Just wanted to testify to anyone that wants to listen that when we do our best to follow God's commandments, He will bless us in our efforts to follow His guidance.
As I'm sure you all know, our stake Presidency asked our stake to get out of debt by 2008.
We had a very slow and rebellious start, but we did and we kicked into hig gear when ever we
could, and WE PRAYED LIKE MANIACS!
There have been a few amazing miracles in the span of debt repayment and we are truly grateful for each one.
We are of course, a year and 5 months late in reaching that Stake goal BUT......
We are here and we are so grateful for the counsel given to us, it was such a blessing!
We are now looking into ways to grow a succesful Etsy shop! We got a new camera so pictures will be coming very soon!
Homeschool!
I'm sure many are curious as to how it's going so.....
Neighbors fence caught on fire and the firemen spent a few minutes with the kids. They were nice.
for Kenzie.... 
Bruce built a fort.
here is some of the fun we've been having.
Our first field trip; to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens-the Conservatory is only a $1 to get in!
We got a cacao pod and I tried to make chocolate. Didn't work, but it smelled good!
Neighbors fence caught on fire and the firemen spent a few minutes with the kids. They were nice. Doesn't he look crazy? They were having a mud fight.
for Kenzie.... Bruce built a fort.We take a field trip every week (we did miss one week because of misbehavior but only happened once). Usually local, usually free. The best part is not the flexibility, like i thought would be the greatest- but all the learning opportunities and to see them grow and develop in different ways.
Eva can now make us boiled eggs, Dylan is really improving on his handwriting , Lilli seems to be potty-training herself and Ethan is so nerdy cute that I have to refrain from nibbling constantly;
Ethan; "MOM, I am going to make a science experiment, can you help me?"
Of course, he says this 1 to 6 times a day. Sometimes he just shows me his experiments. So far, we have documented some of them in his journal.
Of course, there are no pictures of the unfun things; that would just be torture; 400 lbs of laundry, me being allergic to our new dog, some loved ones falling off the planet cuz of......,
then there's always the gnawing hunger to socialize with everyone-when they are busy.
Oh well, we are doing great and thanks for your thoughts/well wishes.
Ahh, Ice day!
Just the break I needed....
For all the 2 people who read this; we are homeschooling and have been for...............
2 days and yesterday doesn't count because it was an ice day.
We are still looking for curriculum and ideas on what we want to focus on but it is way more complex than I thought. I know it would be hard, but I also think it will be worth it.
I feel pretty wasteful for my former state of mind; in thinking that I couldn't wait for my kids to go to school, then I'd have some ME time but I realize how selfish that was and I am slowly learning that I never get that time back with people I love.
Speaking of people I love, 2 of them are moving far away and soon, so I am actually hoping to have my kids spend as much time with them as possible before they leave.
Really there are alot of reasons why we choose to do homeschooling, but that's just one.
So whatever people think, I would truly appreciate no negativity and talk of insanity.
(because putting my family above the opinions of others is pretty important to me
and frankly, I won't take kindly to those comments.0
As I'm sure you can tell, I'm feeling a little off today so let's get right to the good stuff;
Pictures!
These are of our New Years' trip to west southwest texas (border town-airforce base)
last ice storm! Poor honeysuckle is perfectly preserved.
Dylan went and snuggled a napping Lilli and ended up falling asleep himself.
Dylan and Phil! On a hike
I don't know how to fish!
These evil little cacti were out to get us, they hide in a soft patch og grass, then ram right thru your shoes. Pretty hard to get off and out of your soles.
On the boat
Super foggy when we got there
Thought this was an interesting way to eat
on a hike
Administering 1st aid to Ethan after Dylan beaned him with a rock.
They don't know how to fish EITHER
That was an amtrak railtrack. We saw one go by a few minutes later. Wasn't super fast but you could see the people on it. I would love to go on a cross country rail trip (no, not like a hobo)
For all the 2 people who read this; we are homeschooling and have been for...............
2 days and yesterday doesn't count because it was an ice day.
We are still looking for curriculum and ideas on what we want to focus on but it is way more complex than I thought. I know it would be hard, but I also think it will be worth it.
I feel pretty wasteful for my former state of mind; in thinking that I couldn't wait for my kids to go to school, then I'd have some ME time but I realize how selfish that was and I am slowly learning that I never get that time back with people I love.
Speaking of people I love, 2 of them are moving far away and soon, so I am actually hoping to have my kids spend as much time with them as possible before they leave.
Really there are alot of reasons why we choose to do homeschooling, but that's just one.
So whatever people think, I would truly appreciate no negativity and talk of insanity.
(because putting my family above the opinions of others is pretty important to me
and frankly, I won't take kindly to those comments.0
As I'm sure you can tell, I'm feeling a little off today so let's get right to the good stuff;
Pictures!
These are of our New Years' trip to west southwest texas (border town-airforce base)
last ice storm! Poor honeysuckle is perfectly preserved.
Dylan went and snuggled a napping Lilli and ended up falling asleep himself.
Dylan and Phil! On a hike
I don't know how to fish!
These evil little cacti were out to get us, they hide in a soft patch og grass, then ram right thru your shoes. Pretty hard to get off and out of your soles.
On the boat
Super foggy when we got there 
Thought this was an interesting way to eat
on a hike
Administering 1st aid to Ethan after Dylan beaned him with a rock.That was an amtrak railtrack. We saw one go by a few minutes later. Wasn't super fast but you could see the people on it. I would love to go on a cross country rail trip (no, not like a hobo)
Not much...
to write about except all the blessings!
