Two Months

How can it be possible that two entire months have gone by & I have not documented a single thing. Ok I'll try to do a update of what we've been up to. We got new phones in our house. Jakey loves to answer the phone & he loves to use the intercom & talk to me. He loves to talk on the phone more than I do which is a lot!


Most recently we took a trip to Boise with all of Ryan's family. We were able to hang out & spend some quality time together. My kids are so blessed to have so many wonderful Aunts, Uncles & cousins. One of my fave parts of our trip was when we were all out on these paddleboats at Julia Davis park. My sister-in-Law Kim saw a red dragonfly. She told me about it & I felt so happy that she saw it. Ry and I saw it & smiled. Red is one of Jaxon's favorite colors & dragonflies are definately his thing.It only seems right that all of us were out there on the river & having fun as a family when we saw it. I believe dragonflies are how angels can be seen on earth.

Holding on & trying to let go

Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding on to. Unknown

I know it's been a long time since I've updated this blog. We've been busy enjoying our time as a family. I saw this quote today & it really made me stop & think. I've been watching so many people I love endure so many awful trials. Loosing loved ones, loosing their jobs, loosing their homes, loosing their security & peace of mind. I know that what I've been asked to endure this far in life has at times shaken my very foundation. We have went through some serious dark times. We have suffered financial hardship as well as the loss of the most important blessing we have ever enjoyed...the loss of our beautiful son Jaxon.

Last night when we said our family prayers & I tucked the kid's in I took a moment to thank my Father in heaven that right now right this moment Life is Good. Jakey & Marli are growing up way too fast & I wish I could push pause & just snuggle with them & enjoy them right now. Life is what we make it & right now I am choosing to make it the best for all who are around me. I'm grateful for the 4th of July. We live in the Best country in the world. We enjoy our freedom & our families. There is no greater joy than that of living in the moment. I am really enjoying life & being my kids mom!



Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast-you also miss the sense of where you are going and why. Eddie Cantor
Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. Dr. Seuss


Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Don't rely on someone else for your happiness and self worth. Only you can be responsible for that. If you can't love and respect yourself - no one else will be able to make that happen. Accept who you are - completely; the good and the bad - and make changes as YOU see fit - not because you think someone else wants you to be different. Stacey Charter


Look at your past. Your past has determined where you are at this moment. What you do today will determine where you are tomorrow. Are you moving forward or standing still?
You don't get to choose how you are going to die. Or when.
You can only decide how you are going to live. Now. Joan Baez


We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. Joseph Campbell

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The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

These are some of my favorite quotes. I'm grateful for the trials I have been given. I'm grateful for the strength my Heavenly Father has blessed me with to endure my trials. I'm grateful that my eternal companion has been with me holding my hand & cheering me on the entire path we have walked. Sometimes it seems we didn't have the ability to walk & we carried one another. That is what family is for though. We are here to help our loved ones any way we can. All in all at the end of the day all that is important is our loved ones.

Elevator

Jakey fell asleep tonight on the floor in my scrapbook room. I tried to carry him up to bed. Half way up the stairs I stopped & said"Man I wish we had a elevator". Jakey perked up & said "Yeah that'd be awesome then Uncle Mark could go in our basement...We'd need elevator music though mom"! Last weekend Mark let Jakey & Marli borrow some Justice League movies. When we picked them up there was only one case. Jake was excited to have the movie. When we got home & he went to put the movie in he was thrilled there were four movies in the case. Jake was so serious when he was explaining to Marli that they have to take really good care of Uncle Marks movies. He said Marli we love you, but you AREN'T allowed to touch them... you might scratch them. Thanks Uncle Mark for making a couple kids very happy! We love you! (hope it's OK I cased these off your blog. I thought the Jazz picture was appropriate because it's playoffs)

Happy Birthday #27 Kyle

• • I remember the day my little brother Kyle was born. I begged my parents for a brother or sister. I honestly didn't care what I got. I was almost eight when he finally got here. I was so happy! Although there have been times in my life that I thought there was a huge mix up at the hospital....because Kyle doesn't look like us & he is way smarter than all of us combined. I know he is my brother. The one I prayed so hard for.
    

I always knew Kyle would be an Awesome dad. He has been so good with my kids. To watch him with kids is so fun. He is like a big kid. I wish we lived closer so we could see each other everyday!


