First day of 2nd Grade

Although it's sad to see summer come to an end Peyton was so excited to get back to school and see all his good friends. I hope 2nd grade is a really good year for him. He only has about 16 kids in his class and his teacher is his kindergarten teacher, Miss Bryant. He loved her in kindergarten and was so excited to have her again. I was excited too, she's excellent! This should be a great school year.

More Summer Fun

Fire Station Field Trip With Friends

Family Home Evening Yard Work

Utah State Capital with Grandma


Raging Waters

The Horizon

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads his white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean.
He is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch him until at length he hangs like a speck of white cloud on the horizon,
just where the sea and the sky come to mingle with one another.
Then someone at my side says, "There, he is gone."
"Gone where?"
Gone from my sight. That is all.
He is just as large in mast and hull and span as he was when he left my side, and he is just as able
to bear his load of living freight to his destined port.
His diminished size is in me, not in him.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says, "There, he is gone."
There are other eyes watching him coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout:
"Here he comes!"

And that is dying.

-Anonymous

One month ago today my Dad passed away. I'm still trying to figure out if it was just a bad dream. Somedays I feel like he's still just a phone call away. Others days I struggle to remember his voice, his smell, his laugh and it feels like he's been gone forever. A friend just gave me this poem, it brings me some comfort during this sad and difficult time.

Mitchell's First Dentist Appointment

Mitchell was so excited for his first dentist appointment. Ben took the day off to take the kids because I was doing funeral stuff with my Mom. Mitch could hardly wait, when they walked in the receptionist told Ben they were a day early. I had too many others things on my mind I guess. Mitch was a little disappointed! The next day we went to the real appointment, Mitch went straight to the chair, hopped up and let them clean his teeth. Just chillin' watching the movie.
Too Cute!!
Clean teeth, a new toothbrush and a prize!!

Summer Fun

Despite having a really crumby month of July we did manage to squeeze in some summer fun. We've been taking advantage of Annie's pool and swimming a lot, we saw some parades, went to our ward summer party where we decorated our scooters and bikes with a cowboy theme, and cooked in the sun watching Ash play his first year of baseball. This summer has been so busy, I can't believe we only have one more month left!!

Final Farewell

This past week has been a really tough one, but thanks to so many wonderful friends, going through the pain of loosing my Dad seems almost bearable. It was great to see so many friends, I really appreciated so many of you making the effort to come to the viewing and funeral. Everything went well, I don't think we could have done anything better. I was really proud of my sister and brother, their talks were so good. I know my Dad would have been pleased to hear from his children. We were so blessed to have President Monson come to the viewing(he's a friend of my grandpa's) He also gave my Dad a blessing in the hospital a couple days before he died. I was really excited the kids got meet him, what a special memory for them. Now comes the hard part, figuring out how to live our lives without our Dad and Grandpa. I hope these sweet little ones will always have their memories and the knowledge that they were so loved by "Pa" Colin.

My HERO

I always knew my Dad wouldn't live to be 100 but somehow I never thought this day would come. He beat the odds so many times, and although this last trip to the hospital felt different I kept hoping my gut feeling was wrong and he'd beat the odds one more time. I haven't just lost a Father but a best friend as well. I visited my Dad almost everyday. I spoke to him on the phone at least two or three times a day, he was so easy to talk to. He inspired me to be a better person and he kept me grounded. He never let me forget that your family and friends are the most important things in the World. I love that my children had such strong relationships with him, each one unique and special. I hope I can pass on his courage, strength, compassion, work ethic and unconditional love to them. His grandchildren and my mom kept him going for so long.

A special thanks to his amazing doctors and nurses. I'm humbled by the care he received this past week in the hospital, how impressive that total strangers would love and care for someone they didn't even know. And thanks to the doctors that have taken care of him for more than 30 years.

Finally, thank you, thank you, thank you to my Mom. What an AMAZING women! She is definitely a little piece of Heaven on Earth. I never once heard her complain about taking care of my Dad, she loved him unconditionally and was happy to do it. I appreciate the example she has set for me, I love her for so many things but especially for the way she loved my Dad.

Rest in PEACE and pain free, I love you Dad. You're my HERO!