MERRY CHRISTMAS CRAZINESS!

 MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

O.K.-I made it through the shopping season without ending up in prison or the mental hospital...barely!  I am soooo ready for Christmas to be here.  My kids' brains have been taken over by some crazy
hopped-up-on-sugar zombie trance, and I have been baking so much that my hands are literally cracked and bleeding.  That reminds me...

Note to self:  DON'T BAKE NEIGHBOR GIFTS NEXT YEAR!  I know you will forget how you feel right now by the time next Christmas rolls around, but trust me self....you HATED it!  Your feet were sore and swollen and you aren't really that efficient at the whole process either.  Sorry, but it's true.  Besides that, your neighbors probably had gotten so many goodies that they eventually threw yours away because they can't stand to look at one more fancy little decorated edible creation!  Next year, do something easier!   

LOVE, 

Yourself

We attended a few Christmas parties and I found this little creation on Pinterest to copy:  Can you believe I made this?!  I can't!

(I love finding such easy things to copy that make me look smart and creative.  Thank you "pinecone -cheeseball" creator person!)

Isn't this little guy so cute?!

We hope you have all had a "semi-stressless" Christmas experience!  We are so grateful for the many blessings our family has, especially our wonderful friends and family! 

*I need to send a "shout-out" to Amazon.com for having almost everything I needed so I didn't have to go out into the war zones in the stores too much. 

*Also I would love to thank the people who left a bag of canned goods on our front porch on Sunday...we weren't in need of them this year, but it was very thoughtful.

My favorite thing is that James is going CRAZY wondering who left it.  Ha Ha!  It may seem as though I am mocking this, but we have been so poor before that we depended on other people and their kindness-trust me!   I thought it was really sweet and I will pass it on to someone who needs it more than us this year.  We are very blessed at the moment to have steady employment...let's hope it stays that way for a long, long time! 

James is such a hard worker, I appreciate his willingness to work so hard so that I can stay home and take care of our home and children.  I kind of  love him A LOT!

*One of the best parts of this whole year was attending the Sealing of my brother Chris to his wife Diana, their daughter Clara and her sweet daughter Hannah who passed away 3 years ago.  Also, last week we got to attend the Sealing of our new adopted nephew Layton to James' brother Travis, his wife Amanda and their 6 kids.  It was so sweet!  I love the chance to have a glimpse of eternity. These are the moments that truly bring us closer to our brother Jesus Christ and help us know how miraculous and amazing his birth truly was.

TO OUR NEIGHBORS-

Dear Neighbors (Bishop),

First of all...I hope you know how much we love you guys!!!  We love being your neighbors and we love how awesome you are! (yes-I am kissing up)


Secondly...the wreath incident wasn't really an "incident"!  We like to use anything possible as an excuse to be lazy and not decorate our yard.   We know you didn't intentionally buy your wreaths bigger than ours!

Thirdly...I am such a dork sometimes!  Please know that I am sometimes too obnoxious for my own good. 

We really couldn't have hand picked better neighbors!!! We are blessed to know you!
Love,
Amber

THIS IS SOOO LONG!

FIRST OF ALL:
This is what happens when your kids get your camera.
Fun surprises...hmmmm....YIKES!

Here are a couple of pictures from Thanksgiving:

I either forget to bring my camera or bring it and forget to use it.  I snapped a couple of interesting pictures though:

This is my brother sweeping.  I know it seems like a weird picture, but I think this is the first time I have ever seen him sweep anything.  I know he won't look at my blog so I can make fun of him all I want
HA HA HA!

This is another weird one...Christian wanted a picture with Averi and of course SANTA!

This is Averi and her Great Grandma Taylor/Johnson.  Averi doesn't look like she is smiling, but she really is!  We are still trying to teach her how to smile in pictures.  It is sooo cute!  I think that is what Grandma is laughing so hard about. 

My nephew Brody spent the night before Thanksgiving with us.  I bet his parents were surprised when he showed up painted like a clown!  I was laughing my head off!  I didn't want to let him do that but I thought he is only a kid once...who cares?!

