Conference Weekend!

General Conference weekend is always a favorite for all of the Tricketts! :)

 I feel the spirit so strong in my home as I listen, ponder, learn, and think about how I can apply the teachings we receive into my life and the lives of my family.

After listening to both sessions on Saturday, I was happy to send all 4 of my boys off together to the Priesthood Session that evening. I heard they all had a great time and later went to Rumbi for dinner.

I of course took advantage of our "girl time" and asked Kambriella if she would like to 

ride her bike to Arctic Circle for dinner...

all I heard the whole way there was "This is so much fun!" and "This is the best day ever!" :) 

That in itself made my whole night. :)

I ran there while pushing the stroller and Kambriella rode her bike. I couldn't help but stop for a picture to capture the gold leaves that seemed to be glowing all around us, AND these beautiful faces... :)

The girls ate their chicken while I had a drink, and then of  course we had to get ice cream!

The funny part was that Kesslyn devoured her little courtesy cone, 

and then went in for the steal while Kambriella was right in the middle of eating her own!!!

Kambriella thought it was hilarious!!!

I always like to rearrange the basement when it's conference to make room for the tables and chairs that I set up for the children to have their own space for note taking, journal writing, and picture drawing.

They get to earn "conference cash" for their reverence, singing, kindness, and service.

Then after it's over, I open the "store" where they get to spend their cash on treats and treasures...

We had the missionaries over to listen with  us too, 

and they were giggling as they were telling us, "This is so much fun!!"

 ( I hope there will be some sweet mothers out there that will take care of my sons 

when they go on their missions too!) :)

I believe that living the gospel IS fun! It makes me happy to know that the Lord loves us 

and is cheering us on in all that we do.

 My hope is that I can provide enough positive spiritual experiences for my children that they will one day move out on their own and continue to live the gospel because they LOVE it, and they will know that living it is what will bring them true joy and happiness.

One last VERY bright spot in our conference weekend was that Kierra got to come home on Sunday and spend the day with us!!!

I love to watch her making the rounds giving out hugs and kisses to all of her siblings... 

(even those older boys that maybe don't want to be kissed by their sister ;)

and then how happy everyone is to see her, especially the littlest ones. :)

I LOVE my family.

 I LOVE my Savior Jesus Christ.

 I LOVE the gospel,

 and I LOVE conference weekend!!!

The Feeling of Fall

If you could package up fall and the excitement that is in the air, I think THIS is what it would smell like!!!

I love everything FALL  :)

My birthday is September 22nd...AND it's the first day of fall. :)

The leaves are changing

The air is cooler

And conference time is HERE!!!

Last Saturday I went to the church to watch the broadcast of the Women's General Relief Society meeting and felt SO much peace, love, and encouragement...which is so completely opposite from most of the messages that surround us these days.

As I sat taking notes, I tried really hard to NOT write down just the words that were "said" but rather the words that I "heard" through the Spirit.

I believe that Heavenly Father can tell me things specific to my needs and the needs of my sweet family.

I LOVE to  receive those special messages that He has just for me.

I loved the meeting last week and am looking forward to the next 2 days and the feeling that comes with the spiritual feast and gifts that we receive.

Happy listening and Happy Weekend!!!

:)

Gentle "Nudges"

I love the gentle little "nudges" that we get from the Spirit.

Yesterday was such a busy day and I really wondered how I would be able to accomplish everything that I had written down in my planner. I considered which things weren't "necessary" and maybe I could do without...I learned very quickly from the "nudges" that I got, that taking time to see the kids at the school was definitely a MUST. :)

It's funny how when you keep prayer and Heavenly Father a part of the agenda, all of the important things always seem to get done. :)

Kambriella and Gavin were running in their Road Runner Rally at the school ...

Kesslyn and I were happy to join them for a little bit and cheer them on as they ran and ran and ran!

I loved how Kambriella would go from a leisurely walk to a full on sprint as soon as she could see me. :)

There is something about people being there to cheer you on 

that makes the work a little easier to do. :)

Kesslyn LOVES these kids and THEY LOVE HER!!!

It was so rewarding for me to see how happy they were to see each other!

As I was out for my run this morning I listened to the song "Love At Home."

