The sprinkler system

My dad broke his leg not too long ago....and the doctor gave strict orders to not put any weight on it. That is asking for quite a lot for a man that spends all of the daylight hours working with water. So, Stephanie, Jeff and Kevin planned to put in a sprinkler system to help my parents out with their yard. Yes, and even I helped out ;0) It was quite the undertaking, due to the rainy weather. How fickle are we to be upset when we need the water so badly....but everything was pretty much finished by Monday.

Fishing in Idaho

The kids with their trophy catches....


My dad has a friend who has a private pond.....I tell ya what. There is nothing like casting in your line, and waiting for only a few minutes only to feel your line jerk!! Now that is what I call fishing!! ;0) It was so much fun to see the kids yell with excitement, and then squirm away when the fish came a little bit too close....

Stephanie, Jenna and Mom....


Aimee and Alyssa waiting patiently....


Jared....


Adam and Ben....being a little bit curious....do they dare to touch it?


Jacob, Beth, and Kevin....


Everyone enjoyed the fantastic trout that was cooked on the grill by yours truly and Kevin....many asking for seconds and even thirds!!


Us, silly?! Nah.....

Oquirrh Temple Open House June 15th

For almost a month our family had anticipated Kevin and Rachel's family coming to visit. It had been almost two years since they have been here. We all went to see the Oquirrh temple. Kevin's kids have never been able to go to an open house before. Stephanie's family was able to come too. It was such an incredible experience to be there together.





It was fun to see the kids' faces light up and fill with wonder as they saw the different rooms. After it was over, I asked the kids what their favorite part was.....the most common reply was the baptismal font. My favorite part was looking up the stair well, seeing it wind up all the way to the spire; sitting together in the sealing room; and standing in front of the mirrors with Adam, looking at our reflections continue on forever....

All of the grandkids in front of the temple....


Stephanie and Jenna....


All of us in front of the temple....


Rachel and Kevin....

May 18th

My day started out at midnight with work and a phone call from Kevin and Rachel singing "Happy Birthday"!! Later that day, Mom and Dad also gave me a call and sang to me. Stephanie and Jeff's family invited me over for dinner on my bday. They made me a cake (they were even kind enough to just do 2 candles in the middle with 8 candles that surrounded it. I guess that after a certain age, the fire hazard goes up ;0) ) and Stephanie made me a cute purse...Thank you so much to my family. You all made my day =0)





The next day, my great friend Andrea took me out to the Olive Garden and to see Angels and Demons.....Later that week, Andrea and Sheri went with me to Gardner's Village. So much fun!! Thanks you two for the fun =0)

May 1st

Alyssa and Aimee's 6th Bday!! They invited friends to come to an elegant tea party. Stephanie made the cakes.....she does such a great job and tries so hard to make everything so nice.

Alyssa

Jared and Aimee

Jenna

Jenna and I

May Fun!!

Yes, believe it or not, I do work ;0) This is me heading out for another day of fun!!

I finally finished school!! At least until August. I was really excited on how my little SLCC experience went. I started out really apprehensive of getting good grades. Keep in mind that I took Anatomy and Physiology at ISU a few years ago....and got a C =0( So My goal was to improve my grades to increase my chances in getting into the Rad. Tech. program. Even though I was accepted into the program a few weeks ago, I hoped to be able to pull off my Physiology class, due to staying in the program was decided by keeping up my grades. I was able to get an A in all three classes, Biology, Anatomy, and Physiology!! I don't want anyone to think that I am bragging....Because remember, I got a C the first time!?! But through a lot of prayers, hard work, and encouragement from family and friends, I was completely blessed.

I wanted to include some pics of the two Temples that I have been able to attend while going to school this past year....

Jordan River Temple....This is the first temple that I have ever walked in....or maybe I should say spun wheels on ;0) My aunt Joann pushed me in a stroller when I was a baby and my family went to the openhouse. It was really neat to return. It's only a few miles away from school, which is so nice and convenient!!



Timpanogos Temple....is the temple that is only 10 minutes away from me. It is amazing to live so close!! It is absolutely beautiful inside.

A Disappointingly Small Envelope...

As all of you know, I have applied to the Radiology Tech. program for Weber State University via Utah Valley Hospital. I have been working really hard for a year now, taking Biology so that I could retake Anatomy and Physiology and get A's. I also volunteered with the Rad. department at the hospital where I work. I sent my application a month before it was due....everything seemed to be working out just like I had planned.....Or was it?

It was the beginning of March, and I had just taken my midterms....asked my professors to send in grades to the program. Just because I am, for a lack of a better term, anal, I called Weber up to let them know they were coming. I got a definite "It's too late" as a reply. I guess there was a deadline for the 1st of March....hmmm, I didn't remember there being a deadline for midterms!? So I was completely frustrated with myself, decided to investigate....there's nothing stating March 1st, let alone any deadline for anything. Long, traumatic story short, (one that my family knows all too well) after many phone calls and a little visit, they accepted my midterms. Phew, K, now all that was left was to receive a little paper saying that I had an interview....

