For some must push and some must pull...

Derick was able to go with the Young Men and Young Women of the 2nd and 8th ward on a the Martins Cove Trek. He left on a bus on Tuesday and came home on Saturday, July 25. He had a wonderful experience there, making great memories that he will treasure forever. He came home with tons of mosquito bites and blisters, but other than that survived.

I'm so glad that he was able to take part in a little bit of what our ancestors and the pioneers went through to come to Utah to help build the temple and the church. I'm greatful for their sacrifices so that I can have the gospel in my life.

Back To School! & penniless

The kids started school on Thursday the 14th, HOOORAY for all of us. Man is it expensive getting kids ready for school. I guess I need to start budgeting ahead of time so that where ready when it starts. We did the rounds of back to school night, meeting the teachers, and seeing what the plans are for the year. The kids are all happy with who their teachers are at this point.

Derick is taking Advanced Science from Mr. Black, then He has English and Reading from Mrs. Rowley, U.S. History from Mr. Kamachi, Algebra I from Mr. Prince, Chamber Orchestra from Dr. Neves, and P.E. from Mrs. Chamberlain.

Tyler has Mrs. Payne and he thinks she's awesome!

Kaitlin has Mr. Shirley who grew up in our neighborhood and his parents are in our Ward.

Hopefully it will be a good year, without to much drama. It's nice to know what they are doing every day while I'm at work. Thankfully my schedule allows me to be here to send them off and I'm home before they get home. Plus on Fridays I will be able to help in their classes on my day off when the need me.

Zip-a-dee-ay and heigh-dee-ho...

...Happy birthday to you! Just wanted to wish Kirk a happy birthday! Here are 38 reasons why I love him, here goes;

1. Because he loves me
2. He is such a hard worker
3. He is great at working on my Honey Do Lists
4. He doesn't complain about being my Honey Do
5. He is a fun Dad
6. He has a great sense of humor
7. I love his smile
8. He has tremendous integrity
9. He is a great example to our kids
10. He's smart and can help the kids w/ their homework when I can't
11. He encourages me
    
12. He loves my body (even if I don't)
13. He does the laundry
14. He vacuums
15. He irons his own clothes
    
16. He served a faithful mission
17. He keeps going even if he doesn't feel good
18. He is great at running a business
19. He is a worthy holder of the priesthood
20. He does his Home Teaching
21. He sings good
22. He's got a sexy butt
23. He teases me
24. He loves me the mostest
25. He is a wonderful provider and sees that we have what we need
26. He loves my family
27. He's strong
28. He always encourages me with my talents
29. He let's me go to Chick flick's with my girl friends
30. He watches reality t.v. shows with me.
31. He watches the food network with me.
32. He waits to watch his favorite t.v. shows until I can watch them with him
33. He holds my hand
34. He is always with me when the kids have a program, parent teacher conference, etc.
35. He doesn't kick me out of bed when I snore
36. He'll rub lotion on my back even though he hates smelly lotion
37. He doesn't like going to class reunions
38. And last of all I'll repeat number one again I love him because he loves me.

That wasn't too hard. Happy Birthday Kirk, I Love You the Mostest!

Family Night of a "Different Species"

Tonight for Family Home Evening, Kaitlin did the lesson for us. She had a candle and we lit it and she talked about "Letting your light shine". She said that she can let her light shine by sharing her testimony. This was a bit of her testimony;

"I have a testimony that I can have friends, of different species, and I now that it's o.k. if my friends are different species, I can still like them"

Unfortunately she ended up in tears because her brothers couldn't help laughing. I told her that species meant that her friends were like animals and that she should say different "Races" not species. I asked her where she heard that from and she said from the movie, "My big fat Greek wedding". That got me laughing and here come the tears again. I had to hold her and let her know that we weren't laughing to make fun of her, but that she said something funny. The funny places kids pick things up from.

Kaitlin, thanks for making us laugh. We Love You!

Jaron's Baby Blessing

This Sunday we were able to go up North and do the dreaded school clothes shopping. Since we only have Wal-mart here to choose from. We stayed at Paige & Duane's and had a great visit with them. Then on Sunday we were able to be there for Jaron's blessing. There was way too much food, but it tasted wonderful, and of course you have to at least sample everything. It was also a good time to visit with our family that we don't see too often.

