Las Vegas Convention Weekend

We've just returned from a trip to Las Vegas to attend the annual conference for Strongbrook and boy was it wonderful.  We feel beyond blessed that our path crossed with this company as they have really become the vehicle that is bringing our financial dreams into reality.  It's just awesome to be a part of.  The conference was 2 days long, full of classes and seminars and motivation about how to take control of your life and to not become a drifter of society.  I believe so much in the philosophy and the vision of this company, I feel like I need to stand up and say "can I get an Amen!" Bliss.

On the last day of the convention, they had the awards ceremony where those who have followed the system and had met some personal goals were recognized on stage.  Our family was invited having made it to the 3rd of 7 tiers.  It's just nice to be validated in what you are doing and to see the results manifest them right before your eyes.  Again - such a great motivating weekend filled with all things good.

Here I will insert an open invitation to all those who are curious about how we have started our own Financial Freedom and the path that Strongbrook has provided for us. I strongly encourage you to click on the link and request a FREE game plan {upper right corner of webpage}.  The experts at the company will go over your personal situation and map out how you can start on a path to freedom.  Especially being self employed, we found this vital to our retirement plans.  It's free.  It requires no obligation to anything.  It's just a phone call filled with answers and information.  Do it - you WILL NOT regret it.

{STRONGBROOK LINK HERE}

Truth be told, Mark went to most of the conference. I was on baby watch for most of the time. Lucky for me, I was graced with the company of one who I deem extraordinary. She did a marvelous job driving me here and there to see some of the free things of Vegas.  Parks, fish, boats, taxidermy's, and her wee ones.  There was plenty to do and plenty of warm sun to enjoy.  I loved our room that we got to stay in at the WorldMark on Las Vegas Boulevard.  The view was so serene and quiet, I just loved the relaxing time I had there (during nap time). 

I'll have to hit up the Sister Wives homes next time for sure.  That is, if we can do enough digging around to find them; those sneaky ladies trying to have some privacy.

2013 Yearbook

I love our family yearbooks.  I am so grateful for my stint as a Yearbook Advisor those many years back that instilled a love of creating and printing them.  I spent a few all-nighters to get this book finished and printed in time to share it with my mother when she comes to visit in a few weeks; and am so glad I did, because I just love it.  And - bonus - it has become Cameron's favorite book to look through. 

Here is a small sample of our book this year; Creating Eternity 2013

The cover.

A {very} few of my favorite pages. The book topped out at 150 pages this year; 50 more than last.  What a challenge it will be to get all my life into the 400 page limit as my family grows from year to year! 

I also make a point to put my blog/journal thoughts into as many as the pages as I want.  A few of these layouts have blank spaces for the journal part, which I did not include in the post. Now I've got to get started on Cameron's personal book, and my mother's wedding book she asked me to do months ago.

Personal Progress Value Project

As if I don't have enough hobbies on my plate, I've recently added completing my Young Women Personal Progress requirements.  I earned my Personal Progress medallion as a youth, but to increase my faith and help me progress spiritually this year, I thought this would be a great avenue for structured study. And I love it.  (click right about here for more information on the Young Women Personal Progress program)

Currently, I am working on the value of Faith - my 10 hour value project.  I have chosen to make visual aids for the Missionary discussion #2 - Plan of Salvation.  I have the names of several missionaries that will be receiving one, as well as the whole group of missionaries serving in the Namibia, Africa Mission with Elder and Sister Skidmore. In total, there are 25 kits that I am putting together.  AND - I even had a few of them translated into different languages; Korean, Spanish, and Swedish. I was really impressed with my drawing of the pieces, didn't know I could do that.  I then colored them up and laminated them to be used over and over again.  I loved them so much I made one for myself, and will be mailing one to each of my sisters.  They make great FHE lesson aids, and, well, I just loved them.

Cute right? I sure liked them. And now there will be some missionaries somewhere with the option to use a little visual aid if they want to.  Maybe.  Let me know if you want the B/W file for your own printing and usage. Sharing is caring!

Holiday Season.

Christmas sort of came and went for me this year.  I'm not sure if it was because we celebrated it so close to Thanksgiving, or if it was because of the way we celebrated it, but none the less, I feel like it just happened without much of a fuss.  We decorated our tree shortly after Thanksgiving. Being that it was so late in the month, we sort of just threw it together one night so we could begin feeling the Christmas spirit.  And I must say, I do love my tree.  Love Love Love it.  It is so majestic, and clean, and pretty, and glows just so wonderfully.  I don't put a lot of decorations on it because I don't want to muddle the lights that are so charming to me.  Cameron loved helping put on the ornaments.  And, he was awesome at not touching them all season! No opened packages or broken ornaments. Nice.

 Christmas eve was spent at the Morrell's where tradition stands that German Food is served.  My FIL served his mission in Austria, so they love to enjoy the food from his mission.  After dinner, we all headed home to prep for Santa's visit and Christmas morning.  Santa had dropped off several boxes that needed assembly, so Mark did that before heading for bed.  And just like last year, Cameron slept in 90 minutes longer than he ever does the other 364 days of the year.  Mark was so anxious, he went in and just woke him up to get on with the festivities.

We opened our delightful gifts and then headed over, again, to the Morrell's for family gift exchanges and breakfast. It all passed by so very quickly, that, again, I sometimes feel like it didn't happen at all.  Now that it's all cleaned up and we're back into our daily routine, I am sad to see my tree go and wish that the season could have stayed a little longer.  Alas, I am sure when next december get's here, I'll be saying "I can't believe it's already here".

