Bentley's idea for Family Home Evening

Two weeks ago for family night we let Bentley decide what he wanted to do for the activity and he chose to play Candy Land! I thought well this won't be much of a lesson teaching activity, but alright we'll go with it! 

It started out just fine...but then Daddy started winning! Bentley started to get upset and the situation started escalating. Immediately I thought this is perfect! Nick and I can take the opportunity to teach Bentley about winning and losing and being a good team player. We were able to teach him that there will be times when you lose and that it's okay. ITS JUST A GAME! So that was the moral to our FHE! Sorry, Nick for the picture of you... once again your eyes are doing something weird!

Splish Splash We were taking a bath!

 I took these pictures to show this large sand raspberry that Nixon had on his right cheek!! A few Sunday's ago we were over at my friend Hillary's parents house for a luncheon and the kids were playing outside on the play set and in the sand. As many of you know Nixon often times can not keep up with his older brother but tries. This raspberry was the result of Nixon face planting in the sand. It might not look too bad on here, but there were pieces of sand/small rocks in his skin. Everything has healed up nicely. Nothin a lil neosporin can't fix! 

Love you two!!!

When I grow up I want to be just like my DAD!

Recently Nick wanted to go out to a track here in Kingman and do a little riding so we decided to tag a long and watch him. Bentley wants a motorcycle so bad, but he isn't quite tall enough so we got him a 50cc quad until he grows. Nevertheless, he always is by dad's side when he does anything with the motorcycles!

God's Tender Mercies

I am counting my blessings this day as I reflect on the news that I received from my younger sister this past weekend. I get this text..can you believe just a TEXT from my sister that says, "Mckay (twin brother) and Amy were driving out of Ogden and were shot at!"

I immediately called her and exclaimed, "WHAT, are they okay?" Lindsey was so calm on the phone and just meekly told me that they were driving down Riverdale Rd in Ogden, UT and a bullet came through the driver side window just TWO inches above my twin brothers head. They didn't know who did it or where it even came from. The window shattered and they called the police etc. Still have no suspect, but my brother and his sweet new family are all fine. 

As I have been thinking about that and reflecting on the fact that my brother very well could have died, a bigger picture came to mind. It was rather eye-opening. I thought to myself the worst (as I always tend to do), what if he would have died? when was the last time that I told him that I loved him? when did I call him last? Just the small and simple things. I started to realize that life can be short we don't know God's plan for each of us, but it's the small and simple things that matter. I need to call and keep in touch more with my family and loved ones. Let them know that they really do matter to me. I am especially grateful that McKay's life was spared and his wife and 3 month old sons as well. I hope that I can be a better sister, mom and friend each day to the those I come in contact with. Family truly is the greatest! 

 Pictures above are courtesy of my sister-in-law Amy :)

Farm Day

For about a week now I have been talking to Bentley a lot about different animals and how today we would get to go and see some of the animals he had been learning about. A friend of mine also a co-worker lives here in town and has lots of fun animals and offered for me to bring my  boys over. 

Last night Bentley could hardly stand to wait one more night. He kept coming out of his bed to tell me little things that he was excited about. At first it was somewhat cute, but then I had to play the mean mom and tell him that all the animals were sleeping and that he needed to be too. I had to tell him that if he didn't choose to stay in bed then he wouldn't be able to go to the farm. Well that worked and he instantly fell asleep. 

The first thing he said to me this morning was, "MOM IT"S FARM DAY!" He wanted to jump in the car in is pajama's and head right over to her house, but mean mom again made him bathe and make beds, clean up house and eat breakfast. After we were all ready we went straight to Trin's. 

At first the Bentley had his reservations about all the animals. Nixon on the other hand that kid is FEARLESS. He wanted to run right under the horses, go in the chicken coup, hold the lambs etc. 

 Lola the baby lamb at 2 months old.

 Touching the hen.

 Pointing at the horses.

 Above: Is that not the cutest pic ever? He would bend down real close to it but wouldn't touch it.

 Like father like son. Nixon found the sand rails and climbed right in.

 Bentley riding Jewel. 

 Bentley holding the baby chicks. 

 Again above is Nixon bent down looking up at the chick.

 They had a tree house. Bentley thought it was amazing! 

 On the way home I let Bentley stop at Petco and get a fish. We just got a betta to start because they require the least! 

 Bentley named his fish Brutus.

 Mesmerized.

New Beginnings

 We had our New Beginnings program for our young women this past Thursday and I was in charge of the desserts! I was glad that that was all I was assigned to this year! 

 Luckily my younger sister got married a few weekends ago and so I just took some of the extra candy from my mom and put it in these glass jars and had a candy buffet. The girls loved scooping out there favorites and then tying the bag with a bow. 

Also I made almond flavored cupcakes with strawberry buttercream frosting. They were a huge hit. I only came home with one!

The program was great we focused on putting your whole "Heart" into Personal Progress. We had Sister Charon from the stake young women presidency come speak to us. Also Hannah our YW president spoke to the girls about satan being the "thieves of our hearts," and that if we don't stay close to our Heavenly Father and do the small and simple things daily that slowly satan does just that "steals our hearts" from where they should be. All in all it was a great night. Oh, and if you have a chance listen to "Fearless Heart," I think it is from an EFY soundtrack.  We played that and it was beautiful. The spirit was so strong!

Spendin' some quality time..

Today I decided to take the boys for a drive down to Coldstone in Bullhead. I loaded the boys up and the entire time Bentley is asking, "Mom, where are we going?" I continued to drive and finally got on the interstate and out of no where I hear Bentley yell, "NIXON, guess what? We're going to Bullhead to get ice cream!? I smiled. How did he guess? Maybe that's because we do this frequently, but I told him that yes that's where we were headed! Nixon didn't quite understand what Coldstone was, but once we mentioned the words ice cream he was all over it. Needless to say they were great on the way down. 

Bentley: "Mom, why is that guy looking at me while were driving?"

Me: "Bentley, I don't think he can see in your window."

Bentley: "Why couldn't he the suns up?"

Me: "Because daddy tinted the windows which made the windows dark."

Bentley:"So I am invincible?"

Me: "Yep if that's what you want to be!"

Bentley:"Mom I want to be invincible a long long time so I can see Jesus."

Where kids come up with some of these things I have no clue, but he made me smile the whole way down. He also saw a semi just the truck with three more semi trucks attached (if that makes sense) and said, "Whoa, look MOM! That semi-truck looks silly...theirs a daddy truck a mommy truck, a brother truck and a sister truck and uh uh I don't know what the last truck is."

Bentley: "Mom when I get to Coldstone I want two ice creams, one chocolate and one brown."

Me: "Bentley those are the same thing."

Bentley: "Duh mom!"

The drive home was just as memorable! Nixon chatted up a storm pointing at things the whole way home. Below are some pics of them at the ice cream shop.

 Nixon was so excited when he saw the toppings he was literally jumping up and down!

 Mesmerizing over the colorful ice cream.

 My camera got out of focus somehow, but anyway above is Bentley with is Chocolate ice cream with his oreo that he insisted be whole!

 Nixon being allergic to milk had one choice, mango strawberry sorbet and he picked sprinkles!

 So happy to be with mom at ice cream he told me.

Nixon finished his ice cream and ran straight over to the freezer and started asking for the cookies on top of one of the cakes. It wasn't to much longer after that that I was hurrying Bentley along and we were off to a quick stop at Joann's and home in time to make Chicken Cor don Blue, Parmesan crusted asparagus and baked potatoes for daddy when he came home for dinner. Bentley and Nixon you two are so sweet thanks for making today a memorable one!