The words..."making life a bliss complete, when there's love at home" struck me like they never have before.

THAT is what we are doing...making life a bliss complete...BECAUSE we have love at home...

and I LOVE it!

:)

Temples

It's Wednesday! 

For the last 3 and a half years I have been fortunate enough and blessed to be able to serve in the young women's organization of the church. The highlight for me of course was getting to be with Kierra so much and to have had some life changing experiences together...but also just getting to spend every Wednesday and Sunday with our amazing youth.

Today we will be visiting the Oquirrh Mountain Temple with the girls and strengthening our testimonies of the temple and of eternal families.

This is one of my favorite things to do...go to the temple.

We live about 3 miles from the Jordan River temple and are very fortunate to get to go there often. Right now though, the temple is under renovation and won't be open for about a year and a half.

Sooooo.....

We have decided to take advantage of this opportunity to go and visit some other temples too!

(Did you know that by the time all of the currently announced temples are completed there will be 175 temples dotting the earth?)

This summer, Clint, Kierra, Carew and I had the amazing opportunity of going to the 

Palmyra, New York Temple.

It was literally a sacred experience, as you can stand inside the temple and gaze out a large picture window into the actual Sacred Grove. The same Sacred Grove where Joseph Smith had the First Vision and saw the literal Son of God and Heavenly Father himself.

Also this summer, we have visited the Logan Temple. This temple has extra significance and special meaning to me as it is the temple where Clint and I were sealed for time and all eternity. 

           My parents and Clint's parents were also sealed in this beautiful temple...yes...VERY special!

And after 22 years of marriage to this amazing man, I am more in love with him today than ever.

It just keeps getting better and better  :)

We also visited the New port Beach Temple this summer with Kierra, Carew, and Dallin.

This was very special to me to be with all of my family (that's old enough) and to feel the special spirit there and participate together in saving ordinances.

 This MUST be how it will feel to be with loved ones in heaven...

We also went to the Payson temple and witnessed the marriage of this beautiful bride.

Amelia has always been the big sister to Kierra that she has never had, and really like a daughter to me.

I love that the temple blesses our lives in so many ways.

This month we will also be going to the Mount Timpanogos temple...

And just for fun, here is a list of the temples I have visited:

Anchorage Alaska Temple

Laie Hawaii Temple

San Diego Temple

Newport Beach Temple

Mesa Arizona Temple

Idaho Falls Temple

Brigham City Temple

 Logan Temple

Ogden Temple

Bountiful Temple

Salt Lake Temple

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Jordan River Temple

Draper Temple

Mount Timpanogos Temple

Provo City Center Temple

Provo Temple

Payson Temple

Manti Temple

St. George Temple

Las Vegas Temple

Palmyra New York Temple

Boston Massachusetts Temple

Orlando Florida Temple

They are all amazing and beautiful and each one brings the same

 peaceful feelings of "heaven on earth."

They are a "refuge from the storm" and a great blessing in my life, and also something that I try to pattern my home after. I love the temples so much and am so grateful for the eternal promises that I have made and those same promises that Heavenly Father is keeping with me.

I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!

Swiss Days ~ Our Labor Day Weekend Tradition!

Every Labor Day weekend our family loves to take a drive up the Provo Canyon 

and head on over to Swiss Days.

There's a fun fresh feeling of fall in the air up there in Midway. With all of the sights, sounds, and smells in the air, it is the perfect way to begin Autumn time! AND...for me, it also marks the beginning of all of the holiday seasons and starts them off with a BANG! :)

(If the size of these scones are any indication of how much we LOVE going there...Then enough said!!!)

:)

Each of the kids saved up their money to buy themselves a treasure at the booths, but the only one who ended up buying anything was me, and Kambriella! 

She bought a Candy Corn Witch costume for her American Girl doll, and I bought some new earrings.

( I have to build up my collection again now that Kierra has moved out to BYU for college! We used to share ALL of our things, but of course a good mommy lets her daughter have it ALL. ;)

We enjoyed the stroll around the quaint little Swiss style town and just laughing and talking about this and that...You know, it doesn't ever really matter where we are going or what we are doing, 

we just really like doing it together. :)

So excited for the seasons!!!

