New News

So as a mother of boys an advance-ment in scouting it is a BIG deal! I think it is because it is a means to an end and so much work. Last Wednesday, Austin recieved his Life rank in scouts so he is almost done and finally on Sunday night Camron passed his Eagle Rank board of review. So I now have 2 Eagles and 1 almost there. I have to say that I love the scouting program and how it helps these boys grow to be men. Camron did not like campouts so much when he first started scouts. It helped that Dad was the scout master and going too. But he learned to like it. Now when he has a campout it is no big deal. He comes home with great stories about the whole experience and what a good time he had with his leaders and friends. He has great leaders in the Varsity program. Camron is a great example to his friends, he works hard at everything he does and tries to do his best all the time. I am so proud of him for finishing through the Eagle Rank. He definetly earned this reward.

For all of you out there who struggle with the scouting program, I would just say get involved and learn the program and then you won't be so frustrated. If everyone got involved while their boys were there, it would be even more amazing. Our boys need to learn to be independent and learn how to survive and do hard things. The outings are not just for fun, but they are helping the boys learn more about themselves and just what they can do if they try. Sometimes it is going to be hard (or at least it should be) but they can do hard things - super hard things; and they will survive and be better because of it. It helps them be ready for missions and do their best as they serve the Lord. We have to raise strong men, because one of these days they are going to have to stand up for something and they might be standing alone. As you can tell I feel strongly about this, I have a testimony of the program and what it is designed to do if it is ran the way it is set up to run. As mothers we can be a huge support to both the scout and the leaders.

A new twist to our home

I just thought that I would let you all know that we are so happy to have Tiffany living with us in our home. It is going to be fun to watch her grow and learn. I am especially excited to watch her volleyball career. I am super jealous of her getting to play volleyball everyday with girls that want it just as much as she does (that means she gets to play hard). I am amazed with her desire to do what is right and I know that she will do great down here once the shock of leaving home subsides. Yvette, you have done a great job! She is going to do great, she is a good girl with a strong head! We will keep you all updated.

SPRING BREAK 1st HALF

Well our spring break has been uneventful thus far. It has been all about work for a few and play for others and a little of both for the rest. We do have plans for the weekend, but everytime we mention something that we have been wanting to do, our kids say can't we just hang out here?! Am I planning on spending money that I don't need to?! If all of the neighbors would leave too, then my kids would want to go with us.
Treston suggested that instead of spending money on going somewhere why don't we just buy a couple of "go-carts" off of craig's list and that would be great. Part of me says if that is all it takes to make them happy-but then the smarter side of me says, "no Ann - where will you put two go-carts"! If any of you know me I affectionately call my garage the "pit of dispare" and believe me there is no room in the pit! Unless someone wants to buy (or just take it please!) 13 blinds for big windows, a weight set, a broken motorcycle, a broken oven, a couple of extra bikes that will never get fixed, a gate that will never be hung, a bed frame that will never be painted and whatever else you can find!
On second thought, maybe we will just stay home... and clean out our garage! Then maybe we will consider the go-carts, NOT! I'll let you know the rest of the story

Where Is Time Going?

Can you belive that it is MARCH already?! Where is time going and how do I find the handle to this time machine so that I can grab a hold and not get left behind? I hesitated to change the back ground to clovers because I don't know when I will get around to it again. But I decided this is a little like throwing your hat over a wall, so now I will have to climb over to get it. I will try to do better on my blogging!
I got to go spend some time with my sister this last weekend at Bison Ranch in Heber. YAHOO!My kids are still wondering what we did all weekend long in a hotel room. The six of us (including mom) could visit for weeks on end. We had some yummy food, good conversation, a couple of movies and lots of treats and snacks. There is something about sisterhood that binds you together. There are no awkward moments, just laughter and a few tears and lots of understanding. I love all of my sisters so much! Each one gives me so much stregnth and support. I just feel so grateful to have them to lean on. Anyway I love you all!

A Day Late and A Dollar Short

So here it is. You can see the piano the shutters and everything all at once. (Just not the new tree outside.) I said I would post it and that was a few weeks ago, so now I can mark that off my list. That seems to be the way things have been going the last couple of weeks; a day late, and a dollar short. But I think of all the good things that have happened and then I think of others that have major struggles going on right now and I will take my day late and my dollar short and go forward with faith. As Thanksgiving is just around the corner I am so grateful for so many things, especially my family both near and far, we are so blessed to have each other. When it comes right down to it that is all there is...just us. I guess I should explain the picture a little more, Karl and Megan played a special number in church and now have been asked to play it in my mom sacrament meeting next Sunday. They have had fun learning the song together and it sounds awesome. I am excited to go home for Thanksgiving! Hope you all have a great and yummy day!

