Donald Duck

A few weeks ago Gavin and I had a little day date. I had some extra birthday money so I decided to take Gavin to a movie. We got there a little early so we did some shopping. There is a Disney Store at the San Tan mall and every time we are there we have to go in. So we go in and Gavin sees Donald. From the moment I put him in Gavin's hands it was love! Gavin would not let him go and keep saying "Donald out side!" I couldn't resist! So we bought Donald ( but it was actually a really good deal cause it was by one get on free, so Gav will have another surprise under the tree). Needless to say Donald has not left Gavin's side since. He even came to the movie with us. And the next day at nap time this is what happened.....





This is now what nap time looks like everyday and at night when we put Gavin to bed it basically the same story. We put Gavin in his crib with Donald. He cries for a few minutes then we hear "Uh oh Donald, Donald fall down." So we go in and sure enough Donald is on the floor. Then we pick him up and hand him to Gavin and then Gavin says "Daddy (or Mommy) Out" and he points to the door. So we leave and within minutes Gavin is asleep with his arms wrapped around Donald. Gavin usually doesn't get attached to toys but I hope this lasts with Donald cause it is so so cute!!!

Truth

I just finished re-reading Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and found it to be even better the second time around. Now I know and understand that this is a fictional story, as are all of his novels, but there were some great passages and the main focus of the book really rang true with me and with the beliefs that I already hold dear. On my mission there was a time where I was intensely studying the word truth and the meaning behind what is means when something is true. There are some amazing scriptures that are about truth and this quickly became my favorite topic in conversation with members and fellow missionaries and on occasion with investigators. One of my very favorite scriptures is found in

Jacob 4 :13

"Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old."

When we come to understand what is really true we can feel peace and understanding far greater then what we did before. When we understand truth we can then say that we "know" not just believe.

The passage that again got me pondering on this subject comes from Dan Browns book and is as follow.....

"Truth has power. And if we all gravitate toward similar ideas, maybe we do so because those ideas are true . . . written deep within us. And when we hear the truth, even if we don't understand it, we feel that truth resonate within us . . . vibrating with our unconscious wisdom. Perhaps the truth is not learned by us, but rather, the truth is re-called . . . re-membered . . . re-cognized . . . as that which is already inside us. "

I am grateful for the things that I know to be true. I am grateful for the Gospel and all the truths that are taught within it. I am grateful for my Savior. I know that He truly was the Son of God and that all of the things He did and taught are true. I am grateful to know the truth that our families are forever. This time of year always is a great time of reflection for me. It is my favorite time of year. There is a very special Spirit that comes with the month of December and I know that it is not by accident. God loves us. We are his children and every year He reminds us of His love and of His Son by sending a special Spirit for the whole world to feel. Merry Christmas everyone. My God bless you and your families!

Thanksgiving

This year Thanksgiving was so much fun..... as it always is. We went to Eric's Aunt Marianne and Uncle Bill's. Dinner was amazing! Best part.....the yams of course! Then we just hung out and played! We spent the night so we could all go shopping on Black Friday. It was really fun and we spent way to much money! But we got a lot of our Christmas shopping done! We have so much to be thankful for this year! Our health, our families and friends, our jobs, our new home, a working car, food in the fridge, clothes to wear, the list could go on and on. I feel truly blessed. I am so grateful to a Father in Heaven who knows me personally and knows how to bless me! I think that is what I am most grateful for! The Gospel of Jesus Christ and my testimony of it!

Family Pictures

This year for family pictures we went to Fulton Ranch. It is a beautiful community with amazing places to take pics! We got all ready and headed out the door with a bag full of goodies to bribe Gavin with. When we got there is was beautiful. The sun was setting and it was just a little windy but not to bad. Only one problem. The batteries in the camera were dying and I didn't have any others. So it was shooting slow and most of the pictures came out blurry! We got a few good ones though.

One handsome boy!

Look at those dimples!

All the cousins.
Savannah, Nathan, Gavin, Kaitlyn

One of the Good ones!

