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....

School is in

I realize that this post is waaayyy late - but hey - I have been busy!!! School started and we were off with a bang. The kids were excited but then again not really....They are, as you can see from the photos, too cool for school. Mason is our incoming Freshman and has taken to high school like a fish to water. He is keeping a rigorous schedule of early morning seminary, school and then football practice after school...he is out the door at 5:45am and then has been getting home around 7pm. He has admitted that high school is pretty hard - duh?!? and that he has way more homework than he did in jnr high :) I told him he's gotta pull up his panties and be a big boy now :) Ashlen is in 5th grade and loving it. Her good friend Annie is in her class with her and she loves that..not to mention the fact that she has joined the drama club and is part of the school council :) She is really enjoying 5th grade :) Tristen is in 2nd grade and loves her teacher Mrs. Conte. She is a little bored with her class...but she is being tested for the gifted program - hopefully that will give her more to do so we don't have to hear her complain. She has also taken on a new love of reading - she finished her first "real chapter" book...as opposed to those fake ones she's been reading...and looks forward to jumping into way more exciting stuff...she is a master speller and I am proud to say she has beautiful penmanship - much like my own....yay - no more chicken scratch to read....no offense Mason :)

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 :)