New Years Resolutions

So here they are.....besides being a less controlling and more loving, adoring wife....
*exercise 3x week
*Write on my blog like a journal at least once a week
*Study my scriptures daily
*Laugh more

Weeks of Single Parenting

So I'm a single parent for a couple weeks....but not really because I'm staying with my parents and have 5 other people to help me. But I miss Joel. It's hard not being together as a family. But I'm glad that I can at least stay with family. Lee and Sarah took out their endowments and were sealed this week. It was an awesome experience. The temple sealer was the temple president and he did such a great job--I laughed and cried. He talked about being equally yoked with your spouse and seeing them and loving them as God loves them. He also reminded them that whenever they were feeling down they should return to the temple to be uplifted. I think sometimes I wait to feel like I'm spiritually ready to go the temple but maybe sometimes I need to go to be spritually ready. I'm enjoying my two kids so much but I miss my husband and can't wait til he is done with this job and I can have him all to myself! (yeah right....this is Joel we are talking about)

Favorite Moments of the Day

I decided I needed to start writing down some of the sweet things that I see and experience every day before I forget them.....
*Making London coo and smile---she has such a big toothless grin and such cute dimples!
*Watching Sawyer pick up his toys and put them in his backpack and then drag it around wherever he goes
*Listening to Sawyer talk to himself or his stuffed animals after I've put him to bed.
*Watching my dad rock London to sleep.
*Hearing Sawyer say "Hi Momma" and giving me hugs and kisses.
*Sawyer saying "hold you, hold you" until I pick him up.
*Hearing his little run across the floor.

London's Blessing Day--She was so sweet and looked adorable in my blessing dress! My Dad came up to me after the blessing and said that he felt the Spirit really strongly during the blessing and that he felt like she would accomplish many great things.

Christmas

Christmas was wonderful. Soy was spoiled rotten. He would have been happy with the $12 set of Cars characters that was in his stocking....I will have to remember that for next year...maybe just wrap up some of his presents that he hasn't played with for awhile eh? We got snowed in and couldn't go out--we got to stay in one place--so it was great. Joel got an electric guitar from my parents....I think after the 3rd hour of Joel playing on Christmas Day my mom started to regret it. I got this You Can Read kit for Sawyer-- my mom saw it on Oprah-- it will be fun--something else I can do with him-- he needs constant entertainment.

I asked Spencer (my 16 year old brother) to put Soy down for a nap....

So things are going well in Idaho. I'm in the process of being trained for a new job in Home Health. We are having fun being with family and taking advantage of the babysitting. We just got back from a Schwendiman family Christmas party--it was 4 hours long--of course. We had the annual Christmas program and everyone of us participated...I think there were at least 45 of us. So it was quite the deal. I sang "Star of Bethlehem" and my mother accompanied me. Joel was the prophet Nephi. My grandma puts a lot into these programs each year and comes up with a new one every year! As we were driving home in the blizzard (while following a very slow plow) we were discussing how different my two sides of the family are....Schwendiman's--Christmas program centering around Christ the true meaning of Christmas and Richards---Redneck themed Christmas gifts! I love it! It's so well rounded. We had our own little Christmas miracle tonight-- my uncle Lee announced that he was being ordained an Elder on Sunday and that he and his wife are going through the temple in January! He has had it rough which has made it rough for the family, there have been alot of ups and downs. But I think he is finally on the right track. I know my family has been praying so long for him-- I know I have-- I remember worrying about him and praying for him for as long as I can remember. So that is my Christmas gift this year... and hopefully a new pair of jeans because all of my jeans have holes in them from playing with Soy!