30 Weeks

So far, I'm feeling.... as good as I could being 30 weeks pregnant.

Baby boy is measuring right on track.

Already gained as much as I did with Jenson at 40 weeks.... won't say anything else. haha :(

Just like Jenson, this kid likes hanging out in my right side rib cage. My ribs are constantly aching.

I haven't really craved anything for awhile. Which is good that the pizza phase finally passed!

I still take a shot once a day for blood clots.

We do have a name picked out. If you ask me in person, I'll tell you what it is. We've been more open about this name than we were with Jenson's name. Mostly because we were back and forth with Jenson. I still don't think I'll share it on my blog though until he's born. It does start with a 'B' though, if your dying for a hint.

I am getting super excited for him to be here! I can't wait to watch my Jenson become a big brother. :) 

Baby B has the best big brother to look up to. Their going to be the bestest of friends!

I still can't believe I'm going to be a mom of two little boys here soon. Gosh that's sooo crazy!

His due date is Jan. 4th.... I'm hoping he is here before Christmas. That's really all I want for Christmas... haha I know I shouldn't get my hopes up though. My Dr. did say she would induce me early if everything looks good so, I can get my epidural. If you don't remember... with the shots I take, I can't get an epidural unless I've been off them for 24 hours. So, it's safest for me to get induced, that way I can schedule when to stop taking my shots. We're hoping things continue to go smoothly, so I can get induced a few weeks early! 

Yay for babies!!!

14 Months-ish

Okay, I was planning on being done with the updates with Jenson as soon as he turned one. But, He is just growing too fast and learning things faster than the speed of light. My motherly instincts wants me to write it all down so I never forget.

So obviously the biggest thing is that he is walking. I seriously was freaking out that he wouldn't be walking before his little bro was born (18 months) and that I would have two babies to carry around. But, seriously within like one week he just took off. We were all pretty amazed. I'll just have to get one of the leash things once his brother comes around so I can keep track of him.

Words Jenson can say:
-Hi
-Ball (everything round is a ball)
-Dad
-More: sounds a lot like mom, and people get confused and say, "aw He is saying mom." But, nope! He just wants more food. :)
-Boo: he hides under the table then comes out and yells "Boo!"
-Ro-Ro: (Rorie) and every other dog.
-Baby: He says baby when he sees his baby pictures. Hopefully that's a good step to getting him use to the idea of a baby brother!!
-Hot:

Other words Jenson can understand:
-No: I'm soooo glad he hasn't learn how to say this yet. But, every time we say it too him, he shakes his head no. Or if he is doing something that he knows he isn't suppose to do, like play in the dog food, he'll look at me, shake his head, then start playing in it. Little stinker!

-Outside: He loves to go outside. All I need to say is, "Jens, do you want to go outside?" and he'll run grab his shoes then go sit by the door. Smart boy!
 -Bye-bye: Obviously he's done this for awhile. When I am going to dance I'll say, "Jenson, I'm going to go bye-bye" and he'll just wave without even stopping what he is doing.
-Loves: Sometimes if he's in a good mood, he'll give you a hug if you ask for some loves. Mostly he'll do it to the dogs.
-Kisses and blow kisses: He'll blow kisses all the time. But, just like 'loves' he's got to be in a good mood in order to hand out real-slobbery kisses.
-Juice: His sippy cup
-Garbage: He'll throw things away if you ask him too. :)
-Bottle:
-Binky and Blankey: These sound so similar, I'm not sure he knows the difference or if it's a package deal. He usually only gets both when its nap time. He has grown quite attached to a blankey that he stole from grandma's house. It use to be uncle Brandon's blanket. He saw that thing and seriously hasn't let go of it since.



He keeps me very busy all day long. His favorite activities include:
-Rearranging everything from one cupboard to another.
-Hiding his toys in the pantry
-Throwing everything away. (Not just garbage)
-Eating, eating, eating,
-Playing in water
-Being outside
-Throwing sticks and rocks in the canal
-Playing in the dogs food and water dish
-Playing in the dirt


He is a very good eater. I swear he eats as much as his prego mom. :) He loves everything except veggies... I can't get him to eat any vegetables. Any one have any tips?? His favorites are still avocados and eggs. He snacks constantly and prefers goldfish and ritz crackers. He chugs his apple juice like there's no tomorrow and loves when mom surprises him with chocolate milk.

He is really good at throwing tantrums and fake crying. I have a really hard time not laughing when he throws himself on the floor. I can't complain though because after each tantrum, he will usually come and give me a hug... awwwww... makes my heart melt. Then just like that everything is better and he's off to his next project. :)

Jenson is such a good sleeper! I was definitely blessed to have him. Especially while being pregnant and super tired myself. He sleeps 7 to 730pm until anywhere from 7-8am. 12-13 hours!!  He takes his first nap at 10am and usually sleep two hours. Then takes another hour nap in the afternoon around 130 or 2. Of course there are always a few nights that are a bit rough because of teething and what not... But so far he's been amazing and I'm crossing my fingers his brother takes after him!

