The Beech Bunch Happenings

Good Things

2011-06-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

I have been so enjoying my kitchen lately. I worked so much during the school year, that I seemed to never have the kind of time that I like to prepare our meals. I was pleased that even though I was gone most days, we still ate at home and mostly together. I learned new and different things about home management skills this past year. I love to make freezer meals, so that we can still have satisfying and yummy dinners when we are all so busy. Life can definately throw us some curve balls, and these meals sure help on those days that don't turn out like you hoped. I will post my favorite frozen dinners later, but for now I want to post some of the recipes that we have enjoyed lately. I don't think I have had any more time to prepare them, but I have had more time to put some thought into our meals. So here goes:
Breakfasts: Usually around here it is a help yourself kitchen. However, I do try to keep these kinds of things available for the kids. We also do smoothies, toast, cereal, etc.
Chocolate Chip Muffins (I double the recipe and put half in the freezer for more hectic mornings)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cp sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
chocolate chips and nuts if you like. (I always add some carob chips to cut down on the chocolate intake around here)

Preheat oven to 400. Grease 12 muffin cups. Stir together first 5 ingredients. In another bowl stir together next 4 ingredients. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Add milk mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Put into muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Strawberry French Toast (I have been using this recipe for myself as I am trying to be more health conscious. The kids don't mind it either, but I usually make theirs a little more traditionally.)
Mix together
2 egg whites
1 Tbsp. Orange Juice
1 Tbsp. Milk
2 tsp. vanilla protein powder
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Soak a slice of rye bread in the mixture. Fry in safflower or canola oil until cooked through. Serve with sliced strawberries.

I also need to add that I try to make things that are yummy as well as cost effective. With 4 growing kids and lots of friends always around, that can be quite a challenge.

Dinners for this week:
Grilled Tomato Bruschetta and Creamy Garlic Pasta
Barbecued boneless ribs in Red, Hot and Blue barbecue sauce and Baked Potato Salad and homemade cornbread
Pasta Salad (using whatever vggies I have on hand) with THIS dressing and homemade french bread
Spaghetti, green beans, and homemade breadsticks
We leave on our trip on Saturday, and so I will be packing picnic lunches and dinners for our travel day. If you have any recies up your sleeve, let me know. I am thinking about some spicy beef roll ups and homemade strawberry pies for dinner. I am open to your suggestions though!

last days of school

2011-06-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

The end of the school year has come and gone. What a year it has been. Audrey and Maddie enjoyed field trips, projects, great teachers, and great friends. We wrapped up the year with field day activities and pizza parties. Enjoy these cute pics!

Dallas Zoo

2011-06-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

I was able to go with Madison and her second grade class to the Dallas Zoo on a field trip. We had such a good time seeing all the animals. Maddie's favorite was feeding the giraffes!

Hippity Hop

2011-06-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

I know I am so far behind on our blog, but better late than never. We had a nice Easter Sunday at Dad's house with Jayne and her family. Jayne, Kevin, and Dad did a great job hiding the Easter eggs, so much so that even Whitney was stumped.

Backtracking...

2011-06-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

With all our recent events, I failed to write about our Valentine's trip to Disneyworld. We went just the two of us with my sister and her husband. It was a ton of fun. I hadn't realized that most of our favorite rides we had never even ridden together. I guess that happens when you go there with your kids. Kevin and Jonathan spent many hours trying to get the highest score on the new Toy Story Mania. They had a blast, and actually got a score of 470,000. That's pretty incredible! My mom stayed at our house with the kids and managed all their comings, goings, homework and music practice. I hope I told her how grateful we were for that. I am sure she is grateful for that alone time with the grandkids.

The Blue Angels

2011-05-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

The boys had a great day at the Naval Air Force base in Fort Worth to see the Bllue Angels. Brandon was definately in his element. Jenn and the girls stayed at her sister's house to watch the kids so Jayne could participate in the Warrior Dash. We all had a fun day!

It's great to be 8!

2011-05-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

Madison got baptized at the beginning of April. It was a special day. So many people were there to show their love for her. The Krueger's came over from Justin, The Klingler's came over from Keller, Grandpa Moorman, and Grandma Beech were all there. Of course, many of our ward family were there too! Thanks to everyone who made this day extra special for us.

cute cousins

2011-05-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

These pictures would have made my mom so happy! A couple of friends of mine put their heads and talents together and decided to come take all the kids away for a little while and do a photo shoot. Some of them were displayed at the funeral, and a big one was given to Grandpa to hang in his family room. The cousins all had fun being together, and look forward to seeing each other again soon!

Mom

2011-03-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

Many of you know already that my mom passed away suddenly last Saturday. She was at home with dad when she had an unforeseen heart attack. We are all very saddened by these events. It was a tough yet spiritual week as we served and loved each other. We all continue to come to grips with our new reality, and definately have weak knees at this time. Helene was able to come down from Idaho and spend some time with us. Oh how I miss her already. I know mom loved seeing all the cousins playing together. Helene gave the eulogy, and I will copy it below if you want to read it. Just wanted to remind you to hug your mothers, never leave without an "I love you," and don't be too distracted to spend precious time with your family.

Well, do you ever sit and wonder “Gosh, life goes by so fast. When you are young, you just wish that it would go faster but now here in the chapel many of us in this room would like to go back and slow time down a notch.” Well, I will not be able to change time but I know that today we can celebrate our wife, sister, mom, grandma, and friend.
Jeanene was born in Oakland California in 1951to Meredith and Helen Camplin. My mother grew up in Anaheim, California 3 miles away from Disneyland. She would tell stories that when the fireworks would go off every night, she better be heading home… because it was curfew. She lived here until her Senior year when her family moved to Newhall, California. Like most teenage girls this was a scary time for her. She was able to get through this time because of her dear friend Nancy.
Mom had an amazing relationship with her mother. This kind of relationship was so much enjoyed by mom. They were close. It was so fun to sit at the kitchen table and listen to them laugh about the past. The one I remember the best was when my mother was young, her brother Mike would say “Jeanene, set the table”. Mom would routinely run out the front door, down the drive way and through the streets with her brother hot on her trail. When he caught up to her, they would laugh and walk back to the house arm in arm. This would happen nightly.
Mom met the love of her life, her best friend, her true companion: Robert Moorman. They were both working at a Bank in California. The rule was clear that an employee could not date another employee. So Dad worked up the courage to asked mom out on a date.
Let me read from a journal that we found regarding this hot date:
Well they were married. From what I can read in the journal Johnny Cash was assisting with his recording, “We got married in a fever”.
Their honeymoon trip was to Tennessee to meet dad’s family. Now dad likes to play up that he has hill-billy ancestors. Mom, from the city, was taking in the details about my Father’s family. Dad explained to her that: “When we get to my Dad’s house he will expect you to help out with the chores. He will need you to help feed the chickens, collect the eggs, feed the hogs and Milk the cows.” Dad continued to explain that his father liked to kid around with the city folk, so be prepared because he could throw in a bull. Like I said, Mom was taking in the details and she asked the question: Yep, you guessed it. “How can you tell the difference between a cow and a bull”.
Soon after Mom and Dad were married, mom experienced the death of her father. Her brother Greg made mentioned that it was his sister that comforted him and encouraged him to move forward. She encouraged him to go to college to obtain an education. He also told me that it was mom, once again that offered that same comfort and continuous phone calls after the death of her mom.
To many of us in this room, we found that Jeanene was a very genuine. She was caring and when you spoke to her you knew that she was really listening. Last night, the viewing was reassuring with the many comments made to our family regarding my mother. The theme was similar throughout the evening. “Your mother loved you girls and the grandkids. She talked about you guys all the time.” My mother does love us very much.
In preparation for today, I asked my sister’s to give me their favorite memory of MOM.
Jennifer: I remember when Dad was staying at our house and he received a phone call from mom. Mom was in a state of panic, the little dog was barking like crazy in the house near a table. When Mom went to see what the matter was, she discovered a little Texas Treat. A LARGE SNAKE somehow was in the house. She ran to the car and called Dad crying and scared. She begged Dad to come home and kill the snake. Some friends of the ward were able to come over and dispatch the untamed, live, dangerous animal. Jennifer reports that this was not funny to mom but the grandkids still enjoy this story.
Jayne: I grew up with my sisters who were already married and on-their-own. Mom and I would go on road trips. On one road trip we decided to travel to St George, Utah to see Helene then to the West coast and peak in on Greg (mom’s brother) then return to Helene’s home to rest for the next leg of the journey. We then continued to Michigan to visit with Jennifer. After visiting with Jennifer and her family, we decided to travel to Tennessee to see Dad’s family. I enjoyed it when she would sing “LOW RIDE ER”. This road trip was not only fun but will be remember able as we spent many hours together.
For me: Mom was just like what we said above. She was a friend, a teacher, and loved to support the many activities with her children. She went on Girl Scout camp outs. And One time the church rented a camp trailer for the Young Women’s Camp Trip, which was amazing because we cooked a roast in the ground for 24 hours. It was so great because it was raining so hard and the other wards were suffering. Not that I am competitive at all, but they were not prepared. While they were trying to figure out how to cook their dinner, our team was pulling the roast from the ground, hot and delicious.
In conclusion, Jeanene Marie Camplin Moorman loved her family, From her loving husband, to THE GIRLS (as she would call us) to the Grand Kids. She enjoyed learning and was able to earn a degree at Texas Women’s University after her children were married. She loved teaching, whether it be in a class room as a helping hand or holding her grand-kids, reading to them and teaching arts and crafts. She Loved her family and her family enjoyed every minute of it.
Dear Mom, We send you off with our hearts full of Love and the memories to carry us through the days ahead.