One with Gavin smiling!

Eric and I with Kaitlyn in the background.

Here is Eric and I

This is my favorite!

Silly Gavin

The Halloween that .....well......wasn't.

Last night was the Ward's Trunk-or-Treat and I was so excited for it! I asked for the weekend off months ago because I didn't want to miss out on Halloween like I had to last year. So this year we found the cutest costume in the world for Gavin! He is obsessed with elephants and what did Target have.....an elephant costume!!! As pictured below.........



I got Gavin to try it on once and he looked so so so adorable in it. So as Halloween was approaching I was getting more and more excited!!!! The day finally arrives and we run all our erronds and get home and what happens...... Gavin throws the biggest fit I have EVER seen from him. He was screaming and uncontrollable and unconsolable! I didn't know what was wrong or what to do. After over an hour he finally stopped crying and laid down with me on the couch and took a nap. We woke up 15 mins before the trunk-or-treat was suppose to start and so we start getting ready and its time to put on costumes. Did Gavin want to wear his costume? The cutest costume in the entire world? Did he want to go trunk-or-treating? Nope! So after trying everything we could think of to get him to wear it who do you think won? See below picture.......












Gavin was a basketball player. Not on purpose either. That just happened to be the outfit he was wearing that day. Was I mad? Oh you bet I was. So we ended up going to the trunk or treat and did Gav have fun? Nope. He was whining and didn't want to go trunk or treating. He just wanted to be held the whole time and was on the verge of yet another fit the entire time. So we made it almost 2 hours before we gave up and went home. When we got home I found the receipt for Gavin costume and went straight to Target and returned it! In return I got a movie and treat.




We watched Casper and had some treats and then Gavin went to bed!!! And Eric and I stayed up half the night laughing, eating Gavin's candy, and watching How I Met Your Mother. So was the night a total failure?

I think it turned out okay in the end! Happy Halloween everyone!

My Almost 2 Year Project!

So when we first moved to AZ in Nov 08, Eric's Aunt Marianne was piecing together a stocking for one of her grandkids and I loved it so I decided I would make one for Gavin. I got online found on that I like and bought it. About a week later it came in the mail and I got started! It was so fun to be sewing again. I hadn't done any needle work in a while. At first it was a little rough but I got the hang of it and learned all the stitches fairly quickly ( with the help of Eric's Aunt!). As time passed Gavin was getting bigger and wouldn't let me sew so soon enough the times that I worked on it were few and far between. So here we are coming on on the 3d Christmas since I started and so I made a goal that I would finish it by Halloween. And although I'm not quite there, the front is finally done. All that is left is stitching the back piece on and attaching the tag that you hang it with and doing Gavin's name (I haven't figured out how I want to do that part yet)! But I think it turned out awesome and I am very proud of it. Now that is done I want to start another!!

This is what Gavin looked like when I started!
Nov 08

This is what Gavin looks like now that I'm almost done!
Oct 2010

Almost finished stocking!

Gavin's stocking!

Bounce Jungle Fun!

On Wed Gavin and I went with some friends from the ward to a local place called the Bounce Jungle. This is the second time we have gone and Gav loves it! The first time we went he was a little scared but not this time! And it was super crowded which in Gavin's case is always dangerous. He tends to get "beat up" at places likes this. Luckily we had no incidences where I had to yell at any other kids! That is a first! It was so fun to see Gavin try new things. Last time he needed help going up the ladder's for the slides and had to have me by him all the time. This time he just went for it and had a blast! I wish I had gotten more pictures of him playing.

Gavin's Second Birthday!

Ok, so I'm a little behind. Time to catch up! On September 25 we had Gavin's second birthday party! It was so fun and we had such a good time. Eric's Aunt Marianne came, did his cousin Andrea with her husband Jon and their son, Nathan, and Eric's cousin's wife Leslie and her two little girls, Kaitlyn, and Savannah. The kids just played and played in water at the splash pad and on the playground. Then we had pizza and then cake and opened presents! It was a little hot that day so thank goodness for the splash pad and Circle K just down the street. Gavin was so cute and just loved every minute.

