WinterWonderLAnd

Today we got our first official snowfall. It started this morning while Mike was taking the boys to school and has continued all day. I have taken pictures throughout the day to show the progression of the snow. It now looks like Christmas on our street. It is still snowing and doesn't look like it is going to stop anytime soon.

at 11am this morning

At 4 pm this afternoon

The rest of these were at 6:30 tonight..

It's beginning to look like Christmas

When we moved into our neighborhood we knew that they got into the holidays, however we didn't realize just how into Christmas our street got. There isn't a house on our street that isn't decked out for the holidays, ours included. Here are some pictures of our street, granted these are before the entire street was done but you get the idea...

This is our house..

Mat's b-day Party FINALLY

On Saturday we FINALLY had his birthday party considering the fact that his birthday is in SEPTEMBER. It was really small, he only had 3 friends come over, however he had NO CLUE that they were coming over. I wish that I had had a camera on me when they walked in behind me carrying birthday presents.

Here are some pictures from the party...

Playing Transformers Monopoly...They had a blast.

Blowing out the candles...the cake was a last minute purchase that the lady at the bakery was kind enough to make into a birthday cake for me.

10 Years Ago

10 years ago I gave into the nagging of my best friend Cherry and went to a pot luck dinner to meet this guy that she swore was perfect for me. When I finally got there and met him I thought oh he is kinda cute. We talked and then went to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, where he sat almost in my lap. We then went over to Cherry's house and played games and talked and he LIED all night long. 4 Days later we went on our first solo date. And that was it. I knew 3 days later that this was it for me.

Today as we went out and about we talked about what made us fall in love with each other, why it happened so fast. For each of us it was different things, but the one thing we knew for certain is that we would spend the rest of our lives together.



10 years ago at Dana Point California



2 months ago in Albuquerque NM

Surgery has been scheduled

So my surgery has been scheduled for Tuesday December 9th. I am having about 2" of the nerve in my foot taken out. Hopefully this will correct the problem, if not I have to have another surgery.

Turkey Campout

The week-end before Thanksgiving our ward has a Turkey Campout for all the men and their boys. This was the first year that Mike and the boys were able to go and they had a blast....well other than the fact that at 3am Mat woke Mike up because he was freezing and so they went and sat in the car. All in all they had a great time. Mike, Mik and Mat

They had a great turn out like always. As this was the 10th annual Turkey Campout and our ward has been split at least 4 times since we have lived here, there are usually at least 3 wards.

Playing football, Mat was in his element, as he loves anything to do with sports

Mik and soccer, what a surprise.

Mik and his good friend Mike

Oh look Mat is roasting a marshmellow, color us surprised.

Mike with Brother Lamb, Chad Brady (my foot doctor) and Phil Low.

Where there is fire there is Mike.

Poor Idryll

Poor Idryll, her absolute favorite place to be is next to me, especially when I am sitting down and working on the computer. Before we moved into the house she was always on laying at my feet while I was on the computer, however since we have moved she has been unable to do this.

The other day I was sitting on the couch and had the computer in lap and she climbed into my lap under the computer, she had cozied herself up under the computer and was in my lap...

I wish that I could get a picture of it..maybe next time.

Foot Update

I went back to the doctor yesterday, and got another cortizon shot. My foot wasn't and still isn't happy. If this shot doesn't work before I go back in on the 1st then I will be having foot surgery, to remove that portion of the nerve. As it is at the very tip of my foot, the only part that will be affected is in between my two toes. I told the doctor that I am not one to put off surgery if it is the best option, so if the nerve hasn't gotten better in the next two weeks, then out it comes.

It is a good thing that I am planning on having all my Christmas shopping for family done by the 5th as I have to ship it, and Mike knows what to get the boys from us.

Hanging of the Cards

I was going through all the pictures that are on the computer and I found this one from last year. I also realized that because I joined a couple of Christmas Card Exchange groups I have twice as many cards to hang on the ribbon this year. Which means that Mike has that many more cards to hang this year. I guess I had better go dig out the ribbon and the cards and get started on them.

The next Emril and the next Picasso

Ever since he was 3 Mat has loved to cook, and be in the kitchen. If we are baking or cooking dinner he is right there with his apron on cooking. By the time he was 6 he could cook his own mac and cheese and ramon noodles.

