GIRLS NIGHT IN!!!

So while the boys are away (in SLC/Provo- for the BYU game) the ladies, B.W.E.K. and I had a FUN day full of girls stuff!! I spoiled them with doughnuts and FUN drinks for breakfast... then we went shopping, and bought some FUN stuff for Halloween costumes! (Breilly got her ears pierced - wow!) following all that FUN - poor K. and E. wanted to go home... and home we did go.. We had a yummy dinner, followed by pampering.. bubble baths, and manicures, and pedicures!! (even little K!) Then we cuddled up and watched a little Barbie and the Three Musketeers!! What a great day with my ladies... lots of sugar and spice and suprisingly EVERYONE was very nice!! Now if only the magic fairies would come by and clean up all our girly fun.... I LOVE MY LITTLE LADIES...(but I will be happy when our boys come home too!)

Numbers

So it's super late at night... and how do I know that? Well the clock has numbers on it, that tell me that it is WAY past my bed time. Numbers dictate a lot in our lives. Our identities are consumed by numbers. We have social security numbers so that we can get a job, a loan, or a mortgage. We have telephone/cell numbers so that we can be contacted at any moment, and anywhere. We have numerical address so that we can have a location. We have a numerical birthday to signify the day our physical bodies first took it's first breath. We measure the height and weight of our bodies to signify our health and stature. We place a great deal on the things we can measure.


We often define our worth by the size of our paycheck, our home, the number of kids we have, or don't have, the number of years we spent in school, or the number of vacations we have taken. We identify our selves by these numbers and feel safe when we can measure or quantify our lives.

Recently I have been reminded that the gospel of Jesus Christ enlightens our minds about numbers. The scriptures are full of examples of numbers, which I just have to share.

Numbers: There are three members of the God head, our presidencies in the LDS church are organized in threes (a president and two counselors). There are three degrees of light; the sun, moon, and stars, three degrees of glory, and three degrees in the celestial world. Scholars state that Christ suffered in the garden of Gesthemene for 3 hours, and was resurrected on the third day. There are 12 tribes, 12 apostles, and 12 months in the year. There were 7 creative periods, the Earth was organized in 7 days, and we have 7 days in a week..... We have been admonished to forgive seventy times seven... or as often as we need. The examples go on and on.

What I am most impressed with though is the thought of "infinite"..... a number I cannot understand or comprehend. Christ's love and atonement is infinite. He has created worlds without numbers and yet what is so amazing is that he knows each ONE of us. All that he did, in his infinite wisdom and love, was done for everyONE. He seeks out the ONE lost sheep. He doesn't give up on ONE of us, even when we think our worth is worth nothing. So what is the worth of ONE? Does it have a number? The scriptures tell us that the worth of one soul is great! How do we measure "great", can we assign that a number?

There is great power in BIG numbers, but we need remember there is also great power in small, in just ONE. It is impossibly to measure the the power of ONE good man or woman on this earth. I have been blessed to be surrounded by many of these great ONES.

Summer, School, and Simplify

So we ended Summer with a FABULOUS trip to Lake Powell with my family. We had 4 full days of fun and sun!! I am always happy that in my OLD age I am still able to ski... and even was able to get up on the wake board! Breilly and Whitney were able to get up on skis and Zach mastered the boogie board. All of us survived the many trips on the tubes... although once I wondered if I was still alive after a wipe out!! The high light of the trip was that Saturday.. all my siblings and their families were there! We took a photo (I'll post later) as it is the first time we've ALL been together in a very long time.

I was sad to say goodbye to summer... it went WAY to fast. We did swimming lessons, golfing lessons, and trips to the library and zoo.... then off to Cali, Utah, and Powell!! I didn't get any of my "summer" projects done... but we had a BLAST!!

So as a new school year begins.... I always say we will simplify, and then I turn around and we've got dancing lessons, piano lessons, and soccer, activity days, and preschool... did I say simplify? Everyone has something to do.... and I get them there..somewhat on time. I continue to be CRAZY... and so is life for our crew. ...

Pictures will come soon.... Happy Fall to you all!! I love this time of year!

12 years.....

Today is Derek and my 12th anniversary! Crazy how time flies... Marriage, moving to Cali, Baby 1,happy, happy... newlywed bliss, moving to Iowa ..Baby 2 , poor poor.. to far for anyone to visit, to poor to do anything, except go to Oprah, (that's when I thought Oprah was cool, now I think she is a little psycho) move to Utah, HOORAY, baby 3 &4, and 5 (still can't believe we have 5!), happy happy times.. sad, sad, move to Idaho, happy happy... life is good.
It's been a wild ride... adventures, laughter and tears.... but I LOVE our life. It's turned out better than I could've planned (knock on wood), and I am so grateful for my best friend to travel this journey with. I love you Derek, eventhough you are CRAZY (I mean thanks for loving me... even though I am CRAZY!!)Year 12 was fantastic... the move was a bit painful... but Europe made up for it!!!
So what did we learn on year 12.... 5. that there is life out of Utah, 4. that Europe is still as beautiful as I remember, 3. that even though moving was the pits... we took the most important things with us, our 5 great kids, 2. That trials bring us closer to Heavenly Father and to each other, and 1. You have to remeber to stop and ENJOY the journey!! (Okay I didn't exactly "learn" this,,, just I was reminded to do this)
Happy 12... here's to 13.. I know that 13 is usually a suspicious number... but I am going to think positive and hope that it is a LUCKY year for our family......

JOurneY of the B's

June has been so busy... summer started with a "BANG!" We celebrated Whitneys 8th Birthday ..(May 31st) ... and her Baptism, and then our Baby = Little Miss Kiley turned ONE!! How did that happen? I think she was just born... sad, sad, sad.. the year was so busy that it just Blew By... She is now trying to Balance and walk... watch out!

For the Baptism we were happily BOMBARDED by Family... we Broke the firecode and had 27 people at our Bed and Breakfast (home!!) It was a Beautiful day, and we appreciate everyone who came to share this special day with Whitney, and our family!! We were so sad when the crowds left... Please come BACK soon!

I haven't been very good at blogging. I will try to atleast post monthly. .. I am a teacher for Relief Sociey and last month gave a talk about Enjoy the Journey. I had been thinking about what you need for a journey... a bag to bring all your stuff. I was driving down the road and saw it! I found an old RED round suitcase! It is so cute! I now keep it in my room, to remind me to enjoy the journey. I had a big "a ha" moment... I learned that you have to find your own "joy" in the Journey... because it is there... it is always there... see look JOurneY! Life is not to be lived it is to be CELEBRATED!!