Dessert with Lindz

Lindsay and I started the night at the temple

and ended The Chocolate.....

with our favorite warm cakoozie.  

Good food, good company, and good artwork along the way

Cebu Fabebook

One of the joys of Facebook is that people post pictures of Missionaries!  It is often hard for Kay to find an internet connection on her p-day and if and when she does, they are usually full of viruses, so she can't connect her camera to them.  Hence, we don't see many pictures.

But I'm learning that when the go up to the Mission Home or Temple in Cebu, people will often take pictures and post them to the Cebu Mission Facebook Page. So, here are a few pics of our precious girl up in Cebu. 

When she goes to the city she wears her nicer outfits (white skirt) and nicer shoes (non crocs)

But when we zoomed in we could see her Croc tan line.  Thank you to all those who take time to post these pictures!

Jett loves to Work

Jett loves to work, or atleast be with people while they work.

Balls Family

A pic we took of some of our favorite people.  Kathleen spoke in Stake Conference today and asked us to snap a pic of she, Amanda, & Kevon after the meeting.  Her talk was based on Matthew 13:44 - purchasing the 'whole field'.  

If we want eternal joy-don't hold back anything.

Ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they put the Lord 1st in their lives.  

One example she used was the prophet asking all of the women of the church to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year (2018)  That was a challenge for busy Mom's and women to read the entire book in such a shirt amount of time, but we can now see that strnegthened the women of the church to start the Home Centered-Church Supported learning that kicked off in January of 2019.  As we moved forward ith the challnge, we were indivudally and collectively prepared for what the Lord would ask of us in the future. 

One more thought that I loved.  She talked about our prophet, President Russel M Nelson, and how he has perfect pitch -  both physically and spiritually. He plays the note and we must adjust and fine tune our own lives to match and follow him. 

I just love this family, though we all miss Nathan, we know he and Kayla and doing a marvelous work and wonder out serving missions for the Lord.  Love you Balls! 

Denny's Never Closes

Brenna's flight was delayed coming home from Florida, so it was close to midnight when she flew in.  Everyone was very awake (Dad's in Florida for work, so he was probably asleep) but those of us here were wide awake and excited to hear about her trip, so we headed to Denny's because we all know "Denny's Never Closes" 

Brenna filled us in about living in a RV at Fort Wilderness Campground in DisneyWorld for a week, how much she LOVES the Harvey's, and shared a few small souvenirs she brought back for sisters. It was so fun to hear about her adventures and to feel the joy she felt being able to spend time with Makayla and her family.  Thank you Harvey Family for  taking on 1 more in the RV.  

Welcome Home B

After a fun filled week with the Harvey's, Brenna returned home.  Leaving Makayla and her family was hard.  She called from the Terminal in Orlando as she was waiting  plane to board her flight and she was in tears.   She was excited to come home, but sad to leave.   

Welcome Home B!  We missed you!

Snow Run

After an hour long workout at the gym, Emily and I drove home while Lindsay took a run in the snow.

She is dedicated to staying strong and running often to keep in tip top shape during lax season.

Snowshoeing

While Brenna is enjoying time at the beach in Florida, we headed to the mountains to enjoy an afternoon of Snowshoeing near Brighton.

We have had some serious snow this year.  Our snowpack is well over 100% and the snow levels are up to the roofs of the restrooms

And to the bottom of the street signs.  We can't remember the last time the snow levels were so high

It was a gorgeous day, with lots of sun shine and a beautiful backdrop of blue skies and white puffy clouds - my very FAVORITE type of day!

Em stretching out over the little crevasses

Giving Jett some fresh snow to drink

Dad taking his turn carrying Jett in his sling

Our snow dog was well prepared for and loved being outwith us all day

Love Kay

We love seeing Kayla's missionary plague each Sunday.  

Love love love that girl!

BYU - Here She Comes

BYU Acceptance emails were not on any of our radars for tonight.  Em was performing at halftime of the last home basktball game.  Lindsay was at the game with her friends.  Robert and I had come just to see the halftime show.  Brenna was in Florida.  Aubs and Elan were doing their thing on Friday night.  Just after the half time performance, people in the student section started saying they were receiving emails from BYU telling them to check their portals.  

We were all caught off guard. With the others, we knew when the emails were coming, we made sure everyone was home, we just felt ready.  This was different, here we were in the middle of a basketball game.

We connected with Lindsay and told her to meet us by he dance room.  We then grabbed Emily, while Facetiming Aubs and Elan and getting Brenna on speaker phone, and headed to a quiet section of the school hallway.

Lindsay checked her portal....with all phones in use connecting to people or Lindz BYU account, there was no recording of Lindsay reading the message in her account.  

The first email she found in her account was a Scholarship Notification.  Lindsay received an Academic Scholarship to attend Brigham Young University Fall 2019.  The joy and excitement in that hallway was awesome!  Lindsay is an amazing girl!  She is fully committed and dedicated to everything she does.  She is hard working, compassionate, kind, and will be a great addition to BYU.

'Enter to Learn, Go For to Serve'

Congrats Lindsay!  We are so proud of you!!!!

Mission Communication Changes

This article was the first that we heard about the new missionary communication changes.  We never anticipated such changes, and we don't know what they will mean for Kayla while she serves, but we look forward to exploring these new options with her.  

Mandela Project

Emily had a project about Nelson Mandela due for World Civilizations.  She forgot or fell asleep or something, and with 10 minutes left before leaving for school, she and I whipped this concoction together.  I am not known for rescuing my kids when they procrastinate, but I got on board and we were quite proud with what we came up with in such a short amount of time.  Brenna - thanks for letting so many of your lego people head off to school with this project.  

