Kai-ism

On our 18 hour drive home, around hour 17, this is a conversation that Kai and I had....

Kai: "Mom, lets sing a Jesus song."
Me: "Okay, do you want to sing, 'I am a child of God'?"
Kai: "No, I don't want to sing that one, lets pick another one."
Me: "Alright, when you think of one, let me know." (As I turn the radio back on)

One minute of silence

Kai: (very frustrated) "Just don't come cryin to me when we crash because we didn't sing a Jesus song!"
Me: (laughing) "Well, don't come cryin to me when.....when.....I don't know when."
Kai: "Sooooo there is NO reason I need to come cryin to you, right?"

Tyson and I laughed hysterically at this. Kai can be so witty. It was just what we needed to get us through that last hour of driving! Thanks Kai! :)

Maritime Museum

On our way out to Cannon Beach, we drove through a beautiful town called Astoria. As we were driving, we saw this cool museum off the side of the main road and we all decided to stop there and go through it. We were able to tour an old ship and see old submarines and a ton of cool stuff. Tyson thought it was pretty cool and the kids actually enjoyed themselves as well. Here are some pics from our time there.

Portland Zoo

 

 

 

 

The first day we were in Oregon, we decided to take the kiddos to the Zoo!! Kai had only seen Hogle Zoo in Utah which is a horrible excuse for a Zoo. Ashtyn had never been to a Zoo at all!! I knew she would love it and she did! Her favorite was the big ape whom Ashtyn stared at through the glass forever, it was too cute. She also loved the Sea Lion and the Otter. She was an absolute joy to take and so were Thatcher and Kai. The Zoo was beautiful and we had such a great time!! Of course, we had to get them souvenirs, so I snuck up to the gift shop and bought the three kids some animal pinchers. I snuck off to avoid having to take the kids into the store since everything was so over priced, I found the oinchers for $3.00, I should've known they would want to switch theirs out for a different animal and that is exactly what happened. Ashtyn desperately wanted this purple turtle and it was much more than $3.00. I ended up going back into the store 3 times because her heiness kept changing her mind, we left there with the purple turtle....spoiled little girl!! :)

First-time Beachers

Kai and Ashtyn have never seen the ocean....until this week. Tyson and I drove the kids out to St. Helens, OR to stay with my lovely cousin Rochelle and her sweet family. One of the days we were there, we drove out to Cannon Beach (Goonies) and my kids were in heaven. Here are a few snapshots that my cousin took of them while I played in the water.... I will write more after some good and LONG sleep. We just walked in the door after 18 1/2 hours of driving in ONE DAY!!
I think Rochelle should be a photographer, look at these pics!!

 

Spontaneous Combustion

Hello blogger friends!! Sunday night, my lovely cousin called me and begged me to drive to see her in St. Helens, OR. This is the town they filmed Twilight in and Bella's house is there. It is about 30 miles from Portland. I visited last year and we had blast!! I went by myself though and this time we were all invited. So, at midnight Sunday night/Monday morning we planned and schemed and figured out every answer to any concerns Tyson may have. I was super nervous to ask because I was so excited already and Rochelle had everything planned out.

Monday morning came and Tyson was awakened by me kissing him all over the cheeks and face. I asked him what he wanted for breakfast, he told me eggs and bacon. I said I would happily make him some eggs and bacon if he would answer me a very important question. He obliged and the question went something like this,

"Tyson, you have the whole week off and we have never been on a family vacation ever and the kids have never seen the ocean and we'll take them to Cannon beach and to a real Zoo. Besides, Rochelle planned everything so we need to pack and leave today as soon as Kai gets off school and I will bring the truck into get the oilchangedandstuffpleeeeeaaaase!?????????????????????"
Yeah, I was talking so excitedly and fast that is exactly how it sounded:)
Tyson calmly said he needed to think about it, so he took his trusty newspaper into the bathroom and stayed a while. While he was in there, I had both of my kids look at pictures of what a beach was to get them excited. We all got on our knees and waited outside the bathroom clasping our hand and waiting by the bathroom door for Tyson and his almighty decision.

Tyson walked out in all of his glory and looked down at us, peasants. Obviously we were below him because he is KING. We just waited for The King to speak first. and he did, he said, "Okay, go get the oil changed and Ill get the kids packed.

Easter Sunday General Conference

Our seats were so good!

Aunt Mary, Uncle Craig, Rochelle, Tresa, Me and Katie


We also attended the afternoon session of General Conference on Easter Sunday and I must say, it was so unbelievably AMAZING. Sitting there with 21,000 other people who believe the same things and are there to see the prophet and hear the guidance which would be spoken was completely astounding.
I loved every. single. talk. I brought my new journal and I swear that below every entry it says, "I LOVED THIS TALK!!" Some of my favorites;


Elder Russell M. Nelson of the 12 Apostles spoke about family. He spoke about doing temple work for our loved ones who have passed on and that our goal is to have Eternal Families. He was so cute and I just loved him instantly.



