January 2011

So we started out this year being sick... We left Utah being sick and then came home to a week with no school... being sick. We had a lot of time together in our little apartment. Which was a Blast! We ended up watching movies, making forts, making new treats, readng books, snuggling etc. Belle the little stinker fed Cash some cheese so he had another allergic reaction- but his eyes were the only thing that got pretty puffy! But he was still as happy as can be! While we were sick... like I said we made a fort. The kids fell in love with it. I found them reading books to each other, bringing every animal they had in the fort, and while I was in a different room I could hear them laughing together in there! Belle also found two new loves... watching Mary Poppins on her pony and dressing up. I will put her in a cute outfit and the next thing I know she is wearing the most random stuff... She always has to wear her cowboy hat like Woody on Toy Story! She runs around the house acting like characters from movies! And she has turned into a dare devil... I will hear her yell "Check me out Mom" and I will look over and she is on the window ledge with her hands up like she is going to jump. UMMMM help me!!! Cash has been learning and saying so many new things... He can say Mom, Mama, Dad, Bats, Belle, Ball, Bye bye, and yeah! He has finally learned to clap and he does this new face where his mouth is WIDE open and he laughs and laughs! He thinks he is so funny! Cash is always kissing everyone... of course with an open mouth! Oh and wonder of wonders Cash is on Soy milk now!!! He loves it! I get to eat dairy now... So I got ice cream and cookies and.... I GOT TOTALLY SICK!! Take it easy on the dairy!!! So only have it once in a while now or I get a bad stomach ache... But for Cash's sake our house is pretty much dairy free still! Finally like the middle of the month we all started feeling better but it of course it's still rainy so we AGAIN went to McDonalds- I have to say I miss Chick Fa La!!! But anyways Cash got his first happy meal.... and he downed it! Was I suprised... No! Was I suprised when he ate all of his and almost all of Belle's???? NO!! This boy is a disposal! We played at the play place forever and loved it! It wasn't our apartment!

Then for the past little while I have been watchingour neighbors 3 kids while she excersizes! Claire, Olivia, and Ian! They are so fun! Everytime they come over the girls get in tutu's and have a tea party and pretend they are baking dinner! Then they want to listen to Hannah Montana and "Rock and Roll-LA" as Belle calls it! They dance forever while the boys play with cars and the dinos! Well until Cash just breaks out and dances himself!!! They always get me to dance with them- which isn't hard to get me to do!

I LOVE spending time and getting to know Belle and Cash. I love watching them grow up together. They love each other... They always have to be by each other... at the store, park, house, under the crib, wearing nothing but diapers together, eating at the table together...etc. I love going to the park with our whole family! We got to go a couple days ago and it was beautiful. The sun was out and the kids were so happy. Monkey was so happy too, He was climbing poles and throwing the football, and just being free from school! I loved seeing Belle and Cash try to slide down the slide together. Cash loved it at first but then NOT SO MUCH!!! I also love watching Belle at the park cause she like makes a best friend everytime we go... She was playing with this boy Zeke and they were lovin life!

Yesterday was interesting.... The kids and I have been having serious runny noses and I haven't been feeling to well so we stayed home from church to get some rest. Our neighbor had a really important unexpected meeting she had to go to and she asked me to watch her little boy Noah... I fell in love with him. He is the sweetest little boy! We watched him all day and I loved it the kids did too. Belle cried so hard because Noah was taking a nap and not playing with her. Later that night our other neighbor Jordan came and I had to watch him while his Mom went to work... I was laughing so hard because my house was crazy, they built forts and were saying the most hilarious things. I have to say by the time the day was over and time to go to bed.... I wiped out and I was ready to sleep for a year!!!

January has been such an interesting month... But I have learned a lot this month already through hard and precious times. I am excited to see where this year takes us! Everyday is a whole new adventure... sometimes hard... other times simple and sweet! But whatever happens this year hopefully it will be a year to remember!

I have to brag.......




This is my new nephew NIKSON and ohhhhhhhhhhhh he is just so precious! I just love him and I haven't even met him yet! Jac you have by far the cutest newborn! I love you guys!

Glamorous!

