I finally got around to post pictures from Kristine and Brent's wedding! There aren't too many, but I kept getting distracted and forgetting to take pictures, so here is what I got. I took some pictures with my niece Amanda's camera after the bride and groom left, so I want to borrow her memory card so I can post them on my blog. They were just some goofy pictures of the brides maids, but I think they're cute.

The lovely bride.

Trying to decide which cake to have first:) You can

tell that Zane is a big fan of ties;-}

My mom didn't realize that I was taking a picture...

don't be too mad at me, mamma:) Two of the brides-

maids, Kelsey and Brianna:)

She was goofy at times with the bouquet, like she

didn't know what to do with it;-)

They FINALLY got to eat the cake they had been

'drooling' over;-)

The bride's handsome brother, Nik:)

Their first dance together...

McCall gets picked up for school in the mornings and I pick them up in the afternoons. Actually, I only pick them up 3 afternoons a week, but you get the idea - he's in a carpool. Anyway, some days he is outside waiting for them and other days they have to honk the horn for him to go out, it just depends on how fast or slow he is in getting ready. On the days when he is fast and he is out there waiting for them to come, I stand in the kitchen looking out at him making sure that he is safe until he gets picked up. Well, this morning, he brought a compass out with him and he was playing with that, walking back and forth, talking to himself. It made me smile to see him like that, because it reminds me that he is still just a 10 year old kid. He is growing up so fast and I really wish I could bottle up his sweet innocence.

I don't know anything about scouting, but McCall has 'graduated' from whatever it is that he was, to a webelo. He loves to go to the activities they have once a week, and if he ever gets as far as getting his eagle scout one day, it will be because he wants to do it. Neither Derick or myself are big fans of scouting, so we decided a long time ago that if he wants to do it we'll support him, but if he comes one day and says that he's done, then that's fine with us. I don't believe for a minute that scouting makes or breaks a person. OK, enough of my ranting;-}

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was sunny and beautiful, although cold, and today it's windy and snowing! Could you be any more confusing, March? I know, I know - I've written it before, but let me just say again how INCREDIBLY TIRED I AM OF THE COLD!!!!!

My sister told me a while ago that she was signing up for a computer class at UVU with her sister in law, so I decided to go ahead and do it with them. Tonight was our first class and it was OK. I learned a couple of things I didn't know, but most of it I knew, so hopefully next week's class will be a little more insightful:) I'm just glad there's no home work...

I am also translating some genealogy papers from Swedish to English. Doing it from Norwegian to English would be hard enough, but from Swedish is ridiculous! I wish it was closer to Norwegian, but oh well, I'll manage:)

Today was such a beautiful day. It was cold, but pretty. It just makes me so happy to see a blue sky. I think it might be a few days until we see that again, cause it's forecasted to be ugly the next few days:(

I miss Jake.

I bought new curtains for my kitchen window. I love the color. It's like the green color I used to write with yesterday and I absolutely love them:) Derick came home from work that night and asked if I would give him some sun glasses cause the curtains were so bright. He likes to exaggerate. It does make the kitchen very bright though, which I think is perfect for spring. It's funny the way a small thing like changing out your curtains can make you so happy:)

Derick and I went to a baptism last Thursday. A lady he used to work with got baptized and she asked him to confirm her. It was a beautiful baptism and I love one of the things they had printed on the program. I've heard it before and want to share it. It's something that C.S. Lewis said:

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace."

There are a lot more going on in our lives than what we may be aware of. That is why it's so important for us to trust in Him even when doing so may not make a lot of sense to us. He is molding us into becoming like Him. Why try to do it all on our own when He is there, ready to guide us?

I don't like daylight savings. This whole week I have felt messed up just wanting to sleep in. I do, however, like it that it stays light longer. Actually, I LOVE IT!:) Now all that needs to happen is that the air gets warmer so that we can stay outside later too.

