Time is Flying!

I can't believe tomorrow is September 1st. I talked to my baby sister today and she might possibly have her a baby boy by tomorrow sometime. She will probably be induced in the morning. How fun is that!

We have been staying busy doing what we do. Jeremy has had some MAJOR changes at work. He now works most of his week in Morenci instead of Safford. That was a bummer for him. He was never fond of the drive. But he is doing something completely different and is enjoying what he is learning. He is good at whatever he does and I never worry about him.

Savanna will be turning 3 on the 7th and I have the cutest party planned. Watch for pictures! Fisher is getting in some molars on the bottom and has been a little cranky. Loralie has 2 loose teeth we hope the tooth fairy will soon be the proud owner of. Loose teeth creep me out! Hunter is loving school and really into digging holes lately. Even in the heat! Carlee is really growing up and now insists she wants to do her own hair. Which I let her do, but I still get the last say so before she leaves the house.

I have tons of pictures I want to post about, but I just haven't had a second to really sit down. But I wanted to write a little down about what we've been doing before the time gets to far gone.

Jeremy and I have really been enjoying the cool mornings out on our porch swing. Our neighborhood is really quiet and in the mornings we will sit out there and eat breakfast.

One of my FAVORITE times of the day.

I was reading in one of my favorite books last night and she was talking about how putting our spouses first make us a better mommy. We need to nourish our relationship with our spouse and put them first. This will actually help our children in the long run.

I love that thought, and I think it took away the guilt I sometimes get thinking my kids should ALWAYS come first. It is ok to put OUR relationship first and in return, we are better and happier parents!

What special things do you and your spouse do to nurture your relationship??

{Traditions}

I've been hearing and reading a lot about how important

{traditions}

are in a family. The glue that holds a family together. We've come up with some traditions we have been doing for a little while and I thought it would be fun to share.

This is what I like to call our

Saturday Fun Family Breakfast

I get out all our fancy dishes and glasses

(that would be glass in our house)

We use cloth table linens, napkins,table cloth, ect.

And of course our most fancy serving dishes

The kids absolutely love when we do this. Just to see Savanna's face using a fancy glass is priceless!

This is also the perfect time to work on MANNERS!

other {TRADITIONS}

#1*Every Sunday night we have a "Family Planning Meeting"

We plan events that will need to take place during the week

We decide who will prepare our morning family devotional

We also decide on a Family Goal for the week

example: using softer voices

(this is a regular)

#2 *Every Fast Sunday we have a

"Family Testimony Meeting" in our living room

This is where the kids are taught how to bare their testimony. This helps them to become less shy about getting up in front of others. We also take the time to discuss why we fast, and what fast offering are.

#3* Sundays we have what we call "Daddy's Day"

Each child gets one on one time with Daddy to talk about whatever they want. Sometimes they might play a quick game or read a story, depending on their age. The kids really love this.

#4* Each day of the week we have assigned to one child to have their

"Personal Parent Interview"

This is our time to find out more about each child individually. We focus on these areas in the child's life.

Emotional

Physical

Spiritual

Mental

Social

We kind of do a check list and ask questions in each of these areas if we feel there could be a problem. One thing I learned is when asking questions to children of any age, ask them who they "FEEL" about the subject. This helps get more out of them.

#5* Dinner Time "Happies & Sads"

We love this as a family. It is great for me to think about for myself. While eating dinner we go around and each person gets to tell about what their Happiest Moment in the day was and their Saddest Moment was. Let me tell you, you will find out so much more about your child's day. They can't just say, "school was fine" they have to tell you about an experience they had. It will really open doors.

#6* "Family Scripture Study"

Every night before bed we read a chapter from the Book of Mormon. I have a fun chart we mark off. We have been reading half the chapter from the English Book of Mormon ( I read that half) and Jeremy will read the last half in Spanish. The kids love it, and Jeremy gets to use his Spanish. I can't believe even though I cannot understand him, the spirit is there.

And Last, #7* "Family Prayer"

One thing that has been fun, is we all kneel in a circle and hold hands. It helps remind us that our family is ETERNAL and we do not want any links broken. This is a concept our kids are able to grasps.

I have come to really love traditions. The kids look forward to them and it has brought us closer as a family.

What traditions does your family have?

First Taste of Cake is GREAT!

Don't you love the pink bib?

I don't think he could believe it was really happening. He doesn't get to eat messy things with his hands very often

Cake:

Chocolate Cake Mix

added chcolate chips

put it into 2 round cake pans

cut each cake into 2

total 4 layers

chocolate frosting between eat layer

more frosting and sprinkles on top

Did I mention I have a

personal assistant in the kitchen

Such a cutie pie

My Birthday Boy

I was just informed

I asked Savanna this morning if she loved me. She told me "yes, and I love Daddy the rest." How stinkin cute is that ?? She is such a sweet little girl. He follows me everywhere and wants to do EVERYTHING the girls do. She is really growing up. She loves to play baby dolls and barbies. And she LOVES to paint her nails. We love you Savanna!

our little drive

Last Saturday we took a little drive up Graham Mountain and ate lunch. We stopped alot and let the kids get out and run around. The weather was beautiful. A perfect last summer saturday.

skunk, and a super cute project

Well, we've been having a problem with skunks lately, and the other night Jeremy stepped out on the back porch to turn off the water and came face to face with a SKUNK! So he runs in the house like a school boy, get Hunter's gun (which, by the way is HUNTER's SIZE) and goes out side like a kid and shots the skunk. Well, surprise it didn't spray. He was quiet happy with himself. Well, this morning we were not as lucky. Just picture the same scene happening again, but this time spraying. Our house filled with the smell. The girls came out of their rooms wanting the Febreeze. Jeremy said it wasn't a big deal, the smell will go away. I told him the smell wont go away for a while, but be won't be here to know!

