Friday Night Lights

If you haven't watched it...you should! It is the new favorite at our house : )

The day finally came.....

I know that it has been a while since I have blogged. The past few months have been nothing short of crazy! With internship issues and a wedding to plan life has been super busy. Last week though the day finally came...Lauren and Kirk were married for time and all eternity in the Provo Temple on Saturday, August 4, 2012.

Just as with anything good there has to be opposition and although this love story was perfect in so many ways there were also a few struggles along the way. One consisted of the scheduling of the cleaning of the outside of the Timpanogos Temple, which was their first temple choice.

I had been told that there was scaffolding surrounding the temple but didn't see it for myself until the Thursday before the wedding date. We decided to go look at it with one of our photograghers to see exactly what picture taking was going to be like. Driving up the road to the temple that day was something I will never forget. Lauren took one look at it and started to cry. There was scaffolding clear up to the Moroni at the top of the temple. We drove further up and had to take several detours just to get to the temple. Lauren called Kirk asking for numbers to other temples in the area. We called several but the timing or room size just wouldn't be right. Last of all we called the Provo Temple. They had a time just a couple hours earlier. Lauren made the decision to make the change two days before the wedding.

In the midst of all the stress of trying to notify people about the change Lauren went to the temple for the first time that night. What an amazing calming experience for us all.

The next morning we went to take some pictures of Kirk and Lauren at the Provo Temple. Driving home that morning I had this peaceful feeling come over me and suddenly I knew that it was all worth it. That any stress that we may have felt in the past few days or months would be forgotten and all we would remember were the happy parts....how beautiful everything was, how happy they were, the celebration of their love and the choices they made their whole lives that brought them to this point and the part that each of us played in helping them get to this special day!

The Provo Temple is an amazing place to be married. Not only is it beautiful and so close to the mountains you can practically touch them but everyone made Lauren feel so special, which is how a bride should feel on her wedding day : ) I heard her say several times..."It was meant to be, we were supposed to be married in the Provo Temple!" To a mother who had done everything in her power to get her daughter here no words could have been sweeter.

We were so blessed to have so much help and support as we prepared for this wedding and Lauren and Kirk have had so much love and support as they start their lives together. It just reminds me what a blessing life is and how much our Heavenly Father loves us : )

Some cute pictures of the happy couple...

Some of my favorite things about these two are...

• they are always so happy when they are together.
• it is obvious to everyone that has the chance to be around them that they genuinly love each other and are willing to put the other first.
• they are trying very hard to do what is right and be intune with the Spirit for guidance as they start their life together.
• their families are very important to them.
•  and of course they are so darn cute : )

Tayden Jay Hall

Sweet little Tayden was born Monday, April 30th he is so adorable and the sweetest little thing. I have been so sad because my life has been so busy since he was born and I haven't been able to hold him as much as I would like (which anyone who knows me knows would be all the time : ).

We are so happy that Tayden is a part of our family. There is nothing like the sweet spirit of a new baby and as you can tell this little boy is especially sweet : )



TGIF

All I can say today is Thank Goodness it's Friday : ) This has been one of those weeks that has just seemed endless and I can't tell you how many times I have made the statement "I am in over my head in EVERY aspect of my life" SO this weekend I am going to do all those things I didn't get to do this week. Like....

Hold Tayden for as long as I want.
Give Emily a million kisses.
Play with Lexi & Brecken and hopefully Olivia & Lincoln.
Look at wedding cakes and linens.
Attempt to teach Lauren & Kirk how to drive her car so I can have mine back.
Sleep in.
Watch a movie.
Do something outside.

I am sure that I will think of other things too. But whatever I do I will not think of work, school or my practicum at all : )

Hope you all have fun plans for this weekend too!

Happy Friday : )

Lauren & Kirk

As I said before there has been some excitement at my house. Most of this has had to do with a relationship between Lauren & a boy named Kirk. Kirk and his family moved into the ward shortly after we did, about 8 years ago or so. They live just a few houses down from us. Lauren is friends with Kirk's sisters but Kirk and Lauren never really had much interaction before he left on his mission two years ago to Indianapolis, Indiana. Kirk recently returned from Indiana in the beginning of March.

Mutual friends in our ward set them up on a date. For their first date they went hiking to the Y. When I came home on the Friday night before their first date Lauren was frantically trying to decide what she would wear. To say the least it was kind of stressful. Eventually I encouraged her to relax. I mean it's not like she was going to marry the guy or something. It's just a date, no big deal! Well obviously their first date went well and they made plans for a second date, which happened to be to go skiing.

Kirk of course is an avid skier, Lauren on the other hand has never gone skiing. I guess that should have been my first sign that she really liked this boy : ) They ended up snowboarding and it turned out to be alot of fun.

