A Gift for baby Jesus

It's Christmas Eve and I was just getting ready to hop into bed, when I found myself drawn to pause and take in the peace and quiet of the moment. I was enjoying looking at all of the Christmas cards from friends, I peeked in on sleeping children, and thought of the importance of Christ in my life. I can honestly say that everyday that I live, every breath that I breathe, and every blessing that I am given comes from Him. Now as I think of what I am given, I ponder what I can give in return...
There is really nothing sufficient, but I do want to give my heart. I had a moment where my heart was touched once again by this little angel baby of mine. At our ward Christmas party, she headed to the corner of the gym where she spyed a little baby Jesus and was immediately in love. But what she did next brought a smile to my face and warmth to my heart... She went to the little table where she had made her own little wooden baby Jesus wrapped in a little square of fabric, and brought it over to the baby Jesus. First, she showed him what she had made, then, she very carefully lifted his arm and tucked the little wooden baby into his hand! She was giving what she had to baby Jesus! It was so sweet and an example to me to look for the Savior in my life and then to share the things that are important to me with Him. I can give my heart and I can give my all, just like little Kambriella ;)

Kambriella's "Friends"

This is a picture of one of my very favorite Christmas decorations! (It's actually 2 little play nativity sets...one plastic and one porcelain...that's why you can see there are 2 baby Jesus!)
I love this little piece because 1) Yes, it is VERY cute! and 2) I have loved over the years watching each of my little ones play with it and spend time with the real reason we have Christmas!
Every year when we would get out the decorations and start pulling everything out, each of the kids would ask where "their" baby Jesus was? Well, this year has been another delight as Kambriella is now taking a turn playing with baby Jesus! But the sweetest part of all, is now that she has spent time with it everyday, she packs them all around the house and lines them all up in a row and then very carefully squishes them ALL into the stable to see baby Jesus! Then, if she moves on to another toy for a while, she will come back to me and say, "Mom, where's my 2 baby Jesus and my friends?" Then I will remind her of where she played with them last and she will run off giggling to find them and say, "Oh, I forgot!" I love how she calls them her friends!!! It's too cute!!!

Her little face just says it all! She smiles so big while she plays with her "friends!" I think she seems to be having just as much or more fun than when one of her real friends comes over to play! These simple little joys of Christmas are what really help me to feel the spirit of Christmas, and I am so happy that I get to spend every day having a little one on one time with Kambriella and her "friends!" I'm such a lucky mom...;)and oh how I love Christmas!!!

Kambriella gave me a good giggle!

Today Kambriella and I had a little conversation that just made me giggle! It was one of those moments that made my heart happy, my mouth smile, and my heartstrings tug ~ so I just HAD to write it down!!!
~Here's how it went...

Kambriella was rummaging through my church bag looking for a mint.
I said,
"Kambriella, don't get in there please, there are no mints left because you and Gavin ate them all, remember?"
Then Kambriella said,
"I don't need a mint mom, I need a gum..."
Then I said,
"I don't have any gum either Kambriella..."
Then she said,
"You need to buy some more gum, mom..."
Then I said,
"But I don't have any money for gum Kambriella..."
Then she said,
"Then you need to buy some more MONEY mom!"

Do you see what I mean? It made my day~ that cute little stinker!

Thankful AND Grateful...

Thanksgiving Day this year was yet another day where my heart was filled with so many emotions. As I looked around and literally tried to count my blessings, I found it once again impossible to do because the number is infinite...the list goes on and on...
So now I find myself being reminded that my gratitude needs to continue to come forth everyday and I need to be grateful for every moment that I am given.






It took some time this year, but I made personalized cards for everyone that would be there, expressing what it was that I loved about them and why I was grateful for them. Although it took a bit longer, the outcome was worth every minute. With circumstances in my family being what they were with my brothers recent passing, the words were tender and meant so much. Especially because just earlier that week, my other brother Craig had an accident and scared us all. Thank goodness he is OK, and though he was in a lot of pain, he came straight from the hospital to my house and was able to join us for Thanksgiving dinner.

Early Thanksgiving morning when I had gotten back from my morning run, Craig was still at the hospital and had called being very emotional. The pain was too much and he was still uncertain if he would be able to get out of the hospital for Thanksgiving. I hung up the phone and walked straight to my car and made it to the hospital in about 12 minutes I think. Looking lovely in my running attire ~ he thanked me for coming so quickly~ I smiled and winked and said, "I ran all the way here!";) Those quiet moments at the hospital with him that morning were some of my favorites of Thanksgiving Day. Then with his strong will and determination, he made it to my house with the OK from the Dr. where we made him a comfy bed on the couch, and the kids fussed over keeping him comfortable and happy ~ playing checkers, filling up his cup with coke, and taking turns hugging him and making him laugh. Those were some of the best moments ~along with watching the kids laugh at our hideous hair do's from our home videos of when I was little! The day was simple, the food was delicious, but the spirit of love and of family was there in abundance as we were all thankful AND grateful to just be together.