Jenson now has 8 teeth. 6 on top and 2 little guys on bottom. I definitely know he's working on some more because it's been a rough few days. The question is which ones.... They have all come in backwards. Not literally backwards but the timeline has been a bit screwy.

Goodness I love this little boy more and more everyday. I truly am soooo blessed. I love that I get to be home with him and watch him learn and grow. He forever has my heart.

20 weeks!

Goodness! I find it comical that I was just doing these pregnancy updates with Jenson. Then I went to doing all his monthly updates after he was born, and once I finished with all those, I'm back to do another pregnancy update with baby boy number two!

That's right I said baby BOY #2!!!

We are having another boy. Oooo I get all smiley when I think of my two little boys being the best of buds. Gosh I'm so dang excited!! It's also very nice that I don't have to worry about getting anything. I kept everything Jenson had so we are set. Wheww... I have more time to relax ;)

So far, I have been feeling a ton better. But, still so exhausted. Blah... Is this tiredness ever going to end?? I don't remember being this tired with Jenson. Well, I definitely was at first... but it didn't last the whole time! I'm getting impatient and would really appreciate if my energy level picked up just a bit. 

Luckily, I haven't had any food aversions. But, that just means that I want to eat everything in sight. For about the passed month I haven't been able to get pizza out of my mind. MMmmmm PIZZA! Every time we go out to eat I always suggest a pizza place. I think Alek is getting pretty tired of eating pizza... One night I literally woke up in the middle of the night and could smell Fredricos Pizza as if it was seriously waiting on my night stand ready for me to eat. It took me forever to go back to sleep because my mouth was watering so bad. I was sooo depressed that I really didn't have any pizza for me to eat. You can bet your bottom that day we went to Fredricos. 

After all that pizza talk, lets talk about weight gain. Hahaha. So far I'm headed down the path where I will probably gain twice as much as I did with Jenson... I gained 28 pounds with Jenson. I was pretty proud of that. So far with baby #2 I've already gain 13 pounds.... oh goodness I still got along way to go and a lot more baby to grow! (That totally just rhymed...HA!) Oh well, as long as me and baby are healthy, right? 

Sleep has been... okay..... I wake up on average twice a night to pee. I get really happy when I wake up and realized I haven't peed all night. Of course, right then I have to hurry and run to the toilet. But sleeping through the night is definitely something I celebrate now days. I still sleep on my tummy. My poor baby is probably getting really tired of being slept on at night. But, it's the only way I can get comfortable!! and I'm sure my tummy sleeping days are close to an end, so I need to enjoy it while I can.

I'm already wearing my maternity pants. It's no rumors guys... you definitely get bigger with your second child. At first I was super depressed and tried to go as long as possible without pulling out my old maternity pants but I'm finally over it and could care less. "Whatever! Just bring me some pizza!" My belly button is already almost poking out. I remember with Jenson it poked out WAY early and I was super embarrassed because I always thought I wasn't suppose to poke out until you were like 9 months prego. But nope, apparently mine likes to poke out super early. Hahaha 

Well, that's probably a good enough update eh?? I'll try and do this every 4ish weeks. Now enjoy a blooper of our 20 week photo op. This is what Jenson did when I told him to give me kisses. hahaha! I think he thought I meant 'blow kisses.' Still super funny though!!

12 months

Well today is the today. My baby is one year old. I still remember so many details about the day he was born. It was truly one of the best days of my life. There is no greater feeling than becoming a mom.

Wow! This month has been a HUGE milestone for Jenson. He has learned soooo much! It's like he's been holding out on us and waiting until he was a year and then just one day decided to show us all his tricks. Silly boy.

He weighs 25lbs, is 30.5 inches long, and still has a huge head sitting in the 97% at 48 cm.

He now has 4 teeth. Yes, he got all 4 teeth this passed month. Crazy! His top ones came in first which was kinda funny.

He actually starting to 'legit' crawl. One day he literally just took off. He does still army crawl half the time. It's just whatever he is in the mood for.

He can crawl up stairs and thinks he is so cool for doing it. We spend a lot of time on the stairs lately.

He is obsessed with eating Rorie's dog food and playing in her water dish. We have to keep hiding it but somehow Jenson can always smell it out.

Jenson pulls himself up on everything and now cruises around.

We've gotten him to start only using one of our hands when he walks with us. He has taken a couple steps by himself and sometimes will walk from one thing to another if the distance is short enough.

The first two weeks of the month he was having major sleeping issues. He HATED sleep and would fight it so hard! It took us over an hour to put him down to sleep every time. It was so frustrating! But, it was super weird because we went to Lake Powell, which he did really well at sleeping (mostly because he was so exhausted from playing all day long.) Since we have been home, he has been sleeping like a champ. Goes to sleep all by himself. He even will crawl to me and point to his bottle and lets me know he is ready for a nap. Also, at night he has started skipping his 5am eating habit and sleeping til 8am! 13 hours! It's been heavenly. I'm thankful for Lake Powell's magic.

