Coolest day of the year!

So today was such a great day! We had family come and visit us in Ephraim, the Trasks and my girls had the time of their life. It was Snow College's Homecoming this weekend and they had a parade so we watched. I find myself watching my girls more than the parade because they are so much fun to watch, especially when candy is thrown out. Mallorie takes off after it no matter how far off it is and Jerusha is a little passie especially when we are around other families. I went for the most amazing 4 wheeler ride with my husband. He got me one for my birthday and we went up around Ephraim. It was awesome!!! I'm thinking it is time to potty train Mallorie. While she was at grandma's house the other day, so  we could take Tammy to Primary's for a checkup, we got a text from my sister of a picture of Mallorie in the bathroom with her pants around her ankles and the toilet seat up. she was saying poo poo potty. Yeah we are excited about that. Tomorrow is my 25th birthday. I remember when I was ten and I turned 10 on the 10 month on the 10 day in 1995 and I thought that was so cool but I thought it would have been even cooler if it could have been the 10th year and now, it is only i'm 25 and not 10. Tomorrow will be 10/10/2010 and it's my birthday. Thanks mom for having me on the coolest day ever!

Count your blessings

I feel I need to share an experience. I was sad today. And as I sit here, holding my baby so she will sleep, I'm reminded of the last month of our life. I went to womens conference this last week. My sweet husband very willingly watched our girls so I could go and it was wonderful. I sat in our chapel, pondering by myself and praying for whatever answers or inspiration Heavenly Father felt I needed. I knew I couldn't asked for what I wanted. I was there to receive revelation for myself and needed to hear what He wanted me to. I prayed so hard to receive some kind of inspiration but I wasn't sure what it was going to be and then we started to sing the opening hymn, Count your blessings and that was my answer. As I sat there reading the word to that amazing song, I started to cry and I knew I didn't need to ask for anything else specifically, Heavenly Father knew what I needed to hear. I count my blessings everyday that I hold my little baby in my arms and I am so thankful to still have her as part of my life. It was an inspired song for me to hear. I know m Heavenly Father loves me and is watching out for me and my family. He knows what we are capable of bearing. He knows me personally and I feel His love in my home everyday. I know that through the resurrection of Christ my family will live together forever and one day all have perfect bodies. I have a testimony of the power of the priesthood and faith and as we exercise them in our home, we are blessed! And I bear my testimony in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Thank you all for your prayers in our behalf. We appreciate them very much and know they are heard.

for more information...

For those of you who haven't heard, we have shut down Tammy's blog with the hope that it will one day be up and running with good news to share. Until then, we hurry up and wait. I'm sorry for this sad news but am willing to email information or talk to anyone interested, just email me at karenthelin@gmail.com or call me 801-494-7446.

My Little Tammy

I love you my little Tammy. I want you to smile and laugh, grab your toes and roll all over the place like you use to do. I love you watch you, even now, make so much progress. You are an angel and Heavenly Father loves you so much. I know because I am your mom and I love you so much. I see you and stand in your presence and then I walk out into the world and I miss your presence and the peace the spirit you have brings. You are a beautiful daughter of God and He has wrapped His arms around you and our family and brought us all very close together. One day we will understand everything but that day is not today and may not even be tomorrow but one day, we will. And until then, we do not question. We have Faith!

And the countdown continues...

So, for the last couple of days, I have been having contractions. They have been getting worse but nothing so far. We have 3 weeks left before D day but at our rate, we'll give it 1 more and see how far we get. Our house is looking up but we are yet waiting, again... for the official closing papers. We took a trip to Ephraim the other day and had to stop in Nephi for a potty break. Jerusha and I went in and while I was helping her onto the potty (in the somewhat crowded bathroom) she just looked up at me and smiled. She asked if I had to go potty to and I told her no and then I asked her "why are you so cute?" She responded as she usually does with "because I look like my mom!" and I just smiled bigger. Then it got better. She said "mom, say 'why are you so strong'?" so I asked her and she replied "because I look like my dad!" By this point I could hear some snickering in the bathroom but with all the chatter going on, I disregarded it. Then, the kicker, Jerusha says to me "mom, say 'why are you so crazy'?" I have never heard this one before so I asked her and she said, "because I look like my dad!" and she was so proud of it. This is when the roar of giggles and laughter in the bathroom just went without reserve. By this time we were done so we left the stall to wash and one lady said to me "wow, she's a great little talker." I just grinned at her and we got back on our way. I love Jerusha so much! She comes up with the funniest things and is becoming so creative. Well, keep eyes out for new baby posts. Hopefully, she'll be here soon!

Birthdays and bellies!

And we are back... We just got to watch Matthew off to the MTC for 2 whole years. He was ready to go and looked like a missionary. Ryan comes home in almost enough time to countdown individual days- the end of July, I think the 31st and wow, it's gone by fast. Our house in Ephraim is going and going, slow and steady. We are just waiting for the paper work to be finished and then we are going to move. Timeline-- March, work and school (for James)- April, have a baby and finals (for James)- May, move and Scandinavian Days (in Ephraim- come see us and have a delicious pork sandwich!) and that's about as far as we have really planned. We'll take the rest as it comes. Jerusha just had her 3rd birthday with a Tinkerbell Party. The best part is if you ask her, she'll tell you about the cupcakes which were about 10 minutes of the almost 4 hour event. and she'll still tell you that she's 2 and not 3. I don't think it's quite set in yet.

Quite a stud, huh!

The 10 minute cupcake excitement!

Baby Mags for you!

This is her. Cute, isn't she!!!

Mallorie loves the candy necklaces. She just struggles to find them under her chin.

My attempts to take a picture of my pregnant belly. Pathetic, can you tell?

new home link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe-Q5XoyF4k

new home

Well, after a long Christmas break and no school for me this semester, I'm ready to keep up on my blogging! Quick updates... James is graduating from UVU at the end of this semester, I'm working at the Rehab unit at UVRMC in Provo full time and having a baby in 3 months, Jerusha is becoming quite the independent little toddler -quite helpful too, Mallorie is walking/ cruising to keep up with Jerusha and trying to talk and TammyLee (name not official until she gets here but until then...) is squirmy and growing but not outwards. Harley is becoming less annoying as James puts it. AND, we are going to buy a house and move to Ephraim this summer!!! YEAH!!! James frequently looks for houses that are selling for a great price and would be fun to live in especially in Ephraim and we found on, 110 years old with a 10 year old add on. The carpet in the main living room is pink and the walls are peach, but we are so excited to move in or back, I guess! We went down to Ephraim to measure all the rooms yesterday (and then forgot to bring our measurement with us;) and did a little video. Don't make fun of the lady behind the camera but take a look!!!