I Love the Gospel of Jesus Christ

There are some things in life that remain constant and unchanging for me...

1) The love that I have for my precious eternal family, and my Savior Jesus Christ ~

2) My testimony and the love that I have for the Gospel of Jesus Christ ~

3) My unfailing devotion to both of these!

Life is full and both rewarding and yet challenging at times too.

But the consistency and devotion to these important things in my life, always keep me focused on what matters most, and where I want to be going...

I have forever loved the simple and pure examples that have been set for me by 

our prophet, apostles, and other church leaders.

 I love listening to their rock solid testimonies every general conference. Then, I look forward with great anticipation to reading and re-reading their talks in the following months.

 My soul hungers and is fed as I continue to listen, study, and implement their teachings into my life.

As their loving words are impressed upon my heart and mind, so are their sweet voices, personalities, and testimonies as well.

Since the last general conference, 3 of our beloved apostles have completed their mortal journey, and have passed through the veil into heaven. I can only imagine the great reunion of loved ones that occurred on the other side.

While these beloved apostles will be greatly missed here, their legacies will live on...along with their words of wisdom that will echo through time.

Elder Boyd K. Packer

One of my favorite quotes that he gave :)...

Elder L. Tom Perry

I personally met this gentle giant up in Cache Valley one summer morning at a hotel that we had both been staying at. Our families woke early for breakfast and headed down to the little restaurant where breakfast was being served when we recognized him immediately. Dressed in his khakis and a plaid collared shirt, he was in an intimate family atmosphere, but his countenance shown as bright as ever. I truly see the spirit reflected in the faces of these good men that serve the Lord with all their heart.

As we said hello and passed each other I felt so happy to have been by him. What a neat man...

One of my favorite quotes that he gave :)...

                                                          Elder Richard G. Scott

                                             One of my favorite quotes that he gave :)...

I love general conference and am looking forward to remembering these great men 

and the legacies that they have left...and am looking forward to supporting and sustaining the men 

that will be called to serve after them. What an honor and a privilege!

Each time conference rolls around, I try to find meaningful and memorable ways to celebrate conference...Last conference was actually held over Easter weekend and so our little family did something that we had never done before.

Each one of us would listen to the talks given, and each time we would hear a quote or a phrase that stood out to us, or meant something to us, we would write it down on a tiny little piece of paper...a tiny little notepad.

Then, on Saturday night we collected all of our individual notes and folded them and put them inside of plastic Easter eggs along with a piece of string to hang it with, and we included a note explaining what this was all about!

Then, early Easter Sunday morning we sneaked over to a neighbor's house and hung the eggs on their tree and gave them a "Testimony Tree!"

We chose a neighbor who we knew would love and appreciate the tender messages inside of each egg...then, we crept back home to listen to the last 2 sessions of that general conference.

They will never know WHO planted their "Testimony Tree"...

AND they will never know how much our own testimonies grew as we planted it for them!!!

                                     

The "Testimony Tree"

Can't wait for the next general conference! :)

Carew Joins Riverton High School's Cross Country Team!!! Yippee!!!

When Carew came home from school and told me that he was going to join the cross country team I almost fainted! ;) I thought to myself, "I wonder what her name is? You know, the cute girl that is on the team that he wants to get to know...:)"

I teased him about it and he laughed at me. Actually it was his friends that told him he should do it with them and how much fun they would have...so he joined! And his friends were right. 

It had been so good for him, and they have had such a good time together, surrounded by some amazing, self-motivated, leader type of kids.

I love it!

The team started the season off right at the beginning of the last school year by practicing every morning all summer long at 7:00 am! Do you have any idea how hard it is for a 16 year old boy to wake up at 6:30 in the morning 6 days a week for their entire summer????

Needless to say, Carew slept in a few mornings, but overall has become a champ!

The team had a 3 day Cross Country camp in August where they went camping up the Little Cottonwood Canyon. they went running all over those mountains! I kept telling Carew how jealous I was! I would have loved to do something like that!

On the last day of their camp they invited parents to come and watch and support the kids in a team relay event. Carew's team ended up taking 1st place! It made him feel so happy!!!

And, although this picture doesn't do it justice, here is what one of Carew's very first meets looked like! A bazillion boys lined up on the football field waiting for a shotgun start where they would all funnel down the field and out a fence to the race course. It was crazy how many kids were there!

Clint and I took a walk around to the other side of the course where we stopped and watched all the runners as they came barreling through  these hurdles of hay bales! Some boys flew through tripping and smashing to the ground into the hay, while others, like Carew never missed a step!

Way to go Carew! :)

High knees!  High knees! You're awesome Buddy! :)

Here is a picture of Carew after he came through the finish line...feeling awesome and accomplished!