Jenson truly has made this passed year the best. I'm so excited for the future to see him continue to grow and learn.

You can read about his actual Birthday celebrations here

Jenson Turns One!

The 'Pinterest mom' in me wanted Jenson's party to be special. To go all out, have the cutest decorations, perfect birthday cake, perfect theme.... etc. I knew that even though that was the 'cool thing' to do now days it was a bit over the top. For one, why waste that kind of money when Jenson isn't even going to remember it? and Two, it seemed like it was mostly just to show off how good of a mother I am. But, honestly that kind of stuff isn't what makes me a good mother. So, I had to fight with my instincts and try to be reasonable. It still was a perfect day.

The best part of the day was that Alek was able to only work half a day. He leaves super early for work so He was home by 10am. Which is about the time me and Jenson are finally ready for the day. I loved having Alek home and so did Jenson. Alek truly makes Jenson so happy. No one can play quite like a dad can. My favorite moment was when Alek got home from work right when Jenson was waking up from his nap. Alek shouted, I'll go get him! and sprinted up the stairs. In the moniter, I heard Alek burst into Jenson's room and start singing Happy Birthday to him. It melted my heart.:)

The original plan was to go to the pool but  between naps, running last minute errands, and it being cloudy most of the day, we never made it to the pool. But, we still had lots of fun spending the day as a family. :) 

That night, we had a little get together with close family members at our house. We roasted hot dogs, opened presents and of course had cake! Watching Jenson's face was my absolute favorite. He would open one present and would just want to sit and play with it FOREVER! Finally we were having to pry the toy away from him so we could hand him the next present and he would get so mad! He was loving life!! Every present he opened he would say "Oooooooh!" 

 My favorite picture of the night. He was soooo happy! Thanks uncle Rhy for the cool present!

The cake was a bit of a nightmare. I ordered it from Macey's bakery over the phone, which I learned to never do again. I told them Navy blue and Lime green. But, they heard 'baby blue'. I HATE baby blue. Also, at first they heard me wrong and put "Happy Birthday Jason" on the cake, which they quickly changed. Then, when I went and picked it up... there were freaking pink sprinkles on it!!!! PINK!  I was like, "You know this is a boy cake right?" And the lady was like, "Yes....??" Then I said, "well, what's up with the Pink sprinkles??" I was a bit upset! I still brought the cake home though. I just scraped off all the sprinkles and luckily had some blue and green ones of my own. Also, they had put a bunch of curly bows in the top corner of the main cake, again they must've been gender confused. I quickly pulled those off and into the garbage and grabbed one of Jenson's toys and threw on instead. So, I guess it still turned out alright. 

I was a little skeptical about him eating the cake. Unfortunately he has my cleanliness genes and hates to  be dirty. When he gets sticky or stuff all over his hands he freaks out and starts screaming! So, I thought for sure this is how he would be with his cake. But, boy did he surprise us all. It took him a little bit, but, after  I shoved the first bite into his mouth and he tasted all the deliciousness, He couldn't hold himself back and went all in. It was so funny to watch. He kept saying "mmmmm" and then stop when everyone would start laughing at him.

It was such a fun day. I love Birthdays! Especially when they are your own babies. I look forward to all his Birthdays in the future. I've always said I wouldn't be the parent that spoils their kid rotten but it's so hard when their so stinking cute and you love them to pieces :) 

11 Months!

I know I say this at the beginning of every monthly update.... but seriously how is it that my baby boy is 11 months old???

I'm not go to lie... this passed month has been the hardest month yet. I don't know if it was because Al and I were gone for half of it on our cruise or... what. That's what I'm blaming it on. But, really I think it's just a phase. Jenson is going through a tantrum/stubborn stage. Tantrums???? Already??? I thought I still had another year before I had to deal with those.

He wants to do everything himself. Especially when it comes to eating. He also thinks he is too big for his pureed fruits and veggies now days and only wants to eat what mom and dad are eating, even if that means pizza. He also only wants to eat his cheddar puffs, and gold fish. Seriously he could eat those all day long. And it's like all hell breaks loose when I finally cut him off. Holy cow!!

We eat tons of toast, bagels, eggs, eggs, and more eggs. It's so hard to cook dinner now!!

Also, weird little fact, Jenson HATES watermelon!! He can't be my child if he doesn't like watermelon. ;) IT's a disgrace! Only because I eat a whole watermelon by myself pretty much every week. Oh well, I guess more for me!

Jenson has also decided that he doesn't like his diaper changed anymore. It is seriously a wrestling match every. single. time. Blood curdling screaming, trying to pin him down, getting poop everywhere.... Seriously child?? Isn't he too young to be acting this way??? 

