Vacation!!

Vacation is such a good thing!!
This summer, we have had to take our summer vacation revolving around where our children are and there activities. I quess that is what happens when your children grow up and are involved in many things. Layton was playing All Star Baseball this summer which took us to Powell Wyoming. Instead of staying in hotel, we decided to make it a little more interesting and camp for four days which turned out to be so much fun. We stayed at a KOA campground which had really clean bathrooms and showers and even a laundry mat which we used to get cleaned up and organized after four days and then head on to our next exciting activity. Any way, we stayed in Cody, Wyoming which is full of historical background of The Wild West. Home of the well known Buffalo Bill. Our days were filled with Baseball and then at night we were able to enjoy some of the activities this city has to offer. We went to the "Shoot Out" re-enactment of Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Erp, and the rest of the gang. Picnics in the park, ice cream, the Cody Rec Center which the girls had a ball swimming and the boys took on their Dad in a game of 21 and to my knowlege, I think they got beat. Layton tried to show me up with a game of pool, but his Mother smoked him not once but twice. Torrey and I still have that competitive edge!! Pinaccle at night! The kids are all getting pretty good at that game. It was just nice to be together. Everyone helped with the cleaning and the cooking over the camp chef. We made some pretty good meals. Green River All stars came in fifth place out of the state of Wyoming. They played some good Baseball and not so good Baseball. I got some really good pictures of Layton playing 1st base. He is pretty awesome at it. His hitting left a little to be desired. He didn't get his bat going until the last game and then no on else could get theirs going. He did get a couple of really good hits that last game. It was fun and I really think the kids had a good time also.
Our next adventure was from Cody to Bear Lake through Yellowstone Park which was pretty cool. The kids were able to see Buffalo right up next to our car, Herds of Elk, but not a bear. We were all looking forward to seeing that. It had been quite a while since we had seen Old Faithful which is still pretty impressive. We all thought that was pretty cool. A quick stop in Jackson for dinner and then on our way to Bear Lake where we were going to stay a couple nights and play and Jet Ski. We pulled into our next destination at about 10:30 at night and put up our tents in the dark. Challenge, but we did pretty darn good. The next morning we got up and went and got a nice spot on the Lake and Jet Skied until about 4:00 in the afternoon. We had so much fun. There are some crazy drivers in this Family that is for sure!! Back to the Quick & Tasty in Bear Lake for dinner and their famous Raspberry shakes! Yum!! Then our first camp Fire of the trip, SMORES, and Pinnacle around the fire. The next morning we traveled to Salt Lake to send Riley off on a plane to Spokan Washington for Basketball camp. We stayed at Randy & Julie's for a night. The airline lost Riley's bag and he ended up having to go buy a few things for camp. T-shirts, shorts, socks. He did get his bag late the first night of camp. What an adventure for him!! The girls went to Grandma & Grandpa's house from Salt lake and are having a ball. Always a party in Idaho!! I will be heading to Salt Lake on Monday to go and pick everyone up and go to a Doctors Appt. How fun does that sound. Not really!! It will be fun to be back with my Family. I sure do miss them when they are gone and it is so Quiet!! I did have the chance to sit down and read a book, "Hunger Games." I started it yesterday morning and finished last night. That doesn't ever happen when I have my Family at home. It was very good. Tomorrow, I will have to go and get the second book and then book 3 comes out the end of the month. I will have to get them finished before school starts.
Summer is almost over and I can't believe it. It has gone way to quickly. I have to go back to work the middle of August, back to regular hours so that will be an adjustment. I sure do like the summer hours and my own schedule. Pictures to come!

The Underrated Duty

There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. By being happy, we sow anonymous benefits upon the world. -Robert Louis Stevenson

Perhaps you think you'll be happy when you get a bigger kitchen, or a new job, or the perfect someone with whom to share your life, or for me, maybe when I get my basement finished. "Happiness is not a posession to be prized," "It is a quality of thought, a state of mind." Happiness is a living emotion.

As I thought about these simple statements last night when I had a few quite moments, I recalled the simple happiness I felt today and these are a few.

1. I felt happy with the loads of soft, floral smelling towels nicely folded on my kitchen table anlong with loads of children's laundry washed and folded with love, just waiting to be put away.

