Our Forever Family

The kids and I are currently in Washington, visiting all of our family here. David took a last minute trip to the Philippines. The kids luckily went off track from school so we were able to come up. We have been having a blast!!

I quickly wanted to write my thoughts down. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED women's conference! Always uplifting, inspiring and spiritually rejuvenating! I debated getting a babysitter. I so needed a break tonight. But I hate calling up a babysitter and asking if she would babysit for free. I just couldn't do it. So, luckily I remembered it is broad casted on t.v. What a blessing! I set up the DVR and it worked out perfect! And besides, I like crying better in my own home than with everyone wondering what is wrong during the talks!! I am more emotional than other ladies! Listening made me realize I have so much to work on. Which is why conference is so wonderful. It lets you self evaluate. These are some things I am recommitting to doing better. 1. Personal and meaningful morning and night prayers . I have done well on my night prayers, but always struggle with mornings. So 3 weeks ago I wrote on our bathroom mirror "Prayer and Scriptures" to help me remember w...

SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOF TOPS!!! I have made a new blog that will show you when we update. Hopefully this will be easier for you! Here is the link: dkleefamily.blogspot.com

Well, we attempted to take family pictures last Saturday up in Little Cottonwood Canyon at the Quarry.  It was really hard to position, get everyone to smile and hurry back into the picture before it snapped.  It would have been nice to have someone at least get the kids to look all the same way and smile.  Jenna really smiled big when it was just the kids because I was making funny faces.  But the family pictures were a different story.  I thought we might have better luck Sunday, so we got all dressed up and went to Wheeler Farm.  The kids were burnt out by then of taking pictures.  Two days in a row was to much to ask!  I will have to work with the photos in photo shop and work with them!  I just love our family!!!           

Jason had another cardiology appointment last Friday. They did an echo of his heart. Things went great. There doesn't look to be any muscle bundles, so no surgery any time soon! Yeah!! I did tell David on the way to the appt. that if the dr. did say Jason would have to have surgery that I felt more prepared for that news. But I am so glad that it won't be in the near future. We are still grateful for that miracle earlier this year!

After Cameron got on our scale in the bathroom and finding out he weighs 51 lbs he asked me how much I weighed. Me: I weigh a LOT more than you! Cameron: How much do you weigh, like 80 or 70 lbs? Me: HA! More than that! Cameron: Oh man! How much do you weigh? Me: I weigh a lot! Cameron: Like what, 100 lbs? Me: More than that even! Cameron: Oh man, then I bet Dad weighs like 120 lbs or something. Or something...

Jason and Alyssa started preschool the beginning of this month. Jason is going to a lady in our ward, Mrs. Cindy. She teaches 3 days a week for 2 hours and Alyssa is in a co-op preschool with some other kids in the neighborhood 2 days a week. I will take a turn teaching 1 week every month. Should be a fun year for both of them. They love it so far!

We are Born with IT...FROM BIRTH!! I am convinced that we are born specifically as boys and girls to grow up to become one day father's and mother's. Providers or nurturer's to our specific roles. At age 8 1/2 months Jenna has already expressed her desire to "nurture". Last week we were leaving, going out the garage to take Jason to preschool. I was holding the door open to the garage, waiting for Alyssa and Jason to go out when Jenna started reaching for something in the living room and screaming. I let her down to go find whatever it was she wanted. She crawled to Alyssa and was reaching and screaming at her feet. In Alyssa's hand was her baby. Alyssa gave the baby to her and Jenna just hugged the baby. Since then, Jenna has LOVED that baby! The baby has comforted her immediately after falling down the stairs. I held my baby, Jenna and Jenna held her baby. It was very cute! I can't wait for Christmas time! Babies holding their baby dolls are...

I have to say, when you are strapped for cash you do everything with your kids. Including car shopping!! Doesn't it sound like so much fun to drive around from dealership to dealership and either wait in the van with all 5 kids while dad goes and test drives cars? OR take all 5 of them in the dealership because you can't stand another 30 mins. alone in the car. And you not only look crazy for bringing them all car shopping but baby Jenna was only clothed in a diaper because she had a blow out and no extra clothes. Lovely. Let me tell you right now it was FANTABULOUS!!! (insert sarcasm) David has been borrowing a car for the last 3 months and now the time has come to get our own. Decisions, decisions. The upside, Labor Day was spent with our family!

Today in Relief Society our lesson was on journaling. Feels good to know that I am keeping a blog journal for our family. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner! Oh, well. I am running strong on 3 years!!

I met up with my cousin, Kim at the park in Pleasant Grove yesterday. Her husband just got into the MBA program at BYU. They live in Orem and so we found a park to meet at. I had heard this was a "must see" park. I was a little disappointed. It is very similar to the one 15 mins. from our house that my kids call the castle park. But it was fun to catch up with Kim and her 2 kids. We took over a sack lunch and that's what the kids wanted to do first, eat. Jenna found some bark to soothe her top teeth that are tormenting her gums! Love this picture with Jenna's toes resting up on the swing. Oh to be this flexible again!! When Cameron and Melanie got home from school Jason let them know about the fun park that we went to and the picnic we had. They were not happy! Why didn't you wait for us? they asked. I told them, what do you want us to do while you are at school? Sit around all day? I kinda like packing around only 3 kids during the day!