Another Birthday post on the other blog

Just a gentle reminder to check there too.

We are LITERALLY Snowed in!

The worst part is we don't have milk!!! Now if worse comes to worse we have some powdered milk, but I think there are a couple members of this family that will trek on foot to the nearest gas station hoping they have milk before we go there. It has now snowed for many, many hours. The snow itself is only about a foot to a foot and a half deep. It's the drifts that have us stuck at home. The drifts around our house are at least 4 feet high. That would be some seriously digging if we wanted to get out of here. Most of the streets in our neighborhood are not driveable either. I assume our car wouldn't make it to a main road that has hopefully been plowed. It is supposed to keep snowing until this afternoon. I'm very glad I wasn't a pioneer. I'm very happy to be snug and warm in my house with my heater running. I have a great supply of cocoa, and we have power, so woohoo! I also have enough supplies to make chocolate suckers for 60 people (which I was going to take to all the primary children tomorrow... I think there won't be church though) So we can definitely have fun making some for ourselves!
Being snowed in shouldn't be too bad at all. If you ever wanted to call us, today would be the day that you know you wouldn't miss us... we'll be here... all day it looks like. Probably tomorrow also! :)

Severe Weather - Updated

I hope this doesn't kill our spring garden! Kansas has the craziest weather!

UPDATE: This picture was taken at lunch



Here we are 4 hours later. It is snowing like crazy! I'm afraid we may have to bid farewell to out tomatos. We have had such a mild winter I thought we would be safe putting them in early. I guess not!

I'm in on the Garden boasting!

Here's the beautiful garden we've got going! In Denver, the Spring garden has to be tough, so we've planted peas, spinach and lettuce that can survive the Spring snow.








Well, I thought I had a picture for you, but Vallen was actually taking video instead of pictures, so I can't show you my beautiful garden, BUT I can show you its general location in the yard!

YEP! School is canceled and the snow is coming down! We'll see how long of a Spring Break we really get.

The Garden Competition

My family and I are having a garden competition this spring! We all plant some plants that are the same, then we judge them when it is time for them to be harvested. For example: who's ever tomato is the largest wins for the tomatoes. And the same judging for all the other crops that we all planted. So I am eager to see who will win!!

Spring Garden Time!

Over this past week we have been planting our garden again. So far we have peas, garlic, onions and tomatos! Paisley has so much fun helping plant everything. She always want to go out and water it and check to see if it has grown yet. We can't wait to start enjoying salsa and other yummy food courtesy of our garden!

Not to Mention....

....but where is everyone? There probably has been the same post for about two weeks!! One thing I like to know is what exiting has been going on. One thing that is exiting for me is that I am going to an art museum tomorrow and next week my family and I are going up to Arizona. So anyone else have exiting plans?

We Love to Paint

Paisley loves to do arts and crafts. Her favorite activity by far is painting. We got some new water colors and went to town a couple days this week. She had a blast. She does seem to favor a couple colors so those paints are now gone. Looks like she'll have to move on to different colors now. (Ignore the out dated table cloth. The one we usually use ripped and we haven't bought a new one yet, so we are stuck with winter frosty's for now)

Preparing to be a big sister

BEFORE AFTER

To start to prepare Paisley as well as our room for the new baby we have started making changes. Paisley has been very attached to her changing table, so we thought the sooner we get it out of her room the better. Since the changing table was also her dresser it needed to be replaced. We found a cute, inexpensive dresser and decided that would look darling in her room and just her right size. She loves her new dresser. We haven't put the changing table in our room yet, so I don't know how that reaction will be but I'm sure she'll be ok. She is turning into such a big girl with her very own dresser. We also put a lower hanging rod in her closet so she now can pick out her clothes, get herself dressed and hang her clothes up by herself. She loves being able to be so helpful and independent!

Family Reunion

Everyone who is planning on going to the family reunion should have received a couple emails from Leslee. These emails contain events and show descriptions of things going on in Nauvoo. They also explain that we need to get tickets for some of the ticketed events as soon as possible. All of these tickets are free and mostly just need to be reserved. I was wondering if it is ok to just reserve a ticket for every member of our party for the 3 shows that need tickets? Does anyone care if that happens? I don't think it is the hugest deal if we don't end up using all the tickets. The shows are usually in the evening so by then I think that even if we all have gone our own ways we will have had dinner and returned back together by then and then we could all head into town for the shows. There are a lot of fun activities that don't require tickets so we all could participate in those whenever we were available and we wouldn't need to be together. It just seems easiest to get 27 tickets (or however many of us there are) to the three shows for the same time. Let me know, leave comments please!

