J&J McBride Blog

Universal Studios, Island of Adventure....Day 4

2011-02-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

The next morning we woke up and stuff over selves with a huge breakfast at the Gingerbread House. When I mean huge, I mean things like waffles with all the toppings, cold cereal, donuts, eggs, bacon, potatoes, fruit, biscuits & gravy, yes....every single morning. It was crazy and good too! The only thing was, Jeffrey hated the jello covered bananas that James made him try. Look at this face...Serious nastiness! After getting that look off of his face, we all loaded up into the van and headed to Universal Studios Island of Adventure. This park is quite a bit smaller but has some amazing roller coaster rides. I was nervous because we had had such a great experience so far with Disney, I wondered if the customer service would equal. For the most part, it did. Although the kids didn't hear the words, "You're money is no good here" anywhere in this park as well. We walked in and decided to head over to the Seuss Landing. Julie was in heaven because she is quite the Dr Seuss fan. We went on a few of the smaller rides in that area and then headed to The High in the Sky, Seuss Trolley Train Ride. This ride takes you over the Seuss Landing on a roller coaster high up on a track in the sky. We took an elevator up to where you have to get on the ride. Here we met another fantastic young man who worked on the ride. He made sure we had cart with a wider opening so James could put Jeffrey in easier. He made sure the kids knew what fun stuff to look out for on the ride, he even went so far as to ask us if when we got done, we wanted to switch sides on the ride to make sure we got the full effect. We declined, but it was so nice. We seriously felt like celebrities! Jeffrey loved the ride and Julie couldn't stop smiling. It was wonderful!
We get off the ride and who should pop out, THE CAT IN THE HAT himself! We were all so excited. He came over and let Jeffrey rub his fur and posed for pictures and suddenly we were joined by...THE GRINCH! If you have ever called our house and listened closely to our answering machine, you know how big of a fan James is of the Grinch. In fact, we often tease James that he is a lot like the Grinch in the fact that he doesn't like to "feel" things. After James wiped the silly smile off his face, we headed over to a experience called Poseidon's Fury. You go and stand in an enormous building and this explorer comes in and tells you that the place has had bad things happen in there but to just wait for the professor and he would lead us out. At this point, the lights go off and you are off on a journey to get out of the building alive. You walk through rooms while there is a lights, lasers, fires, holograms, and special effects that are truly impressive. You could feel this fire on your face and the water would splash and land on your arms. While we all that it was pretty cool, Julie was freaked out and couldn't wait to get out of there. That is one of the only things she hated about the entire trip. Here is part of the building as we are walking out. >Just as we walked around the bend, into view popped the magical world of Harry Potter. Look at the buildings behind this picture and you can see what an incredible job they did on recreating this magical world. The Harry Potter Series is one of the only sets of books that James has shown any interest in reading since we have been married. He read one book, I believe, and then listened to the others on CD. While we are not psycho crazy fans, we do love the books and movies. The only problem with this part of Universal was, it was PACKED with crazy fans. The line to get into Ollivanders wand store was a 45 minute wait....to get into the store and shop. No joke! To really put this into perspective, you have to realize that we were in Orlando during one of the slowest times of the year. It is crazy nuts! Needless to say, we didn't go in. We did go get in line for the Dragon Challenge. Once again, we were the recipients of some great customer service. As we walked in, the cast member who was showing us where to go asked us which dragon we wanted to go on. She explained that the ride is 2 different roller coasters: the Chinese Fireball or red dragon OR the Hungarian Horntail or blue dragon. James asked her which one was more exciting, she smiled and said, "You are going on the Chinese Fireball, you are going to love it!" The only glitch was that Jeffrey and Jackson couldn't go on the ride and Jackson was NOT happy about this. But like the trooper he is, he didn't complain too much. When Julie and I went to get on the ride, the cast member asked us which sets we wanted. When I said I didn't care, he smiled and put us in the front row. Our feet were dangling in the wind as we went on one of the best rides we experienced in Orlando! At one point, it felt like you were going to crash into the blue roller coaster. It was really neat and we loved it. In fact, Julie was lucky enough to be able to go again with James in the front seats once again! I highly recommend it. Then we went and got in line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. There are signs all over this ride saying that if you got motion sickness, to not ride this ride. James DOES get motion sickness but wouldn't have skipped out on this for anything. We were to the point where we were getting on the ride and the ride broke down. Yep...once again! We waited for awhile hoping that the ride would start back up again. While we stood there we became friends with a set of twins from Brooklyn who were celebrating their 23rd birthday. They were really cute and it was fun talking with them, especially since their accent reminded us so much of James' little twins brothers accent. After deciding that we would come back later, we headed to the Jurassic Park area and ate some way overpriced and waited too long for hamburgers and fries. It was nice to sit for a minute though. As we left, Jackson REALLY wanted to go on the Jurassic Park River Adventure. Here's the deal, there was a good chance that we would get wet. James and Julie really didn't want to get wet so they took Jeffrey to change his diaper and Jackson and I went on the ride. (I felt bad that he didn't get to go on the Harry Potter ride. I didn't really want to get wet either.) The way they seated us, Jackson couldn't see a single thing on the ride and didn't get wet so he was still bummed. Poor kid! Then we still had a few minutes before we had to meet with the other 3 so we went on the Pteranodon Flyers. Which was a fun ride for littler kids but it is way too short. We met up with the rest of the family and then Julie and James went on the ride. At this point, we decided to head back to the Harry Potter ride. This time, in the line, they split us up. James, Jeffrey and Julie went and got on the ride at a different point than we did. Jackson and I went on first and during the ride, I felt like we had made the biggest mistake ever on letting Jeffrey go on this ride. You flip around, make sudden movements, and it is intense. Pair that with the fact that spiders are spitting water at you, snakes and hissing in your face, and Deatheaters are breathing cold fog in your face and I was sure bad things were going to be happening for Jeffrey at the end of the ride. I seriously was praying he would be alright. It was a very true rendition of the books and I loved the ride itself but Jackson closed his eyes halfway through because it was a little too much. And Jackson doesn't usually get scared. We got off the ride and there was 2 girls throwing up in garbage bags. That set off my worry meter even more because I thought, "Great, now James will be throwing up and Jeffrey will be in a full on seizure!" We ran to meet them and I was shocked to see Jeffrey laughing and clapping with Julie in his lap. I was so relieved! James, on the other hand, looked really white. He said it did a number to him but is glad he went. After that we headed down to another area and once again, Jackson wanted to go on another water ride. James and Jeffrey opted out (it gave his stomach some time to settle down) and Julie and I went unwillingly on Popeye and Plutos Bilge Rat Barges. He really had to talk us into going on this ride. It was a fun ride, very similar to Rattlesnake Rapids at Lagoon. The only problem was that we got SOAKED! We got off the ride and Julie was showing James how wet she was when Jackson leaned over and said to both her and I, "You're Welcome!" with a huge grin on his face. Little Stinker! We explored the comic book area of the park and loved all the little places for photo opportunities. As we headed to the superhero area of the park, who do we see....Wolverine! When we got up to see him, he noticed James hat and said, "What's up Brigham Young?" James was thrilled but shocked because the entire vacation people had been asking us where we were from. When we said Utah most of the looks we got were confusion because they didn't know where that was! One lady even asked Julie and Julie told her we were by Wyoming. She knew where Wyoming was though....shesh! It was exciting that Wolverine not only knew where Utah was, but he knew about BYU. As we walked away, Jackson noticed Spiderman! We asked him if he wanted to go see him and in an excited voice he answered yes and then stopped. He said, "I don't want to have to make everyone else wait because I want to see Spiderman. This trip is for Jeffrey." I love this little guy, he melts my heart. We assured him it was alright when a worker stopped us and said that if we would follow him and wait 10 minutes, we would be in for a treat. So we followed him to this back area of the park and waited. 10 minutes later on 4-wheelers pull in, Spiderman, Captain American, Cyclops, Rogue, Storm, and Wolverine! They jumped off their 4-wheelers in true superhero fashion and came over to us. Captain America grabbed Jeffrey's wheelchair and started playing with him, without any hesitation. He gave him his shield and let Jeffrey play with it while he wheeled him around. Rogue and Storm had Julie to one side telling her how much they loved her hair and playing with her. Spiderman had Jackson practicing his web throwing abilities. Cyclops and Wolverine were talking with James about something, it was a moment in time I will never forget. These wonderful people made my family feel so special and comfortable. It was something out of a dream and Jeffrey loved that shield. They were honestly bigger superheros because of their personalities rather than their costumes.>After this experience, we headed over to the Spiderman ride. This was definitely a favorite for the entire family! It is a 3D action ride that takes you on twists and turns with Spiderman as he battles all of is different nemeisis. The car you are in shakes, rattles, and rolls with different villians attacking you along the way. Jeffrey laughed the entire ride! It was great fun! We had heard a lot about the ride, The Hulk. People kept saying how we had to go on it and we would love it! When we went to get on the ride, we noticed that once again, Jackson wasn't tall enough so he and Jeffrey couldn't ride. Julie looked at me and said, "Mom, this trip is about Jeffrey and making him happy. Maybe we shouldn't go on it and do something Jeffrey can do." I held back the tears of gratitude for such a great daughter and James told her that we were so glad that she was aware of that and grateful that she would be willing to give up a ride she was anxious to go on. BUT, we were going because Mom and Dad wanted to. And we did! It was really fun but honestly, we liked a few of the other coasters on we went during our stay in Orlando better. At this point, Jackson saw another spinning ride called the Storm Force Acceleration ride which is a faster version of the teacups at Magic Kingdom. James was still feeling yucky from the Harry Potter Ride, Julie said the Hulk made her tummy feel weird and didn't want to go on it, and Jeffrey doesn't do well on spinning things. Even though at this point my stomach wasn't 100% either, I couldn't let him down and we went and spun and spun and spun around making my stomach feel even less wonderful but the smile on Jacksons face was worth it. At this point, we had done what we wanted to so we headed home. First we purchased the kids these great shirts that say Thing 1 for Jeffrey, Thing 2 for Julie, and Thing 3 for Jackson, in reference to Dr Seuss' The Cat in the Hat. It was getting late and so we ordered dinner from a place in Give Kids the World called Katie's Kitchen. They provide you with food, right to your villa, from Bostons Market. We had roasted chicken, meatloaf, potatoes, green beans, cornbread, and it was all so good. After that, we went straight to bed because we knew we had a lot of walking in store at Epcot the next day!

Disney Studios...in a Hurricane? Day 3

2011-02-07T15:04:00.000-08:00

The next morning we woke up and listened to the news. Rain, and a lot of it, was in the forecast. Knowing that we were heading to Florida, James (Mr Smarty Pants), went to Walmart and bought 5 of the cheap emergency ponchos for a $1.25 each. Rain wasn't going to ruin our once-in-a-lifetime vacation! The rain wasn't scheduled to start until later in the morning so we hurried and got ready and ran to get breakfast. After breakfast, we went down to the theater to meet Mickey and Minnie! They come and spend special time with all the of kids at Give Kids the World each week. On our way into the theater, Goofy, Pluto and Mary Poppins came walking out! Holy Smokes did we have some excited kids! They visited with us and took pictures. It was so much fun and they were so nice. Mary Poppins even gave us a challenge to find the purple horse at Disney Studios. The kids and I couldn't find it but James said he did....RIGHT! After that, we went in and had an amazing experience visiting with Mickey and Minnie. Once again, I cried. It is just so humbling and emotional seeing so much attention brought to Jeffrey. For people to hear his "voice" and recognize how special he is was so great. I love it when people can look beyond the physical state of his body and realize what a treasure lies just under the surface. After leaving there, we drove to Disney Studios. By the time we got there, it was raining...hard! There was even a moment of "Do we really want to do this?" BUT we unloaded and made it and ran into the park. At this point I was once again grateful for the methodical thinking James always does before we travel. The Disney ponchos were $7.50 a piece! Money well spent if you didn't have any cover. We went in and tried to find something fun to do that had a covering. We all decided to go watch the Beauty and the Beast play. We seriously were on the front seats...and it was great! If you ever need to entertain some silly children while waiting for a play to start, give them your camera. I think that all the people around us were laughing just as hard as Julie and Jackson at the faces they were pulling.
After the play ended (2 thumbs way up!) we headed over to Tower of Terror. Julie was scared, of course, but Jeffrey thought it was great! After that we headed over to the Rock N Rollin Rollercoaster, with music from Aerosmith. James and I LOVE Aerosmith (not as much as Tim but still)and this ride did not disappoint. I have to say, this was the first ride we did not let Jeffrey go on because it had inverted twists and so forth. So we did the wonderful child swap. Jackson and I went first and then Julie and James went. We loved this ride! We decided to sugar ourselves up instead of eating lunch (yes, we win the parents of the year award) and got special treats at this little shop. I remembered Tami Burgess telling me about Tigger tales and I will say, they lived up to the hype. Jackson had a sugar cookie and Julie, James and Jeffrey each had a special treat. I think someone had a massive rice crispy treat but I can't remember. Sugar overload! Next we headed over to see a Little Mermaid play done with water, lasers, and actors. It was very well done but with a really choppy script. Most people know the story of the Little Mermaid so it really didn't matter though. When we exited that building we found a little nook that you could go into a building and meet a bunch of the characters! We saw Mr Incredible and Frozone, Sorcerer Mickey, Handy Manny, Lotso Bear (his place even smelled like strawberries), Leo and Annie from the Little Einsteins (Jackson refused to be in this picture because he isn't involved in baby shows), and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! One of the cast members pulled me aside and said, "Come back around 4pm" and was so sweet to us. (I wish I would have carried around Thank You cards or treats for all the cast members who helped make this experience so great!) While we were leaving the kids saw a huge mural of the girl and lizard from Tangled and the kids wanted their pictures taken with it since they both loved the movie. Next we headed over to the Toy Story Mania ride. We were so excited about this because we loved the Buzz Lightyear ride so much. Our neighbors gave us the game for the Wii a little over a year ago but we thought it was cool that we had the video game that is now a ride! We were only on for about 30 seconds when all of the sudden, the ride broke down. We were evacuated off the ride but the cast member told us that it would more than likely be back up later in the day. At this point, we were heading in an area when the Monsters from Monsters Inc came out. They pulled our kids to the front of the line and Jeffrey kept trying to pull Sulleys fur. After we left there, we ran into Tater and Lightening McQueen where the kids had their pictures taken again. We made a turn and there it was...the Star Wars section of Disney Studios (insert Star Wars theme here). Jackson eyes lit up like fireworks on the 4th of July! (Name that movie) We watched the Jedi Training and while Jackson didn't get picked to be on stage, he stood in the back and did all of the training moves along with the Master Jedi. It was so cute! After posing for a few more pictures, he was satisfied and we were able to leave and go watch a 3D Muppet Movie. This was not my favorite thing. After that we decided to head back to where are all the characters were. Our friendly cast member did not disappoint in her advice because as soon as we walked in, we saw Aladdin and Genie. Next was Captain Hook and Mr Smee. Chip and Dale and with these characters we learned two things 1) James didn't know how to tell the chipmunks apart so they showed him the secret, do you know it? 2) Jeffrey LOVES to feel the characters noses! In fact, he loves them so much that he almost pulls their heads off. Yes, it came close. (Can you imagine the therapy sessions?) We also saw Pocahontas and Meeko and then Goofy! Again, we were scared for Goofy's nose but we managed to not traumatize all the children. After that we went back to the Toy Story Mania ride and succeeding in having a great time hitting the targets while riding this ride. It was about this time we decided to call it a night. It was getting cold and for some reason, the kids had it in their heads that as soon as we got back to GKTW, they were going to go swimming. So we drove back and had dinner at the Gingerbread House. Then James, Julie, and Jackson got into their swimsuits and went swimming in a semi-heated pool in 62 degree temperatures. It was way too cold but they loved it so? When we got back to our room, a special version of GKTW the Candyland game was waiting for us on our table. It's really neat. At this point, I about passed out along with the whole gang. It was definitely time for bed!

