British are coming, the British are coming” as he rode his horse through the late night streets. The battle of Concord and its “shot heard round the world” would mark the unofficial beginning of the colonies’ war for Independence.

In May, the colonies again sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress. For almost a year, the congress tried to work out its differences with England, again without formally declaring war. By June 1776, their efforts had become hopeless and a committee was formed to compose a formal declaration of independence.Headed by Thomas Jefferson, the committee included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston, and Roger Sherman. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the first draft, which was presented to the congress on June 28.

After various changes, a vote was taken late in the afternoon of July 4.Of the 13 colonies, nine voted in favor of the Declaration, two — Pennsylvania and South Carolina — voted no, Delaware was undecided, and New York abstained.To make it official, John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock signed his name “with a great flourish” so “King George can read that without spectacles!”The following day, copies of the Declaration were distributed. The first newspaper to print the Declaration was the Pennsylvania Evening Post on July 6. On July 8, the Declaration had its first public reading in Philadelphia’s Independence Square.

Twice that day the Declaration was read to cheering crowds and pealing church bells. Even the bell in Independence Hall was rung. The “Province Bell” would later be renamed “Liberty Bell” after its inscription — “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof.”Although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until August, the Fourth of July has been accepted as the official anniversary of United States independence.

The first Independence Day celebration took place the following year, July 4, 1777.By the early 1800s, the traditions of parades, picnics, and fireworks were established as the way to celebrate America’s birthday. And although fireworks have been banned in most places because of their danger, most towns and cities usually have big firework displays for all to see and enjoy.

Independence Month....

2009-07-01T17:52:00.001-07:00

One day a good friend Lynda and i, were talking about how we enjoyed the months of blogging when we had a special theme to blog about IE, Thanksgiving(Gratitude) Christmas( Christ). We talked about doing it this month with Independence day and Pioneer day. I think it's a great idea! So, I look forward to everyone taking the challenge to dedicate a few of your post to those who have served before us, who serve now and to those pioneers who led the way for us.

I wanted to do my first post on the American Flag:

The flag of the United States of America consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 U.S. states and the 13 stripes represent the original Thirteen Colonies that rebelled against the British Crown and became the first states in the Union
The star :
is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."
Red:
Hardiness and valor
Red represents the blood spilled protecting our home.
Red: Signifies bravery.
Red is for the blood of the patriots and those that fight for our country.
Some say it represents the blood of American patriots.
White:
Purity and innocence
freedom
Blue:
Blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice
Blue is for justice and perseverance.
the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes)
Answer
The red means the blood fought for victory, It may also mean freedom. The stripes represent the 13 original colonies, the stars represent the 50 states, and the white means freedom.

I thought this was a great definition of what the flag stands for! I look forward to this wonderful month and to learning a few things by reading all your posts!

New Additions

2009-06-18T20:26:00.001-07:00

Dakota and Shelby have been begging us every 5 minutes for these cute little bunnies! I can't believe we gave in, ok yes I can, they are so cute and cuddly! As of now they are bunny A and B, we want to see what kind of personality they have before giving them their names!

Cola watching guard while the bunny nibbles on my flowers, wait, not my flowers! Good thing they will be living in the back yard and can eat walnut leaves..

This is a rare occasion with the two of them hugging and getting along! I love when they are like this and treasure each moment.

I really do think bunnies are fun! This little one loves to run all over the yard and was trying to hide from cola.

Cola was very intrigued by these little creatures. They finally warmed up, and i think they will get along just fine!

Madison is growing up!

2009-06-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

My Little girl is growing up to be a beautiful young woman! Hard to believe she will be 12 in a few short months! She and her BFF Tyller take some of the cutest pictures of each other! I love the hair curled, girls!Stop Growing up my baby girl! I love you both!

Take me out to the Ball Game!

2009-06-06T11:07:00.001-07:00

My favorite place to be, the baseball park! Dakota is playing coach pitch this year and loves it! He is just learning the game and already has a passion for it just like his mother and grandpa John.! Believe it or not I played from the time i was 8 till i was almost 18! I love the game!!

Dakota running to 3rd base! Go buddy!!!

What a stud muffin he is! So focused in the dugout! They played a great game and my little guy had some great hits!!

efusjon!

