Prepared For Conference!

 This weekend is one of our favorites of the year! General Conference!!!

Annnd... with general conference comes my personal reminder that it is officially time to update our 72

hour kits! I try to do it every 6 months with every conference, but honestly, I'm lucky to make it happen once a year! I take out all of the old clothes and add new ones that actually fit all of these growing children of mine...and then rotate all of the food and supplies that may have expired or gone bad.

 Kesslyn was my helper at emptying, de~cluttering, throwing away, organizing, and shopping for the new.

I make the most basic kits and then add new items to it every year. Last year I added pots and cooking gear, and this year I am going to try and add more personal hygiene items.

These food bags hold the basics for 3 days, and then I add a case of water bottles, and larger food items to a bin that I keep draw string backpacks in as well. That way, everything is all together in one place so that if we needed to throw it in the car to leave quickly we could. If we couldn't drive, we would fill up those back packs and go that route.

Hopefully I won't ever have to use these...but with the reality of everything that has been happening lately in the world, and with heed and warnings from our prophets and church leaders over time, I feel like it's just te right thing to do and I feel GOOD when I feel prepared.

 This year I also added a few extra kits for family members that haven't done this yet. I made one for my mom and an extra one for her to have for a friend if that need were to arise...and then I made 4 extras for my sister Tiffany's family. These are just the basics to get them started, but I know they will love and appreciate it very much!

As I listen to general conference this weekend I am seeking so much divine guidance and inspiration.

As important as it may be to be physically prepared, I feel like the most essential part of our preparation is spiritual. I want to be prepared for the day when the bridegroom comes with my lamp FULL of oil! I want to be prepared so I can be included in the celebration and bring my family with me...

I am so grateful for the blessing of modern day prophets and apostles that can speak peace to our minds and  for personal revelation and for the Holy Ghost that can guide our hearts to do those things necessary for our individual families in our individual circumstances.

Have a happy weekend and ENJOY CONFERENCE!!!

A Good Sport

 My kids participated in their school's annual "Roadrunner Ralley" yesterday and Kesslyn and I were there to cheer them on as they ran their little hearts out!
(We also learned that life is a LOT easier when you have family and friends cheering you on from the sidelines! They can motivate you to keep on going, to never give up, and never ever quit even when life gets HARD!!!:) (Paige Butler beside Kambriella cheering her on!!!)

Each year they do this to raise money for their school, and each year the kids try their hardest to do their best to try and get the most laps in their class...

Kambriella ran 14 laps this year which was just 1 lap away from her class record!!! Way to go Kambriella!!! (Here she is with her AWESOME teacher Mrs. Stokes who is also in  our stake.;) 

(And it was crazy hair day too!;)

 Gavin ran 22 laps and got the record for his grade winning the famous "Golden T~Shirt!"

He ran his little heart out too, along with a couple of his good friends that were neck and neck most of the time. But Gavin ended up lapping them and finishing first. He is such a good sport and cares so much about other people's feelings that I listened to Gavin telling Kambriella that morning about "his secret to winning" and that you can't just sprint and then walk, but you have to pace yourself and just gradually get faster as the end gets closer. :)

 Gavin has won a Golden T~Shirt every year that he has ran so it looks like he might be like his mama in the running department. ;)

Kesslyn had fun helping me cheer on the kids, listening to the music they had playing loudly, and even seeing friends there! :) Here she is with Greta, one of her great friends from our neighborhood. :)

(Greta's mom is April who teaches Kesslyn's little 2 year old playschool class;)

 Although the roadrunner ralley is FUN, it also taught us a lesson today about other people's feelings...

Gavin's friend Jaxon was having a hard time with the defeat of not getting the most laps (although he was close at 21!) And he was a little emotional at the end. I told Gavin, "Maybe we should do something nice for Jaxon so that he knows you care about him and that you want to be a good sport..."

Gavin called Jaxon up on the phone and asked him if he had eaten dinner yet and Jaxon said he hadn't. So, we drove right over and I took these 2 boys to Arby's for dinner where they each got a sandwich and a shake to celebrate both of their accomplishments because they BOTH worked so hard!

They laughed and talked and even complimented each other on their efforts earlier in the day.

Jaxon thanked us about a dozen times for taking him to dinner and I KNEW that it made a difference in how he felt about his efforts. 