LAX Valentine's

Sharing their love and roses with each other to celebrate Valentine's Day!

Ward Talent Show

These 2 prepping for the Youth Talent Show at mutual tonight.  They performed the infamous 'Miller Christmas Dance' even with half the crew gone. These 2 held their own and kept the tradition alive.

B Joins Harvey Family

Tonight Brenna is leaving on a jet plane to join the Harvey family for 1 week of their 52 week RV trip around the United States.  We have known since they left, that she would join them at some point on their trip, but it took a little time to coordinate schedules, locations, and nearby airports.  It's now February and she is headed to Orlando, Florida where they are staying in the DisneyWorld RV Park - Fort Wilderness.  Timing and location worked out pretty well 😄

B had zero concerns about flying by herself.  She thought it was part of the adventure and looked forward to being on her own and possible making friends along the way (And she did make a lot of friends along the way)

She flew Salt Lake to Las Vegas, had a short layover, change planes, and then flewVegas to Orlando.   

And look who was waiting for her when she landed - her BESTIE! 

Prior to Mikayla's family leaving on their year-long trip, these girls probably hadn't been apart for more than 3 - 4 days.  They now haven't been together for over 7 months and the excitement was palpable.

But rest assured, that doesn't mean they haven't talked, emailed or Facetimed a few times a week for the past 7 months.  They have used technology to their advantage to stay connected as often as internet connections have allowed.  

These girls are 2 peas in a pod and couldn't wait to spend the week together.

New Beginnings

New Beginnings is an annual event for all young women and their parents. This event provides an opportunity for leaders to express their love for the young women, encourage parents to help their daughters in Personal Progress, and introduce new young women to the young women program. 

In 2015, Emily was about to start the Personal Progress program, Aubrey and Kayla had already completed it, and Lindsay was working away at completing the 48 value experiences and 8 value projects required to earn their Young Womanhood Recognition Award & medallion.

Here we are 4 years later.  (Looks how much Lindz and Em have grown up)  Those 2 are  both about to compete all of their required value experiences and projects, and now Brenna is in the midst on working on her goals and requirements.   

So fun to see these girl work hard and work together to accomplish their goals and complete the Personal Progress Program.  It is something that has helped each of them to develop and strengthen their own individual testimony's of the Savior and draw closer to Him through their teenage years.

Final PROMposal

Senior year.  Last Prom. Final boy ask girl dance of high school.

And she couldn't be happier to be going with Jeremy Christiansen!!!!!!!

Gender Reveal

It's a big day for our family.

Today Aubs and Elan invited over some friends and family to share the gender of their baby!

This board was completely full of black balloons, with one balloon being filled with pink or blue glitter and the rest of the balloons filled with white glitter.  Everyone took turns throwing darts at the balloons and white glitter continued to fall from each one

Until Jordan threw his dart to start the slow release of them most important balloon of the night 

BLUE CONFETTI!  

It's a BOY!!!!

Temple Views

My Temple Views this week

When Kayla left on her mission, we all committed to go to the temple at least once a week while she was away serving.  She LOVED working in the temple before she left and we felt it was one way we could feel connected to her during her mission.  I haven't been too good at taking pics each time I go, but I do try to snap one if I remember and share them with her in my weekly emails.

Not only does being in the temple help me feel connected to Kayla. but he helps me feel closer to Robert and all of the girls.  Like a triangle - with the Lord at the top point and each of us and our family at the two bottom points -we know that as we all draw closer to the Lord at the top, we simultaneously draw closer to one another.  

I know that the Temple is the 'House of the Lord' here on the Earth.  I know throughout history the Lord has commanded His people to build temples.  From Moses, to Solomon, to the Nephites in the America's, to our day - Temples are an important part of God's work.  We go there to learn more about the Lord and His Plan for us as His children, and to perform ordinance in behalf of others.   When Jesus Christ established His church here on the Earth, he taught about the need to be Baptized and to receive the Holy Ghost.

. In John 3:5 it reads  “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

God, in His mercy and love, has provided temples throughout the earth to continue to teach and bless His children and to provide a way for those who lived without receiving saving ordinances, to receive them by proxy, even after this life.

I love this simple video about Temples (click)

 Being in the temple helps to strengthen my spirit and draw me closer to God and those around me.  As I spend time in the quiet rooms of the temple, it helps me to slow down and feel the peace and love that God so freely offers. 

Dinner Date

                                Mom, Dad & Brenna dinner date tonight, enjoying some Pho

We are entering an era where all of the girls tend to be gone on Friday and Saturday night, except when the party ends up at our house :)  

Tonight we took advantage of having B home to join is for dinner and a little shopping (which usually means Costco or Target)

We vividly remember the days of paying Emma H. to watch the girls at least one night a weekend, so we could have a date night.  As the girls get older, date nights are becoming more frequent for us, sandwiched between driving Emily and Brenna to their various nightly activities.  Our lives are evolving and we are trying to fully enjoy every day, night, and weekend of it.

LAX Captains

Lindsay, Ellie, Petie, & Deign

Lacrosse captains having a post practice meeting at Roxberry.  

These are some FANTASTIC Girls and we love how well they work together to build up their teammates and strengthen the Girls Lacrosse program at Bingham.

Lindsay's teammates nominated her as Sweetheart Nominee for the upcoming Sweetheart's Dance.  Here was a cute sign I saw when I was over at the school  Go Lindsay!