PORTER KYLE is HERE!!

My CUTE nephew Porter is here!!! And yes he is so CUTE!! Megan was so worried she was going to have an ugly baby... ha ha ha! He looks just like his daddy! Congratulations Megan and Kyle!!! We love you guys so much!!

Here are some fun pics from Thanksgiving this year!! Loves to all!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

THANKSGIVING!!!


So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, which is my 2nd favorite holiday, I have decided to write a post on 5 things I am grateful for! I am thinking outside the box of the normal God, family, and friends. Although I am not listing those, I hope you all know that I am still grateful...

1. I am so very thankful for the opportunity that we are all given to learn and grow everyday. I hope that I am living up to the potential I have to stretch myself and to be a better person. My sole wish is to be a blessing to others. I hope that I can touch lives, impact others, and to be an encourager and give hope, especially when so much of the world is negative these days.

2. I am thankful for my individuality. I am so very glad that God has given me the gift to be who I am. Not only that, but he has given me the ability to not care too much what others think of me. I believe that this has allowed me to think outside the box and reach to a higher level. When we are truly comfortable with who we are, God can use us in amazing ways. If we are trying to hide and be someone we are not, we will never be able to find out what he really has in store for us!

3. I am thankful that I am compassionate. I love the fact that I cry at the smallest of things. It reminds me that I have a huge heart to love on and serve my fellow men.

4. I am so very grateful that I have the opportunity to everyday hear my children laugh. That is another thing that can make me cry so easily. I hope that I never take these small things for granted. It is so wonderful that I don't have to miss these little things anymore because of having to work.

5. I am so very thankful for my husband who is a warrior and a champion. Everyday he goes out and fights for our family and makes decisions with the long term in mind. He is reminding us to sacrifice the good for the great. I feel so fortunate to be his helpmate and companion in life. I love to watch him grow and develop, and everyday he becomes better!! I think that I am married to the most amazing man on the planet!! I hope that all of my beautiful friends fell the same way about the men in their lives. Tell them, and tell them often how much you appreciate them!!

I hope that we can all have an attitude of thanks and love. My dad's heart attack a couple months ago I think opened some eyes in my family (which I am so grateful!!). This weekend, let us all remember the "important" things in life and let go of a little baggage. Hauling a refrigerator full of crap around on our backs as we go through life is no fun for anyone. Leave it behind... Forgive, love, and BE THANKFUL!!

PS- I am not tagging anyone, but if you would like to do it, consider yourself tagged!

FIVE!!


5 things I was doing 10 years ago:
Hanging with my beautiful DG Sisters, Dating as many guys as I could, Attempting to make it to all my classes, Rooming with Jamie Clyde, and Annie Miller, and in 1 month I would meet Travis.
5 things on my list to do today:
Tell Travis I love him, Snuggle with my kids, Read my current book, Finish laundry, and Get it on!!

5 snacks I love:
Chips and Salsa con Queso, Nutrilite Mixed Berry Protein bar (I know it sounds gross, but it is yummy!!), Ice cream (almost anything but chocolate), Caprese w/ balsamic vinegar, and Cashews.

5 things I would do if I were a Millionare: (which I will be!)
I will start a program for children and adolescents to teach them self esteem and to value themselves, I think that will solve a lot of problems. I will volunteer my time and money for many different organizations in which I believe. I will hire a private teacher for my kids so that we can travel the world and experience first hand the things they are being taught. I will join up with my great friends Tim and Gaye to help with their crusade to save marriages and families!! I will have houses in all my favorite places to be, so that when I remember how much I hate Utah winters, I can vacate and head somewhere warmer!!

5 places I have lived: (All in Utah, unfortunately)
Cottonwood Heights, Sugar House, Tooele, Herriman, and eff-ing Kearns.

5 jobs I have had:
Clinique counter manager, Contempo Tile showroom sales, Interior Designer and Faux Painter (self employed), and now Mommy and Wife.

5 people I tag....so sorry...ha ha:
Erin, Tiff, Jamie W., Jessica, and Katrina

Tagged again...
All about High School...



