Instagram Photos as of Late 2

Bundle up! It's cold outside! This little baby just keeps getting cuter and cuter! :)

This little bookworm was busted reading! Not just looking at the pictures, but actually reading!  

This book is one of our faves!

Born, raised, and still living in the 2nd happiest city in the U.S.!

I am not a huge fan of Mexican food, but I often crave Taco El Loco food! It's authentic Mexican food. Nachos on the left, chicken enchiladas on the right.

Carter, Preston, and Cannon - bowling! We are grateful Preston is on the mend after spending a month at Primary Children's Hospital due to E. Coli (HUS).

Me and my twin.

I bought these because I just knew Curtis would want me to have them. ;) Tulips are one of my favorite flowers! Is it almost spring yet?

"I must-ache you a question...will you be my Valentine?" The Browning Boyz on Valentine's Day.

Brendon & Dani's Reception // Springville Utah from David Perry on Vimeo.

My nephew's wedding reception back in August. I LOVED this reception!!! It is hands down, one of my favorite's ever!! Danielle's parent's home/ backyard is GORGEOUS!!! Be sure to go down to my music and pause it before you click play on this Vimeo video. Please be patient, it may take a minute to load. It's worth it though! Enjoy!!!

Instagram Photos as of Late

Cannon loves to study the U.S. map! Look how intent he is about studying...love that little sponge!

Carter kisses his "little brother".

Made these sugar cookies for a Sunday snack to start off Valentine's week! Thanks to Becky, my sister, for the best recipe ever!

Left to right: Cousin Max, Christian, Carter, Cannon, Cousin Andrew

Christian at Dr. C's office getting his 4 month check up. He is in the 90th percentile for height.

Cannon and Carter wanted a picnic. We had to do it inside since it is too cold to have one outside.

All of the Young Women in our ward at New Beginnings. Our theme was : Oh, the Places you'll Stand. It was a Dr. Seuss theme.

Curtis got me this stuff for Christmas. Heaven in a bottle!! Go get some from Bath & Body Works!

Found this on my iphone of our back patio from last August...had me daydreaming of summer!

Christian at 5 months. Such a cutie!

The day he turned five months, he loved playing with this balloon. He loved it so much he fell asleep with it in his hand. *Not staged...I promise!

Happy 35th Birthday, Curtis!

Happy, Happy 35th Birthday to this guy!!! Curtis is one great catch!!! I honestly don't know what I did to deserve him!?! No, seriously...

Curtis is humble (something most guys lack these days), kind, sincere, helpful, funny, a people-pleaser, etc. He knows when to bite his tongue and not say things even though he is thinking it (something I need to work on). The boys love him because he actually spends time with them - a lot of time!! We all know that love is spelled t-i-m-e as Elder Uchtdorf has taught us.

Curtis is my very best friend!!! Hope your birthday wish comes true, Curtis!!! You deserve it more than anyone I know!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 

Heart Attack 2013

"Love is energy of life."
 - Robert Browning

 For Family Home Evening (FHE) we went and "Heart Attacked" my parent's home (their side garage door). The boys (two older ones) had so much fun getting everything ready - cutting out hearts, putting stickers on the cards and hearts, and making bags filled with treats. The boys were so proud of their heart attacking, that they had to show my parents what they had done...even though it was supposed to be a secret/surprise. Memories: that's what I am trying to create more of and make more of this year. It takes a lot of energy (which I totally lack as of lately), but I know it is important/crucial. Go make some Valentine memories!

           

Angels

Jessie, Bessie, Gary, and Steve Holtom *Sorry the pic is so little.

"However much we believe in angels, we ought to believe in them more than we do, for they truly do 'encamp round about' us and they regularly protect and deliver us in many different ways." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

The picture above is of my Grandma Bessie holding my dad when he was a baby. The little boy is my Uncle Gary, and the man is my Grandpa Jessie Everett. I never met my Grandpa, he passed away a few years before I was born. I remember my Grandma Bessie VERY well! Often times I would spend Friday nights spending the night at her little, white, humble house in Iona, ID. On Friday nights I remember watching the show, "Dallas" while enjoying root beer floats and homemade cookies she made but stored in her deep freeze in the basement.  She made fantastic rolls when we had family dinners. I read in her journal that she had the goal of doing 365 temple sessions in one year. Grandma accomplished that and then some. Many times she would do three or four sessions in a row. She chopped and stacked wood in her 90's. She drove around a white Chrysler/Dodge Aries car when she could have had something nicer. She was a saver. She mowed her big yard with a push mower in her 90's. She loved to work in her yard and plant flowers. Grandma worked 30 + years in a potato plant sorting potatoes. Needless to say, Grandma Bessie was a HARD WORKER!! In fact, I remember her offering to help me correct papers my first year of teaching while she was in a nursing home. The reason she was in a nursing home was because she had fallen outside one May evening in her yard to turn off her outside hose. Her hip was broken and she stayed outside all night until a couple drove by and saw her lying on the ground. I rode in the ambulance with her and asked her what she did all night.?. She said she was a bit chilly, but that she slept some but mostly prayed and prayed. Grandma was a woman of faith! Her temple goal was a good example, and she was very diligent in the gospel! She insisted that her three sons (Uncle Dave wasn't born yet in the above picture) go to church and mutual - even if it meant when the front headlights to the car weren't working - she had her boys sit on the hood with flashlights so she could make sure they went to mutual. All three of her sons were bishops and when the last son got his call, she said, "It's about time." :) She had high expectations in the right areas!

I have no doubt that my grandma is one of my angels. In fact, I know she is around me a lot - especially when I am working in my yard. I dug up some of her bulbs and planted them in my yard. They are a gift! Curtis and I often smell my Grandpa too (my mom's dad). I have a friend, Darrell, who I know has been by my side in many instances. These angels are around...everyone has angels. I know it, and they do deliver and protect us!

