My Birthday....

My Birthday as FABULOUS. Thank you to all of you for your love, birthday wishes, messages, cards, phone calls and texts and comments...I feel very loved!!!

Monday Night, We had a big Birthday Party for Grandpa Ras, Megan and Me. It was so fun. It's something I look forward to every year. I love sharing my Birthday week with two of my favorite people ever. Beth made the coolest Cupcakes and brownie cake I've ever seen. Thanks Beth.

Well, LeGrand took me out to Red Robin on Thursday night, we had fun just being together, walking around the mall, laughing and eating....my favorite thing at Red Robin is the Yummy Banzi Burger. I think it's the only Hamburger I actually like. Seriously...I'm not a huge hamburger fan, but my mouth waters every time I think of the Banzi Burger. If you haven't tried it, you have to.

On Friday, My actual birthday was so fun. I woke up to a decorated kitchen and the kiddos soooo excited that it was my birthday. I got Brayden off to school and played with the girls and Kolby and put my feet up to read.....then I got everyone ready so we could go on a field trip with Adelyn. Addy was so excited that I got to come with her on my birthday...her whole class sang Happy Birthday to me....it was cute. It was a walking Field Trip...we walked to the Library, the New Fire Station, the Police Station and the Post Office. It was fun. After the kiddos got out of school we played with daddy since he came home early and I went up stairs and layed down and rested and read some more while LeGrand got dinner for the kiddos and made me a birthday cake. Then we got ready and Hailey came over to babysit while LeGrand took me out to dinner again. Ok this time it was a dinner for all the bishopric's and their wives in the Stake. LeGrand said he couldn't take me out for my birthday to a Stake dinner....that's why he took me out the night before...Smart Man!!! It was a perfect day!!! I love spending time with my hubby and my kiddos!

On Saturday Morning at 6:00 in the morning I heard pounding on my door. LeGrand heard it first, probably because he was listening for it....I got kidnapped and taken to breakfast in my Pajamas, no make up or anything.....it was beautiful. It was actually a blast....Thanks Candace, Cari, Jen, Amy, Emily, Kathryn.... you girls are sooo cute!!! Sorry I don't have any pictures of breakfast with no makeup on. But it's probably a good thing. ;)

Well my birthday lasted a few days.... and actually it's going to last a little longer...this is what the UPS guy is going to bring me this week!!!!! I'm sooo excited!!!!!

29 years ago......

29 years ago was the amazing day that I was born. My Mom was my hero that day. She still is. Until I became a Mother and went through all the uncomfortable things about being pregnant and experiencing child birth, especially without an epidural like she did, my love and appreciation for her has grown. I just wanted to Honor the people who made my birthday possible. I'm grateful for parents who have always loved and cared for me. Who have always been incredible examples to me of how I should conduct myself and the paths I should choose. Mom, Thank you for bringing me into this world. Dad, Thank you for helping her and supporting her through everything. I consider myself a very blessed girl to have been born into the family and circumstances that I born into. Thank you for teaching, forgiving, guiding, loving and supporting me through out my 29 years. I love you both!!


For those of you who know my parents, I know you'll agree with me on how amazing they are. Thank you all for your birthday wishes......leave me comments.....that will make my day. Here's to an incredible 29 years.....

Ice Skating

Ice Skating might just be our new favorite thing to do. Last weekend we went Ice Skating at 7 peaks. We had a blast. When we found out that they wouldn't let us push a stroller on the ice (they have before) I was a little dissapointed, until we decided to get some little skates for Kolby. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. He could walk with the skates on but he needed lots of help when we were one the ice. Sophie was really nervous at first and then she just took off. Brayden, Adelyn and Sophie had so much fun!!!!! It's fun seeing your kiddos have fun together and improve in activities that used to be hard for them. I love doing things all together as our family.

Gymnastics

Adelyn and Sophie just took a Gymnastics class together. It was such a fun thing for these cute sisters to be able to do together. The girls loved getting dressed up every week and heading out to gymnastics. I know I'm a bit bias, but I think they were the cutest ones there.

How cute? Oh I love these girlie girls!!!

Here is Miss Sophie, she loved being big and being involved. Sophie stayed right with Adelyn but obeyed and had a ton of fun. During the time period of this class Sophie decided that she wanted bangs...She looks adorable. I didn't know if she would really like them, but she loves them. If she changes her shirt, the first thing she asks me now is "Mom, did I mess up my bangs?" She wants to make sure that they are always done and pretty. She's a doll.

Adelyn has taken Gymnastics before when she took it with Brayden. She loved it then and it was so cute to see Brayden and Addy together. This time it was so fun to see the sisters together! It was fun to see how much Adelyn has grown and improved. She used to be so reserved and shy and now she just had fun and wanted to help Sophie have fun too. Thanks for being such a big girl and big helper Adelyn! I don't know what I'd do without you!

We LOVE you our sweet angels!!

Let it Snow

I know Spring is just around the corner, but before the snow is completely melted I wanted to post these cute pictures. This past winter we've had a ton of snow. Some of our good friends the Stitt's built a big igloo/fort in their front yard and we had lots of fun playing with them in it. Aren't these the cutest kids that you've ever seen? Check out how much snow we've been living with....I'm really excited for spring!!!

In the Strength of the Lord I can do all things.

For those of you that are Enrichment Leaders in your wards or maybe you just like gathering ideas, I thought I'd do a post on our last Enrichment Night. The Theme of the Night was "In the Strength of the Lord, I can do all things." We've been feeling the need to focus on being Self Reliant and so for our 1st activity of the year we wanted to focus on Relying on the Lord. This was how the tables looked. Donna Coleman, who is an excellent photographer in our ward took lots of pictures of "Hands" for me. They were beautiful, artistic and meaningful. There were pictures of sisters playing the piano, holding a childs hand, braiding hair, sewing, reading, baking, cleaning, gardening....this list could go on, but I think you get the picture. The pictures were attached to a cardstock card and over the picture was a transperancy of the Christus with the Theme written along the bottom. I LOVED IT!! It was perfect. This Really helped set the tone of the night and the sisters had fun going around looking at all the pictures. At every place setting we had a quote from President Benson. (see below). The Evening was a Dinner Theater. For dinner we made Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad and it was soooooo yummy and not hard at all. ( If you want the Recipes let me know!) While everyone was eating we had a program. (I didn't get any pictures of this since I was helping run the show, but now I wish I passed the camera on to someone. Oh Well.) After the play, I sang A Womans Heart, then Our Relief Society President Amy Douglas spoke to us about the importance of relying on the Savior and how special each of us are. Then the sisters finished eating their salads and had cake. It was a beautiful night, the spirit was present and I felt like the Lord directed the entire thing.

Here is the program that we did. Feel free to use it;)

With the Strength of His Hands
written by Candace Carter

(The lights come up on a sister who is just getting off the phone. Her house is messy and you can hear children fighting/crying in the background)

Sister #1: Thanks, Bishop, I promise you that I will think about it, but the answer will probably be no. I just don’t know how I can do one more thing right now, besides I am sure there are several sisters in the ward who are more qualified. (Pause as if listening to the person on the other end of the phone) Yes, I promise that I will pray about it. (In the background someone shouts “MOM!” and the sister hurries out of the room)

(Lights now come up on the other side of the room where we observe a young sister doing her homework. It is challenging for her and she is obviously frustrated. She slams the book closed and puts her head down on her arms.)

Sister #2: How in the world am I suppose to remember all of the varieties of one celled life forms and their individual characteristics. Who even cares, besides Professor Smith? My major is not Biology, why should I have to even take such a pointless class? Doesn’t anybody care about the fact that if I don’t keep an A average my scholarship can be taken away!

(Back in the house of Sister #1, her house is quiet and she is working to get everything put away. She is obviously exhausted. She sits in her chair and as she does so she picks up her scriptures and begins to read.)

Sister #1: Now Nephi he was someone who was capable of anything. Maybe the Bishop should give him a call! “And it came to pass that I, Nephi said unto my father . . .

(She continues to read, but we see Nephi behind her)

Nephi: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

Sister #1: That’s easy to say when you are the prophet and well, so close to perfect. How could I ever accept this call! I can’t even go a full day without yelling at my kids, some example I would be to the sisters in the ward!! (She continues to read)

Nephi: Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of my iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh
Sister #1: I know in whom I have trusted . . .

(Lights go down on Sister #1)

(Lights come up on Sister #2 as she looks over and sees her scriptures lying by her stack of text books. She picks them up and also starts to read.)

Sister #2: Moroni, why can’t I be like Moroni. Strong in the gospel, a great scribe, smart enough to stay alive after everyone else was gone . . . he even spoke to the Lord . . . “And I said unto him,”

Moroni: Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing . . . And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the awkwardness of our hands. Behold, thou hast not made us mighty in writing like unto the Brother of Jared . . . wherefore, when we write we behold our weakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words . . . And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me saying; Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek. That they shall take no advantage of your weakness; And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them . . .

Sister #2: “I will make weak things become strong . . . (coming to her knees) Dear Father, thou knowest all things, and I am sure that my GPA is the least of your concerns, but dear father, it is important to me. I cannot seem to remember or understand what I need to know. I cannot do this on my own . . . (Lights go down)

(Lights come up on Sister #1 she is still reading the scriptures)

Sister #1: Relief Society President, the Bishop must be out of his mind. I can just see myself standing in front of them, “Dear sisters I know that I never went to college or served a mission, in fact I got married when I was 19, but please spare me a few minutes so that I can teach you . . . well I can’t teach you anything!” My dear Father what in the world can I bring to this calling? (Continues to read) 1 Timothy 4:12 , “Let no man despise thy youth; But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (Falling to her knees she also begins to pray.) Father, I can’t accept this calling without knowing that thou art there to help me. I have a testimony, that may be all I have to give, please help me with the rest . . .

(Lights come up on both women as they silently pray, we hear the voice of the Lord)
Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light. (Matt 11:28-30)
“Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.” (D&C 68:6)
“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:36)