Congratulations Staci!!

My sister in law Staci Boren (Chad's sister) just had a baby down in AZ. This little cutie is her and her husband Brad's fifth kiddo. Little Rachel was born on Monday night and weighed in at 8 pounds 11 ounces and was 23 inches long! I am so wanting to hold this little girl. All of Staci's other kids were born with dark hair, this little sweetie as a full head of blond hair.
Congratulations Brad and Staci, she is beautiful!!!

An update on Dad

Today I was stressed...No wait I was a mess! I knew that today I would be meeting with the doctor to discuss my dad's cancer. He received a Pet Scan last week. A Pet Scan is an all over body scan that searches for cancer. It can detect it anywhere and everywhere. My dad had received one when he was first diagnosed with cancer. This was the second one-about 6 months apart to compare and see where and if the cancer was growing. The great news is that the tumor on his hip has shrunk significantly, due to the radiation! It is still there, but none the less quite a bit smaller. There also doesn't seem to be any cancer that they didn't already know about, which means it doesn't seem to be spreading or growing!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!! They are going to continue the same Chemo treatment that he has been on and then evaluate in a few weeks. The cancer is not going away but it is not growing either. We are all very happy. Now if he can get his pain under control (he is still in a great deal of pain in his hip where the replacement surgery took place). We meet with his doctor who performed the hip surgery on Monday, with x-rays we should know more then. Any how thanks for the kind words, thoughts and prayers! They seem to be working!!!

The Honest Blogger Award

I have been Honored as an “Honest Blogger” by Joni, you can see her blog at
www.Joni-fletcherfamily.blogspot.com
Honored by bloggers The rules are thus:
1) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
2) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with “Honest Scrap.” Well, there’s no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.
3) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

The 7 blogs: These are ladies who bare-all on their blogs. They are intelligent, funny, honest-to-the-bone, and make me a better person for reading them. I consider these ladies my dear friends, even thoughsome of them I have never met, because of the connection I feel from their blogs. You can check out their blogs from my sidebar. In no particular order:

1. Kayola Skinner. Even though her blog is private she has quite the following. She is honest, hilarious, sincere, amazing and incredibly talented. She was kind of a second mother to me. She saw me at my worst when I went to California with her family and got Shingles and she took me to a crazy-grosso doctor.

2. Melanie Syrek. She is my cousin who I recently have gotten closer to. I love Melanie. She is sweet, sincere, a loving mother and a person who I admire for going through what she has gone through these past few years, with loosing her twin brother and raising a righteous posterity. She is an inspiration to me.

3. Tara LaRue. My sister who is trying ever so hard to get out of debt and has been brave enough to make it public. I love her and admire her for her dedication to this cause. She is also a loving aunt to many nieces and nephews who absolutely adore her.

4. Shelly Lomu. Wow what trial she is enduring. Shelly is a mother of 5 who just found out that she has stage 3 breast cancer. She is a fighter. To read her blog is an inspiration to all. She speaks of her Chemo, her hair loss, her exhaustion and her love of life.

5. Andrea Derrick. My sister who is constantly battling the daily grind with 7 children and a husband who is in the stake presidency and is extremely busy with working 70 hours a week! She is amazing and awesome! I look up to her and laugh at her as well as with her as she shares the funny things her kids are doing as well as the daily struggles..

6. Maren Checketts. A life long friend who has known me almost as long as my family. She is awesome. In her blog she tells it like it is! She talks about being a busy mom of six, dealing with lice, laundry, stomach flu, fighting children, long days without a spouse (he travels alot) and demanding church callings. She is a forever friend!

7. Summer. She is a friend from high school friend. She was recently remarried. She talks of the fun and challenges she has had combining two families into one. She is happy and it exudes out of her blog. Summer is one who just makes you smile!

To all of you who read my blog. I have so many others I could put on this list. So many are private now, but I love reading them all the same. I enjoy your feelings and seeing you and your kids grow up!