Now...here is where my life gets crazy!  Some of you may have to sit down before reading this.  Drum roll please.......I AM DOMESTICATED (well...kind of)!  Yahoo!

See, I wasn't born with the Martha Stewart gene, so this has been a challenge for me for about hmmm...let's see...well, since I moved away to college.  I was lucky enough to have room mates who loved to do laundry and cook all of the time.

I tried my hand at many homemaking skills but I get bored easily and I can only do so much.  James and I have a team work system worked out at our house, but lately I have been thinking I need to step it up a little.  Also...I am heading into hibernation season when I get "winter blues".   I decided that the busier I am the less time my body has to think it needs to sleep, and eat.

Now, some of you may be thinking what James was thinking, and worry that I may burn myself out by taking on too much at once.  Well, I have had that worry myself, but I think I better do as much as I can while it still seems fun.  : )

These are some of the projects I have been trying out:

1) Make a menu and actually use it!  I have the pickiest kids and they have driven me to frozen pizza, macaroni, and chicken strips for far too long.  I have taken back the kitchen and I have made stuff like stuffed shells and chicken, orange chicken and rice, meatloaf, and all sorts of yummy casseroles.  It has been a challenge for my kids, but I think they are learning that flavor can be good in food.

2) I decorated some of our yard for Christmas.  This may not seem like a big deal to most people, but after the big wreath incident of 2006, we had banned all outdoor decorations...until now.  (the incident is that we had bought these cute big wreaths to hang at the peaks of our house and we thought we were doing something really special when soon after our neighbor-who is our bishop and we totally like him don't get me wrong-well...he came home one day with the same wreaths, only 10 times bigger and with lights on them and hung them up on the peaks of his house.  Our wreaths looked like little baby wreaths compared to his and we lived in the shadow of his wreaths that whole winter!)

O.K., that was a little dramatic, but it was real to us!  I decided that our yard has been barren too long and I don't care how small our wreaths are, I displayed them proudly.  However,  I did scare my other neighbor guy while he watched me carry around a HUGE ladder and climb to the top all by myself.  He kept asking me if he could help but I am very stubborn and kept turning down his help.  I think he was mostly scared that if I fell he may have to give me CPR or mouth-to-mouth.

3)  Being frugal.  I used to be frugal, but I lost my desire to compare prices and coupon years ago!  It just wasn't for me I guess.  However I thought of my sweet husband working so hard and wondered if there were ways I could help save money around the house without giving up some of the finer things in life.

I had all of these super cool decorating ideas in my head for Christmas but had a very, very small budget.  I decided to re-purpose and get creative.  I was at Fred Meyer and saw some scraps of trimmed Christmas Tress that were waiting to be thrown out and I asked them if I could have them.  They gladly let me take them off of their hands.  Then I needed some filler for my project and decided that I could cut down my way overgrown sage bushes and spray paint them red to go in the middle.  I created a my own decoration.

Now...you have to just trust me when I say it was way cuter a couple of weeks ago before the branches started dying and the wind has blown them to pieces.  TA-DA:

Imagine it lush and green...that how it started out.  Nothing lasts forever I guess.  : )

Averi with me shopping.  It was very stressful.  I ended up coming home and debating for too long and lost interest in the whole project...so this is what got thrown on a wreath and hung on our door.  This is my "I'm too tired to make this look any better" wreath. 

5)  For James' work, every department gets to choose a wreath to decorate and then auction off for charity every year.  This year he waited and waited until a couple of days before it was due and had no takers.  So...I had one night to come up with something.  I was still sick of wreaths, and I felt like I had used up all of my creative juices, so I was a little stressed out.  I threw this together and put TONS of glitter on it hoping that the sparkly effect would attract someone to it.  I don't know how much it sold for or if it won any of the showmanship awards, and I don't care either!  I just sent it and hoped for the best.  It could have looked a lot worse...

