Boyd's photo shoot

My very favorite one! I just want to smooch that cute face!

The invitation pick (it was so hard to choose!)

His "handsome new clothes"

One of my favorites!

Oh my GOSH, this is one handsome kid! I just love this amazing boy! Aunt Jenna took these great pictures at the Provo temple for his baptism invitations. He took this thing seriously! We weren't allowed to make him laugh with such highly inappropriate words such as "pickles or boogers." This is a spiritual place, but we were allowed to talk about cats and make cat noises... that was an acceptable subject to smile about! Boyd is so funny! I am so happy to see him get excited for his baptism.

Young Women

I found some more pictures of the girls and it makes me miss that warm weather! But, seriously I have such pretty little girls! Can't stand their cuteness!

I got called into Young Women's recently and I really love it! I had a great time at Girls camp this summer and I'm excited to hang out with these cool girls again. One of our activities was ice blocking! Pretty much all those pictures were blurry because they were all in constant motion. Good times!

This one needs some explaining, huh? My partner in Young Women's has a ton of dresses from various family members and had the girls try them on to wear for another activity. There were some interesting old school dresses, but it was awesome!
That brings me to my activity for Young Women in Excellence night. We spent so much time and energy planning this and it turned out so great!

First, we had a "Red Carpet" (actually it was bright pink) with the "Star of Fame" walkway. We also had a little paparazzi crowd (activity days girls cheered as the Young Women came in)!

We had an interviewer and cameraman, of course!

We decorated the cultural hall all snazzy! It actually took about 5 hours to blow up all the balloons and set up the place, plus days and days of making centerpieces, gift bags, and stars. (It did look a lot better with the dim lights and lit centerpieces, etc.)

One of my favorite things was the photo booth! Obviously we had some fun props and even a polaroid camera there!

I wish I had taken some more pictures, but was busy helping run the show. We had a great MC host and did an amazing "Emma Award Show" (like the Emmys, but Emma for Emma Smith... I thought it was obvious, but had to explain that several times). We had performances and "celebrity" guests and speakers. I don't think it could have gone any better! We have such wonderful, talented young women. I just love them!

Pirates! Aaarrrr!

My man sure looks sexy in eyeliner :)

This is my favorite!

We had such a fun time at Ken's boss' pirate party last night! I love having this event every year, it was our 4th time and it was the best yet!

Pretty girls!

I sure love these beautiful girls! I'm not sure where they learned to pose, they are so funny! They couldn't be cuter if they tried.

Daisy's dance and our cool hike!

Daisy started dance class last week! I think I was more excited than she was! She did so great, didn't yell at her teacher or cry, and did everything she was supposed to do! The 3 year old class just killed me with cuteness! She got to hold a tiny teddy bear for her dance, I just love it!

Last Saturday we went on a family hike up to Stewart Falls (by Sundance) and it was very beautiful! A little bit on the hard side, especially having to carry Daisy and our backpack for a lot of it, but it was still awesome!

There is a cool amphitheater at the base the kids call the "fortess" they love to play around.

We had so many great views along the hike!

I'm glad there were a couple places to have a rest, though!

2 miles each way, with lots of ups and downs, but we made it!

We were up on the cliff looking at the waterfall, but Ken and Mia went down a super steep way to get to the bottom. Pretty scary!

Lucy found a fuzzy friend up there. It is pretty cute for a crawly thing!

Boyd

I signed up Boyd for soccer this year. It's been pretty good for him, I think. It's something brand new that he wouldn't normally be into, but he's been so good to try it. Overall he likes it, with just a couple of times of getting upset. He's starting to get a little confidence. Tonight at his game, he kicked it a few times (his first game he didn't touch it once), he likes being the goalie or defender, but not so much getting in the crowd of kids. I'm not sure if we'll do soccer again, but I'm very proud of him for giving it a chance!

Last night for our family night we had a picnic at a park just a little up Payson canyon. At the camp spot we noticed how trashy it was right there. There were a hundred cigarette butts, empty cans, tons of trash, and worst of all the people left a fire in the pit (I'm pretty sure there wasn't supposed to be any fire at all). So, we cleaned up that small area, just filling up the bag and empty pizza box with trash, and poured water over the fire. We had a short walk around and it was really nice! Beautiful weather and the leaves are all ready changing up the canyon.

