Happy 13th birthday Josh!!!

13 years ago, we welcomed our third little boy into this world and our hearts! Josh has been such a blessing to our family. He has such a sweet spirit and a kind heart. Josh is so kind to others. He's a good friend to everyone! I just love him to pieces my Joshua Merritt!

Josh got his middle name from my Grandpa Snowberger, he's just like my Grandpa in how good a person he is. One thing that Josh does that just melts my heart is that he comes up and gives me a hug whenever he can. Joshy hugs are sooooo good!!!!

He used to have a nickname of "sunshine committee" He was always a ray of sunshine with his smiles and laughter and loves. One year, when we were going through a miscarriage, we were at a marriage retreat. We came home, my mom was watching the boys, and Josh saw us come through the door...he ran to me and just hugged me. He was extra happy and cheerful for the next few days. What a sweet special blessing it is to have such a wonderful young man in our family.

Josh has loved being in young mens, going to scout camp, APC, and camping. He's grown both physically and spiritually.

Josh also shares his special birthday with his Grandma Cook! Both wonderful, special people in our lives! Here's to you mom and Josh!!!! May you have a very blessed day and know that you are so loved! May this year bring you all that the Father has in store for you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

What a wonderful, blessed year we've had thus far. There is so very much to be thankful for. I know I've slacked big time on updating our thanks on our blog. We've been so very busy with all of the wonderful family time...which really is how it should be :)

We've had scouts, pack meetings, school projects, parties, major couponing, yard work, birthday ;) all sorts of fun family time!!! What a wonderful way to spend our time, with our family!

I'm looking at the month of December and it is so full of so many more wonderful events! I have two bazaars coming up, a wedding cake for a sweet young lady, Christmas concerts, Christmas parties, activity days, jewelry parties!!! It's so wonderful to be so involved in such wonderful things!

One thing that we are most grateful for is FAMILY!!!! Each and every person who comes into our lives becomes family to us! We love you all and are so very grateful for each and every one of you! May you have a most blessed and wonderful and safe Thanksgiving.

Anyone going black friday shopping, please have a little black friday fun for me!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!!!

Too good to pass up

I saw this on facebook today and shared it on my wall. I felt that I need to post it here too... This is just too perfect... I mean purrrrrfect ;) hahahaha

This is how I feel so many times during each day. I think of all my blessings or see a blessing and am just so thankful. I don't even know how many times in a day that I thank my Heavenly Father, but I know I do it alot..which is a wonderful thing :)

NOVEMBER!!!!

It's NOVEMBER!!!! We've made it through football, marching band competitions, football awards parties, going over the hill everyday for practice....and enjoyed every ....well mostly every minute of it :)

Now, it's time to turn our focus to those things we are most thankful for. We have been so very blessed this year and have so much to be thankful for.

I am thankful for:

#1 My Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ for blessing our family with so many wonderful blessings. The Savior makes this life possible and eternal life attainable! I am so grateful for my close relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior.

#2 My family, we have had so many fun times this year...tears of sadness and tears of joy...so many memories have been made this year it's wonderful!!! My husband and my children are my closest friends. This year, I feel as though I've grown closer to them than any other time...maybe it's a different kind of growth from just mother to mother and friend. We have had some amazing discussions and chats...as well as played around a lot and had some great laughs!!!

#3 The opportunity to go to Texas this year and take the whole family to meet my brother Don and all the family down there! We didn't get to see my sister Amy or Misty, so...oh darn we'll have to go next year ;) We had a great time getting to Texas and coming back, but had the best time just visiting and hanging out with Don and Mary. The boys were able to see why I think my big brother is so cool!

I can't wait to post more thankfullness this month :) May we all focus on those blessings of the year and remember them and express our gratitude for them, this month and always.

Long time.....

It's been a long time since I posted something, but so much has been going on. Football mainly hahaha....

The boys had an awesome football season and it's FINALLY OVER!!! I am excited that football is finally over, yet sad at the same time. We have been going over the hill back to Emmett everyday for practices for the boys. It has been a huge stresser and a ton of money on gas, but it was what we needed to do and helped make the transition easier on the three younger boys.

Kyler has done a lot better in flag football this year :) He's learned a lot more and has gotten several flags during his games. Kyler will be playing tackle next year YAY!!!! He's looking forward to that :)

Dallin did an AMAZING job this year with several quarterback sacks. He's a tackling machine!!! Although, they only won one game, the Wallace huskies did a great job on defense and offense :) I can't wait to see him play next year!!!

Josh's team had an undeafeated season until the playoffs...the very last game yesterday, they went up against Meridian White and held them to only 14 points when no other teams during the season could do that. They lost their game after a long hard fight 14-8 The Kenny Keene huskies had the best season anyone could ever have asked for!!!! Josh did soooo goood at defensive line!!! He got several awesome tackles stopping the ball!!!!

Yesterday, I was thinking about next years football season and got really sad at the realization that...those teamates that the boys have grown close to are now going to be opponents :'( It really makes me want to cry when I think about Dallin and his team...those kids have been so close in school and on the field.

License to drive!!!

I never thought I would like the day that Aaron got his drivers license....it's a sign that my children are growing up...this day came way to fast... however!!!! I am soooo grateful that he does have his license now.

Aaron got his license...well a temporary one this afternoon. It was so nice to be able to have him go do the taxiing and take the boys to and from scouts and mutual! It will be such a relief to have an extra driver to run errands and such!

