I love the "light" in my life...

Another beautiful, still morning has come, and yet another inspiring experience has accompanied me on my morning run. I started out down the road thinking to myself which route I might take today. Within just a few moments the road split and I quickly chose to turn left, knowing that I would be passing the view of the temple. I just love to see the temple! It is a symbol of love and peace in my life. As I was running down the road I decided to turn on my headphones to a conference talk given just days ago by Elder David A. Bednar. His talk was comparing personal revelation to how light enters our lives. At times the light enters immediately, like when we turn the light on in a dark room. Other times, the light enters gradually, like the sun rising over the skyline in the morning. So it is with personal revelation. Sometimes things come into our minds immediately of things that we learn or things that we should do. But more often times, things come to us little by little until we are led to know of gospel truths. As my mind was reflecting on these teachings, I came upon the view of the temple and my mind immediately saw the stark contrast of this magnificent building of light against the black canvas of the night sky. I then thought to myself how this holy temple is just that. A beacon of light in a world that often times can seem dark and confusing. The light of the gospel shines constantly whether in the light of noon day or the darkness of night. At this point in my run, I had to cross a busy road and the only way to do so was to go up an elevated sky bridge that will get you safely to the other side. As I ran up the switch backs and reached the highest point, the illuminated temple was even clearer to my view because I was above everything else. While there are many spiritual applications to this scenario, the next thing I saw made me feel overcome with gratitude for the time and place in which we live. Standing on the top of this bridge, I turned in a circle to see the view around me, when to my pleasant surprise, I could see yet another, and then another bright beautiful temple lit up against the night sky! 3 temples in my view from just one simple place! I tried to take a picture of what I saw, but the temples were too far away and the light didn’t carry to my camera. Then I thought to myself, “I guess this is just like life. If you want to be able to see the light, you have to be standing in the right place. Someone can’t carry the light for you and give it to you, but you have to go and see it for yourself.” Next, as I decided to turn around and follow the same route back home, I kept on listening to the conference talk. As I did so, I kept on listening and learning simple little truths. I felt so happy and good inside when suddenly I had to jolt quickly out of the way of a broken tree branch that was hanging down from a tree next to the side walk. It was still very dark at this point and I did not see the branch at first but I could almost feel it as I quickly approached it. I got out of the way just in time and quickly got back on course without getting hit by the branch. Then just a few short steps later, yet another branch was in my path and so I quickly got out of the way. This time I noticed the branch a little sooner so I didn’t feel as threatened. After this brief little experience I thought to myself, “Having the gospel light inside of me and the gift of the Holy Ghost to warn me, I was able to see the danger ahead of me, even in the darkness of night.” I continued running home noticing anything with light that I passed. –Headlights on cars, streetlights on the road, and porch lights on houses. They were all giving off light, and all the while, the sky was beginning to get lighter, little by little – just like how my mind had been receiving spiritual light while I had been out on my run. Then, as I came around my last corner which brought me back to the road that my house was on, I had one more important thought enter my mind about light. I passed a tree that was right next to a street light and as I passed the light and then the tree, I found myself running through a shadow of tree branches where the light had been broken up and cast itself into many places. My mind immediately thought of a prism and how when light enters a prism it disperses the light into many different places and can reflect an even more beautiful light both in darkness and in a room that is already completely filled with light. Then I thought to myself, “We are like those prisms. We have the light inside of us and when we share that light, it can go to many different places and reflect an even more beautiful light that can be shed on all those around us.” Then, with my mind full of personal thoughts and revelation, I had the distinct thought to go inside and write it down so that I truly might be like that prism and share this light with others. I don’t ever want to forget these wonderful thoughts and impressions of light because that is what they give to me…light, and the ability to see things more clearly.