I hope you have a very Happy Birthday little brother! I am so proud to be your sister. You make me smile every time I see your face or hear your voice! Thanks for putting up with me over the years! I love you so very much!

We hope you have the best Birthday ever! We wish we could be there with you to celebrate! Go Red Sox!!!! I hope you always know how much your family in Idaho loves you!

Photoshoot With Lesley Day #2

I finally got the pictures to upload from the disc Lesley sent me. They all turned out so cute. Even though she's taken lots more than two photshoots of my kids I named this one two because it was day two in Provo with them.

When we went to the Draper outlet mall Marli picked out a panda necklace that came in a cute little panda. She loves to shop as much as her mama.

The kids got these fun suckers from Chuckee Cheeze with all their prize tickets.


Sweet little Conor

I love the Osh Gosh store in Draper. I got the boys some really fun matching shirts & shorts. They both like wearing matching clothes.


Jakey picked out this hat with his his prize tickets. Funny how we had a thousand tokens & I still ended up paying like $10 so they could get a sucker & a hat.

Ella Bella with Marli's sucker. When Kyle brought her to our hotel she was still in her Jammie's. I helped Kyle get her dressed & do her hair. It was so fun. Marli wanted Ella to wear one of her hair bows.

I Love this picture of the two girls. Their expressions are priceless. I'm hoping one day I can figure out photoshop & collage pictures. For now I'll have to settle for posting them this way. I'm so grateful Lesley captured these for me. I love them all!

Pictures By Lesley

When we were in Utah visiting my brother Kyle & his family I asked Lesley to take some pictures of all four Grand kids. I'm working on a collage for Mothers day & one for my dad's garage for Fathers day. She sent me the disc & I thought I would post some of the pictures. I'll try & post some more later. These were mostly taken the night we went to dinner at Tucanos Brazilian restaurant.

Cute Ella loved sitting by Marli as much as Marli loved it. When we were leaving Marli said "Ella is the sister I've always wanted".

It was fun to put Conor & Ella next to each other. They loved touching & staring at each other.

My cute parents

Conor loves hats. He always has a hat on even if it's not his. He's wearing Jakey's Red sox hat here. A couple fun things Conor does is says "MINE" when he wants something someone has. Usually it's when you have a drink with a straw or food. His grip is way stronger than all of ours. If he wants something bad enough you CAN NOT get it out of his grip. Jakey & Marli know this & have lost many battles with him. He loves shoes (gets that from me). He will put on any ones shoes and walk around in them. He loves being outside. He stands by the door or window & tells you he wants out. He HATES the highchair. If your sitting on the floor he backs up & sits on your lap. He just started giving us kisses, where he tries to pucker up & kiss. So cute. The other day Jacob said the funniest thing about Conor that is SO TRUE "Instead of Danger around every corner, at our house it's Conor is around every corner". Conor locked himself in the bathroom by pulling out the bottom drawer. It took Ry a good 15 minutes to get him out. Conor LOVES making messes. He goes from room to room destroying all that he can get his little paws on. Anything on the kitchen table is fair game to him.

When we went back to Kyle & Lesley's the kids had so much fun playing with Ella's toys. We were surprised when Ella came over to Ryan. She was totally fascinated with his whiskers. She was so funny pulling on them.

Ella liked Marli's button on her shirt.

This is the only picture of me & it's quite a winner don't ya think? I must have eaten way too much by the expression on my face. I liked this one despite my goofy eyes being closed. It's fun to see everyone enjoying a meal together. (Minus Lesley cuz she's taking the picture) She got our cute waiter though.

This was while we were waiting to be seated. Not sure where Jakey, Ryan & I were?

We had the best time with My brother Kyle his wife Lesley & Ella. I wish we lived closer so we could hang out all the time. Thanks Les for taking pictures.

Conference weekend

I have really been looking forward to conference weekend. My goal was to be able to stay home not go ANYWHERE & enjoy the time together as a family. Be inspired by our church leaders. Mission accomplished. Jake & Marli really helped me out a lot. They watched Conor & played with him while I went downstairs in my scrapbook room & worked on my cards for card swap this week and a few other projects that I've wanted to finish up. I folded laundry & enjoyed being inspired by all the speakers.

