Merry Christmas!

Wow I had know idea that I would let the old blog go for so long.
I thought I would do well this year keeping up with it so as to know what goes on in our life and record it. To bad I'm not to got at this.

But just to recap the past month a little I will start off on November 11th 2013 it was a Friday and Codey got off a little early. He came int he house and like always the kids run to him wanting to show him something or come and do something for them. Well he walked into my room telling the kids to wait because he needed to talk to me, so we came in our room where he informed me that he was layer off. My first thought of course was what were we going to do, with know savings to many bills and a lot of debt I was super worried.

The next day I called my sister inlaw and asked if she would give me a job at the store she manages she said I needed to fill out the online application and she would let me know. So I did and started the following Monday. Thank goodness for family. So I am working at Banana Republic at travers mountain. I have liked it so far it is kind of fun to get out and meet new people the employees their are amazing everyone is great to work with. The only not fun part of the whole thing is that I was hired as holiday help so I have had to work over thanksgiving and Christmas. Codey and the kids went down to the cabin for thanksgiving I had to work Wednesday so that night Lindsay and I drove down after I got off, so I was able to be their for thanksgiving dinner and then that night Stefan and Shannon brought me home so that I could go to work at 10 pm that night and work all night long.

Codey was able to work for Stefan for about 3 weeks so that helped with bills also Codey cashed out a 401K he had had from a job he worked at about 14 years ago so that has gotten us through and all the bills payed. There is a lady that was in my moms ward when I was growing up that also works at Bananatoo, we had a work meeting that was for us to get ready for the holladays and the united way came to let us know that the store would be sponcering 4 families for Christmas and asking that we all help those in need. This lady Kris Hammond leaned over and asked what we were going to do for Christmas and I pretty much lost it. I had know idea what we were going to do and if my kids wouldn't get what they wanted. Kris said that she would love to help us and not to worry.

Christ like love is an understatement when it comes to saying anything about this woman she is compleat lay amazing and I don't know how I could ever thank her for the love and giving that she showed to us. She started by giving me a $300. Walmart gift card so that we could use it for Black Friday sales then she took me to old Navy where she had me pick out 3 items of clothing for each of my kids. That was just one act of service and love shown to us others have been, $300. In an envelope on our bake step we think was from our bishop. Dinner from my visiting teacher, and then as it has gotten closer to Christmas more has been given. Our Bishop gave Codey $500. In walmart gift cards and then the night before Christmas Eve I looked out our back door and found a wrapped gift for each of us. Which was from our wards sub for Santa. I am amazed at the amount of help the people of our ward and our Bishop are willing to give it is amazing. We are truly blessed. I hope that next year we are able to help someone else and give back as much as we have been given this year.

Now on to the next big move for us to keep us going is Codey will be going to North Dakota next week to find a job. His plan is to go out and find a job then he hoes to find housing if that doesn't happen then he will come back and get our trailer and pull it back and live I. It while he works. He is hoping to make enough money to make it worth his while to be there. I am not looking forward to having him gone but I know that there are many people here who will look out for us. But know matter how much he is able to make it will be heard for all of us.

So Christmas the kids did very well with all the help Colton got a snow board, Peyton got a Kindle Fire HD and cowboy boots, Hailey got a motor scooter and an art set,  Laike also got a motor scooter and some Legos, Crew got Legos and boots and Cash got a cozy coop car which he loves. I got Codey a hand gun safe and some shirts and the family gift was an IPad!

Over all it was an amazing Christmas and I hope a happy new year!  

It's August

Wow! Only three weeks of summer left for the kids. I am not really looking forward to starting the whole rueteen of driving to Pleasant Grove 3 times a day and trying to keep up with it all.

Last week we went to Yellowstone we left on July 20th and went to Lava hot springs for the night, when we got there we had lunch and then went toobing down the river we went down five times it was really fun and the kids really liked it too. After dinner we walked through town and got an ice cream.
Sunday we left there and continued on to Yellowstone we camped at Fishing bridge we were there for four days we stopped at every place there was to see and even had time to go swimming a couple of times and also went into west Yellowstone for shopping and dinner.

We left on Friday and drove to Ashton, Idaho where we met up with some of my family for the Arnoldsen family reunion mom and dad and Johnnie and family were there we just stayed for lunch and then drove home we got home Friday night at nine. Saturday I got all the laundry done and the trailer cleaned out and then got Colton packed for scout camp. He left on Monday and will be home on Saturday.

Tuesday Codey started a new shift out at Ebay so he is working from nine to ninethirty so I and some of the kids get to see him befor he leaves in the morning at seventhirty but he doesn't get home until ten fifteen. Poor guy I hate that he has such awful days. Tomorrow night is the family night at scout camp so we are going to go up and watch the program. I couldn't go last year when Colton was there so I hope it is worth it this year.

The kids are in the neighborhood play this year Hailey and Peyton they have been having play  practice every day for the past few weeks and the play is on the 16th and 17th of August I can't wait  to see them in it. Next week is Peyton's birthday and I have reserved the pool so all his cousins can come it should be really fun.

Also Hailey and her friend Grace bought a hamster they named it Hammy and it lives at Grace's house as I didn't want to have anything to do with it or see it, so Hailey goes over several times a day to visit it.

Where has the summer gone?

Wow has it really been that long since I have given an update.
Hailey said a few days ago that she has had the most boring summer and that we never do anything fun. So who knows where June went, but July started with a bang, Codey had the weekend over the forth off do to layoffs at work and he was moved to the SLC Temple again starting today. So on the forth we went up the canyon and hiked Stuart falls and then had a picnic, it was supper hot and not as fun as it should have been since we had to hold Cash the whole time.