She's my "pot of gold"

We were out driving in a rainstorm the other day when a beautiful rainbow appeared. Although the picture isn't very bright, it was magnificent to see the contrast of the vibrant colors against the dark, stormy sky. The reason why this is so relevant to me right now is because I have a deep love for the beauty of all of God's creations AND I have a sweet and loving daughter who is an inspiration to me in my life AND if you ask her what her favorite color is, she will say...the rainbow. Kierra has been blessed with many talents and a sweet disposition, and lucky for me, a very similar love for the beauties of the world. So, when we woke up the other morning to a beautiful, white, winter wonderland...in APRIL!- we were both so excited to see it! We knew this day was going to be a special day for so many reasons. Not only was it conference weekend, and we had been enjoying an added measure of the spirit in our home and with our family, but Kierra, Clint, and I had all been fasting together for Kierra as she was going to receive her patriarchal blessing on this seemingly crisp, frosty day! I couldn't help but think that Heavenly Father had sprinkled the snow down for us to enjoy and to remind us of the purity and celestial nature of the events unfolding in our weekend. So, to my sweet Kierra who is an angel in my life, I want to say thank you for your appreciation of beautiful things and thank you for bringing so much happiness into my life! I am a lucky mother and you are truly my "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow. I am so proud of you for living a life that resonates color like the rainbow, and peace and purity like this beautiful snow! I love you!

It's Great to be 8.. and be Baptized!

Dallin had been counting down to his 8th birthday for months now and I can hardly believe that the day has already come and gone! What a sweet and treasured day not only for Dallin, but for me as his mother as well. I think that Dallin's day would have been special no matter what, but he really did have a few extra reasons to be grateful! I don't know of any other little children who actually got to be baptized ON their birthday AND have their mom be the primary president at the same time! What a very special day to treasure for both of us! We got up early in the morning and went to the church to pick up Dallin's baptism clothes. He was so excited...When we got home, Clint had already arrived with 8 white balloons and some yummy orange rolls for us to have for breakfast. We also gave Dallin one of his presents to open before everyone came. It was a new white towel to use at his baptism, a shiny blue CTR ring, and a new primary CD. Dallin was so happy because he had asked me many times if he could get a blue CTR ring and I kept saying no, (even though I had already bought it for him and had kept it hidden;) and now he finally had it AND he could wear it while he was getting baptized!

The time that we spent at the church for Dallin's baptism was such a happy time! We were surrounded by close family and friends who love and support us in so many ways. The spirit was abundant and I remember feeling overwhelmed with love and gratitude towards my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be the mother of such a sweet little boy, and also for blessing me with a loving husband who was able to use the priesthood to perform this sacred ordinance for our son. While we waited for Dallin to get changed into his dry clothes, I had everyone that was there take a minute to write a little note to Dallin. I was yet again overwhelmed with gratitude as later on that day I was able to go through and read the notes and words of love and encouragement to Dallin from all of his family and friends. These cards are now safely tucked inside of an album that I put together for Dallin with all of the pictures from his baptism. That way he can always look back and not only see the pictures, but also be reminded of all of the people who love him and are important in his life.

Speaking of important, here are some of the people that are the very most important to Dallin. His best friend Jeremy, Great Grandma Clements, Grandpa and Grandma Trickett, and Grandpa and Grandma Panter. Grandpa Trickett got to give the talk on baptism, Grandpa Panter and Grandpa Trickett got to be the witnesses, Grandma Panter got to say the closing prayer, and I got to give the talk on the Holy Ghost.

After the baptism was over, we had everyone come to the house for some lunch and some birthday cake. We had a BBQ with hamburgers and hot dogs, lots of yummy salads, chips, fruits and veggies, and lots of treats everywhere! We had a really nice time visiting with all of our loved ones and celebrating this special day with Dallin. Everyone seemed so content on just spending time with one another that I didn't even get to any of the activities that I had planned. Oh well, that's OK because we had some neat things to do together later that made some of the celebration last a little longer and seem a little extra special as well.

Dallin had a lot of fun opening his presents (trying to guess who they were from!), playing with his friends and cousins, and eating the yummy cake and ice-cream. When everyone had to get ready to leave, we gave each little child a white balloon on a stick for their prize to take home. Tucked inside of the balloon was a little note and a CTR ring that they could only get by popping the balloon. That way, they had something fun yet meaningful to remember about sharing Dallin's birthday and baptism day with him!

