FHE: "Love one Another"

 FHE: "Love one Another"

(printable here: http://houseandhone.blogspot.com/)

Yep its that time of week... Time to start fresh, begin the week off with an awesome lesson and some super fun family time. We decided since its getting close to valentines day to focus on Love (most importantly at home) the boys find it easy to Love people outside of our home, for instance: Grandma, Grandpa, church leaders, school friends, primary friends, even my visiting teacher:),  but when it comes to being kind to each other and loving other family members they sometimes struggle.. Its not as easy to love your brother when he just took the toy you really wanted, or when mom tells you no more snacks we are having dinner soon, or when dad tells you its time to clean up and get ready for bed, those are just a few of the times they struggle with there "loving attitudes" turning to mean and not so nice attitudes.. I"m sure most children struggle during those times too but I wanted to make sure this month our family focus' on being kind and loving each other even when its not so easy.

Being that is the month for Love Kaj and I made these pottery barn "look alike" envelopes.. They still need a few last min touches but we are going to hang them on the back of each kids chair starting Feb 1st. Every morning the kids are gonna be able to get in there envelope and read or maybe even see a picture that mom and dad wrote/drew for them telling them how much we love and appreciate them... We are gonna let the boys take a few min every Mon night to be able to write or draw things for each other and or for mom and dad and then leave them in that persons envelope.. I think it will definitely help us all feel more loved and appreciated:)

(hopefully before the end of the month I'll have my mom embroider the kids names on them, oh and Kaj will never admit it but he did the stiching around the edge of each one.. Thanks honey, I know you really DIDNT WANT TO DO THAT:)

So here is how our  Lesson and activity went

(here is the full link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/11564043/Love-One-Another-FHE)

Song: Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, (of course)

Lesson: I printed off a story I found online, laminated the pictures and told the story that belonged to each picture. The story was the story of Christs life and how he loved everyone.

sorry there goes my problem with not being able to flip the pictures:( (i save them the right way on my computer before uploading them but for some reason when i use the add image icon it automatically flips them the wrong way and wont let me change it)

The lesson was a little bit of a struggle this week. The boys didn't want to sit down and listen to story so we did the best we could but I'm sure when its time to bring this story back out in the future it will feel brand new to them:) I don't think they heard a thing I said. :) :)

Game: love one another card game

the object of the game is to get the most "Love one Another" slips.. You take turns drawing cards from the deck provided, and then you have to figure out if what the card said was Loving or not so Loving.. If it was a good card you get to take however many "love one another" slips they card tells you if it was a bad card then you have a consequence which sometimes requires you to put some of your "love one another" slips back:( or give them to a neighbor.. the boys LOVED the card game. Briyler didn't quite understand it, or he was just bored, but he kept trying to give away his slips.. :) Ryker was really into it though, he loved when i read him his card trying to figure out if it was a good card or a bad card. :O)

and then of course last but not least TREATS: YUM YUM we decided to let the boys get messy with there favorite treat.. Chocolate fondue with fruit!! SOO GOOD and really no prep time at all:O)

                                   UMMM, I made the boys wait for me to take a picture:) haha                                                                     

dad I wouldn't let dugi get into the chocolate until he takes his clothes off..

                                      and this is clean compared to how he looked at the end.. \
                                                   
                                           And just because I LOVE HER SOO MUCH!!!

                                 my sweet baby girl, just hanging out watching everyone else have all the fun!

Thanks for stopping by everyone.. All our LOVE!!

Until we meet again...

Finally HOME!

                                                                            

I have been debating on whether or not I should post anything about this past weekend.. (Its been a rough one) But whats the point of keeping a blog to share with my children, If I don't keep track of the hard memories as well as the happy ones(: We have had quite the week: the boys all battled the flu, Briyler is still not potty trained!!!, Kynlie got her first tooth (and she's been a BEAR), and yep end of the week rolls around and now its moms turn for the flu.. Of all the weekends I could have been sick, this had to be the ONE!

