Count Down!

We're on pins and needles waiting for this baby to arrive! I'm due in six days and I can't wait for the magic cure to most of my discomfort these days. It's funny how you forget all about heartburn and swollen ankles and a hundred other pains, not to mention labor, when you finally hold your baby. I refuse to post a picture of myself. I don't think that part of my life needs to be documented. Lets just say I'm not one of those ladies that puts on the bare minimum of weight. Plus I'm normally so small that every pound looks like ten. I am blessed that the weight isn't hard for me to loose though. Nursing takes care of that. Anyway we're so excited! Wish us luck!

Happy Birthday May!

Missy May is four today! We had a fun party with the Peterson bunch and then with the Tenneys. I love that we live close to both of our families. It's amazing that it has been four year! What is even more amazing is how much information that a little person gathers in that time. I wish I had learned that much every four years of my life. I can't believe that she will be going to school next year! I'm going to try to not be one of those crying mamas that can't leave their baby at school, but no guarantees! We're a vanishing breed, we mamas that cry when the kids go to school. So maybe I'll cry and be proud of it! I think that May has the type of personality that will love school and really thrive on the structured schedule. I'm glad I have another year to mother her all day every day though. We Love You May!!!

Too busy!

Things have been crazy busy this month! So many reunions and fun times. I LOVE this time of year! I'll have to post a few pics later. Sadly we were having such a great time that we didn't get that many good pictures. We had four reunions, the 4th, the 24th, Ben and Amy parties, scout camp, the list goes on. This weekend we celebrate our 5th anniversary. I'm excited to have Mathan to myself for a whole day! It will probably be my last day off for another year because I'm due in less than FOUR WEEKS! WooHoo!

The Good Ol' Summertime

This weekend we had Mathan's family reunion. It was great to have all the siblings there! We were only missing Mckay who is on his mission. Mathan was the camera guy so we have a ton of pictures. Here are a few of the best. There were so many good ones. We'll have to make a cd to send to everyone. Maybe I'll post some more later.

Everyone squinting...It's way to hard to get a good picture of everyone!

2009 Babies

The one and only 2008 baby

Liefde was asleep and missed the 07 shoot

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003&2002

2000 & 1998??

Happy Father's Day!

Our stake accidentally put Father's Day as the 14th on the stake calendar so we had Father's day speakers this week and last week. Someone said that's okay because Mother's day is to honor mothers but Father's Day is to remind the men of their duty. Poor guys! It's like when they come home from the Priesthood session feeling chastened. May got up on the stand to sing with the primary but she wanted to stand by her cousin and didn't get to so I took her out crying. She missed singing for mother's day because she had to go to the bathroom. Maybe next year. It was so funny, when the kids finished singing on mother's day my little nephew piped up and said "Mommy I need to go potty!" and everyone laughed. It's funny how sometimes kids are so self conscious and sometimes they don't care what they do or say in front of a hundred people. Anyway, we love you all you wonderful daddies!

Happy Birthday Ellen!

Our sweet Ellen is two years old today. What a sweet addition she has been. I can't believe how fast these two years have gone and how much she has grown! She surprises us every day with new things that she has learned. She is so full of laughter and fun, and thankfully she still loves to be wrapped in a soft blanket and rocked. I'm grateful for the quiet moments that we can sit and cuddle. I'm glad that she can be my little baby for a while each day even though she is fast becoming my big girl. We love you Ellen!

This post is almost a week late because of technical difficulties and I was so mad that I didn't get it up on her actual birthday. Oh well

Sunday Sweets

Today was ward conference and the Stake primary took over so I got to got to the combined priesthood/relief society lesson!! It was soooo nice to be part of an adult gospel discussion. It's been a long long time, like more than two years since I've been in a class like that. I'd forgotten what it was like! I mean, listening to speakers is good but it's lovely to have that give and take lesson. Anyway I thought I'd post some of the things that stuck with me from the lesson.
We talked about being self reliant today and we watched a short talk by Elder Hales on the subject. What I liked was how he spoke about the self confidence and esteem that comes from being out of debt. Debt is bondage. Having a big nice home and expensive cars will not make up for the hopelessness that the debt causes. Satan would have us believe that an opulent lifestyle will bring happiness, but the truth is our relationships with our family and friends and Heavenly Father is what brings us real joy. It's not the clothes you wear. It's not the way you do you hair. HAHA! Shout out to Mr. Rogers! Sorry, I sort of went off the subject............ What is so maddening is we know this. We know what brings happiness and yet we still stay in the rat race for more money and nicer stuff! I listened to a talk once on BYU TV and someone did a study that showed that almost across the board of income levels everyone said they would be satisfied with 10% more. If we just had a little more money everything would be great! Guess what? ITS NOT TRUE! The trick is living within our means and being content, knowing you are in control of your finances and not having possible foreclosure over your head. Mathan and I live in a manufactured home with thin walls, made out of cheap material. Its completely inefficient when it comes to heating and cooling, but we own it. In two years time, if all goes well we will be completely free and clear. As much as I want a nice "real" house right now, I love that this house is ours and the land and car are almost ours. We can afford the payments even when Mathan doesn't have as much work as we'd like. I'm excited for when we'll be out of debt and we can chuck all that payment money into savings for my "real house" that Mathan knows how to build so we don't have to pay a contractor. Talk about useful skills! Dang it, Life Is GOOD! And in the end nobody will care what kind of house you lived in or what you did for a living. This life is so short in the eternal perspective! Love the Lord and love your neighbor as yourself. Forgive and you'll be forgiven. The gospel makes everything so simple. I love it!