Just about when I was going to accept the finality of not getting an interview, my roommate checks the mail....I had an interview!! YIKES!! So everything seems to be going just fine. The guy who was 2 interviews ahead of me had them laughing the whole time, and he gets walked out of the room.....K, no pressure, things are going to go great. The girl ahead of me....no real laughter, and no walking her out! What in the world....so now it's my turn, and I feel really good about everything that I said. I was ready, I was prepared.....I got them to laugh a little bit, that's a good sign, right? But I didn't get walked out of the room!! Crap!! Oh well, I did my best, and that was all I could ask for. Now I just had to wait for a letter...

I am checking the mail everyday, dying to see a letter from Weber....and then a manila envelope came this last Saturday. It was so incredibly thin, my heart just sank.....but I am ACCEPTED!! Wahoo! I immediately called up my family, bubbling over with excitement. So no more school for me until the end of August!!

Therefore, you are all witnesses that miracles happen. I would truly feel ungrateful if I didn't acknowledge that the whole time, through all of my doubts and fears, that my Heavenly Father has blessed me a hundred fold. I can't even imagine what I would do without Him, and the comfort and reassurance through it all. My family and friends.....they are way too good to me!! Many of them have fasted and prayed with me in my behalf. Even through all of the frustrations and chaos, I have seen blessings!! It has brought me closer to so many.

So, again, thank you all so incredibly much for your love, support, prayers, EVERYTHING!! And especially with the tears that have been shared. As my Dad always says, "I don't deserve ya, but I'll keep ya"!!

Easter

I was able to go up to Idaho with Stephanie and her family. It was fun to be home....I hadn't been home since Thanksgiving, so it was way over due!!

Saturday, we went the the Arimo Easter Egg hunt. Each adult took a kid to gather up the eggs, they each got 17. Inside there is candy, and if you are superly lucky, you might find a number hidden inside. So, I was paired up with Aimee. As we were gathering eggs, I kept suggesting that maybe we should spread it out, but Aimee kept finding the eggs, and couldn't resist picking them all up. To be honest, I was worried that she wouldn't get anything.....and so we opened them one by one.....and we got FOUR numbers!! One of them happened to be a girl's bike!! I was the lucky charm ;0) LOL! She was such a sweet heart, and even gave her brother and sister a prize. And little Jenna won her own prize, sidewalk chalk!! You can just imagine how colorful my parent's sidewalk was before the weekend was over.



Later that night we went to an Easter Cantata. Sis. Janice Kapp Perry wrote it. Her husband was there with her. It was fun to meet the woman who wrote so many songs that helped my testimony to grow in primary. A funny side note: each kid fell asleep.....Mom had Aimee on her lap with Jared leaned up against her. I had Alyssa in my lap. But Jenna was wide awake the whole time. They were so cute.

Then we went home to color eggs, and leave out Trix for the Easter Bunny.





Sunday was absolutely fantastic!! My Mom taught the Relief Society lesson on "Valiant for the Cause of Christ". She does such a great job, and teaches by the Spirit. By the time it was over, I had tears streaming down my face, along with many others. I am so grateful for her testimony and for her strength that she has given to me. She is a rock, on which I have leaned on many times. Later that night, her and I went to a fireside by Janice Kapp Perry. We had decided the kids had enough, they were such troopers. I am grateful that I was able to go with her though. Once again, there was something that I was suppose to hear. Sis. Perry was so personable and gave such a great talk. She had me laughing while the next second, I was tearing up. She has served a couple of missions with her husband =0) Throughout the talk, she sang a few of the songs that she had composed. One was even her family theme song....her cute little husband even did a dance on the side....it shocked even her!! LOL!

The next day we went to the Hills Air Force Museum, where we were able to see some of the same models of jets that my Dad had worked on, the F4 phantom. It is hard for me to remember that he served there. One of these days I will have to go with him and hear about all of his experiences.

Thanks, Mom and Dad for a great time!! I love ya both so much =0) and thanks, Stephanie for letting me come with you. You have a great family!!

12 Days of Easter

I have procrastinated my Visiting Teaching this month (long story), however, I have been planning this activity for them since February!! My mom put this together for our family, and I absolutely loved doing it!! Yes, I know that the idea seems a little bit juvenile for the sister's that I teach, but who isn't a kid at heart!? Also, it seems like there is so much excitement for Christmas and Easter tends to get neglected. So this is a fun way to bring the Spirit of Easter into your home. I did this on my mission for a few families and last year for my girls I visited. So I decided to do it again this year, but I don't have a master copy and so I decided to put it here! Then I can use it again later and if you want to, you can do it too =0) I have changed a few of the scriptures from the originals that my mom gave us because I am trying to gear it towards adults and also focus on Christ's life and teachings. However, if you like this idea, you can switch it around and play with it a bit to fit your family =0)

Supplies: Easter Basket with grass
12 plastic eggs that can be opened
Label each egg with numbers 1-12
Each egg will have the following in it with a piece of paper with the matching scripture inside.
Note: when they open up the eggs, they need to start out with Day 12, then Day 11, and so forth.



