Scouting for 100 Year

The LDS Church has participated in 100 years of Boy Scouting.

To commemorate this milestone, a broadcast was held on October 29.

Each ward was asked to have a display of how Scouting is done from Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts.

I was given the assignment and this is the display that represents our 4 Scouting units.

I was very stressed out because I didn't know the expectation of what it was to look like.

I believe the display was lovely.

The boys really liked seeing their pictures up.

I also added suckers to the blank space so people would come look.

The interesting thing is my great-Grandpa was 12 the year the LDS Church decided to participate. He participated and earned the rank of 1st class. In those days, some of the requirements had to be passed off by a professional at the Scout office. He went and started a fire to earn his rank. My Grandpa then participated as a young man. Both of my parents have participated in Scouting. I am now involved in Scouting in Cub Scouting in our ward. So for 4 generations Scouting has been apart of my family. We've been doing this for about 100 years.....

Family Birthday

We met through an email that started from this guy.

He said, "You're single. I'm single.....we're perfect for each other, right?"

I responded back.

 

Our courtship started that followed in marriage.

He came along to add more love to our family!

He came along to keep us even more on our toes!
We celebrated our family birthday recently.

We celebrated with carrot cake with coconut cream cheese icing, 

chocolate cake with dulce de leche cream cheese frosting, 

applesauce cake, and ice cream.

We even invited friends to come to celebrate with us.

Here is our family birthday from last year!
Here is 2011.
*****************************

The bottom pictures are just for fun.

First Lost Tooth

He did it while opening a bag of Cheetos.

He lost his first tooth.

I don't think it was because he was eating Cheetos.

He did it on vacation.

His Uncle A gave his childhood Tooth Fairy box to Underfoot.

Because the Tooth Fairy needed to know to come.

His Uncle A is very sentimental, 

and I was humbled that he gave the box to my son.

Thank you Uncle A!!!

 

When did my baby grow up to have his teeth fall out? 

I was sent this quote and believe it fits perfectly for this moment.

(And many more...)

"Let us relish life as we live it, 

find joy in the journey and 

share our love with friends and family. 

One day, each of us will run out of tomorrows. 

Let us not put off what is most important." 

~ Thomas S. Monson

Boys' Triathlon

On Hurricane's birthday, a children's triathlon was held for children ages 3 - 18.

Both boys participated in swimming, biking, and running.

Hurricane swam 25 meters.

He used his go-cart for his bike.

He nearly ran over the adults that were helping.

He then ran.

His shirt says,

"Triathletes ROCK!"

Underfoot swam 50 meters.

He rode 1 mile.

A parent could run with him if he wanted.

He said he could do it on his own.

He came back and said he only fell once.

He ran 1/2 mile.

He loves attention from friends.

He ran faster as people cheered for him.

Here are the boys with their swag.

These are the boys and girl who did the race.

They each did great!

Here is the support staff!

Our shirts even say so.....

Kinder Grad

Underfoot was promoted to the 1st grade. 

Principal G and Underfoot

 The elementary school held a graduation

 with each child's name being announced 

along with their hoped for future profession. 

 Hurricane thinks his tongue should be out in most pictures.

Underfoot had mentioned his future profession to us 

before it was announced, 

and we smiled and thought great.

Mrs. T, kindergarten teacher, and Underfoot

 Little did we know that

the teacher would say, 

"GJ wants to be a mechanical engineer, 

JL wants to be a mechanical engineer, 

Underfoot wants to be a ninja, 

MM wants to be a chemical engineer." 

Underfoot and Miss T, classroom helper

He explained later that a ninja is like a spy who does only good things.

I walked out of the school thinking, 

"oh boy, a ninja," 

and I turned to a friend and said, 

"He reminded us all that he is 6 

and it's awesome to be 6."

Wedding Party

We love our brother and new sister.

So they came from East of the Mississippi.

My sister and her husband are attending medical school.

He studies all day and night.

She keeps him fed, loved, and 

is the wonderful mother of their baby.

Just as this picture was taken,

a sheet of ice came crashing down from the spires

of the SLC temple.

