Hopeless!

Hope went home with my mom yesterday to spend a few days. She is such a funny 18-month-old little girl. I love her and miss her so much!


Hope's favorite things:

An open dishwasher

Un-decorating the Christmas tree

Her Elephant

Wrestling with Addy

Waking up in the morning (she usually says an enthusiastic HI-i-i-i to whoever she sees first)

Ketchup and Ranch

Her "bobbie" (bottle)

Climbing!

What she doesn't like:

Watching TV

Restraint

Addy was so sad when she left yesterday. She cried all the way home from the airport. She said, "do you remember what you said to me when Hope was born?" I asked her what I had said. She replied, "that she was going to be with us forever...(sob, sob)" It was pretty heartbreaking.
We love you Hope. Can't wait to see you on Friday!

First Snow

Merry Christmas everyone!
I just wanted to let you all know how grateful we are to have you as friends and family. We woke up to this

outside this morning and Craig got up early to shovel the driveway. The fresh look of the clean white snow reminded me that I have so much to be grateful for. My mom just left yesterday from a nice visit where she spoiled us rotten. We are grateful to know that our parents and family love us so much.
I am grateful for shelter and warmth, for food and health and a wonderful family. Craig, Addy, Hope (and Hayden...coming this March) are my greatest treasures.

But I especially want to share my gratitude for my Savior at this time. Elder Eyering speaks about how we are "Blessed with His Light" at Christmastime. He said,

"That light is easier to discern at Christmastime, when we are more likely to pray to know what God would have us do and more likely to read in the scriptures and so more apt to be on the Lord’s errand. When we forgive and feel forgiveness, when we are lifting the hands that hang down (see D&C 81:5), we are being lifted ourselves as we move toward the Source of the light.
You remember that the Book of Mormon describes a glorious time when the Savior’s faithful disciples reflected His light for others to see (see 3 Nephi 19:24–25). We use lights to celebrate the Christmas season. Our worship of the Savior and our service for Him brings light into our lives and into the lives of those around us.

We can with confidence set a goal to make this Christmas brighter than the last and each year that follows brighter still. The trials of mortality may increase in intensity, yet for us, darkness need not increase if we focus our eyes more singly on the light that streams down on us as we follow the Master. He will lead us and help us along the path that leads upward to the home for which we yearn.

There have been times, often at Christmas, when we have felt parts of what we will experience when we at last come home to the Father who loves us and answers our prayers and to the Savior who has lighted our lives and lifted us up.

I testify that because of Him, you may have an assurance that you can go home not only at Christmastime but also to live forever with a family whom you love and who love each other."

I feel like I need to more earnestly seek for the light, share the light with others, and my share my gratitude for the light in your examples and the example of my Savior.
The snow this morning brought back fond memories of my dad waking us up and having us look out the window on a magical transformation of the world. The brightness reminded me of this "light" we can feel and share not only at Christmastime, but all year around.
Love you all! Merry Christmas.

Thanksgiving Service

So I came home thinking that this was a total waste and I was wishing I had bailed out of this little service project. BUT, Craig could not stop laughing at my story and told me I had to write it down, so here goes. (I'm still a little bitter, although I'm starting to see the humor in it..:)

A friend and I decided to go serve a Thanksgiving Feast to some homeless/poor people at a local shelter. It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving so Craig couldn't come because he was at work. So, I got a sitter for my girls. I still had Summer however and thought they would still let me help, but they said, "what's the baby doing here? You can't help with a baby!" So I told them to work Amanda double hard and I would just wait until Summer's dad picked her up.
In the mean time I decided to mingle and wish people a Happy Thanksgiving...
First I talked to a family that had to get home to pack for their flight to Colorado (???) This made me wonder how you get a ticket to this free Turkey dinner event.
Then, a lady started talking to Summer and I in Chinese. She said something in English, so I asked her about her language and she said that God taught her Chinese, Arabic and Spanish. I asked her if she was Chinese to which she gave me a funny look and said, "honey, I'm BLACK!" Woops. She then started to predict things about my life. She said, "you have 2 children, don't you?" "Yes," I replied. Then really loudly she said, "and your name is Samantha!" Ummm, close... I moved on...
I talked to a family that had a little girl (maybe 11-12) with buck teeth. She LOVED the baby. And she was playing with barbies. Ann Marie.
I really don't want to sound like I'm making fun of people, but Craig told me I wouldn't want to forget these things.
The next lady couldn't stop eating long enough to talk to me. She kept spilling food on her HUGE boobs that were propped on the table, so she'd take a little break to stop and pick all the food off her chest and eat it....

