Semester 2 Week 5

I have to say as I look back at this week there are random things that stood out to me.  I would like to take 3 or 4 of these things and talk about them.
1. God using Nature to humble his people
In Helaman ch.11, Nephi prays that a famine will curse the land and help bring the people to repentance.  The famine replaced the wars they were having with the Lamanites. When they had humbled themselves they were blessed with rain and crops.
2. Prophets being directed to try again
In chapter 13, Samuel tries to preach but is rejected and starts to leave.  Then he is commanded to return and try again.  He is not the only prophet to be instructed in this way.  Jonah was commanded to go back to Ninevah after he was rejected there.  Those people repented.  Abinadi was commanded to return the people of King Noah and only Alma was repentant.  But Alma's change of heart led many others back to the Lord. Alma the Younger was commanded to return Ammonihah after being rejected there.  When he went back he met Amulek who became a great missionary, and they did convert many back to the gospel.
3. The righteous are a shield
Samuel talks to the people about how wicked they have become in chapter 13. The key thing that stood out to me in this chapter was verse 12.  It says, "wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved;.." It makes me wonder if the same is true for today.  I hear things on the news and social media and I realize how wicked our world has become.  Things that were considered immoral 20 years ago, let alone socially acceptable, are now everywhere.  In TV shows, movies and books you see how society has degraded. It makes me sad to think this is the world my children are growing up in and how important it is I teach them correctly; I teach them the gospel. But I also see more christian based movies being widely accepted.  There is much wickedness but there is also much good in the world, and I think that is what is keeping it from being destroyed.  We are the lights burning in the darkness of society.  We need to be strong and be a good example to those around us.  Even for no one else's benefit but our own.  We should be anxiously engaged in the work of the Lord in trying to bring others to the gospel.  That is our job, to be a light and example to others.  As we do this we will be blessed.  The Lord knows our hearts.  He knows we want to do the right thing.
I am so grateful for the gospel in my life.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Pathway program.  I know that I'm learning and growing in ways I wouldn't if not for this program.

Pathway week 9

    This week one of the sections in the Book of Mormon we studied was the book of Enos.  In this short book, Enos shares an experience when he prayed to the Father.  First, he prayed for a remission of his sins.  Then he prayed for his fellow Nephites.  Finally he prayed for his enemies, the Lamanites.  There was a process, though, that Enos went through that increased his faith and prepared him to receive an answer to his prayer.  In the Institute of Religion Manual for the Book of Mormon, Elder Robert D. Hales is quoted when he outlines five steps Enos used for this process.
1- He heard gospel truths from his father (Enos 1:1).
2- The teachings were allowed to sink deep into his heart (Enos 1:3).
3- Enos was filled with a desire to know for himself the truth (Enos 1:4).
4- He obeyed the commandments of God.
5- He knelt and prayed mightily before the Lord (Enos 1:4).  In verse 2 Enos described it as his "wrestle which I had before God".
    I think what struck me the most from this is that there is a lot of things that go into true and honest prayer.  Joseph Smith is another great example.  He had a question.  But he didn't go straight to Heavenly Father with his question.  He prepared himself.  He prayed often.  He read the scriptures.  He pondered in his heart his desire to know.  Then he went to the Lord.
  My question I guess to myself would be, what do I need to change about my approach to prayer?  Do I ponder the things I have been taught?  I feel like I do.  Have those teachings sunk deep into my heart?  Yes.  Do I obey the commandments?  Yes.  Do I still sin sometimes?  Yes.  Do I kneel and pray mightily?  Not all of the time.  That is where I can improve.  Enos was brave enough and honest enough with himself to wrestle before the Lord, to pray mightily.  True prayer will be work sometimes. It might be painful emotionally sometimes.  However, when we are kneeling in prayer, that is when we need to be the most honest and sincere.  That is our time for confession and repentance; for forgiveness to start.  At the end we should feel relieved and maybe a bit worn out.  Will that happen all the time?  No.  But for me I know it should happen more than it does.
   In an excerpt from Elder Bender's talk, "Pray Always" he talks about how morning and evening prayer are linked.  They are a continuation of each other.  I don't treat my prayers like that.  I have fallen out of the habit of praying daily.  I read my scriptures and have family prayer, but I am missing that key ingredient of daily personal prayer.  As I work on being more patient, I need that daily communication with my Father in Heaven.  That is my goal for this next week.  I will have morning and evening prayer and keep them linked.

