The Mamma's and the Babies

meat,walmart,and good company

Today after church we went to Kenai with Ron and Anita,Jason,Joanna,and Rashon.We all piled in the van and went to IGA to look for some sweet deals on meat...oh buddy.We spent about 100 dollars and got about 400 dollars worth of meat for our freezer.Im so excited.It feels like christmas(: Some of the deals we found just about blew me away.we got 10 lb bags of chicken quarters for a little over 5 dollars.and 4 lb bags of chicken breasts for $5! we got pork chops and steaks and shrimp and we shouldnt have to buy meat for quite awhile.im so excited.can you tell?!?(: Its so nice cuz i hate buying meat with my grocery money.its eats up so much of our grocery budget its ridiculous.meat is so expensive here.Now if we can just get us a moose this year we'll be good to go.Even Jason and Joanna got in on some of the good chicken deals(:
We also got to visit the new Walmart in Kenai,its the biggest one in Alaska.It was sooooo nice.Ive never been in that nice of a Walmart before.It was beautiful.and HUGE. I was pretty impressed.
Then we all came hme and had yummy leftovers and a nice visit and are till we were all ready to pop.We got all our stuff packed up and we will be leaving early tomorrow to head home.We had a really nice visit,and as usual it is ending too soon.Not looking forward to being in the car all day tomorrow,but at least ill be with my two favorite people.(: Im sure we'll have fun,we always do(:

Family Adventure

We took Mac on her first fourwheeler ride today...she was so excited.We explored for awhile and she bounced and yelled the whole time...then we brought her home for a nap and josh and i rode for a little while.it was really fun.(:

food,friends,and fun

We're having fun...a nice time of rest,and just a break from reality.McKinley is having a blast with Nana and Papa.She is just a little busy body and into everything,and she just really seems to love all the new people and surroundings.As usual,we are eating like kings.(: Ron smoked a couple chickens i his new smoker yesterday,and it was insane.Have you ever seen ckicken "fall" off the bone?we did (: i made a huge fancy salad and Anita made this yummy yummy Ezekial bread with seven grain.what a yummy dinner! Today they made an authentic Mexican lunch, i have eaten at many mexican resturants,and this compared and even outdid the best of them. They made Homeaide refried beans and pork enchiladas.yummo!my tummy hurts now,but itwas so worth it.
Tomorrow i think they are taking us out to Fat Olives(gourmet pizza!) because this is my birthday and our anniversary week.Im also going to go visit with Joanna tomorrow,so im pretty excited because i miss her alot.She is a dear sweet friend.her baby boy is so big now...we got to see him at church and hes already bigger than mckinley and hes only 5 months old!hes really really sweet and cute.
im pretty sure prime rib and brisket are also on the menu sometime this week.man!im pretty sure were gonna gain a few pounds by the time this week is over(:
Ron and Anita went to town today for doc. appointmens and we stayed home and watched a movie and spent some time together...it was nice.Thats all folks!

Forks are for wimps

learning how to use a fork...she needs a little help stabbing the food,but other than that,she pretty stinkin coordinated!she just started using it two days ago on her waffles,and pretty much has it figured out now(: shes so smart(:

Happy Birthday to me

You know,ive found after being treated badly by people,especially people that claimed to be my friends,and whom ive trusted with my whole heart,and having my heart shattered into a million pieces by them,it makes me a little skiddish to trust anyone,let alone let myself be close to people.Im trying hard not to be a complete hermit,but sometimes i just find myself in a dark place and cant seem to find my way out.I dont want to be like this.I hate myself for it,and i hate the people who made me feel this way.I wish and hope that someday i can be that happy carefree person i once was,but for now it is a daily battle.Sometimes i fight it and sometime i give up.Really the only time i feel i gain any victory at all is when i just give it to the Lord.
For some different reasons,i have found myself in this dark place more than once this week. Today especially.But several times this week,people have surprised me with phonecalls,gifts, and just love and concern in general,and it makes me so ashamed for not being more grateful, and joyful,and friendly myself.i dont feel at all like i deserve to be shown love,ive been such a grump,and then there it is!both natasha and laurel remembered my birthday and both made me beautiful earing and neclace sets,and although i love the jewelry and will cherish it,its the gesture that really touched my heart.True Kindness seems to be rare in people these days,and i just hope i can learn from their example and stop feeling sorry for myself long enough to show more of it myself.
Thankyou for the gifts Laurel and Natasha!
Thankyou for the books your sending to help me Amber!
Thankyou for the phonecall Tori!(even though i didnt get to call you back yet)
Thankyou for the time you spend with me Jenn,Mom,and Heidi!
Thankyou all to those who have been true friends to me,and i hope that i can be that kind of friend back.I love you all.

from Laurel

from Natasha

life and love

Update on our lives:hmmm...where to start.