Throughout the next week they continued to talk and made plans to go on a road trip with their mutual friends to Rexburg. Even though their relationship had continued to progress I think that things started to get serious the week after this trip.

I know that it might seem crazy that things have gone so fast for them and now they are engaged and planning to marry on August 4th, but the truth is that it has been such a blessing to watch the love between them develop, to see them come to the realization that this was the person they wanted to spend eternity with and to also have the ability to know that this was the right thing for them myself.

Kirk is an amazing guy! He has all the qualities that I would want in a man who will marry my daughter. One of those qualities is his faith and his willingness to do what the Lord wants him to do. And of course I am partial to Lauren : ) She is not only an amazing daughter but one of my best friends. I am so proud of her for always making the choices (even when she had to deal with some pretty hard things) that led her to this point in her life.

Congratulations Kirk and Lauren!

Living the Abundant Life

I found this great message by President Monson from the January 2012 Ensign. Just thought I would share a bit of it today because it is just what I needed.

Living the Abundant Life

Having a Positive Attitude

A in my ABCs refers to attitude. So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.

We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment may we choose a positive attitude.

Believe in Yourself

B is for believe-in yourself, in those around you, and in eternal principles.
Don't limit yourself and don't let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities.

You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith.

Face Challenges with Courage

C is for courage. There will be times when you will be frightened and discouraged. You may feel that you are defeated. The odds of obtaining victory may appear overwhelming. At times you may feel like David trying to fight Goliath. But remember-David did win!

Courage is required to make an initial thrust toward one's coveted goal, but even greater courage is called for when one stumbles and must make a second effort to achieve.

Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, "I'll try again tomorrow."

May we remember these ABCs, cultivating a positive attitude, a belief that we can achieve our goals and resolutions, and the courage to face whatever challenges may come our way. Then the abundant life will be ours.

Life can be so hard. Sometimes even when we know that we are doing what we should be doing things don't always go as planned and we feel overwhelmed or discouraged. But I know that if we do the things that President Monson suggested and have faith that our Heavenly Father loves us and is there to help us everything will be okay. We can do it : ) 

What now....

Lots of stuff to do and a fried brain do not mix. This is the point that I am at right now.

First of all...
I am trying to finish up my last class but literally have no desire to write a paper.

AND...
Practicum is beginning soon, which will add 10 work hours to my weekly schedule. Hmmm not sure how that is going to work out!

AND...
The dryer stopped working this weekend (that is all I need to say about that I am sure you can imagine the fun this entails).

Friends coming for the weekend (very exciting BUT the house is trashed.)

Grass is growing like weeds (as usual) but of course I missed the Monday window of sunny weather to get it mowed so not sure when that will get done.

Plus late nights, not enough sleep and zero ability to concentrate.

One good thing though I did decide which place I was going to do my practicum and internship at...I start the 30th! Please pray for me :/

Ummm Happy Wednesday?!

Spring Break and beyond...

We didn't go anywhere exciting this past week but it was probably the most eventful Spring Break EVER! I wish that I could share with you all the exciting things that are happening at my house but I will just have to wait a little longer. I hope that everyone had a great Spring Break.

Emily's Blessing

Emily Bristol De Silva was blessed February 5, 2012. The day was as close to perfect as it could get. There were a lot of people there to celebrate this special day. Julie, Rod and family, Jeremy, Meg & family, Crysta, Ryan & family, Jason's mom, sister, niece and a close friend and his wife. Of course mommy, daddy and the girls and granny.

We were a little nervous that Emily would cry during her blessing so we had everyone praying that it would go well. She didn't cry at all even though she was awake the whole time.

Rod gave the blessing, it was so beautiful. It talked about all the people that loved her that she could look to for examples. The spirit was very strong.

As you can see, Emily wore the most beautiful dress on her blessing day. Meg's sister Amy volunteered to make it for her, it was perfect.

There were so many sweet testimonies born during the meeting that Emily was blessed in. Many of them spoke of the sweet spirit that Emily has and that her blessing brought.

What a blessing it is to have this little girl be part of our family. She is the sweetest, cutest, happiest baby and we all love her very much.

Lauren's Senior Pictures

Still trying to get caught up...

Meg took these awesome senior pictures of Lauren last Spring. Of course we had to bring Wesley along to get some cousin shots :)

Happy Thursday!

Sometimes...

Sometimes for all of us it probably feels like things don't work out.
Maybe we had a dream of what our life would be like and it doesn't turn out the way that we thought it would. Or maybe we didn't have a clue what we wanted out of life but it still turned out very different from what we might have expected.

But I have learned that...

Sometimes no matter how many hard things you have to deal with there is always something that makes you smile.

Sometimes when you feel alone there is suddenly someone there to listen or help and you realize that you have amazing family and friends that would do anything for you.

