Sweet Hearts...

Everyday when Gavin comes home from school he immediately sits down with his backpack and shows me ALL of the papers that he made  at school for the day.

I love it!

It's so fun to see how his little brain is thinking and how creative he can be...

But when I read this paper it struck me, and I asked him to tell me more about it...

He was so sweet as he pointed to each circle and read it to me.

"This is why I love the holidays mom..."

I looked at Gavin with a big smile as his tender little heart showed me once again how innocent and good these little ones are.

The "I can" circle very easily could have said, "I can get presents from Santa!" ~

But it didn't.

It said, "I can give. He has joy. And he sees kindness. (Although he really over sounded out the word "kiynde." :)

I love it! My heart loves the little moments when I am aware that my children are getting it.

They know good from bad, right from wrong, and they are learning how to be selfless and think of others...although I have seen some pretty detailed wish lists as well ;) ...

I just love these kids...

And then there's Dallin...

Talk about a sweet little boy! I saw this letter sitting on the counter in the kitchen last night and it literally just about melted my heart!

He has been talking about the "Gift of Time" for weeks now and asking me if I thought Santa would bring it again this year...I told him that I'm sure he would! It's a tradition now!

In this sweet letter I noticed that Dallin thanked Santa for our previous "Gifts of Time" since he has not brought it yet this year...

and although he was sure to remind Santa about the things he would like, I was more touched at how genuine his words were about being "so excited to see there faces" when he thought about his family opening their gift.

THAT is Dallin...a normal little boy with a REALLY BIG heart and a LOT of love for his family and others! He has been praying everyday for the families of the little children who lost their lives in Connecticut...he prays that they will "not be too sad at Christmas..."

My heart is full. I love my family. I love my Heavenly Father and brother Jesus Christ.

I love that there is still lots of good in the world even though some would have us believe differently. And I love that we can make the world a better place by helping others, serving others, and loving others...especially the ones that live right under the same roof as me, and the little ones that are always tugging on my heartstrings :)...

Merry Christmas everyone :)



A Kurt Bestor Christmas

Last night was one of our great Christmas traditions...

a Kurt Bestor Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall!

We parked at the new City Creek center and walked through a sea of shoppers, music, lights, sounds, and sights that set such a tone... you could feel Christmas in the air!

We  saw the beautiful lights at the temple and people riding in the horse drawn carriages, hot chocolate and doughnuts being sold on the corner, and people everywhere celebrating fun times together. These kinds of memories are so sweet to me...especially with my sweetie pie :)...

This concert was Kurt's 25th anniversary celebration which made it pretty special.

He had 2 guest performers

~ Jenny Oaks Baker (violinist) and Alex Sharpe (A Celtic Woman Singer).

They were my favorite part of the show!

What amazing gifts of talent!

The concert included everything for me...beauty, inspiration, laughter, nostalgia, and the spirit.

Thank you Clint for being by my side in everything we do...from fun Christmas concerts to grabbing a coke on the ride home to help with car sickness...:)

I love celebrating every day with you!

Merry Christmas!



Christmas in the heart...and at the hospital

There are certain moments in this life that are hard to put into words, and yet are so completely meaningful and almost sacred that they need to be recorded. So, as I sit here tonight, I want to share my thoughts and feelings in my heart about two of the most special people in the world.

 My parents.

This past week my mom had to undergo surgery to have part of her colon removed. This was something that my mom knew was necessary, but still was not looking forward to.

I sat in the hospital with my dad hoping that my company would somehow make it easier for him to wait out the time until the doctors would come and tell him that they were through and that everything was going to be alright.

 

I thought it was interesting how my dad somehow was transformed in my mind to a young love~ struck boy waiting for his girl. He was so sweet with her when they were sitting together in her room. The first day was hard, but my mom was under so much pain medication that she really didn't even know that we were there.

 

But, the second day, I watched the two of them reaching out for each other across bed rails and IVs and oxygen lines as if they just knew that one simple touch would bring comfort and stop the pain.

I watched as my dad helped her so tenderly...

holding her hand, putting the cold wash cloth over her eyes to comfort her headache that came from the medication...gently he wrapped her legs and propped up her pillow...

There truly is much to be learned from the love that has grown and evolved over time.

True love bares ALL things.

 

I am grateful I was able to witness a side of my parents that I always knew existed, but had never before appreciated with these spiritual eyes.

They are truly great examples to me and how I have learned to model my marriage.

 Treat my love with the utmost dignity, love, and respect...and through the good and the bad, stand side by side and always be true, kind, and loving.

 

After visiting the hospital everyday, I have had an added "sacred" spirit to my holidays. Yes, they are fun and busy and exciting...but it is truly amazing to feel the Spirit of Christmas beside the bed of a sick loved one...especially my sweet mother.

Here is the lady who raised me, taught me, supported me, and loved me...took care of me when I was sick or sad or struggling...

Went to all of my track meets, cheer leading competitions, and bragged to all of her friends about me;)

...and now the roles are reversed.

