A new post, a new start to a healthy life!!

Ok.. hope you don't kill over out of sheer shock that I blogged today! LOL!!

I haven't had one of those thingamajigs that you plug into your computer to download pictures to, so I haven't blogged.. poor excuse I know!!  But thought you would want to see pictures of our cute, adorable kids instead of other people you might not know.. so instead you get the latter.. ha ha!

I have had a rough end of last year and a really rough beginning.. the whole month of December I had a brain virus that knocked me flat off my feet, then in January, the beginning I had my back knock me off my feet, so now I feel it is due time that I make up for it and be on the healthy end helping my family and friends!!

So, I have been eating so much healthier, which I thought I was before.. but have taken it to a whole new level!  I am recently severely allergic to milk, anything with milk in it so I have altered my cooking and baking and has turned out amazing!! Rice milk and almond milk have made it taste soo good.  Been swishing my mouth out with Sesame oil and the results are incredible!! Started juicing oranges, and an apple and a couple of carrots in the morning and I feel soo good! Energy and my back feels wonderful, soo much better than I did!  In fact, I have been asked if I work out and I haven't until just a couple days ago and that was only once and for 15 minutes.  I am more toned all over without doing anything so I can only imagine how I will feel and look when I actually do!  ( I am most thankful, not trying to sound prideful and if I do  Iam  so sorry! Its just that I feel soo good with what I am doing it is so nice for a change!!)  And I am using this new product for my skin and it is healing my face!!  What wonderful blessings that I am so grateful for!!

Ross is amazing!!  He has been eating so healthy and looks sooo wonderful!! He just started cooking Korean meals( where he served his Mission) and this is the second night he has made them and all I can say is WOW!! So yummy!! We had Tammy and Tom and the family over for dinner tonight and they loved it!! Was so nice to have someone to share this occasion with!  It is so healthy and flavorful, I am so happy!!

Note.. the above picture.. this is definately me.. ha ha.. not even close but a good goal.. if we could all look that good naturally.. hmm!

I have much to be thankful for.. my dear family who loves me so much and I love them.. all of them! My sweet friends who are there for me and love me regardless of my weaknesses.  My Savior who loves me unconditionally and died for me.  I love all of you and are so thankful for all my blessings.

The Energizer Bunny lives here!

Yes, it is true.. I have the energizer bunny living in my home!  He is so adorable.. especially seeing him in person!  And the stories are true.. he does keep going.. and going.. and going!

However, this one happens to be just a bit different than the rest. 
1. He gets his batteries charged every night, about the same time too.
2. He even moves in his sleep, and quite frequently we find him sleeping on the couch, the chair or even the floor. 
3. This one is very, very curious.  Loves to get into everything, especially if it is not something he is supposed to do!
4. This cute bunny of ours requires constant food to keep him going during the day... but tends to be on the picky side.
5. He can even talk!! Yes folks.. that's right, talk! He makes for a good parrot.  And will surprise you with some really cute sayings, like" I don't want to go to bed" or "I don't want to say sorry", but the cutest things are"I love you, I want to give you a hug".
6. He loves to give hugs!! And he is very huggable!!

He even has a name...Brayden!! Yep, my little 3 year old is our very own Energizer Bunny!! And I wouldn't have it any other way!! (Except that I might have some of his energy to keep up!!)

Merry Christmas

It has been a very special Christmas this year. We were able to spend almost 4 days at Ross' parents house in Cascade this week.  There was snow enough to have the kids go sledding, but was too hard to make a snowman.  Ross learned how to make divinity with the help of his Mom.  We enjoyed playing with his parent's anniversary gift BlendTec, and enjoyed fresh smoothies and homemade icecream.  Even though I was down half the time up there, I thouroughly enjoyed spending time with family.  Corrine and Matt surprised everyone with a visit from Tennessee, and we had a wonderful time with them and finally meeting their new little one, Levi, who is so adorable!!  Christine and Larry were up there and get to stay thru the New Year.  She gave me the most wonderful Massage I have ever had.  She is such a natural!!  It was such a joy to spend time with their family!!  We loved to see everyone up there that were there and miss those who were coming up after we left.

