Cant put a $ on memories!

I have loved taking pictures for a long time now. I love to take pictures of everything I see. My husband and I just recently bought a wonderful camera that is so much fun to play with. 

I have been told from time to time that I could do this for a living if I wanted to. Here is my reasoning why I haven't wanted to. I love to take pictures. I love it so much that I carry my camera with me everywhere I go. 

I love to take pictures for people in their special moment. 

I love to catch the beauty in everything around me. 

I would gladly, any time I am asked take pictures for anyone. 

My reason, I could never charge someone, so that they could have a tangible copy of dearest memories.  

I feel it is so important to always take a million pictures. They are a window into the eyes of the past. 

They help people to slow down and gaze at the beauty that often times is missed. 

I will always take pictures. I will always give of my pictures freely to those who would enjoy and love them. 

These last two are very important to me. When I was younger I took these pictures. I had a little cheap camera with very little extra on it. I took these pictures with it. Capturing what I think to be a beautiful sight that might have been missed by others. It was nothing fancy. It proves that anyone with a cell phone, a point and click camera or anything else can catch beautiful things around them. You just have to be willing to open your eyes and look. 

Summer Love!

I love Summer. The warmth, the breeze, the time, they all seem to add to the sweet tender memories we make in the summer. We have had the opportunity to do so many wonderful things in the last few days with both sides of our extended family and some wonderful friends. Xander loves more then anything to play with his cousins. We got the chance to take him to the Zoo in Calgary for the first time in his little life and he LOVED it. He just loved the animals and loved to run from place to place. What a trooper too he went the whole day without a nap and hardly grumped at all. If only we could all be more like little children. They are the best example of who we should be like.

Fun times spent with Family

Amazed at everything

We also had the opportunity to spend time with lots of Jim's family for our nephews birthday. Its so much fun to get to watch cousins grow together and become friends. Xander loved to play with his cousin Maebie and Welsey. Its finally getting to the point where they will play so beautifully together without me worrying if someone is going to be hurt or sad.

I am also so blessed to have a wonderful husband who loves to come and play with us and help Xander learn and play with his cousins. Xander looks up to Jim so much. He has started something new lately that as soon as he wakes up he asks me where his Daddy is. If its a weekend and he is home then he will go and give him a giant hug and if its a work day he will say "oh I miss my Daddy so much". He just loves to play with him, and I love to watch their bond grow.

Xander has such a wonderful personally. He loves to joke around and tell stories. His imagination is beyond any that I have seen before. His favorite toy to take around where ever we may go is Ironman. Jim and I gave him this toy on his 2nd birthday and so far nothing has rivaled Xanders love for this character. Even when he doesnt have the toy with his Xander will tell everyone that he is Ironman. He makes my day brighter all the time.
We are working right now on potty training and I have to say it is going very well. All other attempts we had before this past week were disasters and I was becoming very discouraged and then this last week he must have just decided he was ready and out went the diapers and hello to big boy unders. He goes through every day now with usually no accidents. Its not perfect yet but I am so impressed that it has only been about 5 days and we got this down. My can do attitude has been restored. That was a tough one. haha

Another adventure we had lately was cutting down this tree in our back yard. Before anyone goes all "tree hugger" on me it had berries on it that would have made my kiddo really sick so it was a half to go. We also have one more that is going to go of the same kind. I cant wait to fill that space with a few fruit trees and someday have some wonderful summer treats. Anyway back to the chopping of the tree. Jim basically did that whole tree by himself with that little axe. So impressed. That was a big job and then we had to chop the rest of the tree apart in order to move the tree off our baby grass we are trying to grow. Now we have a few spaces we are going to have to replant some grass but our backyard is looking so nice.

Xander and I get the opportunity on Tuesday nights to go and watch Jim play Ultimate Frisbee. He is so great at it and it is fun to watch. For those of you who dont know it is kind of like football mixed with basketball but with a frisbee. Its an awesome game. We love to go and be supportive to him. Its hard at times to even keep Xander off the field. I can see him learning to play this one soon with Jim. Hes already got a pretty good throw for a soon to be 3 year old and is getting the catching down. 

Sometimes Jim scares me with his Jumps and Dives for that little piece of plastic but the wounds always heal with a little TLC and then hes back at it again.