2009-05-31T14:34:00.001-07:00

A group of us attended an efusjon meeting at the little America Hotel last night. We enjoyed the rock band ( Ok not so much that LOUD music) and great company and a great speaker, Derek Broes, who announced he would be leaving his vaulted position at Paramount Studios as Senior Vice President and be committing completely to efusjon! We are all very excited about this! It was an amazing evening and we are so happy to be involved in the fastest growing company in the world! efusjon will be launched on face book sometime in July and will explode! Thanks for the great night Gold team!

Some have asked"what is efusjon?" Here is a brief overview of the company:

1. A Great Company- e-Fusjon is debt free with tens of millions of dollars of personal funding, and outstanding leadership.

2. A Great Product - e-Fusjon RAW is a natural non-cafinated energy drink made up of the very latest natural health discovery's including Acai Berry. The Energy Drink industry is enormous, and e-Fusjon is tapping into that with a healthy alternative.

3. A Revolutionary Compensation Plan- e-Fusjon's compensation plan is revolutionary and unbelievable. It's community overlap design allows for associates of distributors above and to the side of you, to spill over into your matrix. With this, you truly only need three people. Help them each get there three, and face book wave will take care of the rest.

4. Technology- e-Fusjon has secured the first and only agreement with Facebook to brand face its distributors Facebook pages with there product.

Shelby

2009-05-28T11:50:00.001-07:00

My baby girl, Shelby Jean Marie has graduated from Kindergarten today! Where did the years go? Seems like just yesterday she was born and now she will be in school all day! It's kind of a bitter sweet moment for me. Sad she won't be home during the day to keep me company and that is a very weird feeling!! What will I do with my time? Life is changing and my kids are growing up way to fast! I'm so proud of you Shelby, and I want you to know how sweet, loving, kind, smart, amazing you are! You are so special to mommy and daddy! We love you so very much! You are a big girl and going to 1st grade is a big step for you and also for us!! You are a bright spot in our family!

Sunday trip to Helper!

2009-05-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

We headed to Helper on Sunday to visit with family and also take Grandpa John his Pepsi! We figured it had been a while since he had a swig! It was raining like crazy when we arrived at the cemetery, mud everywhere, and hailing! We all decided it was Grandpa telling us to enjoy the holiday and remember the good times! We only had a few minutes between showers to visit our loved ones but, it was nice and just a beautiful time spent together. Now, here's a good laugh, while walking to the car picture me doing the splits in the mud! Sorry no picture of that one, i had the camera:)

After leaving the cemetery we headed to John's aunt's to roast hot dogs and cook Hamburgers. We had a nice break in the weather and enjoyed sitting around the fire pit visiting.

Dakota was having a hard time keeping his hot dog on his stick.

Shelby and Nichole are such close cousins! They are stuck to each other at all the family functions!

We had a great visit and So happy we took the time to go to helper and to pay our respects to those who have passed on!

Ramdom pictures

2009-05-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

The cutest little boy in the whole world!! Don't you just want to squeeze him!!!

My Sister Shelley, let's see, where have I seen that hair cut before?? If I was skinny we could be twins!!

Sister Shari and her daughter Chantel! Like Mother Like daughter!!

Shelby and her cousin Kambry.... Cute, cute!

Catching up!

2009-05-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Dakota and his class put on a mother's Day program last week. They made really cute invitations and gave them to their mom's and grandmothers. Dakota made a really cute flower for his grandma !

He also drew a picture of his me and i had to guess which picture was mine! That was interesting, i thought for sure i was the woman lying in bed, since that's what it's been like at our house for the past 3 months!! Good boy Dakota for putting me upright!

The whole class put on a little play for all the Mom's and Grandmothers! They dressed in all the many jobs that a mother does everyday. Dakota was the chauffeur, A dang cute one might i add!

They sang cute songs and had extra big smiley faces because, the daily Herald was there filming and taking pictures! I am so proud of Dakota and i enjoy being his mother! He is a very special boy filled with lots of love, compassion,faith, hope, joy and laughter! I love him so very much and I enjoyed his cute program!

Madison's soccer team placed second in the double A tournament. They played a great game and gave it all they could. Big thanks goes out to the coaching staff of the firebirds! We had a great year!

We are so proud of Madison. She has so much talent and spirit in her! We will continue with soccer in the fall and we are already looking forward to a new league, coaches , and more training! Love you so much sweetie!

Hope Of America!

2009-05-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

Madison joined in with more then 30 Schools kicking off Provo's Freedom Festival. What an amazing sight it was. Madison was in the blue section of the flag.

