Monday, September 3, 2018

Cozette and the New Dog, Zeus

Cozette has found some cute places to rest in our home, like the blanket bin.

She loves to sleep in the room with me, and takes up the craziest positions, especially when she's hot.

We went to the pound to look at dogs and found this 11 month old, husky who we instantly fell in love with.
We ended up adopting him.
He is quite an energetic dog who seeks for lots of attention.
We have found that if we ride our bikes and have him run beside us, his energy gets used up really fast and really well.
It's a fun way to exercise him.
The dog is Hiram's, and he named the dog Zeus.

Sunday, September 2, 2018

Fun Times with Daddy

A couple weeks ago we enjoyed going to our cousin's missionary farewell.
Noah had so much fun with his cousin, Billy, doing flips and twists on and off the trampoline.

Rachel is the cousin going on a mission to West Virginia.
Rachel and Joyanne look so much alike.

Jasmine and Grant had fun doing crazy things on the rings hanging from the trees.

We also enjoyed a day with Daddy at Fat Cat's in Rexburg.
Bowling was fun for all of us.




We also played indoor miniature golf.
We learned good sportsmanship and how to play all together.
We sure love spending time together as a family.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Pack Meeting

Cozette is such a cutie, and she brings all of us so much comfort as she excitedly wags her tail and runs up to us when we get home.

James went to his first pack meeting here.
We had fun making up a skit and presenting it to the others.

We got a water filter system put in our home.
Now we'll have really clean water coming in through our well.

The kids have had so much fun running around with the neighbor kids nearly every day since we've moved here.
Our subdivision has so many young kids.
It's nice that they have so many friends close by in such a small town.
I love my home, the friends I have here, and everything about this place.
But, I miss my husband who is still working in Utah, and my dear friends.
I can't wait to see them soon for a visit!

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Park Time!

Daddy and I spent the first week in our home unpacking and setting everything up.
We were sad to send Daddy back to Utah to work, but we continue to pray that he will find a job here and get to join us soon.

James is checking out Cozette's cage and found out how comfortable it really was.
After all the unpacking and organizing we all did, it was nice to go with friends and enjoy a fun park nearby. 

Noah climbed all the way to the Pirate's lookout perch.
He said that to climb up there was pretty challenging.


There were 2 different climbing rope towers that James and Grant had fun climbing to the top of.


The park had changed a lot since we had been to it 5 years before.
Now it's the best park in the area.

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Rexburg Rapids

Our first activity in Idaho was to go have some fun at Rexburg Rapids.
It was very hot, so the cool water was refreshing.


Hiram, riding the lazy river.
The lazy river was definitely the favorite.

James, riding the lazy river.

Grant, swimming the lazy river.


Joyanne, riding the lazy river.

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

The Big Move Back!

After Daddy and I got back from trek, we knew we needed to do something about our home in Idaho.
Our renters were supposed to buy the home in December, but their bank said they wouldn't qualify until April.
We were fine to wait until then, because we really couldn't sell the house in the winter anyways.
When April came around, their bank said they needed another month to qualify.
We waited again, hoping they would be able to buy the home.
At the end of May, we asked them when the closing date was.
Their bank said they would need at least another 2 months.

We knew we needed to decide what to do.
Our options were to wait it out for our renters, ask the renters to leave and fix up the home to sell, or move back in ourselves.
After some prayerful thought, we decided we needed to pray to know if it was right to move back into our home in Idaho.
What a BIG step!

We invited the kids to pray with us and seek their own inspiration.
We said if anyone got a "no" answer than we wouldn't move back.
Noah said he already got an answer, and that was that there was no way he was moving out of Tremonton.
He had too many friends that he didn't want to leave, and he just made it into Jazz Band.
Joyanne was sad to think about moving because she made it into the top Madrigals choir, loved her Orchestra, being apart of Northern Utah Youth Symphony, enjoying her great violin teacher, and having a professor of USU for a piano teacher.
Hiram would be leaving marching band, and Jaden would have to leave competitive soccer.
James was unsure about moving away from his Spanish Dual Immersion program, and Grant just made it into that same program.
But the biggest change of all would be Daddy having to leave his most awesome job with great hours and benefits to find another one.
So, we HAD to make sure that we ALL received a clear answer.

We talked about how to receive revelation and discussed some scriptures related to it.
We also listened to President Nelson's last conference talk on revelation.
Throughout the week I asked each of the kids if they had received an answer.
I prayed sincerely and felt a strong impression that it was right for our family to move back to Idaho and that I would feel that confirming feeling every day until we moved.
Jaden said after he prayed that he felt good about moving.
James said after he prayed that he laid in bed, and then he felt this really happy feeling in his tummy, like a trampoline bouncing inside.
Grant even got an answer, and said that after he prayed, he felt happy and good about moving.
Joyanne went outside on a walk to a quiet place and prayed.
She said she still didn't want to move, but she felt like it was right to move back to Idaho.
Noah prayed and asked Heavenly Father that if it was right to move, that he would randomly open the scriptures and hopefully find an answer.
He opened the Book of Mormon to Alma 15:1 "And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek were commanded to depart out of that city . . ."
There was his answer plain as day, and from that point on he started looking for the positive things in moving.
Daddy prayed and prayed and prayed.
This was such a hard decision, knowing he would have to find a new job, and why would he leave a job he absolutely loves?!
Finally, he received his answer, and he called our renters shortly after and told them we would be moving back to Idaho and that they would have 40 days to move out.
They were sad about the news, but they understood.

So began our adventure of packing and getting ready to move.
I collected a ton of boxes.
Neighbors gave us a lot, and then our bishop's wife put me in touch with someone who had 63 sturdy boxes.
We ended up with over 100 boxes.
My goal was to pack 5 boxes a day.
The kids were a HUGE help, most especially Noah.
They helped pack and clean.
Of course they were rewarded with extra electronic time.
It soon became all they could do was to jump on the trampoline and play electronics or ride bikes.

Grant jumping on the trampoline.

Grant handicuffed himself, got taped in a box, and then broke free.

Jaden, chilling on the couch.

Noah played the game "Risk" by himself to pass the time.

Joyanne practiced on the piano 3-4 hours a day, right up until the day we moved.

Hiram loved hanging out with his friend, James.
They would play the game, "Magic" together, play video games, and night games.

We have now moved and are here in Idaho, but Daddy is staying in Utah, working at his job until he gets one here.
The job hunting process still continues, and today he was turned down for one job he was really hoping for.
We will keep praying, and have faith that Heavenly Father knows more than us and that things will work out.
It's just hard in the process.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Goodbye Scorch! Hello Stephen and Jason

I took Scorch, who I have cared for for the last 9 months, back to Stephen.
It was hard to say Goodbye!
But I was glad to see that Scorch would be with other horses, and in Stephen's care.
Stephen is so excited to get working with Scorch right away.


Stephen and Jason came home from serving a 2 year mission in Canada and Arizona.
We all were happy to see them.
Lots of family came, and we all enjoyed being together.