Pathway Program week 5

   This has been such an amazing experience!  I love that I can be immersed in the gospel every day.  The things I am learning will not only help me in my spiritual life, but will help me in my temporal life. I love being able to share the things I learn and get excited about with Whitney and also with 3 of my sisters in-law who are doing the program as well!
    This week we have been reading 2 Nephi 9-16.
    2 Nephi 9:34 talks about lying.  "Wo unto the liar for he shall be thrust down to hell." Pretty intense right?  I don't consider myself a liar.  I try to be honest with people without hurting feelings.  In the Institute Manual, President James E. Faust is quoted as saying, "There are different shades of truth telling.  When we tell little white lies, we become progressively color-blind.  It is better to remain silent than to mislead.  The degree to which each of us tells the whole truth and nothing but the truth depends on our conscience..." (General Conference, October 1996).  I had never thought it quite that way.  What constitutes a "little white lie"?  Does that include sparing someone's feeling by telling them the brutal truth?  How can I be better at being completely truthful and kind at the same time?  Can I be truly honest in all my dealings?  This is something I want to ponder and practice for the next couple of weeks.  Please feel free to share any thoughts or ideas!

Update

   So far this summer has been fairly busy, which I wasn't expecting.  And this month will only be more busy.  I was asked to go to Girl's Camp and I am excited, but a little nervous too.  I haven't been since I was a YCL, and I haven't worked with the youth in any calling.  I've been in Primary for the last 3 1/2 years and just a couple of weeks ago was released and called as the Wolf Den leader.  So how do I relate to these girls?  Why would they open up to me when they only know me as someone they babysit for?  I hope that this will be a good experience for them and for me, but I'm probably worrying over nothing.  I will be an assistant tent mom and also be in the kitchen.  I kind of wish I was only doing one or the other, but I'm glad to be going at all and helping where they need me.

   I am excited to be helping Jacob with his scouting and learning more about Scouts.  At least I know this way he'll be passing off requirements!  I'll probably be doing this at least 2 years, since Jared will turn 8 next year.  Who knows what will happen after that.  I'm sad that I won't be working with Melissa, Megan and Arieta any more.  I really enjoyed being in the Primary Presidency.  A week ago Sunday I couldn't seem to stop crying during Primary.  I have to say though, it was nice to sit next to Whitney for the 2nd and 3rd hours of church this week.  It was nice to listen to the lessons and be able to participate in adult discussions of the gospel. 

    I'm doing the PTC again this year and I'm glad I have the chance to be involved in the kids' school and try and make it better.  I also am going to be the Art Coordinator again.  Over the summer I will be updating some of the lessons and the program in general and hopefully will go back in August more organized.  

   At the end of the month we are going on a camping trip.  Woohoo!  We might get to go one or two more times the whole year and the kids will be excited to go!

I can see!

   Last week I was able to have LASIK surgery.  It's so great to be able to see and not need contacts or glasses; especially when I've worn them for 15 years.  It was weird but didn't hurt.  The ride home was uncomfortable but once I got home I went to sleep and felt much better when I woke up.  I've had no problems.  I haven't been able to wear mascara for a week so people think my allergies are kicking up or ask if I'm ok because I'm not wearing makeup.  I find it funny since I never a lot any way; just usually mascara, and on occasion eye shadow and foundation.

   I watched my baby boy get baptized on his birthday, March 30th.  I was such a mess.   I couldn't seem to stop crying.  He was so cute and got to be baptized with Michael and Brielle.  It was a great, crazy busy weekend.  We had his birthday party on Friday, baptism and luncheon Saturday, and then a family dinner Sunday, which happened to be Easter.  The weather held, which was nice.  We took family pictures Saturday afternoon.  Dad and Ammon came out, but Mom couldn't make it and neither could J.D. or Aunalies.  I know they wanted to be there and I love them for that.

   Kamryn, my dear girl, has been a pill the past couple of days.  I'm starting to think she is teething.  She has been a grump and very bossy to everyone.  Her vocabulary is extensive now so she can pretty much communicate whatever she wants.  I'm hoping this won't last.  I'm about ready to muzzle her so she can't yell at me anymore :).

   Along with being baptized, Jacob has started Scouts.  He's pretty excited about that.  We sat down and did his Bobcat trail today.  I'm a bit excited too to learn about the scouting program.  I know bits and pieces from watching my brothers go through and Mom serving as a scout leader.  But it will be fun to do it with Jacob and then Jared also next year.

Good Day?

