One year

NEW JOB!!!

Finally!  I got hired on with CAT!  Wheeler CAT in Salt Lake.  I have been trying to get hired on since 2014.  But I finally got a foot in the door.  I work there as a CRC-disassembly technician.  Basically I take engines the size of small cars and tear them down to just a bare block.  It's hard work, but it's really neat.  So far everyone has been super nice and friendly.  People go out of their way to make you feel welcome there.  The benefits are really good, too.  We were blessed enough to have the schedule work out in our favor.  Marissa works Saturday through Monday, and I work Tuesday through Friday.  No babysitters needed!  That and we'll be making enough money that we can get caught up on bills and be able to maybe start making trips down to Arizona again.~ Jacob

No facebook

So I decided to get off facebook for a while. That and games on my phone. I used to sit and play games or look at facebook every chance I got. I realized that these things really took up a lot of time. A huge distraction. I can accomplish more when I focus on tasks at hand, and get more done. I still find myself struggling to fill that void on down times. But I am willing to do what it takes to break the addiction of facebook and games.-Jake

Good times ahead!

It's funny how life has a way to throw those curve balls that make things difficult.  Like when you lose your job and a week later, your car breaks down.  No insurance to cover when your kids get sick.  You know, the start of an old fashioned country song.  But, what we do, how we react to those difficult times, that's what defines our lives.  You can choose to either sit down and cry, wondering how things could have been different, or pick yourself up by your bootstraps and step forward!  Instead of lamenting the past (which is literally anytime that is not now), be happy you have the now to make your next move.  There are always 10 or more possibilities, and if you grab one and it doesn't work out, there are always at least 10 possibilities!  This is my life.  I choose how I am going to live it.  I can choose to look forward every day, despite any setback.  As long as I'm moving forward, as long as I'm choosing to not stop and wonder why things had happened, or why things didn't work out, I will always have opportunities.  We are so blessed to have every day we have.  Never give up people.  Never let the negative come between you and your happiness.  Give liberally of your love and your kindness.  Watch how life works out despite our best efforts to think otherwise.-Jake

Growing up

Sadie has just graduated kindergarten!  Shannon is graduating 6th grade today too!  For fear of using an all too often used phrase, where has the time gone? It seems like it was just yesterday! They're growing up too fast. Like Arizona weeds.

I guess I'm not immune to it either.  I'm turning 37 this year. I still think I'm in my 20's, although physically I don't feel like it.  I look in the mirror and that guy looks the same, until I look at pictures of me when I was in my 20's. Nope, not the same.

Soooo... Mersadie, Braeden, Mason, and now Lillian. We're still in Tooele. It's surrounding mountains and canyons have so many fun things to offer. It's been a blast living here. Tough at times, but fun.

I intend to be more involved with this blog. Stay tuned for more.

Catching up..

Hello world! It's been awhile. We have been so blessed this year!

First off let me start with where we left off. I believe it was in June. Maybe July. I don't know for sure, but it definitely was summer time. 

The kids started school in August. They love it! They go to the new charter school and have to wear uniforms. Hailee isn't too crazy about the uniforms. It's quite comical. However, they all look super adorable in them. 

Miss Sadie Bug gets to start preschool next year. Where the heck has the time gone?! I miss my little baby girl, but the adorable little girl she is growing into is pretty great too. She is learning so much so fast. She is starting to put 2 and 2 together on most things, and asking all kinds of questions about how things work and when Dad is going to be home or what am I making for dinner. She doesn't like cheese. I know, weird, right? Every once in awhile I can sneak it in with dinner and she can't tell, but its not very often that I can pull the wool over her eyes.

Oh and she got glasses! She looks adorable in them, of course! 

Braeden is a little stinker. He is so hard headed and ornery most of the time. His smile kills me. It completely melts my heart. He is learning to say words now instead of just screaming or crying to get what he wants. Some words he says are "mama, Dad dad, trash, ice, mickey mouse, donald duck (Duck!) sissy, baby, binky, shoes, jacket" there's a few more, but I can't really think of them right now. 

Halloween this year was great! The older kids were at their mom's this year. Sadie was the Queen of Hearts. I made her costume with the help of a friend. It turned out fabulous! Braeden was a little police man. He was so stinking adorable. I was sad I wasn't able to go trick-or-treating with them this year. I was in the hospital. Having just had our newest addition. Mason James was born October 30. Weighing in at 7 lbs 5.5 oz and 18 3/4 inches long. He's my biggest baby yet!! AND he was 3 weeks early! I sure love him! We all do. He's a super chill baby. He hardly ever cries and when he does, its a super adorable cry, and he sleeps almost the whole night through!

For Thanksgiving, we hosted dinner at my house for my family. We had our family of 8, my sister and her 4 kids, my dad, and my brother. That's 15 people! Granted it doesn't sound like a lot in print, but trust me, when you get 15 people all together in one house, it sure feels like a lot! I made a 20lb turkey!! 20 lbs!! It was my first year and I had no idea what I was doing, but I think it turned out pretty dang amazing! I had to call my dad at least 3 times just while I was prepping it to be cooked. I'm sure he got a kick out of that. By the way, prepping a turkey to be cooked for dinner, Dis. Gust. Ing. That's all I have to say about it. Yup. It was pretty disturbing. 

December has been pretty busy. Actually this whole year has been pretty busy! The girl's had their school play. Mickey's Christmas Carol on December 15th and 16th. Hailee was "poor person #1" and Shannon was on the stage crew. Oh, and I was the volunteer mom backstage that was supposed to keep 25 kids quiet and tell them when to go onstage. Yep. I'm officially "that mom." That "I'm involved with everything my kids do, birthday parties, school plays, school parties, parent teacher conference, let's play music, sports, singing, random dance parties in the kitchen" mom. Even though they're my stepkids, I love them more than life itself. I would do anything for those little boogers. They have the biggest hearts and they're so sweet. (When they want to be haha)

Then of course there is Christmas, which was yesterday. It was Missy's year for the older kids this year, so poor Sadie and Braeden had to wait a couple hours before opening all their presents. We let them open up 3 each in the morning, but we waited for Shannon, Hailee, and Justin to get here before we did the rest. It was by far my favorite Christmas yet. Everyone got something that they wanted and hearing the excitement in their little voices just totally made all the stress and everything worth it. 

Again, we did Christmas dinner at my house. I made a ham. In the Crock Pot! It was great! I also made a turkey. Again, disturbing. But it turned out pretty delicious. This time we had Our whole crew, my sister's whole crew, my dad, my brother, and then Jake's friend and his family. So add another 4 kids and 2 adults. That's what? 21 people! Oye. My house was packed. It was great! Haha. I loved cooking for everyone! 

Snow. It has been such a warm, dry winter. And then yesterday, it dropped AT LEAST 8 inches of snow!!! I got my white Christmas after all! It snowed so much that the road to get to Jake's work was closed and he wasn't able to go. It was nice having him home for an extra night. 

Next year we are praying that Jake will find a job closer to home. This whole living in Utah and working in Nevada thing really sucks. We've been filling out applications like crazy and we're hoping he gets a job out here by the end of January. So, please pray with us! :)

We have also made it a goal to make it to Arizona next year. Grandma Annie needs to see her 2 youngest grandbabies! Hopefully in the spring. But this is all dependent on whether or not Jake can find a job out here in Utah. Again, praying that happens soon. 

Anywho, I believe that's just about everything that has been going on. I may or may not get another post or 2 in before the end of the year. Don't hold your breath though. I'm a mother of 6. Haha :)

Our Most Recent Zoo Trip