Mi Amigos with Mi Familia

We love to go to Mi Amigos!  What makes Mi Amigos so fun and special is because lots of Mi Familia comes along too!  I have the Best Family in the World!

Daddy Daughter Activity Days Activity

For Activity Days they had a Daddy Daughter Date.  They ate breakfast and played Minute to Win It Games.  Dad and Hayden had so much fun!  This was their winning game... pick up the bags with your teeth as fast as you can.  They broke the record and won the gold with a time of 9 seconds!  Thanks to all the great leaders in our ward that made this event such a success!

Girls Night with Erica

I love these girls!  These are some of the girls from the first years we lived out in Gilbert.  We were all in the same ward and played Bunco together.  Some have moved and come back and some have moved and stayed..... Erica came in to town from Kansas and it was so good to see her and talk about old times.  5 of us... me, Elizabeth, Monda, Candice and Stephanie are all still in the same ward.  Donna, Jana and Melanie all still live close by.  It is amazing how we can not see each other for awhile and then come back together and have a great time.  As Elizabeth said, "we just pick up right where we left off."

Cousin's Day

I think this has to be one of the best holidays ever.  Cousin's Day!  I love it!  Happy Cousin's Day to all my amazing cousins and also to my kids cousins.... Kaden, Brylee, Branson, Ella, Cali, Kayla, Tatum, Conner, Peyton, Belle, Brock, Beau, Brinlee, Titan, "Elaine" and "Baby B" (twin baby girls due in the next few weeks!)  I love you all so much and am thankful everyday that my kids have the best cousins ever!

First Day of School 2012

It seems like school just got out and now it is time to go back.  I hate that the summer is so short.  It is not enough time where I get my kids all to myself.  Summer is my FAVORITE time of year!  But, because we live in school district we do.... we go back in July.  Chase is in 7th grade!  PLEASE someone tell me.... how did this happen?  I have a kid in junior high and I am a wreck.  Junior high has got to be the worst!  He says he likes it and that's all I can ask for.  He has some great friends and is excited to finally not wear uniform to school!  Hayden is starting 4th grade and while she did not get the teacher she wanted she still has a good outlook and is excited to see her friends.  Blake is starting 2nd grade was so excited because he got the teacher he wanted!  Both teachers seem so nice and I have heard nothing but great things about both of them! We are excited to have a great year.... at our great school... with our great teachers and friends!

Cleaning

Belle's 11th Birthday

Belle turned 11 on July 21st!  She had a fun sleepover with cousins and then the next day they went to Wet n' Wild.  They had a great time and Hayden wants to go back!  She said they have the best slides EVER!  Happy Birthday Belle... We love you so much and you are growing up into such a beautiful girl inside and out!

Seth Has Mad Skills!

Seriously Seth!  No wonder Chase wants YOU to take him to the lake.  You have some amazing wakeboarding skills!!!

Wakeboarding

For Scouts the Deacons went to the ski lake to wakeboard.  Chase had a blast and Kaden got to come too.  Chase really loved it and now he wants Seth to take him to the lake so he can practice and learn tricks like Seth does.  Good Job Chase!

Future Olympian

This girl CAN swim!!!!  She is fast and she wins!!!  I seriously think someday Brylee will swim in the Olympics.  Go Brylee!!!

Sam's Letter- July 18, 2012

Hey my family!! So this past week has been one of the better ones! So last week on Wednesday we went to 7-11 and got slurpFrees and that was awesome! And then we hung out at our apartment and took naps! Then we went out and tried to look up former investigators to try and get them back! But we didn't have any luck with that. So on Thursday Elder Fairbourn and I were tracting and we saw this news car. And so we were like what... so we went and checked it out. So I guess a drunk guy that past night was driving in his car and crashed into a building going about 80mph. He was killed on impact, but the passenger survived critically injured though. And when we arrived there they were starting to hook up the car to a towing truck so we stayed and watched them pull it out. The front of the car was completely destroyed, I was surprised anyone could survive that. But I got some pictures of the whole scene. Then after that we went to a part member family and taught about the Plan Of Salvation and had some good sandwiches! And to end the night we taught English class. Friday we met with this guy named Joshua and talked with him for s little. I went there with Elder Bartleson back in April, but we dropped him because he wasn't progressing. But we always go back to see if he's ready. He really likes the Book of Mormon so hopefully his day will come soon! Then we just tracted all day. On Saturday we did some more tracting and then we had a meeting with our Ward Mission Leader. And I got your package mother, I thought you sent me a nice Gospel CD only to find out it was blank! Haha, but I will put pictures on it and send it probably a little after August!  Sunday we had our usual Sunday meetings. Then we had a lesson with two of our investigators and it was awesome! We taught about The Restoration and the spirit was very strong! They were asking questions and really participating and things were clicking in there heads, and it was just great! The lady is a clean freak (mom) and she had us take our shoes off, but her house smelt so good and it really invited the spirit. In the Bronx, there isn't much clean apartments, so I really felt like home in there apartment. On Monday we had district meeting and Elder Smith (district leader) gave the lesson on the spirit, and it was really good! Then we went tracting and then had Noche de Hogar with a member! Tuesday an appointment fell with one of our investigators but we were able to talk with her for a little bit. Then we had another appointment and it was really good! His name is Manny and he is a funny nice guy. He gave us some really good salad, and to be honest I ate a ton because we don't get many opportunities to eat salad so I need to eat it when the time comes! And we discussed about the Book of Mormon and Elder Fairbourn read 1 Nephi 3:7 and that really hit him hard. He is a hoodlum and he has many temptations and wants to change his life and to hear that God doesn't give us anything that we can't handle really got his mind thinking. And he said he will start reading the Book of Mormon. So that's always exciting! And today we are probably going to hang out at the apartment again and relax. So something I've needed since the start of my mission that I just haven't asked for is scripture cases for my Spanish scriptures. I asked Elder Merrill (one of our senior couple missionary) and he said is to have your parents buy you one and send it from home. So that would be awesome. I have no idea the exact size, but they are bigger then the small quad I have in English, but they aren't as big as your size of scriptures dad. And the BOM and Bible are separate. I would love and appreciate it! And my Spanish is coming along, not a whole lot of opportunities to speak but I can teach the lessons simply. I still can't understand very well, but people are understanding because they are trying to learn English. And also they think its really cool that we can and are trying to speak their language. So as we are sitting emailing, randomly it starts to thunder and be really windy and rainy! Well I love you all and sounds like everyone is okay! Hope all is well!! Love you all!!

Remember SCRIPTURE CASES! And I haven't received anything from Brother Jarvis but would love to!

Cousin Swim

We decided we needed one more "cousin swim" before school started.  It was fun and the kids ate lots of popsicles and enjoyed the day with their cousins.

Chick-fil-A.... Free All Day!

Customer Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A is the best day!  Dress up like a cow=free food!  I took my kids and Sheri's kids for lunch and then we all went back later for dinner.  Yummy food for free!