Happy Father's Day...

... to the two greatest men I know.

"By divine design, fathers

are to preside over their families in love and righteousness

and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and

protection for their families." 

                                                                               --The Family A Proclamation To The World

I love you Dad!

I love you Sweetheart!

Thank you  for taking your responsibilities as fathers seriously.  

You are both wonderful men and fathers. 

Christmas, Moments 151-161

151.  Christmas!  

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.  As you can see from the picture Santa did come, and he brought me a new camera!  Hurrah!  The one I had been wanting, but didn't even dare hope for.  In all of my excitement Christmas morning over my new camera I didn't take many pictures.  I know that sounds very weird.  You would think I would have more pictures than ever, but I was so enthralled with trying to figure out how it worked that I didn't work it much.  Haha! 


Some of my favorite things about Christmas this year were:
153.  Caroling with our friends.
154.  Making goodies and delivering them with friends.
155.  Listening to Christmas music with the kids.  They love it as much as I do.
156.  Taking the kids shopping for each other.  It is so fun to see how excited they get picking out things they just know their brother or sister will like.
157.  Acting out the Christmas Story from the Bible on Christmas Eve while Shawn read it aloud.
158.  Focusing on my Savior more.
159.  Helping Santa Christmas Eve.
160.  Going to Church Christmas morning.
161.  Having Christmas dinner with Shawn's family Christmas night.

Family New Year Predictions

 With all of the predictions that people are making about the upcoming year we thought it would be fun to make some predictions of our own.

Jarom:  "Someone in our family will break a bone."

Logan:  "Dad will go bald and mom will go gray."

Katie:  "We'll get a million dollars."

Hannah:  "We'll get a horse."

Mya:  "Katie will get in trouble."

Tabetha:  "We'll get to have chocolate chip cookies for breakfast."

Dad:  "Daddy will get a new truck."

Mom:  "Daddy will not get a new truck!

New Year's Eve at Our House

This year, I kicked New Year's Eve off right by sleeping in, and was it ever nice.  

While I was sleeping Shawn got up and took Jarom to the church at 9 a.m. so he clean the building with the other young men in the ward.   Isn't Shawn the sweetest for letting me sleep in.  He is always doing wonderful things like that for me.  

For breakfast, I made the most wonderful egg sandwiches on whole grain english muffins with homemade guacamole.  MMMMMmmmm!  If I do say so myself.

At 5:30 we went to our friends house to celebrate the New Year with fireworks and hot chocolate.

We now interrupt this blog post for an Alaska Living Lesson

Alaska Living Lesson:  In Alaska we don't really do fireworks on the 4th of July because it is broad daylight all night, and so... it really isn't that much fun.  Because of that, New Year's Eve is the big night for fireworks around here.   The good thing about doing fireworks in the winter is that by 3:30 in the afternoon it's dark so you don't have to wait until 10 p.m. to light them off.  The bad thing is, however, that it is cold on New Year's Eve, really cold.  And when I say really cold I mean like -32 degrees cold., because that's how cold  it really was last night.   We were dressed head to toe in our winter gear with only our eyes poking out, and even then we were shivering after 5 minutes.   So, while the children did enjoy lighting sparklers,  most of them didn't last very long outside and opted to enjoy the majority of the fireworks from inside.  

After the fireworks, we said good-bye to our wonderful friends and headed home.  Shawn took Tabetha into town to the youth church dance and then stopped off at the store for chips and dip, because, as Logan informed me, chips and dip is now a New Year's Eve tradition at our house because that's what we ate last New Year's Eve.  Our favorite dip is a block of cream cheese with salsa poured over it.  Really healthy... NOT, but it tastes really good.
We spent the rest of the evening playing games.   Apples to Apples, and Pitt were the starting attractions, because they can be enjoyed by all.   At 11:30 we sent the little girls off to bed and then the big kids (Shawn and I included) played cards.  Our card game of choice, back alley.  Shawn and Jarom won, but Logan and I put up a good fight, especially since it was Logan's first time playing.
After our card game was over things got  really silly.  We started  making jokes and saying things like, "I'm going to bed, I haven't slept a wink since last year," and, "are you going to eat that.  It's so old it's from last year," or, "the little girls have been asleep since last year."  The one that really got me laughing was, "Wow, we started this card game last year, and we just finished."

