I'm Thankful

2012

☆

I am

thankful for

One incredible year.

I am thankful for my faith

I am thankful for my Savior

I am thankful for the atonement

I am thankful for my forever family

I am thankful for my extended family

(Side note~I am SO thankful for my husband)

I am thankful for the scriptures and scripture study

I am thankful for Brandon, Jayda, BrookLynn, & Bane

I am thankful that I know that there is more to life than life

I am thankful for the opportunities that my family has had this year

I am thankful for the wonderful people in my life that I can call dear friends

I am thankful for the birth of a child and the sweet passing of an elderly Great~Grandma

I am so grateful for two vehicles that run well and a roof  over~head that protects my family

I am thankful for service

I am thankful for My Love

As I was creating this post and started listing things that I am thankful for I decided mid-post to try to make it look like a Christmas tree. To make it look progressive I had to rearrange some of the lines and it was interesting to see what rose to the top..

I hope that all of my friends and family have a Happy Thanksgiving NEXT week and have a happy holiday season! 

My Great-Grandma

Martha Elizabeth Wines

March 15, 1917~ October 29, 2012

95 years young

My sweet Great-Grandma passed away on October 29th in the early morning hours in her sleep. She was one of the most amazing people I have ever met. 

She lived in my hometown of Las Vegas and when she got sick we had the opportunity to travel down to her  bedside and tell her goodbye. Two weeks later she passed. It is such a bittersweet thing. Bitter because I love her and I don't want to miss her. Sweet because she was ready, she is home, she is not lonely, and she is where she wants to be. 

The services were held in Las Vegas on the 3rd of November. It was a nice service. I loved that there were jokes,  laughing, and that people remembered such a wonderful person. We all remembered her the same way. Sweet to everyone, a perfectionist, a lady, and didn't take crap from anyone. :) Quite a woman.

I have 5 generation pictures with all of my kids. (My Great-Grandma, my Grandma, My Mom, Me, and My child) My Great-Grandma was a toddler in another 5 Generation pic. She has seen 9 generations.

 Her 90th birthday with my mom and my uncle Craig

Thanksgiving 2010

Her beautiful Funeral November 3, 2012

(Dad, Brandon, Craig, Frank, Jared, Justin, & Rich)

Halloween 2012

Halloween is such a fun time for us.
We had to decide who was going to be what..

Bane~ I wasn't too concerned with him being anything because he is just 3 months and I really needed to focus on the other costumes.. BUT.. 

EVERYONE has commented on Bane's name because the Batman movie just came out and I guess Bane is a villain in the movie so we got many comments. :)

SO here is BATMAN for Halloween

He didn't go trick-or-treating but he sure was cute!

BrookLynn was a very cute lamb. The fun thing about her costume is that Jay wore it 2 years ago and I wore it when I was 3. :) I won't say how long ago that was..

Jayda saw a Wonder Woman costume on TV and she couldn't shake the itch.. I don't think that she even knows who Wonder Woman is.. But she absolutely made the cutest!!

Brandon always has an incredible costume thanks to his dad, Matt. Matt is a very good artist and apparently a good sewer as well! Brandon decided to be the Batman villain  Scarecrow. It was AMAZING! I wonder how long Matt and his girlfriend, Danielle, spent creating this incredible costume! 

Brandon went with his friends Trick-or-Treating and Jared took Brookie and Jay. I stayed home with my Mom, Dad, Gina, and Bane! (Jared built an arc-reactor (SP) from scratch and went as Iron man. It lit up and everything. He is incredible!)

It was a fantastic day! Such a great holiday!! 

F-R-I-E-N-D-S

I needed to put a spot in this blog about my friends. I am so grateful for the people in my life. My acquaintances, friends, and close friends. I've felt for a long time that I have many friends but no besties until recently. I have the greatest friends and the most wonderful people in my life that make me feel so special and important.

I love it when my friend calls and we go to lunch or she just comes over to hang out. Or to come over to watch a show.

I am so rich in family and so rich in friends.

  

Back To School (August 2012)

I couldn't believe it was already that time..
(I hate being behind on my blog!)

BACK TO SCHOOL!

Brandon leaving for his first day of 6th grade! When did I get old enough to have a 6th grader??

Bittersweet!! BrookLynn's first day of preschool! I couldn't believe that my baby girl was old enough to go to school! What a big girl!! :)

Jayda is such a great poser in pictures!! My little Kindergartner. These are the best times of my life! :) 

Our Summer Part Four

Bane Ryan Raulston

August 2, 2012

7lbs. 12oz.

He was born just 5 days after our sealing at the Mt Timponogos Temple! He was perfect!

Labor and delivery was a very smooth process and we both we perfectly healthy!

Jared, Aubrey, Gina, and my Mom were in the room while I delivered. It was a very spiritual wonderful experience. 

Right after Bane was handed to me..  We met and it was love at first sight.

Daddy and his new little man

Brandon and his little brother

Jayda and her little brother..

BrookLynn meeting her little brother..

Great Grandma & Grandpa Raulston

Aunt Jamie & Cousins, Eden (two pics above) & Jack

Grandma Raulston & Bane

Beautiful Aunt Jaycee 

Grandpa Raulston & Bane

Great Grandma & Grandpa Orme

Gorgeous Aunt Bekkah

Proud Grandpa Herrera

Uncle Justin & Gorgeous Aunt Whitney

Beautiful Aunt Sjanna

Gorgeous Aunt Baylee

I just realized that the women who stayed with me through labor evaded pictures! I don't know how that happened.. But my Mom, Gina, and Aubrey were there the whole time! :) 
It was a blessed time and Bane has been such a sweet tender blessing to our family.