DONE

It is offical, my husband is home with me and done with tech school!!!! I am so happy, life is so much better with him around!!!
The graduation was exciting (Nikki liked the echo the room made, so she wasnt quiet for a second) and it was great to meet the guys Randy has been spending all his time with for the last 7 months. I am just so glad he is home!!! YAY!

Service

This season is wonderful!!! I am enjoying it all, except the fact that when I get my husband back has now become unsure. I have had the opportunity to participate in service for my family and friends, but I have also witness greater services that have really been answers to prayers. It fills my heart with gratitude to know a friend is struggling, and they are between tears and prayers, and someone (I honestly don't know who) dropped a large sum of money off on their door step. To be so in tune to the spirit to have answered such a large prayer. How wonderful that is.
We are doing 2 Christmas Chains, one requires a service from each child before the end of the day, and the other is reading bits of the Christmas story, and prophecies of Christ birth each day. I am LOVING this. my house is so much stronger with the spirit. The kids are looking and excited for service, and I hate to admit we are for the first time reading scriptures nightly.
Christmas is truly not about receiving gifts. I love to give them, and they are nice, but to give, and give something needed.... that is Christmas.

Chrsitmas

I am so excited for Christmas this year. Randy will be here, we move (again) and... it is CHRSITMAS!!! I love watching my girls be so excited. They are planning Jesus' birthday party, and are so excited. They also know that Daddy will be home, and that encourages even more excitement.

We have been talking alot about service, and how that is more important then receiving this Christmas. Becuase of this Kimber has starting going through her toys to decided which toys will go to which friend. I really don't know if I will actually let her give all her toys away, but I know we are planning on a trip to the store to pick out a gift for toys for tots.

We decorated last night, all but the tree. I loved watching them wake up so excited to see everything, I can hardly wait for Christmas morning.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and a very Merry Christmas!!!

What a Day

Arg!! Life can be so frustrating. I mean, most things are great. Nikki is out of diapers, the girls have been very well behaved. I have been able to see randy 3 times in 6 weeks, but... I just seem to be overwhelmed by everything!

They changed our PCS base from Holloman to Nellis. It will be fun, great LDS community, lots of things to do and see, plus we are close to family, and not far from visiting the beach in California. But Las Vegas is still HUGE, and I have lots of schools to choose from, plus definite areas of town I need to stay away from. On top of all of this, no actual papers, so I still cant figure out HOW we are going to be moving there, and what my timeline is for any of this. I just know 29 days until Randy is done with tech school.

Another frustration today is my car keeps not starting. We have an idea of what it is, but it is something Randy could do, but not from where he is. I just finished paying off my credit cards, and now... I just fee like I cant get ahead.

BUT... I do know that the Lord is there for me. I am in a place that I would not be without prayer, and he has not and will not abandon me.

proud parent moment!

Kimber can sing all of "I am trying to be like Jesus"!!! It is my favorite song, and a couple of months ago she asked, so I sang it for her. She since then request me to sing it almost every night. Tonight she sang it to me.

I wont so desperately for her to understand the song, and really apply it to her life. There are so many thing to teach her, but I think this song is one of the most important. The most is taught in the song "I am a Child of God."

I have such a testimony of music, and I love music. I know how it can change the mood of a room, and how it can bring such joy.

I'm trying to be like Jesus, I'm following in his way.

I'm trying to love as He did, in all that I do and say.

At times I am tempted to make the wrong choice

but the Spirit whispers with a still small voice saying,

"Love one another as Jesus loves you,

try to so kindness in all that you do.

Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,

for these are the things Jesus taught."

Album fall 2010, by anna neff

I'd like to share my Walmart Digital Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

The other Night:

We were in a hotel the night before we drove from Texas to Kansas. Kimber decide to spew her stomach contents allover her bed 3 different times. We didn't mind, it was easy to clean, and remake the bed. But because of this the girls were up rather late (11:30ish).

At 11 we were trying to get Nikki to lay down while Kimber laid in bed with me. Randy was trying to rationalize how late it was with the now hyper Nikki. "Do you know is it 11? Bedtime is at 8, so now it is 3 hours past bed time." Nikki responded with "Uh oh, don't tell mommy." and then still refused to stay in bed.

I love my girls. Kimber finally stopped and slept, and now feels better.