Every new school year, I get super worried about Boyd getting used to school and all the changes. He just keeps getting better and better with everything, just has a few hang ups here and there. Today after school we sat down to do homework and he finished the math page no problem, reading time great, but he would NOT write his sentences and spelling words! He cried and whined and fought with me for over an hour. I was threatening and getting mad and finally asked him what will make this easier... neither of us were happy and I hate being the meanie. He said he was just too upset, his sisters are loud and he needed help to calm down. Just last night Ken put on an Enya song in the car and he loved it. So,I got the idea to put headphones with Enya, and not a second later he wrote all of his spelling words and sentences and was done in under 5 minutes! He smiled and said, "Thank you mom, I feel happy again." Good ol' Enya, I could just kiss her on the lips and thank her for saving me so many, many times! I haven't  thought about Enya for a really long time because he hasn't really needed it.

When Boyd was little and going through the worst of his autism troubles, nothing in the whole world could calm him down! We tried everything under the sun and somehow we discovered the magic of Enya music was the only thing that could stop his huge, crazy, tantrum fits. It was complete hell being so frustrated about every single thing in life for several years. Boyd would immediately stop screaming, let one of us pick him up and rock him to sleep. His whole body would just melt like butter, his eyes sort of glaze over and he was completely still for a good hour!
This one was his favorite he called it "Hi-Yah!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6jPGleYH6E

First day of school!

Yesterday the kids were ready to go 30 mins before it was time. They were pretty excited to get going. We were so glad to meet the new teachers on Monday. Boyd told his teacher she has cute hair.

I never did get a normal smile out of Boyd, he wanted to be silly and then go to school, nothing else. Okay then, good thing he's still a little cutie.

It was very weird having only Daisy home with me. What a quiet, chill sort of day we had. We better find something more to do everyday! Daisy is such an angel at home with me, but out in public she's such a rude child if anyone tries to talk to her she yells no, or whines and refuses to even smile or talk. I'm seriously hoping she'll get past that phase once she gets used to preschool in a couple weeks.

After school, the report was "Good!" I didn't get much else out of Boyd and Lucy, but they seemed to have a good day and the school year should turn out well! (crossing fingers)

Oreo PB cheesecake!

Oreo peanut butter cheesecake! Yeah that's right!

Here's what I did...

Crushed up 2/3 package of oreos (minus a few, cuz I might have eaten them)
Mixed it with 3 T of butter and pressed into pan 9x13.

In a bowl mix 3 packages of cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, about 1 cup peanut butter (maybe that's too much, it's really peanut butter-y) 2 eggs, 1/2 c sour cream, and vanilla.

Pour most of that mixture (probably 2/3 of it) onto the oreo crumbles and bake at 350 for 25 mins.

Whip 1 1/2 cup cream. Fold it into the rest of the cheesecake mix. After the baking part is done and cooled, pour that over top. Crush the rest of the package of oreos and spread on top of that and drizzle chocolate sauce (below) and I used just a little bit more whipped cream that was leftover. Refrigerate for a few hours.

Chocolate sauce I used:

Put about a half cup of cream (not whipped) in a bowl with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Microwave for about 30 seconds and whisk until smooth. I used dark chocolate and it's super rich.


 There it is and it's yumm-o!

Happy Birthday Lucy!

My little Lucy-goose is now 6 years old! Wow! I'm so happy to have this sweet, spunky girl in our family. Lucy is so funny (she loves to be the center of attention!), such a good sister to play with her brother and sister everyday, and she is such a creative talented artist! I love love love her!

I made her a cute cake last Sunday for the family celebration. I forgot to take a picture of the inside- I had 3 layers pink, magenta, and purple. I sure love making cakes lately, they are so fun and cute. Cute food is the best!

I have not been very good at all with blogging- it seems a bit overkill when I post a picture on facebook and instagram and then write a blog about it. That seems to be a trend for a lot of people too, I've noticed. So what to do, huh? I'm much too shy to write about very much of my crazy thoughts and feelings. So, I'm not sure if I want to get rid of the blog or just be lazy about it like I have been and just post once in a while. I don't think very many people read it anyway.

4th of July and Pioneers

We had a fun 4th of July, as usual we went to my sister Kelly's for a BBQ and then to the Martin's yard to watch the stadium fireworks. I made some cute festive treats for the occasion.

Red, white and blue drink! Neat huh?

I had also made a cute wreath for some decorations cuz I don't have any.

The last couple of weeks I had Boyd and Lucy take swim lessons at the Payson pool. It has been really good for them. They both said it's so hard! They have 2 teenage boys as their teachers and they have been so patient and good to the kids! I only wish I had separated Boyd and Lucy into different classes though just because of the competition between them is no good. But, they are doing better this week and have just 1 more lesson left.

Tonight we had a Relief Society activity and shared pioneer stories. At the beginning of this year, it was the first time I went through my family history and I seriously had no idea that I even had pioneer ancestors at all. I have quite a few and there is really a lot written about them. I wanted to bring a story and have been reading a ton just through searching several names I had to see what came up. Seriously my mind was blown again to read their stories- they are incredible!

