Grateful Day 24: Jobs and Time Off
Grateful Day 21-23: Time Moves So Fast
Over the past couple days, time has just moved so quickly and even though I have been so busy and sometimes overwhelmed, I am grateful for the time I was able to catch my breath and get some of the things taken care. I appreciate all those that support me and love me. Time with them is one of my greatest treasures.
Grateful Day 20: Power of Prayer
Every morning on our way to work, Brian and I will say our morning prayers together. We usually say the standard things like bless the boys, bless us, help keep us all safe, and so forth. Yesterday morning, Brian said the prayer and there was a little bit more to the prayer meaning that he spent more time asking our Heavenly Father to watch over our boys and keep them safe. I didn't think much about it at the time and he didn't mention that he had felt prompted to do so. We went about our day and we all returned home around 5pm.
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| Sorry - the picture isn't great |
Hunter left to go out for the evening around 5:15 and Brian was headed out to softball games when his phone rang. It was Hunter and he had been in an accident, a bad accident. He told Brian that he was fine but the other driver was not and the cars were not. We raced to the scene. As a mom, coming up on an accident scene with fire trucks, ambulances and police cars, your heart will skip a beat or two. Hunter even said to himself that as they were all pulling up "Mom is not going to like this...". I think my boys know me pretty well. Looking at the cars, all the airbags that deployed, the other driver being taken to the hospital, the tire marks and so forth, I was so grateful and blessed all at one time that our son was standing next to us talking to us.
As we came back home and I was reflecting on the last few hours, I was silently reminded of the prayer that Brian had given that morning - to watch over our boys and let no harm come to them as they went about their activities. Also, saying a prayer to my Heavenly Father of gratitude that hunter was safe and to watch over the other driver that was hurt.
I remembered that while Hunter was on his mission I prayed harder and more often for his safety and protection but now that he is home, my prayers are not nearly as personal as they should be. But despite that, Heavenly Father heard and answered our prayer protecting Hunter from what could have been a much different situation and outcome.
I am grateful for the power of prayer and I have a strong testimony of it. Our Father knows us and knows what we need and wants us to come unto Him and ask. I am grateful for the knowledge and my ability to talk to my Heavenly Father. It is one of my greatest treasures.
Grateful Day 19: Temples
I am grateful for temples and for the sacred and special work that happens within the walls of the temple. I am grateful that I am sealed to the man that I love and our children are sealed to us as well. I am grateful that two of our sons are endowed to attend the temple sessions and enjoy those blessings and our last son is preparing for his own endowment as well. I am extremely grateful to know that our family continues on in heaven and we will know those who have passed on from this life. I love the peace and the serenity of being inside the temple and grateful that I live close enough to visit a temple often. I do consider the Mesa and Gilbert temples to be treasures in my life.
Grateful Day 18: The Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Grateful Day 17: My Mom & Dad
Most little girls grow up wanting to be like their mom and
marry a man like their dad. For me, this
was no exception. My parents have always
been a steady support in my life and my family’s lives. I think it is evident since all five of us
kids live within miles of them and one another.
They demonstrate family tradition and love to all their 10 children (including
in-laws) and their 15 grandchildren.
I am so thankful for a mom who is involved and wants to be a
part of my life. The greatest attribute
about my mom is that she is almost always positive. Where ever she is, that is the best place to
be - no matter where it is. She always
tries to encourage us to not be discouraged and not give into the
disappointments of the world. Very
rarely do you see her sad or discouraged.
Even with all the many health challenges this year, she still chooses to
be wisely optimistic and helps teach me to be that way as well.
My dad is one of the greatest men I know. He consistently shows selflessness, kindness
and offers help and guidance whenever called on. He is a great example to me and shows
unconditional love to all of his grandchildren and constantly is asking how he
can help or support them.
I am very blessed and grateful for my parents and the
example they were to me growing up and continue to be now that I have my
family. I love and appreciate them both
very much. I don’t express my gratitude enough for them
but I do consider them to be one of my greatest treasures.
Grateful Day 16: Allyson
Most of you know that we are very close to my sister and her
family. I don't think I express my
gratitude enough for Allyson. I can't
count the number of times that we have needed help and they were the first ones
to come and help as well as stay till the bitter end.
Today is Allyson's birthday.
When my mom was pregnant with Allyson, I remember praying every night
asking, pleading and sometimes begging for a sister. Even the doctors were surprised when Allyson
was born. I loved her from the minute I
saw her. She was so sweet, so kind and
just always happy. She couldn't walk
into a room without dancing. She would
sing while doing chores. She was just so
fun to be around and that hasn't changed one bit.
We have been lucky enough to live by them in several
locations and I love that. I love being
able to talk to her whenever and share experiences with her. Allyson is very different than I am - some
would say the polar opposite. She is
quiet, I am loud. She is easy going - I
am... not so much. But even though we
are so different, I consider her to be my best friend.
