The flu...A humbling experience

Monday our little family caught the nasty flu bug that has been going around. Mason woke up feeling pretty sick and puked all over Chance while he was home for lunch. I didn't feel well but made it through the day till Chance got home from work, when the flu really set in. Chance came home not feeling well but mustered up enough energy to take care of Kinbree if she needed something (she was the only one not sick.) It was a pretty few rough hours, and at 8'oclock we called our home teacher who came over and gave us blessings. We all just sat around yesterday and are thankfully back to normal today. I think we caught the same flu bug we had last year when Kinbree was born. YUCK!

As we lay there sick we couldn't help but think of our Savior's Atonement and the suffering that He went through for each of us. It is very humbling to think that the Savior suffered what we were going through, and what all of us go through, so that He can know our pains and sorrows and lift us up when we are down, which we are very grateful for.

FREEDOM!!!!

About 1 year ago we came across Dave Ramsey's book The Total Money Makeover. I was really hesitant to read it because I thought our way of managing money was going just fine. Well, we fell in love with the book did exactly what it said, and on Friday the 13th we payed our last payment, and are DEBT FREE!!!! (not to mention a 3 month emergency fund...thanks to tax returns!) YEAH!!!School, car, and everything. It feels soooo good! We just want to keep jumping up and down! In fact we got out of debt 2 months earlier than our anticipated date. Of course gifts, tax returns, and raises have helped, but we are most greatful for the abundance and many blessings that the Lord has blessed us with. When we follow the prophets we are blessed greatly, and we have seen that first hand by paying our tithing and getting out of debt. The Total Money Makeover follows what the prophets have told us, it just goes into more detail and lays it out so you can have a step by step plan. Dave's motto is "Live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else." We have had to keep telling ourselves this the past year, but it has been so worth it to sacrifice, so later we CAN live like no one else. We still have a ways to go to have achomplish everything that Dave says, but we are on our way and.. AHHHH It feels soooo GOOD!! Anyone can do it, no matter how much you make. GO Get the book. It has been the best investment we have ever made and it can change your life, not to mention it's a good read!

Happy Birthday Kinbree!!

Gotta love her hair!!

Being such a big girl and making her own cake

She would only stick her finger in the beak! So Funny!

Our Little Princess

I can't believe it! My baby is already one. She is all grown up and so much fun! We celebrated with lots and lots of cake. On the her birthday we celebrated with just our little family. GramE came up for the weekend and so we celebrated again, and I made Kinbree a more fancy cake. It was lot's of fun.

We are so glad the you are part of our family. You put smiles on all of our faces, and amaze us everyday at what you can do. Thanks for coming to our Family and being our Princess!! XOXO

Moses Supposes!

Last night I started a tap class with Gary Larsen. He an awsome teacher and choregrapher, not to metion just a great person in general. I took a class from him 3 years ago, but then he moved and is now back!!! YEAH!!! He is pretty much the best!! I like to put him up there with Bojangles and Gene Kelly!! My friend Grace and I go together. It is so much fun and feels so good to be dancing again!! It's been 3 years! Hopefully I can get back in shape and gain a few pounds(sounds a little wierd, I know). We're learning "Moses Supposes" from Singing in the Rain!! I learned it last time I danced with him, but didn't remember any of it, so it is great to learn it again (it is also much easier to learn it the second time). Well, I could go on forever about how Wonderfully Awsome Gary is, but I'll just leave it at that!!

Updates

Whenever I get on here to update, something always seems to go wrong (hence the 3 before), and I am just not very computer savvy, and I always get frustrated and just don't do it. So I am giving a go at it again, so here are a few updates!! (sorry Richelle :))

Happy 3 Years!!

Chance and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary on the 6th of January!! We had decided to go snowboarding since Chance loves it and I had never gone. Well, I gave it a try and found out that I don't like snowboarding at all. I tried to learn for a while, but just got really frustrated, and so I quit and chance went and did a few runs. It was fun watching him, and he looks pretty hot when he snowboards. I guess we'll just leave that sport for him. After snowboarding we were going to just pick up some pizzas and come home and watch a movie, with the kids and Karissa, but since I didn't like snowboarding at all Chance took me out to dinner for a little more alone time (isn’t he sweet?!). It's been a great 3 years of pure bliss!! We're madly in love and look forward to the years to come!! I love you Hunee!!!

New Years!!

We had a fun new years! I had remembered banging pans when we were little and so we took the kids out at about 8 o'clock and banged pans! What a great tradition!! The kids then went to bed, and Chance and I and Karissa watched a movie and stayed up and talked with till 2. It's been forever since we stayed up that late. On New Years Day Nicole and Duke came up and we cooked our Melaleuca Turkey (Delicious every time) and had a big dinner. Eraleigh and Timmerie also game over and we played games all night!! So much fun!! While Nicole was here we had her do our hair of course! Thanks!!