I told Gavin that he is a good friend for building Jaxon up AND for sharing the pointers with is little sister to try and help her to do her best out there too...AND Gavin doesn't really care a whole lot about the "Golden T~Shirt" so once again, he said it's for Kambriella. :)
Sweet Gavin. :)

I hope and pray that these little life lessons are continually teaching, building, and growing the character and strength of my children and their testimonies because we need all the positive and good we can get in this life!

Way to go Gavin and Kambriella! You are both winners to me! :)

XOXOXOXOX

A Letter From Gavin...

Hi again. :)

I know I already posted once today...but I just found this email pulled up on the computer that Gavin wrote to Carew yesterday and it was just so sweet that I had to record it here.

Melt. My. Heart.

Carew you won't believe what happend on Sunday, I was waiting all day through all my classes and then finally after it all the amazing moment happend. The spirit was all ready there before anything even happend. Also I felt so loved because quit a bit of people were there like grandma and grandpa Trickett, both the missionaries were there, our home teachers, the bishop, and of course our family. then everyone gathered around me and they placed their hands on my head, and then dad started the prayer and it felt like the power of the priestood was going from them to me and I felt so much closer to heavenly father and it was the best feeling I've ever had. then after the prayer i even got my temple recommend and that was also an amazing. i think i'll be going to the temple on Thursday and if not then i'll be going on friday and i can not wait for that day. I love you Anziano Trickett more than you can emagine i love you sososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososo much Love Gavin.

Happy Fall!

 I was a little late this year, but I finally put up a few Fall decorations! I usually try to put them up on the 1st of September so I can enjoy them a little longer, but at least I made it before October got here! :) Life is just always so busy anymore and finding excess time for decorating is pretty tricky...but it always makes it feel so cozy to have some fun things that help make it feel like the season. :)

I was excited this year to use an old saw horse as a table to host the decorations on my front porch!

 I just love anything that is unique and OLD...for some reason it always reminds me of when I was a little girl.and makes it feel like HOME. :)

Inside the house, I used one of the cake stands from Kierra's wedding as the centerpiece on the formal dining room table. My friend gave me this candle called  Warm Caramel Cider for my birthday! It smells sooo good that it makes me want to lick the walls in my home!!! Seriously!!! :) 

 I also rotated my temple picture to the Logan Temple in the Fall and I love it. It means so much to me and just brings the spirit so strong every time I look at it. :)

I also added a few simple pumpkins and a new witch that Kesslyn and I picked out on my birthday...her name is "Ruby." Isn't she cute?? :)

 Meet Ruby...a little closer up. ;)

 And Pummmppkins!!! :)

 And then there's this simple little table in my entry way that is fun and inviting...which is how every entry way should feel, right? :)

I always want my home to feel warm and inviting, and no matter the season or the decorations that are up (or not up;) I know that the most warm and inviting feeling comes from the spirit. So THAT is really what I strive on filling my home with...feelings of happiness, peace, and love.

Happy Fall! :)

Sharing Light

"If you want to give light to others, you have to glow yourself."

Thomas S. Monson

Sheri took me to Kneaders for breakfast yesterday for my birthday. :)

We talked and ate and cried together...

read notes and shared thoughts and dreams together...we even read her husband's patriarchal blessing  together. (Saturday will be 6 months since he passed away.)

Sheri has gone through some serious hard times lately, but she is still so faithful and is trying her hardest to make it through one day at a time. 

I LOVE that we share our "light" with each other!

I love you Sheri!

Gavin's a Deacon! :)

 Do you see that handsome glowing boy in the middle of us all with the great BIG smile??? :)

That would be Gavin Ryker Trickett, newly ordained deacon and holder of the Aaronic priesthood!

Yes, on Sunday, September 24th, 2017, Gavin received the priesthood from his dad, Clint James Trickett with Grandpa Trickett, the bishopric, the full time missionaries Elder Westover and Elder Simmons, and our home teachers Mike and Jacob Jamison all standing in the circle.

The spirit was strong and Gavin beamed with happiness!

He also received his temple recommend (the white paper in his hand) and can hardly wait to use it!

I said to him, "Gavin, when do you want to go to the temple?"

"TOMORROW!!!" He said. :)

But it's closed on Mondays so we will probably be going on Thursday this week...I can't wait, and neither can he!

 Then, after we were done at church we drove to Bountiful to Tiffany and Colby's house where they had made dinner for us and a birthday cake for me for my birthday!!!

