*Happy Birthday to my Ethan*

Seems like just yesterday my little nephew

  Ethan Marcus Goodwin was born.

Today he turns 2!

(I took this picture of him and then they moved not too long after.)

2 years later we are sent pictures like these! Adorable!

*Last year around his 1st birthday we were able to watch him for a couple days and have some quality "cousin time" while his mom and dad went on a trip. This year he is far away in Idaho.

Some things we love about Ethan:

Kaylea says: "I love him because he let's me carry him and he's so sweet."

Spencer: "I love Ethan because he gives me hugs."

Daylan: "I love him betuz... I dunno!"

Halloween 2007

after a bee stung him on the lip!

what a difference 2 years can make

some cute boys don't ya think?

~I will never forget when they came to visit this summer and Ethan walked into Grandma's house with the biggest grin. He smiled for just hours straight. This kid is precious!

Ethan's parents waited a long time for him to come to earth and we are so glad his little brother Carson joined soon after.

~We wanted to wish Ethan a VERY HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY! 

WE LOVE YOU!~

(*Your great-uncle Gary shines down on you today*)

*Happy Birthday Tracey!

Happy Birthday to Tim's sister Tracey!

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Have you ever seen a younger looking 35 year old?










~Tracey is a great Mom to 5 energetic kids, and is consistently busy taking them here or there to their different activities and making sure they're doing what they're supposed to. She is sensitive to things of the spirit and makes sure her kids know to make the Gospel first in their lives.

~Tracey is someone who is very detail oriented...every detail is thought out to a "t" and is done perfectly! She is always mindful of others and what they might need. Tracey adds giggles, laughs and stories to any conversation and is fun to be around.

*We just wanted to wish her a happy day as she celebrates her 35th birthday!*

*Happy Birthday Austin*

Cousin Austin turns 14 today! As one of the oldest McCleve cousins he has had a great responsibility to set an example for the younger kids and I think he has lived up to that. Austin is a happy golucky teenager with a great attitude on life and wonderful talent. While in Laguna this summer I heard someone downstairs playing the Jim Brickman song "The Love of My Life"...(one of our wedding songs) I went down and listened to the beautiful music he was making.

It seems like he was just baptized yesterday. Gosh time goes fast! 

~Here is Austin last fall as he and my brother Phyl traded off being our "Dippin' Dots" mascot! Austin always seems up for anything! (what a difference even a year makes..he looks so grown up now and I know grew a TON this last school year.)

Austin is kind hearted, well mannered and just a good kid all around. We wanted to wish him a very Happy Birthday!!   Hope you had a great day! We Love Ya!  

*Spencer's Baptism

~This last Saturday, July the 19th, 2008 was a very special day in our family as we were able to see our sweet Spencer baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Tim 

baptized & confirmed him and it was neat to see them both dressed in white.You could feel the Holy Ghost there as they spoke of Jesus Christ and remembered our Savior's baptism as well. It was a Stake baptism with probably 8 or so kids but Spence was the only one from our ward, so we were able to have the room to ourselves at the end.

~It was a bitter sweet experience to see my

"little boy" growing up before my eyes, but also to see that he is on the right path and I know that with the help of the Holy Ghost he will make good decisions in his life. **We know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can be cleansed from all our sins through the steps of baptism, & repentance including the act of the sacrament each week. And because we will be cleansed we will be able to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven some day and reunited with family members for all eternity!

~There for this occasion Saturday we were blessed to have all of Spencer's grandparents, Grandma Kathy, Grandpa Tom (Curtis), Grandma Debbie, Grandpa Lonnie (McCleve) & Grandpa Ron (Campbell), cousins Trenton, Zane, Claire, Natalie, Melissa, Uncle Brian, Aunt Heidi, Aunt Grandma Sandy, Aunt Brittany, Aunt Sara, Aunt Ashlyn, Uncle Phylip, Uncle Tommy & Blake. Thanks for coming and making his day extra special:)

~So unfortunately 2 yucky things happened that day as well. Right before the baptism Spencer began complaining to me that his stomach was hurting so I figured it was just nerves. By the time the baptism was over and we were home for the luncheon he looked really pale and was crying now that his side hurt. But after some antigas meds, a few trips to the bathroom, cranberry juice, some cookies & video games with cousins he was all better.

~During the family luncheon after the baptism I had planned to play a DVD I had made for Spencer with hundreds of pictures and video clips of his childhood. Well so the video is all made on my Mac and I begin to transfer it from IMovie to IDVD when all of the sudden...POOF! It was gone!! So I'm thinking okay look in the trash, harddrive etc..NOT THERE.! I'm panicking and looking at the clock it's 10:30. ..we should be there right now. Tim took the kids in his truck while I frantically tried to find it. NOTHING! So I jump in the car just devastated and just bawled all the way there!! (any of you who've made videos know what I went through!)