On Friday, January 27th 2012, I woke up feeling a little under the weather but quite optimistic that I was going to have a great Birthday weekend!! I had 4 text messages by the time I got out of bed. First one from my mother in law, second from my dad, third from my amazing friend Ashley and last from my mom, ALL wishing me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.. I was soo excited, but as I was reading over my dad's text I noticed he sent another text immediately after that said "call me as soon as you get this".. I was thinking I was going to call and he would have some made up KEESHA version of "happy birthday" to sing, or maybe he would tell a super lame/ outdated joke (not that I don't love those dad) to help me start off my day. But when I called I definitely didn't get a birthday song or a lame joke I got "THE NEWS!!!, Nikki grandma passes away this morning at 12:31am, I wanted to make sure to tell you before you found out some other way".... WAIT............ NO.......... I couldn't have heard that right. I mean I know grandma has been struggling and we all knew she was going to pass away but not this week.. Not TODAY!! I still haven't gone to see her, and I still haven't taken the great grand kids to see her.  I"M NOT READY... I guess that's the funny thing about Heavenly Fathers timing, sometimes its not the same as our timing. I know my grandma wouldn't want me to feel guilty for not going to see her the last couple weeks, or for not taking the kids to go see her.. ( I actually think she might have kicked me out if I took the kids to see her, she didn't have the energy for visits like that) I know deep down that my grandma knows how much I loved her, How much we ALL LOVE HER.

Grandma was a fighter. My dad tells us stories about when he was younger and all of the sacrifices my grandma had to make to raise 2 boys being a single mom. She worked SOOO HARD, and she had a lot of unfair things happen to her, but she NEVER GAVE UP!! She taught my dad that if something or someone knocks you down, you get back up and you do the best you can do. Grandma was diagnosed with "terminal" cancer a couple months ago. On top of the cancer she had stomach issues that caused her to be in alot of pain. After the stomach surgery grandma was in the ICU for 3 weeks (I'm not exactly sure about the weeks but it was a while) she slowly recovered but not enough to go home. They had her placed in a long term hospital where she did ok, she was still processing the news of having terminal cancer and even after this stomach surgery she was still experiencing pain. Grandma did however recover enough to be sent to a short term rehab, she did physical therapy everyday. But it was just to much for her body to take. She didn't eat a lot and she was weak most days. The rehab agreed to take her home one day for a couple hours so she could see her cats (hoping that would lift her spirits and give her the push she needed to recover). It was 2 days later that grandma caught pneumonia and decided that she just couldn't fight anymore. She was tired, her body was weak and she knew that even if she was to beat this she still had a long, hard, painful road that was impossible to beat (CANCER).... A discouraging diagnosis to say the least and it was just to much. Mom and Dad were there with grandma when she passed. Dad got to lay next to grandma on her bed as she took her last breathe.  I don't think there are really words to describe what that "moment" could have been like. I'm sure my grandma was happy that her son was with her, holding her had as she left his earth.

Here are a few things that remind me of grandma:

*she loved to wear wigs and lipstick :)

*she LOVED CATS!!

*she always said she wanted to be remembered as a FUN GRANDMA!

*she spoiled us with more candy than any of us could ever eat.

*she used to tell fun/ funny stories all the time

*she took me to get my ears pierced when my mom told me NO;)

*she loved to shop... (wonder where i get that from:O)

*she loved to sing

*she was a convert to "The church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints"

*she was thoughtful and caring

*she loved Donnie and Marie Ozmond and Jimmy Buffet :)


We all LOVE you SOOO MUCH grandma!! I know you'll be watching over us and looking forward to the day when we will be able to see you again :)
ALL OUR LOVE 

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!!!

FHE "obtaining the plates"

(sorry I cant seem to figure out how to rotate the picture)

