10.31.13 HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween! We celebrated by briefly visiting the pumpkin patch, returning home and carving our pumpkins, and watching Halloween Town while passing out candy to the kids in our neighborhood. We were so happy to have our dear friends, Maren and Sean join us for the evening! We love having them around! We even carved a pumpkin for Izzy, well I carved it and John watched! and Izzy wore her 2 costumes for all of 2 minutes!

Carlsbad 2013

President Kimball once said,


"Out of our view, under the ocean waves, there are forces of tremendous power with which we must reckon, and there are such powerful forces in our own lives."

I LOVE the ocean always have and always will! I look at it and get lost in the beauty of god's creation! I especially love being at the beach with my family! I look forward to our annual Carlsbad camp out every year! This year was different by far, it was foggy, cold, and rainy the entire time! The water was freezing! I didn't dare get in, but we still had a wonderful time! We ate great food and played fun games around the camp fire, we even broke out in song! Got to love girls camp!

I don't think Alex knew he was giving a thumbs up, but this has to be the cutest picture ever! 

Our tent! One day we will get a tent we can actually stand up in! more than that have enough room to have an air-mattress that is actually meant for two people! hahaha our twin air-mattress is perfect for snuggling, but I look forward to our next tent purchase,ONE DAY

Last day on the beach, California, why is it so hard to say goodbye? 

"If we can create in our families a strong, steady current flowing toward our goal of righteous life, we and our children may be carried forward in spite of the contrary winds of hardship, disappointment, temptations, and fashion."


~ President Kimball, Ocean Currents and Family Influences, January 1984

A day at LEGOLAND

 

 We had such a good time at LEGOLAND California it was a lot different than what i remembered! John really loved seeing everything built out of Legos and they had this really cool new ride! It was a claw with all different levels of spins and stuff John went on level five it was insane to watch I was scared enough going on a two with Austin!!

 The kids loved driving school! Austin JoJo and Brina got to drive! Alex and me watched!

I personally loved my Lego boat ride with my handsome husband the best! It was relaxing!....Well, until JoJo crashed into us with her boat! We also went to the aquarium! 

Summer of Visual Arts!

I decided I am spoiled rotten! Well my daddy spoils me rotten! I have been to so many AMAZING productions at the Smith Center this summer and Fall! What a treat to spend time with  my family and see the beautiful shows where so many talented individuals perform! Just to name a few Catch Me if You Can, Les Miserable, The Wizard of Oz, and War Horse! Also, in the beginning of the summer I saw The Star Light Express at Tuacahn Amphitheater! What a treat! It was different then any other musical I have ever seen before the entire show was on roller skates. Of course, I snapped some pictures to commemorate these beautiful productions! Oh how I love the Visual Arts!

"Happiness Now and Forever"

So I don't know rather to try and play catch up for all the months I have been a slacker or to start from today? I really want to go back and write down what's happened the past couple months, but for now I will what's been on my mind lately...

Life... I have come to learn lately I NEED to enjoy life one day at a time! I have to stop thinking about what will happen next and I definitely have to stop waiting for things to happen. I often find myself saying, "I will know what to do and things will be better after this happens." or "if this would just happen I will feel fulfilled." I find myself counting down for little things, which isn't bad, but then I'm hoping after they get here I will know what to do next and I wont feel empty anymore and sadly that doesn't happen... I'm tired of not knowing, yet I've stopped planning what I think should happen or what I want to happen because it's not happening and it's so frustrating. So, for now I am going to find at least one thing I truly enjoy each and everyday!

I'm approaching graduation within the next 2 months and there are so many options so many different paths to choose from yet I don't know what to do I feel as if I am stuck. And I'm tired of being stuck... so I was laying in bed two days ago snuggling with my puppy, because I stayed home from my internship to have a "me" day, and it happened to be exactly what I needed! I was petting my puppy looking deep into her eyes, into her soul, that god created and it hit me, "god has a plan for you Alicia, you are not alone." There is a reason I am here at this point in my life and there is a reason why things have happened the past two years the way they have! As much sorrow I may have felt, trials I have had to face, and true JOY I have felt in the darkness of night!  I know I have a loving Heavenly Father and he has placed people in my life who love me unconditionally, support me, and believe in me! He has given me the experiences I need to make me a stronger person; he is shaping me to become! It's the little things...

I'm not going to be tired, sad, and frustrated anymore thinking about what's going to happen next or fearful for what may not happen next. 

Elder Richard G. Scott delivered a message called, "Happiness Now and Forever." He expresses:

We must learn to judge ourselves not by what we are but by what, under the influence of the Lord, we may become. We do not have to measure our potential for success by our known capabilities alone. We can count on the power of God and its expanding influence on our lives. We can know that our ability and strength can be magnified to meet any challenge that confronts us.