Not only was Tiffany sweet enough to only put "21" on my cake...but she had spent a ton of time making this pumpkin spice cake FROM SCRATCH!!!

 It was beautiful and YUMMY and just what I would have ordered if I would have ordered it! ;)

Thank you Tiffany and Colby for the new bag, candle warmer, dinner, and cake...but MOST of all for your ongoing support and LOVE!!!

Women's Conference With Kambriella

 Last Night was the Women's session of General Conference and my date was sooo much fun! :)

Kambriella had so much excitement and enthusiasm for this night she had been waiting for...

We walked into the chapel to find a seat and she had so many people waving to her and saying hello...even her school teacher Mrs. Stokes and little friends from school were there!

 I think these simple little connections only added to the special night that we were having...

Kambriella whispered to me a couple of times in the beginning of the broadcast,

 "Mom! Look at all the girls!!! I've never been to a meeting with so many girls AND with the lights off watching a movie!" ;) This gave me the perfect opportunity to bare my testimony of the Relief Society and of good women all around the world doing the exact same thing that we were doing just in different places, like Kierra in Colorado, Grandma Panter in Mesquite, Aunt Nicky in Arizona...and even women in Italy where Carew will be going soon... I think it opened her eyes to things she hadn't realized before...

She sat there close to me taking notes the whole time. That little angel took 3 PAGES of notes and was literally soaking it all in. The Spirit touched me and testified of sooo much good in so many ways all around me...and the talks!!! I can't wait to re-listen or read them today! 

(I hope they are already out!)

After the broadcast was over we gave hugs to some friends, took a donut for the road, and headed out to dinner. We drove to multiple places realizing that EVERYONE was doing the same thing that we were, and so many restaurants were sooo busy!

But Kambriella said to me, "Mom, how about Firehouse Subs?? That sounds really good and that place reminds me of Grandpa!"

Perfect! Firehouse Subs it is!!!

And guess what?? We had the whole place to ourselves!!! :)

 This little girl was a crack up the WHOLE night!!! She kept on telling me jokes and quoting funny lines from Studio C like her brothers always do...

"Mom, why was the math book sooo sad??" ....Ummmm I don't know, why?

"Because it had lots of problems!!!" 

She just didn't stop!!! And the faces she pulls when trying to take a picture!!! I was laughing the whole time!!!

And then I told her about Kierra and I having a date before where we laughed soooo hard about the dentist trying to talk to us with his hands in our mouths... Oh the memories that we have made! I just LOVE them! AND I LOVE my girls!!! Just like the 3 sisters in President Uchtdorf's message...WE have 3 sisters!!! But lucky for me, we have 3 GLAD sisters!!! (Except Kesslyn sometimes can be like the MAD sister when she doesn't get her way.;) But she's working on learning how to always be like her GLAD sisters. ;)

Kambriella and I did have a few serious moments of discussion though where we talked about how the Holy Ghost teaches us and can inspire us to think of "new and different" ideas to solutions to problems just like the girl that thought of a human chain to rescue people out of a rip tide in the ocean...it was inspiring and so is the gospel of Jesus Christ! I am so GLAD and grateful to be a part of something so wonderful and to KNOW WHO I AM.

Watch out world, we are here to do AMAZING things!!! :)

Seriously!!!!

41 Was The BEST Birthday Ever!

 Friday, September 22nd was my 41st birthday!

My alarm went off at 5:00 a.m. just like it does every other Friday and I stumbled around my room in the dark trying to put on my exercise clothes, tennis shoes etc. and get ready to go to aerobics.

When I finally was ready I headed downstairs to the kitchen to get my water bottle, flipped on the light, and found this BEAUTIFUL sight!!!

"WHAT THE HECK?????"

(I laugh now at my initial response because I NEVER say "what the heck." EVER. :)

But I was literally in shock at what I was seeing...I knew that one day I would get my ring fixed, but I really didn't know WHEN or HOW I would get it...and I definitely wasn't expecting it now!!! At 5:00 a.m...but Clint wanted to surprise me and THAT he did!!!

 I pulled out a seat and sat at the table admiring the shiny ring sitting in the beautiful box...

I remember whispering to myself..."No Way! :)"

I sat admiring it and feeling my eyes swell up with tears...tears of love and gratitude...

And then it hit me. This is MY ring!!! I can put it on!!! :)

So I did. :)

 I put it on and ran back upstairs and crawled back under the covers with Clint.

