Good bye 2012

I was thinking back on 2 012 and had this blah feeling wasn't a great year but wasn't a bad year either, but I feel a little ungrateful not thinking that it was a great year because we are very blessed. 

Ben had a birthday and he thinks he is feeling old, I think the Salt and Pepper look is a good thing, you can't look like a teenager your whole life. He is healthy, he walks miles and miles a day, he is trying not to drink so much pop, and maybe cut back on his candy, he is also trying to gain weight, and those forces of someone trying to loose and someone gain is annoying....Ben got a surprise on the night of his b-day Alivia's choir sang happy birthday to her dad, she is a lot like her mom and surprises are hard to keep quiet.....it was fun, we posted the video on facebook and like some people commented he reacted like a Whidden, red face and an embarrassed smile.

We love Christmas cards and love seeing pictures of friends and family and their cute kids, some teenagers as kids are getting older. I want to thank the friends who think of us during the holidays sending us little gifts and treats. We love you, our lives wouldn't be the same without you.

We had our annual family gingerbread making night, I made me a makeup pallet with all my favorite candies as my eye colors:)

Our little primary class (we have been perma-subs for a few months) got to make these little "gingerbread" stables.

Alivia got her first perm, it might be her last, her hair has done really well, it has given it more body. I decided to do it because I curled her hair for her choir concert and by the time we got there it was almost flat. Now when we curl her hair it will stay that way for a day or more.

Here are some highlights of the first half of 2013 we look forward to.

January-Alivia's Birthday

Ben trains some Canadian store managers

February-Cooper's Birthday

We get a new little niece

March-Kessler's Birthday

Hopefully travel to Edmonton for a baby blessing

April-The mom's birthday

Ben and Andrea vacay

May- Bauer's Birthday

un-winterize the boat

June- Kids out of school 

Flaming Gorge

I look forward to a new year, I don't normally care too much about the changing of the calendar but this year, I am hopeful to make some goals accomplish them.

December update

December has been really busy with a long list of fun things and things that just need to get done.
Christmas shopping almost done, the picture below is sweet Bauer holding the gift he got me from Nordstrom, what a thoughtful, sweet little boy!! ;)

The pic below is Ben getting picked on in Primary, he had to listen and look to see who was singing really good for the upcoming song the kids were going to sing in sacrament.  We have been perm-subs for the primary for the last few months for Bauer's class, I love his little class they are so funny!

I loved this dress below, Target was having a special deal having Neiman Marcus items in there store, I don't really get how cool or uncool that is, because I don't shop at Neiman Marcus and I don't think I can afford to shop there anyway. I just loved this little girl dress and if I had 100.00 to blow I would have got it.

I have been working about 3 days a week to get some Christmas cash coming in. Some passengers kill me, I often wonder how the survive the outside world?

Ben and I went to his annual work party can you tell how much fun we were having? It was fun and his boss and his wife out on a great gig every year and they give such nice, thoughtful presents.

Our elf has been up to some mischief...not in a bad way but hopefully a fun way.

A Sunday picture last week, although the same things happened again this week, all 5 of us were ready for church and no joke as we were grabbing our stuff to get in the Suburban Kessler threw up all over the carpet. This week it was Cooper, luckily he threw up on the kitchen floor and last night Alivia threw up in the bathroom. We went to tithing settlement last night and apologized to the Bishop for the kids not being there, told him that the kids were sick, and he jokingly said, oh so you mean my kids are going to be sick in a few days:) (our kids are friends) Sorry to anyone who catches this stomach bug!!

Cooper would be kind of upset that I posted this picture, but that is what moms are for. TO BE EMBARRASSING!! Alivia actually did this to him and sent him up to my room to model. Crazy kids!

Sweet little Addilyn, she is usually my little buddy. I am glad she recognizes me and will come and put her arms up when i walk in the room. She is so funny she is starting to say lots of words. The other day she told Bauer to "let go" it was so cute!!!