This lady dancing is 92 years young! She and her group of women ageing 50-92 were amazing! She even did the splits!

Madison , with friends Tyller and Katie. In part of the program they had to wear sunglasses.

Madison with cousin Reilly. I'm still amazed that they found each other amongst the thousands of people there.

The rest of the family trying to be cool, I think we need some glasses too!

Our kids and my sisters kids hanging with the trees!

Never Skateboard after you turn 40!

2009-05-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my brother Alan got in a bad accident, while trying to teach his son Tyson how to go down a ramp on a skate board! Needless to say 911 was called and Alan is now in the hospital with a plate and some screws in his leg, just below the knee. He will be in the hospital for a few days and has a long recovery ahead! We are so glad that he will be OK and didn't injure his head!
Tyson, don't take after your dad! Wear a helmet and knee pads!! And maybe find a coach that is a little younger!! LOL .

Go Madi!

2009-04-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

Madi passing the ball in, not only does she have a strong kick, she can throw the ball pretty far!

I really enjoy going to soccer games! Sometimes I almost fly out of my seat with excitement!

You can almost see the muscles in her legs bulging! She has a very strong lower half!
I think we have pretty much decided to go for triple A. It takes a lot more dedication,time and money but, she is worth every penny! Her ultimate goal is to play high school, college, and then go pro! She definitely has it in her and with a lot of hard work i know she can do it! So, proud of our madi wadie!

More of Bear lake

2009-04-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

My little hunk of love!! So into all the boats and the water.

Jordan and Madison love splashing everyone in sight!

Dakota and Madison Love the water! Both spending hours at the pool!

scary picture of me... but i love swimming with my kids

This was a crazy looking boat, I'm assuming they us it as a tourist attraction in the summer

Jordan taking care of Shelby by the water. They had a great time together!

The harbor where all the action is during the summer.

Cool Madi doing her usual pose.

Dakota was making me nervous, I just knew he was going to fall in!

Bear Lake

2009-04-15T18:21:00.001-07:00

We Left for Bear Lake on Tuesday afternoon and, after driving through rain, sleet,hail , snow and fog we arrived at 7:00. The kidos were very restless and anxious to go swimming, so i sent John to the pool while i unpacked. The condo is very spacious and John and i had the top floor to ourselves! The kids enjoyed the main level and the deck! We all went to bed around midnight and, at 7 A.M Dakota was standing by my bed asking when and what we were doing for the day!

Easter

2009-04-12T15:43:00.001-07:00

Easter has arrived! The kids got us up around 7:30 which is a lot later then I thought they would! Shelby being the youngest, was so excited she was bouncing off the walls! She still believes so, we have to keep it alive as long as possible.I boiled 64 eggs and we all had fun coloring them, Now who is going to eat them all?? Yikes!

The Easter Bunny put the baskets on the kitchen counter, I guess he thought the dog, Cola would eat all the chocolate!!

Sometimes it's hard to keep the true meaning of Easter with all the stuff that is out there in the stores these days, But we sat down with the children and explained why we have Easter and why it is so special to all of us. What a great day we had!

John got a Job!

2009-04-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

John got the call yesterday that we have been waiting for! He has been searching for a job since the beginning of February. He applied for kennecott a couple of weeks ago and was impressed with the place and, also will be doing what he went to school for many years ago. He will be working on all their equipment. He is like a little school boy! So excited!! He will be commuting a lot and we will look into moving closer if he really enjoys it there and feels like it is really stable. We appreciate all your love and concern through this trying time and are grateful for all the extra prayers sent our way! He will begin work on April 27th.

About the Mine:
.Kennecott's Bingham Canyon Mine has produced more copper than any mine in history - about 18.1 million tons.
.The mine is 2-3/4 miles across at the top and 3/4 of a mile deep. You could stack two Sears Towers (now known as the Willis Building) on top of each other and still not reach the top of the mine.
.The mine is so big, it can be seen by the space shuttle astronauts as they pass over the United States.
.By 2015, the mine will be at least 500 feet deeper than it is now.
.If you stretched out all the roads in the open pit mine, you'd have 500 miles of roadway - enough to reach from Salt Lake City to Denver.

My boy and his best friend

2009-04-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

One afternoon Dakota went to the park with his best friend Cola. Skate board in hand, cola on the leash. They set out on their adventure together.

Dakota thought to his self, "I wonder if cola could pull me on my skateboard?" I guess that wont work! Cola, Wait for me!!