The next day was Sunday and Dallin looked so handsome in his little suit carrying his new scriptures that he got with his name engraved on them. When he went up in sacrament meeting to get his certificate and be welcomed into the ward, he was trying so hard NOT to smile, but it just kept on slipping out! Later on that day when we were all home together, we took Dallin's 8 white balloons from his birthday and went outside. We talked with Dallin about all of the neat gifts that he had received for his birthday, and how important some of them were and how grateful he needed to be. Then, we let Dallin decide what 8 things he was the most grateful for, and then as he would say them out loud, one at a time, he would let a balloon go up into the sky. We told him it was just a fun way to "say thank you to Heavenly Father" for all that he has been given. I think the list of 8 things that Dallin said was: his family, getting baptized, the gift of the Holy Ghost, his friends, his new CTR ring, his home, Jesus, and Heavenly Father. It was really fun to see all of the kids pausing long enough to watch these white balloons disappear in the sky. It was a neat feeling too to actually watch the "thank-yous" being sent to heaven. It made me stop and count my blessings as well. How blessed we are to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. I feel so lucky to have the knowledge that I do of who I am, why I am here, and where I am going. I am a daughter of God blessed with an eternal family, sent to this earth to be tested and to work together in a family, so that one day we can all return to live with our Heavenly Father eternally. If Heavenly Father gives good gifts through days like we have had today, then I have been blessed for a lifetime!

Dallin's 8th Birthday at the Lion House!

It' s been our family tradition to have our children's 8th birthday parties at the historical Lion House in Salt Lake City. As a part of who we are as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 8 is a big birthday and one that I felt needed to be different yet meaningful, and one that would remain a cherished memory for our children over time. In the days of the pioneers, there were no "addresses" to find where someone lived, so it became common for people to find Brother Brigham by simply saying, "It's the house with the Lion on it!" -and so today it is called "The Lion House." Here we have Dallin and his little friends just outside of the Lion House.

The Lion House is known for their wonderful bakery and delicious foods and one of the neat things about the birthday parties there is the special birthday cake that they made for Dallin with a little hand made lion on top and a "lucky gumball" hidden somewhere inside of the cake! Whoever gets the gumball in their slice of cake will have good luck all year! ;) I am happy to say that we took home the extra cake and that night when Dallin ate another piece, HE was the one who found the "lucky gumball!" The next day at school Dallin found a dollar bill outside on the ground and attributed his "good luck" to the "lucky gumball" he found in his birthday cake!

Here is a picture of all of the friends sitting on the stairs with their "funny faces!"

As part of the party at the Lion House, they take the children on a tour of the home and tell them neat stories from the life of Brigham Young. We learned about seashell collections and a beautiful piano that was too heavy to bring across the plains so it was buried in the ground and retrieved 3 years later and found in perfect condition! We also heard stories of all of the children that ran through the home playing hide and go seek and these neat chairs that were custom fit for Brother Brigham's family by getting a mold of their hind ends by having them sit in the snow! Each chair was custom fit for each individual! Pretty cool!!!

All the little friends in the children's room ready to play games and open presents!

Cute little Dallin pulling taffy, which was a rare treat for the pioneer children.

With treats in tact, a collection of fun pioneer stories and games, and a laundry basket full of opened treasures, we hiked back to the car while playing follow the leader across Temple Square and pausing just long enough to snap a picture or two. Dallin, I love you so much and was thrilled to share this special day with you! I pray that this birthday will be one that you will always remember, and never forget! ;) P.S. I can't wait until your REAL birthday!!!

Happy 12th Birthday Carew!

The "pie party" continues...
Carew officially turned 12 on a Wednesday and wanted to attend his first young mens activity ON his birthday, so we ended up throwing his friend party on a Friday. And this party was literally THROWN! You can't have a pie party without a little "pie thrown in the face!!!"


