Picture frustrations

Just to let you know, the last entry I made was having serious trouble with the pictures for some reason. I tried to put them in there every way I could think of, but for some reason-although they told me they were there only two would show up. Let me tell you-I was severely frustrated!! I finally threw up my hands in despair and decided to do a slideshow. So check out the previous entry and look at the pictures you couldn't look at before.

Stupid technology! You love it until it doesn't work!

A...couple of hours...in the life of William

I guess I can't say a day in the life of William because all of this stuff just happened within a few hours. I look at these pictures and it just makes me want to wiggle because my child is so sweet and precious and adorable. I think mothers need days like this to help them keep a good perspective.

We went to General Conference this morning at the stake center and William got to wear his new suit that Grandma Cutler bought for him. He was so devestatingly handsome that it was a good thing there were no 6 month old girls in sight, although I did catch an 11 month old making eyes at him!

Later he got his rice cereal lunch-yummm! (He thinks so!) He is so funny when we feed him cereal-he opens his mouth as soon as the spoon is within sight. He looks just like a little bird.

After his nap he was sitting on Chris playing contentedly for quite a long time which is unusual for him. One of the things that kept him so entertained was his big toe. Apparently it was very appetizing! So were the tassels on my pink felt blanket, but we already knew he liked those. :)

Next he got dressed in his super cute new outfit-which I bought at Once Upon a Child for 11 dollars total (sweater, pants and shoes)-so that we could go to Idaho Falls and eat dinner with Chris's family. Once again he was so cute we just had to take some more pictures! Hope you enjoy this slideshow-you can click on it to see the pictures big. I like them better that way.

Simply a thought...

I was pondering today and I began thinking about how interesting it is that one of the most enjoyable things in life is anticipation. As I was thinking about this idea I began thinking back to old memories.


I recall waking up with my dad at 6a.m. on cold winterly days and being so excited that I most likely had only four or five hours of sleep that evening. We were going ice fishing to Hebgen Reservoir in Montana. The long drive almost killed me I was so excited to be fishing. There were many experiences like this concerning fishing, and I have to admit I still get a bit antsy when it comes to fishing trips. :)



I remember the times in high school where my friends and I would be planning big and crazy dates. I would be so excited for everyone to have a good time and also to see the look on my dates face when she realized what we were doing. I also enjoyed the woo or awwww factor from the girls that was sure to come with our rrrrrrromantic and mushy parts of the dates. What can I say...it appealed to the cheesy hopeless romantic side in me.



I recall preparing for serving a mission. It was scary but very exciting to prepare and gather the necessary things for the two years. Also while being on the mission it was exciting to search for people who we could serve and teach, though this was also much work. Once on the mission it was exciting to look forward to seeing my family once again. I began to understand a bit of what it is like for our heavenly Father who eagerly awaits the time when we will be reunited with Him. Isn't family wonderful!



Then there was Bita and I being engaged. It was so exciting to talk about our future lives together. Who we wanted to be and what we hoped to do and the family we wished to have. Maybe it is a silly thing, but I was even excited for Bita to be referred to as Sister/Mrs. Cutler. We were thrilled to know we were going on a cruise for the honeymoon and that there was a possibility to see the home in Puerto Rico where Bita was a baby(which we did see, or at least walked past).



(These are some of my old roommates)

Even pending events that tend to be a bit scary I have looked forward to. It was a very frightening thought to attend college for the first time, but also exciting because it was a new step in life. In high school I was not anything close to a valedictorian and did not care too much about what happened to my grades. This being the case, the thought of actually applying myself in school and finding myself wanting was scary. Looking past my insecurities though, I was excited for the test.



(Bita was 7 months pregnant on this trip - What a TROOPER!)

Then there was a big family trip to Mexico. Having never been to Mexico this was certainly something to be looked forward to. It was exciting making the preparations and also very much fun once the trip was underway.




What a thrill it was when we found out Bita was pregnant! Talk about anticipation! That was quite a trip and more so for Bita. And now everyday we are excited to see what new things William will do. It's just plain fun to anticipate. I feel truly sorry for those in this life who do not have something to look forward to. There are wonderful things in store for us in this world, but all the good things require a little effort and planning on our part.

And so you have it. There is the result of a ponderous moment in the life of Chris.

Hilarious!

I really have to go to bed, but I was looking through pictures we just took off our camera and came across this one and laughed SO hard. I just had to put it up really fast.

I've been tagged

20 years ago...March 1988 I was barely two years old. I loved to dress and undress myself (especially undress!). My mom said she could always find me from the trail of clothes I left behind me. I had white blond hair, big blue eyes and was supposedly very astute at flirting with people in the grocery store. I didn't know the meaning
of the word stranger. I loved music and after my brother's piano lesson I would get up on the bench and demand that it was my turn.

10 years ago...1998 I was in sixth grade. This was a very bad hair time for me. I cut my hair to chin length, and since my hair was thick and wavy short hair and sixth grade just didn't work well for me.