Snow Week of 2011

2011-02-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

We were slammed with a huge ice storm earlier this week, that kept us all home from school, church activities, and work. Just when things were kind of getting better, we got about 5 inches of snow! Pretty incredible for Dallas. Not so great with the super bowl fans coming in to town! The kids have missed an unprecedented 4 days of school this week. Since it was mostly ice, we couldn't really play in it. We have watched lots of movies, made phone calls, played games, and sat by the fire with good books. The kids were excited to go outside today to play in the snow. I am sure just getting outside for a little while has done a lot to cure that bit of cabin fever we've been feeling. Kevin took these nice photos before the kids ran around and had a snowball fight. It sure looks pretty out there!

Hooray for Skype

2011-01-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

Audrey's best friend moved to France just after Thanksgiving. This was the hardest thing I think Audrey has ever experienced. Sariah and Audrey were nearly literally attached at the hip. We loved having Sariah at our house. She just fit right in with the family. Audrey spent tons of time at their house as well just hanging out, playing games, and being creative. That was one of the best things about their friendship - they were so creative toghether! Before Sariah left, she went with us for a Saturday up to Grandma's house. The girls climbed trees, had adventures, made Christmas ornaments, and just had a great time together. I had forgotten my camera, so I have to thank my sister for taking these cute shots of the siamese twins! Skype isn't nearly as good as climbing trees and having grand adventures side by side, but I am grateful for it. It has been a great adventure in itself for Audrey to have a best friend in a foreign land where she can see her face to face, and talk to her lots and lots. Skype has been a big huge band aid for a little girl's broken heart, so I have to say thank you for that too. We sure can't wait til summer comes so that Audrey and Sariah can be side by side for a few weeks. Until then, they can Skpe!

While the boys were away

2011-01-12T18:58:00.000-08:00

Since the boys were gone for a few days, we decided to spend some mother/daughters time together! We went ice skating, out for dinners, shopping, grandma's house, and friends over... The ice skating was a great outing except for the fact that the whole metroplex seemed to have the same idea. We waited in line at the Galleria Mall rink for over an hour just to pay to get in. Then another shorter line to get the skates. This was Maddie and Audrey's first time to try ice skating. Audrey took right to it, and Maddie eventually got the hang of it. I think we definately need to go again sometime...

Winter Camp

2011-01-12T18:53:00.001-08:00

The boys in our ward went on a winter camp down in San Marcos, Texas. It was perfect camping weather with temps in the mid 60's during the day and good sleeping temps at night. The river is spring fed, so the water is about 72 degrees year round. They spent most of their time kayaking in the San Marcos river. I know - not much of a winter camp! But, we have to take advantage of the amazing winter weather we get here!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2011-01-12T18:42:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas season. We loved staying up late, sleeping in, serving our friends, Christmas parties, and dinners. Best of all, we loved having some much needed time together without the phone ringing or losing Daddy for an evening here and there. Here are a few pictures of our Christmas morning!

Surprised by Santa

2011-01-11T17:59:00.000-08:00

One evening a few days before Christmas, I had gone out to do some shopping by myself. As I drove onto our street, I followed a firetruck and ambulance whose lights and sirens were on. Then, they turned and stopped right in front of our house blocking the driveway. Since I had given Kevin dinner duty, I became a bit concerned. (Although, he does make great spaghetti without any fires!) I called home to see if everything is okay. Audrey seemed surprised that I was concerned, so she ran out the front door to see what I was talking about. She started jumping up and down because Santa was at our house in the firetruck! It was quite a fun surprise, but I sure had my heart rate up. Thank goodness:)

Boo to You!

2011-01-01T15:05:00.000-08:00

Our Halloween was a bit unusual this year. Kevin was put in as Bishop of our ward that day, so our day was all about this big new change for us. We had family over all day to participate in this event, so we were glad that we got to celebrate Halloween a few days earlier at the trunk-or-treat! Brandon decided to go to a friend's halloween party, so we didn't get any pictures of him. So sad!

Happy 10th Audrey!

2011-01-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

Audrey turned 10 years old this year! My the time has gone by so fast. We enjoyed a family celebration and even enjoyed having Grandma Beech here for her special day.

Magical Trip

2011-01-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

We had an extraordinarily magical trip to Disney World in October. It had been a long and hard summer, so we were celebrating and enjoying some much needed family time. We stayed at Pop Century on site, and got to see every park multiple times. We loved the new Toy Story Mania ride at Hollywood Studios. Kevin said it was his favorite ride now. I think Maddie agrees! Audrey loved the Rock-n-Roller Coaster! The weather was perfect, sometimes a bit hot even. It was extra special to celebrate Audrey and Whitney's birthday while we were there. We spent Whitney's actual day at Magic Kingdom and then went to the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. Right as the show ended we watched the fireworks at Magic Kingdom fromthe beach at the Polynesian Resort. It was an amazing way to celebrate with Whitney! The week went by too fast, but our memories will last a lifetime!

GO FIGHT WIN!

2010-12-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

Audrey and Maddie enjoyed another season of cheerleading. Luckily, they got to be on the same squad again. They enjoyed painting signs, pizza parties, and the games.

The creek

2010-12-23T06:59:00.000-08:00

We have a little creek at the end of our cul-de-sac. When the weather is nice, the kids love to go explore down there. They have found all kinds of treasures and creatures. Whitney took the camera with her, and took some pretty cool pictures...

christmas 2010

2010-12-08T16:59:00.001-08:00

With Love Blue Christmas 5x7 folded card

Get custom photo Christmas cards online at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Boys of Fall!

2010-11-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

Football is HUGE in Texas. Like I even need to remind you. Well, Brandon didn't want to miss out, so he joined the team at school. He's had a fun time learning about the game and being part of the team. I am ready for a break from all the sports, but they sure had fun!

Xtreme, Angels, and Panthers! Oh, My!

2010-11-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

We have three softball players in our house. So, most of our fall has been filled with practices and games. Whitney ended up on two teams this year due to some "conflicts" with one organization. Anyway, here are some cute pics of our athletes...

School Days

2010-11-17T06:05:00.000-08:00

Audrey has been busy with piano, softball, and cheerleading this fall. She loves to spend time with her friends. Especially, her bestie Sariah! Oh how they will miss each other.

Maddie loves school. She has also been busy with softball, cheerleading, and piano this fall.

Maddie is in second grade and Audrey is in 4th grade!

Brandon is a seventh grader this year. He is also in all Honors classes and Spanish class. He plays the trumpet, and was on the football team this year.

Whitney is now in 8th grade. She is in all Honors classes and symphonic band. She just made All-Region Band. She was so excited to place first chair in the symphonic band for clarinet!

summer's end

2010-11-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

I surprised Kevin for his BIG birthday by inviting our dear friends, Channing and Renae, up from Austin. We haven't seen them since Audrey was a baby, but time doesn't change anything it seems. We had a wonderful weekend with the Williams family!

Audrey and Julia really hit it off!

The boys got to go to a Cowboys preseason game. It's been a terrible season for the BOYS, but Kevin and Brandon still had a good time!

The kids with their cousins at the butterfly gardens in Dallas!

It was hillarious when my nephew, Bobby, took an unexpected swim in the yucky, and I mean yucky, pond. My sis is such a good mom! She jumped in and saved him while the rest of us were laughing!

We spent a hot day at the butterfly house in Dallas with my sister and her two kids. Loved this pic of Maddie trying to catch one of her own!

Brandon at scout camp!

It is always sad when summer comes to an end. We do welcome the cooler fall temperatures, football, softball, baseball (GO RANGERS)! I just wanted to finish up my summer postings and pictures. I sure have gotten behind...

Houston and Galveston

2010-10-23T06:09:00.000-07:00

I decided to finally take the kids down to the coast for a few days. We stopped in Houston on our way down and toured NASA. They all loved it and keep asking when we can go back. We then went to Galveston. We spent the whole next day on the beach where we all got a little sunburned! We discovered all the jellyfish after Whitney asked if it was normal to have the water suddenly sting your legs. I then pointed out all the jellyfish. All of us were stung except for Maddie who was totally content playing in the sand! The next day we shopped on the Strand and did a boat ride to see the dolphins. It was finally time to go. We were sad to leave so soon, but now we know all the things we want to do when we go back. We then made our way to Battleship Park and toured the Battleship Texas. Brandon really enjoyed seeing that. It is the only ship left that was used in both World Wars. We learned so much, and feel so grateful to all those that lived and fought in horrid conditions so that we could have our liberties today! It was so amazingly hot while we were there! I am sure that the men that actually lived on that ship experienced even hotter conditions. Audrey and Whitney ended up getting sick on the way home from all the heat. If you ever want to see the Battleship, don't go in August unless you want to experience what the men may have experienced in southeast Asia!!!

Pool Time

2010-10-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

We love swimming in our own backyard! We love having friends and family over for fun in the sun. Some of our best times are when we can just be together playing around and the pool sure helps us beat the heat

Scout Camp

2010-10-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

Brandon enjoyed his first scout camp. They were gone for six days in the heat of July. Brandon loved shooting! In fact, he won the award for the most accurate shooting of the camp. He was thrilled! He also loved having no girls around for a few days!

Girls' camp!

2010-10-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

Whitney had a fantastic time at Girls' camp this year! They went up to Oklahoma. It was hot, sticky, and fun! I think the best part for her was being with all her best friends!

Activity Days' Camp

2010-08-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

So, I am now the Activity Day's Leader in our Ward. I must say that it is my DREAM calling. I love being with the young kids and teaching them. I have great leaders, moms, and especially girls. We decided to have a day camp for all the girls ages 8-12 in our ward. Our theme was Camp B.U.G.S. (building upon gospel standards). We started each day with a devotional. We then split up into groups to do activities in stations. We did a craft each day, games, skits, and cooking. We then had the snack the girls made in their cooking class, and went swimming. We ended the day with the skits the girls prepared earlier in their station. We had handouts each day. Kerri did a great job on these! We also had a special "camper of the day" awarded to the girl that best exhibited following the gospel standards. By the end of the week, we had several nonmembers participating in our camp. We had so much fun, and really bonded! How I love these girls!

