The temple

You don't need to go to the Holy Land to walk where Jesus walked.

Go to the temple.

Just like you'd never buy a home without walking through every room and inspecting it, Jesus also has walked through every one of his "homes," visiting every room.

These thoughts were given to our youth when we arrived at the Salt Lake Temple to perform baptisms this past week. This picture above is missing three boys. Our total was 26 good-looking young people. That might have been a record for us.

Ashlyn is 12

Ash has been 12 for 32 days and already has been to do baptisms four times. She was lucky enough to score a birthday over spring break at grandma's house. And on the way home we stopped at the Payson Temple to do baptisms. Alex and I hung out in the parking lot while the other kids went in.

Several days after we got home, she went with one of her best friends. And last week she got in on the action with the high school kids. That meant getting up at 4:30. But she loved it enough that she asked Kiersten about going again this week. In two days we have a youth trip planned and she will have gone for her 5th time.

A birthday at grandma's is always grand. Presents.


Campfires.

Golfing over the pond.

And then home to a friend party.

Oh, it is good to be 12. Welcome to young womens.

Erik's Junior Prom

Erik was pretty sure he didn't want to go to prom or at least he was thinking about it.

After he was done thinking about it, he asked Hannah Steinagel, our cute neighbor up the street.

There was bowling, lunch, and then dinner at the dance studio

before heading off to promenade. I've got to talk to that boy about how you offer your arm to a lady. You don't drag them down the stairs.

Courtesy of Claudia Jackson

This prom was a lot more stressful than Kiersten's.

Good gravy (yes, I do make good gravy!), how do you get this guy to be serious about anything when he's making poses like that :)

The stress with Kiersten came in finding a dress. That part was easy with Erik. Getting him to communicate with his buddies about what they were going do and what they wanted to do with dinner was torturous. I finally gave him some options for dinner that he presented and we had a plan. I'd do the roast, gravy, and rolls. The other moms would pitch in with the other stuff.

Dinner was simple to keep costs down. The fact that they charge them $40 to get into the dance is ridiculous (and then Tyler and I had to pay $10 to just get in a watch). I understand it's at the capitol building . . . BUT really.

By the time they rent a tux, date, corsage, dinner. It gets pricey. I'd rather he were saving his money. I paid for the tux and half of his ticket which about equaled what I spent on Kiersten's dress and Erik paid for the rest.

Ashlyn and her friend Allie also talked non-stop for three days about how they were going to get to serve dinner to the 5 couples. Oh, were they were giddy with excitement.

It reminded me of the days when I was that age and we would get asked to help serve at wedding receptions. That's something they just don't seem to do anymore.

Ah, two down. Three to go. It really is a fun time of life. I am enjoying every day knowing they are getting fewer and fewer.

These are the days of . . . 
*SNOW! Yes, we woke up to snow this morning. I'm hoping my peach blossoms survive. I think they will as long as it doesn't get cold.

*Feeling like a yo-yo. I spend hours looking at houses in a city we could potentially relocate too, only to have it not work out. The latest is CUNA Mutual has a position in Atlanta that could very well work out. We are now talking about renting our home. There is also a job interview with MassMutual here in SLC tomorrow.

Faith in Jesus Christ

During this holiest of weeks, as a family we are watching the videos the LDS Church put out for their Easter initiative "Principles of Peace." This morning we watched a video about a young mom struggling to get pregnant. She finally does and eight months into her pregnancy learns she has brain cancer and 15 months to live.

How do you cope with such devastating news?

She says for her it would be such a hard thing to navigate this dark time without faith and hope.

Her husband says: "My faith over the last 16 months has transitioned from a collections of ideas or beliefs into this real relationship with the Savior that has become so powerful for me."

The last 6 months have been some of the hardest for me as our family has navigated through unemployment. I've grown from wanting to find a job right away to just wanting an interview to saying Thy will and Thy timing.

I can honestly say my faith has evolved from not just believing in Jesus Christ but BELIEVING him. Believing that he can work miracles, believing that his love is ALWAYS there, believing that he hears my prayers in the darkest of nights, believing that he can make hard times work for our good, believing him when he says to BE NOT AFRAID. My relationship with Jesus Christ has been fashioned into something more real and lasting and "so powerful for me."

I love Him.

Graduation announcements

It's really happening. One of my graduating Laurels told me that there was less than 30 days left for seniors. Such crazy times.

Last fall I had my friend Claudia take Kiersten's senior pictures. This one was my favorite which was different than what Kiersten chose as her favorite. I just love the sunlight behind her head.

Alex and Ash even got in on the action.

Oh I just love this photo. As much as they fight, Alex really does adore his sister.

 

Oh how I will miss her. I will miss our talks. I will miss her keeping me on all the right notes when we sing parts during the sacrament meeting songs. I will miss her steadiness and goodness. I sure do love her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here's a bonus photo of me and Tyler.

Valley of the Goblins

Our original plans for spring break didn't come to fruition due to no job. We were going to surprise the kids on Ash's birthday and fly to Seattle for a few days. Life has a way of altering plans.

Instead, Tyler stayed home due to several job opportunities that he needed to be available for while we headed south to grandma's.

Valley of the Goblins. Doesn't that just sound more intriguing than Goblin Valley. Our last jaunt there was six years ago which Alex doesn't remember.

Fast forward and we are now entering that stage where I feel the need to revisit places so he'll remember what the older kids have already experienced.

A slot canyon was first on our list.

Little Wild Horse.

The kids are not big hikers. Seems they like to grumble and complain anytime we mention it. However, this one was different. Maybe because it was the scaling and meandering and squeezing that made it different.

After our hike, it was off to Goblin Valley for lunch and playing.

As a child I would come to this state park for field trips. It is the best place for a game of tag, hide-and-seek, or sardines.


These are the days of . . . 
*An accepted job offer. Tyler starts work for Wells Fargo in two weeks. It's not a great job but it's an income for now. He is still earnestly looking and flies out to Indianapolis for another interview this week for a different company.

*Tennis matches.

*Lots of rain which brings beautiful green grass.

Brighton Beehive Camp

This girl got accepted to be a counselor at Brighton Beehive Camp this summer. 

Mail was waiting for our return from spring break and she was so nervous to open it. The interview went well but a lot of girls applying were coming home from missions and were older so she wasn't sure if she would get the counselor job or get stuck in the kitchen.

They are going to be so blessed to have her. And she'll get to spend a week with Ashlyn and her goofy friends.

Speaking of Ash and her goofy friends . . . I came home one day to bruises all over her arm.

Her friend Allie decided to hit her as hard as she could . . . just for fun. I really think it looks worse than it really is. I bruise very easily and it looks like Ash has my bruising genes. Allie's mom, however, was not too happy when she discovered the culprit behind Ash's multi-colored arm.

These are the days of . . . 
*Getting our home ready to sell . . . just in case. I've been deep-cleaning rooms and taking photos. The latest opportunity looks like Indianapolis.