2 weeks to live...

I have watched over the last year as my courageous Aunt Mary has battled breast cancer with an enormous fight. What a powerful example of strength and dignity she has displayed. Imagine my own mother - beautiful, confident and fun - but with blonde hair and just a few years younger. I remember one time she emailed me and said "We are in fighting mode, just loving each day and all it has to offer. Off to get my daily “zapping…” Love, Mary"

What a wonderful attitude! She has constantly amazed me with her ability to see life in a new way - loving each moment she has left. We had hoped that someday she would be free and clear from this struggle with cancer. And now she will be, just not it all the ways we had yearned for. Yet the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away...He is all knowing and in control and we put our faith in Him.

So now as the cancer has spread to almost every aspect of her body, she has been given 2 weeks to live. What do you do with that? What would I do with that? I have thought about it all day and its too hard for me to wrap my finger around, yet we do what we have to do. We all must try and live each moment to the fullest degree, free from sin - anger - pride, full of love - charity - goodness, so no matter the day, we can stand ready to meet our Maker...

BYU Vacation!

Each time our kids are off track (we have year round school so they have small vacations all year) we try and do something fun...this time we went on a "BYU Vacation!" The boys were so pumped as we got ready to go. We stayed in a hotel near the University for 4 days and ate out, swam in the hotel pool, and of course...played at the Y! We took them all over the place to see our old stomping grounds, went bowling in their fun alley, played the Science Center and met up with Uncle Rex before a class, and shopped for BYU basketball clothes (which Joey has worn his for 12 days straight - I am so serious! I make him change for church and insist on washing them while he waits in his boxers!)

But one of our most memorable moments was meeting up with Mikes old high school buddy who happens to work for the BYU Athletics department. He took us on a tour of the new sport building, and it was so amazing! Each floor takes you down memory lane and the Missionary Wall was our favorite. It shows you where all the BYU football players have served missions and I even saw one of my old 7th grade students on the wall! Someday we hope our little guys pictures are on there...

Such a fun vacation, can't wait to do it again!

Some new things I have learned...

To NEVER leave a yummy chocolate cake for your son's birthday party that starts in 3 hours cooling on the counter with a little girl loose while you are upstairs...all this can equal is disaster! Luckily, I tried to keep my cool and grabbed the camera instead of pulling my hair out - hey, I still had 3 hours to make another one right?!



























That Senior Citizens make GREAT bowling league coaches! The big boys joined a league while they were off track and all the coaches were volunteer senior citizens. My boys had a blast and learned so much from these great seasoned players...






















That little girls LOVE gymnastics and big brothers LOVE teaching them how to do it. We have a great gym near us that lets kids have "open play" and she thought she was the queen of america once she figured out how to swing on the bars. hmmm...maybe I will have to post pone my dreams for her as a soccer star?

Fun times in January!!

Mike and I got to travel to Miami while my mom took our kidlets - such a fun AND WARM trip! We went on an air boat ride and saw tons of alligators...YIKES! They let us hold baby ones at the end, but only Mike had the guts for it.

We also got to meet a missionary heading to Italy while we were in the airport. His was the first family ever baptized in Albania, seemed like such a great kid.

The rest are just some fun random times that happened in our month - love this new year already!

My Roots...

I had the blessing of hosting a SAMPLE of my extended family this week for dinner and oh how I loved it. When I say SAMPLE - I am serious. We had 31 there and thats not even brushing the surface. Over 25 were still missing from that side, and my fathers side adorns 18 aunts and uncles and over 50 cousins...I love it. There is something about family for me, even if I don't talk to them constantly, but when they are around my soul feels that much more complete. None of them will ever know how much my heart loves them, truly. My mothers side has been hit so hard this year, too much too fast. My dear Aunt Mary is fighting breast cancer, my wonderful Aunt Carol is fighting cancer as well. My sweet cousin Jesse continues to be missing in Hawaii as our prayers reach high into the heavens for his peace, wherever it can be found.

I just love these girls...a small grouping of the many women who bless my life. My cousins who are the true beauty of all things good, my sister in law Shay whom I pinch myself each time I remember how lucky we are that she joined our family. And my Granny amazes me with her charity, some day I will be like her. And of course, this little princess that continues to make every moment that much more worth living...

Praise to families everywhere-

Old Schools...

I was looking through some old disks today before I chucked them and found a couple of these old schools, back in the day when there was just four of us...I had to share. The boys were about 3 1/2 and 5 I am pretty sure, so much fun to remember that time...

One of my favorite Christmas things...

I know its might sound silly, but one of the most favorite things of mine about the holidays is walking down my driveway to the mailbox (or sending my kids to do it!). For for some reason finding a Christmas card instead of a bill just really makes my day. But even more so, I absolutely LOVE hearing how dear old friends are doing. Keeps me so grateful for the many good buddies who I have had the privilege of crossing paths with...I spend so many moments during Christmas looking at them, and then looking at them again. Thanks to all for making my life a happy one...