A Difficult Day

As our family lovingly says goodbye to my sweet nephew who left this life to soon, I wish to testify of the love of our Savior and the power of His Atonement. Our mortal hearts ache, and miss, and hurt...but the "sting of death is swallowed up in Christ."
Mosiah 16:8-9 says...
"But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. 
He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."
Meloney, Kenny, Daphney, Nathan, Natalie, and Ryan...I love you all so much and pray that your hearts will be comforted at this time. May all of the smiles, laughter, and happy memories fill you up and keep Jacob close in your hearts.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 After we sent our love and goodbyes at my nephew Jacob's funeral yesterday, we laid a beautiful, fresh evergreen Christmas wreath at the headstone of my dad's grave. It was cold outside...12 degrees...

But our hearts were warm and surrounded by family on both sides of the veil, we made it through a difficult but peaceful day. I am forever grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Atonement, and eternal families!

Merry Christmas angel Daddy!

A Snowman Grave :)

I love that every time it snows, my children want to hurry outside and build a snowman!

Dallin, Gavin, and Kambriella were outside packing the snow and rolling the balls, and it wasn't too long before Kambriella came inside looking for carrots... :)

As she sifted through the bag of baby carrots, she got so excited that she had found the perfect one!

No sooner did she return outside than did she immediately come back in with the biggest alligator tears and the saddest little frown you ever did see...:(

Through her heavy sobs she managed to tell me that her snowman she had made was just a baby one, and that her brothers had thought they were little snowballs PERFECT for their impromptu snowball fight.

I grabbed my coat and went outside to try to help console and encourage my little girl and found that she had instead made a "snowman grave."

Rest In Peace little snowman...:)

Sometimes life is hard...especially when you are a little girl! :)

2 Angels

 Mama Angel, Baby Angel :)

Literally! :)

 We were at Cabella's doing a little Christmas shopping and Kesslyn couldn't get enough of Grandma or the animals there...she ooed and awed and pointed her little finger at everything that caught her eye...

 ...while I ooed and awed over how cute these two were! :)

I fell in love with how happy Kesslyn was to see her Grandma, especially since she doesn't get to see her that often. I know that she can feel of her genuine love for her and it doesn't really matter how often they are together because when they are together, the love is there...and it is sooo sweet!

 I love you mom!

You are my angel and my hero!

Sunday Dinner

 The Sabbath day is my favorite day of the week! 

We have the chance to go to church and worship our Savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father...partake of the sacrament and be renewed and clean...and take time to reflect on our blessings, our mistakes and how we can do better, and what good the world may need of us in the week ahead...

...and then we get to sit down as a family for Sunday dinner!!! 

I know that everyone LOVES this part! ;)

A yummy meal with all the fixin's and everyone present! It's a treat!

(Except Carew is missing since he was on his Footlocker trip to California.)

This particular Sunday was a fun one because it's the 1st Sunday of December and it's the

First Presidency Christmas Devotional! We watch it every year and it really seems to kick off the Christmas season with the right spirit. I love it!

 This time, our good friend was able to get tickets to actually go to the conference center, so Kierra took advantage of the opportunity and invited her friend, boy, well...boy that's a friend that she really really really likes a lot...OK fine!!! HER BOYFRIEND Riley!!! :)...and they went to the conference center to watch it! But ONLY after stopping by the house for dinner before. :)

 (Which made me very, very happy!)

 I think I may have embarrassed them just a little bit...

and I MADE them get a picture in the sleigh!!! (But of course Kesslyn wanted to join in too!;)

 And of course a picture by the Christmas tree! :)

Kierra and Riley are such a cute couple and I'm so pleased that she has set her standards high and is so set on dating such good young men. I don't ever worry about who she surrounds herself with because I know that it will only be the finest people. She loves the gospel and recognizes the Spirit and wants that constantly in her life. (It just happens to be a bonus that this fine young man is also very handsome...:)

Lucky for you Kierra!

Actually, there is absolutely NO luck involved here. Heavenly Father just loves you so much and wants to bless you with all of the greatest and most sincere desires of your heart.

Keep on choosing the right and standing in holy places, and I know that one day all of those sweet dreams of yours are going to come true...and you WILL live happily FOREVER after!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Luminaria

 Friday night date night was an experience I will never forget...

Clint and I went to Thanksgiving Point's Luminaria holiday display of millions of lights!!!