Fact:  There is a genetic defect in the female line of my family that makes everything said seem 10 times funnier if it is said after 12:00 at night.  This defect partially explains the extreme amount of laughing that was done by me on New Year's Eve.  

Happy New Year everyone!

P.S.  This year I'm not making New Year's resolutions I'm doing this instead.

The True Spirit of Christmas

This gets me every time!  

 

Tree Trimming & A Link-up

Moments 133-143

133.

134-139

140.

141.  I love this picture.  Did you ever do this when you
were a kid?  I did.

142.

143.

Elf Yourself, It's A Family Tradition

I know this is the moment you have been waiting for all year, the Lowry Family Elf Yourself videos.  

Okay, maybe you don't look forward to them all year, but I do, and my kids definitely do.  This year we elfed my sister-in-law and her family first and we laughed and laughed.  It was funny to see the new baby breakdancing and to see Grammy hip-hopping to the beat.  By the time we got to our own family videos last night, we were all pretty tired so it wasn't as hilarious as it usually is, but we enjoyed it none the less. 

Hahahahaha!  This year we decided to add our dog Shelby, and my brother and sister-in-law's dog Winston, whom we are presently dog sitting, to the videos.  You may remember Winston, he has been here before.  

These videos will be watched no less then 849,029,380,598,029,830,950,293,850,982 times by my children in the next 30 days, guar-an-teed!

Thanksgiving Moments 121-127

To start off with, I thought I would share with you the secret I discovered today for having a really great Thanksgiving dinner.  Are you ready?  Okay, here is the secret, lots and lots of butter.  
Siimple, really, but oh, so true.  Am I right, or am I right?

121.  All my kids were such good helpers today!  It was 
wonderful!

122.  All day, I kept hearing Jarom say, "I love Thanksgiving."

123.  Chocolate and Peanut butter always makes me happy.

124.  My homemade rolls turned out fabulous, and so did my turkey.

 The only major catastrophe I had today was that I put the yams in the oven on broil to brown the marshmallows, and I stepped away from the oven too long.  When I got back, the marshmallows were black on top.  I panicked at first, and then I just picked the burned ones off and put new marshmallows on.  No one even knew. 

125.  Shawn's sister, husband and 7 children joined us for dinner.
 Their youngest is just a few weeks old, and boy is he a cutie.
I thought maybe I could offer her 20 bucks for him.
We do sort of need another baby around this house.  

126.  Shawn's mom, aka. Grammy, also joined us, and boy are
 we ever glad we have her.  She sure can make some
 meeeeaaaan pie.  Oh, and her gravy is fabulous too.  

127.  After the turkey had been taken out of the oven, and we were putting the final touches on dinner, the kids would poke their heads into the kitchen to see how things were coming along, if we had carved the turkey yet, and how much longer it was going to be?  It was fun to see how excited they were. 

I really had a wonderful, relaxing day.  It was so nice in fact, I kept thinking I must have forgotten something really big that I should be making or doing.  But, as far as I know, I didn't forget anything important and we had a great Thanksgiving Day.  Hope you did too.


Check back tomorrow to see what we did for fun after dinner.  Believe me, you do not want to miss this.  

100 Things I am Thankful For

“In every thing give thanks” (1 Thes. 5:18)

I am thankful for:

1.      A loving Heavenly Father

2.       My Savior Jesus Christ

3.       The Most Wonderful Husband in the World

4.       6 Terrific Kids

5.       Family

6.       Friends

7.       Our Home

8.       The Restored Gospel

9.       Love

10.   My Health

11.   Healthy Family

12.   Freedom

13.   Knowledge

14.   My Testimony

15.   Temples

16.   Fantastic Parents

17.   Music

18.   Art

19.   Great Books

20.   The Holy Ghost

21.   A Living Prophet

22.   Forgiveness

23.   Charity

24.   Summer

25.   Spring

26.   Fall

27.   Sunlight

28.   Our dog, Shelby

29.   Chap stick

30.   Contact lenses

31.   Scriptures

32.   Answered Prayers

33.   Unanswered Prayers

34.   Washing Machine

35.   Dryer

36.   Microwave

37.   Telephone

38.   Ipod

39.   Homeschool

40.   Book club

41.   Make-up

42.   Warm showers

43.   Candles

44.   My Crockpot

45.   Homemade Bread

46.   Date night

47.   Airplane travel

48.   Internet

49.   Piano

50.   A reliable vehicle

51.   Chocolate

52.   Ice Cream

53.   Wood stove

54.   Flowers

55.   Nature

56.   Rainy days

57.   Snow

58.   Italian Food

59.   Chinese Food

60.   Family Vacations

61.   Sticky notes

62.   Vacuum

63.    Callings in church

64.    God's Tender Mercies

65.   My camera

66.   Modern Medicine

67.   Good Teachers

68.   People who stand up for what’s right

69.   Fingernail clippers

70.   My Kitchen Aide

71.   Beautiful Sunsets

72.   Second chances

73.   My bed

74.   Toothbrush

75.  Truth

76.   My talents

77.   Hugs

78.   Kisses

79.   Good Memories

80.   Laughter

81.   Goals

82.   Hard Work

83.   Sleeping Children

84.   Holidays

85.   Fresh vegetables from the garden

86.   Birds chirping

87.   Hard times that have made me stronger and better

88.   Stars in the night sky

89.   Babies

90.   Family Home Evenings

91.   Electricity

92.   Thunder and Lightening

93.   Beautiful Sunsets

94.   Miracles

95.   Wonderful Grandparents

96.   Faith

97.   Hope

98.   A great childhood

99.   Clothes &Shoes

100.    Blog Comments

Happy Thanksgiving!

What have the Lowrys been doing lately?

Just a bit of


this

and that

and a little of this

Still Reading!

I'm happy to say I'm still reading and am still on schedule to have the 4 gospels read by Christmas!  (To see my schedule click here) 

"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn:  for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek:  for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:  for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful:  for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart:  for they shall see God.  

Blessed are the peacemakers:  for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."  (Matthew 5:1-11)

"Now, when he came high to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man, carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow:  and much people of the city was with her. 

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

And he came and touched the bier:  and they that bare him stood still.  And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise."

"And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.  And he delivered him to his mother."  (Luke 7:12-15)  

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 

And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment."

"And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven...Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."

(Luke 7:37-38, 48, 50)

Day 4: They Forsook All, and Followed Him

Thursday, Day 4:  Matthew 4; Luke 4-5; John 1: 35-51

"Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."

"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan:  for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."  (Matthew 4: 8-10)

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up:  and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.  

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias.  And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

"And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down.  

And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4: 14-21)

"And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea:  for they were fishers.  

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him."

"And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James ... and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.  

And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him."  (Matthew 4: 18-22)

Next:  Friday , Day 5:  John 2-4;  Mark 2; John 5

Day 3: For Thus it Becometh Us to Fulfill All Righteousness

Wednesday, Day 3: Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1:15-34

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.  Then he suffered him."

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  (Matthew 3: 13-17)

To find out more about baptism click here 

Next:  Thursday, Day 4: Luke 4-5;  Matthew  4;  John 1: 35-51
P.S.   I have tweaked the schedule  for today and tomorrow a bit from what it originally was

Day 2 For Unto You is Born This Day a Savior

Tuesday Day 2: Luke 2; Matthew 2

"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."  (Luke 2: 6-7)

Simon Dewey

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And , lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid."

"And the angel said unto them, Fer not:  for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.   For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."  (Luke 2: 8-11)

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem,...behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. (Matthew 2:1-2)

The Holy Men by Liz Lemon Swindle

"And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."  (Matthew 2:11)

“And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit” by Walter Rane

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."  (Luke 2:52)

Wednesday Day 3: Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1:15-34:    

Day 1 Blessed Art Thou

Monday Day 1:  Luke 1; John 1:1-14; Matthew 1

Blessed Art Thou among Women, by Walter Rane

“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin … ; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:  blessed art thou among women.

 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

 And the angel said unto her,  Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest” (Luke 1:26-32)

Tuesday:  Day 2 --  Luke 2; Matthew 2