Going to the Trick or Trunk, Carnival and Chili Feed

Our trip to Purdums Pumpkin Patch

The Joy of Service

I am always looking for a teaching moment. I think it is so important that my children learn to serve others. We live in a world that says me, me, me. We spend alot of time supporting our children in their various activities. We make sure they have nice clothes to wear. They always get things for their birthdays and Christmas. I feel that as parents we try and do our best to help our children feel loved and comfortable. We have been very blessed as a family. I in turn want them to share those blessings with others.
We have a little 90 year old neighbor lady, Lorraine Smart. She is a widow and lives alone. When they moved into their house 60 years ago they planted a little tree. That tree has since grown to be huge. It is a beautiful tree. Yesterday as I went outside to get the mail I glanced over to her yard. Her beautiful tree had deposited its leaves all over her yard. I thought, there is my teaching moment! For Family Home Evening last night we went outside and cleaned up all those leaves. We filled 18 large black garbage bags! My children had a ball! We talked, and played and worked all at the same time. It took until it was dark but no one complained. My children kept saying, "this is so much fun!" They learned the joy of service!

Family Time....It's the best!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

My Little Helpers

Tanner helping with dinner

"Hay! That tastes pretty good!"

Just one little kiss?

Jarrit lovin Fall

Karder~8 months

Karder is a character! He is so active. This little boy never slows down! He is crawling all over. And has just recently learned to stand up along the furnisher. It is fun to see how different these 2 little boys are. They change every time I see them! But 1 thing has not changed; they both still get very excited when they see or hear their Grandma! This makes me very happy that they know who I am. Being a Grandma is the best!

Jarrit~8 months

Jarrit is, for the most part, a calm, happy baby. He loves to sit and play with his toys. He can get on all fours and rock back and forth. He does not have the crawling thing down yet. But he is content watching his brother. He loves to smile and laugh. And he loves to talk (make noises) to his Grandma on the phone.

23rd Wedding Anniversary

Our story began before I was born. We have had our up's and our down's. It has never been a smooth ride. But it has been interesting, very seldom ever boring. But it is our story. And I love it. I was the first child out of 8 children. It had been many years since my mom had been around a baby. She wanted some practice taking care of a baby before I was born. So she called Betty Brown. Betty had just adopted a little boy named Bill. Bill was born 6 months before I was. So my Mom kept Bill for the day and practiced taking care of a baby. When we were sunbeams Fruitland and New Plymouth went to church together in New Plymouth. Bill kept pulling my piggy tails. So one Sunday I got sick of that and went to the Bishop and told on him! When I was 12 Fruitland went to church in Payette. My Grandma and Grandpa Stokes lived in New Plymouth. One Sunday we were at their house visiting. Bill came over to collect fast offerings. I hid in the back room and peeked through the door at him. I thought he was so cute! I didn't see him again until after my Mom died. A couple of days after she died Bill and Leisa came to my Grandma Winegars to give us a pie. I was 15 years old. After they left I asked my Grandma who that was. She told me it was Bill Brown. I told her that I wished he wasn't married! She said, "he's not, that was his sister Leisa!" Shortly after that he called me. We talked for awhile and then he asked if he could come over and take me for a ride. On my 16th birthday he took me on my first date. We dated for 2 and a half years before we were married.
It is hard to believe that we have been married for 23 years. It seems like just yesterday that we were a young, struggling married couple. And then there is another part of me that thinks Bill and I have been together our whole lives. He is my life. It is hard to picture my life without Bill. He is a big part of who I am today. We were married at the age of 18. Now I can't believe we did that! So we have literally been growing up and changing together. We have had our share of marital struggles. But I am happy that he is still a part of my life. I am not sure if I could survive without him. I never want to find out. Marriage is not easy. At least for us it has'nt been. But we have learned. We have grown. We have to make it a daily process. I love Bill more today than I did 23 years ago. Whenever I look at him, I still think he is so handsome. I feel lucky that he chose me to be his wife.