One More Week!...

*how cute are they? 

1 week till Marriage Bliss
1 week till I need to have their wedding video done...

...better get going.

{The song playing, "Out of My League",  is a song they chose for their video & makes me teary eyed every time I hear it & see their pictures.}

my recent morning routine...

Each morning (as of recent) I wake up, sit up slowly in bed & will literally recite this scripture in my head before I leave my bed and start my day.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart & lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths." 
Proverbs 3:5-6

It's comforting to know that He is all-knowing & if I lean on Him, He will show me the way. Sometimes 'the way' might even be scary but that's where complete trust & faith comes in.

This Fall Break...

we didn't go to Disneyland, the Beach, the Zoo or even the movies.

This Fall Break...

meant night after night laying in mom & dad's bed for movie night

...past bedtime.
It's their favorite thing. They begged for it and I would easily oblige.

~Nothing better than clean, calm, cuddly kids.~

When life gives you a box of peaches...

Can 'em.

 And make Peach Cobbler.

Yummers...

Before you start to get impressed...just know my Mom came over & helped me.

"This is My Day...my Baptism Day."

Kaylea's Baptism went wonderfully. 

The program was full of family members giving talks, prayers and musical numbers. We tried to include as many as possible which is always interesting with so many siblings. {12 immediate ones to be exact.. not to mention married spouses & 20 something cousins.}

A Run down of  the program...{for you out-of-towners}

Uncle Phyl played piano, Cousin Macey was chorister,

Opening Song- "When I am Baptized"

Opening Prayer- Spencer (so sweet)

 Kaylea & her best friend Sienna sing "If I Listen With My Heart"

I gave a Talk on Baptism

Kaylea baptized by her dad

(bunch of kids gather round font & Kaylea fights back huge smile)

Help dress Kaylea dry off & get back into her dress as she talks about her special feelings inside

Aunts Sara & Brit play violin interlude while people are waiting for us

Everyone writes down their thoughts/testimony for Kay to be put in book made by Aunt Heidi

Musical Number by Aunt Ashlyn, Grandma Debbie, Cousins-Taylor, Melissa & Natalie Sang: 

"What Heaven Sees In You"

Talk by Grandma Kathy on Holy Ghost

Kaylea is confirmed a member of church & receives the Holy Ghost

(Uncles Danny, Brian, Mason, Jason, Great-Uncle Toby, Brother Olsen, Grandpas Lonnie & Tom in circle)

Kaylea goes onto stand to bravely sing solo: "I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ" 

Made us all cry tears....

Closing Song- "The Holy Ghost"

Closing Prayer- Grandpa Tom

Following the Baptism we had brunch at our house. Tim was in charge of that part of it since he loves making breakfast foods (& I was in charge of everything else.) We had a yummy homemade waffle bar thanks to him & great friends the Lamoreauxs who flipped waffle after waffle. We had peaches, strawberries, chocolate chips, peanut butter, jam, syrup, & whip cream for the choice of toppings. Carrie, Mom & others helped with bacon & sausage. We gobbled it all up quickly and by noon, overwhelmingly felt both physically & spiritually nourished.

I made this little diddy...It's supposed to look like a cake & is just some boxes I'd collected over the weeks..(diaper, corn dog & shoe box, wrapping paper, ribbon, the #8 wrapped in scrapbook paper 

& wa-lah!)

The kitchen was full of family, friends & neighbors and we couldn't feel more loved. Upstairs we had playing a video that I had made for Kaylea of her last 8 years. I figured it took approximately 50 hours of finding home video footage, converting old tapes to my computer, scanning old pictures, organizing & the fun creating part of putting it all together. It ended up being 20 minutes long & Kaylea loves it. I hope she will cherish it always and know how much she is loved every time she thinks of it.

Kaylea received a variety of special gifts
commemorating her special day. 

She even got a phone call from her school teacher that morning wishing her the best!
Below is the book that everyone wrote their thoughts in for her that I know she will always cherish.

The kids had some quality cousin time that day...

It was a special day that we won't forget for a very long time.

~October General Conference~

....begins my favorite time of year!

The air turns cooler & crisp. 

As the sound of the organ playing in the conference center begins,

I know that within minutes I will be comfy on my couch and being spiritually uplifted.

The kids gather around anxiously to play conference bingo with candy corn ...as they listen intently for words such as prayer, Jesus, God, missionaries, Holy Ghost & scriptures. 

Or eat fruit loops off their necklaces as they hear the "key " words.

The older kids also take notes in their packets.

 Kaylea's favorite talk= President Eyring's on having Faith

Spencer's favorite= Dallin H. Oaks on the Priesthood

Some of my favorite talks:
I loved the insight given.

