oh what do you we do on Saturday's when dad's at the General Conference Priesthood Session and Mom is busy in the kitchen baking cookies?

take pictures...

take silly pictures...

take pictures with mom (pretty one Lindsey)...

take very silly pictures...

take modeling pictures (great one of Carly)....

take happy pictures (cute smile Conner)...

take pictures with our dog Marley...

that's what my kiddos do when the weather is gorgeous, the tv is off, and mom & dad are busy!

First day of FALL break!

Monday was the kids first day of a two week fall break. NO school for the oldest 3, yeah! Erik took off the first week so what did we do on our first day of break?
1- Lindsey & Carly dentist appt.
2- Erik & Conner mow the yard
3-Conner & Lindsey orthodontist appt.
4-Erik, Carly & Cole went to the library
5-Lindsey, Conner & I went to Wal-mart
6-Everyone practiced their piano, FUN!
7-Conner had baseball practice
8-Fed the missionaries
9-Meet all our fun old/previous ward members at Circle Cross Park for FHE, A BLAST!
10-Trip to QT for slushes/gas
11-Summer Edwards sleepover here/Conner slept over at Edwards
12-I take a bubble bath.
13-Teenage girls talk me into "toilet papering" of course a BOYS house, can't tell who!
14-Watch "Another Cinderella Story" with Carly
15-Pass out...finally bedtime

volleyball has come and gone....

Lindsey had a great season! We loved watching her play volleyball. She has a killer serve and learned lots this season. We already miss going to her games every Monday and Wednesday. She is a great leader and made some fun new friends this season. What will she do with all her FREE time now?

The bEsT home teachers!

In the 16 years we have been married we have never had consistent home teachers. A little over a year ago Jim and Julie Larson were assigned to home teach us. They have been amazing! They have truly become a part of our family. They have come each month to give us a message and see how each one of us are doing along with checking on us weekly. They surprised us on our birthdays, showed up to ball games, made special visits when injuries happened, sat with us at church, gave blessings, called us out of the blue, and much much more! With our ward split they are no longer in our ward. We are so sad and miss them terribly. We have truly been blessed to have them in our lives. They have taught us many things and more than anything they have loved our family in ways we can not express. We have truly been watched over...now it is our turn to be like them they have been wonderful examples. I am sure the Lord is beyond pleased with the service they have given our family. We will never forget Bro. & Sis. Larson and the love they have given our family!

A blonde moment...

I got an invitation to my dear friend, Leslie Hodgson's wedding reception. I have been so excited to go and see her and all my old Ray 1st ward friends. Yesterday was a crazy busy day, but everything went pretty smoothly. I was pretty tired and thought I don't want to drive 45 minutes to an hour to get to the reception, but I really want to go. So lucky for me Erik was home from work (due to his arm injury) and I could leave the kiddos and go. Lindsey decided to go with me. We got in our skirts and headed off around 7:15 after picking Conner up from a primary party. Get to where we thought the reception was and there was another reception going on there (no we didn't go in, but the car decorated outside was for two people we didn't know). Okay know that I have the invitation with me, but we call Erik and say this is the address and we can't find it. As I am reading him the address from the invitation I look at the DATE, September 5. Okay yesterday was September 4! Yay, get it we were a day EARLY! I was so angry, but Lindsey and I had to laugh! BLONDE moment...oh well we wasted some gas, but went shopping at Target (bought a new lamp I needed for my bedroom) and treated ourselves to Bahama Bucks since we didn't get any wedding cake! Oh yeah and got some movies out of Redbox (entertainment for the weekend).

What happens when grease and rain mix?

I woke up to Emergency papers on the counter and Erik laying on the couch with a sling on his arm. I guess he fell at work Thursday night, rain and grease make a slippery combination. He dislocated his shoulder and now that it is back in place he is SUPER sore. Luckily Fry's Pharmacy isn't to far away...grabbed some drugs to help with the pain. Hopefully he can take it easy over this long weekend and be good to go again Tuesday.

I almost went and got paint to paint our bedroom for this weekend, glad I didn't! I would have been doing it alone while he supervised, ugh!

Ward split & lots of changes

Our ward was split and reorganized two Sunday's ago and we are in the Orchard Ranch ward. I am so excited I just found out I get to stay in my calling, Visiting Teaching Coordinator! I am so happy. Lucy Kartchner is the R.S. Pres. and I am so excited to work with her. We are now busy reorganizing visiting teaching so we can hand out the new companionship's for Sunday. I love being busy involved in a good cause. I love VISITING TEACHING!
Visiting teaching is much more than a visit or sharing a thought with a sister. It is how we connect with one another. We share hearts and souls and extend charity, which is "the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love" (Bible Dictionary, "Charity," 632). Visiting teaching brings the love of the Lord to every home and to every sister. It is a sacred trust we have been given.