Salem Pond
The mass of volunteers.

Hooking the fish to throw out!

Kayden, Alicia and Travis

She was adorable. Fishing in pink, her favorite color. It's always good to fish in style.

Look at the sucker. Yes, she caught it all natural!

Dedicated hunter!

This year Travis and I signed up to be Dedicated Hunters.

In short it's an amazing program that you as a hunter get to volunteer your time to service projects. In return you get a tags that allow you to hunt. There is much more to it but I'm keeping this short.

A couple months back we get the list of projects that need volunteers. This list was full of all these manly jobs like building fences and cages etc. etc. I was feeling a little discouraged. Then we found one the whole family can do. Helping kids with disabilities fish for the day. This one is very near and dear to my heart. Alicia participated in this one every year when she was going to the School for the Deaf. She was to little to remember but, what a way to pay it forward!

The day started out early but, the sun was out and it was just beautiful. My kids where so excited! They didn't disappoint. Savannah was putting bait on hooks and seeking out the kids as they arrived. Kayden and Alicia loved helping the kids cast there lines out. Travis has this amazing ability that I really don't think he knows he has but kids , LOVE HIM! He seemed to just draw them in and have so much fun with them. It was so fun to watch him. Then there is me, I can't remember the last time I fished. Eeewww! But I was putting my whole heart in this. Huge learning experience for me. I learned how to rig my fishing pole, gut a fish, and touching them to put hooks in there mouth and throw them back in the water so the kids could reel in there fish. So much fun!!!

BUT.

The best part of this experience was hanging on the shore talking with these kids, laughing at the stories they told, watching there faces as they caught there fish, priceless! The expressions on there faces will never leave my mind. True joy, true laughter and love. Something so simple as a fish. It's humbling. I walked away yesterday learning more about myself then I have in a long time. What a great day!

Katie, Karin, Brooke and Angie

My Friends!

These hot Mama's are my childhood friends. I can not express to you how much I love these gals. I can go months and months without talking to them and they don't get mad. When I've gone through tough times I always know I can count on them. But I think what makes them so great are the memories that I share with them. Everytime we get together it comes flooding back to me. The feelings, the laughter, the growing pains we shared together. Ahhh! Good times. We laugh and talk about the old days. This makes me feel so dang happy. I just want them to know how much they mean to me. Even when I don't see them for long periods of time, your always in the back of my mind. Thanks for always listening, calling me out on my bull, and being honest with me. I think It's easier to talk to you because you know who I am. Get it? You know me. I will always be greatful that I have such strong, funny amazing friends. I love you guys.

P.S. Summer is coming up, get your swimsuits ready!!!

Grandpa Monson and Kayden

Kayden is my only son and my baby. As I reflect on all that has happened I'm over whelmed with joy. It has been a great blessing to have the missionaries in our home teaching my son the gospel. Watching him grow, reading the scriptures and asking so many questions. I often wonder how I got so lucky. Let me feel you in, just in case you don't know. I'm not active in the church. My kids go to church and I go every once in awhile. With that said... I'm so very lucky to have this amazing little spirit in my home. What a great example he is to me and Travis. He was born with a loving, quite soul. Always thoughtful and the peace maker in our home. So I'm amazed at his strength, courage and faith. His willingness to do what is right and make the right choice. He has not faltered and to me that is amazing and beautiful. I can only wish to have that kind of faith.

Kayden was baptised by his Grandpa Monson. Because he was the only one being baptised that Saturday I was able to put together the program. I want to thank my Mom and Aunt Michelle for there great talks and all my family members that helped as well.

Afterwards we had the family over for breakfast. Travis loves cooking and showing off his talents in the kitchen. he had a blast helping out with the food.

Thanks for showing up and helping with the food. It was a beautiful day and I'm so glad that my family was there to share it with us.

Travis and Savannah with the rockin B-day cake!
Savannah with her growing puppy!

Birthday balloons are always a must at our house.

My baby girl is ten years old. Now that she's all grown up Dad said she could pierce her ears. She was very excited but nervous at the same time. Little did we know how nervous she really was. We went to Fashion Place Mall and the drama began. I must say its got to be the fear of the unknown? right? The tears started flowing the second she was done picking her ear rings. The girls at the counter where really patient and cute with her. One even pierced her ear just to show her how it didn't hurt. That girl is nuts but I guess she didn't mind another piercing because she already had MANY! Long story short, it took 30 minutes to talk her into it and 1 second to actually get it over with. Maybe the crowd that was gathering around to watch this spectacle helped her get over it or maybe embarrassment. I don't know I'm just glad it's over with.

After the ear piercing she went and cut off all her hair. I was really sad about this. For some reason I love long hair on Savannah. Maybe it's because I always dreamed of having daughters that I could dress up and do there hair all pretty. Well Savannah has never let me do these things to her and just brushing her hair in the morning is like torture, not for Savannah but me. So with sadness in my heart I thought to myself why not? It's her hair and I'm tired of her looking like an orphan. I'm really happy to say it turned out really cute and I'm so happy I let her have her way!

Happy birthday Savannah Bannana, I love you so very much.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Merry Christmas!

This year has been a little crazy, I must apologize. Where does all my time go.... Any who enough excuses. Here is what I wanted to post for Christmas but had some technical difficulties.

It must be January blues.

I'm so ugh lately. I think I'm suffering from the lack of sunshine around here. Or maybe I'm gearing up for a melt down.

I've been storming my brain and pondering about what is really bugging me. I've come to this conclusion. I HATE making dinner at night. Just the thought makes me want to crawl in a dark closet and cry.

I wonder if I'm the only one that thinks these thoughts. Don't you get sick of thinking something up? Then when you finally come up with something you realize you don't have all the ingredients. So you jump in the car and run to the store, wasting more of your time. This is totally driving me to the deep end. Why must it be so hard? Why? (imagine me shaking my fists in the air).

I know that I'm not really the only one who struggles with this, but I needed to vent, thanks for listening.

So give me your recipes, give me your ideas, help me make it until Spring.

PLEASE!!!