May Memories

My family for memorial day we have a picnic at my aunts house in Huntsville. It was inside this year as it rained some of the time, but we were together and that is what Grandma would want us to do she looks down at these parties and is smiling because her family is still close!! I love the view in the front yard as this time of year you can see the snow cap mountains and Pineview from looking out their front window. I had to take a few pictures of course I wasn’t planning on it, so I didn’t have any makeup on or anything, but oh well, I think I have a cute family anyway, and you look at the kids anyway huh!!! I also always go to Grandma & Grandpa Shurtleff graves as well as I have such great memories of them and I want my kids to know them through me. As we were driving to the picnic at my Aunts I said my favorite thing about Grandma Shurtleff was, then Tanner piped up and said “Apple Pie!” I thought that was so funny because Grandma died three months before Tanner was born, and he remembered me telling him that one time when he was helping me make apple pies. I love to make Rolls & Apple Pie because of Grandma, she always had a pan of soup or chili or something to eat when you stopped by, and if she didn’t have anything ready she would find something for you. She was the most Christ-like, Humble, Loving, Patient person; she had True Charity all the attributes that go with it, that was my Grandma & she was & is my Hero!! I know all my cousins would agree that she made them feel like they were her favorite!! Grandpa my fondest memories were him taking us for walks and we would walk to the Deaf & Blind School down the street and play on the toys, or sometimes we would go further to the other park just off Monroe & 21st street. My favorite was the merry-go-round, and he would spin us so fast and we would just laugh and laugh. I found a picture from a long time ago, it was just before Jason and I got married and they took us all to the Timbermine for helping them move when they sold the house on Quincy and moved in with my parents. What a great time it was for me to live with them for the few months I did before I got married. A special spirit was in the home and I loved the extra time with them before they passed away. Grandma even had me invite Jason over for dinner quite a few times, but I remember one time, she made homemade rolls and a pork loin roast and she was so cute to make it so special for us. I think that is why I love to cook is because she did. I have to carry on the apple pie tradition too!!! I do love to cook and I am disappointed when something doesn’t turn out, because when you make something people like, they are happy and you are happy, and happy is good. So I know not to make the cheesecake I did for the family party today as it didn’t turn out, maybe it didn’t because I don’t like cheesecake, I was trying something new as I know Jason loves cheesecake. Oh well, lesson learned.

With the Rays they have a Memorial day tradition of eating dinner then going to the graves the Sunday before. I have enjoyed this tradition as I love to hear the stories about the favorite stories of Shirley and Ivan’s Parents and Grandparents, and etc. Shirley was telling us a memory about her mom as she died when she was quite young and her dad died when she was only I think 18 an elevator crushed him at work. Her mom used to talk down to the store from their house and her mom would treat them to a cherry pie and then they would walk back home. She never told her mom that she didn’t like those cherry pies as she didn’t want to hurt her feelings. That tells you a little about my mother-in-law, she is a very humble sweet women. I love spending time with Jasons family and am so thankful that I have inlaws that I get along with and are such great Grandparents for my children. This year we had to take three cars and follow each other from each cemetary as just not enough room to cram in two cars now, it was fun. Tanner loved riding with Grandma & Grandpa in the Truck and being the big helper to put the flower by the grave. This year we talked a lot about Jason’s cousin, Darwin who was killed in a motorcycle accident just a week and a half ago. He leaves four children and a wife behind and two are still on missions, one had his homecoming last Sunday and came home the eve of his father accident. It makes you think if you were to die would they have anything good to say about me. You have to live life every day as if it were your last, because you have no idea when it will be your last. I don’t think I am even close to ready, I have to repent daily for being so impatient. I think I will be working on patients until my dying day.

I know I am picture happy, but this is where I see memories is in my pictures. I take my camera usually on special days and holidays and sometimes I try to get myself in a few as well. With it being May and Mothers day, I always like to take pictures of me and my kids and my Mom and Mother-in-law, Ivan snuck one of Shirley sticking her tongue out, so I had to post that one and she kept saying I am not making a funny face. On Mothers day we went to my parents for dinner and my father-in-law ended up having the flu, so we took mothers day pictures this last Sunday instead. We were having fun with it, so I wanted to post a few. Also below is one of the ones we took of me and the kids on Mothers Day and the one with my Mom on Mothers day too. Don't be mad I posted this mom!! She just loves her picture taken!!!

