Another Project Done!

Aubrey has been working hard on her Personal Progress.  For those of you who don't know.....The Personal Progress Program is a program for the young women of our church.  It is a program that uses the eight Young Women values (Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue) to help the young women understand more fully who they are, why they are here on the earth, and what they should be doing as a daughter of God to prepare for the day they go to the temple to make sacred covenants.  It will help them prepare for their future roles as a faithful women, wife, mother, and leader in God's kingdom.  Participating in this program helps them to make goals, carry them out, and report their progress.  Each girl must complete 3 required value experiences, 3 additional value experiences, and then complete a 10 hour project in that value.  They must do this for all eight of the Young Women Values.  It is quite a program!  It can be compared to what the boys do to achieve their Eagle Scout Award.  (In hours and projects!)  Like I said, Aubrey has been working really hard.  I haven't really had to get on her and make sure she is working on her goals.  She is very self-motivated!  For her project in the value of Divine Nature, she decided to make a jean quilt.  She used all of our old jeans to make it.  It has taken more than 10 hours!!!  She worked hard and finally finished it this weekend.  For her first sewing project, she did really good!  We are very proud of her.



Sunday Clothes!

When our boys turn 16 they get a cell phone and a suit!  Austin got his cell phone the day of his birthday, but his suit took a while.  It was hard to find the right size and get one that fit this tall boy.  After a lot of looking and ordering, we got one that fit.  This week he wore it to church!  There is something that gets to me when I see my sons in their suits.  First of all, I think they look so handsome and grown up.  I just love it.  I also feel like I get a glimpse of what they look like when they will be missionaries.  Seeing Austin all dressed in his suit was too much!  He looked so grown up and handsome!  Dang, where does time go? 

Then I found this picture on Aubrey's camera.  She took it of Ian today before church.  Doesn't he look handsome?  He sang in sacrament meeting today.  It was a Primary boy's choir.  They did so good.  Ian loves this outfit because he thinks he looks like a Beatle.  Yes, he is still obsessed with the Beatles.  So funny! 



Flowers!

Don always knows when I need some flowers!  I love them! 

New Morph Suit!

Yes, Austin got a new morph suit!  This one is in CHS colors and is for sporting events.  See, Austin had this dream to be the mascot for school.  Well, every time he tried to talk to the advisor over cheer, he could never find her.  Time went on and he never did get to be the mascot.  Anyone that knows Austin knows that he never gives up on a dream.  So one day he came to me so excited!  He found morph suits in two different colors.  Then a new dream was born........he would be his own mascot!  Yes, he would get this suit and where it to sporting events at the school.  (Let's see if he goes through with it!)  One day someone was talking to me about Austin's love of morph suits, or full body spandex.  They couldn't believe that I was ok with this.  Listen, he doesn't wear this everyday!  I also told her, he is a good kid, stays out of trouble, and loves to have fun!  I really can't complain about full body spandex!  Really, aren't there other things I need to worry about????  So yes, my son has a new morph suit.  Oh, for school events!

Beautiful Warm Day......In January

Today was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so the kids did not have any school.  It was a beautiful day out.  70 degrees outside.  It was the perfect day to spend time together as a family and go outside to the park.  Aubrey went to her friend's house, but Ian and Austin went with Don and me to the park.  I always say it, if it was like this everyday in Vegas, I would never want to leave!

We watched Austin and his friends play rugby at the park.  Austin loves rugby.  It was fun to watch him in action!

I love the look on Ian's face when he jumped into Don's arms.  He looks nervous, but he totally trusts that Don will catch him!

Austin had fun talking to his friends!

Sometimes little brothers like to get in the way!  Maybe he just wanted some attention.  I love that Austin didn't get mad at him.  He wrestled Ian, and then let him play football with him!

Later in the evening we had family home evening.  Tonight we went over our goals for 2011.  We played games and laughed about when we used to go over our goals.  Years ago, when we did this, it just ended in everyone yelling at each other.  It's funny how you can look back and laugh at things.  It was funny to hear what the kids thought about those goal making family home evenings!  Now, we take each kid into our room and talk about their goals.  We hear some pretty funny ones.  Ones that have to do with being awesome, the twilight zone, time travel, and other things.  We also hear some pretty serious goals.  It always impresses me what the kids are thinking about.  Sometimes, it even surprises me.

Aubrey Loves Cake Pops!

