President Hinkley

I have been thinking a lot this week about how President Hinckley has touched my life. I wanted to share my experiences. I was on my mission when he was made the prophet. It was weird being in another country when so much was going on. I remember when the Proclamation to the World on the Family was presented to the world.

Anyway, in August of 1995, President and Sister Hinckley came to England to do a bunch of stake reorganizations, etc. They came and spoke to our whole mission-England London Mission. I arrived at the mission office a little early, and he was walking around shaking hands. The minute you are in his presence, there is a spirit you cannot deny. I just wanted to be near him, although I could hardly see him in the sea of suits. My companion and I hurried to the chapel to get a seat as close as we could. I remember in the prayer, he dropped his pen, so he peeked an eye open and picked it up.

Sister Hinckely spoke first and at the time, their grandson was in the mission. She said it was church of miracles because her grandson is serving a mission and a couple months ago she wouldn't have trusted him to go get her Saturday shopping with a note pinned to his sleeve, now he is preeching the gospel. We all cracked up.

President Hinckley told us to be obedient and that there were thousands of people in London ready to hear the gospel. I remember thinking "can you mark them with a dot on their forehead or something?" He is really funny. My mission president's name is President Steele. President Hinckley at one point said he was out of time. He turned to President Steele to see if he could keep speaking. He said yes of course, so President Hinckley said "Isn't it great to be lead by a man of Steele?" He and Sister Hinckely had such an awesome sense of humor and infectious smiles. The spirit was so strong the whole time he spoke, and I remember feeling that he was very close to the Savior and I could feel the Saviors love through him. ( I hope I make it through this as I feel a flood of the feelings I felt so many years ago.)

Being so far from Utah, I admit that I can hardly believe he is gone-I don't want to believe it, but In know that it is part of the plan. I now just have to teach Jordan about what happens when a prophet goes to Heaven. I did want to testify that President Hinckly is a Prophet and he is now in the presence of our dear Savior and Father in Heaven. I love him so much for the things he left us and will miss so much hearing him speak at General Conference. I put up a picture we had taken the day he came to my mission. The picture is half of my mission. We each got to shake his hand and he asked us each where we were from. So I can tell my children I shook hands with a prophet of the Lord. I am second in from the Left in the front row.

Having lots of fun

Landon was very happy to play with his baby food container. It kept him busy so I could actually eat!!
This is the National Building Museum in Washington DC. We went for playgroup yesterday. The building is so beautiful and they have al ittle play room for the kids with all kinds of things to build. I drove in to town and Jordan cried because she wanted to take the Metro. I am still a little nervous to go myself with all three kiddies. I have visions of Jordan not getting off the train in time....can't stand thinking about it.

Spencer loved dressing up to be a construction worker. They had a play work bench with tools and stuff that he really loved.
When we got home, Spencer was asleep and Jordan thought it was hysterical to put paper on Spencer while he was asleep. There was another one on his head later. Practial jokes already.

Kiddies playing and having fun with their numbers. Who needs to play hopscotch when you can put the numbers on your head!! Smiley boy!!
Why do we buy toys when a plastic storae bin will keep them busy for an hour!! It was a boat, a house, jail, and many more things.
Can you feel the love?
This pic is out of order-should be up a the top.

"Yay For Me!"

I wanted to share that despite having 2 children running around, balls being thrown at me, a 4 year old blocking the TV, a 2 year old having a fit when his big sister took his toy, I still did my exercise video!! I had the TV on upstairs for the kids, but they were much more interested in what I was doing. Jordan started to do it with me, but got bored and wanted to do her own thing. In my video, I walk forward and backward and she pretened to be a doggie trying to cross the road so would quickly crawl across the floor when I went backwards. It surely tried my patience, but I did my best not to yell and threaten.....in the end I did it and that is what counts!! As my weight watchers tells us to say...."Yay for me!!!"

Landon's first Christmas!! He'll just live these when he's 16!!

Fun Christmas

Here's our family in front of the Christmas tree-Spencer wasn't too cooperative. He's 2 and lives up to it!! This picture was actually right before our Ward Party. Jordan sang in the program and was really cute. Landon's first Stocking. He got some baby tylenol and orajel since he was teething!!
Happy kids on Christmas morning. The loved opening the presents. The also went to bed with them that night.

Very Late Christmas entry

I have been wanting to write about Christmas, so here goes. The kids were really excited to come down and see the gifts. When I was a kid, everything was wrapped and from Santa, but Darin said in their house, there were a couple things left open. So we did that and the kiddies were excited. Jordan loved her Dora Doll and Spencer loved his Diego Rescue pack. The days following Christma Spencer didn't leave home without his talking Rescue Pack!! I got a flat iron for my hair and found it is very time consuming, but an awesome iron-if you're in the market for one get a CHI. I made a calendar for Darin on Snapfish and he really liked it. We received some great gifts from family as well.

