tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28276674275292223932024-03-20T23:35:23.079-06:00lester lou and the aarons tooLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.comBlogger550125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-5833441836090460382019-12-04T22:32:00.000-07:002019-12-04T23:42:16.823-07:00My Happy Boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: white;">.</span><br /><span style="color: white;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">According to Aaron Jr. :</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">While praying Aaron Jr asked for the Mouse and the Princess movie. (The Tale of Despereaux)<br />(April 2009)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron</span>: I like Jesus. He's cute.<br />(April 2009)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />While watching a toy commercial.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Mama, I want one of those.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> You do?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Yeah. We must get one for me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">Aaron stood behind me and put his arms around my neck.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> How about a piggy back?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Oh man, my back hurts so much.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">So he had a great idea.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> How about a small piggy back?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">I had to laugh and how could I resist?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Guess where you get to go tomorrow?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Where?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> The dentist.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">He looked disappointed, so...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> They are going to make sure all of the sugar bugs are off your teeth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> (in a whiny voice) No! I don't want the sugar bugs to be off.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(feb 2010)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">Regarding his playdough:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> What happened to this?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> I don't know... what happened?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> I think it has mouse juice in it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Mouse juice?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> It has rat juice in it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(I have no idea, but I had to giggle)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Mom, did you know I don't have a baby sister?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Yeah, I did. (with a sad tone to my voice)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Yeah, we must get one for me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Aaron, were you a good boy in class today? (referring to church)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Well, I didn't hit my teacher.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(may 2010)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Aaron, what happened to your lip?</span> <span style="color: black;">(which looked red and swollen on one side)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Well, I was hungry. </span><span style="color: black;">(then pointing to his lip) And this tastes good.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> My tummy hurts. I think I ate too many Starburst. I think pink bubble gum will make it feel better.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Hey mommy wait! Jesus Christ makes everyone's big owies feel better.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> You're right! Is He making yours feel better?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> (head nod)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">Out of the blue...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Jesus Christ built us with instructions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Mom, I know where the food goes. (pointing to his chest as though showing where the food goes down)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Wow, good job!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Now tell me I'm a genius.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> (while giggling) You're a genius!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">The smoke alarm kept going off and we were scrambling to open doors and fan the smoke away, when Aaron says:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> IT'S FREAKING ME UP !!!</span><br /><span style="color: black;">I couldn't stop laughing.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">In his prayer:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> bless we can all be still alive and our hearts will be in ourselves.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> my bum was hurting because I was scratching it for a very long time.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Mom, I'm gonna beat you to the car. (racing)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Oh man! You Won!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Mom, sorry my shoes are so fast.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> Mom, do you know who and what I love?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Who?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> I love candy and you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> Oh?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> <span style="color: black;">But I love you more and candy much.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> (softly) I love you so much.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> What did you say?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me:</span><span style="color: black;"> I love you so much.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span><span style="color: black;"> (as he laughed) Oh, I heard you say 'I love you like a sandwich'.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">While looking at a photo of Michael with his birthday cake.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> Are those toys on top or candy?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> Toys.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> Toys are really hard to eat, so Michael shouldn't eat them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">In his prayer:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> bless we won't punch our eyeballs out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> If I was Daddy, you and me could go on a date and go everywhere that's beautiful.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(finding Aaron Jr eating candy)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> Aaron, are you eating this?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> Yes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> But you brushed your teeth already!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> (with his hands up in the air all frustrated) What was I thinking about?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(So funny)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">Aaron was playing his Lego Star Wars game.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> watch what this guy can do with his head.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> he can use the force.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> hey how did you know that?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> because I saw that movie when I was little.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> when you were a boy?... or when you were a girl?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">In his prayer:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron: </span><span style="color: black;">bless when I am bigger, I can play with dangerous things.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(dec 2010)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">In his prayer:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron: </span><span style="color: black;">bless that everyone can have a better life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(dec 2010)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">Aaron sounds things out for me often: This is him sounding out the movie 'Ice Age' for me.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron: </span><span style="color: black;">mom, say 'I'</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me: </span><span style="color: black;">'I'</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron: </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">'Sage'</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me: </span><span style="color: black;">'Sage'</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: black;">Ice Age :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(dec 2010)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">Aaron tapping his foot on the floor:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron: </span><span style="color: black;">I'm Humper.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me: </span><span style="color: black;">Who?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron: </span><span style="color: black;">Don't you remember Humper from Bambi? ...He humps?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Me: </span><span style="color: black;">Oh right! (as I am cracking up laughing on the inside)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(dec 2010)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">In his prayer:</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron: </span><span style="color: black;">Bless everyone's life to not be ruined.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(dec 2010)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">In his prayer:</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> bless Daddy can stay with us. bless he can be right by us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(jan 2011)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">Aaron Jr is all boy. After he tooted...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> that was a lucky one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> why was it a lucky one?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> because I've been waiting for a loud toot <em>forever</em>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> haha. Aaron that was gross.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> haha. thank you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(jan 2011)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">Speaking of his 6 month old cousin.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron: </span><span style="color: black;">Mom, Andrew's cheeks are cozy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;">(march 2011)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">* * *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">While I was looking through old photos of Aaron Jr:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> Is that me? Was I that little? Did I eat ice cream when I was that little?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Me:</strong> Yes. :)<br />(Then he sees another photo of himself painting with finger paints:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> (huge smile) I <em>LIKE</em> me. ... I <em><strong>LIKE</strong></em> me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(March 2011)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">* * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Aaron Jr trying to act really tough after I told him we were not going to McDonalds:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> If you don't take me to McDonalds, I'm going to throw my boots in the garbage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Me:</strong> Okay, go ahead. (smile)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> Get me a happy meal or I'll throw YOUR boots in the garbage too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(he was trying to act so tough through a half smile)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Me:</strong> If we go, you have to use your own money.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> Okay... (goes to get his wallet)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Me:</strong> You want to use ALL of this money in your wallet to go to McDonalds?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> Yes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Me:</strong> It will all be gone then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> I will have to get some more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Me:</strong> Wh</span><span style="font-family: "arial";">ere?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> I will just find some in people's houses and keep it to go to McDonalds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(THAT is when we had to have a serious talk so he knew that was stealing... hopefully he understands. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(March 2011)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">* * *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><strong>Aaron:</strong> Ode didn't smile at me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Me:</strong> When?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> When Jesus took his spirit to heaven.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(march 2011)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">* * *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">When I start to count to three to <em>help</em> him obey, he says things like:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> Don't count, it makes me embarrassed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">or</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Aaron:</strong> Don't count, it makes me boring.<br />He just throws out whatever word he thinks will make an impact. :)<br />(early 2011)<br /><br />* * *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br />In his prayer:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> bless my daddy is looking at me.<br />(march 2011)<br /><br />* * *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br />Aaron's leg got stuck between his mattress and footboard of his bed:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> ah, crap nuts!<br />(I guess I say the word 'crap' too often... oops :)<br /><br />* * *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> I miss Ode. Maybe we can dig him up and see how well he is.<br />(april 2011)<br /><br />* * *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> Was Daddy looking at me today?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> What do you think?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> Yeah.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> What makes you think he was looking at you?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> Because he always is.<br />(april 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br />As he sat against the wall to say his prayer, his hiccups were making his head hit the wall softly every time he hiccuped.<br />In his prayer...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> bless I can get better and not have hiccups so I don't hit the wall when I have the hiccups.<br />(april 2011)<br /><br />* * *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br />After having a snowball fight with some neighbor kids...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> Why were those kids throwing snowballs at us?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> I think they were just having fun.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron:</span> Maybe its because we were throwing snowballs at them.<br />:) hahaha. Makes sense to me. :)<br />(april 2011)<br /><br />* * *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> Moms cry when their husbands do die, but they don't cry when they get hurt.<br />(may 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> (playfully) Don't make me snap you in the face.<br />(may 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />As we packed for our family reunion...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> Daddy's coming too.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> How do you know that?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: Because he's still with us.<br />(june 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />(out of the blue)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: You should marry another dad so you won't be alone and you can have more kids... because Daddy's in heaven, but you still have Daddy.<br />(june 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> How do you go to heaven? Climb a beanstalk? Or fly in an airplane? Or with a jet pack?<br />(june 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />After getting my hair cut, Aaron Jr tells me that he liked it better before and says: you can wait for it to grow or tape it on or glue it on.<br />(june 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> The bumble bees hate those kinds of flowers because they don't have any polish.<br />(july 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />In his prayer:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> bless our hearts can make us do all the good things.<br />(july 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: I hate my hair today.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: Because its all carmeled up? (as he makes a curly motion next to his head implying 'curly' hair)<br />(august 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> Do you know why I'm always worried?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: Why?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: Because I'm scared.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> Why are you scared?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: I'm scared that something will happen to me. Something that will make me die. Do you want me to die?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: Of course I don't want you to die. I won't let anything happen to you.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> You mean you'll grab me if I go into heaven?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: Yes.<br />(Sept 11, 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />In his prayer:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> Bless my heart will keep beeping forever and ever and ever and ever and bless my heart will beep for as long as my Mom's.<br />(Sept 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: I wish I could go back to the old times before I worried all the time.<br />(Sept 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> Mommy, I know how to write 'Da End'. (the end)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> You do? How?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: Da End... D - I - N<br />(Sept 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Grandpa:</span> What does charitable mean?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> to sit and listen.<br />(like on a chair)<br />(Sept 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: Mom, do you know what D-V-D spells?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: What?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: DVD<br />(Oct 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: We're Fablious!<br />(Oct 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: If I make my pants stink and my shirt stink, when I go out to recess, it will blow right off me.<br />(Oct 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron prays every night that me and him won't go to heaven because we don't want to and we don't like it. So I asked him...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: Why do you think heaven is such a bad place?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: Because I don't want to go there, I want to stay with you.<br />(Nov 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />As Aaron Jr stretched, he said<br />"I'm stretchable right now".<br />(Dec 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> I speak Spanish... Alooooha!<br />(Dec 2011)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />We were stomping on packing air bubble things to make them pop... and I asked Aaron...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: Do you want to help me pop these?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> becourse!<br />(he meant of course but he couldn't remember the OF part)<br />So cute!<br />(Jan 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />I was cleaning out Aaron's ears with Q-tips and he always likes to look at them to see the ear wax that is on the Q-tip. He usually says "Ewww", but this time:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: Mmm, that looks like caramel. I wish my ear wack was caramel, so people could eat my ear wack.<br />(He calls ear wax "ear wack' because he thinks 'ear wax' is plural and 'ear wack' is singular. HA!)<br />(Jan. 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron was sitting next to me and started wiggling back and forth, then said with an innocent look on his face and innocent sound to his voice:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: What? I'm just shaking my bum.<br />(Feb. 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron sounds out words for me. :)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />When Aaron Jr writes me notes with random letters on them, he then asks me what they say. So I will sound out what the random letters say, and he will say, "no, read it."<br />So then I will make something up, and he will ask, "how did I know how to write it?"<br />Its so cute.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: I'm going to get impaired to go to Michael's house.<br />(he meant 'prepared to go to Michael's house :)<br />(Feb. 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: You need to go right to sleep, Bud, it is already an hour past your bedtime.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> Well I already did my *he made a sigh sound*, so I am ready to go to sleep.<br />(I guess he didn't remember the word 'yawn', instead he made the sound of a sigh. It was so cute.)<br />(Feb. 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: I am so tired, so can you carry me?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: No, you're not the baby here... I am.<br />(Feb. 2012)<br /><br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: hand sanitizer grabs the germs off.<br />(Feb. 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: At school, I thought Nick said that he wanted to cut the blue things on his arm. So I told him, 'don't cut your blood wires or the blood will leak out'.<br />(Feb. 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: Mom, if you say a girl is cold, that means you don't like her... but if you say a girl is hot, that means you like her.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: Who told you the thing about a girl being cold?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr</span>: I thought of it myself.<br />(who is teaching my son that girls are HOT?)<br />(Feb. 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />After I got done helping Aaron fill out his tithing slip...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> How does Heavenly Father get our tithing?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>: We give it to the Bishop to put it in the bank so Heavenly Father can use it for His church.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> And then the Bishop throws it in the air with a balloon?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> Why do you think he throws it in the air with a balloon?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> Because there is no other way to get it to Heavenly Father. We can't use a ladder or anything like that. Its the same way we send things to daddy... with balloons.