Magic Mountain

I don't have a lot of pictures of the park this year because we were scattered all day long.  But Dallin was able to ride on some of the bigger rides and it was so NOT BUSY that Travis and I were able to do a few rides together as well.   It was a great day to go - no lines and Lynn came late and brought Wendy's for lunch so we all left the park and went out and ate for cheaper and then went back in for more fun!

The trip home...

We made the long trip home stopping midway in Ely to stay the night....it was all great until we got about 30 miles from home and our back tire blew out.  I am lucky that I have a "handy" husband who knew how to change the tire and get us home.  It was cold and windy when we pulled over to change it.

Fun at Aunt Lynn's!

While at Lynn and Jake's the kids went to church, watched movies, did puzzles, read books, and played together.  It was a great time.  Annabelle and Tyler (like always) were really great friends.  In the second picture you can see them watching a movie in the playroom and Annabelle was rubbing Tyler's head.  So adorable.  Annabelle slept her room with us (Travis and I and my little boys) on one night and Lynn came in and the little ones sang us primary songs they had learned at church.  It was so spiritual....

 

Vaction for Thanksgiving!

Getting ready for a vacation is always a disaster.  Buying food (good food for traveling that the kids love) getting headphones in order with batteries, picking enough movies to stay entertained, etc.  But it is a blast.  We told the kids this year we were only going to Arizona to see the cousins on Travis' side of the family and also Grandma and Grandpa Chesley. 

 

What they didn't know is that we were detouring through Newhall, CA to see Lynn and Jake for a few days and go to Magic Mountain one more time on our passes from last year.  Trish and Matthew were also going to CA for the week so we told the kids that we were caravaning with them because it is safer to drive together.  We followed eachother for a day and a half.  We split up about 10 minutes before arriving at Lynn's.  They had to use the bathroom so we stopped at one place to grab some new headphones and then I told them we could stop in at Aunt Lynn's to use the bathroom ....we went in and I announced the whole plan - they didn't even seem that surprised....but it turned out to be a lot of fun.  Great memories were made for sure!

 

Company!

We were fortunate to be able to have Larry and Judy and Marie here for Gwendalin's baptism.  I captured a few pictures while they were here.  Lots of bonding with grandparents, games of 'SORRY' walks, monkey bars, "rock, paper scissors, SHOOT!', SEVERAL pop runs to Maverik , etc.  It was a wonderful weekend.

 I love this girl!  we were figuring it has been about 21 years that we have been friends.  She is AMAZING!

 ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS, SHOOT! They played this with Marie and laughed hysterically!  Dallin kept bugging Marie to play "I like big butts and I cannot lie..." on her phone (this is a song....) but he would say the entire phrase every time.

 Too much football.....

2012 Presidential Election

This was the year we voted for a president.  The race was between our current president Barak Obama (on the right) and the republican runner Mitt Romney (left) (in the first picture).  I love this great nation, I love that I have a chance to voice my opinion through voting and to see that there are still good people who love what our forefathers have done to establish this nation!  It is still the best country in the WORLD!  I don't like President Obama.  Plain and simple, he is deceitful, he is inconsistent, and he compromises a plethora of values that this nation was founded upon.  Just before this election he announced his support of Gay/Lesbian rights and marriage.  How sad is it that we have compromised the moral standard established by the good men that the Lord put in place to found our country....and yet, here we are, doing whatever it takes to get popular and win elections.  Needless to say, Obama was re-elected on Tuesday.  I won't deny it, I was very upset, more so than I thought I would be.  I was sure we had a chance to get Romney in the White House.  But life will go on, even if the country goes bankrupt, and downhill infinitely faster under his leadership.  Enough about him, let me say a bit about Mitt Romney.