 6) Lastly, I decided to make my own cleaning products.  This made me feel sooo smart!  It took a little effort, but I think it saved a TON of money.  I made dishwasher soap, hand soap, febreeze, furniture polish, and general cleaner.  So far, so good.

I also found a lot of cute clothing items I would love to have, especially scarves.  I am really into them right now.  I found a lot of cute ones I liked, but they were so expensive!  So...I made my own!   Without sewing or any "making" skills at all.  I took yarn and tied it together in a pattern and it only cost about $2.00.  I also taught Taylor how to do it too.  We are so proud of ourselves.  We love them too.  Here is a picture of mine being worn by my lovely banister. 

 So...don't be surprised if I do overdo it and burn out.  I will have fun for now and at least have dinner on the table for my family most nights...that saves a lot of money too.

I guess I should start my Christmas shopping now...it is already December 12th.  OOPS! 

HAPPY (late) THANKSGIVING!!!!

I love these cartoons!

I know this isn't a very inspirational post on Thankfulnesses...sorry!  I thought this better portrayed my real self!

 

I hope all ya'll had a very "fulfilling" (ha ha) Thanksgiving day!  We ate soooo much!!!  I made funeral potatoes with bacon, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top and cranberry/apple sausage stuffing.  YUMMY!!!!  My mom made the turkey, ham, rolls and salads and Chris and Diana brought pies and green bean casserole. We had enough for 50 people and only 7 adults and 5 kids.  WOW!  I am still full.  It was ALL yum-yum-yum-yum-yum-yum-yum...delicioso!!!

I am thankful for laughter--- except when milk comes out of my nose.

This is my "theme" quote!

Warning!!!!

Attending public events with me could cause you extreme embarrassment!  I cannot be trusted to act mature in certain settings.  Be friends with me at your own risk!

Last night I went to a Court of honor for Scouts and they were giving out  Wood Badges to 3 adults.  There was no hope for me to take it seriously!!

-First some guy blew some weird horn thingy without any warning and I almost peed my pants.  -Then they sang some song and a guy said with such a straight face "while we are singing this song please stand when we name the critter you represent"

 

WHAT THE CRUD?!?   

I was looking around watching people popping up proudly in the audience while singing some weird song and everyone was just acting like that was normal.  I was dying of laughter inside hoping I wasn't supposed to know what "critter" I represented because I wasn't in any condition to stand up! 

-Finally I couldn't hold it in any longer...I busted out in out in crazy loud laughter-OOPS!  James almost had to escort me out of the stake center gym. 

James, Christian and I all had to contain our laughter for the rest of the meeting.  I just can't take ceremonies like that seriously...I think I am so immature.  I shouldn't be allowed in public.  Luckily I held it together after that and laughed until I was crying all the way home!  My poor family...James and Christian are so nice and quiet and then they have to have me as a wife and mom.  

I guess I try not to take life too seriously!  I have to find even the smallest amount of humor in everyday life or I will literally go insane!

I apologize ahead of time for any inappropriate laughter you may hear from me.   I am supposed to be teaching Averi proper behavior.  Boy is she in trouble!

I am so thankful for a sense of humor though!  I think almost everything seems easier to handle with a good dose of laughter.  

Above all else: go out with a sense of humor.  It is needed armor.  Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life. 

~Hugh Sidey

THANK WHO?

I have seen everyone writing what they are thankful for. I have been thinking of all of the many eloquent, meaningful, wise ways to express the many things I am thankful for...but that isn't the way my mind works. 

So I saw this quote on Pinterest today and I thought "A-HA"!  This is such a thought provoking question.  I think I am thankful for a million-and-one things!  I couldn't possibly get any sleep if I tried to thank Heavenly Father for everything I am thankful for!

BUT...this made me think that since yesterday was such a lazy day for me "prayerwise", I wondered what it is I would have woke up with.  I would be ashamed to post what today would have looked like if this quote came true.   YIKES!!    How embarrassed I feel today!

