five love languages for children

Last night for family night, I decided our family could use a little more "love giving." I gave a small book report on "The Five Love Languages for Children" which by the way is a must-have as your children get older. The five love languages are quality time, acts of service, words of affirmation, physical touch, and gift giving. I explained each one and asked the kids some questions to find out what they thought theirs was. To my surprise, they all knew right off, without much help from me, what their love language was. Kelsey is torn between gift giving and acts of service, Grant is physical touch with a secondary of words of affirmation, and Kaylee is quality time with a little of physical touch. We were able to talk about what is important to all of us and how we need to share our love for each other in the way they need. We also talked about what hurts each of us the most, so that we can avoid doing that. It was nice. I really enjoyed having us all try to understand each other more. Later on we made caramel apple dip (we were going to do caramel apples, but too many people snuck into the caramels and there was not enough). Then we went for a family walk. It was my favorite kind of day. I love Sundays. We get to just focus on church and family and we don't have to feel rushed with all our daily activities such as work, business, errands, housecleaning, etc. It's nice to just take time and focus on what is importan.

Kaylee wanted to take these home. They were glued down too tight!

Kaylee is on tv! She's famous!

Kaylee's gold finds. She's rich!

Kaylee and I had our special day today. Every week I try to take one kid out for a "special day with mom". This was her week. First we went to lunch at McDonald's. Then we ran a few errands (I had to squeeze those in sometime), then we went to the Mesa Souhwest Museum a.k.a. the "Dinasour Museum". We had alot of fun together. Kaylee was a little nervous about the dinsaurs at first, but she got used to it towards the end and we were able to go look at them. She struck it rich in the gold panning (and got a little wet). She also found a giant piece of gold. I am hoping she will buy me a car! I love these days I spend one on one with my kids.

pumpkin night

Kaylee and the cross-eyed pumpkin

Grant and Darth Vader pumpkin

Tonight was the pumpkin walk at my kids school. This morning I went to school and helped carve my son's pumpkin (Kaylee did hers last night). Then tonight the whole school had their pumpkins displayed with candles burnng in them on the soccer field. It was quite a sight! Of course, I forgot my camera so the pictures I took were with my camera phone. they are a little sorry.

Kelsey is also having her first Halloween party tonight. A bunch of 12 and 13 year old girls. I am glad it is not here. She decided to do this because she is now officially too old to go trick or treating this year and she still wants to dress up (I still like to dress up too). This way she gets to still have the "Halloween experience".

kentucky

FALL! We actually tried to get someone to get a picture of us in front of some trees, but evidently she didn't know how to work the camera. I had to take these pictures while we were driving back to the airport. It was so much prettier!

This is the Ohio river. It is the border between Indiana and Kentucky (little geography lesson here)

Houses like this were everywhere. We thought they were so cool.

This was the Thomas Edison house. Evidently he lodged here for a while. Not as exciting as we thought it would be and it wasn't even open.

Ok sorry. I know it has been awhile since I have blogged.

This last weekend, Davin and I flew to Indianapolis/Louisville for a leadership convention. We flew into Indianapolis because it was cheaper and drove down to Louisville. It was about an hour and a half drive, but what beautiful country. It was so nice to actually SEE fall colors all over and so many trees! As we drove into Louisville, it was storming pretty bad. The sky was dark and the rain was coming down heavy. We kept hearing these siren noises. At first we thought there was a train or something nearby. Then we realized it might be tornado sirens. We turned on the radio and sure enough we were driving in the middle of a tornado warning. SCARY! The newscaster was telling everyone in downtown Louisville (exactly where we were) to get indoors and seek safety (basement, bathtub) NOW. I really was terrified. I was literally shaking. We go to our hotel and checked in just in time to watch the storm pass us. Tornados never did actually touch, but it was quite an experience nonetheless.

We had such a great time. We spent some time on Sunday to do a little sightseeing. Unfortunately most thing were closed. We ended up spending some time with some friends down at the Ohio river. It was a great weekend.

Kenyon Robson tagged me to tell 7 things about myself, so here goes.....

1. I grew up on a mini-farm. I have milked goats, eaten rabbits (until I actually watched my dad butcher one), fought with geese (they are mean) and cleaned up after ducks. I have fed chickens and collected eggs. We also had cows, pigs, horses, and mules. I think I got them all.

2. I met my husband on a blind date that he actually set up. We were married 9 months later in the Mesa Arizona temple.

3. I have four amazing, talented, beautiful children. They make me laugh, cry, and yes sometimes they make me yell.

4. In a matter of 4 years, Davin and I lost 6 loved ones to tragic deaths. December 2000, Davin's niece lost her daughter in birth. February 2001, I lost my brother to drowning. August 2001, Davin's brother lost their son in birth. 2002, Davin's foster/adopted sister watched her biological sister get mauled by pit bulls. August 2004, Davins's brother was killed in a car wreck. November 2004, Davins cousin committed suicide. (Ok sorry about this one, it's a little sad....moving on.)

5. I love to travel. I dream of traveling the world. I also dream of traveling the U.S. in a motorhome. Some of my favorite vacations: Disney Cruise, Ensenada cruise with parents and siblings, Florida, and a road trip Davin and I took when we were first married up to Yellowstone Park.