This part is probably really boring to other people, but this is the story I abridged to share for the activity:

Aroet Hale moved to Kirtland, Ohio in 1835 with his family. There he was baptized, being nine years old, by Wilford Woodruff, into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His father Johnathan Hale helped build the temple which was dedicated in 1836. In July of 1837, Johnathan Hale was called to lead a group of saints to Far West and then Adam-ondi ahman. There a mob militia attacked their camp terrorizing and searching for guns and supplies. Aroet's mother Olive was lying sick in a wagon box in their tent, she hid 2 pistols in her dress. 4 mob men came into her tent, lifted her bed throwing her from side to side until she was nearly exhausted, but they didn't get her pistols. They arrested Johnathan, stole his 2 rifles and food and scattered his livestock. Being the eldest son, at age 12 Aroet had to take care of his sick mother and younger siblings until his father was released and then they were able to cross the frozen River to Missouri. Those 2 pistols saved them later when they had no food, they made a trade for food.

In the spring of 1841 the family arrived in Nauvoo and began work on the temple. Johnathan and Aroet hauled rock to help build the temple. One evening the prophet Joseph Smith stayed with the Hale family where they first heard him speak on the subject of Celestial Marriage and baptism for the dead. In the next few years Aroet became well aquainted with the prophet by joining the Nauvoo legion as the drummer boy. All of the saints were distraught to hear of the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, but continued on. The Nauvoo temple was dedicated in 1846. Johnathan and Olive were sealed there and Aroet received his endowment and ordained a seventy by Orson Hyde. In the same year the saints were driven out of Nauvoo. Johnathan's family was asked to stay until every saint was out of Nauvoo and settled in Winter Quarters.

President Young was asked to form the Mormon battalion consisting of 500 men. Aroet wanted to join the battalion, but President Heber C Kimball advised him to stay with his family and prepare for winter. His father had just broken his leg and his mother was about to give birth. The weather was very warm, the river water very bad and in a few weeks nearly all the camp was taken down with the chills and fever. A great many died including his father Johnathan. Aroet's mother was very sick and called him to her side 4 days later for her final words, “Aroet, promise me one thing, that you will take good care of my darling children and go to the mountains with President Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. There is where your dear father started to go with them. Don't be persuaded to turn back by any of our relations that are writing to us. Do as I have counseled you and I bless you and the Lord will bless you” His mother Olive died from malaria, and then 7 days later his newborn baby sister died as well as his 2 year old sister. As an 18 year old, Aroet was in charge of his remaining siblings- Rachel 17, Alma 10, and Solomon 7years.

For one year Aroet worked building houses in Winter Quarters, saving to earn his team of oxen, cattle, wagon and supplies for the journey across the plains. Aroet's family was organized into the Heber C Kimball company leaving for the Great Salt Lake Valley on May 9^th, 1848. He was appointed to be a hunter for the group and had much luck finding buffalo and antelope. From his journal Aroet wrote “Our travels across the plains was a long, tiresome trip over one thousand miles with ox teams. It was hard on old people and women with children. The young folks had enjoyment. Presidents Young and Kimball were very kind and indulgent to the young. They frequently stopped within a mile or so apart. The young would visit from one camp to the other and frequently would get music and have a good dance on the ground. Sometimes the older folks would join with us. On one occasion, President Young took part in the enjoyment. I formed an acquaintance with a young lady crossing the plains that I afterwards married. Her name was Olive Whittle, a daughter of Thomas Whittle. So I did my sparking along the road. So I did not have so much to do after I got into the valley.”

They arrived to Salt Lake in the fall of 1848. The hardships did not end there. Aroet's family received a piece of land and started to build a home. He could not afford windows or a door before the first winter hit. It was freezing and food supply was scarce. The next spring and summer harvests were very small because of the infestation of crickets and grasshoppers. Aroet married Olive Whittle in September and later sealed in the endowment house by president Brigham Young. 

There is more of the story, but I wanted to focus on the pioneer travels of this young kid. I am SO GLAD I WASN'T A PIONEER! I really don't know if I could say I would have been faithful through  all of those trials like the ones in his story- I can't even imagine! The people who came before me and sacrificed everything they had to build up the church are amazing! 

Oh yeah, on Monday I went camping with my family. I don't camp normally, but my dad peer pressured me into going with them. They found a place in Nephi called Big Mountain something with some small cabins and camp sites. 4 of my siblings and their families went also and it was actually pretty fun. There was a swimming pool, good thing because it was hot!! And we just sat around visiting and all the cousins played. I totally didn't even take one picture- oops! Well, anyway, that's what I've been up to the last little while. It's weird that summer is over half way over!