--Winter came--

Finally, the kids got to use their sleds they got for Christmas!! We woke up to 4 inches of snow last Sunday, so I went out to shovel because I knew the kids wouldn't be able to shovel that much. I measured 4 inches when I started, I measured about an hour later and there was another inch and it was still coming down. We figured that winter finally found us. Bentley and Abby were pretty excited. We cleaned the deck and sidewalks 3 times that day. So much for a day of rest!!

Best Brothers Forever!!

I just wish it was always this sweet around here.

Owen's one year pictures, Abby's new hair cut

Lenn is occupied for the time being, so I am trying my hand at the blogging world. I will do my best to keep you up to date. Enjoy the pictures!

Wearing one of his very cute birthday gifts, thanks birthday buddy!!

Owen loves playing with his tongue!

This is why you don't see much of Bentley on the blog. Whenever
a camera turns his way, he is outta there!

Abby's new do, in her new dress.

Nurse Abby seeing if her patient needs suction. Yes, this is for real, not staged.

Owen loves his Daddy and his whiskers!


Here is our 1 year old, I still can't believe it!

We had a little photo shoot, I had a lot of fun. I am not sure Owen felt the same.

Owen's top teeth trying to come through.

Oh PLEASE Mom, can we call it a day!


I am calling it a day, that was rough!

I love the picture part of blogs so I will try to give you a lot of them.

Owen, his elephant, and his first birthday

Here is the awesome birthday cake for Owen. Gayle is an amazing mother and cook. Owens' first name tag in Primary's had an elephant on it. We kinda giggled to ourselves thinking Owen was an elephant compared to some of the premies at the hospital. So we bought him a stuffed elephant and he has had it with him ever since. We had an amazing party for the special little kid!

Owen has been a really special addition to our family. He and the Lord have brought us more blessings than one can count. One doesn't realize the blessings until you can look back on what has gone on. The best example is losing my job for Owen, I would have still been stuck in that rut getting sick and being miserable. Being unemployed I got to help dad for the summer and get a new job that pays a ton more and something that I think I will enjoy. I keep thinking back to the doctor that told us that "we will not have any more vacations." Who needs a vacation when you can come home and feel heaven under your own roof? I told the doctor that dad, with or without Owen, didn't allow vacations anyway! Even though Owen communicates through his eyes, he has a vibe to him that can make any day the best. I can be having the worst day and walk into the house. I wash up and go rest my head next to his to recharge. I think that is the closest to heaven a person can get. Even on Owens' bad days he always seems to have a smile or two for me.

We watched Emma Smiths' movie today, I thought that I had it bad. There was scene in the movie where she was comforting a child and she told Joesph that God was not going take another one of her children. I lost it! I am having issues about losing one of my kids, she lost six kids and her husband. I reiterate all one has to do is look over your neighbors fence to find out how good one really does have it. I will get off my soap box and leave with this quote I heard off the movie.

All these things shall give thee experience, and be for thy good and thine adversity; and thine afflictions will be but a small moment. And then if thou endure it well God shall exalt thee on high. --Joesph Smith

Happy Birthday Owen!

What a YEAR

364 days, 23 hours, and about 30 minutes to the minute our lives changed forever. Precious Owen was born. I am recalling the moment that little man joined our lives and it brings tears to my eyes. From the first few minutes of him whimpering and the room filled with his special spirit, tears begin and have flowed ever since. We have been through quite the journey with this little man. Tonight we celebrated a mark in his life that many, many people told us that he would never see. We have been praying this past little while that if it was his time to go, to spare us from the holidays and alas we made it through all the holidays and his birthday. Tomorrow I will post some pictures of his awesome birthday cake and his special day. I am going to leave with a quote I read on Mercydezs' blog that truly applies to us too. Happy Birthday Merceydez, we hope you got your present on time.

How fragile life, how certain death. We do not know when we will be required to leave this mortal existence. And so I ask, “What are we doing with today?” If we live only for tomorrow, we’ll eventually have a lot of empty yesterdays. Have we been guilty of declaring, “I’ve been thinking about making some course corrections in my life. I plan to take the first step—tomorrow”? With such thinking, tomorrow is forever. Such tomorrows rarely come unless we do something about them today.

--President Thomas S. Monson

Christmas 2008

We did a nativity scene on Christmas Eve. Here are the kids playing the part of Mary and Joseph.

And here is Owen playing baby Jesus wrapped up in swaddling cloth.

You can't have a nativity scene with out a Donkey! We had try outs for the donkey, and Gayle won.

Santa seemed to find us even though we live in the middle of no where. The kids got everything they wanted and more. I think my favorite part of the day was the prime rib and shrimp dinner. Then for supper I had a piece of pecan pie. If that tradition continues it doesn't matter if Santa comes as long as my oven works and there is a large chunk of beef in it.