I need to not only remember to be thankful for my blessings everyday, but WHOM (I am trying to fool everyone into thinking I know correct grammar too, I don't even know if "whom" is right, but it sounded smart) to thank for my blessings EVERYDAY!

Dr. Seuss is sooo smart!

 *I used to think that Dr. Seuss was some weird guy who was always on drugs.  After having been alive as long as I have and after learning that my mind is as warped or even more warped than his I think I should embrace his crazy teachings!  : )  

 I do something stupid EVERY DAY!  Thank goodness I am blessed to be surrounded by people who love me anyway!  

I am trying to stop comparing myself to others and what I can't do.  I think it is SO important to teach my kids that talents come in many forms.  

 “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” 

Dr. Seuss 

I have a family with many talents that can't be seen with the eyes:

James is so hard working, wise, smart, patient, loving, spiritual and can make anything sound brilliant because of his talent with words. He is also such an adoring husband and loving father.


Christian is so sweet, smart, funny, hard working, and also has a talent with words like his dad because he is such a quick little witty thinker.  He can twist words and change perspective so quickly, he is always making me laugh

Taylor is happy, compassionate, motherly, loving, smart, and so kind to everyone.  She is like the "kid whisperer" and can play with and entertain anyone!  She is always smiling and happy.  She is just plain lovable!


Averi is so happy, funny, imaginative, innocent, sweet, smart, and loving.  She loves everyone she meets.  She remembers any kind deed done for her down to the date and time.  She doesn't even know how to be judgmental which I LOVE!!!  Everyone who meets her can't help but love her.


*I have learned a lot from having a blind child.  She can't judge people by what their outward appearances are.  She doesn't know if they have perfect features/looks, perfect body, perfect crafting/artsy skills, or a perfect home.  Averi really "sees" the person for who they are on the inside.  I wish I could always view the world from her perspective.  

I have a lot of regrets about how I have treated others in the past.  I am tormented by those memories and I have received my punishment through regret, shame and guilt!! I hope to be an example to my children and live my life in a way that I don't have to avoid someone or feel guilty for years because of the way I have acted or treated them.  

“Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered.” 

Dr. Seuss

Hardships, mistakes, problems, sorrow, pain and suffering teach us strength, wisdom, compassion and happiness.  Accept trials with grace and faith and you will be able to handle what comes your way- you will also gain skills to help others in the future.

"I'm sorry to say so, but sadly it's true, that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you"

 Dr. Seuss

  

“When you think things are bad,
when you feel sour and blue,
when you start to get mad...
you should do what I do!
Just tell yourself, Duckie,
you're really quite lucky!
Some people are much more...
oh, ever so much more...
oh, muchly much-much more
unlucky than you!”

Dr. Seuss

“And when you're alone there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.” 

Dr. Seuss 

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. "

Dr. Seuss 

 And lastly REMEMBER...

 "It's a troublesome world! All the people who're in it are troubled with troubles almost every minute. You ought to be thankful, a whole heaping lot, for the places and people you're lucky you're not."

Dr. Seuss

See...maybe he wasn't crazy afterall!  Hmmm...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM!!

Isn't she SO BEAUTIFUL!

I want to wish HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sweet MOM today!  I am so lucky to be the daughter of a beautiful, talented, kind, funny, smart, and loving mother.  I hope you have a great birthday MOM!  Thank you so much for all you do for me, I don't know what I would do without you!  I love you sooooo much!

My whole house is falling apart!  In the last month:
1)  My bathroom toilet handle broke (which I have been flushing by opening the lid and pulling the chain)
2)  Our furnace fan broke (which I replaced with my oven with the door open for heat)
3)  Our bathtub faucet is a river (which I turn the main water off when I don't need it to save money on my water bill)
4)  My leather couch seam is coming apart (which I just look at and think I am a "redneck")
5)  AND>>>I have a huge gap where the weatherstripping came off my front door (which I throw a big towel in front of to keep my oven heat in) 

How's that for adapting?! No...I think it is the epitome of laziness!   I will find the laziest way to put a band-aid on stuff until I get around to fixing it!