Here is Gavin with his Lightning McQueen cake getting ready to blow out the candle.

Lightning McQueen Cake

Eric and Gav opening presents

More presents

Opening up his Mac truck! I looked at tons of Targets and finally found one at Walmart! He love's it!

Mac!

As far as what Gavin is up to lately...... He loves to do puzzles! It is his favorite thing to do and can usually master a new puzzle in a day or two! I honestly think he has a photographic memory. He is doing puzzle's that say 3+ with 24 pieces and he does them all by himself. It amazes Eric and I. He also loves books and loves for you to read them to him but will also sit and "read" them to himself. It is so cute to hear him jibber-jabber and turn the pages. He loves playing with Car's cars. He has quite the collection and knows them all by name! His favorite show to watch is Mickey Mouse clubhouse and loves everything Mickey mouse! He loves to go to the Disney store at the mall. His favorite movie at the moment is Jungle Book. He loves the elephants. He is going to be an elephant for Halloween. He loves to talk and is starting to put words together into sentences. He loves calling mommy and daddy "hunny"! I think it's funny, Eric does not. HEHEHE. He is such a sweet boy and loves to give hugs and kisses. He is such a blessing in our lives! I love watching him grow and learn new things everyday!

Going to Church

Going to church every week is quite the adventure at our house! Our church is from 1-4 right at nap and lunch time! Its always a battle getting everyone ready and out the door. There is usually a few tears involved. But the end result is always handsome!

I love the little half smile!

And here is the most handsome boy in the whole world! I just love this picture!

And this is after church! He fell asleep in his chair watching Shrek!

Poems

I was going through a box the other day and found my book of thoughts, quotes, and poems. I thought I would post a couple. The first was written when my Mom and I were in Denmark together walking a long the beach where my Grandmother was born and raised. I can still picture my mom just standing there looking out into the sea. She loved Denmark. The second was written right after she was diagnosed with cancer. And the third was written around Christmas after she had past away.

Denmark (written 3/19/03)

As the wind blows
the blade cuts into it
causing the wheel to spin
and my eyes to glaze.

With a blink they clear
as a tear rolls slowly down
my cheek, my heart if full.

This country reaches deep
inside and fills
my heart. As I look out
around me I see the many
windmills across the horizon
and hear the waves crash against
the dunes. The open fields of
farm land surround me and I
take a deep breath and let it
all in.

A strange feeling enters and makes
me wonder. I was not born here,
or raised here, I do not understand
the language or the way of life, yet,
this country calls to me and I can
hear it whisper, Welcome home.


All I need is You (written 6/18/03)

Like a shooting star
you came into my life
and left as quickly
yet everything you gave me still remains.

The words you spoke can
never be lost, the feelings shared in
the timeless moments of friendship last
in the far reaching corner of my memory.

You make me feel completed
your eyes cut into my soul
your gentle smile and soft touch
make the days so much brighter and
life's ruff journey turn smooth.

All I need is you beside me
giving me the strength to face
another day and a hope that
with faith, anything is possible.



Strength Within (written 12/03)

Sometimes life has a way of making
the tears seem so close to the edge.
The dark clouds and thunder come
And you feel so trapped and alone.

The darkness engulfs you
And the light seems to be only a memory.
Time seems to break as nothingness invades.
And the tears begin to fall
With no one there to catch them.

When all hope seems to fail
when there's no where left to turn
Falling on bended knee
Three words are silently whispered
Please help me.

A Warmth begins to grow
so small at first but slowly
Ever slowly the warmth begins to spread.
As heaven's light surrounds you
the dark clouds clear and
the pain begins to fade.

You realize hope never left
and the light and strength
you were searching for
Was never very far away.
They were right inside
just waiting,
waiting for you.

