HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY!!

My Zackery on December 17th turned 8!

He is such a fun little boy. He loves everything to do with nature. We love to go on hikes together and explore. He loves bugs and animals, he is always catching bugs and storing them in containers. He is very creative, you give him paper, glue, stickers, markers and he is going to make something wonderful. We are so happy he is part of our life!

Boating, one of our favorite family activities, he is a little fish.
Being creative, he carved his pumpkin all by himself this year.

Hike to Waterfall, he loved this adventure.

We gave him a skateboard for his birthday.

Here he is with his all of his pads and helmet. Cami told him the pads went over his pants, but he liked it better this way.

Zackery we love you very much!!!!!

EAGLE SCOUT

We are so proud of Toph!! He has worked very hard to achieve this great award. Over the past three years he has earned 26 merit badges, passed off several requirements and went to several camps, both in summer and the winter. There is no easy road on your way to Eagle, just a lot of hard work and determination. He is a great son and so fun to be around. He is a good example to all of us. We love you Toph, way to go!!!

People are watching you!

You never know what kind of effect you are having on someone. One of Kimmy's best friends was baptized today. She may have had the missionary lessons at our home, but all of the people she has know throughout her life have been a great example to her and prepared her to accept the Gospel. A forth grade teacher was there today, Sarah said that she had been a great example of love and support. Her dentist was there, some of her high school teachers were there, families of old boy friends, families of close girl friends, and an incredible group of friends, and many more, all examples in their own way. She was watching all of these people, we had about 120 people at the baptism, they were all a great example of how a Latter Day Saint should act. I for one am going to be a little better about how I represent myself so I can be that example to others. The church is true, we are so blessed to live in this dispensation of time. We have a living Prophet, the Book of Mormon and Temples all around us. I love this church but most of all I love my Savior whose church this is. Sarah I love you and I am very happy for the decision you have made today. Now you are the example to so many.

Great friends and great examples!
Sarah and the best missionaries ever!! We love them!

Fun Weekend With My Grandsons

Zack and Brayden were out of school for UEA this weekend and I begged Josh and Cami to let them come and spend time with us. We had so much fun. Thursday we went to Dinosaur Park, it was great all decorated for Halloween. Friday we went with some friends to Black Island Farm. First of all we got the best deal ever to get in and then it was such a fun place, the boys just loved it. Saturday we just went to the park and hung out around the house. Sunday everyone came home for a big breakfast and to watch conference. It was so nice to have everyone home. We ate and slept and enjoyed hearing from from our Prophet and the General Authorities. Thank you Cami and Josh for sharing the boys with us.

Fun with the girls

There is something about laughing and eating chocolate late at night with girlfriends that rejuvenates the soul. Thank you Book Club girls for a very fun night. for those of you who couldn't come, we really missed you.

Happy 70th Mom

My Mom is 70, I can't believe it. She is beautiful, smart, fun and full of life. She raised seven children on her own, which I can't even imagine doing. She earned a college degree while raising those seven children. She loves her family and the gospel. I love her very much! Happy birthday Mom!

Here are just a bunch of pictures of the celebration. It is always fun to get together with family. We actually had a lot of our family there, even some from out of state.

Is it ever done?

This is my best friend!

If you don't have one you should get one. Best $100 dollars I've ever spent!!!

So I pretty much neglected our house over the summer. There was just too much fun to be had. Of course I did the weekly scrubbing, but anything more just didn't get done. Now here I am all the kids back in school and I'm noticing how much my house needs a deep cleaning.

I started to scrub... walls, baseboards, you know just all that stuff you only get around to about twice a year. The thing is the more I clean the more I find that needs to be clean. Closets are a mess, light fixtures are disgusting, cabinets need organizing. I'm quite sure that I will never be done.
I have to admit that I do love a clean house, so I guess I will just keep at it, little by little. When I get discouraged I just go sit in the rooms that are already done and that motivates me to do more.

I Believe In Miracles

I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH CHRIST!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAYDEN!!!

BRAYDEN IS 5!!

I am very late on posting this, on August 11 Brayden turned 5. I can't believe that it was only a year and a half ago that this wonderful little boy came into our lives. I really can't imagine our life without him. He is so fun and happy and excited about life. We cherish every minute we get to spend with him. I only wish they lived a little closer.

When Brayden comes over you can often find him playing cars in the drive way.
He is so sweet when we go hiking he always wants to gather flowers for his Mom.

He can spend hours with his cars, what an imagination!

He has just enough mischief in him to be fun.

The Best Day, Because It's Forever!!!

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER

Yesterday was such a great day. Josh and Cami were sealed in the Logan Temple. Now Cami and the boys are ours FOREVER!!!!! We are so happy for them. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, all my children were there, we were with Cami's wonderful family and good friends who love Josh and Cami. We went to Maddox to celebrate and enjoy each others company and the good food.

Cami had seven of her siblings there in the temple with us, her parent were thrilled to have that many together. She is one of 13. Chase and I were saying that by the time Toph goes on his mission we could have our whole family in the temple together. I can't even imagine how wonderful that will be!

TOPH IS 14, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOPH!!!!!

