My Bad Luck!!!

I am planning Chucks family reunion next week and I have been crazy busy with all of the stuff I have to do to get ready for it. So just with my luck I started having really bad pain in my tooth on Monday. I went to the dentist on tuesday to have it looked at. Can I just say that I hate the dentist, I hate the needles and especially the sound of the drill, drilling out my teeth. It is very disconserting to look up at your dentist and see blood splattered all over his face mask and covering his gloves. Anyway somehow a cavity had gotten under my crown, he had to take the crown off, and we thought he was just going to have to get the cavity and replace the crown. I was stessing that a new crown would cost about $300, and we are on a tight budget right now, we can barely afford this family reunion. He kept drilling and drilling and drilling, finally he told me that the cavity had taken over the whole tooth, and there was a crack down the middle of the tooth. The genious who put in my post when I got the crown had cracked my tooth, thus causing the whole problem in the first place. He said he couldn't save my tooth and that we were going to have to pull it. He pulled and pulled and my tooth wouldn't come out, he had to cut back my gums to get a better grip. When the tooth finally came, I heard the dentist say "Oh wow, I've never seen that before" That is not fun to hear your dentist say. I guess my tooth had fused to my jaw bone and when he pulled it a chunk of my bone came out with it. YEY!!! He said that it would probly hurt worse than when I got my wisdom teeth out. Oh Joy!!! Then to make matters worse, I had an illergic reaction to my medication, and it made me so sick on Wednesday, I thought I was going to die. Anyway, now I am finally on the right antibiotic, but I am not taking pain medicine cause it makes me sick. But look on the bright side, I only have to pay $2400 to get an implant. Really I am OK, I know that somehow things will work out, they always do.

The Lake House/ Family Reunion

We just got back from the best vacation ever, we go to this cabin on the lake every year for a week and it is our favorite vacation. The cabin is right on the lake and the beach is perfect sand. It is so beautiful and relaxing. The first half of the week was our family vacation and all of Rons kids came up with all of us. We went boating, jet skiing, four wheeling, hiking, and just relaxed on the beach, it was the best. Then on Thursday rons kids all left and my moms family came up for our family reunion. My moms famliy is really close and we all get along really well, we always have so much fun when we are together. I love all of them so much. It was a blast. We went boating, jet skiing, four wheeling, played and layed out on the beach. We stayed up late playing games and talking. Little Joseph cut his eye open and had to go get stitches at the hospital (poor little guy) but other than that it was a great time. Mom and Ron gave a slide show of their pictures from Israel and told us some of the cool stuff they learned while they were there. This vacation was exactly what I needed to decompress, plus I got really tan (yey!). The kids loved it, they loved the boat and the jet ski's and just playing on the beach.

All the boys, Ben, River, Cayden, Brock and Court


Emma loved playing in the sand


Best Buddies, Court and Cayden


Buried Alive


The beautiful Lake


Mary and Dave, My aunt Mary was diagnosed with Cancer about 6 months ago and has been having Chemo treatments. She is honestly one of my hero's, she has handled this trial with so much grace and faith. She has so much trust in our Heavenly Father. I love her so much and I have learned so much from her


Mom and Ron


Cute little Emma


Hubie, Brandon and Becca just hanging out





Cayden learned to drive the four wheeler himself on this trip. He was dissapointed that he had to drive with an adult, but was happy that he got to drive


At the Beach



Brandon Barlow and Chelsey


Brandon Blue and Becca


Chelsey, Heidi and Becca


Catchin some Air, Chuck was so much better this year. He learned to completely clear the wake. He did better on this trip than he has ever done


Hello Sexy!!! Look at those bulging biceps =)


Daddy, Mommy and Emma on the tube. Emma loved riding on the tube, I thought she would be scared, but she couldn't get enough of it. She would cry when her turn was over and would beg us to let her go again, it was so funny.


This was Emma's face the whole time she was riding on the boat, it was pure Joy, she was having so much fun


Cayden on the tube, he was a little scared and would only go if the boat was going really slow and if we held the rope only about 5 feet back from the boat.


Grandma and Granpa with Emma


The last day Emma was so tired out that she feel asleep on the boat. She slept through me taking her out of the boat, and riding a four wheeler back up to the cabin, she really must have been wiped out.


Chuck and Brandon, Brandon Married my cousin Heidi and he and Chuck love each other, they are two peas in a pod and get along so well


Becca, me and Rachael, Laura didn't come cause of her new baby


Becca, Brandon, Heidi, and Cody


Becca, Heidi, me and Danielle


All the cousins and our kids, I love my cousins so much, I am so grateful that we are all so close


My mom and all her sisters and brother and their spouses

Tagged

I have been in Bear Lake for a week, so this tag is the perfect thing to get me back on here.

JOYS

1. My wonderful Husband, he brings me so much joy

2. Cayden and Emma, i love to spend time with them and play with them.

3. Being with my family, I love my sister and my mom, we are all so close and I am so grateful for that


FEARS

1. Not being able to have another baby, I have been promised in blessings that I would, but I still have that secret nagging fear in the back of my head.

