New Toy

I am so excited about my new toy that Santa brought me this year. It is a Flip Video Camera! Now I can start taking real video shots of my family and share them with others. Check out one of the highlights from our Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

We had a great Christmas this year! My sister Allie was able to come up from Utah, and we even had a little bit of snow, but not on Christmas. (Sad) We made graham cracker houses, made cookies, treats, and all sorts of yummy food, saw cool Christmas light displays, visited Comet and Cupid, and opened up a gaggle of gifts from Santa Claus. We hope everyone else had a splendid Christmas, too!

8 Months

At 8 Months old, Max can do this:

He looks like a swimming frog when he does this:

And we all love him so much, like this:


p.s. He'll be crawling before Christmas, scary!!

Thankful

I know there are many things to be unthankful for about unemployment, but I've decided to stretch myself and find all the things I am thankful for about unemployment and find those "tender mercies" that we've been given:

1. I've been able to build my teaching resume. I really do enjoy it, and I am even being pushed mentally to go back and get my math endorsement.

2. We are actually saving money! I guess that is what happens when you have income, but hardly any expenses, i.e. no rent (thanks mom and dad)!

3. I get to see my Scotty a ton, and so do the kids. We REALLY like that!

4. Our kids qualify for government programs, and because of this, Luke's dental surgery will be paid in full, and not from my pocket.

5. We still have Scott's AWESOME benefits package from Federal Way, and because of that, we will only have to pay a co-pay for any kind of medical care that we need.

6. We get to spend the holidays with family. It was great being able to go down to Utah for a week to see the Pingels for Thanksgiving, and I am very excited to have Christmas with my family for the first time in 3 years.

7. Scott gets to be apart of Easton's school experience, apart of his extracurricular activities, and take him on field trips. That probably won't happen often once he has full-time employment.

8. We got to see every member of our family this year, including living grandparents, because we had the time in the summer to tour around the western U.S.

9. I am becoming more humble through this experience, and more willing to do everything possible to make sure I am ready and worthy to recieve any blessings that might come my way.

10. And last, but not least, I am thankful that I get to see my faith grow and see how my Heavenly Father truly loves me and my family through this experience.

Don't get me wrong, this unemployment thing isn't easy, and I have moments when it is hard to see all the blessings that I have, but I'm glad that I can still remember everything that I've been given too. Its easy to see the rainbow after the rain stops, but its much harder to find the color and sunshine in the midst of the storm.