I meant to post this sooner but the babies have all been fighting the stomach flu..... EEEW, they are finally starting to feel better, so lets hope we don't pass it around again. :O) My new years resolution was to actually "PREPARE" more fun/educational Family Home Evenings.. This past week was really hard, I was feeling a LITTLE tired and we had a really busy weekend and I procrastinated far tooo long. So when I found this lesson, already prepared by someone else, I thought ohh what a blessing!! The best part is that this lesson had a flannel board story attached..  The boys LOVE flannel board stories, so of course I jumped all over this lesson. I cut out and laminated all of the pieces (super easy) and then I decided to use some cut outs I found from my mom to help pick our song. (we usually since Jesus wants me for a sunbeam or I hope they call me on a mission) great songs but we sing them EVERY WEEK!!! Ryker chose the song this week and it was "if your happy and you know it" MAN I wish I had a video recorder, Kaj and I were seriously dying on the floor laughing while the boys were doing it.. SUPER CUTE!! (and its soo funny what actions you can get them to do when you put the words in a song) And then of course we read the story out of our scriptures, both boys got to repeat the versus that I gave them and we traded off each reading 1 or 2 until we finished the story.

opening prayer- was said by Bri

song- "if your happy and you know it"

Lesson- Obtaining the plates- found from here: http://confessionsofaslackermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Week-34.pdf
closing prayer- ryker

treat: FUNFETTI COOKIES ( I made these last week but ended up giving most of them to families in our ward.. the boys were soo sad, so I decided to make a whole batch just for them.. minus a few for a friend that they dont know about, SHHHH) :O)

"MMMMM MMM

 how can you not love this kid!!

Yep funfetti cookies with frosting and sprinkles.. :)

So far SOOO GOOD!!! I am loving the family time that we are spending together and I love watching the boys get into the church lessons. I think this was the perfect resolution for our family!!

I think I need a nap after our LONG WEEKEND!! The kids had soo much fun seeing grandma/grandpa and all of there cousins.. And can you believe it mom and dad actually got a date night (ALONE)... YEAH!! (thanks aunt Paula)

Happy Birthday DAD!!

*Friday night, we celebrated grandpa's birthday!! The big 51, (I hope I am as fit as he is when I'm 51 ) Kaj bought the cake (double chocolate cake, with dark chocolate frosting) what else would you get for my dad) and the kids sang happy birthday.. The boys devoured grandpa's cake!!
*Saturday night, it was snowing pretty bad!! Kaj and I actually almost stayed home because of how bad the roads were gonna be. The kids had been talking about going to there cousins house ALL WEEK and we really didn't want to disappoint them:) So date night WAS ON!! Instead of the jazz game that we had planned we went to CHILI'S and then to a movie. I know it sounds like the average boring date night, but I always love getting to spend alone time with the hubby! (even if it is just dinner and a movie) He is such an amazing person and the more time I get to spend with him the more I realise just HOW MUCH I TRUELY LOVE HIM!
*Sunday, we made it to church just in time to take the sacrament!! That is a HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT, since church starts at 830 we are hardly EVER get there on time. Briyler started sunbeams this year and wouldn't you know it halfway through sharing time one of the wonderful sisters in the primary had to come find Kaj and I because Ryker and Briyler were being UNCONTROLLABLE!! It took one look through the window from kaj and both boys sat quietly the rest of the day.. Kaj wasn't out of the woods yet though, as he was giving "the boys" the look, he an all to familiar scream coming from the nursery room.. YEP you guessed it, DUGI!! :O) I'm pretty sure Dugas never made it back to the nursery..**** Sunday night, we went up to grandma White's house. Grandma and Grandpa are gone on a cruise but all of my aunts and uncles decided to still have Sunday dinner together. The boys LOVE GOING up to *there great grandmas*, they love seeing and playing with all of there cousins.. (who are actually my cousins, haha.. seriously my brothers and sisters all need to get on the baby train soon, my kids need other kids to play with:) after dessert we headed home for some much needed sleep....
**well sleep for the kids but FHE preparations for mom!! That's what happens when you wait till the last min to prepare.. EEEK, I think the boys are gonna love the lesson tonight. I'll post how FHE turns out this week a little later :) hope everyone has a great week!!

