Gratitude

Thanksgiving Day at Don's House

Kiddie table with Ryan, Tyler, Jacob, Nathaniel and Brinley

We had Thanksgiving dinner this year at Don's house.  It is so nice to have family near by and be able to share this special day with them.  This year, the number 1 thing I am thankful for is my family.  I love them all so much and love being with them.  Here is a small list of random things that I am thankful for:

Family,  Atonement, Gospel, Home, Food, Friends, USA, rain, traveling, reading, movies, jobs, Emily home from BYU, still having a mother that is alive and well, cameras, Relief Society, water, Holidays - especially Thanksgiving and CHRISTMAS, silly things my kids do, and the best husband in the world!

Birthday's Galore

Three of my siblings have had a birthday in the past month.  Ginna  is the best big sister.  She was my 2nd mom when I was little.  I was only in kindergarten when she went off to BYU.  I used to be so excited to see her when she would come home.  She would always bring me a Madame Alexander doll, and I still have the collection!  We don't see each other that often anymore since she lives in New Mexico, but I love it when she comes.  She is so fun to talk to and laugh with.  This picture was taken when we went to England.  I would love to go another trip!

Jeanne is always so loving and gives so much of herself to everyone.  I really love that about her.  She helps Mom so much.  This picture was taken at Christmas in St. Johns.  I think we are about 4 and 2 and I love this picture.  I love that Jeanne has such a happy spirit about her.  She is always laughing and smiling and cheering everybody up!

 This picture was taken when Dad and Mom took us to Meteor Crater.  Check out my plaid pants and Jeanne's flowered ones!  Aren't they a kick!  Greg was the typical big brother (always teasing)!  He is sensitive and kind and gentle.  He has gone through a lot over the years and is doing so well right now.  I am very proud of him  I love him and all my brothers and sisters very much.  I hope they know they are loved!

The Eagle Has Landed!!!!

Taylor is so awesome!  Last night I got to go with him to his Eagle Board of Review.  I had no idea what to expect.  It was quite a production.  He invited Marty Smith and Derrick Dickerson to go also.  They really grill them, but at the end of the evening they congratulated him and told him that he received the rank of "Eagle" and will get his certificate in about a month.  Then we can set our date for his Court of Honor.  

It was such a long hard process and I know he didn't like my nagging - but in the end, he did it all on his own.  He should be proud of himself (I know Brad and I are) for accomplishing such a difficult thing.  I know that he will also be glad that he carried on and finished.  He is such a great young man.  We are so blessed to have him as our son.  Way to go Taylor!

Germs, Wonderful Germs

Poor Ryan.  He is having a terrible time with sickness this Fall.  He missed school the whole week of Halloween with a very long stomach flu and a high fever (then for the next 2 weeks everyone else had it forever too).  Now the last 2 days he has been sick with another high fever and croup.  To top it off, he is missing his last soccer game of the season tomorrow.  He is sad about that.  

Alex has been sick almost this whole week with croup too - only I don't have a picture of him!  The really sad thing about that is that he is almost 16.  You're not supposed to get croup when you are 16.  He has struggled with it his whole life.  We are known for years at the pediatricians for years as the "croup family".  Anyway, he is disappointed that he will miss his volleyball tournament in Tucson tomorrow.  Hopefully, we are getting most of our sickness for the school year out of the way now - yah right:(

X Games!

Over at the Raymond's, Ryan is trying his first time at bike ramps!

From the Mouths of Babes

Just a great line from Ryan!  On Sunday, Clark Butler asked Ryan if he knew what drugs were.  Ryan said, "Yes, they are bad for you and make your ribs turn black."  Too funny and very cute!

Road Trip Anyone?

Alex James - my THIRD child asked me to take him to get his driver's permit last week.  I was pretty reluctant, because I thought he would fail because he didn't study much.  However, being the good mother that I am, I relented and took him.  Boy, was I ever surprised that he passed - he showed me!  I let him drive around a little after church on Sunday and he did a really good job.  I am proud of him.  But, will I ever get over being afraid when my kids drive?  Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like that?  They are good drivers, but for some reason it scares me because I know that they don't have a ton of experience.  They're probably all better drivers than me!

