Green Thumbs...

The Easter Bunny brought all the boys garden tools. Nana and Papa gave the boys their own spot of dirt to make their own garden. We decided to plant some wild flower seeds. So last night for family home evening we let the boys get to work. Let's cross our fingers that something grows.

A Camping we will go!

Mother's Day weekend we packed up our awesome camping Jeep and spent a couple days with friends and some family. We took off and went to celebrate Matt finishing another semester and just down right spend some time together.

The boys were so excited to go.

Manning and Addison loved the dirt.

Hanging out chillin in their camping chairs.

Matt found some huge marshmellows at the store. Manning loved them.

Roasting our huge marshmellows. No one could wait for dark.

Our cozy and surprisingly very warm tent. Dispite how early in the season we went we didn't get cold. It was really nice weather all weekend. Considering a week or two before it was still snowing.

Groovy Manning in his cool sunglasses.

Daddy helping Mason get ready for a ride on the 4 wheelers.

You can't see it very well but Mason almost caught a fish. It was a pretty big one too. But it got away.

He stuck to it and eventually caught a fish. He was the only one to catch a fish.

He is one cute fisherman.

There was no shortage on dirt.

Mattix had no patience for fishing. He expected to drop the hook in the water and a fish would just come right to him. Due to the fact that this didn't happen as he had planned, He was done relatively quickly. But very upset when Mason caught a fish and he didn't.

Addison had so much fun in the dirt. It was so funny to see how much dirt she was able to attract.

Jimmy and Nadia came too. And of course they brought the cute little baby Brenda.

No surprise that Manning absolutely loved the 4 wheelers.

Pretending to go for a ride on the 3 wheeler.

Can you tell he had a little bit of fun?
Can't wait to go again. We love being outdoors.

I Love It!

I love seeing my boys use their imagination. Especially this kid. It is so hard to get him to do anything other than watch TV or play on the computer.

The other day he had nothing to do and no one to play with. He decided to make up his own game. I thought it was cute. He made up his own super hero. (more like a new kind of pokemon)

Working Hard

We discovered no so long ago that having the backyard so open was just not a very good idea. We have a certain little guy that sees every opportunity he can get to run as an opportunity he can not pass up. Thankfully Matt is one handy guy. And his ability to build things came in very handy this past weekend as he built what I like to call our "Manning Cage." And for an added bonus it looks so pretty too.

He didn't do it all alone though he did have some help. His brother came over and lent a hand.
And he had a couple other "little" helpers too.

Mattix loves to help his daddy any chance he can get. He came in trying to find his hat and found one of Matt's, than he grabbed a pen and tried to get it to stay behind his ear. Just like his dad. Matt ripped out all the old wood. And had tossed it aside. To make room for the new wood. Mattix was very helpful in bringing the wood back. He thought his daddy might need it.

When Matt used the noisy power tools, Mattix would cover his ears. Always right there with him no matter how noisy it got.

Manning was even there to lend a helping hand. He surprised us all and started using the drill, The correct way. Trying to fix the screws. I love watching my boys follow their daddy around. I love that they want to be just like him. Doing what he does. And in my opinion he's the perfect role model for them.

A mother's day tribute on a bad day...

I hope not!

Mason came up with his own version of Little boy blue today. It goes a little something like this...

Little boy blue has lost his shoe and doesn't know where to find it. He found a toy wrench and smacked his mom and cried because she spanked him. This unfortunatly is a true story he sang as he sat in the corner. It's been one of those days.

What He Sees

Mattix took this picture of me the other day while we were driving in the car. My first instinct whenever I get my picture taken is to look at it and 98% of the time, I find the picture I see to be to fat, to ugly, my hair out of place, or I am just plain looking goofy.
He was playing with my camera told me to look at him and smile. (with my teeth he said.) He took the picture and sat and looked at it. I asked him if I could see. He said "mom don't erase it. I like this picture mom. You look so beautiful and I like looking at it."
Well as you can see I didn't erase it. Dispite the fact that I can see so many flaws in it. He is so sweet. I love my boys. I know that they genuinely love me for me. I just wish I could always see myself the way they see me.

Random thoughts~

Today was our second day at our new ward. I am happy to report, it was a very good experience. Last week I was a little worried. Mattix had a hard time understanding why his old Primary teacher wasn't at church. And why Craigy and Colby forgot to come to church. He had a melt down. I had to sit with him through the last hour of church. But this week he went and made it through the whole 3 hours.
Mason of course he's my social butterfly he loves it. He's already made new friends and doesn't mind that his old friends aren't here because in his head he's planning many a play dates with everyone. So friends of Mason be prepared. We would love to have play dates with you.
Last week was awkward. I felt like the one on the back row that was there to observe. I didn't really talk to many. (My own fault) So I went home with a unsure feeling. Well I prayed very hard that night. While I was laying in my bed feeling very homesick. I went to RS with my Copperhill 9th friends Tuesday that didn't help my feelings of where do I belong and homesickness. Well this is going to sound weird and I didn't realize this until this afternoon. But Wednesday night came an answer to my prayers. The bishop called and asked Matt and I to speak in Sacrament today. I was mortified. I don't know what it was about speaking in our new ward. But I was scared. I just spoke in our old ward. And seriously didn't feel this scared. Luckly because we did just speak we had premade talks. (awesome) I did tweek it a bit to fit how I felt the spirit would like me to deliver the talk. I got up there. Praying as hard as I could in my heart to have the spirit speak through me. And it worked. I said things and found myself saying things I knew were true and that I needed to hear myself say. I spoke on "Enduring." I meant so much to me to hear my own words again but more strong this time. But to me the big answer to my prayers came afterward, when so many people came up to me and introduced themselves, talked to me and made me feel so welcome. I needed that and fortunately it took public speaking to bless me in so many ways.
I can honestly say I know that Matt and I are where we need to be right now. I have alot to contribute to this ward and I will learn alot from them. I do miss my friends and my "normal." But I know that everyday is a new opportunity to make this my new normal.
"We must never give up, for we are laying the foundations of a great work. That "great work" is ourselves--our lives, our future, the very fulfillment of our dreams. That great work is what with, great effort and patience and God's help, we can become. When days are difficult or problems seem unending, we must stay in the harness and keep pulling. We are entitled to "eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days," but it will require that we stay at our post and keep trying."

Jeffery R. Holland, However Long and Hard the road