Randomness

Gavin was being so cute this morning. He found his old blanket and wanted me to tie it around him like a cape. The knot didn't last long but he left on his shoulders. He is too funny!

Again with the cape!

Up close and personal!

Hiding behind my pillow!

All feet!

I just love this little guy. He makes my day! He is cute and at such a fun age. I can't believe he is almost 2 yrs old. Where has the time gone! I love being a Mom and feel completely blessed. I am happier right now with my life then I have ever been. I have an amazing husband who loves me for me and makes me laugh everyday and a beautiful, perfect son who loves his mommy so much. We are building a house and have good jobs and amazing family and friends who support us. We have the Gospel! I just feel so blessed.

7 years

Well another year has come and gone. I can't believe how quickly time seems to go by. You know the saying "it gets easier with time?" Well for me I can say that that is absolutely not true. If anything the opposite is true. I think as time passes and I get further along in my life and experience new things I want her here more then ever. This day is always the hardest day of the year for me. I can't help but remember, with great detail, the events of this day. I try so hard to stay strong and not cry and not think about it but that never happens. With out fail I always cry and I always break down. And for me that is unacceptable. I am not an emotional person. I hate crying. I think that is something that I inherited from her. I know it's okay to cry and be sad but I still hate it. I just want her here. I want to talk to her one more time. I want to see her face and hear her laugh. Gosh I miss her. I hate not having a mom. I'm not going to go on and on like I did last year. There really is nothing new to say. I just miss her.

Utah!

After our visit to Idaho we drove down to Utah to visit the rest of the family! On Wed we drove straight from Idaho Falls to Salem and Payson. We stopped in at Eric's Grandma Tippetts and his saw is Aunt Jane too! It was so fun and they loved seeing how big Gavin is getting. Then we went to Eric's Dad! Gavin loved it there. He got to play in a little pool with a slide and got to see horses and cows! After that whenever Gavin saw a big grassy area he would say "Moo's?" We had a great time visiting with everyone. Then as we were driving back up to Sandy we stopped and had dinner with Wags and Brian! I just love that girl! We always have so much fun together! Gavin and McKaylee had fun too! Then on to Sandy! We stopped by Lisyl's for a few minutes and then to Beth's and crashed! The next day I met up with Rosie and Becky and we had lunch at the park and let the kiddo's play! It was so much fun! Whenever the three of us get together its full of laughs and good stories and just fun! I can't remember a time without those two amazing women! I wouldn't be me without them! After that we stopped at Eric's old work and mine to show off our little man! Everyone loved him! He is quite the entertainer! Then off to relax for a little while with Lisyl and the girls! Later that night Beth, Lisyl, and I went to Eclipse! It was awesome. The next day was spent just playing and relaxing. Later that night we went to Justin's and went swimming and had pizza! That night Eric and Jd went to a movie and Beth and I stayed home. It was so good to have that time to spend talking and catching up! I love that girl so much! She is my bestest friend in the whole wide world! The next day we went to the park with Lisyl, Jeff, and the girls. It was really hot so we went and got ice cream after. It was so great to spend time with my sister. I really miss her living so far away. Sometimes its hard coming home for vacation. It makes me home sick and want to be back and be with all the family! We truly have the best family in the whole world! I love spending time with them and we had such a great vacation!

Gavin in the backseat getting his arms and legs tickled by Grandma Sue on the way down from Idaho Falls!


Playing in the pool at Grandpa Mike's.

Gavin and McKaylee!

Wags and Me!

Baby Addison!

Peyton, Cole, Gavin, and Addison!

Rosie and Addison, Me and Gavin, Becky and Peyton and Cole!

Gavin at Eric's work playing on the typewriter.

Gavin on the Merri-go-Round at South Towne Mall

Baby Lucy all tuckered out !

Justin, Tiffany, and Gavin after the swim party!

Bethany and Sydney!

Eric and Gav at the park!
What handsome boys!

Grandma Allison with Gavin and Syd.

I think we wore Syd out!

We had such an amazing trip! I loved every minute of it!