Things to be grateful for....

Tonight we had family home evening and Thayne taught the lesson on gratitude, and learning to have an attitude of gratitude and that we are happiest when we are grateful because we aren't worried about having more, getting more... we are content with what we have and recognize that the really important things are not what we buy, but the love and acceptance we have in our family. Wyatt and Kalli were in charge of the activity and Wyatt taught us a cute song about a turtle, and bubbles... and Nate just LOVED it and sang it loud and did all of the actions! Kalli passed out paper and crayons and told us that we needed to draw, or write what we are grateful for. There were some really great things: jobs, family, friends, house, temple, our health, the gospel, there were some good pictures.... but this one took the cake tonight! This is what Caitlyn is grateful for! And we are so grateful for it too! I am so excited for them to get married and start their lives together. They will get married in June, but the best part is that they will be able to go to the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity in early August after she has been a member of the church for a year! We are all so excited about that!!! That will be a wonderful day in the Salt Lake Temple, to see them sealed as an eternal family. THAT is something to be grateful for!!!

Happy Birthday Kassi and Tanner

Happy, happy birthday Kassi and Tanner. I can't believe how time keeps flying by us and these kids keep growing up! It's just not fair! I can't believe that Tanner is already 20 years old and Kassi is sweet 16 and SO excited to be driving! I love them both so much! It's so fun watching them become such amazing adults! Hope this year brings great things your way and that all of your dreams come true!!! Love you both!

Silly Kassi.... Kassi is standing on her tippy toes to be as tall as Tanner... Tanner hates cake and Kassi, being the odd ball of the children didn't want to cool ones we buy... she wanted a homemade chocolate cake with vanilla frosting!

Happy Birthday Tanner James and Kassi ShyAnn... you are both amazing and I am so happy that I get to be your mom!

Everyone was worried that the candles would melt the cake! Make a wish and blow out the candles....

Holy Cow! Open the windows and fan the smoke alarms.... that is some serious smoke!!! Hope your wishes come true!!! Love you both so very much!

Kailee's surgery....

Poor Kailee... the day finally arrived (March 1st!) and while she had looked forward to it forever, it was still scary and she was pretty nervous. She has had issues with her 'nose' for a long time. We thought it was a sinus issue and even had a crazy doctor here in town demand that we let him do surgery on her sinuses however we learned about this man's reputation and ran away as fast as we could! Luckily a wonderful doctor at Primary Children's was able to clear up the horrible sinus infection she had and showed us that while her sinuses were perfect, she had a horribly hooked septum and that she desperately needed it fixed. He sent us off to a nationally renowned surgeon who recommended surgery! Once he got in he said that the septum was even worse once he got in there and saw it with his own eyes than even the CAT scan showed, but another part that they thought was horrible wasn't so bad, so he was able to fix the septum and she should be able to breathe easy very soon! She had a rough time recovering from the anesthesia and was very, very sick throughout the first 24 hours. She seems to be healing well now and rested really well last night! I am so happy for her, that she will be able to finally breathe through her nose!

Here she is ready to go... her doctor wrote his notes on her forehead and nose... which is good I guess so there is no messing up! :)
Just getting settled, and then they told us the doctor was running about 2 hours behind! OH YAY!!!

Seems to be happy and ready to go... and we waited, and waited, and waited!!!

And Thayne... half asleep and waiting... haha! That will teach him for teasing us, right Kailee???

Newborn pictures of Gabe...

Tiffany's sister had taken pictures of Gabe a few days after he was born and she finally got them edited and emailed a few of them yesterday... I can't believe he is almost 2 months old now and has grown so much already. Now he always has big smiles for us and it starting to really show us his personality, but oh, those sweet days of him being a tiny newborn!!! He is such a beautiful boy and we are so blessed to have him in our lives!!! He is so amazing!
My first born, with his firstborn.... brings tears to my eyes!

Sweet Tiffany is such a good mom and we are so grateful to have her in our family....

Gabe and his daddy's cowboy hat.....

Garrett is 23!!!

We had so much fun last night celebrating Garrett's 23rd birthday! Is he really 23? WOW! It's amazing to think that! Garrett, Tiffany (and Gabe of course), Kimi and Matt, Tanner and Celeste, Kailee all went with us to Wingers for Garrett's birthday dinner. It is just so much fun hanging out with my big kids. It's amazing to watch them together, laughing and enjoying being together. It's amazing to watch as they have grown, watch the adults they are becoming, to interact with them as adults.

So much has changed in the last year for Garrett. A beautiful wife, and a beautiful baby boy, getting ready to go off to another state to go to school.... he has so much to look forward to! And I will sit back and enjoy watching him become the amazing man I see inside of him! I can't believe that 23 years ago I held my firstborn... and dreamed of the life ahead of us. And now here he is, living his own life with a family of his own. It's crazy how quickly life moves on... and yet it is so exciting!

