No child should go without Christmas!

As a Service Learning Project in one of my classes we are working with the Utah Foster Care Foundation in finding sponsors, pledges, donations, anything that will help bring Christmas to the children placed in foster care.

Davis Clipper November 2007

"We have over 600 children in foster care in the northern Utah area," said Mindy Lundgreen, retention specialist at the Utah Foster Care Foundation. "When children come into a foster family, that family usually has their own kids, so providing for Christmas isn't easy, it can be quite difficult for families."

"It is our hope that we, with the community's support, can help these kids and the families have a good Christmas morning."

"But more than Christmas presents, the best gift you can give a child is a family. We are in need of families willing to let a child live in their home," she added. "However, we understand that not everyone can be a foster parent, but everyone can help. We also accept donations and all donations go directly to helping these kids."

"When a community pulls together to accomplish something, especially for children, the community is strengthened," she said. "We are so fortunate to live in an area where people are so willing to help. We love the community!"

Unfortunately this year they are having a more difficult time finding the support they have had in recent years. Many of us have been hit with the struggles in the current economy and some may find it more difficult to help but the need is still there and no child should go with out Christmas!Don't you agree? So I am asking everyone... is there anyway that you can assist us with these efforts? It will be greatly appreciated and more importantly it will make a difference in the life of a child!

http://www.utahfostercare.org/

Frightmares

This was our first year going to Frightmares. During Halloween the amusement park opens and you can ride the rides, go through haunted houses and eat yummy food! The weather was good and it was fall break so we went 2 seperate times. I love those season passes!! One night we went with the Davies Family and Madalyn brought a friend. It wasn't very crowded and we had so much fun. The next night we went with our friends the Ogdens while Charissa went off with her friends. I have never seen Lagoon that crowded it was ridiculous so we didn't stay too long! Here the girls are posing with the "Adams Family"

Silly boys...
My ride buddy...
AHH :)
It was hilarious to watch the kids get spooked with all the creatures roaming the park! The second night we went it was so funny to watch the girls giggle and scream when the "chainsaw guys" would chase them, the funny part being when they kept going and finding the "chainsaw guys"...basically beggin for them to chase them :) Silly girls!
I love hanging out with my kids! Aren't we silly?

With the Ogdens

Project Complete

Lumber, Sheetrock and Supplies $300+

Paint and Supplies $200+

No more fighting from Maddy and Anna sharing a room ....PRICELESS!

So the long awaited day is finally here!! When we first moved into our house each child had their own room...I know they are spoiled! But when I started to work from home we did some rearranging with the bedrooms. We moved Carson into Annas old room, turned Carsons old room into my office. Unfortunately Anna had to move into Madalyns room for what was only supposed to be a few weeks but turned into a couple months! The rooms are small so putting two beds in that room has been a challange and fighting occured pretty much every night! Thankfully we had Uncle Jerry finish a room in the basement next to Charissa and Madalyns rooms. It was fun to have Great Grandpa Randall come with Uncle Jerry as the room was being finished. And yes, I did help with the mudding and taping and even some sanding. When Uncled Jerry was done I, by myself caulked primed, sanded and painted and painted and painted the room and the hallway that we had to extend. I love doing that kind of work, but I am SOOO glad that it is done!! Who would have thought one room would be soo much work and cost so much? But Anna loves it and I am so happy that the girls are all downstairs together. Has the fighting really stopped? A little ~ but this time when the fighting starts I can send them to their own rooms!~

General Conference

I Love Watching Conference...

This year Conference was great! I am so proud of my children, they sat through all four sessions of Conference. My sister Jen emailed me this great 14 page packet with questions, crossword puzzles, bingo games etc. for the kids to use while watching conference. This kept them very busy and later we discussed the talks that they liked the best and I was impressed with how much they actually listened. It also helped that our Bishop offered to give each child a giant sized candy bar if they wrote a paper about what they learned during conference! My kids took him serious!!

I remember when they were smaller we used to make tents in the living room. Just like in the Book of Mormon when King Benjamins people pitched their tents with the doors facing the tower, we would have it open infront of the TV as we listened to our prophet. This year we pulled carsons mattress out and it was a great sitting/lounging spot. I should have gotten a picture of Charissa at one point taking up the entire mattress with the others sitting on the very edge :)
We had a very nice relaxing, spirit filled weekend! Thanks kids for making it so nice-you're the best!!!

What the Heck was I thinking?

I am notorious for starting projects that I think won't take too long and end up being just the opposite..projects I start and think...what the heck was I thinkin-and my kids start asking the same question. Yes, I admit the idea of cleaning our windows was a little much for a simple afternoon job!!

After a couple hours I realized this was too much for one day... So 5 windows down and 10+more to go! :) At least we had a good time oh yes and as soon as we did the basement windows workers came and cut the cement sidewalk next to our house and blew the dust in the direction of our clean windows and the rain today didn't help much either- LOVELY! :)One of those laugh at yourself moments!!

And the Countdown Begins!!...

For Months Carson has been asking "How many more days til my birthday?" and once he realized he got Baptized 6 days after his birthday the question changed to "how many more days til I get Baptized?" I found this cute idea of a countdown chart from Melissa and Laura. Thanks gals for letting me copy :) It was a lot of fun to make and he loves it and is so excited!

I am so proud of Carson. He truly is an amazing little man. I can say that because he is my son right? He is always the one up at 7:00am Sunday morning with his dress clothes on and ready for church! He goes to sleep at night listening to his scripture tapes, and this was his choice. Okay well, when he was little I introduced the idea but it was his choice recently to listen to them again. He is such a quite soft spoken kid yet when you get him to start talking he has deep understanding. Now don't get me wrong, he can be very stubborn!! So our goal is to channel that stubborness into standing up for what is right. Steadfast and immovable! :) I am so excited for Carson's Big Day....27days left!