I decided I wanted to spotlight my Belle! She has really developed a strong personality... and she knows what she likes and doesn't like. So I want to share all of her ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THINGS.
FAVORITES
Drink- Apple Juice
Food- Mac n Cheese and Bagles and cream cheese
Book- Oink and Pearl (she has to read it atleast 3-4 times a day)
Color- PINK!!
Movie- Lady and the Tramp and Finding Nemo
Thing to do- Dress up!! She loves tutu's and lip gloss
Thing to wear- PAJAMAS








Another Favorite thing to do is- She loves sitting with me and watching me put on my make up. She always wants me to put some on her. Which I always say no just chap stick... But today I caved and we did a make over and painted her nails. Belle was so happy!! When I was doing her little photo shoot she was being so silly! She was making all these new random faces and laughing her head off. She even posed herself in each picture! I am amazed at the little lady she is becoming....











Belle thought it was so funny to pull her skirt up... I would yell "Belle!" and she would laugh and laugh and do it over and over! It was so funny!




I love her cute little legs... Pen marks, bruises, and fancy shoes!!! Thats Belle!

I just Love this Beautiful girl!

After what has happened this month I have found it hard to know what to do next.... What now? How do we act? What do we do when something like this happens to someone you just love and respect so much? I asked Monkey and he said, "Just keep on going.. never pretend that this didn't happen. Learn, become better, and become closer to the Savior and you just have to keep going." I thought that was such an amazing thing that he said.

"You never know what tommorrow will bring, so live today right!"

I have been at a loss of things to say lately.... There have been so many different emotions my whole family have been feeling and I don't really know where to begin...


A tragedy happened in our family a couple days ago that has really tested everyones faith.... My heart aches for some members in my family... Honestly I don't know if I could handle what happened. My sweet cousins Doug and Sara have had to deal with what I think is lifes hardest trial. I am shocked and amazed of how they have dealt with this.... All I have heard is how they KNOW it is going to be ok... How they KNOW they will see their baby again. How they KNOW that this gospel and their Heavenly Father is with them. All I have heard is that they are putting all their trust in Heavenly Father. I have asked myself all week if I could do the same. Would I put ALL my trust in the Lord if that happened?

Our next emotion we have dealt with is completely the opposite....pure joy... my sister Jaclyn brought little Bret Nikson Bishop into the world the same day everyone had to say goodbye to sweet little Luke... January 22. 2011. I was just, well if you know me you could probably guess how I was yesterday.... Questions filled my mind. WHY?? why do some have to go through such pain? and why do others get such joy? Why does awful things have to happen....

I realised that I had no idea.... But I believe that we- as Doug and Sara have done- is we have to KNOW that Heavenly Father knows whats going on. We have to put full trust in him. And know that we will feel peace. I am so proud to be part of a family that believes and actually acts this way. My cousin MacKenzie wrote a peom that I am going to share (I really hope she doesn't care that I took it).

HOPE THROUGH THE CLIMB
(For Mom & Dad)
Hope is direction, a map for the soul
It's carrying on vaguely knowing the goal
And if ever dismayed by that steepening slope
We must dig in our heels and never lose hope

For no matter how long or how taxing the time
The Lord will allow us to outlive the climb
If we fall in defeat, want to lay down and rest
He'll show us new light on some far distant crest

And whisper, "If only you knew how I care
In making you strong from the burdens you bear
It's only for now, there's a great end in sight
A dawn is awaiting the dark, gloomy night."

So whenever ahead, there appears a new slope
We must dig in our heels and never lose hope
And continue to climb without plans to descend
And someday we'll come to that glorious end.

-MacKenzie-

This poem says it so perfectly... brings me so much comfort and peace. I sometimes read it when I feel like things won't get better or I start to question. It reminds me that we have to go on- no matter how long and how hard the trial is and "someday we'll come to that glorious end!"



This is little Nikson... When I saw this picture I just started bawling... He is so perfect and so beautiful and I kept thinking of Little Luke who is now with our Heavenly Father and I couldn't help but feel how these two must have met before Nikson came down... and maybe they hugged each other and just wanted everyone to be at peace. I don't know but I sure felt peace when I look at this guys little face. There is a bigger picture to this life and we can find it if we will only look. Sara and Doug we love you guys so much and pray for you everyday. Thank you guys for already teaching everyone whats most important.

Invictus

Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley

I love this poem.... No matter what hard time, pain, sarrow, sadness, crulety, etc we go through in this life WE choose how WE are going to be, how we will act to the situation... WE control ourselves! We Decide....