Two weeks ago we had our ward's trunk or treat and everybody made a dessert. Mat decided that he was going to make his favorite cookies pumpkin cookies from scratch (scratch being that we buy a pumpkin and make the puree from it). He made it all by himself, all I did was read the recipe to him.

He was so proud of those cookies and very mad that they were all gone by the time he got to the dessert table. I sampled them and I can tell you that they were in fact very good. He has asked to help make Thanksgiving Dinner and if he can make a pie.

So be prepared Emril Mat is a coming...

From the time that Mik discovered art he has been obsessed with it. All he does is draw. He would come into my classroom and draw the most detailed cartoon's on my boards.

He now has several how to draw books and can be found drawing, anything from dragons to ariplanes to battlefields complete with tanks and jets.

He has discovered my art supplies from when I used to draw and has completely taken them over. Crayoons, markers, colored pencils, they have all been taken over by him. It is so bad that we are painting his room so that he can draw on the walls.

So move Picasso and Monet there is a new artist in town.

Twilight Quiz

Okay so I will probably go and see this in the theatres...My girlfriend Christie had this on her blog and so I took the quiz...I honestly can't remember who Esme is.

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

I have a lot to catch up...

Ok so I am a slacker and haven't updated in a while. That is my goal for this week. So bear with me as I go through all the pictures and catch up the blog....

Also I want to remind everyone to vote tomorrow.

Dang it Oprah

I don't normally watch Oprah, however I recorded it today. It was all about the miracle children that she has had on her show and where they are now. She then showed this video about a little boy that has touched so many lives without ever saying a word., I missed it and the boys made me rewind it, so I did and then we all sat here and cried. The boys were crying so hard, you know how sensitive they are, so there we all sat bawling and I was able to turn it into a gospel lesson about the Plan of Salvation and Eternal Families.

As I have no clue how to post a video from the internet onto the blog I am going to give you the link for the video. This is definitely worth viewing so take a few minutes and watch it, I promise you won't regret it...

99 Balloons

The New Family Pictures

The results are in and these are the pictures that we decided on as our pictures for this year.





Isn't our photographer amazing. We have more pictures coming, but these are the ones that are in so far.

Our Brave Boy

So Mat had his annual check-up for his kidney today. Because we have been seeing the surgeon and not just the pediatrician he ordered the complete round of tests. Mat wasn't very happy about it, however they needed to see exactly how his body is working. He was so brave, he had an ultra sound that he was utterly fascinated by, and then the big test, the one where they insert a cathader and watch his bladder, this one hurts like HELL, and he lost it as soon as he saw the room. However this time the nurses numbed the entry hole so he didn't feel it. Also the doctor has a son the same age as Mat and so she knew how to treat him. This time it wasn't as tramatic for him.

Can I just say that from the time we started this whole thing till today the technology has improved so much. We were able to see every part of his body today in the test. It was so clear that the one thing we didn't want to see we saw.

We watched as the urine washed back up into his kidney. We were so hoping that he had out grown this, however he hasn't. So what does all this mean? It means that some time in the next couple of months, probably December Mat is going to be having major surgery.

He will be in the hosptial for at least 7 days, and then be out of school for at least 3 weeks. So after all of this I can see why my license had issues, why it had delays. Because I am needed at home. I guess Heavenly Father knows what he is doing. As much as I want to teach and keep my job, I am needed at home with my other job that of Mom.

And I am out of a job

So I found out yesterday that my license won't be in by the deadline. I was missing a class in my masters program. They have known about this for over a week and yet have sent me nothing. I found out because I called the State to find out what was going on with my license as my deadline is Friday, and they informed me of this. So while I was on the phone with them I checked my University and guess what they offer this class, however it isn't in my degree program.

I called the University immediately after I hung up with the State, and within 15 minutes they had completely rearranged my schedule for me to take this class starting next week. They are also faxing proof that I am in the class to the State, so hopefully I will get my license in the next couple of weeks.

Unfortunately the umbrella that I have been working under expires. So I have no clue what is going to happen.

Veteran's Pictures

I am in a choir that is putting on a huge Veteran's Concert next month, we do this every year and every year it gets bigger and bigger. We have a goal of having over 1000 pictures of veterans, with that being said I know that there are a lot of bloggers that have Veterans in their families, and I would LOVE to have their pictures. it doesn't have to be from the Iraq War, we have pictures going all the way back to the war of 1812.