I hurt a friend today and I wish I hadn't.  I think it's the hardest when you didn't mean to do it, and then you find out and realize how hurt that person is.  I had planned a day with some friends and this person didn't get invited.  I wasn't trying to not invite her; I just didn't think about it.  I know what it feels like to be excluded and not feel like you belong, or have really close friends.  But I never considered that she would feel this way.  I have apologized to her and hopefully by writing it down I can exorcise it and we can move on; hopefully as friends again.
On a different note, Sarah had her first dentist appointment today and did great!  My baby girl is starting kindergarten in a few months!  It's not fair how fast they grow up!  Kamryn talks constantly, and is even wanting to potty train.  Jacob turns 8 in a week and he'll get baptized!  Jared talks about 2nd grade every time they have a school break.  I love them all and wish sometimes that time would slow down and I can enjoy them a little longer.  Before I know it they'll be grown and leaving the house.  I guess when I get this sentimental it's time to go to bed :).

Forward March!

I'm sure I'm absolutely the only person that has ever felt this way (said sarcastically), the last few days I have felt like the world's worst mom.  I feel like I can't control my kids more than half the time, they run through the house yelling and screaming which of course sets the dog off and he's barking and I just want to crawl under my sheets and hide, or bury my nose farther into a book and pretend all is calm and peaceful.
I know that I am a good mom, and sometimes even a great mom, but there are days when I think somebody picked the wrong person for this job.  I pray every night that I can be the kind of mom I want to be, but I'm not sure how to do that.  Today I started with my day with a scripture and a prayer (novel concept, I know) and it has been better.  Hopefully I can stick it out for a week and see what happens.
But what do you do about a child that never listens to you?  Who argues with everything you say?  Who throws a fit over the smallest things?  And, who is only 4?  Everything I try never works for long, if it works at all.  It is a great puzzle and I'm afraid I will spend the next 10+ years trying to solve it.
Despite how depressing the beginning of this post sounded, I do love my children and I am grateful for them.  I know that the Lord believes in me and trusts me with his children.  I don't like feeling like I'm failing Him and them on a daily basis.  But I know that they know I love them, and I tell them that every day.  I hug them and kiss them goodbye and goodnight.  I feel like I do contribute little drops of awesome each day and I hope that counts for something.  I have a desire to change and be better and I hope that also counts.
So, here I go, off to try and be the kind and patient mom I would like to be as Jared comes into the room crying over the newest disaster.

Stuck

I had to make this a separate post because it's a completely different topic.  I have been feeling spiritually stuck.  I feel like I get so caught up in the other things in my life, that I will just read a few verses at night and call it good.  But it's not.  I want to grow.  I want to learn.  I want to have a better understanding of the gospel and the scriptures.  Sometimes I miss the days of Seminary when, despite having to get up early, you could have a time of day set aside to study and discuss scripture!  I miss the feeling I had going to seminary.  I never minded getting up early.  I loved just being there and feeling like I was learning something important.  I wish that there was an Institute class offered during the day.  I would so jump on that!
    We went to the temple recently and I was able to talk to Whit about it.  I would hear stories about apostles and other people having these great epiphanies at the temple or being able to learn something new every time they went through a session and I felt like I was doing something wrong.  But after talking with him, I realized that's not always how it works.  He asked if I had prepared myself to go to the temple that day, and I realized it's been a long time that I have taken the time to spiritually prepare myself for hopefully a spiritual experience.  I can't just expect the Lord to give me amazing insights and revelation if all I do is hurry, hurry, hurry and then get there and say, "ok!  I'm ready!".  I'm pretty sure there is more to it than that.
   A part of me felt that since I have been in Primary the last three years, I have been missing out on true gospel discussion in Gospel Doctrine.  But sitting here, typing this right now, I realize that perhaps I have not had the best mind set.  Don't get me wrong; I love Primary!  I love being with the kids and love the women that I serve with.  But I'm pretty sure I could have gotten more out of it than I have.  I suppose that's probably true about a lot of things.  While we were sitting in the temple, I was reminded that Primary is where you learn about the basics of the gospel, and you can always go over them again and gain a firmer understanding of the gospel.  That's what I should have getting out of this; and I think I have to some to extent, but not as much as I could have.
   Whitney recommended, instead of just reading the scriptures straight through (which I've done), to read by topic.  So I have decided to take that challenge.  I'm also writing down scriptures that grab me and plan to put a board up in my room to collect them.  I also downloaded an app he recommended ( I know, the age of the apps!).  It's daily scripture verses with a quote and song to go along.  It's been interesting to see how often 2 or 3 days in a row will carry the same theme or, how, because I read a small quote from a conference talk, I now want to read the whole thing.
   I feel like in a small way I have had a spiritual awakening.  I found some things I could change that could help bring the spirit more into my life.  For so long I have felt stuck.  I felt like I wasn't moving forward or making progress.  There was always babies and diapers and being pregnant and laundry and school and lunches keeping my kids from killing each other!  But I know that I need to take time for myself; not just spiritually, but taking time to do things I want to do.  I enjoy making cards and being involved at the school.  Those things make me happy and feel like I have something to contribute besides more children!
   I know that was a bit rambling but wow!  I feel better!

