The Monkey's are Back.. and being off track..

I was changing my page from Valentine's and saw some cute monkey pages and because Patrick loves them so much and every time I see them now I think of him and I think I am falling in love with monkeys now.

The boys have the whole month of February off for track break and it has actually gone by so much faster than I thought it would. I thought I could get so much done and accomplish some stuff at home but instead I think I have been even busier. And, now with one week left I'm not ready to go back but the boys are.. So with that since they have been off I tried to also do some fun things. I have been trying to do things that are either cheap or free and we have done a little of both. The boys were invited to a neighborhood valentine party and they did a cute craft and then decorated there own cookie and then passed out there own valentine's. They had fun and enjoyed all of the candy. Then another neighbor of ours invited us to do the chocolate tour at Mrs. Cavanaugh's and it was neat to see how they do things but the boys were disappointed that the tour didn't take them down were they do everything you just had to look through a glass window, but it was all worth it in the end when we got a free piece of candy and also bought some for later, YUM!

So then our next trip I found out about the Natural History Museum in Salt Lake and my boys enjoy this stuff, so we headed down there for the day. They really enjoyed the museum and all the history. We then headed over to the Beehive house and took there tour, I don't think I had ever been there and it was an interesting tour and again learned a new side of Brigham Young (we learned a lot about him this last summer at some of tours we did about him) that I didn't know and the neat story about that house. While we were there I have never seen the Salt Lake Temple up on top of Joseph Smith Building during the day so we went up to the top floor to check it out and it is even better during the day cause you can really see the sheer size of it, but it is very beautiful at night all lit up. We then went back down to the main lobby and the boys marveled at the big statue of Joseph Smith and how big it is, but it was also a good time to remind them and discuss who he is and what he had done.

Over all so far these little trips have been a lot of fun with them, and I love spending this time I get with them to bond because they are growing up so fast and one day they will be doing this with there own kids.

All the pictures from the trips are below...

Valentine Party with neighborhood friends

Chocolate Factory Tour

Museum..

The Beehive House

Salt Lake Temple from J.S. Building

Goodbye 2009.. and an Ah, ha Moment..

I decided to post on my thoughts this last week of our New Year. I am so Thankful 2009 is over with, because for us and my Family it was a rough year. There were a lot of things that happened with our little family and then the 2 tragic deaths we also had. Early last year I had a Revelation about what we needed to be doing as a Family and in life in general. We then put our house on the market and tried to sell it. We came close but it fell through and then decided through the Holidays to take a break. As the year went on though in 2009 it seemed like nothing good could go right, but I know that is how we learn from our trials and our mistakes and it seemed like they were never ending last year. As the Holidays came things slowed down a bit and we were able to spend time with Family and reflect on what we have and how blessed we truly are. We have great neighbors that are so sweet in there giving and great teachers for our kids. We were also very blessed this Christmas by an anonymous person in our Ward that gave us a very nice gift. It made me really realize there are still people out there that give to others in need without even questioning or thinking how it will effect them. I just know they will be truly blessed for there kind act of service.

Now that we are coming into a New Year we will be trying to sell our home again and reflect on the many things we need to be doing. I am going to be really sad to leave this Ward and neighborhood (if we can't find something here) but we aren't moving far so I know I will be able to see a lot of the wonderful people we have gotten to know.

My ah, ha moment ( I don't know if I am spelling it right) but the other day I caught an episode of Oprah and she was talking with people that live around the World and what there life is like and how different is from the states. She talked with some people that live in Denmark (and apparently they are the happiest people on earth there) so when I heard that I called Joe and said I want to live there. I feel its been a long time since I have been truly happy. And as she went on with another couple in Denmark they showed her were they lived and she was so shocked how small these places were that they lived in and very neat and clean and not a lot of stuff and as Oprah commented about this the husband says to her "small space..less stuff..more life". I just LOVED that because that is exactly how it should be just have enough space to live in without all the stuff and enjoy and live life to its fullest. But, for us here in the US we are obsessed about the stuff and not about life and how we live it or what we should be doing that we need to do.

So, my New Year's Resolution this year is to get were I need to be and to live life and not worry about the stuff. Because in the end its not about what you had, but what you did that's more important.. I wish you all a Great and Prosperous New Year!