I hope they call me on a mission to Scotland!

Jason lost a cousin in a motorcycle accident, so last week was a crazy busy week with a Missionary Homecoming of his cousins son, the viewing & funeral, plus Tanners T-ball started too. It was a very busy and emotional week. Tanner saw his second cousin in his kilt that went on a mission to Scotland and asked on the way home, “Mom, where do you get one of those outfits?” I told him “Tanner he went on his mission to Scotland and he brought it home, that is one of the things they wear in Scotland, it is called a kilt.” He thought for a minute then said. “Mom, I am going to go to Scotland on my mission!” I thought it was so cute, my response was “Well Tanner, we go where the Lord wants us to go and it might not be Scotland.” He said with no hesitation, “Well we will tell Him I want to go to Scotland then!”

Jason’s Dad and two of his second cousins and his cousins husband all went to Scotland on missions, so at the funeral they all wore their kilts, it was very neat. Ivan also played the bagpipes, is was pretty neat. Jason’s parents told us that they had a little kid kilt and so all week that is all Tanner would talk about is when are we going to Grandma & Grandpas. He kept forgetting what it was called and He would say “Mom what is it called?” I would say what because it would just be out of the blue he would say this to me. “The skirt at Grandpas?” I would say “OH-the Kilt!” So Sunday we had to take pictures of him and Grandpa dressed up in the Kilts. Tanner now wants to play the bagpipes too!!

The Ultimate Gift

Here is a picture of my two precious Gifts!! They are my world!! I am excited for the day that they are older and will do the fun cute things for Mothers Day that kids do. Tanner is a very helpful little one already and he did draw me a cute picture and posted it on my work board in my office & his school did do a cute hot pad with his handprints on them with a cute poem. Jason at church to entertain him did a cute tracing of the hand and wrote something with it too. I am thankful for my Mom and Dad for teaching me, and Jason’s parents for teaching him the right way. I am especially at this time with it being mothers day yesterday, thankful for my Mom and my Mother-in-law they are the best grandmas kids could ask for. They both have such great qualities like humility, unconditional Love, gratitude, great examples of service and testimony of the Gospel.

If you have never seen the movie "The Ultimate Gift" you need to rent it, it is well worth watching. Tanner even watched it all the way through. I won’t give the whole movie away, but we should all teach our children these twelve gifts, then they are sure to make it in this evil world, not to the extent the movie did, but you know. I thought it went well with the gospel teachings and teaching our children as well.
The Gift of………Work
The Gift of ………Money (How to save, serve, & spend wisely)
The Gift of ………Friends
The Gift of……….Learning
The Gift of……….Problems (Don’t begin to live until you’ve lost everything)
The Gift of……….Family
The Gift of………. Laughter
The Gift of………..Dreams
The Gift of……….Giving
The Gift of……….Gratitude
The Gift of……….A Day
The Gift of……….Love!!!
The perfect example is our Savior, Jesus Christ. If we follow him and use the gifts we were given to expand our gifts the blessings we will receive will be great. I hope I can be a good example and teach my children so they can be strong in these days that are so much harder for the kids. I don’t remember all the evil that is going on now a days when I was younger. I can’t imagine how it will be when my kids will be in high school. I know that I am not perfect by any means, but with the help of my Savior someday I will see him and I hope I can give him a big hug and he may say to me. “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”

My cousin left this link on her blog and as I was writing this I thought it went well with my thoughts, take a look at the video of Christ. (Thanks Mignon)
http://www.eastvalleyproductions.com/blog.cfm?postID=31