Good day

       Yesterday and today were spent getting reaquainted with an old friend and getting to know a new friend.  The kids and I went to Windsor yesterday and spent the afternoon and evening with friends that we made when we had lived there. The funny thing, is that we only knew each other for about a year before we moved back here.  That was 5 years ago!  With the exception of last year, we have kept in pretty good touch.  So it was nice to go back.  It seems to take a little bit to get in the groove, but then talking and catching up becomes easier.  We left her hubby with the kids and then went to a movie.  It was nice to have some girl time, minus kids!  We stayed up late talking and the kids and I spent the night there since I'm an old lady about driving at night.
     We came back early this morning and then went to lunch at my cousin's house.  But I wasn't there to see him!  Recently he has gotten married and has a precious new baby boy.  His wife and I have talked a few times and they've come over for dinner, but it was nice today to have just one-on-one time (unless you count the 6 kids that were there too; I don't!).  I'm hoping to continue to get to know her better.  It's nice to have a new friend :).
     I did feel a little bad because Whitney ended up having a Training Day (which means day shift) yesterday so he was all alone last night.  But I think he enjoyed having a quiet house for once!

Happy February!....Again!

      Has it really been an entire year?!  I can't believe with all my vast amounts of free time ;) I haven't found time to post.  Though, to tell the truth, posting has never been my favorite thing.  I go back and forth and it's so easy now to post things on facebook and upload pictures there.  But I don't post on a regular basis there either.  Perhaps if I treat this as my journal, I'll post more often.  I guess we'll see.
          My baby gets baptized next month!  I can't believe he is almost 8 years old!  Cassie told me to prepare to be emotional and I am just thinking about it!  I love him so much and it's been fun and rewarding to see how he is maturing in certain ways. Our conversations are different now.  He enjoys basketball and reading about the planets and dinosaurs and science experiments.
     He was talking to Whitney the other day about a game he had been playing on the ipad.
    "Dad, I was fighting this skeleton and it was a piece of cake!  Then I was fighting this other skeleton and it was like a piece of stone."
   Whitney- "A piece of stone?"
   Jacob- "Yeah, Dad.  It was really hard!  Hard like a mineral!  He was a piece of stone!"  And that's how Jacob's mind works.

     Jared starts basketball next month and he is really excited!  He talks about it almost every day.  He loves 1st grade and is becoming a great little reader.  He still sucks his thumb.  Nothing we have tried has worked.  I think he'll just stop when he's ready.  I'm not sure what else to try.
    Sarah is in preschool and will start kindergarten in August.  She is a 12 year old trapped in a 4 year old's body.  I can't believe how much attitude she packs in!  But she can also be sweet and loving so I guess I've done something right.  She did gymnastics for a while last year and wants to do ballet this year.  I'm hoping during the spring or summer we can do that.
   Kamryn, all of the sudden, is speaking a mile a minute.  And you can understand more and more of what she says.  She has always been a little parrot and it seems to really be paying off now.  She knows all her letters and numbers 1-9, and 0.  She mimics everything her siblings say and is absolutely adorable!
    We've been asked if we will have more.  I don't know.  I feel like right now I am emotionally stretched as far as I will go.  I love my children very much.  I just don't think I can add more at the moment.  We are in a good place right now.  I can enjoy my kids and helping at the school and serving at church without worrying about a little baby or a due date.  It's nice to just BE for a while.

Happy February!

