adventures...

Mom and Dad came out to salt lake this past weekend for Brent's farewell, it was really fun!! We're glad mom and dad came out, it was so adventerous and spontaneous of them!! Posing for Kate while exploring Brigham's Landing in Salt Lake

Considering purchasing some souvenirs...

Dad was excited to go to the Uof U bookstore!

We had lots of fun! Thanks mom and dad for coming out! I'm excited to see everyone next week!

Signs of the times....

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Meeting the Challenges of Today" BYU Devotional, October 10, 1978. He gave this 30 years ago and he nailed our day.

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters -- in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

"This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.

"Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as un-trendy and unenlightened....Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some Skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself.

Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, summer is nigh. Thus, warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat." (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Meeting the Challenges of Today" BYU Devotional, October 10, 1978.)

Fall in Big Valley

A few days ago I walked around the yard admiring the pretty oaks that were turning colors. Knowing that soon the leaves will be gone and everything will be covered in snow makes me apreciate the colors even more.

Fun Stuff!!

ok, so this is my b-day present for trav, i thought they were awesome, so i had to share them before i send them. They are like boxing gloves only hulk hands! and when you hit something they say things in the hulk voice such as, "I'm Angry, you won't like me when i'm Angry!"..a little scary, i know. Hopefully travis won't try and use them when he's angry. i'm not sure if he'll like them or not, you never know. I figured if he doesn't dev and cam will!!
My friend Abby took pictures of brett and I-she's a photographer so she likes being able to do this. These aren't official engagement, we're going to have Brett's sister do those, but these were just to see what we like! Enjoy!

Brett suggested we could just send this one out for our announcement...haha

and i love you so....

It's a miracle!

We are very happy prop 8 passed by 52%. Solano county was one of the few in our area that passed it. I'm sure the battle will rage on, they are now talking of ways they are going to appeal it. UNBELIEVABLE!
Can't they just be good sports and admit they lost? Anyway, I'm thankful for the good silent majority that voted.

the kiddos

ME AND TRAVIS

Whittle Halloween

We spent hours putting our costumes together...the tennis coach and bunny. I have more pictures to post, but my computer isn't uploading them. I'll try again tomorrow. We had fun at the church. The YW did activities for the kids and they went trick or treating to different classrooms people had decorated. I realized that the only primary kids in the ward are ours and another family with 3 kids. It was so nice that they did all that for just a few kids. The kids made it easy on me this year, they wanted to be repeats from last year... Dracula, Flash and an angel.


Ahhh Devon. Such an interesting kid. Recently he has decided he hates to have his picture taken. He really thought his speedy 'Flash' costume made him super fast. Which is ironic since he really is quite slow compared to most kids. Don't tell him though. He spent most of the night running away from Troy who was determined to take his picture. Here's a few of the action shots. Devon eventually ended it by shedding a few tears and Troy relented with the camera.

Happy Birthday Carrie!

Happy Birthday Carrie! we are so glad you are part of our family! You add a lot of spunk!

This is the usual, "carrie is watching something and she can't hear you look"..im sure Rod knows this well.....:)

to be continues this thanksgiving.....who will win?!

Carrie, i'm sure i speak for the whole family when i say i look up to you in so many ways. You have always been such a wonderful, stalwart example to me. I am who i am today because of my siblings and i'm a lot like you, and i'm proud!! :) Let's all say what we love about carrie!!!

Travis' Halloween

Travis as Iron Man and dancing at the Pace party and with his buddy Tony.

aka Captain Jack Sparrow. Travis could have danced all night!

Halloween + Update

Here are some of our Halloween pictures! Lizzie was an angel, Caitlin a ballerina, I was an Indian, and Rod was Tony Stark (if you haven't seen Iron Man, it won't make any sense!)

I made Lizzie's angel dress and Caitlin's ballerina skirt, and they made their annual Halloween treat boxes (cereal boxes cut in half). I really like the cereal boxes- they don't stretch much and have a limit to the candy they can hold!

Our fam- I don't think the flash went off. I know you'll all mock me for this, but I have to tell you anyway. My Indian costume I made from a blanket from D.I. for $3.00. And my moccasins are rejected garden shoes (which I also got a D.I. for $3.00 a year or two ago) that I hot-glued the extra blanket fabric on. I know- laugh! But it's so cheap and so recycling!!!

(By the way, Kate, I laughed at your birthday card you sent me!! I guess I know why...)

Iron Man just came out on video a week or two ago, and everyone knew Rod was Tony Stark - his chest light was on, but didn't show up in any of the pictures. Just one of those stick-on L.E.D. lights from the dollar store. He worked on his goatee for a few days before and picked up some dollar-store glasses and viola- is that Robert Downey Jr. or what?

This was a few weeks before Halloween. I just thought it was funny. Here we are, trying to have some family fun, and Lizzie is just ticked off she was dragged along. Seriously, this kid's attitude belongs in the body of a 16-year-old!

Also, I have had a great birthday so far (although it's 10 am on my birthday...). Rod took me out the dinner last night and a little shopping. Really, just getting a babysitter is exciting enough! This morning Rod and the girls made a yummy breakfast for me...though Rod says I can't open any presents until tonight. I did open my cards from Kate and Em, they were hilarious! Mom, I got your box, but haven't opened my presents yet! The girls were very excited about their Halloween cards and tootsie pops!

Also, just to update everyone, I had to go the hospital to get a bulge in my calf checked out. I woke up on Tuesday with this bulge in my calf, some pain, and some redness, along with the veins behind my knee bulging. Since it could have been a blood clot, I went to an imaging center on Tuesday (after my midwife came over and looked at it) and they said it wasn't a clot. But we (us and my midwife) wanted to be 100% sure so I went the hopsital on Wednesday and got it checked again, and they said it's okay- it's varicose veins!! AAAHHHH!!!! I guess pregnancy brings them on a lot. But I still have this bulge in my calf (think a macaroni noodle under your skin- it's wierd) and have to wear these compression nylons probably the rest of my pregnancy. The stockings won't make them go away, but sometimes the veins hurt and they help a lot with that. The good thing about all this is it's recommited me to exercise- I have to do something cardio 6 days/week to keep them from getting worse. I'm grateful I don't have a complication where I have to stay in bed or something. I read they sometimes go away after pregnancy, but sometimes they don't. Hopefully they will! Anyway, hopefully it won't turn into an episode of Rescue 911 where it turns out I have a super rare macaroni-vein disorder. Rod keeps reassuring me that's not the case, but I think I watched too many Rescue 911's as a kid!!!