Blessed by Christmas Craziness... 3 families, such limited time!

Who knew that being away from home could be so INSANE!! My Christmas started at 7 am when I got back onto SKYPE with my family and watch the Christmas mania begin at Pat's house!! The kids were so excited (minus Chloe who was still in comatose state!)! It was fun to see their excitement and feel the spirit of Christmas magic in the air. After talking with my family, Verna and I took the yummy egg casserole and went to The Layton's for Christmas Brunch. The family really treats me well, it is always a riot and good company! They spoiled me this year with TONS of towels, 600 thread count sheets, different kinds of jewelery pieces, lotions, and accessories. I felt very loved and blessed by their generosity!
The all time favorite part was to watch the kids get their little go-carts from their Grandparents. They were all about it, lined up, helmets on and spent loads of times racing each other up and down the drive way!! (this is a tradition. Each year they get some kind of bike thing) The Mom's even got some action with it, even to the toddler's dismay :)
Many, many laughs! I love the laughing picture I captured with Verna too!

Afterwards I took Verna home to rest and headed to The Whitings who were ANXIOUSLY AWAITING my arrival. We had a relaxing Christmas Day together. We exchanged our gifts to each other, once again I was given WAY MORE than I deserved. Monica gave me a watch making kit and after hearing my love for Cabbage Patch kids and hearing my "splash em kid" story she bought me a "Giggling with Meg" cabbage patch doll. It is seriously the cutest thing and will make me keep giggling on the hard days! Monica, Laurisa and Jos even gave me new head gear.. I am obsessed and wear all of them, all the time! We watched The Christmas Blessing and just had such a relaxing afternoon!

Following our relaxing time, I went back to pick up Verna's and we headed to Jake and Kelly's for a panini party! They were DELICIOUS! It was so fun to just sit around and get to know them all a little more. I found out that they are cousin's of the Orem High Beeson's! Small world.

Returned Verna back home, helped her get ready for bed and then headed back to the Whiting's to play the game I gave them for Christmas, Sedarahc (Reverse Charades) . All of you need this game! It is such a blast and was developed by former EFY counselors. Here is the explanation so you can see how many hours of fun you can have playing!

SEDARAHC (“suh-DARE-ic”) is indeed, charades with a twist—spelled backwards and played in reverse! Instead of the usual—one person acting out words for the team to guess, SEDARAHC spices things up so the entire team acts out words for one person to guess. It’s fast-paced, fiercely fun team competition that’s an absolute riot with large groups, families, kids, at parties or among a few close friends. You can even play it with pets (although we don’t recommend it). Carry it with you to work, to the gym, to the DMV—the possibilities of SEDARAHC breakout sessions are endless. But be warned…you’re in for big and dangerous doses of fun!

This is the kind of funny that you have when you are playing this game! Seriously, every home needs this game!More fun and laugh's to come with this game.. I guarantee it!!

All in all, I was so BLESSED this season. I got to spend time with 3 families I love. Never felt lonely, always had something fun and adventurous and then I got to come home and finish off this day in prayer of Thanksgiving to my Heavenly Father and the one that made it all possible our dear Savior Jesus Christ with whom I celebrate his birth and glorify his name.
What a celebration!

Twas the night before Christmas...

This Christmas eve was completely different than ANY I have ever had and it was kind of fun to change it up a little and then end it with my family on skype.

Since I was in AZ I was able to go with the Wade Whiting family to Aunt Lynelle and Uncle Glen Jackson's house in Mesa. I am very familiar with them so it was fun to take part of this Wright family tradition! They have Mexican Fiesta Christmas Eve. Most of the siblings and cousins were there. We had yummy tamale's, quesadilla and I brought black bean salsa which was a huge hit!

We had many laughs (thanks to Richie, he is a hoot)! We had some performances by Kristin's little girl as well of The Whiting kids with the traditional "Sister's" song and Mitch and Jake gave us a fun Jack Johnson Christmas rendition. Richie, Terrie and Debbie were our crowd dancin'performers. The highlight was to have Santa come and I even got to get a updated Santa picture :) Thank you Jackson's for being so wonderful and ALWAYS hosting family parties! It was a great night!

