Bear Lake 2010

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Aaron Jr and Leslie

We went to Bear Lake in the middle of July. Carrie was kind enough to host us all in her family's cabin. It is so nice and it was so nice of her to let us come up there with her for some fun in the sun. Some of us friends had been planning to take our kids and have a few days there. Fewer people than we thought ended up being able to go, so I invited my sister, Lisa, and her kids to join us since she knows the friends who were going. It was fun having a sister along with friends. It was such a fun trip. We had a blast playing on the beach and chit chatting with the gals. I obviously took too many photos again, but at least I narrowed it down as much as I did... enjoy... or not...

Here is who came along: Aly (top corner, she had to leave before this photo was taken), Carrie (holding Riley), Lisa (holding Henry), Leslie (ME), Rori, Kerianne

...and here are our kids:

Aly's kids: Parker and Jamison

Carrie's kids: Kinzie, Easton, Cameron, Riley

Lisa's kids: Caroline, Hannah, Elise, Stella, Angus, Henry

My sweet kid: Aaron Jr.

Rori's kids: Marley and Carson

Kerianne's kids: Brighton and Bode


Stella and Aaron Jr.

Aaron found this frame a couple of days before we left and there was a photo in it of Aaron and Me from when we were dating. He opened up the frame and asked me for a photo of him and he put the photo of him in front of our photo. Then he packed it into his stuff he was bringing to Bear Lake, then as soon as we got to the cabin, we took our stuff to our room and he unpacked that framed photo and asked where he should put it. I showed him the window sill and he was pleased to have it there. I thought that was SO cute.

Caroline and Stella

Kerianne and her boys.

Stella

Stella and Aaron Jr.

Me trying to calm a crying Henry. He is such a sweet baby. I just love him.


Aaron Jr.

Hannah, Elise, Stella, Caroline, Aaron Jr.



Aaron and Stella played so much together out in the sand and in the water. It was fun to watch them.

Caroline, Hannah, Elise

Aaron Jr.

Hannah and Elise

Top: Lisa swinging Angus. He kept saying 'again, again'. He was having a blast.
Bottom: Aaron and Leslie

Top: Kinzie, Caroline, Parker, Jamison and their sand castle they built.
Bottom: Cameron and Easton building... something. :)

Trying to be artistic. Blue bucket on sand. ;)

Angus and Henry

Aaron Jr.

Top: Aaron Jr, Angus, Henry, Stella
Bottom: view from the back patio of the cabin with one of the twins (Hannah or Elise), Aaron Jr, Angus, Henry, Stella

Making dinner in the cabin.

Aaron Jr.

Aaron Jr.

Leslie and Aaron Jr.

Thanks gals. And thanks Carrie for hosting. It was so much fun.

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Holding Myself Accountable

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Since last August, I have completed 3 Sprint Triathlons. Each one has had its difficulties for me. The first one, I used a bike that made the biking part really difficult. The second one, I had bronchitis and thought I was going to die. The third one was after a long winter of getting way too lazy with my working out.
The other thing that has made each of these more difficult than they need to be is that I have not trained for any of them.
There is another one coming up in less than three weeks and I promised myself that I would train for this one. Well, with three weeks left, I have gone swimming one time and now I am trying to motivate myself to get into a routine for the last few weeks so that I can fulfill this goal of 'training' for this one.
So, I put a countdown on my sidebar and I decided to do a posting so that I felt like I was accountable to actually work on this goal of training.
So, as soon as I post this, I will be going to the gym to run on their track and hopefully, I will continue being motivated to TRAIN.

YOU GO GIRL !!! (okay, that didn't help very much)

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So Proud

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So, my sister Karey is a really great writer and has dreamed of having a book of hers published for a very long time. She has written a couple of full length books now. I have only read one of the manuscripts so far and I enjoyed it so much. She called me a few weeks ago to tell me the good news... HER BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED!!! We are so excited for her. SHE is so excited.

Anyhow, she started a blog where she will be updating the progress of the publishing and ideas for new books that she wants to write. She also writes little short stories and fun tid bits on this blog... it is an enjoyable read. Check it out. I dare you. :)

Karey White's Blog

CONGRATS Karey! I am so proud of you. Love you loads.

