And Now, Winter

I had a lovely time taking these pictures.  Even though it was 0 degrees.  Not exaggerating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections

Happy New Year!  I took this outside West Yellowstone, Montana on December 30 while Jason was driving.

Memories of 2012, compiled by everybody during FHE last night:

-saying goodbye to Jason's dad, Grandpa Bear, in March.
-selling our home in Texas.
-being homeless for five months.
-all the wildlife we saw while staying in Big Sky for a month...2 bears, a moose, a fox, a mouse, bighorn sheep.
-buying a new home in Montana.
-Jacob earning his Arrow of Light.
-spending the summer in California.
-Jason graduating from residency.
-Jason passing his dermatology boards.
-Blaser reunion in Idaho.
-presidential election (which I'd like to forget).
-new missionary ages announced by President Monson.
-Christiana becoming potty-trained.
-welcoming our new elf.
-going to Disneyland with cousins and my sister.
-Jacob getting into skateboarding and golf.
-Jimmy learning new tricks in math.
-Jacob learning a new way to do division.
-new school.
-new job.
-Jacob playing the flute.

Driving we've accomplished:

In March - San Antonio, Texas to Rexburg, Idaho to Simi Valley, California to San Antonio, Texas.
In the summer - San Antonio, Texas to Simi Valley, California to Bozeman, Montana.
In November (Jason) - San Antonio, Texas to Bozeman, Montana to Salt Lake City, Utah to Bozeman, Montana.
At Christmas - Bozeman, Montana to St. George, Utah to Bozeman, Montana.
TOTAL HIGHWAY MILES COMBINED: 10,262
Fun Fact #1 ... 10,000 miles is 40% of the distance around the Earth's equator.
Fun Fact #2 ... From London UK to Sydney, Australia, or Los Angeles to Cape Town, South Africa is about 10,000 miles.

Gospel lesson from all this madness:

2012 was not our favorite year.  But Heavenly Father blessed us with safety.  He watched over us.  He helped us.  Sometimes it takes looking back to see the Lord's hand, His tender mercies towards us.  He was there.  We recognize it and we are grateful.

Christmas

Lots of pictures...

but first here's one of Christie and Jimmy on the couch watching a movie.

 We traveled to St. George to be with my parents for a whole week.  It was fun!

 The kids got lots of gifts.  Santa definitely spoiled them this year.

 My mom's precious pride and joy...Mama Kitty

 And Christie and I squeezed in a little tour of the temple grounds.

 And this is a view from my car window on our drive home back to Montana.  Love the winter scenes!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

Below are just some photos of our home that I took so we can remember.

 This is our farm view off our kitchen.  Love the open space.

 Kitchen/family room all-in-one.  We need some barstools!

Now's When My Life Begins

I was watching Tangled yesterday with the kiddos and since I am a nerd about finding a gospel message in any situation, I couldn't help but see a meaning behind this one scene in the movie.  Rapunzel, being stuck in her tower for 18 years, finally steps foot down on the grass for the first time in her life.  I thought about those darling children who were killed last week in their kindergarten class and thought about them crossing the veil into the Spirit World.  They were probably hesitant at first to be there, sad and nervous or scared to leave this worldy existence behind.  And then when their feet touched Heaven's soft floor and felt the love of their Savior and their family there, they knew they were in the right place; free again.  Free from this sorrowful existence.  Free to really live now, to progress, and to be happy and at peace.

Just smell the grass!  The dirt!  Just like I dreamed they'd be!
Just feel that summer breeze - the way it's calling me
For like the first time ever, I'm completely free!
I could go running
And racing
And dancing
And chasing
And leaping
And bounding
Hair flying
Heart pounding
And splashing
And reeling
And finally feeling
Now's when my life begins!

Pinterest? Please!

I check out all the precious mudrooms that Pinterest has to offer.  So clean and organized, everything in its place, children and parents who place their boots and scarves in their proper position.  What a joke!  This is a true-blue Montana mudroom right here!

 

Need to find something?  Well, good luck to you.

