Enjoying Lolli-Pops

Last Thursday at about 2:00 in the afternoon, I drove to the airport to pick up 2 of my very favorite people in the world! Kierra and Easton!

Kierra was coming into town for her friend Katelyn's wedding reception, and we only got 3 days with her, but hey, we will take whatever we can get!

After stopping at Clint's work to say hello to all the boys, we drove home and spent the evening together with the family...eating Café Rio take out for dinner, playing games, and catching up on life.

On Friday morning since we don't have in person school those days, we decided to take a field trip to the Children's Discovery Museum at Thanksgiving Point.

Easton loved playing with the little play house washer and dryer, pushing the button over and over again to turn the light on and off again . :)

Him and Aunt Kesslyn also loved playing in the water table at the Water Works section of the museum!

…and although they had a great time there, they were most excited to run off to the jungle gym area...

Easton enjoyed climbing all around with his mom following close behind him.

And although you can't see them very well in this picture, all the kids were enjoying being up high in the tree tops scaling the rope bridges. They do not have a fear of heights like their mother, thank goodness!

It brings me so much comfort to have my family all together under one roof., and I know that may seem a little silly with everyone growing up so much, but I just love them all and feel complete when they are all there.

I have to enjoy every minute I have with them and be sure not to take anything for granted!

Kierra is such a good little mom and her and Riley are doing such a wonderful job raising Easton.

I was so impressed with her light packing skills in order to save a little money and not have to pay extra to check a bag on the plane. All she brought with her was one little back pack full of mostly things for little Easton (since she could borrow a lot of my things while she is here...) but in that one little back pack full of things was Easton's Book of Mormon reader. I love that she found it one of the most important things to pack, and that she is teaching him from this young age al about Jesus Christ. I love that she knows what truly matters most.

We had a great time playing outside on the playground for a while, eating lunch at Zupa's, and then heading home for a bit so that Easton could have a nap.

We colored with Kesslyn, and Kierra made this beautiful picture for her that she LOVES! :)

On Saturday when Kierra went to her friend's wedding reception, I got to babysit Easton, and we had a fun time together! I am grateful for technology because I think that helps him in being so familiar and comfortable with me. He didn't seem unsure of me at all. In fact he kept reaching out to me like he wanted to be with me and it made me feel so good!

I love the different parts of mothering, including this new phase of my life, grand-mothering. (Although I prefer to call it "enjoying Lolli-Pops.";)

We are a blessed family with so many sweet people in it to love. 

But I guess now that I think about it, that's really how every family is because we are all a part of that same big family. It's a comforting thing to know. :)

 

Going About Doing Good

So much good going on, it's time to catch up! :)

We've been busy! I took Kambriella out on a date where we went to the temple and talked about being in young women's. She is SO excited and has such a good heart.

I've been running quite a bit these days since the aerobics class I usually go to has been shut down because of covid...I have loved my quiet morning runs and the beautiful morning skies...

I have been teaching a temple prep class every other Sunday with my sister Tiffany, brother in law Colby, and my son Dallin. I love it, and it feels so good to be sharing that light together.

Kesslyn is daily perfecting her art skills and is always coloring or drawing something! 

I mean, just look at that Olaf next to the dinosaur! So sweet.

We've had the entire family in to the dentist for cleanings...some happier to go than others. ;)

We've been working on designing/dreaming up a design for a new logo to celebrate 20 years of business in 2021! I never could have imagined twenty years ago what this business would have looked like today...but after thinking about and seeing all of the hard work that has gone into it, I CAN believe it! We have been so blessed throughout it all, and the Lord continues to be at the helm of this "ship!"

I have also been asked to speak in the leadership session of stake conference this weekend coming up. I am speaking about "inspired ministering." I have had some inspired dreams where I really feel like I was receiving some guidance and instruction for this specific talk. I learned from my dreams that 1) Ministering needs to be done one by one.2) To be successful at ministering we need to spend TIME with individuals and show them that we really care and want to make a difference in their life. 3) When we offer service through ministering, we will see miracles! I will have to take the time to record these dreams at a later date, but suffice it to say, that my dreams were real, emotionally involved, and unforgettable.

I have also been working hard at getting all of my Christmas taken down and put away, and also at getting some of my decorating done since moving in over a year ago now! I always have some good boys to help me too. :)

I also went with Gavin to the high school for a suicide prevention/awareness night. Gavin serves on the HOPE squad at his school and is always learning about how to help people through some of these kinds of rough challenges. I have also found this kind of information very helpful while serving in this calling, and so it benefitted me too. Just the other day I had a sister reach out to me about the "very dark place" that she was in. We had a successful conversation about this very thing, and it made me so grateful for the good people out there who care about others and want to make a difference...just like Gavin. :)

There was live entertainment and speakers too, and Gavin got to clap his hands and sing along too in the background. Way to go Gavin!

I also took Dallin on his date the other day! We went and got shakes and fries from In N Out, and then went shopping and bought a surprise gift to deliver to his cute girl "friend" Jordyn.

