Merry Christmas

On this Eve of the celebration of our Savior's birth, I need to let people know how good our Heavenly Father is and how good people are. There is so much negativity and bad that we see in the world, but really there is so much good. Our family has been amazingly blessed this Christmas. Malachi 3:10 says, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." I have a testimony of this. This year we paid the least amount ever, but it was still a full tithe. A tenth is a tenth. The windows of heaven opened.

This time of year and summer tends to be difficult financially because we have a big break from school and so the little money we have has to stretch farther, much farther. But because of some extremely generous people, some whom have remained anonymous, our Christmas has not been a financial burden. I thought it would not be horrible for our children to go without, so many children do. My mom was going to buy the groceries for our Christmas breakfast tradition at my house. We can always put necessities on the credit card.

But no!

The Lord had other plans and so did inspired people. So we have received gift cards and checks and cash and a fun family game and goodies and fruit and eggs and beautiful and funny cards. My children have seen the blessings come and how the Lord has taken care of us in our time of need. It has been a miracle! My heart is bursting with gratitude and my eyes are bursting with tears. I really can't express what I feel. All I know is I cannot wait to be back on the giving side, but I am going to continue to be thankful for the generosity of others and a loving Heavenly Father who sent His Son for us.

I have learned so much from this time in my life. I am grateful for my struggles that have stretched me and humbled me and forever changed me. I hope I can live worthy of all of the blessings my family has received.

I am so grateful to be celebrating the birth of my Savior with my family. Tonight we will sing songs and read scriptures about this wonderful night that changed the world.

Isaiah 9:6
"For unto us a child is born,unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Cars NO!, Bikes Yes!

The advantage of riding a bike is being able go to places where cars/vehicles cannot

Cow Flat Road- Nice n' closed



Water flowing nice and strong

Kern River & 178 down there somewhere


Cow Flat Creek- had to remove my shoes and socks to cross- the water was freezing!


Cow Flat Trail marker on my water bottle


Waterfalls where they are not normally

Lucas Creek not looking like a creek

Limbo Time

Thank You Mr. Cal-Trans for not seeing me- wink wink, nudge nudge!

Canyon Rock and Mudslides

Chocolaty Kern River

Baby Rocks

Boulders

Thats gonna hurt!





Power Pole broken like a toothpick



Road Closed #2- can't do that in a car!!!

Winter Christmas Program 2010

Terrible Day to Be in Bakersfield

Kern Canyon trail was perfect and so was the suffering!

Transportation of Old

60's Lambretta Series III

1971 K5 Blazer CST

1981 Vespa P200E

1990 Chevrolet Suburban

LOVE, JOY, BIKES.

LOVE

JOY

BIKES

Happy Birthday Jacob!

The best present a dad can give his son is to learn how to mow the lawn...Suprise!

Blessings

Conference this weekend was truly incredible. All the talks on family, mothers, daughters, daughters becoming mothers, the priesthood, the Savior, rescuing, forgiveness, children, death, eternal life, obedience, trials, and on and on. I am so grateful for all of the words spoken this weekend and the spirit witnessing of the truthfulness of them. I never think I could love my family any more than I do, but then this weekend came and my love grew. Not only for my family, but also for my Savior and for those around me.

I have been thinking a lot about family. Every time big events happen in our family and I guess even when little ones do, I think about Bob and Pam, Shelby's parents. With the birth and blessing of this little one, I've thought about them a lot lately.

She didn't really like getting dressed. She likes relaxing in a onesie.

But she calmed down once everyone stopped fussing with her.

I don't know if I'm "grandma" but I do know that Pam would want me to treat this little one as if I was. So no matter what she calls me, I will love her and spoil her and visit her like a grandma does. Just like I love her mama and her aunt and uncle. A friend asked once if I really felt like I loved Tiffany, Keri and Brian like my own. I didn't even think twice. Of course I do. And now with them all away, it seems even stronger. I worry about them. I miss them. I'm proud of them and I think they don't call me enough or visit enough. I don't think we would go out of our way to visit them so far away on our current budget like we do if there wasn't something more there. Well maybe. . .
I always wanted lots of children. I just got mine in a different way than most.

First pictures

Here she is! I'll be taking more pictures when we go up for her blessing.

Keri is really tired, not getting much sleep. Oh the joys of motherhood! I can't wait to help her for a few days and make some enchiladas!! The boys are really excited too! They get to take an extra week off from school and have a 2 week easter vacation. How lucky!

In other news, I finished my final today and Shelby will be done tomorrow. I am so grateful for the people who have helped us on this journey. We could not be doing this with out our Heavenly Father and his helpers here on earth. Our prayers have been answered and wonderful blessings have come as people have been so generous with their time and resources. I only hope I will be back on the giving end of the spectrum soon. I miss being home and more available to my friends, but I have come to terms with the fact that life is not usually what you expect and it is hard. So my focus is on my family and part of that is me and Shelby going to school again. A year from June and I will be graduated and new trials will come. I've found each stage of life is challenging. I'm not sure it ever gets easier, just different. So we have to enjoy it all!
That's what I'm trying to do.