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Our True Identity

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I know this is true. Pay attention as you watch.



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Independence Day

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Aaron Jr and I went with the Harkness family to the Kaysville parade. We had a good time.


Sophia and Aaron / Sophia / Aaron, Malia, Grace / kids scrambling for candy.

Uncle Steve and Aaron Jr arm wrestling.

Aaron wanted to show his photography skills, so he took a few photos. This was one of them...

... and this was another one.

We went on a hike with my family to Donut Falls.

It was really early in the morning, so I am not sure that I even look awake yet...



Dad and Mom on the hike.

This is everyone who was on the hike with us that day. What a group.

These are some little fireworks that my brother, Mark did for some of us. They were fun to watch. Thanks Mark and Suzy.


My favorite was this one... not only because it was beautiful, but because the name of this firework was 'Happiness Fountain'. Could it get any better than that? Doesn't it just scream HAPPINESS!?!?!?!?!

I am so grateful for our country. I am grateful for the men and women who have served so bravely and so valiantly to preserve the freedoms and the liberties that we are blessed with and that we enjoy.

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
~ 2 Cor. 3:17

Let us all pray that we can keep the Spirit of the Lord in this country so that we continue to be blessed with liberty. Its getting a little scary. Just sayin'...

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Patience... My Most Difficult Virtue

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So, we hear all the time that 'patience is a virtue'.

Like I said in my title to this posting... patience IS my most difficult virtue. I am the first to admit it. When I say that, I am not talking about everyday patience, I am talking about the type of patience that we are expected to have as we wait for good things to come... as we wait for the true desires of our hearts.

A couple of weeks ago, I was teaching my Relief Society lesson. I have been teaching the 4th Sunday lessons, Teachings for Our Times, from the General Conference issue of the Ensign. The June lesson was on the talk given in the Priesthood Session by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf called:

Continue in Patience

Elder Uchtdorf said in that talk that "without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace."

During this lesson, I was able to share a few examples from my own life where patience was required... but not necessarily handled correctly. Losing Aaron was one of those examples. This life is a learning process, right? We are truly being put through a refiners fire. We are being molded and shaped into what we are supposed to become and what we CAN become. These trials and hardships and adversities that we experience here are supposed to be those things that mold us and shape us and refine us into what we CAN become if we respond to those trials and hardships and adversities in righteous ways. If we know that these experiences and our reaction to them are what help us to become more like God, then why do we fight against them with so much of our might? I am guilty of this.

At this time of my life, I am trying to have patience, but as time goes on and on and on... it is becoming more and more difficult for my patience to endure. I am struggling with this right now. There are some things where I have no choice but to be patient. Like being with Aaron again, it is not my choice when I will be able to be with Aaron again, so that is something that it easy for me to be patient about. The things of this world... those are the things that are more difficult for me. Happiness in THIS life... happiness that comes from having a traditional family life. Not only do I want this, but I want Aaron Jr to experience this as well. But waiting for it... some times it is easier than other times to wait. But wait I must. And as time goes on, as disappointments and heartaches come and go and then come, the missing of Aaron is like a roller coaster ride over and over again. I miss him.

In Psalms 40: 1-3, it says:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."

They Lord knows what is best for me. So why is it so tough to wait on Him? We want to be happy and we want it HOW we want it and we want it now! I know that's why it is tough for me.

Here is another quote from Elder Uchtdorf's talk that says it so perfectly:

"Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience. Often we can’t see the Lord’s hand in our lives until long after trials have passed."

I pray every night for the Lord to guide me and direct me to where I need to be (or to 'establish my goings' like it says in those Psalms verses). I pray for guidance and I also pray for faith. I do pray for patience as well, but not as often as I should. That one needs to be every night... I need to pray for patience daily.
As I TRY to wait patiently, I look forward to the days when instead of looking up at the mountains of my future experience from the deep valleys of my present, I will be able to stand on the mountains of my present experience and look back down at the deep valleys of my past.

I must pray for HOPE. I must pray for FAITH. I must pray for PATIENCE.

All good things come to those who wait, right?
I certainly hope so.

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Oh, the Days that are Tough...

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'I will persist. I will always take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another.' ~Og Mandino

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