Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Shameless Plug! And a little bit of Chet!!

So since I still have no access to all our Christmas/family pictures and now I can't seem to get this darn computer to read my other memory cards you are all stuck with words and any pictures that I can find already on my Mom's computer!!

For the last few months Jimmy has been devoting much of his spare time building a new website for his new side business. It is an insurance website, you can go there to get FREE quotes on lots of different types of insurance! All you do is select which type or types you are interested in, fill out the form and then receive and email with the free quotes. You won't get any calls or contact other than the email. A friend at Jimmy's work did it and it ended up being like $800 bucks cheaper a year so he switched. It also offers free information and advice on how to choose the best insurance or different types of insurance. We are trying to get as many people as possible to visit the website and fill out the forms because it helps boost the site on Google, and the higher it is ranked the better it will do. Since we have been without insurance we are trying to use this website to help us in getting either private insurance or having the extra money to put aside for fun things like trips to the Dentist and Pediatrician :), You know us Kelley's are always getting to the fun things, don't hate. Anyway any visits to the site or forms filled out are appreciated more than words can say, really!! I will leave a link here or you can visit centralinsurance.org to check it out!! Again, thanks in advance! Love to you



My "awesome" BIL Chet photo bombing a picture of the kids at Disneyland!!


The kids getting Chet back for photo bombing them and winning!!!! :)

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Sunday Scripture! A Year In Review

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt alove the Lord thy God with all thy bheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy cmind.
38 This is the first and great acommandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt alove thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the alaw and the prophets.



As 2009 comes to a close I find myself reflecting on all that has come about in the last year. It has been a year of ups and downs but mostly ups. How can I complain even for a moment when all the trials that the first half of the year brought were more than made up for with the blessings that followed! Jimmy losing his job ended up being one of the best things that has happened for our family, we were fortunate to have all that time with him and then when employment found him again it took us to a place unexpected, yet exactly where we needed to be. I have found the transition to be seamless, it fits like a glove, I don't really know how else to explain it. The friends I have made in such a short time are women I have come to love and admire and pray to know them for many many years to come!

It has also allowed me to be reminded of the wonderful friends I have in Las Vegas, the ones that I talk with regularly on the phone, through emails/facebook/blogging. I am grateful for technology that allows me to keep up with all that are far from me, I miss you and feel blessed to call you friends no matter where we might end up.


I am excited for the year ahead, for what may come, for what might be and for the lessons we will undoubtedly learn. Watching my children grow faster than I could ever permit, if it were up to me, has been a true joy in my life.


-Lexi is truly blossoming into a young women, she is a loyal daughter, sister and friend. She has such a happy heart and kind spirit although we are working on establishing just who is the mother of the household!


-Grace is full of spunk, she is making that transition between little kid to "big kid" and her wit just seems to increase in the process. I love her hugs and kisses and also her ability to find her independence, she is ready to take on the world, but she also loves to cuddle with me in her "off" time.


-James is turning into the 2 year old that is learning all the naughty things possible just to make sure I stay alert! I love his mischievous grin as he does the opposite of what I say. I seem to be much more relaxed in my parenting with him and while that could result in his one day criminal record, I guess I am rolling the dice and taking my chances.


Of all the gifts that my children received from us this year the most important is that of our time. My children will only remember that when they are grown, the trips to the park when I go down the slide with them, the road trips to visit relatives, time spent baking in the kitchen with them, all of the time just holding them on my lap or rubbing their backs and singing them to sleep. That is what I want to work on this year is doing all of those things more often, I am not a perfect mom by any stretch of the imagination but I try everyday to teach them of good things and to prepare them to be productive members of society. I know that I must continue in that same vane and then more, less time worrying about my "dirty house" and more time spent with my family.





The Lord has blessed us, has blessed me and I hope all good things for all of you in the this coming year. If your family has been challenged in finding employment or if you have lost a loved one, made a big move, had a big change or all of the above know that my thoughts and prayers are with you, I love you and wish all good things for you!!




I would love to post pictures from Christmas but as of now they are trapped on my memory card and it crashed so until I can retrieve them through a data recovery company or software program I have NONE! :(

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Sunday Scripture! Good Better Best!

