Moving

Hey everybody....I still haven't figured out how to clean off this watermark thing off of my blog so rather than stop posting which is pretty much what I have been doing for the last few months I decided to start a new blog which you can find at kemorgandesigns.blogspot.com. So come on over and check it out.

Big News

I've been horrible at this all summer...not too sure why....so I decided tonight I would up date you all with the biggest news in our family......many of you have probably seen it on facebook but in case you haven't and you happen to frequent my blog the big news is......our return missionary son is now ENGAGED!!! We are thrilled....we are excited to have a daughter...and Jeremy couldn't have made a better choice. Holly is awesome! So now we are into the throws of planning an open house as they will be getting married in the Mesa, AZ temple......in October. So if you don't see any new posts from me for a while you'll know it's cuz I am too busy getting ready for a wedding. ;-)

Having Issues

I'm having issues with my free blog background....apparently it expired and so now even though I have found another background I have all these wierd things on my blog that I can't seem to get rid of...so annoying! So I guess this is my disclaimer....I don't know how to get rid of them....sorry everybody. =)

Home Again

We've been home for a month now. I have been so bad at blogging. I have managed to post things on facebook but my poor blog has been neglected. So lets see if I can bring you up to date!

We had a wonderful reunion with Jeremy. Now that he has been home for a month it's almost like he was never gone. We spent 4 beautiful days in Yellowstone. Saw some AMAZING sights and some incredible animals. Like a HUGE 'ol Bison just wandering down the side of the road no more than 4 feet from our car! We met some wonderful people in one of the areas where Jeremy served. I feel as though I have aquired more family. Of course we saw some old friends too....all in all it was an amazing vacation.

I took nearly 1000 photos...I know I will never scrap them all but here are a few of the ones I have scrapped since we have been home.

A Good Day

Today was my last day of work before my vacation started. I was so worried that with it being the first Saturday of coupons it would be crazy busy...I had been so tired on Friday that I was worried that today would drag on forever...mainly because I am SO ready for vacation! Anyway...on my way to work I uttered a quiet prayer that I would have a good day....as I said it I remembered Jeremy's words when he was a little boy and use to pray to have a good day. He always was so specific. He would pray to not just have a good day but to have "A good day, and not a bad day." So today I when I said my quick little prayer on the way to work I asked to have "a good day and not a bad day".........and I was indeed blessed with exactly that...it was definitely a good day. Who says you can't learn from your children? ;-)

6 Days Left

I decided I would try opening up my blog again....hopefully no more weird comments. Somehow I lost interest in writing when I didn't think anyone was reading it. So I changed a few settings and we'll see if this works out better.

We are down to just 6 days until we go and pick up Jeremy.....I can't wait! I took another picture of my countdown jar...those 6 little M&M's look mighty lonesome in the jar. =D

My vacation starts on Monday....two weeks away from work...I am so looking forward to it. I decided that there is a reason why employers give you vacation time........you really need that break. I haven't taken one in two years and I am more than ready for the time away!

The other big news is that Jason got a job. He started working at Cold Stone today. He's really excited and I am very proud of him. In today economy and with him only being 17 it has been difficult for him to get a job. So far he is liking it....they have to sing if someone tips you guess he had to sing today...he wasn't too excited about having to but he has such a nice voice...I bet he did just fine!

I have a new job at church....I am teaching the 15 and 16 year olds in Sunday School.......the material is rough (the Old Testament) but the kids are awesome. I taught most of them when they were younger. I have a large class...about 15 kids...and the noise level in class is pretty intense...but so far I have managed to get in a few key points from the lessons. =D

That's about it for now........stay tuned I may just post again before we head to Idaho =D

Bad Blogging

Ever since I went private with my blog I have been horrible at blogging...I haven't written anything in over a month! I decided I would post a quick post tonight just so in case you are actually reading my blog you won't think I dropped of the face of the earth =D

I am continuing to work thru my jar of M&M's....it's looking pretty empty. Only 21 M&M's left in the jar. Only 21 little days left until we pick up Jeremy!!! I told him on Monday during our exchange of emails that I had actually dreamed about us picking him up....he shot an email back to me and said "Sorry Mom, I only dream about Missionary work." It made me smile....and oh yes, very proud of him. It's good to know that he is out there working hard and serving the Lord.

This week my sister Linda came to visit...well actually she came to SoCal for her oldest daughter's graduation from Loma Linda Medical School....I just was lucky enough to get to see her for a couple of days...even tho we didn't get to spend a lot of time together it was still a blast! We ate, laughed, shopped, and watched the finals of Dancing with the Stars. I even stayed with her at the hotel so it was really a nice little "Staycation" for me. Jason took the photo of us today before Linda left.

I've been in a scrapping slump. I started this challenge of doing a layout a day in May and I did pretty well for a while but then I realized that scrapping was becoming more like work so I decided I needed a break....This is my most recent layout...it's a fun one in honor of the "Murphy Girls" both having birthdays this month. I have also been working on a cute little mini book that I am going to use for a travel journal for our trip to Idaho but that has really been it.

Jason went to scripture chase last night...as usual it was pretty crazy...I took my camera but he wasn't being very cooperative as you can see...gotta love my goofball son!

So there you have it....not sure how much better I am going to be at blogging in the next few weeks with Jeremy coming home but I guess you will all have to stay tuned. =)

We are Down to the Wire

Elder Morgan will be home in just under 2 months!!!! I can hardly stand it...and I can hardly wait to see him again! It's been a long two years....but it has gone by so fast....does that make sense?? I am so looking forward to our reunion the middle of June! Here are two of my recent favorites of him right now. The whole time I was scrapping this cute little boy photo of him I kept looking over at the grown up photo....how did it happen so fast??? Note to self......I really shouldn't wish my life away!

