Be Truly Happy

If you want to be truly happy, then try to help others feel Christ's love when they are with you.

Maggi and I have been friends for a couple of years now, and we have been through A LOT together. One thing is for certain, we are coming to know Christ better together.

I took Maggi to the Little Mermaid at the Hale Center Theater last week and she LOVED it.

Maggi, thank you for being my friend and for helping me to learn and to grow. I love you!

Jumping at WSU

We were super happy to travel to Weber State University to watch Gavin in his high jump and long jump.

He's still trying to get the hang of things with the high jump, and it was his first time doing the long jump and he actually jumped 16 feet 10 inches and it was only his first time ever trying! Great job Gavin!

We were happy to be there and proud of you even with a rough go at the high jump, and a sick little sister.

We are grateful for your willingness to try and do new and hard things!

Jeanette Turns 70

Happy 70th birthday Jeanette!

Stephanie, Emily, and I have been friends with this sweet family in our ward for years now, and it seems we continue to go through the good and the bad, the thick and the thin, and everything in between together. Jeanette has been so sick and getting ready to leave this life, and we wondered if she would make it to her birthday, but she did it! Jeanette turned 70 years old yesterday, January 26th, 2023.

We brought her flowers, balloons, and cupcakes with candles to celebrate her birthday, and I was SO happy that she was able to make it to this special day, especially for her son Brian, knowing that it would be her last one here with him.

Thank goodness we have each other to get through this life with! Jeanette, I love you and am grateful for your friendship in my life. May all of your dreams come true...especially the ones with your sweet Carl, soon to be reunited, you sweet lady.

Little Hawaiians

Kierra sent the family this darling picture of Raya looking like a little hula dancer, and I just fell in love with it! We miss this cute little family and wish we could be with them more often, but we are also SO grateful for the wonderful and inspired gift of technology that helps us share things and stay connected even across the big, wide, ocean. Hawaii is probably such a dream to live in, and I'm so glad that Kierra's family is having that experience. I will also be glad to go and visit them as soon as possible.

Cute little Easton also wanted to show Lolli and Pops how he could sport the Hawaiian look... ;) I love how proud he looks in it! He cracks me up. When kids are little they just want to be big, and when we are all grown up, we just want to be little again! Oh to be as innocent and carefree as these sweet little children...I love them so much and miss them like crazy!

 

Family Night @ Cafe Galleria and the Ice Castles

In February of 2021 we were able to go to Cafe Galleria for the first time ever, and we loved it!

Originally Clint and I were supposed to go with my sister Tiffany and Colby, but they were very sick with covid and so we ended up taking some friends instead. Later we also took Carew and Kara there because we loved it so much!

As I was thinking about all of the fun things that I wanted to still do with my family this winter season, I decided it was past time that I needed to finally take Tiffany and Colby to the place that they never did get to go enjoy during the pandemic.

So, last night for family night we made that happen, and we all fit perfectly in the Alpenglobe that seats 8.

There was so much snow up there in Midway too! It was so beautiful, AND cold! Only 10 degrees!

And since we were only a 7 minute drive from the Ice Castles at Soldier Hollow we decided to go there too! What a fun and beautiful atmosphere, a real winter wonderland!

I really enjoy all the fun pictures from the fun night...

We definitely had an "Ice" time!!! :)

 

Gavin 1st Track Meet

This weekend was a first for Gavin...his first ever track meet at BYU!

Gavin has been known for his hops, and the track coaches wanted to recruit him to use those hops in the high jump and the long jump. So, after only one week of conditioning, and NEVER actually getting to jump over the bar, Gavin attended his very first track meet where he got some "on the job training!"

Gavin, along with around 40 other jumpers started jumping with the bar height at 5'4".

With each jump attempt Gavin took, he learned about how to jump! Each time he got a little higher, and a little more arch to his back, and then they moved the bar up in 2 inch intervals...

5'6"

5'8"

5'10"

6'!!!

Gavin ended up clearing the 5'10" bar and jumped the 6' bar, but his bum kept hitting the bar. Once he learns how to arch a bit more, I know that he will be able to go even higher!

Gavin YOU are so amazing and I am so proud of you for not bring afraid to try something new, and to push yourself to new heights! Literally!!! ;)

To top off Gavin's great first experience at his track meet, he also ran into our favorite player on the reality TV show Survivor - SAMMY!!!

Gavin thought it was so cool to see him and talk to him. 

What an awesome experience, for many reasons, there at BYU!

 

10/29 & 9/22

Any time I see the numbers 10 & 29 I think of Clint.

He was born on 10/29.

At 10:29 am and pm I text him if I'm not with him, or kiss him if I am with him...;)

And just the other day I looked at the time on my watch and saw the numbers 10 and 29 in the amount of steps I had so far in the day...

I love how all of the little reminders are fun and they help my heart to increase in love when I think of him. :)

What's even better, is that Clint was the one that started this whole number thing, and he does the same thing with my birthday numbers 9 & 22...even down to sending me texts of the key tag that reminds him of me while he is at work...;)

I love that sweet boy!!!

 

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday to my handsome Daddy who would have been 81 today. (Actually yesterday January 18th since I am a day late in posting this.)

This photo of him was taken with my siblings at the placing of my brother Kelly's headstone in the North Ogden cemetery, and was also about a month and a half before he passed away.

Today, I am wearing my Daddy's hat to celebrate and remember him. :)

This was the last Christmas we had with my dad. I was so happy that I got to take him and my mom to the Piano Guys concert! I remember that he LOVED it. :)

And although these pictures are a little blurry, I love them.

This one was taken at my sister Andrea's wedding.

They look so young. :)

I love that my mom and dad loved going to the temple together too.

This was my dad at Tiffany's house the day that her son Maicen received his patriarchal blessing. My dad was so emotional and sensitive to the spirit. He is so sweet.

This is one of my favorite pictures of all. My parents went with me to Scheels and rode on the Ferris Wheel with me and my kids. I remember looking down at them and imagining them as teenagers doing something like this. It was a short but tender moment for me that I will always remember.

Little did we know that just 2 short months later he would be an angel to us...

This picture of Kambriella is special to me because it was taken just a couple of days before my dad passed away. We had all gathered together at my sister Meloney's house in Idaho and had been camping there for a small family reunion. I took Kambriella inside my mom and dad's camper trailer to comb her hair for the day. I took her picture because I thought she looked so cute. That was the last time we spent with my dad at that family reunion.

I like to imagine that he probably looks something like this now as an angel in heaven...young and handsome and healthy. :)

I am grateful for my knowledge and testimony of eternal families, and that one day we will be reunited with all of our loved ones that have passed on to the other side of the veil. We will probably even have birthday parties together again... Happy Birthday Daddy!

I can't wait to see you again!

 

Weekend With Cousins!

On January 14th, 2023 Colten Charley Blackett was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! This sweet little boy was SO happy and full of smiles, especially with his cousins there. :)

After spending some time at Colten's house after the baptism, we bought our little cousin Eila home to spend a few days with Kesslyn. These two girls love each other SO much, and when they are together, Kesslyn is her happiest little self. 

Gavin, Kambriella, and Xaxton also went skiing together too!

They played dolls and stuffies, and made a unicorn slushy stand, and even got to be mermaids in my sister Tiffany's hot tub for a while too.

It doesn't really matter what they are doing though, as long as they are together, they are happy. :)

Talking to Elder Trickett in Brazil on his p-day is always so good too. :) The technology that we have at our fingertips is such a blessing in our lives. I am grateful for how it keeps us connected, even when we are spread out all across the world.