I wanted to post about something that is really important to me, my neighbors. Yes you heard right folks. I have the most amazing neighbors, they are some of the happiest, most Christlike people I know. They have suffered a lot of tragedy, that could make those who have walked in the same shoes angry and bitter, however they have used those experiences to grow and become better people who are filled with compassion and love.

This past year they hosted 3 orphaned siblings from Ukraine. The children, 1 girl and 2 boys came and stayed with the Ceran family for 6 weeks at the end of the year in 2010. They are wanting to adopt these 3 beautiful children and were expecting to have 6-12 months to raise the funds necessary, but have recently found out that the children could be ready to come in March.

Their son Caleb has drawn an exquisite picture of President Thomas S. Monson and has been raising funds by selling prints of it. They are also having a huge garage sale on February 12 at the Rockwell Charter school in the Ranches to raise funds.

They have a website that tells about some of the Ceran families experiences and what brought them to the desire to adopt. They are such a wonderful family!

Very often we hear about things like this and we think to ourselves "I wish there was some way I could help." Turn your thoughts into action and you can help save these children and give them a home where they are loved and cared for and can have the opportunity for a bright and happy future.

Here is a link that will take you to their website, where you can get background information on the Ceran family, (they have been in the newspaper multiple times) find out about Christina, Sasha and Eddy, and find out how you can help.

www.ukrainianmiracle.com

(PS, thanks to my friend Ashley who actually wrote this beautiful post, she lives in a cool neighborhood like me!)

Scrumptious GIVEAWAY!

Caramels and Chocolates and Pecans....OH MY!

Check out this giveaway at What's for Dinner?



Go enter for a chance to win all of this mouthwatering goodness.....but only if you like chocolate and caramel. If you don't then enter for me.

Christmas 2010

We had a great Christmas, the boys are entering a new season of toys and things are getting more exciting (and more expensive). We had a ton of fun shopping for them and they have enjoyed the new toys they received for Christmas.

I must say that this Christmas season has been one of the harder ones. We really do miss our daddy during the time that he is playing Santa Claus. Darrin works long hours during the year, and we are used to him leaving the house at 6:30 in the morning and getting home around 6:30 or 7:00 each night. But, November and December are especially hard because he usually doesn't get home until 8:00 or 9:00 AND it get's dark around 5...which makes it seem extra long.
Adding to that, Mr. Tate got his tonsils out on December 17th. I was so blessed to have both of my mother's help the day he got his tonsils out. However, it was just the boys and I for the long road of recovery through Christmas.

Needless to say, I am glad that Christmas is over so we can have our dad back!

But, enough of the Debbie Downer.
We do have a good job and we were blessed to have a good Christmas!!
We had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day here at our house with our little family and my mom and then on Boxing Day we went to Wellington to visit with Darrin's family which included a special visit from Darrin's older sister Angie and her family. It was so great to see them and I am always reminded just how much I love them every time we get to see them! She has some great, fun kids and I really enjoy talking to her.


Cosby teaching Remy how to shake.


Tate's firehouse/police house.


Remy riding his electric scooter, wheeeeee!!!


The boys both got personalized M&M's from Aunt Lisa, they LOVED them!


They also got robes, which they immediately put on.


The boys have been DYING to have pillow pets....I was not going to pay $20 for a stupid pillow......thank you 2 for 1 deals and Great Grandpa and Grandma Miller!!!!





Yes, Remy got a loaf of Grandma Sycamore's White bread. It is a real treat in this wheat bread household :)




Remy got a cotton candy machine....oh yah baby!




Leapsters from Santa....also a 2 for 1 deal....go Santa!

The boys also really lucked out and got lots of legos from their grandparents, which apparently, I didn't get pictures of..... I think they were whisked away so quickly that I missed my chance!

Temple Square!

We took our 2nd annual trek to Temple Square with the ever increasing Bradshaw family.
It was much warmer than last year, and there were gobs and gobs of people on Trax, at the Gateway and at Temple Square. Seriously, so. many. people.
It was crazy. BUT, we had a ton of fun trying to meet up with everybody, eating good food and talking at the Gateway, and putting kids on shoulders so they could all actually see the lights instead of just legs and bums.

We had a fun time, but will probably go when it is freezing cold next year ;)


Mom threatening the boys to hold still and smile.


This is as close as we could get.


Remy taking a rest from running around.

Becky has the pictures of the whole family that came...hint hint hint.....

It's another Cougar.......

First Down!!!

We had the opportunity to go to the BYU vs New Mexico game a few weeks ago. Darrin has the head coach's house on his UPS route and he was given 3 tickets and a parking pass (my favorite thing) to the game.

We took our good friend, and huge Cougar fan, Tory with us. We were cold, but we had a lot of fun watching the Cougars win!


The fans.


Good memories....we used to go on dates to every home game while I was at BYU


Darrin trying to keep his eyes open for the picture.


The Coug's.

P.S. We found it much easier to pay $3 for a cup of hot chocolate when we didn't have to buy the tickets. Also, this really annoying guy behind us took a liking to Tory and kept asking him really annoying questions, such as "What IS a Lobo?" And, I got stuck next to a "typical" group of BYU girls who were NOT interested at all in the game and were singing show tunes at the top of their lungs.

Tate, The Big Brother. (no, I am not prego)

Remy had a hard first year or two (or three or four) year of life. He was born early, was in the NICU for a week, was on oxygen for a month at home. Didn't like to eat, didn't like to entertain himself at all, ever. Had to have 60,000.00 worth of shots to avoid getting RSV. Didn't crawl until 11 months....you get the picture, I won't go on.
So, Darrin and I always said, "you know kid, you make a very strong case for being an only child."

Luckily, we didn't believe him totally. We were then blessed with Tate. Tate has his own brand of mischievousness, but we feel kind of bad because we find ourselves saying..."you know kid, you make a strong case for being a big brother."

Unfortunately, not going to happen.

So, Tate just had to adopt a little brother. And that he did.

Meet Gavin.

Gavin is child #5 in his family and #1 in Tate's eyes. He loves to play with him, and carry him around, and stay by his side and help him however he can. He is a natural born nurturer.


Gavin and his brother and Sister came to play this past Saturday and while the other kids were upstairs playing, Tate was having so much fun pushing Gavin around in the laundry basket.


I think Gavin really loves Tate too.


The end.

Back to school

I finally up-loaded some pictures from my camera. So, here are our back to school and Halloween posts for your enjoyment....

Remy started 2nd grade this year. His teacher is Mrs. Webb and he LOVES it! Tate is in his final year of preschool (sniff, sniff) and he sometimes loves his teacher and sometimes he doesn't like her too much...especially when he gets in trouble. ;)


We had our "Back to School Dinner" the night before school started. The boys got to pick out the decorations and what we had for dinner.


We had pancakes with strawberries and whip cream. We ate by candlelight.



I take a picture of all my preschool kids by the August calendar. So, here is Remy's back to school picture by the calendar too. I usually take a picture of Remy with his teacher, but I never got around to doing it this year...yet. :)


And, here is Tate's 'too cool for school pictures' picture.


And speaking of too cool for school...Tate and I found these totally cool school lunch trays at the DI. The boys love eating from them, and I guess I would have to admit, I kind of do too. I am just always on the look out for my elementary school principle Mr. Dyett. Don't pinch me please Mr. Dyett!!!