PRAYERS Needed & A GREAT Read

Happy New Year!! Hope 2013 is what YOU make of it!! New Year's is a good time to reflect on our lives and decide what we need to change and fix and start anew. I wish you the best in what you are working on to become a better YOU!

I have a favor to ask of you.?. Curtis and I have a nephew, Preston (6) who was admitted to Primary Children's Hospital on Christmas Day due to E Coli. Preston was so, so sick - in fact, there was a time they didn't think he would make it. However, as the days go by, he is slowly improving. Thank goodness for that, but he is still in the hospital. Then yesterday, Jan. 1st, Emma (9), our niece, and Preston's older sister was admitted to Primary Children's also because of E Coli. Talk about a trying holiday season for their immediate family. This is the favor I am asking...could you include the Eric & Jana Browning family in your prayers? Prayers for the sick children, prayers for the other family members who are tired? Prayers to give them all strength? Thank you!! Their family blog:
www.ejbrowningfamily.blogspot.com

Just a few days ago, I started reading the book, "For Times of Trouble - Spiritual Solace from the Psalms" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland - an apostle of the Lord. I have been dissecting this book, underlining what stands out to me. Basically, Elder Holland breaks down the Psalms. So far, this is what I have gained from the book:

-God always hears our prayers and He always answers them.
-Heavenly Father is on our side.
-Everyone goes through times of trouble. No one is immune. Even though you think that one family or one person has no trials...everyone does.
-Some of our tribulations come from breaking commandments, but not all do.
-If we feel discouraged or depressed, we need to go to the temple.
-Every great cause requires vision. We need to see where we are going.
-Meditate
-Our purpose in life is to grow more and try and gain more faith, hope, charity, patience, perseverance, and strength.
-All of us can listen and respect our children.
-Strive to live within your means.
-Choose to be on the good side.
-Happiness at home is the greatest joy of all.
-Hang in there.
-It will be all right in the end. All trials, struggles do eventually end.

Christmas 2012 Recap

Carter wanted nothing more than to get a train table from Santa. Santa was feeling generous and got him his wish. Christmas morning he sure was excited!!

I always outline the windows in our living room with the Christmas cards we receive. I am happy to report we ended up with more Christmas cards to totally outline the windows. There is just something  special about checking your mailbox at Christmas time!

It's a tradition for our little family to go to Salt Lake City in December and look at the temple square lights and stay at Little America. We love the food at Little America and the boys love to swim in the pool. When we were in line for the breakfast buffet, a man behind us had all of his adult children with him. He told us how it has always been his family's tradition too. He says they always look forward to it, and that we need to continue it. When the boys were swimming at the pool, Curtis ran into his old neighbors growing up and all of their adult children - The Hills. It was fun for him to chat with all of them. Here we are at City Creek watching the fountain/water show.

Cannon's preschool class had a little Christmas program. Curtis volunteered to be Santa for all of the kids. Luckily, Cannon didn't recognize his dad! Whew!

The boys on Christmas morning in their Christmas pajamas.

Me and Christian shopping at the mall doing a little Christmas shopping!:) We hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas spending time with loved ones and reflecting on the birth of our Savior!

J-O-Y

This is a picture I took of our paper plates...yes, Christmas paper plates. I saw some candy canes on the counter and made them into a heart...I have always loved how two candy canes can create a heart. Of all the words on the paper plate, JOY stood out to me. I put the heart representing LOVE over JOY. I LOVE JOY...who doesn't!?! When I hear or think of the word JOY, I think it means even more than happiness...it is better than happiness! Here is a list of things that bring me JOY in my life:

 My little family of five brings me JOY. Yes, the three boys are a handful, and I am guilty of having not very much patience (something I am constantly working on), but they sure do bring JOY into my life when they share or do a kind act or read a book out loud, or say a prayer, smile, listen/behave, or learn something new. Christian is a JOY ---who doesn't LOVE a baby, especially a good baby who is easy-going! Curtis is a JOY to be around! He is easy to talk with and easy to get along with...no one doesn't like Curtis! :) Just a side note: Christmas lights bring me JOY too! Just like the ones on the pine tree behind Cannon and Carter in the above picture.

The temple gives me peace and JOY. I have peace in knowing that my family is an eternal family! What more JOY can you have than that??? I LOVE the Idaho Falls temple! Probably because I am from Idaho Falls and got married/sealed in the Idaho Falls temple.

Jesus Christ, our Savior is the #1 reason why I have so much JOY in my life! I have so many blessings...too many to name, and it is because of HIM! He is the Savior of the world! If we remember to put the following in this particular order in our lives: J - Jesus O - others Y - yourself, we will never go without JOY! We named Christian - Christian because we feel as though people are forgetting Christ. We liked how Christ is in his name, and we hope and pray Christian can be a good example to others, a true Christian, to remind them of our Savior. We wish you JOY and LOVE this Christmas season and all year round!!!

P.S. Here are a few other things that give me JOY (okay, maybe happiness) in my life, but aren't nearly as important as what was mentioned above: my iPhone, instagram, words with friends, candy, restaurants, sleeping in, baths, Christmas cards in the mail, yard work, a newly cleaned - bathroom, fridge, car, etc., music, acts of kindness, good smells,  an organized planner, children's books...and the list goes on and on and on and on....

"Be certain you are creating a rich environment in which your family can look forward to special times of the year when traditions hold you together as a great eternal family unit." ~ Elder L. Tom Perry, The Tradition of Light and Testimony, Dec. Ensign 2012

Cutie Christian

Christian says, "Why, hello there! Hope you are having a great day!" Oh, he is such a joy to have in our family!!! He's our little "cutie patootie"!