So then I got a call from my friend watching Hope. Apparently Hope hadn't stopped crying. It was time to go. So I bade farewell to the folks there and left shaking my head. I arrived to a very angry Addy because I picked her up just before she was about to eat her favorite meal, Spaghetti. She yelled at me all the way home.

When I arrived home, Paul was there to pick up Summer. Addy was still lecturing me and Hope was throwing a tantrum. I'm sure I looked a pleasant sight.

Craig called at about 9 pm saying he was on his way home. He called back 10 minutes later stating he was stuck in stand-still traffic on the freeway. He got home around 11.
After fuming about the night's events for awhile, I decided I was still going to be grateful for my opportunity to "serve." Craig and I talked on the phone for his LONG commute.
When he got home, we ended up having a good laugh and ate some peanut butter toast to make the day complete (at least I did).


Here is Amanda, working double:)

Busy September

So it was a busy September...
I went back to Utah for my Brother Braden's Wedding. I ran the marathon with my whole family. My mom, dad, brothers, and sister all ran it. It was awesome! My great friend Amber did a 2:52!! My mom stopped and gave Addy a kiss. I ran just about the whole way with my dad. It was a great race! They even did an article on my mom and our family the local newspaper.
Right after the marathon we hurried up to Cedar mountain to Craig's cabin for His sister Mikel's wedding. We barely made it before they said "I do." In our haste, we only got one picture. Hope had a blue face from a popsicle at the finish line of the race.
I spent a couple weeks in St. George, but Craig flew in and out a couple times. Not sure if I ever want to get on an airplane with Hope again! (In fairness, the way back she was pretty good).

Happy Halloween

Witch, a Vampire witch, and a Kitty. Hope had a great elephant costume, but she fell in the mud at the neighborhood party.

It was another busy weekend in Detroit. We went to our ward trunk or treat on Friday where we met the angle Moroni, and Adam and Eve. Craig was at the hospital all Friday night, so he missed out! Friday was Addy's soccer game where we stood in the freezing cold blustery wind. She scored three goals that earned her three dollars.
Our neighborhood has a halloween party every year. It was fun to see all the neighbors. For us it started at 4pm. For the serious drinkers the keg was tapped at noon. Addy went to pour her a glass of "apple juice" right by the keg, but was saved from drinking the beer from one of our neighbors. Addy says "I smelled it, and I was like...Grosss!"
We had an awesome time trick or treating with the Arrehnius family, and Addy and Hope(for Me and Craig) pulled in a hawl. Addy is now too old for us to be claiming the rights on her candy. The weather turned out okay, and it was so enjoyable walking down the streets under the sound of fallen leaves.

Addy Sets up her Clothes

So Addy sets up her clothes, make-up, and accessories the night before school. We may be in for it with her.

Erwin Orchards

When Craig's mom was in town, we went to a place called Erwin orchards. It was a blast! They have the best donuts, and I don't think I've ever tasted anything better than the cider. We ran through a corn maze, a haunted (spooky) barn, picked our own fresh apples, picked up a pumpkin, and played on some hay bales. It was probably one of the best days we've had in a long time. We are so glad Farol could come and join us.
Also a couple photos of Addy's soccer team and her friend Maddeline. Couple pictures from our backyard in our Sunday best.