I love my charmed life. Its is exactly what I need and I know my Heavenly Father knows that. I only hope that other people can look past the scorching sun, raging winds, potty training mishaps, bug bites, poison berries and sports injuries in your own life and pick out the things that really matter. Because when the sun goes down and your safe in your own home, I hope all the things that really matter are safe at home with you. I know mine are. I would never want it any other way. 

The artist in us.

“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once you grow up.” -Pablo Picasso

I saw this wonderful quote an it started my mind off on a tangent of all the things that I had the option of being and how I got to where I did. Early on Jim and I made a promise to never tell Xander he couldn't do a sport or take an instrument that he wanted or really any hobby but rather to encourage him to try as many different ones as possible to find a true passion. Children are naturally gifted with so many talents. They are a blank canvas waiting to soak up all that we can show them and turn it into a masterpiece. I remember when I was very young I was so in love with singing. Not only that but I had the confidence to go with it. I also remember the day that I was told by a fellow choir member to not sing so loud in a very hurtful way. Now this shouldn't have had an affect on me. But for whatever reason my confidence in my singing disappeared very quickly and still to this day it is terrifying for me to sing infront of an audiance. This peer had no idea the lasting impact of those few words and though it shouldn't have impacted me so, it did. I still love to sing however it's difficult when I am worried about being to loud for those around me. 

I wonder how many people have hidden talents and loves that they wish so badly to show to the world but for whatever reason can't. I wonder how many children because of a peer or sadly sometimes because of a family member never have the opportunity to shine because there confidence is hurt. 

Xander has found a love for singing. He sings all the time and makes up songs as he goes. It warms my heart. We were out for dinner tonight and he started singing at the top of his lungs along with the radio. I can only hope and pray that the people around him help me encourage him in his love for whatever he chooses so he can grow and excel. I know as a parent that my part is large. I also know that as hard as I try mine will not and can not be the only influence on him. My goal is to build that confidence strong in all aspects of his life so when those people do come to drag him down he can be fortified and withstand whatever they can throw. So whether he wants to be a soccer star or a singer, an art major or a construction worker the options are as endless as the sands in the sea and I can't wait to watch an cheer him on in his efforts. 

DWELL in the POSSIBILITIES

Today I was inspired by a quote on my wall that reads "Dwell in the possibilities". I Love the message that this quote sends and the encouragement that it gives. I have constantly lived in amazement at all that Jim can accomplish and his "can do it" attitude. He always approaches everything that people ask him to do and all the things I come up with and simply says "ya I can do that" or " we can figure it out" What an amazing thing. Then I think, Well why couldn't we do all these things. We have been created in the very image of God. We have a heavenly spirit in each of us and if we choose to have faith in those things there should be NOTHING that we cant do. I have loved watching this in my husband and it makes me even more excited when I see it developing already in Xander. He is always saying "I can do it! I can do it!" He loves the independence and through that independence he grows so quickly and dwells in the possibilities of all that he can do every day. I am a believer in that our children can only stretch as far as we allow them to. If we create an environment for our children that encourages them to try new things and not be afraid of life happening around them but instead to make life happen the way that they want around them I feel they would have a lot more success. It all rests on us as parents. To show our children that we are excited for new things and the promise of what tomorrow can bring into our lives. To find Excitement in the little things that we see every day. In short its important for us to be more like these wonderful little people we are blessed with naturally are. Children are naturally curious, they love to explore and to touch, to taste and to see, to hear and to feel things. Xander's newest discovery is that he can hear things that he cant see. He loves to to hold still and listen. Then he will pipe up and say "Mom I hear something with my ears!" "What is it?" So I explain what it is that he is hearing and often times if we can we will go and find what it is that we hear. And guaranteed the next time he hears that sound he tells me what it is and where to find it. He is discovering his love for books and music and he loves to find new books at the library and bring them home and tirelessly turn through the pages and learn everything he can from the book. I have seen him learn a word from a new book and later in the day start using it correctly in his speech. I watched him yesterday as he was listening to my EFY music with me doing dishes, he started to sing. He caught on that the chorus is repeated and he started to sing the words to the chorus out loud. 

Children will always dwell in the possibilities that we can teach them from our past experience, some that they can learn from whatever is around them right now, and millions that shine on the horizon of what tomorrow can bring. All we have to do is encourage them to take the chances and help them to succeed when they do. If we do this, we will create the leaders of tomorrow that we will be proud to follow into eternity!