<br />(March 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> Mom, make sure the dirt doesn't blow in your eyes because it hurts... like lemonade.<br />(March 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />On Easter Morning:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> The gladdest day of the year because Jesus was resurrected.<br />(April 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />(name changed in this one)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Jr:</span> The Holy Ghost touched my heart to tell me to like Josh. I didn't like Josh before because his smile was weird, but the Holy Ghost told me to like Josh.<br />(April 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />(wearing a baseball cap and standing over me with the bill of the hat over my head)<br /><b>Aaron</b>: I'm the shader, I shade people.<br /><b>Me</b>: Is that your superpower?<br /><b>Aaron</b>: Yes.<br />(May 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron praying:<br />Bless nothing bad will happen to me, but if it does happen, make it better or fixed.<br />(2011)<br /><br />* * *<br />Aaron praying again:<br />Bless nothing bad will happen to me... wait, I don't think I need to pray for that anymore.<br />(March ish 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> I'm delightful that this peanut butter tastes so good.<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />After a commercial about Pull-Ups was over, our conversation went something like this:<br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: Why are they talking about bacon in a potty commercial?<br /><b>Me:</b> What do you mean?<br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: They say "I love bacon now".<br /><b>Me</b>: Oh, actually they are singing "I'm a big kid now".<br />(so funny)<br />(May 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />While weeding...<br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: Is this a weed?<br /><b>Me</b>: Yes.<br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> Oh, I can't resist my eyes on this one.<br /><b>Me</b>: You can't resist your eyes?<br /><b>Aaron Jr<span style="font-weight: normal;">:</span></b> Yes, I can't resist those ones either.<br />(so funny)<br /><b>Me</b>: Ok bud, let's go in, its getting dark.<br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: Not yet, I can't resist this plant, its too special.<br /><b>Me</b>: The weed is too special?<br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: No, this plant we got from Hazel is too special.<br />(he was weeding around a plant from our neighbor Hazel, who passed away in June... so sweet)<br />(July 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><b>Me:</b> You are getting so big, why can't you just stay my little boy?<br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> What... I sleep too much. :)<br />(I tell him that he grows while he sleeps)<br />(July 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: That's quitely stupid.<br />(July 202)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />When I was pretending to cry.<br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> Hey, slap out of it. (as he pats my cheeks)<br />(Aug 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron told me about a girl in his grade who broke her arm on the playground. Then he said:<br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: She might have broken her blood tubes.<br />later her said: She might have broken her blood vines.<br />(Sept 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> Who's ready to locket raunch?<br />(Oct 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><b>Me</b>: Its 11:11, make a wish.<br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: I wish for everything. I always wish for everything, except the time when I wished for a family.<br />(two days later)<br /><b>Me</b>: Its 11:11, make a wish.<br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> I wish to play games on the computer every day. I'm not wishing for everything anymore because everything would mean girl dolls and salad.<br />(Nov 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br />After Aaron helped me with something.<br /><b>Me:</b> Thank you for doing that for me.<br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: No comblamo.<br />(He meant 'no problemo'.)<br />(Nov 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: Despicable me. He's a tiny man. No confence.<br />(He meant 'no offense'. :)<br />(Nov. 2012)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>Aaron Jr</b>: Remember when we went on a trip with Lily because of dyingness?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(this was when we drove to Idaho with them for a funeral... or I guess 'dyingness')</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(Dec. 2012)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">* * *</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Aaron and I were singing 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' and he was singing the little additions throughout the song, then he said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>Aaron Jr</b>: We made a few touchments in the song.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(He meant 'adjustments'.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(Dec. 2012)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">* * *</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Aaron got into an argument with another boy at school and the boy said 'Hell' to Aaron. Then Aaron yelled at the boy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>Aaron Jr:</b> I wish Jesus didn't love you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(At least he knows that Jesus loves everyone :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(Dec. 2012)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><b>Aaron Jr</b>: I wish Daddy was still alive so I could go ice fishing with him.<br />(Feb. 2013)<br /><br />* * *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><b>Aaron Jr:</b> You're always repaired Mom.<br />(he meant prepared :)<br />(March 2013)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> Storm Cooper.<br /><b>Me:</b> storm cooper?<br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> Yeah, its a guy on Star Wars thats a bad guy.<br />(March 2013)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />On Aaron's birthday at the cemetery in Aaron Jr's prayer...<br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> Bless that Daddy will get his balloons. Please say to him that we miss him.<br />(March 2013)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron was telling me about a bully at school:<br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> He jumped on Sam and his peanuts was bleeding.<br /><b>Me:</b> His peanuts? Where is his peanuts?<br /><b>Aaron Jr:</b> You know, the tenders. We were all proud that he was bleeding because he is a bully.<br />(April 2013)<br /><br />* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><b>Aaron: </b>oh gross. (looking at his dirty toe nails)<br /><b>Me:</b> I know, you need to shower once in a while. (spoken sarcastically)<br /><b>Aaron:</b> what?! I showered last week!<br />(April 2013)<br /><br />* * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black;"><b>Me: </b>You're cute... But you know that already, don't you?<br /><b>Aaron:</b> (Nods head.)<br /><b>Me:</b> How do you know you're cute?<br /><b>Aaron:</b> Because I'm your son.<br /><b>Me:</b> But how do you KNOW you're cute?<br /><b>Aaron:</b> Because you're my mother.<br /><b>Me:</b> But why does that mean you're cute?<br /><b>Aaron:</b> Because I'm a child of God... and I'm just cute.<br />(I love that boy!)<br />(April 2013)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: I'm kindful.<br />(i think he was trying to say thoughtful and kind at the same time)<br />(May 2013<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Me: Its 11:11, make a wish.<br />Aaron Jr: I wish I had a Dad.<br />(June 2013)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: Last and for all.<br />(i think he was mixing up 'last but not least' and 'once and for all')<br />(Aug. 2013)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />regarding his part in the Primary Program.<br />Aaron Jr: I don't think I'll be able to recognize my part.<br />he meant 'memorize'. :)<br />(Oct. 2013)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />at church...<br />Me: What are you thinking about Jesus right now?<br />Aaron Jr: Him walking with me.<br />(April 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: My tummy hurts really bad, I think I'm getting homesick.<br />(May 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: I hardly ever get a bath, and you get one each week!<br />(May 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: Dogs have lots of leftover skin.<br />(May 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: When a dog loves you, she sheds on you.<br />(May 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Me: You're always touching your bum.<br />Aaron Jr: Ha! That's what men do. Ha.<br />(June 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron was very impressed for some reason...<br />Aaron Jr: You took my socks off!<br />he meant "you knocked my socks off".<br />(June 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Looking for crayons to buy:<br />Me: How about this one? It has a pencil sharpener on the back.<br />Aaron Jr: Sure! I can't resist a pencil sharpener.<br />(August 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />We were talking about Boyd K Packer and we discussed that he is the senior Apostle and if President Monson dies, President Packer would be the next Prophet. Aaron then asked who would take his place as an Apostle? I told him that they would have to call someone to be an Apostle. Aaron was very thoughtful for a few moments and he thought about it and said he might... if they needed someone... he would be willing to volunteer. He then wondered about being an Apostle AND a wood carpenter (because that is what he wants to be when he grows up). He asked how long they are an Apostle and I told him that it is for the rest of their lives. He asked if you still get to see your family and I told him yes.<br />~ I thought it was so sweet that he was willing to take on the task if they need him to... if they need a volunteer. His questions were so sincere. So sweet.<br />(August 24, 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />While putting on his soccer socks and cleats on our way to his soccer game:<br />Aaron Jr: I have hair!<br />Me: On your legs?<br />Aaron Jr: Yes, I am strong.<br />Me: Hahaha, because you have hair on your legs?<br />Aaron Jr: ........ body hair. Body hair makes you strong.<br />(hahaha)<br />(October 2014)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: I have no happiness inside of me.<br />Me: Why?<br />Aaron Jr: Because Spencer and Kristi left.<br />(the family with cousins that he just absolutely adores)<br />(Jan 2015)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: I swear on my heart and hope to die.<br />(March 2015)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: If there's a week, there's a way. ???<br />Aaron Jr: If there's a way, there's a will.<br />(March 2015)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Aaron Jr: About 89% of everything you do during the day uses your hands.<br />(March 2015)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />trying to sing the Rhodes Rolls Bake and Serve jingle:<br />Aaron Jr: things that makes it better, roast beef and serve.<br />(it is supposed to be "simple things that make life better, Rhodes bake and serve")<br />(June 2015)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Me: Aaron, when you're up in front of the church singing for Fathers Day, how does it makes you feel?<br />Aaron Jr: Good... and embarrassed.<br />Me: Why embarrassed?<br />Aaron Jr: because I'm up in front of everybody.<br />Me: Why does it make you feel good?<br />Aaron Jr: because I'm making people happy.<br />Me: Who does it make happy?<br />Aaron Jr: Grandpa, because he's the one that is there for me [to listen to me].<br />Me: Do you ever think that Daddy is there listening?<br />Aaron Jr: Yes.<br />Me: Where do you picture him being?<br />Aaron Jr: Sitting next to you.<br />(love this boy)<br />(June 2015)<br /><br />* * *</span></span></div>
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<h2 class="title" style="color: black; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1em; position: relative;">
Aaron Jr - isms</h2>
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<span style="color: white;">.</span><br />
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CORRECT = AARON'S VERSION<br />
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trampoline = jumpoline<br />
heart beat = heart beep<br />
Lagoon = Doogal<br />
shooting star = moving star<br />
computer = puter<br />
sharpener = sharpmeasure<br />
cartoon network = cartoon neckwork<br />
spaghetti = skepti<br />
airplane = hairplane<br />
cookie dough = cookie dove<br />
copy = coffee<br />
map = mat<br />
pluto = cludo<br />
mickey mouse = mickey nouse<br />
dolphin = golfin<br />
cupboard = covered<br />
string cheese = screen cheese<br />
notebook = noke book<br />
scraped = squirped<br />
healthy = helpthy<br />
cat in the hat = hat in the cat<br />
Hulk = Poke<br />
pretzel = pencil<br />
need = heed<br />
macaroni = macanoni<br />
Waldo = Mardo<br />
pathetic = fetic<br />
ridiculous = udiculous<br />
Disneyland = Disney Channel<br />
vampire = ampire<br />
Power of Grayskull = Power of Grayscar<br />
Ninja Turtles = Minja Turtles<br />
teeth = teef<br />
unicorn = unihorn<br />
Joseph = Jovis<br />
viking = biking<br />
mouths = mouthuz<br />
slipped = swipped<br />
Polar Express = Polar Expreff<br />
Pippi Longstocking = Pippi Longstyle<br />
Boondocks = Moondot<br />
PBS kids dot org = PBS kids dot yorg<br />
animals = aminals<br />
Linus = Minus<br />
Rapunzel = Compuzzle<br />
Abominable Snowman = Adorable Snowman<br />
Megamind = Nevabind<br />
Indiana Jones = Manna Jones<br />
Selfish = shellfish<br />
Statue of Liberty = statue of the liverty<br />
licorice = rickerish<br />
commercial = mershel<br />
pick up = hick up<br />
laundry = rondry<br />
woodpecker = woodpepper<br />
skunk = stunk<br />
draw = drawl<br />
the coast is clear = the close is clear<br />
alcohol = alfacol<br />
delicious = alicious<br />
fragile = rigile<br />
try this one on for size = watch this one for size<br />
speaking of which = talking of which<br />
thorn = forn<br />
lullaby = loveaby<br />
German Shepherd = Herman Shepherd<br />
beaver dam = fever dam<br />
baseball mitt = baseball mitten<br />
slap = snap<br />
shrinked = shtrinked<br />
dehydrated = irritated<br />
Clifford = Clipperd<br />
Lagoon - A Goon<br />
styrofoam = styrophone<br />
milk duds = milk buds<br />
secret weapon = secret webbin<br />
bent = dent<br />
pinky swear = promise my pinky?<br />
samples = stamples<br />
potatoes = tatatoes<br />
skunk = stunk<br />
on guard = on guy<br />
carnival = carnibal<br />
hopefully = hopeily<br />
envelopes = embelopes<br />
launch = launge<br />
toaster strudel = toaster snoodle<br />
imagination = inanimation<br />
booby trap = booty trap<br />
styrofoam = styrophone<br />
heart beat = heart beep<br />
thunder = fender<br />
lever = liver<br />
earwax = earwack (singular for earwacks of course)<br />
majesty = majensty<br />
Aloha = helloha<br />
vanilla = banilla<br />
plowing = clowing<br />
vegetables = vengtables<br />
rubber band = ruvver band<br />
brain freeze = freeze brain<br />
squirrel = scroll<br />
harmonica = fermonica<br />
photo album = photo alvin<br />
exploded = spaloaded<br />
pickup truck = hiccup truck<br />
cactus = captus<br />
reversible = inversible<br />
triple = trumple<br />
piggy bank = picky bank<br />
terrifying = terrifighting<br />
bon appetit = bone on a tique<br />
pretend = attend<br />
thanks = hanks<br />
magnet = magnick<br />
electric shock = electric shot<br />
you take forever = you take so ever<br />
according to my calculation = according to my campilation<br />
kernel = kennel<br />
thingamabob = thing of a bob<br />
overflowed = overfloated<br />
orphanage = orphan hedge (orthan hedge)<br />
binoculars = vilocaners<br />
vanishing = banishing<br />
blood veins = blood vines<br />
<span style="color: white;">...............,........</span>blood cords<br />
<span style="color: white;">........................</span>blood tunnels<br />
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suspicious = daspicious</div>
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failure = failer</div>
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pipsqueak = peepsquick<br />
pigeon = pitchen<br />
razorblades = laserblades<br />
grappling hook = grabbling hook<br />
Kermit = Germit<br />
vanished = banished<br />
thoughtful = kindful<br />
worn out = warned out<br />
vanished = banished<br />
cabbage = cavvage<br />
orphanage = orphan hedge<br />
desitin = destin<br />
triple please = trumple please<br />
darth vader = dark vader<br />
festival = festibal<br />
dissect = dissept<br />
bratwurst = bratsworth<br />
bristles = brustles<br />
Spalding ball = spaddling ball</div>
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<span style="color: white;">.</span><br />
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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-4839064823645037082016-02-02T17:51:00.000-07:002016-02-02T17:51:14.666-07:00Got Instagram?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKG4YPhOrk7UlarGz7YhhYv2vaUo8cnnYQp0xWXgWobYPquLCNKzZNwFxExEZ6sfLAXbX5thGuSWaWMAebg3lBAHl50JY5nvh1YGzwc1GN-Urqz9ev0LBpy-_6ZdqsvO7NaoRXchXbVoL/s1600/Screenshot_2016-02-02-17-32-13-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKG4YPhOrk7UlarGz7YhhYv2vaUo8cnnYQp0xWXgWobYPquLCNKzZNwFxExEZ6sfLAXbX5thGuSWaWMAebg3lBAHl50JY5nvh1YGzwc1GN-Urqz9ev0LBpy-_6ZdqsvO7NaoRXchXbVoL/s320/Screenshot_2016-02-02-17-32-13-1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I was thinking about my blog recently and feeling so bad and guilty about how rarely I post and wishing that I had never slowed down. I have had such good intentions of catching up once I had some free time, but as life is only getting busier, I am realizing that it is possible I well never be able to catch up. It makes me sad because this blog and its followers (you) have been such a huge and integral part of my healing process these past years. I am not giving up on this blog, I still want to post things when I have time, but I came to the realization recently that the quick and easy posting I am able to do on Instagram has kinda taken over the way I share and document our lives through photos. So... I decided to create a post on here inviting my blog friends to follow me on Instagram. I put that photo at the top so you know how to find me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Instagram username is: lesterlou</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so grateful for those who have followed my blog and have been such good friends to me through these years as I've grieved and healed and figured out ways to live life with joy and purpose. I love you all... I hope you'll come and follow me on Instagram. </span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-89213849692817817712015-08-21T03:09:00.000-06:002015-08-21T03:09:40.102-06:005 with + 8 without = 13 years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir79PzXYI0fMx107R7lGSRuNwKnKS7a4E60wVs8Kc4HqrbXBJQlvt6eY0TWG0_T9xoo-_mV_dlqiCi-yMsCndhL1xJM7CG1uTr0nwW9CzWMsmIXlHE95HFvyUz2wPIvmkG6d9ly46z5vos/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir79PzXYI0fMx107R7lGSRuNwKnKS7a4E60wVs8Kc4HqrbXBJQlvt6eY0TWG0_T9xoo-_mV_dlqiCi-yMsCndhL1xJM7CG1uTr0nwW9CzWMsmIXlHE95HFvyUz2wPIvmkG6d9ly46z5vos/s400/21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> An anniversary is</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">a time to celebrate the joys of today,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">the memories of yesterday,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">and the hopes of tomorrow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">~Author Unknown</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBx1HbJB0baS1Nwh0wSoeAlggjaFGAl3T4BVbL6sZJ10HN4lch9s_hU2mEKTaIcMRjgO7If12RrKHHoBDZqVpX99TzTRn9by9jNyFO4bLV2MIcBDc34sJXePK19X1J3Jc1gdv8wScxGVWa/s1600/93.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBx1HbJB0baS1Nwh0wSoeAlggjaFGAl3T4BVbL6sZJ10HN4lch9s_hU2mEKTaIcMRjgO7If12RrKHHoBDZqVpX99TzTRn9by9jNyFO4bLV2MIcBDc34sJXePK19X1J3Jc1gdv8wScxGVWa/s400/93.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-55163615678717713552015-07-13T14:33:00.000-06:002015-07-15T02:13:13.599-06:00'after the manner of happiness'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZP8-6a6g55_o1F26w8SjdH4vJQZPQc7bQ3YmT_bSdfH9cY38twwWHbHErdGzT582kubwqBpbEi_Cr3yKvtuR20qzqQIWS9KhhQA_t7p-ObHzO-v6dl50enYbgU-Vr3LH3pCPXd2n2i64/s1600/11742675_10154021653345663_5573355514524949721_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZP8-6a6g55_o1F26w8SjdH4vJQZPQc7bQ3YmT_bSdfH9cY38twwWHbHErdGzT582kubwqBpbEi_Cr3yKvtuR20qzqQIWS9KhhQA_t7p-ObHzO-v6dl50enYbgU-Vr3LH3pCPXd2n2i64/s400/11742675_10154021653345663_5573355514524949721_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption" data-gt="{"timeline_og_unit_click":"1","app_id":"124024574287414","action_type_id":"282366618453208","object_type":"instapp:photo","unit_id":"447280888645770","og_ref":"ogexp","is_intentional":"1"}">~ 2 Nephi 5:27 ~</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption" data-gt="{"timeline_og_unit_click":"1","app_id":"124024574287414","action_type_id":"282366618453208","object_type":"instapp:photo","unit_id":"447280888645770","og_ref":"ogexp","is_intentional":"1"}"><br />
I've read this verse hundreds of times, I'm sure... but this time it
jumped out at me like it never has, and not just because of the big blue
smiley face I had drawn over it years ago. There was a time in my life
when I felt like the light within me / the happiness I felt inside of me
could be seen by all of those around me. People would randomly tell me
that I'm always smiling wh<span class="text_exposed_show">en they see
me. Even Aaron wrote in a letter to me while I was on my mission and
while he was on his mission... that as teenagers, he would watch me from
afar and could see that there was light and happiness inside of me and
it made him desire the same thing. I wish I could remember his exact
words, I'll have to dig that letter out and read it again. I was always
happy to hear things like this because I felt like if light shined from
me and if people could tell I was happy, it would reflect the the light
of the Savior and they might be able to feel the love of the Savior
through me somehow. Well, after the trials of life started to weigh
heavier on me than I ever imagined possible, I know my light and
happiness has faded... and I think the reason this scripture hit me
harder this time is because I know in my heart that I'm not letting my
light and happiness reflect the light and love of the Savior. My desire
to reflect that light hasn't changed, but my ability has been somewhat
halted by the weight of my burdens over the years. I desire to change
that. I plan to change that... to "live after the manner of happiness"
even through undesirable circumstances in my life.</span></span></span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-14222786566822835132015-07-11T03:02:00.000-06:002015-07-15T03:05:03.409-06:00TO STAND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6cLhzM9BVA4qVY-MUKlX07v3LGcfO8kmg9jivVF_0LLZEmhfZobsuS9YV6ixxr7OtN23E4Q_pCop_uYKRfcZsVhn8Z-TN6wGfEgzMy7_hhZgV2n7IdSACNNeDVZkptsVng0adYGryNXe/s1600/11694038_10153992243285663_4063193661730259226_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6cLhzM9BVA4qVY-MUKlX07v3LGcfO8kmg9jivVF_0LLZEmhfZobsuS9YV6ixxr7OtN23E4Q_pCop_uYKRfcZsVhn8Z-TN6wGfEgzMy7_hhZgV2n7IdSACNNeDVZkptsVng0adYGryNXe/s640/11694038_10153992243285663_4063193661730259226_n.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">~ Ephesians 6: 10-18 ~<br />
I was talking to Aaron today about certain things going on in our world
right now, things that are contrary to God's plan for His children...
