Grateful Sunday # 10

Today I am grateful for a very great week! On Friday December 19th Jake and Rachael had there wedding reception. Which GMA and GPA Schick came down for. (That is how I got so many pictures they took them!) As soon as I get the pictures from that Hazens took I will post them. After that of course we had Christmas. On Christmas Eve we kept with the tradition of going caroling with the whole neighborhood. I didn't get any pictures though because I almost got left because I was late getting home from work. (That I am not to grateful for, working on Christmas Eve no bueno!) After caroling we came home had breakfast watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, and then Jordynn and I stayed up and watched the Grinch and had a sleepover in my room. Until 4:00 a.m. when Jordynn just couldn't sleep any longer! It was then time for Christmas and oh what fun presents we all got! I got a bike! I am excited for the snow to go away so that I can ride it! I hope everyone had a Great Christmas and wish you all A Happy New Year!

P.S. this is my one hundredth post YAY! I personally like the picture of me sleeping in the middle of the floor I was so tired and no I was in no room I just feel right asleep in the middle of the walk way!

Grateful Sunday # 9

It is this time of year that we all find so much to be grateful for. Today I want to share an experience I had at church. The speaker was talking and she made an AMAZING point. She said do we realize what really happened that day when Jesus Christ was born. Do we realize that the Savior of the World was born that day the one who has power to truly make us free. I don't think I truly realized that. Or maybe I have and just haven't realized it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so amazing and I am so grateful for it and also so grateful for the birth of my Savior. I hope that you all can reflect on that fact this time of year is truly a time of hope because without the birth of the Savior we wouldn't have anything to hope for. Merry Christmas.

Grateful Sunday # 8

Well here it is Sunday again and I have slacked off my duties of my Grateful Sunday posts! As I have thought a lot about what it is I have to be grateful for I realized I have a lot to be grateful for. However I would like to share that I am grateful to come from the great state of Utah. I recently over heard someone while I was in Vegas who said that "Utah was never enough" to hear that it made me upset. I am so proud to be from Utah. I am so proud of the heritage that it holds. To know what was sacrificed to get here and to make this state what it is. I know that to a lot of people Utah is all about the "Mormons" but it is just part of who we are. Look at all the great people that came from Utah... Loretta Young, Rosanne (not sure how great she is but hey we'll take it), Steve Young, Willard Marriott, Jon Huntsman, SheDasiy, The OSMONDS, Collen Hutchins, Sharlene Wells Hawks (both former Miss Americas), Jill Stevens, Mary Shaw Drake(former Miss Rodeo America), Blue Stone, Louie Fields, and Tom Chambers. Those are just to name a few. I am grateful to be from Utah and always will be it may be freaking freezing but I wouldn't have it any other way. We all need to be proud of where we came from and realize that yes it is enough. Also remember "Come What May and Love It" That is a shout out to my dear friend Elder Wirthlin thanks for the Great Advice.

Our Chirstmas Card

Does everyone else think that Christmas cards can bring drama? Well I do, however I would love to thank a friend of mine Jessica Mandile from Arizona (I served in her ward when I was a missionary) for putting up with us Whitaker folk and for putting together this great Christmas card. We decided to do it of pictures of us throughout the year along with a story to go with it. Let me know what you think of it. This is still a rough draft we need to change one picture but I wanted to get input!

A Visit to the North Pole

This weekend us sisters decided to go and have a sisters weekend! We looked at flights and a trip to the North Pole was not very expensive. We decided that would help us get into the Christmas Spirit! While we were visiting we got invited to a old fashioned barn dance! It was so much fun. We even dressed up like the elves. Who were super nice by the way... Ok so this is a total joke! Go to www.elfyourself.com and you can upload a video as well! Enjoy! Just remember to pause my music on the left!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

My Birthday!