Magic Kingdom or Bust ... Day 2

2011-02-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

We woke up excited and ready to start our adventures! After a HUGE breakfast at the Gingerbread house, we drove to the Magic Kingdom. James had told the kids about the "Your Money's No Good Here" button and they were disappointed when the lady at the parking station didn't say those exact words but James and I were thrilled that we didn't have to pay the $14 parking fee regardless of anything she said! We rode the ferry across the lake and the excitement just grew when the Magic Kingdom came into view. We walked into the park and sure enough, the first thing we saw was a photographer so we had our pictures taken and decided that Adventureland would be our first stop.Jackson noticed the Swiss Family Treehouse and insisted that he and James go explore while Julie noticed Ariel! So Jeffrey, Julie and I went and met Ariel while the boys went exploring. When we were all done, we all headed to Aladdins Magic Carpet Ride...our first ride! We went to get into line and the cast member told us to go to the exit line. As we did, the gentleman working the ride apologized to us for not being able to get us on the next ride but would that be alright? WHAT! Of course! Then he said that if we wanted to ride more than once, to just let him know. REALLY? Ok... We were shocked at the customer service we were receiving and thrilled!!!! Jeffrey rode with me and he LOVED it. The smiles, laughter, and "ya ya ya-ing" that was going on was exactly what I had imagined. It was starting out to be a great day. We explored Adventureland and rode all the rides and then headed over to Frontierland. Guess who we met on the way....Jesse and Woody!!! The kids were so excited and I will be completely honest in saying, I was too! Once again, the worker noticed Jeffrey's badge and pushed us to the front of the line. Jesse made a big deal about how cute Julies hair was and then went over and played with Jeffrey for a minute. Woody was keeping Jackson and James entertained and then Jesse leaned over to me and whispered..."He's special". Oh my heart just melted! I know Jeffrey is special but I love it when others are in tune enough to recognize that quality in him as well.We took pictures and I stopped crying and we went on our way but that moment was one that I will always remember. We went on Big Thunder Mountain and the reaction was always the same...our oldest loves him so thrill rides. I wonder where he gets that from? :)Next we headed to Fantasyland! We noticed Winnie the Pooh and Tigger and I couldn't resist. When Jeffrey was a preemie in the hospital the Kenny Loggins version of the Winnie the Pooh theme song came out and when my little guy was in his isolate and so upset about the pain or something else we would play that song and for some reason, it would calm him down. We bought him a stuffed Pooh Bear and to this day when I see that toy, it makes me emotional (surprise I know). We didn't pass up on the opportunity to see 2 characters that mean a lot to our little family, even though Julie and Jackson weren't so thrilled. Next we went on the Winnie the Pooh ride! Let me just say this, Disney does a great job at making sure that even if I line is long, they keep you entertained. In this ride, they had huge touch screens that have honey oozing down them. You were able to take your hand and wipe the honey away to reveal hidden images behind the honey. It was way fun!!!! (Julie and Jackson wanted to ride this ride with Jeffrey and James and I sat behind them. This scene ALMOST brought me to tears. I love the fact that they love their brother SO much!) After this cute ride was over, we ran into the Queen of Hearts and the White Rabbit. The Queen of Hearts insisted that we shouldn't be scared of her but with the idea of losing our heads we didn't stay too long.We even convinced James to go on the teacup rides but we weren't allowed to spin too fast. We then went to a fantastic 3D show called Mickey's Philharmagic. It was great and the kids loved it. Then we headed to Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe to eat. Yes, eating in Disneyworld is expensive! And these burgers were alright but really for $50 you would expect something out of this world (pun on words....did you catch it! :P) We headed into Tomorrowland and went on the Buzz Lightyear Ride. So much fun for the entire family and afterwards, we saw Buzz!!! We then went to the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. Alright, this is one of the most fun things to do in Disneyworld if you like laughing. Every show is different and I don't know if we laughed that hard any other time the entire trip! Check it out! Jackson was SO excited to drive the cars on the Speedway but was sorely disappointed when he couldn't be the driver because he was too short. So he was left to steer while I did the pedals while Julie drove her own car. He was SO jealous! James rode with Jeffrey and let Jeffrey drive. The first thing he said when we got done was, "Don't ever let the blind kid drive!" Duly noted. We then moved onto Toon Town. While we were in Orlando they made the big announcement about expanding Fantasyland and getting rid of Toon Town. While I totally agree that Toon Town isn't the biggest attraction, and Fantasyland does need to be larger, it makes me sad. I love glimpsing into Mickey and Minnie's house and the bigger than life animated world. Anyway! We went into this little store and were able to go though the lines to see Tinkerbell, and 2 other fairies! They paid such special attention to Jeffrey and the rest of the kids. Rosetta especially seemed to get a kick out of trying to get a rise out of Jackson by placing her forearms on his head and twirling his hair. He had no idea what to do but just stand there! It was so funny and she gave Jeffrey a kiss with her lipstick that lasted the rest of the night.
All the fairies called Jeffrey's wheelchair a flying machine which Julie thought was hilarious. It was really fun and then we went to see Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Belle. Oh my goodness did we have a happy girl on our hands! Julie still loves her some Cinderella and Cinderella was kind enough to take pictures with just Julie. She even taught Julie a princess pose! It was a great way to end the day. We called Give Kids the World as we were leaving the park and they had pizza and drinks waiting for us at our villa when we got back. (On a side note, everytime you come back to the village, you have to go through a security gate. They always say "Welcome Home" ... and they meant it!) Also, waiting on the table was more PRESENTS! Does it get any better than that? I don't think so! We ate and promptly went to bed, exhausted.

*I know this is a long post and there are a ton of pictures BUT while I enjoy sharing with all of you what is going on in our lives, in the end, this is a journal for my family so I really want to include everything. I apologize!

Orlando Adventures...Day 1

2011-02-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

Waking up at 4am is not something I enjoy...ever! But when you know you are going to be in Orlando by 6pm that night, it makes getting up a little easier. We were SO blessed to have Diana take us to the airport that early in the morning. It was on our way to the airport that I realized, I had forgotten my cell phone and my new ColorNook that James got me specifically for this trip! Always my superhero, Diana went straight to our house after dropping us off and mailed it to us. (Thanks my friend!)
When we got our bags checked and started our way through security, I didn't really think we would have that many problems. And we didn't BUT it is really tough to get a wheelchair, 3 backpacks, a laptop bag filled with electronic gadgets, 3 carry on bags, 3 kids, and 2 adults through without making a mom go nuts! I even had to go through the x ray machine because of the hardware in my foot. (Let me just say, I DO NOT MIND all of these precautions because they keep us safe, but it isn't the easiest thing to do.) This was the first time Julie and Jackson had ever been in an airplane and they were so excited. Our first stop was to Detroit and I have to say it was probably the best experience I have ever had flying! They even switched our seats around so that we sat behind the bullnose to give us more room to help with Jeffrey. Our kids were the only ones on the entire flight so it was so calm and quiet. The stewardess even brought all 3 kids wing pins. It was wonderful and the kids loved it! Jeffrey LOVED taking off in the airplane.
We landed in Detroit and it was COLD! I mean, seeing your breath in front of your voice on the walkway cold. We didn't have much time during our layover so we quickly grabbed a bite to eat and went to load once more onto the plane. This flight, we weren't so lucky...it was filled with people and over half were kids excited to get to Orlando. All 3 kids were so tired at this point that they feel asleep as soon as we got on the plane and didn't even wake up during take off. We arrived safe and sound in Orlando Saturday night and were met by the wonderful volunteers of Give Kids the World. (PLEASE check out their website to learn more about this magical place, www.gktw.org ) They led us through the airport and were so friendly and nice. They told Julie she could pick out our rental van and helped us load all of our luggage in. They made sure we knew where we were going and even wanted to give us money for the toll booths (Make a Wish made already covered that expense as well). We started to pull out of the parking garage and we knew something wasn't right. We drove to the gate and sure enough, we had a flat tire. But we quickly switched vans and we were on our way! When we arrived at Give Kids the World, we immediately knew we had made the right choice in our wish. It is AMAZING! We all went to check in and Julie and Jackson each received a stuffed Shamu (Julie named hers Shami which should make Courtney & Steve smile) and Jeffrey got a big stuffed Mickey Mouse! They told us a little bit about the place and while James followed in the van, they drove the rest of us to our villa in a wheelchair accessible golf cart which Jeffrey LOVED! Our villa was perfect for us and had everything we could have ever wanted, including more presents on the table! The volunteers told us to hurry and get settled in because James needed to go to an orientation and the kids and I needed to get over to the main plaza because every Sunday is Mayor Claytons Birthday and they have a surprise party that was about to start. We unloaded in record time and went to eat dinner at the Gingerbread House. The volunteers at the airport had let us know that the food at GKTW was great and if we went away hungry, it was our own fault. They were right. After dinner, James headed to orientation and the kids and I had a birthday party to go to! We went to the main walkway and were greeted with tables to decorate your own cupcake, balloons, cotton candy, snowcones, and lots of dancing!

We met up with James a little later and went and put the kids to bed. James then let me know what we were in store for the next week. 3 days to any Disney park, 2 days to Univeral Studios, and a free day to Seaworld. There were several other places we could enjoy free tickets if we wanted them. They also told James that all we needed to do is show the people at all the different parks Jeffrey's GKTW button and they would tell us, "Your moneys no good here!" at all the parking garages. At Disney we were told to have the kids play "Find the Disney photographers" and make sure they took our pictures and scan them on this special card. When we got home, we could order all of those pictures with a copyright release on a CD for FREE! They also gave a lanyard with to wear at Disney and Universal that would let all the employees there to know that Jeffrey was a Make A Wish child. Those lanyards got us to the front of all lines for the rides AND the characters. No joke! Now, I know there are people who think this is a lot of bunk but I will tell you this, it meant a heck of a lot to us. We went to bed with visions of Jeffrey's laughter on rides floating in our heads.

Make A Wish Vacation Pre-Planning Stages

2011-02-06T17:15:00.000-08:00

I want to start out by saying, for the sake of safety, I couldn't post any of this until now. I apologize! So I will start at the very beginning and hope you understand my reasoning about not posting about this until now.
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Back in October, our friends the Roe's, nominated Jeffrey for the Make A Wish program. When I first received the phone call saying we had been accepted into the Make A Wish family, we were truly humbled and honored. We were also excited to celebrate what an amazing kid Jeffrey is. (Because Jeffrey pretty much rocks!) We were contacted by our wish granters, Nikki & Joyce and set up a date to have them come to the house. We knew we would get along with them immediately because they came bearing gifts! Julie received a Make A Wish Barbie, Jackson opened a Make A Wish Match Box Car, they brought James & I donuts that were to die for, and Jeffrey received a Make A Wish shirt, hat, Frisbee, and a chew toy. After doing some paperwork, we took part in the "Wishing Game". Most wishes fall into 4 categories: They want to be someone, be something, go somewhere or meet someone. So our wish granters told James and I we were not able to talk and they focused on the kids. They asked them to think and answer about what Jeffrey would like to do. First they asked them who Jeffrey would like to meet? Julie said Taylor Swift and Jackson said Darth Vader. (Those are definitely things Jeffrey would have picked....shesh kids!) Then they asked them if Jeffrey could have anything, what would he like to have? Julie surprised us by saying how much Jeffrey loved to swim so an above the ground pool and Jackson said a boat since he loved riding in them. (I loved Jackson so much at this point!) Next they asked the kids what Jeffrey would like to be? Julie said a dancer at Dancing with the Stars since Jeffrey LOVES to hear people dancing around him and Jackson said a Rock Star since Jeffrey loves him some rock music. (I will be honest and say that both of the kids were now giving answers that Jeffrey would have loved and not thinking of themselves anymore.) Last they asked the kids were Jeffrey would like to go? Jackson immediately answered Disneyworld because Jeffrey is a HUGE rollercoaster enthusiast. Julie said maybe New York to see and meet the cast of Wicked and go see other Broadway shows since Jeffrey does love music. (Now I loved Julie with this shocking but pleasing request!) The wish granters told us that Disneyworld was a vacation that no amount of money could duplicate. We would be treated like royalty, stay in a special place just for kids like Jeffrey, and have the trip of a lifetime. With such a incredible review, we all agreed on Disneyworld and the wish was made!

A few weeks later, we received a special key in the mail that Jeffrey would need to use to open the door at the Make A Wish building to enter the wishing room. We would need this key for a later date. 12 days before we took off for our trip, Nikki & Joyce dropped off a box full of presents to open, one a day, before our trip. They were filled with a backpack, treats, and activities for the kids to do on the plane. The kids looked forward to opening these presents everyday and Jeffrey LOVES him some wrapping paper.

A week before the trip, Nikki & Joyce stopped by one more time to give us our itinerary and check for the trip. All I am going to say is, we were overwhelmed by the generosity they showed us. We did not pay for anything! Everything was 100% covered. We couldn't wait for January 15th to come!

Happy New Years!

2011-01-03T21:33:00.000-08:00

This New Years we broke our family tradition and stayed home, just the 5 of us! Julie had asked me 3 days before if we could do this and how could I say no to her wanting to spend quality family time. We sat around, ate lots of food that is super bad for you, and played some new Wii games we got for Christmas. We especially love Wii Party....2 thumbs way up. The kids are definitely in a "silly" stage and everything is super silly and funny and that night was no exception. They laughed the entire night! We cuddled as we watched the ball drop in New York and I got a kiss at midnight from Jackson. It was great fun and I am so happy we celebrated this way.

Legos!

2011-01-03T20:59:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, Jackson got the Lego set he had been asking for from Santa. The good news is, Jackson loves building Lego sets! The bad news is, the Star Wars Clone Turbo Tank set has 1141 pieces. It is a seriously tough set to put together but that didn't stop Jackson in the least. I can honestly say, he put 85% of this set together by himself and James helped with the rest. It had 2 instruction manuals and over 125 steps to put it together. This thing even has it's own suspension for the wheels! Congrats Jackson, you did a great job!

Dress Shopping and Lights at Temple Square

2011-01-03T20:47:00.001-08:00

The Tuesday after Christmas, we all loaded up and headed to Utah County with the McBride women. We had the best time shopping for wedding dresses for Fernanda and I can not post any of the pictures until after the wedding but I will say that she is going to look beautiful! After a long day and finding the "perfect" dress, we met up with James, Jeffrey, and Jackson along with Jim and Jonny at Temple Square. It was a cold but beautiful night and I especially enjoyed talking with Julie and Jackson separately while we were looking at the Christus Statue. Julie said it looks as though He is reaching out to give me a big hug. Such a wise observation! It was a great day with the soon-to-be newest member of our family!

Christmas!

2010-12-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

This Christmas, I lost my camera on Christmas Eve. I was so scared and could not fathom going without one for Christmas morning. Fortunately, I found it at 3am on Christmas morning....it was a Christmas miracle. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any pictures from the McBride Christmas Party. There were some great moments to! My soon to be sister in law from Brazil having to be Mary in the nativity with my cute 4 year old nephew as Joseph. Zane giving me the evil eye all night for teasing him about his soon to be dating adventures. And Julie's face when she opened her birthday/Christmas present from Chris and Beka (Chris went into Justice and bought a whole outfit for Julie!). She loves it! We even got to spend the day with the Gibbons clan and they hooked us up with some super impressive Christmas presents! Christmas Eve night was a nightmare because the kids were "too excited" to sleep and kept getting up all night, resulting in not getting up in the morning until 8:15am! Santa came and brought Jackson the Lego set he asked for (1141 pieces of plastic and 2 manuals to put this thing together!) and Julie a giraffe Zooble and stuff for her DSi. Jeffrey must have reached the "I don't believe in Santa stage" because he didn't get anything from Santa!!! :( James and I hooked him up with some sweet clothes that he will turn heads in. :) I surprised James with a nifty water filter for the upcoming 50 miler he is going on this summer and James surprised me with a COLOR NOOK! Yes, I am one happy lady! After all the fun stuff at our house, we headed to Lehi to see my Grandma. It was really hard not having my Grandpa there and I felt him with me all day. Grandma LOVED her present and we didn't even get yelled at too much for actually getting her something. Then we headed to Marcie to relax and exchange gifts with my mom & Scott. The Frost's were there and we always have a great time visiting with them. It was a great Christmas and we got an even better present the next day... Courtney gave birth to baby Maycie!!!!

Funny Kids....

2010-12-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

My kids were acting so silly during the day yesterday! They started doing goofy stuff and making me laugh. So when Julie said, "Let's have a photo shoot!" How could I resist? Unfortunately, this photo shoot included pictures of me and not just them. Don't laugh too hard!

Christmas Caroling

2010-12-20T22:57:00.000-08:00

Tonight was a continuation of a tradition we started last year. I love getting everyone bundled up and singing and delivering treats to people in our area who may need a special pick me up. We hit 11 homes this year and I hope they enjoyed listening to our funny crew as much as we enjoyed doing it. We took a special visitor with us this year, and boy was Cooper a big hit! We may have to take him with us each year from now on. Then we ended up back at our house for treats and hot chocolate which turned into a party that ended at 11pm. It was a great night and I loved just hanging out with our friends and discussing everything from the movie, The Last Airbender, to concealed weapons permits! Very random and great conversations. It was a great Family Home Evening and reminder that not only is this time of year a celebration of His birthday but a reminder about the type of life our Savior led. Only 5 more days! YIKES!

I Saw Santa....At The Hospital?

2010-12-20T10:54:00.001-08:00

I am not going to say much other than....Santa sure does love the Nutt family. He wouldn't do this for many other people. I love it when I get to escort Santa and last night was no exception. What a blessing Santa's special suit has been in our lives! (Thanks Grandma Vicki!) Last night was no different, and the little girl who Santa saw as we were leaving the hospital was just the icing on the cake. She clapped and smiled for Santa and was so excited to have her picture taken with him. Thanks Santa, I love you!

Music Brings the Spirit

2010-12-20T10:40:00.000-08:00

Saturday was filled with wonderful Christmas music and lots of laughter! We got ready and went shopping for more Christmas presents....(does it ever end!) Then Amy asked James to come and sing in her annual piano and voice recital. James really appreciated this because it gives him a chance to learn a new song, dust off the vocal chords, and help ease his nerves about performing in public. James had the very talented Kari Richardson accompany him while he sang "Joseph" from The Forgotten Carols. He did wonderful, as always. He is always so shocked when people come up to him afterwards and tell him how wonderful he is and thanks for inspiring them. I love James for that! He really is great! Then we stayed to listen to the Richardson girls play in their piano concert so we had a full 2 hours of Christmas music we had the pleasure of listening to, and it was great. That night, we went to dinner with some friends and it was so good to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and just sit down and relax with good friends and LAUGH! Amy and her beautiful girls, Ashley (played the piano) and Emily (who played the piano and sang a wonderful Christmas song)
James and Amy goofing off after the concert! Farm Buddies!