Feeling Grateful

I wanted to get this down before it became a dim memory. Yesterday I went for a diagnostic mamogram and a bone density test. The bone density test was just done as a baseline and other than I had never had one done it didn't bother me too much, the mamogram however, worried me as the doctor had felt something at my physical in January. She didn't seem to be too concerned so I didn't worry about it too much...but then it started to nag at me and I decided I had better go and get it done....so yesterday was the day.....I was a nervous wreck the night before....even though I felt like all would be ok....what if it wasn't? I had Cliff give me a blessing that night and went to bed feeling a bit better. I got up Tuesday morning and took Jason to school and then headed off to the hospital. First I had the bone density test done....it was easy....I was worried that it might be like an MRI and I am so claustrophobic that I was a bit worried but it turned out to be no big deal. Then I went for the mamogram....then they did an ultra sound....and gratefully they found NOTHING! YAY!!! Just breast tissue......I left the hospital feeling like I had, had the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders.! It was such an amazing feeling. I practically floated all the way home. I know so many people right now who are either dealing with or have family that are dealing with cancer. I am so grateful that there was nothing wrong.....Thank you Heavenly Father!!! I am so blessed.

A New Look

I decided I wanted a new look for my blog so I went and found a new background....not too sure about it yet but when I went back the site to look for some more the site was down so I will leave it for now.

It's been busy around here the last couple of weeks. I was sick all last week so I didn't feel like I got much of anything accomplished. This week I hit the ground running and was able to get some stuff done around here as well as put in some scrappy time.

The biggest news around here is that we have booked our flights to Salt Lake and our hotel for when we pick up Jeremy! It is really beginning to feel real to me now. I can hardly wait. Last fall my friend Sue had her son come home from his mission in Paraquay and she posted some of her photos on facebook. There was one shot that just said it all to me....it wasn't a great photo, in fact it was blurry but she was hugging him. It was so emotional for me to see that picture I am hoping to get a similar one of Jeremy when we pick him up. When he left I tried so hard to be strong and not cry but you could totally see it in the pictures we took that "Mom was about to loose it." I am really hoping for lots of cool pictures when we pick him up.

I have four new layouts to share. A couple from Christmas and a couple more "thoughtful" ones. I had a big "ah ha" moment the other night while scrapping. I had been working on a Christmas layout and it was cute...I was happy with the way it turned out but....it wasn't until I started the "moment" layout that I realized that I am totally a moment/story driven scrapper. Sure it's fun to do the birthdays and the Christmas layouts but it's the little moments and the stories that evoke the emotions that are what I love scrapping most.

Lucky

In honor of St Patricks Day I decided to post a couple of older layouts. I did both of these back in 2007 to honor not only my Irish heritage but my Dad as well. I was very young when he passed away so I can't recall if it's an actual memory of him always wearing a green carnation on St Patricks day or if that is just a memory that my Mom "helped" me to remember after he was gone. Either way...I am grateful for the memory. My sister and I have scrapped this photo of my Dad countless times....it's one of the few really good ones we have of him. It was taken probably about a year before he passed away.

I guess perhaps my Dad is one of the reasons I love to scrap...not that he was a crafter my any means....he was more into camping and fishing...but since I have lived so much of my life without him all the little memories that I do have are precious to me. In my "7 year old memory" of my father, he was perfect, he had no faults. Of course I know, as an adult, this isn't true but I figure if there was ever a positive side to having him pass away so young that is it. So today I honor you Daddy and what few precious memories that I have of you....I am grateful to have had you in my life even if it was for just a short time. I love you.

So I'm a Bit Behind

Yesterday when Jeremy and I were emailing back and forth he asked me what I was doing. I told him I was working on my "December Daily." His reply was "You do realize that December is over right?" I assured him that I knew that December was over and that I really hadn't lost my marbles in the 21 months he had been gone....but rather that I had not had time to finish it. He's such a goof or to quote him...he's a dork! Anyway, regardless that December is long over I decided I would post a few pages from my "December Daily." Normally December Daily albums stop with Christmas day but I decided to carry it out thru the end of the year....not sure that was a good idea as it took me longer to come up with photos for the last few days of the year and even longer to finish it...oh well....live and learn.

Double Digits!

If someone had told me back in June of 2008 that the next twenty-four months were going to zoom by this fast I wouldn't have believed them....but now looking back I can truly say that the time that Jeremy has been gone on his mission has totally raced by! He will be home in 99 days!!! He told me today via email that he didn't even know he was under 100 days left....I am proud of him for staying focused on the work...however since I am MOM I can be excited about him returning home very soon.


Jeremy at 19
Jeremy at 21

Another Month

Has zipped on by! What happened to February....I know it's a short month and all but really where did it go??? I think I said the same thing about January....sheesh why is it the older you get the faster time seems to go?? Anyway...I haven't posted any layouts since I posted my fav's from 2009...good grief I'm a bad blogger...so without further ado here are some of my recent layouts. Jason did a great job taking Cliff's and my photo at our Valentine lunch at Ruby's on Valentine's weekend.

Some of my favorite photos of Riley from his first year with us.

Love this photo of my missionary son Jeremy! This one of my favorite photos of Jason...I took it from half way up "Tarzan's Tree House" at Disneyland....love his special love notes too. =) This was a gift for my niece and her new husband for their wedding. I found a beautful 12x12 frame to put it in at Michaels....she loved it!

We had a terrific Valentines Day weekend. Cliff made some great Valentine cakes and of course Riley thought he was going to get some...lol

More Valentine's pictures. Love this one of two of my favorite guys! =) Jason and I had a blast at Target one day playing with the St Patricks Day hats at the dollar spot and the camera on my phone.