The Last 8 Months in a VERY Big Nutshell!

My heroes. Blake thought it was so great that Grandpa had a super hero outfit too. I must admit that I am the worst at remembering the camera and taking pics of my kids. These pics are back in January and progress till now and I will give a brief synopsis of each month.

Ashley playing with some play googles. Frankly, January was a blurr for me. I was an emotional wreck. Running was my saving grace. I also enjoyed during the school year going to the temple each week with my sisters. Thank you so much Mom for watching the kids for me.

In February Ashley turned two. I let her decorate her cake all by herself. She wanted to make sure the 2 was really pushed down in the cake.

Also in February, Blake and I were able to attend the Draper Temple open house. He loved it!



In March, Ashley got her front tooth fixed. She and Blake both went to the dentist. She had 1 cavity and Blake had none! Blessed day! I ran a 10k and was so pleased to have finished it in under an hour, that was my goal. I also had the privlidge to attend baby Gracie's funeral. The Gledhill's are amazing. Gracie died just 18 days shy of her 1st birthday of a heart defect.









Here are Blake and Ashley on Easter Sunday. We had Stake Conference that Sunday and walked into the building with Elder Richard G. Scott! I was so glad I wasn't yelling at my kids before I saw him because he was walking in right beside us. He was so kind to us and talked with the kids.

Blake helping Grandpa wash his car.

Ashley gave her doll some "medicine."




Ashley the makeup artist!



Blake and Ashley love Aunt Micki and Uncle Spencer. They have been SO good to us. We really appreciate them.



In May it was my birthday. It was such a fun day. My friends and family made it great.


Love these girls!

Ashley the artist, again.

In June, we went to the Kelly Clarkson concert. Marsha and I.



Marci and I


All us girls. I honestly don't know what I would do if I didn't have these amazing friends.


I know this is a bad picture, but if you look really hard you can see Kelly on stage, she is in yellow! :)

Ashley talking to Daddy.




We have had a really fun summer. Every Wedsnesday we would go to a movie at the Scera with Patti and her kids. The movies are only 65 cents each. What a steal! We have also been boating with Grandma and Grandpa and on Uncle Brent's new boat. I tried waterskiing for the first time and got up for 3 seconds. But it was well worth it. Here is Ashley crashed on the couch after a long day. Feeling the love.


I went in to check on the kids before I went to bed and this is what I found. So cute.

Blake and Ashley worked so hard for their new fish Gilbert. I had a chart that had things the kids had to do (brush teeth, do jobs when asked, play nicely together etc) each time they did one of these things they got a sticker, once the chart was full, we went to Wal-Mart and got a betta. Ashley calls him "Govert."


Blake having breakfast with Gilbert.



In July, the kids and I and my parents and my neice Kennedy went to Denver for Rylee's baptism. It was so great. Blake and Ashley really love going to baptisms. Earlier that morning my sister Honey and I ran a 5k. It was my sister's first one and she did awesome! I will have to steal pics from her blog. In the middle of July we got to go to the Oquirrh Mountain open house and this time Ashley came with us. I loved that I could be in the temple with my kids. I love to watch them get very reverant and just look at everything. At the end of July we had a Livingstone family reunion. There was some serious slip and sliding going on.



Blake is so excited that the corn that he and my Dad planted is all ready. Blake loves to see how tall "his" corn has gotten. Any time on the way to the lake and we would pass a corn field Blake would say, "My corn is alot taller than that. Now, Blake says he wants to be a gardner. This makes his Grandpa Allen very proud. Eric's dad teaches Horticulture at BYU!

Last, but not least here is Ashley with three layers on. This is what happens when she helps me fold the laundry. She wants to wear as much cloths as possible.

Are you still awake? Super long post. But that pretty much sums up what we have been up to lately. I have really enjoyed getting into running again. I am thinking of running a half marathon next month. I will let you all know if I actually do it.

New Blog, New Chapter

Can you believe it, I started blogging again! With my old blog printed in a book, I feel that I can start a brand new blog. I first just want to express my heart felt thanks to all of you that have helped me so much during this trying time. You are truly amazing. This blog will just focus on the postive in our life and not the negative. I want my kids to see that we can become better, stronger people even when things are really hard. This quote has really helped me:

"Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order to be tested, we must sometimes face challenges and difficulties. At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel's end—no dawn to break the night's darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea 'Is there no balm in Gilead?' (Jeremiah 8:22). We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face."

Thomas S. Monson, "Looking Back and Moving Forward," Ensign, May 2008, 90

Here is to a new chapter in our lives!