Sunday Afternoon

I love Sunday afternoons and the chance that I have to relax with my family after all of the church meetings are done. Some of my favorite memories from my childhood are of Sunday afternoons that I spent at home with my family. Now that I have my own little family I think I enjoy them even more.

Yesterday we got home from church, had some lunch, and put the baby down for a nap. At this point I usually change clothes and settle in to relax, but yesterday we had to go back for tithing settlement. So we all stayed in our church clothes, but that didn't stop us from having some family time.

While I was relaxing on the couch, Brad and Zachary had a exciting game of Candyland going. I couldn't help but pull out the camera. They were so cute in their shirts and ties. Zachary loves Candyland, but he loves it even more when he gets to play it with his daddy.

He'll never admit it, but I think Brad enjoyed playing Candyland with Zachary too.

I Couldn't Resist

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Christmas Cheer

I usually wait until the beginning of December to do all of my decorating for Christmas, but this year I felt really motivated and got it done the day after Thanksgiving. It wasn't that big of a chore because I'm not putting up the tree this year. Since we are going to be at my parents' house for Christmas I figured that it wasn't going to be worth it to drag it of storage. I figured that Justin would probably have it undecorated pretty quickly too. Here are some pictures of what I put out this year.

Time Flies

Last Wednesday Justin turned 18 months old. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. It seems like we just brought him home from the hospital. At the same time part of me feels like he has been a part of our family forever. Funny how time can be like that sometimes. Here are some pictures that I took of him on Wednesday.

Sorry, the picture is a little off center. Most of them are like that because he moves around so much

Outside with Daddy

The other day Brad went outside to rake the leaves in the backyard. Zachary immediately went upstairs and got dressed so that he could go "help" Daddy. When they were all done Zachary decided to play in the leaves.

My Poor Little Justin

My little Justin hasn't been feeling well the last couple of days. He seems to be getting better now, but he has a nasty cough. He has been taking a lot of naps though.

He is so cute when he goes down for a nap. He puts his two fingers in his mouth, grabs the corner of his special quilt, and tickles his lip with it. I just had to take a picture and share it with all of you. Sorry, the picture is sideways. I couldn't get it to flip the right way. It's one of the cutest things I've ever seen, but I may be a little biased.

Enrichment

Last night we had our Relief Society enrichment meeting. The whole program was based on the Parable of the Ten Virgins. It was a wonderful program. There was a narrative of the parable with several reading parts and a power point presentation, a special musical number, and then the bishop gave his thought on the parable and how we can "get oil for our lamps".

Last night was very special to me. The reason why is that I have been struggling with Bronchitis for the last month, and I was asked to do part of the reading and to sing a duet with another sister in my ward. I agreed to do both, hoping that my voice would be better by the meeting. Up until right before the meeting started I was coughing and was having a hard time even speaking. I was a little concerned but just had a hope that everything would work out.

Well, the meeting went well. I got through the reading without my voice giving out, and then it was time to sing. I am so grateful for the help I received. My voice was completely normal as we sang, and at least half of the women were crying by the end of the song. It was amazing to be a part of the whole experience.

I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me opportunities to serve and then giving me the ability to follow through. I'm glad I made it through the song, and I'm really glad that I had such an amazing testimony building experience.

Primary Program

Today was the Primary Program in our ward. This is the first time that Zachary has been in the program, and I think I was more nervous than he was. He did a great job. He sang all of the songs and had a speaking part. His part was to say, "I'm trying to be like Jesus by helping my mom." He memorized his line and spoke clearly into the microphone so that everyone could hear him. I was so proud of him. They couldn't have given him a more appropriate part. He does help me a lot. He was a little wiggly, but what can you expect from a sunbeam. I confess, I was laughing, and crying through the whole thing. I love Primary Program Sundays!

Needed Something Girly

Okay, so I know I have two boys, and my blog name is not all that feminine, but I had to add a little bit of a girly influence to my blog. I am after all a girl. That is why I now have flowers as my background and a flower picture in this post. I love my boys, don't get me wrong, but sometimes there is way too much male energy surrounding me. So, today I'm going a little bit girly.

Separation of Church and State

I very seldom delve into political matters because I hate the contentious spirit that can creep into a political conversation. People usually have their own opinions about things and very seldom will strive to understand another person's views. I can't allow myself to take a back seat this time around. There is so much being said about the church that I belong to (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) in reference to the recent Proposition 8 passing in California. The church took a stand on this issue and worked very hard to spread the word and encourage people to vote for the state constitution to define marriage as a union between one woman and one man. Many people are outraged because the church had so much involvement in spreading the word. I recently read somewhere that in some people's opinions the church has violated laws in relation to separation of church and state.

This is an issue that is often misunderstood. So many people, politicians and lawmakers included, don't understand where or why this idea was introduced into our country. This idea was implemented to protect religion from government, not the other way around.