(He thinks) He is too big for his walker now and would much rather walk around holding someone's fingers. Once again, he could do this all day long. My back kills and my fingers are bruised purple. If I'm busy doing something, and unable to walk around with him, he will throw himself on the floor and scream. I'm pretty sure my neighbors think I abuse my child.

Also, when I use to go to the bathroom and he would be just fine. I would bring him with me and distract him with his bath toys. Now days, I go to the bathroom when he naps ONLY or we have another tantrum on the bathroom floor. It's not enjoying trying to go to the bathroom with a screaming child on your feet... or lap!

I seriously hope this is just a phase!! I'm trying my hardest not to spoil him and let him get his way. But, man I can only take so many tantrums in one day. I seriously am exhausted when the day is over and look forward to bedtime.

Okay, enough with the doom and gloom. He is still the most perfect boy around. I love him with all my heart, tantrums and all. I have a huge crush on his big blue eyes and his messy sweaty nap hair. I also love that he has started playing with my hair again while he eats and cuddles me in the morning at his 5 o'clock eating time. He wakes up so happy every morning. There is nothing better to wake up to than a happy babbling baby in the monitor and to go into his room to see his smiling face looking at me through the bars. Gosh he's so dang cute!!!

He LOVES swimming. Doesn't matter how cold the water is... he wants to get in that water NOW! We got him his own kiddy pool and we are in the thing every single day.  

He still has no teeth haha but I have a feeling this will be the last monthly update where I have to say that. Fingers crossed. (Ps, I know the pics show that he has teeth. But, that's because I took the pictures like 3 weeks after writing this blog post haha) At his last Dr. app. the Dr. said that it looked like his top teeth were closer than his bottom teeth. It's true, his top gums are sooooo swollen. I feel awful and wish I could do something to get the teeth in quicker. I hoping that his teeth are the reason for all the tantrums... and I swear he is going to get all his teeth in at once. Every time I see his gums, they look closer and closer to breaking through. They're just taking their dear sweet time. Nothing beats a big, cheesy, gummy, Jenson smile though. :)

He can now pull himself up to things, the tub, the couch, and most recently in his crib. It scared me half to death when I walked in to see him standing up! Ahhh!

Probably the happiest moment this month is when we went to a birthday party, and someone that had just met Jenson, told me how much he looked like me. I seriously almost teared up I was sooo happy! I said, "Everybody else says the opposite." She said, "Ya, I can see his dad in him too but, I can also see a lot of you." It seriously made my whole day. Apparently her and I are the only ones in the entire world that thinks Jenson looks anything like me. It's from his nose up, same eye shape, forehead. Yup... he gets it from me. :) Oh, and Jenson is also super shy. Alek has never been the shy kind of person, so I know for a fact that is like me! He hides his face in my chest when strangers try to talk to him. I love it :)

Seriously, I don't know what I did to get such a cute little stinker. I am still in denial that next months update will most likely be the last and 12th update I've done. How has it already been almost a year? :( oh the tears.......

and then there were four...

If you haven't heard yet.....

Yep, that's right. We are expecting baby number 2 in January! EEEEeeekk!

Are we crazy? YEP!!!

Was it planned?? Well... we weren't doing anything to prevent it from happening... so, YEP!

I go back and forth every 5 minutes to having a panic attack to being really excited.

Here's just an idea of what goes on in my head:

"Oh my gosh, what were we thinking?!"
"I hope it's a BOY!"
"I'm sooooo excited!"
"Oh, I'm sooo sick."
"I hope it's a GIRL!"
"OMG.... what if it's twins."
"Alek this is all your fault!"
"I'm so glad we decided to do this!"
while looking at Jenson...."I don't know how I'm going to handle two of you."
"I need to lay down."
"I'm starving."
"I'm so fat!"

Okay... you get the point. Emotions are going crazy!

When we found out I was pregnant, we were both shocked. I was a week late but had literally taken 4 pregnancy tests that week and all had shown up negative. I was disappointed every time. So, it helped reassure me, that this WAS something I wanted. I had one pregnancy test left and I didn't want to waste it just to get another negative but, Al talked me into it and then he completely forgot about it... typical men! I didn't look at the test forever, I didn't want to be crushed again by seeing another negative! Finally I looked and seeing that positive sign just made me start laughing! Seriously, all I could do was laugh. Al didn't understand what was so funny for about 2 minutes. And then, all the colored drained from his face and he put two and two together. "You're pregnant." It wasn't a question but, I started laughing again as I nodded my head yes. I don't know why I laughed. Probably just shock. Alek couldn't stop saying, "Oh my goodness." and "What are we going to do?" He couldn't say anything else for about 10 minutes. He was a little freaked out at first but now we are both very excited for the adventures that lays ahead.

