We Have Been BUSY!!! And I Have Been SLACKING!!! **Long Post**

Wow, two words that are opposites in the same title.  Whew!! I have been SLACKING though....at keeping up on our family blog here.  SO I guess I better catch ya'll up to speed and get the photos in as well.  We have had so much fun the last part of the summer and then with the kids going back to school.  But first, I'll finish updating where I left off on my last post...YES I am being re-baptized. I am so excited, you can't even imagine, yet I am so fearful at times as well.  I'm not afraid that I'm going to do the same things again.  Trust me, it is so not worth losing my family for the eternities for just a few moments of feeling good. I have spent the last two years really digging deep, as my husband would say, and really doing a lot of self reflection and looking at who I am, who I have become, and who I want to be. Not worrying about who wants me to be what, and what mold I should fit into.  I feel so free and I feel good about who I am as a woman, and as a mother and grandmother and as a child and daughter of my Heavenly Father. I am so excited to be able to become closer to getting where I need to be and want to be.  I am scared about what example I will be and have set for our children. I just hope that they will see the heartaches I have endured, the many tears shed in guilt, and in sorrow, and the hardships and broken relationships I've had to go through and have had to mend to be able to get to where I am today.  However I hope that they also see the joy and the happiness I have, and that I feel.  The peace I feel, and the overwhelming love that I have for my Savior and for his sacrifices. I hope they also see that it is better to be who you are and stand for what you believe in rather than try to pretend, and try to "fit in" to what others want you to be.  I hope they see my peace as I go day to day and how I enjoy going to church and learning more and being around great and mighty people. I am so excited to be able to see my parents, and have them participate in this.  Yes, it is difficult to have to admit that I was ex-communicated, but it's wonderful to say I am being baptized again to be able to restore my blessings. Especially when I get to have my father do it for me. I can't wait.  It will be Saturday August 26th at 5pm. I can't express enough how much peace I have felt these last few weeks since I have known that I could pick a date.  I wanted to tell the Bishop after the court, that I wanted to be baptized the next day, but I wanted to wait and see if my Father could and was willing to do it.  He baptized me when I was eight, I thought it only appropriate and wanted him to do it again. This time for good. No more backtracking in my life, no more pretending to be someone I'm not.  If you don't like who I am, or if you don't like something I do, you are more than welcome to have your own opinions, but please keep them to yourself.  I am proud of who I am, and where I am now.  Do I have regrets and battle scars....OH HELL YES, but to me those regrets and scars have made me who I am and have helped me become the woman I am.  My biggest regret though in getting to where I am today are the trails of embarrassment, heartache and sorrow that I have caused others, because of my actions. Hopefully in time those hurt feelings will fade and trust will be rebuilt.

Now on to our adventures..... During the last part of the summer, Isaac has taken a HUGE interest in cooking, and now in school he even chose to take Culinary Arts.  He loves to watch the cooking shows and make plans to cook stuff.  He is fascinated with all the cool things he can make.  He has been making so much, and has done a wonderful job. He has made us all breakfast, and dinner and even dessert that he has learned in his Culinary Arts Class.  I'm super proud of him and I'm so glad I've gotten the chance to be with him more one on one, and get to know more of his personality, and his passions. He truly is an amazing little boy who has so many hopes and dreams and aspirations. I truly hope I can help him achieve those goals and see this little man of ours succeed.

That was his concoction of a Chicken Cordon Bleu.  It was really good to be honest and He was so proud of it. I love this kid so much.  Here are a few more of when he made us breakfast.  It was super yummy.

Then we have had lots of fun with many many late night swims, watching the bats fly around and swoop down to dip in the water to get a drink, even though we are right there in the pool. It's so much fun to be able to spend time together as a family.

Then for the last week of the summer Sabrina got to do something really special and spend some time with her Grandparents and Extended family in Chicago, IL.  She has a marvelous time and really enjoyed the time with her Grandparents.  I can't thank them enough for doing this for her. We are truly blessed to have such generous family.  She got to fly in a plane on her own, which I think I was more scared than she was.  I was so nervous about her being safe. However she made it, and had so much fun that she wants to do it again next year, but sadly for her, it's Vanessa's turn next year. Sabrina really learned so much.  She would sew a little before hand, but now, she has started to really take off, especially in quilting. Guess I know what she will be asking for Christmas.  Thanks Grandma Beth for getting her hooked on an expensive and BEAUTIFUL hobby. lol I'm just glad she has found something that makes her so happy, and that helps to beautify our home. Grandma Larsen is also an amazing seamstress and has sewn many clothing items, and beautiful quilts as well.  Maybe she can learn from both of her grandmothers. What an amazing family we truly have.

