Splash Mountain

I have either scarred my children for life or have made them very brave. According to Andrew I have scarred him for life. If you ask him if he wants to ride on Splash mountain he says no scare me.... so cute his face his priceless hope you can see it well enough!

Pics from DISNEYLAND!!!

The all loved TINK... Especially Andrew!

Jaciellie wanted to try Goofy's fingers too!

Jaciellie was one happy girl! she did so good with 

the drive and at the park it made for a nice time
Andrew with lightning McQueen
California Adventure....
Princesses are always great!
Jaceiellie's first encounter with the princesses
Avrie Excited as can be and we were only waiting for the carousel.
Here come trouble.... The gang getting off the 

train heading to PIRATES
Kelsie waiting patiently by pirates

 Here are just a couple of the pics from Disneyland.... I really only mean a few since I realized I took over 500 pics. Thank goodness for digital cameras! SOrry they are kind of random!

What my baby found!

While in Disneyland my baby discovered her cute little toes. Not only were her hands great to suck on but apparently so are her FEET! (Wish I was that flexible)

Birthday Surprise!

I know this is a few days late but it's all because of the great surprise! Well it wasn't a surprise to the birthday boy but it was to the kids so it was great. This year you get into Disneyland free on your birthday and since Randy is in heaven when he is there I thought what better place to let him celebrate!

 On tuesday morning we loaded up the kids told them we were taking dad to work and then we headed to Disneyland! The kids didn't even notice when we got on the freeway. When we got to the port of entry Avrie says hey isn't this the way to Disneyland. I guess they don't travel that road often. We just told them we were going to go see uncle Kaleb.  When we got off the freeway in California we told them to tell us if they saw anything familiar. We drove past Disneyland and they say hey that looks like Disneyland. We said it did because it was Disneyland. They started screaming and were so excited it was great. We didn't lie either beacuse we really did meet uncle Kaleb there. It was great their kids didn't know either. The kids had fun with their cousins but wish we had more time with them.  We checked into the hotel and went and ate our first night tradition dinner at Buca Di Beppo. It was YUM. Then we headed to the park for the evening. It was a little cool but we survived. On Wed. we headed back to the park for Randy to Celebrate his 35th Birthday! Well we celebrated his birthday all week at the park and didn't come home until Saturday. We all had a good time and I hope the kids enjoyed the surprise. 

So to my dear hubby..... happy birthday I hope you had a good one! I love you so much and I am so thankful for the wonderful husband and father that you are. Thanks for being you and for putting up with me.  I appreciate all your hard work at home and your desire to do your best at work. I am so thankful for you and for your willingness to serve the Lord in the gospel. I love you and I hope you have a wonderful year! Don't worry more trips to Disneyland will come!

In MeMoRy....

Today is Memorial day and it is also David's birthday. He would have been 33 today. I wish he was here with us but he is doing a great work on the other side of the veil. I wasn't able to visit his grave today  but I did go to the cemetery 2 weeks ago and it was so weird seeing his name on a marker and seeing the freshly laid dirt and sod. I sometimes just can't believe he is really gone. I went over to their house a few weeks ago and it seemed so different not having him there even though it still felt like he was there. It was hard not seeing him there with his cheesy grin.  I keep wishing I would have learned to be a little more forgiving and understanding, that I would have been a better sister. I am hoping that he didn't die just so I could learn these lessons. 

Also for Memorial day I would just like to say thank you to all the men and women who defend our freedom and who have made it possible for us to live in this free country. A couple of years ago me and Randy were able to visit Washington DC over the 4th of July and celebrating our freedom and never been the same for me. After visiting Fort McHenry singing the National Anthem bring tears to my eyes every time. I feel so blessed to live in this country despite the leadership and the hard times everyone seems to be facing I am really proud to be an American so thanks to all the defenders of Freedom!

speaking of Brotherly Love....