I must apologize for my lack luster blogging, it just seems I haven't had anytime to blog with all the sewing, photo editing, packing, concerts and activities going on in the last month or so!! I have had this post in my head for a week now and I have to get it up before another Sunday passes!!

Last week my wonderful friend Jen gave the lesson in YW on the talk given in October 2007 General Conference by Dallin H. Oaks entitled "Good, Better, Best". I heard the talk and then read it and have discussed it many times and yet for some reason it really hit me as we were discussing it with the girls. Perhaps because I have been so busy lately, or maybe because our family has spent the last year reworking our priorities that I decided in that moment that I really needed to look at my time and make sure it is well spent. I grew up in a household where my parents made sure to teach us the importance of not wasting time, and we are working hard on teaching our children the same principal. Jimmy and I made a decision a few years ago while I was serving first in scouts and then YW and Jimmy was in the YM that we would not allow our children to regularly skip out on church activities for sports or other clubs. We decided that for us, it is more important that our children are spiritually fed and uplifted than it is for them to advance in athletics or "intellectual" activities. Of course we want them to participate in those other "Good" things also, but if we fill their time with all the "Good" things there won't be time for the "Best" things.

This sentiment holds true for both Jimmy and I as well, there are so many worth while things we could do and have done but we must make sure that the "Best" things come first. As in ;
  • Reading our scriptures
  • Attending our church meetings
  • Spending time as a family
  • Serving those in need and each other
  • Going to the temple
  • Writing in our Journals
  • Having FHE (family home evening)
  • Serving in our Callings for church
There are so many wonderful things for us to be working on that we must really learn to put them all in the "right" order. The past few days I have been blessed to spend some amazing time with my extended family, it has been a wonderful reminder that our time is precious and we must make the most of each moment. We should let our loved ones know they are on the top of our lists, not just around the holidays but the entire year through.




All my love



Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Invisible Woman



A friend posted this and I just had to share!! Just take the few min to watch, I promise you won't be disappointed!!!

Monday, December 14, 2009

No 7 Year Itch Here!


Today my husband and I celebrate 7 years of wedded bliss! I mean c'mon we really are the perfect couple, we've never fought or even raised our voices in all 7 years!! Amazing, right? Ok so maybe that isn't quite accurate, but I can say that we haven't done it today!

In all seriousness I really am a lucky girl to have found the one to put up with me, cherish me, love me and stand beside me when I was just a wee sprite of 9 years old! I don't really remember not ever loving him! He truly is my strength and if I have ever done anything right, it was marrying him. One of my most favorite things about Jimmy is his laugh, it can get just about anyone to smile, those of you who have heard it are smiling right now just thinking about it! It starts from the bottom of his feet and fills him up and then he bursts, throwing his head back as if it were the funniest thing he ever said/did/heard in his life! One day I need to capture it on video so if he is ever far away I can just play it over and over!

I love his strengths and his weaknesses, he has proved to be the perfect man for me over and over again. I feel blessed for every moment that passes and he is my eternal mate!

Let me count the ways

Top 7

7. His good work ethic

6. His smile

5. His spirit

4. When he helps me cook/clean/do laundry

3. When he tells me to go be with my friends for an evening

2. When he calls me from work just to say hello

1. When he hugs me just when I am about to have a nervous break down!

Dear Jimmy,

I look up to you and lean on you, and not just because you are big and tall, but because your gentle support is exactly what I need to get through the day. I am grateful to have you as my partner in parenting and in crime, we are like; Bonnie & Clyde, Bert & Ernie, Johnny & June, Froto & Sam, James T. Kirk & Spock, chips & salsa, water & lemmons, flint & steal, one of us is just no good without the other! I love you, may there be many more fun years to come!!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

"New.........Old Moon"



I know that it has been a few weeks since the "Blockbuster" release of "New Moon", but since life has gotten a wee bit busy as of late I am just now getting to this post. I am not your "traditional" Twilight fanatic, I am, well how do I say this, I have never read the books and when I saw New Moon I had only seen moments of Twilight. I think in many ways this made me the perfect candidate for the unbiased perspective!