Cousins and the BIG 12

2010-08-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

We, of course, got together with the Krueger's while Grandma Beech was here. We even did some sleepovers with the cute cousins. It was soooo fun! Brandon also was ordained a deacon while Grandma was here (the main reason for her trip here)! Can't believe he is 12 already! Where did the years go?

American Girl Boutique and Bistro

2010-08-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

So, we just had to take Grandma to the American Girl Place in Dallas. We had a fabulous all-girl day. We looked around, shopped, and had a treat in the bistro. The raspberry sorbet was so amazing!

4th and 5th of July

2010-08-12T10:34:00.001-07:00

Every year we have a great 4th weekend since we also get to celebrate Brandon's birthday. This year Grandma Beech was here and Jayne's family came over for Sunday dinner, then we headed over to Breckenridge park for the fireworks. We will never forget getting ATTACKED by June bugs who just loved the wrapping to our glow bracelets. The 5th was spent with friends and family, pool, and good food. Brandon got some really nice gifts and is now outfitted for his first ever scout camp. He turned 12 this year, and now will have many more responsibilities and hopefully more fun! Happy Birthday to my, not so little, son!

Homeward Bound

2010-08-06T11:17:00.001-07:00

We had a nice treat to have Grandma Beech travel back to Texas with us. We stopped to see Carlsbad Caverns on the way. We all loved this stop. The caverns were quite amazing. I can't imagine what the first explorers must have thought when they discovered these caves! I am glad they did, and that we had the opportunity to see them all together!

Phoenix/Mesa

2010-07-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

It was HOT, HOT, HOT! I think we reached 117 degrees when we were there. Kevin was happy, not because he loves the heat. He wanted us all to experience his childhood, I guess. The kids were amazed at how hot it was! We enjoyed seeing Kevin's stomping grounds, lunch at Garcia's, time with other cousins and especially Great-Grandma Bonnie Jackson! She taught the kids how to play chicken dominoes. They keep bugging me to buy a set for us. Guess I need to hit Target for a set of dominoes!

Day 3 - Indian Ruins, Volcanoes, Slide Rock, Sedona

2010-07-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

We got up super early on Day 3 so we could travel out to some ancient Indian ruins. We all enjoyed the peacefulness and the quiet out there. The volcano flow field was really cool, too. We then made our way to Sedona, but first stopped at Slide Rock for an hour. That was simply not long enough. We did some shopping in Sedona and then headed out to Thousand Trails for swimming and a family barbecue. A fun-filled (very filled) day. Later that night, we travelled down to Phoenix to spend some time there.

Day 2 - The GRAND Canyon

2010-07-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

The kids loved the grand canyon. We loved sharing this beautiful place with them. Now they want to hike down to Havasu Falls next summer. Better start planning I guess...

Family Reunion Beginnings

2010-07-26T07:28:00.001-07:00

So, we met up with Bryce and family in Albequerque and caravanned together to Flagstaff. We made a few stops along the way to see the Petrified Forest!

Summertime!

2010-07-26T05:43:00.001-07:00

I have been so busy living life that I haven't been able to write about it. The kids enjoyed the last few days of school with field day and parties galore.

Audrey is missing her best friend, Sariah, who is spending the summer in France with grandparents and cousins. Maybe in a few years, Audrey can join her there for a few weeks. I might even try to tag along!

We hosted the Activity Day Girls over for a swimming party!

Jayne, Whitney, and I went to see WICKED! We even had a "behind the scenes" tour and got to meet the star of the show!

We had a lot of family and friends over for Memorial Day Celebrations!

The kids have been enjoying camps and late nights. We went to a family reunion in Arizona which will have to be its own post! We are now planning a trip to Houston and Glaveston next week! Can't wait to play in the waves.

Cute and Crazy Kids

2010-06-29T13:13:00.001-07:00

Just found these pictures on the camera. I guess the kids decided to have a little crazy photo shoot!

Whitney Speaks

2010-06-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

Whitney also had to give a talk in Church a couple of weeks ago. She wrote a beautiful talk, so I wanted to put it here.
In D&C ch. 88 verse 63 we read of Christ’s commandment to draw near unto Him.
63 aDraw bnear unto me and I will draw near unto you; cseek me diligently and ye shall dfind me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
When we obey his commandment we receive the blessing that he will draw near unto us. He also tells us how we are to do this. We should seek, ask, and knock.
Elder Doxey has taught that there are seven ways to seek, ask, and knock.
1. By emulating Christ’s life we draw near unto Him.
2. By praying to the Eternal Father in the name of Jesus Christ we draw nearer to the Savior. Without sincere prayer the chance of attaining the goals of gospel living would be impossible. As children of God, we are dependent upon Him for all that we have, even the very breath we take (see Mosiah 2:21). Our natural tendency as we come to know and love the Lord is a desire to express gratitude for these abundant blessings. Often we reflect on the innumerable blessings that have come to us and can’t wait until we can just be alone and express thanks, without any particular thought of further requests. It would seem awkward and lacking in respect to ask for more if we have failed to thank the Lord for blessings already received.
When I was about 4 or 5 and still living in Mexico, I discovered one day that I had lost my little Mexican doll. I searched everywhere possible in our apartment. What seemed like hours later, I just simply said a prayer asking Heavenly Father to help me know where I had left my toy. Immediately afterwards, I tried looking again but came up empty. I didn’t get discouraged though, I just put it out of my mind, sure that it would show up sooner or later. I never found my doll back in that apartment. Nine years later, during this past spring break in March, I went up to my grandma’s house for a mini-vacation away from home. While cleaning out an old, forgotten box in the back room, I found my favorite doll from my childhood trips to Texas for Christmas. The experience reminded me that prayers are never answered when we expect them to be. I used to think maybe I would get my answer a week or a month later, but it never crossed my mind that I would find what I lost nine years in the future. If we are near to the Savior, we will receive many blessings, even if they are as small as finding a lost toy.

3. By studying the scriptures we are seeking Him. If we are to draw near to the Savior, we must know what he requires of us. Our understanding of right and wrong without the benefit of the scriptures could lead us away from the pathway to salvation.
The new virtue value in my young women’s personal progress book has really helped me more than I ever thought it would. I finished all the experiences in that value and was ready to begin my project: to read The Book of Mormon. I started out small and just read a chapter a night until I was ready to pick up the pace. I was only reading a small amount a day, but the blessings were distinct. I didn’t notice them at all when they first appeared because the changes were so gradual. All it took, however, was one article in the New Era to bring it to my attention. In the story, a young woman about my age was trying to find the answer to her question if The Book of Mormon was true. She’d read it multiple times, praying each time she finished, but never got the answer she expected. One day, she looked around herself and noticed how lucky she really was. I looked around myself and notice the blessings around me; my family was closer, the amount of fighting had decreased and the caring given to everyone was spectacular. I was surprised by how much I’d missed. I realized that if we follow even only one of the commandments, the blessings around us will be astonishing.
4. By seeking the influence of the Holy Ghost we will draw near unto Christ. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the Father and the Son and gives enlightenment regarding them. The closeness one has with the Savior is manifest ofttimes by the Holy Spirit.
5. By following the Prophet and Church Leaders we draw nearer to the Savior. God’s authorized servants receive interpretation of scripture, solutions to present-day problems, and a reaffirmation of gospel teachings that lead to perfection. If we follow the inspired teachings of the General Authorities of the Church, we will be led toward a closer relationship with the author of our salvation (see Heb. 5:9), and hence to our ultimate goal of exaltation with him. President Hinckley recalls what happened when his father and mother followed the counsel of a living prophet.
In 1915 President Joseph F. Smith asked the people of the Church to have family home evening. My father said we would do so, that we would warm up the parlor where Mother’s grand piano stood and do what the President of the Church had asked.
We were miserable performers as children. We could do all kinds of things together while playing, but for one of us to try to sing a solo before the others was like asking ice cream to stay hard on the kitchen stove. In the beginning, we would laugh and make cute remarks about one another’s performance. But our parents persisted. We sang together. We prayed together. We listened quietly while Mother read Bible and Book of Mormon stories. Father told us stories from his memory.
Out of those simple little meetings, held in the parlor of our old home, came something indescribable and wonderful. Our love for our parents was strengthened. Our love for brothers and sisters was enhanced. Our love for the Lord was increased. An appreciation for simple goodness grew in our hearts. These wonderful things came about because our parents followed the counsel of the President of the Church.

6. By partaking of the sacrament we can grow closer to the Savior. This is one of the treasured ways in which we may come to a relationship with the Savior. A particularly opportune time to remember the Savior, to meditate on the meaning of taking his name upon us, and to seek for the Spirit, is the sacrament time.
7. By spiritual practices such as payment of tithing, fast offerings and other donations, and giving service of many kinds in our callings. These are opportunities for spiritual growth. They keep alive in us the desire to draw closer to the Savior.

As we seek, ask, and knock we will find Christ, receive blessings, and doors will be opened for us. The greatest blessing of the commandment to draw near to the Savior is that He will draw near to us.

Speaking of...

2010-05-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

So I had to speak in Church on Mother's Day. You know what they say about learning more than you can actually say. That is probably why they asked me to speak. I was so nervous, but found joy in the process of reflection that this opportunity provided for me. Since I am keeping this blog as a journal for my family, I wanted to post my talk here. Hopefully, someday my kids will see that I tried to do my best in raising them, and that they will lead happy and fulfilling lives if not because of me then in spite of me...