Playing hide and seek he thought would be fun, But where did he go? They had great fun together at the park! Thank you Angie, Clark and Desi for taking them!!

April Fools Day

2009-04-01T17:55:00.001-07:00

I got up this morning, went into the kitchen and Jordan was sitting at the table eating and I had to take a double look. He had gone to someones house and had them buzz his hair off! I was so shocked i just stood there. I said " Jordan what on earth did you do to your hair?" He said it's an April fools joke mom! If it's a joke then it's not real right?? Well it's real! He is hairless!! I had to laugh because he was so proud of himself for coming up with such a fun joke for his mom!
There's more... I was getting the cereal boxes out and the kids were all telling Me which one they wanted. Madison said she wanted Kix , so i started to pour it into her bowl and frosted flakes came out! I was like, what the heck?? Dakota said" Gotcha Mom!" he had changed all the cereals around!! That was a good one!! Hope you all had as much fun as I did today!

He has Risen

2009-03-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me, Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. I tremble to know that for me he was crucified, That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died. Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me Enough to die for me! Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me! (“I Stand All Amazed,” Hymns, no. 193)

As we get closer to Easter may we all remember the "True Meaning Of Easter" and share with our families the story of Jesus Christ and what price he paid for all our sins.

Bath Time

2009-03-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

I was looking through some old photo's and came across these of Dakota and Shelby. I miss bath time with the little ones! I used to call them my Oreo cookie because Dakota had such dark skin and Shelby was as white as white comes! We had so much fun when they were little! I miss those times. Dakota and Shelby are so close in age they now, are almost the same height

and becoming very good friends!

Laughing out loud!

2009-03-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

I have had many test done this week, needles,blood,treadmills and last but not least... You guessed it!! When i saw this picture i laughed so hard! It's so funny and so true!! Hope you all get a good laugh!

Sacred Grove

2009-03-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other–This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith–History 1:16-17).

I remember many years ago as a high school student, traveling to Palmyra with the Acappella group and stopping at the sacred grove. I remember it as if it were yesterday. we gathered in a circle , held hands and sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". I remember not one of us having a dry eye,we were all over come with emotion! That was the time that I first knew the church was true. I have longed to return to that sacred place and to feel those amazing things that i felt that day. I would love to travel there with my husband and our children, To let them see what I saw and feel what I felt! What a wonderful opportunity it was for me and memories i shall never forget.

Dawn's Baby Shower

2009-03-01T08:06:00.000-08:00

This has got to be the cutest cake i have ever seen! I can't believe that someone actually made it! We had to pick one brave woman to cut into this amazing work of art, and it wasn't me! Good job Pat!!

We had a fun time at the shower and Dawn received a lot of cute girl clothes for her sweet little Liliana that will be arriving in just a few short weeks!
Grandma and Julie decided they needed to use the table decorations! Nice girls!!!

A work in progress!

2009-02-27T20:50:00.000-08:00

We are in the process of remodeling Madison's and Shelby's bedroom. It has been a long cold winter in their room with a cement floor! John and my brother Gary will be laying the wood tomorrow! They are so excited to have a new room!! I'm excited i will be gone when all that happens :)

Watch out for the tree!

2009-02-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

Madison has a new friend, not the tree but Tyler. Those two girls have so much fun together as you can see! They are texting each other from the time they go to bed to the time they get up!! I'm so glad that my children have picked good friends to hang with. I'm not sure whats up with the tree but, at least they look like they are having fun!

Tough Times

2009-02-16T20:00:00.001-08:00

It seems as though so many people are struggling these days and most of the problems start with money. John lost his job last week and although we weren't shocked with all the lay offs we hear about every day to big companies. John is the type of guy that has a great personality and tends to see things in a positive way and then there's me who freaks out!! There are so many people out of work today, I just hope he can find a new job and totally we can wake up from this nightmare!! I guess we can call it a learning experience and learn from it. If you hear of any jobs in the Electronic Technician field let us know!!
P.S The song is for my Mom and Sisters! LOL!!

What, a Teenage driver?

2009-02-04T16:48:00.000-08:00

I took Jordan driving for the first time today! Wow that was really scary! I wish they would put brake pedals on the passenger side! We did go over one mound of snow and almost hit a car in the parking lot and we are both still alive!!! Now i know how my parents felt when i first started! Scared to death!!! I found a funny story about driving.... Enjoy!

