Did you hear??
BOUNTIFUL, Utah (AP) - Graves are going green.
Utah's Lakeview Memorial Cemetery and Mortuary is offering the option of a green burial, which involves a biodegradable casket (Your already going to be decomposing, why not the box your in? lol) - the traditional plain pine box, perhaps - and refrigeration instead of embalming fluid.(Great, I am going to look like Jack Frost at my funeral!)
The mortuary also offers an eco-friendly funeral and interment in a natural setting in the foothills above Bountiful. (Throw me in the foothills eh, Hate to be living there.)
Memorial Mortuaries and Cemeteries General Manager Brandon Burningham says he expects the increased interest in the environment to create interest.
No one has yet signed up for the service, which has been available since September. (I WONDER WHY)
Casket options include pine, poplar, willow or woven sea grass.(Just throw me in the sea and let me get tangled in the sea weed, that works too) Graves are dug by hand and grave markers are brass plaques, flat stones or trees.( Is that supposed to entice me?)

Today I was watching the news, they put up a picture of the snow down in St.George. I decided that if you want to live somewhere where it doesn't really snow, and even St.George gets more, come move to my neighborhood!

I know it isn't the New Year yet, however I am going to try two things before my brother gets home from his mission.*Since that was when I fell off the bandwagon* Number one- read a book to my kids everyday. Number two- Eat better, and get off my butt and exercise!*We will see how long that lasts, but I hope by Feb. When my brother gets back it will be a habit*

The other day my kids came running up to me asking who this was! I started laughing because Back in 2000,when my sister Kelli was getting married, we played a game where you had to guess the famous couple. I thought it would be cool to make one of me and Ben Affleck. *too bad my face looks as white as the dress.*

My niece is so cute she made all these Christmas cards for the family. The one for Trent said "Dear Trent, I think your really nice! Your as friendly as a dog."

Mine said: "Dear Jamie, I think your really, really pretty! Your as pretty as a flower."

"Dear Hannah, I think your hair is very pretty! Your as cute as a bunny!"

"Dear Austin, I think your really cute and crazy! Your as crazy as a monkey."

"dear Faith you are the cutest baby I've ever seen! Your as cuddly as a teddy bear"

Love Haylee! (We all got a cute little picture that she colored for us)

My friend helped me make these Christmas cards!

This week has been busy!! We have made gingerbread houses, had friends over, helped at a Ward Christmas Party, and had a family party. I got some new ornaments for my tree~!

There are a lot of Holocaust movies coming out soon. Here are two that I want to see:

Defiance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIO8OI0JP50
*Also the hot guy from James Bond plays in it* (DANG IT ALL I just found out it's rated "R") First it's "Changeling" and now this.. ergh



This is based on a novel, but I swear I have heard a true story sort of like this, but they were girls, and one girl was a Jewish maid in the home of a Nazi Officer. Ring a bell? Maybe I have been watching too many shows.

Lyndee tagged me a while ago so here it is finally!!

Eight things I am passionate about:My Family, Friends, Being a mom, Being a wife, Trying to serve others *That is something that truly makes me happy,* Church, Laughing, kids, and old folks *K that was 9 but oh well*

Eight words or phrases I use the most:Hmmm don’t think I can do this one. Jk “Dork, Jerk, brat, babe, hun, Love ya, hawt, stop it.” I say those to Trent. I need to be nicer.
Eight things I want to do before I die:Watch my kids get married, Be a grandma,( you would think I would be old if I make it to be a grandma, but if Hannah gets married and has a baby the same age I was, I will only be 40!) go on a mission, Get my teaching degree, go on a church history tour, help another. Just be with my family and friends

Eight things I need right now: food storage, water storage, to pay off my house, fix my yard *very sad looking* make 72 hour kits for all my family, go through my clothes. Send off cards

Eight places I want to visit:Hawaii, cruise somewhere, old girls camp, Disney land for the kids, Scotland with my whole family (brothers, sisters, parents)