I love my sister very much and wish her a very happy
birthday. I am very fortunate to have her
in my life in and in our family’s lives.
I am very grateful for her and consider her to be one of my greatest
treasures.
Grateful Day 15: Brothers
Today I am grateful for my brothers and my brother in laws.
I am so blessed to have brothers who helped protect me when I was young and
continue to love and support me now that we are grown. I'm grateful for Brian's
brothers who welcomed me into the family like another sister and my sister’s
husband, Kyle, who has helped many more times than I can count. I am grateful
for their love and support and consider them all to be among my greatest
treasures.
Grateful Day 14: Modern-Day Medicine
As I sit in the ER with Bryson after a week of fighting
asthma and the flu/cold, I am very grateful that I live in a time where there
are doctors and medicine as well as essential oils to help us feel better and
restore our bodies to full health. I'm grateful that the Lord has helped me
feel well enough to take care of him. The wait I could do without but feel
blessed to be able to spend snuggle time with my almost 18-yr old baby during
the wait. These things are among my greatest treasures.
Grateful Day 13: Tender Mercies
So often, I am able to see the Lord's hand in the big trials of my life and the lives of those I love but I think that I am even more cognitive of the tender mercies that the Lord graciously places in my life on a daily basis. I know that they are are real and not random acts of coincidence. I recognize the tender mercies of the Lord and am grateful for them. They are among my greatest treasures.
Grateful Day 12: Diet Coke
I know that it is not good for me and I have heard all the studies but I am still grateful for Diet Coke. For me it's a comfort thing - some people go for chocolate or chips ~ I go for Diet Coke. I have loved it since I was a teenager so I think that there are some memories associated with it as well. I look at it this way, there are worse things that I could have been doing that are worse for me. Not an excuse, just a fact. For better or worse, I am grateful for Diet Coke and I consider it among one of my treasures... (plus I need Sonic today in the worse way!! )
Gratitude Day 11: Honoring All Who Served
My heart is full of gratitude today for all those men and women who have served in our Armed Forces and continue to serve. I am grateful for the freedoms that they protect on my behalf. I am grateful for those veterans that I have loved and left a legacy of honor and patriotism for me and my family. We have many veterans on both my side of the family as well as Brian's.
Today on Veteran's Day, I especially grateful and honored to be an American;
for it is one of my greatest treasures.
Grateful Day 10: Peyton Kylee
This little girly is all girl and still the tiniest little thing. But don't tell her that - her attitude definitely
doesn't match. She is full of sass and spunk but as sweet as can be. She started kindergarten this year which she didn't love in the beginning but now is just flourishing. I was also blessed to be there when she came into this world and have loved her every moment since.
She has our boys wrapped around her finger and Uncle Brian can never, ever tell her no. I love that she calls me Aunt Tanna even though she knows my name is Tamara. Peyton is one of my special treasures and I love her very much!
Grateful Day 9: Chloe Allyson
I just can't believe Chloe is. When did she get so tall...and grown-up?!? I have a very special bond with her. I was able to be there when she came into this world and was one of the first to hold her. She captured mine and my family's heart.
Chloe has one of the sweetest hearts and is just good. She
loves being a big sister and will play school with Peyton almost every
day. She loves to twirl, dance and sing. Chloe also loves anything
blingy and sparkly but she is a fashion diva. With a foot size larger than her mom's, she has more beautiful shoes than I do.
Chloe is one very
special little girl and I love her very much. She is one of my greatest
treasures and I adore her!
Gratitude Day 8: Knowledge
"Fear not, for I am with you...and I will uphold you with my righteous...hand".
Gratitude Day 7: Our Home
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| Grateful for our home! |
It was 2 years ago today that we moved into our beautiful home. We have done lots of improvements including build-ins in family room, craft room, man cave, master bedroom, and the boys rooms. We have added brick on some walls and rock on others. We have landscaped the front yard beautifully and are working on the back. Above everything though, this home is our safe place for our family. We already have so many wonderful memories and tender mercies associated with our home. Brian and I still drive-up or drive away saying "I love our house..." I am grateful for our home every day and it is among one of my greatest treasures.
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| Man Cave and Brick on the Wall |
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| Family Room Build-ins with Rock |
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| Master Bedroom Closet |
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| Family Room Build-ins |
Gratitude Day 6: Grateful to Be An American
Today I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to live in the United States of America. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. My freedom is something that I treasure and I am grateful for.
Grateful Day 5: My Savior
Today I am feeling overwhelmed with the feeling of gratitude for my Savior. We live in such turbulent times riddled with anxiety and fear. I am grateful for love of my Savior who knows me and took upon my sins making it possible to return to him. I know He lives and I know that He loves me without conditions. The faith I have in my Savior is something that I treasure and I am grateful for.
Gratitude Day 4: Bryson Albertus
What a blessing Bryson is to our family! He keeps us on our toes - always quick with a snappy comeback, an "Office" quote or in the more serious times, words of wisdom and love. Bryson
loves with his whole heart and is always quick with words of
encouragement, hugs, and loves.
