Enrichment Ideas, HELP!!

I can't believe that we are already trying to plan our Christmas events already!!

This by far is my favorite time of year!! All these holidays close together is so fun and magical really!! Well most of you know I am Enrichment leader for our ward. I have been pondering on some ideas to do for our activity in Dec.

I have some fun ideas rolling around but have been stuck on others. I really want the true meaning of Christmas to be remembered and even make it service oriented if possible. Not quite sure how I am going to accomplish it into a night at the church with a dinner. I have decided to open it up here and ask for some ideas from you my friends!

Have you had any successful nights at Enrichment that just went so well that you have left uplifted and rejuvenated all at the same time?? That is what I am hoping for!!

I know all you women out there have some great ideas! I am hoping you will take a minute and tell me what has worked for you at Christmas Parties or functions. Any ideas or things that you loved, even down to decorations!! Whatever you have got would be great!!

Family Pictures

This weekend it was beautiful weather so we headed for the hills for our annual picture taking day. I love the fall colors and so we have taken pictures at this time every year for awhile now. I am too cheap to hire anyone to take them so I do it myself. They are far from perfessional but I love to do it!! I would really love to learn more about photography and plan to take a course at some point in my life. It just seems life is speeding by. There is no time left in the day when the laundry is stacked sky high, bathrooms need cleaned, dishes need done, food needs fixed and homework for the kids. Maybe someday I will be lucky enough to be able to take a class. Until then this is the best I can do.

I have been having a hard time deciding on which ones to hang on the wall. I am looking for your help in deciding, so please cast your vote!!

Boys #1

Boys #2

Boys #3

Boys #4

Boys #5

Bryson #1

Bryson#2

Austin #1

Austin #2

Austin#3

Tucker#1

Tucker#2

Tucker #3

Thanks for visiting, be sure to leave your vote!!

Two Outdoor Boys!!

Come Rain or Shine,








Hot or Cold







These Two Boys









Love to Be Outdoors!!

I love these two so much!! They are such good buddies!! They love to do almost everything together!! Bryson is so sad and almost lonely when Austin is in school!! He walks around the house asking me "where's my Austin" When I tell him he is in school he then says "I need my Austin" It is so cute!! They are such good friends and I am glad they love each other!

They love to be outside hunting for bugs, digging holes, riding their bikes, or jumping on the tramp.
I hope they will still want to go out when the snow comes!!

Spending a weekend together

Mike and I celebrated our 11yrs together last weekend by going to Park City and staying at a resort. It was very nice and the weather for the most part was great. We haven't been able to get away like that for along time.

We spent 5 days and 4 nights there. When you have a child with special needs it is hard to get away for any long period of time. I remember the last time we left the kids for longer than over night was when Mike had a business trip in Virgina. I went then but I was nursing Austin at the time so we brought him with us. That was like 5 years ago. I know sad huh??

At least once a year we would try to get away over night somewhere. I believe it does your marriage good to be able to do that!! We had a lot of fun together!

We went shopping at the outlets, not Mike's favorite thing to do but definitely mine!!

We rented movies and watched some comedy, went to dinner every night and sat in the hot tub two or three times.

We also went for a long drive to Heber and back that is why I have these beautiful colored pictures! It was so pretty to see all these colors!

We really liked hearing conference too. We usually have kids to entertain during conference, or any church talk for that matter. It is rare that you get to hear a whole talk all the way through. Oh it was so nice but yes I did start to miss them and couldn't wait to see them!!

Mike and I have decided that we are really going to make more of an effort to spend more quality time together like that! I think it is a way to remember why you married each other. It also brings back those same feelings that you had when you were dating each other.

It seems like when you have children a lot of times your relationship with your spouse comes last most of the time. Sometimes we are lucky to say hi to each other in the morning before work or school and then goodnight before bed!!

The days are filled with work, fixing food, laundry, the never ending of picking up after three boys, piano, soccer, school work and dishes. . . etc. You know the routine.

I just know you gotta take care of each other to recognize each other when the kids are gone and it is just you and him!! I am personally going to get better at this and make more of an effort!

It was a wonderful 5 days and I am glad to have spent them with him!

Thank you for such a great weekend Mike I love you!!

What blessings we have in this life!!

You know we have been following Paul Cardall for over a year now. Austin has been praying for him for quite some time in our family prayers. He would always whisper "Pray for Paul". This has been very touching to Mike and I of his faith and knowing that God does hear and answer our prayers!! Austin seems to think he can stop the bad weather or help his brother recieve new legs with his prayers. He knows that God is there and hears us. I sometimes find myself thinking God does not always answer our prayers the way we want them. Although I have learned many lessons from our childrens prayer, this one has been the best!!
I want to share with you Paul's blog. He has recieved his new heart and he has the most beauitiful little family and he is now enjoying life! You have got to read his October 2, Love is on the move post it is humbling and inspiring!! Watch all his little videos they are also very heart warming!! Just wanted to share something uplifting and inspiring!! It has made me look at life differently and appreciate the small things in life, like taking a walk with my kids or seeing the beautiful fall colors. We have much to be grateful for!! God does live and loves each of us and He is there to hear our prayers and He does answer them!! How blessed we are!!