I've spent a lot of time thinking this week, and I would like to share whats been on my mind lately.... So I have a lot of really dear friends/family that have been struggling over the last couple months. Most of them are struggling with trials that seem to be just "TOO MUCH". My heart has been aching for some of them over the last week and it got me thinking that.... well.. mainly my problems are sooo TINY compared to some. Having "to many" babies to take care of while being sick and crazy tired is just (to be completely honest) NOT A PROBLEM at all.!!! I should be grateful that all of my beautiful little munchkins are healthy and happy (for the most part), and that Heavently Father trusts me enough to send them to me.. It also got me thinking about a story I read on a blog a couple months ago. Things arent always what them seem and its soo important to be just a little more kind, a little more loving and a lot less judgemental in the world today!!
 Its kind of a long story but well worth the read. (if you want to read the full story go here:  http://bravegirlsclub.com/archives/2151) I'll do my best to summarise it.

The story is titled "we must see past what it seems"

***The story begins, with this lovely young women describing all of the hardships she has suffered in the last couple of years. The main one being that her husband was in a boating accident. The Dr's told her it was brain damage, and they werent sure what his recovery would be like or how long it would take if ever for him to make a FULL recovery.. The husband that this young women had once known was gone, he was a completely different person after the accident! He was angry, and depressed. He stopped working, he couldn't handle being around other people at all. And to top it off he was suicidal most of the time.  He could barely take care of himself, let alone his wife, kids and the business he had once run.  This young women was VERY protective over her husband. She didn't want people to see him like that, she didn't want people to judge him or think negative thoughts about him. She handled everything to the best of her ability ALONE. The road was excruciatingly hard and VERY LONELY. There were days she didn't want to go on or she didn't think she was capable of going on.... She wished she didnt have to hide it all the time, she wanted to walk around wearing a sign, like this one........

.... so that people would know to be a little gentler with her and her family during this rough time..

There were FEW moments when her husband would come to his senses, all of his anger would despite and he would be "HERE", actually here. It usually only lasted for about an hour or so but she  got to be with him during that time and it gave her hope.... Most of the time however, her husband was just drifting through life, not really understanding what was happening around him. They owned there own international business, they had a farm in a small town and they had LOTS of kids. Eventually it all caught up to her and she just couldn't do it.. Her husband used to run the business, and the farm, he used to help out with the kids and the house and now she was left to do it all ALONE.. It was just to much!! One day during one of his episodes where he was "HERE" she started telling him everything that was going on.. "We were sinking I mean really SINKING. There were Dr bills, and employees that needed to be paid, and the farm was overgrown and not kept up.. We had no more money. Of course like any man in his right mind, he PANICKED. He immediately started thinking of things he could do to help our financial situation."

Her husband had a sign delivered to there home, one that has huge letters and neon lights. He put it out by the road in one of our horse fields.. then he drove there Suburban, both of there trucks, "my" thunder bird (the one he bought me for my birthday), there tractor, all of there tractor implements, the boat "(that I worked 10 years to get for him)". He lined everything up along side the fence and put a price tag on EVERYTHING. Then he put the letters F*O*R S*A*L*E on the board with his name and number and turned it on.

There it was... all of there stuff put out in there yard for EVERYONE TO SEE. The neighbors, there friends, people they didn't know. Well the sign was not up in the yard for more than a few hours when her husbands phone rang... It was someone who had saw the big huge sign in our yard with my husbands phone number on it. Luckily my husband was still in a good state of mind.. She was apologizing for how awful the yard looked and trying to explain to him that she had tried to keep up with it... He was feeling soo guilty for leaving her to run there lives alone.  They were trying to make a plan..

When her husband answered his phone. She noticed that he was just listening, she could hear the voice on the other end of the line getting louder and LOUDER, but her husband just listened. He was trying to turn his back so she couldn't hear, but she could hear.. and it seemed to go on and on..

she could hear this man saying

"you are bringing down the value of my property with this ugly sign"

"that is the most obnoxious sign, do you have a permit to have that out there"

"are you starting a used car lot"

"you have got to get all of this moved out of here, or I am calling the authorities"

When the man was done ranting, her husband sat there very calmly for a second and then said something she will never forget:

"Sir" he said, "there was a time in this country, in this community.. when if you drove past your neighbor's house and saw every single thing they own was up for sale in front of there house... and that there lawn had not been mowed for weeks... that you would stop and say...WHAT IS GOING ON, SOMETHING MUST BE TERRIBLY WRONG, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP YOU?"

The man was silent, her husband then went on to tell him a few details about what was going on with there family..