and this scripture in Ephesians came to my mind. So I figured it was a
good time to discuss this scripture with Aaron and talk about the
importance of it. We need to arm ourselves every day and teach our
children how to arm themselves every day. We can't afford not to.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">~ ~ ~</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I posted that in instagram and on facebook a couple weeks ago. The words in these verses are very poignant at this time and this is something that I will continue to talk to Aaron about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">~ ~ ~</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My friend Chandra then sent this email to me this past week:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"This morning as I was coming into conscious wakefulness, one
thought blazed across my mind: "STAND YE IN HOLY PLACES." I even saw it
in caps just like that! I immediately stilled myself, knowing that the
spirit put that thought there – I don't just think like that! But one
thought that became clear to me was that in using the word "ye"- it
meant ME. As in, the spirit is saying, "Chandra, stand in holy places."
It was very specific and not a general "ye." Does that make sense?<br /><span></span><br /><span>Anyhow,
I began to ponder on this phrase and asked the Lord what I am to learn
from the statement – what was I supposed to find? And are there specific
"holy places" I am to stand in? My next thought was that this sounded
like it could be a title from a general conference talk. And it sounded
like something Elder Bednar would say so I figured I would search the
most recent general conferences. I went to my Mormon channel app and
began to scan all the titles from all the sessions in the most recent
general conferences. I got to April 2013 and ran across the title "Stand
Strong in Holy Places" by Elder Hales. That made me pause. Sure it
wasn't a direct quote of what was in my mind, but it was almost like the
spirit was adding line upon line here and before when he's saying in
essence, "Chandra, stand in holy places." Now he's adding to that (line
upon line, precept upon precept) by saying, "Chandra, stand STRONG in
holy places." This talk is incredible and it spoke many things to me
which also happen to be in my Patriarchal Blessing. Coincidence? No. But
just to be sure I went to <a href="http://lds.org/" target="_blank">LDS.org</a> to search for the exact phrase- which I'd found by Harold B. Lee. There are also some wonderful nuggets contained therein. </span><br /><span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Anyhow,
what have I learned from this experience? 1) The Lord does speak to and
reveal things to his prophets continually. And unless we have the eyes
to see and the ears to hear, we will miss vital information! 2) The more
we are prepared for an open ourselves up to the promptings of the
spirit, it will come. I need to show the Lord he can trust me and stand
strong in holy places. And 3) that I need to study and learn how to
fully put on the whole armor of God- and then teach it to my children."</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">~ ~ ~</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm grateful she shared that with me. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My response to her was:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After I got done reading it, I went back to my posting on instagram
where I put the scripture about putting on the whole armor of God and
the words "to stand" are underlined in my scriptures. Those two words
must have had an impact on me when I was first marking those verses so
many years ago... and it brought me back to your email "stand strong in
holy places". These things go hand in hand. In this day and time, we
need "to stand" stronger than ever to fight against the evils of this
world... and "to stand" in holy places because that is where we will
find the strength "to stand" in the first place.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">~ ~ ~</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope to help Aaron learn how</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand strong...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand up for what he believes...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand for truth...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand for righteousness...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand up against evil... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand up for justice...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand with faith... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> ...to stand in holy places...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand as an example to those around him...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand firm in the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand in defense of all that is right and true... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...to stand...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-89397697813998548842015-07-03T02:08:00.000-06:002015-07-15T02:08:51.662-06:00President Boyd K. Packer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkZw7mEtKBmxvbUjRBMGoZThZiSNa5lRLP1sLeVKyAzkzidwX3DTZytMWca-tWdijBsEy1iRNWheEL7iE58uoE1yjKFQ4U3zmkBXksEY5hqoDjvlbLn8cuWU9CX1Fqc0sW1UsotVR_lb2/s1600/10988270_10154001448650663_6401224765375245544_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkZw7mEtKBmxvbUjRBMGoZThZiSNa5lRLP1sLeVKyAzkzidwX3DTZytMWca-tWdijBsEy1iRNWheEL7iE58uoE1yjKFQ4U3zmkBXksEY5hqoDjvlbLn8cuWU9CX1Fqc0sW1UsotVR_lb2/s400/10988270_10154001448650663_6401224765375245544_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">President Boyd K. Packer, of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, passed away
today. This makes me very sad. I remember when I was a teenager watching
many times a video that was put together after a talk he gave in
General Conference, it was called 'Spiritual Crocodiles'. It was an
inspiring video and I loved the truth he spoke in it. (If you haven't
seen this video, you should look it up on LDS.org). President Packer had
a very recognizable raspy voice that I will miss hearing in General
Conference, along with his inspired counsel as well.<br />~ A memory I
want to share is about a conversation I had with Aaron on the way home
from church last summer. Aaron had a printed copy of the talk by
President Packer called 'Spiritual Crocodiles' that he had received in
Primary that day. When I saw it, I told Aaron that President Packer is
the Senior Apostle and that if President Monson passes away, then
President Packer would become the next Prophet. Aaron then asked who
would take his place as an Apostle? I told him that they would have to
call someone to be an Apostle (through revelation from the Lord). Aaron
was very thoughtful for a few moments, then he stumbled over his words a
bit and said that he might... ...if they needed someone... ... he would
be willing... ... to volunteer. I could tell he was not taking this
lightly in that sweet brain of his and he asked if he could be an
Apostle AND a wood carpenter (which is what he wants to be when he grows
up). He then asked how long they are an Apostle? I told him they are an
Apostle for the rest of their lives. He then asked if you get to see
your family if you are an Apostle. I told him yes. ~ I thought it was so
sweet that he was willing to take on the task if they needed him to...
if they needed a volunteer. His questions were so sincere. So sweet.<br />President Packer will be missed.</span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-13026726889334439732015-06-17T13:03:00.000-06:002015-06-17T13:07:31.200-06:00Uncle Carol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkke8tBtNIRwsRjmDlbHngGn2l-lOdP_vEFomCw47U1nQR_eYd3YcH3zE_8EQEoyFqjh3JYnoXEpCYTpgfOlLR3uMIi0QCdfLVmF7UxbM8Ssw2J8jZ8KoK6-3tnd4A6R_BsKrvatMB4oy/s1600/10511589_10153957938825663_2389969283693936934_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkke8tBtNIRwsRjmDlbHngGn2l-lOdP_vEFomCw47U1nQR_eYd3YcH3zE_8EQEoyFqjh3JYnoXEpCYTpgfOlLR3uMIi0QCdfLVmF7UxbM8Ssw2J8jZ8KoK6-3tnd4A6R_BsKrvatMB4oy/s400/10511589_10153957938825663_2389969283693936934_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My Uncle Carol passed away last week and we attended the funeral in Mapleton, Utah on Monday.<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Uncle Carol was the 2nd oldest brother in my Dad's family. 2nd oldest brother of 8 kids. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">This photo of him as a baby is just so precious.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">The middle
photo brought back memories from when I was growing up... Uncle Carol
loved roosters and chickens and always had them as pets... that is one
of my main memories of him when I was young. There was a time when I was young when he kept some of his roosters over at our farm. I remember some of them were really mean and would chase us kids around. They were a little scary sometimes. He sure loves his chickens and roosters though.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">He was a school teacher and
also an artist. His painting<span class="text_exposed_show">s that are
my favorites are of farm / country scenes and roosters. He was very
talented. Someday, I would love to own one of his paintings... one can hope. :)</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show">The right photo is a photo I took of him the last time I saw
him when he could still walk. Uncle Carol endured many difficult and
heart breaking trials in his life, but he always had a testimony of the
gospel, was faithful through it all, and had a love for and faith in
Jesus Christ.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show">We love you Uncle Carol. We will miss you.</span></span></span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-61362313679493487412015-06-16T12:56:00.000-06:002015-06-17T13:05:24.064-06:00Aunt Betty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyO6n8BcDwH4vFgcQijChRA31zuJb3BwtExLsQw-5vFSVw2qgjWVHr1jfv9JuxMiIgFRbXMNENtwnxQSbd1ebyQo9tF-NK_4P0nqaHNSHu9U0J80OEnMtwUFvYSV860Enqt-W7roSeIPky/s1600/10955668_10153633906145663_8071770532752936551_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyO6n8BcDwH4vFgcQijChRA31zuJb3BwtExLsQw-5vFSVw2qgjWVHr1jfv9JuxMiIgFRbXMNENtwnxQSbd1ebyQo9tF-NK_4P0nqaHNSHu9U0J80OEnMtwUFvYSV860Enqt-W7roSeIPky/s400/10955668_10153633906145663_8071770532752936551_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, because I have been so far behind on my blog, I had not yet added a post about my Aunt Betty. These two photos are a couple of my favorites as I was looking through the photos of her as a child. So cute.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She passed away earlier this year. We attended her funeral up in Washington State back at the beginning of February.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aunt Betty was a kind soul. She was the oldest sister on my Mom's side of the family. Oldest sister in a family of 11 kids. I remember when Aunt Betty brought her son down to Utah to take a tour of some of the National Parks here and on their way through, they stopped at our house to visit. My sister Lisa and I ended up getting invited to go along and we had a great time with Aunt Betty and our cousin Marty. She made us feel special and important.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She was the sister who lived closest to my Grandpa after he had a stroke and had to live in a care facility... in those 11 or 12 years that he lived there, she visited him every single day, unless she was out of town. She was dedicated to making sure he felt loved and cared for. I am so grateful to her for that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also remember when Aunt Betty had lost her husband and as a widow, she came to Salt Lake City, Utah to serve the Lord on a mission. We loved having her so close. She would come and spend the weekends at our house. She was still on her mission there when I left on my mission to England. She had found a second hand plaid blazer somewhere and had bought it for me to take on my mission. I wish I still had that. It was so thoughtful and kind. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love my Aunt Betty and I sure miss her.</span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-76059882296808529772015-05-31T23:55:00.000-06:002015-06-01T01:56:56.282-06:00Elder L. Tom Perry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlUiR0waLcID9VLJxW4q93Mto58rm5H4YXDFFX0n2dFTqQ5izkdKv8gLClgEvR0k5VqqwCGaKG4W1HEsHNH-hUhI9tYt0dWLQf_ZM3KJtiyLUKSlhz8SvdkPDilo7BvblSj18Q7p7jyDj/s1600/11351163_10153924668510663_6327258936829689710_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlUiR0waLcID9VLJxW4q93Mto58rm5H4YXDFFX0n2dFTqQ5izkdKv8gLClgEvR0k5VqqwCGaKG4W1HEsHNH-hUhI9tYt0dWLQf_ZM3KJtiyLUKSlhz8SvdkPDilo7BvblSj18Q7p7jyDj/s400/11351163_10153924668510663_6327258936829689710_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron and I went to eat at The Mandarin Chinese restaurant in Bountiful while we were engaged. Elder Perry happened to be there eating. He was just sitting a couple
of booths away from us.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At one point, Aaron said he would be right back,
and he walked over to Elder Perry's table and squatted down next to
Elder Perry and started talking to him.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After he was done, he came back
over and sat down with me. He told me that he had pointed to me and
asked Elder Perry, "see that girl<span class="text_exposed_show"> over
there? I'm going to marry her... and I was wondering if you would seal
us in the temple?"</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Elder Perry agreed and gave Aaron the phone number of
his secretary and told Aaron to call her and have her schedule it.