2008 BYU Womens Conference

This was my first of many years to come at BYU Women’s Conference!! I loved it. It was a nice refreshing get away for two days and one night. Next year we want to go down the night before so we don’t have to leave so early. My sister, Jenna, and my Cousin, Leslie who is like a sister and I were the ones to go this year. This year we didn’t really know what to expect and wasn’t sure where everything was at BYU, so next year we will be more prepared as we will know a little more where we are going. Well these are my feeling about the conference.
We left bright and early Thursday morning at 6am and we didn’t get home until about 10:30pm on Friday night. I know the conference got over much earlier then that, but we stopped and got a bite to eat in SL at the Old Spaghetti Factory, my favorite the Tomato Sauce and Mizithra Cheese. And before that we stopped and checked out IKEA. Good thing Mom wasn’t with us at IKEA, we would have been their for another hour or two. Hee hee, gotta love to shop with Mom.
The opening session was Sheri Dew and the biggest thing I got out of her talk was “Influence the world, instead of being influenced by the World.” “Am I the women God needs me to be?” Am I serving and doing all that I can for the Lord and I need to ask daily what he wants me to do today and if I listen he will guide me as to who may need served that day.
We then skipped the first call and got some lunch and then went to the next two classes. The first class was “I know the Scriptures are True” I got some good ideas of what I need to be doing better to help my children to love and appreciate the scriptures for themselves. One of the things that I realized is that I need to do better myself and have my personal scripture study so that my kids will see my love of the scriptures when I am helping them to understand them. I am good for a while, then bad at my personal study of the scriptures, I need to just be more consistent and make the more of a priority in my daily things to do. I got comfort that I was not the only one that is inconsistent, and not be discouraged by set backs, with my personal and family scripture study. When the kids are young I need to keep it simple. I got an idea to use the Gospel Art kit and put some pictures together and so I am going to do that and review our Scripture book daily along with reading a few scriptures even if we start out with only a verse a day. When the kids get older I am got other ideas as well. I want to do topic cards and each week search the scripture one on that topic and every day we will review the scripture and talk about the topic and the kids will have the scripture memorized at the end of the week and have a better understanding of that topic.
“We are as the Army of Helaman” Raising Righteous Sons.
This was more of a fun one that we went too of a couple that raised seven sons and ideas they had in raising their sons. They had five things that they felt was important in raising sons.
WORK-“Boys need wood to chop” “Without Hard work, nothing grows but weeds.”
RESPONSIBILITY-”Learn as they earn” Set goals with your children teach them to Earn, Save, Tithe, Spend & don’t spoil them too much.
RESPECT- Teach courtesy. “To be respected you must be respectable.” It is funny because I just mentioned to Jason a couple of weeks ago that he needs to start opening the doors for me again as he does if we go out together, but not so much if we are running around. I wanted Tanner to see that is important for him to learn.
EXPECTATIONS-”Let them know what you expect of them and be clear.”
REVERANCE-By example by going to church, the temple, service, prayer, & etc.
The closing session Elder & Sister Bateman spoke, they are the president of the Provo Temple right now. The spoke of the temple and a lot of what I got out of it was that I need to model my home after the Saviors (House of God) He touched on some things they practice in the temple and that we should in our homes.
Soft voices, House of Learning, Always Begin & End with Prayer, Love-Everyone is treated with kindness, Quality & Order-Everything is in its proper place
Gosh after the first day I thought, man I have a lot to work on as I was spiritually fed on Thursday, and I looked forward to another full day of the same. Thursday night we went to eat and we were going to plan on going to the concert they had that night, but Jenna and Leslie didn’t really want to go and then I got so sick, so we ended up going back to our room and went to bed early.
We woke up the next day and the opening session was with Sister Beck the General RS President. I wasn’t feeling the best still, and I didn’t take many notes, but I did write down my thought as she talked about our ancestors that made the trek to Utah, they will meet us after we passed on and ask us what we did as they made the path here for us. What have we done?
The first class of the day we sent to “Good, Better, Best-Simplifying & Unflattering our lives.”
“Instead of doing for our children, do with our children.” Take our 15 minutes to do our scripture study, & keep a journal.
“We neglect the things that matter most to do the things that matter least.” Fundamental Five:
Family Prayer, Family Scripture Study, Family Home Evening, One on One time, & Family Dinner.
Ways we can simplify our lives we can:
~Quit Decorating & re-decorating (Holidays be more simple)
~Don’t make Birthday Celebrations so Huge
~Invitations to parties, weddings, etc. it is only an invitation, not an obligation. We don’t need to go to everything we are invited to.
~Scrapbooking/Blogging-not a commandment. Of course I still love to do it!!
~Plan Weekly Meals-Save the many trips to the store we don’t need to make.
~Books-If you love to read, have you read your scriptures first?
~TV & Internet are big time wasters-don’t let them be.
~Shopping without a purpose
She asked at the end “If we knew Christ were coming at the end of the year, what would we be doing to simplify?” Be Ye also Ready!!
The second class was “Take a Deep Breath & count to ten” controlling anger. I really wanted to go to this class because I get frustrated easy. I just yell a lot, ok I got it out and admitted it. First step right!! I was actually disappointed with this one as I was looking more of ok, I know I shouldn’t yell and get frustrated and angry, but how do I fix it tell me what to do. So I did get a little out of it and realized that most of the time when I do get angry it is because I am frustrated, not at what Tanner is doing, but at myself for something. I think I expect so much out of Tanner, so then I get upset. I need to realize that he is only 4 ½ and still young and learning too. I would and never had hurt him, I just yell, so I know that is hurting him and hurting his feelings, so that is something I am really working on not doing, and I know if I pray that I will have a higher power to help me, and I can overcome this and not yell so much. This class was full, so at least I am not the only one that yells too much at their kid. Hee hee!!
The third session we were late as we grabbed a bite to eat on the way back to the Marriott to listen to the final speaker and get the seats we wanted for the closing session. It was a husband and wife speaking about marriage relationships. It was so good as I realize and they made a comment that you look at your grandparents and think they had such a great marriage and respect for each other. They probably didn’t start that way, it was many years of working at it and making it perfect. Everyone has trials in their marriage and I will keep ours. It works for us and I wouldn’t want to be married to anyone else other then Jason as I know we are suppose to be together and I do love him so much and he is such a great father and husband. No we are not perfect, but we are together and we will be forever!!
We were so blessed to have President Monson speak at the closing session of the conference, it was awesome!! It is amazing the love and spirit you feel from him. It is as if his words are poetry. I felt the spirit so strong before I could even see him as he was walking in. I know he is called of God to guide the church in these days!! Wow he is an amazing man. He was called to the 12 at age 36, I didn’t know that until a couple of days ago.
A few thoughts I wrote down as he was speaking:
“Find Joy in the Journey now!” “No tomorrow to remember if we don’t do today.” “Every Day of your life is a special occasion.” “Once you have missed out on something it is gone!” “Problem to be solved is not more important then a person.” “One day each of us will run out of tomorrows.” “Its not difficult to be happy on pleasant days!” “We learn, grow, and are refined through dark days, sorrows, and hard days.” “The real test is if we are able to ENDURE!! Will we falter or finish?” “When you get to the end of the rope, tie a knot and hang on!”
I was just soaking up all he said and wanted to write everything down then realized ok just soak in what you can and don’t write down so much I am sure I can see this in the re-broadcast or on the website after. I was so glad that I had the opportunity to be in his presence, I know he is the Prophet today and a man of God!!!
Over all we enjoyed and I look forward to next year. I know this was very long and probably boring to some of you, but I wanted to make sure I wrote my feelings of the few days as it has made me want to be a better person by going. I have things I really want to work on and hope that I can be better because of going.