Great Grandpa

Just an update. We are still currently on the road, but today was so special. Today my girls met Great Grandma and Great Grandpa today. They have officially met all living great grandparents! I loved how quickly they warmed up to them. Kimber and I were going through and labeling pictures for them, and every time we crossed a picture of Kimber "Grandpa look at this..." "Grandpa this is when..." It was so cute! Then they loved asking him about his rock collection, and playing with them. Kimber also loved his wood shop. It was so fun. The girls asked for a candy, or soda, or to watch the movie, and Grandpa would say it cost 25 cents, so they would just kiss his check. Totally priceless afternoon!! Pictures to come when I get home!

Joy School

I am so excited. I am starting Joy School with my girls and 4 other kids from our ward. it is 3 families and I really think this will be exciting!

Meieli and I have just spent 2 days making our own Calandars, Weather Chart and other things needed for a preschool setting. I know we spent 10 hours on it, but laying it all out it didn't seem like alot to accomplish in that time. But then I think of all the breaks to take care of the 4 kids: Break up fights, read to them, find solutions, feeding them, and cleaning up after them, and helping them work on "their" projects. So... in 1o hours of work, we did a lot!

I am just so excited!! This is going to be so much fun!

P.S. Randy actually starts school today!!

Counting My Blessings

I was thinking today of how long it has been since I really wrote down all the blessings in my life. I know I cannot possibly write ALL of them, but I wanted to share a list of ones I have really noticed lately.

My Family

My parents have helped me soooo much that last 9 months, and my in-laws let me know we are missed and keep me filled in on what I am missing. They help me when my car gives me issues, they help me with the children, and they ar amazing at telling me to buck up and deal with it when I complain. I love my family

My Husband

He has been gone for over 4 months, we are barely at the half way point, and I know what he has gone through is harder then my life has been. But I love how he still makes me smile when I need him, or just because he can be such a dork. He is my best friend, and I truly do not feel complete unless I am around him.

My Children

They can drive me up the wall, but... I would not trade them for the world. They are amazing, and loving, and are so helpful (when they want to be). I am the luckiest mom in the world! My favorite thing Kimber has done lately - She spells her name KMi and now that she has learned more letters she write it: KMiwzf (the other letters are "just in case")

My house sold when it did

I was looking at the real estate today, just out of curiosity, and I realized that if I tried to sale my house now, I would have been out almost $15,000 dollars. There is no way we could have afforded that. I KNOW the Lord had his hand in the timing of all of this.

Heavenly Father

All of this is his doing, I just know it. Moving, and changing everything. We prayed about it, and I have see his hands in so many places. There are days I want to stop, and go back to the way life was, but I move forward in Faith. I do things I am not sure seems to be the best, but they turn out because I know Heavenly Father cares and is helping me with every step. I don't know where life is taking us, I don't know why we had to make such a big change. I do know that this is where we are supposed to be, without a doubt.

Bug spray

Technology (web cams)

Pools

Fly swatters

Air Conditioning

Craft night

Playgrounds

My GPS

Crock Pots

Cuddles

Anna's Bucket List (a nice small one)

Anna’s Bucket List

So I decided to do this on a challenge of a friend. Let me tell you, this is not easy for me. I am a very practical person. I tend to push things from my mind if I don’t think it is possible. So it took a lot of work to come up with the few that I have.

1. Teach Seminary
2. Be a youth speaker (like Jon Bytheway)
3. Be a Girls Camp Director
4. Perform one night on Broadway
5. Write a musical for the church
6. Do a session in all USA LDS temples (No Complaints about visiting foreign ones)
a. Only 4 done so far, but I have visited grounds of 7 others and done baptisms and gone to a wedding in 3 others
7. Serve a Mission with my husband
8. Go on a 25th Anniversary cruise in the Mediterranean, and then spend another 2 weeks traveling Europe
9. Be that old couple that younger couples dream of being 50 years down the road
10. Teach College
11. Teach high school
12. TEACH!
13. Get my masters in something
14. Visit all seven continents
a. Have 5 to go
15. Hike to the top of Pioneer Peak (this has evaded me a couple of times)
16. Teach my children to love: The church, Music, the outdoors as much as I do
17. Teach my children to love and respect others for similarities and differences
Things I have done that were goals:
1. Marry my best friend
2. Get married in the Anchorage Temple (I made this a goal 2 years before the announced the building of it)
3. Have children
4. Go to college near my Grandparents
5. Spend a summer camping
6. Be in a musical (I was in 2)
7. Not kiss until I was 18 (made it to 19, and my husband is the only man I have ever kissed)


So here you have it, I am not very original, and I can’t seem to think of many impossible ones, but these are my goals. Maybe as I get older I can get more creative and add to it!

What fun...

This week nothing too exciting happened. We had lots of friends over and kept busy, but I wanted to share some fun highlights.

