May: Week 1

May has been so crazy.
I'm glad it's over but it was such a FUN month!!

May 4th was my birthday. I turned the big 23. I am starting to feel a little bit old. I'm slowly inching closer and closer to being 25 and that scares me a little bit. But, it's all something we've gotta do right?!

Everytime I hit a birthday I feel like I don't look my age. So, I always go crazy shopping and getting a haircut, in hopes that I will feel like I look older. This year when I went shopping I got some AMAZING deals! Like $6.99 jeans from Aeropostale!!! And I got 3 pairs of jeans, a pair of capri's and a pair of shorts - all from American Eagle and they were each $20 or less!! They're normally $40 or $50!! I got lots of clothes and lots of good deals!

I decided to chop off my hair. I need to add some color and hopefully will be able to get that done this month. It's so much cooler with it so short! I love it!

And Kameron and I actually got to go on a date (without Kason!) for my birthday. We went and ate at the R&R Pizza Buffet which was so yummy!

Then on Cinco de Mayo we had; Clint, Tiffany & Maddie Woods, Trent & Adelle Hancock, Curtis, Maranda, Dylan & Cash Whittle and Mason over for some Mexican food! It was SO yummy and the kids had so much fun playing together!!

I have lots to post about so I'll get to it as soon as I can!

My mixed emotions re: MAY

Why is it that one of my most favorite months of the entire year is so CrAzY?! May is always so busy and filled with so much to do! This year it seems like it was even worse. I absolutely love May, it has my birthday and mother's day and the weather is usually really nice (not this year though) but it's always so incredibly crazy.

I am stealing this from my cousin Emily because it seems like a good way to de-junk my brain. Here, my friends, is my long list of excuses for not blogging lately. I have had so much to do and I still have so much to do. I have SO many things I want to blog about but I just do not have any time.

So ... my excuse list (aka: a to-do list)

- do laundry

- clean the bathroom (thanks mom)

- wash or replace the shower curtain (does anyone else have a problem with nasty shower curtains?)

- pedicure - Thursday @ 1:30
- visit teach Kim - Thursday @ 3:00

- Piano lessons - Thursday @ 4:00

- Grey's Anatomy Season Finale - Thursday @ 8:00 (boo-hoo!)
- pack for this weekend!!!

- find a ward to attend in the Phoenix area for Sunday

- confirm our spa times for Saturday

- wrap wedding gift

-get wedding card

- leave for Phoenix - Friday @ 3:00 (meet mom in Globe)

- mail in ASRS forms
- schedule appointment with Dr. Foote

- call insurance companies

- call Christina to reschedule visiting teaching

- call Claire to schedule visiting teaching

- register for EAC mom 'n' tot swim class

- arrange accomodations for Jo City visit

- arrange accomodations for Eagar visit

- pay gas bill

- write thank you notes

- find Kameron's flip flops

- decide what to wear to a five star resort this weekend

- turn in Kameron's perscription

- call Dr. Walsh's office re: referral to Dr. Foote

- call Mike Goodman

- call NAU

- piano lessons - Friday @ 10:00
- get recipes to Julina

- get pictures to Kirsti

- clean backyard (thanks Kam)

- blog about birthday

-blog about mother's day

-blog about d-backs game

- blog, blog & blog (I have so many blogs to write)

- call back people inquiring about piano lessons

- baby-sit Lunt kids

- activity days

- e-mail pictures to Tiana

- when back from Phoenix, pack for Payson/Jo City/Eagar trip

- check on packages that should be arriving

- mop

- balance check book

- try making homemade pizza dough with my new kitchen aid (blog about this to come!!)

- Walmart run
- clean bedroom

-put locks on cabinets

- list for mom for this weekend

- medical release for mom for this weekend

- letter to Northwest Medical Center re: insurance coverage
- put songs on mp3 player

- wash towels (thanks Kam!)

- wash sheets

- mail medical records to insurance company

- get directions to all our destinations this weekend

- return AE shirt

- complete list and collapse

I love being busy but I will be glad when the next couple weeks are over. They're going to fun but BUSY! So, we'll be back to blogging in awhile - until then ... hang tight!

*

Make sure you read Kameron's first ever blog post ... it's a couple posts down :o) I'm so proud of him jumping into the blogging world

Another tag

Maybe instead of just doing tag posts I should actually update on our life. I will soon enough I promise. Things have been incredibly busy!!