Aubrey has been in love with the web site Bakerella!  She follows it religiously!  She has made a few of the recipes that are featured on the site.  Then she heard that the lady who runs the web site put out a cookbook!  Oh happy day!  After looking around for the cookbook we finally found it at Borders.  Aubrey used some of her Christmas money and get the book.  She read it and studied it.  This weekend she decided to try one of the recipes.  She was a very happy girl!

 It took a couple of days to get it done, but she was patient and did a great job.

 For Family Home Evening treats tomorrow night, we are having her cupcake pops! 

I am pretty impressed!  She did a great job.  She is really excited to try some more cake pops!  I think her brothers are excited to eat them!  She wants some edible pens.  So that is what I am looking for.  I am trying to get her some edible pens for her creations!



Missions.

For those of you who wonder why Zach is serving a mission, this video will help you to understand.



Zach's Mission Call!

When you have a baby boy and you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints you always have in the back of your mind, someday this baby will serve a mission for the church. You raise your son, you teach him, pray, and hope that one day he will have a desire to serve a mission. Then that day comes. It kind of sneaks up on you. Out of no where, you find yourself filling out mission forms and getting them ready to serve!

Then comes the day when they get their call. After gathering the family from all of their various activities, and Zachery sticking pens up his nose on Skype, it was time to be serious.

Well, almost time! Zachery started out by telling us that he had been called to the Salt Lake City West mission. To be honest, we didn't know what to say. Then he said, "Oh wait, did I say Salt Lake, I mean Moscow, Russia, West Mission!" We all started to scream! Zach is so happy!  He just smiled!  This is where he wanted to go!  I know without a doubt that this is where he should be!  Don feels the same way!  Our son is going to go and serve the people of Russia and Kazakhstan!  He will go to the MTC on May 18. 

If you would like to know how missionaries are called, here is part of a talk by Ronald A. Rasband.  He gave this talk in April 2010.

"I joined Elder Eyring early one morning in a room where several large computer screens had been prepared for the session. There was also a staff member from the Missionary Department who had been assigned to assist us that day.

First, we knelt together in prayer. I remember Elder Eyring using very sincere words, asking the Lord to bless him to know “perfectly” where the missionaries should be assigned. The word “perfectly” said much about the faith that Elder Eyring exhibited that day.
As the process began, a picture of the missionary to be assigned would come up on one of the computer screens. As each picture appeared, to me it was as if the missionary were in the room with us. Elder Eyring would then greet the missionary with his kind and endearing voice: “Good morning, Elder Reier or Sister Yang. How are you today?”
He told me that in his own mind he liked to think of where the missionaries would conclude their mission. This would aid him to know where they were to be assigned. Elder Eyring would then study the comments from the bishops and stake presidents, medical notes, and other issues relating to each missionary.

He then referred to another screen which displayed areas and missions across the world. Finally, as he was prompted by the Spirit, he would assign the missionary to his or her field of labor."

So It Begins......

I had a bit of a break when it came to dealing with dances and formals.  Then LDS Formal came up.  This year it is in March and Austin is old enough to go to it.  After church on Sunday we went and helped Austin ask a friend of his to the formal.  It was like a CSI crime scene thing.  Pretty funny!

Today, Austin came home right after school because he was sick.  No track for him today.  Well, after a nap he woke up to find this!  Very cute.  I guess he is going to the formal!



Snow!

Who said we don't get snow in Vegas?  Yes, at least once a year, we get snow!  It is so exciting for us.  It was melted by noon.  Still, this was a great day!  Unfortunately the kids had to go back to school.  No playing in this snow.

New Year's Day!

Some years, we have nothing to do for New Year's Eve.  Well this year we were busy all night.  The kids had parties and dances to go to.  Don and I visited with friends, but right before midnight we ran home to watch the fireworks on the strip from our bedroom windows.  Ian loved it.  Not only was he able to see the fireworks from the strip, but he saw all the fireworks all over the valley.  It was quite a sight.

The next morning while everyone slept in, I woke up and began to take down the Christmas decorations.  That's right, it goes up the day after Thanksgiving and gets taken down New Year's Day.  A friend of mine said to me last night, "Wouldn't it be great to keep everything up all year."  Sure, but it would be a lot to dust! 

Another thing that Don loves about New Year's Day is watching football all day!  He loves bowl games.  He was very happy about how Alabama did.  UCONN football got invited to a BCS bowl game!  We are so excited for them.  They are kind of struggling right now! Don and Ian represented Alabama, but have no fear.....I sported my UCONN gear!