The girls decided it was time to bury each other. Since I would not let them go play in the sand (cleaned enough of that up this week), they used creativity and ALL the shoes they could find.

Also, the weather cooled down this week (we got into the low 60's). I wanted to open my window and let some fresh air in, but I never got that far. I found this sand toad sitting inside my window... yes, I screamed when it jumped at me... I also washed all my bed linens and moved all furniture around to vacuum. I don't mind frogs and toads, but not when they are loose inside my bedroom.

Nikki loves, loves, LOVES horses. Today she decided she wanted to go for a ride, so she used a toy horse. look carefully, you can see it, I promise!

It is Raining!

I woke up this morning to gray skies, and was so happy about it. Besides 2 storms (on in Mississippi and one on Friday) I have only seen sunny skies for quite a while. I love the sun, but it was getting discouraging keep the grass and flowers watered, cause i would water them in the morning, and by evening they already looked like they were dried up again. Rain is so rejuvenating (sorry Alaska, 28 days of rain in a row can be depressing).

Well, Randy is on his last week at Keesler. He leaves on Thursday to go to Sheppard AFB in Texas for an unknown length of time. We do know he has 19.5 weeks of classes (20 weeks means the military will let us live together while he goes). But in that 19.5 weeks we have Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years... We also deal with the possibility of AFI (awaiting further instructions), this means his classes may be put on hold and he does details on base until they decide to start his classes. We have 3 chances of this happening, so that can delay us for an unknown amount of time. So... Anytime between January and March (if we are lucky) we should PCS. I am hoping to know where we are going by Thanksgiving... but... we are standing by to stand by.

I did learn that they are closing the base in New Mexico that we could have been assigned to. So now there are only 4 bases that we can go to. I really don't care were we would go. All 4 of the bases have pros and cons, I just want to have my family together again. I really don't know how my Army friends and Marine Friends can handle 12 to 18 months apart. We are at the 4 month mark, and I am ready to go crazy.

I am so grateful for my Family, and friends that are so supportive and help where they can. I am grateful for Randy who puts up with my nuttiness, and sends as much support as he can. I am truly blessed.

Babies on the mind

No, I am not pregnant, so no worries. But I wanted to share some of Kimber's thought about expanding the family.

She has placed an order of 2 more sisters (Lindsey and Kandy) and 2 brothers (Alec and Dylan). She came up with the names her self, and is already plotting all kinds of things. Today she was telling me what each one should be for Halloween this year (I don't think an order that big will be completed in time for that Holiday this year). Each girl will be a different princess, including myself and Grandma, and then Daddy, Grandpa and the 2 boys will be matching prince.

Friday I was at a play group and there was a 1.5 week old baby girl. Kimber saw me hold her and asked if that was her new sister. We explained that she already had a mommy, but that wasn't good enough. "Why cant she be my sister?" After I helped load her into her car seat (baby's mom was chasing to older boys) Kimber offered to take her to our car so we could take her home.

I really wonder where she gets these ideas. I know we are not done with our family, but I have not been talking about our plotting and planning with her, so this is all on her own accord. She makes me smile though.

My weekend with Randy!

I flew to Biloxi, and I got to spend 4 days with Randy and NO kids this August! It was amazing! We missed the girls, but it was so nice to spend some quality time together.

We didn't do too much exciting, we were just together! We had lots of possibilities but just played everything by ear. Friday morning I went to a drill meet he was required to go too. It was super hot, but fun. I got to meet some of the guys he spends a lot of his free time with. That afternoon we drove around base and he showed me where he lived, and where he was taking classes. We also enjoyed the sand in our toes at the beach.

Saturday we did drive to Pensacola and go see the Naval Aviation Museum, and spend the afternoon on the beach. It was a lot of fun! A storm came in and so we headed back to the hotel.

Sunday I got to meet his branch (7 people) and the senior missionaries that have taken such good care of him.

All in all, we just spend as much time together as possible. I loved just being cuddled next time him and talking, we talked about everything and nothing. It was so hard to say good bye again. But hopefully now I can see him once a month! I know this is what the lord wants us to do, and I just have to keep having faith it will all work out. But I can't wait for the day when I get to live with my Husband again!

He is SOOO HOT!

the Gals!

Here is a picture of each of the girls that came and played dress up!

Alice


Me


Meilee

Mary

Katherine

6th Anniversary

Randy and I just reached our 6th anniversary. Unfortunately Randy was not here to Celebrate. No worries I went to him, no kids and had a blast (that post coming soon). I did celebrate with friends here!