5 Things On My To-Do List: (my list is ridiculously longer than this)
- Do laundry and pack for the weekend
- Clean the bathroom
- Write some thank you notes
- Get visiting teaching done
- Plan out this weekend and next week

5 Jobs I've Had: (same with this - I've had way too many jobs)
- Arby's
- Hostess @ Chinese food restaurant
- Librarian
- Nanny
- Daycare worker

5 Places I've Lived:
- Mesa, AZ
- Maumelle, Arkansas
- Payson, AZ
- Thatcher, AZ
- That's it

5 Favorite Snacks:
- Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn
- Brownies
- Ice Cream
- Lemon Bars
- White Cheddar Rice Cakes

5 Things You May Not Know About Me:
- When I was a toddler I dropped a can of food on the big toe of my right foot and it's been bruised and ugly ever since. I hate that toe.
- I had to get my ears pierced twice. When I was little (not quite sure how old) I convinced my mom to let me pierce my ears and she did. But, I would cry and complain everytime I had to clean them so I took out the earrings and let the holes close up and got them re-pierced a few years later.
- My first "boyfriend" was in 5th grade ... strangely enough his name was Cameron. Funny thing is - we hardly ever talked and we broke up after two days because things just weren't working out. :o)
- I was the first person from my high school to make it into All-State Choir in 5 years. I went 2 years in a row. (Sophomore and Junior years ... didn't sing choir my senior year and it's embarrassing to admit but I was ineligable my freshman year - darn math class) And since I've graduated in 2003 nobody else from my high school has gone.
- I used to play the french horn & flute and I play the piano. I wish I still had a french horn and a flute to keep those up. And thank heavens I have a piano!!

5 Things I'd Do As A Billionaire:
- PAY OFF DEBT
- Buy a house for me and everyone in my immediate family
- Go on a ton of vacations
- SHOPPING SPREE
- Save & Invest

5 People I Tag:
- Whoever wants to do this.

From me to you...Kameron

It been an amazing last 3 months for me so I have decided to write a little bit and then once again give it all back to Jami. My life has been turned upside down and inside out. The sickness will always be with and will have left me marked and scarred but grateful for the experience. Lonely drug induced nights in hospitals, giving more blood than you think you have, freaky nurses, and loneliness, getting way to skinny(105 pounds), and just everything that comes with this entire package. Isn't funny how with prayers, love, support and some tears, we can look back at it all and say....WE MADE IT! So thank you to every person who prayed for me, and worried, and called Jami! I am so grateful and I truly Love each and every one of you! So smile....

Uno, Dos, Tres

How to play this game. Post these rules on your blog; List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names.

3 joys:

1. Anything Kason (cuddling, smiles, kisses, hugs)
2. My wonderful husband
3. SUMMER (flip flops, BBQ's, swimming, the heat - you name it I love it!)

3 fears:

1. Scorpions
2. House fire
3. Failing as a mom

3 goals:

1. Have a clean house and keep it clean for more than a week
2. Get a Bachelor's Degree
3. ENJOY motherhood rather than just ENDURING it.

3 current obsessions/collections:

1. Willow Tree Figurines
2. All my TV shows
3. Baseball

3 random facts:

1. I can't mix black and brown when getting dressed (like I can't wear a black belt and brown shoes - just can't do it)
2. I love to buy lots of scrapbooking stuff but I hardly ever get pages done.
3. I used to have an obsession with Winnie the Pooh.

I Tag:
1. Becky Buhr
2. Stephanie Howard
3. Sara Kerrigan
4. Lindsey Stokes
5. Brie Scott

I am indeed grateful for these past few months. The thing that I am most grateful for ... the generosity, love and kindness of others. I am amazed at the amount of selflessness that remains in the world today. We have received so much from so many people. Some we know, so we don't and some have chosen to stay anonymous. And I am grateful for each and every person who shared their love with us.

Since the beginning of all of this we have recieved:

- Close to $3700.00 from numerous people (and it's still coming). These people will never know how much it relieves the burdens on our shoulders to recieve even the smallest amount of money. I am forever grateful for each person who has sent us money. You each know who you are and I want you to know, you are our saving grace. You are the angels watching over our family. And we are truely eternally grateful for you. Thank you.

- Diapers, wipes, paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper, food, cleaning supplies and so much more. I honestly think we've got enough toilet paper and paper towels to last us the rest of the year.

- And the support, phone calls, letters & cards, prayers, visits and everything else that we have received. It is all appreciated so much. And tonight my heart is full of gratitude for each person who has gone out of their way to make us feel loved and let us know that someone out there is thinking of us.