So yesterday was my birthday and what a great day it was! I got up and got my birthday dinner made. My mom helped so no worries I didn't make my own dinner. I then got ready for church and I taught my Sunday school lesson (which went really well - I love my calling)! After I got home Brooke and Trev and the kids came over along with the other Brooke! I am so grateful for such good friends and family! I got so many presents as you can see! From my mom and dad I got a new purse (which wasn't here yet so my mom made a copy of it!) and a wallet to match and a some shoes! From Jordynn I got the DS game personal trainer cooking it is the coolest thing ever it has recipes from all over the world and it talks to you as your cooking telling you what ingredients to use. It also makes a shopping list for you. Ya pretty amazing. From Jenna I got the new Juicy Couture perfume called Viva La Juicy. It smells so good. From Brooke Trev and the kids I got a gift certificate to Layne Bryant and from Brooke I got a picture and some Christmas decorations! All my great loot!

Brooke and I


Me and the kids

Blowing out my "dessert" it wasn't cake it was a very yummy trifle. It has brownies, pecans, caramel, and whipped cream! Ya it is sinfully good and oh so fattening!

Miss and Me

Me and the kids again

The Perfect Man...

Today after work I decided that I would go and see TWILIGHT. I went by myself bad mistake cause I seriously needed someone to hold my hand every time this lovely "immortals" face came into view. It really got me thinking could there ever be anyone like Edward. Ok I don't mean like in the VAMPIRE sense. But really someone so caring, loving, and someone who sacrifices so much for the one that he loves. I have my doubts but if you don't let me know! I am really staring to give up on the "decent" guy. It is my belief that they only exist in the movies. P.S: This poster is in Italian. However who could ever deny the beauty of that FACE!!

Grateful Sunday # 7

Ok so this Grateful Sunday is going to be very very random! I hope that you are ready for this. This first thing that I am grateful for is that I finally got my computer to upload pictures. For some reason it wouldn't upload my pictures from the Carrie Underwood Concert so I skipped that post. Oh well it was a good time and she is AMAZING live! The second thing that I am grateful for is that my blog is now up-to-date! YAY. This may be the second blog of the day but at least I have added Disney on Ice, and I posted a grateful Sunday on a SUNDAY! The third thing that I am grateful for is... I HAVE A NEW SISTER! No no my mom did not have a baby (if she did then she would have some explaining to do)! What I mean is that JD and Rachael got married on Friday. The reception is not until December 19th. The ceremony was small and it was held at Bear Lake. If any of you are confused by this just don't be. I don't want to explain anything just know that if it could have been any other way it would have. And NO ONE did anything WRONG. I had a picture posted of Rachael but I somehow deleted it. I will post wedding pictures sometime this week. Back to Rachael she is a great girl and an AMAZING addition to this CRAZY family. Along with the pictures I will tell you all how they met! The last thing that I am grateful for is my BELLA!

This is a picture of her when she was a puppy. She is still a puppy however she doesn't look like it. Yesterday my mom went out there and we think she was having a seizure. It scared us all to do death! Bella is so fun. She knows my car and she won't leave my side if I let her out and I am out there. She always wants to be in your business cause she thinks that it is hers! It can really drive you crazy but she really is my best friend! She doesn't care what I look like or how I am. All she cares about is that I pet her everyday and feed. The sad thing about this is even if I don't (which I have never forgotten) she will still love me anyway. I guess I should get a picture of her now that she is bigger but she is real dirty! Maybe if I give her a bath I will get a picture! In case any of you are wondering NO I did not name her Bella because of the book Twilight! The story of her name is quite interesting maybe one day I will share!

Do You Believe in Magic...

Call me brave or call me crazy whatever suits best for you! Last week I took Ethan, Ashton, and Tylee (Ashtons friend and one of my students) to Disney on Ice. Jordynn was supposed to go with me but she couldn't so Dallas went with me instead. I don't think I could have handled it with out him. It was pretty fun the theme was "100 Years of Magic". There where a lot of characters there. To name a few there were Minnie and Mickey of course! Along with their normal crew (Donald, Daisy, Goofy...), Aladdin and his posse, Beauty and the Beast, Nemo and his friends, Mulan, ALL of the Disney Princesses, The Incredibles, Woody, Buzz, and Jesse, Pinocchio, Its a Small World, and the Lion King. I don't think I missed any but if I did I bet the pictures show it!

We got this picture taken before the show started! It was a pretty cute set up!