I had the best dream last night.... I got a HUGE hug from Clay. I have been wanting a Clay hug for so long. I sure miss that boy and he gives the best hugs so tight and he is just the right height I love it! I sure miss you Bro. 14 months down 10 more to go and you'll be home and I'll get that hug!

Brothery Love

Jaciellie just likes his fingers as much as her own!

Andrew just loves his little sister. Every morning he goes in search of her to make sure she is ok. Dood Morning Jac he says Awww so petty he says. When she cries he says calm down it's ok. He sure think she is toot. Of coarse so do I. He is just one sweet brother who likes to have his turn holding her too!

KeLsIe'S PiAnO ReCiTaL

thanks Brook for being such a great teacher!

Kelsie had her first piano recital this week and she did awesome! She is always able to pick up on things so quickly. I think she was  a little nervous because after about the first 3 notes she quit lookiing at the book and tried playing from memory. She did great! After the recital we headed to blue bunny for a yummy treat! ( I know that was twice in aweek but what can I say we love Ice Cream!) Good Job Kelsie!

I would say my great week but.....

It has been a crazy week with not much sleep but it ended  better than it started.

Monday Jaciellie had her 4 month check up. She is growing but has slowed down a bit. She is 14 Lbs (53%) 24.8 inches long(61%) and her head is 15.9 cm(28%) She always gets her head measured twice. Once by the nurse and then by the Dr because it seems wrong. Either way her head is small but seems ok for now. Dr said time to start feeding her cereal twice a day. Since she was my biggest baby when she was born I am surprised that she is my smallest one now. She also got her shots so she was a little fussy that day. It was a crazy day trying to get house things done so I was ready to go out of town. Tuesday I went on Avrie's field trip in the morning and then came home around noon to get ready to go to Salt Lake with Randy. He had meetings and I wanted to tag a long. Thanks to mom for coming and staying with the kids so I could go! I thought it would be great to have a break and sleep all day while he was in meetings. That didn't turn out so well.  Jaciellie did really well on the trip up but didn't sleep very well Tuesday night. Wed we hung out in the room and she had a nice nap and I was able to doze off for about 20 minutes. Randy got done around 1:30 so we headed to the mall that was fun. We actually went to 2 malls because the first one didn't have much of a selection. Then we enjoyed the Cheesecake factory YUM. Happy late mothers day to me. Then we went back to the room to chill. Jaciellie didn't have a great night Wed. night either It was worse than the night before I think I got about 1 1/2 hours of sleep if that. We got up early Thursday so Randy could drop me off at a friends house and he could get to his meeting at Thanksgiving Point.  I had a great day hangin out with Missy. I can't believe we have been friends for so long... since we were 4 actually. It's great to be able to still keep in touch with eachother and I was really glad she let me come hang out for the day. She also showed me some cool stuff about my camera. She is a great photographer and I appreciated the help. Check out her blog on my sidebar! Randy picked me up around 2 and we headed for home. Traffic was aweful and slow but Jaciellie did well for the most part. We stopped in Meadow on the way home. Really weird to see David's grave for the first time since the funeral. Really hard! made seeing dad's grave hard too! Friday was busy with me going to the Dr for the 4th time in 2 weeks but was glad to hear the tests came back with good news. NO cancer just some allergice reaction that goes even deeper than they were able to biopsy. Don't know what I am allergic to but hopefully we can figure it out. Skin tests didn't show anything so who knows! So after the crazy week and not much sleep I am glad to report I got a nap today and it felt great! The kids were really good this morning getting chores done so we took them to go minature golfing. It was so great and I can't believe I forgot my camera it was so funny watching them try to hit the ball. Andrews putter kept getting caught in his shirt and he would get so frusterated he would just pick up the ball and move it close to the hole then hit it in. The best was when Kelsie got her ball in the hole and she freaked out because she couldn't get it out. She didn't realize it was farther down the green. TOo funny. Then we headed to Blue Bunny for some ice Cream YUM. We shared a huge Sundae it was great. Then we went to Judds for some breaksticks so delicious.  Crazy week but a great saturday to end it with!

