Pioneer Heritage

We are finally getting a new Stake Center after sharing with our old stake for the past 2 years. There was a ground breaking ceremony yesterday that was attended by over 1000 members (and that is just from our wards in our small stake boundaries!) At the youth conference this past summer, all the youth were able to write their testimonies on a tablet. This tablet is going to be the cornerstone of one of the buildings on the grounds. Brandon was able to go to this youth conference (he was able to attend even though he not quite yet turned 14). How exciting that his testimony will forever be a part of this Stake Center!!

One of the neatest parts of where the Stake Center is has to do with Arizona's pioneer heritage. Many parts of Arizona were settled by Mormons (one of them is my husband's great great grandfather, John D Lee). Right by where the driveway is going to be (I think I have this part right!) is where the pioneers crossed when coming to settle Mesa. It will be a reminder every Sunday of the sacrifices made in order for us to live in this beautiful desert. I cannot imagine living all those years ago without air conditioning, scorpions (mothers put the legs of the cribs in water in order for the scorpions not to crawl up into the crib), trying to put crops into this hard desert soil and all the other hardships. We each have our own trials now, but at least we have air conditioning when it is 120 degrees in the middle of July:)

I cannot wait to see the Stake Center be completed!

Happy Birthday to Me

I made it another year:) Now officially past being the big 40!
The kids cleaned the house and I received the present I had been asking for - a nap!
The door was locked and I napped in peace for 2 hours - pure bliss.
Here is to a great year of being 41 and enjoying my family and the joy they bring me (I know, I forget to add that part of it alot!)

Halloween Decorations

Here is a picture of the pumpkin that Darin and Dylan created. Walmart had these cool Mr Potatoe Head like decorations that you could put on your pumpkin so that you don't have to carve them! Love it!

Colton's crazy pumpkin decorating. He wanted to have a very unique one.
Camryn's decorations. The great part about putting these decorations on the pumpkins is that you don't have to cut into them. The pumpkins last longer and do not rot as quickly.

The kids are out on October break this whole week so I am trying to come up with something for them to do everyday besides sit in front of the tv. We had a great time with the pumpkins and decorating our cactus with spiderwebs and spiders (you have to be very careful putting those spiderwebs on those cactus:) Nothing says Halloween time in Arizona like a decorated cactus!!!

Field Trip

Today was Camryn's field trip to Fry's grocery store. I almost did not go as I am so tired from work last night. But she looked so darn cute in her preschool field trip shirt that she had already put on that I could not resist going. Plus, we were out of milk and cereal - what else is new in this house with a teenager and preteens that think they have to eat constantly!!!

I forgot to take the camera but the field trip was so fun. We got to go in the back of the store and see where all the food was shipped in. The kids each picked an apple to eat which they all thought was way cool! We got to see live lobsters and watch them be fed - the kids loved it! We went to the deli and the kids got samples of boneless chicken wings. Then they went to the bakery and watched the baker slice bread and of course got a sample of it. Camryn's favorite part was going in the walk in refrigerator for the milk and us moms peering thru the other side to see them.

The store also had its Halloween decorations up so we got to spend lots of time watching the spooky pirates with their cannon that blew out fake smoke. The animated witch was also a great hit! I have been on this same field trip with all my boys but it always amazes me how much fun we have each time.

Ok, this subject has nothing to do with a field trip but is a fun thing for our family and Darin. We received an email from the local basketball league that they needed 2 more players and the first 2 people to respond to the email would be able to play on a team and the best part - the fee was waived for the sign up!! Whoo hoo - we saved $120 dollars:) I knew there was a reason that I have our email also go to my work owned blackberry as I responded back within 2 minutes (yay me!) Darin is the shortest kid on his team ( he is 11 and will turn 12 in april) but he is the fastest. It is exciting to see him play, learn the rules and sneak around some of the taller players! I am just thankful that only 1 child is playing a sport at this time as opposed to spring when all 4 boys play baseball - and Camryn is already asking to play Tball. I don't know that I can manage all 5 kids playing at one time, getting them to practices, their games and working every other week. We shall see how it all turns out.

In the meantime, I am happy for fun field trips and watching 30 preschoolers just be enthralled with going behind the scenes of the grocery store! And to top it off, it is actually cool here in the mornings in Arizona. The temps have been in the 80's during the day and the 60's during the night. We actually think we are freezing - go figure!!

Life is Precious

I had lots of time this week to think about life, how we live it and how we leave it. I was privileged enough to see a man in his last stages of life this weekend. (I know, some people get freaked out about talking about death or seeing death, but it is a natural part of the life cycle!) I had the honor to be there with him for awhile and just sit with him and hold his hand. I did not know him to well so I did not have much to talk with him about. Instead, I used the powerful sense of touch. People need to be touched at any phase in their life, but it seems they need more touch as infants and at the other end of the life cycle.

I have been able to do this for quite a few patients over the last 15 years. It still amazes me that just touching them, rubbing their feet, massaging their hands, caressing their heads, etc. It may seem strange to do this for people, but you would be amazed at how much anxiety and pain this relieves. I used to do this for my babies and still will do it for my kids if they are having nightmares, tough times, or just need an extra hug. I also have to say that I also like being on the receiving end of it! It was great to come home on Sunday and have my eldest son massage my shoulders for no reason. It nearly brought me to tears ( must be hormones!).

This sweet man did pass away with no one at his side ( I was unable to stay as I had other patients to visit and I am not sure where his family was). It made me sad to think that he had to make that journey all alone. I hope to be there for my parents when there time comes ( which better be years and years away!!!) as well as I hope my children (who will be grown by then) will be willing to be with me when my time comes.

Which leads me to say, take the time now to enjoy the precious things and simple things in life. Enjoy being with your family, kids, whomever may be in your life. Enjoy the outdoors (soon here for us AZ people where it is still 100 degrees).
Just enjoy being:)
And Yippee! General Conference is this weekend - another reason to just enjoy life!