So this is a little bit late but better late then never. Here is a picture of my beautiful family in front of our very first home. We have been here for little over a month now and we are loving our home more and more all the time. We are so lucky to have it and to be able to make so many wonderful memories in it. 

I really wanted to add a few pictures of my beautiful family and tell you all about them. First is my handsome husband and love for eternity. Jim is the whole reason I have this wonderful little family. He was the smart one that decided that we needed more then just young adult friends, activities and parties. He is the one that decided that there was more to life then how he was living and he wanted more then anything to have me be a part of his wonderful adventure. He loves me! He is an excellent father and a wonderful example of service to me everyday! 

Im so lucky to have not only him but a wonderful little soul was given to us to protect and teach!

Xander is a smart little man. He has been a blessing from the start. He almost always slept well, always ate well and blessed us with the opportunity to watch him learn and grow far faster then we were able to teach him. He never stops moving lately or talking. He can talk circles around Jim and I, which is really saying something. He has an incredible spirit in him. He is so willing to love everyone. Its true when they say that teach and you will learn. I have learned more in the last three years with Xander as my teacher then I ever thought I could.  

Well I guess I should also say a little about myself as I am a part of this family. I am a Wife, Mother, Sister, Daughter, Cousin, Friend, Caregiver, Granddaughter. Those are a few of the titles that I very proudly hold and love every minute I get to spend being them. I also have a love for pictures and photography. It is a passion of mine. I have chosen to keep it a hobby and I am so happy I did. I also love to be outside. Nothing cures my bumpy grumpies then being outside spending time with the ones I love most. And lastly but most importantly I love my savior. Without him I would have a very different life and I am blessed by his sacrifice every second that I live. 

yeah! I finally have a dryer now! its been to long and I have way to much laundry to do but again with the little things that make me excited now I can do it. My wonderful brothers came and helped me load it into my truck and then came to my house and plugged it in for me and got it hooked up to the vent. I am so thankful for wonderful family. They really are a blessing to me. My awesome hubby had to work today like always so I figured instead of waiting for him to be done to make him work more we would figure it out without him. Yesterday was Canada Day and it was so fun to bring Xander through all of the fun celebration that was taking place. He loved all the bouncy castles and obstacle courses. He went through pretty much every one of them by himself. Im pretty proud of him because some of them were huge with quite the slide at the end and nothing stopped him. Then last night we got to take Xander to his very first fireworks. HE LOVED IT! It was awesome. He kept naming off all the colors of the fireworks and was amazed at the loud bangs! What a fun day with a fun kiddo and family.

Canada Day! I love Canada day. My whole life I have felt like it really kicks off summer when we get to celebrate with everyone and watch some fireworks. We took Xander down for the pancake breakfast this morning and it was so much fun. He was so patient waiting in the line along with half of Medicine Hat I am sure. We came home and he helped me to water my newly planted strawberries and sour cherry trees, then got bored and got up on the trampoline and jumped for a while. Our backyard is coming along nice. We had to plant alot of new grass because there were a lot of bare spots that get pretty muddy with a 3 year old and a sprinkler and after a week I finally am seeing little baby grass growing. It made me oddly excited over something so little. We also took a big old trailer of branches and garbage to the dump that was all around the yard when we moved in. Our next task in the yard is going to be the big cement slabs that we have to move out of the garden spot. It is a horrible mess right now but I cant wait to see what its going to look like next year after all this work. No Garden this year but next year I am going to have an awesome garden and Im so excited. Xander is to, He is already checking my strawberries every day and eating every little teeny red one he finds.
Well now we are off to Kin coulee again to check out the festivities. It will be the first time Xander will really get to enjoy what we are doing. He is at such a fun age where he is learning to explore and be amazed at everything. I could spend my whole day just watching his facial expressions and listening to him talk through all this things that he is seeing and learning. What a cool thing to witness. I feel so blessed everyday to get to be a part of this amazing childs life and learning. He continues to blow our minds daily with new words and concepts that he picks up on. I cant wait to see what he is going to be and the amazing man he will become when he is grown. Not that I want him to grow up quickly because I love every moment with him now, they just seem to get better and better that I cant imagine what it will be like 20 years from now. I live a blessed life. I am thankful to my Father in Heaven for it everyday. Have a fantastic Canada day everyone!