Spring Time Family Photos

I know I have mounds of blogging to catch up on, but until then.  Here are our recent family photos taken by my dear friend Pela.

If you look close, Colt is wearing a WVU shirt and Tal has BYU...just a little something fun.

This one she told the boys to smile and me to make a face.

Decemberness that needs not be forgotten

Doug and I enjoyed a date night to his work Christmas party.

Jaxon's 6th birthday.  We went to a gymanstics place to tumble, run, and jump.  Jax loved getting a double lightsaber from Nana, money from G & G McArthur, and a cross bow from mom and dad.

  Doug entertained us with his moves.

all the kids who came

Doug's 32nd birthday.  His brother Ben, Janelle, & baby Bendigo arrived to spend the next couple of weeks.  We, of course, went shooting to celebrate.

Colton's 2nd birthday was celebrated with his favorite food stir fry noodles and he was thrilled to ride his "new to him" but used (got it for $25) jeep hotwheels.  He always envied the neighbor boys who rode theirs and there was not stoppin him when he saw it.

And here's my extremely adorable 2 year old who loves anything advenurous, thinks he's 5, wants to eat yogurt and cheese sticks all day long, very loveable and laughable.

And here he is receiving torture...I mean a haircut.  What a sad cutie pie.

seeks comfort in his "bankie"

Ready for any adventure...did I mention he's always trying to go outside (I like the vest and boots he put on over his footed pj's.

Life changes when life changes.

We are sent here to earth to gain a body and to learn.  To learn what...lots of things like how to make good choices, how to love, how to think outside our selves, how to rely on the Lord and have faith in His plan for you, how to go through hard things and to endure, etc.  O.K.  I know this but when put to my last life test, how thankful I am that I do know this...because I had to pull from all that knowledge base to somehow give me strength when I would naturally deem the tasks that lie ahead impossible.  God always has a plan and will not test you above what you can handle.

Let me back up.

Sept.
Felt prompted to get pregnant the day Doug came home and told me he would not deploy in the Spring, but the following fall.  Ok, so we have a window between June-Aug.  A trip to the temple and General Conference the next day confirmed this.

Oct.
No pregnancy.  Released from YW leadership after only serving for 5 months and felt like I finally was connected with the girls and some who were at me big crossroads in their life.  Super hard to leave.

Nov.
No pregnancy.  Get called to RS presidency.

Dec.
Doug's commander calls him in and tells him he's thinking about assigning Doug to a brigade position as their dentist and will deploy with them for 9 months.  Doug "hears" they are leaving in June, I "hear" their leaving in August.

Immediate prayers turn into "please don't let this happen!"  This was our biggest fear with the Army...it means Doug will be more of an "Army" man and will deploy longer and will have to travel more in Afghanistan which is known to be when most of the tragedies happen (when you leave the armed posts).

But what about that prompting... I'm a week late...

Christmas Eve, decide to take a test before I go to bed....learn I'm pregnant due in August.  Total mix, overwhelming feelings, but very happy and somehow amongst it there was peace.  What if Doug's going to be gone when I have this baby?  Pray, plead, "Please let Doug be here for the delivery...and the recovery."
Try to have Faith that with God, all things are possible.

Christmas Morning, Doug rolls over, "Amber, go get your Christmas present."  I reply, "Yours will be coming in August."  pause...gets it...total excitement can't wait to tell his family that was here.  So he quickly made put this in an extra stocking and hung it up.

Jan. 9
Doug receives orders to 101st Airborne Division 3rd Brigade.  Learn Doug will deploy in September.

I start to bleed.  Tell myself, you never felt sick with this pregnancy like with the first 3, kind of suspected something wasn't right.  Mentally prepared myself for miscarriage.

Jan. 10
Blood tests come back I'm still pregnant with HCG over 8000.

Jan. 11
Internal ultrasound shows no heartbeat and a 5.3 week fetus when it should have been 8.3 weeks.  Lots of tears.

Jan. 12
Blood tests show HCG levels dropped instead of doubled.  Miscarriage diagnosed.  Intense cramping sets in.  Tender mercy from the Lord received during bedtime prayer.  I really feel that baby McArthur is doing what the Lord needs Him to be doing right now.  So thankful for the times when the veil feels thin.

Jan. 13
Tell family.  Thankful I didn't tell all of Clarksville I was pregnant as it never felt right.

Jan. 14
Bleeding intensifies, felt awful.  I'm ok too right...hormones are fun =).

Jan. 15
Go about RS responsibilities as if nothing has happened at all...gives me insight into how others trials can totally be hidden...helps me not want to jump to conclusions with others as you never know what they might be going through.

Jan. 16
Feel blah...the floors are steamed and carpets shampooed...the house is quite so it's time to write about it.

