A Blast From My Past....

Last night I got a wonderful surprise! When I was 14 years old my family lived in Washington State, and I met what would become a "best friend forever" for me. Susan lived a few streets over, and we quickly became inseperable... She was the more "cautious", "less boy-crazy" part of our duo and I was the one who was always looking for adventure. We made the perfect combination. I would come up with an idea and she would help bring it down a few notches. Perfect.

We have stayed in touch over the years and visited a few times... not as many times as we would have liked... but regardless, when we pick up the phone or do get to see each other, its as if we are 14 again and we pick right up where we left off.

Her husband Dave is in the Air Force and they were traveling through on their way to the Pentagon and Washington D.C. where he will be stationed for the next 4 years. We met up for lunch at the Chili's downtown and had a blast! She has two children...Ali is 15 and Sean is 11. It's so weird that our kids are so close in age... McKenna and Ali putting their numbers into each others phones so they can text...they even have the same phone!!!
Me and Susan...

Our kiddos out in the parking lot posing for one last shot before they hit the road...

It was so hard to say goodbye... but we have promised to have her fly out to stay with us in the near future ... or we will make a trip to Washington D.C... Maybe both?! I sure love Susan!!!! She is an amazing, strong, and courageous woman...and I am a better person because she is in my life!

Family Pictures: August 2011

While my sister was in town we decided to do some family pictures. It had been a LONG time since we had taken a big group family photo... Here are some of our personal family photos...

First, our beautiful Courtney...
And then, our Gorgeous McKenna...

Our two girls together...

Dan and our girls...

And me and the girls...

Our group shot wasn't my favorite... my eyes look half open... but these ones turned out great! (Thanks Greg!)

McKenna's Young Women's Project: Good Works

I don't know if I mentioned it before or not... but McKenna has been working on her 2nd Young Women's Medallion for Personal Progress. She finished the first time when she was almost 14... and began working on it again immediately after finishing. We told her that her projects needed to be even bigger this time, and she has lived up to that. She also earned her "Bee" for helping other girls in our ward work towards earning their medallion. (Which requires 40 hours!!!!) She is almost done...she is finishing 2 other projects at the moment and should finish before then end of August. (She will be 16 in about 3 1/2 months...which means it has taken her about 2 years both times.) This is one of her favorite projects! She took it to the Stake level and invited other girls to get involved and help at girls camp. She had quilts set up the entire time so that others could pass off requirements for learning a new skill...

This project started because of our neighbor, Taylor Davis. He has been undergoing treatments for Hodgkin's Lymphoma this year. I would drive he and his mom to Primary Children's Hospital for treatments, and while there, noticed that when a child finished treatments, they were presented with a quilt and toys and sung to by the staff. McKenna ran with this idea and did a toy and quilt drive to donate in Taylor's name. We finished tying and sewing all of the quilts this week...
McKenna tying a University of Utah one...

Quilts waiting for me to pin and sew them...

Kenna found out this week that one of her new friends from EFY has a father who is suffering from cancer and treatments. So, she finished up this camo one for him... We delivered it to him on Friday. We couldn't go in and see him because his counts are low... but he was touched that she would think of him...

There were quilts everywhere! It was such a fun few days... lots of hours!!! But worth every minute!

The finished quilt for Heber's dad...

10 of the 12 remaining quilts ready for delivery! Presentation is everything!!!

This morning ready to head out for the hospital... We were meeting Taylor and his mom Jennifer there... we brought along Camilla too.

We went and got a cart to haul in the quilts, toys, coloring books, and crayons. We decided this morning that it would be fun to hand out coloring books and crayons to kids in the hospital that were there for treatments, etc...so Courtney, Camilla, and Jonah were thrilled!

A few of the toys....

McKenna in the elevator on the way up...

The three musketeer's armed with coloring books and crayons... looking for unsuspecting children in need of cheering up!

We met Taylor and Jennifer in the Oncology department and made our presentation to all of the wonderful nurses and doctors that take such good care of the children that need their care...

