A Shooting Star...

Last night my heart was aching. So many of my close friends are going through trials and challenges and heartache and as Garrett left the house late, late last night to help someone, I sat on the front porch and poured my heart out to my Heavenly Father.
Just the day before Garrett and I were able to attend our first Youth Standards Night with McKenna...the sister who spoke talked of each of us having our own sacred grove experiences. This pricked my heart and I went away feeling that I wanted to have more sacred grove experiences in my life...daily! As I sat with my back against my front door in the stillness of the night I had my own sacred grove experience...and then right after I ended my prayer, I looked up into the sky and watched a shooting star fall through the sky. At that moment I knew my Heavenly Father was aware.
I know our Heavenly Father can take away pains and sorrows and heartaches, but I also know that sometimes He lets us grow through these pains and sorrows and heartaches. And that they are given to us so we can become more like Him...so that one day we can stand in His presence and know Him only because we've become like Him through this earthly experience. I'm sometimes overwhelmed with all that is required of me and all that waits to tear families apart and break people down...but I have hope that Heavenly Father's plan is truly a Plan of Happiness.

Someone To Look Up To...

Wyatt cannot wait to play football. We joke that at four, Wyatt already has a football neck. Everyday as Colt gets ready for practice, Wyatt grabs his helmet and tackles Colt. He's got a great brother to look up to...

Abby.Brooklyn.Grace.Cooper...

Some of my best friends and best neighbor's ever little girls and one boy are getting baptized in September and they asked me to take a few photos...these kids are beautiful and so photogenic! I LOVE the colored sashes and flower headbands in the girls' hair...their mom's are so, so creative!!

Big Jr. High News...

Today was McKenna's first day at Legacy Jr. High!! She was super excited and a little nervous...I asked if I could drive her to her first day of school, she just rolled her eyes and said she and her friends had already made plans to meet at the bus stop. So glad to be in the bussing boundaries...just barely!

This is how she left for school this morning at 7:30 a.m. all cute and clean and hair all perfect with phone in hand...so darling!! And...this is how she looked when she came home tonight almost exactly twelve hours later at 7:30 p.m. sweaty and stinky, but still so cute!

She stayed after school today for volleyball try-outs and made the team!! She ran a mile in 7:20 and rarely missed on any of the drills. She is amazing and so athletic...we are so excited for her! Last year only one 7th grader made the team and this year only a handful of 7th graders did...including Brinley and Delaney, two good friends of hers...how lucky is she??? Now comes the crazy part...I don't know how she's going to juggle it all....

Annual Maplewood Primary Temple Activity...

Our amazing primary presidency pulled off another adventure to the Ogden Temple. I know it's not easy and there is way too much that goes into coordinating schedules and rides, especially with so many boys in the middle of football season, but, because of their diligent efforts, it came together perfectly and I was lucky enough to tag along and get some fun pictures of the kids. Just a few 'Wyatt meltdowns moments' here and there and along the way because he was 'too hot', or 'too hungry' or 'too whatever...good thing for fruit snacks, crackers, water fountains and good little friends to goof off with (at the appropriate times).
I loved hearing the temple president speak of Elder Gary Stevenson's talk from general conference 2009 entitled 'Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples' wherein president Monson counsels us "as we touch the temple, the temple will touch us." Since hearing that on Friday, Wyatt has asked me everyday "mom, how does the temple touch me?" It's given me some great opportunities to testify to him how important it is to have our eye on the temple and to have our hand on the temple, to prepare now to go to the temple. Even though he is still so little, I know he understands, but maybe it's because he it so little that he does understand so easily. One morning after he asked asked about the temple and after I had answered his question, he just sat so still and so silent. I knew he was feeling a rememberance of what he had been taught in the pre existance. I just knew it and I'm thankful for that little teaching moment!! All the primary kids were encouraged to put their hand on the temple doors...I will cherish these pictures forever! I'm excited for McKenna and her dad to do baptisms for the dead this coming week...what an incredible opportunity.

Girls Camp...

McKenna went to girls camp for the first time this year and had an amazing time!! She turned 12 just two weeks before camp so this was a great place to get to know all the girls. As bishop, Garrett spent the week with the girls at camp and only strayed to the river to fish a few times :). He said it was needed because he was teaching our good friend, John Anderson, how to fly fish...anything for a good cause!! Garrett and John are already planning to be at girls camp all week again next year. They said girls camp is the church's best kept secret.
I called him one morning to get a glimpse into what McKenna was up to. He said "Ya, know...in all my years at scout camp I've never seen this, but the girls are all down at the river washing each others hair...this is new to me!"
Thursday I was so exctied to be able to go to camp for the devotional and testimony meeting. In my mind, I knew how McKenna would react when she saw her mom coming through the crowd. In my mind, she would run to me and not want to leave my side until I left later that night...she would cry and say how much she missed me. But, that's not how it happened. When she saw me she did come running and gave me a huge hug, but then as quickly as she came, she was off again with her friends...what??
I'm not ready for her to be sooo independent. I'm glad shes confident and capable and okay with being away from home, but I really wasn't expecting it to be so soon and almost overnight...she's turning into a young woman right before our eyes!

Ruth's Diner...

I remember going here and the ZCMI Tiffin Room as a young girl on special days with my mom and grandma and ordering the fruit boat and my mom and grandma have the same memories...so my mom thought it would be great to start the tradition before a new school year begins with my girls.

We met at Ruth's Diner up Immigration Canyon and enjoyed a perfect afternoon lunch. We sat down at our table on the beautiful patio our back and enjoyed a few minutes in the shade, then the sun began peeking through a small opening of trees right above us, at one point we were all snuggled together on one end of the table to keep out of the sun, then our cute server brought over an umbrella...it was a funny sight to see 5 women packed on one side of this big table.

We laughed so hard at our cute grandma B...her short-term memory is failing, but she's such a good sport about everything. She debated between ordering a hamburger or eggs and bacon. Finally after much consideration she decided on the eggs and bacon...before the server came for our order we kept asking her what she wanted...she would say "I can have eggs anytime...I'll have the hamburger," then a minute would pass and we'd ask her again...then she would say "I really want the eggs and bacon today, that sounds so good." We did this probably ten different times and each time it was the other answer...so she finally ordered eggs and bacon and when the server left our table I asked her what she had ordered...she said "I ordered the hamburger, that sounds so good to me today!" We laughed like crazy and so did she...she ate the eggs and bacon and loved it!

Grandpa's Boys...

The other day grandma and grandpa Sill and grandma and grandpa Nichol were over to celebrate McKenna's 12th birthday and while I watched my parents and garrett's parents with our children, the thought occured to me that they are so blessed to know them as well as they do and to have so many people to love and support them... and it's something they've always known.

A New Do...

Ashlyn's been begging to have her hair cut short again...I put it off for a few weeks because I love the ease and look of long hair, but last night she got what she wanted. Her cute friend, Breanne, came along with us for the cut...Breanne is growing her hair out, but halfway through Ashlyn's cut, she turned to me and said "oh, I shouldn't have come because I want to cut my hair soooo bad!" Too cute. Ashlyn is a babe! Love short hair on her!

Love the Hats...

Wyatt...Kyler..Stryder

The other day these cute boys put on their Indiana Jones hats and went out to play.