Monday, December 27, 2010

Best of Christmas 2010: (in no particular order)

1.  Watching the Joseph Smith movie with the family.
2.  Visiting the Mesa Temple lights
3.  Spending time with family
4.  Roast lamb and ham dinners
5.  Nordstrom's cashmere dip dye scarf from brother David
6.  Ok, ALL my gifts...including a bidet from Adam's parents!!
7.  Watching John open is DSI
8.  Watching Ella open her music box
9.  LOVED the movie Brooklynn made for Adam and I
10.  Black Friday shopping with Mom
11.  Dancing to Michael Jackson with the Barrys
12.  Screaming at the TV during the Cardinals game...well that was a Love/Hate thing - but they won!
13.  A new toaster (after 9 YEARS of having to pop the dang thing manually...our kids never knew a toaster is supposed to pop by itself)
14.  Meeting a new neighbor
15.  Godiva chocolate
16.  Sephora OPI polish in "Leaf Him at the Altar"
17.  Lancome dual finish powder (a love from the past) given by Mom
18. Modal pj's from Adam
19.  Wallflowers from B&BW
20.  Amazon.com free shipping deals
21.  Acceptance into ASU program of my choice at the last minute
22.  Passing my Chem class
23.  The Messiah program at the Stake center
24.  Gifts to the baby Jesus

Worst of Christmas 2010:
1.  The big giant zit on my face Christmas morning
2.  Ella's pink eye
3.  The stomach flu which circulated through the Barrys
4.  Adam seeing one of his gifts
5.  Dog poo in the bouncy house at Gogo's...the kids didn't seem to mind
6.  Having my favorite Christmas decoration break

All in all, it was a fabulous Christmas!  It it hasn't ended yet!  I just had a knock at the door and received a pair of super cute race car salt & pepper shakers from GlammaFabulous!!  I love it when the season continues.  I hope it will last!  We've felt close to the Savior and our gratitude is magnified.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Autism

We’ve been coming to terms with a recent doctor’s appointment which confirmed and newly diagnosed John with autism (no longer PDD-NOS).  For some silly reason I actually thought his PDD-NOS diagnosis might lift and that he only had a sensory processing disorder to work with.  Maybe some denial?  I don't know.  Much to my surprise there was a handful of other new disorders that had emerged.  John was so patient through the lengthy evaluation - about 5 hours.  John said it was "like school" and was disappointed it wasn't more fun.

A diagnosis change is very overwhelming because we have to reassess all of John’s current treatments and therapies. We'll keep moving forward with what we think is best.  Make no mistake, we feel so blessed and grateful for such an opportunity to learn.  Our family has grown so close as we rely on each other's strengths.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Look to the Light

Sick days, Safeway

Ella has had pink eye all week!  Poor little thing.
She has been such a good girl, not hardly complaining.

But here was some good news.  I got a sweet deal at Safeway from The Frugal Find website. 
I got all this for $16.63!!!
Doesn't sound like a good deal yet?
I order it online and they delivered it to my house! 
The delivery guy said so many moms are doing this right now.
It's over $50 worth of groceries shipped.
The delivery guy even said he wasn't allowed to accept a tip.  He brought them in and put them in the kitchen.  What a bargain.
Jump on the deal before Dec. 31st.
I liked it so much I might have to order more groceries online.
This was so great since Ella has been sick!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Good Things to Come

A Wonderful Quote

"...it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.
"...To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.
 
"...During a perilous period of war, an exchange of letters occurred between Moroni, the captain of the Nephite armies, and Pahoran, the chief judge and governor of the land. Moroni, whose army was suffering because of inadequate support from the government, wrote to Pahoran “by the way of condemnation” (Alma 60:2) and harshly accused him of thoughtlessness, slothfulness, and neglect. Pahoran might easily have resented Moroni and his message, but he chose not to take offense. Pahoran responded compassionately and described a rebellion against the government about which Moroni was not aware. And then he responded, “Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul. … And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart” (Alma 61:2, 9).

"...One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. A thing, an event, or an expression may be offensive, but you and I can choose not to be offended—and to say with Pahoran, “it mattereth not.”
-David A. Bednar, And Nothing Shall Offend Them