Because of a prior commitment Elder Perry had, we changed our wedding
date a couple days earlier so that he could be our sealer. It was so
exciting.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">As the wedding day approached, Aaron got a call from the
secretary telling him that Elder Perry had been given an assignment I
think taking him out of the country and would not be able to seal us
after all. We were disappointed, but we understood.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">The sealer we did
have was amazing and we really loved him.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Since this experience at The
Mandarin, I have always remembered this experience when I have seen
Elder Perry speak. Hearing about his passing yesterday was very sad for
me and brought back that memory again. I grieve every time one of our
church leaders passes away, but I'm grateful for the legacy and the
loving counsel they leave behind.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Elder Perry will be missed.</span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-5361652114883666542015-05-29T23:11:00.000-06:002015-05-30T05:03:22.676-06:00Am I Happy?<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Truthfully, I have no idea where to even begin.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't know how to catch up on what has happened in the past few years...</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">so I will just begin with what happened last night.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRKiWG21jjmTVCUf4N0zcUjxml1JuYWcHOu5cJ53KbkoHdkGyb7DwcAYqGOmum5Ng3VEr9jBWt-beHLOaIYRtmGbi7alWPUYN39u7bxaEHy_i-9gXvIW8hz00Ed8n4hOME8leon2A4CX2/s1600/ldsbus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRKiWG21jjmTVCUf4N0zcUjxml1JuYWcHOu5cJ53KbkoHdkGyb7DwcAYqGOmum5Ng3VEr9jBWt-beHLOaIYRtmGbi7alWPUYN39u7bxaEHy_i-9gXvIW8hz00Ed8n4hOME8leon2A4CX2/s400/ldsbus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I received that acceptance letter in my email last night.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My first reaction was paralyzing fear...</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">but knowing that this is the right step for me gives me enough peace to help me move forward instead of retreating.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have been praying for a long time to know what to do and where to go and what path I am supposed to be on. I realize now that certain things had to happen in order to get me to this decision and put me here.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The photo that I have had at the top of my blog for years definitely comes into play in making this decision.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrNKNsDqbhPsPSLoeWy1zxPoecfDRi3FS0xTsw76rQ2aOK-pO6vCaME0sEyAILFfVl5V5WSvqhjxd3diRvTBMF3Xt6uJbxKTvO8F3jR5g9huDcI7l2Szvnakw9VwmzoaxhQaO8aKgVuuC/s1600/happy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrNKNsDqbhPsPSLoeWy1zxPoecfDRi3FS0xTsw76rQ2aOK-pO6vCaME0sEyAILFfVl5V5WSvqhjxd3diRvTBMF3Xt6uJbxKTvO8F3jR5g9huDcI7l2Szvnakw9VwmzoaxhQaO8aKgVuuC/s640/happy.jpg" width="444" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I haven't been happy for a long time.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are there things in my life that bring me happiness? Yes.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Is my life what I expected it to be or what I ever wanted? No.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyone who knows me knows that what I believe will bring me the most happiness in this life is to remarry and have more kids. That is something that is out of my control though.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I believe I am as happy as I can be in my current situation.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron Jr makes me happy...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But could I be happier? Yes.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, since my hopes and dreams of remarrying and having more kids is not coming my way as quickly as I would have imagined, I finally decided it was in my own hands to take the advice on the photo above and change something. I finally realized that waiting impatiently for an amazing guy to come along was not helping me to reach my goal of finding more happiness. So far, it has mostly brought disappointment and discouragement. I realized that I had to change my way of thinking and change what I was willing to do in order to progress in my life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I realized that waiting around has never and will never be what the Lord wants for us.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He wants us to keep pressing forward.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He wants us to be steadfast. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He wants us to keep working towards something.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He wants us to have faith and trust Him. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have been paralyzed for a long time, mostly out of fear.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am scared the the unknown.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Many talks from Prophets and Apostles, many scriptures verses, and many words of advice from family and friends have brought me to this place...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...this place where I am having to have faith and be brave enough to take some steps into the darkness in order to find the light.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have decided to also pay attention to what I have learned in the past.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://leslieandaaron.blogspot.com/2012/07/fresh-courage-take.html"><i>Fresh Courage Take.</i></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This most definitely is pushing my courage to the limits right now. :)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This doesn't mean I won't panic many more times before I begin this journey and during this journey... but it does mean that I have to push through the panic and keep moving in the direction that feels right at this time in my life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I received that email last night...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">then while reading my scriptures this morning,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I came across these verses in 2 Nephi 32:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGremMyqBZCRxSX2pV6dZHYTFzRZO-RlAwV4g_mUgJXfSWVkrl5G5c9VO5aG4XDmEN9XYcUvI7fNC-7I6H5YYyF4KeZ7wTdfWhZwG4L2k4Xvs09bC_lf16f04A-7CDteCEN6b6MBkDS2F/s1600/scripture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGremMyqBZCRxSX2pV6dZHYTFzRZO-RlAwV4g_mUgJXfSWVkrl5G5c9VO5aG4XDmEN9XYcUvI7fNC-7I6H5YYyF4KeZ7wTdfWhZwG4L2k4Xvs09bC_lf16f04A-7CDteCEN6b6MBkDS2F/s320/scripture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These verses brought me comfort this morning.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You better believe I will be praying always throughout this journey so that Heavenly Father will consecrate my performance... I will need Him all the way through it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wish me luck.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Better yet... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pray for me.</span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-68146482378800126962015-05-29T11:43:00.002-06:002015-05-29T11:43:38.669-06:00I'm Back!<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * * * * *</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I haven't posted since January 1st? Really? Unbelievable.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And sad. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well, for a long long long time, there has been some sort of spam attaching itself to my blog and every time I opened my blog, another tab would open right after with some sort of ad. No matter what browser I used, it would happen and it was really discouraging. I don't know if it happened for other people who came to my blog, but it made it so I didn't want to post anything because I didn't know what to do about the spam.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well, yesterday, I finally found a site where I could ask them what to do about it, and the guy who answered my question had the right answer. THE SPAM IS FINALLY GONE! YAY!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now I feel comfortable posting here. I don't know if anyone even still visits my blog, but if not, that is ok because I have felt an urgency to begin writing on here again so that I have my thoughts and experiences here.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So much has happened in the past few years since I stopped posting regularly. It makes me sad that I am so far behind. A few years ago when my computer crashed, that set me back months and then I never felt like I could post unless I was able to catch up completely. Then that cycle has continued and now here I am several years later and realize that I don't have to catch up... I can just start now.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, here I am starting now...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(in a new post)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * *</span></span>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-61652772328967083212015-01-01T23:11:00.000-07:002015-01-02T02:03:37.321-07:00thrive<span style="font-size: large;">* * * * *</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMuRSyqI-oKfPAZf1X0cSZ9Zzp22mjBBs1LUm25KtX2qWtfEWbgpOcxKp8R3soIYpdBEiAuVudBZtmFWbaKHNuMTjjRl2gU9o0ZEg_I_TA8kxBHCEojqRvN1KV-smWMZdWHPY1yfVwooT/s1600/10898174_10153561335225663_7957253271810064621_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMuRSyqI-oKfPAZf1X0cSZ9Zzp22mjBBs1LUm25KtX2qWtfEWbgpOcxKp8R3soIYpdBEiAuVudBZtmFWbaKHNuMTjjRl2gU9o0ZEg_I_TA8kxBHCEojqRvN1KV-smWMZdWHPY1yfVwooT/s1600/10898174_10153561335225663_7957253271810064621_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A story for the New Year. This is a story about a houseplant that we
have had in our home from back even when Aaron was still here with us.
Every year, one or two flowers would bloom on it. After we sold our
home, my brother's family took care of this plant for us for a while.
During that time, the dirt around the plant began to get a little moldy,
so I bought new soil to repot it. I made a huge mistake while the plant
was out of the soil and I thoughtlessly sprayed the old s<span class="text_exposed_show">oil
off the roots. As soon as I did that, I knew I had done something
wrong. I was so nervous that it would go into shock and not survive. I
went ahead and repotted it in the new soil, hoping for its survival. We
have had it back with us now for a few years. The plant survived and has
done well for these past 4 years or so, but still had never flowered
again... but it was surviving and I was grateful. Well... the plant gave
us a gift this fall, it finally bloomed and has begun to thrive. Look
how beautiful this bloom is. When I saw this flower, I was so excited,
so I took a photo and began thinking about the life lesson in this
plant's story. This plant has inspired me... and this year I want to
thrive, not just survive</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: large;">* * * </span></span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-53167125219237822902014-12-07T01:24:00.004-07:002014-12-07T01:24:58.468-07:00Sorry Folks<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
So, I am not sure what is going on with my blog address, but every time I come to my blog page, it automatically opens up another browser page that is some sort of advertisement. I have no idea how to make it stop, I assume it has somehow been hacked and I cannot figure out how to get rid of it.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It is very disappointing and makes me sad.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If anyone out there knows how to remedy this, I would appreciate some help, otherwise, I am sorry to those of you who still come to my page and are having to deal with this. I'm sorry.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Thanks,<br />Leslie *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * *</span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-19805960073598508932014-10-01T23:59:00.000-06:002014-10-02T00:02:50.225-06:00I Don't Want You To Be Alone<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMofQU-fzSaYETXtW6CF_aICrOh4UmJEN3Xr2TFV9Q6regVTOksOYBXexZfzmRN9-gKIrQcaoeszm11145eUxuYyS2NrTq7mOVIOjzeOIS6RJCRDz9qNdrCi1S8BnHoN3HU1eMbL5ibVc3/s1600/10645118_10153329133930663_3338206272396565441_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMofQU-fzSaYETXtW6CF_aICrOh4UmJEN3Xr2TFV9Q6regVTOksOYBXexZfzmRN9-gKIrQcaoeszm11145eUxuYyS2NrTq7mOVIOjzeOIS6RJCRDz9qNdrCi1S8BnHoN3HU1eMbL5ibVc3/s1600/10645118_10153329133930663_3338206272396565441_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These are shadows of Aaron's and My legs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">with a heart in the middle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were crossing the street and I saw this spot of paint in the shape of a heart...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I couldn't pass by without a photo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I cannot count how many conversations Aaron and I have had about circumstances later in life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When he talks about getting married, he shows concern about me being alone, so then he has either talked about his family living with me or me living with his family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Each time subjects like this are brought up, I cannot fathom the idea that I will still be single by that time, but I guess it is a possibility... but not one that I like to even consider because it depresses me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But obviously, Aaron Jr worries about it enough that when he even thinks about the life's events in his future, he worries about me being alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The latest conversation like this happened a couple of days ago...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The subject of a mission came up. Not sure what was mentioned, but his response was that he did not want to go on a mission. When I asked him why he didn't want to go, his voice quivered as he answered that he did not want me to be alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I explained to him that Heavenly Father wants him to go on a mission and so do I, but that I will miss him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He does usually talk about where he wants to serve his mission. He wants to serve either in England where I served my mission, or in Brazil where Daddy served his mission. But every once in a while, he will talk about not wanting to go because he doesn't want to leave me alone.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoWut7sefEG5TnrcHN_LrbcpaGuEloxjdfoWkfeeaRC_7JI54b0378x5FYcxZZELCm30NoUjc_uxWUDmeG_Wc8qb1t5szYP_HO0N_cHhmZDnvlRnF9CloiHQcPSqkzpUdnqOwTw3WCyWK/s1600/10552488_10153352976005663_3457166658576209013_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoWut7sefEG5TnrcHN_LrbcpaGuEloxjdfoWkfeeaRC_7JI54b0378x5FYcxZZELCm30NoUjc_uxWUDmeG_Wc8qb1t5szYP_HO0N_cHhmZDnvlRnF9CloiHQcPSqkzpUdnqOwTw3WCyWK/s1600/10552488_10153352976005663_3457166658576209013_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron brought this heart shaped wood chip home last week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He found it on the playground at school and wanted me to have it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I feel very blessed to have such a sweet and thoughtful boy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hopefully
his nightly prayers will be answered soon and a wonderful man will come into
our lives. He wants a Dad and brothers and sisters so badly... that
will definitely help him feel better about me not being alone once he
leaves home... and it will help me feel better about it as well. :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * *</span></span><br />
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-47101272004823597922014-09-21T23:14:00.000-06:002014-09-22T01:15:23.037-06:00Field Trip to Silver Lake<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHo_cLtFORdq9nhtRbzr-U5uvyjiAQ4eawrUwb12CMvEnqBYjg-9JYqQCSl7QItglf_X82UFrG2LeS42qtz0i5UTTqMh8tgcpYVEwbCGrhuRaOOvs3fd6z2Ut-WqpI0hznm6MIqucE8S7x/s1600/PSX_20140917_164706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHo_cLtFORdq9nhtRbzr-U5uvyjiAQ4eawrUwb12CMvEnqBYjg-9JYqQCSl7QItglf_X82UFrG2LeS42qtz0i5UTTqMh8tgcpYVEwbCGrhuRaOOvs3fd6z2Ut-WqpI0hznm6MIqucE8S7x/s1600/PSX_20140917_164706.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Because I am not ready for the cold weather to come, I decided that Aaron and I were going to play hooky from school on a really nice day last week... and take our own field trip to an amazingly beautiful place... Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon at Brighton.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, I sent out last minute invitations for anyone who was able to come and join us that day...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lori and Lisa and some of their kids took us up on it and we turned it into our own little field trip.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was so much fun and the kids were able to see some wildlife and get some fresh air.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The ducks were very attentive to our kids. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The kids played in this grove of tall trees for so long. This is where we ate lunch as we sat on logs and it was such a fun place for the kids to get creative and to run around exploring. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was our view as we sat on logs eating our lunch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All the kids who came.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michael, Henry, Aaron, Elise, Sophie, Charlie, Hannah, Angus, Lily, Stella </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Isn't it so splendidly GORGEOUS?! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stella, Henry, Aaron, Lily, Sophie, Michael, Charlie, Hannah, Elise, Angus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was such a fun day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * *</span></span>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-26362627078559978512014-09-09T11:49:00.000-06:002014-09-09T11:49:12.101-06:00Speak in Stake Conference? ... Me?<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was asked to speak in Stake Conference this past Sunday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have given talks in church before, in my own wards, where there are only about a couple hundred people at the most, and they are people that I see each Sunday... and even in that setting, I am always scared to death, get sick to my stomach for days, so super nervous. But Stake Conference? I have never given a talk there before, so when I was asked to give a 15 minute talk in Stake Conference... in front of probably at least a couple thousand people... multiply that fear and sickness to my stomach by a million then throw in difficulty taking deep breaths for days and a terrible headache.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I. Was. Scared.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">BUT... I asked friends and family to pray for me. I prayed as well. I needed help and guidance from the Lord, so I asked for the Spirit to guide me and inspire my thoughts and words. The night before I was supposed to speak, I still had not started typing until about 11:00 at night. That was only 11 hours before I was supposed to speak in front of all of those people. Once I started typing, a few things started to flow... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">but I was still feeling like I was lacking inspiration about how to present the information, so I prayed again and again... and it finally came together. I was up until about 4:00 in the morning and I was up at about 8:30, so I didn't get much sleep, but I felt pretty good about the words that I was about to deliver... it was the delivering part that I was so nervous about at that point. I sat up there on the stand in front of everyone and I couldn't catch my breath, I felt like I would throw up, but when it was my turn to stand up, I felt like the Spirit took over. I felt a little more relaxed and I just spoke from my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I didn't stick to the script exactly word for word, but I followed this really closely. I want it on my blog so I have it safely with the rest of my 'journaling'. I think I want to put my other talks I have given in church on here as well... if I can locate them. Here's hoping.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzemJxXyrDiDfQIJ5AT2NGJEX-vogVNpi7uKjflcrrpD55BbhyphenhyphenLo3vQvyAl_ODZiqnCW256G_ZZU_8tbU1q3dU8viLvIO1xewsTG3_qwFRGCRfGP4DlUgaEkN8z61Ibl-yRK6nA07iWoG/s1600/10614393_10153303538990663_3966769772667341841_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzemJxXyrDiDfQIJ5AT2NGJEX-vogVNpi7uKjflcrrpD55BbhyphenhyphenLo3vQvyAl_ODZiqnCW256G_ZZU_8tbU1q3dU8viLvIO1xewsTG3_qwFRGCRfGP4DlUgaEkN8z61Ibl-yRK6nA07iWoG/s1600/10614393_10153303538990663_3966769772667341841_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This is a photo my sister sneakily took with her phone while I was sitting up on the stand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyway, here is my talk that I gave in Stake Conference, complete with my opening joke to break the ice...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">~ ~ ~ </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Leslie Harkness talk for Stake Conference – September 7, 2014<br /><br />When
I got the call on Friday morning from President Lake, he seemed to be
preparing me for what he was about to ask me and the thought crossed my
mind “oh no, is he going to ask if he can set me up on a blind date?”