I saw this in one of my online craft magazine www.northridgemedia.net and loved the idea, so I made one. It has been so nice in the mornings when I am getting the girls ready. I can see all the hair clips. I also made flower hair clips for school this year. I've been in a really crafty mood.

School Days

The girls woke up at 5:30 this morning. They set their own alarm. They had their outfits all set out last night, and of course stayed up too late giggling. My mom took them shopping and let them pick out their own outfits for the first day. They were very proud of their findings. And they both wanted Bumpits in their hair. I think they turned out pretty darn cute it you ask me. We met their teachers last night at the PTO picnic. They both seem VERY nice and SUPER organized, and I know the girls are going to have a great year! I have to admit, I was ready for school to start. It is SO hot outside they were getting very bored. Luckily they both LOVE school and do very well. Hunter will start school Monday. He is more then excited to start to say the least. The girls said they had a wonderful day. And they love their new lunch boxes!

Quarters and Pixie Dust

Being a child can be so MaGicAl. She was thrilled when she found her bag with quarters and pixie dust under her pillow. She was so excited to have FINALLY lost her first tooth.

A Sweet Testimony

Yesterday was a good day. Jeremy, Carlee, and I were all able to fast. This has been the first time I have been able to fast in a long time between being pregnant and nursing. Carlee and Jeremy went up and bore there testimonies. In our family in order to be able to bare your testimony you have to be able to do it all by yourself. Carlee did a wonderful job. It was sweet and heartfelt. Every fast Sunday we have a "Family Testimony Meeting" at our house so the kids can learn. They go to the front of the living and learn to bare their testimonies. It has been a blessing in our little family. It really brings the spirit into our home and helps us get into the mind set of sacrament meeting. We have all the kids ready by 12:00 and meet in the living. Then, by the time we are done it is about time to leave for church. I had my lesson yesterday too. I felt impressed to discuss the temple and ways we can better feel of Heavenly Father's help and love as we worship in the temple. My hope was as trials and struggles come into our lives, our first thought will be to "run to the temple". So many of the sisters had such wonderful ideas. I want to share a few that I really thought were helpful and I will be working on doing.

*Keep a notebook and write down some of your struggles or worries you are taking to the Lord that day in the temple. Then write down the impressions your receive. What a blessing it will be to look back and see how you have grown and what you have learned during your temple worship.

*Kneel down and pray after you have changed into your temple dress and pray for the sister you are going through the temple for that day. Pray she will accept the work you are doing. Pray you will feel of her spirit. Then when you are back in your dressing room kneel down and thank Heavenly Father for being able to be in the temple that day and for anything else you feel.

*Before you begin your service that day in the temple share your testimony with the sister you are doing the work for. Bare witness of the work you are doing.

*Fast and pray the day before you attend to start preparing your heart to receive the needed help.

*Listen to music or talks on CD on the way, to help the spirit be with you.

*Two things from my lesson I handed out and would love to share

Steps to help us ponder and apply the covenants we make in our lives.

1. We must identify the principle being taught.

2. How does it relate to the Savior

*His Divinity

*His Atonement

3. What does the principle mean to me.

4. How do I use it in my life.

I am so grateful for the temple, and the blessing it has been in my life. I am so excited to be getting one here, and the blessing it will be for our children. I love the Lord and am grateful for my covenants with Him. To know my family can be forever is my greatest joy!

Phone Message

Yesterday Jeremy and I were able to go to Mesa AlONE to buy school clothes and attend the temple. It was a fabulous day. We haven't been alone on a trip in forever! We got some great buys on jeans for the kids. We ate at my favorite place, Olive Garden, and he even bought me my favorite Dessert there. The temple was wonderful. We did sealings this time. There were 3 other couples performing sealings with us. So all 7 of us, including the sealer, get into the elevator and go up to the top floor to a sealing room. Well just when the door is suppose to open, only the elevator door opens. Not the exit door. If you know me very well I am deathly afraid of elevators. I will search out stairs and climb the alone to avoid an elevator. My legs go weak when I get into one. So when this happened, as you can imagine, I panic. The sealer says, "well, this has never happened before." all calm like 7 sardines are not crammed in there. So another lady in there finally says, "what is the next step to getting out!" Then one of the men start pushing on the door and after a few seconds it opens. I jumped out so fast, Jeremy was a laughing at me. That was a first for me and hopefully a last! Well after a long wonderful day we got home and I found this message on my message board Carlee wrote for me. I thought you might get a laugh out of it Melissa!