Day 1: Empty ~ John 20:1-18
Day 2: Nail, Purple Cloth, Thorn ~ Mark 15: 15-47
Day 3: Hersey Kiss, 3 dimes ~ Matthew 26:14-16, 47-56
Day 4: Leafs ~ Mark 11
Day 5: Raisins ~ John 15: 1-9
Day 6: Bread and Sacrament Cup ~ Mark 14
Day 7: Mustard Seed, Candle (Birthday)~ Matthew 17:20; Mark 4:21-22
Day 8: Swedish Fish ~ Matthew 14:13-21
Day 9: Band-Aid ~ Luke 5:29-32
Day 10: Piece of White Linen ~ Matthew 9:20-22
Day 11: Lily ~ Luke 12:22-30
Day 12: Star ~ Matthew 2:1-11

Extra if you can’t find one of the above: Bell- Luke 15:4-7

My mom also included this story for Day 1:

The Empty Egg

Jeremy was born with a twisted body and a slow mind.

At the age of 12 he was still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat, drool, and make grunting noises.

At other times, he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his brain.

Most of the time, however, Jeremy just irritated his teacher.

One day she called his parents and asked them to come in for a consultation. As the Forresters entered the empty classroom, Doris said to them, "Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to him to be with younger children who don't have learning problems. Why, there is a five year gap between his age and that of the other students."

Mrs. Forrester cried softly into a tissue, while her husband spoke. "Miss Miller," he said, "there is no school of that kind nearby. It would be a terrible shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of this school. We know he really likes it here." Doris sat for a long time after they had left, staring at the snow outside the window. Its coldness seemed to seep into her soul. She wanted to sympathize with the Forresters. After all, their only child had a terminal illness. But it wasn't fair to keep him in her class. She had 18 other youngsters to teach, and Jeremy was a distraction. Furthermore, he would never learn to read and write. Why waste any more time trying?

As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. Here I am complaining when my problems are nothing compared to that poor family, she thought. Lord, please help me to be more patient with Jeremy.

From that day on, she tried hard to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank stares. Then one day, he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind him.

"I love you, Miss Miller," he exclaimed, loud enough for the whole class to hear. The other students snickered, and Doris' face turned red. She stammered ... "Wh-why that's very nice, Jeremy. N-now please take your seat."

Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg. "Now," she said to them, "I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss Miller," the children responded enthusiastically ... all except for Jeremy. He listened intently; his eyes never left her face. He did not even make his usual noises. Had he understood what she had said about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he understand the assignment? Perhaps she should call his parents and explain the project to them.

That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the landlord and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that, she still had to shop for groceries, iron a blouse, and prepare a vocabulary test for the next day. She completely forgot about phoning Jeremy's parents.

The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking as they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss Miller's desk. After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open the eggs.

In the first egg, Doris found a flower. "Oh yes, a flower is certainly a sign of new life," she said. "When plants peek through the ground, we know that spring is here." A small girl in the first row waved her arm. "That's my egg, Miss Miller," she called out.

The next egg contained a plastic butterfly which looked very real. Doris held it up. "We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes, that's new life, too." Little Judy smiled proudly and said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine."

Next, Doris found a rock with moss on it. She explained that moss, too, showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom "My daddy helped me," he beamed.

Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty.Surely it must be Jeremy's she thought, and of course, he did not understand her instructions. If only she had not forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another.

Suddenly, Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller, aren't you going to talk about my egg?" Flustered, Doris replied, "But Jeremy, your egg is empty. "He looked into her eyes and said softly ... "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too."

Time stopped. When she could speak again, Doris asked him, "Do you know why the tomb was empty?"

"Oh, yes," Jeremy said, "Jesus was killed and put in there. Then His Father raised Him up."

The recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the school yard ...Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely away.

Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who paid their respects at the mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket ... all of them empty

~Random~

Due to my procrastination of studying, I have decided to do Ashley's tag...I thought it was kind of fun!!

Copy and paste this to your blog and bold the ones that you HAVE done. Have fun! :)
(K, now, no surprise to you, but for some reason the Control B won't work =0( therefore, I will put a star instead)

1. *Start you own blog
2. *Slept under the stars
3. *Played in a band [the high school band ;0)]
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. *Been to Disneyland
8. *Climbed a mountain
9. *Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. *Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. *Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (it was closed when I went. Urgh!)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. *Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. *Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. *Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. *Seen a total eclipse
30. *Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. *Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. *Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. *Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. *Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. *Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. *Sung karaoke
42. *Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. *Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. *Played in the mud
54. *Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie / commerical
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. *Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma(I know how pathetic that is!! But every time I go, there is a huge line up, and I never have time to wait!)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. *Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. *Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. *Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. *Pieced a quilt
73. *Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. *Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. *Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. *Had your picture in the newspaper
85. *Read the entire Bible [The New Testament and The Old Testament separately - never all the way through from cover to cover.]
86. *Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. *Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. *Met someone famous
92. *Joined a book club
93. *Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
98. *Owned a cell phone
97. Been involved in a law suit
99. *Been stung by a bee

I just realized how boring my life has been thus far. I have only done 40!! Just over a third....yeah for new goals!?! However, I must say that I never want 97, 75, 46, and 10 NEVER happen to me ;0)