Happy Birthday son... I hope that this year brings wonderful things for you and your beautiful family..... I hope as you work hard, all of your dreams come true. Know that your dad and I will always be here for you, standing behind you, cheering you on! It is such a blessing to be your mom and to sit back and watch your life become what you always wanted it to be!

YAY Garrett!!!

Garrett received his acceptance letter today for school in Montana to be a mining engineer! CONGRATULATIONS!!! What an exciting time. He loves mining and getting his engineering degree will be absolutely wonderful! We are really happy for them! Except for one thing.... GABE!!! Now how is this going to work??? Are they going to come visit Gabe often or what??? :) Okay, the problem would be me... not liking that I will be away from Gabe! Thankfully he has a grandpa that won't stand not seeing him often so it looks like we will have a new destination for vacations... Montana!!! I am thrilled that they will be doing this... sad that I won't have my sweet Gabe right here to squeeze anytime I want! But go Garrett!!! Congratulations!!!

Another trip to the mine...

Caitlyn was back in town to go to the Bridal Fair and we had decided that after we would go out to the mine since she hasn't been underground either. Shalum and Candice decided to go too so that Candice could see where Shalum worked too. Shalum works for a contractor at the mine. My dad was working too so it was fun to have him drive Shalum and Candice around while Tanner, Jace, Caitlyn and I went with Thayne. It's always amazing to see the mine and the changes that occur everytime I go out, and it's fun to see somebody see it, and experience it for the first time. The mine is growing and more gold is being found and that is a good thing all the way around... the more gold, the longer the mine life, and that means work!!! Jace and Caitlyn... ready to go underground??? Or is this their new engagement picture???

It took two people to put Candice together for her trip underground!

Jace ready to go....

Helping Caitlyn get ready to go....

Shalum and Candice....

Caitlyn, Jace, Shalum, Candice and Tanner waiting for the cage to take us about 1750 ft underground....

The shop... it's huge. Thayne says as big and fancy as it is, people still complain... sheesh! =)

Just to put into perspective how huge the trucks are that they run underground.... Thayne walking next to one of the haul trucks!

Checking out the shop....

More of the shop...

Checking out the refuge chambers... grateful they are there but would sure hate to have to be locked inside! Shalum told Caitlyn and Candice not to worry, there was even a place to use the bathroom in there.... that wasn't a plus to them!

CAITLYN.....

My dad! It was fun hanging out with him underground. He is such a good man and I love him so much. He told me he was getting old. I told him I thought the perfect world would be that we all got to stop aging at a certain age so we could enjoy our kids growing up but so we didn't have to get old and tired! I love him and am so grateful for all that he has taught and given me and my family. He has worked hard, harder than almost any man I know to provide for our family. His glory days were really glorious but he is still amazing!!!

My dad and baby brother!

Jace in the back of the kabota!

Checking out where they are making the contractors shop...

Dad, Shalum and Candice leading the way....

Jace... why the pose??? :)

Shalum was trying to see if his guys were getting ready to blast... sadly we missed both that happened that day!

I want to point out the sweat on their faces in these picture... can I say it was hotter than you know where at this particular place in the mine! Notice the coats also? That's because other places in the mine are down right frigid. I guess you could say that being underground could give you a glimpe of what hell could be like... frigid to those that like the heat, and hotter than heck to those that like it cool!!! =)

Dad and Tanner....

Where the dynomite is stored... I always laugh because there is a sign saying "Explosives... no smoking allowed!" Because well you know... people have to be told??? They are high tech though, and have cameras watching and not everybody is allowed into the area. There is a big steel gate to keep the explosives safely away from the crazies... I mean IF there were crazies working underground which I am sure there are NOT! :)

Waiting for the cage to go back up... we had a fun time and now it's time to go home...

I can't help it... I always laugh at the signs on the cage... No horseplay allowed! I just can't imagine any of the miners I know actually 'horseplaying' around the cage... well, okay, maybe the sign is necessary!!! :)

And.... finally.... these pictures are approved to post by my sweet husband who gave me permission! He had to check them out for me! :)

Look at this smile...

Look at this gorgeous smile! He is getting so big! I love his smile and I love being his grandma!

Basketball

The PAL basketball season is quickly coming to an end and Willie has had a blast playing. He has done well and he is learning a bunch and he looks forward to many years of playing! :) Good job Willie!!!

Kinzee the cheerleader...

Kinzee had a great time cheerleading this year. She got to be c0-captain and she loved it. Way to go Kinzee.... Goooooooooooo Hornets!!!