   I've decided that I need to write out a daily to-do list.  I get so much more done that way and hopefully I will forget less.  It's not the same to put it on my iPad calendar.  I have to physically write it down.  I remember hearing somewhere that just the act of writing something makes you remember it better.  If so, then why can't I remember half the stuff from high school?  But I digress.
   We have some great news!  No, I am not pregnant, nor do I want to be at this point.  On March 1st, Whitney is starting Air Ops!!  Let me explain so you can be just as excited as me.  The CHP have helicopters that carry paramedics.  The reason we chose the CHP was to ultimately get on the helicopter, however he wanted about 5 years of road experience before making the transfer, and it's only been about 3.  That said, Whit was contacted by a guy from Napa Air Ops last month and asked if he was interested.  Whit and I had just been talking a couple of days before about our future and what would be best for the family.  So that conversation was fresh in his mind when he was talking to this guy.  Long story short, Whit went on a ride-along, loved it, and now he will be starting March 1st.  We are both very excited!!  He will be closer, no bridge toll, not in one of the most dangerous cities in the US (yay!!!), and getting to do the other thing he loves!
   Everyone is else is doing great.  Jacob is loving 1st grade and is a great reader.  Jared likes kindergarten and always wants to go to someone's house to play.  Sarah is very ready for preschool, which she will start in September.  Until then we are learning her letters and she has given a new meaning to the word, "attitude".  Kamryn is so much fun.  She is a sweet baby but has definite opinions about what she wants and when she wants it.  I am good.  I love my kids, though sometimes I want to scream or run away for a couple of hours.  Now that they are getting a little older, things are easier.  I want to be the good, happy mom that I know I can be.  Sometimes I can't find her though.  But I am happy. I love my life, and definitely wouldn't want anything else.  

Here's Kamryn!

 Just a couple of fun pictures of my sweet girl!

Goodbye 2011!

Hopefully I can be better about blogging now that I have the app on my ipad! There's an app for eveything! It's amazing! Here are a few pics from the year. U hope to post at least once a month. We'll see how that goes!

Happy New Year!

We had a great Christmas! The boys got new scooters and Sarah got a doll house. Kamryn got new clothes and a movie. I figure she wouldn't make a fuss about not getting a lot. I have pics I will post soon, but I at least wanted to make a quick update. Kamyrn has been sick but is now feeling a lot better. She's had a yucky cough. I can't believe she is already almost 7 weeks old. She has been smiling a lot. I love when babies smile and make noises. The other kids constantly want to hold her and love her. I have to protect her from her loving siblings.

Hello Kamryn Janeen Lowe!!!

Welcome to the world Kamryn!!! Our bundle of joy was born Thursday, Dec. 2nd at 5:19am. I was in the hospital for an hour when she was born. We are so happy to have her in our family. She is a beautiful and sweet baby. Her siblings love her very much. They are constantly asking to hold her and kiss her. Sometimes I have to protect her from all of the affection. Of course, Whitney and I aren't any better. We love to sit and hold her and just watch her as she watches us. She eats well and sleeps well, for the most part. I feel so blessed to have 4 beautiful children and a wonderful husband, and not to be pregnant anymore. We love you, Kamryn!

Almost there!

Well, my parents are coming on Saturday. I am very excited to see them. Hopefully it won't be much longer that Kamryn will make her appearance. I am so ready to hold my baby. She is the most active one I have had. I'm hoping that means she'll be calm and peaceful once she's here. Well, I can dream can't I? What would I do with a calm, mellow child?

I am enjoying my calling, but somedays it gets rather stressful. We had our primary program yesterday and I am so glad that's over! But we're having a little upheaval in the presidency right now and I can't help but think it's lousy timing. Oh well, I know that everything will work out. I just have to stop myself from stressing about it. Whitney asked me the other day if I'm going to stress this baby to coming out. I told him probably. As hard as I try I not to stress, it's difficult. I'm a natural worrier. I have to work at not stressing about stuff. I guess I am a work in progress, on many levels.

I know this is just rambling but what the heck, it's my blog! I just needed to get out what is on my mind today. Everybody have a happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy November!!

Ok, five months is really, really bad. Wow. Anyway, here are some pics of the last five months.

We went with some friends to Six Flags. It's nice to have friends who have season passes and can get you in for FREE!!

Sarah wanted a ladybug cake for her birthday. I have to say I am very happy with the way it came out.
We had a small party for her and it was very non stressful.
Moving on to Jared's birthday. We did it at the park. He wanted a blue cake, with blue frosting and blue candles. We actually used Toy Story candles, but he was still happy. I made the frosting and it was super yummy. We also had plenty of cake left over.
Jacob played T-Ball this summer with two of his friends. He had a lot of fun! He finally got one slide in; the last game of the season. It was pretty comical.
Batter Up!
We spent a week with my family in Pismo Beach. There is a petting zoo down there that we went to. The kids really liked it. Have you ever heard of a Turken? It's a hybrid of a turkey and a chicken. It's quite ugly.
Here is the Carter Family grandchildren, plus a couple of additions.
Can you see my belly? I am actually five months pregnant in this picture. Before we left for Pismo, we found out we were having a girl!
The week after we came back we moved into our new house. We are home owners!!! I love my new house. I didn't have a good picture of it or I would have posted it, but I will post one.