Righteous Pride

Last night, Jacob received his Arrow of Light in Cub Scouting.  Righteous pride moment for mom and dad, ya'll!  So proud of Jacob.  He is so pure and good.  He worked hard for this grand accomplishment.  I didn't take a very good picture of the actual award because I wanted to make sure we got the Texas flag in the background.  He went through Cub Scouting in Texas -- all three years -- so I wanted to honor that great state along with his wonderful leaders and teachers who helped him along the way to reach this point.

 

After our mega-quick pack meeting, we rushed home a hundred miles an hour on icy roads to get ready for the Christmas concert at the school.  Jimmy and his 2nd grade class sang a few darling songs (with sign language), and Jacob played the flute with his 5th grade class.  So beyond proud of these ding-dongs.  I was practically doing toe-touches in the gymnasium -- these boys are awesome.

Jimmy decided to pose like a complete and utter goofball before heading out the door.  I love his face.  I hope this kid never changes.  I hope he stays as happy and funny every day of his life as he is right now.  I want to see pictures of him on his mission making this face.

A wonderful evening for sure!  And one more proud moment:  Jacob is tying his own tie now!  Stud!

Watch Out! I'm Standing On My Soapbox!

I was reading in the Book of Mormon today (I know, I'm so righteous; right?)  Reading Mosiah 14 and it's Abinadi counseling King Noah and his "priests."  I was struck by and always find it interesting that ancient prophets as well as modern-day prophets recite the Ten commandments so often.  It's nothing new!  The gospel is so beautiful in its simplicity.  Prophets testify of Christ.  They remind us of God's commandments.  They plead for us to be obedient to His commandments and the covenants we make.  Done.  That's it.  So simple, really.

It seems that we, as members of the Church and as a society as a whole, tend to over-complicate things.  We lose sight on what it really means to live the gospel.  I'm grateful for Abinadi -- and all the prophets since him, really -- for bringing me back to the basics, cutting out all the fluff, all the chaos, all the monotony, and just reminding me of simple and basic gospel truths.  It is these truths that really are at the center of Christ's gospel.

We push God and/or Christ out of our lives and we will not have His protection.  We kill unborn babies and yet are terrified and angry that children are killed in a kindergarten classroom.  This world and our country are so backward.  We care very little about basic, fundamental values, about the Ten Commandments, about religion, morality, manners, decency, suffering, and the principles our Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution on and yet we expect God's protection.  Not going to happen.

I don't want our schools to become locked-up prisons where I have to be "buzzed in" anytime I want to see my kid.  I don't want gun control.  I don't want to lie awake at night, unable to sleep because I'm so afraid all the time of what might happen to my family.

President Monson taught that fear and faith cannot co-exist at the same time.  We'll either be living by one mindset or the other.  I have to choose faith.  Have to!

What I want is a peeling back of all the madness and a return to basic human principles of loving one another, of teaching our children the Ten Commandments in the home and at school.  If every person on Earth showed genuine love and concern for their neighbor, think about the difference that would make.  If parents loved each other, stayed married no matter what, even for the sake of their children, what an impact that would have on a child's life.  I think everything good or bad that happens in your life funnels back down to the family and the relationships we have within our families.  What's that saying?  "Whatever happens in between, we begin and end with family."  Something like that.  It's so true.  Those relationships are what count.

I was talking to my sister Amy today and we agreed that bad things may, could, and will happen!  I know.  Earth-shattering observance; right?  But it's true.  Any one of us could lose a child in some tragic way.  We may/could/will experience trials, disappointments, unspeakable grief, terror, mind-blowing sadness.

And everything will be all right.  If we are covenant-keeping and obedient, we will be okay.  Our children will be okay if they die.  My brother reminded me that this life is a life of sorrow so long as we are in the flesh.  And he is absolutely right.  This life is a moment.  We've been asked to keep the commandments, to be believing, to endure to the end, to be humble, grateful, and to serve others.  Our family relationships are eternal.  So is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Whether we believe it all or reject it all, it's still true. 

Sorry for the mega-long humongous essay.  Had to vent.