Vacation...wait, we took children along!

So we spent a week near Yosemite last week, it was suppose to be a vacation but we took children along! I have decided that we can no longer call vacations, "vacations" because we get all excited thinking about days gone past when we got to lay on beaches, sleep past 6am, snorkel...etc. Because anyone who has traveled with little children knows that time spent away from home is not as carefree and relaxful as you think it is going to be. About half way through the trip I told Justin, "it's adventure Justin, we need to call it an adventure, when we travel with the girls." Don't get me wrong we had a wonderful time and I am glad we went it's just not really relaxful when you travel with little ones. We just need to remind ourselves that we need to go at "their pace" and find out what makes them happy...and then we are all happy!

I read this quote last October when we were on our vacation in Utah for Justin's sister's wedding and I actually called the store and had them read it to me so I could write it down. It is:

Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things.

Once we started focusing on the little things on our vacations it was much more pleasant for everyone. Like playing in the pool, they loved it, they asked to go in everyday, and I think we made it everyday. Or looking in the lake for golfballs, they then spent an hour or so playing with them in the parking lot...don't worry we were sitting outside with them and not a single car came the whole time. Spending over 2 hours at the children's museum. Finding "glass dolls" at the thrift store. Looking for deer. Riding the little train car on the old logging railroad. But by far I think their favorite was frog hunting. After being at the condo for 5 days we finally made it down to Bass Lake which was a short 2 minute walk from our condo and we were in "frog heaven". Justin and the two little girls came back with one frog, and then the rest of us followed them back down and they had so much fun hunting down frogs and covering themselves in mud! At one point I think Lainey had 20 frogs in her cup of mud!

It was good to spend time together and Lyndie learned she can climb out of the pack n play and has since learned to climb out of the crib too! aahhhh...didn't anyone give her the memo that in our family you are suppose to stay in your crib until you are at least 2 and a half!

Taking a stand...

I have a battle raging inside me, a battle to protect my family, those I love and the plan our Father in heaven has in store for each of us. I still remember sitting in the Marriot Center 13 years ago when President Hinckley began his address at the Relief Society General Broadcast, it went something like this, "Sisters I hope the brethern will excuse for getting out late tonight but I have an important message to share..." and then he went on to read The Family A Proclamation to the World. I knew it was important but not until the last few months have I really sensed the importance of that message, and I think how lucky we are to have a prophet on this earth who can give us guidance and direction. It so clearly stated in that proclamation the role families, of husbands, of wives, of what marriage truly is. And today in my state that I truly love, it's the place that I grew up, it has been redefined. It is no more than a union between party A and party B. There is no man or woman in it anymore and it saddens me. And for that we fight. For the fact that 4 judges overuled what we already stated as the law here. For our children to not be taught in schools what "CA deems marriage to be." To continue to have our religious freedoms.

May be it's a far shot but I couldn't help but reflect as Elder Ballard spoke in General Conference about our pioneer forefathers holding the standard of truth upright that we were doing the same thing here today as we seek to "redefine marriage between a man and a woman". We are striving to see The Truth of God going forth... it gave me strength to listen to his words and to think of those who had to leave their homes and all they knew so that the church could be built. Remembering their strength and convicition gives me power to move forward.

I nearly had an anxiety attack the other night as I made phone calls to talk to people about Prop 8, but somehow I will find a way to do my part. For several weeks Justin and I have walked the precints. Tonight we stood on a street corner near the government center with our signs. There were a few no's and unkind words spoken but overall the reaction was positive. I loved watching people as they read our signs, and then gave us a thumbs up or honked their car horns as they drove by. And I wondered about the conversations that followed after I could see children reading our signs and then turn to their parents to ask I am sure, "what is prop 8?"

We attended a broadcast the other night where several general authorities spoke, it strengthened my conviction in the matter and made me once again realize the importance of talking and sharing with others what I know and believe.

I know there are others out there who feel the same as we do and I pray that the people of my state will realize and understand the importance of this issue at hand.

Check out these sites for more info

http://www.protectmarriage.com/

http://www.preservingmarriage.org/

www.whatisprop8.com

From this to this...

What were you doing on October 2nd?

bet you weren't swimming!

And now it's raining!

The rain is gone, it never stays long here,
and we're back at the pool...it was so hot today!

Even the littlest one stayed in the pool today,
usually I am having to chase her out of the men's restroom!

Someday...

I may get caught up with all my photos but I am not counting on it!

Here are a few pages I did the other night of recent photos.

We love Grandma!

Once upon a time I had time for things like scrapbooking...and I even thought I might be able to get a book done for the big winkflash sale, and then the Lord saw fit to give me something else to consume my tiny bit of a free time...a new calling! So my scrapbooking will probably be taking a back seat for awhile, or may I will just learn to use my time more wisely and I won't waste so much time doing nothing and I'll even get more pages done! However there is no way I am going to get my book finished...I am kinda sad!

These pictures are from last January when Grandma Aleen came to visit and I am finally getting them done!

It doesn't get any cuter than this!

Okay, so I am extremely biased and partial but aren't they so cute! I sure do love my 3 little girls.

I can not imagine my life without them!

Even Daddy's need fun birthdays!

Several of my friends have thrown super hero parties for their boys and I decided that my boy needed one too! It was so much fun, the best part was that it was all a surprise for the "big" boy! And he really is my superhero!

I couldn't ask for a better husband and father for my girls!
One of these days I'll get around to making pages for the girls birthdays too!