On Friday the 5th we went to 7 peaks it was hot and packed and don't forget I sunburned my back I always get burned once a year just so I can learn my lesson I guess. We have gone to the  pool a lot and the kids love to go to the parks and hang out. Sunday nights are pretty fun the ward has what they call prayer in the park every Sunday night at 7 we take a treat down someone is asked to give a thought and then we have a prayer. The kids useally stay and talk with friends for awhile befor coming home.

This is the month of lots of things going on this Saturday we are celebrating my dads 80th birthday his birthday is on the 14th of July so we have diner planned and a small program, then the next Saturday we are leaving on vacation to Yellowstone I can't wait it has been seven years since we have been there the first night we are staying at Lava hot springs then Sunday we will go the rest of the way. We are going to camp in the park at Fishing Bridge it was a lot cheaper then to stay at the KOA or at a motel.

When we get home there are only a few weeks befor school starts Laike will be starting kindergarten to. We will be going to PG three times a day, yes I am crazy but I love Lincoln I love the teachers and I love that all the kids are a the same school. So for now that's just how it will be.

Codey put up most of my frames in the living room for me now I just need to got through my pictures and print the ones I need. I also made a quilt that I just need to have quilted so I can hang it up in there too.

Well until the next update ( I hope it doesn't take me three months again )

GRETCHEN

I'm a big boy now!

Just sitting here thinking about what went wrong with the whole (potty training) with Peyton and Laike and hoping I don't make the same mistake with Crew. He asked me today if he could wear unders so here's to you Crew. I hope all goes well in the next few days, we are going on the third hour with know accidents so I hope he just continues on and keeps up the big boy routine.

It's the last day of April today some of the things that have been happening around here are, yard work, the front porch steps being replaced, the fence in the back for the bees, getting the bees, Colton started soccer, we got a n primary president and secretary, lots of rain, a few days in the 70's, and lots of driving to and from PG, Codey's car accident, getting his new car, and just all the day to day things like, scouts, pres. Meetings, scouts for Codey, YM's for Colton. And much much more.

So tomorrow starts the last month of school hooray! And the start of some fun weekends starting this weekend with the father and sons, ( Hailey and I are going to go out for dinner and have a movie night ) then it is Mother's Day then at the end of the month we are going to go to the cabin for Memorial Day.

Bring on the summer days at the pool and the park and going to the zoo, hiking, picnics and fun with the fam.

It's tough to have friends!

Hailey has made a new friend one she thought she may not have because she thinks they are to similar, but things Change I guess. She went to her good friend Grace's birthday on Saturday and they were both there. So to shorten the story they got together after the party and played the rest of the day. So today she wanted to play with her (Maybrie) is her name and is also our next door neighbor. So she saw her coming home from school and wanted to go see if she could play be decided to wait for a little while in case she had homework. But she wanted to hurry in case Grace came over to play before she left, well as soon as she was going to go over to Maybrie's guess who comes to the door. She really likes to play with Grace but would like to play with the other girls too but Grace is pretty protective and doesn't like to share Hailey very much. But Hailey is to nice to say that she was just leaving to go play with someone else so she just puts up with it. She is an amazing girl and doesn't want to have any feelings hurt. So she is going to play with Grace.

Sometimes it is hard to have a friend that always wants to be around, even when you would like to be out with others. It's a good thing Hailey is the way she is, and so fun to be around. I would rather have her just stay and be with me all the time. But she is getting to grown up for her moms liking.

So I am hoping to invite a couple of family's over for dessert on Monday and then do it every other week or so to get to know more people in the word. It seems like we are here to stay at least if it is up to Codey, and the fact is there are is not a hole lot of moving in and out in this ward as you would find anywhere else so we better make some friends.

There are a couple of guys that Codey already thinks he is going to like, one wants to talk hunting all the time and the other one want to go camping so we'll see if it pans out.

April is almost over!

Wow! This month has gotten away from me.
We found out a few things about Codey's accident, Codey ran the red light but we still haven't really found anything out about the insurance yet. Codey did find a car it only took about a week and in the meantime a guy from work let him borrow his mom's car until he found one.

So over spring brake we went to the Zoo, to the movie the Life of Pi ans to Classic skating it was pretty fun but we still hang out at home a lot too.

Sunday Codey ordained Trenton to the office of Elder, he did a really good job. Then we went over to Mom's for Cade and Bridger's Birthday dinner.

Cash has been sick so now he is standing here screaming at me so I better stop what I am doing and take care of him..

Yesterday!

5:20 am Codey left for work, 5:30 am Codey gets in an accident and rolled his car, 6:30 am Codey walks in the door all this time I am laying in bed trying to go back to sleep after being woken up by his alarm at 4:30 am.
What!!!

Not a good day.

Know not at all. Codey is very sore but otherwise  fine. He crawled out of his window while his car was upside down in a gas station parking lot. Oh after being hit by someone saying she didn't run the red light and hit him,  his car after being hit while going down hill flipped and flew over an 12 embankment and landed on its roof,  mean while Codey's head is telling him,
 this IS going to HURT!

Now we are out of a car, insurance is not going to pay, and I want to get a layer. And I am having some not good feelings towered the lady since in my eyes is lieing about running a red light.

So there you go, and happy spring break. we get to sit around all week with know car since Codey has to get to work. Yay for us.