To all my friends--I'm so glad I found out about this!

The correct way to weigh yourself:

I can't believe I was doing it wrong all these years! WE MUST SPREAD THE WORD!

Happy Birthday to Brianna!

O.k. so Brianna (Shanna and Brian's 1st) also recently turned nine!

B: eautiful

R: eally likes horses

I: ntelligent

A: ctive ( she is always on the go...in the pool, playing games...)

N: ow taking piano lessons

N:ot boring (very creative imagination)

A: real good swimmer!

'Golden Coral' Dessert Buffet!

I'd kill for her hair!

Then we came by my house and she fed the chickens and Dudley and then to the Dollar Store to pick out some things. Brianna is really growing up. It's weird for me to see my little, cutesy nieces and nephews become little boys and girls. You can actually have a real conversation with them. It's fun!

Birthday Date

My niece Bailey recently turned 7 years old! She is growing up way too fast. Many a laughable moment comes from her being 100% girl. For Bailey's birthday date, she wanted to use the money that she got from her birthday to buy a Webkin at the mall. She put all of her bills and coins into her little wallet and into her new Hannah Montana purse and we headed to the mall. She told me that it was going to take her a very long time to pick out which Webkin she wanted and I did have an image of us standing there in the store for a very long time while she 'himmed' and 'hawed' as to which one to choose. However, it really didn't take that long at all. She got the Siamese Cat which she decided she would name 'Sammie'.

Now off to the food court for some lunch. Here is Bailey with her pizza, Webkin, and little 'Hannah Montana' purse.

O.k. so do you notice how big that piece of pizza (which is already a third of the way eaten) is and how little Bailey is? Maybe this picture doesn't do it justice. I worried that she wouldn't be able to finish it and wondered if we should have split a piece.

Never Fear! Little Bailey has a big appetite for pizza!

I'm still amazed that the entire piece fit into her tiny, little tummy!

After lunch we went to check out all of the cute puppies at the pet store. Bailey picked out a gold, sparkly collar and leash that she would 'no doubt' get if she had a puppy to walk. Very high society. We had a good time. I'm really enjoying my 'one on one' time with each of my nieces and nephews. Just wish Rand and his family could be here as well!

"1856-The Musical"

Recently my sister Shanna and her family participated in "1856-The Musical". The play ran in Utah for a week and then here in Arizona for a week. It's the story of the Mormon handcart companies' making their trek to the Salt Lake Valley, as well as the rescue of a handcart company that got a late start and were caught in storms on the plains. I went to the play once with my parents and then again with some friends from work. The play was very well done and very inspiring. I kept thinking...this REALLY happened. I'm so inspired by the early saints of the church. Their commitment and faith is an inspiration and a testimony to me of the truthfulness of this gospel. Below is one of my very most favorite pictures, with an explanation below. Even though our trials and tests of commitment are different, there are angels all about us today to help us and buoy us up in our earthly journey. I am grateful for my trials. Through them, I truly do become 'acquainted with God'.
"I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it." [And a wife with a baby in her arms by his side]. "I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there."

"Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then no any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company." -a member of the Martin Handcart Company