Town Square

Holy Cow another FIELD TRIP! that would make 3 this year and all at the end of the year. Would have been mice to have them spaced out a little. I was really surprised that they went on so many.  Good times though. Grandma Allred came and went with Avrie this time. I went for most of it too. They went to the library and had a little story time, the bank and got little banks for their own savings, Judds store and got to buy candy, ate lunch out on the lawn and then played in the water.  They had a good time and Avrie was so glad Grandma Allred could come with her! Sorry no pics of Judds, lunch or the water things were a little crazy with the kids and I skipped out early!

School Programs

Avrie was the little donkey heee haaawww


Last week the girls had their class programs where they sing the songs that they learned this year. I was going to go out of town with Randy and realized that I would miss their programs if I did. I also really wanted a break so I made it to their practices and video taped and took pics there so I didn't feel so bad for missing the real thing. Kelsie and Avrie both did a wonderful job learning their songs this year and have done so well with the spanish. I am really proud of them and I can't believe that school is almost done for the year and now I have a 3rd grader and a 2nd grader. Randy is even more shocked that he has a 3rd grader since that is the age he taught and now his first year students will be seniors! so crazy how fast the time goes especially since Kelsie was born his first year teaching!

A little bugger

I finally get Kelsie to stop playing with the boys at school now Avrie is playing with the bugs. I would wonder where I got the tom boys from but they are just like their mom, only I had an excuse I was raised with boys! It all started last week when Avrie is getting ready to leave for school and tells me the lady bug she stuck in her backpack the day before must have died because it wasn't there anymore. I didn't really think anything more about it until that afternoon while I was sitting on the couch feeding jaci and I flick something off her I look down and there is the lady bug. That causes me to wonder what else she was bringing home in her backpack. that day after school I was looking for her and calling her name. She was hiding in her room... I thought she was hiding candy in her baby crib (like she always does, you ought to see her stash). I walk in and find her and she is huddled over the crib and finally I go pry her hands off the crib to see that she is hiding a little water bottle full of grass and leaves and BUGS! She cried and cried when I took them and told her she needed to let them go outside. I had to take a pic first cause I thought it was kind of funny. They she cried when she realized they were all dead. Guess she didn't think they needed any air in the hundred degree weather. She is obbessed with lady bugs and rollie pollies. she thought she really scored at grandmas house when she gave her a real bug box and she caught a beetle!

Another trip to the firestation

This fieldtrip was for Avrie. It was great! the best part was after it was all over and seeing Kelsie's face when she was told that Avrie got to spray the water from the truck! I know that sounds mean but all morning Kelsie had been bragging to Avrie that her trip wasn't going to be god because she wasn't going to get to see or go inside the fire safety house that she got to see. Anyway the moment was priceless and yes she was jealous! Good for Avrie serves Kelsie right for being a naughty teaser! Andrew loved it too and even butted in line TWICE to spray the water! By the way those are some really shiny trucks they take good care of them glad I'm not the one wiping them down!