After leaving the party we went back to the Whiting and did the traditional opening up jammies on Christmas eve tradition. We had Christmas music on and even got some more Whiting entertainment. After the opening of their PJ's I got to meet with my family on SKYPE and watch them all open the PJ's I had picked out for them and ready The Christmas Jars's book with them via SKYPE. I committed my family to work on Christmas Jar's this year and next year on Christmas eve we will choose someone to deliver the Christmas Jar too anonymously! I am so thankful for technology and that even though I am miles away, I could be a part of my family tradition and feel like I am there with them.. I miss these faces!

Father's come in all forms

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY -- 2009

Today is Father's Day and for a girl whose Daddy hasn't been so much a part of my life I am still so blessed with some great Father's in my life.

My Heavenly Father. I go to him more than any of my other Father's. He always knows the right answers and the right ways to love and care for me. He knows the right storms to send my way and always finishes them up with great rays of sunshine. He knows how to love me where I am at and also is the best at putting me in my place. He will never leave me, I have him for eternity!

My Birth Father. After we reconciled when I was 18 he has tried to be more apart of my life. I have talked to him more, spent more holidays with him and even had a visit a couple years ago in Utah with him for a whole week. Although this relationship still isn't where I want it to be, I am thankful that my Dad helped create me because I love my life.

My Mother-Father. Have you ever heard of that? Well if you met my Mom you should know what that is. My Mom wore all the hats growing up. She not only nurtured us the way Mom's do but she also fixed flat tires of all kinds, played sports, made pinewood derby cars, cooked on Mother's Day, Did all the scouting things, mowed the lawn, worked FT, paid the bills you name it!

My Grandfather. He took me to Daddy-daughter dates, helped us financially where he could, took me shopping for Mother's Day gifts for my Mom, disciplined us when it was beyond Mom's control (OUCH), sang to me, told silly corny jokes, spent all my birthdays with me, protected me, supported me, picked me up from my mission and always encouraged me to be my best self.

My Self-Adopted-Father's.These men have been there to lend a hand or a much needed hug. A kiss on the forehead. Given me blessings in time of trial or illness. Been my biggest cheerleader. Make me believe that not all Dad's are absent Dad's. Teach me when I needed to be taught. Counsel me when I needed correction. Rejoice with me in good times. Pray for me in bad times. Help me see that heaven really closer than we ever knew. Shared their own families with me and let me be a part of them.

Father's really come in all forms and I am so thankful that I have been given many to watch over me throughout my life cause every girl wants to be a Daddy's Girl!

Happy Mother's Day!

No painter's brush, nor poet's
pen
In justice to her fame
Has ever reached half high
enough
To write a mother's name.
~Author Unknown
We are all so blessed to have Mother's! There is not a species on this planet that doesn't have a mother. Whether we get our Mom for our lifetime or for just a short time, we are all blessed greatly by having a Mother that loves us no matter where they are at this given moment.

I write A LOT about my Mom and by seeing the videos I have posted lately I have heard a lot of you comment about my sweet mother and how she is so amazing! I would have to agree! She is always just where I need her to be, when I need her!

This Mother's Day, I am in Boise being a 10 day single "mother" to 5 children! I have been teary all day seeing how hard my Mom really had it! Single Mom's have an added element of hard when there isn't a second person around to lift the burden's of getting the kids fed, dressed for church, keep them getting along, making sure their needs get met. This morning was one of those days that I realized such hardships my Mom went through on her own as she tried to balance us, church and work. Mom, thank you from the bottom of my heart, for being EVERYTHING to us. You wore LOTS of shoes around our house and I am glad that you were blessed to get through it! You are a remarkable person and I am so proud to call you Mother. I am excited to have our girls nights once again with season passes to The Scera. Those are some fun/funny memories... you know what I am talking about! hahaha

There are SO many Mother's who too have touched my life! Although I may not have a chance in this life to be a Mother of children who bear the name that I named them, I can and do have a Mother Heart! Thank you to ALL you Mother's who share your kids with me and allow me the blessed opportunity to feel like I am contributing to society in just a little way! Whether your children are big or small, so many of you allow me to be part of your families and I am so THANKFUL for the blessing your kids, grand kids, and families are to my life.

I hope all you Mother's don't allow yourself ONE MINUTE to get discouraged or hate this day in which we celebrate you. Take it for what it is worth.. YOU ARE LOVED... JUST AS YOU ARE!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!