The man waited a moment and then his tone changed... he apologized, I mean REALLY apologized. Then he said, "I am going to call all of my friends and see if any of them need any of this stuff"..

The poor young women wished more than anything that she could have put up on that big stupid sign that "OUR LIVES WERE FALLING APART! .."

What if we could all wear a sign that said WHAT WE REALLY MEANT?!.. what if we could go straight past the small talk.. or the masks.....and we could actually go straight to the heart of the matter.... What if our family, friends and even complete strangers wore signs like this?

.....we would treat each other differently.

When a friend is too quiet... or not showing up to stuff they usually come to...or they are acting a little "off"....or a family member is wearing pajamas to the grocery store for weeks on end.... or not answering there phone... or the lawn isn't mowed.... whatever it is.... IT IS A SIGN!  Its not a sign that can be read in words or letters, but it is a sign that someone needs to be treated gently..  That they need love, and understanding, compassion, and maybe just a little HELP!! ****

Every time I read this story, It makes my heart melt!! How many people walk around not showing any signs of stress or struggle at all. You can never tell from the outside looking in how much someone is suffering, sometimes its beyond what they think they are capable of handling.. I know all of my dear friends that are struggling right now don't show it at all, and I wish I could put a sign around there neck for them so that people would be a little gentler with them, a little LESS judgemental and a little MORE compassionate..  This is a great reminder to me that everyone has trials and its soo important to LOVE and show compassion to everyone no matter what it seems like from the outside looking in!

I know this was a super long post, thanks for hanging in there!

 All our love the Harding Family!

Monday Night FHE:) This year I am GOING to be on top of Family Home Evening!! Today I was browsing the Internet for a lesson. I know we are studying the book of Mormon and the lesson was supposed to be out of Nephi. I thought I would use a lesson that hits a little closer to home this week. We have had the Honesty talk A LOT in our home: who hit who?, where did you find that toy?, did you brush your teeth?, did you take a toy from grandma's house without asking? THIS IS THE BIG ONE FOR MY KIDS. Ryker has done this a couple of times in the past but this time it was Briyler. So we thought talking about honesty and not taking things that aren't ours would be a good reminder for both of them:).......THEY LOVED IT!! (you can find the whole lesson here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/35598721/Honesty-FHE-Lesson) 1st: I printed out the "Honesty Pays" game board and all of the other attachments 2nd: I explained that I was going to read a "situation" and they had to give me a "thumbs up" if it was good or a "thumbs down" if it was bad. If they drew a card that was a thumbs up they got a blessing buck, and at the end of the game whoever had the most blessing bucks WINS.. The boys had SOO MUCH FUN playing I think I might use this idea and create a couple new board games with different topics.:) After the game its everyones FAVORITE PART of FHE:  TREATS..  (I am gonna have to thank the gas station for the premade donuts.. haha.)  After the boys each consumed a WHOLE donut to themself we desired to rent a movie to all wind down.. Nothing like ending your night with little SMURFS!! We had soo much fun and I cant wait to start planning something for next week:O)

 game board

donuts!!

FINISH THE NIGHT OFF WITH A MOVIE:) **I really have no idea where that Dallas Cowboys shirt came from.. sorry dad!

20 weeks pregnant!