I have always taken the stance as did Mary, the mother of our Savior. I pondered these things in my heart. Much of my talk are those things that I have pondered and feel compelled to share.
May 11, 1997 was a memorable day for me. It was my first Mother’s Day, and the day that my young husband travelled to Michigan to begin his anticipated internship. We were only able to see each other once a month that summer so that I could keep my employment at BYU as a dorm mom. It was already a difficult day for me as I sent my husband and Whitney’s Dad away, but it soon got a little more difficult. Kevin called me late in the evening carefully explaining to me that through a series of mishaps he became separated from our good friend that he would be following and staying with after landing in Detroit. I had never been to this city and only envisioned the worst. I pictured him in gang ridden, burned out, and extremely dangerous parts of town. I later learned that my visions were not too far from reality. At that point, feeling somewhat helpless, my mother heart kicked in. I gathered my baby and together we prayed for the safety and protection of the man that we loved. A few hours later, Kevin arrived safely to his hotel. So goes the story of my first mother’s day.
As I was preparing my talk, I began to ask the question when do we become mothers? As I searched for an answer to this question, the Spirit gently reminded me of the following experience. We now flash forward to the spring of 1999. Whitney is now 2 years old and Brandon is a little baby. We are now living in Michigan and getting settled into our new life away from Utah and college days. Our good friends Sean and Tina desparately wanted to begin their family. Through many trials and tests learned that they were unable to have children of their own. At that point they quickly began the process to adopt. The adoption laws in Michigan required that adoptive parents must be registered as foster parents. They did this technical step with no thought to actually foster any children. However, late one night, an LDS social worker called them frantically searching for a short term home to a newborn baby girl who was drug addicted at birth and whose mother was not only unfit to take this little baby home, she didn’t want her either. Tina, hesitantly accepted this newborn into her home. She then called me to get any supplies to clothe and care for this baby for the next week or two while a more permanent home was being found. The next morning, I gathered several items and headed over to Tina’s house. Tina had been buying baby furniture and getting a baby room ready so that when they got the call to adopt, they would be ready. She took me upstairs to show me her baby quilting handiwork. Whitney followed me and I carried Brandon. While we visited, I noticed Whitney wasn’t in this nursery with us anymore. I was really nervous because the little newborn was lying on the couch downstairs. I knew that Whitney wouldn’t be able to resist touching and playing with her. We both hurried downstairs to supervise the toddler. When we reached the bottom of the stairs, we saw a most precious scene. Whitney was sitting on the couch, holding this beautiful yet unwanted and mistreated baby singing to her. She wasn’t singing just any song, she was singing “I Am a Child of God.” We felt angels in the room as these two souls shared a heavenly moment. It is evident to me now that my two year old daughter had, even then, a mother heart. After coming upon this scene, Tina then saw a vision of this baby’s future without the gospel and knew at that moment that this little drug addicted, ghetto born child was hers - sent to her from Heavenly Father. Sean and Tina began the adoption process and soon took baby Nicole to the Temple and sealed her to them for time and all eternity. Sheri Dew said this: “While we tend to equate motherhood solely with maternity, in the Lord’s language, the word mother has layers of meaning. Of all the words they could have chosen to define her role and her essence, both God the Father and Adam called Eve “the mother of all living” and they did so before she ever bore a child. Like Eve, our motherhood began before we were born. Just as worthy men were foreordained to hold the priesthood in mortality, righteous women were endowed premortally with the privilege of motherhood. Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature and the unique traits our Father gave us.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley stated that “God planted within women something divine.” 6 That something is the gift and the gifts of motherhood. Elder Matthew Cowley taught that “men have to have something given to them [in mortality] to make them saviors of men, but not mothers, not women. [They] are born with an inherent right, an inherent authority, to be the saviors of human souls … and the regenerating force in the lives of God’s children.” 7
I have jokingly and teasingly shared the secret with my children that as young girls become older they also receive a couple more gifts to help them mother those around them. Those gifts are “eyes in the back of our heads” and Santa’s phone number. It is amazing how much easier motherhood is when we have the right tools.

Motherhood is part of God’s plan. When Christ was a boy, he became separated from his parents. When Joseph and Mary discovered he was missing, they searched everywhere for him. After three days, they found him in the Temple. His mother said unto him, Son why hast thou dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. I also found this story by Sheri Dew. She recounts the following experience: This summer four teenage nieces and I shared a tense Sunday evening when we set out walking from a downtown hotel in a city we were visiting to a nearby chapel where I was to speak. I had made that walk many times, but that evening we suddenly found ourselves engulfed by an enormous mob of drunken parade-goers. It was no place for four teenage girls, or their aunt, I might add. But with the streets closed to traffic, we had no choice but to keep walking. Over the din, I shouted to the girls, “Stay right with me.” As we maneuvered through the crush of humanity, the only thing on my mind was my nieces’ safety.
Thankfully, we finally made it to the chapel. But for one unnerving hour, I better understood how mothers who forgo their own safety to protect a child must feel. My siblings had entrusted me with their daughters, whom I love, and I would have done anything to lead them to safety. Likewise, our Father has entrusted us as women with His children, and He has asked us to love them and help lead them safely past the dangers of mortality back home. Loving and leading—these words summarize not only the all-consuming work of the Father and the Son, but the essence of our labor, for our work is to help the Lord with His work. How, then, may we as Latter-day women of God best help the Lord with His work?
I believe that true Motherhood in the eternal sense is developed through sacrifice, service, and love. We read of women in the scriptures who love and lead and who have power and influence over others. Elder Nelson teaches: We read and learn from Eve the first mother, many great lessons such as laboring beside her companion, she bore the responsibilities of motherhood. Eve set the pattern. In addition to bearing children, she mothered all of mankind when she made the most courageous decision any woman has ever made and with Adam opened the way for us to progress. We also learn from Eve that she worshipped the Lord in prayer, she heeded divine commandments of obedience and sacrifice, and she taught the gospel to her children. We also read of Sarah, Rebekah, and Mary the mother of our Savior. In Nephi Ch. 7 we read that Nephi’s brothers, who had him bound and sought to take away his life, had their hearts softened because one daughter of Ishmael and her mother did “plead with his brethren that they did cease striving to take away his life.” In the Book of Mormon we read about 2,000 exemplary young men who were exceedingly valiant, courageous, and strong. “Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him” (Alma 53:21). These faithful young men paid tribute to their mothers. They said, “Our mothers knew it” (Alma 56:48). I would suspect that the mothers of Captain Moroni, Mosiah, Mormon, and other great leaders also knew.
What did these women Know? Sister Julie Beck answers this question by saying The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know. When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on the rising generation.
I was able to attend a symposium given by Laura Bush on Friday night. Someone in the audience asked her what was the one thing that her mother taught her that has influenced her the most over the years. She said that her mother taught her to Look Up. They had been laying underneath the evening sky out in West Texas. They were studying the constellations, and her mother said that she should “Look Up. The sky will not look exactly like this for another year.” We can learn from her mother as she did that when we look up, we can gain greater perspective. When we turn our eyes and hearts toward the heavens, we can’t help but feel of God’s love for us.
In her talk, Sister Beck describes qualities that women who know will have. First, women who know will have the desire to bear and raise children. Alane Starko, a stake RS president from Ann Arbor, MI shared the following experience: I had served for several years as Young Women president in our branch and had found great joy in the calling. I’d been bleary-eyed at youth conferences, poison-ivied at girls’ camp, and inspired at youth testimony meetings. Through it all I had loved the girls and the time I was able to spend with them. One year, on Mother’s Day, I received a letter from one of them:
“… Because you’ve treated me as your own child, I felt it only right to honor you as an important and special type of mother. You’ve been a model woman that I’ve always greatly respected, but in the last year my respect [has grown] greater and a special kind of love has developed. Who ever said that a child can have only one mother? I believe a girl can have as many mothers as she needs to help her grow stronger in personality and … character. … You are one of my very special mothers, and I thought this would be a good day to thank you.”
Over the years, I’ve read this letter frequently and pondered its wisdom. Who did ever say a child could have only one mother? The sacred role of motherhood is not defined solely by the physical process of giving birth. In fact, I suspect that some who have borne children would not be honored by our Heavenly Father with the cherished title of mother. I believe that the eternal role of motherhood has more to do with the teaching and nurturing of spirits than with physical birth and early mortal caretaking.
Sheri Dew also states: Every one of us can mother someone—beginning, of course, with the children in our own families but extending far beyond. Every one of us can show by word and by deed that the work of women in the Lord’s kingdom is magnificent and holy. We are all mothers in Israel, and our calling is to love and help lead the rising generation through the dangerous streets of mortality.
Few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us.
Women who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants.
Russel M. Nelson shared the following story in a past General Conference: For a short time during the first year of our marriage, Sister Nelson maintained two jobs while I was in medical school. Before her paychecks had arrived, we found ourselves owing more than our funds could defray. So we took advantage of an option then available to sell blood at $25 a pint. In an interval between her daytime job as a schoolteacher and her evening work as a clerk in a music store, we went to the hospital and each sold a pint of blood. As the needle was withdrawn from her arm, she said to me, “Don’t forget to pay tithing on my blood money.” Such obedience was a tremendous lesson to me. Sister Nelson’s commitment to tithe became my commitment, too.
Women who Know are nurturers. To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow.
Women who know are leaders. Women who know who they are and who God is lead others to come to know the same thing. They lead in families, church organizations, primary classes, community programs, and in many other ways.
Women who know are teachers. Sheri Dew asks us to look around. Who needs you and your influence? If we really want to make a difference, it will happen as we mother those we have borne and those we are willing to bear with.
Women who know do less. I found this one interesting. I find myself scrambling so many days to get everyone where they need to be with just the right equipment. Not to say that there aren’t busy days and times, but overall where is our focus? Am I doing more good or just more? Women who know understand that the quantity of time with those in need is just as important as quality time.
Women who know stand strong and immovable. A quote I recently heard by Condoleeza Rice said that today’s headlines and history’s judgements are rarely the same. I find that to be true for mother’s as well as civic leaders. When we know who we are and who God is we will stand strong and immovable in our standards, virtue, and our faith.