We decided to play Dress up! We got all done up and did LOTS of glamour shots! Thanks Dad! It was so much fun. It took hours, but we were all laughing about everything. My girls got excited about it too! Kimber and Nikki put dress up dresses on, and posed while Grandpa set up the lights! Kimber also learned about applying make up, she was very colorful!

After we finished pictures (9pm) We went to Olive Garden for dinner. We were all talking and laughing that we didn't notice it had been 1.5 hours and still no dinner. Dinner finally came, and it was free!! Woohoo!!! Then as we were leaving we were whistled at twice! Great night!! Thank you girls for so much fun!

Here are some pictures:



My Dad at work!! We wrapped satin Fabric around us to make it look like we were in fancy gowns!



Distracting Kimber, was something we each took turn doing! Kimber did Alice's Hair!



Me!

My Beautiful girls!

I would love to love to post pictures of my girl friends that came, but they are on my Dad's Camera... so those will come! Thank you so much for the Memories!

4th of July Week- Family Reunion

For the 4th of July My parents, and I went to Utah for a Family Reunion. We went to church and then came home ate lunch and hit the road. Our Goal was to get to a campground west of Denver before it was dark, and that was 8.5 hours away. The drive was beautiful, and the kids did Okay... I guess. My favorite invention for a car is a portable DVD player!! Well, Just outside of Denver there was a HUGE storm cloud.

It looked like an Avalanche. It got darker earlier than normal, and rained and rained and rained. We also got lost in the Mountains trying to find this Campground. So now it was Dark, Foggy, Rainy, and LATE! We finally made it (after I pulled out the GPS) and it was only 11:30pm, plus the rain had stopped. We set up camp in the dark, something I have never done, and quickly made it to bed. In the morning we realized how beautiful of an area we were in, but my wonderful daughters decided that the outdoors was too cold for them, we then soon left and headed for Fayette.

It was so great to See my Grandparents! I think I have some of the most amazing Family in the world!! I loved looking through the Family Histories Grandma was putting together, and also updating all of her photos. We spent one evening at a campground by a creek and had smores and fire roasted hot dogs. Grandpa told stories from when he was a scoutmaster and getting rained out on a Hiking trip, finding cover in an old abandoned barn and then realizing it was FULL of scorpions. It was a wonderful evening!!

The Next Day we went to Bryce Canyon. We stopped at Big Rock Candy Mountain, and floated the Sevier River. We were worried about the kids, but the LOVED IT! Nikki's Favorite spot was sitting on my foot that was in the River.

She loved floating next to the Raft!

The Canyon was beautiful and we had a lot of fun admiring the beauty and being tourist!

The Friday before the Reunion we went to my Uncle's house in West Valley. We stayed up late talking with my cousins and then the next morning they all came back for waffles and Buttermilk syrup and Pancakes! YUM! It was the first time since I was 12 that I had seen some of them!

The Reunion was in Ogden at a park that my Great Grandpa and once owned and donated to the church! I didn't no anyone, well it kinda felt like that. My sister's came down from Logan, and I had 2 uncles and their families there.

Since I didn't really know anyone else I just greeted them with big hugs and pretended I did (it seem to work really well). I had fun listening to lots of old storied and learning more about my great grandpa. we also had a homemade water slide that was a big hit! Nikki wouldn't go on her own so I had to go with her, but all smiles! The fun part was the oldest person participating was my Dad's youngest brother. He said that he was the oldest one who could do this and live through it... my Dad finally went, and he lived, but he only went once. :( I had fun making people squill by giving out nice wet hugs!

After the Reunion some of us went to Farr Better Ice Cream and Walked around the temple, and also visited my Uncle's grave. I loved being with Family! I did decide that next time I was going to bring a life size cut out of Randy.

That night we drove to Logan to invade my sister's apartment for the weekend! We had so much fun... we stayed up way to late talking, it was some good times. The girls loved being with the Aunts and Uncle, and I am so Happy that they are getting a chance to know them. Sunday night we went to Dad's cousin's Farm their in Logan. They had a Dairy farm with about 90 cows. We taught Kimber that Milk comes from a cow, and there are no Pink cows to make pink milk, but their utters are pink... Then I had to explain that utters are a cow's "boobies." So when she got to go help milk a cow she cam running out "I touched a cow's boobie!!!" Too much fun! The calf's also sucked on the girls' thumbs.

Nikki's Favorite part was the Horses. She wanted to ride one so bad. She climbed up the fence to the very top and screamed "I want a ride!" over and over, and then she pointed to the BIGGEST horse and said "That one!" She didn't want any help either.

Both Kimber and Nikki took the reigns and went. I needed more help then they did! It was great!