 Luckily our awesome cousin Joe fixed our furnace...working like magic!  While we were waiting for parts my oven was used as a heater more than it has ever been used to cook with.  I guess it was good for something. Ha ha! 

James has been out of town all week and I really miss him!!!  I don't know why, but I am way more efficient with him gone!  I don't know if it is because I can't pawn my work off onto him or what, but I run a tight ship when I am the lone captain! We run like clockwork around here!

I guess I will go watch You Tube videos and try to learn how to repair some stuff in my spare time.  I am going to try to sew my couch together which should be very interesting...I must be really bored!! 

NEVERENDING HALLOWEEN!!!

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  I don't love this holiday, but my kids sure do.  I have to say that I do benefit from having picky kids though...they hate Almond Joy candy bars!  James and I love anything with coconut, so we get their "rejected" candy.  YUMMY!

TAYLOR:
The sweetest ever!  I told her she had to use a sheet and go as a ghost and she agreed.  I accidentally cut the head hole too big though-OOPS!  Who knew her head was so dang small?!  She went with the face paint and had to sew her head hole smaller with her sewing class skills.  It was cute, she wouldn't let me sew it because she said I didn't know how  (I will keep that illusion alive as long as I can)!  I do the same thing with laundry and cooking, it works out well.  Ha ha!

This isn't from Halloween.  I found it and loved it so I had to post it. Taylor and her "mini-me" Clara.

CHRISTIAN:
I don't know what he went as, but it was gross!  He wanted a bullet entry/exit wound in his cheeks and some kind of gash in his forehead.  I don't know why...kind of morbid.  I think he takes after me that way unfortunately.  

My first attempt at special effect makeup!  Not to shabby huh?  I found out how to do this on YouTube.  Not my favorite source for information, but it was very helpful on Halloween.

 












AVERI:  
You can't tell from these pictures, but she went as a 15 yr. old witch.  The witch part is obvious, but the 15 yr. old isn't so much.  She always wants to pretend like she is 15 for some reason, so cute!  She had tons of fun.

FUNNY STORY:  I took her to KMART earlier in the day and some little kids saw her and asked her dad if she was dressed up like a blind person because she was walking with her cane!  Soooo funny! I totally need to take advantage of my built in props for next year!  I need to dress up all my kids like mice and give them canes!  Ha Ha!  I am just kidding...maybe...hmmmm!  I will keep you posted on that one.

They are so cute and we are all in crazy sugar comas now!  Cranky and tired!  I am going to bed early! James is out of town so it is Queen Mommy time!  YAHOO!  What shall I do?

Volunteering is fun to do, fun to do, to do, to do...

Recently I took on a new project of being a volunteer at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center as a member on a Patient and Family Advisory Council.   I get to go meet with other patients and family along with hospital staff and administrators and we talk about ways to improve patient care.

Because of my "gift of gab" and gullibility I volunteer to do the craziest things.  In August the hospital had a "Town Hall Meeting" for all 1300 workers to attend and listen to a few speakers and guess who said "yes" to being a speaker?  Yup...yours truly!  I don't even want to talk at church let alone in front of that many people who include all of James' bosses.  I thought I would be an idiot and get him fired for sure!  I had about a month and several dry runs to practice and I actually had it memorized!  I was so proud of myself.  I didn't do too bad either...well compared to what I saw happening in my mind and nightmares at night!

Yesterday I did it again!  I said yes when I was asked to speak to all of the directors at the hospital about the important role of nurses.  I have to speak to all of the directors and CEO people at the hospital, including James.  Maybe they will feel sorry for him when they see what a crazy wife he has to live with!  Ha Ha!  At least give him a raise to pay for my crazy pills.

I find it very therapeutic to turn a terrible ordeal with Averi into something that may help other families.  The coolest thing is that James' bosses listen to everything I say and actually do the things we suggest!  It is awesome!  What a power trip!  Just kidding (kind of). 

Averi on the day they were going to turn off her life support

Such a cute pic. of when Ave could still see us.