Lilli had a such a nasty cough that she wasn't breathing very well, with a crazy fever and I really worried that she was too sick. Bruce gave her a blessing on Mon. night and took her to the hospital Tuesday. They discharged her that day after many tests and still have not gotten back to us. She is doing much better, on antibiotics and doing breathing treatments. The kids seemed to have gotten a less potent version that they are almost done with, altho' they did have to miss almost a week of school.
Bruce is feeling a little crappy but we are hoping a nice weekend will help him feel better.
Our Christmas is not as lavish as some, but I think that's the point. We are grateful for all these blessings that can only come from God.
My Christmas prayer for all of you, is that you would realize how much God loves and blesses you and cherishes your faith in Him and your efforts to be Christlike.
Remember that we love you too and hope that you all have a great Christmas.
Out of debt (almost)
Got the documents today saying that we paid off a car loan (a car that we haven't had for almost 2 years) today and it feels great. Just want ya'll to know that it is only because of 2 reasons;
1-Stake presidency asked us to get out of debt - that was and continues to be a huge blessing.
2-We were doing everything we could do get out of debt-not eating out, not borrowing, waiting to buy groceries even if we didn't have any fresh food. That was a big one.
There were many times that we fed the elders with our last few items and there was always enough to eat, miraculously, and we were always blessed for it.
There were things that we didn't do right and we still owe $, but it is more manageable.
Some mistakes we have made has been using a line of credit with the intent to pay it off the following paycheck. It doesn't work because you never know what is going to happen- like a hospital visit! Then you can't pay both! Another mistake we make is spending all of our money the week (or the day of) after we get paid (because we don't know if the silly thing we want to buy, is going to be there or any other dumb reason)
One thing that helps me not to buy is to remember/tally all of the same things I have at home (shirts).
Aaahhh, I could go on and on about Bruce's project car but I love him and I hope that one day, it will not be a project car.
I want ya'll to know too, that food storage has been a huge blessing. Even eating rice and beans everyday is a blessing because it's still nutritious food!
There were and are a lot of prayers to strengthen us, to give us patience and to live in the present and enjoy the best things in life.
I know you might get sick of hearing it, but having a relationship with our Saviour Jesus Christ is and always will be the way to receive the guidance and peace that comes from obedience.
It takes a lot of faith to be who God wants us to be and it gets scary, but I know that it is a blessing and I'm so grateful that He loves us, wants to help us and desires to be close to us too.
Love you all and I know that God blesses you for your diligence in obedience.
John and Diane, please know that we are thinking of you and praying for your family, Much love!
1-Stake presidency asked us to get out of debt - that was and continues to be a huge blessing.
2-We were doing everything we could do get out of debt-not eating out, not borrowing, waiting to buy groceries even if we didn't have any fresh food. That was a big one.
There were many times that we fed the elders with our last few items and there was always enough to eat, miraculously, and we were always blessed for it.
There were things that we didn't do right and we still owe $, but it is more manageable.
Some mistakes we have made has been using a line of credit with the intent to pay it off the following paycheck. It doesn't work because you never know what is going to happen- like a hospital visit! Then you can't pay both! Another mistake we make is spending all of our money the week (or the day of) after we get paid (because we don't know if the silly thing we want to buy, is going to be there or any other dumb reason)
One thing that helps me not to buy is to remember/tally all of the same things I have at home (shirts).
Aaahhh, I could go on and on about Bruce's project car but I love him and I hope that one day, it will not be a project car.
I want ya'll to know too, that food storage has been a huge blessing. Even eating rice and beans everyday is a blessing because it's still nutritious food!
There were and are a lot of prayers to strengthen us, to give us patience and to live in the present and enjoy the best things in life.
I know you might get sick of hearing it, but having a relationship with our Saviour Jesus Christ is and always will be the way to receive the guidance and peace that comes from obedience.
It takes a lot of faith to be who God wants us to be and it gets scary, but I know that it is a blessing and I'm so grateful that He loves us, wants to help us and desires to be close to us too.
Love you all and I know that God blesses you for your diligence in obedience.
John and Diane, please know that we are thinking of you and praying for your family, Much love!
D-man!
Here are some pics. 
Soooo Dylan got his cast off yesterday and was upset because there was all this dead skin on his arm (Looked like a nice tan that was flaking off) and said he that they had cut off his dead arm and it was not until he took a bath and I scrubbed it all off, did he say 'look at my new arm' (appearing to be happy about getting his cast off.) He's a funny boy! By night time he was jumping off the couches and doing all his usual tricks even though his elbow is kinda stiff.
Soooo Dylan got his cast off yesterday and was upset because there was all this dead skin on his arm (Looked like a nice tan that was flaking off) and said he that they had cut off his dead arm and it was not until he took a bath and I scrubbed it all off, did he say 'look at my new arm' (appearing to be happy about getting his cast off.) He's a funny boy! By night time he was jumping off the couches and doing all his usual tricks even though his elbow is kinda stiff. He has a temp. sling is mostly to protect him from re-breaking it for the next week.
Other than that, we have no news but we had some costumes pics but I can't find the card! From last Sat. trunk or treat. We are having a kids candy-free Halloween party (nothing fancy or scary) on Friday night. Let me know if you want to come to it!
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