Fort Worth Rodeo!! 2/7/2009

It DOES matters WHO you know!! Steve and I had tried to buy tickets to the rodeo last weekend but they were all sold out. Since we are both from Idaho... we are both really country at heart and love these kind of things...plus we wanted Grant to see a rodeo! My friend Dina GAVE us 10 tickets for the closing sold out weekend of the rodeo. We invited some friends and headed out for the night. We had a blast!! Here is Grant with his buddy Nathan. The boys loved the whole night. From the FOOD to the RODEO! :)

Our friends the Meek's, Davis's and King's joined us for the night.

Do people really drive around in a truck like this??? Grant got a kick out of the horns. That was a big bull they came off of.

We truly were this close to the chutes!! Grant is standing in front of out seats!! Great seats! Thanks Dina!

Stake Day to Shine 2/7/2009

On Saturday, February 7 th our Stake hosted a wonderful event for the local Battered Women's Shelter. This is an event that stared by two sisters in our ward and it has been so successful that the Stake has adopted it as their own. We take part once a year at hosting a day for fun, rest, relaxation and safety for women who have found themselves in a tough situation. The women can come and bring their children. They had wonderful children classes that were offered. (beading, crafts, reading, sports, I even saw a Sister teaching kids to play her harp!) Then the women are pampered and feed both physically and spiritually. They offered manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, and hair cutting. After they have been pampered..we were all treated to a wonderful lunch and then a spiritually based program that was touching and sweet. The women left with free jewelry, books, CD's, pillow cases, homemade bread and QUILTS!! What a uplifting day!! It amazed me what just a few people can do to lighten the load of others. I have to admit that as I watch this wonderfully planned day unfold I was filled with gratitude for the many, many blessings I enjoy and too often take for granted.

This is my friend Rebecca reading to the children.

Look at my darling friends Krista and Christine. (all of the volunteers wore RED)

My friend Nancy cutting hair.

The women getting some of the wonderful gifts!

Yummy dessert table!

The wonderful cooks for the Southlake Ward.

Checking in.

Lunch anyone??

I truly believe that when women come together for good... miracles can happen. I have seen them!

My BABY boy is 24 today!

It is true what they say about time.....It really does FLY! Can it be so that I really have a son that is 24!? I woke early this morning not able to sleep and my mind wandered to my life 24 years ago today. The excitement of having my first child... a son, was the bright spot in my life. Steve and I were poor collage students at BYU but we were thrilled to start a family of our own. Tyler was our first born. If I had to pick a first born....(one that would pave the way and set an example for the others) I would pick Tyler. He has always been valiant and good. (well his seminary teachers may differ with me on that..ha:) I saw in him at a very young age a spirit that was pure. He was always bothered by things that were not full of light and goodness. He is driven much like his father and sensitive like me. This is truly the circle of life as Tyler and his darling wife Kaylee are at the very same age and and very same place (literally) in life that Steve and I were 24 years ago. Only one difference.....No announcements yet. THAT I KNOW OF ANYWAY!! :)

So as I sit here today I have a 24 year old and a 4 year old. Boy I believe in spreading my kids out don't I !:) We love you Tyler. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

....Priceless

I came across these pictures while I was looking for another one. Even though this was a little over a year ago, they make me smile every time I see them! Grant will hate these pictures as he gets older but it says happy memories to me. Camille sure loves this little guy and has spent hours playing with him. This is proof of a period of time that she dressed him up almost on a daily basis. Priceless.............

Fort Worth Stock Show 1/31/2009

Steve LOVES to go to the Ft. Worth Stock Show every year. I think it brings back memories from his childhood. Blake and Camille already had plans for today so we took Grant and headed back in time. Grant loved having his picture taken with the animals. Here they are having a demonstration of the milking machines. I have never been a milk lover as I was also a farm girl. Too much warm whole milk for me in my youth I guess....but every time I see this demonstration I wonder why I drink milk at all!! I am beginning to think dry cereal sounds pretty good.