2. Looking out my back window and seeing Graci, laying on the hammock, basking in the sun so content like.

3. Riley, so excited, coming home from a day of High School, and saying, Guess what? I got Royalty for the Junior Prom! How exciting is that! Happiness is knowing that your children are having a great time in H.S. yet making good choices and having great friends and doing the things that will make great People.

4. Hattie came home with a piece of paper and was so excited to show me and handed it to me and it was a A+ in Language Arts. Happiness is knowing that you have instilled in your children that hard work does pay off and always strive to do their best.

5. Watching two games at one time. Layton playing baseball on one and Hannah playing softball on the other while parked in between the fields so I could also watch Graci playing at the park. Seeing Layton up to bat with such confidence that he could do anything that he set his mind to do and watching him with such a smooth stroke of the bat and seeing that ball fly over the fence and into a trailor park! HOMERUN!! Seeing Layton be so Happy can only make his Mom so happy. He is truly the hardest worker I know next to his Father and having him overcome such obstacles in his life that has brought him to this point is truely a blessing.

6. Hannah coming home from school with a four on her spelling test and knowing within herself that she did a great job! Also, she was so excited after softball that she was going to be either Pitcher or First Baseman.

7. Graci, running over to the car and was so happy that she had made a new friend. Also watching her stand up to some bigger kids because they had a toy that she had taken to the park. Watching my children have the confidence to reach out beyond themselves to make a new friend or to stand up for right truely makes me happy!

8. Watching them all on the trampoline after school with Riley's friend Dani having a great time together jumping and talking brings happiness.

It is definately the simple things in life that bring me such happiness! My Family is the biggest part of that Simple Abundance.

It is time to update my blog again! So much is happening, I don't even know where to begin.
General Young Women's Broadcast! What an exciting time in my life. I have looked forward to this night for a long time. I was able to go with Hattie to the Broadcast for the first time and it was so fun. The broadcast is amazing, so many great speakers who are inspired and who are just what the girls need in this time of their lives. Afterward, Hattie and I ran to Rock Springs to first go to Los Cabos to each Mexican Food, which we both love and also to get more fabric for my second curtain. What a great night. One that I will cherish. Thank you Hattie. Later in that week, I received a phone call from the Stake Girls Camp Director and she asked if I would be a cook this year for Girls Camp. Heck Yes!!! Good Times to be had at camp this year. Watch out Hattie for the SNIPES!!!


Track, Softball, and Baseball are all in full swing now. Layton is throwing the shot put and discus this year for the first time and is doing great. We were able to go watch a track meet today in Rock Springs. Brings back lots of memories. Running the 100m, 200m relay. Good times!! Layton will be awesome if he keeps up with it his high school years. He is also playing baseball. He was not going to do both but his coach from last year found Torrey and I in the grocery store and asked why his first baseman did not come out this year and we explained that he was going to try Track out this year and was not sure that he would be able to do both but his coach said that he would work with him, just get him out to the baseball fields, we need him so Layton was excited because he does love Baseball. Hattie and Hannah are both playing softball this year and loving it. Torrey and I are Assistant Coaches. I know the girls love to have us there.


Riley is going to the Junior Prom! Riley and his Seminary teacher were in on it together. Riley has Seminary 5th period and Dani has it 6th so Riley stayed in the bathroom after his class had left and his teacher than introduced him as a special musical number. He came out and played Dani a song on the piano and then put the words to ask her to go with him into the song. She loved it and I guess she was crying near the end of it. Way to go Riley!!! Making the girls cry. He is just like his father in many ways. I will have to post it as a song on my play list. I think it is called "Beautiful". Last night she came and kidnapped him and threw a blanket over his head and took him to a swing by the river where she had a blanket with champagne glasses and sparkling cider and a poster that said she would go with him to the Prom. Good Times that will always be remembered!!! Riley also has his board of Review tonight to become a Life Scout. He has six months to get his Eagle project done. Way to go Riley! Layton is already a Life Scout and has a few more Merit Badges than Riley so we are going to have two Eagle Scouts very quickly. I am crossing my fingers. Nice Job Boys!!!