2. Loosing Chuck or one of my children, I don't think I could handle it.

3. Not being a good mom, I always worry that I am not doing a good enough job. I hate when I loose my cool or don't handle a situation as well as I could have.


GOALS

1. Loose 30 more pounds, I've already lost 15, I swear it is an uphill battle.

2. Having the Spirit as my constant companion, I have been working so hard on having the spirit with me at all times. I really want to live in a way that that does not drive it away, this takes a lot more than I thought it would. We have cut out a lot of TV, movies, and bad attitudes at our home. I hope my children can be raised in a home where they have daily opportunities to feel the spirit, and that they will learn to recognize it.

3. Write a book about one of my ancestors, Emma Summers (yes Emma is named after her) She was amazing, she crossed the plains with the Willy Handcart company.

CURRENT OBSESSIONS/COLLECTIONS

1. Meeker family reunion, I am planning it I am so stressed with everything I have to get ready for it. It is next week. I am also worried that people will not have fun, these people are hard to please.

2. Writing my book, so intimidating, but I have really felt inspired to do it.

3. "Hearing the Voice of the Lord" by Gerald Lund, and "The joy of coming unto Christ" by Blaine Yorgason, I love them and want to read every chance I get

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

1. I am moody at night, if I am up past 11 I start picking stupid fights with Chuck, I think he has learned to just ignore me

2. I love being tan, even though I never am, except today cause I was at the lake all week.

3. I hate gossip, Whenever people start talking to me about others I litterally feel sick inside, I am so sick of women in the church acting like they are in high school and gossiping about one and other. Come on people we are here to help and love one another, not gossip and judge.


I TAG THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE

1. Amy Meeker

2. Jenny Brown

3. Stephanie Taylor

4. Aimee Bradley

5. Danielle Naylor

Fathers Day

We had a wonderful Fathers Day. Chuck woke up and the kids gave him their presents, Cayden and Emma got him an arm band for his ipod for running, and new ear phones that go all the way around your ear so they wont fall off when he is running. He is trianing to run the St George marathon this year so he really wanted this stuff. He just found out last month that he got his number. I got him the book on CD of "The Holy Secret" by James L. Ferrel. We loved "The Feace Giver" so I think he will really like it. He never has time to read so he loves to get books on CD that he can listen to on the way to lab in the morning. Then the kids did a program for Dad that they had prepred, they sang him a couple of daddy songs and then Emma counted to 10 and Cayden did the first 3 Articles of Faith that he has memorized. After our stuff we went to Mom and Rons for Breakfast, so that we could see Ron. We gave him a fun book, "The dangerous book for Boys" He loved it. Then after church had a special dinner for Chuck, and then we went to my dads for dessert. We gave dad a framed picture of me and all my sisters for his office. We had such a wonderful Fathers day. I am so grateful for Chuck who is the best father that I could ask for for my children. He is always so kind, loving, patient, and fun with them. They adore him and love to spend time with him. I am grateful for Ron who has always been such a strength to me. Even though he is not my real father, he has always treated me like his daughter. He is such an example to me of service and love. I truly love him like he was my own. He has done so much for us. I am grateful for my dad who has always believed in me and told me that I could do anything. I am grateful for Chuck's father Bill, who has always made me feel welcome and loved. He has also done so much to help us. He is a great grandfather and my kids love him so much. I am especially grateful for my Heavenly Father, who has blessed me with so much, including wonderful father's all around me who have loved me and my children.

Chuck and the kids


Cayden and Emma doing their program


Cayden and Emma with Grandpa Ron


Mom and her girls, Emma and Savanah, they are her only granddaughters

Happy Birthday Grandpa

Saturday My Grandma threw a birthday party for my grandpa, he won't tell us how old he is, he always says he's 27. All of my cousins and aunts and uncles were there. It was so fun. I don't know how much longer he will be around so it was so nice for him to get to see all of his posterity. He would always tell me I was his prettiest grandchild until Becca turned about 16 he told me that she was the prettiest now. He is so funny, he will always tell it like it is. I always know he will tell me the truth and he always stands up for what is right. I love him so much.

Cayden and Emma with Grandma and Grandpa


My Aunt and some of my cousins


Grandpa with all of his grandkids


Grandpa with all of his great grand kids


Grandpa with all of his kids and their spouses

Snakes, Lizards, and Reptiles!!!

This week for adventure dayse we went to a reptile show at the Draper Library. they had huge turtles, lizards, tirantulas, and Snakes. Cayden loved it and Riley wasn't so sure about all the snakes. Afterwards the kids got to hold some of the animals. Cayden and Emma both held a snake by themselves, I am so mad I was taking a picture of Emma with the snake and right when I was snapping it my camera died, so I didn't get the picture. Emma wanted to sit on Rileys lap the whole time, so poor Riley had to hold her through the whole presentation. We had a lot of fun, and they learned a lot about Reptiles.