My Blog, My Perspective

As a whole the movie was not bad, it wasn't the best one I had seen but I really had no complaints, but mostly due to a character by the name of Jacob!! Yowza!! (call me a cougar if you must)

A short Synopsis of each character

Edward
Oh Edward, you skinny, pasty, sparkly, scary vampire? Why so serious? You really were so much better when you were alive and your name was Cedric Diggory. Your hair was neat and your skin was warm to the touch, you interacted with your peers and your skin didn't sparkle. It was unfortunate that your death was at the hands of Lord Voldemort, but turning to sparkly Vampires for eternal life is a little desperate don't you think? Quit playing hard to get like you are still in High School, I mean I know you are, but not for the first time by any means, so pull it together man!! Your weak attempts to deter Bella are just uneducated, don't you know that if you are nice to her she will leave you alone!! Sheesh man!!


Bella,
Where to begin? Bella, you are what I refer to as a "Manipulative Damsel in Distress". You are the kind of girl that manipulates men/boys by using your depressed, melancholy ways to make them think you are mysterious and interesting. You change to be whomever you are with, I mean would you have honestly said you wanted to be a Vampire your entire life and finally your dreams came true when you met Ed? I don't think so, I think if he had been a UFC fighter you would have decided that is always what you had wanted to be. Women/girls like you are afraid to be who they really are because for some reason they think that they won't be excepted, although if you are always that much of a downer can you blame them.?! I think your character is one dimensional and needs growth!


Jacob,
Perfection! OK, OK I won't just leave it at that. While it was hard at times to not picture you with a shark fin on your back, for the most part I had no problem with you. You are the "nice guy" who isn't appreciated by the over hyped, dark and dreary girl you dig. That is why you should find yourself a nice girl who likes good guys, and while I am spoken for I have a younger sister that is closer to your age and when she brings you around just remind me now and again to wipe the drool off my chin!



Dr. Carlisle Cullen,
It is finally your moment in the Sun, or I mean clouds, since the Sun makes you sparkle! For so long you have only been known for marrying Kelly Taylor, or I mean Jennie Garth, that you have been overlooked. Well not anymore, you are the "Making a name for yourself" kinda guy, you are "bringing home the bacon" the "bread winner" and "wearing the pants", good for you! I actually enjoy your character, other than your paleness, you are handsome and soft spoken. You give a much better name to Vampires, other than the fact that you sparkle. You try not to kill people, unless it is James, who was my favorite by the way, but I guess since he was not really human than it doesn't really count, so all is forgiven.



Final Word

Since recently seeing the first movie, I am glad that they decided to spend more than 10 dollars on the production of New Moon! It made it much more enjoyable. While in many respects watching the movies has made me want to read the books less, it isn't for the reasons some might think. It's not because the movies were soooo bad that I refuse to read them, but more because it reminds me too much of parts of High School. I dated a vampire of sorts in a previous life and I have no desire to revisit that, thank you very much!

Oh and if for no other reason than the Pre-Party I will be going to see the next one as well!! Thanks Kari and ladies for making it such a fun night!!! I am a bit bummed that I didn't get a group shot of everyone, but I was too distracted by the food!!


The "Formal" cutting of the cake!!

mmmm, so yummy and Zebra striped!

Kelli how do you manage to have food in your mouth EVERYTIME!! LOL!!





Kari you really just went BEYOND!!! You Rock!! Thanks for doing all this for us to enjoy!!





Seriously glad you and I have become friends Miss Kari!!!




Sunday, November 29, 2009

Sunday Scripture! "Shall thy Confidence Wax Strong"


D&C 121:45

"Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of

faith, and let
virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence

wax strong in the
presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil

upon thy soul as the dews from
heaven."

In a talk given by Bishop Richard C. Edgley in the Nov. 1994 Ensign he speaks on this very verse and the importance of it.

Today in church this verse was mentioned 3 times and it made me really think about my own life and how the choices I am making will either allow me to have confidence before the Lord or they will leave me ashamed in His presence. I do not want to be ashamed when I stand before my Father in Heaven and so I must make the correct choices in my life.

