Say A LIttle Prayer For Me

As you can see from the Countdown's I placed to the right, my boys birthdays are coming up. What some of you may not see is that for two months I am going to have two, two year old boys. HELP!!!!! Jacob has already started with his attitudes, he is saying no and talking back. I think that he thinks that timeout is worth it. That whatever he did to get there is worth the time sitting in the timeout chair. Benjamin luckily is on the other side of two and is calming down just a bit and understanding that maybe the timeout corner is not always worth the minute of fun he had driving me crazy. I do not know what is is about two that makes them so smart all the sudden. They know that if they can get me to laugh then the punishment is easier. And it does not take much to make me laugh with these two. The following are just a few things that they have done recently.

1. While I was showering this morning Ben thought that maybe it would be fun to nuke a car. in the microwave. The MICROWAVE. Luckily I was out of the shower when the fire started, yes the fire. He came running in my room yelling Cristen, there is a fire.

2. Earlier this week Jacob decided that the bathroom was the ideal place to play. Of course he can not play in his bathroom, where his bath toys are and there is a very good sink with water. He decided to play in mine. So I come to the bathroom because I hear water running and he has flooded the bathroom. sitting in the sink is all my makeup. Open and wet, and needless to say ruined. It gets better though. He then as I was cleaning up got out of the bathroom with my powder and played with it on my carpet and down the hall.

3. Again in my bathroom Benjamin and Jacob found my colorstay lip gloss. Of course they could not have found my ordinary lip gloss, they have to search through all my stuff, shoved under the sink in containers for the one lip gloss I own that does not come off. They put it on there faces, my walls, and my sheet in the bedroom. I was scrubbing lip gloss for an hour.

I know you are all thinking where are you when this is all happening. I am thinking the same thing. It only takes them a second to cause this much destruction. I could just be in the bathroom, or changing laundry over, doing dishes. They just wait for the perfect moment to strike and have at it.

I do not want to write a whole blog about how crazy my kids are without saying that they are the best thing that has happened to my life, since Bobby. They are everything to me and I love my job. I love being here for all the good and all the bad experiences and would not change any of this at any time. I like to look at these stories and laugh. Which I do a couple of months after they have happened I open there journals and read what we went through. There are so many more good experiences than frustration ones and it definitely makes this all worth it when your two year old tells you He loves you, or "luv ooh" as Jacob says. Every moment is precious to me and I hope that it does not pass to quickly.

I Just Have to Take A Minute To Brag

First off I have to say that my camera is not connecting to my computer for some reason so one of these days you will get the pictures that go with these blogs. For now just use your imagination.

Well like many families across the country today was Bobby's first day of School. He finally has is own classroom. He is in charge. On Saturday, we took Benjamin and Jacob to see where there Daddy worked. It was so awesome. They were so astonished I think because I tell them that Daddy goes to work but now they got to see it. They were climbing on the desks, and under the desks. It was fun.

Got a little sidetracked, sorry. Bobby, well now, Mr. Nelson is teaching at Peterson Behavioral School. He has kids from the surrounding schools in our district that have been expelled for various reasons. They are sent to his school and have to pass the program with at least a "D" average, and then are admitted back into the district again. He right now has a total of 14 students, that are dispersed between 7 class periods. They get busier as the year goes on but the classes remain small. What I am going to brag about is the fact that he came home today and had not one bad thing to say about the students. He was prepared I think to really have some trouble, because of what his co-workers have told him. They (his co-workers) never once called the kids they teach students. They chose more colorful ways to describe them, things that I will not even type. When our family came over tonight to celebrate the first day of school He told everyone that these students had just made a mistake, that the ones that really want to try are good kids. I know he will connect with some of them for that reason alone. He has one student who does not care, but he does not cause any problems so far, so Bobby just lets him be. I am sure he will ask him everyday for his opinion and try to get him to contribute to the class, He would never give up on him like some of the other teachers have.

