Christmas Jar's

The Sunday after Thanksgiving our Bishop gave each family a book as a Christmas present. The book was called "Christmas Jar's" as a busy mom and student I placed the book on top of the microwave and forgot about it. As Christmas approached I received a voicemail from our church secretary asking me to check my back door step that someone had left our family a surprise. I open the gift with curiosity and was taken back when I saw a LARGE mason jar filled to the brim with change and a one hundred dollar bill folded  neatly facing the outside of the jar. Most people will not be as honest as I am going to be, but here it goes. We needed this money more than that kind person will ever know. We had saved our money so well that every last penny had been budgeted, we did not know that the oil to heat our home would cost use a whopping $1,200 a month on top of an electric bill of $300 a month. This $200 would help carry us until January, John and I felt blessed and not forgotten by members in our ward. A week later John was taking Kaitlen to school when he found a second Christmas Jar sitting on our door with another hundred dollar bill, tears of gratitude filled my eyes and I knew that John and I could make it one more month. After receiving 2 Christmas Jar’s I decided to read the book that bishop had given to us. The reason why I’m sharing this very personal experience with you is because we can all fill a Christmas Jar and help a family in need without it being a hardship on our family. Bishop’s gift was a story about a woman who started giving out Christmas Jar’s to needy people, she then made it a public thing and pretty soon it had spread around to hundreds of needy people. All we need to do is take the change from our pockets/purses and put it into a jar, when the jar is filled give it to someone in need. I thought to myself that John and I can do this that we always have change and it would be so easy to pass along a jar to family that needs a little extra help. So beginning the day after Christmas our family began filling our Christmas Jar. Every time we add a few coins to our jar I feel so happy knowing that next Christmas my family can pay back the kindness that was shown to us this holiday season. I’m hoping  that whoever reads this may feel inclined to fill a jar over the next 12 months and help a family in need next Christmas. HAPPY NEW YEAR and GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

One Semester Down

  John passed all his classes this semester I'm so proud of him!! I'm still waiting for my scores to post it's killing me not knowing. I know I passed Math and Child Development I passed, but Environmental Biology hasn't posted yet and its driving me nuts!!! Next semester we are going to take 13 credit hours YIKES this is going to be interesting, because we have 4 kids :)

I DID IT

OH MY GOSH I PASSED MY LAST COLLEGE MATH CLASS! IM SO HAPPY I HAD TO POST IT!!

November

Well we did it, we survived our first snow storms, first Thanksgiving away from home and another trip to the ER! I'm looking forward to Christmas and can't believe we are in the last month of 2011.

He didn't want to wear is binnie, but I think he is so cute in it.

Caden in his snow suite, LOL I think he's adorable!

Payten in her snow suite, she had so much fun!

Kaitlen, playing in the snow she had a blast!

Caden eating Grandpa Carl's Thanksgiving dinner, he would only eat on Carl's lap!

Kaitlen broke her arm, she wanted a Christmas green cast this time:(

Going for 3

Saturday my mother in-law wanted to take my three girls roller skating, I thought it would be fun for them especially for Kaitlen and Payten because they had never gone before. However deep inside I knew not to let my sweet Kaitlen go because she is so clumsy and breaks bones by slipping on a piece of paper or tripping over a tent. Sure enough, not 10 minutes into it Kaitlen fell, she wasn't even off the carpet yet. I ran to her and she was holding her arm. I asked her the same question I ask everytiome she falls "K-T is this a broken hurt or just a hurt" she told me mom this is a broken hurt. We arrived at the roller skating place at 7:02 and we checked into the ER at 7:20. By at 8:30 my baby had a splint on her arm, and is waiting for her cast to be put on Tuesday. I can't explain why she breaks her bones so easily, my heart hurts for her she is such a champ though. Shame on me for letting her go, I knew better but I just wanted her to have a fun time with her sister. Now she has broken the same arm 3x's she wants a red cast because of Christmas:)

iPhone Pictures

I love my phone I was able to download my pictures off of it and now I can share some for ALL of you. Oh who am I kidding no one reads this:(

Caldwell Bunch

Kaitlen was a rock star and Payten was a spider princess.... AND Caden was

SICK, he had an allergic reaction to his antibotic. Poor little man stayed home with his daddy.

11-11-11

(((SMILE))) Yep I'm smiling John and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary on 11-11-11!! We were excited to get to go out to dinner ALONE without our kids. Dinner started out good, we laughed, secretly  teased some of the locals because they wear sweat pants for every occasion. About half way through dinner John got very ill, he was throwing up white foam and he felt like he couldn't breath. We left and my mother in-law took John to the ER for me and I went home and put my Mr. Man to bed (I know his routine and every mom knows to not mess with a baby's routine) Well the doctor told John that he had a piece of food stuck in his lower esophagus and was actually choking. After some numbing medication the food passed and he was able to breath again. SOOO we had an eventful night, of course he felt bad because the first time we go out in AGES  he gets sick. So the moral of this story is... John SLOW DOWN when you eat, CHEW your food better and then SWALLOW!!!

I'm so lucky to have him in my life he makes me be my best everyday. He's the entire reason I have been able to go back to school and do well. I feel so blessed everyday to have him in my life. Kaitlen always says it's her special day to, because that's the day she got her dad. The last five years haven't been easy between them. But John never gave up, no matter how many times Kaitlen refused him. Now she is so excited for the first of the year when John will file for adoption and she can legally have his last name. Our family is our everything we try everyday to do something together and laugh no matter what.

Even though my dad left a 32 year old marriage, my mom was the one who taught me to never give up and communication is one of thy most important keys to a marriage. my mom is my example and when things get hard I always remember her strength and my problems don't seem so bad. Also a long time child hood friend Sharron and Jon have been another couple that I want to mirror my marriage around. After 30 something years those two still act like newlyweds. For their example ill always be great full.

John David Caldwell here is to another 5 years together. I love you and can't wait to see were our lives take us these next five years.