The Girls "Betsy, Leslie, & Jenna"

SISTERS
OK-I want to just say I have an awesome Sister that is also my best friend. I really don’t know what I would do without her. It was so much fun to be with her for a few days with no distractions. It has been so much fun to live so close to her as well as we probably talk daily and see each other often as Dylan and Tanner are obsessed with each other. Tanner is always asking to go play, they have gotten into a little bit of trouble like thinking they were doing a good thing by covering a hole, little did they know it was the main sprinkler box shut off. Sorry Lyman-since he is the one that had to dig it back out. Thanks for always being their for me and helping me with the things that I am stupid on. Like sewing, decorating, and etc. Our relationship means a lot to me and I treasure it and if anything ever happened to my sister I would have a breakdown. Leslie is like a sister, she had no sisters, so we have adopted her as our sister. She was Jenna’s age growing up, but when you get older age doesn’t matter. I think Leslie is one of the most generous and giving persons I know. She is a great friend and we love going camping and learning from her and her family. In fact we need to get a camping trip planned, once I get the trailer un-buried. I also have such great sister-in-laws and cousins. (Marci, Jami, Laura, and too many cousins to name. Mignon-hee hee!!) I am so glad that I love and get along with all of them on both sides mine and Jason’s, I will brag about all of them later. Grandma Shurtleff always made sure the parties happened so we stayed close and it is so great to be close to my cousins and Tanner knows his second cousins as well as his first cousins. I think that is pretty cool. Whenever someone mentions not having one of the partied someone pipes up and says “Grandma would want us to have the party.” how can you not have a party with that being said!!! Grandma is still watching out for us!!!