Here we have some of the "pie party" game essentials. Hostess fruit pies, Little Debbie marshmallow pies, Keebler elf cookies, M&M's and pie tins, garbage bag "rain coats," and a giant drop cloth for the pie fights!!!

During this game, the blindfolded person had to feed their team mate a pudding pie to see who could find the hidden M&M first! Since they were blindfolded and were feeding them with giant spoons, they were laughing quite hard and beginning to get a little messy!

Here the kids are getting ready to play "Minute to Win it" with a Keebler elf, (or the "PIE maker) on their forehead! They had to see who could move the cookie from their forehead to their mouth the fastest without using their hands!

Here is Carew hopelessly anticipating the terrible crash of his "pie maker" from his forehead to the ground! It's OK Carew! Pick him back up! Just keep going! Your dad will be so proud of you!!! ;)

During this M&M game, all the kids were busy around the table rolling multiple sets of dice and trying to roll doubles. Every time someone rolled doubles, they would quickly run to the front of the table by the "M&M" pie, and BUMP the other person out of the way and try to suck up as many M&M's with their straw as they could. This game was hilarious to watch because just as someone would begin trying for the M&M's, someone would come running and BUMP them out of the way! One time there were 4 people up at the front trying to BUMP their way to the M&M's! Hence the name of this game: "Bump"kin PIE!

At this point in the games, I had everyone put on their "rain coats" to begin getting ready for the pie fights! Just at the thought of this, everyone started getting excited and geared up for some serious pie throwing!

Here is Carew's friend Clark trying sooooo hard to avoid the inevitable... smashing of the whip cream pie... in the face!!!

And here is Carew's best friend Zach (whom he has known since birth ;) also trying to escape the inevitable fate of the "pie man!"

We eventually had to move this pie fight outside!!! It was getting WAY too messy!!! Here comes Carew trying to attack his mother!!! Can you believe the nerve? ;) (I love you son, but please... BACK OFF!!!)

Here we have all of the survivors!!! And the funny thing was, at this point all I could here was, "Man this whip cream STINKS!"

Well Carew, or should I say, "Mr. pie man," it has been a blast sharing this 12th birthday celebration with you! I hope this is a year that you will always remember... and may each year forward bring you nothing but sweet memories of family and friends who love you... and YUMMY YUMMY PIE!!!

A PIE party!

If you ask Carew anything about himself, his first response is always, "I like pie!" So, when Carew asked me if he could have a pie party for his 12th birthday, I wasn't surprised! I just thought to myself, "Really? This ought to be interesting!" Little did either of us know just what was coming and just how wonderful it would turn out to be! As I started brainstorming ideas for this milestone birthday, I wanted to do something different and special for Carew so that he would have something really neat to remember not only turning 12, but also preparing to receive the Priesthood. I really wanted to plan a couple of different parties for Carew. One that would be more meaningful or sentimental, and one that would just be a ton of fun. So, that's what we did!

For Carew's "meaningful PIE party," I sent out invitations to uncles, grandpas, scout leaders, primary teachers, home teachers, and one of our great neighbor friends. The invitation was all about PIE!

"Come to Carew's PIE party! Any way you "slice" it, it's going to be fun!!!" 1) PIE at the golf course! Come hit a bucket of balls at the driving range and work on your "slice!" Then practice P.I.E. on the greens (Putting Intended for Eagles!) 2) Lunch from the PIE Pizzeria! 3) PIE for dessert and some great conversation! "

I asked all of the men to please come prepared to share an experience with Carew of when the priesthood had blessed their lives, or when they had used the priesthood to bless the lives of others. Now as a mom, I was only hoping to provide an opportunity for the boys to get together and really have some fun AND help instill in Carew some amount of appreciation and gratitude for the special gift that he was preparing for. All I can say is that my hopes were far exceeded and I believe that Carew had one of the best days he has ever had.

