hello again

Ok so I tried to blog at wordpress but I just couldn't really do it. I feel home here. My words flow here. Even though the app for blogger stinks/doesn't really exist anymore...Even though the app for wordpress is amazing...

Even though I'll have to get on my desk top to write instead of using my phone...
I just wasn't blogging much. I wasn't feeling inspired to go. I didn't enjoy typing the same way I do here. That makes no sense.

Click here to read the few posts I made over at Wordpress...

Updates then...

Ella is big. Well, actually she is tiny, petite. But she is a 6 month old crawler and at almost 7 months she is pulling up to standing on toys or things low to the ground.

Hattie and Freddie are completely in awe of the world. Fred can help me with things and does, occasionally. Hattie tires my patience. I might say she is my hardest child but then again, Fred was crazy honory and hard at 3 years old. And Ella isn't there yet, so...

We spent Thanksgiving down in Phoenix. Collin and the kids and Dot and I flew down and man was it nice not to have to drive the 12 hours... (plus many more with all the stops). Dot was an angel and loved being at my parents' house. We had the best time I've ever had with my fam. Amelia and David being married adds a great dynamic to the group. We all had fun every night going to the hot tub with Joseph. My mom and dad would take the kids (which they all loved) and we would go. It is awesome to have that ability!!

There was an added somberness and gratefulness as my dad's business partner and coworker of 20 years was killed in a car accident just the day before Thanksgiving. It was a horrible thing and a huge shock to us all. It was so different from any death I've experienced. I get so sad thinking about it and about not seeing him at my dad's office and about his kids. They are my brothers and my age. We have so many memories together. My dad said some beautiful things to us all before we ate our Thanksgiving meal about living life everyday to the fullest and holding each other close. It really set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Even when we did have a small political discussion, we kept calm and listened pretty well to each other.

We were happy to have Dot traveling with us and she was cuddly and fuzzy all weekend long. 

The new Gilmore Girls revival came out and Morgan came over and we had donuts, hot chocolate and pop tarts to celebrate. Here's a separate post about that.

It was amazing to see other friends too!!!

Now we are back up in Sandy, Utah, preparing for Christmas, for Hattie's birthday party and for our travels to Florida for Christmas and New Years.

beautiful table created by Amelia

Pioneers in Africa

Set up time for the temple this week. 

Commit to read the scriptures with Collin every day. 

Commit to family scripture study every day. 

Do not criticize. 

These are my goals this week. A man in church gave a talk today about his trip to the Congo as a representative of the church. He was there to meet with church and government leaders about ways to digitize family records there so that people could do their family history work and prepare names for the temple. The church is growing at 10% there. (Grows at 1% in America.) He spoke to one bishop who told him they baptize about 3 people a week in their ward by that they could do better. (!!!) 

From one end of the Ward to the other is about 3 hours. No one has cars. People have to walk or pay for transportation. Not everyone can afford to go to church every week. One man walks 3.5 hours each way to church every week. Another family has to pay for transportation which is about $1 (average wages are $3/week there.) When you get there there are no cars in the parking lot but inside the building is overflowing and bustling with excitement and love and joy.

They cannot easily enter names into the computer because internet is not easily accessed and is not strong. So they work hard at filling out their family history booklets. The stake presidency then travels from house to house collecting the books and drops them off at the family history center where the family history president and staff enter in the names on family search for them. It takes about 2+ minutes to load just one page. Can you imagine?? If it takes more than 2 seconds to load a page on my handheld PHONE I practically can't stand it. 

I don't want to complain ever. I can not only walk to church, but I can walk 7 minutes to the Salt Lake City temple. Everything is at my fingertips. I am abundantly blessed. These people are also very blessed--not necessarily materially but spiritually and with the Gospel. I have recommitted myself to God, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to my family and neighbors. 

3 Nephi 6:14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

^^Collin at the church's booth for Indexing at Draper Days. Sorry your eyes were closed. 

Trying to stay in the shade. It has been SO HOT. 

Goodbye party for David and Amelia. I am seriously so sad. Im going to miss them so much. SO MUCH MORE excited for them though. David is going to medical school!!!!!!

Mckay and Ella

Hat and Zola Wallace had the best time playing together. It was awesome!

And Freddie, Eli and Liam were the 3 amigos. 

Ella and Aimee. I love Mia's sisters and brother and family so much. Love them. Love talking to them and listening to them talk to each other. 

Playing on the Capitol lawn. Movie night!

Can you spot Hattie? Her favorite Hong-being outside and playing in the dirt. 

Observing all the different types of grass around us. Day-riverside branch library Eco garden. That day listened to a song, "laying under a shady tree, you and me," and we memorized it. We love it. Ella loves looking up at the trees too. 

My fam. We are so close. 

Seeing Shakespear's As You Like It. It was so good and fun and Freddie LOVED it. 

^^"I can hear the ocean."

Observing the bees on the roof of the Salt Lake City Main library, followed by playing in the fountain and a little Pokemon Go. 

Walking to church today. 

Hattie got her own shoes on...below. Hehe. Honestly I was just so happy she listens and gets her shoes on when I ask. What a good girl!!

Mothers lounge! We both are sleepin in here. 

Grandma visits

My mom came in for the weekend last week. It was a fun snowy time. Collin and I got to go on two dates while my mom bathed and put the kids to bed and it was fantastic. I really felt relief from daily routine and got a nice break. The kids adore their Grammy and bring her book after book and won't let her nap. Haha. Poor G. It was a jam-packed weekend. 

Excited to go to the airport!!!

Serious aviator. 

Hehehehhe baby hands w fake nails. 

Fun piano bar downtown. They played I Got You Babe for us. 

Fun time at the children's museum. 

HAHAHHAAHHA this girl!!!

They love each other so much!!!!! So bonded. 

There was a snow storm all day Saturday: my moms dream come true. But with it came super dangerous roads and no hot springs. Oh well!!

We went swimming at the community pool.  So fun. 

And sledding w dad. 

Love this kid. He's up for any adventure. 

She's awesome. Lasted 2 minutes to hen wanted to go in. 

Had the greatest family dinner Sunday night. 

Love this family. 

On our way to the Provo city center temple open house. It was one of the nose unique beautiful temples I've ever seen. 

Our dear friend Jayden and her three kids came too. Freddie was crazy adorable w her youngest and was playing peek a boo, making her laugh. He is so ready to be a big brother again.  

Unfortunately her darling 2 year old son got sick and had to go to the hospital right after this. It was so scary and sad. But she was strong and we felt the spirit that families are forever. Thankfully he will be ok!!! 

Me at about 25 weeks with babe #3. 

Grammy and Hat, Jan 2016. 

Fell asleep dropping her off at the airport. Always. Success.