Randy's Graduation

I feel bad I haven't updated in a while... and I have lots to say and post, but... today I want to focus on Randy's Graduation! He has spent the last 8 weeks at Basic Military Training. It was a long two months for both of us. I wrote him everyday, but only got a letter once a week if I was lucky, and everynow and then a phone call (few calls than letters.) But he did it!! We are all so proud of him. It was great weekend. 4 of the best days of my life. Now he is off to Keesler AFB for tech school for 2 months and then he goes to Shepperd AFB for another 4. But he can call everyday and so it will be more like slope life again. We originally thought Randy was going to be doing Avionics on F-16s, but at the end of BMT we found out he is going to be doing Avionics for F-22s and F-35s. It is still TBA about where we are going after tech school, but our options are Anchorage, Holloman NM, Nellis NV, Tyndall FL, and Langley VI.

Picture Books

Years ago, I bought a little book that was meant to just hold wallet size picture, to fill for Randy. I finally did this, and he loved it, but what I didn't expect is how my girls would respond. Kimber kept looking at it, and naming everyone in the picture and the story behind the picture. Since when ordering wallets I ended up with 3 extra of each picture I thought I would make books for my girls. Their books I filled with picture of extend family, as well as old friends. Both of them carry them everywhere, and are always looking at them. Kimber names everyone, and is always telling me stories about the person in the picture (I need to write them down for her). It makes me happy and sad to see them remembering so well their old home, and loved ones. So I want everyone to know how much our family misses you. Don't worry, Kimber is making quick friends with her sunbeams class, and wants pictures of them too!

Kansas

Well. We have been her for 3 weeks. It has been fun being with my family everyday. But it sure isn't home. First of all, I am still living with family. I am beyond words filled with gratitude for my family that is helping during this HUGE transition, but I cant wait to have my own place again. Secondly, I miss my friends. (country song isn't it?), but I do. I have realized that I was blessed with amazing people in my life.

Today I was asked by the relief society to go visit a sister who just sent her husband to the desert for 12 months. Oh gee! Just what I love to do..."Hi, I am Anna, you never met me, can I come in and chat?" That is exactly what I said at the door too! She is a sweet lady, and we talked... for hours! It was nice. She says people have been coming by everyday (6 days in) but it is still hard. We played 20 questions: Where you from? How did you meet your husband? how many kids? Ages? and so on. It is nice to know that I now know one person at church on a first name basis! And I am rather proud of myself for taking the opportunity to stop by. The best part was, I got there just as she was finally crying about him being gone, and I could give her a big hug. Now... I just have to keep it up.

As for the New Year. I have set some common goals... exercise regularly (4 times a week), cook a homemade meal, not out of a box 5 times a week, take time to read (something besides twilight), grow closer to the Lord, and be patient. This year has a lot in store, and so many changes. I am scared. When am I not scared about big changes. I can handle Randy being gone for 2 weeks, but can I really handle 6 months??? What about the financial changes?? What do I do about ticks, and scorpions, and snakes?? The girls are being wonderful about everything. They love the new ward, and friends to play with. Kimber started a Dance class, and loves to go. I joined the ward book club, hopefully allowing me to make some friends.

2009 taught me a lot. I have always had a testimony of Heavenly Father and his love for me. But it has been re testified to me so many times this year. I learned about my peek of stress I can handle. I also learned how to accept help and ask for it.

I am excited to see how I learn to handle what is in store this year.

Christmas

Christmas was lots of fun! it was a little different than normal, but it was nice. The only people missing from the Harrop side was my sister and her husband, but they are poor college students, so... I won't hold it against them.

Christmas eve and christmas were relaxing. We watched movies and played games. I really enjoyed focusing on the Savior with Kimber. She is starting understand it, and knew Christmas was for Jesus' birthday.

Christmas is great. This year with all the changes, there really wasn't a Lot of gifts, and I tried my hardest just to enjoy the feeling of togetherness, and love.

Santa did come by Christmas Eve. It was a nice surprise. He even brought slipper's for the girls! They both thought it was neat, but wasn't the surest about sitting on his lap. The best part about it now, is when he was leaving he told Kimber to brush her teeth, go to bed, and he will come with more presents. So now Kimber will be brushing her teeth and say "Santa is going go come becuase I am brushing me teeth like he told me!"

Relaxing!


my future piano players!








Here comes Santa, Here comes Santa...

So strong...

ummm... I don't know about this, but don't forget my presents!

don't care who you are, but those have Dora on them!!

Richard's Girl: Melissa! So brave to spend a week with all of us!

Just quick moments of Christmas Morning!