Happy 25th Birthday!!

Sunday, November 20th, was Ryan's 25th Birthday. Sunday was a busy day for him and we knew it was going to be so we opened his presents Saturday night when he got home from work. He got a lot of presents and was super excited!! Zoie couldn't just sit and watch dad open all his presents, so she joined him and helped him out. He got a the new Eragon book called Inheritance, a nice button up shirt, a sweater, and whole new church outfit -- white shirt, khaki pants, socks, and a belt. He loved all his and can't wait til his birthday next year. He is such a kid. Zoie helped him open his presents, enjoy these pictures.

Staying STRONG in the STORMS of Life

Getting through this life is a hard challenge, but it can be an easy challenge, if you allow yourself to let it be easy. We don't ever have to get through our STORMS alone! Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always there to helps us, if we are ready and worthy of their help. We know we are going to make mistakes. It is through those mistakes we make that we can learn from them and grow. It will be difficult at times to keep all the commandments. I am one who knows how difficult it is, but thankfully, Heavenly Father knew that would be hard for me, and for us, and so he provided a way for us to be forgiven, through the Saviors atoning sacrifice. The big key to being forgiven and not getting through our STORMS alone, is to ask forgiveness from our Heavenly Father through prayer. President Thomas S. Monson, our beloved Prophet, has shared his thoughts and feelings on this subject, in his talk Stand in Holy Places, in this past October General Conference. He helps understand that communicating with our Father in Heaven through prayer can help us "Stand in Holy Places," be worthy of divine inspiration, be forgiven, and that we can get through the challenging obstacles of life.

Once again, I will share my thoughts that I felt while watching his talk. I challenge you to read his talk and develop a meaningful realtaionship with your Father in Heaven, so you will be able to Stay STRONG in your STORMS of Life and then help others to do the same.

• The Lord's commandments and laws will always remain constant.
• Heavenly Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
• Heavenly Father's consistancy is something I can depend on, and it is an anchor for my strength, faith, and testimony of Him and His gospel.
• Being worthy of the spirit will bring more joy and happiness into my life, especially as I draw close to the Savior and follow Him.
• I must be diligent in my spiritual matters, i.e. prayer, scripture study, family home evening, etc. so as to escape the world and Satan's temptations.
• I am a being of the world, not in the world, thus it is necessary for me to communicate with Heavenly Father through prayer.
• I must not EVER let a day go by without praying to Heavenly Father. He is my strength in this life and helps me keep on, keepin' on.
• I must have goal to strive for daily prayer and then I will see the blessings of being entitled to divine inspiration from Heavenly Father.
• It is important to be worthy to receive inspiration, to feel it, to recognize it, and to follow it.
• Applying all these things to my life, I will be standing in Holy Places and no one will be able to move me. I will be able to resist all the temptations of Satan, because I will have the strength of the Lord behind me, helping me to Stay STRONG in my STORMS of Life.

I know that communication is the key to get through this life. It is through my prayers, questions, and answers, that I know I am not going through this life alone. I know I don't have to figure everything out on my own. I have the Lord, my husband, my children, my family, and my friends to lift me up so I can endure to the end and live with my family FOREVER and live in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

 I would like to echo President Monson's statement, "Communicating with our Father in Heaven-- including our prayers to Him and His inspiration to us-- is necessary in order for us to weather the storms and trials of life." You don't have to get through this life alone and you can be forgiven for all your sins, if you would only turn to your Father in Heaven in prayer. He loves you and wants to help you. Open your hearts and let him in and you will never stop communicating once  you come to feel of his love and constantly see His hand in your life. I know this to be true, I have seen it in my life, my husbands life, and in the lives of my friends. This principle is real and do whatever you can to apply it into your lives. I know the Savior and Heavenly Father are on my side and are helping me in this life. This gospel is true and is a forever blessing in my life. I leave these things with you in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Most Wonderful Thing about Tigger!

Zoie has a best friend. It's weird to think that she can have one, cause she loves kids in general and will play anyone. Altough when it comes to Ivy, she gets super excited to play with her. I will mention "Do you want to play with Ivy" and she gets a smile on her face and starts stomping her feet up and down with excitement. Its so cute.  A couple weeks ago we were over at Ivy's playing. She has this tigger toy that bounces up and down and Zoie loves it and wants to bounce with tigger all the time. So the most wonderful thing about tigger is he keeps Zoie happy and in a good mood! Here is a video I took of her "bouncing." Enjoy.