This is Jacob's first day of school. We live right around from the elementary school so most days we walk to and from. My baby's in Kindergarten!
Jared's first day of preschool. He's going to Jacob's preschool from last year, which means it's across the park from the elementary school. It makes it really convenient to pick up and drop off the boys. It's also nice to have time with just Sarah. Though I have to confess, we mostly just get errands done. We have gone to Story Time at the Library a few times.
Skip ahead to Halloween. I didn't get a pic with the camera of the kids in their costumes. I have to get it from Whit's phone. Anyway, this is Halloween night. We had Jed and Shannon over and the kids bobbed for apples. They had a lot of fun!!
Jared bit it by the stem. It was pretty cute!
Sarah just looked at it, then just picked it up. She just wanted to eat the apple.
Ok, wrap up. Our baby is Thanksgiving. Her name will be Kamryn Janeen Lowe. We are very excited to be having another girl. Whitney still loves his job. He spent two weeks last month at school learning about drugs and how to make them. Just the type of skill every wife wishes her husband has. He really enjoyed it. We love our house and we are looking forward to having my parents and younger brother out here for Thanksgiving. Once we have the baby, I will make sure Whitney posts a couple of pics.

update......FINALLY!

Wow, this is rather embarrassing!! How can I go 3 months without posting ANYTHING!! I mean I know I don't blog about every little thing, but still! We've had 2 birthdays, and a holiday. I don't have my pics yet for Sarah's birthday, but we'll get ya caught up on the rest.

First, I just have to say I love this picture. I don't see my boys like this very often so I had to capture the moment. I'm sure I can find a use for it later when they are grown up. 2/2010

Sarah is practicing her big sister skills on her big brother. 2/2010

Jared is quite the little bug when he wants to be. 2/2010

We decided to get a T-ball set and took it to the park. This is how Jared observed the proceedings. 3/2010

Happy Birthday Jacob!!! He had a lot of fun at his birthday party. We made goody bags and the kids had a treasure hunt. Jacob is always entertaining when he opens presents.

He is really into Spiderman so I decided to do Spiderman cake. I must say I was happy with the way they turned out. We also had the biggest turnout of any birthday party we've ever had. It was pretty cool.

We got together with some friends and had an Easter Egg hunt with the kids. They really enjoyed it. Because my computer is slow at uploading pictures, I didn't put as many as I otherwise would have. But we also decorated easter eggs which the kids thought was pretty fun.

We bought season passes for the San Francisco Zoo this year and I took the kids the day before Easter. They had a puppet show, the Easter bunny, and some live bunnies. Sarah liked petting the bunnies.

Here is Jacob with his decorated easter eggs!

Here are the kids, and Whitney, waiting to find their easter baskets. After they found theirs, I found mine. Whitney put it on top of the ceiling fan.

Now we skip to the end of May and Jacob's Preschool Graduation! Very prestigious. Don't you love the glasses? He really enjoyed preschool and is all ready for kindergarten. Jared will go to the same preschool in the fall. It will be nice to just have Sarah for a couple days a week, at least until December.

I love the "nightengown", as Jacob called his cap and gown.

My baby, in his first graduation. It's a beautiful thing.

So in a nut shell that sums up the last three months. We are still waiting for the house. We will definate news by this next week. Let's hope we'll be moving into the house we own by the time school starts!! We're optimisitic.

Also, we are expecting another baby. Today I am 15 weeks along and I am hoping to take pictures each week to show my growth. This might be our last baby and I would like to be better at enjoying it. Not that I haven't in the past, but I think you pay more attention to the little things when you know you might not experience it again. We will find out in about a month if it's a boy or girl. Baby #4 here we come!

Book Recommendation

Here are a few books I have read recently that I really liked. Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel. There are three books in the series and I really liked them. I also like Graceling, by Kristin Cashore. there is a companion to that one called Fire. Very good books. This month in our book club we are reading Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry. It's the second in a 3 book series. Very good.

Movie Review

We watched "Forever Strong". If you haven't seen it, watch it. It was a really great movie. I am a sucker for the sport, underdog movies. I really enjoyed this one.