Grateful Sunday # 6

Again I am a day late but what are you going to do about it! I was thinking about what to write and this is what I decided on. I am grateful for Thanksgiving! As I have walked around in the mall and driven in my car I have noticed that Santa is there and that Christmas music is in the air. It truly makes my heart sad that we seem to just roll over this great holiday. I am grateful for the Pilgrims and the Indians. For one it gives me something to teach my pre-schoolers about but it also helped me to appreciate my own learning experiences. I think that everyone should just stop and smell the turkey and as soon as its done with lets bring on Christmas!

GRATEFUL SUNDAY # 5

Sorry that I am a day late but better late than never right? I am grateful for WONDERFUL SURPRISES! On Friday I got home from work and it had been one of those days when you have everything planned and then it doesn't happen. Plus my cute little pre-schoolers were on one! I walked through the door and noticed a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the counter. I was wondering who these where for and my name was on the card! It was pretty AMAZING! So I am grateful for wonderful surprises! So I encourage everyone who reads this to go out and surprise someone with something wonderful! Whether it be a phone call to someone you haven't talked to, a hug to someone who needs it, or whatever you think! You never know whose day you could make! I know that my day was made better simply because of these flowers!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween. I know I am just about a week late on posting these. Hey better late than never right! Halloween this year was super fun! On Wednesday we had our pre-school Halloween party. I made my cute little goblins (students) witches brew for a Halloween treat. I got mini bottles of sprite, glued Halloween paper to the outside of them and then attached a label. It was either Goblin Grog, Witches Brew, or Swamp Cider. I told my little goblins how a witch named Heckabee came to my house and dropped these off for them. I also played the song witches brew and told them that it was Heckabee's dad singing it as he was making it. The goblins got kind of grossed out and didn't want to drink it so I had to tell them that Witches Brew kind of tastes like sprite! For the Halloween party I dressed up as Hannah Montana. Oh it was all sorts of awful but the goblins liked it so that was all that mattered. On Thursday (the day before Halloween) Jake came down and Rachael came over so we all stayed up late carving pumpkins. We got a little more creative this year than usual. It was way fun though! Hope y'all had a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! The treats I made for my classes!
My afternoon class along with the aides.

My morning class along with the morning aides!

Carving our Pumpkins! Dads was the trick or treat pumpkin! Jakes is the one beind it. Mine was the witch however she got in a small fight with her broom and her eye got hurt. (ok so really I accidently pushed it to hard and it broke! But the broom story sounds so much better)!

Grateful Sunday # 4

Last night I was reminded how grateful I am for my little buddy Ethan. We went to the Jazz game and on the way there I was telling him how high our seats were(seriously you couldn't get any higher; as you can see there is cement behind us). He replied to me "its ok Jessa, the higher you are the better you can see. When he said that I was so happy that I can call myself Ethans "Aunt". He is always reminding me that there is more to life! He is so full of it. As we were walking to the car last night I asked him what was his favorite part of the game. His response was getting my Boozer arm bands and my popcorn. I wish all of you could have a chance to get to know my little E-Man he is seriously the sweetest seven year old I know. (Don't get me wrong he has his devilish moments!)

PLAY DATE

Last Wednesday I took Ashton and her friend from school Tylee(I am her teacher) to the mall. Our first stop was the gumball machines! After that we went to the Teddy Bear Shop where they each got to make a critter! The next stop on our agenda was the nail salon so they could each get their nails painted and then we topped it off with a ice cream cone from Dairy Queen. I asked Ashton if I could have a bite of hers and she replied if you wanted one you should have gotten one. I said oh come on just a bite. She replied you choose a drink so that is what you get. Wonder where she gets that attitude! Ashton and Tylee as we are staring our journey!

We stopped by Gymboree so that I could be in a picture with the two of them. (note to self bangs are not a good idea!)

Here they are stuffing the critters. Ashton choose a black cat and Tylee chose a purple bear.

Cleaning up the critters!

The finished products. Tylee's was dressed in a yellow sun outfit. While Ashton went with a Wedding motif. Go figure. Its not like everyone around her is getting married!

Tylee getting her nails done!

Ashton's turn!

