You Are Strong and You Are Great!

I’ve been thinking lately about life.  Deep, I know.  Life can feel kind of hard sometimes.  We’ve all had hard times and easy times, content times and tumultuous times, definitely sad times and many joyous times.  It’s fascinating how many different feelings, experiences, thought processes, opinions, opinion changes, and personal realizations we have.  Through all of the organized chaos, (and it is organized!) I have no idea how I would make it through without all the helps that Heavenly Father has put in my life!  Family, friends, leaders, examples, prophets, scriptures, insights, “aha” moments (love those!), spiritual times, not so spiritual times (the comparison is sobering), tender feelings, chastisement, and love.  Lots and lots of love.  Sometimes, I forget how much “amazing” there is in my life and I do something wrong or I have a bad attitude, or sometimes someone I love chooses wrong and what always follows is a broken heart.  Broken hearts hurt.  Sometimes they are devastating.  Sometimes the pain is so deep, you think you’ll never get back.  The only thing to do then, is just keep going, just keep trying.  To give up or to hang on to that pain only weakens us.  It separates us from love, tenderness, light and truth.  Those are the things that make life the best, most wonderful, loveliest thing we can experience.  The most amazing, the most deeply touching thing that we’ve been given is our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is the kind and tender remover of our pain, our sorrow, our self loathing, and our broken hearts.  He is The Healer in every sense of the word.  He takes away our weakness and gives us strength and power.  All we need to do is, don’t give up!  Don’t give in!  Remember, You are Strong and You are Great!  You… are among the best!

Deegan Graduated?! Didn’t I Just Drop Him Off At Kindergarten?

This was a really fun, really long day.  Anyone that has been to a ceremony of 600+ graduates, knows what I’m talking about.  It was awesome to see Deegan walk the walk and get his diploma!  He even got to shake hands with Laura Bush! 

Hat’s off!  Hooray!

Deegan the Graduate!

Deegan with his brothers, Derek and Dallan.

           

Deegan with his Grandma. 

       

                                                                                                                                     

Deegan with Mom and Dad

We’re so proud of our guy!  We love you, Deegan!

Derek's Broadway Review

Derek was involved in his H. S. Choir's Broadway Revue. It was so much fun and the choir kids did a fantastic job!!

Here are a few pics of the decorations. Very classy!

Here are the guys perfoming "Greased Lightning" from "Greese". So much fun!

"Clappa Yo Hands"

Such a fun song!!

Derek with Mrs. E. She's a pretty great Director! She really keeps those kids in line. Derek really likes her and has a lot of fun!

He is a teenager, you know. There has to be at least one pic with this pose! Haha!

It was a really wonderful concert and all the kids were fantastic! It's so fun to see Derek doing something he loves and enjoys so much!

This Reminds Me Of Something - I Know! Uh, Camping?

I remember my girlhood days gone by...

Having three brothers and no sisters, Axis and Allies, Cops and Robbers, Paper Routes and Atari are my fond memories. My girls, on the other hand, get to enjoy setting up their pretty pink tent in the living room and cuddling with their artificial flowers! (Yep. I can't type it without laughing either!)

Uh oh! Reality check...

After smiling so sweetly, Deme says, "This is not very comfortable. I'm going to bed."

Poor Daria, is left alone! Who knew the pretty pink tent could be so lonely!
(At least Deme left the pillows!)

Daria braved it out, though!

That's my tough girl!

Our Journey To The Center of The Earth-Or As Close As We'll Ever Get!

Duane and I took our family to Carlsbad Caverns. I remember going as a kid and having fun and Derek has been once on a youth trip, but this was our first time together as a family. It was fun and really interesting! Here are just a few pics I took from beginning to end.

When we first walked into the main building we saw this cute ranger! Deme and Dari loved this! Everyone, except Deegan, (he's 16, wink, wink!) had to pose here.

Shortly after we left the building they had this warning posted. They aren't kidding either! The only thing they left off was that your toes will be smushed into the end of your shoes for the next 45 minutes!! It's been a week since we went and I still wiggle my toes and smile. Freedom!

Here we are on the trail to get to the cave excited and ready to go! We've got jackets because it gets down into the 50's in the caves. Brrr!

That didn't stop me from sweating the whole time, though. The humidity was crazy!!

Here are Deegan and Derek showing us the zig-zag trail going down in. This was pretty much what the trail looked like for 45 minutes (750 ft.) as you head down, down, down, down, down...you get the point.

