I FINALLY DID IT

My family is always telling me that I need to write a book... so here it is. It is not yet published, but we are working on that. I had my talented and awesome sister do the illustrations. I have managed to sell a handful of them thus far. So if you are interested, let me know. They cost $10. This is a great little story that we can all apply to our lives. It's my favorite children's book I have ever read... and that's a non-bias oppinion for you too! Thanks Natalie for doing all your hard work to have it done for Christmas. Our families loved it... it was their gift this year. Hopefully This will be the start of my line of children's books. Maybe even lead into writing myself a trilogy that will make millions and be produced into a movie... Blowing Twilight out of the water! But for now... I start small.

Ryan

I was thinking a lot about my little Ryan today...

She is such a big girl. Before school, she was quite shy with other kids, but she has just grown in leaps and bounds! Two weeks ago was the first sunday we were to put her into primary. She is a sunbeam now... so no more play time, treats, or fun in the nursery. I wondered how she would do. The class is small. There are only 4 sunbeams total. Three of the Four have mothers in the presidency... including Ryan... I'm in there. Any how, I know that the other two kids who have mothers in the presidency were going to struggle wanting to sit with their mom instead of with the class. They were going to find it difficult to let their mom focus on all the kids rather than just them. So naturally I started to wonder how Ryan would do? Would she insist on sitting with me? Would she feel bad when I was working with other kids, or teaching, or conducting? Well, I am happy to say that we did not have that problem. She came and sat down with her class and soaked everything in. she was sitting up strait with her hands folded neatly in her lap the entire time. She even looked at the other kids like they were odd when they tried to come sit with their moms rather than with the class. She tried her hardest to learn the songs and sing. I even got a little teary eyed looking at her! I was so proud!! Last week she even gave the scripture. She spoke into the microphone and tried her best. It was adorable!! I'm just so happy that there were no fits, and no major problems! Only two weeks have gone by though... time will tell if it was just a fluke, or if she is really that good! I think she is really that good though!

Christmas and Anniversary

As predicted, Santa found us all this year--and no one got any coal. We had a blast. Of course our kids were spoiled by everyone who knows them! We first got up early in the morning and opened all the gifts that Santa left at our house. Then we left to Grammie and Papa's house, Zollingers, and got to open a few gifts there. Next it was off to church. I think it's nice to be able to celebrate Christmas on a Sunday. I loved it. Later we went to see Nana and Papa, the Park family. There we were spoiled even more. Finally, we were off to Nana S's house. That's Jared's Nana. She is the best spoiler of all!! We hade the best meal there and yet again opened some gifts! Oh my goodness, we were so SPOILED!! Thanks for a great Christmas!!

Today is also our 6th anniversary. I can't believe that I am here. It feels like yesterday that I was taking the plunge! Not only do I still love Jared today, but I think I might even love him a little bit more than I did 6 years ago! Even after learning everything there is to possibly know about Jared I still respect and love him so much. Here are a few of my most favorite things... Jared addition.

1. He is honest. I have learned something in watching other marriages, as well as being married, if you don't have trust, there is nothing. I know that Jared is always honest. No matter what, I can trust him. He is almost too honest... that's not a bad thing unless you are trying to rip someone off.

2. He is funnier than crap. Maybe it's just me, but I think his ability to turn any song into one of his own is funny.

3. He is attractive. Although his hair is gone, I like the way he looks. He is fit, and can you just say killer smile!!

4. He is a great father. Some dads get home after work and think it's a pain to have to help around the house, or play with the kids. However, Jared loves it. The kids love to hear him talk like a pirate. He makes great forts. He reads book after book, after book, and never gets tired of it.

5. Jared always makes everyone feel loved and safe. People are drawn to him because of his ability to make you feel like you are important to him... and you are. He may not remember your name right away, but if he sees you and remembers your face, chances are he will say hello to you and rekindle your relationship.

6 He tells me every day that he loves me and that I am beautiful. Even on Fat days!! Did you know that I thought he was WAY WAY out of my league when I met him. HE WAS! However, somehow he thought I was good enough to be with him. He thinks I'm pretty great. Either I am the worlds best minipulator, or maybe he really does think I'm good enough for him.

