Show Low 12/08

This was our trip to Show Low with the Anderson group. Carter, Tiffany, James, Emily and their families. We had a great time. We stayed in Emilys family home up there. It was beautiful. We had a great time playing cards, hiking, and EATING! Never a dull moment. The kids have tons of fun with their kids. There is someone for all of my kids to play with. This is the trip when Davis learned all about Cactus and told me that I had cactus in my nose. That would probably be a good sign that I should trim. Anyway, it was lots of fun!

Mexico Again?!? Jan. 2009

Davis foot prints in the sand. Too cute! I love to see my kids feet in the sand.

What's that you ask? A HUGE crab. Gross!!!

Wait a minute! Is she NAKED!!!!

It was actually really cold there. I wore pants and a sweater the entire time. Outside of sitting in the very NICE jacuzzi!

This is our very first trip to Mexico that it rained. While it rained the kids ran around on the covered deck. A condo is not always the best way to go with little kids. It was loud and crazy, but a good time.

We went to the museum one day and when leaving couldn't find Sammy. He was hiding!!!

Our family in front of the Whale Skeleton.

This picture was just taken. Sammy was riding his bike in the street when a kid got out of a car and ran right in front of Sammy. Sammy had no time to react and rad smack into him. He then smacked into the street. Right by his eye is bleeding, there is a scuff above his eyebrow, his cheek is swollen to his mouth, the inside of his cheek met his teeth and he is scuffed up on his hands and arms. He cried and was mad that the lady bringing him home kept calling him Sid. She said he said, "MY NAME IS SAMMY!" Anyway, we layed him down, put medicine on his face, put frozen vegetables on his cheek and gave him some tylenol for the wopping headache that he had. Ten minutes later he looked at me and said, "What did I do?" He had no idea why his hands were scraped up or why he was lying on the counter. Needless to say he doesn't remember much of what happened after school. We are watching him, so far he is fine. He got a blessing from his dad and Beau and is resting. Poor Kid! Typical though of our Sammy!

At the pool. Yes, that is what I said. This picture along with the rest were taken this last week. Hey, it's in the high eighties. Already I'm sweating. I may have to head out of town for the entire summer. Any offers?!?

The kids, minus Davis, all hesitated at first. Then, in the went. The water was ICE COLD! No joking.

Davis on the other hand LOVED it. He was the first one in, the first on to go under, yet the first one to get out! He looks cold even.

All smiles. He giggled the entire time.

The other night about 10pm I asked Davis if he was ready to go to bed or not. He said, "No, I'm fixing stuff!" That lasted a whole ten minutes!!

Why is it that they all love to be in laundry baskets and garbage cans!! He has to have something to do while the kids are away, right?

My DAD!!!

I cannot believe how time passes. It is hard for me to find the time to get in here. It feels like so much has gone on in these short two months. The kids are almost out of school, Summer is approaching and we have to be out of our house mid April. So, don't plan on me being on here for a while even after this. Anyway, this has been a pretty special week for me. Lots has happened and there has been lots of spiritual loss and growth for me. When my mom was here, the night she fell I had this feeling that something bad was going to happen. I layed awake for nearly an hour until I heard her fall. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could but she was already lying face down convulsing. To make a long sad story shorter I felt like not only had I failed my mother for not being there before she had fallen, I felt like I had failed my Father in Heaven. I felt like he had given me this prompting and I had misused or misunderstood it some how. For the last 5 months I let this eat away at me until I could no longer feel his spirit with me. I was really down. I then found out that something was wrong because I had missed my monthly cycle and NO I was NOT pregnant. I was scared and felt alone because I had pushed my Savior away. I felt that day more than any day since my mom had passed that I NEEDED her. I needed her right now. She was gone, and again those regrets and disapointments came back. MY DAD told me to get a blessing that night and made me promise I would do it before going to sleep. It was 8pm. Then, he talked to Cliff about me and Cliff immediately called the bishop. Our bishop came over and gave me a blessing with Cliffs help. The next day I went to the doctor and they found a complex cyst on my ovary. I will go back in in 6 weeks to see if it is still there. If it is the next step is to look for ovarian cancer. Unbelievably this was not as difficult as not having my Savior with me. On Saturday our stake day called 'Come unto Christ with Real Intent.' It was during one of those classes that I realized that I HAD heard the prompting and I had done was I was intended to do and that the reasoning was so that my mom would not be alone. I was with her to comfort her, to tend her and to be a companion to her until my dad arrived. If I had ignored that prompting she may have spent the night alone. I would never have been able to forgive myself. The reason for the title, "My DAD!" is because I am able to turn to him in any situation and for any reason. I love my dad so much and owe him more than life itself. Dad, thank you for always being there for me and for being one of my greatest friends. We can definitely thank mom for that. She taught us so much and continues to teach us. How lucky I am to have some special parents. From the time I was little my very favorite church song was, and still is, 'I am a Child of God.' Especially the part where it says, ..... "has given me an earthly home with parents kind and dear...." I will forever be greatful to him for giving me my mom and dad and am so lucky that I get them after this life also. Dad I love you and thank you for being my "DAD"!

Christmas Eve Night '08

Every year on Christmas Eve all of my family meets up at my Dads Brothers House. So, my uncle. We have done this since I will little. We now do it with our kids. A lot of people, food, and fun. We always have tons of food, listen to christmas music, catch up on the last year, and then ATTEMPT a new game. It is always a new one. This year, didn't go so well. We didn't quite get the game. Everyone had an opinion of how the game should be played. Okay, just the instructions and my brother Cory!!!! Hee, hee! In this first picture is my brother Jeremys wife Melanie. She hates pictures, but Cliff caught her unaware.

This is a picture of my uncle Ed and Cory. My brother.

From left to right: Jeremy, Melanie, Aunt Barb and cousin Scott. Scotty still to me. Sorry!

This is my dad. Dad your amazing. I love you! Next to him is my cute cousin Alyssa.

This would be Cory. By the facial expression you know better on how the game was. Next to him is his cute wife Bev. Thank goodness my brothers all married well. They are all great women. We lucked out too you know!

Christmas Eve Day '08

Here we are just hanging out enjoying the day. Aaron and Somer came out with their quad to give the kids rides. We realized real quick that one at a time was going to take forever. So, Cliff went and got our bike trailer and attached it to the back of the four wheeler. That was great. He was able to pull 3-4 kids around at a time. The kids had tons of fun. Eventually, Jeff and Ximena came over looking for their boys, Diego and Sammy.