                                                                   ITS A BOY

Yep it's true, we are PREGNANT AGAIN!!!! I had my ultrasound last week and Everything Looks GREAT. I am 20 weeks which means HALFWAY (well a little more than halfway for me:O) WOO HOO... I am not really sure how I feel about being pregnant this time around, I remember how exciting pregnancy was with Ryker.. Everything was so new!! The first ultrasound, feeling the baby kick for the first time, watching my body grow but knowing it was because there was a little "life" growing inside of me.. It was all sooo exhilarating, and magical. I LOVED everything about being pregnant.... I wish I still felt that way!!! I think 5 kids in 5 years has been a lot for my body to handle and the excitement has been replaced with feelings of pure exhaustion. I'm physically, and emotionally drained. How do other women do it?! 
Don't get me wrong I am excited, I mean how can you not be excited for another baby? It's such a blessing to be able to carry children so why am I having all of these crazy feelings?! I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Time Out For Women Event last Nov, and I know some of the talks that were given were meant for me! The one that has made the most impact on me was the very last speaker on the very last day. She said that as women we tend to have a plan for everything. She made a point to say that when our plan "A" doesn't work we tend to make a plan "B" and then "C" and "D" etc.... as she was talking I was thinking to myself I must be on plan "X" or maybe even worse "Y" OR "Z", because my life is NOTHING like I had imagined it being. (not all in a bad way, but still nothing like I had planned). But then she lovingly proceeded to tell "me" that my life isn't on plan "X" or "Y" or even plan "C". (HUH, I thought. I'm pretty sure I know my life better than you do... well at least I think I do). She shocked me when she said:  Your on plan "A", His ( Heavenly Fathers) plan "A". Every trial, and tribulation, every success and failure, all of the heartache and joy, are all part of his plan, plan "A", for my life. Heavenly Father knows me better than I know myself and his plan for me is much bigger than any plan I could have thought up on my own. I am soo grateful for that talk, and the effect that it had on me.. I know that this new beautiful "life" we are going to have is supposed to be coming to "OUR" family.. I know that there is a reason I wasn't able to get the IUD (that I went in 3 TIMES to get) I know that if I just have faith, Heavenly Father will help me with everything else that I'm going to need to raise all 5 of these wonderful little spirits. I think the first line of help he has to offer is already right here living in my home.. Yep you guessed it, KAJ!!!! My first reaction was panic and fear, I thought for sure his reaction would be the same, but it wasn't.  Kaj's first reaction was: This is "great" news, followed by his oh so comforting smile and hug. There was no doubt, or fear, just pure excitement and faith. He is soo good at that!! He never doubts he knows that there is a way and he's gonna find it! I know I say this a lot but how do you do it ALL? However you do it, I want you to know that I am SOOO Grateful for you. You are such a great example and I rely on your faith a lot more than you think I do;)
**p.s. just a little note for our newest addition: Mommy and Daddy cant wait to meet you and see what your personality is. The boys are soo excited for a new brother, I hope your ready for all the chaos. We've also been thinking about names for you. Dad and I came up with 3 that we like:
 1. Kolter,
 2. Tallin,
 3. Kooper.
We asked everyone to vote on which name they liked. Briyler and pretty much everyone else in the family like Kolter, grandpa Cameron likes Kooper, and mom and dad like Tallin.. OOHH and Ryker "isn't voting" because he wants your name to be Jonathon!! :) silly ol' Ryker. XOXO

Briylers 3rd Birthday:O)

This weekend was a rather busy one! Its the first week of the NEW YEAR, and we couldnt have started it off better. We spent fri night cuddling and watching movies because most of the kdis were sick, and then we spent most of the day on saturday at Jungle Jims celebrating Bri's birthday for the 2nd time. He absolutely LOVED it! (thanks for treating everyone mom and dad) January is FULL of birthday's for us: we have Briyler, Trevor (my brother), Danny (kaj's step dad), Al (my dad), Lexi (my sister) and ME... :) so there will definitely be A LOT of birthday posts coming up!
BRIYLER How did this HAPPEN!? I can't believe YOUR is already 3 years old, I only have a couple more years with you before you start school:( *tear, Time is going by way to fast!
Here are just a few things you love at age 3:
**TANTRUMS, you throw tantrums anytime something doesnt go your way:O)
*you love to play Tackle and pretty much anything physical
*you love to run, and jump everywhere we go
*when you talk you insist on YELLING EVERYTHING
*you like to watch any sporting event on Tv with your dad and or grandpa
*you LOVE to YELL, rah rah rahrahrah rah rah rahrahrah GO COUGARS!! (even when we arent watching a byu game)
*your still not potty trained!!! GRRRR
*your favorite movie is Cars
*your favorite food is hotdogs
*you look and act just like your dad!
*you love your blanket but you hate naptime and bedtime
*your scared of the dark
*you love your big brother and you follow him around everywhere
*you started sunbeams this year and you LOVE IT
*you are a super good big brother when you want to be
*yu love to play on dad and grandma's IPHONE.
*when you get excited about something you have a laugh that you do that sounds like grunting.. its pretty funny!
** your mom and dad love you SOO VERY MUCH!! We hope you had a wonderful birthday and we look forward to watching you learn and grow:)

 Mommy and Daddy Love you BRI BRI

 PARTY!!