All of the guys ended up going to the golf course, hitting their buckets of balls, practicing their putting skills on the miniature golf course, and of course having a friendly added measure of "Trickett competition." ;) Everyone who knows Clint knows that you can't just merely "hit a bucket of balls," but you have to see who can hit the "farthest drive" or who can get the most "holes in one." I think it was Blake that won the farthest drive and Carew "took the PIE" with 2 holes in one! Unfortunately Clint had to be humble and let some others do the winning this time, but all was not lost because after all, it was "his son" who won the "hole in one" competition! So that makes Clint a winner too, right? ;) Carew said that he loved it and had fun learning how to swing a golf club. After they finished up at the golf course, they came back to the house and enjoyed pizza from the Pie Pizzeria. Then they all served up the yummy chocolate cream and banana cream pies from Kneaders Bakery. It was at this point when they were all gathered around the table giving Carew their gifts and sharing their experiences about the Priesthood. This was where I got a little greedy and asked if I could sit in and listen to their discussion. Of course I was warmly invited and as I sat there listening to all of these grown men sharing their testimonies with Carew about the importance of the priesthood, my heart was truly filled to overflowing with gratitude. Not only were these good men able to take the time out of their busy schedules to spend a little time with Carew, but they were able to laugh and have fun, AND teach and testify of gospel truths that are eternal. I loved the stories that were shared about real life experiences and the blessings that the priesthood brings. Everything from eternal families, to healing the sick, to missionary moments, to the opportunities that they have to use the priesthood to bless and serve those people around them. The spirit was strong and the planning and preparation for the "pie party" was paying off ten fold. Carew seemed to be soaking in every word and of course loved all of the attention and neat gifts. I could definitely tell that the spirit had touched his heart by the heartfelt hug and kiss that he gave me after the party was over. Now, it is my prayer that all of these little experiences will eventually add up and be enough to build Carew into the righteous young man that he is destined to become. He is already well on his way and with such wonderful people surrounding him and extending their arms of love and support, Carew can truly see his divine worth and great potential. Carew, I love you so much and I am so proud of you for striving to do what is right. Thank goodness Heavenly Father sent us here in families to help each other to learn and to grow. You help me to learn and grow everyday! And you even taught me how to take something as simple as "pie" and turn it into a spiritual feast!

Ragnar Fun!

If you think that people that run for fun are crazy, well, then..... you need to meet people who run in the ragnar relay! They really ARE crazy!!!!! I was invited by my best friend Nicole to come to Arizona and spend some quality "girl time" and have some fun running in the ragnar relay together. I agreed and knew that I would have a great time, if for no other reason than simply to see her and do a little of what I love to do... RUN!


So, here we are at the starting checkpoint in Wickenburg (and yes that is an awefully long line up of port-a-potties behind us :).














Here is half of our team #134! I was lucky runner #1 so I got to be the first one to start the race. It was really a beautiful day, I think it was about 50 degrees, and although warm enough for a great run, I was shivering right before it all started (nerves I'm sure :).














Here I am just after finishing my first leg of the relay which was 8.6 miles UPHILL! Luckily, it was not as hard as I had anticipated and I was able to come in first in my leg, with only this prickly cactus left to kick my butt! ;)














Here I am with Staci in front of our "Midnight Crawlers" van. Yes, that was our lovely team name and the lovely orange socks that we were sporting were also a part of our "team uniform."

Here I am getting all lit up to go on my night run! This one was in the city and super fast! Although I got off course twice and ended up running an extra half mile or so, it was probably my funnest run. It ran through city streets, a golf course, a park, and homes. (Now wether or not I was supposed to see all of that is another story;)

The next day, our entire team crossed the finish line together with music playing and people cheering! It was a great feeling of accomplishment. We ran hard, laughed a lot, (made good use of all of those port-a-potties) and made some great memories together. I now like to think that I have another bit of "family" down in Arizona, and a best friend with yet another life loving experience that will go down in history!

Riding on an airplane, 48 hours of no sleep, 200 miles of running, riding, and cheering, a HEAVENLY bubble bath at the end, and double doses of the "Golden Spoon..."

There really aren't words to put to all of this insanity. But- Nicky, for you I would do it all again!!!! It was awesome!!!! Love ya girl!!!!