Tanner's Testimony

Here is a video of Tanner sharing his testimony during Family Home Evening tonight. It was his turn to bear his testimony in Primary this last Sunday and he wanted to have it written out so he could do it all by himself without help. Scott and I were so proud of him as he confidently went to the podium and read his testimony. He looked so cute in his white shirt and tie reading his testimony...so we wanted to have him do it on video during FHE tonight. Sorry, it's a bit of a dark video...I should have turned on more lights:) Julie

MSU Museum of Natural History

Logan and Tanner have had the last two days off of school for parent-teacher conferences...so I wanted to do some fun things for them for their days off. Yesterday we went to the mall and saw Santa and played at the mall playland, went out to lunch, got Christmas pictures, etc. Today we headed to the MSU campus in Lansing to visit the MSU museum of natural history. We'd never been there before and we really enjoyed it. Here are some pics from our days adventure.

A Visit with Santa

I'm taking a vote....which picture is worse?...the one with the screaming two-year olds on Santa's lap....or the one where only 1 out of 4 kids are smiling??? Tried twice yesterday to get a cute Christmas picture of the kids....and as you can see...that was not successful!! Oh well, at least they had fun playing at the mall playland afterwards:)

I heart coupons

12 boxes of wipes for $3.50.....gotta love coupons!! I'm hooked:)

Women's Resource Center

I was recently asked by Polly Mallory, a lady in my ward, to join the Women's Resource Center Board of Directors. At first, I wasn't quite sure what I was agreeing to, but decided to go ahead and commit to be on the board, and I am really glad I did. The Women's Resource Center is a wonderful non-profit organization in the county that offers many types of counseling services (individual, career, couples, financial, pregnancy, legal, eating disorders, etc.), support groups, workshops and classes, resources and referrals, career boutique for women to get free professional clothing, cinderella's closet (for teenage girls to get free or low-cost dresses for prom and homecoming), lending library, etc. It's just a wonderful resource for women and families in the county. So, part of being on the board of directors is planning fundraisers, publicity and advertising, making decisions, etc. I am really enjoying this opportunity. I feel like I am able to use some professional skills that often go by the wayside as a stay-at-home-mom:) and I also feel like I am volunteering and helping contribute to society. When I went to BYU...the tag line on the signs said..."Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve". I feel like I am serving:)

So, I am the "Social Media" person on the board of directors (a.k.a. website, blog, facebook, twitter, etc.)...which is a big part of the advertising/publicity aspect. I just started a blog for the WRC. Please go visit it... www.wrc-livingston.blogspot.com and visit the website at www.wrc-livingston.org
Please follow the blog and add it to your google reader. I'm trying to start getting publicity through my own blog and facebook...so please help me out!!:)

We have an upcoming event that you are all invited to. It's called the "Fantasy of Trees". It is Friday, November 27th...the day after Thanksgiving from 10-10 at 108 W. Grand River in downtown Howell. You can come in and buy decorated Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces, baked goods, candy, hot chocolate, and other things for the holidays. All proceeds go to the Women's Resource Center. The Fantasy of Lights Parade is that night...so if you and your family are there at the parade, please stop in!...I'll be working the bake sale from 4-6:) If any of you are interested in volunteering or helping out with this event...even just working as a greeter, let me know!

Lastly, the Board of Directors is looking to recruit a few more board members. If any of you in the area might be interested in serving a non-profit organization, consider joining the Board of Directors for the Women's Resource Center. It is a great volunteer opportunity!!

Julie

Sibling Rivalry

There's really no story with this picture...I just thought it was funny...caught red handed!!!:)

Mini-reunion

Last night I had a mini-reunion with some of my former teacher friends and grad school buddies:) I used to teach in Hartland with Theresia and Lisa and the three of us went to grad school at Marygrove College to get our Master's. We made some really great friends there! There were 35 of us that were a "cohort" and we took all the Masters classes together. Because we were together for every class, we became VERY close. We spent every weekend together, stayed overnight, studied together, stayed up late talking about everything under the sun. It was just a magical connection between many of us that you don't find too often...we all just clicked. So....I stopped teaching 5 years ago, and although we've sent Christmas cards, and are friends on facebook, we haven't gotten together too much. So last night a few of us met up...and it was so fun...like we never left each other. I've missed these girls.

Michigan Historical Museum and State Capitol

Last Friday we took a Field Trip to the Michigan Historical Museum and the State Capitol. The boys didn't have school, so it was a perfect opportunity to take them. We had gone this summer, but part of the museum was closed because of renovating, so we went back to see the part we missed. It's a great museum that walks you through time from the Native American's to present day. We toured the state Capitol too, which is such a beautiful building. We went with our friends the Cheney's and the Aeschliman's...we always have fun with them!:) Here are a few pictures of the day...