Jenson and baby #2 will be just under 18 months apart. I would be sooo happy if it's a boy, because then Jenson and him will be best buds! I also would be sooo happy if it's a girl because then I will have one of each. If I have a boy this time, then there will be a lot more pressure that baby #3 is a girl. I have to have at least one girl! Anyways to sum it up, we will be happy with either! We will be going down to Fetal Studio in Sandy here in a few weeks to find out the gender. Ooooooh I can't wait!!!

So, far, this pregnancy had been rough. When I say rough, I mean worse than my first. But, I had a SUPER easy pregnancy with Jenson. I have felt pretty sick. I have yet to throw up, well except for one time at Harry Potter world but, that was just because of a stupid ride I went on. I get really nauseated really easily and didn't feel like eating much. This is completely opposite from when I was pregnant with Jenson. I didn't get sick at all!! That's why Alek is positive it's a girl. Being sick has been hard, especially when we were on our cruise. I had such a hard time enjoying the vacation!

Also, like last pregnancy I have been completely exhausted 24/7. I seriously could sleep all day long and still sleep through the night. I have had no motivation whatsoever. I live for Jenson's naptimes which is when I also take a nap. The littlest things, like washing bottles, making the bed, or brushing my teeth, are sooo hard to get myself to do! Seriously!! I have been the laziest bum for the passed 12 weeks! My poor husband. :(

So far, I have craved popcorn, salads, and fruit. And just like last pregnancy I can't get enough WATERMELON!!! At least this time, it's actually in season. :) 

I'm almost 13 weeks. So,  almost out of the first trimester. Hopefully I'll be getting my energy back here soon! I had my first doctors appointment and ultrasound a week ago and I couldn't believe how much this little babe looked like an actually baby!! Jenson still looked like an alien at his first ultrasound. I was shocked! I was like, "Oh my goodness, It really is a baby in there!" That's when it first seems real. We are really going to have another baby. I am going to have two kids. Sometimes I want to put my game face on and say, "Let's do this!" Other times, I just want to go take a nap. :)

Also, as far as Blood Clots go, I have been taking shots for the passed week, just once a day. It hasn't been too bad. Already have a few gnarly bruises I can show off. I'm just grateful I don't have to do them twice a day like last pregnancy! To read about my experience with blood clots last pregnancy you can read here.

Thanks to everyone for all the sweets comments and for all the love and support. I'll keep ignoring those that have called me insane and down-right crazy.... You're free to have an opinion but also free to keep it to yourself. Does that even make sense? Ha. 

10 Months!

HOLY MOLY! How can my sweet boy be 10 months old already??

Jenson can army crawl.

He wants to walk 24/7 by holding onto your fingers. He'll scoot over to you then grab your fingers, pull himself up, and just start running.

He says "Dadda" and "Hi" all day long.

He sleeps 7pm-6am most nights.

He takes 2-3 naps a day, usually lasting hour and a half.

He is going through this scared phase. It's kinda hilarious. He is scared of the vacuum, the hair dryer, his little giraffe that rattles????, and pretty much anything that makes a loud noise. His body tenses up, he starts shaking and will reach for whoever is closest to him and hide behind them. Silly boy.

He still has no teeth.

He has started letting his tongue hang out. It is just hanging out 24/7

He has started whining. ugh..... haha it's like this soft, high pitch, puppy dog whine. 

He is picking up food now and feeding himself. I've notice he does this with his left hand. He is totally going to be left handed!!! Alek is slightly upset about it. He says he doesn't want to have to buy left-handed golf clubs. Hahaha! oh boy...

He is really good at throwing tantrums! His stubbornness is definitely shining through more and more each day.

He throws and drops things constantly. Yes, he thinks it's a funny game.

 I swear, he constantly wants to eat! Mostly big people food.

Preparing for the second coming

I feel like this is going to be a hard post for me to write. I have so many thoughts and feelings I want to share but, I also know with this subject, I need to tread lightly and tiptoe around a few topics. I have been wanting to write this post for a few months. I'm just really good at procrastinating :) I'm not sure if it's the lord prompting me to write it or if I just want to write it because 80% of my conversations now days are about this topic.

First off, I just want to say that I am very blessed. The lord has been too good to me and has blessed me with more than I deserve. I have amazing parents. Both are really strong in the gospel and have set a wonderful example for me. I have married into a wonderful family that is also very strong in the gospel. Our family structure could not get any better.

The end of the world/Second coming is a sensitive subject for many reasons. The biggest two reasons I can think of are 1: that people are scared and 2: they are blind to the signs of the times so they think anyone who talks about it is completely crazy!

(Insert raising hand emoji) I am here to say that I am one of those so called 'crazy' ones that loves to talk about the second coming and believes it to be happening soon. And when I say soon, I mean SOON! 

I've always had a feeling that it would be in my lifetime. That just came as a natural fact for me. Whether I'm alive to witness it or not, it has to happen during this generation. 

The thing that really opened my eyes and made me realize that now really is the time to start preparing were these books...

