Let's Get This Going Again!

I have been so awful about keeping up with this blog.  I believe I said this before, but I had previously used this spot to journal for my family and I now mostly use Instagram.  However, you can't go as in depth on Instagram, so it is really nice to have this space where I can really share the goings on of my family.  My friend Kristy, who is so wonderful at documenting her life and her family's life, shared a quote with me that really encouraged me to start up again. 
"What could you do better for your children and your children's children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved?  Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity.
"Get a notebook, . . .a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity.  Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies.  Remember, the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events."
-Spencer W. Kimball
I'm not even going to try to catch up on what I missed this year, and am just going to start up on the most recent happenings of our family.  The most recent exciting thing from our family is Avery's baptism!  Avery was so exciting for this day to come and was counting down the days leading up to it.  The morning of the baptism I had mostly everything done for the events of the day.  We just had to get everyone ready and out the door.  Thankfully, some of Louis' family came up early to help get the kids ready and out the door.  I was able to go to the church early with Louis and Avery to help her get into her suit while Louis' family helped get the kids ready and to church.  It was fun because I was able to see Louis and Avery practice in the hall for the baptism!

It was sweet seeing more and more family file into the chapel to support Avery on her special day.  Avery, Mary, Maya, Mikaela, Jill, and Elizabeth were able to sing "When I am Baptized" as part of the program and did a great job.  The baptism itself went well, Avery only had to be dunked once and she came out of the water saying she was cold!  She also felt good and warm inside.  I helped get her changed and into the room for the confirmation.  There were probably twice as many kids as there were adults so it was a bit noisy during the confirmation, and I couldn't really hear the blessing even though I was right there up front, but the spirit was there and it was wonderful. 
Avery had the sweetest smile on her face the whole day and it was a great day for her and our whole family.     

Kami and Nana made this baptism girl cake for Avery!

Temple Square

On the weekends I always get the itch to go and do something different.  Most of the week we're at home or somewhere not too far from it.  A few weekends ago we decided to head down to Salt Lake and walk around Temple Square.  I think we've only taken the kids to Temple Square once before so it made for a nice little day trip.
On the way down I discovered that my niece Madison was with my parents so I asked if we could pick her up and take her with us to save my parents lots of extra driving.  It worked out that she was done with the things she needed to be doing so we picked her up in Roy and continued on our way to Salt Lake.
The first thing we did was find a spot to eat our lunch.  We had planned on just sitting on the grass and having a picnic, but they had signs saying that the grass was new and to stay off of it.  So we went over by the reflecting pond to some tables and ate our lunch instead.

Since we were already by the reflecting pond we headed up to the Church Office building and rode the elevator to the top.  The kids were excited to see that the roof of the temple is green!  After we got back down we walked to the reflection pond again and the kids loved putting their hands in there.  

We walked through both visitor's centers and went up to see Jesus.  All the kids loved it and of course Mary was the one to climb right up onto the statue!  We took a quick picture and then went and got her down.  After we were done going through the visitor's centers we headed back to the car.  It was a nice day together.

Wyatt's Blessing

Last week Louis blessed our Wyatt Jack.  We were able to do a double blessing with Louis' brother Josh and their baby Calvin.  Calvin is a month older than Wyatt.  They live in Missouri, but were in town for a wedding so we took advantage of that and did the double blessing.  It ended up going really well and it was nice having so much family around to celebrate with us.

A few things that stood out to me in Wyatt's blessing:

He was instructed to find the right person to take to the temple for this is the purpose in

 coming to this earth, to create an eternal family.

He will have a drive for knowledge and education like Grandpa Jack, 

and others will look to him for answers and he will be able to give them.

Wyatt was blessed to have sympathy towards others and be kind to others.

I am grateful for the Gospel and the wonderful joy it bring into my life.  I am grateful for the priesthood holders in my life to bless those around them.  I am grateful for my eternal family!

I don't have the pictures from the day of the blessing, but here are the few I do have.

This is Calvin and Wyatt the night before the blessing

Mary LOVES Wyatt

How I Do it: Sacrament Meeting With Kids

We've all seen this question around a lot, "How do you help your kids sit quietly in Sacrament meeting?"  

So I thought I'd share what we do and what works for our family.  

We have a church bag for each of the girls.

I keep them in a basket in the backseat of the van and the girls carry them in 

to church themselves each week.  

Here is what we have inside of their bags!

This one above is Mary's bag, Avery's is a little different, but for the most part they're the same.

In Mary's we have temple pictures, church books, popsicle stick puzzles, and a three ring binder with dry erase markers.

In the binders we have page protectors with church related coloring pages, word searches, and mazes.  We keep them in the page protectors so the girls can use the dry erase markers on them and they can do them week after week!  

Each General Conference I switch out the pictures for new ones.  

As for Ethan buddy, we have a few special things for him in the diaper bag.  

Sundays are pretty much the only day we actually use our diaper bag!  

Here are the few things we have for him.

We have a quiet book that my sister Charissa gave to us and Ethan loves!  Some snacks (which I have for all of the kids, they get them after sacrament), and a random toy I made years ago.  It's a Pringles can that I punched holes in the lid and he puts the pipe cleaners in the holes.  Or he just takes the lid on and off!  We also have some books for him.  

These things work for us and our kids, and most weeks things go okay.  Other weeks I am taking one kid after another out of the chapel.  Because kids are crazy and unpredictable.  Like sometimes Avery just has to keep pulling her dress up, or Mary keeps climbing on the side of the pew, or "Mom, I have to pee!"  For the most part though I'm really liking the system we have going on.  Hopefully some of these will work for you and your kids!  