UPDATE: Tickets for the shows and handcart pulling have been reserved. I think it will work out perfectly for everyone, but remember you don't have to participate if you don't want to. Also, on Thursday there was a plan to go to Carthage and the journey on down to Hannibal, MO to have a lunch and riverboat ride. Those tickets are also being reserved. We hope that this particular activity everyone will want to participate in. This will cost money (I'm not sure how much right now) so please be sure to let Leslee or me know if you are very anti have lunch and a riverboat ride!! This is exciting!

The Goal

When Jenny and I started to date we spent a lot of time together and it put homework on the back burner. It did not hurt our GPA too bad, but it made life a bit stressful with doing homework at the last minute or late at night. When she came back from Iowa, we set a goal to get straight A's. That would be 6 A's for me and 7 A's for Jenny. Well, I am now faced with the music of really reaching for that goal and seeking the Lord's help or cruising on with how I am doing. Right now, I have an A in Book of Mormon (2nd half), A in MUSC 1010, A- Fitness for Life, B (-) in Biology, and B in Financial Accounting. The two B's just so happen to be my toughest classes. Last semester, I complained about my classes not having the challenge of what I thought should be a challenging class. Well, these two are that and more. I have struggled continually throughout the semester to survive in my Biology class. I bought my book late and had to catch up. I lost my book and had to buy a brand new one. That resulted in catching up. I find that I was leaning heavily on the Professor curving the exam. Well, with that being the case I have been upping my level of study.
Right now, in my current state of mind, body, spirit, and everything else... I am tired and feel the threshold fastly approaching. Yet, I am pushing myself to not give in. Two weeks ago, I pulled off a miracle in passing all 7 mid-terms. Instead of taking a break, I have felt more to work harder. Tonight, I finished my Ch. 8 Financial Accounting homework. I thought it would be fun to see what grade I would have based on the percentages taken from my actual scores. (To clarify: Exams 60% + Quizzes 20% + Homework 20% = 100% Grade) Doing my calculations I am at a strong 82, B. If I keep up what I am doing, I will receive a strong B or even a B+. But, that is not what I want. I want the A. Being this deep into my class, I need a miracle to get that A. I have one more exam and a possible extra-exam. (Professor Smith will drop the lowest. Right now that is an 80%, B- [my last exam which I studied hard for, yet came up short at 78.95. He curved it since the average was 65%]) I would need to receive a 95% or higher on each exam or a combination summing to the total of 190 %. My quizzes would need to be straight 10/10. I have five more opportunities. If I do that, my lowest quiz a 6 would get dropped. That would allow me to pull off a 90, A- . So, I have been thinking... do I want to put even MORE effort into studying or cruise with how I am. On my mission, I asked for your prayers for my investigators and the members I served. I thank you all so much for that. I felt your prayers and faith. Sure, if I earn a B it is still passing and I will still be allowed to move on to Managerial Accounting and later earn my Associates in Arts in Business Degree. But, the point here is the goal. When you set a goal you bind yourself to it. It is like a covenant. It is a binding between you and God. This goal is between me and me. I want this A. I want to do my best, yet I know that I am weak and will come up short. I ask for your prayers for this. I know that when we set goals and do our part, the Lord will make up the rest. But, remember the scripture where the Savior said, "Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;..." (Doctrine and Covenants 88:64) If it is expedient and we ask in faith and do our part, He will bless us. I know He loves us and He lives! I love you all!
_James

My Brother Sure is an Artist!

These are two pictures he drew of "me" posing. (just out of ovals)

PLEASE DON'T MIDE THIS POST!

I am just trying to do something! don't mind this video! sorry

Birthday Wishes on the other Blog!

Sure hope you take an opportunity to see them.

Life

My husband got up this morning and headed to church meetings and that leaves me with 5+ hours to fill before church.  So I will update you all on us.

Things are going great.  We are working on emptying our storage unit. When we got married we stuck all of his stuff in in a storage unit rather than taking the time to organize and find a place for it in the house.  But, those storage units can be pricey so this month we have been focusing on emptying it.  We are doing GREAT!!!  The only things left in their are his couch and and love seat and a small filing cabinet.  Plus we have 3 boxes in the living room to go through.  It feels good to see a light at the end of the storage unit tunnel.