The nurses were blown away and kept hugging Kenna! One little girl stuck her head out of a room and asked what we were doing. The nurse explained that when she finished her treatments she would get a quilt and toys... she was so excited! When McKenna saw the look on her face she said it just melted her heart and made it so worth it! It was great to get to donate all of these things in Taylor's name... what a great kid! He was told today that he has in the high 80's chance of the cancer never coming back.... sounds like pretty good odds to me!

Personal Progress rocks!!!! Even when your mom takes weird random shots of you in the elevator!

The little kids handing out the last of the coloring books and crayons... they told me in the car that it gave them the "warm fuzzies" and that it felt so good to cheer up the kids they met today!

This was a great project... and one that touched a lot of lives. I am really proud of McKenna for doing this, and for everyone that helped. I am so grateful for the Young Women's program and for what it is teaching my daughter about her power to make the world a better place.

Youth Boating Activity: August 2011

How do you get all of the youth but 4 to show up to an activity? First you tell the boys that the girls are coming... Then you tell the girls that the boys are coming....

And then you tell them that the Bishop is going to take them out in his boat...

And that the 2nd Counselor is going to get his in-laws boat...

That works EVERY time!!!!!

Even when there are so many of them they have to take turns!!!!

Another fun day on Deer Creek!!! Looking forward to next summer already!

Cousin Sleep-over

My sister Cheryl and her family have been in town, and their little girl Abi (5) totally idolizes Courtney. She follows her everywhere and is usually holding her hand. It is adorable! While they were here they wanted to have a "cousin sleep-over"... and Abi's first sleep-over period. My sister wasn't sure how she would do...but I had not doubt that Abi would be just fine. She would be with Courtney... the coolest cousin EVER!!! Here they are playing with the new toy Uncle Dan got for her... Watching a movie and eating popcorn...

The next morning getting them selves a little breakfast before heading to church...

Playing barbies when they were done getting ready...

And my personal favorite... Courtney reading the Friend to her while she ate a bowl of chocolate chip cookies...

I think I will send this one in to the Friend magazine... how cute are they?! The funniest thing Abi said... "Aunt Stephi, while I am with you and my mom is gone can I call you mom?" I told her that her mom did the same thing when grandma and grandpa went to Hawaii when we were kids... so yes! We loved spending time with one of our favorite girls!

EFY 2011: Kenna's great adventure!

This is where Kenna stayed durning EFY this year.... And this is her bestie from EFY... Peyton! Isn't she adorable?! She lives in Oregon, so they won't see each other again until December when she comes to visit family... we will see if Kenna can survive until then...

And these are the boys in their "family"....

And these are the ladies showing off one of the new moves they learned... guaranteed to get the attention of any boy I am sure....

Kenna had the time of her life this week... and came home even more beautiful than when we dropped her off! She also came home acting a little more like a teenage girl... in a good way. She seems to be a little more attached to her cell phone...and a little more interested in boys. Hmmmmm. As great a girl as she is, we won't get too worried! She also came home knowing that she isn't the only teen out there that is actually living the standards of the Church. Gotta love that. What a great week!

No Greater Work

As many of you know, last summer McKenna had the opportunity to do a photo shoot for Jenny Phillips for this years youth CD "Believe". She was also in her video for the song "Happily Ever After". Over the last year we have become good friends with the Phillips family, and she called a few weeks ago to ask if the girls and I would want to be in a video for her new song on motherhood called "No Greater Work." She is in Taiwan as I write this doing a tour and firesides on the value and importance of motherhood. Apparently, when polled over 90% of the young adults said they would not be having children but would instead be focusing on their careers and income. (They also had a staggering 3 X the abortions to live births last year as well!!) This is a beautiful song with a message that I couldn't feel more strongly about... I love being a wife and mother more than anything in this world and I am so grateful that we can all be examples to the world when it comes to our beliefs. I would have a house full of little ones if I had been able, and someday I know I will understand why that wasn't in the plans for me here during this time of my life. I have such a strong testimony of motherhood and of our divine roles as mothers and I hope to pass that on in my own daughters. It is a gift. I hope you enjoy and share this video!!!