My mom went home to Norway yesterday:( The kids and I took her to the airport. I told her that I wished I was picking her up instead of saying goodbye. Hopefully it won't be too long until she can come visit again:) I miss my brothers and their families. I don't think it's until your an adult with kids of your own that you realize how important your siblings are. It's typical that I love my sister in law like a sister and she's so far away. If we didn't get along I betcha we'd probably live right next door! Life just isn't fair sometimes.

My niece got married on March 12th. It was a beautiful wedding and reception. I got all teary eyed and almost lost all control when they said yes to each other and I am so thankful that I was able to be there. She had a couple of her childhood friends fly in from out of town for the occasion, and they are such fun and beautiful girls, or I guess I should say, young women:)

While my mom was here we went shopping a lot and I have to say it's more fun when you have someone to go with. My sister was able to take the week before my nieces wedding off from work, so we did a lot of stuff together then:) Seeing all that she had to do for her daughter made me extremely happy that I only have sons;-} Wish I could hand pick their wives when the time comes...

After saying goodbye to my mom at the airport yesterday, the kids and I went to the movies. We just went to the dollar theater and saw "Yogi Bear". The kids loved it. We also went to a few different stores to look at toys - specifically LEGO's. McCall has saved up some money and wants to buy LEGO Star Wars. He has to save up a few more dollars and then he can get it.

One day when my mom was here we went to IKEA. I let Zane skip school that day, cause if there's one store he loves to go to, it's that one. Weird, I know. I bought an umbrella for our deck, so now all we need is the rest of the furniture out there;-} Wish I was made of money!

I have missed Jake A LOT this last week. I think that's one of the reasons I've been a little more ornery than usual. It's really hard at times to see little boys that are the same age as he would have been. He really was somebody special and for that matter, he still is:)

My sister has a family in her ward that lost their baby a couple of weeks ago. It made me think of all the different emotions and things we had to go through with Jake, and I wish they didn't have to go through that. I don't want anyone to hurt the way it does when you lose a child, but I need to just lay it all in the hands of our Saviour. That is the only way I can find comfort and peace, knowing that he is in a place where he is needed more and where he is perfectly safe.

I am so very thankful for my husband and kids. They make me smile and cry and sometimes make me want to pull my hair out, but I love them all so much. I have such an amazing family and friends. I am very blessed:)

I really should be doing laundry, but I decided to write a little here instead. I did load the dishwasher and got that started so that's something, right?;-}

I went to my niece, Kristine's bridal shower last Friday. I still can't believe she's getting married!
It's actually 11 days today until her big day:)

Derick is still sick! He is getting a lot better, but this sickness has taken a lot out of him. He is just tired and has no energy and his awful cough isn't helping him any. He finally went to the Dr on Saturday. It wasn't a virus so the Dr prescribed him some antibiotics. I can tell he is getting better and I am so happy about that, cause it really sucks when he is sick. The kids have also had a cough, but they are doing a lot better. Zane still has a lingering cough, but nothing compared to Derick, thank goodness!

The kids were so sweet on Sunday, they kept talking about Jake and the things he would say and do. I am glad that they can just talk about him whenever they feel like it. We miss him so much and I know we always will, but at least we know that he is in heaven and he is watching over us:)

There's a family in our ward that lost their husband and dad on Friday. He had been in the hospital for a couple of weeks. My heart goes out to his wife and 2 young kids. It hurts to lose somebody, but that hurt is lessened with the knowledge that we have about being able to be reunited with our loved ones when we pass away too. It's hard to think that you have to live a whole lifetime before you see that person again, but it would be a lot harder if you thought you'd never see them again. I know that my Heavenly Father lives and that He loves us all and care about us all. I am so grateful for my husband and kids and everyone else in my family. I am also grateful for my friends.

Wow, that was a little bit intense - so maybe I'll write something else, like -
my mom is coming tomorrow!!! I am so excited to see her again! I know, I just saw her in January when we went to Norway, but still, it's my mom! :)