Last fall Kevin and I attended the funeral of a dear family friend, Caroline. She was a young wife and mother of 3 children whose ages were 11, 10 and 6. I noticed that the boys were all dressed in suits with purple ties, and her little daughter had on a beautiful purple dress. I leaned over to Kevin and I said that I knew Caroline had planned their outfits for her funeral. They just had that look. Their mother had stamped her approval I was sure. I am sure if she took the time and effort to care for this part of their lives in this way, she made preparations for other times in their mortal lives when they would need the influence of their mother. Her children will rise and call her blessed. All of you will also influence this rising generation, but your influence will be felt through the ages on Earth as well as in Heaven. So, I ask, when does Motherhood end? As daughters of our Heavenly Father and as daughters of Eve, we are all mothers and we have always been. This is one calling from which we can never be released. Once we understand our purpose and place in God’s plan, we have the responsibility to love and help lead the rising generation. Our motherhood doesn’t end when our children leave us either. In John 19:26 we read of Christ’s commandment to his own mother as He was leaving this mortal existence. “When Jesus therefore, saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold they Son!”

Family Journaling

2010-05-13T18:54:00.000-07:00

A shout out thank you to my friend Crystal! She told me about a site that will print your blog. She prints hers by the year and keeps it as a journal for her family. It is fast, easy, and reasonably priced. I got to see Crystal's books, and thought the quality was quite nice. The site is www.sharedbook.com. I just ordered my first 2 books as father's day gifts for my sweet hubby!

Just sayin'

2010-05-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Softballs are not SOFT! Ouch....

One Year!

2010-05-13T14:11:00.001-07:00

We've been in our house for one year now! One summer, one fall, one winter, and one spring. It seems like so much longer, like this is where we were meant to be. We have already made so many memories here. I've taken my time getting the house decorated. It was mostly done to our liking, but the kids' bedrooms needed some personality. I refinished the girls' dressers, added a vinyl wall quote to the game room. I also made new pillows for the family room. I've had fun doing it, and the kids have enjoyed picking out their own colors and adding their own personality to their spaces.

EASTER

2010-05-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

We did celebrate Easter, I have just been slow to post our pictures! We had grandma, grandpa, Jayne, Johnathon, Ainsley, and Bobby Ray over for the special day. We enjoyed the nontraditional brisket dinner. Everyone had a great time!

In the News

2010-04-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

Go here to see Kevin in the news!

Spring Camping

2010-04-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

Kevin is our ward scout master, so he goes camping once a month with his "boys." Needless to say, he doesn't usually want to do an extra camping trip with the family during the month. I am sure that has something to do with enblazened memories of children falling into the firepit, or the creek, or some other dangerous area! Our last family camping trip was out to Western Michigan in a little town called Ludington six years ago. It was beautiful there with the beach, quaint town, and a beautiful lighthouse. However, we remember the sand in every nook and cranny of a one year old's body, constant trips to the camp bathroom, overcrowded campground,and a long drive.

Finally, the silly sisters (Audrey and Maddie) convinced daddy that camping would be so fun. And, guess what, it was! Gone are the days that camping was a chore and treacherous. We had such a good time as a family. We went on a small hike, swung on a vine over the creek, and played card games. Kevin even made a dutch oven cobbler for dessert!

Maddie turns seven!

2010-04-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl! It was fun to celebrate Maddie's birthday with just family. Grandpa ordered a cute cake for her, and we got to spend some time up at their house. We had a quiet family birthday for her on Sunday which consisted of her favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She got zhu zhu pets which she had been asking for. She loved her cake, but not so much the hair catching fire!

School of Fishies

2010-04-06T14:12:00.001-07:00

So Maddie and I went on a first grade field trip to the Dallas World Aquarium. We got to ride the school bus together, eat a picnic lunch, and enjoy all the fish. We got to see the sharks, birds from all around the world, huge manatees, and all kinds of other critters. We really enjoyed watching the diver feed those enormous fish. We had a fantastic day, and can't wait to return.

So glad winter is over!

2010-04-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

When we moved away from Michigan, I was glad that my snow days were over unless I chose to visit it somewhere. Boy, was I wrong. This has been a record breaking winter for Dallas! We had so much snow (I know I am a wimp, but I've had my fill of it over the years!). The kids did enjoy missing some school and building snowmen. However, we don't have all the right gear like we once did, so it was a little more FREEZING cold than we remember!

Never Knew so Much about Star Wars

2010-02-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

So Brandon competed in the National History Fair this year. I never knew so much about the Star Wars saga, but I am proud of his work. Go to http://51559353.nhd.weebly.com to see his website entry!

Cast Away!

2010-02-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

Maddie got her cast off. I can just say two words: Yay and Yuck! We are so glad that she got her cast off now. Originally, the dr. told us she would have it until April. Thank goodness we didn't have to wait that long. To celebrate, we made cupcakes with little bones on the top and a cast away poster for her classmates to all sign. Audrey was such a big help, and all of her little school friends were so kind, patient, and helpful. Thanks to all those who prayed for her and helped us these last couple of months!

Dumpin'

2010-02-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

Dear Blog:

Oh how I have missed you! I know you think I am a fair weather friend, but I must defend myself. I fell into a big, huge pit called the HOLIDAYS! Don't get me wrong, I loved this pit and didn't want to ever climb out. However, I could not escape this pit long enough to get in touch with you. I hope you can forgive me and receive me with open arms as you always seem to do. To mend your sad heart, I thought I would send some pictures your way so you could see what has been keeping me from you!

Mom's graduation, 3 little cheerleaders, Christmas happenings with snow and ice included, visits with family, and visits with dear friends (fort worth stockyards, games, eating out), and even a big break on Maddie's little arm...

Decorating

2009-12-05T08:07:00.001-08:00

Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after two days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever. Great stories. But two things made me take it down.

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn’t realize that it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of the many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn’t take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard.

BOO: did I scare you?

2009-11-17T07:39:00.000-08:00

We had a fun halloween. We went to our neighborhood fall festival, a ward trunk-or-treat, and regular trick-or-treating. We ended up with probably 15 lbs. of candy. YUCK!

Audrey had a birthday, shout hooray!

2009-11-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

Audrey also had a fun birthday party this year. Since her party was on the 30th of October, we had a halloween party. There was scary food, and witch's brew to drink. They decorated graham cracker haunted houses, and bobbed for apples. Audrey had so much fun dressing up and hanging out with her friends!

Lookout here comes a teen!

2009-11-11T14:47:00.001-08:00

Indeed, we now have a teenager in the house. Whitney is so fun and fabulous (most of the time!) I hope she doesn't change much. Whitney turned 13 last month and had a fun birthday party with her good friends. The kids played volleyball and football in the backyard. They also braved the cold swimming pool. Luckily, the fire pit was working, so they could all get warm. It was fun to cook smores out in the backyard as well! We sure missed having her cousin, Rachel, here. Hopefully, they can get together again soon!

Valpariaso and Vina del Mar

2009-11-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

After some confusion with a local tour company, Kevin hired a driver to take us out to the seaside towns of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. This was a place I had always wanted to visit, and it didn't let me down. We toured a house of a famous Pulitzer Prize winnner of poetry, saw the ports, ate empanadas for lunch along the coast, saw sea lions in the wild, walked in the sand, and so many other places. We both loved this day, our last day in Chile. Our driver took us to the airport that evening, as we were heading back home.

Cancer Stinks

2009-11-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

So I need to take a break from my Chile posts. Yes, I am almost done! Recently we found out that my good friend was diagnosed with a very aggressive stage IV breast cancer. It is also in her lungs. We have been saddened by this news. We try to help the family any way that we can. I am constantly amazed by my friend's strength and her testimony, so it hasn't been all bad. Then, today we received a very sad email from Kevin's good friend, Fred. Fred and his family live in Austin, and we have been able to see them only once since moving here. Fred's dear wife, Caroline, passed away last night. She had been battling colon cancer for 5 years. She definately had her ups and downs, and even was considered cancer-free for a time. We are praying for Fred, and his 3 beautiful children at this time. We hope to go to the services next week.

The Geysers

2009-11-04T11:38:00.001-08:00

We travelled to a very small village called San Pedro de Atacama. The town is extremely rustic, which was so fun! We got up at 4:00 in the morning to begin our tour of the geysers in the High Andes on the border with Bolivia. We were cautioned to walk slowly, and to breathe deeply. They weren't kidding. The geysers sit at just under 14,000 feet! I think that is the highest place I have ever been. It was freezing cold, but so amazing! It was a fun day....

We also drove across the Tropic of Capricorn!

Chuquicamata

2009-11-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

This was a mining town that Kevin served in for a time. The town was completely owned by the mine company. A few years ago, they decided it was unsafe for the people to live there, so they all moved to a nearby city. It is now a ghost town. That was pretty weird for Kevin to see this once vibrant city completely silent and still. We were able to tour the mines, and see some of his old areas!

On to Anto

2009-11-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

Antofogasta that is! This was Kevin's mission city. It sits on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It is a port city with much to offer the local economy. There are all kinds of neighborhoods there from very well off to extremely poor. Kevin served in the poorest sections of the city for 5 months of his mission. I must say, that I am not sure I could've done it. The missionaries all around the world have such a marvelous and life-changing message to spread. I am sure at times Kevin felt that he just couldn't do enough to help the people that he had grown to love. I know that the best gift that a poor 19 year old, or any aged person, could give was the message of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Copiapo

2009-10-28T02:57:00.000-07:00

Kevin spent much of his mission in the town of Copiapo. So, we definately had to go see his old stomping grounds. We flew up to the outskirts of town. Before heading up to Copiapo, we stopped to see a little fishing village named Caldera. We also got to see a popular tourist destination called Bahia Ingles. While in Copiapo, we had a very special experience finding and visiting a sweet couple that Kevin got to teach 20 years ago. It was definately an afternoon filled with the tender mercies of the Lord. I think our visit with Victor and Graciela was the highlight of our whole trip for Kevin. We spent quite a few hours with them! We also had a barbecue with Kevin's old mission friends and family. Thank you Yanina and Pato for a yummy dinner! We also got to drive out to see an old Inca mine and visit some of the infamous Chilean grape vineyards.

