perspective

A week ago I was going about a fairly typical day. Get the kids off to school. . . Call the pharmacy for a prescription. . . Load the breakfast dishes. . .

I was on my way to pick up Emmy from preschool when I received a phone call.

"Kelly, this is Mom. Shawn has been in a head on collision with a semi. He is in your van. Please call the temple and then call everyone and tell them to start praying."


It took one phone call to change the way I look at my life.

How do I spend my time?

Am I investing enough energy into the things that matter most?

Do the people I love most know much I love them?

What do I need to change about myself and my relationships, and how am I going to do it?

What is my purpose. ..my "mission" in life? Am I asking?







One little phone call can do a lot to change your perspective.

emmy's excellent adventure

(Miss Jami and Emmy)

Today Emmy had a preschool field trip to a local corn maze. It turned out to be quite an adventure. . .we got lost! Now, I know that's what a corn maze is for, but we got more than a little turned around.

We were just plain lost. What we had were whole lot of preschoolers and mommies with no idea where they were going. Or where they had been! At some point, Daddy called. Emmy and I informed him that if he got home on Friday and we were still missing- he should head straight to the corn maze!

We finally ended up getting ourselves to the edge of the maze that we knew was closest to the parking lot. From there, we decided to cut through the corn (shhhh!) to make our exit. We felt like quite the adventurers, weaving our way through the tall stalks of corn. Emmy kept giggling! When we finally got out of the maze and back into the open air, we were pretty surprised to find out how far we'd gone! We were so far from the parking lot that it was hard to even see it. Emmy looked at me with a scared look and said, "Mom, we are really lost!"

When we finally made it back to the parking lot, Miss Jami had a bonfire, hot dogs, and s'mores waiting. Despite the chilly air, Emmy roasted a hot dog and finished it off with a yummy s'more. What a lovely end to her excellent adventure!

school girl

Before I get started, I just have to say that this little face makes my heart smile.

On another note, Emmy has started preschool this year. She loves, loves, loves it.

I love it when she comes home because she is so full of excitement. She loves to tell me all about the little details of her day. And I love to hear her animated voice telling me. I hope I never forget the day she and her two friends came bouncing out Miss Jami's door wearing their spider hats. I didn't get a picture, but her face couldn't have been more excited.

There is nothing better than going to Miss Jami's house with her friends and learning new things! Emmy loves learning new things! She thinks it is most fun. . .which is really nice, because unfortunately, she doesn't always think staying home with me is most fun.

. . .Which means we both really like Miss Jami.

saying our prayers

Tuesday afternoon, my little brother (and a favorite uncle of the girl's) Shawn was in a serious head-on collision with a semi truck. He was driving our minivan. Through a series of miracles, he is alive and was life flighted to McKay Dee Hospital in critical condition. We are feeling so blessed. '

For more information, check out the blog the family has created to document his recovery.
http://www.shawnsmiracle.blogspot.com/

wishing you a monstrously fun halloween

We're all getting ready for one of our favorite holidays! Hope you are too!

Watch this to get you into the spirit:

www.monstermashup.com/3bbf29

(Thanks Nelson family for the fun idea. . . the girls loved doing this.)

today

Today I am thankful.

I'm thankful for homemade bread, a kitchen sink that works, and a plumber that comes when my handy husband can't.

I'm thankful for autumn, cute pumpkins on my front porch, and a fireplace that makes my home feel cozy.

I'm thankful for a healthy body. For a Mom who steps in to save the day. And girls who love me just because.

I'm thankful for Thursdays, when we know Daddy is only a day away.

I'm thankful for prophets. Prayer. Perspective.

I'm thankful for bedtime. Good dreams. A fresh start.

I'm thankful for a kind husband. A good marriage. Motherhood.

So many, many things.

"Gratitude creates the most wonderful feeling."

President Gordan B. Hinkley

amazing island park 2009

A few weeks ago we rented a cabin in Island Park with Courtney's family. We had a great time!

We arrived Thursday evening and stayed until Sunday morning. We stayed in an amazing cabin in Ashton right on the Snake river. Beautiful. The big hot tub was a favorite spot of the kids, and they could be found "swimming" there most any time of the day. We enjoyed peaceful walks, air hockey, ping pong, and card games, lots of laughs, and made more than a few good memories. Here are a few of the highlights. . .

Mesa Falls and a Grandma J devotional before heading home Sunday. . . (Kate didn't want to be in the picture).

Friday we spent the day lounging around and just plain being lazy! It was the anniversary of Sept. 11, so we watched some documentaries on that and reflected upon that day. Games were played, naps taken, and yummy food consumed. All in all, a great day.

On Saturday, we set out for Yellowstone in what we called the "Amazing Race". We split everyone up into 2 teams. Each team had a list of challenges to accomplish before returning to the cabin that evening. Among them were: find 3 "stinky pots", get pictures. . .watch old faithful erupt, eat an ice cream cone from the lodge, get pictures. . .wade into Firehole River up to the knees. Bonus points could be earned with pictures of wildlife (which held various point possibilities, depending on the kind). Also, each team could earn a bonus point for out of state license plates. 10 points were given if you had a picture of a team member with the license plate owner! Also, points were given for the first team to arrive at a challenge location, and the first back to the cabin.

The race is on. . .

It didn't take long for us to start recruiting poor strangers to pose for our out of state license plate pictures. (Turns out this is the wife of a celebrity of sorts-in the hunting world, anyway. Uncle Nate spotted her husband in the convenience store, and was thrilled to meet a guy he'd watched so many times on his hunting videos. Yip, they really do exist.)

Oregon

Michigan

Megan and Emmy posing at Stinky Pot #1.

More stinky pots.

Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa waiting in line in front of Stinky Pot #2.

Grandpa exits Stinky Pot #2. Alive.

Stinky Pot #3.

Rival team members Ryenne, Madeliene, and Lauren. (Or as Uncle Courtney claims, stinky pots #4, 5, and 6.)

Aunt Shelly and I cornered these cool New Yorkian dudes and their license plate to get an extra 1o points. I think they were a little worried about our sanity. Good thing Aunt Shelly is so darn good lookin'.

This picture was taken just as Grandpa J exclaimed, "Oh my #*@! I forgot to pay for these!" (In reference to the candy bars in his hand. He had picked them up in the Old Faithful lodge and done the ol' five finger discount.)

Don't worry- he went back and paid- but not until we had all had a good laugh!

Aunt Shelly and kids o' plenty.

We got ice cream, and we've got proof!

. . And saw Old Faithful. Still as faithful as ever (give or take a few minutes).

Bridger commandeered Uncle Nate's ice cream cone.

Ymmm, gotta love ice cream hands all over your clean shirt.

Nothing that a little Spray 'n Wash won't take care of!

Wading in Firehole River.

Emmy and Megan were little troopers. They hung in to the last challenge and then finished our Amazing Race in style!

After the race, we met back at the cabin and then hooked up the camera to see everyone's picture proof and add up points. Everyone got some good laughs at the other team's "bear". (A picture taken of a bear in a movie on Darrell and Alyssa's van DVD screen. It was creative, you've gotta give them that!)

The Amazing Race turned out to be a great day!

All in all, we had a fabulous time with our family. We were bummed that the M and J families couldn't make it.

Hopefully this is a tradition in the making, because we're already looking forward to next year!