Daddy and Ave

Poor little bald Chemotherapy baby! OH!  Silky is in her hand!
One of MANY silkies!!!

In a 5 month coma. With a BAD rash from Bone Marrow Transplant.  Silky by her head. 

The first time in months I got to hold Averi

Thanksgiving a few weeks before we found out Ave was sick.  This was a very rare smile!

Not my best look...I can tell I had some pain meds in my blood-I have crazy eyes!

Look at these two!  Like little twins!

My girls!  Taylor has been Ave's best friend from this moment on

My little helper buddy! 

Happy all of the time Averi!  She loves life!

Do I have gullible written on my forehead!?!  NOOOOO!!!!!!  I do have dark circles under my eyes though...yikes!

This and that and other stuff.

Here is post #2 of this year-I am on a roll!

I'm a Pirate!  No not for Halloween, but in real life.  I think I am anyway...if that is what someone who blog stalks and steals pictures from her family is called, that is what I am.  And I am not sorry about it either.  I need to take advantage of other people being smarter and less lazy than I am.  I ALWAYS FORGET MY CAMERA!!!!!

 AVERI

Our sweet little miracle baby Ave turned 9 this year on August 9th.  We waited a little bit longer to baptize her so that she could understand it better.  Although I think she is perfect and that she is a special spirit who probably doesn't need to be baptized, but she wanted to do it.  We were so proud of her and she was so proud of herself.  I was glad I had to go "behind the scenes" to help her because I was a big bawl baby and cried out of pure joy that she is with us and got the chance to have this moment.

The funniest thing was that she jumped up after she was dunked and yelled "I AM BAPTIZED!"  and then for some reason she wouldn't put her feet on the bottom of the font and James had to pull her along to the stairs with her feet floating behind her.  It was so funny...I loved it soo much!  She is amazing and brilliant!

They are so cute!

Grandma and Grandpa Williams

Grandma and Grandpa Empey

My 2 cuties!

Averi practicing getting  baptized...we had to do A LOT of practicing so she wouldn't be too nervous to lay back in the water.  She did so awesome, not one glitch at all.  Our prayers were answered!

Family picture...not of the baptism because I don't have one.   So here we all are together anyway!

CHRISTIAN

My little tiny boy got ordained a Deacon in March when he turned 12.  He gets to pass the sacrament and I am so proud of him.  He just got made the Deacon Quorum President too and gave his first talk in sacrament a couple of weeks ago, but James wouldn't let me video tape it!  I kept waving at him from the back row until my bishop saw me.  I did the same thing the first day he passed the sacrament...it that weird?  I can't help it!  I am so proud of my little guy.  Actually he is not so little anymore.  He is 5 ft. 7 in. tall.  I am only 5'4" and I think he outweighs me too.  I AM SAD!

Christian and Austin his cousin-they are 13 days apart-so fun!

My football hero!

 I have been babysitting my little niece Clara-Chris and Diana's baby and I have been playing with Nathan-Jessie and Ben's baby and I miss babies.  I am sad that I didn't get the chance to enjoy Ave's baby months and that I couldn't have any more, but I love being an aunt!  I get to sleep all night and still enjoy the little kiddos.   I know I whine about kids sometimes, but I am really the luckiest mom in the whole world!  I have the best kids!

Snuggling on the babies

Nathan

Averi

Me and my baby

TAYLOR JO

My heaven-sent little angel Taylor is so awesome! She has more talent in her little finger than I have or ever will have in my lifetime!  She has been learning to sew and entered a patchwork pillow in the fair for 4H this year and got a ribbon for it!  I was so proud of her.  She helps me so much, I couldn't function without her most of the time.  Heavenly Father knew I needed her for sure. My kids teach me so much.  Taylor is my little best friend and I love it!

Taylor is so motherly, even to her puppy Bandit.

My BEAUTIFUL Taylor Jo and my niece Clara Jo...they are SO much alike

Look at that face!!!!  Sooo sweet!