(And I just finished a big batch of homemade cinnamon vanilla syrup...

Bring on the Pumpkin pancakes!!!)

...and EVERYTHING pumpkin.

:)

"Short and Sweet!"

This little gift is "Short and Sweet!!!" Literally! :)

But it was oh so good for my sweet tooth and tummy! Yum!!!

This was an Edible bouquet that I received from my sweetie for my 40th birthday!

(Did I just admit that??!! 40?! :)  ;)

But you know what?? 

I AM SOOOOO HAPPY!!!! 

 Life continues to move forward at an ever increasing pace... I literally wake up in the morning and RUN all day, and fall into bed completely exhausted at night ~ 

But oh so excited to get up and do it again the next day.

WHY ???

 Because this life is so good.

I have a loving Heavenly Father who blesses me continually and I'm so grateful to have so many amazing people in my life to enjoy this amazing journey with.

#1 being my sweetheart Clint. Our cute family to go right along, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ as our guide.

I love this life and I love the feeling of peace and happiness that accompany each of us as we find true joy and happiness striving to do what's right, love those around us, 

and serve with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. 

I've really been counting my blessings, and don't ever want to forget them or take them for granted.

So, I have goals to try and record these everyday awesome experiences as they come. Whether they are "short and sweet" like my fruit bouquet, or not...each day is a gift and I am so grateful!!!

Kesslyn's Birth Story

It was 12:30 a.m. on Monday, August 31st when I was abruptly awakened by a loud "POP!"

My water had broken and our little baby girl was ready to come!!!
I rolled over to Clint and said,
"My water just broke and this little baby is coming on the school deadline!"
I could hardly believe what was happening...

I remember feeling very excited, nervous, and confused all at the same time...

I got up out of my bed and went straight to the bathroom.

The gushing of water that kept on coming confirmed what I already knew...

Kesslyn Natalia Trickett would be born TODAY, August 31st, 2015!

I stood at the sink brushing my teeth and putting my make up on (Yes, putting my make up on! ;)

But I felt kind of nervous and felt a little unprepared.

With 5 weeks left until my due date, I had not packed my hospital bag nor made any arrangements for my other children...

I asked Clint to go and wake Kierra so that we could tell her what was happening. She too was a little confused as she was half asleep when Clint told her that I was going to have the baby.

She lay in her bed for a minute and then promptly JUMPED out of bed when she realized what Clint was saying! 

She came in the bathroom with Clint and I where I began telling each of them what to do...

My instructions were very passive as I myself was still in shock with what was happening, so I finally said, "Kierra, will you Google What to Pack in a Hospital Bag?"

We all began laughing at the humor in this situation!!! At this point smiles and laughter came easily...

We were excited and my contractions hadn't started....YET...

We packed my bag, got in the car, and headed to the hospital still feeling quite relaxed...but my mind was blazing 100 miles per hour thinking of all of the things that I still needed to do today, the people that I would need to contact, and arrangements that would need to be made...

"I guess the 8 dozen hamburgers and hot dogs we ordered for the block pool party that we were hosting for today won't be needed!!!"

"I'll have to call Lorelei to let the neighbors know we won't be hosting a party since we are kind of busy HAVING A BABY!!! :)"

"I need to call Laura so she can be ready to come take the baby's pictures..."

"How long should I wait to call Laura?"

"Who can help my kids get off to school?"

"The kids are going to be soooo excited!!!"

"I can't wait to finally meet her..."

Those were just a few of my thoughts as we were driving to the hospital which is only about 10 minutes from our house...

THEN, as we slowly walked into the hospital, my contractions began to come...

I KNEW this would be quick, and my thoughts started changing...

"She's 5 weeks early...I hope she will be OK..."

"Oh No...This hurts..."

"I've never had a natural child birth before...with my blood clots and blood thinner I won't be able to have any pain medication or an epidural...Oh No...this is going to hurt..."

We checked in at the nurses station where they took my information and promptly took me to my room...I changed into my lovely blue gown, laid down in the hospital bed, and took a deep breath...

It was now 1:43 a.m.