Elder Robert D. Hales of the 12 Apostles gave a great talk about leading by example. This talk really meant a lot to me. He spoke about taking advantage of the teaching moments we have in our home and to make family dinner a priority. We need to sit down and eat dinner together, I do not realize how important it is, he said that it isn't about the food, it is about the time you spend as a family. I am determined to do this, especially when we get a table that isn't broken.:) He said, "The greatest love shown, is the love in our homes." I agree.



Elder Bradley D. Foster of the Seventy gave a beautiful talk about mothers and the importance of our role as mothers. He said, "There is no greater good in all of the world than Motherhood."
President Joseph F. Smith said, "The love of a true mother comes nearer to being like the love of God than any other love" His talk really touched my heart and it stayed with me and still is with me. He also said to never give up on family members who may be struggling and to always let them know there is a place in your heart and your home for them. I just loved this talk.


After he spoke, everyone stood and sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and it was the most emotional thing I have ever witnessed. I was so touched that I couldn't help but cry, I saw MANY others crying and singing with all of their strength and I looked around and felt I had witnessed something so amazingly beautiful. Words cannot ever describe the feeling I had in my heart at that moment. I wish everyone could have witnessed it. I will never forget that, and that is now my favorite hymn.



Elder James Martino spoke about how to overcome our trials. He taught us 5 things to learn from the teachings of Christ which included "Do not murmur or complain" and I need to really work on this one.:) He also included that we need to seek help from Heavenly Father especially when we are struggling. He said that we need to serve others in the midst of our struggles and that service for others helps us forget our struggles and brings forth blessings that we need during that time. He also said to forgive others. We need to be accountable for our own actions and not be bitter or blame others for our trials. Such a great talk and all so true and it included things I need to take to heart.



I was waiting all day to hear Elder Gregory Schwitzer of the Seventy speak because he is a close friend of my in-laws and my husband. He married Tyson and I and although I do not know him as well as my in-laws do, I have spoke with him and I know he is one of the most humble and honest men I have met. He spoke about being judgemental and how we need to use good judgement when making decisions in our lives by:
~ Living with the highest standards that coincide with the teachings of the church
~ Listening to the Holy Ghost, he is vital to developing good judgement
~ Keep the Commandments, this is also so important in our personal and spiritual growth
I thought he did an amazing job, I was so proud to know him and to be able to say, this man married Tyson and I.



Elder Fransisco J. Vinas of the Seventy spoke next about spritual death and about teaching our children the things pertaining to righteousness. He said that families are under attack all over the world because Satan is trying to tear families apart since it is our ultimate goal to have Eternal families.



Elder Neil L. Andersen of the 12 Apostles said, "We have heard and felt the mind and will of the Lord in this conference." He is so right. He said that each one of us needs to have our own conversion to the church, each of us needs to believe the gospel for ourselves. He said to tell our children the stories of Jesus and to make sure his life and his stories are embedded into our hearts and our minds. He said to teach children about faith and about prayer so that they may develop their own testimony. Wherever and whenever you speak of Jesus, his spirit will be there guiding you and comforting you.



Lastly, our Living Prophet, Thomas S. Monson spoke again and I just love him. He said that the session had been so good and the spirit was with us. He said we were all there because we love the Lord and we want to serve him. Every time this wonderful man speaks, I hang on every word because every single word that he speaks is filled with love and sincerity. At one point he said, " I LOVE YOU." I started to cry because I know with everything in me that he meant it. He truly meant it, not only to all 21,000 of us in that room, but to everyone watching on television, listening on the radio and even all of those who were not watching. I am so grateful for this experience and I got so much out of it.

After conference, we went to my in-laws and ate Easter Dinner with them, I was reunited with Kai and we said our goodbyes to the family. I boarded the plane home with a new joy in my heart, and some new ideas and exciting things to share with my loving husband and children. Mama's got a brand new bag. :)

Utah Trip, Part 2

Saturday morning, we all woke up at 7:00 AM to drive to Salt Lake City for the first session of General Conference. I expected there to be a ton of protesters, but there really wasn't that many. I guess they figured it is a lost cause.:) I do not understand why people protest religion, I think it just reflects on their own feelings about the church and I think they are hypocrites because they don't want anyone pushing their UNBELIEFS on them, but they are willing to force their negative feelings on us when all we are doing is walking into a building and minding our own business. Hmmm. Below was my FAVORITE poster, there was a guy dressed like Satan standing by it!:)

Anyway, I had never seen the inside of the Conference center, it is beautiful. Simple, but so beautifully simple. We all got seated in GREAT seats, lower level and we could see perfectly, and we had about an hour before conference started. It was amazing looking around at all the people getting their seats. It was a comforting and lovely feeling. I thought to myself, "These are my peeps!"
Everyone stood when the prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and the counselors walked into the room. We all waited for the Prophet to sit down and he would half-sit and then stand back up again and laugh. It was so cute and funny. He is just so loveable. I loved his brief talk at the beginning of Conference, it really was so endearing and I love hearing him talk about his wife. You can just feel the love he has for you just by listening to the sincerity in his voice. He is an amazing man.
Here are my favorite highlights from this session. My cousin, Rochelle wrote them all perfectly, so I copied this part from her blog since it is the same points I loved from Conference.