Back To School Event

Back to school week is the latest of events we had to prepare for. We had displays on how to decorate your doors, & bulletin boards, we made school project displays, showed how to cover and decorate your text books, had a decorate your lunchbox contest and made calendars. Whew! now it's over and on to the next event.

Bolt Cutters!

Waylene, one of my disigners, is getting ready to go home from work. She goes to checkout and is back again at the studio saying that she can't get her locker open. She had just put a new lock on it, so she gets a different key thinking that she grabbed the wrong one, and is back again with no luck at getting it open. So I had her give me all her keys and we both go over to see if I can help her. I try all the keys and look at the lock and it looks like the keys aren't even made for that lock. Waylene says "I have to have my purse, so were going to have to cut the lock off." So I get the bolt cutters and after several tries we get the lock off. Waylene opens the locker and, NO PURSE! We cut the lock off of someone elses locker! I love a good laugh. Thanks Waylene.

Aden's Baptism

Just another one of Tyler's adventures

During Tyler's stay in Leamington, he would go to Delta with Uncle Greg and catch polywogs and frogs. Needless to say "Spike" died. They had a funeral for Spike, Tyler, using a frisbee dug Spikes grave and Kaitlin offered a prayer asking Nichole and Michele to watch over Spike.

We do still have two living polywogs, who are now frogs, named T and Rex.

Our Block Party

Bonnie's Fabulous Block Party!

Every year, Bonnie Oldroyd, a gal in our Ward throws the best block party! She closes off the street, has a live band playing, everyone brings potluck, and she has huge homemade hula- hoops. We always have a blast!

A week at the Cabin

We went up to Greg's friends cabin for a relaxing week. It was beautiful up there. My room was just off of the river, so I went to bed every night to the sound of the river and the rocks rolling, it was very peaceful.

Our turn to hold Jaron

Jaron's Here!

My brother and sister-in-law had their first baby on Tuesday. It's been a long wait for them and we are so excited to welcome this new little one into the family. There were a few rough spots at first but everyone is doing great.

Happy Birthday Jaron!

We're almost done!

We have been doing a facelift on the exterior of our house. Other than the rock on our chimney we're about done. Tyler and Kaitlin won't even know where they live anymore because we have done all of this while they have been gone for the summer.

Greatful for our Freedom

This 4th of July, things were pretty low-key around here with Tyler and Kaitlin gone, so there was alot of time to think about why we celebrate the 4th.

How greatful I am to live in the United States of America. We are so blessed for the freedoms that we enjoy. I am thankful that I can be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am also greatful for those who fight for our freedoms.

How blessed I am because my Dad listened.

Today at church we had a wonderful lesson in Relief Society. The lesson was about sharing the Gospel. It really touched me today when Sister Foster talked about an equation, 1+1=24. She talked about how a 14 year old girl talked to her friend another 14 year old girl about the church and how because of that, there are now 24 members of the church who have been sealed to each other. The girl who was taught about the church, was her mother.

I am so blessed that the missionaries were able to teach my Dad about the church and that my Dad chose to listen to them 40 years ago. Our family is so blessed because of the choice that he made and I am so greatful for that.

I love you, Dad.

Happy Birthday Lori!

Today is my Sister, Lori's birthday. I just want to wish her a happy 40th, I'm coming up on your tail.

Thanks for being there for me when I need you. I really enjoyed staying there with you during Dad's surgery, I will never forget our visits. I hope that we will continue to be closer to each other.

I Love You, Sis!

Love,

Heidi

Uncle Greg's life-line.....Softball

Greg, loves softball, he has a great core of friends that he plays with. He came down to Cedar for the "Summer Games", the night before he came down, he played an "All Nighter" in Delta. He left Delta at 5:30 am to come here and play all day in the sun. Is that dedication or what?

Greg is an awesome brother, very gentle, a tease, loveable and fiesty.

Service Auction

For our June Enrichment Meeting, we did a service auction. Each sister fills out a form and that is how she earns her auction money and then each sisiter also donates services, whether it be to go on a walk, out to lunch, pull weeds, babysitting etc. It was so much fun.