but the fact that I am standing here today proves that was not the
question. I still can't figure out which question I would have preferred
though.<br /><br />My name is Leslie Harkness. I am the daughter of the
Higginsons in the stake and the daughter in law of the Harknesses, who
are also in the stake.<br /><br />The topic I was given is: How your life
experiences relate to the scripture "all these things shall give thee
experience and shall be for thy good" (D&C 122:7)...what you have
learned, what tender mercies have you observed, what have been your
greatest challenges and how has your faith been strengthened?<br /><br />Before
I begin, I wanted to start with a disclaimer by mentioning that in no
way do I think my challenges are harder or more painful than anyone
else's, but the things we learn from our challenges can help us learn
from each other if we are all willing to share those things.<br /><br />This
kind of topic is not something you can research to prepare it, it is a
topic that can only be prepared by reaching into the tender feelings of
one's heart. As I thought back on my life experiences, I decided to
share 3 of the challenging times in my life and what I feel helped me
through each one. <br /><br />When I was 8 years old we were living in
Missouri at the time. I had just been baptized and within a month after
my baptism, I was in a car accident with 4 of my siblings, a car
accident that took the life of my brother and put me in the hospital
with a broken femur. That was a difficult time for my family and our
hearts were broken from the loss of my brother... The challenge I want
to share with you was my experiences as I was healing from my broken
leg. I was in traction in the hospital for nearly two weeks. My brother
had been there for the first few days and shared a room with me, once he
got to go home, my oldest sister would come and stay with me at night,
but there came a time when the doctors told her she would not be allowed
to anymore. So, there came a time when I would get visited every day by
family, but at night I was alone. 8 years old, grieving the loss of my
brother, sleeping alone at a hospital about 45 minutes away from my
family. It was hard and I was lonely. After I got out of the hospital,
part of my summer was spent in a body cast that covered one of my legs
completely and my other leg down to the knee and came up to my chest
with a bar extended from leg to leg holding them apart. When I look back
on that time in my life, I remember a girl who felt tougher than she
probably was and felt like nothing could keep her down. I remember an 8
year old girl who had the courage to face difficulties with a smile on
her face and had a cheerful countenance. She saw that body cast as just
an obstacle that could and would be overcome. I learned to run around
our farm in that body cast trying to keep up with my siblings. I was
quite a sight. I couldn't bear the thought of missing out on life and
experiences, so I ran around in that body cast as though it wasn't even
there.<br /><br />There are so many places in the scriptures that tell us to “be of good courage” and to “be of good cheer”.<br />In Psalms 31:24, it says, “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.” <br />In Proverbs 17:22, it says “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”<br />I am sure it does good for us in our physical AND spiritual challenges to be cheerful.<br />I
look back on that time and I am so grateful for the courage I was given
to face that challenge and the cheerful attitude I was given to help me
endure and to heal.<br /><br />When I was 10, we moved back to Utah. The
next challenge I wanted to share was something I struggled with for
years, but didn't realize at the time that it was something I needed to
overcome. After I got home from my mission, I struggled with this
challenge more than I ever had and finally, a little over a year after I
had been home, through the encouragement of a friend, I stopped denying
the fact that I had an eating disorder. I confided in my family and
asked for their support. As I faced that challenge head on, the
adversary worked harder on me than ever to try to keep me from freeing
myself. It was a painful process and I spent a lot of time praying for
help. I remember a time during that process when I called my parents to
let them know that I had felt hunger pains that day. It had been years
since I had felt hunger pains and it felt like small triumph. I still
struggled though and one extra difficult day, I ended up going to the
temple because I needed to receive a boost of strength from the Lord. In
the Celestial room in the Provo Temple at that time, there was a
painting of the Savior at the Second Coming with his hands out
stretched. As I sat there praying and seeking help in the Celestial
room, I looked up at a mirror across the way from me and all I could see
of the painting in the reflection of the mirror was one of the Savior's
hands reaching out. I got the distinct impression that I was being told
to take Him by the hand and to let Him lead me. The comfort and peace
that brought to me that day was such a tender mercy and it gave me great
strength.<br />In 2 Nephi 4:20, it says: “My God hath been my support; he
hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath
preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.”<br />I was so grateful to
know that the Lord was on my side and with Him by my side leading me
along, I could overcome the challenge I was facing.<br /><br />That next
year, in 2002, I dated, got engaged to, and married Aaron Harkness in
the Salt Lake Temple. The life I always wanted as a wife and mother
seemed to finally be coming true. I was a wife and now all that was left
to fulfill my lifelong dream was to become a mother to a bunch of kids.
Marriage was not without its challenges. There was unexpected turmoil
that I hoped one day would be worked out. Then in 2005, I became a
mother when our son, Aaron, was born. He was perfect and it was the
happiest day of my life.<br />In November of 2007, at the end of a very
tough year, Aaron had been in an accident and because of his injuries,
he was in a weakened condition physically. Because of that and
complications with the medication he was taking, he passed away just two
days before our son would turn 2 years old.<br />Here we were... in a
place that I never expected to be. A widow at age 30 and a single parent
to an almost 2 year old who would only remember his Daddy through
photos and stories he was told. Our world was shattered, completely
turned upside down. I missed Aaron and I didn't want to be alone.<br />The
grieving process was very painful. Being alone has been very painful.
Helping my son through his own grieving process has been difficult and
painful. Some days, I felt like I couldn't possibly survive the pain of
it all, it cut to the core and I wondered if it was even possible for my
wounds to be healed. Those have been the days when I know I have no
other choice than to turn to the Savior. Those are the times when I
plead with the Lord to help me be strong, to help me endure, to take my
burden and carry it for me.<br /><br />In a quote by Elder Joseph B Wirthlin, he said:<br />"Each
of us will have our own Fridays--those days when the universe itself
seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in
pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can
never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays. But I testify
to you in the name of the One who conquered death--Sunday will come. In
the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. No matter our
desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or in
the next, Sunday will come.“<br />(Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Sunday Will Come," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 30)<br /><br />I put that quote in a journal entry of mine just two months after Aaron passed away and then I wrote:<br />“Those
'Fridays' that it speaks of... I have had so many of those days. Days
where I don't even feel comfortable in my own skin. It just seems like
there is something terribly wrong in the world. The world doesn't feel
right, it feels like a nightmare, where nothing seems to make any sense
at all. Days where I feel like [this life I am living] just can't be
real. Right now, my future seems bleak... but this 'Sunday' that is
spoken of... I know it will come... it has to come. I know that this
much pain and sorrow can't overshadow me forever. I know that the
sunlight will start to peek through as I cast more and more of my burden
upon the Savior. It seems so far away right now, but I know He is there
ready and waiting.”<br /><br />In Psalms 55:22, it reads: “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.”<br />I
have felt the Lord sustaining me through this trial. I have felt my
burdens become lighter as I called upon His name for help and for
strength.<br /><br />There is a story I love and it illustrates a point that I had hoped to make today:<br />“A
man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He
sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to
force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making
any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it
could go no further.<br />So the man decided to help the butterfly. He
took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small,
shriveled wings.<br />The man continued to watch the butterfly because he
expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be
able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither
happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling
around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to
fly.<br />What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was
that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly
to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the
body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for
flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.<br />–Author Unknown<br /><br />There
have been many times during my most difficult challenges when I have
wished the struggle could be over, when I have hoped for it to end
because it is just so painful and hard. But if the Lord took away all of
the pain and all of the struggles that we face, we would be missing out
on everything we would be learning from those experiences, we would
also miss out on the strength we would gain as a result of our
struggles, a strength that we need as we go on to face other challenges
and a strength that allows us to become more like our Savior. Each
challenge helps to prepare us for the next and even greater challenge we
will face.<br />These trials we go through are molding us, shaping us,
refining us... not only into what the Lord NEEDS us to become, but what
the Lord KNOWS we CAN become. He is helping us to become more like Him.
The question is, why would I want to short change myself? Why wouldn't I
want to gain the full potential that the Lord sees in me?<br /><br />It has
now been 6.5 years since Aaron passed away. I still have my difficult
days, I still feel like the storms in my life are raging, but my tender
mercy through these years has been my son Aaron. He has definitely
helped me to see the sunshine amidst that storm. He has brought me joy
even through the sorrow. He has given me a purpose to press forward each
day.<br />Now, the most prominent challenge in my life now is trying to
have patience while being single again. Trying to have patience while I
wait for my opportunity to get married again someday and receive the
blessing of having more children. I still have that dream of being a
wife and the mother to a bunch of kids. My sweet son hopes and prays for
it as well. He wishes for us to have a family. There are so many
singles that I have met in the church who hope for this, who struggle as
they wait for this righteous desire of their heart to come to pass. It
is a lonely road and that loneliness can be very painful.<br /><br />I want to share a poem that I love so much:<br />"Pain stayed so long.<br />I said to him today, 'I will not have you with me anymore.'<br />I stamped my foot and said, 'Be on your way,' and paused there, startled at the look he wore.<br />'I
who have been your friend,' he said to me. 'I who have been your
teacher - all you know of understanding, love, of sympathy, and
patience, I have taught you. Shall I go?'<br />He spoke the truth, this
strange unwelcome guest; I watched him leave, and knew that he was wise.
He left a heart grown tender, he left a far, clear vision in my eyes. I
dried my tears, and lifted up a song - even for one who'd tortured me
so long."<br />-Author Unknown<br /><br /><br />My challenges have taught me so
much. I have become stronger, I have learned patience, I have learned
compassion, I have drawn nearer to the Lord. I have gained a stronger
testimony of and come to understand more facets of the atonement of our
Savior. The atonement is real. He suffered pains, afflictions, and even
loneliness as he endured in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was left alone,
he endured it all for us. Jesus Christ's atonement not only allows us
to repent, but it can also change our hearts. It has eased my sorrow, my
pain, my insecurities. It has helped me turn my weaknesses into
strengths. It has calmed my troubled heart, and healed my broken heart,
it has given me the power to overcome, it has given me the power to
forgive those who have hurt me. It gives me peace in this troubled
world. It does this and so much more for all of us. We can turn to the
Lord at any time for any thing. He loves us so much.<br /><br />In John 16:33, my favorite scripture, the Lord says:<br />“These
things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the
world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome
the world.”<br /><br />We can have peace because of Him. Be of good cheer,
he says. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be able to have the
joys in the midst of the sorrows. He has overcome the world. He suffered
all things for us and He has overcome all of life's challenges
(physically and spiritually) so that we, too, can also have that power
to overcome them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We CAN overcome all things because of Him.<br /><br />He gives me hope for even brighter things to come...<br /><br />He is everything and I love Him so much.<br /><br />I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.</span></div>
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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-43621358715170143222014-08-28T13:22:00.002-06:002014-08-28T13:25:28.481-06:00Field Trip<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the second day of school, my sister decided to check her daughter out of school to take her with some of her other kids to the Children's Museum of Natural Curiosity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was the last day for the August $2 Tuesdays...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and she asked if I wanted to check Aaron out of school and bring him along.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let me think about that... ummm... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">...that's a big fat</span> <b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">YEP!!!</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">FIELD TRIP!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, we checked our kids out nearly 3 hours early on the second day of school and we went to this fun place. The kids had a blast! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron's floating head. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Aaron, Henry, Stella</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lisa and most of her kids with their other Grandma. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron and Me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thanks for the invite, Lisa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let us know when the next 'field trip' is! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was fun!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * *</span></span>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-27221452159198754392014-08-25T12:08:00.000-06:002015-05-29T12:09:11.952-06:00School Bound<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Children are not a distraction from more important work,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">they are the most important work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">~ C.S. Lewis</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCf_aZpsx65fW6uFs0UMMlfBy0-gyDsTG7OGCdoUO6VMJZ0l55REqOh1y168Z6uB9NMpwu4feHd4hZ1QrlE3-svlX8ABDohLHkh2llwzcR9H32vSNnEQGBewIbtkDb4gFHhsYD9MM5zFE-/s1600/20140825_082523.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCf_aZpsx65fW6uFs0UMMlfBy0-gyDsTG7OGCdoUO6VMJZ0l55REqOh1y168Z6uB9NMpwu4feHd4hZ1QrlE3-svlX8ABDohLHkh2llwzcR9H32vSNnEQGBewIbtkDb4gFHhsYD9MM5zFE-/s1600/20140825_082523.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I sent Aaron off to 3rd grade this week.</div>
