My bi-annual conference ramblings...

Well, I am sick at home with the stomach flu. Jeff somehow pulled off taking everyone with him to church- with the help of many others, I'm sure! He is even last minute taking my Primary class for me.
So with all of this uninterrupted silence, I got a chance to relisten to a couple of Conference talks and came across a little part I wanted to post so I can reread it whenever I want. I thought it would be fun for some of you too. It is a virtual tour of your home- using your spiritual eyes (from Elder Stevenson's amazing talk on Temples). Here we go!

Imagine you are opening your front door and walking inside your home. What do you see, and how do you feel?

Is it a place of love, peace, and a refuge from the world? Is it clean and orderly?

As you walk through the rooms of your home, do you see uplifting images which include appropriate pictures of the temple and the Savior?

Is your bedroom or sleeping area a place for personal prayer?

Is your gathering area or kitchen a place where food is prepared and enjoyed together allowing uplifting conversation and family time?

Are the scriptures found in a room where the family can study, pray, and learn together?

Can you find your personal gospel study space?

Does the music you hear or the entertainment you see, online or otherwise, offend the spirit?

Is the conversation uplifting? Without contention?

That concludes the tour. Chuck full of great self-evaluating questions, isn't it? (Kinda like Alma 5) I really do love conference. There are so many things which touch my heart and I am once again gently reminded of those areas I need to improve. What a testimony that our Heavenly Father loves us.

Once again, I was struck by the love and dedication shown by President Monson. What an incredible man. What an awesome task he has been called to take on. It really hit home when I heard him ask for our prayers. I can't imagine the pressures he faces and the load he bears. And to know that he presses on everyday and fulfills that call. There is so much unselfish service given in the church. These amazing men have given their lives to answer a lifelong call of service, love, and more service. Their families give so much too. Makes me feel guilty when I whine about sitting alone in meetings because of the time-consuming calling my hunny has.

Well, my family will be home soon- and things are bound to get real busy. I am feeling so much better, maybe I will venture out of my bedroom and see what I can do. Or maybe I will just milk this sick thing and go get in the tub. :)

Been busy busy!

Things always kick up a notch around here in the spring. We've had lots going on lately- some expected, some not expected. (some good, some not so good) So for any of you who may be curious what we've been doing lately, here are a few of the things I'd like to report on. Feel free to skip things- I'm bound to get long winded...


For starters, I am sure many of you are curious about our business. Jeff has been busy the past month getting equipment, employees, and office work all in order for the start-up of Safari. I knew the bliss of our leisurely winter schedule would inevitably come to an end. Maybe you are wondering how the economy is affecting us? Well, I'd be lying if I were to say we aren't feeling a difference. Our call volume has been unusually low- and we are getting many cancellations. BUT!!! Never fear! Jeff, as you know, is a man with a plan. We have cut back on our # of employees and Jeff is implementing a new motivational plan which will increase employee productivity, and we are already seeing the benefits. In other words, we are very optimistic.

As for our storage facility, rents are down a little, but our manager says we are better off than other storage places she checked in on, so in this we also feel very, very blessed.

Our fun spring project is landscaping our back yard. It has been quite the job, and we are not done yet. This is what Jeff gets to do in all his free time when he isn't running his businesses! I'm so glad we are making progress despite how busy he is. I can't wait to look out and see green!!! I'm sure I will be posting before and after pics when it's finished!

My parents were able to visit for a few days during our kid's Spring Break. I LOVE it when they come and see us!!!!!! Even though there was no spring weather, my dad helped in the yard and even planted a row of peas in the garden (with the help of Zack and Kobe!).

Since spring soccer has sprung, mom and dad got to see some games while they were here. Lucky for me only Kobe and Brooklyn are playing this season. Of course, Jeff is coaching both.

Looking at these pictures makes me miss my mommy. We were able to do lots of fun things while they were here. It seems like I am usually pregnant or have a new baby when we have guests and it makes it hard to entertain- but everyone was game for a lot of fun this time! We watched movies, went out for dinner, went swimming at the YMCA, and played lots of games. (Let's just say Grandma and Grandpa think of some pretty great hiding places during an intense game of hide-and-go-seek)

We are so glad you love us enough to come all the way up here to visit!!!!!

We sure love you too!!!!!

Oh here was a fun one....

Zack and Kobe were jumping on the neighbors trampoline. Zack went up and Kobe went down and Kobe took a chunk out of Zack's head with his tooth. Thank goodness for minor emergency places so we didn't have to do ER. He has 3 cool-looking staples now. We are thinking Kobe's tooth will be Okay- which is a relief since it was permenant and wiggled for a few days.

Ice cream is a great consolation, isn't it? The worst was when I looked at the sore the next day and it was yellow and bulging against the staples and I realized it was infected. Poor guy. Don't worry- he is now on the mend and loves showing people his head. This is the third time we've had split open heads in the last year. Four total-only between 2 kids (Brooklyn had 2 and Zack had 2). I guess the odds aren't that bad, but what a year! At least it's not broken bones- knock on wood.

Well, that's all I can think of right now- and all I have pictures of. It seems I can't post with out a picture. I am not sure why- it's a mental thing I guess. I'll leave the rest for another day!

Fair warning- could get a lil' sappy (but its my blog so oh well!)

Wow! Guess what! I have now been married more than a decade! (woah that sounded long, didn't it!) But for me, it seems time has flown by amazingly fast- just as everyone has said it would. I have so many precious memories of the past 11 years. It is hard to admit just how fast they seem to have slipped by.

This song reminds me so much of when I was newly married. It came out just after I had Lexie and was dealing with the adjustments of being a new stay-home mom. Jeff would work so hard. Those first few years fo getting our business off the ground were such a challenge. Most days Jeff would wake me up to kiss me good-bye (Lexie didn't sleep much at night and Jeff would leave early) and I wouldn't see him again until right before his evening classes when he had just enough time to eat, (maybe) shower, and be late for class. I would miss him all day long. His cell phone was my link to sanity. I'm sure he didn't always have time for my random ramblings about potty-training and stuff, but he never would have let me know it. He is so patient and understanding.

Those first years were so hard and so wonderful at the same time. I don't think I realized they were hard at the time. Once Jeff graduated and hired on more workers, things got so much easier and that was when I was able to look back and admit that things had been hard. Things are so different now. Now we have 6 kids and Jeff works from home. I think I have gotten better at being a mom and a wife- and we have so much more time together. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve to be this happy. I am SO grateful for my sweet husband. I think people sometimes look at me and think I am a supermom for being able to handle a big family, but the truth is that Jeff does so much of it. He is everything I don't have the strength or motivation to be. He picks up my slack and carries me through my hard times- or lazy times. Thank you hunny. Thank you for building me up. Thank you for all of the sweet words, the kind encouragement, the humor I can't live without. I could never have imagined things any better. I love you!