I have not been well and will leave it at that.  We were invited to a Christmas Eve Dinner at his Sister's Tammy in Emmett and was so nice to see them and their family.  The dinner was so nice and the company was even better. We were also able to see Sondra and their family there which was wonderful.  His brother in law gave me a Blessing which was such a comfort to me.  We enjoyed the reinactment of the Christmas Story by the nieces and nephews and that was so fun and memorable!  Then we all shared our favorite Christmas Memories and was wonderful to hear them reminisce.

As tradition for our little family, we got up this morning, got dressed, ate a wonderful meal of Sourdough pancakes and bacon, read Scriptures, had Prayer and then proceeded to open gifts.  It was a smaller Christmas than years past but we both agree that we prefer it this way.  With Ross' work being less than usual at this time of year, things have been tight, but it made for a special Christmas and will be one of our favorites to remember for sure.  I am just thankful that I am able to be with our loved ones and share precious memories with them and that I am getting alittle better in ways.

We will be headed off to my family's this afternoon for Christmas there and enjoy a special Dinner and company with them.

I pray that this Christmas season brings hearts together, loved ones closer and feelings of joy and happiness.  Know that we love and miss all and that you are in our Prayers.

The Stevens

Dear Santa,

Disclaimer: I want to make a disclaimer by saying that you might find out that I am actually imperfect, and have many faults after reading this letter.  But I hope that I will not be thought of any less because I have openly admitted them.

Dear Santa,

I am not the same little girl that used to write you a letter, wishing for a barbie doll with a pink car to match.  In fact, time has worked on me over the years of growing up.

I used to think that in order to have a wonderful Christmas, I needed to have my stocking filled to the brim with things that were purchased.  I used to feel that in order to feel loved, I needed everything on my list to come true.  In fact, in some ways this would fill a big hole that I didn't realize was there until lately. 

I hate to admit it, but I came from a family where you were given equal ammounts as gifts.  If one daughter had a certain ammount spent on them, then the other needed the same amount in the eyes of the parents.  This was not a good practice.  Even more disheartening was I carried this same thinking into my own family.  With the love and patience of a loving husband, I have overcome this philosophy.

I remember a certain year, after I had turned 9, that I wasn't sure there was going to be a Christmas that year.  You see, my parents had just recently separated(a couple of months before) and my Grandmother, of whom I was very close to, passed away in the early morning hours just after Christmas night.  But as I have come to understand over the years that I truly had a blessed Christmas because I had the love of my family more drawn near than I realized.

Something has changed in me.  Something that I had hoped for for many many years.  Instead of wishing for barbie dolls or cabbage patch dolls,

 I wish for peace in my home.  Where there once was a longing for that ever so popular thingamajig.. now there is longing for good health and good deeds to others. 

My Christmas list would now be consisted of : Forgiveness, Christ-like love for one another, Peace in my home and amongst my children, Serving Heavenly Father's children on a daily basis, Charity, Good Health, re kindling of old friendships, Not taking anything for granted, Happiness, Kindness, Giving of one's self.   Spending Time building memories with loved ones.  Enjoying the Moment. 

I have always loved to give.  But now I think I give with more purpose and intent. 

I ask that I continue to wish for these things and to do my part in making them come true.  May all my loved ones, friends and neighbors know just how special they are to me and how much I love them, not only thru this Christmas Season but through out each and every day.