Puerto Montt, Chile

2009-10-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

We travelled to the South of Chile, but only got to spend 22 hours there. We rented a car and drove around Lake Llanquile. What a beautiful and isolated part of the world. It was so cold, rainy, and foggy that when we drove to the top of the volcano, Osorno we couldn't even see it! Even with the less than tropical weather, it was so beautiful, green, and lush there. It is probably the closest we will ever get to the south polen and it really felt like the bottom of the world!

CHILE

2009-10-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I had the trip of a lifetime. We went to Chile for 10 days at the beginning of October. We had so many amazing experiences! I can't write about all of them, but I will post a few of them over the next little while. For starters, I will post pictures of our first few days in the country which we spent in Santiago.

We enjoyed a city tour, an afternoon in the Pre-Colombian Museum, as well as a bicycle tour through the city. I think we both enjoyed the bicycle tour the most.

Kevin in front of the Moneda - which is kind of like the White House. Research what happened there on Sept. 11, 1973 to learn more about it's history!

SAN CRISTOBAL

Overlooking Santiago

Back in School

2009-09-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

Summer ended so soon! We started back to school 3 weeks ago, and are finally getting back into the routine. It seems to get harder each year to start into the school season! Whitney is in the 7th grade. Brandon started middle school this year and is in the 6th grade. Audrey is in 3rd grade. And Maddie is now a big first grader. It should be a challenging, yet rewarding year!

To You
To sit and dream, to sit and read,
To sit and learn about the world
Outside our world of here and now --
Our problem world--
To dream of vast horizons of the soul
Through dreams made whole,
Unfettered, free -- help me!
All you who are dreamers too,
Help me to makde
Our world anew.
I reach out my dreams to you.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Link

2009-09-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

Okay my link didn't work.

So to see the blog, go down to my boutique and click on "Blonde". Hope you'll enjoy!

Newfound Blog

2009-09-08T07:41:00.001-07:00

I just stumbled across this blog that has such cute and simpe ideas for so many things. Thought you would enjoy. Go here to see!

WASHINGTON 20 July 2009

2009-09-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama was presented with five large leather-bound volumes today by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that detail his family history going back multiple generations covering hundreds of years. The presentation was made by Church President Thomas S. Monson and Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They were accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who is also a member of the Church.

President Monson said: “President Obama’s heritage is rich with examples of leadership, sacrifice and service. We were very pleased to research his family history and are honored to present it to him today.”

Elder Oaks, who oversees the Church’s family history program, said, “The Church has great resources and experience in genealogy work, and we are proud to have researched such a unique and impressive family history.”

“I thank President Monson and Elder Oaks for sharing our religion’s tradition of genealogical research with the president and his family,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. “I am also glad that President Obama and Elder Oaks had an opportunity to discuss their shared passion of the law. Recognizing the president and first lady's deep regard for family, I am honored that our church can have any part in documenting their family history.”

The Church has also presented personal histories to other U.S. presidents, including Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Read President Obama’s statement about the meeting

Forgotten picture

2009-09-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Somehow this didn't get on - ENJOY!

Mountains in TX?

2009-09-06T11:01:00.001-07:00

There really are, but nowhere close to Dallas. Kevin, Brandon, Chris, and Gina drove to West Texas yesterday - eight hours away. The climbed and camped on the top of Mt. Guadalupe (the tallest mountain in Texas at 8000 ft.) I haven't been able to talk to them yet, but Kevin sent this picture of Brandon at the top! What a view, and looks like Brandon is in his element!

A day at Six Flags

2009-09-02T08:42:00.001-07:00

Each year the elementary students have a chance to earn a free six flags ticket. They just have to read and track their time for 600 minutes. All of my elementary kids earned their ticket, so we just HAD to use them. We all had fun. Brandon tried Batman for the first time, and he loved it. Lucky for us, the lines were almost nonexistent. I don't think it was as hot as some of our days there last year either. All in all, a good day.

Weird Science

2009-09-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

We spent a day at Fair Park going to the Science Museum. Maddie enjoyed the dinosaur dig and the big bubbles that Brandon made for her. I think everyone enjoyed the IMAX movie!

All American Girls

2009-08-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

While Whitney and Brandon took their turn at Grandma and Grandpa's house, Mom and the little girls spent an afternoon at the American Girl Boutique and Bistro in Dallas. We had a fun time shopping, and enjoyed a treat in the bistro.

Catchin' Up

2009-08-31T08:42:00.000-07:00

So, I have been pretty pathetic blogging over the summer. We've been so busy playing, that I have had no time to write about it. So, for the next week or so, I will try to post some of our summer happenings! ENJOY:)

Kevin took the scouts on a weeklong extremely hot camping trip!

Reminders...

2009-08-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

A friend forwarded this message on to me. I found it inspiring, motivating, and so powerful. I often need reminders of how important my "job" as a mother is. I am so grateful to all the great people in my life that constantly show me how to be better at my job! I hope you find this as inspring as I did.

Wendy Watson Nelson: Not Even Once!
By Wendy Watson Nelson, Ph.D.
Published: Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009
Following is the complete text of a talk given by Sister Wendy Watson Nelson at the World Congress of Families V in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Aug. 12, 2009.

It's been such a joy for my husband and me to be with you at this Fifth World Congress on Families. We are fellow workers and warriors for the family and we have enjoyed meeting and learning from so many of you. Your grand desires and your stellar commitment to the natural family have strengthened our own resolves.

Even though we live in challenging times, what a glorious time it is to be alive! There has never been a better time to champion the family than now! We have never needed strong families more than now!! And indeed the strength of our nations has never depended upon the strength of our families more than right now!!

Our topic today is The Family: The Hope for the Future of Our Nations. After decades of my work as a nurse, a psychologist and as a marriage and family therapy professor, researcher, and clinician, I have come to believe that if we want to face an uncertain future with certainty, we need families who are spiritually strong!

We need families who are spiritually strong-- because they are morally strong-- courageous, honest and virtuous.

We need families who are spiritually strong --because they do what righteous men and women always do in difficult situations–they do what is the right! Not the convenient nor the popular–and certainly not the politically correct. Spiritually strong families do what is right!

We need families who are spiritually strong because they are comprised of husbands and wives and children of noble character—trustworthy, relentless in their pursuit of truth and of all that is good in the world. We need families who are undaunted in their efforts to lift and love others. Simply stated: We need families who are spiritually strong because they are filled with faith in God!

I have personally met such families in many countries--from Mongolia to Mozambique, from Taiwan to Tonga. Spiritually strong families are in every nation of this world. Yet, we need so many more of them! Henry B. Eyring said: "As the forces around us increase in intensity, whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient, won't be enough."1

That warning impresses me more every time I read it. I repeat:

"As the forces around us increase in intensity, whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient, won't be enough."

Let us think about what that really means:

Whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient, to keep our nations prospering--will not be enough now.

Whatever spiritual strength was sufficient to build a strong family in the twentieth century won't be enough in the twenty-first.

Whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient to protect our families and our nations will not be enough now. Not now that the forces attacking our families are increasing exponentially.

We've all heard the motto: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Well, we've been trying. Sociologists, psychologists, criminologists, politicians, physicians, educators, therapists and so many others have been trying---and trying again.

Isn't it time to try something different? I believe it is time to counter the insidious and relentless attack on our families and nations by dramatically increasing their spiritual strength!

How can we do that?

One answer may be in the words I saw as I was driving along a remote country road. Three words on a large sloping barn roof caught my attention. I believe those words could spiritually strengthen our families and our nations, if properly applied.

The three words on the big sloping roof of that old barn were:

Not Even Once!

Those three words in English may translate into a different number of words in other languages, but the concept has power! Think of what could happen if we each determined that from this moment on, there were certain things we would never do, or never do again -- NOT EVEN ONCE!

For example, imagine the strength to our nations that would flow if just 10 families in each village, each town, and each city around the world made and kept a commitment to NOT EVEN ONCE abuse a child or a woman–in any way

NOT EVEN ONCE to lie, or cheat, steal. Not even once!

NOT EVEN ONCE:

to take illegal drugs

to look at anything pornographic

to be sexually impure! Not even once!

Does this sound impossible? With the help of God, it is not!

God is the Father of your spirit and mine. He knows us so much better than we know ourselves and He can strengthen us to avoid spiritually corroding influences. All we need to do is to ask for His help in making and keeping these commitments.

The following words from the song, "America The Beautiful", have always stirred my soul because of the truths they contain which can strengthen us as individuals, families and nations. The words are these:

Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.2

Can we even begin to calculate the grief, the pain, and the suffering that would flee from our nations if we confirmed our souls in self-control and our liberty in law by living the NOT EVEN ONCE commitment? It is quite staggering to consider the resources we would free up! Resources which are presently spent trying to manage the damage of spiritually corrupting influences such as abuse, lying, cheating, stealing, drugs, pornography, and sexual impurity. You know better than anyone the energy, money, brain power and talent that would suddenly be available to help our nations prosper! Just for a moment, picture the prosperity and the happiness that would ripple around the globe if the NOT EVEN ONCE principle were lived.

