Christmas Fun and Tender Mercies

Okay so I am typing this on my In Laws computer. Listening to the laughter and the talking and the playing and grumping and I'm Loving it! What a wonderful time of year this is. A time for reflecting on the wonderful gift that we have all been given the Birth of our Savior. A birth that took place in the most meager and lowly of circumstances. Everything about the savior was humble from his birth to his death and I feel so greatful that he did. As I was driving to bountiful this morning to look after my grandmother it was foggy. I could barely see anything in front of me and then out of no where this light cut through the fog and as I looked up to see what it was. I Saw a Star! It was from a Video Marquee of the 2600 South exit but I thought it was so amazing I felt so impressed that this same star guided the wise men who traveled far and long to see him. I felt such gratitude for that star that was a constant for the months that they traveled to praise and worship him. What A tender Mercy.

Quick Update

For those of you who follow my blog and not my facebook I have lost another 5 Pounds this week so thats a total of 18 POUNDS!!!! Can you tell Im Excited???!!!!

Slacking

Im so sorry my friends for not blogging for so long I have been busy with the new job and trying not to think about food! LOL. It has been a crazy 3 weeks I have been on this great new diet called Medifast Fit for Life. It is AMAIZING!! I absolutly love it I have lost 13 pounds so far and tomorow marks another week so we will see how much I add to tally. Hopefully its a loss instead of a gain but i guess you never know ;) I actualy wanted to share with you some things that I have learned from this new life stile I am living. 1st and very most Important I AM STRONG! I have learned that I am stronger then food. What use to be an addiction is becoming something way more manageable. Dont get me wrong I have cravings for sure but I dont have to give into them. There is so much power in saying no when yes is the easy answer. There is so much power in thinking it thru instead of the tastes good now feel sorry later philosiphy. And there is so much power in knowing that if I can over come a food adiction that has plagued me for years there is no reason why I cant overcome anything else in my life. Lesson # 2 KNOWING THAT I AM MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN NOT JUST MY LIFE BUT THE LIFE OF MY HUSBAND AND MY CHILDREN! How sad would I be if I couldnt chase after my kids when they wanted to play? what kind of example of healthy eating would I set for them if I ate poorly and expected them to eat different? What kind of wife am I when I cant go on a hike or a walk or take the stairs or do any kind of physical activity with my husband? What am I missing out on by keeping on the weight? Is Mac and Cheese honestly worth loosing all that. and Harsh reality # 3 what kind of Wife and Mother would I be if I died of heart diseese at the age of 50 and left my children and my husband alone! Mac and Cheese and Mashed Potatoes definatly dont seem worth it! I am loving being healthy I am loving not being sick after I eat and I love the Idea of being around with all the people I love! Lesson # 3 I DONT HAVE TO EMOTIONALY EAT! Have you ever noticed how much of our socioty revolves around food?! Its really quite rediculous actualy. It reminds me of the scene in over the hedge where Rj is talking to the others about human food and how the humans lives revolve around it. What I am learning to do is find other things to do other then eating for emotinal reasons. I dont have to cut myself off from the world just because I want to eat better. Im just being smarter about the foods that I eat. Instead of mashed potatoes I have califlower instead of gravy I use seasonings I watch my portion size. I really dont feel any more or less left out of the fun or the conversation because someone is eating more or startchier foods then me. Im learning to eat to live not live to eat. I feel great about my progress and I feel great that people notice it. I hope that I will have the streangth to continue on until I reach my goal! Thank you for all your love and support! Much Love !!!!!!!

Time for movin on?

Yesterday was an eye opener and Today I have been fruitfully searching the classifieds. My hubby and I both sort of feel we have out grown where we are or they have out grown us one or the other. But either way we feel it is a time for a change. There are several things that are hard about a move. But there are so many advantages too. I have been able to find some places that are less or just a bit more then we pay now. And as much as leaving friends here makes me sad, and as scary as it can be making new friends I'm looking forward to getting to know new people. I have to do whats right for me and my family. The only hard question is: What is best for my family? I know this is going to be a tough choice and a prayerful one at that. So we will see what tomorow brings! much love to all! More updates to come.

Best Soup Ever!

Ok for all my lucky readers I am going to give you the recipe for a "camp side soup" with a kick the official title is Black Bean and Salsa Noodle Soup YUM

Ingredients:

3 14 oz cans of chicken of vegetable broth

1 Jar of Black Bean and Corn Salsa (I went with mild but if you want more of a Kick go medium or hot if you dare)

1 package (5 0z) Japanese curly noodles or 5 oz uncooked spaghetti (or if you want more of a stick to your ribs kind of thing just throw in the whole package that's what i did.)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tabelspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a 4 quart Dutch oven (and or big pot) heat broth to boiling. Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese; reduce heat to medium.

Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stiring occasionally, until noodles are tender. Sprinkle with cheese

Let me know if you decide to try it and tell me if you like it.

ENJOY!!!

Blog Makeover

Hello wonderful friends I hope you enjoy the new blog makeover I personally am loving it thank you to shabby blogs. It took forever for me to do it but i think it was so worth it and now that I have found my new favorite website stay tuned for more changes! Leave a comment and let me know what you think and if you know how to add post dividers that would be awesome too since i cant seem to figure that one out

New Job

Woohoo!! Today I got a job! FINALLY It is with Mrs Fields cookies sales and service I start September 8th and my job will end sometime towards the end of December so not a super long time but I am still excited for the opportunity and maybe with any luck it will turn into another opportunity and i will be able to keep working. (fingers crossed) So I am a little nervous espessialy about a job that has a lot to do with sales but I guess this is what i am supposed to do and where i am supposed to be so i will just trust in the lord and we will see how it goes. Thankyou for everyones prayers good thoughts and leads. I apreciate it deeply. Thankyou

New Opportunitys and New Experinces

So on Sunday we get a call from the second counselor if my husband and I can come fifteen minuets before church to speak with him. Well we all know what that means before we even went to church. I hung up the phone and turned to my husband and said babe were getting a calling. He had that deer in the headlights look on his face and said "but i dont get callings" LOL! as i had predicted we received are calling and i was surprised and not so surprised that my husband and i were called to be Nursery Leaders! I was a little sad at first because i felt that i would be missing out on relief socioty and sunday school. missing out in that adult conversation and insight i have always enjoyed as part of my sundays. but my joy came two fold first when they told us that they were working on a program that would allow us to be able to be in nursery just every other week so that we could continue to go to our classes on the off weeks of course i am expecting a few months of nothing but nursery but i am okay with that because the second part of my joy was realizing as i was being set apart that what i could teach these kids (if only but for 5 miniutes if i am lucky) builds the foundation on which they will build there testimonies that even though it may not be stimulating conversation it is a very important calling and i should be so blessed to have it. I also feel like this will help bridge the family home evening gap it seems unfortunatly that without any children, Eric and I are not good at having family home evening but now that we have a lesson to teach on sundays we can spend family home evening studding the manual and how best to aproach it and capture the attentions of our little nursery children. I feel that this is a blessing from God. and Speaking of Blessings I was ever so blessed to have recieved a most unexpected call from an employer that is interested in possibly hiring me for there kids club. I was thrilled the pay is awfull but benifits start from day one and even awful pay is better then no pay! I have to go thru one more interview before they decide wether to hire me or not but i feel that the interview went well and so i am hoping for the best. this would definatly be a great oportunity to get back to work and still be able to go to school in the fall. it seems that the Lord is blessing me in more ways then I deserve.

Fire works , Family, and Fun

Okay so first let me say that i am sorry to all three of my loyal followers (LOL) that it has been so long since I posted. So let me catch you up. I have had a great time with my family last week on the 23rd my inlaws and i dragged our chairs into the sun and watched the bountiful parade. we had a great time cheering and laughing and sometimes booing at the people in the parade. mind you i was not the one booing it was eric who felt the need to boo woods crooss and viewmont! Even after 10 years of being out of highschool he still feels the need to be loyal to his school *insert sigh here*. after the fun of the parade was finaly over (there were over 100 entries) we packed up our things and headed back to the maurers. we enjoyed family time with 5 boxes of 5 dollar hot and ready pizzas 2 boxes of cheese bread and 1 bag of crazy bread. when all the maurers get together we eat alot of food! lol. After we were all sufficantly stuffed we headed over to millcreack junior high where we watched the bountiful fireworks. a greater display i have never seen. They really out did them selves this time! The 24th was just as eventful filled with lots of family time fireworks and eating! if you thought all that pizza was bad just wait. My sweet father in law thought we were having over more people then we ended up having for dinner so there was lots of left overs we are talking plates of hambergers hot dogs and bratworst left over it was insane! but also delicious! the fireworks were done with the whole neighborhood this year which i have to admit is not nearly as much fun as when it is just our family but we must learn to be flexible right?! It was a great weekend and a great time was had by all!