I think that as human beings we all have a desire to have our parents be proud of us, that we will not be ashamed in their presence, that we will only see approval and love in their eyes. Now while we aren't able to see our Lord and Saviors face just yet, He is aware of us none the less, He knows of our doings in our lives, so we must be cognoscente of this detail, that He knows us and loves us and only wants good for us. We must strive everyday to serve Him and to work towards seeing Him again and all those that wait on the other side of the vale.

I pray to continue on the straight and narrow path, that I might stand before Him one day and have only my confidence with me.

Happy Sunday

All my love,

A Tiny Bit



I haven't had nearly the time I would like to blog lately! Every time I have been at the computer I have had other responsibilities calling me and then the desire to sit and look at the screen for even a moment longer seems too long!! So while I still intend to write lengthy posts about the very important events as of late, today there will just be some pictures that represent some of the pure joy my life truly has been!








Sunday, November 22, 2009

So Much to be Thankful For

This past week has gone by much too fast and here it is Sunday evening and I have yet to blog about all the AMAZING things that have happened! While I still intend on doing so I will keep tonights' post to the things of which I am thankful for! (they are not in any particular order)


My Husband
My Children
My Parents
My Siblings
My Friends
My Home
My Ward
My Husbands Job
Food in our home
My Testimony
The Savior
The Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life
The Prophet
My Car
A Fire Place
A Computer to help keep in contact with those I love
Clothing
The Earth
My Mind
My Health
The Health of my family

I know that the list could go on and on but I must say that I am so very Thankful for the ability to be a mother and a wife! For the blessings and trials that the Lord has seen fit to give me.



Love to you,

Monday, November 16, 2009

Date Night!!


I was reading a friends' blog recently about her husband taking their daughter on a date night and it made me think back to when I was about 4 or 5 and my Dad took me on a date. I usually save these kind of things for Fridays but this one can't wait.

We were living in Steamboat Springs, CO at the time, and we didn't have very much money but my parents tried to do things here and there that were special, so they came up with "Date Nights" where my two older sisters and I would each get a turn having a night with my Dad or Mom. They would take us into town to the general store (yes, it was small enough to have a general store) and they would let us choose our very own "Grab Bags", they were big brown paper bags put together by the store, and filled with fun surprises in them. Both of my sisters had returned from there nights with amazing things, candy,jump ropes, slinkies, gum, all kinds of things, so when it was FINALLY my turn I was beyond excited! I remember the drive in my Dad's big orange, (he says it was red) GMC truck, listening to Christopher Cross and then pulling up along side the store. I walked inside and headed straight to the isle where the "Grab Bags" were kept, I closely inspected several before choosing one that had a very large item in it. We paid for it and then I waited the entire drive home to open it so I could "show my sisters all the COOL stuff I was gonna get in MY GRAB BAG", and boy did I show them! I tore into that brown bag like it was Christmas morning and what did I behold.............A HUGE BLACK PLUNGER!!!! Are you freakin kiddin me, I waited for three weeks, two long drives and had the pure torture of opening it in front of my ENTIRE family!!! Seriously, I am still dealing. Alyssa, Janna, Mom, Dad, all of you stop laughing right now!!! :)


Thursday, November 12, 2009

Graces' Story



My Grace, that's what I call her, cause she and I have this bond that goes straight from her heart to mine! Through the years of blogging I have shared many of her antics, silly quotes and some of her struggles. Recently though I was thinking about how I have never really told "her story", so today is the day.


I knew about Miss Grace before she was born, I knew she would be spicy, full of energy and strong willed, was I totally prepared, no!! Grace began her journey in only the way that Grace could and that was on her terms, I was three weeks overdue with her and they still had to induce me!! I think she wanted it that way, you know, "go a head and make me!", I can just hear her now! As an infant she was full of smiles and even very young she would stick her tongue out at us, not just normal baby figuring out how it works, but intentionally sticking it out as if she was saying "Suckas!, you have no idea what you are in for!".




She was a great sleeper from the first night home from the hospital and continued in that vain until about 18 months and then things changed, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. When Grace began getting her teeth I noticed that her two front teeth came in with weak spots, well as she got more and more teeth she would chew on the railing of her crib and one day the two front teeth chipped. She eventually had to have surgery to place porcelain crowns on them to make them stronger, this was at 20 months old, two years later Grace bumped one of these teeth and had to have it removed, thus the toothless smile.



