Summer 2012 Ward campout

 It's so nice to be at a point that we can spend some time just Aaron and I.  Sometimes it feels like we are finally getting to know each other.

 My cute hubby!  Better looking everyday. (And our dog, Bridget)

 The girls on the paddle boat!  They went back and got the dog.

 Love this boy!  I could've never hoped for a better teenager!  (keeping my fingers crossed)

 These girls really love to be together!  Meliah is so good to her little sis.

 And had to pose without the life jackets.

 I thought this was a funny one of Lizzy rubbing her eye.

 Aaron wanted me to take a picture of the ladybug on his finger.

 And here it is!

 And since I was using Macro we decided that the girl's new nail polish on my toes would be a great picture.  Turned out that I was shocked how wrinkled and ugly my toes were.  I took the polish off when we got home so as not to draw attention to my ugly feet.

 My sweetheart showing Lizzy how to use a pocket knife.

Christian posing with his marshmellow.

It's been a busy summer so far!  Aaron and I were able to go on trek.  First time for me!  I was expecting a more challenging experience physically.  I didn't expect the overwhelming spirit that I felt the entire time we were there.  Our family of  4 boys and 4 girls exceeded our expectations!  They taught us by their positive attitudes and their willingness to do whatever.

I was also able to go to girls' camp and be a part of the Destiny leaders!  Heavenly father must of have known that I needed a lot of spiritual help this summer.  I was able to make some friends that I consider to be dear eternal friends.  I am so grateful for these opportunities that I have had because I have grown spiritually and strengthened my testimony in ways that I didn't know were possible.  I appreciate Heavenly Father's love for me, that he knows me and has such a wonderful sense of humor.  Each night the destiny ladies (including me) had a diddy to make up and present to the rest of those at camp.  One  night we did a rap, another we did a Haka, and the other few times we did crazy little dances.  The theme of the camp was Peter Pan, so we went off of some of the songs and cute ideas that go with that theme.  One night we even flew around with little fairy wings!  The planning of those diddies was one of the most humorous things I have ever experienced in my life.  5 grown women in a yurt making up a dance together is certainly not what it was when we were little girls... but we had all the experience of many years of new dance moves!  Such good times!

Ivan, Christian and Meliah waiting for their swim events!

After the swim meet in Durham!  Christian's first meet and he did amazing!  This was

Meliah's 3rd meet but her first time doing the backstroke  (Second place is pretty great for her

first year of swimming).  Is this the same girl that cried everyday the first week? :)

Meliah and Grace looking pretty crazy in those goggles!  I must say that getting Meliah's

hair in the swim cap is a bear.

Cutie cousins posing for me!  Love them all so much?

My destiny group at girl's camp. Yes, we have fairy wings on our backs. We enjoyed each

other soooo much. We did a rap, Haka, a silly crocodile song and were probably the

craziest the destiny group has ever been. Love these eternal friends that I made. The girls

were pretty amazing too!

i am a mother of a teenager now!!!!!  nothing has changed really except for the fact that if he ever turns on me, which I can't imagine, he may just be a tad bit stronger than me.  i love my teenager so much!  i know this is what they all say but really wasn't it just yesterday that he was waking up and wanting to get in bed with us because he was scared.  feeling so grateful for a good relationship and a boy that really wants to choose the right!

 I hope to be updating more often. Thank you for your emails, comments and patience during my bit of silence this year.

 my quirky trio!  I love them to pieces!

 stud muffin

can i have some of that hair?? 

 this could be the sweetest girl ever!  momma knows!

 dog pile?  really??... okay!

I have kind of lived in a bubble the last year.  It seems it has all been sort of a daze. I have focused on so many of the things that are required of me instead of the things that I really enjoy or want to do.  Balance has always been a challenge for me.  I look around me and see so many mom's and women that seem to have it all figured out and I wonder how??  This is the first time in my life that I have control over a long period of time everyday because all of my kids are in school.  So why?  I constantly ask myself why am I not keeping up with it all, afterall I only have 3 children.  Somehow I have lost sight of what are the most important things and need to make priorities again.  I have learned recently that it doesn't matter if my kids go out of the house without looking perfect, that I can close doors to cupboards and bedrooms that are a disaster, and that I can pile things up for work saved another day.  Right now I am a mom!  The most important thing I can do is to make sure that my children are saying their prayers at night and that they understand that they can have a personal relationship with God.  I also want to make sure that they know how much we love them.  I want to have this record so they do know that. 

 It has been almost a year since I have updated my blog and I have been feeling the urge to get back on it for a couple weeks.  After some nudging from some family members and friends I will start again and try to do better than I have.  I have so many reasons to be thankful and need to remember some of the things in my life that make me feel so.  #1 is my family who  keeps me in line and loves me unconditionally. 

Summer Dance program

Meliah and Lizzy did the summer dance program and just loved it. The did it with their friend Page and made a lot of friends too. They loved their teacher Tabitha. We will definatly be doing it again!

Cousins! Cousins and more cousins!

We have had a lot of company lately and the kids have loved it. It is so neat to see the bond that the kids have with their cousins. We got some pictures with the Eller side but I wasn't able to get any while the Warrens were here (I sent my memory card to girls camp). If it were their choice their cousins would be over everyday! I'm so grateful for family!