Daycee really liked these stalagmites and wanted her picture taken with them. I think

this is pretty cool, because Daycee never wants her picture taken, at all! It was so nice to have her ask for a picture! Small miracles!
An awesome formation!

Duane and Daycee at the mouth of one of the tunnels we got to walk through.

This is the "big giant" in the Hall of Giants.

Here's my family about halfway through. They're smiling because they're very happy to be sitting!

Daycee, Duane, Deme, Derek, Daria, Deegan and Dallan.

Another neat formation!

And finally, we come out, or I guess I should say, we step off the elevator after 3 hours of touring the caves. Go ahead kids, show us how you really feel!

I laugh every time I see this picture! The moaning and groaning was at historic levels, but they all said they wanted to go back again sometime...but not today!

Derek is 15?!!

My excellent second son is 15! I think he is so fun!

He's growing fast and growing up fast!

Here are a few things about Derek!

***

*He loves to make people laugh.

*When he says "thank you", it's usually followed with a hug.

*He likes being silly. It amuses him.

*He's not afraid to say "I love you".

*He can sing!!

*He CANNOT wait to drive!

*He really wants to succeed at school.

*He loves to run.

*He loves junk food, too!

*He's got a neat-o, new, deep voice!

*He's growing into a strong, talented young man!

Here are a couple of pictures of him then and now! (You're not going to believe it!)

Hey, my man, Derek! Happy Birthday!

You are a rockin' part of this family! Love you!

Deme's Double Digits!

Deme has arrived at her 10th birthday!!

She is so great! Here is just a little bit about her.

*Perfect Giver of Snuggles and Hugs

*Master Sharer

*Tender Hearted

*Lover of Laughter

*Kind and Caring

*Loud Screamer

*Ballistic Burper

*Sassy Answerer

*Texas Girl All the Way!

Here are a couple of pictures of her then and now!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEME!

We love you and are so glad you are in our family!!

Those Crazy Seminary Days!

It was Seminary Graduation, tonight! My two cool (or, too-cool) seminary-going boys, were recognized for some excellent accomplishments!

Deegan (my firstborn in the wilderness) was recognized for:

365 days of scripture reading

100% attendance

Reading the entire New Testatment

&

Memorizing all 25 scripture masteries

He was the only one that earned all 4, in the Stake!! Yep, I think he's pretty awesome, too!

Derek (who would be the first to tell you he's the coolest) was recognized for memorizing all 25 scripture masteries!

Very Awesome!!!

It really is so much fun to be the mom of these two great boys! They each bring something different and special to our family!
Way to go guys!! You rock!!

Easy Easter? Mother Nature Had It in for Us!

This Easter started out like any other. The kids woke up in the morning to find their Easter buckets filled with fun toys and their favorite candy! As you can see, this was the year of the frisbee. Each of my guys got one. Want to guess how many are on the roof?

We went to my Mom and Dad's house for a yummy Easter cookout.

We met Peter and Adriane there, with their three kiddos, Kevin, Shaylee, and Ashlee.

Someone decided to take a picture of their edible masterpeice. Are you...hungry?

After our delicious meal we decided to let our kids out to hunt their eggs. Of course, we all forgot the Easter buckets, so all the kids got to use a plastic bag. Here's where we run into a little trouble. Our little darlings got to start hunting their eggs in hurricane force winds. None of the "Easter bags" would stay vertical. It's not easy to put your newly found egg into a bag that's flying, zipping and twisting around! But, with a little help from adults and teamwork, they got those eggs in the bags!!

After about 15 minutes of wrestling with the bags and getting pelted by flying dirt and leaves, it starts to get a little annoying and my nephew, Kevin says, "This is the worst Easter egg hunt, EVER!" (I'll be laughing at that one for years!)

A few minutes after that revealing declaration, it starts to rain. It gets cold, too!

Poor Deegan and Derek, don't get to find all their eggs, before the floodgates open. I know, don't you feel sorry for them?

My neice Ashlee, gets soaked!

Then, the real fun begins! Hail! It comes down like gangbusters on my parents metal porch roof and half the kids run screaming into the house, because it's so loud! A little trauma (I mean drama,) never hurt anyone, right?

Here are a few samples that some brave soul snatched from the onslaught!

A very respectable size for a hailstone!

We're still trying to decide about this year's hunt. Memorable or miserable? What do you think?