Sometimes when you wonder what you have accomplished in your life you look around and see the greatest kids and the sweetest grandkids you couldn't even have imagined.

Sometimes people find each other when they need each other the most.

Sometimes best friends fall in love.

Sometimes what you have been looking for is right around the corner.

So even though sometimes things don't work out.

Luckily...

Sometimes they do!

Photo Shoot

Last summer Meg took some pictures of Lauren and her friends before they all went their separate ways.

So Cute!

Conference Weekend!

This weekend is General Conference. I am very excited. Conference weekend is one of my favorite weekends for a lot of reasons....

1. Church in pjs! You can't beat that.

2. There are always special talks that I feel were given just for me or those I love.

3. After I read The Work and the Glory I can't help but picture in my mind saints everywhere gathering together with their families and friends to listen to the prophet's voice!

4. Living in Utah and everywhere you go people seem to be listening to conference.

5. Spending time with my family.

6. Yummy food.

Well the list could go on and on. So excited to hear what the Lord wants me to know this time : )

Happy Friday!

Just so you know.....

I thought that the Hunger Games was PERFECT! I loved ALL the actors chosen to portray the characters BUT I especially loved Katniss, Peeta, Prim, Rue, Cinna, Haymitch, Effie Trinket,Caesar Flickerman & Seneca Crane. I thought they were all exactly the right choice and just how I pictured them. I loved how the behind the scenes manipulation in the games was such a big part of the movie! I am so excited for the others and I think I will go see this one again soon : )

So if you haven't yet go see it as soon as you can!

Happy Thursday!

Stress!!

Okay so normally I don't stress about things! I really don't believe in it. My view is probably a little on the extreme side and maybe I take it a bit too far. There are probably times that a little stress can be good. But I just figure that whatever is going to happen is going to happen, things usually work out in the end and stress only makes things worse.

BUT....

recently there have been a couple of days that I was feeling some stress. My girls can attest to this because it was not pretty. The most annoying part was that I wasn't completely sure what my problem was and why I was having such a hard time. Maybe because it was an unconscious thing I couldn't consciously tell myself not to stress about it:) Well this weekend after a semi-meltdown I seemed to have figured out my problem or
problem(s).

1)I am turning 45! Usually birthdays are my favorite! My age rarely bothers me, I don't feel my age and sometimes people tell me I don't look it so I have never really worried about it. I figured that I would grow old gracefully someday when the time came. Well this year it was feeling like the time has come! Yikes!

LUCKILY...

I love to watch series on Netflix and Sarah got me hooked on a new one called "Brothers & Sisters" so I was watching it and Nora, who is the mother on the show and played by Sally Field, turned 60 and she is still super cute and very young looking. I know it is just a tv show but for some reason it really helped! I guess there is life after 45;)

2) I thought I had my internship all lined up and felt really good about it and then got a call from the top spot that I would want to intern at (my passion would be working with and helping women and this place is exactly where I could get that experience). I know you would think this is a good thing but this whole internship thing is a little overwhelming as I have mentioned before and it felt really good to have it all taken care of. This phone call changed all that. After a little bit of stress (okay alot) I am happy to say I have an interview with them on Friday! We will see how I feel about it when I go. I am just praying that I will know what I need to do then so that no more stress will be involved in this process.

Anyway that is my rant :) It's my birthday, I am going to Hunger Games tonight and it is beautiful outside so I have a feeling this will be a GREAT day!

Happy Wednesday!

Once upon a time....

on Glee Finn sang an unusual version of the song which is the namesake of this blog. Thought I would share it...



It's different but I kind of like it : )

Happy Weekend!

What a beautiful day....

Today would be a great day to be outside, maybe enjoying a hike in the mountains, going on a walk, visiting Disneyland or any number of things. They say it is going to be in the 70s for the next four days! That should make for a really great weekend! But for now I am stuck inside all day, for the most part without even a window : ( Oh well I will just look at this picture of Lexi & Brecken at Disneyland and plan for a sunny and warm weekend : )

Happy Thursday!

Family Counseling

I just started my last class on Thursday. Yay! It is Marriage, Child & Family Counseling. Thank goodness it is an interesting class because let's face it at this point it can be difficult to focus. One of the books we have to read is the Family Crucible. I am excited about this class and the book so far is very interesting. It is the story of a family going through the counseling process. It was written in the 70's so some of the techniques are a little bit outdated but it is interesting to look closer at family dynamics and the idea that family problems can have so many dimensions.

Vampire Diaries

I probably shouldn't admit this but I love this show! It is my main guilty pleasure :) At the end of the last episode something very disturbing happened that I would love to talk to someone about BUT because everyone else is so far behind me and doesn't seem to like spoilers it is leaving me completely frustrated!

I mean really....we all love vampires, right?! Especially gorgeous ones :)

A letter to my son...