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As usual, it was difficult.</div>
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I've had some thoughts running through my mind lately that I wanted to get down while they were still fresh in my mind. When school got out last school year for the summer, I heard many Moms wishing that summer was over already and that school was back in session. Then as the new school year approached, I heard parents talk about how annoying their kids are and how they wished even their preschooler was starting school as well. Its nothing new, I know... I have heard Moms talk this way for years, but this summer, it got me thinking...<br />
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Sadly, some of these parents I have heard talk this way have talked this way right in front of their kids. This completely breaks my heart. My parents never talked this way, not in front of us, and not when we were not around... instead we had the security of knowing that our parents wanted us around, that they loved having their children around them even when we were not making life easy for them.<br />
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This way of thinking rubbed off on all of us kids... I have never heard any of my siblings or their spouses talk about being excited for school to start because they were ready for their kids to be out of the house. I am sure they get stressed out when the kids fight or when the kids are bored, but they still love having their kids around and the time they get to spend with them from day to day.<br />
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I know I only have one child (a fact that breaks my heart every day), and some Moms of 5, 7, or 9 kids out there would probably think that I have no room to talk when it comes to being a stressed out Mom or dealing with day to day chaos of different schedules and kids fighting and such... but because I only have had the privilege of having one child, it makes it that much harder to listen to Moms talk about their kids and wishing and hoping for the time when their kids will be gone and out of their hair for 6 or 7 hours a day for school. It is hard.<br />
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I always felt wanted by my parents. Even when we were fighting as kids, I still always felt wanted by my siblings as well. But there has been a time in my life when I felt unwanted by someone close to me and it hurts... it is emotionally excruciating.<br />
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All of these thoughts brought me to another thought process...<br />
When I watch Aaron walk into the school each year on that first day of school, I watch the hours, minutes, and seconds with anticipation of picking him up and bringing him home. At school, there are so many variables out of my control: how kids are going to treat him, how his teacher is going to treat him, if he will fit in, will he get hurt on that playground, will he get his feelings hurt by someone who doesn't know and love him, what is being taught, and will he understand it, will he struggle this year like he has during some of the other years and how much will he struggle, will he get along well with others, we HE treat others kindly... I could go on and on about the variables that one could worry about as their kids are gone for nearly 7 hours a day, 5 days a week.<br />
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My thoughts turned to our Father in Heaven. When we are born, He sends us here, out of His presence, to school. We are going to learn here, we are going to struggle, we are going to have our feelings hurt by people who don't know and love us, there will be things we don't understand, we will get hurt... over and over and over again...<br />
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but, if we know Heavenly Father (and sadly, some people don't), those of us who do know our Father in Heaven, we have the wonderful knowledge that He loves us, that He is pulling for us, and that He is there when we need Him.<br />
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This was the night before Aaron was starting school.<br />
I cried that night at the thought of sending him to school again where he would not be with me.<br />
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Anyway, when I think of Heavenly Father getting ready to send us down to earth for our mortal time here, I picture Him preparing us, reassuring us, I picture Him making sure we know how much He loves us and maybe even shedding tears as we leave His presence. I picture Him making sure we have a confidence in His love for us by helping us understand the reason He has to send us here, but that it is difficult for Him to send us away.<br />
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Imagine being in His presence and hearing Him talk about how anxious He is to get us away from Him, how He can't wait for some alone time to just do something for Himself. Imagine how we would feel if we felt unwanted by our Father in Heaven. It would crush us. Our confidence in ourselves would struggle. <br />
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Yesterday, I went to the Bountiful Temple. I went there because I needed to be in the House of the Lord and to feel His Spirit. I needed to feel His love and His guidance. Then after school, Aaron and I went to the Ogden, Utah Temple open house. It has not been dedicated yet, so people are getting to go through and see what the House of the Lord looks like on the inside. It was the first open house Aaron has been to and he was amazed. As we walked through the rooms, there is a special spirit there and you just feel like you are home... a place where you are wanted.<br />
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When I imagine how it would feel if there were ever times when I went to the temple and had the feeling that I was unwanted there... would I ever want to return? Probably not.<br />
But our Father in Heaven wants us to come to the temple as often as possible so that we can be closer to Him and so that he can reassure us and pour His love and blessings down on us. He wants us to leave there feeling loved and wanted and confident as we return to the world around us where we will struggle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivhp5GQqyZ_9DCqnWXu_EtXoL1DKsHoAqxDY4_bQex0prSsDDdlsfpIqTXPBKphifNY_Qf4YJjK80svB-PBa9bqqGpGfDqFhA6r2-SagUtQ-qiNNJdWh-sLUrbW4K8GoIQtLqQJ8-d6zJ/s1600/20140827_175119.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivhp5GQqyZ_9DCqnWXu_EtXoL1DKsHoAqxDY4_bQex0prSsDDdlsfpIqTXPBKphifNY_Qf4YJjK80svB-PBa9bqqGpGfDqFhA6r2-SagUtQ-qiNNJdWh-sLUrbW4K8GoIQtLqQJ8-d6zJ/s1600/20140827_175119.jpg" width="364" /></a></div>
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The times when I am struggling the most, I think about how much I am loved by my parents, my Father in Heaven, and my Savior. When I remember that and feel it, I know that I can get through anything.<br />
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Aaron and I watched as countless people stepped up by the Christus yesterday to have a photo taken with the statue. Kids were touching the nail prints in His hands and they were so drawn to Him, even a statue of Him. When we feel loved and wanted by someone, we feel drawn to them, we want to please them, we want to be around them, and we feel more peace in life.</div>
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When I have been in situations, some very recently, where people don't really know me which means they don't know me to love me or to really care about me, it is in those situations that I feel the most insecure, the most unsure of myself, the most uncomfortable. I walk around in situations like that seeking out the easiest escape route. I have even felt this way around people who are supposed to love me and should want me around and that is even more painful when you don't feel that from those people. The feelings of insecurity it brings when I don't feel wanted in a certain situation... it is a really difficult feeling to shake. It makes me question yourself and makes you wonder what is wrong with you that someone wouldn't want to have you around.</div>
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I am so grateful that I always felt wanted in my home growing up and felt like my presence was wanted by my family. Even though we all went through times when we loved being with friends away from home, this feeling always made us want to be home where we felt loved and wanted. </div>
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Isn't this what we should want? Shouldn't we want our kids with us as much as possible so that we can be the ones influencing them and teaching them what they need to know. There is enough time where they will be off in the world without us. When they are young, this is the time when we can have the greatest influence in their lives, building a foundation of learning, a foundation of gaining a testimony of Christ and of the gospel that will carry them through the times when we can't always be with them. With how scary and how much evil is out in the world these days, why would we ever be excited for them to be gone? Why would we ever be anxious for them to be out of the house? There are times when they have to be out of the house, but why would we ever WANT our kids gone? And especially why would anyone ever want to let their kids hear them talk in that way? Our kids are already going up against so many hard things in this world... why would we ever want to make them feel like we are pushing them in that direction, and thus being one of those hard things they are having to go up against?<br />
I know someone who has talked about not feeling loved and wanted by one of their parents as a young teenager. This person started spending more and more time away from home, eventually leaving home in their teens and living with friends' families. This person struggled throughout the rest of their teens, turning to drugs and alcohol and other worldly things. This person didn't feel wanted at home, so this person turned to other places to feel wanted, to feel a sense of belonging. It cost this person a lot of happiness and caused a lot of heartache for years to come. I know this person's parents loved him and wanted him, but one of them being able to show it was a differently story.<br />
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Kids feeling loved and wanted is the only way for them to feel secure and safe in their little world... then when they step out into the big world, they will be able to carry that sense of belonging and feeling loved with them wherever they go. It will give them more confidence and more ambition to succeed in life.</div>
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I am not a perfect parent. I have weaknesses, I have my own struggles that I wish I was better at, but this one... this one I know for sure I will have no regrets about. I will never have to regret that I wished my time with Aaron away... because I have never wished my time with Aaron away.</div>
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I try every day to make sure Aaron feels loved and wanted.<br />
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All of our kids need to feel wanted. Always.<br />
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Wow... this turned into a way more serious post than I imagined when I began it. <br />
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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-35245584535625071542014-08-21T11:05:00.000-06:002014-08-22T01:05:33.519-06:0012 years ago...<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">12 years ago, today, Aaron and I got married.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was a beautiful day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We spent 5 anniversaries together before he passed away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have now 'celebrated' 7 wedding anniversaries alone, that seems surreal. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjveIIdHFPicqsPPPNLEf1ij2sa2UaF2UlQzOpG0LnNBZRsbQQbL2usv8rZLWXQPws6THlX2Zsdy3s34cKiQkIYJULXXcx16xyd6CZGLWLibhkA35LYAOHS7qmcZwpILjtQCbRgD1IeADvw/s1600/10447498_10153263472390663_485326951232676541_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjveIIdHFPicqsPPPNLEf1ij2sa2UaF2UlQzOpG0LnNBZRsbQQbL2usv8rZLWXQPws6THlX2Zsdy3s34cKiQkIYJULXXcx16xyd6CZGLWLibhkA35LYAOHS7qmcZwpILjtQCbRgD1IeADvw/s1600/10447498_10153263472390663_485326951232676541_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My Mom gave me an anniversary card today and this photo was the front of the card.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is was one of my favorite photos of Aaron and me, so it was a welcome sight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Happy Anniversary, Aaron. We love you.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVaCjOsJq7wpY2iv-uOCs9rgrYHNNPHeyb0ShvuXaTSDo5yVSFNVqzay2dBttP-N1lkl9jiYrUXLA4lSzYX-jvI3x2UoMUrmjaDhWtzG0imMR0CVT_q2W3mIkug5A_2hCcWzGH7VYJPJz/s1600/1504067_10152763708880663_1699162535_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVaCjOsJq7wpY2iv-uOCs9rgrYHNNPHeyb0ShvuXaTSDo5yVSFNVqzay2dBttP-N1lkl9jiYrUXLA4lSzYX-jvI3x2UoMUrmjaDhWtzG0imMR0CVT_q2W3mIkug5A_2hCcWzGH7VYJPJz/s1600/1504067_10152763708880663_1699162535_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, did I say that I have spent 7 anniversaries alone?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I guess that is not entirely true... with this kid around, I can never be truly alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What a blessing he is in my life. He is sweet and thoughtful and brings me such joy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At least I get to have one of my Aarons here with me. :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * *</span></span>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-17816432285239032782014-08-01T00:58:00.000-06:002014-08-01T03:58:33.740-06:00Well, I Oughta Be...<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, I Oughta Be Ashamed Of Myself...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot believe how long it has been since I have written, but I can explain!!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, way back when, when I was still consistently posting to my blog, I was getting a posting ready from a vacation we went on and my computer crashed. My brother helped recovery what he could, but some of the photos I had been editing down to post got lost... and those hours I had spent on editing down those hundreds of photos seemed daunting to start all over again. So... I didn't...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But I felt like I couldn't go on with posting until I had those done because of course it has to be in order, right? Well, eventually I started posting again and figured I would go back and do that posting later... but then I had entered a bad habit of not posting to my blog, so I would go in spurts. I would post a bunch, then nothing, then I would post a bunch, then nothing... then longer nothing, until it has been 6 months since I have written anything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So... I feel terrible (mostly because this was my journal and now I have months and months that I have nothing written down), but also because there are people who care about us who are wondering what became of us. So, I want to thank those of you who have asked about my blog recently because you got me to write on here. Thank you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So here are a few updates that I can remember at this late hour...