True, these books aren't 'doctrine'. But, I can tell you I have felt the spirit very strongly as I have read them. I want to recommend them to everyone I meet. They are so eye opening! The patterns that each one have and that they coincide with each other is just remarkable.

In Joel 2: 28 it says...
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions."

I just recently came across this book, thanks to my dad, and seriously every time I'm reading stuff out of it I get sooo excited and just want to give the world a giant fist pump! This book is FILLED with doctrine. Quotes from prophets, scriptures, and facts of current earthquakes, plagues, wars that actually back up and coincide with the three books above.

Have I scared anyone yet?? hahaha....

When I say, that I talk about this stuff nonstop, I really do mean it. It's on my mind constantly. Al and I talk about it every chance we get. When I am at work, I talk to my dad about it all the time.This subject is something I am very passionate about. It seriously makes me giddy. The signs are happening all over. Things are going to change before we know it. So, why not talk about it?? Why not study it as much as possible? Why not get prepared?

We have been counseled for years about preparing,

"Our people for three-quarters of a century have been counseled and encouraged to make such preparation as will assure survival should a calamity come. We can set aside some water, basic food, medicine, and clothing to keep us warm. We ought to have a little money laid aside in case of a rainy day."-Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley , "If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear," November 2005

If we open our ears we will be able to hear the Prophets warning us over and over again. They want to help us. They want us to get prepared! They know what the future has in store for us and they are trying to help us as much as possible. We just need to LISTEN and then realize the time to start preparing is now.

I live in Cache Valley which is known to be a pretty safe community. But, a few weeks ago, I found it slightly comical about what happened to Nibley City's water. How many can say that the contaminated water wasn't a wake up call? It was for me and I don't even live in Nibley. Within the first few hours the local grocery stores were completely sold out of water!!  I am ashamed to say that if it were to have happened in Logan, I too would have had to been rushing to the grocery store after a couple days. My water storage is definitely not were it should be. It is amazing to see how communities are able to pull together to help each other out. But, what if Cache Valley was hit with a natural disaster like an earthquake. What if not only Nibley's water was contaminated, but what if it was the whole valley? Even then, what if it just wasn't the water and we also lost all food supply?  Things would get pretty chaotic pretty dang quickly. Nibley's water situation could possible be just a sliver on what could happen in the near future.

Take a look below at all these smart and handsome men. I've listed a few of their quotes because They obviously say things better than I could ever even try to say. Notice the dates as well. These quotes are all within the past 10 years, very recent and for our day! You cannot tell me that they aren't trying to get something through to us.

"If 9/11 was a wake-up call, then the earthquake and tsunami in Southeast Aisia was a kick out of bed. We need to pay attention to the Signs of the Times."-Elder Boyd K. Packer, Meeting of the Twelve and the Seventy, Jan. 11, 2005. (Quoated by H. Aldredge Gillespie, LDS Business College Address, Feb. 9, 2005)

"Are we prepared for the emergencies in our lives? Are our skills perfected? Do we live providently? Do we have our reserve supply on hand? Are we obedient to the commandments of God? Are we responsive to the teachings of prophets? Are we prepared to give of our substance to the poor, the needy? Are we square with the Lord?

We live in turbulent times. Often the future is unknown; therefore, it behooves us to prepare for uncertainties. When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past."-Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Are We Prepared, First Presidency message Sept. 2014 Ensign. 

"All members of the Church throughout the world need to Accelerate their own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around them."-Elder Oaks, April 2004 General Conference.

"The giant earthquake, and the tsunami it sent crashing into the coasts around the Indian Ocean, is just the beginning and a part of what is to come, terrible as it was. Fear shall come upon all people. But you and I know that the Lord has prepared places of safety to which he is eager to guide us... It will be our choice whether or not to move up or stay where we are. But the Lord will invite and guide us upward by the direction of the Holy Ghost..." Henry B. Eyring-Raise the Bar (BYU-Idaho Talk-January 2005.)

"We must both learn what these signs are and then identify them correctly when they occur. They can and will strengthen our faith in Christ and His prophets, if we know the scriptures. Just as in the days of Noah, a way is already prepared for the escape of the Lord's elect Latter-Day Saints, if they are in tune with His prophets." Elder H. Aldridge (Second Quorum of the Seventy) LDS Business College Devotional, February 8th, 2005

Okay, okay enough with all the doom and gloom, the signs of the end of the world, and all this scary talk. My main purpose why I wanted to share this post was to give people encouragement and hope.

I am the biggest worrier alive. I seriously think of all evil possibilities that could happen to me and my family daily.

But, lately, especially after reading those books, I have truly realized that the lord does have a plan for us. He knows our fears. He knows the things that are in our hearts. He will protect those that are doing what they are suppose to and that are preparing. I think it is so exciting that we live on the earth during this time.

