the Holidays 2011

So I feel like our holidays were packed with lots of family time this year and we were plenty busy.. I did manage to get a few pictures but I always wish I had more! It was strange for me this year when spending time with my family. So much has changed this year. My parents divorce which still isn't final and I haven't seen my dad since October so that was really weird. My little sis is pregnant and engaged. I am very happy that she is happy but it still blows my mind! Being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and not being pregnant made for an emotional holiday as well.. But besides all the struggles we have been through this year I am incredibly grateful and my heart is so full with love. My testimony has grown more this year than it EVER has and I am grateful for our families and for the support that we have through friends as well. I am a firm believer in the saying "what doesn't kill you will make you stronger!" Going through any kind of trial is hard but I am so thankful that I have learned from my mistakes and from the bad things. Coleman and I are happier than we have ever been!! Our love grows more and more each day. We have a beautiful spirited 22 month old and she brings so much happiness into our world! This has been a hard year but we have had a wonderful year at the same time!! Soon we will have two new nephews and my best friend is having a boy too!! We are surrounded by love and we hope that we can share our love with so many more this year!! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I hope you all make the best of 2012!!

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving and Christmas :) Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Day.

Hailey, Nikky and Hilary

Declan, Paige and Aunt Sara

Sara, Me and Nikky at the movies watching Breaking Dawn on Thanksgiving Day.

Christmas

Sara and Nikky

Okay so let me explain the headband. When we went to Colemans work the day before Christmas Eve one of his co-workers gave paige this awesome headband!! I thought it was hilarious so I had her wear it long enough for pictures and then she wore a flower because she wouldn't keep the headband on long enough!

I think it's Awesome!

Our big girl in her Christmas pjs

I drew Hailey's name for Christmas this year and I made her this blanket!!

Santa brought Paige a kitchen!

New stroller and a cheesy smile :)

Deejay and Coleman

I wish I would have taken a better pic of grandma and grandpa but i didn't so this will have to do.

Dusty and Karli

Uncle Lance, Mom and Karli

Our family picture :)

Day 21,22,23

Oh my goodness I am seriously slacking on the posting. So I guess in order to catch up I will post a few things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for the support team that I have that helps me when I am down. I know I can always count on the most important people in my life to be there for me.

Even though it gets dark so much earlier now since it's winter, I am thankful that we still have sunlight! Winter can be so dreadful, boring and depressing but a little sunlight is better than nothing. I am thankful to be able to open my blinds in the morning and let in the natural light from outside!! It brightens my mood and my home!!

Today I am thankful for patience. I have been praying to have more patience lately. When you have a 20 month old that is teething and you have gotten rid of the binkie it becomes difficult to listen to whining all day long. But with the help of my Heavenly Father I feel like I have been more relaxed lately when Paige acts out and that I have been able to handle the situation better. Not that I handled it badly before but I would get really frustrated. I know that she is a 20 month old that is going to do what she wants and that the way I handle the situation sets the tone for the rest of the day and is a learning experience for the both of us. So I am thankful for patience and I hope that I can keep working on it with help from my Heavenly Father.

Have a great Thanksgiving Day tomorrow everyone!!

Day 20

Yesterday I was pretty sick. I have bad problems with my joints which we think is arthritis and I think I had the stomach flu too. I am so lucky to have been sick on the weekend when Coleman was around to help take care of Paige so I could rest. It was such a long day and he took very good care of me. He is so great to me and Paige loves her daddy so much she was fine that I wasn't really around. Paige and I took a 3 hour nap together!! I am feeling a lot better today thanks to the rest the I was able to get yesterday. I am thankful that Coleman is such a great husband to take care of me even when I look like "walking death" :) I love you coleman!

Day 19

So I have been slacking a little on posting about being thankful.

I am very very thankful for my in laws. All of them. I have the greatest mother in law and father in law. They would do anything to help us out and they are always there for us. I feel like I fit into Coleman's family pretty well and I am so thankful that I get along well with everyone. I am thankful for all four of my sisters in law. They are all amazing!! We all have a lot of fun together and I am also grateful for my brothers in law they are awesome! I was very lucky to gain such a great family when I married Coleman !! I love them all so much and I can't imagine life any other way!

Day 18 - Prayer

I have always been pretty good about praying but until the last month I have never realized how much a prayer does for me or how much it means to me. I find comfort in knowing that when I pray my Heavenly Father hears me and he comforts me when I am sad and he rejoices with me when I am happy. I am grateful for the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father because of prayer. I am grateful for famiy prayer everynight and for being able to teach Paige about the church. I saw a quote recently that really made me think, it said something along the lines of " What if the only things you had today were the things you prayed for yesterday." It made me so hapy to know that I would have everything that I need most in life. I would have Coleman and Paige, my home, our families and friends, the gospel, good health and Coleman's job.  I am grateful for my personal prayers and for making each time I pray count. I am especially grateful for my relationship with my Heavenly Father and being able to feel his love every day.

Day 17

I am thankful for the people in my life that keep me thinking positive. Even on days that are crappy I know that I can call up the hubby and complain and he will give me a different way to look at it. It's funny to me how even when i'm feeling low and just down right ticked off if I try to think positive and have a good attitude the crappy stuff doesn't seem near as bad. So I am thankful for positive thinking!

Day 16

Today I am thankful for technology. Cell phones drive me crazy most of the time but I am grateful to have them because they help me keep in contact with my family and friends. I am grateful that when I am feeling lousy or I really need to get something done I can turn on Monsters Inc. and Paige is occupied... that makes me sound like a really bad mom. : ( But I am still thankful for it, I can't deny it.