A lump in my throat ;)

Just the thought of the holidays and especially Christmas can make me get all choked up inside! But one of the sweetest things to me is when my sweet husband does just the same thing, and then makes a joke about how he feels like he's "going to choke" or there's something stuck in his throat! Last week on the day after Thanksgiving, Clint and I snuck away for a couple of hours and went to a Christmas concert by the One Voice Children's Choir. We sat cuddled up next to each other and when it was over, we walked out together laughing and smiling about how much we felt like we were going to choke! Then last night as we were setting up our Christmas tree and listening to a very beautiful piano concert by Paul Cardall, Clint stopped what he was doing and took me by the hand and started dancing with me around the room and pointed to his neck because there was once again a big lump stuck in his throat! It was too cute!
Then , somehow the lump came back at the end of the night as we sat down together to read a Christmas story together with the kids. We have so many stories that we decided to read one again over breakfast this morning, and sure enough as we did, Clint advised me that it wasn't very wise to do that to him while he is eating because then FOR SURE he felt like he was going to choke!!! Oh my cute boy, I have such deep gratitude for you and all of the many times that you make me smile, shed a tear of joy, or even get caught choking from the big lump in my throat!!! :)

Special to me...

Heavenly Father is so good to me. Both in times of laughter and sorrow, there is always something good to be found from the hand of the Lord. Even though we will all miss my brother Kelly more than words can say, there is also a strength from love that can pull a family together, and miracles can happen~ these people in my life are so special to me...









My sweet parents have committed their lifetime to giving, serving, and loving each and every one of us kids! I have always admired their devotion to one another and it has been so precious for me to see the tenderness that they have for each other especially in times of need.










My beautiful "big" sisters ;)
Meloney~Andrea ~Felicia~Cynthia
I remember when I was a little girl, I would love to wake up early in the morning just to watch them get ready for school! It was so much fun for me to watch them curl their hair, put on their make-up, and wear their fancy clothes... It was such a treat for me to spend some time with all of us together again - laughing, crying, talking, and reminiscing... They will always be women that I look up to in my life...(even though I think I am taller than most of them now ;)









Then there is this really cute guy that always seems to find a way to make me feel the most special of all ;)...
He is the one that is the most special to me, and he really knows how to make me smile... (This was at the Red Rock Canyon just a few days before Kelly passed away.)









...and although it is hard to see at night, this is the Las Vegas Nevada Temple. Clint and I went here in the evening after spending the day out hiking. Whether close to home or far away, being able to attend the temple wherever we go is also something very special to me. I love to see beautiful things, and the temples are all very beautiful to me.








And how is this for a beautiful sight?! This was what I saw out on my morning run with the first official snowfall of the year! I really love and appreciate the beauty of nature, and the changing of the seasons is yet another thing that is special to me! I love it!

Goodbye for now brother...

On October 23rd my family and I were driving home from my brother-in-law Curt's mission homecoming. We were all laughing and having such a great time together when I received a devastating phone call that my brother Kelly had passed away. Shocked, upset, and in denial, I was frozen for the rest of the ride home wondering how my brother who had just turned 40 one week earlier could be gone? It was oh so sudden and much too soon and completely unexpected. You never expect that one day you will wake up and someone you love will be gone. But, after a funeral in Georgia, a memorial and burial here in Utah, spending precious time with family, and trying to accept his death, I have an even greater resolve to live everyday with an outpouring of love and with NO regrets.
Suffice it to say that family needs love. Family needs acceptance and forgiveness. Family needs commitment and unconditional love. We need each other through the good and bad, thick and thin, happy and sad, until the end. I love my family. I love my brother Kelly. He was a great person with a big smile and an even bigger heart. I will miss you Kelly, thanks for your laughs, your love, and your memories. I will cherish them always.

Words cannot express what I am feeling in my heart.
I have a vision of your laugh and then it mends a broken part.
I remember things you said; I remember your sweet smile,
Then the tears begin to flow ~ but only for a little while.

It’s just because I miss you, I can’t call you on the phone,
I can’t just drop by later thinking maybe you’ll be home.
It hurts to know you’re gone and that you won’t be coming back
My thoughts just seem to drift, I am distracted and off track.

You were a joy to everyone, a friend and someone who was real,
Knowing just when you should stand up tall, and when to bend and kneel.
There was happiness and laughter mixed with tears that fell like rain,
Moments when you were so proud and when you couldn't bear the pain.

I wish you could come back and hug me for a little while
Because if you were here with us this would no longer be a trial.
We could all just laugh together at the jokes that you would say
And we could go down to the park and watch the little kiddies play.

