Family Fotos

Nearly 18 years ago Monty & I took our Engagement Pictures at this very place.

We walked our 4 sons there to take our

3rd EVER Family Picture

in 10 years (& our last ones were not good.... not at all).

You can't even know how pleased I am that they turned out

considering we DID NOT have a photographer... just an awesome tripod. 

 

 

Man oh man, how I love this man.

It's been a wonderful 23 year adventure. 

 Haiden (13 years old)

 Chayse (10 years old)

 Brigham (9 years old)

 Slader (4 years old)

I am the luckiest woman EVER!!!!!



Fruits of My Labour

They may make me more than a lot crazy (A LOT of the time) but they are some seriously good looking boys.



Haiden Jay
(12 years old & likes to inform me that he's "nearly a teenager")
(PFFFFFTT.....I don't care)

 

 

 

 









Chayse Jarvas
(My 9 year old pent up volcano)





Brigham James
(My 8 year old ever thinker)

Slader Jess
(By far.....My ditziest blond busy-bodying 3 year old EVER)

Gosh I love this picture.

Not hard to see who's Boss.



You ARE Amazing!!!!!!

So this started out as a Facebook status & then I thought it would be better as a blog post...So here it is.
If Facebook has done anything for me over the years it is 2 things.

#1  Make me think I am a horrible mom, wife or woman when I read & cheer on the AMAZING accomplishments of sooooooo many of you fabulous moms, wives & women.

OR

#2  Make me think I'm an amazing mom, wife or woman when I read & STILL (hopefully) cheer on the things that you STILL fabulous moms, wives & women see as short-coming & virtual failures in your abilities to be EVERYTHING the world expects you to be.

If you are a dad, husband & man reading this please insert the masculine into those feminine titles.
YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!!!  Thank you for being in my life.

You Are Not Trusted.....

Nearly 12 1/2 years ago, someone said something to me that was said with such conviction, that I had no other choice but to believe that she actually meant what she was saying.  I didn't comply with what she said to me, but it was intensely hurtful & I honestly believe intended to be as such.  (It sometimes still strikes a sensitive chord if I think on it too long.)

It doesn't matter what was said, but it caused me to consciously stop doing something that most women are really bad for doing.....I worked really hard not to wonder what people meant when they would say things to or about me whether it was positive or negative . To stop "reading between the lines" so to speak.

For so long, it has been liberating not worrying that things mean more, less or different than the words that actually come out of people's mouths.  I haven't been bothered to think "Does someone REALLY think THIS or THAT?".......If something was said, that's what was meant.

I am mostly paranoid & fairly skeptical by nature so it has been a difficult balancing act, but worthwhile....& a great blessing.......until now........

I started feeling like I didn't & couldn't trust ANYONE....& I mean ANYONE....even the obvious people that in my heart I know, are NOT out to get me.  I felt as though there was some sort of conspiracy that everyone, (except me...of course) was in on, to lead me into some false sense of security.

I tend to receive an overwhelming amount of "compliments" about a wide assortment of things but that hasn't mattered, I've been hearing the exact opposite of what people are saying.

That's the short version of a long & mentally frustrating & exhausting story.  So Ta-Da...I blogged.

It's totally not funny & it's not easy right now.....but basically...... You are not trusted!!!  No offense.

Obituary....

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense.

Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. Nobody knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. 

He will be remembered as having cultivated valued lessons, such as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).

His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place - reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot - she spilled a bit in her lap, sued, and was awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility and his son, Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers - My Rights and Ima Whiner.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hacked from Paula......

"Errand of Angels" for this Devil

It's been quite a while since I blogged anything let alone something mildly controversial.... Soooooo....Yay for all 3 of you that read my ramblings......Here it is....kinda.
So back at the late middle of May I received a call from Bishop Jensen saying that he would like to come over & talk with me.  I knew right away that he was coming to extend a Calling for Church.  When I told Monty the Bishop wanted to come, he said that I might not like what might be coming.  (I never do.)
I'm not one of these "accept EVERY SINGLE Calling" kind of a girl.  It's not so much that things are soooooooo "out of my box" or that I think I'm better than certain Callings.  For example:  I HATED Young Womens...so when a Call to the be the Secretary in the Young Women's organization was extended to me, I quickly rejected it so as to NOT to pollute the great group of girls with my past misery.  And then when they recently wanted me to be Haiden's Primary teacher, I didn't think that was a very good idea.  Besides school, church is my spiritual recharge away from the boy(s).
Anyway, Bishop Jensen showed up, we chat a little bit & then he extends the Calling of Secretary of the Relief Society.
I excitedly accepted.  I am working with 3 amazing sisters.  The bishop told me I would be able to provide a lot of experience for this very young Relief Society Presidency.  The reality is that he was saying I'm old.  I'm the oldest member by 3 years.  I have been the Secretary before but I struggled with it.  I pray this time around will be better.
The 2 meetings that we have had I have struggled with balancing taking notes of the ACTUAL important things that are being discussed & my (rather) strong personal opinions about what is being discussed.
I told a friend today that I feel like "a fox in the hen house".
Good Lord....Bless me to just be quiet & subtle.  AMEN!!!!!

I was Right....OF COURSE!

So I went for my snuggles with our new littlest family bundle, baby Ryker, on Valentine's Day (when he was only 3 days old).....& I was right..of course....He was amazing!!! What a sweet little Valentine; complete with strawberry hair. He does not like to be nake-a-tated....quite the contrary, he sure does like to be cuddled up. He only weighed a few less ounces less than Slade when he was born, but he seems so tiny. Well done Jenna & Blake!...You made that & he's absolute perfection.