As life changes, so does the individual.  I've felt myself clinging to the things I believe and taking comfort in God's plan for all of us.  I do feel a sense of relief in being responsible for 3 kids instead of 4 while Doug's deployed.  I know it will be physically/emotionally/mentally easier without a newborn.  There definitely is a part of me that is sad and the tears come even when I think I'm good.  But I have totally felt the Lord telling me that it's all going to be ok throughout all the life changes the past 6 weeks.

I love my Father in Heaven.  I love His wisdom.  I love that I have knowledge of His plan of Salvation and that we will be forever families.  I love the times when faith conquers fear and heartache.  I love my Saviour, Jesus Christ, whom I know gives me strength to go through hard things and comforts and understands.

My life has changed (and will continue too) with these life changes.  Thank goodness for faith!

2011 Funnies

September 2011

Tal- as I was gargling salt water, he says, "Mom! How did you learn to do that? Did Jaxon and I teach you?"

Tal-after Dad looked upstairs for a game and couldn't find it, "Dad, you have to turn the lights on to look for it!"

Tal-after finishing the outside edge of a 100 piece puzzle with dad, "See Dad, I told you we could do it without any help!"

Tal- on the way to preschool, "Dad, my nose is hungry? Hear that? sniff sniff. Juice box, (sniff) applesauce (sniff, sniff, pause) yogurt!" the contents of his lunch box.

Tal- "fphessert" Dad - say "duh, duh dessert"

Tal- "Duh, Duh, da da daaa da dddada!" (he has to have his own flair to everything)

August 2011

Tal- "Mom, I need to eat some spinach so I can have muscles to move the couch." To this I reply, "OK." He urges, "Mom, I need it right now!"

Jax- "This is the best gun ever!" (after he shot the bb gun)

Jax- "Mom, I prayed you won't cry when you get stitches."

July 2011

Tal- "We are going to have two girls." (in reference to more babies being born to our family) "And Aunt Kimmie is going to have 11."

Tal- As we are getting out of the car, "I've got to hurry in, Grandma's missed me so much!" (G-ma Mac is visiting us)

Jax- "I like our home in Morgantown the best!"

May 2011

Jax- "Can I get a pet boa if it stays in the backyard?" No. "Can I get a pet boa if it stays in a cage under the back deck?" No. "Can I get a boa if we keep it in the neighbor's yard? =)

Tal- "Mom, I LOVE sleeping the bathtub! It's so AWESOME."

April 2011

Jax- Dad tells him, "I'm going to lock up all these toys on the floor." To this Jax replies, "Dad, I'm very good at unlocking things."

Tal- "Mom, who's belly did I come from?" I reply, "Mine." He says, "No I didn't, I came from Uncle Hunter's belly, because he's my favorite Uncle."

May 2011

Jax- "My cute little legs are cold."

Tal- "Mom, you love Colt and you love Jax, but you love me the best."

Colt- In the morning I come in to get you and you fall over in delight into your blankets, belly down, and just giggle. Then you jump up and hold onto the crib railing and jump endlessly with the biggest grin.

Christmas morning 2011

Christmas Traditions

DECORATE

Doug delighted me as I wanted to decorate the outside of our house for the first time in our marriage.  I thought getting solar powered lights would be smart...except when it's an overcast day and they don't light up at night...oh well...live and learn.

Colton enjoyed the inside decorations.

POLAR EXPRESS NIGHT

This year I invited my little preschool class to join us as we read the book, had hot cocoa with candy canes, built train tracks and Santa's workshop out of blocks.

GRINCH NIGHT
With the help of Nana helped us start another tradition. She sent us pajamas, we did our hair "who"-like, had Steven's candy cane hot chocolate, read the book "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"and then watched the movie (Jim Carey version).

Ben, Janelle, and Bendigo joined in on the fun too.

GIFT TO CHRIST
Since I got put into the Relief Society Presidency (2nd Counselor) I helped plan the ward Christmas party (this would be the 3rd year in a row for me).  When the RS pres asked for ideas at our first meeting in November, I came with a few ideas.  1. No dinner (too much work for 300 people) 2. Theme: Gift to Christ 3. Have people write down what they are giving Christ this Christmas and put it in a nice box and we'll give it to Bishop so he can see his ward family's goals.  She went for the 2nd two, as I sheepishly hid my notes after the meeting began and a dinner was on already on the agenda.

Then I taught my first RS lesson in December about giving a Gift to Christ.  And I want to incorporate it into our annual family tradition and have us each write down the gift we want to give him each year.

The boys had an encounter with Santa where they showed him what they wrote down as their gift to Christ at the ward Christmas party.