We would comment on the weather, reminisce and see the view,
We could go take in a movie, or hike up a mountain too.
We could go out running together, or eat big bowls of ice-cream!
Or we could sit and share our thoughts of things you dreamt of in your dream.

I know this all sounds selfish because I miss you oh so much!
But I know that healing time will soon extend a gentle touch.
I know I must be strong, have faith and soon will come a day,
When we all will be united and together we can stay.

But until then my dear brother I send my loving thoughts to you,
Through a laugh, a tear, or smile ~a message genuine and true.
I will not forget your spirit; I will not forget your heart,
You were a hero as my brother; I loved you from the very start.

Now will you do me one last favor from the heavens where you roam?
Would you simply be an instrument to guide us all back home?
We are on the path together; the directions are precise,
But at times we need reminded of the Savior’s sacrifice.

We need to be reminded how to give so selflessly,
And to reach out to each other and discern with clarity,
Of how we all should live and just where we want to be
Gathered in the mansions where we will glimpse eternity.

So Dear Kelly, big brother, I hope you somehow will know
That I’m doing my best to both hold on and let you go.
For as much as I miss you, I hold you closer than ever
With the hope for our family to be together forever.


By Susette Trickett
November3, 2011

A BIG Princess Bubble Bath!

This past Saturday afternoon, I was busy helping Kierra get ready for her Ballet Company pictures. You know, washing, ironing, curling her hair... and little miss Kambriella was in need of a little attention as well, so I thought it was a great idea to give her a "princess" bubble bath! That way she could be in the bathroom with us and still have some fun of her own. I pulled out her strawberries and cream bubbles and proceeded to DUMP the bubbles into the bathtub! I knew that she would really like A LOT of bubbles, but when I turned my head and saw just how many we had made, we all started laughing!!!
If you notice the open window by the tub, Kambriella is becoming a product of her mother! Not only does she enjoy the warm bath, but she loves to watch the birds fly by and listen to them sing their song while she soaks!














How's this for being "perfectly pampered like a princess!" Bubbles galore!!!













I love you to pieces Kambriella!!!

Fall is in the Air!

Fall is in the air!!! I get so excited for autumn time!!! There are so many wonderful things that come along and bring with them a sense of excitement and anticipation. Beautiful scenery, changing of the colors, conference time, cooler air for the morning run! ~ Fun music, activities, pumpkin EVERYTHING!!! Pumpkin spice hot chocolate, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pancakes... harvest time, mine and Clint's birthdays, and Halloween! ~Then bring on Thanksgiving and all the holiday fun! I just LOVE it!!! So, as we jump into the fall, let's bring on the FUN!!!
~Fall decorations!

~The kiddies at the corn field...

~Picking pumpkins from the pumpkin patch!

~Looks like a good one! ;)

~Hmmm... decisions, decisions, decisions!!!

~This was my first year learning how to can the peaches from our peach tree! (Thanks to my sweet mother-in-law;) After a color and a haircut, we spent a few hours in the kitchen getting going~showing me the ropes~blanching, peeling, cutting, mashing (for the yummy jam we made), filling, boiling, sealing...

~It was an all day and all night project! Here is my sweet husband going strong! I think it was about 3 a.m. when we finally got to bed that night! Ooo and he is my BEST helper! ;)

~After we were all done, we had a couple of dozen jars of peaches, and about 18 jars of peach jam. What a good feeling to have learned and accomplished something so useful and what a pretty sight!

Decorations, pumpkin patches, and jars of peaches and jam... This is the beginning of another beautiful fall season! ~And it's always the season for having fun, learning something new, and being with those that you love! Happy Fall!!!

Our Conference Drive...

One of my favorite things to look forward to in the fall is the changing of the beautiful colors, going for a drive in the mountains to see them, and listening to inspiring and encouraging messages during general conference. This year, we watched all of the sessions at home, and then packed a picnic lunch and went for a long drive during the last session. It was like candy to my senses... beautiful scenery, riding next to my very best friend, and feeling an abundance of the spirit of it all. ~A love of being together~ and learning together what we can do to become better people, become closer as a family, and how to live more fully the gospel of Jesus Christ. I LOVE conference!!! After the sessions were all over, we had a fun time exploring through the canyon and stopping in pretty places to capture a few of the scenes on film...
Here is Clint surrounded by the kids ;)












...and the Mom surrounded by the kids ;)










Then of course Clint had to go and be funny and make us all laugh by clinging to this cozy tree trunk. What are you , a tree hugger? ;)

But then it looked like so much fun that we all wanted to try being tree huggers ;)

...and little Kambriella too ;)

This picture made me smile, but if you're wondering where Dallin is, he had decided that sitting and smiling wasn't near as exciting as...

