NEW BLOG PAGE

I have moved my blog page. Many of you are aware of the troubles I have had on blogger. I am much happier with my new choice. So I tried to email out the new address to those I have their email addresses. But, if you would like to view my blog and I did not send you then new address, please leave your email address in the comment section and I will send out the information to you.

Thanks!

Disneyworld 2008

So I know I have been out of the blogging world for many months now!! There has just been a lot going on and I have had limited internet access. So I hope I can slowly start to post some of the things we have been doing and get caught up. But to start here are some pictures from our trip to Disneyworld in June. Yes, the day after we became offically homeless and jobless we went to Disneyworld! We had a wonderful time. Enjoy the pictures.

Miracles Happen

Everyone talks about the depression in the housing market. If you turn on the news they will report about the growing numbers of foreclosures. However, until you sit down with a real estate agent you don’t completely internalize the severity of it all. That was our lot last Tuesday as the gravity of our situation settled in the pit of our stomach. We came to realize there was a foreclosure 4 houses to the right that was listed very low, and another about 7 houses to the left that just sold even lower. Those two houses were on my street, and that did not take into account the other foreclosures in my neighborhood!

We were soon faced with the fact that we were not going to be able to list our house at the price we thought. But, that was not even the bad news. The truth was that it would be a miracle if we could sell at all. There are so many houses on the market and new foreclosures coming up everyday. In fact the senior agent in their agency had not sold a house that was not a foreclosure in 3 months. Things looked grim.

Mark and I went to the temple that night to get a good perspective. I felt strongly to let go of the shock of the market. My husband, kids, and faith were all strong and that is what mattered, just let the rest go. Mark felt impressed to list it at a price much lower than we had hoped, yet higher than what our agent had recommended. We got home late and called her right away.

She was going to be out of town for one day, however, we felt like we should not wait. The next day her assistant came over for us to sign the papers and get the process started. On Thursday morning our home was listed on the MLS. By 10AM I had 3 families scheduled to walk through the home that day. The last family walked through the house 2 times. They brought their dad back through it. We pulled up as they were leaving and their agent told us they were meeting that night to draw up an offer!

The next morning I got a phone call from my agent we not only had one offer but two offers on the table. Both parties were reconsidering to make sure they brought their best offer to the table. That night our agent presented us with two offers. Because of the multiple offers we got exactly what we asked for, and they did not request for us to pay their closing cost!

Our agent’s assistant pulled her aside before she came to our house and said, “This never happens!”

All I can say is God lives, He hears our prayers, and miracles happen!!

On a side note the senior agent made a deal with my kids. He said if every time someone walked through the house and their rooms were clean, when the house sold he would pay them $10 at the closing. The first thing Sarah said when she knew we sold the house, “Yes, I get $10!”

Days in the Life of Mijken

Life with a two year old is never dull!

This is Mijken when I had put some water in the sink to clean the kitchen. I went out of the room and returned to see that she had undressed and climbed into the sink all by herself. As she sat in the sink she was eating the grapes I had just washed that were in a bowl next to her.

Mijken is in love with puppies. She was in heaven when she got to meet Buddy up at Nana's house.

These two pictures show you Mijken's favorite outfits. Yes, I understand that it is the middle of winter, and yet she continues to find and put on her favorite outfits. Notice how the green shirt is on inside out and backwards. I have hid that pink and green outfit many times, just not well enough I guess.

This is what happens when I try to get her to take a nap. I have put a child lock on the inside of her door so she could not get out of her room. However, that does not stop her from crawling out of her crib, filling her crib full of books, climbing back in bed, and reading until she finally falls asleep.

This is Mijken dressed up in her rap outfit. The kids get her to say things like "word" and "yo".

Our "Mijken Makeup Monster"

This is her beautiful work of makeup, you should have seen the bathroom.

Life is full!