He got a bike for his birthday and was thrilled!
Maegan made him an ice cream cake, it was sooo good!


My cute little boy

He is so good with kids, they just love him!

I'm a little late with this, but Toph turned 14 on Saturday. I really can not believe that my baby is that old. He has been a joy from the moment he was born. We wanted him so badly and had been trying for a couple of years to have another baby. So when we found out that we were going to have him we were beside ourselves! He brought so much love into our home. It wasn't just us, my sister Brenda wanted more babies so we shared Toph with her family as well. He was so loved that he never went through a hard phase, or if he did we didn't notice it.

When my boys turn 14 it always solidifies my testimony of Joseph Smith. I know if one of my boys would have come to me and told me about the angle Moroni and the golden plates, I would have no problem believing them. Toph has such a strong testimony and lives so that I know I wouldn't doubt him.

We love you Toph, we are so very glad you are part of our family!

We Really Live in a Beautiful Place!!!

Toph and I woke up this morning and decided to hike Waterfall. I was again amazed by all that God has created for us. I love living exactly where I live! It's so nice to drive up the street and be able to hike to this beautiful waterfall. I don't think I take advantage of this near enough. We decided that at least three times a week we need to go for a hike in these wonderful mountains that we live so close to. I also feel very blessed to be able to stay home and do things like this with Toph, I know only to well how fast this time will go by. Before I know it he will be all grown up and not so interested in going with me. I love that he loves being with me for now. I really am so very blessed. I'm grateful to Ron for working so hard so that I am able to stay home.

Sometimes Life Changes...

It was time for a change I guess. I was recently released from Primary and called to Young Womens. I will very much miss my primary class, they are the cutest kids and make me laugh every week. One came up to me after church and hugged me and begged me to come back to Primary, it made me feel so loved. I will also miss working with my friends in Primary. I really have loved the group of women I served with!
That being said, I love Young Womens and I am very excited to be working with the Beehives! They are a wonderful group of girls, that are still all very excited and not to busy to come to activities. I'm excited to work with the women that I have been called to serve with, some I know well and some not at all.
One thing I love about our church is that we get many opportunities to serve in many different capacities. It helps me to grow and be challenged. In every calling I have learned so much.
I also quit work. As of Monday I no longer work, which couldn't have been better timing. I gave my notice in April that I would be quiting the end of May.
I had a very strong feeling that i just need to be home. I loved working with my family and getting to know cousins and Uncles better. I really loved working with Josh and my sisters everyday. It was also nice to be challenged and learn new things and use my mind. But nothing can compare to being at home! Even though I only worked 3-4 hours a day and only while Toph was at school, I just didn't like being away from home.
It will also work very well with my new calling, what with Youth Conference and Girls Camp and all the fun activities. Life really is good and change is sometimes just what we need.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHASE!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Chase and MaCall
Being a good sport and letting me take his picture.

Every time we look at this picture we laugh.

I know he hates me to take his picture but he humors me.

Chase turned 24 on Wednesday. I really am having a hard time with my kids growing up, it helps when they turn out to be wonderful adults. Chase has been so much fun since the moment he was born. Everyone who is with him loves him, and he really likes everyone. I remember one time going to parent teachers conference and the teacher telling me he was talking too much. I asked her to move him. She said she had several times. When I went home and talked to Chase about it, he told me he couldn't help it he liked everyone.

He appreciate everything we do for him and is always telling us how grateful he is. He recently moved back home for a little while and it has been so nice having him back, especially for Toph. He is smart, athletic, kind, giving and full of love. We feel very blessed to have him be part of our family! We love you Chase!!!

Kimmy's Last Week Of High School

Ok so for some reason it's not letting me move the pictures so I can put them in the right order. I will just have to jump around a bit.



My friend Holli made Kimmy her very own Holli cake. I think by far this was her favorite graduation gift. She loves Holli and her cake. It really was so very nice of Holli to do this.

This is after seminary graduation, it was so tender I wish I could have taken a picture of Ron giving her her certificate. We are a family of criers and they hugged for a long time and cried.
Sunday started out our week of graduation events starting with this.





Ok these are out of order, they are from the all night party after graduation. I was in charge of the food for the party so we got to hang out all night with them, it was a great time had by all.

Sunday was Kimmy's last Choral Edition Sacrament meeting and Monday was her final concert. She has loved being with this performing organization for 9 years. She will greatly miss singing with them and will miss the people she got to work with the most.

This is from Senior reflections on Tuesday night. The Senior officers are in charge and they show case the talent in their class.

These are from the final assembly. The Student Body and Senior officers after the assembly sit on the stage and each tell the Seniors and student body good bye. Then all the Seniors go up on stage to say their farewells.

After the assembly on Thursday.



Thursday night they had a Senior Barbecue and signed year books. We were in charge of the food for the night, so again we got to party with the kids.

GRADUATION

The cousins all graduating together.

Jumping for joy that they are finally done.


The Senior officers getting ready to go into the ceremony.


Sitting on stage for graduation.

And she is now an adult. Which kind of freaks her out.

This was just a sampling of all the fun we have had this week with our little graduate(lucky for us she likes us to be around). We really are so proud of her!!