Thank you Santa, for believing in me.  And I believe in you, which is the Spirit of Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Love,

Amber

Preparing for Christmas

Things have been going well for our family.  Nothing out of the ordinary but fun nonetheless.  Last week we got a call the day before our Ward Christmas party and was asked to participate in a small program.  We were asked to sing and chime Away in a Manger along with 2 other families.  Being the person who hasn't learned how to say no, I was thrilled(ok..willing) to accept.  We had a great time at the party.  It was different than years past.  Instead of dinner they had a dessert bar.  It was wonderful, but still prefer the dinner.  With only a few minutes of practice, we did pretty well considering.  I would have opted to just have the children up there but it was a good experience.  At the close of the party, they handed out handmade mangers with straw and a poem to everyone there.  This way we can celebrate the True meaning of Christmas by serving our Saviour by serving His children.  I still have a hard time feeling ok with putting straw in it but am getting better.  I think it is a wonderful idea to keep Christ in Christmas.  I enjoy doing things for others and teaching my children to do the same.

We placed it right next to our Nativity Scene and we hope to have a soft bed of straw for Jesus to lay in on Christmas morning because we chose to think of others.  I have had so many people do such wonderful, small (yet big to me) things for our family and I want to give back... so I try to look for something everyday that I can help someone, even if it be so simple, to make their day a little brighter, better, easier or feel loved.

I know that some would say that our house is very simply decorated.  I don't have these cute things that I have made or want to make, but someday I will and I will enjoy what I have so far.

I am not stressed over Christmas, I haven't too much planned, yet there are things that I would love to do for my family and others.  I know that God takes care of our needs when we take care of the needs of others.  I am so grateful for this special season.  When hearts are soften and turn to those we care about.  When forgiveness seems more easy to do.  When we turn to others needs instead of our own.  I only wish to carry this feeling into the New Year.

We don't have our tree up yet.  That is the only thing about having a wood stove that I don't care for.  It dries out the tree quickly. But I am most grateful for the wonderful heat it puts out!  And to me it just doesn't seem like Christmas until I have our tree up.  We will get to do that this week. 

I pray that each of us will remember why we celebrate Christmas and go the extra mile in preparing a soft bed for Him to lay in.

Wonderful Week

This past week was such a wonderful one for us.  We have so many things to be thankful for.  First of all I am so thankful that my husband has a job!  He was laid off for 9 days and it was so nice to have him home!  He was able to help friends in need when their female had puppies (our dog was the Stud dog).  He went hunting (not as much as he would have liked), cleaned out the storage shed (wahoo!!, that was a huge task!), mowed the lawn, cleaned out the kennels, played games with us and so forth.

We had the opportunity of seeing a great movie The Blind Side, Wednesday my family came over for Thanksgiving Dinner and we had a delicious meal then played games.  It was so nice to have them over.  Thursday we enjoyed a wonderful meal with his sister Sondra and their family in Middleton.  We were able to bring our neighbor Patty with us who is going thru some really hard times with us and Sondra had a friend there as well.  Jerry and I took a couple of plates of food over to my Dad that afternoon.  It was so nice to do that for him.  Then that evening we  were invited to friends in our Ward for dinner and games and had such a good time there!  Ross and I stayed up until 2:30 am watching The Great Escape one that I have not seen before.

Friday was a good day, lazy but good.  That evening we took Jerry and Raelene to their first BSU Football game.  A guy that Ross had trained his dog for got us 4 tickets to the Nevada game at BSU.  IT was SOOO cold and wet but we had a good time.

Saturday night we went to the Gold and Green Ball at the Stake Center.  We had a good time there.  Raelene took our picture for us just before we left.  I think she did a pretty good job.

That about sums it up.  We have so much to be thankful for.  I am thankful for my family and friends.  For my freedoms and to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Now I can retire?!

My sweet husband has been asking me to teach our daughter who is 11 years old, how to make bread.  Yesterday I finally did just that.  I shaped the first loaf while she watched me and then she did the rest.  This is how they turned out.  I thought she did such a wonderful job, especially for her first time!  Better than my first time that is for sure!  So now she can make bread whenever we need it.  How grateful I am for such wonderful children who love to learn and love to serve.