Feast of Beasts 2

 3rd Ward had their "Feast of Beasts 2" last Saturday.  A few months ago at 6am Stake Priesthood meeting, our ward had the biggest percentage of priesthood holders there.  Because of that, they got the "Irod Rod" award.  They celebrate with the Feast of Beasts and this is the 2nd time they have won.  All the boys, from 2 on up are invited and they go crazy eating every kind of meat you can imagine.  There is pork, beef, elk, chicken, rattlesnake, etc.  You get the idea.  They also drink rootbeer that is served out of an old toilet bowl!  After eating themselves silly, they have different contests for the boys.  I snuck over for a little while on Saturday, just to witness what really goes on - the boys absolutely love it and wouldn't miss it for the world!

This is Ryan trying to catch a chicken.  He was a little shy at first, but rose to the challenge!

I caught one!

This is Taylor and Travis trying to put underwear on a steer.

It looks hilarious, but I feel sorry for the steer!

I'm Thankful for . . . . .

I'm Thankful for . . .

My Family

A Living Prophet

General Conference

My Home

Road Trips

My Bed

Watching my kids in their various activities

My Relief Society Calling

Friend's

Autumn

Family Vacations

Reading

Movies with Brad

Flowers

Holidays

Traveling

The Gospel

Answers to Prayer

My Savior

Penny Project

A few months ago, our Primary started saving change to buy a tree so that they could plant it at the Mesa Temple.  It was a project our Stake was doing together with the Temple.  Ryan and Danny were excited and willing earned and saved change and took it to Primary every few weeks.  

Saturday was the day that they actually got to plant the trees.  Our ward got a great spot with a nice view of the Temple.  Under direction of the Bishop :) the kids got to take turns digging the hole and filling it in.  It will be really neat when they get their endowments or get married and we can take another picture by "their" tree and see how big it has gotten!

Ryan taking his turn digging.

Danny filling in the hole.

These were the kids that were able to show up and help, along with the Bishop and the Primary Pres.

Election Blues

Well, it's been almost a week, and I guess I should go ahead and write about it.  Barrack Obama won the election for President of the United States.  I have been kind of down about it for the last week because he believes so differently than I do.  Anyway, I guess everything will be all right.  We have been counseled by our leaders that we need to be happy and have "joy in the journey".  I worry a lot to think what's going to happen in the next 4 years, especially with the economy and everything that is going on.

On a brighter note, Proposition 8 in California and Prop. 102 in Arizona both passed!  We are very happy about that.  I feel bad for the poor people in California though.  They have kind of had it rough.  They had to close the temple in L.A. and send everyone home because there were a thousand protesters outside.  It seems everyone is blaming the Mormons, when in reality over half the people in the state voted for Prop 8.  Only a very small percentage are Mormons.

I'm Getting Old

Just a note that Emily and Taylor both voted for their 1st Presidential Election!  Am I getting old or what?  Brad and I went with Taylor and it was really neat to see him fulfilling his civic duty.  I wanted to take his picture outside but he really didn't want me to.  Mom's getting pesky with her camera!

Election Day 2008

Yikes - Election Day is here.  I have been so stressed out about this whole thing for months.  The race for President is between John McCain and Barack Obama.  I am not a big John McCain lover, but I worry a lot about Obama, his policies and what he stands for.  And it looks like he will probably win.  I guess we'll see tonight or in the morning.  At least it will all be over either way.  The other big thing I'm worried about is Proposition 102.  It is a bill defining marriage.  We had a sign up in our yard and that night it got stolen.  Mormons are really taking a lot of heat for this - especially in California.  I know a lot of people think that we are bigots, but it goes so much beyond that - I don't think a lot of people fully understand the issue.  If the "no" votes win, it will change everything.  Click on the title above to find out how.  It is truly an historic vote.  

Happy Halloween!

This is always a favorite tradition - but it just hasn't been the same with Emily gone.  Also, we were just getting over a nasty stomach flu, so the pumpkin smell was a little too much!

Halloween was on a Friday this year - yay!  Ryan had missed the whole week of school from being sick, but we let him go trick-or-treating for a little while anyway.  Danny always has a gang of friends that he goes with - Taylor and Alex both had parties - so all had a great time.  Miss you Emily:(

Alex is "Nacho Libre", isn't it hilarious?  All the kids had great costumes this year. Taylor got his "early 70's" look from Savers.  Danny makes a great "Amigo"  and Ryan is a cute "Karate Kid".