Blessing

Well I have had an emotional and wonderful experience and wanted to record it. On Sunday I was combing my hair and thought to myself, my eye feels weird. Upon a closer look I noticed a droopy eye. I went to Rus and said I think there is something wrong with my eye. He looked closely at me and said ya it looks swollen, paused and then said, No I think it is droopy. I kept my cool for about 15 minutes, but as the symptoms worsened and I had more time to process the events, I really lost it. I started balling like crazy. Rustin drove me to his parents and his mom looked at my droopy eye. We decided that we should make a trip to the ER. I was so upset, but asked for a blessing anyway. Whithin a minute I was able to calm down and think about things rationally. It is such an amazing experience for me each time I get a blessing. The preisthood power is very real and what a blessing for us that God has restored the Presithood on the earth here and now. I am so grateful for men in my life that are worthy of that power and are willing to use it in my behalf.
So we left the kiddos with Rus' parents and left for the hospital. I knew that I probably ignore the speedodometer, casue I knew that Rustin would drive fast. Yes we made the trip pretty quick. Upon arriving we check in and wait for 45 min to see the triage nurse. Waiting was horrible, cause my symptoms are getting worse and worse. It is a very weird feeling to have peripheral vision. As soon as the triage nurse heard my symptoms we got right back. They immediately hooked me up to the moniters. The doctor said that he was pretty sure it was not a stroke, but that it was bell's palsy. We had to wait for a CT scan to make sure that nothing was wrong there. I also had to have a EKG and labs done. In the ER they start an IV line and use that for labs and everything. Well I sure have quite the bruise. Apparently I have some thick skin. I would rather have my blood drawn any day over that agian. So all of the tests came back normal. We got to the ER about noon and didn't leave until about 3 maybe a little later. After talking to lots of people I must have a mild case. I am very thankful for. My eye is still droopy, but not as bad. You can only tell if you really look. My cheek is very numb. The ER doctor said I had early Bell's Palsy so I don't know if my sysmptoms will get worse or what. In conclusion I feel very blessed and thankful. It could have been so much worse. I know that prayers were answered and that the Lord blessed me.

Christmas and December

Here is it another new year. We hope that you have a wonderful year and that you will have a wonderful new year. Here are a few pictures from our month of December that we would like to share.

Here is Santa's big gift. The kids were so excited. Ufortunatly just after Rus and I got it up we had the big snow storm sot the kids only got one day of jumping.

My little chef. I made aprons and hats for both the kids. I have to give credit to my mother-in-law for the hats. She helped me make them.

For Christmas Eve we spent the day at my parents. Good food and games are always fun. Here is Ryan loving on his new quilt from grandma and grandpa. He loves it to pieces. It is a little big since he is still in a toddler bed, but once we get a big bed for him it will be perfect. I love listening to my dad read Luke chapter 2, which he does every Christmas. Rusin has his tradition of playing the church movie "The Nativity", turning down the sound and playing Celine Dion's song "O Holy Night" instead of the movie. It is very moving and touching.

Trying to get warm.

We took our annual trip to the visitors center. It was very cold. Annalynn was contantly scrunched up on the ground with her coat wrapped around her legs. We were planning on finnishing up our Christmas shopping that night, but a crazy thing happened. We had turned in some metal to the recycling place. He cashed the check (from recycling), but much to our dismay they cashed it against our account. It was a fairly substantial check so we were now in the hole. What a crazy thing to know that you had so much $$$ and go to the store to get gas and your card is declined. Hubby was upset I was upset. I've made mistakes before in the checkbook, but never that big of a mistake before. So we sort of had a damper on the evening. But I love listening to President Hinckley talk at the Nativity. The comercials inside the visitors center are so funny. Reminds me so much of my own children and the crazy and funny things that they do.

Christmas Cookies

Last weekend we were supposed to go to California to visit with my brother and his family, but things didn't work out. We had my mom come up instead and we made cookies.It was such a fun day. It brought back great memories of making Christmas treats with my family growing up. What a great tradition. Thanks momm.

Ryan enjoying a cookie.

Annalynn making cookies.

Beautiful

The other night I noticed this beautiful sunset. It was so breathtaking. In the daily activities...taking care of kids, cooking, cleaning, working, being a wife and mother I forget to take time to smell the roses. God has blessed us with so many blessings may we take the time to enjoy the little moments in our life.

Flooding

We have had a crazy few days here in town and surrounding areas.
There has been so much rain that all of the rivers and creeks have been full to capacity. Monday night we drove up to the resevior and it still had over 10 feet to the top of the dam. By Tuesday morning it was going over in full force. Unfortunatly it was to dark to get any pictures. But here are some pictures of around town. On Tuesday afternoon Rus was able to drive around with us and we looked at all of the creeks. Rustin took Tuesday off and helped sanbag. He was out at 6am sandbagging. He also took a couple hours off on Wed to help some more. It has been amazing to see the community pull together to help at this time of crisis. It also has brought back a lot of memmories the last time this happened. I was nearly due with Annalynn and Rustin was in California at tractor school.

Ward Party

Friday was our ward party. We had a nice dinner and then the Primary did a nice program. It was a great program about the symbols of Christmas. Annalynn was in the nativity and she was dressed up as a rabbit. It was so nice that the Primary Presidencey had costumes for every child in the primary. Santa also made an appearance. I am so glad that we don't have to go to the mall.


Here are the kids with Santa...he visited our ward party. Annalynn gave Santa a big hug and a kiss when she got on his lap. I was shocked that she would do that. Well not really. She is so loving and Santa is not a stranger right. I wish that I would have had my camera ready for that picture.

Exiting the stage after singing the song and doing the Nativity.

Here is a picture with Annalynn and two of her friends Alana and Haylee.

Decorating

Today we decorated the tree. I let the kids do a lot of it. It gives them so much joy and they have such hapy faces while doing it. I don't care that the tree is mostly decorated on the bottom. All that matters is that my children have a good time and make memories that they will remember forever.

Here he is in all his glory.

Look at that cheeser. He is so proud of his creative work.

Here is Ryan's decorating. I remember that Annalynn had a decorating spot just like this at his age. It is so cute how that do things.