Christmas

I love Christmas! I love the reason we celebrate it and that we get to celebrate with our family and friends, lives greatest blessings. Last week we had our Griffiths family party. It was great to see so many aunts, uncles, cousins, 2nd cousins, and grandparents. 

Every day Carson would change the nativity scene so that everyone got a turn to be on top of the stable.

I was spoiled for Christmas. I got a new comforter for my bed, a digital picture frame, gloves, a shirt, make-up, treats and gift cards.

We went over to Chelsea's house to open presents and have lunch. The boys were both on overload and Carson was so excited to show us all of the neat things he got. I made the boys pillowcases and we gave them each a book to go with it. Chelsea gave me a cute skirt and Carson colored this cute picture for me. Mom & Dad made this Chelsea's best Christmas so far by getting her something she really wanted, but didn't expect to get, a piano. They got her a grand piano keyboard. She cried when she opened it. We spent some time as a family and playing with Carson and his new toys. Then we went home and played games for the rest of the day. We got TENZI to play on Christmas Eve and we played it for a bit on Christmas too. Then we played Jurassic World Monopoly (one of Kenna's gifts) for a while. 

2015

At the end of every year, I like to look back at what that year has brought into my life. These are some of things that I thought of for 2015:

•  Began the New Year in Moab with my family
• Survived a whole year of being the primary chorister, including the primary program
• Got a new nephew in May! {Sure love being an aunt}
• Left the country for the first time as my family went to Canada for a week. 
• Visited Glacier National Park
• Said Good-Bye to a dear grandpa, Bop
• Visited Heather, John & Carter in Arizona
• My longest solo road trip to visit Kayla and her family in St. George {Dammeron Valley}
• Got to throw a baby shower for a friend, Sierra
• Started seeing an endocrinologist in West Valley 
• Had a ton of medical tests done and didn't pass out with a lot of blood-work {it is a big deal!}
• Started a new treatment for my insulin resistance that enabled me to go off 4 other medications! All around a better fit for me!
• Learned to make myself do something that I absolutely hate, give myself shots!
• Had my first Etsy sale to Rhode Island and to France
• Went to Island Park for a great conference weekend with the family

Christmas Season update

So every December, our lives get a bit busier with preparations for Christmas, family and ward Christmas parties. 

I have had Carson & Cody a bit more this month too as I watched them for Chelsea's work party and other Christmas activities. They came to our ward Christmas party with us on the 12th. We had a wonderful dinner and had a chance to get together as a ward.

In primary we have been singing Christmas songs for weeks and it has been wonderful. That is probably one of my favorite things about Christmas, the Christmas music. 

I did get asked to speak in Sacrament meeting on the Sunday after Christmas (okay, not so much asked as told). This has caused a lot of anxiety and stress for me this holiday. 

Last week we did our annual Sub-for-Santa shopping. Mom and I shopped for a 13 year old girl. Last night we had our Griffiths family Christmas party. We have a great dinner, a talent show, the kids do a nativity and then we play bingo. Carson loved bingo. When he would get a bingo, he would stand on his chair and yell "bingo" so loud, his face would turn red. It was great! It was also so nice to see many of our 2nd cousins (who we don't get to see as often now that the family has gotten so big). We grew up with our second cousins and saw them often, it was nice to catch up with them and realize how old we are all getting. Many of them have children of their own.

This week is the last stretch to Christmas. I'm looking forward to a nice time with my family relaxing and enjoying their company.

Christmas Fun

On Thanksgiving Day, Sierra and I made felt Christmas trees and ornaments for the kids to play with this year. We hung Carson's up last week and he loves it. He redecorates it at least once a day. He was so proud that he gets his own tree that he can change anytime he wants to.

He also keeps thinking that tomorrow is Christmas, every single day. We made a paper chain for him to count down until Christmas day. Having a little kid around makes Christmas so much more fun. Cody loves my little Rudolph stuffed animal that sings and its nose lights up. 

Thankful #4

I am very thankful that I had the time and energy to do a project for myself. I hardly ever do these anymore, and it was really nice to do!

I'm also very thankful that I got to snuggle with my nephews last night while watching a Christmas movie with them. I sure do love them!

I'm grateful that we are heading into my favorite holiday season of the year, although it isn't my favorite weather season...

Happy Thanksgiving

It is hard to believe it is already here, but it  is, it is Thanksgiving.

I'm so grateful that I get to enjoy a wonderful meal with family and friends this year. I'm also very grateful for those same family and friends and their part in my life. 

I'm grateful for a nephew who wants to do crafts and make things together. Yesterday while Cody napped, we made foam snowmen. Then we colored. Of course this page that I had been working on and was almost finished with, apparently needed some attention from a 3 year old. He showed it to me and said, I helped you, now it is done.

I really am very grateful for the friends and family who have influenced my life as well as the many experiences I have had throughout my life that have made me who I am.

Thankful #3

I think I am a little bit behind, but here is another post of things I am grateful for. These may seem odd, but this week I have been thinking of the little things in life that I am thankful for, as crazy as they may seem.

First of all, I'm grateful for baby laughter. It always makes you happy! I love seeing Carson & Cody interact with each other too, especially when Carson is making Cody laugh! 

I'm grateful for Christmas music, yes I have already broken it out and I LOVE it!