So Greatful

So today I found myself in a weird position i found myself with the opportunity to help, and feel completely helpless all at the same time. I dont want to get into the details of who and what because i want to be respectful of my new friends privacy, but i found myself feeling so greatful for the blessings in my life. Some days when the grief seems unbearable i think selfishly that my life cant get any worse. and then today that selfish notion hit me in the face and i realized that things could be so much worse and i am so blessed for what i do have. I understand that every body has different trials and there all meant for them so i know that my trials are mine and there meant to be mine and i am not meant to have my friends trials, however I can not help but feel like things are not so bad for me anymore. And at the same time i felt so helpless there is so much i wish that i could do for my new friend to take her pain away. but i cant. So for now i will pray and i will do my best to serve her and do anything i can and pray that the spirit will guide me in the right direction. What a day !!

FATHERS ARE GREAT

So fathers day was a bitter sweet day. With this being the fathers day just after the loss of our little one it was not a day my husband wanted to hear talks and gushing 's about fathers. So out of respect for my husbands feelings we did not go to church. But while we were not at church I had the opportunity to make cards for my fathers (because of course we have no money) I enjoyed making the cards (they took me hours) and stretching my creative muscles. It was a good opportunity to express to my father and my father in law the apreciation and love I have for them. Though part of me felt guilty for only giving them a card. I could tell how much it meant to them and i felt greatful that the lord has blessed me with some really good men that give tirelessly and set such a good example of honoring there preisthood. So sad that i couldnt wish my husband a happy fathers day but good for me to be able to express my love and apreciation for my Father and my Father in law. I am one blessed daughter.

VENTING!!

So bear with me a moment while I have my little tirade. I came home tonight from a wonderful Sunday spent going to church and being filled with the spirit and spending time with my wonderful husband and my in laws. A great day i even had visting teachers over the lord was truly blessing this day. and then I come home to find Anti Mormon Literature on my doorstep. I was Floored someone had the gall to attack my religion! on a Sunday no less!!! Now those of you who know me know that I generally am a tolerant person. I am not one to say be Mormon or go to hell. I am not one to attack any other religion. I simply believe what i believe and if you don't then i am okay with that. Do people have a right to knock on my door or come up to me on the street or at work and tell me there beliefs and how they feel? ABSOLUTELY! I enjoy that same right to share my testimony with whomever will listen. But should they or I be allowed to attack another religion? I believe that answer is NO! I was so truly offended that they would come under the cover of darkness and try to tell my how wrong my religion is. And please let me make it clear that they are free to believe whatever they want and I am accepting of that but i do not understand why they have to tear our religion apart and make false accusations against it. this is not the way it should be. We should be a more tolerant a more peaceable a more loving people. We are faced with difficult times and I know they are going to get even more difficult, I guess that's why this makes me so crazy, We should not being tearing each other down we should be helping each other and lifting each other up regardless of Race or Religion.

Crazy Beautiful Husband

Yesterday was my anniversary and usually we get to go on a vacation but the economy being the way it is and me not having a job a vacation was not possible. but the love of my life thought we should see if we could get the cabin for the day. Graciously my parents agreed. We had a wonderful time! it is so quiet up there in the mountains. so peaceful. When things are that quiet and peaceful I can not help but do a little reflecting. Being that it was my five year anniversary I spent a great deal of time reflecting on the wonderful life i have had with my husband. Though we have had some really tough times for us in the last five years, we have had a lot of great things happen too. But above it all good times and bad times I have to thank my heavenly father for giving me such a wonderful husband. I feel so blessed to share my road with Eric, He cares for me deeply, He respects me, He treats me like a princess. He sees my divine nature even though sometimes i don't! :) I adore him and cant imagine the rest of my life and eternity for that matter without him and I know that this is because my heavenly father saw fit to bless me with the love of my love at the tender age of 15. I am so eternally greatful for this blessing, I couldn't be happier!

Welcome to my blog!!! I have never done this before but i decided to cave into peer pressure and so here I am. So i guess a little about me. I am a wife of almost 5 years now. I have been with the love of my life for 11 years. We have been living in Murray for 4 years in a little apartment complex. and aside from the constant fix it problems. ;) We love it! though i would not complain if we had a bigger water heater. My husband and I are members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 10th 2004. We have not yet been blessed with any children. But when the lord sees fit to give us this blessing we defiantly look forward to it. My husband Eric is in the process of obtaining a degree in Accounting so we are heading down the school road right now. I lost my job in February so i have had the blessing of being a house wife for a while now, Though I am in definite need of a job now. (I will take any leads you have for me) I hope to post pictures soon. Thanks for reading and I hope you will follow my blog (ha that sounds funny my blog). I promise my blog will be more interesting in posts to come