We were sneaky and had Dallin slide down in his seat as to not get caught!

We bought this cute little bag and filled it with a gift card, temple recommend holder, necklace, bookmark, and a candy bar too! We hung it on her car door so she could find it when she got off of work.

Then we drove through the drive through of where she works and bought a half dozen cookies and said hello. We knew that it would make her day.

I mean we knew that Dallin would make her day. 

And he did. :)

I can feel the winds of change beginning to blow ever more increasingly. and I am trying to enjoy every minute that I have with my children still under my wing.

Before long, things are going to look very different around here. Still good, just different.

Happy Monday everyone!

 

Off to Young Womens!

My little Kambriella is not so "little" anymore! 

This month she entered young womens and went to her first activity!

We went to the church, she put on her mask, and joined the other girls her age for some Minute to Win it games and had a ball.

She has been joining the Young Women's Sunday zoom meetings and working hard to memorize the new young women's theme...

Her leaders stopped by and gave her a beautiful necklace with the temple on it and she was so excited to wear it to school. :)

She thought of her little sister Kesslyn and brought home some of the left over balloons from her activity. It made Kesslyn's day for sure!  These sweet girls are just getting too big!

Kambriella also wanted me to record some of the things that she has made in school.

My kids love art and are very artistic! I love seeing the different things that they create.

I'm also proud of how hard they work, and how they feel good about themselves when they put forth a good effort. Kambriella, you are becoming just what Heavenly Father intended you to be!

I love you!

 

The Holmstrom Wedding Miracle

Meet my friend Jodie and her new daughter in law Hannah.

I love their giant smiles because it reflects the mood and feel of the special night we helped to create for them, and it reflects the feelings of my heart.

Jodie got ahold of me one night and asked if I could help her with her son's wedding that was moved up from August 2021, to January 7th, 2021!

With just about a week and a half to pull off a small miracle, we did it!!! AND, it was beautiful. :)

Jodie came to my house where we brainstormed centerpieces and came up with something beautiful, and fitting for her son, AND it was FREE!!! HOW?? Because I have some pretty amazing friends who are sweet and willing to share all they have for the "building up of the kingdom of God on the earth, and for the establishment of Zion." THAT is exactly what I feel we are doing when we help one another all along the way.

I feel so blessed to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints and to be able to call these good good people my friends.

At the last minute I was able to call on a dozen different people who resoundingly answered "yes!" to a call for help. And that is exactly the way that I think Heavenly Father intended for us to minister to each other while we are finding our way down this path on our mortal journey.

We pulled together our resources and our time and talents and in the process had a good time laughing and creating something beautiful.

The wedding and their celebration afterwards was held in a little white barn in Draper, and with the things we had planned and gathered, it was more than what anyone expected it to be. Jodie was so overwhelmed with gratitude that she was literally moved to tears at the end of the night when she was able to say "thank-you."

It felt good to know that I was able to help Jodie and her family in some small way, that to them was huge.

My sister Tiffany, her husband Colby, and other friends, Joanne, Jill, Emily, Lorelei, Katie, and others were also there with smiles on and helping hands.

As we do our daily work, we are building relationships that are not only for today, but also for eternity.

Thank you Jodie for being brave and reaching out to ask for help! Thank you for believing in me that I could actually help you pull this off, and for being so gracious , sweet, and appreciative.  

I truly see and feel your goodness and your good heart, and I'm so grateful for that good gift.

Thank you Tiffany and Colby and everyone else who came to the rescue in our time of need for help! I LOVE my people and their willing and giving hearts.

Jodie stopped by just the other day with a few small gifts and a letter of gratitude. Once again she was overcome with emotion, and as I gave her a hug, I also said a little prayer that she would KNOW how much she is really loved.

Because she really is!

This Wise Guy ~ Dallin's Wisdom Teeth

Dallin got his wisdom teeth out last week, and just as we expected, we got some incredibly hilarious videos of that sweet boy when he came out of his anesthesia. :)

What we didn't anticipate was how emotional the medication would make Dallin. He cried "for the first time," talked about how much he loves Jordyn and how he just wants to make her happy and be nice to her, he revisited his childhood days when he was "zero when he was born" and when he took karate when he was 3! (NOT!) :)

That kid was hilarious and Oh so sweet .He kept telling me how much he loved me and how he was going to throw the biggest party ever with "candy and Sprite!" He also talked about why he was getting his wisdom teeth out, (to go on a mission) and that he was going to teach the gospel and give people "High 5!"

Dallin, I love you so much and I'm glad you are willing to do hard things so that you can go and serve the Lord. 

You will be an amazing missionary!

Dallin has also been asked to 3 Sweethearts dances, and is going to go to all 3 because they are all on different days! (One more plus to covid-19.;)

But lucky for him, his favorite person asked him first and he is SO excited to go with Jordyn to their dance. The other ones will just be for fun, and because Dallin is a nice guy like that. :)

Dallin, I can hardly believe that we are closing in on the last stretch of your high school career! There is SO much good ahead for you and I can't wait to see what's in store!

I love you sweet Buddy!