I had the privilege of telling several hundred school children in Samoa about the words on the old barn roof. The children spontaneously chimed in with me every time I would say the words "Not even once" – over and over again. I was moved to tears to see and hear these children express such an unrestrained desire to speak and repeat truth.

These children were eager to make the Not Even Once commitment. Can you imagine what could happen in our nations if just 10 families in each village, town, and city did likewise? Just 10!

The Not Even Once principle can be applied to doing positive things as well. Imagine if every family, that was committed to the Not Even Once precept, determined that there were certain things they would never miss an opportunity to do! Not even once!

For example, to Not Even Once miss an opportunity:

to teach a child

to help someone in need

to forgive someone—someone who may never repent or apologize for the pain they have caused

to be kind—especially to someone who isn't

It's really quite simple: Spiritual strength comes to those who focus their lives on following God and serving Him and their fellow men and women. It is no wonder that paying tithing to God helps families to prosper. Parenthetically, the only people who don't realize the power and prosperity that result from giving back to God ten percent of all we earn are those who have never tried it.

In conclusion, just Imagine what would happen to the strength of our nations if one family, and then another, and then another prayed to know how God would have them respond to the following question:

What commitment am I willing to make to God and to myself, that I will never do, or will never miss an opportunity to do -- from this moment on—Not Even Once?

One person living the Not Even Once commitment can make such a difference to the strength of a family. One family living this commitment can make a difference to the strength of its village. And one village, where one family and then another and then another lives this commitment, can make a difference to the strength of its nation. My dear friends of the family, are we really serious about having nations that prosper? Cities where it is safe to live? Towns where husbands and wives brave the challenges of life together? Villages where children enjoy childhood and relish opportunities to grow, learn and explore? Of course we are. And because we are, we can no longer look to our governments for the kind of world we need. Not now.

Now that the forces around us are increasing in intensity, we need to look to God!

And we need families who look to God and who relentlessly remove anything and everything from their lives that is spiritually corrupting; families who seek all that is spiritually strengthening.

May we each go home to our nations and do everything we can to spiritually strengthen the natural family because there is no doubt about it:

Families who are spiritually strong are the only hope for the future of our nations.

Thank you.

References

1. Henry B. Eyring, "Always", Ensign, October 1999, 9.

2. "America The Beautiful," Text: Katherine Lee Bates

Book Review

2009-08-18T11:35:00.001-07:00

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It never ceases to amaze me how cruel humans can be to one another. You would think after the Holocaust, stories like this would never ever happen. My heart truly aches for those that suffer so greatly during their lifetimes. I am also unceasilgly amazed by those who come out of these types of situations with forgiveness in their hearts. What a process of cleansing and faith one must go through to turn their pain over to Heavenly Father. I love how the author is constantly reminded that we are all His children, and that He loves us all. She is constantly taught that the evil-doers "know not what they do," and that she should forgive them. I give this book five stars because of the hope it inspires, and the love that pulses through it. I felt so close to my Heavenly Father by reading this account, and want to continue developing my own personal relationship with Him. I constantly asked myself one question while reading this book: "Could I forgive those who have injured me in small ways (compared to Immaculee's BIG injuries) the way that we should?" We don't have to go through such horrific experiences to learn how to forgive. In many ways, forgiveness should be so much easier for someone like me. I have always heard that hate is a poison you take hoping that the other person will die from it. I am so glad that Immaculee didn't drink of this poison, and that she was left to tell her story and share her testimony of God.

View all my reviews >>

What have we been doing you ask?

2009-07-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

You'd think things would be a little slower in the summer months, but I find we are just as busy. Here are a few of our busy activities:

Whitney attended girls' camp with her cousin up in Oklahoma. It was hot, hot, hot! She had a fun time, and made some great memories. They had everything from no air conditioning, car break downs, songs, skits, campfires, and other various camping things.

Brandon attended his scout day camp. It was a rather stormy week. Two days they were sent home early due to tornado sightings. I must say when the warning sirens also shout out "Take Cover", you really listen!

Mom and I made more strawberry jam than you can even imagine! Whitney also made a comforter for her bed and planted a garden. She is a busy bee!

Whitney and Audrey have continued with piano lessons. Whitney has also been taking advantage of private clarinet lessons this summer. Brandon had a guitar recital, and continues working on his skills. He played "FEVER". He is working on Rhumba, Tientos, and "I've got the world on a string."

Whitney, Brandon, and Audrey participated in an Art Camp at Plano Center of the Arts. They had fun! Maddie will get to go in a couple of years.

Maddie, Audrey, and Brandon attended VBS. It was fun, and they were uplifted.

We have gone to the Science Museum, birthday parties, had movie nights, and spent time up at Mom and Dad's! The kids each take turns going to their house for the better part of a week. Brandon likes to practice target shooting. Whitney likes to play games and work on crafts. Audrey and Maddie played lots with their cousin during their week. Grandma and Grandpa treated them to ice cream cones, backyard baby pools, and other adventures! We've had cousin weeks, too!

Let's not forget all the softball and baseball games!

Summer is slipping away, and there is so much still to play!

Eleven years old

2009-07-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

I know I am a little slow to update my blog. I can't help it. We are so busy enjoying life, there seems to be no time to write about it. Anyway, Brandon turned 11 years old a couple of weeks ago. We had a fun swimming party with a few of his friends. A new family moved here, and their son turned 11 just a few days after Brandon. We decided to have a joint party so that Hunter could get to know some of the boys at Church and in the neighborhood. It was a ton of fun!

Why I love Texas

2009-07-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Quotes from a Jeff Foxworthy skit about living in Texas;

If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Texas;

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Texas;

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Texas;

If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend, you may live in Texas;

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Texas;

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Texas;

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Texas;

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Texas;

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody's passing you, you may live in Texas;

If you find 60 degrees 'a little chilly,' you may live in Texas;

If you actually understand these jokes, and share them with all your
Texas friends, you definitely live in Texas.

THANKS TO MY DAD FOR SHARING!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA!

2009-07-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed the 4th with family, friends, food, and fireworks! We loved spending time with Jenn's sister, hubby, 2 kids, Brad, Meredith, Mom and Dad, John, and the Richards family. What a blast!

I am not dead!

2009-06-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

Just so you know, I am still alive! Don't worry anymore....

What have I been doing you ask?
1. Bought new home
2. Moved into new home
3. Cleaned old home (still dealing with the agency)! They are quite a dishonest bunch and I suppose the end of that story is quite a ways away!
4. Helped kids with the end of the year projects such as book reports!
5. Tie-dyed 19 kindergarten shirts for the kindergarten song celebration.
6. Hosted last day of school party at our new home.
7. Celebrated memorial day at our new home with tons of family including Jenn's parents, cousin, sister (hubby and 2 kids), sister's hubby's brother and girlfriend, Kevin's cousin with hubby and 4 kids. It was a blast!
8. Sent Whitney to girls' camp with her cousin, Rachel.
9. Took care of kiddos while Kevin was away at scout camp.
10. Worked one evening at Brandon's scout camp.
11. Tried to work with my old computer, but ended up getting a new one. Thanks Kev!
12. Juggling three different softball/baseball teams and games!
13. Now, rest is on the horizon!

MOVING

2009-05-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry no current posts. We've been moving. And to boot, my computer isn't working:( UGH!

My latest read

2009-04-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have always enjoyed historical fiction, and this is another great one to add to the library. My grandmother grew up in the 20's and 30's in NYC. She was always so proud of her ability to work, to receive a paycheck, and to be noticed for a job well done. As a young girl, I never really "got" that. I figured anyone can work if they want, and everyone gets noticed for a job well done, etc. As I have grown up, I felt like I understood this perspective a bit more. However, this book really painted a picture of what my grandmother's girlhood would have been like. The sentiments of the people, the different societal groups, and the views of womanhood. The characters in this book are about a Russian Jewish immigrant, an Italian immigrant, and a wealthy New Yorker. Although my grandmother was none of these (she was the daughter of Irish immigrants), I felt like I was seeing her life in a new light. If she were still with us, it would be insightful to hear her feelings about these events and how they were portrayed by Haddix.

View all my reviews.

Miracles!

2009-04-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

My girls' piano teacher sent me this link. I love the artwork depicting the Savior's life, and the music is uplifting. Go here and enjoy:
http://sonofmanproject.com

HELP!

2009-04-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

Well, once we close on our new home, we have some painting to do. (It is always easier before the furniture goes in!) Anyway, there is a large gameroom that will be the main hangout for the kids and their friends, if they aren't outside in the pool. I want to decorate it in a fun way, and was thinking baseball. Our whole family loves the game. I found a couple of quotes that I could do in vinyl for the wall. The two I like are: "Diamonds are a girl's best friend." and "No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference. ~Tommy Lasorda" There are a few other good ones out there, too. If I did baseball, what color scheme should I use? Any ideas would be great.

I also thought about doing a "world" theme and using a dr. seuss quote. You know the one:
"Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to great places.
Your off and away.
You have brains in your head,
you have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose."
Then I could have a huge map on the wall, and different decorations from around the world.

Do you have any good idas, or color schemes? I really need some inspiration!

Spring Has Sprung!

2009-04-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Born of April's dame,
exuding intelligence,
May’s son mirrors her…

And out of death’s mud,
she protrudes through blades and blooms--
reborn in March dreams…

The appearance of the bluebonnets each March are the signal to all Texans that Spring is here. We only get a few weeks to enjoy these beautiful fields of bluish-purplish clusters of wildfowers. Somehow, I missed the chance to take pictures last spring, but we got to it this year. Hope you enjoy!

No Foolin' (this time)

2009-04-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

We really did find a new home. We are so excited, and hope everything goes well from here 'til closing. To see the listing page go to: http://www.ebby.com/property/4634078/. We will have a bonified swimming "hole", and the kids are so excited about that. I am excited that it is a salt water diving pool. The yard is pretty big, and we are looking forward to lots of get togethers! Really, y'all should come visit. (but give us a couple of months to get settle once again!)