Eight favorite restaurants: Ligiories, Olive Garden, Wendy's, Subway, Artic Circle, Papa Johns, Little Ceasers, Tony’s

Eight TV shows I watch:Ghost Hunters, So you think you can dance, Dancing with the stars, Private Practice ( I need to stop it is a bad show. Stupid thing got me suckered in) E News if I am bored, Channel 2 news, My Fair Wedding, Blush, Amazing Wedding Cakes

Eighth folder, eighth picture:

I have been Tagged

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?I can't wrap worth crap, but I always do wrapping paper for Christmas

2. Real tree or Artificial? We have an artificial tree but it sheds more than a real one. Go figure

3. When do you put up the tree? week of thanksgiving, or whenever the heck I feel like it since it is me that does all the work!

4. When do you take the tree down? again, whenever I feel like it.

5. Do you like eggnog? No!.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A "Soft Dolly." or " Little Miss Make Up" "Moon Shoes" or "Karaoke" or maybe it was the year I got a "Mop and Broom" so I could clean with my mom

7. Hardest person to buy for? Sheryl must be a "brotherly thing" because TRENT is the hardest person to shop for.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Me of Course. Jk Erin, or Hannah

9. Do you have a nativity scene? yeah a little toy one the kids play with

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? This year will be the first

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? hmm good question

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a Wonderful Life, Elf

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Dec.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sweets!

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, white.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Like them all!!

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home then travel.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?yeah

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Either.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Jammies on Eve, all others in the morning.2

2. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Bah Humbugs

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red / Gold

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Moms homemade rolls!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A "love letter" ;).

I tag Kelli, Holly, Lyndee, and Cam (Since I know you love Christmas so much.)

I need everyone's address's!! I am mailing out Christmas cards for the first real time this year!

While Trent was at school the kids and I decided to frost some cookies and make some crafts. The reindeer and angels are some crafts that Holly's kids and my kids made.

For visiting teaching I found these cute magnetic "believe" signs along with "JoY" ornaments. (Ok So I kind of cheated, this month I used President Monson's talk from conference last month since I didn't get to sit down and visit with the ladies last month.) Here is what the tied up papers said:

Finding Joy in the Journey
President Thomas S. Monson
“Nothing is as constant as change.”
Throughout our lives, we must deal with change. Some changes are welcome; some are not. There are changes in our lives which are sudden, such as the unexpected passing of a loved one, an unforeseen illness, the loss of a possession we treasure. But most of the changes take place subtly and slowly.
If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.
Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.”3 We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.
Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.” Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”4


I gave this one to my visiting teaching partner.
“Be not faithless, but believing.” Believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the greatest figure of time and eternity. Believe that his matchless life reached back before the world was formed. Believe that he was the Creator of the earth on which we live. Believe that he was Jehovah of the Old Testament, that he was the Messiah of the New Testament, that he died and was resurrected, that he visited the western continents and taught the people here, that he ushered in this final gospel dispensation, and that he lives, the living Son of the living God, our Savior and our Redeemer. Gordon B. Hinkley



Happy 4 month old birthday Faith!!

I normally don't host parties because of two reasons. Number one: I am lazy. Number two: I don't want people to feel obligated to buy things. However, a couple months ago I went to a shoe party and loved the shoes. Now that Christmas is coming soon I want some! I can only get the ones I want from hosting a party. Would anyone be interested in coming? The thing I like about these shoes are a. they are cute. and b. they are cheap!