 But this wasn't your average light display...

Scenes put together to make you feel like you were in a winter wonderland, and things to tickle ALL of your senses...like lights, music, hot chocolate and treats, and even peppermint scented birch chips that you actually walk on!!! And evergreen trees that smell so good that I can still smell them from here (at home!:)

 But...

My very most favorite part of the whole experience and the part that I was looking forward to the most...

was the "Light of the World Garden" featuring life size bronze statues of Jesus Christ depicted in different scenes from His life and stories from the Bible.

 Before entering the Garden they appropriately had a Holy Family nativity with scripture and peaceful music..

 Then, across a sea of lanterns and luminaries we came upon the statue of Jesus walking on the water...

 Being life size and surrounded by so much light, it actually felt like He was really there...

 ...and among my favorites were the one of Him carrying His cross...

and Lazarus being raised from the dead.

 What I loved about this one was that the scene was completely dimensional and you could walk around the entire thing and see everyone's perspective of what was going on...

Lazarus could see his sisters and Jesus, his sisters saw the view of their brother rising from the entrance of the tomb, and Jesus looked on all knowingly...the spirit there was truly amazing... 

Then off to the side of the rest of the statues was a beautiful depiction of the First Vision.

My heart was full, and I longingly wanted to stay in the Garden all night...

I'm so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for people who share their talents in ways like this that help others to feel of His love. I'm also thankful for my sweet husband who loves me so much and loves to take me on dates any chance we can get...even if it means we have to brave the cold!!!

AND, I'm so grateful for this special time of year when the world seems to be filled with a little more love everywhere we go!

Lifting Burdens and a Date With Mom

 "Jesus lifted others burdens, and so can you!"

It was day 1 of  #LIGHTtheWORLD and I knew exactly what I was going to do to lift someone's burden...

I have still been thinking so much about our neighbor that just passed away and just how hard this holiday season will be for her sweet family with missing her so much...

Kambriella and I went on a hunt to find a Christmas ornament that we could put a picture of her in to give to the family...and we found the perfect one!

We printed off Susie's picture from the obituaries and put it together with a love note in a Christmas card and went over together to deliver it...and hearts were touched, and I believe a portion of their burden was lifted. 

It feels so good to lift and love one another...

 ...and what an angel of a helper I had! Kambriella went with me to deliver our gift, and when we got their we found out that their little boy Oliver had gotten hurt and had to get staples in his head! Kambriella was able to lift his burden by visiting him and being a good friend. :)

 Today was also a special day because it was Kambriella's turn for a date with mom!

I checked her out of school and we headed over to the mall to enjoy another free Christmas concert with David Tolk. He is an amazing pianist with angelic sounds of Christmas...we had a great time. :)

 After the concert, some food, and a visit with Mrs. Clause, we headed over to the little kids play area where Kambriella and Kesslyn had a ball together! It was just the right combination for a perfect date with mom!

 To all of my beautiful girls, keep loving each other with all of your hearts, and watching out for each other in all that you do! Stay close and be the very best of friends because no one else in this world can love you like your sister!!! I love you all! XOXOXOXOX!!!!!!

Serve and Light the World

 Kesslyn and I ran some errands together today and made a stop at Kneaders Bakery!

Their food and treats are so yummy, and everything about their store is festive and fun!

 I loved watching Kesslyn explore the beautiful Christmas trees and I felt like I really did see the "wonder in her eyes" as she was learning about her world around her...

 I also LOVED that the people in the store kept on commenting how she looked like a little elf! :) 

I thought to myself.."Yes, she does! AND she IS Santa's little helper!" ;)

We bought an assortment of delicious holiday treats for the dessert portion of a meal we were preparing to take to a dear friend who just had hip surgery. I knew that her little ones would be 

so delighted with such a fun treat to share!

 Santa and reindeer sugar cookies, double fudge brownies, and peppermint brownies...YUM!!!

Christmas time is so magical and there really is a special feeling in the air! But I also know that it doesn't just come from the treats at the store...but from the feeling of loving your family, friends, and neighbors...and from serving and loving each other! 

Also, as part of our holiday celebration, our family is participating in the #LIGHTtheWORLD event...

I can't wait to see what happens!!! :)

#LIGHTtheWORLD

https://youtu.be/mJmAV0gTp_Q