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert

2010-12-20T10:25:00.000-08:00

I was so excited that we were able to go see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert this year. The special guests were David Archuletta and Michael York. James, the kids and I had never been but I am so glad we made the choice to try and get tickets this year. It was amazing!!!! Between the stage, the dancing, the music, and being in the same room as the Prophet, I don't think it could have been a better experience. David Archuletta impressed me! Not only can this boy sing, but he was so humble, grateful and happy to be there and performing in this event. It was a great way to remember what the true meaning of Christmas really is.
If you look really close, you can see the stage for the Concert in the background.
My Mom, Eileen, Grandma, Bugs and my family after the Concert.

Delivering Christmas Treats...

2010-12-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

Last night we got together all of our neighbor gifts and headed out...First off, let me warn you that we got a late start because we had to help a friend before we could go out so if you got your gift at 9pm....SORRY and please don't report me to DCFS! It is the only time we could go out and just when we thought we would have to give up for the night, we drove past a friends house and we were blessed with the opportunity to serve them! It was such a great chance to spend just a little more time with this great family before they moved south. Today we will be delivering the last of our neighbor gifts! This year we gave out the standard plate of treats from our Annual McBride Candy Day. The other thing we gave out was a box of toothpaste with a note that said "May your Christmas be Shiny & White!" Please do not take this to mean we think you need to brush your teeth more. We just thought it would be a funny gift.

Brad's Eagle Court of Honor...

2010-12-15T21:40:00.000-08:00

Tonight was Brad Phairs Eagle Court of Honor and it was amazing. I have had an emotional day anyway but this threw me right over the edge! It started out with my cute little cubscout Jackson being the caller for the color guard. He did a fabulous job and I was so proud of him. Next, James did the "Trail to Eagle" and did a great job explaining what each rank is and what it takes to earn them. Then Bishop had Brad come up. He explained to Brad what each pin was for. The he asked Brad who the "Mentor Pin" was for. Brad for weeks has been telling me he wanted to pin it on Jeffrey. But Brad tricked us all by announcing that he wanted to give it to James. The Bishop made Brad explain why he was honoring James with this award and Brad explained how James has been there for him. I was crying so badly because I know how much Brad means to James. Brad got teary eyed as he explained all that James has done for him. It was a very special moment and yes, they hugged at the end. Then, for the special recogniction part of the program, I presented Brad with 3 letters I had collected from people who I had sent emails to about Jeffrey and Brad relationship. Glenn Beck sent a letter and bumper sticker, Steve Young sent a letter and autographed picture, and David Osmond sent a heartfelt letter that was very moving. I explained that I did this for Brad because of his relationship with Jeffrey. Yes, I cried during this part too! Then James presented Brad with a compass telling Brad that he needed to make sure he was always on the right path and that this was a great start to making sure the arrow is always pointing in the right direction. It was a very moving and touching night and I am so proud of Brad. Thanks Phairs for allowing us to have a small part in such a special night!
*Pictures are forthcoming when I can get them from Deborahs cousin!

Jeffrey's Choir Concert

2010-12-14T07:05:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey performed in his second choir performance last night. He is in the all boys choir but has a girl peer tutor for that class so the poor thing is the only girl on the stage with all these boys. The boys sang God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Innkeeper, and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. It was a wonderful performance and we love seeing Jeffrey up there with all of his friends, squealing, clapping and cheering all of them on. I am so grateful for this wonderful teacher and all of these kids who understand how important it is for everyone to include Jeffrey in everything. It was a great night!
*I promised my sister that I would video one of his songs but my camera isn't high quality enough to do that! Sorry Squeaks!

Julie's Birthday Celebration Closes

2010-12-14T06:42:00.001-08:00

Yesterday James, Jeffrey & I went to Julie's class to celebrate her birthday. I love her teacher's teaching style and the way she guides her class with so much love but she expects a lot out of them. For her birthday, Julie had to take a bag filled with 3-D items that help answer these questions:
#1) Show something that is a hobby for you or something you like to do
Answer: Julie took a piece of sheet music wrapped in a bow because she loves to play the piano, sing, and listen to music.
#2) Show something that is your favorite
Answer: Julie took her Ramona Forever book because she loves that series
#3) Show a goal you have
Answer: Julie took a BYU shirt because her goal is to go there for school (yes, we are saving now!)
#4) Show something special about your family
Answer: Julie took her Make A Wish Barbie and told how our family is special because we get to have a Wish granted.
#5) Show somewhere you would like to go
Answer: Julie took a little black glittery sign that said "Wicked" because she wants to go to New York and see that play (yes, we ALL want to do that as well)
#6) Show something that triggers a memory for you
Answer: Julie took one of her chocolates that she made on candy day because that smells always reminds her of that special day and brings back lots of memories for her
#7) Show something you would like to be better at
Answer: Julie took a calculator because she would like to be better at math
#8) Show something that you do not like doing
Answer: Julie took the brush that we use to clean the dishes because she doesn't like to clean
#9) Show something that you are great at:
Answer: Julie took our Christmas Card and said that she was great at helping take care of Jeffrey.
#10) Show your favorite part of your summer vacation:
Answer: Julie showed the DVD from being in the 2 plays she was in

After this, her teacher has Julie stand up at the front of the classroom and each classmate has to say something that they like about Julie. The first person to talk is a special friend of Julie's, Emily Alverson. She told the class that Julie is the best friend she has ever had. I lost it! Then Bugs told the class that Julie was a pretty good cousin. And on and on it went! So many times we heard how great of a friend Julie was and how kind she was to everyone. It warmed my heart to hear these things. Then, her teacher told the class that Julie was one of the most kind students she had ever had in all her years of teaching. She continued with saying that Julie was friends with everyone and that that is the best compliement she could give anyone because it was such an important trait in life. She asked James and I if we had a compliment to share with the class about Julie. I said that she always has a smile on her face and James said that she is silly, just like him! It was a great way to wind down the celebrating of her 10th birthday. Happy Birthday Goose! We are so grateful that you are in our family and love the silly giggles, constant singing, and wonderful spirit you bring into our home. WE LOVE YOU!

Webster Christmas Party

2010-12-12T23:58:00.000-08:00

We had a big Christmas celebration tonight at our house with some of my relatives on my moms side and we had a great time. I will be honest, I don't know if we could have gotten any louder without the police showing up. We are a loud and noisy bunch and I wouldn't have it any other way! I didn't get any pictures but these 2 but I am glad I was able to snap at least those. Marcie did a fabulous job, as always, and it was a huge success! I love my family!

Has Anyone Seen Santa?

2010-12-12T23:55:00.001-08:00

I have! I had the pleasure of escorting him on Saturday morning to 2 ward parties, a Soccer Christmas Celebration and a private greeting to a cute 6 year old girl. It was an honor and privilege to drive him around and I am glad I had the opportunity to do it!

PS It's a little known fact that Santa gets really hot when he leaves the North Pole since he is so used to cold weather. It isn't uncommon for Santa to sweat like crazy when he is visiting kids before Christmas!

Crazy Christmas Games!

2010-12-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

Last night we went to a party at our friends house and it was so much fun! We had quite the array of food. And if you know me remotely well, this is going to shock you. I tried a spinach & artichoke dip and I liked it a lot! I know, I know, pick yourself up off the floor. :P We played a really fun game with gift cards and James & I made off with the grand prize, a $15 Target gift card and a $5 Jamba Juice card. Then we played Taboo and the girls killed the boys (sorry, it is the most appropriate adjective I could think of.) It was a great night with great friends and I am so grateful to have been invited to go.

Another Day....Another Christmas Celebration

2010-12-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

Tonight we let Jeffrey go visit with his friends, the Phairs, and the rest of the family went to dinner with my mom & Scott, Marcie, B & Bugs, Shauna and her family, and Lana and her family. We met up at the local Golden Corral and ate dinner together. Julie just informed us that she loves buffets because she loves all of their rolls! (Silly Girl!) Then we drove to Ogden to look at the Christmas Village they have set up by the amphitheater. We do this every year with various people and I do love all the little houses they set up. When you look in a window, you can see varying scenes from Santa's workshop, to Mrs Claus getting a pedicure, to kids learning to snowboard. It's amazing what people come up with. The highlight of the night was the silly cement posts, go figure! Julie, Jackson, and Brianna would have stayed jumping from one post to another for a lot longer if we had let them. It wasn't too cold and a great night with family. Thanks Mom & Scott!
*Best of the family picture options...It was too cold for Jeffrey!
*Jackson & Julie loved looking into the house with the snowboarding kids
*Jackson, Brianna, & Julie posing on the cement posts. They had fun jumping from one to the other.
*Marcie, My Mom & I
*Jackson posing in front of the fireman house
*Brianna looking into the house where Mrs Claus is getting a pedicure and other various beauty treatments....lucky lady!
*Brianna, Julie, and some faceless kid?

Surprise Emotions

2010-12-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

Today was our Christmas Activity Days Girls Activity. We started with the theme, Relax and Remember. It turned out amazing and I am so happy with how the girls responded. A wonderful friend came and taught the girls how to do yoga for 35 minutes. I have NEVER heard them that quiet before. Then I read them the story, Mr Finnegan's Giving Chest. I read this story last year and remembered how much I liked it but I didn't remember the details of the story. As I was reading, the main character in the book is grieving the loss of her grandma and as I read that, I lost it. I sat there and read that book to those sweet girls with tears streaming down my face. They handled my hysterics beautifully! I do love this story and the girls sat there silently listening and taking in the message this book conveys. I then bore my testimony to the girls about how the hustle and bustle of the holidays makes us lose sight of the real meaning of the season. We all need to take a step back, relax, and remember what Christmas is all about. We presented the girls with comfy, cute, Christmas socks (to help them relax) filled with candy and candy canes and a tag that said, Relax and Remember. They loved it and honestly, I did too.

Wednesdays are CRAZY around here. Not only am I in charge of the Activity Day girls, Jackson has Cub Scouts, and James is in charge of the Teachers Activity. (They took all the youth carolling tonight.) Sometimes we eat dinner before 8 pm but, it's always up in the air. Tonight we decided to make pizzas again with the leftover stuff from Julie's party. It was so good! Overall, it was a fantastic night!
*You may wonder why I am posting about all of this today. For family journaling purposes, I wanted to record what an average week is like in our house. Thanks for indulging me!

Let Chaos Reign....

2010-12-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

Julie had her 10th birthday party last night and I will be honest in saying, I don't know what the heck I was thinking! We invited 18 cute girls to come and 17 ended up coming. It was insane! Giggling, wrestling, screaming, laughing, squealing, which means that they had a great time, of course. Julie decided on a "baking theme" so we got some help from some of the greatest bakers I know, my Dad & Kaye! Between them and Belinda, they saved the day. We played pin the cherry on the cupcake, pass the Christmas eraser, and Apples to Apples. James, Belinda, Dad & Kaye worked like crazy making individual pizzas for every kid with whatever toppings they wanted. Let me just say, I would pay big money for that pizza, it was SO GOOD! Then we sang Happy Birthday and Julie blew out candles from the adorable cupcakes that Kaye made for the event...(talk about good cake...oh my!) After that we let the girls decorate the cupcakes (from a box) that I made. (They took the cupcakes home that Kaye made in a cute little box.) Then they got to eat the second rate cupcakes. Julie got some amazing presents and loved every minute of it. I am pretty sure that all 5 adults had massive headaches by the end of the night! Luckily for Jackson, Dad & Kaye brought Dyson with them so the boys escaped to the basement and wouldn't come up (smart boys!). It was a great night and fun celebration for Julie. Sunday is her actual birthday and we will celebrate again that night. A special thanks again to Belinda, Dad & Kaye! James and I would have lost it without you!
*Julie and Zoe (who came all the way from up South just to participate!
*Jackson and Dyson (his basement buddy and we were all so glad he was there!)
*The great bakers and grandparents Kaye & Dad
*Emily eating the bird she made out of frosting
*Julie opening her presents
*Princess Megan eating the pizza she special ordered
*Julie's Birthday Cupcakes
*The girls playing Apples to Apples...CHAOS! :)

Polar Express....Year Deuce!

2010-12-06T20:54:00.000-08:00

We had our second annual Polar Express tonight, and it turned out great! We had more people with us this year which made it even more fun. It's always fun to meet new friends during this exciting event. Dressed in pajamas and with big smiles on their faces, the children boarded the Polar Express! After getting their golden tickets and having the conductor punch them, the kids sang Christmas Carols as we made our way to the North Pole (aka Woods Cross). When we got there, to our surprise, we found out the Santa Claus had been stranded by Rudolph and the gang! After passing out bells to all who believed, Santa climbed on board as we headed back to Ogden. Santa was asked several questions by some very interested little children, but my favorite was,"Santa, where is your mouth?" Santa chuckled and showed them that he had to move the hair on his beard to get anything in his mouth. He proceeded to tell us that Santa was going to get a buzz haircut as soon as the Holidays were over. We all enjoyed cookies and the most wonderful homemade hot chocolate I have ever tasted! Luckily, the reindeer decided to stop trying to trick Santa and picked him up at the Layton stop. (Those silly reindeers!) We finally arrived back at the Ogden stop and completed our second Polar Express. Great times, great memories, great friends!
*A group picture will be forthcoming!

My Scouters

2010-12-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

Jackson earned his Wolf on Wednesday! He was so excited to have everyone come and celebrate this special time with him. I had NO IDEA who extensive the requirements are for the different ranks in the cub scouts. Jackson has loved every minute of it though! He worked really hard in order to get the special ribbons that they are offering since it is the 100th year anniversary of the Boy Scouts. And he set a goal to earn his Wolf before the end of the year. The last requirement he had to do, we drove to the local Veterans Park and he and James talked about what a special place and what incredible people they honor there.
He already has 7 belt loops and a pin but plans to do a lot more in the next 6 months until he can start on the Bear book. Plus, there are a few other badges he has set his sights on! After pack meeting, there was a Court of Honor. Along with honoring all the accomplishments that these boys have achieved (so proud of all of you!), James had to do a presentation on what the different rankings in Boy Scouts is,in order to complete one of his "tickets" (goals) he set for himself during his time at WoodBadge. He had a boy in each of the rankings come and repeat their oath. Jackson got up to do the Cub Scout oath and did a fabulous job in front of all those people. I will be the first to admit that I thought the Boy Scout organization was a little "dorky or nerdy" BUT after seeing the difference it has made in all the boys around me, along with my husband and son, I am so grateful for the Boy Scouting Organization!

Gratitude Post #27 - Jeffrey

2010-11-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #27 - Jeffrey is thankful for his Dad!
I know that Jackson already wrote about being thankful for his parents but, today is James' birthday so we are going to talk about him twice (lucky guy!). James is an incredible father to Jeffrey. James takes Jeffrey with him everywhere he can and makes sure that Jeffrey gets the most fair treatment he can possibly have. James has taken several days off work to go on the Priest overnighters so that Jeffrey can have that experience and go as well. He made it a point to have Jeffrey at Youth Conference with him so that Jeffrey could go and have fun with his friends. James wants Jeffrey to have the best of everything and isn't afraid to do all that he can to make that happen. They have such a special bond between the two of them that is evident in all that they do together. I love watching Jeffrey rub James back during sacrament and giving him kisses at the end of the night. I love hearing James talk with Jeffrey and try to make him smile and laugh. The closeness between the 2 of them is special in so many ways, it's hard to describe. But I know, at the end of each day, Jeffrey is so grateful for his dad! Happy Birthday Dad! Love, Jeffrey

Gratitude Post #24

2010-11-29T21:12:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #24 - I am thankful for traditions, both old or new!
I am so grateful for all the traditions that we have in our families. For James and his family, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without candy day, the acting out of thenativity or the ringing of the bell to open each and every present. With my dad, it's the constant teasing about how much he hates Christmas when in all reality, we all know he would search high and low to get the kids whatever present they desire. With my moms side, it is the extended family Christmas get together with all the loud laughter and teasing you can imagine, along with little smokies and BBQ sauce. And who can forget the annual reading of the story Mr & Mrs Wright! We have started a few traditions around here that I really enjoy. We started caroling to a few of our neighbors with some of our friends last year and it was so much fun that we have decided to make it an annual tradition! Going on a special "Polar Express" with a bunch of new friends, is another tradition we started last year and are continuing this year as well. And delivering the multitudes of neighbor gifts that I insist we deliver much to the dismay of James! I love the fact that I try and read a few of the different versions of the events and actual birth of our Savior, from the scriptures, in front of the Christmas tree. And there is nothing like singing Christmas carols with my family doing our everyday life living! I am so grateful for all the smiles, laughs, and tender moments that these traditions bring into my life and I am so grateful for them!
*Webster Christmas Party
*McBride Christmas Party
*West Christmas Party
*Our Version of the "Polar Express"

Gratitude Post #24 - Jackson

2010-11-26T19:15:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #24 - Jackson is grateful for his cousins!
I am grateful for my cousins because I have fun with them! I like to play ping pong, wrestle, play "Attack of the baby!", play soccer, and have fun in the fort with all my cousins! I like that my cousins and I have played at Boondocks, Raft River, Hebgen Lake, and just played at each others house, or Grandma & Grandpas! My cousins are some of my best friends and we ALWAYS have fun when we get together. I laugh really hard when they are around. That is why I am grateful for my cousins!

*We had to use the pictures on the laptop so there are a few of my cousins missing but I have lots of fun with all of them!

Gratitude Post #23 - Julie

2010-11-24T12:40:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #23 - Julie is grateful for clothes

I am grateful for clothes because I get to choose what I want to wear. I like clothes that make me feel pretty. I like getting all dressed up to look pretty. There are lots of cute clothes out there. Shirts, dresses, pants, skirts, leggings, boots, shoes, jewelery...I love all of it! I like looking through my Justice and Childrens Place catalogs at all the cute clothes. I am very grateful for clothes!