Jasons Backpacking Trip

Tanner trying to hide and go with dad on the backpack trip. hee hee!!

Jason went on a backpacking Trip with my two brothers and one of my brothers friends and my brothers father- in- law and brother-in-law. A couple of weeks ago they met Spencer down in Escalante on Thursday night and got home Monday after midnight. They were planning on only doing about 21 miles from Thursday to Monday, but ended up doing about 37 miles. They finished the hike they were going to do early, so did more. They plan on making this a yearly tradition to go on a backpacking trip with the guys. Jason had such a good time and I knew he would as it is always fun hanging out with my brothers Nelson and Spencer together you are sure to laugh a lot. I am glad that Jason had a good time as we have been stressed with a new house and the many things we have to do with moving and all. This will be a fun trip for Jason to look forward to every year. Above are only a few of the many pictures of the fun trip.

BROTHERS

Ok I am going to brag about my brothers for a minute and I will brag about my sister later. First my oldest brother Matt would have been on the trip if it werent for him living in Iowa going to medical school. What a great example he is to me. From the beginning he has always been the protector and my Big Brother. He has a great family and strong in the gospel, and we could learn a lot from them. I am excited when they get to come out during his summer break in July and we get to hang out with them. I love talking with Matt as he has a great perspective of life and many things. Nelson is the middle child and growing up was the peacemaker. Some of my best memories was in the 7th and 10th grade when Nelson was in the 9th then later the 12th grade, he watched over me and his friends would treat me like a sister too and I loved the attention, especially when I would hear my name yelled down the hall in High School. Or when I got de-pants'd in the 7th grade, my brother and his friend took the kid that did it and pushed him up against the wall and threatened him. I don't think that kid bugged me again and I think he avoided me if he saw me he would walk the other way in fear. When Nelson and his frineds all got home from their missions we hung out and had a great fun group of friends. Nelson and I were such good friends in college people who didn't know us would ask if we were dating. Yuck we never held hands or anything like that, we were just always together. Now, Spencer was the youngest in the family even though everyone always thought I was the youngest for some reason. He was and still is the class clown. When Spencer is around you are sure to laugh and even cry in the same conversation. Never a dull moment when Spencer is around, you just love to be around him. I always look forward to the times when he comes into town and we get to spend some time with him and his family. Even if it is just hangin out and chatting and laughing we enjoy being together. I am greatful for family, for brothers that are great examples to me and what great examples of what fathers and husbands should be, they are some of my heros. I am glad that I have great brother-in-laws also, I don't mean to leave them out, I guess I was just thinking of my three brothers at the moment. I do have my sisters husband and Jasons side three brother-in-laws that are great as well, sorry I just got off on my own brothers. All my brother-in-laws have been so good to me and accepting to me. Lyman, Jarom, Alex, & Tyrun-I love y'all, you know that-I will brag about you more later!!

Thanks Spencer for inviting Jason on the trip-he is sure to make this his yearly tradition, and I am completely supportive of him going.

Precious Moments

Tanner thinks he doesn't need a nap, and most the time if I am home with him and he is being good I don't make him take a nap. At daycare they still have quiet time, and he tells me mom, but I don't want to take a nap today. I tell him that is ok you just have to lay down and be quiet and he always says, but if I do then I will fall asleep. If they only knew how good it was to take a nap. I do take advantage of the time when he is napping especially if both he and Brylee are napping at the same time, if I am lucky. I was letting him watch a movie for his quiet time last week and when I walked in the living room this is what I saw. I couldn't resist taking a picture.

I took a picture of Brylee a few weeks ago when I went in and checked on her before going to bed and she was all comfortable laying on top of her Doll that Grandma Ray gave her. She looked so precious I couldn't resist a picture of her that day either.