6. I am a native of Arizona. I know so what, but there are not that many of us. I remember when the closest grocery store to us was more than 10 miles away.

7. I absolutely love my nieces and nephews! I don't know if many people feel the way I do. I really could keep all of them. In fact, I have offered but no one will take me up on the deal.

Ok, there you go. Now it is my turn to tag....Jenifer Winger and Randi Boyle

Tonto Natural Bridge

Ok, I know it has been awhile since I have been on here.

Today, Davin took all four kids and a neighbor kid up to Tonto Natural Bridge in Pine. They had a good time. They hiked down to the bridge and the kids had a blast playing in the water and sliding down rocks. Both Kelsey and Grant came home with holes in the butt of their pants. Afterwards, they went into Pine and got ice cream and enjoyed it on the front porch of the "Pine house" (Davin's grandma's old house). They went shopping at the thrift store, which is always something we do there. They spent their quarters, basically.

Davin did all this on his own. I was not able to go. What a trooper! He is such a great dad.

girls weekend

This last weekend my mom, my sister Sheri, my sis-in-law Jamie and Vanessa all went on a girls retreat. Jamie was able to get us rooms at the Westin Kierland. So nice and luxurious! Thanks Jamie. We had the best time. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera,but don't you know Sheri remembered hers. Check out her link to see the pictures and our agenda. We had so much fun! I really did not want it to end. What a great bonding time we had.

Metroid Samas a.k.a. Grant

For those of you who do not have boys old enough, this is Samas. This is a character on the video game, Metroid Prime. It's become one of Grant's favorite games. He lives and breathes the game. We have drawings and "instruction booklets" that he has made about the game and character. This is his latest. Now he has become Metroid Prime. What an imagination! I love it!

annivesary and new sister

Today would have been the 9th year wedding anniversary of my brother, Aaron, and his wife Jamie. I remember that day like it just happened. Unfortunately, Aaron and Jamie only celebrated 2 years together before he got called home. Fortunately for all of us who loved him, he gave us two gifts before he went; our new sister, Jamie and his son, Brett. They are both very special to our family. Thank you, Aaron. We love and miss you.

haircut

Yesterday, Kelsey, Sheri, and I went to get our haircut. Kelsey really got hers cut. She had long hair and decided to go short. It's alot like Sheri's style. I love it! She looks so grown up. She even got her eyebrows waxed! Of course, she didn't like that and swore to never do that again. My little girl is growing up into such a beautiful young woman. I am so proud of who she is becoming and of course, I think she is gorgeous.

These pictures of Emma were taken on a camping trip we took this summer. The funny thing is, she was just getting started when we took these pictures. She got much worse!

working woman

Today, I started my first day on the job. I recently took a class on medical transcription so that Davin and I could do that from home. I finally got a job, but I have to train in the office for awhile until I am good enough to do it at home. I was actually excited to go! I haven't worked since my 13 year old was born. The pay is kinda sad, but it is mostly paid training right now. I will get more when I come home. It was nice, though, being able to do what I have been training for. Weird that I am excited to work. Good thing it is temporary before that feeling wears off.

What a great day

This post is for last Saturday. I have not had time to get on and blog it. What a great day! It started in the morning with a book club I went to with some of my company friends. We read and talked about a book called, "Wooden". Of course, there are a couple of books that just have "Wooden" in the title, so I read the wrong one. I had fun anyway and enjoyed listening to the insight from the others. Of course, like any real girl get-together, only about 1/2 hour was spent talking about the book and the other 2 hours was spent visiting and eating.

After that, Davin and I went to a baptism of our friend, Debbie. That was wonderful. She is what you might call "golden". She wanted to set the date for baptism before she even had her first discussion. Of course, that is because of some other wonderful friends, Sean and Angela Barba, who introduced the gospel to her. Sean was also able to baptise her. I was so glad I was able to be there for that beautiful, special lady.

Then Davin and I rushed home, packed up the kids and drove down to Tucson to visit with some of our friends, the Doucets, and have dinner with them. We haven't seen them for over a year, so that was fun.

All in all, a great day!

oh "crap!"

As you know, we are pottytraining Emma still. For the most part, she does pretty good. Unfortunately, I find the best way for her not to have accidents is to not wear panties. This actually works pretty good. Evidently, that does not apply to being outside. Today, Davin came upstairs and informed me she pooped on the sidewalk outside. Gross! It's like having a dog! We got a good laugh out of it, though. Maybe we should just house-train her. It might be easier.

9-11

Today is, of course, the 6th anniversary of 9-11. I am so thankful for this country we live in. I am so grateful for the young men women fighting for our freedom and the freedoms of others. We literally have people like them to thank for our lives. I think of the brave men who believed in a country that could govern itself and won our freedom from England. I think of the brave young men who fough against an murderous, evil Hitler. I think of the brave young men who fought a long, drawn out war that no one understood. All these men left wives, children, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters behind with no promise of return. Many didn't. All of this sacrifice was done for who? Not themselves, but for all Americans. For us. I just want to say again how grateful I am for these brave self-less soldiers who die so we can live in freedom.