Awww... Moment for Ryan

A few weeks ago, Zoie was sick with a stuffy nose and so she couldn't breath well when she went to bed. She has been sleeping through the night for some time now, but not since she got sick (she does now again, thank goodness!). But when she wasn't I would go get her and cuddle with her in her room in the rocking chair until she fell asleep again. Once she was asleep I would put her down in her bed and she would wake up crying, so I decided that the only way for me to get to sleep was to bring her into bed with us (I usually don't do this, but under the circumstance, I did).When I did that she was out and I was able to get some sleep. Ryan got up early the next morning to get ready for work and while he was getting ready he saw us and thought that it was sweet how we were asleep together in bed. So, he took a picture with his phone, not the best quality picture but you can see us and get the idea. It was one of the many "Awww... moments for Ryan!"

Staying STRONG in the STORMS of Life

We live in a world and time that makes us question whether we matter or not and whether we belong or not. This feeling makes living life difficult. This feeling also makes the challenges and hardships we face unbearable. Then we come to wonder and question if the Lord knows us, loves us, and wants us to be happy. Having thought, pondered, and questioned all of these things at some point in my life, I am here to tell you, "YOU MATTER TO HIM!" I have developed a stronger testimony and belief of that saying, thanks to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. President Uchtdorf is a member of the First Presdiency and spoke on this topic this past October General Conference. I am going to share my thoughts and feelings that I had while listening to his talk. I challenge you to read, listen, or watch  his talk and write the impressions you feel and come to know and understand that the Lord loves you and that YOU MATTER TO HIM!!!

• The more I learn about the universe the more I learn about God.
• King Benjamin tells me to, “always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and [my] own nothingness.” (Mosiah 4:11, with emphasis added)
• I am the reason God created the universe. He created the universe so there was a way I could be saved and exalted.
• Everything created in the world is for my benefit and to help me reach my full potential.
• I am EVERYTHING to God.
• God's greatest desire is to help me reach my full potential. I must allow Him to help me when I need it.
• My true value and purpose has little to do with the what the world is thinking of me. I matter to God.
• I need to learn to become as a child and in-turn will feel the Lords love for me, personally.
• When I serve others, I am serving God and showing my love for Him.
• What matters to God is when I do the best I can, my heart is towards Him, and I am willing to serve Him.
• My actions are a living witness of my strong faith in God.
• I must ALWAYS remember I matter to Him.
• If I ever doubt that I matter, I need to consider these 4 divine principles:
• God loves the humble and meek.
• The Lord entrusts the fullness of his gospel to be proclaimed by the weak and simple to the ends of the earth.
• No matter the situation or circumstance, I am not invisible to Heavenly Father. He loves and knows me.
• What I see and experience now is not what forever will be.
• I must have hope and faith in Him.
• I need to learn to LOVE.
• I need to come to understand my true eternal worth and potential.

Those are all my thoughts I felt throughout President Uchtdorf's talk. I know that when I am struggling with so many difficult STORMS in my life, and that if I stay STRONG the Lord will help me get through them. When I let Him help me out, I come to know, feel, and understand that I really do MATTER TO HIM and He loves me. I know if you will come to do the same you will know you matter to Him. I know that God is real and is always ready with a stretched out arm to lift me up when I am down. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Halloween Costume

Zoie was a ladybug for Halloween. She absolutely loved this costume. She would get upset when I would take it off of her. That is how much she loves this costume. We now use it for her pajamas, one because its soft and warm, two because she won't let us take it off. hehehe.... :) Funny girl. Zoie loved trick or treating and being able to have a few pieces of candy. I think mostly loved seeing other kids run around with her.

Carving Pumpkins

Its been a while and I am so sorry. Time to catch you all up on our family life. Sunday, October 30th we carved our pumpkins. It was a lot fun. Zoie enjoyed it a lot. Took a while to stick her hand in the pumpkin, but after she did, she couldn't stop. Here are our pumpkins. Happy Halloween! :)