Conor loves cords & electronics. He loves opening doors and closing them.He loves taking things out of their place. I just wished he liked putting things back.
After the morning broadcast I went upstairs to find all three kids playing in Jakey's room. My camera battery was dead otherwise a picture would be on here. Seriously my heart stopped for a second when I opened the door. Every single lego & toy in our house was on Jacob's floor or bed. I wasn't upset at all however because they were having so much fun and kept Conor entertained while I enjoyed listening to Conference. I put Marli & Conor in the bathtub. I asked Ry to help Jake with his school workbook. While I cleaned up the demolition. I made a yummy lunch. Homemade chille. We had quasadilla's & nacho's. All is well All is well! We are so blessed that we can watch Conference from our homes. I'm so grateful for this blessing! My fave quote from conference....We are never lost when we can see the Temple! What a wonderful weekend. President Monson is so incredible. I love him and am so grateful for his example. What a great man. "We are a blessed people. I love you & pray for you & ask that you do the same for me & all the general authorities". It's always sad when it's over. I can't wait to get next months Ensign. I loved all the music & especially the closing song "Till we meet again". I think I'm on a spiritual high. Hopefully it'll last all week.

Papa John

My Uncle Larry called my dad Wed. night & said Papa John wasn't doing very well. When my dad told me Thursday morning when he picked the kids up from my office, I said I wanted to go see him. When I told Ryan he said he wanted to go see him too. (Ry & Papa John have the same b-day Sept. 18th.) This made me very happy that he knew it was important to go. All day Thursday at work I was so emotional. I just couldn't pull it together. I was thinking about how much Jaxon struggled towards the end & just wanted my Grandpa to be comfortable & feel how very much we all love him. As we prepared to go to Butte we were going to stay the night. Hotels were $120 a night which shocked me. In Butte? That is so crazy! We decided we would just go & see what happened. We woke up to so much snow. I had to call and excuse Jakey from school & Marli from dance. We met my parents at Smitty's for breakfast. My dad said he wasn't going to risk taking "his kids" on those roads. We ate our yummy breakfast & didn't say too much about going. My dad had worked night- shift the night before & was tired. At the end of meal Ry told my dad we need to go. What if something happens tomm. you will never have the opportunity to undo not going. We finally persuaded him to put on his big girl panties & go. The kids & I watched "Marley & Me" on the way up. The roads were pretty yucky. I knew we were in safe hands.( My hubby has his class CDL license for heavens sake. He reminds me of that all the time.) He's driven in the worst situations. We made it to Dillon finally & went in the gas station that we always go in. They had some little chick chicks under a heat lamp. All three kids thought that was so cool. We got some snacks and loaded back up. When we pulled in Butte I was bawling I was scared to see my Grandpa who in my mind is so strong so full of life. I didn't want to see him frail and sad.

I hugged him so tight. I was so happy to see him doing so much better than I thought he would be. He is on oxygen & is pretty frail. He has a oxygen machine just like the one Jax had. Ripped my guts out. I brought him several treats from Great Harvest bread. I cut him up a apple crisp bar and he really enjoyed it. That made me smile.



Grandpa John held Marli's hand for a really long time. I could see the smile on both their faces. I remember being little and my Papa John always made me feel like I was the most special little girl. He still does. I love him so very much. He is a good guy. Everyone who knows him loves him & respects him.



I love Jakey in this picture he has his hand on Papa John's heart and is smiling. So Precious!Conor would go over to Papa John's feet & touch them & giggle. He loved playing peek a boo with him. He liked exploring his house. So much to get into.

Ry thought it would be nice to take the kids outside so the adults could visit. Larry's wife Donna came by. We had such a nice visit. I love my Aunt Donna so much. I'm so grateful that she is there taking care of Papa John. Her Dad passed away last Sept. She took care of him during his last few months. We laughed and cried. The kids came and got me they wre so excited to show me something. In Papa John's backyard the kids had made a cute snowman. I'm not sure why Marli was so sad for a minute.



I had to tickle her to get her to smile. I'm so grateful Ry was inspired to do this. Hopefully we will all remember this day forever.Before we left town we stopped by my Uncle Jack's credit union. We got to visit with him and my cousin Scott. It was so nice. We then went to Joe's pasty shop & got a bunch of little pasties & 10 big ones. Yum Yum. Then we got a porkchop sandwich onion rings and shakes. Jakey was so funny he ate a whole sandwich & they are huge! He's really got Montana blood in him. Hahah! We watched the movie hairspray on the way home. That was pretty interesting. All in all it was a great trip. I'm grateful we made it there and home safely.