...exploring on his own! (That cute little stinker;)

Three handsome brothers...

Here's the whole gang up at Nebo Loop.

And you know the saying, "till the cows come home?" Well, that's what we saw on our way out of the canyon! All kinds of cows just wandering around out in the wild! Kambriella even yelled out the window to the brown one, "Hey cow! I like your hair!" It gave us a good giggle for the ride home.

Conference weekend all in all was so enjoyable! Great times, great lessons, and great memories together. Now, bring on the fall! Anyone for some pumpkin spice hot chocolate?

A Day of Miracles...

I firmly believe that we live in a day of miracles. When I just look at the world around me, I can see them both great and small. For example, the other day I took the kids over to the park after they got home from school, and it didn't take long at all for all of us to start running barefoot through the grass, rolling down the hill, and spying all of the trees ~ flowers ~ and yes, even the dandelion weeds that Kambriella so instinctively started picking and blowing to make wishes on! As we sat there, I had the thought of the miracle and beauty of life and my precious children. Particularly this little princess who was born with such complicated heart problems, and now is completely healed and living life to the fullest. You would never know if you passed us in the grocery store what we have been through. Nor do we know what anyone around us may be going through as well. I have people in my life that celebrate the good and the bad daily, and it makes me realize that we all have the need for each other, the need for hope, the need for more unconditional love, and the need to have a close and loving relationship with our Heavenly Father through prayer. Miracles happen all around us every single day, but it is usually through the hand of another that we witness these things both great and small. ~Lives are touched, burdens are lifted, tragedies are overcome, and broken hearts are mended. ~Babies are born, news travels the world instantly, illnesses are battled, and our paths cross daily with all those lives that are being affected. Whether we know it or not, we may be the answer to someones prayer. We may help a miracle to come. Maybe it will only come as a thought at first, but if we listen to the spirit carefully, each one of us can bring about so much good. I am so grateful to be able to see the goodness all around me, and for humble and sincere prayer that can strengthen us when we are weak, inspire us to serve and be someones answer to a prayer, or even to recognize true miracles in our own lives everyday. Whether it's a young girl confined to a wheelchair, a sweet smile you pass in the grocery store, or a little princess making dandelion wishes...look around you and see the miracles.

Take me out to the REAL game!

What a beautiful September sky and the perfect night for some REAL fun! This was what we arrived to on the night of our first Real soccer game. After a yummy dinner at Joe's Crab Shack where we met Kevin and Laura, we began the fun with a literal jaunt over to the stadium, (where they have NO parking) following Kevin's leaps and bounds in his "moon shoes." I wish I had a picture of them! They were awesome! - So tall and bright and that's how I could follow him in the crowd! (Well, that and the extreme darting and weaving in and out of the crowd:) (Oh, and be sure to scroll down to the music player at the bottom of my blog to hear the music of One Republic! They were in concert after the game was over!!!)

Well isn't this a good looking bunch to be sitting with? ...I'm a lucky girl;)

The Real games certainly have a FUN atmosphere! It's loud, people are dancing, clapping, and cheering all of the time - and it almost felt like I was at Hogwarts or something because everyone around me was wearing a red and gold scarf - they all looked like a bunch of Harry Potters! Then this giant REAL flag started working it's way around the stands! It was kind of like doing the wave except you get buried in a sea of RED!!!

Here is a look at the field...this is the Rio Tinto Stadium sponsored by the Kennecot Copper Mine here in Utah. (This is also right before the Real scored the winning goal of the game!) (Actually it was the ONLY goal of the game;)

...and here we are passing the flag! Swimming in a sea of RED!!!

...and here we are celebrating the winning and ONLY goal of the game! It was crazy loud and these people really get into it! (I guess when you wait that long for someone to score, you really have to hype it up!!!) There were people stomping, a band playing, music blasting, flags waving, confetti flying, and we were laughing!!! Havin' a good old time!!! (Haha Kevin!)

Leo the mascot made the rounds for pictures after the goal, but this was as close as he got to us...

...then we actually got to rush the field (even though they said NOT to run) we were kind of carried in another sea of people as we went down onto the field to hear One Republic in concert after the game. We were almost in the very front! I tried jumping up in the air where I stood to see how far back I could see people, and they were all the way to the back of the field! Oh, and the guy sitting in the middle of the stage was my favorite. He was playing the cello and I think he did an amazing job! (And oh how I wish I had a picture of the short little Japanese lady that was standing right next to us! She was so cute and giggly when Kevin would pretend to use her head as an arm rest!!! Except for the time when he ACTUALLY DID rest his arm on her head! It was hilarious!)

And here is one last shot of the 4 of us all together after the fun was coming to an end. We had a great time! ...and it's so nice to actually love the family that you are stuck with for the rest of eternity!!! We love you guys and thanks for the fun and the memories!!!