My Baby turned 5!! It was just yesterday that Graci was born. She is such a sweet little girl. One that is so excited to go to school and mostly to ride the big yellow school bus. She is very ready to go and is even reading some of the Dick and Jane books. She is a wiz at Math and plays Phase Ten like a champion. She amazes me. I know that we will struggle with trying to wake her up to get ready in the morning. She is a sleeper and needs a good 10 hrs to keep her happy. It is a good thing that we started her on a schedule this year as she has to wake up and get ready for her daycare a couple days of the week. That has and will be our only struggle I hope.
Life is good. The kids are accomplishing great things and all staying very close to the gospel. Torrey and I have definately been blessed and we thank our Heavenly Father every day!!!

Spring Break

Do you think it is time that I update my blog?
Alot has happenened since I last posted and I think right around July, when I last posted, is when I received a phone call that changed my life as I new it. I got a phone call from the Secretary at the Sweetwater Child Development Center and was asked to come back to work. Working outside of my home is not an easy thing for me. I pretty much have a full time job inside the walls of my home but I told her that I would call her back in a couple of weeks and let her know. It is a great job with good people to work for and I really could not let this oppurtunity pass since Graci was going to go to Kindergarten next year, what in the world was I going to do, Heaven forbid have some free time. Oh no! I did go back to work and since then, have been trying to organize my life to fit in two full time jobs. I know alot of people do it but for me it is a difficult thing. I do not like to be spread so thin and moving in so many different directions and I have a difficult time focusing on all the many tasks at hand but everyone has stepped up to the plate and have helped out around the house and it really has been a good thing.
It is Spring Break for me this week without the kids except for Graci, so I have had some time to put some of my thoughts in order. The other kids are out Friday through Monday! Whoo Hoo, party time. So far, I have made curtains for my Living Room and Kitchen, played countless number of "Go fish" and "Crazy Eights", Had Lunch with my husband today, Laundry is caught up, Going on a date tonight to see the "Last Song" by Nicholas Spark which I am a fan of. I did not read this book but am excited to see the movie. But the best thing I think of this Spring Break is that I have heard Graci giggling everyday and I love it. Today after going to lunch with Torrey, we stopped at the bank to drop off money from Smith's and Graci and I played "which hand the quarter is in" and "twenty questions" and she just giggled. Life doesn't have to be difficult. Live in the moment and enjoy it. That is what I am learning to do. Those are my words of inspiration. I quess we all need to learn it sometime and it is my time. Thank you Graci for the last couple of days. I have loved every minute of it.

Relief Society Temple Trip

I had the opportunity to go on a temple trip with some of the sisters from my ward. We had a great time being together. We were able to go through the Oquirrh Mountain Temple before the dedication which was gorgeous. Our lunch trip to Olive Garden was a hoot. Then on to the Draper Temple to do a session before we headed home. We had an awesome time and I really got to know some of the sisters in my ward alot better.

Fourth of July- My favorite time of year!!!

Everyone is looking good in their traditional flag shirt for the fourth. Torrey had to work the morning of the fourth but was able to get off early.


We then headed down to Utah for the Bee's baseball game which had always been fun for us as a family to go to when we lived in Utah. Lots of good ballpark food. Hotdogs, popcorn, pretzels, nachoes, pizza. I think with the seven of us, we got a little of all of that. After the game, we met up with some good friends of ours and watched the fireworks together. Their fireworks are amazing!! We had a fun night.

Our Summer Summary...

Summer has just flown right on by for us. As I am sure all of you would say the same. School starts next week for us, on Monday and this week has been full of decluttering. Torrey and I's closet alone took a full day and two big garbage bags later. I don't know why we hang on to stuff the way we do but it feels so good to just let it go. Yesterday Hannah and I spent all day in her room. Her closet was a mess. Everytime I would ask her to go pick up her room, well quess where it all went, YEP! you guessed it, right in the closet. I sure hope it doesn't get that way again but I believe that I have said those words before and I believe that it was at the beginning of the summer. Graci's room got the decluttering magic last night, the kitchen this morning and the bathroom is next, but I had to have a break. Life is good again when we are clutter free.... Now it is time to catch up on the blog and will probably be posting backwards, not sure how it will work but I will figure it out, meanwhile, I hope everyone has a great day. Take care