10 honest things about me:

1. I love my family with all my heart

2. I love to bake anything and everything homemade.

3.I believe that I live in a modern day Mayberry.

4. I hope to never move from this area, I want to raise my kids right here.

5. For the first time in a long time I feel like I have some really good friends who care about me, and would notice if I up and left in the night. (not that I would, but it's nice to know they would notice)

6.I absolutely love spending any and all time with Chad, the love of my life!

7.I hate seeing my dad age. It is so hard to see him be so sick and in so much pain.

8. I am really proud of my mom, seeing her be so strong for my dad is strength to me.

9. I love to travel, I don't care where to, but lets go!

10. I love to take long, hot, showers in the dark when I am stressed...It calms me.

I have to say again how honored I am to be chosen and I so appreciate all the kind words Joni said.

"In your face!"

Last night our ward had an adult miniature golf party. Different organizations were in charge of making up their own holes. One lady decided to do a characature of Bishop Kerby. So the point was to get the ball up the tongue and through the mouth.
Pretty Funny!!! It was a hit.

A Utah Icon will be missed!!!

This might be a little strange coming from my blog but I am feeling sad.
Owner of the Utah Jazz and Utah Icon Larry Miller age 64 just passed away. His health has been failing fast. He is such a part of Utah and has done so much for the entire community, the church and from what I understand he was a really great man.
I am sad for his close friends and family. He will surely be missed!

Win, Win, Win!!!

I Won And You Can Too! Pay It Forward

The Rules...

1. Be one of the first three bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which entitles you to a handmade item from me.

2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway.

3. The gift that you send to your friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It's the Spirit and the thought that counts!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love!

If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Please take the button and post it on your blog; start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!

Monster of a Valentine!

These are our "bad" Monster Truck T-Shirts!

Thanks guys!!
(This was my first Monster truck show!)

We were totally into the whole truck crashing,
big Tonka Truck wheels and revving of motors
in our Suite. We were also laughing pretty dang hard!

Here we are making the I love you sign since we were there on Valentines day!
(sorry the pictures aren't great, they were taken with Chad's phone)

Tonight Chad and I were surprised with a night out on the town with our good friends the Majors. Sue and Darren asked us about two months ago if they could plan our Valentines date for us. Chad was thrilled because it basically took him off of the hook to plan anything. They picked us up and we went to the train station and rode the train up to the Gateway Shopping Center. We first ate at Costa Vida...Yummy! Then we walked over to the Energy Solutions Arena (Delta Center). They surprise us with Monster Truck tickets. We were cracking up! We had the time of our lives. Then as if it can't get any better, Sue's parent's work at the Arena and got us into a Suite! So we got to watch the Crazy Truck show in a suite! We had a blast!!! Then our men bought us Monster Truck T-Shirts so we could always remember this Valentines day!!! We laughed all night long. The night ended with Chad getting to use his Norwegian on the train.

Thank you to Sue and Darren for a total blast of a night that we will never forget!!!

Chocolate Valentines

These ladies are my great friends and we spent the morning dipping and creating chocolate valentines for our men. We made such a mess and had such a great time! We made chocolate-caramel apples, pretzels, chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate dipped marshmallows and dipped heart shaped chocolate chip cookies! They looked awesome.
Anna, Kim, Andrea and Raelene

The "drying counter" where all of the treats were
left to dry before we bagged them.

The big helper-Max

The finished product was this cute basket full of our treats with some valentine coupons tied on. (I also had extra that I will surprise my kids with.) I believe that I am married to the most wonderful man ever. Happy Valentines Day Mr. Wonderful!!!

Happy Birthday Raegan

Today is Raegan's Birthday. I cannot believe that she is already 11 years old. She was my biggest baby weighing 7 lbs 14 oz and was one week over due and had to be induced. I think she must have know what kind of responsibilities she was going to have being the oldest of 6.
She is truly a joy in our life.

Torie and Raegan

She does like to root for our Cougars!