The ice landed right behind my parents.

This is a wonderful picture of my Mom.

My Dad is glad he is unharmed.

My Dad and his siblings support each other.

My Dad is the oldest.

Uncle Richard is happy and loves to learn and travel.

Aunt Karol can be found in any place by her contagious laugh.

I love her laugh.

My sister has just a way to smile to make you know that

you are wonderful!

She is encouraging and a beautiful woman!

My boys are freezing.

They came from snow to freezing temperatures.

We had snow just before we left.

Snow is not common for our neck of the woods.

Miss Sunshine has pentrating eyes.

She has started to talk non-stop.

On her recent visit to see Kirky and Jilli,

Kirky became her hero for getting her a binky.

Everyone was teasing them that 

"THIS IS THE FUTURE."

How lucky they would be to have such

beautiful, talented children!

My brother and his family came to cheer!

My brother was the best man!

And he is the best man for his wife,

daughters, and Mr D.

My sister-in-law is gorgeous

and isn't afraid to wear 6 inch heels!

The groom is named for the Aaronic priesthood.

He and my Dad snuck away to take a picture

by the statue to commemorate the restoration of the

Aaronic Priesthood.

Cherub Patience

Lately we've been having some growth opportunities with Hurricane. He is determined and focused beyond anything I believe I've EVER been.

Like....

Finding the 600 pack of Q-tips in the bathtub. He wanted to see all the "bunnies" swimming.... (It was bedtime and no pictures were being taken.)

Or finding that he has filled the bathtub with water and made it into an Olympic swimming pool by doing laps....

Or finding him with permanent marker on his face making cards to send to Grandparents....

Or when he finds the masking tape and makes himself a "belt"....

Or finding him with a sword down the back of his shirt ready to go shopping....

These are the more humorous. There are others that have pushed us beyond chuckles.

So I will quote my neighbor from earlier this year:

"I seem to have lost all patience and for no good reason... Have you seen it? Maybe it went screaming by your house? " Sent via text by Cyndy.....pictured below with her tribe.

A Way of Working Out

Photo by Kirk Kirkham

Do not expect that all will go smoothly throughout your life. Even for those who are living as they should, it sometimes will be just the opposite. Meet each of life’s challenges with optimism and surety and you will have the peace and faith to sustain you now and in the future.

For those who do not yet have all of the blessings you feel you want and need to have, I firmly believe that no experience or opportunity essential for redemption and salvation will be denied you who live faithfully. Remain worthy; be hopeful, patient, and prayerful. Things have a way of working out. The gift of the Holy Ghost will guide you and direct your actions. - Boyd K. Packer, January 2011

Iceburg

This is a milkshake and not a hunk of ice in the ocean. One night for our family trip we went to Ice Burg. They specialize in yummy shakes.

My Uncle D (before he swore off cold cereal - Captain Crunch, sugar, and anything unhealthy) made it a tradition to come and get a grasshopper shake when he visited my Grandpa. I always seemed to get the leftovers instead a fresh one when I was little.

Sunshine Rae ate this treat with vigor! See the spoon is ready!

But now I'm big, and my Dad bought me one to share with my family!

Isn't my Dad darling?

The Girls - Me, Mom, Mama J., SisterSuzy

My Sweet niece, Liv, ate tiny bites. So small you wouldn't know anything was going in her mouth.

We had a blast talking and eating. Especially watching the cousins play even if it were by a busy intersection. I didn't realize how busy until I looked at the pictures afterward. :-/

Simple and Sweet: Bob the Fish

This is Mr. Nature. He loves to discover all things in nature.

When we went to the beach for the day, he scoured the beaches for wildlife and found Bob. Bob is in his hand.

He carried Bob around for most of the afternoon. He did find Bob just after lunch so I don't think Bob got to "share" in any of our food. I do really love Mr. Nature's look and happy enthusiasm for his discovery.

Mr. Nature wanted to bring Bob home.

His Mom said no. I don't know why she said no. Wouldn't you want a dead fish in the back of your car? :)