I sit beside her hospital bed and offer soft words of encouragement. I put lotion on her feet and try to rub away a little bit of her pain...

I go to her and lean over her and hug her, rub her forehead, and brush her hair back.

I kiss her forehead and squeeze her arm...I'm sure that the feeling is mutual. I want her to be better, and she knows I want her to.

 

Today, she was so much better. I got to her bedside early and brushed her hair, painted her fingernails a light shade of pink and her toenails a bright Christmas red.

 It brought such a big smile to both her and my dad. :)

I turned on some soft Christmas music and delighted in her relaxed facial expressions. The tension of pain disappeared from her face and we talked, and smiled and it was a peaceful day.

I love my mom and dad so much.

What wonderful people they are to have always given so much to their children. I will forever be grateful for their loving examples, and I am forever grateful to a kind and merciful Heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers and who is aware of our needs, our joys and our pains.

Get well soon mom, and have a very Merry Christmas.

I'll meet you at the hospital again tomorrow. :) 

The Polar Express!

 

ALL ABOARD!!! :)

On the 1st of December we took a magical ride on the Polar Express!

That's right! All the way to the north pole...and with special visitors like Santa, Mrs. Clause, and even the elves...

At 1st Gavin wasn't sure if Clint and I would get to go...he thought that only little kids in their pajamas could ride...but I told him, "No! Anyone can go as long as they BELIEVE!!!"

Uncle Kevin, cousins Caden and Ava, Aunt Ginger, Grandma Trickett, Kierra, and Kambriella

Dallin, cousin Cohen, Gavin, Grandma Trickett, Clint, cousin Sawyer, Uncle Blake, and Aunt Cherie

Kierra, Kambriella, Grandpa Trickett, cousin Alora, and Carew

Uncle Blake, cousins Sawyer, Ella, Brier, Aunt Laura, and Aunt Cherie

Santa's elves, Gavin, and Dallin

Look at all the fun family!!! We ALL BELIEVE!!! :)

Santa's favorite chocolate chip cookies and Hot Chocolate! YUMMY!!! :)

It seems like the smiles and squeals of laughter were pretty constant to me...all of the little ones were so excited and having such a great time singing Christmas carols, having their treats, and answering Christmas questions from Santa's helpers... The elves kept on visiting and making them laugh with their stickers on their noses...:)

Then, when Mrs. Clause arrived the fun REALLY began!!! :) She took the little boys by the cheeks and kissed them on their faces...They seemed so happy! She took the time to visit with everyone and even shared her chocolate chip cookie recipe with us to take home too!

Mrs. Clause and Gavin

I just love how much Mrs. Clause really loved every single child!

 She was so sweet with them...and I LOVE how Kambriella's cheeks are all bunched up in this picture! It makes me just want to pinch 'em ~ eat 'em or ~  kiss 'em!!!

I guess I will just have to do all 3! ;)

And though Santa's arrival was REALLY when all of the shouts of joy erupted... I am sad to say I have no pictures of the moment...There was just so much going on and all of the pictures I took were of his back or his bum...oops! :)

But BELIEVE ME! He was a jolly and happy soul! ;) He gave a silver bell to each person on the train and we all shook our jingle bells as we sang all the way back home from the north pole! What Fun! What a treat! What happy memories we are making together with these sweet little ones!

Christmas really is the most Wonderful time of the year!!! :)

 



Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a wonderful holiday to have...an entire day devoted to giving thanks. Something that feels so good, and really fills our lives with goodness and blessings.

 This year I started a Gratitude Journal that has been left out on the kitchen table for the last month or so... anyone can write in it whenever they want to so it can be fun for us to sit down and read together today, on Thanksgiving Day.

This is quite a large journal, so my hope is that we can bring it out every year and write in it until it's pages are full...just like our blessings are full.

 

We also had a great start to our Holiday season last night by going to see the production of

"The Savior of the World" at the Conference Center. We took Kierra, Carew, and Dallin and let each of them bring a friend too which made it that much more special for them.

We went out to dinner first and then headed to Salt Lake for the play.

It was amazing...I loved how powerfully the Spirit touched our hearts at the message that was given...

My favorite part was when the angels sang out loud to the shepherds of the Good News

of the birth of Baby Jesus... it was beautiful and inspiring.

 

Then, as tradition on Thanksgiving morning, I went on a little run and visited with my sweet friend Natalie. Every Thanksgiving morning is so peaceful to go out because the world is so still. I love it.

This morning was kind of funny though as I ran into a little bunny on my run...

I joked with Natalie that the Easter Bunny was visiting me for Thanksgiving :)

...and then I saw these little guys...

I think everyone is happy that they are not turkeys today ;)

With all of their honking I really think they were trying to tell me "Happy Thanksgiving!"

 

So as this Thanksgiving Day begins, I have lots of gratitude in my heart...but I really hope that Heavenly Father knows that that gratitude is there every single day and not just on Thanksgiving.