When Grace was about 8 months old we started teaching her sign language and she did really well with that but as the months went on and other children her age were saying lots of words, Grace seemed to prefer signing and not speaking. As she turned two I wasn't extremely worried but I noticed that her fits were becoming worse because she wasn't able to say the things she wanted to say and it was hard to guess. By the time she was 3 I really noticed that her speech was behind other kids and she was struggling with the whole potty training thing as well. Another difficulty was her sleep "issues", that was, that she didn't. She would stay up nearly all night playing, making HUGE messes and then be irritable the next day, this went on for a couple years. As the Mom, I just tried to encourage her the best I could and prayed that I would be guided in how to help her. I also began noticing more and more that she was VERY sensitive to certain things like, Hot and Cold, certain fabrics and noises. She spent most of her life with only diapers/underwear on because clothing only made her more irritated and uncomfortable. Some of her favorite things to do would be to stand against a cold glass window or stand in the fridge when the door was opened just to cool off. Grace was also EXTREMELY mischievous, getting into EVERYTHING and making huge messes where ever she went. Weather it was catchup or ranch dumped under the table, flour all over the house, eggs cracked on the coffee table, cutting her sister's hair, eaten crayons, erasers and paper strewn about, life has never been boring. And yet she is probably the funniest child I have known and for sure the funniest in the house, so she has managed to stay alive!



When the age of pre-school approached I began talking with several friends and family to see what the best option might be for her. I knew she would need someone patient and kind, to love her unconditionally and that is EXACTLY what we found with Mrs. Brough! It was months and months of work to get her into the pre-school program with the Clark County School District, and when her testing didn't go so well because she butted heads with the women giving it, I figured she was a shoe-in!! We actually began the process in April of 2008 but she wasn't able to start school (due to their slow paper work processing) until December of 2008! This would become a HUGE turning point for Grace in many ways!



For the first time there was a teacher that was almost as in Love with Grace as I am, she made her teacher laugh and I would get regular emails and updates of the latest "Grace-isms"! Grace LOVED school, riding the bus, and all the friends she was making. With the help of her teacher and through the process of getting her into the program we determined that Grace has something referred to as Sensory Processing Disorder or Sensory Integration Disorder. Children with SPD are often sensitive to sound, touch, sight, smell and taste, it can be all or just some of these things, but when I heard about this first from another family member I could see so much of this in Grace. I knew this is what we were dealing with and once I began doing some research on how it effects these children and the things to help them cope, it seemed like everything became much easier to handle.



As a family we work to be attentive to Grace's needs, while still expecting her to be responsible for her actions. She has really good days and not so good days, but she and I have made up songs to help sooth her and she is learning to remove her self from situations that are too intense. It is a work in progress and we are learning new and improved tactics all the time as well as adjusting old ones to meet her needs now.


As a Mom I cry lots and worry about the other kids accepting her. It's hard to hear the comments and notice the stares when we are out in public when she has a break down. She still prefers to not have clothes on and the constant comments about that can get old, I just feel like saying "You have no idea what you are talking about, if you only knew that Grace wearing clothes is the least of my worries today!" It's tough because I can't wear a sign that says "Please be patient with my child." so I just try to inform those that are working with her on a regular basis on how best to deal.

Grace is leaps and bounds better than she was even a year ago, her speech delay is almost unnoticeable and her "break downs" are getting less frequent. I don't know if she will ever out grow or be completely rid of all these things but I do know that I work hard as her Mom to love her and teach her the best I know how. She has a wonderful teacher this year who emails me, sometimes daily to let me know of Grace's progress and set backs. Moving was especially tough for her but she seems to be doing much better, when we first got to Colorado she would tell me how much she hated it here and how she wanted to go back to "our little house" in Vegas. Now, she tells me she loves that it's cold outside and can't wait for the snow to come!




It's hard to send your child out into the world/school/church, knowing that they will be made fun of or left out because of something like SPD, but Grace keeps smiling that toothless smile, singing her song and being her funny self! Me, well I just pray that each day will be a success!