Then on the way back home after dropping off Sabrina at the airport, Vanessa and I showed our true colors, and took lots and lots of funny photos of ourselves. She is such a hoot, and so darn silly.  I love her so much. We were laughing on the drive all the way back home.

And then again when we went back to pick up Sabrina from the airport after her week long adventure, Vanessa was still her same old goofy self.  Except for this time on the way home, we added a special stop and spent some much needed time with cousins and Aunt Michelle.  We missed having Uncle Jaron there and Vic, but hopefully next time.  It was so much fun being able to be with family and reconnect. I know things have been strained between myself and the rest of my family, because of my issues and it taking me so long to grow up and realize who I am and what I want in life, but I hope and I pray on a daily basis that things will get better and hurt feelings will subside and our relationships will become closer and stronger.

We also stopped to get something to drink at the gas station, and we picked up Grandpa Larsen and took him with us. Well we thought it was super funny.  So the kids wanted to take photos with Grandpa.

These are just a few of the photos of what Sabrina got to learn and do. My favorite is the beautiful table runner she made on her own outside of class with Grandma Beth.  We are already looking at fabric and ideas for my Halloween and Christmas table runners. lol

Now these next few photos are extra special.  NO one but NO ONE touches Grandpa Bill's train sets or surrounding scenery.  However Sabrina was so crafty that she got to add her own little modern touch to the model train town.  She made flowing wood pallets.  Way to show those villagers our modern DIY  repurpose decorating. I think they turned out beautiful.

While Sabrina was gone for the week, Dad and I decided to take the other two, and go to Sea World (Thanks to free veteran tickets from Waves of Honor) and to the beach.  It was such a fun time.  To be able to see all their smiles and hear their laughter.  It was sorely missed, and so I enjoyed every moment. When we were at Sea World, the kids got to touch some animals, but their favorite were the "cleaner" fish. That's the photos below.  They just loved Vanessa's hands. She must have had some lotion or something on her hands, because they would hurry to her hands and clean them.  The kids both said it felt like a cat tongue licking you.  A little like soft sandpaper they said. It was pretty fun. Then at the beach, Dad and Vanessa kept finding sand dollars.  We went at low tide, and we were in an amazing spot. Then Isaac and I got in on the hunt, and we found so many different shades of colors and size sand dollars.  Black ones, green tinted ones, purple ones and white ones, large ones, medium ones and even itty bitty small ones.  It became a contest between Vanessa and Dad to see who could find the biggest one.  I think Vanessa won, but maybe Dad won.  I don't remember who won, but it was sure fun to see them all laughing and splashing in the ocean.

 They are comparing their sand dollar sizes here.

And again, Ms. Nessie's funny antics.  She cracks me up, and keeps our family smiling. Our family is truly blessed by her presence.

Then, because we found so many sand dollars on the beach, Vanessa, Sabrina and I decided to make a wall hanging with all of the sand dollars so we could look at them and remember all the fun we had, and to display them for others. It turned out pretty neat looking if I do say so myself. It was so much fun opening up the sand dollar to find the little "doves" inside.

And here is the poem that is in the middle.

And finally we have also been trying to get everything up and going for Vic's new upcoming HUGE adventure. He loves bowling, and does so much for the sport, that he is now going to go back to doing what he loves to do, and that is taking care of others, inspiring other to bowl and bowl properly and also taking care of their bowling equipment.  We still have a little ways to go, but so far everything is legal beagle and I finally get to use my design skills.  WOO WOO. An expensive college education that doesn't get used because we don't live in big bustling cities like New York or California.  However,  I'm happy in my little town and using my skills elsewhere. I'm super excited for this new adventure of his and I'm super proud of him.  He is my world and I would go to hell and back for him.  He has done so much for me and for our family that I could never repay him.  He truly is an amazing man and I'm truly blessed to call him mine. So here is your sneak peek at his new adventure..........(which by the way the kids are so excited for him as well.  They can't wait to help him out too)

Anyway, that is what we have been up to so far.  Now we are on to school, and dance recitals, and guitar concerts, and choir concerts, and fees, and uniforms, and costumes....Uuuugggghhh It's enough to make me tear out my hair in stress, but I'm going with the flow, and have a wonderful support system of a huband.  He is absolutely wonderful.  He keeps me grounded and keeps me looking forward.  I hope that I am able to get back into the rhythm of things and slow down for a while.  It would be nice, and also be able to update my blog on a weekly basis.  I think I will try for Sundays to update everything.  That's a good day to reflect and write about my week and to look ahead to the oncoming week and see what I need to do.  May you all have had a wonderful summer and are hopefully getting back into the grove of things again.  I love you all and miss you all. Please stay in touch.