Now lets see if I remember how to do this!! I think the last time I had posted was just about the time I received a new calling in the stake as 1st Counselor in the Stake Young Women's and it has been very busy to say the least but has definately been a huge blessing in my life. We have orientated, I believe, all of the Young Womens Presidency's of all 8 wards, Listened to Youth Counsel talks at all eight wards, Ward conferences at eight wards, Opening Social for Seminary in both Green River and Manilla, closing Seminary Socials in both Green River and Manilla, four Morning side Testimony meetings in Green River and Manilla, Halloween Dance, New Years Eve Dance, Priest and Laurel Activities, Youth Conference, John Bytheway Fireside, Young Women in Excellence, New Beginnings, Young Womanhood Recognition Night, Standards Night with Meg Johnson, Girls Camp which was an incredible experience, and many ward mutual nights attended, Stake meetings, leadership training, and training with the General Board, and many speaking moments, all in just one year!! Holy Cow, but the spirit felt and the testimony that continues to be built and strengthened makes serving in this capacity so worth the time and energy spent. I really regret not keeping up on my blog because so many things have transpired however, I will just have to do a quick summary and then just take off from here. It is fun to go back and look at past posts and how the kids are growing.
Riley finished his last year of High School strong and received the Hathaway scholarship along with the Western Performance Scholarship and had an incredible football and basketball seasons. He received all conference in football and all state in basketball. Just this last Sunday we received a phone call telling us that Riley was chosen by the coaches of Wyoming as one of the top ten players to play in the Coaches Association All-Star Basketball team. His mind right now however is focused on getting his mission papers in and serving a full time 2 year mission so the all star game didn't mean so much to him. I am so gratetful for this!! He has been preparing for his mission for such a long time. There definately have been moments when I thought that it just might not happen and one of those moments just a couple of Sundays ago and I am so grateful for that quite feeling that both Torrey and I felt when we took Riley aside from the rest of the family and just had a great talk where Riley was able to relieve some pressure that he had been feeling and Torrey and I were able to share some life experiences with him and at the end of that talk he made up his mind and is not looking back and we have been working on the papers this past week. Today he went to the Doctor for his physical. Exciting times are ahead!! He is such a blessing in our lives! Life can be very difficult at this stage in life if you let it but all things have a time and a season and I know Riley's life will be blessed because of the two years of sacrifice that he will be giving. As his mother, I am so proud of him and the trials that he has worked through and how he has worked through them. He has a big heart and alot of love to give and I am so excited for the life changing experiences that are about to come his way!!!

Layton broke his foot just around the last time I posted also. He had just started football and practiced for three days and then got pads and his foot didn't feel good. He went to practice for two more days and came home in tears so I knew something was wrong and sure enough it was a stress fracture of his metatarsals. He was going to be starting his sophmore year and playing with his brother but it just didn't happen. He wore a boot for 8 weeks and was able to get into play the last three games but we are so looking forward to his Junior year. He has had an awesome sophmore year and ended his school year strong. He was asked to be a Mentor for the in coming Freshman and worked with groups all year long. I know that he has grown as a leader and teachers and told me many times how much kids look to Layton because of his example. He will con't to be a Mentor through his High School years. He turned 16 in February and has been working at Smith's and loves having money!! He has a pretty good stash in the bank. We haven't talked him into going on a date yet, even though he was given several gift cards to restaraunts in the area to help him out a little, but he will get there soon enough I am sure. He was made a Priest and continues performing his Priesthood responsibilities with such a positive attitude. It is awesome to watch. He has such a fun personality and keeps me laughing. He has really been working hard on the treadmill and with excercise and has lost 32 pounds already. We are so excited to support him his Junior year of High School. He will definately miss his brother while he is gone but will be so fun watching him grow and develop this year. It is fun watching his talents increase. He has always said that he wants to be an Orthodontist but I believe his mind has changed a bit. He has been watching cake boss and cooking alot and wants to go to Culinary school and open a Bakery when he gets home from his mission. He is such a great kid and is his Dad's #1 Bagger. When there is cleaning that needs done at the store, Layton is the go to boy. Torrey knows that it will get done and it will be done very well. He was able to meet the President of the Smith's Corporation last month and he told him that the store looked very nice and gave him a high five.

My Girls!! Wow, where to start. Hattie is a Mother's Dream!! She has had an incredible 7th grade year. Had a 4.0 for three of the four quarters and is determined to get a 4.0 this next year. She is a very good athlete and played volleyball for the first time this last year as the setter and did a traveling competitive team this spring which we traveled to Idaho about five times in a couple of months and she did very well and learned a lot. She also played basketball for Lincoln which was so fun to watch!! She is becoming a great cook and has sewn some pretty challenging projects. The Personal Progress Program excited Hattie and she continues to work on this weekly if not daily. She just created a book through Heritage Makers for her project in Individual worth and it turned out so dang cute. She loves to read and learn. Hattie is a very talented and beautiful Young Women and it has been so much fun being in Young Womens and watching her testimony grow. She did get braces on her teeth this year which was exciting for her!!! She has a beautiful smile already but just gets more beautiful. Her babysitting skills continue to improve as she has several opportunities to babysit. For me and also for all of the neighbors. In fact she is babysitting right now as I type. She continues to do a paper route for the Green River Star once a week and loves to have money to shop. This girl is good at shopping!! She did not get that trait from her Mother that is for sure. Her Father is the shopper of the Family and likes to spend money but she is very responsible with it. She makes me a very proud Mother. I love you Hattie Girl!!