5 years ago: March 2003 was one of the hardest times for me that I can remember. I was a junior in high school and my very best friend (whom I was also in love with-and still am to this day!) left on his mission. As if this wasn't devastating enough, my Grandfather passed away only a few days after he had been gone. At that point my group of friends had started to drift apart somewhat and my best girl friend had started hanging out with some other girls more than me. Needless to say, I felt very alone and very sad. It was at this point that I really learned how to turn to my Heavenly Father and feel his loving care for me.

3 years ago: 2005 I was having a great time my first year in college. I had great roommates was playing the piano with the symphony for the university oratorio. It was also at this time that the earlier mentioned missionary came home. This was a somewhat traumatic experience at first, but showed me right away that I was as much in love with him as ever. However, because of my stubborn nature it took me quite a while to admit that.

1 year ago... 2007 I was newly pregnant, not feeling well, trying to start getting my Senior recital music ready. Although it was one of my hardest semesters it was also really good because towards the end I turned myself around and reevaluated what I was doing in college and with music and was able to again remember why I was there and how much I loved what I was doing.

So far this year...2008 We moved into a new apartment and started to go to a new ward which has been such a blessing to us. I've met some really great girls that have been dragging me to go exercise with them in the mornings. I have been trying harder to write in my journal daily, read my scriptures and say meaningful prayers. I have been watching my son grow and develop daily and have grown more and more in love with my husband every day.

Yesterday I... went to the absolutely beautiful, newly dedicated Rexburg temple to do an endowment session. It was really wonderful and I was so grateful that Tim was able to come watch William so that Chris and I could go. Other than that, I mostly just stayed at home, cleaned house and played with my son.

Today I... Went to church, made some desert bars, took a very interrupted nap since I was trying to keep William happy and sleep at the same time (hmmmmmm), went to dinner at some friends from the ward, put Will to bed, and have been trying to write this and discuss Chris's seminary lesson with him ever since.

Later tonight... I am going to bed (hopefully sooner rather than later).

Tomorrow... Workout at 6am, teach piano lessons and have FHE

This year I hope to.... figure out how to help William sleep all night, spend a lot of time outside, finish organizing and decorating my home, work up the courage to try some craft projects I have in mind, grow spiritually and become the best wife, mother, friend, sister, and daughter I can be.

I tag.... Ashley and Becca

Whew-made it through

Website Updated...

This may not be exciting to anyone but myself, but I thought I would still share. I recently redid my website to make it a bit more simple. I have yet to get out taking pictures this year so it only has last years portfolio. Hopefully I'll get out to take some soon.

Here's the website
Good Day Simon Studios
If you have already been there, you might have to hit the RELOAD button to get rid of the cached version on your computer.

Yes I can...

Do you ever have a feeling of inadequacy? I have to admit that when I began teaching seminary the beginning of this past trimester this was not an unfamiliar emotion. I would ask myself "Am I really cut out for this?" and have thoughts such as "I don't think I am helping anybody make a difference in their life." These are thoughts I believe many people are acquainted with in their various roles in life.

Some days would be spectacular. There would be a great general feeling of edification throughout the lesson. Those days I have treasured and used to propel myself forward. Other days I would take hours to prepare the lesson and still feel that the day went terribly and that the students left with little or no desire to be better. Throughout the trimester this has been the see-saw I have ridden.

After one particularly wild day (where the kids were bouncing off the walls so much so that the Holy Ghost didn't even have a chance to give them a bear hug or hand shake) I came to the conclusion that I could improve. "If my wife can do hard things, so can I" was my train of thought. Besides, what is better than improving oneself and making changes for the better. Only happiness results.

Things have progressively improved. I have come to enjoy even the bad days, because they too are good, and even if the lesson goes awry the students still know I love them and enjoy the upward struggle we're all in together.

To add to my happiness, in a recent class I had asked the readiness question, "When is a time in your life where you have felt the Lord either Provided for, Protected, Guided, or Preserved you?" As we went through some of the students experiences the kids shared things such as family being protected from an ex-spouse and having help on tests. After a few comments I said, "Does anyone else have something they have been blessed with by the Lord," to which a student named Shawn said, "Brother Cutler." I have to admit I was taken aback. After gaining my composure I further questioned, "Shawn, what do you mean by that?" With a smile on his face he said, "Well before seminary I didn't really try to pray and read my scriptures." He went on to say that he felt happier and that he had more help in doing what was right because of being in class.

This experience lifted my spirits to such a degree that I felt greatly humbled. In all my struggling and trying to help them see the amazing happiness there is in striving to understand and live the truths of the scriptures and restored Church, I found help. The one thing that can truly help us understand is the Spirit and somehow it reached them. Needless to say, I have been bettered myself and now have an increased desire to teach seminary.

I have at least two more semesters left in my own schooling before I am in a position to be hired. I have been invited back to teach the next trimester, but at a different school now. I will be teaching 1st hour rather than 5th and it will be at Rigby rather than Sugar Salem. There are less student teaching positions available this trimester, so I am grateful to be invited to continue. Who knows where this will all lead, but with whatever happens it has been worth it for what I have learned. I have a tendency to avoid the things in life that I fear I might fail at, but I am learning to risk.

Here's to leaving comfort zones, loving others, and being no longer inadequate with the Lords help.