*Julie in her modeling poses!

Gratitude Post #21 - Jeffrey

2010-11-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #21 - Jeffrey is grateful to know he can speak to our spirits without having to say a word!
Alright, I am going to preface this by saying that I am already crying as I type this. It is something that has been on my mind a lot lately and I am currently praying for help to direct me in a way that I can say what I want to on a grander scale, but for now, our silly little blog will have to do. Through our amazing friends, the Deardens (another blessing they have brought into our lives!), we have become closer friends with the Roe Family. John & Tauna are such great people and we would be friends with them just because they are so incredible, but the thing that makes their family shine the most is their little guy, McKay. He is an amazing 10 year old boy with a lot of the same diagnosis' as Jeffrey, but on a more severe level. I just know that McKay and Jeffrey were friends in the preexistence and are celebrating the fact that they get to spend time together now on earth! The great thing about their friendship is, I feel like I can actually hear their spirits talking to each other. Last week, we saw Tauna and McKay at their church. I went up to tell McKay hello and as we walked in, Jeffrey squealed "Hi!" I don't think that anyone really noticed but as I heard my little guy communicate with his friend, I knew I was witnessing a little gift from our Father. These 2 miracle boys really can communicate without saying a single word and that is the message that I am hoping to "get out there". (More on my endeavours with this will come at a later date.) But I have to share a special gift with you that our friend, Amy Alvord, shared with us. She wrote a song about Jeffrey and McKay and when you hear the music and the words together, it describes these 2 boys in a way that will touch your heart. Until we can get it recorded, this will have to do:

More than Words Can Tell
for Jeffrey & McKay

Every word spoken exacts a price.
The cost hard to know, words just come and they go
with no thought of how or why.
In life very few have never spent a word.
To a world of noise and care, filled with despair--
would their message be worth more than gold?
And if their days were few, and if they really knew
life was really as short as it is
Perhaps they would share a message more rare than words....

So listen to their voice,
A voice worth more than words.
Never a word.
For some speak more than words can tell.

Another day of being, they submit to all.
Through the endless pain, with nothing to gain
but pure joy in the moment of it all.
And those caring for these angels--not words enough divine.
In losing self they find a quiet peace of mind
ending up with more than they could ever give.
A smile lights the room, a hand clasp dispels gloom,
showing us that all may serve.
These angels in disguise have seen with blinded eyes
the Light, The Son.

So listen to their life,
So much to hear.
Can we hear?
For some know more than words can tell.
For some know more than words can tell.

So today, Jeffrey and I are grateful for more than words.
(The Beautiful Roe Family)
If you want to read more about McKay and his family, check out, http://www.miraclesformckay.blogspot.com/ or http://www.johnandtauna.blogspot.com/

Gratitude Post # 20

2010-11-22T07:55:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #20 - I am grateful for many things starting with the letter "H"!
*I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who watches over me, listens to my prayers, loves me with a love I can not even fathom, and sees me for the person I am trying to be.

*I am grateful for the house we live in! It is such a blessing for our family to live in a rambler so that we have very few stairs to carry Jeffrey up and down. I also love my big open basement where I can hold big family gatherings, have game nights with friends, and hold youth discussions.

*I am grateful for the humor in my life. Whether it is the "out of the blue" hilarious comments James makes, hearing Jackson laugh hysterically at the silliest commercials on TV (here is his current favorite),

I also love hearing the humor of James chasing the kids around the house as they squeal with delight, or Julie dancing around the front room while Jeffrey laughs with his hand over his mouth thinking it is the funniest noise he has ever heard. I love the humor in our lives!

*I am grateful for my husband. (Without too much feeling...I don't want James to cry or anything...) James is responsible, compassionate, dedicated to his family, has his priorities in the right order, a hard working man (despite popular belief!), multi talented yet humble, a man worthy to hold the priesthood, an amazing father, and dare I say, sexy! I am so blessed that I have been able to be married to my best friend for over 16 years and into the eternities! I definitely married "up" and I strive everyday to be a better wife so that I can give him the support and love he deserves.
(Let me explain, this is the gender confused cat that lives with my in-laws. HIS name is Vivian and he is more lion than cat.....He's huge and the kids & James love visiting him)

*I am grateful for the heat that is currently blowing through my house so that I don't freeze with the snow that is coming down right now.

Today I am grateful for many things that begin with the letter "H"!

Gratitude Post #20 - Jackson

2010-11-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #20 - Jackson is grateful for Church!
Jackson is grateful for church because it is fun to go to Primary. I like hearing all the people talk during Sacrament. We get treats from teachers. I like to sing the Primary Songs and Hymns. I like to learn about Jesus. I know that He is a real person. I like it when the little kids bear their testimonies. I feel happy when I am at church. This is why I am grateful for Church!

*Our Church

Gratitude Post #19 - Julie

2010-11-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #19 - Julie is grateful for books!

I like books because they are fun to read. Books are fun to read because you can learn new things and you can have fun reading them. In the Ramona books, they kind of remind me of when I was little. They also take me to my imagination. In the Polar Express, it takes me to a whole different world, the North Pole! I love reading about Santa Claus. In You Are Special, it reminds me that I am special in every way. And if you don't do everything right, it doesn't matter, because that's just the way everyone is! Books can always have lessons in them. If you have a hard day, it might have a funny part and it can make you laugh! That's why I am grateful for books!

*Julie's Favorite Book!

Gratitude Post #18 - Diet Coke

2010-11-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #18 - James ...
I really appreciate a Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi...whatever as long as it is bubbly it is good to me. I found this poem on the web that best expresses it for me....

red for passion
white for purity
it must be cold
anything else is blasphemy

anticipation as i crack the top
fizzles~~
oh joy, oh love, oh happy days
tickling bubbles~~

down my throat and into my heart
i am revived again
‘ahh…’ i rejoice
coke you are my friend

Don't pretend you don't know what I am talking about. I too have quit drinking soda, but I just really enjoy it so...bottoms up!

Gratitude Post #17 - Jeffrey

2010-11-18T07:54:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #17- Jeffrey is grateful for loving hands
When we walk into church every week, it isn't uncommon to see certain friends of our family coming up immediately to touch and talk with Jeffrey. They will take his hands in theirs and caress him while they tell him how excited they are to see him. When we visit Jeffrey at school, his peer tutors and teachers are holding his hand or giving Jeffrey a high five. When Jeffrey gets to go play with his friends, the Deardens, he sits in his favorite chair and little two-year old Aleeya will use her caring hands to feed Jeffrey, over and over again. Julie uses her loving hands to play with Jeffreys hair and run to get Jeffrey his pills every morning. Jackson uses his hands to get Jeffrey's pajamas and he will help rearrange Jeffrey when he is falling off the couch or looks like he is in an uncomfortable position. James has used his hands to pick Jeffrey up, or get him on the bus every morning. So many people use their hands to help Jeffrey in his life, and I know, Jeffrey is grateful for loving hands in his life!
*Julie and Jackson using their hands to care for Jeffrey
*Jeffrey sitting in his favorite chair at the Deardens while Serena uses her loving hands to pull him into a hug
*James using his loving hands to feed Jeffrey some yummy cake!

Gratitude Post #16

2010-11-17T08:12:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #16 - I am grateful for those who serve in the Armed Forces!
Tomorrow is my Brother-in-Laws birthday and I would love to go to dinner with him and celebrate his special day. That won't be happening because Dan is serving in the Air Force on a 6 month tour to Afghanistan. He won't be having birthday cake, or opening presents with his family. He has given up such a large chunk of time to help protect our freedoms and serve the people of Afghanistan. I can honestly say, I am proud of you Dan. Another one of my Brother in Laws', Coach Joe, served in the Air Force as well. When Court & Joe were engaged, Joe left for a 6 month tour to Iraq. My cousin Chris, serves in the Army. He went to Afghanistan for a year and missed the first year of his daughters life. A good friend of ours serves in the Army and wasn't able to be there for his family while his new little daughter battled cancer. My dad served in the Navy and did a tour in Washington State during Desert Storm while I was in ninth grade. My step-mom, Kaye, served in the Navy as an officer. Both of my Grandpa's and both of James' Grandpa's served in the Armed Forces. So many incredible people and at such a high cost! Yet, if you ask them, they are glad they did it. My cousin will tell you without skipping a beat that if he didn't have a family, he would go back in a heartbeat. These wonderful people serve and do their jobs no matter the cost. THEY GIVE UP SO MUCH! I am honored to know them and I am so grateful for their service to our country and my family. THANK YOU!
*My Cousin Chris and his wife Emily
*My brother in law Coach Joe at Julie & Jacksons school with some of the crew chiefs from the Thunderbirds
*A great friend who serves in the Army (and one heck of a primary teacher!)
*The Birthday Boy himself
*We love you Dan!
*Yes, some of these pictures were stolen off Facebook....Sorry boys!

Gratitude Post #15 - Julie

2010-11-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #15 - Julie is grateful for school & teachers!

I am grateful for school because I can learn new things. It gives me opportunities that I usually couldn't have. My favorite subject in school is reading and science. I love all the teachers I have had. They give me lots of encouragement and help me become a better reader and a better student. All my teachers are SO nice. Since I am in 4th grade, some of the chances I have had are eating with the teacher, having a monthly junior wapitis lunch, and right now we are doing a dancing thing in PE (with boys! YUCK!). I have good friends at school too. I grateful for school and good teachers.
*Julie at her first boy-girl dance doing the waltz
*Julie with her 3rd grade teacher Mrs Hales

*Julie's 3rd Grade Class

*One of Julie's 2nd grade teachers, Mrs D! (She was a great friend before she taught Julie and continues to be a good friend to this day.)

Gratitude Post #14 - Jackson

2010-11-15T15:02:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #14 - Jackson is grateful for FOOD!
I am grateful for food because it is good. My favorite fruit is pears. My favorite vegetable is carrots. My favorite meat is chicken cordon bleu. My favorite grain is cereal. My favorite sugar is candy. My favorite dairy is cheese (yes, he is my son!). My favorite place to eat In & Out Burger. My favorite after school snack is ice cream. My all time favorite food is nachos (definitely my kid!). I am VERY grateful for food!
*Jackson eating the ice cream from a baggie that he made while we were camping at Chalk Creek! 2010
*Jackson and Jeffrey eating Subway for dinner at the Father & Sons campout. 2010
*Jackson eating his first woofum at Raft River....YUMMY! 2010
*Julie, Jackson and Logan enjoying a free smoothie after the Ragnar Race 2010

Gratitude Post #13 - Jeffrey

2010-11-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #13 - Jeffrey is grateful for his friends!
Alright, I understand that James already posted about our friends but this is a twist on that. I guess it isn't so much about friends but about the youth of Jeffrey's generation. When Jeffrey finished with 6th grade, I will admit, I was scared for him to go to Junior High. I remember how much teasing and harassment the kids who were physically and mentally disabled endured when I was in junior high and I didn't want Jeffrey to suffer through that. Not that Jeffrey would understand what was going on, but I would. I really struggled and prayed that this horrible treatment wouldn't happen to Jeffrey. We were fortunate enough to get into a program at the local junior high and when I met the teacher who would be running the program he was enrolled in, my fears were put to rest. She assured me that her peer tutor program was the "cool class" to take at school. And I soon found out how true that was. In making this program "cool", the peer tutors started to develop true friendships with the other kids like Jeffrey whom they were serving. We were amazed at the scrapbook pages, cards, and gifts Jeffrey would bring home from his new friends. Then it was time for Jeffrey to enter high school and the nervousness started to settle in again. Fortunately, I had developed a faith in Jeffrey's new friends and this generation. I knew that Jeffrey's winning smile and funny personality could win them over! I was right. Everywhere we go in our city, we hear teenagers say, "Hey Jeffrey" "Hi Jeff" and they come over to touch his slobbered on hand. It melts my heart every time. Jeffrey even has a best friend in our neighborhood who comes and checks on Jeffrey, hangs out with him, eats lunch with Jeffrey, and will sit and talk with him for long periods of time. This young man means so much to our family! This summer we received a letter in the mail from a young woman who told us that Jeffrey was her best friend. That she missed him so much and even though Jeffrey couldn't communicate verbally with her, she understood what he was trying to say. Then just a few weeks ago we received a phone call telling us that Jeffrey needed to be at school for his choir concert at a certain time. We had never had a peer tutor be so insistent that Jeffrey come to an after school activity. This young lady made sure Jeffrey was included in his Men Choir performance and held onto his wheelchair while Jeffrey did his best to wheel his chair off the stage and clapped the entire time. It was so cute! When we asked her when she was singing, she let us humbly know that she was only there for Jeffrey, she wasn't in any choir groups! All of these wondeful youth make me realize we are blessed to have them in our lives. So today I am grateful for the youth and Jeffrey's friends....you really are the best!!!!
*Jeffrey at his first choir performance
*Jeffrey having fun with his friends at the Youth Conference Dance
*Helping Jeffrey off the wall at Youth Conference
*Jeffrey making it to the top with the help of his friends (and his dad)

Gratitude Post #11 - Service

2010-11-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to serve. Whether it is helping someone move, dropping a dinner off to a friend for no reason, visiting with "more mature" family members, fulfilling my church calling to the best of my abilities, helping at the school, smiling at a stranger, babysitting for friends, singing at something, visiting a sick friend in the hospital, or helping someone with a craft or home improvement project. There are so many opportunities to serve and take a minute to think of and brighten someone elses day and your own in return! Last year we started a tradition with the 8-11 year olds in our neighborhood. The girls go out and deliver papers explaining what we are doing. And the next week the cub scouts went out and collected food people had left on their porches. (BTW, we have incredible support from this and our neighbors are so generous!) Last year, we were able to feed local families an entire Thanksgiving meal (including the turkey) for over 8 families. This year, we collected enough to feed 15-20 families for over a week! It also helps the kids catch the spirit of service and I can honestly say, they did it with a smile. If you truly want to get your own personal struggles out of your head, finding an opportunity to serve will definitely turn your frown upside down and I am grateful for those moments in my life!
*About 20% of the canned food collected in 2009 by the 8 - 11 year olds!

*Passing out flyers for the Smiles for Suzi Benefit Concert

*Babysitting Winter

*Helping my Grandparents move out of the home they had lived in for 52 years!

Gratitude Post 11 - James

2010-11-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for a good job. When I went to school and decided to get my degree in whatever I could do the fastest, and something I liked I picked Geography. I thought what am I going to do with this besides teach or something. But even better I got into mapping/GIS (Geographic Information Systems). I really enjoy my job and who doesn't like maps? They are awesome! Anyway I am grateful to be doing something I love, it sure makes the day go by good. Plus it doesn't hurt having all those holidays, (I love Columbus Day) and being able to go workout at lunch everyday.

Gratitude Post #10 - Jackson

2010-11-10T17:36:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #10 - Jackson is grateful for his Mom & Dad!

I am grateful for my Mom & Dad because my Mom dose fun stuf with us like she takes us to fatcats & boondocks & stuf like that. I like my Dad because he broutgh me a woggle back from woodbage & my Mom helps in my class & my Dad helps me with scouts. My Mom & Dad roock.

*These are not the most attractive pics of me but it's what I've got! :)

Gratitude Post #9 - Julie

2010-11-09T19:59:00.001-08:00

Gratitude Post #9 - Julie is grateful for The Temple!
I am grateful for temples because they bring me closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus they are beautiful, they make me feel warm. When I went to the oaker mountain temple open house, I felt peace, comfort, and warmth. My favorite place inside the temple was when I got to see the Bridal Dressing Room because it was so beautiful and I want to get married there. Someday I will go to the temple!

Gratitude Post #8 - Jeffrey

2010-11-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

Gratitude Post #8 is from Jeffrey. Jeffrey is grateful for his brother and sister!
Jeffrey's favorite time of the day is when the kids get home from school, hands down! He gets so bored by being home with just me from the time he gets home until the kids walk in the door. The more chaos they bring with them, the happier he is! Julie and Jackson can bring a smile to his face faster than anyone else. Letting Jeffrey lay on the floor and having Julie and Jackson dance and mess around with him on the floor with make Jeffrey squeal with delight and bring a smile on his face. If you see us at the grocery store or shopping, there is a good chance that Julie or Jackson is pushing Jeffrey or sitting at his feet, wheeling them both around using their feet. They take care of their big brother with such love and tenderness, it brings tears to my eyes. Recently we had to break up a fight between Julie and Jackson because they were FIGHTING over where Jeffrey would live when James and I go on a mission in 15+ years! When Jeffrey has a seizure, they know their different roles and do them with such love and concern in their faces. They love their big brother so much and in return, he loves them! Jeffrey really is grateful for Julie and Jackson.

(I chose this picture so you can see how Jackson sits on Jeffrey's wheelchair most of the time!)

Gratitude Post #7 - Friends

2010-11-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

My (James) belated gratitude post is for friends. We have such great friends who always support us, and we have so much fun with. My friends also believe in torturing me by making me run marathons, and other forms of exercise torture. But I am so grateful because they made me realize how much fun that torture can be. We love playing late night games of settlers of catan and ticket to ride, camping, and just hanging out and talking. Our friends are great and area always there to watch kids and help us out with anything. You all enrich our lives and inspire us to be better! thanks!

*Noticably absent from these pictures are our friends who ditched us for California...you know who you are N & E's!
**Please do not be offended if you are our friends and I didn't post your picture! I had to hurry and use what I had on the laptop. We love you all!

