Sunday, September 29, 2013

I had a beautiful lesson today in relief society.  Debbie Coburn taught it and it was on loving thyself as thy neighbor.  Usually it is said the other way around but she wanted to specify how we tend to think highly of others and compliment them but when we look in the mirror we can be very detrimental and mean to who we are.  This meanness to ourselves is offensive to God for we are His creations.  I will forever remember that I am a daughter of God and that makes me very special.  I am refreshed to treat my family and neighbors lovingly.  I would like to end by mentioning that you (or I) would never walk up to a temple and point out the flaws or find ugliness with it.  Our bodies are also temples and should be treated as such.  It is wonderful to be alive and to have a beautiful life.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

          We just got back from a great camping trip in Marysvale.  We left Wednesday afternoon and arrived home Saturday.  While camping we rode the blueberry (the ATV ranger) all over the trails and spent time fishing in different lakes.  Jacinda and McCabe each caught a trout that was at least 15 inches.  I caught a 3 inch trout (not even picture worthy).  Teagan had a great time playing in the water.  He made me so nervous.  I did not want him to go in so far that he would drown.  Anyways I kept a close eye on him the majority of the time and he was just fine.  Xadia did a little fishing with her pink fishing pole.  She did not catch anything but had a great time casting and reeling in the fly.  Tim spent a few days with the kids before the trip showing them the proper way to cast.  He also spent a small fortune getting their tackle boxes ready.  I can’t tell you how many bobbers we used because the kids kept banging them on rocks or the ground and they would crack and break.
          It was so beautiful.  I was in awe at the scenery.  It looked like we were driving by painted trees.  I took a few pictures to try and capture the beauty.  It was so wonderful.  The temperature was in the seventies and the smell of pine took me back to the days when my mom would take me and my sisters to oktober fest at Snow Bird.  It was quite peaceful and lovely.
          Today was the primary program.  Tim was kind enough to take Teagan out (after his daring attempt of running for the podium).  I got to watch the program.   I was smiling the whole time.  I was so proud of my kids.  Jacinda and McCabe did a great job on their parts.  I would try to make eye contact with them.  Every time I looked at McCabe he tried his hardest not to smile.  It was so cute.  That is my boy.  But my favorite was Xadia.  She did not do much singing, instead, she did a lot of interpretive dancing.  She was swinging her arms and pointing to the audience.  Then she would twist her finger in her pig tail and go back to moving her arms.  It was great.  When I was younger and did not have children in primary I loved watching the kids wave to their parents or listen to the kids shout out the parts of the song.  It made me so happy and I could not wait until I had kids in primary.  Now I do and I have an attention grabber.  All I could think of while Xadia was doing her dancing was that I was so grateful she was with our family.  One year ago we could have lost her in a drowning accident but we did not and she is with us.  I am glad all my babies are safe and healthy and with me.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, September 8, 2013

     I thought life would get easier as the kids were in school, however, there are still things that fill up my days.  This past week Michael and Candi Hochsettler stayed with us while their car got fixed.  They were traveling from Washington to Texas when their car broke down in Provo.  It was a little crazy having a house full of people.  Cute little Zayden, who is just 6 weeks younger than Teagan kept biting him.   Poor Teagan has 3 bite marks on his body.  They look like little tattoos.  My one fear is that Teagan will start biting also but fortunately he has not.

         Last Sunday we ate at Matt and Mimi (my sister) Johnson’s house.  It was so much fun to visit and watch the cousins play.  Her boys were so funny and creative.  They were playing star wars and having sword fights.  Mimi says this is what they prefer to do instead of basketball or soccer or anything really.  Her kids were so good with mine regardless of the age gap.  There was no crying just a lot of fun.

        The weather is starting to cool and the leaves are changing colors.  I have the autumn scents burning.  Every once in a while I get a whiff of apples and cinnamon and it smells so good.  I love the fall, however, before it officially comes we had to get in one more outdoor swimming day.  Yesterday we went swimming with nana Hefner, Ashleigh, and her fiancée Telan.  It was great.  Teagan kept jumping off the side into the water.  He absolutely has no fear of swimming.  Now I am constantly on my toes making sure he does not jump in the water without supervision.  Even when in the water he wanted to swim by himself.  I tried putting floaties on his arms but his mouth would bob in and out of the water so I will have to try them again in a few months to see if he is ready.  Xadia kept by my side the whole time which is fine by me.  This was the pool she drowned in last year.  I was constantly doing kid checks on Xadia and Teagan.  Jacinda and McCabe had a great time doing their own thing with Ash and Telan.  As we got out of the pool, the wind started picking up and a storm came.  We made it home just in time to see lightening and hear the thunder.  It started raining really hard.  In fact, people in Alpine and Payson experience flooding.  I am so grateful we were all safe.