Hannah is just a bit like her mother when I was that age!! It is scarey. Hannah does not have a care in the world. She is not worried what her hair looks like and if she has some shorts and a T-shirt on she is in heaven!! Don't talk about bra's because she is appauled with just the thoughts of having to wear one and no she isn't wearing one yet but needs to get used to the idea. We were in JC Penny's trying something on for the shopper of the family, Hattie, and on the wall in the dressing rooms are nice framed certificates of those that have become Professional Bra Fitters. Hannah could not believe that someone would become something like that!! I told her she should seriously consider doing this for an occupation!! LOL. She is too funny and we get a kick out of teasing her a bit. She still loves playing football, basketball, and soccer with the boys at recess. We have to enjoy this care-free time in her life because it will change all to quickly. She is a happy girl. She took up skiing this last year with the schools ski club which she enjoyed very much. She does sunburn very easily in the winter! Oh boy! We have to use sunscreen all year around with Hannah. We just found out through a letter from her fifth grade teacher that every Friday, Hannah would lead the class in a dance to let off pressure or steam in which Mr. Krysl enjoyed very much. I laughed so hard!! She has a very fun personality and is a great friend. She is a great student and loves school and can't wait for 6th grade. Oh boy!!! I love you Hannah!!

Graci

Graci had a big year since I posted last! It was her first year of school and rode the bus and went to a school all by herself. She went to Harrison Elementary and Mrs. Schneider was her Kindergarten teacher.At the beginning of the school year, she was reading simple words and Dick and Jane books and after her first Dibbles testing, the test came back that she needed the Maximum support in Kindergarten. I was very shocked by this and went to talk to her teacher. She was also shocked and then had someone else test her and found out that the first lady was hard of hearing performing tests on these scared to death Kindergarteners who aren't loud children. Not a good mix if you ask me. Anyway not long after that she was moved into the first grade for a couple hours of the day to work on Math and Reading. She is a smart little girl and at the end of the year received awards for Outstanding in Reading, Math, Music, PE, & Penmanship. She continues to be a very sweet girl who has alot of friends. She is always running little notes around the neighborhood, planning late nights and little get to gethers on Saturdays. The problem is that she doesn't always inform her Mother so sometimes her planning is a bust due to another conflict. Moms ruin all of the fun!! Graci is so good to get dragged around from Football to Volleyball, to Basketball games in support of her older siblings. She is playing Soccer now and is loving it!! Finally something for her. She is such a fun addition to our family. I was able to go to a few of her fieldtrips this last school year and had so much fun. Everyone would tell me they wished they had ten more kids in their class like Graci. Those are great words to hear as a Mother. She tries to do her best in all that she does and we love her very much.

Since I last posted and before I got put into the Young Women's, Our ward was diminished and we were all put into the other 6 wards in Green River. It was a hard time for a bit adjusting to change. Torrey was released from the Bishopric and put in as a Primary teacher and I got put in the Stake Young Women's. Our roles reversed and Torrey was the one supporting me as I would come home afrom meetings and dinner was prepared and kids taken care of. I think he was enjoying this very much. It was a good 9 or 10 months and then our lives changed again. Torrey was called again to be the 1st Counselor in our Bishopric just last month. There has been much prayer and Temple attendence regarding this matter. My concern has been for my family and if they will receive all that they need. Torrey and I will have to take it daily at times when school starts to make sure all of our bases are covered and make sure our Family always comes first because now we both have two very busy callings. It will get very crazy and I pray that we will both have the energy to keep up. This is where the Lord fills all of the wholes and provides more hours, minutes, seconds in the day then we thought were possible. He has blessed our lives greatly and has always provided for our Family and I know he will continue. My husband is one amazing person and has always taken care of my personal needs and the needs of his Family. I pray that I can always do the same for him. He does have much stress at his job and is under scruitiny daily and I pray for his health and strength to continue. His hair is getting greyer day by day. LOL!!! I am sure I am most of that problem but I try not to be. I hope he always know how much his family adores him and loves him. Keep it up Tor!! We love you!!

Good Friends!

One of Riley's Good, Good Friend, Cody Tippy which we just call Tip, was over today and all the boys went to lunch. He is a great guy! We love him. He just got a new Toyota Sequoia(not sure of spelling) so we had to take pictures before he heads off to College.

Graci's room makeover & Kindergarten Screening!

So today was Graci's Big Kindergarten Screening! I am just realizing, I DIDN'T TAKE PICTURES!!! What was I thinking??? She did way awesome. She was all smiles, went right with the teacher, did her thing, and then all smiles when she was done. What a kid!!She said that they asked her to write her name and she wrote her whole name GRACI HAZEL HIX. Then could she count to 100! YES, I finally stopped her the other night after 290 but then she started counting backwards. She had to cut something and she said that she cut it as straight as she could. Shapes, alphabet and that is all I could get out of her. This girl has been ready to go to school since she was 3! I can't keep her down!
When we got home from that, we started on her room. I have been trying to finish her armour and headboard for 2 years now and finally today, it happened! It turned out way cute. I love them.

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.