Just for you!

This will be fun. thanks Melanie.Okay so the first 5 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me to you.my choice.made especially for you.of course there are some restrictions and limitations:
1 i make no guarantees that you will like what i make!2 what i create will be just for you.
3 it will be done sometime this year.4 you have no clue what it will be... it may be a story. it may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. i may draw or paint something. i may bake something and mail it to you. who knows? not you, thats for sure.
5 i reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? oh the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on their blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did will win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!!oh and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!!

Stepping out of my comfort zone

Who knew what an adrenaline rush it could be to follow the scriptures council to increase our talents. I've been trying this year to accept more opportunities that stretch me. For example I accepted an opportunity to sing a solo in our wards Christmas program. I sang O Holy Night. It was fun preparing with my friend who played the piano, but the day of the program we went to practice at the church, I almost totally froze just singing for a couple people and the kid vacuuming the floors in the chapel. I was so nervous. As we practiced and got some advice it got better. But when it got time to go I was so scared I almost started crying even before we left to go to the church. I had to have my husband give me blessing and then all went well. It was a great high afterwards, I felt like I was walking on clouds. YEAH...

But it doesn't stop there. A couple weeks ago I said yes to the lady who asked me to choreograph a dance for a highschool/ community pagent. It's entertainment between numbers a swing dance number, right up my alley, except I've never choreographed a whole number by me self for such a large event, needless to say i'm a bit nervous, our first practice is this thursday. YIKES. Wish me luck.

And last but not least friday our sunday school pres. called and asked if I'd teach Gospel Doctrine on Sunday, because he just found out he couldn't be there. I took a deep breath and remembered my resolve to stretch myself and said yes, and spent 3-4 hours sat. night preparing. So I taught my first ever gospel Doctrine class on sunday. It turned out ok. And was so fun. Once again I'm on cloud nine.

It's been very scary, nerve racking, and fun. I'm learning a lot. I'm not perfect at all those new things but at least I'm trying them. It truly is a rush, I highly recommend it, try something new today. :)

Happy Birthday Lily

We now have a beautiful four year old Lily. She had a fun birthday and was soooooo excited. It helped me remember the feeling as a kid of being so excited that this was MY special day. Everything that day was for me. And my sweet Lily is just the same. I couldn't help but be so proud of my Wesley as well. He was almost just as excited, running into her room to wake her up and tell her it was her birthday. He wanted to make sure that he got to hand her some of her presents to open. I love my kids. I'd put up the picture but my computer is being cranky.

Merry Christmas 2008 and Happy New Year 2009!

Hello Family and Friends! Wow it’s already been a year. Sometimes I can’t believe it and other times it seems like ages ago. What to say in a page that covers the lives of a family over the course of the entire year. Life is Crazy, life is good, and our year has been just that crazy good.
SOMETIMES
Sometimes there’s ups and sometimes there’s downs. Sometimes you feel like climbing and sometimes you just need a bath. Sometimes we are the big fish in the little pond,

and sometimes our shoes, and mittens feel like they’re just too big. Sometimes you feel like your going over the edge.
Sometimes you feel caught in a tight place,

and sometimes you just need a peak at what’s going on out there. Sometimes you just have to have some patience, and Sometimes… you just want to chill. Sometimes you just need a nap. Sometimes you feel like your digging for treasure, and sometimes ……………you find it! And Sometimes everything just works out. Although life can be crazy, Life is good, and we are living it. Life is an adventure. We hope that all is well with you. And that you and yours can also feel the wonderful love of our Savior. His love is always not just sometimes. Love the Stangers; Kip, Leejean, Wesley, Lily and Madi.

Christmas Tag

Merry Christmas Season!!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both.
2. Real tree or Artificial Tree? Real
3. When do you put up the tree? As soon as we can after thanksgiving day.
4. When do you take the tree down? After New Years
5. Do you like eggnog? Love it.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? One year my whole family pitched in an saved to get me an electric key board.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Kip
8. Easiest person to buy for? The kids
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Four, counting our tree ornament. I love nativities.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Both
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can't think of one.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? My family watches the Christmas Carol, every year. But I also love Miracle on 34th street, and the Hallmark christmas movies.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever it crosses my mind throughout the year. Definately in November, through December.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not a Christmas present.
15.Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas candy with peanut-butter and chocolate. ah but that's probably my favorite candy year round.
16. Color of lights on the tree?Multi-colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? I love it all. especially the kids songs.
18. Travel or stay home? Christmas Eve in Richfield with my family, and Christmas day in Hansen with Kip's family.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and of course Rudolf.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A Star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning except what we get at Grandma and pa Ellis's
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? We keep it pretty simple, so it's all good.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? No theme, all ornaments are accepted.
24. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Actually It's be christmas breakfast with our very own sugar cereal with bananas and milk.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I can think of things sometimes at other times but when asked at christmas time, my mind goes blank. go figure.

I tag Stephie, Mollie, Janet, Johanna, Shannon, Julieanne, Akeey,

Merry Christmas!!!

Fishing YEAH!!!

A friend of mine told me of these ponds over in Filer that the fish and game stocked for kids to fish this Friday after Thanksgiving. On friday they even had guys out there with free tackle for kids to use. So we thought we'd go on saturday and see how it was. We had so much fun. And the kids caught tons o' fish. We all had a blast. It was our most productive fishing expedition ever.

Ah.. the booty!

Each of the kids caught at least 2 fish. It was so exciting. Even Madi caught two.

Here's wesley with his two golden trout. he caught more than that but that's what we have pictures of.Madi caught a fish. But when they flopped on the ground they scared her. She loved looking at them though, as long as they weren't flopping at her. :)

Lily with her first fish. She probably caught the biggest fish, besides one of Grandma's.

Grandma coming back from the big pond. YEAH what a fisher-woman.

look at all the fish! We caught all but two. Someone gave us two. So we caught 16 total. Grandma Stanger caught three on the adult pond. Lily caught two on the adult pond with dad's help. And the rest, the kids caught on the kid pond, with only a little help from dad, mom, and grandma.