Doug's parents, sister Katie and her friend Sam joined us the 23rd.  On the 24th we were busy, so busy I didn't take any pictures, with the following traditions:

DOLLAR STORE STOCKING STUFFERS

After drawing names, we each had $5 to fill that person's stocking.  I had Katie's name.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

We strolled along the waterfront of downtown Clarksville and enjoyed the lights.

CHRISTMAS DINNER DROP AND RUN

The McArthur family was blessed one year by someone who generously gave them food on Christmas Eve in their time of need.  So they always wrap up a bunch of food and some toys and doorbell ditch it to a family who might need it.  The boys had fun doing this with Dad and their uncle and aunts.  

WISEMEN DINNER on Christmas Eve

To save us a couple hundred of dollars, I decided to make Indian and Thai food instead of ordering take out.  I made Chicken Tikka Masala and Coconut Chicken Curry. 

MUSICAL NATIVITY...acting it out through songs, homemade costumes, and family and friends.

This year we invited the sister missionaries, 2 families we feel are close to our family here in Clarksville, along with the McArthurs who were visiting.  Besides Colton crying through most of it, it was wonderful.  We used the script I wrote last year for our church Christmas program/party.

Here a few clips from the evening.

Faith...

remember, that's what you're working on Amber.

Clean...
that's what you need to do right now as there's no room in the house clean enough to feel the Spirit you are seeking.

Pray...
as I know that's where to find peace

Hope...
in our Father in Heaven and our Saviour who helps us do what we don't think we're capable of.

Please, pray the Lord's will will be done in our family's life.  His will is always better than ours.

we've been m-u-g-ed

Mug

View the entire collection of cards.

Thanks for giving me...

the most kind, thoughtful, loving, helpful, hardworking, sexy, and service oriented husband.

the sweetest, super creative, thoughtful, smart, independent soon to be 6 year old.

the hugging, superhero powerful, musical, hilarious, lovable 4 year old.

the adventurous, chocolate loving, helpful, crazy, kissable almost 2 year old.

And, God, thank you for blessing us to all be together.  We like it that way...a lot.

Please, when it's thy will and the best time for our family, bless us with another spirit who'll be a champion for Christ and who will mesh well with our family.

I'm eternally grateful for all you've given me.

(my 2011 Thanksgiving prayer)

Thanksgiving dinner plates:

Jaxon's

 Talon's

Doug's

Amber's

Colt's was just a roll and he was off to bed.

Did I mention I'm teaching preschool?

Talon's preschool teacher moved the end of Sept. and I looked into other options but they were either too expensive, too many kids, or too many hours/days.  So I said to my self, "I can do this."

Within my major of Family and Consumer Science Education (a.k.a. Home Economics Education), we learned a great deal about child development and I worked at Brigham Young University’s preschool. We were required to know the in’s and out’s of a preschool in order to teach the high schoolers how to run a “preschool” program within their school. During my student teaching at Pleasant Grove High School, I taught the Child Care class and taught the secondary ed. students how to engage preschoolers in age appropriate activities, as well as organize their preschool to run efficiently and joyfully. This past year, I taught within a “mommy co-op” preschool gaining valuable experience as I was the lead teacher for 12 weeks.

So I did start my very own preschool so my social 4 year old could have the opportunity to learn with others in a fun, structured environment.  I've enjoyed it so far and like using my creative juices in this venue.

I teach 2 days a week from 9am-12, have a total of 5 students plus Colton who joins us when he's not napping and I earn a little extra cash to pay for utilities.

Talon wakes up every morning asking if it's a preschool day and when it is he's super excited and when it's not, he's begging for it.  Here are some pics of him at preschool.

Remember that mirror that Colton pulled on top of himself...with the help of Doug, I turned it into my magnetic chalk board for preschool.  I love it!

 We love reading in our class.  This month we've been discussing the different food groups.  Color identification, nutrition benefits, textures, and some taste testing have occurred. We even made whole wheat bread from scratch where they helped grind the wheat and knead the dough to make their own mini loaf for our Thanksgiving feast.

We got festive for Halloween and made square monster masks and Frankenstein pudding cups and played the ghost game after stringing their scary necklaces.

 Thanksgiving we made "Thankful" banners with pears, pumpkins, leafs, and squares (the shapes we've been discussing) and they wrote the things they are thankful for on the back of it.  Here's the one Talon made.  Also, turkey apples and of course a sampling of the "First Thanksgiving" with berries, corn, seeds, squash, jerky, turkey, and the mini wheat bread they made.  We invited their moms for the feast.

Talon, I do this for you and "For the Love of Learning" as I want you to develop/maintain a desire to learn and that great joy is found as we expand our minds, our character, and skills.  I love you sweet boy!