We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet

On Saturday I watched the funeral of President Hinckley who passed away on January 27, 2008. I have been filled with very tender feelings over the past week and thinking of this dear man has brought tears to my eyes many times. Yet how grateful I am that he has been reunited with his cherished wife. As I have reflected on my feelings my thoughts have turned to a very specific memory.

When I was living in Virginia there was a regional meeting where President Hinckley would be in attendance. Mark and I decided to go and at the time Lauren was still a baby. The meeting was held about 1 ½ -2 hours away, so our driving time was significant round trip. When we got there Lauren was not too excited to sit for a meeting after a long car drive. As we sat waiting for the meeting to start and Lauren was being a pill, I had my doubts of why we had made the effort. I wondered what I would get out of this meeting while trying to wrestle with a two year old. It was becoming quite evident that I would be spending the majority of the meeting in the hall. I was not thrilled about having driven 2 hours to walk with Lauren in the hall of this large auditorium and not hear much of the meeting. Then everyone started to stand and began singing “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet.” When I stood and began to sing I could see President Hinckley walking to his seat on the stage. At that moment I had the warmest feeling and knew without a doubt that President Hinckley was a prophet of God. I knew that is why I had come. I spent the rest of the meeting in the hall and I am not sure I heard any of the talks. But, I did hear the whisperings of the spirit and gained testimony of our beloved prophet.

President Hinckley leaves behind an amazing legacy from temples, to the perpetual education fund, contagious optimism, good humor, and love for the people. I think for me there were many qualities he had that I stood in awe. Yet I think my favorite was his ability to help me feel loved, understood, and that I was doing a great and amazing job; however, with all his praise he was still able to inspire me to do better and “stand a little taller.”

May we all “stand a little taller” as we remember this great man; a husband, a father, and a Prophet of God.

Going to the Park

We took the kids to the park for a picnic lunch and fun park activities. I love going to the park as a family. The kids have so much fun running around, climbing trees, making new friends, playing in the sand, sliding the slides and swinging in the swings. Unfortunately, I am officially old, and my favorite park activity of swinging actually makes my head spin! However, it is great to watch the kids enjoy themselves. Mijken found a little girl about a year older than her. She ran around following her yelling, “Mom, my new friend.” She makes me laugh because she has to be just as old as everyone else. She climbed up all the ladders without even thinking, as I sat back and had a heart attack thinking she might fall. She did not fall and continues to amaze me with all that she can do. Jared is in my opinion the best 5-year-old swing pumper and monkey bar climber out there. I believe he agrees with me on that one! I am always grateful when we take the time to do things as a family, even when they are as simple as going to the park. I am learning that great family memories do not have to be elaborate; kids just like to do something together.
Of course, I do not have it so together to actually bring my camera to the park this time. But these pictures are from the time we took Zac and Max to the park while they were here in November.

Christmas 2007

We had a wonderful Christmas. We made sugar cookies, looked at lights, and enjoyed the season. Mark, Lauren, Madison, Sarah, and I participated in the ward choir Christmas presentation. Mark and I took a night to watch one of our favorite Christmas movies, “The Family Man.” On Christmas Eve, we had Pete and Vickey over for Dinner and to watch “The Nativity.” After we got everyone off to bed, Mark and I went to the Codella’s to play games. Christmas morning was great. Everyone was very excited. We have a tradition of gifts at our house, everyone gets something from Santa, and then everyone buys for everyone else. It is so fun to watch the kids pass out their presents. Often they are as excited to give their presents as they are about getting presents. Jared kept going around the week before telling Lauren that she was going to LOVE his present. After several clues and a little slip from excitement, I don’t think her present was much of a surprise. After opening presents and cleaning up we packed up the van and drove to Utah. It was fun to see family around this season. The kids had a great time sledding, making snowmen, and seeing cousins. Mark got a day of “very cold weather” skiing, and we both enjoyed a wonderful meal at Emily’s. It was great to see all the family. Christmas is a wonderful time and we are looking forward to the New Year.