Gratitude Post #6

2010-11-07T14:46:00.001-08:00

Gratitude Post #6 - I am grateful for music!
Today I had the blessing of subbing in Primary and spent the entire time practicing for the Primary Program that is happening next week. I will admit it....I cried quite a bit! There is a beautiful song called, I Know That My Savior Loves Me that the children are singing as part of the program. I love it! The words in the song are so powerful, yet simple at the same time:
A long time ago in a beautiful place,
children were gathered ‘round Jesus
He blessed and taught as they felt of His love.
Each saw the tears on His face.
The love that He felt for His little ones
I know He feels for me.
I did not touch Him or sit on his knee,
Yet Jesus is real to me.
I know he lives!
I will follow faithfully.
My heart I give to Him.
I know that my Savior loves me.
Now I am here in a beautiful place,
Learning the teachings of Jesus.
Parents and teachers will help guide the way,
Lighting my path ev’ry day.
Wrapped in the arms of my Savior’s love,
I feel His gentle touch.
Living each day, I will follow His way,
Home to my Father above.

I am blessed with children and a husband who love music as well! An even bigger blessing for me is the fact that James, Julie and Jackson all have beautiful voices. Jackson and Julie have been asked to sing at various school and church functions and James, well let's just say that it is another thing that James excels at. We were even given the opportunity to sing as a family in sacrament and it was such a great experience for all of us! I love the fact that my children walk around the house singing and playing uplifting music that brightens our home. Take a minute and think about a song you enjoy...any type of song. Now think about how that songs make you feel. Does it make you want to get up and dance? Does it make you want to laugh at the silly lyrics? Does it make you feel the Spirit stronger? Does it make you melancholy? Music has that type of control over us! So take a minute this week and find a song that makes you happy!

Gratitude Post #5 - Jackson

2010-11-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

Jackson has our 5th item of Gratitude - Trees!

I am grateful for trees because they give us oxygen. I also like trees because you can climb them. I also like trees because they are beautiful to look at especially when they change colors. I really like it when you make a tree house out of a tree! Trees also help make paper. I also like trees because they help make houses. Trees make us food like pear trees, plum trees, apple trees, and peach trees. I also like it when they give us shade on hot, sunny days. I am so grateful for trees because they do so many things for us!

Gratitude Post #4 - Julie

2010-11-04T17:12:00.001-07:00

Julie has our 4th item of Gratitude...JEFFREY!

I'm grateful for Jeffrey because...i know he will always be my big brother, he holds our family hard as a rock,he will always be there for me,and he has a message from heaven it is "Nobodys Perfect!" and that is true. I know that because he told me that by playing with him,being kind to him, and being there for him. He really is a special kid because of that. I know that Jeffrey will always be My big brother!

Graditude Entry #2

2010-11-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Of course it is late because I wouldn't do it any other way(this is James). Plus who want to share their feeling out there like this...I don't get it. Anyway as I just attended woodbadge training for scouts for 6 days I am grateful for the scouting program. Of course it has been on my mind alot lately because of this recent adventure with my co-horts in the Beaver Patrol and others at Gilwell Field. Sounds nerdy huh...but you just have to experience it to know. I think back to my time as a boy and all the great adventures and learning that occured in scouting. I had so much fun and didn't even realize it till now when I look back. It truly taught me those core tenants of scouting, and I am grateful for that. I have a deep gratitude for those men, including my dad who served as my scoutmaster, that guided me through those years. I only hope that I can give back to scouting what it has gave to me. I find myself thinking about the boys in my Varsity Team alot, and how awesome they really are. They are great young men and have been trained and taught well, and I am sure one day they will make awesome leaders. They make me proud.

November 3rd Gratitude Entry #3

2010-11-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

You may ask where Entry #2 is....it's been assigned out and is forthcoming at anytime!

Gratitude Entry #3 is from Jeffrey's point of view (and most of our families as well!) Jeffrey is grateful for our annual trip to Raft River!

We are blessed enough to have great friends (thanks Parry's!) who introduced us to Raft River. Since this is from Jeffrey's point of view, the first thing I am going to tell you about is the water slides. Bryan will take Jeffrey up to the top of the waterslide on the 4-wheeler (a privilege only Jeffrey is entitled too!) and then down we all go. Jeffrey tenses up, kicks, squeals and loves every minute of going down the 1/4 of a mile water slide. I don't know if there is any other activity in the world that brings Jeffrey more joy, honestly. Plus, he loves riding on the 4 wheeler quite a bit too! We have been blessed enough to go several times over the past years and each time we do I get excited to see the smile on Jeffrey's face that only happens when he goes down that slide. We usually spend 2 nights there and the great part is, we go with incredible friends everytime! Besides the water slides, there is a huge zip line, a candy cannon machine, massive swing sets, and last time we even incorporated a service project. So I KNOW Jeffrey is grateful for his favorite get away, Raft River!

Gratitude Journal

2010-11-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

After an amazing talk in church on Sunday (Karla...two thumbs way up!), I wanted to help our family realize how blessed they are during this Thanksgiving Season. During this month, someone in our family will be posting everyday telling about something they are grateful for and why. I know I am a day late so I will post 2 today but this is something I am really excited about so hopefully I can get my family on board!

November 1st
Gratitude Entry #1
I am grateful for our Little Red Hen Garden! It has been an amazing experience to work in the soil, weed the garden, plant, and harvest on such a big scale and do it with some incredible friends. I have to say, my favorite part was making sure the water would flow properly to all the different mounds. Watching the running water trickle down from one end of the garden to the other gave me such joy and time to reflect on all the thought processes that were going on in my head. It was such a blessing to have that space to retreat to when I was grieving the death of my grandfather and it was there that I thought up the remarks I made at his funeral. It was also great to teach the kids about gardening and the importance of hard work. They loved going up there each week to work hard but also to play hard! They ran from tree to tree thinking up new ideas for clubs and playing hide and seek. We also had Family Home Evening most Mondays when we went up there as a group and had some great lessons. It was great to feel a connection with Grandma and Grandpa Wall again and I know they are thrilled that the ground they gardened in is being used again in the same way. Plus, there is nothing like corn on the cob you have grown yourself! And our pumpkins were a big hit in our neighborhood because of their massive size. It was a great experience and something I will always be thankful for.

*Not pictured Kathy & Wayne Airmet, Jeff Pryor & Derrick Phair

Happy Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Something to Think About....

2010-10-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have had the opportunity to ponder on a lot of choices, decisions, and directions that my life has taken. Plus, I have listened to the Relief Society General Session, Conference talks, and talks in our sacrament meeting yesterday. So many times, we make quick judgements about people. In the past,I have made the huge mistake of listening to gossip that is being said about other people and take it as truth. How sad that I had so many missed friendships and opportunities to get to know people because of other peoples quick judgements! A few years ago, I decided to change that attitude and I have been so pleasantly surprised at how my view of people in general has changed. (I am making the disclaimer that I REALLY have to work at this and I am not perfect in my way of thinking 100% of the time! Or even close to 100% but I am trying!) In Matthew 7:16 it states: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" So my request to you is this.....Judge me on the fruits of my labors! I am trying to be a better person and do good things and bring forth good fruits. I hope that you will give me the benefit of the doubt in my actions and not judge me on the words of others...

Jacksons Special Day

2010-06-23T22:40:00.001-07:00

My baby turned 8 last month, and yes, it has been hard. Jackson is turning out to be such an incredible little guy with a heart of gold! He is such a blessing to me and our family. This year, we have been holding off on his birthday party until Scott gets his pool fixed so we can have a swimming party. But we did sneak in a fun night on his birthday with a dinner celebration for him and my friend Deborah, who just happens to share his birthday, with the Phairs and Deardens. Then we went over to Boondocks and played mini golf and did the race track with James, Julie, Brad, Ericha, Jackson, and myself. Then on June 5th, Jackson was baptized. What a remarkable day for our family and Jackson. I was truly humbled by all the friends and family who came to share in this great day with us. A big shout out to Brianna & Zane for saying prayers, Diana & Steve for doing such a great job with the talks (Jackson actually remembers what you both talked about!), and to the Bishop and Stevie Schwartz for singing with James and Jackson and bringing the Spirit so strongly into the room. I also want to thank "Little Grandpa" and Grandpa McBride for being the witnesses. James did a great job on the blessing and there wasn't a dry eye in the place by the time it was finished. I can't believe how blessed I am to be the mother of such a marvelous young boy. I love you Magoo! Happy 8th Birthday!

Jeffrey was on the News

2010-06-11T13:26:00.001-07:00

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Look What Is Happening Soon!

2010-05-25T06:43:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to share with all of our friends and family what we are getting ready for at the McBride house!

One Year Anniversary

2010-04-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

On April 22nd, I celebrated the one year anniversary of when I made a complete fool of myself and fell down a fire pole. In previous posts, I have talked about the trials that this mistake has brought into my life. I have also listed the incredible blessings that came as a result as well! Lately, I have been trying to focus on all the positives in my life SO in staying true to that theme, here is a list of the realization of the blessings I have received one year post fall.
#1) Realizing how blessed I am to have a dad who will carry his "big girl" down some stairs and stepping up to so many other various activities without me even asking!!! I love you Dad!
#2) My kids are amazing! They helped me with EVERYTHING!!! From getting my toothbrush and toothpaste for me everyday to cuddling with me on nights when James couldn't be home and life seemed rough. I can't help but be SO grateful that I have such incredible kids.
#3) My husband is the BEST!!! I know a lot of people say that, but I mean it. He handled me screaming at him because of serious control issues that came to surface while I was stuck in that wheelchair. He pushed me around the Hogle Zoo for 5 hours while I subbed a 2nd grade class on their field trip (have you seen the hills at the zoo, they are HUGE!). He gave me with a blessing that I have looked back on a lot and needed in my darkest hours. James has kept me in check when I wanted to push it beyond the limits I should have (which was almost everyday). And he only got angry with me once during the time (I deserved it, but only that once though). Truly ladies, he is the best, hands down!
#4) The rest of my family, for the concern, phone calls, and prayers on my behalf. Thank you so much, they helped more than you will ever know!
#5) My in-laws are great! From coming to visit me for the day and getting lunch with me and the kids, to coming and helping put Jeffrey to bed and get him out of bed, to taking me to a funeral when I couldn't drive, and bringing your girlfriend and just talking for hours. I love you all so much. Thank you!!!
#6) My friends!!!! I had friends just come and sit in my messy room and talk with me for hours (Emily, Stacy, Bernie Jo). I had a friend who brought me dinner every week and spoiled my kids with Tuesday Treat Day (Joy....miss you!) A friend who means a lot to our family and helped James give me a blessing when I was scared because James was leaving us for two nights to fulfill his calling and I was by myself in the wheelchair and still had to take care of Jeffrey (Steve F). Bring me a cheesecake that was to die for (Rich & Tracie). Driving me around town to get James his Father's Day gifts (Dawn). Dressing up like Joan Rivers and acting the part to perfection as she came in, sat on my lap in the wheelchair and proceeded to make me laugh in a way that I needed exactly at that moment! (Amy) For bringing dinner over when I wasn't expecting it (Missy). For forgiving me that the car pool no longer ran like we had planned on and taking my kids to and from school everyday. (Becky) To bringing me the BEST soup and homemade french bread I have ever had (Vicki & Wayne) To picking up my slacking because I was drugged during Teacher Appreciation Week last year (Kristie & Dawn) and last but definitely not least, to Diana. Who knew that breaking my foot would bring about one of the greatest blessings of my life, your friendship! She listened, loved and helped me mental overcome this trying time. Diana was and still is the second mother to my children and I will never stop trying to repay her for her friendship, kindness, and love.

In fact, Diana and her children wrote me a poem to celebrate the one year anniversary and I just had to share it with all of you.

"Drop Heard Round The Neighborhood"
We would like to tell you a story,
Please be warned it is a little gory.
Once there was this girl,
Who decided to give a fire pole a whirl.
Upon her foot she did fall
And so the doctor they did call.
It was broken in more than just one place
You should have seen the look on James' face!
Hop-along became her name
And garden group received some fame.
We are happy she now is doing well,
And she is done with fire poles, we can tell.
Jenni McBride is now our friend,
So this story has a happy end.

We LOVE YOU Jenni!

To everyone struggling with trials and troubles, take a look at the blessings that are all around you. This trial has turned into one of the greatest blessings in my life and I would do it again (James wouldn't like that though) if I could have half the blessings come out of it that have come out of this past year. Thanks again everyone!!!

Easter Celebrations

2010-04-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

Since Easter fell on General Conference (greatest thing ever!), we were able to sit back and relax. It was so nice to sit and focus on Christ and the gospel for 4 hours in our pajamas. We all camped out on the couches in the front room and listened to the radio. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the talks so much. What a blessing to have your spiritual cup refilled by living apostles every 6 months! We live in a very special time to have this gift in our lives. After the afternoon session, we headed over to the McBride house to have Easter dinner. Much of the time was spent tormenting Fernanda, Jonny's finance, on Skype. The poor girl had to translate for over 4 hours while James and the other boys did Easter candy parades, acting out a death scene with a plastic knife, and answering the little kids many questions. But she handled it like a champ! We also celebrated Zoe & Zane's birthdays....those kids are getting too big!!! The next Sunday, Julie and Jackson each wore their new Easter clothes to church and looked adorable.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T08:18:00.001-07:00

Seriously?!

2010-03-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was crazy busy for James and I. We are in the process of a big project and by 4pm yesterday, we were beat! We went to go and pick up Jeffrey from James' mom and she mentioned that he didn't want to eat much at lunch and that he had a lot of mucus stuff coming out of his mouth. James went to pick him up and there was vomit all over the chair with a rubber tire and piece of a toy in the throw up. We got him all cleaned up and thought he was doing better until about an hour later when he still wouldn't eat or drink anything. After some discussion, we took him to McKay Dee where they x rayed him and told us they couldn't see the part but to do further work on him, they would need to send him to Primarys since he has so many complications. BUT we could take him home and observe him if we felt like he was doing better. At that point, Jeffrey was clapping, talking, and not drooling as much. We thought we would take him home and things would be alright. Around 1am, James had the distinct impression to go and sleep with Jeffrey. Not 10 minutes later, Jeffrey started throwing up dried blood. We got him ready and James rushed him to Primarys where the doctor tried to give James the run around by saying it was his head shunt and not his throat...They finally got around to a swallow test at 7:30am (over 6 hours later!) and sure enough, they could see something stuck in the lining of his throat. The surgeons came in and said they would do a scope within a couple of hours. Fast forward to 3pm, they come to take Jeffrey to the OR. Jeffrey was in serious pain at this point and crying even with Morphine in his system (Jeffrey RARELY cries because of physical pain, most of the time it is because someone else is upset or crying.) When the doctor came to report afterwards, he handed us a specimen cup with 2 plastic pieces about the size of quarters that they worked really hard to pull out. They are worried that they may have torn the lining in his throat so we are staying overnight tonight. The great news is that he should have minimal pain now. We will keep everyone posted and thank you for the love and prayers. They were felt and heard.

It's Field Trip Day!

2010-03-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

Do you remember how excited you would get when it was a day for a field trip at school? That's what happened to Jackson when he woke up on Tuesday morning and realized it was time to head to the Discovery Gateway with his class. I have a confession to make, I love going with my kids on field trips! The kids are all so excited and laughing the entire time. I thought I would post just a few of my favorite pics. What a fun day!

Want To Dance?

2010-03-10T08:29:00.000-08:00

Julie had her first dance at school. All the little ones got dressed up, learned proper dancing equiette (which only happens in grade school!), and learned how to waltz. It was so much fun and so cute! Unfortunately, I didn't get pics of Julie and James dancing but I will confess, it was a teary eyed moment for me to see Julie dancing with her daddy. She loves him so much and it was great to witness another special moment between the two of them. The girls were a lot more excited about this dance than the boys! If you ask Julie what she thought of the dance, she will tell you it was "horrible!" but as you will see from the pictures, she was smiling the whole time.

Parents Payoff Moment...

2010-03-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

The other night, I walked into the living room to find Julie and Jackson reading their scriptures. So grateful that I have 2 little ones who are learning and loving the gospel.

What Happened at Dearden Manor?

2010-03-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Did you know that January 15th is the most depressing day of the year? True Story! (Christmas bills due, no major holidays to look forward to, still tons of snow to deal with, etc) In order to get over the depression blues, the Deardens invited us all over for a wedding of sorts. But what we encountered wasn't a wedding.....it was a MURDER (insert evil laugh here). We had so much fun and James was THRILLED he wasn't the murderer this time around. We had a great time. Kathy did such a great job playing two roles and I think she may have a shot at an Academy Award in the very near future.

