CHD Awareness Week is Coming

For those who don't know. Every Feb 1-14th I like to help spread CHD awareness by hosting a contest on my blog. I usually have at least 2 prizes one of them being a grand prize. In the past this has been a white gold or sterling silver diamond heart pendant necklace. This year I am thinking of changing it up and would like some feedback. So Please let me know what you think! I was thinking about having the grand prize be either the regular diamond heart necklace that I would just pick out. Or make 3 different necklaces available and the winner gets to choose? This way I can also keep the contest open for international entry's as well. What do you think?

Our New Year So Far

So far this new year has been pretty good. But you cant really judge a year to much by it's first month though. School is going good we had a little bit of a rough go at first. Trying to get back into studying and doing homework and then working that around everyone else's schedule. But I think we have it now. As long as our computer lasts. :) I did get to try out my dutch oven that my parents got for us. it worked GREAT! I am very excited at the endless possibilities and recipes that will be cooked in this dutch oven. :) (I forgot to take a picture of the food actually cooking...oops.) For Avery so far this year has been  geared towards friends. She has been able to see a lot of her cousins lately and has made some new friends at church now that she can go to nursery. That has been really good. She just walks right in and starts playing with the toys and talking to the other kids. We have also had friends come over to the house for play dates and such. Lately she has been a little more clingy for some reason. But I think it is the changes that have been taking place. Like I said we have had a lot of visitors at the house lately. :) I think it's starting to weird her out a little bit. The past weekend we got to celebrate Abby's birthday which was a lot of fun. So yeah not a lot to tell about the new year so far. I do have some fun pictures though.

  LOVE this cheesy smile!

 On a side note. February is right around the corner and I will be doing my annual CHD Awareness Week. So mark your calenders and get ready. :)

Happy Birthday!

I would like to strart doing this again. so our year starts with....

Abby Wardell
I think a lot of you who read my blog know who Abby is. If not come back in February, you'll learn A LOT more about her. :) Abby is a spunky, sassy 14 year old with nig broadway dreams. She loves singing, playing the piano and violin and acting. She has been in plays both for her school and for community theaters. She loves every minute of them. Abby was born with a birth defect called tetrology of fallot. This is a heart defect. I will be posting more about this next month. So for now lets just say this girl could give you a tour of primary childrens medical center blind folded. :) Last month her and her family had the opportunity to go on a make a wish trip to Florida. There they visited Walt Disney World and Universal Studios including the wizarding world of Harry Potter. :o)
Abby is a sassy teenager, but she has this wonderful soft side as well. So here's to you Abby on your birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday

This year is going to be full of first birthdays. :) Like this handsome guy. He is another great nephew (?) and such a cutie.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYKER!!!

Happy Birthday

This cute little girl turned 1 this month! She is the daughter of my niece. I'm not quite sure what that makes her...my great niece? Anyway I just want to wish a very happy 1st birthday to hazel.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Resolutions

 I know that resolutions have jokes like that one above attached to them. However I find that I do better when I have goals and things that I want to try and accomplish. So I know there are people who think good and bad things about resolutions. I am definitely a good thinker of them. So Hello 2014! Here is what I want to try and accomplish this year.

1) Stay on top of homework and just look at school a semester and class at a time. Looking at the big picture starts to overwhelm and frustrate me.

2) Be a better wife and mother. With me being in school and doing homework and studying and all that I don't want to lose site of important things like my daughter and husband. to be better I want to make sure I spend time with my daughter, playing, coloring, dancing and doing a bunch of other fun things. With my husband i want to make sure I am there to listen. Make time for date nights and things like that.

3) we have a wedding coming in May and i know when you say I want to lose X amount of pounds by THIS day. It usually never works. (for me at least.) So I want to get in a good 20-30 min cardio at least 4 times a week (if not more) and just get exercises into my daily routine.

4) this is also for my book blog. I would like to have read 25 non children's (as in my daughters story books) and non textbooks this year. I am already trying to finish The Host as well as re-reading the 4th Harry Potter, and listening to Emma on audio book. I know it seems like a lot but I keep it pretty well balanced.

Well that's it. there are my goals and resolutions for 2014. I would love feedback, encouragement and support. (ESPECIALLY SUPPORT) In what ever way possible. Even if I get a random text asking me if I have done my exercises or played with Avery today. Or asking what book I am reading currently. Anything will be helpful. :)

New Year, New Changes!

 The new year is always a time for reflection, wiping the slate clean and moving ahead. This past year was a very hard and trying year for us. But also a good year. Full of lots of changes on a lot of different levels. Now with the new year upon us it looks like we have a lot more changes to look forward to. Avery's second birthday, Finishing the basement, Hopefully more success with Everythings Ducky Boutique, a lot of different activity's in church callings and such. But I think one of the biggest changes starts on Monday. That is the beginning of the Spring 2014 semester at Utah State University which I have been enrolled in. :) I am actually very excited about this. I am starting my studies in USU's Animal, Dairy, and Veterinarian Sciences. I went and bought my textbooks today and I am ready to go. I will admit I am a little nervous about this new change. But I am also very excited about it. USU offers a PHD in this field so this is going to open a lot of doors for me. When I was at LDS Business College I really thought I was going to be getting my associates there. But with James' job relocation that changed everything. But now I think I can safely say that I can pursue this till the end and get the degree I want. So Happy New Year Everyone! May it bring us all some good luck and happy times. :D

2013 year in pictures

I thought this was kinda a fun video that Google put together.