Raegan had breakfast in bed this morning.
She had crepes and Chocolate Dipped Strawberries.
(Her Request)

Here are 11 reason's why I love Raegan so much...

1. Raegan is very talented. She loves to sing and is a great clogger.
2. Raegan has a very sensitive spirit. She can never leave AZ without crying all of the way to Flagstaff. She misses her grandma, cousins and her aunts and loves spending time with them.
3. She loves to shop. In fact this year she wanted to forgo any gifts or party. She wants the money instead to go shopping and out to lunch. So shopping we are going this afternoon!
4. She is such a help. She is always helping out with her younger siblings. And they adore her. She is a huge help to me on Sundays.
5. She is extremely reliable. We can leave her in charge and know that things will be in order when we come back.
6. She is determined and passionate. She does not back down. If she has something in her mind, it is nearly impossible to sway her another way. She has big ideas and likes to follow through with them.
7. She is a great student. She tries really hard to please her teacher and will work extra hard to make the honor roll. (there is that determination)
8. She is creative. She is very good at making up plays, posters or activities for her and her friends or her siblings. Especially on Sunday mornings when she helps with all of the kids by playing school, train or sunday school.
9. She is a dreamer (she gets this from her mom).
10. She loves to read.
11. Raegan is loving. She loves her family and loves to spend time with us!

Happy Birthday Raeggie Roo! We love you!

Tyler'sBig Day

Tyler had to blow out his candles
three times to get his wish.

Tyler was so sweet,
he shared everything with his siblings.

Tyler got a new bike, I think it's a little big but he said that it was ok. He told me that he is growing so fast that he will be sure to grow into it by this summer!

All of his buddies playing indoor soccer.

Happy Birthday Tye!

Today we celebrated Tyler's birthday. After school he had a party with his buddies. We took all of the kids to the church to play indoor soccer in the cultural hall as well as a little basket ball. They all had a blast! He has such good friends. He had a great day and was so cute because he shared everything with his little sister and brother. He really was so sweet. He said that it was the best day ever!

Happy Birthday Tyler!!!

Happy Birthday to my oldest son Tyler!!
Tyler is Eight Years old today.

Top 8 things I love about Tye...

1. He is a pleaser, he does not like to disappoint!

2. He LOVES his family. Tyler can't stand it when someone in our family is out of town, he likes us all together all of the time.
(He is already worrying about going on a mission.)
3. He LOVES sports and is very good at them, he is quite the athlete.
4. Tyler loves to have fun. Going to the movies or playing with friends is what he is all about.
5. He loves to learn about the Gospel. He is always asking us all sorts of questions about the Plan of Salvation, the Scriptures and just life. He is very inquisitive.
6. He loves to eat. He appreciates good food and you know it because it is all over him. His face and hands are covered in whatever he is eating, that is how you know he likes it. We have tried to teach him how to eat but he will have to learn this over time. (Maybe on his mission?)
7. Tyler is personality plus. He is very funny and has such a fun personality.
8. Tyler is a momma's boy! He loves to be hugged, kissed, tickled and teased. He is definitely a lover not a fighter.

Happy Birthday Buddy! I hope you have a great day!

What a Good Man!!

Tonight we went up to Chad's Beneficial Financial Group Awards Banquet. We had a nice time eating a wonderful dinner at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building surrounded by friends. What we did not know was that Chad was going to be honored. Chad won Beneficial Financial Group's "Rookie of the Year" as well as "New Agent of the Year". (He was chosen out of hundreds of agents,) He was also presented with a giant check for making the "Century Club". What was crazy was that every time they honored him they also honored me. I received two huge, beautiful bouquet's of flowers. It was a great night, he really works for the greatest company. I am so proud of him and all of his hard work and dedication this last year. We have been truly blessed.

Anyone need any life insurance????Chad holding his two awards and the giant check.

Chad and I with the awards and my pretty flowers. It's hard to tell in this picture but these bouquets were huge, like Miss. America huge!!!
Way to go Chad!!!