He was the republican nominee.  Yes, he is LDS.  but that's not why I loved him.  No matter how hard the other side tried to dig up "dirt" there was no dirt on him.  He has served as a Bishop, he has 5 boys grown and married, and is married to the same woman he started out with.  In these pictures you can see his eyes are soft, he has the spirit with him and undoubtedly prayed during this entire process of running for this office.  I know without a doubt that before each of the 3 presidential debates one of his sons gave him a blessing.  I know he was following the spirit through the whole thing.  He wouldn't compromise his values, he wanted to help us get a balanced budget, he wanted to help create jobs, he LOVES the UNITED STATES of AMERICA!  I love him for giving up so much to run, to set an example - and for the purpose I think the Lord had (since he didn't win) to give exposure (positive) for the church! 

It's a sad day that the nation is so divided almost evenly.  Apparently there are not enough of us that are "God Fearing" people with morals and values, who know that you need to work to support yourselves, not live off of the government....but it is what it is.  I have a few quotes/scriptures that I have found helpful determining the state in which we find ourselves and in processing the devastating loss:

"The government will take from the 'haves' and give to the 'have nots.' Both have lost their freedom.  Those who 'have,' lost their freedom to give voluntarily of their own free will and in the way they desire.  Those who 'have not,' lost their freedom because they did not earn what they received.  They got 'something for nothing' and they will neither appreciate the gift nor the giver of the gift." - Howard W. Hunter 

**the above quote is exactly what President Obama is doing....tax the rich to spread the wealth to the poor....

Mosiah 29:27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.

Helaman 5:2  For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.

The good thing is, I still get to raise my kids in MY home with MY VALUES.  It's a good thing I have the gospel of Jesus Christ because I don't trust the leaders  of this nation....but I do trust my Heavenly Father and so I will move forward.

Boise Temple Open House

The Boise Temple has been being remodeled for the last 18 months or so.  For the last several weeks there has been a public open house for everyone to come and walk through.  Travis and I were able to work on the 30th from 9am-1pm doing parking and hosting.  It is so beautiful!  I took my kids through it on halloween afternoon.  They loved it.  When I asked them what their favorite rooms were Tyler loved the baptismal font, Gwenalin loved the Bride's room, Dallin loved "the whole pretty temple part" and Hunter loved the Celestial room.  Our tour was a small group - maybe 10-15 and my kids were the only kids in the group. 

We got into the chapel before walking into the baptistry and Dallin quietly said to me "Is Jesus here?"  One of the other tour members heard our whole conversation and she was grinning from ear to ear.  I told Dallin that yes, He was there.  He seemed confused becuase his response was "I can't see Him, where is He?"  I said "Well, we can't see Him, but can you feel how nice it feels in here?, that's Him- He makes it feel so nice."  That seemed to satisfy him. 

Hunter turned to me in the endowment room while we were waiting to move on and said "Mom, it's so peaceful here, I can see why you like to come a lot."  I was glad he had picked up on that.

Travis was able to take our friend Jared Frothinger through last night - they had an amazing experience.   Jared was very receptive and had lots of questions.  I am so proud of Travis for being the example that he is and being willing to share his testimoney with his friend.  Our intention was to take he and his wife, but she got called out of town for work and couldn't go, but Jared really wanted to go before it was rededicated.

I am so excited that it is opening again so close!  I have missed being able to have it convienently available.

Gwendalin's Baptism

Gwendalin was baptized today.  It was a special day.  She was the only one from our ward and there were only 6 from the stake.  Our family was in charge of the musical number so my kids sang with Tricia's kids a little primary medley.  The program lasted 15 minutes and then the batpsims took place.  It was beautiful to watch Travis baptize his only girl -the emotion was there and the spirit was strong.  We had an overwhelming turn out of support:  our home teacher and his wife Kip & Stephanie Didricksen, our friends and the Bishop from 2nd ward Kevan & Judy Wheelock, Matthew and Trish with their family, Mom and dad, Larry & Judy, Mary and Robby (Travis' cousin) and their girls, Gwendalin's friend Caityln and her mom and sister, Gwendalin's primary teachers the Crosgroves, Randy Smith (from our Bishopric), Danielle Stellmon (from the primary presidency).  She felt lots of love.  She is determined to listen to the Holy Ghost and try to stay "perfect."