We loved seeing all of the miniature horses. Many of them were the size of a dog. Here Grant poses with the horse named Charlie.

OK so I was thinking...........If you put a steel ring in someones nose they would pretty much do whatever you want them to. Isn't this animal cruelty?? What we do in the name of beauty. This cow was getting a hair cut for show time.

We enjoyed watching some of the young kids show their animals. I came from this kind of background and it brought many good memories back to mind. Not that I ever showed animals because I hated getting my hands dirty....I did however have to change water lines, butcher chickens, haul hay, feed the horses, pigs, cows etc. My Mom use to tell me all the time that out of all of her kids I was the one who just did not like the farm life! But what I have come to appreciate is what it takes to live that kind of life. These are good down to earth, hard working people. In many, many respects I wish my kids had opportunity to grow up on a farm! Grant was soon ready to head home. After all...after you have seen so many cows they all start to look the same.

You know you are raising a CITY BOY when you ask Grant, what are these? and he says..cows! Just for the record Grant these are sheep. Oh you should have seen the look on Steve's face. I could read it loud and clear..We have failed our kids! :)

This cow was massive. Steve said Isn't that a beautiful cow? Can cows be beautiful I asked??

Blake and Camille went with a group of kids last night to the big Rodeo and said they had a blast. We tried to get tickets for tonight's rodeo but it was all sold out. Maybe next year!

ICE DAY!

Who doesn't love an ice day? School was canceled today because of bad weather. You should have the heard the cheer in my house last night when the kids learned that school had been cancelled. We all stayed up late last night just like it was a holiday! It was raining ICE! Blake's friend Colton came over last night for a couple of hours and when he went to leave his car doors were frozen shut. Give it a day or two and we will be back in the 70' or 80's and I am not joking! ;)

Blake and Grant had fun doing donuts in the ice.

Blake had a few close calls!

Who doesn't love a day that includes hot chocolate?

I am thankful for ice days, hot chocolate and the noise of the kids being home! What a great day it has been.

"And five of them were WISE...." Jan.22,2009

We had our first Enrichment night of the year last Thursday. It was the new Presidency's kick off of the new year and theme...which is, "And five of them were WISE..." taken from the parable of the 10 virgins found in Matthew 25:1-13. It was a fun night full of food and FRIENDS.

The evening started off with some time for socializing. It was fun to have time to sit and talk with each other. We had 49 sisters there. My friend Deeann opened up her beautiful home to all of us and was so gracious and giving. It was the perfect setting for the evening. After a about 45 minutes we had a short program that introduced the the special interest groups we were starting. Merlaine introduced the groups and group leaders of each group. 1. Cooking group 2. Service group 3. Explore DFW 4. Literacy group. We had a lot of interest and I think the sisters were excited to get involved in "filling their lamps."

Then my friend Dina sang a beautiful song in titled "When He Comes for Me". She is a master at performing and has such a gorgeous voice. It was very moving. Thanks again DINA!! This is the final song for the program that we will present to all of the sisters at the end of the year to conclude our theme.

Our New President Christine did a wonderful job teaching us to fill our lamps one drop at a time. WE are the virgins...there is good in each of us, but will we be prepared? Are we spending our time on the things that will fill our lamps or do we put off getting oil? At the end of the evening we gave each of the sisters a book light with the theme printed on it. We thought that it would be a great reminder through out the year as the sisters read.

This was such a fun night for us as a Presidency to put together. We struggled at first as to which direction to go but as we prayed a studied and searched, the theme came and it all fell together. I believe that the Lord is in favor of this work. He wants us to be ready. It is my prayer now that we as a Presidency will inspire each of us as sister to have a desire and feel the urgency and the need to fill our lamps with oil.

(To see a complete explanation and pictures of the evening see my friend Dina's blog. She has it mastered! I would copy and paste it if I knew how! ha:)