~Luckily I happened to show Spencer most of the video to him that morning so even if I can not recover it, he will still know how much he means to us and as he was able to see some of the special moments of his life through movie & photos.

~As upset as I was about this video incident, the moment I was in the chapel I was able to be calm & focus and relish the importance of the moment of his baptism and make it a good day. Spencer is so precious to me and he has taught me more than I'm sure I've ever taught him. Congratulations bud on your special day! We love you!

*Happy Birthday to my Friends!

~July is always busy when it comes to birthdays! Here's some Friends who have birthdays this next week so I'd thought I would say a few quick words about each. Happy Birthday Girlies!

*Tia (Noble) Palmer-July 17th

We met my 1st semester at college as she was the room right across from me in the dorms. This Yuma girl had the messiest room but would come out of it looking spectacular every day. She had the cutest clothes, best hair and funnest ideas. We had so much fun together and I still think of her as a roommate although we never roomed together. She'd always know the right thing to say to cheer me up. I'll never forget our beetle friend Lan!

*Aubrey (Roussel) Pena-July 20th

Aubrey & I had a special bond where we could just look at each other and laugh. We were connected at the hip for quite a while at E.A. We were so giggly and silly back then...not to mention boy crazy. Aubrey & I were friends in high school but didn't become close till college. We'd sing endlessly together and I was always envious of her creativity & ability to make friends.

*Megan (Noble) Holdsworth-July 21st

Megan helped me survive my first few years of Flagstaff. I wouldn't have made it without her. Tia introduced me to her older sister megan and she quickly began my surrogate older sister. Our boys played together and Indy was spencer's first friend. My favorite "picture taker" who used us as her guinie pigs is now seriously the most awesome photographer ever!

*Becky (Payne) Larson-July 25th

Friends since 8th grade we've come up with more nicknames for boys than I would think humanly possible. I remember our joint 16th birthday party, modeling pictures and EFY's we went to. Becky was always a girl who knew what she wanted and went for it. We had big dreams in junior high to go to E.A. and we actually both got scholarships and went together!

*Natalie (Barlow) Sherwood-July 28th

Talented is the first word that comes to mind with Natalie. Friends since junior high, we became great friends in High School. Her house was always the funnest to hang out at with her walk out basement and boys over all the time. I'll never forget our car accident in HS and how she had to get cut out of the SUV we were in. Since she had to stay laying down so she could heal, my sis and I came to lip sync and dance for her to make her laugh.


~If you know any of these girls tell me what you remember or love about them.:)

*Happy Birthday Marcus!

*Ok so you all know the drill on birthdays...
Brag & Embarass-So Here I go...






*My brother n law Marcus turns 29 today! ...and I'll always have the satisfaction that I'm 5 days older than him. So there!

*Honestly I couldn't have picked a better fit for my sister Steph. He makes her laugh and their senses of humor compliment each other well. He is so good to her and their two boys. Marcus is a fab dad and a fun uncle. He always jokes around with my kids and still they trust him.

*Marcus is someone I really look up to. He has withstood much in his life and has been such an example to his family and friends. Marcus is genuine and giving. He is smart, dedicated and motivated to whatever he sets out to do. He has many friends and people enjoy his company and ask his advice.

*I don't want to get too personal and embarass him too much but one thing I want to say is that he has a romantic side. When him and steph were just barely engaged (christmas night 2001) they were both telling me the story of how he proposed with a dinner set upon a friends roof, overlooking the Mesa Temple. So they are telling me the story and just gazing in each others eyes and every 10 words or so would kiss. The best part is I have it on tape somewhere! Are you guys embarassed yet?

*We miss them up in Idaho and are trying to convince them to move back down to be close to us again. Please Marcus if you're reading this...PLEASE! Hehe:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCUS!!

*Happy 5th Birthday Ava!

*Happy Happy Birthday to cousin *AVA*...one of Kaylea's favorite people*

*Ava is a one of a kind little girl with her adorable naturally curly hair. Her smile is contagious and she is so photogenic..just look at these pictures! (I couldn't decide which ones to choose because they're all so perfect.)

~Daddy's little girl & Mommy's little helper~



*Ava is so sweet and Kaylea LOVES to play kitchen, shopping, dress up and house with her. We have missed playing with her as she's been in Laguna Beach for the summer. Ava's always dressed so cute with her perfectly matched jewelry & accessories and she loves getting all "pretty."