Sisterhood of the Traveling Gift Bag!!

Ok, you've all heard of "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" right?....Well, my friend Angie and I have the "Sisterhood of the Traveling gift bag":) It all started before Tanner and Logan were born. Angie helped throw me a baby shower and had given me a gift in this bag with three angel babies on it. I saved the bag like I always do. Well, a little later Angie adopted her second child...her son Max. I was looking for a gift bag to give her an engraved photo album for his adoption and came across the bag she had given me. I kind of thought to myself that the three babies on it looked like Tanner, Logan, and Max...they even had the right skin tone....so I wrote their names on it and wrote "Our Angel Babies" on it...and gave her the gift bag back. Then it started to become like this little tradition...when one of our kids had a birthday, we'd use the bag to put the gift in and pass it back and forth...then Mallory and Preston were born...I got the bag back...and added their picture, India's picture....then Sidney was adopted...so he was added to the bag and it was given back at his adoption......then today I got the bag back at Mallory and Preston's birthday party...and so it continues:) It may be a silly little thing...but everytime I see that bag, it makes me smile:)...because whenever we exchange that bag, it's because of a new addition to one of our families, a birth, an adoption....or a birthday or milestone. Angie and I have been friends now for a LONG time...and it's so fun to watch each of our families grow...we now have 7 kids between us. Quite a few years ago, we both wanted kids and it was a challenge for both of us to get these sweet spirits to come to our homes...so it's fulfilling to see each of our families full now:) So anyways, kind of funny to be sentimental about a giftbag...but every time I see it...I truly do smile inside at what it symbolizes:)

Mallory and Preston turn TWO!

Today Mallory and Preston celebrated their second birthday with a party at McDonalds with some of their friends! Below are some pictures from the party today....and a few are of this evening...we sang to them again, and had cake and opened all the presents from their party today (we ran out of time earlier).... Tomorrow we plan to go to Chuck-e-Cheese for a family party for them:) Happy Birthday Mallory and Preston!...I can't believe it's already been two years!

What to do with all that CANDY!??

I love taking my kids out trick-or-treating, but I hate having buckets of candy in the house afterwards.....I try to hide it and ration it out....but it's a pain...

They get so much candy and I just don't want them eating all of it...especially because Tanner gets major migraine headaches from eating excess sugar and chocolate. Because this week has been Halloween week with lots of parties and candy, Tanner has gotten quite a few headaches in the last couple days. And I'm not talking little headaches...I'm talking crying, throwing-up, major migraines.

So, this being my dilema, I was thinking tonight (after another migraine day for Tanner), about what to do with all the candy.

I know some people take it to their dentist who buys it back for the troops at $1 per pound, which I thought about doing...but then I gave it some thought and decided to keep it and use it for various purposes (other than my kids just eating gobs of candy). So I told the boys my plan. They each got to pick about 25 pieces to keep and then they helped me divide up all the candy into piles and this is what I did with it:

*collected all the M&M's to be used to make M&M cookies for the holidays to give away

*gathered all the Snickers bars together...I cut these up and mix them into my
brownie mixes to make them extra chocolate-y...the brownies will go to the people I visit teach

*collected the York peppermint patties to break up and stir into hot cocoa to make it minty hot chocolate

*All the bags of cookies/crackers I'm saving as church snacks:)

*I gathered up all the fruit snacks/gummy stuff and put them in my diaper bag to use when I'm in the grocery store and need to keep Mallory and Preston busy:)

*I gathered up all the Skittles in a bag to use as potty training reward candy in the (hopefully)near future

*I saved all the good candy bars to give out to the Young Women in my class as treats:)

*Collected the plain Hershey bars to grate up and put on top of cakes or hot chocolate with whipped cream

*took all the Burger King and McDonald's coupons and put them in my purse for when we are around town.

*And lastly, I saved all the hard candy, colorful taffy, Nerds, licorice, etc. to decorate Gingerbread houses with in December!

Ok, I think that's it. Anyways...below are pics of the boys helping me divide it up...along with our finished product. Now all the candy is in its respective place...and it all has a purpose...I feel much better now...despite the major sugar overload, all is right with the world once again:)

Trick-or-Treat!

Photography by CK

Last night our family had a photo session with my friend Christina. She was wonderful and spent so much time with our family getting lots of different shots. I'll be very excited to see all of them, but for now, she has sent a few as a sneak peak...here they are! I think she did a great job! If any of you are looking for a photographer this fall fo do a photo session, let me know and I'll get you her contact info...shes great!