Brooke's Legend Homecoming 2015..

Man, I LOVE this girl! She had a great time with this group of beautiful girls! I can't believe she is a freshman! Brooke has just seamlessly become a high schooler. 

Easton and Brooke are just 16 months apart, and on days like this, I love it!

I love that they are friends.

These sisters of Brooke, L.O.V.E. her! Tymber decided to wear a "fancy" dress to celebrate the occasion. 

I love that the brother jumped in the picture with the group. Those sweet teenagers just hoisted him up them, and smiled for the pic.

I think this is a funny picture. I don't think my mom would have approved, but I think it's fun that all these girls were "modest" with their NikePros. I forgot to ask if they coordinated this, but it was fun nonetheless.

I love these two. What more can I say?

The whole big group of guys and girls! I love to see Brooke beaming with sweet friends.

BEAUTIFUL!!

WE LOVE THIS GIRL!

This is Brooke with one of her childhood friends. These two used to play on the sidelines of their brother's games for hours. So fun to have them reconnect in high school. Beautiful girls!

How fun is the selfie stick? Loving their smiles as they as squeeze in for a picture!

These little girls (along with the rest of us) had spent the day cleaning out one of three scary garages! They threw on clothes, and I didn't even brush my hair. Fun times!

The Lincavages put on a beautiful dinner for this group! It really was a gorgeous set-up with Quoda to enjoy before heading off for the dance.

This boy was adorable! He gave a toast to their first Homecoming, and many memories to come. 

Life seems to be passing by quickly these days, but in all the hustle and bustle, it is wonderful to slow down and enjoy these little milestones. Brooke is going to have the best time making memories with all of her friends at her new school. She was hesitant, to say the least, about this new journey, but I think the smiles in these pictures capture the joy she is experiencing.

Sometimes life throws us curveballs that we think will end the good that we already know, but sometimes there is something even better out there waiting.

I love you Brooke.

I had to throw these two pictures in at the end. This is as we were driving away. I love the "fake" look on John's face as Easton is driving. Easton kept giving me goofy looks. I just wanted to document yet another milestone. These little moments are the ones I don't want to forget. Like the fact that Easton and John raced to pictures straight from Stake Priesthood meeting, that apparently Easton wasn't even supposed to attend, but went along with John anyway. Or the fact that John lets Easton drive his big truck and is very patient with him. I love it all!

Life is so, so good!

This is happening every day over here.

Baby Alive videos.

Who knew?

Apparently, there are videos for everything, and Tymber and Annie's favorite thing lately is to look up these videos and follow along.

They are keeping up with the other kids on data usage limits each month. 

Sometimes, I just want to hide all the electronics, and I do, but it is so sweet to listen to them talk sweetly to their babies, and then pull up a video about feeding them and watch as they gently wipe their face and slowly spoon feed them water out of the cat dish. 

Time is flying by.

I want everything to stop and just stay the way it is, but I know that isn't possible.

We have two kids in college that I wish were this little again. I don't want them to miss anything in their siblings lives, so we have revived the blog!

I am so excited to be able to record the everyday again, along with my thoughts and perspective, and my kids' opinions on how things went.

The football game that didn't go well, or the Homecoming week full of funny spirit days and a great halftime show, and everything in between.

I had put the blog on the back burner, because of some technical glitches, but everything is up and running, and I am determined to take a few minutes each day, and record this amazing life of ours. 

Life is truly wonderful. 

It is full of twists and turns. Lots of sincere prayers. It's really hard sometimes, and really wonderful other times.

I am so grateful to be a mother. I am so grateful for getting to be a part of each of our children's stories. 

It says in my patriarchal blessing that it is very important for me to journal my life.

I never really understood that as much before, as I do when I revisit the past years on our blog.

I thought I had an impeccable memory. ( I can remember birthdays and phone numbers of friends in junior high school when I lived in Alaska.)

But, I don't always remember the details in the moments. 

I know the way I felt when my husband saw Annie for the first time and my feelings as I watched our oldest graduate from high school, but I want to remember the joy one of our kids felt as they made up with a friend, or the great dinner that everyone loved, or those quiet moments each night as I put an extra blanket on each of the kids on a snowy night.

I don't want to forget anything.

I want my girls to know that things like motherhood, marriage and eternal friendships are the things that bring true joy. 

Not cell phones and Birkenstocks. 

I want my boys to know that life is full of challenges, but if you work hard and love those around you, life is incredible. 

And I want John to always know, that I love being his, and only his, FOREVER!

Long live the blog and the memories, accompanied with pictures and messes and lots and lots of FUN!

Tymber's teaching moment for her mom

I am so far behind in blogging, that I don't even know where to begin, so I think I'll start here.

This was one of my favorite memories from this holiday. I am fairly certain that every single nativity has something missing or broken, but I do not care one bit.

I loved going to find Tymber when she became quiet and I hadn't laid eyes on her in a few.

And this is where I would discover her...at the manger.

Oh, if I only would stop my fast pace, and find myself at the manger. 

She would move them around.

She would talk to them in such a loving tone. 

If you look close, you will find modern day touches to an ancient scene.

I love the rocking horse that was waiting patiently to give someone a ride. 

The reindeer food that she thought the donkey would like.

The mix of several different nativity sets combined to welcome a King.

Tymber, thank you for being you.

Thank you for this memory that I will hopefully, never forget.

I have a brand-new year ahead of me, and I want to find myself at the manger, 

remembering my Savior's sacrifice for me.

I want to enjoy the amazing life I have.

I want to soak in time with each member of my family, as we work together to become better and find ourselves happier in everything we do.