Serenity Now

This Summer I discovered a new found love for mountain biking. I'm grateful for trails that are located literally behind my home and for great weather lasting late into the Fall that even allowed for me to take a quick ride on my lunch break home from work. It is therapy for my mind and body.

Church Stuff

The kids and I cleaned the church and the four of us more than doubled the number of who showed up to help (Bryan had a work event to attend). I love that my kids are good cleaners and look forward to it at the church. Now, how do I recreate this at home?!?

My calling in YWs has been the most challenging and rewarding calling. I have grown to love these YW I serve. Their example to me of standing up for their beliefs and sharing their testimonies has affected me for the eternities!

Prepping for the LAST Young Women In Excellence. The theme was "Capture the Vision of your divine nature and eternal destiny." The decorations were over the top with a YW and her family doing them to help her complete her Personal Progress. Annnnd I don't have any other pics of that night, ha! **RIP YWIE.** 

No tears were shed by me with that night going away!

On the fun side of life, I've also shared my love of "TPing" with the YW and have also been the recipient. It makes me laugh especially because we don't have any trees in our front yard so they need to be creative. The guilty party has yet to be found from the last time...maybe it's spread to the adults in the ward. Haha!

More of Myles' Tummy

This kid! Hahaha...

Another tooth gone!

I picked Emma up from school and she was missing her front tooth! I can't believe how quickly these kids are changing! Sure love this sweet girl.

Donut Factory!

One Sunday evening we cranked out a few dozen donuts and shared with some of our friends. It was a fun family time with delicious results.

Yessss! Give me all the donuts! :)

Beautiful Fall Nights

Luckily, we enjoyed a gorgeous Autumn with a few snowstorms sprinkled in here and there. The nice point about the snow is that it usually warms up and melts fairly quickly in the Fall. We enjoyed some nice evenings playing in the yard and appreciating the sunsets.

Luke's Field Trip

I was one of the lucky parents to win the field trip lottery and go with my kid. I did remind Luke that I was coming to spend time with him and would appreciated the same courtesy in return. He's really a great kid and it's fun to see him with his peers and teacher. I can't believe he is already halfway to 18-years-old, makes my mama heart skip a beat when I think about that!

Found this exhibit and needed to talk about Grandpa Kotter a little bit!

hahahaha!! Poor Luke (and 99% of the other kids) were starving by this point. It was after 1:00 and they still had not eaten their lunch. They were all good sports to roll with it. I found myself wishing I would have stuck a few snacks in my pockets for everyone!

Luke's class with their teacher, Mrs. Chambless. Love this woman. She is so great with Luke and all the kids. I wish I could match her constant enthusiasm--she's amazing. How grateful I am for the good teachers in my kids' lives.

Breckenridge Work Trip

The family tagged along on my work trip to Breckenridge. We had a great time letting the kids play hooky and enjoying some much needed downtime together as a family. 

This Myles is so fun and such a cheater when it comes to games. It's hilarious...until it isn't. Also, I kinda feel like his stuffed animal in the background is peeking in on the game.

Followed the troll's footprints through the snow to find him! Although, Emma and Myles told me that he wasn't a troll, but a bergen. Okay, sure. :) 

Happy Snowy Halloween!

We had a snowy Halloween for trick-or-treating! Despite the pictures, it actually felt warmer than last year. We missed our buddies, the Cramers, as our usual companions for this night. The kids managed to remember where the "good houses" were for full-sized candy bars and other yummy loot.

Myles and I went to the kids' school for their costume parade and parties. Blurry pictures were all that I captured at the school.

*Batgirl**Army Dude**Mummy*

IT anyone? I laughed pretty hard when I saw this, but this about the best explanation I gave, "Some people just think it's funny to put a red balloon by a gutter drain, go figure!?!" :)

Pumpkin Carving

***Sidenote: Myles found it hilarious for a good couple of weeks to give himself a belly with whatever he could manage to fit inside his pajamas, pants, shorts, etc. His blankets and stuffed animals were the ones we usually found subjected to his increased girth.