It's a "Purse"onal Day

I LOVE serving in the Stake Primary! What a treat it is to serve these precious children of our Heavenly Father. This year our Stake Activity Day theme was It's a "Purse"onal Day. All the girls in the stake between the ages of 8 - 11 were invited for a fun filled morning celebrating their knowledge that they are daughters of God.

Each one arrived at the Stake Center, bright and early Saturday morning, they signed in at this beautiful table and received name tags. As they entered the chapel, they were greeted by each member of our Stake Presidency. We were so happy that over 200 girls and their leaders were there with us that morning.

The spirit was so strong as we gathered in the chapel for an opening. It brought tears to my eyes to watch and sing with them "I Know That My Savior Lives."

They watched a Mormon Message by President Uchtdorf about their "True Identity" and President Anderson then spoke to them.

Then they separated into 4 different groups and attended classes.

Then after we fed them spiritual and emotionally, we fed them physically! They were as cute as a button as they walked into the beautifully decorated cultural hall. We LOVED making them feel special. One girl said "Oh, this looks GLORIOUS!" Another said, "I feel just like a princess, I never want to go home!" It was SO fun to spoil them just a little as we tried to make them feel special!

As they sat down, their plates were already filled with turkey and cheese croissants, fruit kabobs and some chips. We tried to make it "kid friendly" and I never knew girls could eat so much! :)



Cupcakes were a BIG hit for dessert. Carolyn Zollinger, our in house wedding planner, decorated this beautiful table.

This ice chilled water fountain was a HUGE hit!

The room was filled wall to wall with fluffy pink and yellow and the precious girls glowed with angelic countenances.

These are some of the adorable girls and faithful leaders who were there.

I LOVE these two ladies! Shawna Smith, my first counselor and Carolyn Zollinger, my secretary. The other ladies were busy running or teaching classes. What a F-U-N morning it was!

HApPy hApPy BiRtHDaaay to YoU . . .

The end of summer is a busy time with lots of birthdays in our famlee. Donivan turned seven years old September 9th. It was an off year so famlee birthday parties are the best!

His special day included having the "birthday bear" from his classroom on his desk all day at school. I made cupcakes and took them to his class during afternoon recess. One problem, he told me there were 21 kiddos in his class so I made 26 cupcakes to have extra. There was actually 28 kids! One little boy is gluten intolerant so he couldn't eat one and Donivan choose to give them all away to his friends. He waited anxiously for an extra BIG piece of cake at his party. Note to self: Next year, call the teacher to get a REAL count! The kiddos ate the cupcakes so fast, I didn't even get a picture.

What a cute boy he is! Look at that happy smile!

Donivan wanted to go bowling for his birthday BUT he got a cake with Woody bowling instead!

Braxton thought it was so fun to sing "Happy Birthday" and blow out the candles that we did it about 7 more times just so he could blow them out!

Braxton could blow out the candles all he wanted but Donivan was moving forward in a race to open his presents.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONIVAN!

Happy 19th - Rachelle

What do you do or give to a beautiful and talented young lady who has everything she could ever possibly want? Well at least, anything that I could afford to give her! Well her day started off in a selfless way! She came over to the church with Tessa and helped her mom with the Stake Achievement Day Activity. Her sweet friend, Ashley Lindblom is attending EAC in Thatcher, but her mother brought over a cute balloon bouquet.

The family did an early dinner at "Red Robin" - one of our famlee favorites!

Ryan came to town with a friend, Leisel and they took Rachelle to a concert that evening.
My baby girl is all grown up. Her last year as an official teen-ager! We LOVE you Rachelle!

First Day of College

On Monday, August 23rd I was out running errands and my phone rings. Its my cute and darling daughter on the other line that says, "MOM, aren't you going to come home to send me off to my first day of college?" I ran home, took a picture and sent her off with a kiss! (Look at that darling bag I made her for her lap top!)

Look at that THICK bottom!

This is one of those post that I won't win the "mother of the year" contest BUT it had to be done!

We were in a special Stake Conference yesterday and Branden began his usual laying on the floor, rolling around, trying to take off my watch and ear rings, taking off his shoes and other things that really "bug" me when I am trying to listen!

First off - I must tell you, before we even left for church, we had a LONG talk about our new church manners. My boys are nearly seven years old and I think it is time they learn to sit still during our church meetings. I explained to them what it means to sit reverently and how it shows our love to Heavenly Father when we sit up straight and listen to the speakers. I also followed it up with a threat! If you choose not to do so, you will get a swat when we get home!!! I also bought new ties for my boys and usually a tie only last about 2 Sundays because they pull on it, they take it off, they swing it, they chase girls down the hall and try to hit them with it and anything else that little boys do. Well like any good mother :) I followed that up with a threat also! I warned them if they choose to take it off or ruin it, I will give them 1 swat for that too!!! (I told you!!! No mother of the year this year!!!)

Well, we get to church, Branden starts his usual behavior, I warned him several times and he would just look at me. So when we got home, I told him that in 10 minutes, I would be ready to give him his swats! I wanted him to sweat a little longer! All of a sudden he disappears! When he comes back a few minutes later, he has about 10 layers of underwear, shorts and pants on. He spanked his own cushiony bottom and said, "OK Mom, I am ready for my swats now!"

Of course, at this point all the teen-agers (or those that act like teen-agers) in the house start laughing and begin to discredit me! I tell ya, I am beginning to agree with them. I'm really not so good at this anymore!!!

Welcome Teto!

Look who else has a new member in their family! Teto is one lucky pup to live in that household! Way to go Peyton, you will have to bring your dog back to Grandma's house to play with her puppies!

I looked out the window and what did I see?

Apricots have to be one of our famlee favorites! We are down to one apricot tree and it is beginning to show its age. Spring time pickins and getting ready for jam!

Thanks Donivan for climbing to the top!