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wish I could say that a lot has changed since the last time I wrote. I wish I could say that the reason for my long absence was because I met THE guy and we were engaged to be married. :) But... NOPE! I am still doing the sporadic first dates that very rarely turn into a second date. I just never seem to go out with someone who I feel that amazing connection with, someone who I look forward to seeing again. It just rarely happens... and it is getting really old.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let's see... one thing that I can mention is that I bought a really expensive camera last year in the hopes that I would finally have the courage to start taking photos professionally instead of just a hobby. I have still been mostly photographing as a hobby, but I have taken some photos recently where I actually got paid... YAY! I drafted my sister into the mix and she has been going on photo shoots with me as my second pair of eyes / a second creative director. :) It has made it so much easier for me to get out there and feel more confident. So, we have been building a portfolio that I can eventually post online somewhere to maybe get some customers? See? Doesn't that sound oh so confident? Hahaha. Seriously though, as I learn the ins and outs of this new camera, it gets me more excited that this hobby is finally (slowly) becoming a little bit of an income.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aaron Jr is eight and a half and he is wonderful. I still marvel at the blessing he is in my life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remember all of the vacations we used to go on because we felt footloose and fancy free? Well, those have come to a screeching halt. :( Aaron Jr and I have not been any further than an hour away in almost two years. I am starting to feel claustrophobic and I am hoping to take him somewhere... soon. We will see if I can swing something. I really need a place to go relax where there are no demands on my time or energy, except to have fun and hang out with Aaron Jr.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I just started a new commitment to working out and eating less junk. This is a tough one for me. I am a candy-holic and working out is so hard for me unless I can work out socially. :) But I have felt like my metabolism has died off and I feel compelled to try to kick start it again by being active more consistently. Here's hoping. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Life is strange, isn't it? I feel like no time has passed, and yet, I blinked and years have passed by without my hopes and dreams becoming a reality yet. I am still waiting on the Lord and I will keep waiting as long as it takes... but I sure hope He helps my path and my future husband's path cross sooner than later. We are so ready for that next chapter... beyond ready.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you again for caring... you all know who you are...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">See y'all soon... </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * *</span></span>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-13770432459525616132014-01-30T23:36:00.000-07:002014-01-31T01:15:55.179-07:00Interesting Realization<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * * * * * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On Sunday evening, I realized what day it was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was January 26th and once I realized that, I started doing some figuring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I turned 8 years old on March 1st</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the car accident (read about it <a href="http://leslieandaaron.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-26-1985.html">HERE</a>) that I was in when I was 8 happened on April 26th.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One month and 26 days after my 8th birthday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron Jr turned 8 years old on December 1st</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">this past Sunday was January 26th.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One month and 26 days after his 8th birthday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, I realized on Sunday that Aaron was the exact age (to the day) that I was on the day of that car accident. Obviously, my photo was taken after my hospital stay and after I had been in a cast for a while, and Aaron's photo was taken this week, but I had to post these photos and mention this realization.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had forgotten how young we all really were when the accident happened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Looking at Aaron at the same age helps me realize how young I was that day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * *</span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-51648264136373466722014-01-29T00:16:00.000-07:002014-01-30T00:28:03.045-07:00Reading Goal - Exceeded<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*** update *** </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I just went to parent / teacher conference today and figured this news went</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">along with his reading posting. I don't mean to brag, but I guess I actually do. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why not? Right? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron is in 2nd grade and he is reading at a 4th grade level.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am proud of him.</span><br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAopMikClD0m5631C9Atz32C8JFtKMAZZpqlrHTe3d_0T7cO08QvcELXFXAefuIrLwdh8__mC_lh2JyEsHUPq3RmMhyphenhyphenK50wmM26hDqHSP0hgOHMmG1pGed8z45mOXxAi3Vkk5fkLrUPZh/s1600/2013-06-12+17.18.45.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have heard so many times about how kids lose a lot of their reading skill over the summer because they don't read as much as they do during the school year, so this past summer, I set a goal with Aaron that if he read 100 books before school began again, he would get a reward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, we spent A LOT of time at the library picking out books that Aaron would enjoy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBZaPWDB9Tom3mrtvJi1p_OP8SIzEm_GxnACnRGOlbIziRHHmOmUz24sqPqgD2AyGpHSyaZUqy1p0w-BBSj1rn7t4u1CVvoZ1Siv6MDGTVjmMq4ScQ8jZCJaPclCB8de4nGS-ocvpi4-4/s1600/2013-06-12+17.00.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBZaPWDB9Tom3mrtvJi1p_OP8SIzEm_GxnACnRGOlbIziRHHmOmUz24sqPqgD2AyGpHSyaZUqy1p0w-BBSj1rn7t4u1CVvoZ1Siv6MDGTVjmMq4ScQ8jZCJaPclCB8de4nGS-ocvpi4-4/s1600/2013-06-12+17.00.46.jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Well, Aaron reached the goal...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and even better than that...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaU7i9ZlXL-C8CE5O99gSg6FIwsqhHgGESmXQqWBSTaq6rWxhQ62dphoFWxPRmumEC0pjPcu9FsCLKO5wuYav0OwJhW38oRbuNPvkZ_QmEZeuGRk3VakCryUvW5ZjfTbaP-Fwvt94_WOD/s1600/IMG_20130825_153007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaU7i9ZlXL-C8CE5O99gSg6FIwsqhHgGESmXQqWBSTaq6rWxhQ62dphoFWxPRmumEC0pjPcu9FsCLKO5wuYav0OwJhW38oRbuNPvkZ_QmEZeuGRk3VakCryUvW5ZjfTbaP-Fwvt94_WOD/s1600/IMG_20130825_153007.jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">... he EXCEEDED the goal !!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He read 125 books this past summer - 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, needless to say, he got a reward that he was super excited about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I bought a tablet for a very good deal for the two of us to share...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">he gets to download and play games on it and he loves it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am SO proud of my Aaron.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SO proud.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * *</span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-7894823928278169532014-01-28T00:38:00.000-07:002014-01-28T02:38:42.449-07:00Summer of Aaron<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyraqgdVRBsq6-jmkBxd3tiS0vorwu-Mj3RRqHW06mzFRxRIuUTJaAZ0LVma7V8LKQepxO2I6OteNZ2vCFANCvvbi3etdS9lRa4woayKTxMdCP-uEn4E-M5u6TJlPkbvvC9P1gIr57oR9-/s1600/2013-05-15+18.15.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyraqgdVRBsq6-jmkBxd3tiS0vorwu-Mj3RRqHW06mzFRxRIuUTJaAZ0LVma7V8LKQepxO2I6OteNZ2vCFANCvvbi3etdS9lRa4woayKTxMdCP-uEn4E-M5u6TJlPkbvvC9P1gIr57oR9-/s1600/2013-05-15+18.15.34.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I might have posted this one before, but I couldn't help myself when I saw it again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was taken right before a hair cut and Aaron was posing as a tough guy, I guess. :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These are some photos from this past summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are many of Aaron sleeping in bed, but how can I NOT take photos when he looks so cute while he sleeps?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In no particular order... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1wfG8D0ixvgoAoteyiqEKqid_AOYKOV-cm22OzFQKZ2jqYbayZgOvCXSHcxrrCdwmf2ZnJu-Mm-B5ebyNV_OS3-0qc6AgscZh4-2WMk8wkhVHVlVq5jkMLfuFyDloOVjuG8l4yv_41d1/s1600/2013-07-08+15.54.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1wfG8D0ixvgoAoteyiqEKqid_AOYKOV-cm22OzFQKZ2jqYbayZgOvCXSHcxrrCdwmf2ZnJu-Mm-B5ebyNV_OS3-0qc6AgscZh4-2WMk8wkhVHVlVq5jkMLfuFyDloOVjuG8l4yv_41d1/s1600/2013-07-08+15.54.35.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm not sure if this hair style will ever make it back on his head,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">but he sure had fun with it a few times. :) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOqkEuiosczWNPjbVGf6cYXFdD0Jp_OQiW1DjJvgNL3ZWhXP58x7rvi2p1_TzVNU1BKIuvAqFOdrmE_e5fDzJDjxTpRJdOAVPCgL2wc0a14cN1tfzqKkXaZ-Y1dFoHjNhH7bVCar5LZns/s1600/2013-08-03+23.46.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOqkEuiosczWNPjbVGf6cYXFdD0Jp_OQiW1DjJvgNL3ZWhXP58x7rvi2p1_TzVNU1BKIuvAqFOdrmE_e5fDzJDjxTpRJdOAVPCgL2wc0a14cN1tfzqKkXaZ-Y1dFoHjNhH7bVCar5LZns/s1600/2013-08-03+23.46.04.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0q1b5LuGF7LycnL0SCmjaHg6UMJVapUjQen0nwPYlun38NCG2CDLEwtAJMvMl07aEJXYqzXCFGyuW-vd7jA0bMSv_r28KyWF8mrmAWbqLrJgaCiVfHE2JqA3uK1JVbOHYpCTBixlKJ4Y_/s1600/2013-08-06+02.19.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0q1b5LuGF7LycnL0SCmjaHg6UMJVapUjQen0nwPYlun38NCG2CDLEwtAJMvMl07aEJXYqzXCFGyuW-vd7jA0bMSv_r28KyWF8mrmAWbqLrJgaCiVfHE2JqA3uK1JVbOHYpCTBixlKJ4Y_/s1600/2013-08-06+02.19.49.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This Ode dog is Aaron's very favorite stuffed animal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He has names for them all. Every time he gets a new stuffed animal, he takes it in and lines all of his current ones up and introduces them all to each other. I cannot tell you how cute it is to listen to. He really loves his stuffed friends. I don't want him to grow up. :) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTxCdomciPPLni-O47LFKaN-fUO8B-wA883mMHkU_w3Yb9LnZUgflNm14yRJ6stdUqHiqWzBYoBrXTe2ojW-pQFrxXF3s2ofU8egtvaZ8KBMHkmJ6iPIuSgV6ToPrMFAXJak5GzCb4j2v/s1600/2013-08-06+02.31.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTxCdomciPPLni-O47LFKaN-fUO8B-wA883mMHkU_w3Yb9LnZUgflNm14yRJ6stdUqHiqWzBYoBrXTe2ojW-pQFrxXF3s2ofU8egtvaZ8KBMHkmJ6iPIuSgV6ToPrMFAXJak5GzCb4j2v/s1600/2013-08-06+02.31.25.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmKTavvuHU4kwcOzKCXfiZafJYyuTKKZDylf_sBWM1SKHX-fjE3HWtfoMxf-7RHbqnuxzwUElzaxaEW7KLYaoTLyixE1b269UcO57pq2PGsrQtTrO6GyktFMf0izqwQhHcY6uQArcB3aU/s1600/2013-08-06+02.31.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmKTavvuHU4kwcOzKCXfiZafJYyuTKKZDylf_sBWM1SKHX-fjE3HWtfoMxf-7RHbqnuxzwUElzaxaEW7KLYaoTLyixE1b269UcO57pq2PGsrQtTrO6GyktFMf0izqwQhHcY6uQArcB3aU/s1600/2013-08-06+02.31.48.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are usually SO many more on the bed with him all lined up just right. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVX1XyhpImPLm1hxI6FXjs3ah26DfJ1nmEsZecABKBHlboZR4ihZBBLagcWQn-ZBVKqzXr8_9osWJc070GLg59dTBR9rcmzkX2JYpIMtoO1yOGUVauxcoMuNidyb25K5H7i0IIbi_d_u1/s1600/2013-08-08+01.13.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVX1XyhpImPLm1hxI6FXjs3ah26DfJ1nmEsZecABKBHlboZR4ihZBBLagcWQn-ZBVKqzXr8_9osWJc070GLg59dTBR9rcmzkX2JYpIMtoO1yOGUVauxcoMuNidyb25K5H7i0IIbi_d_u1/s1600/2013-08-08+01.13.41.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron had a little zip up money bag and he put money in it and wanted to take it to the bank.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, here it is sitting next to the bed waiting to go to the bank. :) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljvzPj39sAHpSgr6rK2jwYgJmeQqQzSczEFc-hoBMqC-zXC6g21N5rfLtNxb-J0gfCxC3trAUjJzx5CF1f9TWnYn-MBHTSp0YD6dbB-TIEhDKj7ht3xzrqCTGOzkIloYH6rOc5YfYLxKH/s1600/2013-08-08+01.14.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljvzPj39sAHpSgr6rK2jwYgJmeQqQzSczEFc-hoBMqC-zXC6g21N5rfLtNxb-J0gfCxC3trAUjJzx5CF1f9TWnYn-MBHTSp0YD6dbB-TIEhDKj7ht3xzrqCTGOzkIloYH6rOc5YfYLxKH/s1600/2013-08-08+01.14.17.jpg" height="400" width="336" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One night, I drew and wrote these two notes and taped them to the ceiling above Aaron's bed so he would see them when he woke up. He loved it. So... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkEJnqLrXLWdIwsvE_83d07nE0WmsQKn8eROQ6HelqTLqd4ZHjwuyAiDYWaA2HXTmJLbbJl36qBAGyX-s1xF2Z3u_T5LzyvhXXeu7wjZYtipWEuQwsnHJw0aBdNW7T373nbJxrVcvxET-/s1600/2013-08-08+01.15.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkEJnqLrXLWdIwsvE_83d07nE0WmsQKn8eROQ6HelqTLqd4ZHjwuyAiDYWaA2HXTmJLbbJl36qBAGyX-s1xF2Z3u_T5LzyvhXXeu7wjZYtipWEuQwsnHJw0aBdNW7T373nbJxrVcvxET-/s1600/2013-08-08+01.15.08.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next day, I went to bed with these above MY bed on the ceiling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My boy is sweet. :) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEgcdj-0cq3LTpLZI5-agwhyHD9ixBUztx6oZfXo18_6_M8D6XgiHruzp7JSh0Wh970DBFDYA91oZTTZMUIn8ZPTQMA5RFdNXNw8m8DnxHB3818mdObD2qGg0RwyrgOqeJ0sxAP5Sh8QT/s1600/2013-08-10+01.14.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEgcdj-0cq3LTpLZI5-agwhyHD9ixBUztx6oZfXo18_6_M8D6XgiHruzp7JSh0Wh970DBFDYA91oZTTZMUIn8ZPTQMA5RFdNXNw8m8DnxHB3818mdObD2qGg0RwyrgOqeJ0sxAP5Sh8QT/s1600/2013-08-10+01.14.49.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7Ux3ECT5TE5hwvFmSyGsp78S5pj5n61V7QLdK1AHmpLIFBQHC7lIcHR4SC6F3ujH1gDVVdxlRGo3BCIbmTpi408HJvTjBHwxSb58v1BFChtCQ9TyzKRwKWjn87-g3yKVLuMOKf17EfcB/s1600/2013-08-10+23.54.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7Ux3ECT5TE5hwvFmSyGsp78S5pj5n61V7QLdK1AHmpLIFBQHC7lIcHR4SC6F3ujH1gDVVdxlRGo3BCIbmTpi408HJvTjBHwxSb58v1BFChtCQ9TyzKRwKWjn87-g3yKVLuMOKf17EfcB/s1600/2013-08-10+23.54.58.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiREfFZ6zDtX93QOz1poA_d57m5tlI-5V2iWHqpf1C2P8k1i2yrU-w-mspLfDBkAgG963WA4g85eLOmwjfDwTiUVXNnq4JvyeZgDgSb13zNsKx6F1GuOKBDDXsil83R8piUzn4EYjN1RUc/s1600/2013-08-16+00.47.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiREfFZ6zDtX93QOz1poA_d57m5tlI-5V2iWHqpf1C2P8k1i2yrU-w-mspLfDBkAgG963WA4g85eLOmwjfDwTiUVXNnq4JvyeZgDgSb13zNsKx6F1GuOKBDDXsil83R8piUzn4EYjN1RUc/s1600/2013-08-16+00.47.52.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAMTizyWEjjDwKA_weMEskkDkHVImtMyOO1ti4te88mWNgzdcoBpiWpraZkwI3MrrufTNyNPap5kNg2oOTuXI60OVIPTQBx1nTgePNF0J1fDl_ImzKPz51clC8mvGpwwetq4GtbkT-X_S/s1600/2013-08-16+00.48.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAMTizyWEjjDwKA_weMEskkDkHVImtMyOO1ti4te88mWNgzdcoBpiWpraZkwI3MrrufTNyNPap5kNg2oOTuXI60OVIPTQBx1nTgePNF0J1fDl_ImzKPz51clC8mvGpwwetq4GtbkT-X_S/s1600/2013-08-16+00.48.18.