President Uchtdorf-
"Love is spelled T-I-M-E."
We have to forgo some GOOD things in order to find the BEST.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -Leonardo di Vinci
Often we unnecessarily complicate our lives!
Focus on what matters most. Get back to the basics.
Relationship with God is the most vital...Ourselves, Family & Others.


Robert D. Hales-
Are we practicing selective obedience?
Obeying the Commandments Gives Us Freedom
Agency=Free to Choose
"God will force no man to Heaven."


D. Todd Christofferson-
Our life is the stewardship of our time & choices.
Hard earned achievement builds self worth/confidence.
Become a Saint through Christ.
Hypocrisy is faith-destroying.
"Integrity is NOT naive; Naive is believing you are not accountable to God."


Boyd K. Packer- (much backlash from gay rights activists right now because of this talk: I thought this gay mormon guy's perspective was inspiring...)
"Marriage is ordained of God."
"Know ye not that ye are a Temple of God?"
The adversary is jealous of our bodies!
Wickedness never was happiness.
We cannot; We will not back down.
Repent...Stop..Angels will coach you.
There is a way back!


Dallin H. Oaks-
"ALL have direct access to God=Prayer"
Revelation should be constant in our lives.
*Personal Line-our own responsibility
*Priesthood Line-Organized religion is necessary.
..Yet we should not be dependent on a mortal mediator.
Both Personal/Priesthood lines are necessary!


L. Tom Perry-
(Message to youth of the church:)
Beware of T.V- so much of it is degrading & destroying.
Keep body healthy & clean.
Trust in the Lord.
The Lord is bound if you keep His commandments.
"Parents we charge you with this sacred responsibility to teach (them) what they need to know..."


Larry Lawrence-
(Council to parents of teens:)
BE COURAGEOUS! -Don't be afraid to Take A Stand.
"Imagine that your daughter was sitting on Railroad tracks with an oncoming train. Would you warn her to get off the tracks..or would you hesitate, worried that she might think you were being overprotective?" If she ignored your warning, would you quickly move her to a safe place? OF COURSE you would! Your love for your daughter would override all other considerations. You would value her life more than her temporary goodwill." 
Have courage to support each other. If one parent feels uncomfortable with a -party, swimsuit, dress, video game etc. then be supportive!
Avoid over-scheduling.
Council in private interviews.
We want our youth as Helaman's Army!

President Monson- 

"To live with gratitude in our hearts is to touch Heaven."

Told story of Gordon Green who's Thanksgiving Dinner was jackrabbit/turnips. Realizing the blessing of electricity as their father turned out the lights helped them realize how much they really did have.

Gratitude is the greatest of Virtues.

"A prayerful life sets us up for a grateful life."

Focus on Blessings-ESPECIALLY during hard times.

The Savior gave thanks & THEN the miracles followed.

I'm so grateful for the blessing of a living prophet on this Earth & those others who have been called now to lead us and give us council.

"Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants it is the same." ~D& C 1:38


**Watch this little VIDEO of CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS: 
You'll love it!

Half Time Show

The last HS football game before Fall Break the HS cheerleaders put on a cheer clinic for whoever wanted to come. Any girl who wanted to learn a dance & some cheers could perform at the Half Time Show. Kaylea decided last minute to do the cheer clinic because her friend Emily (who happens to be the Principal's daughter) was going to do it too.  She kept saying "Mom just remember I'm not a girly-girl okay...I'm just doing this one time."

I thought it was a great idea to see if cheer was something she liked doing without having to pay for it later & then find out she hated it. Physically I knew she could definitely do it...but would she like the social aspect of it?...{She hates when girls try too hard to be pretty for boys to get attention...Amen to that. Funny what such young'ens catch on to at their young age.}

Kaylea & Emily ended up having a blast of course!

Here's a picture below of the 8-14 year old group performing. Can you see Kaylea's forehead? ...haha.

I asked her why she didn't stand in the front & she said she was too embarrassed.

..side note: Kaylea wishes she would have gone to the bathroom before performing (as her mother had suggested  ahem...) because she said every time she jumped she thought she would wet her pants!... ~If anything came of this-she at least was reminded that sometimes Mother really DOES know best!

1st Quarter Awards

Kaylea was chosen from her class to receive The Citizenship Award!
Have I mentioned she has the greatest Teacher & Principal in the whole state of AZ!

Spencer's Grades were STRAIGHT A's putting him on the PRINCIPAL's LIST!

**That same week was Parent-Teacher conferences. Daylan's was different than any I had been to for my kids. His teacher said as kindly as she could: "Daylan really enjoys the social aspect of school." That was the nicest way she could say..."He is constantly talking to his friends." He has 3 of his best buddies in there and loves being at school with them. {But for the record Daylan I think that having such great friendships is quite the accomplishment of your own!}

*Here's to a great 1st Quarter!*