Dear Jason,

It has been five years since I have seen you other than in my dreams. I can not believe that time goes by so fast. I remember that night like it was yesterday. Even though I try not to think about it that often, on days like today I have no choice.

I think back to the time before I knew what had happened and how I was going on with life, laughing and talking with co-workers, eating candy and having fun with the girls, never realizing that you had taken your last breath, never knowing that your sweet wife was fighting for her life. And then came the call. At first I wouldn't believe it, couldn't believe it. This must be some kind of sick joke. There must be a mistake. Not my son. If he was in trouble I would have known. It seemed to me that my connection to my children was so strong. I always thought that if something happened to one of them my own heart would stop. But it isn't true you keep going for the rest, you have to, it is all you can do. They keep you going.

We made the long drive to Nephi so that we could know the truth. Still with the hope that there had been some sort of mistake. But when I saw you I knew the truth. The Spirit filled the room and suddenly I knew that you had the answers, that all the questions that you had were in the process of being answered. I felt your joy. I felt your spirit and I knew that you would be okay, already were. At that moment I found my strength.

It wasn't that much later that I dreamt of you. We were all there waiting for you to come. Waiting and waiting. It seemed like forever. Finally you were there. Every detail about you was so vivid. "I've missed you" I said as I hugged you so tightly. I didn't ever want to let go.

Some day we will meet again. To me it seems like it will be a long, long time. But I know to you it is only a moment and we will all be together again. Our family will be whole. Remember our family picture from the Thanksgiving before you died? I remember telling someone that my family never felt more complete than in the moment that this picture caught. Little did I know that we would never all be together on this earth. But we will be someday.

I love you Jason. I am grateful that I am your mother. Just as all my children, you have taught me so much about life and love and what's important. I know that you are watching out for us, that you are really still with us. But I can not wait for the day when I can hug your neck and whisper, "I've missed you."

Mom

Am I Ready??!!

I am scheduled to begin my practicum April 26th. This is when, after two years of study, I will actually begin to work with clients.

Trying to find a site to complete my practicum and internship has been a little stressful and for a while I thought that I would have to push my start date back because every place seemed to already have all their interns set up for summer. This would have meant leaving the school group I have been with for two years and starting with a new group in Murray. This idea, to say the least, did not appeal to me! But I am happy to say that yesterday I was accepted to a site in Orem starting the end of April.

Two years is a long time but it still seems like this part of my education is coming up VERY fast. I am nervous and excited all at the same time! It will be difficult because I will continue to work my full time job but add an additional 10 hours a week for my practicum and 20 hours a week for my internships. This will last for another year. (Luckily I have great bosses and an amazing family who are all very supportive)

That part is stressful but the part about actually working with clients...well let's just say that is just a little intimidating!

I guess it is really true....when you start a hard thing it feels like it will last forever and then before you know it you are there : )

Hunger Games

The Hunger Games Movie is coming out March 23rd! Perfectly timed for my birthday!

Isn't he adorable?! This picture is exactly how I pictured it!
Here is a little sneak peak....



If you haven't read the book there is still time but HURRY!

Graduation 2011

Just trying to get caught up....

Last year Lauren graduated from Pleasant Grove High School.

Wesley and Lauren both graduated. It's kind of fun going to school with your cousin :)

Emily

Emily, Sarah's baby girl, who was born September 1, 2011 is such a sweetie. She is one of the happiest babies that I know. Here are a couple of her newborn pictures taken by the amazing Meg Hall Photography. Find out more here.

Updated Blog

It has been so long since we have done anything with this blog. So many exciting things have happened and are happening in our lives, we can't wait to share them.

I have recently developed a fascination with blogging. I have found some really fun blogs that I enjoy following. (I will add these to my list of friends soon so that you can all enjoy them too.) But they have inspired me to be a better blogger and encourage the girls to also.

BUT before I could get started I needed to redesign my blog. Obviously I am still working on that, it still looks pretty plain but I did accomplish something that I wanted to share. There were several backgrounds that we had added to the blog over the course of the years. Everytime I looked at it they would all load on top of each other. SO I decided I wanted to get rid of them all and start fresh. Little did I know this would not be an easy task (I have been working on it for a few days). But you know that craziness you feel when something is bugging you and you can't seem to figure it out and you just can't rest until you do?! Well that is were I was at with this issue.
I googled it.
I ask others for help.
But I still couldn't seem to figure out the problem. FINALLY this morning I found an answer and was able to find where those old backgrounds were hiding and get rid of them. I know it is a little thing but I still felt a bit accomplished after all of that and wanted to share :) So if any of you need help finding and getting rid of old backgrounds I have figured out some tricks!

I hope that you are as excited for our new blog as we are! We can't wait to share with all of you what is going on in our lives and to begin creating a real history that will last forever!