Beauty & Blessings

 I feel so lucky to live by SO many beautiful places!

 I hadn't taken the kids to the Botanical Gardens all summer and I knew the flowers were in full bloom so we went for a perfect little walk.

 Can't help but snap a shot of 2 of my cuties! Wish it would have been 5 cute girls in this picture.

 My Baby walking with her backpack! :O)

Isn't she SO stinkin' CUTE!!!!

 Joey and I made bracelets from willow bark and added flowers, and then we raced them in the river. I love watching the kids get SO excited as they cheered their "floaters" on. :O)

 (Look at that clean face...who is this guy?)

Poor daddy's allergies almost killed him with all those flowers.

I love being with my kids.  When I look at this picture I am reminded of how blessed I am for Brian working so hard not only to provide for me but for his girls at their moms.  He really is a wonderful example to me of diligence and hard work. Regardless of the constant stress it must bring upon him, he doesn't complain he just tries to follow The Proclamation to the Family.  And he is quick to remind me of that when I find myself complaining.

I know the Lord blesses us and our home for his righteous acts as a Father.

It's nice to stop and see my blessing rather than focusing my energy on the unimportant. :O)

What matters most.....

     I have a testimony. A testimony that is shaped and shifted constanly, and that grows daily in my struggle to be better. The past 6 months have been so hard and a test which I failed so many times. But I am grateful to have been awakened to my weakness and ask the Lord for His forgiveness and strength to start fresh again.  Today as I listened to Elder Uchtdorfs talk "Of things that Matter Most." I was reminded of what I know and what I believe as he challenged to "...evaluate our OWN lives with a willing mind, we will see where we have drifted from a more excellent way. The eyes of our understanding will be reopened & we will recognize what needs to be done to purify our heart and refocus our life."  I lose sight daily of what I know I should do by allowing influences/thoughts that are not from God into my life.  I focus on what someone else thinks, or what someone else is doing, and how they are wrong!  

       As I listened to his talk I heard someone shouted in my ear "OUR OWN LIVES."  Oh, my life! Well, why didn't you say so?  I do get so busy in being busy and comparing, judging and feeling not enough.  I am enough! I am strong! I am brave! I will fight. I will be humble and ask for forgiveness. I will love and be kind! I want a huge picture of  Christ writing in the sand speaking to the women taken in adultery, with the word "Go they way and sin no more."
 
      We all fall short, we all need His mercy and grace.  Utchdorf goes on to say "We would do well to slow down a little - focus on the significant - lift up our yes and truly see what matters most. ...diligently doing things that matter most will lead us to the Savior."

    It is my testimony that we have a kind and loving Savior. One who forgives again and again and again! I am grateful for that knowledge. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Julys Happiness (phone picts addition)

 We found a new water spot!

 4th of July with the Lundell Family

 The Zoo with my sweet friend Kendra!

 

Science Day with the Neighbors. SO much fun!!!

 Bowling with my stinkers! :O)

 Brian first Triathalon this year! He beat his times! So proud of my hubby!

 Feeding 10 baby puppies in Idaho with cousins! :O)

 Sleeping baby on Brother, so sweet! :O) I love my Babies!

 Idaho Falls Temple with Sharla & Mom...then LUNCH! yum!

 Mini Golf- date night with Beth.

 HOTT man on a bike- yes please!!!  We ended the month with going up to the damn on Gailens bike and cuddling on the beach till sunset. It was a perfect way to end our busy crazy full month!

Joy in June

 I have been pondering ALOT on Joy. What is Joy? How does it feel? What does it look like to me? How do I teach my kids about this thing I seem to lack in my life? How do I focus on JOY in my life and not what someone else thinks and feels about me.  These past couple months of Therapy and the new book I found has helped me open my eyes to seeing Joy!

These moments I am choosing to share say something about the joy in my life. It is moments.... sweet moments when I don't allow anyone to cloud my judgement and I am free to feel the light, peace and happiness.  I know I am not the only one who finds themselves lost in all the CRAP that goes on but I feel it's not something we talk about...we tend to suffer in silence and have ourselves a pity party. I'm don'e with the pity, and wo is me...

I HAVE SO MUCH JOY in my life and I deserve these moments, I deserve happiness and success. I am so grateful for a Savior who continues to remind me of THIS truth amidst the storms I find myself in.

 Homeless looking kids....remind me a my childhood @ Renfroe Cousins Camp

 1,3,5 SISTERS, We can just say the ones with muscles!

Oh Nothing just a Death Defying tubing trip. :O)

 SISTERS (KK's baby ended up weighing 10.5 WOWZA)

 Lily @ T-Ball

 This picture needs to be blown up. She is a Spicy girl this one!

 I am so glad I saw this moment and caught it. I love seeing Bri and Jo smile together, moments of connecting bring me Joy!

4-Wheeling with the Leatherows

 I  <3 NATURE! I love learning and playing with my camera. I find SO much joy capturing moments and this was a gorgeous morning that will never be forgotten!

 Me and MY Man! He's so HOT!

 Shar & Tommy! So much joy. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much!

Lundell CABIN Trip

 love this little guy crawling around on the ground, eyeing me! :O)

 My Baby is Joy!

 Being part of this family is JOY. I love laughing and hearing stories and being part of such a wonderful, full, crazy loving family!

Lucky! Blessed! Joyful!

City of Rocks my World

I am having you skip on over to my sisters blog to check out my trip with just mine...IT WAS A BLAST, and one that will be made an annual trip for us!!!! Loves!

7th & last day of Spring Break

 Happy Easter!  I was so lucky to have my mother-in-law Susan help me with the girls clothes. She sewed the dresses and I made the skirts. We were a matchy/matchy family this Easter and it made me think of my childhood and all the time and energy my mom put into 6 girls dresses and then a couple ties for my brothers. I decided it's a tradition I want to keep going. Especially because I only get them all every other year. No excuses Ali! :O)

We were lucky enough to have the Bunnells Spend Easter with us.

The kids group picture isn't my favorite but I put them in their sibling group also to get a picture for their other parent. I love my kids and their gorgeous blue eyes!

Syd and Hay and their Grandma Joy dark brown eyes! :O) So cute!!!

 

Bonnies cute kids! I LOVE this picture! :O)

And our sweet stinker Beth! Oh how I love this girl!

After church we went to G-ma Susan and Papa's house for Easter Lunch and a special Eater Egg Hunt! Susan never had kids of her own, and I am sure when she was dating Gailens dad all his kids and their kids were a little intimidating...but she has JUMPED HEAD FIRST into this grandma thing and is making all the kids feel so special. She does so much and we are so lucky to have her! She planned a special Family Home Evening and shared her sweet testimony with the kids. As Beth sang and led the song "I am a Child of God" I could see the joy she has in having a family. 

She is SO special to me!!!

Day 6 Spring Break

Cousins, playing, laughing Hiking, and getting wet!

I love the beautiful mountains in my back yard. And I was SO excited to share them with someone in my family.  We forgot water bottles which didn't help the kids...but all in all they were really good and had fun running and climbing all around the mountain with the dogs.

The kids ALWAYS want to get in this canal, but it usually has water so they were excited it was water free and they could run around in it.

We love to take shadow picture!

Ya. I actually made it in one picture this week! :O)

Cute Bonnie walkin with her boys. I love when my family comes to visit. It was a perfect trip. Layed back and just hangin out. Taking pictures and laughing! :O) Thank you Bonnie for coming to stay for a couple days!