george winston

Scott took the three older kids and I to see George Winston in concert on Friday night at the Mesa Arts Center.

Scott has always loved his music and wants all of us to love it too. Before we were married he would play George for me all the time and he still listens to him today. When he told me we were going to this concert, he mentioned that the older kids were coming and they needed this experience. They needed more culture in their life. I agreed and went along. I knew deep down that Taylor and Cooper would be totally bugged and bored by it. Taylor, because she would be missing out on a Friday night with her friends and Cooper, just because he couldn't talk for a few hours... haha. Austin, of course loved it, as I knew he would!

When you go somewhere with Scott, you are always early. So here we are waiting to get in. Is this pathetic or what...??? I had to get this picture of our teenagers on their phones and i~pods. I am sure I was guilty too?!

I tried to get the boys to come out and take some pictures around the complex with Taylor, but they declined. What an amazing facility. Taylor and I walked around and admired the place and took some pictures of her and killed some time.

The concert was really good but a little long, even for me. Scott and Austin loved every minute of it. Taylor and Cooper took a couple of cat naps and kept giving me that look like.... help me! We went and ate at Charlestons after and had a great visit with our kids. I am grateful Scott made this happen, we agreed that it will be happening more often. Hanging out on the weekends with your teenagers is actually really fun! We laughed our heads off!

Cannon is 9

I can't believe this cute little baby is nine years old today...

Cannon is pretty excited about his birthday. It started when he came in our bedroom this morning at 6:00 am, asking if he had been born yet and when he could open his presents! Of course we were so tired and told him, we will probably open presents after church and that no, he hadn't quite been born just yet. He was born at 7:00 a.m. We persuaded him to get in bed with us and try to fall back to sleep. He did. As he cuddled in between us, I couldn't help but think of what I was doing nine years ago, at that very moment. It is a memory that I will never forget and I remember every detail about. Cannon was born at home with a midwife, so needless to say... I was in excruciating pain, just an hour before his birth. Because of some complications, Cannon spent three long weeks in the NICU at Desert Samaritan hospital and was touch and go for several days, we didn't know for sure if we would be bringing him home with us. This poor guy had a pretty rough start.

My heart was filled with so much gratitude this morning, as I laid there and thought about what a gift he has been to Scott and I and how much happiness he brings to our home. We are so, so grateful for his life and for the many prayers that were answered to let him stay here on earth with us.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of our sweet Cannon

Happy 9th Birthday Cannon... We love you so much!

This little boy needs your prayers!

Yesterday afternoon my sister told me about this tragic story that happened to a family in Utah. I am not one that typically reads blogs of people I don't know, but this story.... breaks my heart! I have not been able to stop thinking about this sweet mother, her little baby Bronson and the rest of their family and friends. This accident happened last Saturday morning, so read down to where her nightmare began a week ago today. Her story hits to close to home for me.

Please include him in your prayers!

bookworm

Cannon is loving his new series of books, that Scott bought him earlier this week. I chuckle to myself when I see him holding his book and reading it, as he walks around our house. He is r e a l l y into it. When I was looking for him yesterday, I walked out front and found him sitting up in the tree... reading away. I thought it was so cute how he had his little book mark sitting on a branch and was just so into the story.

I don't think he ever realized that I even took this picture.

roasting marshmallows & f.h.e

This week for family home evening, we held it in our back yard around our little bonfire. The kids were stoked.

Scott gave our lesson on, the media in the home. We chatted about what the media was ~ the different ways we are exposed to it and how technology can be used for good and how many ways it can be so bad. We talked about the time that is spent on the computer, i pod touchs, the wii, x~box and texting. We had a good discussion about this subject but, I am going to save that one for later....

Does Coop look a little bored or is it just me??

After our lesson we topped it off by...

jumping on the trampoline

playing and being silly

hanging out by the fire

and roasting marshmallows

I cherish our family home evenings, they are my favorite night of the week!

young women handout

I love teaching my young women and am learning right along with them each Sunday. Our lesson yesterday was on Building the Kingdom of God. We talked about all the things we can do, to better help build God's kingdom and the ways we can become more consecrated each day. I made up this hand out for each girl. I love them and I love my calling!

I was touched by this little video on service, by President Monson. I love the words to one of my favorite hymns..... Have I done any good in the world today? What a great question to ask ourselves each night.

saturday

This morning started early with our stake service project, at the Temple grounds. The ground keepers were there directing people to various jobs. Our family was put in charge of pulling weeds, tilling the ground and then replacing the beds with new mulch. At one point, Taylor and I were working together in a decent size flower bed and after 10 minutes or so, we both looked up and the whole bed was pretty much done. Taylor commented, "WOW, I can't believe how fast that went.... with all these people, we are already finished with this huge flower bed!" I thought it was the perfect opportunity for her to recognize the principle of team work and unity. We talked about it for a little bit and I realized how much our family lacks in this simple concept. The concept of service and the pure love of Christ, towards the ones we love the most! We struggle with this around our house. Sometimes I can't believe how selfish we become with the attitude..... I didn't do it, so I'm not cleaning it up, so and so did that, that's not my job!

I think I know what our Family Home Evening lesson will be on this week!

What a great lesson for our kids and an eye opener for me.

Austin and Ty working hard

and Cannon and Sophie excited that the job was done and more excited that dad was treating them to chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.

Good job guys!

Cooper missed out on the service project this morning. Instead, he was with his deacon's quorum, camping in the snow and building ice caves. He got home this afternoon and everything he took was sopping wet. He said he was freezing, but it didn't stop him. He had a blast and had lots of stories. I couldn't stop thinking about him, as I laid in my warm bed last night and hoping he wasn't freezing in that 20 degree weather!

All I know is.... there is a special place in heaven for scout masters and deacon leaders.

I couldn't do it.

Here is Cooper after a warm shower and all thawed out.

Okay. So, my youngest sister {who is only 9 months older than Austin} got her license yesterday. It's hard to believe how time flies. Yesterday her and Austin were all over the town! SCARY.... I know. They already had their first experience of running out of gas! UNBELIEVABLE. They were lucky enough that it happened right in front of the fire station and they were able to get a gas can, to get them where they needed to be. WOW... is all I can say! Then later that night, they were out on the town with all of Austin friends. They were in hog heaven with all that freedom!

Today these girls all went and got pedicures and then out to lunch and who knows what else. Taylor was loving this freedom as well. I was a little nervous about the whole idea, but they were in a safe car, with their seat belts on and they returned home alive! I am so glad they have each other, our kids love their aunts!

And yes, I had to capture this moment of them coming home. I would have loved to of been a fly on the wall in that car.

They sure love their aunt Ashlyn

And those were the highlights of our Saturday!