There was this car that was driving very slowly down the highway. A State Trooper pulls it over. "What have I done wrong, officer?" the driver asks. "You are going 26mph on a major highway. There is a law against that," the officer says to the driver. "You must go at least 50mph." "But when I turned on the highway, the sign said 26!" the driver replies. "HA HA HA!" The officer laughs out loud. "That is because this is Interstate 26! The 26 isn't the speed limit!" The driver leans back in her car seat and the cop sees another woman sitting beside her. She looked as pale as a ghost."What happened to her?" the officer asks."I don't know, but she has been that way ever since we got off of interstate 160."

Baptism Day

2009-01-31T20:04:00.000-08:00

Dakota was baptized by his Father today and Confirmed a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What a special day it was for us to see our little cute amazing special boy take such a great step in his life! We are so proud of him and know that he will continue to grow and learn all he can about the gospel!

Dakota and Trent have been Friends since they were about 1! When ever they get together they have so much fun! We are looking forward for Trent's baptism!

Growing Pains!

2009-01-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

Shelby and I were looking through some old pictures and came across this picture of the two of us and she said" Mom, I miss being little" This brought tears to my eyes because i miss her being little too! She asked me today what we were going to do after school. I told her she was going to help me clean a house and she said " I want to stay at school mom!" She loves school so much! I feel sad that my little girl is growing and will be in 1st grade and gone all day! She is my last one home right now and I've decided i need to make every minute count! Shelby is so cute and has a very fun personality! She always gives me kisses and hugs all day long!! I hope that she is always so loving! I love her so much! I hope that i am a good mother and always give her happy memories! I love you sweetie pie!

"Daughters are little girls that grow up to be your best friend."
Author: Unknown

St George Temple

2009-01-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

I love this picture! I was so sad we didn't have time to do a session in this Temple! So Beautiful, Amazing and Majestic! Just looking at it gives me a calm feeling.

Sweet Grandma

2009-01-24T21:10:00.000-08:00

We got to the hospital to visit Grandma and she was feeling pretty good! I was so happy to see her smiling! Doesn't she look cute with the hat? We had a lot of fun giggling and listening to her stories. Before we left we asked if we could bring her anything back when we returned that evening and she said a million dollars!! So.....

We went to the store and got some play money!!! When we came back to visit she was not doing well and in a lot of pain, but we were still able to get a smile out of her, with her millions!

It has been nice to be down here but i have been in a lot of pain since Friday with a horrible toothache! It must be a huge infection!! I will be in the dentist chair Monday morning at 8:00 A.M. thanks to my husband! So for tonight and Sunday i will be doped up on lortabs!

Trials

2009-01-21T18:39:00.000-08:00

I have several Friends and Family members going through some very hard trials right now and I came across this wonderful article and wanted to share it with all of you who are hurting right now! I hope that as you read you will feel some hope and understand the trials you are going through! I love you all!!

"One of life’s most commonly asked questions is, "Why does God allow His children to go through difficult, trying, painful times in life?" We recognize that God is all-powerful and could prevent these trials if He chose to do so. Yet, He often does not. Therefore, there must be some purpose for them, some divine reason for not sparing us these hardships. Once we begin to understand God’s purpose for these things, we will be able to stand strong through any storm of life.

1.We must be persuaded that God is in control of the timing and intensity of our trials.
2.We must realize that God has a specific purpose for each trial in life.
3.We must understand that each trial is designed to meet a specific need that God sees in our lives.
4.We must accept that each trial is going to result in our own good if we respond in faith.
5.We must discover how each trial can strengthen our faith by proving that we can depend on the Lord for all of our needs.
6.We must rejoice in that each trial is an opportunity for God to demonstrate His power to sustain us under tremendous pressure.
7We must submit ourselves to the development of Christ-like character that results from our trials.
8.We must take advantage of our trials’ usefulness in measuring our spiritual growth. For example, we may realize that we are capable of handling a powerful hardship that would have crippled us only a year or two ago. This is because our continuing trials have taught us that God will indeed empower us to prevail.
9.We must be convinced that God will walk us through every step of the trial(Hebrews 13:5).
10.We must have faith that by His grace and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, we will not only survive, but we will also conquer over each trial.

If you are a child of God, you have the means by which to stand firm in the face of any trial. Trust that God has a reason for your sufferings, and submit yourself to whatever He desires to teach you. The road may be rocky, but a wise response will lead you into the joy He has promised."