Is this really what I am getting paid for?

So I am blogging at work today. I came into work at 7:30 am and by 9:00 am I have done all that is required of me to do for the day, granted more work will come in later, but for now I am visiting with who ever will talk to me or walk through my lobby. I finally thought of my blog and remebered that it has been a while since I have posted anything so I thought I would use my time wisely and update you on the Websters.

First off I have been a little busy, we have had some amazing things happen at our house and it has caused us to do things that we really don't like or would ever want to do. For instance, we have a neighbor that is having to foreclose on his home and wanted to recover some of the money they had put into the house when they bought it and offered us his plantation shutters for an AMAZING price. So we jumped on it and had to remove them from his house and install them in our house. This meant that windows and screens had to be washed, which saddly has not been done since, well a long time. (I am embarassed to tell you how long it has been, so we will leave it at that.) So hopefully by Saturday we will be completely done with this project. By the way I have never imagined that I would have shutters in my home, but if any of you get a chance to have them I already love them and would highly recommend them!

Next we have friends that were involved with a tree nursery auction that we helped with and got in on a really good deal. We bought a big ficus tree for $150. We were told that is was a $800 tree so we were pretty excited! I dug the hole and let all the men do the lifting. Thanks to the Hamberlins for coming over to help set into place and kill the scorpions that came with it! Thanks to the Whitmores for letting us borrow the black light so we could go hunting for more and kill them all! I HATE SCORPIONS! Love the tree!

Finally we got a 6' grand piano for the best price ever! If you want to know the whole story you will have to come and see it, and I will tell you then. But needless to say it needed some TLC and Brother Christiansen to make it what it is now. It has been somewhat of a distraction for Karl, he has stayed up till midnight playing it on several nights (not that I mind) and Megan is on it every chance she gets.

I don't know what we have done to deserve these wonderful opportunities that have come our way lately, but I am so grateful for them. Karl has been so good to make time for all the work that I am putting him through in addition to his regular job or should I say jobs. I will try to send pictures when I get home later.

Going Home

So this weekend I had a chance to go "home". Yes, I still call my parent's home "home", even though Gilbert is home Snowflake/Taylor will always be home to me too. Not that I am running away from any thing, but no matter what is going on in my life I have always been able to go home and gather my thoughts and feelings and return with a new outlook and new motivation. It gives my spirit a renewed sense of who I am and what I was taught there. I am so thankful for parents who made home a heaven on earth. I hope that I am making my own home that kind of refuge for my children. I remember going back home with Karl after it had been quite a few years and just driving into the valley where he used to live brought tears to his eyes (though he would never admit to it) I know he felt feelings of being home again and a rush of memories flooded his mind. I have thought quite alot about this along with returning to our "heavenly home". Not that I am ready to go or anything like that but I think that we all feel those feelings of wanting to return when we think about our heavenly home and one day a flood of memories will come rushing back and we will remember.
Who wouldn't want to go home with things like making popcorn balls for the homecoming football game and bundling up for the game and coming home from the game to make hot cocoa to warm up, carving pumkins, bobbing for apples, going through the corn maze, homemade cinnamon rolls, Sunday dinner, apple crisp and ice cream, biscuits and gravy or french toast for breakfast, Family Home Evening with everyone, spending time with cousins and family. I love it, crave it, miss it, want it all the time!
I love the things that my children learn from their grandparents. It was windy, wet and cold Saturday while we were there and the boys were going to help take care of the lawn but we had to wait and do it all on Monday. So if you ask Camron we just played cards and watched old western movies all day, but is there anything wrong with spending time doing what someone else wants to do once in a while? I don't think anyone was hurt, and they did get to go play ball at the church for a while. Anyway, he did say he enjoyed it too. Since it was so cold it froze what was left of the garden that night so come Monday the boys and I had the oportunity to take care of the frozen plants, cut the lawn (with a riding lawn mower, that they thought was so cool) and winterize the garden spot. Austin had never harvested carrots (or beets) before and he thought that was pretty cool. If we didn't stay busy we had to have a jacket on and that gave us a taste of fall that was absolutley wonderful! Yes we were so spoiled! What a great fall break!
Thanks mom!