Nearer my God to Thee.......

I made a goal earlier this year to go to the temple on a more frequent basis. I love attending the temple and enjoy the times I get to go with Stevan, but have struggled with depression more lately and in lieu of getting back on medication, decided that I would see if my attending the temple would help me. I started going at lest every other week when school started and have been so happy when there have been weeks I have gone twice because the opportunity presented itself. While I still struggle with depression, the boughts are becomming less frequent and my ability to pull out of a spell is easier. Never have I felt so much closer to my Heavenly Father than I have these past few months..I enjoy my trips and cannot wait for Clayton to go to school so that I can increase my attendance to weekly. I am lucky enough to have an amazing sister and friend in my ward who goes with me. I notice that my sensitivity to spiritual matters is heightened and I enjoy the little things more. I am grateful for my husband who made this suggestion - I am glad for his insight and his counsel which has indeed been a blessing for me. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who loves me and has answered my prayers. I think even my kids enjoy me more....I feel different, a good differnt and feel better more often than not. I am sooo sad that the temple is now closed for cleaning...I have already felt a void....how am I possibly going to make it 3 weeks until it re-opens....I am keeping busy, looking forward to conference and before I know it this too will pass - I will be back on schedule in no time.

San Tan Mountain Hike

We went hiking the other day with the Arbons. San Tan Mountains is only about 10 minutes from here and I thought it would be a good thing to get out.  Well we did okay...there was complaining and whining and the moviestar was irritated cause her shoes were rubbing on the back of her heal.  Clayton was tired and it was too far.....and on and on and on.  So we hiked in about 30 minutes on the trail, then hiked out.  I promised the kids a treat at QT so we stopped for that on our way home....then the supermodel piped up "Can we do this tomorrow? I really enjoyed the hike!"  What?!?!?! I think not my friends :)

Soccer Season

It is that time of the year again..Soccer has started and we are happy to say that we have 2 players this year.  Clayton and Tristen are both involved, although I didn't think too much about the fact that I'd be running between 2 fields the whole time trying to watch both games.  Sadly Stevan has yet to see Clayton play cause he's busy coaching Tristen's team - the Bruins!!! Claytonis on Sister Yosts Rams team and he is a real go-getter.  Not to brag or anything...but he scored 2 goals his first game :) Tristen scored 1 at her first game too.  Clayton is a little too confident - apparently after scoring he was pretend shooting at the other team chanting "You guys are losers" - whose kid is this anyways!!!???? And Tristen wasn't sure they even won their last game cause the other team scored...not something they are used too...Stevan put her straight though...they did win :) Clayton was upset at the last game though cause he didn't get to score...so he told one of the kids on the other team his shirt looked stupid and then wouldn't shake hands or cheer at the end of the game.  He had a little chat with Stevan about good sportmanship I think he will do a lot better this week or he will be in trouble :)

So what is the summer without a couple trips to the river.  My kids were disappointed that we ONLY got to go twice this summer...not at all like last year when we went on average every other weekend.....really - if only some kids could be this lucky.  They had a great time hanging with everyone - riding on the boat and jet skiis, trying out the new tube Robbie bought, jumping off the rocks (Ashlen jumped and it was high!!) driving the golf carts, exploring, breakfast at Badenochs....yada yada yada........we LOVE the Farrers and LOVE spending time with them - they are, as Nacho Libre says, "Da Beeessssstttt" we only watched it 4 or 5 times this trip:)

Finally some rain!

In Arizona we have Monsoons. There is nothing better than seeing clouds roll in, hearing the thunder and seeing lightning. It is super hot and then it cools right down! A wonderful thing :) Anyways we've been teased something terrible out here in the good ole San Tan Valley...we see clouds just wanting to drop moisture pass over us, and then drop everything in Mesa :( So we were super excited when the heavens opened and dropped on us for 6 hours straight!! The roads flooded, the catch basins were full, the kids were out running around catching frogs - it was great :) We are so sad monsoon season is over....we didn't get much this year....