Heaven.....oh NO it's Jerry & Darinda's

This weekend we headed South! Larry decided that he would like to compete in the Senior Games in Mesquite. He has missed competing. Jerry and Darinda invited us to stay with them at their new House. I didn't get pictures but it is the biggest house in Silver Reef~not kiddin. It was so fun being there with them. We left on Thursday so that we could play all day Friday before the games on Saturday.

Jerry had a conference call Friday morning so Darinda was nice enough to be our tour guide to Zions National Park. It was very pretty. The weather was a little on the cool side but I prefer that over hot.....so it was great!

Zions is pretty and the kids even enjoyed climbing a little. I know there are lots of places to hike but we didn't spend that much time since we were just passing a little time in the morning waiting for Marv and Kathy to get there too.

On the way back from Zions we stopped at a little petting zoo that Darinda thought was a fun place for pictures. The little trading post smelled so good. The lady was making waffle cones and I really liked the smell. I didn't even think of wanting one....the smell was good enough for me!

I think Jared liked the animals a little more than Kimi did. Neither of them would get by the Llama's because they were sure the Llama's would spit at them. (that's what they had heard or read some where) Darinda wasn't afraid and so she got over by them and the kids were right....the llama's spit at her! We all laughed!

We took pictures by all the fake store fronts. Hey it makes for some cute pictures anyway!

Larry thought I was the one to stand in the "Wild Ass Saloon" and I didn't argue! Works for me. I just wonder why Larry and I both had our picture at the "Virgin Jail".

It was a fun little stop and Darinda was a good little tour guide. We were there just the right amount of time. By the time we made a quick stop at the store Marv and Kathy would be there.

I just want to mention that Jerry and Darinda's house is so nice and big and a great place for their family. They are remodeling the attic that was simply an attic and making it a Harry Potter room for the grands. It has secret passages, little and normal size toilets, pictures with paintings in the middle and nine beds. We saw enough that I was WOWed! I can't wait to see it finished....it's so awesome!

Thankful for this Kid!

Braxton couldn't believe we wouldn't be home for his birthday! We couldn't believe that he wouldn't be either! Actually Larry was able to attend the Senior Games in Mesquite so we decided to just go. Braxton planned a camping trip with some friends. We all got home on his birthday! We are Thankful for this Kid!

Braxton is a great middle child. While he was on his mission I figured out why he was the middle child. I think it's because he is close enough to all the siblings to be a good example to each of them. Braxton really is a good example to us all. Each of the kids are actually! (dang I was blessed with good kids) Oh back to Braxton......Braxton makes us smile! He is always doing something adventurous or crazy. He's a busy boy....always has been~always will be! This past little bit he has bought bouncy stilts and runs and jumps all over with them. He has even gotten them on me twice! He made a glider trike. It's a trike with no brakes or pedals and pipes over the back wheels so it just slides. It's not a safe thing to own and I believe that is why is likes it so much. He got me on it also but he just had his dogs pull me so it wasn't too crazy or scary.

Braxton is a friendly, fun kid. When we got home the house was full of kids celebrating Braxton's birthday! I love having my house full of kids! (Paul had asked me before if it would be alright) Braxton has always brought his friends here to hang out and even though I thought it would stop when he moved in with gramps it didn't. I am use to it now and am not surprised when we all go to bed and think we are all in to have the door open and Braxton and a few friends come in to hang out. I LOVE this kid! He knows he can talk me into almost anything by just smiling at me. I'm a sucker for his smile! So thankful for this kid!

I didn't plan it! :)

I absolutley love being invited to anything! It just makes me feel good! Today I didn't plan this get together to Celebrate Lorraine's Birthday....Tammy did! It was wonderful to be included. It's so fun being with the ladies.....it's also funny! We learn things about each other that don't need to be shared except with each other. Oh my goodness.....

I love these ladies......Always have......Always will! It's funny we've known each other for a long time but I'm just really getting to know of few of them better lately! I think it's because we don't have the continuous job of taking care of our kids. It's a great time of life! Everyone should know that getting older is wonderful! You can blame your age on everything. You look better to others. (I get told I look good for being 50 and having 7 kids~makes me laugh...I guess I didn't look as good 40 with 7 kids) The great thing about being older is a lot of things just don't matter anymore. Things I use to get so caught up in.....clean house, perfect everything.....I know there's more but I can't remember....another wonderful perk of being older ...... you just can't remember everything and you don't really care! I love that!

I am glad that I was invited out! I am glad that I didn't have to head it up. I am glad to call these ladies my friends!

Family Fun

This year I took Larry with me shopping for Easter and so of course we ended up with these big, awesome stuffed animals! (Larry loves stuffed animals) The grands love stuffed animals too and were so funny to watch trying to carry these around. Made me laugh!

We must not have had a sweet tooth the day we went because we didn't even get original Easter candy. We got cookies, jerky stick, granola mix...you know the kind of treats you expect on Easter. ;) The kids liked it. I did go the day before Easter and bought a few peeps and jelly beans! Just didn't feel quite right without something traditional. The older kids got movie passes in their buckets. They seemed happy about that. :)

I love having everyone together! It's noisy and crazy but oh so fun! They are all just so darn cute!

We all look forward to the Easter Egg Hunt. I love watching ALL the kids run to find eggs. It totally cracks me up to watch all my kids still enjoy finding eggs. Sometimes our hunts are very rewarding....some years they aren't.....but one never knows......so they continue to hunt! This year wasn't a big year. It's been kind of a rough year finacially so we didn't have much. Oh well there will be other years when we do. It makes us all grateful for what we do have and that is each other!

I tried having everyone line up this year for a picture and I think I got most of them. We lined up first for the grands to hunt just by themselves. I love watching them run around and find their eggs. They have a great time.

After the grands are done finding their eggs everyone gets to hunt the rest of the property. I laugh because they are all (ok maybe not all but Braxton & Kevin.....yes) so eager to be the first ones out! GO!!!

It is fun to see how thoroughly they go through the yard. Always looking up and down and behind and under. I love it! Some times we even find eggs from last year. :)

I sure do love my family! They put a smile on my face and heart! They make me happy!

Naline Lee sent me this text: "Some BuNny thinks your EgGsTrA special!!!!!!! HoPpY eAsTeR =)

Easter is my Favorite Sunday

I absolutely LOVE Eater Sunday! It's my favorite Sunday of the Year and always has been. I like the "feeling" that I have when I go to Church and hear about Jesus and the LOVE He has for each of us individually. It's so personal to me! It's so Real!

Today I taught in Relief Society and instead of giving the lesson which was on Immortality I gave a lesson on Christ and all that He went through for us! (they went hand in hand anyway)

Jesus was: Betrayed, Denied, Accused, Rejected, Bound, Scourged, Mocked, Reviled, Crucified, and Forsaken and experiencing all that He still did His Father's Will. He Forgave all! He gave His Life so that all of us could also live again. He Rose from the dead and was Ressurrected.

His story breaks my heart but also touches it so deeply. I know He loves us! He proved it to us all. I think of Him and hope that by the way I live my life I can prove to Him that I love Him too! Jesus is my Hero! He's absolutely everything! I do love Him!

His Will or Mine?

I pray to Heavenly Father for friends and He blesses me with friends. I pray that Jared will be safe while he is lost in the mountains and He blesses Jared with safety. I pray for my family and friends to be blessed with safety and good health and we are blessed. Whatever I pray for God hears and answers my prayers. He always does!

I also pray that I will do His will. What can I do for You Heavenly Father? Well He told me about 6 months ago to give one of my friends (that He has blessed me with) a Book of Mormon. Oh wait.....really you want me to give my friend a Book of Mormon? This friend will think I am judging them....that I think they aren't good enough. They might even think that I think I am better than them. Really Heavenly Father? Isn't there something else....like take a neighbor a treat....or tend someone's kids.....or something I am comfortable with? I could even tell them how much You love them....would that work? But please help me to do thy will!

How crazy is that but how real is that? I just realized that I do that. I feel bad that Heavenly Father can't depend on me like I do Him. He doesn't specify what I can ask Him to help me with. Well today I did take the Book of Mormon to my friend. My eyes were opened to how my prayers have been conditional. I will help you Heavenly Father as long as I am comfortable with it.

I had a good chat with Heavenly Father about this situation today and I feel good. It is Him that I want to please. It is Him that I can't make it through this life without! This was just a test for me and even though it took me six months to do~I did it! I hope that I will recognize His Will and respond to it quicker in the future. I want Heavenly Father to know that He can count on me like I do Him. (that's impossible I know but I can do better.....a lot better)

I LOVE Heavenly Father! I love that He is patient with me! I love that He forgives me for making stupid mistakes! I love that He trusts me to eventually do His Will! I love that He comforts me when I feel sad! I love that He will always give me another chance.

***just a little note.....I went to see my friend a few days after giving them the book. It was so cool to see how much receiving the book meant to them. They touched it with a reverence and my friend held their hand over their heart and couldn't describe how they felt. I was touched. I let them know that I had no idea that they would even appreciate it at all but that God did! God just knows and we should trust HIM more!