What's happening!
Sorry if you've viewed my blog hoping to find an update and instead keep seeing the same thing. I actually didn't realize how long it's been since I've blogged. Things are keeping pretty busy. Spring doesn't want to seem to come unfortunately, our temp. highs are currently only reaching 30 if we are lucky, so to try and help it along, I finally cut the boys hair. I let them grow it out during the winter, to try and get the "shag" look. Some days I liked it and other days I wanted to chop it off. We finally did chop it on Monday. They all look so much older, I could actually see their faces! I would do a before and after picture but I'm in SLC and don't have access to pictures. So I'll try and post them later. Jackson and I have been kept busy trying to get our ward's Youth Trek underway. We went a few years ago as a ma and pa, but to actually be the one's in charge, it's just a little unnerving. We are really looking forward to it though, it really is a life changing experience. We will be going to Seattle in the next couple of weeks, the boys have been asking about grandma and papa, so we figured it was time for another trip. On a billboard on the freeway I keep passing a sign that shows a little boy and his grandpa fishing and it says, "Grandpa take me fishing!" It makes me think of my parents and how much I miss them. I'm really looking forward to seeing them.

SICK!!!!!!
That's all I have to say. We have been dealing with the flu for three weeks now. And me in my lala land thought I wouldn't get it. Now I am a person who doesn't really like taking medicine or going to the doctor, but I knew I was in bad shape when I had to ask my husband to take me to the instacare. It reminded me why I don't do any of the above,(no offense spyderdoc)after having a thing shoved up my nose to make sure I had the flu and then after the confirmation, getting a shot in my "you know where," I left with my adversion to doctors and medicine still intact. Although it was nice to finally get a good night's rest last night so there are some pluses. Currently this is my only means of communication since I no longer have a voice. So if you call and are told she can't talk right now, I'm not trying avoid you (o.k. maybe some of you) I literally can't talk! Thank you for listening to the ramblings of a mildly medicated person. If you would like to see a visual of how I feel today view the link to my sister Katie's blog, under the title "this is how I feel today."

Be Steadfast and Immovable......

This is the theme for the youth this year.(Mosiah 5:15) We did our new beginnings on Tuesday and it turned out really good. Jenny Phillips has put out a CD with some great songs. She compares the stars to being steadfast and immovable, we liked the idea so we talked about each value and had a scripture that pertained to the stars and that value. Like Faith asked the question would I have had enough faith to believe what the star of bethlehem represented. We then gave each of the girls glow in the dark stars to put on their ceilings to remind them that they can be like the stars and give their light to help others through the darkness. The girls also sang a beautiful song by Jenny Phillips called "Steadfast in You." It talks about how strong they are and how willing they are to be steadfast in Christ. A real tear jerker to see them perform that and realize how amazing the youth are today! Here's some pics.

Where have we been?

I'm sure you've been wondering what we have been up to the last couple of weeks that we haven't posted, so let me fill you in. Well, it snowed, and then it snowed and then let's see, it snowed again! But we did do some things in between. Bennett and I went on a great trip, when the kids turn 8 they get to start flying in first class, so to celebrate this we have a tradition of going on a mom and me trip. Ben decided he wanted to go see the broadway musical "Wicked." Originally we had planned to go to New York, but L.A. was easier to get to. So with my sister-in-law and neice (who also had a birthday) we went to Wicked and Disneyland. The kids were spoiled, we ended up being able to stay and the California Grand and after telling them we were there for the kid's birthdays (Ben's was back in June). They ended up giving them a big thing of balloons, a button that said it was their b-days, and at lunch they got some chocalate mousse w/ a candle. Ben loved Wicked, he had me laughing because at some of the funny parts he would laugh really loud and hard. Other things that have happened are that Jackson has been taking the boys up to a ski resort called Kelly Canyon, where they have been learning to ski and snowboard. It's actually really inexpensive, so they have been up almost every weekend. I even went and had my first ski lesson, everything was going well until I hit the powder, let's just say I'm glad there weren't any cameras. We were also able to attend the dedication of the Rexburg Temple. The night before I realized I hadn't gotten our handkerchiefs, so I went to the local Walmart to get some, I knew I was in trouble when I couldn't find any. I went over to Deseret Book to get some tie tacs for the boys. When I walked in a guy asked me "Is there something I can help you find?" I knew if Walmart didn't have hankies neither would they so I said I was getting a gift. I really didn't want to embarass myself and admit I wasn't prepared. While looking at tie tacs he asked if I had my handkerchiefs. I smiled and rolled my eyes and said, "You would have to ask, no I don't have mine!" He laughed and said they had counted 150 people asking for handkerchiefs since 5:00 p.m. it was 7:30 p.m. I told him not to count me. Then I said, " You know I think I've heard of a parable about this, something to do with some virgins and some oil." But I then said that I knew I had material at home I could make some with, so I didn't necessarily fall into that category. In the end I no longer have a nice white tablecloth (it did have a stain!) The dedication was amazing. President Monson was so funny when doing the cornerstone, he had dropped some mortar and when the temple president came to put some in, Pres Monson asked him to clean up after him, he then said "That's what you call Repentence" and then he asked one of the general authorities who is latino to come and do it in spanish. It was a great feeling to be able to do the Hosana shout. I am so grateful the boys were able to have that experience. Jackson and I are being kept busy with getting our ward's trek underway. I'm so excited for our youth to have this experience, it is truly life changing.

