This Is Us

  Here are our pictures for Christmas this year... We had to hurry because Brichette had to get to her choir concert. So there aren’t very many and they aren’t the best. We used to buy the $3.99 fleece blankets from ShopKo, but since they closed in 2018 (I think that’s when it was), we’ve had to buy fabric from JoAnn’s. It’s more expensive, except for this year. We were able to find a pattern we like (Yetis) in the stuff on sale. It was $2.99 a yard!

  As I mention in this post  Electric Fireplace  Nick built an entertainment center in our family room at least 5 years ago. It has lots of shelves, and openings in the bottom for our gaming boxes, and blankets. I painted the back wall with flat black paint so everything on the shelves would stand out more. Then I hung picture frames and decor on the wall and added things on the shelves. It’s so fun to have the lights across the top and the fire place. Movie nights are epic! 

  I found an easy way to make sure there are no clumps in Mac & Cheese! I’m talking about the boxed kind that you get from the store. We have had Kraft, Kroger, and WinCo brand. We’ve had others once or twice before, but can’t remember their names. Our favorite... WinCo brand! Yep! We love their brand. It’s the best tasting to us. Back to how I make it. So I cook the noodles. Then I add the butter and milk to the hot pot, and put it back on the burner I cooked the noodles on (with the heat turned off). I keep it on there just long enough to melt the butter and warm the milk. Then I take it off the burner and add the noodles back to the pan. I stir the noodles in the melted butter and milk, until they are all coated. I then open the pouch of cheese and add it in. I stir the noodles and cheese until it’s well mixed. With the noodles coated in the butter/milk mixture, it helps the cheese not clump. Hopefully making it this way helps you from having clumps. There is nothing worse t...

  Today Lydia made the decision to get baptized. We are so happy! Because of the pandemic we weren’t able to have anyone there with us. Everyone had to join the zoom. Even though it wasn’t the same, I’m very grateful for zoom so that everyone could still watch her get baptized. I didn’t get any photos at the church, but the couple who help with the baptisms did. So hopefully we will get a copy. I did get a picture of her in her baptism dress outside in our front yard.

Every year since The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints started #lighttheworld we’ve participated in it. It helps us remember what this season is about, The birth of our Savior and eldest brother Jesus Christ. It helps us share the light of Jesus. It helps our Christmas Season be more. You can visit  Come Unto Christ  for lots of ideas. There is a downloadable calendar for something to do everyday or you can sign up for text messages. Or do what we did... do both! Here is what the calendar looks like: It’s been a rough year! It’s been a challenging year! But no matter what’s gone on this year, I hope that whatever you do this Christmas, you are able to see the Light of Christ and share it with someone. We all need more light, especially this year!

For the whole time Nick and I have been married I’ve wanted a house with a fireplace. When we lived with Dieter and Colleen we had one, and I loved it! Every home we’ve had (an apartment and two houses) we haven’t had a fireplace. I thought I’d never get one. Well... I’ve seen several people have electric fireplaces, including Troy and Marchezt, and knew one was possible! Several years ago (a year maybe two years after we moved into this house) Nick built an entertainment center in our family room. Oh my, I love it so much! We just built it on the existing wall because I was planning on putting a dark wallpaper on each shelf wall. Well, so far I never have because I couldn’t find what I was wanting. So we just ended up buying black paint and painting the wall. Anyway, back to the fireplace... At the bottom Nick built shelves for our DVD holders, DVD player, stereo system, and gaming consoles. I didn’t want to tear out our whole entertainment center and rebuild it around the fireplace. ...

Here is our November dinner calendar. The picture isn’t very good, but you can still see it! If you’re using it for ideas, I’m sorry it’s late. I e had a bad headache the last couple of days.

No matter what happens today, please remember ✨Be Kind ✨Love One Another . Just because someone feels differently, votes differently, or see differently than you do doesn’t mean you need to hate them, despise them, or be cruel. We all are doing our best to make the best decisions. If we all stick together, love one another, be kind, helpful, and courteous we can get through anything! Satan wants all of us to be as miserable as he is, so he turns us against each other. Jealousy, Hate, Discrimination, Fear, Prejudice, all of it is his way of making us miserable. Let us be more like Heavenly Father and Jesus and love unconditionally! . Brichette and Xander are a little worried about going to school tomorrow. They are worried about how out of control and mean people are going to be because of the election. So, let’s all be the best us, and be kind. Be civilized about the out come and not get out of control. Yes, be disappointed, but don’t riot! Don’t you hate it when your children fight an...

We love Halloween being on a Friday or Saturday, but mostly on Saturday! We can have fun all day long. So today, we watched movies, the kids played Among Us, the gas station that we like to go to to get drinks gave the kids a regular size candy bar for wearing their costumes, we got drinks from the gas station, we ate lots of yummy food, and had a good day. Here is us at the gas station. This year was very different. There was hardly anyone handing out candy and hardly anyone out trick-or-treating! A few of the houses just had candy out in bowls, others handed them out, but two in particular were the best! Our neighbors across the street taped candy to glow sticks and set it in the lawn. The other one is a house in Dieter and Colleen’s neighborhood who gave the kids candy by three different tubs. Here are their costumes: Even though things have been very different this whole year, I am grateful for the things that help make it easier. Prayer, family, and fun times together. Even though...