I feel His love and blessings around me all of the time and I am always amazed at the amount of love and goodness that He gives...

 

Alma 34:38 "...live in thanksgiving daily,

for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."

 

D&C 78:19 "And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more."

 

3 Nephi 24:10 "...I will open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there

shall not be room enough to receive it."

 

This is truly what I believe and how I feel.

 If we live with thankfulness and gratitude daily, then our lives will be blessed beyond measure...beyond our capacity to comprehend.

 ~ And the blessings will continually flow... and if we take the time to notice them...count them...and thank Heavenly Father for them, then the blessings will continually come. We will receive more gifts than we even have room to receive.

 

I am thankful today for so many things, so I would like to give my heart to the Savior that he might read and know what is forever there... Happy Thanksgiving!

The Temples at Christmas Time

There are many things in this life that are beautiful...
But to me, the temple is one of the greatest depictions of beauty on earth.
When I was out on a date with Clint the other day and saw these beautiful paintings, I immediately fell in love...
I literally stopped dead in my tracks completely mesmerized by what I was seeing...
I LOVE the temple and I LOVE Christmas...so put the 2 together and I am...well...in LOVE!!! :)

Thank you so much sweetie for this precious gift...

Sealed to you here...for time and all eternity...

I'm so thankful...
Words can't express...


Our snow~girlfriend "Sassy!"

I sat peacefully on the couch enjoying a quiet MOMENT...watching the big snowflakes fall and STICK! It was officially our first snow of the year!

 I love the snow and all of the magic that seems to drift through the air right along with it...

 

As quickly as that quiet MOMENT had come, it was fleeting with some major EXCITEMENT...

I heard Kambriella's door to her bedroom open...baby steps coming down the stairs...

then just as the front room windows came into her view...

 

"IT'S SNOWING MOM!!!! PLEASE CAN I BUILD A SNOWMAN!!!????"

 

Now, as excited as I get for the snow... I tried every diversion I could think of for the next 5 minutes to try to at least blaze through a couple of items at the top of my "To Do" list

before we ventured out into the snow...

 

"Kambriella...we really need to have breakfast before we go out in the snow..."

 

"Kambriella...I really need to get in the shower!"

 

"Kambriella...I am just going to put some laundry in, OK?"

 

"Kambriella...How about we run to the grocery store first and then when we come back there will be even MORE snow to play in?"

 

I could very plainly see that the sweet little heart of my little 3 year old girl was going to get the best of me...I was NOT going to get to ANYTHING else on my "list" until we checked off the very most important one... BUILD A SNOWMAN!

 

I knew that this was one of those times where I needed to be a "Mother Who Knows," and that I needed to set aside these trivial little tasks for something of much greater worth...

An opportunity to see my little girl giggle and smile and laugh...and to know that her mama loves her and cares so much about what is important to her...because after all, the things that are important to my children really are important to me. Just like I know that Heavenly Father knows what is in my heart, and He cares about the things that are important to me too.

 

So, in all of my early morning beauty ;) ... I threw on a snow cap, bundled up little Miss Kambriella, put on my mittens and ran aimlessly out into the snow with my little girl! First I pulled her around in giant doughnuts on the sled, then we had our very first lesson on making the snowball and rolling it bigger and bigger until it's just the right size for your snowman!

It was so much fun and I really don't know who got more enjoyment out of it...Kambriella for having made her very own "snow~girlfriend"...or me, for watching the magic and excitement of a little child experiencing one of the most simple but precious joys of life...

 

So here we have it! Kambriella and her snow~girlfriend "Sassy!"(Named by Kambriella herself! ;)

 

 

 

It was so fun to watch Kambriella as she played around her snow girl...she kept on talking to her, hugging her, and calling her "sista!" I watched her tell her stories and ask her if she was going to melt away when the sunshine came out... and then I just grinned when she told her "not to be afraid!" This little angel is too much for me! She keeps tugging on my heartstrings every single day!!!

 

 

 

After about an hour outside (which is honestly longer than I thought she would make it!) I told Kambriella that mommy was freezing and that I thought we should go inside...

this was NOT what Kambriella wanted to hear! (Surprise surprise!)

So now it was her turn to find the diversions!!! 

 

"Mommy watch me do this trick!"

 

"Mommy you have GOT to try this snow!!! It's so yummy...it tastes like WATER!!!"

 

I finally decided to go inside figuring that she would finally give in and follow right behind...

But oh no...she is VERY independent! :)

 

After all, she was just having some "girl time" with her "Sassy sista!"

Finally the little princess came in because she said she was Freezing! So naturally, I did what every good mother would do...

I took off all of her wet clothes, plopped her little bottom down right on top of the warm heater vent and made her some hot chocolate! :)

I am so glad that our little ones remind us of our priorities and how to have fun in life! After all, who wants to stay inside and do laundry anyway?

NOT me!!! :)

Thanks for the fun Kambriella! I love you!