Favorite Moments

Last night I went to bed way too late, but before that I did have a wonderful outing with my good friend Natalie. We talked about kids, houses, friends and just life in general. We both needed to be away from our homes (and kids) for just a little while to refresh and relax. One of the days favorite moments.

Neal and I hung out for a little bit after I got home and before we new it, it was midnight and we were exhausted. It seems like those moments together lately keep diminishing because, life is just so busy. But, when I get them, those are my favorite moments.

My #1 favorite moment of the day was when after only being asleep for an hour, Joseph came into my room and with his soft little voice said, "Mommy, I can't sleep." He grabbed my hand and held it. He has such soft hands, I could rub them forever. I got out of bed and we walked back to his room. I tucked him in and he was cold so I piled a bunch of blankets on top of him and snuggled them up all around him. And then we sat there for a while and tried to figure out how to get him back to sleep. I finally gave him an idea he liked and he said he could go back to sleep. I turned on his music, the same CD of lullaby's he's been listening too since he was 10 months old. I bent over and kissed him and stroked his face and told him I loved him and he said "I love you mom."

I really love those moments in the middle of the night. Neal asks me how I can stand it and even said this morning he doesn't like it when the kids wake me up at night. But I do love them. They are quiet and tender and a chance for me to spend a moment with a darling kid who needs me. I know those few minutes at night are fading fast and I will only have the memory of them in a few years, so for now they are my absolute favorite moments.

What We've Been Up To in 2011, Part 1

Joseph got baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints August 6th. It was a very special day and Joseph was surrounded by many friends and family that love him so much. He is such an amazing kid. Unfortunately, these 2 pictures are the only pictures of the day. We were so distracted and busy we forgot to document his special day!



We finally updated our family photos in August. My good friend Olivia took them and we loved being with her. I hate having my picture taken, but she made it fun and I love all of the pictures. I just wish I weighed about 20 pounds less.....



Joseph turned 8! I can't believe he is getting so old. He got his first suit and had a super hero birthday party. His party was so much fun and he had tons of kids come to help celebrate the day.



Visiting with awesome cousins from Texas!



Awesome cousins from Colorado. We had a lot of family visit us this summer. It was great to see all of the cousins playing together and getting along so well.



Joseph went to his first Scout Camp and got to shoot a real gun! (Well, a BB gun.) It was one of the highlights of his summer!



Olivia graduated from her home pre-school program. I had the privilege of being one of her teachers during the year.



Neal is still in the Bishopric and this is what he looks like when he gets home from Church. He really does love his calling though!

O Holy Night - An Irreverent Post

I'm sorry. I just have to post this video. This song is one of my favorites, but this version of it had me laughing, crying and almost peeing my pants. Enjoy it and have a Merry Christmas!

Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them

I needed to hear this message as I struggle with some things. It is beautiful.

Mama Baer

My Mom called last night to let me know that a dear friend had died yesterday in a head on car collision. Jane Baer was not only an amazing woman, but she helped mold my testimony when I was a teenager. She was my teacher and friend and I know she loved me. I went to her house when I got my mission call, and I went straight to her house as soon as I got home from my mission. I spent a lot of time in her home and I always admired the teal wall in her front sitting room. I wanted one just like it when I was a young and now I have one!

Jane radiated goodness and Christ-like love. I remember sitting in class at church and feeling love radiate from her as she taught the lesson. She was so good that one time when she was driving to girls camp she left her blinker on the entire drive there, which drove me insane. But I didn't point it out to her because I didn't want to nag her. She made me want to be a better person. When I was shy and feeling like an outcast, she took me aside and made me feel important.

Jane was currently serving as the Temple Matron along with her husband, Mark Baer as President of the Denver Temple. Each time I would go home and attend the Temple I would see her and as always she would hug me, look in my eyes and ask about my life. Jane really was an angel on earth. I love her so much and I'm so thankful for her grace, her Christlike love and for raising such an amazing family that has been an important part of my life.

Dream On

I had a dream about my sister last night. It was so powerful and so real that this morning I felt like I had really been with her. It took me a while to realize it wasn't real. It was so sad to me that I just wanted to go back to bed and find my way back to that dream.
I so miss my sister this time of year. Starting in September, when the air gets a little cooler, I really start missing her. She could light up a room with her smile and her excitement for the Holidays coming. I wish she was in the kitchen with me baking up a storm and throwing a little bit of love into each dish. Time has helped ease the pain of her passing, but it really never goes away. Oh, how I love that dear girl.

Good Night, Love You, See You In The Morning Erin.

Not Rising, Just Shouting

Neal here. I had to wait a couple of weeks after BYU's despicable loss to the Utes to make sure my feelings were legitimate and not just the rantings of a rabid Cougar fan. Now that I've had time to calm down, I went back and looked at a posting I made on my family website about the game. And what do you know: Those feelings are legit. Here's the post:

(Commenting on my brother's desire to continue "Rising and Shouting" for the Cougs) I ain't risin', but I certainly will do a lot of shouting.

My assessment differs from Joel's slightly. Here's my post-game assessment on Facebook.

Ahem.

"I've never been more embarrassed to be a Cougar fan. What a bunch of spineless, gutless, worthless, amorphous piles of steaming, wreaking, monkey poo! Where's your pride Cougs? Where's your heart? When o when will you finally show up to play? Consider this my resignation for Cougar fan-dom for the rest of the season."

Call me a fair-weather fan. Call me whatever you want. But I'm making good on my threat. I will only watch ONE more game this year, and that's only because I promised to take Joseph to a game (Those promises from father to son are so darn binding. Grrr!).

I'm madder than a hippo with a hernia. Don't the Cougs realize how big this fetchin' game is??? Don't they realize how much heat us Utah Blue Bloods take from those fetchin' red-bloods when the Cougs get it handed to 'em like this? How could they fail to show up when the pride, the hope, and the fondest wishes of Cougar Nation rest squarely on their shoulders? To lose is perfectly acceptable. To go down fighting is noble. To completely give up and let the scum of the football universe walk all over them is ten shades of pathetic.

That was the Cougar's worst loss to Utes since 1922! That's almost 90 years peeps! If we legitimately sucked, something like that would be forgivable. But to suffer a HISTORIC loss when we have so much ability and so much opportunity is absolutely outrageous.

A friend in our Ward works for BYU as a corporate sponsor coordinator. As such, he is often on the practice field, in the work out room, and on the field during games. Would you like to hear HIS assessment? "They needed to be humbled," he said. In his particularly astute opinion, it's PRIDE that brought them down. He said that Jake Heaps is full of himself. He's a five-star recruit who knows it, and he's not the only one. In my humble and mad-as-h-e-double-ho­ckey-sticks opinion, it wasn't turnovers that brought them down. It was the air being let out as their big heads were popped and quickly deflated.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm no closer to sharing my allegiance with the Utes than I am to giving up on Quaker Honey Graham Oh's (ooo baby. That's one fine cereal). Their victory has only solidified my hatred. I wish them nothing but the worst in their PAC 12 schedule. That being said, BYU's performance does deserve a good and proper shunning. And I shall give it to them. My refusal to participate in all but one of their games for the rest of the season is the best form of protest I can muster.

Which home game do you think I should pick to attend? Think the Cougs can keep their heads inflated long enough to handle IDAHO STATE?

I wonder what else is on TV this Saturday.