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUwzQqo-hqMaDgT2E-Y5piiC8dP0mYG3MUTGd3dPs3a7yRPzLWFN06wnG2mnIhJkMo4EAeaZkrTFJj-JKlCkMLFHJmNnq1tdkUkm5CwqMMpJm8wt-nKtzyAVL9ONH3FjMBirvtPumC4lF/s1600/2013-08-19+00.52.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUwzQqo-hqMaDgT2E-Y5piiC8dP0mYG3MUTGd3dPs3a7yRPzLWFN06wnG2mnIhJkMo4EAeaZkrTFJj-JKlCkMLFHJmNnq1tdkUkm5CwqMMpJm8wt-nKtzyAVL9ONH3FjMBirvtPumC4lF/s1600/2013-08-19+00.52.54.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clinging to the pillow I made for him with his name stitched on it. :) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_H2fibPxkHy7Hg5-49ncV-xygWUx5ktGWaIUukZoRgoEgC-kCyMKFOPh9XO1Mw9M0hTGGBQNWKP63FPv3he7Rtydkc_C_mvcF-GWXkz6OPNxX262JFK-D3LDmAX1ud0EFhNaYQeg44ir/s1600/2013-08-19+23.35.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_H2fibPxkHy7Hg5-49ncV-xygWUx5ktGWaIUukZoRgoEgC-kCyMKFOPh9XO1Mw9M0hTGGBQNWKP63FPv3he7Rtydkc_C_mvcF-GWXkz6OPNxX262JFK-D3LDmAX1ud0EFhNaYQeg44ir/s1600/2013-08-19+23.35.42.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All the other sheets were dirty or I couldn't find them, so he had to have pink sheets...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">he didn't mind... luckily. Ha.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7DljrCiR8wKZ-f4Psr5MEhhWISe_i7TVL-Y9XTrrbHml9H4-362yVUX1p1BRMmbsq8KfDvo9SzWi16dJHs__P83rulfOTsnDYLfl7snBV7t280Ru_JkMr9sSDIMLBGO5Nu6PCGPnRRFQ/s1600/2013-08-22+14.08.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7DljrCiR8wKZ-f4Psr5MEhhWISe_i7TVL-Y9XTrrbHml9H4-362yVUX1p1BRMmbsq8KfDvo9SzWi16dJHs__P83rulfOTsnDYLfl7snBV7t280Ru_JkMr9sSDIMLBGO5Nu6PCGPnRRFQ/s1600/2013-08-22+14.08.09.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He did find some creative ways to use the top sheet though. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9d9TtJayOjarkmoC-aTJ0HRRcLnfpjJmkH9it62VixP4vr5_sw_r_HQiEgs23chhUFGvH0JMJtQ094tCurGpIK8xDkezNBs39kQ0B7zVIXuKn1X6XV-8MII_UhPeRM3vskQjSomxIcDx/s1600/2013-08-22+14.08.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9d9TtJayOjarkmoC-aTJ0HRRcLnfpjJmkH9it62VixP4vr5_sw_r_HQiEgs23chhUFGvH0JMJtQ094tCurGpIK8xDkezNBs39kQ0B7zVIXuKn1X6XV-8MII_UhPeRM3vskQjSomxIcDx/s1600/2013-08-22+14.08.58.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BGYRFodXcXv3eilJmpi-FzzndGwGrOTDH5PNmrrtdkIxud4j3TgSBp2nmTAWR31znfP_4wI6a69LwWmRfxScQnq6healYCmNnMBwdONpBuSXrC8hg3kmSzMiwo5uaRTC4qYBWR-UptYK/s1600/2013-08-23+04.00.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BGYRFodXcXv3eilJmpi-FzzndGwGrOTDH5PNmrrtdkIxud4j3TgSBp2nmTAWR31znfP_4wI6a69LwWmRfxScQnq6healYCmNnMBwdONpBuSXrC8hg3kmSzMiwo5uaRTC4qYBWR-UptYK/s1600/2013-08-23+04.00.04.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Every time Zach comes and stays here, Aaron goes through a phase of sleeping without a shirt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He likes to be like his cousin Zach. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You can see more of his animals in this photo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He will love these photos when he is older, right? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDyxmCTMY5JFbGvZslc-ovHCOa5YlGnXDTHRdWCJDp5H0IxOeMaXZB3_EoI7rhKib2Uvh_HBvo3LBPGNgWGT1Y9hoj7dYy80JB1ufuiEFnMNAyvxFHlefyK-wpjoft3-tgo9nO7nan-rf/s1600/2013-08-28+22.38.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDyxmCTMY5JFbGvZslc-ovHCOa5YlGnXDTHRdWCJDp5H0IxOeMaXZB3_EoI7rhKib2Uvh_HBvo3LBPGNgWGT1Y9hoj7dYy80JB1ufuiEFnMNAyvxFHlefyK-wpjoft3-tgo9nO7nan-rf/s1600/2013-08-28+22.38.34.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This looked too comfy, I had to take a photo.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuzfFt1HH9Kbg94zpaPrS0N7XscBV1Cd4ooTBLWwHLW_vyl1AfUV5VSD2FlZZQ0_StxBC6BZffL4HW3PyfvQmnpKfIcPHO1J6kbj8JqlqT_ReXjeg0FURL9vJ0yQVZDXaTf_S55bliMfY/s1600/2013-08-28+22.38.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuzfFt1HH9Kbg94zpaPrS0N7XscBV1Cd4ooTBLWwHLW_vyl1AfUV5VSD2FlZZQ0_StxBC6BZffL4HW3PyfvQmnpKfIcPHO1J6kbj8JqlqT_ReXjeg0FURL9vJ0yQVZDXaTf_S55bliMfY/s1600/2013-08-28+22.38.48.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Right? Comfy?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgg4FhRnuIcWQ5KsoTdmAgwdDxVLoXUXjZJBBiUIMwdN08p9u_qtMbvFnoaWmpyf4zFeJ2lzU5MZfLRFn4NWsw-D0zLx5hwoK10JTCX83TRyjWMyRJJGr5HYJpJyQ1oxP2np1pUIXZBaiV/s1600/IMG_20130717_234637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgg4FhRnuIcWQ5KsoTdmAgwdDxVLoXUXjZJBBiUIMwdN08p9u_qtMbvFnoaWmpyf4zFeJ2lzU5MZfLRFn4NWsw-D0zLx5hwoK10JTCX83TRyjWMyRJJGr5HYJpJyQ1oxP2np1pUIXZBaiV/s1600/IMG_20130717_234637.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is the Grover doll that my sister Lisa gave to me when I was younger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He is my favorite Sesame Street character. He has become Aaron's favorite as well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpIJLevEqE8EhUYJ-TRPb6UDwAZGXZqJjwHQkmtZOIjRmMLPyfIxlF7GkBHQWLhRu9-xHbzcP-eNO2drNUgaoeUlaSjp9XFNVuiQ7P0fwj-H7m-kw2Ibavv_McoSIXnO4cm596iQtNmax/s1600/IMG_20130718_023812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpIJLevEqE8EhUYJ-TRPb6UDwAZGXZqJjwHQkmtZOIjRmMLPyfIxlF7GkBHQWLhRu9-xHbzcP-eNO2drNUgaoeUlaSjp9XFNVuiQ7P0fwj-H7m-kw2Ibavv_McoSIXnO4cm596iQtNmax/s1600/IMG_20130718_023812.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These are the pillows that Aaron made for me for Christmas last year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They both say 'Mom'. He stitched them himself. :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They are treasures.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsobTqkaPb00oeJa8njtsQbcjRyHSVfojf_3VO00Gi76jNz1OS4Tw037vXcamy9ocAOOzJVdqBrpjA9eUYI_bBt1ARbSS1HNZRflmrapcM43xtpXvqkcvE0V17IRPYzK78v0GmWOmhm5h/s1600/IMG_20130830_170758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsobTqkaPb00oeJa8njtsQbcjRyHSVfojf_3VO00Gi76jNz1OS4Tw037vXcamy9ocAOOzJVdqBrpjA9eUYI_bBt1ARbSS1HNZRflmrapcM43xtpXvqkcvE0V17IRPYzK78v0GmWOmhm5h/s1600/IMG_20130830_170758.jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron learned how to tie a tie this past summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My Dad refreshed my memory of how to tie one and then I taught Aaron. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvNY2GTDGo7bzAA3aN12iu8DgXYA6O2OyuP91BwauD2AWND1t0cfBhP4BqzyLRxi6EHST7nDn67LswQgbN921aHDFnUBLc_WoRBQ9Xgo2aTFFi8DzW1lBm9sC9Phbs1cJx_1Nn5clU6pN/s1600/IMG_20130830_171615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvNY2GTDGo7bzAA3aN12iu8DgXYA6O2OyuP91BwauD2AWND1t0cfBhP4BqzyLRxi6EHST7nDn67LswQgbN921aHDFnUBLc_WoRBQ9Xgo2aTFFi8DzW1lBm9sC9Phbs1cJx_1Nn5clU6pN/s1600/IMG_20130830_171615.jpg" height="227" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He ties it himself nearly every Sunday for church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once in a while I have to help him a little.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyxGXEitUxE-l_UkfDXwjBHc8ZNkGYlJXEdSteGoLh5F7QYrTXwy7E12S84p9lUUio-5o9ZmisFxpQzdoxnsg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Love this video of Aaron swinging on a swing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV1qxhQTgGHNHiViZOayHyjC8BkitMKgDKonva40rg6jLWFBT-dUaPWTIIfU1NgO1Ps0AbImOsRRQeSBbg9axwMOYtvOiu8Z8ZjvxyLM6yCRoIJlXLiO-VyQWzp22_iZuEJjIb2pvhFl9/s1600/IMG_20130706_235440.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV1qxhQTgGHNHiViZOayHyjC8BkitMKgDKonva40rg6jLWFBT-dUaPWTIIfU1NgO1Ps0AbImOsRRQeSBbg9axwMOYtvOiu8Z8ZjvxyLM6yCRoIJlXLiO-VyQWzp22_iZuEJjIb2pvhFl9/s1600/IMG_20130706_235440.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Is it wrong of me to have taken this photo while Aaron said his prayer?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I couldn't help myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He was folding Ode's legs for the prayer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are you kidding?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love this boy so much!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * *</span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-67899514663503274172014-01-27T01:33:00.000-07:002014-01-27T01:33:50.409-07:00Helpful Aaron<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron is such a helpful boy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He loves to help when there are things being done...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">no matter what it is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are a few times this past summer when I happened to snap a photo to document it..</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb0MvDd5F6I2aRfxy3TNp5volXx1H6ozQjaDHKBtxAFX_AwKd_-RnOwNr4-OzJHkFv74G9pOiy6VEBh_U52leQsDUOwYd0-Fh08tWNa-g9drrtAAg8_Y0QEa9Z6X6aIhw7UXZRO9XfGxs/s1600/2013-06-08+11.29.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb0MvDd5F6I2aRfxy3TNp5volXx1H6ozQjaDHKBtxAFX_AwKd_-RnOwNr4-OzJHkFv74G9pOiy6VEBh_U52leQsDUOwYd0-Fh08tWNa-g9drrtAAg8_Y0QEa9Z6X6aIhw7UXZRO9XfGxs/s1600/2013-06-08+11.29.42.jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Helping to dig out roots and dirt out of a trench. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVgzElfG6suf04vrW-vYFKiHYdukPlRXPt3DEkhpxbRPneymXZwHoeuDRBm-DmSaptPX22bFizr9aWq290z0-d4Pp1PgTXphXjVEDvSnY1xMNADlwJYlbjD_MCA4kXs8ymkddkll8tmCV/s1600/2013-06-08+11.29.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVgzElfG6suf04vrW-vYFKiHYdukPlRXPt3DEkhpxbRPneymXZwHoeuDRBm-DmSaptPX22bFizr9aWq290z0-d4Pp1PgTXphXjVEDvSnY1xMNADlwJYlbjD_MCA4kXs8ymkddkll8tmCV/s1600/2013-06-08+11.29.58.jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-knKP5EgbiYSQ6x0cOavj4vGYnrYHr61ToDC0MELnNdxraI4HSHWO0wdaHJkfBN0syg8rmTNZanYEV80BV1Mva3MEBvn0S3TPVYGwCgNfVXDMcTV4mfN2zNC9LMlJJxoSKpJwmUmhd0V/s1600/2013-06-11+09.44.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-knKP5EgbiYSQ6x0cOavj4vGYnrYHr61ToDC0MELnNdxraI4HSHWO0wdaHJkfBN0syg8rmTNZanYEV80BV1Mva3MEBvn0S3TPVYGwCgNfVXDMcTV4mfN2zNC9LMlJJxoSKpJwmUmhd0V/s1600/2013-06-11+09.44.08.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Helping Grandpa with some cement work. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZYZoYYCsPk-rEJ_XM6F6lK0vYyLluqqyzqlPv1VRgIg7VOTA3TdlkKTDH517bTGPXt01N0lSbPj0XI_wUHwg-PvfLz4SUw9oF1zfRlEt7mvpBr8z3kRZhuGVJ7_UvNRnBptPzaj3_tzh/s1600/2013-06-11+09.44.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZYZoYYCsPk-rEJ_XM6F6lK0vYyLluqqyzqlPv1VRgIg7VOTA3TdlkKTDH517bTGPXt01N0lSbPj0XI_wUHwg-PvfLz4SUw9oF1zfRlEt7mvpBr8z3kRZhuGVJ7_UvNRnBptPzaj3_tzh/s1600/2013-06-11+09.44.47.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqIEC4X75lkivI8odbQOhfBCyrvPlrpJG9v5moVJbPpGEYHnIarbU5szmkf2DiWYKQFhB1ID8THjiZNsBEFCq9QuNqbEkXp-z7FGaUlTNT3dth2tDquklwcPt2_Xzhr0E-NnPAPEMnIXR/s1600/2013-06-11+09.45.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqIEC4X75lkivI8odbQOhfBCyrvPlrpJG9v5moVJbPpGEYHnIarbU5szmkf2DiWYKQFhB1ID8THjiZNsBEFCq9QuNqbEkXp-z7FGaUlTNT3dth2tDquklwcPt2_Xzhr0E-NnPAPEMnIXR/s1600/2013-06-11+09.45.02.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnncRmIemjaMvEv4cYPffkemZuORJQ8hAN8GrYDormYcKebGoLstnZCiKePtXMslxUgf9ZstwQeTtWtHJj1E31b7UIgi8H5Io8owY-R6feUpc4qZ-exb4b-JwyIYFjdgd4BEYIRRDt8SP/s1600/2013-06-17+10.20.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnncRmIemjaMvEv4cYPffkemZuORJQ8hAN8GrYDormYcKebGoLstnZCiKePtXMslxUgf9ZstwQeTtWtHJj1E31b7UIgi8H5Io8owY-R6feUpc4qZ-exb4b-JwyIYFjdgd4BEYIRRDt8SP/s1600/2013-06-17+10.20.59.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Helping Grandma with replanting some flowers. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHbzPT-_KHWRA5JMCd1fdSBZ4AszZYm_dBnHpetYJnNXaBV1ThVnUXA8Hs3Tt5VKccSVYPJhB6cQXh544e0B4O8F-Q3JXpymzUmEAwIU98bFUxl9VyS7MDMPsfKRYKOaw0-EMxk1XFmYK/s1600/2013-07-31+14.29.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHbzPT-_KHWRA5JMCd1fdSBZ4AszZYm_dBnHpetYJnNXaBV1ThVnUXA8Hs3Tt5VKccSVYPJhB6cQXh544e0B4O8F-Q3JXpymzUmEAwIU98bFUxl9VyS7MDMPsfKRYKOaw0-EMxk1XFmYK/s1600/2013-07-31+14.29.01.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Helping Grandma make cookies. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdh-bfHFhdqtG2EQbUaPf4ZUGrJFG-ehXuj9Cog431P8vEy38ZYRcA3jJvBkGVU9EIC9ZBdRafwzZlu_j8gDGUj5Zz6msk6-7lBDAuumq6RoP3opyWOQanH_74KOyHSIrzkyiwPwkKOAJv/s1600/2013-08-06+13.30.22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdh-bfHFhdqtG2EQbUaPf4ZUGrJFG-ehXuj9Cog431P8vEy38ZYRcA3jJvBkGVU9EIC9ZBdRafwzZlu_j8gDGUj5Zz6msk6-7lBDAuumq6RoP3opyWOQanH_74KOyHSIrzkyiwPwkKOAJv/s1600/2013-08-06+13.30.22.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Helping Grandma with sewing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron came with me to the farmers market one day and he helped this adorable old man carry his bags of vegetables to his car. I was too late to get a photo of them walking down the sidewalk together (it was so cute), but I did capture this photo. If I remember correctly, I think the man gave Aaron $1 for helping him. So sweet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron helped me make zucchini bread. Mmm...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRqXcnWYPTYAbSb2RAdLAp7upb0WjocoptMLzklPdUsfljx3MbX_FiWr-yt2aN2fc9CdzyUSMfVQRZcknYVa6IN5_vAL5oNf0RE-OzksqU9FZfZeUVlk5h0C28vOvJUHh8nN33Xg1yBdf/s1600/2013-08-18+19.41.09.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRqXcnWYPTYAbSb2RAdLAp7upb0WjocoptMLzklPdUsfljx3MbX_FiWr-yt2aN2fc9CdzyUSMfVQRZcknYVa6IN5_vAL5oNf0RE-OzksqU9FZfZeUVlk5h0C28vOvJUHh8nN33Xg1yBdf/s1600/2013-08-18+19.41.09.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I sure love this boy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He is so sweet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * *</span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827667427529222393.post-18699041464905616942014-01-26T23:38:00.000-07:002014-01-27T00:39:51.175-07:00County Fair - 2014<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * * * * * * * * * * *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We went to the County Fair back in August.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We went with Lisa and her kids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was a fun time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stella and Aaron </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Caroline </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gus and Henry</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Charles and Caroline</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron and Stella</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">on their ride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stella and Aaron </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hannah and Elise </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Caroline and Me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beautiful Caroline </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Caroline's sandal broke, so there was nothing holding her toes into the sandal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The sandal was just flopping, so I found a green long popped balloon on the ground and I created a front part to her sandal to hold her toes onto the sandal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was quite hilarious, BUT IT WORKED!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lisa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron giving Charlie a fun ride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron giving Henry a fun ride. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3LoDyb0H-e8E9sjRhRrs38sugoZPbnDYs3c-rXqHXFGg8J-kD2nprEcyrsu8zfztWzb0nJGT4cwKeAkmp8Pq3d5PF3ztqwK8bEZ3Cg2VJbDjvBvPi-rWaGXAujUgxcF9SsHNBeYnFrSi/s1600/IMG_20130817_200155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3LoDyb0H-e8E9sjRhRrs38sugoZPbnDYs3c-rXqHXFGg8J-kD2nprEcyrsu8zfztWzb0nJGT4cwKeAkmp8Pq3d5PF3ztqwK8bEZ3Cg2VJbDjvBvPi-rWaGXAujUgxcF9SsHNBeYnFrSi/s1600/IMG_20130817_200155.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron giving Gus a fun ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was a fun time at the county fair.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thanks Lisa and kids!</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* * *</span></span></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166451736632622252noreply@blogger.com2