The craziest part is that Bobby is choosing to teach becuase he loves it. He has other businesses that can provide for us, and be expanded. He loves what he is doing and loves making a difference.

He is where I know he will excel. He can help these kids not only get through this but leave positive about school and learning.

The only down fall to this job is that the school is in BFE. It is literally the farthest point you can get away from Henderson. If he likes it we will move that way. We have friends out that direction so I will not be all alone but far from My mom, and Sister. But if he is happy I will be.

My Talk

So I went to post my talk last Sunday and Bobby had deleted it on accident so I am just going to give you a summary. So here it goes.

About Us...
Bobby and I met when we were 15 when our wards were split to make a new one that we both ended up in. The first week in our new ward Bobby walked in and the only thing I saw was his face, and that was because he had an ugly black eye. He came in and told a story about how he got in a fight at a concert and the other guy had to be taken to the hospital. I later found out that there was no fight and he got hit in the eye by a stage diver at a, get this, Gravity Kills concert. Well a few months later it was my birthday, I was turning 16 and was having a date party. All of my girl friends were older and were bringing a guy and I was going to do the same. That is until my date got grounded and could not come. This all happened the morning of my party and I was just going to go by myself. I was ok with it. I new all my friends dates and would have had a good enough time, but my sister would not let this happen so she called Bobby's mom to find out if he wanted to come. She volunteered him to go because he was still on his way home from a scout camp out. She told us to just come get him he would be ready. So here I am shy already and coming to pick up a guy that said he got in a fight at a concert, and he has no idea we were coming. I had no idea if he was going to be mean or nice or what. We went ice skating and he had never been but did not let that stop my fun. He just put on the skates and pretended he was a pro. We fell a lot but laughed a ton. And that is when I feel in love with his sense of humor and him. We dated after that for about 4 months because we did not want to get to serious. We remained really good friends and he was always there for me when I needed him. Bobby went on a mission in 2000-2002. He served in Birmingham, England. About a year after he got home we started dating and then we were married in 2004. Benjamin joined our family shortly after that in Nov. of 2005 and then Jacob came even faster and was born in Aug. 2006.

We were asked to speak on covenants today and when I first heard our topic I was ecstatic. I was thinking that it would be so easy for me to speak about. I am no stranger to covenants. I have been baptized and have gone through the temple. I am sealed to my husband. Easy right. No not so easy. But I finally decided to speak about my own experiences with covenants and share my experiences and why I choose to follow them and why I chose to make them in the first place.

I remember growing up there were things that were always expected of me. I along with my siblings were to do chores, go to school, we were expected to do our best. Those same standards were set for our church activities and attendance. We were expected to get up and go to church with no complaints, we read scriptures and said prayers as a family, and were challenged to do the same on a personal basis. My mom taught us well and so when I had my interview to be baptized with our Bishop I can remember it like it was yesterday. I remember that the choice to be baptized was completely mine. My mom was not there coaching me. she had sent me in there the best prepared I could be and was hoping that I would make the right choice but could not make it for me. I choose to be baptized because I knew that the church was true, and I knew that this would get me to where I wanted to be and this was the first step to return to our Father in heaven.

It wasn't until years later that I realized that this was not the first step and this was not the first decision I had to make on my own. A long time Ago I was standing in the pre-exsistance and had to choose to follow Jesus Christ or Satan. I choose on that day to Follow our Savior and thus I chose to come to Earth and do the same here. We all made that same choice. It is evident because we are all here on Earth. Whether or not we were born into the church or have since become a member or mission started in the pre-earth life.

So I was baptized and choose to become a member of the church and made promises with our Heavenly Father and in return I got the gift of the Holy Ghost.

I reviewed the covenants we make at baptism and used the book Chances are you will be exhaulted for that. Just review that sacrament prayers for the same review.

I went on to talk about Temple Covenants.