This is so not me. How funny! I wish I was tranquil. And I have not been sheltered.

So not me!!!

You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty.)

Thoughtful and loving. Authority figures probably have been sheltering you all of your life. Thankfully you're a very tranquil person who is content with what life has given you, but secretly you want to know how the outside world works.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

My special experiance!!!

I just wanted to take a minute and express my graitude for my sweet children. I had the neatest experiance last night. It seems that they have been extra naughty lately and my patience has really been waring thin. I hate it when I am always on edge with them so I have really been praying that Heavenly Father would bless me with an increase of patience and love, and that I would be able to see them as he see's them. Last night I had just finished my scripture study and prayer and I had really been pondering these things and I went in to check on them before bed. I walked in to Cayden's room and was overwhelmed with the sense of love and tenderness I felt, I could feel how special he was and how much our Heavenly Father loves him. The feeling was so sudden and overwhelming that it made me cry. I kissed him and hugged him a minute and then left to check on Emma, When I walked into Emma's room I felt the same thing, and it made me cry again. I know that I was blessed to be able to feel our Saviors love for them, and for a brief moment I truly saw them at he see's them. I just want to thank my Heavenly Father for my children. They truly are angels in our home. I am so grateful for the quiet moments when the spirit helps me to see them not just as my little babies, but as the strong and powerful spirits that they are. They are so special, I know that they came to the earth at this special time for a reason. I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father sent them to me. I love them so much. I am also so grateful for a Heavenly Father who hears my prayers and is always there to help me. I will try to hold on to the feelings I felt last night, to remember how special they are, that they truly are perfect in the sight of the Lord. I hope all the mom's out there will try to see their children as the magnificent spirits that they are, and to feel Christ's love for them.

It's Finally Done

I have been working on Emma's room for like 3 months and it is finally done. I ordered her dresser over 10 weeks ago and it finally came this week. I wanted it to be kind of an old fashioned countryish feel, and I am so happy with how it turned out.

I had this quilt that I loved but I couldn't find a duvet cover that matched it so my friend Jessica made this duvet cover and pillows to match the quilt, she did such a wonderful job, and I am so happy with it. Her bed has a trundle underneath so if we have another girl in this house they can share.

Chuck did the bead board and then we painted the top pink and stenciled random roses on the wall. I painted the letters of her name to match her bedding.

Her dresser that took forever to get here. I love it. I included the side picture to show the cute bead board on the sides of the dresser.

I am so glad that it is finally done, now my house is officially finished. I'm sure by next week I will think of another project to do. I always like to be working on something.

Camping!!!

This last weekend we went camping with our friends the Bradleys. It was honestly one of the funnest trips I have been on in a long time. We got up there Friday afternoon and set up camp and had lunch. We rode the four wheeler and dirt bike and found some really cool pictorgraphs. Then we found this awesome cave, the kids loved playing in it. Saturday we hiked up the canyon that we were camping in. I was so impressed with how well the kids did. They made it all the way to the top of the canyon, I never once heard complaining. Then we took the four wheelers to the swinging bridge. It was so fun, we just hung out, explored and relaxed and played. The kids had so much fun, they loved exploring the canyon. We were going to stay until Sunday morning, but a huge wind storm came that was blowing our tents over, so we packed up Saturday night and came home. I was so proud of Cayden and some of the things that he was able to climb.

This is the canyon we camped in. The rock formation in the middle is the one in the story at the end

The cave, the kids thought it was so cool. But Riley kept asking if there were bears in the cave.

Buried alive

Pictographs, don't they look like Angels. There was a huge curved canyon with pictographs spanning the length of the canyon. It was really cool.

I thought this was such a cool picture

Chuck and Chris. I swear they are like little boys sometimes. Chris spent the entire time trying to catch lizards, it was so funny.

Chris, Aimee, Riley and Avery

My little rock climber

We told Cayden to hold up the rock, he must have been pushing pretty hard, look at how funny his face is, he is taking this seriously

On our hike, the guys had to carry the babies most of the time, except when Emma got stubborn and insited on walking

Riley trying to kiss Cayden, Cayden resisting.

OK so this is the scary story for you. There was this huge rock formation in the middle of the canyon we were camping in. Chuck said he thought that he and Cayden could climb it, I told him I would kill him if he took my son up that 200 foot rock. So they went on a dirt bike ride, and about 10 minutes later I look over and they are scaling this mountain. At this point they were only about 20 feet up I thought that they would stop there, so I got my camera and yelled to Chuck to bring him down now.

Then they take off up the rock formation, At this point I was freaking out and yelling for Chuck to bring him down right now. It was so scary, I was terrified that Cayden was going to fall.

This is them about 150 feet up. That tiny white dot is Chucks shirt and he is holding Cayden. Isn't that so scary, now that Cayden is OK I am actually really proud of him, but I never want Chuck to do that again. I was seriously so mad at him.

So I've always said that Cayden could climb anything and now I guess he proved me right.