Happy Mothers Day

My mom is so fabulous!! She was always a mom that taught us that anything is possible. Her motto is "Kill them with Kindness". I remember as a little girl if my mom ever heard my friends and I talking about someone else she always stepped in and pointed out something positive about that person and let my friends and I know that she did not like how we were talking. I remember being embarrassed sometimes but she taught me so much by doing that. She is never afraid to defend what she believes in, or stick up for an individual no matter how unpopular her view may be. She is very, very, loyal and would do anything at any time for her family and
friends. She is a comforter. She always knows what to say to others who are having a hard time in life, or suffering in some way. She is always serving others and finding ways to help and give hope to those around her. I remember as a little girl always having someone staying with us that had a broken home and needed a place to stay for a while. She always encouraged us to think of kids at school that did not have friends or might be a little different and had us invite them to our parties or over to play. Shes always is in the moment. She acts as if she has all the time in the world, which makes you feel so important if you are chatting with her, or need something. She loves to joke, be silly, and she loves to laugh. She truly just loves life in anything she does. As I get older it seems like I can call my mom and she always has an answer or words of encouragement to keep me going. I love you mom!!

OK so my family started a family tradition a few years back and I love it!! Every mothers day the men cook, the woman sit in the dining room, and the men sit in the kitchen with all of the children and have to be at our beckon call. We are actually quite obnoxious about it and milk it for all it is worth. We have them refill our glasses, bring us seconds, salt our food, you name it, they do it. It is so fun to sit with the ladies uninterrupted and just chat while we are waited on. The guys are troupers and put up with us for the evening. Love you Shaun. Thanks for a fabulous mothers day.

My good friend sent me this great quote by Sister Hinkley and it is now one of my favorites.

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car

Wearing beautiful tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed and

With long perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels

From taking kids to Scout camp.

I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing

Sister Scheck's lawn.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from

Making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping

Weed someone's garden.

I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and

Tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.



Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Roxcys 1st Birthday!!

Here is Roxcys first birthday sign and birthday pancake breakfast. She does not look impressed. :)

Being smuthered by kisses by big bro. and sis.

Roxcy was so funny. She did not want anything to do with her cake. She was afaid to touch it. McKay and I showed her how it is supposed to be done but once again she was not impressed. :)

The cake that of course my little sis cherisse made. She always does such a great job. Thanks Cherisse

This tutu was made for Jaden but looks so cute on Roxcy too. She did not like the tutu, but found this flower and really examined it for a bit while I snapped some pics. Then she tried to eat it. What a little cutie!

Roxcys birth and hospital stay

These pictures are all mixed up, but this is right after I had Roxcy and right before they knew that there was something wrong with her. My whole family was there (even Jaden and McKay) in the waiting room, so they all got to see her before she was taken to the nursery and then to banner desert. She was so cute and looked so much like McKay.

This was the first time we got to hold her at Banner Desert and I remember being so afraid to even move.

This was Roxcy getting ready to be taken by air vac to banner desert. Her first helicopter ride at 1 day old.

This was a very emotional birthday for me. It is hard to believe that Roxcy was born a year ago and had to be taken to Banner Desert to the NICU. I have never actually written this down anywhere so this is a bit hard. She had undeveloped lungs and was not breathing on her own. It seriously was the most depressing feeling in the world to come home without her. I knew she was in good hands, but to not come home with her and to see her hooked up to so many things and see her struggling to breath was so terrible as a mother. She had tubes in her nose and down her throat. I remember after her first night at banner desert the nurses told me that she was a fighter and that her name suited her very well. Her first night the nurse had to put all of her tubes back in twice because she kept yanking them out with her tiny little hands. I remember feeling so proud of her at 2 days old that she had the will to do that. :) I knew at that moment that she did not want to be there as much I did not want her there. The hardest part was Shaun and I could not hold her for about 4 days we could only touch her foot or hand. When they finally told us we could hold her I think I held her for 2 hours straight without moving a muscle before I let Shaun hold her and my bum was totally numb. Then Shaun held her for 2 hours. We did that shift the rest of the day and I was in heaven. She truly is our little miracle baby. Shauns parents and my parents would come down to the hospital and switch off so Shaun and I could have a break. They were so wonderful and supportive. The nurses would always ask if Roxcy ever got put down, but after they told us we could hold her there was no going back. I can not imagine her not in our lives. She brings so much joy into our home. She is our little peace maker and comedian. If Jaden and Mckay are fighting, and they see Roxcy, they just get the biggest grins on their faces and start laughing. They truly adore her. She has this larger than life spirit and observes her surroundings constantly. I am glad that ordeal is over with and we were able to celebrate such a fun birthday. When I look back at that day I can remember feeling so absolutley afraid for my brand new baby, but never alone. I had all my family around me, and so many wonderful, supportive friends that came down to the hospital and did so much for me in my time of need. I feel (to say the least) blessed for so many amazing people in my life and to be a mom of three little angels.

Easter 2008

My kids were obsessed with coloring Easter Eggs this year. We did it at school, then twice at home. They usually would color the egg and then crack it open and eat it. They did not get the concept that the Easter bunny was going to hide them.

Easter dinner at my moms house with me, Roxcy, Cherisse, Tracy, Juliette, and Emily. I feel pretty blessed to have such incredible woman in my family and in my life. They are all so strong, smart, fun and crazy. They always inspire me to be a better person. Love you ladies

Show me the goods. McKay, Quinn, Jaden, Truman, Carson, and Malloy after a hunt at my moms house.

Exhausted from the hunt and taking a little break.

Since we have church at 8:00 the Easter Bunny decided to come and hide eggs after church. The Easter Bunny is so considerate and always works with my time schedule. :)

McKay after church on Easter Sunday. He looked so dang cute!

Jaden who scored on the Easter Eggs. When she prayed this night she asked if Heavenly Father could have the Easter Bunny come again to our house and bring her more candy. He was tied up though.

Roxcy was hilarious! She loved trying to pull those plastic eggs apart. She would sit and concentrate so hard until she got them open

She was in sugar Heaven on her first Easter. I would have liked to say that that was the first day she had tasted candy, but I have a mom who gave Roxcy Diet Dr. Pepper at 3 months. And, who knows what else. Know wonder my kids love Mimi so much. They get whatever they want. :)

Creating a canvas on the porch

This is McKay, Jaden, and our neighboor friend Brodee. That is not mud. It is paint and it was everywhere. I was so mad! Of course I made them smile and pose first, and then they got in trouble. Apparantley no one can come over to our house without getting wet, muddy, or a bucket of paint on them. :)