GRATEFUL SUNDAY # 3

Well it is yet another Sunday and I have been wondering what to post about. I have a number of things on my mind but the one that sticks out is my pre-school class. I am so grateful for my job. I learn something new everyday from one of those kids. Most of the days I just laugh and laugh it is really hard to not let some of the kids see me laughing cause some of the things they say are innocent yet to an adult mind its another story. Here are some examples of what I hear on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, basis!
"Miss Jessica, I lost my handcuffs but I found them. They were in my mom and dad's bed."
me: "Jacob why did you start cutting when I asked you not to?"
Jacob: "sorry my ears aren't hearing very good"
(Caleb walks out of the class with no pants on I respond go pull up your pants)
Calebs response: But Miss Jessica I need you to wipe me see (as he proceeds to bend over to show me that he went you know)
One day I asked my afternoon class to be quiet. One little girl told me that "we don't need you and we don't need school" I say well okay a couple kids say "Miss Jessica we need you" I say no Ellie says you don't so I guess I will leave. (I walk out the door and I can hear them saying WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?) Well they open the door and say Miss Jessica come back we need you. They were quiet for about the next five minutes.
This is my personal favorite. William and Makenzie sit across from each other. Makenzie can't stand William and is always telling me how much she doesn't like him she also tattles on him EVERY second she gets. Well one day we were cutting and I hear Makenzie scream I look over and William has her hair in his scissors. I say William what are you doing. He replies in great distress I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. And really you can't blame him!
As you can see I have many a stories to share and many more where this came from. These kids are making me excited to be a mom but they are also a GREAT use of Birth Control! Wish me luck this week is going to be CRAZY they are all so excited for Halloween!!
Look back on Wednesday for pictures of our Halloween party they are going to be GREAT!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday Dear Blog! Happy Birthday to you! So this is probably the cheesiest thing ever posted on my site (or maybe not)! I can't believe how much I can post in a year! It has been a good one and here is to another!

Grateful Sunday # 2

First off I must state that some of these pictures are very old! As this Sunday has came I have been wondering what to put for my grateful Sunday #2. Yesterday it hit me. I am so grateful for my best friend Brooke. She has a boyfriend and is so busy at work. I have three jobs and school so needless to say we are both busy. But yesterday we went to Salt Lake went to a movie and shopped and talked girl talk! It is so great knowing that I have a best friend who I can count on for anything. We have been friends since we were seven and we are now 24! Can you believe it 17 years of being best friends. So friend here is to you! Thanks for the good times! You know putting stockings on our heads to go and get icicles, dancing in my room the c.d. player skipping and me being rushed to the hospital! Oh we have been through it all together; bad relationships, matching sweaters, and some really hard moments but together we made it through! So that is my grateful Sunday #2. Brooke I am grateful for YOU!

Down on the Farm!

While Brooke and Trev decided go and play hunter (ok so they really weren't playing Brooke actually shot a moose!) I got to watch the kids today! Jordynn took them out to ride horses while I was cleaning out the kennels. Ethan of course helped me so that he could earn a marshmallow gun! I was a very fun morning! Miss holding the lead rope for Cookie!
Waiting ever so patiently for her turn!
E-Man cleaning Bella's kennel
Riding Cookie!
He's a PRO!
Your next "2024" Miss Rodeo Utah

GRATEFUL SUNDAY # 1

I have seen this on my friends blog for the last five months and I thought that it was time to start doing it myself! (Thanks Mel for the idea!). The idea of this blog is to name something you are grateful for and to post that every Sunday. It is something that I look forward to reading on Mel's blog every Monday it really gives me strength for the coming week and helps me find things to be grateful for. So here I go starting it myself.
For my first Grateful Sunday post I want to start with what I am most grateful for, and that is our Savior. I have been going through this trial in my life and last week I was just sick of hurting and so in my prayers I decided to tell Heavenly Father that he just couldn't possibly know how I am feeling. I was quickly chastised with this thought which came with so much force to my heart. It said in not these exact words "how could you think that I don't know how you feel?" It was in that dark moment that I was reminded that our Savior does know how we feel. He feels it all with us everyday. We are never alone we will always have a great friend in him. One who truly knows everything about us and can truly comfort us without saying a word. I am so GRATEFUL for my Savior with out him I would truly be nothing. But because of him I can be EVERYTHING. As I was reading a book last night I was reminded of a song which says:

And when I think that God his Son not Sparing

Sent Him to die I scarce can take it in

That on the Cross my burden gladly baring

He bled and died to take away my sin

That is why I am so GRATEFUL for my Savior. I can't imagine the pain that he went through and I can't imagine what life would be life if he didn't. The only thing that I can imagine is that day when I can tell him how grateful I am for that sacrifice. I love Him so much and will always be so GRATEFUL to him.

Kids Say The Darndest Things...

This evening I was ever so lucky to go to Ashton's soccer game! It was great and she scored two or three goals! After the game and Ethan's practice we went to the Firehouse for dinner! As we were waiting to get into the car I was showing Ethan how we can the planets Jupiter and Venus (I take an Astronmy class). Well Ashton pipes up "you see that... thats a half a moon"! I just about wet my pants it was so funny. I love that little girl so much she always keeps us laughing!

My Wonderful Weekend!

Who ever imagined I could top my last weekend! Well it has been done! On Friday night I went to my Mission Reunion and I was able to see some really great friends! Not to mention I was able to see my Mission President! I got home from Provo it was about ELEVEN. Well I got ready for bed jumped in the car and drove 2 and half hours to Bear Lake to find out that.... J.D. and Rachael got engaged. Ok I already knew that J.D. was going to ask her but she could have said NO!! They are getting married on December 19th in the Bountiful Temple!

What a Weekend

Well I had quite the weekend! It started off by meeting my cousins kids at 5:00 so that I could babysit them! I guess they read the previous post! Well we had quite the time that night at Chuck E' Cheese (I guess I should say now that I had them from Friday until Sunday). I was so mad not only did I forget my camera but I forgot my phone as well so there were no pictures of our adventure to chuck e' cheese. We got home at about 8:50ish then it was time for jammies, and teeth brushing. The kids didn't like me too much cause I made them brush there teeth the funny thing about this is that there mom is a dental hygienist. Go figure! Well they watched t.v. I did homework and then it was time for bed! Well the next day we spent at a soccer game. Earlier in the morning my friend called me and asked if I wanted to go to the General Relief Society Meeting. So I found a baby-sitter for the kids I was baby-sitting and I went. It was AMAZING when the Prophet walked it in was absolutely incredible it makes me really excited for Conference this weekend! After the meeting I went and got the kiddos and then it was off to bed. To only be woken up at 5:00 in the morning by a screaming seven year old because it wasn't feeling well. It was at that moment that realized single parenting is not for me. All in all it was a good time. I finally got Conner back to sleep and myself as well! I also realized that if anyone is wanting kids but doesn't have the resources for it at the moment baby-sit and you will have curbed your craving! Its cheaper than birth-control!

This picture is of me and my friend Brooke on the top of the Conference Center just after the meeting! (if I am being honest I don't really like my hair what do you think. I just got it cut.)

My Newest Job....

A week or so ago my cousin called and asked if I could babysit his two kids while he and my dad went up to the shooting range. I of course said yes because these two are just to cute to pass up! I didn't have a camera handy but I had my trusty cell phone! We started the night out by jumping on the tramp when Jessica got tired of chasing Whitaker around (I had to make sure he didn't fall through the springs I might get fired!). We went inside and "pretended" to ride a horse. Jenna's MRU saddle(really its a trophy because you would think you use a saddle but it just sits in our kitchen but that is for another post!) is on a saw horse type of a deal so we had to pretend that it was a horse. And a good horse it was it didn't buck the kiddos off and it even stayed still long enough for me to take a picture! After that little adventure it was on to watching Cinderella two(Jade is a princess in the making) and making cookies. As you can tell Jade really liked the cookie dough!
After the cookies were done baking it was time to decorate them. Jade asked that we have PINK frosting so we made spider cookies with pink frosting, licorice legs, and chocolate chip eyes!
And here is our finished product! I think that it was successful don't ya think!
Well you can only make so many spider cookies before you need to call the "bug guy" aka the trainer at the gym! So we did the next best thing it was back to the tramp and then we went and started our own marching band and marched up and down my neighborhood playing as many pretend instruments that we could think of! It was a very fun night!

