merry christmas

eeyore kind of day

There is a story in The Book of Mormon about incredible faith. The believers in Christ were told of his birth through prophecy. They were persecuted by the non-believers, even to the point that they were going to be killed if the sign of Jesus Christ's birth did not appear. The day of Christ's birth came and the believers spent the entire day praying and believing. Even with swords raised above their heads ready to strike a killing blow, the faith of those believers in Christ remained unwavering.

I don't have a sword raised above my head, but I need that kind of faith today.

christmas cactus

I don't know if it's just because it has the word 'Christmas' in it, but I LOVE THIS PLANT. I came to have this plant when one of my nephews accidently tipped my parent's cactus over, breaking off a couple of its arms. We put the arms in water and watched as they slowly sprouted roots. I asked if I could have the starts and took it home.

Fast forward at least 2 years and this plant as never never blossomed very well. It would sprout a couple buds, they would open a little, and fall off. Apparently it likes this Arizona weather because it keeps on growing and there is at least 12 buds popping out!

2012

Helaman 13:27-29:

 27 But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: ^aWalk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a ^bprophet.

 28 Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh ^aflattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.

 29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye^astiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by^bfoolish and ^cblind guides? Yea, how long will ye ^dchoose darkness rather than ^elight?

The 2012 Presidential elections just ended and Mitt Romney lost. I feel confused and disappointed in the American people and I feel a little at unease about the condition of the world. As I read The Book of Mormon, the parallels are uncanny. I hope that what happened to the wicked Nephites doesn't need to happen to our civilization. 

I know that these are signs of the times. I know that Jesus Christ's second coming is near. I know that Jesus Christ died for me and that through his atonement I can live again. I know that because I was sealed in the temple for time and eternity that I can be with my family forever. I know that Thomas S. Monson is God's prophet here upon the earth today. I know that The Book of Mormon is a true book and was translated through Joseph Smith.

I hope that the next four years are better than I have pictured in my mind. I hope that our publicly appointed leaders will be humble and keep the people whom they serve in the forefront of the minds. 

God bless America!

rooster cogburn ostrich ranch

We went to an ostrich farm on Saturday! And this is what we did.

We rode a monster truck...

 Fed some goats...

This was the funnest part for me. The goats were up in this "penthouse". You cranked food up to them in cut apart whiffle balls. The goats got so excited, clamoring over each other to get a good spot. Once they heard the food hit the shoot, their heads immediately went down into the trough to find the food!

Corban was a little nervous to fee these goats. Heck! I was nervous to feed these goats! Once you got food close to their mouths, their lips starting quivering, trying to get the food into their mouths! Corban stayed here the longest, picking up food off the ground and feeding the goats in the wall.

Fed some ostrich ...

Fed some Lorikeets...

And drove home.

We feel like tourists! Whenever Joe has a weekend off, we're hitting the road and getting out of the house. Come and visit and we'll take you to the ostrich ranch!

pickin' pumpkins

We braved the heat and headed to a local pumpkin patch/farm where we got to pet animals, walk/run through a maze, ride a tractor, pick our own pumpkins, and bounce in a house. 

 Corban was a little nervous about the goats. I think it was because there were older kids there that were afraid and trying to avoid the animals.

 Jovi checking out the miniature horses.

 A rare chance I got to be in a picture! Jovi was even looking in the general direction of the camera.

 Trying to find the perfect pumpkin!

 Haulin' the pumpkins back from the field. This was my very first time going to an actual patch and picking my own pumpkin. It was okay. It just shouldn't be this hot in the fall!

 Walking back to the car. Notice Corban and Joe both have their orange objects propped above their right shoulders! They're even walking the same!

 Poor Jovi was exhausted! She zoned out most of the drive home and instantly fell asleep after I fed her a quick lunch.

Corban and heat do not mix! The poor guy ran out of water and was sweating so bad I thought he was going to have heat exhaustion again. We cranked the AC on high and he drank the rest of my water and he cooled right off.

lil' miss jovi

I found this table on Craigslist for $10! I know, great deal! Corban lined all the chairs against the couch, but Jovi took over, planted herself on a chair, and watched her shows.

time to get up

This is what you get when it's 100+ outside and hot hot hot inside ... a sweaty baby that wakes up with her hair sticking up!

By bedtime, her hair had calmed down and stayed flat against here head.

no room for you

We were three weeks away from closing on our first house when everything fell apart! The house got appraised way lower than what the seller asked for. We couldn't come up with the difference, so now we're staying in a rental on an expensive month-to-month status and we have zero prospectives in houses. I'm just a tad overwhelmed and sad and frustrated. With everything that happened to get us down here together I really thought things would go quickly without any problems. But I was wrong.

*sigh*

I'm missing Logan a bit. Okay, a lot. That's where Joe and I were married.

Logan is where Corban was born.

 Logan is where Jovi was born.

I miss having a temple so close.

I miss having family around in the same town, even family stopping by as they visit my parents.

I also miss the mountains, the change from summer to fall, and the familiarity of it all.

happy birthday corban

My little man turned 4 today. There were days in that four years that seemed to last FOREVER but they have also flown by so fast! He surprises me with how funny, passionate, and sensitive he is.

We love you bubba!

funny coincidence

They are both 11 months old and they are both stuck under similar chairs!

jovi's naps

 Her hair eventually gets mated down by the end of the day.

 She starts out under the blankets and ends up on top of them.

Some how her leg got free of her jammies without popping a single snap. She obviously sleeps like me, all spread out and entitled to the ENTIRE bed!

4th of July

We spent the 4th of July in Logan, went to our usual spot in North Logan, and watch the firework show with my parents. We had to wake Jovi up and put her in her car seat, but you can clearly see she didn't care.

 Corban thought the fireworks were too loud!

medium-high

I am a princess.

Not the take-matter-into-my own hands-save-the-world kind of princess, but a serve-me-and-pamper-me-I'm-not-getting-dirty kind. I realized, as we were standing out in 100 degree heat today, that I needed AC STAT and I am a princess.

Joe and I have had the discussion on whether or not I was/am high maintenance. I thought I was pretty low, compared to some, and he thought I was high. He compromised and settled on medium-high.

I do not like:

• to get dirty
• campfire smoke
• being too hot (I'm finding that 78 is a comfortable temperature for me)
• baby slobber on me
• camping
• too much noise

I guess the list could go on and on but I want to maintain that I am medium-low! 

scissor hands

I was cutting out something and Corban watched me the whole time. I finally turned over the scissors and let him try his hand out at cutting paper. He was so focused and was concentrating so hard! I love this little man.

50 years

My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on July 20. All my brothers and sisters got together in Bear Lake for a week full of sun, food, games, and reminiscing.

**SIDENOTE: Last year I was in the hospital with a brand new baby girl and my parents were watching Corban. My dad didn't hesitate in mentioning that he never thought he'd be celebrating his 49th anniversary babysitting! Thanks anyway, dad!