I'm grateful that I know how to sew and can create projects for me and for others. I'm actually working on a project for me, which I haven't done for a long time and I'm so excited about it!

I'm grateful that when I went to fill a newer prescription a week ago, it was a $40 copay instead of the $130 copay it was the month before. Since the medication was so pricey, my doctor switched me to a similar, but different medication so that it would be cheaper. It was horrible! I don't think it worked like it should and was so painful to do! I don't like needles and so this was a big deal to me. I'm grateful that I got the medication I prefer, that works better for me and has a smaller needle! I have found that I have had a grateful thought about it every night when it is time for my injection! Check out the difference in the needle sizes and pen sizes! By the way, I am using the smaller one now.

Also even though I happened to hit a cluster of blood vessels and it hurt really bad and left a bruise, it still didn't hurt as bad as an injection from the other monstrous one!

I'm grateful that I have a warm house, a bed with comfy blankets, electricity and my blow dryer! Yep that's right, I'm grateful for some things that are a bit outside the box this week!

Thankful Week #2

So I continued thinking about things I am grateful for during the past week. I am blessed with wonderful friends, who look out for me, but also let me look out for them. I was able to go out this week on a much needed girls' night. It is wonderful to be blessed with so many friends!

I'm so thankful that I have a car that is dependable. It is such a great feeling to be able to expect your car to start and get you where you are going.

I am thankful for the amazing technology that we have. I can discover new TV shows and movies while sitting at home, I can have an online shop, facetime, call and text with friends, get ideas for my primary calling, keep up with my friends lives and the news. It is such a blessing to have so many resources at the tip of your fingers.

I am very grateful for music and that I can hear and enjoy it. It truly lifts my spirits and fills my soul. I also love that there are so many different genres that we can all find something we like and that fits our current mood. My 'I want background noise to sing along to' is my Avicci station on Pandora. The music that truly fills up my soul is soundtrack scores and such. Some of my current favorites are: "Release Me" by Two Steps From Hell, "Hallelujah" by The Canadian Tenors and "Carol of the Bells" by Piano Guys.

I'm also thankful for my extended family support system. Last weekend, Jill and Whitney came down and we went to lunch. It is so great to see them and spend some time with them! 

Thankful #1

So I had ideas of doing posts on the blog of things I am grateful for everyday for November. Since I’m already a bit behind, I decided that I would just do a post once a week for each week of November instead.

I am VERY grateful for these boys! They are my world and I love them more than I can say.

 

Carson is growing up so fast and is so smart. He also says the funniest things and thinks things through with very great logic. It is hard to believe that he will be turning 4 years old in February.  Where did all the time go? Carson is a very loving big brother and I’m so proud of him. He loves The Avengers, especially Captain America and we often play that we are the super heroes.

 

Cody is also growing up too fast. He is almost 6 months old. He finally figured out rolling from his back to his front and can sit by himself. He adores his big brother and wants to be doing whatever Carson is doing. I’m figuring out how Cody tells me things like what he wants, when he wants a drink or food and so on.

 

I’m grateful for the rest of family as well. I have wonderful parents and siblings. My parents work hard to help us grow and learn and they let us know that they love us. We love them too.

I’m grateful for my calling in the primary. Being able to be around those sweet little kids lifts my spirits! Sometimes I get overwhelmed with my calling and having to prepare something for every week and make sure that it is something I can teach 4 year olds and 11 year olds, I really enjoy being there. I love to see their faces, hear their thoughts and voices. I’m also grateful that I have something that gives me a sense of purpose.

I’m grateful that although we live in a climate where we have cold, miserable winters {can you tell that it is my least favorite thing?}, we have seasons, especially autumn. I LOVE autumn. I love the crisp, cool air, gentle breeze, falling leaves and colors. This season also includes one of my favorite sounds, walking through fallen, crispy leaves. I also am a big fan of apple crisp, which also goes well with the season.

I’m also very grateful that my shop stays busy enough to provide me with a creative outlet and the ability to make it a priority to sew and create. {It also helps to stay on top of medical bills that I have begun receiving from all of my testing.}

Rewarding

Although sometimes I feel overwhelmed, tired and sometimes like the kids aren't enjoying or getting what I have planned for primary, it is very rewarding. It is sweet to hear the little sunbeams singing a new song with all the right words, it is nice to hear when the older kids can explain what a line in a song means. I sure love being in the primary. Today I received this thank you from our 8 year olds in the ward.

On a health update note, the only things that were revealed were that I have a vitamin B12 deficiency and my potassium level was a little bit off. The endocrinologist took me off a medication that he could see was messing with the potassium and instructed me to take a vitamin B12 supplement. This news was discouraging since I know that not all of the things I am experiencing could be because of B12. The hopeful thing for me was that we have changed the treatment for my insulin resistance and PCOS and I'm hoping/praying that it works better for me than what I have been doing for 10 years. So far one of the great things is that the new treatment has balanced out my IBS and I haven't had to take any of the IBS medication in over a week! Wahoo!!!! If it also does what it should for the insulin resistance, it will be worth the money and injections that I get to do.

Island Park

For conference weekend, our family went up to Island Park. Mom got us a fantastic cabin to stay in. Chelsea's family was able to come and so were Grandma & Ted. It was a very nice, relaxing and fun weekend.