I'm not even sure what place he took, but at this point with thousands of other racers, you learn to be happy with your own personal goals. I think Carew finished the course in a sub 13 time which was what he wanted! Great job Carew!

I could not be more pleased and proud with Carew's decision to join the cross country team! He is setting goals, achieving them, learning healthy life style habits, becoming much more self motivated, and hanging around with one of the best group of kids in the entire school. He's becoming more and more strong, happy, making sooo many friends, and all while learning to do something that his mom absolutely loves!!! Maybe now when I ask him if he wants to go on a run with me he might actually want to go! AND he will probably even beat me!

Awesome!!!

I love you Carew!!!

Our Dancer Moves On...

Here are just a few action shots from Kierra's Dance Company Concert...

She's beautiful and amazing...a talented dancer!

(Front and center in a Needle)

Above: Front and center

Below: 2nd from the right with long hair flowing

At the end of the year, all of the dancers got together for the final Awards Banquet where Kierra was honored with kind words and gifts that described her to a "T"...

She is a leader among her peers in so many ways, but most importantly, as a pure and virtuous young woman who always stands for what she believes in...

She was able to perform her 2nd pau de deux (solo partner dance) 

as a finale' to her dance with Canyon View Arts Center as well.

Kierra is a Senior in high school this year and has set some very lofty goals for herself...

One of which is to increase her ballet skills to try and go for a scholarship in Ballet. 

With this goal, she felt like she needed to push herself, and so since has decided to join the 

Ballet West Academy at Thanksgiving Point. 

She is growing exponentially in her dancing skills and loving every minute of it! 

Graceful!

Beautiful!

Take a Bow!

What I love about watching Kierra dance is that it really moves her...She feels the music and it fills her soul, and it shows in her grace, fluidity, and movement. It is absolutely stunning to watch.

And, not only is it beautiful, but inspiring and almost magical to see...

Here is a candid shot of Kierra, Kambriella and I delivering smiles and a Box of Fudge (not flowers) to our favorite Prima Ballerina! :)

With the closing of Kierra's high school dance career and the opening of her next step in the Dance world, she is working hard, being brave, and pushing herself to heights that she has never been to before. She no longer has practices before school, but she has practices 4 to 5 days a week, along with CNA clinicals, classes at the JATC,  and 6 concurrent enrollment classes,

She is a hard working, fun loving, go getter of a girl!

She is more than that though...

She is MY daughter, and one of my very best friends.

I love you Kierra!

No matter where you go or what you do, 

keep reaching for the stars and you will achieve your dreams!

A Land, Air, and Sea Animal Birthday Party!

Oh my!!!

 How quickly time flies!!!

Somehow life gets so busy, and the little things get "pushed aside"...(like keeping up on my blog!)

But to me, it's the "little things" that really matter! 

So, I am going to try to get back to recording some of my favorite things...

after all, it's all of these "little things" that make my life so incredibly enjoyable :) 

and, help me to see just how immensely blessed I am! :)

On June 2nd, Kambriella Noel turned 6 years old! 

She had every element of her birthday planned weeks before it was actually here, which made the planning part pretty easy for me! I simply had to follow her wishes, and I KNEW that I would have one happy little girl!

Kambriella wanted a "Land animal, Sea animal, and Air animal" Birthday party!

Yes, my friends, my children have unique, sophisticated, and complex birthday planning skills!  ;)

Thus we had pink cheetah cupcakes with each of those animals represented on top.

Great idea Kambriella! ;)

Kambriella also had picked out little "Wild Cat" accessories for her and her friends Emrey and Mya to sport during their birthday party activities! Don't they look like a true bunch of "Party Animals?" ;)

We all headed to the new Living PlanetAquarium for par tof our "Sea Animal" celebration...

The girls loved getting to actually touch the Starfish and Sting Rays...

And I think the underwater observatory was one of MY favorite parts to see! The girls sat in front of the huge window watching all of the sea life swim by... I could have sat there for hours...

They also had cute little penguins that were so fun to watch!

There was even an area that had different exotic birds...which made me soooo happy since I knew that would satisfy Kambriella's "Air animal" portion of her little birthday wishes! They even had this fun little rope bridge over there that they loved crossing time and time again! :)

After the friends went home we had our own little celebration with just our family.

Here is Kambriella with one of her classic favorites...Her Birthday card from Grandma Panter with her very own money tucked inside. :)

And then how could any little girl have an "Animal" themed birthday party

 and NOT get an animal of her very own???

            

Aunt Tiffany and Uncle Colby have a special place in their hearts for little Miss Kambriella. They knew how much she loves animals and got the OK from me to give her a pet fish for her birthday...

She was sooo happy and lit up the room!!!

And...just about melted everyone's heart in the mean time...:)

What a special little birthday girl! We love you Kambriella!!!