 It makes me happy to see you HAPPY

Pipa didnt even get out of her carseat poor girl:(

 You LOVE GRANDMA!

 Poor Dugi was sick.

 whos up for some skii ball:)

 Since i mentioned how much you like tantrums, I thought i'd show you a pic

Daddy (and grandma) are usually the the only ones that can make all of you happy..

 funny faces!

Hey dugi your sick so how bout we feed you cupcakes!! :O)

Christmas in Hawaii 2011

This year Christmas was kind of bitter sweet for me. We had a HUGE trip to Hawaii planned for the whole family but unfortunately Ryker wasn't able to come. (It was his dads year for Christmas) I begged and pleaded to see if he'd let us take Ryker but I knew deep down it wasn't gonna happen.

That aside the trip was GREAT!! I really enjoyed seeing the kids have soo much fun. It was a 1st for them in alot of things.
1st: vacation
1st: plane ride
1st: time seeing the ocean
1st: time playing in sand
1st: trying mango, fresh and dried.. (dugi LOVES DRIED MANGO)
1st: time riding a choo choo train
1st: time sleeping in the same room together.
and personal favorite, my 1st: traveling with 3 small children..!&$!% ( I promise if I am ever traveling and see a mother struggling with her small children, I will STOP TO HELP HER!!!.... Thank you to the kind ladies who DID NOT stop to help me but sat in there chairs and talked
just loud enough for me to hear that they thought I was an awful mother. ) Not very NICE:O)

I was actually really shocked, I had no idea that "family vacations" were this HARD!! Kaj and I juggled: nap times, food, baths (from all the sand), activities that were kid friendly, pool time, sick babies, site seeing with 3 kids who did not want to be in the car, MONEY, and at the end of every night, BED TIME!!! But as I went through all of our photo's I remembered all of the FUN and AMAZING TIMES we had together. I am grateful we were able to spend this Christmas together. Hope you ENJOY! :O)

Pipa AKA: Kynlie

Hawaii temple, breath taking!

beautiful

I Love tropical flowers.:)

WOWZZZAAAA!!

Thank you to the Marriot for providing us with a tree:)

Dugi AKA: Kajsen

train ride

diamondhead hike

all the "GUYS"

Briyler

YAY for blogging!!

I am hoping I can pullthis off. :) I am new to the whole blogging thing. I love to read blogs but
never really thought I could put one together for myself. I guess its worth a
try, right?

My name is Nikki Harding, I am married to the most wonderful man I have ever known, Kaj Harding. We have 4 children (all 5and under) and just found out we are expecting #5.. woohooo! I am completely overwhelmed at times and feel SUPER inadequate for the roll of being a mother.(I have a feeling I’m not the only mom that feels that way:O) Lucky for me I know I'm not alone! My family and I are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, YEP I’m a MORMON! I cant even begin to describe how much I rely on my faith. I am soo greatful for
the knowledge that it gives me. I know that Heavenly Father would never expect me to do this alone. (Afterall these are his children too) so my goal isn’t to be the best homemaker, or chef, or party host. Although all those things are WONDERFUL to be good at! My goal is to
be the Best Mother/example I know how to be.

And of course I cant leave out the MOST AMAZING HUSBAND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!! Anybody that knows us, knows that Kaj does more than his fair share around here! He has never been the the kind of person that expects things to be done. He is more than willing to make dinner, change diapers, wakeup during the night and clean up after the kids.. I honestly dont know how he does it, but I am sooo grateful for him and all that he does for our family. He
seems to have an unlimited amount of energy and the kids and I love to be around him as much as possible! But I think above all I sooo grateful for his HUGE HEART and amazing testimony. He has a love for the gospel that is indescribable. I don’t think he knows how much I admire that about him. LOVE YOU BABY!!
I am hoping I can keep up with this whole blog thing!!

Love
Nikki