Easter Fun 2016

Easter was pretty spread out for us this year.  It started out with our annual family Easter egg hunt at Jonathan and Alisha's house.  Every family brings a package of filled eggs to hide, we play games, eat food, and have a great time!

The day after the Easter egg hunt we celebrated Easter.  We did it a week early because Louis and I would be heading out of town over Easter Sunday.  All we really did for the celebration was find our Easter baskets.  Both of the girls loved it and Ethan was sick and was mostly just annoyed that we made him participate.  

Through out the rest of the week before we left on our weekend trip we did the 12 Eggs of Easter with the kids.  We have an egg carton filled with plastic eggs and in each egg there is a scripture about Christ leading up to the resurrection as well as some kind of token representing what we read.  The kids loved it and looked forward to reading a couple every night.  One night we also decorated paper eggs and made a banner out of all of them.  

On Easter the kids were with Louis' parents.  They have told me all about their stay there and they had a great time!  How can you not have a great time with Nana and Papa?  Tifannee lovingly took pictures of the kids in their Easter outfits for me.  

We know that Christ lives and that because of Him we can better ourselves and live with Him again.

Home Again, Home Again!

A week ago today my parents returned home from their two year LDS mission in Milan, Italy.  They were serving there as military relations missionaries.  I think the highlight of their service was teaching seminary for the two school years they were there.
The day they got home those who were going to the airport mot up at Ben's house for lunch.  While we were there we found out that my parent's flight was 20 minutes ahead of schedule!  We rushed out to the airport and seeing as it was a Wednesday and lots of missionaries were coming home, the parking garage was completely full!  We were directed to the economy lot and had to take a shuttle back to the airport.  We got in there and there were so many people waiting for their missionaries!
About 5-10 minutes later we realized that there was a whole other building for international arrivals!  We got over there and Mom and Dad had already come down the escalator!  They said lots of people clapped for them, but they looked around and there was no family to be seen!So sad.  Hopefully Avery made up for it with the 20+ hugs she gave my dad that day!

It kind of felt like my parents had never left.  It was a fast two years.  I think it helps that with senior missionaries you can call and e-mail them whenever you want.  That was really nice to be able to do.
I am very grateful that I had such wonderful parents to raise me.  They have always been a wonderful example to me and taught me to be a good person.  Through out the last two years I have come to appreciate that more.
I am looking forward to the next few weeks as my siblings come in to Utah!  And the half a day when all 37 of us will be together!

Tithing

Avery loves to give our tithing slips to the Bishop.  Our old Bishop said it was the highlight of his Sundays!  After Ethan was born Louis and I talked and decided to start giving Avery an allowance because she truly helps with so much!  Each Friday we talk about if she's been helpful and obedient that week, and if she has been she gets a quarter.  That means every two weeks she gets to give 5 cents as tithing.  We explained this all to Avery and she was so excited to start giving her very own tithing to the new Bishop!
It was Conference, then we were sick, then we were out of town!  So just a few weeks ago Avery got to give her tithing to the Bishop, a whole 10 cents!  The Saturday before, we got her money all ready for church the next day.  Avery asked if she could give more money, so I told her about what else she could donate to.  She decided to also give 5 cents to the missionary fund, and 5 cents to the temple.

I was so proud of her that Sunday as I helped her fill out her first tithing slip.  After sacrament meeting she went up to Bishop Wilson and handed him our tithing slip as well as hers and happily told him it was her tithing!

I am grateful for Avery and her budding testimony of the Gospel.

Ethan's Blessing

Last week Louis was able to give Ethan a name and a blessing.  It was quite the ordeal getting things set up for the blessing.  We were really hoping to do it on a Saturday, but needed to get the okay from our stake president.  In the end it all worked out and we were able to bless him on a Saturday.  We are very grateful for all of the family that was able to come and help out with the short notice they were given!  Louis and I have both been blessed with wonderful family.
A few things that stood out to me in his blessing:

• He will be very smart.  We may have another Avery on our hands.
• He will find the women who he is supposed to be with and he will know it when he sees her.  Love at first sight!  
• He will help many people learn of the Gospel.

It was a great morning/afternoon.  I am grateful for the Priesthood and for Louis who is worthy of the Priesthood and blesses our lives daily with it.

4 generations

Ogden Temple Open House

Louis and I got married in the Ogden LDS Temple in August of 2009.  

In April 2011 the temple closed to be remodeled.  

Finally in August of 2014 the temple was finished and we were able to go to the open house!

I was so excited to be able to go into my temple again!  I spent many mornings in high school at the Ogden temple doing baptisms for the dead, I received my endowments at this temple, and Louis and I were sealed for time and all eternity in this temple.  I was sad at first about the temple being changed, but after walking on the temple grounds and being able to walk through it, all that went away.  This temple is a house of the Lord.  It is a sacred and holy place.  

Avery had been looking forward to going to the temple for months.  It is the temple she says she wants to get married in.  After she finds a boy and gets a white dress and some flowers of course.  I hope that she will be able to remember going to this open house.  Especially if she really does get married there one day.

I told Avery there would be a statue of Jesus at the open house.  She wanted to draw a picture for Him.  I told her she could of course draw a picture and I figured we could give it to a missionary there.

The missionaries loved it and said they would go put it up in the mission president's office.

I am very thankful for temples and the peace that is felt there.  Even without this temple being dedicated there is a special spirit there.  I am grateful to have so many temples close by to us.