Steadfast and Immovable

 I guess this makes for a good Sunday post. I have been wanting to write this down and have put it off until now. I kind of call it my Epiphany and since this serves as a journal I will write it here. A couple of weeks ago as I was getting the girls ready for church a song came on the radio. I was curling Avrie's hair and looking at her in the mirror just thinking how beautiful she is..... then I listen closely to the words of the song playing and all these thoughts and emotions come to the surface..... Fear..Am I teaching her all she needs to know to be ready to face the world and the challenges of Satan. Joy.... that she was chosen to be here at this time of the world and the opportunities it will provide for her... Sadness because of the trials and temptations she will have to face. Love.... that our Savior has provided a way... She can be taught the truths of the gospel. She can know of our fathers plan. She can be happy and strong and able to withstand all the temptations and all of the sorrow that may and undoubtedly will come into her life. She will be a valiant Daughter of God Steadfast and immovable in Christ.  She was sent here to do great things! As a mother I hope for nothing greater than for each of my children to be strong and able to complete their mission here on earth with faith and an understanding of who they are and what they have been sent here to do.  I looked at Avrie and told her she was going to be tempted by satan but that Heavenly Father was going to help her and she would be strong and ready to welcome our Savior back to this earth. she gets so excited at the thought of Jesus coming back because that means Grandpa and David will come alive again.  I know no one knows when his coming will be, but isn't great to think that maybe it won't be too much longer! Looking at her in the mirror I felt like I was getting just a glimpse of the greatness that our Heavenly Father sees in her. If only I could remember her greatness everyday when she is being a normal 7 year old!  If I fail at teaching my children all they need to know I hope they at least know this one thing..... I do have a testimony of this gospel. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. Jesus Christ is our brother who came to this earth and atoned for our sins. He died for each of us and arose on the 3rd day so that we can one day live with him and our Heavenly Father. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. He did in fact see God the Father and Jesus Christ. He restored the only true church back to the earth in it's FULLNESS! The Book of Mormon is another testament of Christ It is true! I know that because the Preisthood keys have been restored to the earth and through the covenants we make within our temples we are able to be sealed together as families to live with each other throughout eternity. Over the last 6 weeks as our family celebrated together for a baptism, a baby blessing and also a funeral I have had great need to remember these truths. At the funeral everyone kept saying how strong I must be to be able to go through losing a brother after already losing my dad. After it was all over I started wondering how strong I really was. Randy told me to quit talking like I was even questioning it because I knew it was true. I do and I don't know how I could have gotten through the last few weeks if I didn't know it was real. Our Heavenly fathers plan for each of us is real!  I had a friend lose her father the same David died. She is not a member of the church. I know she believes he is in Heaven but without the knowledge we would see our loved ones again would be unbearable for me. I am just so thankful to know these truths.. they have been confirmed to me by the Holy Ghost. The following are the words to the song I was listening to that day. listen to it on ITUNES if you want. It may not have a powerful effect on everyone who listens to it but I am so thankful for the inspiration and thoughts that were able to fill my heart that Sunday morning.

Steadfast In You   
Jenny Phillips/Tyler Castleton

We believe and we understand
This great plan we are living
We will rise and we will stand
We can feel your love burning
Within us
And we will be

Steadfast in you
Steady and true
Abounding in the good works
That you sent us here to do
Like a million stars
Lighting up the night
We are your youth
Ever strong
Ever true
Ever steadfast in you

We will be true to you
Fighting with the sword of truth
We set our sights on eternity
‘Til that day when we meet you
In your glory
We will be

Steadfast in you
Steady and true
Abounding in the good works
That you sent us here to do
Like a million stars
Lighting up the night
We are your youth
Ever strong
Ever true
Ever steadfast in you

Like a mighty army 

Moves the church of God

Steadfast we are treading

Where the saints have trod

Steadfast in you

Steady and true

Abounding in the good works

That you sent us here to do

Like a million stars

Lighting up the night

We are your youth

Ever strong

Ever true

Ever steadfast in you

My BuTt HuRtS!!!

Lately when Andrew goes to the potty he runs out with his pants around his ankles flashing all to see.  He thinks he needs help pulling up his pants. This morning he goes to the bathroom but never seeks me out to help pull up his britches. About an hour later Randy gets home and Andrew starts complaining his Butt Hurts!! over and over he keeps saying this and Randy looks down at him and sees the problem....his underwear are hanging out the bottom of one of his pant legs no wonder his butt hurt that couldn't have been too comfy. no little boy should have to go comando! So after a little rearranging his butt was all better!

Holy Moly

my baby just rolled over and Randy witnessed it too!4 months and 1 day old.... must have been the rice cereal gave her some strong muscles! I'm not ready for this..... stay little stay little dang..just saying  it isn't going to make it happen.