Denny the ELF

So I was out with my friend Allie at the mall and she introduced me to the "Elf on the Shelf" book. It has a kinda creepy elf that sits on your shelf and flies home to Santa to report if you've been good or not. He comes back everyday and sits in a new place to watch you. You cannot touch him or he leaves, but you can talk to him.

I went home that day and talked to Sue about it and she said it is a tradition from Denmark and that she had heard of it, but didn't know there was a book. Well, the next day Sue had bought the book. She wrapped it and placed it on the doorstep, then the kids discovered it!!!

They were so excited!!!! There is a cute website where you can go and register and name your elf. We named our elf Denny...because he comes from Denmark.

The kids have had so much fun searching for Denny every morning. I even caught Jaycee reading him a story from a Christmas book...it was so sweet! I LOVE that all my kids still believe in Santa. I do think Bryn is on the fence though.

Charcoal Gray Monday

OK things are a little better today....not really, but I am trying.

I didn't work out today because I am SICK! Dang kiddos giving me their cooties!!:)
So I don't really feel to bad about that, because it wasn't due to a lack of motivation (pure laziness)

I have eaten a little better today

I cannot find my scriptures, so I get a pass until I do

I told people I LOVE them today

I have tried to do my online homework today, but the website is down....so I think that counts:)

I have prayed very HARD today

I spent a little time with each of my kids (I am really going to have to work at this one)

The taking care of me is going to take time....but it is something I am conscientiously thinking about

We didn't do family prayer...oops

I didn't have anyone to forgive today

Hey, at least I am trying

Black Sunday

I really mean black Sunday...not black Friday. Here is why....

Jaycee has been sick since about Wednesday, then on Friday Camden started not feeling well. Then last night Bryn and I started with the boogie nose and cough.

I feel like every Sunday someone or something makes it very hard for me to get to church. I LOVE church!!! My week goes so much better if I go and feel the spirit.

So here is what happened today. First off I had done a load of laundry last night and had asked Bryn to put it in the dryer for me this morning. I then went up stairs to switch out the load and there was BLACK crayon ALL over everything!!! I started to cry...I had no idea how it got in there, no idea why there was even a crayon that wasn't in the crayon box, why this happened to me, and why I EVEN TRY!!!

I feel like lately that everything is black. My life seems pointless, I don't fit in in my new ward, I am failing as a mother, father, daughter, friend, student,and sister.

I remember being in 9Th grade seminary and winning a medal for best future mom. ( I actually think I still have the medal) I wanted to be a stay at home mom who ran my kids to piano lesson, dance lessons, sports and church activities. I would have cookies hot from the oven when they got home from school, and a husband who couldn't wait to get home to see me. OK OK this seems a little Florence Henderson, but that is what I had always pictured. Well my crappy life couldn't be farther from this. It really does BUM me out:(

Well and to top it off I have put back on some of the weight I worked so hard to loose...I was down 30 lbs from December 2010. I have pit back on about 8...which leaves me at 143...I wanna be 135 again.

Here is my plan to get me where I want to be spiritually, mentally and physically...

1. Exercise a minimum of 45 min per day

2. Pray more

3. Study harder

4. Spend individual time with my kids (not sure how to accomplish this yet)

5. Forgive better

6. Take better care of me

7. Read Scriptures

8. Family Prayer

9. Eat better

10. Tell everyone I love how much I love them

I am hoping this is at least a start to making 2011 a better year.

Snowbird

This September the Taggs let me and my kids use their timeshare at Snowbird. Well Snowbird is gotta be one of my FAVORITE places ever!!!! I love the mountains and that I live less than 10 miles from Snowbird!! We had so much fun! The kids were troopers and went from the time the rides opened until they closed. We went on Thursday night and played all day Friday...there were NO lines!!!