*She is a great sister to her big and little sisters Emmie & Elsie. Ava is very nurturing and wants to take care of people and make them happy. She will be a great Mommy some day.

~this one makes me cry~

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~WE LOVE YOU AVA & have thought of you today~

Kaylea's Business Venture

See this little paper on my front door?

Kaylea supposedly started a business & her advertisement says:

"Hi my Nam (Name) is Kaylea and I will watch your kids. Dust (Just) Ring the Door Bell."

..still waiting for the 1st customer on this one! :)

~Spence was trying to explain to her that "people won't be dropping their kids off to a stranger." She yelled back saying "I'm not a stranger...I'm a kid!"

*Stuffed Animal Merry-Go-Round

oh my creative kids... Summertime boredom must bring out these creative ideas!

The kids made a "merry go round" for their teddy bears. Spence & Kaylea found some big rubberbands, linked em together, put them around the teddy bears and around the fan blades. They were sure proud of it. I was naively packing boxes in the other room, walked in and saw this!

*29 years ago today...

...little ol' me came into this world. Here I was with lots of black hair. My Mom later told me that when the nurses had come back in the room with me, she thought they had brought her the Navajo baby down the hall by accident.. It was love at second sight..Hehe. Thanks Mom for having me!

And here I am now today...I'm sure on my first of

many birthdays that I'll be turning 29! :)

*Humor me and tell any memory you have of me, (funny, memorable, anything) or of you & I together.*

Pssst...... (thanks to all of you who have given me a birthday shout out through emails, cards, blog posts & texts. I surely feel loved today:)

*Stroke Scare

So here's the quick version of the story. I was laying in bed July 3rd and trying to fall asleep. It became midnight now July 4th...not even close to sleep. Then I must have dozed off for a bit only to wake up suddenly around 1 am to my left arm being completely numb, the right side of my head numb and tingly and my tongue numb as well. It was somewhat painful but different than the Bells Palsy feeling I had had 10 years prior.

(Many of you know that in college I was diagnosed with Bells Palsy when again suddenly the right side of my face went paralyzed for a couple weeks. With much rehabilitation and steroids I was able to regain use of the muscles and now although better, still have the virus my whole life.)

~Anyways I start searching the internet only to of course scare myself silly. Everything I read said stroke along with other freaky stuff. I began having a full on panic attack ..my body's shaking uncontrollably, heart racing and I was short of breath. I asked Tim to give me a blessing about 1:45 and then drove myself to the E.R while he stayed home with the kids. I got right into triage and was shortly given my own room.

~They gave me a steroid shot in the buttockamous which was alot of fun (still sore might I add) and then did a CT scan. Everything came up normal so I was NOT having a stroke. They gave me prednisone, another anti-inflammatory pill and that totally helped me as well. So by 5:30 am I was sent home diagnosed with a Bells Palsy flare up and a need to see a neurologist regarding my left arm numbness. That's the jest of it. Still don't know why my head was numb and not my face but I guess that happens..I'm told.

All's well now...but I HAVE to get more sleep and not be so stressed so that I can keep this stupid thing under control since these 2 things are causes of B.P.

**Now we're just busy packing & trying to find a place to move! AAAAHHHHH!**

*Celebrating the 4th...

..well as best we could anyways.

So with Tim, his Dad & me having all been to the E.R. or doctor in the last 24 hours or so, (stories later) I think we really made the best of our 4th of July. Tim sprained his good foot playing basketball the night before (pretty huh?)

..and I was in the hospital having the warning signs of a stroke at 1am on the 4th of July. So as the three of us adults are all laying on the couch the afternoon of the 4th looking like we're gonna die, I was thinking how impressed I was that we still pulled off a holiday in pain.

..and then there's my daughter who needs help smiling from her brother

"No Mom, I don't want to wear this bow!"

C'mon Kay just for one picture!

~After swimming, BBQing, movie & NAP TIME we made it to the Schnepft Farm Fireworks. We put pillows and blankets in the back of the truck and enjoyed the nice weather and beautiful fireworks..The day definitely turned out well considering all.

*Watch this little video of our night..my favorite is when spence sings:

"I'm proud to be an American..."*

*Founding Fathers*

(George Washington at Valley Forge)

I literally thank God every day that I am able to live here in this country at this time on earth. I am so thankful our forefathers were worthy, and good people to be inspired to do what they did for this country. I know our Heavenly Father had a special hand in bringing it all together.

With the Elections drawing near, I often wonder what our founding fathers think of all of this craziness going on this country. I found these writings and quotes of some of our founding fathers and how they bore witness of God being a part of this great country. May we be like these men and preserve our freedoms while also proclaiming our knowledge, existence and need for God our Father.

