Another Oweeeeee

Mason spent Friday night and Saturday at a scout overnighter...we've been pretty lucky and haven't had much incident but I guess Mason was mouthing off on this campout and Brother Brown let him have it!!!!! From what I hear...he threw a rock right at Mason's head to stop him from talking...or texting McKenna...it was one of those........

End of Summer Par-tay

Savannah Whittaker and Ashlen decided a couple weeks ago that they wanted to host an end of summer party so Friday night was the night. They both worked hard making keychains and then sold them to earn money, made invitations, went shopping for party supplies and cleaned the house to get everything ready:) In ordere to have just an evening with girls....Clayton went to Uncle Devin's house for his "party" and Tristen went to the Whittakers to spend time with Chase. Mason had a scout overnighter so all the planets aligned :) 9 girls came - Kenzi, Ryleigh, Morgan, Lindsay L, Lindsay D, Anna, Annie, Sarah and Xandri......Kiran and I were up for the challenge :) All the girls mete at our house and we took them over to the Indigo Sky pool where we ate pizza and swam for an hour or so..then we came back to the house and frosted cupcakes and played some fun get to know you games (as if they didn't know each other!!) We heard about Justin Beiber, what their favorite subjects were, what their avorite colors were and other juicy tidbits...and then they settled in to watch "The Spy Next Door" Kiran and I took that time to go outside and hang out on our trampoline and talk :) I think they had a great time - there was a lot of giggling and posing and shouting...their parents stopped off and picked up the girls around 9:30ish - I think the part was a success :)










Hostess Ashlen

Hostess Savannah

Savannah, Morgan, Ashlen, Kenzi ad Annie

a funk

So I've been in a funk...i've had pity parties and have actually had a hard year so far ( which is in part to my crappy attitude)...2010 is not really what I wanted it to be. Stevan is always so positive...I really need him around more because he is able to pull me out of it, but its been hard because he has been working a lot (which is a good thing) and I miss him tons when he isn't around. I am grateful for so many things....I know that I am blessed and have been quick to forget......I know there are many who are in need..... and so I have decided to try to be more focused on things that matter...my family and friends, and not focus on things that I cannot change. I recently was called to be a teacher in Relief Society - yeah can you picture that - me a teacher - so I taught my first lesson and I think it went ok...and I am pretty sure I have this calling to help me focus more on what I lack - those things that I can improve upon......so this is my resolution...to be happy with what I have, to love those around me more than I do, to be more positive, to take time to do those things I KNOW I should be doing, to NOT let the little things bother me, and to be MORE charitable and giving to those around me....... I can do this - I am capable of these things and more...I have half the year gone but half to make better than the first half :)

getting back to business

so its been forever since I have blogged...and my brother who apparently reads my blog all the way in France reminded me last week that he keeps checking and there is nothing new.

I keep thinking that I need to get back to it...but it seems so overwhelming cause there are things that have happened and had I been in the right mind I would have blogged about..and I have photos..and so on and so on..but trying to catch up would be too overewhelming so I figured I'd just start from today..there you have it...I am starting fresh....I did decide to note some of the worthwhile mentions though and then that will be that...I have pics posted on facebook for those who care to look :)

So here we go.....Rachael and Jens had my cutie newphew Dylan, Mason graduated 8th grade, I turned 37 (yikes), the kids got out for SUMMER, Lisette and Devin had my other cutie nephew Zander Reed Merrill 4 weeks early, Stevan and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary and our 9th year beng sealed together, we took a 24 hour trip to CA for PaPa' 90th birthday party, Mason went to Leadership training camp, we went to CA for a week and hung out with the Farrers and had a blast, went to Heather and Jethro's wedding and it was a blast, Mason went to Scout Camp, we've been hanging at the library with the Arbon's and Whittakers, been to the AJ pool which is WAY better than the waterpark and saves us $$$$, Mason went to Football camp in Snowflake, the kids went to Book of Mormon camp and loved every minute of it (thanks to Brother Johnson for teaching Tristen how to make boxes....we have a million of them around our house) we've been school shopping and enjoyed hanging at our pool......whew