So if you are willing and have the time, dig through your pictures and if you have a picture of them in uniform (any kind of military uniform), email me the picture with their name, rank, branch and if they served during war which one and where i.e. WWII Pacific, or WWII Europe. Also pictures of Units will be great also, just make sure put where they were and what time period it was.

My email address is mhsandsfamily@gmail.com . PLEASE NO SPAM MAIL!!

We always have a mixture of veterans, and they really appreciate the effort that we put into honoring them.

Boys Baptism

On Saturday October 11, 2008 Mikhail and Matheu were baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was an eventful day. Here are the pictures for those that were unable to come. There are a lot more pictures that were taken, however if I was to post them all this would be a really long post. These were the most important, there is one picture missing and that is Oh the boys and their cousin Maddy, for some reason I can't pull it off my camera.

Mike. Heather, Mikhail and Matheu

Mik and Mat


Mik


Mat

Mike and the Boys

Heather and the Boys


Three Generations of Sands Boys

With Grandma and Grandpa Sands

URG!!! Cable Company

So we have been playing the run around game with the cable company since we moved. They have been telling us that we won't be able to have our cable turned on until the 9th, as that is when they will be turning off the service here for the previous renters.

I just got off the phone with the cable company and found out that they will be turning off the service here from the previous people tomorrow, HOWEVER they can't schedule the appointment to come turn on our service UNTIL FRIDAY!! So what does this mean for us, NO T.V. INTERNET OR PHONE FOR 5 DAYS!!!!

Can we say that I am irritated. It is a good thing that I can transfer my home phone to my cell phone.

This doesn't solve the problem of the fact that we have people coming to town this week-end and no t.v. or internet. Let alone the fact that I have a paper due on Saturday that I now have to write today.

Oh well I guess we'll actually have to talk to each other and visit.

Baby Megan in the hospital

So for all those that know Jon, his new baby is in the NICU and will be for the next 2-4 weeks. Her lungs aren't quite developed and she has an infection. She had a spinal tap today to determine where and why the infection.

So please keep them in your prayers. I will update this as Jon updates me, however we know how Jon is about information right:)

2 new babies

So both my brother Jon and Mike's brother Kerwin's wives have had their babies and that leaves only Kim left pregnant.

Jon and Stephanie's baby Megan Adelaide (hmm wonder where he got that name, Australia perhaps what a way to remember your mission) is in the NICU, she was born early and they aren't sure about her lung development. She was born last night, Jon hasn't sent pictures of her yet.

Kerwin and Angela named their little girl ZoeLynn, and she is home and doing well.

A temple in Rome

When I went on my mission more than 10 years ago, wow has it been that long? It must be as my kids are getting baptized this next week-end.

Anyways back on topic.

So I was watching what I could of Conference last night as the internet was being stupid. I was able to watch President Monson's talk yesterday morning when he talked about dedicating the temples and then announced 5 new ones.

Calgary Canada
Kansas City Area
Philadelphia
and are you ready for it
Rome Italy.

The smile on his face was huge as he waited for that bit of news to sink in, and the reaction of the members. Can we say shock. How many of us ever thought that there would ever be a temple in Italy let alone Rome.

If everything goes according to plan and on schedule when I take my Italian III students to Italy I will be able to sneak in a session. I can't think of anything better.

Something Missing Today

As we went about our day today I had this feeling like something was missing, something was off, and it was. I look forward to General Conference, all year. I love to be able to listen to the Prophet's voice and to be spiritually fed, and because of the move we were unable to watch or rather listen to Conference today, and won't be able to watch tomorrow either, as our cable won't be turned on till the 9th. I was finally able to get it online about 5 minutes ago. So now I am going to listen sit here and listen to Conference and work on my lesson plans for this next week and the week after.

President Monson is talking so I am going to stop writing and listen to his words. I love to hear his voice. There is nothing like hearing the words of the Modern Prophet.

Finally Pictures of the house

The front of our house


If you look closely you can see that I have already decorated for halloween


Our room and HUGE walk in closet, the closet is the size of the kitechen and dining room in the apartment, to give you perspective, our friend Peter claims that the bedroom has its own zipcode


We ran out of bookcases and so this is where Mike and I's books are till we get some more, we think that we need 5 tall bookcases and we should be good.






Mik and Mat's room, take a guess at whos' is who's


My nice big kitchen and dining room


The family room, this room flows into the kitchen and dining room


My living room, it is huge, I so need furniture


Part of the back yard, my boys love the trampoline.

So there you have it, our home. We are loving being in it.