TAG....

I was tagged by Cara so I guess to not be labeled LAME! I will follow the rules! The rules of the game are... To Post the rules at the begging of your tag which is to list 3 JOYS, 3 FEARS, 3 CURRENT OBSESSIONS/COLLECTIONS, & lastly to list 3 FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF. Then TAG 5 people at the end of your post and let them know you tagged them by leaving them a comment on their blog! Have fun.

3 JOYS
1)The Gospel
2)My Family
3)Kyle Korver

3 FEARS
1)That school will never end
2)Not finding that "SPECIAL" Someone
3)SNAKES (totally terrified spot one and I am shaken in my shoes)

3 CURRENT OBSESSIONS
1)Blogging
2)One Tree Hill
3)Kyle Korver (is it bad to have him on here TWICE...)

3 FACTS ABOUT MYSELF
1)I am a return missionary
2)I love my job (I teach pre-school need I say more)
3)I am not a morning person in fact I am not much of a night person either

That wasn't so bad and in return I am tagging Andrea, Mel, Kara F., Brooke, and Stacey

Okay so I forgot something

You are probably all wondering why I have just posted a picture of a dead mouse. Well I forgot to add this to my Labor Day post. In the middle of the night Brooke had gotten hot so she opened the window. It was about 8:00 (or earlier) in the morning they heard this shuffling noise coming from the window Brooke noticed it was a mouse and wanted to show Ashton. They waited for her to wake up and when she did the noise had stopped. Well Brooke was wondering were the mouse had gone when she pulled up the blinds it fell onto her head. I was upstairs in my room which is just above the room they were staying when I heard this screaming(I don't blame her do you?). I guess Brooke had cleared the bed and there was the little mouse sitting on the window sill just shaken! Trev said if it could talk it would have said "Oh my mom warned me about these crazy humans"! Well Trev ran upstairs to get something to catch it and in that process it died. I think it had a heart-attack. I mean its not everyday you fall into a humans head and live to talk about it! Trev threw it outside and I caught Ashton throwing rocks at it! R.I.P. mouse friend it was fun while it lasted. (ok maybe not so much fun for Brooke but it sure makes a good post)

Labor Day... I know I am a little behind!

Well I hope everyone had a great Labor Day! We went up to the cabin and had a LOVELY time. Mom, Jordy, and I drove up Friday afternoon stopping in Evanstan to get some groceries. Brooke, Trev, and the kids joined us later on that evening. When they got there Ashton had to inform us all that her dad hit a bird, a bat(which wrapped itself around the antenna), and he almost hit a deer(the truck went screeeechhhhhhhhh)! Well even later that evening J.D. and his (I say its a girlfriend) friend joined us as well. The next day Rand and Maddie decided to grace us with there presence as well!
Ashton saw that I had my camera on Saturday morning and she just loves to take pictures of EVERYTHING seriously, I edited almost all of them but these were some classic shots that I had to post of my budding photographer! Next Ethan had to have a turn. I think he will be a Picasso of photography. Just look at the pictures he has taken...
Yep he likes to hold the camera upside down to take his pictures, very interesting I know but that is what we love about our E-Man.
On Sunday I was making rolls and Sis just had to help me. She had FLOUR EVERYWHERE! She did a pretty good job at folding the rolls. Brooke had to have pictures of her. It was fairly early in the morning that is why I look so lovely.

Well we were going to go up and hike the caves but it was a 2 1/2 hour wait so we decided to hike to a little pond instead. It was not the hike we were looking for it took us all of three minutes and were there. It was sure pretty though! The Gold Family
Me, Sis, and Jordynn (mom had already gone home and J.D. and Rachael were at church)
Madison and Rand

I love Bear Lake and Labor Day is always a sad time for me because it means the summer days at Bear Lake are over however here come the Winter Days at Bear Lake they are not as sunny but we make them equally as enjoyable.