Also, after doing research and studying, I have come to understand something very important. Not only do we need to be temporally prepared but, also Spiritually prepared. They coincide with one another. We NEED to be both temporally and spiritually ready. We can have years worth of food storage but it's only going to do so much if our heart is not in line with the Savior's plan. We need to be seeking that constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. I know he can help us with even the littlest things. Trust me, I over think EVERYTHING! So, I'm constantly asking, "Okay, is this the spirit telling me this, or... am I just making this up?" I pray daily that I will become better and better at discerning the Holy Ghost and be able to know when he's trying to talk to me. He wants to help all of us. He loves us more than we can comprehend! 

"For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."-2 Nephi 28:30

One more quote for you:

"For nearly 6,000 years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming of the Lord...God has saved for the final inning some of His strongest and most valiant children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly. That is where YOU come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God." President Ezra Taft Benson, March 4, 1979.

Like I was saying, I did not write this post to make people fear the future. Honestly, I'm trying to do the exact opposite. It's something we should look forward too! We should be preparing and anxiously waiting for the day to come. This is a time for celebration, not fear! We are preparing the world for one of the greatest events to take place, the return of our Savior and Redeemer.

Change

I think I can speak for most people when I say that change is hard! Especially when you have been comfortable with something for so long and then you're forced to jump into something completely different.

I consider myself pretty lucky. So far, life has been pretty simple and with out too many challenges. Knock on wood. Al and I enjoy the simple life of work and being parents.

The last few months have thrown us a few curve balls. A few things have happened that probably a normal person would look at and think, "No big deal." But, to Al and I, it has made us stop and rethink things.

Now, to get cheesy. Al pal is my best friend! I am lucky to be able to see him and spend time with him as much as I do! I truly rely on him. If there's a day when he works late, or is out of town, I literally get depressed and grumpy! Just being with him and having him home makes me so happy!

A few months ago.. Alek lost his Job. I'll keep the details vague. It was expected in some ways but mostly unexpected. Al LOVED his Job! It was a great job and we were planning on him being with that company for..... well... ever haha. He had actually started going to school to get a degree for that job. We thought we were set for life. But, the Lord had a different plan for us.  I guess all good things come to an end?  But, hopefully, only to start better things.

Anyways... Al was out of a job for a few months. I think it impacted me the most because I'm kind of the one that manages the money. I was pretty stressed out. Al never really understood why I was stressed about it. Al's personality is kind of like.. 'Go with the flow' or 'Whatever happens happens.' Which, I guess we even each other out quite well. :)  I remember just looking into the future and just thinking, "what are we going to do?" "How are we going to survive?"

While I was stressing, Al was trying to figure out what his next step was. He was under A LOT of pressure! Here he was, no job, and a wife and son counting on him to be the provider. He decided to go to Weber Tech. College down in Ogden for Mechanics. A completely opposite direction from where we thought we were headed with his first job. He dove in head first. He was such a hard worker! Instantly became Honor Student, Teachers Pet, Top of his class, and was able to get scholarships to help pay for school. I was so proud of him and his hard work!

We were lucky that we were able to live off of savings for a few months. Also, Rorie having puppies and selling them helped a ton. But, all too quickly that money disappeared. It was time that Al, really did need a job! One day Alek called me while at school. He told me that His teachers had set up an interview for him for a job down in Ogden working as a Mechanic. Awesome right? I wasn't sure... I didn't have a good feeling about it and I didn't like the idea of him being all the way down in Ogden working. See how attached I am to him???  But, family had us convinced this was an awesome opportunity.

He ended up getting the job. With very promising benefits, pay raises, and moving up in the company. But, I still could not help but feel like this wasn't right....

Sure, enough a week into the job. Alek knew that all those promises about raises and benefits were a load of B.S. The guy that hired him turned into a complete D!#&. He started looking for Mechanic jobs in the Valley and after only working in Ogden a week and 1/2  he quit. He applied for a job at Rocky Mountain RV in Logan and got an interview the next day. That night, I was at dance, and started having a convo with one of my friends about how Al was looking for a mechanics job. Turns out the place where she works, Logan Country Club, was looking to hire a mechanic!

Alek called the Country Club and set up an interview with them a couple days later. Man, it was the PERFECT job for Al. The pay was good, it was a few blocks away from home, the hours were awesome, and (a plus for Alek) He gets free weekly golf passes. (insert laughing emoji here)

They didn't give Alek an answer right away. They said they would let him know in a week. We tried really hard not to get our hopes up. We prayed every night, hoping Al would get that  job. We also prayed that if he didn't get the job, we would be patient, and understand that it was for a reason and something better was in store. After praying one night, I had a huge but simple feeling to fast and perfect enough, that next Sunday was Fast Sunday.

Confession: I have always been really bad when it comes to Fasting. A fun fact: I have been known to have a really loud growling stomach. One time I literally had the whole Sunday school class laughing at me because my stomach was growling soooo loud!! Every one was passing gum down the aisle to me, trying to help. But, I swear gum only makes it worse! It sounds silly but, I stress every time I fast. Also it seems like I always could find an excuse why not to fast, especially when  I was pregnant and then while nursing.

