Oh, thinking about all of our younger years....

 

9 years!!

 



I got married a long, long time ago when there were these things called video tapes.  We have always had our wedding video ( thanks Liz and Adam - best wedding gift ever!) on tape, and a few years ago it finally got made into a DVD.  Now, it is on the computer. 

 

This video makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  We were so young!  and Skinny!!!  -sigh-  I think I am going to watch it a few time and enjoy the warm fuzziness. 

 

I love you Greg.  Thanks for being my best friend, kid's dad,

Ali's 8th birthday and Baptism

Ali got baptised on Dec. 8, 2012

Her birthday was fun.  She just wanted a family party.  She wanted Hannah and Noah to be there, so we tried to have a little birthday party for her the night before Thanksgiving.  I thought we would play games and make is more like a party but once it came to it, we didn't do much of anything,  The cousin enjoyed playing with each other.  It was loud with a lot of running around.  I liked it.  We ate pizza and ice cream.  Ali is on an ice cream kick right now- no cake.

These two guys are still best friends.  I have always been afraid that as they got older they might drift apart but not yet.

I was really proud of her cake.  It is made out of vanilla and strawberry ice cream and cool whip.  Nothing else.  Yum.

Ali singing with her grandpa before her baptism

Ali and I.  Ali wore the same dress that I wore when I got baptised 20 years ago.  - sigh-  My mom made it for me.  I remember her making it for me.  Never did I think that my daughter would wear the same dress for her baptism.

I am very thankful for such a righteous husband.  Not only is he righteous enough to baptism my daughter, but he knows so much about Jesus Christ and the scriptures.  I know very few men who know as much as he does.  He doesn't like to act like he knows so much.  He isn't the show-off-how- righteous-I-am kind of guy.  But if I am ever studying anything in the scriptures and have a question, I know he knows the answer and where the answer is in the scriptures.  I couldn't ask for a better man to raise my children. 

My mom gave a wonderful talk on Baptism.  She knew just the right things to say.  Not too complicated- just right for an eight year old.

Her Papa gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost.  He is such a good man too.  I know where Greg gets it all from.  I can only hope that the Hamlin love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ is passed to my children.

Ali's baptism was a very emotional day for me even though I never broke down and cried like I thought I would.  It made me feel sad that my little girl was growing up.  I was also filled with joy.  My heart was so full to think about Ali and how hard she is trying to choose the right every day.  I felt worried- for the future trials I know await her.

Life is hard.  Life often complicates things.  But no matter what happens, I know a few things.  I know that Jesus Christ lives.  I know He died for me that I might be forgiven for my sins.  I know that bad things will happen in my life and in Ali's life. Some will be our own fault, and some we will have no control over.  I know that Christ has felt all of our trials, pain, and sadness.  And I know he can replace it with love and peace if we just ask.  I am thankful that Ali can be baptized.  She now has taken the first step in a long journey.  My wish is that she will find Joy in her Journey through Jesus Christ.  I love you Ali.

 

 

So I wanted to make some Christmas cookies

 Every year I really enjoy making Christmas cookies.  Greg really likes it too.  He says it is the only time I act crazy trying to get a task done.  I normally prefer the "slow and steady wins the race"  where I just do a little of a project each day until it is done.  However, Christmas cookies are very different story.  They all need to be made in just two days or else. 

 I had some help from the kids.  They like to help for 10 min or so and then they come back and hour later and help for 10 min. or so.

 YUM! Snow cookies!!! ( love Ali's face here)

 Sugar cookies

 toffee

 Crinkles

 White chocolate pretzels

 

I also made ginger bread men, buck eyes, and chocolate pretzels.  So much fun but my legs hurt at the end of the day. 

And what did Liam doing while I made cookies?  Well, I gave him the almost empty peanut butter jar and some spoons.  He was busy for hours!  Best idea ever.  And look.  It only made a little mess.

Squish Daddy

 Some times when we don't have an activity planned for Family Home Evening, we just make up wierd games.  Like this one called "Squish Daddy."   The kids love it! 

Here is "Squish Liam"

Halloween

(A Normal Super Hero) 

Halloween was fun and crazy.  My Aunt Nancy decided to come and help with all of the craziness.  The day started out crazy because I volunteered to bring treats in for shadrachs party.  No problem.  Several of the kids have allergies.  Again no problem.  I can work around that.  But apparently one kid was allergic to soy and soy is in every food known to man except marshmallows and fruit snacks.  After making several phone calls all day long I finally learned he is only allergic to soy milk!  So they got to have Halloween cup cakes. 

 Enoch got to wear his costume to school and have a costume parade.  He loved it.  He went as "A Normal Super Hero".  I think he was having trouble picking between spiderman, batman, and superman and some how thought going just as a super hero meant he didn't have pick which one was his favorite.

 Ali went as a Vampire.  Bad picture I know.  There was a lot of stuff going on and this was the best I could do.  She loved the teeth that she got to wear. 

 Shadrach looks really sad here but he had a great fun night.  This was the only picture I got of him.  He told me that he wanted to be spiderman for Halloween, so that is what I got together for him.  Then when it was time to put on his costume, he was like "No I want to be a Jedi Knight!!!!"  So then I raced around the house putting together a Jedi night costume out of Greg's clothes and the dress up box.

 Liam was a Pumpkin. :)  He really enjoyed that Candy part.

 Enoch, Shadrach, and Liam pooped out after one block.  They were happy with their candy amount and came home to the nice warm home and Halloween movies.

Ali went Trick or Treating the whole 2 hours allowed.  I went with her and had great fun.  She got two pink pumpkins full of candy.  YUM.  Remember she doesn't like chocolate.  So mom had to help eat a lot of hers.