Sister Julie Beck- "The ability to qualify for, receive and act upon personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life" She goes on to say women need not expect constant acknowledgement and pats on the back but know that, " We can be certain that the Lord is pleased when we feel the spirit working through us". He is aware of all we do.
Elder M. Russell Ballard- To mothers about your daughters and daughters about your mothers. To daughters;"Mothers adore you they see the promise of future generations." Be modest and look to your mothers for a role model. Ignore the seductive ways the world portrays a women. "No other person loves you in the same way or as willing to sacrifice as much..."
To mothers; Young women behave like their mothers, your example is extremely important.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, What you do speaks so loud I cannot hear what you say"
President Harold B Lee said ,"The most important work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home."

I noticed a lot of people writing and taking notes during Conference, and I realized it was time for me to get a new journal. We drove to Deseret Book to pick me out a new journal and there were tons of people there. We were told that every year during the Priesthood Session, they have what is called "Ladies Night Out" where you get a free gift and can won prizes throughout the night. We decided to stay and hang out to see if we could win something.

While we sat and waited, there was a woman that was painting her nieces faces. I told her I would gladly be her guinea pig if she needed to paint a face. So..... I got my face painted. Here are some pics of us just hanging around Deseret Book.


we went back to my Aunts house and we played games. I taught my Aunt how to play the card game, B.S. and she is hilarious!! She cannot lie to save her life! It was so much fun! We all just have a blast together!!

My Utah Trip, Part One

Kai and I flew to Utah Wednesday night and when we arrived at the airport and had already gone through security, we found out that our flight was 2 hours delayed!! Kai was pretty bored, but still in good spirits. We arrived in Salt Lake City at 11:40 PM and Kai was exhausted. Jeremiah, Kai's dad met us at the airport and took Kai with him for a visit. I waited for Rochelle to pick me up. We stayed with my Aunt Mary at her home in Orem and basically passed out when we got back to her house.
I apologize in advance for the poor quality pics, I could not find my camera cord and had to take pictures of the pictures with my phone:)

Thursday, we decided to just relax and visit some friends. My amazing friend Amber was home that morning, so Rochelle and I drove to Spanish Fork and I got to see her BEAUTIFUL kids and just chat with her for a bit. I just love her. She is such a wonderful and loving friend and just so beautiful inside and out. She is such a good mother and wife and I just cannot say enough good about her.
My sister, Mara, came to see us and I was able to meet her new girlfriend, Michelle. We had fun together and I just love Michelle, she is such a cute girl. Mara has always been fun and I was so glad I was able to spend a little time with her because I was running around all weekend and I was worried I wouldn't be able to see her. We had fun and Michelle and I hit it off right away, I just love that girl!! :)


The rest of the day, Rochelle and I just marveled at the snow that was EVERYWHERE and we just relaxed and did what we love best, LAUGH!

When my Aunt got home from work, she wanted to go see "When in Rome" I did NOT want to see that, I wanted to stay home and watch my beloved "Survivor and Grey's Anatomy" but, I never see these two lovely ladies, so I went to the movie with them. The second we arrived in the theater and the movie was only on for 3 minutes, my Aunt announced that she had already seen it! Rochelle had already seen it as well, so I am the one who didn't want to see it and had to. I thought the movie was alright. I made them both promise that they would go see "Dear John" with me the next day, so all was well.

Friday
My Aunt got off work early and we went to see a matinee of "Dear John" I LOVED this movie. It was so good, I cried, we all cried. I love Nicholas Sparks movies and this one had some twists, but ended up so good. It was fun to spend time with my mom's sister. I get a glimpse of what she would be like now.

Afterwards, I took Rochelle to my in-laws house to visit with them. Of course she loved them instantly and we just sat and chatted together for a few hours and drove back to Orem in a snow storm. I am not use to driving in the snow, so it was weird for me, but needless to say, we made it just fine:) We got back and played Rummikub and some card games and that is when my dearest TRESA showed up!! She is my cousin, Rochelle's 15-year-old daughter and I just love her!! She is the cutest girl!

Early Easter

Tyson and I decided to celebrate Easter a week early since Kai and I went to Salt Lake City over the real Easter weekend. Our ward had an Easter egg hunt for the kids at a local park and I love doing that because the kids all get the same amount of eggs and everything is fair and no kids get hurt or go without any eggs. The Easter bunny showed up as well and he was awesome. Ashtyn was a little unsure at first, but she seemed to accept the bunny:)










Kai was obviously too cool to get his picture taken with the Easter Bunny. But, he wasn't too cool or too big to hunt for eggs. He was there with a little red-headed girl from our ward that I suspect he has a bit of a crush on:)





We went home and colored eggs and made spring cookies with the kids. They had no idea that it was not really Easter and we got the fun part of Easter out of the way.





Kai and I flew to Utah last Wednesday so he could see his dad over Spring Break and so I could attend LDS General Conference with my Aunt and my cousin, Rochelle. I do have to say, Conference was so AMAZING. There is something to be said about sitting in a beautiful and very big room with 21,000 other people who share the same beliefs. I will write about my experience when I can get my pics uploaded:) I hope you all had a very fun Easter and were able to remember what it is all about as well. :)