Cup Overflow

2010-01-25T00:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to a Woman's Conference put together by our Relief Society Presidency. It was all based around the theme of gardening and it was truly an amazing event. I felt so blessed to be able to attend and have my "cup" filled. The keynote speaker reviewed the "Be's" that President Hinckley talked about. I have always loved this concept! My favorite is Be Still. A friend of mine just finished a stitchery that says Be Still and Know. I don't think I can put it any better than that. Next, I went to a workshop about finding joy in the garden of our lives. Sometimes the thistles seem so big and hard to control BUT as I sat there and listened I was truly touched by such a spirit of peace. I honestly do find so much joy in life! Whether it is my marriage, my children, my opportunities of service, my calling, my friendships, nature, the little moments, all of it! Don't get me wrong, there are times when the joy is harder to find than others BUT there is joy in everything. I needed this peaceful feeling so badly and it stayed with me during all the workshops. It was exactly what I needed and I am so grateful to have felt that. My next workshop was on Patriarchal Blessings. I am going to reveal something I am not proud of. I haven't read my blessing for a very long time! While I sat there and listened something she said made a huge impact. This wonderful neighbor memorized her blessing so that in times of trials and crisis, or while sitting in the temple, she could recall her personalized road map from a loving Father and use that to help her overcome her trials or confirm her decisions. So, I am publicly announcing that by the end of the year, I will have my blessing memorized as well. The last class touched me in a surprising way because I already knew the presenters feelings on the subject. She is a friend of mine and someone I go to when I need spiritual insight and guidance. As I listened, my emotions overcame me and I realize how blessed we are to have personal revelation in our lives. That we have the same chance for that revelation that Joseph Smith did if we prepare ourselves and ask with a sincere heart. I can't capture the feeling or words that were described but I can tell you this...I know I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father and that He loves me. He loves me enough to send me these wonderful friends with such inspirational messages at the perfect time in my life. I am so grateful for this knowledge! I want to share a thought that was shared that has stuck with me, When trials are all around you, it's alright to "numb yourself" to the moment and step back to look at the big picture. Such wise advice!

Note to Self....

2010-01-12T02:37:00.001-08:00

Don't wait to update the blog for over 3 of the busiest months of the year!!!! I just spent 3 hours writing new posts but if I want to count this as a journal, it has to be done. You can backtrack all the way to Halloween if you want to see what we have been doing that past few months!!! Thanks for everyones patience while I was busy slacking.
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PS For those of you who looked at my updated blog before 1-18-09, I updated with my last 4 posts. Disney Choir Concert, FHE, Julie's Piano Recital, and PB & J are all new. Check them out if you want to. You might have to backtrack a little bit since I can't figure out how to rearrange the order of posts. If anyone knows how to do this, let me know! Thanks!

Family Home Evening

2010-01-12T02:29:00.002-08:00

We assigned the kids to do Family Home Evening....all of it! The picked the topic of temples, did a lesson, activities (a coloring contest & pick which dress would be appropriate to wear to the temple) and the opening and closing songs. Jackson even colored a visual aid to go along with Julie's lesson. We loved every minute of it and thought we would share it with everyone.

Cousin Sleepover

2010-01-12T02:29:00.001-08:00

I decided to have a cousin sleepover night with Bugs and Logan. I took the kids to Del Taco for dinner and I don't think that I have ever laughed so hard in a fast food foyer as I did that night! Kids truly do say the funniest things!!!! Then we headed over to Boondocks to go bowling. The wait was 2 hours so we played rollerball instead and had just as much fun. Thanks for the fun night everyone, and the great laughs!!!!

I Saw 3 Ships

2010-01-12T02:15:00.000-08:00

Julie had her piano recital at her Grandmas house, and once again, she did a great job. She loved the piece that Grandma assigned her, I Saw 3 Ships. I can't tell you how many time we have heard this song. Not only does she play it at home but anywhere else that has a piano. Julie received her composer statue and was happy to get the bust of Handel. Grandma told her it was because Julie had had the chance to see a performance of Handel's Messiah this year. Julie thought that was really cool. Julie looked beautiful as well! Great job Goose, we are proud of you!

Christmas Miracles

2010-01-12T02:06:00.000-08:00

This Christmas we had some blessings come our way that we loved and were so appreciative of! We had some families do the 12 days of Christmas to our family. My kids would beg us to hurry home every night and see if our presents were on the porch. They loved everything they received and it brought so much joy to their faces and holiday season. We also received a special present along with a book on our porch one night. I can't put into words how much we appreciated this act of kindness and true Christlike charity. It was so easy to focus on the real meaning of Christmas when those around you are doing the same thing! (We will pass the kindness on next year in return!) Christmas was great and very relaxing. Here are a few random pics of the kids and their presents....

Halloween Treats

2010-01-12T01:50:00.000-08:00

Halloween this year was such fun for everyone! Julie dressed up as a nice witch and Jackson was a Star Wars trooper of some sort. We made our traditional homemade root beer and the kids had a great time going around the neighborhood while Jeffrey and I stayed home and passed our candy. Halloween is fun at our house because a lot of our friends show up and come to visit...we love it!!! (I didn't get a picture of the Goss family and I regret that! I love their visits!) Here are our a few of our Halloween pics:

All Aboard Julie!

2010-01-12T01:26:00.000-08:00

Julie turned 9 years old on December 12th and what a birthday she had!!! We went to dinner at one of our favorite restaraunts with my Mom and Bugs. Julie opened all of her presents and got everything her little heart desired and more! Then, the real party began. The Deardens and many other families, graciously invited us to come along on their Polar Express excursion. All the kids were in their pj's and loaded up on the Polar Express!!!! (No, not the one in Heber, but the Frontrunner) We sat in the car that is older than the rest and has older brown seats. They made personalized tickets for each child and the conductor came and punched everyone's tickets. Then off we went! We sang carols and enjoyed each others company on the ride there. Then, we got off and who was waiting for us....SANTA! He gave each of the kids a bell, made the kids sing Happy Birthday to Julie, and took pictures with each one of us. He was GREAT! Then we all loaded back up and read Polar Express, ate cookies, and drank hot chocolate on the ride home. It was a great experience and we loved each minute of it! Thanks for the invite everyone and I hope that you invite us again on one of your field trips!
I just want to take a minute and mention how much we love Julie. We are so proud of the young girl she is becoming! She is blossoming in all the right ways. She sticks up to bullies for her friends, helps take care of children and loves them like they are her's, and excels in school. She has a simple but deep love of the gospel and bring a smile to all of our faces. Thanks for being so incredible Goose! We are so blessed to have you in our family!!!!

Look At The Lights....

2010-01-12T01:13:00.000-08:00

We had the chance to get together with some families that we have been friends with for a long time and go look at the lights in Ogden. We LOVE the Ogden city lights and listening to all the musical performances at the ampitheater. Well, it was bitter cold that night (we are talking single digits) and a couple of the families had little ones. It is easy for me to forget how my kids would have hated every minute of the lights with the cold tempertures. I quickly remembered as the crying started and the begging to go home and get warm started how that time in my life was. I felt HORRIBLE! We were able to get one group picture before we went our separate ways. We will try something indoors soon!

During the same week, I convinved Marcie that we needed to take the kids on a hay ride through the lights at a local park. This was the same week that we still had the bitter cold temperatures and it was cold!!!! We had fun though and the kids loved it of course.

McBride Candy Day!

2010-01-12T01:03:00.000-08:00

It wouldn't be Christmas without McBride Candy Day!!! We always make thin mints, almond bark, caramels (with and without nuts), peanut brittle, peppermint ice, chocolate clusters, and fudge (with and without nuts). Even the kids help and we have a great time. This was Ethan's first year and considering the attention he received, I think he would call the day a wonderful success. A lot of the kids, and Brianne, had the opportunity to shell a whole bucket of walnuts. Even Tyler got in on the action.

Christmas Festivities

2010-01-12T00:57:00.000-08:00

As soon as Thanksgiving is over, James has the tree ready to go! He loves the excitement of the Christmas season. Here are just a few pics of what we did to get ready for the 2009 holiday season:

Thankful for Thanksgiving!

2010-01-12T00:29:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving we got to spend some time with my sisters and their families. We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year with Court, Joe & Camri, my Mom and Scott, and my grandparents. It was a very calm dinner and everything turned out relatively well. I have to say, I am so thankful for my family and friends this year. I have had to humble myself and leaned on them for support, more than I ever have before. For the meals, visits, the rides, helping with Jeff, and complete friendship and love that we have received as a family, I don't know if I can convey how thankful I am for all of you. In my moments of darkest despair, there are two special friends who were there for me (you know who you are). Your friendship is what I am the most grateful for this holiday season.

If you know me, then you know that chances are, I will be shopping the sales on Black Friday. Crazy? YES! It all started a long long time ago with the McBride clan. Since driving from up south isn't as fun at 4am as you would think it would be, I now go with my sisters and mom. I swore to myself that I wouldn't go this year unless there was something I REALLY needed. Well, I ended up spending the night in front of Target with Courtney & Joe. Honestly, are the deals really worth it? I don't know, but the memories created seem to be worth the effort. We met up with Marcie, B, and my mom later on and then we always get everyone and go to breakfast.

That night we went to my Dads for our 2nd Thanksgiving (yes, I am the luckiest girl in the world). We even had Uncle Chad there this year! Miracles truly do happen people! While Camri ran around chasing the dogs and the kids chasing Camri, the adults talk and just enjoy each others company. It was a great evening. Thanks Dad & Kaye!

Anyone want a PB & J?

2010-01-12T00:23:00.000-08:00

At the kids elementary, they do a combined Reflections Awards Night along with a Talent Show. Julie played a piano solo in the talent show and did a great job. The kids got together with a group of their friends and did a show stopping singing number!!!! Sit back, watch and enjoy!

Disney Concert....Elementary School Style!

2010-01-12T00:05:00.000-08:00

I love the chance Julie and Jackson have to be in the school choir! The teacher who leads the choir does such a great job. The kids have to come twice a week, a half hour before school starts for about 3 months. And all the practice pays off. This year the theme was Disney songs. Jackson played the part of Sebastian the Crab from the Little Mermaid. Julie was Snow White. While Jackson had a little solo and dancing sequence, Julie had a solo dancing part. Julie was so excited that "her girls" came to see her performance and Jackson thought it was cool that Carter would come watch him as well. Here are a few videos and photos from the performance:

Christmas Video

2009-12-24T09:49:00.000-08:00

I think this matches us pretty well! Merry Christmas!

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Gratitude, Personal Bests, Adventures, and Spooks Oh My!

2009-10-14T00:41:00.000-07:00

I won't take too much time talking about this but I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped by donating time, money, or just attending the Smiles for Suzi event. To quote Suzi the sum that was raised was "ridiculous!" Suzi passed away on Saturday, October 3rd with her family by her side. I can honestly say that Suzi's example will continue with me for the rest of my life and I am honored to say that I knew her. When I grow up, I hope to be just like her!

We actually heard about Suzi's passing while we were in St George. James successfully completed his fourth marathon and beat his personal best by 33 minutes!!!! I was so proud of him. James trained differently for this marathon and I feel like the proof came by the time he achieved. To James, a marathon isn't about beating anyone else but himself and he finally overcame his mental block and did amazing! We were lucky enough to stay with James' sister and her family, along with James' co-worker and his family. I love spending time with Belinda, Matt and their entire family. They make me laugh! Matt ran the marathon as well and did better than he expected. Jon, James co-worker also ran. As did the Skonnards, Rob Wood, and Jared Richardson reached his goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon! Way to go Thundering Herd!!!! Another successful race accomplished!

The kids and I had a great day with Courtney & Camri, along with Kelsey & Tice. We went to the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy and had a great time. I will be honest, I put my hand in the water to touch a sting ray and never got up the nerve to do it! I know, I am a wimp. We saw an octopus, electric eels (I did touch the sign that shocks you a little though and I felt like that redeemed me from not touching sting rays.....well almost!) , snakes (I hate snakes!), and sharks. It was a fun off track adventure and we are glad we went. Here are a few of the best pictures:

If you know me even remotely well, you know I don't like to be scared. I hate scary movies!!! But when a very talented and fun friend of mine told me she was going to take part in the Odyssey Dance Company's, Thriller, I couldn't pass up the chance to tag along. I want to say, I have amazingly talented friends! From scrapbook stars, actors, singers, writers, designers, clothing consultation, speakers, teachers, organizers and so much more, I have friends who excel in all of these areas and many many more! I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many incredible people and can honestly say, none of this has rubbed off on me BUT I do enjoy learning about all these different areas of life. I made Courtney tag along so I could jump in someones lap if I got too scared. (I only did that once........I did grab her knee the entire time though.....Sorry Squeaks!) A group of us went out to dinner in Logan beforehand and had a great conversation on wedding proposals.
Then off to the show. Once again, let me preface this by saying, I hate to be scared! So when I saw the zombie girls walking around the auditorium scaring people while they waited for the show to start, I wasn't the happiest girl in Logan! These actresses are amazingly scary and don't break character for anything. They were chewing up people's programs, hissing in their faces, and invading everyone's personal space! I am a firm believer in personal bubbles! Here is one of the zombies:
Here is all the official Bonnie Whitlock (aka Lorana Bobbit) cheering club at intermission (Diana had kids she had to hurry home to so she didn't get the chance to pose for the remainder of the pictures with us): Here is the picture I thought would never happen, me and several zombies in the same photo. Courtney was my buffer so that made it a little easier to accomplish. Bonnie (aka Lorana), her husband and incredible photographer Chad, and talented niece Kenzie are also in the shot.
Here we all are after the performance. There was some truly incredible dancing and humor in this show and if you go for nothing else other than to see Bonnie play this part, it is worth going. She was amazing and had everyone laughing during her parts in the show. Thanks again Bonnie, Chad, Diana, Kenzie, & Courtney for protecting me from the undead. (Except for the point that Chad scared me on purpose, I can't thank you for that Chad! It wasn't nice!)

Time To Tell The Story

2009-09-17T20:56:00.001-07:00

In my last post, I told you about going to a sick friends house to sing. I also told you that it wasn't my story to share, well now, I am going tell it. Suzi, knows that this information is going out so I don't feel like I am betraying any type of trust. Please read the entire story, you will see why at the end. This is Suzi's story put together from a newspaper article and a friend of ours:

Jake and Suzi got married 6 years ago. 3 months later, they were elated when they found out Suzi was pregnant. During the pregnancy, the doctors found a cyst on Suzi's ovary, that didn't go away over time. So 3 months after they welcomed little Natalie into the world, Suzi went into an operation to have the cyst removed. The doctors discovered the cyst was cancerous. Upon further inspection, they learned that she had Ovarian Cancer, and it had spread to many parts of her body. She immediately had to have a hysterectomy done as well as removal of a number of other organs.

Over the next few years, Suzi went through all kinds of chemo treatments, a number of surgeries removing more cancer infested organs, and countless hospital stays. A little before Natalie's 2nd birthday, they found the cancer was gone. Suzi was given a doctor's note stating that she would live a reasonable amount of time--thus making her and Jake eligble for adoption. They looked foward for the opportunity to continue to build their family. Suzi's hair grew back, her color returned to her face. In all counts, she felt healthy again.

About a year later, Suzi went in for a checkup. It was at this appointment they found the cancer had returned. Suzi started the whole process over again. She went through a number of chemo sessions, losing her hair all over again as well as a significant amount of weight, and many more hospital stays followed. Treatment after treatment showed the cancer was not slowing down or stopping, but Suzi kept on fighting. Due to her surgeries, Suzi suffers from frequent blockages in her intestines. Typically a few days stay in the hospital on a liquid only diet would clear these up. Suzi had yet another blockage the weekend of Mother's Day this year. She spent weeks in the hospital, but the blockage didn't clear. They sent her home with on IV and she was to be on an intravenous liquid-only diet for the next several months-unable to eat any solid foods and drink very few clear liquids in small amounts. She continued other chemo treatments through all of this which were painful and difficult.

A few weeks ago, Suzi developed an infection in her infusion site and returned again to the hospital. After staying a few days, the doctors told Suzi was told there was nothing more they could do for her and was sent home, given 1-3 months to live.
Through this whole sickness, I can honestly say I've never once heard Suzi complain. I have never even seen her go through a 'why me?' stage. I have never seen her angry or even depressed stage, In fact, it was often hard to know the seriousness of her cancer because she was so optimistic and happy-willing to take whatever was thrown at her with a smile.

Suzi's condition get worse everyday, and time is running out quickly for her. She is in a lot of pain, and is unable to eat anything. Her kidneys have now stopped functioning and she is retaining a painful amount of water. The cancer has now most likely spread to her brain, and she is losing her eyesight quickly. But, as always, she never complains, and even manages to find some excitement and anticipation about her next adventure "living with the angels" as she says. She still laughs everyday. She still finds time for loved ones. Of course, this hasn't been easy for her. As any mother can imagine, saying goodbye to your not-quite 5 year old daughter has been very painful and difficult for her, as well as trying to say goodbye to her loving husband, Jake. She is an incredible fighter, and though she is in a lot of pain, she is still holding on, finishing up those last few things she wants to do before she goes. She truly is, one of the most amazing people I've ever known. She has gone through so much adversity and has endured it so well, it is obvious why our Heavenly Father is calling her back home.

Due to Suzi's condition, they were never able to get any kind of insurance for her. Her family now faces a tremendous financial burden of funeral costs and even greatest costs in medical bills. This is added stress to an already sad and stressful situation. Although there is nothing we can do to help Suzi live, this is an area we think we can help--which is where we need your help. Help to give Suzi, one more smile.....

This is where you come in, yes, you read that right...YOU! There is a benefit concert and silent auction being held at Northridge High School in Layton, Utah on Thursday, September 24th. The auction bidding will start at 6:30 and go until 9pm. The concert will start at 7pm. Get ready to be excited because T minus 5, Mercy River, Gregory Pearson & David Osmond are all performing!!! The minimum donation to come to the concert is $10 per person and $25 per family. We have some amazing items lined up for the auction as well. If you are busy that night, then feel free to donate to one of two bank accounts set up at Wells Fargo and America First Credit Union under the name Jacob K. Baxter. For more information on this great event, go to http://www.smilesforsuzi.blogspot.com/ This is for an amazing woman! Thanks everyone!

A Spiritual Memory....

