New Pet

Yesterday morning, Winston came running into our room and told me that he'd found some ants in our house by the back door.  He then informed me that he had fed them some breakfast (Doritos) and that they were his new pets.  I have no idea where he came up with this idea.  I had to explain to him that you can't feed ants because that makes more ants come and pretty soon you'll end up with ants everywhere.  I don't think that helped though because he seemed to like that idea.   I cleaned up the ants and their breakfast (courtesy of Winston).  He insisted that he keep one of the ants as his pet.  He ran over and got out a plastic bowl and asked me to put an ant in there for him.  We selected one lucky ant to be his pet and the rest were summarily smashed.  He then informed me that he had named his ant.  I asked him what it's name was and he proudly told me, "Ant Killer."  What a funny kid!  I sure love him.  He makes life very interesting - not to mention entertaining.

The Best Daddy

My boys have the best Daddy.  Brad really loves his sons and has always wanted the best for them.  He's worked so hard for them over the years and while he may not be perfect, he's always done what he thought was best for them and for our family.  Thank you Brad for all that you do and for who you are.  Our lives are tremendously blessed by you and all that you do for us.  My boys really do have the best daddy and I have the best husband!  Happy Father's Day Brad.  We Love you!

Brad with Zack and Bo on the day Zack went into the MTC.

 Brad splashing in Lake Powell water with Winston.

Brad and Winston hunting for lizards down at Lake Powell.

My Man and I sharing a moment together at Lake Powell.  All the good times in my life involve this wonderful man.  He is my best friend and the love of my life.  I couldn't ask for more.  Brad, thank you for our boys, for our family and for your love.  You will always have all my love.

New Favorite Movie

Winston loves the movie Angels in The Outfield and we've watched it almost every day for the last three weeks.  Having seen this show so many times, I've realized there are a lot of good lessons in this movie and thought I would share a few.

• Prayers are answered in unexpected ways.  
• Our guardian angels are always watching and even though we can't see them, they're always there to help us.  
• You gotta have faith.  
• No on likes a meanie.  
• Good guys do win.  
• You should always tell the truth.  
• We need to live in such a way that we can receive the help Heaven has to offer us.  
• Where love exists, miracles happen.
• If you expect the worst out of someone, that's what you'll get; but if you expect the best out of someone, they'll try their hardest to give their best to you. 
• With the support of our friends, we can accomplish great things. 
• The footprints of an Angel are love and where love is, miraculous things can happen.
• If you focus on helping others, you'll find happiness.  
• You don't have to be related to be a family - all you need is love.
• You  gotta believe - in yourself, the goodness of others and in God.  
• Maintain a positive attitude - it could happen. 

Such great messages.  It's funny how much you pick up from watching something over and over.  I guess I love this movie too.

Slideshow of our Lake Powell Trip

We went on our first trip to Lake Powell last Thursday and had a great time.  It was just the three of us this time around.  We were happy to find out that our great friends, the Whitings, were down there as well.  We were able to go on a few outings with them and had dinner together one night.  Winston loves their kids not to mention Todd who also happens to be his pediatrician. (the best one in the whole world in my opinion!)  A wonderful time in a beautiful place with great friends - what more could I ask for.

Farewell May

May has brought us lots of rain and cool weather this year.  I'm grateful for the rain and the beautiful flowers we've been able to enjoy.  It's been a good month (except for the cold) and now I'm looking forward to what June will bring - warm weather, sunshine, boating trips, Summertime!

Weight Loss - The Ongoing Battle!

My weight has yo-yo'd up and down since having Winston.  It's been an ongoing source of frustration for me.  The facts are that I'm older so it's harder to lose weight than it was 10 years ago and my free time has been next to non-existent since Winston was born.  I made progress last year when I did the HCG diet but since I didn't have time to work out regularly, I put back on most of the weight I had lost within 9 months.  Winston has reached a point where he can start helping and doing things for himself and I finally have time to exercise on a regular basis.  In January I again began the task of losing those dreaded excess pounds and getting back in shape (New Years resolution of course).  Anyway, through a lot of hard work, diet and exercise, I've been able to drop just over 20 pounds!  I can't even begin to tell you how much better I feel.  Today at the gym (I have a membership at a small gym by our home), I had an experience that drove home to me how far I've really come.  While I was lifting weights, the gym manager/owner came up to me and asked if I would be willing to be in a commercial they were filming for their website.  I was hesitant to do it but agreed when he said they were filming several people.  I thought he meant they would be filming everyone who was there working out but when it came time to film, it was just me they were filming.  He explained that they were compiling clips of some of their members to show case the gym on their website.  They had me do several different weight lifting activities and even though I was kind of embarrassed, it was great to receive recognition that I'm finally looking fit again.   Of course, I still have some problem areas that need work, but I'm in a good place in my life right now.  I've waited four years to be able to get back in shape and it feels great to finally be headed in the right direction - not to mention how great it is to finally be able to fit in my pre-pregnancy clothes again.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's birthday - the second one since his passing.  The grief and pain I experienced at his sudden death has subsided but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of my Dad and miss him.  The good thing is that with the pain mostly gone, I can now remember the good times and smile.  I can think about all the good memories I have of my Dad and not feel overwhelmed with sadness.  He was a wonderful father and even though I can't ask for his advice about the current happenings in my life, I have his words in my mind and in my heart - he'll always be with me.  If I could, I would thank him for the legacy he's left - his teachings and example still influence my life and probably always will

I thought it would be fitting to post the last family portrait taken of all of us before my parents left on their mission showing my parents posterity.  Our family is now too big to fit everyone in the frame.  This picture was taken in 2000 and there have been a few additions since then - several grand children and great grand children.  At the time, Brad was the only one missing from this picture - stuck in a traffic jam coming home from work and the photographer couldn't wait.  Happy Birthday Dad.  Your legacy lives on through us and you will never be forgotten.

So Proud

I took Winston to get his hair cut last weekend.  He loves getting his hair cut and was so proud of his new do that I just had to take his picture so I could show off how handsome he looks. 

 Here are some more pics I took this morning.

He's such a cutie!