Here are some of the stuff they have:
http://www.shoeparty.com/

For Christmas ( I figure I would tell people so if they wanted to do the same idea they still have time) I am giving someone in my family *hopefully they don't read this blog too often* "The Miracle of the Wooden Shoes." First off my family has ancestors from Holland and when we were little our grandparents brought us each a pair of our own wooden shoes from their mission when they served over there. This book is a really cool book that explains the traditions of Christmas in Germany and this one boy's Christmas that changed his life forever. His father is sick and they didn't have enough money for "St. Nickolas" where they would put their wooden shoes out and in the morning things would be inside. Well to his surprise he wakes up with a letter rolled in red ribbon and candles. The letter has a scripture on it how Christ is the light of the world. So for my present the first day I am going to give her or him *can't tell* a candle with the scripture on it. The second day the boy comes out to find a wood pile for fire with the scripture how his word is like a burning fire. (give the person matches ) The third day it talks about how Christ is the bread of life. You then give the person a loaf of bread or rolls. Fourth day it talks about feasting on the word of Christ. You give the person chocolate with the book. I wish the books were cheaper because it would be such a fun idea to do for neighbors! I ran into a woman at the book store who told me her ward did this as their Christmas party! What a great idea! I think I will even do it for my kids.

Yes, I am alive! I just haven't had much to blog about, ok that's a lie I have a lot to blog about but I am lazy. Big surprise huh? Well SO much has happened the last two weeks. First my older brother had his first child!! The kid is so cute! Must get that from his mother! jk guys. I have had fun chit chatting with friends it has made my day go by so much smoother. The dr. found out I am having eye migraines. I will be sitting talking to someone and for the life of me I can't think and I stumble over all my words! So if you just met me and all of a sudden you are wondering if I am all there, I usually am. LOL at least I think so. jk. Poor Faith hasn't been feeling well lately. She has been crying until I turned on Sesame Street for Austin, and she sat there and watched until she fell asleep! The dr. thinks she has a UTI but hasn't tested yet. *seriously wish they would've already* On Sunday we went up to my mom's to celebrate my sisters 19th birthday! Happy Birthday tomorrow Erin!

Thanks Kelli for taking our pictures. Thanksgiving 2008

Austin sure loves to pull faces in all these pictures. If it wasn't him not paying attention, then it was his dad~!

We were arguing over where we were having Kelli take the shot. Trent thought it was funny we were pretty much in front of someone's house. Kelli shot this picture just as he was telling me off! LOL

#26 Christmas Season!

I am so thankful for the lovely Christmas season! I love the feeling in the air and wish it was like this all year long. Instead of just giving and being generous one month of the year, I wish it was just a thing that happened all the time. I really want to do something for the kid cancer patients families that stay at the Ronald McDonald house, or do something for the nursing home. I am not sure what yet but I will think of something! Today my kids and niece Brinley helped me decorate for Christmas! It was so funny, while I was putting up the tree my niece started singing " Hairy angels Sing.." instead of "Herald angels sing" It was cute!

Happy Turkey Day!

Like Grandpa, Like Grandbaby


Same haircut!
I don't think she thought that was as funny as I did!

Gobble Gobble!!

Grandpa with Zoe and Faith *there were 8 new babies this year! *

This year for Thanksgiving, we went to my Aunt Chris's house. I will have to post pictures of it when I get them from Kelli and Erin. They took some cute shots of us eating! It was really fun and laid back! I asked Kelli to take some family pictures and they turned out really cute! Later that night my mom took Hannah and Austin to spend the night, so the next day I could go straight to my dr. apt. Trent and I thought about going to a movie, but we knew it would be too crowded. We rented movies and Trent watched them instead, I fell asleep by 7:30!!! It was fun talking to everyone, and I can't wait for Anya to have her baby!! I so know her pain! She needs that kid out now!

My sister took these pictures, I love them!



Kids! They laughed so hard doing this. I wonder whose bright idea that was!

Austin was just as big as the little elf

I have a lot to catch up on! While Trent was in St. George the kids and I made turkey crafts and brownies for family Home Evening. The next day my mom and sister asked if I wanted to meet them at Gardner Village. We usually go for the witches and this year it had been so crowded. I really enjoyed going with the great weather to see the elves. It was a nice day to be out and just enjoy the surroundings. I love Anastasia's Attic there in GV. I also love the main shop and the Quilt shop they have. It was really fun to see the little elves and to watch the kids enjoy themselves!