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." - Thomas Jefferson

I just wanted to point this out because I know that what the church did was not unlawful. No one in our church forced people to vote in favor of Prop.8. What is being said about the church is wrong, and has made me feel the need to say something on this matter. We are a church made up of people who have their freedom to choose and to speak what we believe. That is not illegal, and I hope it never will be.

Boo at the Zoo

Last Saturday the Kansas City Zoo had a Halloween party that we took the boys to. They have different companies come in a set up trick or treat booths and some other fun things for the kids to do. We have a zoo membership that gets us into the zoo for free, so we decided to check it out. From what other people were saying it wasn't as good this year as it has been in the past. We had a good time though, and the zoo is Zachary's favorite place even when there isn't something special going on.
This picture was taken professionally at the zoo. It's cute, but I think I could have done better. Oh, well.

In the background is the haunted pirate ship. Zachary is really into Peter Pan right now, so going in a pirate ship was fun for him. I was a little surprised that he didn't get scared. It was pretty mild, though.

Justin was pretty mellow through the whole thing. He just hung out in the stroller. I think he was just tired.

If you look behind Zachary there is an iguana. He really wanted me to take a picture with the iguana. Funny boy.

The sea lions are always one of Zachary's favorites. This picture was too cute. I had to post it.

Trip to Arkansas

Earlier this month I had the chance to go to Arkansas to visit my family. My parents, my two brothers, and one of my sisters live down there. It was a great trip. One of the fun things that I got to do was go to the craft fair with my mom, her friend, and my sister. Every October Northwest Arkansas hosts a huge craft fair that has several locations. The pictures below were taken at the War Eagle Mill.

This is a picture of the mill and the river that runs through War Eagle.

This is my mom (on the right) and her friend that went with us.

This is my sister and I.

This was actually taken at a cross country race that my nephew was in. My dad and Zachary were hanging out waiting for the race to start. Zachary loves his Papa Ray. My nephew came in 3rd place out of 405 other junior high runners. It was so exciting to watch.

Kansas City Temple Update

Okay, so I know that's all I talk about lately, but it could be one of the most exciting things that I have ever witnessed, so you'll have to bear with me. Besides, the only other things that I have going on right now is that I have bronchitis, and that's no fun to talk about.

Last night we had the adult session of Stake Conference, and we found out that the temple is actually being built in our ward boundaries! I have never lived in the same ward boundaries of a temple. The only time I came close was when I was at BYU. I am so excited. I am sure that we will be involved in this historical event, and I am so excited to be here.

The other thing they told us last night is what the temple will look like. It is going to be patterned after the Twin Falls, Idaho temple. There will be a couple of differences to make it unique, but at least it gives us an idea of the size and style it will be.

Twin Falls, Idaho Temple

Temple Site Announced!!!!

The Temple site has been announced and it will be in our stake!!! It will be located in Clay County in a subdivision owned by the Church called Shoal Creek. We are so truly blessed. We will have a Temple 10 minutes from our house!!!!

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/new-temple-site-locations-announced

A Temple in the Greater Kansas City Area!!!

We are so excited with the announcement of a Temple to be built in the Greater Kansas City Area. We truly feel blessed from the Lord. We are grateful for the great responsiblity we will have to attend and fill the Temple and do the Temple Work for our ancestors!!! Here is the video of the announcement.

Justin Walking

Here is a short clip of Justin walking. He is walking more than the video shows, but that is all we could get on video. He is making progress!

New Pajamas

So, Zachary has had a huge growth spurt and has outgrown all of his P.J.s. I have been looking around to buy some for him. The price of the cheaply made, ugly, store bought pajamas is ridiculous. Instead of buying new pajamas I decided to make some for him. I bought four different patterns of flannel fabric and went to work. After one evening of work he had 4 new pairs of pajamas for half of the price. Here are some pics of a couple of them.



Yes, he is standing on his head on the couch.

Not So Little Anymore

I was just looking through the pictures that we have taken recently, and I came across these pictures that were taken at the park. It made me realize how big Justin has gotten in the last couple of weeks. I love to see how much he is learning. He is starting to talk and do other cute things like blowing kisses. He's so much fun, but not so much of a baby anymore. It's fun when they get to this stage but kind of sad too.


I love this picture. Justin loves his daddy so much. I think the feeling is mutual. Brad is crazy about that little guy.

Feeding the Ducks

There is a park that we like to go to that has a great walking trail. It takes us right by a lake. Every morning that we go, there are geese and ducks in the lake. We decided to take some bread with us so that Zachary could feed the ducks.



I couldn't believe how close the geese were getting to Zachary. It was so much fun to watch.



I love these two ducks. They remind me of Beatrix Potter's Jemima Puddle-Duck.

American Idol Concert

Last Saturday Brad's sisters, Brad and I all went to the American Idol concert here in Kansas City at the Sprint Center. We love to watch the show during the season, and this season we really got into it because David Archuletta is LDS, and David Cook is from the Kansas City Area. It was also our first time attending an event at the new arena.