He has a unique gift and a special
connection with the Spirit to know when someone is struggling and what
they may need. He's love for the gospel and doing what is right is such an example to me. He has had a tough year with so much change and other struggles but through it all, he has carried himself with determination and drive but also with humility and love for the Savior. He is beginning to put his mission papers in and he is very excited to see where the Lord wants him to serve. 
Bryson – I love you more than you could ever possibly imagine. You are
the perfect end to our family and you make our earthly family complete. I hope you always know know and remember that you are truly a special gift from our Heavenly Father and you are truly one of my greatest treasures.
Gratitude Day 3: Hayden David
Another very special treasure in my life is our son, Hayden.
Hayden is what we call the peacekeeper of our home. Hayden is one of
those very easy-going guys. He loves his family and his family loves
him more than he knows. He honors his priesthood and is usually the
"go-to" guy when things need to be done because of his enormous respect
for doing the right thing. 
Hayden is very quiet so often times his
quietness is mistaken for indifference but trust me, there is nothing
about this young man that is indifferent. He is humble, honest and one
of the hard working guys I know. 
I love you Haddee - you are a very special part of our family. You are the very special balance of both
your dad and I. We recognize very often your amazing spirit and
humbling calmness. Don't ever change
anything about you because it is one of the things that make you very special.
Never forget that you are loved and I am grateful
for you.
Gratitude Day 2: Hunter Brian
Gratitude Day 2: How did I get so lucky to be a mom to three incredible young men?!? And Hunter is the one that started it off. From the moment Hunter Brian entered our lives, I have been wrapped
around his little finger. I had never imagined being anything more than
a mom and wife and the moment I held Hunter I knew that my number one
priority was my baby boy. He arrived into this world under a little
duress but once he got her, he just looked around taking it all in.
Upon returning from his mission at the beginning of the year, Hunter has just taken to the next steps of his life - he is attending college, making sure his brothers are attending as well and is extremely active in his YSA as well. He honors his priesthood and shows the love for his family and Heavenly Father every day.
Hunter is funny,
always in a good mood, quick with a joke as well as a hug and loves his
family almost as much as he loves the Lord. I am honored to be his
"momma" and blessed to have this special treasure in my life.
Gratitude Day 1: The Love of My Life
In keeping with my own personal tradition, I love to take the month of
November and express gratitude for the things in my life that I
treasure.
So with today being November 1st, I would like to express
gratitude for my best friend and love of my life, my husband Brian.
When I was a young woman, I always envisioned what my life would be like
when I was a wife and a mom. I didn't know then that I would marry my
very best friend and still be madly, deeply in love after 23 years of
marriage. As we continue through the ups and downs of life, I am blessed to have a partner that watches over me and our family as well protects, fights and loves us unconditionally. Plus he is very easy on the eyes!
I am not sure how I got so
lucky but I am grateful every day for this most special treasure in my
life.
Disneyland - September 2015
We took our annual September Disneyland trip and what a trip it was. Allyson's family joined us which brought such a fun element to the experience as Peyton and Chloe were so excited for everything. One downer was that it was unbearably hot so much of our time was spent in the parks in the early morning hours and then the really late hours with the rest of the time in our hotel room. Nevertheless, there is no such thing as a bad Disneyland trip and I am grateful for the time I got to spend with our boys, with the girls, with the love of my life and enjoyed making memories with them all. We are already planning our next one - hopefully in October. (Are we obsessed?!?)
Remiss Is An Understatement
To say I am remiss in keeping up our blog is really an understatement. But I had an epiphany in RS this week. We were talking about ancestry and how blogging is a way of journaling so I made a goal to catch our family blog up using our scrapbook pages, placing them in the correct order (see subsequent posts) and starting from today to update our family blog at least monthly. I want my children and grandchildren to know of their heritage and these memories are part of that heritage.
Peyton and Millie
Peyton loves playing with Millie. They will chase each other for hours. Peyton also loves to pick her up and hold her but Millie is getting big so Peyton has become resourceful in how she holds her...
using her tummy for balance for instance.
Love them both!
Happy 5th Birthday Pey-Pey!
All her cousins joined her for a celebration at "As You Wish" to make a special craft and celebrate Peyton's special day! Everyone had so much fun especially the birthday girl.
It's hard to believe that 5-years have already come and gone. Peyton has such a special spirit about her. She is funny, kind, seneitive and so smart. She has two families wrapped around her pinky finger - not to mention Grammy and Grampy!
Happy Birthday Peyton - we sure love you!
The Girls Start School - 2015
First days of school are exciting and sometimes anxious time. Chloe is 10 and headed into the 5th grade and Peyton is days away from being 5 headed into kindergarten.
Chloe loved heading back to school to see friends and be busy again - Peyton was not as excited as Chloe but she likes her teacher and her friend; just not leaving mommy!
Good luck girls and have a great year!
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