Besides that life is pretty busy.  Yesterday I sent in the fee to take the Professional Engineer (PE) Exam. The test is at the end of April and I have been taking a review class every Thursday for the past 2 months.  Also, next week I am going to complete the application to take the Project Manager Professional (PMP) exam.  I have a review course at the end of March and then I am going to take that test in mid May.  

Right now I am focusing on the PE and then when that is done I will start working  on the PMP.  I am trying to study everyday when I get home from work.  But then keeping up with everything else can be hard.  But it will be worth it (if I past those crazy tests).    Hopefully in 6 months I will have all sorts of initials that I can add to the end of my name.  

My family is doing well.  I don't know if you have heard but our little 2 year old nephew was in the hospital for 3 weeks with pneumonia.  He is all better now.  At one point he had 2 tubes sticking out of his chest but last week they removed the last one and the holes seem to be healing well so we are all VERY HAPPY.  He is starting to act like a normal little boy again!!!

My little sister Valerie (she is the brunette who was at the wedding) had a baby last Sunday.  She had a little boy and it sounds like they are both doing SUPER.  That is her second.  

Hmmm. . . what else. . .

Work is going well.  My office is getting about $160 million in stimulus bill money.  So things may get a little crazy.  Also, my most experienced employee is leaving in a week.  So taht leaves me with one experienced guy and 4 people who have worked for us for less than 1.5 years.  But I have a great team so I am not that worried.  I think that my team will get about $20 Million of work to do.  Plus all of the normal work.  Fun Fun!

(See the other blog for an update in my husband.)

I think that is about it. 

  

Update on me!

So, I finished my 7th exam in 2 1/2 weeks yesterday and passed. This semester has been much more enjoyable and thorough than last. Last semester was sort of my trial and error semester. This semester I have my work schedule where it is comfortable, I have school four of five days, I am dating one girl instead of many (she is a major support and beam of light), and I have been in my calling for over one semester.

Sunday night and last night, Jenny and I spent time with her father. He is a nice man and seemed a little more shorter than I was expecting. He is easy going and loves his family. He is a convert to the Church and loves being a patriarch over his family. He likes me and made some comments that brought much comfort to both Jenny and I. One parent down and one more to go. I will be traveling with Jenny and a friend of hers by car to Iowa at the end of the semester. I will stay around five days which will be much beneficial to her family as well as Jenny and I.

Jenny and I mostly go on study dates, but strive to have at least one fun date on a Friday or Saturday. Last week was really crazy for us both and we had a lot of relationship growing experiences with leaning on one another and both needing it at the same time. She has a strong testimony of the Gospel and is a vigilant Relief Society President. Our Sunday's are quite busy with both of us holding major callings in the Ward, but one thing we both love and enjoy is serving. Every Sunday her and I will prepare dinner at her place. We invite one to two apartments on a varying basis for dinner to build the Ward up. Engagement and moving towards marriage is going well. But, do not expect the engagement or date any time soon. We enjoy dating and are not going to rush things for certain reasons. She is worth the wait!

Running is slowly starting back up. With my focus more on school, calling, spiritual welfare, and Jenny it has been difficult to maintain my vigorous repertoire. I love running and am planning on at least three marathons this year (Los Angeles, St. George, and Valley of Fire [I am hoping for lots of volunteers.]) Work is going really well. We have inventory soon and it has been fast paced at work with maintaining the aisles and keeping the backroom clean.

Life is grand and the Lord lives. I received a very wonderful blessing last night from a home teacher and the Elder's Quorum President for my hurt shoulder (Fitness class injury) and the Lord spoke beautiful words to me. I love you all. Choose the right and remember to hold fast to the iron rod. The Adversary wants us all to fail. He tempts me, he tempts you, and he tempts the world. It is ours to build up our armour of God and to push the natural man in the back of our mind to the farest reaches of our mind.

Love, -James

I am back!

hello people! I am back! Thanks Aunt Stephanie!

-James

Stef, how areyou feeling?

Are you done with morning sickness? How is the sciatica? Sure hope you have reached that middle stage when you are supposed to enjoy being pregnant. Any more cute sayings from Paisley?

Wow! Three games!!!

I guess that I have 3 soccer games that are 2 hours away!! Down in Baker's Field, CA. So, my coach is making us run and doing tiring drills at soccer practice. Luckily we only have 2 soccer games left until those games!