2009-09-06T22:50:00.001-07:00

Today I was able to witness something that I will never forget. I had the privilege to substitute in Primary for a friend of mine while they were gone on a vacation. Since being released last year, I would estimate that over 2/3 of the time I am in primary subbing for one person or another. Sometimes, I have kind of a bad attitude about it BUT everytime I sit in that primary room my feelings change and I sit and laugh, admire, and love all the children that surround me. Today was no different except I was kind of looking forward to subbing this time because I had 3 of my activity day girls. We had a great lesson on Zions Camp and they were great. What a remarkable time in the history of the church and a true test of faith. One of the girls couldn't stop laughing everytime I said Governor Dunklin (he was the governor who promised to help the Saints if they could gather together an army and then broke that promise). How fun these girls are! After our lesson, we gathered together for sharing time. We were told that we were going to do something different today. I am not going to go into details because it isn't my place to do so but there is a sister who is currently serving as the Primary Secretary who is very sick. So, the Primary president lined the senior primary children up and they walked to the Secretary's home. After loading all the children into this small area, the children sang four of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. I truly believe they were singing with angels. The music swelled in the room and the spirit was so overwhelming. I looked over and saw a few of the children crying and realized that I wasn't the only one feeling the spirit. After the children were done sharing this incredible gift, the front door was opened to let the kids know it was time to go. All the children looked at each other and none of them wanted to leave! Later, when I asked Julie why this was she replied, "Mom, couldn't you feel it! I didn't want that warm feeling to end." I am saving this memory in my mind and hope never to forget that "warm feeling" that penetrated the room this day. I was so blessed to be there and grateful for a wonderful daughter who felt and recognized the spirit.

Friends & Family Fun

2009-09-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we got together with some friends we haven't hung out with in awhile and had a great time. Even though the entire "crew" wasn't there, we still managed to have fun swimming at my moms house. Here are the little one's playing in the hot tub.

Here we are after some good food and swimming. We had a blast thanks everyone!Tonight after watching the Cougars win Oklahoma 14-13, we were getting the kids ready for bed. James and the kids were playing with Jeffrey and this is what I happen to catch on video. Hope you laugh as much as we did!

Ticket To Ride....

2009-09-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

We were introduced to this game by our friends, the Woolleys, about two years ago and we really enjoyed playing it. So when James & I were trying to figure out what game to get Marcie & Dan for Christmas last year, we thought Ticket to Ride, would be just the right ticket (I know, I am a dork!). It is a game that anyone 7 & up can play, as long as the people playing can read. And it is a great game to play if you are trying to learn the different major cities in the USA. While we were trying to decide what games to bring to Raft River, I thought of this one and called Marcie and asked to borrow it. She graciously said yes and we had a great time playing with the Deardens on our trip. On Sunday night, James & I decided that Julie and Jackson were old enough to figure this game out so we played it once with teams, the boys against the girls. The boys won but not by much! Since then, the kids have been begging to play again. So tonight, Julie, Jackson and I decided to play once before they went to bed. Jackson kept insisting that he didn't need help or anyone on his team. We started playing and pretty soon it was obvious that my little man had been paying close attention when we were playing as a family because he really didn't need help! He kept completing ticket after ticket after ticket. Pretty soon it was apparent that once again, Julie and I were going to get out butts kicked. And we did! Our final score 81. He rocked it with a final tally of 124!!! Good grief! All on his own, and he was mad at the end because I "cut him off". I am mad that I lost and proud of Jackson! What a smart kid! (He asked me to post this on the blog so everyone would know how good he is at this game. He is also asking who the best "Ticket to Ride" player is we know so he can take on a REAL challenge. Yep, that's my boy!)

Raft River Vacation

2009-08-28T22:52:00.000-07:00

We had the opportunity to take a little vacation to one of our favorite spots, Raft River, Idaho! 400 foot waterslides, a 400 foot zipline, a candy cannon, trampoline and so much more, who wouldn't love that!
We took off Thursday after school got out. Poor Jeffrey, he was stuck in the back of the van and the van was filled with all of our camping gear. Look at the picture and play a rousing game of "Where's Jeffrey?"

Our good friends, the Deardens, went and spent that first night with us. We got there pretty late so we just set up our tents, gathered around the lantern for a few stories, said a prayer and put the kids to bed. Then we stayed up until 2am playing Ticket to Ride. (Diana won but James is convinced it was beginners luck.) The next morning, the kids got up had breakfast and headed for the water slide. James had 16 miles to run that day so he headed off to run in the middle of no where. The course he had mapped out wasn't what he expected. He ran in blinding heat over a course of continual rolling hills and climbs. It was horrible! Diana and I took him a drink in the middle of his run and this is what we found. James saw a snake, a badger, and two farmers who told him there was a better way to get from one place to another. We spent the day on the waterslide and in the afternoon the rest of our 75+ group showed up. Everyone set up camp and had a great time going down the zipline and waterslide. The following picture is a shot of where we all set up camp. We are still missing a couple of tents in this photo but it gives you a great idea of what it looked like. James had to go to the Martin Harris Pageant with the YM/YW so he left with Jeffrey around 4pm and didn't get back to camp until 12am. We had a great dinner and then everyone went up to the camp fire and talked. Both Julie and Jackson feel asleep while we were up there. After some serious convincing, I was able to get them back in the tent and get them to bed. Then a few of my friends and I sat around talked and ate some of the yummiest treats from Winder Dairy thanks to Deborah Phair. (Who knew that you could have the best cut up fruit, chocolate covered cinnamon bears, yogurt covered pretzels, bagels and chocolate milk delivered to your door every week! It was all SO GOOD!) The next morning, we all got up and the sliding continued! This time, our friend Bryan Parry, was great and got the 4 wheeler from the Steadmans to help Jeffrey and I get to the top of the hill. We wouldn't have been able to make the trek up the steep hill if he hadn't. The kids and I all rode in a tube down the slide twice and Jeffrey LOVED it but he loved the 4 wheeler even more!Then it was time to shoot off candy in the candy cannon and that was a major hit. Diana followed in the tradition of past Relief Society Presidents of the North Park Ward, alright just Kathy Hales but still! She went on the zipline twice and did a great job of it. Julie took the following pictures of the event and did a great job so I am posting a few of them. James took Jackson down the zipline with Jackson hanging onto his neck and legs wrapped around his waist. They did this twice but James never told me when they were going so I wasn't able to get any pictures! :( At 3pm we loaded up and headed home. James was exhausted and I was so tired too. I fell asleep and apparently so did James and Taylor Dearden (they were following us because James is spatially aware...right) after an hour, they pulled into a gas station to get something to drink so they could stay awake. Diana and I decided to take matters into our own hands and kept them awake while we talked on the walkie talkies the entire way home.

We got home at 5:15 and had 1 hour and 45 minutes to shower everyone, do a load of laundry, decorate the kids bikes, and get a game together for the Ward Social and Bike Parade. I am just throwing this in here because James and I were laughing so hard about this not only at the time but later that night. Our friend, Jake Baxter, stole a scooter from Abby Pryor and started showing us his "scootering skills". Flips and twists were found a plenty. It was so funny!

Julie Bike Decorations

Jacksons Bike Decorations

The kids had a great time and then there was face painting and the bean bag toss game with prizes. Everyone who planned it did a great job! Then on our way home we had to drop a couple of things off at James' parents house. It is always a treat for the kids to go to grandma and grandpa's and see Vivian, the lion kitty. Alright, there is nothing small about this cat, and when you pick him up, it feels like there are no bones in his entire body. It is really weird! Now, you might be reading this and thinking that I messed up on my grammar because I said that the cat's name was Vivian and then I said he.....well, this is right. It's a boy cat!!!! He is a really nice cat though and the kids love him.

All in all, we had a great time and it was a nice end to the summer for the kids. Thanks for everyone who helped plan, prepare, and participated in this great weekend. We can't wait for next year!

Quick Wit & A Special Thanks

2009-08-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

Jackson was getting ready for school this morning and he was telling me that while they were out playing at lunch recess yesterday, it started raining. And now I am quoting Jackson, "My friend looked over at me and said, oh no, what are we going to do? Then I told him that the first thing we needed to do was find shelter." Do you think we talk about camping and hiking a little bit at our house? What a funny kid!

Most people are very aware of the fact that we like 80's music at our house. And a lot of those same people know that James' favorite band of all time is Depeche Mode. We have seen them in concert I think 4 different times with last time being in 2005 or 2006, where James won front row tickets off the radio. So when it was announced that they were coming to concert again, James and I talked and decided not to go since we thought there was no way we could beat our last experience. So we decided not to spend the money and buy tickets. Yesterday afternoon, James' little brother Joe called. He had bought tickets before he was married and now wasn't able to go. He graciously offered to give them to us to use. Our favorite price, FREE! So with my mom babysitting the kids, we headed down to the E-Center for another night of ear throbbing music. As always, they put on a great concert and we had a great time. What was even more exciting was the fact that we got to see Coby, Darby and his family, and Rich and Angie Fellows. Coby looked great and it was fun to see his smile. I have to say, I love being around Coby and hearing him laugh. He reminds me of Jeffrey in so many ways. It was a great concert but the first time we have seen DM in concert and they didn't sing Somebody. Oh well, we still had a great time! Thanks Joe for making James so happy, he really does love his DM music!

2 Loves in my Life.....

2009-08-05T23:16:00.001-07:00

We all know that I adore James, and I think my kids are amazing! But, I have a confession to make, I have other loves in my life as well. And in the last three weeks, I have been able to enjoy these loves tremendously! Here it goes.....I love boating! I love sitting and watching people smile as they tube, wakeboard, or knee board across the water. I love putting my hand in the water as the boat is skimming the surface of the water and feeling the water beat against my hand with its cool caress. I love holding on for dear life as the boat pounds against waves that cause it to jump in the air. I love it all!!!! And I am blessed enough to have a cousin who enjoys boats as much as I do. If it weren't for Dave (and Brandy of course :) ) I wouldn't be able to take part in this love of mine. Being the oldest grandson and granddaughter in a family where my grandpa insists that his boat was the best investment he ever made, I guess it was meant to be that we would love boating as much as we do. Dave has a 7 seater boat that has been the host of many great memories in the past few years. Racing across Hebgen Lake and then slowly entering a small cove where the biggest moose I have ever seen is eating and creating a postcard in my head. Watching some of the young women bouncing across the water on a tube and smiling because they had never experienced anything like it before. Watching with pride while Jackson keeps asking to go faster on a tube when he was 4 years old. I could go on and on. A few weeks ago James was on a campout with the young men so the kids and I loaded up with my mom and headed up to Jordanelle to spend the day with Chris & Emily, Dave & Brandy and Eileen to celebrate Eileens birthday. Dave just bought a brand new tube and I couldn't let the opportunity pass. I had to give the new tube a try!!!! I know, I know, I shouldn't have done it with my foot but Dave was kind and kept it slow while Julie, Jackson and I had a great ride. After lunch, my mom and Eileen got on the tube. I don't know if I have ever laughed so hard in my life!!!!!! The looks that Eileen was shooting Dave as he took her on the ride of her life were priceless. We had an amazing day despite some minor drama! Here goes the admission of another love I have....Bear Lake! I don't know if there is a more beautiful lake in the USA. (Not that I have been to many lakes outside of Utah, I am just saying.) So last weekend when we went on a Bear Lake boating and camping trip, I thought I was in heaven. White sandy beaches, aqua blue water, family members to keep a smile on your face, and a campfire to sit and talk around at night, what more could a girl want!!! Julie loved walking up and down the beaches and looking for seashells.Jackson thought feeling the warmth on his back while laying the in the sand was wonderful! Jeffrey sat in his wheelchair on the beach trying to stay warm but not get a sunburn in the process!
James went on a tube ride with Chris where they bounced, held on tight, and crashed, thanks to Dave!

Caitlynn caught and frog and took Jackson over looking for more! He loved it!!!!

Plus, James, Dave & Chris enjoyed some swimming time in the middle of Bear Lake.Courtney & Camri made the trek all the way from Vegas to join us and we are so glad they came. Camri took her first steps on sand and had fun playing in the water. My mom and Grandma came up for a few hours on Saturday to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Everything was great and even a skunk sighting at 1am couldn't damper the mood of this wonderful vacation. Thanks to everyone who came and helped make this a vacation I really needed and thoroughly enjoyed! A special thanks for Dave & Brandy for giving us the chance to enjoy ourselves so much. And as for my two loves, hang in there, I will be back to experience you again!!!

Another Loaded Post...

2009-07-30T01:02:00.000-07:00

It seems like no matter how often I update this blog, I am never caught up! I honestly have thought about skipping certain events but then I realize that this is my journal so I can't leave anything out. I hope everyone will bear with me and understand!!!

Courtney came home for the 4th of July and while she was here, she, James, Jackson, Julie and Camri hiked up Adams Canyon. Last time Courtney and James did this hike, they saw someone die. This time a lady broke her ankle. Needless to say, I will not be hiking up Adams Canyon with Courtney and James because you know that I will be the one that gets hurt. I am stating a fact and you all know it! A couple of days later, we rediscovered the beauty of the Drive-In. For a mere $20, we took the family and went and watched Up and The Proposal. It was great! Not only did our good friends the Deardens join us (a little FYI for everyone, Diana is not the innocent lady she seems to portray, she has a little rebel blood flowing through those veins of hers!) but we were able to watch these movies in incredible comfort. Next time you want to go to the Drive In, give us a call we will join you!We were invited to join James' co-worker and his family for a fun day at Lagoon a few days later. All of our kids get along so well and they are a lot of fun to hang out with. Here are a few pics of the eventful day! Thanks for the invite John, we all had a great time.I had the opportunity to take my Activity Day girls to the Temple Open House. What a beautiful temple it is! The girls did so well and I think they really felt the Spirit. As we sat in the sealing room and listened to a volunteer couple talk about the blessings of being an eternal family, I couldn't help but thank my Heavenly Father for allowing me the chance to spend eternity with James and the kids. It really wouldn't be heaven without my family and I will continue to try to live my life to the best of my abilities so that I can take advantage of this incredible gift. The girls all loved the baptismal font and talked about it all the way home. I am also grateful that I had Julie with me for this tour. It has been a great conversation subject for both of us on many occasions since then.

We go to a year round school so on July 20th, Julie and Jackson started school. I am so grateful that both my kids LOVE school and really enjoy their teachers this year. Here they are the first day of school.

Jeffrey celebrated another birthday on the 22nd! I can't believe how big he is getting. Everyday with Jeffrey is a gift. His laugh, smile, and overall spirit brings an element to my life that I didn't know was possible. Happy Birthday Big Guy! Thanks for making our family complete.
July 24th in Utah is Pioneer Day! This year, we made it a point to talk to the kids about what this day really means. I love the stories and courage of those early saints who crossed the plains with the Prophet Brigham Young and rejoiced with him when he said,"This is the place." Thanks to Jonny & Jared (they camped out over night!) we were able to get some great seats for the Days of '47 parade. We have never taken the kids and we had a great time. Thanks for the help Jonny & Jared! The floats were so elaborate and intricate. The entry that brought the biggest response from the crowd was the military personnel. Everyone stood and clapped and several of us were crying. Next, we headed to my Dad & Kaye's for a lunch. We had a great time talking with them. Kaye always gets some kind of craft for the kids to do while we talk and they love it. The kids also love to play with Jake & Abby, the dogs! It's funny how those two dogs can entertain my kids for hours. They blew bubbles for the dogs, threw toys for the dogs, drew pictures with chalk on the sidewalk for the dogs, and so much more. It was also great to visit with Alex! I am so proud of my little brother for completing paramedic school! Way to go Alex!!!!!!

Our last stop for the 24th was Chris & Beka's! We love spending time with the Gibbons family. The kids set up the Banzai and had a great time going down the slide. The only problem was that it was a little cold so it didn't last long. After dinner, Belinda and her kids showed up making for an even better evening! The kids & James all got into Chris & Beka's new hot tub and had a blast. James fell in love with the hot tub and mentioned that he would love one. I told him I would love a boat. We are currently in negotiations. I will let you know the outcome.
Just a little side note. Chris & Beka welcomed a little baby boy into their family on July 29th at 1:10pm. Tyler is thrilled to be a big brother and until his parents decide on what to name his little brother, he is calling him "son". Welcome to the family little man!!!! We are excited to add another great boy to the McBride clan!

*Update* His name is Ethan Trent Gibbons!

Breather! It's Not What I Expected...

2009-07-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

Things are constantly busy around here and I thought that with my broken foot, I would have had a bigger break. Not the case! I am definitely not complaining though. The few days that I did have sitting at home were so long and I started to get the hum drums. So, we loaded up the kids and went to Vegas to help celebrate Camri's first birthday! Camri loves animals so we went to Bonnie Springs because Courtney heard they had a petting zoo. We had a lot of fun. Deer roaming around free (and chewing on your clothes!), chickens and roosters just walking around and the funniest one was the pig! This thing was nasty looking. It was so bad James wouldn't even touch it for a picture!!! Yuck! They had some cute live shows where they deputized the kids (well, just Jackson. Julie wasn't up for the challenge that day.) and did some other fun stuff. If you are in Vegas and want to try something different, I would recommend it. Then back to Joe & Courts for cake and ice cream. It was a really fast trip but we had a good time.

Back home there was quite a bit of stuff going on. James ran in the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay. If you haven't heard of this, it is a 2 day event where 12 people run 188 miles in a relay. James did it last year in an ultra team (only 6 people) and it about did him in. This time around he went with the 12 person team. They called themselves Wii not Fit. He had a really good time and I am sure will do it again next year. Here is their team and one of the vans they decorated.