The next day we went to Virginia Beach for a family vacation. The kids love seeing the ocean and playing in the sand even if they are in their winter attire. They also had lots of fun swimming in the hotel pool. Even Landon took to the water. It was a heated pool, so it was like taking a bath. We found some great museums, and a fun aquarium to go to. There was also a lights display along the boardwalk on the beach that you drove your car on. We love to go to lights displays. We had a great veiw from our window and one day feed the seagulls from our balcony. It was a fun trip.

I am going to try to attach a slideshow with Christmas pictures, so hopefully it will work.

I'm caught!!

Well, I have since told Darin about our Blog, so I got in trouble for my first entry....so much for being sneaky:) I knew I would tell him about it, but he said he was surprised and annoyed at what I wrote. Sorry Darin!! Now he know, so you may see an entry from him sometime. I'll be more careful next time I try to be funny!!

Fun weather

Jordan and I were really excited about the snow today. We got our boots on and all dressed up to take her to school, only to arrive and have them tell us the preschool was cancelled. Apparently there was a problem with the busses not picking up some of the kids. Darin came home early and took both kids out with him. They love to get their snowpants and boots on and go play-Jordan is very proud that she can put them on herself. She got soaked and did not want to come in. Reminds me of growing up in Wisconsin!!

Pat on the back!!

I wanted to give myself a little pat on the back. I struggled a little-well a lot actually- with weight watchers toward the end of the year, and gained some back. I went back the beginning of the new year and am off to a great start. I decided that I would not have anything to eat after dinner. Well, tonight is night number 3 and I haven't had anything to eat. I do allow myself a glass of fat free hot chocolate while I am watching TV, but it is only 1 point. Much better than a big bowl of ice cream. I may allow myself some smart pop popcorn as well. I am a lot more motivated to do it, so I can fit into my little black dress by my anniversary. So that gives me until October....I will do it!

Positive Peer Pressure!

I learned that a little positive peer pressure can be good! I now teach the CTR 5 class in my ward, so Jordan is in my class. On the first week, I had each parent tell a time when their child Chose the Right. One of the little girls mom's said that she would make her bed every day without having her mom ask, then she would make her mom's bed. Well, we have been making Jordan's bed together in the morning. Today, before we went up to do it, Jordan yelled for me to come up. To my amazement, her bed was made-and very well I might add- and she was sitting in the glider rocker in her room beaming from ear to ear!! Of course I made a huge deal of it and she was very proud. It also helped that she received a princess mirror from her Aunties in Boston and that was placed neatly on her pillow. We promply found a nail and put it on the wall. I was very proud!! Thank you Bentley Thomas for being a great example!!

Siblings

Today we were leaving Chucky Cheese, and Jordan said the cutest thing. We usually go with friends she sees all the time, and we were late today, so she and Spencer ended up playing together the whole time. It was really cute. So, when we were leaving, I told here she played really well with Spence. She said "well, I really love my brother. He is cute and fun to play with." I was so proud of her. They really are playing well together more. Spencer usually calls her "sissy", but lately he has been calling her Jordan more. That is cute as well. I really would love them to always be good friends, so hopefully that is starting. This picture is of them playing together with some play foam my friend Amy sent them.

I wanted to try putting a picture, so I picked one from our trip to Virginia Beach. This a great chair at the Children's Museum in Norfolk, well actually Plymouth. I will put more about our trip, but if you ever go down the that area, this museum is awesome!!

An official blogger!!

I have held off doing a blog, but cannot any longer. It just seems so fun when I look at all my friend's blogs, and a great way to keep in touch with some good friends who have and soon will be moving over seas. Darin told me I wasn't allowed to do one because I would obsess about it, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him:) He will probably learn about it someday, just not right now as he is upstairs watching Oceans 13. I have to figure all the functions of this thing out, then I can put pictures on regularly. Can't wait for that.

To make this more than just a practice posting, I will share something of substance. I have recently learned that I can be most ungrateful, lacking in faith and trust in my Savior. Last week I learned that one of my very dear long time friends lost her battle with cancer, leaving her husband and 3 small boys to go to the next life. Tawyna struggled with cancer off and on for nearly 4 year. During this time she never complained!! I was always so amazed when I read her e-mails. She always ended with something like "Heavenly Father is blessing us so much" or "everything is happening for a reason." I have really spent a lot of time reflecting on Tawyan's example and really want to be more like her. She really put her trust in Heavenly Father and accepted all he had to give her. She also suffered with severe scoliosis and a condition called neurofibramatosis. She was amazing and I hope to be more like her someday.

I would also like to make regular practice of sharing what I am grateful for each day. Today there are a few thing:
1. A neighbor who will come over with about 10 minutes notice to stay with the boys so I don't have to take them out when I take Jordan to school.
2. Jordan is in her special needs school as a model only and has full intellectual and physical capacities. That goes for Spencer and Landon as well.
3. I have my storage room half way cleaned out!! (Those close will have to come look when I am done. My goal is to organize my house from the basement up.....I am off to a good start.)
4. Darin who comes in an gives me a kiss each morning before he leaves for work.
5. Landon only woke up one time last night.!!

Well, I think that has been quite enough for one post. I will try to figure out how to do one pic before I end this post.