Can't complain

I met a woman at the store today that taught me something about blessings. She was sitting with her two boys crying, so I asked if there was something I could do. She told me she didn't have any money and she was hoping someone could help her out with buying some groceries and diapers. She'd been walking around the store for two hours looking for someone to help her. I helped her with her things and as we stood in line she told me how her boys hadn't eaten yet today and they still had to wait to take the bus home so I offered her a ride. She told me about the last few years of her life and how she'd gotten here. She'd had a good job, but after having her first son she was able to quit and stay home, her boyfriend worked. Her boyfriend also drank and one day tried to kill her, now he's in jail and she's penniless. She told me how much money she gets from the state, it's barely enough for groceries, let alone diapers and wipes. She told me how she's been putting in applications and trying to find work along a bus line since she doesn't have a car. She kept crying and talking, she told me how humiliated she felt asking for food from strangers. All I could think of was my home, my husbands job, my family, our two cars, our pantry full of food, and wondering what else I could do for her. I may never see her again, but I know I'll never forget her.
Count your many blessings, name them one by one. Our lives often seem hard, or complicated. We cry about our money woes and the times when things are tight, but I've never really NEEDED or wanted for anything, ever. My life is full, after meeting her, I have nothing to complain about.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

See the lights!

Monday night we went to this amazing house to see their Christmas lights. This guy puts a LOT of thought into this. We had a really fun time and we're definitely going back before the season's over!


Damen wasn't quite sure about the snow, he only wanted to watch.

Legoland

We went last weekend with my friend Aeranee and her BF. We got one picture before my camera died, we had fun, you just can't see it!

Thanks Giving

We got to see and do a lot the week of Thanksgiving! The weekend before Thanksgiving our friends Brian and Corinne came to visit from UT. We went to Balboa Park to see the miniature trains and walk in the rain, had dinner and lots of laughs. The next day we got in the car to drive to UT for the big Turkey day. First we saw some friends, the Websters, Heiners and Christi. We stayed with Dustins sister Sari and her family, along with a few other sibs, they had a full house! The cousins had a great time even though it was snowey and cold outside. It's such a blessing to be able to spend time with loved ones.




Oh Olivia!!

Eating at Wingers of course!!



Family:








Damen's favorite part of the trip, he conned THREE of his uncles into swinging him. This is Evan.

Riley's (not APPLE) Farm

So, this past saturday we were supposed to meet up with a few other families at Riley's Apple Farm and spend the afternoon doing appley things. Instead we went to Riley's Farm, which is literally a few feet away, and spent the afternoon there. We had a nice picnic lunch and the kids dipped candles, and ran around. After about three hours we realized we were at the wrong place. It was fun, but we missed the rest of our friends, hope they had fun!



Dustin tried his hand at throwing hatchets, he got three out of six, not bad.



Damen, Chelsea and her Grandma teasing the goats.

Cute and tired kids, Chelsea, Kyle and Damen.

OH yeah, Halloween!

Oops, my bad, it's been a few weeks since Halloween, and pumpkin patch adventures, but we can still all enjoy the pictures right?

At the Pumpkin Patch we did the usual, took fun pictures, pet the animals, watched the pigs race, went through the corn maze, and picked out pumpkins!








Some other activities: Playgroup Halloween party, the kids were NOT interested in looking up, but there they are.

Carved pumpkins.


And of course Trick(trunk) or Treating! Damen was a bat again this year because it still fit, so why not? This is him in flight.