Upon arriving at the hospital I was only dilated to a 3, but I knew it would probably progress pretty quickly because my contractions began coming very quickly and very strong...

and besides, this was my 6th baby!!! This should be a piece of cake, right???

"Cake??? Did someone say cake??? All I can say is OUCH!!!..."

In between my contractions Clint and I would talk about what needed to be done next...

I let my mom know we were having a baby!

Tell my sister that we are here at the hospital...

Text Laura and tell her it's time...

Up until this birth, it has always only been Clint and I in the room when our children were born...

But I know everything happens for a reason, and this time, because of my blood clot complications and having this baby NATURAL...I needed a little help. I was so grateful not only for my sweet husband who is ALWAYS by my side, but I was also grateful for my Rockstar nurse, my angel sister Tiffany, and my friend and photographer Laura for capturing it all for me...these are some of life's most sacred moments, and with these pictures to remember it by, tears fill my eyes and I have the same flood of emotion return time and time again when I see them. They are priceless.

This is one of heaven's finest moments when the veil is parted and life begins.

After what felt like forever (and it had only been about an hour) I asked the nurse to check me because I was sure with all of the pain I was going through, I MUST have been almost fully dilated...I was soooo discouraged to hear that I had only progressed to a 4... But, there was a moment of laughter as my sister Tiffany pulled up the "Pain Chart" and asked me where my pain level was...
I now knew what a "10" felt like...AWFUL! But we laughed together as I explained that there was no "smiley face" on the pain chart that represented my pain...I told them that it was off the charts and that they needed a "bitter beer face" for pain levels over 10 :) ...

My sweet husband so patiently stayed by my side the whole time...the ice chips helped for about
1 and a half seconds :)...

I remember at one point telling them that I didn't think I could do this...
The pain was so intense, and I knew after I said that, that I really could do it.
 I had to do this.
I had angels by my side and I was so excited to meet our new little angel too...

This picture right here means so much to me.
 Knowing what I was experiencing, and then "holding on"...
and my CTR ring reminding me that THIS is Choosing The Right.
Following God's plan and creating an eternal family with my sweetheart is what I am meant to do.
Being a mother in Zion is what I am meant to do.
Remembering that I can do "hard things" and that in the end it will all be worth it.
Oh so worth it.
(The CTR ring that I wear is the same CTR ring that Clint mailed to me while he was on his mission...it means soooo much to me in soooo many ways...AND it is my Clint Trickett Reminder! :)

I held on tight to my sweetie, breathing and trying to stay in control...
I remember saying "OUCH" a LOT...and although I only progressed 1 centimeter in the first hour that I was at the hospital, the rest went by so fast...
It's almost a blur...
In about the next 2 hours I had completely dilated to a 10 and felt that unbearable urge to "push"...
I only had to push once or twice and in a matter of minutes the intense pain I had been feeling
was suddenly gone...
and I could hear Kesslyn...
The sweetest sound that a mother could hear...

Kesslyn Natalia Trickett was born...It was Monday August 31st at 4:49 a.m.

She weighed 6 pounds and 2 ounces and measured 19 and a quarter inches long...

She is the littlest of all of my angels...but just as sweet...:)

Sometimes, I have no words...

I love him with everything that I have...

These pictures are priceless to me...and speak volumes of the feelings that I experienced that day...
I feel a deep sense of love and connection to my Heavenly Father as I realize that I am helping to bring about an important part in His Plan of Happiness...
I realize that life is precious and we are truly a part of a miracle...

This sweet little baby girl has immediately stolen our hearts.
My "mother's heart" has reached bursting capacity!!!
  I am so blessed...
I love her so much...

Kesslyn's actual due date was October 4th, and so she had joined our family 5 weeks early!
I felt like she heard me talking about her coming to our family and getting to "go to school with Kambriella" by being born on the school deadline :)...
And although we were so happy she was finally here safe and sound we had a few obstacles to overcome...this picture was the last time I saw her that day...
It broke my heart to see her go, but her tiny little lungs were not as strong as they needed to be, so they were taking her away to get her the help that she needed. And although I missed her terribly, I was so grateful for the doctors, nurses, and medical advancements that make life possible.
She is here.
She is precious.
She is mine.
Forever.
:)