Wonderful Weekend!

This past weekend was truly great.

It started on Friday afternoon with a get-together with a dear childhood friend, Lena Baron, and her family. We met at Discovery Park and had a great time playing. It was a bit chilly and windy, but the sun was shining and the kids got along great and had lots of fun exploring the park. I had a wonderful time visiting with my friend who I hadn't seen in about 4 years. After the park, we came back to our house & made omelets with fresh-from-the-farm eggs they brought. The kids had fun playing here & we ate dinner & had some yummy chocolate ice cream for dessert. It was all-too-soon that they had to make a long drive back home, but we promised to do it again! Here's a few pics from our fun Friday:

Saturday was a busy, wonderful day. It started at about 7am with an 8 mile run. The wind was crazy, but at least it was an hour later than I usually go, so I could actually see - and there was a beautiful sunrise. The nice thing about the wind was that it was a tail wind coming back up those hills. After that I had to rush, but made it just in time for the Cedar Stake Women's Conference to start. I wasn't sure about about going with all there was to get done that day, but SO glad I did! I am amazed with the women in this area. Wow! There was an amazing, inspired speaker (she spoke on the book Weakness is Not Sin, by Wendy Ulrich) & then we chose 3 workshops to go to. I had a hard time choosing, but loved the ones I went to - creative service, women who know do less, and finding your strenghts. And after that amazing spiritual feast there was a physical feast. I came home truly filled. Thank you Love for watching the girls!

The next 8 hours were spent turning our garage from this:

to this:

Yay for being able to pull our new van in there! Seeing how much stuff we CRAMMED into the one side of that garage...seriously. It is a miracle.

And finally, today, we had a wonderful time at church (and even made it on time to get a soft seat! Yes!). We've had family council, watched picture slideshows from the past 10 years or so, we've enjoyed slow-cooker minestrone soup, bread (though that one took 2 tries), and cookies, and enjoyed talking or Skyping with loved ones.

Yay for great weekends!

The Knots Prayer

I haven't read this before today - saw it on someone's Facebook & really loved it. Had to share.

Cedar!

We just got internet today in our new home. Hooray!Well, here we are almost a full week in a new home, a new town, and soon to be a new job.

So- what do I think so far? It's been really great. I couldn't have asked for our move to go any smoother. We had SO much help on both the Salt Lake City end & the Cedar end. My parents came & brought a load & helped, too. Thanks mom & dad! Jason's brother & family & a couple friends also came up from St. George to help & support. They ROCK! My birthday was last Sunday & Jason was so cute to sing to me (no breakfast in bed this time. I guess that's what happens when your birthday falls on a fast Sunday :) and we had a wonderfully delicious chocolate cake & ice cream that night - amidst a sea of boxes.

We both truly believe we were supposed to be in this home for a reason. And the first reason is the 2-car garage. We were looking at a lot of homes with one-car garages & we thought they would be able to fit all of our things. Um... WRONG! It was a tight fit with a 2 car garage. You better believe we will be having a yard sale/D.I. trip soon.

Another reason we believe we are supposed to be here is the amazing ward. Seriously - everyone was so friendly and kind on our first Sunday. We are looking forward to getting to know everyone.

And the third reason is the fenced backyard. The dogs are MUCH happier & it's so fun to have them right outside & door & be able to interact with them so much more.

Jason has had the week off & we've been able to unpack 80% of the house & get things organized. We've also done some exploring. We went to a park on Wednesday by the High School

& then yesterday we went to the MOST AMAZING park! It's the Discovery Park - and it's only 5 minutes away - by the Walmart. It is amazingly huge and has hide-0uts, dinosaur digs, swings, you name it. We were there for 2 hours & didn't see everything. So much fun. And the weather the past few days has been so wonderful. CUE SPRING!

Thanks again for all the people who helped us get here. We still have a lot of work to do, but are taking our time - keeping perspective & enjoying our little family. Jason starts work on Monday & is very excited! We're still exploring - finding the library, the gym, the post office, running routes, etc... it's an adventure!

The girls have been excited for the most part. You should have seen our home on Sunday morning after they dug into all their toys that had been in storage - Christmas morning!! It was so fun to see their faces. Since we finished Narnia, we are now reading Little House on the Prairie. It just so happens that their move from the Little House in the Big Woods to the Little House in the Prairie coincided with our own move. McKinley did not miss out on

the parallels - Pa moved to be in a place with less people, so did we. They have 3 little girls, so do we. They had to say goodbyes to close cousins and family, so did we. We both moved in the winter. Thank goodness, though, that we didn't have to move in a covered wagon. I can only imagine the stretched wagon that it would take to fit all our "things" :)

Oh - and did I mention that I've been to Walmart 3 times this past week? - and have another list started as well! Yay!

Why I love being a sister - a daughter - a girl!

Painting nails? Gabbing? Facial Masks? Crazy Hair styles? Jewelry Making? Shopping till dropping? There's no WAY guys get to have this much fun!

This year was our year for our traditional sister retreat - and mom got to come this time, too! We had so much fun and I tried to cherish every moment with these amazing women since I won't get to be around them as much :( Good thing we all have unlimited minutes!!!

We started the retreat on Saturday night (the 26th) with dinner at Chilies, which was wonderful - and the molten lava dessert (to die for!!). Then it was off to the Extended Stay America Hotel, where we found out that there was no oven :( BUT it did not daunt us. Especially Trisha & Tiffany - they were the cooks and every meal was wonderful! That night we stayed up late gabbing, pampering each other (foot rubs, brushing hair), taking crazy pictures, and just enjoying each other.

Sunday we went to Trisha's Sacrament meeting - and then to her house for naps & making the pie for the fruit pie. Then it was back to the hotel for a mini-lesson out of the Ensign, BBQ chicken lunch, jewelry-making (beaded watch bands, necklaces, earrings), and watching movies (You Again & 4 Christmases). We also painted nails & did masks that night :)

Monday was breakfast at Jamba Juice (thanks mom!) and a trip up to the Park City Outlets. I got some much-needed new running shoes & we found a few good deals.

Thanks goes to the hubbies for watching the kiddos so their wives can have some down time.

All-in-all, it was a perfect weekend with some of my all-time favorite women in the entire world.

LOVE YOU GIRLS!

February Newsletter

February, as you might imagine, was pretty busy for our family. Between packing & wrapping up things here in Murray, we looked for & decided on a rental home (we got a nice twin home that we are excited about!) and we sold our car & have been looking for a van or SUV.

Besides that, on the 3rd, Heidi went to a baby shower for a friend in Park City.It was great to see so many people from their old ward. On the 4th we went to Uncle Larry's 60th birthday party & got to see lots of family! On the 12th, we went on a WAY-fun pre-Valentines double-date with our best friends, the Bensons, where we went out to eat (and we both celebrated our new jobs & moving out) & then did some sweet bowling. On the 13th, we celebrated the "un-birthday" of Aunt Althea. We watched the DVD & were able to go visit her grave. Valentines was wonderful with Jason surprising us all with roses and balloons. Then, for homeschool, we had a Valentines party & played games, did crafts, and made cookies for the single people & widows in the ward. The 18-21 was the President's Day weekend (see post below) where we looked at rental homes. And the 26-28 was a sister/mom getaway for Heidi while Jason watched the girls (more details to come)...

Here are some fun things the girls were up to this past month...

McKINLEY:

-McKinley started violin lessons this month with Stacie Evans! She is so cute with McKinley &

McKinley has already learned how to pick the strings really well & start using the bow & learning the notes. We’re sad that she only had a month of lessons before we move, but we hope to find someone good in Cedar City.

-After we had tucked McKinley in bed one night, she asked mom “what do you guys talk about after we go to bed?” Mom said “ Well, we talk about how much we love each other & you girls. “ McKinley thought that was boring & mom said “Well, what do YOU think we should talk about?” McKinley responded “ You know, like Unicorns and horses… and what you’re going to do tomorrow.”

-McKinley got to go on a date with Grandma Potts’ renter Allen and his girlfriend, Heidi. They are so cute with McKinley & the girls – always getting them gifts and treats.

-McKinley seems to have a fear of heights. She won’t go near any ledges – even if there is a rail. She also has a fear of escalators. It’s all we can do to get her on one.

-We needed to go to Dr. Daynes in Herriman this month, so we dropped off Valentines (McKinley did cute bags with candy, a pencil & a picture of her in it) at all her old Herriman friend’s homes: Jack, Alyssa, Amanda, and Hendrix. No one was home L But they did get their Valentines & said thank you!!

-McKinley was sick, fevery & had pink eye this month –just like her sisters – and on Valentine’s Day L.

-Mom showed McKinley how to write in Microsoft Word and add clipart & now McKinley is getting really good at it. Many of her notes have gone high-tech & she likes to add all kinds of clipart.

-One day after we filled the truck with gas, McKinley was asking questions about why we have to pay for gas. Mom explained a little about how they have to drill deep into the earth to get oil. McKinley thought for a minute & asked “But if they drill that deep, won’t the earth just crack?”

-She was also wondering about us building our home. She asked if dad was going to work at his new job while we needed to build our home. Mom said yes. Then McKinley said “But mom! You’re going to have to build the house all by yourself? It takes lots of time and money to buy all the bricks and stuff!”

-Mom lent some blue Book of Mormons to the girls for Primary since they get to put a puff ball into the jar if they bring their scriptures. The girls have really loved them & one night McKinley recited (very well!) the story of Nephi & the brass plates from her scriptures.

-McKinley was singing I am a Child of God to herself one day & then she looked up and said “Mom – why does it say because my knees are great?”

-Before McKinley talks to you, she often says “I wanna tell you that…”

-In Little House on the Prairie, they make maple syrup from maple trees. One day McKinley was in the backyard & saw something dripping down the tree. She was all excited & had mom come to check it out. Mom was pretty skeptical, but she tasted it & it was really sweet! She DID find a maple tree! But… she didn’t have time to drill a hole at that moment. McKinley was disappointed & said “man… I wish I knew bee language so I could tell the bee to sting the tree to get the sap out.”

-Mom asked McKinley if she was excited about the move & she said “Well, kind of and kind of not.” Yeah… we all feel that way.

IRELAND:

-Ireland got to go with mom to a baby shower in Park City. On the way home, it was dark & there were lots of cars. Mom asked Ireland where she thought all the people were going. She said “They’re all going home to put on their pajamas!” This girl is OBSESSED with pajamas.

-Ireland calls elevators “alligators”

-We were at the mall and Ireland wanted to go on the merry-go-round & mom said she didn’t have enough money. Ireland thought f

or a minute & said, pointing, “yeah! There’s money in the water mom!” (referring to the fountain we had passed wherein there contained many coins). She’s a problem-solver, for sure!

-Ireland was out-of-sorts one day. Mom asked if she was grouchy & she said “you need to make me happy!”

-We walked outside & Ireland said “it’s so wind-ing mom!” (as opposed to wind-Y)

-For some reason Ireland has had a lot of attachment issues lately. When Amylyn was over to babysit while mom & dad went out with the Bensons, Ireland screamed by the front door for mom for quite a while. She has a hard time when mom is away lately.

-Ireland was really sick this month. Fever, ear infection, and pink eye. She was pretty miserable, but we’re glad she’s feeling better!

-Ireland LOVES the baby cutie oranges. She always wants one for breakfast. She won’t eat the big oranges anymore.

-On our trip to St. George, the girls were arguing in the back seat. We hear from Ireland “Moooom! McKinley is eating my haaaair!” Mom – “what?” Mc- “

I am NOT. I’m trying to kiss you!” Ireland- “No she’s not! She’s trying to eat my hair!!”

-Grandma gave Ireland a blue Book of Mormon to read & she takes it to bed at night. One night was so sweet as she sat & “read” it – talking about the Nephites fighting & Jesus coming. So, so precious.

-One of Ireland’s prayers “and thank you for all my people”

-Ireland is so cute with her drawings lately. She brought one to daddy & said “LOOK DADDY! I drew a picture of your spikey cheeks and big belly button!” J

KEZIA:

- One day when mom was changing her diaper & singing twinkle twinkle, she stopped & Kezia sang “up above”. SO cute! She sings parts of twinkle twinkle now & also eensy weensy spider & her Kezia lullabye. So sweet!

-Kezia was so sick this month. Double ear infection & pink eye. She was not a happy camper! Thankfully she got on some antibiotics & is back to our happy girl!

-Kezia had her 15 month wellness visit with Dr. Daynes this month. She did really well – even with the 3 shots & being sick.

- Kezia was quiet for a while so mom went looking for her. And found her. In the bathroom. With a cup. Scooping the pee-pee water out of the toilet & pouring it on the floor. Ahhh… the joys!

-Kezia says “uh-oh Spaghettios!”

-Those molars are finally popping through – we’re hoping they’ll be done soon!

-Kezia’s hair is getting long enough to braid! Kind of looks like Pippy Longstocking, but still cute!

-She is really good at pointing to eyes, ears, mouth & nose!

-Keeley said she was good as gold when she watched her in St. George while we looked at homes for rent.

-We have to watch Kezi a bit closer in sacrament meeting as she seems to like to head to the front pulpit.

-Kezi is so good at singing AND saying please & thank you!

-She can mimic almost any word now. The other night mom was calling for dad “Baaabe!” So Kezi echoes “Baaaabe!”

Follow-up

Thank you for your kind comments on my last post.

TRULY - I was not intending to berate or belittle myself - I was just keeping it REAL :)

I believe I am beautiful & worthwhile - and very blessed.

And on days when I don't feel very beautiful, I like to watch this video. McKinley got the Sweet Pea Beauty Veggie Tales DVD for Christmas. This video touched my heart to the core. I LOVE the words. I LOVE the message. And that's what I've been trying to get across. Let's all just stop pretending perfection and caring what others think about us and instead embrace the beauty God sees in us! (And speaking of beautiful, my sisters & mom & I just got back from a fabulous sister/mom retreat. Pics to come! :)