A Peek at the Poulsens

Austin and I went on an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas for a conference... and we didn't take the kids!  I still kind of can't believe that we did it, but it was awesome and worth it. THANK YOU to our parents who took turns watching the babes...everyone had a great time.  Pictures we sent for the kids - we got chocolates at an airport store  airport pics - we thought Natalie would like the lizard   from inside the taxi "hi guys!!" Vegas is crazy. Definitely not my cup o' tea - Austin and I felt like the only ones without party clothes and a frozen margarita in our hands. It was fun to walk around and see the sights, but now that I've seen them once I don't think I ever need to go back.  The view from our balcony Our hotel was unbelievably luxurious. It hurt to think of how much money went into the construction etc, and how much money is spent there every day! The parking garage had glittery floors, no joke, everythin...

The day after I wrote that last post, the Bishop of our ward came over and called me to be the Relief Society President. My journal is full of the emotions, thoughts, and experiences that have filled my heart since then, and I hesitated to even write about it here. I decided that I did want to mention it though because my children are too young to remember this time, and I want them to be able to look back and see that this calling has already been a blessing to our family and continues to strengthen my testimony.  My feelings are tender and sacred. I have never felt the Spirit so constantly and powerfully in my life. The Lord is blessing me with giant measures of love and an intense desire to study the Gospel. I love the sisters in Relief Society. I love that my calling, first and foremost, is to offer RELIEF . What an amazing responsibility! I love that it is not only my calling, but that it is the calling of every sister within our individual societies across the world. We ar...

THIS IS MY TENTH POST TODAY. I was so behind and now I will be caught up and I'm exhausted! I did some posts earlier during quiet time but most of them happened tonight. Jack is sleeping in Natalie's room for the first time (cross your fingers!) and Austin is at basketball, and I am finally tackling all the pictures I've been saving up for weeks. I sometimes think about just giving up and not worrying about posting everything, but that hurts my heart! I love these little memories in every picture and I never look back on old posts and think, "wow, I should really put less pictures up." First, here are the leftover pictures from when Max came home that I want to keep but don't feel like adding into the original Max post: And I guess this is an appropriate time to mention that Peanut, our wonderful little doggy of 15 years, went to doggy heaven earlier this month. He was the best dog our family could have imagined growing up with and it is weird...