Christmas!!

We had a great Christmas this year! Karissa was here with us. She moved in with us at the end of fall semester. I found a Little Tikes adjustable basketball hoop at the DI for $8. You can't beat that!! We had found one a few months ago and were so excited because it was also only $8, but to our disappointment it was sold, so I was so excited about this one, and hid it from Chance so he would be surprised that I found another one. Mason and Kinbree got a lot of toys from family, so we decided to just get them clothes, and bought Mason some Cars and Nemo fruit snacks, and Kinbree some Goldfish. What a hit! Great Grandma Bell got Mason a little rocking horse that they both love. Karissa got a huge supply of popcorn, and a Whirly Pop, so we have been having a popcorn feast every night!! So much fun! We have truly been so blessed!!

Mason's 2!!!

I can't believe that Mason is already 2!! He has grown up so fast, and I don't know where the years have gone. We are so glad that he is apart of OUR family. He always puts a smile on our face and makes us laugh!! He is learning so much and is quite the little talker now. He is mommy's big helper and is so sweet to his little sister! We Love You Mason!!! Thanks for coming to our family!!!! Happy Birthday!! xoxo

Visit from GRANDMA "E"!!

This past weekend my mom came up to visit. It was so much fun having her here!! Karissa, Mom and I went to a dance concert! It was fun being together. Next weekend is Mason's birthday, so while GramE was here we decided to have a practice birthday party!! I baked a cake before she got here, and then GramE and Mason decorated it into a pumpkin!! It turned out so cute!

Mason loved blowing out the "fire" and is now a pro for next week!! (we drew a 2 with the candles so he could blow out more than 2)

GramE got Mason a basketball hoop (his favorite)!! He plays with it for hours! Thanks GramE!!

We had so much fun!! Thanks for coming!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Remembering Dad

October 4th marked 5 years since Dad passed away. I can't believe 5 years have already past. Last night we read "Jubals Wish" as a family and listened to the cd of Dad reading it to all of his grandchildren. It was good to remember him and the wonderful Dad that he was. There are lots of great memories but these are just a few that I always remember. When we were little dad would always take us up the mountain and go sledding down the windy roads. He was always up really early on Sunday mornings writing in his journal and he would always be whistling. (I really didn't like the whisting becuase it was so early). "plie"- that always make me laugh. He always wrote us a birthday letter and those will always be very cherised. Whenever we went on family vacations we would put the seats down in the back of the suburban and all play Rook. Dad was always great at Rook. The Christmas we got him Rook he taught us how to play and we played it all day. It is now a family favorite. When we would go visit G-ma Flo, we would see if we could get there without hitting any red lights (there were alot of stop lights along the way). Sometimes we would coast for a long time so we didn't have to stop, It was always fun. Whenever we were in the car waiting for mom to run into the store or camping I remember always singing the song:

Happiness runs in a circular motion.
Life is like a little boat upon the sea.
All our souls are deeper than any sea.
You can be happy if you let your self be!

I am so grateful that I was raised by such wonderful parents who taught me the gospel and helped me gain a testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ, and for the wonderful examples that they were. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have that families can be together forever and that I will be able to see him again. I couldn't ask for more!

Cousins and Sand Dunes

This past weekend my sis and her family came down to do some family work at the temple. Chance and I and Mike and Richelle went and did baptisms for the dead. It has been a long time since I have done that, but it was a very neat experience, especially to do work for our ancestors. Mason loved having his cousins Garett and Morgan here!! Thanks for coming!!! Pictures to come.


Yesterday Auntie Karissa and I took Mason and Kinbree to Edgen lakes at the sand dunes. It was so much fun!! Kinbree loved eating the sand, handfuls at a time, and crawling around in the water. Mason I think has overcome his fear of water and loved wadding in the water also!! I have lived here 3 years and this was the first time I had been out there. I wish I would have discovered it sooner! We didn't get any pics because our camera is broken and Karissa's batteries were dead. Hopefully the weather stays nice for another week and we'll go again!! Anyone in??

Kinbree's crawling!

Kinbree started to officailly crawl today, more than a scoot or two. I like to call her our "little scrap girl". The second she sees a crumb on the floor she is after it, and eats it like she is a starving child. She makes me laugh. She also got up to a sit from laying down. That was surprising. Chance looked at her and she was all of a sudden sitting up. Our little girl is growing up so fast, but is always making us smile. Thanks for being our little princess.

Rexburg, Idaho Temple

Chance took this picture. It almost looks fake, but we love it anyways, and this place.

Here We Are!

Chance said we should start a blog so here we are, our Happy Family.

Chance started school this last week and it looks like it will be a busy semester. Mason, Kinbree, and Alisha are having loads of fun together while daddy is away at school and work.