One week later we were celebrating with the Morrell's again. I have never really celebrated New Year's like I feel it should be celebrated.  I always have great plans for a party, filled with decorations and games and a fun photo booth.  But alas, by the time the holiday's hit me, I never get around to it. Luckily, this time around we were invited to go to the Morrell's and have a get together New Year celebration with family.  That was awesome.

My BIL Tom, as I have mentioned before, is a genius at all things games and had several stored up for us to play as a family.  One in particular was hilarious to watch, as it involved a club and beating the other players *nicely* on the head when they got the directions correct or not.  It looked hard to play, but I enjoyed watching! Malissa made up a pot of chili and some cornbread, and I provided the drinks and cups.  At 10:00, we were raising our glasses and starting off the new year kissing our loves.  Minutes later, we were all packing up our kids and heading home.  It's midnight somewhere. :)  And then, I was gifted with the new day, the new year, and my new, FANTASTIC, planner. I'm loving it!

Starting Fresh

Mark: Starting off the new year with new goals of fitness - both physically and spiritually.  He's starting a more full time position at Strongbrook as a Project Manager / Operations Manager. (Click right about here if your interested in what the company does) Going back to a 8-5 job is going change the routines of the family a bit; being that we've been self employed for the last 4 years. But we're excited to be on a path to retirement in the next 5-7 years. A few years of work will make that a reality. He still hold his Real Estate license for Utah and Salt Lake Counties and will continue to work in that field as well. He is training for a race - say what? Yes, his brother has talked him into joining him on a Utah County half marathon in the spring. Has a new primary class that actually has more than 1 student. That'll make his weekly lesson preparations more worthwhile; knowing that there will be kids there to teach. He teaches the 5 year olds and says that it's fun but a lot of work.  He's interested in starting a cleaner diet ( I need to do my research to help support that ) and is determined to return to his physic of yore. Still enjoys a weekly basketball game with his guys; is very much into the show Chuck; and has picked up reading again. He's a busy guy with lots of time for family too.  It's awesome.

Kaylinn: Has just left her 2 part time positions to better preform at her full time Mom gig.  She has quickly learned that Cameron's attention span is a lot shorter than she had guessed.  She is ready to read books with him for 20 minutes; he is done after 2 pages. Weird, considering he'll sit with the iPad on his lap for an hour or more if she let him.  Has lists of hobbies that could take up to 40 hours a week if she let them.  Has recently learned card making with her Silhouette. Very primitive but fun. Has started a patchwork quilt with her mother in law; a weekly date over there has become something she looks forward to. Scrapbooking the family Yearbook - which isn't new but very fun.  She just completed 2013 and is anxiously awaiting it's arrival in the mailbox. Working on the family emergency food storage with the Sister In Law; a rough project but one that she is trying to accomplish.  Successfully started a family "command center" with the annual goals and theme; a few chore charts, and a calendar. It's not finished but it's a good start. Dreams of moving into a bigger, more permanent home where she can put photos on the walls and decorate it to her liking. Still works with the Young Women at church and enjoys serving there.

Cameron: 18 months old now. Officially started Nursery last sunday and took it like a Champion. Didn't even whimper until the return of his parents. Drew the picture, sang the songs, traced his hand; his parents hearts beamed with pride at their only child's delight. Favorite movie is currently Monster's Inc. (Mom and Dad support this being that we haven't gotten sick of it yet. We're going on 20+ viewings this year alone). Will often request "baka ba-key" (Mike Wazowski); and will then sit and watch almost the whole thing without moving. Can toddler-sing the Pirates of the Carribean song. Yo Ho Yo Ho...do do do do... Yo Ho Yo Ho.  (I realize that I've taught my kid that a Pirate's life, with Pillaging and Plundering and Drinking up, is the way to go rather than I am a Child of God. Hopefully this doesn't affect him in the end.) Likes the iPad. Especially the Disneyland App. Again, will play it for hours if I let him. Likes to read books, occasionally. Enjoys his blocks, occasionally, and LOVES the outside, almost always. Will grab his shoes and sit on the stairs to try and put them on himself; constantly asking "outside? outside? jacket? outside?"

We are happy, healthy, and ready for another delightful year together.

P.S. Mark walks in and see's the photo and says - wow, scary picture. What are you blogging about? Sadly, I thought the pencil sketch was cute. Different, and cute. My vote wins, but I may be in the minority.

Year Eight

January 2014 marks my Eighth Year blogging.  I had a long hard think about whether or not I was going to keep up with my blogging this year.  I have quite a love hate relationship with it. I love how it looks. Vein I know, but I do. I like reading my blog posts on occasion; I think I'm funny sometimes and I like to read back and see the photos and such. And, I love how it adds to my Yearbooks every year. Little snippets of life make my books more of a memory keeper and I love that. But - it takes time and that sort of stresses me out. Each week I have "blog something" written down. I've got a list of blog titles/posts that need to go up, and sometimes I just don't get to it. Or the complete opposite happens and I have nothing worthwhile to post, and THAT stresses me out because I start seeing only 2 posts a month...or less.  Of course I have the usual "who even reads this" syndrome, but I am totally okay doing it just for me anyway. Ya'll internet peeps are just bystanders to my life anyway. And there is also a little part of me that feels like "at least I do this well". Many have fallen off the Blogger train, and at least I can say that have stayed strong.

Which leads me to sitting here and making this post.  I'm in it for another year - strictly for my Yearbook's benefit. I haven't crossed the Going Private bridge yet - guess I haven't heard enough scary stories which has made me feel the need to. Haven't totally convinced myself that I am the only one who cares to read about my life. Believe that this is a small avenue to reach out to some few distant relatives and friends. And, I put the web address on my Christmas card, so to discontinue would make me a liar to the 65 people who got cards this year.

Sally Forth, Tally Ho.

Stay Tuned for our life in 2014.