1. DID YOU DATE SOMEONE FROM YOUR SCHOOL? um almost everyone...

2. WHAT KIND OF CAR DID YOU DRIVE? I had a white convertible Chevy Cavalier! Oh Yeah!!

3. DID YOU PASS YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE TEST YOUR FIRST TRY? yep

4. WHERE YOU A PARTY ANIMAL? I was the party...

5. WERE YOU CONSIDERED A FLIRT? Absolutely!

6. WERE YOU IN BAND, ORCHESTRA, OR CHOIR? Chior

7. WERE YOU A NERD? no, I don't think so, but then I don't think I really cared...

8. WERE YOU ON ANY VARSITY TEAMS? No, but I did letter in something academic... lame.

9. DID YOU EVER GET SUSPENDED/EXPELLED? No... I just never got caught.

10. CAN YOU STILL SING THE FIGHT SONG? I doubt it. Maybe if someone started it...

11. WHO WERE YOUR FAVORITE TEACHERS? I don't remember...

12. WHERE DID YOU SIT FOR LUNCH? I didn't really sit anywhere, I was always on the move...

13. WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOL'S FULL NAME? I went to 2: Cottonwood High School and Brighton High School

14. WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOL'S MASCOT AND COLORS? Cottonwood: Colt w/ black and gold. Brighton: Bengal w/ blue and orange.

15. DID YOU GO TO HOMECOMING AND WITH WHO? which year??

16. IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN WOULD YOU? Nah, I am happy where I am at now, although I did enjoy it while I was there.

17. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT GRADUATION? The afterparty!!

18. WHERE DID YOU GO SENIOR SKIP DAY? we had one of those??

19. WERE YOU IN ANY CLUBS? nah...

20. HAVE YOU GAINED SOME WEIGHT SINCE THEN? unfortunately...

21. WHO WAS YOUR PROM DATE? Again, which year? and which prom???

22. ARE YOU PLANNING ON GOING TO YOUR 10 YEAR REUNION? It passed, and no, I did not go...

23. DID YOU HAVE A JOB IN HIGH SCHOOL? Nanny and clerk at "The Store".



I tag whoever wants to do it.

To all my wonderful Blog stalkers:

Sorry, there are a couple new posts on here as I was tagged a bunch this week. I actually have a couple more, but I felt it better to save them for a bit later, so if I didn't do your tag, I swear I will get to it soon. Check back soon!!

Luvs,
Shantel

Thanks A-star! This tag is all about Travis! I LOVE YOU!!!


What's your husbands Name - Travis Jerome (we told my siblings that he was 1/2 black. Because of his middle name and super curly hair, they believed us forever... like 6 months. Hee hee)

How long have you been married? 9 Years!!! Our anniversary is Sept 11- so no one forget it!!

How long did you date? Before we got engaged?? A week and a half... Before we got hitched?? 6 months...

How old is he? He is 31, but he looks maybe 22...

Who eats more sweets? He does. I don't like chocolate, so that removes a lot for me...

Who's the better singer? Me with out question...

Who is smarter? Toss up. It depends what the subject is...

Who does the laundry? Both of us, but since I don't work anymore, I am doing like 90%.

Who pays the bills? Him for sure!! I pay my phone bill which only gets paid every other month. That is why...

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does.

Who mows the lawn? We both do. I actually mowed my first one this summer!!! I know, you are proud... That was another task I took on after not working to alleviate stuff for him a little.

Who cooks dinner? I do now... I am learning to cook. He is much better at it than I am. Amazing actually...

Who drives? If we are together, he does like 90% of the time.

Who is the first to say they are wrong? We are both really good at doing that, but it took a lot of reading some really great books to get us that way...

Who kissed who first? For sure I kissed him... Poor guy didn't even know what hit him. I broke him in from his mission. ( I was the first after he got home... 8 months) In fact, after I kissed him, ok totally had a smack session, I said, "Welcome home, Elder Reitz." That's probably why he proposed so fast...


I tag - Deb, Jessie, Ang Reed, and Jamie Walpole.

Tag- ABC learn about me
ABC's "getting to know you" TAG . Each player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged.

A- Attached or single: Attached and so proud of it!

B- Best Friend: Travis, with out question!!

C-Cake or Pie: Depends... Flavor?

D-Day: I have 6 Saturdays and a Sunday, so I like 'em all... besides, I can't tell them apart anymore...

E- Essential Item: Lip gloss. Everything is better when you have lip gloss...

F- Favorite Color: RED- GO UTES!

G-Gummi Bears or Worms: Worms, though I don't know why...

H-Home town: Cottonwood Heights

I- Indulgences: Cheese cake... Mmmmm. #2 is Gelato...

J- January or July?: July for sure!! Bring on the sun!