7. He puts me in my place. I have always said that Jared makes me want to be a better person. I think he might be the one person that I know that never speaks about other people in a negative way. He tries his best to always use good language. When I fall short of these kinds of things, he is always there to put me back in my place in a loving way.

8. Jared can take a joke. I think that we laugh more at our house than any other family. I could be wrong, but we have a lot of fun at our home.

9. Jared is quick to say he is sorry. I don't know why, but I struggle with this one. Sometimes when we fight, I will make an effort to appologize first. However, Jared makes it difficult to be the first to say it. I have been first a hand full of times, but he is the one who usually says "sorry" first.

10. Jared loves the church and the Lord. It took me some time to accept that I would never be Jared's #1. I know that I will always come second to the Lord. I am ashamed to say that it took me some time to be ok with that. However, I know that it's a good thing and I would never have it any other way!!!

Thanksgiving and tender conversations.

Thanksgiving was so good this year!! We had thanksgiving with the Zollinger family, and it was the best dinner we have ever had as a family!!! Growing up my mom always made things homemade, but then we got older and busier... and well, the food got quicker and less quality--naturally. So as we have been getting older with our own families, we have been slowly getting back into good homemade food. Well this year we mastered it!! Jared did the worlds most moist turkey and we all were able to fill in the rest of the blanks. Every part of dinner was awesome.

Now I would like to share a conversation that Ryan had with Jared a week or so ago. Jared had her in the car and was talking to her about what to do if someone asked her to do something that she knew was bad.

Jared: Ryan, what would you do if someone told you to do something that you knew was bad? Like one of your friends.

Ryan: I would not do it.

Jared: You're so smart. You know that you really are a smart girl!

Ryan: Yeah, I would say no and they would say, "Ryan, you're so smart." Then I would do a summer-salt!

So Sweet!!

Another side note, Jared is the man! He did the impossible last week!!! He managed to surprise me! He had a long weekend and managed to surprise me with a get-away. I just woke up one morning and he told me that I needed to pack the kids bags for two days. I was so shocked. Ryan didn't even spill the beans! Jared and I ate ourselves STUPID and stayed down town. It was so much fun! Early Anniversary! I just am crazy about my Jared!! Thanks Sweetie!!

Halloween

This year was so much stinking fun! Ryan finally got into the spirit of Halloween! She understood the concept of Trick-or-Treating! At first when we were deciding what to be for Halloween Ryan told me that she wanted to be a princess with RED hair. As time passed and she got more into it, she kept adding things to it. She wanted to be a queen and wear the queen dress. with red hair and a crown--the crown would also make her a princess. So she would be a red-headed Queen/Princess. However, she also wanted to wear a pumpkin mask with Fairy wings. So then she would be the red-headed, pumpkin, fairy Queen/princess. However, the requirements for the wings were that they must be functional. Meaning, they must allow her to really fly. When I told her that they didn't make those kinds of wings she was disappointed... but only for a second. She then requested that I start looking right away for magic pixie dust that would allow her to fly with her dress up wings. Lucky me, I had to break the news that there was no stores in the state that sold real magic pixie dust! Finally, she also requested that she be able to ride the unicorn while being the red-headed, fairy pumpkin queen/princess. MAN ALIVE!! In the end she settled for a red-headed queen.

McCallum was Frankenstein. EASY!

We had a blast knocking on doors and collecting tons and tons of candy! Here are some of the pictures. I've also added some from when we went to Gardner Village to see all the witches with Nana Lynn. Thanks for the fun pony ride Nana!

Pumpkin Pickin'

A few days back Jared and I got take the kids and go pick pumpkins with Nana, Lisa, Justin, Boedi, and Paisley. It was so much fun! Ryan knew just what she wanted. She walked right into the first cluster of pumpkins, pointed to one and that was that. Done. Boedi, on the other hand, was so picky. We walked all around the patch and nothing seemed to fit. We just could not get him to decide on a pumpkin! Eventually, he found one that he liked and we were able to go. In the car on our way to dinner he said to Lisa, "Nana, it was impressive that we got to pick pumpkins." I just laughed! He uses such big words all the time! Smarty pants! We had a blast!

Sisters

I just loved this picture of my sisters and I at my Gran's funeral and thought I should post it. YUP, we are all sisters with the same mother and father. Crazy how different we all are!! From Left to Right: Natalie, Andrea, Stephanie, Me, BreeAnn.