Hope you have a great Valentine's Day!

Temple, Temple, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

My sister's and I would sing this chant whenever we would drive by the Salt Lake Temple. I remember wondering what it would be like to go inside. This past week we were able to go to the open house for the Rexburg Temple. The weeks preceding our visit we spent our Family Home Evenings dicussing what the boys would be seeing and the purpose of the temple. We also discussed the dedication, and explained only those who had been baptized could go. Poor Jared was so sad that he couldn't go but we explained to him the reasons and that when he turned 8 there would be another temple he could go to the dedication for.(Oquirrh Hills) As the days came closer Isaac and Bennett were getting excited but Jared kept saying, "no, I don't get to go." Now as most of you know Jared is a big teaser, so I know a lot of this was teasing, but I was still concerned he thought he didn't get to come to the temple. Finally on the night we were to go Jackson told him we would take him blindfolded if we had too. Later on as we started up the walkway towards the temple I smiled down and said, "See they let you in." He just smiled that smile of his back. What a wonderful experience, I tried to point out the colors and different pictures so they could remember some of the things they saw. It was nice to tell them that this was where dad and mom would be when we went to the temple. The best part was in the celestial room, it was amazing to have all of us there together, we stood in a group and hugged each other. Later I contemplated the experience with Jared. What a great responsibility we have as parents to teach our children that Heavenly Father does want them to be with him and that by making right choices we can. I haven't been to a temple dedication since the Jordan River temple so am very excited to go with the boys and Jackson. How lucky we are to be able to be apart of this.

Bucket List

So my sister recently wrote on her blog about her bucket list. I don't know if you've seen the commercial for the movie called the bucket list, but when I saw it got me thinking about my list. When I saw my sisters list I thought it was a fun idea to share mine. I think I'll be a copy cat though and tell some of things I've done first (like my sister did)

Seen King Tut's tomb and Pyramids
Volunteered for 2002 Olympics
Mom of 3 great boys
survived growing up in a house of 5 girls
Rode first class to England (where Boy George almost walked in on me while I was changing in the bathroom)
Swam with 6 foot stingrays
have been 10 feet away from a humpback whale and calf watched as they breached out of water Went Salmon fishing on the Kenai (Alaska)
Have seen the Northern Lights
Met President Kimball
have had frozen hot choclate at Serendipity's (new york)
Rode on a trolley down St Charles st (New orleans)
Helped build the Heber C Kimball house at This is the Place
Was a Ma on a pioneer handcart trek
Have been in the top of the Washington Monument
Went to San Francisco to have lunch on the bay for a day
Have seen Pungent Sound in Seattle



My Bucket List

Learn how to play the piano
go on safari in Kruger park, see the penguins in Capetown South Africa
See the Indian Ocean
Learn how to photoshop
Go on a girls trip with my sisters and mom
Go on a cruise
See the Eifel Tower
go to Israel walk where Christ walked
Go on mission with my husband
Be in a play
Be in shape
go to every continent (have been to 4)
Help support a charity
Do some Humantarian work
Be a fun mom/grandma
See as many of the Temples as I can
Go on a Hike with my husband
Pay off my mortgage by the time I'm 55
Learn how to cut hair
Do a tree for the Fesival of trees as an Adult
Go to the Oprah Winfrey show
Make a difference in the life of a child (other then my own)

We're Back!!!

We just got back from a great holiday vacation. We were able to spend Christmas and New Year's in Utah. It was so nice being back in familar surroundings. It flew by so fast. The boys were spoiled by Santa and other relatives. It was nice being able to visit. We also went sledding at Sugar House park and just had fun spending time together. I was worried about how my Christmas would go because it is the first year I've been without my parents, but as much as I missed them we really had a nice day, it was fun carrying on traditions and adding a few from Jackson's family. We spent Christmas Eve at Jackson's parents house, where the kids had a great time waiting for Santa with their cousins. Jackson's poor sister was awakened at 4:30 a.m.by the kids begging to be allowed to go upstairs, where we were sleeping peacefully. We were awakened at 6:00 a.m. by a loud yell of "WAKE UP." After presents we had our yummy ham puff and french hot choclate. We then went to my sisters house where I kicked her butt at the Wii game boogie. We then were able to visit with my aunt and then went to the hospital to visit with Jackson's brother and wife who gave birth to their little girl the day before. Well I took down Christmas decor yesterday (what a sad day) but have some great memories. Enjoy the pics!