We also had the opportunity to go to the Air Show in the VIP Thunderbirds area. While we were there, Joe had what they call a FARKLE. It's a chance for the family and friends to hear about Joe and all of his incredible accomplishments during his time in the Air Force and to be honored by the Thunderbirds team. We had the chance to meet all the Thunderbird pilots. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Joe has done some remarkable things during his time and we were all proud to be there supporting him.
We have also spent a good portion of time going to Jacksons track & field meets. He loves running the 50 and 100 meter sprints and doing the long jump. He took second in the 100 meter and long jump and third in the 50 meter overall during his last track meet. I am so proud of him! He gets it from his dad, that's for sure!
Plus, I gotta add the 4th of July celebrations. We did our usual traditions but I promised my cousins that I would post a couple videos and pics of them messing around in Scott's pool. Sorry Dave & Chris, James made the biggest waves. That's My Man!!!! Better luck next time boys!

Julie also had the chance to ride on the Davis Hospital float this year with her Grandpa. They had a great time together.
Last year we started a tradition that I hope we keep up. We went to the fireworks done by the city with our friends and ate homemade ice cream while we watched. We have had a great time both years and look forward to many years to come.
And last but not least, Julie and I spent the day at a day camp with the Activity Day girls. They climbed a rock wall, shot BB guns and bows & arrows, learned about astronomy, and went on a zip line. It was a long day but the girls had a great time. Julie and our neighbor even went so far as to make me thank you cards and gave me a stuffed bear they bought at camp with their own money because I took them. They are so cute. Here is Julie on the zip line and shooting her bow & arrow.

So when people ask if I have enjoyed slowing things down I just smile. I can't handle life with nothing to do. Someone recently told me that when they asked what I was like, they were told I go 90 miles an hour and don't stop. I am now proud of that description and wouldn't trade it for a life of leisure for anything. (James, that doesn't mean I wouldn't love going and doing nothing for a week on some tropical island!!!!)

Anniversary

2009-07-01T00:02:00.001-07:00

James and I are celebrating our anniversary today. I can't believe that we have been married for 15 years. In some ways, I can't remember life without James and in others, I remember our dating years like they were yesterday. James is truly my best friend. He is the only person that I honestly trust with all the thoughts that run free in this crazy head of mine. I am at my happiest when he is happy. James honors his priesthood with such integrity and love. He works hard and takes all of his responsibilities seriously. He is a great father and loves all of our kids so much. He is incredibly smart and isn't afraid to say,"I don't know the answer to that but give me some time and I will let you know." and then start researching. He is great at providing service to everyone around us and doesn't complain. James has a great sense of humor. Many of our friends have commented on how James will just sit and listen to a conversation and then suddenly say the funniest thing they have ever heard. Plus, he is really good looking!!!! Thanks for being my love, best friend, and hero. I love you James and I am excited to spend eternity with you!!!
*I am still scared to go down all the stairs in our house so I had to use a picture that was on our laptop. Sorry, no wedding pics this time!

Who Knew!!!!

2009-06-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

Court, Joe and Camri are in town for the air show this weekend. Of course, Joe is working but he did a special favor for my kids that I am sure they will remember for the rest of their lives. He and 3 of his co-workers got together and came to the kids school and did an assembly. They talked about their jobs with the Thunderbirds, showed a movie, had a quiz portion where the winners got Thunderbird pins, and had a tug of war with 20 students. I was so impressed!!!! Who knew we had a celebrity in the family? These men handled all the chaos that comes with dealing with elementary students with such ease. The tug of war came as a result of Joe wanting to show the kids that it is important to stay in shape if you want to have a career in the armed forces. These poor men, they didn't stand a chance. They were dressed in their dress shoes and on the gym floor, they just starting sliding. A few of the teachers even jumped in to help and still, the kids won. Then these truly brave men went and did the unthinkable, they ate school lunch with the kids. They had their choice of a corn dog or a tuna sandwich, yummy! While eating their lunch with the kids, I bet over 90% of the kids came and got autographs from all four of these men. It was hilarious!!!! They signed shoes, paper, wrists, pants, and arms and you would have thought that they were the biggest movie stars on the planet! One girl even started crying with happiness when she asked Joe to flex his bicep and he did it. Courtney and I couldn't stop laughing. Joe also brought special coloring books for Julie and Jacksons class. Jacksons teacher, our beloved VR, came out to talk to us for a minute and told Joe how important it was that he and his 3 friends came and showed such respect, to the kids and the staff at the school. A lot of the kids in their school don't have that kind of influence at home and to give them that example was so incredibly important and they did a marvelous job. I couldn't agree more. I was so proud of my little brother! It was a great way to end the last day of school. That's right, Jackson is now in 2nd grade, Julie in 3rd and Jeffrey is going to HIGH SCHOOL!

Thanks Coach Joe....We love you!

Memories, Young & Old

2009-05-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

James and I both feel very strongly about the men and women who serve our country, both currently and in past years. We respect and honor them and their service so much. We are very proud of Joe, Dan & Chris and their service in their respective jobs with the Air Force and Army. We both are proud to say that that our grandfathers have served in the military at different times and in different branches. We really wanted our children to get a sense of what Memorial Day was about this year because we feel like they are old enough to really understand this. We spent quite a bit of time talking with them and helping them realize that Monday wasn't just a day for BBQ's and having the day off from school, but a day to remember those heroes in our lives who have served this country. We took the kids on Sunday to visit the places for all of our grandparents who have been laid to rest here in Utah. I have to say, I love cemeteries. I know, I am weird but I do. There is a sense of peace and serenity that happens to me when I visit these special places. First, we went to the mausoleum where my Grandpa West & my Step-Grandfather Bill are. What a beautiful resting place! My Grandpa West's stone is at the top so we took an additional picture of just the stone so it could be read more easily. Next, we went to visit the gravesite of Grandma & Grandpa Wall. I love this cemetery! There are so many pioneers and incredible men and women whom I have researched and learned about, that it would be hard to not have a personal tie to all of their resting places. Everytime we visit Grandma and Grandpa's gravesite, I think of all the hours we spent with both of them, serving them, and getting to love them even more than we already did. As an in-law, I feel like it was such a blessing in my life to get to know these incredible people on such a personal level. I will never regret the hours I spent with them.
On Tuesday, we celebrated another big day, Jackson's birthday! My little guy is 7 years old. He is growing up to be such an incredible little man. He is so compassionate, loving, funny, strong, and smart. He has a definite sense of right and wrong and will do anything to please me. His favorite two people are his dad and his Grandpa West who can do no wrong as far as he is concerned. When James has to discipline Jackson, it is like the world is coming to an end because he never wants to let his dad down. I keep asking him to stop growing up and the other day he responded by saying, "Mom, I pray everynight that I will stop growing but everyday I grow up bigger so Heavenly Father must want me to grow." How can you argue with that? Happy Birthday Jackson!!!! Thanks for being such a big part of our family. We all love you so much!!!!!

A Day At The Races

2009-05-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

Today was the big marathon and we had a great time. This time was a little different. James was running as part of a 2 man relay team. He ran the first 13.1 and his team mate, Leslie, did the second 13.1. James did his personal best with 2:12 and Leslie did the second leg in 2:01 which makes the total finish time of 4:13:49!!! They did so great! James also felt great after this race and it was nice to have a husband who didn't look like he was going to die. I am so proud of you James! Here are a few pictures of James & Leslie: James jumped in the last 200 yards to cross the finish line with Leslie. James is the bright blue and Leslie is wearing the red shorts. It wouldn't be a race without the Thundering Herd poster!

We actually had a lot of friends running this year. Here are just a few:

Joy & Spencer: Can I just tell you how proud I am of Joy!!!! Alright, Spencer, you did pretty good too. This was a first for both of them, doing the 1/2 marathon. They rocked it!!! 2:12 or something close to that. Way to go Joy! See, I told you that you would do a great job.

This is Jon, James' co-worker and fellow troublemaker. James conned him, I mean, talked him into doing the half marathon for the first time. Jon did incredible with a great time of 1:58!

Jared: Oh my friend! I am so proud of him and excited for him. He got his personal best with 3:12 for the full marathon. I was convinced that Jared qualified for the Boston Marathon, a personal goal of his. Unfortunately, Jared came in 2 minutes short of qualifying. When a man runs as fast as Jared was running, I don't know how they couldn't qualify for Boston but I am not a racing official. St George is your race my friend!!!!

Other friends: Amy ran the half in 2:09, Katie ran the full but I don't have her time yet, and Kari's dad (I love Kari's parents!) ran the full in something like 4:40.

I have to give a HUGE shout out to my dad for all his help today. He drove from South Salt Lake early in the morning, drove all of us to the race, stayed with me the entire time, cheered on all of my friends, and helped me with the kids! What more could a girl ask for on Ogden Marathon day!Also, thanks Jonny for watching Jeffrey! Poor kid roasts in the sun, and it gets really bad fast so Jonny watched him for me. AND thanks for Thursday, bring on the Brazilian rock music anytime little brother!

It was a great day but right now I am paying for it with a swollen foot but it was worth it. What a difference a year makes! Last year, it was 94 degrees on race day and this year it was in the 70's. I am so glad I don't have blisters this year!

I also wanted to say GOOD JOB to the century mile bike riders! All four of you did great!!!!!

Enough with the Downers.....Time to Smile!

2009-05-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

Alright, so the last two posts have been very mellow posts, it's time to put a smile on your face and mine! Jackson was a golden gargoyle in his school opera this year. I love this program and I love Jacksons teacher! She has become such a great friend to our entire family. She makes us all love her because of her wit and humor. VR, you are the best! Anyway, there was supposed to be two golden gargoyles in the play but due to a sickness, Jackson ended up being the only one. I was so scared for him! He had to sing a solo and he rocked it!!!! We were all so excited. We weren't allowed to video the actual performance at night BUT I did get a video at the dress rehearsal. He did a lot better at the actual performance but this is a good sampling of his solo.

There were a lot of people there to support Jackson as well. My mom and Scott came but had to sneak out early. I was babysitting our niece, Winter, who was 7 weeks old and she was a great source of happiness to Jackson that night. Grandma & Grandpa McBride were also there and we were excited to have them join us!

I also wanted to post a video I took of Julie and Jackson last night. Julie is taking cheerleading right now and loves it! In her little cheer class, they are learning a cheer called Cheerleading Daddy. I am sure that a lot of you will remember seeing commercial at one time or another but in case you haven't, here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTIzjVxvV2U Well, Julie was supposed to bring a boy with her to class to do this cheer with her. James had a YM commitment so Julie took a VERY reluctant Jackson. (The poor kid!) Here is the cheer they learned at that class. And for all of you who would love to see a video of James doing this cheer with Julie, don't worry, I am going to do my best to get one!

I will post of pictures of James and his race this Saturday! I am just hoping that it isn't like last year and I get fried again! We are hoping for nice weather and no bloody nipples. What more could a runner ask for? GO THUNDERING HERD!!!!!

You asked for it......

2009-05-11T14:04:00.001-07:00

As many of you have requested this entry, I thought I would comply and post exactly what has happened in the past few weeks. A couple of weeks ago, I really hurt myself. I was touring a garden of our last Stake President with my gardening club. The yard is so beautiful and I learned so much. As we made our way inside, it came to my attention that a lot of my friends were going down a fire pole inside the house. It looked like so much fun and not one to turn down an opportunity for a little adventure, I decided to give it a try. Now, if you know me even remotely well, you know that this wasn't the smartest decision I have ever made. I am known to run into walls, trip while standing, and fall up the stairs. I am a self proclaimed Klutz! Most people know this, and I am alright with the title. Just 4 weeks before this tour, I had my knee operated on as well so that should have been another warning light to go off in my head but no, not me. Anyway, I watched my friends go down with smiles on their faces and laughter when they reached the bottom. I walked over confidently, wrapped my arms around the pole, and walked off the edge of the floor. While I was falling, I remember thinking, "Wow, I am going really fast. Wait a minute, I forgot to wrap my legs around the pole! Oh goodness, bend your bad knee! Bend your bad knee!" And then, the thud heard around the neighborhood happened. I didn't hear a crack or a pop but there was definite pain in my left foot and the swelling was already starting to happen. After making it home, and icing my foot for quite sometime, I decided that I would sleep on it and see how I felt in the morning. Well, morning came, and it was REALLY swollen and I couldn't bear any type of weight on my foot. I scooted across the house and down the stairs to the van and James and I made a trip to the Dr. After a series of x-rays, a CT scan and a lot of the doctor saying, "I hope this isn't a Lisfranc fracture." It was determined, that not only did I have a Lisfranc Fracture. I had broken metatarsals, 1,2, &3. There are lots of fun images online if you want to look them up! Anyway, we went to see a specialist the following Monday and after he saw all the x-rays and CT scans, he pronounced that surgery was in order on Thursday. So Thursday, I went into surgery knowing that things were bad but feeling confident that I could handle it (another great blessing was the source of this confidence!) After surgery, I was told by the doctor that mine was one of the worst cases he had ever seen and I was now the proud owner of donor bone in my foot from the donor bone bank. He also had to fuse together all 3 of my metatarsals which will probably mean arthritis down the road. My thoughts are, if I am going to screw up, you might as well do a good job at it!!!! So now comes the hard part. The waiting......and waiting.....and waiting. I am wheelchair bound for the next two months minimum and then a walking cast for another two months. This, of course, is if everything goes according to plan. I have found that if I am in the wheelchair for an extended period of time, my foot swells quite a bit and I have to elevate it to get the pain and swelling to recede. Through all of this, my husband has been amazing! He cleans, he cooks, and takes care of the kids, he runs all my errands, and then at the end of the night, he hugs me and lets me know that even though I am a klutz, he still loves me. (Sorry ladies......he is taken and he is all mine :) My kids are fantastic! Jackson, Jeffrey and I were home alone for two days and Jackson was so great. He helped me, made me smile, and did everything I asked of him and more! With the 4 of them on my side, I know my recovery will go amazingly well and we can get over this yucky time together. I also have to thank all my incredible friends!!!! What would I do without all of you!!! I have to be honest, I think I would have broken down and lost it along time ago if it weren't for my friends. From giving me encouragement to push my wheelchair up my driveway, to dressing up in a ridiculous outfit and making a surprise visit to make me smile. From just stopping by to see what I need and then end up taking my son to soccer and back, to making a trip to my house, twice a day , to load Jeffrey on and off the bus. From taking the kids to school and bringing them home everyday, to making sure that Tuesday Treat Day is my favorite day of the week!!!! To the countless meals we have received and the trek all the way from SLC to come and see me, twice! To taking Julie and giving her a weekend that she still is talking about (the hairspray came out nicely!) and all the numerous visits where you have sat on my bed and just talked with me. My phone hasn't had this much excitement in a long time and I thought it rang nonstop before this! I am so blessed and I know it. Please know, I will do whatever I can to be a blessing in your lives as well! I have felt so much love from all of you. Thank you to everyone! Hopefully, come the end of the summer, I will be tripping on the sidewalk, running into trees, and all the other stuff that makes being me, me.

Emotions....

2009-04-16T14:19:00.001-07:00

I am keeping this blog as a journal of sorts. With that in mind, I hope you will indulge me while I share some of the thoughts that have been going on in my head. This last month I have gone through a roller coaster of emotions. From the joy of seeing my brother return from his mission in Brazil, to the low of some news that has rocked me to the core. I can't seem to grasp which way is up and which way is down. Sometimes, I miss the stability I have felt in the past. But I am so grateful that I have been able to find comfort in the two places that I can always find peace in. The love and peace of my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and my incredible husband, James. I am so blessed with the knowledge that I can always turn to my Heavenly Father for that sense of footing I need, when I seem to lose my way so much. He quietly touches my soul and lets me know that He loves me and is there to carry me when the burdens of this world seem to weigh me down. I can't imagine going a day without feeling that tender love in my life. What an incredible gift I have been blessed with, knowing that I truly am a Daughter of God, and He loves me. No matter what my shortcomings or imperfections are, He is always there.

I am so grateful for the example that the Savior set for me to follow. His life on this earth is such an amazing gift for me to study and try to follow in His footsteps. I can't imagine the pain and hurt He felt but the incredible love that He must also feel for all of us to suffer as He did. From the Last Supper, to the Garden of Gethsemane. From the ultimate betrayal of one of His disciples, to the pain His body went through on the cross. What emotions He must have felt....What anguish must have ran through His soul. Yet, His love for us and His Father carried Christ through those dark hours. Just like it can carry us through those seemingly endless hours of despair, if we will but turn to Him.

I am also so blessed to have a husband who honors his priesthood and tries to show his love for our Heavenly Father and the Savior by never doing anything to that honored gift so that it cannot be taken from him. James truly is an example of a man who does what he preaches. He is humble, honest, and fair in all of his doings. He teaches our children the importance of loving others, service, hard work, and the importance of the gospel. Today, I think I fell further in love with my husband because he was an instrument in providing a gift for someone we love. I will never forget the feeling that entered the room, and in my heart, as I sat there and listened to my husband give an incredible blessing with the aid and love of our Father. The peace and reassurance that this blessing gave was immediate and needed not only for the person receiving the blessing, but as well as the rest of us in the room. I don't know if words can describe how humbled I felt to be a part of something so incredible.

I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and my eternal companion. All of them have blessed me with such comfort today and I am truly humbled.

Thank you for allowing me to ramble through and describe my emotions today. I know I am not the most eloquent writer, but my intentions are pure.