Idaho / Utah

I wanted to take a second and write about my trip to Utah and Idaho. This is my journal so you will have to bare with me as I document every little bit of my trip. Sorry in advance.

I flew into Boise on Saturday night and was greeted by my dad, mom, sister Angie and her little Lyla. It was sooooooo good to see them. You forget how much you miss people until you see their faces and feel how much you love them. Lyla is 14 months old and this was the first time I'd seen her in person. She is absolutely adorable! She has such a silly but sweet personality that was so much fun to watch. I could sit and kiss those cheeks all day! Angie and I only had two days together so we were never in bed before 2 or 3 AM. We laughed and talked and had so much fun together. I've missed her so much and love that she is my sister. Angie is such an amazing girl and I look forward to moving home and having many more late night talks and fun times together. I love you Ang!!!!

My mom and dad worked really hard to make sure that this was a fun trip for me. I walked straight into our house and things were just as I remember them. My mom had all of my favorite treats waiting there just for me and she kept them coming. She really worked hard to make sure that I was comfortable and had a good time.

Thursday I headed to my little piece of heaven in Morgan. Sherry worked her bum off to try and pull off a surprise lunch for me and some of our closest friends. She did a pretty good job only 3 of them figured it out. This is actually a bit of a miracle because Sherry is pretty much the worst liar I have ever known.

When I pulled into the driveway at Sherry's house out came little Lindsay. She jumped right up into my arms and I could not get enough of her. She really does not know me because when I left Morgan she was just a baby. It was so much fun to watch her run around. I think we are friends forever.

I loved seeing little Matthew who is not so little and Katelyn, Kimmi, and Maddi were adorable. I never felt so loved. They were all hugs and smiles. I could not get enough of these kids. I told Maddi to stop growing until I came home and she said, "Ok - I'll just drink a little bit of water." Soooo I gave her permission to eat a little food as well. :)

I truly love this girl!!!!! I could not live my life without her!!!!

(Back) Melanie, Sherry, Janice, Lisa, Em, Aunt Connie, Jen, (Front) Allie, Zoey and baby Kate

We are missing..... Jackie and Jodi :(

I really think that I've been blessed with pretty much the greatest friends in the entire world!!!! I really, really mean that. We went out to lunch together and I looked around that table and felt overwhelmingly blessed. These girls have made me a better person and I love them. Seeing them was so wonderful but I left them missing them more than I ever have. Friends like mine are so rare and I am so lucky to have them.

(Side note - YES I look pregnant in this picture - ignore that - Lets blame it on lunch - not my most flattering picture but oh well) :)

(Grandma and Grandpa Porter)

My favorite quote about Grandparents is ..... "Grandparents always make you feel as if they havebeen waiting for just you all day and when you arrive their day is complete." I love it because that is EXACTLY how I feel with my Grandpa and Grandma. I could not help but cry when I walked up to their door. I've missed them and everything about them and their home. I love being with them and feeling the peaceful feeling that they carry and that they have in their home. I'm a lucky girl to have been sent to their family.

(Grandma and Grandpa Powell)

Angie and I had so much fun reminiscing about the times that we would play at Grandma and Grandpa Powells farm. Chasing bunnies, making forts, playing dress up, driving the old truck out in the field and so many other fun things. My Grandparents have aged considerably in the past year and a half and that was difficult for me.

And then there are these two. I failed big time in not getting a picture of us together but I had to write about the babies in the family. We were able to spend a day in Provo and see where both Jess and Jenn live. It was so much fun but really very sad for me. I'm a lot older than these two and so I feel kind of motherly towards them. I don't like them being out in the big world and having me so far away. They really are doing so good and I am so proud of them. I love that they both show how much they love me - they really are so good to me. I love you both!!!!

Soooo..... all in all I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing more important that having good friends and family. I have relationships with all of these people that will last throughout this life and into the next - I'm sure of that. I am a better person because I have been blessed to know and love so many amazing people.

Just a Random Picture

Porter LOVES to not wear his pants - AT ALL!!!! So periodically through out the day I will find him like this.

Wonderful Counsel From A Prophet

"Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won't fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges.

I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through.”
-President Harold B. Lee-
(Ye Are the Light of the World, 350-51)

What To Do....................

I am almost embarrassed to post these things but you know I have come to a conclusion that I might not be the only mother out there who has days where they are wondering if they missed the lesson on "Perfect Parenting." :) I have three boys all of them came with distinct and different personalities. Each one has required different parenting and Colton and Kaden seemed to have made it thus far without too many deep rooted scars. And then there is Porter....... that is all I can even say. I feel like I'm a completely new mom with this little guy. Every single thing that I can think of in this little brain of mine to do with this little guy has not worked. He is the cutest little guy with a bigger than life personality but along with that comes a bigger than life mind of his own. So how in the world do you tame that strong will without crushing it??? Please give me some ideas. He has moments of pure adorableness which I am certain have kept him alive thus far. Just as he does something sooooo naughty he hits me with this adorable smile...........Yep that is the one!

Back To School

Oh how I love these boys!!!! Today was the first day of school. This year I took the boys back to school shopping with me. They each got to pick out their own school clothes. This was especially easy because in DODS schools they have a dress code. They can only wear collared polo shirts without any logos or designs. So we have about every color polo that you could find. I really enjoyed hanging out with them all day. We went to lunch and just had a great day. They had fun doing everything but trying things on. I really just love being with them. They are such good boys - I am a very lucky mom.

It seems like it was only yesterday that I walked little Colton into his first day of kindergarten. He is now in the sixth grade and growing up more and more every single day. I can't believe how fast time flies by. I think this year I have realized that I need to slow down and enjoy every moment.Kaden has always been a Mommy's boy and this year walking him into his third grade class I realized little by little he is becoming more and more independent. Of course this is a good thing but I can't help but want to hang on to the little boy who needed mom for everything a little bit longer. I am sure that it will just evolve into needing mom for different things as the years go by. At least I hope so.

I love my boys!!!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Dave.....

Love you so much!!!!