**That these men were God-fearing cannot be denied:**

*George Washington: “The success, which has hitherto attended our united efforts, we owe to the gracious interposition of Heaven, and to that interposition let us gratefully ascribe the praise of victory, and the blessings of peace.” (To the Executive of New Hampshire, November 3, 1789, Writings 30:453.)

*Alexander Hamilton: “The Sacred Rights of mankind are not to be rummaged from among old parchments or musty records. They are written . . . by the Hand of Divinity itself.” (An Essay, “The Farmer Refuted,” 1775.) “For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system, which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests.”

*Thomas Jefferson: “The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time.” (Rights of British America, 1774.)

*John Adams: “As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation.” (In God We Trust, p. 75.)

*Benjamin Franklin: “The longer I live the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth. That God Governs in the Affairs of Men!—And if a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid?—We have been assured, . . . in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labour in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this;—and I also believe that without his concurring Aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than Builders of Babel.” (Prayer during Constitutional Convention, June 28, 1787.)

*James Madison: "It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution.” (Federalist Papers, no. 37.)

*Samuel Adams: “Revelation assures us that ‘Righteousness exalteth a Nation’—Communities are dealt with in this World by the wise and just Ruler of the Universe. He rewards or punishes them according to their general Character.” (Letter to John Scollary, 1776.)

*Charles Pinckney: “When the great work was done and published, I was . . . struck with amazement. Nothing less than that superintending hand of Providence, that so miraculously carried us through the war, . . . could have brought it about so complete, upon the whole.” (P. L. Ford, ed., Essays on the Constitution, 1892, p. 412.)

President Ezra Taft Benson adds, “It was not just incidental, nor was it mere political platitude, that the name of God was mentioned in the Declaration of Independence four times and that our inspired national motto became ‘In God We Trust.’”

~This nation was founded on certain principles, chief among which was the expressed statement that all men are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” This pronouncement recognizes God as the Creator of man and that man’s rights are an inherent gift from their Creator.

The founders further recognized that if the new nation were to survive, there must be reliance on the protection of God. The Declaration of Independence concluded with this affirmation: “With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”~

*Pink Ladies Reunion!

~Last week some of my college roommates and I met up for Dinner at Shabu Fondue in Chandler. These are seriously some of my favorite people ever: Alison, Cara, Kristal and Miken. (next time Leia & Sarah have to come!) We now all live in different parts of Arizona & one in Texas but thanks to Kristal we meet up every so often and have "Pink Lady" Reunions. At Eastern Arizona 

College we all lived in this Pink House and were given the nickname of the "Pink Ladies". 

We had jackets made thanks to Miken and her Mom and we wore them all over town. We even did a pink lady dance at one of the Talent Shows. That was seriously my most favorite semester ever..don't really remember what classes I took.. but heck the memories I learned from & cherish most! Thanks Girls it was Fun! Love Ya!

*Laguna Beach

Ready for take off! What would we do without Southwest Airlines?!

Yeah we're here!

flying kites on the beach with grandma & grandpa

~We recently spent a week in Laguna Beach with Tim's parents and siblings. It was cousins galore! The kids had a lot of fun at the beach and playin at Grandma & Grandpa's house. Although while there 2 of the kids caught a flu-fever bug so 5 of the 7 days I spent most of the time upstairs with a feverish child. That was not fun especially when Dude was sick on his birthday. I always get really nervous when Kaylea gets a high fever since she has a history of febrial seizures. We still were able to manage some fun and here are some pictures of our little trip.~ Warning: Many Pictures!! (for my Blurb scrapbook)

Woohoo!!

It's bright out here.

daylan (pitcher) roc (batter)

the water feels so nice

day and roc jumpin waves together

"Uh Dad ...we're too close to the water!"

(Kaylea in the beginning of the week was terrified of getting knocked over by a wave..if her feet touched wet sand she'd take off running..quite funny actually)

-by the last day she was loving it and

heading off to ocean alone

spence getting ready to skimboard

-he'd stay at the beach all day if we let him

chillin'

look at me Mom!

kaylea covered in water n sand after water fight w/ Uncle Mason

can't catch me waves...

cutie

playin' with future Uncle Jordan

catching & searching for sand crabs

...look there's one!
enjoying the view

COUSIN TIME

the laguna beach lifeguards...feel safe?

lundell twins & spence

cute cousins
kaylea, sophie, macey, ava

tate & dude

spence & cannon

aww....so sweet

kay, roc, spence, macey & jett

sophie, ava, kaylea

~cutie patooties~

(playin' in aunt lacey's closet...Sshhhh don't tell)