Excuses, Excuses....!!

O.K., So I don't have much time to post right now, so I'll make it quick.
Here are the five reasons why I haven't posted in a while;
Reason #1-#3- New Wii, courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Larsen-Rockin' gift by the way!!! Thanks so much!!! Included in this category, Super Mario Brothers, Wii sports, and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic winter games, courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa chocolate milk-thanks so much as well!! We have had hours and hours of fun!! The memories that we are making right now are priceless!!
Reason #4- I have a really competitive husband that has to win at least twice IN A ROW in order to stop playing...he also has a couple of apples that didn't fall very far from the tree playing right beside him!! Which explains reason #5...
We have had so much fun with this Wii that we haven't wanted to go to sleep until about two in the morning...the whole Christmas break!! We have had so much awesome family time that we haven't wanted to stop playing!!
We had to start back to reality this week and it has been really difficult to get back into the "swing of things". It's mostly been me that has had this trouble, because I am usually the "other one" that stays up to play. I guess Jason isn't the only one that's competitive in this family...
(I'm going to try to download Mckay and Kaden boxing at Grandma Larsen's Christmas morning. I just have to find my camera first!!! It's hilarious!!)

Christmas time....

So, I, like everyone else, have really been feeling the tension this year. I wish for just a moment we could freeze time, like the perfect photograph of the perfect Christmas and the perfect family. I love how messy life can be, but sometimes I wish I could just slow things down a bit. Just for a minute or two. That's all I'd need. I haven't even been going to sleep because I just want the days to last just a little longer. I want to get to the end of the day and feel like I didn't just waste the most precious gift, the chance to experience the fullness of life. I try to live everyday to the fullest, but sometimes I feel like I'm spinning so fast that all I can do is sit down and watch as the world becomes more and more uncertain around us!! The only thing that we can really trust is the Lord and his plan. The fact that he has physically lived and experienced every tear, every pain, everything that is possible to feel while on this earth. Do we look at it as a challenge, or as a blessing that our lives are still being lived. That we are lucky enough to be here, following the plan that was presented to us not so long ago. How blessed we truly are to be here, helping these little spirits return to him some day. What a huge undertaking. I'm so glad that nobody is perfect. That we are all here to learn patience and unconditional love. The fact the the Lord has trusted me with his most cherished children just blows my mind!! How worthy am I, really? What is the true measure of a man? Is it perfect children and the perfect family, or is it the journey we take while guarded by the Veil? I just hope for strong minds and strong bodies to withstand all that the world can bring. For we are here to learn and grow a testimony that even the most cunning and uncertain world can not touch!! We need to stop asking why me and start asking why not me? Why can't I look past what's right in front of me and see a greater need while on this earth? We're not here merely for our own salvation, but somehow to play a greater role in the surrounding souls that are around us daily. What is it going to take to see the real reason for this earthly visit? Life is short...what are we waiting for...

Trick or treat...!!!!!

So, we got to go to Bear River for Halloween this year, and I'm telling you that this was probably the funnest year yet.
We woke up on Saturday, and my dad was reading an article in the local paper about the bison herd on Antelope Island. It said that over 300 "cowboys" were going to try to herd the bison into a holding pen for their yearly check-ups. We decided that this would be a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon, so we packed a lunch and headed out. It was a crazy drive but it was well worth it in the end! We saw more wildlife than we did in all of Yellowstone. We saw buffalo charging men and women on horseback and we saw coyotes and antelope and we even saw(ran over...oops!) a snake. I tell you what, if you have time to visit, you should. It was awesome!
After lunch we saw the "trucks" finish herding the herd into the holding pen, which was way cool and a little crazy! After that we decided to head back to Bear River for the annual trunk or treat. I thought that it started at 6, but it started at 5 and so we totally missed it!!! Go me!! So we decided to just start walking to see where it would take us. It brought up so many memories of when we were little. It was fun for Cresta and I to share the fun stories of when we were kids to our kids. We walked for blocks with one goal in mind...candy!!! Jason ate the candy that Mckay couldn't have, and I filled my pockets with chocolate...Somebody had to eat, I mean carry it for them.
We ended the night picking up some warm donuts from The Burt's house and then headed to Alan and Jen's house for dinner and a movie. It was a sugary blast of homemade goodness!!
I think that we may have had a little too much sugar though! I don't think it's good for anyone to eat that much junk, especially when you come off the "rush" and totally crash!! I barely made it back to my parents house before I crashed...hard! I remember sitting on the floor to get pajamas ready for my boys, and the next thing I knew, it was morning!!
We had such a fun and memorable Halloween! Mario and Luigi absolutely loved it!! Now, back to reality...

October...

Wow, has October just flown by?! I feel like the world is spinning way to fast for me to even think of keeping up!
My kids are doing good in school, with the occasional principal visit, and work is going well.
I love this time of year. I love the colors of the world. I love the smell of dry leaves and frost. I love that in little over a week, we get to walk for hours and knock on strangers doors so they can give our kids candy! I love that my boys are so proud of their costumes, that, if just for a night they get to somehow magically transform into their heroes of choice.
This world is wonderful and beautiful despite what's happening in Washington! I've never taken the time to just sit outside of town and marvel on the beauty that brings people here. Once you get out of the whirlwind of the "college town" and take a step back, you really begin to see just how lucky you are to live in such a place. You're able to have necessities surround you when needed, and are also able to drive or walk minutes away to "escape" the crowd.
I really do love it here. I just miss my family and the safety net that I was so lucky to experience as a child in B.R.. We had family surrounding us while growing up. I was so lucky to have been raised there. I just hope that I'm offering my boys the same security and safety that I once had. I hope they love it here as much as we do.
I love this time of year....

15 Years...

It seems like yesterday. I was working at Charlie's drive-in and this really nice, fun guy would come in everyday for the lunch rush. I didn't pay much attention because he didn't say much. He always had dirt and grease on his face and clothes because he knew how to work hard. He scared me a lot the first time I met him! I wanted my friend to run him over if that's what it took to get away! (It was dark up on the mountain and I was scared anyway!)
It was Christmas break and I wanted to show my friend Rachelle some of my friends, so we went over to the "pink house" to see who was available to play cards or go to the movies. Jason and Brandon were sitting at the kitchen table, getting all spiffied up for a "night on the town". He was clean!! He wasn't in the middle of a work day!! He looked good!!
They decided to go with us for the evening. Jason tried to dunk my 4 year old sister's head in the snow! ( She's on a mission now...woah, I'm getting old!!) He was so nice. Was it possible??
After getting blown off during Christmas break at my Mom's, I came back to school with a new attitude. Could that be the reason? My heart was finally free?
I had to go and pick up my "little buddy" for a class that I was taking, and I was scared to go to the "little Tijuana" trailer park to pick him up. I stopped by to see if Jason would go with me to get him. He said yes. That's when I fell in love!! He dropped all he was doing just to help me. He was so giving and selfless.
He took me on a date to the battle of the bulls in Salina, Utah with his little sister in tow. I was impressed. He was the peace maker. He is the oldest. He was the protector.
We watched the bulls. We danced the dance. He kissed me on the cheek and said that I looked really nice. The rest is history.
I fell head over heels for this really nice, fun guy that used to hang out at Charlie's Drive in!
I'm so lucky that I found him, and that he had the time to find me.
I love you Jason, my "scary" biker stud!! Thanks for taking such good care of me for the last 15 years! I hope the next 15 will be just as fun and full of adventure!!