I found him laying there just like a little kid at Christmas! He had been awake off and on throughout the night anxious with butterflies and excitement...almost as much he said as "the day he first asked me to marry him!" He KNEW that I would be so happy and he KNEW that I would be right back upstairs to find him, and he was RIGHT! 100% right!!!

He said he wanted to follow me to see my reaction, but he knew that if he would have that the surprise would have been over (because he NEVER gets up with me at the crazy morning hour of 5:00 a.m.! :) So, he waited patiently for me and then when I climbed back in bed and smothered him with kisses, he recounted to me all of the details of when and where and how he pulled it off. It was so fun to hear all of the details, but it was even more fun to see how excited he was for me to HAVE it. I tell you that man has NEVER had to buy my love, but he does more to spoil me than I ever thought I deserved...He is soooo sweet and oh so good to me, and he HATES surprises but knows that I LOVE them!!! And he actually pulled it off (even though he IS a TERRIBLE liar. ;)

Later that morning after I got the kids off to school I had a quiet moment to read his sweet card, which once again touched my heart so much that it brought me to tears...such HAPPY tears...

 My hands looked awful from all of the yard work I had done the day before, so I scrubbed my nails and polished them right up and admired my ring probably about one million times yesterday...

It just means so much to me... I LOVE the fact that he took my original ring and made it whole. (And that sparkly is a WHOLE lot bigger than my original one was!!! ;)

It's MY ring and represents my MOST prized possession...my eternal marriage to Clint James Trickett. Thank you Clint for ALL that you are, ALL that you do, and ALL the ways you love me COMPLETELY. Heaven and your wife are ALWAYS cheering you on!!! I LOVE you so...

The rest of my birthday was spent receiving visits from friends, phone calls and messages full of LOVE, and then a dinner date with Clint later on that night.

I received flowers and cards and a bracelet and Willow Tree figurine and a cupcake bath bomb and dish towels and decorations and cookies and chocolate and EVERYTHING pumpkin!!! Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chap stick, a pumpkin lovers cook book, pumpkin lotion, and a pumpkin candle...even small pumpkins in a basket...:)

I felt so loved!!!

Then last night I finally received the icing on the cake...an email from Carew! 

It was short and sweet but it made me feel happy that he remembered my birthday. :)

Then this morning I received an email from Nicky...

Last year when she turned 40 I sent her an email with 40 Reasons Why I Loved Her...

It came so easily because we have been through SO MUCH together!!! Then, for MY 40th birthday she wrote 40 things back to me...It was priceless...

Sooooo this morning I woke up to find an email that said "Reason #41"...Here it is...
(Everything she says is so true!!! The memories WILL continue! ...and 41 was the BEST birthday EVER! :)
Ever.
(And I still can't believe that we never got ONE picture of us eating that cake with our hands!!! Our posterity will NEVER believe us!!)

Nicole anderson	7:37 AM (9 hours ago)
to me

41.  Attending your first Childs Kierra Nicoles Wedding and demolishing a wedding cake with our hands afterwards.

oh the memories will continue.......

Happy Birthday to my practically perfect friend

Special Delivery!

 With an emphatic "YES!!!" she accepted my invitation and it's official!!!

This little cutie is my date to the Women's Session of General  Conference tomorrow! :)

I love her. :)

 (I tried to make a homemade card with all of the cute little details that I knew Kambriella would like.)

 I left it for her on her bed and when she found it she came running and squealing  out to me where I was working in the yard like I KNEW she would... :) She read it out loud to me and we giggled and got excited together...The look on her face was priceless and now we BOTH can't wait until tomorrow!!!

Personal Revelation Through a Talk...

When I was a newly wed and first thought about having children, I knew that I wanted to have 4 children each 2 years apart. 2 boys and 2 girls. 

Boy was I wrong!!! :)

I didn't know that what I really wanted was what I got. :)

3 girls and 3 boys  that I could have just as soon as Heavenly Father was ready for me to welcome them here from heaven.

Yesterday I listened to the conference talk  titled "My Peace I Leave With You" by President Henry B. Eyring from the last General Women's session of conference. Not only did I listen to it, but I listened to it 4 times in a row.

I don't know what it was other than Heavenly Father was really trying to teach me a thing or two because as I was listening my mind was literally flooded with thoughts, ideas, and impressions from the Holy Ghost. I couldn't take it all in fast enough so I would have to turn the talk back on and listen again and again trying desperately to retain all of the thoughts and feelings that were coming to my mind...

Finally on the 3rd and 4th time listening to it I sat with undivided attention taking notes of all of the impressions that I was having...

Believe me, it was pages of notes that I ended up with, but one thought that came to me very strongly was a personal revelation concerning my daughters...

 "You need to write Kambriella a personal invitation to go with you to

 women's conference on Saturday..."

I KNEW that this was an inspired thought from Heavenly Father delivered to me by the Holy Ghost. He knows me, my heart, and how best I can reach each of my children on an individual level. After all, they were His children before they were mine. :)

I had many thoughts concerning women's conference, the sisters I serve in our ward, and especially my own daughters...

"If you make Kambriella a personal invitation she will feel so special and so loved and you will have a beautiful beginning of a new tradition of going to women's conference together!"

"Now that all girls ages 8 and older are invited to attend the meeting, you will have opportunities for traditions that will strengthen your testimonies and love together."

"This is what you did for Kierra, and now it is time for you to do this for Kambriella!"

"I gave you your daughters in the time that I did because it was the best circumstances for THEM."

"The gap in years was My timing for a reason. You had so much individual time with Kierra to teach her and  now it is time to do that exact same thing with Kambriella, as it will be for Kesslyn."

I learned through that personal revelation that Heavenly Father's timing and His plan really are the ones that are right for me, and the ones that I really want in my life. I may have thought that having 4 children each 2 years apart would be the perfect family set up for me, but in reality, having 6 children in a 17 year span has provided  the perfect family set up for US.

My children are so sweet and sensitive to the Spirit and to the love we have for each other that they KNOW that they are loved, and important not only to Clint and I, but to each other as siblings...

I may have thought that having 3 sisters right in a row so that they could all be close in age sounded just right...but it wasn't just right for US. We needed to have Kierra first to be the example to everyone with her strong and righteous desires for obedience. We needed her to be here to help her siblings (and sisters especially) with her tender feelings and testimony to help strengthen them too...

We needed Kambriella  at the time that she came to solidify those feelings of family and togetherness and strength that we KNOW Heavenly Father gave to these special spirits that are coming down in these last days...and we needed Kesslyn to come when she did to soften the hearts of everyone in her family (especially a certain  teenage boy;) and to provide yet another shaping and molding factor of the PERFECT family circumstances for US.

I know that each of my children are busy learning and fulfilling the plan that Heavenly Father designed them for, and I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Heavenly Father gave them to ME because He felt that I could help them in the ways that only I could... and they could me.

I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost who really is one of my very best friends, and for a loving Heavenly Father who knows us so perfectly and just what to tell our hearts, no matter HOW many times He may have to tell us...

And I CAN"T WAIT!!! for the upcoming sessions of general conference where we will be told even more of the ways that Heavenly Father loves us and what He needs us to do, AND with so much love!!!

"Glimpses of Heaven"

 I have wanted to write down some little "glimpses of heaven" that have touched my life over the past weekend and past few days...such as

Friday night date night and sealings at the Draper Temple with my sweetheart... :)

 Spending time with  with this little diva...;)

She's living up to her name "Kissy Kessy" :)...

 A visit from our friend Kate that made EVERYONE smile!!!

 She came to spend time with us, played games with us, and came bering gifts for us too...:)

 Pokemon Legos for Gavin's birthday, smiles for all the little people (but especially Kesslyn!!!;)...

 And a "Missionary Bear" for us all to share

 that Kambriella has already affectionately named "Carew." :)...and has slept with every night!

(So maybe we aren't really going to be sharing it...but that's OK ;)

 Flowers on my front porch from a dear friend, just because she LOVES me. :)...and because it's almost my birthday. ;) Sometimes you wonder what you do to deserve so many wonderful gifts in your life, but the lasting gifts of love and friendship are so immeasurable and once again I feel so very blessed...

 Living in a place where there are temples EVERYWHERE!!!

We drove past this Payson Temple on our way home from St. George and were flooded with happy thoughts of Kierra and Riley's wedding day...

I feel like every day there are similar moments like these that are "glimpses of heaven," we just have to choose to open our spiritual eyes and really "see" them. I am thankful for each of the little daily gifts of love that I receive, and how they really do help me catch "glimpses of heaven."