Thank you so much Aaron for being such a good driver and so helpful! I love you :)

True doctrine for all to remember

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOrcqqpHCt8

This was shared at our adult session of stake conference tonight. What a powerful reminder. The stake President shared this point of doctrine. "I am a child of God. And He has sent me here" What a powerful, lifechanging statement that can have on any one of us and all of us.

I am so very greatful to KNOW that I am a child of God. I am one of His sweet daughters. He sent me to this earth, at this time for a purpose. I know He knows each one of us personally and knows our trials. He knows the desires of our hearts. He wants to bless us with so much.

May we remember that each of us is a child of God and treat each other that way.

Trials

Trials, lately for our family, seem to come in waves or torrents. Although, during these trials there have been many sweet blessings as well.

We were blessed to be able to move into Tim's grandma's house to rent a less expensive home. In doing this, Heavenly Father knew what was coming... moving short distances is more expensive than just up and moving because you make multiple trips. I'm not complaining about it one bit, I really appreciated being able to pack a little and move it and organize it and reuse boxes... It was in a way less stressful... in it's own way.

We've been welcomed with open arms into the ward and schools. Tim and I both have callings now and things are going well with church. We have so many instant friends and family in the ward and stake. I went to school with some, we knew some from New Plymouth and Emmett, and Tim's cousin Gary and his family are in our ward. The feelings moving into this home have been different from any other place we've moved into...

Now, we're trying to get settled and get things on the upward swing, the trials are mounting... our suburban has decided to get tired and is not working right. Tim has been blessed with wisdom and knowledge so far to fix it as far as he can... now it sits in the driveway waiting for a timing issue to be fixed, which is out of our realm of understanding after he's tried everything he can think of.... at the same time, Brandon has begun to have a flair up of his Evan's syndrome and is in the hospital until tomorrow at least.... there are other little trials as well...those are the biggest ones though

Although these trials are mounting, I feel somewhat at peace that everything is in the Lord's hands. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan and I know that He's working mighty miracles. I hold onto the faith that those important things will all be alright in the end. I love my Father in Heaven and am so grateful for the peace that He's giving.

I love my husband and my children so very much. I am grateful that we can be going through these trials together and that we are doing those things we need to do in order for blessings to come :) I know that there are blessings happening and I am so very aware of those sweet tender mercies that our Heavenly Father is granting. What a wonderful blessing to know that Heavenly Father is aware of our family and hears our prayers. I know that He is working mighty miracles and has His hand in all things. I know He's there and loves us.

Getting creative

Yesterday when I was getting ready for my Premier Designs Jewelry party, I wanted to make some cookies. Of course I can't make any cookies or much of anything really requiring a stove or oven.

I remembered, when I was little I had wanted to make cookies at Grammy's house with Nina. Grammy pulled out her recipe book and showed us a recipe for cookies made with a waffle iron instead of an oven. It was a hot summer day, so naturally, Grammy didn't want the house to get hot, but far be it from Grammy to tell us we can't do something creative. Grammy always had something fun for us to do, or showed us something fun to do :) Nina and I made these waffle cookies and had a wonderful time making them and then going outside with the portable radio and listening to it under the shade of one of the lilac bushes and ate some cookies :)

Although, I don't have the exact recipe, I adapted it to make them with a brownie mix and used my belgian waffle maker. The cookies were so yummy and so full of memories :)

Today, Dallin wanted to make the cookies and have some more to share with our family :) yummy yummy yummy!!!!

FOOTBALL!!!!! Big day at BSU!!!

The boys had a wonderful time at BSU saturday playing football!!! This year, we didn't have to be there super early or stay super late. Josh had his game at 11:30ish. Dallin had his at 12:15 ish and Kyler at 1ish so it was a rush to get everyone to where they needed to be for pictures and games, but we were all able to watch everyone play. The only exception was that Dallin had to be with his team while Josh played, so Dallin missed watching Josh.

Josh #67 played offensive line and did very well. He got in on some tackles. He didn't get to play on the blue turf this year, but he did get to play in the field house...the practice field for BSU. It was nice to be able to get up closer to see him and get some closer pictures :) He didn't look like so much of an ant this year :)

Dallin #24 played hmmmm... he plays both offense and defense line. I don't remember exactly which one he played saturday, but either way HE'S A MACHINE!!! I would NOT want to be tackled by that boy!!! When he hits, he hits hard!!!! Dallin did very well and got some good tackles, even though they lost their game... they played the toughest team they'll play all year. This other team was from woodriver. There aren't many players, so they combined the sophomores and juniors, so kids that are Josh's age that can make weight in the sophomore range can play. It was intense and brutal, but they did very very well :)

Kyler. #8.. when he focused he did very well. lol He is really a huge social butterfly lol. When his team was lining up on the line to play, he was standing there talking to the ref like they were bff or something hahahaha...what a goofy boy!!! Kyler did well at working on getting flags :)

The games are going to be interesting this year... getting to them anyway. We're hoping they're not to complicated, but it sounds like they might get that way in October....fingers crossed

hahahah oh yeah.... we also saw the BSU football team :) They were down where all the players were and stopped and talked to them and shook hands. It was so cool for the boys!!! Although, I don't think that they shook any of my boys hands :( They thought it was soooo awesome to see Kellan Moore!!! although he's not in this picture... he's #11