Elder Russell M. Nelson said this regarding the Endowment:
"In the Temple we receive an endowment, which is literally speaking a gift. We need to understand the spiritual significance of it and the importance of keeping the sacred covenants and obligations we make in receiving this gift. Each temple ordinance is not just a ritual to go through; it is an act of solemn promising. The temple endowment was given by revelation. Thus, it is best understood by revelation, vigorously sought with a pure heart. President Young explained that your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, and gain your eternal exaltation."

this is an amazing promise that we make. The part that stands out the most for me in this quote in where it says, "vigorously sought with a pure heart."
I was reading through this talk on my way home from St. George with my Litle sister and we were talking about this part of my talk and she made a great point that I am going to share with you. We read in D&C 82:10 I the lord am bound when ye do what I say... The Lord is bound top keep his end of the deal but so are we. We are bound to keep those promises we made and if we are not doing that vigorously and with a pure heart then how are we to expect Heavenly Father to do the same. Luckily we have a Father in heaven who knows us. He knows our weaknesses and he knows our hearts. He knows when we are doing all we can and when we are just sliding by. He knows when our hearts are in it and when they are not.

I have been very aware and have always had a great appreciation for the temple covenants
from a very young age. My family being sealed has been the biggest blessing in my life. My father and older brother were taken from us when I was just three years old. My mom taught from then on the importance of being a "forever family", is what she would call us. She told us that we would have our turn with them. And I know that is true and as my family grows and as Bobby and I have been blessed with children I am even more grateful for this blessing. I am so grateful that Bobby and I were doing the right things and were married in the temple. I am so grateful that Bobby was worthy to take me there and continues to take me back. so that we can be a forever family as well.

I know that it mat seem hard and for some of you I know the feeling is that you are not doing enough. But you need to trust in the lord. because you have and are continuing to make the right choices you will be blessed.


Sorry if this is a jumble of thoughts I tried to get all I could back.

How Cool Is This

Found this while playing on the internet thought is was
pretty cool so I wanted to share. IF you click on it
you can go make your own and see mine bigger.

Random Pictures

I have been going through picture s for the last week trying to get them all organized so taht I could start scrapbooking again and I though t I would share some fo my favorites with you. Hope you enjoy.

Me and my beautiful Mother.
Me and Bobby at my family reunion in 2004
Me and my cousin Brittney H. on Christmas Eve 2004

Me, Matt (my lil bro) and Erin(my lil sis) on Christmas Eve 2004. We get a new pair of jammies every year

Me and my sis-in-law Kristel in California. The Nelson girls all get together to make flower arrangements for our friends for the holidays. This was both of our first year going and we had a blast.

Lindsay, Me, Matt, and Brittney at the Latimer family reunion 2004

Jacob my youngest, this is how he always is. Just happy to be here.

First time he enjoyed the bath was in the sink.

Jacob
So tired, the only time he stayed in this for more than a minute.

Benjamin and Jacob
Best Buds from day one. they will always be friends.

Benjamin
He climbed behind the chair and couch to get this snack he dropped and got stuck. He did not care until he was done eating that he was stuck.

One of my Favorite pictures of my boys. They used to sit and play on the blanket forever.

It has been 4 1/2 years.

Holy Cow! I can not believe it has really been that long. Bobby and I are speaking in church on Sunday for the first time together ever. We have been married almost 4 years and I have not talked in church since before we were engaged. I am so nervous but excited at the same time.

Call me crazy or weird, whichever you choose but ever since I saw and listened to the first new couple in our ward when I was a teenager I got so excited for the time that I would get to do that. Tell everyone how we met, and introduce our kids, make people laugh, I can not wait. I know i know I am a big goober but hey, I am excited.

Other good news is that our topic is covenants. I am excited to study and learn more about them and also excited that I am familiar with the topic. I have always dreaded talking on sin, or challenges we face in life, because I am pretty straight forward about how I feel about that I am so afraid I would offend people. I would hate to do that.

Well, wish me luck, I will let you know how it goes.