The concert was packed, and the crowd was so loud through most of the concert. It was so much fun. The idols were all great. It is amazing how talented all of them are. I have never been to a performance where everyone sounded so good. My favorite performers were Michael Johns, David Archuletta, and David Cook, of course. They were all so awesome though.


This is a picture of Brad and I waiting outside in the sun. We got there before the doors opened. The sun was so bright, hence the funny looks on our faces.


Our seats were on the side of the stage, so you couldn't really get good pictures. I borrowed this one from someone else. This is an accurate representation of what the last number looked like.

Two Little Boys in a Racecar

This morning I was totally worn out. We went out out of town last weekend, and both of the boys were tired and acting up, but I had to go to the store. Normally I go to the grocery store next to our house, but today I was out running other errands, so I went to the grocery store that we used to go to before we moved last year. Since the last time I had been there they got these really cool race car carts that fit two children in them. I was really glad that they had it because it made my shopping trip so much faster.

When I put the boys in they were having such a good time and looked so cute that I couldn't resist a photo shoot right there in the produce section. I know I'm kind of silly, but it really made my day to have two happy children the grocery store. That doesn't happen too often, and they didn't even have candy!

Family Fun in the Park

Here lately we have been taking advantage of a walking trail at a park close to our home. As a family we walk around the trail, and after we are done we go to the playground so Zachary can play. This last time that we went Justin got to join in a little. He had a lot of fun with the help of Mommy and Daddy.



Zachary was running towards him in this picture. That is why he is so excited. My boys sure love each other.



Zachary loves this park too. He had a lot of fun, and even made some new friends.



Justin had fun, but by the end he was ready for a nap.



When his fingers go in his mouth I know he's tired.

Golf Practice

A while back I wrote about how much Zachary loves golf and how he practices in the back yard. Well, a couple Saturdays ago we decided to try out some miniature golf as a family. We had been before, but it had been several months since Zachary had tried to golf for real. He did really well. He even got par on a couple holes.



I think that Brad is having a blast now that Zachary is old enough to play sports with him. He loves to teach him new things.



I think it is safe to say that Zachary had a good time.



Justin was good, but I know he wanted to gold too. Maybe next summer he will be able to join in on the fun.

Sixth Anniversary

This last Saturday was our 6th wedding anniversary. It is so hard to believe that we have been married that long. The time has gone by so fast. The picture above shows the roses that came to my door on Friday afternoon. This was the only picture I got for our anniversary. We were having so much fun I never stopped to take any pictures.

Brad's parents took the boys so that we could have a relaxing weekend together. Friday night we went to the Royals game; they lost. On Saturday we went to Nebraska Furniture Mart to price our future furniture purchases (we have less than two years before he is done with School). Later that day we went to a restuarant called Garozzo's. For those of you in Kansas City you need to go there. It is the best Italian food I have ever had. After dinner we went to the Bass Pro Shop to look around, and we finished the night at Paradise Park for a little miniature golf.

We had a great anniversary! I am looking forward to celebrating many more. I love you Brad!

Dentist Appointment

Yesterday Zachary had his first dentist appointment. I think I was more nervous about it then he was. I really wanted to make sure he had a good experience his first time. I had never heard of the dentist we took him to. He was just someone that was on the list for our insurance.

He ended up being a great dentist. He was so good with Zachary. Zachary was afraid to sit in the dentist chair, so he let me hold him while he did the exam. I think Zachary really like him. The best news is that Zachary has healthy teeth with no cavities. YEAH!

Messy Face

A lot has changed since I first became a mom. I have mellowed out a lot. When Zachary was Justin's age I used to hate it when he got messy at mealtime. I used sit by him with a wipe all through his meals. So, what happened to change that?

I have two kids now, so I don't have time to sit there and keep his face clean. I have discovered that a child cleans up just as well if you wait until the meal is done. I know it sounds silly, but it really used to bother me. Now I just sit back and laugh at the messy faces.

Macaroni and Cheese Face

Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

FHE Brownie Sundae

My Funny Little Boy

I thought I would just share a few of the funny things that my little boy, Zachary does. He is so much fun and has such an enthusiasm for life. He has always been the life of the party. I find myself amazed every day with how much energy and zeal he has. Here are some recent pics of him at his best.

Here is "Zachary Cowboy!" as he likes to call himself. The hat came from a Royals game that Brad and I went to.

This is from his camera-shy phase. He was actually putting together a jigsaw puzzle in a puzzle book that his Grandma Barbara got him. He loves to do puzzles. I wanted him to smile for the camera and show me the puzzle, but this is the best he would let me get.

This is his silly face. He loves to try to get me to laugh. One way he does that is to pull different funny faces. This only one of the many funny faces I get to see everyday.