This is a waterfall. The kids think they can jump off of it into the water. Kevin's not sure that's such a good idea!

It will be nice to have a big yard. It needs some TLC, but I am sure we can get it to come back to life.

We have a few pictures of the inside, but they turned out a bit dark. The listing should have some decent pictures though! Really y'all should come and stay a spell.

The Sweet Smell of Spring!

2009-04-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

Jenn and Maddie enjoyed a kindergarten field trip to the Dallas Arboreteum. We had a fun day exploring the gardens especially during "Dallas Blooms!" We couldn't have asked for better weather. The few days before and after were quite miserable, but this was a perfect Spring Day. Sometimes Heavenly Father rolls out the red carpet for us, doesn't He!

Monday Menu

2009-04-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

Here's the menu for the week. It helps me so much when I plan our dinners in advance. I just like thinking about our menu and groceries once a week. I think it also helps on the budget because I can plan around my pantry items and sale items.

Monday: Pulled Pork bbq sandwiches, corn, and lemonade
Tuesday: Enchiladas Verdes, green salad
Wednesday: Leftover night (this is our craziest night of the week with piano lessons as well as church activities. So, I try to do leftovers or crock pot meals on Wed.)
Thursday: Homemade Pizza
Friday: Tomatoe soup, grilled cheese sandwiches
Saturday: Park City Potatoe Soup, rolls
Sunday: I haven't decided between the traditional ham dinner, or if we should do Brisket. Let me know what you think. This also doubles as my dad's birthday dinner, so we will be having the whole family over that night!

No place like home!

2009-04-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we have been house hunting for a year and a half. We moved here as Michigan refugees, and have been looking for our next place since coming to Texas. We had so much fun selling our house there (a year and a half), that we thought we should spend at least that much time buying one. As they say, balance in all things. Well, we finally found it. I grew up in the country, and I would like my children to have that experience. It's been difficult to find something that we all agree on. I like rustic, Kevin likes new. I want a swimming pool for diving, Kevin's not sure he wants to take care of a pool. We made a lot of compromises, but you just can't beat this deal. I think we can even pay cash, and I don't think the property tax will be too bad. There will definately be some honey-do projects, and things that need to be done. That's okay with us, because then we can make it our own! It's in the country, with lots of horse land. (I've always wanted a horse!)

I love the bluebonnets everywhere! Plus, now there's an excuse when I ask the kids if they were raised in a barn!

There's even a swimming hole. I know it's not the pool I always wanted, but there is a diving board. And I don't think we even have to balance the chemicals or scrub the tiles. More compromises, but we can stay cool in these hot Texas summers in this little pond! We hope all of y'all will come down yonder and visit us:)

APRIL FOOL'S

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You!

2009-04-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

My baby turned 6! While that is a huge exciting milestone for her, I had a moment of crisis. I realize that my oldest only has a few years left with us before her college years are here, and my baby isn't a baby anymore. Maddie has grown so much this year. She is much taller, stronger, and more physically coordinated. She is reading, and loves to spell everything. I love to hear her read the scriptures, and to see her smile when she figures out those hard words like "Zarahemla"! I am constantly amazed by children and their ability and willingness to learn. Why do so many of us grow up, and lose so much of those desirable qualities? I understand more of Peter Pan's wishes to never grow up. Even when we try to ground them and punish them, they just can't help breaking our family rule that: there will be no growing up in our house!

Quote from the movie "HOOK":

Your children love you, they want to play with you. How long do you think that lasts? Soon Jack may not even want you to come to his games. We have a few special years with our children, when they're the ones that want us around. After that you're going to be running after them for a bit of attention. It's so fast Peter. It's a few years, and it's over. And you are not being careful. And you are missing it.

I don't want to miss it!

Of course, the day started with our family tradition of breakfast in bed!

Maddie had her first friend party at Planet Pizza! She had so much fun playing with her friends. Of course, she loved all the gifts and cards. Thank you everyone for making this a special occasion for my little girl!

Challenged Again

2009-03-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Greta's getting me back. Well, here you go:)

5 things I was doing 5 years ago:
1. planning a spring trip to Chicago.
2. taking care of my four kids under 8 yrs. old.
3. struggling with a certain kindergarten teacher.
4. celebrating my best friend's new baby, Katie.
5. planning a summer trip to Utah, Palmyra, and camping in western Michigan!

5 things I'll do tonight:
1. Go to a leadership welfare training meeting at the Stake Center.
2. Have a Sunday Pot Roast for dinner.
3. Of course, we will do our family tradition of "yummy sudaes" as our celebration of fast sunday coming to an end.
4. Make lunches for school kids tomorrow.
5. Enjoy time with my hubby and best, best friend since he has been gone since Thursday morning!

5 things I would do with a million dollars:
1. Pay tithing.
2. Pay off a house.
3. Plan a few trips with and without the kids.
4. Help out a family member or two if they needed it.
5. Save, save, and save!

5 places I have lived:
1. Sanger, TX
2. Provo, UT
3. Mexico City, MX
4. Rochester Hills, MI
5. Murphy, TX

5 jobs I have had:
1. Chick-Fil-A
2. Swim instructor
3. Resident Assistant
4. Head Resident in Heritage Halls at BYU
5. MOM - the hardest and the most rewarding

5 things I want to be doing in 5 years:
1. Getting ready to send my oldest child to college.
2. Still home with the kids.
3. Celebrating my son's Eagle Project completion.
4. Planning a few more trips to new places.
5. Still blogging.

5 people I tag:
1. Jacqueline
2. Jayne
3. Kristi
4. Lexi
5. Suzanne

Challenge!

2009-03-27T22:05:00.001-07:00

1. Go to the photo folder in your computer
2. Go to the 6th folder of photos.
3. Go to the sixth picture.
4. Put the picture on your blog and description of it.
5. Invite six friends to join the challenge.

This picture was taken in 2006 at the Motor City Bowl in Detroit. Kevin and Brandon got to go see the game with a couple of our Michigan friends! Brings back some great memories. Winters were hard there, but we managed to play a lot and make the most of it.

Now I challenge Jayne, Greta, Lexi, Jenn C., Laura, and Kelli!

That magic oil

2009-03-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

Audrey recently developed molluscum on her neck. I was hoping it would just go away if we washed really well a few times a day. To no avail, it was not getting better. I think we even had a few new bumps. I was so worried about her perfect skin having problems, that I got her into the dermatologist. They put beetlejuice on the bumps, and said that we should come back in three weeks. When I asked how many treatments she may need, the dr. said that three visits should do. This visit was considered a regular office visit, so we paid our $50 copay. The next two visits, however, would have to be coded as surgery. REALLY? I ask myself. I can paint as well as the next guy. REALLY? I only say that because the next two visits would each cost $110. Well, I did a little web browsing and asked my "natural" friends for advice. I kept coming back to this magic little oil called tea tree oil. I bought a small bottle of it at our local Sprouts for $6. We put it on once in the morning and once at night. We have been doing this for a week and a half now. Audrey's neck is already looking better. I'll let you know if the magic continues. In my research, though, I found that tea tree oil is good for so many things. If you are ever curious, you should google "tea tree oil." It always amazes me how nature provides such remedies!

Tummy Yummies

2009-03-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

When I was in my youth, I often visited our family friends, the Shimek's, out in Utah. This was such a fun time for me. I got to make friends with all their cousins, and got to do lots of Utah things. Highlights for me were the mountains, shopping, and the July 24th parade in Salt Lake City. The 4th of July was always fun as we would go down to little Gunnison and enjoy their fireworks. We would have tons of all-american food, and tons of cousin time! Grandma Quilter (even I called her that because she was as much a grandma to me as my own) would always make "depression pudding." I think it was called that because she made it when she was a girl growing up in that time. Most all of the ingredients are things you have on hand or even in your food storage. I had the weirdest craving for that lately, and came across this recipe. I tried it, and it so so similar to depression pudding that I found myself so utterly not depressed! Ms. Betty changed the name or something. She calls it "Hot Fudge Sundae Cake." My nostalgic self still calls it by Grandma's name. Why change anything about this treat? Anyway, if you are in a "depression" funk or just have a sweet tooth try this out! It will turn your frown upside down - if you love chocolate anyway!

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?recipeID=35387&Source=SearchResultPage&terms=hot%20fudge%20sundae%20cake

2009-03-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Spring Break was so much fun! Jayne and her 2 kiddos met us at Grandma and Grandpa's house for a few days of country fun!

Tanks

2009-03-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I made this cool army tank cake for his Blue & Gold Banquet. We had fun. Brandon earned a ton of awards that night, which made it even better! What a good kid. I am so lucky that he is mine - even though he can make me crazy at times!

Missionary Project

2009-03-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

I am currently serving as the Enrichment Counsellor in my ward. This past week we had 2 guest speakers come to speak of the "Legacy of Faith of the Early North Texas Saints." Brother Hubbard was excellent. We also had Newel Kay Brown come. He wrote the song, "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission."

Brother Brown made a wish on Tuesday Night. He wished he could get a compilation of stories of how his song, "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission" has impacted members of the church around the world. I thought that as a token of thanks to him not only for coming to speak to us, but as a thank you for his faithfulness and for that song; we could start a compilation of stories. If you could just write what comes to you and send back to me I will start gathering these stories. I would really love it if you extended this invitation to friends, family, mission companions, etc from all walks of life to do the same. As you receive these, you can just get them to me. I will then have these bound in some way to give to him. I am hoping to have this 'project' completed by the beginning of June. I know that's a quick turnaround, but I think it is doable. Thanks for all your support.

I look forward to hearing from you!

If you would rather, you can email your story to me at murphymamacita@gmail.com.