But, that Sunday, Al and I fasted. It felt good. We even made it without any embarrassing stomach growling experiences. ;)

Rocky Mountain RV called Alek and offered him the job. Al turned it down. Everyone thought we were crazy! Again, we just didn't feel it was right... We were losing hope with the Country Club because it had been over a week since we had heard from them. Al kept trying to follow up with them but all He ever got was their voice mail. Things weren't looking very good. We started second guessing our decision of turning down the RV offer.

A day later, almost 2 weeks since his interview with the country club, Al got a call from the Country Club and they offered him the job.

Hallelujah!

Al has been working there for about a month now and is loving it. We are sooo blessed and so thankful that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us and our needs. I know that He has a plan for us and is always willing to help us. Man! There is no greater feeling! :)

9 Months!

Man these months are flying by!

23 pounds (70%)

28.5 inches (50%)

Head: 47 cm (90%)

Jenson's personality is shining through more and more every day. He is definitely a stubborn one. :) But, also I don't think he could be a happier baby. He all smiles and giggles all day long.

 He LOVES walking around as he holds onto someones fingers. He could do that all day long. I'm pretty sure he will be walking before he's crawling. Ain't nobody got time for that!

He's learning to pick up food and feed himself. It's pretty funny to watch!

He plays 'patty-cake' all day long and gives kisses (occasionally) Oh my gosh, It's my FAVORITE thing ever!!! 

He wears 18 month clothes.

He still is obsessed with Rorie. Anytime I say "Rorie" Jenson gets all excited and starts looking around for her.

He loves being outside.

He loves anything with wheels. Bikes, cars, fourwheelers, tractors, etc.....

Oh how I love my sweet baby boy!!

And just for fun.....

 9 Months in                                                                                    9 Months out

Easter

I've always had a sour opinion when it comes to Easter. Of course NOT the religious part.... That's the part I wish we could focus more on.

I realize I'm going to sound harsh here... But REALLY I've never gotten the point. The whole idea is rather cheesy. The eggs, the candy, the nasty pastel colors, and yes, that dumb bunny. 

People say, "Well isn't it the same with Christmas and the whole Santa Clause deal?"

Okay, Yes, I see how I'm coming off as a Hypocrite. But, let me explain myself! Christmas time is known as "The most magical time of the year." The feeling you have, the whole month of December is pure happiness. People are kinder, and more willing to serve each other. It's about giving gifts to those you love and celebrating the birth of Christ. People are constantly baking goodies to share with neighbors and shoveling each others drive ways. You don't see that happening with Easter. There are traditions which help remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. Caroling, secret Santa, the Nativity, spending time with family, etc...

You don't (well, at least I don't) get that kind of feeling around Easter and that makes me sad! You don't hear about those kind of Traditions with Easter. It's all about dying Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts, new Easter outfits, and the Easter bunny. None of those traditions really lead back to the real reason why we celebrate Easter. Am I making sense here?

We are celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ! That's a reason to feel happy!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wish the things we did around Easter time were a little more centered around Christ and his Resurrection.

Now to shift gears here.... I hate what Pinterest is doing to the holidays. Bunny shaped pancakes, the perfect colored eggs, Easter bunny costumes, DIY Easter decor. Sure, all that stuff is fun. But, sometimes it's just a little over the top. Whatever happened to the simple times when kids were happy to wake up to a basket full of candy? Now days we are constantly trying to compete with each other and out do each other as parents.  I busted out laughing when I saw what a friend posted on Instagram of what the Easter bunny left for her 6 month old. Then I about passed out when I saw another friend who is about 8 months pregnant also posted a picture of what the Easter bunny left her little baby..... Are you kidding? The baby isn't even born yet!!!! But, man did that kid get a basket, or I should say, a few baskets full. Sheesh...I hope that baby had a good Easter and enjoyed all of his stuff...IN THE WOMB! (rolling eyes) But... WAIT! I can keep going! Another picture I saw was of a two year old boy that looked like he got more stuff, than all four of my siblings gifts combined on CHRISTMAS..... and this was EASTER! What the heck people??

The Easter bunny didn't visit Jenson this year. What??????

I'm HORRIBLE aren't I?!!! Not really..... He's not even 9 months old!! I honestly don't think he was too upset about it.

Maybe next year, when Jenson actually knows what's going on, the Easter bunny will come. But, you can bet your bottom he isn't going to get a whole couch display of crap.

Sigh.... now to change with the negativity.

I do LOVE Easter. I love celebrating Christ's life. I love being reminded that he died for me and that because of Him I can repent of my worldly sins and be able to be resurrected one day like he was. I especially loved this Easter. How special was it that it was also General Conference? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE General Conference. I wish it could happen once a month. Wouldn't that be wonderful?