One of my new years resolutions was to learn how to manage our money better and work on our budgeting and saving.and boy have we ever!this is one area of our lives that is really exciting right now,becasue we have been watching Dave Ramsey and applying his principles and its so amazing to so the changes coming about.we are really starting to see some huge results and we've only been working on it for a few months.We got all our debts paid off,except two,and we are about to start our "debt snowball"and should have it taken care of completely and finally within the year.That includes josh's student loan.We also have a savings account in place that is something we have never had before.Its an untouchable emergency fund.its awesome.We cant wait until we are able to start saving more and giving more.its very exciting.If any of you havnt read Dave Ramsey's book,you should.Its a work of art.

Josh is soon to be off of the probationary period for his new job,and is doing really well.he loves police work,and always comes home excited to tell me what he's been up to that day.I love it. I love that he is happy and that makes me happy for him.He will be working days this coming summer,so i will be glad to have him home at night.he's been on night shifts for the whole winter,so it will be nice to have a normal schedule throughout the summer months.im not sure we know how to function like normal people anymore(: it should be and interesting adjustment.

McKinley is growing like a weed.she's such a little woman...she talks constantly but were never quite sure what shes saying.other than all the mama-dada's that she throws in every other word.she's a really good natured child,and we have lots of fun together.she laughs constantly and is very ornery.we have been working on "training" her to behave and listen,and she's extremely smart and learning quickly.i knw shes gonna start speaking english in no time,im just waiting for the day it happens(: she runs around like a wild woman and never stops until i through her in her bed to recharge her batteries.she's very high energy.cant imagine where she got that.

Im doin ok...i need alot of prayer.Ive been fighting depression alot lately,and its not an easy thing to admit or deal with.Ive just been trying to give my battles to the Lord and ask for joy,and Hes always faithful when i ask.Why I dont ask more often is beyond me.Stupid human nature i suppose.Im still working hard on my fitness and training for the charity runs this summer...
im pretty excited about it(: Ive begun a new organic lifestyle for myself and my family and ive been studying alot about the health benefits and it takes alot of time and effort learning a new way of life.but its exciting !!!

We are going to ninilchic for a week the end of April for a break from fairbanks and work and to spend time with the in-laws and rest up.do some fishing.take a rode trip. and have a good time.

April 21st

In celebration of our Annisersary month,i created the new header.I cant believe its already been 3 years now.Its gone so fast,and at the same time it seems like we've been married forever.The Lord is shaping and molding our marriage each day,and working on us individually as well as together.He has blessed us richly this past year and taught us more than we ever deserved or hoped.I love my husband and cant wait to see what this next year holds.And every year for the rest of our lives.Happy Anniversary Josh.

Heidi's home!!! (:

...and she came bearing birthday gifts!(: yay me! i felt so special...look what she brought me...

half the bath and body works store!!!(:

two purse lotions...

the sweet pea collection...

a wallflower...

antibacterial soap....in my fav. clean cottons scents...

this cool neclace...she and bek got one too(blown glass)

peter rabbit notes....aaawwww(: i adore peter rabbit and friends...

and a sweet plaque to go on my sister wall

the chub even scored some loot....to little peter rabbit stories....

...inside this beautiful little purse....she'll DEF be using this on easter sunday(:

So the other day i had a salon day and invited a whole bunch of girls over and we had such a blast!!!Those who participated were Rosella,Aubrey,Emily,Shannon,Kluane,Joy Hellen,and Cady.

Every body got their hair done,and we had coffee and lots of laughs(: It was great spending time with people i dont usually see a whole lot of.Each of these ladies has a special place in my heart for different reasons.(except shannon,hahaha...just because i dont knw her AT ALL!But it was nice to make a new friend)

Anyways...this was the thankyou that Cady brought me that night...i thought it was a pretty nice one too!!!wow!was NOT expecting that...but i love this stuff,and am enjoying it very much!

Kluane gave me a nice thankyou as well...it was green and fit nicely into me wallet!:P wasnt expecting that either!hahaha...and the middleton girls brought homaide treats for me!all in all it was a great time!we'll have to do it again someday soon!

hair pics for lanae

see...its not that short...i just didnt have it fixed in those other pics...so it was stuck to my head...

im growing it out now that i have all the color cut out....(: