Jared is 18

This cute son of mine turned 18 years old today!  I find it hard to believe that my baby is that old but let me just say it's been a pleasure watching him grow up.  He was a fighter as a baby and needed to have a strong will to survive.  He has always been so cute and when he was little even men spoke of his cuteness.  As a toddler he cracked us up.  I remember him egging on one of his brothers saying..."you want a piece of me?"  then when they came towards him he rolled right under their feet.  He had quite the imagination.  He would start his stories with "Remember When?"  He had stories of owning dogs and changing Justin's diaper...which he realized wasn't true and corrected himself.  Gramps could always get him started and Jared would go on and on remembering things through his imagination.   As he grew he became more sensitive and tender hearted.  He doesn't like to be corrected and kind of thinks he needs to know how to do everything on his own.  If someone tries to critique him he feels bad about himself.  I feel sad about that.

Jared is a hard worker and Larry loves having him close by to help him.  I think Jared enjoys working with his dad.  Jared is the best uncle ever!  Little kids love him and he is just super fun and loving.  Jared is affectionate and still likes hugs.  He often lays his head on our shoulders to express his love.  He trusts me and tells me things or asks me things that he isn't sure about.  I love that!  Jared is just so kind.  I'm so glad he is ours and that God knew we needed this little guy. (no so little anymore)  Jared is truly a blessing to our entire family!

Kimi's New Do

After growing her hair out for years, Kimleighel decided to chop it all off.  Kimleighel is a girl who knows what she wants no matter how extreme it is.  I think Kimi looks good with any hair style and I love that she tries new kinds.  I'm kind of excited that we won't have long black hairs all over the house for awhile...just mine now. ☺  I love this cute, sassy look on Kimleighel...it fits her to a tee!

Visiting Teaching

I have such a testimony of visiting teaching.  I love it and I know that through visiting teaching miracles can happen.  Right now I have such wonderful visiting teachers...Ruth Dawson and Jeanenne Murdock.  Jeanenne is moving and so I'm not sure what will happen.  I really hope that Ruth will be able to still come to me.  I love them and I feel the love they have for me.  They are such wonderful examples. (I can't believe I didn't get a picture of them when they last visited me)

I am blessed to be able to go to Crystal and Linda.  I love these two ladies so much.  I have a hard time keeping our visits to half an hour.  Actually with Linda they haven't been less than an hour.  It just seems there is so much so say and share.  These two are also such wonderful examples to me.  I learn so much from them and I always feel the spirit as we visit.  I love getting to know others better and through visiting teaching that is accomplished.  I continue to love and care about the sisters that I have visited over the years.  I have been truly blessed.

Larry and I have assignments together to visit the Mark family...another favorite of mine.  The Marks aren't active but they are the best example of how families should love and support each other.  They are so close to one another and are absolutely wonderful.  We also get to visit a single mom that just recently moved into the ward.  Erin has walls up but allows us to break through them just a little.  Her little daughter is the cutest and we love interacting with them.

I'm a fan of visiting teaching.  It's powerful and important.  When the Marks lost their little preemie they knew to call us for the help they needed.  Visiting Teaching Blesses Others!

Family Pictures

Today we did family pictures before dinner.  We take our pictures on a Sunday that everyone comes.  I'm not going to lie....I get a little stressed.  This year I wrote down the pictures that I wanted.  I checked them off as we went.  It gets crazy and the kids get restless and before we are through I can't think and have no idea what I want.  I still didn't get all the pictures that I had hoped for and have another plan for next year.  (I think I will ask the married kids to be responsible for taking their kids pictures even if they have to take turns with our camera)

We got a few pictures with our original family.  When the kids first stared getting married I didn't like this idea but have changed my mind about it.  I like having a picture of just us.  One of the gals said that we should get one of just those that have married in...☺I seriously love them like they were born into our family.

We only took a few of us all together.  I think it's because we took these last and everyone was done.  Next year I think we will take the ones of all of us first and then split into families and take a few families at a time using a few camera's.

Gramps was watching and so we had him step in and join us.  He is the one that started all this!

Our hug pictures make me laugh because we don't care who's looking or what faces are being pulled.

Larry and I feel so blessed to have each other and to have been blessed with each of our kids.  We love the ones that marry ours and adore the little's that join their individual families!

 Trichelle's family....

 Justin's family....

 Kevin's family......

 Braxton's family....

our three not married......

Larry and I and our cute grands.....

We took hundreds of pictures and not one of them turned out perfect but each one brought a smile to my face.  We had a lot of closed eyes, a few grumpy faces, some tears, heads turned, upside down and a few with the wrong couple and even missing teeth. ☺

All in all.....they were perfect!  I love my crazy, fun family! I'm thankful that they show their love to me by dressing up and taking the time to have our pictures together. 

Heber Valley Girls Camp

Barbie and I went up to the Heber Valley Girls camp to check it out.  We are taking the Special Needs group there in June.  Even though I have attended a camp there once before I wasn't sure what we would need to do and know.  It was good we went.  The missionaries have a lot to offer but each ward or stake is responsible for planning there camp.  Everyone gets assigned to a challenge course.  It must have been lightening when I was there because our ward couldn't do the course at their scheduled time because of the weather.  So seeing the course was a new experience.  Barbie and I decided to climb the telephone pole and walk across a rope and zip line down.  I loved the zip line but I did not like getting to it.  It was hard climbing the pole.  The pegs for your feet and hands were really far apart and half way up I was tired and scared.  My body started shaking and I really didn't want to continue.  I didn't want to quit either though and as everyone encouraged me that I could do it I would lift myself again and go one step higher. (the pole wiggles) Walking across the rope wasn't as hard or scary even though I continues to yell "I hate this".  I focused on the valley and didn't look down.  Soon I was across the rope and on the platform for the zip line.  I screamed again when I zipped but not because I was scared...it just came out.  I felt very good when we were through.  I was so glad that I didn't give up and kept going.  I'm not sure I'll try it again in June but I suspect I will.

Larry knew a few of the missionaries serving there and so while we looked around and inspected our camp site we also found his friends.  One was Lew Glass who is a good customer at TJ Trailers.  He was really nice.  There was a Sister Missionary that was also really nice and drove us to where we could find Brother and Sister Clark.  Gary Clark and his family lived in Roy when we did and we were great friends.  Gary had contacted Larry a week ago asking him about work stuff.  He told Larry he was serving at Heber and Larry told him I was going there on Saturday.  Gary told me to find him.  He serves on Course 5 and that's where we found him.  It was good seeing Gary again.  I always thought Gary was a nice guy.  I like his wife too...she seems nice.

It was a fun day.  We got a lot of information and we have a great idea of everything we need to do. We mostly do it all.  The challenge course will be nice and they also have people that will come to our camp and give talks on three different subjects.  We will take advantage of it all.  I saw a gal that grew up in Hooper and her girls will be attending the same time and so I think I might see if they's like to come play games or do skits with us.  I'm excited and love the mountains and the Heber Valley Girls camp.  It's so beautiful!

Watching Grands

Trichelle's kids got to come play a few days this week. (Wed-Fri)  They are really good and quite fun to have over.....just like all my grands.  I'm glad that Kimleighel and I are able to help my kids out when they need help.  Kimi has my back (and no job) and covers for me when I have things.  I was suppose to go help at the Daughters of Pioneer Museum on Wednesday but was able to get Kathy and Robin to cover for me and Carla. (Carla stayed a little longer at her daughters)  I was relieved when they said they could go for us.  Thursday, I had bowling and Friday I had a lunch but we changed the day.  Everything I had planned was flexible and I wouldn't have gone if Kimi would have been called to work but I'm glad things turned out the way they did. (I like going to the things I have planned and people count on me to be there)

Kimleighel is officially a lunch lady and a janitor sub so we never know if she will have work or not.  It will be nice as she gets going.  She won't have to worry about taking days off for things and hopefully will be busy enough to pay for her expenses.

Having the kids over is great but it makes me tired.  I don't accomplish much while they are here.  I might get some laundry done but that's about it.  It's so much different than being the mom.  Behr was very cuddly and not to busy.  Zaden is mild and usually pretty quiet...he was quiet when my visiting teachers came on Wednesday.  I had to have Kimi take the kids in the other room.  It was actually kind of funny.  Zaden was bringing the big stuffed animals in the room we were visiting in and when he left the room he was joyfully loud. He's usually kind of shy around others.  Ivy loves coming but when she does she goes upstairs and plays so I don't see her much.

Natalie stopped over after school for a potty break and the kids had fun playing together for a bit.  I enjoyed visiting with Natalie and seeing her kids.  I drove by the school today and saw Mya and was able to stop and talk to her through my window.  I love seeing the grands out playing when I drive by the school.

Next week we get Behr and Zaden again and all of Kevin's kids.  Woo Hoo!

Fall Dance

Our Special Needs group hosted the dance tonight.  It's the first time that we have ever decorated and I'm so glad we did.  It made it so much nicer.  One of the leaders had their young men and women come and dance with the participants and they also kept the refreshment table filled.  It was so nice having them there so that the leaders could enjoy the kids.  Tonight I dance a lot.  We danced in groups and had a great time.  It was so nice seeing some gals that use to be in our group and getting hugs from them.  It was a wonderful surprise to see Connor there as well.  Connor moved to an assisted living home and I had no idea that he would be able to come.  I love getting a big hug from Connor.  In fact, I received a few big hugs from my cute friend.

Russell Harkness was our DJ and did an awesome job.  I heard one gentleman say it was the best ever.  We had missionaries that live in Provo come and see what we were doing.  They waited around so that I could meet them.  I am thrilled that we have people getting involved with our group.  That they take time to show us that they care about us...it's cool.  We served popcorn, cookies, lemon-aid and water.  We also had bit size candy bars.  We had plenty and I thought it was pretty nice.