I hope this post doesn't come across as generic. I just wanted everyone to know that our family is so grateful for everything that has been done for us. I especially wanted a way to thank those who have chosen to help us but wanted to stay anonymous. So thank you to each and everyone of you who has in someway helped our family these past few months. You will never know the impact you had on our family's life. And to those of you who give in the future thank you. I have a new appreciation for service and someday, I know I will have the opportunity to pay it forward to someone else who is in need, just like our family is now.

At Home America Party!

Tomorrow I'm hosting an 'At Home America' party.
This company has SUPER cute home decor stuff!!
Here's the website: www.athomeamerica.com

Time: 2-4 pm (come and go)
Place: my house (let me know if you need my address)

Even if you don't want to order you can come have some girl time and food!!

Hope you can make it.
If you can't come but still want to order - let me know!

What I am really grateful for today ...

TEMPLES.



Yesterday I was able to go do a session in the Mesa Temple (thanks for watching Kason mom!!). And it was one of the best sessions I have ever done. I really wanted to focus and try to get alot out of it because of everything we've been going through lately. I was particularly in search of some guidance in regards to our financial situation. I got in way before the session started which was really nice because I had lots of time to clear my head and say a prayer. As I get into the session I was suprised at how much I got out of it! I learned and noticed a lot of things that I had never even noticed before. We had a moment where we had to wait for about 10 minutes so I was able to think about everything and say another prayer for guidance.

I think I was expecting a huge revelation. I was expecting it to be some magnificent advice that would make everything clear. Well, as I got into the Celestial Room and I sat and thought for a minute. I realized, I don't need a huge revelation. I don't need someone to look me in the eye and tell me what we need to do. What I realized and what I learned from being in the temple yesterday was simply this ... FAITH. It's something that I've always known. If we put our faith in the Lord, everything will work out. I walked out of the temple with the strongest reassurance that if we can both put our trust in the Lord, that our family will be taken care of.

What's funny is in Activity Days this past week we talked about faith. And today at church one of the speakers, talked about faith. It really reiterated the importance of having and practicing faith. I am so grateful I was able to go to the temple yesterday. It was an amazing experience that I really needed. It's always so refreshing to spend a couple hours in the temple.

The second reason I am so grateful for temples is because soon I'm going to have one within a 5 minute drive!!! That's right - President Monson announced that the Gila Valley will be getting a temple. I couldn't be more excited about this!!! It's all I can think about. I am hoping to be able to volunteer someway while it's being built, or even for the open house. How neat would that be?! I'm am so ecstatic to be able to attend the temple weekly once it is completed and possibly to even have the opportunity to work in the temple. It really is an amazing blessing for the Saints of this valley.

(Read the press release on the Church news site here)

And of course the third reason I am so grateful for temples today is the blessing that I have to be sealed to my wonderful husband, Kameron, for time and all eternity. When we had a scare of possibly losing him, the only comfort I could find was in the fact that we are an eternal family. I knew that if something were to happen to him, I would get to be with him again someday. And I grateful for that knowledge. It breaks my heart when I hear of someone who has lost a family member and they do not have this knowledge of eternal families.

I am so grateful for temples, and my amazing eternal family. Where would we be without these wonderful blessings?!

Few Questions ...

#1. What is the website that you can go to and have a book made of your blog?? Has anyone done it? Can you include all the pictures? Can you pick and choose what posts you want put in the book? Is it resonably priced? {Becky I think you were the one that told me about this!!}

#2. Everytime I try to change our background it deletes everything that is on the right side. How do I do it WITHOUT deleting all that stuff?! It really is a pain to have to track down everyone's addresses again. But, I'm getting sick of our background. HELP!

#3. On a lot of blogs you guys have that thing where you have to type in a bunch of random letters before you can post a comment. How do you do that?! I want that on my comments so weird computer comments can't be left.

Thanks ... K ~ keep going down.

I'm doing MUCH better than I was during my previous rant & rave post {read it here if you missed it and all it's excitement}. I think I just needed to vent.

We were able to get on state insurance (yay!) and our caseworker really encouraged us to apply for unemployment so, we're going through that right now.

Thursday night, Cindy Hatch, Nikki Clonts and Laurie Moore took me out for a night on the town (really we just went to Chalo's) but, is was SO much fun and it was night that I really needed to just relax and have some girl time!! (Thank you Ladies!)

Nikki came and cleaned my house (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU) I will never be able to thank her enough for that.

Kason slept for TWELVE hours last night. So, I'm feeling a little bit more rested.

And I have been thinking about all the people in world that have worse trials than me and I am grateful that I am able to handle all of this. So, I'm feeling MUCH better about things and know that things will work out. I guess I'm just like the rest of the women in the world, where a big venting session really helps every once in a while. Thanks for listening :o)

Now on with my next post ...