This cat is subject to many things, this day she was dressed up in a costume and didn't seem to mind.
She still hasn't caught any mice though, I don't think we have any right now, but come summer time she better start pulling her weight around here.

Kessler had his preschool program and was so proud that he remembered his line.

Traditions

The annual choir concert was a few weeks ago. It is so fun to go up there and see the light and hang out with the family...we also got to check out City Creek a little bit more.

Christmas shopping is almost done, a few more gifts for Bauer and some stocking stuffers.
We are doing our annual gingerbread houses very soon, the kids are super excited. They also have been enjoying our elf on the shelf. We don't have a naught elf, we have a nice elf named Tinsel.

Cousins

Saving for the future

I was at work the other night and when I called home, Ben told me that Kessler came up to him all sad and said Dad, I am in trouble. Ben asked him what he had done and Kessler responded that he ate a penny.
I hate that feeling of being gone and there is nothing I can do, there would have been nothing I could have done if I were home. We truly don't know if he did swallow a penny, it has been 48 hours and nothing has come out yet.
I am not sure if I should take him in and have an x-ray or just keep waiting, he hasn't been in any pain he has commented that he thought the penny was in his back and also commented that it was in his lower chest area?
None of the other kids have ever done anything like this, so I was a little confused on what to do.

He also commented today that he ate rocks, that kid is so weird. I am almost certain he didn't eat rocks, he was with me all day.....but who knows what tomorrow will bring, hopefully a penny.

Speechless....

I can usually start up a conversation with about anyone, it doesn't bother me. I enjoy getting to know people, listening to their story. I also have been known to say really stupid things probably more than I realize!

Lately I have been in situations where people I love are hurting and it is so hard not to know the right things to say.

I just want those people to know that I love them so much and hope that everything turns out the way  it is supposed to. While I was typing this, this song came on my playlist (Alison Krauss & Union Station) and thought I would put this on here to kind of some up the way things are sometimes.

Ive seen hard times and I've been told
There isn't any wonder that I fall
Why do we suffer, crossing off the years
There must be a reason for it all

I've trusted in You, Jesus, to save me from my sin
Heaven is the place I call my home
But I keep on getting caught up in this world I'm living in
And Your voice it sometimes fades before I know

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, crying with my need
Depending on Your love to carry me
The love that shed His blood for all the world to see
This must be the reason for it all

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, a fortress in the storm
When what I wrap my heart around is gone
I give my heart so easily to the ruler of this world
When the one who loves me most will give me all

In all the things that cause me pain You give me eyes to see
I do believe but help my unbelief
I've seen hard times and I've been told
There is a reason for it all

Family Photo Shoot

 I have been wondering if I would be able to pull off a photo shoot without my beloved Jeni Boston doing it for me, but to put some skillzz to the test we tried a photo shoot with the tri pod and some really hyper kids.

 A few of the photos still need a few edits, I don't know if I would do it again, I think it is well spent money having someone else come and shoot the photos for you and you just have to walk from location to location.

 Needed to get the Christmas card done, so it can be sent to the printer!

Cooper

I wasn't  going to blog tonight and considering it is almost midnight I thought I better write this down before I forget how it made me feel.
Cooper is my sweet, tender, imaginative, concerned, different boy. Doesn't necessarily have friends, he swings by him self at recess, always has a question, gets overwhelmed very easily.

Tonight, we were walking around Temple Square and Cooper picked a cute little purple pansie, he knows my favorite color is purple and came up to give it to me, I normally put little flowers my kids give me, in my hair but my hands were full. He carried that little flower around for a few more minutes and as we came around the corner onto North temple there was a homeless lady standing there holding a sign with a little rolling suitcase next to her. As we walked past and down the street my sister came up from behind me and told me that Cooper put his little flower on her suitcase.

I sometimes don't know why I deserve that boy, I hope I can do what is right for him, I love him more than words can describe and I am so thankful for his sweet little gesture tonight, he reminded me once again to be kind to others even if it is as small as a pansie...