K-Kids: Dylan and Alivia Funny, Funny critters.

L-Life is incomplete without: Love

M-Most watched movie: Dan in Real Life

N- Number of Siblings: 7 sisters and 1 brother... poor guy.

O- Oranges or Apples: oranges

P- Phobias or Fears: I fear being my own biggest obstacle.

Q- Quote: If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got.

R- Reason To Smile: There is always a reason to smile! But with out fail, if you mention my hubby or kids, you will get a grin out of me...

S- Season: Spring! It means we are as far away from the next winter as possible!! Remind me why I live in Utah again???

T- Tag Three: My 3 best blog stalkers... Tiff, A-star, and Erin

U- Unknown fact about me: If I tell you, it won't be unknown now, will it??

V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Total oppressor of Animal! What would life be with out my juicy steak??

W- Worst Habit: Facebook... oh dear...

X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultra sounds, I like the jelly...

Y-Your favorite food: chicken pockets... probably the most fattening food on the planet...

Z- Zodiac sign: Aries. Could you tell??

Tagged above, I will mention again in case you missed it: Tiff, Ashlii, and Erin!!

Invisible mother

A friend of mine sent me this email a couple days ago. (Thanks Ang!) I loved it and thought it appropriate to share with all my blog stalker friends!! I love you all so much and I hope this touches your heart like it did mine!! Sorry, it is a long one...

Invisible Mother......

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously, not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.

The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England .. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.' I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women. Great Job, MOM!

Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes does. We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because of our perseverance.

TAGGED This one is pretty fun:)

I am really excited about my future.
I think I know everything. (working on this one)
I know everything. (oh wait, I am working on that...)
I want to go back to Europe. It has been too long...
I have an OCD with toilet paper rolls being on the right way and a bad addiction to Facebook.
I dislike gossip and trash talkers...
I miss the 80's...
I fear being my own biggest obstacle.
I hear our buddy Tim on our conference call. He is amazing.
I smell nothing. My nose is still stuffy...
I crave (this is x-rated, I cannot say...)
I cry for my children. Actually, I cry all the time. It is probably because I am making up for Travis's lack of tears...
I search out encouraging, empowering, and uplifting people.
I wonder if I am that for others.
I regret nothing. Everything in my life has made me what I am today, and I am pretty happy with that.
I wish to be a blessing to everyone I come in contact with.
I love to love people. I want to make a difference.
I hate negative, critical, and judgemental people.
I care about too many things to list.
I always like to hang out with my kiddies and hubby.
I worry that I haven't done enough...
I am not a slacker.
I remember the 80's. What an awesome decade...
I believe that one person can make a difference.
I sing all the time... My life is a musical, I think I can turn anything into a song.
I argue with ignorant women in RS. They think I am a bitch...
I write too little. I think it is a lost art.
I win at everything I put my mind to...
I value time.
I listen to what I am taught by those who are where I want to be...
I don't want to be a wall flower at a party. I am the party.
I will be a difference maker.
I can be a bitch. (Especially if you are one if the ignorant women in RS)
I need 9 hours of sleep, or you get the bitch... (we have early church, hence above...)
I forget to pack sunglasses everytime I go out of town. I am always buying new ones.
I am happy pretty much all the time.

I tag everyone who wants to participate!

So, all things considered, this Halloween was a fun!! Alivia was peeved beyond belief at her costume, which made it really funny. I think the only thing she enjoyed was saying "woof woof." Dylan had a cold so, he only lasted trick-or-treating for about 45 minutes. That was just fine with me (and I think Trav was not complaining about coming home to relax)! When Dylan got home, he wanted to hand out candy with me. He tried to strike up lengthy conversations with every kid at our door (for those of you who know Dylan well, I am sure you are laughing at this). His favorite was to poll them as to what he should be next year... How do you explain to a 6 year old that no one really gives a rip about what he wants to be... they just want what they came for!! I want candy!!

Thanks to Papa Chad for being a good sport in his Pirate get-up! And thanks to Trav for complying with the many requests for the "Return of Nacho Libre." Always a hit!!!

ok, can someone please explain to me what has happened to this pumpkin?!? SICK! Can you see that it is oozing some sort of unexplainalbe substance?? Dylan carved this one at a party about 6 days before Halloween. I don't think you can tell, but the inside is coated with about 2 inches of black mold. Yes, I know... it is quite possibly the most disgusting thing ever! And for the record, it stained my porch...