Sleepytime :\

During the summer no one ever want's to go to bed-they want to stay up late. Getting my kids to stick to a bedtime in the summer just usually doesn't happen. Now that school is back in session and they are waking up at 5 a.m, riding the bus for 20 minutes and sitting in school for 7 hours it's a different story.

When they were babies I loved it when they would fall asleep. They looked so sweet and innocent,like little angels. I would take pictures of them to forever capture that sweetnest. Now that they are older when they crash out it just cracks me up! Capturing them to laugh at in the morning.

Happy Birthday Rob! Love you forever!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!!

Ava said,"I miss you and I love you and I love you and I love you. I really like your birthday and I am going to get you lots of presents. Ilike you and miss you."

Preston said," Happy Birthday Dad. I want to get you a new gun and breakfast in bed-oh and for you could come home."

Mackenzie said,"Happy Birthday Dad! If you were home right now I would give you a foot massage for your birthday. I hope you have a good day-sorry we aren't with you!"

Taylor said,"Happy Birthday Daddy! I wish you were here and we would take you out for dinner. I love you and we will have a party when you get home."

Funny story from church:)

So today Taylor was the youth speaker in Sacrament Meeting. Very proud of her-she did a great job! I'm so glad that she always accepts responsibilties at church and does them well. Anyways her talk was on Humility. During her talk she shared a story about a young lady that listen to Pres. Hinkley's counsel about being humble. The story was written in 1st person. So as Taylor read it she started by saying "One young women found that being Humble helped her relationship with her brother." Then she told the YW's story. "As I (being the YW in the story-not Taylor) was sitting there listening to Pres Hinkley, I was sitting next to my brother who was preparing for a mission." So the story goes on and the girl uses humility to forgive and get along better with her brother.



So she finishes her talk and the Bishops counsler said, "I'm so glad you get along with you brother." It still makes me laugh as I'm typing it. Taylor said "thanks" and walked away.



Then as I am cruising the hallways going about my secretary jobs-a Sister stops me to say "Taylor did a great job! I can't believe you have a daughter that age, you look too young to have a 14yr old yet alone a son on a mission!"

08/08/08 is a day we will all remember forever.! It was such a great day for us. I am so grateful that my kids were so excited and understand that this was a most important step we needed to take as a family. I was so impressed that my children did so well when they interviewed with the Stake President Brother Lewis. He commented on Taylor and Mackenzie's sweet spirits and there honesty and understanding of the seriousness of the Temple. I am truly proud of their worthiness to enter the Temple. President Lewis also told me that when he meet Robert he felt such a strong spirit in the room. He told me they spoke about Rob not being able to attend his Sunday meetings for so long-5 in a row, and how that concerned him. Rob explained how busy they were and how they only let him have a day off at certain times and requesting Sunday's off would be near impossible. President Lewis said he jumped out of his seat and hurried over to Robert to shake his hand the next Sunday as Robert, to every one's disbelief was at church, and the Sunday after that and the Sunday after that! President Lewis said I was so amazed by is obedience I went home and wrote about him in my journal. He then asked if he could attend the sealing that he really wanted to be there. That same day he became a Grandpa and was unable to attend. I know this because he said how sad he was to miss our sealing during ward conference. How sweet! I also appreciate the amazing things Preston did and said in preparation to go. On realizing that one Sunday evening Robert would be leaving the next morning and there wouldn't be a FHE with us all together he told me we should have FHE Sunday evening and it should be about our the Temple because Dad will be gone tomorrow night. How sweet his desire for the gospel understanding at age 7. The kids said it was totally different than they had imagined. They loved the Temple workers that assisted them. Mackenzie told me that the Sister that dressed Ava was crying as she dressed her in her pretty white dress. Upon us leaving the children's center the Sister's invited us to come back with the kids and do baptisms together next month when Mackenzie turns 12. I was really glad they got to feel the amazing sweet spirit that is in the Temple. We of course wish we would have done it right the first time, but what an amazing opportunity to have your children there with you to kneel together and be sealed for time and all eternity.

Then afterwards the great feelings continued as we all meet at Cafe Rio. I ran in to tell the st orders together so I could pay. She looked at me weird and said "It had already been taken care of" Wow! Thank you so much Mom! That was an amazing gift for us and we REALLY appreciated being able to treat our friends to that fun dinner. These friends had a lot to do with us being where we were and I really wanted to be able to do this, so THANK YOU, THANK YOU for making that happen.

It was really fun to have all the adorable kids in our new home. The kids had so much fun. It was so cute seeing Ava and Gracie play house together. They would even had Rob babysitting and if he moved he'd be in trouble. The "BOYS ONLY ROOM" was a haven of video game playing. To have Macy and Samantha around was pure bliss for Mackenzie. (me too) It was so much fun and I really appreciate all the sacrifices made to be there. Jill had to rent a car to be able to travel, and just giving up a relaxing weekend home tending to your own things to be with us for a crazy exhausting, long drive (YUCK) was so great of you all. Thanks for being there making memories with us. Love everyone so much!

Don't blink! 14 yrs goes by faster than you think.....

Happy Birthday to Taylor. I can't believe how old she is. It really blows my mind how fast she has gone from a colicky infant to a sweet fun toddler to an amazing high schooler. It's so fun to see what a great person she is becoming. We all really enjoy being around her and having her in our lives. She makes us laugh with her witty comments. She makes us think-pondering the things she comes up with. She makes us happy with her fun spirit. She motivates us with her constant willingness to serve. She's always there to help any of us when we are in need. She always makes friends whereever she goes, she has more friends than I ever had.

Her birthday always happens to be around back to school time. She starts her freshmen year at Mountain Pointe this year. So for her birthday she got back to school clothes, mani and pedicure, and some new things for her room. We had a great time together going to Scottsdale Mall and to the nail salon and then lunch. I LOVE YOU TAYLOR!!