The highlight of the trip was Jaycee! The first thing she wanted to do was ride the mechanical bull. WEIRD!!! But that's Jayce:) She got on and it went to one side, then the other and then flew forward! Jaycee did a front flip off and I pretty sure the girl that was controlling the ride peed her pants! I almost did! We seriously laughed for 10min. We still tease her about it! I hope to make this a yearly trip for us!

Thanks Ray and Sue for letting us use it! We LOVE ya!

Skinny Jean Code

Did you know there was a "skinny jean code"? I didn't either until this morning.

My beautiful girls are all about the skinny jeans...OK I admit I have a couple pairs:)

Well as they were getting dressed this morning Jaycee asked Bryn if she knew about the "code"? Bryn looked at her like she was crazy! I piped in and said I didn't know about the "code".

Jaycee said, "The skinny jean code is that boys like it when girls wear skinny jeans, because their bums look good in them."

Bryn then said, " I'm wearing skinny jeans today!!!"

I actually thought in my head maybe I needed to wear them too!!! LOL

Love that silly girl Jaycee!

Sweetest boy

OK so usually I have Camden Crackups to post or I am complaining that he is driving me crazy, but this morning he did something so incredibly sweet I had to post it.

I was making my kids eggs for breakfast. We all like them fried so we can dip toast in the yoke. Well I has made the eggs and Jaycees yoke had broke, so I told her that I would eat it and she could have mine. Camden had just walked away from the stove with his eggs when he turned back around and handed me his plate and said " You always have to eat the broken ones, so have mine and I'll eat the broken one." I of course stared to cry and gave him a million kisses. I LOVE him so much and hope he will always treat me this way.

I may complain a lot about him, but today I think I'll keep him:)

What have I lost?

This was a question that was presented this past Sunday by a Mr. Chris William. He came a spoke in my new ward for the combined 5Th Sunday. He was so inspiring and wonderful, I cried the entire hour....tears of joy, and forgiveness.

But before I get into that I wanted to explain my new ward. I have moved to the East side (Sandy), and to us born and raised west siders I am now snobby!!! Just kidding...well I have encountered a few snobs, but oh well. I have been really anxious to go to this ward because I am surrounded by wealth, not spiritual, but monetary. There is nothing wrong with that, I just feel like a single mommy on welfare cannot compete. I am going to get over that though. I have been accepted with open arms and have felt very welcome.

OK back to Sunday. Sue called her dear friends the Daniels and asked them to make me and my kids feel welcome. Ray and Sue don't go to church, but they are the most Christ like people I have ever met and I am so blessed they are in my life. Sister Daniels told us where she would be sitting and invited us to join her. Well I was running a few minutes late and we just sat in the back. As soon as Sacrament was over her and her sweet husband hurried over to us and she took the kids (she is the Primary Pres.) and Brother Daniels directed me to Sunday School. I of course stood out as I walked in and the teacher asked me to introduce myself.....I was mortified!!! I hate that! At the end of the lesson Bro Daniels said the nicest things about the Taggarts and asked the ward to please make me feel welcome. He is sooooo sweet, and yeah I cried again! Then there was a combined Relief Society and Priesthood meeting. The bishop then stood up and asked me to introduce myself to the ward.....I was beyond mortified at this point and stood out like a sore thumb!!!! Then Chris spoke to us.

In Feb 2007 he was driving with his family when they were struck by a drunk driver who was 17 years old. His wife, unborn child, daughter, and son died immediately. One of his sons survived the crash and another was at a friends house. He was a bishop at the time. I cannot imagine a loss so great. He spoke of forgiveness and love. His Mormon message can be seen here.

After watching that he asked " What have I lost?" his answer was NOTHING. That because of the atonement he still has his family that he lost. WOW! So powerful. I think about the things I complain about and i have really lost nothing! He talked about grieving, that there is good grief and bad grief. Satan is behind the bad grief. I so need to remember that. If i had to pick a day to start a new ward, I am sooo thankful/grateful I picked this Sunday. I don't think it was by accident either.